One Little Word

For the last couple of years, Ali Edwards has been choosing "one little word" to focus on for the year. According to Ali's original post on the subject in 2007, one single word "can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can be sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow." You can read Ali's original post here: http://aliedwards.com/2007/01/one-little-word-3.html. So instead of making a New Year's Resolution this year, I decided to join to join Ali by choosing my own "one little word."

organize

There are several definitions for this verb but these are the meanings that I plan to focus on:

• to systematize;
• to give organic structure or character to;
• to put (oneself) in a state of mental competence to perform a task

I hope that by living the word "organize" and inviting it into my life, as Ali suggests, it will have ripple effects that positively impact my life throughout the year. I am well aware that focusing on my word will include the mundane like not letting the mail pile up and putting away the laundry as soon as the dryer buzzes. I'm hoping, however, that this will put an end to early morning searches for missing socks and actually give me more time to do the things I love like scrap and stamp.

If you would like to be truly inspired, check out the wordle Ali created with all of the words her readers have chosen by visiting her blog at http://aliedwards.com/2011/01/one-little-word-2011-the-words.html. And, if you are participating in this challenge, please leave a comment telling me what your "one little word" is for 2011.

And because I couldn't post without a project, here's a card I made back in November for my friend's son who turned 18. I was looking through my pictures to find a card with one little word on it but alas, I only found one with two. Here it is:

I created the background by inking Papertrey Ink's Fillable Frame #4 with Stampin' Up! Night of Navy ink. I then went back and filled in each frame with the "happy birthday" sentiment from PTI's Birthday Basics, stamping it once in Dusty Durango and twice in Crushed Curry. For emphasis, I die cut one image from Dusty Durango card stock and put ribbon behind it to anchor it.

Supplies:

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink (Dark Chocolate, Vintage Cream); Stampin' Up! (Dusty Durango);

Stamps: Papertrey Ink (Fillable Frame #4, Birthday Basics);

Inks: Stampin' Up! (Night of Navy; Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry);

Chipboard: Heidi Swapp;

Ribbon: Cosmo Cricket;

Tools: Papertrey Ink die (Fillable Frames #4); EK Success Corner Rounder punch.