Simple stories was LOVED at CHA!!

I LOVE Ali, and she loves simple stories... I really like their quick pics from CHA and thought I would pass this on. I am taking a simple stories class next week to get on board with this WHOLE thing and I honestly CAN NOT WAIT! It's really going to get me moving.. I know it.

I LOVE the LBD layered flowers.. HAVE to get some of those.. and I have been thinking I *need* epiphany and now.. the FLAG one?! That might have just SOLD me.. where's a COUPON!?

Please read:


Ali and Stacy Love Our New 6x8 Album!:

Our Simple Stories albums and accessories were the talk of CHA Winter 2012 - We're honored to have been chosen by BOTH Ali Edwards and Stacy Julian as their top products for 2012! They loved our new 6x8 album and accessories!

Albums, divided page protectors, memorabilia pockets and journal/scrapbook album pages will be shipping late March 2012 to your favorite local scrapbook store or online retailer!

Time is passing, but things are moving!

So we are well into February and I started this year out with a challenge to myself to be more creative. So far, I think I have really taken the steps to get well on my way!

The biggest accomplishment so far was that I did a complete re-haul on my scrap area. I had a good basis, but it wasn't as usable as I would have liked. And the table was right at the bottom of the stairs so it became a place where we would hide things. Piles of things.. Honestly, I almost forgot there was a TABLE under the "things" and that it was meant for working on. So I went ahead and WENT through ALL those things.. a lot of tossing, a lot of organizing and grouping.. it was a process but it was nice to see process. I went ahead and rearranged the table so that it was away from the 'wall' where I have all the papers and items hanging from peg board. Underneath that where the table used to sit, I bought an 8 cube (2X4) expedit from Ikea. That gives me a surface to put stuff on, along with 8 cubes! To top that off Ikea has WONDERFUL little containers and I really have spaces for a lot of stuff. I rearranged things on the pegboard too. While I had wanted to add some more hanging containers that I already had, Ikea no longer carries them. So now I am playing around with other options.. hopefully will get that worked out soon. It's not 100% finished, but it's SO usable and I have a place for another person to come and work with me if they wanted - which is even nicer! I still need to pick up a 4 cube expedit and add rollers to it, so that I can put that under my husbands Train Table that shares my space, and then put my cutter on that. This way I can ROLL it out when I want to use it, but it's underneath when I don't *NEED* it. Plus that gives me 4 more cubes... where I can put things that I might not use as frequently, like all my "old" stuff that I know I can't part with - Xyron Machines, etc.

  
Because of the organization I have done.. I have actually been able to MAKE a few cards. One was a quick put together for a birthday. One for my hubby, which I went all cheesey with a movie quote - "I am just a girl, standing in front of a boy, wanting him to love her". See what happens when he puts on Notting Hill on random TV flicking?! The other I am still working on because it has to be perfect. A dear friend had a baby, a BOY, after two girls and I just want the card to be something special. It's close.. it's laying on my working surface and it's just looking for that perfect placement of items. =)






 Honestly, I could gamasol ALL day!  There HAS to be a career in that right?!  And digital stamps are a new love.. to just print and color and not clean anything up?!  YES!  Now, to get a printer that doesn't run when I use the gamasol! Hmmmmm.....


























Before all this "organization" I was also able to follow a tutorial from Simple Stories Blog about a mini book that creates a snapshot of you for the year. I made a couple of them.. and I love it! Not that I have filled it out, but I love it none the less! =)











 





Let me know what you have been up to so far!  Are you still working on being creative this year?!

A resolution of sorts...

I think we all have hopes for when the new year starts. I have really been trying to balance work and life and family and all those things that come up. It's hard, because I know that work and my kids and THEIR things have to come first.. and usually do. But as a woman, and a wife -- sometimes we have to just PUSH the issues right?!

The first step for us is having the kids MISS activities on an upcoming sat so that they can go and spend time with their Aunt and Uncle (OVER NIGHT even!) and WE can enjoy the gifts that said Aunt and Uncle gave us -- Dinner and theater. I am REALLY looking forward to that night.. and even more so now that we can just not have to rush around on time crunch like we do most days of the week.

Another goal that I have been trying to do for a few months now is to be more crafty. DO something that feels creative, because that keeps me balanced and happy and gives me a feeling of accomplishment that's not a "have to". Besides, when I do things like that other people feel good about it, too. The person receiving the card, or the kids looking at the stuff I put together about THEM.. it's beneficial ALL around.

The other night, Pierce and Carter were looking through scrapbooks that I have done for them. Pierce made the comment "Where are you?".. well I am the one taking the pictures.. or I don't use pictures of me because I don't like how they look. :/ But what happens when he wants to show his kids what Gram looked like when HE was a kid.. =) And sometimes I love reading old things I did, seeing how I was thinking.. what I was like.. because we ALL change.. for the better or worse, we grow and change. So when I saw THIS project today I thought -- THIS is how I can do something that I can have about ME, and it's not too overwhelming (or IS it?! let's hope not). So my goal for January would be to MAKE the book, and then complete January. Maybe I can post about my progress on here..

Here's the project from Simple Stories and their team:

http://simplestories.typepad.com/simple_stories/2012/01/a-year-of-currents.html

I am LOVING the idea of simple stories. Thanks to Kim for introducing me to the concept and now I just have to actually get USING it. Along with the idea of simple stories, I am doing Smash Books for the kids. Quick, easy.. at the moment Smashbooks that they can right in, I can put stuff in and that can quickly sum up their year! Maybe I can blog about that too.. if anyone is listening..

If anyone is.. did you want to Join me in either adventure?!