ky regionals.

I have never been to Louisville, KY, but I can tell you I will be back :] From the little I have seen, I love it && I can't wait to see what it looks like in the daytime! Staying at the Galt House Hotel-- GORGEOUS!!!!&& when I met the ladies for dinner, they had a freaken awesome magician, sounds corny right? NO. Totally entertaining!

Here for Stampin Up Regionals, & I am so excited!!! Rooming with Carlyn, so good to see her again, and so incredibly pumped to get in the mood for some card making, holidays are always the perfect time. I've already seen some examples with AMAZING techniques that I just can't wait to share when I get home :]

never miss a photo op

Scrapbooking isn't just a hobby for me, if possible, it's all I would EVER do, because I absolutely LOVE everything about it. The entire industry is just amazing to me, and I am very thankful to be involved in any way I can be. While I am incredibly sad that I missed out on SPARK, I DID have an amazing time Friday night at our first Girls Night In crop :] I am so excited that these girls are interested in the hobby, and I love each of them so it'll be fun to watch them grow as scrapbookers!

Caleb's been a model for a few photographers lately, and the pictures have turned out reallllly good, which is totally exciting to be able to use for layouts as well. I'm in love with this fall weather, now that it finally stopped raining, because there have been SO many good days to get outside & enjoy this beautiful time of year! Today he did birthday pictures, just a few :] && we found an impromptu photo booth at Gap Kids-- stop by at your mall, they have CUTE cardboard props && a background that you can play with-- gotta love everyday moments that turn out to be AMAZING!!

[LOVE it! We had fun goofing off with the props!]

BUT the biggest news of the day??? Guess who got a new lens for her Nikon?? THIS GIRL. Need I really explain how excited I am?? & right in time for fall leaf pictures, Caleb's class Halloween party and trick or treat?? Or how about the approaching holiday season?? yayyyyy!!
Now for serious buisness, finishing up a few layouts! One for a challenge that ends this weekend, and a page for a friend :] You'll see them soon enough!

sick day with munchkin.

Poor Caleb got sent home from school, after already missing yesterday, & he's not allowed to go back tomorrow either since he was sick AT school today. SO I'm taking advantage of his lounging around state so we can watch Lion King & get some crafting done :] Which is pretty much what I'm doing non stop these days lol

Girls night crop on Friday night should be fun, so far the girls coming are mostly new to scrapbooking, so it'll be fun to teach some newbies && get them addicted to it! Pretty excited to get an order in, and start working on Christmas cards && baby shower invites-- it's that time of year :]

Looking at trips to finish off the year, since I can't attend SPARK this weekend [& believe me, I'm dyyying to go, esecially since I know some of the people there] but Amy mentioned the CRAFT beach retreat, which sounds great as well, but I may just save up & start the year off with WINTER CHA. Ohhhh decisions. If I wait til January, then we could prolly take the weekend before show starts to go to Disney :] I've never been to Cali, so I think if we wait until January it can be a HUGE event....

While I think about it more, why not get some pages done?? I'm doing them all without photos right now, so I'll have to run out later && print them all, so they'll look a lot different with the finishing touches && pics! I'm dying to order some mini moo prints && some off instagram, so I figure it I stock pile some pages, I'll get a better deal! I LOVE all the different ways to print pics now, makes pics that much more interesting. For now, here's a few shots of  the one I worked on last night, using Studio Calico  products & a bit of the Amy Tangerine washi tape:

saturday & sunday night sbooking.

After a rough weekend in the life lol, I'm in a me time mood, so a scrapbooking I will be on this wonderful fall weekend :] Pretty excited to play with new goodies, like the Amy Tangerine washi tape I got in the mail with my AMAZING owl tshirt on Friday  [[thanks Amy!!]]. Do some misting, some hand sewing, I'm pretty excited, there's a lot of fun techniques I've been wanting to play around with and haven't had the time to pull it all out at once!!!

I do have to say I'm pretty proud of my self & some of the projects I've been working on-- here's a few sneaks from ones I worked on last night:

[some hand stitching. some washi tape.]

[some misting, && tiny staples-- LOTS of different love]

[photos from his self-made valentines last year  ♥]

&& after an awesome day at the pumpkin patch, tonight I'll be working on photos from that, and getting ready for the girls crop night in this Friday :] SOOOO bummed I can't be at SPARK next weekend, but I'll be surrounded by lots of crafty goodness!!!

scrappy chics.

Crop night in another state--- Michigan this time :] a birthday celebration with a longtime scrapbooking friend at Scrappy Chic in Livonia, Michigan for the night. LOVIN it!!! Such a cute store, && they have tonnnnsss of Hambly screen prints && the Studio Calico Memoir collection that I've been looking for. It's always so fun to go to new stores & see what different things they have, even "last ones" items that you can't get anymore to add to collections u already have but haven't used yet.

If you live anywhere near it, I totally recommend Scrappy Chic scrapbook store-- LOVE it! HUGE crop room, amazing food included && loootsss of goodies& if they don't have it- they'll try to order it! The girls working were super helpful & they have great designers, I'll definitely be back to visit!

[the store from the front door]

I never get much done at these things, I get to involved "spying" on what others are working on, or shopping, or showing off a technique lol BUT I did get a two page layout almost done, I just need to print off the photos & do a little sewing, impressive for me :] I'll post it when it's done!!!

[faith && i @Scrappy Chic]

Glad I came to visit my Faith Star, missed her!!! Now for more scrapping in our pretty hotel for the night && waiting on pizza yum yum, I'm stttttarrrrrving. LoL

love to my scrappy friends.

I am SOOO lucky to have fallen into a hobby I love so much, and especially after my trip to Minnesota, I just WANT to find a store I fit into & work at one again, or a company :] I love everything about this industry & can't imagine ever finding something I find so inspiring and rewarding as I do with the pictures, papers & people of scrapbooking. I am so lucky to have friends who love it just as much as I do, and I love how no matter the level of experience, we can all enjoy it, and learn from each other, together. So thank you scrappy friends, for always being there for me :]

beyond inspired.

[the mall of america archivers]

hommmme from Scrapfest, and finally kind of all unpacked lol. Just opened my Studio Calico glee club box [it came while I was gone] and I cannot wait to get my hands into some new projects. This weekend was truuuly amazing from the ladies who came through the make in take lines, to the wonderful designers && scrapbookers I had met before. I loved it, I didn't want to come home at all. But now that I am home, I cannot wait to get into some more projects, do some new photos with my new camera, and impatiently await the arrival of my mobile printer :]

I didn't get much done, just one page, and I started adding in all the things to my travel journal from Scrapfest, but I had a great time teaching others new techniques, talking to some of my favorite people in the industry, and getting goodies-- by far the best birthday present I've ever bought myself. Here's a few pics, already can't wait til next year!!! Hopefully I'll see you all there!

 [time holtz: a birthday hug && a compliment, ill take it :]

[jody & madison: LOVED working for Echo Park all weekend]

[the Studio Calico crew-- had SO much fun misting with them!]

[Amy Tangerine && Liz of Dear Lizzy-- LOVE you ladies && had so much fun talking to you all weekend, you both are SOOOO inspiring && I can't wait to see you again soon!]

i dont want to go home.

It started out a little bit rough, but I absolutely LOVE the Mall of America :] This has been the best experience, and I'm so glad I came. The entire weekend has been a blast, from working making takes, to getting to see faces to the names of online friends, to being told by Lizzy that I was talented lol. Spending time with the AMAZING people in the scrapbook industry reminds me why I SOOO badly want to be even more involved to spend more time with them, it's truly inspirational, thank you to all the companies & individuals that I spent time with this weekend :]

Scrapfest 2011.

in Minnesota for Scrapfest :]

Madison= GUY lol

SOOOO because I'm a wonderful facebook stalker && could spend all day everyday trying to get somewhere while sbooking, I saw this AMAZING post by Echo Park, asking for help at Scrapfest. Not only are they PAYING me, but I get free goodies too??? I may never come home from the Mall of America, and I haven't ever been, or have I even thought about the SHOPPING opportunities!!! [Okay, I thought about them, I just figured there was no way I could money manage for an extreme shopping spree :]

I am just so excited to meet Madison && the other Echo Park people-- an extra bonus for the sbookin trip of my birthday. This will deffffinitely make up the BEST birthday present to myself EVER.

I'm just so excited about everything! Off to finally go pack, I think I finnnnallly decided what I'm gona pack to take with me :] Night fellow sbookers!!!