Friday, February 17, 2012

Take a LEAP- A True XOXO challenge

I'm eating cherries right now.
(random!)
Cherries are my downfall.
I love them to death but they make my ears and throat itch.
A recent thing, my sister and I think it's due to pesticides.
If you know why or go through the same thing can you commiserate in the comments pretty please?
I should start a support group- cherry eaters anonymous.

ONTO today's post!!
True Xoxo girls has a special mid-month challenge celebrating the LEAP year.
Please swing by and join the fun (click the link above).
The prize is a guest spot on the team for a month. It's a great way to network and get to know new people with all kinds of scrap styles.
Here's my page:
Take A Look & LEAP Anyway
Materials: Crate Paper, Studio Calico ampersand mask, American Crafts Amy Tan alphas, Jenni Bowlin flying bird punch, Smash polka dot tape, Ormolu arrow, Hero Arts grid stamp, Zig pen .1, Cosmo Cricket tiny words, mists from Studio Calico and Tattered Angels , natural color cheese cloth (which I'm IN LOVE with BTW!)
I. LOVE. THIS. PAGE.
I usually develop a friendship (ha!) with a page after I wrestle it kicking and screaming out of my head and onto paper (where it rarely looks as awesome.)
NoT THiS TiMe.
This came to me completely finished. I just had to connect the dots.
I was so excited to get to work I sprayed half my desk before I realized I didn't have my misting mat.
Also, I'm having too much fun with the new Jenni Bowlin squeeze punches.
LOVE! LOTS! REALLY!
That black plastic packaging piece was too cool to throw in the garbage!
I only bought the birds and the tags punch.  They were 30% off at Joann's!! I'm using them everywhere. Their size is PERFECT for Project Life.
Instant ATC! I need to get a couple more
of those Amy Tangerine grey alphas.
They are SO RAD!
The misting was done by using the tube end of the sprayer and gently tapping over the paper. This is how EVERYONE does it. I had no idea.

I'm also working on my Project 365. I've stopped calling it Project Life because I'm not using branded wares.  I'm using Making Memories stuff I've had for over 2 years.

It got hectic but I finally got week 6 under control:
Birthday present!! Studio Calico kit and "This is Awesome" exclusive stamp.
Thanks DAVE! Full post to come on "Project 365 Monday".
No gratuitous baby shot this week since it's been raining and I haven't gotten great shots so far.
I'm starting a new photo segment:

WHAT I'M WORKING ON RIGHT NOW:
Project 365- Week Seven
This week was all about conflicts and drama. Arguments with family over Lola's "crazy" hair and driving while talking on the phone (I KNOW! I couldn't believe it myself!)
Getting the boot early and feeling rejected for no fair or stated reason. (that. sucked.)
Finally dumping a Facebook "friend" who was a tiresome bully and whom I was only following to spare their feelings. Naturally they had loads of nasty to "share" about it- un.cool.
Told ya- HECTIC.

The "real talk" page is getting expanded.
I heard "real talk" used as expression meaning subjective truth unvarnished twice this week and it just clicked so I'm using it on several new projects.
I LOVED dumping out my neggy-neg feelings on paper!!!
I know some people consider it immature or "low class" but those are probably people I would avoid in self defense anyway so it's ok.
That I cared about any of this will make me laugh and wonder how I didn't walk around with a permanent head ache a couple of years from now.
Well- not the driving in the rain while talking on the cell phone thing- that was utter crap.
Glad the Hubster and I pushed back so hard on that.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

21 comments:

  1. you go and git it girl. i just love this page. one. and two? love that you have gut and gave it up with the bully friend. it's hard. TRUST ME. you KNOW i've lived it. and it still hurts like a damn paper cut in between my pinky finger done by a manila folder. but, meh, whatever. you're a better woman for it. hang in there friend. i adore seeing your posts, lola's crazy hair and all.

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  2. I do love cherries, but they don't make me itch. I am SO in love with that LO!!! I love the little strips of prettiness under the photos and that little birdie punch is the best - it is on my wish list for sure! I also really like your take on PL. You have made it your own and I love the look! Hope your weekend is better than your week has been.

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  3. What a great description about dragging an idea out of your head kicking and screaming -- I can relate! Your xoxo project is just fabulous and I love every detail!

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  4. Michelle, this is absolutely amazing! I love everything about that layout, from the photos to the design, and title! Pinning this right now!

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  5. Omg! I am in love with everything about this layout! And, as always, I love the deep, caring, thoughtful, and uncompromising person you are about what is right and true for you. Keep it coming!

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  6. I <3 <3 <3 all the diferent mist & the ways you used them.

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  7. love your page and PL!! love the squishy card, s2 use that word alot too! have a great weekend!!

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  8. Absolutely love everything about this - it's a piece of art that keeps on making you look at more and more detail. GORGEOUS!

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  9. This is absolutely gorgeous! I love your layout and thanks for taking time to come by my blog as well! :)

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  10. This is too damn HAWT! I'm enamored with this LO! Esp the washi pennants! Rockin it hard gurl!

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  11. Beautiful work, girl, as always. =)

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  12. Very cool layout! I'll never get tired of the ampersand-map-mist look, probably because I don't mist but just love the look of it!

    You're right, Amy T's gray letters are so cool, and I never noticed it until I saw this layout.

    And hand journaling around the corner to frame, LOVE that! I just did a layout last night that I used hand journaling as a design element. It was my first time implementing the idea, and I loved the outcome.

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  13. Lovely page! Loads of great misting!

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  14. Beautiful work! I LOVE LOVE LOVE your LO too!

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  15. Very neat. Like the masking and the shadow pictures! Also a creative title!

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  16. Oooh! Thanks for the heads up about the guest spot...! :D

    And I love that new layout - pretty!

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  17. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the "Leap" page too! Totally captures what you're trying to capture :) I always like seeing you play with titles and lettering...awesome stuff. (or as my teens would say..."this is a SICK page" !! lol!)

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  18. oh, and about the allergies. LOTS of food allergies in our family, esp my son. He used to be allergic to almost ALL food except broccoli and rice. yikes. Now he's outgrown it all. The key is complete avoidance (you probably hate to hear that). But allergic reactions only get worse. So one day you could be eating cherries and feeling itchy, and the next ....gulp. Not good. Check with your Dr. If it's the pesticides, then try organic cherries (that cost a BILLION dollars) and see if you react then.

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  19. cherry eaters anonymous? Mwahahahhha... you're so good for my soul! :)

    permission to lift your title (Leap anyway) please? I love you. i hope you know that.

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  20. Thank you for commenting! Yeah, I was picked for the Jan - June DT - Yay! I'm so happy to hear that you subscribe to their newsletter. Their sketches/templates really get me scrapping!

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  21. Did I miss wishing you a happy bday on fb?! Happy belated birthday! First, I would like to say that I have the same thing with the itchy throat and glands when I eat most fresh veggies even after washing them. I notice it alot with califlower. As for the loving your page...I am the same way. Most of the time I don't know if I even like a page and then some just grow on me. Isn't it great when you instantly fall in love with a page! I fell in love with this page too! I love the way you took the photographs and the design and spritz drops look awesome!

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Ok peeps lets CHAT! You tell me what you REALLY think and I PROMISE to keep it open minded here.