alter your life

Back again, as promised.

First, I want to thank you for your comments and thoughts about leaving thank-yous for freebies. Heidi, thank you for your feedback; it was thought-provoking, and you certainly have a point. Sometimes you really have to "dig" to be able to leave comments on blogs, that's for sure. As others have suggested, I, too, will try to find the designer's e-mail address to express my gratitude -- but not everyone provides that option either.

My rant was directed at the majority out there who NEVER express gratitude for anything. I wasn't fishing for compliments myself, just a generalization and observaton. I confess that I don't always take the time to leave comments, and that's not a good thing, but I do for almost all. Sometimes that's the best I can do, but I try to make up for it later.

For most of those whom I directed my comments toward? It's a choice that they have made to "go to the party without bringing anything for the hosts." If that makes sense.

For Shirley, Debbie, Dawn, Electra, Sandi, and the other readers who left such great comments, I appreciate your input. I don't thank you enough, myself, I know, but hope you accept my blog gifts in the spirit in which they are intended.

When we returned from our weekend getaway, I found several graduation invitations for graduating seniors who are children of friends. Boy, does it make me feel old! Most of them are graduating from university, mind you.

That reminded me to tell you that my BIG STEPS word art is still so great for those graduation layouts and other rites of passage. They are also terrific to illustrate your dreams for your children/grandchildren; especially the "Paint your own rainbow" word art in the set. This 12-piece set is yours for a donation of $2, please.

My dogs are reminding me that it's time for them to eat, so off I go to the kitchen. I'll leave you with this additional word art, with the hope that you can find a special way to use it. I'D LOVE TO SEE YOUR LAYOUTS!

blessings on your day,

Melanie

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know what I mean? :)

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celebrate your journey

For the past few weeks, I celebrate each weekday morning ... relishing the fact that I don't have to report for duty at the "salt mines." Yes, it's much harder on us financially for me to be unemployed, but you can't put a price on the true value of taking time for yourself.

I'm relishing it ... and luxuriating in it ... and thank my husband every day for allowing me this precious time to just be ME!

How about you?


Be good to you,
Melanie

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Wisdoms from Robert Fulghum

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There's always hope

At the top of my list of things to do this morning, I must thank those of you who left thoughtful, encouraging comments. I greatly appreciate them and your prayers.

One of the things you already know about making any statements on your blog for all the world to see, you are always reminded that you are not alone. In that regard, I want to tell Mandy (Made by Mandy) to please not lose hope because of the circumstances you and your family find yourselves in. You don't need platitudes, so I won't do that. But please, please, please don't lose hope...and yes, you're right -- it means everything to have your family, to be together.

For Mandy and everyone else, I want to tell you that you are in my prayers, too...and to share these strong, supportive thoughts from Enchanted Cropper:

What you believe is most important right now. Believe that a new door will open, with a better place of work, a better salary, a more enjoyable position, more enjoyable people to work with. Believe. Worry is negative, prayer is positive.

And from her blog: Remember, prosperity does not always come in the form of money. It can come in the form of love, family, an abundance of many
different things.

Your gift word art today is also meant to be a reminder and encouragement:

My family has always been one of my greatest assets. Photographing them is one of my greatest pleasures. Imagine how uplifting it was yesterday to find a layout I had prepared of my nephew, Trace, displayed on KimB's blog!!! I had made it using her newest Friends series' kit, Roche (which you can find at DSO). Kim had oh-so-graciously gifted me with the amazing kit. I encourage you to check it out. The photo was one in a series I took at Thanksgiving 2008.

[layout credits in additonto Kim's Roche kit: word art by me, thanks to last week's freebie action by Atomic Cupcake. The link takes you to this week's freebie on her site]

Please do something nice for yourself today.

Blessings,
Melanie
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from natasha bedingfield's UNWRITTEN

don't worry, the download may appear solid black on 4shared, but when you pull it into your layout it's ok!

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Children Teach

I'm sorry for not spending much time on my blog -- I'm still incredibly weary. I'm diabetic and just haven't gotten my body back in sync over the past week. My apologies.

As I post this word art today, I realize that the shape somewhat resembles a tornado!

Blessings on your day,
Melanie

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Passionate Colors

The second word art for today was inspired by the current slogan of a popular American toy manufacturer.

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Wide Open Spaces

This quote today makes me think of wide, open spaces ... where you can see God's splendor and grandeur as far as your eye ... and heart ... can see. And it reminds me of how good life can be if we just put our hearts into it.

Blessings on your day,
Melanie

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Life is Change

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LIFE dance

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Rhyme & Reason

Many thanks to those of you who took the time to comment yesterday, with your words of support, empathy, and encouragement. Such gifts from this family of scrappers!



Hope you can find meaning from today's word art. It seemed the right thing to share this morning. It's dedicated to Linda (Echo), whose adopted daughter lost her life way too early.


Blessings,

Melanie

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Enjoy Life

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Days

With tragedies like the losses from the quake in China and the recent typhoon in Burma, we immediately are reminded of the precious, priceless gift of life ... and how fragile it is.

Today's word art gift reflects these thoughts.

Blessings to you and your loved ones,

Melanie

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Wise Guy

The great Mahatma Ghandi was a very wise man. Selfless, too. I remember reading this quotation when I was very young, and it's stuck with me all that time.

And it's no less true today!!

I'm glad some of you seemed to enjoy yesterday's quotation. It's just way too true!!!!!

Blessings on your day ....

Melanie

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Friday's Gift

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Telling On Myself

Aw, geeeeeeeee. Don't you just hate it when you do something that makes you feel like an idiot? This morning -- gratefully -- there were no witnesses.

First, let me put things in context. You know how often you want to hit the "rewind" button on your "Life Remote" to give you a second chance to say something? Or you got such a kick out of something you want to live it over again?

And all those times you want to hit the "mute" button on someone at work who takes ten minutes to tell you something that most people could relate in a two-sentence paragraph??

You know what I mean, right????? [Just nod your heads.]

Well, this morning as I was getting dressed in the first layer of undergarments we women endure -- yes, the one with the hooks-and-eyes and lace and straps -- I was making that first step of fastening it. The backwards-upside-down move. I realized I needed to make an adjustment in my straps. The strap on the right -- no problem. Slid right into place. The noodlehead who made the adjustment on the left strap -- yes, she blushes, 'tis I -- pushed it in the opposite direction.

An easy mistake, admittedly.

HOWEVER, my brain instanteously sought the "undo" button.

The "undo" button on my bra strap.

Geeeeeeeeeee ... feeling foolish still and blushing as I admit this silly little thing.

Of course, it does give one pause to think that a lot of guys would love that feature on this particular garment in general. But I won't go there. ;-)

Blessings on your day,
Melanie

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It speaks for itself ...

Happy Thursday!
Melanie

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font credits: Century Gothic, Nailed, TXT Sloppy Script, Nasty, CK Wild 'n Crazy

Out of Sync

Thank you very much to those of you who left such kind comments during my husband's recent loss of his father.

When friends and family ask about our trip to England, I tell them that we were early to his father's funeral, and got good parking spaces twice at our hotel. Other than that, it was very surreal, very un-Christmasey, and extremely out-of-sync. Nothing catastrophic occurred, so please understand that I'm not being overly dramatic. It's just that a very exhausting, long series of inconveniences and unpleasantries both before, during and after the trip, made it an even sadder journey than we had anticipated.

Having said that, the healing has already begun for my husband, which is a very good thing.

I have a great story to share that perfectly describes the "out-of-sync" part of our trip. We had a brief layover on our return at Boston's Logan airport. I stepped over to the Starbucks to get us what turned out to be soggy turkey sandwiches and coffee -- it was clear that the employees there didn't want to spend their Christmas day at the airport any more than we did! As I was waiting through the fourth attempt to get one of them to understand my coffee order, a lady approached the counter asking whether they had any "Boston Starbucks" coffee mugs. They said, "of course," and pointed to the set of shelves nearby.

She said, "But do you have any BOSTON ones."

"Yes," they said impatiently. "They're all there."

The lady smiled and said, "but those all say Toronto. It's not even the right country!"

It capsulizes the way our whole trip went, and made us both smile through the tears.

Here's hoping that all your 2008 days are full of blessings, light and laughter.

Melanie

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font credits: VTKS Rock Garage Band, Miss Brooks, VTKS 36

But Both are Special

Milestones AND Moments, that is. Don't get so caught up in the milestones, however, that you lose those precious moments. Scrapbookers -- I'm delighted to say -- DO recognize the little moments that may otherwise go unsung, and it's such a pleasure to see them in the countless layouts posted everywhere. Thanks for the inspiration!

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Best wishes today,

Melanie

font credits: VTKS News Label, Rachel Regular, Lithos, LDJ Doodaddles