My Positivity Journal 2020

Playlist

Note: Playlist is set up like a series of chapters. Each month of my journal is a chapter. Click on the link and go to the chapter you haven't seen before to watch and click on it to begin the viewing. 

My therapist asked me to continue with the positivity journal. Since the last one became huge and deformed at the spine, I've decided to make a topsy-turvy journal in the bullet journal format. (Anybody remember the topsy-turvy dolls? I had one as a child very similar to this one.) Crafty Hodges on YouTube created her journals with one half of the year right side up and the second half of the year upside down and both halves met in the middle of the book. She said it prevented the journal from getting deformed like mine did. So I'm going to try it in a second composition notebook. 

Essentially a bullet journal is a homemade planner and a collection book of lists. The only planner part of mine is going to have a teeny tiny calendar and a list of gratitude's at the beginning of the "chapter" for each day of the month. I'm going to have similar things to what I collected in my positivity book last year - favorite things, good memories, quotes, and scriptures, but in addition to that, I'm adding 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" blocks of doodles (my requirement, not hers, as I only have so much space for images) as I will be following Marsha Baker's 365 Day Doodle Challenge all year long at the edges of the pages. 

I wanted to learn sketch-note doodling because I thought it would help organize the sermon notes I've been taking for the last couple of years, however, most of the sketch-note examples I've seen on Pinterest are what I call "messy." They are all over the page in a random fashion. Not exactly what I had in mind. As a person with ADD, I get anxious when I get lost in "messy," so I guess I need to find some layouts that I can compile in a hurry when writing down my Pastor's sermons. 

Also, since my journal will be flipped upside down, the envelope pockets in the last journal won't do, so I took some large mailers and cut them in half to make new pockets with flaps and then glued on solid cardstock and washi tape to pretty them up before gluing them to the inside back covers of the composition notebook.  The major theme of my whole book will be based on Mary Engelbreit, which as most of you know, is my favorite illustrator, so I will be using from my collection of ME paper items to decorate it, however, just so you know, I AM NOT cutting up any of my precious books (65 in my collection so far) to decorate the journal with. I'm using cards for the divider pages over scrapbook or gift wrapping paper and bits and bobs cut from packaging and other papers. 

Also, I wanted a bead charm to hang off the side, but if I hung it at the top, then when I flipped the book, it would be at the bottom of the book, but then I decided I didn't care until... the elastic string began to cut into the paper at the bottom of the notebook. My friend, Julie, who loves making books came to the rescue and suggested that I add the string at the middle of the spine, so I used my We R Memories Keeper Big Bite long arm punch to punch a hole and attach a flower eyelet to either side of the spine and then at the center of the signature, I used a pokey tool to punch holes through the paper to line up with the eyelets. I had to use a large eyed needle to thread the elastic through the holes to the center of the signature and tie that off. I cut the ends off about 2 inches or so and glued tiny punched hearts to the ends and added glue to the knot to strengthen it. It's down right cute now. 

JANUARY'S page themes are (an index is located on both halves at beginning of each section along with the color of the month - pink). Each circle tab will coordinate with the paper and I'm using a paper clip bookmark to indicate which month I'm currently on. 

JANUARY'S TITLE PAGE: is a Mary Engelbreit card front with quote glued to a piece of cherry scrapbook paper: "The most wasted day of all is that on which we have not Laughed." (Chamfort). At the end of each video, I will be showing you a card I made with my collection of Mary Engelbreit stamps. It's about time to put them to good use. smile! 

I'm going to continue adding the words from the journal that I'm willing to share to my gratitude blog here.

Click on the video tab at the top of this blog. It's a direct link to my YouTube channel so you can view the latest one. 

until next month, adios! 

P.S. When I uploaded my video to YouTube tonight, it was crisp and clear because I made the video at the recommended high definition. But I had difficulty with it after it was uploaded - sometimes the screen goes blurry. If you notice that, please contact YouTube about it. They may be working on bugs that I just haven't heard about yet. Another channel made a comment about that very thing on a video I watched recently, so I know it hasn't happened to only me. Thank you for watching my videos, reading this blog post, and going the extra mile by commenting! Blessings!

Update: Still don't know why the video blurs, but refreshing the video page helps to clear things up if you are determined to watch it! 

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I'm sharing a bit of myself with my church family by doodling coloring sheets with scripture on them every week. Here is how I display mine in my kitchen, in a document sleeve to keep it splash and jelly-proof, so that I can meditate on it while doing kitchen chores:

My therapist wanted me to share with somebody something I liked doing plus I was getting the same nudges from God to share too. I've learned a long time ago you can't win when arguing with God. smile! I didn't want to, cause this was something for me and it would be a lot of work. . . I thought of all these excuses why I didn't want to do it. But I gave up when I got the homework assignment from my doctor, so. . . I explained why I was doing this to my spiritual family, gave them permission to print off more if they needed to, and then I gave them some ideas of what to do with the coloring sheets. Here's some of the ideas I came up with. If you have another idea, please share down in the comments at the bottom of this post. 

• One of my homeschool friends is printing off a coloring sheet for every child in her family to color while she has family devotions.
• I take a clipboard, paper, a pencil box and crayons with me in a Mary Engelbreit tote-bag that another friend found for me at a thrift store when I go to the doctor or anyplace I have to wait. I either doodle or color. Come to find out, our associate pastor likes to color too and takes a coloring book and crayons with him when he has to wait somewhere. It makes the time go faster. Better than waiting for a pot to boil, so to speak. smile! 
• Give a coloring sheet to a neighbor. Many adults as well as children like coloring therapy. One of the ladies in our church came to me last week, wanting a new copy of a previous week's sheet as she "messed one up" while watching a recent sports game on television. I've made extra copies in case that happened or if someone missed out on a previous week's copy because they were out of town or ill.  
• Write a letter on the back and send it colored or uncolored to a pen-pal or a grandchild, etc. 
• Collect them and make coloring books for someone as a Christmas gift. Since I gave them permission to make copies, they can make more than one. 
• I also took extra copies with me to a monthly coloring club hosted by a local paper crafting store. One person took one sample sheet of all I had with me, but the other two ladies politely declined them, however, since they asked me how I have been (it's been a year since the last time I attended) I shared the good news about how God healed me from all the physical pain I experienced last year.  

See my FABULOUS FREEBIE tab above for printable sample coloring sheets. 

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FEBRUARY's video has been uploaded without a hitch on YouTube and the words are up over at my gratitude blog. Did you know that YouTube has free music you can download from their website for use with your videos? I didn't until another YouTube friend told me about it.  So this month I chose "Grace Behind the Curtain" by Silent Partner to create my video with. Did learn that Microsoft's Video Editor App doesn't have any way to edit the background music length, so had to get creative and get some up-close shots to pad and fill in the video so that the music would end at the right place. Creating and editing a video is as much a creative process as doing the actual project like my positivity journal.  Thank you for watching. Be sure to subscribe so that you'll know when my next video has been uploaded and click on the like button. 

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Everything has turned upside down in my world. We're in coronavirus lockdown. However, I know whatever happens, God is in control, working behind the scenes and I'm still alive! Thank you, Jesus!

One of March's highlights is that Mary Engelbreit is offering a FREE coloring sheet for us to color while we are at home. I have a smart printer which can resize the image from a letter size image to small enough for a card, so I printed two sizes. One is a coloring sheet for my positivity journal and the other is a "digital stamp" sized image for a card.

Since we are socially distancing ourselves, but still meeting together via technology, my pastor has agreed to link my coloring sheet offering each week on our church's website. Please feel free to join us in worship and prayer via our corporate worship page. 

• A great new coloring sheet idea! A girlfriend suggest that anyone could put two coloring sheets back to back with a piece of same size thin shirt board between them, laminate everything together and then give them as a gift to a child with a set of colored dry erase markers and a felt eraser or washcloth. 

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UPDATE (4/20/2020): I learned to do something new on my YouTube channel today! I added two playlists on the front page of my channel so that you can directly access my positivity journal and my doodle playlists without having to scroll through a bunch of other playlists under the playlist tab on the front page of my YouTube channel!  Hope it is helpful to you! 
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UPDATE (4/24/2020): Learned how to make linkie card devices for videos, so spent a few moments adding them to all my journal and doodle videos, however, if you don't see a link that you want, check the description box below the video. I still have some there as well. 

Also wanted to show you what coloring pencils I use. Since I'm frugal, I go for cheap, but not so cheap that you color with a canning wax stick  with barely any pigment in the pencil -- I've purchased some like that at dollar stores and had to throw them away. Buy a reliable brand. Prismacolor pencils are artist grade and expensive, I received some Fiber-castell for Christmas; heard Derwent is a good brand, but my everyday coloring is Crayola brand Twistable. The other set is from South Korea and they are like the Twistable's. Our homeschooling missionary friend sent the set to our son for Christmas one year. Her son and our son were pals here at home in the US. 

And I uploaded a video for Part Three of my Doodle Series this week. Please subscribe to get an email in your in-box to know when I upload a video. Be sure to click on "all". I found a book at Half-Price Bookstore that will be my next exercise in doodling scripture verses for Part Four called "Drawing in Black and White" by Deborah Velasquez. Never heard of her before, so this book should be interesting. I linked in her website up on the side menu. 
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April's Journal Video is done and uploaded to YouTube. Ran into a planning snafu - not all the stuff I wanted for a particular page came in through the mail, so I added a FUN substitute instead. One of the pages has tidbits of about half my washi tape collection!  Amazing how rolls of pretty tissue tape give such pleasure to paper crafters! And I couldn't find my ATC's that I was going feature in this month's video either, so I substituted again with some Mary Engelbreit coloring sheets I had colored in for 3-ring-binder's monthly dividers. Mine came from a coloring book that I received for Christmas, but Mary is offering some coloring sheets for FREE here. 
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May's Journal video is up and rolling finally. Sometimes this is what happens in blog & YouTube land. You are working on something and you have it almost done and you are working on getting the voice over and music in and SOMEBODY bumps the desk and POOF! off into cyberspace everything goes! I was so NOT HAPPY! 

But then, I started over, even though I was NOT feeling it and I pushed through it, so it is DONE and uploaded to YouTube. I even have toe-tapping music from YouTube's free music library that accompanies the video. The music is what made it for me this time. I was telling a girlfriend that I try to learn something new each time about how to create a show and tell video, but I still have to work with the technology I can afford and stretch it to the max. 

When you log into YouTube, check your HOME feed or notification bell for new videos from your subscribed channels. I also sometimes find teeny tiny blue dots next to the channels I subscribe to on the drop down menu on the left side of my computer screen that indicates new videos. 

Also the Dylusions mushroom rubber stamp and Mary Engelbreit stamps I ordered from Rubber Moon finally came in and I created a similar Tunnel card design like Jennifer McGuire. And I also showcased some artist trading cards. 
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JUNE's video is up on YouTube now! I have lots of project pictures in this month's section -- discovered I like Farmhouse Décor, so I began to mend, paint, repaint, stitch, declutter, sort through and I hauled 3 trash bags of stuff to the thrift store so far that doesn't fit in with the farmhouse look. My hubbin even began to help me with the projects. Be still my heart! 💓

I also have a list of FREE Printable Coloring Sheets for you over in the side menu that I doodled. I also created some more Mary Engelbreit rubber stamped crafts - a card, a candy jar, and an upcycled peanut cannister that I converted into Mom's Mad Money bank. It's going into the laundry room and it's for those coins and cash I find at the bottom of the washing machine. Not my problem if you don't clean out your pockets. It's MINE NOW! 😁

And I also discovered, while watching YouTube videos on farmhouse décor, that the blurriness of the videos may be caused by the pixel setting of the video. I always save my videos in the highest dpi that I can, but there is an individual setting on the video toolbar that can be changed by you, the viewer, so check the little wheel when you watch the current video and see what the pixel level is. Click on it to adjust it to the highest setting for the best clear viewing. 
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My "Christmas in JULY" video has finally been uploaded! My gratitude blog post has been published! And I'm updating this blog post! YAY! June, July, and August here are usually hot and humid, but we've had a lot of rain, which tied up some of my crafting that needed spray-paint. Now the next project is getting out and taming the green, overgrown jungle in the backyard and dumping the pools of water that are harboring our pesky state "bird" (MO. Mosquito). 🦟🦟🦟

Pastor handed me two sheets of paper last Sunday that a member of our church colored and sent to him like a card. Remember I said that the members of our church could color them in and use them for stationary? Well, she followed directions! Thought I would share them with you. smile!

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AUGUST - Still working on my journal, but I finished one project - the first in a series of YouTube Creator Academy tutorials and graduated from the first one. Woo Hoo! And got my diploma! 

My poor left foot. I didn't see the heavy flashlight until it landed on my toes, nor did I see the desk leg reach out to grab my pinkie toe the other day and try to rip it off. One of my girlfriends told me that feet were made to move furniture. Neither the flashlight or the desk moved, but I sure did and I'm sure everyone passing by heard me yell. I thought house-slippers were supposed to protect my feet as well as keep them warm. So anyway, haven't felt much like getting up on them, so the August video is really, really late getting done. But done at last it is! Yay! 

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And then I jump right into SEPTEMBER. Well, maybe not jump. smile! Still protecting that left foot as much as possible, cause it's still kind of tender. I completed my 2nd Creator Academy tutorial tonight (9/17/2020) and obtained another "Letter of Completion." And watched a YouTube playlist from a teacher named Eddie Woo trying to Teach the Teacher about technology and YouTube. 😆

Saw some handy gadgets that I might have to invest in someday, if I can find them at the right price. Meanwhile, I did learn about lighting and some transitional effects that have been driving me nuts trying to figure out cause if my video editor has any, I haven't found them yet. And having to put on my thinking cap and taking notes -- what do I have already here at home that can give me what I need to add to my videos that can make them the best that they can be? One thing I learned is that videos should be at least three (3) minutes long. So what can I use to fill or pad my videos with -- maybe some up close shots? Far away shots? How can I add moving bits to my videos? Craft tutorials? I love the FREE music I've been obtaining from YouTube's Music Library. The creative wheels are beginning to churn! 💡

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OCTOBER is finally uploaded! Sometimes things don't go as planned, but you have to try, try and try again! Words from my positivity journal are here as well as a link to the video. I enjoyed listening to YouTube audio library of free music and sound bytes this month and compiled three small instrumental songs into one for my video. I also learned, after 3 tries to get it right, to add a link to the end of the video to my Positivity Journal playlist. Rejoice with me! I completed Marsha Baker's 365 Day Doodle Challenge this month! I also added in a 2 page spread of my favorite illustrator/card-maker! Guess who? Why you guessed! ME No, not me silly. Mary Engelbreit, that's who! I also learned this month about another disabled artist named Maud Lewis. She's the Grandma Moses of Nova Scotia. Before I forget, I also added a photo of cutting letters from catalogs and packaging to glue to my journal and other projects. Hope you enjoy the vid! 

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NOVEMBER'S video is online. Whew! I had planned to get my November Positivity Journal video up in a timely manner the first week of December, but my husband shared the coronavirus with our son and I during the Thanksgiving holidays. They got over it quickly, but it's still hanging with me, so not only did I not get November's up nor December's nor did I get all my planned projects completed, but hope you will watch what I do have for you. By the way, I'm grateful to be alive! I have had two visits to the ER, an overnight hospital stay because the doctors discovered blood clots in my lungs and two secondary infections as well as a positive COVID test. I also need a new c-pap, for my old machine is wearing out. If you pray, please remind God of my needs. Thank you!

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DECEMBER'S video is uploaded to YouTube! 2020 = The End! 

Brace Bling

A year and a half ago I was diagnosed with drop foot. My prescription was a steel brace attached to my  right shoe. I wondered how I could pretty it up, but didn't want to glue anything to the brace in case I got tired of it and then couldn't remove it.  So I saw these flowers at Pinterest and wondered if I had something here at home that would make something similar in my stash and yep, I did have something.  

I have no idea what I saved these pieces of Velcro from, but I measured the circumference of both my cane and my brace and I found two pieces that would work! 

If you want to make some Velcro pieces like mine,  overlap two pieces of Velcro about 3/4" inch so that the join is in the middle (mine have a stitched on tag board piece over the join which you don't have to have) with the loops on one side facing towards the back and the fabric that the loops attach to  faces towards the front. The whole length for the brace is 3 1/4" (inches) long and the piece for the cane is 4 1/2" (inches) long.  You can stitch or hot glue the Velcro pieces together. 

Next I found some flowers that were attached to wires.

I punched two holes in the cardboard with this teeny-tiny diameter hole punch . . .

and threaded the two wires through and pulled it tight. Then I twisted the wires closed and pushed them down into a spiral against the back of the Velcro strap, wrapped it around both my cane and brace to see how they fit and Viola! Almost instant bling! 

One flower. . . 

Or many! I could almost skip through a garden in these, don't you think? 😊

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20 Aug 2018

My cane flower didn't last long as it got knocked around too much, but I get compliments on my brace one frequently. I decided now that I'm using two canes because of vertigo and hip pain, I needed a station to park them at during the night. My husband found these Command - brand broom grippers at Walmart and I attached them to this cabinet next to my nightstand, so they are within easy reach when I get out of bed. And yes, I'll have to open both doors to get into the top cabinet if the canes are still attached, but that's no problem to me. 

Two tips I wanted to mention -- since January, I've been using a C-Pap machine for sleep apnea. (I also have a nebulizer for asthma). That's my c-pap up on my nightstand. I have a case for it and I take it when traveling as both are medical devices that I need.   I purchased an extension cord and that little stepping stool at Walmart in the children's department for $10.00 and poured some of the distilled water into a plastic water bottle with a tight fitting lid to take with us. The little stepping stool pops out as a little stand for my c-pap during the night if I sleep on the side of a motel bed without a nightstand. 

Also, the black cane's foam handle was beginning to split from wear and tear and we could not find a replacement. I saw a video at YouTube in which a lady had used tennis racket handle tape on her baby's stroller handle and yep, Walmart carries it back in the sporting goods department. I used a little daisy decorative duct tape to fasten the end down and I'll tell you, the tennis tape makes  a most comfortable handle over the top of the foam.

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21 May 2022

A lot of water has gone under the bridge since I wrote last. I no longer wear the brace, but do wear a built up shoe on the same side as I wore the brace. The built up shoe is as stiff as the brace was, but that's okay because now my hips are even and my back doesn't hurt as much as it used to.  My right leg is about 1/2 inch shorter than the left leg. 

And I've graduated to forearm crutches because, not only were the canes wearing out, but I also got tired of the canes falling over when I had to grab something.  And since I had to bend over to pick them up, I hoped that vertigo didn't strike me at the same time and I go splat! I love the forearm crutches (I call them my pogo sticks 'cause they have spring shocks in the legs) and I just purchased a bicycle flashlight for one of them. They stay on my arms like a bracelet when I let go to grab something. I've also gone to wearing a backpack. Had to try many on before I found one that fit me since I'm a BBW (big beautiful woman). I wore a cross-body purse for many years, but the left crutch kept bumping it as I took a step and knocking me off-balance. So had to get my thinking cap on and problem solve it. 

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You might be interested in reading these posts too and be sure to check out the label "adapt" over on the side menu for more articles: 

• Never Alone
• (off-site) Brace
• Walker Bags
• New and Improved Walker Bag
• Why I'm Refashioning My Wardrobe
• (off-site) Disabled Placard Paper Receipt Fold

A Paper Scavenger Hunt

I'm finally inspired to make some glue-book pages in my Documented Faith-book, so I'm going to be scouting around for images and words to fill the pages. I have a list here of things I'll be collecting. Hopefully I'll find enough to fill one page apiece!

In 2015 I challenged myself to look for Bits and Pieces of paper that I could use for artist trading cards and I found quite a bit in my home and craft barn that I'm still using from, however, the stash is getting low, so I've decided to challenge myself to find more, but not just in my house and craft barn, but to see what I can find outside of my home.

Just like last time, I'll describe what I find, for one month. If you have followed me in the past, I like long posts, so come back to see what I've added to this one from time to time. Please feel free to make notes or print the list if you like as I understand the need for list reminders. If you would like to follow along and challenge yourself to see what you can find, list in the comments below what paper ephemera you found (be nice, no naked people or profanity please. I keep a family friendly blog here). The prize will be your collection of images and words that you've collected during your own scavenger hunt!

I've been watching many videos of glue-book collectors on YouTube and have some idea of the things they have been using to cut images from, so one of the first things I've done is order travel brochures from here and here  for inspirational themed places! I know about a few since I've written biographies about the people who lived or created them here.

Next I took a plastic shopping bag and went around my house, picking up paper items to put into it. I especially raided my husband's pile of stuff he pulls from his pocket at night and never throws away. I would have enough to do a two page spread (or more) if I used what I found there, but since I'm looking for specific kinds of things, I might not. So anyway, I'll be going through this sack, cropping and stuffing things into my Faith-book sleeves that have already been prepared to receive them.

Day 1.) Tonight, my goodie bag holds Cracker Barrel sacks my husband has been saving for me as I like the graphics on the outside; crinkled tissue paper from Christmas gifts that I've been saving for gelli-prints; a gold envelope; a Formica sample; a quarterly school district newsletter (good for both images and words for my word-bank); a Hershey's cookie sack; some prescription paper (good to use in place of text paper from books in mixed media projects); an old Christmas gift sack with deer on it; a coloring book page; 3 instruction sheets from Papa Murphy's Pizza (more text paper); packaging from crafting goodies with the price tags still on them; a package of Christian art gifts (magnetic bookmarks) with the UPC code still on it; receipts galore from my husband's stash (the question is, will any of them be from a Christian bookstore? nope); illustrated notebook page; some small calendar pages from 2015 (imagine that/smile); a security envelope; several address labels (two  qualifies with a candy cane and a heart on them); notes from girlfriends on pretty stationary (one qualifies for scripture & flowers of the Bible); some business cards (but not any from the places I want); 4 Bob's Red Mill oatmeal lids & vacuum seals; 1 cherry tomato vacuum seal (I thought these would make nice little tea bag folded type origami flowers if you had enough); and odds and ends of stickers from the store.

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Day 2: Okay, so I cleaned out my purse today. Knew I had some wads of paper in there, like “Bits of Honey” candy wrappers, Applebee’s Restaurant apple silverware wraps, two used stevia-in-the-raw envelopes (figured I could cut out the tiny leaves for a Tree of Life themed page), a used post-it-note with the words “Gratitude,” “Blessings,” “Happiness,” “Friendship” and Lady Liberty down in the corner. Some drinking straw sleeves (stripes) . . .

Next, I hung a sack in the kitchen, told the guys about my collecting challenge and ask them to throw in any bits that I might be looking for. We’re a former homeschool family, if that explains anything (smile) and as I moved around the house today, I added bits as I found them, like a cereal sack. We sometimes buy our cereal in big Malt-o-Meal sacks instead of the tag board boxes (there are circles, big letters and numbers, UPS code, a recipe, several logo prints, the mom word). I found a clothing tag made into a little pocket that held a couple of buttons. Have no idea what garment that came from so will be adding the buttons to my collection and have a cute little pocket tag. I found a company logo envelope with drink tickets in it from my husband’s company Christmas party.  I found a pad of paper with several sheets of used paper, so I ripped them off and cut out the logos at the top. Some packaging and junk mail cards with nice images and logos which yield a wreath, a bird & butterfly, a lace doily, a shelving unit and rattan patio chairs and the words “SPRING & SUMMER.” An old card with no envelope or writing inside, so that yield a UPC code, a “Just Married” car, and the sentiment inside. Another tag. Some coupon mailers and bubble wrap. Some doctor appointment cards. A teacup bookmark. 2000 Flushes Toilet Cleaner Package which gave me some large letters and numbers, the word “Blue” and a UPC code on the bottom of the box. A metal soda bottle lid which can be flattened in a Cuddlebug into something round. One of my business cards and a Precious Moments sticker. My husband brought home three cardboard tubes left over from the sticker labels that he uses in the warehouse where he works. And a church bulletin.

Before I forget, Stephanie has cute templates for a home sweet home scene here!

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DAY 3 = Today was a medical appointment day, so between the two appointments we stopped at a bookstore, Hobby Lobby and a thrift store. At Hobby Lobby, I found wallet cards, a sack of “World-Wide” Postage Stamps, a sack of chocolate coins, and several of those freebie tutorial sheets which had crosses on them and a store receipt from a faith-based business. At the thrift store, I was rewarded with two small 2017 calendars, several price tags, an Easter Note Pad in the shape of an egg, an old Precious Moments spiral quote book, 2 sets of Stampin’ Up brand rubber stamps (one sentiment in the round, wheels); and a book by Stephanie’s pastor, Rick Warren.

Also, Kim Victoria of Highlander Stamps has freebie printable's such as eggs, flags, costumes of the world, etc. here.  

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DAY 4 = Crafty Secrets has FREE reproducible's here. I saw the Serenity Prayer, a lamb, an angel, St. Patrick's Day illustration, among many other goodies. One of my Documented Faith friends wanted to know what the page would look like, so I sent her a link to Karin's Corner Easter spread on YouTube. Now mind you, a spread is two pages, whereas, I will only be collecting enough for one page.

So here's what I accomplished today. I had two teeth removed yesterday, so ain’t feeling real perky, but since it doesn’t take much effort to soak the backing paper from the postage stamps in warm water, as I was pulling them from the water and laying them face down on paper towels to dry, I noticed there were a few postmarks here and there, some of which were equally as interesting. As far as I could tell, there was no stamps from the Middle East yet, but I did see stamps from Canada, Korea, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. And I cut up a phone card (numbers, logo, upc code); clipped, saved poetry and recipes.

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Day 7 = Day 5 and 6 were spent cutting up the bits and pieces I have found. Today, though, I went through our junk drawer and pulled all empty battery packages out and actually threw some real trash out. I also collected some soup can labels and other packaging. And cut up the small calendar and glued each month into my Faith-book while I listened to the audiobible.com .  Two of the battery packages yielded an Energizer bunny which can go on my Easter page. The oatmeal package had five Quakers on it, two hearts, some wording and a UPC code!  The TV dinner packaging gave me a logo and two circles, a UPC code and food words. A kitchen paper tube (I mash them flat and wind ribbon or embroidery floss around them), a price tag, a paint chip, a pick-up reminder postcard from our local library came with a cartoon dino reading a book, and a logo. Got to the bottom of the sack and found a Nazarene Theological Seminary business card!

Almost forgot, Dover Publishing has a teacher/parent FREE sample  email newsletter that I signed up for. You can sign up here too. By the way, I received an email from Dover's Customer Service and they said "If you are using Dover coloring pages in any way other than personal use, you must ask for permission.  To receive permission to use any Dover products, please contact our Rights and Permissions Department via email at rights@doverpublications. com.  Please be sure to include the titles, ISBN number, page number, image, how it will be used, etc., and they will contact you with more information."
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4/3/2017 = Life gets in the way of the best of intentions sometimes. Sigh! Most of what I have is more of the same, but I did receive one of my tourist guides that I ordered.

So, let’s see, what’s new! Some “junk ads” that came with some new products we purchased – you know those extra papers that are folded up with the instructions sheets for other products you might like to accompany what you bought. A roll of cardboard from the postage stamp bag. Some clear packaging, a bike license plate frame (cute little rascal on the front, a logo, and an UPC code), one of those labels that “UNDER PENALTY OF LAW  THIS TAG NOT TO BE REMOVED EXCEPT BY THE CONSUMER” and since I’m the consumer, yep, I ripped it off! You betcha! Smile!

Next, I found three postcards, one of them from the Postcard people announcing the next one convention coming to town (I won't be cutting the postcards up, as they are unused and I might need them to send some happy mail to somebody). Then I went through my computer desk drawer. I have a bunch of used spiral notebooks that I formerly carried in my purse and I haven’t taken the time to clean them out. Now mind you, the drawer is a shallow one, but it's full, so nevertheless, it's time to clean out, so  some of the covers can be used to cover atc’s as backgrounds and then my handwriting can be used as mod-podge material on atc’s or journal pages as backgrounds instead of using vintage books and magazines! I found a tylonal box with an interesting background pattern on the inside of the box which I had saved in the pocket of one of those notebooks. Oh, and what a prize, I found a tuna can label with my name on it – DOLORES. Woo Hoo! And last but not least, I was going through some old appliance papers and found some papers for appliances that gave up the ghost a long time ago, so I thought that would be great for text paper too.

Also, I was hanging out at this website today: Historic Map Works: Residential Genealogy. They have wonderful old map reprints for sale.

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4/5/2017 = I've been ill, so haven't done much in the way of digging out papers. I received a get-well card in the mail today with a little coloring card with hearts on it inside and a Bible verse: "A happy heart makes the face cheerful." Proverbs 15:13. I have decided one of my glue-book pages will be hearts and this little card will be just perfect as a element on the page! Thank you Debbie!

And from the envelope, there's some washi tape that says "You are loved!" and a postage stamp as well. And I received another card yesterday from Myrna, a church friend, along with another postage stamp and an address label! Thank you Myrna!

I also found a heart shaped box that had chocolates in it that my sweetie bought me for Valentine's Day. I was thinking of turning it into a heart-shaped configuration cabinet like one of Tim Holtz' with the little spaces inside (it's 10 1/2" wide).  Too big for a glue-page I'm thinking.

And the guys brought home some Stewart's Orange and Cream soda in some cute little packaging. I may have to save that too, as the carrying case for the 4 soda bottles is pretty sturdy.  I also found an expired coupon and an old customer discount card, the kind you carry on your key ring.

On Pinterest, I have several boards for ideas using paper like crepe and tissue paper, kitchen, kraft, labels, paint chips, pharmaceutical, scraps, security envelopes, tea, tissue boxes and tubes and miscellaneous.

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4/8/2017 = My legs are encased in 4 layers of wraps for a week and we had company today, but I did find a website for you with some free printable's. It's called The Painted Hive.
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4/12/2017 = Tomorrow is one of my doctor's appointment in the next two days (total 3 & PT) and I hope to get the wraps off my legs as they are HOT and ITCHY! LOL! And driving me CRAZY! Son says I don't have far to go either! *smile!* But while I've been cooped up, I've been keeping my mind off my legs by watching YouTube videos, organizing a few of my playlists, and getting and sharing ideas of what to collect should I be able to get out and about this weekend! I've got a list made of places I'd like to go! I did find some printable pretties for you at this website!

Meanwhile a new pen-pal has sent me a scan or two -- one was a letter that his dad wrote his mother while he was on duty near the Holy Land during WWII. It was on hotel letterhead from Jerusalem! He also sent me some scans of a tourist guide that his father picked up while in the Holy Land with photos, like Via Dolorosa! How cool is that!

I almost forgot, I received a get-well card in the mail from our small group at church -- everyone signed it. It looked like a Thomas Kinkade card! I also soaked off the stamp and the return address label from the envelope! Thank you gals and guys!

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4/13/2017 = Wearing wraps again. sigh! But while I was at the doctor's I noticed over in the corner was a table of pamphlets, so on my way out, I picked up one of everything there. One was for a past event with hearts on it. One was a medical brochure to quit smoking (I don't smoke, but it was an accordion fold-out on heavy duty paper with a pocket at one end with one of those tissue thin Medication Guides inside -- ah! Stamp some butterflies in Stazon black on the text and I've got faux Tim tissue paper I can decoupage with!). Then we stopped at a Pizza joint to get some supper and my husband found a Little Caesars Activity/Coloring Book which he brought out to me. Right inside the cover was a NASA emblem in a circle and further along in the book was a page of flags from different countries.

Oh, and I was telling somebody about this website yesterday.

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4/18/2017 = Stephanie is always telling us to use what we have. In my case, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak and I haven't been able to get around to as many places as I had planned to go, so I mostly have the same-o-same-o, except for one thing. . .

I was sharing with my Documented Faith sisters today about a nifty idea for a glue-book page that I saw on YouTube here by Becky Gladhill. And Elizabeth sent me a favorite music video here and said, "Why don't you draw what you want?" (since I don't have the stamp mentioned in the first video). Duh! So I did!

So one of my first names can be "child of God" ("How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God." ~ 1 John 3:1). I wonder how many other good nicknames I can find?

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4/20/2017 = Found out yesterday, that I will be having surgery on my knee at the end of next month. Sounds like fun, huh? NOT! smile! Just hope it prevents me from falling down so much. I remembered this morning that I have a bunch of Vintage Valentines (hearts) I scanned and uploaded to Pinterest some time back and I have a whole board loaded with them that I've found here and there as well.

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4/22/2017 = I've got quite a bit of packaging to cut up. One was from a Russell Stover white chocolate Easter bunny package. Then we went to Michaels the other night and I found Me & My Big Ideas stickers on clearance with hearts, grateful wording, bless, loved by God, etc. Then I also picked up a couple of those craft sheets while I was there and a couple of them had Easter eggs on them.  Also a Michael's Camp Creativity brochure with quite a few images inside. Then afterwards we went over to Walmart across the street and I found two more craft sheets, one for an inspirational T-shirt with a cross on it and a Faith charm bracelet.

Today we went out to eat with the in-laws and my husband's been collecting those take-out menu's, so I grabbed a couple more. This one was from a BBQ restaurant with a piggy on front. We also went to a Christian bookstore and I about cleaned out their clearance baskets. I found some name cards, some Veggie-Tale confetti (I've been a FAN for a long time -- our Sunday School room was decorated in Veggie-Tale), a package of love notes that are about the size of Project Life cards, a Passion of the Christ card with Aramaic script on it, a roll of heart washi tape from Illustrated Faith that was on clearance, some Duct tape with God's Girl Eternal Princess on it, a package of 12 Hello name tags stickers on clearance for 89 cents, Jabez Prayer stickers by Standard Publishing, two more packages of heart stickers by Illustrated Faith on clearance, Faith That Sticks stickers with a heart on it and some scripture, and a Illustrated Faith Bible Journaling brochure. And a receipt to a Christian store to boot! God is so good to me!

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4/23/2017 = Thank you, all for visiting me. Today we went to a used bookstore called Half-Price Books. All their 2017 calendars were on clearance for $1.00 and I also found a package of 6 paperboard coloring coasters by www.dcigift.com. My friend, Karen, contributed some paper bits too. I have a good start on at least one glue-book page which I will share as soon as I get it glued up here.

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4/28/2017 = I been working through Stephanie Ackerman's online Bible Journaling workshop and was inspired by some of her artwork for the middle of this heart glue-book page. My first one done! Now I need to find some egg-shaped stickers and washi tape, because I believe I have enough images to make another glue-book page. Should be a good time to find those on clearance since it's after Easter, right?  Can you guess how many hearts on are this page? 😍

The heart washi tape is Illustrated Faith by Shannon Noel. It is manufactured by Dayspring, a Hallmark subdivision.

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6/2/2017 = Today was a productive day watching YouTube videos for source ideas and wanted to add in a couple that I gleaned and thought of. I'm going to put on my thrift store list -- unused Christmas cards (after signatures are added, they become genealogical documents). I saw some "Tree of Life" collections of crosses and Christmas trees, so Easter and Christmas cards ought to be perfect for that!  We're flexing and stretching our creativity muscles to think of sources we can glean images from, so was enjoying the alpha letters I saw because I need to practice my hand-lettering and doodling and thought, I need to look on labels for those. Somebody had a Special K cereal box letter, so the light-bulb flashed! Another person had graffiti they had collected from magazines, but I have taken some photos of street art, wall dogs (building murals) and church art in my town -- have them here for show and tell (and most people laugh when I ask them where the artwork in our town is, so I was out to prove we had some! grin! ). My girlfriend, Karen, brought me some happy mail the other day and she had two little hands with hearts in the center of the palms that she got from junk mail. Since my heart page is pretty well done, she inspired me to think of a "Helping Hands" theme and I remembered that somewhere I have a tracing of my father-in-law's baby hand that my husband's grandmother made when he was small that I could scan and print out for that page.

7/16/2017 = Second glue-book page done! 

8/1/2017 = Have started collecting purple images, as purple is a royal color, right? 👸 But I found a seed packet glue book page by TheMeriAtelier that I just love also! 

9/15/2017 = Finished up a "Tree of Life" glue book page today. What I used most was used gift sacks I bought from the thrift store and some tutorial sheets from the hobby stores along with a leaf or two from used stevia packets. I'm still looking for a small manger which I can probably find on an unused Christmas card. 

11/17/2017 =

Eight down, four more to go. . .

A shout-out to my Documented Faith friend, Karen L. She sent me some friendship tea bags/tags, so I was able to finish up this Thanksgiving Tea glue-book page tonight. I really appreciate Karen, as she is almost always willing to help me in any art project I have going. I really like that about her. smile!

So until next time. . .