Fun Swap

My friend Rebecca linked me to a great blog, Gusto Girl she is doing an Easter swap, its simple and I think it will really brighten someone's day. Hop on over and play. But you only have till tomorrow (Fri the 29th) to respond.

TONIGHT Purse Party 6pm

Many of you have met Jamie P and Designs by Jamie
Tonight we will have an open house at the store from 6-8
She will bring an amazing amount of fabric, handles
and styles, you choose what you would like
and in about 2-4 weeks
you will have your own
custom made handbag.
She also has accessories, checkbook covers, key fobs and more!
Jamie really makes some amazing bags!
Come see us and enjoy some snacks and a new bag for SPRING

Great friends!

Last nite I had a wonderful time with 3 friends. James, Tiff and Becks spent the evening with me at Main Street Grill, we talked about kids, families, jobs, etc. We laughed, we joked, we heard stories and most of all we just enjoyed being together. These are amazing women. They raise amazing kids, are great wives and love the Lord. It was so nice relaxing together and just being able to be together. I am so blessed. I know I say that often but I mean it. I have a circle of those that love me that is large and deep. They are the ones who pray when I am in trauma (which last year was practically everyday) they encourage me, make me laugh, help me with my dreams and even go with me when I need some retail therapy. Each one bring something different and God uses. Thanks pals for such a wonderful evening! Love you

NEW Albums have arrived

We are very excited about this new company we found in Anaheim. IMAK-IT
They are pre-adhesived, albums that you can put your own fabric onto... I am thinking School sports, Grandparents, quilters, and more! Check out the link and rush right in!!! I will have a sample done this week.

A nice ending

Funny how God works. Thanks for all your kind words yesterday, I have such kind and loving friends.... I survived my workday intact and went off to work in the store for a bit. We rec'd in KAREN FOSTER, its fun to see some new papers, each day it seems we get in more and more fun things for Spring.

Then my dear friend, Traci S, Holly H and Marcia C showed up. They swept me off to a lovely dinner at Bojacks. It was relaxing, fun, uplifting and encouraging. It was a late birthday celebration. Its fun to hear all the blessings in their lives and what is going on with Darrah's summer wedding, her new home, Liv and gymnastics, Marcia's grandkids, and Traci's horses. It was so fun to get lost in their lives for a few hours. We enjoyed shrimp and steaks in various forms and shared a piece of birthday cheesecake. It was just what I needed. I am so thankful for these ladies, their wisdom and laughter really bless me.

Tonight I have a date with James, Tiff and Becks. It too will be filled with funny kid stories, laughter and teasing about how silly our husbands are and what our days are filled with.... Three nites, three dinners. I better get some exercise for all this fun and food.

No matter how hard I try I have the blues....

I am trying really hard to not get anxious that my folks are going to Hawaii for 10 days. I don't like it when they travel, I don't like it when they are gone, it means that I get to work my 8-5 job and worry about my dad's store, my store, their house with their beloved animals, and my home.

I am trying not to be completely hacked off that Tuesday while we were in Coeur d'alene for back surgery Jacob went to the orthodontist and got a new spring for his jaw. Well last nite it came off again which means yet another trip to Spokane. I don't have time this week or next to go to Spokane because of reason number 1.

This week in itself is busy. I don't know why I do this.. too many things and people in one week, I think its 'cause I do love my friends and I so badly want to connect but I stuff too many things into a time slot. Last nite I had a dinner with friends, today a pampered chef party luncheon here at work, hosted by moi, tonight dinner yet again with friends, tomorrow dinner w/friends and Wednesday a Jamie party at the store. Do you think I need to plan time to sleep?

The word says "Rejoice, this is the day the Lord has made." Rejoice is defined as hapiness or joy. The word also says, "Do not be anxious, but in everything, by prayer with thanksgiving present your request to God, and the Peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" ~Phil 4:6-7..... I don't know if I am supposed to meditate on this, repeat it or what, I would prefer for God to just appear at my desk and fill my mind and my heart till its all I know. I don't want to fret or be anxious, I don't want to worry or be consumed, I want to be life giving and right now I feel like if I encountered a friend I would have nothing to offer. Do you relate?

PS... Mike isn't doing well, He is trying mentally and for that I am thankful. He is having a hard time standing, sitting or laying, his leg is giving out. I don't know what to think.

57 new colors of solid cardstock

Our long awaited new solid cardstock line has arrived!

We are thrilled to bring you textured solid cardstock that is just gorgeous!

You will want to touch it, play with it, and stock up!

Saturday it will be on sale for 50 cents a sheet!

Oh my!!! Hurry IN!!!

Mike... Jake and the land of the living

Back to the land of the living...
We made it back home by about 1pm Wednesday. It was great knowing we survived the drive. We had to stop about every half an hour for Mike to walk around but he made it okay. He was not able to sit or stand by himself so I stayed home with him and we learned where he could go in the house and helped keep the dogs from under his feet. He went to bed about 7pm and slept till 6am. (He only woke up once for pain meds, there is truth in the statement that each hour you get a little better) He keeps saying "his core hurts, "his trunk hurts," it would make sense since they drilled a hole in his spine to release the nerve that was impinged. I think he is still trying to deal with the surgical pain and finding ways to keep comfortable. I am back to work today so he is home alone (yikes!) till about 1pm when Savannah gets home from school. I am taking Jake to the ear, nose and throat doc today, we are pretty sure he has double ear infections, and a sinus infection, this is the first time since his sinus surgery he's had trouble. If one more person gets sick......

Do you like the view?

This is the view from my room, it isn't really what I had planned for today, but its my reality.

My week started off by having a day off from my 8-5 job and working for sometime at the store, It was nice to see such happy people coming in on a holiday. Mike had scheduled a diskectomy in a nearby town of Coeur d'alene for Tuesday and we were leaving in the afternoon. Jacob had an orthodontist appt as well so we were off. After a sleepless nite in our "corporate room" we were up at 3:30 'cause Mike couldn't sleep. We left for the hospital at 5am. It was foggy and eeeire but I was fine overall.

Mike was whisked away to the pre-op room and I was left in a large waiting room. There were coffee pots but no cups and a very loud TV playing Fox news. Not a really fun time at 5am. Finally at 7am they let me go hold his hand and say goodbye. He wasn't doing well, he was really panicky and his blood pressure was 169 over 120. The nurse was a little on edge. After some deep breathing and some blood pressure meds, they took him away to surgery. It was an hour procedure, but at 9:30 no news. Finally I asked the volunteer blue haired lady to check on my husband, she gave me the song and dance that it hadn't been long enough and I should sit down and wait. I kindly replied that if she didn't call, I was going too. The doctor appeared and told me the surgery went well but he woke up confused. That is typical for mike and anesthetic. An hour later I still have not seen my husband, I called back to recovery and they came and got me. I am normally a patient person but the blue haired lady was driving me nuts!!!!! I just wanted to know he was okay.

Finally we were in recovery but Mike couldn't get him pain in control, he was having back spasms and wanted to stand or sit or stand and sit again. He was miserable. We planned on going home today, its a 100 mile drive and we do it all the time, we have a comfy mini van and it was reasonable to do so. We finally got him out of the grip of KMC and off down the road we went. BUT..... we only made it to Post Falls and Mike was having such amazing back spasms we couldn't go any farther. Thanks to James we got a priceline deal of $50 and we are back to the Red Lion in Post Falls. This time we have a room with a view. I am so glad I have my laptop, as Mike takes a snooze and enjoys his pain meds I get to play,

I miss my dogs, my daugher and my folks. I wanted to go to work tomorrow at 8am and live my normal life, but something I am learing more and more is that I am really not in control of my so called life. Instead I just need to be thankful Mike didn't have complications and we were able to have such a nice room, that is clean and safe and he is sleeping.

Last nite...

Sorry no pic's.... but we had a ball last nite.
We had a GREAT group of girls spend the evening with us cropping and chatting.
It was mexican nite, with taquitos, taco salad, fresh guac, chips and salsa, ending the nite with chocolate cake and ice cream. It was so fun just being with friendly, nice quality girls cropping and enjoying. I am so blessed to have this store and share it with such fun people!

the Mega Kit club has a new blog.... there is a link on the side bar. this is a great place to post layouts, share ideas and encourage one another. I know many of you loved this months kit and all the goodies. The challenges are fun and will make you stop and think!

Saturday - It's a party!

Birthday Party

3- midnite

Crop! Prizes! Drawings!

You won't want to miss out

Bring something to eat

We'll provide the drinks and dessert!

Happy FLOWERS/HEARTS/CHOCOLATE DAY

"Love is everything it's cracked up to be ...

It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for."
~Erica Jong~

"Love is that splendid triggering of human vitality ...

the supreme activity which nature affords anyone

for going out of himself toward someone else."

If we can all love, not think of ourselves and instead just be kind, forgiving, compassionate, slow to anger, quick to praise, thoughtful, and full of grace- for those you meet might just need a little love....

Picture this...... sunny days in the 80s
green grass, pretty flowers
tons of friends
sandals, short sleeve shirts and capri's
retail therapy on a grand scale
disney music in every background
laying in bed watching the fireworks each evening

now picture this.....
sweater
wool coat
shoes with socks
grey skies
brown grass....
2 not just one email box full of mail and to-do's
vmails that need returned
and a family that needs their mom, wife, daughter

and I wonder why I get sad when I come home from vacation.... I love the whole planning, talking, going part of it and dread the coming home, I guess there is a term "post vacation blues" they have done studies.... oh I read them, I slept-in twice, drank lots of water and tried to be thankful for even getting to go...

but here I sit. SAD, Sad that I am not still shopping with my friend Lauri or Julie or popping in to see my friend Stephanie from Homegrown Hospitality, that I don't get to go to downtown disney to shop tonight and that my feet really really hurt from walking on the concrete all week.....

I found this devotional from Joyce Meyer I hope it speaks to you....

Good Morning, Lord! or Good Lord, It's Morning!
by Joyce Meyer

Which of these phrases do you utter to yourself most mornings? Do you greet each day with an expectant, positive attitude about what the day holds, or do you feel like pulling the blankets over your head, dreading what awaits you outside your front door? We must combat the dread that tempts us to stay in bed by keeping a positive attitude and mindset. Our attitude is so important to how we feel each day. The kind of day we have is, to a great degree, determined by our thoughts and actions. If we dwell on negative thoughts, expecting the worst, our actions will reflect those thoughts. It’s impossible to reach your God-given destiny if you allow negative thoughts to fill your mind. Dread is a close relative of fear, and allowing it to remain in your mind, sets you up for misery and robs you of joy. Once, I experienced a feeling of dread as we were planning our trip to speak in India. I was excited about the wonderful opportunity there, but all I could focus on was the long flight and poor conditions that exist in that country. I’m grateful that I knew how to dispel those negative feelings with positive thoughts about what could be accomplished during our time there. If I had allowed myself to dwell on the negative aspects of the trip, it would’ve taken away the joy and excitement God wanted me to experience. Dread is a trap, and you must be determined not to fall into it. If not being sure of the future or facing new things causes you to feel dread or fear, remember Philippians 4:13 says, ...I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me.... There’ll always be roadblocks to keep us from enjoying the wonderful life God has provided for us. With all the stress and pressures of everyday life, we must make a decision that we’re going to enjoy life regardless of our circumstances. Every single day is filled with all kinds of situations that could upset you—like losing your car keys or getting caught in a traffic jam. But when you know what's going on, you can choose to be in control. You must take responsibility for your happiness. You’re the one person you're never going to get away from, so you’d better learn to like yourself. It’s impossible to enjoy life if you don't enjoy yourself. We have a well of wonderful things on the inside of us, and no matter what's going on around us, we can drink from that well within. We can find strength right there inside of us to do what we need to do. I’ve learned that life is so much better when we don't have unrealistic expectations—for ourselves or other people. There was a time when I got upset and felt sorry for myself for days when my husband, Dave, wanted to play golf. But God helped me to see that each of us has different ways of relaxing and unwinding. For Dave, it's golf. For me, it's shopping or watching a good old classic movie. As long as we keep things in balance, we can enjoy the freedom of doing what we like best. Understanding this has brought about a wonderful freedom that allows both Dave and me to do the things we enjoy. You can enjoy this same freedom in your own life. Living in freedom—and allowing others to do the same—is a healthy and positive approach to life that pleases God. We must also learn that we can be extraordinarily happy while living an ordinary, everyday life. Expecting life to be one long series of exciting events is setting yourself up for disappointment—and that’ll steal your joy! So learn to be content with life as it is. With God's help and your determination, you can learn to be happy and enjoy every single day of your God-given life. Start your days by saying,

"This is the day the Lord has made.

I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Good morning, Lord!"

Last but not least I've planned a party for Saturday nite. a Birthday party of sorts. Its potluck, to celebrate, Jimelle, Tami and my birthdays. Come have cake and make some pages. I want company! HA!

I'm off!

Happy Birthday Getaway to me! Happy Birthday getaway to me! See you again Wednesday.

Isn't this pretty?

Savannah is going to be trying out for Clarkston's Junior Miss in March and we finalized the dress selection last nite. It was an interesting process, we chose to buy locally from Always a Bride, Elisa did such a wonderful job helping us. We highly recommend them. Savannah chose the green dress. I think she looks like a real princess.

Words for today....

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order,confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger to a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." (by Melody Beattie)

Check this out!!!!

I don't know if you have read my blog roll on the right hand side but... I'm a FISKATEER! I signed up over a year ago and it means that I will use Fiskars products and share them with those that I crop with, really showing people they have GREAT tools. If you haven't tried their punches or scissors you have too! We also carry the full lines of Heidi Grace and Cloud 9 paper and embellishments in our store, we love them!!! Well May is hosting her last crop as a Lead Fiskateer the same weekend that we are hosting our Summer Retreat at the SNRR. I sent in a nomination. I just told her what we were about and how much we loved Fiskars and of course invited her to come and crop with us!

So, check out the Fiskateers Blog, read the post about the CROP (its under the WOW post) BTW, my tags are pictured in that picture, they are in the middle with the My Minds Eye paper. I couldn't believe I could actually pick them out of that picture. If you would like May to Join us, Email her!!! Do it now!! may@fiskateers.com ask her to come and crop with us, tell her how much fun we are in Idaho and how you love Crop Paper Scissors wouldn't it be a kick to have a Celeb at our weekend, heck we already know how to have a RETREAT, let alone one with May!

Day Dreaming

Some have said that my 8-5 life is simliar to the sitcom, "The Office," today our forms are not working so I am sitting her making a list of things I have to do when they are functional again, I love it when you check the website for status and it says all is well but you have errors all over your screen, so you call the help desk and its like deer in the headlights. I opened a trouble ticket and quickly my mind drifed to this coming weekend, (you know its going to be a long week when its Monday and you are already Jones' for Friday at 5pm.

Here are a few images of my upcoming weekend. BTW: its going to be 70 all weekend...woohoo! Beats this 32 degrees all to heck.

SUNDAY!!!

We're having a CROP
Get out the house
10-4

You deserve it!!!

you are going to love this new paperline

BEST CREATION

they have amazing texture and glitter!

Come see the new rub-on's and chipboard too!