Reunited with a Friend!!!

I have more Leadership pictures to share, but I wanted to spend a little time talking about the Regional event that was on Saturday.... Leadership had wrapped up on Friday.  I had posted a picture on Facebook of the Riverwalk, and my very dear friend, Chandra, commented on it, saying that she was going to be in San Antonio for the Regional!  This totally made my week, and spending the day with Chandra was one of my favorite parts of the trip!  We have been friends since 1989, when we met in Oklahoma at a camping convention.  We were both teen queens for our states (me, PA, Chandra, MN).  It was cute and fun, but Chandra and I just really hit it off, staying in touch through the years.  We've been friends ever since, seeing each other most summers at National Campvention, until college, and marriage started keeping one of us away each summer.  The last time I saw Chandra, I was pregnant with Jesse (my 4th), and Chandra was saying that she was thinking she would have to go home and make some babies of her own.....  So that was 7 years ago.  It was great chatting with Chandra while we made our Make and Takes, telling stories of our moving around the country, and swapping prayer requests at the end of the day.

Here is Chandra with Shelli, in her Alamo T-shirt...  There's a story behind that too.... When Chandra and her friend arrived at their hotel, they had left their luggage in the car for just an hour as they waited for their room to be ready.  Well, you can probably guess the rest.  The vehicle was broken into, and all of their suitcases (and Chandra's swaps!!! oh the horror!) were stolen.  Chandra was so sweet about the whole thing, and bought a souveneir t-shirt to have something clean to wear the next day.  My convention friends/roommates all gave her extra swaps, and when Chandra told Shelli her story, Shelli had a really good point....why would anyone want a suitcase?  There's not much of value in the clothes....the carryon has all the electronics and such!

Here I am with Shelli and Sterling.  Last year I had my picture taken just with Sterling, because I was chatting with him and mentioned how supportive he always had been of Shelli, and how the only reason I was able to go to Leadership was because I had a supportive husband at home, caring for our children in my absence.

Ponderings of a mother.... and Valentines!

Right now, it is 11:45 PM, and my 4th grader, Jake, is finishing up his book report.  I don't know if I'm being a good mom for making him do a good job, or if I'm being a bad mom for not letting him get a taste of failure for the lousy paragraph he wanted to turn in...  So I've just finished the book he had to read, while he finishes the last paragraph, and I decided to blog a few of my favorite Valentine's day cards from Leadership. 
***I realized when I read this later, that it might have sounded like I read the book for Jake.  I did not, but I usually do read the books they have to so I can help when they have questions.  Kids have a hard time deciding what's most important to put in a report, and so they either want to put everything in, or next to nothing.  If I've read the book, I can ask more questions, like, "Does that part affect the story's ending?"  I hope you aren't thinking I read the book so I could do the report for him.  He did a fair job; no A+, but I hope he learns to not procrastinate (even though I still do!)

 Look at this cutie!  I love how the hearts are stacked, and the green heart is cut in half for the leaves....so clever, how people see punches in a whole new way!

 The You're My Type stamp set is so cute!  I loved all the ways this set was featured.....It was one of those in the mini that really didn't call my name when I did my pre-order, but I may just have to order it before the mini catalog goes away...

 The above card is interesting, the little LOVE tag belongs clipped to the mini clothespin, but I think I am going to have to steal this idea somewhere down the road... 

And below, how cute is that Hershey's kiss?  Now that we live near Hershey, I may have to send out some belated Hershey kiss Valentine's, or save the idea for next year before we move away!  If you are wondering how to get that shape, it is done with the Build a Blossom punch.

 I have a few more samples that I got as swaps, but I didn't photograph them yet, so I may save them for next year! I'm still getting the hang of this blogging thing, and the holidays keep sneaking up on me! Luckily, I only have about 7 wonderful people that regularly check on my humble attempts, so for now I'm okay with my slow progress.... I'll get better; I promise.

Change Anything!

Okay, this is a little funny, because way back when I signed up for Leadership, I thought this book class would be good for me.  But at the time, we were in the middle of moving, and then settling in (and peeling wallpaper) and I just forgot about this class.  I remembered when I got to San Antonio!!!  So I bought the book as a download for my phone, and started reading between classes, in the evening, and here and there...  I got through all but the last few pages of the book before my class, but am now going through the book again, taking more notes and trying to implement some of the suggestions.

Much of the book deals with things like getting finances back on track, or losing weight, and those parts had great information, but I was most interested in how to be more productive in making my business grow, since I've just recently moved, and haven't made many friends yet.  I may try to touch on this topic again down the road, but if you are looking for a book to help you to see the reasons you have been unsuccessful in the past, so that you can make positive changes, this one has some great tips.  Ellen Richardson led the class, sharing her Change Anything moment with us, and challenging us to find our own thing to Change!  Thanks, Ellen!

Sale-a-Bration Samples

I am happy to be back posting to my blog.  My wonderful Grandma Rhoda passed away last week, Wednesday evening.  She was a wonderful woman, who taught me how to pinch a penny, among other things... I will miss her dearly, but we jokingly said she lives on in me, every time I wash out a plastic baggie, re-use aluminum foil, or put an extra layer on instead of turning up the heat.  My husband affectionately calls me Rhoda at least twice a month, and I hope that continues until someday my grandkids ask who Rhoda is.

Today is short on words, but not short on beautiful ideas for our Sale-a-Bration paper pack, ribbon and brads pack, or stamp sets.  Have you tried your hand at making a lollie yet?  I made a bunch of them for a Halloween wreath in the fall, and I'll have to post it this summer, but I was surprised how quickly they all came together, using the Simply Scored to put in the score lines.

I love an elaborate card as much as the next gal, but there's just something about the CAS (Clean and Simple) ones that always get my attention.  I love the little extra details....the punching around the oval, and the fussycutting for the bird.  But this is still clean and crisp.

Today I was visited by my new downline, Donna....WELCOME to LAMBITIOUS!  and she brought Teaghan, her 3 month old grand-daughter with her.  Teaghan had an adorable outfit on, but won't she look so cute this summer in a onsie accented with our beautiful stamps and fabrics?  So cute....  A little Wonder Under, and we'll be on our way!

I love that the Sale-a-Bration stamp sets and papers are exclusive, because people are motivated to get them before they are all gone, but man, I'd love to be able to use this paper for ever and ever!  This has to be one of my all-time favorites! 

Have a blessed day!

Sprinkled Expressions - SAB

 Here are a few samples made with Sprinkled Expressions, one of the FREE stamp sets available during Sale-a-Bration.  When I first looked at this set, I wasn't sure if it was going to be my cup of tea, but I do like all of these samples made with it.  You can use this for a quick card, or put some more time, effort, and layers into it...

If you would like to earn this stamp set for FREE, visit my website by clicking here.  For every $50 you spend, you can choose a free stamp set, or pick from a selection of other products.