Scrapfest Class Project

This is one of the classes I taught for Scrapfest. It was super fun and also gave me a chance to reflect on the WHY I scrap. This is a little tiered hanger that I put on my bathroom mirror so that I see it every morning when I am getting ready. I liked this project so much, I did a different one for all 4 bathrooms in my house. All variations on the same theme. MY BLESSINGS.

The WHY!- I do it as a CREATIVE outlet. I do it to document everyday events that I want to look back and remember. I do it so my girls will say,"MAMA, what in the world was I doing in that picture??" For an opportunity to share our history with them. I do it to teach my girls how to be creative, artistic, thoughtful. I do it to leave a LEGACY. So many reasons. Recently I have had some things going on in my life and have heard someone say that I am letting scrapping take the place of my PRIORITIES. I really had to question that. I have come to KNOW that that remark was made out of jealousy and ignorance. Scrapbooking is something I NEVER thought I would do. I was asked to join groups several times and declined, the thought of gluing little pics. to construction paper made me gag. Then I did a little research... From there a whole new world opened. Scrapbooking has saved my sanity. I live in a VERY small town and have had nothing in common with anybody here. For five years I did nothing to stimulate my creativity. Through Scrapping I have made lifelong friends, built my self-esteem, challenged the limits of my creativity, and brought an art into my home that my kids are loving to do WITH me! I am teaching them how to document their thoughts and teaching them to say exactly what they were feeling about a moment, and they are able to see and read MY thoughts.

The Result!- The scrapper world has been such an awesome place to meet people and get to know why others enjoy this art. To share laughs and tears, to support a cause. This weekend Jessica Sprague said to do what you do with intention. Don't let anything get in your way. I am there. I am so thankful for this weekend. I knew GOD was going to use it to reveal something important to me and of course, he did. Thanks ladies for all of your hard work and attention to detail! It was a BLAST!

Recent Projects and Layouts!

This Layout was a challenge for me literally. My friend Maureen is a phenominal scrapper and she and I have VERY different styles. At Scrapfest we decided to challenge each other to do a layout in the "style" opposite our own. It was great fun and very liberating to do a layout in under an hour! I used the packaging from some Prima flowers( CUTE birdies), and stickled those, a Jenni Bowlin journaling tag, my Prima flower, Heidi Swapp Quote, and a playing card from my junk stash. TOO FUN!

This layout was REALLY fun! I think it was fun because of all of the bright products I used. Sassafras, Love Elsie, Jenni Bowlin (the little tissue paper flower was one I did on my own, but this weekend Jenni showed me how to make HER version!) and several other pieces and parts from my stash. I loved stamping summer words in the crossword puzzle background.

Detail of BERRY SWEET!

Here are a few of my latest layouts and one of the projects I taught at Scrapfest. As you may have noticed(oops) I am not a great blogger. BUT, the joy of this crazy blogger world is that I can add stuff whenever I get ready! This weekend was amazing and I really want to get some goodies up from Atlanta, hopefully I will be a little quicker with those since they involve some of the BEST scrappers in the industry and some of my best friends! Coming soon...

See Ya!

This bird has flown the coop. Left the nest, Gone the way of the DoDo! I am packing my junk to get on a Big Bird and head to Atlanta in the a.m.! It's gonna be SOOOO FABULOUS! The Scrap Etc. Girls know how to have an awesome time! So do my Scrappin PEEPS! I really need this good time away. Take care, and if my plane happens to crash, tell Andy to get out of this hole and move my kids to Jackson! Also, I hope you all noticed my mention of birds throughout, but seriously, I hope there are NO birds around when that plane engine fires up tomorrow a.m.! Fun Stuff Later!!!

Can't Stinking Wait...

I am officially EXCITED! My scrappy gals and I have been working on attending this event since two months before Christmas. Now it's less than ten days away and I am finally letting myself get excited! We are boarding the plane next Thursday and heading to Atlanta. It's gonna be awesome... See you girls soon!

P.S. For those of you that know me so well... this is just another opportunity for me to let my "hobby" come before my responsibilities as a wife and mother. I find this particular comment... hilarious!

Easter Weekend

These are just a few of the kids listening to Ms. Jodi tell the story of Jesus. They were listening very closely.

The hostesses! A bit fuzzy, but you get the picture.

Me, Chowin down on some yummy stuff Melanie made.

The Spread.

The Transformation.

Making an Entrance.

Sweet Bethey's Girls!

Adeline on the hunt.

Lillian on the hunt.

My always encouraging and uplifting friend Jodi doing the Resurrection Eggs.

Sweet Friends.

One pick from Playschool hunt. Lillian loves these two!

My sweet girls being silly Easter morning.

These are just a few of the pics we "caught" this weekend!

EASTER Fun!

We had our annual Easter Egg hunt today and it was tons o fun! It has gotten so big I can't do it alone. This year I asked two of my closest friends to help and they were eager to participate. Jennifer and Melanie and I had a great time planning and putting on our hunt. The kids had a blast as well. My friend Jodi did the Resurrection eggs, the older kids hid eggs, moms got the food ready, and Andy begrudgingly donned the bunny suit. He was not really excited about being the bunny, but he did it for the girls.I can't tell you how much it means to have real people in my life. I have waited so long to find those kinds of friendships and GOD has blessed me with these women and several others. You know you are loved when your friend keeps your children all day then brings them home, and you come in to find her dusting your furniture. I was once again reminded of what life is really about as I watched the kids playing and family and friends hanging out just visiting and laughing.
Everyday God reveals blessings to me. He died for me. He rose! He has also shown me that it is not always convenient to serve him. Thank YOU GOD for putting people in my life who love ME for me. I appreciate and love them so much. Once again HE shows me how to think outside of the right here and now.
I could definitely go on, but I am trying not to drag it out. Here are a few pics from our Happy Day.


I can't stay awake. I will add pics tomorrow. Just wanted to get these thoughts down while they are on my heart.

Revelation.

Today was my due date for our third child. I find myself being a little melancholy but then I remember that GOD is in control and HE has a bigger and better plan for me. One that I cannot even imagine. He has saved my life so many times and brought me out of SO many pits. I will not let myself dwell there. He gives me strength and I will use it to praise him!

Opening Night... Willy Wonka!

Before...

And After!

This is just a snapshot of my OOMPA LOOMPA and Candyman Girl(?)/Squirrel before the excitement began last night. Next, is a shot almost four hours later! They were pooped! I will be adding more pics after tomorrow , the last two of the four performances (CRAZY)! I say I will add them anyway.... I always get caught up in another adventure and the blog falls by the wayside! They did an excellent job, of course the other kids did too, but I am particularly fond of these two!! I am so thankful for the family and friends who attended and supported the girls. It means so much to us! Thanks for all of the gifts, flowers, well wishes, emails, and prayers. They thought they were something with those FIVE bundles of flowers. It looks like a florist in my kitchen. They admire them and sniff them every time they walk by. Enough about that!

Gotta post some Scrapfest pictures! Got another event coming up and I can't wait. It's JUST for fun! Then it's time to prepare my projects for classes I am teaching this Summer!! I will list those ASAP. We are busy busy as usual! Thanks for taking the time to check in on us!

For those of you who have not seen the commercial yet that the girls did, I am trying to get a copy to post on here. It came out today on the local channels. It is SO funny. Then again... Maybe I won't. Too much fun to be had! Can't be stuck to this computer!

Until then...

Friends....

TRUE Friends LOVE you in spite of your faults, failures, and insecurities.
Thank You.
You all know who you are.

Guest Post: Kerry from ScrapFest!

Hi This Little Birdie Readers,

Anna Bess is being her creative self at ScrapFest! and asked me to post a little something for her.

I thought I would tell you a little about my friend AB. She is not only my scrappy sister, she is a dear friend and a fabulous spirit. Everyone talks about how talented my friend is (and she is), but she's also one of the funniest people I've ever known. Did you know she drives a cursed minivan? Did you know she uses Dove Chocolate wrappers on her scrapbook pages so she can snack and scrap? Did you know that my girl loves a monster ballad? Oh, yeah, she does.

Peace out,

Kerry