More press opps!

Im so honored to be one of the people featured in this month's issue of CHA Portfolio!

they interviewed me a few months ago so I had forgotten about it. What a nice surprise! the first three pages feature other charitable crafters but i have a couple of quotes on the 3rd and 4th page and i am featured on the 4th page of the article. I love that SBR just keeps growing. This helps us so much with our second Guiness World Record attempt for the World's Largest Crop which wil be on January 23rd, 2010. For deets: http://www.scrapbookroyalty.org/events.html

and to sign up: http://www.craftsupershow.com/eweb/dynamicPage.aspx?WebCode=WKSHPEvents

Hoping for 1000 croppers! going to be so cool!

Lost my blog groove

So I'm ready to start back on my blog. I miss it so much!!

So how is "it"?

"it" is a divorce in the works. The filing is done, my whole life is packed in boxes in storage or scattered all over my little brother's house. (he has 3 bedrooms, I get 2) :)

"it" is for all the right reasons. I know now that I am going to be ok and that Jean-Claude and I will be better people for having been married to each other and I will always wish him happiness and peace.

"it" is still a long road ahead. I have to figure out where to live (can't take 2 of my lil' brother's rooms forever) I have to figure out how to pay myself, and I have to come to terms with the fact that in order to keep Scrapbook Royalty alive, I have to earn a living through it. This is the yuckiest "it" of all!

So, "it" is moving forward at it's own pace and I am at peace to live in the moment and I try to remember to live each day to it's fullest.

I am a happy people especially drinking my sugar free rockstar!

my new motto:

This is not about then, this is just about now.

for more "it" references visit this post... but it's a sad "it"...

It's time!

Life needs to get a move on.... There are boxes and boxes piled up in the garage of this place I call home. I don't know how to take that final step out the door and never come back but I am being forced to. Who is forcing me? i am not totally sure but I think it's just life. I'm just about ready though. Saturday is D-Day. I have family and friends coming over to help me move the stuff into a storage unit that i rented today. I hate putting my stuff in there. Storage is where stuff goes to die. I hope mine makes it...

I can't wait till next week when I am with all my crafting supplies and able to create again. I miss it!



This part of my adventure has come with some perks. I met two really awesome people while i was in SF visiting Shelley and wearing her costumes...

Deano and Karima made my first visit to the world of Burning Man so much fun. I am almost convinced that i need to go. It's so much more than I ever thought it was and I am almost convinced that it is an experience that i need to have at least once in this lifetime!

Thank you Smell and Renee for your hospitality in your beautiful SF home. And thank you Karima and Deano for an unforgettable night. I had a great time and it was a perfect distraction!

Garage Sale help me please!!

It's finally starting to get ugly around here. I have to move like yesterday and I want to sell as much stuff as possible since I will be staying at my brother's house temporarily.

Please please come to my Garage Sale

6428 Peinado Way
San Diego, CA 92121

Saturday & Sunday 10/17-10/18
7 am till ???

Please pass this on to anyone you know that lives in my area.

very much appreciate all the love and support for my wonderful family and friends.

Its been sooooooo hard. I am still sooooo overwhelmed and every time I feel better, I get punched back into reality.

Crazy long time! crazy full life!!

I have been wanting to post but just didn't know what to say. My life is finally turning around and I know that I have a bright positive amazing future ahead of me and I look forward to it. Its been a heck of a ride so far and i dont want the rollercoaster to stop.

So i drove up to San Francisco by myself! yes! all by myself! I think the furthest I have driven alone before is Disneyland! It was an amazing adventure full of phone chatting and face book. I can't help it! im a social fairy! I actually planned this trip with every intention of it closing the guilt bubble for me.

Here is what that is all about...

When I met Jean-Claude I had already laid my plans for moving to Taiwan. I was going to go there study Mandarin, learn about my culture and teach English. I had no intention of moving back stateside again for a long time if ever.... One of the last things i wanted to do before I left Cali was to drive up the 1 with my top down in my little miata. So I planned my trip, was going to stop in Monterrey to see Neddy B and my name sake Sydney Elena, and then head to SF to see other friends. I was all set when Jean offered to go with me and then he wanted to drive. I said he could come if we went in my car. top down in the Miata. he some how talked me into going in the Landcruiser and my trip was just not going to happen. So now I am in SF, I am visiting my wonderful friend Smell, (shelley :) and I will be leaving on Weds to drive down the 1 and take that trip and come full circle from where I was in 2001 when I met my husband. I seriously can't wait. I want to drive fast along the cliffs with the water below and a big sharp drop and THE TOP DOWN! I know that this is what I need to be able to take that last step. To be able to walk out the door and know that the house I have lived in for the last 7 years is no longer my home. It's hard but I can do it! I know I can!

Last night I went to "decompression" is a burning man 1 month reunion in SF. If you know what the Burning Man Project is you know that other than the social aspect of it, it is so not me. But Smell dressed me up as "lady luck" and off i went. Karima my new lovely friend was my guide and partner in crime for the night. I will leave the rest to your imagination but it was tons of fun and i got my sparkle back!

Sparkle gone... i want it back

Yesterday I had a really nice distraction with a get together of some of the SBR volunteers. During dinner my friend Georgia told me to look at her and when I did she said, "Yup, your sparkle is gone" Wow. What do you say to that. Everyone tried to joke it off and offer me glitter and I said, " i need to get it back" or something like that. But it stuck with me. My sparkle is gone and I really need to get it back. I know Georgia was not saying it to be mean, it was just poignant. She is very wise.

I know the first step is to move out. It's just hard. Every time I try to pack a box I just get paralyzed with emotion and fear. What is waiting for me out there in that big scary reality we call life?

So I am trying to leave, but for some reason I keep looking back.
I hope when I finally do grow a pair and just make it happen that my sparkle will indeed return.

Tragic Ballerina the story continues...

A few weeks ago when I started this very sad journey...

I posted a photo of myself of facebook with my tutu on and my head down crying. I got a lot of worried responses but the best one was Teri's "you look so tragic Elena, I hope you are ok" I had just told my husband I was leaving him and cried for about 24 hours straight and the next morning I was meeting Jennifer T. and Anita to go to D23 Expo. I had no idea if I could do it or not but I knew I needed to. I needed to keep moving and keep busy or I felt like I would die. So I was trying on my tutu and tears were streaming down my face and I just thought I needed to capture the moment. So in my dimly lit living room with a tripod and a timer I took this photo:


I know some people will think it's strange but honestly I am so happy I took this picture so that I could make this nostalgia board this weeked at Miss Vicky's. Thank you Vicky for opening your home and your "collection" to me and for being such a loving caring generous friend.

this vintage ballet slipper was just waiting to be turned into art

A mini tutu with black wings reminds me that angles are watching over me even in the darkest of times.

Carly dyed the ballet slipper toe for me and I sprayed it with tattered angels turqoise blue, and added black glass glitter to make it sparkle.

"time heals all wounds" I know it will heal mine. below these words is a photo from a magazine of little ballerinas, a nod back to my innocence and a look toward the future child I can only dream of right now.


the Tragic Ballerina under glass smudged and stamped with the word "Remember" I know I will never forget the way I felt that night. I want to remember and draw strength from it as I look back on this very hard journey.


A beautiful purple vintage rose with a teardrop. Thank you Jan for this idea. "How Bad Was It?" it was horrible and still is. I live for the distractions that get me through the day.


A skull with turquoise blue tattered angel eyes, reminds me to live each day to the fullest because it goes fast and it is a gift.
A stained broken heart waiting to be whole again.

and finally in the bottom corner a little "hope" because that is what I have.

It was extremely cathartic making this piece. I know I will never forget this time in my life and I will learn so much and grow so much from this experience and the 2 best wisest things my father ever said to me were "Love is unconditional" and "Life is to experience so live it to the fullest" and I try to live by the latter every single day.

Disney and Birthdays do make me feel better

Yesterday was Sheila's Bday and i had the honor of going with her to Disneyland. We had a nice day just strolling around, going on a few rides, chatting about this and that, (sbr of course) and having lunch at Ariel's Grotto. Who can't be a happy people lunching with Princesses...

Happy Birthday Sheila. I know she is going to be celebrating all week.

The Angel of the Broken Hearts.

I was looking at the Etsy shop of one of my favorite artists, Danita, and I saw this beautiful piece titled "Angel of the Broken Hearts"

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27963156

I am lucky enough to own one of her mounted on wood pieces. It is "Snow White" and I love it. You can actually find her blog on the right side of my blog...

Anyway, I really am hoping that the "Angel of the Broken Hearts" will come and heal me. I am not sure when the burning sensation behind my eyes will stop. Or when the stabbing in my heart and brain will go away but I really hope it is soon. I take solace in the fact that I know I will get through this and that I have wonderful friends and family to help me.

Coming alive...

I have moments of clarity and moments of excruciating pain. I feel bad for being a drama queen and I know that if I didn't share I wouldn't know how much love and support there is out there. and I wouldn't know that I am not alone. I know I am not alone.

thank you again to all the amazing people who have taken time to be a support on my little crumbling house.

Tonight I got to spend time with some old friends in a way I have not been able to do in a long time. Sheila and I have begun a journey together with SBR and I feel like she has been sent by God to help me just in time. Without her, and all of the other amazing volunteers, I really dont know what would become of my little non-profit.

So here is the amazing evening we had. I dressed in my best Vampire outfit, took a deep breath and was so grateful for the distraction.

You can click on the picture to enlarge if you like.

in the photos are:

cute embellies sheila made. with special anime for me.

perfectly themed wine

Marah and the Bday girl

Me with my Marah project

Mushroom Ravioli's and salad just like Bella ate.

Edward looking better with blood colored glitter on his face

Sheila's party guests

Redvelvet cupcakes with black frosting and of course the themed plates and napkins to match

awesome stuff in the kit

cupcake closeups







Thank you Sheila for the wonderful party and thank you Marah for your beautiful inspiring Twilight book.