Check out my Hello Kitty card HERE. Remember to follow me! That's where I post my cards and other papercraft projects now.
www.19eightyexpressions.blogspot.com
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Newest card
Check out my Hello Kitty card HERE. Remember to follow me! That's where I post my cards and other papercraft projects now.
www.19eightyexpressions.blogspot.com
Sunday, March 20, 2011
"Spring Fling" Etsy Treasury
Check out my Etsy"Spring Fling" treasury which features beautiful pink and green images. The creativity of these people amaze me. I found some great shops to start making purchases from. Enjoy! It really is a beautiful treasury.
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d86aac0246a8eef4c0fb065/spring-fling?ref=pr_treasury
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d86aac0246a8eef4c0fb065/spring-fling?ref=pr_treasury
Friday, March 18, 2011
The Beginning of the End
After that fateful night at the club I realized I wasn't really that much into V. He seemed too possessive for my tastes so I moved on. I still dated him, if you can even call it that, but I dated others as well and was trying to distance myself from him. I was young and having fun with life. He was just a fling for the moment. I never expected it nor wanted it to be more.
In February of 1999 both V and I found out we would be stationed at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in California. That was exciting news for me. I was going home! Not really to my home but close enough for me to visit on weekends. I was also excited because I would know someone else there...V. Wait, wasn't I trying to rid myself of him?
V headed out about a week before me. All I knew was he was going to the air station on base. I knew nothing else and I didn't hear from him at all that entire week. A sign?
When I got to Camp Pendleton I found out I was to live in the middle of nowhere. A sparsley populated area of the base miles and miles from anything. Miles and miles away from V. I had no way of contacting him (remember this is before the widespread use of cellphones). I was alone.
I was alone, yes but I was determined. Within a day or two I had hitched a ride down to the air station barracks. There were a ton of barracks. A lot, but that didn't stop me. I was hell bent on finding V for some reason. Why? Wasn't it just a fling? Wasn't I trying to get rid of him when we were in NC? Why was I trying to find him? He had a horrible temper and was possessive. What was I doing?
I started knocking on doors at random until I hit the jackpot. One guy knew where the "new" guy's barracks room was. Could it be? Had I really found V? On this massive base. Among thousands of Marines did I find the one I was looking for? I headed over to the room I was directed to and nervously knocked on the door hoping that the Marine I had just spoken to was correct, that this was the room I would find the "new" guy.
The door opened and there was V.
In February of 1999 both V and I found out we would be stationed at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in California. That was exciting news for me. I was going home! Not really to my home but close enough for me to visit on weekends. I was also excited because I would know someone else there...V. Wait, wasn't I trying to rid myself of him?
V headed out about a week before me. All I knew was he was going to the air station on base. I knew nothing else and I didn't hear from him at all that entire week. A sign?
When I got to Camp Pendleton I found out I was to live in the middle of nowhere. A sparsley populated area of the base miles and miles from anything. Miles and miles away from V. I had no way of contacting him (remember this is before the widespread use of cellphones). I was alone.
I was alone, yes but I was determined. Within a day or two I had hitched a ride down to the air station barracks. There were a ton of barracks. A lot, but that didn't stop me. I was hell bent on finding V for some reason. Why? Wasn't it just a fling? Wasn't I trying to get rid of him when we were in NC? Why was I trying to find him? He had a horrible temper and was possessive. What was I doing?
I started knocking on doors at random until I hit the jackpot. One guy knew where the "new" guy's barracks room was. Could it be? Had I really found V? On this massive base. Among thousands of Marines did I find the one I was looking for? I headed over to the room I was directed to and nervously knocked on the door hoping that the Marine I had just spoken to was correct, that this was the room I would find the "new" guy.
The door opened and there was V.
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Wednesday, March 9, 2011
New Adventure...Invitations!
I know I said my other blog would be for my cards but I HAD to show you this. I am so in love with them.
I never planned on making invitations for others. I know how stressful a large order can be for someone like me who works fulltime so I never considered it. That has changed though. A few months ago I was contacted by a friend to make invites for her son's birthday and I agreed to make them. Since then people have been telling me they plan on ordering invites from me for various occasions, mostly birthdays, so I guess now I am doing invitations. I don't mind one bit. In fact I completed my first invite order this weekend.
These invitations are for a birthday party that will take place at a movie theater. I put my creative mind to work and came up with an idea but once I started working on it the entire invitation changed from what I had originally planned. Instead of a one-sided invitation I ended up with a two-sided invitation and much more detail than I imagined. I love how they turned out.
I shipped these out yesterday and I cannot wait for the client to receive them. I wish I could be there to see her daughter's face when she sees them. I am looking forward to the next invite order now!
I never planned on making invitations for others. I know how stressful a large order can be for someone like me who works fulltime so I never considered it. That has changed though. A few months ago I was contacted by a friend to make invites for her son's birthday and I agreed to make them. Since then people have been telling me they plan on ordering invites from me for various occasions, mostly birthdays, so I guess now I am doing invitations. I don't mind one bit. In fact I completed my first invite order this weekend.
These invitations are for a birthday party that will take place at a movie theater. I put my creative mind to work and came up with an idea but once I started working on it the entire invitation changed from what I had originally planned. Instead of a one-sided invitation I ended up with a two-sided invitation and much more detail than I imagined. I love how they turned out.
 | |||
| Movie theater-themed birthday invite |
 |
| Front: The *stars* name is 3D |
 |
| Back: info side |
 |
| A bucket of popcorn spills across the card |
I shipped these out yesterday and I cannot wait for the client to receive them. I wish I could be there to see her daughter's face when she sees them. I am looking forward to the next invite order now!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Eighteen
18...that's how old I was when I met V. Eighteen. So young. So naive.
I met V when I was 18. He was 18 as well. We met right after bootcamp at our MOS school (military occupational school...I think). It was November 1998. We were in North Carolina. We were young. We were free from our parents. We were on our own.
It was my first weekend at MOS school and I wanted to party. Using our investigative skills myself and a friend found out about a hotel party going on off base. Score! Our first night out! It was exciting.
We headed over to the hotel. It was easy to find the room. A bunch of guys were hanging out on the balcony outside. We made our way up and worked our girlish charms on them. It worked. We were in! They told us there was beer in the room so I headed in and saw him. The keeper of the beer. V.
I didn't think much about him at first glance. Maybe I didn't even really see him. My eyes were on the free beer. I was 18 with no way of getting any myself so I had hit the jackpot. V was stocking the fridge with freshly purchased beer. I asked him for one. He wasn't particularly nice to me. Actually he was a total ass (a warning sign?). I somehow managed to get a beer from him and went to hang out with the nice guys. That was the end of that.
But it wasn't.
After awhile at the hotel we all decided to hit a club that we had heard let minors drink. We didn't hesitate to hail a taxi and get over there. We were all in MOS school and had just gotten there that week so none of us had cars yet.
At the club we all had our drinks, were dancing, and talking. A few of the guys...OK all of the guys...were hitting on me but V seemed to ignore me. Why? Everyone else seemed to be interested in me. Plus he was the cutest one out of all the guys. He was my target. I would get him to notice me and I did. Mistake? Eventually we started talking because I had mentioned I was part Puerto Rican. Another guy was as well. It just so happened that V was too.
OK, let me stop there and let the people that know the story of V and I laugh. Done yet? :) That is a whole story in itself. One day I'll write about that.
Once I managed to get V to notice me we danced the night away and spent the rest of the night together. I started to like him. Maybe he started to like me too.
I was 18. So young. So naive.
I met V when I was 18. He was 18 as well. We met right after bootcamp at our MOS school (military occupational school...I think). It was November 1998. We were in North Carolina. We were young. We were free from our parents. We were on our own.
It was my first weekend at MOS school and I wanted to party. Using our investigative skills myself and a friend found out about a hotel party going on off base. Score! Our first night out! It was exciting.
We headed over to the hotel. It was easy to find the room. A bunch of guys were hanging out on the balcony outside. We made our way up and worked our girlish charms on them. It worked. We were in! They told us there was beer in the room so I headed in and saw him. The keeper of the beer. V.
I didn't think much about him at first glance. Maybe I didn't even really see him. My eyes were on the free beer. I was 18 with no way of getting any myself so I had hit the jackpot. V was stocking the fridge with freshly purchased beer. I asked him for one. He wasn't particularly nice to me. Actually he was a total ass (a warning sign?). I somehow managed to get a beer from him and went to hang out with the nice guys. That was the end of that.
But it wasn't.
After awhile at the hotel we all decided to hit a club that we had heard let minors drink. We didn't hesitate to hail a taxi and get over there. We were all in MOS school and had just gotten there that week so none of us had cars yet.
At the club we all had our drinks, were dancing, and talking. A few of the guys...OK all of the guys...were hitting on me but V seemed to ignore me. Why? Everyone else seemed to be interested in me. Plus he was the cutest one out of all the guys. He was my target. I would get him to notice me and I did. Mistake? Eventually we started talking because I had mentioned I was part Puerto Rican. Another guy was as well. It just so happened that V was too.
OK, let me stop there and let the people that know the story of V and I laugh. Done yet? :) That is a whole story in itself. One day I'll write about that.
Once I managed to get V to notice me we danced the night away and spent the rest of the night together. I started to like him. Maybe he started to like me too.
I was 18. So young. So naive.
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Thursday, March 3, 2011
Thinking back....
A few years ago when I was going through my divorce and separation from V people who knew what was going on in my life would comment on how strong I was or they'd state that they didn't know how I could do it. Now yes, those are kind words possibly meant for encouragement but they eventually started to annoy me. I was only doing what I felt any loving mother should do...keep going.
At that time I was in my early 20s, a mother, a fulltime student, and was employed fulltime. I was mother and father to my daughter. I was a single mom.
Did I have a choice? Yes. I could have stayed in my miserable marriage and let my daughter grow up in a hostile environment. I wouldn't have been a single mother then. I could have stayed but I didn't. I chose a different path. The path of single motherhood.
It was a very scary prospect and I think that's what kept me in my marriage for so long but one day something turned on inside and I made the choice to leave. I left everything behind and started over.
I was 23 and the mother of a 2 year old. I was starting over..with nothing.
I mourned the loss of my marriage but eventually I got over it. Life continued for me and my daughter. I stayed in school, I continued to work, I continued to be mommy.
Was I strong? Maybe. But for me it was something I had to do. I wasn't a superwoman or a wonderwoman. I wasn't the only woman experiencing this and I wouldn't be the last. I was just a single mother that had to get by for her sake and her daughter's sake.
Many of us don't expect to be thrust in the single mother role but it happens and what do you do about it if it happens to you? Exactly what I did. Pick up the pieces and keep going.
At that time I was in my early 20s, a mother, a fulltime student, and was employed fulltime. I was mother and father to my daughter. I was a single mom.
Did I have a choice? Yes. I could have stayed in my miserable marriage and let my daughter grow up in a hostile environment. I wouldn't have been a single mother then. I could have stayed but I didn't. I chose a different path. The path of single motherhood.
It was a very scary prospect and I think that's what kept me in my marriage for so long but one day something turned on inside and I made the choice to leave. I left everything behind and started over.
I was 23 and the mother of a 2 year old. I was starting over..with nothing.
I mourned the loss of my marriage but eventually I got over it. Life continued for me and my daughter. I stayed in school, I continued to work, I continued to be mommy.
Was I strong? Maybe. But for me it was something I had to do. I wasn't a superwoman or a wonderwoman. I wasn't the only woman experiencing this and I wouldn't be the last. I was just a single mother that had to get by for her sake and her daughter's sake.
Many of us don't expect to be thrust in the single mother role but it happens and what do you do about it if it happens to you? Exactly what I did. Pick up the pieces and keep going.
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Wednesday, March 2, 2011
30 Days of Truths: Day 14
Day 14: A hero that has let you down
This may just be the shortest "truth" yet. I really don't have any heroes that have let me down. In fact I don't exactly regard anyone as my hero. There's people that I look up to or admire but don't consider anyone my hero. So, since I have no hero I have none that would let me down!
Sorry that is so short. Maybe the next one will be more interesting.
_________________________________________________________
30 Days of Truths
Day 01 → Something you hate about yourself.
Day 02 → Something you love about yourself.
Day 03 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 04 → Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10 → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 → Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 → A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 → A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 → Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 → (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 → What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 → A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself
This may just be the shortest "truth" yet. I really don't have any heroes that have let me down. In fact I don't exactly regard anyone as my hero. There's people that I look up to or admire but don't consider anyone my hero. So, since I have no hero I have none that would let me down!
Sorry that is so short. Maybe the next one will be more interesting.
_________________________________________________________
30 Days of Truths
Day 01 → Something you hate about yourself.
Day 02 → Something you love about yourself.
Day 03 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 04 → Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10 → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 → Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 → A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 → A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 → Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 → (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 → What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 → A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
30 Days of Truth: Day 13
Day 13: A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough days.
Remember this? It's baaaack. I don't think I've done one of these posts since October. I'm going to start where I left off....day 13.
I can't really peg one band or artist that got me through my dark days. There's just so many! Music was my getaway. It was a way for me to forget or mourn, depending on my mood. Since it's been so long since I wrote about all this I'll explain.
When I mention my dark time I am referring to the first few years after my separation and divorce from V. This whole 30 Days of Truth kind of centers on that time of my life thus far.
Since I have to pick one artist/band here it is, Monica. Monica is one of many artists that got me through my dark days. In the eary 2000s (when this was all going on in my life) she came out with a CD (before the time of iPods), "After the Storm", which seems to chronicle my feelings from the beginning of my dark journey to the end.
The song "So Gone" seems like something I wrote when I decided to leave V. In the song Monica is in love with a man who is cheating. Throughout the song she is trying to figure out why. What does the other woman have that she doesn't? What does she do to make him love her? All the sleepless nights... the lyrics are exactly what I went through and I would sit and cry while this song played over and over and over. The song was about me.
Then there's "Knock Knock". Oh how I related to this song during the end of my dark journey. Here's the first verse, "It's funny how the tables turn, now it's you running after me." That tells it! The tables sure did turn but it was too late. I had my time. I grieved. It was over. My marriage was done. No going back, yet he tried.
"Knock Knock" is like the sequel to "So Gone". It talks about how the guy wants to come back and Monica isn't having it. She doesn't want him calling or knocking on her door. She's over him and when this happened in my life it was like a breath of fresh air. He wanted to come back. We already tried that. I knew it was over for me. No more hurt. I couldn't handle it. I was no longer in love with him. It was over.
I would drive down the street, this song blaring from my car speakers, singing at the top of my lungs. I didn't care how I looked to others. My dark days had ended.
_________________________________________________________
30 Days of Truths
Day 01 → Something you hate about yourself.
Day 02 → Something you love about yourself.
Day 03 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 04 → Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10 → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 → Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 → A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 → A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 → Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 → (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 → What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 → A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself
Remember this? It's baaaack. I don't think I've done one of these posts since October. I'm going to start where I left off....day 13.
I can't really peg one band or artist that got me through my dark days. There's just so many! Music was my getaway. It was a way for me to forget or mourn, depending on my mood. Since it's been so long since I wrote about all this I'll explain.
When I mention my dark time I am referring to the first few years after my separation and divorce from V. This whole 30 Days of Truth kind of centers on that time of my life thus far.
Since I have to pick one artist/band here it is, Monica. Monica is one of many artists that got me through my dark days. In the eary 2000s (when this was all going on in my life) she came out with a CD (before the time of iPods), "After the Storm", which seems to chronicle my feelings from the beginning of my dark journey to the end.
The song "So Gone" seems like something I wrote when I decided to leave V. In the song Monica is in love with a man who is cheating. Throughout the song she is trying to figure out why. What does the other woman have that she doesn't? What does she do to make him love her? All the sleepless nights... the lyrics are exactly what I went through and I would sit and cry while this song played over and over and over. The song was about me.
Then there's "Knock Knock". Oh how I related to this song during the end of my dark journey. Here's the first verse, "It's funny how the tables turn, now it's you running after me." That tells it! The tables sure did turn but it was too late. I had my time. I grieved. It was over. My marriage was done. No going back, yet he tried.
"Knock Knock" is like the sequel to "So Gone". It talks about how the guy wants to come back and Monica isn't having it. She doesn't want him calling or knocking on her door. She's over him and when this happened in my life it was like a breath of fresh air. He wanted to come back. We already tried that. I knew it was over for me. No more hurt. I couldn't handle it. I was no longer in love with him. It was over.
I would drive down the street, this song blaring from my car speakers, singing at the top of my lungs. I didn't care how I looked to others. My dark days had ended.
_________________________________________________________
30 Days of Truths
Day 01 → Something you hate about yourself.
Day 02 → Something you love about yourself.
Day 03 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 04 → Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10 → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 → Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 → A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 → A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 → Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 → (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 → What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 → A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself
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