Saturday night I took some nude photos of myself. Last night I scrapped one and posted it on Scraptalk. Okay, so, they only showed from the shoulders up. I was still proud of myself!! Artists do nudes. I could debate being an artist, crafter, designer, or all 3 all day, but on this layout I was striving to be an artist. Nudes show people at their most vulnerable, and I was trying to create a page that really expressed what I was trying to say. The journaling says, "Sometime between the ages of 29 and 30, I forgot how to love myself for who I am. I'm so glad that at 31.5, I can finally remember!"

Fortunately or unfortunately, I can't share the layout with anyone else yet as it is made from some mock products, from a line that won't be debuting til later this year. Not sure when they'll go public, but I'm amazed that I'm completely open to sharing my nude layout with the world!

My very first pub has hit the shelves! Look for a page of Esme on page 144 of the Joann's Idea Book Volume 2!!

Three things you wish for:

1. To be the best wife possible.
   
2. To be the best mother possible.
   
3. To be the best friend possible.
   

3 Things You Would Do To/For Yourself If There Was No One To Judge You (…or if you had the guts to do it!)

1. Color my hair purple
   
2. Wear beads in my hair
   
3. Never wear footwear again
   

3 Bad Habits You Have

1. Not cleaning up after myself
2. Being Judgemental
3. Staying Up Too Late
   

3 Insecurities You Feel

1. I don't have any original ideas.
   
2. I'm way overweight.
   
3. My friends don't love me.
   

3 Talents/Skills you wish you had

1. Play a portable instrument.
   
2. Scrapbook as Freely as Elsie Flannigan
   
3. Housecleaning.
   

3 Things That You Would Do If You Had More Time

1. Scrapbook
2. Read more
   
3. Write

3 Things That Bring You Peace/Relaxation

1. Scrapbooking
2. Family naps
   
3. Visiting my best friend.
   

3 Things That Spark Your Creativity

1. Great photos.
   
2. Pink Lady projects
   
3. new idea books

I'm going to take Ethan and Stephanie!

I am tired of living in a disorganized house. I am SO tired of it. I wish I knew how to be better at keeping things together. It seems so easy for some people, but it's so hard for me. I grew up in a household much worse than my own, so in some ways I'm glad I'm at least doing better than my parents. Ethan and I are both natural packrats so that doesn't help. Right now my sbing area is such a mess, I have to specially clean it to have my best friend over tomorrow. Aye aye aye.

On my drive home from CT on Tuesday I was thinking about scrapbooking and original ideas. Sometimes I wonder if there are any original ideas left, and then someone comes out with some amazing new products, or I discover a new person's work who blows me away.

For the last few months I've been working on getting a little more recognition as a scrapper. Being a Pink Lady boosted my ego tremendously, but now I'd like to get a few more things in print. My first published layout is in the Joanns Idea Book Volume 2, which should be hitting the shelves any day now. But every time I read a mag I see ideas and I think...how come I can't come up with something like that? How come I don't have a new and fabulous techniques that gets me into CK on my first try?

Some designers say you shouldn't read the mags if you want to get published, because your stuff ends up looking too much like everyone else's. But I LOVE reading the mags!! Until last week I had about 4 feet of copies of Creativing Keepsakes, Memory Makers, Simple Scrapbooks, and Scrapbooks, Etc. stacked in my living room. I have to keep them close so I can read them again and again. How would I know what Brecken, Porter, and Tyler were up to if I didn't read CK?!?! Seriously though, the fact that I can name children of 3 of the editors makes me believe that I AM too invested in these mags. (and yes I can name a lot more than that.)

So anyway, while I was playing with Esme and talking to Lisa on the phone today, I came up with what MAY be an original idea. I'm going to try to put it to use tonight while Ethan is working late. Look for me in the Tips and Techniques section soon!