Faith....Flashback Friday 1.29

Love these challenges and Cosmo Cricket and YES SBE template 217 strikes again. lol!!!! Maybe I'll go through them babies twice. Got some primas of course and used a Theresa Collins album cover as a template for my journaling.

My grandparents had a major role in this also. I know what a surprise. My gram's church which was right across the street from where they lived (along w/the elementary school) allowed easy access and since she didn't drive, she could go any time she wanted. It's now a rec center, the new church that was built was moved to the end of town much to her dismay. My grandpop's church was a generational church in the country and a hospital during the French Revolution. The cemetery just rocks with information. But I digress again. Since I had moved to the "country" when I was a tween, it made more sense to go there. I have NO idea why they went to different churches except they both had different roles in each. However, when there was work to be done, gram would jump on in to help grandpop's church, as it was the poorer one. They were the best examples ever of living their faith.

journaling: I was baptized in my Gram's church, confirmed in my Grandpop's church. Both were Lutheran . I thought that was normal. I attended and had friends in both growing up. My journey continued in seeking other denominations. Always returning to my roots. I love serving, the readings, the communion. I love that I've been blessed my whole life. I love that I have the faith of my grandparents.

I just love heritage photos.....

and I'm working on my second Roots journal. Its an informal recording of the past. Sadly, I have photos with people and places I can't identify, so I just go w/what I know. I have cousins that help with stories from their perspective.

In these to lo's I look at the photos and see the dynamics of my gram w/her IN-LAWS. They are young @ 27. Their body language indicates there is love and camaraderie between them that I wasn't aware of when they were older (and I was privileged to each and every one). It just amazes me that I see that my gram was their sister, no pretense, she was family and it shows in the photos. Later in years, the in-law sisters stepped up to take care of her after my grandpop died, not her family and she had plenty of siblings. I just wish I knew more.

Just like US when WE were young, they dressed alike = maybe even planning it. They went places together and partied with each other. AND in knowing them later they were a combustable lot so I'm sure there was some conflict at some of these hoe-downs. But in the pictures they were young people having a good time. Being close. Sharing their lives.

Scraplifting Ali E....AGAIN......

Love that I am now throwing out Christmas Cards guilt free. The las 3 years I have "lifted" Ali's idea of cutting out parts of the cards and making a page. This year I didn't receive many, but I cherished each one. I also decided this year that I would add circles to it because I couldn't locate the big square punch I wanted. Got more with pictures too. So I decided to use a no-name metallic gold. And it was flimsy. So I glued it to a piece of cardboard. WELL...tacky glue lumps. Which I found out after I put the paper on. So now I had stiff, lumpy metallic. Then I decided it was kinda plain, and well the lumps could be ummm......embossing. Bwahaha! So I dry brushed some red paint over my umm...embossing. LOL! So now I have texture. With some help from Chatterbox bling and alphas and stickers, prima AND a sharpie. Gasp. WELL.

Flashback Friday - 1.8.10 This Train.....

This week's challenge was about transportation so I did a lo of my first train ride. It was a lot of fun. I took the train from NJ to Penn Station, then from there to Syracuse. Thankfully my DIL and SD coordinated their baby showers so I only had to fly up once. So after the NJ shower I made my way to NY. The title is from a refrain in a Springsteen (natureally) bwahaha! song "The Land of Hope and Dreams". Cosmo Cricket rocks, qk swirls. AND my ticket.

journaling: The ride from Penn station was scenic, not too crowded and fun. When I took mhy nose of the book I was reading I captured some shots, And chatted w/some great people. Although lightening strikes and trains don't mi. When the signals go out the trains just crawls and schedules are messed up. Late Late for a very important date. LOL!

TOP TEN.....LO's of the 2009

Of course I stole this idea from someone. On 2Peas and just recently saw my pal Debi's list and decided. I can do that. So I did. Really in no particular order (and probably more than 10 because well math as never my strong suit. snort). I hope you enjoy.

One of my fav using some stash Jillibean soup. This was a flashback Friday project (see the Pub-2 Peas website) we play every week. This is chatting about some of my childhood in one of my favorite sizes. 6x12. I love ALL the sizes.

My favorite youngest son turned 18 and we got to celebrate. Used some stash. Love that.
Dressed up for the first time in years. Had a total blast. Got to use more stash especial my Tim Holtz grungeboard. woo hoo!
Love this photo of the 2 grandkidlets. and got to use more STASH. Heidi Swap ghost letters.
Hybrid love that. This one kind of explains a lot. It was a red=letter day.

Nothing says sitting up like G-45 and my grandbabies hitting their mark. Woo hooo!

One of the favorite people in my life. USED more stash.

My son as a father. Scary but true. lol!!! And he's doing a fine job.
Using some stash and being a bit more artistic (for me). Love the die cut shaped paper.
Used a Springsteen title and bit of a song. One of my fav's actually and I do "lift" his stuff. ALOT. Why reinvent the wheel when he says it so well. ummmm more stash. snort.