Scrappylicious

Alice is one SmartGirl

2010-06-26T20:23:00.000-07:00

When I first saw this book I new I wanted to make it into a purse. First of all Alice ins my absolute childhood favorite character. I had a vinyl record read and sing along that I could not get enough of. It wasn't the Disney version but some unknown. I wish I still had it to share with my Amanda. She is the age that I was when I would act out the scenes in my room.

Search Amazon.com for alice's adventures in wonderland

The book is a beautiful pink with black with gold accents. I found metal leave that I painted gold that I was able to embellish with. I also found gold keys to hang from the handle.

I use Swarovski crystals and the fabric is...well a perfect compliment. The handles coordinate with the book and fabric and the button is a swirly antique brass button.

I am really proud of how this came out if I may say so myself. I hope others love it as much as I do.

This Months Book Club

2010-06-20T04:25:00.000-07:00

We will be meeting July 13th at our usual place. See you there.

Wicked Son of a Witch SmartGirl Purse

2010-06-09T19:43:00.001-07:00

This is a birthday gift for my Mother's cousin Gigi from her daughter Rosemarie. Hope she loves it. I'm making two more tomorrow for twins who's birthday's are on Halloween.

Time to make another Jane Austin SmartGirl Purse...

2010-06-09T17:49:00.001-07:00

This morning I thought I would post the pictures of my Jane Austen SmartGirl Purse on my etsy store store and by the time I came home from running a few errands I got the email from PayPal. I cannot believe it sold so fast. I'm excited because my orders usually come from word of mouth. This is my first Esty sale.Now I have to make another stat. I think I am going to make two of them so that I have an extra one to sell.

Tonight I am working on a new one...Wicked Son of a Witch. It's going to make a great SmartGirl Purse.

Another SmartGirl Purse...Introducing the Jane Austen SmartGirl Purse

2010-06-07T17:18:00.000-07:00

This is another SmartGirl Purse that I am proud to show off. I love everything about this purse from the fabric, the beads selected, the ribbons to the Swarovasky crystals.

A look at the past 4 years with my troop.

2010-06-06T03:31:00.000-07:00

Please watch

Lewis Carroll SmartGirl Purse

2010-06-02T15:22:00.001-07:00

I donated a SmartGirl Purse for a silent auction for the Kids Cancer Foundation of South Florida . From doing this I got 3 more orders. Then shortly after that I received 2 more SmartGirl Purse orders. I cannot believe how busy I am this month.

The first SmartGirl Purse is a graduation gift. She purchased the book herself and I would say she did a great job. The book itself is beautifully embossed in gold on a burgundy leather cover.

I used fun embellishments I bought at a (my favorite place to shop) scrapbooking store and the glass and gold tune beads to make the handles came from a craft store.

I thing picking out the beads, embellishments, and fabric are my favorite part of the process. I get to shop in a quilting store where I find a large fabric selection.

I had to paint the metal Tim Holtz Foliage gold because they only come in silver, bronze and pewter. The metal corners are from Tim Holtz and so are the leaves.
I gently removed the pages and rebound the book. It is ready to be read and enjoyed again.
I Love the way it turned out and I think the SmartGirl who is receiving this as a graduation gift is going to love it too. The theme for the graduation is Alice and Wonderland...perfect!

The Girl Effect

2010-03-23T04:29:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine sent this to me about a year ago and I shared it with some friends. Today, I felt the need to share it with you.

Enjoy and learn about it. The Girl Effect!

The Story of Stuff

2010-03-16T05:18:00.003-07:00

You have to watch this video...

The Story of Stuff

Posted using ShareThis

My Little Pianist

2010-03-09T16:03:00.000-08:00

I had to cut off her introduction and her bow when she finished so that I can upload this. She is such a ham.

Enjoy!

Heather and Kyle's Wedding Scrapbook Album

2010-02-22T08:51:00.000-08:00

I am so happy with the way this wedding album turned out. My friend Nancy commissioned me to make a custom scrapbook for her nephew and new wife's wedding. The bride loves it and so do I.

Andrea's SmartGirl Twilight Purse

2010-01-02T05:05:00.000-08:00

Last Christmas I bought my niece Andrea the Twilight Book Series . She loved them and read them before the new year. This year I made her one of my SmartGirl Purses. The handles sport Black Onyx and Swarovski Crystals. The front cover is decorated with Swarovski Crystals as well. The interior is velvet.

She told me she cannot wait to show it to her friends. "Look what my awesome aunt made...what did you get?"

What Can I Say?

2009-11-16T04:26:00.000-08:00

The girl's a musical genius. No seriously...she did very well, and was quite pleased with herself even after her slip ups. She told me she was nervous, which surprised me. I think next time she will want to practice more.

I really like her new teacher. Her old teacher did not have high expectations of her students and it showed in her recitals. This recital was very different.

Amanda's new teacher gives her difficult pieces and Amanda rises to the challenge. A much better fit.

This is her new teacher Azusa. I think she is a very talented teacher and would recommend her to anyone.

Amanda’s Fairy Garden

2009-09-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

Amanda’s been a little fascinated with Fairies these days.
Unbeknownst to me, she’s been leaving notes under her pillow for the fairies and they were not replying. I explained that without a tooth or a reason, the fairies will not visit.

So we pulled out a Fairy Book she got last Christmas and we decided to create a fairy garden to attract them to our home.
We went to Target, bought some flowers, a large aluminum pan, some fish tank ornaments, and some potting soil.

She is so proud of the way it came out. Take it away, Amanda Shenkman...

Check out Amanda's first YouTube Video Clip

She is now working on making some clothes so that the fairies won't get cold.

The Fairies' CafeThe Fairies' Sleeping Area

The Finished Product

I love this girl!!!

Twilight Book Purse in the making

2009-08-29T13:58:00.001-07:00

I bought the Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga for my niece Andrea last Christmas. She loved it. I read the book with my book club, so I can appreciate why she was so crazy for it. I on the other hand did not care for it at all, and Bella made me want to scream. I hope most young readers did not find her to be a

Anyway, I think it would be fantastic to make her a SmartGirl Twilight Purse. I ordered the book today, so hopefully I will be working on it by Tuesday.

Here is a SmartGirl's Twilight review that I love.

SisterSalad YouTube Channel

I cannot wait to get started on this purse. Thanks Missy for the idea!

Painful Expectations

2009-08-19T06:11:00.000-07:00

I told Amanda we were off to buy her school shoes and backpack for the new school year. She was very excited for she had her shoes picked out already. She wanted the Girls' Twinkle Toes: Shuffles - Glitterazzi. I was cool with her pick, unfortunately they slid off her foot when she walked and the smaller size was too tight. The pain began. She cried and begged me to buy them anyway. Every pair I would pull out, she would tell me how she hated them. I found her a cute pair that had some of the same qualities, but she still did not like them because they did not have scull and crossbones on them. Why was my 8 year-old into scull and crossbones was beyond me. After about 30 minutes of threatening to not buy any shoes, she agreed to try on the pair I thought would work. She liked them in the end. We even found laces with scull and crossbones on them.
How cute are these?

Well the pain did not end.

Amanda has to carry a lot of books to school along with her lunch box. Plus she rides a bus. With that in mind we needed to get her a backpack on rollers. Target had nothing left on wheels that did not have a Disney character on it. So off to the mall we went. After seeing all the cool messenger bags, Amanda could not and would not find a backpack she likes. Now mind you...Amanda weights nothing and thinks she can carry all her books over her shoulder. Walking in and out of stores through out the mall, she is trying to convince me she can carry a heavy bag. The fighting, pleating and crying begins. I even showed her a Roxy backpack on rollers at Nordstrome's, that any girl would love. She stubbornly did not want it.

I now have no patience, I'm 8 weeks out from my surgery and I give up. I walk from one side of the mall to the other where we are parked, with Amanda behind me crying and pleading for me to buy her a messenger bag. I can't give in now because she brought it to such a crazy level.

On our way out I point out a regular backpack that would work and how ridiculous she is behaving. She looks at it and said OK. I try and explain to her that this process should be fun not painful and she starts crying that she feels bad for fighting with me. She tells me that she just felt disappointment and could not help herself. She tell me she does not want to act like that but she felt out of control and just wanted her way without thinking. It amazes me how she can look at herself. Many adults cannot critique themselves when it comes to behavior. I think she truly understood how unreasonable she as acting. A painful experience became quite a learning experience.

Well we purchased the backpack I liked and she ended up loving it too. It is made from organic cotton so she thinks that's way cool. She did spent the rest of the day apologizing for her behavior and we had good conversations about expectations.

Next year, I will begin shopping early enough so that if she behaves badly we can just leave. And if I am lucky, she will be a little more mature and not be so unreasonable. One can hope.

Tuesday morning I packed up her lunch and I forgot the pain. .
I am so proud and happy of my little 3rd grader.

Grandpop Marvin would be proud

2009-08-08T07:19:00.000-07:00

I helped by drawing the outline. It was tough to only help when she asked for it. I kept my controlling impulsive to a minimum.

Amanda's very excited to share it when her grandfather comes to visit. He gave Amanda her very first painting lesson during a visit. It really came out great. I'm very proud of her.

Summer Reading

2009-08-07T07:49:00.000-07:00

This summer Amanda who loves to read and reads well, showed no interest in reading. Well...until this morning. I woke up to find her at the kitchen table reading. I gave her breakfast and off to a cozy corner on the sofa she went. It is now 11:00 and she hasn't moved. Thank G-d!I love how she piled the pillows to keep her toesies warm. Oh yeah! She is reading Gilda Joyce Psychic Investigator by Jennifer Allison. Must be good!

Watch out Shakira

2009-07-30T07:57:00.000-07:00

I am so happy that Amanda got to go to a great camp this summer.

Because I knew I was spending my summer recovering, I could not enroll Amanda in her usual summer fun. She usually attends camps at Lion Country Safari, The Children's Science Museum, and the Palm Beach Zoo. I knew I was not going to be able to drive her all over the place so I had to find a place that had a full day and was close enough for Ben to drop off in the morning and pick up at the end of the day.

I discovered Camp Fusion last year. Because I had a bad experience at another full day public school camp and I wasn't sure Amanda would like attending a camp where she did not know anyone, I did not enroll her.

Well this summer I had no choice. I went over to the school and met with the director and toured the facility. I was very impressed with the program and what it was offering. The camp was at a Middle School and run by middle school teachers that are off during the summer. A dance teacher, a music teacher, a drama teacher, a PE teacher and even a science teacher were giving quality instruction while incorporating a lot of fun. I then told a couple of my friends and next thing you know, the school is packed with Wellington kids that Amanda knew.

Amanda woke up every morning excited to go to camp. If I had to struggle with her everyday over going and knowing she was not having fun, I would have had a horrible summer recovery.

From her nose to her toes...mosquito bites.

2009-07-15T08:57:00.000-07:00

Amanda's confidence amazes me. She just got back from a camping weekend where she was bitten by mosquitoes. She looks as if she has the chicken pox or a bad case of acne. Did this make her self conscious? Not in the least. She still thinks she looks great with her curled hair and scarf- and she is right. I hope she continues to feel self assured forever.

The Perfect Man

2009-07-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

As you know I have been on house arrest recovering from my surgery. Ben has done an amazing job of taking care of me and Amanda. The kitchen stays somewhat clean, the laundry is caught and he is doing all the cooking. He's managed to keep the housework in order, totally making me look bad. Besides running his business, he is also getting Amanda off to camp every morning and making sure she does not miss a single dance or piano class. Then there is me, I am the most needy of all. He's taken great care of me and managed to curse at me only a few times. I'm tough.

Anyway, this Sunday he promised to clean out my craft studio so that I can get back to my scrapbooking. Which as most of you know is my favorite thing in life to do...other than tennis.

Are you kidding me? Your going to clean my scraproom?

I'm floored!

The man is truly perfect.

I am truly blessed

2009-06-26T16:44:00.000-07:00

I want to thank all my amazing friends for all your support and love. I could not have done it without you.

Two more days

2009-06-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

Thursday at 6:30am, I will be driving to Bethesda Memorial Hospital. I am no longer afraid. I had my hospital visit this morning and I met my care takers. I feel that I am in the best hands possible. All I can do is say a prayer and leave it up to the experts.

I am now looking forward to not being anemic, which means having more energy and overall better health. I am looking forward to having a flatter tummy and not having anymore periods. And I cannot wait to see what happens to my tennis game.

I am hoping to be home by Monday and back on facebook and blogging by this time next week. I want to thank my family and friends who have been so patient with me. I love you all very much!

Having second thoughts.

2009-06-10T01:29:00.000-07:00

I've written before about my upcoming surgery. I am scheduled to have a hysterectomy on June 18th.

I gave two units of blood as requested by my OBGYN, which in it self was quite a feat. I knew I was anemic but I had no idea how bad. I ate high iron enriched food and went in. I just barely made the cut to donate for myself. My numbers were not good enough to be a regular donor. When I came home I got sick and threw up all and was weak for days. I went back a week later after eating iron enriched foods again and taking iron like I always do, my numbers were off and I could not give blood. I was able to give the last unit a week later. I could not believe how exhausting it was for me to give blood. It took a good week for my body to feel normal.

I guess normal is relative. I went to talk to my OBGYN because I had some more questions and he looked at me and told me I looked very anemic. I had started my period and they are VERY heavy...major reason for hysterectomy. He told me that I needed to stop the bleeding and he gave me a serious drug to stop my period. The minute I took it, my period stopped. I felt better and my energy level went up.

Why can't I just take meds that prevent my periods? I am sure it's not an option since Ive spoken with so many doctors.

The genius that I am, watched Oprah yesterday and the topics were Medical Mistakes. Not the best thing for me to be watching two weeks prior to surgery.

It's 4 am and I am thinking about canceling the whole thing. I know my friends and family are going to think I'm crazy. All I've talked about for the past 3 months is this operation and now to not to go through it. Three years ago I flaked out and canceled the same procedure. I am smart enough to not have the surgery just because I will feel stupid if I don't, but I will feel stupid. I can live with that.

I have a appointment tomorrow for my medical clearance with my regular doctor. I think I am going to talk with him and see what he thinks.

The drive home was the real thrill ride.

2009-05-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

Tricia is my BFF. We’ve been friends since Tricia first started to drink (legally). I on the other hand have already been drinking for ___ years .

Even though I moved away from Atlanta 12 years ago it has not stopped our sisterhood. We try and get together as much as possible along with our daughters who happen to be the same age. They are mini-us.

Tricia’s mother moved to Sebastian Florida which is only 2 hours north of me. So when Tricia decided to visit her mother, nothing, not even the cold I was getting, would stop me from crashing her visit.

Amanda and I drove up Friday night. Seeing Tricia, still as beautiful as always with her Brittany smiling, made me so happy words cannot describe. Brittany and Amanda hugged each other as if they were sisters. They were so happy to see each-other.

We had dinner with her mother Jackie and step-dad Dick and the following morning off to Universal Studios it was. The girls had an amazing time and because of the weather conditions, the park was not as crowded as it could have been considering it was Memorial Day Weekend.

After the park, it was Hard-Rock Café because the 2000 calories we consumed in the park was just not enough.

The drive home was the real thrill ride. While we were driving south on 95 my Prius ran out of gas (only I could run out of gas in a Prius). We ended up on a ramp exit were not one gas station was in sight. We called 911 and they send a cute 12 year-old policeman. He drove Tricia to get gas and left me, a stray cat hanging around the car and the two sleeping beauties. The battery ran out and I could not roll the window back up. All I kept thinking was this cat-lion was going to jump in the window. Tricia and the baby cop came back with gas and off we were again. Carried Amanda and Brittany to bed and they never even knew about our predicament.

We left the following morning after Dick made us a home cooked breakfast and on the ride home Amanda did her usual…I miss Brittany cry. She then started playing her DS and all was right with the world.

Tricia and I are already planning our next get-together….miss you Tricia!!!

Do we like this logo for SmartGirl?

2009-05-19T12:12:00.001-07:00

Scrappylicious is SmartGirl

2009-05-19T06:50:00.000-07:00

I've been Scrappylicious since 2001. What started as a profile name on a scrapbooking forum became a public persona. I like the Scrappylicious me, but now that I am embarking on a new venture. So you know...Scrappylicious is doing business as SmartGirl.

Wish me luck!

Amanda's SmartGirl Art

2009-05-18T12:19:00.001-07:00

After I removed the pages from the original Scarlet Letter to make my SmartGirl Purse, I rebound the book and made a new cover that Amanda and I designed.
All SmartGirl Purses will include the rebound book with a new cover designed and crafted by my little artist Amanda.

SmartGirl's First Photo Shoot

2009-05-16T13:24:00.000-07:00

A talented friend photographer Bonnie Greenberg shot my SmartGirl Purses. I love the way they came out.

It's getting better all the time

2009-05-12T18:18:00.000-07:00

better, better, better

I gave the two purses to a photographer today and then realized I did not have one for tomorrow. I am going to our Annual Tennis Luncheon and I wanted to have one to show my friends. Anyway, the first one I tried to make this afternoon was a bust. I started over at about 5pm and finished with a few breaks to eat and facebook at about 8:30. This might be my favorite of all. I think this is going to be the model that I will duplicate.

I took these photos using my DIY photo-box and my point and shoot. Not bad, if I may say so.

My Second SmartGirl Purse

2009-05-09T20:28:00.000-07:00

I start with a used classic hard cover book that has some interesting details and I carefully remove the pages and put aside. Amanda will be making new artwork for the new cover. A SmartGirl loves her books.

After careful measurements I cut out the lining. Using a high quality velvet I emboss using a rubber stamp.

I sew the lining and set aside.

Some beading...Only the best; Swarovski Crystals, Swarovski Pearls and even black onyx. All of the fittings are Sterling Silver.

Two rows of Swarovski Flatbacks. One in the front and one in the back.

Putting the lining in was very tricky. No pictures I was too busy crying.

I like it. With a little more practice, I am going to be able to make them for others.

My DIY Photo Box

2009-05-06T17:40:00.000-07:00

How cute is my model? She is more than happy to get in the picture.

My friend Juliet showed me how to make one and I did. Now all I need is a REAL camera. I want to take professional pictures of my SmartGirl purses.

A little SmartGirl action

2009-05-03T06:28:00.000-07:00

This was an experiment to see how I would construct my new SmartGirl Purse. I wanted to make sure they would look as fabulous as I imagined. Considering I used Jo Anne Fabric's beads and materials along with stuff from my craft room, I think it came out great. I am now working on one I think is going to come out gorgeous. I am using finer materials from local specialty stores. I cannot wait to show you all my next bag.

So what do you all think?

So “what is this SmartGirl” you ask.

2009-04-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, I am quite the crafty chica and have been trying to make a living out of my craft room for some time. I also have a book club and know many smart mommies who love books. But the thing that I am the most passionate about is being a woman. Women rock! I love everything about us, from our soft feminine side to our strong, tough side and with the use of our intuition we can accomplish anything. If we make sure our girls know that, great things can and will happen. This is partly why I became a Girl Scout leader (Amanda being the biggest part) and this is why I surround myself with amazingly smart women.

So you still ask “what is this SmartGirl”? Well, while I was on my 10th year anniversary cruise with Ben which was eventful in itself….we had a man-overboard situation. Yea…can you believe it? Anyway, while we were at one of the late-night pool-side parties I saw with my slightly intoxicated eyes a woman carrying a book or maybe a purse, either way it looked stunning with her outfit. On closer inspection it was just a purse, nothing special, however; what if it was a book purse? How cute would that have been?

So when Ben and I were not having a romantic moment, or sleeping, eating, dancing, or thinking about the man overboard, my mind was on how I was going to make a book into a fashionable, wearable, piece of art and how it can make a statement about the woman who is carrying it. My creative, entrepreneurial mind would not stop.

Imagine, ordering a one of a kind purse that shows off your favorite author, or that one book that changed your mind about reading or where you wanted to go with your life. Your purse would not only be a story in itself but it can be a way to express a snippet of your story.

Now imagine with every purchase of a SmartGirl purse, a $25 donation went to help fight illiteracy, or $25 went to help a girl across the world get an education or even $25 going to a local non-profit that helps young girls meet their full potential.

Better yet, imagine the girl who instead of buying a purse with some designer label or a celebrity’s pick, chooses to buy a SmartGirl purse. What does that say about her?

So, I have been busy researching, and crafting since I’ve been back from our cruise. With the help of my friend Juliet, I think I figured out what these purses are going to look like and how they are going to be made.

Oh and if some of you are wondering how this book-loving, Prius driving, re-user can destroy a book…no worries. I carefully remove the pages from the used book, and I've commissioned my daughter Amanda to create the artwork for new book covers so that the actual pages can be enjoyed again if one wishes.

I’m excited! These purses are going to be stunning. The SmartGirl bag is going to bring literature, fashion, art and charity together. I will keep you all posted.

SmartGirl

2009-04-21T11:24:00.001-07:00

Something I am working on.

Something Old Something New

2009-04-16T14:16:00.000-07:00

Oh and something blue.
I pulled out some OLD Close To My Heart papers and ribbon, and scrapped Amanda's NEW haircut, in shades of BLUE. Nothing borrowed here.

I might have blue on my mind because tomorrow I will be cruising along the ocean blue.

Ben and I will be married 10 years tomorrow and we are going on a cruise. We've been on many cruises, but this one is the first one in 8 years that we will be cruising without Amanda. In fact, this is the first time we will be away from Amanda since she was 18 months old...well except for an occasional sleepover at a friends or grandparent's house.

I cannot wait...me sitting on a lounge chair, sipping a frozen drink, reading a book and not having to take turns with Ben for "who is getting in the water with Amanda". It's going to be amazing. Eating, drinking and dancing until sunrise...well maybe until midnight.

Dad and Judi will be watching Amanda and Shelby, and Juliet will have her Sunday night to get her to school Monday morning. I appreciate them sooooooo much.

Till my return...

Sewing with my Brownies

2009-04-15T20:29:00.001-07:00

The girls ironed, and ironed, and ironed. And then I taught them a little bit about sewing.
They turned these items

into this.

Besides learning how to iron, they learned to pin a pattern and cut fabric, thread a needle and sew a button, stitch using both a sewing machine and by hand, and how to stuff and close a pillow.

Great Job Girls!!! I'm so proud.

Look What I found

2009-04-14T18:47:00.000-07:00

Juanita

Juanita She is the restless river
running through my veins
She rides without the reins--
her name's Juanita
She lives in the heart of everywoman in the world
Within the reach of every girl
who wants to meet her

(She's gonna be ridin' through)
Her name's Juanita
(She's gonna be ridiin' free) She's ridin' free
(She's gonna be inside of you, gonna be
inside of me) She's inside of you
and inside of me, yeah

[Chorus:]Oh, go with her--flow with her
Dream with her--scream with her
Let her take over, or just get to know her
Be everything you can be
If you can find her and free her
Juanita will unchain your heart

When someone tries to take
away the freedom of your choice
To take away your voice--
that's when you need her
She's there if you dare to give
your broken wings a try
C'mon and take a leap and fly,
and you can be her

(She's gonna be ridin' through) Oh, Juanita
(She's gonna be ridin' free) Ridin' free
(She's gonna be a part of you, gonna be a
part of me) She's a part of you and a part
of me, yeah

[Repeat Chorus]

[Instrumental Solo]

Oh, go with her--flow with her
Dream with her--scream with her
Let her take over, or just get to know her
Be everything you can be

[Repeat Chorus]

Back on the blog again.

2009-04-14T17:34:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I blogged and I haven't scrapbooked due to stuff. The stuff being out of town family visiting, scheduling a hysterectomy and then all the everyday stuff called Amanda and Ben.

Some pressure is off. Tennis season is over; however, even though I feel my tennis improved my record does not reflect it. I lost just about every game I played. Because the JCC is closing the facilities, the majority of the team will be going to a new location...Breakers West. I will be on a B1 team which is a big leap for me but hopefully the change will improve my game. I just hope my recovery is quick so that I can get on the courts and prepare for the new season.

June 16th is the day...the day of the surgery that is. Judi (my step mother) will be taking care of me and Amanda will be at camp. Some of you might know, but I have an irrational fear of surgeries. I've always felt like that is the way I am going to go. So as the D day comes closer I will probably become a bit unglued. Maybe I'll just blog my way through it.

Anyway, I am off to check on Amanda and make sure she is a sleep. Good-night.

My New Scrappylicious Etsy Store

2009-03-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

My friend Juliet planted a seed in my head this morning before we went to play tennis. She told me she was thinking about selling her art on Etsy.com. After we got home and before I even got into the shower, I was on Etsy.com checking it out. It's a place where one can buy and sell unique handcrafted pieces. What a great venue to sell my custom scrapbooks.

I opened a store and listed two items. I will see how this works out.

Check out Scrappylicious at Etsy.com

Found a way to justify more computer time.

2009-03-23T03:20:00.000-07:00

I can incorporate facebooking and scrapbooking. I did not get any scrapbooking done this weekend but I found a fun way to promote my blog along with my business. I asked my scrapbooking associates along with friends and family to follow my blog, and they did. Glad I asked because I made the top 50 scrapbooking, stamping and Close To My Heart blogs on facebook. Thank you!!! I set out this year to try harder at promoting both my scrapbooking design business and my Close To My Heart business.

Wish me luck. See you online.

Notebook Level 1 Kit

2009-03-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

I used the Notebook Level 1 Kit and I cannot believe how fast and easy this page was. In order to give texture and dimension to the pre-printed layout pages, I did some machine stitching and added ribbon. The stickers adds the extra little touches. I used my Cricut for the title and done. Very easy.

My Girl Scout

2009-03-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

I used Close To My Heart pattern paper form the More To Adore collection. I used the Blush, Chocolate, and Hollyhock Cardstock and of course my new toy...The Cricut.

How cute is this?

2009-03-14T15:56:00.000-07:00

We will make this cute little Origami Invitation Pocket at the April 14th Workshop.

We will also make these great cards, using the same supplies. Hope you can come.

April 14th's Workshop Details

2009-03-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

This is the feature project we will be working.The Emporium Workshop will require the following purchases that can be made at my CTMH Store. ;

X7105B Emporium Level 2 Paper Packet 12.95

X7105C Emporium Level 2 My Stickerease Assortment 4.95

Z1146 Pewter Designer Brads. 3.95

Extra embellishments
Z4128 Foundry Frames 4.95

Z1102 Colonial White Grosgrain Ribbon 6.95

Join me for a fun Workshop

2009-03-14T05:51:00.001-07:00

Clear your calender...April 14th at 7:30 I will have a workshop at my house. Details to follow...

The New Spring 2009 Idea Book

2009-03-14T05:38:00.000-07:00

Let me know if you want the Spring 2009 Idea Book

Having fun while catching up.

2009-03-09T05:10:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe how much fun I am having with my new Cricut. Maybe this will encourage me to get caught up. I am still a full year behind.

I made all the scrolly embellishments with the Home Accents cartridge and the title with the Plantin SchoolBook cartridge. I also pulled out my metallic creams and rubbed it on the paper to add a little sparkle. It did not show well in this scan.

Today I plan on ordering SCAL. It is a program that allows one to cut any font installed on your computer and cut it using the Cricut. No more buying expensive cartridges. So Cool!

I am sooooooooo loving my new Cricut

2009-03-07T06:39:00.000-08:00

These are my two first layouts using my new Cricut.

I got it!

2009-03-05T02:40:00.000-08:00

I, as many other scrapbookers and card makers, wanted to own this amazing machine since it came out. It's called the Cricut Expression.

What was supposed to be my Mother's Day or Birthday present became my "I need to stay sane" present.

My mother-in-law came to visit. I ordered this puppy the first day of her visit and every time I thought I would loose it, I would sit down at my computer and google an instructional video. It truly made having a difficult house guest easier.

So what started as a want became a need...well in my mind anyway.

I finished! Spring of 2008 Camping Trip

2009-02-28T12:43:00.000-08:00

I spent Friday and Saturday in my scrapbook room allowing my husband and mother-in-law to spend some quality time together.:) She is visiting with us from Philly.

Anyway, I am really proud of this book. I use the Close To My Heart Perfect Day Level 2 paper packet and some embelishments I had on hand, the Rustic Alphabet stamp, the Chocolate Alphabet Large stamp...well let's just say I used a lot of my CTMH stash.

Thanks for looking!

Blogging and facebook

2009-02-16T07:31:00.001-08:00

I just finished uploading most of my scrapbook pages I had on Picasa onto facebook. I am hoping this will help my scrapbooking business a bit. Also I found a way to link this blog to facebook too.

I cannot believe how easy it was.

Now off to clean my house.

Old Friends

2009-01-27T06:19:00.000-08:00

Judi, Amanda and I took a trip to Atlanta. Judi (my step mother) got to visit with her son Cari, wife Veronica and grand daughter Courtney. I visited with my very best friends Tricia and her daughter Brittany. We had such a great time. We visited the American Girl Store and hung had dinner with the Cari's family at a great Mexican restaurant. But the best part was just hanging out with Tricia and Brittany. We drank coffee, ate sushi, talked and watched "Housewives of OC" while Amanda and Brittany played famously.

Brittany is such a smart, well behaved, beautiful girl. Tricia's done an amazing job, which is no surprise to me. Tricia is doing great. She has a great job and her house is beautiful. Her life is quite nice and it makes me very happy.

Tricia is planning on visiting us in March for Amanda's birthday. It would be really cool if we can all meet in Disney. Like old times...

Back to my crafting room

2008-12-07T03:50:00.000-08:00

My room has been a mess for the past month and a half. I've done nothing as far as scrapbooking. I need to get back into it. I am planning on making my Christmas cards this year and I need to make these cute little Mini Albums that I am giving as gifts to the women in my live. So as soon as the sun rises this morning I am cleaning.

Wish me luck!

Juani

Time to take Scouting Seriously

2008-10-26T06:11:00.000-07:00

I became Amanda's Daisy Leader when Amanda was in Kindergarten. She made friends that she is still close with. Anyway, I did not want to be the Troop's Brownie Leader the following year because I was planning to work. This year I am not working so I volunteered to be the a troop leader. Nancy (a good friend of mine) said she would be the co-leader and my other close friend Juliet is our bookkeeper and this makes it easier.

Well Nancy and I went to training this week and I cannot tell you how excited I am about this Adventure. I plan on doing everything I can to make this experience for our girls enriching and fun. The girls in our group all come from Amanda's school and I am friendly with the mothers, so I already know how amazing these girls are and how they can all benefit and appreciate learning to be our future leaders and movers. I really love our girls and I am excited about this commitment.

All Gone

2008-10-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

I've been cutting my hair shorter little by little. It's all gone, but I like it.

Close To My Heart Mini ALbum

2008-09-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

We had such a great time Thursday night. These are the mini albums we made. We cut, glued, decorated, in great company. I cannot wait till the next time we all get together.

My Open House was a success.

2008-09-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

I want to thank my friends who came out to support my new business. It was great fun. We made a cute little mini Christmas card. Did a little stamping and distressing...two of my favorite things.

Close To My Heart Thank You Cards

2008-09-11T19:26:00.000-07:00

My new passion is card making. I used some of my scraps from the Perfect Day kit from Close To My Heart. I am loving my new stash!

My Close To My Heart Open House

2008-09-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

I’ve been working all day trying to get ready for this Open House. I have about 6 women who said they will be visiting so I am pretty excited. I have not received all of my products so I am short gifts for anyone who wants to have a gathering, and I do not have enough catalogs. Luckily they are my friends and I can get them later.

Here are some pictures of what I have so far.

And this is a Make and Take. I hope they like.

Tomorrow I will take pictures of the food and fun.

No reason for this picture, except I think she is too stinking cute. LOVE HER!

My Scrappylicious CTMH Cards

2008-09-06T12:27:00.000-07:00

I know you all must be tired of this picture, but it is the only one I have at the moment that looks somewhat professional.

I am such a dope. I busted my butt yesterday to get these all done before I went to this Tennis Party. I knew there would be some ladies I have not seen all summer and would ask what I am up to. This was going to be the opportunity for me to hand out my cute cards for my new business. Nope…did not happen. I drank a pomegranate martini, destroyed my diet and after a few of my Jell-O shots I forgot all about my cards. Did not give even one out. I still had fun though!

Jello anyone?

2008-09-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

I’m off to my tennis team’s kick off the new season party. I’m bringing the Jello Shots. One messed up batch and a rainbow colored kitchen later...they are done. They look so cute.

Join a Close To My Heart club

2008-09-01T17:25:00.000-07:00

What is it, you say. It’s a club that gets together once a month to scrapbook and shop. Six scrapbookers agree to purchase $25 or more each month from CTMH for 6 months. Orders must be submitted by the 15th. During each of the gathering scrapbookers gets to be the hostess. Well, she receives the hostess gifts without really having to host. The get together will be at my house and one scrapbooker gets to go home with free scrapbooking products. Fun way to scrap and shop, huh? The first night will be November 6th and will continue to meet the first Thursday of every month.

Three days might not be enough.

2008-08-31T19:57:00.001-07:00

Boy am I tired. I have been working on my CTMH calendar all day. I’ve entered all my events and did some planning. I think things are going to go great. I do not expect to make a whole lot of money since I seem to just spend my profits on more scrapbooking goodies, but that’s OK. I just want to promote myself as a professional scrapbooker so that some may hire me to make custom scrapbooks for them.

I’m pretty excited about two of the projects I scheduled. We are doing Mini Card Album and Tru Fit Folio Mini Album

Welcome to CTMH TV
Watch and learn tips and techniques from any of the project videos on CTMH TV. Choose a project to view from the right side column and select the appropriate bandwidth for your computer.

McCain Picks Palin for Running Mate

2008-08-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

Is it just me or does this picture seem a bit strange?

What a Scrappy three day weekend this turned out to be:)

2008-08-30T15:26:00.000-07:00

This 3 day weekend is going to be busy for me. I’ve only posted 2 events into all calendars and I have 4 more to go. I have to make some flyers and I still haven’t made my cards yet. I did order the CTMY Consulting cards, but I want cute personal ones.

Ben my husband is horrified that I am going to put a CTMH decal on my back window. He says he is never going to be able to drive it any more. He never really liked driving my car anyway. It’s a red Pruis that he calls a teenage girl car.

Well it's official.

2008-08-24T04:33:00.000-07:00

I am now a Close to My Heart Consultant. I signed up Friday night under a women I met (over the phone) through my dear friend Mimi.
So, to start my business I attended my first crop in 5 years. I had no idea what to bring. I have a nice scraproom of my own to work in and I never know what I am going to do till I get started. My stash is what gives me inspiration. Anyway, the hostess was a Creative Memories Consultant, and her home was filled with boxes and such from her business. She showed me all the new Creative Memories products, and boy did they add a lot to there line. But as lovely as they were, I am still feeling positive about Close To My Heart. For me, there is more room for artistic expression with the the Close To My Heart products. I like to use paints, stamps, and bumpy embellishments. And I will admit...most of my cutting tools are from Creative Memories and I use them every time I scrap.

Most of the women showed up with tons of photos and started to work. One was completing a page like every 3 minutes. Me...I just stared at my one picture and my three sheets of Bazzil cardstock that I did not know what to do with. I also had this cute laser cut 12 x 12 sheet in the shape of daisies and some small embellishments. Some women finished multiple pages. Me...I left with only one that I did not even finished. I did finished it when I got home and I think it is lovely.

I did find the Memory Manager Software to be an amazing tool for organizing photos. So if you are looking for a cool easy way to manage all those pictures you have, I recommend this.

Today, I'm getting my craft room cleaned up and work on my business plan. Big fun!

First day of school and my first video

2008-08-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

Wanted to test uploading videos. I'll get the swing of this I promise.

Amanda's 06 Album

2008-08-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

Thought I would add a few more. These are all from Amanda's 06 Album.

New Year's Eve

2008-08-20T05:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know...I am way off. That just shows you how far behind I am with my scrapbooking. I cleaned out my craft room over the weekend so last night while Ben was watching the Olympics; I delved back into Amanda's scrapbook. Today I plan on making my business cards for my new business. Here's to a creative, productive, and fun day.

Both Feet

2008-08-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

Well, this is it. I've been toying with the idea for a few years now. Is there anyway to create a business from my passion? My passion…scrappbooking and paper crafts. I am not sure how I am going to do it and I am not sure how it will all turn out, but if I do not try I will always regret it.
I make beautiful scrapbooks. All my friends and family love them and cannot understand why I have not tried to create a business with my talents. Well…today I decided to jump in with Both Feet.