Failure

fail /feɪl/
–verb (used without object)
to fall short of success or achievement in something expected, attempted, desired, or approved; to lose strength or vigor; become weak; to be unsuccessful in the performance or completion of.

I am trying SO hard not to become this word. I do not want to feel like a failure anymore. There are so many aspects of my life that seem to be taking this word as their motto, and to be honest, its starting to piss me off.

One failure after another becomes a wet blanket. I am starting to feel the weight of it. I am trying to picture myself as a duck...letting the failures roll off my feathers but damn, if they don't stick like oil! Pardon my language but it needs to come out.

In the last 25 days I have worked my tush off. Applications for design teams, guest designers, and two contests. All of which have turned into great big oil dropplets. All of the design teams wanted someone with prior design team experience (despite what their pubcalls listings had stated). How can I get DT experience if no one will take someone with NO experience?! It doesn't make any sense to me. I knew I would be opening myself up to hurt participating in two contests as well, but I had to try. Maybe I am a masochist that way?

Ok here we go...out with the bad, making room for the good.

I have to make my own successes. Period. Lets brainstorm here...what can I succeed in without relying soley on others...

Focus:

-Weight loss.

-Orginization of my life

-Saving

Three areas right off the top of my head. So lets get to it.

Motivation:

-Self gratification

-healthier

-wealthier

Power Phrases:

"My will shall shape the future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice; my responsibility; win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny." Elaine Maxwell

"Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes." John Dewey

"Do not waste yourself in rejection, nor bark against the bad, but chant the beauty of the good." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." - Robert F Kennedy

Also, new template for a new me. White. Pure and clean. Need to start fresh.

Ok enough boring inner monologue....

Here are a few layouts that I did recently for your enjoyment!

Monday morning comes early and with it, success. Lets make each moment count and focus on our blessings rather than our shortcomings, right? Right!

In honor of March coming, and with it, St. Patrick's Day...let me leave you with an Irish Prayer, from one Irish lass to you...

May God give you...

For every storm, a rainbow,

For every tear, a smile,

For every care, a promise,

And a blessing in each trial.

For every problem life sends,

A faithful friend to share,

For every sigh, a sweet song,

And an answer for each prayer.

-Brianne

Here You Go Mom! :)

More post to follow....in the middle of a couple layouts but wanted to make sure I got this up for my Mom!

Weighing in...FOCUS!

Ok, been putting it off since the beginning of December. Holiday break is officially over for my diet. No more slacking. I need to get focused again. I have not gained any of the weight back from the loss, but the scale has not budged either. So here we go, day one starts tomorrow. Ya'll ready to keep tabs on me?? GOOD!

Picture a day starts tomorrow as well. I LOVE what Ali Edwards does with hers. Its so inspiring to me! Check out her pictures if you get a chance!



The weekend was awesome! We (Rich, Matthew and I) got to see my Dad and his new wife!! They were going to be about 5 hours north of us, in Springfield, MO on Friday and Saturday so we decided to pack up and visit them. I have not seen my Dad in almost 2 years! I miss him and my mom SO much. Words cannot even describe how much. Living this far away from family is really rough when you have a young child. I want my son to know my family but its almost impossible to do over a phone or the internet. I will put up more pictures from the trip on my Flickr tomorrow.

I have finished a couple of my Courses over at ScrapStreet.com. FINALLY. I now have only 6 more to get done before the 22nd. Haha.

Ok my quote for today....

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." - Eleanor Roosevelt

BELIEVE in yourself and great things WILL happen!

-Brianne

Deal with it.

This image sums up the last couple weeks for me. Stress comes from ALL different directions. I admit, I am pretty good at dealing with it, but man, does it leave me TIRED. Do you ever get that way? And I always feel like I want to get SO much done but there are just not enough hours in a day. The day starts off great and I am getting so much accomplished, but sometimes I feel like the little to-do fairy peeks in on me and sees I am just dealing with things too well....so she dumps more into my lap LOL!!

My son has now combined the use of the word "mine" with attitude. It was cute at first, now its just annoying. And both of my parents think its hilarious that I am getting paid back for the way I was when I was a child. HA HA. Pfft! One minute my son is all cute, giggling and laughing with me, next minute, the horns appear and he is carrying the poor kitty around the house screaming at the top of his lungs. I swear.....this must come from his dad's side of the family >:) Poor Mojo kitty just takes it like a champ too.

Scrapping has been crazy for me lately too! I have finally decided to try out for a couple DT's. This is very exciting for me and terrifying at the same time. I have always just scrapped for myself and now I am really putting myself out there. I know I can do it if I just get the chance, its just that one chance I need....know what I mean? The butterflies in my stomach tell me something is going to happen, but the impatient Bri pops out and she wants it NOW! Hahaha.

I also have 8 layouts due to ScrapStreet by the 22nd and am only half done with two. The rest are already sketched out, but I am finding that after my son goes to bed (my normal scrapping time) I have about a million other little things that are still lingering from our move. I am going to really buckle down and finish most of them next week and next weekend. Wish me luck!!

Ok on to my quote for the day. This one is very fitting for me...

"Patience can't be acquired overnight. It is just like building up a muscle. Every day you need to work on it." - Eknath Easwaran

I hope tomorrow goes by fast, yet you have enough time to accomplish all that is on your list!

-Brianne

Create.

cre·ate /kriˈeɪt/ - verb, -at·ed, -at·ing, adjective

1. to cause to come into being, as something unique that would not naturally evolve or that is not made by ordinary processes.
2. to evolve from one's own thought or imagination, as a work of art or an invention.
3. to be the cause or occasion of; give rise to.

4. to cause to happen; bring about; arrange, as by intention or design.

As scrapbookers we are ALWAYS creating. I LOVE how OLW (One Little Word) has chosen this word as their word for the week. The word itself is inspiring to me!

Think of how many things you have created in your lifetime! I, myself, still sit and stare, amazed at my son and the fact that I had a part in creating him! I look at my layouts and feel content in the idea that I am creating something that my family will enjoy for years to come.

As Designing Diva's we create SO many things! Think of how many times an idea of yours has snowballed and caused others to create! The world is FILLED with creations that have come from other's ideas and those who have taken another's idea and tweaked it to create, yet ANOTHER "thing" for lack of a better word.

**Your topic this week is "Create". Take this word and make it your own.

**Your objective is actually two-part.

1. Create something and submit it to OLW using their word "Create" by February 8th. Everyone deserves to have their work looked at and to possibly create more ideas in others! Upload your "creation" and then link your image in your reply comment on their "Create" post.

2. I created the word "CREATE" yesterday out of my paper scraps and mod-podged them to wooden letters. (I did this in an effort to, not only fill a blank space on my scraproom wall, but to remind myself that the word is only the TIP of the iceberg in what I am capable of!) I have a list of all the manufacturers that I used for this project and the list is 27 deep! Reply to this post with the number of all that you can find and shoot me an email at mojostar710@hotmaill.com with your list of names. The person with the most correct will receive a RAK from me containing a lot of these manufacturers!

Ok I am off to clean my house, but before I go, let me leave you with two thoughts that will hopefully "create" some mojo for you....

“True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." -George Bernard Shaw