piece of work.

Thank You again!!

Thanks so much for all of the emails and posts and messages, you guys are all the best!! This has been a very trying time for me and my family, we all loved her SO SO much, she was truly like my child. So thanks again!

I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, I am trying to find a new place to live and packing and relocating to a new area is kinda stressful, no matter how much you want to be there, you know. You never, or at least I never remembered how much stuff there is to do when you move. It's CRAZY!!! I will be back to posting in a bit, just gotta figure out the homeless thing first, lol....

Also, I have a ton of emails to answer and I will as soon as this crazy time is over, I haven't forgotten about you......

Goodbye my sweet girl...

Thank you so much for your well wishes, unfortunately all was not okay. We found out that she had cancer and it was pretty far along, nothing we could have done, it was in the lymph nodes. We said goodbye to our sweet baby girl today...

I am devistated to say the least, she was my best friend, my companion, my shoulder to lean on and my joy everyday. I will miss her more than words can say. My heart hurts more than it ever has, I have lost my little girl.

Xanadu,

I know you are in a better place basking in the warm sun, smelling the sweet breeze and eating as many treats as your little tummy can handle. I know you are playing with every toy you can get your paws on,squeaking away till you little heart's content. I will always be with you and you with me, my heart will always have a place for you, always. I love you sweet girl.

Mommy

House Hunting

This weekend we will be doing just that, looking for a house to rent in a new city, new scenery, new light, new streets, new smells, new sounds, new life......a fresh start and I can not be any happier. Wish me luck, I fear I may need it.

Oh and if you are wishing any luck, please do so for my little pup, she is sick and needs to see the vet, hopefully everything will turn out okay, but she is getting old and I am getting scared, but WE WILL HOPE FOR THE BEST!!!

OMG!!!

You never know how much crap you have until you have to move it...
This is what my craft room looks like right now, a bombed scrapbooking store, there is just stuffEVERYwhere.

...and we all know it's much more productive to post about said crap than it it to actually clean it up.....right!?!?

More spots available...

For my SISiversary class. It's called Artist Bazaar, this is the second class and it will be held a little later that night.So if you missed out the first time, there are more spots now for the second class.Class Description Here!

Look what my mom has living in a den under her house

click on the photo, it's so much better bigger.

Can you see the wee little fox!?!??! She has a momma and some babies, this is the second year in a row. See those beautiful irises that will soon bloom, they LOVE to eat those and trample them... I just wanna hold them and kiss their little paws, they are ADORABLE!!!

Lean Cuisine is so much better if you take it out of that gross black plastic

Yes, I have resorted to Lean Cuisine for the days that I just can't bring myself to cook anything, or even really slap two pieces of bread together with some mustard, veggies and cheese. when pressing the start button is all I can hope for....Lean Cuisine is fine, it's actually pretty good when take it out of the "prison-food-to-go" container. It actually seems digestible...

I really think I am going to have to do some serious hunting for a typewriter, cuz when I see photos like THIS, I just want one even more. Plus who doesn't want to use a typewriter on their scraps, I mean Come on.......right?!?!

I have some wonderful news about my WW progress........drum roll please..................I have lost 7 pounds!!! Woo HOO!!!! I seriously didn't think the weight would be coming off this fast, but that tells me that I SUCK at eating healthy in the first place, lol. All and all it really hasn't been bad, I am a little hungry from time to time but nothing TOO serious.

The hunt for a house has started...we think we may have found something, but we'll see. It is so hard to like something and get your hopes up and then NOT, you know??! But I am confident that we will find our perfect place. I am most excited about a new place to create. I am feeling like I need a new atmosphere, new surroundings to spice it up a bit. A new view could do wonders for me right now.

If you haven't seen the new Trendsetter Collection, it's super cute! I am not normally one to use a lot of purple, so this will be a nice stretch for me! I have already seen some really fun stuff done with it, now it's time for me to play.

For a friend

A page I did for a new Fashionista, Martha Bonneau at SISTV. I LOVED this photo of her and her pup, SO adorable!! 

Some fun stuff I'm into right now...

bread & butter

living room floor

Janice Jong

Kate Bingaman Obsessive Consumption and The Public Design Center

Coffee Sweaters by Thinking Mama

Olive Green Bike Tote by andyeatsonlycandy

Reporter Style Eco Journals by heatherlea

iPod Sock by EcoKate

Hand Job: A Catalog of Type

      

lots of 5's

So I saw this on Tina's blog so I thought I would give it a try, kinda cool.

What were doing 5 years ago today:

I'm not sure I can remember, hold on.......planning my wedding, looking at dresses, it was all not really my cup of tea. I love home decor and design but, planning a wedding.....especially your own, I'll pass! BUT the wedding WAS beautiful!

5 snack I love:

pretzel sticks
granola bars
mandarin oranges
peanut butter m&m's
cashews

5 things on my to do list today (or things I did today):

stick to my allotted points for the day(WW)
do some scrapping for my class
dye my hair
cook dinner
watch Grey's

5 things I would do if I were a billionaire:

travel the world(with a translator)
start my own company
give to charity
start at least one no kill animal shelter in every state
get VIP passes to all my favorite concerts

5 bad habits I have:

bite my nails
impulse buying, mostly on shoes,bags and toys for my animals
over eating
not exercising....BAD!!!
not remembering peoples names, faces....that I have, just don't know what name they belong to

5 places I've lived:
Colorado
Florida
Scotland
Nebraska
South Carolina

5 jobs I've had:

Library Assistant
Bath and Body Works
The Home Depot
A Realty Company
Bank of America

If you wanna try, go for it...

A travel companion

Way back in February before I went to the Craft & Hobby Convention, I made this little travel journal to take with me and fill as I went.........um THAT never happened, but I can share the blank journal...

The journal is made from old Anthropology and Toast catalogs. I don't like to let those go to waste, they are my favorite. There are like 20 pages in this little guy so, here are just a few...

Chapter One

I got my WW cook books and starter kit in the mail this morning and as I flipped through the first few pages of one of the cook books, this page hit me rather hard. CHAPTER ONE. That is what I feel like this particular moment in my life is, a new beginning, a fresh start to treating my body the best that I can. I am scared but I am more excited to see the progress I make on this plan. I have heard from so many of you and my friends that WW was the best thing that they ever did, so that helps me just that much more, so thanks for that.

I have said this before, but I'll say it again...I am not a cooker but, I want to be. I want to take pride in the way that I treat my body and the food that I prepare to nourish it. I want to take solace in the ritual of the preparation of that food. I feel like for the first time, I really can. 

some gig poster inspo...

Just a quick note...

For those that still want to join my online class, there is still time...

class registration doesn't close until noon CDT Mon., April 21st.



This is a photo of the mini I will be teaching. BUT there will be tons of other small tutorials, tips and techniques. The class is only $20.00....and here is what you get...

10 Day class includes:
Access to private classroom
Access to private forum
Printable handouts with full color, step by step instructions
1 project video
2 live chats with instructor
Discounts to class materials in SIStv boutique

here is the link to purchase the class

Seriously, this is a GREAT deal!! I hope you can join in on the fun!

right now

So I thought it would be fun to show you some photos of what's up with me right now...

right now I'm super excited about the materials used in my new online class...I think my favorite line of scrapbooking papers is the new Sassafras Lass. AND those Jenni Bowlin tickets, LOVE!

right now I'm SO enjoying wrapping up in my new afghan my mom crocheted for me. YES....spring is here, but it's still pretty chilly out.

right now I am so grateful that I get to look at this little face everyday, she is my best friend...

right now I am enjoying this magazine more than any other, there is SO much inspiration in this little puppy.

right now these two pages are inspiration for one of my online classes coming in May, it's gonna be SO much fun!

right now this is what my creative space looks like.....A MESS, but oddly inspiring...

STOP dieting. Start LIVING.

So, I did it. I joined Weight Watchers and I am so excited. I am doing the online WW right now, maybe as I get more comfy I'll go to a meeting in person. I will admit that I have done WW before and didn't stick with it. I WILL STICK WITH IT NOW, I HAVE TO!!! I want to change the way that I see food. I don't want it to be a crutch or an addiction anymore. I want to instinctively KNOW how to eat the RIGHT WAY! I'll get there.....I know I will.

photos I love...

I am gearing up to get OUT of this apartment and having so much fun looking for inspiration for the new place, which hasn't been found yet......but there is still the hope of something new.

I love me some converse

I just wanted to share my new favorite shoes! It took a while to get them they were on backorder for 3 months but, they finally came and I am IN LOVE!! Just what I needed to brighten my day! What little thing has mad your day better today?!?

I am learning...

It is hard but I am learning that I just can't do and be everything that I want right now. There is so much that I want to give and to share, so much I want to accomplish. Unfortunately life will only allow me so much time and so many days to do what I must. I am a little sad to say that The Best Me challenge is going to have to come to an end. I haven't been able to keep it up as I wish I could have. I am not too sad however, because I will continue to share my best me moments with all of you. I will continue to strive to be the best me that I can and I hope all of you that joined the challenge will continue to do the same. One thing that I have learned recently from the challenge is not to be so hard on myself and to accept that I am only human and can only do so much. I am one of those people that is way harder on myself than anyone ever could be and it is hard for me to NOT take this as a bit of a failure but I am doing my best to try and see this as a positive.

I want to learn to try and be my best everyday and not have to blog about it or feel bad if it ever goes unnoticed. Not that blogging about doing my best in life isn't something that is important, it's just not what I need right now. I have had a few health problems as of late and I think that has kind of influenced my decisions lately to be more on top of my everyday REAL life. Don't get me wrong I love my blog, I love to blog....I will never give that up! I just need to not feel like I am letting myself or others down by not accomplishing this great mound of responsibility that I have put on myself.

I know that a lot of you are disappointed that I won't be doing  the challenges anymore and for that I am sorry. But I hope you understand...

Am I still teaching online classes!?!?

Why YES......I AM!!!

The only difference is now I am teaching through SISTV. I am teaching the premiere design school class. Remember this little beauty?!?!?

Well she's the lucky little mini for my first class. You can find all the info on how to purchase(register), times etc.....RIGHT HERE, It's called "Blank Little Butterfly Album". It will be a 10 day course PACKED FULL of fun tips and techniques as well as some extras. The best part about this class is it is SERIOUSLY cheap!!! And for those of you who have been asking, I will be teaching about 2 to 3 classes a month through Scrap In Style. This first class is a little different, meaning I am doing everything for the Design School premiere. I will still be doing this first class through a password protected blog AND you will get a pdf file of the whole class too. After this class the rest of them will be just like all of the rest of my classes have been, MY blog, etc....the only difference is you need to purchase through SISTV and I will always link you right to the boutique. The other great thing about doing my classes through SISTV is that MOST of them will NEVER sell out!!! WOO HOO for that right?!?!There will be some special classes that will only be first come first serve.

Also, for my class participants there will be special on line chats and a private forum where you can talk about the class with your classmates. I will  have a list of recommended product for those who want to replicate the project exactly. Upon purchasing the class, you will be sent a discount code for 15% off class supplies.

Just thought I would mention too, if you don't get the SISTV newsletter, DEFINITELY sign up. When you get the newsletters, you will be the first to know when registration opens for my classes.

One last thing......THANKS SO MUCH for all your well wishes and caring emails and comments. I am getting better. I just have to be more aware of how I treat my body. I am back to loosing weight FULL FORCE and I am doing LOTS of stretching and going to be starting a physical therapy routine for my back. Back issues are the worst but, at least I can do something about it to keep myself out of pain.