It was a good day

November 14 was a great day! The sun was shinning, Dave had the day off and we had access to a car. So we went to D.U.M.B.O for lunch. That's short for Down Under The Manhattan bridge- yes I laughed when I first heard it too. We had sushi rolls, Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookies (best in the world!!!) and visited our favorite park which has totally changed. There are bike lanes, lots of new walking spaces and a huge baby playground. Lola finally had fun in a swing- usually she screams her head off.  I recommend you head over- take the F train over the bridge and bring your walking shoes- the view is AMAZING- you can see Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and the downtown skyline all at once. Plus there's this fantastic pizza place that only sells pies- just the kind of encouragement I need. :)

This page is for a Punky Scraps challenge.

Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Materials: Am Crafts Vanilla cardstock, DCWV Downtown Loft- bridge and turquoise NYC map papers,  Sassafras Lass skull and hearts paper and brown numbers paper, Swell woodgrain tape, NYC Subway Map tape from Etsy,  Hambly screen prints overlay textures- pink, Martha Stewart blue stars tape,  Maquee plastic letters- red,  Uniball gel pen- black and white, Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam in Expresso Bean (border)

I really like this challenge site and it's not too frilly style. I love me some flowers and lace but I seem to be moving away from them these days. I also want to shout out DCWV for the GORGEOUS Downtown Loft pad- it's so urban MOD. It's got woodgrain, lots of green, brown and turquoise and YUMM-O NYC maps. LOOVE the urban vibe!!! Funny- I either LOVE the heck out of DCWV paper or really really hate it.

I also recommend to those who like their art messy- go get you some Tattered Angles Glimmer Glam. I got 8 colors from a great lady named Darla Charles who was selling them for a discount on the boards at 2Peas. I plan to make a HUGE mess with them soon.

A moment of quiet. 

MuChOS SmOoChEs!
M.

Me and my father- it's complicated

Papa, cundo pasara? My Dad and I March 1975

Sometimes I look at Lola and I try to imagine how we'll relate when she's 13, 15, 18 and into her 20's and 30's. Will we fight? Will she perplex and annoy her extended family with her ideas or behavior? Will my idea of unconditional love be tested? Yes, Yes, Yes I believe.

How scary.

How can I raise a well adjusted yet assertive person? Someone who strives to "get along" but can also yell STOP if she's not comfortable? Will I allow her to make her own decisions and mistakes? Will I be a "helicopter Mom"?

That's my current relationship with my Dad. Complicated and perplexing. We don't speak. I love him. I miss him. But I don't CALL him. How sad. How strange. But I feel like he's not interested in me, my problems, my ideas, my family and I resent that I always have to be the one to say I'm sorry.

So this is a message to my Dad. And a reminder to myself on what mistakes have already been made and need not be repeated.

Papa, cuando pasara?

Ok so the subject is heavy but the actual piece isn't- why? Not sure. I wanted a piece I could scan (hence the 11 by 8.9 size- oops!) and I wanted to use up some of my favorite scraps left over from previous projects. Here you see  pieces of pearl swirls fro Basic Grey Zva Creative and Prima, burlap ribbon, Anna Griffin flocked paper and a canvas textured brown background paper from DCWV pad that I got from Marshall's for like 5 bucks.

OOH that reminds me... This weekend I went shopping- at Marshall's- and found SWELL tape for a DOLLAR. That's RIIIIGHT- a dollar. I was about to plunk down 10 buckaroos the day before but slowly backed away from the counter. I am SO GLAD I DID!!!

I TOTALLY CHEATED the stitching- it was so crooked I laughed my ass off when I saw the final piece. I photoshoped the upper and right hand sides completely and frankly I'm just as proud of the photoshop retouching as I am of the stitching. which is funny considering the TITLE OF MY BLOG!

hee hee heeee.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!!
M