A new beginning.........................

that's a good way to think of the year 2008!! So many ways to start fresh & I'm looking forward to a new year, though 2007 seems to have flown by. My girls are getting too big too fast & I so want to stop time. Amazing how time makes one realize this. One thing I want to start this year is a journal. I want to periodically, or when the mood strikes, sit down & write my thoughts, things my girls say or do & just life in general. I always say I'm going to do this & just haven't.............how many things have I missed getting down in pen? Things that I know they would love to know when they are older? This is at the top of my list this year.

I've been scrapping again. Since Sunday, I've completed 7 layouts. Nothing fancy, just getting in the groove again, after all my Christmas decor & cards I've been doing over the past couple of months. Feels good & I'm finally breaking into some monthly kits that have been collecting dust. Here are a few things I've done using supplies sponsored by Just Let Me Scrapbook:

TFL & have a safe New Year!!

Are you ready?

I hope everyone is ready. We are..................or are we? We actually started celebrating our Christmases Saturday night. I spent the entire day cleaning & cooking, while my girls went with Grammie to the movies (thanks:) I've never wrapped 14 presents as fast as I did that afternoon. My family arrived around 6:00ish & we spent good time together eating, opening presents & sitting around talking while the kids played.

Sunday we woke to Camryn running a fever of 103!!! Poor girlie. We actually contemplated taking her to church anyway & letting her sit with us in the "big church," until she threw up all over our bed. Unfortunately, I had to take off my pretty Christmas outfit & stay home with her. She continued to run fever, but quit getting sick around 4:00ish, so we took her to the in-laws for Christmas. We forgot 2 presents at home, a stocking & one gift in the back of our truck!! Did I say we were ready? We ended up having to leave abruptly because Camryn wasn't feeling well. We got her home to a fever of 103 again!!!

She seems to be back to her normal self this morning, though she woke at 5:15 AM to another 103 fever, I'm hoping all this will subside as the day continues. We've nothing planned today. The girls are playing with gifts they've already received, I'm realizing I forgot to wrap one gift for Ashlyn (I didn't say I was ready did I?), I'm drinking my coffee, Daddy is already hard at work & I'm actually going to scrap today & I can't wait. I might not even shower *gasp*

And.................................Just Let Me Scrapbook has a sale that ends today. Use the code below for some scrapping goodness to arrive at your door after Christmas!!

Sensational 30% Off Sale!
Stock up for after Christmas!

Use the code CMAS30 for a 30% discount through Monday, Dec. 24!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

Good News!!

I have some good news to share & believe me, I'm totally excited, but after spending 1/2 a day on the phone trying to make group hotel reservations for 50 dancers & being told we cannot be guaranteed rooms with double-beds sorta put a damper on my exciting news. Not because of the bed situation, but mainly because I've had to spend 1/2 the day (seriously) on the phone with these people and it got nothing resolved.

Anyhoo...................I got a card picked up by Cards magazine for their May 2008 issue!! Totally elated about this & actually had to track down the recipient of the card & ask if I could have it back:) It's a good day!!!

Are we there yet?

And no.................I'm not actually on a trip or taking one..................it's the overwhelming feeling I've had for the past 3-weeks that doesn't seem to want to go away.

Seems to be the "norm" this holiday season. Just about everyone I have talked to has felt completely overwhelmed with a feeling of getting nothing accomplished.

For those that may not know me, I'm a very organized person. My lists have lists & I run circles around my circles. It's my nature & I can't seem to be much different........................until this year?

1) Was it all the blogs I visited where I saw all the beautiful Christmas decorations I just felt I "had" to make?
2) Or was it the Christmas cards I started making about 6-weeks ago & still only got 20 made? 3) Maybe it was the Thanksgiving trip I took which threw our "usual" Christmas tree shopping & putting up to the next weekend?
4) Or still maybe it's the dance team Ashlyn is now on which consumes my every breathing moment?
5) It couldn't possibly be that hubby seems to be in the same state of overwhelmedness & hasn't helped me w/anything this year? Na.......couldn't possibly be that!!

Whatever it is, I took some time one night to veg with some scrapbook magazines. While rereading my Simple Scrapbooks issue, Stacey Julian had written some profound words that hit home: She "simply" stated that maybe she was overwhelmed with all the things she felt she needed to get done, that made her happy, but didn't necessarily mean anything to anyone else." Pretty simple hu?

That's me in a nutshell. I'm willing to bet no one cares, or even notices, I made 20 Christmas cards, I took my girls Christmas picture, I altered 3 foam Christmas trees, made an Advent calendar, a present wreath, ornaments AND miscellaneous birthday cards in between. NOPE!!! I do all these things because it brings me pleasure. I love trying something new, finishing it & then reveling in it's "doneness."

Maybe next year I won't make a danged thing. I bet someone notices then? Have a very blessed Tuesday.......I'm not making anything:)

Don't forget.....................

Today is the last day for Just Let Me Scrapbook's 40% off sale. This includes EVERYTHING!!! Even sale items. Where else can you take 40% off your ENTIRE purchase?

She also restocked new KI Memories Pop Culture & October Afternoon. RUN!!!!!
Sensational 40% Off Sale! Stuff Your Own Stocking! Use the code SYOS40 through Sunday, December 16 to take advantage of this GREAT sale!

xoxo, Mary Beth

Final Christmas decor items

So I promised to post pictures of the present wreath I was making & am glad I made it. Such a dang cute project & I have Ms. Leah Fung to thank for the idea & directions. I'm going to use mine to showcase some Christmas photos that we are sent. We usually get a ton of Christmas photos, so I'll have to be selective, but you get the idea. The cute paper bow is also another idea of Leah's. I made several of them & then realized they didn't match any of my presents, so it ended up on my wreath:)

I'm almost finished with Christmas shopping & still have one more gift I want to make. I feel like I'm running out of time, but I just don't feel pressured. I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season thus far & remember to slow down & enjoy it!!!

I know what I'm getting for Christmas!!!!

And it's so not fair!!! See.....................I *LOVE* surprises. I enjoy giving people a list of ideas so long, I will have no idea what I'm going to get. But this year, no surprise:(

I finally went to the local camera store to talk with someone about my lense situation. This is after doing research on the net, which only further confused me. The lady was so nice & helpful and I left knowing what lense I wanted, but for the price, knew I wasn't going to get!! So, for now, I settled for the 60 mm f/2.8 Macro USM, along with a Speedlite 430EX flash.

Since dh is so not in the Christmas spirit this year, he made ME pull this information up on the computer, put them in the shopping cart & then he finished the transaction. "Should I wrap it for you too honey?"

I know it sounds like I'm complaining and really I'm not. I'm excited about my new camera equipment & have a few other camera related items I need now, such as a new camera bag & "Digital SLR Cameras & Photography for Dummies." Pretty appropriate hu? I just really, really, really *LOVE* surprises.....................*sigh.*

I'm still making some holiday crafts. I got the idea for this tree while getting ready one morning (though I'm sure someone else has already thunk it). It didn't take me too long to do.....maybe 30 minutes......tops. So, super easy. I wanted to do the snow because we don't get snow in FL, not to mention it's been in the upper 70's this entire week. I'm also working on a present wreath that I'm thinking of giving to my sister? We'll see how it turns out, but so far so good & I'll post a picture when I'm finished.

Here's hoping you have a wonderful, blessed Thursday.

40% off Sale

Most of you know I'm on the design team for Just Let Me Scrapbook. She is always running awesome deals. Here's another one you don't want to miss & she's just added new KI Memories Pop Culture & October Afternoon. RUN!!!!!

Sensational 40% Off Sale! Stuff Your Own Stocking! Use the code SYOS40 through Sunday, December 16 to take advantage of this GREAT sale!

xoxo, Mary Beth

Feeling overwhelmed.

Today was not a good day. No patience, tired & a feeling of being completely overwhelmed. I'm staying so busy lately, but I feel like I'm running around getting nothing accomplished & my list of things to do keeps getting larger. So, I stayed home today. Did stuff & spent the time with my girls, all the while trying to maintain my patience. I really needed to.................spend the time with them:)

I did manage a few more cards the other day & I altered two Basic Grey bookplates as ornaments for a friend. I got this idea from Jenni Bowlin, last year. Loved it so much, I went ahead & bought more bookplates for this year. Glad I did.....they're hard to find now. I keep making the mistake of browsing people's blogs & I keep seeing even more beautiful ideas. Whether it's home-decor, presents or wrapping gift ideas...........I see so many things I want to try. Next on my list: alter a rolodex I've had for 2 years (no lie!!) & my 7Gypsies trading card holder thingy......you know the one. Really need to get these off my desk.

TFL & here's to a beautiful Sunday!!

3 more cards

Widdling away at my Christmas cards. Using Caardvarks & Card Maps to help me out. This one is from Day #2 & looks a tad crooked, but it's really not:

This one is from Day 5

And this one from Day 6

TFL!!!

More Cards & projects.

As promised, I'm posting my little Christmas tree I made. The pictures don't look very good. I tried taking pictures in several different settings & none turned out well, so you'll have to take my word that it's sparkly & cute. I used a ton of buttons, sequins, pom-poms & stick pins and over 6-hours to make.

This is a Making Memories Advent calendar I bought from Target. I've been wanting to make one, but knew I didn't have time to make it from scratch. This came with all the precut papers, rub-ons & poinsetta flowers. I added a few things of my own & it's good to go.

Here are some cards I've also made. Still trying to get them finished to mail next week!! The first card is using a sketch from Sketch This #34.

This is using a sketch from Card Studio Designs #5.

This card is made using Card Positioning Sketch #42

Thanks for looking & remember, if you know anything about cameras, please see my previous post!!

So I'm needing some camera lense help!!

I own a Canon Digi Rebel XT SLR. It came with an 18-55 mm lense & I bought an EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III lense.

First, let me say I know nothing about my camera. I've tried reading the manual, going to Canon's website & reading all about apeture & such, but it really is Greek to me. My husband reads it, explains what it all means, I understand for a fleeting moment & then it's out of my head.

So, with the 2 lenses I have, should I be able to take really good "portrait" shots? I love the blurred background, close-up, but stand at a distance shots. I also take a lot of action shots. I like my pics to be candid, though a lot of them will look "posed," they are not. At one point in my camera buying phase, I was told my next lense would need to be a 55mm for my portrait shots, but I've been on Canon's website for 2 days now & I'm beginning to think that's not my answer either. My husband is convinced I don't need a new lense at all.....I just need to understand the ones I have & he's probably right.

Can anyone help? PLEASE?

Getting in the Christmas Spirit

Things have been hectic around my house. With Ashlyn being on the dance team, it seems they're always doing something, aside from practice. Had we realized just how much they would be doing, I'm not sure we would have agreed to the venture, but she does seem to be enjoying herself. I haven't even had time to scrap, but I've been okay with that. Seems I haven't really been in the mood to be upstairs in my scrap room.

I love this time of year. I've got my house decorated & it's pretty. I'm a minimalist when it comes to decor. I like the clean & simple look......something I also like with my scrapping but don't do as often anymore. I finally finished my foam Christmas tree I started & it's gorgeous. I went with Pink, Red, Green & white & it's so sparkly & pretty. It took me 6-hours to complete, but I love it enough I'm making a smaller one. I'll upload pictures tomorrow. Because of this little tree, I had to dig out my Pink Christmas ornaments to add to the tree this year. Now if I can find a pink Christmas stocking, it will be complete.

I did manage a few cards tonight.....3 in fact. I'm only posting 2 because I used some glittery paint on one & it's not dry. I'm using CardMap sketches from the Caardvarks blog.

TFL & I hope you have a blessed Tuesday!!