RJMJ

Polly Picks : Scrap Like Cfile Challenge - June 2025 - Finding My Smile Again

Polly Picks : Scrap Like Cfile Challenge - June 2025 - Finding My Smile Again
RJMJ, Jun 3, 2025
Description:
Hi Everyone...

*Necessary Rules : For this Challenge :

1. At least one blended/masked OR black and white photo
2. A flower OR foliage element
3. Stitching OR twine
4. Some ephemera
5. A neutral Or pastel Background

*I followed all of these rules...My background paper may seem a bit buried under all of my elements and so on...but it is a neutral beige with some white there...This challenge was yet another milestone for me in my mission to keep moving forward in a positive fashion...Most of you may or may not know this about me...but I am not one of those smiley people...It is just not my personality...But...I definitely lost my ability to smile at all after my husband passed away...Smile? What's that?...I don't think I smiled for over a year after he died...I mean I may have smirked a few times...but a real smile...probably not...I felt what did I have to smile about?...My life was h*** and had fallen apart both mentally and physically...It took me a long time to just even try to smile a little...but I am learning to find some joy again in my every day life too...and that's how I started...Being thankful! for something each day,no matter how small or big!...I have begun to learn patience again with myself and know that everything is not solved in a day,week,month or year...Grief takes it's time & does...what I call... "marinates" in your heart and soul...and one must learn to function around it and or work through it...because it is always there...even when you don't think it is...it's there waiting to remind you of a memory or a moment wrapped up in grief...and more importantly...because I have learned this...it has changed my overall thinking about grief...I once thought I had to wait for my sad feelings to diminish to the point of letting go of my memories or trying to forget them in order to move forward...but that is not how it works [at least not for me] ...So,with much soul searching and guidance,I have decided that I don't want to be sad all the time anymore...I am gonna try to find some kind of life for myself again...whatever that means...I even colored my hair last Saturday evening!...I have been trying for months to do this and just like that!...I did it!...It didn't turn out exactly as I would have wanted it to...but I am happy with it, for now...I will create a layout about it down the road...

So this layout is about me and my version of a smile...the picture is a new picture I took just a few days ago wearing one of my summer fedora hats...after going for a lovely walk outside in the sunshine [before I colored my hair]...but this photo is black & white for this challenge...

Looking at this layout...shortly after I just posted it...I just smiled...and thought to myself...you sure have come a long way in 2 years...

*Credits Include : Lived In : Mixed Media Bits & Pieces / Messy Marks : Date Stamps 2025 Plus Bonus / Hear My Voice 19 Renewing : The Complete Digital Scrapbooking Collection / Hear My Voice 23 Becoming : The Complete Scrapbooking Collection / Wooden Vintage Bingo Bits : Rachel Jefferies
* Emerge Mixed Media Project Kit : Lynn Grieveson and Rachel Jefferies
* Fonts I Used : Old Typewriter Regular & Old Newspaper Types Regular
* Photo : Me
    • Smwhite
      Love your smile and your layout! It's wonderful of you to share your journey, you're healing! A great title and word art... I know that there are many that are cheering you on in the digiscrap community!
      Jun 3, 2025
      RJMJ likes this.
    • Angela Toucan
      This is so precious. You have had such a hard journey. I'm glad you are coming into some light now and learning to smile again. I love how your hat is coloured with the black & white photo. Great collage work.
      Jun 4, 2025
      RJMJ likes this.
    • RJMJ
      @bellbird Hi... I tried to upload this link for the "Scrap Like CFile Challenge" on the TLP blog and it did not work...Perhaps I need assistance ? Thanks :heartlub
      Jun 4, 2025
    • bellbird
      Thanks so much - i'll go find your post in the blog comments and add it
      Jun 4, 2025
      RJMJ likes this.
    • bellbird
      It should be visible now on the blog - love this maximalist take on the ingredients - it still has all those key components of Christa's page with the neutral base and softer tones with the pops of black and i love how you incorporated the flowers & ephemera all through and that this radiates positivity even when it can't all be like this - so proud of you!
      Jun 4, 2025
      RJMJ likes this.
    • RJMJ
      @bellbird Thank You! for taking care of the post link for me...I now see it there on the blog post...I really appreciated your honest observation and comment...that " this radiates positivity even when it can't all be like this " ... Such a real & true observation...I still have my down moments and sad days...as on June 9th to come,it will be 2 years that my dearest Ray has passed away...I still can't believe it will be 2 whole years...It just doesn't seem that long for me...I guess it's true when they say that time can be a "cruel mistress" ...I will celebrate his life that day with my own special tribute....but I also remember and celebrate him and his life everyday...Thanks Rhonda...:bk ...
      Jun 5, 2025
    • cfile
      Beautiful page Rhonda. I am thinking of you. I love how you scrapped your page and I like your b/w photo of your smiling face. I am glad through it all you are finding things to smile about. All the flowers, foliage and blending is fabulous. Hugs your way!
      Jun 6, 2025
      RJMJ likes this.
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  • Category:
    Polly Picks Challenges
    Uploaded By:
    RJMJ
    Date:
    Jun 3, 2025
    View Count:
    107
    Comment Count:
    7

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