birthday project

This birthday gift bag of mine was featured in a recent issue of Paper Crafts. Daisy D's papers, die cut alphas, and flowers give this regular kraft bag a makeover!

more Opryland Hotel tips

First off, you don't want to miss DiVine. I took these shots while she was en route - not really performing, but moving thru the crowds along the walkway. When she's performing, she's wrapped around a post or railway, or up against a brick wall, and you would walk right past her, thinking she's real ivy. The way she moves is so awesome. You can find her at certain times on the Delta Island. I believe there is a large poster on the walkway telling what time she'll be performing next.

Food - I'm not sure how much time you guys will have between classes and events...but I do know that the food can be expensive, and the lines a bit long. I was there during a soldout church event, so that might have played a part in the long lines. Stax has a good hamburger - but it is huge. You might consider sharing a burger and fries with a friend, if you don't want to eat something that big - the condiments all come in little packages, so you can dress it the way you like it. We ate dinner one night at Ristorante Volare and it was delicious. I didn't love the bread (the girls ate it like candy), but everything else was so good! As I said before, the pastries from Java Coast (Cascades Lobby) were delish, but my bagel and Michaela's muffin from the Conservatory Cafe were not. How can you mess up a bagel?? And who doesn't love Haagen Dazs ice cream? :D While we were there, they were serving Chik-Fil-A and Freschetta pizzas in one of the lobbies, but that might have been set up special for our big group. Lots of your normal mall options over at Opry Mills, but that's not going to be a quick route, unless you are already there. They had some good sit down options, too. Hope that helps. Excited yet??!

SE Event project peek

I'm not saying WHAT we are making, but I will say chipboard, patterned papers, buttons, rubons, die cut alphas, punchies, ribbon, and sequins ;)

For more peeks and giveaways, check out monique's blog - www.moniquemclean.typepad.com!

Scrap Etc 2008 Event!!

It is right around the corner, ladies! I visited the Opryland Hotel this past weekend with my family and our church youth and it was just beautiful. If you've never been there, or even if you have, you are in for a treat :D Lots of beautiful scenery, and lots of walking, so bring comfy shoes ;) They have several swimming pools, and one is an indoor heated pool (located behind the spa above the Cascades lobby). Bring your suits if you want to take a relaxing swim. They also have a shuttle service that will take you to the Opry Mills Mall (lots of shopping, eats, and movie theater). It picks up at the Cascades Canopy and the Magnolia Canopy (not to be confused with the actual lobbies). Need directions, ask any hotel employee, consult a map (they are everywhere), or stop at the info desk in the Magnolia lobby. If it is your first time (or your second or third, lol), you need to allow a little extra time to get places (in case you get lost). Don't worry, you won't be lost for long, and you'll probably enjoy seeing stuff that you hadn't seen before! The pastries in the Cascades Lobby are YUMMY :D Can you tell I'm excited already?!
Monique is doing an event blog party on her blog the next few days - www.moniquemclean.typepad.com. I'm not sure what all she has planned, so check it out. I'll be back with a peek at my project in the morning!

PC 101

I love working with the team at Paper Crafts. Their magazines and idea books are always filled with great ideas for cards, gifts, and home decor. This is one of my projects found in the PC 101 special issue that is hitting the shelves (except I added a tag later). I was so pleased with this issue! This paper is by Tinkering Ink - really fun, bold stuff.

Is that a light I see?

Down at the end of this long tunnel? :) I'm finally breathing a little easier, feeling like I WILL bring this book in on time, and I won't be bald when I do, lol. I'm going to be including a few more pages from other designers (besides my beginning team of 8). I've scrapped 76 layouts, and have approx. 12 left to go, plus lots of writing. Add to that the 52 additional layouts from other people, and you've got a BUNCH of ideas for patterned paper layouts.

Easter will be here in a few days. I enjoy spending the day with my family, and after church services we do lunch and a big egg hunt for the kids. Last year, my 11 year old nephew declared himself "too old". We were like "Huh? Don't you know there is PRIZE EGG MONEY out here, son?" :D My girls still love it. And, we hide those prize eggs GOOD - to make them really hunt.

I got good news yesterday. Most of you know I'm teaching at the sold out Scrap Etc. Event next month in Nashville. I'll be doing a PowerPoint presentation, and I was worried about having new artwork to illustrate my class points (using photography and journaling effectively to tell our stories). I now have permission from Memory Makers to use 5 or 6 brand new book layouts in my presentation! That's such a relief. I hope it will be fun for everyone to get a peek at "Playing With Paper: Innovative Ideas for Using Patterned Papers in YourScrapbooks". And, we'll be doing lots of play with BasicGrey papers and goodies, as they are sponsoring my class :D

Have you seen Paper Crafts newest special issue "Paper Crafts 101"? It is an awesome issue packed with ideas for cardmaking and gift giving. You are going to want this issue! (This card is one of my items published inside.)

Have a safe and happy Easter, my friends!

I've been tagged

By the evil Suzy Plantamura. And to make it worse, her 7 random facts were supported by photos AND she starts off with winning the Newlywed Game when she married the first time around. Soooooo, prepare yourself for a little boredom reading my facts, and then cheer yourself up with her's ;)
http://suzyplantamura.typepad.com/living_my_dream/

7 Random Facts about Me

1) I've had green hair. Seriously. And I went to high school with my green hair. But, that was back in the day when people didn't make fun of people who are different, and my friends (and everyone else in the high school) knew my mom was a beautician, and that I was an experiment gone bad, so they felt sorry for me. No, better tell the truth here. I begged my mom to perm my long, bleached blonde hair. She told me it was in no shape for a perm. I pleaded some more. She gave me that perm, and my hair broke off in clumps. So, she cut it short, and to even out the roots and ends, she used the only blonde-ish color she had on hand that day - ashe blonde. And we learned a very important lesson concerning Ang's hair. Never, ever come within 5 ft. of her hair with anything that says "ashe" - ashe means GREEN ;) But, by that time, the old hairdo wasn't going to stand any other processing, so to school I went with green hair. You just WISH I had a photo of that, huh? lol

2)I married a rebel. Me, the "straight as an arrow" oldest child of the sweetest woman you'll ever meet. When I first brought him home, he was wearing cutoff short shorts, and a black Metallica t-shirt. You could hear his car/music coming from a mile away. But he turned out alright :D

3) My mom is my dearest and closest friend. Don't know what I would do without her. She battles an incurable cancer. Please remember her in your prayers.

4)I attended college 2 hours from home, lived in the dorm, had no car, and very little money. I dated a lot, and still ended up marrying a hometown guy.

5) For years I was in love with one person. He didn't love me, and it caused me much anguish as a teenager/young adult. He's now on his 3rd marriage. In 3 months, my husband and I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary.

6) Six? Is this not over yet? lol Okay, I've been aboard a plane that had a bomb threat, and husband and I sat in a deserted/closed/no longer in use airport for 6 hours while they sorted it all out. And I was on my way to Hawaii on my honeymoon.

7) I'm giving a birthday/slumber party for my youngest daughter today - 6 girls 8 and under. So now you know I'm crazy!

Whew! It's over. Now I have to tag 7? Let me think on those.

one word - SNOW

You've probably heard me complain about never getting snow in MS. Well, last night, we got it! My girls have been SO happy. Olivia and Michaela spent 2+ hours in it last night, and another 2 hours this morning. It's melting really fast now, but it was OH SO GOOD while it lasted.

American Idol

Go, Jason! Go, Jason! Need I say who is my favorite? I'd buy his music. I like David A, but I'm not sure he even knows what his style is....and he hasn't been picking songs that I care anything about.

TV

Favorite shows:
Medium
Terminator (this one is new and really good)
Journeyman
Friday Night Lights
What Not To Wear
American Idol
Jericho
Shark
Survivor
Without A Trace
Samantha Who?
Project Runway

And that's just the "gotta watch" list, lol. You might notice Grey's Anatomy is missing - it's just not doing anything for me this season. I also bumped off CSI: Miami, Biggest Loser, Heroes, and Prison Break. I'll watch them if I'm in the living room ironing or folding clothes, but if I miss it, it's okay.

Waco Wow and Houston Dumb

This past weekend I traveled to Waco, TX, to a lovely store named Crop Paper Scissors. Emmalie, her family, her employees, and her customers made me feel so welcome and pampered. She has such a great store there. The classes went well, the weather was great, the food was wonderful, and I enjoyed myself. That is, until I missed my connection in Houston. After getting up at 5:15AM (and making Emmalie get up too to drive me to the airport), I made it to Houston, and had a 2 hour layover. Had a great breakfast, but was so very, very tired. Four nights in a row of not enough sleep had taken their toll on me (I'm an 8 hour a night girl). I went and sat RIGHT BESIDE the gate. But, in the Houston, the gate area is very crowded, and there are 8 or 10 doors right together, with constant announcements for flights that aren't your's. Don't ask me how, because I still can't figure it out, but I missed my flight. I was sitting RIGHT THERE. But, it happened. So, here I was at 10:30am, with a Continental employee saying I can get a standby for 3pm and a definite seat for 5:30. Remember, I have a 2 1/2 hour drive once I hit the ground in Birmingham. I admit, I just sat in the hallway and cried - asking myself how I could be so very dumb. And called my mom and cried some more. There was nowhere to lie down and sleep, and I wasn't sure how I would make it. I was terrified I'd miss another flight if I tried to sleep anyway. I just sat and read for a while, talked to Rich and mom again, and then got up to walk a little. Thought I might get some lunch and try to perk up - maybe find someone to talk to. As I walked by the flight boards, I noticed 2 flights for Birmingham listed - the 3pm, which I was on standby for AND a 12:45 flight. WHAT? She didn't tell me there was an earlier flight! I hightailed it back to that gate, and asked for a standby ticket. She assured me that the flight was full, all checked in, and all connecting flights already there, but I told her I had nothing to lose. And the Lord must have known I really needed that ride, because I got on that flight :D Of course, I know He would have helped me get thru the day, had I not gotten on, but I was so very glad to get out of Houston at lunch instead of supper!

Thanks to all my great students for a lovely day. Rita and Shunda, two that were with me all day, are going to travel to Nashville next month for the Scrap Etc. Event. I'm looking forward to seeing them again. Rita - please email me copies of the photos you took, k? Shunda has my email addy.

Okay, back to work!

"private" explanation

I mentioned early in Feb. that I would be taking a bloggy break. I'm one of those people that doesn't like to leave old stuff around, and that includes an old blog front page. So, I was just going to close the blog for a few months, while I work out from under this pile of work here - and someday actually create something I could share (because I have nothing left to share at this point, and I didn't want the blog to be just me talking, lol). Unfortunately, Blogger has 2 options that I could find - mark it private or delete entirely. I didn't realize that marking it private would make people feel that I was excluding them from the blog. I never meant anyone to feel that way, and I apologize. I'm going to try to post a little - maybe Monique will allow me to show a Scrap Etc sneak peek soon, and if Rita sends me some photos from this past weekend, I'll post those (more about Waco shortly).
Thank you for understanding.