I'm Just Sayin'!

I borrowed the above picture from one of my favorite blogs...A Bushel and A Peck... she has a challenge for all the dreamers out there. On Wednesdays in the month of February Join her for a sweet little reminder to follow your dreams no matter what it takes. Stop hoping and wishing and make those dreams come true. It happens step by step....even if they are baby steps. Visit her blog she is sure to inspire you!

You know when you are on a path that you believe is so very right and then you come to a dead end. There is no where to go except turn around and go back the way you came to find a different path. Then you are afraid to take any other path just for the simple fact that you may hit another dead end. For the last 5 years I have been on a wonderful journey....I would not change it for anything. Even though I hit a dead end. Let me explain....

I have been holding a small group at my church for the last 5 years....Our church describes a small group as a group of 4-6 friends getting together with a common interest. Well I began a group scrap booking. I started out with 1 lady and now have made so many friendships. Friendships that will last for a lifetime.... There were so many times on this journey that I came to a fork in the road....it was not easy to choose a path but I did and all those led me to my dead end. At the time the door closed I was confused and did not know what to do. We had out grown our church facility and we could no longer hold the meetings and events at our church. Where would we go? What would we do? People were counting on me. Well, now that I realize that the door had to close. I had to walk right into that dead end. I was in my comfort zone and under my security blanket. My life needed to be shaken and stirred so that I could begin a new journey. Sometimes when we get comfortable we can't see all the other wonderful opportunity there is out there.

Today our pastor gave us this scripture in church....

Romans 5:3-5 (New Living Translation)

³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

I know what I have been doing for the past 5 years is not for nothing. Even when the doors closed and I had to turn around and walk back to find another path, I knew there was something so much better to come.

So when you find yourself at a cross road or a dead end. Do not be disappointed take a few steps back and look at your situation. Rejoice and find another path. You will not be disappointed.

I say this all to to tell you. I have found an open door, another path and I am NOT disappointed. Faith 365 presents our 3rd scrappin' event.

This event will be bigger and better than any event I have held. I have so many details to share I am not sure it will fit here. Please email me at amyrmuffoletto@gmail.com if you would like more info. Registration begins NOW and it will fill up fast. So hurry, I want you all to be there!

It will be held at Lagniappes Antique Store in Breaux, Bridge, Louisiana.

April 23,24 and 25. Friday, 8 am to 2am, Saturday, 8am to 2am and Sunday 8am to 8pm.

The cost of this event is $100. It will include 3 meals, 6 projects {all the supplies to complete each project will be available throughout the whole event}, A fully stocked EMBELLISHMENT BAR with a ton of inspiration for you to use while you are at the event, 2 guest speakers to inspire you in faith and in creativity, Snacks and drinks for the whole event, All the tools you need { Cricut and over 30 cartridges, stamps, sewing machine, Computer and printer, The Slice and misc. tools} and something new....

Our theme this event is ....

i CANDY

{ All the blessings in our life are amazing eye candy....All those beautiful pages and projects full of inspiration are amazing eye candy.... once you taste and see what beauty is all around us, your creative juices will flow and the gifts and talents God has given you will pour out in abundance. }

Wait til you see the candy bar....all your favorite candies, even candy from back in the day will be at your finger tips for the whole event!

One more thing....I was blessed with a sweet blog award. Thank you to my sweet friend, Patricia. I met her thru Scrap In Style TV. I have been given this award before but I would love to send it to a few friends..... Okay it says to send it to 7....there are so many blogs I am inspired by but I will stick to the rules....

Lissa

Jeanne

Mandy

Julie TW

Jenneke

Sarah

Chris

Here are 7 things about me you may find interesting....

I love to eat peanut butter on a spoon.

When I am overwhelmed and stressed out, I love to get in the car and turn the music up as loud as it will go and drive around singing to the music.....Don't worry I just drive around our neighborhood, so it is not dangerous!

I love to go to the movies by myself, on a night when I know nobody will be there.
No popcorn smaking, cell phone interuptions and nobody giving a play by play of what they think of the movie.

I love the smell of clean clothes but I hate to fold them and put them away....It has been known to happen that clean clothes end up on the floor and get rewashed because they get mixed into the dirty clothes!

I do not like to shop at the mall. Maybe it is the fact that I have 3 young boys and they make it next to impossible to shop cause my daughter loves the mall and would probaly live there if she could.

I am perfectly comfortable in my sweatpants, hoodie and slippers and would love to be able to wear it everywhere I go and at home all the time!

I want to go skydiving and get a tattoo. Is this a bucket list thing....maybe but I am a scardy cat and hope overcome that fear this year!!!

And here are the rules for the nominees:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link the person’s blog who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 Kreative Bloggers.
6. Post a link to the 7 you nominated.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs to let them know
8. they have been nominated.

Oh hey......Who Dat? The Saints won the Super Bowl....I do not watch Football, but we watched it this time. Man , they put some money into that game. WOW! So happy for all the folks in Who Dat nation. Geaux Saints!

How about a challenge?

Wanna know why I love me a challenge? I love to take new and exciting adventures. I am spontaneous and love to be around people.... Blogging is not a new adventure but every time I open my blog and see who has posted something new......That is where my adventure begins. Each person is so unique and has a love for all things creative. Each blog I visit leads me on a path that just makes me happy. We all have something so special to share...family, scrapping, thoughts, ideas and friendships. In my travels from blog to blog I have been finding some really great challenge blogs. Not only am I getting caught up on all those layouts I need to get done but I am able to keep the creative flow going with a little help. Each challenge blog has something to help jump start the creative process..... I am in love....

Last week I sat down and made a list of all the layouts I wanted to create based on a challenge....Here are 2 of them....

The first one is for Mission Create...You have until Feb. 10 to get yours posted. There are 5 criterias to follow but you only have to use 3 of them.... For Mission 0009 you can use....

Raw Chipboard
Fabric
3 or more Flowers
Book print
This Sketch...


Here is my layout!

I used all 5 mission items...The sketch, The 2 colorful flowers {bottom corner and top of page} are cut from fabric and backed on cardstock for thickness, One of the flowers I made from a dictionary page that gives the definition of teenager, My title,"teen" is raw chipboard and of course I used 3 or more flowers.



The pictures are of Alexandria. My friends Matt and Stacy took this photo and I have been waiting for the perfect idea to put it in a layout... Funny....Alex is standing in an empty dumpster. She looks so beautiful. I printed the pictures in different saturations and tints. I wanted you to see what I see everyday.....She is a girl with a bright future. Her true colors shine every time she smiles.

The next challenge blog is Let's Get Shabby. Wow, They have some fabulous vintage finds and some amazing ideas. This challenge was in honor of Valentines day. Do a layout using an old letter. One you wrote or someone else wrote!

Here is my layout!



I used a note my grandfather wrote me. Jasin reminds me so much of my grandfather. They were both Marines and have all the mannerisms that go along with a "good" military man. Jasin is the love of my life and my Grandfather will always be the voice in my head to help us make the right decisions.

Hope you give this challenge thing a chance....
If you know of any great challenge blogs let me know.

Have a great week. Hugs, Amy

What is your fave outfit?

The latest challenge is up at What is your Fave Thing.

What is your favorite outfit???

I love to dress up and maybe someday I will have a closet full of beautiful outfits....but for now I am totally and completely satisfied with being comfortable. My daily attire consists of Jeans, Jeans and another pair of jeans. You can dress them up and you can dress them down. I love my jeans.

I used a large chipboard letter as the template for the J and the S. The paper for the J is vintage wallpaper and the paper for the letter s is from and old receipt book.

Having a 15 year old who is up on all the latest trends makes you realize time does not stand still for nothin' and I am so happy to say her fashion sense is rubbing off. Yep, My daughter is dressing up my wardrobe . My new favorite addition to those jeans..... scarves. I love throwing a scarf around my neck... I feel funky and they make me happy. Don't be afraid to try out some of the fashion trends out there. The first couple times I put them on I took them off before I walked out the door. Now they are a staple in my small and comfy wardrobe!

Join in the challenge and tell us about your fave outfit our fashion staple. Be sure to check out what the Fave girls have created to inspire you this challenge. Just fabulous. We have a team of rockin' fashionistas.

Paintings with a Twist

Last week I was invited to a birthday party. My friend Stacy had a painting party at Paintings with a Twist.... It was so much fun. Everyone paints the same picture and you have full instruction by a local artist. We painted a New Orleans style house. It was super cool to see how different everyone painted their picture. When someone tells me they would love the time to scrapbook....I tell them you have to make time. Family, church, scrapping and life takes up all my time...so I say ...I would really love to make more time to be able to paint. Instead I get to paint murals for people and have the best of both worlds. Just for fun really. I love to try new things and I think I will pretty much try anything creative... I envy those of you who can knit cause I really never got into that. I have tried it but did not like it much....for now anyway!

You can check out a few more pics of some of my friends that evening.

HERE

Here is a picture of me getting ready to paint.....

Here is my painting....

Have a fabulous day. Hugs, Amy

I challenge you to try something new.
You may think you do not like it but you may just surprise yourself!!!
Tell me all about it....

My Lifetime Story Challenge #4.....My Parents

The new challenge for the week is up at Faith Sisters.

Let me just say that I really truly believe that Family is so important. I know everyone has a fabulous ...... or not so fabulous story to tell about their family....I know some of you know bits a pieces about me but I am enjoying revisiting these moments in time and I am very thankful to have the life I have. Growing up was just me and my mom....and a couple of step-dads, 5 younger sisters and my grandparents. My grandparents I feel led me down the path I am on today. They were my strength and security but since my grandfather past away a year and a half ago, I feel a major break in our family ties. We will get it back. I think we are all just trying to figure out who we are without him cause he held us all together, wether some want to admit it or not! I have faith that one day my mom and I will speak again but until then....I am a mom and life goes on. My # 1 priority is making sure history does not repeat itself and that my children grow up knowing I love them so very much.

Here is the layout I did of my mom...A few years ago we took family pictures in front of my grandparents house. They have lived their all my life. One of the pictures was a generation picture.......My Mom, My Grandma, Myself and my daughter. We are standing in front of a huge oak tree that is in their front yard. My grandma used to lye down a blanket and fix us the best picnic lunches....In this very spot, right in front of this tree.

The lady in the apron, I cut out of a piece of Websters Pages paper. I had the cute felt apron from Basic Gray and decided to cut where the arm is and give the girl a little color. I love how it came out.

On the layout above with the four generations. I only used 2 layers of Prima flower and I added the bottle cap and button to the center.

There is a story to tell of how my mom and dad met, how I came along and why they decided to not get married and part ways.....But each story they tell is different...So for the sake of not forming the wrong opinions I just leave it at....To each their own and life goes on.

My dad and I met for the first time when I was 16 then not again til I was 23....then only a few times after that. I am glad to be getting to know him now. I could wish for things to be different but I truly believe I would not be where I am today if the path had changed along the way. Life happens as it should and I would not change a thing. I am happy and I had my grandfather { who is not my moms biological father} He was my father figure...He was a voice of wisdom...He was there to pick up the pieces when I was hurting. He was all the things a father is and more. Now you are beginning to see why the family tree might get a little crazy.... After 10 years my husband still gets confused when I try to talk about my family. The branches of our tree are all over the place.

Here is my layout of my dad and I. A friend took these pictures a few years back. Hmmmmm, guess who I look like??? Oh, you think. Yep. I look like my dad....All the way. We laugh about the side shot cause it shows our giant noses. Thanks a lot dad. LOL.

I love Prima flowers....I used the whole flower in the layout of My Dad and I....

Hope you can join in the challenge. Have a great week!