The perfect works of art!

It is no secret that I am a scrap addict...more pressing than that is the fact that I am a swap addict!  My most recent swap was a LOTW (letters of the word) swap where I made one letter in a word as many times as letters in the word while other ladies did the same and got back the entire word, each letter made by a different person.  Take a look:

I made the "o" with the bat for "spooky."  I think this word looks amazing!

Of course I had to sign up for some wedding words...Bride is so elegant, isn't it?

This Trick or Treat looks better than any Jolee's I have ever seen!  I am particularly geeked about this one!



I started a file folder mini album and waited patiently for this one...it was definitely worth the wait!  So creative!

Though I am certain there will be another LOTW started really soon, I have decided to take a little swapping break to focus on layouts.  Check back soon for some layouts!

SMOOCHES!

What Are You Thankful For?

Today is my sweetheart's 37th birthday, and I am sure he is thankful for another year of life.  I, for one, am very thankful for him.  He has inspired me all over again, but not in the way you are thinking!  Two months ago, he decided to ride in the MS-150.  He bought a fancy bike and began training right away.  It got me to thinking about things I am passionate about...things on my own "bucket list."  Soon afterwards I committed to doing my first 5K.

Last night, I got a text from a co-worker that found her husband unresponsive that morning.  She was very scared and shooken up.  Righfully so.  Her last text to me was to make sure I gave my fiance a little more time that day and to make sure that he knew I loved him.  I made sure I told him.  I am thankful for that opportunity.

I might seem to be going all around with this post, but I do have a point.  Here today, I am thankful for three things...I am thankful for passion, love, and time.

I am thankful for my Mom and Dad (who is deceased.)  I am thankful for my son.  I am thankful for my siblings and their children.  I am thankful for all of my family members near and far.  I am thankful for my wonderful friends, especially my close girlfriends who are like extended members of my family!

I am thankful for a great job that I enjoy going to.  I am thankful for my talents and creativity.  I am thankful for my health.  I am thankful for basic things such as food, water, shelter and clothing.  I am just thankful.  It is so easy to fall into a rut about life and things that are happening around you.  I chose to be thankful for the life I have and the people in it!

What are you thankful for?

I'm back...with a VENGEANCE!

Allow me to catch you up on my life for the past 7 months, then you will quickly understand why I've been MIA...

May - My boyfriend of 13 months became my fiance, as he popped the question at dinner with some of our friends.  This was a complete surprise!  We went to mall once to look at rings a few months prior, but I had no idea that he was looking behind the scenes for what turned out to be the ring of my dreams...a pear shaped halo!

June - I went into full wedding "bridezilla" mode.  Well, maybe not.  I am probably one of the easiest brides-to-be on the planet!  We (meaning I) quickly decided that we (meaning I) wanted a destination wedding.  I chose Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and paid the deposit for our March, 2013 wedding.  DONE!  Our wedding is 9 months away.

July - I changed my mind.  Now the wedding will be in the Riviera Maya, Mexico  in June, 2013.  Not only will it be a straight flight, but also much more cost effetive.  A friend suggested a wonderful a travel agent and I quickly made arrangements and cancelled the original plans.  I also went to a Bridal Extravaganza and got some great ideas!  In addition, we had our engagment party in conjunction with my 38th birthday party.  This was the month that I packed up my life, my son and our belongings in Sugar Land, TX to move and start a new one in Fresno, TX.  New beginnings...Our wedding is now 11 months away.  What was I thinking initially????

August - Not only did I move out of my house into my fiance's house, but my son also started Kindergarten...at my school!  Talk about A LOT going on this month!  We managed to take our engagement photos as well.  Things are moving right along.  Our wedding is 10 months away now.

September -  So...I moved everything out of my house EXCEPT for the things in my scrap spot.  In my mind, this was the perfect opportunity to purge and organize and purge and purge.  I spent a lot of time doing just that.  Purging.  I was also able to get our Save the Dates created and sent out!  Our wedding is 9 months away at this point.

October - This month was a complete blur!  With the exception of Halloween, I can't even tell you what consumed my time in October.  I didn't capture as many cute pictures for Halloween.  We traded  in our typically jam packed full itenarary of Fall events for a quiet dinner at Chipotle and Trick or Treating around the neighborhood with friends.  By the way...our wedding is now 8 months away.  WOAH!

Which brings up to now...today...November 5, 2013.  I am in the process of totally revamping my scrapbook spot in my new home.  My fiance has totally cleared out his gameroom to allow me to have the entire area to make my own.  The challenge for this month will be to find an organization system that works for everything I have, and find the perfect table for the center of the room.  I've been scouring Craig's List to find the perfect items.  The REALEST of real challenge will be to keep everything nice and tidy as the gameroom is the first thing you walk by when you enter our home.  YIKES!

I've started working on the cutest Back to School mini album and have set out pictures to do a few layouts.  I don't want to get too far behind, especially with Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner!

Though our wedding is 7 months away, I am happy that I chose a destination wedding that requires little planning on my part!  Next month I am ordering my dress and sending out the formal invitations which I have decided to make myself!  When people ask me about wedding plans, I am truthful when I answer that they are done...well, sort of.

Till next time (which I promise will be later on this week!)

SMOOCHES!