Mariposa Sale and Freebie!

First of all, I'd like to thank all the great people who commented on my daughter's blog today! She was so excited to come home from summer school and have 20 comments on her blog--and they kept coming! Everyone went above and beyond--not just mentioning where they are from, but also throwing in a piece of trivia about the area or describing the geography. She is so excited about it, that we are headed to the store tomorrow to by a huge world map and an atlas. On the wall map, we are going to put push pins in the map to show where all her blog visitors are from.

She has a few goals--have at least one blog visitor from each continent and one from each state in the US. On her Atlas, we will mark where each visitor is from as well as their name and a piece of information about the state. Maybe the state flower, capital, and vacation hot spot. She and I are both excited to see what this brings. (I love geography and am hoping that this sparks a love in her as well.) So, thanks thanks thanks! Her blog is HERE if you want to leave a comment. (Please note: she made another post yesterday while I was at work so I haven't had a chance to sit down with her and proof-read!)

Now, on to the designs! I've just put a new hybrid album in the store--Mariposa Abby Album. It is made to fit the Cosmo Cricket Abby ALbum that is now available at Digitals! Yep, we have the physical Cosmo Cricket albums, so if you don't have a local scrapbook store nearby, you can purchase one from Digitals and we'll send it to you! Isn't that exciting?!

All of my Mariposa Collection is on sale for 25% off for a week!

Don't forget that I've also got "Fall into School" on sale for 25% off

"Father and Son" for 50% off

"Vintage Photo Clusters" for 25% off

"A Whisper of Spring Luggage Tag Album" for 25% off!

Is that not enough?! Well in honor of Digitals foray into hybrid, all my hybrid albums are on sale for 25% off! AND, what's even more exciting is that we are having blog train daily download giveaway! Several of the designers at Digitals will be offering up one of our hybrid albums as a daily download on our blogs. As of right now, we have about 8 designers giving away a page a day on each of their blogs. At the end of 10 days, you'll have 8 free hybrid albums! Isn't that incredible!? Be sure to check back Tuesday night for day one and to get the links to the other blogs. The links will only be good for one day, so don't dally!


If you've read this far, here is a freebie that coordinates with my Mariposa Cosmo Cricket Abby Album.

Download HERE!

A shout out to my daughter and a freebie!

My 13 year old daughter has started a blog! We are using it in her homeschooling as a way to get her writing, proof-reading (ok, she definitely needs help in this arena), and spelling. We are trying several things to motivate her in her writing efforts, the blog being one of them. She went nuts when she saw someone from Australia post a comment on my blog, so I thought I would encourage visitors (and comments) to her blog by giving her a freebie to give away. So, if you have time, I'd love it if you stopped by her blog and left her a comment. Be sure to let her know where you are from--we'll use that in a geography lesson! Be sure to stop in every now and then and check out what she's up to!

And so you don't leave my blog empty handed, I have a coordinating freebie here as well! If you have school photos you want to scrap, my Fall into School kit is perfect for them! NO time? No worries! I've got awesome quick pages as well! And in honor of my new homeschooling adventure with Christina, I've put the Fall into School Collection on sale for 25% off!

Download freebie HERE.

A Rant, A New Design, A Sale, and a Freebie!

First the rant...Oh my gosh, do people even THINK any more?! I got a call from a neighbor (so glad they called) and told me that they saw my daughter and a friend holding onto the back of a bumper and being pulled on their skateboards. Now, lest you think the girls just grabbed this bumper without the person knowing, that would not be the case. The MOTHER was pulling the kids on their skateboards--knowingly! What kind of person does that?! My daughter could have fallen underneath the van and been killed. I'm just in shock that an adult would do that. I'm not sure yet how I am going to handle it. I am too mad to talk rationally, but if my husband handles it, they'll be chewed up and spit out--which they deserve, of course...argh!

OK, so new designs...I've got a brag book and hybrid album out that are made with my kit "Mariposa". The brag book was actually one of the free daily downloads given out by Shawn Walter when she was featured designer at Digitals. So, if you got it then, no need to get this one--it's the exact same. BUT if you missed it, it's available now!

The other album is a hybrid album made to fit the Cosmo Cricket Abby Album. If you don't have a local scrapbook store, you can purchase these physical albums at Digitals beginning next week! I love these shaped albums! If you don't want to purchase the physical album, you can still use these (as well as the other shaped quick pages I have for sale) by printing on cardstock and laminating, then using a metal ring to hold the pages together. Beth Rimmer has a tutorial at Digitals for doing these hybrid albums.

For one week, you can get my whole Mariposa Collection on sale for 25% off! Keep checking back, because I might make some other shaped albums with Mariposa! It's really addicting!

Today is Day 10 of my Whisper of Spring luggage tag album. I've had such a great response and really appreciate everyone's comments and emails. I am glad that you've enjoyed it! If you missed part of it, I'll have the whole collection in the store on Monday for you to purchase. Remember though--today (Sunday) is the last day for you to get A Whisper of Spring Collection on sale for 50% off!!!

DOwnload Day 10 luggage tag HERE.

Homeschooling? Huh?

So it's official. I'll be homeschooling my 13 year old daughter next school year. What on earth am I thinking?! She is so distracted in school by all the Junior High garbage that goes on, is struggling academically, and is starting to act out. That's the trifecta for us, so now mom gets her hands on her! Christina is a smart, capable, fun-loving, inspiration girl who thrives on her independence, stubbornness, and freedom--3 things that will make homeschooling her a challenge! We really want her to have a strong school year before she heads into High School--here they do HS in 9th grade. We will be using the k12 curriculum, because homeschooling for us is about academics. But, I'll supplement with "my own" curriculum...I'll do home ec with her (cooking, sewing, budgeting, etc), computer literacy (she'll blog, photoshop, type), as well as enrich other subjects. She's really excited to write her own book of short stories and poems, illustrate it, and publish it.

For outside activities, she is on the high school prep softball team, she is learning golf at the golf course a couple of blocks from our house, we'll do a teen book group at B&N, and in the winter, we'll let her take snowboarding lessons.

I'm pretty excited about it? Her? Not so much! She is worried about missing her friends and being isolated. We keep telling her that right now, she's as isolated as she can get (she's always grounded for grades and homework) Both of those become non-issues with the homeschooling, so she'll actually end up with more freedom than she has now. Sometimes, it's hard to see the forest for the trees though, so she is a hard sell.

One thing she is looking forward to is helping me teach my refugee English classes and signing up to volunteer at the zoo when she turns 14 in October. And with homeschooling, she'll have that flexibility to be able to do them!

This is a layout I did of my sweet daughter last year. I love this layout because it just shows her personality so well! I used my Fall into School kit to make the layout.

Of course, this one also fits her personality to a tee as well, so I think we can look forward to an interesting year!

I used Dana Frantz' kit "Amazing Spirit" for this layout. You must check out Dana at Scrapbookgraphics--she's got some awesome designs!

Ok, now I need to get off! I've got to clean the house today, prepare a lesson for church tomorrow, and jump on the blog train at DST!

THanks for hanging out with me today! Be sure to scroll down to my last post for a freebie!

Massive Migraine and Day 9 freebie!

Not much of a blog tonight. I've got a massive migraine right now so I'm going to get this posted and go to bed. I had a great night last night, though, so plan on settling in for a long read tomorrow!

Rember that A Whisper of Spring Collection is on sale for 50% off--only through tomorrow! So hurry in and get it for a steal of a price! I've had some people ask if I'll be putting these luggage tags in the store after the free daily download. Answer: yep! It'll go in the store Monday morning for those who missed getting all the tags. (i'll even put it on sale for a few days!)

Have a fabulous night!

Download freebie HERE

This Week's Sales

Stop by Digitals and get these great items at great prices!

Vintage Photo Clusters--25% off

Father and Son Collection--50% off

A Whisper of Spring Collection--50% off

Thirteen Thursday and a Freebie

Last week, I read the blog of one of the people killed in the spate of tornadoes that ripped through the midwest. She and her husband were traveling from Colorado to Iowa when they were caught in a tornado and their car was lifted and tossed, killing them both. My heart and prayers go out to their families.

She had a feature on her blog that I really liked and decided to replicate here, with a little tweaking to make it my own. On Thursdays, I'll be posting 13 things that I'm grateful for that week. I think it's so important to examine your life, be aware of all the blessings you receive, then acknowledge and give thanks for them. So, my 13 Thursday list (in no particular order):

1. I'm grateful for my family that gives me such joy


2. I'm grateful for my education that allows me to find fulfillment in so many areas


3. I'm grateful that I was able to attend a Motheread Training


4. I'm grateful the 3 day Motheread training is over!


5. I'm grateful for a supportive husband


6. I'm grateful for an independent, free-thinking daughter


7. I'm grateful that I was able to see one of my elementary ESL students (from 6 years ago) graduate a year early from High School! (Go Waheedah! I'm so proud of you!)


8. I'm grateful that my 16 yo son has been respectful this week


9. I'm grateful that my 18 yo son keeps me laughing


10. I'm grateful that Summer is arriving


11. I'm grateful for the 12/13 year old girls that I teach in church


12. I'm grateful to God for all the blessings that are poured upon me, even when I am ungrateful and unforgiving.


13. I'm grateful for all the wonderful people who visit my blog, enjoy my designs, and are so supportive of me.

Please enjoy Day 8 of my Whisper of Spring Luggage Tag Album! Remember that the full collection is 50% off--for 2 more days!

Download freebie HERE

Thoughts on cameras, neighbors, and laziness...and a freebie!

In my former life of paper scrapbooking, I used a 35mm camera. I loved that camera; I didn't love getting the film developed. Now that I'm all digital? I hate downloading the photos from the camera. Am I the only one? I feel so ridiculous--I must be the laziest person in the world if I am resentful of the time it takes me to download photos! Truth be told, it is a hassle. First I have to find the camera that my son has used and didn't put back where it belonged. Then I have to find the card reader and the USB cord that my son used and didn't put back where it belonged. Then I have to download to the computer, which is easy enough except that I use ACDSee and, you guessed it, I'm too lazy to customize it to my tastes. So, ACDSee downloads the photos to the Windows preassigned "My Photos". I keep mine on an EHD, so I have to search all over my computer to find the photos, then I have to drag them over to the EHD. You'd think after all this time I'd suck it up and customize at least that one part of ACDSee. Nah, I'm just feeling too lazy to do that!

So, you might remember that last Thursday, Emily feel and hurt her eye. She got 2 stitches and a great black eye. The mamarazzi took photos the next day, but I couldn't get her into good lighting to take the photo. When I tried to get her to move, she cried and cried. When your child has a black eye, you don't really like to draw the neighbor's attention with hysterical crying. They already look at us funny. No need to give them more reasons to draw conclusions...Anyway, I'm posting the photo for y'all to see--at least as well as you can see it.

Be sure to scroll down and grab the Whisper of Spring Luggage Tag QP. The whole Whisper of Spring Collection is on sale for 50% off for just a few more days! When day 10 of the luggage tag giveaway arrives, the sale will end!

Download the tag HERE

Calendar Challenge Posted! Freebies!

Come on over to Digitals and play! I've posted the calendar challenge! You'll get a great free mini kit with which to make your calendar and a great posting bonus for posting!

The challenge mini coordinates with my Father and Son collection which is on sale this month for 50% off! (You won't believe the price!)

Don't forget that I've also got my Whisper of Spring Collection on sale for 50% off!

Enjoy Day 6 of my free blog daily download of Whisper of Spring Luggage Tag Album.

Download HERE

Scrap Therapy Challenge and freebies!

The Scrap Therapy Challenge has been posted at Digitals! Be sure to come by and grab these great mini kits made by Beth Rimmer and me, then head over to the store and grab our coordinating Collections for 50% off!

Beth's Collection is "It's Raining Men". You can pick up the kit and all coordinating products (including albums) for 50% off this month!




Amanda's Collection is "Father and Son". You can pick up everything for 50% off this month as well. I'm making some shaped albums, quick pages, and brag book and when they are up, they'll also be at 50% off!




This is the great posting bonus you'll get for participating!

Don't forget that A Whisper of Spring is also on sale for 50% off! Be sure to grab it while you're there!

Download freebie HERE

New Father's Day kit: 50% off!!

Got men? The Father and Son Collection is made with a masculine color swatch, manly elements, eclectic papers with paisley and masculine themes, and beautiful solids. Be sure to check out the entire Father and Son Collection. ALL ON SALE FOR 50% off for the entire month of June!!

Father and Son Elements

Father and Son Print Paper Pack


Father and Son Solid Paper Pack

Day 4 Freebie and Sale

It's late and I have 3 days of all-day conferences so I've got to go to bed! However, be sure to check back tonight when I showcase a new design, right in time for Father's Day! It's all finished, I just have to upload to the store!

So tonight, I'll just leave you with the free Basic Grey Luggage Tag made with Whisper of Spring. Don't forget that the Whisper of Spring Collection is on sale for 50% off!

Download HERE