It's Been A Long Time!

 

I'm still around and haven't forgotten about my blog.  It's just been one of those years.  Those of you who know me know that I have been having physical issues since December 31st.  I have no answers for why I'm having issues but I know that God has a plan.  So I will rest in Him. 

 

I just got back from a wonderful Scrapbooking Retreat at Singing Hills in Plainfield, NH.  What a wonderful time with friends and fellow scrapbookers. That will be a subject for another post.  It's so much fun!

 

Although I haven't been posting, I have been creating so I'd like to show you a couple of projects that I taught in my classes at Singing Hills.  The women are always so appreciative of what they learn in those classes.

 

My scrapbook layout page was made using our Surf's Up paper.  It is such a fun pattern to work with and the colors are beautiful!  Sun rays are in style this year and Close To My Heart came out with a stamp set that has banners you can use as sun rays.  It makes life so much easier.

 



 

I'm blessed to live right next door to my daughter and her family.  I am able to share so many things with my grandchildren.  But I still get to visit with my sons and their families so I always have lots of photos to scrap.

 

My card class used the new Buzz and Bumble paper.  I fell in love with the paper once I saw it in person.  There are so many things you can do with the paper because our background and texture paper is double-sided. 

 

Another trend this year is the honeycomb and Close To My Heart has a stamp set to add dimensions to your cards and scrapbook pages.

 

I haven't forgotten my word this year, CONSISTENCY.  I don't have it down yet, but I'm working on it.  I pray that by the end of the year I will have been consistent in posting my blog and letting you know about some of the happenings in my life. 

 

Next month is National Scrapbook Month and Close To My Heart has a great special for the month.

Happy scrapping!

 



MEMORIES

 

As I wait for the Blizzard of 2013 to arrive, I can't help but think about the Blizzard of '78.  I worked in a bank back then and the bank actually closed!  I have the most adorable picture of my son in his snowsuit out in the snow (I'll have to look for that).  Thankfully, we didn't lose power because that would have been awful.  We lived in an old apartment building that had once been a large New Englander.  No power would have meant that we would have to stay with family who had a woodstove.  What I do remember is that we had time to enjoy our little family without rushing to get to work and getting everything done. 

 

 

As I read Facebook I see posts from some who can't wait for it to arrive.  I personally wouldn't mind if I never had to state "I lived throught the Blizzard of 2013."  Now that I am older, I find myself liking winters less and less.  I loved last winter. We didn't have many days, if any, below zero.  We had very little snow.  Winter came later and spring came ealier.  Ahhh it was refreshing.  Almost didn't feel like New Hampshire at all.  I guess we were due for this.  So what to do during this historic storm?  Well.... I have some new product to play with.  That ought to keep me occupied.  For now, I'll share a picture I took a little while ago.  I'll make sure to update that picture as we live through the experience.  But if I don't get it up for a couple of days, that means we lost power and thus lost the internet.  I hope everyone stays safe today.

 

 

 

As you can see, we had bare ground before this storm decided to pay us a visit. We actually had rain last week. This view will be very different in a few hours.    Welcome to New England!



Auld Lang Syne

 

I love all of the Close To My Heart patterned paper.  In fact, every year I love the paper and the patterns more and more.  I wonder how anyone could think of new patterns and colors that would be better than the last season's patterns and colors and then the new Idea Book is published and I am in love even more.  This month we will be saying goodby to some of our dear friends.  Some of the paper packs will be retired at the end of January.  That means that in February, we will have all new paper packs to choose from.  If you wanted to order any of the following paper packs that will be retiring, I have an open Gathering on January 12th.  You can place your order on my website, just click the Idea Book on the right of this post. 

 

 

It will be sad to see these beautiful patterns of paper go and some of the wonderful stamps, but wait until you see what is in store for February!  I gave you a glimps of what you could expect when I took a picture of the cover of the New Idea Book.  Here are the retiring stamps from the Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book and the retiring paper packs, Workshops on the Go, and other items from the Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book:

 

Item #	Item Description	Page # Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book
A1104	A Tweet	90
A1111	A Tulip	68
A1116	A Melody	94
A1122	Bravo	92
A1128	Quick Cards—Shell	80
A1129	A Rainbow	85
B1365	Spring Up	71
B1369	Rosy Regards	67
B1374	Bee Happy	83
B1397	He Is Risen	74
B1402	My Peeps	72
C1439	Enjoy Life	95
C1440	Take a Picture	93
C1442	Tailor-Made	94
C1450	Eclectic Edges	99
C1452	Delight	71
C1455	Aspire	96
C1456	Heartfelt Treasures	68
C1457	Happy Camper	84
C1458	Paper Lantern	90
C1473	Remarkable Wreath	70
C1474	10 Things	105
C1485	Super Powers	47
C1498	Country Life	82
C1499	Perfect Day	80
D1195	The Works Alphabet	117
D1222	Tiny Typewriter Alphabet	117
D1296	Chocolate Alphabet Small	114
D1301	Hodge Podge Alphabet	114
D1303	Classmate Alphabet	114
D1462	Splendid Day	77
D1464	Card Chatter—Love	106
D1467	Trees & Things	76
D1472	Simple Memories	66
D1478	Bingo Alphabet	113
D1505	Roar!	89
D1508	Diverse Backgrounds	102
D1509	Magic Adventures	78
D1511	Kick Back	81
E1013	Field Trip Alphabet	114

 

Item #	Item Description	Page # Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book
Z1349	Shimmer Designer Brads	127
Z1360	Rhinestone Designer Brads	127
Z1361	Brads Red Assortment	127
Z1362	Brads Pink Assortment	127
Z1363	Brads Blue Assortment  No Longer Available	127
Z1364	Brads Green Assortment	127
Z1365	Brads Basic Assortment	127
Z1387	Wooden Designer Buttons	125
Z1391	Buttons Clear Assortment	125
Z1395	Irresistibles™ Eclectic Chipboard Die-Cuts (the alphabet)	130
Z1465	Irresistibles™ Make-It-Count Numbers	130
Z1681	Dimensional Elements  Numbers	131
Z1761	Dimensional Elements Ornaments	131
Z1762	Dimensional Elements Snowflakes	131
Z1765	Color-Ready Arbor Wooden Shapes	130
X7147C	Stella Complements Canvas Shapes	68
X7148C	My Stickease® Pemberley Assortment	68
X7150C	My Stickease® Victory Assortment	69
X7153C	My Stickease® Florentine Assortment	69
X7158C	La Belle Vie My Stickease® Assortment    No Longer Available	38
X7160C	Flirty Complements Dimensional Elements	50
X7161C	Moonlight Complements Dimensional Elements	56
X7162C	Pear & Partridge Complements Glittery Rub-Ons	62
Z1464	Milepost Shapes	128
Z1466	Bling Assortment	128
Z1695	Urban Felt Alphabet	130
Z1696	Keepsake Felt Alphabet	130
Z1709	Just Blooms® Petals Paper Flowers	129
Z1460	Foundry® Ribbon Slides	126
Z1711	Foundry® Binder Clips	126
Z1712	Foundry® Number Plates	126
Z1461	Décor Journaling Spots	129
Z1687	Bohemian Assortment	128
Z1689	Timeless Charms	128
Z1692	Tough Tags	128
Z1694	Bouquet Assortment	128
Z1741	Haunted Assortment	128
Z1749	Autumn Lane Assortment	128
Z1763	Boutique Assortment	128
Z1772	Dimensional Elements In Color—Holiday	128
Z1393	Mini-Medley Accents Black Collection	126
Z1316	Designer Ribbon Cocoa Collection	124
Z1385	Designer Ribbon Blue Collection	124
Z1615	Designer Ribbon Red Collection	124
Z1616	Designer Ribbon Green Collection	124
Z1388	Newsprint Rub-Ons	130
Z1700	Dark Chocolate Tapestry Velvet Rub-Ons	126
Z1733	Black Tapestry Velvet Rub-Ons	126
Z1743	Festive Velvet Rub-Ons   No Longer Available	126
Z1742	Parlor Velvet Rub-Ons	126
Z1407	6" x 6" Olive Quick Pic™ Album	122
Z1408	6" x 6" Pansy Purple Quick Pic™ Album	122



MY WORD

I have been doing a lot of reflecting over the last few days. It seems that I am always a year behind in my scrapbooking.  This is never what I have planned but it still happens.  In reading one of my many emails from blogs that I follow, it was suggested that rather than make a resolution, one should choose a word for the year.   After reading this, I immediately though of my word - CONSISTENCY.

This is the word I need to repeat to myself  to help me to keep on track.  It applies to all areas of my life; healthy eating, going to the gym, updating my blog, reading my Bible.  The list goes on and on.  It's the perfect word for me.  What is your word for 2013?  

These are some of the things I've been doing while reflecting.

 

Marking the pages of all the things I need want in the Spring/Summer Catalog.

 

 

Playing with my new IPad and getting inspirations for my Project Life Album.

 

 

Watching the news to see if we are "going over the cliff."

 

 

Taking a picture of my workspace while I create wonderful memories.

 

I love my little area to work, but when I create I'm messy.  Being messy is okay if it doesn't hinder your creativity.  I am always amazed at the ladies who can have everything organized and neat while they scrapbook. I'm just going to work on cleaning up after.  I think I would be too distracted with keeping my area neat at all times. 

 

So now you know just a little bit about what my week has been like.   



 



Happy New Year!

 

I hope everyone has a Wonderful and Happy New Year!  It was a productive weekend for me.  I was able to catch up "a little."  It seems I'm never caught up, but then what fun would that be?  I'm sure I would be finding more memories to capture on my camera.  Have you made any resolutions this year?  My resolution this year is to spend more time capturing those memories.  As time goes on, I realize how important those stories are. 

 

Here are a couple of layouts I made using our retired Cruising paper pack.  It had a traveling theme, but I was able to change things up a bit to fit my pictures.  These memories are of the very first CTMH convention I attended.  My upline, Joyce Combs, was kind enough to drive our team to Washington D.C. to experience the time of our lives.  I'm still working on my photography skills for these layouts.  Please bear with me as I learn more about my wonderful new camera.

 

 

I followed the directions and made the layout in the Cruising Workshop on the Go for our sightseeing in Washington D. C.

 

I altered the second Workshop on the Go to fit the theme of the World War II Memorial. My dad was a WWII vet so I had to go see this memorial. It was a very touching and emotional experience for me. Dad was a patriot to the core and loved his country and he would have loved to see this. 

 

I just love how Close To My Heart paper packs are so versatile that I'm able to use them to fit the story I'm trying to tell.  Don't you just love the Cruising paper?  This pack is availalbe in Studio J so you can still use this wonderful paper pack.



Mary Did You Know?

 

 

I love that song.  I think about my children and how much I love them and know that it must have been so difficult to be Mary.  When I think of how difficult it must have been to travel all that way when she was so far along in her pregnancy and then to deliver that baby far from home and without any comforts of a room, I am amazed.  Then to be the mother of the Savior who would give His life for the world.   

 

Tonight at our Christmas Eve service I listened to the Bible messages about our Lord and Savior and I sang those Christmas carols with joy in my heart knowing that I can do this because of Him.  Tonight was a night of joy as we remember His birth and His arrival on earth.  We know what this child would go through but tonight, we were able to emphasize the glory of His birth. 

 

I've been very busy the last few weeks with all the activities that go with this Christmas season, but I've tried to concentrate this year on why we have this blessed season. I've tried to make the most of  family time making sure to go to the Christmas progam and today I made time to spend with my Mom. Gary and I took her out to breakfast and listened to her tell us about relatives long gone. She's 90 years old now and her short-term memory isn't the greatest, but she sure can remember what it was like to grow up in the 20's and 30's.   I went home and made Canadian pork pies that were the tradition in our home when I grew up. Mom doesn't cook any more, but I still remember those pies and all the traditions that went with them.  When we were little, our grandmother would watch us while our parents went to Midnight Mass. We would try to stay up as late as we could to see if we could hear Santa.  It never worked, we always fell asleep long before they came home.  When they got home, Santa had come and we would have pork pie and then open our presents.  The grown ups would go to bed and my brother and I would stay up and play until we had to go to sleep.  Then our parents would have  a nice, quiet morning while we slept in.  

 

 

Tonight as I look at our little Christmas tree all is quiet.  The children are grown and have families of their own.  I'm sure that the excitement is high in those homes and those little ones are having a difficult time falling to sleep. One of my sons is missing it tonight as he protects his country in Afghanistan.  I am thankful that I was able to spend every Christmas with my children when they were growing up.  I miss having the whole family together during this time, but I'm thankful for the wonderful family God has given me even if we spend it apart.  I know that we all remember that special time long ago when God sent His son to save the world.

 

Merry Christmas everyone.  May you  have a wonderful time with family and friends and don't forget to pray for those men and women who aren't able to be with their families during this time.