Saturday, January 1, 2011

Happy New Year and Crazy 4 Challenges

Happy New Year, my friends! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a fabulous start of your new year. I don't know if you noticed my new blog name but yes, I changed my blog name to "Inspired and Unscripted". That's just part of the change I'll be making to my blog so stay tuned for more changes. It'll come in small doses so don't expect big changes all at once. This is going to be a long post because I'd like to explain the blog name change.

BUT. . .before I start yapping away, business first. . .let's get started on a brand new challenge at Crazy 4 Challenges! I'll be hosting the challenges there this month so I hope you'll stop by and play along! Are you ready to be challenged again! Just because the holidays are now behind us that doesn't mean that the celebrations should end. There are many things ahead to celebrate, don't you think? Well, this week the challenge is to "celebrate something", celebrate anything such as this fabulous new year, a birthday, a friend's promotion or why not life itself! The challenge is to create a card or project that has a celebratory theme.

I decided "celebrating life" is how I wanted to start my new year! Sometimes our lives are always so busy that we really don't live our lives the way we should. We sometimes need to just step back and embrace life. . .to live, to love, and yes to laugh. . .and laugh often! My card for this challenge says it all!!

I wanted to share a video that I listen to quite often. I hope you'll watch it. It's a beautiful song by "Addison Road" called "Change in the Making". I posted the lyrics to the song if you don't care to watch the video. Whenever I listen to the song, I'm inspired to be a better person in every aspect of my life. I may not always succeed but my heart always has the desire to be better.



There’s a better version of me
That I can’t quite see
But things are gonna change
Right now I’m a total mess and
Right now I’m completely incomplete
But things are gonna change

Cause you’re not through with me yet
This is redemption’s story
With every step that I'm taking
Every day, you’re chipping away
What I don’t need

This is me under construction
This is my pride being broken
And every day I’m closer to who I’m meant to be
I'm a change in the making

Wish I could live more patiently
Wish I could give a little more of me
Without stopping to think twice
Wish I had faith like a little child
Wish I could walk a single mile
Without tripping on my own feet
But you’re not through with me yet

And this is redemption’s story
With every step that I'm taking
And every day, you’re chipping away
What I don’t need
This is me under construction
This is my pride being broken
Every day I’m closer to who I’m meant to be

From the dawn of history
You make new and you redeem
From a broken world to a broken heart
You finish what you start in everything
Like a river rolls into the sea
We’re not who we’re going to be
But things are going to change

I'm living redemption’s story
With every step that I'm taking
And every day, you’re chipping away
What I don’t need
And this is me under construction
This is my pride being broken
And every day I’m closer to who I’m meant to be
I'm a change in the making
I'm not who I'm gonna be
Moving closer to your glory

After listening to a lot of inspirational songs, I've decided a bit of change was needed in the "creative" part of my life. I needed to be true to myself. I was afraid that changes with my blogging will not be well received because most of you visit my blog to see rubber stamping and card making projects.

This may not be a surprise but to some degree I have stepped away from rubber stamping and solely making cards, not completely, but considerably by comparison to how often I rubber stamped in the past. I have always wanted to expand on to other hobbies but through the years have stuck to rubber stamping and card making because it was easier to stick to something I can do quickly and sometimes easily. I still love rubber stamping and making cards but honestly, I love a lot of other crafty things and my passion for rubber stamping has dwindled quite a bit the past year or two. I've struggled with it and decided I have to do what I really want to do and that is just be "creative" and not stick to just one genre of arts and crafts. So with that being said, I hope you'll stick around and still visit my blog.


I created a matching paper wreath for my card. The wreath is quite big. It's about 12" in diameter. I actually started on a tutorial on this project but didn't have a chance to finish it due to all the festivities during the holidays and the New Year so I'll be posting it sometime this week. It's actually quite simple to create and don't take very long to complete so stop by later this week and check out the tutorial.


I decided to use pretty pearl beads for the center of my flowers. I've collected quite a few beads for my jewelry making projects so I could spare using a few on my paper crafting projects.


I'll end my post with the sentiment "Live, Love, Laugh". Be sure to live life today like there's no tomorrow!!!

Hope you all are having a Happy New Year!!!!

18 comments:

Linda said...

What a gorgeous project I wish you a happy new year
hugs Linda

StampOwl said...

Loving your card Maria and your new look blog ... Happy New Year :)

Dawn Easton said...

OH.MY.WORD.AMAZING! You are always such an inspiration to me! I don't always comment but I do pop in here daily and I hope you know I adore and admire your work! Best wishes to you and your family for a happy and healthy 2011~

Barbara said...

Simply gorgeous card and wreath, Maria!

Joanne (jojot) said...

fabulous projects....fresh and happy....and YEAH to you following your own creative spirit.....I will look forward to checking out ALL of your creative projects along the way....I too have been a crafter for years...have done quilting, basket making, block printing, stencilling, Ukrainian egg decorating, scrapbooing, sewing....etc.....but right now stamping is what makes me happiest so that's what I'm doing....but that doesn't mean I don't love and apprecite all crafts.....so....YOU GO GIRL AND CREATE and I will certainly check in from time to time to see what you've been up to.

Happy New Year

Francie G. said...

Fabulous card and project! Thanks for the inspirational video and song. I had not heard this before! Happy New Year!

Silli said...

Oh Maria, what a wonderful project, great idea...I wish you the best for the new year! Big hugs

Vicki G said...

This is beautiful Maria.your project, your wreath, your attitude........ I love the new look of your blog and will always return to see what you've been creating

Hugs and Love,

Vicki

Cindy Haffner said...

FABULOUS Love your new look!!

raynay68 said...

Wow!! what a beautiful project! The card rocks too!! Love the inspiration from the song. Happy new year!

Lynda Benden said...

Wonderful creations Maria! I love the new blog look too! You are so creative and your new blog name is perfect because God only knows what new hobbies you will take up!!! LOL!!!

Silke Ledlow said...

WOW, WOW, WOW Maria...your creation is FABULOUS!!! Too cool for words...LOL!!! Thank you for a fun challenge and I'm wishing you a fabulous New Year too!!! Hugs ~S~

Nanettesplace said...

I don't think you will lose any followers! I think your ideas can be transfered to any craft as inspiration. I can think of your style of beading to be used on bookmarks or in cardmaking. I love crocheting and have done it since I was about 20 years old, (won't tell you how long that's been!) Sewing can be transposed to any medium and photography, well that kind of goes hand in hand with papercrafting, especially if you scrapbook. Your ideas and style will inspire any area of creating. Be true to yourself and blessings will abound.

Nanette

Tammy Hershberger said...

Beautiful colors in this creation, Maria! And I LOVE the new blog name!!! Very original and fabulous!

Patti Lee said...

Hi Marina,
A bold and brave move......can't wait to see what projects are in store for the future. I know exactly what you mean....and have been "toying" with the same thoughts myself!!!!
my best, Patti

Patti Lee said...

Hi Marina,
A bold and brave move......can't wait to see what projects are in store for the future. I know exactly what you mean....and have been "toying" with the same thoughts myself!!!!
my best, Patti

Jessie/knightrone said...

Fabulous creations, girl!!

Anonymous said...

a quick visit to just say hello :) these are joyful flowers, I love turquoise color much much much ! wish you a lovely afternoon, ciao ciao

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