Love it when...

I get whole bunch of new goodies to play with! :)

Confession: I'm not really a scrap shopper. I'm a scrap browser. I have a *very* limited scrap budget per month so I have to really love something to pull out greenbacks for it. LOL :)

So this month, some yummies that I've been lusting for finally arrived...October Afternoon!!! Woo-de-hoooooo! :)

And I'm no longer a scrap kit virgin. Yeah, I know I was on the MFM team and *LOVED* Shari's kits, but I had never actually bought a kit before. Till I saw the Q-Tea (http://www.qteakits.blogspot.com/) June "Oh Deer" kit. Deer? You know I had to have it! :)

And last but certainly not least...remember when I was gone to GASC a couple of weeks ago? There was a booth there that had something totally unique and different going on...very cool niche stuff. What is it? Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage Collection (http://www.craftysecrets.com/). I'd never heard of it but the dt stuff they had floating about pulled my tired self right in there and perked me right up! Sooo cute and cool! :) I got a couple of the little journal pads and have fallen in love! Need to get some of the little sticker goodness they have next! LOL :)

So, I actually had time to play with these yummy new goodies this weekend and this is what I came up with... ;)

XOXO...Stac :)

Layout Catch Up...

Uhm, hi there.

Hopefully, everyone is up for some layout lovin' b/c I need to do a little "housekeeping". LOL Need to post up some layouts to show "me" a bit, so here goes a layout laden post. (no cards this time! ;) Bwhaha)

Recent one from Scrapbooks, etc Ultimate Summer Challenge (weekly top 10):

Lots of Memory Makers Master ones...

July/August 08 Master Techniques:

May/June 08 Master Techniques

March/April 08 Master Techniques:

March/April 08 Master Challenge: March/April 08 Cover: February 08 Master Techniques (article cover):

January 08 Master "I Wish" layout from MMM entry:

KI Gallery:

http://www.kimemories.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=ideagallery.search

My son tends to get pubbed more than my girls (even though they are all the most fabulous cuties ever created of course), b/c he's the one that poses for me! But wanna show off my chickadees too, so here's my girls...pretty in pink:

Wish me lucky, duckies! ;)

XOXO...Stac :)

I swear...

Its just been a card-heavy time right now. Lots of lovey dovey thanks going on. Maybe Marla is rubbing off on me more than I thought? LOL :)

Okay, so obviously, here's another thank you card! ;)

I swear I scrap layouts too! Remember, there's one that needs a good voting up at:

http://www.scrapbooksetc.com/challenge/index.html

Other ones in progress that I can't show right now too. I swear I scrapbook still! ;) LOL :)

Family-wise, our crazy 2 weeks of swim lessons, handwriting camp, soccer, and more started. I expect to go crazy in abou 2.25 days. Watch for the fireworks! ;) Nah, actually went pretty well today, but its gonna be a long, busy couple of weeks. I promise to post up a bit though. :)

XOXO...Stac :)

Card maniac???

Nah, not really. I do cards when I need to. And only when I need to. :)

Having said that, I needed to make one this week.

Luckily, the mojo has returned so it came together quickly and cutely. :)Check out the thank you card I made for the fabulous GASC crew! :)

Lovin' the little birdie hollarin' out big love! Just makes me smile a bit. :)

If you haven't voted for me today in the Scrapbooks etc Ultimate Summer Challenge, WHY NOT?? Go do it now!! (pretty please!!)

The registration thing is easy and then you can one-click vote every day till the 25th. :)

http://my.scrapbooksetc.com/app/voting/index.jsp;jsessionid=A2CUHEZTCVTVTQFIBQNSCZQ?id=/templatedata/sbe/voting/data/1207926546230.xml&sid=8

THANKS!! :) Maybe I'll have to make my buddies all thank you cards for voting too? Hmmmm... ;)
XOXO...Stac :)

WOO HOO! :)

I've been so busy with GASC prep-work that I kinda forgot how to scrapbook. I know it sounds silly, but I was a bit overwhelmed with the "what do I do?" moment before you start a new project. So while flipping through Scrapbooks, etc. I came across a challenge that I thought might be just the ticket to get me rolling again. :) They'r doing a big Ultimate Summer Challenge and week 1 was simply "raid you sticker stash & use them creatively". Okay, I can do that. A little direction but still freedom! :)

Did my entry...felt sooooo nice to play with paper and goodies again! :) And my kiddos just crack me up. Now. If you saw what it took to get the cute little lovey pose layout, you'd *really* understand the title! ;) I'm pretty sure it involved threats of bodily injury (okay, not really, but probably close). ;)

And even cooler, I just saw that my layout is in the semi-finals for this week! WOOOOOOO HOOOOOO! :) :) If you want to see (and vote) ;) the layout is:
http://my.scrapbooksetc.com/app/voting/index.jsp?id=/templatedata/sbe/voting/data/1207926546230.xml&sid=6

Off to get scrappy some more! I can feel the mojo a'flowing again! :)
XOXO...Stac :)

Home Sweet Home.

* Back from GASC.

* Recovery in progress.

* Voice returning. Actually it held out until the very end. Started sounding like Frogger in the truck on the way home, as I sang (screeched) my heart out! ;)

* Boxes stacked up for Michigan next month.

* Lessons learned, fun had, great people met, more fun had.

* Scared some folks with my hyperactivity. Other folks were okay with it. Other folks loved it. No worries, I made sure that I sugared everyone up so they were hyperactive with me. ;) Lots of "energetic instructor" reviews. I'm taking that as a positive...better than being a drone. Bwhahahahah! :)

Yep...that was my GASC weekend!! :)

One big oops though! Although my camera was IN MY PURSE, somehow I never really thought to take it out! Bad scrapbooker, I know! :blush: I know one girl got some good pics of me actually teaching--said she got one of me in mid-jump around. :blush: If that was you, or you got other pics of my classes, I'd love to see if you don't mind sharing! Just email them to me and I'll post them on the blog with your credit. :) Pretty please with sugar on top! :)

Wanna see a couple of the projects from a couple of the classes? :) Of course ya do! ;)

Here's the Magic Mesh Mania project...

This class is FULL of stampy/painty fun and mess (wet wipes included). You end up with a cute "pieces of me" layout with lil bits of your personality displayed. And then you have an inspiration "list" of techniques to play with Magic Mesh too. :) Double bonus! :) :)

Here's the one of the projects from the KI Memories class...

This one has fingerpainting fun (wet wipes again), stamping with household objects (a fave for this budget conscious girl! LOL), and maybe scariest of all...doodling! LOL Everyone did really great...dove right in to the fingerpainting, and either doing or promising to do the doodley scallops! :) Out of the box for some folks but I loved how everyone jumped in with both feet and eyes wide open.

One more share. This is one of the projects from the Vintage Hip class (Jenni Bowlin goodies).

This was a TOTAL feel good class. Everyone really responded to this one...the products, the projects, and the vintage vibe. Some folks had heritage pic copies that they were using and the projects went from great to WOW with that touch!

I'll share the Cosmo Cricket class goodies another day this week so that I can photo-load the post with the Get Happy album pages (also known as HappyHappyJoyJoy for those of you who took it! ;) LOL).

If you were there, I'd love to hear about your weekend too! Fave class (mine or someone else's), projects to share, crop stories to laugh at, pics to love, etc. Seemed like a great weekend was had by all! :) ...Stac :)

GASC is Great...

At GASC! Woo de hoooooooo! Been so much crazy fun, running straight through classes for 2 days so far, 1 more to go. If you knew how many typos were in that sentence before I proofed it, you'd understand how tired I am! Bwhahahahah! Its late now, by morning, with a little sleep...I'll be going 90-to-nothing again! I think I've scared some folks with my energy, but I give fair warning! ;)

All my classes have been super fun! I'm in this little hide-y hole back in the corner...don't leave except to pee or run and look on the vendor floor for a minute. I've been sooooooo good with the shopping! (pats self on back!) Of course, that might have to do with the long line at the "Everything Heidi Swapp is .99" booth. Gotta figure out how to get there & shop & pay in between classes! LOL :)

Brought my camera. Haven't even taken it out. Bad scrapper girl! Bad. Bad. Been too busy and having too much fun though. Got to have dinner with Ms. Kitty (Foster) last night. Riot a minute as always with that chick! There was accidental panty flashing (wind advisory much?), fire lane parking (totally necessary, uhm right?), getting lost even with a GPS onboard, drunk men attempting to pick up on the whole table lot of us hot work-a-day women, yummy food, good folks, and lots of laughs. And all that was just at dinner! :)

Off to bed. Marla's totally laughing at me tonight b/c I'm in "off" mode. Rare Occurence. But she gets the joy that is Staci Off tonight. She literally had to warn me not to walk into a pole at Walmart tonight. Wha? What pole? Hey, entertainment at any cost! ;)

XOXO ...Stac :)

In Love. Crazy.

No, not crazy in love. No, not in love and crazy. In Love. Crazy. Two totally separate things happening right now! LOL :)

1. In Love.

Had Lilli & Dec's joint birthday party this weekend. Spent the day before running around doing PTA/school stuff and Bob (who was a bit sick) spent the day with some combination of the kids, cleaning the house top to bottom. He's such a fantastic guy and I'm totally In Love with him. The party was great. Hadn't seen family in a while it seemed. Plus, its kinda nice to show that I can be a little Suzy Homemaker/Betty Crocker when the situation calls for it. I know most of them had their doubts about that previously, but I've settled into a good rhythm with my domestic talents. ;) The kids were super great--polite, not too crazy, and had loads of fun. Cousin Jeremy learned a new skill...balloon animals! They had an absolute BLAST watching him make animal after animal, and they've played with the balloons just as much as their birthday toys. :) Totally In Love with the kiddos and think every day is such a major blessing that I get to spend watching and helping them grow up. Last but not least LOL, I got a new muffin/cupcake pan. Its the bestest in the whole wide world and I am totally In Love with it. It's here: http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?sku=2105-955&CMP=AFC-CCF

By Wilton and that pic doesn't do it justice at all. Its got super deep, mega huge cupcake tins. The holes are big enough that it takes one cake recipe (or mix) to make 6 cupcakes! Excuse me, off to cuppiecake heaven! :) :) Check out the pic of the strawberry and chocolate ones from the party! :)

2. Running short on time, so on to the Crazy. :)

GASC is this week. Soon. Really really soon. I'm nervous about the teaching b/c I'm doing so many classes. Its a nervous excitement though. I just want to do a fantastic job b/c I know how important a day away with the girls is for all the folks taking classes and shopping. I want to make their getaway day as awesome as possible. The other bit of crazy comes from all the prep work still going on! Eeek! Yes, still prepping stuff! All my kits are finally done (thanks Bob!), some got mailed off and are confirmed delivered, some are ready to load up for the drive to Arlington, some are ready to go to Michigan. And then my doorbell rang yesterday and...I got more kits!!! Scenic Route goodies got here and now I'm totally golden! But my house looks like a bomb went off, which totally makes this Neat Freak go a little crazy! LOL Check out the kit goodness...

Well, I'm to go shopping for a new goodie or two to wear at GASC. Teaching is a good excuse for a new shirt or skirt, right? :) And then to hit the gym to get my shiggles out! :) See y'all soon! :) :)