(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!   

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'...  ;-)

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!!!

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!

"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!!! 

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...  

"... this FREESE frame moment can't be wrong... "

Somehow I managed to miss the end of the best baseball game ever.  At least as far as Bob's concerned.  Who knew?  I went to bed during the 7th inning of game #6 of the World Series, when we were losing 7-5, because I had to get up early today.  Apparently shortly after that, is when all the excitement began.  Let's just say, I could NOT believe it when I got up at 5:45 to run before my (& Bryn's) dentist appointment this morning, that the Cardinals won the game.  All I can say is... there's no way St Louis won't win it tonight.  NO. WAY.  The Cardinals fans are going to be cray-cray Downtown tonight... and, well... everywhere.  Freese is the man!   

And speaking of my dentist appointment...  I left his office in tears this morning.  I've been able to get to know the people in his office pretty well over the past year with all my dental work and also because his office is in the same building as Bob's and they're friends.  So when his dental assistant said hello to me before my appointment, I asked how her mom was because the last time we spoke she had cancer.  She told me she passed away 11 days ago.  So... she talked & talked about everything.  I started to get teary-eyed, but she had to get to her next appointment so I kept it together.  Then, after my hygenist finished with me, she came in & sat down by me while I was waiting for the dentist and started talking about her mom again AND brought up my sister.  I don't always cry when I talk about Kaysy, but between her losing her best friend & me losing mine, my voice was cracking... tears... everything.  And all I had was that damn bib they tie around your neck to dry my tears.  Then she told me she was taking "pills" because it was the only way she could keep from wanting to jump off a cliff and I thought, "Can you give me some?  Because I'm a mess right now."  LOL!  Good grief.  I was still crying when I got in the car.  Bryn just looked at me like I was nutty. 

And umm... I am. 

Anyhoo... you already know that, so here's something you don't know about... this new page.  I'm still digging through my new American Crafts stash... mixing up my City Park, Amy Tangerine & Margarita collections.        

... there's those buildings again... ;-)

There now.  I feel better just thinking about fun times with my friends.  And more fun this weekend, too, with an upcoming Halloween party.  I'll be dressing up as "Pocahottie."  Not kidding.  That really is the name of the costume.  And Bryn decided to be an Indian, too.  Minus the "hottie-ness."  LOL  So, of course, that means Bob's going to have to be a cowboy.  Cowboys + Indians... it just makes sense. 

But first, a friend of Bryn's is staying the night for a sleep-over tonight AND then Zumba tomorrow morning.  Can't wait... I ♥ ZUMBA!

And for the first time in 10 1/2 years, I just officially became an employee.  Part-time... at the Y... as an instructor.  This is what happens when you love Zumba as much as I do.  Your friend manages to make you start working again and suddenly becomes your boss.  Gotta love it!  LOL 

FYI... Zumbathon coming up at the YMCA.  New Year's Day.  It's for a GREAT cause & I guarantee it will be your BEST 2 hours EVER.  More information to come... so mark your calendars if you're local!   

Zumba love...

Before leaving town this week, I found some time to create with the big mess of products sitting on my craft table... and quite frankly, all over my floor.  Things tend to get scattered all over the place when I'm in create mode.  And please don't come in & try to tip-toe through the big mess.  Makes me nervous.  LOL  I am happy to say though, that I did clean & straighten up the craft room before I left.  Hate coming back home to a mess.  Yay me. 

So... this one is a mix of mostly American Crafts & some Bella Blvd.  I also added a Zumba clothing tag for another punch of color, as well as to play off the circle design in the paper.  Did I mention I buy a lot of Zumba clothes?  A girl's gotta have options... ;-)

These aren't great quality photos, but my scrapbooks are full of pages with imperfect photos.  It's the memories that matter.  And this night is a really good memory...           

Now if only I could be doing Zumba with my friends right now... all would be perfect in my world.  But... I'm hitting the treadmill instead. 

Don't forget to check out the My Memories Suite giveaway.  You have until Sunday evening to leave a comment! 

"Dance, dance, dance..."

Just a quick recap from an eventful and FUN weekend...

• On Friday night, we helped my sister's boyfriend out with some new advertising & promotional pics for Shock City Studios.  He'd like to start promoting having more karaoke parties there, so we brought Bryn and my friends' daughters so they could sing & pretend like they were having a party.  And then they all left with cd's of all the songs they sang.  Soooo CUTE!

• We have a new addition to the family & his name is Junior.  My mom told me she was hoping for a REAL "junior," but alas it's only a Gecko.  He looks like a snake with 4 legs... and you KNOW how I feel about snakes.  And... his home is in my craft room.  Something is very, very wrong here.

• I found out that my TV appearance finally aired when someone who works at the Y asked me if I was on TV.  I said, "Yes, back in December."  She said, "No, I just saw you yesterday?"  Nice.  They were supposed to email me & let me know when it was going to air so I could set the DVR, dang it!  Anyway... as you already know, they came over to tape this 2nd segment at the end of July, but it finally aired on Friday morning.  You can watch it here.  Not amused that they mispronounced my name... it's DEEE-na... NOT De-ANNA.  Kinda funny that the lead-in to the "Mom Cave" segment is about the Rally Squirrel.  Go Cardinals! 

• Did LOTS of Zumba on Saturday.  Love when that happens!  Had my regular 75-minute Zumba class on Saturday morning that I attend.  And then on Saturday night, I did an intense hour Master Class taught by Jason Thompson.  He was AMAZING.  The boy can flat DANCE.  He's from Kentucky, but travels around doing Zumba videos with Beto (the creator of Zumba), Zumba conventions and special Master Classes.  I think my friend & I may have to stalk him, so we can take another one of his classes.  It was THAT good...

• And I finished this page that's been in progress on my table for quite some time now.  The color combo started off because it matched all the crazy colors in my photos, but then it just seemed like too much, so I reprinted the photos in black & white.  Still not totally thrilled with the outcome, but quite frankly I'm sick of looking at it.    

So I called it finished & I'm moving on...

Certified or certifiable? Probably both...

 ... especially after my last post.  You're probably thinking I am certifiably nuts right now.  And well... in some situations I just might be.  Those girls tend to bring out the cray-cray in me.  And... they're coming over tonight to watch Bridesmaids because 2 of my friends haven't seen it yet.  It'll be the 4th time I've seen it in less than a week... and I'm sure I'll be laughing all over again.  Have you seen the movie yet?  You have to tell me some of your favorite lines.  I know I have many!   

On another subject... I received my Zumba certificate in the mail 2 weeks ago.  I thought it might be fun to use it on my page, but couldn't figure out a design I liked when I tried using it in it's original 8x10 size.  So... I put it on my copier & reduced the size of it.  I also used some SRM Congratulations sticker sentiments on my page.  It's not my favorite photo of me, (I look possessed... my... what BIG eyes you have...) but it's the only one I have from that day so it's going in the book, dang it. 

 

I made my banner using a bunch of Zumba clothing tags I'd been holding onto... thought they were colorful & might be fun on a page.  I might need to consider a 12-step program for purchasing too many Zumba clothes.  The other colorful tags (and the paper I used on this page) came with the American Crafts set of goodies I purchased from Scrapbook Steals the other day.  I don't know that it's still available, but it's the City Park collection.  So CUTE!    

 

And speaking of Zumba... I taught my first class yesterday.  It wasn't planned AT ALL.  In fact, I had just finished my Spin class & was getting ready to leave the leave the building while I was still chatting with friends, when the instructor who was supposed to teach ran up to us & said she couldn't teach her class.  She had major hives.  I looked at her and said, "OMG... I'm giving you some Benadryl!"  Because... I carry that with me, along with an Epipen, everywhere I go for Bryn.  My friend, who would have ordinarily taken her place, didn't have shoes to put on so she asked me if I would do it.  I said, "Ok, but I need your cd and you have to come show me how to use the cd player!"  Dancing I can do.  Figuring out the equiptment in the room... need a little training.  LOL  I begged another friend, who had also just finished Spin, to go in there with me and there were only 2 other people in the room ready to take the class.  So... the 4 of us did an hour of Zumba.  I've never been so NON-blinged out for Zumba EVER!  That's SO WRONG.  LOL  It was fun though & now I can say I've officially taught a class.

It's WAY more fun when there's more than 4 people in there though, I have to say.  And a little bling helps, too... ;-)

"Now go. Stop. Drop. Pause..."

Did I ever mention that Thursday is my favorite day of the week?  It may have something to do with Zumba in the morning.  Just sayin.  And I love that some of you have started taking Zumba classes because I talk about it on here all. the. time.  You are cool girls.  ;-)   

 

Just another page today using lots of Bella Blvd.  Since this birthday party was held at the horse race track, I decided to make a horse using my Cricut and the Create A Critter cartridge.  Or... I guess I should say that Bryn made the horse for me.  And of course, I had to add some google eyes.  Love those.      

There was also a Kentucky Derby theme going on... thus the hats.  I didn't wear one, but by the end of the evening Bob did...

 

He's kinda dorky like that.  And I can say that, because I'm never dorky.  Not at all.  

And speaking of Bella Blvd... I'm going to have a boat-load of projects going up on the SRM Stickers blog on Monday for their "Paper of the Week" series that's been going on for the past 2 months.  So stay tuned for that with a chance to win some Bella Blvd goodies! 

And thanks for the fun comments yesterday.  You guys always make me laugh. 

• No, I'm not selling the Missoni I scored.  Ok... well how much is it going for?   
• Yes, OF COURSE, I have an outfit planned for the reunion.  Now I just have to figure out how I'm getting home that night since all the other party people are spending the night at the hotel.  But, hey... at least I have a dress.  I have my priorities you know.
• And as for Zumba... I wish you ALL could make a road trip here to try it out.  I promise you it would be the most FUN workout you've EVER had.  It's like you're at a party in a nightclub... minus the booze & lurking men... and a LOT more sweating!