a flower in the white space

once upon a time, long long ago - i signed up for a PIF over at tamerie's. i received a beautiful little pillow from her (she's a talented seamstress) almost immediately. but as for me? it took me forever to make this for her...i was seriously unable to come up with something that would incorporate her love of bright colors. not unwilling...truly unable! that is a sad commentary on my tiny little artistic box, i think:) then one day she posted this darling vintage photo of herself on her blog - and i was inspired!!! i made this painted canvas collage for her - and mailed it off to sunny california. now here is the thing i just love: tamerie posted this over on her blog a little of this that and the other. and look at what she did - she added another beautiful pink bloom in the "white space" and made it her own!!! i always have a fair amount of white space in my projects - and that is not for everyone, i know. i'm so glad you felt free to tweak this, tamerie:)

i scrapped

so many interests and so little time:) don't we all feel that way? i love to thrift, junk, swap, and scrap... i have made a commitment to getting back to scrapping more often. it's a good way for me to capture a few moments in time and put a few heartfelt words down. because i really doubt that my 12 year old son would appreciate me telling him this. because currently, he barely allows me to (publicly) acknowledge that i know him...

and as for him - he'd probably appreciate a few more fond words...but he knows i think the world of him:) he's my husband, fyi!

have a happy week-end:)

amour...

i felt fortunate to get in on cathy's amour box swap ...it was the first time she hosted a swap, and it was wonderful! i loved the swap guidelines cathy specified...decorate and fill a beautiful box in the color preference of your assigned partner. in cathy's words: Create your "Amour box" with your imagination and your own particular style. It doesn't necessarily have to be a Valentine theme, but it has to be pretty and it has to be made with the color choice of your partner:

*Shades of Pink
*Shades of Red
*Pastels
*Shades of White
*Any color is fine


i chose white...no surprise there:) but what a pleasant surprise to find out that my partner was the gracious karen, from my desert cottage...it was such a pleasure to get to know her better. thank you, karen, for being my swap partner!


doesn't this look so elegant and appealing? i love the variety of textures; the key, the lace, the button, the sheet music - all assembled beautifully.

the handmade card

i love the card sentiment...written in karen's own lovely script

another view of the outside

and a close up

i'm sure i don't have to point out the beauty of each of the items - but i have to say that the old crepe paper just makes my mouth water

wonderful old bobbin, soft seam binding on a tag...darling little pearl frame...

little kraft writing book - so many possibilities! and look at the softly gleaming pins against the perfectly aged lace

ephemera

another little hand decorated box:) and perfectly beautiful trinkets

oh - the softly hued old buttons! i love them!

and that brings me to the little old heart shaped tin, filled with buttons, that i sent off to karen in return. funny thing was - we both felt we wanted to stay away from a valentine theme, for the most part; we both filled little heart shaped containers with white buttons; and by chance we both wrapped everything in old sewing patterns:) it made me smile...

the box i sent to karen...

and the inside:) i'll let karen show you the rest over at her blog. and i'm going to link you back to our hostess cathy's post and list of other participants - i am having trouble posting the list here. happy valentine's day!!!

what's your number?

there's something i'd like to share with anyone who is interested in learning more about your personality, and why you do what you do - and most importantly, what you can do to enhance your strengths and let go of your less desirable traits. this is something i first learned about maybe 8 years ago or so...and it has been incredibly helpful to me over time. i'm sharing this only because i want to - i certainly have no ulterior motive or any connection to the sites i'll link you to:)


this old photo of my older sister and me has nothing to do with anything - although, come to think of it - she did introduce me to the Enneagram concept. like a lot of you, i simply like to have a photo or two with every post. and this one is precious to me. and it's vintage:)

so...the Enneagram is defined as a geometric symbol "that delineates the nine basic personality types of human nature and their complex interrelationships." While the Enneagram suggests that there are nine basic personality types of human nature, there are, of course, many subtypes and variations within the nine fundamental categories. Nevertheless, the assertion of Enneagram theory is that these nine adequately map out the territory of "personality types."

(Don Riso - author)


i have always been intuitive, and interested in people and psychology - and what makes us tick. i can tell you that back when i took this test and started reading about my basic personality type...i could only read small portions at a time without taking a break! it was so accurate and insightful, that is was slightly disconcerting:) and here is what i really appreciate about this whole enneagram theory:


"As a psychospiritual typology, the Enneagram helps people to recognize and understand an overall pattern in human behavior. External behaviors, underlying attitudes, one''s characteristic sense of self, conscious and unconscious motivations, emotional reactions, defense mechanisms, object relations, what we pay attention to, our spiritual potentials and much more—are all parts of a complex pattern that forms each personality type. Therapists, business counselors, human resource directors, and spiritual seekers from around the world are all finding the Enneagram to be immensely useful for self-understanding and personal growth. Always remember however, that the Enneagram does not put you in a box; it shows you the box you are in and the way out!"

(Enneagram Institute)


it does takes honesty and a certain amount of self-awareness to discover your true personality type! i've seen people take it and answer it the way they want to be, rather than how they really are (by their own admission) - and it wasn't helpful to them, of course. and it's also important to know that each of us have a certain amount of all nine personality types in us - it's just that one type is primary!


anyway - if you're interested in learning more, you can go to the Enneagram Institute and have a look around. the test that i took was the "full" RHETI and i found it in this book back then. however now you can take it online, i *think* - you might have to pay for it, though. I highly recommend this book - i refer back to it often!

another thing - there are several different authors who have written about the Enneagram. but in my personal opinion, i have found the works and writings of Don Riso and Russ Hudson to be the best. they are the co-founders of the Enneagram Insitute.

and one more vintage photo...my grandpa handing me a bouquet of beautiful flowers - he was a knowledgeable horticulturist. the first thing i notice when i look at this photo? my little legs all full of mosquito bites - it has been my lot in life to be a bug magnet. *sigh* they don't explain that in the Enneagram:)

if you're intrigued by this and investigate it further - please let me know what you think! i'd love to hear...i have yet to meet anyone who wasn't slightly amazed to read about him/herself in such detail! and if you want to share this - please feel free to link back here:)

one more

my third of three wonderful little boxes to arrive from heather's petite box swap. and this pretty box was from heather herself...i'll let the photos tell the story:)

i think she's planning to host another petite box swap later in february - in case you're interested in joining...no details posted yet, but just keep checking her blog!

painful thoughts from a scattered mind...

or - more accurately - scattered thoughts from a painful mind! or mindful thoughts from scattered pain...oh, i give up. that's it. i just have to tell you that it is not fun to be an HSP with ADHD and just a touch of WEIRD. it's so strange - i am generally an optimist and i do enjoy life very much - laughter is my drug of choice:) yet i find myself hampered by the silliest things. i am acutely aware of everything in my environment...but that doesn't mean i have the tenacity to stick with changing things that bother me and seeing it through to the end. take, for example, my home. i am always doing things and yet never seem to reach closure. here's a peek into my world:


shots from my studio

now the next few photos look fairly good...

but the reality is that most spaces look like this.

and this.

so then when i get frustrated with that chaos - i start infiltrating the rest of the house with what i so smugly call "staging areas". hah! staging area 1 as it looks today.

staging area 2. my husband snickers and pretends to believe that these are very temporary situations. because really they are - none has ever lasted longer then 6 months. ack!

and then i decided that i would join my friends on a crafting week-end this coming friday through sunday. in light of that, i wrote my dear friend an email:

"dear dana,

since you'll get there first and choose our beds and tables, etc...i have a very few minor specifications, a "504 plan" for scrapping, if you will!

1) must have access to window (fresh air issues)

2) must sleep by the door (for claustrophobia issues)

3) must not face into the sun (bright light hurts eyes)

4) must not have back to anyone in scrapping room (startle easily)

5) must be seated by you and jen

HEEHEEHEEHEEHEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

if only it really was just a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if i think of anything else, i'll let you know!

love,

mary"

now her loving and compassionate reply and our subsequent email exchange deserves a separate post - so i'll be back later with that. honest!

petite inspiration boxes

i have photos to share of two of the three boxes i received in heather's swap over at her blog the speckled egg. i still have to take pictures of the last box i received and then i'll share those, too. i think i mentioned that i'd never done a "little" item swap before...very, very fun! these boxes were filled with items to be used in crafting projects.

and here is the first beautiful box that came in the mail from terri. so elegant and gorgeous. i just love the ledger paper and the bling...


and part of the wonderful contents - i admit i had started to squirrel things away before i remembered to take pictures...

this lovely box came from m. over at tales from an oc cottage. notice the glittered interior of the box! and the tulle and the pretty little sand dollars...

this glittered starfish is just the cutest little thing:)

and a close-up of the box(es) i sent my partners

along with the contents

i'll be back with photos of the last box soon:) thank you, terri and m - and heather - thank you for hosting!