baby steps

this afternoon sadie and the babies are napping.

harper is at school,the house is clean (i worked really hard on it monday and tuesday and have actually kept up with picking things up!!).

the dishes are clean,there's no laundry. i realized i could have me time. i thought about scrapbooking...realized i had no assignments due.

sat down, picked up the remote, got ready to watch the rest of the bachelor.

then it hit me. i want to get back to the joy of scrapbooking. i said that the other day, right?

i did say that. and i meant it with all of my heart. i think it's the closest thing to a "resolution" for 2012.

so i sat down and i scrapbooked. not for an assignment. not because i had to. not using only certain items...using whatever i wanted.

and it was awesome. it was freeing and fun. part of the thing i've always loved about MAKING is combining items,colors,and patterns.

this layout is the most "me" thing i've made in a long time.

mist- mister huey's in dewey

asterisk and butterflies- studio calico

heart sticker and leaves- amy tangerine

chevron tag- ormolu

flower paper, "bless your little heart", "h",label sticker- october afternoon

photo tab- american crafts

pearls-basicgrey

 you know what i realized? yes it's true that i don't sew or stamp much. i will probably never spend 2 hours making a technique heavy layout. my brain doesn't work like that.

but that doesn't mean that i can't have fun.that doesn't mean i can't put a little more effort into creating.

sometimes i get too caught up in what i'm supposed to be doing. or what everyone else is doing. or thinking. or saying. and when i do those things? i lose me. i lose the part of this hobby i LOVE.

the effort starts today. baby steps.

my heart is happy today.:)

hope yours is too!

xoxo

 

Comments

[Dale Anne Potter]

Its a FABULOUS layout!
LOVE IT!

[Jodi R]

Beautiful, Wonderful..Love it :0)

[TaraMcK]

love it. I miss the joy of just scrapping too

[Kami Pfingsten]

Absolutely love that layout!!!!

[jennifer Camplin]

love that layout!!

so true light work do own page..

Fun!!

[Marcy]

Love this so much Steph! It's totally you!

[Laura]

So glad you had some "you" time and found the motivation to create something just because. Happy Thursday. :)

[tara pakosta]

yay, I LOVE IT! I just sat down at my desk and did 2 pages in a 2009 Week in the Life mini book and LOVED it!
Keep making pages for YOU, because you love it, that's when the REAL you shines through and that we all LOVE!
what a GREAT resolution!
ONe of my many goals is to scrapbook more often. I have to say I truly still love it with all my heart.
That being said, I did watch the Bachelor with my niece the other night, then wondered WHY I watch it. because it's FUNNY to watch these women act soooooooo RIDICULOUS....just plain STUPID. sad sad, but I am addicted to that show after only 2 seasons of watching~!

okay, back to scrapbooking! I am on DAY 3 in my mini booK!
tara

[Elizabeth*S*]

Beautiful!

[Amy Cannon]

good for you girl!!!
And those doilies are amazing! I love the whole layout!!!

[Stephanie Eaken]

I love your layout! So glad you were able to scrap from your heart!

[berta]

Love the LO! I love to scrap and craft, just to make something. I would have a hard time crafting to "sell", it would take all the fun out of it! Glad you could scrap something just for you!!!

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1668443056]

Love how simple and elegent the layout is..Im going to have to scraplift this for my Hailey..HAve to find those items from October Afternoon...:)

[Jingle]

This is a gorgeous layout! I love the colors and the wonderful white background! Isn't it just fun to create for YOU!

[Krista]

It's beautiful. I hope you're able to find more time for yourself and use it to create such fun pieces. As a visitor to your blog, it's nice to see the combo of materials instead of those from just one manufacturer. So glad you got to enjoy yourself.

[Stacey]

I'm really glad this worked out for - I've lost myself recently. I've been too busy looking at other people's work and thinking I'd like to do something along those lines that I lost my own thoughts about it and ended up with something that's not completely me. I'm glad you got back to you, because that gives me hope for me too. Your page is beautiful :)

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1668443056]

Could you possibly tell me the where you got the October Afternoon items?? Thanks!!

[Marla Lynch]

That is a beautiful layout!!!

[Nirupama Kumar]

check out two peas in a bucket, they have everything.

Stephanie, love that layout. Very you, it's true. Paper cutting, turquoise AND dolies! Yay. How is PL coming? I started, sort of, with a two page spread about my son's birthday in October, lol.

[Stephanie Howell]

They are the farmhouse line. I got them at 2peas.

Sent from my iPhone

[Jenni Hufford]

LOVE this. so gorgeous. and so you. hooray for scrapping for your self!! :)

[angela ezzell]

This is my favorite layout of yours recently. I'm glad you're getting back to yourself. ; )

[Diana Waite]

Good for you! this page is AWESOME!

[ginny]

Beautiful! I think this is my favorite Stephanie layout. I love the colors & that doily - did you dye it or mist it or what?

[Stephanie Howell]

I misted it with Dewey!!!

Sent from my iPhone

[Linda E]

Gorgeous layout, Stephanie. Although, with that picture, how could you go wrong! I am glad you had fun. I hope you can find time to watch The Bachelor too! It was quite an episode! It's like a car wreck! You can't help but look. Yet, as the mother of a girl, I feel so sorry that these girls act the way they do! Still, I will watch what promises to be a great season!

[Jennifer Sanborn]

So pretty!! Good for you!! :)

[Melissa Phillips]

Your work is wonderful, heartfelt, beautiful, and always inspiring Steph! I adore you and your wonderful blog.
Melis

[Mariah]

Oh, Stephanie...how I long to craft...really and truly but I don't know how to get started again. Any "mojo" I ever had is lost... I wish I could find it. I'm glad that you got to enjoy yourself and make something that made you happy!

[Vanessa M. Santamaria]

This is a beautiful layout! I love it :) I agree that it's very much your style and it's what first drew me to your work! Keep em coming! You are always inspiring!

[Heather V]

I always love your work Stephanie, but I think this is my favorite page that you've done recently! You can tell that love and fun went into it. You've inspired me to try to get back to the "fun" of scrapping, too... I'd begun to see it as one more thing I had to do, and that's not how I want my hobby to feel. Thank you!

[Christine Ousley]

Good for you Stephanie!! Glad you had a great day!!
xoxo, Christine

[Deb]

this is just gorgeous. I totally get that getting caught up in what is expected or what others may think and feel but at the end of the day all that's important is what makes you and your family happy. Thanks for sharing.

[Alison]

Fantastic layout, lvoe the white space giving it a nice fresh bright feeling about it

[EvelynB]

I like how you said you made this layout your way, with your style. I find myself starting to write my journaling in the voice of other scrappers (trying to emulate their lovely blog layouts) and it totally doesn't sound like me. It just doesn't feel right when I go back to them a couple years later. Glad you decided to have some fun with your scrapping!

[Margaret McGarry]

Just YAY!

[Becky D]

Absolutely gorgeous Stephanie! I love that you did it just for yourself! I love the white space and that picture is adorable :) Your girls are all so cute! I am so far behind on my albums, I need to spend time just working on them!

[Angie F]

LOVE it! You are such an inspiration!! Thanks for sharing!! :)

[linda trace]

oh my sweet goodness me that is the most beautiful page!!!

I'm really dying to get my hands on some doilies like that, but in Australia, we're sadly lacking. Where do you get yours? (I haev friends in the USA so I'll be sending them there to get me some!)

I honestly couldn't love this page more. it's so so beautiful (and that Harper--my gosh she is breathtakingly gorgeous!! Such a sweet girl--you've done SUCH a great job with her, mama!!)

[Sandy]

Stephanie, I have been in your shoes and it sometimes takes the joy out of the hobby. Your following of people started because you "were you" and don't ever lose that!

[Stephanie Howell]

thank you so much linda!!! i got these in the grocery store actually!! happy friday. :) xoxo

[Kathy Martin]

Fantastic page! It shows that you enjoyed creating just for the sake of enjoyment!

[Heather Ruotolo]

I have to say I am mildly obsessed with your blog. I discovered it this week and love every post. I keep taking a few mins to go back in time so I can say I have been following you since the beginning. I have 2 daughters myself- Olivia Kate who is almost 5 and Avery Faith who is 1. I love all your creativity and my new years resolution is to keep up on my scrapbooks. I am one of those people who puts 4 or 5 pics on one page because I can't choose which pic I like the best. I love that you do one pic on a lot of your pages. I am glad I stumbled across your blog. Keep it coming. Your a great inspiration!

[Stephanie Howell]

hey heather!! its so wonderful to meet you. and what gorgeous names your girls have. thank you so much for your kind words...have a beautiful weekend!!

Sent from my iPad

[Candy]

I love your happy place. My struggle today is with folks who treat me as an idiot..the airline stewardess who was convinced that my 'broken' seat which would not 'sit up' was my imagination and I was trying to disobey her....or the latest youth mentor who is insisting that I complete a parental approval form online (or else!) despite the fact I cannot access or find such form (which I have explained repeatedly)...seriously, my only hope is that no other parent fills one out either. Just a few of many examples. Is it really me...am I missing brain cells?, or is the rest of the world nuts?

[laurielariviere]

love it, all of it, the adorable photo of your gorgeous Harper and the giant doily, gotta find me some of those!!
It's beautiful, glad you had some "me" time, every mom needs that to stay sane!!

[susan (luckyjava)]

I'm glad you are getting back to the "Joy" of scrapbooking. Your pages are always ADORABLE! I love your style, and as a fellow mamma of 4 girls, they are MY style too! I love that your pages show your love of your kids and crafting- they are genuine and you can just see that they come right from the heart. That's my definition of perfect :)

[Sarah K]

Your layout just speaks spring and freshness to me. There's such a lovely burst of color in there that it just makes me smile. Keep on being you and letting your beauty shine through.

[jamie hansen]

Hey girL,

I love your LO and love your words today.

I love your last little quote. I copied it down in my daily/monthly calendar for this month. "Sometimes i get too caught up... I lose me." saying was perfect!

[Jenn A.]

Good for you for taking the time for yourself! I can imagine it would be challenging to "let yourself off the hook" so to speak when you have four little ones around and there are always more things on the "to do" list. I can relate that it feels so good to fuel that creative spirit, though, without any pressure!
You layout turned out so pretty-I really love the color you chose for the doilies in relationship to the picture. Thanks so much for sharing!

[christine dodaj]

Good for you Steph, that is a gorgeous layout!! I hadn't tried misting doillies, but I will now! thanks!!

[kate]

after working @ a local scrap store i started becoming the same way... it took a long time to come back around.. really admire your layout... i fell in love with your pages long before your blog and it was funny to realize that it was you later on.. this was you

[cococricketsmama]

What beautiful pages!!!!! I love the design!

[heather garl]

I was so inspired by this layout...that I scrap lifted it...here is a link to my blog for you to have a look....i enjoy visiting your blog.
http://scrapbookingsmiles.blogspot.com/2012/01/lots-of-layouts.html

[Bethany]

Stephanie, that LO is gorgeous!!! I totally LOVE it!!! it is SO totally inspiring!!! if it wasnt that it's 3:15 --AM! (ack!!! lol) i would already be IN my scraproom lifting that beautifulness!!!
thanks for the great inspiration!
take care
♥B