Inspiration Wednesday

I know I'm cutting it close getting this posted - it's almost going to be an "Inspiration Thursday" post. I do have a good excuse...really, I do! :) Wanna hear it? Nah...'cause that's all it is...just an excuse.

Anyway, without further ado...today's entry for Inspiration Wednesday. Donna challenged us to use a quote today that we found, well, challenging. I also came across some stuff today...just, you know, that kind of stuff that makes you feel kind of sick inside on behalf of someone else. The stuff that we've all (as women, anyway) experienced...mostly at the hands of other women. And I was reminded, once again, of just how powerful our words really are. And of just how hard it is, at times, to control the tongue.

Once again, I was reminded that listening gets us SO much farther in life than talking. And that wisdom really does come with a closed mouth, not an open one!

As for my page, I used a combination of Golden Cobalt Teal and N5 Neutral Gray heavy body acrylics for the background, with some Golden white Airbrush Paint for drippage. I cut some flowers out of plain canvas using my Sizzix and colored them with Golden Quinacridone Magenta fluid acrylic. That top one, on the top layer, I stamped it first with a teal-colored Cat's Eye chalk paint and heat-gunned it dry before wetting and painting. I used glue and some seed beads for the center of the big flower. I used one of Donna Downey's rubber stamps with the magenta paint for the bird on the branch, and framed the bird with a metal accent. I used black india ink to write the quote, and the cobalt teal paint to stamp the word "listen." I outlined the word "listen" with a magenta colored ink using a glass dip pen (still trying to get the hang of that one). I glued a strip of crocheted trim down the right edge and added a few more flowers for embellishment. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

So...you really wanna hear my excuse for my late post? So yesterday morning, the kids were all getting dressed. Anthony was in his room, and I was next door in the twins' room helping them, when I heard a loud crash and that blood-curdling scream that makes a mama's heart start pounding. I go running, to find my 5-year old son UNDER his dresser, which is now front-down, on top of him!!! Images of head injuries, broken bones, etc., are flying through my head, as I she-womaned the massive 5-foot tall MDF Ikea dresser off of him by myself, and began to assess the damages. He had a long scratch across his back and a red mark on his arm, but aside from being scared, managed to escape pretty much unharmed. I consoled him, put his CD-player back on top of his dresser, and vowed to get an earthquake strap put on the dresser ASAP...and then forgot about the incident shortly thereafter.

That is, until about 12 hours later, when every muscle in my back started to clench up into a ball and I started to think, "Why on earth is my back hurting so bad???" It took me a few minutes, and then the brain cells kicked in, and I remembered. "Oh yeah!" DUH! Usually I cannot even slide that darn dresser over a few inches to get something that falls behind it! It is VERY heavy. For me to have run over and lifted it practically off the ground, with all the drawers open and full, back to an upright position, in a matter of seconds - I'm guessing I pulled about every muscle in my back! So this morning I woke up and could hardly move my head forward at all, without feeling it all the way down my spine...thus I made a trip to the doc for some muscle relaxers this afternoon.

After all, I am going on a scrapbooking retreat this weekend - with hours of sitting and crafting involved - I cannot be in pain the whole time!!! :) See? Told you I had a good excuse!