From Round Top to Rome

I'm stressed out at work right now - and getting ready to make a quick trip to the Bahamas so that I can work. on Sunday. It's no luxury either - it's be hot, in the sun, in a nomex suit out on a jetty. And I have a fear about actually getting on the jetty in a basket. It's one of those times when you have to suck it up and be like the guys. And you know, these days I'm just not all that thrilled about doing that anymore. It will be a far cry from last weekend when I was scrapbooking in Round Top at this lovely place. And taking pictures of this lovely woman, Miss Barbara. I had such a great time - no chores, just playing with paper in my pjs. There is such a freedom in getting away and working on projects, and laughing and meeting really neat people. There is such a kinship with other scrapbookers. Sometimes it just amazes me.

The best thing that happened last weekend was that my neighbor said she would go to Rome with me in two weeks. Yep, just like that. I shake my head sometimes because the way it happened was really mystical. Boom - all of a sudden, I have a friend to go with me and besides that she's one of my favorite people, who is terrifically funny and so now it's all set. She's going to London to see her brother while I go to Rotterdam and finish business and then we fly home on the 5th. Easy peasy. About a month ago she got a strong urge to get her passport, worried about her grandson, Sonny Boy who is fighting over in Afghanistan. But the real reason now appears... it was to go to Rome this summer. We're going to have a great time.

I never did write about Carol Wingert's project for Inspired. Carol wow'd me in 2006 at the first Creative Escape when she took a file folder and folded it in half and made a travel portfolio. It just fascinates me when she designs such great books out of everyday office supplies. And this project was no different, but this time it was 3 projects in one, with lots of cool twists and turns (using aluminum tape from Home Depot) and glimmer mist - something I've not really been fond of - but with the parchment paper, it just pops! The project is two pieces of cardstock, folded to make a folder/book. Inside she added envelopes, folded accordian style, some canvas and her signature booklet that is "stitched". I'm sure there's some proper title for the style - saddle stitch or something... I don't know but it's a great addition to this project.

I also worked on Carol's Betwinchie kit and just had a blast with it - more book binding but what really appeals to me is the symetrical betwinches (1 and a half inch) on the cover. Very similar to Tim Holtz's project, Transparent Illusions. It's not finished yet, but I hope to soon.

My mind has been rumminating over the life cycle of buying, organizing but not scrapping - I've spent alot of time doing just that the past couple years and have two rooms that are crammed full of stuff. And I'm ready to change and do something different. I want to live a clutter free life and so I wrote a manifesto - it's only in draft form right now but it involves some serious change. No more aimless buying - at Michaels, or Hobby Lobby or local scrapbook stores or vintage or junk shops either. I want to narrow down the types of art that I do and haul off the stuff I'm not using. I'm concerned because I really don't do much stamping but I love stamps... that one is going to be hard to clear out. I've made a dent in my paper and gave away quite a bit in Round Top but I think I'm going to stack up the rest and sell it on ebay in lots. But if that becomes too much of a hassle, I'm just going to box it up and give it away. I'm just done with hoarding all this stuff that I couldn't use in a lifetime. It amazes me how many of us do that, part of me wants to understand why I do it (I think I know) and all of me wants to stop doing it or at least dial it down, way down. A real inspiration has been my friend, Tanya in New Mexico who has been working with Aby Garvey for inspiration and Peter Walsh from Oprah fame. And part of this change involves cutting down on emails and blog reading. I get emails from all kinds of sources about sales and I've already unsubscribed to 20 or so... and I delete plenty more now. It's such a drain on the brain - always trying to keep up with reading all this crap. Sure, it inspires me but I'm not spending my time making or creating, like I want. It's funny because with just these small changes I can feel a difference - I made 3 mini albums last week - poof! During the week... after work. It felt great. I'm ready for more of this. Bring it!

Oh and one last comment. I don't watch alot of TV but enough already about MJ. We really don't care. Just let him rest. Jeez Louise. I don't know how stay at homes tolerate it.