today

when i was diagnosed with hodgkin's lymphoma- i made a promise to myself that i would try to do at least ONE new thing everyday.

note: difficult to do when you're stranded home because of weather and chemo-feelings.
note 2: difficult to do when you used to be wonder woman in the home.

today was one of those days where i figured i'd tap back into my child-self and do some crafts. what better thing to pitter the minutes away doing than making stationery?

i am OBSESSED with stationery.  i honestly would never need to go to the store to pick up any, ever again. today, i thought it would be fun if i made my own designs. let's face it, i had a lot of the materials i needed available to me from years of accumulating cute stuff.

the photo map:

i think...this will continue. adding more to my list (:

what do you think?

please keep toasty this weekend!

love me,
the globetrotting gamine

copycats vs. flattery

(taken from google images who took it from etsy.com. i don't own this.)

you've heard the saying:

imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

well, that saying really bothers me.

probably because growing up,

my parents gave me every opportunity

to surround myself with art, culture, diversity

and love...

so i always wanted to be different,

and i was different...

and when everyone in high school was trying to copy each other...

i was still trying to be different.

maybe it was the rebellious side of me, maybe it was just blood...

but ugh, i wanted to be different.

and i was lucky enough to find amazing friends

who loved me for me!

because of this, i hated competition even though i knew most thrived on it.

me, i thrived on to-do lists from the moment i could write.

(my mama thought i was a reincarnated genius- or just a genius)

which leads me to my point-

you like what someone is wearing, writing, reading, doing

and you're friends with them and even if you're not

you wish them all the best,

because you like what they bought to your life.

and then you're hurt because sensitive, trusting you

gets duped by their nasty, though counterproductive to themselves only, nature.

they don't wish you the best.

they don't even wish themselves the best-

they think they're PERFECT and you're crazy

and then they copy you.

30 year old me says-

so be it.

y'all who do this are going to be crazy

with or without knowing me

so please don't know me.

make it your best effort to not know me.

i am honestly flattered,

that people out there

still succumb to copying (almost to the T)

leaders in their field/convictions/community, etc.

and people who are original in everything they do--

it shows who is weak.

it's the way of the world.

so,

go about your merry days--

and copy, imitate away!!

me and myself

me tickling the ivories while the cameras are on me; a feeling i got used to growing up :)



Writing has always come naturally to me. Since I was a little girl, it seemed as if poems had been whispered into my ears, there only release on me being to be written down. Stories would form in my mind piece by piece as I would recite them to my niece and nephew. I even went so far as to turn my sisters’ diary into articles for my ‘Family Newspaper’.


After a summer creative writing course while I was still in high school, my passion seemed to take a backburner as life entered. A chaotic, drama-induced completely unlike me took over, so much so that I was entirely too sure I was losing my mind. I never started drama, and I was constantly smack-dab in the middle of it.

One day I had found myself a graduate with a masters degree, married, a “homeowner” and finally embarking on the career path I’d earned (OK, so I earned a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice first- a girl has the right to change her mind!)

Even then, I found myself anxiously awaiting for the moments that I could write. A letter to my students? I’ll write it. A letter to parents regarding the high school information fair? Already wrote it.

During those chaotic years, the creative person dwelling somewhere inside me began to notice something: while everyone else around me seemed to have their own “hobby” or something they were good at, I didn’t. It was true that growing up, I spent my time writing, drawing, doing tae kwon do, playing the piano in classical-piece recitals but that had all seemed to fall to the wayside only to be replaced with the stress of a boss who seemed dead-set on getting me fired and life as a grown up.

Eventually being without a job, I began to spend more quality time with my family and husband. During one particular night with no plans to go anywhere, I found myself holding pen to paper for what seemed like hours. An eternity of wondering what in the world I was doing and what I could possibly put down on the empty page that seemed to taunt my very existence.

My husband looked over to me and stated, “Oh good, you’re going to start writing again.”

Simple as that. No sugar-coated words, no “job” suggestions…just a simple statement which turned out to be an epiphany for me.

All these years of me not knowing that I did have a “hobby”, a passion, a “thing”, and suddenly I had one.

And everyone had known it except me.

Back to writing I went- full speed ahead. Poetry, short stories and ideas crammed my head. I was forced awake in the middle of the night by my need to write everything down. I started a blog to give my thoughts a specific home- though it turned into a hodge podge about my life. I began carrying around notebooks, pens, markers and frequenting coffee shops and book stores. Writing was opening up my thoughts to endless possibilities; it was making me a better person.

I went back to being happy, and feeling like I had a purpose. Even if no one ever reads anything I write, knows who I am or someone puts me and my writing down, I’m doing it.

Where it will take me? I haven’t found out yet.

scrapbook adventure

it took me a while to compile all the photos over the years to put them into scrapbooks.

how do you think my day's- labor of love came out?

i obviously need more embellishments, but please give me some help!

if you scrapbook, what tips can you give me?

today's agenda

(it was warmer in Montreal!)

i am planning a fun filled day for me- yet again!- who is mostly iced into a now-igloo.
i can honestly say, that looking outside, i have never seen plants actually encased in ice. it's beautiful, but dangerous. my whole family went slip sliding between yesterday and today, and i KNOW if and when i go out there, i am going to hurt myself.

not looking forward to it.

so i have things to do today to keep busy:

it will be my first time making pumpkin/apple soup.
i have already begun working on the illustrations for my children's book...
and i am pen-pal-ing again...

so if you want to receive a friendly note, let me know.

i am off to work on my craft!

what are you up to today? i hope in any event you stay and remain happy, toasty and warm!

it figures :)

amazing, how things can go so well and then someone tries to bring me down.
get over it!

i am ~:)
monday and today have been exceptionally busy for me.
i am kicking ass getting things done- and have discovered there is still not enough time for everything.

for you- i have been photo-cataloguing what's been going on in the day-to-day life of me, though i have realized that i don't blog a lot about myself or things going on in my life.

the less than mundane things i mean (which i don't find mundane)...the reason for this is wandering minds want to know. these are the wandering minds i'd rather have NOT know- but what is one to do?

ah, ding ding! move on.

so here's my deal-
january is going to be interesting because i have a goal.
it's a big one. are you ready?

my goal this month is to finish ALL projects!
yes.

the list goes as follows:

1. edit and complete all stories and novels
2. illustrate children's stories (for my nephew)
3. clean out the house of negative stuff
4. clean it out of un-necessary clutter
5. take all loose photos and put them in album
6. complete all scrapbooks, unfinished or untouched
7. print out what needs to get printed out on this computer
8. delete un-needed files from computer
9. upload all photos into usb disc AND photo programs
10. select photos to be printed
11. get them printed (and repeat above)
12. finish reading all books left before i buy or pick up a new one
13. call church to pick up clothes for donation
14. go through and complete everything on my to-do list, which has come down considerably in the last two days. I am VERY excited about this.
15. send out those packages!
16. make those appointments (snow keeps stopping me from doing this)
17. start book club
18. organize all files/bills
19. make a list of places from here to long island i'd like to see
20. make my new years resolutions

is that enough? i can do that in a little over 2 weeks...right?
of course i can...
so follow along and let's see how this first month of my new year goes!
i hope you'll be with me every step of the way :)
in the meantime- do you have a similar month-to do list? i'd love to hear it!

much much love,
the globetrotting gamine

edited to add:
21. add all articles to blog i thought were interesting (and hopefully you will, too)
22. add to blog list of items i wanted to blog about

i'll go again before i start making even less sense...

Inspiration: Mark Holthusen

mark holthusen

is an awesome photographer.

i just checked out some of his work

on his websites and google-

outstanding!

but this one from a kohler commercial

i LOVE.

yes

yes

they are looking at a sink.

but this is what me and LML want to be when we grow up

(without checking out a sink)

love the outfits!

am i weird for finding inspirations in advertisements?

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

autumn project

dear bloggie friends:

when it gets colder outside, it seems like all i want to do is bake (monday it was brownies...today it's a loaf of bread...more about those soon!) and craft.

i am only showing you part of the project because i (once again) did not take before pictures.

why is it that i always forget?

so i'm redecorating makeshift shelves...and they will look pretty when I am done.

i'm really quite excited about it. i have to get it done before november...

because then in december i have a huge undertaking of a project.

re: scapbooks.

yay.

what projects make you happy?

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

a little sicky

this guy is taking care of me

today while i am sick.

my head is pounding and i have the sniffles...

and sometimes i get a lick.

he curls up on my tummy

to keep me warm and toasty

and squirms until he moves...

cuz he gets a little roasty.

so i hope your tuesday is going well

and you're not feeling under the weather.

i'll have some tea...

by tomorrow, i'll feel like me...

all cuz me and pup are together :)

happy tuesday!

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

[as always, all material written or captured by photos on my blog...unless otherwise noted...are by me!]

history: dream catchers

anything about dreamcatchers...

i love them. i really would love some authentic ones since I've been having such horrible dreams lately.

it's quite sad. i can go months without a bad dream. when the time comes after that lucky spell, i am bombarded by crap.

this website i've posted a link is so well spoken...look:

"Native Americans believe that the night air is filled with dreams both good and bad. The dream catcher when hung over or near your bed swinging freely in the air, catches the dreams as they flow by. The good dreams know how to pass through the dream catcher, slipping through the outer holes and slide down the soft feathers so gently that many times the sleeper does not know that he/she is dreaming. The bad dreams not knowing the way get tangled in the dream catcher and perish with the first light of the new day."

love. it.

one day i'd love to go to a reservation and learn all about them :)

LML: hint, hint!

do any of you have experience in making a dream catcher...or an experience having one already?

love,
globetrotting gamine

bermuda: glass blowing

following a sampling of delicious rum cakes, one can take a few steps to look at and support the dockyard glassworks business! this is what we saw :)

reason #1208934829375 why we loved bermuda :)

love,
globetrotting gamine

may scrapbooking-part two

don't forget: all comments on any/all posts is encouraged! also, i love me some e-mails and thank you so much for them :)

my scrapbooking adventures led me to make one for my mom. initially, i thought it would be a mother's day thing. it is, but i realized i could help her clear some photo and stuff clutter in the process. this is what my mom's scrapbook looks like...also a work in progress <3

i shrank all the pictures so that you wouldn't have any difficulty looking at them!

what would you have added to your scrapbooks?

love,

mg

may scrapbooking- part one

(this is a picture heavy post!)

(front cover and inside flap of my travel scrapbook)

on vacation, a very good friend of mine turned around and asked me how my scrapbooking is coming along.

me:  "scrapbooking? wow, i haven't done that in a while now!"
my friend: "what do you mean? you used to do it so much you got me started!"
me: "well, i used to have the occassional scrapbook party..."
my friend: "every month."
me: "yeah...wow, that's something i..."
my friend: "you know, there's a dollar store that has great scrapbooking stuff..."
me: "WHAT?"
my friend: "yeah, i've been making scrapbooks for my family. everything there is super cheap, like 5 times cheaper than it is at target!"
me: "WHAT?!"
my friend:  "ahaha, well, you'll just have to go and see it when we get back."

we got back last sunday. monday morning, after coffee with another near and dear and Mom in tow, we head out to find this wonderful place. after nearly getting lost...thank god for navigational systems... we find it!
and of course, my friend was right.
so i picked some things up:

$28 for all that. not kidding.

so please keep in mind the pictures of my scrapbook are a complete work in progress. i would love to start a scrapbooking community at least through this blog...where we could vent about the projects and give each other ideas...it'd be so fun!

here are what my pages look like so far. please note that i have had about 10 years of hardcore scrapbook stuff collecting.

now you've seen my mess :) i hope that you can help me with ideas. though i've been scrapbooking since i've been 8, i didn't know that what i was doing actually had a name until i was 16. i want to make this book fantastic!

please let me know if you scrapbook and how amazing your projects look!

any ideas and comments, as always, are greatly appreciated!!

much love,

mg