Happy Birthday to My Youngest Brother, Mark

Today would have marked the 27th birthday of my youngest brother Mark. Mark passed away just a few short years after Joey, and every time I think about Joey I think about Mark. They were the best of friends. And Joey adored Mark (all of my kids do). While losing my brother was more painful that I really have words to describe, there is comfort in knowing that both my son and my brother now have each other in heaven.

Mark was an incredible kid and adult. Despite facing numerous health challenges and physical ailments, he completely embraced life. He loved to laugh. He had a healthy sense of humor. His eyes always had this mischievous sparkle. He loved video games and on his own studied a great deal on game design and programming. He was beyond smart and could connect the dots on things way above my head. He was kind and loved babies. When he first met my youngest, James, he instantly bonded with him. He was gentle with animals and had a kitten that loved to curl up on his neck and back to sleep.

Mark didn't express his feelings a lot. I would often tease him and tell him I loved him. Typically all I got was a grunt in return, and it always made me laugh.

My husband Brett considers Mark one of his very best friends. He always said that Mark always got him and accepted him for who he was. Losing Mark was a huge blow to Brett, and he misses him just as much as I do.

Mark never complained even when he should have. He spent so much time in the hospital or at home feeling sick. But he would never really express how he was feeling. He just kind of endured it. I always admired his strength, but I often wished I could do more to ease his suffering.

Mark touched many lives. People loved him. People were drawn to him. And he could command the room. He was both quiet and yet larger than life.

From the time he was born to the time he passed, he was a huge influence on my life and taught me about patience, love for others, dedication and passion to the things you love, how to laugh in the face of adversity, and how to live in the moment.

I miss him terribly. I love him like crazy. And I'm so proud to be his big sister. I look forward to the day when I get to see him again.

Happy birthday, Mark!

What to Do in the Meantime . . .

I keep hoping that at some point I'll be able to share the progress we've made our home since moving in. I may have jinxed myself in thinking that as we are STILL waiting for the flooring installation to get started on the main floor. And our carpet made it all the way from the upstairs floor to the top of the stairs but didn't quite make it down the stairs. So currently we're carefully wearing shoes so we don't step on the exposed carpet tacks on the stairs. I keep telling myself that all this will pass, and soon we'll be cooking in our currently non-existent kitchen, sleeping in our very own bedroom, and sitting on our still-in-storage couch. But in the meantime it's been very challenging to wander around not really knowing what I can and cannot start to unpack.

So thankfully I have my job to keep me occupied and busy during the days. The kidlings are at school. And the hubster is busy working in his new downstairs office "of glory" (as he puts it). But sometimes after a long day of little progress on the homefront, I need an escape of some kind. I was really happy to hear about this event at the Draper, Utah Ikea this weekend. What a fun opportunity to take the family to a place I already love to frequent! Plus who doesn't have an Ikea wishlist a mile long? I'm not sure I'm brave enough to bid on things (I am a little shy), but I'd love to try.

If you're in the area, consider attending this super cool event which is happening this weekend. Hopefully I can convince the husband this is exactly the kind of escape this stressed-out wife needs. (Think he'll go for it?)

Make It Meaningful: Altering a Composition Notebook

For today's tutorial I wanted to update an everyday composition notebook. Just in time for school, this fun project can be done within less than 30 minutes. Personalizing school supplies makes them even more special and makes returning to school a little more exciting.

For this project, I'm using the Echo Park Paper "Creative Agenda" collection. This fun collection includes water colored images and fun day-to-day stickers and elements. Perfect for school projects or Filofax decorations, I was excited to get started.

Getting Started: You will need paper, adhesive, stickers, embellishments and a composition book. You can alter any size of book, but keep in mind that a standard size notebook will require two sheets of 12x12" paper.

Step 1: Trace the front (and back) of the composition notebook onto the backside of the patterned paper you wish to use.

Step 2: Use scissors to cut out the paper for both the front and back of the book.

Step 3: Use double-sided sticky tape or your favorite adhesive to attach the paper to the front and back of the book.

Step 4: Add paper, stickers, ribbon and any other embellishments you desire to the front of the book. Keep in mind how the book will be used. If the book will be shoved in a locker, you might want to consider keeping elements flat and then later sealing everything with Modge Podge. In this case, I kept things dimensional.

Here is the completed project again. You can use these same instructions and a different combination of papers, stickers, and embellishments to create an entirely new look.

Did you enjoy this project? Consider shopping from the list below when creating your next project. Purchases made with the links below help to pay for the projects I share here on my blog.

You can also find more "Make It Meaningful" projects like this Halloween Countdown Calendar HERE and a die cut birthday gift box HERE. Search in my sidebar for additional projects under this heading.

Products for this project can be found here:
* Creative Agenda Collection Kit
* Creative Agenda Arrows Decorative Tape
* Creative Agenda Element Stickers
* Creative Agenda 4x6 Stamps
* Creative Agenda Die and Stamp Set
* Creative Agenda Enamel Shapes
* Creative Agenda Flair Badges

Free Fall Printable

In case you haven't already had a chance to download this, I wanted to share it with you. It's a fall printable available with either a white or cream background. You can find more about this post HERE on my blog.

(NOTE: the brown outline is just so you can see the dimensions of the printable. It will not print out on the final page.)

Download the white background version HERE!

Download the cream background version HERE!

Here's what the printables look like framed and displayed:

I love the look of printables and how easy they are to change out with the seasons. Look for other printables HERE and HERE and HERE on my blog.

The First and Second Day of School

As I mentioned yesterday, it's been a little chaotic around these parts lately. So when the first day of school starts bright and early with lots of rain, a parent just might miss their child going off to their Senior year of high school. Yeah. That totally happened. While I was busy getting ready, the older child had to leave for school, and I missed it! I was so sad. But she's practically a grown up and drives herself to school, so I wasn't worried just sad. But it did mean that I missed any chance of taking her photo on the first day of school. But here's my beautiful girl on the second day of high school:

James started a new school this year. I have been more than a little worried. But I needn't have. His most interesting observation after the first day? "The kids part down the middle of the hall into two rows so I can pass. They do this for all the sixth graders." I think he's enjoying being the big man on campus.

This year marks the end of some things. The end of my daughter being in school (well, except for college). The end of my son going to Elementary School. It's going to be an epic year as we prepare ourselves for some big changes.

Frankly, I'm just grateful they both enjoy their schools and their teachers. That's all a mama can hope for.

Tales of a Tract Home: The Waiting Game is Nearly Over

I can hardly believe that today is our last full day in this townhome. This temporary living situation has been both a blessing and an interesting adventure. We are so deeply grateful that we were able to live here rather than in a hotel. I cannot imagine the logistics of both Brett and I working in a hotel room, while attempting to care for and entertain two rather bored children. Finding this place was nothing short of a miracle.

Tomorrow we are hoping to move into our home: the kids into their rooms and us into the basement until the flooring is removed.

While I never imagined the pathway this moving journey would take I've observed a few things:

* I don't do well with change. I've been nearly paralyzed in our current situation, and it makes me wish for a better way to adapt to change.
* We all need our own space. Thankfully this townhome did have a place for all of us; although, Brett, Katelyn, and I were all sharing the downstairs making for a very busy office space.
* I don't care for "mystery smells." Both the townhome and the new house carry their own unique mystery smells. I HATE it. It affects the way I feel, and I'm always going on a search to discover where the smell is coming from. Thankfully we believe that updating the floors in our new home will help with at least that mystery smell. Fingers crossed!
* My kids and husband are incredible. This has NOT been easy. It's been chaotic, unsettling, up and down, disappointing, exciting, and so much more. That they have all been as patient as possible and even helpful and kind just speaks volume to the quality of their personalities. I'm really grateful for their attitude about the entire experience.
* I am totally out of shape. The first couple of moves we made, my sweet husband was out of the state starting his new job. That meant packing, loading, and many of the tasks fell to me. Not this time. It's been almost completely on Brett's shoulders this time around. I'm exhausted, worn out, stressed out, and just tired all the time. I've been less help than I'd like to be. Again, I'm grateful for his patience. I'm realizing that moving at 20 is completely different than moving at 40. It's definitely harder.
* I am not creative in a chaotic situation. Trying to work my full-time job in the creative industry has been exceedingly challenging with our moving situation. I wasn't able to unpack here in the townhome. I couldn't film while Brett or the kids were around. I have no idea where half of my craft room is. It certainly isn't conducive to making beautiful things. It's ok. Soon I will be able to create an entirely new space. And I'm thoroughly looking forward to having my own place, with its own door, and everything at my fingertips again.
* We have good friends and family. We've had so many offers of help. Brett and I aren't good at accepting it. I realize that. It's just so hard to burden other people, and I feel like we've done that enough to last a lifetime. But our good friends and family continue to offer. I really, really love them all.
* I'm ready to be done. I'm ready to never see another packing box again. I'm ready to know where my pots and pans are located. I'm ready for the kids to return to regular sleeping schedules in their own beds and bedrooms. I'm ready to start making my new house a home.

Here's hoping that the next part of the journey is filled with good things. The waiting game is nearly over!

Project Life Workshop Now Open for Registration

I'm always excited to share what my fellow Garden Girls are up to, and Celine Navarro is part of a brand new course designed for all of you that love Project Life. How about a year-long course helping inspire you to document your memories? You can find out more about this course HERE.

In this class, you'll find :

• photos ideas/tips & tricks/inspiration & ideas
• how to get organized to be more efficient in your Project Life
• chow to use your computer the best way for your Project Life (create cards, journaling, etc...)
• FREE goodies each month
• and 20 international teachers gathering to offer you the BEST to keep up with your Project Life all year long!

Every week, a new teacher will be your host on the message board. She will have a PDF for you along with a new Project Life spread. Different styles every week = more inspiration!

The aim of this workshop is not to teach you new techniques (even though we have some in store for you) but to have 20 of the best Project Lifers from all over the world to share with you how to get organized so that you don't waste time, to inspire you, to offer you tips and tricks to stay up-to-date with your Project Life.

Learn more about this course HERE!

Big Picture Class "Art and Design" Giveaway with Wilna Furstenberg

GIVEAWAY: I'm so excited to announce a brand new class called "Art and Design" for Big Picture Scrapbooking from the fabulous Wilna Furstenberg. Wilna's style is beautiful and artistic. She's generously agreed to let me give away one spot in her new class starting in October (registration is now open). Would you like to win? Simply leave a comment in the comments section below with your email address (in code if you prefer) by Thursday, August 21 at midnight EDT to qualify. I'll pick ONE lucky winner and send them the class certificate on Friday, August 22nd. Good luck!

About the Class

Take some paint and some pictures, apply an artistic technique or two, and then sprinkle in a few design principles like balance and repetition—and what do you get? Beautiful, unique, scrapbook layouts you'll treasure for a lifetime.

In Wilna Furstenberg's newest online workshop, Art and Design, you'll see for yourself that the rules of good design and the freedom of artistic expression absolutely can exist in the same space. In fact, when you find the right balance between them, magical things can happen.

• 4 weeks
• 5 Layout videos per week (around 90 minutes of video every week)
• 1 Weekly Bonus video 
• 2 Video chats 
• Weekly handout
• Weekly bonus products
  

Cost: $49

Learn more and register here.

You can watch this sneak peek video HERE on Youtube or below:

Diary of a Memory Keeper #9: How To Get Your Creative Mojo Back?

For today's vlog (video blog), I'm discussing the crisis of creativity I've had this past spring and summer. Since putting our home up for sale and all the chaos and moving and stuff, I've kind of lost my creative mojo. In fact, I hit a wall and would go as far to say that I am "burned out." In the video I discuss ways I'm trying to get it back. You can watch the video HERE on my Youtube channel or below:



I'd love to hear what you've successfully done to get your creative mojo back after losing it. Leave a comment either here or in my video comments so I can read them.

Join Me For the True Scrap Scrapbooking Event This Fall!

I'm excited to announce that I will be teaching again this October for True Scrap. This fabulous online scrapbooking event takes place over two days and includes a Pajama Party, classes from some industry favorites, giveaways, a private chat room and more! Mark your calendars for this LIVE event which takes place this October.

True Scrap 6: October 17-18, 2014

Additional details for this event will be coming soon so keep watching! If you want to learn more about what True Scrap has to offer, try taking one of my past classes. Or check out the Layout a Day store HERE to find additional classes from previous events taught by favorite instructors like Ali Edwards, Kelli Crowe, Nichol Magourik and more!

Click HERE to view this class, which includes an instructional video.

Click HERE to view this class, including the video.

Click HERE to view this class, including the video.

I'll be working on the class over the next couple of weeks. I can't wait to share my NEW class which has a topic that's both fun and inspiring! Consider joining in on the fun.

Register NOW for early-bird information including sneak peeks, special news, etc. 

Click HERE for more info!

The Difficulty in Saying Good-bye

I have never liked good-byes. It's just not something I ever enjoy doing. It probably started when my parents were separated and then later divorced as a late teenager and early adult. The thought that foundational relationships could have a permanent end hurt and confused me. Suddenly something I thought was so permanent became broken and disconnected.

I noticed that when we moved from our first married home across the country to Georgia, that I really began to dislike good-byes. When family would come to visit and then leave, the car ride home would be filled with tears (and not all mine). It seemed wrong somehow to have to let people you love go if even for a little while.

When I lost my beautiful son to cancer, I hated good-byes to the core of my being. While my faith teaches and sustains me that I will see my son again, the distance between us right now is often greater than I ever thought possible. I wasn't prepared for the solidity of the loss of him. It tore away a large chunk of myself that I've never been able to fill.

When I lost my amazing younger brother just a few short years later, I felt shocked and numbed that yet another person that I loved was torn away from us. Because he was such a big part of our lives, I loved him deeply and completely and the not having him near made my heart ache all over again and often.

Since that time, I avoid good-byes. I hide in my home when a close friend makes the choice to move. I give a half-hearted hug when family members visit and then leave. I keep myself busy so I don't have to think about saying good-bye or especially feel it when it comes.

I especially struggle at funerals. It is there that I feel the most painful part of a good-bye. And again, while my faith teaches me that relationships are eternal, there is still the distance between loved ones when one has returned home to heaven.

This month my beautiful aunt passed away unexpectedly while on a vacation with her sweet spouse. It was a shock to our family as she was just a few years older than I am. When I heard the news, I was devastated. When you have lost someone yourself, all the grief that you've felt comes out with your new grief for someone that you love. Grief must be a general feeling and when it returns it returns with all past losses and heartaches.

Yesterday was her funeral. It was beautiful. Her sister read the most sweet tribute to her big sister. I cried a lot. We all cried. It isn't that we don't believe we'll see her again. We most certainly do and there is beauty in that faith and knowledge. It's that we can't possibly imagine how we will live without them as the new day dawns. My incredible uncle spoke of how he wondered who he was now without her. I love that they were so entertwined that one without the other isn't a whole piece. I know that feeling. I feel it every day while missing Joey, and my brother Mark. We are always waiting for that final piece of ourselves to return.

I hate good-byes. Yesterday was a difficult good-bye, and as I think about the pain her family must be feeling my heart just aches and aches. I often pray a general prayer of request that families saying their good-byes that day will have added strength and peace. You just never know when someone is preparing for or has just said their good-bye. And you just want to make then whole again. It's been a rough month, and saying good-bye to Jill was so difficult. I hope she feels the love and admiration we all have for her. We will miss her terribly.

Craft and Create with Echo Park Paper: A Tissue Paper Flower Tutorial Video

Today I wanted to share my latest project video for Echo Park Paper. In this video, I use different flower die cuts to create dimensional flowers for gift wrap. Here are the die cuts that I used, which are both from the "Simple Life" collection:

Below is the video. You can also watch HERE on the Echo Park Paper Youtube channel. I have created a playlist of these videos HERE on my Youtube channel as well. Please consider subscribing to both channels so you're updated when we upload a new video to each channel.



Looking for the items used in this video? Consider shopping the supply list below to recreate your own handmade gift boxes.

Suggested Products (click photos for product information):

Echo Park SIMPLE LIFE 12 x 12 Collection Kit SL68016	Echo Park SIMPLE LIFE 6 x 6 Paper Pad SL68023	Echo Park SIMPLE LIFE 6 x 6 Dots & Stripes Paper Pad SL68023	Echo Park SIMPLE FLOWERS Dies Set Simple Life EPMDIE13	Echo Park HELLO Die & Stamp Combo Set Simple Life EPDIE/STAMP3
Neenah Environment 100 LB SMOOTH DESERT STORM Paper Pack 25 Sheets	American Crafts Dear Lizzy DAYDREAMER VALUE PREMIUM RIBBON

InLinkz.com

Stretching Your Scrapbooking Supplies: Embossing Folders Scrapinar

I'm sure you have a few of these tools. You probably own at least the popular "Swiss Dots" folder. Embossing folders are a tool that we have often purchased but sometimes forget to use.

In this month's Scrapinar with Lain Ehmann, the very talented Becki Adams will be sharing new ideas for stretching your embossing folders. I'm excited to see how Becki uses this common tool to dress up her projects. Becki has a fabulous style. You can check out her blog HERE.

Want to listen in? Check out all the details of this scrapinar HERE.


Then plan on joining us on August 26 for this cool event.

Looking for more ways to stretch your supplies? You can find additional products HERE in the Layout a Day store, where you will find over 50 subjects to choose from. Here's a peek at what you might see:

Scrapbook Mythbusting: 5 Ways to Avoid the Creativity Perfection Trap

Welcome to Day #3 of the "No Scrapbooking Police" blog hop! In this series, we'll discuss some popular myths associated with scrapbooking. Be sure to scroll down below for the list of of topics and the designers' blogs you'll want to visit this week during our blog hop.

Today's Topic: Scrapbook Pages SHOULD Look Perfect

I suffer from perfectionism. Perfectionism is the feeling that if something is less than perfect, it must have less value. This is particularly true when it comes to scrapbooking and crafting for me.

I like things to look a certain way when I'm creating a page. And I've been known to tear up an entire page and reprint photos if the layout doesn't turn out quite like I wanted. But honestly I don't like the pressure I feel or the creative cramping that sets in when I try to get everything perfect.

Today I wanted to share five easy ways you can let go of the "creativity perfection trap."

1. Focus on the Finish Line. What's most important about scrapbooking is sharing the story and your love for others. If that is always your main focus, then how you get there really doesn't matter. Here's a layout that's less than perfect, but that still tells the story that I wanted to convey. And while I'm not necessarily in love with the design, I have documented an important story.

2. Enjoy the Process. What's the point of scrapbooking, if you're not even enjoying it? I have had so many people apologetically explain that they gave up scrapbooking because they didn't enjoy it. That's completely ok. There are a million different ways to document your stories, and if scrapbooking isn't the way that brings you joy, then by all means let it go! Here's one layout that I did enjoy creating because it allowed me to play with some very "funky" colors and embellishments. This was a layout where I just played and had some fun:

3. Give Yourself Permission to Fail. If like a child learning to walk, we never got back up again we would never discover that we could run. Try new things. Make mistakes. It's how you learn, improve, and grow. (Plus making messes can be fun.) When I started dabbling in digital scrapbooking, I hardly knew what I was doing. Honestly I still have a lot to learn. But what I did learn were creative ways to add hybrid elements to my pages or to digitally create items for myself such as printables, home decor items, and more. While it took hours of investment to learn and lots and lots of mistakes, I am so grateful for the skills that I gained:

4. Perfection is Subjective. Who decides what "perfect" is anyway? You? Me? Some expert you follow? Learn to define your own definition of perfection. One of my favorite definitions I use for perfection is "complete." Once I reach a point, where I feel a project is complete then I relax and let go. If I judge my own work based on someone else's standards, then I fail to find my own style and voice. Imagine if Picasso had ignored his own inner voice and followed a more traditional style of art. Would we have appreciated his genius then? This is a layout from several years ago. And while the style of scrapbooking has changed, I still love it because it fits my idea of "completeness."

5. Learn to Love It. Just like when I'm trying to help a child recognize their own strengths, I need to encourage myself to do the same. When I look at a completed project, I want to see the good in what I've created. There's zero point in focusing on the negative. Remember #1 listed here. If I've either conveyed the story or shared my love for someone, then I've already accomplished everything I need to. Anything that goes above and beyond that is just icing on the cake. If I love a technique I've invented, great. If I really rocked the photo on my layout, then sweet! Take time to appreciate what you create and share it with others. I love this photo because between the photo and the journaling, I captured a funny little moment in my youngest son's life. Perfection complete!

No one will ever achieve perfection in this life. But if you try these five easy steps, you'll find that you're more pleased with what you do create.

As you read through the topics this week, take a few notes on how you can let go of those scrapbooking myths you've self-imposed. You'll find that you rediscover all that you loved about scrapbooking in the first place.

Want more? Continue to hop through this week's blog hop, by visiting the following blogs below:

August 4 - Paige Evans

A scrapbooking page SHOULD always have a story and lots of journaling

August 5 - Ashli Oliver

Scrapbook pages SHOULD be fast and simple to just get them done

August 6 - Jen Gallacher

Scrapbook pages SHOULD look perfect

August 7 - Melissa Shanhun

Digital scrapbook pages should look as much like a paper page as possible

August 8 - Ashley Calder

Scrapbooking SHOULD be done *this* way

August 9 - Caroline Davis

A scrapbooker SHOULD scrapbook FOR her family

August 10 - Lisa Harris

Scrapbooking SHOULD be a legacy for the scrapbooker's family

August 11 - Connie Hanks

A scrapbooker SHOULD follow the trends and be aware of what others think of her pages

August 12 - Marie-Pierre Capistran

A scrapbooker SHOULD scrapbook chronologically

August 13 - Nancy Gaines

Scrapbooking SHOULD be 12x12 traditional paper pages

August 14 - Cara Vincens

A scrapbooker SHOULD always be caught up

Diary of a Memory Keeper #8: How Does Your Family Feel about Your Scrapbooking?

In this week's episode, I'm discussing how my family feels about my scrapbooking hobby (habit). While they do appreciate the end result, sometimes the in-between gets a little hairy. (Watch the video to see why.)

You can watch the video HERE on my Youtube channel or below:



Be sure join my Youtube channel to view all of my latest videos. You can find my channel HERE.

This week, I'm also participating in an exciting blog series that debunks several of the common scrapbooking myths.

This week-long blog hop, will include articles from popular scrapbookers on a variety of topics. Read through the list below to see what we will cover each day. I will be back tomorrow to discuss perfection a little bit (something I struggle with a great deal). I'm looking forward to reading what the other designers have to say. I hope you'll consider joining us!

August 4 - Paige Evans

A scrapbooking page SHOULD always have a story and lots of journaling

August 5 - Ashli Oliver

Scrapbook pages SHOULD be fast and simple to just get them done

August 6 - Jen Gallacher

Scrapbook pages SHOULD look perfect

August 7 - Melissa Shanhun

Digital scrapbook pages should look as much like a paper page as possible

August 8 - Ashley Calder

Scrapbooking SHOULD be done *this* way

August 9 - Caroline Davis

A scrapbooker SHOULD scrapbook FOR her family

August 10 - Lisa Harris

Scrapbooking SHOULD be a legacy for the scrapbooker's family

August 11 - Connie Hanks

A scrapbooker SHOULD follow the trends and be aware of what others think of her pages

August 12 - Marie-Pierre Capistran

A scrapbooker SHOULD scrapbook chronologically

August 13 - Nancy Gaines

Scrapbooking SHOULD be 12x12 traditional paper pages

August 14 - Cara Vincens

A scrapbooker SHOULD always be caught up

My 2Peas Scrapbooking Workshops: Where to Find Them

I received an update from Two Peas in a Bucket this morning about my three scrapbooking workshops. They are going to return all rights to me. That means that I will be able to share them through other venues. Here are the three courses that I offered on the site:

Tool School: A Creative Approach to Using Your Favorite Tools

 

Words Unsaid: 30 Stories You Might Have Neglected in Your Scrapbooks

 

Scrapbook Stamping: A Creative Guide to Using Stamps in Your Scrapbooks

 

I am in the middle of moving to our new home and that will mean my office won't be completely set up for at least another month. After that time, I will try to have the workshops up and running and in a place you can have access to them.

I am obtaining the email list of all those subscribed to my workshops. When I find a permanent home for those workshops, I will email each of you to let you know how to gain access to the workshops that you've paid for.

Thank you so much for your patience while we negotiated this deal. I'm deeply grateful to Kristina and Two Peas for the opportunity to have both shared my vision and my workshops on their amazing site.Teaching is one of my favorite ways to share this amazing hobby!

Make It Meaningful Videos:

I'm looking forward to sharing more frequent scrapbooking process videos with you. Once my office is no longer a construction zone, I'll let you know how you can watch all of my latest videos. Make sure to subscribe to my blog via email to be updated as to when those videos are available. Also consider subscribing to my Youtube channel HERE so you can view all my videos. 

Additional and Upcoming Workshops:

I'm also excited to announce that I will be teaching again this fall at the True Scrap online scrapbooking event with Lain Ehmann. Details will soon follow on this incredible event.

I was also in the midst of creating a fourth workshop that I will also host either independently or through a partnered workshop website. More details to follow on that as well.

Change is definitely in the air, and while I miss Two Peas terribly, I believe change can also bring exciting opportunities. I hope you'll join me on my new journey!

Tales of a Tract Home: Getting the Keys and Closing

I'm happy to announce that we have closed on our home and took possession of the keys yesterday. I'm excited to make this home our own. I thought you'd like to see a few of the "before" photos of our place. Below are the photos with some thoughts on how I can make it mine.

The faux finish on the walls MUST go. Lighter colors and new flooring. New lighting as well.

New flooring. New lighting. and eventually painting the cabinets white. Yep. Seriously.

Go with lighter colors. Take out the bathtub steps and enclose the very exposed toilet.

This one made me laugh. Eggplant paint colors on the wall (and ceiling). Again, lighter colors, but the rest of the bathroom looks great.

Remove ALL of the brown carpet. Yuck. And then paint over this sunny wall. I don't mind the neutral tan, however.

These are just a few photos of what the home looked like previously. Would you believe it used to have a salon and tanning bed in the basement at one point? I love seeing how one person transforms it to fit their personal style.

While I'm feeling overwhelmed at the thought of moving again, it's going to be an amazing experience. Looking forward to making it more "ours" over the next few years.