Something Good Monday and The Joy Factor

One of my staff members said to me last week that he doesn't know how I continue to show up for work day after day and still continue to care what happens with everything in light of what is happening... He asked, "Isn't hard?" The honest answer is "yes" it is hard, but I also told him that it's been hard for almost as long as I've worked for this company. Which in 27 days will be five years. My work anniversary is on AH's birthday. I also however told him that my work is about me and my integrity not about others behavior. I told him that at the end of the day it is my face that I see in the mirror. His comments were interesting to me, the curiosity on his face as if he was waiting for me to tell him a secret. I said, "the secret is to leave everything behind when you walk out the door, as much as you can, which sometimes seems impossible and sometimes is impossible." I told him my other secret is "distraction", which I probably use too much, but is the secret to my survival right now. Every time a negative thoughts insidiously try to creep into my head I try to push it back out with something that makes me happy...I'm not always successful and sometimes I even lay right down in the waste land of self pity, I try not to stay there long, otherwise I might not get back up. Too much coming at me right now...I did find something good recently though that has kept me distracted and almost obsessed for the last four days...


I googled "free paper dolls" and came up with this page: http://scrapbooking.about.com/od/paperdolls/Free_Printable_Paper_Dolls.htm


The first link was: http://marilee.us/index.html


Now Marilee I've come to discover is a very busy woman. Her home page leads to a myriad of subjects but the first I clicked on was of course "paper dolls". That click lead to...http://marilee.us/paperdolls.html

After that I was obsessed...Marilee provides links to bring you to every type of paper doll you could imagine...everything from movie stars to historical figures to just good ole fashioned vintage paper dolls that I remember from my childhood.

The above paper dolls and clothes are called "The Candy Stripers" . They made me smile, I had nearly forgot that I was a "Candy Striper" when I was in high school. Isn't that strange how things can make you remember memories of so long ago that you've nearly forgotten?

Now, you maybe thinking esp. if you don't have little girls in your life, "what would I do with these paper dolls?" You would be surprised the purpose you can find in paper dolls... how about framing your favorite character? I was in a paper doll swap a couple of years ago, I sent most of them east to my band of princess' in Mitzi's house...but my favorite ones I bought some economical frames that had mats and hung them on my wall . I love them every time I walk by.

This one of Audrey I will print and frame for Baby Girl, she's a huge Audrey fan and tries to mimic the classic beauties wardrobe most of the time and I have to say she looks amazing and is often questioned and admired for her sense of style.



I will probably do the same with Lucy, another one of Baby Girls favorite characters. I was thinking as I was clicking to save all these paper dolls, one thousand dolls later and no I'm not joking... that these would be fabulous for scrap booking, on top of chip board boxes with lids, or even banners. Some would make awesome themes for weddings or baby showers and I did use paper dolls for a baby shower theme once. I'm a big fan of Mary Engelbriets 'Home Companion' magazine, in fact I've collected them for years. Mary puts a paper doll page in her mag every month and one of the months had a paper doll page with a baby girl and nursery items . So the theme of the party was all things 'little girl' and every plate had this paper doll page sitting on it. I also made paper purses that were probably maybe 4" X 6" and I used a pipe cleaner for the handle and strung candy necklace beads over to cover the pipe cleaner. The purses had little lipstick samples like the kind Avon use to hand out and little perfume samples the same...Baby girl and I were in Micheals the other day and saw that Martha is now selling paper purses that you can fold and put together yourself now for this sort of thing, baby girl scoffed and said, "Mom, she stole your idea, you did these twenty years ago only yours were better." She was right, but as I always say, "There is nothing new under the sun..." thinking back now I must have been out of my mind...it was a huge shower that a relative had asked me if I would help with the decorations and theme. I think it was for about 60 guest. So that was a lot of paper purses and I think it took me about 40 hrs altogether. Each tables centerpiece had either a pink or yellow metal sand pail with shovel and a miniature rose plant sitting in side. Everyone of guest oohed and aahhed, it was held in a large banquet room in the top of a restaurant and I have to say the room did look quite fabulous! I always love the look on grown ups faces when you present them with a memory or toy or gift of their youth, the smile and look of being transported to a blissful time is clearly always written on there faces.

It's madhatter time...I hope that these links will make you smile and bring you something good. I also hope you all find your "Joy" today be it big or small.

XOXO Keke