Scrapbook Expo Registration Opens!!

The race is on... 30 minutes ago registration opened for this year's Scrapbook Expo. My friends and I love to go to this every year to take classes, learn new techniques, and of course, SHOP!!

Last year I wasn't able to stay very long since I was recovering from my surgery, but this year I'm looking forward to taking those technique classes. It's fun to learn new ways to actually use all those goodies we buy in the scrapbook stores!

Organize - Simplify Redux

Well, all good intentions don't always pan out! My plan for this year was to organize my life and surroundings, and to scale back and simplify. However, it seems that in the last few months, things have gotten much busier - both at home and at work! So - so far, that hasn't worked out!

I had a huge project at work preparing a new building for occupancy and getting all of the equipment and software needed for the employees to use, which is still going on. That, coupled with smaller projects and routine day-to-day stuff, has given me LESS time to relax.

Oh well, that's the way it goes sometimes. I guess God has a lesson for me in here somewhere! But I am still trying to de-clutter and slow down. Maybe after April when the dance show I am in has finished.

Speaking of the dance show, it has been so much fun getting back into my tap dancing! We have a GREAT dance to the song "Save my Soul" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, a neo-swing band. Funny, my husband and I saw them up in Reno (what a fun show that was!). The choreography is awesome - really fun to do!

I've also just completed a special scrapbook/photography project for a wonderful woman at work who has retired, and have been working on the Boy Scout Troop's scrapbook. Can't wait to finish so I can work on our family albums! I especially want to get to the Disneyland Trip for the 50th Anniversary. That one will be really FUN to do!

God has been so good to me and has blessed me with the time and ability to do all of these fun things, but most of all has blessed me with a wonderful family and friends to share this all with. I thank him for Every New Day He gives me. He is truly an awesome God.

Back from a Great Weekend

Last weekend my friends and I went on our annual Scrapbook Retreat to Bodega Bay. Wow, you just can't beat taking a weekend to devote to your favorite hobby, especially after the busy December we had. I hadn't done any serious scrapbooking since August and this really got me excited about getting back to "work".

This year I stayed up very late two nights, I was on a roll and didn't want to stop! And I made a big dent in the project I was working on. I got some help from Becky Higgins Sketches 2 book. I love the way that book is set up. It is so easy to find a layout that will work. I even got to use a lot of my "paper stash", which I am trying to do so I can buy some new paper. I want to use my old stuff first.

I am so blessed to have a wonderful family that will let me get away with my friends for four days, and I am so thankful that my wonderful husband doesn't mind - or at least doesn't let on that he does!

A Time For Healing

The devastation of Hurricane Katrina has touched my heart so deeply. At times like these, my prayers go out to all of the victims and I pray for guidance on where and how I can help. My church has looked into organizations to join with and will be “putting out the Bible” next Sunday and forwarding those funds to Samaritan’s Purse to help out the people affected by Katrina. They will also be using the donations to help out the family of our church members. My prayer is that this will give people the hope that comes from knowing that God’s love for them is never-ending.

I was able to find friends who lived in New Orleans about a week after the disaster. They are fine, but had to evacuate from their home, along with their dogs. I tried to look at the Google Map of the Katrina devastation to see if their house was ok, but there was a cloud over their house at the moment the posted picture was taken, so it was hard to tell.

I also went on the Creating Keepsakes Message Board and changed the view from Scrapbooking Only (which is my usual view) to View All Messages so I could find out how our Scrapbooking Sisters in Louisiana and Mississippi were holding up. One of the posts touched my heart – a post from "southern mom". She had just completed 8 albums of her family photos and those albums along with all of her scrapbook supplies were washed away along with the back of her house. I am blessed with so much and wanted to share my supplies with her to help get her started again.

I feel so helpless knowing there were many others who probably couldn’t even get to a computer to let us know how they were doing, and even more families who have no home to return to.

I remember a story I once heard that helped me remember that even though you want to help everyone, there is only so much you can do, so you help who you can. And so, I will.

The Starfish

There was a young man walking down a deserted beach just before dawn. In the distance he saw an old man. As he approached the old man, he saw him picking up stranded starfish and throwing them back into the sea.

The young man gazed in wonder as the old man again and again threw the small starfish from the sand into the water. He asked, "Old man, why do you spend so much energy doing what seems to be a waste of time?"

The old man explained that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning sun.

"But there must be thousands of beaches and millions of starfish!" exclaimed the young man. "How can you make any difference?"

The old man looked down at the small starfish in his hand and as he threw it to the safety of the sea, he said, "I make a difference to this one."

-Author Unknown

A Gift to Share

Photography and scrapbooking go hand in hand. What a great way to explore your creative side and create a historical document for future generations. God has given me a gift that I would love to share.