Good morning Dreamers!  I can't tell you how busy my life has been...cause it hasn't!  I think I am the most boring person on earth!  BUT I have been busy with a little scrapbooking.
   About a week ago, on the Creative Scrapbooking Divas site, I posted a challenge during our on-line crop (did you know we are going to host an on-line crop EVERY MONTH...on the last weekend?!)  It was a difficult challenge but I had several ladies participate.  What was so hard about it?  I thought you'd never ask!  I had the girls journal!  I heard those gasps!  It is not that hard to do.  OK, we blog, we text, we write emails---but we can't journal?
     Starting April 1, I will be hosting the Book of Me and Mini Album room.  I think a huge part of my story is, well, the story.  I was raised very poor and we didn't have the money to have many pictures taken.  There are some, but not about every memory have.  And I want to share those memories with my family. 
    The theme was Lucky...and I picked some wonderful paper from K & Co newer Brenda Walton line.  I love the nature inspired paper and die-cuts.  I used some older alphabets that are made of cork, to keep with the natural feeling.

I  love to "fussy-cut" as my friend Linda at my LSS Creative Cuts & Crafts calls it.  I have said before that my exacto knife was my favorite tool....I use it on almost every project I make.  On this layout I cut out all the flowers and leaves on the left side.  But I used a second piece of paper, not the base page. I think it gives wonderful shadow to the page.  And then I pop dotted it, with foam dots.  I bought some really cheap foam dots, that are really thin, so some of my flowers were "double-dotted" to give a difference of heights.  I am very pleased with how it turned out!

I added some of the little die-cut embellishes in the corner, inking and popping them and layering.  I like to use odd numbers of items, it makes things feel unevenly even!  So there are 5 bunched up items. I'm just odd that way.

My journaling was printed on some pale green vellum, from a package I bought way way back at the beginning of my scraping journey...from WalMart!  It really reflects some of the pain I have been feeling, pain for the world.  I know that, coupled with the looming death of a dear friends' brother -in-law, with the removal of some cancer spots around my body, has been what has stifled my creativity this past 2 weeks.  Situations beyond my control, but yet deep in my mind.   It reads:

So Lucky...

To live in a free country

To have such fabulous children

To have the love of a wonderful man

To live long enough to know my grandchildren

It's Lent while I am creating this journal page, and it always causes my to pause and think...

about life, love, justice...

Last week Japan was hit by the most devastating  horror a mother could imagine...earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear threats..And I see the world around me respond, and go on about their lives.

Our perfect lives, where our biggest worries are what to wear, do I have the newest gadget, where shall we go for dinner..

As I'm typing, David Crowder is singing,

"How He loves us"

"And I realize just how beautiful You are and how great your affections are for me."

It reminds me that it's not just me He loves, but it is a song sung by my Lord to each of us Whether we all accept it is not the point the point is He loves us ALL.  So, am I lucky, maybe I am.  Only if I believe in luck

I will say that instead, I am blessed.

Well I hope I haven't made you too blue on this Monday.  It is beautiful outside and the signs of spring are popping up everywhere.  Do YOU need a creativity burst?  My friends at Paper Secret are hosting  a Birthday On-Line crop this weekend.  I am hosting a challenge, Luisa is playing Bingo, there are over 10 challenges and games.  AND PRIZES!! .Come play with us.

And just as I am Dreamin' of a better life with Him, You keep Dreamin' too.