OOooops!

A delay in updating - SORRY!!
Well, had a blast @ Fiona's crop (aka FUNscraps) a week ago!
I taught two classes on Saturday and from the feedback of the survey, it went over well. Considering most really aren't into altered art stuff!

The first class consisted of an old/promo. CD, you had to sand lightly so that you have "teeth" to use your wet adhesive with and cover with pattern paper (front & back). I had them use the CROPaDILE, a tool that sets eyelets and punches holes out of most anything (light metal, chipboard, plastic, paper, etc.). They were thrilled how easy it was to punch through the CD....me too! Heehee!!

The second class consisted of folding a 12x12 cardstock in various ways to make a card or a mini album (by adhering two of these 12x12 together) or a journal/photo foldout in your page.

It was great to meet fellow ILScrappers in person - we were in stiches Friday night...thanks to our security guard (Mark)!!! He actually purchased Creative Memories photo paper in the past but kept insisting that he should be able to purchase at the same price as several years ago?! Poor Fiona...she kindly explained the thinking behind inflation, etc. The rest of us had to bite our lips, trying not to laugh!!! OY! It was interesting to say the least!

Here's some fun pics from the event!!















FINALLY a picture of Fiona and me!! After two years of knowing each other, we have a picture of just us two! LOL!!















Some of buds from ILScrappers! Hey, gals!

If you're thinking of doing a crop/gathering....DO IT! You won't be sorry!! LOL!!

Funscraps Retreat!

Getting excited to help out my GF, Fiona! If you're in the neighborhood of Glen Ellyn/Lombard area, we'll be at the Holiday Inn on Roosevelt Rd. (east of I355). It starts tomorrow night and will go on till Sunday!

I'll be teaching a couple of mini-classes...altered CD and an ORIGAMI style mini album. Hope everyone will like it! The goodie bags are HUGE btw! We've got a Mary Kay person coming to manicure/pedicure and she also has a basket full of goodies for everyone. Can you say SPOILED?!

Better get kitting, packing for an overnite with the girls, pack/price my TLC stuff and bring up my Sizzix stash for everyone to use! AH! I hope Fiona isn't reading this! Heehee!!!

Will post pics when I return and recover from this weekend!
Have a great weekend, everyone! Who's got plans to scrap?! Do tell!

Memories of 5 years ago...

Mixed emotions as I write this...I remember that beautiful peaceful blue sky day so well.

I was taking my two boys to IKUEI Japanese international school. It was a straight shot north from West New York, NJ (Jacobs Ferry) to Englewood Cliffs, NJ...driving along the coast of NJ where the Hudson River was east of me...after I dropped off my happy little guys, I drove back the same route. I had the radio on and that was when I first heard that there was a plane that crashed into one of the towers. The radio announcer didn't have much information as it just happened and speculated that maybe the pilot had a heart attack. I turned off the radio, thinking what a way to die and was anyone hurt in the building and down on the ground!

I stopped by Target in Edgewater but no one was in the store...not even an employee! I spotted one coming in from the back door/the dock area and that's when he informed me that the crash was not an accident but a terrorist attack. I went straight to the Japanese supermarket to get food (since it was the holiday weekend, we had no food) and saw what everyone was talking about on TV. My DH called me and told me he was on the ferry headed towards the Wall Street area but the Port Authority would not let them into New York so he was on his way home. Thank goodness...he had clients at the Towers and would pop in to say hello to them every once in awhile. Luckily he had such a bad conversation with the Tokyo office that he went into work later that morning. He saw the second plane hit the Towers while he was on the ferry....he couldn't believe what was happening (like the rest of the world)!

I got home with bags full of groceries and we headed off to get the boys...the 20 minute drive took over an hour as the George Washington Bridge (GWB) was closed off (inbound to NYC). We finally reached the school and the kids were told that there was a HUGE fire in NYC and everything was closed. Our trip back home only took the normal 20 minutes because the police were worried about the GWBridge and we had taken the back road. I found out later that they closed our street (we live between the Lincoln & Holland tunnels and the GWBridge) after we got home. All the fathers from the "IKUEI families" were safe...although it took them until 1 or 2am to get home.

We saw the smoke and what was left of the Towers from our neighborhood. When the winds shifted, we could smell that terrible smell and we were forced to close our windows. I am left with this empty hole in the NYC skyline...I've known that skyline all my life. When I graduated from university, I had celebrated my graduation with family friends in the Windows of the World Restaurant. I stayed at the Vista Hotel in the Tower on my business trips to American Express headquarters across the street, walked through to get places in the neighborhood. It will be sorely missed. I pray for all those who have perished and to those who were left behind to morn their loss. Hug your loved ones tighter tonight as I will with mine.

September?

Where did the time go? Well, life certainly gets in the way or should I say start of the school year gets in the way!

Around this time A LOT of things start...not only school but my sorority alumnae chapter gets back into gear and of course, church activities are a constant (thank goodness!).

How was your Labor Day weekend? Good, I hope...ours this year was quite which I like! We did have a get together with DH's band after Saturday Japanese School. But most of the weekend I was creating some designs for a small company based out in Central IL...they were kind enough to let me create! We'll see what happens....after seeing my "freehanded" doodling, they may have some second thoughts! LOL!!!!

I'm also creating some samples for my LSS, Frozen Memories, in Bartlett IL. With Karen Foster's RubOns and their license plate stickers, I made this REAL cute sweet pail and I filled it with Reese's Peanut Butter cups = YUM!!!!!!!!

Here's the lineup for September (so far):

SUNDAE crop ($12 w/ an ice cream float)
Sept. 10 (Sun) 2:00 - 6:00pm
It's a great time to do a mother-daughter crop or with a friend or just to catch up on projects!

Altered 2007 Planner ($22)
Sept. 26 (Tue) 10:30 - NOON
We'll be using a "butt ugly" planner and making it into a BEAUTIFUL planner!

That's it for now but call Frozen Memories and join us! Their number is 630-830-7492 or here