Hubby's Birthday

What a great day...My husbands 40th birthday...we spent the entire day together at home with Melissa...then got ready and went out to celebrate with a fantastic steak dinner at Texas Land and Cattle Steak House. It was soo good and we had fun.

Melissa and I had gone to Walmart earlier and gotten him a cookies and cream ice cream cake and once we finally had room in our tummies, we had a slice...

I had gotten him a Darth Vader bobble head as one of his Christmas presents because he so totally loves Star Wars and is playing the new game, and they had 2 more different kinds at the book store so I picked those up for him for his bday...he loved them so much. He said it was an awesome birthday, and that just makes me beam.

I am lucky to have such a wonderful husband who works so hard and provides so awesomely for us. I love making him smile...

Happy Happy 40th bday babe...I love you so so much
x0x0x
M

Revel in the Moment

Got my first page done in my journal for the Kelly Kilmer class I am taking...Crazy Excited...
Just had to extend our apartment lease for 3 more months because we just can't afford to move at the end of January...That isn't the only reason...honestly we are more concerned about the weather here in NW Arkansas and what that could entail, and we live in an upstairs apartment.

April 28th is now our move out date and it is going to be perfect...

Moving into a2 bedroom apartment from a 2 story house, and 1100 miles, was a big adjustment for all of us but we have done good...it's just so different living in an apartment...you have to really be so tolerant of other people's actions. I try so hard to always be aware of how I close cupboards, doors, everything, but everyone around us is just so disrespectful, and on top of that my hubby is a day sleeper due to a night shift, so it has been interesting to say the least...

BUT...instead of dwelling on the negative side of having to be here longer, I have decided to revel in the moment of knowing that our apartment life will soon be coming to an end...today I completely organized my pantry and my spice/canned foods cupboard...every day I am going to be going through something to get organized and ready to move....so I am CRAZY EXCITED!!!! and that's what my journal page is about...

I do have to say, I gave the girl a different mouth and yes it's bigger, but she needed to look excited and she just didn't look excited enough before...hubby said it freaks him out LOL...I LOVE IT...and its MY JOURNAL...lol...he laughs at me...

Thanks for taking a look.
x0x0x
MadZie

Me @ 47

I decided to do a journal page for me...I can't get away from my new stencil I really love it so much and she does remind me of me...I wear my hair up like that all the time and since I got it highlighted, thanks to my AMAZING husband, I feel so much better about myself...even when I sit around in my sweats with nowhere to go, my hair is done and my make up is on and I smile a lot more...

This page came so naturally to me and only one other time have I written on one of my journal pages. I have sooo much to write about but it's not all positive and even though people tell me to write it down, it takes me back to ugly places and I just haven't gotten comfortable with it yet...BUT, this page just flowed...once I started writing it just poured out of me and before I knew it I was at the bottom of the page.

I love how it turned out....and I may make this a yearly thing as a different way to document ME...

Thanks for stopping by
x0x0x
MadZie

Finished

Ok my journal Girl is finished...had so much fun with this and love the end result.
The design on the left side of the page is done with molding paste so its dimensional and super cool. That's the first time I have used molding paste and definitely wont be the last.

I used the Julie Fae Fen Balzer stencil for the outline of the girl then completely personalized it my style...I used watercolor crayons for the background, acrylics, inks, pens, rub ons, glitter and the modeling paste, which I colored with acrylic paint before I applied it. So much fun. I love mixed media.

Now we have to name her.....

 

Thanks for taking a look

x0x0x

Madzie

"Revel in the Moment"

Hi...

So I am taking an online class by the awesome Kelly Kilmer and today I created my journal cover. I used a paper bag for the base...cut it up to the size I wanted then I just sewed the 2 pieces together with my sewing machine...I left the handles on because I totally loved how they look and its really functional...

I used some fabric strips from left over fabric from the other journals I have made...I mod podged them on and it worked great...I used scrapbooking paper for the inside pages and the border is from an old calendar that I have saved. I was sewing around the edge with a zig zag stitch (my fave) to keep the edges down and I didn't stop fast enough when I got to the handles and I broke my sewing machine needle...rawr...Ill go grab some more tomorrow at Walmart.

Can't wait to start working on the journal prompts from Kelly's class and get my journal going...This is the first "prompt" driven journal class I have taken and I'm excited.

Have a great evening
x0x0x
Madzie

Stencil LoVe

So when I went to meet my friend Lisa this past weekend, she had some gifts for me as I mentioned. Today I decided to use one of the larger stencils (by Julie Fae Fen Balzer) she got me. I used the stencil as an outline and made it my own with details and such...it is still in progress...I am sooo excited at how it is turning out. It looks amazing in person. I am making it with my daughter in mind. She picked the hair colors and she is going to "advise" me on the background as well...it's fun getting her involved...here are the results so far...

Can't wait to do some more work on the girl and the background...Ill post the finished page.
Thanks for taking a look.
x0x0x
Madzie

For my Dad

I painted this page in my journal and I was thinking about my dad when I did it...I love the quote and when I found it I knew it was perfect for this page...

The ones that love us never really leave us. You can always find them....In Here...

I miss you so much dad but I feel you in my heart.

x0x0x
Madzie

Another Journal finished

This is one of my favorite journals so far. I created it with travel in mind...the cover fabric is pieced together and I also added some denim to the spine and the end flap of the cover...I used the waistband from an old pair of jeans my daughter gave me and it's the perfect closure.

The inside pages are so colorful. There are maps, vintage ledger paper, clear pockets and paper pockets...so many places to tuck all kinds of travel mementos into. I think it is a great place to write down dream destinations and also take with you when you travel...

It will be up for sale soon here... http://www.etsy.com/shop/Escapetohandmade this is my friend Lisa's shop and she is listing them for sale in her shop as a favor to me. Awesome friend.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look
x0x0x
Madzie

Hand Made Art Journal

Here is a picture of the remains of the day journal I made as a gift for my friend Lisa...I love how this one came out. Can't wait to get another one started...

Thanks for taking a look.
x0x0x
Madzie

Great Day

My daughter and I went to Fort Smith today to meet my friend Lisa...we had so much fun. It was so great to meet her. She brought wonderful gifts for me. Stencils and stamps and just so much awesomeness...I made her a remains of the day journal and brought her some home made goodies...
Her husband was there as well and just a real nice man. The doggies were so absolutely cute...It was just a really great visit and I am so so glad we finally got to meet.

Good time...great people...

x0x0x
Madzie

Friday

I have been busy baking and making and wrapping and decorating. All of my shopping is done and I am excited about Christmas.
I baked some mexican wedding cookies, 2 batches of fudge, some roll-0 pretzel yummy thingies, peanut butter rice crispy bars and about 75 chocolate covered peanut butter balls.

I also finished my sons Christmas present and have been working on a series of mixed media pieces that I am going to mount on canvas and put up for sale.

I am excited for Monday. My friend Lisa, whom I have never met in person, is going to be coming through Arkansas with her husband on their way to South Carolina for Christmas and I am going to meet up with them a little south of here. She is the owner of www.scrappindealsandsteals.com and a fellow artist. I have some baked goodies for her and I am making her something hand made as well. She has been so generous to me and a good friend and I am just really excited to finally meet her.

Here in Arkansas, during the holidays, they have the trail of lights, which is actually state wide. They have a huge light display in Fayetteville so tomorrow night Jonathan and I are going to go see it. The pictures online look so spectacular and beautiful so we are of course bringing the Canon and the tri-pod to get some great pictures...I will post them as soon as we get them uploaded.

Have a fantastic weekend.
x0x0x
Madzie

Words of Wisdom from Johnny Cash...

"You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space."
-Johnny Cash

I find this to be a lot easier said than done, especially when there are people who still base a relationship with me, or the lack there of, on things from my past. People who just think they are above forgiveness and letting things go.

So I try a little harder tomorrow, to not dwell, to let it go and not let it have any more of my energy or space. Life is so short and precious, and it's sad that people don't realize that.

I have so much to be happy and thankful about. These are the people and things I will concentrate on. The rest is just not worth the pain and confusion it causes me.

x0x0x
Madzie

Sunday

Well today I am getting our Christmas tree put up, then I am going to try to work on some hand made Christmas presents.
We spent the week of Christmas last year moving from Virginia to Arkansas so we really didn't have Christmas. No tree, no lights, no decorations. We exchanged minimal gifts. It was just such a crazy time, plus I had to start my new job 4 days after we got here.

I really want things to be spectacular this year. It was really hard for my daughter when we moved then to not have Christmas. Even though she was 16, it still sucked. So yep...I am bringing it this year. My daughter and my husband both have to work on Christmas eve so I am going to do some things they don't know about while they are at work and they will come home to surprises...I'm excited.

They have both been so supportive since I lost my job and even though things are tight I just really want to make this a special Christmas for all of us.

Back to the decorating, then some sewing and sketching and painting and who knows what else will happen lol.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend.
x0xox
Madzie