Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Oh My! Oh My! Oh My!!
The most wonderful thing has happened!
I just got selected as a
2008 Design Team Member for the Scrapbook Zone!

I am soooooo freakin' excited! The Zone is the BEST scrapbook store in the greater Detroit area and I absolutely adore shopping there. I have always been so impressed with their design team - the pages and the projects they do are so fabulous. I have been waiting for months for their design team call and when I got it in the January newsletter, I immediately started working on my project and page. I tried not to get my hopes up because I was sure with all the really talented scrappers in this area that I wouldn't get picked. So, I didn't obsess about the date (yesterday) and when I didn't get a call, I figured I didn't get picked. {Yesterday was such a bad day at work AND I still can't find my keys!} However, this morning, I went to open my email to send my sister the Breast Cancer picture and there was a message from the Zone with a subject "You made it!" It's sad, after the rough week I'm having, that my first thought was,"This better not be a special sale notice!" So, with a deep breath, I opened the email which read...

"Congratulations Jana,
We voted and we'd like to welcome you to our Design Team for 2008!

I will get back with you soon about when your kit will be ready. Again,
we are excited to work with you over the next year

--Warm Regards, Kelley and Kevin The Scrapbook Zone "


My breath came out with a whooosshhhhh and I jumped up to do a happy dance around the room. I even woke my kid up early (it was about 6:30am) to tell her my special news and that she better be ready for mommy to take even MORE pictures of her. She just smiled and said, "Mommy, can you turn the light out? I want more sleep..." AHAHAAHAHA Then, I grabbed the phone to call my best buddy, Tracy (who's birthday is today ... "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TRACY!!!") to tell her that I got picked... and then called my husband who is excited for me but bummed out because he couldn't be here tonight to do something super special to celebrate. I can't wait to tell everyone the news...

I am soooo excited!! {Can't you tell??!?!?!} I can't wait to meet the rest of the team and work with Kelley and Kevin... This year is going to be soooo exciting! If you want to check out their site, see the left side of my blog. They have a great gallery full of ideas and lots of fun chatting too.

I'm off to spread the news... :)

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Do Something Bold!!

I am so proud of my sister... She has decided to participate in the Susan G Koman Breast Cancer 3-day walk in honor of our Grandmother, Gladys Vlk, who heroically survived Breast Cancer for over 30 years. This grueling 60 mile walk helps raise fund breast cancer research and community outreach programs, as well as the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund, to provide an endowment for breast cancer initiatives. She has to raise $2200 to participate so I will do all I can to help her, and anyone else I know participating, meet her goal...

She asked if I could find a picture of the two of them to use on her fundraising page but the only one I could find had been cut into an octagon shape (What was I thinking? :) )... Since I have no clue where the negative was, I decided to spruce it up a bit. I played with the 2 Peas in a Bucket's "PinkOctober" digital kit 2007 (paper by Tia Bennett, THINK PINK by Rhonna Farrer, COURAGE by Sande Krieger), O'Scraps' "O Be Thankful" digital kit (thankful frame by J Brisebois, ribbons by Khristy Schmidt and M Colosimo, glitter corner by Vicki Stegall) and a ribbon by Jenn Reed.

I challenge each one of you to find someone who will be participating in the amazing event nationwide and support them. Together, we can make a different. So, let's do something bold and stand up for our sisters!

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!

Hopefully, Cupid's been pretty good to you this year and you have lots of fun chocolate in your tummies! Our family was blessed this week with the birth of our own little sweetness - Elaine and Chris welcome a wonderful little boy named Andrew Ryan into the family. He's definitely a keeper! Congrats to them!!

This week has also been a busy week for me... Steve is back on the road and with that, I have to re-adjust back into the role of Supermom! Hasn't been too bad, really... I even got a couple of really cool pages and a mini-album done. This page (right) was done as part of a challenge: do a 12x12 page without pics. It was done for my sweetest friend, Tracy, who has made a huge impact in my life and continues to be such a super friend! The hidden journaling (attached to the bottom of the boat - hidden in the waves like an anchor) tells her just what an amazing woman she is. The song is Garth Brook's "Til You Come Back to Me Again" - love him and love the song! {Lost the challenge but o well!} The whole page is painted by hand by me! Who knew I could paint? AHAHAHAHA

Also, I am really excited because I got the coolest little mini album done. Ever wonder what to do with all those wallet size pictures of nieces and nephews after you take them out of your wallet? I created this cute little chipboard album in which I created a little section for each of my nieces and nephews. They have a page for each picture and I update it with fun little facts, like "Braxton is such a happy baby" or "Eme is a speed demon on her knees... " I'll post pictures of it after I get it back from the Scrapbook Zone. {I used it as part of my design team application. I would really love to make their team!}

Other than that, things are kind of slow. Looking forward to the March Madness to begin... MSU might not be playing too great right now but they always do well in tourney play. Plus, Steve surprised me with tickets to the Regionals at Ford Field. I can't wait to go watch some great basketball and cheer on MSU (if they get put in that bracket) or the underdog. Love a big upset!

Hope you guys have a great holiday. Eat lots of chocolate!!