Help [ME] Ronda

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Tonight for the Cocoa Daisy Reveal tonight!  Prizes, Chit-Chat, and the Design Team Gallery Reveal.  In the meantime you can preview the Ozzie & Harriet kit  & awesome add-ons at the store.  They will be available tonight for purchase at 12AM CST.  Did you know subscribers get a chance to select their add-ons before they even go on sale?  Yet another great reason to subscribe to Cocoa Daisy!

and check out this month's stamp designed by Kim Watson......

Here are some of my peeks & I will share the whole layouts, plus two mini albums soon!

in another note.  I will bring back the Inspire Me this week.  A week's worth of ATC so i can get caught up!

the other day

 

she asked to me to show her how to cook.  You must understand how big of a day this was for her.  and for me.  You see she is a very picky eater.  And fairly stubborn.  The picky eater I am sure is God's sense of humor shining through because as you know, i love to cook.  As for the stubborn part....i have no idea who she gets that from ;)

I kept asking her to learn.  She would say "no, i don't like that food, i am not making it."  I would say that learning to cook was a great life skill.  She said she knew how to make Mac-N-Cheese so she would survive.  hmmm Cheeky girl.

So the day she walked into the kitchen and said it's time, i was thrilled and replied with a giddy... "Really?"  I was so happy to tie that apron around her and teach her to pour love into all she bakes. 

The logo stamp from Purple Onion was a perfect fit for this layout.  I stamped with Walnut Ink over the background.  On some scrap Kraft paper, i stamped some of the colored logos and cut them out.  I popped up the blue one and added the heart & baker's twine.  Sweet. 

PS. that apron i am wearing was made by my friend Heather and it is awesome.  I must show you it in full sometime soon because the bottom is my favorite part... it's so flouncy! 

starting to feel

myself coming around, finally

the thing i dislike about pneumonia is the amount of time it takes to recover

but there are good things to come out of it, things i have learned

i will focus on those positives

i was happy to have time to do a little art journaling, a little creating

and if you get a chance, take Dina Wakley's classes.....simply put, they are AMAZING

birthday journal

thru the lens...

undercover

i admit i disappeared.  sometimes i just get so overwhelmed i don't know what to do.  i hide.  i thought i was being strong.  and then i broke down.  i didn't think it would happen but it did.  and that's ok.  i have been through a lot this year.  being sick doesn't make this time any easier.  i did too much this weekend but it was my birthday.  and i admit i am sick & tired of being sick & tired.  but sometimes being strong means admitting your weaknesses. 

one day

one year ago

she was suddenly gone

but she still lives

in my heart, in my memories, and in my daily thoughts

each day brings something new

in this past year, she has taught me so much

about love, about forgiveness, about family, about myself

i know people are worried about me, my family, & her boys

in truth i worry too, it's natural

and it's still really hard at times

there were some dark times last year that i had to go through

to see the light, to gain courage & strength, to learn

in this last year, i also found out how deep friendships go

simple words of "what do you need me to do," to little notes & tokens of affection, to just being there, without hesitation, without asking.... THANK YOU

that in itself brings tears to my eyes

(i know you would think i would be all dried out but it's surprising how many tears i produce)

i still feel as if i have far to go

but i know she will always be with me

good things

lots of pots & pans on the stove, it means dinner is cooking

reading again... i mean really diving into reading

realizing that having pneumonia just means my body needs a break

cute little fabric flowers to occupy my time

learning doing nothing is ok

Guest designer at Create Well, Create Often

healing, a big year of healing & therapy

friends & family... they are very good things

chocolate, chocolate is always good

pillow love

I am having so much fun making pillows from my scrapbook supplies.  I made this one for Fancy Pants for the Winter CHA show.  It has some of their new ribbons from Rusted Sun & My Family lines.  I used the same pillow form from my Christmas Button Pillow.  I love using an envelope technique to make my pillows, makes it easy to change out the covers.  I found this tutorial to show you how to make one.  This is a great way to use up some of those ribbons you have in your stash!

that's Amore...

Wanna see how to make this adorable banner for Valentine's Day?

Go to the Cocoa Daisy Dive Blog for a step by step by little ole me.

if i only had ....

the nerve

yes if life was the Wizard of Oz, i'd probably be the lion

i am fairly brainy, i do have a heart, and i have found a home

me, i am search of courage, probably better defined as self-confidence

its funny because some people see me as confident

and in truth i have grown a lot this past year in self-confidence

and i am confident in parts of my life

but in other parts I'm still that shy, scared, seeking approval little kid

for example, at cha... i am with my kind, you know scrappers, artists

and yet i can't work up the nerve to go introduce myself to some people i think i know from online or people i admire

clumsily i bumped into some people by accident, turned to apologize, and then ended up saying "you look so familiar" or "oh i know you" (...like Lucy & Erica, both whom are so very sweet)

maybe i should take that approach from now on, bump, apologize, and introduce

what can i say, i am a work in progress

but i am going to continue looking for that nerve, that courage, not from the wizard... but like Lion, to find it within myself