Not much going on today just CHA projects in the works. Which I hope to start sharing with you soon. But today, I want to share with you two little projects I made last night as a little thank you for two sweet people. I hope they like it.

Enjoy your day!

Yes, Sketchy is just as much fun today as she was 37 years ago. Look at what came in the mail today. I still cannot believe my eyes. I am once again the proud owner of my favorite childhood doll. It just goes to show you if you believe in Santa magical moments happen at any age.

And YES… we still have our Christmas tree up (but it sure is a great photo op for the mini album I plan on creating). Once Christmas is over CHA kicks in and I never seem to get it down. I thought for SURE I would get it down before March this year since it was a much easier tree to decorate than last years. Oh well, I don’t turn the lights on like that makes it any better but the neighbors have come to realize this is me and they like me anyway.

Note to self… take the tree down before Spring Break!

My sweet friend Stephanie… I think sweet friend I’m not sure after tagging me but since I can’t not come through here goes.

Here are the rules…

Link to your tagger and post these 3 rules on your blog.

• Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
• Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
• Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I still jump into bed with the fear that someone will grab my feet. My brother had something to do with this issue.
2. I have to bring a diet coke with me whenever I go anyplace in my car.
3. My favorite movie is “A Scent of a Woman” I loved it when Al Pacino said “Out of order, I show you out of order. You don’t know what out of order is, Mr. Trask. I’d show you, but I’m too old, I’m too tired, I’m too f****’ blind. If I were the man I was five years ago, I’d take a FLAMETHROWER to this place! Out of order? Who the h*** do you think you’re talkin’ to? I’ve been around, you know? There was a time I could see. And I have seen. Boys like these, younger than these, their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there isn’t nothin’ like the sight of an amputated spirit. There is no prosthetic for that. You think you’re merely sending this splendid foot soldier back home to Oregon with his tail between his legs, but I say you are… executin’ his soul! And why? Because he’s not a Bairdman. Bairdmen. You hurt this boy, you’re gonna be Baird bums, the lot of ya. And Harry, Jimmy, Trent, wherever you are out there, F*** YOU TOO!” and this quote too “Now I have come to the cross-roads in my life. I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew, but I never took it. You know why? It was too damn hard. Now here’s Charlie. He’s come to the cross-roads. He has chosen a path. It’s the right path. It’s a path made of principle that leads to character. Let him continue on his journey.” Gosh I love this movie!
4. I trained my golden retriever Sonny in the field to retrieve birds and put two field titles on him.
5. I never take our Christmas tree down until sometime in March… yep it is still up. CHA comes first.
6. My favorite flower is a Peony
7. My Dad is Santa Claus so you better not let me find out you have been bad cause I can go straight to the source.

Andrea Wiebe

Debbie Harmer

Katie Watson

Sandy Wiley

Shelley Haganman

Suzy Plantamura

Wendy Vecchi

Okay I have passed the torch onto you 7!

I can’t believe CHA has come and gone. It is amazing how fast it goes by… just one big fabulous blur. It was great getting to see old friends and make some new ones. The internet is a wonderful thing as I will be able to keep in touch with people I met people from all over the world. While doing make-n-takes in the Maya Road booth…. nearly 500 in 3.5 days I met people from New Zealand, Paris, Germany, Australia, Japan and all over the USA.

I was so happy when Beth Williams Executive Editor of Memory Makers Magazine and GinaMarie Reda Assistant Editor of Memory Makers Magazine came by Maya Road to say hi. It was great getting to chat with them for a bit and actually put a person with their emails. Staci Ethridge and Tracy Austin two MMM ’08 came by to say hi too. They are just as sweet as ever. I was so busy doing make-n-takes that I didn’t get a chance to really chat but just being able to saying hi in person was great. I got to chat with Tracie Radtke while she was doing her make-n-take at the F & W Publishing booth. We even planned a fun post for the MMM blog so be on the lookout for that one. While talking to Tracie I got to meet Katrina Simeck MMM ’07. Talk about super sweet and a pleasure to meet. I ran into Christine Doyle, Editorial Director of Memory Makers Books and got to have a fun and exciting chat with her. As I was coming back from lunch I ran into Greta Hammond MMM ’08, Vicki Boutin, the Queen of Foof herself Teresa McFayden and the super sweet Jenni Bowlin as you can see at every turn there were people to meet, chat with and get to know better. It is so fun to be around all these people with the same hobby.

I got to visit with Tricia and helped her pick out some fun things for future Cocoa Daisy Kits. I got to meet Ali Edwards rather quickly while she and Tricia were walking the floors and I was doing make-n-takes. Some of my ScrapGal friends stopped by to say hi… it is always so fun seeing Celeste Smith. She just quietly stands in line for make-n-takes and when I look up I am always so surprised to see her. I got to talk to Dina Wakley for awhile and meet Amie Farkas.

The one part of CHA that is not fun is all the stealing. It amazes me as to how much product and displays people will steal right out from under your nose. I had 2.5 projects stolen. Thankfully, Caroline caught one person and was able to get back the cover to my bird coaster album. I created it about my daughter and her friend. Of all the items taken this would have been the hardest one to recreate.

So if you happen to see these two projects floating around they are mine and I would love to have them back. No questions asked. Most likely I will never see them again. But I do find it amusing that the owl card is in the Maya Road catalog and would love to know how someone will explain that one as being their own. Kinda funny I think. I don’t know how people live with themselves knowing they took something that does not belong to them and will be missed by the designer.

I will post all about some of the new products that will be must haves for me tomorrow. Some really nice products will be hitting the stores soon.

I love the day before leaving for CHA…. all the stress of checking lists, washing clothes, packing, checking lists again trying to make sure you don’t forget anything etc… just love it! Actually I feed off of it, kinda strange but I do. I hope I get to meet some of my new online friends and look forward to seeing those that I have chatted with for several years. It is so nice getting to see everyone twice a year.

I will be helping with make-n-takes so please come by Maya Road’s booth #1987. We will be using products from our Chipboard Crown Album, Heart Coaster Album, ATC’s, Blossoms, Postcard Stamp, Crushed Velvet Ribbons and Scallop Ric Rac. Our make-n-takes have been sponsored by some very nice companies… Luxe, Ranger, Art Glitter and Beacon.

Here is the design team canvas I created for the designers wall that will be in Maya Road’s booth. I cannot wait to see what all the designers created. It is so fun seeing all the different styles using many of the same products.

On my canvas I used some of Maya Road’s new Jewel Ribbon Flowers, Scrolls, Buttons and Stamps from a previous release. The quote reads: Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. Pablo Picasso

Since all the projects I am working on right now for Maya Road are for CHA and can’t be shared I thought I would show you a portion of my first Winter Bella project. Gonna make another one of these of Terri. They are so fun.

I cannot believe the holidays have come and gone. All our visiting family members are back in their homes safe and sound and I have begun my creative frenzy. CHA is just weeks away! You all are going to have fits… absolute fits I tell you when you see what Caroline and Deb have created for Maya Road. This release is going to be incredible. So many wonderful new products.

I gave myself a little something for Christmas. I subscribed to Teresa McFayden’s Winter Bella E-Zine. This was the first week and the first two projects were adorable. Teresa’s projects are created so that you can use what you already have in your stash which is a very good thing this time of year.

Wishing you all the best for 2008.

I can’t believe it has been a week… I’m sure all of you have seen lots of CHA photos by now. Sorry about that but I do have a great excuse for not posting. I decided to enter the 2008 Memory Makers Master Contest at the last minute. So for the past week I have been in a scrapping frenzy. Last week I was chatting with Caroline about some book ideas and before I knew it she had me entering MMM! Gotta love friends like her that give you that little extra push. I would not have entered but now that it is all over and my package has been delivered I’m really glad I did. Thanks C.

CHA is a great experience. Catching up with friends from all over, meeting online friends for the first time and the early mornings and late nights, to me are so addicting. I love the feeling of a deadline and that slight… I don’t think I can move exhaustion. I honestly love everything about CHA.

Here is a group photo we took in the Maya Road booth the last day of the show. I love all these women and find them all so inspiring.

From left to right…. Heather, Caroline, Jessica, Aubrey, Judi, Me and Deborah

Tomorrow I will share some of my photos of Downtown Chicago. Jess and I had so much fun and lots of laughs in the few hours we had until we needed to catch a plane.

Have a great day.

I thought I would update my blog tonight since I will be going to play with this sweet little boy tomorrow morning. Gosh I love me some Noah time. He is so darn cute… just look at this face.

His Mommy Caroline and Auntie Deb are at full throttle right now. So while his Mommy works we get to play. Those of you that will be attending CHA are going to love all the projects that will be displayed in the booth… LOADS and LOADS and LOADS of eye candy. If you stop by make sure to say hi! Here is part of the CHA-S catalog if you want to take a look at some of the great stuff coming out. Caroline and Deb are adding items daily.

Now for sneak peek #4… this is the new 3 x 3 accordion album. I LOVE this size and this little project can be completed in an evening. Which is pretty good for me, I can’t remember when I finished one that fast. The scallop frame, royalty crown and microchip hearts are also being released at CHA-S. The paper line is “Beloved” by Danelle Johnson. I love the pink and black combination and can’t seem to get enough of this paper. The photos inside the album are of my sweet, adorable little niece Isabella Kate. I get to see her Aug. 2 and believe me I am counting the days.

Images removed for publication. This project will be in the Dec/Jan 2008 issue of Paper Trends.
Oh and the quote inside is the cutest! My niece Madelyn (4 yrs. old) now known as the “Big Sister” of the house (never mind that Amanda “THE BIG SISTER” will turn 16 in just a few days) said this the day Isabella Kate came home.

Madelyn was holding Isabella Kate for the first time and Isabella Kate’s bow fell out. Well Madelyn says to her Daddy… “Daddy put her bow back in… she can’t be a Princess without her bow.” I think this is the cutest quote ever and will use it on many more projects I’m sure.

I love the week before CHA as I get to share all the projects I created for the show. It is so exciting to see the clock ticking and feeling that monster of a deadline on your shoulders…. fun, fun, fun I tell ya! Well here is one of the new 6in. circle albums Maya Road will be debuting. I love this size and the little birds and twigs on the cover, well I cannot get enough of these little treasures. I want to stick them on everything.