Happy iDSD 2010!!

choo choo!!
welcome to my stop on the mscraps blog train!!

i am sure you'll love all the gorgeous freebies the fabulous designers and the mscraps creative team have created just for you in order to celebrate international digital scrapbooking day!

here's my contribution:

download here

please keep in mind that we are all on different time zones so our posts may not all be available at the same time. if you don't see the next freebie up on the designer's/ct's blogs, just check a little later to grab it up!

if you are wondering where to head next...... head over to patti's blog to get your next freebie!

 if you just stumbled into my blog right now, are lost or stuck, the first stop of the blog train is at the mscraps forum here where you can also find the full list of 'stations'.


and of course...some pages from this week:

thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoy all the gifts from the blog train and please remember to leave all designers some love!
have fun! 

one more week...

FOR TODAY... 

outside my window... humid, hot and balmy!

i am thankful for... the written word.

i am wearing... my pj's

noticing that... my handwriting is not as nice as before... probably due to only using the key-board!

i am still reading... "knit two" by kate jacobs.

on my mind... my health.

pondering these words.. a ship in harbor is safe but that is not what ships are built for. -w.shedd-

around the house... steamy windows.

from the kitchen... cup of coffee & cinnamon raisin bread.

one of my favorite things... jigsaw puzzles.

i'm creating... this post.

 a few plans for the rest of the week... hair appointment, pay bills, shopping, pack suitcases...

from my lens...

another storm approaching - another rainbow!

check out "the simple woman's daybook" to join the "for today" journaling idea or to browse among other  amazing journals!!

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one more week and off i go to the greek islands! do you believe how time is flying?

i'm already running around trying to do a bunch of things before my trip and of course working on my to-do list of things to pack.

i am so relieved the blood-work showed my iron levels up to 7 (they were 2 before).  i am for sure feeling a lot better but i'm afraid not 100% myself yet. hopefully levels will keep on climbing and i don't find myself feeling lousy during the trip.

i can help it but to start feeling a bit overwhelm but i guess i always tend to get like this before any trip - short or long. 

remember those doodles i have been mentioning? well, i am finally done - what do you think?

 i am sure we all can find a page or two in which to use a friends word art, right? have fun and remember to leave me links to your layouts.

download here

here's my page with some of my on-line friends - i would have definitely needed a bigger template with lots more little squares to fit them all!

credits

other news from the digi-scrapping world:

the rocking girls are back with an awesome challenge at o'scraps! check it out here or here.

one lucky person will win a gift certificate from nina's store. check out the rules and come play with us!

here's my page for the challenge:

credits

get sue's 4 seasons bundle pack for $4 & for a limited time only:

sue's store

some of your layouts using the freebies:

by linda

by brinic

by zizazzi

by helen

by vivre

awesome pages ladies & thanks for leaving links to your creations! i always appreciate your e-mails and comments very much!

this will be a very busy week - lot's of thing to do before my trip so i better go and get started!

take care and have a blessed week!

Work in progress...

FOR TODAY... 

outside my window... approaching summer really fast... i am again reminded just how hot it gets here!

i am thankful for... summer vacations and the opportunity of travel.

i am wearing... ag jeans, light grey tee & flat sandals.

noticing that... some of my plants will need extra care now that the weather has changed.

i am still reading... "knit two" by kate jacobs.

on my mind... a bunch of stuff... what to pack for 4 day trip, the health of my older dog napoleon, a longer trip approaching, a minor procedure that i got to have done at hospital at the end of june, another blood work in 10 days..... 

pondering these words...  "you have to take risks. we will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen" -paulo coelho-

around the house... my father-in-law & his family over for a few days in order to go to orlando together.

from the kitchen... scrambled eggs with mushrooms, tomatoes and chives. coffee & 4 grain toasts. 

one of my favorite things... boxes that hold old letters and photographs.

i'm creating...  doodles for the next word art freebie.

 a few plans for the rest of the week... buy dog food, trip to orlando on wednesday, while there, maybe visit one of the parks, finish new word art... 

from my lens...

loving the ipad apps!

before the storm

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check out "the simple woman's daybook" to join the "for today" journaling idea or to browse among other  amazing journals!!

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happy monday everyone! hope you had a terrific weekend. i don't know about you but here at home we were all glued to the tv watching the soccer world cup!

 i'm feeling happy today and i'm certainly enjoying not waking up around 6:15 anymore! school is out and we moms take a break from fixed schedules also.

i finished the new word art last thursday and got me thinking of how much my blog means to me. i actually look forward to having some of my thoughts and of course a new freebie to share.

 i'm so glad i took the plunge when i did in spite of the many reasons that were holding me back. (like writing in my adopted language...)

you have to understand that i've been this crazy perfectionist person almost all of my life and it is not easy getting rid of feelings of self-doubt and plain fear when you have a really dumb mantra that reads:  "it's not perfect yet". 

i know now that the perfect moment will never be and that the moment i have now it's the only one that matters - of course there will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions for the things i want to do but must of all i'm learning to start from where i am, carry on and learn as i go. 

afraid or not!

 i'm work in progress.... a recovering perfectionist...

 that said, i had lots of fun creating this new freebie and hopefully you too will find it useful.
it  has over 30 different .png files - they can be easily re-colored and it includes journaling prompts & some frames. enjoy!

"today" word art:

download here

 a note to myself about perfectionism.

it's so exciting having sandrine create such delightful & exquisite layouts with my freebies! this next one is just awesome! love the photo! 

sandrine's gallery

and no, i did not forget some of us are getting ready to celebrate dad this sunday so with that in mind i also created a word art mini kit for your father's day layouts, cards or why not for attaching it to your e-mails too! Hope you & your men enjoy them!

download here.

last week's layouts:

credits

credits

check out some of your layouts using my freebies:

by linda

by brinic

by helen

by the way, sue figured out i'm going to greece this summer (she just had to read one of my older posts! lol!) ... and yes, lucky me, i'll be in the greek islands for 3 whole weeks in july!

 i'm looking forward to spending time with my boys, my 2 nieces and relaxing time at the beach too! 

i'll be in orlando this week and i'm hoping we don't get any rain. i know it is going to be scorching hot but that's better than walking around the parks under a downpour! besides, if it does rain, i get only to take my point & shoot!!

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i know that a couple of you had problems downloading last week's freebie.  sorry about that!
 i've fixed the link so please try again and if you still have difficulties just e-mail me and will send you the zip file.

have a fantastic week and don't forget to celebrate dad!
happy father's day!

Birthdays, zodiac signs, times of reflection, blessings and freebies!

FOR TODAY... may 17, 2010

outside my window... what is it with rainy mondays lately?
i am thankful for... having the opportunity to learn something new every day.
i am wearing... gray pants, white snoopy t-shirt & flip-flops.
noticing that... watching the birds at the bird-bath brings me joy.
i am reading... "island beneath the sea" by isabel allende
on my mind... the need to start feeling better soon.
               pondering these words... "become more and more innocent, less knowledgeable and more child-like. take life as fun- because that's precisely what it is!" -osho-
around the house... a new clothing steamer.
from the kitchen... toasted cinnamon bagels with cream cheese & vanilla coffee.
one of my favorite things... movies that make laugh so hard i cry.
i'm creating... one new layout.
a few plans for the rest of the week...  keep my doctors' appointments, lunch with friends on tuesday, plant geraniums and the usual weekly errands.
from my lens.. did i ever mentioned gustavo's hobby is racing? 

dh at homestead miami speedway!

visit "the simple woman's daybook" to join the "for today" journaling idea or to browse among other  amazing journals!!

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my 52nd birthday is this tuesday and i'm thinking i should be depressed... but i'm not. in fact it is a natural time to take a moment and reflect on my life. i see so many of my friends struggle terribly with all the changes in our lives like entering menopause, grown children leaving home, failed relationships, accepting our new not-so flat as before tummies, the wrinkles on our faces & those gray hairs that tell the stories of our lives..... 
... as i sit here today and reflect on my life at 52 i am one grateful person.  i feel loved, empowered, lucky, sexy, and happy. life is sweet and wonderful. i am truly thankful for all the magnificent gifts that are given to me daily!
so... here's to me... and all fantastic women over 50!! 


that said.... don't go thinking i like celebrating birthdays, specially mine. i shy away from birthday cakes, birthday songs, birthday parties and all that birthday fuzz. (ok...maybe not birthday cakes! lol) I like quiet & private celebrations. tuesday i'll be happy going out for dinner with my husband and my son or even staying home and watching a tv show together.


i feel blessed and love sharing with others. in order to celebrate i have a couple of new freebies this week.


freebie #1 is a zodiac word art:


i guess, i most always fit the typical "earth sign" description for taurus that you find in books and it still surprises me every time!  and no, i'm not the type to consult astrologers or base my life in horoscopes but i do believe in the influence of the heavenly bodies above and i've never been worry about what everybody else thinks. i'm alway proud of my open-mindedness and have always been curious about the role astrology has played throughout the ages.
 ... and besides i think is only fun too!
a couple of weeks ago i started working on some taurus word art to celebrate this month's birthdays since i know (through your e-mails) that more than a few followers are taureans also! check it out:

taurus girl - 5 different word art

but once i started playing with it, i got carried away and created the same 5  for every sign! it doesn't matter if you believe in astrology or if you just dismiss it as nothing more than superstition.... just have fun with the word art and create something beautiful! have fun!

download here.

freebie #2 - home word art


these i created about 4 days ago while trying to keep myself motivated and away from thoughts on doctors and blood work results... the next day i found out i have anemia - my iron levels are terribly low!  let's just say i feel better now just knowing the results and knowing there's a plan of action to take. nothing that a couple of iron iv's can not cure... i hope! i 've been feeling really low lately and i can't wait to start feeling like my cheerful self again.
anyway.... i thought the word art came out pretty good and better yet, it did kept me busy and happy! hope you like it!

download here.

and the one layout i managed to create yesterday with the new home word art and a mask from "captured moments" kit:

want to see just a few of the fantastic layouts using my freebies?


check out the following layouts created by some really talented and creative girls. i loved seeing them in the galleries and i though it would be a good idea to share them here! hope you don't mind and thanks for leaving the links so i can see your creations. (for full credits click on the links)

by julie

bysue

by helen

by zoe

by lorraine

by linda

by maria

by laurie

by barbara

inspired now? aren't they just wonderful? 
thanks for sharing them with me ladies!
  hope you have a terrific week!!


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