Disappointed?

What do you do with your disappointment?

I've discovered that my disappointment will go down one of two paths:  1) I embed it and then it turns to anger and bitterness which can erupt at any given moment; or  2) I embrace it, go forward and use it for my benefit.

I learned this just yesterday when I suffered a minor disappointment.  Well, shoot a monkee!   This was something I had looked forward to and anxiously awaited for a few weeks!  It just didn’t happen.  (No one to blame; only Life.)

So yesterday I chose to forget the circumstances and use that extra energy to my organizing advantage.  It seems I ALWAYS have something to organize, don’t YOU??

Thus, I made distinct headway in organizing a project I was currently working on (with only minor enthusiasm and at a snail’s pace)!   By the end of the eight hours that I had dedicated to working, the project was newly inspired and organized!

This is not typical of me.  Yes, I usually sit around and because there is so much to do I just continue to sit.  And mope.  And whine.

So now I discovered that here’s a little cheese to go along with that whine:  Disappointment can help you!  Sometimes disappointment will bring creativity to seemingly uncreative people!  

Try this and let me know if it works for you just like it did for me:   Choose a disappointment you have experienced, maybe one you just can't handle, and use it to bring new light into your life just by letting go of it!  I know this sounds like madness, but it did work for me!   From now on, I will try to channel those energies anew!

Here’s the child life album I organized yesterday.  The material was (physically) ripped from an old paper-type scrapbook and is now ready to be re-written into a photo-safe album.  This stack represents ages 3 to Graduation, including all school memorabilia and photos as well as some background papers to use for various subject as I make them all into an album celebrating the life of my son!  

Just to be Mom

Ain't it just like a mother?  To take the day set aside to honor her to guilt herself into telling herself how she has failed as a mother (but not by what her children have done, for they are perfect!).  

All the things I've done wrong and/or failed to do right come flooding back to me each and every mothers' day.  I try to focus on my mother to ease the guilt.  But these things still consume my thoughts on mothers' day.  They probably will until my last mothers' day on Earth.

I wrote this poem to my children this mothers' day, hoping to relay some of these thoughts to them.

How much are you like me?

Do you live you life sublime? or

Is your head filled with rhymes? and

Are you content within your times?

How much are you like me?

Do you have my same thoughts?

Are you spared all my faults?

Do you choose the wiser alts?

How much are you like me?

Is the MAIN THING important to you?

Do you remember Him in what you say or do?

Do you love unconditionally, each day, brand new?

How much like your Dad are you?

Happy Mother’s Day…

from your unequivocal, undeserving, imperfect Mom who loves you, although she does not act like it most of the time.

I am so grateful that my children take after their father.  They wouldn't stand a chance if they were like me!

AND HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THOSE MOMS, GRANDMOTHERS AND GREAT-GRANDMOTHERS OUT THERE.  Each tier of motherhood is an achievement and YOU ALL ARE TO BE PRAISED!

Pictures from "New York"

 Packed and ready to go

 Excited at the airport

 Taking off!

 REAL Eggplant Parmesan!

 Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse.  (But I'd eaten to much bread to enjoy it!)

 In training.

 Exploring our options.

 Challenges.

 Flair!

 Our Group.

 Back to the City to LEAVE!

Cannoli  !  OMiGosh!

Pixels2Pages ROCK!

Happy National Scrapbook Day, y'all!

IMHO, this day is as important as my birthday.  Each year, the first Saturday in May is National Scrapbook Day.  This year May 3rd was National Scrapbook Day.  

And this year, 2014, was the first year I have not celebrated (with at least 2 people around me) by hosting an event as a scrapbooking consultant.  This year was special.  This year I celebrated at a Digital Event called New York City Live! with Pixels2Pages.  

This was a digital scrapbooking event; training and fun which means there was no actual cutting or pasting.  Color was not added by colored or printed cardstock and adhesive; these were added by the click of a mouse!  

Moreover, this event was a training workshop event.  These sessions are actually held in various cities all over the country.  (This particular event was in New York City.)  

So.. who/what exactly IS Pixels2Pages?  They are a group of "Pixies" who train people how to use Artisan and Historian software, the software which I promote and use myself.  These programs were created by Panstoria.  Artisan is a fantastic digital scrapbooking software that is easy to use, but full of features that allow users to fully customize their scrapbook pages.  Historian is a digital photo organizing and editing software – again, it’s simple to learn and it has tools you might expect to find in much more expensive programs.  These programs are designed for PCs and have the advantage of not requiring an internet connection to use.  If you haven’t tried them yet, take a look on my sidebar for your free trial offer for 30 days.  

If you happen to purchase either program and need tech support, just call on Pixels2Pages!  That's what I did and they have never let me down.  I have been a fan for many years.  You can find them RIGHT HERE !!

This weekend was full, my headed was filled with wonderful ideas and tecnhiques, and created almost 20 pages to have for a wonderful album I am working on!  WHAT A WONDERFUL NATIONAL SCRAPBOOK DAY IT WAS!

Here’s my most favorite page that I created this weekend.  I really struggled with it to get it right, but when it was finished, I knew immediately it was going to be my favorite page.  And that it is.

I learned to use a blend tool and a special filter for the awesome effect.  I am so happy with this page!

Is this something that peaks your interest or creativity?  Let me know how I can help!