Happy Birthday to Me!

35 years ago today my parents brought me into this world, much to my older brother's chagrin. He wanted a brother, and had made arrangements to trade me to our uncle David for a bike. Sadly for him, my parents thwarted his plans and they kept me and still to this day claim me as their own.

It has been a good birthday, despite the fact that I had to work. My parents visited me while at the Clinic for dad's surgery follow-up (he had cataract surgery yesterday) which was nice. Tom and Ian ran to Sushi Nishiki to get me sushi for supper (yum!) while I picked Maddy up from R&R (she has been sick for two days, poor baby). Ian did his homework all by himself and got it all right so I didn't have to prod and push and fight with him over it. And then we played our new game, dinosaur heads and tails (found at Wall Drug - super game for him to learn about fair play and counting). Now the kids are in bed and I'm relaxing until I just can't stay awake any longer. I took a picture for day one of my December Daily album, but I think I'll print it and do page one tomorrow. Hey, I'll have this blog post to base my journaling on so its all good.

The funny thing is, as I'm getting older birthdays seem to have lost their lustre. As a kid you wait for your birthday and when it arrives it seems like the most important day of your life. Now, sure its a special day and all, but its also a day like any other. Oh well, at least this day like any other was an overall good one.

I am thankful.

The kids are at daycare and school, and I'm home getting clothes washed to pack and doing some cleaning, getting ready for our trip to visit Tom's parents in South Dakota for the Thanksgiving holiday. I'm having a coffee break and thought I would reflect on the things I am thankful for.

First and foremost, I am thankful for my family. Tom, Ian, Madeline, my parents and brothers and sister-in-law and nephews, my grandma, and the list goes on and on...

I am thankful for my friends and especially for my wonderful group of new friends. The time I get to spend with them, usually Friday nights at the scrapbook store, is time I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. I am so thankful that our shared love of scrapbooking brought us together, and that they "get" me and love me just as I am.

I am thankful for health, that I have a job and am able to give my children things that I never could have had growing up, for a roof over my head and food on the table and a warm bed to sleep in.

I am thankful.

American Crafts Autumn Week Challenge

It would come as no surprise to my scrapping friends and anyone who walks into my craft room that American Crafts is one of my absolute favorite scrapbook manufacturers. One look at my Clip-It-Up which is completely devoted to displaying my Thicker collection is enough to tell you I have a serious addiction. This week's challenge on their blog is to use at least 2 AC products to create a fall themed layout.



So I actually got my act together and scrapped this layout for the challenge last Friday while cropping with my girlfriends at RSC. I like it a lot, and I hope you do, too!

Supplies:
American Crafts Wicked - Halloween patterned paper
American Crafts Boing - Backyard patterned paper
American Crafts Ta Da! - Junior patterned paper
American Crafts cardstock - butterscotch
American Crafts Fieldhouse Blue Skies Fleece
American Crafts Typo Thickers - mustard
American Crafts Remarks Hannah and Henry alphabet - black
American Crafts .03 black precision pen
Ranger Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher

Bitten by the sewing bug!

Maddy and I went to Rochester today to get her a new antibiotic, as the augmentin she was given for bilateral ear infection was making her gag and vomit. And since Jo-Ann's was having a sale we went there also. Maddy picked out three fabrics for jammies, and we picked one out for Ian, too. And they had $1 Simplicity patterns, so we got patterns for jammies and doll clothes and dresses. Lots of good stuff!

Maddy fell asleep in the car on the way home and I was able to get her into her bed without waking her, so I had prime project time and decided to dig right in with our treasures. And so I made Maddy this adorable nightgown today!


I didn't have the right size elastic for the sleeves, so after I get that and put it in the nightie will be ready to wear. I can't wait to see Maddy in it!

November Kit!

Geesh, where did October go? The month flew away and it's November which means a new kit at Jen's House of Scrap!




"Grandma's Attic" is full of good things that make me think of my Grandma Smith. Grandma will celebrate her 96th birthday next month, and she is still vibrant and full of life. That's what I tried to convey with this kit - a sense of history with a pop of pizazz. The kit will go on sale on November 15th at Jen's House of Scrap!

Kit Reveals!

Here it is, the debut of Jen's House of Scrap kit club!

Here is a look at the limited edition mini kit, "Schoolhouse"


And a look at the limited edition mini album kit, "Haunted House"



And finally, the main kit for October, "Monsters in My Closet"



The main kit is up for sale on the site, the mini kits will be up later this evening! Stop by Jen's House of Scrap and check it out!

My first kit preview!

My dear hubby was working on the Jen's House of Scrap website today. It's getting closer to go time, and I've almost got my first kit ready to go! I wanted something that went with October and Halloween without being strictly Halloween themed. I call the kit "Monsters in My Closet", and Ian was my inspiration. He is in the monsters in the basement, in his closet, under his bed phase and these papers and embellishments make me think of him.

November's kit is close to ready as well. November's inspiration is my Grandma Smith. She is 95 years young, almost 96. She still lives on her own in the house where my grandfather and my father were born. I'm thinking something along the lines of "Grandma's Kitchen" for the kit name. Call me a dork, but I want to give my kits "household" names, since my business is the House of Scrap after all.

As for December's kit, I place my first product order tonight for it and am waiting for my wholesale application to go through with another company before I will make additional purchases for December. And I'm looking at products for a holiday cardmaking kit. Busy times at Jen's house! If Tom can get the site up this week, I can finish my wholesale application with the company I really want to get card kit stuff from (they require a functioning site and that the site have a functioning shopping cart system before you can order - so much red tape!).

So, as soon as the site is up and running I really hope you'll check it out - www.jenshouseofscrap.com!