Homegrown Hospitality

Take time to Remember....

that today is not just a day off...

 Ben's Fifth Grade "Walk Through the Revolution" last week... 

and to

 
Our family thanks the men and women who have fought and continue to fight.

Happy Memorial Day!

today...

is my first day of Flying Lessons and the day I start to put my purpose to work

if you are new here, welcome!...you can see more of my doodle work over on the left under RAK Doodles...

off to flap my creative wings!

Piles & Potential

I caught Ben looking at the "Sweet Land of Liberty" book before school yesterday and just happened to have my camera handy.  What I love about this photo is that I can tell he is smiling as he is looking through it...

instant confirmation that THIS is why I do what I do and I am a blessed girl to be able to do what I love..for a living...

BUT

I have to make some changes to the way I work, which by the way, I have done all my life...

I tend to create PILES everywhere because I bounce from project to project, assignment to assignment, class to class until I am creative clogged...

which is where I am at the moment.

Now, I am a blessed girl because I have this to work in, you know..the Shead-Teau..

 
but right now, it is in BADshape.  There are piles of potential all over and with all of the brand new product that will be arriving very soon, I have got to get it together...which is what I am doing from NOW (Sat. morning at 8:00am...until it gets done)

here is look at the piles....

and of course the potential, like a new jar of baubles with Christmas written all over it

and prep for Inspiration Unlimited Classes

 

so wish me luck, send a few organizational prayers my way and watch for lots of new "Inspiration without Instruction" kits coming soon...

Have a great Memorial Weekend...it is "Block Party Kick-Off "Weekend on our street..whoot whoot! 

Prayers are answered

in much different ways than we imagine.  This was in my inbox this morning from values.com and is an answer to a prayer, whew!

“Do more than belong: participate.

Do more than care: help.

Do more than believe: practice.

Do more than be fair: be kind.

Do more than forgive: forget.

Do more than dream: work.”

—William Arthur Ward
(1921-1994); writer

 

I know what you are thinking....

What...Two Posts in ONE Day???? yes.

So, I ask you this....What Rhymns with Non-Stop???

why, Blog Hop, duh (I know that is exactly what you thought!) and I have been invited to be part of TWO of them this week...LUCKY YOU (see how smart I am!)

anyways,

I know what you are thinking..."ughh...too much to figure out, too many places to go" and I agree, it is a little, well, time consuming, but I would NEVER ask you to HOP without a potential gift...from each one of us asking you to HOP..

See how we Hopper Askers are???

Just keep in mind that there are ALOT of things that you can win from this...so come on..

just play I mean "Hop Along"

I am not real good at explaining what you need to do...or really, even why, well, except for that I want YOU to go check out a few of my friends blog...

get it...Blog Hop...(I knew you'd know!)

and here is a tip...you do not actiually have to "Hop" or even walk anywhere for that matter...just click on the links, let them know you where there..and well....check out thier blogs...

okay,

who's in...Let me see a hand of all you hoppers....

Did I mentioned that there are prizes, from each one of us??? here is what I am giving away...

my lovely "Be Inspired" Stitched Bag...you know, the one God spoke to me about...yep, I am giving it away...to one of you hoppers....

but wait, there's a little more, well, kinda a lot more...

Pink Pineapple Scrapbooks is soooo excited to team up with Suzi Blu, Jennifer Priest, Stephanie Ackerman, Corina Nielsen, AND Elena Etcheverry for a fun "click-ity click, hop-ity hop, bounce-ity bounce" through blog land!! CAN YOU SAY "BLOG HOP BABY!!"  

You KNOW you want to win great PRIZES.... each one of us has something VERY different to give-away!! 

Read the directions closely to make sure YOU get a chance to win 1 of 8 different prizes!!!

To play along you must complete each of the steps in items #1 and #2 :

# 1.  Become a "follower" on each of our blogs.  Click on each links below then select  "follow me": 

 

Krystie Whillock (Pink Pineapple Scrapbooks) -  http://www.PinkPineappleScrapbooks.typepad.com

Suzi Blu (Le Petite Academy) -  http://www.suziblu.typepad.com/

 

Jennifer Priest (Hydrangea Hippo) - http://hydrangeahippo.blogspot.com/  
 

Stephanie Ackerman (Homegrown Hospitality) -  www.homegrownhospitality.typepad.com

 

Corina Nielsen  (Photographer & Digi Designer) -   www.corina.typepad.com

 

Scrapbook Royalty  Scrapbookroyalty.blogspot.com

# 2. You must leave a comment on all of our blogs. 

Why?  So we can ENTER YOU FOR A CHANCE TO WIN! (new followers & current followers alike will get an entry AS LONG as you leave a comment about our BLOG HOP!) 

 

By joining the fun and completing the two tasks listed above, you will get one entry into the drawing for a chance to win one of these fabulous prizes (do I sound like a game show host??)  Here is a little peek-ie at the SWEET give-aways!!!

   

  

WANT MORE THAN ONE CHANCE TO WIN????

We all know how much you LOVE TO WIN free stuff!!!   Here is a list of some EASY WAYS to get MORE opportunities for MULTIPLE ENTRIES into the drawing for the give-aways!!. 

FOR EACH TASK YOU COMPLETE BELOW:  You will get ADDITIONAL chances to win!!!

Completing all 10 tasks listed below = 10 additional entries into the drawings.

1. Make a POST on YOUR blog about our blog hop!  (Leave your blog addy in the comments section on our blog so we can check it out!!)

2. Become a member of Suzi Blu's Ning Community - http://www.suziblu.ning.com

3. Become a member of Pink Pineapple Scrapbooks Ning Community - http://pinkpineapplescrapbooks.ning.com/

4. Join Hydrangea Hippo Facebook Community - http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=118855531464033

5. Join Pink Pineapple Scrapbooks Facebook Community - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=45193161373

6. Join Scrapbook Royalty's Facebook Community- http://www.facebook.com/scrapbook.royalty

7. Become a follower of Scrapbook Royalty's Twitter Network - http://twitter.com/ScrpbookRoyalty

8. Become a follower of Pink Pineapple Scrapbooks Twitter Network - http://twitter.com/PinkPineapple1

9. Add Seller as a favorite on the Hydrangea Hippo Etsy Store - http://www.etsy.com/shop/hydrangeahippo

10. Become a follower on Giggling Recommended Blog - http://www.gigglingrecommended.blogspot.com/

HAVE FUN....check out our bloggies.....and PLAY PLAY PLAY along!! 

Three Cheers for Trailer Park Martha!

We have less than 4 weeks left of school and each one of those weeks has a "furlow" day (yeah, California!) if not two in them, therefore there are not that many days of school left, but...

there are 1,357 things to do before that last day of school...

including projects, reports, Teacher Appreciation Week (I love you teachers!!!!) Open House, Band Concert, parties to plan, luncheon's to attend (not!) carnival's to put on, signs to paint, tickets to sell...

and on...and on....and on.....

and every year, as a mom, I wonder why in the world everything needs to be crammed into the LAST WEEKS OF SCHOOL.....it can drive a PTA member to drink, I tell you.

(oh, don't freak out...PTA is not going to drive me to drink, it hasn't to this point...so why start now...but you know what I mean..don't freak out...)

plus, I can't drink, I don't have time to drink because I would NEVER be able to do this

I would lose my balance and fall, and let me tell you..there is NO time for URGENT CARE...

so sorry for the ramble..

all I wanted to tell you today was that Ben's Fifth Grade Report of the State of Florida is done....and really, all of my efforts were only needed yesterday (which was the day that we had a carnival meeting, flowers to present, minimum day for Jr. High, a TWO hour dentist appt and a a band concert...)

 
all I had to do was find a clear report folder for him to put it in (well, and a little extra typing).  Who has a clear report cover at 7:00 at night?? Well, yeah, Staples does, but I wasn't going to go to Staples....

Thank you Teresa Collins Designs and Travel Ledger.... for becoming a clear Report Cover!

Three Cheers for Trailer Park Martha....whoot whoot!

Just in time.....

Here is peek of the newest class"Sweet Land of Liberty"

 
that I am working on to teach at 

Pages from the Heart in Monrovia on Sat. June 12th from 11:00am - 1:00pm

and

Oh, Scrap! on Friday Night, June 18th from 6:00pm - 8:00 pm

Just in time to kick off the summer....Class is $35.00 & is a smaller book but loaded with a TON OF TECHNIQUES....

a ton....

including the BEST "Trailer Park Martha" technique to date (and a little rose, of course!).  There is only one person besides my husband and the guy next door that know about this one...it is good, and I almost feel like Thomas Edison...

okay, maybe it is not that good...

but, still...

the store sample will be in each store later this week for your to look at, but do not wait too long to sign up, space is limited at each store....

Have a GREAT day!

Just a Reminder

to you and to myself...

The Right Place

Last night my friend Cory & I attended the Crescendoh launch party. 

 
The evening was very artsy, very different from ANYTHING I had ever been to and pretty much, I felt out of place & very uncomfortable. 

For the first hour, I am pretty sure we both felt really out of place.  We did not have that "eclectic" aura, no fancy hats, no big shiny bling, no boots with cute skirts....

For me, I love to watch and look, but just can not pull of a style...Melody looked adorable and I told her that had I worn the cute head scarf and put my hair up like hers, I would have looked like I had been cleaning houses.. 

Cory & I sat and admired for a long time, but at least for me, I felt "less than" and I really started to feel like, "Okay, time to go home."

There was a really "cute couple" at our table, and I kinda sat & listened to them...(NO, not eavesdropping) just listening and admiring their confidence and style...I wanted to join in on the conversation but I just sat and smiled..

Then they got up to move around the room and I realized that the man of the "cute couple" was paralyzed in a wheel chair and he just wheeled away..with confidence and style...

A Tsunami of selfishness hit me.

It is NOT about me, the way I feel, the way I dress or the way I don't....

Heres the thing....I made myself feel out of place, because really, I was right where I was supposed to be....for sure.

In my feeling of inadequate "style" I recognized that I was in a room full of people that are exactly like me, full of passion and desire to CREATE...in all genres and that regardless of the shoes we wear, the gems we have or the outside style we may (or may not) exude,

we are all the same.

By the end of the evening,

I felt empowered,

felt my purpose,

and feel ready.

to do more..

to be more..

to share more..

and it reminded me of something that I took part in a few weeks back that I had not shared here on the ol' blog.

This flower was "created" on my arm by a little girl that was probably 10, in temporary custody of the State and she smiled as I let her draw..on my arm...

I will tell you more about it next week....and invite you to take part of what I am doing...

 

Thank you Jenny Doh & crew for an amazing, inspiring and wonderful evening....

Thank you God for putting me in the right place at the right time.

 
Please take some time to go watchthis...it may change you too!

whoops!

hey, another beautiful mistake...I fouled up and posted something that I was not supposed to....whoops! Sorry to all parties involved...(if you are confused, read the last part of yesterdays post)

but, I do have a winner for the canvas

he is soooo cute and such a good sport....

so congratulations to Amy Patterson!!! Please email me your mailing address so that we can get you the canvas!

Tonight Deena & I are going to this and are really excited...sounds like it is going to be a WONDERFUL evening...if you are in South OC and are also going, you can drive with us..just let me know..

and, lastly..there are 4 spots left for tomorrows class at Oh, Scrap....hope to see you there!