Find Your Wings Layout -- Kleenex ALERT!! :)

EXTRA!! EXTRA!!  Read all about it!!  I only have a few more days until I am officially joining the ranks of the "Empty Nester's Club"...  I have a few friends out there in Bloggie-Land who are prepared for the rainfall of the century when this happens!!  :)  But before I go on...

Welcome to all of my friends and fabulous followers!!  It's a Sensational Sunday!!  We've been having thunderstorm after thunderstorm it seems, but I think most of you know how I feel about the rain...  If you don't, I'd love for you to CLICK HERE and see why "puddle splashing" is one of my all-time favorite activities!! :)  As it turns out, today has been one of those days where the weather can't quite figure out what it wants to do -- Between each thunderstorm, the sun comes out (well, at the moment, the rain is pouring down while the sun SHINES and the blue skies are in sight...  It's a rainbow moment!!)... 

I suppose the weather can't quite make up its mind about what its feeling just like I can't make up my mind what I'm feeling this week either!!  As I mentioned, it's about to get very lonely around here...  The-Boy-Child packed up his car last Thursday (he called it 'creative packing', I called it 'creative unloading' as I'm pretty sure it all fell out as soon as he opened any of the doors!!).  The-Girl-Child will be following suit THIS Thursday...  Yes, I'm still in denial.  I try hard not to think too long about it, and I try to remember that I will be fortunate enough to see both of them plenty because of their sports activities (which I do my best to attend as often as possible), but I'm sure that won't stop the waterworks this Thursday. :)  So, like the weather, I'm up, and I'm down.  I'm crying, and I'm laughing.  The good news is that my mother has not left the country as she promised to do (because she was sure I would be unbearable to be around when The-Girl-Child left)!! :)

However, despite the constantly changing emotions (and during the "up" moments), I created this layout...

A few things inspired this layout...  A sketch challenge over at Lasting Memories Layout Challenges, my favorite picture of The-Girl-Child from this year's prom, and the song "Find Your Wings" by Mark Harris (2005).  In 2006, I was introduced to this song when my friend Julie gave me a copy of Mark Harris's CD - "The Line Between The Two"...  I was driving the first time I ever heard this song and I literally had to pull off the road to listen to the song again (and because I was crying so hard).  Everything that I could wish for my children (both gazing at me from the backseat at the time -- watching me sob over the lyrics) was bundled up in this song...  How quickly they grow!!  And how much of ourselves we pour into them with the hope that their lives will be everything they could possibly imagine and dream...

If you cannot see the video above (and trust me, if you have children, you WILL want to see it), please CLICK HERE...

Find Your Wings -- Mark Harris

It's only for a moment you are mine to hold
The plans that heaven has for you
Will all too soon unfold
So many different prayers I'll pray
For all that you might do
But most of all I'll want to know
You're walking in the truth
And If I never told you
I want you to know
As I watch you grow

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

May passion be the wind
That leads you through your days
And may conviction keep you strong
Guide you on your way
May there be many moments
That make your life so sweet
Oh, but more than memories

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

It's not living if you don't reach for the sky
I'll have tears as you take off
But I'll cheer as you fly

As I've watched this mini-version of myself (or so I am told) grow into a beautiful young lady, I have been so amazed and inspired and blessed...  Grounded in her faith, driven by kindness, and eager to make a difference, The-Girl-Child repeatedly causes me to step back and say...  "How did I get to be her mom???"  For those of you wondering, yes, I feel equally blessed to be The-Mom to The-Boy-Child too...  I certainly was fortunate to get the double-whammy of two amazing kiddos -- When they say God opens a window when he closes a door, these two ARE my windows...

Now, this post gets much longer, so for those of you who can't see through the tears anymore, please feel free to ***CLICK HERE TO LEAVE A COMMENT*** so that you can continue with your day (and maybe hug your children)...  I thank you for taking the time to share in this special moment with me, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on the layout and song. :)  For those of you that would like more details on the layout, here ya go:

I followed the sketch and challenge found HERE at Lasting Memories...  In addition to using the sketch, you had to add buttons to your layout -- I almost forgot that little twist and was stressing about not having any 'nice enough' buttons for the layout when I remembered my fantastic little embossed button punch from MS Crafts!!

Earlier this week, I was a Guest Designer for Cooking With Cricut (woot-woot!!), and I showed two layouts, a card, and some vinyl wall art made with the Creative Memories Traveler Cricut Cartridge (available for purchase HERE)...  Well, this is another example of the FABULOUS font you'll find on this cartridge!!  The "WINGS" title was cut at 2" with the "Road Trip" font and shadow layers.  I used my Gypsy to weld the font found on the Songbird Cricut Cartridge for the "find your" and cut that at 1.5".  I embossed all of the letters (and the white square in the background) using my Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls embossing folder.

Part of the sketch requirement was to use a ribbon across the bottom of the layout...  I used a silver ribbon (67 cent find at Wally-World), but in a different way.  I took a strip of cardstock measuring 3/4"x8" and ran it through my Xyron (doesn't matter if you use a scrap because you will not see it when you are finished).  I then criss-crossed the ribbon up and down across the strip, allowing the folds of the ribbon to overlap and hang off the edges.  I then adhered the strip, with the ribbon attached, to the bottom of the page.  My larger stars were punched with my Creative Memories Embossed Star Maker (available HERE, while supplies last), and I added some of my little stars and punched flowers accented with bling for the cluster of embellishments!! :)

For the song lyrics I typed them (Jester font) into my digital scrapbook software (StoryBook Creator -- Try it HERE for FREE!!) and printed them in BLUE onto a piece of CLOUD cardstock (trimmed to fit my printer).  I then cut a circle around the lyrics with my Creative Memories Jumbo Circle Pattern (red blade) and layered that on a circle cut from the Wishes and Dreams Power Palette (blue blade).

I'm very pleased with how this layout turned out...  Sketches are always a challenge for me, but this one was so much FUN!!  I hope you'll stop over at Lasting Memories to see what everyone else came up with -- You still have time to enter this challenge (and apply for the DT too!!).

One last look...  And, by the way, when The-Girl-Child saw this layout on my desk, she found me in the living room and gave me a GREAT BIG HUG. :)  Talk about WINNING!! :)

Thank you so much for joining me today...  I hope you have enjoyed today's layout and video inspiration.  Please visit again soon!! :)

Have a beautiful Sunday!!  Until next time,