My new button for my facebook fanpage

I am embarrassed to say that it has been a long time since I was in school taking classes for Advertising and Design and using Photoshop on a regular basis. So I am very rusty with it and feel a bit intimidated by it. However, I am so excited that I found Hellocotton. It is a place for bloggers to link together and get to know each other. Since blogging is a new adventure for me I am following lots of people and learning as I go from some amazing bloggers.

I have been able to learn new techniques on Photoshop to help me with my photo editing and taking pictures with my new IPhone. It has opened my world up to learning on line instead of taking classes and having to find a sitter while I go back to school. Which is impossible for me at this time in my life.

I know that making this button may be a simple task for many but it felt like a huge accomplishment for me since I have lost all basic knowledge of PS.



Facebook Fan Page

                                                                 

By the way I would definitely recommend Hellocotton to any blogger. It has made my new adventure a blast. I love what I am learning.

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St. Patrick's day is right around the corner. I can only remember one time when I wore green on purpose to avoid getting pinched. All the other times I either didn't wear it or did unplanned. I have also sacrificed my own kids to get pinched because I forget.

This year I am making hair clips to wear for fun and to avoid another St. Patrick's day getting pinched. LOL

Here is one of my creations.

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A smile can make a difference

 It is amazing how a smile can completely change your day. Have you ever seen someone who has a frowny face and looks mad at the world? I  wonder why they look so unhappy. Are they dealing with a serious illness or a death in the family, or maybe in an unhappy job situation? You just never know. When I am out and about I try to make eye contact with people and smile.

 A few weeks ago I was at Publix, walking across the parking lot with my grocery cart, minding my own business, when I looked up and this older gentleman was walking towards me to the entrance. I smiled really big...you know the kind when you show some teeth? All I expected was a simple nod. Not even a hi or big smile back, but the gentleman stopped me by putting his hand up with the "STOP" signal (which I might add, did scare me a bit) and said "you have a nice smile and you are going to go far." He also said something to the affect of I was wearing purple and that was a color of royalty. Ha (giggle) Although I didn't know what he meant or how far I was going to go, it felt good to be noticed by my smile and that whatever it was, I made a small impression on him. He then walked on his way and said "Have a blessed day." How can ya beat that? What a great feeling.

I try to remember when someone snaps at me or doesn't smile back that they are hiding a story behind that frown.

Abbie Cake

Ampa and Emma and their grille

Sweet Emma Blue (one of my many favorite pics of her)

ME

Yep, that is a smile from Steve...(better be, ha)

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Memory Jar 2012 These are Days to Remember

I blinked and realized my kids are 2 and 6 years old. I can remember bringing each precious baby home and not wanting to take my eyes off them or even share them with anyone cause I wanted to hold them forever. Time has flown by and sometimes it feels as though I am holding on for dear like and being dragged on my belly by time! Every January 1st I get depressed for about 2 days. I sit and watch "Anne of Green Gables" (the whole series) just to cope with how fast the year has gone by. It's hard as a mama to see the days fly by and feel like you may have missed a moment.

I have kept a journal by my bed since the day I we brought home Emma Blue. I add little stories in it. A new word here or there and try to document special moments. How can you keep up with them? There are so many in a day.

This year I decided to make a "Memory Jar" and put our sweet stories or aggravating at the moment, but someday I will laugh moments in the jar. Our plan is on January 1st 2013 we will sit down and read them together as a family. Emma got so excited about the jar she will say "mom, this is something we need to write for the memory jar." It's really sweet. Even though her little sister gets on her nerves she gets excited when Abbie's says a new word and makes sure to tell me to put it in the jar.

There is a song by Natalie Merchant called "These are the days". It is one of my favorites. Steve used to play that for me while we were dating and even had it inscribed on a photo album for one of our anniversaries while we were dating. Anyway, I think of that song when I look at my jar and have a moment to take a breath and see my little girls. For these are the days to remember.

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Sketches done on a cold and blustery day

I am gearing up for one of my favorite art shows and I want some new work. I haven't done much painting this winter and it is time to get my mojo working. I sat down yesterday, curled up on my couch with my sketchbook, a cup of hot peppermint tea, while Footloose was on the TV. These are just a few pages of sketches I came up with. Although they may not make any sense to you, I know what they mean.

Not all my thumbnails will turn into a painting this year or even next year but I love to look back at old sketch books and see what I came up with. Sometimes it sparks a new idea.

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Crystal shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,
Crystal just shared an Instagram photo with you:

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"My thrifting finds!!! Steve and I loooove to go junkin. We find so many treasures. About 95% of the time when someone asks me where did you get that? I say "thrift store". I have so many stories behind my finds. We will load the girls up for a day of thrifting all around Altanta and a nice lunch out. "

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

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chirplove shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,
chirplove just shared an Instagram photo with you:

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"I am so excited about this piece. It is a functional piece. All I did was buy an old frame from a thrift store, decoupage over it with scraps of scrapbook paper. Then my handy dandy dad cut a piece of chicken wire and a piece of wood to fit on the back. By the way I used scrap book paper as the background. Then screwed all the pieces together and it was ready to hang. Fun part about this is I collected all my favorite earrings and hung them on the chicken wire. Now I have a fantastic piece of interesting art hanging in my bathroom and it functions as a way to hang my earrings! Viola!!!!"

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