in the meantime...

i have so missed blogging!! but i have been getting a lot accomplished. :) my class is going well.
like i said i would, i have still been active in the online community. and have discovered so many little treasures that i want to share.
so with that in mind, i created my own tumblr account. its a place where i can share things of my own, quotes i love, little writings, and pictures and ideas i find.


please feel free to come visit me there!
www.shainalongstreet.tumblr.com

its kinda like {things i love} thursday~ every day!
you can follow if you have your own tumblr account and you can also add it to your readers if you use one.

i've missed you!!
i've got some plans for the blog come the new year, so please keep checking back.
all my love!
<3 shaina

this post is to let my readers know i've decided to take a leave of absence from my blog....for an undetermined amount of time.

there have been some comments and concerns recently from a section of my readers that my blog is too personal... that i share things on here that should be kept private... that i need to be more careful about what i put out there for anyone in the world to read.

so i've been doing some thinking.
when i started this blog back in 2005 i had no readers. i really joined blogger so that i could comment on other blogs that i loved, but then thought: "how cool would it be to have a blog of my own? i could have my own little chunk of space on the world-wide-web. it could be like an online diary; a place to keep my thoughts and pictures and adventures." that's what caused serendipity to come to be.

four years later my blog hasn't let me down, and its turned into even more that all of that. its become such an important part of who i am. its lead me to become friends with the most amazing people, who inspire and support. its enabled me to continue scrapbooking in this hard economy because i have designed blogs for others. its helped me keep track of life and the things i've learned. its been a place of solace.
i never would of thought i'd have 34 followers and others who read my blog on a regular basis. i never thought others would find inspiration in what i'd created or hope in the words i'd written.

so why am i going to stop?
it just feels like the right thing to do for now.
i think i need some time to re-evaluate what this blog is going to be about. time to focus on my creative endeavors and photography and expand myself that way. time to heal from other people's opinions.

for the record i would like to apologize to those readers who i seem to have offended or concerned. that was not my intention in any of my writing or posting.

i would like to thank those of you who have become my dear friends in the online world. you know who you are... your comments, your e-mails, your encouragement have meant so much to me, especially in this last year and a half. you've helped me grow so much!
thank you
i am not intending to disappear completely... i will still visit other blogs and remain active on Flickr. look there for future scrapbooking projects and photography from me.

until i return.... farewell.
love shaina

ive been having a rough week....

and honestly i don't really want to talk about it. but i feel guilty knowing that the same picture has been up on my blog for like a week and that i haven't posted anything new.
so i guess i can share my latest pink ninja page... :)
the prompt was: concerts. now, i've only been to one "real concert" but let me tell you, the show my boy and his band put on for our engagement party was rockin!
so that's what i did my page about.
it was a night to remember...

hopefully i will have something positive to share in the next couple days.... that would be really nice. it just seems like none of my ends are meeting.
and the coffee i got this morning sucked. :(

stay close, maybe i'll come up with something happy to post eventually....
<3 you all.

i know how full my heart can be and there is less fear in me than ever before.

childhood memories
*canadian summers*

the latest prompt over at thePINKninjas is called "old skool" and is all about those old pictures and memories or even embarrassing stories.

i have been saving this photo for awhile and thought this would be just the perfect one to use. its from a family photo shoot we had done the summer after katrina was born. its my dad with all his kids.

i included some of my favorite memories from all those amazing canadian summers. i'll never forget the good times we had.

8-18

22 things i learned at 22

1. I love making coffe.
2. changing my hair color a lot is good for my soul.
3. There is nothing as powerful as true forgiveness.
4. With my photography I can capture my point of view as art.
5. There is magic in September sunsets.
6. There is nothing like the look your true love gives.
7. Being nice to people can sometimes lead to chocolate!
8. Getting older means that your younger siblings get married…but its okay cuz they ask you to take pictures for them!
9. Sometimes dreams really do come true: in the form of a brand new car.
10. The concept of “going to school” from home is really nice…but a lot harder to follow through with.
11. I love walking hand in hand with the love of my life through the fallen leaves.
12. Sometimes “stay”cations make the best vacations.
13. Even in the face of economic crisis true love can remain strong, and grow.
14. Apartments full of mold make for pretty lousy, sick filled winters.
15. There is nothing like Happy Mail!
16. Flickr is so full of inspiration.
17. My style of scrapping is uniquely my own…and that’s a good thing.
18. Alcohol poisoning is not fun.
19. Being a part of weddings brings me so much joy.
20. The blogging community is full of wonderful, supportive, kind and generous people. I have made many a friend.
21. If I can’t be a professional singer, I can at least belt it out every week at karaoke.
22. “Forgetting the things behind and stretching forward to the things ahead.” –Phil 3:13

*swoon*

all i can say: i cried so hard!
me...NO! never. :P



it was a beautiful film.... touching story, beautiful images, and a total tear-jerker.
i simply loved it.
(thanks marta for inviting me to go with you and for the evening we had. it was good to talk!)

now i want to read the book...well, i want chris to read the book to me. we just finished up "revenge of the sith" (see previous post with scrapbook page about my boy reading to me!) and now i think its fair for me to pick!
*evil smile*
i think he'll probably even like it.
now the hard part will be finding a copy.....

*i also really love left-over movie popcorn. just a side-note. :)

in other news: SOTB has a new challenge up!! its all about using different book or notebook pages. there are some pretty awesome projects up over there, so you should definatly check it out and play along.
here is my page:

my mum took these photos of us awhile ago, but they are still some of my favorites. :)

i this little survey thing on ally's blog and thought it would be a fun one to do. :) feel free to copy-paste and play along yourself!! and make sure you link me up if you do, cuz i'd love to read yours too. :)

*8 Things*
8 things im looking forward to:

1. KK's wedding and being her maid-of-honor
2. seeing all of my family at my cousin whitney's wedding
   
3. turning 23 tomorrow
4. teaching at my ASL class tonight
5. singing at karaoke again as soon as possible!
   
6. my At-Home America party in a week and a half
7. getting my green card application all finished up
8. road-tripping with my RD! (i'm craving some Ian Tyson music...)

8 things i did yesterday:

1. went to the meeting in the morning
2. did all the songs in ASL
3. hung out with my bestie taya and had chinese food for lunch
4. went to the time traveler's wife with marta
5. ate dinner with marta at this new bistro in moses lake
6. had a lovely heart-to-heart with my friend
7. missed meeting up with my mum and dad :(
   
8. watched comedy with the boy when i got home

8 things i wish i could do:

1. cook better...
2. take baby portraits of my friends new baby
3. get all the bills paid
4. sing as a professional and not just at karaoke
5. guarantee chris a full-time position driving bus this school year
6. hug my mum
7. give up caffine
8. complete my medical transcriptionist course within a reasonable amount of time
   

8 TV shows i watch:

1. house (so excited for the new season to start next month!)
2. fringe (ditto!)
3. lie to me*
4. so you think you can dance (again with a new fall season!)
5. dear genevive on HGTV (she's my favorite designer)
   
6. hawthorne (jada pinket smith's show on TNT. so good)
   
7. in plain sight.
   
8. how i met your mother (my guilty sit-com addiction)
   

8 things i collect:

1. elephants
2. scarfs
3. nancy drew books (i have the full orriginal set)
4. scrapbooking supplies
5. cute coffee mugs
6. awesome friends :)
   
7. McDonalds cups in the back seat of my car.... its an addiction. :P
8. magazines

okay....so i added that last one, but i thought it was fun.
play along!

i hope you all have a wonderful week.
i'll be in yakima on wednesday getting fingerprinted for my green card renewal so i won't have a post for you then.
miss ya!
<3

*incomplete lullaby*

a sweet song and cool video....wanted to share.

{things i love} thursday
august 13th

i'm so inspired today...
wanna know why??
cuz of all of this:

my Flickr faves:
i feel autumn calling...

1. Coffe, 2. Love distills desire upon the eyes, love brings bewitching grace into the heart., 3. as it appears, 4. lost in translation #01, 5. Birthday Girl = ), 6. for jess., 7. Where am I going?, 8. [summertime], 9. italy, 10. 133/365, 11. The flames burn down deep in my soul., 12. Untitled, 13. dreaming of fall.., 14. Everything has a story to tell.., 15. weathered rock, 16. Maria + Scott


i have also recently fell IN LOVE with a new photographer exploring life and herself through a 365 self-portrait project. i can't stop looking at her photos. here are some of my favorites:
her name is uneduex; she is brave and raw and such an inspiration.
please check out her photostream... you won't regret it.

there have been so many tutorials around lately that i'm so excited to try...
this first one is from Rhonna Farrer. she's been a favorite designer of mine for awhile now... and her new project House of 3 is full of juicy digital love. i just wish i had my own computer and photoshop so i could use some of it!
recently she did a step by step tutorial for the creation of these little beauties!!

check it out HERE. this i wanna try for sure!

in addition to that, one of my favorite scrappers, Mandi, did a tutorial on her blog for mini-album creation. don't get me wrong...i've done plenty of mini's before, but there is just something special about hers. see for yourself:


i want to make beautiful art like this.... *swoon*
mandi, you pretty much rock!
thanks for the tutorial!



i've seen this cool pillow a few times around on the web and thought: oh that's cool...hambly does fabric! but no! i was wrong. those are actually RUB-ONS on fabric!
check out this cool "how-to" HERE.

well, friend! i hope you're as inspired as me today.
i {love} thursdays!!
have a great one.

<3

'lil dudes

newest PINK NINJAS prompt up today.
its all about *dudes*
hop on over for some more inspiration and play along!
you might just see your page up on our blog too!!

i did my page about my two fish Fine & Dandy. cute names eh?? hehe.
and tara sent me the perfect piece of paper to use on here (see previous post). the bubbles and the fish were just the right touch.

so sweet

i recently received a yummy box of scrapping goodies as payment for one of my blog re-designs. and let me tell you... everything inside this box made my heart go "pitter-patter"!

its full of new cosmo cricket, papers, embellishments, stickers, and even some of my new friend's favorite body wash (cool eh??).

she also included the sweetest handmade thank you card.
she called me her "blog fairy".
it just made my day.

i also wanted to share my page for last week's PINK NINJAS.
its a sweet page about how chris reads to me most nights before bed. and star wars is always a favorite of ours. :) we're just finishing up 'revenge of the sith' right now actually!
the prompt was choose star wars or star trek. my choice is obvious. hehe. :)

starting tonight a couple friends of mine, hanna and jessica are coming over. they are wanting to learn ASL and i am eager to dive back into my signing. so we're starting weekly classes on monday nights starting tonight. i'm so so so excited.
i think this is going to be good for all of us.


i'll be back later this week with a post all about the convention i attended this last weekend. i think "emotional" is the best word to describe it!

i hope you're all doing well.
thank you so much for your kind comments on my last post. your words help so much.
<3

it is august...

i've been contemplating this blog post for awhile... i go to sit down and type something, but then i think: "i can't do a blog post without a picture". thinking no one will read it then...
but when i first started this blog, it wasn't about others reading it. it was for me.

so here is another post for me.
not that you can't read it if you want.... :)

6 months.
it seems that is how long it takes my heart to heal.
i remember that night so vividly. the anxiety i had about it, the dread; and then the relief i felt from his forgiveness and understanding. and that was the beginning. he held my hand and stroked my head as i floundered my way through the tears and those long nights. we talked about what could happen, and how we'd handle it. i bravely let go of the control i had no right to assume. and it all worked out, really...
but i couldn't forgive myself.
that was my biggest hurdle.

and so went these last 6 months... doubting that i deserved the love and the forgiveness and the healing. and he stood by me ~ stayed by me all those nights i cried myself to sleep but couldn't put into words why. he hung on for this roller coaster of highs and lows. and i tried so hard to believe he really wanted to be there.

but the healing has begun.
and these last 6 months have been the best of our time together. those are his words exactly. we have become such a good team...truly "one flesh".
in spite of it all, i would not change the end result one bit.

i'm feeling stronger now. confident in the knowledge that i'm in good hands.
its time to let the past stay in the past. even though i'm still reminded of my mistakes 2 times a week, i know that too will pass.

a 6 month journey...
now i'm back home.
safe and sound.

"Forgetting the things behind and stretching forward to the things ahead" ~Phil 3:13

i'm so excited!!

how cool does this picture look?? it was always a favorite of mine, but now i love it even more.
i just figured out how to use textures with the online photo-editing software i use at www.picnik.com. i found an awesome how-to video on Flickr. check it out. sooo much fun. :)

{things i love} thursday
july 30th

is it a beautiful thursday where you are??
here are some of the things brightening my day...

my Flickr faves
i'm calling it: "there is a soft, blurry line between life, love and magic"


1. sandy feet, 2. thousands of souls all stopping together, 3. b&w field, 4. Golden slumbers kiss your eyes., 5. I want to extend my 'self' to that far atmosphere Only my dreams allow., 6. Modern-Vintage, 7. Untitled, 8. Sisters are different flowers from the same garden, 9. Can you play me a memory?


this morning in my usual read-through of all my favorite blogs i stumbled across this piece of writing that just took my breath away...and felt i needed to share:

"following the dimly lit path to the winding staircase was terrifying, i thought you would see me.

the morning air was thick with moisture and the grass was dew covered. the cashmere shawl was not merely enough to keep me warm.

the dark blanket of blu-ish gray laid still and hush over the still small city while i could peer and see a few fireplaces burning. i hurried, i took my shoes off so i would not make any noise.

by the long clear pond of water i spotted you, sitting, waiting. the terrible beating of my heart was so loud i thought you could hear it.... your smile was relaxed as the morning sun began to rise over the lower hills.

i hastily said goodbye to what i knew. there was not one ounce of who i was left. i was changed. but i jumped in, full feet & full heart. there could be nothing else.

my heart stopped beating, i was home."

find this entry and many more things to inspire HERE. you won't regret clicking on that link!

last night i had the pleasure of shooting my friend marta and her sister rebekah again, and this time their mum maxine tagged along. here are some of my favorites from our shoot.





thank you so much ladies for letting me capture some special moments and memories for you. it was a pleasure!

its all about the CHICKS...

do you have a special chick in your life you'd like to celebrate??
or did your chickens have actual chicks??
or do you wish you were more of a 'chick'??

scrap about it and link us up over at the PINK ninjas!
here is my page about my darling friend kaelah... :)

i'm a scrapping scarf*girl

so i've decided that i am now a "scarf*girl." i have a few that i just love, got a couple new ones last weekend, and my friend mathea gave me the one in the picture. i'm loving them. i want to have something thats just me, you know?? so scarves it is!!

i've also been doing some scrapping just for me. feels good to create pages with pictures that mean something to me, or about a topic that i needed to write about. these pages are precious to me right now.
thanks for looking.



so chris and i are heading to a movie tonight. getting a pizza to go with it. i LOVE our theater!! :D then tomorrow we're heading to wenatchee for the rest of the weekend. its nice to have some time to spend together and visit friends and family.
i hope you all have a terrific weekend!!

and i hope this makes you smile, like it did me!!!

{things i love} thursday
july 23rd edition

my Flickr faves.

1. cedar, 2. sky fell over me., 3. friendship = good times-->EXPLORED, 4. summer love 2, 5. ., 6. 322/365, 7. 12/365 Sunkissed, 8. Miss C., 9. albertson25, 10. W A R M T H, 11. I dream about you every night., 12. cole1year-5, 13. I, 14. twenty/three six five: love, hard to find, but great worth it when you find it...--->EXPLORED, 15. moore2, 16. TTV Chloe :)

over the weekend my cousin hannah did my hair for me. i'm a blondie again!! and sooo loving it. chris says you can see the different colors better if its straight, so that's how i've been wearing it lately. (and look how long it is!!) now it feels like summer is finally here!! :D
thanks hannah!

this thursday i'm {lovin'} these things:

• having my wedding band back from the jewlers. it cracked and they had to replace it. i went 3 weeks without it. it feels better back on my hand. :)
  
• knowing we're going out for karaoke tonight!! oh yeah.
  
• looking forward to another weekend in wenatchee with friends and family. hoping to do some photo shoots. (stay tuned!!)
• deepening friendships... *sigh*
  
• having chris around again. his presence calms my soul
• my job, and the freeness it gives me to pursue other things as well
• new scrapbook paper

have a lovely thursday everyone.
<3

it was a HOT beautiful summer's day...the town festival was in full swing, and we met to take part in Scott Kelby's 2nd annual worldwide photowalk. soooo cool. our little group of 5 headed out, cameras in hand, to find the little gems in our small town.
here are my favorite photos:






thanks for a wonderful time to my group, and to scott kelby, for such a fantastic idea.
see the website for more information: www.worldwidephotowalk.com

guess what i'm doing today?!!

its the second annual worldwide photo-walk!
and today is the perfect day for it. we've got our little town summer festival going on this weekend called Basin Summer Sounds, and tonight Smashmouth is doing a FREE concert!! wahoo!
i have a feeling there will be a lot of fun things to take pictures of.
last night i saw a large dancing grape (lady in a costume) advertising free beer and wine tasting. that might make for a cool shot!

i'll be back soon to share my pictures with all of you!
have a terrific weekend!

{things i love} thursday
july 16th

my lovely Flickr faves.... *swoon*
there seems to be more color than lately, and some pretty cute babies.... :)


1. Shades. of. color., 2. the stars lean down to kiss you., 3. Soph, 4. You belong with me, 5. from the bottom of my heart, 6. love you, 7. cedar {7 months}, 8. i morgon kommer jag att flyga, 9. "If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear flowers in your hair", 10. What do you do?, 11. "i've been secretly falling apart", 12. ..., 13. Holds It's Color, 14. he poses., 15. after the storm, 16. Paint Me Beautiful. (Explore!)

and speaking of babies, you have to watch this. soooo adorable!



something else that makes me happy today is the fact that chris was recommended for a full-time position with the company he's been working for this summer!! the main boss came and told him of the open position and said he was putting his name in. how cool is that?! especially since pea harvest will be done the end of the week, so any work is awesome.
so we'll wait and see if he gets the job.
this will also help with our little "mortgage hiccup" we've had. they are requiring that chris is listed as a full time employee. he's working the hours, but is technically only a "temporary worker." this can change that, and get the ball rolling again!
*score*

i'm soooo looking forward to this weekend! its gonna be busy saturday.
i'm working till 2. then i'm doing a photo-walk with my friend marta. she's signed up as photo-walk leader, and it sounded like fun, so i thought i'd get involved too. use some of my newly aquired skills! ;)
then there is a bike show/music festival happening and then Smashmouth is putting on a FREE concert! how cool is that?? i'm pretty excited.
and i've invited my cousin hannah and her family down for all of it.

and i can feel a change of hair color coming on..... you'll just have to wait and see!!
have a great weekend everyone
<3 shaina

scrappy~love

a couple new challenges went up today....
so i thought i'd share my pages. these are some fun one.

~Scrap Outside the Box~
it was my turn to pick a challenge this time, and i chose coffee filters! so fun! so grab a couple, distress them, fold them, turn them into flower...go to town and play along!

in other SOTB news, our first zine is finished and in print! how cool is that??!! i'm so excited. its my first time being published. check it out and purchase your copies HERE. thanks for the support! :D

~the PINK ninjas~
"the places we go" or in my case, how we get there.
i used a picture i've been saving for awhile of my buddy josh and i on his bike. that was totally one of my favorite parts of living in spokane. i totally miss riding on his bike.
come play along with us. there are soooo many ways to interpret this challenge! :)

alright everyone...hop back on by tomorrow for a much needed {things i love} thursday post. :)
tonight i'm off to a friends house for a clothing swap! dude...shopping without money. gotta love it. i'm hoping i can get some cute new things.
:D
have a great evening!

sunflairs and beautiful smiles...

i was in desperate need of a model so i could get some of my classwork done for my photography class, so i asked my friend mathea if she would get all prettied up and let me take some pictures of her. and they turned out sooo good. i'm very proud of them. here are a few of my favorites i wanted to share.






thank you my pretty friend for letting me take pictures of you. you are beauty.

in other news: hehe
i know its been like forever since i've posted anything. i didn't even do a {things i love} thursday post. :( i've been feeling pretty blah for a few days. just the usual boo-ness that comes 'this time of the month' but i get so drained. yuk. :(

however, last weekend's trip to montana was soooo much fun. total girl time. hadn't had that in awhile. i'm getting some pictures e-mailed to me of us dancing at the wedding. should be good. :P i'll post them when i get them.

tonight we're going out again for karaoke. i'm soooo excited! whoop whoop! we have a fun small-town bar here in soap lake called Del-Red. its the place we always go. "where eveybody knows your name" hehe. and the karaoke DJ is the sweetest old man. too funny! we have a lot of fun. last saturday night the bar was pretty much empty, so we got to sing a lot! and you'll never guess what song i totally rocked!: "oops, i did it again..." -britney spears!! i know right!?? crazy and fun. i'm looking forward to going again tonight. my "classis" song i always sing is "she's in love with the boy" -trisha yearwood.

what are your favorite karaoke songs??
do you get up and sing??
share! i'd love to hear all about it.

have a great weekend everyone.
<3