TGIF!!

It’s here and no one can change it, it’s FRIDAY!!!  I am hoping for a relaxing almost lazy weekend.  I can hope right?

Today I’m going to participate in A Beautiful Life and Hooked on Fridays-it’s all about cards, cards and more cards.  When was the last time you went to Hallmark?  Cards are expensive.  I love making cards and knowing the smile it puts on someone’s face when they open that card.  I started as a demonstrator with Stampin’ Up! to support my hobby, now I am passionate about sharing this opportunity with others.  If you want to learn how to earn free stamps or become a demonstrator email me, you don’t have to be local!  I have tons of resources that I would love to share and lots of ideas!  (paperglueetc@yahoo.com)  If you happen to be in the Cincinnati/Dayton area just an extra bonus, I’d love to help you get your business started.

This weekend I am going to be working on my upcoming Christmas in October class, I won’t tell you how many times the date has changed because of the busy ladies that are taking this class.

I am going to master this card this weekend.  Do you like or maybe even love the tree?  I do!

I am going to work on my technique book for my upcoming workshops and classes.

What are you doing this weekend to be creative and take some time out of our busy lives just for YOU!!!  Leave me a comment and let me know.

It’s Crazy Really

I teach Junior Church once a month and I’m always at amazed at how much “they” actually teach me.  I couldn’t figure out a lesson for today and I was just not prepared.  I usually really enjoy planning my lesson and making a fun treat, but this weekend I think because I was so busy with our family plans I just let my class slip thru the cracks.  Thank God I have a great assistant and some helpful ladies at church because they helped me plan something in five minutes.  We decided to use the Resurrection Eggs, you can see a great post about them here. 

We hid the eggs and the kids hunted.  They were instructed to only find one egg and then help a friend if they found a second egg.  It was so cute.  We settled back in the classroom and I started having them open an egg at a time.  The first egg had a donkey, we talked about how the donkey had been given freely.  The next egg was a leather strip, we talked about the beating Jesus endured.  Each egg held a symbol and we talked about Jesus and what today meant.  We were probably half way thru when we got to the egg that had three nails, and I said to this class of 1st and 2nd graders, “Isn’t it amazing that He willingly got on the cross and let them drive those nails into him?  Isn’t it just amazing.”  You could see their little minds thinking about it and then a few started to talk, I looked over and one child had his hand raised.  He said, “Michelle, if you think about it it’s crazy, really crazy.”  Have truer words ever been spoken?  I was sad that I was going to miss the sermon today, but let me tell you this touched me more then any sermon.  A child had thought about what Jesus did for him and me and he got it.  Don’t you wonder how many people stood in the crowd and watched Jesus and thought, “Man this dude is nuts.”?  I love that an innocent child has processed the whole thing and is so amazed at what Jesus did for him that he can only sum it up by saying, “It’s crazy.”  I loved calling his mom and dad tonight and sharing this with them. 

We called Nanny today to wish her a Happy Easter and when she asked The Baby Girl what she was doing, I loved the answer.  The Baby Girl said loud and proud, “Celebrating The Cross.” 

We had a great Easter, and I have to say I felt so thankful today.  I felt so lucky to have my faith and relationship with God!

Mr. Perfect made it back from FL in time for dinner.

The Baby Girl's loot!

The baskets, notice nothing for Shane. He opted for cash!

Silly, silly, girl!

A New Year and A New Blog

I’ve known for awhile that I was going to start a new blog, I wanted something I could make more personal.  I will be keeping this blog for everyday life, the kids, work etc. my new blog will be used to promote my new adventure.

I have finally decided to make the leap and join Stampin Up as a demonstrator.  I will be signing up 2/1/09, they have a great special and I’m going to wait until then. 

My new blog is A Stampin Mama (If Mama aint happy aint nobody happy, and stampin makes me happy!)  I am having a header and a button created, they should be done in a few days…it’ll have a fun look so stop by and check it out.  I will be doing give aways, challenges etc.

I have a few New Year Ideas…no resolutions…just ideas…

1. Organization is my word for 2009, grace was 2008 and I have to admit that organization is not as flowerly or warm and fuzzy, but it’s what I need.  I’m open to ideas, suggestions, help of any kind.  My mind just doesn’t understand it and I know it.  I have found a fun blog Org Junkie and will be doing some challenges etc. at her blog to help me.
2. Continue to lose weight.  I ended up staying the same the month of December, which I’m ok with.  I didn’t gain.  I will be back at Weight Watchers on Monday ready to go.
3. Family.  I am going to spend more time with my family.  I am going to buy a new dining room table in February and I’m going to put it to good use with more family dinners, more family games, more family time. 
4. Dates with my husband.  We have one planned for Saturday.  We don’t know where but we are going out.

Jennifer McGuire Class!

This year is suppose to be my year of growth.  I want to learn more about so many things and of course my hobby is at the top of the list.  I’ve set a goal to take a class a month-some in LSS and some online.  Well I must say I think I started at the top!  I took a class at Stamp Your Art Out on Thursday night and what a great experience.  I thought about the recent drama at 2 Peas and all the discussion about “Celebrity Scrappers” and I have to say Jennifer McGuire was down to earth, warm hearted and so encouraging.  You can tell this lady loves what she does.  We heard stories about the kids, which were funny-Connor is already a card maker.  I will take another class from her as soon as I can, I’m thinking about becoming a Jennifer Stalker…here are a few of the cards I have some finishing to do on the others because we made seven cards in two hours, well we made seven cards in two hours and 15 minutes.

All of the cards are made with stamps from Hero Arts.  Did you know Hero makes their stamps in the good ole’ USA and they are a green company? 

The card above is an odd shape the white that you see is not part of the card so it’s odd shaped.  Very festive and colorful!

The card above is another birthday card, used a StampAMaJig (not sure if I spelled that right) I’ll be buying one of those, that’s how we got the balloon in the birds mouth.  Also used Gamsol for the first time with this card.  I already went to the art supply store and bought me a big ole bottle. 

The above card is one I would have probably never made if it wasn’t in a class and now it’s one of my favorite from the class.  I usually tend to go towards the bright bold colors, this card is more muted and classic.  The large stamp we used for the background is actually a stamp Hero made from a letter that was sent to Jennifer’s Grandma from her Grandpa (it’s in German).  I think I already know who I’m going to send this card to My Aunt Pearl, I thought about her the entire time I was making it and I’m not even sure why. 

I saved my favorite for last, this card has a pull out.  I’m thinking about using the concept for Alyssa’s birthday invitations.  This card is so me, the colors, the gem stones I love it!

There are still three more cards that I need to finish I’ll try to do that and get them posted soon!

 

Journal Your Christmas Class

Here is my manifesto for my Christmas Journaling Class, http://www.shimelle.com/classes/the pics aren’t the best I’ll try to redo them tomorrow in the sunshine if we have any.   I am using a 12×12 book but staggering 3 different size pages.  I have a weeks worth of pages done for this and will have some time tomorrow to work on it so I’m feeling good about being able to keep up with this class.  I did not neglect the family today while working on this project, Lyss and I made peanut butter fudge for Carl, we went to IHOP for breakfast together, I made a huge yummy pot of vegetable soup for dinner and Carl set me up a table in the dining room so I could scrap and watch t.v. with him…I love that man!