catching up-Something from Almost Nothing

Like many of you out there, I am loving Shimelle's Something from Almost Nothing class! For a long time I have been collecting piles upon piles of all of these beautiful products and not using them...shame on me. But thanks to this awesome new class, I am inspired to use up what I have and document all of the good stuff in the here and now.

I had grad class all weekend so I didn't get a chance to scrap until Sunday evening before bed, but between then and yesterday I got the first two prompts done. 

Here is my title page:  

I used some scraps leftover from papers that I adore and followed the assignment of using up some of my metals (the book plates and brads). 

Here is prompt 2:

I decided to use up some more of those metals that have been collecting in my scrap stash and use them to help make a patterned paper border. I got a lovely little pack of Melissa Frances mini-frames in a monthly kit which inspired me to paint a bunch of my other bronze and gold colored frames all white. Insert scraps of my favorite colors and, voila, I created a page I love and used up some of those ole dust collectors!

So why make this album?

It seems cliche, but I really am making this book because life is a gift. 

 And because I won't allow myself to buy anything new until I have used up what I need to use up and only keep what I absolutely positively love. (boy, that is hard!)

And because it is almost metaphoric...cleaning out all of these old supplies to make room for new and exciting ones. Loving the past, looking forward to the future, and being grateful for it all. 

Every now and then, one must examine what you have, take inventory and prioritize...whether that be with supplies or life in general. 

I used to think that I appreciated life, but over this past year I realized just how important it is to be grateful for every morning we get to wake up, and to make the best of each day. 

I'm celebrating life because it is a gift.

A gift that should be enjoyed.

A gift that should be lived well, whatever that definition is to you. 

And most certainly a gift to be celebrated.

Are you making something from almost nothing?