{discovering} life

Back and then off again.

So, this past weekend I was in Heber, UT at a beautiful lodge for a quilting retreat - Winterfest it was called. I've never quilted before, but quilting it a huge passion of my moms and I've always wanted to learn from her. So, my mom, my sister from St. George (and her little 3 month old baby boy), my sister from SLC and I all met and went to it together...for a little girls retreat together. My oldest sister is in NYC and about to have a baby in two weeks and we were so sad that she couldn't make it - I wish it would of been at a different time - we missed her!

Anyway - it was fun. My sister (that lives by me) and I found an awesome pattern that we wanted to do and so we had all our fabrics and got started. We had two classes that we worked on and that was fun. They had giveaways - great food - and it was just a lot of fun. Fun to get away from my little world for awhile and do something else - like quiliting! LOL!

So, I got back and now I'm getting ready to leave tomorrow morning to go to CHA. I am going for Tuesday and Wednesday and then coming home. I'm so close to Vegas that that makes it easy to do. I'm excited to go - I can't wait to see my favs and chat with lots of friends! And the Designer Dinner on Tuesday night - I can't wait to meet some more people - and meet some in person! (:

So, gotta go get busy. Lots to do today! I'm gonna take tons of photos at CHA so I'll upload them all into an album as soon as I get back so you can see everything! It's going to be awesome!

HUGS!

Happy Birthday to my little girl!!

I can't believe that she's four! WOW! Had a fun morning with her! I didn't even step foot into my studio - which makes me feel good (I think it's a first! LOL!). She's at school and they are having a little party for her this afternoon so I'm gonna go to that. The take her to the park, make a princess castle together and then family over for a party! She's gonna have a great day! I hope!!!

Gotta run and wrap some presents and finish cleaning the house! (: Have a great day!

Hugs!

Birthdays!

So, Madisyn's 4th Birthday is next Monday, January 23rd, and my 28th Birthday is next Tuesday, January 24th!! I still can't believe that she was born the day before my birthday! She wasn't due until February 7th and when I went into my Dr. appt. at the very first of January, I had developed preclampsia and was put on bedrest that day. Talk about a surprise! Oh, by the way work, sorry, but today was my last day! It was kinda sad to have to leave so suddenly. Well, I'm not a great person to put on bedrest. Although I love to watch a good show, laying there all day was hard for me. I wanted to do stuff! And, in December (2001) before Christmas I stumbled upon Two Peas in a Bucket and I was hooked! So, all I wanted to do was scrapbook! LOL! I remember scrapbooking and being up more than I should of when I went in for my Dr. appt. on Jan. 21 - he said that he had to induce me cause I was getting worse. Stink! I wasn't feeling bad! That's what was so hard!

So, January 23rd I was induced and didn't have Madi until 9:45 pm that night. The Dr. thought he was going to have to do a c-section if I didn't have her by midnight - which would of been my birthday and I didn't want us to both have the same birthday. It's hard enough having her birthday the day before mine.

It's funny though - you love your kids so much and I always want her birthday to be a big deal for her - that it never allows me time to think about my birthday. Which I guess isn't necessarily a bad thing - it's just different, ya know. Monday we are having family that is here over for a party for Madi. I wanted to have a party with just some of her friends, but it just didn't happen. I feel bad. I wish I could of made it work for her! Tuesday is my bday - no plans! LOL! And then Thursday morning early, I'm driving to SLC with my sister to go to a quilt retreat with my mom and my other sister. My mom loves quilting and I've always wanted to learn from her so this is going to be a lot of fun. It comes at a hard time for us cause I have a lot of stuff work wise that I need to do and for our family it's hard - but it will be a good break from scrapbooking too. I'm making an awesome quilt with way fun fabrics so I am excited!

Then, I get back Saturday night late, and leave early Tuesday morning to CHA for two days in Vegas. Crazy! My hubby is in Vegas right now - we haven't seen much of eachother it seems like. It's going to just get more crazy!

Anyway - I don't know the reason for this post - just blabbing! Does anyone else have birthdays this close in your family? I'm starting to think I need to celebrate my birthday in July! LOL! I'm so excited for Madi's bday - princess and more princess! She is soooo excited! This is the one event that she has talked about all year long - she just loves birthdays!

Well - gotta get busy! Had to run to the scrapbook store to get something I needed for a project - which is a shock for me as I have a joking store in my room! LOL! Now need to finish some things up!

Oh ------------------

Did you see the new Creating Keepsakes Top 10 Issue that just came out? Check out page 199! (: I was so excited to be asked to be apart of this article - thanks CK! Hope you like the page! I originally designed it as the one page and then they asked me to do a two pager - so I had a hard time feeling like it flowed together! Still - so fun to see it in print with all those rockin' girls! This is the best mag ever - such incredible stuff in it!!

I got my other assignment done for CK and I really loved how it turned out! So fun! Now, gotta go do more scrappin! This poor house! Don't come visit right now! LOL!

Hugs! Hope everyone has a great day! I just got tagged - again! LOL! - so I'll do that soon!

My new LOVE!!!

Ok - so this is one of the changes I have made to my studio! My studio looks so different than the photos I have on my blog here (on the left) - I really need to get my room clean so I can change those. But, that isn't going to happen this month! LOL!

This is my new baby - I seriously love it!! I've been wanting an apothecary type dresser or unit in my room for the longest time. I was about to buy another one that would of taken a lot of space and not so great - when I got the new Pottery Barn Bed & Bath catalog in the mail. Low and behold, there was this cabinet - I about died! LOL! It has 30 drawers - mounts on the wall - it's big and I love it! the drawers are about 4x4 square and they are removeable - just what I wanted. I can grab a drawer, bring it over to my desk and then put it back. I've already started to load these babies up and it's making my life so much easier! Did I mention that I love it! He he he!! I'm going to buy metal label holders and screw them on each drawer about the pull so I can label them. I'll post picts when that's done - but probably not till next month! So, there is my first share - more to come.

I'm busy busy! My hubby had to go to Vegas for most of this week - he'll be back in in between - but it's such a pain. It's a busy month for both of us which makes it hard to get things done around here while I have two kids constantly!! LOL! But, I have to, so I will!

I got an assignment from an editor at CK on Thursday and I have to get it in the mail by this Thursday - and it ain't just a layout. But, I'm working on that too and it already looks killer! I love it so that's exciting when it turns out like that.

Well, gotta run for now but wanted to share my fun new piece for my studio. Hope everyone has a great day!!

Hugs!

My Hero Arts Loot!

I had a bunch of people asking for me to share what I ordered from Hero Arts from winning in the Stamp Your Memories Contest. So, yesterday when I got home, this box of goodies was sitting at my front door! The guy at Hero Arts told me it would take two weeks, so I soooo wasn't expecting this to be here already. Granted, I ran in and tore that box open! $300 worth of HA stamps is a lot! It was sooo excited to look at each one in person. My mind is SPINNING with ideas - now to just sit down and play. So, here are some photos of my goodies.

I put the boxed ones in a tub (blue) and the loose ones in this orange tub from the Target $1 spot right now (it's called a bath tub I think). They totally match the totes in my studio (the stripe ones from Pottery Barn)! I love them! I'm going today to buy a ton more! I'm really re-doing my studio. I just bought a fun piece yesterday and will be purchasing a fun furniture big piece this week. I'll post more about that tomorrow. Can't wait to show you updated photos once I get it all!

Anyway-thanks for letting me share! I'm so grateful to Hero Arts and the judges for selecting my layout - I love that layout and the stamps are so fun! I'm a stamp fanatic - I bought some fun ones in SLC over Christmas too! Playing away! Hope you all have a great day! Hugs!!

I've been tagged!

I've been tagged by my sweet (and silly) friends, Margie Romney-Aslett and Amy Howe. Love you girls both! Ok - I'll play! Here I go:

4 Jobs You Have Had in Your Life:
1. Worked in Human Resources part-time at Huntsman Chemical Corp. every summer during High School
2. Receptionist
3. Executive Secretary at Convergys
4. Artist, Designer, Mother

4 Movies You Could Watch Over and Over:
Serendipity, Step Mom, Notting Hill, Pearl Harbor

4 Places You Have Lived:
Connecticut, Denver, Sandy, Provo...Lehi, St. George (more than one I guess!)

4 TV Shows You Love to Watch:
Days of Our Lives, Alias, Bachelor (just started and that guy is CUTE), Grey's Anatomy

4 Places You Have Been on Vacation:
Australia, Hawaii, Europe, New York

4 websites you visit daily:
Two Peas in A Bucket (open on a browser all day long), BLOGS, Scrappers Bliss, and my Yahoo email

4 of your favorite foods:
Mexican (Cafe Rio Pork Salad - had last night - the best food ever!!!), Any Italian food!!!!, my mom's Chicken and Rice, Ice Cream

4 places you would rather be right now:
In bed (huddy woke up at 5:30 this morning and wouldn't go to bed - what a stinker!), a good scrapbook store, with friends, on vacation!!

4 Bloggers You are Tagging:
Karen, Erica, Renee, and Carrie

There you go girls! Have fun!!

Hey everyone!

Sorry that I haven't been around much - things have been really busy around here. I've been working on layouts and things for CHA and some other personal things I'm having to get done this month - it is just such a busy time!! My hubby and Hudson both got sick this weekend too so that's been hard. I feel like this month is just gonna keep getting crazier and crazier!! My hubby has to go take a bunch of classes in Vegas this month, Madi's 4th birthday and all the events that go along with that, my birthday, a quilting retreat in Heber, UT with my mom and sisters at the end of the month and then CHA the next day. Wowsers! I'm way excited to go to CHA this year. I'm so close to Vegas - it worked out just perfectly. I'm so excited to walk around to all my favorites and see the new product - I get so jazzed about all that! I'm usually at home waiting for photos to upload - like every second refreshing! LOL! So sad! Oh well - I love it! I love the industry and the new products - it's such a fun time!!

So - just wanted to say hello to everyone. Hope your all having a great new year thus far. I'm off to work on some more things tonight and hopefully get stuff done. I'll try to check in more too!

Hugs!

Some new things for 2006!

I was approached about some opportunities at the end of 2005 and I'm excited to take some of them on this year. First of all, I've been asked to be a Sponsored Designer for Basic Grey. I'm so excited about it and I can't wait to start playing with their amazing products more. I've heard that they have some killer stuff coming out at CHA - I can't wait to see it all!!

I've also joined a design team at a start-up website, Scrappers Bliss. The team there is awesome! My awesome friend Amy Howe, my old Chatterbox girl Jlyne Hanback, Karen Carter (who refferred me for the team - thanks so much girl!!) and so many other way talented chicks that I can't wait to get to know better. It's going to be fun. I've always wanted to be on a online website design team (2 peas garden girl - in my dreams! LOL) and this will be so much fun! I'm excited to meet a lot of people too! We are working on our assignments right now so I'll post them soon.

I've also got another CHA toot - but I'll save that one for a bit longer! (:

On another note...have you checked out the new Lil' Davis Blog? I love their products and I'm excited they've got a blog! Anyway, they posted a sneak peek of something coming out at CHA the other day and you had to guess what it was - and I guessed it right! I couldn't believe it! I'm getting some Lil' Davis goodies in the mail - I can't wait! Thanks LD!!!!!

I also placed my big $300 order today at Hero Arts! I'm so excited to get all those new stamps! I have a thing for stamps - I need to just get them out and use them more! That's my new goal for 2006 - really using them on my layouts and projects! I just love the personal touch that it adds to a project!

Anyway - a good day! I got a page done today for Scrappers Bliss and hoping to start on some things for Basic Grey for CHA. I'm still working with Making Memories too - whom I just love! So, I'll stay busy but that's good! I'm up for the challenge and look forward to the work and the creative push to do my best! It's so fun playing with different products - I'm excited about it all!!

Gotta run! Thanks for reading! Hugs!

It's Sell-a-bration time!!!!

At Stampin' Up! I love January and February - a great time to get SU! stuff! Love their stuff!

For January and February, for EVERY $50 you spend with Stampin' Up!, you get to choose one of six free stamp sets! Yep, FREE!!!!! SO, if you you place a $50 order, you get a free stamp set! If you place $100 order, you get TWO! If you place a $150 order, you get 3 SAB sets, plus a free Hostess set, PLUS $15 free product! Ummmmm....hello.....this is an awesome deal!!!!

AND!!!!!! For my online blog readers, you can also get FREE SHIPPING for these two months as well! So, email me your orders asap! You can pay with paypal or check. No shipping charges, free stamp set - awesome!!!

The free SAB sets (and the main SU! catalog) can be seen here.

Have fun shopping! (:

ETA: Also, SU! has announced that this year, all 6 Sell-a-bration stamp sets are limited edition sets. Which means they will NOT appear in the next Idea Book and Catalog like some SAB sets from past years have. So, if you like them, get them now! They will not be available after the end of February.

Happy New Year!!!

Wow! 2006! I can't believe it's already here! We've been up at my parents in SLC for over a week to celebrate Christmas with my family and we get home and it's 2006! So crazy! Watching the ball drop in times square always gets to me - and that song - I get emotional. I cry every year! LOL! Silly me!

We had a wonderful Christmas! Despite my kids being sick and not really into it, it was still wonderful to be able to be with all my family for the first time in a long time! My sister and her family from NYC came out and my little bro' was there - home from his mission in Russia. It was so good to see him. And yet, he hadn't even changed. Still my same little bro. It was great! When we pulled up to my parents house the Friday before Christmas and got inside and saw all the things my parents had changed in the house - and the kids play room was incredible. My kids were in heaven - so happy! I got emotional - it made me homesick. I miss not being near my parents. I miss my KIDS not being by them - they love them sooo much and really miss not seeing their Grami and Pa! It made me sad!

Christmas day was great! Lots of fun gifts for the kids - although Madi wasn't feeling great and not really into the present opening thing. I always want things to be so perfect - for everyone to be happy and just have the best day ever - and it seems like something always goes wrong to ruin it. But, after a little bit that morning, I decided that I couldn't change anything...I couldn't make her open gifts or make her feel better at that moment, so I sat back, held her and ENJOYED the moment. Something that I often have a hard time doing. I'm always stressing, planning or looking forward to the next thing...and Ryan always tells me that I need to just slow down, enjoy each little moment. And that's what I tried to do. I really need to work on that this year!

We had lots of family parties and I got to run some fun errands (got the new DW Greetings book - love it! Those girls rock!!) and I got to go see my dear, sweet Gramps who is in the hospital. He's been there for quite some time going through a bunch of surgeries and recoveries. I can't remember the last time I saw him. He has always been in such good shape - so happy and alive. It was hard to see him like that in his wheelchair. I couldn't help but cry as I patted his knee. He's so sweet. So alert and his mind is just as sharp as ever. I just pray that his body will heal and that he'll recover!

We got home Friday night and it was good to be home. Madi said, "I don't want to sleep on the sleeping bag at Grami's anymore. I want my pink room." So cute and sweet! Home really is the best place! I love our home so much! It's so beautiful - I'm so blessed that we were able to get such a beautiful home! I'm thankful for it every day! It was so good to come home - after a wonderful trip - it's always good to come home! Our kids slept soooo good that night and last night - they both slept through the night! Grami's was hard on the sleep for them - so it was so good for them to be in their own beds!

Well, this is getting to be a novel. Gotta run now. I'll add some pictures later - I need to get them off my card and onto my computer! Hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Day!!! Here is to a wonderful, healthy, successful and more 2006!! HUGS!!