"Girl, you know that you need to stop..."

"...always talkin' 'bout what you got, always talkin' 'bout what you got..." (Anyone else love that song?) But alas, I'm about to talk about "what I got." :)

I promised a loooong time ago to show you what I bought at Michael's with my Birthday money. And since then, my package of goodies I purchased with my 2P's gift certificate arrived. So I am practically rollin' in new scrapbook stuff and I just HAVE to show you!

First, the Michael's loot. 

This line is "Friendly Forest" from Colorbok. I saw it first thing I walked in the door and absolutely fell in love. Bright colors, cute little squirrels and daisies...what's not to love? (To see more pictures, check out this lady's post.)

Me and My Big Ideas has always been a favorite company of mine and they've come out with some really cute new stuff. A lot of it features the stick figure kids they're known for. These little charms and tags were simply irresistible, and there's a matching paper pad that I still regret not buying. Maybe next paycheck? (YAY! I love getting paychecks. *haha*)

This line from K&Company is called Actopus to Zelephant, which I think is a cute name. It's going to be so much fun for zoo pages. The paper pad came with a whole bunch of punch-out animals (last photo) that can be layered and popped with dimensional adhesive. I adore the artwork. How cute is that raccoon? 

And now for the 2P's goodies. 

I love American Crafts. Their design team is one of the best around, in my opinion. I particularly fell in love with two of their new collections when I saw them online. But lemme tell ya, when I opened the box and saw this stuff in person, I about lost my flippin' mind. It's TOOOOOO CUTE! 

This is Craft Fair. The colors could not be more fun. They are so vibrant in real life!

(Won't this city paper be so cute for a New York City layout? *squeal*)

American Crafts started making "Flair" (just like on Facebook! *hehe*) a few collections ago, and I think they're so fun. See the "I Love Blogs" one? Of course I had to have that one. :)

This is Backyard. It's Spring through Summer, all rolled up into one collection. Great colors and designs that include everything from chocolate bunnies to kites.

And this is my favorite piece of flair. I think it's hilarious! :)

And not that I really needed any more animal paper, but how could I resist this line from Sassafrass Lass? Well, clearly I couldn't. ADORABLE!!! The colors, the artwork...it's all so cute I had to have it.

So that's it, folks! Makes ya wanna come over to my house and play with my toys, doesn't it? ;) 

Happy Easter everybody!!! Jesus is risen!

Finally, the photos!

Here are some more photos from Get Scrappy last weekend that are long overdo! First, some pictures my buddy Michelle took while she was here. 

Playing the brad-organizer-maracas. :) Shake it like a polaroid picture!

Me and my beautiful friend Samantha, who was looking particularly fabulous, don't you think? 

On the left are Jeanne & Toni...and on the right that's me "choking" Haley. :)

My friend Sandy Dandy and myself. 

And here I am, guarding the silent auction item I wanted. I still don't know who kept bidding against me, but it got heated! *haha* 

I finally took pictures of the layouts I did, too. Here they are, in random order! 

A single-page layout about eating ice cream at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, even though it was like 20 degrees outside and I was FREEZING. *haha*

A more fitting treat for December in NYC is HOT CHOCOLATE! :) This page is about visiting Max Brenner's, which is basically chocolate paradise. (This is the layout that won the contest! I was so flattered!) I wish you could tell how glittery this page is but the camera didn't pick it up. Everything white is sparkly and most of the brown is too.

Battery Park: using some way old Basic Grey paper that I've had forever. I still need to fill in the date on this one. *haha* :)

This is probably my favorite layout from the weekend. I used a new paper pack I picked up at Scrap Funattic and just thought the colors worked PERFECTLY for these cloudy, Central Park pictures. Fun fun. :)

This page was fun to do, especially after I found that there was a turtle on the ZooBalloo Cricut cartridge. Just what I needed! :)

And as promised, here are the pictures of the beautiful bouquet that my new work "family" got for me. :)

And last but not least, the delicious and adorable froggy treats Jeremy brought for us. 

BEST-WEEKEND-EVER!

I have had just an absolutely fantastic weekend. I hope you've all felt even 1/4 as blessed, because I've just been riding on a cloud for the past three days.  Life is GEWD. :^)

So obviously, getting my new job kicked things off on a high note. Thanks for all of your kind congratulations and warm wishes. I really am so excited about it...my stomach is all twisted in knots of anticipation, just like a kid on Christmas Eve. I start tomorrow morning! Did I mention that? (I'll break all the details of the job down in a later post.)

But after that I got to spend 14+ hours scrapbooking with some HILARIOUS and fun women whom I enjoy very much. Get Scrappy was a blast. We laughed and gabbed laughed and sang...and I actually got quite a few (by my standards) pages done for my NYC album. Plus the event raised a ton of mullah for the cause (I'll let you know what the official number was as soon as Mary posts it).  

Having never been, I really didn't know what to expect. But I have to tell you that this is an IMPRESSIVE event! I'm so proud to say I'm friends with the masterminds that put this thing together. God bless them for all their hard work, cause it really is like a SIX-ring circus! They've got contests going on and drawings for door prizes, plus raffles and live & silent auctions. (OOOH the silent auctions! I participated in my first bidding war. It was completely exhilarating. *haha* There's not much SILENT about it!) Then there's an extensive "sale table" which is really more like 10 tables, full of goodies that have been donated. 

I don't have pictures of my pages yet...and I'm sure I'll have more from the event to share as my friends share them with me. :) But here's what I have so far (I didn't take enough - I was too busy having fun! *haha*)

All the tables had cute little centerpieces on them, like these pinwheels they MADE. How adorable are they? 

A great group of gals I'm lucky to know and still be in touch with, even though we don't have the pleasure of working together anymore. (Mary and Linda are in the pink t-shirts, they're the amazing founders and organizers of this event.)

Toni & her sweet daughter Haley, with Nikki.

My "Sandy Dandy" and her grandson Christopher that came along Friday evening. He was being a little stinker and wouldn't look at me for the picture. :)

Our out of town guest Michelle and her daughter Samantha. I had the pleasure of sitting at a table with these two yahoo's. *wink wink* We laughed and broke out into song so much that the whole room was usually staring at our table. They were just jealous. ;) Why is "my table" always the loudest everywhere I go? I just can't figure it out. *haha*

And guess what! I won a contest! Yup, my wonderful scrapbooking comrades voted for my page so I won a gift certificate to Scrap Funattic! Hmmm, wonder if I'll ever be able to find a way to use that? *hehe* Too bad I had already made a trip out there with Michelle and Samantha a little before the contest ended. Oh well, I'll just have to go back. I have a full punch card to redeem, anyways.  (I'll post a close-up of the page later.)

So that in itself adds up to a darn wonderful weekend, right? Well just wait. When I got home last night, Jeremy's car was in the driveway so I couldn't pull in. He came out to meet me and help me carry my stuff in and I was like, "Why are you parked in the driveway?" and he said, "Cause you can't pull in the garage tonight." "Why not?" Then he showed me - there were lengths and lengths of trim lying on the garage floor. He had been spontaneously motivated to finish the trim on the main floor!! (For newer readers, you can read all about our flooring project that's been on pause for over three months: HERE and HERE. My house has been sitting in a state of unrest since Thanksgiving weekend...and I've got "BEFORE" photos with no "AFTER." It's been fairly frustrating.) He'd gone and borrowed a friend's saw, bought & cut all the trim and was painting it so it could be installed. So by the end of today (or maybe tomorrow) it should be FINISHED! And then I can finally push my furniture into place, unbox the books and stuff that have been sitting on my landing for all this time and bring the "extra" furniture back up from the basement! *huge sigh of relief* I'm so excited. It's going to look awesome. You won't even believe the difference. 

Anywho, so that's been my amazing weekend. Just too, too good! I am one happy girl. Now, diet/exercise wise I have been the total opposite of good. I haven't been to the gym in three days and I've had candy, Mexican feasts and a Shamrock Shake (they won't be around much longer, y'know.) I've chalked it up to celebrating, and am actually quite ready to get back to normal tomorrow. (Although "normal" won't really be that normal anymore, since I'll be starting a new routine. But you know what I mean.) 

Get Scrappy

Like I mentioned earlier, this weekend I am going to an amazing scrapbook event called Get Scrappy. My awesome friends Mary & Linda began this fundraiser several years ago as a way to benefit the YWCA Women's Crisis Center.They pour their hearts and souls into the planning and preparation for this event all year long and it shows! It has continued to grow each year and always brings in an impressive amount of donations and support. 

I'm so excited, because this is the first year I get to go! I've always had to work in the past, but obviously this weekend I'm free. (Though hopefully not for much longer. *hahaha*) This year they're welcoming quilters alongside scrapbookers, which is pretty exciting. I can't wait to be surrounded by all that creativity! And a bunch of great gals from my Scrapbook Garden days are going to be there...including Michelle who's coming back into town just for the weekend! Yay! It's gonna be a blast. :)

The YWCA Women's Crisis Center provides shelter for women escaping domestic violence. It's a more serious problem than I think a lot of us make it out to be. Scrap Funattic, a local scrapbook store and generous GetScrappy sponsor, posted this short poem that really strikes at the heart of what the Crisis Center and this crop are working against. Take a moment to read it.

I Got Flowers Today (Dedicated to all Battered Women)
By Paulette Kelly ©Copyright 1992 Paulette Kelly All Rights Reserved 

I got flowers today!
It wasn't my birthday or any other special day;
We had our first argument last night;
And he said a lot of cruel things that really hurt;
I know that he is sorry and didn't mean to say the things he said;
Because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today!
It wasn't our anniversary or any other special day;
Last night he threw me into a wall and then started choking me;
It seemed unreal, a nightmare, but you wake up from nightmares;
And I woke up this morning sore and bruised all over — but I know he is sorry;
Because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today!
And it wasn't Valentines Day or any other special day;
Last night he beat me and threatened to kill me;
Make-up and long sleeves didn't hide the cuts and bruises this time;
I couldn't go to work today because I didn't want anyone to know — but I know he's sorry;
Because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today!
And it wasn't Mother's Day or any other special day;
Last night he beat me again, and it was worse than all of the other times;
If I leave him, what will I do? How will I take care of the kids? What about money?
I'm afraid of him, but I'm too scared and dependent to leave him! But he must be sorry;
Because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today….
Today was a special day — it was the day of my funeral;
Last night he killed me;
If only I would have gathered the courage and strength to leave him;
I could have received help from the Women's Shelter, but I didn't ask for their help;
So I got flowers today — for the last time. 

If you're in town and like to scrapbook, it's still not too late to register! In fact, you can show up and register at the door. So get your scrap-crap together and come out to support a good cause! Here's the info again.

Another great way to help is to make a donation, either monetary or with items from their wish list. 

Hopefully by the end of the weekend I'll have lot's of great pages to show you!!! And don't forget, I have my 2nd interview tomorrow at The Vet Clinic. I'll try to make a post about that before I head to GetScrappy tomorrow afternoon. I hope I'll have good news! :)

Croptastic!

On Saturday night I attended a P.J. crop with a bunch of fun gals that I used to have the pleasure of working with. We had an absolute blast!!! It was scheduled to go from 5pm to 5am, but I knew that I was never gonna make it that long. I still cropped for like 7-8 hours though, which was awesome!

The crop was at Scrap Funattic out in Andover. Unfortunately I don't make it there a lot since it's sooo far away, but it really is a cute little store. And they know how to throw a fabulous crop night! They set up a projector and ran great movies all night long (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Music & Lyrics...and Phantom of the Opera, which was my DVD that I just happened to bring along. *haha*) Most of the Scrap Funattic employees were there and it was fun to listen to them gab, giggle and bicker like sisters. Reminded me of how fun it was to work with people you really get a long with. Plus they were all cropping and having a fun time right alongside the rest of us! How great is that?  I even managed to win a giveaway during the time I was there - some great FancyPants rubon letters! Oowah oowah! :)

My table consisted of the delightful Samantha,who still thinks it's acceptable to silhouette-cut her photos, even after I advised against it...the little rebel! *wink wink* 

And crazy-fun Kim with her equally silly daughter Megan.

We were having a great time...and then slumber-party-itus set in and we started to have a really great time! *haha* You know when you get the most ridiculous case of the giggles and laugh so hard that your face is literally stuck in a scrunchy, almost painful configuration and you're gasping for air and your stomach hurts? Yeah, that was us. It felt so good to laugh like that. I'd love to tell you what we found so funny, but I can't even remember. I'm sure it was mostly pretty stupid, but that's OK. Even better, I say. 

I do remember this one incident, only because I took a picture. It came to my attention, as I was digging through the stuff I'd brought with me, that I have "invested" in a million-bajillion cupcake embellishments and papers. Partially because I think they're so cute, partially because they somehow satisfy a need to buy cupcakes (but they're made out of paper and are calorie free), but mostly because I thought I had all these cupcake pictures from NYC. (Turns out I only had two sets and they're both scrapbooked now...and I have a ton of cupcake leftovers. *haha*) Anywho, as I was lamenting about all of these cupcakes spread out before me, Kim pulls out this mega-huge cupcake die cut and says, "Those aren't cupcakes...now THIS is a cupcake!!!" a-la Crocodile Dundee (that might not have been how she meant it, but that "This is a knife!" quote is what came to my mind!). And this sent us all into hysterics as we joked that it was the Godzilla of cupcakes and it was there to destroy all my measly, dinky, pathetic little cupcakes. Well, maybe you had to be there. ;)

The table next to us consisted of our other dear friends, Nikki 

and Linda & Mary

whom I'm sure were all much more productive than we were! *haha* And I happen to know (cause Mary said so in her blog) that all three of them made it till 5am! Impressive! I wanna be like you gals when I grow up. :)

In the end I got four 2-page layouts done, plus the start of a 5th. Here's a sampling! I'm not gonna take the time to list products and details about all of these. If there's something you're curious about, just leave a comment and I'll be more than happy to get back to you! :)