Another exciting announcement!

I know it has been a while since I blogged. There's so much to tell! Since I last blogged 2 months ago, I have lost 13 pounds and had knee surgery... but those stories will have to wait. What I really want to tell you about is my new gig as a design team member for Basically Bare!

I am so delighted to join the DT for this wonderful company! As you may have seen in a previous post, Basically Bare makes really cool alterable items for paper crafting. It is a fairly new company, but their products made a HUGE splash at Summer CHA. Basically Bare products are now being sold all over the U.S. and in several other countries! I am thrilled to share my projects using Basically Bare products beginning on the blog in September. In the meantime, please stop by the blog and look at all of the fantastic projects that the other designers have made.

Warning: Lifestyle Change Ahead

If you have looked at any of my layouts, then you know that I am a chubby girl. Unfortunately, I have been a chubby girl for the majority of my life. In middle school, I was called all sorts of things by some terribly mean boys. Maybe this fat roll had something to do with it:

Me circa 1985. Nice stomach.

Nothing changed much in high school. Still much bigger than all my friends. Thankfully I don't have any pictures on hand to show. However, I must say that I am less embarrassed about my weight than my really really really big hair.  College was more of the same... way bigger than anyone else I knew.

As an adult, I have lost weight several times. My best efforts were back in 1998-1999 and then again a couple of years ago when I lost 40 lbs. But it always came back. I could never wrap my mind around the idea of "healthy living" vs. "diet". I could only see "diet" as a temporary thing. Then came turning 35. I began putting on weight in weird places that I had never worried about before. I've always had a lower stomach "pooch", but this upper stomach muffin top thing? That's new. Horrible fat pouch above my elbow? I had only previously seen those on old ladies. My knees hurt, my hips hurt, and I was miserable.

Me with my friend Twhyla and Atlanta Braves relief pitcher
(and 2011 All-Star!) Jonny Venters in 2010

See the terrible upper stomach fat roll? GROSS!

So about a month ago, I came to the realization that I needed help. I knew I couldn't lose weight on my own so I joined Weight Watchers. It's a great plan with lots of great success stories. The best part is that they promote a healthy lifestyle vs. "a diet". Then this week I did something even more incredible: I joined Curves. Me, the most anti-exercise person EVER, working out at least 3 times a week? Who would have thought?

I promise to keep y'all updated on my weight loss/lifestyle change as I go along. With about 80 pounds to lose, it's going to take a while. And who knows? This may be some great scrapbook material!

It's MY week at Scrapping Shoebox!

I am proud to be the newest member of the Scrapping Shoebox design team and I am totally psyched because it is MY WEEK! Yep, I get to post anything scrap-related so today I posted a very summer-y layout.

You can read about the materials I used and check out other coolness over at Scrapping Shoebox. Come back this week for more goodies from me!

June Challenge #1 @ BLTS

The first of the June challenges is up over at Better Living Through Scrapbooking. I loved this challenge because I got to do a layout about one of my favorite activities: sleeping!

The prize for this month is fantastic! The winner of this month's challenge contest gets $25 to spend at the Basically Bare store.... What? You don't know Basically Bare? You're going to love them! 

Basically Bare is a new company that specializes in making "alterable items for paper artisans" (that's their tagline... cute huh?). These alterable items are wonderful embellishments and albums that are designed for you to make them your very own. The products come "plain" and are made of corrugated cardboard, felt, acrylic, chipboard, or canvas. Then you can paint them, dye them, ink them, sand them, or do whatever you want to them! The bird in my layout is a Basically Bare felt bird that I inked with regular chalk ink. Below is an example of the felt birds as they come. 

 

(In full disclosure mode, I did receive free samples from Basically Bare to use in my DT projects. However, I was under no obligation to write about them here on my blog. I just am because I really like the products! I also like the fact that all of Basically Bare's products are made in the USA.)

So head on over to Better Living Through Scrapbooking and see what you can do with the challenge. We would love to see your work!

Exciting "official" news!

Back in April, I told you that I was going to be the guest designer for the month over at Scrapping Shoebox. For my tutorial, I showed you how to make a cute little mini-album using just one sheet of 12"X12" paper (which I still think is one of the coolest things ever!).

Well, I am happy to announce that the owner of the site liked it so much that I was asked to join the design team full-time! I've known for a while but wanted to wait until it was "official". I am so honored to be part of this site and to be representing the US (the site is based in Australia).

If you haven't visited Scrapping Shoebox, what are you waiting for? Every week, there will be Tuesday Tips and a new project from each DT member. It's a great little site that I am sure you will love.

Another exciting piece of news is that I have been asked to stay on as a DT member at Better Living Through Scrapbooking. This is great for me because I love the site and I love my fellow DT members. Beth and Jamie are so talented and make such wonderful projects. So stop by BLTS and participate in our monthly challenges. There are great prizes each month; this month's prize is a $25 gift certificate to Basically Bare (they make really cool alterable items from cardboard, felt, etc.). 

Finally I send out a big "thank you" to each and every one of you reading this. You have all been so great in supporting me as I pursue my dream of working in the crafting industry. Your comments and cheers have meant so much to me. Sometimes it is hard to "toot my own horn",so to speak, when it comes to accomplishments; however, I have learned that it really is OK to be proud of yourself when you do something well. Thank you for allowing me to do that here on this blog (and in your Twitter feeds, and in your Facebook feeds, and your emails....)!

Hot fun in the summertime

I don't know about where you are, but here in Georgia, it is crazy hot! Nothing but 90+ degree days for the last couple of weeks makes it hard to do anything but sit inside & enjoy the air conditioning. However, I have ventured out for some fun lately.

In May, I went to an Atlanta Braves double-header....

... the NHRA Southern Nationals (and got my picture made with my favorite driver, Tony Schumacher)...

... and a Native American Pow Wow!

Isn't she so stinkin' adorable?

What have you been up to lately?

No mojo + weeklong migraine = no blogging!

This month has been tough. I have had no desire to be crafty. Absolutely none. Is it the weather (around here it's at least 90 degrees every day)? Is it my terrible ADHD kicking into overdrive? Whatever the case, I have done nothing!

Add to that the fact that I have had a migraine for a WEEK and you've got one lazy blogger!

June will be better! I have made a promise to myself that I will get my mojo back this month!

New mini-album tutorial

The wonderful website Scrapping Shoebox has posted my tutorial today. In it, I show you how to make a mini-album with just one sheet of 12"X12" paper! I think the project is really cute and it is sooooo easy (and it would make a great brag book for moms or grandmas for Mother's Day -- hint, hint!).

So head on over to Scrapping Shoebox for the full step-by-step project instructions. If you like it, leave a comment!