I love big crop nights

I enjoy the smaller groups I host in my scrapbook studio on most Friday nights but really miss the bigger groups (and fun that goes along with them) since the Scrapbook Station closed. With this in mind (along with a lot of encouragement from some of my CTMH customers) I have been playing around with some different ideas of places I can host a larger group once a month. I have picked the second Friday of each month as my target date. I am hauling in a ton of products and tools for everyone to have fun with and also have some create and take projects (charging only the cost of materials) you can choose to do if you like. We had the first of these in February in the fellowship hall of First Christian church and it was a TON of fun with the lats of the die hards leaving after 3am! The next one will be held on the second Friday in March (the 14th) from 6pm until?? in the Rogers Room of the First Presbyterian church (kitty corner to the post office). There is no fee for this crop as the church has graciously donated the use of their space but I do ask that everyone attending make a small donation to the church for this use.........hope to see you there :-)

Valentine's Day

Today is bittersweet for me. Who ever thought I would be single after 18 years of marriage? I know I made the right decision but some days, like today, are harder than others.

So........ I am reminding myself this morning of all the people in my life I love and who love me. And, of course, my children are first on this list. Even knowing now how things would turn out I would not change a thing about my choices in life because my children are the biggest blessings and most precious gifts I have ever been given. Sound corny??? Maybe........... but truer words have never been spoken :-)

And right behind my children are family and friends. My mom & dad, my church family, my true friends (both IRL and online)........ boy you really find out who your true friends are when you go through hard times don't you??........ I could never have made it through this last very difficult year without the love, support, and honesty of these people in my life. And so, even though I am now without the person I always believed would be my best friend for life, I am so thankful for the true friends I have made along my way.

I love this girl

My sweet Amanda. I am so proud of the young lady she is becoming. She is very much a "my glass is always half full" kind of person. In spite of the difficulties she has already had to endure at the tender age of 13 (or maybe because of them) she has an absolutely amazing faith and is always upbeat, loving, and thinking of others. At the moment she is collecting sponsors to do a 30 hour famine with our church youth group to help raise money for other children who have little or nothing to eat. She has really taken this cause to heart and is working hard to raise enough sponsors to feed several children for a year.

This photo was taken almost one year ago when she and the rest of the girls in our youth praise choir won 1st place in a local talent competion singing a christian rock song called "Big House" . It was totally out of her comfort zone to be center stage but she did a wonderful job and they had the place rocking out :-)

a great cause...... cards for soldiers

I got this info on one of my scrapbook groups and wanted to share it here. I think this is an excellent project and plan to send at least 5 cards each month....how about you?

This site is for sending out handmade/stamped cards to our soldiers over seas. Just think of how many cards that could find there way to a set of grateful hands if we all just made 5 each month. I know that we are all making more then that for other things and this would be so worth the extra hour!!

http://www.angelstampersforsoldiers.com/as4s/

February challenge: scrapping your faith

Your February challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to do a layout about what the scipture John 3:16 means to you personally

Memories........

........what are you doing with yours?
I love preserving our family memories almost as much as I love creating them with my children. I am known for having my camera close by and taking tons of pictures of just about anything from the special events to the everyday sillyness. I am totally in love with whoever it was who invented the zoom lense as I love capturing photos when no one knows I am taking them. You know the ones....... the everyday interactions that turn into once in a lifetime memories.
I have also been known to totally stage a photo shoot for a scrapbook layout I have in mind...... whether it be a journaling prompt, a sketch, a certain outfit or activity that I want to preserve.
I have started this blog to share what I am doing with my family's memories. Hopefully it might even provide a little creative inspiration for someone else along the line. When I get the hang of this blogging thing I will also be including a monthly challenge opportunity with a small prize. The winner of the monthly prizes will be decided by a random drawing of the particpants.