we'll be friends for life

this crazy, fun, kind online world i have found through the art of scrapbooking has lead me to the sweetest girl. she blogs. she scrapbooks. she takes pictures. she creates. and she swaps with me!!! her name is dani...and i'm sooo glad that i "met" her.

we decided to do a swap. create some things for each other. share some of our hearts with each other. and i have been changed by her kind words and gifts to me. here is a picture of what i sent to her:
i included some papers that i had that i knew she would love. a scrappy music mix full of songs that i love to listen to while scrapbooking. some glitter and other embellishments. a little mini-book with a mix of quotes, images turned into polaroids and space for her to add her thoughts too. and then i made her a calendar on scrapblog. when we decided to do a swap, we just said... ok, pick something from our flickr accounts and create with that. but i couldn't pick only one image! so i used some of my favorites and turned them into pages for a calendar called: "the girl who..."



here is the blog post she did about what i sent to her. her kind words made my day...

and i received my box of goodies from her this week. and let me tell you... to hold something she's made is my own hands was like magic. seeing her work online is nothing like seeing it in person.
there is so much texture... so much feeling put into each one of her pieces. i am honored to have one just for me. thank you dani, for creating this for me and about me. you make me blush. i have hung this on my inspiration/motivation board next to my bed along with the two ATCs she made me too.
dani and i have had many conversations about positive thinking, and how attitudes can change our world and being authentic. that is the theme behind the ATC's. they say: "be bold" and "seek peace" and they are just what i need to see each morning when i wake up. she knows me so well!

she also sent me a couple things as gifts for our new home, and in response to a comment i made on her blog. i got an artful blogging magazine and a sumerset memories magazine, both magazines that i can not find anywhere in my area. i am reading through them slowly to savor each beautiful page. dude, i think i need a subscription! :) she sent me a beautiful little hand-carved elephant as well. i collect elephants, and this one made my heart jump. its just perfect!

and then, as i'm opening my box of goodies, there is a small package and into my hand falls a heart made of sea glass in the most brilliant blue color. i sighed. held it close. and thanked the universe for a friend like this.
it has a calming effect on my heart.

she also hand-made me a scarf. it is beautiful and sooo me! cuz i'm a scarf-girl you know. :) but i'm going to save it for my 52 weeks picture next week, so you'll be able to see it then. its lovely and i can't wait to share it.

so thank you dani, for your friendship, your sweet soul, and for being yourself. i am honored to know you.

503 Online Photography Workshop

i would like to take this time to share a little bit more about one of my favorite things from 2009! it was the 503Photography workshop that i won!!

Jessica of 503Photography is not only uber talented and skilled with her camera, but she is the best teacher! the theme for her workshop: "turning wannabes into photographers one workshop at a time." does this sound like something for you?? well, visit HERE for more information about her workshops.

so what makes this workshop so special? i know, there are soooo many photography classes out there... but the difference here is: you actually LEARN!!! i have been interested in photography since i was a little girl. i have taken many classes through the years, even in high school. but i never learned as much as i did from this class. jessica put technical terms into easy to understand and use language. i'm no newbie to photography, but she made me feel confidant with my camera in my hands. so confidant, in fact, that just a couple months after finished this course i did my very first paid photoshoot and started branding my photography business.

i know that i will always cherish the things jessica taught me in this class. and i will keep my notebook that i made handy! and once i get my new camera (a anniversary present, hopefully!!) i will refer back to the lessons and use them to prompt my learning with a new camera.
so please!!! if you're thinking about taking a photography course, even just dreaming about it, visit jessica's workshop. the 503 Online Photography Workshop will change how you take pictures... and when people say "wow, did you take that?" you will proudly answer "yes, i sure did!"

here is one of my favorite pictures i took as assignments from the class.

maybe a 503 Online Photography Workshop could be your favorite part of 2010!! :D

over the weekend...

my littlest sister, katrina was baptized.
it was a lovely weekend full of family visits, spiritual food, and sister fun. i'm so glad that i got to be there for her. i'm so proud of her.

i have some pictures to share, of course!
to start with, a group family shot.

(from left to right: me, connie, dad, katrina, papa, grandma and megan. uncle jody and auntie shery were there too, but i don't know where they were for the photo! lol)

and here is katrina... before and after baptism:
thank you to my family for having me for the weekend! i had a fabulous time.

and katrina, know how proud i am of you and grateful that i was able to be there for you.
love you lil' sis.

source

i am off on a journey....
a weekend trip up to summerland BC to spend some time with my canadian family. my littlest sister Katrina is getting baptized tomorrow. i am so proud of her and am happy to be her big sis.
i'm looking forward to a nice little roadtrip by myself. listening to my music. basking in the sun that is bringing the spring...

see you on the other side.
enjoy your weekends as well.
<3

{things i love} thursday

*dreads*

1. "love is a place", 2. dreads...three months, 3. peace, 4. www.flickr.com/photos/bohemiangirldesigns/3809958638/, 5. sara2, 6. Retro Stef

i have always been drawn to dreads...
there is a permanence, yet a carefree spirit entwined in them. they are memories attached to your person. they are character.
and i love them.

there are a few people in the online world that have traveled along their dread journey and have shared along the way. and i am so intrigued! here are a couple stories in pictures if you're interested.... boho girl & sara janssen.

so who know... maybe once my hair grows out a bit more (which won't take long! its grown almost 1 1/2 inches since i bleached it!) i will try this. you know me and my hair... i'm up for anything!! :D

prompt #26

its that time again!! a new prompt up over at THe CrEatiVe TyPe!! this time its all about drawing inspiration from the comics... using word bubbles or those big bold words. i did my page about my best friend kelly and some of our things we always say to each other.
i have been missing my best friend a lot lately.... i hope she knows im thinking of her.

again, i did my page using scrapblog. and i think i'm getting better at it! :P i figured out how to use backgrounds as paper pieces and use them as embellishments. eek! i'm having fun playing on that site, that's for sure.

please come play along with us! take a peek at what the other typists have created to get your inspiration pumping! can't wait to see what you create.

thank you...

for being patient with me these last few days. i am terribly sick. i have strep throat! :( but i'm on antibiotics now and am starting to feel a little better today.

but i haven't been able to blog... barely able to think really. i get silly and lonely and a bit off when im really sick. i get even more clumsy than i usually am. :P

but hopefully i'll be feeling better soon and able to post again.

in the mean-time... here is my week 6 picture for my 52 weeks project. needless to say, its been a rough one.

please pop over to my other blog to read the accompanying poem... 52weeks

thanks again and i'll be back soon.

shaina

{things i love} thursday

happy thursday everyone!!
i wanted to try something a little different this week and share with you some of the {things i love} that i use every day. :) sounds fun right?!!

how 'bout facewash?? this product from Avon's Mark. is my absolute favorite.
you can feel the clean tingle, but not in an abrasive way. i love how my face feels after i use it, and it gets eye makeup off really easily!! and, its only $8! total plus!

speaking of makeup... i use sheer cover mineral foundation.
i was a member and got shipments every few months, but that is something i've since given up with the economy we find ourselves in. but i still have one more container of foundation i'm using. after its gone, i'm gonna try Avon's mineral foundation. its only $10! :D i liked using sheer cover because the finish was just what i like, not to thick, or cakey. mineral foundation is easy to apply and covers flaws so well.

for eyeshadow i use some left-over sheer cover samples for my base, but mostly i use e.l.f cosmetics in my favorite colors.
the best thing about e.l.f (eyes, lips, face) cosmetics is their price! killer! most things are only $1 and some of the best i've ever used!! my other favorite eyeshadow is also from Mark. their colors are so pigmented and last all day. my favorite colors from them are luvstruck, rebel, saucy, and corset. *swoon*

i'm realizing now doing this post how much i *heart* Mark. products. i'm about to show you two more that i seriously use every day!!

this is a root lifting spray that i use on my hair when its damp and then blow-dry. it smells kinda "manly" but not in a bad way! lol. and it really works. gives me lift all day.

love it!! find it HERE. and seriously... $5??!! so worth it!

my other new luv from Mark. is something to make me smell good....
this is my newest purchase (a small treat for me) and i love it!! i got a sample awhile back, and fell in love with how it smelled on my skin. so i've been waiting to get it. i only ever have one bottle of perfume at a time and just finished my last one. if you know an Avon rep get them to give you a sample... you might just love it too!

another must-have that i will not leave the house without is mascara. my go-to product is by covergirl. i love the application i get with the brush. i can get it at walmart for about $6.

the last couple things {i love} that i wanted to share are also from e.l.f. lipgloss and nail polish remover pads. their lipgloss was an experiment for me... i don't usually wear it cuz chris doesn't like how it feels when i kiss him. lol. but, for only $1 i thought i'd try this one. its not sticky at all, and i love the color.

now the nail-polish remover was introduced to me when i was a bridesmaid last may. my friend had it in her "emergency" kit for the wedding. and let me tell you, this stuff works like you wouldn't believe. i can do both hands and both feet with one little remover pad. its smells like citrus and works wonders on your cuticles. and is also only $1!! can't beat that!

so hopefully you've found a couple beauty products to maybe try out. don't hesitate to e-mail me if you'd like some more information about anything i've shared. this was a fun post for me!! hope you enjoyed it too.

and again... happy thursday!!
<3

prompt #25 is up over at THe CrEatiVe TyPe. this time its all about type inspired embellishments... for example: how i added words to my ribbon. take a peek over at the blog for some more inspiration, and play along with us!

JANUARY 2010: i took lots of photos, started blogging again, sang karaoke as much as possible, decided to start a 52weeks project and started a blog just for that, created some digital scrapbook pages, had a wonderful visit with my mum and took pictures together, stressed out about huge changes at work, started working hard on my class work at home, drank a lot of tea and green tea lemonade, became closer with my "in person" friends, got addicted to playing chuzzle on my phone, drove around with the windows down and didn't have to wear a coat, got in the biggest fight with chris we've ever had, started rehearsals for our upcoming play, Razia's Shadow, got excited for american idol, got frustrated at football games, found a new favorite (bad) snack: chocolate peanut butter bugles, enjoyed our CO visit with Wasyl and Roxane, had fun styling my short blonde hair, enjoyed interpreting ASL again, decided i really do look like drew barrymore ;) and was inspired by this wonderful online world. :)