Life is Change

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Dusty Dreams

What a nice surprise to have an e-mail today from Sonel, who sent a link to another Incredimail stationery header she had prepared with some word art from my blog. Thank you for sharing, Sonel. This is very striking and a dynamic attention-grabber!


By the way, another reader told me that the song from which the word art came (You've Gotta Have Heart), was from the musical Damn Yankees. Mystery solved!! Thanks for sharing the information.

I don't know about you, but I have a number of friends (including myself) who have let dreams fade away, or become old and dusty -- and we may be too stubborn to admit that we still need to do something about it. Dreams just don't come together without effort! Not for most of us anyway.

I stumbled across this word art that's a reminder to pick up those forgotten dreams that litter our paths, and forge ahead with new ones ... or revitalized ones. I was in the mood today to use some hydrangea colors in this word art as it's one of my most favorite flowers. Hope you find a use for word art, but more importantly, for the inspiration behind it!
Have a wonderful Monday,
Melanie

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Words to Live By

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Out of It All :)

Some days, I just don't know where to start, so I'm doing the old make-a-list-close-your-eyes-and-point-to-something method of choosing where to begin today's posting!

Before I do that, though, I want to leave a note for Joy Gross. Joy, thanks, too, for your interest in how things were going with me. I haven't heard from you in awhile and have been very remiss in visiting your blog to check on you! Your seaside ramblings and photos take me to another time and place in a very serene way, for which I thank you.

I am so very saddened, Joy, when I dropped by this morning and learned that you had recently lost your mother. Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

Scrappy Sarah (Sarah's Scrap Book) sent me a link to a "Book About Me" which she's making for herself. That's such a great idea, and so many ways to accomplish it. I know many of you are faithful about blogging about yourself, but I haven't even attempted it. You'll see if you visit her blog that Sarah is using the alphabet to guide her through it. She used my word art to help her with her "K is for kettle" page. Beautifully done, Sarah! Thanks for sharing.

Sonel (Sonel's Corner) sent me this unusual stationery she made. If you click on the image, it will take you to her Incredimail Stationery site. It's always enjoyable to see various artforms, and I didn't even realize she had this sideline in addition to the other artistry she showcases on her blogs. This is definitely eyecatching, girl, and gives a whole new slant to this word art!! Thanks so much for showing me how you used it in such a unique way.

And I can't resist occasionally popping in to the DSO Colour Challenge to see how all the designers and scrappers interpret KimB's color palettes. This month, I particularly love her color combination, even though I can't do them justice. Needless to say, I was gratified to see that Clarice's layout showed one of my elements from my September's Quilt kit I posted for the challenge. She used one of the birds I prepared for this kit. If you haven't done so already, and if you're interested, you can find the links on this posting: September's Quilt.

I appreciate the comments I received from yesterday's posting/word art. Anything that is thought-provoking and encourages discussion is vastly interesting, and I appreciate the time that is taken to do that. Thanks so much, ladies! Particularly Nikki and Sonel.

So, guess you're wondering about today's word art? If you click on the preview, it will take you to the download site. But I also show them individually so that you can read them more easily. Hope you like them -- I had fun making them. :)

PLEASE LET ME SEE ANY WAYS YOU USE THEM!! That's such a treat.

And, finally, here's a layout that I made using one of today's WA pieces, and my September's Quilt kit. This was an "outtake" photo from a photo shoot I did earlier this year of my nephew and his then fiancee. They're now married and happy as two larks.

Thanks for hanging with me this far!

Until later,

Melanie

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Do you hear or just listen?

Although I think this quote is witty and amusing, and know several women to whom this applies, I'm actually one of those people who wants to know what others think. Having said that, that doesn't take away my desire to be HEARD. I've been trying to get my husband to understand that -- that I'm not asking him to fix something, I just want him to listen. KWIM?

Hope you have a great day,

Melanie

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You gotta have heart ....

...lots and lots and lots of heart .... something something something. I don't remember all the words at the moment.

I've had that song running through my head all morning for some reason. Don't know how many of you will even know it, but it's just a simple, catchy thing that came out of the 60s or 70s. But don't quote me on that! I haven't researched it, so it's probably older, but I thought it made a very universal piece of word art. Hope you can use it.

Blessings to you all,
Melanie
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Counting our Treasures

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She Still Makes Me Laugh

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Playing Hug o' War

The week I was helping take care of my mom after her surgery recently coincided with her 75th birthday. Because we couldn't do what we had planned for her, we just made every day a party for awhile -- which she admits really spoiled her!

One day was saved for the big custom-decorated cake, with coordinating napkins, plates, etc. However, at the last minute the day before, we learned that her great-grandsons were not going to be there for the big reveal the next day. Because they're still at the age where the CAKE is the best thing -- okay, so it's the best thing at all ages!!! -- we hurriedly rushed to the grocery store bakery to buy another cake so that they could watch their Grandnana blow out the candles.

My favorite part was how the glowing candles looked after the little boys stuck the candles in the cake. Some of them bent, some of them broke -- but I like the whimsy it added to the cake, to be honest.



Oh, yeah. The postscript to that is what the cake looked like after my mother blew out the candles, but before the cake was cut (while she was unwrapping gifts). The boys had been "racing" the candles around the top of the cake:

Who can resist that?!!

Those little boys always tug at my heart -- which reminded me of this favorite quotation of mine:

And someone identified as "MY" in a 4Shared comment asked me not to forget the grandparents -- so you have her to thank for this paraphrased version of one of yesterday's WA pieces:


Today, I've got a deadline to meet on an exhibit design layout, which so far the early drafts have been meeting with approval. Psssst. Lean a little closer. Whispering, I'm letting you know what I didn't tell them: my exhibit design was inspired by a digital scrapbooking overlay! I did not copy it or pirate it -- just the colors and appeal and spirit of it inspired me.


Blessings on your day,

Melanie

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What Happened?!!

I've had a rough few days at work and apologize for being AWOL. Just very distracted by some events that made me alternately mad and sad. Hope today's posting freebies will make up for my absence.

Many thanks to those of you who've taken the time to send notes of appreciation, encouragement, and support. It sometimes feels as though the digital-scrapping community is its own sorority -- the very best that such organizations can offer, I'd like to think. I love the opportunity to make new friends around the world, particularly as I've had a lifelong love of learning about geography and the diversity each segment of the world contains.

Through digi-scrapping I've learned that there are some very talented ladies in South Africa, for example!!! LynetteJ sent another very nice two-page layout in which she used some word I made some time ago (coordinates with Pamela's wonderful Digitreats' JUMP kit). I love to work on two-pagers, too. I think that I think in clusters so often, that I like that symmetry. Great job, Lynette, and thank you SOOOO much for sharing your work with me.





Seeing the photos in Lynette's layout reminded me of my great-nephews recently. The oldest one, age 7, had one of those OVERNIGHT growth spurts, and I swear his feet look the size of a teenager's! [I wouldn't tell him that, though] My niece had just bought all three of her sons new school shoes, then had to turn around and buy more before school even started.

This next piece is one I plan to use to scrap an afternoon tea my husband and I enjoyed Sunday afternoon. The anticipated downpour from Hurricane Ike changed our plans for a birthday party for my hubby, and when I asked him what he wanted to do instead, he said "have a proper tea." So, we went to a downtown hotel that has wonderful traditional afternoon teas.

My British husband misses that sometimes, and frequently indulges in his tea in the mornings with bread and cheese. Every time we visit his family in the UK, we enjoy cream tea several times at some of our favorite tearooms. They're not all just for tourists, especially in some of the smaller villages. One of the delightful things about taking tea is that it makes me slow down and unwind. Wish I could do that every day. This sentiment below describes how I feel about it exactly!

Do you see yourself in this last quotation for today? For a long, long time, I felt 25 on the inside -- a very nice place to be. I don't feel that young anymore, because I can see myself drawing away from the more youthful things -- I don't even pretend to understand some of the music, but some of it is quite good. I try to keep an open mind!

I'm beyond grateful that it's Wednesday. I'm not wishing my life away, but I'd much prefer a shorter work week -- or being able to stay at home more. Sigh. Heavy sigh. Wishful thinking. :)

Hope your week is going splendidly.

Blessings,

Melanie

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Planting Seeds

Planting seeds of kindness, Lynette, a new friend from Port Elizabeth, South Africa, sent this fun layout yesterday; she had used one of my word art pieces. Her happy family looks well-relaxed, don't you think? Thanks, Lynette ...great job.

I had prepared today's word art before I read Lynette's e-mail. It's funny that the colors I used in today's WA could easily have matched her layout (the quote, no, but the colors, yes!). I did it the art in a folk artsy sorta style, but contrasted it with a fairytale font to accommodate the delicacy of flower petals. Hope it doesn't seem too weird -- I thought it would be useful in any autumn layouts.


Thanks, too, for the thoughtful comments left about yesterday's posting. I just couldn't get those infamous events off my mind yesterday, and it was nice to hear your thoughts as well.

My family in East Texas are gearing up for major winds and rain this weekend as Hurricane Ike sweeps upward after reaching landfall. Here in Dallas, we anticipate more evacuees, especially from Houston. I can only imagine what it must be liked to be temporarily misplaced from your home. Every time I heard on the news about a house or apartment fire, I think about the difficulties of starting over again. Or when a town is obliterated by a tornado, hurricane, or tsunami. The enormity of the rescues and caretaking would be almost overwhelming. We must all look after each other, because we're all we've got.

So, it seems like planting flowers today by donating to relief efforts around the corner from you or all around the world plants seeds for the future of our children ... and our planet.

On a much lighter note, I'm going to enjoy the weekend rain from Ike, planting my backside at my craft table to finish a scrapbook from our last trip to England. It's taking me longer because it also chronicles my husband's relationship with his family there, and his feelings (good and bad) as we attended the memorial service for his father. I'm including some old black and white photos of his parents, so hope it helps him through the process of loss. That's one reason I've been postponing the completion because he wasn't ready to talk about it again.

Oops ... I just realized that my "much lighter note" got sidetracked to something more serious. Sorry about that. Guess I had a jumble of things on my mind this morning and it's coming through my fingers as I type. That's why you have the scroll bar on your screen, huh?!!!!

Be safe ... and blessings to you and your family,
Melanie

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September 11

How well I still remember that awful day when civilian passenger airliners were used so violently in an attempt to crush the American spirit. I'm still so shocked when I see footage of the twin towers falling, and the sense of helplessness about all the lives ended or changed in those few short hours of attacks.

The Pentagon in Washington DC is dedicating a significant, touching memorial in tribute to the people who died on Flight 77 and in the building itself as the plane crashed into it. I hope to visit it some day; you can check it out on the dedication website: Pentagon Memorial dedication.

Today, I don't want to dwell too much on the loss of life that day. Tragedies occur every day around the world; even today, Hurricane Ike has left behind lives lost in the Caribbean -- people who survived the devastating rampage of Hurricane Gustav a couple of weeks before. We are all touched by tragedy, this we know.

And we are all touched by people of courage and sacrifice. Firefighters ... law enforcement officers ... military personnel ... flight crews ... window washers on skyscrapers ... zookeepers ... missionaries ... social workers ... Personally, I think it takes courage to stand in front of a classroom full of students these days -- it's an extraordinary responsibility teachers bear.

This morning, however, I can't help but think about a handful of people who -- 7 years ago -- had the strength to overcome the highjackers and redirect the doomed flight so that it crashed into an empty field. So that those misguided zealots could not complete their mission of destruction. We've heard their names many times: Tom Burnett, Todd Beamer, Jeremy Glick, Mark Bingham ... and others. What they did represents so well the triumph of the human spirit over diversity. The 44 passengers and crew of Flight 93 who died there in Pennsylvania sacrificed all so that others could live. They are all on my mind and heart today for some reason, and I lift prayers for their families who continue the "going on anyhow," every day.

Hope you have a very blessed day,

Melanie

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Hey

I never saw an episode of the cartoon series, The Simpsons, until very recently, although I've heard people talking about it for y-e-a-r-s. Kooky, quirky, silly, highly irreverant ... but still funny. Thought I'd quote Marge in today's posting:

...but I also wanted to do an "outtake" that was more meaningful:

Thank you for the sweet comments from those of you who've commented this week. It means so much.

My brain is still asleep this morning, so I'll stop rambling. I'll probably be inspired for more later!

Thanks for listening,

Melanie
PS: Yes, I know the file names for these are reversed. Sorry about that!

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Facelifts

Thank you for the kind comments and the anniversary greetings! That was nice to awaken to this morning.

Hope you can use today's crooked smile WA.

Blessings on your day,
Melanie

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Love the Colors

Here's my contribution to the DSO Color Challenge, hosted by KimB. Hope you can find good uses for it. I'd love to see anything you prepare! This set of colors Kim selected are so cheery, and a nice transition from summer to fall here in the Northern Hemisphere.

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Start & End With Family

I couldn't believe it when I logged on today after being away a week and realized it was my 300th blog posting today. My, how time flies!

So, I thought I'd take a look at some other stats:

I had three new subscribers while I was away, which is always nice to see.

I had several comments from other people new to my blog who were gracious to comment so thoughtfully.

The dozen or so of you who faithfully let me hear from you with your expressions of gratitude continued to leave such nice comments, for which I am ever so thankful.

At least 8 of you very kindly sent well wishes to my mom, for which I'm deeply grateful. She's doing very well.

One of you sent me a link to a layout you prepared with word art I'd given away. But the e-mail vanished and I couldn't acknowledge it. Please re-send it and I'll post it in my blog. I did NOT delete it or move it, so have no idea where it went.

Another of the word art pieces from last week had an ominous-sounding number of downloads when I checked it out today: 666. Shiver. Hope it changes today!

Yet another had reached around 838 downloads, and yet there were only 27 comments. Hmmmmm.

Then there was this adorable face I left behind when I returned home, after having the opportunity to visit with 15 different family members last week. I wanted to bring this little guy (one of my great nephews) back with me!

Then these two furbabies shared by my sweet husband and myself greeted me profusely upon my return. You gotta love it!!!

Oh, and one more stat: I have 414 more photos to catalog and scrap. I usually take many more than that when I'm on a vacation trip, but there aren't always camera moments when you're taking care of a patient who's tired of staying at home. Testy, testy, testy. ;)

Today's word art gem was an appropriate one for me to select today, because family is so very important to me. As it is with most of you. The selection of colors for it was governed by the color palette dear KimB introduced in her September Colour Challenge at DSO. I haven't started on the kit I'll submit yet (running behind still) but this quote somewhat fits the theme I'm using when I work on it. Kim's challenge gift is a stunner!

Don't forget that September has only 30 days in it, so that's one less day to work on any monthly challenges in which you participate!!

Thanks, Kim, for the inspiration, as always. What a sweetie.

I think I'm through with today's rambling ... for the moment, anyway. I'd love to hear from you all, and would enjoy seeing anything you've prepared with any word art I've prepared for you.

Blessings on your Monday,

Melanie

PS: Do I have to confess that I bought 12 brownies at a favorite bakery on my way home? No, I didn't eat them all, even though I wanted to. And we celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary yesterday. Just a couple more stats. :)

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