PRIMA and digital scrapping

some of you who know me well know that I spend the majority of my day working for the governor... sitting behind a computer. When its time to play I like the smell, feel and texture of scrapbooking supplies. With that said I like the ease of digital but I have to still touch and feel...

I have all the software and of course the computer but I can't give up my supplies... I have definitely found a happy medium. The amazing Prima girls have come up with a perfect balance and it will be here anyday. Their Hybrid products are going to knock your socks off. We are going to have some GREAT classes. Just wait to see what we can do... here is a sampling.....

BTW..... we won 3 HUGE bags of flowers while at CHA. OH ME OH MY!

more CHA, Glitz

I know that these won't ship right away, but I had to show you a sneak peak of what is on its way! We love the GLITZ folks and their product is wonderful to play with!!!

Heidi Swapp new clear ink paper

I fell in love with this paper. I had the chance to speak with Heidi and to play with some ink on this new paper. I can't wait till you get your hands on it. It will take ink, glimmer mists and more, changing it to whatever color you want!

and it retails for 99 cents!

More new stuff

Heidi Swapp flowers.. who doesn't love these?

Just in time for Valentines day, flowers with glitter and your beloved basics.

new TIM HOLTZ

I couldn't wait a minute longer to show you some new Tim Holtz products that arrived. His booth is always full at the show. Its fun watch him create with ink and distressing!

we're back

I know I owe you photos and stories. And I will post soon.
I am glad to be home. I love going and I love coming home
I love that I was missed, that the dogs freaked out.
I can't wait to go pick up Savanny from teaching ballet
and to see Jamie
I can't wait to get ready for my party at the store Friday nite
I can't wait to call Jakie and see what he wants for his birthday
God is good. I am so thankful He's been teaching me to be more grateful this last year

CHA fun

We made it thru the day, it was fun. So many fun new product lines. I am loving 3 Bugs in a Rug, Chatterbox, We R Memory Keepers, Prima.... oh my gosh, I can't wait to try the Hybrid Prima lines. I made some fun make n takes today, and there is a GREAT new boy line from Making Memories. We loved Imaginsce, Rusty Pickle, and a new adhesive from Scrapbook Adhesives.

Its so fun being here, it was great sunny weather today, lots of girls in capri's and sandals. Of course Queenie and Jean are complaining its cold, I finally told them to keep it in perspective and stop whining. I will try to put up pictures tomorrow! miss ya'all

CHA day one

Gosh our day is flying by, we have hit all the fun booths, hugged lots of great girls, stopped briefly for lunch and moved it on! Jean won a drawing at Prima and got a bag filled with fun flowers. I am loving so many booths. Its great to be where its warm and with so many friendly faces. I hope you'all are loving the snow. teehee.

I will try to upload some photos tonight. Love, me

we're here its 60 degrees here!

We got here, had a crazy weird shuttle driver!
oh me oh my!
then we checked in and headed to the bar to find some dinner and mom had a margarita. It was mexican we were so excited... NOT, oh my gosh, Taco Bell is so much better. It was pathetic but it was food, the server was funny and he gave me diet coke to go. not shabby.
Our friends from San Jose have texted us, they are just down the road and we will see each other tomorrow.
In the morning we are going to shop and run around Anaheim a bit in our rental car
then off to Pre Show parties, We have CI at 4pm, Stamping Station, and SEI. Mom is attending a retailer training nite as well. We will definitely get a ton of loot tomorrow!

Some girls you need to check out

I read blogs each morning as I eat breakfast I bet some of you are laughing 'cause you know that I have a tortilla w/cheese and a diet coke for my breakfast, I know I know.
These are a few local girls I wouldn't miss each day.
Tami Sue, Cori , 'Manda, Randi Jo, (these are the girls who help out in the store)
This week they will be keeping the lights on while we are away.... (I read a ton of friends blogs too, check out my sidebar for some great reads.)
These girls help us find new and exciting product, they teach classes, design layouts and more. We also have Melissa and Malia but they aren't bloggers just yet.
Stop in and meet these girls. We couldn't do this without them!

Love to you all!

packing travel and such..

today I need to be doing this...... (no we don't have a new dog, but I will tell you that our dogs surround the bags and get in and out the whole time we are packing)

wouldn't it be nice if this were reality a husband and wife packing together with smiles........

I need to pack 'cause I am leaving soon to go here.... and here

Queenie and Queen Jean and I leave soon.... for almost a week in the sun and meeting with friends and vendors at the Craft and Hobby show. We are going to lots of pre parties and vendor meetings to check out the latest and greatest for 2009! I think this calls for a sale..... how about 20% off all Disney and travel today. mention this ad

IPOD, Cell phone, twitter...

I am travelling at the end of the week for a week and was thinking today I am going to miss my technology just a bit. I decided not to take my laptop because the airlines have decided to cramp my style and charge for luggage. Normally I would make my computer my carry on but instead I have to take my rolling tote for the showroom floor. Jean said she would bring her's so I am not going totally unplugged.... but then I remembered, how am I going to twitter. Where we live there is not the greatest cell phone service so I don't have an iphone in fact I am not that great at texting, I just use the web while I am working away to twit with my pals. so... what am I going to do.. I am going to have to suck it up and either learn to text or go cold turkey... then heck I need to get something on savannah's ipod for the plane ride, its bad when you have to borrow your kids technology for trips. I haven't even needed an ipod really, afterall I don't go far without a child of some kind and they have it all. I am thinking of dowloading a book this time to keep my busy, I used to love to fly, but now its simply overrated. There are bumps and turns, and there will be ice and fog.. short of taking something to knock me silly I need some noise.

I would love to hear whats on your ipod, in your phone or otherwise... any good books I need to listen too?

GO, hurry, RUN, check out this site

Through this little blogging world I have met a dear friend, she is an encourager, she keeps it real, she prays, she is a mom, a chef, a creative soul, she loves deeply and teaches others the same, is a neighbor a classroom helper and a motivator...she has an ETSY site as well.... Homegrown Hospitality and she is doodling people's words for the year.... I am going to run a contest... if we get 20 people to play. I will order for you from Steph, your word of the year. Maybe if we are lucky, I will bring it back from my trip this coming weekend. Contest will run thru Thursday. One one entry per person, you don't have to be a customer or scrapbooker to play along, I just thought it would be fun to share our focus for this new year......

(part of the proceeds from Steph's site go to help Autism speaks)

Where I shop and play

I thought it would be fun to feature a few of my favorite haunts.... when I need some retail therapy or just to window shop here is where I do...
Elle's Studio : she has amazing paper goods and she offers a monthly special.
Sweetpaperie: I got some family members these great rubber stamps, fast and friendly
Designs by Jamie: this is a local girl who makes the most darling handbags and accessories! She has a new hostess program that is fun for parties.
Word pendant: If I would decide on a word for the year I would buy one from this chic!

This is just a small sample of my etsy fav's... will you share your's?

.....

sometimes I don't know what to say.. there are just too many streams going thru my mind. I want to just get it all out... this week there were some families I know that were really really sick, small ones that were not able to keep any fluid down, there were layoff's at a large company in town and it affected those that I know, the papers are filled with the "what is going on... mentality" so for today I am choosing to be thankful.
thankful for a plane that didn't crash, but floated till all were out safely
thankful for parents who are with me and not already passed on
for a child who is deathly afraid of the future that applied for 5 colleges
for that same child who got a "A" in her most challenging class
for our funny dogs who cuddle and make us laugh just when we need it
for a husband that called me this week, the veil of suicide seemed to slightly lift
for a trip this week to some sunshine and friends
for the random greeting cards that I got reminding me that people are still praying
for the insurance company who refuses to pay my huge medical bills but paid on unexpectedly
for my job, and those I work with
for my store and the place of refuge people really find it to be
and for a Lord and Savior who despite my struggles and lack of focus is never so committed to me as today.

and you... what can you see that is good...

all because you asked... NEW BASIC GREY

( the card above was taken from the basic grey wedsite, off their gallery made by Hilde A )

Sometimes really all there is... is PRAYER

Again another reason to call on the name of the Lord.. many of you know I have some dear friends, the Beeson's who have been trying to adopt a little girl from China for what seems like forever.. well today I was made aware of an amazing family who is connected in the adoption world.. I think just 'cause I am aware of the Beeson's process this families story hit me, they just returned from adopting 2 more babies and their home burned within days... 10 family members displaced. Makes me think about what I would do. I have a family + 4 dogs... and a foster dog, No one in their right mind would take us all in and help us thru something like that kind of loss...... see their blog and pray for them. While you are at it, pray that the Beeson's hear something about their precious little girl. God doesn't put a burden in our souls and leave it undone... something is in the way... "open the door Lord... open it wide...open up the gates of heaven... amen

New BABY LINE CIRCUS BABY Scribble Scrabble

You are going to love this line!

Its all doubled sided and fun colors...

please pray

I don't know why this prayer request via Twitter hit me so hard....

would you lift up this family Sweet Caroline and ask God to hold them close...

Hug your family a little longer today

HUNTING wood letter book

I love it when I get a chance to brag on our designers. Cori graciously made this hunting word book. Its a donation for an upcoming auction for the Pay It Forward Jackson Baldwin foundation. Thanks Cori for taking so much care!

L O V E letters so fun

Do you want to make some letters? We have fun papers to cover our wood letters.

Stop by today!

SCRIBBLE SCRABBLE papers

We have the new Valentine paper from Scribble Scrabble, two sided and yummy!

L O V E banner so fun for Valentines day

See this fun banner! You too can make it! Stop by for more details

Welcome Luigi

We have a new sweet baby in foster care in our home. He is a retired boxer, and is such a love. He is getting along great w/ the others and even has found a way to get into Savannah's lap inbetween her other boyfriends.

Another Free book.... you are going to love this!!!

New members to Artscow.com can receive an 8 x 8 photo book for the amazing low introductory price of just $6.99 with FREE shipping and handling. Sign up and use code ZA4BBEW As a new member you'll also receive 1200 FREE prints! But hurry, this offer ends on January 30, 2009.

CRICUT FUN

want to get to know the cricut a little better?

or just have some fun with it?

Come play today!

HUNTING, Fishing and more

another shipment of outdoor papers have arrived, we have a new vendor complete with excellent images and stickers. this is perfect for our wood books or the hunter in your life.

Basic Grey and an altered clock

The Queen has been busy creating. She really wanted to order a

Basic Grey line... so she did!

Then she created this

amazing wood clock.

(photo courtesy of Michelle Wolf)

Amanda is working today.

stop in and say hi, mention this blog and receive 10% off your total purchase.

What is scrapbooking?

At times we come across people who wonder just scrapbooking really is....
my friend Wikipedia says... Scrapbooking is a method for preserving personal and family history in the form of photographs, printed media, and memorabilia contained in decorated albums, or scrapbooks. The idea of keeping printed materials of personal interest probably dates to shortly after the invention of printing. This trend is probably similar for photographs.

I like one author who said that the difference between a photo album and a scrapbook is that you include stories with the photos. another said...."It turns into a place to preserve a person's memories in a colorful way"
I love a popular designer's quote... But to me, scrapbooking is storytelling. Be it with cartoony stickers, rubber cement, sophisticated designs or pixels on a screen, I am telling my own life story. My scrapbooks are illustrated memoirs that celebrate pieces of life I may forget unless I write them down. I truly love pretty paper, but at the heart of my scrapbooks lies one true story. "Shimelle Laine"

for me it came down to this..... I am inspired by the realization that each of us is on a journey in this life that is much bigger than ourselves. Every path we cross and every memory we make is an opportunity to remind ourselves and our families, friends and loved ones of God's infinite blessings and involvement in our lives. We are called to pass on the goodness of God to the next generation.... I love that!!

Why do you Scrapbook? I am thinking of hosting a monthly group... a group that wants to grow in their scrapbooking. To be challenged to use new sketches, to go deeper into an area that they want to focus on, for me its Savannah's Senior year and its time to document our princess. To look back at her fun times, her dance, school, bike riding, tent sleeping, birthday party attending times... into something she can look back be reminded it's good.... you may think, heck you scrapbook her all the time, but not with a purpose, I want her to be done with school and look back at the good, to be thankful for her life, to be proud of her accomplishments and to be encouraged to pursue her dreams. Its a chance to speak into her life in a new way. This is an all skate question.... want to make a difference? Need to take a look deeper? Think about joining me....

New Basic GREY Valentine Card kit

You have to hurry in, this is the perfect kit. Last year it sold out in just 2 days.

Here is a small sample of Bittersweet

new from ADORN IT... Carolees

Finally some new paper for our cowgirls and cowboys!

We love it when new fun product rolls in.... winter is here,

take some fun pictures and then get scrapbooking!