Flashback on Friday - May 31

Another photo flashback this week: me in the 8th grade. In the photo, I'm standing at Grace Community School in Tyler, Texas, near the picnic tables where we ate lunch, unless it was raining.

Looking at this image of me, I can tell that I'd recently gotten a perm, which I learned through several subsequent experiences was always a bad choice for me.

I remember that shirt; it had a soft terry cloth texture, and I probably wore it a lot.

Beyond that, I don't recall any details of the day this photo was taken, only the approximate time period of my life. I didn't start journaling until about 6-12 months after this was taken.

Thursday 3 - May 30

Three things about my life right now:

1. I say this a lot, but I am absolutely flabbergasted by the speed at which this year seems to be passing. Holy crap, it's the end of MAY! Honestly, people...can we slow this ride down just a LITTLE bit?

2. Daniel and I decided to stay in our apartment one more month, due to some timing issues with the new home we bought. That way, we'll have plenty of time to do all the things that need to be done, and that minimizes stress. So thankful for that.

3. It's already gearing up to be a busy and interesting summer. I've bought my tickets to the Awesome Ladies Project summer retreat, Awesome Ladies Live, and I am so THRILLED. The theme? The Magic of Storytelling, and isn't that right up my street?! If you are interested in signing up yourself, check out the details here.

Gratitude 5 - May 29

Five things in my life right now that make me want to say thanks...

1. Time off. I don't work outside the home, but Daniel does, and he got last Friday off, as well as Memorial Day. We didn't do anything extraordinary, but having extra time to be together is a delight for me. Any time I get to spend with Daniel makes me feel thankful.

2. Nature. Yesterday, we went exploring some parks near where we will be moving this summer, and it was warm and partly sunny. We walked together out into the greening wilderness where it was so quiet. I soaked up that moment, just being in the midst of the meadow. (Not even the tick that thought it was going to ride back home with us could totally spoil the memory of that moment.)

3. That I found the tick before it...well, you know...what ticks DO.

4. Being able to watch movies in our own home.

5. My health. I'm not in perfect health, but I am able to do pretty much everything I want, and that's a wonderful gift I know other people don't have, so I'm not taking it for granted.

Pick of the Week - May 28

My pick this week is the Sketch Like a Boss eBook and Mini Course by Victoria Marie Calvin.

I've been following Victoria Marie for a few years, now, and I took a course from her in 2016 that helped me get a grasp on my overwhelming holiday scrapbooking.

Then, I started supporting her on Patreon and really getting inspired by her style, so when she had a sale on a class bundle about layering embellishments, I went for it and learned so much from her.

Now, I've bought this e-book that has a ton of sketches for every kind of scrapbook page I could possible want to make. It contains single and double 12x12 and 8.15x11 sketches, and of course, some video content to get inspired.

I haven't even watched the video content yet, and I still recommend this e-book/mini-course.

Get yours here.

Currently - May 27

Here's what I'm currently...

Watching: Lots and lots of HGTV shows on their app via Apple TV. We will never be in the show hole again!

Reading: Last quarter's issue of Bella Grace magazine, and I have the new one to read, next!

Listening: the Lovett or Leave It podcast, and I'm almost caught up, though I'm behind on almost all of the other podcasts I regularly listen to.

Making: Scrapbook pages for my Summer 2018 Disney vacation album.

Feeling: Really good, actually.

Planning: the actual moving of furniture to our new home.

Loving: Nature, even if it's a little bit scary sometimes.


Start your own Currently List practice by checking out all the details here.

Flashback on Friday - May 24

That's my Dad, standing in the front yard of the house in Florida where I grew up.

And that's about all I know for sure.

I know that my parents moved into that house between 1962 and 1964, and I can tell by one of the cars in the background that it's sometime in the 1960's.

But I have no idea exactly when.

What was my father photographing? The front of the new home he and my mother bought? Or was he taking a picture of Mom with their brand new baby boy, my older brother? Who took this photo? Why, exactly?

So many questions that make me remember how important it is for me to document my own photos and make sure that the part of the story the photo doesn't tell, is told in words.

Thursday 3 - May 23

Three things about my life right now...

1. The boxes are starting to get filled and stacked up for our move this summer.

2. I really love how my hair looks right now, even though the color is fading.

3. Daniel is off work tomorrow, and I'm so looking forward to spending the day with him. Who knows what kind of adventures we'll encounter?


To play along with Thursday 3, please check out the details here.

Gratitude 5 - May 22

Five things about my life right now that make me want to say thanks...

1. We bought a house! Closing happened last Friday, and while we can't actually take possession until mid-June, it's good to have the biggest part of the purchasing process wrapped up.

2. Moving is always difficult, but because we did so much purging last time, we honestly don't have that much to move. Packing is going to be a LOT easier than it was last time, and that's a huge benefit.

3. As always, I am so thankful for Daniel. He is so good at rolling with the punches and making things so much less stressful for me.

4. Clean water - it's so easy to take normal everyday luxuries for granted, and clean water is one of those.

5. The people throughout history who have fought so hard for social justice.

Pick of the Week - May 21

This week, I'm picking a page idea that I've done several times: using memorabilia as a design element.

Here's one of my favorite examples:

This is the title page for an album I made last year about turning 50, and what I like is that the memorabilia I incorporated into the page is not obvious. That large mermaid tail? I cut that out of a gift bag containing a present one of my friends gave me, and the circles were punched from that same bag.

Here's one with a more obvious piece of memorabilia:

Rather than tuck that birthday card into a box, I wanted to include it on the page about birthday presents I received early. I love the big bold statement it makes on the page, and I don't mind that I will have to slip the page out of the page protector to look at the inside of the card.

Here's one more layout incorporating a small piece of memorabilia:

On this page about getting my hair done with fashion colors, I included the appointment reminder card. Not only does it provide a design element, as well as some details about the event, it also lists the date.

Using memorabilia on scrapbook pages is something I really enjoy doing, especially in unexpected ways. Give it a try! Be creative!

I'll be sharing more of these kinds of pages soon.

Currently - May 20

Here's what I'm currently...

Watching: Love It or List It, Property Brothers, and Hidden Potential on the HGTV app on our Apple TV. It's fun being inspired with ideas about sprucing up our new home.

Reading: Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. I read just a little at a time, but I'm getting so much out of it, like I do with all her books.

Listening: Pod Save America, the live show they recorded in Brooklyn.

Making: A mess on my craft table, trying to finish up a 6x8 album that I decided would be good for photos from our wedding. Why are these projects more complicated and time-consuming than I think they'll be?

Feeling: Thrilled and excited and grateful that we bought a house and really impatient to get moved.

Planning: Oh, that list is quite long, all of it having to do with moving: getting rid of stuff, packing, hiring painters, transferring utilities, hiring movers, and on and on and on...

Loving: The moments in between the chaos.


Don't forget to play along! Check out the details of how to do that right here.

Flashback on Friday - May 17

This was the scene a little over three years ago when we were moving from our house in Farmington Hills to the apartment in Ann Arbor.

Soon we will be surrounded with boxes again as we prepare to move to a new home.

Thursday 3 - May 16

Three things about my life right now:

1. Warm weather is here, warm enough to go for an hour and a half walk today. I love going for long fitness walks, especially when the air is comfortably warm, and there's a luscious spring breeze teasing the flirtatious flowering trees. One of the reasons I love Michigan is how absolutely gorgeous spring is.

2. I've been shopping, both online and in stores for decorating ideas for our new home. I haven't bought anything yet, but I'm gathering lots of mental inspiration for making the house we're buying our own.

3. What's happening in our government right now is beyond troubling, and I'm really struggling with it.


Created by my friend Kristin, Thursday 3 is a great way to get ourselves into our memory keeping on a regular basis, and it's really easy:

Every Thursday, snap a selfie and share it on your favorite social media platform with three things about your life right now with the hashtag #thursday3. Stop by Kristin's website to get all the details and play along.

Gratitude 5 - May 15

Five things in my life right now that make me want to say thanks...

1. My own health. Lots of viruses going around, and so far, I haven't caught any of them.

2. MegaMeet last week was so much fun! I got a lot of great stuff, and I got inspired by watching Tim Holtz, as I always do. I'm really thankful for the people who work so hard to put the convention together, for the folks who come all the way to Michigan to participate, and for the time and money to enjoy it all.

3. The house we are buying and all the decorating possibilities it's inspiring.

4. Good movies on video.

5. Strangers that become friends, even if it's only for a few minutes.

Pick of the Week - May 15

A day late, but my pick this week is this package of puffy stickers from Elle's Studio.

Now, I'm particularly fond of puffy stickers, and these are so bright and usable for a variety of different projects. I especially like the cloud and raindrops.

To get your hands on these, check out Elle's Studio right here.

Currently - May 13

Here's what I'm currently...

Watching: Movies on Netflix, two yesterday: The Unicorn Store, which was very sweet and thoughtful, and Wine Country, which reinforced how lucky I am to have a circle of fierce and fabulous women in my life.

Reading: Sadly, not much of anything.

Listening: Back to podcasts, trying to catch up. I've listened to a couple episodes of Crafty Ass Female, and one of Hysteria.

Making: 6x8 albums, still.

Feeling: Oh...a lot.

Planning: Decor and colors for the house we're buying.

Loving: All the new crafty stuff I bought at MegaMeet.

If you want to add the Currently List to your memory keeping routine, go ahead and visit my friend Kristin's website to learn more. (Click on this!)

Flashback on Friday - May 10

Five years ago today, Daniel went with me to MegaMeet, and we had a blast! We watched Tim Holtz make stuff for awhile and shopped and shopped. MegaMeet is always fun for me, but this particular time was my favorite.

Thursday 3 - May 9

Time again for Thursday 3, the easy way to get ourselves into our memory keeping by snapping a selfie (it doesn't have to be of your face, if you're uncomfortable with pictures of yourself), listing three things about your life right now, and posting it somewhere to share. Find out all the details by clicking here.

This week: MegaMeet edition!

1. I've been looking forward to MegaMeet for months, and as always, it was SO much fun. Wildly crowded and complete visual overload, but especially fun with some of my friends joining me. I also got some great bargains.

2. Something wonderful happened this week in my journey toward better mental health. It was a small thing, a realization that unfolded while I was writing in my recovery journal, but it literally changes everything. As a result, I'm reminding everyone to pay attention to the stories you're telling yourself. I got lost in one of those, for a very long time, and realizing that, correcting it, is life changing.

3. I miss my little Mommy.

Gratitude 5 - May 8

Five things in my life right now that make me want to say thanks...

1. Writing. It nourishes me, opens me up to myself, leads me to discoveries I would not make otherwise. It soothes me and provides emotional oxygen. Writing saves me, over and over.

2. My friends. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful group of friends that enrich my life in countless ways every day.

3. The people who organize the MegaMeet scrapbooking convention. I'm going tomorrow, and I'm so super excited!

4. Daniel. Always and forever. He makes me feel safe and accepted and supported and loved. I am so lucky.

5. All the flowers.

Pick of the Week - May 6

This week's pick of the week is the 6x8 binders by Simple Stories.

During Saturday's crop at Scrappy Chic, I bought this one:

Here's a shot of the spine:

Isn't that a great color?

I have quite a few of these versatile albums, which come in lots of colors, each with 8 patterned paper pages, 3 kraft/chipboard dividers, and a variety of pocket pages inside. Refills in many different varieties are available, too.

I've used them for a lot of different projects, including Everyday October, Journal Your Christmas, and Week in the Life. They are the perfect size for a travel album, and sometimes, Simple Stories offers themed album kits using these.

Scrapbook.com has a nice variety of albums and refills available.

Pick of the Week is a day early this week because I thought today was Tuesday. Ooops!

Currently - May 6

Here's what I'm currently...

Watching: Yesterday, Daniel and I went to see Avengers: Endgame, and I was tempted to get up and leave in the middle of it. A real disappointment.

Reading: Some of my old short stories, which I'm hoping to edit and publish in some form eventually.

Listening: A new playlist I created with songs I like to sing.

Making: A wedding album with a Simple Stories kit released around fall of 2017.

Feeling: Almost equally excited and apprehensive about the house we're buying. Really just hoping everything goes as well as it's gone so far.

Planning: Purging and packing strategies for the move.

Loving: My life, right now.


The Currently List helps quickly and easily document your life on a regular basis. Visit my friend Kristin's website here for all the details, and get started!

Flashing Back on Friday - Engagement

On May 1st, 2002, Daniel asked me marry him, and I said yes.

We don't have pictures of that night or the day that led up to it. I wasn't as good at documenting our lives with photography at that time, and we didn't have phone cameras--we didn't even have a digital camera--and there were no such thing as a selfies yet.

A little over a month later, we visited Texas to see my family, and this photo was taken in the Tyler Rose Garden, a place I loved as a pre-teenager and daydreamed would be the location of my wedding someday.

I think it makes the perfect "engagement photo."

I can't believe how quickly 17 (!) years goes by...

Thursday 3 - May 2

Three things about my life right now...

1. This week I helped one of my friends move, and it inspired me to think about our own upcoming move. We got rid of a lot of stuff last time, so thankfully, there's not a whole lot to do on that front, and even packing isn't going to be as hard as it was when we were downsizing from a three bedroom house to a two bedroom apartment.

2. I did spend a few hours yesterday, purging some of my crafting stash to give away. There's probably 2/3 more to go, but it felt great to get started.

3. Last weekend, I got to hang out with some of my cousins, and one of them told me about some music he'd published on his YouTube channel. Listening to him made me want to start writing fiction again. Or poetry. Something creative.


Play along! Thursday 3 is a easy and quick way to document your life right now. Snap a selfie, jot down three things about your life right now, and share it! Learn all the details on my friend Kristin's website here.

Gratitude 5 - May 1

Five things in my life right now that make me want to say thanks...

1. Daniel and I went on our first road trip in the new car last weekend, and nothing bad happened, even though we were in rush hour traffic in downtown Chicago on Friday evening.

2. That I have awesome cousins I really love hanging out with.

3. Good friends that support each other. I'm so lucky to be in a circle of really fierce, fun, and loving women.

4. My body's strength and stamina.

5. People who are willing and committed to help fix what's wrong in our country.