for fun...

here are a few of the packaging/booth samples I
did for Making Memories' new release. If you click HERE, you can see a bunch of the fun things they released at the show!

CHA...

...since I'm not enjoying the show live and in-person, I'm surfing the internet looking for sneak-peeks and pictures of all the new stuff. And yes, I admit, I'm checking the booths for my projects. Just in case you'd like to see some of the booths I have work in, you can click on these links:

Making Memories Booth Photos

O'Scrap Booth Photos

There are so many incredible new products at the show this year! Here are a few more of my favorite companies/products:

Doodlebug Design

Elsie's Booth (KI Memories) -- come on...is that booth not the coolest?!?

and I'm sure there are many more that are over-the-top amazing....but I have to work now....maybe I'll share more later...

9111111115266088333...

Did you know that if your barely one-year old (or probably toddler of any age) pushes the above number on your phone (yes, I hit redial to see what he actually dialed) while you are trying to hurry and get ready for the day (happily knowing he has distracted himself with the phone, oblivious to any consequences) that he might actually, during his number punching rampage, hit "dial," and soon you may hear this, "HELLO? HELLO? HELLO? IS EVERYTHING OKAY??? THIS IS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, IS EVERYTHING OKAY? HELLO?" blaring out of your telephone? And then, no matter how apologetic you are...or how stupid you feel...or how much you explain what happened...they still have to send an officer to your house to make sure everything is okay? Sheesh, how embarrassing. I guess it's good to know that they're making sure everything is okay...
Anyway, just a little PSA...take the batteries out of the cordless if it's the only thing that will work to distract your baby...of course, then the phone won' t make any beeping noises and he probably won't want it anymore...

Just so you know...




Edited to add a photo of the little hooligan with the ONLY phone he'll be playing with from now on...

Valentine's Day samples...

At the last show, Memory Trends, Making Memories introduced an AWESOME Valentine's Day line...I was able to make some samples for their booth, and for packaging. Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, I thought I'd share a few:
My cute brother and neice:
Sweet Baby Seth:

Meagan (for some reason this image makes her look a little pasty and gross...I don't think the original picture looks like this!):
And little Zach:
 

more...

a few more O'Scrap! projects...


 

done.

So, last night at 5:00 we loaded the kids in the van and headed to Provo with a box full of layouts, cards, and projects to deliver to O'Scrap! before they headed off to CHA. I had such a great time creating projects with their new product - on top of the great new sampler designs, they are coming out with chipboard letters and shapes, felt flowers, jelly-shapes, brads, buttons, ribbons (yummy ribbons), and more!! I love how everything coordinates...I can't wait until the "real" product (instead of mock-up product) is ready! They were finishing up display boards and loading up the truck last night...and I'm assuming the truck drove all night to get to California today. I can't wait to see pictures of the booth and to hear how everything went... 

challenge...

I just saw that my challenge went up this morning on the Making Memories blog... (click on the link to see more)

if you decide to do it, please comment here (or on the MM blog) and link us up! :o) Have a great day!

"cute" stuff...

Okay, here's my confession...I LOVE "cute" scrapbook stuff. I was sad when I started to see "cute" go by the wayside in the scrapbook industry a few years ago. Not to say I don't like other styles too (because I DO), but I was still an in-the-closet-cute-scrapbook-supply-and-page-lover. I was talking to someone in the industry a while back and she said to me, "I love that you make "cute" layouts. I mean, our kids are CUTE -- we need CUTE things so we can create CUTE pages for them." (and I couldn't agree with her more. *wink*). Well, I'm still in love with cute things....which is why I'm so thrilled that O'Scrap! is making a come-back. I guess, technically, they never really went away -- their stuff was still available, but they hadn't released anything new for a few years. ANYWAY, they are coming back in a BIG way -- with a huge new release at CHA. Same talented artists (Heather McCurdy and Erika Clayton...I've been a fan of each of these gals since their days at Pebbles way back when), incredible colors, fun embellishments....good stuff. And I'm so excited that I get to be a part of their new release... Anyway, if you LOVE "cute" as much as I do, you're gonna love this stuff!
Here's a little sneak-peek of a few projects I created for their booth at CHA and the new catalog: (remember the cowboy hat pics from a few days ago?)

easy patterns...

...have you seen this book on the CK website yet?
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work with Brenda on this book - she's a really neat lady and so talented too. The book isn't available until sometime next month, but this week they're doing a "sneak peek" on the CK site...click HERE to go to it. ! The little Q&A with Brenda is interesting and I LOVED the peek at one of the chapters (it's a FREE download). I can't wait to get this book next month and see all of the fun ideas inside! :o)

warm?

I was working away in my warm office when Brad walked in and said, "You might want to come outside with your camera...you could probably get some good shots of the kids." I was surprised he was outside...and more surprised that all of the kids had gone outside (no wonder it had gotten so quiet). Anyway, I grabbed my camera and went outside to find the kids having a good time, although they weren't really dressed for the weather - according to me. According to Brad, it was "warm" and they were fine. Yes, I suppose that compared to my posting a few days ago when the temps were 15 degrees below zero, today was just roasty...at 23 degrees.


Right after I came inside, the sun was covered with darker clouds...and now it's snowing outside. I'm glad the kids went outside to play and get some fresh air when it was WARM today! 

my cowboy...

...I had to take a couple of pictures today for a project. I'm so glad I did, because I love these pictures of Seth with Brad's cowboy hat on. (And I only had to bribe him with new play-doh to get him to cooperate!)


It looks like Gone Scrappin' has the Crate Paper Showcase up on their website now. I shared one of the layouts I created for it...here's the other one. You can see the showcase here.

I'll remember 2006...

This is a layout I created for the Making Memories website (for the January idea). The Winter Holiday line is my favorite - ever - and I'm bummed that it will be a seasonal item...so if you love it too, STOCK UP!!! I also used the new grommets for the first time on this layout, and I love them - they're such a fun little addition to my simple page. :o) I love the idea of one photo from each month of the entire year on one layout - I think I'll do it every year! I also think I'll add a second page with journaling only...with highlights from each month of the year. Then, if I never do another page for 2006 (yeah, like that'll happen), at least we'll have this year-in-review spread.

randomness...

FIFTEEN freezing degrees BELOW ZERO!!!! That's what the temperature reading was on my van yesterday morning when we loaded the kids back into the van after our 3 minute visit to the doctor's office. Why was it only three minutes, I'm sure you are wondering. Well, essentially, because I'm an unorganized dork. Our appointment was for TODAY (not YESTERDAY) at 8:30 am. Oh well, at least I had the time right...and at least I was a day early instead of a day late. sheesh! Oh, were you wondering what 15 degrees below zero might look like? Well, if you're standing in my kitchen, looking out the back door, it would probably look something like this:So, since we were all loaded in the van anyway, we decided to run to Provo to complete a few errands. My main goal was to find one of these babies:Mission accomplished. AND I got it from Robert's with a 50% off coupon! sweet, huh?!? I've already used it on a project and I LOVE it!!! Yep, you probably need one too.

We made a quick trip to WalMart to buy another space heater for the basement, and then we decided to run into RC Willey while we were in Provo and ended up buying a DVD player for the van -- and they were able to install it immediately! We had to kill a couple of hours so we walked over to Chili's and had lunch and then walked to Toys R Us where we spent the remainder of our wait. We would have gone to some other stores...but did I mention the temps???

So, today I took these two little monkeys back to the doctor. And, no, it wasn't 15 below today...it was a balmy 4 degrees below. Brad was off work, so he was able to go with me (which made things a ton easier because our 3 year old has MAJOR doctor issues...but he did surprisingly well today). So, here are the numbers: Zach went for his 12 month well-baby check and weighed in at 21 pounds (25%) and was 31" tall (90%)...the nurse thinks we're raising a basketball team, hah! He had to have two shots, and he did okay...only a bit of crying. The banana sucker helped ease the pain immensely. Seth was there for his 3 year-old well child check. He weighed in at 32 pounds (55%) and was 38" tall (60%) -- he's our only child who hasn't been up in the 90%'s for his height, but he still seems fairly tall compared to a lot of the other 3 year olds we know. Anyway, he had to have one shot and he cried a bit, but again, the sucker AND his Bob the Builder sticker eased his pain -- he was not, however, amused with the bugs bunny sticker the nurse put on his leg. It's a good thing to have done - and I'm grateful Brad was able to go with me.


Oh yes, one more random thing to share. These: kits came in the mail a few days ago. What's so special about these kits? Here, have a closer look:

I worked on these kits over the summer and LOVED doing them!! They are all from Creating Keepsakes.

I've been up to my forehead in work the last few days...which is better than being completely buried in it, I suppose. I've been working on some really fun projects and challenges for the Making Memories blog, some new book assignments, some CK assignments that I am SO excited about AND some work for the next trade show for O'Scrap -- yep, they're BACK -- and I'm so excited!! :o)
Wow, this post was just chuck full of catch-up randomness (but I warned you before you started reading, right?)...and now I'm off to grab some lunch and work on some more fun stuff! Have a great day!

quickie post...

I have some fun stuff to share, but I only have a second to post. I just wanted to pass along this LINK:

Birthday Card FUN

Making Memories is having a really fun promotion - and you can win some GREAT stuff if you particpate! :o) Have fun!!

Edited to add: I fixed the link...sorry about that!

way (waaaaay) late...

Okay, I know that Thanksgiving was almost two months ago...but yesterday I got an e-mail from a friend (hi Shelli!!) asking if I had ever finished the Gratitude album I had talked about making for Thanksgiving. Well, the answer is yes! and no! I created all the pages for the album, complete with names, photos, and a little bit of embellishment the morning of Thanksgiving. I took all of the pages with us to Mom and Dad's for our family celebration. Upon learning of my idea, some family members were excited to participate...others, not so much. By the time Thanksgiving day was over, all of the kids (who could write) had completed all of the pages and about four of the adults (including me) had written on eveyone's page. One more adult has completed the pages since then...and at least one more is still planning on it. So, that leaves three adults (most likely) who chose not to participate. Oh well....it's their choice. I think it will be a neat record to have -- something fun to look back on in a few years. I was hoping everyone would participate, but what do you do??? Anyway, here's a little peek at the cover label, a snippet of the letter I included in the front of the album, and a peek at a few of the pages. I loved that Josh drew a little picture for every page (a man fixing cars on Grandpas page, a boy playing with trains on Seth's page, a little girl with a doll on Carrie's page, etc.) -- I love seeing the kids being creative!! Regardless of who did and who did not help complete the album, I am grateful for each member of my family...and even if I don't say it enough - they can read all about it in this book now! I'm taking this to my parent's house so they can put it away with their Thanksgiving decorations and get it out every year for everyone in the family to enjoy. :o)

crazy hair and sweet, sweet mail...

It's spirit week at the kids' school today. Yesterday was pajama day -- Josh wanted nothing to do with that, and Meagan didn't know because she was sick last week (oops, I forgot to tell her I'd read it on Josh's classroom letter). But today, ah, that was a different story. They were both all for particpating in CRAZY HAIR DAY!!! Meagan spent a long time last night going through my scrapbook supplies, deciding what she could use to make her hair crazy. We decided on these buttons. So this morning, with these buttons, and a little bit (okay, a lot) of glue, we buttoned up her head! I thought it looked pretty cute myself. And she was happy with it -- and making this girl happy isn't always an easy feat! Pardon the wet glue in these photos - it dried clear and looked great! Josh was a bit more conservative with his craziness. He just wanted his hair "spikey, like when I get out of the bath." So with a little (okay, a lot) of gel, we got his hair standing up pretty high....and I realized he really needs a haircut again! He was happy with his hair too. When he walked out the door to go to the bus stop, the neighbor kids were walking along the sidewalk across the street. I heard one little girl say "There's Josh, look at his hair! Do you like it?" to one of the little boys. The little boy responded, "Oh yeah, that looks cool." So, I guess if "cool" and "crazy" are interchangable, we had ourselves a winner. When he got home his hair was totally flat. I asked him what happened and he said, "Eveybody just wanted to touch it and press on it because it was so crunchy." He had a big grin (still) on his face. Ah, if only I could always make them this happy with a little bit of glue, a few buttons, and a handful of hair gel!!!




And the sweet sweet mail....it came yesterday from a friend. Yummy kisses and CUTE measuring cups and a cute little note. Sweet, huh?!? Thanks, friend. :o)