CHA, CHA, CHA... Winter 2011... #1 of 2 posts

 

My "Anna" layout using the new "Le Cirque" line by Graphic 45... looks good in the booth, huh... ;-)

YES, I am still working on updating WOOOOO HOOOOO!

SORRY, that I have not posted for a bit... I have been scrapping like CRAZY for the show and have been working on my weight loss... see "Becoming My Husband's Girlfriend..."

BUT... I have some fun photos from CHA!  I was lucky enough to have Graphic 45 offer me a day pass to come see the show, so, OF COURSE I said, "YES!"  I haven't been to CHA since I worked the Rusty Pickle booth at Winter CHA 2009!  That was a FUN show... meeting retailers from around the world... meeting "cyber" friends in person including the Tally Scrapper group and Miss Becky Conley... AND getting invited to the Creating Keepsakes lunch with magazine editors and contributors... ahhhhhhhhhh... ((( sorry... snapping out of happy memory mode )))...



What a COOL way to display the designers for Graphic 45... LOVE IT!  THAT'S me... top left...

So, I have a few main thoughts to share with you from the show... first, the size of the show.  This might not be very PC, but I would be remiss if I didn't comment on the EXTREME decline in the number of exhibitors at the show.  I know the economy over the past few years has made a big dent in the Craft and Hobby industry, but I had NO IDEA that the dent was more like a MASSIVE SINK HOLE!  Two years ago, it took me TEN MINUTES to walk (at a brisk pace) from one side of the show to the other!  I am talking about the entire CHA show, not just the scrapbooking section, but still, 10 MINUTES.  This year, we almost saw the entire show in 8 hours...  I don't know what the numbers are to compare apples to apples, but the change in two years was shocking!  

Graphic 45 - Me, Gloria, Charee, Diane, Jane...

However, it is AWESOME to see my favorites still around... of course, including the awesome Graphic 45... as one other manufacturer told me... "Graphic 45 is now the STANDARD that we are all trying to reach..."  WOW!

You will have to wait for the rest of my post... that is it for tonight.  Have a GREAT Night and Happy Scrappy Dreams!

CHA... updates coming...

Updates coming very, very shortly... HOLY COW... that visitor counter is going CRAZY!

"Ch, ch, ch, ch, ch... CHAAAAAAANGES!"

It has been over a years since I changed the look of WOOOOO HOOOOO, so it is time... not that I have time to play at the moment... my Graphic 45 CHA layouts are calling me, but we needed to brighten up... get rid of all that black!

More changes on the way... but I REALLY have to get back to playing with "Curtain Call!" 

Oh... and if you haven't had a chance to check it out, you HAVE TO see my new blog, "Becoming My Husband's Girlfriend!"  YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE IT!!!

CHA - My Little Shoebox Sneak Peaks...

Can I just say, "SOOOOOOO CUTE!"  I received my Design Team box of new product a few days ago and I... LOVE... IT!  Anna helped me open the box to see what "we" were sent... she took several pieces of paper to the scrapbook room and started creating a new layout on the spot!

Sneak Peaks of the 6 new lines are being posted all week on the My Little Shoebox blog.  Of course, I have a few of them to share with you here...

"Sew Cute"

This is one of the lines that I get to play with right away!  SERIOUSLY, how cute is this!?

"Home Tweet Home"

Ahhhhh... flowers and clouds and trees... LOVE IT!

Farmers Market

I have this one, too... those little pears and peas in a pod... DARLING!

New layouts are coming shortly... but for now, jump on over to the MLS Blog... they are doing a GIVEAWAY!!!  Make it a GREAT day!

My Weight Loss Experiment... "Becoming My Husband's Girlfriend"...

Hi All!!  While I am MADLY designing for CHA with the uber awesome new "Graphic 45", working on monthly "My Little Shoebox" assignments and creating 6 new store samples for "Ever After Scrapbooks", I have also started a new project that is very near and dear to my heart. 

As many of you know, I have been working on my weight of the past several years... and have been training for bike rides and triathlons for the past 2 years.  I decided I had ENOUGH and am putting it ALL OUT THERE! 

I have started a new blog called,

 "Becoming My Husband's Girlfriend." 

There is so much that I hope to do with this blog including posting regular updates on my weight loss, training, successes and challenges.  I also plan to bring SEXY BACK to my husband and our relationship.  Inspiration, funny stories and ideas in an interactive setting. I know I'm not the only person who is fed up with their weight, so we can get inspiration from each other!



OK... OK... I'm only going to share my BEST part here on this blog... for all the real, honest to goodness Day 1 photos, my weight and stats, check out the new blog... oh, and maybe a tissue or two for today's story and song...

"WOOOOO HOOOOO" is NOT GOING ANYWHERE!  This is still my home for scrapping, designing, and daily life and fun.

I would LOVE IT if you would check out the new blog and, if you are interested, become a follower and share the link with your friends.  The more the merrier for this social experiment in weight loss and being flirty with our spouces.  Now THAT deserves a big WOOOO HOOOOO!!! ;-)

CHA, CHA, CHA... GRAPHIC 45...

Yes, the time has come for CHA, the biggest show for the scrapbook industry of the year (except for summer CHA, but you get the point!)  Graphic 45 is rolling out sneaks of their new lines that will be released at the show and, since I am lucky enough to have recieved my Design Team box a few days ago, I can say that this release in unlike ANYTHING you have seen in the industry!!!

I figure I can share with you the products that Graphic 45 has released on their blog in the past few days...

May I present... "CURTAIN CALL"...

Next, put your hands together for, "LE CIRQUE..."

And if you are a stamper, here are a few of the new Graphic 45 Stamp collections...



The third of the new releases was a mid-season release, "Once Upon A Springtime."  You can see a layout I created with this pretty spring line in the post below.  Hope you like what you are seeing here!  It will be at store near you very soon!!!

Back to Graphic 45 Scrapping...

Graphic 45's "Steampunk Debutante" line and the new Core'dinations Cardstock.

... come on now... you didn't think that just because I finished up Project 365 that my blog was done, did you!?  HECK NO!  I have so many projects to post it is CRAZY!  So, here are a few recent layouts I created for Graphic 45...

Graphic 45's newest line, "Once Upon A Springtime."  Each of these darling flowers were cut with my Cricut... BOY do I love that thing!!!

Project 365 - THE LAST 2010 POST!

I can't believe the time is here... the last post for my 2010 Project 365.  No, Dad, I'm not going to do it again in 2011, although I will continue to post photos throughout the year, as well as get back to regular posting of my scrapping, projects and stuff.  But for now, the last story of our 2010, New Years...

Our tradition is that we stay home with the kids, some family and friends... we "hodge podge" all evening... (no dinner, we eat our favorite appetizers instead)... we play games all night... we watch a bit of the hoopla on TV while we get out our noise makers and hats, then we celebrate and shout and laugh and kiss at midnight... watch a bit more of the hoopla on TV, and go to bed.  Yeah, it might not be hugely exciting, but it is WONDERFUL to spend the end of each year and the start of the new year with our kids and our loved ones. 

This year, both Jess and Chris were gone for the first time... Jess was up at Mary's house babysitting for the neighborhood kids while the parents had an adult party next door.  Chris was in Texas visiting Tom.  We had Kyle here (as per tradition) and Jeff and Mindy (who have celebrated with us for the past several years.)

May 2011 bless us with health, love, happiness and laughter.  Happy New Year, everyone!

Project 365 - Christmas Day...

What a wonderful, blessed and crazy day, all wrapped together!  Back to traditions...
 

... the morning starts with Mom (usually getting up first and then me) getting the homemade quiche into the oven... turning on Christmas music... lighting a fire... turning on all of the inside Christmas lights... Mom and Dad getting their champagne cocktails while we fix crystal glasses of Sparkling Cider for the kids... who can't come out past their bedroom hallway until we have everything ready for them.

I take several photos of the tree...

... stockings...

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT...?  Jeff and I fill each other's stockings and we just HAPPENED to get each other the SAME EXACT magazine... I guess we know what we like...

... and Santa gifts and then the kids can come out and we start our Christmas morning.

Anna on her new 2-wheel bike...

Jessica... getting cash and debit paid off from Santa...

Chris and his new laptop...

We all open our stockings...

... then open the gifts... one at a time... so that we can enjoy each gift... hear the story behind the gift... try on the gift or open the gift... you get the picture... and, yes, this may take forever, but it is a WONDERFUL part of the tradition!

Abby and her new collar and name tag... what a lady!

After the morning tree is done, it is time to clean up and get ready for Mary and John and the kids to come down for the "afternoon" tree... gifts from Mom and Dad to the kids and grandkids and vica versa.


Dad found these t-shirts online... they come with the little amp (that you can see hanging on Chris' belt), guitar picks and playable guitars... Chris and Matthew were rocking...



... and Anna was rocking out, too!

  

Then, clean up again, so the rest of the local family can come over for Christmas dinner and cards.  This year, we had Honeybaked Ham AND Honeybaked Turkey, potato casserole, rasberry walnut salad and ambrosia salad (we haven't had that in YEARS!).  As the family played "LRC," I prepared a dessert bar (inspired by our Progressive Dinner dessert stop at the Jimenez house!)


 Finally, a photo of my FAVORITE Christmas decoration, the Nativity that my grandfather shipped home from Europe during his time in WWII...

 ... and Abby... cuddling in her favorite Christmas decoration, the white fluff of synthetic snow and the warm glow of the Christmas lights... what a WONDERFUL Christmas!!!

Project 365 - Christmas Eve...

I CAN'T BELIEVE that I am 3 POSTS away from finishing my 2010 Project 365!!!  WOOOOO HOOOO!!!

Christmas is a time of tradition in our home.  Our newest traditions started 8 years ago... we moved to our house in Escondido and Mom and Dad were alone... no kids on Christmas morning... no grandkids on Christmas morning.  They spent one year alone (9 years ago) and after months of beating around the bush, Mom told me how sad they had been alone, so we invited them to come down to our house on Christmas Eve and the tradition has stuck ever since. 

We all (even Jess and Chris) went to the early Christmas Eve Mass then Jeff and Dad took Jessica and Anna to see Christmas lights while Mom, Chris and I went home and started cooking.  Beef Stroganoff for Christmas Eve dinner... and then onto our annual traditions...

...  while Mom and I finish cooking for the next day, the family sits and watches the original "Grinch"... we ONLY watch that Christmas movie on Christmas Eve night...

... the kids get to open ONE gift (which is always their new Christmas Eve pajamas, except that Jessica let Anna open one of her gifts early, too)...

... we take photos of the kids, in their new pajamas, under the Christmas tree...

... we put out cookies and egg nog (for Santa) and vegitables for the reindeer, along with a letter/list for Santa...

... then Jeff cuddles up with the kids to read "Twas the Night Before Christmas..."  reading the story used to be my Dad's job... until the first year that Mom and Dad were here for Christmas Eve... I handed the book to my Dad to read to the family and he handed it to Jeff... and said that he was now the "Dad" and it was now his job... (insert happy tears here...)

... the kids then go to sleep... Mom and Dad retire for the night... and I usually go to bed while Jeff wraps my gifts (that he bought earlier that day...) while he watches his FAVORITE Christmas movie ("It's A Wonderful Life"), but since we bought each other a computer this year, I stayed up and watched the movie with him.  Boy, do I love that movie... and my wonderful husband!!!

Project 365 - Modeling for MLS and Making Cookies...

I created a fun project for my monthly assignment for My Little Shoebox... a purse and headband for Anna... so, OF COURSE, I needed her to model my projects!!!  She LOVED modeling for MLS, and although there were a TON of darling photos, this is my favorite!  In fact, I just did a layout with this photo that I will be sharing as soon as it is posted on the MLS blog!

Baking cookies... one of our long standing traditions for the holidays!  This year, Jessica came over to bake the traditional sugar cookies with Anna... and make a mess... and leave all the dishes for me to do... but she also left some yummy cookies!

Project 365 - 3rd Annual Progressive PJ Party!!!

SERIOUSLY... this annual party has become one of our favorite events of the ENTIRE YEAR!  Jeff and I were SOOOOOO LUCKY to join an amazing group of volunteers at the high school when we moved here 8 years ago... and even MORE LUCKY that we now call them all friends!  The tradition includes the following... 1st stop, appetizers (and drinks)... 2nd stop, salad (and drinks)... 3rd stop, main course (and, well of course, more drinks)... and the final stop, desserts and BUNCO!  Oh, and more drinks...

 

STOP 1 - Appetizers at the Seltmann's... we can't wait to get the party started!!!

Last year, we ladies decided that we wanted to be comfortable for this annual assault on our waistlines and livers and wanted to wear pajamas.  The men thought we were crazy, and although they protested, they dressed in their finest sweat pants and checkered flannels... and they LOVED it by the end of the night.  So, of course, we gals went shopping for new pajamas this year and the guys didn't say a word as they donned their night clothes.


STOP #2 - Marion's house for THREE different AMAZING salads... yep, we are getting a bit giddy...

First photo of the boys... looking GOOD, especially you, Mr. Early, in your sexy silky ensemble...

As we have done in year's past, we took photos of the gals at each stop... to provide a photographic journey of our "Ice Cube Club."  We also have a few photos of the guys... enjoy the ride!


STOP #3 - Prime Rib, Ham, and potato casserole at the Early house... who knew that a full moon would be rising within the hour...

LAST STOP... An ENTIRE DESSERT BAR and a hysterical game of Bunco at the Jimenez home.  Yes, even the guys were totally into the game... and NOBODY in the house stopped laughing for 2 hours while we madly threw our dice and tallied our scores!  This photo is the culmination of 7 hours of eating and drinking and being merry with our friends, and we are already counting the days until the 2011 event!!!

... and our cute boys... and Barnett's bell...