Has it Really Been a Month?

I can't believe it's been a month to the day since my last post. I have neglected everything because life has been soo crazy lately. This darn weather is just dragging me down- I fell sick once again around Thanksgiving, and Im just now getting back to normal. I think I had a bit of the flu, you know the body aches, congestion, soar throat (I sounded like a serious chain smoker for a moment there), sinus headaches type thing. I was down and out for the longest (I guess you could say a month- lol), and it seemed really hard to kick it out of my system. Sudafed and Robitessin, and cold medicine, and more cold medicine for days on end. But, I'm getting that pep back in my step only to be met by finals, term papers, and whatnot. And don't get me started on all the tasks I needed to do but didnt get done. I didn't even really get a chance to REALLY dabble in sewing yet, and my goodness, I know I've missed a couple of challenges over at JJ! Well, I just wanted to post something, to let yall know Im still alive and kicking. Now, I'm off to get my life back in order...

New Hobby

Soo, where have I been? I fell sick with a stomach virus, so I was out of commission for a bit. But before that, I had picked up a new hobby. I've stepped out of the scrapping world for a little bit, and tipped toed over to the world of sewing. Who would have guessed that would have happened? Certainly not me lol. But my addiction to patterns has carried over from paper to fabrics. Now, my creative juices are flowing like crazy, and I'm bringing them to life through some small handbags that I've labeled as my "Flatsies". I've made a new Etsy shop for my fabric creations. Check em out:






So, what do ya think? Come on by and visit me at my shop: http://www.mypatternedmind.etsy.com/ . I was told that the best way to get your store recognized was to add stuff steadily instead of all at once. Soo, I'll be adding new stuff often, so don't be a stranger- visit often! Hope everyone is doing well.

I have an Etsy Shop!

I never thought that I would create an Etsy shop for myself, but I did it yall! I've been working on designing some digital papers, and a friend of mine has inspired me to sell them. So Im giving it a go. Please check out my first paper pack...


This is my first paper pack-"Berry Blush". If you're interested in it, please check out my Etsy Shop. I listed it for $2.50. Let me know what you think- be totally honest with me yall. I can take it. lol. And honestly, when it comes down to it, I'm trying to make some sells. Sooo I really would value your honest opinions. This is my first time selling so I'll take all the tips and advice I can get. So there you have, Ive been busy designing some papers and I just finished a LO for Journaling Junkie too which I'll post later on. Yall take it easy.

Needed a Good Laugh

Life's been stressful for me these past couple of weeks and I really needed a good laugh. I came across this and laughed every time I watched it.



Hope yall got a laugh out of it. Will be posting some scrappy things REAL soon. It's the weekend, so I should be able to crank some out. I owe JJ a LO, so I need to get with it. But you know how it can be, life has its way of showing out. Anyways, yall take care.

Just Been Busy...

This past week has been chaotic to say the least. Still working on obtaining a practicum site (interviews left and right), big issues arising at work, assignments due and midterms approaching. It's just been crazy.

But in the midst of the chaos, I finally got up the courage to seek out a church here, and went by MYSELF. It took a lot because let me tell you, I'm extremely shy. Once I got to the church, I was praying that he give the actual courage to walk up in the sanctuary because I honestly just felt like turning around and driving back home. I was that nervous, but I did walk in. I dreaded the whole visitor recognition thing (you know where they call your name and make you stand up and wave at everyone) because its kind of embarrassing- me sitting there all by my lonesome in this empty pew. ANYWAYS, I got the message, and felt renewed once the service was over. So I've been going there for the past couple of weeks.

I also started hitting the gym pretty hard this week- I went 5 days. The elliptical machine and I still have that love hate relationship. So far, I've lost five pounds. So we'll see how that goes. It's been hard passing up my WATABURGER. But I refuse to put on any more weight- I refuse to buy a bigger size. lol. So I had to start working out, and to be honest it does kind of feel good AFTER you're walking out the gym. lol. I feel like I'm at least getting closer to a healthier me, and somehow I feel less stressed. So at this point, I'm loving my gym time. Ask me next week how I feel about it-lol.

Alright enough rambling and venting. I did a LO for Journaling Junkie. I'm posting it early because with midterms and work I don't know if I'll even get a chance later on in the week to remember to post it. lol.

It's about a character that you're most like. I chose Gabrielle Union and the role she played in Tyler Perry's film- Daddy's Little Girls. When I was younger, people used to tell me that I looked like her- that was during my slimmer days lol. Anyways, in this role, she's a big time lawyer who's struggling to find a good guy. She frustrated with seeing men over 30 in throwback jerseys and 40 years olds striving to be rappers. lol. Her friends give her grief about dating this guy, Idris Elba, because he's a mechanic with 3 girls. They feel he's below her and that she can do better.

So how exactly do I relate to all of this? I'm an African American female that most would consider to be successful- I'm pursuing my Master degree. Although we are in deed out there, it's not everyday that an African American woman obtains a graduate degree. So its a big deal in my family and in my culture. With that said, I'll be honest and say that I have the same kind of expectations for my potential partner too. I want them to be just as successful, to be able fit in with my associates, to have some kind of status/respect in their line of work. I know that may come of as being arrogant/cocky/materialist/whatever, but that's not how I mean it. I just want someone that can bring just as much to table as I will be, and I'm talking about more than just financially. You know in the movie Gabrielle's friends give her a hard time for becoming involved with her driver who happens to be from the hood and has kids because she has an ivy league education and a good job. My friends do the same thing to me if they think a guy is "beneath" me- if he didn't go to college or have a fantastic job. So it's been a real struggle to find that good guy, but I know he's out there. ANYWAYS, so the point I was trying to get to was that I could totally relate to her role in the film. If you haven't seen it, go check it out. It's a cute little movie. lol.

Have you...

Have you been to your local Hobby Lobby lately??? Well, I took a trip to my local store last night. I figured I would treat myself to some paper after taking my first exam of the semester. Let me tell you, HL almost got me last night yall! They almost got me! When I went, I knew exactly what I was going in for- The new My Minds Eye paper stack that I had originally laid my eyes on at Michaels. That was it! I should have been in and out spending no more than like $11 since the paper is 50% off this week. But HL pulled a quick one on me! As I rounded the corner to walk down the paper isle, my eyes bulged out of my head! The isle was FULLY loaded with lots of new paper stacks from paper manufacturers that weren't carried by HL before. I mean it was like I was a kid in a candy store! Just picking up ALL the yummy goodness. Their paper selection now is just AWESOME. They now carry all the different collections of paper stacks by K&Co., The Paper Studio, Me & My BIG Ideas, DCWV, AC Paper, and smaller stacks of My Minds Eye. The still carry basic Grey and Bazzil too. Yep yep, all that good stuff that we usually see in Michaels and then some is now stacked up at HL and vulnerable to the 50% sale! It took me a few mintues to come down from my excitement high and for reality to set it. I didnt need to walk out of there with a basket full of paper stack lol- I need a 12 step program I tell ya. Anyways, I looked through the paper that I had stacked in my cart- lol, and was able to reduce the pile to a few. Thank goodness for Grey's Anatomy because had it not been coming on yesterday night, I would have had more time to change my mind about a few. lol. ANYHOW, go treat yourself to a trip to HL and let me know what you picked up.

P.S. To my Grey's fans, what did you think of the season premiere???

Family Love

Here's a LO I did for Journaling Junkie's Family Tree challenge.

Yeah, I didn't make a family tree as you can see, but I did write about it.

The journaling reads:

I’ve been asked to create my family tree many times in my life while I was in school. I dreaded it more and more with each time. It’s hard to create a family tree when some of your tree limbs have been “cut off”. On each side of the family our branches have a limited reach. They don’t span out like some families’. Some of our branches stop abruptly because various things such as adoption and rape have prevented us from knowing who some of our relatives are. And as if connecting the limbs of my tree wasn’t difficult enough, at times I would get stuck on trying to decide whether I should create the tree out of the individuals who I consider to be my family or those that are biologically my family. You see, creating a tree is not an easy task for everyone, and I’ve come to accept that my kind of family tree is different compared to others. Mine is rooted in support rather than genetics alone. And in my eyes, my sister and I represent the fruit of our family tree. And my hope is that one day our seeds will help our family tree to grow into a mighty oak like tree with supportive roots and many branches that are nourished by love. One day.

Soo yep, I always dreaded the family tree task for a variety of reasons.

1.- My family is not the typical "American Dream" family. Although we don't believe in using the words "step" and "half" in regards to family in our household, that is how most would describe some of the relationships in our home. Pointblank , to me he's just my Dad and she's just my sister. So no need for a "step or half a nothing". And in our family we don't do that calling "step parents " by their first name- like hey Steve... We don't play that, and I don't think that we ever will. lol. Shoot I'm 24 years old and I still call him Dad. Why? Because that's what he's been to me since I could even remember.

2. Having to make a tree, just made me realize how different I was to the other kids in school. And lets be real, kids just want to fit in at that point in life.

3. Who doesn't want to know where their ancestors came from. I always wondered about the African tribes my bloodline traced back to, but I know that there's some missing links in our family line. So it's a bummer that I'll never really be able to find out.

So there you have it. Family trees aren't an easy task for everyone, and not everyone is thrilled to find out that their tree is looking like the Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

-Yall know yall had to laugh at that one. : P Take Care.