BulgingButtons

Not bad for a fat girl

Tag Archives: scrapbooking


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Did I Really Write That?

I’ve been at this blogging thing since June of 2013, so a solid five years now. In that time I’ve published nearly 700 posts. Most of them have a fair number of words to them. Some, however, are quite short, and feature photos or a video instead of my usual ramblings. Still, that’s quite a few posts.

The thing about it is, I can’t actually remember writing all of those posts. It’s almost as if I was in some sort of stupor when I published them. Not all of them, of course, but I have stumbled across several that make me scratch my head in wonder. Are these really my words? Did I really say that?3d-clipart-question-mark-20.png

It’s not that I disagree with my past self, or that I’m embarrassed by anything I’ve written. At least so far I haven’t been. It’s just that it seems like the act of writing should leave more of an indelible mark. I ought to remember my words, as I remember the quilts I’ve made or the scrapbooks I’ve created.

Maybe words are just too common. Maybe it’s more like trying to remember meals I’ve cooked. Some stand out, for various reasons, but most just fade into the background to be forgotten. Maybe that’s how it is with words. Sometimes they stick, but other times they say their piece, only to be quickly forgotten.

I don’t mind, really. Sometimes it’s fun to see the suggested posts at the bottom of my screen and click on an old post. Sometimes it’s like seeing an old friend, but other times it feels brand new.


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To Everything There is a Season

Of course those words aren’t mine, but I was reminded of them the other day when I was lamenting my current creativity slump. I was talking to an old friend (not that she’s old, the friendship is, as friendships go) and I told her that I hadn’t done anything creative in a while.

We are long-time quilt buddies. Years ago we met in a local quilting group and we clicked. A small group of us became good friends and took on a few fun projects together. We met at each other’s homes, visited with each other outside of our regular quilt group meetings, and planned outings. It was a fun time that unfortunately came to a close when I had a kid and several of the girls moved away. Things change.

My friend and I (and several of the others) kept up on Facebook, but we hadn’t actually spoken in years. I wanted to have one of my old quilt tops finished and she does them professionally, so I gave her a call. It was wonderful.

So silly, I thought making a phone call would be a big deal, but it wasn’t. It was easy. We talked and laughed and made plans to get together, which we did. I regret not calling her sooner, but I won’t beat myself up about it. Gotta keep moving forward, after all.

Back to her wisdom, though. She said something that stuck with me; something I found comforting (was I in need of comfort? maybe). She said that it’s okay to be in a fallow season. Nothing grows all the time. Of course. In nature there’s an ebb and flow, so it stands to reason that a person has those types of cycles as well.

So maybe I’m in a fallow season, but I think it might be drawing to a close. I’m starting to feel the desire to create again, and I’m glad. I LIKE creating, just for the sake of the doing. Having a nice finished product is a bonus, as far as I’m concerned.

Yes, I love the quilts I’ve made (most of them, anyway) and the scrapbooks I’ve completed put a smile on my face, but the doing is what I enjoy the most, or as least I have, in the past. I hope to recapture some of that feeling, after all it would justify at least some of the goodies I’ve collected over the years. In the meantime, I can be satisfied with the knowledge that nothing grows all the time, and for that I thank my friend.

 

 


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Scrapbooking and Fitness – When Worlds Collide {plus Fabulous Freebies}

Happy December! How odd to wake up with no pressure to post anything, no word count to worry about, no impending deadline looming. Yes, there’s lots of schoolwork to be caught up on waiting in my every present tote bag, but I’ll get it done. I aways do. Still, I had a few extra minutes to take my time as I read email, and I came across a gem by one of my favorite scrapbook divas of all time, Cathy Zielske. If her clean lines and graphic style aren’t enough to hook you, maybe her tag line on her blog will, “Taking the crap out of scrapbooking since 2001.” I love that.

Cathy has taught classes for quite a while, and I have been fortunate enough to take some of them. She has published books, and done all sorts of other super cool projects over the years. Well, this year she designed some terrific subway art printables for Christmas and Hanukkah (yay, cool Hanukkah stuff!) that she’s giving to her subscribers. DSC00329In the email she also mentioned a class she’s teaching online at Big Picture Classes in January. The class? Move More Eat Well Jumpstart. Does the woman know her demographic or what?

Of course I had to click the link to check it out, and I have to say, for the $31 sale price I’m seriously tempted. It’s good eating, sensible movement, and cool scrapbooking in a motivating online community with a super cool real woman spearheading it. I could forgo a couple of Starbucks trips for that.

Here’s the thing, though, even if you don’t take that class, they have others, and some of them are FREE. How can you beat that? If you don’t like it or life gets in the way and you don’t finish it, NO GUILT. I love that! With holiday season here, maybe a quick class on organizing or streamlining techniques might be for you. There are also tons of e-books, and I downloaded a FREE one of those, too. Love it!

I swear, I get nothing for telling you about this super cool stuff, just the knowledge that maybe you’ll find something that tickles your fancy over there.

If anyone does sign up for the Jumpstart class, let me know. Wouldn’t it be fun to have a little group doing it together? I would like my buttons to bulge slightly less, and this might be a fun motivating way to get going again.