My Wish for You in 2009

May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of $100 bills. May love stick to your face like cold cream. May laughter assault your lips! May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires. May happiness slap you across the face. May your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple words . . .May 2009 be the best year of your life!!!

Many people make Resolutions this time of year. Many wish to break bad habits. The physical and mental pain can be grueling, whether you're trying to exercise more, eat healthier, spend less, drink less, quit smoking.....it's never easy.
But the benefits to your health and to your attitude can be priceless. Breaking a habit starts with courage, ends with discipline, and is fueled by desire.

I saw this recently, and thought it worth sharing.

I am your constant companion. I am your greatest asset or heaviest burden. I will push you up to success or down to disappointment. I am at your command. Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me, for I can do them quickly, correctly, and profitably. I am easily managed, just be firm with me. Those who are great, I have made great. Those who are failures, I have made failures. I am not a machine, though I work with the precision of a machine and the intelligence of a person. You can run me for profit, or you can run me for ruin. Show me how you want it done. Educate me. Train me. Lead me. Reward me. And I will then...do it automatically. I am your servant. Who am I? I am a HABIT.

The author of the above is unknown, but the words are right on target. If you make good habits, they in turn will make you. But like the weeds in the garden, bad habits can take over your life. Make a decision today to pull those weeds.

Happy New Year!!

Challenge for the Year 2009

Here's a great challenge for everyone for the year 2009! I did this last year and it was fun & inspiring! All you need to do is choose a word....one word.....and make that your word for the year! You can scrap about it, blog about it, or better yet make it your daily mantra!!

A few years ago Ali Edwards posted this wonderful idea on her blog. She has a huge selection of words listed here to help get you started.

Last year I chose simplify. This year my word is 'Learn'. I need to learn and accept the fact that I cannot do some of the things I could 6 months ago, but I can learn to do them in a different way. I need to learn to balance my life better. I can't be all things, for all people anymore. I need to learn to say no. I intend to learn more about photography by taking a class with Karen Russell. I plan to learn new techniques to apply to my scrapbooking. I will continue to learn more about humanity through volunteer work, and in the process I will learn more about myself. I hope to learn more about another culture by traveling there.

It's amazing how one little word can make such a difference in your life!! Join me wont you, and choose a word......just one word, and Live it!!

Cheers! ♥ ♥ ♥

Cosmo Cricket Giveaway

Wow!! Check out this phenomenal giveaway Leah is offering!!! All of these fabulous Cosmo Cricket goodies could be your......or mine!!! I love Cosmo and I think it would be so awesome to win all of this scrappy goodness!!! Be sure to visit Leah's blog for more details and to see her wonderful minibook tutorial!!
Cheer!!

Graphic 45 toot!!

Woohoo!!! Graphic 45 has the spotlight on me this week as their featured artist!!! I am so excited I could just squeeeeeel!!! On a whim, I submitted some of my work to them, and they chose me..... yes me, to be a featured artist! I am SO stoked! I am SO Honored!! Squeeeel!!!!
These are the layouts I submitted.






I was so thrilled the day I found some G45 in my LSS. When I saw these papers they reminded me of home, as I love antiques and all things vintage. It was love at first site!! ♥ ♥ ♥

Five Faves Friday

I'm posting this a day early as more snow & ice is expected and we may lose power once again.

All week we have been dealing with a wicked Arctic Blast! Bitter cold temps, tons of snow, ice, wind. Brrrrrr!! I do love the cold crisp air, fresh snow & bright clear blue skies, but when it becomes windy & icy and single digit temps.....well, that's just a bit toooooo chilly for me!

Here are a few ways I love to stay warm!!


♥ Hot Cocoa and a blazing hot fire

♥♥ Uggs Keep those little piggies toasty warm plus they're so cute!

♥♥♥ I could lounge all day wearing these soft & snuggley warm Jammies

♥♥♥♥ A toasty warm jacket

♥♥♥♥♥ I love to snuggle in a bed covered with Flannel sheets

Five Friday Faves

These are just a few of my favorite sites & sounds of the Holiday season....

1. Christmas Carols playing on the radio.....The Little Drummer Boy is my all time favorite carol

2. The sound of bells ringing

3. The yummy smells of Holiday baking

4. Feeling the cold crisp air on my face

5. Snow birds on the front porch

Scrapping with Karen Russell

Friday night I spent scrapping with Karen Russell! It doesn't get much better than this!! Karen held her *10 Reasons* workshop at my LSS. The project was to build an album documenting the things that mean the most to you in a list form. We used the newest products from her Narratives collection. The Antique Cream line is so beautiful.

The evening was filled with learning new techniques, sharing wonderful stories, lots of laughter, and of course great door prizes!

Karen is one of the sweetest and warmest people you'll ever meet. By the end of the evening you will feel as if you have known her forever...she is your friend! She will inspire you!!!

"Oh Joy"

Oh Joy, a darling Christmas Mini album and a little blog Give-a-Way!!!

You can have yourself a merry little Christmas, and make a mini album with Leah Killian! She has a wonderful step by step tutorial posted on her blog.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas over at My Creative Scrapbook! The December kits at MCS are up and going fast....so hurry on over because they will not last! This month I had the pleasure of designing with the add-on kit with features Cosmo Crickets 'Oh Joy' collection. I love this kit, but we all love Cosmo Cricket, right!! Be sure to visit the Design Team Gallery for some wonderful inspiration!