Toni's Blog

Back in the Saddle...

2009-09-03T13:35:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a mess my basement was. Thankfully, it's all put back together now and I'm ready to hit the scraproom. In fact, I've been working on cards to auction off at Camp Bluebird. I also made some invitations for my friend's daughter. She is getting married in October and this invitation is for her Bridesmaid's dinner.

If you're in my area, please contact Kathy at Scrapin Kats and sign up for Scrap Pink. The money goes towards the Susan G. Komen foundation.

I hope everyone is ready for a long weekend. I know we are. I told Jared to put his math book away when he got home. I DO NOT want to see it this weekend. Well, I'm off to play a little more in my scraproom. I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday weekend!

HO HO HO....in August?

2009-08-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

August 18, 2009

Lots going on here the last few days. We decided to flood our basement:) Not exactly on purpose, but since we did it, we had to pull up all the hardwood downstairs. That means my scrapbook room is out of commission right now. We're putting the floor down tonight and then I should be back in business.

In the meantime, I'll share a little more Reminisce with you. This line is called "Santa's Workshop". I love working with Christmas papers in August. Gives me ideas for future use:) Hope to have some new things to share in the next few days. Have a great Tuesday!

1st Day of School

2009-08-13T03:54:00.001-07:00

August 13, 2009

Uh Oh......blogging 2 days in a row here. Does that mean the world is coming to an end?:) Actually, I just wanted to share Jared's 1st Day of School photos with you. He's growing up so fast. I can't believe he's in the 5th grade! Hope everyone has a great Thursday!

Finally....I Blog

2009-08-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

August 12, 2009

Ok, so I've been terrible about blogging this Summer. I decided to take each day and enjoy it and not stress myself out about blogging. That and the fact that I was up to my eyeballs in VBS:) We had a great Summer and I was actually sad to see school come, but, I have enjoyed having the house to myself again.

I also enjoyed the work I did for Reminisce and CHA. Thought I would take a few days and share these things with you. I also plan to share "first day of school" photos, as soon as I get past my lazy streak and edit them:)

Ok....here's project number 1.....a mini-album using the new Reminisce Autumn Forest papers. It's my favorite of all their new releases. Hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

Summer.....

2009-07-21T13:05:00.000-07:00

where has it gone? It seems like yesterday when Jared got out of school and here we are buying school supplies. I can't believe how fast this summer has gone.

Sorry to be AWOL, but I've had VBS and Bosom Buddies activites, along with CHA and I've been swamped. I must admit, I love staying busy, so right now I should be the happiest person on the planet.

I hope to share a few CHA projects with you soon. Just waiting for the word we can share. I love the new Reminisce fall papers. They are too cute.

Well, off to make dinner. Chicken Divan...yum! Hope everyone has a blessed Tuesday!

Good Boy....

2009-05-20T11:31:00.001-07:00

Hi all! Ok, so as promised here's a layout and project using the new Reminisce Good Boy collection. These papers are very cute. I'll share some Reminisce Baby Basics tomorrow. Hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

Busy Bees....

2009-05-19T09:09:00.001-07:00

Hello out there! Sorry I haven't been around lately, but lots going on here. Alex graduates on Friday. I can't believe it's time. I still see him as that little (well, relatively speaking:)) boy with lots of blonde hair saying "let's pretend" a thousand times a day and sleeping with his Beanie Babies. Boy do I miss that. But they must grow up and grow up he did, into a fine young man whom we are very proud of.

Thanks to Randy and Angela for taking some pictures of Alex at Baccalaureate. Our camera died on Saturday:( So, yesterday we got a new one. It's a Nikon D5000, very cool. Of course, now I must take some time with the manual and learn how to use it before Friday gets here. Seeing as how I had my Sony for 3 years and never figured it out completely, we are in trouble. But since we spent so much money, I'm determined to learn how to use the new one.

Anyway, I haven't been getting much scrapping done. Some cards and frames here and there, but that's it. I'll try to share a few of them with you over the next few days. I'm hoping after graduation, things settle down and I can get back into my room on a daily basis.

That's it for now. I'll share of few photos of Alex....isn't he the cutest?

Spring Break

2009-04-23T05:20:00.001-07:00

Good morning. Sorry it’s been so long. I’v had lots going on here. Alex graduates in a month! I can’t believe how time has flown. Seems like yesterday he was playing T-Ball. I’m SO NOT ready for this.

Last week was Spring Break here and we took advantage of the beautiful weather. Barry, Jared and I went hiking at Camp McDowell. It’s a beautiful place and the weather was absolutely perfect.

I’ve been working on some projects for Reminisce. I’ll share those in the next few days, but in the meantime…..I want to share a few pictures of our hiking trip. I hope everyone has a blessed Thursday!

Spring!

2009-03-20T05:20:00.001-07:00

Happy Spring! I love this time of year. The birds chirp, the flowers bloom. Of course, you never know if you need a jacket or a tank top, but it’s still a wonderful time. I went shopping with my friend Mandy yesterday, and had to laugh a few times at some of the garb people were wearing. One woman had shorts, sandals, jacket and scarf. What a combo!

Oh well, I hope everyone enjoys their first day of spring. And yes, it’s my birthday today. Another year older. Man! I don’t feel 40. Anyway, the word for today is “middle age”. Something I’ll be in about 10 years.

Ramblings....

2009-03-05T01:19:00.000-08:00

Hi all! Sorry, but it’s been a crazy few weeks. Barry’s been out of town and working lots of overtime, so I’ve had extra stuff to do. Frankly, I’m ready for him to be home a while. We miss him around here.

I don’t how many of you out there are on Facebook, but it has become a serious addiction for me. It’s worse than email when it first came out. Instead of sitting at my computer waiting to hear the words “You’ve Got Mail”…..I’m hurrying in the mornings to read all the comments and goings on of the Facebook community. I love how connected I am with friends I may see only once a week or even better, those friends I never get to see. It truly is a great invention. Yes, I need to get out moreJ

I’ll leave you with a layout I made using the February Kit from Scrapbook Mania. I hope everyone has a great Thursday. The word for today is “communication”.

"The difference between the right word and

the almost right word is the difference between

lightning and a lightning bug."

Mark Twain

Baby oh baby!

2009-02-23T06:58:00.000-08:00

February 23, 2009
Good Monday morning to you. I hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine went well. I had a surprise baby shower yesterday afternoon. The reason I say "surprise" is.......because....surprise.....I'm having it at my house! My friend Paul was originally having the shower at her house, but she, her husband and youngest son have the flu. Poor things! Anyway, I found out Friday night I was going to have it here. Needless to say, there was lots of cleaning going on Saturday, but all went well. Everyone had a great time. I did come to the conclusion that I need a room stretcher. My living room is entirely too small, but hey, I'm just happy I have a living room....you know?

Anyway, here are a few pictures from the shower. I hope everyone has a great Monday and the word for today is "failure".

"Do we thank God only for the success in our lives or for the chance to try again after we have failed?"Chris Grant

Spring is in the air...

2009-02-22T05:07:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share a few of my favorite spring things with you today. I can't wait for warmer weather! Hope everyone has a great Sunday!

The word for today is "inspiration!"

"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action." Frank Tibolt

Alex...

2009-02-14T09:52:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentines’ Day to ya! Not much happening here, Barry’s working lots of overtime, so I’m just hanging out with the kids. I thought I’d share a few of Alex’s graduation pictures with you. He is so adorable! These photos were taken by a dear friend of ours this past fall. We have the most beautiful yard when the leaves are changing and he was kind enough to come to us for the photos. I hope everyone has a great weekend and the word for today is “circumstances”.

"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them." ~G.B. Shaw, Mrs. Warren's Profession, 1893

I Can't Walk!

2009-02-10T16:10:00.001-08:00

Hi all! Sorry I’ve been MIA for a few days. It’s been quiet hectic around here with school and my bible class. I’ve started a new exercise program with my friend Sheri. Because of this

and this

and the 1 ½ miles we walked/ran today (yes, we did all three) I can hardly walk. But I know it will get easier, I just have to stick with it. But I gotta tell you, I’m feelin’ it right now.

Anyway, that’s all from me. I’m working on a few Valentine’s Day projects I hope to share with you in the next few days…and today’s word is “perseverance”. Have a greet day!

More CHA Projects and Hair.....

2009-01-30T14:41:00.000-08:00

Hi all! I hope everyone has had a good Friday. I enjoyed a day of shopping with my friend Sheri. We always have the best time. Today we were discussing how soon we can remove our wigs and NOT scare the children. This has been a big debate in my household. My DH and youngest would like for me to wear the wig until my hair is shoulder length:) Just kidding, but they do want my hair much longer than it is now and I’m itching…..literally…..to go wigless. For now, I’m spiking my new hair and going around the house trying to get used to it. I still think it’ll be another month before I’m willing to venture out without the wig. Sheri thinks it’s terribly unfair because my hair is longer than hers and she finished her treatments a good 2 months ahead of me. Several people have asked if my “new” hair is the same as my “old” hair and the answer is yes. It’s thick, thick, thick and curly and did I mention thick? My hair was all that before so I was sort of hoping for some thinner, finer, straighter hair, but hey…..I’m just happy to have hair again:)

Here are two more CHA projects from Reminisce using their Green Day papers. I hope everyone has a great weekend! Oh…and the word for today is CHANGE.

Prayers...

2009-01-28T08:38:00.001-08:00

I’m not going to be sharing any projects today. I want you all to keep this family in your thoughts and prayers. Hug your precious little ones, thank God they are healthy, keep them close…..and pray for peace for this family.

Its' the Weekend...

2009-01-24T08:56:00.000-08:00

Computer viruses….don’t ya just love em’? NOT! We have had a time with our computer the last few days, but perseverance paid off. The virus is finally gone and I have my computer back.

I wanted to share the next project from Reminisce with you. It’s their new line called Monkey Business. It’s great for boys or any zoo pages. I had a lot of fun with it and love the versatility and the quality. I made a fun little “Zoo Fund” box to save our money for the zoo.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. The word for today is “Imagination”.

A Few Projects.......

2009-01-21T07:13:00.000-08:00

Good morning! As promised, here are a few CHA projects using the new Reminisce Happy Easter. The little animals and eggs are great for flocking, something I’m really enjoying these days. I flocked the egg sticker and the bunny’s ears and tail.

The bird house was especially fun. I love glitter, so instead of painting the edges I made them sparkly. I bought the birds at Hobby Lobby. I thought they added a nice touch. I can’t wait to get this project back and put it on my mantle. Anyone ever seen the Franklin movie about Spring? Spriiinnnggg….where are you?

Oh well, today’s word is TALENTS. Hope you have a blessed day and use your God given talents wisely.

New Blog....

2009-01-20T18:18:00.001-08:00

So this is it. I had a hard time trying to decided what I wanted for sure, but settled on a wonderful picture of my flower garden in bloom last Spring. I love spring and I'm so ready for some warmer weather and pretty flowers.

I've finished up all my CHA projects and I'll be sharing those with you over the next few days. In the meantime, let me know what you think of the new look.

God Bless!

Still Working.....

2009-01-15T16:05:00.000-08:00

on my new blog. I'm trying to decide which background I want and make a new header. I'm sure for the more computer literate, this would be an easy task, but for those of use who have trouble somewhere between the chair and keyboard, not so. I've also been working on CHA projects, so they have taken priority over my new blog look.

For those of you who have sent me emails, thank you. I agree with Sarah, 2009 is going to be MY YEAR. I have so many wonderful opportunities right now and I'm enjoying staying busy. I would love to go to CHA, but I'm not sure it will happen this year. We'll see. Anyway, for now, I'm down in my room scrapping away. I'll share those projects with you when permitted.

Ok...enough from me. Today's word.....DREAM......"Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true." Leon J. Suenes

New Blog Coming Soon...

2009-01-10T08:43:00.001-08:00

My New Goal...

2008-10-05T12:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday! I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. We have had a good one so far. Yesterday, we worked at the church building all day. Barry ran wires and I helped get the classrooms ready for the new classes today. Everything went smoothly and that’s saying a lot, considering we are in our new building. It’s not yet completed, but it’s close enough to hold classes and we had a great service.

I’ve been scrapping a bit lately. I’ll try and share a few things this week. Nothing major, but I’m getting back into a routine. You know, I think I’ve been waiting for things to get “back to normal”. Especially since I’ve finished chemo, but now I think I understand….things will never be the same. It makes me sad, a little, to think I’ll never have the same feelings I had before cancer. But things have changed in a good way and that’s basically what life is about. Change. Nothing ever stays the same and I think I’m ok with that. It’s hard for me. I don’t like change. I could eat the same thing for breakfast from now on and be ok with that, but it’s not very exciting.

I have come to the conclusion that I’ve spent so much time fighting this deadly disease, that I’ve forgotten how to live. So that’s my new goal. I’m tired of being afraid of everything. I have a lot of life left in me and I plan to enjoy it. No longer will I hold my breath thinking something might be harmful or the cancer might come back. Worrying will not add one second to my life, so I’m through with it. The worrying that is. I plan to take a few risks and enjoy the outcome along the way. I plan to have fun. I plan to live.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend. I’m headed to the lake to spend the afternoon with friends and eat some delicious chili and cornbread. Yum!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month...

2008-10-01T08:14:00.001-07:00

Did you know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month? Yep….and to start the month off right, I’m going to give you a little quiz. These are some facts that, up until I dealt with the issue, I didn’t know the answers to.

Did you know that 75% of all breast cancer is on the left side? Researchers still don’t know why, but this is a large percentage.

Did you know that 80% of all breast cancer patients do not have the BCRA1 or BCRA2 gene? This is the gene greatly increases your risk of breast and uterine cancer.

Did you know the breast tissue reaches are far up as the collar bone and goes all the way down your side, along your ribs? Makes you wonder if that “traditional breast exam” you’ve been doing is sufficient.

Did you know that 85% of all breast cancers are found either by the patient or by a doctor during a routine examination?

Did you know there is a new test that will make the painful mammogram a thing of the past? This test, known as the Halo Breast Pap test and looks and works like a breast pump.

Did you know that 80% of all lumps found in the breast are benign?

Did you do your self-examination this month? If not, what are you waiting for?

My Last TIme....

2008-09-25T05:09:00.001-07:00

Today’s the day. My last chemo treatment. I’m excited to be saying this, but in the same breath a little nervous. I’m looking forward to having more than 2 weeks where I feel good and I won’t spend those two weeks dreading the next, does that make sense? Anyway, I’m glad it’s about over, at least this part. Now to the next phase.

I’ve not worked much this week in my scraproom and it’s calling my name ever so louder. I think I’ll come home today and make some cards. I’ve got lots of scraps to do something with, so cards seem like a good idea. I’ll share them with you if I’m feeling up to it.

Don’t forget about the Reminisce Design Team Call. It’s a wonderful and talented team and I’m so thankful to be a part of it. I’m excited to meet the next team member. Just click on the link and it will take you right to the info.

Ok…enough from me. I’m off to visit Chemical Ali for the LAST TIME! WOO HOO!

Just Rambling...

2008-09-22T08:48:00.000-07:00

Good morning! Sorry, but my life seems completely out of control. We had really good weekend and the weather was perfect! I love this time of year, when the air is cool and the windows can stay open. It wreaks havoc on my sinus’, but I do it anyway.

I have my last chemo this Thursday. I can’t believe I’m through already and must admit, I’m a little nervous about the next phase in my life. Right now, I’m being checked constantly and I know the cancer is gone, but what if it comes back? Barry keeps telling me it won’t, but I can’t help but worry. I’ve put my trust in God and that helps the worry. I’ll also be taking Tamoxifan and that gives me some comfort.

Ok, enough from me. I’m printing Bible class books today, so I’m off to fight with my printer. I hope everyone has a great Monday!

A little work...

2008-09-11T04:07:00.001-07:00

Good morning! I hope everyone has had a good week so far. Mine’s getting much better. I’m actually entertaining dinner guests on Friday so I’ve been busy getting ready for that and cleaning. I took a little time to make a few scrappy things and thought I would share them with you. Have a great Thursday.

Update...

2008-09-09T05:07:00.001-07:00

Yes, it’s been 15 days since I updated. Sorry about that, but things have been a little hectic. I’m doing fine. My 3rd treatment came and went, and now I’ve one to go and I’ll be through. I’m hanging in there and doing ok, some days are definitely better than others.

I’m in the process of getting my house ready to put up for sale. I can’t believe we’re about to sell our house and build a new one, but we’ve finished up the blue plans for our new house and I can’t wait. It’s going to be great.

Hopefully I won’t let it go so long before I update you again and I promise to share a few projects with you next time. I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

My Weekend...

2008-08-24T23:54:00.000-07:00

Hi all. It’s 2am and I can’t sleep. Chemo strikes again:( Seems chemo can interfere with sleep…..you’re kidding? I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in weeks and when I go tomorrow, or make that later this morning, for blood work I’m am talking to my oncologist about Ambien. I’ve tried Melatonin, but wake after only a few hours. My back has been killing me and I’m pretty sure it’s because I’m so tense and that’s because I can’t sleep. I have two treatments to go and do not look forward to another month of no sleep.

Oh well, on to better things. We had a bzbzbz weekend and I didn’t get any time to scrap, but did finally hang my “create” letters that I altered. I’ll share those with you later on today. I used BG Stella Ruby papers and some Martha Stewart flourish stamps. They turned out really cute.

We had church today and I so enjoyed the singing. No matter what I’m feeling, singing can and always does lift my spirits. Afterwards we came home and practiced with our band. We have a gig next Saturday night and I really, really need to brush up on my songs. I’ll be spending some quality time with the ivories this week:)
Hope everyone has a great Monday!

Monday all day...

2008-08-18T16:09:00.001-07:00

Ever had one of those days? When it's Monday all day? I've had one for the last three days. Yuck! I hate days like that. When no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get my head above water. Oh well....tomorrow will be better, right?

I wanted to share a few more October Afternoon Projects with you. I love these papers and rubons and the stamps are super fun too. I hope everyone has a great Monday! Hopefully, in the next day or so, I'll have some great news to share with everyone!

October Afternoon...

2008-08-14T13:43:00.001-07:00

Hi there! Sorry, but we’ve got lots going on with the beginning of school and such. Changing classes can be very stressful for a 9 year old. Especially when they’re changing classes for every subject. I can’t believe they do this so early, but Jared’s doing ok. I think he likes the routine of changing classes and he LOVES his Alabama History teacher. Her room is awesome!

Just wanted to share the items from the August Scrapbook Mania Kit. I love the October Afternoon papers, stamps and rubons. Some of the best products I’ve every worked with….especially the rubons. Ok….enough from me. I hope everyone has a great Thursday!

My New Room...

2008-08-12T04:50:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I finally finished up my scrap room and wanted to share a few photos with you. I still have to hang a few things on the wall…like another curtain rod to hold layouts, hang my clock and my “create” letters. I also have a few things to alter that I want to set around, but as far as organization goes, I’m pretty much through. I love the big closet and rolling carts. I like being able to pull out just the cart I need and then put it back when through and leave my room looking neat. I work much better when my room is neat, so this has been a great boost in my mojo. In fact, I finished up 2 layouts and 2 cards yesterday using my kit from Scrapbook Mania. I’ll share those with you later, but let’s just say I’m loving the October Afternoon papers and rubons. The rubons are wonderful. I also like the smaller closet. I hung my peg board in there with lots of stuff on it. I’m going to paint the cabinet which is holding the TV, but haven’t had a chance to do that yet. I also want to come up with a way to make my storage units look better. The black and grey really doesn’t do anything for me, you know?

Ok…enough from me, just wanted to share my new room with you. Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

1st Day of School...

2008-08-07T16:57:00.001-07:00

...yesterday was anyway. I never really had time to post the photos yesterday so I'm doing it today. As you can tell Brandon and Jared weren't too sure about school starting, but Alex has a huge smile on his face. He's a senior this year and can't wait until he graduates. I can't say as I blame him.

Also, below is an album I'm aniously awaiting. It will go perfect with the Reminisce Frosted papers, don't ya think? Oh well, I hope everyone has a great evening. The weekend soon cometh!

More VBS...

2008-08-05T19:11:00.000-07:00

Sorry, but I’ve been swamped with school starting. I can’t believe tomorrow is the first day. Jared’s excited about changing classes and being in 4th grade. Time flies. It seems like only yesterday he was starting pre-school.

As promised, here are the remainder of the VBS classrooms. Our theme for the week was “Heroes of Faith”. I’ve already shared Noah and Abraham, so I’ll share Esther, Paul and Jesus with you. We had a great week and tons of visitors, so I think it was a huge success. The photo for Paul is the road to Damascus and hidden in the trees is a very bright light to shine down on the kids. The Jesus room represented His death on the cross.

I’ll update more tomorrow, hopefully, and share my 1st day of school photos. Have a great evening!

Projects and such...

2008-08-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

Good Sunday evening. Sorry, again, that it’s been so long. I’ve had much going on and lots of scrapping to do. It feels great to step back and enjoy 3 or 4 new layouts and projects, doesn’t it?

I wanted to share a couple of clear projects with you. One is an Alabama album I made for Scrapbook Mania. RRRRRROOOOOOOLLLLLLLLL TTTTTTTIIIIIIIIDDDDDDEEEEEE!!! The other is a layout of a dear friend, whom I’ve been thinking about lots. If you like clear albums and projects, a great place to visit is Clearalbums.com. Check it out:)

I’ll share the rest of the VBS rooms tomorrow, but wanted to share these fun projects with you today. Thanks, by the way for visiting my blog, I’m amazed at the number of people out there who support my blog and me. Thank you, thank you, thank you! More tomorrow:)

More VBS Photos...

2008-07-26T07:04:00.001-07:00

Good morning. Hope everyone is having a good Saturday so far. Ours has started with a little rain, but that’s ok because we need it. I’m feeling ok today, just a little hung over feeling, but they say that’s normal. I’ll be glad to be back to normal in a few days.

Anywho….here’s the next room I’ll share. Abraham left his home and traveled to a far away and not knowing where he was going. We set up a tent room for our VBS for Abraham. It turned out beautifully! We had different animal skins hanging around the tent, some bones, wheat and bread. The kids loved it.

Update and photos...

2008-07-25T06:04:00.001-07:00

Good morning! Yes, I know it’s been a week, sorry about that. I’ve had lots going on….got my port, started chemo. I doing pretty well, just a little shaky. If anyone out there experienced the shakes, please let me know. I’m not sure I like this feeling right now, but I guess it could be the anti-nausea meds or the pain meds for my port. Anywho, I’m feeling pretty good and so thankful to be up and about.

I promised to share a few pics of our VBS rooms, so I’ll do that over the next few days. We’ll start with Noah, he built the ark you know:) Have a great Friday!

Scare Tactics...

2008-07-19T07:25:00.001-07:00

Happy Weekend To You! I hope everyone's weekend has started off well. We finished up Vacation Bible School last night and I have to say, I'm glad we're through. It was a wonderful week, but I'm tired and ready for a rest. I'll share the rooms with you all in the next day or so. We had tons of kids and they all had a blast.

Ok...the promised Scare Tactics projects are below. I really like this paper. It's the perfect Spooky Halloween paper. Couple the paper with the word, bat, and haunted house stickers and it's too cute! I hope everyone has a blessed weekend!

Enchanted Projects...

2008-07-18T06:13:00.001-07:00

Good morning! Are you ready for the weekend? I am. Not sure what we’re doing other than finishing up my new room downstairs. I can’t wait to get it all organized and start scrapping. I’ll share a picture or two when I’m done. Speaking of scrapping……I’ll share a few more CHA projects with you today. These were made using the new Reminisce Enchanted Autumn. I love this paper! It seems lately, all Halloween/Fall paper is distressed, which I like, but for some photos, the distressed paper just doesn’t work. Reminisce came out with 2 lines for Halloween this year and I’m so glad! I’ll share the Scare Tactics projects tomorrow.

I hope everyone has a great Friday!

More Reminisce...

2008-07-17T08:28:00.001-07:00

Good morning! It’s a beautiful morning here. I was just talking with the phone guy, yeah, my phone and internet have been giving me fits, and noticed how bright everything is today. It’s usually so hot here by 10 am, you pretty much have to stay indoors, but not today. Maybe the humidity is down, but whatever it is, it’s beautiful and I’m very thankful for this day!

Today I’m sharing the new Reminisce Making the Grade projects. I love the 3-D stickers and vibrant colors and the fact that not everything is red, green and yellow. These colors are wonderful for K-third grade, but a little juvenile for the older kids, so Reminisce designed papers and elements using more subtle colors. You can check them all out here.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

CHA Sneek Peek...

2008-07-16T08:02:00.001-07:00

Sorry I’ve neglected my blog of late, but we’ve had lots happening around here. Our VBS is this week and I’m thankful to say Barry and I actually pulled it off. We had lots of help, or I should say Barry volunteered lots of people, and it’s gone off without a hitch. I’ll try and post some pics of the rooms later this week.

In the meantime, I have not started chemo yet. I ended up with a small staff infected due to some stitches that didn’t dissolve. I’m on antibiotics now and plan to get my port next week and the chemo soon to follow. I hope I don’t offend anyone when I say this, but Barry had me in stitches. He’s telling everyone I’ll start my next phase with Chemical Ali soon. I’m sure Dr. Yu would love to know he now has a nickname.

I’ve also been busy getting ready for CHA. Reminisce has some adorable new lines coming out. The Frosted and Enchanted Autumn are my favorite. I love the shimmer and glitter. Over the next few days, I’ll share some of the projects made for CHA. I’ll start today with Frosted. Hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

Finally, I Blog...

2008-07-01T10:03:00.001-07:00

Good morning. Well, actually, it’s almost evening here. I’m sorry it’s been so long since I updated. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind here. We’re finishing up my new studio room and I can’t wait to play in there. I’ve also been getting ready for the next phase of my treatment.

As you know, I had my surgery on 6/9 and was told 6-8 weeks before starting chemo. Since I’ve healed so much faster than they anticipated, I’ll actually be starting chemo on 7/9, assuming no complications arise. It seems so fast to me. I know it’s something I have to do, but still, I’m no looking forward to it. I went wig shopping last Friday. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but my sister-in-law went with me and we had a fun time. The sales lady kept it very light hearted and I left feeling like I had made just the right choice. I know it will only be temporary when I start wearing it, but still, it’s hard to imagine. I was showing it to my mother-in-law later that day and Jared had to leave the room. He’s still not ready for that part of it, but I’m sure he’ll be fine.

I’ve had my up days and down days as is to be expected I guess. I’ve never been one to be down much, so I’m trying really, really hard to stay positive. My friend Sherry, who will take her last chemo treatment 7/21 assures me I’m completely normal. She has been a God send in my life. We are very close in age, only one years difference, had the same type cancer. Thankfully, her nodes were clear as well. I’m stage I and she’s stage 2 due only to the size of the tumor. I’ve watched her go through this and still be the same Sherry I’ve always known, and that gives me hope. I don’t want cancer to change my life completely. Some change is good. If nothing else, I’ve rearranged a few priorities, but I don’t want my life defined by cancer.

I’ll try not to make it so long before I blog again. Once my room is complete, I’ll share a few photos and hopefully a bunch of new projects. Take care!

Update and New Reminisce...

2008-06-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

Good morning to you! Sorry I missed a few days there. It’ll probably be that way for a while. I’ll have a really good day and over do it, and then spend the next few trying to rest. I did that on Monday. I felt great and did lots and lots of stuff and then paid for it on Tuesday and Wednesday. I’m trying to pace myself now and that seems to be working better. I go to the doctor tomorrow and hopefully these drains come out. Once they are gone, I’m certainly going to be able to get around more and can take a shower by myself.

Anyway, not much news from me, but certainly some wonderful news from Reminisce. With the help of our generous manufacturers, Reminisce is producing a double-sided paper and sticker sheet in observance of the Flood of 2008 that has devastated much of Iowa and areas throughout the Midwest. In an effort to help our neighbors in need, 100% of the proceeds from the sales of these two items will go to the American Red Cross.

These items are available to order now through their website HERE but please note that all orders with these products will not ship for 1-2 weeks. Retail stores that would like to carry the paper can call the office at 319-626-2150. Any orders placed that include the Flood of 2008 products will not ship for 1-2 weeks. How wonderful is this? It’s great to know Reminisce cares so much for our neighbors in need. Please hand this to someone in your local store and put it on your message boards.

Ok…that’s all from me. I’ve got to rest a little, but wanted to let everyone know I’m doing fine. Getting better every day. Not ready to run a marathon, but I’m on the mend and ready for action. Just not too much of it:)

Surgery update...

2008-06-16T04:47:00.000-07:00

Hi all! This is going to be really short. I can’t sit up for very long. Basically, my surgeons were having hard time getting their schedules together, so they decided to move my surgery up and make it June 9. That’s where I’ve been. I had a mastectomy (left side only) and then a flam trap reconstruction last Monday. It’s been rough, but I’m ok. I have over 350 stitches in my abdomen and can’t stand up very straight, but it’s getting better. The hardest part, besides not being able to do anything, has been the nausea. Going to the bathroom and taking a shower compare to a 12 hour on your feet work shift, and I’m not exaggerating. But, it’s over and there is good news; NO cancer in the lymph nodes or surrounding tissue where they removed the nodule. Praise God! I will still have 4 months of chemotherapy starting in about 7 weeks, but for now I’m cancer free. The chemo is jus precautionary in case there are a few rogue cells left out there.

I think it will be a few weeks before I really feel myself again. I have never had a major surgery, and the tram flap is exactly that. I can’t sit or stand for very long and I’m very, very shaky. I have had so many people taking care of me. It’s always amazed me how, when in times of need, people come through in such big ways. My friends and family have been extraordinary and I words can’t express the gratitude.

One thing that has surprised me has been the depression. In generally, I’m not a person who gets blue very often, but this has been very difficult. The doctor says that’s normal with any major surgery, but I’m telling you if I cry one more time, I’m going to scream. I can’t stand being weepy and I feel like such a big baby! Of course, when I look at myself in the mirror it doesn’t even look like me. I have one breast that’s much larger than the other, due to swelling and the stitches are a little scary, but I know in a few weeks it will be good as new and a little perkier:)

Ok, enough from me. I must go and lie down under the fan and eat my ice chips. Thank God for crushed ice and fans:)

Fun Projects...

2008-06-04T10:06:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I’m getting a late start with my blog this morning because I was having an EKG. It seems the chemo can damage the heart, so they like to make sure your heart can take it. Wonderful huh? Bad enough to have breast cancer, but let’s just give’em medication to mess with the heart. I’m about to pull my hair out waiting for all these test results. It would be nice to have this surgery before Christmas, ya’ know?

Anyway, I promised to show you my Reminisce projects today. Both the layout and altered crate have papers from the new Signature Series by Reminisce. The papers and stickers are wonderful. The first project is a 12x12 layout using the Air Force stickers/papers. The second is an altered crate using the Moving Day papers. I loved this crate when I saw it and thought it would make a wonderful house warming gift, but once I got started, the idea of using “packing supplies” came to me. Inside the crate are paint brushes, bubble wrap, tags, packing tape, permanent markers, a Swiffer duster, and an altered notebook. Too cute!

I’m working on cards today for Scrapbook Mania. Hopefully, I’ll be able to share those tomorrow. I hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

Updates...

2008-06-03T05:48:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I hope everyone had a good Monday, if that’s possibleJ I spent the day with doctors being poked and prodded and displayed for all the world to see. I’m a modest person, so this is been a bit of a challenge. And when I got to St. Vincent’s for the breast MRI, the technician was male as was all the other technicians. Oh what fun! Anyway, all went well and now I get to sit back and wait for even more test results.

So, today I’m scrapping. I’m working on an Air Force layout for Reminisce and I’m loving these papers. I come from a long line of military men. My dad and one uncle were in the Air Force, another uncle in the Marines and yet another in the Army and I’ve got several great uncles and second cousins that were Navy. I’ve always been very patriotic and once I realized how many members of my family had served this great national, I realized where it comes from. I plan to finish this layout today along with another project I’m working on, so I’ll try and share those with you tomorrow.

My Brandon turns 16 on Sunday. I can’t believe it! Seems like yesterday he was starting Kindergarten and now he’s driving and buying a car. I couldn’t be more proud. He has worked really hard to save his money and pay for his own car, insurance and gas. Actually, both my teens are working this plan. Alex is working a full time job this summer getting up and starting at 6 am. He works until 2:30, but the 6 am thing is really tough. He and Brandon both are going to be great men, jus like their daddy. Brandon’s working at the grill today, so he’ll be cooking and cleaning until about 3. They both didn’t like the fact that we were making them pay for their own vehicle and the expense that goes along with it, but now that they’ve actually done it, they understand and are very proud of themselves. Barry and I have always thought if you want your children to become adults someday, you must train them and that includes them learning about paying your own way. It’s tough and sometimes you don’t always get what you want, but you always have what you need if you stick to the motto of paying your own way and paying cash.

Ok, enough from me. I’ll post a few pics of my projects tomorrow. Have a great Tuesday!

Self Examinations...

2008-06-02T08:53:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I hope everyone had a good weekend. Saturday was tough for me. Not sure why, just was, but Sunday was great and I’m feeling much better. I know I blogged about having an MRI on Wednesday, but unfortunately, the machine was down and they couldn’t do it. I go this afternoon for the MRI and this morning to meet with the Oncologist. I’ve got a few butterflies, but hey, it couldn’t be worse than the visit with the plastic surgeon. I was totally unprepared for the photos they take. I’ve come to realize that I shouldn’t give modesty a second thought because no one else does. I’m praying all me test results that I’m awaiting will come back good and this will be over with by the end of the year. I really, really hope I get to start 2009 fresh and not controlled by cancer.

I want to talk with you about something very important. Do you do breast exams? If not, please start. I’ve met so many women who found the cancer themselves and saved their own lives. Please don’t think because you’ve had clean mammograms or because your OBGYN hasn’t “felt anything” that you’re safe. I’m not saying you should go around worrying about breast cancer all the time, but once a month it should cross your mind. I don’t mean to preach or sound like a commercial, but this is so very important. Not only self examinations, but doing them correctly. I realized that all these years I had never had, nor done a COMPLETE breast exam. Did you know the breast tissue reaches all the way to the collarbone? Did you know you have breast tissue down each side of your rib cage? I had no idea? A breast exam should take about 5 minutes per breast and this includes the underarm area. The last time I was at my OBGYN’s office it took maybe two minutes tops and that’s for both and he’s never checked under my arms. I don’t want to offend anyone by this open and honest discussion, but this is something I feel most women are clueless about. Not because they don’t care, but because they’ve been given these rushed exams by doctors and told to check monthly and we assume our exam should mimic the doctors. Also, spend a few extra minutes on the left breast. Seventy-five percent of all breast cancers start in the left breast. No one knows why, but spend some extra time poking around there. And lastly, use lotion. The lotion helps your hands guide smoothly over the breast so you can feel even the smallest of growths or cysts.

For some women the fear of finding a lump is too great and they forgo the monthly breast exam. I understand this completely, especially know. I did my exam in May and was terrified because of what I found in April, but I have to admit, DEATH is a whole lot scarier than finding a lump. And remember, most lumps are benign.

Don’t be surprised if I blog about this every month for a while. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy, much less my friends, so if I sound preachy, sorry, but your life is so worth it! And please, if you have questions about self examinations, email me. I’m not an expert, but I can tell you I have learned the complete way to examine my breasts. I’ve shown my friends at church and they were shocked they had never been taught this. One of my friends said maybe I should hold a class. I had to smiled. A card class/breast examination class. Bring your scissors, paper trimmer, glue, lotion and hands! And don’t forget to wear a shirt that buttons in the front. Funny, huh? NOT, but you get the point.

Updates and Movies...

2008-05-29T06:45:00.001-07:00

Good Morning. Sorry it’s been so long since I blogged. I’ve been busy and with the kids home from school, even more so. Let’s get the health stuff out of the way first. I am scheduled for an MRI today….still waiting on the Genetic test result….meeting with the plastic surgeon on Friday and the Chemo doctor on Monday. Basically, I’m at the same place I was last time I blogged. This sitting around is driving me crazy. For someone who is such a control freak ( yes, I admit it ), I’m not in control of anything. It’s been exactly 1 month and 5 days since I found the lump. It seems like a lifetime ago. The MRI is to rule out any cancer in the other breast…wait…didn’t the PET scan do that? I’m so confused and ready to get going and get this over with. I want my life back. A life that wasn’t ruled by cancer. I want to spend more than 5 seconds without thinking about cancer and treatments and doctors. Sorry if I sound frustrated, but I am.

Okay..onto cheerier topics. Have you seen the new Narnia Movie? If not, you MUST. It’s so much better than the first and I really, really liked the first one, but this one is breathtaking. The scenery, the plot……just an all around GREAT movie. Too bad I can’t say that for the new Indiana Jones movie. Jared and Brandon really liked it, but the rest of us thought it was way too hokey and yes, I know, the others were also hokey, but this one went way out in left field. The one thing I really liked about the Indy movies is the Biblical artifacts he searched for. I wasn’t expecting an alien plot at all and, quiet frankly, it ruined the movie for me. I have always found the real crystal skulls to be amazing artifacts and would love to see them up close and personal. Even though I didn’t like the alien twist, there are some really funny parts in the movie and I liked the fact that Marion was in this one and the plot including her and the young “Indy” ends the series quiet nicely. But hey, who cares what I think, right? The movie will make tons of money and considering there aren’t that many family movies anymore, that’s great.

Well, I’m off to make breakfast and get kids here, there and everywhere so I can get to Birmingham for my test. I hope everyone has a great Thursday!

From long to short...

2008-05-22T14:23:00.000-07:00

Hi all! Whew! What a day I had! I became the human pin cushion at the oncologists office today. They needed blood to run the genetic tests and stuck me about 8 times before getting any. I’ve decided if I have the gene (BRCA1 or BRCA2) then I’m having them both taken off. Life is too short to worry about bumps in the boobs. Sorry, but that’s just the way it is. If I don’t have the gene, then it’s the one unless they find problems with the other. At any rate, surgery is a definite in my future as is chemo. With that said, I got a hair cut today to prepare my family, especially my 9 year old, for the inevitable. Now don’t everyone laugh at one time, but here it is.

Ok, enough sharing. It’s gonna take me a while to get used to the short hair. It was down my back with lots of curls this morning, so it’s a drastic change, but it’s just hair, right? I hope everyone has a great Thursday!

More updates...

2008-05-21T06:43:00.000-07:00

Good morning all. Like my new theme song? I usually don’t care for music on blogs….just takes it longer to download, but I figure I’m entitledJ I got the last test result yesterday and it was a good one. Right now I’m looking at surgery, 4 mos. of chemo and possibly radiation. Not too excited about any of it, but if it means I get to see my kids grow up, then I’ll take it.

I so much appreciate all the emails and prayers on my behalf. It’s made a huge difference in my life and words can’t express how I feel towards you all. I’m going to be ok. This little speed bump WILL NOT control my life forever.

I’ve scheduled an appointment to have my hair cut tomorrow. I’m getting a short and sassy style to prepare my boys for what’s to come. I figure if they have a month or so to get used to the short and sassy then when it all falls out it won’t be such a shock. It’s going to hard on Jared especially, but everyone tells me he’ll handle it better than I think. I sure hope so. I’m also hoping I’ll handle it better.

It’s amazing how important boobs and hair are in our society. Up until now, I’ve never noticed how important they seem to be. So, maybe I’ll get some new ones. Someone sent me this card as an attachment in email. It wasn’t the person who made it, but I appreciate the sentiment. The care was made by someone named Diane and I want to giver her a little shout out! Great card Diane!

Update...

2008-05-20T08:28:00.000-07:00

Hi all. I’m still waiting on a test result from the doctor and then I have to make my appt with an oncologist. My head’s in a fog this morning. I didn’t handle the doctor’s appointment as well as I thought I would and I finally had to take something to help me sleep, which now leaves me feeling hung over. Actually, I’m not sure if hung over is the right word since I’ve never had a hang over, but oh well.

I was told I would for sure have to have chemo and radiation. The thoughts of both terrify me, but the thoughts of not living are worse, so I will endure it. I’ve been questioning my strength a lot lately. I’ve always thought of myself as this strong, sure, independent woman. I now believe that was an act. I’m afraid. I’m not sure a strong, independent woman would be afraid, but I am. My stomach hurts all the time….I can’t eat or sleep. Not sure that’s so strong. But I know it will get better. I need to get out of the house I think. The last day of school for the kids is Thursday and I’m looking forward to having them here. They can be my distraction and hopefully I’ll have a few minutes to think about something else.

I’m also not sure a strong woman would cry this much. I’ve never been much of a cryer…is that a word? But the last few weeks that’s all I seem to do. A friend called and checked on me this morning and I cried on her shoulder. For some insane reason, I thought I would feel better after meeting with the doctor. I would know exactly what I need to do to take care of this, but in reality, I’m more scared now than I was before. What’s up with that? I know I’m going to be ok, but the fear just won’t let go. I’ve been told that I’m normal and to give it time and it will go away. I sure hope so.

I know I promised to share a little work with you today, but I just didn’t get it finished. Hopefully tomorrow. Take care.

News

2008-05-19T04:36:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine was busy. We had our annual hotdog roast/BBQ and had a great turnout. We planned to keep it small this year and still ended up with 68 people. But that’s ok with me, the more the merrier.

I’ve got news that I want to share with you. It’s not good news, but it’s not the end of the world either. Most of you have probably noticed that I haven’t posted much the last week. I wasn’t real sure what to say or if I should say anything at all, but so many of you have become such good friends that I felt I should let you all know what’s going on. And I want your prayers.

Three weeks ago I found a lump. I went to the doctor that same day and had all the normal procedures….mammogram, then another mammogram, an ultrasound…and ended up in a surgeons’ office. Over the course of three weeks, I’ve gone from being someone who worried about getting breast cancer to someone who is dealing with breast cancer. I was diagnosed last Monday. If you’ve never had this, then let me tell you, there are no words to describe the fear. I imagine it’s that way with any cancer. Just the word “cancer” makes my stomach lurch. But I’m ok. I had a PET scan last Wednesday and it showed that the cancer hasn’t spread. They still have to check my lymph nodes, but at least I know it’s not in my bones, pancreas, stomach, brain, etc. I’ve finally started breathing again. I go today to find out the exact course of treatment. The doctor mentioned a few more surgeries and “treatments”. I’m scared. I’m not afraid to admit that, but I think that’s normal.

This is very hard for me to share with you. I haven’t used the “cancer” word much because I still can hardly believe I have it. But I’m going to be ok. I have too many things I want to do. I still have to see my children graduate H.S., get through college, get married, and have me some fine little grand babies to love and play with. I’m determined and once I set my mind, I don’t give up. I’m a little afraid about the hair thing, not that mine’s all that, but it will be a shock and my 9 year old will struggle with it. But hey, I’ll get new hair and maybe new boobsJ

I also plan to keep right on scrapping and working with my teams. I figure the best medicine is to keep life as normal as possible and that’s what I plan to do. I’ll keep everyone updated on how I’m doing which is going to be boring for you because I plan to continue to do well, with God’s help. I questioned my faith, just a bit when I found out, but because I had so many prayers from so many people, I’ve done much better and it’s actually strengthened my faith. I will tell you this……there were lots of things that I thought were important, but in reality, they don’t even register. I have my family and I will have my health again, Lord willing, and in the scheme of things. Those are the most important.

Ok…I’m rambling, so I’ll leave you with all this to process. Please pray for me and my family and if you’ve experienced this before, let me know. I figure if all of you who have gone through this tell me what to expect, then I’ll not have so much to be afraid of. I’ll try and share a little work with you tomorrow. I’m planning on making a few things today. Thank you my friends!

Live Out Loud

2008-05-09T05:05:00.000-07:00

That’s just what my boys did last night. Alex and Brandon had their Spring Concert last night and they did great! Alex is such a natural on stage. He looks like he’s been playing bass all his life. Brandon had a solo and I must say Carlos Santana couldn’t have done better himself. Yea, I’m a little prejudiced, but in all honesty, they are really great musicians. Must run in their genes, huh? Jared had a blast. He bopped and rocked the whole time. Even before the Jazz band got up, he was rockin’ out with the Symphonic band. We think he’s going to be a drummer. Yes, I know most parents cringe, but, if the kid’s got it, then it’s worth the noise and from the time he’s was just a babe, we knew he had it. He has the best timing of anyone in the family and that’s saying a lot considering we all play. Sorry, I know I’m bragging, but I’m a momma and I can do that.

Here’s my altered journaling I made using the Live Out Loud papers from Reminisce. These papers are perfect for teens and I love the beads on the bookmark. They worked out great. The book also has a closure using fibers and an oversized brad. Ok…enough from me. I hope everyone has a great Thursday!

A New Project...

2008-05-08T04:08:00.001-07:00

Good morning! I hope everyone had a good Wednesday. We’re on the downhill slope now, just getting ready for the weekend. I’m sitting her listening to the birds chirp and our baby goats cry. They’re looking for Mommy, who is probably asleep by the pond. This is a morning ritual with them. About 5:45 every morning, they cry and cry until Mommy wakes up and then she “talks” to them until they find her. Baby goats are funny little beings. They’ll follow the crowd until they’re sleepy and then they just drop wherever they are for their nap. Of course, the mature goats keep moving, so when baby wakes up, they’re alone. Goats do not do alone. So we are serenaded every time they take their naps. Too cute!

Anyway, here’s one of the projects I promised. It’s an altered prom purse using the Reminisce Prom/Graduation line. It turned out really cute and I love the sparkle on it. I hope everyone has a great Thursday!

Field Trip Fun...

2008-05-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

Hey out there. I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I’ve been working on a few Reminisce projects and they’re turned out super cute. I made an altered Prom Purse and an altered Journal. I’ll share those with you in the next few days.

Today, I wanted to share Jared’s field trip with you. We had a great time at the Birmingham Zoo. There were tons of people, but the kids really had fun and the animals were great. I was a little disappointed they didn’t have bears and rhino’s, but they had the cutest baby kangaroo you’ve ever seen. Anyway, here’s a few photos of our fun outing. Have a blessed Wednesday!

A New Week....

2008-05-06T05:29:00.001-07:00

Good morning! I hope everyone had a great weekend. We worked on my studio and in a couple of days I’ll be painting! Woo Hoo! I can’t wait to have an organized space. Of course, as my dh reminds me regularly, once I start creating in there, it won’t be so organized, but that’s ok. To me a messy desk/worktable is a sign of a creative mind. Oh well, that’s what I tell myself anyway.

I thought I’d share a few cards I made using papers from One Heart One Mind. I love their Formality line, it’s one of the best black and white lines I’ve ever worked with. I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Me again....

2008-05-01T06:19:00.000-07:00

Good morning! Now, don’t everyone fall over at once. I know this is three days in a row for me to blog and yes, it’s quiet shocking, but I’ve been in a creative mood lately. I have another layout to share. I made this using Daisy Bucket’s Bloomin’ Paislies paper line. The sketch for this layout came from the Paper Trunk Blog. I believe Janelle sketched it.

Anywho, here’s the layout. I hope everyone has a great Thursday!

Pageframes Goodness....

2008-04-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

Good morning. Sorry to be getting such a late start. I’ve been busy cleaning and folding laundry. One of those necessary evils if you have people living in your house…..especially boys. They are NOT very neat sometimes.

Anyway, I promised to share my Pageframes album with you this morning. It turned out beautifully! I love working with clear mediums. There’s no limit as to what one can do with it, just remember whatever you put on the acrylic will be seen from BOTH sides, so if it bothers you seeing the back of photos, rubons, etc, you make sure you use appropriate products. The Fancy Pants papers I used were perfect since they are double sided. I also love the Fancy Pants rubons, but as you can tell, some of them are white on the opposite side, so I had to be creative and find a way to blend that in.

Ok, enough rambling. Here’s the album….I hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

Busy Bee

2008-04-29T05:06:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I hope everyone had a good weekend. We spent the weekend hanging dry wall in our new bathroom and in my new studio. I’m so excited to finally have a room that doesn’t have glow-in-the-dark stars painted on the wall. Don’t get me wrong, the room I’m in now is wonderful compared to the dining room table that I used to work on, but it will be great having a space that’s set up just for me.

I’ve also been working on VBS for this year and getting ready to teach a card class at Hobby Lobby. I’ve been doing this all in between doctor’s appointments. Anyway, off to take Jared to school and then home to work. I’ll leave you with a cute little Father’s Day bag and card. The second project is the flyer I made for my class at Hobby Lobby. I don’t do much digital, but this turned out really cute. I think I may have to delve into the digital a little more. I’m working on a clear Page Frames album for India at Scrapbook Mania. I’ll finish it up today and share it with you tomorrow. Have a great Tuesday!

Happenings...

2008-04-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

Hey out there! I hope everyone had a great week and weekend. The kids were out of school for spring break, so we just hung out and did nothing. My kind of week. I taught a tear bear class on Saturday and had a great time! Those gals from Scrapbook Mania are a hoot! That’s pretty much all I did all week.

I’ve been working on VBS the last few days. Our theme is Heroes of Faith. I’m having fun, but it’s lots of work. I can’t wait to see it all finished and the rooms completed. Decorating is always the hardest part, but it’s the most fun too. The kids love it and if a kid is having fun and learning at the same time….well, you can’t ask for more than that.

I’ve also been fighting the pollen. I finally went to the doctor today with a doozey of a sinus infection. I love the springtime, but the pollen this year has really bothered me. I’m sure I’ll be feeling better soon, but for now, I’m dragging a bit.

Anyway, I’ll share a few projects with you made using some of the One Heart One Mind papers. Hope you have a great week!

Spring Break and SNOW!

2008-04-14T06:16:00.000-07:00

Okay….today’s the first day of our Spring Break and we have SNOW! What is up with that? It’s only flurries, but still….it’s supposed to be warm during Spring Break. So, Jared and I plan to bundle up and head into town to rent a few movies. I’m not sure what else we’re supposed to do. The park or any other outdoor activity is nixed. It’s going to warmer in a few days, so we’ll plan our outside play for then. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a little work. Maybe my sunny layout will bring the sun our way. Hope everyone has a great Monday!

Some Eye Candy

2008-04-10T04:12:00.001-07:00

Not much going on today, but wanted to share a few fun projects I've been working on lately. The layout was made using Reminisce papers and the cards with papers from One Heart One Mind. I hope everyone has a great Thursday!

Jet Setters by Reminisce

2008-04-07T10:43:00.001-07:00

Hey out there! I hope you’re having a great Monday so far. I’ve had a busy one. I wanted to share a couple of projects I just finished using the new Reminisce Jet Setters. These are awesome triple layered stickers and are available for all states and a bunch of countries. If you’re like me and you have tons of vacation photos to scrap, these are perfect. They add a lot to a page and they’re great for a quick 3D textured embellishment.

Hangin' Out

2008-04-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone has had a great weekend so far. Mine started out with a storm that knocked power out for thousands and caused downtown Cullman to shut down for a day due to a gas spill and downed power lines and trees. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

Since Barry and the older boys were in Atlanta for a Jazz band trip, Jared and I took advantage of a weekend alone, and went to the movies. We hardly ever go to the movies because one; it’s so expense , and two; there’s hardly every anything suitable for families to see. We went to see Nim’s Island. It’s a good movie and I highly recommend it, especially if you have any children who don’t like to read. Nim’s a reader in the movie and, by showing how exciting reading can be, Jared is now more excited about books. It’s a great adventure movie for kids and adults both. I really enjoyed it. I was also excited there weren’t a lot of “bad words” as Jared calls them.

Certain words are the number one reason we avoid movies. We own a TV Guardian and really like the fact that we can watch a movie and anything the kids shouldn’t hear will be blocked out. There are some words we don’t allow our children to use and we don’t use, either in private or in public. I believe words can be a powerful thing and some words tear down, humiliate, and even destroy. Why use them? Yes, I know the kids hear them at school, but I can’t control that. I can however, control what they hear at home and I believe it’s important to set an example. I’ve never liked the “do as I say, not as I do” rule. If I don’t want my kids using certain words, then I shouldn’t. Plain and simple.

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend. I’ll leave you with a few projects I’ve worked on recently using some of the great papers from One Heart One Mind. Take care!

MOJO? Anyone seen it?

2008-04-03T07:10:00.000-07:00

I sure haven’t. Mine has been gone a few days. I’ve been working on a card for 2 days. Yes…the SAME card. I finally put it down and decided to move on. I hate days like this. Part of the problem is I have so many things to do…mainly VBS! It’s amazing how much there is to do for just one week of VBS. I’m constantly thinking about the “to do” list. Even in my sleep. Which probably explains the massive headache I have this morning. It’s a migraine and it’s going to be a doozey. I love that word. Reminds me of my Grandmother.

Anywho……I’m rambling. I really don’t have much to write about this morning, just wanted to share a project or two with you. Do you know anyone who’s graduating this year? If so, then the new Grad papers from Reminisce are a MUST. They’re beautiful and multi-functional…which I love. I hope you enjoy your Thursday and remember…….the weekend soon cometh! Take care!

World Autism Awareness

2008-04-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

Today is World Autism Awareness Day. Autism is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person's ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and is often accompanied by extreme behavioral challenges. Autism Spectrum Disorders (Aspergers, Rett’s, Disintegrative) are diagnosed in one in 150 children in the U.S. and has increased tenfold in the last decade. There will be more children diagnosed with Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorders than with aids, childhood diabetes and cancer combined. Recently, England and Ireland reported that autism is affecting one in 58 individuals.

Do you know someone with Autism? If so, please learn more here and please become involved. Every child deserves a chance.

Catch Up

2008-03-31T06:44:00.000-07:00

Yep, that’s what I’m playing everyday. Have you ever seen one of those signs on someone’s desk that reads “One can’t die until they’re caught up….at this rate, I’m going to live forever.”? This sorta describes my life. I’m still working on VBS stuff. There’s so much to do and, unfortunately, not enough of me to do it all, so last night we handed out a few assignments. My husband is great when it comes to delegating. He has a knack for getting people to work, even when they say they don’t want to.

I’ve been working on projects too, and have a few to share with you. I love Springtime in Alabama and can’t wait to get my camera out and capture the beauty of a flower, but we have been under the clouds for days. I’m hoping for some sun today, just to perk things up around here.

Oh well, that’s all for now. Here’s a few fun projects I’ve been working on.

A Few Projects....

2008-03-21T06:40:00.001-07:00

Yes, I’m a bad blogger. I really meant to update Monday, but I’ve been working on developing VBS materials for June. It’s a huge undertaking and I’ve only scratched the surface. Anyway, I’ll share a few projects with you and hopefully get back on track next week with my blogging. Have a great Easter weekend!

Weekend of Fun

2008-03-10T07:06:00.000-07:00

Good morning! Sorry I didn’t get to my blog last week. It was really hectic here. Believe it or not, we had snow Saturday morning! My poor Daffodil’s were slumped over like they had been in a wind storm. It didn’t last long, but a half inch of snow in March is unheard of for our part of the country. Thanks to everyone who came to the card class and Disney album class on Saturday. As usual, it was a total blast. I enjoyed meeting new friends and finally meeting Maelynn.

I promised a look at our new CD cover. The name of our band is Avenue G. We’ve moved away from country music and we’re now doing 70’s and 80’s classic rock/pop. I’m enjoying this genre so much more than country. Don’t get me wrong, I like country music, but the 70’s and 80’s rock is what I grew up on, so I’m feeling young again, just a little, but hey….who doesn’t want to feel young, right?

Ok…enough rambling. Here’s a look at our new CD cover. Also, I’ve posted the instructions for the card class that I taught on Saturday, since we didn’t have time to finish all 5 cards. You can also find the instructions at Scrapbook Mania. Have a great Monday everyone!

2008-03-03T06:25:00.000-08:00

Monday already? My weekend flew by. Maybe I should say it “flu” by. As you know Jared had strep and flu last week, and then I got it on Thursday. I felt terrible all weekend, but to make matters worse, Barry got sick on Saturday and I had to take him to urgent care. Yep, you guessed it…..he has the flu also! The temp here yesterday was in the 70’s and I opened the windows. Hopefully some fresh air will get those “sick germs” out of here.

I’m headed to Scrapbook Mania today to put together the items for the Card Club class and the Disney album class next Saturday. I think there’s still a few slots open for both, so if you live in the area, just contact the store and they’ll sign you up. We will have a blast!

I’m off and running this morning trying to catch up from being sick. Here’s a few more Reminisce items made for Winter CHA using their new Tropical Elements papers and stickers.
Next time, I’ll share our new CD cover with you. We finally have our demo CD ready for distribution and we chose our band name. I hope everyone has a great day!

SNOW!?!?!?

2008-02-27T05:12:00.000-08:00

It’s supposed to be Spring, right? I mean, I have daffodil’s blooming and my tulips are sprouting. Oh well, I guess someone needs to tell Ol’ Man Winter because he came through here yesterday and left us a little snow. I’m in the South, so when I say a little, I mean very little, but still…..it’s downright COLD!

We finally made it to the doctor’s office and poor Jared has the flu and Strep. This poor kid can’t win. He’s also lost 3 ½ pounds since his last visit and this has us somewhat concerned. In case you don’t know his history; he weighed 82 pounds in Nov. of ’06 and by June of ’07 weighed only 52.5 pounds. He’s at 55 right now. A little weight loss is really nothing to worry about in kids, but we’re talking a major percentage of his body weight gone. He was a chunky little thing at 82 pounds and could have lost 10 and been perfect, but now he looks like skin and bones. He has been treated for 3 separate parasites and we think he may have another. We’re headed back to the gastro doc in Birmingham next week and he will go back to the pediatrician in 3 weeks. I know he’s ready for a break from all the doctors and who can blame him? As far as the parasites are concerned we have no idea where he’s getting them or how. The doctors keep telling us that some people are more susceptible than others and he’s just one of those people. What I want to know is how to get rid of them and keep him from getting more. They can’t seem to tell us that just yet. So for now, we do what we’ve been doing since last June. We wait for more test results.

Ok, enough sick talk. I promised to share a few CHA projects. Here’s a couple using the new Reminisce My Jungle Safari papers and stickers. I hope everyone has a blessed day!

Spring...sorta

2008-02-25T11:10:00.001-08:00

Ok, I’ve had my flower of the new Spring season and I’m so enjoying it. Maybe this means the end of the “sick season”. We’ve been hit hard this year with flu, strep and all sorts of ailments. I’m really, really ready for spring. In fact, I’m hitting the redial button as I’m typing this hoping to get Jared in to see the doctor. He has Strep yet again and I’m afraid he may have the flu to go along with it. He’s the last one that needs to be sick in the family.

Now you know why I’ve been away since December….did I mention we’ve been sick a lot? I did manage to get all my CHA projects finished and I’ll share those with you over the next few days, hopefully. That is one of the promises I’ve made myself lately…..I’m not going to stress myself out over updating my blog daily. In fact, I’ve made quiet a few changes of late. No longer will I allow myself to become so stressed over paper and glue. Have any of you ever done that? I mean really, scrapbooking is supposed to be fun and relaxing, right? Not to say I don’t enjoy working with design teams and different manufacturers, because I do. What stressed me out was my procrastination…..my being totally unorganized. So, I’m working on both. I’m getting projects done way ahead of time and I’m trying to get my scraproom under control. I’m not completely through, I’m still in the purging stage, but it’s better.

Ok…enough rambling. I promised to share a few projects and today I’m going to start with a mini album. I’m teaching a class on this little book March 8 at Scrapbook Mania in Birmingham. If you’re in the area, come and join us. We have way too much fun hanging out there. We laugh and laugh and laugh and, oh yeah, we do a little scrapping too.

I'm back!

2007-12-27T07:12:00.000-08:00

Good morning! No, I didn’t drop off the face of the earth or run away from home, though the thought has crossed my mindJ We’ve had a hectic December booked full with shows. In fact, I didn’t even get my tree up until 12/15. Thankfully the shows and parties are over and I can breathe again. We don’t have a show booked for New Years Eve, so we’re going to the Trans Siberian Orchestra concert. Finally! I get to hear a band instead of being the band. I can’t wait!

We had a great Christmas here full of family and food. I hope you all got to enjoy the same. Sometimes, we all get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season, we forget to take the time and truly enjoy the people and the things we have. I am guilty of this, so this year, I made a change. After opening the gifts, we each had take a minute and list some things/people we are thankful for. My husband and I didn’t exchange gifts this year, since we bought our land and will be building our house soon. I have to admit, it was nice to sit back and watch the kids with their gifts’ and it was truly a nice surprise that the boys remembered us and got me and Dad a little something each. We have such sweet boys! But the best part was the things they are truly thankful for. I don’t think they were very comfortable when they first heard we were going to do this, but they participated and the older boys both agreed it was the best part of the day. I had to laugh at a few of the things on their lists. My oldest, just to name a few; the extra bathroomJ, his height and a Mom and Dad that teach him the bible. My middle son; His little brother who thinks he’s the coolest, which he is you knowJ, his mechanical pencils and our church. My youngest; his medicine, even though it tastes bad, the History channel, tickle time with Dad and the cream cheese yummies Mommy makes. They all three had lots of other people and things on their lists, but these were some that tugged at my heart and made me realize we are raising some fine young men.

Ok, enough sap from me. I’ll do better with the blog now that things have calmed down. I’ll try and share a few creations with you in the next few days. I’ve got some things made with some of the new Reminisce papers and they are to die for. If you like bling, then these will be a must have. I hope everyone has a great day!

My Ramblings

2007-11-26T06:12:00.000-08:00

Sigh.......I love the Christmas season, but you know, it seems some of the magic has been lost over the last several years because we start the season the day after Thanksgiving. I also think some of the magic of Thanksgiving has been lost because of this same trend. Frankly, I find it sad that I can buy my Halloween and Christmas decorations all on the same day. Does anyone else ever feel this way?

Anywho....we had a great Thanksgiving Holiday, as I hope all of you did. We spent 3 wonderful days doing absolutely nothing and that's the way I like it. We walked on the beach some; it was really cold, so we couldn't stay out very long. We took Jared to the USS Alabama on Friday and I have to tell you, for a kid who loves everything history, it was pure heaven. He said several times, "I can't believe we're walking on so much history!". I find it somewhat fascinating that an 8 year old boy can be so turned on by history.

I have to tell you what he did when we first arrived. Out in front of the ship there are several tanks ranging from WWII era to current and in front of the tanks are cement markers with information. You know, how much they weigh, how many rounds they shoot, etc. Well, I noticed Jared pulling weeds next to one of them. They were yellow flowering weeds, so to him they were flowers. He took a handful and placed them in front of the markers. When I asked him what he was doing, he said "I'm remembering all the people who died in the wars Mom.". Okay, so they were just information markers, but to him, they were so much more. I took a picture of him placing them next to the last marker. He was so serious about it all and it truly touched my heart that he understands people died for us; for our freedoms, our liberty, our happiness. To most it probably seems like a silly gesture, but I was very proud of him.

He loved going through the ship and seeing all the "old school tools" as he called them. They show a 15 minute movie and, of course, we had to sit through it twice. He had a great time and so did we. As we were leaving the ship, he wanted to know if we could go back next vacation.

Anyway, I guess I'd better get to work. I'll leave you with a few photos of Jared enjoying the USS Alabama visit. I really like the photo of him and Barry. Too sweet!

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T05:32:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for all we have. Our friends and family, our freedom and our homes. My family and I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. May God bless each and everyone of you.

Checking In.....

2007-11-20T04:22:00.000-08:00

Good Tuesday morning to you. Yes, I’ve been absent lately, doing Mom things for the boys and practicing with the band for a show on 12/13. I had several new songs to learn and between closings for the new land and the kids, I’ve been swamped. I kind of have the songs under control now, I think:)

We had a great time at the Christmas Open House/Customer Appreciation Day at Scrapbook Mania. I met tons of wonderful people and we had a blast laughing and scrapping and eating. Mostly laughing. They are a great bunch of gals.

I’m working on a few assignments right now and with Thanksgiving approaching and my trip just one day away, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. The kids will be out of school tomorrow, so I’m hoping they sleep late and I can finish up my projects. I’m working on 2 layouts and a recipe flip book. I’ll share them when I’m through.

We’re going out of town for Thanksgiving. No big family dinner, no cooking for hours and then cleaning for days, just us and the beach. I’m looking forward to sitting around and doing nothing for a few days. I can’t wait! I’m a little nervous about how the WHOLE family is going to take the fact that we “skipped out on Thanksgiving”, as my Mom put it, but this will be our only time for a while to take Jared to the beach and he’s only 8 once. He loves the beach. In fact, I can’t even began to describe how much he loves the beach. I love hearing it, but hate the sand part. He, on the other hand, loves everything about it. With us selling our house in the spring and, hopefully, building a new house next summer, we won’t be taking the family vacation as we normally do, so this was our chance to go. November is a wonderful time to go to the beach. Not many people, tons of shells and it’s quiet. Besides, it’s not like my Mom does anything for Thanksgiving anyway. She usually just calls and I told her cell phones work at the beach just like home:)

Ok, that’s it from me, I’ve got to get breakfast going and the kids up for school. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to post my work before we leave. In the meantime, here’s a few cards I’ve made the last week or so. Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Happenings....

2007-11-13T04:16:00.000-08:00

Good Tuesday morning to ya! Sorry to be MIA for so long. We’ve been under the weather here and it’s taking a while to get everyone back to normal. I’m the last to get sick and I still feel kind of yucky. I’ve had a sore throat for over a week and a half now. But I’m on the mend, I think.

Anyway, lots has been happening in the scrapping world and I’ve missed most of it. I want to give a shout out to my very good friend Dawne Ivey who is going to have a layout published in Scrapbooks Etc. It’s her favorite magazine and she is super excited. Congrats to you my friend!

If you live in the Birmingham, AL area please drop in at Scrapbook Mania Saturday, Nov. 17TH, 9am – 6pm for their Christmas Open House and Customer Appreciation Day. There will be food, fun and a cute little make-n-take. We hope to see you there!

In the meantime, I worked a little over the weekend with Scrapbook Mania’s November Kit. Here’s a few items I made and I have product to spare. That’s always a plus with any kit. I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Ramblings & Photos

2007-11-01T04:13:00.001-07:00

Good Thursday morning! Today’s the day! I get to spend an entire day at the largest craft show in Alabama and hang out with two of my best friends. I can’t wait! If you live close to Birmingham and have never been to Christmas Village, then you’ve missed out. So, if you get a chance, drop in at the civic center and be prepared to spend the entire day. It’s so worth it.

We didn’t celebrate Halloween yesterday since we had the big party last Friday night, but I wanted to share a fun photo from then. The first is of Ms. Georgia, she won the adult contest and was adorable, in a scary kind of way. The second is of Jared, Caleb and Maggie. Jared was the mummy and he was just a cutie. And last is Jeremy, he didn’t dress up so and they have no children yet so, he had to judge and wear the dreaded judges hat. I bet next year, he’ll dress up. I hope everyone has a great Thursday!

Blue Tuesday

2007-10-30T06:46:00.001-07:00

Ever had one of those weeks where you really don’t want to do anything? I don’t want to be in my scraproom; I don’t want to clean (of course, I never want to do that); I don’t want to go out; I really just don’t know what I want to do. I have the blahs and the blues at the same time and that’s not a good place for me to be. I’m normally a fairly cheerful person. You know, the glass is half full and all that, but several things have happened lately, mostly industry related, and a little bit has been spilled from my glass. I figure there are lots of you out there feeling the same way. I’m not visiting the message boards much, because I really don’t want to read or even know about any more drama.

Anyway, I’m off to exercise. I hate it, but I always feel better afterwards. And then, I might do a little laundry and make a card or two or I might just find a book and read. I am looking forward to Thursday. I’m headed to Birmingham to the largest craft who in the state. I go every year, walk for the entire day and have a blast!

I’m also getting ready to teach an acrylic layout and card class on Saturday at Scrapbook Mania. If you live in the Birmingham area and would like to come, check out the Scrapbook Mania site for all the details.

Ok, off to exercise. I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Rules, Rules, Rules

2007-10-24T04:59:00.000-07:00

Good morning to you! The saga behind the whole CK/HOF fiasco continues. Sigh…….Anyway, today, hopefully, will be my last mention of it for a while. You noticed I didn’t say I would NEVER mention it again. I’m like that. I learned a long time ago to never say never.

So, I want to rant a little. I’m sure I will be accused of preaching, but hey, it IS my blog, so if I wanna preach, I’ll preach. Based on several emails I received from a couple of people and a some investigating I did on my own, it seems some information “somehow” found it’s way from a private message board to several public boards. Basically, someone copied and pasted one or more threads from a private board, and then shared them with others on some very public boards. What amazes me about this the most is the same person or persons who did this are the same people out there screaming their heads off about people “breaking the rules” in the HOF contest. Hello!?

My Granny (a wealth of information and fun little sayings) had a saying about stones and glass houses and that little saying fits the latest in the CK/HOF saga to a T. Whoever leaked the information has no problem calling others out for rule breaking whether they have proof or not, but seem to have completely forgotten the rules of the private message board they joined. In order to join the private board, they had to agree to follow several rules, one of which was to NOT share any information put on the board. Some have said this rule is stupid…..their words….not mine. Some have said the CK photo rule was a stupid rule….again their words…not mine. I happen to think the speed limit on a certain Highway through my town is stupid, but if I break rule and drive faster, and then get pulled over I WILL be getting a ticket and I would deserve one. The same person or persons that broke the rule on the private board, would no doubt punish their child if they broke a rule at school and ended up sitting in the principal’s office.

See where I’m going with all this? Yes, a message board is public information and even a private message board is somewhat public, though not as much. I certainly believe one has to be very careful if commenting on either. But that’s not what my complaint is about. It’s about breaking the rules and those who pick and choose who is and who is not allowed to break them. Some of you will say “but that was a small rule….HOF was a huge rule and others got hurt”. Really? So, now we can pick and choose the rules we’re going to break based on how much money is involved and whether or not people get hurt? Do you really believe people didn’t get hurt when information from a private board was shared with the public? Or maybe we can justify some rule breaking because “scrap celebrities” should be held to a higher standard? I SAY BALONEY to that! Before you all get those proverbial panties in a wad…..yes, I have broken rules before. Who hasn’t? I will say, it’s been a very long time, even years…pretty much before my children were born. I grew up. How can I expect my children to be obedient and follow rules if I’m not going to. So, the essence of all this is don’t break the rules. And, even more important, be careful when you start pointing fingers at others who have broken rules or you think have broken rules, especially if you’re breaking the rules to expose them.

Enough ranting from me. I’m off to clean my house and hide out in my scrap room for the day. Carry on!

Enough Already!

2007-10-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I’ve been MIA lately. I’ve had lots on my plate and Jared had tons of tests last week in Birmingham. He is so tired of being poked and prodded and who can blame him? For now, we’re taking a month and watching his diet. The Gastro doctor wants him to gain 5 pounds. I’m shoving food down him like mad, but he isn’t interested. I’m thinking of bribing him after school with a Happy Meal. You can’t find food with more fat than Mickey D’s fries. Anyway, Jared is saying, “Enough already” to all the tests.

I’m saying it in regards to the HOF controversy. Before everyone goes and gets there panties in a wad, I agree rules were broken and CK has some decisions to make, but must we discuss it everyday, all day long? I stand behind my original idea: STOCK PHOTOS. I hope someone at CK is listening, because I truly believe this is the answer to all their problems. Some have said that those winning HOF, or SOY for that matter, should be a complete package; great at scrapping, photography, story telling, etc. For the most part I agree, but let’s think about this. If someone enters and wins HOF based on their scrapping and story telling abilities, don’t you think they’re smart enough to recognize a good photo when they take it? Of course they are. HOF is NOT a photography contest. Or is it? It seems to me that’s what it’s becoming. By using stock photos, it becomes a scrapping contest again. I had a friend of mine over for lunch last week and she was looking through her CK mag she had received several days earlier. She scraps, just for herself, and is definitely not a “trend scrapper”. She told me she was planning to cancel her subscription because she wasn’t interested in making layouts with one photo or making layouts in which she had to “stage” her photos. She wants real life photos on layouts and she’s not getting is from CK. Her words were, “I can’t afford a professional photographer every time my kid loses a tooth, has a birthday or plays in the pool. Where’s the pages of real people doing real things?” Woo Hoo? CK? Are you listening?

This is the NUMBER ONE problem with some magazines manufacturers today. The NUMBER ONE reason why so many care closing their doors. The average scrapper wants inspiration from people like themselves. It’s like watching a cooking show. I love to watch them and sometimes will grab my pen and write down a recipe. Now, if a professional chef in white hat and apron is in some big, fancy commercial kitchen doing his thing, I don’t even watch, much less write down the recipe. I figure I don’t even have half the spices and stuff he’s using, so why bother. It’s the same with scrapping. They want new ideas and inspiration, and, in most cases, pages that wow them, but they want it on there level.

I think I should write a book, “How to “Trend Scrap” With Patterned Paper and Stickers”. I do believe it would be a guaranteed success!

Exciting News!

2007-10-16T06:48:00.000-07:00

Whew! I wasn't sure if I could hold out much longer. I can finally share my exciting news! Looky here: http://reminisce.typepad.com/

Woo Hoo! More later;)

CK Saga.....

2007-10-15T06:27:00.000-07:00

It’s Monday all right! I’m having one of those days. You know the kind…..when you feel it will be Monday all week. I hate weeks like that. I have tons to do and I already feel as if I’m behind.

I think we may have found our land! Yippee! I’m not going to get to excited. The last time I thought we had found land didn’t work out and so, this time, I don’t want to be so disappointed. I’m still a little scared about building a house. You know, tons of work, living in a rental for a while, but hey, I’m sure I can manage. Even if we buy the land, we haven’t fully decided to build a new house. We really like the one we have, we just need a little more room.

I’ve not commented on CK and the HOF issue since the beginning because I really wanted to see how it would all play out. I don’t believe it’s over yet, but I’m still not sure what CK will do. In face, they may just bury their heads in the sand and hope, that over time, it will all go away.

I’ve said on several occasions that stock photos would solve their problem. Now I know lots of people disagree with me, and that’s ok, I think we should be allowed to express our opinions, even if they differ. I also want to give you some reasons of why I think stock photos would be a good idea.

First, let me ask you a question. How many people entering HOF use photos they’ve taken here and there vs. staged photos? Now, obviously, we’ll never know that answer, but I would be willing to bet, and I think it would be a very safe bet, to say the majority of people entering this contest stage pretty much all the photos. Now, let me make this very clear…..I SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea here, I have no problem with staged photos. I know some of you do, but personally, I don’t. Now, the number one reason why most people don’t like the stock photo idea is because they feel the “story would be missing”. But would it? Let’s say CK chose 50 stock photos for everyone person entering the contest to use. You wouldn’t have to use them all, just pick and choose. Journaling would be a must. Ok…..I’m about to say something I’m sure I will be flamed for, but hey, I can have an opinion right? Any scrapper worth their salt would be able to scrap the stock photos, tell a story behind the photo and journal….and make it believable. There, I’ve said it.

Before anyone gets upset here, let me ‘splain…no let me sum up. (I love that movie!) If the photos for the HOF layouts were staged, then wasn’t the “story behind the photos” staged also? Of course they were. So, what’s the difference? If stock photos were used, then the scrappers would be staring on a level playing field. Not everyone can afford a super great camera. And I know enough about photography to know, a great camera makes better pictures. I’ve had cheap camera’s and then there’s my digital camera. It’s like comparing apples to oranges. So, give them great photos and then see who can make them even better. Isn’t that what the contest is about?

I know some of you will say the contest is about preserving memories. But really, if the majority of the scrappers entering the contest are staging the photos, then it isn’t about preserving memories is it? I also must say, I feel for those people who entered the contest and won. The gals who worked their tails off, followed the rules and had the guts to step out there. I applaud those women and their work. I would love to hear your thoughts and comments.

The CK Buzz

2007-10-10T05:56:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I’ve gotten a couple of emails from some folks wanting to know what I thought about the CK debacle going on. Honestly, I had to do some reading because I had no idea what was happening. Yes, my week has been a blur. Anyway, I read the threads and visited around several sites to see what was being talked about.

Basically, the rules stated that all photos had to be taken by the person scrapbooking the page/pages. In other words, you couldn’t use a photo taken by your husband, kid, mother, etc or stock photos. It seems someone did use a layout with a photo taken by someone other than himself or herself and it was overlooked by CK. The person or persons, I’m still not clear on this one, ended up winning. I’m sure lots of people who entered feel this is terribly unfair.

The emails I received wanted to know what I thought of all this. I believe, in all this, the real meaning of why we create pages has been lost. Now bear with me on this, because I’m a little cloudy today and I’m afraid I may ramble a bit. Part of the contest was “Photo Expertise” and this is the problem. When is a photograph an exceptional one? For this to have been fair, the photograph would have to be an exceptional one at the time the photo was taken. If the photo was good, but then photo shopped to make it better, then does it still fall under the category of “Photo Expertise” or should it fall under the category of “Photo SHOPPED Expertise”? See my point?

Honestly, I’m not sure I understand the premise behind the contest. At first, I believe it was about scrapbooking, but now I’m not so sure. I don’t mean any of this in a negative way. It’s CK’s contest and they can make whatever rule they want and, if I want to enter, I have to understand that and play by the rules. But really, I believe contests like this alienate most scrappers. I really would like to ask them “What makes a scrapbook page great?” Is it the exceptional photography? Is it some great and new technique? Is it the creative way an embellishment was used? Personally, I think first and foremost the page should tell a story. Not a novel, but there should be some idea behind why the page was scrapped in the first place. If I have to take a photography class to make a “great scrapbook page”, then I’ve lost the meaning of why I’m scrapping and I’m alienating the majority of scrappers. I do think the photo is important and should be considered, but I also think the whole package is the answer.

I really wanted to enter HOF, but, for me, the photography rules were a bit much. I take tons of photos, but not of myself. I must say, however, this rule alone did not keep me from entering. I had other obligations with design teams and some freelance work that I was committed to and that comes first. If I can’t give 100% then I’m not going to do it, and I didn’t have 100% to give at the time. I also have a very active family. I’m also chicken. I admit it. I can take criticism of my work, but I’m not willing to put my family out there like that. So, I’ll stick with my few design teams, submit my work for publication and go from there.

Girls' Getaway

2007-10-08T08:35:00.000-07:00

Good Monday morning! I’ve always thought that saying is an oxy-moron, but I’ll use it anyway. So, I had a great weekend get-a-way with all my girl friends. We ate and shopped and ate and shopped and slept (but only a little) and ate. It was so much fun! Oh, did I mention we ate? Yes, I think I gained about 10 pounds, but you know, you only live once and so we threw the diet out the window of our 3rd story hotel room and made reservations for Buca de Beppo’s. Of course, 4 hours later we had to hit Krispy Kreme’s for hot donuts. I needed all that like I need another hole in my head, but as I said, you only live once and we were living it up. My friend Georgia was there. She’s 74 years young and we all had a hard time keeping up with “Georgia the shopping Queen”, as she likes to call herself. She summed up the weekend perfectly, “Good friends, good food and great deals….what more could a girl ask for? Well, besides George Clooney.” She’s got such a way with words, don’t ya think? I can’t wait until next year’s trip:)

Today, I’m back on the diet train. I’m sure I’ll be making lots of rounds around the “track” to work off what I ate this weekend, but that’s ok. Tonight it’s baked Tilapia with fresh veggies, so I’m good. I haven’t gotten a thing done in the last few days, so my house is in dire need of some cleaning. Guess I’d better get to it. In the meantime, here’s a little work from last week. DH snapped these photos when Jared was 4 days old. I so miss those days! I hope everyone has a great Monday!

Feeling Spring(y)?

2007-10-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

I am! Good morning to you! I hope everyone is having a great week so far. I can’t believe it’s Wednesday already. I’m getting ready to go out of town on Friday and Saturday for a shopping trip with some friends of mine. I can’t wait! It’s just the girls and we shop, literally, until we drop. We’re headed to Franklin, TN to the Cool Springs area. That’s one of my favorite places to go. In fact, my husband and I have talked about moving there in a few years. It’s beautiful and closer to Nashville, which is great for his songwriting.

Before I forget, check out my Ebay listings. I just listed another large lot of scrap supplies. I’m still trying to decide how to list my paper. It weighs a ton and shipping will be pretty high. I’m thinking I might list by company, but just can’t decide for sure. Anyway, there are some great deals up right now, so check it out.

Thanks for everyone’s kind words and thoughts the last few days. As I said, I refuse to let this change our lives completely. We will, obviously, make any necessary changes, but life must go on. Besides, if we let speed bumps throw us off course, then my children will do the same when they become adults. I want them to learn to handle difficult situations, but also realize we can’t allow life’s problems and disappointments to weigh us down.

I’m working on several projects at once right now and several calls for Easter/Spring pages. I love that time of year, so scrapping it comes easy for me. I’ll leave you today with a layout I made a while back. I snapped the photo in my front yard while my Azalea’s were in full bloom. I hope everyone has a great Thursday!

Three Little Words

2007-10-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

High Functioning Autism………three little words with big impact. As most of you know, my youngest son has had several health issues this past year. His sudden and alarming amount of weight loss was the catapult that started us on the “health roller coaster” as I’ve often referred to it. They were able to find the cause of his weight loss, they think, and they’ve treated that. He is doing better, but we knew something wasn’t quiet right. Especially after school started.

I’ve often thought my son was just a neat freakJ I have to tell you, having a child who obsesses about his room and clothing drawers is not such a bad thing. Neither is having a child who will play with his Lincoln Logs for 2-3 hours by himself. Believe me, I’m not making light of the situation, but you know the saying, “when given lemons, make lemonade”. Well, that’s what I’m doing. He has been this way all his life. When he was old enough to crawl, he would work for hours getting his toys in just the right spot. He’s always cleaned up after himself. He’s always been able to play by himself for hours without any need of outside entertainment. In fact, when there’s a lot of outside entertainment, i.e., other children TV, video games, he gets a little agitated. I just thought he was high strung. I have two nephews with Autism. One is high-functioning, the other somewhere between Classic Autism and high-functioning and I must say, I never really thought he was like either one of them. But over the last year, we’ve been noticing things. Small things, but when added all together, they brought us to the larger question.

With all this said, I’m not sure how I feel right now. But I do know this: I refuse to let this be a crutch, obstacle or label for my son. So he has Autism, it doesn’t mean I have to introduce him as my son the “autistic child”. Really, most people would never know. In fact, I’m not quite sure I still believe it. But, he is smart. One of the brightest children I have ever met and even though I am biased, others tell me the same thing. He can be outgoing as long as he doesn’t feel threatened in any way. He’s funny, articulate and obsessive at times. He’s a lot of things, and, all rolled together, they make him who he is. I have no doubt we will face struggles, but tell me who doesn’t? Put into perspective, this diagnosis is one that I can and will live with. He’s healthy and happy and growing and learning. What more could a mother ask for?

I hope this doesn’t get labeled as TMI. I wanted to share this because it’s therapeutic for me. I’m not going to run away from this, but I can tell you, I won’t be blogging about it everyday. Will there be a few scrap pages? Probably. I scrap real life, and this is as real as it gets. But there will be only a few, because in the grand scheme of things, this is a small bump in the road of life. In fact, I asked about the information class offered at the Dr’s office on Autism and she said I knew pretty much everything they would be teaching there. I guess that comes from dealing with family members who have Autism. So, while we may change a few things in regards to school and homework, pretty much everything else will stay the same.

I love my sons’ question when he heard this information. “Mom, does this mean I’m not as smart as I thought I was?” “Of course not son, you’re super smart.”, I replied. “I thought so. Hey Mom, can I do some extra math when we get home?” asked Jared. Life goes on.

A New Pub for Me:)

2007-09-29T06:54:00.000-07:00

Good Saturday morning! I can’t believe it’s the weekend again! Before I forget to mention it, I’ve listed several more lots of scrapbook supplies on Ebay, so take a look. These are items I’ve had for a while and I really need to get my room under control. I’ve also been busy getting ready for a singing we’re having at our house tonight. We invited our entire church congregation over, but I’m thinking we’ll have about 40-50 people. I really need to clean house this morning, so this will be short.

I’m super excited that Scrapbook Trends wants to publish my altered card/photo holder in their Feb. issue. I submitted several things to them and just through that one in at the last minute. It’s funny how that happens sometimes. I have layouts/projects that I’ve made and people say, “oh, you have to submit that” and it never gets picked up. Then I have projects that I really don’t think are worthy of submitting and those are the ones that get published. I think that’s why I tell people when they ask about submitting to “submit everything”. You never know what the magazine is looking for and we don’t all have the same eye and taste. I’ve seen layouts in magazines and thought “good grief, why is that there?” and then I’ve seen layouts in mb’s that have never been published, but I know were submitted and it amazes me. I do believe most of the magazines like simple, or somewhat simple. They want to make sure their readers can duplicate the layouts/projects, so keep that in mind. I tend to like complicated, “it took all day to make it” layouts and I must remember a lot of magazines won’t pick those up because the average scrapper won’t attempt to make it and therefore won’t buy the products.

Ok, that’s it for now. I hope everyone has a great weekend. Don’t forget to check my Ebay listings. I’ll be listing more next week and I’ve got tons of paper (Basic Grey, My Minds Eye, Autumn Leaves and more) that I will be listing next week also.

Design Teams

2007-09-26T09:18:00.000-07:00

Good Wednesday morning to you. I hope everyone’s doing great this fine morning. I spent the better part of my “early” morning rushing around getting kids to school and tires fixed on my Yukon. I’ve been needing to get them fixed for a while and I’m glad it’s over with.

I received several emails last night about Maya Road and their addition to their DT. Several of you made reference to my post a few months back about the direction manufacturers would be taking. I don’t think Maya Road will be the last manufacturer headed in the direction I predicted. A couple of you wanted to know what I thought about manufacturers that “hand pick” their DT’s. Personally, I think it’s quiet smart to do so. On one hand, I do believe some manufacturers look at a DT as a way to boost business. Let’s face it, when a big named manufacturer lists their DT call, lots of folks go running to buy their products to produce layouts and other projects. Some manufacturers require you to buy small kits from them to produce the items, another smart move IMHO. But handpicking a DT is, I think, the wisest way of getting people who truly use the product on a regular basis. Let’s say I’m looking through the 2Peas gallery and I run across a gal who uses lots and lots of Basic Grey. Not just on a few layouts/projects, but on almost every layout she has used some of the BG product. As a manufacturer, that’s who I’m going to be looking for. She is going to be someone who hits the ground running with projects because she’s already familiar with the product. Not only that, but most of the time you can tell if someone really, really likes a manufacturer’s products simply by the fact they use them regularly.

As I said before, I believe we will be seeing less and less design team calls in the future. Manufacturers’ are tightening their belts and DT’s are quiet expensive. I also believe we’ll see more manufacturers’ staying with the design teams’ they have and only adding one or two when a current team member leaves. And why not? If you have a great team that works really hard, fulfills all the requirements of the contract, and produces great projects then you should really hang on to them.

Ok, that’s it for today. As I said earlier in the week. I’m selling lots of supplies and hope to list some more tomorrow. I’ll be listing tons of paper in the next few days, so stay tuned. Have a great Wednesday!

What a Weekend!

2007-09-24T13:37:00.000-07:00

Whew! Anyone else out there hate yard sales? I've never liked them and when I'm the one getting the stuff ready, I hate them even more! I have to say, I'm glad this past weekend is over with.

I've been purging my scraproom of supplies that I've purchased over the last several years. If you're interested, check out my Ebay listings. I've got tons of embellishments listed and will be listing more over the next several days. I'll also be listing tons of paper, so stay tuned. I'm starting the bids out very low, so if you like what you see, please bid, you'll be getting a great deal on tons of items.

I've also been working on a few cards for Scrapbook Mania. I'm teaching a card class and an acrylic layout class in November, so if you're in the Birmingham area, please sign up. It's going to be tons of fun!

I guess that's about all that's going on right now. I'm hoping to get in my scraproom tomorrow and be creative:) I hope everyone has a great Monday!

MIA

2007-09-21T04:12:00.000-07:00

Good Friday morning to you! Sorry I have been MIA the last several weeks. I've had a lot on my plate and it seems, whenever I get it cleared, there's a big ole' spoon waiting to "dump" some more stuff. I can't believe September is over half over.

We still haven't heard from Jared's EEG yet. Not sure what's up with that, but I'm going to call today since it's been a full week and all. He's doing really well. They changed up some of his medication and took him off several of them. He's actually playing and reading and doing the things a normal 8 year old should be. We are very thankful to have him back:) His teacher has left me several notes commenting on his marked improvement and his ability to participate and focus now. It's amazing what some mixtures of medications can do to a person. His headaches have all but gone away. It's been 5 days since he had one. That's a new record for him. All in all, I'd say things are much better and we thank God for answering our prayers. I tell you, there's nothing scarier than having your 8 year old ask you what Heaven is like becase he thinks he's going to be there soon. Let's just say chills up and down your spine is an understatement. For the last several days, he's told me he's glad he was born and at other times he's made statments like "I feel really great Mom". I guess you can tell I'm relieved.

I've been working on purging all the rooms in the house and getting ready for a big yard sale on Saturday. If you're going to be in the Cullman area, come on over to Heritage Park. There's going to be lots of people selling crafts/supplies. I'll be glad when it's over. I'm also not sure what I'm going to do with the stuff I don't sell. I really don't want to bring it back home. We're also having our Supper Club for dinner that night, so I'm a little stressed. Thankfully, Barry will be doing most of the cooking and I'm cleaning today to get ready for it.

My scraproom has been calling my name. I've made several journals and a few wedding guest books for Saturday, but I really want to make a few layouts. Anyway, that's it for now. I hope everyone has a great weekend. I promise not to wait so long before posting again.

Oh...and stay tuned. I've had several requests to bring my sketch challenge back, so I plan to try and start that again next week.

News and Updates

2007-09-14T06:37:00.001-07:00

Hi all! Sorry it’s been so long. We’ve had tons going on here. Jared had his MRI and EEG yesterday. The MRI was normal! That’s the one I was most worried about. I hope to hear the results of the EEG today. He was a little nervous this morning going to school. They have a huge math test today. I’m still blown away by the stuff they have to learn in 3rd grade now. In fact, Barry and I were discussing last night if they are truly learning or just memorizing. Unfortunately, because of the standardized tests, learning has changed and I don’t think in a good way.

Ok, on to my news. Scrapbook Mania is a super cool scrapbook store in Birmingham. I was asked by one of the owners, India Davis to join the design team! I’m super excited about this. I love the store and the products they carry. I’ll also be teaching classes. My first class will be November 3rd and I will be teaching an acrylic card class in the morning and an acrylic layout class in the afternoon. I can’t wait! One of the reasons I’m excited about this is because Maelyn Chung is also on the design team there. I love her work and she’s super nice. I can’t wait to get to know her better.

And I have even more good news:) Rubberstamp Madness will be publishing one of my acrylic cards in February and I will have a vintage Valentine necklace and earring set in Bead Trends, also in February.

I received several emails over the last few days about the Scrapbook Resumes site. I really don’t have anything else to add. I’ve sent numerous emails and have not gotten a response. I will be setting up my own html and resume this weekend. I’ve decided, instead of paying for this service, I can do it myself, do it better and I KNOW I’m reliable.

Ok, that’s enough for today. I really, really need to clean house. I also have some “honey do’s” my husband has asked me to do, so I’d better get busy! In the meantime, here’s a few layouts I’ve been working on. The first is a layout I made for Scrapbook Mania. I hope everyone has a great Friday!

New Cards

2007-09-06T05:32:00.000-07:00

Good morning out there! I hope everyone’s having a good week. Mine has been busy and, unfortunately, Jared is sick with strep throat again. How many times can one little boy have strep? He feels terrible and has a sore throat, cough, fever, and headache. Poor thing!

I hope to scrap a little today, but most of my day will be spent on the couch with Jared watching National Treasure and Barnyard. He loves these two movies:) He can't go back to school until tomorrow, but if this fever doesn't break soon, he'll miss tomorrow also. I've got to go and get his school work so he doesn't get too far behind. I tell you, the things they have to learn in 3rd grade is amazing. Some of it useless, but still amazing:)

I wanted to share some cards I made using the One Heart One Mind papers. I’m having a blast with the clear acrylic cards. They’re fun and easy. I really like the versatility of them. Anyway, here’s the cards. I hope everyone has a great day!

More Work

2007-09-03T08:34:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I hope everyone is having a wonderful and safe Labor Day holiday today. We’re just hanging about the house, my most favorite thing to do.

I’ve been working on a few hybrid layouts. I am really starting to enjoy the digi side of scrapping, but I must admit, I will always be primarily a paper scrapper. I love texture. Anyway, I had a question from Kiki and she wanted to know what I thought defines hybrid scrapping. I feel anything added that was digitally composed, which includes journaling, makes it a hybrid page. I just printed out some digi elements to add them to a page today. They are flourishes and I printed them on transparency.

Ok, my brain is mush today. I can’t think of a single thought without a million others running through my head. So, I’ll leave you with a little recent work. I hope you enjoy your holiday!

A Few Scrappy Things

2007-09-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

Happy Weekend to you! I hope you are thoroughly enjoying your Saturday so far. I’ve been getting caught up on projects and cleaning. I have my house under control again, but it’s a never ending job. If I don’t stay on top of things everyday, it’s outta control before I know it. Don’t ya wish there was such a thing as a cleaning fairy? I do!

Here’s a few projects I made using my Scrapfabulous Kit. This was tough for me. I haven’t scrapped with themed paper and stickers in a while and found myself staring at it for several days. I guess my mojo came back because I finally got in there and worked with it and had 2 layouts and the altered clipboard made within a few hours.

I hope everyone has a safe, happy and blessed holiday weekend. Stay safe!

Scrapbookresumes.com Continued

2007-08-29T07:12:00.000-07:00

Good morning to you! I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I want to say thank you to all of you who left comments and emailed me in regards to my Scrapbookresumes.com post. I was hoping to get an email from them directly, but no cigar. Anyway, thanks for all your kind words.

One email I received from a gal stated that she and several others thought I had committed scrapbook suicide. I had to laugh at that comment. Just the picture that popped into my head and all. I have to kindly disagree with this assessment. I only posted truth and I didn’t personally attack anyone, their family, etc. Unfortunately, it’s that kind of thinking that has led to the shoddy customer service we receive in this industry. I’ve often wondered; if these companies were ran by men, would we be allowing this to go on? I think not. I also received an email, the only negative one as a matter of fact, that wanted to know why couldn’t I just be nice and not worry about the $20. Give me a break! I am being nice. I haven’t sent nasty emails threatening to sue, started “hate” threads on any of the message boards, or any of the sort. In fact, I have no ill feelings towards Scrapbookresumes.com at all or the Holly. But, what’s wrong with expecting the service I paid for? Besides, it’s not just $20. Do the math. How many people signed up for this service? Multiply that times $20 and then you’ll have an idea of how much money we’re talking about. I counted names and gave up after $8000. Let’s put this in perspective; say you and your friends pay $20 to attend a crop at a local convention center. There’s going to be a couple hundred people there and you have been promised, for your $20, the use of large tables and the facilities. You and your friends show up on the day of the crop, scrap goodies in hand and there are no tables. You’re told you can just sit on the floor. Not only that, but it’s the middle of summer, 100 degrees outside and no air conditioning. The toilet’s don’t work either. Still think you spent the $20 wisely?

I see a huge crash coming in this industry. Several people are wondering who will be left standing after the dust settles and I can tell you now, companies with poor customer service will not be in the standing group. It’s funny, but when my husband and I are out and about, we usually see at least one child and parent scenario that makes us stop and say “you should have a license to be a parent”. You all know what I’m talking about. You see them everyday in the department stores and malls. Several times a day, I stop and think “you should have a business degree if you’re going to run a company”. Now, granted, not all small business owners are like this, but in this industry, we have cornered the market on bad customer service. Will it end? Yes. Why? Well, if you know anything about economics, you’ll realize this industry, like everything else is cyclical. There will be slow down in the economy, and people will start cutting back. The first thing to go will be hobbies. When this happens, competition will get fiercer and those with poor customer service and products won’t stand a chance. I, for one, look forward to the changes that will take place. Those changes will only make for a stronger industry in the future.

Scrapbookresumes.com

2007-08-27T07:04:00.000-07:00

Good morning all! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I don’t think I was quiet ready for Monday morning just yet.

First, let me just say if there’s one thing I’ve learned about the scrapbooking industry, it’s that if you’re going to get flamed it will come from behind you (your back) and not to your face, so let me give you the target now and save you a little trouble. What I have to say today will no doubt cause many snide emails to come my way, but that’s ok because I’m not one to hide from my words. I stand behind what I say and if I’m wrong on any given day, I’ll admit it……but today is not that day.

How many of you out there are using Scrapbookresumes.com to host your resume? I signed up in July 2006. I mostly signed up because I’m lazy and didn’t want to have to mess with the html stuff myself. I decided the $20 would be well worth the hours I would save originally setting up a resume. Another thing I really liked about the service was the monthly update of the stats. Overall, it seemed a lot of bang for the buck.

Now, I’m sure most of you know a little of what has happened with this service over the last several months. Back in July there was a thread started at 2Peas about this. Someone wanted to know what was going on and why there had been no updates. Holly VanDyne, the owner answered on the thread that she had been dealing with a sick family member and apologized for getting behind. Sadly, the family member had passed away within the week of the thread and she said she would be updating the site over the next couple of weeks. Of course, everyone responded to let her know how sorry they were for her loss.

I completely understand putting family first. In fact, I think that’s the way it should be. But out of all the industries I’ve been associated with; and now remember, I was a lobbyist in Washington D.C. i.e. POLITICIANS; never I have I seen an industry with such poor customer service. For some reason, we as woman, think because the company is ran by a fellow woman, we should never be negative when the product or service is bad. Now I have to ask the question….if you bought at $20 toaster from Target and it didn’t work, would you return it and ask for either a refund or replacement? Of course you would! Ok, before everyone starts throwing eggs my way, I’m not saying we should all demand Holly reimburse us the $20 or offer free services, but I am saying anyone who runs a business should not make promises, take money and then not deliver. For some reason, in this industry, people forget that it’s a business. Personalities aside, first and foremost that’s what it is.

I am sorry she had to deal with a sick family member and I’m sorry for her loss when he passed away. Anyone dealing with this should take time for themselves and family after a loss. But, she, like every other business owner out there, has a responsibility to those who has paid her money. I have not received an email from her or from Scrapbookresumes (the company) with any explanation as to why the service I paid for has not been delivered.

There have been several questions posted at the Scrapbookresumes site on the message board, but as of last week, there were no answers. I can’t even get onto the message board now and I’ve been trying to update my resume for a month and nothing has happened. All said and done, I have come to realize that it was $20 not well spent. In the scheme of things, $20 isn’t much. But again, I must ask why in THIS industry compared to others are we all willing to just move on without every questioning the why and where of it all. Is it because we run the risk of people dragging our names through the mud if we ask the tough questions? Well, I’m asking the tough question today. Drag away if you must, but I, for one, am a business woman and I will continue to treat this industry for what it is…..a business.

Local Stores and Competition

2007-08-24T06:31:00.001-07:00

Good morning! I got several emails yesterday about my song choice. I think the song is a hoot, so I’m glad to hear everyone else enjoyed it too. Today’s ramblings are going to be short and to the point. I’ve got a deadline today, a show to play tonight and music equipment to load. Whew! I’m tired thinking about it all.

Today’s thoughts are a continuation of yesterday’s blog about local scrapbook stores and why so many of them fail. Yesterday we discussed lack of business experience. Today’s topic is competition. This is one area I think most store owners are somewhat aware of. If you went into a local store and asked who they felt their competition is, they will probably tell you the other lss, obviously and maybe Hobby Lobby, JoAnn’s, Michael’s etc. I would agree with all of these answers, but I think the biggest competition for a local scrapbook store is online stores. Now stay with me here, and I’ll explain.

I’m a musician, so I’ve seen this with music stores. Fifteen years ago, there were music/instrument stores all over the place. Then came the big stores like Sam Ash and Musicians’ Friend. Yes, they did bring lots of competition to those local music store owners, but they didn’t put them out of business, that is until they started selling their wares online. Now, you’re lucky if you find more than 2 music/instrument stores in large towns and there are practically none in local towns. Those that are around will tell you, most of their money comes from giving music lessons. They just can’t compete with the bigger stores. Remember, it’s all a numbers game. The more items you sell, the cheaper you can offer it to the public.

If you’re a local scrapbook store owner, you’d better have great classes and scrapbook retreats or you won’t be around long. The key to owning a local scrapbook store, in my humble opinion, is to sell a service, not just items. If the only thing you’re doing is selling scrap supplies, then you’re doomed. It doesn’t matter if you’re selling the latest and greatest supplies. I can get those from most online stores and never have to leave my house. And not only that, but I can get it cheaper from an online store and usually the online stores have the latest releases before the local store does. See where I’m going with this?

Even the larger craft stores have figured this out; hence the classes at Michael’s and Hobby Lobby, etc. Now I’m a touch and feel kind of gal. I like to KNOW what I’m getting and so I’ll be more likely to shop at a local store or Hobby Lobby, but once I’m familiar with a company, I will order online to save time and money. After all, I’m on a budget. So are most of the scrappers out there, so you’d better have something to offer besides what everyone else is offering. This comes from knowing your market area. Are you in an upscale, fairly new area? If so, then I’d offer classes geared towards young mother’s and newly married couples. Is the area you’re in a retirement community? Best to offer those brag book classes, travel themed supplies and even pet items. The only way to really know this is to know your area. I don’t know how many store owners I’ve met that opened a store in a town/community but can’t tell you anything about the area.

Bottom line is you have to do your homework and be willing to work. HARD! Harder than you’ve probably ever worked, and unfortunately, your chances of making it are very small. However, done right, the local scrapbook store can be the most wonderful place. And, no matter what the market, if great services are offered, then the store will be around for years to come.

Ok, so it wasn't so short. Sorry! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Local Scrapbook Stores

2007-08-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

Good morning! Sorry to be MIA again. We have a big show to play tomorrow night and I’ve been practicing like mad for it. I had to learn several new songs and that always takes me a while, but it’s been such a blast! We’re playing a lot of late 70’s and early/mid 80’s rock music. I love Journey and so learning a few of their songs has been great. Anyway, that’s what’s been going on with me.

Carol P. sent me an email last week and had several questions about scrapbook stores. I honestly don’t think we’ll be seeing a lot of new brick and mortar stores opening in the future and, unfortunately, I see a most of the existing stores closing their doors. Why? I think there’s a multitude of answers to that question. Today I’m going to discuss just one of them: Lack business experience. I met a gal in TN who owned a store. She had never worked in any type of retail industry before and it was obvious when you walked in the store. She thought, because she loved scrapbooking so much, she would get people in the doors based on her enthusiasm. She WAS very enthusiastic about scrapping and the items she sold in her store. She only carried inventory of products that she liked, because she felt if she could speak positively about the product, more people would buy. She didn’t offer classes because that “cut into her evening scraptime”. Honestly, that was her answer. She lasted about a year before she closed her doors. Frankly, I’m surprised she lasted that long. If you love to scrap and want free time to enjoy the hobby, opening a store probably isn’t the best route to get you there.

I’m pretty sure there isn’t a “Opening Scrapbook Stores for Dummies” book on the market. If there was, no one would open a store. There’s a huge risk involved when opening a store and I think there’s tons of store owners out there who never knew of most of the risks, much less considered them. I really felt bad for the gal in TN because she loved her store so much, but didn’t realize she was only person who felt that way. I really liked her store, but I didn’t have a vested interest in it. She was approaching the store from an unrealistic point of view. The last time I saw her, she had given up scrapping all together and had gone back to nursing.

Tomorrow, I’ll talk about competition. The good, the bad and ugly of it and unfortunately, there’s a lot of all three out there. I hope everyone has a great Friday. Stay cool and send a little relief my way. It’s going to be 105 here today. Blech!

Contest Fixin'

2007-08-18T16:51:00.000-07:00

Hello out there. Sorry I’ve been MIA this past week. My husband was off work and we’ve been running around like mad people. It’s amazing what you can get done in just a week’s time. I feel so out of the loop now. I haven’t been online hardly any. I feel like asking everyone “what did I miss?”

I promised Erin I would answer her question next, so here goes. Erin wanted my thoughts on some of the bigger contests like HOF and SOY. I really don’t know much about them, to be honest. I’ve never entered one. I’ve considered it and even went so far as to do a few layouts for HOF, but in the end time with family won out over time in my scrap room and I got behind. I, like most of you, have read all the thoughts and suppositions on both being “fixed”. Again, I must be honest and say only what I know. A former HOF winner told me she was contacted directly and asked if she planned to enter. She wasn’t not promised anything, but I do feel she was probably given more consideration than others. She felt the same way and wasn’t surprised at all when she was one of the winners. Now, with all that said, I do believe they look over all the entries and I feel if they were to stumble upon someone who had not been contacted directly, but their work was extraordinary, they would have won. I think demographics, age, gender and more also play a role in the contests. But that’s my opinion and I certainly have no proof. I will say, if you are thinking of entering, go for it. What do you have to lose?

Ok, enough for now. I’m trying to get caught up from taking the week off. Here’s a few cards I made yesterday. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of the weekend.

Wishes

2007-08-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I hope everyone had a great Friday. I got have lunch with my sister-in-law. A rare treat for me. I think the kids were happy it was Friday, Jared has already adding up the hours he DOESN’T have to be in school this weekend.

I really enjoy getting your emails. It’s fun reading about and getting to know some of you better and I really appreciate the links to your galleries. I admit, I’m not one to sit at the computer and just scan galleries, so it’s great when someone sends me a link to their gallery.

Caroline asked if I had any “wishes” in this industry. Sure I do. I wish it didn’t take me so long to scrap a page. I wish there were a perfect adhesive, one that works for all mediums. I wish I had more time to spend creating. I wish the magazines would choose to have layouts by more people, instead of publishing the same people over and over. I wish there were more layouts in magazines about vacations, jobs/careers, and other adult stuff. I also wish the days of scrapping with multiple photos on a page and having the page tell a story would come back into fashion. I wish all my layouts were perfectly engineered. (Does that make sense?) I could go on, but you get the idea. My wishes are probably just like yours, give or take a few.

I’ve often wished I had a mentor. Someone to look over my pages, give me good constructive criticism that would help me be a better scrapper. I’ve read a few reviews at Scrap Smack of peoples work lately, and some of them were helpful, but a lot of them no so much. Here’s what I mean: If I have a layout that I want to get published, I would love to have someone look it over and tell me what I did wrong or right. Criticism on a layout because you don’t like the subject of the layout, or the particular paper brand, or you’re sick of flowers, etc. is not helpful. I’m talking “move this embellishment to here, or get rid of this because it takes away from the photo” type thing. I had someone who is big in the industry once tell me, if I would get a mentor and tweak a few things, I would go further. I think that’s easier said than done. Who do you ask? There’s a few people out there who’s work I truly love and they are published in just about every magazine. But I don’t know them personally, so what do you do? Just send them an email? Honestly, I’m not sure I could ever do that.

SO, yes, Caroline, I have lots of wishes. Right now, I wish the weekend could last longer and I could have slept late. Ha! Anywho, I hope you all have a great Saturday and get to spend lots of time with family and friends!