A Facebook Journal

I finally started working on my journal for the bits and bobs I've accumulated from friends on Facebook. (I love that term..."bits and bobs", but you must say it with an English accent.)

I won a beautiful address and card book in an auction and always knew I wanted to alter it for a journal. Some of the pages have beautiful floral illustrations that I don't want to cover up, other pages can be painted or papered, but it has pockets and tabs and all kinds of goodies. When I first got it (months ago) I altered the cover in the same style as the journal I got from Yolanda Pasillas, yoliebean on YouTube. I adore that look.

The first page in the book is from a swap I did at Your Paper Pantry with Jane Bain, lizbeth601 on YouTube. She made a beautiful collage for me that I've kept in my craft corner for years. Originally it was mounted on corrugated cardboard that I had to remove for placement in the book. I think it makes the perfect first page. On the left side of this two page spread, I'll add some writing and a recipe card Jane included for apple cake!

The second page has an art postcard from Tamara LaPorte, a couple of business cards and a tag that served as a mailing label. I found a bit of lace in with my keepsakes and attached it to the edge of the page. The opposite page will have photographs of the items associated with the cards.

All in all, I think this is going to be a fun book to look back on when it's finished.

Have a good day friends! xxo

Compassion for a Stranger

I was in the lobby of a dental specialist the other day. Not just any dental specialist, but a feline dental specialist. My rescue cat, Heidi, and I were waiting for the vet to examine her mouth and determine how bad this periodontal disease really was. I was expecting the worst. The first consultation I had with another dental vet was bad...real bad. $4,000 bad. So I just sat quietly and waited.

The office was located in a building for a veterinarian specialty group. Dental, Cancer, whatever, it was a big building. I watched the dogs come and go to the other vet offices. Little dogs, big dogs, dogs dancing in circles, dogs with cones on their heads, itty bitty lap dogs and great big HUGE dogs. Heidi seemed to be the only cat until a woman sat down by me and put her carrier on the seat between us. She asked me if I had a sick kitty and I told her all we had were some dental problems....."and you"? My heart broke when she choked out the words that her 9 year old cat had kidney disease and had experienced some problems that morning. She tried desperately to speak but she was struggling so hard to keep the tears back that she couldn't. In that moment, I felt my own desperation as I grabbed her hand and held it tight. There were no more words as we held onto each others hand. Two strangers who knew nothing about each other except that we both loved cats. I could have known this woman my entire life for the compassion I felt, but I didn't even know her name. And then it was my Heidi's time to be examined. I gathered her carrier and waved a quick good-bye to the woman that had touched my heart so deeply.

This brief encounter was sad and heartbreaking, and I'll never forget it. Two strangers able to connect on a level so deep. An immediate, heartfelt connection. It was sad, it was beautiful. It reminded me how wonderful this life can be in spite of ourselves. I reached out to someone, and walked away feeling like she had given me a gift.