I heart the dollar store

First thing first - hope you all enjoy the new layout.  I have to thank my friend, Katwanya, for the link to a site that gives you pre-designed layouts that are a bit more diverse than what's on blogger alone.  Until I learn how to do html or buy dreamweaver, this will have to do!

Anyway, I've stayed away from writing for quite some time.  Not only did I have a cold that drained me of all energy last weekend, I also felt guilty and silly writing about my scrapbook room during the crisis in Haiti.  Knowing that that will be on-going process, I've decided it's time to push forward this effort.  I will NOT forget about what's going on in terms of relief, so you may be getting some sprinklings of information in between scrapbooking postings.

As the title suggests....I LOVE my local dollar store!

Why?  Because I can buy a variety of sizes of tupperware to use for storage......yup....I've started to package up things nicely.

Let's start with some shots (just to remind you) of the state that my room BEFORE:

ths is the north side of scrapbook room (pre-organization)

this is the south of the room (pre-organization)

Well, thanks to the tupperware and some cute labels, the south of the room currently looks like this!  This is the state of my AFTER....it will look even better soon, I promise!

I'm cleary not done (just look at that middle shelf on the second row), but there has been some significant progress.  I've taken to putting as much stuff as I can into themes.

 

For larger themes (like my christmas and baby theme items), I'm using larger bins from target.  For $5, they were a great find.  Nice flat top for easy stacking and cute design.

Every time I walk into my craft room now, I smile.  I'm not half way done yet, but wow...it's nice to see how easy it will be to find stuff in the future.  Amazing!

Don't really know why I sat on my butt for so long....should have done this years ago!

United Nations World Food Programme

 Aicha will be going on a rebuilding mission with the World Food Programme.  Click here to donate.

"Haiti we can see your Halo, I hope you don't fade away" - Beyonce

I've been neglecting the true purpose of my blog for quite some time....partly because it seems almost trivial to be blogging about cleaning up a mess of "extra" non-essential items when there is still so much sadness in Haiti.

I was about to relaunch my efforts tonight but then got side-swept by the beautiful Hope for Haiti fundraiser on TV.  I've cried my eyes out and donated more money.  I'm not a wealthy person by any means, but I have enough to share in times like these.  I haven't donated anything substantial, but I've donated to various organizations over the week....my hope is that my mini-contributions will be compounded by the other mini-contributions out there.

My friend Dave is back from his trip.  He was fortunate to have students from his film program alive - can you even begin to imagine what that moment must have been like.  We must almost have hope!

Today, my friend James landed in Port-Au-Prince with Partners for Health.  James has several family members in Haiti.  I doubt he has a full account of everyone, but he is down there doing what he can as a physician.  I send him all my strength in courage.  What he'll see, what he'll experience....

Dear James - I hope you come back with personal stories of happiness (I pray that your family is okay), and with the incredible ability to convey the power of your culture....its beautiful strength and hope.

image from haitixchange.com

image from haitixchange.com

I haven't abandoned my original quest of organizing my room....but it just doesn't seem as important to talk about right now.

Until that day....please give what you can.

There will much to do in the months/years to come to help Haiti.  I have another friend, Aicha, who has signed up to go on rebuilding mission.  Once I know with which organization, I promise to post information so that you support her efforts.

I'm beyond humbled by the greatness of my friends.

I'm also very, very lucky to work at an organization who has pledged to match a portion of our contributions.  Thank you to the University of Chicago Medical Center for doing what they can.  So if you want me to donate to my agency on your behalf and mine, let me know and I'll increase my contribution.

Showing our Compassion

As I mentioned in my first blog, I have some fantastic, incredible friends.  Today, I want to talk about my friend, David.

Without going into great detail about David, I do want to shed some light on the great work he is a part of today (right now).  Dave is in the movie business...and he spent some significant time in the Dominican Republic not too long ago.  When the devastating quake hit Haiti, he didn't even think twice about whether or not he was going to be a part of convoy to bring supplies to the people.

You can imagine the pit in my stomach this morning when I heard that a large aftershock had hit the island.  Besides feeling absolute sadness for the people who have already endured so much pain, I also had a mini-panic moment.  This morning, I thought I had two friends in Haiti and I didn't know how to even begin finding out if they were ok.  I can't even imagine what it must feel like for those individuals who have all their family on the island.

I am one of the lucky people.  My one friend's medical deployment was delayed, so he was still safe at home with his beautiful wife.  I selfishly cheered for joy.

Dave was the one that made my hair grow grey.  With the beauty of smart phones, we had received heart wrenching updates from him via facebook for the past couple of days, but there were no recent postings....so I tried to not worry right away.  I shot him and email and waited....and waited....and waited.  Around lunchtime here, we got the facebook update....he was okay and ready to head in with the supplies.  Again, a selfish cheer for joy.

I know I shouldn't feel guilty that my friends are okay, but I do.  I do because there are so many people who will never know what happened to their friends, their siblings, their parents.  It just makes my heart so heavy.

Thankfully, Dave gave us a quick insight into what agencies he was able to see that were getting stuff through...I've made donations to both and shared that information with everyone I could.  I may not have the funds to make a million dollar donation, but I can make some contribution.

If you can also make a contribution or know people that can, please consider donating to one of the following agencies:

Partners in Health

 

Love a Child

I know, I know....

So I told myself that I would be trying to post something every night, so that I would stay on track.  Hmmmm....that hasn't worked out as well as I would like to, now is it?!

That's not to say, though, that my progress has stopped on the room or my wii fitness :)  I have made some new progress on the scrapbook - minor progress but progress nonetheless.  As for my wii passion, I'm happy to say that I have actually worked out 7 days in a row now.  That is CRAZY for me...I do not have good commitment levels when it comes to working out because I think it's boring.  Nintendo was genius when they created this.

Anyway, I'll try to post some new pics of the room tonight after I get home from the theater.  Going to go listen to one of my colleagues sing in Too Hot To Handel.  I'm really excited.  I've never been able to go support Laura since I've known her, so I'm really happy I can go today.  It should be great.

A little queasy

I don't think I'm gonna touch the scrapbook room tonight :(  I decided to get the h1n1 vaccine today at work (I work at a hospital so I figured my chance of exposure to it were greatly increased).  Anyway, I'm not feeling so hot...feeling a little nauseous since I got home. 

Yuck!  I rarely react to stuff but this one has left me a little queasy.

Hopefully, it won't turn into anything more severe, and I'll be good to go tomorrow.  I have a ton of stuff to do at work!

Below the chaos is beauty

While organizing my first section of the scrapbook shelf, I found some beautiful artwork made for me by two people I love to pieces. So the first thing I did, was find a place for them to be displayed. I'm sure they will both inspire me. If anything, they'll make me happy when I see them.

The top painting was made for me by my talented cousin, Marcela Chaidez de Nunez. While studying at the Art Institute of Chicago, she found a really cool niche when creating her pieces. I'll have to take a close-up one day to really showcase what I'm about to describe.

Marcy picks a book/magazine/newspaper and spend HOURS punching the pages with a hole puncher. She then empties out the hole puncher and uses the "dots" to create images or a textured background. She sometimes sews these dots together. I can't even begin to imagine how much time that takes! I'm sure she feels the same way about my scrapbooking.

In my calla lily painting , she then beautifully drew and painted the lillies for me in a red background. I remember she had asked me what color my bedroom was....she knew I would want to display this! Sorry it took so long, Marcy!

The finger painting below the calla lily painting was made for me by one of my godchildren. Jaiden, who lives in NH, sent me this great painting last year as a thank you for a birthday gift that I sent him. You can imagine my surprise when I found the envelope under the chaos of scrapbook supplies. I knew I had to put it up immediately

I can't wait to create scrapbook layouts with all these beautiful pieces of artwork around me!