Homegrown Hospitality

Home Sweet Home

I am home...got in super late last night after a very LONG day of "close calls" got up SUPER early this morning(some things never change!) so I am certain that by noon, I will be toast!

With my coffee by my side, the Valentine off to the job site, this is the first thing I did...

did I mention that I am glad to be home?

I had a BLAST at Making Memories Unforgettable (if you took photos, PLEASE PLEASE send them to me at homegrownhospitality@cox.net) and had a really good time at CHA seeing LOTS of good friends and meeting new friends. I am so so fortunate and grateful to have a job where I get to look, touch, feel & play with crafty things all day, everyday..

but I am glad to be home.

did I mention that?

It is 6:18 am and I think I need to go take a nap.

Kitting Au Natural & Another Peek

Good Morning...so sorry I never came back yesterday...I was knee deep in ribbon, paper, tags, stamping, cutting, trimming, kitting....

Here is another little peek at the Friendship Matters Class I am teaching this Saturday in AZ at Making Memories Unforgettable...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and here is another peek at why God gave my long arms...

The UPS man came for the second day in a row (I am expecting one more box) and I have been kitting...and kitting...and kitting...and I had an assistant yesterday...who LOVES to take pictures...

I think I might LOVE to kit, even though it is a little complicated, but hey, looks who's talking, I mean typing...I do it to myself, but I like to put the extra effort into the little things.  Something new that I am doing (that I think is BRILLIANT &  is substantially less expensive) is instead of making color copies of the instructions (my instructions tend to be long because I add every little thing!) is I am now burning them onto a disc..duh!  and so during our lil mini slumber party last night, this little lovely did all of the discs for me (she was dying to play with the laptop...while watching Hannah Montana).

After she got done working, we called Grandma & Grandpa and thenhad ice cream (with cookies on top) and watched more Disney Channel (which coincidentally, her jammies matched the show we were watching!)

I should have gotten out my Shaun Cassidy pillow case...JUST KIDDING! ( a do-run-run-run, a do-run run...)

oh...and THANK YOU for your interest in the extra kits for the Friendship Matters Project...I am flattered!  If you sent me an email I will let you know as soon as I can!

okay..off I go..gotta finish up and get to baking...

running & pushing

I will be back later this afternoon...I am out and about..

Here is a doodle from Feb. 08 to reflect on until I return...

Yesterday I mentioned that I would show you Teresa's NEW Sports line...and well, I did do a few layouts, but I really have NO SKILLS when it comes to taking shots of 12 x 12 layouts, but I will show you them anyway...

a little about the photos.  2007 was Ben's last year of playing Little League.  He was still at a "Coach Pitch" level and at the end of the season they let the boys pitch.  Ben not only pitched and hit the batter, when he was up to bat, he whacked the ball straight on at the pitcher...and hit him.

Ben does not do well with stuff like that (no one does) but that was it. His Baseball carrer was over.  The thing that is hard as a parent is knowing and seeing how good a child can be at something when they can't....But...Ben LOVES Baseball and because one of my best (non-scrappy) friends son is HUGE into baseball and they have been entertaining us all summer with games almost everyday, I think the spark has re-entered his heart...we will see.

anyways...the best part of this layout (besides the amazing product, duh!) is the fact that Ben is playing baseball & is wearing a football sweat band on his wrist (from the school holiday gift shop) oh, and his lil pinky is sticking out (I am SURE that is for balance!)

I LOVE MEMORIES, gosh, aren't they grand??? really, here is my dorkness coming out, but I just LOVE the way that you can look at an old photo and just know the details.  The problem is, only I know the little things which, if I do not journal, no one else will know...That is a hint for my "non-scrappy" friends....

 Here is one of Jack, also from two years ago.  The thing about my kids is that they LOVE to play just about anything..but they are like me, not real competitive..take that back, when Ben is playing Yahtzee...he is competitive (and almost ALWAYS wins)

anyways..this was Jack's last year of Triple A.  It was time for him to move up, and he did not want to, which is a real bummer because he is really a great First base player and he made some great friends on this team...and the coaches were great...and the families were great...gosh, I think I miss it more than they do!

All of the elements for this new line are perfect for not only all of the action shots for ANY sport, but also those dugout photos, field photos, side line moments and not just for boys...You need to go over to Teresa's blog to check out what she did for Gentry's Drill Team for Good Morning Utah...

okay..gotta go kit, kit, kit!

Have a great day!

It's the most wonderful time...

Yes, it is a Christmas song, but I am referring to the Most Wonderful Time of the "Creative World" Year.  It is time for CHA...Craft & Hobby Association and this time next week, I will be on my merry way to Florida for CHA Summer to get a look at all of the new "stuff" that will be hitting the shelves at your favorite "Creative" place...If you are attending CHA, you will find me during show hours at the Bind-it-All Zutter Booth...

but...right before I get there, I will be at Making Memories Unforgettable teaching two *SOLD OUT* classes featuring Teresa Collins Designs...and lucky me, I got a special delivery of all of her new products last week..so here is my first official peek for you at the new "Friendship" Line and the project I will be teaching next Saturday

This is another one of those projects that I loved creating as much as I loved the finished book  because as I did each page, it was like I was going through each moment and/or memories of the photos of me & my friends.  I printed out pictures as far as 2004 on a few and the moments were right there!

Even though the book is only 6 x 6, there are LOTS of pockets, pages and tags to fill with your memories and special thoughts about the friendships in your lives.

It was especially easy for me to put this book together because at the same time I was designing it, we were on vacation at the beach with friends (that are more like family) that we have known since, well, pre birth...if that makes sense (our moms are still best friends from Jr. High!)  plus the fact that I am so super lucky to have some really really good friends that are always right there...that will help me when I am in need and high five me when I succeed, friends that I can tell anything to & know that that they will still like me...That will where weird party hats for the sake of a photo, spin cotton candy even though it will get all over them, and scrape the insides of pumpkins for the sake of having fun with the kids...we do it together, and even when it is not as fun, it is, because we enjoy each others company...

I enjoyed "the Process" of this book, from the moment I knew about this line (before I had ever even seen the product!) The theme of Friendship is easy for me because I am so fortunate to have such a good group of friends..  I think you will too will enjoy the process, that is..if you are coming to the class...

but...I did not want to deprive you from making this special book, so I believe I will have some extra class kits, but will not know until I have everything kitted, so if you are interested, let me know and I will form a list homegrownhospitality@cox.net.  The kits will be $25.00 plus shipping with full color instructions.

Here is one more look...don't want to give it all away...and here's to all of my friends...Love you!

See you tomorrow with the Sports Line Sneak peek..

Home Sweet Home

we are home...a day early..from an entire week of camping at the beach.  Here is a recap...

BIGbeetles that fly in the trees, keys locked in the car, June Bugs, sand everywhere and then some, campfire holes in tents, sticky smore residue, flips flops on in the shower, umbrella's blowing away in the wind, kids flipping over backwards in chairs, every snack know to man eaten the entire day through, licorice, hot tamales and Good & Fruits between each meal, 750 thousand plastic cups and water bottles 1/2 full, trying to sit "surfer style" on a Boogie Board (yes, that was me and thank goodness there are no pictures...just memories) a leopard shark thatwas speared & and then eaten for dinner..a sea otter that was either going to have a baby..or die (never heard the outcome) and lots of friends,friends, family..and then more friends...oh and one call to 911 and a trip to the hospital...oh, and a few $10.00 shovels to keep inventoried, a trip to Costco to get a surfboard..and a little of this that and the other...

our summer beach trip has come to an end...now I have lots of pictures to re-size and email...tons of laundry to do and just get back to normal....(hold your comments on the "get back to normal")...

 

Never a Dull Moment...

I am home briefly from vacation to check in, work on a project, check emails, get skateboards, etc...Our 7 day beach camping vacation is going....well, it just would not be right if we did not make a trip to the emergency room(in the back of an ambulance) and it was none of the 20+ kids (under the age of 15) that are in our group...

I had to cal 911 early Tuesday morning because my dad's back went COMPLETELY OUT and he ended up on the floor of the motor home.  He was admitted Tuesday & and released on Wednesday afternoon and is back at the campsite doing nothing but taking medication and trying to stay still...(ha ha ha)

We like to make commotion at the campground early in the morning because I locked my keys in the car LATE Tuesday night (after trips back and forth to the hospital) and so when Auto Club came to get them out EARLY Wednesday morning...as they were "breaking into my car" the alarm went off.....for quite a while....

WE ARE FUN!

other than a few sunburned scalps & shoulders and sand in the eyes, all is well.  We are all super "Trail Blazers" and as long as we do not run out of S'More's, we should be fine..

but we still have 4 more days....

Shabby Bags for Sale

Well..the "Great Scrapbook Sale"(Charlie Brown) is over.  Not a huge crowd, but lots of friends and a few new faces..and an afternoon & evening of fun..and June bugs.  Thank you to those who came by and stayed, chatted, had some cookies...etc...

There are FIVE shabby bags and they are listed in my reopened Etsy Shop.  You can go here to check them out.  All bags are ready to ship today and will come to you PRIORITY.  This way, there is no losing them..or at least I will be able to track them.

here is a sneak peak at the color combinations of the five that I listed for today...

Happy Saturday!

 

 

Happiness Is...

wow..so many HAPPY PEOPLE responded to yesterday's giveaway..that I think I will do it again..today! I am really happy..when you are happy...can you imagine what the world, or heck your community, city, school...etc would be like..if we were all just happy....I mean, I klnow we can't be happy all the time..I don't think..

I am rambling...

so today...what is Happiness to you?

for me...

Happiness Is....

a spur of the moment trip to the local (SMELLY and gross) lake (boy's don't mind it...)

yes..that was us yesterday..I felt like I was living on the edge (I really need to get out more often..) when John and Ben said.."Mom, will you go with us??"...they just about fell over when I said "okay!!!" 

We really did have a great day even though the break light wire on the trailer disconnected as we were ready to pull out of the driveway...and "someone" (not me) left the trailer keys on top of the trailer tool box and as we were headed home going up Ortega Hwy we all said.."did you hear that?"  I am pretty positive that GOD whispered something in John's ear like..."the key's"...so we did have to pull over (because we could not turn around pulling a trailer..it is a one lane up..on lane down hwy) and John had to walk down to look for the keys...luckily he found them and a nice guy gave him a ride back up the road....anyways...we had a great day...and yes..I took felt with me to stitch...

Happiness is also sewing "Shabby Bags" for tonight's "Great Scrapbook & other stuff" Garage sale...I spent the latter part of yesterday and into the night with the big screen tv, the Housewives of New Jersey (vicious!) and the sewing machine...

   don't let the name "Shabby Bag" fool you..these are anything but shabby...they might need to be called "Beautiful Bags" because they are all so lovely!!! I keep saying to myself, "If no one buys this one, I'll keep it"

k..gotta go finish up, the boys just left for another day at the smelly lake.  I need to get on the ball, bake some cookies, clean the bathrooms and set up for tonight...

OH...yeah, duh...yesterday's winner is "Quilter"...congrat's to you and I sent you an email....

Don't forget to leave me a comment today with what "Happiness Is..." to you.

I think that these happy questions are really good for the soul...and for all of us...because even when things seem to really not be going so well..just taking time to stop and think about the opposite..of what is good...of what makes you full of happiness...

can change your day..for the better!!!