Sew Much Fun!

I've had a fun and busy weekend, but wanted to show you a little, itty bit of what I've been doing.  Not much more than a tease, but that can be fun too, right?

Don't worry, I'll be back to show you my progress.  If I think this is relatively "easy" I'll be making many  more of them.  What is it, you ask?  Well, for now that's a surprise...

How was your weekend?

Winners! (part 2)

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who hopped along our Soul Restoration blog hop this past weekend.  I loved sharing with you some of the things I have experienced while taking this class.  I'd like to clarify a few things, of my own opinion... because I truly, truly, truly believe every girl out there deserves this class... to be brave... and restore her soul.

• Soul Restoration is very spiritual, but you do not have to belong to or believe in any one religion to take this course.  This was very freeing to me... because I love the open arms and open  hearts from everyone, of all walks of faith, in this class.
• Soul Restoration (the class) is six weeks.  But what you learn, and what you will continue to learn and practice, will last a lifetime.  Don't sign on if you're not ready for a lifetime of change.
• And I must stress and say again... you do not have to be an artist to take this class.  There is art involved.  But if you know how to cut paper, use glue and write with a pen, you can excel in this class.  If you're open to learning a few art techniques and "playing" that's just an option that's there for you.
• And one of the biggest lessons that I have learned (and to be honest, am still working to learn and ingrain), is No Comparing.  I hope you are not dissuaded from taking this class by looking at all of the wonderful art that was on display during the blog hop.  Because your art is as beautiful and wonderful... and what's most important... it's YOURS.

Okay, I just had to get that off my chest.  I may  (or may not) come back and talk more about Soul Restoration here on my blog... I guess it depends on how much I feel I can bare to the world at large.  For now, I hope that everyone taking the second edition of Soul Restoration 1 have a BLAST, and I will see everyone who comes back for Soul Restoration 2 in the summer.  Yep, I'll be there. 

Okay, okay... without further ado...

Like yesterday, The Hubs helped me pick a winner for my Soul Restoration class giveaway... and once again, Sparky attempted to help.

Here's Hubs waving hello again, just cuz I think he's cute that way:

The list of people who were ready to be brave and restore:

And again, Hubs did a specatacular job cutting them up...

Here's Sparky, ready and willing to pick a winner...

And his support team, Rikki (check out that eye glow!)

and Mouse (his twin sister... fraternal, of course).

He really, really wanted to pick the winner, but that lack of opposable thumbs issue really holds him back.  So we made a deal.  We told him to think very, very, very hard of which ticket he wanted to pick, while The Hubs put his hand in the bowl and actually picked the ticket. 

I think Sparky almost sprained something here, he was thinking so hard...

And the winner is...

Congratulations Devonne!

Please contact me at {wytewolf22} at {yahoo} dot {com} to let me know what email you will be using to sign up for Soul Restoration, plus your full name, and I will contact The Brave Girls Club and get it all underway!

And for those of you who didn't get this freebie chance, I truly hope you try to set aside some money to take this class, and make YOURSELF the priority for once.

It's time.  And you really do deserve it!

Winners! (part 1)

The time has finally come to pull and announce winners for my Pioneer Woman signed book giveaway from a while back.

I thought for a while about how to select winners.  I know about Random.org, but sometimes I find that so... uncreative.  Not that I am against using it, nor am I criticizing anyone who does use that site (it's extremely convenient), but my giveaway responses were small enough that I could do something a little more fun this time. 

So, with the help of The Hubs, I created some tickets on the computer with each person's name on it and randomly chose my winners that way... ready? 

Okay, here are the tags...

The Hubs helped me out by cutting them up for me.  Isn't he so kind?  (of course, my hands were full with "camera", but I won't mention that.)

Wave "hello" to my readers, Hubs!

He did a great job cutting them up, didn't he?

Next, we folded them up into little itty bitty pieces and placed them in this heart-embellished crystal dish I still had out from Valentine's day.  Well, it wasn't exactly "out", it was in the dish drainer, but I digress...

About this time, Sparky tried to jump up and help.   Sorry for the blurred photo, he was really close, and was head-butting me for  attention.

The Hubs picked...

And...here's  winner #1:

Congratulations Felecia!!

Sparky was all ready to help draw the second name. 

Sadly, he doesn't have opposable thumbs, so we had to rely on The Hubs to do the picking again...

And here's winner #2:

Congratulations Shaina!! 

And I must mention that it was  Hubs' idea, at the last minute before I snapped the photo, to turn Shaina's winning ticket at a lovely jaunty angle, which is a "signature" of mine... "jaunty angles".  How sweet of him to get so... creative! 

By they way, the whole house was so excited for the winners!

Well, okay... I am very excited, even if my pups aren't!

Felecia and Shaina, please PM me or send me your snail mail addresses at {wytewolf22} at {yahoo} dot {com} so I can get you your book!  Congrats again!

And stay tuned... the Soul Restoration giveaway winner will be posted tomorrow night...

Why Do I Scrapbook?

As I'm still "recuperating", I thought I'd just share with you some random thoughts... most of which (if not all) are NOT mine.

I scrapbook because:

"I find out more and more every day how important it is for people to share their memories." (Mr. Rogers)

"The existence of forgetting has never been proved:  We only know that some things don't come to mind when we want them." (Friedrich Nietzsche)

"She glances at the photo, and the pilot light of memory flickers in her eyes." (Frank Deford)

"Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph.  Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you."  (Simon & Garfunkel)

"My grandmother made me a scrapbook because I was once too young to remember; I am making scrapbooks for my family because one day I may be too old to remember." (Author Unknown)

I may have shared this one before, but it's a favorite of mine:

"Keep some souvenirs of your past, or how will you ever prove it wasn't all a dream?" (Ashleigh Brilliant)

"A picture is poem without words." (Confucius )

To which I'd like to add, "I scrapbook to tell the story" (Kai)

And last, but not least (nor will it be the absolute end of sharing these thoughts now and again):

"Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun." (Mary Lou Cook)

I hope your day is filled with wonderful memories in the making!  (And there's still time to enter this giveaway)

Scrap Happy

I just spent a long weekend away at one of my favorite places on earth: A Crop for All Seasons.  This craft retreat "home away from home" is one of the best experiences I've had, and it truly must be because I've been going there with my friends for the past four years!

This little piece of Heaven is run by two sisters who I absolutely adore.  They have truly thought of everything... a spacious crop room for twelve with plenty of tools to use including music or movies, cricuts, a computer and a printer; an astoundingly beautiful house, decorated to match the seasons (hence the name); complete hospitality service (including a chocolate on your pillow each night with your turned down bed); a fridge fully stocked with soft drinks and water; plenty of "brain food" like sweets and salty snacks; an unending supply of coffee or tea... and the most delicious, absolutely to die for homecooked meals you could ask for!

And the best part?  100% of my time is MINE.  It is scrappy room that is uninterrupted by household needs... no hubby, twenty-something or teenager in sight! 

What does all of that mean?  I completed many projects in my Soul Restoration class, as well as several over-due layouts and a thank-you card for our Hostesses with the Mostestes.

However, one thing I didn't get much time to do was... sleep.  So, pardon me for a day or two while I catch up on this much needed item and then I'll be back to post the winners of the Pioneer Woman giveaway and the Soul Restoration giveaway.  There's still time to enter here for the Soul Restoration giveaway, if you haven't already.  And, WOW!  Thank you to all of you who visited me during this fun blog hop.  I truly appreciate your comments!

I will be back.  With some crafty bits.  I promise...

The women who run this fabulous craft retreat do know me, but they have no idea how much I talk about them, nor do they know I blog, and they don't pay me anything for advertising.  This post is purely to share my love for this slice of goodness.