"Where'd she go??"
"I dunno. She's been gone for like, two weeks."
"Did she just quit her blog??"
"I dunno."
"She wouldn't do that, would she?? Just up and quit her blog??"
"I dunno."
"Maybe she's just busy. With school. Yeah, that's it! She's just been really busy with school! You think?"
"I dunno."
"You don't know much, do you?"
"I...um... dunno."
While I get back into the rhythm of a new school year, watch this. Why does it make me smile with tears? And why does it make me want to tell my girlfriends (and guyfriends) to be prepared...?!!??
Ohhhh... it was bad! Very bad, indeedy! When I'm possessed by the creating bug, it can be brutal, I tell ya!!
You saw what my kitchen looked like earlier!! Well, multiply that x3, and you get an idea of what it was like around here! No counter space for poor daughter to fix a piece of toast. A full laundry basket. Cats clutching their stomachs and moaning for food as they collapsed on the floor at my feet. Piles and piles of junk mail and bills spilling off the counter. So many telephone voice messages left that my inbox was full! A tank of gas lasting more than 4 days in my car. Neighbors beginning to whisper among themselves questioning if anyone still lived here.... it was just awful!
Hehehe...and so worth it!
A friend and I visited a local paper arts store last week and I picked up a 7-gypsies blank book....oh, the possibilities! With a stack of some of my favorite photos and tons of papers and embellishments, the creative bug had plenty of goodies to lure me in with....
The title is a quote that is my favorite - 'Let the beauty we love be what we do.' - rumi
I started out highlighting some of my favorite photos with a basic plan in mind....
....projects usually take on a mind of their own....
See how you can pull out the close-up view of the sunflower from behind the photo??
I love little hidden treasures like that! 
Several of the pages are 'envelope' style, like this one with the butterfly. Inside are pictures you can take out of my gardens.
And, of course, one which talks about having someone walk a tough road with you. Notice the little 'creature comforts' paper behind the right picture? I tore that out of my spare Simple Abundance book - it's a wonderful entry about the importance of animals in our lives.
I had a soldered charm that I made several years ago sitting on my kitchen window sill...and it went the with the theme of this paper, so I glued it on!! I guess it had just been waiting for me to make this book!
This is probably my favorite page.... a real twig, carved jadeite leaves hanging from twine, a mini-card with a recipe to make a soothing massage oil, and an envelope page that opens up to reveal pictures of eggs inside...and a little hummingbird hanging beside it.
Of course, I have to have a page dedicated to Autumn! Inside are pictures of my autumn nook up in the woods. The other page features a tag I had on my vision board of my camera.... which has come to be!! Inside, an assortment of pictures of my view of life... from front row, of course! 
Have you ever noticed how much beauty is above your head?? Oh, there is! On the right, I have a little group of photos of things I've captured above.... 
The back cover.... which I think I love almost more than the front! Shhh...don't tell the front cover I said that....
The sweet little tie that binds the book closed is a twill ribbon with the word 'journey' printed on it along with the definition.... I thought that was just perfect!!
Has the 'creative bug' bitten you lately? I don't think they make a repellent for it! I think when it bites, it bites hard! What have you created of late?? Do share!
