the winner! (and more...)

Hi everyone!

First I want to thank everyone who took time out to check out my blog and participate in my first Blog RAK! I really appreciate all of your compliments... and it was cool checking out your favorite CHA releases. I have to say that I agree with all of you!

I had Joey pick a post number randomly and he picked #8 which is SHAINA!

So Shaina... please email me your information and your goodies will be sent out!

Here's another peak at part of the RAK...



It's been a really busy week so far. I can't even fathom that it's THURSDAY already! Today while waiting for some people to check out the house I started packing up the library....


This is the room I'm probably going to miss the most in this house. This is our huge den area upstairs where we have all these built-in shelves, a swing out on the lanai, a great view... it's just such an amazing space. Joey used to have his studio up there but we had planned to switch late last year because he wanted his office downstairs. Unfortunately I never got my "dream" studio set up in the den because we knew we were moving and it didn't make sense. But I'm looking forward to creating the space I want in our new place (crossing my fingers!!)

Now that the house has been shown today I'm back to scrapping! I just got the April Kit for A Million Memories yesterday and I can't wait to dig in! I love the vintage spring feel of April's Kit. It's so pretty (and packed!)...




If you haven't checked out AMM do it!

Again, thank you so much to everyone who stopped by for the RAK! Congrats again to Shaina!

{hugs!}

giveaway:update

I know I promised I would do my first ever blog giveaway today... but I'm super busy finishing up a project that need to be out tomorrow AND my DT entry AND my Hambly spotlight so I'm going to postpone the giveaway until Monday when I will hopefully have all of this stuff out and a clean slate!

BTW... if you are interested in trying out for the A Million Memories DT there is a chat tonight where you can ask us your questions about the call, being on the DT and what the expectation are, or just about anything else you feel like asking! Just head to the AMM MB and get signed up for the Yahoo chat tonight, there will also be a Q&A thread that will go over some of the topics talked about in case you can't be there tonight for the chat!

Happy Friday!

{hugs}

Some ZOE love, and a note about "my process"...

I was one of the lucky DTM's over at A Million Memories to get the Love, Elsie ZOE line as a product spotlight. I really love this line and searched out all of the embellishments, and actually bought the line again separately for myself so I still have a TON to play with!

Working with this line was very fun and therapeutic for me. I've been struggling lately with my design process and what makes my own ideal scrapbook page that I'm truly happy with. So much has been happening (mostly in my head, lol) the past few months so I've been a journaling nut... but when it comes to journaling on my pages I cringe. I'd rather leave my sentiment in a huge obnoxious title, or minute graphic hints... Right now I scrapbook for me but until about a month ago I didn't see anything that resembled me in the majority of my layouts.

That is until I decided to stop caring about when a good layout "should" be and remind myself AGAIN that I scrapbook for ME... ME ME ME ME! lol...

So, my journal remains my journal - full of all the little thoughts and tantrums that help me figure out who I really am as I journey through life - and my scrapbook is my visual representation, which pulls influence from my journal, but isn't bogged down with long journaling blocks or explanation more than what I want to give.

Whew.... way tmi, right? And now you just want the goods... lol!

*Enjoy the Journey*


My take on a two-pager, inspired by my journal:

life is so funny right now
like "ha, ha" not wrong
i'm torn in so many directions
that i can't seem to travel in just one
for too long

there are so many distractions
so many "what-ifs"...
"where's" "when's" "how's"
and "why's"
i find it's so hard to keep from getting caught up...

i forget to chill out and enjoy the ride.


*My Outlets*

Ahh... how I love my camera and my mac. Two best presents EVER! (love you Joey)



and last but not least....

*Meeting the Seesters*

I was SO excited to finally meet Linda & Karen IRL (authors of Visual Chronicles and Journal Revolution) at CHA Summer '08. They are so inspiring and their books have helped me break out and loosen up in so many way... get out there and CREATE!




Check out the Fauxlaroid journaling-flap... totally one of their ideas from Journal Revolution... get it!

Thank you so much to Love, Elsie & A Million Memories for sponsoring me with this awesome product! I hope everyone enjoys what I came up with as much as I do!

{hugs...}

Monday... getting to work

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Today is Monday which means I have lotsa lotsa to do... but first I HAVE to say I love you and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the best dad in the world!!


I was looking through all my pics for a good picture of my dad... and I found this from the wedding photos (Tonya Malay... she rocks!). I had totally forgotten this photo and it's one of my favorites from that day. I love my parents so much and miss them... I can't wait to live closer to them (at least in the Northern part of the country, lol) so that I can see them more often. Getting old sucks sometimes!

So ready for some big news!?!

There are some super cool things happening the the cyber-world of arts and crafts that I'm so excited to share...

1) Emily Jones and some of the girls from A Million Memories DT have started a new challenge blog called The Design eXperiment... They have their first challenge up and their next Guest Designer is the fabulous Katie Watson!!

2) Creative Therapy! I'm so excited about this side-project from Karen Grunberg. This is a new kind of challenge blog that focuses 100% using your art as your own creative therapy... her first catalyst is up and I LOVE IT! She also has a ton of great scrapper/art journalers on board so I can't wait to see what the future holds for this self-expression journey!

3) A Million Memories is have a DT Call! It's that time again and A MIllion Memories is looking for a new team. I have been so honored to be part of the AMM team and have had so many awesome opportunities due to the amazing Michelle & Alison who are the bestest owners and friends in the world. I hope I can join the 2008 team! Good luck to everyone who applies!

4) Have you seen the A Million Memories Sneak Peak for April??


Yummy! (I'm so excited to get this one and can't wait to post the whole kit!!)

So now for MY news....

Have you heard of the coolest new everything-crafting critique site.... Craft Critique?

Well, I was asked to be on their new reporting team. I'm so excited! I was so stoked to be asked to join this group who I met at CHA. They have put together an awesome team and I'm really just so happy that they thought of me and asked me to contribute. I really enjoy writing and am a big product junkie so I know this going to be a ton of fun! Be sure to check out the site!

Well that's all I'm going to gab about for right now... we are still waiting on confirmation of the BIG BIG news so I'm not spilling the beans quite yet (although I'm sure many of you already know, lol!)

I hope everyone has a super Monday!

{hugs!}

I MEANT to work....

Things have been so crazy here... BIG BIG news is coming as well as some exciting BIG news. lol. I can't share all of it yet because I want to make sure the BIG news is for sure so I don't jinx it...

But it's Sunday and I hadn't blogged in SO LONG so I wanted to share a little book I did for AMM late last month....









I did this little spring story book from the AMM February Kit... there are still a few left and it's so cute if you want to grab one of the last ones!

Did you see the AMM March Kit???


It's all sold out but was so fabulous! I love the colors and butterflies! Oh and those thickers are just too cool... you won't want to miss April's kit... I'll have a sneak very soon!

You should definitely check out some things happening at A Million Memories... there have
some really great changes in the store and galleries.

Today Joe and I checked out the garage sale area of FleaMasters in Ft. Myers... and I picked up one of these vintage cuties...


Mine isn't this clean... lol! But it was only $4! I'm going to search out some film, clean this baby up, and see if I can't get some very cool vintage photos from it. I'll take some pics of my new brownie later this week and post. Even if she doesn't work I'm so stoked on how cute it is and what a great find she was! I haven't decided what to name her yet (I think she's a she... lol) but I'll take name suggestions. This is one camera that just NEEDS a name! lol....

Okay, I'm off to finish some things so that I can post ALL of my Zoe projects all at once tomorrow FINALLY!

Have a great Sunday!