my term as MMM ’08 is over. Today Memory Makers Magazine announced the team for 2009 and what a team it is… so full of incredible talent. I am thrilled for each and every one and can still remember the excitement of the announcement and not believing it was real. But here I sit a past Master and wish the Class of 2009 all the best. You all so deserve this accomplishment and I look forward to seeing your work in print.

Congrats!!!

Melissa Blair
Dover, AR

Christine Drumheller
Zeeland, MI

Kim Frantz
Oxford, PA

Summer Fullerton
Tigard, OR

Veronica Jennings
Waldorf, MD

Amy Martin
Colorado Springs, CO

Gretchen McElveen
Helena, AL

Anabelle O’Malley
Hockessin, DE

Ronda Palazzari
Thornton, CO

Jaime Warren
Rentz, GA

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.

is the PITS! Lately I have been working on several projects and I cannot share any of them just yet. This is torture for me. I love to share my projects as soon as I finish. But last night I did have fun making my own embellishment for a project and I can share this so here goes… I have never used a die cutting system. I always create my own templates, trace them onto paper, cut them out and go from there. I tell ya I am a very old fashioned kinda girl when it comes to stuff like this not sure why… most likely it is because I am too picky and have to have everything just so so. Anyway, last night I decided to play with my Big Shot Die Cutting System I received in my MMM prize package. Well let me just tell you now my head is swirling with ideas. That thing is so much fun. I used some shrink plastic by JudiKins, a Sizzix Sizzlits Snowflake #2 Die, Ranger Stickles in Star Dust and a rhinestone. This cute snowflake is going to be an embellishment for a mini album and believe me more will be made for holiday projects, gift tags etc.

Last week was a great publication week. My Little Foof House, Family Message Board and Valentine’s Day Wall Hanging will all be in the Feb./Mar. issue of Paper Trends.

Three layouts… Santa Baby, Yep… It’s March and Our Tree will be in the Winter issue of Scrapbooking and Beyond.

Don’t forget to check out the MMM Blog. You will find a lot of great tips, ideas and layouts posted almost everyday. Today I posted a little project using one of the “Tis the Season” stamps designed by Sande Krieger and some shrink plastic.

FYI… I am starting to fill my teaching calendar for 2008. If you would like me to come and teach at your local scrapbook store or retreat send me an e-mail and I will see if a class can be scheduled.

While I was in Beaumont Alan and Ansley switched my scraproom and Ansley’s bedroom. I got a bigger scraproom and Ansley got the room with the polka dots painted on the walls (Terri’s old room). Ansley loves anything with polka dots. This was a huge task and I am so thankful I did not have to do it!!! I still cannot believe they got it completed before I came home. I think the 170 pounds of scrapping products all over the living room was a great motivator. I received a huge box of supplies from Fiskars while I was gone. So this on top of my MMM prizes I was in serious trouble. As soon as I got home Saturday started working on getting organized so I could fit all this product in my scraproom. Here are a few photos showing my storage solutions.

Vintage buttons stored in a glass jar I bought for .59 cents at a resale shop.

My basic supplies stored in old glass vases/planters. I found these at a resale shop for $1 each. They are the perfect size for my work area.

This little dish used to hold my Mom’s bubble bath when she was a little girl but now it holds my rhinestones and gems.

The plastic storage containers are from Target. The metal buckets I found at JoAnns on clearance.

These clear over the door shoe holders are perfect for my paints, embossing powders and punches.

Also… I have started blogging on the Memory Makers Masters Blog. You need to check it out. Each MMM will post off and on during the week. Lots of fun stuff to see, learn and read… layouts, techniques and ideas. I hope you visit and post to say hi.

Talk about mind blowing… look what I found outside my front door… 5 boxes of products which totaled approx. 150 pounds. Yep, I have 150 pounds worth of great product and supplies piled up in our living room. My scraproom is going to need some serious reorganization before any of this will fit.

These photos really do not show the true depth of product but I think you can get an idea of what I received. It is so overwhelming.I am so thankful to all the companies and manufacturers who sponsored the MMM contest. You were all extremely generous with your wonderful products.

Here is a list of all the businesses and manufacturers that donated product:

ACDSee, AlphaAddict, American Crafts, Around The Block, Chartpak, CherryArte, C-Line Products, Classy Coordinates, ClubScrap, Corel, Creative Imaginations, Deja Views/C-Thru Ruler, DCWV, Distincly Me, EK Success, Ellison, FJ Wescott, Fuji, Grafix, Helmar Australia, HOTP, Ilford, KS Innovations, Laser Studio Werx, Little Red Scrapbook, Magic Mesh, Making Memories, MAMBI, Memory Maker Photo Jewelry & Accessories, Meri Meri, My Little Shoe Box, Pageframes Designs, Pebbles, Per Annum, Pioneer Photo Albums, PreserveIt Frames, Prima, Prism Papers, Queen & Co, Ranger Industries, Sandylion, ScrapGoods, Scrap Jammies, Spanish Memories, Stemma, Three Bugs in a Rug, Thumbprintz, Tumblebeasts, Urban Lily, USArtQuest, VoiceQuilt, Xyron and Zsiage.

Thank you, thank you, thank you…

and one I will never forget. Getting the call from Patty Craft saying I was a Memory Makers Master for 2008 is just so overwhelming. I can’t believe my name is among this group of talent. I go from being shocked, to wired to dazed. Here is a little bit about my call.

August 20, 2008 (9:39 a.m.)

I had pretty much given up over the weekend. I thought for sure the calls had already been made and some very happy ladies were bouncing off the walls. Saturday, Alan even brought me flowers as he could tell I was a bit down. So I stayed up really late Sunday night working on a project. This is always great therapy. I was up until 4 in the morning. So Monday morning the phone rings at 9:39! I am still in bed half awake and I see a 513 area code. I think no way…. I was scared to answer the phone. All I heard was… “is Lisa there this is (did not hear a name at all due to shock) my mind went blank. Every word sounded like Charlie Brown’s teacher, you know the sound. Then I hear you are one of the MMM winners! I just sat on the edge of my bed with tunnel vision, my dogs jumping all over me wondering what was going on cause all I could say was OMG…. OMG…. OMG… I can hardly remember the phone call. My mind just went blank. I could not believe I was sitting on the edge of my bed talking to Patty Craft… oh I had to ask who I was talking to cause I could not remember her name. Heck I was doing good to remember my own name. It truly is a moment I will never forget. I still cannot believe it when I see my name listed. Monday, I checked the caller ID on my phone so many times to make sure I really did get that call that I lost count. Not being able to shout it out to everyone was so darn hard.

I am so looking forward to getting to know all MMM for 2008. I am sure this will be a year we all will never forget.