Gosh, I so stink at this blogging. I am trying but right now I have too many pots boiling over at once. I was doing great until hurrican Gustav decided to give the gulf coast a little visit. Labor day weekend I had my mom, dad and their bird, sister, BIL their 4 kids & dog, my MIL, FIL and their dog staying at our house. So throw in our family and our 3 dogs it was a bit tight. It was quite a visit. Mind you we live in a one story, 4 bedroom 2 bath house and one bedroom is DH’s office and one bedroom is my scraproom. So we had air beds all over and coolers lined up in the kitchen. It was crazy. Everyone left Tuesday and now are watching hurricane Ike. So Tuesday I washed and cleaned and Wednesday I was dragging and did absolutely nothing.

So this brings me to Thursday and Friday… well I am happy to say I will be teaching classes at one of Rollie Stillings events “Scrappin Away Vacations“

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.

which means I can show you some layouts I created for ScrapGal. This months theme is confess. Below are a few things I have to confess. But first if you can, you really need to read the ScrapGal newsletter. Dina did a fabulous job putting it together. You will love all the layouts the designers created. As well as the button article Celeste Smith wrote…. lots of ideas for buttons.

Image removed for publication. You will be able to see this in the Spring 2008 issue of Scrapbooking & Beyond.

Journaling reads:

I wish I could honestly say this photo was taken December 1^st but I must confess it was not, it was taken March 1^st. Yep, that’s right MARCH 1^ST! Every year, I tell myself I’m taking our Christmas tree down before the middle of January but when the time arrives… I just can’t make myself do it. I won’t start taking it down until I have no other choice and when the temperatures warm up and the scent of spring fills the air, I feel the need. If I could only figure out a way to hide our tree all decorated and out of the way I would. Oh how wonderful it would be to have it hidden. Then as soon as the holidays begin pull it out, plug it in and let the Christmas cheer begin.

Journaling reads:

I have clutched you tightly in my hands for over 20 years. You have been with me at every job, on every road trip, after the birth of each daughter and every other monumental moment in my life. There is nothing more pleasing to the ear on a hot summer day than to hear the pop of your top and the fizz of you being poured into a tall ice filled glass. But I must confess at times there have been others… Sprite Zero, Diet Dr. Pepper and Pepsi One. But I always come back to you as you are my one true love…. There’s just one Diet Coke and you’re the one for me.

Scrap Scene has some cute Easter Projects listed and I’m so happy Angie has my Eater Cards listed. Angie updates a lot so you may need to scroll down a bit. She also has the Bliss Purse Album by Mou Saha. She is the guest designer this month for Cocoa Daisy. I tell you Mou is one talented lady. I just love all her work. Speaking of love… I love the Scalloped-Edged Mini Egg book Erin Lincoln created. It is just too cute.

Also, my Easter Mini Album and Altered Mason Jars are now in publication. My mini album is in the April Scrapbook Trends and my Altered Mason Jars are in the April/May Paper Trends. The Blossoms II Chipboard pieces by Maya Road fit perfectly on the lid. They are really fun to make and take no time at all. Well gotta go and finish typing up my supply lists and instructions for some layouts. Hope you all have a wonderful Monday.