I've Moved!!

I have a new home on the web! You can catch me being bloggy at http://herebygrace.typepad.com/here_by_grace// !!! Come on over and visit me!!

Don't forget to Vote For Me!

If you have a chance, please go by www.ScrapsAhoy.com to vote for me in the Idol Contest! You have to register to vote and it only takes a second. I really am having a great time with this contest. There are 7 rounds and we are ending up the 4th. I love how it's pushing me to expand my style and scrap more than one photo at a time. The layout I've posted today is a scraplift of the talented Teresa Olier. Today is her birthday, so some folks at 2Peas got together to lift her in honor of her special day. I really am honored to have been in on her surprise because I just love her work! If you want to see more of her stuff, check her out at one of my favorite sites where she's on the DT; of course that would be CreativeXpress! Soooooo glad tomorrow is Friday!! Be blessed!

Scrap-Tastic Design Team Call

1. September's contest winner will be the Girlie of the Month in November!!
2. Then, in October, the contest winner will be our Girlie of the Month for December!
3. At the end of the year we will choose a permanent member to join our DT based on the past 8 Girlies of the month!

*The new DT Girlie will be choosen based on their talent, participation and how much fun they are to have here at Scrap-Tastic! *

**This month's contest is to create a LO using pp from 4 DIFFERENT manufacturers. The LO must be new and made for this contest. Your image should be of good quality. If it is blurry, it's hard for me to see your work/detail. Also, I will need you to be able to produce good quality images to be posted into the gallery if you are to become a DT Girlie. Make sure you list the manufacturer of the different pp along with all other products and techniques in the details. Your LO may be a one- or two-page LO, 12x12 or 8.5x11. You may enter as many LOs as you'd like! Actually, the more LOs the better, that way we can get a sense of your "style"!

**Upload to the "Design Team Tryouts 2006" section for your LO to be considered for this contest. Entries must be posted by 11:59 CST on September 24th. The winner will be announced on September 30th.

Here's a little info on what's expected of a Design Team Girlie:
*Design Team members must be active members of the Scrap-Tastic community, this means posting on the boards, leaving comments in the gallery, posting challenges/questions and just being social!
*Each DT member will be required to submit at least 4 LOs/projects per month. Each month I will send you product either from the store or from a sponsor. You must use the product for 2 of the LOs/projects, the other 2 LOs/projects you may use any product. The 2 LOs/projects that you create for Scrap-Tastic may only be posted in other galleries if you mention that they were made specifically for Scrap-Tastic.
*DT members should use the Scrap-Tastic DT blinkie and promote Scrap-Tastic where ever and when ever possible! I want each DT member to be proud to be a Design Team Girlie!!! *Each DT member will have a simple task and will change from month-to-month. i.e... challenges, art inspirations, games International scrappers may apply. Although, I will need to work something out with postage. What do you get as a DT member?
* Free product! Who doesn't like that!! Some months I will have sponsors and you will receive what they give me. Other months, you will have your choice of products. It may be from a particular manufacturer or you may get to choose the color you receive. It all depends on what's going on for that particular month.
* 15% Discount at the Scrap-Tastic store. * Your own bio on our Design Team page.
* Each designer and their work will receive wonderful exposure, and I will do everything to encourage and showcase the DT's work to manufacturers.
* Did I mention free product???
**** If you have any questions, please let me know and I will answer them as soon as I can. Comments are welcome as well.

Imagie, Create, Scrap Ezine Call

Imagine, Create, Scrap E-Zine Call!!
Deadline: Tuesday, September 12, 2006

For our September issue of The Memory Garden we want to see your layouts about the following subjects:

* Back to School
*Festivals
* Doodling
Please send your submissions to submissions@imaginecreatescrap.com. Submissions must be in .jpg format and no larger than 150kb in size. Please include and supplies used and if you did not take the photo, please credit the photographer.
Deadline for submissions is Tuesday, September 12th.

Feeling Loud and Colorful Today!

I don't know why, I just felt like doing a loud page, so I chose my loud child to feature!(LOL) I hope everyone had a good Labor Day! I didn't do much this weekend which was just fine with me. You know, sometimes I LOVE to have nothing to do with nothing planned for the weekend. As Martha Stewart says, "It's a good thing!" I did go out to see dad today, and he's still weak from his heart surgery, but that's to be expected. Say a little prayer for him when you get a chance! Be Blessed!

Altering Me!

I've been in an altering mood lately! This is a switch for me because I've never considered myself to be into the altered arts, but I'm so feeling it right now! Here are a few items I've altered that I really like. One is a cards lunch pail that I've had for a while, and the other is dominoes! I really had a good time making the dominoes because it allowed me to really be artistic! I love the way they came out too! Tons of fun! And hey, I've moved on to round 4 in the ScrapsAhoy Idol Contest! Now I need the help of my family again! I need votes in order to move on to round 5, so if you've got a minute or two will you go over and vote for me again? If you aren't registered there you can't vote, but it only takes a second to register, so PLEEEEEZE help me stay in this contest by voting for me! Here is the direct link:http://www.scrapsahoy.com/content/round_4/round_4.htmlThanks guys!

Boy, I've really been a bad blogger lately, but there just haven't been enough hours in the day here lately to get everything done I would like to get done! Well, school is going great! I have the sweetest class ever! I really have a ton of scrap ideas I need to get out of me so this weekend I'm gonna try to focus on doing some good stuff. I also haven't taken the time to check out the new calls so I'm gonna spend some time looking at those too! Maybe I have some scrappy stuff that is publishable! I was on a publishing high this past year, but it's slowed down to nothing because I haven't submitted anything. I have no idea why, but maybe I can get the ball rolling again! Anyway, here are some DT assignments I did for Imagine, Create, Scrap http://www.imaginecreatescrap.com using 3 Bugs in a Rug stuff. Okay, I'm out! Be Blessed!!

The Tag

Here is the tag I made at Red Lead Paperworks!

Okay, this week has been like a whirlwind! It was the week my own kids started school, it was the week I actually taught my new class of students, it was the week my daddy had heart surgery, it was the week I made it to round 4 of the ScrapsAhoy Idol Contest (thanks for your votes!), and it was the week I ended by going to the coolest store I think I've ever been to! I could write a book on each of the above topics, but I think I'll focus on the last one. If you ever get a chance, you need to visit Red ead Paperworks in St. Louis www.redleadstl.com ! All I can say is,"Wow"!! This is a store for the scrapper who is also a true artist; not just a hobbier. They had classes and demos constantly! And the people were the most amazingly helpful, nice, and talented folks I've ever met in a craft store! Love this place I tell ya! Too bad for my family, but great for me! I'm glad it was a pay week for me, cause I think I spent the grocery money in this place! (LOL!) Anyway, here's a cool sparkly tag I made during my 5 hours in this store! Be blessed!

Okay, I must have really been tired when I made my last post because I didn't upload the layout! Here it is... for real! Be blessed!

Back To Work!

So this was my first week back at work. I am sooooo tired!! You would think that after teaching 15 years, I would'nt be so tired! I think I forget how much work we do and how much preparation it takes to get your classroom ready for a new year. This week only the staff is back. The kids don't come until next week! Now, that will be a week! My own kids start next week too, so I'm gonna have to get back into cracking the whip to get them going every morning! Well, I think it's past my bedtime! Oh, Here's the layout I did for round 2 of the ScrapsAhoy Idol Contest. I want to thank everyone who went to ScrapsAhoy to vote for me! And with your help, I made it to the 3rd round!! I'm gonna ask for your help again, but for now I just want to say thank you!! Take care and be blessed!

Good Things Happen Everyday!

Something really wonderful happened to me the other day. I got an e-mail from Pamela Scruggs who is the Artwork Coordinator for Stampington & Company http://www.stampington.com telling me that a wonderful woman had contacted her about my work in the June/July issue of Legacy Magazine. She said that this lady loved my work so much that she wanted to send me a gift. I was like, "Are you kidding me? Someone liked my stuff so much that they want to send me a gift?!" Well, let me tell you that this totally blew me away! I would never think in a million years that someone liked my work so much that they would go through the trouble of contacting the magazine to get in touch with me! Well, you can't imagine how good this feels to my soul. Things have been so crazy in my life here lately, and this is just the kind of medicine I needed to get myself back to my happy place. And you wouldn't believe how sweet this lady is! She is an amazing person herself who I am thrilled to get to know! It just goes to show you that good things do happen and you never know where your next blessing is coming from. Be blessed all!

Super sweet Nicole H. sent this to me with her answers and asked me to answer the questions too, so I did! I guess this is like being tagged! It was really fun to answer because it made me think about the things I like. I don't know about you, but I never have time to think about me, so it was pretty cool. Thanks Nicole!! Things you may not have known about me..... A) Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Worked at Long John Silver's for about a week!
2. Clerk at a Beauty Supply store
3. Cosmetic Salesperson at Famous Barr
4. Hair Stylist at several Beauty Salons
B) Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. The Color Purple
2. Forest Gump
3. Ray
4. Steel Magnolias C)Four places I have lived:
(All of these are in St. Louis, MO)
1. Purdue Avenue
2. Clara Avenue
3. Kingsbury Place
4. Appleton Drive D) Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. Big Brother All Stars
2. Hell's Kitchen
3. Biography
4. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
E) Four places I have been on vacation
1. Washington D.C.
2. Memphis, Tennessee
3. Long Beach, California
4. The Great Smokey Mountains F) Four Websites I visit daily:
1. Scrap-Tastic.com 2. Imaginecreatescrap.com
3. CreativeXpress.com
4. TwoPeasInABucket.com G) Four of my favorite foods
1. Spring Rolls
2. Chicken Wings
3. Imo's Pizza
4. Steak and Shake H) Four places I would like to be right now
1.Scrapbooking 2. Hanging out with family
3. On the beach
4. Shopping Here is a page I did of Michael and Tatum for a Scrap-Tastic DT assignment. Be Blessed!!

PLEEAAASE!!!

Okay, the voting is open for the ScrapsAhoy Idol Contest. Will you please go vote for me???? PLEEEEAASe, Pretty Please with sugar on top?? If you remember me now, I'll remember you when I hit the lottery!! (LOL) Here's the link. It only takes 2 seconds to cast your vote!! http://www.scrapsahoy.com/content/round_2/round_2.html Okay, be blessed you lovely people!!

Oops!!

I forgot to upload my digital page!!! Pray for me! (LOL)

Digital Me!

Hey everybody! I did a digital layout and it was tons of fun, but it was hard! I decided to give this new trend a whirl, so I enrolled in the fabulous Renee Pearson's digital class at Big Picture Scrapbooking http://bigpicturescrapbooking.com and it was a great experience! I think it was so hard for me because I'm a brand new user of photoshop and I really didn't know the program very well. Let me tell you that Renee is a great teacher and she answers every question you have in a timely manner! I love professionalism! Hey, I'm in the ScrapsAhoy Idol Contest and I need votes! PLEASE, PLEASE go to the site and vote for me! The competition is fierce (loads of talented ladies in the contest) so I'm gonna need some help. Here's the link: http://scrapsahoy.com . GO NOW! It won't take long! Okay, enough begging (LOL)! Here is my digital page. Remember it's my first so be kind! Be Blessed!!

Power to the People!

That's what we've all been saying in St. Louis for the past week! Get the power to the people! More homes are back in business today, but there are still 1 million families still left in the dark. Thank goodness our power came back on last night. 5 days without electricity, no food, no water, and my family was crazy in this hotter than hot St. Louis summer weather! We had to get rid of EVERYTHING in the refridgerator and then I had to clean it good because you wouldn't believe the smell !! UHGGG! Anyway, all is good with my family, but there are still those who need help. So...say a prayer for them. I did get to scrap and I came up with my favorite layout I've ever done! Hey, maybe if I suffer more maybe I can become famous?? Here it is. Be Blessed!

Blackout!

We haven't had electricity since Wednesday!!! The entire city of St. Louis and St. Louis County had a blackout!! I can't begin to tell you how horrible it has been! Thursday was the hottest day of the year-101 degrees!!! Thank God my mom's power came on Friday evening, so we're all camped out over here. The power company says they hope they can get our power back on by MONDAY!!!! I think I'm gonna have some kind of attack or something if I can't home before then! The city has gone crazy too! There are hardly any gas stations opened and only a few grocery stores opened. St. Louis City and County are huge to say the least so you can imagine the mess and hysteria! Oh, I forgot...we're also on a water boil order!! But we can't boil water because we don't have any electric!!!! Soooo, everyone is on the hunt for ice and bottled water and it's scarce! Trying to get gas and food today I saw at least 5 fist fights!! I'm also disappointed because I think I'm gonna have to drop out of the ScrapsAhoy Idol Contest. I have my entry done, but I can't upload it and retrieve my article by the deadline because it's on my computer. Oh well, I'll give it a go again next year. Actually, as I look at things I realize it could have been a much worse situation. I think of the Katrina victims and my sister-in-law whose house just burned down. At least we still have homes to go to! These people don't. Okay, we're blessed and you be blessed too!

Happy Monday to 'Ya!

Happy Monday everyone! This is the start of a brand new week and I'm feeling great! I've got a few projects I need to get done so I'm gonna focus on that before school starts again. What are you gonna do with your time this week? Will you spend it relaxing and taking it easy? Will you be finishing up projects you've been putting off for a while? Will you do something positive for a friend, family or yourself? Will you help someone who is in need? Or will you choose to hurt yourself or someone else because of anger, resentment, or jealousy? Only you make the choice. Remember, your attitude makes a big difference in your altitude!! Be Blessed!

Thank You!!

I just want to say thank you to all of you wonderful people who wished me a happy birthday yesterday! I've got to tell you that I had the best birthday I've had in years!! It was just so perfect from beginning to end! Thank you everybody for caring and I love you all! Here's a page I did yesterday of my cutie little cousin Tatum. Take care and Be Blessed!

Yeah Baby! Today is my Birthday!!

Oh yeah! Today is my birthday and I'm pretty hyped! I must say that I thought I'd be going crazy because I am OLD! Yep! I really am and I'm cool with it! Today I am 42 years old and proud of it! I know... I look much younger right??????(LOL) It's okay if I don't cause I'm definitely getting better with each birthday. I may not be as cute as I used to be, but I'm definitely getting wiser! Let's face it, when you're young- you're dumb! Really! Think back to the way you were 10,15, or (for you older folks like me) 20 years ago. You were dumb, right? I know, me too! I'm just happy to be alive and happy to be me! Here's my latest picture of myself. Happy Birthday Me!!! Be Blessed!!

Wanna Be Published??

If you answered, "Yes" to the above question, then I have the perfect solution for you! Imagine, Create, Scrap! is starting an E-Zine!! (You know, a magazine on the internet!) That's right! The call is for 1. My Home Town, and 2. Getting Wild With Nature!! For more information click on this link, http://www.imaginecreatescrap.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4918 ! You better hurry though! The deadline for this call is July 15!! I hope to see you in future issues!!


~*Oh, If you get a chance please include my sister-in-law and my niece and nephews in your prayers. Their house burned down over the weekend and we need prayers to keep them strong through such a difficult time. God Bless!!

Busy

Boy have I been busy since I got back home! I am so backed up with projects it's crazy! I don't know why I'm complaining cause I love it! I've been making some cool stuff, but I can't share it just yet. I'll be able to really soon though! I entered the Scraps Ahoy Idol Contest http://scrapsahoy.com in June and I made it to round 1! I don' know how this one is gonna turn out for me because it's some serious competition going on! You should go check it out. These folks are serious about winning, so I think I better step up my game if I want to do well! Anyway, I got this cool package of Sassafrass Lass stuff from the fabulous Becky at Scrap-Tastic http://scrap-tastic.com and I made some cute pages! We're having a Sassafrass Lass Contest at Scrap-Tastic so you better run, not walk on over and give it a shot! You should also go check out our rocking gallery! I promise... you will be inspired to create! Here is one of my pages using Sassafrass Lass! Princess features my good friend Shelby's adorable neice Shayden. So, Go on over to Scrap-tastic and check out the Sassafrass Lass Gallery! Take care and be blessed!

I'm Back!

So I'm back from D.C. and I had a wonderful time! My cousins were soooo much fun! They're crazy I tell ya!! My cousin's house is gorgeous too!! She has SIX BATHROOMS!!! That's right, I said SIX!! Anyway, I hadn't seen them since my brother's funeral (which wasn't a fun time for anyone) so we really had a good time. I did a lot of scrapping while I was there so I came back with lots to upload!

Before I left, I went in for a visit with my nutritionist and my diabetes counselor. All I can say is I thought I knew so much about food before this visit. Now I know I knew nothing! What a wealth of knowledge these ladies have!! Anyway, I got a food plan from my nutritionist Michelle and I have been dedicated in following it. This lady really knows what she's doing. She taught me what food combinations I should eat at each meal and explained to me the rationale behind it. It totally made sense. Here are the biggest things I learned.

1. Carbohydrates and sugars are synonyms because all carbs turn into sugar!
2. Do not waste money on fat-free items. Manufacturers replace the missing fat with carbs! (which is sugar to
make up for the missing taste!)
3. Just because something is fat-free doesn't mean that it's low in calories!
4. Protien is our friend!
6. Portion control is the biggest factor in losing and maintaining our desired weight!
7. Eat regular food in smaller controlled portions. This way you won't feel deprived!
8. Use a measuring cup to measure out your portions.
9. Do not skip meals!
10. Don't say you are on a diet. You are simply making positive changes in your life-long eating habits!

I could go on for days with the valuable information I learned, but I won't! Hey, following my food plan I lost
4 pounds while I was in D.C.!! And I ate what everyone else ate, just smaller portions! I'm feeling really good guys!!

Here is one of the pages I made while on vacation. It's actually a remake of a page I did over a year ago that I never liked. Take care of yourself and be blessed!!

D.C. Baby!!

Well, in the morning I'll be flying to Washington D.C. to attend the Great American Scrapbook Convention with two of my favorite ,crazy, scrap-happy cousins! I am sooooo excited I could scream! One of my cousins lives there so I'll be chilling with her and her family until Monday. I am super-psyched to go, but Gregory and Michael seem to be losing their minds over it! Gregory decided to pick an arguement with me so that I would be mad and maybe say I wasn't going. YEAH RIGHT!! DREAM ON BROTHER!!! Why are men so much like little boys? They both act just alike except one is 50 and the other is 4!! I have a big one and a little one flipping out over here because Momma is gonna be gone away without them! Michael is sticking to me like glue! I can't even go to the bathroom without him coming too! I guess I should be happy that someone cares, but they sure have a weird way of showing it!! Now all Brittany was worried about was if I was gonna let her have the keys to my car so she can go crazy this weekend too! Hey, if anybody is gonna be there, be on the lookout for me!! I look just like my avatar...just a whole lot bigger!!(LOL- I know that was corny!!) Anyway, here is a page I did called," Life Without You? Never!" Be blessed!

So I'm Not Mad Anymore

I know I was complaining about not being able to get my submission in to MME, but not I am sooooo excited for the new members cause I know 2 of the lucky scrappers and let me tell you that they ROCK!!! DT member Rachel C. from Scraptastic and former Scrap-Tastic DT member Michelle W. are fabulously talented!!! Oh, did I mention that these ladies are not only fantastic scrapper's, but they are truly sweet and wonderful women as well. The entire team is stellar and they couldn't have chosen a finer team! So, CONGRATULATIONS ladies!!

I've been working on trying some new stuff in my pages lately. I see so many cool things people are doing with their stuff , so I thought it might be fun to try some! Here is a page I did called,"Lil' Cutie Pie". It features Britt when she was 9. Gotta go! Be blessed!!

On My Soapbox!

How many of you tried out for the My Mind's Eye design team? Well I made the pages I posted in my last blog entry for the contest, but I never got them in to MME! Did anyone else have trouble with their e-mail coming back saying MME's mailbox was full? I sure did! I know I sent, re-sent, and sent my entry in at least 6 times before I got tired of sending it! Don't get me wrong. I totally love MME! They have some of the most beautiful papers out there , but I don't like how they handled the the process of submitting. Okay, I'm done! On a lighter note, have you seen this blog: http://scrapblogs.blogspot.com/ ? It is totally fabulous! They have (it seems like) everyone's blog listed here and if yours isn't, just e-mail it to them and you'll be on it lickity split!! To my surprise mine was posted on there when I went to check it out! Go check it out and all of the blog entries. It is very cool!! Here is a page I did of Ms. Brittany when she was 2 years old. She was such a cutie pie, girly girl baby!! Well, she still is!! Be Blessed!!

I really don't have anything to talk about today. I'm feeling good, having a nice day. I sat and actually scrapped all day and that was nice. So, I'm just gonna share what I made. Be Blessed!

I'm A Thief!!

So, those of you with small children or anyone who has had children will probably relate to this story. Well, I had some errands to run this morning and it was gonna be a trip with only Michael (4 years old) and myself. I knew to take all the regular precautions one must take when taking a 4 year old boy to run errands. I fed him, made sure he had pottied, let him choose his favorite small toy for the car, threatened him with bodily harm...you know, all the usual stuff . Anyway, we went several places and all went well! We even went to Wal Mart to shop in the Garden area! We browsed, chose some bedding plants, checked out and went home. He had been so good that I let him choose where we would have lunch, which was Burger King. Well, as I unloaded the car I noticed there were some barbecue tools laying on the back seat. It was a spatula, a grill brush, and some tongs. I wondered how the heck they got there because I didn't buy them. I asked Michael but all I could get out of him was "From the store, Mommy." Then it hit me. When we were in Wal Mart I was looking at them and I said I needed some new ones. I did pick them up, but I put them back on the rack. Well, this is a time when having a child with autism and a language delay isn't so good. I know Michael must have picked them up and carried them out of the store, but he couldn't tell me. All he could tell me was where they came from. Hey, that's actually a great thing! 6 months ago he couldn't tell me that! So there you have it. I'm a thief! And no I didn't take them back. I think I'm gonna use them tonight!(LOL) Here's a page I did for a challenge between myself and the fabulous Tiffany B-J. Be Blessed!!

WOW!! What a week!!

So this is the first week of my summer vacation and man does it feel good! I don't think I've looked decent all week! (LOL) Gregory has started looking at me really funny, but he hasn't said anything yet. I know he's wondering why I haven't had on any make-up, done my hair, and worn these same old sweat pants and tee-shirt all week! I have been showering though(LOL)! My scanner broke and I was all messed up because with it being the first of the month, I had projects to upload and I couldn't scan them! Uuggg!!! I did get a new one and I'm back in business. Anyway, guess who made the Paper House Design Team??? Yep! That would be MEEEEEE!! I'm so doing the happy dance! In honor of that I'm gonna give you two layouts!! On My Cutie Pie the paper is SEI ( I'm loving their new stuff!) and on Love You the paper and stickers are from 3 Bugs in a Rug Sugar collection. Be Blessed!!!

So I Went to the Doctor...

and I left her office in tears. I was so overwhelmed with what she told me. She said that I had full blown diabetes. My glucose was 233! It's supposed to be between 65-99. It was like I was watching a movie of the week or something. I just sat there and stared at her. This is not what this office visit was for. I went so I could get the appetite suppressant Appedex, but it's not gonna happen. I have had trouble losing weight ever since I had Michael 4 years ago. I mean to tell you that nothing worked, so I decided to go the route of many of my friends and get some diet pills. In order to get them I had to have blood work done first. I've gotta tell you that after thinking about this I'm not all that surprised. I had gestational diabetes with Brittany (which was over 17 years ago) and again with Michael. I was untreated with Britt which resulted in a very difficult delivery and Brittany weighing in at over 10 pounds!! Michael was taken 2 1/2 weeks early and he still weighed 8 pounds! I have had signs too. I've been experiencing terrible lows of energy during my day where I felt dizzy, and definately faint. Gregory says I've been extra crabby for a long time (but what does he know?) Of course my mother says it's a blessing because I will be forced to take care of myself now ( she gets on my nerves always being right about stuff!). So, I must follow a strict diet, take my insulin, check my blood levels twice a day, and exercise. Hey, maybe this is gonna be alright after all. I'll keep you posted! Get to the doctor and take care of you! Here is a card I made for Scrappin' With Grace. Hugs and Be blessed!!

Amy To the Rescue!!

Hey, did you notice I have a banner now??? I am soooo happy. Well, it's only because my dear friend Amy came and rescued me again! I just love her! Ain't it great to have friends who know how to do stuff? Here is a page I did in honor of the Amazing Amy! I hope you like it Amy! Hugs to all and be blessed!

So I Messed Up!!

Okay, as you know I've been a begging fool asking everyone to help me change my banner on this blog. Well, my wonderfully talented friend Amy W. volunteered to help me. She even sent me the code to put in but sure enough I jacked up my blog. I went too far. I got into the codes and went crazy! I was completely out of control. Well, I ended up losing some of the stuff I had on before, therefore I must change templates to get the original coding back! Believe me, I won't mess this up again! Thanks Amy for trying to help a completely insane woman!! Here is a page I did tonight of my oldest, Miss Erica! I love her sooooo much! She just finished her freshman year away at college and I can't believe how grown up she's gotten!! Here is her page, Erica. Be blessed!!

What A Week!

I've been trying to update and post for a week, but it's just been a whirlwind around here! One thing I want to say is I am sooooo excited because I am a finalist for the Paper House Productions Design Team!! I want this soooooo bad, but it really is gonna be a competition for the 4 spots. You should see the list of finalists...all I can say is WOW!! I am so stinkin' honored to be on it!! They will narrow it down some more and then the remaining finalists will have to make a layout from a kit. Pray for me cause I'm really wanting this! Here is a page I did this week of Michael. It was an ad challenge for ICS. I got the idea for the journaling from his favorite book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear. Be blessed!!

I Got It!!

Remember I said I had won a font as a prize on NSD? Well, I've got it and you can have it to...that is if you want it. All you have to do is email me your email address and I will get it to you as soon as I can. It's really kinda weird to see my own handwriting on the computer, but hey technology is wild! It does look like my writing so of course I don't really like it that much, but it is fun to see! The fabulously talented Michelle Hubbart (an X Girl at Creative Xpress) is responsible for making it for me. She really is awesome and I thank her from the bottom of my heart for thinking my handwriting was worth making a font of. She even let me put in a few doodles. All I have to say about that is "Wow!" Here is a DT assignment I did for Scrappin With Grace. The papers are from the American Traditional Designs Recipe Time collection. Here is Family Recipe. Take care and be blessed!

What A Great Weekend!

Have you ever had one of those times in your life where everything was just right? Well that's the kind of weekend I had. Everything was just right. My family is well and great. My work is great because we only have 3 more weeks until summer vacation! And.... I won 2 challenges over at one of my favorite sites-Creative Xpress http://www.creativexpress.com !!! I am sooo happy! The first challenge I won was an ad inspiration hosted by the wonderfully talented Cari Locken! I made the page I posted in my last blog entry, Brittany, and it won!!! I get a box of goodies from her and I can't wait! The second challenge I won was hosted by the amazing Michelle Hubbart! She offered a font for the best handwriting. That's right, I said a FONT and I won!!! I'm gonna have my own font!! How fabulous is that?!!! Let me tell you that I feel like I just won the Miss America Pageant!!(LOL) I'll let you know when the font's ready and you can have it too! Well, I've gotta go write some lesson plans, so I'll leave you with this page I did for and art inspiration challenge at Scrap-Tastic by our head rockin' girlie Becky T.!! This is Almost 5. Be Blessed!!

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!!

Today is National Scrapbooking Day! How exciting is that??? I've gotta tell you that I am so hyped up today!! I've got my supplies out and I'm ready to scrap! I've got my own little personal challenge going on to organize my scrap area today too! I love this day because it's where you can go from site to site to participate in all sorts of challenges. Anyone who knows me knows that I do love a challenge! Anyway, I'll be hosting at Scrappin With Grace http://www.scrappinwithgrace.com from 12-4 . You really need to get by there because there are some awesome things going on over there! Run, don't walk!! I started my challeges last night because Creative Xpress started their celebration on Friday. Here is a page I did for an Ad Inspiration challenge there. I used some of the yummy Sassafrass Lass goodies from Scrap-Tastic's store. It's called, Brittany. Well, I've gotta go! Have fun today and be blessed!

Becoming Us

It's been so long since I've updated this blog that I forgot that I had one! This past week has been such a busy week! Between work, family, and design team assignments, I haven't had a chance to catch my breath! Well, tonight is the first night I've had to work on a layout I've wanted to do for some time. I've been wanting to scrap this photo of me and Gregory for forever! It is one of my favorite photos because it was taken on our first date on October 2, 1992! Yep! That's how long we've been together, 14 years! Anyway, here it is..Becoming Us. Be blessed!!

Man Am I Tired!

I've gotta tell you that if you've never gone to a "Slumber Crop" you need to make sure you get to ICS's http://www.imaginecreatescrap.com next one! It was held at Studio C which is in South Bend, Indiana. I can not begin to tell you how awesome this place is and about how much crazy fun we had! I absolutely got no sleep! That's why I'm so tired and had to take today off from work! The store, Studio C, is actually a two story house that has been renovated into a fantabulous scrapping store! I've never seen anything like this! I actually only did 3 pages in the 2 1/2 days I was there, but I stayed busy! I played and had fun the rest of the time. And the people who where there are just the best bunch of talented ladies I've ever had the pleasure of meeting! I'll tell you, I will love these folks forever! On another note, I've got great news! Scrap-Tastichttp://www.scrap-tastic.com is open!!! Let me tell you that this is one rockin' site! The owner, Becky and the rest of terribly talented women I'm on the team( Rachel, Kelly, Nicole, and Michelle) with are nothing less than amazing! So get on over there and check us out! I'm also on another great team over at Scrappin' With Grace http://www.scrappinwithgrace.com . I'm telling you, I am on the most wonderful Design Teams ever! I just love the people and the tons of talent they have. It is totally an honor to be on such teams! Well, I'll leave you with one of the layouts I did at the Slumber Crop. It's featuring Michael and his new bike. Be Blessed!!

I'm Outta Here!

I am just sooooo excited! This is the week dd Brittany and I are going on a girl trip to South Bend, Indiana! We're going to meet my ICS sister's (http://imaginecreatescrap.com) for a scrappin' slumber party! How fun is that?! I've never traveled this far to go to a sleepover or to scrap, so I'm totally hyped up! Yep, we're leaving dh and ds at home to survive on their own! Of course we're leaving on Friday morning and I haven't even thought about what I'm taking with me. I am so last minute that it drives me crazy! I'm sure I won't forget anything because this is what I do before I go anywhere. I think about what I'll need, then I'll just put it together when it's time to go! Actually, I am thinking about taking off from work on Thursday so I won't forget anything. If you don't see me hanging around this weekend, you'll know why! You'll also know that I'm having a blast! I'll leave you with a page I just did. I did a ton of sewing on this but I'm not sure you can see it. Anyway, this is my little cousin being cute on a layout I call Blooming. I'm outta here! Be blessed all!

Man It's Hot!!!

Okay, the news reported that St. Louis broke the record for the hottest day in St. Louis history yesterday! It got up to 92 degrees!!! Now that's June weather in April!! I don't see this as being a good sign for the summer! I've got a feeling that we'll stay in or near the 100's all June, July, and August! I can tell you why it's so hot. The earth is getting hotter every year because of the break down of the ozone layer. It's a fact. I have to teach the kids some ecology and let me tell you that what's happening to our earth is scary! Take it from me, Al Gore totally knows what he's talking about!! And if you're thinking that I'm a geek, I would have to answer that with a big fat,"YES!" Anyway, it was my daddy's birthday and he turned 74 years old!! Wow! I never think of his age, but he's getting up there. Let me tell you that I have the smartest, kindest, and most handsome daddy in the world!! (You can't tell that I'm the baby girl can you?)
Anyway, here is a photo of my lovable, handsome, and intellegent daddy! Have a Happy Easter!!

I Made 2 Peas POTD!!

Okay, I get up this morning and go into my normal routine before work. I shower, do my hair, wake the kids, and check in on my DT's. Well, today I had the layout of the day at ICS-http://imaginecreatescrap.com . Well I truly was excited about that, but as I read the thread, the fabulous Sandi Minchuk, one of my fellow ICS DT Sister's, informed me that I was Pubster Of the Day on 2 Peas! Well color me surprised!!! I am soooooo excited about this!! Man, what an honor! I never thought I would be chosen to be POTD!! And what great comments I've received from all of the wonderful pea' s out there! This is a great day and a great way to start off my week! Here is my layout that was Layout of the Day called The Prettiest Pick of the Bunch. Have a blessed day!

CKC-St. Louis

Today was my day to work as a teacher's assistant at Creating Keepsake's Convention here in St. Louis. Boy did I have a blast! I worked 3 classes. Two classes taught by the owner of Quotable Quotes and one SEI class where they made an entire 8x8 album! I loved working with the people and being among them. What was really great was I got tons of kits and a SEI 8x8 album kit and an 8 1/2 x 11 album!! I got 2 CKC shirts too! I'll tell you that you can't beat this! I spent $0 today and I had more bags than anyone leaving! I had a great time, but I must confess one thing. I haven't been this tired in a long, long time! I stood and walked from 8 am to 1 pm!! My back hurt, my feet hurt, my legs hurt, and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much! I came home and slept for about 3 hours and I'm getting ready to go back to bed in a few minutes! Eventhough I am dead tired, it was all worth it!! I will do this again!!Can't wait for next year!! Here's a page I just did called Just Chillin'. Be blessed!!

Where Is Your "Comfy" Place?

My girl Becky( Owner of Scrap-Tastic.com), http://beckyteich.blogspot.com asked the question on her blog, "Do you have a comfy place in your home where you consider it your sanctuary?" Now, I really liked this question because it caused me to actually stop and ask myself, " Where in my home am I most comfortable?" At first I thought about my bedroom, but I didn't chose there because I share it with Gregory. Then I thought about my bathtub and decided against that too because I can't take a bath without someone knocking on the door! Then it hit me. I know the exact spot in my home where I am always at peace! No matter what's going on or what time of day, I can always find the peace and comfort I so need by sitting in my scrap chair. Yep! My scrapping chair is my cure all! When I sit in it, the chair seems to absorb all my stress and worries! Here is a page I made featuring Michael called, "Love That Face". I really like this page because my journaling is really good. I talk about when I found out I was pregnant with Michael and how our family reacted. Have a fabulous weekend!!

At Home Today!

So Michael's school was closed today and I couldn't find a babysitter. I mean to tell you that I searched high and low for one and everyone was busy! Well, I had no choice but to take off from work today and stay home with my little boo boo! We're having a great day too! Slept late, ate a nice breakfast, watched a little Disney Channel and Cartoon Network...yep, this is the life! We would go outside, but the weather here is kinda cold and yucky! I guess I'll have no choice but to scrap this afternoon!!! Love days like this! Here is a page I did of Michael using all Basic Grey Urban Couture papers, letter stickers, tag, fibers, and stamps! The heart is BG too! Take care and have a blessed day!!

No Time To Scrap!

Have you ever been in a scrapping mood but you had too much "stuff" to do? Well, that's what's going on with me today!! It seems like everyone wants a piece of Robyn!!! I had to get up early to take Brittany to work. She works at the St. Louis Zoo, so of course when I dropped her off Michael begged and cried to go in too. So what did I do? Yep, you guessed it. I parked and took Michael to the zoo. This was totally an impromptu visit because I didn't even have my camera!! After an hour he was ready to go (thank God!). Then I had to go to Wal-Mart and to the shoe store to get him some more shoes. He was soooo terrible in the store, we left without anything. I figured it would be easier to go without him to get his shoes. If you've ever dealt with a child with autism, you know you have to take it moment by moment. Anyway, Gregory didn't go to his second job this weekend ( he's a workaholic!) so he wants to hang out around the house ...and around me. So not only do I have to deal with Michael, but I also have to deal with Gregory( who is probably worse than Mike!)! In the meantime, I've been trying to get in to my hair stylist because I missed my appointment last week. I've just found out she's out of town so I'll have to do it myself. I actually am a licensed cosmetologist but that's a story for another day! Here is a page I did for my 3 Bugs in a Rug entry. Be Blessed!

A New Look

I've been busy making a changes here . What do you think? I think I like the white background. It looks kinda classy and posh. I'm not really a classy and posh chic, but I do like this look. Actually it reminds me of my scrapping style. I would describe my style as being clean, balanced, linear, and colorful. How would you describe your scrapping style? Take this quiz to help you figure it out;
http://organizedscrapbooks.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=27
Here is a page I did this weekend of Brittany called You Are Lovely. Have a blessed day!!

It's been a really busy week and I am so glad it's the weekend. I so needed time to sit and do nothing. That's really a good thing for me; doing nothing. I don't get to do this too often. Doing nothing helps clear my mind of all of the stuff that clogged it up this week. I know I've been really stressed because I didn't scrap a thing this entire week, but I scrapped two things today. This is a coaster that I made. It's called Love You. Pretty simple I know. Well, Keisha Campbell http://abiteast.typepad.com/ who is in my opinion one of the best scrappers around makes these fabulous coasters all of the time. I was feeling good tonight so I decided to make my own. I hope you like it! Oh, I just made another design team! This one is for a site called Scrappin' With Grace http://www.scrappinwithgrace.com. The people there are super-nice, so I'm looking forward to the experience of working with them.

Back to Work I go!

Well, my spring break is over and I'm back at work with my students. I really was glad to see them all this morning. I didn't think I missed them, but now that we're back at school I realized that I did. I have the cutest, smartest, group of fifth graders on earth! Yep, it's kinda like when you go on a vacation; It's nice to go, but it's great to get back home.

Hey, if you get a chance to check out the March issue of Scrapbook Trends, I have a layout on page 39 called That Beautiful Smile. It's of my brother Lyn who I miss terribly! Have a blessed day!

Help!!!

So I'm not a computer programmer as you can see. I am a fifth grade teacher, a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend , and a scrapper. But definitely not a computer programmer. Sounds like I know what I am, and if this is true, then why did I fiddle with this blogs codes and #$@* it up? I need help and lots of it! I was trying to put on a nice little banner like all of the cool folks and I messed up big! So, if any of you wonderfully intelligent people can help me put on my banner, please do! I'm beggin' you!! Here is a page I did of my mom. It's gonna be in the May issue of Scrapbook Trends!

Well, today is the 15th, so that means it's payday. I remember when I first started working. Payday was almost the same as it being a holiday! I used to get soooo excited! I would run out, cash my check, and spend, spend, spend until it was all gone! I had no family then and I still lived at home, so I bought what I wanted and begged for what I needed! Now I'm all grown up and today is payday. No, I don't get all worked up anymore. Nor do I break out in a sweat from excitement. Now, I feel rather tranquil and calm because I am able to pay all of my bills and have some left over to save. Boy have I gotten old!! Speaking of old, here is a page I did last night of my sweet and now 19 year old daughter Erica. This photo was taken on her first birthday! Have a blessed day!!

YEEEEHAAAA!!!

YEEEEEHAAAA!!! Well, here I sit at home ...alone! How fabulous is this!!! I've gotta tell you that I am just sooo happy because I'm on spring break and my kids are at school!! This is the first time in years that I've actually been on spring break by myself. The kids have Friday and next week off, so they'll be with me on Friday. Hey, that's fine because I'll get to do whatever I want, whenever I want, however I want, until Friday. But until then,YEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAA!!! Here is Kaylin and her beautiful smile! Have a blessed day!!

PAYBACK!

I've always considered myself to be a reasonably calm, laid-back kinda gal, but lately I haven't been all that calm. Let me tell you that it's not the easiest thing to be a mother of a 19 year old college female, a 17 year old high school junior female, and a 4 year old son with autism! Actually, the first child and the last child aren't that big of a challenge, but that 17 year old......let us pray!! Lord have mercy on me so I don't kill this child!! It must be her age because she has always been the sweetest and easiest of my children. She's always done well in school, she's always been the most obedient, and always the most pleasant- that is until she turned 16. It's been all down hill since then in the attitude department! Mom tells me that I was the same way and that she will return to her wonderfully former personality in about another year. She then goes into hysterics and tells me that PAYBACK is a fabulous thing! Here's a page I did of Michael yesterday. Enjoy your day!!

All By Myself

Okay, this morning I did something I haven't done in about a year. I got out of bed, used the bathroom, put on my workout clothes( I had to search to find them!) opened my front door, and walked. Yes, I actually walked! Up to about a year ago I was an avid walker. Every morning my neighbor and I would hit the streets at 5:30 a.m.! Boy did I feel great then! Well, my neighbor moved and suddenly I found myself paralyzed when it came to walking. It was like since she was gone I couldn't walk anymore! I know, really crazy but true! Sadly to say, since then I've gained back all of the weight I worked so hard to lose! But it's gonna be alright because I'm back! And like a big girl I'm walking all by myself! Here's one of my favorite pages, Flower. Have a great day!