(diva)logues

"Tonight is the night that we're losing control..."

Just a quickie post today with a quickie page I made after updating my profile on the Zumba website.  And yes, I know you're all wondering when I'm going to stop talking about Zumba.  It's probably not going to happen for awhile, considering I've been talking about it on here for the last 4 years as a student and now the situation has been amplified by my becoming an instructor!  I FREAKIN' LOVE IT.  It's as simple as that! 

Not that you didn't already know that...

I'm loving the pink zebra print paper from that All Girl Recollections paper pad I told you about the other day.  I also used a SRM Baby's First Year calendar page, since the page is about my new Monday class.  I put one of those free Project Life tags behind my screen shot of my Zumba profile.  Lots of different Zumba & dance wear clothing tags on top that I've been saving. 

Miss Smarty Pants Bryn asked me how many times I was going to make one of those tag banners on my pages. 

I said, "I don't know.  Clearly I must like doing it."

Tag banners are the new clouds, what can I say.

Sometimes it's nice to have another very creative artist in the house & sometimes it's just annoying... LOL!   

"Hello... is it me you're looking for... "

Hahahaha! 

For the next 2 weeks... introductions are being made on the Nikki Sivils' blog of her new 2012 Design Team.  Today is my day to be "introduced"... although I've kinda been around for awhile... like since the beginning... sooo...  Hi again!  It's me!  Still loving Nikki Sivils & loving being part of her team!  Thank you to Katrina for the sweet intro about me on the blog today.  Love ya!    

Here's a few more of the projects I created with the Exit Here collection for Nikki's booth at the 2012 Winter CHA Trade Show...     

I know, right?  So unlike me to actually hand-stitch something.  It's been awhile since my lazy butt got out the embroidery floss...

I've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating.... I love the Exit Here collection!  Fun colors, patterns & perfect for all our travel photos! 

I guess I'm just gonna have to leave town soon so I can take some more photos...Woot wooot! 

Choices...

pinterest

"The day ahead offers us choices of many kinds - some big ones, many that will affect other persons close to us, a few that will have profound effects on our destiny.  But no choice, no decision we make, will be wrong.  A particular decision we make may lead us slightly astray.  Down a dead-end path perhaps - but we can always turn back and choose again.

We are seldom aware of the gravity of a particular choice at the time of making it.  Only hindsight reveals the wisdom of an important  choice.  Nevertheless, no choice is without importance in the overall picture of our lives.  And at the same time, no choice is all-powerful regarding our destiny.  We are offered chances again and again for making the right choices, the ones that will most contribute to the bigger plan for our lives.

I need not worry about today's opportunities for decision-making.  I will listen to those around me.  I will seek guidance in the messages coming to me.  I will make the choices I need to, today."

 

-author unknown

"Turn up the music, just turn it up louder... turn up the music, I need it in my life..."

It's an extra long weekend for us... with an early release day from school yesterday & no school today or Monday.  I'm actually supposed to be in Phoenix for a girls weekend to celebrate a birthday right now, but the flu hit one friend really hard so we rescheduled our flights for another weekend in April.  It's a nasty case of the flu & she's on her 3rd day of not feeling well.  Awful.  I'm disappointed to not be in Phoenix this weekend, but I am looking forward to new plans we've made in the meantime... because they're with friends I kinda love a lot!  Yay!   

I had a little time recently to tackle another event from December.  After finishing up my December Daily mini book, I needed to take a break from all things Christmas for awhile.  But I got inspired to get the red + green back out again...      

I used some more of the free journaling tags I downloaded the other day + a SRM Christmas Tree sentiment sticker.  I also snuck another photo in with my journaling tag banner...

Yay for the weekend!  Hope yours is FANTASTIC! 

Always act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.

There's something about a killer workout that's a major attitude adjuster for me.  And I had one at 6:30 this morning in spin class.  What I didn't realize until around 9am, was that I would also have to sub a Zumba class today at 10:45.  Zumba is outta control awesome enough as a student, but when I teach the class... it's a good 2 hours afterward before I can come down from the crazy high it gives me.  Going into a class, it doesn't matter if you're tired, awake, happy or sad... you've gotta leave it all at the door & get into it!  Everyone's energy feeds off of each other and I certainly don't ever want someone to leave my class without a smile (and a great workout, of course!)

Needless to say, I'm still smiling! 

Oh... and my first class begins on Monday at the Y. Every Monday at 10:45am to be exact!  Woot woooot!!!  I'm ready! 

And speaking of Zumba... I love the Zumba girls.  Whether we're hanging out at the Y or buying more bling at a jewelry party... those girls are FUN, FUN, FUN!  Love them! 

I used some of those FREE journaling tags I mentioned the other day + paper from the Recollections All Girl paper pad I recently purchased for 40% off at Michaels.  Like I needed more paper, right?  Kinda like I need another pair of shoes.  Word to your mutha.

 

What can I say, except the paper pad had me at girly & animal print. 

You know what I'm sayin'...  ;-)

Happy ♥ Day...

Happy Valentine's Day!  We'll be celebrating with our annual tradition of making lobster at home for the 3 of us.  It's too hard to get reservations at a restaurant and I'd rather celebrate with BOTH my Valentines anyway.  Plus... Bob & I already had dinner out with friends last weekend, so technically we've already celebrated.  ;-)

This year, Bob gave me a different kind of "bling" for a gift... a blinged-out swimsuit!  And since I have 3 fun-in-the-sun trips between now & the end of March... this suit will definitely come in handy!  I say that with hope... as I haven't tried it on yet.  It may not fit.  LOL

     

So anyway... since it's Valentine's Day, we were asked to create a Valentine-themed project using any of Nikki Sivils' collections.  I used one of our family photos taken by Fitzgerald Fotography LLC...

I went with a combination of Nikki Sivils' collections to make this page... Sugar Cookie, Max & Mollie, d Summer & the new Exit Here woodgrain paper... basically lots of PINK! 

Also... just another reminder to check out the "Box of Love" deal on the Nikki Sivils' blog.  There's been a great response already, and quantities are limited... so hurry! 

I hope your day is filled with lots of LOVE... and chocolate, too! 

XOXO

"When you're feeling down & out... and you've got troubles on your mind... love will save the day..."

Eventually... things change.  Sometimes I go with the flow, other times I'm kicking & screaming the entire way.  Change is good though, right?  Right...

Bob gets to deal with my kicking & screaming, so-to-speak.  I have to say though... he does save me.  Mostly from myself, I suppose.  We take the day-to-day for granted sometimes, probably more often by me than by him... but he's the love of my life.  And I wouldn't want to be traveling through this life without him.  We make a good team.  Not a perfect team, but a really good team.  We get each other.

Whitney Houston's death kind of got to me today.  I was listening to the radio & they played a clip of a lot of her "best-of" hits.  I grabbed my phone to download a couple favs of mine.  Then they were talking about her daughter... how she'd gone to the hospital twice that day after she had passed away.  I just sat there & stared out the window.  And then I started bawling.  I know that feeling of disbelief when someone you love passes away suddenly and without any warning whatsoever.  My sister & I went to the hospital later that day after our other sister had passed away.  She had already been taken to the morgue by then, but we hadn't seen her.  So they brought her from the morgue to a hospital room for us.  I needed to see her.  I needed to know it was real and not just the worst nightmare in the world.  It's a memory I wish I could erase from my mind, but I had to say my goodbyes to her in her body... even though her soul had already passed on.

I'm a mess sometimes, what can I say.  

In the meantime... it's almost Valentine's Day.  So I ran out today to get some gifts for my Valentines.  I'm also busy making some cards using the old Sugar Cookie collection from Nikki Sivils...

And speaking of Sugar Cookie... head over to the Nikki Sivils' blog to check out the "Box of Love" you can purchase for an awesome price!  But hurry... it's only while supplies last.

Have a great week, everyone!           

The power of enthusiasm...

Your life is a great and wonderful experience, so don't be
afraid to show some genuine, infectious enthusiasm for it.
The world is filled with outstanding opportunities, and you
can make the most of those opportunities by being
enthusiastic about them.

Yes, sometimes you might look a little bit silly. However,
it's much better to be laughed at for being enthusiastic
than to be pitied and avoided for being dull.

Enthusiasm keeps you young, energizes your days, and
attracts positive people to your efforts. Enthusiasm keeps
you focused on moving forward, even when there are obstacles
and distractions working against you.

To be enthusiastic, you must do what you truly care about,
and genuinely care about what you're doing. To be
enthusiastic, be honest with yourself about what your
passions are, and follow those passions without holding
back.

Feel how good it feels to let enthusiasm freely flow. Feel
how powerful it is when your actions are continually
energized by your enthusiasm.

Find those things about which you can be authentically
enthusiastic. And then, let the power of your enthusiasm
flow.

Ralph Marston

A few things I ♥ today...

• These FREE journaling tags... love, love, love!

• This article about other people's lives in this day of Facebooking, blogging & online networking.  So, so true. 

• And rainbows + shoes?  Are you kidding me?  It has my name written all over it.  Probably shouldn't spend $275 on a pair of shoes though...

Maybe they'll go on sale? 

For like... 75% off?  LOL 

Winning...

It was a "winning" weekend around here... with much food, wine, basketball, football, family and friends.  The weekend began with a family dinner for my dad's birthday.  Every time we're together, it's constant laughter.  I always leave feeling very, very lucky to have the absolute best family ever.  I also end up wishing we could get together more often...

So... we did just that & we invited my parents over to our house on Saturday night to continue the party and watch the Mizzou vs. Kansas basketball game.  And woooooot wooooooot... Mizzou won the game.  So awesome!  We were all yelling & cheering... I was hoarse by the end of the game... 

source

Sunday was of course the Super Bowl.  We watched it with friends.  I could've cared less about the game and was only looking forward to the Halftime Show.  Madonna did not disappoint.  Although I really don't like her new song AT ALL.  Her old school stuff rocked though, I was loving LMFAO & Cee Lo, too.  Also won $25 for some reason in the last quarter of the football game (or actually I guess I really won $5, because I had bet $20 at the beginning of the game).  I'm going to try not to spend that all in one place... that's some big winnings...

source

And finally... I used random.org to pick a winner for my blog give-away & the #2 comment was picked...

CONGRATULATIONS, Teresa, who said:

So, if I post more than one comment does that mean I now have two chances to win????? ;)

Posted by: Teresa | February 01, 2012 at 02:19 PM

I'll get your prize out to you right away, Teresa!

And thank you, everyone, for the sweet comments... about my crafty projects AND my shoes!  LOL! 

Have a GREAT week, everyone!

I am a very lucky girl, with the absolute BEST family ever...

Just a quick reminder about the give-away on my blog!  The winner will be randomly chosen tomorrow night... Sunday, February 4... at 7pm Central time. 

Hope you're enjoying your weekend! 

A big THANK YOU to SRM Stickers...

Today is my final post on the SRM Stickers blog.  It's been a lot of fun to have been part of SRM Stickers first ever design team in 2010 & then to have been asked to continue on for another year as an Emeritus Designer in 2011. 

The new releases that made their debut at the Winter 2012 CHA Trade Show this week are completely adorable!  I'm LOVING the fun colors & patterns on the new border stickers! 

We've Got Your Border birthday stickers...LOVE, LOVE, LOVE...

and the We've Got Your Invite stickers are so cute...

I made a quick card using more border stickers, cut to fit...

We've Got Your Border thanks stickers... adorable!!!

My closing thoughts & appreciation for my time spent with them for these last 2 years was posted on the SRM Stickers blog today.  While this is my official last posting with them, it definitely won't be the last you'll see of SRM products used in my work.  I'm hooked on their products & will ALWAYS be a fan! 

Thank you, thank you, SRM Stickers! 

XOXO

4 years of blogging...must be time for a GIVE-AWAY...

Actually, my first day of blogging was on February 15, 2008.  Not much has changed since then.  Bryn has changed A LOT.  The formatting of my blog changed, too, so my photos were cut-off with only 1/2 the image showing on some of them back then.  I snagged this image from that month...

... and nope... that hasn't changed either.  In fact, I just bought 2 new pairs of shoes recently...

I do love animal print... especially leopard print & snake skin.  Crazy since I really HATE snakes.

Sooo...how about a little give-away to celebrate?  I have lots of extra unused Nikki Sivils' products to share with one lucky reader...the Ellies Day Out paper collection, buttons, brads, a mini book, 4 6x6 paper pads, stickers & Breadless Tabs... 

 

Just leave a comment on this post to be entered into the give-away.  Maybe you could tell me why you read my blog... is it to see my projects or perhaps because you love to see me mention Zumba for the 500th time?  LOL  I get a lot of hits every day, but only a few people leave comments so I'm just curious.  Curiosity killed the cat, you know, so maybe I shouldn't be curious?  Hmmm.

I'll leave commenting open until this Sunday, February 5 at 7pm Central time.  

And much thanks to those of you who have been visiting my blog over the years.  It's been nothing but a great experience in a FUN industry and I have loved every day of it!  Your comments keep me laughing, for sure!   

Big hugs...

Woot woot!!!

The Winter 2012 CHA Trade Show is well underway!  Did you know that Nikki Sivils was chosen for the "Service to Humanity" award by the CHA committee? 

"Nikki Sivils coordinated craft relief efforts following the 2011 tornado in Joplin, Mo., working with dozens of companiesto secure, organize and distribute $50,000 worth of donated scrapbook supplies to the victims of the tornado. On Sunday, July 10, 2011, Sivils and her team delivered 50 tubs filled with scrapbook supplies to crafters who lost everything in the tornado. The donated supplies also went to local schools, the Spiva Art Center in Joplin and were used for the children’s ‘Healing Through Art’ program. Her efforts following the disaster helped return some normalcy to the local area and scrapbooking community. Sivils selfless activity directly inspired two other craft relief efforts in Joplin where products and funds were raised for St. Mary’s Elementary School, as well as an art auction benefiting the City of Joplin."

Very, very cool!  Congratulations, Nikki!  You deserve it, girl! 

image source...

In other very exciting personal news... I just found out today that I'll be on the next sessions schedule at the YMCA with my own Zumba class on Monday mornings.  I AM SO EXCITED!!!  I've already been working on new routines, but this news will kick my butt into gear to come up with more!  My first class will be on February 20th. 

Woot woot!!!

Free printables...

I'm not participating in making a Project Life book... it's a bigger task than I'm willling to take on... but I did find quite a few FREE journaling card printables on Pinterest the other day.  And since I purchased some of Becky Higgins page protectors just to have the ability to make some quick & easy pages, I think these just might come in handy!  Plus... they are cute, cute, cute! 

Project life printables here.

Journal spots found here.

My lists tags found here.

There are LOTS of printables you can purchase, too, but I'm kinda diggin' the freebies! 

Have a GREAT week!  

A little too connected...

I have to admit...I have mixed feelings about Facebook lately.  It can be a good vehicle for getting hurt feelings.  You know the old saying... what you don't know (or see on Facebook) won't hurt you.  On the other hand, when I went to my 25th high school reunion, I felt like I was still in touch with a lot people BECAUSE of Facebook.  It gave you something to talk about....because you'd already been chatting online.  I liked that.  The majority of time when I'm on Facebook, though, there's something that makes me laugh...sometimes to the point of tears in my eyes.  I like that, too.  I like staying connected. 

Like I said... mixed feelings.   

So... I had a handful of photos from my 25th reunion that happened in September.  I wish I had taken more & especially wish I had one of just Sally, Steph & I since we've been friends forever (since 2nd grade with Sally & since 6th grade with Stephanie)... but I worked with what I had.  And as I was trying to decide what products to use with my photos, I noticed that there was a lot of green & yellow in the School Is Cool collection from Nikki Sivils.  And how perfect is that, since our school colors were green & gold? 

I added a brown Burlap Button to my camera punch-out & I also used some SRM stickers... We've Got Your Number & Class of '10...

 

Got my run in this morning & I'm almost finished choreographing a new Zumba routine...without any help from videos.  And it ain't easy peeps.  LOL

TGIF & have a fabulous weekend, everyone! 

Decaf venti soy latte please...

Seems like there's been quite a few birthdays lately among my friends.  Some BIG celebrations... & some more subdued lunches too.  I've been making a lot of birthday cards though & SRM stickers make the job a little easier.  For this particular card, I used a cardboard Starbucks sleeve to hold my note & a gift card for coffee, of course...     

It's "early release" day at school, so I'm off to pick up Bryn & do something fun together!  Too bad the weather is cold & rainy today...

I'm ready to "exit here"...really... I am...

A couple of my new projects were posted on the Nikki Sivils blog last week using the new "Exit Here" collection.  I love that she created a travel-themed collection this time, as we do a LOT of traveling every year.  In fact, we already have 4 trips planned between now and June!  Yay!  I'm so ready to get out of town!       

I'll be posting more of what I created for Nikki Sivils' booth at the Winter 2012 CHA Trade Show, the closer we get to it.  It's next week already!  If you're attending... look for Nikki's booth #3047.   

Also... there are some brand new badges to go along with Nikki Sivils' 4 new collections.  Post one of them on your blog... and you just might win that collection! 

 

 

Have a GREAT week! 

New product releases for SRM Stickers...

Have you seen the SRM Stickers blog recently?  This week they've been showing all the new products making their debut at the Winter 2012 CHA Trade Show at the end of the month.  My favorite of all the new releases are the ADORABLE border stickers!  LOVE THEM...

 

 

 

I also LOVE the new We've Got Your Invite stickers.  What an easy way to create party invitations!  I've been having lots of fun working on some new projects using the new stickers.  Here's a sneak peek...

Head over to the SRM Stickers blog for a chance to win some new SRM products!  There are 4 different chances to win, so become a follower of their blog & leave your comments!   

Have a FABULOUS weekend, everyone!  

New product releases for Nikki Sivils...

Head over to the Nikki Sivils' blog today to see all 4 brand new collections in detail, that will debut at the Winter 2012 CHA Trade Show at the end of this month! 

You can see each collection in it's entirety on the Nikki Sivils' blog.  I've only had the opportunity to work with the Exit Here collection, so I'm excited to work with the other 3 collections after CHA.  They are ALL so CUTE! 

Also, leave a comment on Nikki's blog for the chance to win the collection of your choice!  Woot woot! 

Craft Storage Ideas...

I found out yesterday that my craft room was featured on the Craft Storage Ideas website.  There are lots of other inspiring craft rooms there as well!  Check it out... it's a fun site! 

You can see more of my craft room right here.  Things have changed a bit since I posted that back in 2010... like our gecko & his little home that's been added to my room... but you get the idea.  ;-)

Off to Fed Ex... to send off 3 new pages, 4 new cards and 1 new mini book that I created using the brand new "Exit Here" collection from Nikki Sivils.  One of my new pages was posted on her blog yesterday.  You can see it here.  I LOVE that new collection!  If you're attending the CHA trade show... you can check out all the new projects & collections in her booth. I will also be posting mine here soon, so stay tuned for that...

Work it, baby...

Happy Martin Luther King Day...

I'm busy working-out & working.  It's a mad dash to finish up my projects for Winter 2012 CHA & get them mailed off in time for my deadline, while Bryn is busy playing with a neighbor friend today.  And speaking of my new CHA projects... have you seen the one that just got posted on the Nikki Sivils' blog?  You can check it out here, along with a detailed look at all the new papers, cut-outs & stickers included in the new "Exit Here" collection.  I adore that new collection... it's just too darn CUTE. 

As for the Nike ad... I tore it out of a magazine. 

It just spoke to me...

"I'm sorry... I'm booked..."

We had our 1st no-school snow day yesterday.  So Bob & I got 3 trips planned last night to 3 different warm-weather locations (what is it about snow that makes me long for some fun-in-the-sun?)... 

• A girls weekend for me in February to Phoenix
• A date weekend for Bob & me in March to Las Vegas
• A family trip to Bermuda in June for all of us (with Bob's company)

We just found out that Bob officially qualified for the Bermuda trip, so we're going out to dinner tonight to celebrate.  He was working really hard at the end of the year to make sure we went... I'm so proud of him.  Also keeping my fingers & toes crossed for a 4th warm-weather trip in the fall, but we'll see what happens.   

And speaking of travel... have you seen the sneak peek for the NEW "Exit Here" collection on the Nikki Sivils' blog?  CUTE, CUTE, CUTE!!!  Perfect for all my travel photos!

 

Happy Friday the 13th!  Have a GREAT weekend! 

Good news...

Check out the Nikki Sivils' blog today for the 2012 design team announcement.  I'm thrilled to continue working with Nikki, as her Retailer Program Coordinator, and have enjoyed being part of her team since the day her company hit the scrapbooking world!  Love her... love her products... love representing her company! 

Thank you again for the continued opportunity, Nikki, and a HUGE congrats to the new team members!  It's going to be a FUN year... and CHA is just around the corner!  Woot woot!!! 

Enough already...

I finished up my December Daily book just in time to get started on some brand new projects with some brand new product.  In fact, I just opened my new box this afternoon!  Woot woot!  The timing is perfect too, since I can no longer stand to look at anything Christmas until next December!  LOL 

My book was made almost entirely using the Nikki Sivils' Gingerbread Land collection.  The Becky Higgins page protectors, cut down to size, kept the design of my book cohesive... 

You can see the book in it's entirety right here.

And speaking of Nikki Sivils'... the new design team announcement for 2012 will be made on her blog tomorrow.  Very exciting!

Hala hala!

The Winter 2012 Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) Trade Show is just around the corner and once again, I have the amazing opportunity to create projects to be on display there.  While I'd love to actually BE in Anaheim for the show, it's just as cool to have my work there representing me.  New product is on it's way to my door step & I'm excited to get to work, since I'll have a pretty quick deadline to meet.  I love this time of year!

While I'm waiting though, I'm still keeping up with some new found inspiration to finish pages using what I already have.  On this one, I used some Amy Tangerine paper for my background, some graph-patterned paper from Bryn's American Girl paper pad, and lots of SRM Thanksgiving & fall-themed stickers.  I just printed 6 wallet-size photos & then cropped them a bit smaller to fit...

I attended one CRAZY FUN birthday party on Saturday night.  Aside from my 40th birthday party, it was probably the most fun party I've been to since college.  Didn't get home & in bed until 2am.  Way too late for me... but totally worth it!  Love those girls! 

Happy Monday & have a GREAT week!     

"Old" is the new "new"...

Well... not really.  I love "new."  In fact, I just bought a lot of "new" today... like lots of fun blingy stuff for Zumba & going out on the town.  I even bought a couple birthday gifts today, too, so it wasn't all just for me... even though MOST of it was for me.  LOL  

But for the sake of this post... we'll just pretend that "old" is cool.  Because I have a TON of old product, not to mention a TON of photos that need to get into the books.  And since my goal this year is to get pages finished, whether they're "publishable" or not, I think I may be on a roll here!  Almost everything I used for these 3 pages was AT LEAST a year old, some of it a LOT older than that.  And of course... there's some SRM stickers on all pages.  LOVE those stickers...   

Photos scrapped... check.

Old stash reduction... check.

Don't care if I can post them anywhere but here... check, check, check!

And speaking of birthday gifts.... I have a fun birthday party to attend tomorrow night.  Belly dancers will be there and I'm sure we'll all be dancing as well!  Woot woooot!  Party pics next week!

Have a FABULOUS weekend everyone!  TGIF!

Resolutions...

I haven't really made a list of resolutions yet, but have a few in mind.  Like disconnecting from my phone more often & being more "present" when everyone's home.  Bryn gets on me about that.  I'd also like us to get back in a routine of going to church.  Seems that the busier the weekends get for us, the easier it is to sleep in on Sundays.   

Creatively-speaking, I have some goals in mind too... since I've been feeling uninspired & somewhat burnt-out for awhile now.  I want to get back to creating, just for the sake of creating so I can get photos & memories into the books.  I have so many photos of so many events that are piling up.  And then by the time I get around to doing something with them, I just can't remember the details as well for my journaling.  As far as I'm concerned, that's the most important part, so I feel like I've been failing there lately.

Like these photos for instance.  This night happened back in June.  And it's just one of many pages that I want to get to, but haven't yet... either because I've waited for the right product or I simply just had other things I'd rather do.  Either way, I want back that feeling of doing this because I LOVE it and it's important to me to document our lives... NOT just because I've made commitments to do it.  So when I'm not creating for one of the manufacturers I design for... I prefer to just use what's on hand.  I love to use a mix of products & manufacturers.  Is it the "right" way to design?  I don't really care whether it is or not!  It's me... and it's easier to stay true to me, than to force something else...       

Another page in the book! 

Off to my annual doctor's visit.  Had to say NO to shopping with a friend today because of it.  Now THAT sucks.  LOL

Top eleven in '11...

Happy 2012!  We had a FUN & memorable weekend... a great way to ring in the new year!  And the Zumbathon was a BLAST yesterday.  Getting my tired butt out of bed that morning was the most difficult part, but once I got there... all was GREAT!  Best way to start the new year EVER!   

And following suit in annual tradition of the yearly round-up... here's my top 11 favorite pages from the past year...

Some trends I noticed while reviewing my work from this past year:  stars, word bubbles, banners & 8x10 photos...cropped to fit.

At least you didn't have to see an over-abundance of clouds & rainbows though.  LOL   

Hope you all had a FUN weekend!  And here's to making 2012 a FABULOUS year!

"When I say dance... you dance... and when I say stop... don't move at all..."

I've managed to sneak in some time here & there to finish up 4 more days in my December Daily book.  Could I manage to sneak in some time to take down the Christmas decorations or clean the house?  Ummm... NO.  It's all about having the right priorities, my friends! 

Ok, well I did manage to un-decorate the mantel.  Yay, me.  But the rest of the house is going to have to wait until after we've hit 2012, because I have 2 days in a row of Zumba to do AND some ringing-in of the new year planned for tonight.  Again... it's all about priorities.          

The book has been created, almost entirely, using the Nikki Sivils' Gingerbread Land collection.  You can see all the pages (so far) right here. 

Also... I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone for your kind words & comments over the years.  In fact, in February it will be 4 years since I started this blog.  So much has changed in that time... even in just the past year.  This part of my life, though, has been a blessing for me and I'm truly grateful for all of it... especially for the 2 amazing manufacturers, Nikki Sivils and SRM Stickers, entrusting me to design for them.  It's been nothing but FUN for me with both companies! 

So...on this New Year's Eve, I just wanted to send best wishes to everyone for a very HAPPY, HEALTHY & PROSPEROUS 2012 full of much LOVE and many good MEMORIES!  Be safe tonight & have FUN! 

Big hugs + kisses... 

"She's got a thing for attention... I gotta say, this girl can dance..."

Before you get too impressed that I've already scrapped some photos from our Christmas... let's try to remember everything I HAVEN'T done yet... because the list is LONG.  Like, let's see... Halloween, Thanksgiving, my December Daily, the Mud Run, Austria, and at least 45 other events on my ever-growing list.  You feel much better now, right?  And I suddenly feel worse.  LOL

This one was easy peasy though.  I used Picnik to create my photo collage and the Nikki Sivils' Gingerbread Land collection to create my page.  You don't really have to add too much more to the cute little gingerbread house scene paper.  It makes it easy to create a page quickly.  Even though I like to take extra time obsesssing about details anyway...    

I added some Want 2 Scrap bling on my banner & also added some SRM Happy Holidays Sentiments to the top...

In other more exciting news... I subbed for a Zumba class this morning... my 3rd class ever.  I had a lot of people show up to dance with me, too, which was GREAT because it's normally a class that doesn't get high attendance numbers.  And even better... I get to take Zumba tomorrow in my weekly Thursday morning class that I attend AND I get to help teach at the Zumbathon on Sunday!  

Three days of Zumba this week... be still my heart!  Woot wooooooot!!! 

Christmas 2011...

Aside from my lingering head cold, sore throat, cough... oh and a 24-hour stomach bug that decided to hit me on Christmas Eve... Christmas was a blast.  We enjoyed every second with family... food, drinks, games, and so many laughs that it made my stomach hurt!  My dad is a total nut.  Hope your celebration was special too!

Also... just a quick reminder of the Nikki Sivils' design team call!  The deadline is the 28th, so hurry! 

"Wrap it up... I'll take it..."

Just trying to finish things up around here... wrapping gifts and also cleaning the house since we'll have my family here on Christmas Day.  The grocery store was mayhem today, as was Target's parking lot, but thankfully most people were smiling.  Love people that are smiling.  ;-)

Making gift tags is about as crafty as I could get for our gifts this year.  I used the Nikki Sivils' Gingerbread Land collection for my letter stickers.  I hand-cut my trees, stacked 2 of them on my hand-cut tag, machine-stitched it down the middle, then added a small folded piece of ribbon to the top & adhered it with a staple... 

... same process here, only this time I used a large snowflake punch & stacked 2 of those...

Notice how lazy I am at changing the thread on the sewing machine?  They all got green thread.  LOL

Also, just wanted to share this version of Ave Maria that put tears in my eyes the first time I heard it the other day.  What doesn't put tears in my eyes these days?   I have issues... like hormonal... LOL 

This is my last post for the week, so I'd just like to wish you all a very MERRY Christmas!  Enjoy your time with family & friends this weekend & make sweet memories.  And thank you SO much for always leaving such kind and funny comments.  You all keep me smiling, for sure!

XOXO...

You better not pout, I'm telling you why...

Well, today is the last day of school before Christmas break and I FINALLY started AND finished making the 28 treat bags for Bryn's class party when I got home from Zumba today... which, by the way, was amazing as always.  Not only am I "under-achieving" at creating these days, it's spilling over into everything I have to do.  Just can't seem to get motivated until I'm up against the clock & it's gotta get done this minute.  Is anyone else feeling like this during the holidays or is it just me? 

New Year's resolution #238... get inspired again. 

Off to school for a crazy 5th grade Christmas party!   

"Oh... sometimes... I get a good feeling..."

I think I'm going to have to rename this my December almost Daily mini book.  I had to skip a couple days last week to get caught up... just the 13th & 14th.  And probably the real reason is that I didn't have any photos from those days, nor could I think of anything earth-shattering that happened either.  Or rather, I could've thought of something, but I'm feeling the need to be an under-achiever right now.  LOL

Even though I've tried to simplify the process by using the divided page protectors, this book still takes a lot of time, thought & creativity... of which I seem to be majorly lacking these days!  I will finish it though... and hopefully without skipping any more days since Christmas is already here this weekend. 

I think I can... I think I can...

PLEASE make it go away...

Day #2 of a raging migraine.  But, the water has been shut off in our subdivision for some kind of water system repairs today, so I'm out & about until it resumes.  And besides, no amount of Advil helps my migraines and for some strange reason I do get an hour of relief when I'm working out (I guess it's adrenaline that helps?) so staying in bed is not an option anyway.  Thank goodness for Spin class... and a shower at the Y so I'm not a sweaty mess all day!

Bob & I had a fun "date night" on Saturday night, while Bryn & her cousin were with my parents.  They went to see a live "Grinch" show & then spent the night.  So, Bob & I had dinner at BARcelona, made a quick run through the mall to replace the gifts I had ordered online that never arrived in time because we needed them on Sunday (I'll have to ship those back now when they arrive!), then stopped for a glass of wine at Araka and spent the night at a hotel so we didn't have to drive home.  We had FUN!

On Sunday, we entertained Bob's daughter & her family, and Bob's niece for an early Christmas lunch since we won't see them on Christmas.  Another fun day with family... although I was the hostess without the mostess that day, since I was not feeling well.  I rallied though & made it through! 

Gonna have to get over all this SOON.  It's cramping my style and I've got too much to do!  LOL

Happy Monday and only 5 more days until Christmas Eve! 

Ho, ho, ho...

Who you callin' a ho?

I'm still on a Zumba high from this morning's pre-Zumbathon class with myself & 4 other fabulously fun instructors leading the way.  Such a BLAST.  The Zumbathon is gonna ROCK, people.  If you're local, PLEASE join us on New Year's Day from 10:30-12:30 at the Y.  Plenty of time to nurse your hangover & start 2012 off in a healthy and FUN way.  DJ Pru will be there with his strobe lights and I promise it will be worth your time!  No need to be a member either.  Message me for more details!!! 

Bryn has overnight Christmas plans with her cousin and my parents tonight, so Bob & I are off to our own overnight "date night" with plans to hit the city.  Love that.  But first the house needs to be cleaned & I need to get prepared for his daughter & her family coming over for an early Christmas lunch as soon as we get back home tomorrow.   

Oh & a couple of their gifts still haven't been delivered yet.  The joys of online ordering.  So not cool...  

"On Friday night... I'm sorry, I'm booked..."

As planned, I have continued with my quest to use photos from earlier this year.  And with the weirdly warm 60-degree weather we had yesterday, it doesn't seem too inappropriate to be posting a page about Easter in December since that's typical Easter-time weather.  Umm, right? 

I pulled out my Pink Paislee Hometown Summer collection & added some Easter SRM sticker sentiments.  Nothing too fancy here, but I can finally scratch this event off my list anyway...

Back to normal weather today and... 

• Had Aqua Jog & Zumba classes this morning.  Best day of the week! 
• Lunch with the girls.  Always fun & full of laughs.  Note to self... must see the movie "Hall Pass." 
• Early release day for Bryn & we were off to get a photo taken with Santa.  Even though she told me before we went in, that he wasn't "the REAL Santa."   I got a photo though... yay me!  
• Quick stops at Target & Michaels.  I feel like I'm spending too much time at both places lately & no, I'm still not finished with my Christmas shopping.
• Planning to start wrapping some gifts with Bryn's help today.  She's a really good wrapper.  Better than most adults.  Or at least better than her dad, anyway. 
• Going to a gift exchange party tonight with a bunch of girls from the Y.  Should be more laughs tonight for sure.   
• All of this, while nursing a sore throat for the past 2 days.  Obviously not bad enough to keep me in bed though.  I have to be REALLY sick for that.  And "I'm sorry... I'm booked!" 

"Here comes the rain again... falling on my head like a memory..."

I decided to take a little break from the cold weather + Christmas paper last night and went through old photos that I hadn't printed yet.  I've also had a couple pieces of paper & cut-outs from the Simple Stories 100 Days of Summer line sitting on my craft table for months and went with some photos from this summer.  It's always amusing to see photos of the 3 of us.  Stephanie has a way of making Sally & I look extremely pale.  LOL

I added some SRM sticker sentiments from the Hello set and some Glossy Accents on the tree.  It became apparent when I took this photo that I forgot one dot, too.  Too bad, so sad...

Love that yellow chevron so much. 

Planning to get to some more older warm weather photos later today, too.  I've got sun & the beach on my brain on this cold, rainy day... maybe that will help.  

"In the suburbs I, I learned to drive... And you told me we'd never survive, grab your mother's keys we're leavin'..."

It was another fun weekend, with more holiday celebrations!  Even Bryn got to have fun with friends all weekend.  Had to play a little bit of catch-up yesterday, but somehow I'm managing to stay current on my December book... 

You can see the book in it's entirety, to date, right here.

The majority of my book is being made with the Nikki Sivils' Gingerbread Land collection.  You can find Gingerbread Land online at Scrapbook.com... grab individual pieces or the entire collection!

Have a GREAT week, everyone!

"Good King Wenceslas looked out... on the feast of Stephen..."

Check out the Nikki Sivils' blog today for a chance to win a HUGE giveaway from Provocraft and also a chance to win Nikki's Gingerbread Land collection!

I have a couple Christmas cards on her blog today, too.  Both were made using the Gingerbread Land collection...

And... just to help get you into the spirit of Christmas... how about a little holiday music from one very crazy 10-year old who loves to use dramatic voices when she's on camera.  Not sure where the crazy comes from... because I'm perfectly normal, you know.  Also not sure why she's wearing our Mizzou tiger tail, that we hang from the back of our Tahoe for Mizzou games, as a headband.  I think we can just sum up all of those answers by saying... her & I have spent WAY too much time together in her last 10 1/2 years of life.  Poor thing... LOL

Have a FABULOUS weekend! 

I heart Photoshop...

We had a family photo shoot a few weeks ago.  It was great, for once, to not be the one behind the camera... or to be handing the camera off to someone else who you hope will take a clear photo.  Since most of the time when we have a family photo taken, it's with the self-timer on my camera, I decided this year we were going to hire someone to do it for us! 

If you're local & want an AMAZING photographer, check out Teri Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald Fotography.  I know her from Zumba, but didn't realize until recently when I saw photos she took of my friend & her son, that she was also a photographer.  She's fantastic.  So nice, so great to work with & so thorough.  Seriously... she spent over 2 1/2 hours with us and took I don't know... 300 photos?  There were a lot! 

We were outside in downtown St Charles.  Kinda chilly that day, too.  All poses & backgrounds were her idea... we just did what she asked of us.  And can I just say that I love her Photoshop skills.  Airbrush us to the MAX please... LOL       

Just some of our favorite shots.  I'm sure you'll see these pop up again on future scrapbook pages.  ;-) 

Her rates are totally reasonable & worth every penny!  Find her on Facebook and check out her website for more information! 

"You want omelet or cereo?"

Well, I'm beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel with regard to Christmas shopping.  It's more than half-way complete.  There are still a couple people I have absolutely no clue what to buy them, but I suppose I'll eventually have a sudden flash of inspiration.  And no I haven't even begun to wrap anything.  Wouldn't want to be too organized. 

I have the first 3 days of my December Daily finished.  While the divided page protectors make it easy for me to finish a page without much thought... the glare does pose a bit of a problem when trying to photograph the pages.

Off to make breakfast food for dinner.  We're eating in our pj's tonight.  It's a tradition we started several years ago & Bryn's favorite thing to do at Christmas time. 

And the title of this post... something my sister & I say to each other ALL.THE.TIME.  We had a flight attendant ask that to us & everyone else on a flight to St Thomas once & we've been repeating it over & over ever since then. 

I'm not sure English was her primary language, but I'll take cereo please...

"Pressure pushing down on me... pressing down on you no man ask for..."

Ok, so I caved... to the peer pressure I suppose. 

I've made a December Daily book for the past 3 years now.  This year I decided I was way too uninspired, way too short on patience & just frankly have too many things keeping me distracted right now that I wasn't going to tackle this book.  NO. NOT GOING TO DO IT.  But every single year by the end of the month, I'm really glad I took the time.  It even makes me think I can tackle a Project Life book when I'm finished.  And then I come back to my senses & realize it ain't happenin'!   

You can see my 2010 December Daily right here and 2009.  Couldn't find 2008 in it's entirety, but here's a day with some pages from that year's book.

I'm planning to use a mix of products for my book this year (ie. whatever I can find in my stash), but I'll probably use the Nikki Sivils Gingerbread Land collection for the majority of it... 

To add a little more interest & dimension to the cover, I used my Glossy Accents inside all the circles (you know I love that stuff)...

There's also a SRM Merry Christmas sentiment on there (well, of course!).  Speaking of SRM Stickers... check out their blog today for details on how to apply for their design team!  A new call has been posted today!

Before you get too excited about this book (because I know you're on the edge of your seats right now), please note the simplicity of all the pages.  I'm using some Becky Higgins 12x12 divided page protectors, cut down to size, so I can just stick my photos + journaling spots into place.  Quick & easy... hopefully without too much thought.  LOL 

Anyone else doing a December Daily this year?  Link me up in the comments.  Would love to see yours!

FREE printables for the holidays...

Head over to the Nikki Sivils' blog today for some FREE holiday card + envelope printables!

Simply save them to your computer, print them onto a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock, cut on the dotted lines & fold!

They are CUTE cards just as printed, but I embellished my set with some punch-outs from the Gingerbread Land collection, some patterned paper + a border punch and some bakers twine to finish it off.  I also added a little faux stitching with my black Sharpie.  Quick, easy and FREE cards!  What could be better than that?! 

Have a GREAT weekend, everyone!    

"Hey good lookin'... whatcha got cookin'..."

A couple weeks ago I mentioned that my mom, sister & I were taking a cooking class at a local grocery store.  We get together to do these classes every once in awhile, not because we need to learn how to cook, but because it's a fun reason to get together.  Plus... usually they do the cooking for us, so we can just sit there & watch, eat & drink.  It's fun! 

This class, however, was held at a different store than we usually attend and we would find out upon arrival that it was a "hands-on" class... thus the aprons.  Wine bottles were opened first thing for all the students.  I was running a few minutes late that night because I couldn't find the store & must've missed the instructions that wine glasses were to be kept at our seats & not on the cooking prep counters. 

So about a half-hour into class, an older man (another student) says to me, "You're not supposed to have your wine glass on the counter." 

My mom, who also had her wine glass on the counter, said to me, "Oh, sorry, they did tell us that when we first got here. I forgot to tell you that.  I guess they're worried we might spill our wine or something."

I said, "Well, I'm going tell him I'm a professional and I never spill my wine while I'm cooking."

Seriously.  That would be a waste of wine.  LOL

Anyway... LOTS of SRM cooking-themed stickers on here.  The crossword puzzle paper is Kaisercraft's Class of '87 paper.  I was planning to use it with some other school paper I bought from that line, but I liked the idea of filling in the spaces with some of the cooking sentiments, so it ended up on here instead...

The paper with the fruit & veggies on it, is an old piece of Karen Foster paper I found in my stash. 

It's December 1st and holiday party season is officially starting.  Tonight is Bob's company Christmas dinner party.  Not the most exciting thing on my calendar, but must make an appearance!  LOL  Tomorrow night is a party with my college friends & Saturday night is a dinner with friends at a new restaurant.  Looking forward to a fun-filled weekend! 

Sunday, I shall rest.  And take Advil.  LOL 

Tis the season!

"Yeah right, picture that with a Kodak... or better yet go to Times Square & take a picture of me with a Kodak..."

It's the last day of November (man, that month went by fast)... so that means it's time for a new challenge on the Nikki Sivils' blog!  This month's challenge is to create a page using photos taken with your cell phone.   

I went with a recent photo I took of Bryn helping Bob put up the tree.  For those of you who haven't already read my Facebook status from that day, I'll repeat the story.  I had a moment of temporary insanity and allowed my 10-year old to talk me into putting up the tree the weekend before Thanksgiving. 

I told her, "We can put up the tree today, but we can't decorate it until next weekend because it's against the law to have your tree up before Thanksgiving." 

With a very concerned look on her face she said, "It is?"

I said, "Well... it's against MY law.  I can only celebrate one holiday at a time."

I used the Gingerbread Land collection to create my page... 

Love the little tree & ornament punch-outs.  Makes it so easy to embellish a page.  Need some inexpensive red + white bakers twine?  Check out my ETSY SHOP!

So... join us in this month's challenge!  Use at least 75% Nikki Sivils' products (old or new) for your page and post your link here for a chance to win the Nikki Sivils' collection of your choice!  The deadline for the challenge is December 31.

Happy Wednesday!  I'm off to Spin class...  

"Jack & Jill went up the hill, each with a buck and a quarter... Jill came back with two-fifty... a working girl, now work it girl..."

6 days without blogging & I'm not even on vacation.  What up with that? 

Aside from being totally uninspired & lacking in motivation to do anything scrapbooking-related lately, here's a little of what's been going on around here lately & keeping me busy... 

... a family photo shoot (more on that later)...

... had a moment of temporary insanity & allowed a 10-year old to talk me into putting the tree up the weekend before Thanksgiving...

... prepared this turkey (inspired by an image on Pinterest), since I SUCK at the Butterball version...

... found out at 7am on Thanksgiving morning that I was going to have to teach the 75-minute Zumba class at 9:15am, when my friend/Zumba instructor said she was sick.  Created a playlist & burned a cd at lightening speed to prepare for the class.  Had about 70 people in the gym that morning... total BLAST...

... spent the rest of the day at my parent's house with my family... being thankful, eating, drinking & playing board games...

... saw 2 awesome movies in one weekend with our friends... (Jack & Jill was HILARIOUS, especially since I was seeing it with my friend, who's a TWIN... LOL)...

     

... some Christmas shopping online AND at the mall...

... wore this mini dress & these thigh-high boots to a dinner with friends and someone said to me, "Cute dress!  Missoni, right?" to which I replied, "Ummm, no... this would be the much lower priced knock-off."  (as in Forever 21... LOL)...

... helping spread the word about the upcoming ZUMBATHON at the O'Fallon YMCA on New Year's Day morning, with DJ Pru, strobe lights, prizes & the BEST WORK-OUT EVER to start your 2012 off right!  EVERYONE welcome & I'll be helping teach a few songs, just sayin'...

... back home from an awesome Spin class now & I'm determined to get to work and meet a deadline that's looming.  In major need of inspiration! 

SOS please someone help me... 

I get by with a little help from my friends...

Let me begin by saying that the title of this page is not meant to be taken seriously... it's just meant to be funny.  I'm blaming Pinterest for it.  I pinned this poster awhile ago because it just reminded me of my crazy friends...     

    

pinterest

Since there was a lot of crazy colors & prints in our dresses, I went with a very colorful background and title, but tried to anchor it all with white directly behind the photo.  I also threw in some SRM sticker sentiments, of course! 

I'm really thankful for those 4 girls. 

It's not every day that you meet someone so cool... let alone 4 people so cool.  We have a lot of crazy fun times together, but this past year has had it's share of tears too.  Somehow even through sadness though, we always end up laughing about something.  And I mean laughing really hard.  We all have each other's backs & we're there to pick each other up when we fall.  

And I mean literally, too.  That's happened.  LOL 

Zumba may be what brought us all together, but it's really liking each other's company that makes us want to spend more than just that hour we have at the Y every day.  And when one of us moves, or one of us isn't at lunch or at a night out... it isn't quite the same.  We miss who's not there.    

I speak for myself when I say all this, but I'm pretty sure we all feel the same way.  And with Thanksgiving coming up, I guess I'm just feeling thankful for many things... especially good friends.   

Have you heard...

Head over to the Nikki Sivils' blog today for the new 2012 Design Team call announcement!

I've been designing for her since her company hit the industry 3 years ago & I can say nothing but positive things about her AND her products.  It's a wonderful opportunity! 

You can find all the details on how to apply right here.

Good luck and have a GREAT weekend, everyone!