Thankfulness

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today, I am choosing to be thankful.
I will not to be negative, grumpy or resentful.
I will look at people and assume the best.
I will work my hardest and accept the fruits of my labor with a gratefulness.
I will say "Thank You" to my husband, my kids and my boss.
My family is the greatest gift I have received and I will not forget it.
I am thankful for a warm house that needs repairs, a barking dog asking to be let in, dishes piled up by the sink after a party with friends and laundry that needs washed. God has been faithful to me, and I choose to be faithful to Him.

May God grant you blessings in abundance this holiday season!

Farm Show scrapbook page

Our town puts on the last farm show of the season in our county - and it is a really big deal for us. I married into this town and I have had a blast getting involved in the community since I've lived here. Celebrating my son's first farm show was a big deal and considering we live right down the road we were there every day, all day! This is one of my favorite photos of all time with my husband and son - when I close my eyes this is what I see when I think of them - and I had to preserve it in a beautiful layout. My sister consultant, Vicki Melhuish, is a very talented designer (she can do things with embellishments that just astound you) and this is her layout I was fortunate enough to get during a team swap.

Scrapbooking catch up

Having a second child on the way has increased the pressure to finish my firstborn's baby book. Currently, I am on the second album of his first year but only up to six months of age.... I think I have a problem brewing on my hands! I have started something I will have to continue for the next one, I can only hope that this one will be as cooperative in front of the camera as my son.

I am learning some things as I go along, one being that CTMH still has the photo storage pages that hold 12 photos in a 12" x 12" size page. They are available in either horizontal or vertical pockets. They are a great way to add a bunch of photos to your layout without Flip Flaps (that's another story for another time). This layout is from the Baby Parade I entered my son when he was 6 months old. My husband is a truck driver so I decorated the stroller to look like Daddy's truck, complete with the swan hood ornament! He won first place in his division and was invited to participate in the main parade a few days later but considering I would be the one to walk the whole thing while he slept (the parade would have been at his bedtime) I declined the offer but it was still an honor!

All occasion card

This is my first post back online since I took a break after I found out I was pregnant again. I have been working in my craft room as I feel able so I have some projects to share with you over the next few weeks. For my customers, I am still interested in hosting crops and classes but they will not start up again until the new year (just seems silly to try something now as the holidays are approaching). I am also working on my first winter crop coming in February 2012 so please email me if you are interested in more information. Space will be limited so it's first paid, first served. Now on to the good stuff....

There has been a lot of focus recently on Christmas (even though the Halloween candy isn't yet gone...) but I'm mentally not there yet so I made some all occasion cards for any upcoming needs. I realized I missed a birthday, needed some Thank you notes and one "Thinking of You" card. And as a bonus, I was able to use up some older papers (of course, if I discover that I am having a little girl, I am going to be very sorry I used up all my Cherry-o paper!)

I left the sentiment area blank so I can customize it as I need. I love blank cards, there are so many designs to choose from my stash when it's time to give one away. I noticed that I make a bunch of one kind of card so to rely on one style for every birthday in the next few months makes it hard to feel special about giving a handmade card in the first place. Blank cards on the other hand, never age and it's easy to mix and match for those loved ones who have multiple family birthdays in the same month so everyone gets something special.