pics and growth

As promised here are some of the pics I took this past Thursday when Rob and I went to the park. I can't wait to scrap them. I love what this new lens can do. It is awesome. So glad I decided to get it. I am excited for the weather turning warmer. That means more opportunity to snap away with my camera.

Pssst...can I tell you a secret...starting my own business this year as really given me an entrepenuerial spirit that I never thought I had. I have been thinking of how else I can branch out creatively and I am considering photography among other things. I still have things to learn and plan to take another course or two over the summer, since I will be on break, but I think I may look into this more seriously. The kit club business has not been totally easy. I have learned some hard lessons and some easy ones as well, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I am having fun and I enjoy the business side of it as much as the creative side. We are growing, and that makes me really happy and proud. So who knows, maybe before the end of the year, I will have a new link on my side bar advertising my new photography business.

Growth is my word for this year and I definitely plan to do just that :-)

Rob and I had a great day yesterday. The weather was absolutely beautiful, so went to Forest park and ate dinner outside at the Boathouse. We then went for a walk around the park and I played with my new lens. I have some great shots and will post them in a bit. It was a quiet evening and I love that we can do things like this together. Best part of being married are the quiet moments with my hubby. Love him a bunch.

Another Sneak Peek LO: Madison

Here is another LO using the second kit we will be offering next month. This kit has a different line of Prima paper and is a bit bolder than the kit below. This is my niece Madison. When my sis sent this picture I knew I had to do something with it. She is a gorgeous baby with a lot of spirit and sass. I hope you like it Tiffany and mom.

April Sneak Peek

Here is a sneak peek of some of the product in one of the April kits. Gotta love Prima, Heidi Swapp and bling. The stamp is one of the monthly add ons. Check us out at Color Your Memories kit club

50mm Lens

I was convinced to buy it by the lovely ladies at Willow Traders. I had read about it before, but seeing their pics convinced me. It works fantastic in low light situations. The fruit platter pic I took hand held by candlelight. I also love the perspective it gives on the cookie photo. It will take some time to get used to it. It has no zoom other than my legs :-) and it is a bit tricky to get it to focus on the right spot. Overall it is a good portrait lens and provides sharp details in well lit situations. Not sorry I bought it at all. B&H photo has them at a good price if you are interested.

Funny thing about this hobby is that it causes you to evolve. I became interested in photography through a desire to improve my pics for scrapbooking. Now I truly enjoy it as a hobby unto itself.

Shaking the Blahs

The last few days I have been feeling sort of blah. Nothing dramatic or tramatic has happened. I really do think it is just the weather changing. To shake the blahs yesterday, I went up stairs to my scrap room and worked on a couple of creations. I created this accordion album for a friend of mine at work. Her little boy is a cutie and I think she will get some good use out of it. This was the first time I have ever made a mini album. I think it turned out well. I used a kit from Personal Scrapper. First time in a few months I have scrapped with something that wasn't from my kit club.

I also got my new lens and I love it. I will post some new pics with it. My indoor shots have improved with this lens. It needs very little light to take great photos. Perfect for indoor portraits and it's under $100.

Color Your Memories is Having a Guest DT Contest

Color Your Memories Guest Designer Contest

Description:

Color Your Memories is in search of a Guest Designer for the month of May. Submit your designs using the Crate Cowboy or Crate Carnival collection to our new gallery area. One winner will be chosen based on style and originality. The contest is open to everyone.

Requirements:

Must use the Crate Cowboy or Crate Carnival collection Two submissions per person (can be a LO, card, or altered art) Items must be submitted by March 30th, 2007

The winner will be our May Guest Designer and receive our fabulous May kit to design with. The kit will be packed with new products from CHA (Cherry Arte and Creative Imaginations to name two). Please make sure you upload your creations into the challenges album located in the gallery.


CYM Gallery


I can't wait to see what you create :-)

It's A Card Thing

If you really want to see some cute cards and support another woman owned business, then check out the cards Monica is selling on Etsy: It's A Card Thing I am always happy to support another entrepenuer (sp?). They are cute, one of a kind and handmade.

Mom, here is the LO I was talking about :-) Wait till you see the one of Madison :-)

4 Nice Things

Four Fabulous things about Friday:

1) No School
2) Shopping with a friend
3) The prospect of spending quiet time with my hubby this evening
4) A new camera lens (the Cannon 50mm fixed, I cant wait to play)

Here are the pics for the entry below

My Week

Geez lets see where I should start...

Disclaimer: I have pics to post, but the dumb computer won't let me right now, so i will try again later when Rob gets home from class.

1) Last week I had my first photo shoot. MY friend wanted me to take a picture of her husband and his band for a tv promotion. I was way scared, but it was so low key. They just wnated a picture in front of the water fall at the mall :-) Well because I took the photo, he gave Rob and I tickets to come down to the tv station to watch them perform live. This was too cool. i had never been in a tv station before, let alone for a live taping. It was fun. They had interviews and two chefs cooking on the show as well. I think the show is called The Best of STL.

2) I debuted my March kit last week and I got a lot of positive response back and sold twice as many kits as I did in February :-) I sponsored the ladies over at Memories From Scraps and they did a fantastic job designing with the kit. Check them out!

3) Our romantic getaway was absolutely fabulous. We drove to southern Illinois and toured the wine country there. If you know me, you know I love wineries. The wine there was some of the best we have had. There are eight on the tour, but we only made it to five. Our fave was the peach port that was so smooth, you thought you were drinking fruit juice and not brandy. Each of the wineries were also hosting local artist and displaying their work, which meant a free reception at each place, so we snacked the whole day on good food as well.

4) The best part was the B&B we stayed at. It was a school house built in 1910. As a school teacher, I got a blast out of this. Our suite was an entire classroom. They even had the original blackboards up around the room. There were old school posters, maps, original drinking fountains, original wood floors and the original desks studnets used to use. It was amazing. the owner is a history buff, so he gave us a tour and explained all of the historical details. The gym is tsill there and is used for banquets and catering affairs. It was an awesome experience. The man also fixed us the most amazing breakfast. Bacon, smothered potatoes, pancakes, fresh fruit, eggs, sausage, and juice. Total experience. My hubby is fantastic for planning this all for me. I was totally unaware of where we were going and what we were doing, but it was a fab experience. I am so very lucky.

Haven't updated in a minute. I have been super busy. I still am. Rob is taking me on a secret getaway this weekend, so I won't be able to post until Sunday. I promise a big update on Sunday. TV Station, Photo Shoot, Love, and Kits = My Week :-)

I posted a little peek for you :-) Cindy Liebel's designs are now up in our gallery and they are awesome, you have to check them out.Color Your Memories

Here and There

We have had a pretty uneventful weekend, but here goes :-)

Friday: went to a great Jamaican restaurant with a friend from work and her husband. It was nice to go out with another couple and have adult conversation, laugh, and realize that your marriage is just like others. We have a lot in common and so it is great to laugh about the similarities. I absolutely love curry chicken, and sweet cabbage. Their rum punch was good too. I think the jamaican restaurant is what caused Rob and I too look at timeshares on Saturday :-)

Saturday: no we didn't get a timeshare, but we did browse. We love to travel and we love visiting Jamaica, so it seems like it would be a good fit. Just have to get over the price first :-)

Sunday: I have updated the site and made a few changes. Once I get the guest designer layouts, I will upload them and update the newsletter as well. I said the first, but I get anxious and never make it :-) The March kit has been received very well (I uploaded it early). I am so excited. I sold more March kits in the last 3-4 days than I sold of the February kit. I just want to say thanks to all who have bought and all who have offered encouragement. It means a lot to me. Color Your Memories Kit Club

March Kit Reveal

Okay, I couldn't wait to post the new kits. A special someone over on Willow Traders encouraged me to move ahead of schedule. I hope you all like it. I had great fun putting it together and even more fun scrapping with it. It is currently up for sale on the site: Color Your Memories. The Guest Designer layouts won't be up until the first still.



Here is something else I made with one of the kits.

Show and Tell

I just wanted to share something else I created using one of the kits from March. Click the pic to be able to read the journaling. I am really excited to post the new kits and to move forward with the new format. It's not easy being patient and waiting until the 28th :-) I got two of the new Prima lines delivered yesterday. The colors are gorgeous. The computer screen can't do them justice. Even my husband said, "oh those are nice, great pick." :-) It has the husband seal of approval. Look for these Prima lines in April's kit.

In other news, I am totally stressed at work, but it is totally my fault. I got behind and now my sense of right and wrong is kicking my butt and weighing me down. Darn SpongeBob for making me feel this way :-) Although I did enjoy the three new episodes :-)

Guilty Pleasure

My guilty pleasure today: Instead of using my day off to grade the hundreds of papers I have (grades are due Wednesday), I spent the day watching the SpongeBob marathon. I know, I know, I should be totally ashamed of myself. But oh well, it was a relaxing day :-)

This and That

Oh my goodness, where have I been? I need to play catch up :-)


Life: Valentine's day was very nice. Rob and I went out with two other couples from my job. We had a nice dinner at Juniper Grill and then went to the Chocolate Bar for dessert. Nothing like the softest creamiest chocolate brownie paired with a smooth port. Oh I shiver thinking about how good it is :-)

Rob and I couldn't believe that we will celebrate our fourth anniversary this year. The time has gone by so quickly. Totally know that this is the partner God intended for me.


Work: Going more smoothly since I had a revelation while talking to God one morning. I can not chnage how people act, but I can control my reaction to them. I decided to not let others control my emotions. Each time I get upset, I focus on being better and owning my own feelings. This may help me to get through one more year.


Business: Oh my goodness. I don't think I have ever crunched so many numbers, reviewed items, and made so many changes. But oddly enough I love every moment of it. It is a bit stressful and money is a concern, but I guess that comes with only being open for one or two months. I learned a lot from the mistakes I made the first month, so I guess they become learning opportunities :-) I have decided to switch up the format of the club. I am going to offer two smaller kits each month at a price of $18.50. I love planning kits, so this will give me more opportunity to do so, and the price works for almost all budgets. Here is a layout using one of the kits for March. Totally love how easy this kit was to use and the color combos. Click the pic to be able to read the journaling.

I have been tagged by Kim http://www.droopidog.typepad.com/ , so here goes:

Five Things I Love (not in any particular order)...

1) The smell of buttered popcorn
2) Sleeping inbetween clean sheets after a good shower
3) Feeling pretty after leaving the hair salon
4) When my husband kisses me on my neck from behind
5) Being understood

what do you love....

Random Thoughts

So my hubby is out of town for the weekend and I already feel lonely. I really do love just being with him and around him. And I absolutely hate sleeping in the bed when he is not home. I usually take up residence on the sofa.

In other news, I made my V-day cards, but haven't sent them out yet. I am terrible that way. Hopefully they will get to their destinations on time :-)

Rob and I are eating dinner with two other couples form my job for V-day. I am really excited. My friends are cool and I am looking forward to hanging out and celebrating with other adults.

Only another month of cheerleading activities and the season will be over. I am so tired, I really need to break. Cheerleading is year round and the girls have so many events to cheer for that it really does block up your schedule and free time.

I have almost finalized the designs for future kits. This is a time consuming process and more number crunching than I anticipated, but I really like it. I like the feeling of ownership and knowing that someone else has found your products useful.

Rob has some big plans for us next weekend, but he won't share. He told me to pack an over night bag and clear my schedule for two days. I like surprises, but I like figuring them out more. His only clue so far is that it has something to do with Egypt and is within driving distance. CSI is my fave show, so you know my sluething (sp?) hat is on :-)

Rob and I are in major savings mode and are doing very well. My mom will be happy to know the reason................................................................I have decided to rise above my fear of raising children, so we are actively planning for that in the near future. Lots of people have said very small and random things to me the last few months that have had a big impact. I hear all the stories of my neice and newphew, watch them growing up through pics and hear their voice, and I think I am missing out on this great experience because I am afraid. Well I have decided that Rob and I both have something positive to give. Anyhoo, I will probably talk more about it in another post.

Random Thoughts are over :-)

luv ya,

Friday Rob and I had a really nice evening. We went out to dinner at a new restaurant. Then we headed to this nice little Jazz club to hear Erin Bode perform. I love Erin Bode, I mean love her. Check her music ( http://www.erinbode.com/ ) out if you have never listened to hear. It's kinda like Norah Jones, but with a smoother, softer sound and feel. The performance was great.

Saturday we went back to MealMakers ( www.mealmakers.net ). We love them. The food is good, quick to prepare and helps us to eat better. I can't wait to try out some of the new dishes. I spent Saturday evening pouring over catalogues trying to figure out what to use in the kit club for the next three months. It is a hard process.

Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday, so you know what I will be doing. Absolutely nothing...once I finish the chores I should have done on Saturday. I love football and I am glad Rob introduced me to it. He lost a bet about who would end up in the Superbowl, so he is providing all the food we will graze upon today. Yea, that makes me really HAPPY :-) We filed taxes today and are getting back a nice sum. Enough to pay off our upcoming trip to Europe, to cover expenses, and some to put into savings. That feels real Good.

Thought I would add a couple more cards to the blog. I plan to create some more this weekend. The scan is a little wonky on the one below. Maybe I will take a pic of it instead. Thanks for all of the kind comments about the first set of cards.

Contest Opportunity

Hey You, Yea You...How would you like to be a Guest Designer ??? I have a contest running on the Pub Calendar for our April Guest Designer. I would like to keep the contest competitive, so I am definitely looking for good entires. Here are the details: http://www.trumba.com/calendars/pubs_calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D62608505

Check it out and enter :-) You could be receiving a free April kit filled with new scrapbooking goodies :-)

I realized I hadn't posted any pics or LO's lately, so here goes :-) These are all from my first monthly kit: http://www.coloryourmemories.com . This kit is great for cardmaking. My family expects handmade Valentine's from me each year and they won't be dissappointed this time. Each one will be individual this year, unlike in years past when I duplicated one design :-)

She enjoyed the quiet

This has been an uneventful week and I am okay with that. I exercised twice this week, lost a little weight, didn't pull my hair out at work, enjoyed my husband as usual and created two things this week. Quiet is sometimes okay :-)

For those wondering... YES I have sold some kits :-) Feels good :-)

She is OPEN to new possibilities

We are now open for business. I want to say thanks to all those who offered feedback that I think has helped me to make a quality club.

If you have checked out our site before, please check it again because changes have been made. If you haven't, please stop by :-)

1) The gallery is now open
2) Guest Designer LO's are up
3) The kit now includes two sheets of each colored cardstock
4) There has been a change in price
5) Other add ons have been included

We are also running a contest for a future guest designer, and a themed LO contest for goodies as well. All you need to do is submit what you have created using the kit to the gallery.

Easy as Pie

This month's kit is perfect for documenting the love in your life, be it for a person, an object, or a passion. The kit also works great for cardsmaking, which means you will have enough product to make all your Valentine's Day cards from the heart :-)

Thanks in advance for stopping by :-) :-) :-) Can you tell I am excited???

The Site: www.coloryourmemories.com

She finally did it, hopefully she will do it again

I did it... I excercised on the new elliptical machine today :-) I felt very good after I got off. I started off small (time wise) and hope to do it everyday or every other day. A friend joked that I could get a job at Hooters and wear the cute orange shots if I took advantage of the ski machine. At first I laughed it off, but considering the fact I am quitting my job this may just be a viable option
:-)
LOL
J.K
umm maybe not
:-)
I am having a great day for some unknown reason :-)

She created and was content

I had a great creative day today. I completed two LO's for my next kit and one for my most recent kit. I read some good scrap magazines and generally had a great day. Thankful for days off, especially when they are on Monday. I feel really good about next months kit. I love it and the products in it.

Visited a new church on Sunday. It was a large chrch, but very nice and lively. It felt good to be back in church after being absent for so long. I don't know why not going to church becomes an easier habit than going. Rob and I are spirtual people and believers, so it should come easy for us. I guess being lazy requires less energy and dedication. But we are back on track and search ing for the right spot for us.

Rob and I spent the entire weekend watching footbal. What will we do when it is over in a couple of weeks? I must get a pic of us on the sofa munching on snacks all day long. It would make for a great LO.

Despiet the fact I was munching all weekend...I lost 1.5 pounds. Yea for me. This means I have lost 3.5 or so in the last two weeks. The ski machine comes on wednesday, so pray that I am diligent about using it. Being healthy is part of living a good life :-)

I pray that you have a blessed week and ask that you pray for my peace of mind and clarity of thought as I continue to make decisions about my career path.

Picture Time!!!

One is a pic of the two of us on New Years Eve, one is to show how cold it got this weekend, and the last is a pic I took so I could scrap about my faith.

She decided to take a chance...

I have some big life changes on the horizon. Friday I decided that I would not be resigning the contract at my current job, which means that May will be my last month. Huge change. I have been praying for a while for an answer and the job was getting more stressful day by day and month by month. Friday, three events happened, which to me felt like a sign from above. I am so nervous though because I know that people see and hear signs when they want them. In fact that was the sermon at church today (along with being a true believer when there is nothing left and giving God the praise when he makes a way out of no way). However, I have always prayed hard and found that when God moved me to action ( I am very indecisive) that he had great things in store for me. I am putting my faith in him once again, he has never let me down. Now the question is, do I search for another job in my field or do I use my transferable skills and search for something new. Currently, this is what I am praying for. An answer as to the new direction my career and life should take.

Yes, I am starting the kit club ( www.coloryourmemories.com ) but I am just starting it, so I am not sure about the returns, so I must find something else to supplement it. I want something creative, which is why I started the kit club. I want to create and surround myself with beauty, peace and enlightenment. I want to discover my creative spirit. Here's to hoping it pays well :-)

Thank You

Today I just want to say Thank You to my husband. Thank you for being so accepting, so kind, so understanding. Thank You for being a true man by being a great provider. Thank You for allowing me to be content, when the other choice could be so much easier. Thank You for actually being all that you said you would be on our wedding day. Thank You. Enough said.

She decided her outside should be just as gorgeous as her inside

Guess what Rob and I did. Yep, you got it. We bought an elliptical machine for the house. I know what you are thinking, hey Keianna, what about that 2 year gym membership you never used, which cost the family a small fortune. My response, this is different. This machine is in my house, so I can do it whenever I want. I don't have to drive anywhere and I can go straight from working out to the shower. I can do it in the morning at night, or after dinner. Rob can chat with me, I can watch tv or read a mag while on it. Plus, this ws really the only machine I liked at the gym besides the leg weights. I am fairly optimistic and we got it at a bargain. So there, next week I will be gliding toward better health.

On the note of being healthier... Rob and I went to Meal Makers again www.mealmakers.net and bought two weeks worth of dinners. I absolutely love this place. I took pics of course and will post them later. Their food is good, quick, and healthy. Check them out. There are also places called Super Suppers, Lets do Dinner and My Girlfriends Kitchen. I can't vouch for them, but they are options.

She dreamt a big dream and made it come true...

First off, I must say thanks to Heidi Swapp for turning me on to the SHE book. When I first got it, I thought umm, not a whole lot to it, just some phrases and quotes. Then I finally got it. It is about personal affirmation and realizing our potential as women. It is about celebrating you.

The main reason I haven't been blogging lately is because I have been working so hard to put the final touches on my website for my new business venture. Yep people, I am a business woman. The site went live on Wednesday night. Oh my goodness. I am so excited and scared and nervous and did I mention scared and oh yeah RELIEVED. There was something very freeing about making it public. I did my best and now it is out there. I can't do anything else but pray that my hardwork pays off. And that's the freeing part. I did all the planning and now it is in God's hands. If it is meant for me, it will be successful. If it is not meant, then God will show me something new and lead the way. I must admit that I am biased and hoping it is meant to be :-) The kit will also be advertised in the next issue of Simple Scrapbooks Magazine. I figured that's how I stumbled upon the sites I joined, so here's to hoping it proves successful for my business as well. Anyhoo, check out the site and send me an e-mail to let me know what you think. My business e-mail is listed on the About Us page :-) www.coloryourmemories.com

Christmas Recap

Who's a bad blogger??? ME ME ME
Where to start lets see. Christmas was great. Drove 10 hours to LA to visit my hubbies family. We had a great time. The food was good and the fellowship was even better. We went to his brother in laws church and had an enjoyable time. Their church is all about God and not about rituals, traditions and putting on airs. It was praise in its best form. They cooked so much food it was unbelievable. All tasty. Rob's mom made church punch, which made me a little sad because it reminded me of my granny that past away about two years ago. We always had church punch at church functions, which I went to with her. Good memory that I plan to scrapbook. Got some cool gifts there as well. Rob and I decided not to exchange gifts this year. Not because of financial reasons, but because we didn't need to. neither of us needed anything (thanks be to God), and neither of us wanted anything we hadn't already bought (thanks to God again). So we decided it wasn't necessary. That's my Christmas wrap up. Stay tuned.

I Have Been Tagged

A - Available/Single? Married
B - Best Friend? DH, Robert
C - Cake or Pie? I like cake, especially Red Velvet :-)
D - Drink Of Choice? White Wine
E - Essential Item You Use Everyday? Lotion
F - Favorite Color? Red
G - Gummy Bears Or Worms? Gummy Bears (Black Forest Brand)
H - Home or Homesick? Home is whereever my DH and I are :-)
I - Indulgence? Cheese and Carmel Popcorn
J - January Or February? January- I like new beginnings
K - Kids & Their Names? None
L - Life Is Incomplete Without? God, Family, Close Friends and Scrapping :-0
M - Marriage date? November 29th 2003
N - Number Of Siblings? Karrie, Pierre, and Tiffany
O - Oranges Or Apples? Pears
P - Phobias/Fears? Failure
Q - Favorite Quote? Too many to name.
R - Reason to Smile? Unconditional Love
S - Season? Fall, I love sweaters and changing leaves.
T - Tag 3 or 4 people? They would kill me :-) LOL
U - Unknown Fact About Me? I wanted to be a professional cheerleader :-)
V - Vegetable you don’t like? Lima Beans YUCK
W - Worst Habit? Cracking my knuckles
X - X-rays You’ve Had? Teeth and Knee
Y - Your Favorite Food? Deep Dish Pizza
Z - Zodiac Sign? Virgo, I am true to my sign.

Anniversary Trip Photos

This was our second time staying in St.Genevieve and enjoying the wineries. We drove down in the morning and ate breakfast at the Tin Roof, which is where we enjoyed an early breakfast our first time visiting. We watched a Christmas parade and enjoyed the carolers. We stayed at a different B & B. It was great. The room was well decorated and the jacuzzi tub was on a platform. We visited our fave wineries and enjoyed some quality time together. We ate dinner at the same restaurant we visited on our first trip. I think we are starting to establish some traditions :-) It is a great weekend getaway. Fond memories each time :-)

Wine Party Photos

These are from the wine party my co-worker had at her house. Rob and I had a great time. Our wine didn't win, but it came in second. Her food was AWESOME. She is thinking about starting a catering business. Rob and I think she should go for it. Maybe she could ctaer our other co-worker's wedding :-) These are straight from the camera, no touch up in Adobe.

She Always Wants to Learn and Grow

You know what I like most about life...the fact that each day you wake up you can learn something new and different. This business venture has taught me so much. Today I learned how to make Blinkies (Thank You Fran for the super easy tutorial). I am very proud of myself. Now I can show support for my dream on appropriate message boards and other forums. Those who believe in my product can also show support by using the Blinkie. I am excited. The launch date is January 31st, which will be here before you know it. Without further ado...here is my Blinkie :-)



In other news, we are going to Shreveport, LA to spend Christmas with Rob's family. I haven't seen them in a while, so I am looking forward to it.

The holiday happy hour for my job was this past Friday and we had a great time.

I still have Christmas shopping to do (shame on me).

My Christmas break starts on Thursday, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Oh and my girls performed at the assembly on Friday and did a great job, so Kudos to them :-)

Fave Christmas Memory

On a message board I belong to, the question was asked about our fave christmas memory.

Here is mine:

My fave Christmas memory happened when I was in high school. My mom hid all of our gifts around the house and gave us a list of clues to follow. Each clue led to your next gift and each gift built up to your most prized possesion. It was the best. You should have seen us ripping through the house giggling and helping each other figure the riddles out. It is by far one of my fondest memories. My mom was/is super cool. Love her too death :-) Definitely somethign I would do for my kids. We had so much fun that morning. After we found all of our gifts we had breakfast as usual. Good memories.

What's yours???

Who's a bad Blogger...ME. Sorry, but I have been super busy. For my friends that I haven't called back, I am still alive and doing well. The Christmas party for my job was last Friday and it was nice. I have great blackmail photos of my fellow teachers getting it on on the dance floor :-) Good times I tell you. An open bar is guaranteed entertainment. I am just kidding we were still very respectable. Our anniversary weekend was nice. The B&B we stayed at was really nice. We spent some good quality time together. I love wineries and I love the coziness of B&B's. You gotta stay in one if you haven't before.

Business planning is going well. I think I am almost done putting the final touches up on the website. I have been ordering things like crazy and I am getting really nervous about succeeding. But that is life. I know I have done my best and with that I can be proud when I open my doors in late January. Time is definitely creeping up :-)

Christmas is around the corner and I haven't done any shopping lately. Will do so this Saturday. A friend is hosting a wine dinner this Friday night. I am looking foward to it. There is also a contest for the best wine, and I think Rob and I have a chance of winning :-)

I will post pics from the weekend once Rob gets the new computer up and running.

love ya,

Irony and a Bright Side

Irony is a concept that I teach the kids over and over again. They don't always get it, but I stress it all the time. For this past valentine's day, Rob and I decided to go out of town to a B&B in St.Genevieve. The day before we left was the coldest day of the year, and the worst weather. Still we trucked on and had a great time. We decided to go back to this same B&B to celebrate our anniversary this upcoming weekend (our anniversary was on Wednesday, but we couldn't get off mid week). Well, today we got the worst weather of the year again, the worst snow storm I have seen since I have lived here and I don't think we will be able to escape this time. Over five inches of snow, which is layered over ice. Total bummer and a good example of irony. The worst weather only happens when we try to travel to St.Genevieve.

Bright side.....I get to practice snow photos with my digi rebel for the first time.

Bright side #2.... I can make some of those business calls I haven't been able to get around to. Everything for the business is falling in place and I will be opening in February instead of late March. So excited it is actually happening :-) Our Ad will be in one of the mags that come out in March. Advertising is sooo important. I will start posting more info about what I am specifically doing later this month. I didn't want to put it out there and jinx myself or anything. But everything is going so well I just feel so blessed.

Do you know what I learned today ??? I learned that webpages are not very easy things to build or customize even after you have been given a template. However, I will not be beat by the computer. Not me, not today!!!! :-)

I had a very restful break. I think I can keep going for 3 more weeks (Christmas Break).

My mom and sis left safely. Always good to have them visit.

Saw the James Bond movie. It is long, but it is also action packed. I enjoyed it.

Can't wait for this weekend. Christmas party at work on Friday and then our anniversary trip on Saturday. Wine, fine dining, my hubby, and a whirlpool. Should be oh so nice.

Do you know what I learned today ??? I learned that webpages are not very easy things to build or customize even after you have been given a template. However, I will not be beat by the computer. Not me, not today!!!! :-)

I had a very restful break. I think I can keep going for 3 more weeks (Christmas Break).

My mom and sis left safely. Always good to have them visit.

Saw the James Bond movie. It is long, but it is also action packed. I enjoyed it.

Can't wait for this weekend. Christmas party at work on Friday and then our anniversary trip on Saturday. Wine, fine dining, my hubby, and a whirlpool. Should be oh so nice.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROB !!!!

I just want to say Happy Birthday to my hubby. He is the greatest. I am thankful that he has another year to grow, to become who he is destined to be, and another year to blessed and to be a blessing. Love you Babe :-)

Thankful

I am THANKFUL for:

my family
my supportive husband
my health
my friends
my financial security
my creative outlet
my dreams
my life
my God

BE BLESSED today everyone and remember to GIVE THANKS for all the things we have been given...

I have some scrap supplies I am selling on e-bay. Some is extra new stuff I had and some is extra old stuff that I never used. I decided to sell it in a little scrap holiday bundle. Check it out.
E-Bay:

NO SCHOOL on Thursday or Friday, so I am intensely thankful for that :-)

I am an official business owner as of today. Yea me. I can now buy and sell products legally. I am so excited. I passed the paperwork test and can now focus on the business development and creative process. I am excited. I read an article yesterday that was very sobering, but still I was inspired to continue, which to me means that this is the right path for me.

My mom and younger sister are coming down on Wednesday night. It will be nice to see them. I am kinda sad that my other sister and her family won't be able to make it though. I love them dearly.

On Thursday I think I will blog about all I am Thankful for this year.

I wish everyone a HAPPY TURKEY and FAMILY BONDING DAY

I found some of my mojo Friday night :-) Thanks to www.personalscrapper.com , they are having an online crop. I created two LO's and it felt good after not having made anything in two weeks. One of the LO's is gorgeous. A personal best and absolutely going in my HOF entry. 5/10 LO's are completed. Rob looked at it and said I love it, I don't know why, but I love it. This was my reaction as well. It all just blends so well.

I just got over a cold last week only to get sick again on Friday. I guess it is a price you pay for working with kids. I hope it doesn't take me almost 3 weeks to get over this one as well.

Oh yeah, I am completely legal now, since I changed my SS# on Friday. Now the government recognizes me by my married name. Tiffany, you need to make that switch as well. You feel like a new person, lol :-)

Looking forward to trying to get some nice family photos this week as well. I am never very good at photographing people other than Rob and myself. I think that may be a hinderance to starting a photography business :-) so you won't see me advertising for that anytime soon, lol :-)

Oh, one more thing... I applied for my business license this past week as well. Yeah, I am very proud of myself and excited. I only have about 10-20% more governmental paperwork to complete. This has to be the biggest hurdle :-) I start work on the website next month. Love the creative experience inherent in that.

I am THANKFUL for the right to DREAM...

Luv ya :-)

Continually Learning

Yesterday, I went to the starting a small business workshop. It was worth the money. I learned a lot of stuff, got some good resources, and walked away with a better picture of all that I will need to do. I learned a lot about the legalities, licenses, and taxes associated with owning your own business.

I will admit it is a little more than I anticipated. However, I think that is because I dream big. There are a bunch of ways I could scale down my business idea, but why should I. If I am going to be bold and take a chance, than I should be just as bold and give it my all. I want it to be nice, not simply sufficient.

Rob is great and has been super supportive. He listens to me babble on and on and lets me bounce a million ideas off of him. How did I get so lucky, I just don't know. But I do thank God for him each and everyday.













I just sketched out my Ad for the magazines. I need to take it into Adobe and play around with it. Here is my advertising tagline: Bring Your Memories to Life

Just a Simple Reminder

Just a simple reminder to appreciate the moments that make up our life (read this on Melody Ross's Blog):

"For most of life, nothing wonderful happens. If you don't enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the chances are that you're not going to be very happy. If someone bases his happiness or unhappiness on major events like a great new job, huge amounts of money, a flawlessly happy marriage or a trip to Paris, that person isn't going to be happy much of the time. If, on the other hand, happiness depends on a good breakfast, flowers in the yard, a drink or a nap, then we are more likely to live with quite a bit of happiness." ~Andy Rooney

Confronting Doubt and Winning :-)

So I confronted my fear yesterday, took action against it, and came out victorious. In the past I think I probably would have let the doubt plague me until I decided it was a sign that this wasn't the path for me. It seems like chickening out in a sense, but when I think about it, if I was that easily discouraged than maybe it did mean I wasn't ready to move on and face the next challenge. Today I am ready to press forward and continue with discovering and carving a new road for myself. I was victorious yesterday and it felt really good. As women we need to believe more in the awesome power that we possess. We really are capable of anything.

I am getting my driver's license switched to my married name today ( I know it only took me three years :-) I have to in order to get my passport for our trip to Europe this upcoming summer. Also, I must say that this passport business is a rip off. Why on earth does it cost $95 to prove who I am ?????

Hoping to get some scrapping done this weekend FINALLY. I took some really great photos of Rob recently and I haven't scrapped them yet. I can't wiat for most of the new Christmas lines to come in my kit clubs or to come to my local Archiver's. LOVING the new CRATE and BASIC GREY paper lines. Just yummy stuff :-)

One of my action items today was to find out about advertising costs for scrapbooking magazines. The best way for a business to thrive is through effective advertising. I have wondered why more scrap businesses don't advertise in the mags and now I know. Almost $500 for a 4x2 ad space, for only one issue. Crazy I tell you. I have another big action step this weekend and next week. It is really coming along and I am glad.

In the book yesterday (Inside Every Woman), I read that if you begin to have doubts, you must conquer the fear or you will be forever frozen. I had a doubt earlier this week, and I plan to try and overcome it this weekend. Wish me luck.

It has been a busy week. Grades were due Wednesday in the computer and of course I was totally behind on my grading. For two and a half days all I did was grade. Fortunately I got it all done.

Congratulations to my hubby on his promotion and big pay raise. To celebrate we went to a steak house and had steak, lobster, and desert pear margaritas. Oh it was so GOOD. I am really happy and proud of him. His job has five levels and he has made level three in only five years. So proud of him and his talent and intelligence. You have to love an intelligent man :-)

We made plans for our anniversary. We are going on a two hour drive to wine country and staying at a B&B. We booked a limo to drive us to two of the wineries down there. I can not wait until the first weekend of December. I hope the room has a roaring fire place and a whirlpool. What could be more romantic? Someone asked if it has been a long or short three years and the answer is SHORT. Time is flying by, which I think is a good thing.

I haven't scrapped in almost a week and a half. I ran out of good pics and I am at a loss of what to scrap. This is the one time I wish I had kids :-) Hopefully I can get some good holiday pics this year.

I have felt lazy lately, like I wasn't utilizing my time well. The book I am reading has inspired me to be more productive with the moments of my day. So I started this new concept. I wrote down five areas of my life I wish I was more productive with (health, home, self, husband, work) . Each morning in my planner I write down one thing I will do to be productive or proactive in that area. Each night I cross off my list. It has been working well so far this week. I have done a lot and feel good at the end of the day.

Playing Catch Up

I have been a bad blogger :-( Sorry

I don't have long now, but I wanted to remind everyone to vote tomorrow. There are key issues on the ballot and you want to make sure that your voice is heard. Voting is a gift we need to enjoy when the time comes around.

Making progress with my new business venture. I am going to a small business workshop next week to gather information on taxes and certain licences. I think I have found a good company to host and create my site.

Work is work, it is going by quickly, which is always a good thing :-)

My third anniversary is coming up at the end of the month. Time has just flown by.

I have completed four of the ten LO's for the HOF contest. I am proud of my entries so far. I need more photos though, so I can finish up.

I am loving the book: Inside Every Woman. It is filled with inspiration and motivating me to make some key life changes.

I had Quiche for breakfast on Sunday at a cute cafe and spent the rest of the day watching football on the sofa with my hubby. Enjoyed both tremendously.

Saurday we went to a trendy cuban bar/restaurant and ate tapas for dinner and had mojitos. The mojitos were great and the cuban/caribbean food was tasty as well.

Be Blessed Everyone :-)