Showing posts with label Maya Road kraft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maya Road kraft. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Let that sun SHINE!

This a page for the Studio Calico 4th Anniversary song lyrics challenge. I felt it was time to pull out my newborn Lola photos again as I do every year around this time.


Have you ever (this should be a regular column!) gotten a random print "just because" or maybe it was a gift or part of a kit- anyway- you didn't recognize it's TRUE BEAUTY and HIGH ART POTENTIAL till months later when it's no longer available because everyone else was like "WHAAA? That print is AWESOME! MINE times 50 please!" 
You are my sunshine- Studio Calico Lyrics challenge
MATERIALS: Sassafras Lass Starters- ABC, Maya Road kraft die cut doily and kraft doily die cuts (black),  Studio Calico wood grain butterfly run ons , Fancy Pants Filter paper in pinked edge, American Crafts Polka dot alphas, Mister Huey in Calico Cream and Sunshine yellow, Studio Calico yellow script alphas stickers, Kaiser Craft mini alphas in kraft, Jillibean Soup Watermelon Gazpacho circle journaling tag, Martha Stewart Punch all over the page pinking circle, SC exclusive journaling tag and heart wood veneers. Epiphany Crafts Vintae surrounds, American Crafts Zing in Mustard .
Like the body builder in that annoying commercial for Planet Fitness, I picked up and put down Sassafras Lass' Starters ABC print dozens of times but I had seen it in so many fantastic pages I just didn't feel up to the challenge. Ah the heck with it- it's JUST PAPER Michelle! SHEESH! 
Lo and behold- it's the PERFECT shade of warm beige and now I'm in LOOOOVE. Naturally it's sold out everywhere but that's ok as I'm broke anyway.

Ok back to story behind the page:
Love how I can't control my "new" Smith Corona typewriter.
I was seriously freaked out by the lyrics to the song "You Are My Sunshine" during the first few weeks of Lola's life. The song is so eerie for a family in our situation. I just could not get the words out without choking back fearful tears. So I changed them.
You are my sunshine
My lovely sunshine
You make me happy when days are grey
I'll always love you and take good care of you
When you come home I'll hug you every day
Miss Lola was diagnosed with a 9mm Cystic Hygroma at 19 weeks (she was barely double that size herself!) and was given very small odds to survive. I was told she would most likely be severely disabled but no one could tell me for sure- everything was a set of odds like I was gambling in Las Vegas. So Dave and I stuck it out. We ignored all the scary genetic probabilities. She was born 6 weeks early and stayed in the intensive care unit for 2 months. I did not get to actually hold my baby for 2 weeks and my breast milk made her fluid retention condition much much worst. Yet Miss Lola is completely fine today. 

I post about this at least twice a year to encourage parents whose baby has been diagnosed with Cystic Hygroma or Fetal Hydrops to try to stick it through and give the baby a chance. Lola was given a 1 in 10 chance of survival. Well she survived and she's STRONG- no genetic, developmental or health defects. 


The numbers are scary and the genetic counselors have to focus on the scary news in order to protect their practices from lawsuits but no one can give you a real yes or no answer on whether the baby will survive, be severely disabled or not- we simply do no know enough yet. All we have is probability. Yes the chances were small and the risks were great but I ask myself what if I had given in to my fear of the unknown? Ahh it's too awful to contemplate.

Here's last year's page:
I worked on the stitching for DAYS. I wouldn't pile so many small details into a page now but I still really like this page. I wonder what next year's version will look like? :)
I love that photo and scrap it repeatedly because of Lola's expression- intelligent life- brave life- that's my kid. This photo makes me want to FIGHT to make sure Miss Thing gets every chance to survive and thrive. This is my NEVER FORGET photo.

Window were I shoot most of my pages- the light is sporadic and weak but it's Brooklyn, I should feel lucky I don't face a brick wall. Lola approves of the page- she says OOOO OOO. :)
MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Create (your internal script)

Ok so I've had a post on the brain for months regarding...
THE NATURE OF MEMORY.
The headline was going to be in bold italics just like that and get all heavy on how human memories are evanescent. I was gonna to use that 5 dollar word and EVERYTHING!
Materials: Scenic Route graph paper (I really wish I had bought 20 of those),  Vellum paper, Tissue paper,  Sunrise Thickers in Natural, Glitz minis in yellow, Studio Calico Mister Huey in Sunshine and bluegrass, Maya Road kraft, Martha Stewart doily punch
I recently listened to an NPR story about how a memory changes each time you recall it. How photographing a moment "for posterity", talking about it with others or even writing it down totally transforms your memory of it. So the act of scrapbooking to preserve a memory is essentially destroying it. This KNOCKED ME OUT MAN! I sat down and went WHOA.

But now I can't remember which NPR show or the exact study so I can offer it up for your consideration. Isn't that ironic?
Why am I babbling on about this?
A bad thing (not that bad- gotta keep things in perspective) ALMOST happened to me tonight so I decided to write it down and screw the memory up forever.

I thought I lost my iTouch! "Uhm ok- Soooo?" you say. The thing is that my ipod might as well be attached to my arm! It's become more important than my actual computer or cell phone. I have photos of Lola in there that I love beyond all reason.
Like this one:
I know it's fuzzy. Her expression makes me smile each time I see it.

And this one:

Eating rocks- yes I know- EVIL MOM!
What would I do if I lost my iTouch??? CRY! Which is exactly what I did. I also went out looking for it at 10pm on the waterfront. It's not as scary as it sounds- everything is now well lit and there are families walking around taking in the cool night air- which reminds me- we need to get out more at night! But I digress.

Here is the WHOLE POINT of this loooong story. I remember using my ipod at home. I remember the new photo of Lola I simply HAD to look at when we got home from the park. I remember sitting on my couch, showing it to Dave and hugging Lola because she's so freaking cute. So why am I running through Brooklyn streets AT NIGHT asking people id they saw a pink ipod touch?

Because I don't trust my memory. I've been teased so many times about my "flakiness" that I've internalized that script! I disregarded the internal picture of me enjoying the ipod AT HOME and immediately became convinced I was an ipod LOOSER. Aah the INHUMANITY!

Don't do this to yourself! Self? Pay attention please! Don't do that again. Don't let other people's ideas of you enter the blood stream- it's harder to resist than anything but TRY. Try to remember me running down the street frantically looking for a pink iTouch which was under my desk the whole time- or try anyway- reading this is creating and destroying memories as your eyes run over each word.... create.... destroy.... Create!    Destroy!!!
CREATE!!!! (your own internal script)
Favorite Lolster shot of the year! Almost lost!

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Friday, June 10, 2011

Tape Deck challenge

OOOOOOOPS! The time difference is still messing with me! This Punky Challenge was due- thank goodness for my friends at Punky Scraps or this would be late.

U2 Speaks
MATERIALS- GCD Studios paper, Maya Road Mini Tags, SEI heart die cuts,  Girl's Studio tablet alphas, Basic Grey woodgrain alphas, DCWV houndstooth paper (strips),  Studio G mini alpha stamps
Since I got the deadline completely wrong I had 1 hour to execute this page and shoot it. To complicate things my computer has decided that it will no longer use iPhoto. I no longer have easy access to my photos or an easy way to upload shoots I just completed. This page is scanned and since I used micro brads there is some fuzzyness- I think that makes it Punky. ??? Yes please feel free to click your tongue at me.

The Studio G stamps are great but barely legible- here are the songs I'm highlighting: Smile (rare & unreleased track), Elevation, Beautiful Day, Kite and Pride. U2 is awesome but I don't have any photos so I just went ahead with a photoless layout.

Here is the inspiration photo:
Punky Scraps Challenge 19
Here is a detail of a window display I recently stumbled upon- it's made from Light Bright (that fabulous 80's toy) and it's 6 feet tall. Awesome right?

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Shameless free product plea! MAYA ROAD

Ok so Maya Road is revealing it's 2011 CHA products on it's blog and giving them away if you comment, post on your blog, post an entry in your fave forum, join their newsletter or FB page. Naturally I'm joining in so I can try to get some SCRUMPTIOUS Kraftalicious MR candy.
This is NO JOKE my 2011 shopping list. TRUST I WILL go broke.
Here are some drool worthy shots:
1. Die cut craft doilies- YO WHAAAA? They read my mind!!!

2. Wood buttons! AAAA THE CUTENESS!! IT BUUUURNS!

3. Chipboard!! MADNESS- MUST.HAVE.ALL!
Garden shapes!
Teeny shape cuteness!
Semi-circle banners!
Doily backings!
Suns and rainbows!

4. Star pins! DUUUH! Naturally! MR I love you!

5. Scroll Frame Journaling Tags!!! Just too cute to leave all lonely in the MR warehouse.

There you have it- my shameless plug for MR.

And this WONDERFUL photo from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WHO OWNS THE COPYRIGHT!!!! I'm just letting you see it. Click on the caption- it's a link to their website.
http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-of-the-day/animals/

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
M.

Friday, December 31, 2010

Top 10 of 2010

I just went over my scrapbook.com gallery and got a real look at my scrap progression through 2010. There's a definite style change- from frills and flowers to grids and stitches. Also- I stink at taking photos of my pages... I wonder what 2011 will bring?

I do have very definite scrap goals:
1. Use more spritz, paint and transparencies in my pages
2. Deepen my Photoshop skills.
3. Learn how to use my Leica in MANUAL so I can get exactly the shot in my brain.
4. Get published.
5. Get on a DT for a shop so I can get FREE monthly SWAG!

In no particular order (because really- I just can't commit) here are my Top 10 of 2010. Thanks to fave bloggers Alia, Lucy and Margrethe for this idea!! Please go by their blogs- these women are AMAZING!!!!

November- Date Night: Love that it sparkles. Love the mini pix.

October- Defy Expectations: Negative space- I held
back for  once.

April- 6 Months: frills, flowers and fabulousness.

August- Engaged! Lety & Berto: spritz madness

December- He Said/She Said: The photo is of the
bathrooms at IKEA- love the randomness of this page.

September- Out of a jar sprung Hope: This was a page
celebrating my daughter's birth. I got crazy with
the stitching and I LOVE IT.

November- 80's Child: Glad I used these photos- SO rad.

December- Feliz Navidad: After all the struggle with
 Christmas projects I was glad to make
 1 really nice project.

August- Precious: I combined some of my most favorite
elements,Maya Road Kraft envelopes, lace die cut
paper, flowers and spritz into 1 page.

August- Happy 2nd Anniversary!: Dave and I have been
together for 12 years- married for 2- it's been awesome.
I want to wish all me readers a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!! May your 2011 be filled with peace, hope, beauty and love. Thank you for taking some time for this blog- I deeply DEEPLY appreciate it!!!

AMOR, SALUD Y DINERO!!! (love, health and money)!
M.