My Sis's Gift

Was supposed to be finished August 2007....but....life happened, and good intent went to the wayside. 2 other sisters and I are making a scrapbook of her life, she hit a milestone year, and this was to be her birthday gift. Prior to her birthday, serious tragedy hit our family...so horrific that plans to finish her gift were not even a consideration. I found, however, those sleepless nights, my crafting time became one important element as I made my journey finding our new normal....I have to be honest...my "normal" I still struggle with...

I've been consumed with papercrafting for over 12 years now...and have never hit a long slump like I have this last year. I'm thinking part of the slump is the fact my children are a little more here, there, and everywhere, making me exhausted...but I also think I've reached another stage of dealing with grieving....when I first attacked the pages of this gift (right after my dear niece was killed) I found a creative side in me that I had not entertained on paper quite yet....I'd be awake until 2:00 a.m. creating funky looking Christmas trees (I could have driven to Seattle in the time it took to create ONE tree...that's a 4 hour drive from my house!!!!) using designer paper in ways I never dreamed of....SHOCK....I CUT INTO EXPENSIVE PIECES TO MAKE LITTLE DIE-CUT FLOWERS! NO LONGER A 12x12!!!! yada yada yada....Well....about 9 months ago...something snapped in my psyche...and my goal to get this book done...was put on the shelf....I have about 6 layouts left to make....and it can take forever and a day for me to do one layout....

So...I am inviting you all on my journey....some of this was so painful...as I look at the innocence of my youth, my sisters youth, my nieces, nephews, parents, etc.....there were times this was hard to do...and moments that were so naturally easy....I promised myself...I will reproduce my layouts for myself...as the created layouts were so much my story too...and my story with my four sisters....

This layout...was sort of simple...it's not my typical style...in fact...I would say I want a do-over...but I NEVER EVER EVER do a do-over with ANY OF MY SCRAP PAGES AND LAYOUTS....I might with a card...but once a layout is done...I move on....I go with the moment, during the moment...and that is that! So...simple layout here it is...I'll fire up the camera and try to share from time to time...layouts done...and layouts to come...once I finish the one I had put on hold....I have a super fun one in the making....I'm using weird colors on it too....it should look kewl!

This layout is 3 generations of little girls....

Trudi