Feb. 15th, Prompt #34

Hey, all you dirty girlz!! Christi here, bringing you this month's prompt while Rachel is up to her armpits in boxes, smack dab in the middle of moving!

THE PROMPT:
I'm Still Sugar and Spice
THE SONG:
One of the Boys by Katy Perry
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE:
Ribbon/Bows AND Dirty Socks

I'm so pleased to introduce to you this month's guest designer, Irma! Remember, YOU could be our next guest...it's as simple as playing along and leaving us a link to your gutter-inspired creation! Thanks, Irma, for joining us!

I am so honored and humbled that the Gutter Girlz asked me to be a guest designer. I've found this blog recently and it just feels like "home" — a place one is welcome to be, say and create whatever is on one's mind. Meaning, if Gutter Girlz was an actual house, I'd feel comfortable coming in, helping myself to their fridge, and putting my feet up :)
My biography in a nutshell:
I'm a 30-somethin' mom of 2 kids (2.5 and 4.5 y.o); Got married in the most gorgeous place on earth Kauai, Hawaii back in 2001. I've emigrated from Lithuania to USA with my family when I was 11 y.o.

My pursuit of being a published scrapbooker has made me too critical of my own work; There's always the nagging thoughts: is this product too outdated? Is the design solid? Is there an odd number of elements? Are my kids smiling in the photos (because "they" don't want to see heavy-matter topics). I started to feel artistically unfulfilled, so I prescribed myself a remedy: Create like no one is watching (I ought to make this into a plaque to hang in my room :) I've made a few deeply personal layouts after this turning point. Some I do not dare share online, a few I did share, but the greatest benefit of my latest work, is that it was deeply therapeutic. I've gained closure, had a chance to "talk" to a person that always shuts me up, I've taken stock of my life, counted my blessings, and most importantly, I realized I'm on the right path artistically. I still plan on making "cute kid" pages, but other subjects will not take a back seat anymore. When I started scrapping (late 2004), my intent was to create pages so that my kids would know me better, now I create, so that I may know myself better.

Random tid-bits about me (my likes):
Photography, Lush beauty products, jewelry, perfume, hand-bags, shows: LOST and Mad Men, Lindt chocolate, tea vs. coffee (but I can't say no to the Starbucks caramel macchiatos my hubby makes); Music: Tori Amos, Damien Rice, Chris Issak, Pink, Gwen Stefani, and classical (especially Vivaldi 4 Seasons); The stacks of books I never get to, but it's reassuring to have them around.

As soon as I saw the prompt, I knew that this photo is perfect for it. I had it for a while, but the only title/concept I could come up with at the time was: "As Good as it Gets". So glad I held out for this prompt ;) This picture was destined for it :)

Do you have a day when you just feel pretty as a woman? A day you feel powerful as a woman? You know the type of day when your hair just falls right, and your make-up looks good, and you have bounce in your step. This was that type of day for me. I was glowing in my 1st trimester, was still getting my uninterrupted beauty rest and long weekends slowly savoring stacks of books at a local Borders coffee shop. It dawned on me this day that my life is going to change soon, so I told my hubby to grab a camera and take a picture, because: "this is as good as it gets".
***
I was never a tomboy. Never tried to be "one of the boys". Always loved jewelry, make-up, fashion and pretty girlie things. I consider myself a feminist in the aspect that I do believe women should get equal pay for equal work, but I don't want chivalry to be dead. I love it when men open doors for me, and pull out a chair. I truly love being a woman!
THE PROMPT: I'm Still Sugar and Spice (I printed my title on a tag "Sugar and Spice"
THE SONG: One of the Boys by Katy Perry(I used lyrics of the song that echoed the sentiment of my layout).
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE Ribbon/Bows AND Dirty Socks (plenty of ribbon, bows, lace AND the dirty socks are the red fishnet stockings I have selectively ripped).

Thank you sooo much Gutter Girlz for this opportunity to roll in the gutter with you!

Here's what the rest of the girls created with this month's challenge!

MARGRETHE
I think this must be one of the more heartfelt layouts I've done for Gutter Girlz. This is something that stings quite a lot - I've never had a true best friend. Ever since childhood, I've watched other girls couple up, but it's never happened to me. I'm not sure how much more I should say about this, how much more I should admit to, so know this - if you're like me, you're certainly not alone!

GLENDA
I used some of the lyrics from the song and made this ATC. I have this awesome Marilyn Monroe stamp and put some little pearls on her necklace. She was definitely not one of the boys!!

PATTI
Even though I try real hard not to be so nice and get walked on. I still think I am sugar and spice!

BECKY
I really liked the title Sugar and Spice and wanted to scrap how even though I turned 38 last year, I am still the same person.

NIKKI
Just ask my husband....LOL!

CHRISTI
Okay, I'll admit the "dirty socks" part of the prompt intrigued me! I noticed my 3-year-old son had a hole in the heel of his sock, so I totally pulled it off his foot, cut it up, and used it in this challenge! lol

SUSAN
I've always been a girlie girl. I love clothes & makeup & getting my nails & hair done. But I'm NOT prissy & most definitely sassy. There's a LOT of spice with my sugar. I've never been one of the boys & I'm glad because I like being a girl.