Archive for July, 2010

As I sat out on my porch swing this morning sipping my coffee and listening to this sleepy little neighborhood slowly wake, I began to think about the word I had chosen for my Word of the Day today.  I’ve been working on building my grownup vocabulary ever since I got stomped by my lil’ Bug in a game of scrabble.  She’s only 9 and I am … older.  I should’ve won.   I had felt empowered this morning, and in browsing synonyms for the word unstoppable I ran across ineluctable.  Ineluctable, according to Webster’s Online, means incapable of being avoided.  That’s certainly something I’ve been looking for.  My path.  Ya know? 

So my morning thought for my facebook friends: “May your hopes and dreams become the ineluctable truths of your future. {hugs}”

I have felt for the last year or so, that somehow, though it felt right under my feet when I started down it- this is the wrong road for me now.  Not to be cheesy, but to quote one of the masters Tolkien.. “Remember what Bilbo used to say: It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”  Only in my case, I feel like my feet stepped into a small rut in the road, and I have been unable to step up and deviate from that course.  Even when I felt like I should be turning here…

I decided today, as I looked around at the people I enjoy talking to the most “online” and off, that I am nothing if not a little envious.  Though they all have different beliefs, goals, and LIVES, they do all share one common thread.  They figured out the correct path for them, and they stepped up and took it.  Even if they couldn’t always see the huge X marking the spot at the end of their journey.  They still all stepped out of the rut and caught their turn.

My friend Tiffany, who is not only an amazing mom (which she was really worried about nearly 16 years ago) is an accomplished accountant AND she teaches college courses at a big University.  Man, to go from where we came from to where she is now.  My eyes truly tear up with happiness and pride for her.  And a little envy.   Ok, more than a little. 

My Dad.  Man, my poor Dad.  My Dad fought polio when he was little, and won.  Only to end up being a single “mom” before men raising their kids was “common”.  I can’t imagine a young man,  in the late 60’s early 70’s, stuck with not one but TWO girls (under the age of 5) to raise.  He tried hard to find an acceptable mom for us.  Unfortunately, none of them were.  Once we were grown though, he decided FINALLY, that he had had enough.  He stepped out of his rut, and is now happier then I ever remember him being.  Ever.  At least, he seems to be.  Over 40 and finally just said $%^& it, and moved off and started over.   Now, he is all smiles and jokes, and doing quite well for himself.  For the first time in his entire life.

My Aunt, who, bless her heart… has no idea how much people look up to her.  She has had a pretty shitty life. If you’ll excuse me for being blunt.  Some folks just are born with an amazing ability to pick the absolutely worst people to try to share their lives with.  She was brave enough to step out of her rut too, put her feet on firm ground, and she didn’t just walk down her correct path – she FLEW!  She is a very successful woman in her career path, and living the life she wants.  You ever heard the old saying “beats to their own drum”?  That’s my Aunt, and God bless her…I love her for it. 

and that brings us to my friend Dave.  Kind of giggling to myself here, because if he knew he made my “people I’m proud to know” list, he would surely turn purple with embarrassment.  Dave, as it turns out, found his rut had come to an abrupt end through circumstances completely out of his control  Just like a lot of folks have with the state of the economy.  But Dave, instead of sitting around and whining “why me” said “All righty then!”  He stepped up and went back to school!  I know it was a scary choice for him.  I know because we talked about it while he was looking at the road in front of him and trying to decide which fork in the road to take.  He chose, in my opinion, the harder road with the better “x” at the end. 

Every time I talk to Dave and Tiffany, and we get on the subject of school… It makes me think that just maybe… the turn I missed last year would have taken me THERE.  TO be honest though, just the thought of going back to school makes me want to throw up a little.  It wasn’t exactly a joy ride the first time around and the thought of going back.  *shivers*

All though, somewhere deep deep inside, I swear every now and again I hear a faint little echo of a voice screaming to me as if from underwater.  Screaming “Its time to nut up!”  Yea, its a southern term.  And how a little cowboy is somewhere deep in the caverns of my mind I have no idea.  But I hear it, none the less.  So, that’s where I am today.  Knowing, that it IS time to nut up.  Grow a pair and step out of  my rut and hightail it in a new direction…But to where?

hmm… 

and this has been my conversation with myself, pretty much for the bulk of the day.  Maybe tomorrow I will have a better idea of an answer.

Maybe.

Hi ya.

Its Wednesday, I have spent the day fighting with my webhost that hosts the DSO site. bah.  They are having server issues today and it seems the store and main site are up and down, and so is the email! BAH!  At least the DSO forum and gallery are still up.  Pretty funny it went down TODAY since I just announced yesterday I was planning on taking a few days OFF the internet. Period.  Not even logging on.  Only, I did log on.  I logged on and found a billion emails telling me the site was down. lol.

I have done all the cussing I can do for today.  So now we wait.

Meanwhile I thought I would get ahead on my own site.  I have some recipes programmed to post for the REST OF THE MONTH!  Go me! I’m also typing up a few book reviews and going to program them to post throughout the rest of the month.  I feel so poorly lately, I’m afraid if I don’t do it now while I feel like it won’t get done.

Since its Wednesday, what’s your workspace look like today?

Here I am, sitting in the dining room.  I like it better in here.  Its brighter in here, and I’m not down in a “dungeon”.  The chairs aren’t comfy so I don’t know how much longer I’ll be sitting here.  I wonder what Hubs would say if I tell him I would really like to move the living room downstairs and the studio up here to the livingroom and dining room?  He’d probably stroke out and his head would pop off from the blood pressure…. lol! (especially since he wanted to put the living room downstairs to begin with. hahah!)

Anyhoo, here I am, sitting in the dining room… slaving away on the first day of my “taking some time off”.  Hoping tomorrow is a better day. lol!

Hi there!

Cant believe its been over a week since I posted.  Everything has just been kind of… well, I don’t know what word to use.  I’ve just been hangin’ out with the fam and enjoyin’ this little bit left of summer break.  We’ve done lots of swimming and just general hanging out.  I haven’t even taken many pictures!  I even almost have “back to school” shopping done already!  Just a few odds and ends left, and a trip to Old Navy yet, but other then that.  Whoot!

I’ve really been trying to set some “goals” for myself this past few weeks in terms of figuring out exactly what I want from this site.  As most of you guys have probably heard, I am closing the DigiScrapVault at the end of August.  There is no big drama involved in the decision to close that site, which everyone seems to find hard to believe.  LOL.   Seriously though, every site closure does not mean there is drama going on behind the scenes.  I simply need to consolidate some of my “online” duties because there are not enough hours in the day.    My plans are to drop a few of my responsibilities so I can even have time to think about what I WANT (and then do it) kwim?  I do know I want to put a little more effort into the reviews section of this site.  I am even toying with the idea of reviewing some digiscrap products.  ideas ideas ideas…..  Now to find some time

DSO NEWS:

DSO has taken on a new designer.  She goes by Flower Scraps, and you can meet her right here  She only has one kit in the store so far, but I am really looking forward to seeing what else she puts out.

On the side: DSO is looking to add one more designer in July, so if you know someone who is looking for a new place to call HOME and work with a fantastic TEAM then send them here.

New Releases @ DSO

I even have some new stuff out, AND some stuff fixing to be released so I’m kind of proud of myself.  (and if you’re my friend over on Facebook then you know there is a coupon code to get 40% off all my goodies thru next Sunday!)

Briliant Charms
This set contains 8 high quality bead & charm extractions, photographed and extracted by Bunny Cates. These metallic beads and charms are saved in a larger than life (approx 2 x 2) size to allow for easier designing. They are "natural", meaning they show true to life dings and scratches.  At 300 dpi, these metals are sure to accent your designs perfectly!

This purchase contains: 
8 assorted metallic charms & beads w/transparent backgrounds in PNG format

Brilliant Beads Set 1
This set contains 8 high quality bead extractions, photographed and extracted by Bunny Cates. These beads aren’t just your standard, round, smooth glass beads. They are intricate beads with "embossed" patterns on some of them.
This purchase contains:
8 Beads w/transparent backgrounds in PNG format

and…..

and some older stuff got released/re-released

man, Im tired today. LOL!

I got to feeling crafty last night around 10pm and at 5:30AM my idea was finally finished. LOL!

So what did I make – well, first I made this cute cute “wish you were here” type card.  Check back later this week, because I have something special coming for you from this card!

“Fun in the Sun” card by Bunny Cates
using Fold Em Template 1 by Bunny Cates (me) &
Offshore – the kit by KimB

other supplies:
Utee, VersaMark, Spicca, Distress Inks, Dimensionals, GlueDots, Snail

and then there is this:

you can download this lovely right HERE.  Please remember: DO NOT SHARE MY FREEBIES.  They are only available free for a limited time and then I put them in the store.  So sharing them, actually hurts my business.  Now, if you want your friends to have them you are more then welcome to send your friends to my blog to download this set for themselves.  Just be sure to mention they need to hurry!  For example: this set will be going in the store on Friday so guess how long they will be here for FREE. 

Thank you for swinging by.  And to those of you who do leave comments, THANK YOU. 

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