My Outlet

Yes it is Art Journaling... last week I was feeling VERY inspired and crafty so I made some huge progress on my class :) I have even invested in a Polaroid CAMERA!!! Anyone know where to get more film?

The idea was to use magazine pages and cut them up to make something cool... I did this technique with places I want to travel since the ad was a bunch of cute stacked up suitcases!

This prompt was just "A Closer Look" at someone in your life... I chose my G-daddy b/c I have been missing him and thinking of him and our last day together a LOT lately... sometimes I forget he is gone... I used an old wedding program and drew arrows connecting him and my Nannie and then in the bottom right hand corner, I used a wedding card envelope that says "A Gift for You" b/c him being there was a gift for me, the best kind!

The prompt was what is your safe place? I actually do all of my reading and journaling in my room on my bed usually... I took a polaroid of my ipod, journal, coffee cup, and a magazine! (PS That is a Macy's ad and I flipping love that bedroom... I want everything in it!)

This was supposed to be simple and to the point... Forever & Ever in your life... I used one of the very first pictures Logan and I took after we started dating... I am more in love with him now than before if you can believe it?!?! The top design believe it or not was from a touch sink ad... haha get it? "It all began with a touch..." haha I think I just killed the romance for you guys... but it looks pretty :)

This page was a fun challenge b/c they asked us to use a lot of different mediums to layer... I used lined paper, a doily, and the inside of a security envelope + my old Fossil business card! They wanted us to NOTE the great things going for us in our life right now. The top polaroid is of our wedding cake toppers painted to look like us :) It reminds me how lucky I am to have someone who loves me unconditionally!

The next page we used labels to create "steps" we want to take towards a certain goal.. our goal this year is to get out of debt! (from the wedding, etc.)

"My thoughts are full of..." I used a magazine ad and painted with white paint a "thought bubble" and used a sharpie to write down my thoughts!

Prompt was "I Need More"... I used the AMAZING bday wrapping paper I got from my AJ buddy Taylor. You were also supposed to throw in your current playlist just for fun!

Dream List- using lots of patterned scrapbook paper!

Using an ad that depicts a certain emotion "Thoughts on being..." and writing about it in the ad's "white space"...had a ton of fun with this one!

Hope you guys enjoy them! I am loving this class... its truly meeting the creative void that was in my life! Logan plays guitar, we light a candle, and he sings and I "AJ"... I think its my new favorite way to spend an evening... well and then CSI Miami :)

AU REVOIR!!!! BISOUS! xoxo

(Vegas post to come...gotta sift through all the pics!)

Katy Graduates

27 family members... that is a record! I think that is more relatives than I get to see on an average Christmas holiday!

The day of graduation was really fun! We all had On the Border at Katy's house... aka "The Pink Door" due to their hot pink front door... and hung out on the porch and relaxed for awhile then headed over to the graduation. Afterwards we came back, opened gifts, and went to Rudy's for some BBQ. I had everyone write cute notes on various pieces of colorful paper and took a zillion pictures, then proceeded to put together a scrapbook for her. It turned out really cute- she told me it was something she would LOVE to have but would never do for herself so she was glad I did it for her... I even added in some cute bonus pages about her first apartment, first classroom, first job, summer plans and goals, and current favorite things! (My Art Journal class helped me come up with these so that was a bonus!)

Speaking of BONUS: Katy got a verbal offer for a 9th/10th grade Spanish teaching position at Shepton literally the day before graduation... in this kind of economy. It was a huge blessing that she found a job so quickly + another reason to celebrate! I am excited to have her back in the metroplex after 8 years of being in different cities!

The past 4 years really have flown by fast... I cannot believe Katy has already finished college...making me feel very very old!








Coming up:

The Misegades take on VEGAS!!!!!!!
The Misegades move to LAKEWOOD :) :) :)

Creative Juices flowing again....

For awhile now, I have really missed my hobby...writing and crafting... No time and no inspiration... I started scrapbooking in junior high school and have kept a diary/ journal since elementary school. Especially during hardships in my life... music and journaling ARE my therapy...but I want to write about the great times and new adventures I have as well... I don't want all sad/ depressing journals, I need joyful uplifting ones as well!

As you know my art journal class started up on April 24th and we get a post/ prompt inspiration every day exploring NEW art journaling techniques. This combines journaling, scrapbooking, and art (the art part is out of my comfort zone but has been great to try!)

I thought I would share some of my pages... I am doing this with my friend Taylor (who has the same appreciation/ void that I need to fill). We get a bottle of wine and make a chaotic mess every week, but we LOVE it!!! Everywhere I look now, I try to think of paper scraps or magazines or something I could repurpose for a journal page- so I have awakened the creative spirit in me once again! Its about time... I have missed her :)

Day 1- Intro Page

I know you guys saw this already but the idea behind this one was just to give a mini biography, record what you were doing at that exact moment in time, combine paint and scrapbooking techniques with lots of layers.

Day 2- A New Season

This one is my least favorite page ( I was really not used to doodling + journaling and I am also a big COLOR girl... unless its black and white...pictures :) those are charming!)

This page was supposed to be about where you are at in life...what are you working toward, what are your goals, what do you hope this new season of your life brings?

Day 3- Today Felt...

This prompt came on the most perfect week b/c I started my new job and was able to express that... I also loved the tissue paper/ modge podge technique... I think I will be using that in the future... had tons of leftover tissue paper from my bday so I am going to hold onto that!

Day 4- I Want More than ANYTHING...

This was pretty obvious for me... I have recently really been struggling with fear... specifically in losing loved ones (especially tragically through diseases such as cancer) I cannot truly LIVE if I am living in fear all the time... as Beth Moore states (well paraphrase)- she said think of the WORST thing in the world that could possibly happen to you... MOST LIKELY, it wont. Do you really want to waste your life away and be 90 years old and realize it never happened, so you didn't have to live in fear and worry about that your entire life? What a waste of time and energy! Also- it was fun to combine fabric and try PAINTING my words...harder than it looks!

Day 5- Three Wishes

This was a very basic page but those lines were harden to draw than you'd think! We had to pick a shape... I did a star b/c of the whole "When you wish upon a star..." and cut it out and hold it steady as we drew lines jetting out from around it...harder than it looks b/c as you can see, we weren't supposed to outline the actual shape... the lines around it were supposed to outline it :)

My 3 Wishes

1. Run a vineyard... Have you seen "A Good Year"...that is what I want my life to be like. the end.

2. Skydive...been saying that since high school, I just need to do it!

3. Live in France...which I think will honestly happen someday... should have added in there "Speak fluent French by pushing a magic button" b/c I have been dragging my feet on learning the language!

Day 6- Deep Down...

This prompt was by far the most personal. I got to use one of my cute Canton treasures for the top... I love 3 dimensional pages...they add a lot of interest :) Anywhoo...this one was just asking you to describe who you are deep down...your flaws, your strengths, etc. It was a fun one to reflect on.

Hope you guys have enjoyed my first week of pages... many more to come! I will try to do a weekly journal post to show my progress :)

Up this weekend: hunt for the perfect duplex...

MAY...can you believe it!?!??!

Well I have to admit... now that I am working until 6 and getting home close to 7 only to try to motivate myself to start cooking dinner... I have been dropping the ball HUGE on blogging even though so much has been going on!

Lets see here....I will do this one in sections :)

JOB-

I am in LOVE with my job! I have been able to learn a ton in 1 week and its so neat to see how a different company organizes things, learn the new "lingo," and cast of characters. This Friday we have Candace Bushnell doing an event at our Northpark CUSP location signing her new book "The Carrie Diaries"...just in time for Sex and the City 2!!! I love that I get to go and meet her :) So much fun! Not to mention, I am happily adjusting to downtown life. (Even though I consistently get lost in the parking garage, ha!)

LEX WEDDING STUFF-

Alexis was in town this weekend for her first bridal shower, wedding appointments, and a hair/makeup run through! She was a busy lady but I loved being able to take part in some of it :) I cannot believe that she was engaged before I was and is just now getting married (and we have been married 6 months!) ... I am so very excited for this much-anticipated-patiently-waited-for-day! I am also thrilled that they are moving back to BIG D in September!! Although I will miss not having a couch to crash on in beautiful San Fran :)

CANTON-

Canton, I DO LOVE YOU!!! We went to Canton with the Cochrans this past weekend. I have been there before when I was really young but don't really remember it. We had the husbands with us and since they had each other + tator tornadoes, Nicki and I were able to stroll around at a decent "girlie" pace and look at whichever booths we wanted... I collected a ton of goodies for my Art Journal Class! It finally started on April 24th and I cannot wait to show you my new pages :) I am very pleased with how they are coming along, even though I am about a week behind schedule! (Found tons of vintage hankies, postcards, doilies, maps, and even a Vintage Valentine!) It was a blast to discover all these little treasures... I also have a new obsession with RICK RACK haha... I bought a cute apron and I am convinced it was made from my Mammaw's sheets :)

DUPLEX HUNT -

We are on the hunt for a cute duplex in the M Streets/ Lakewood area...so if you are taking a casual stroll or driving by... please take a flyer/ snap a pic w/ your iphone and I will call them :) Yesterday we found a STEAL of a deal for $750/ month... but we should have known that was a red flag ... the place had charm...vintage charm... straight out of the 30's/40's... and I mean that quite literally...nothing was updated, there was no central air/ heater and no dishwasher... I could live in it if I HAD to, but we would rather have a few amenities for a few hundred more $$/ month!

Hopefully will have posted journal pics this weekend :)

HAPPY ALMOST CINCO DE MAYO!!! Go enjoy some of these!