Sophia (again) and Take Ten

This is the facing page (with the journaling) for the previously posted Sophia page. Do you know how long it's been since I completed a two-page spread? Long long time.

Vellum...so very easy to use and so much overlooked these days. :)

And one more card...

In other news, back in October, my friend Leigh Ann and I made a little trek down to EMI Scrapbooking to take a couple of card-making classes with Copic/A Muse Instructor Michelle Clark. We had a great time with Michelle and the girls at EMI. Anyway, last weekend I picked up the newest edition of Stampington's Take Ten magazine...and was thrilled to see that Michelle's work is quite prominantly featured all thru it. How cool is that?!

The premise of Take Ten, which comes out quarterly, is that all the cards inside take less than ten minutes to create. Take Ten is available at Michaels and other craft chains, as well as online from Stampington.

Happy Monday!
--Sarah

Sophia and Let's Scrap

Sophia the Cat came to live with us at Christams. We have never had a pet before but Sophia has quickly become part of our family. She's a beautiful cat--very regal and appropriately stoic. She sleeps alot during the day but at night, she plays. Since I'm a nightowl as well, I get to enjoy her playfulness more than the guys. We roll the ball, toss the socks around and she talks to me. It's pretty cool.

Sophia has given me something new to scrapbook...and I'm pretty sure I've taken more pictures of her in the past three months than of the boys. :)

Here is my first official pet layout...forgive the lack of journaling. There's a facing page in the works and the journaling will be included on it.

Layout was made using the 4-7-2010 sketch from Let's Scrap. Here's the sketch:

I also used the leftovers to create a quick card.

Let's Scrap
Happy Sunday!
--Sarah

Some Scrapbook Pages

Admiring...Quiltage

So, I have recently been admiring the blog of Paper Crafts Magazine girl Kim Kesti, but oddly enough, mostly for the saga of her quilting. She's doing these quilts with circles...which I have found fascinating. Mixing patterns randomly challenges me, but I like the circles...

Kim Kesti's Blog.

Scrapbook 911 in San Antonio

Joal and I spent the first weekend in March together on a trip to San Antonio with many of his colleagues. If you've been around a while, you might remember that we have been on several cruises, courtesy of NWYC and Joal's dilligent work. This year, instead of a cruise, he earned us a spot on the land-lovers trip to San Antonio.

One of the highlights of the trip (for me) was a quick trip to Scrapbook 911, one of San Antonio's many (yes, I'm jealous) local scrapbooking retail establishments. My time for shopping was limited so on the advice of the Peas, I picked this store to be the one I would visit. Peas did not lead me wrong. :) What an excellent place!

I can feel a great scrapbook store within about 10 seconds of stepping in the door...and boy, did I enjoy every minute I spent in this store. It was warm and well-stocked with lots of my favorite scrapbooking brands. The American Crafts Thickers **wall** was to die for as was the fabulous and generous array of ribbons and trims sold by the yard. There were great layouts all over the store and the crop area looked very spacious and comfortable.

The ladies in the store were very friendly and helpful. As usually happens when I travel to stores in other areas, the lady checking me out, asked if I was on the mailing list and the usual conversation ensued. "No, I don't live here."
"Really. Where are you from?"
"Nashville."
"Well, what brought you here?"
"My husband's work...we're here for the weekend."
"Well, we are glad you stopped by."
"Thank you. You have a great store. I'm glad I snuck away." (The big stack of things she's ringing up should be an indicator of how great I think her store is.) :)
"I bet you have great stores in Nashville?"
"No, not really."
"Wow. That's surprising."
"It's crazy. There are no stores in Nashville, except the chains. The closest real scrapbook store is about an hour away."
"Wow."

I have this recurring dream that someday I'm going to have this conversation with someone somewhere and that person is going to say something like "I've been looking for the perfect place to open our next location...maybe Nashville would be perfect. What do you know about the West Side?" I know, it's a pipe dream...but I hold onto it nonetheless. :)

Anyway, I acquired a nice sack of scrapbooking goodness, including the We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper that Kristina Werner is so fond of. It's in one of those crazy, impossible-to-open packages...so I haven't gotten to use it yet...I need to find a big sturdy knife or pair of scissors.

So now you know, if you're in San Antonio, Scrapbook 911 is the place to go.
~~Sarah

Samaritan Ministries

Our family has been members of Samaritan Ministries, a faith-based, medical needs sharing co-operative for almost ten years. We sought out this alternative to traditional medical insurance after the highly-rated, big name medical insurance company we had been insured by for more than three years *illegally* dumped all its client in the state of Tennessee without informing us. The big insurance company acted illegally and as a result, Julian and I became uninsurable.

Samaritan Ministries is a co-operative of like-minded Christians who have banded together and committed to sharing the costs of their medical financial needs. The ministry, which opened its doors in 1994, currently has about 14,000 member families from all across the United States.

Samaritan is not an insurance company and what they provide is *not* traditional medical insurance per se. There are obvious limitations, but we have no problem operating inside those limitations. They are spelled out clearly and no one tries to hide the program limitations.

Samaritan Ministries was profiled in a report on NPR this week, primarily because certain facets of the current healthcare reform legislation may seek to impede our right to choose to participate in a private medical co-op, buying forcing all Americans to purchase traditional medical insurance.

NPR's report did a decent job of summarizing what Samaritan is and what they offer to members, however the subsequent discussion in the comment board exposed to me how scarred many Americans are when it comes to the mistrust of anything that mixes money and religion. Deep are the scars, deep are the wounds that have been inflicted upon those who struggle with their faith when someone in leadership in the Christian community "falls from grace" (which is a misconception, but that's another post) . 

Part of me doesn't understand the notion that it's acceptable to judge an entire segment of the population (the whole of Christendom) on the "big names" of Robertson, Roberts, Bakker, Haggard, etc. Understand it or not, people on the periphery of the evangelical community are indeed judging all of us by the standards (or lack thereof) of our fallen "names". Why are we being judged in the light of the lowest common denominator? 

I have zero connection to those men and they have zero connection to me. It frustrated me that their use of the media has taught the world their names and subsequently has made their failures synonymous with all of Christianity. This is not logical. It makes no sense. It's shallow.

Will we now distrust all married golfers and expect them to be lying, deceitful clods who cheat on their wives because that's who Tiger Woods is?

Will we expect every governor of every state to run off to a small country in South America to find a mistress at taxpayer's expense, now that we know that's what the governor of South Carolina did?

Will we no longer trust a single doctor because one decided to get high and continue to practice?

No. Any responsible person can see that these scenarios are the universal equivalent of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. It's not the way of the thinker, but of the shallow person.

I am not a believer in the LCD, especially when it comes to my faith. I do not deny that it appears that those men (the big names) failed in their walk on many levels and did so in a very public way. They made bad choices, behaved badly, participated in things that were illegal and immoral and made a mockery of what it is to be a servant of Christ, but their failures should not be reflective of me any more than the failures and sins of Tiger Woods should be reflective of the average golfer at the course by the Harpeth.

Being a believer in Christ is an individual sport.

I recoil at the thought that the general population of the world would assume and presume that all things Christian are now tainted based on the failures of a few former pedestal-dwellers.

I also believe that as long as we, the Christian community, continue to raise up pedestal-dwellers, (or allow them to raise themselves up unchecked) we will continue to be judged on their less-than-elegant dismounts. As long as we continue to allow the names of mere mortal men to be raised over the name of Jesus, we will continue to be the bastion of disappointment and lack of character. When we follow a man instead of the One who saves, we set ourselves up...and by extension, we set up our communal character for direct asassination by those around us.

Men fail.
Men are lured away from what is right and true.
Men disappoint.

Jesus never fails. Never goes away. Jesus never disappoints.

Samaritan Ministries has been a vital part of our lives for a long time. It works systemically (the co-op concept is certainly nothing new) and on a faith-level as well. Where traditional insurance has become unaffordable, greedy and hard-to-understand, Samaritan has remained true, affordable and simple. When a "highly-rated" top-notch insurance company maneuvered to illegally dump a large number of high risk clients in the state of Tennessee, thereby committing legal and moral crimes that went unchecked, Samaritan was there.

Samaritan is not flashy, hard-to-grasp concept. It's a very simple idea. And it works. Well. 

Healthcare and Health insurance are not the responsibilities of our government. These are private matters, best handles by private individuals and private doctors. Government has very little place dictating medical care. In his first inaugural address, President Clinton stated "There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America". I agree 100%. When government does not interfere, Americans can generally come up with ways to fix what ails her...in this case, repairing an ailing health care/insurance industry. 

Samaritan, and the concept of the medical co-op, is a viable alternative to traditional medical insurance. It's the stripped-down model that is based on scriptural principles, personal responsibility and helping ones fellow man. 

Galatians 6
1Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

4Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

6Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.


7Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

~~Sarah

Top Note is Top Notch

Stampin Up offers a fabulous dies known as the Top Note.
I am so loving this die!

Part Two

6-Get a Blog and Keep it Updated!
This is absolutely not an optional thing. If you can type an email, you can keep a blog updated. With stores across America dropping out of the retail scene constantly, keeping in touch with your clients regularly is vital. Blogs are so very easy...if your store doesn't have one, you are missing out.

7-Monitor the major scrap sites.
Your on-line presence must include monitoring the major scrapbooking message boards. Participation is optional, but monitoring is a must. It's not uncommon for message board participants to post quaries such as "tell me which stores to visit in __". You can learn alot about the reputation of your store from how other members answer this question.

What Do Scrapbook Store Customers Want, Anyway?

Here and there, from time to time, I visit random scrapbooking supply retailers all over this state and a few other states as well. I love scrapbook stores, especially independant ones. I love the charm and character that I find in most of them. I enjoy browsing--checking out supplies and art and soaking up the creative energy.

Unless there is none...and then I just get sad.

I should first acknowledge that I have never owned a scrapbook store, so any opinions on how a scrapbook store should be managed are strictly "advice from the cheap seats".

That said, I do feel qualified to put my opinions and thoughts out there because I do know a thing or two about scrapbookers, having studied them for many years and having been one for even longer. And because I have shopped in many many many stores...I'm pretty sure I've picked up on the good and the bad...and I wish I could share what I have learned with every store owner. Marketing, especially small business marketing, is my thing.

With that in mind, here's my list of ten things every scrapbook store owner should know:

1. Loose lips sink scrapbook stores.
Like it or not, your clients are not your friends. Oh sure, you can be surface friends and scrapbooking buddies with your clients, but if you are going to preserve your reputation in your scrapbooking community as a professional business owner, you must keep your business details to yourself. If you chatter on about the private details of your business to your clients, that information will be shared with others, perhaps even people you don't want it shared with. If you gossip about one client to another client, you will eventually also be the topic of gossip.

Shut up.

2. Do not speak ill of your competition. Again this habit speaks volumes about your level of professionalism. I don't care if the store across town is owned by the wicked witch of the west with two heads and if she runs her car over your dog... if you open your mouth to speak ill of her around your clients, it will get back to her. There's nothing more childish and unprofessional than "the war between the stores"...and clients always get caught in the crossfire. The solution to this problem is very simple: Do not participate.

Shut up.

3.  Do not lie to your clients.
I should not have to say this, but I am. If you can't be honest with your client, you need professional help. If you forgot to order a certain product, just say so. If you aren't going to restock something that has already sold out, just say so. Go the extra mile to be honest and forthright with your clients. If a client calls you to ask if you carry XYZ paper, you should check to be sure that you actually have that paper in stock before saying "yes". Common sense...that is not so common.

Don't fool yourself into thinking that your clients are not as knowledgeable about this industry as you are. I have seen this happen so many times and it is so disappointing. A few years ago, it happened to me personally and I found it completely rattling. I was visiting a store in another state for the first time. I asked the store owner "do you have any paper by Scenic Route?" Her answer to me was "No. We used to carry their paper, but they closed."

As a loyal, deeply committed user of Scenic Route, I *knew* that this was not accurate information. (Remember, this was a few years ago.)  What was the harm in just saying "no, we don't"?

Just be honest.

4. Be willing to educate your clients.
Practice giving a short (I said short) introduction to scrapbooking lesson so that when a new client enters your store and says those magic words "I've never done this before but I want to start..." you are prepared to give them the basics in understandable terms. When you are talking to someone who's new to the world of scrapbooking, don't use lingo, brand names and abbreviations. A person who's never created a scrapbooking probably isn't going to know what you are talking about when you say "do you use a post-bound or strap hinge album?" Be prepared to show your new clients the difference on the spot. Asking "have you seen a Cuttlebug?" is going to make your new scrapbooker look at you as if you have two heads.

You, the professional scrapbook store owner, should be able to give a short introduction to scrapbooking to anyone who comes into your store. Educating your potential clients is always in your best interest. Always.

5. Remember, scrapbookers are *visual* people by nature.
You  might be able to explain something using only words...but showing it *will* sell it. If a client asks you "what's embossing?", show them. Demonstrate it. When there's a new tool sitting on your shelf, that no one has expressed interest in purchasing, you can bet it's probably because they don;t know what it's for. Educate your clients! Tool features...will sell tools! If you sell Quickutz dies and tools, you should be prepared, willing, even eager to show off the Quickutz die cutting system to anyone who will listen.

Set up a table...call it the tool table (make a sign) and let your clients know that this is the place to learn something new every time they come into your store! Keep the featured tool fresh and the project that demonstrates the uses of the tool simple.

6. Make a sign! For everything.
See #5...scrapbookers are visually-oriented people. Use a basic word processing program to print signs that are informative, easy-to-read and neat. Choose a font that is attractive and **readable** and print your signs on nice paper. Check for spelling errors often.

Number 6-10 coming tomorrow.

Guess What?

I'm blogging.
No excuses...no long drawn out promises never to neglect my blogspot again...let's just jump right in, shall we?

*This* masterpiece is what I found when I downloaded the pictures off my camera today.
Lovely, huh.
Boys.
Oh yes, he took it himself.

In scrapbooking news, I received the most fabulous tidbit of news last Friday evening. Club Scrap has resumed selling their to-die-for 8.5x11 leather albums! Do you hear the angels singing? Well, I do! Club Scrap albums are the best, most wonderful, sturdiest, most delicious 8.5x11 albums on the market...but unfortunately, they were off the market for a very long time. It was rumored that they were gone for good, much to my severe disappointment.

And then, *poof*, they are back.
Who Hoo!!

It's really hard to find a fantastic, sturdy, leather album in the 8.5x11 size. I am thrilled to have this option again and you can bet that I will be stocking up, lest we have another scare. :)

(You can see them here.)

Happy Thursday.
--Sarah

The DING! of Hope!

So, no, I have not completely abandoned the blog, but I confess to severe neglect. No real reason, other than I am suffering thru a bout of "too many gray winter days the do not lend me much upishness" otherwise known as "I'm kinda bored."


Joal travels quite often for work and his preferred airline is Southwest. Fortunately, Southwest *doesn't* go thru Atlanta, and does go to most of the places Joal needs to go, so he racks up some serious mileage with the Southwest team.

My sister lives in Oklahoma City and is about to give birth to her first child. So a few months ago, I started planning when I would make the trip over after the baby's birth, ostensibly to help out, but mostly with the intention of holding that sweet little baby. While deciding whether or not I wanted to fly (as opposed to driving almost 700 miles), I discovered that Southwest offers a special service called *DING!*. By downloading their app, I can be alerted with a special Ding! to any special deals Southwest is running for my particular aiport(s).

For example, today there was a Ding! for a flight from Nashville to Tulsa for $87 for travel after January 5. The deals are excellent money-savers, if you can purchase immediately and can travel in the limited dates given. So far, I haven't managed to capture the right flight for the right dates via the Ding!...but I bow to the genius of Southwest for concept of the Ding! Let me tell you, that little noise brings me straight to the computer every single time it sounds.

Pure marketing genius, it is, because every time my laptops offers up a Ding!, I get hopeful. Will this particular Ding! hold the possibility of *my* ideal flight of Nashville to Oklahoma City for $49 on Dec 30? Even $99 would be a steal. Well, I won't know if I don't check!

Must. click. the. Ding!. note. Now.

So far, it hasn't happened, but I remain hopeful. Isn't it funny how so much hope is so easily wrapped up in such a tiny little *Ding!*. I was thinking about this as we drove across town today. Several families we know are expanding--my sister is weeks from giving birth and one of Joal's friends left yesterday to pick up his new daughter in China. Not to mention that it's almost Christmas--babies are popping up everywhere. Talk about hope wrapped up in a tiny little package--babies bring us so much hopefulness...so much reassurance that there is much to be hopeful for and grateful in.

In this Christmas season, I am hopeful because I remember that the hope of all humanity arrived in a very small package, in a very small town, in a perfectly, normal, small, almost unnoticed way--the child who was God and man, the child who was, in the moment of His humble birth, the Savior of the world. The child who was the ultimate giver of Hope for all mankind.

No Ding! required.

Cards...Stamp a Stack

These are some of the cards Anita and I made at the Stampin' Up Stamp-a-Stack class last week--some with some minor modifications...because I just can't copy something 100%. :)

It was a fantastic class...

Martha's Blue Glittered and Pearled Pumpkins

Years ago, Martha Stewart poured some pretty blue glitter on a foam pumpkin and created a whole new kind of elegant fall magic. At least in my mind. :) I seriously fell into deep like with glittered pumpkins and have never looked back.

The A Muse Lounge Challenge for the month of October is to stamp out whatever October means to you...for me, nothing says October more than blue glittered pumpkins. (Try not to read too much into that.)

So here's my card for the A Muse challenge. Stamps are A Muse and the metallic lustre inks are by Colorbox--the cat eye collection. Those are the handiest little things.

Happy fall!

Treasures from the Recycle Bins

Look what I pulled out of the Mixed Paper Bin at the Recycling Center over the weekend! Isn't it a beauty? Better Homes and Gardens from March 1968!! It even has that vintage magazine smell. :)

Check out some of the advertisements inside:

It's rainey and damp here...but this made me smile. Tomorrow the recipes section.

Winter AMuse Cards

I enjoyed attending 2 A Muse Art Stamps classes this weekend where this was one of the cards we completed. Note the use of Fabrique Applique aka puffy paint (leftover from the days of embellished and painted t-shirts and sweatshirts--hello 1985) on the snowballs. How fun is that?




This tag was a project from the tag class that I modified a little, making him into a card, with Stickles. :) Glittery Stickles makes me happy.

All stamps are AMuse Artstamps. Color was added using Copic markers...wow--those are some luxurious markers.

Slow Times bring Stamping

Things are slow these days...blogwise. I've been busy doing all the little projects that had accumulated on my "wish I had time to do this" list while I was getting the cruise scrapbook done.

I have organized stamps--meaning that all the clear photopolymer stamps are now housed in clear CD cases. Watch for more stamping to come to my little blog--mainly because I need to use the stamps I like to look at. I suspect that stamps multiply amongst themselves when I'm not looking.

I have, as I already pointed out, become enamored with A Muse Stamps lately. Such good stuff there. I love the clean lines of their signature look. The A Muse gallery is fantastic. I especially fell in love with the Jeep, the ipod, and this card.

And finally, have you ever watched Stamp TV? I just found this channel of youtube videos this evening and have been enjoying them so far. The hostess has a very calm and soothing voice and is well-rehearsed but not up-tight. I like that in craft videos. I do not enjoy video stars who haven't thought about how to present their instructions, causing them to hem-n-haw and fumble around. Bugs me. But I digress.

I realy like the technique shown here using wax paper. Need to try this.

Happy Friday!
--Sarah

Ribbons and Buttons...Oh My

This is what a girl does to celebrate her newly organized ribbon. I've been saying "I want to do that project" for months, after seeing a fellow pea create a similar display of buttons under glass. Blues and browns of all shades...these are a few of my favorites. :)

Speaking of buttons, have you seen this blog called *BUTTONFloozies*? It's shh-weet. Don't miss out.

Happy Monday morning!
--Sarah

Ribbon Redemption

It took until almost 4am, but the ribbon has been redeemed! Around 1:15 am, I realized that Capri Sun boxes could be cut in half and make the *perfect* holders for rolls of ribbon. As it just so happened, there were 8 empty Capri Sun boxes in my area, waiting to be recycled. (It's a long story.) So, I chopped them all in half and used them. Four boxes will fit in a large Iris Cart drawers, which is the same place I used to store the scads of disheveled ribbons...the boxes serve as sorters...there is nothing so soothing as ribbon arranged by color.

I didn't realize how much I apparently like red ribbons! Below shows reds, pinks, oranges, and purples/yellows/greens (because I don't use those alot).

Below shows boxes for black and whites, blues, sea colors, and browns. This drawer will get the most use...Black and white is almost always my first choice.

I organized each of the roll-less, by-the-yard ribbons this way. Each piece is rolled neatly and secured with a strip of paper. I used a tape adhesive to secure the end. Because I need to be able to see what's there, I stood each bundle on it's end. This basket from The Dollar Tree sits neatly on my desk now...reminding me to use the pretty ribbon and making it easy to do so.

And shhh...did you notice that there's a little room for a few more additions?? Hmm.

The paper strips are secure but not tight and they are easy to slip off. It was important to me not to damage the ribbons by using adhesive or pins on the actual ribbons. (Stores that poke a pin into their ribbon rolls really make me unhappy.)



There are a few carded ribbons in my collection, so I just left them as they were. One other little basket hold all the carded ribbons, on my desk, easy to flip thru.

The rest of the ribbons have been a) tossed b) recycled or c) moved to the Christmas bin.

I would love to have the space to keep them out where I can see them but wallspace is just not real estate I can afford right now. So drawers and baskets will have to do. I get a little giddy about the recycling aspect of repurposing the Capri Sun boxes. (If they were going to be sitting out, I would cover them with paper or paint them.)

I feel so much better now that my ribbons are accessible and easy to pull from.

Happy Sunday!

--Sarah

My Ribbon Storage is in Need of a Makeover

"Chaos" has to be the only word appropriate for describing the current state of my ribbon storage. It's unruly and outrageous. And something has to change.

How did I ever let it get this bad?

Help!!



In other news, sometimes it all just comes together. Don't ya love it when that happens? Case in point: When Joal and I were in Bar Harbor, I found a book called *Best of Bar Harbor*. It's basically a small photo book, like a coffeetable book, only small. It has all the requisite photos of Bar Harbor's most famous sites. I first glanced thru it while waiting in the lobby of our hotel. Later, while shopping in a local bookstore (one of the things I really like about Bar Harbor is the *local* businesses), I found a copy of the same book, autographed by the author. Score one. Then as I was paying for the book, I overheard the bookstore owner talking to a man about how well his book was selling...yes, it was none other than Greg Hartford, the photographer of the book I was buying. :)

How cool is that?

So on the plane ride home I was looking thru the book, reliving a little of the magic, and it struck me. Why couldn't I use this book as the base of my Maine scrapbook? I could tear it up and incorporate the (ahem) scraps into my scrapbook. Ha. Is that allowed?

I've been mulling on this since June, while I finished the cruise book. I finally came to the conclusion that this particular book is just too lovely to tear up. And then I pulled out a ruler and discovered that my sweet little book of photos from Bar Harbor is none other than 8x8...a very common size of albums in the scrapbook world. Can you say delighted?

The theme for this album is "life in a northern town" and it will have two sections--Bangor (where the boys stayed with their grandparents) and Bar Harbor (where Joal and I went). I can't wait to get started--it's so nice to be working on my own things again without time restraints.

Happy Saturday night.

--Sarah

Oh my...Look.

Go see this if all things ribbon, you like. Road trip, anyone?

Card Sketch Keeper

One of the finest video artists creating on Youtube today is Kristina Werner. Seriously, her stuff is top notch. She puts out a feature each week on her blog called Make a Card Monday--this week however, was not a card, but a card idea sketch keeper. Above is my version.

Note: I didn't have a stapler handy so I used a thick thread to "sew" the pages together in two places. This paper is from Carolyn Gavin's Greenhouse Collection by K&Co. It's one of my favorites of late, so I didn't want to cover it up with any other embellishments...just let the paper speak and enjoy it. :)

Happy Wednesday!

When Good Men Cry Out

When Good Men Cry Out
September 14, 2009

On Friday night Congressman Joe Wilson from South Carolina cried out against one more in a long line of lies that President Obama has told the American people. The president said that the proposed "Obama Care" would not cover illegal aliens. However, the congressman knew very well that without any enforcement mechanism in the bill (which he had actually read) that it could ultimately be used to cover illegal aliens. So, he spoke truth to power. He said, "You lie!" His statement has since been proven true, and this problem in the bill was fixed after he spoke up. However, immediately the Democrats began to threaten censure for Congressman Wilson.

First, Joe the plumber, now the congressman. Which of us will be next? Maybe it will be the "thugs" in the town hall meetings. Maybe it will be a police officer who was just doing his job. Maybe it will be a CIA agent who is just looking out for his country. Maybe it will be the young couple who exposed ACORN. Maybe it will be the guys at Fox News for their opposing points of view or their political activism. Or maybe it will be you or I for sending an e-mail with "suspicious" content.

It is time that we all cry out in solidarity with this descent, normally soft spoken congressman from South Carolina who displayed such uncommon courage and appropriate passion. He was crying out for us in that moment on Friday night, and we need to cry out for and with him now.

It is time the rest of us owned the obvious truth that he so bravely spoke. The president does, in fact, lie - sometimes by direct statement and sometimes by omission. Consider this. Throughout the long election campaign, he made sure that he came across as a reasoned "almost-moderate," as an advocate of bipartisanship, as a proponent of capitalism, as someone who is fiscally responsible, as being capable of bringing positive and agreeable change, as a political peacemaker, as an honest man, as a man of integrity and transparency.

In fact, he has since been proven to be none of those things. He had every opportunity to express his true views and intentions before he asked us to vote for him. But he intentionally hid those from the country simply because he and the DNC knew that the country would never elect an ultra left socialist who intended to rule the country with czars and "thuggish" politics.

He knew very well that we would never agree to spend ourselves into oblivion, apologize to our enemies, treat terrorists like deserving citizens, back down from rogue despots, weaken our military, tax investment capital out of existence, turn the country over to leftist, tree hugging fanatics and avowed socialist and communists. He knew all of that. So, he lived a lie. And he lied by intentional omissions and partial truths. And he did it smoothly and deliberately.

And so far, Congressman Wilson has been the only one in Washington with the courage to call it like it is, but, that needs to stop now. We, who simply want descent and effective government need to stand with this courageous congressman as the Democrats prepare to punish him.

Perhaps then, this clueless congress that we are presently saddled with can get the picture that, in effect, this congressman was not just speaking for himself. He was momentarily the voice of the majority in the nation. This president and his backers should know that the truth is now out, and that we, the responsible citizens and voters, "get it." And Ms. Pelosi and her "kids in the candy store" need to know that it matters to us how they handle our representative.

In the last few months, I have come to understand that President Obama is a "political kamikaze." That is why he does not respond to any of the normal pressures. He is not worried about a second term. He is only worried about accomplishing his "blitzkrieg leftist agenda" in this term. My estimate is that he never really intended to survive the process politically. His only intent and concern is to deliver up the country to an unalterable elitist run kind of socialism in this term.

And, in fact, we really cannot stop him at this point (he has the power to do exactly that) unless we can strip him of his congressional backing. Most of those men and women like the good life of congressional Washington, and they would like to return to it. So, they really need to understand that if they continue to empower this "mistake" of a president, we, the people, will see to it that they don't.

So, I would propose this plan. It is simple. It is easy. And if done in sufficient numbers as a grass roots effort, it could have real impact. Via e-mail, let’s just join with this courageous congressman by sending the same message a million times over to the White House. The president needs to hear this resounding popular vote of "no confidence."

So now, for us, it is decision time. Do we want to join this brave congressman in speaking truth to power. Well, let’s see. It is easy. It can be effective. It is definitely an expression of support and solidarity for and with Joe Wilson. It is a great exercise of our first amendment right. And, in sufficient numbers, it might actually help "rein in" this out of control congress and president. And it really is the right thing to do.

Yeah, we can handle that. Let’s just do it. Simply choose a day for the e-mail event and contact your e-mail "posse," and ask them to let you know if they would be willing to join you in e-mailing these two words, "You lie!" to the White House from this page: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ Then ask them to do the same with their "posse."

A small effort will be completely ineffective here. But a good and faithful effort could be very effective. Let’s be courageous and determined here. Let’s attend to our duty and stand by those who stand by us. Let’s stand by the Honorable Congressman Joe "You lie!" Wilson of South Carolina. Let’s all cry out together.

So, I'm asking you, as part of my e-mail group, "Will you join me in this effort?" If so, let me know and we will all mail tomorrow (I will let you know the number that are participating) Tuesday, Sept. 15. The clock is ticking for this effort to be well timed with the debate over Congressman Wilson’s censure. Let’s stand with Joe!

I wish I could physically stand in the House of Representatives with Joe Wilson. I wish his constituents from South Carolina would fill up the House gallery during the censure debate and insist on physically standing with him if he is ultimately punished by Pelosi and her group. However, I can't manage all of that but I can do this small thing and I hope you will join me in this effort.

--Larry Burnett

A Muse Again

A Muse Challenge

I am in deep like with A Muse Art Stamps. They are simple and clean and so very easy to use. My mom's mom, Bobbie, had a fan just like this...it was old and black and heavy. I remember it distinctly (which is saying something) so you can see why I was drawn to this particular stamp.

A Muse is hosting a challenge right now called the No Coloring Zone challenge--participants create without using the usual suspects of coloring (markers, pencils, paints, etc) to add color to images. I stuck with black and added color to the card using paper--cardstock and patterned.

Happy Sunday.

Paper Love

Found some paper to love today...because of course, I don't ever get tired of new paper. :) I'm not usually drawn to stacks...but this one is yummy. And it was half-price. Gotta love that.

STS-128

We pray for your safety and your continued success. Godspeed Discovery.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts128/index.html

For the Book Challenge

(Click on each image for a larger, readable image.)

Article from Creating Keepsakes, August 2009.

Written by Lori Anderson.

shown with publisher's permission, (c) 2009

I forgot to mention it...

The month of August is almost gone and I forgot to mention that two of my layouts were used in the stamping department of the August issue of the online magazine at http://www.scrapbooking.com/.

You can see it here.

Nothing ground-breaking...just a little basic stamping.

It seems to me that layouts and pages about teenage boys are disproportionally unrepresented (is that a phrase?) in the scrap world. Maybe ignored would be a more appropriate word. I, for one, refuse to let a certain 13-year-old boy's grenchy-ness about having his picture taken dictate what I do. It's a mom's perogative, right?

I still have that baby picture of his nekkid booty...he better treat me right. :)

Dad has a Blog

With this my 1000th post, I would like to take a moment to mention that my father now has a blog:

http://pilgrimministries.blogspot.com/

Dad writes a weekly email about spiritual things and I have convinced/persuaded/bullied/coerced him into putting it out in blog form as well.

If you get the email format from him (called P@ss It On), don't worry. You will still be receiving the email. That won't change. The emails will be posted on the blog. If you loose an email, now you know where it can be found, online.

--Sarah

Design Star Thoughts

On principle, I hate reality television, mostly because it's oxymoronic. But, I do like to fast forward my way through Design Star every now and again. So now that there's a new season airing, I thought I might offer up a few thoughts on this designer's dining room. The graphic walls/floor design is cool, or cold, rather, but interesting. I wouldn't have done it in the dining room, and I wouldn't have chosen those colors, but OK. I can see it being acceptable in California in a house with 11 design professionals.

What bugged the ever-living daylights out of me? I'm glad you asked! There are 11 people in the house. This is their dining room table. Unfortunately for three of them, there's only seating for 8. A very crowded 8, on two benches. The table is monsterous and hand-built by one of the contestants. Conceptually, the table is cool. Functionally, it's a total flop. If Mr. Dee-sihgner had opened up the ends, everyone in the house could have had a seat at the dining table. Doh! And where are the chairs? Hello. Functionality. Ever tried to get out of a bench when you aren't lucky enough to be the person sitting on an end? Ever try to do it in a skirt? Geesh. And they had the largest budget for decor ever used on the show...why not buy some chairs?

I do like the table--it has a rectangular opening in the middle that allows those monster plants to come up thru the middle. Speaking of the plant life...I hope no one wants to speak to anyone on the other side of the table at dinner. Communicating through a rainforest can present a challenge to conversation. I think the "community" nature of the space--a dining room, afterall, got lost in the spirit of the "design".

I love creativity. I enjoy things that are outside the box. I am turned off by de-sihn-nah snobbery and things that are obviously pointless. If you are doing something for the point of design, you're off base. Form follows function. Otherwise, it's just stupidness for the sake of tv. I like what Candace Olsen said to one of the teams: "You shouldn't have to explain your design. It should speak for itself."

So, now you know.

It was a first. OK two.

Guess what?
I did something tonight that I have never done before.
I. cooked. fresh. fish.
Fresh fish = fish purchased today at the fish counter and wrapped in paper. Not frozen. Fish that didn't come out of a box or a can.

Just so we are clear.
Yes, me.
Fresh fish. Be impressed.
I did it. I overcame my fear of cooking fish.
With a little help from Bobby Flay and this episode of Boy Meets Grill.

On the menu was:
Seared Tilapia fillets with Lemon Butter and Shallot Sauce
Served over Warm Buttered Orzo
Grilled Asparagus, lightly salted
Fresh strawberries, cantaloupe and grapes
Toasted French Bread

We ate "like a real family", as Grey says...and it was very nice. No one spilled anything nor were there any crazy outbursts. Overall, it was very nice. Which is an accomplishment in our family.

For what it's worth, Tilapia is not very expensive and it's a very mild fish. These were my two largest fears--1) that I would "mess up" an expensive amount of fresh fish 2) and that it would be too fishy. I'm picky about fishyness. :) I can't wait to do it again.

Even Grey asked for seconds...which is truly sayin' something.

(photo from Google.)

And for the second first...last Thursday, Joal and I had the pleasure of a different kind of first for us...attending a dinner and show at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theater. Chaffin's is "just down the road" and is one of those old Nashville traditions that we've been saying we should experience since about 1999. This place is legendary in these parts and now we know why--it was wonderful. Johnny Peppers, (one of Joal's clients) is one of the stars of the current show--"Seeing Stars in Dixie" and he generously offered us tickets to the show. It was fantastic and I can't wait until we can do it again...and take some others with us.

Dinner preceeds the show--a long country-style buffet offers up the usual and the unusual in southern faire, including corn bread muffins that made me blush. During dessert, a local songwriter, Jaclyn Brown, played a few tunes, including a funky little diddy heard here that made me smile. Then the show begins. The stage is in the round (although it's actually a square)...and it was delightful from start to finish.

So, two firsts in one week. Now you know.

Daniel's Note about the past year

Below is the Note Daniel posted on Facebook:

A year ago today at roughly 9:15 my brother was shot in the neck by an insurgent in Afghanistan. I have tried to write this update a half dozen times and not been able to get it done. I don’t know how to sum up this last year. My heart is heavy. It is not out of desperation or hopelessness I think it is more out of a since of enormity of what has been survived. I think that is really the key. It’s what has been survived.

In a few hours I’ll get in my truck and drive to the spot on 155 where I got the call. I will pull that truck over and just sit there. As I look out over that expanse of road, at the loop to my left and the fire station on up a little further my mind will wonder back to the things that I’ve felt, seen and to the people I have had the good fortune to meet. My mind will wonder back to that call, hearing Andy’s voice but not really comprehending what he was saying. Listening to Doc Renolds as he explained how bad Andy was injured. Sitting at the table in the Noonday Fire House trying desperately to make my hands stop shaking long enough to pick up my phone and call our parents and tell them that there youngest son had been critically wounded in combat. Then realizing that I couldn’t actually do it.

Listening to that Firefighter tell me that my brother was a fighter and he was going to be ok, and actually believing him. Picking up the phone, calling Mark then Sherri to pray like they have never prayed before. Actually calling mom and dad who took it well, I thought. Calling my brothers in law, so my sisters would not be alone when they found out. Regretting having to burden those men with that responsibility.

Sherri bringing me a turkey sandwich and then sitting across from me and watch me eat it to make sure I did. Actually feeling a change in my heart from fear, uncertainty, hatred and deep sorrow to peace. Having a tear-filled conversation with Melissa that encouraged her and was a great hope to me.

Thanking the nurse at Walter Reed that handed me a bottle of water when I broke down in the hallway after seeing Andy for the first time. Or Xavier who is maybe one of the best ICU nurses ever. Or Brenda Kelly the first physical therapist Andy had. She gave me a crash course in P.T. and just about adopted him. Or Cpt. Dora Quilty for letting me help make some mods to the PCA pump. Maybe she knew how helpless I felt and how solving one small problem would make all the others seem a little bit more bearable.

I will think about the unwavering loyalty of the men of Chosen (Wanat survivors) as they would literally limp or roll down to check on Doc. Burnett. I’ll be thinking of friends and family that drove or flew ridiculous distances just to check on him. Daniel G., Jon, Mel, Uncle Ron and Aunt Judy--none of you had to come but I am extremely grateful that you did.

I’ll be thinking of the staff and other patients in Tampa. Delgado, Richardson, Ben, Lara, Jennie, Lindsay, Karen, the night nurse trifecta and those mad honey bun cravings, Jessie Lee, Sophia, Ruddy, Picaro, Goodman, and so many other people. Thank you for doing your jobs and being who you are. You helped my brother get his life back on track. Thank you will never be able to sufficiently communicate my appreciation and gratitude. I’m glad I picked the Tampa Polytrauma Unit for Andy you have made a world of difference in his life.

My mind will drift over to Pastor Paul the Robertsons and a little Nazarene church in Wesley Chapel that ministered to my soul through Bucks games, pot luck and a Bush Gardens trip.

Sherri and Ann, I‘ll be thinking about that welcome home celebration. I think only Heaven will top that. Cory, Casey--you have both been great friends to Andy. Thanks!

Leslie, I love you and I wouldn’t have made it this far without you.There are so many people that did so much from concerts and trail rides to driving lessons and food drop offs. The people that God put around us made it possible to survive. Apart from His grace, apart from his plan we as a family would have been swallowed up by all of this--Andy especially. God has seen fit to spare my brother's life for a purpose. What that is, I do not know, but the fact is he has a bright future. Thank you for sharing in that with all of us.

God bless you all,
Daniel

How's Andy?

On the occasion of the "one year mark" of Andy's wounding, I thought I'd answer the oft-asked question of "How is he doing?"

I never know quite how to answer that question. I know people want to hear "he's doing good" so we can all move on but I don't say that. Maybe it's still too early for the new definition of "doing good" to be clear yet. Every day presents new challenges and life is at a different pace than before. Andy's relatively healthy, he's home in Texas, living with Daniel. Being confined to a wheelchair has altered his methods, but not him. He's still fiercly independent. He's drives his outfitted truck off-road and on, and there's hardly ever a quiet moment at his house--he has friends and family around all the time. He's acquired a new tatoo. Last week he took a little neighbor boy to VBS at the church. I'm pretty sure the little boy thinks "Mr Andy" sits at the right hand of the Father. Life goes on and he does with it what he wants.

Andy's always been the kind of person who moved mountains by the sheer force of his will. That hasn't changed. He's still stubborn as heck and that will carry him--it always has. He's still in the Army, so he still reports to a duty station at the Armory on a limited basis. He misses the brothers of Chosen and he misses actively being "Doc". He's supremely frustrated by the currrent administration and he gets pissy when people assume he was wounded in Iraq. I don't know...how is he? He's home. Nobody's shooting at him in real life. He suffers the bit of publicity that his past has earned him with modesty, embarrasment and a tiny bit of contempt. He says there are certainly other, more important heroes to honor. He was amused at the notion of "Andy Burnett Day". He's has taken day trips to Dallas and an overnighter to Oklahoma to see our sister. Driving is his freedom. He doesn't like to talk about the serious things--or more precisely, not with the girls (mom, Deb, me). He whines like a girl when someone does things for him like fold the laundry.

All I really know is he's working hard and we would expect no less. And that on this, just like every other one, I love him deeply and miss him.

(Thanks Cory for the photos.)

Scrapbooking, no? Surely you jest?

I do still scrapbook, believe it or not. :) Summertime and the usual post-vacation let down is kickin' my ya know...I just can't seem to get out of the funk lately. I'm thinking I might retitle my blog "I need a brownie."

LOL!

I had 2 items ready to post here--2 layouts that utilized some of the ever growing (exponentially) stamp collection at my house. I posted them at 2peas and within a day was contacted by the editor of www.scrapbooking.com about having them used in their next edition. www.scrapbooking.com is one of the oldest scrap websites around and I have been a reader since it's inception--way back when Jennia Hart was the owner. It's an online only publication...an online magazine, if you will. It's a cool project and I look forward to seeing what they do with my projects.

Anyway, because of that, I had to take the two items down from 2peas and delay posting them here until after the web mag issue comes out.

I know...you're just heart-broken. :)

In other news, I am working dilligently on the NWYC Cruise scrapbook and it is progressing. When it't done, I'll link it up here.

You all know how much I love www.scrapbookpictures.com right. Doug and the crew there are fantastic. I ordered enlargements for the cruise scrapbook from them and they are seriously fabulous...and the prices are not outrageous either. It was a sizable order but I paid for the regular shipping--$2 and they upgraded it to Priority at no charge. I appreciate that more than you know. Scrapbook Pictures wins in customer service in my book!

I am working on the cruise book but I am totally thinking about the Maine scrapbook in my head. I'm thinking seriously about printing all the photos for our Maine book in the 8x8 size. Just let the whole photo take up the whole page...journal on the back.

Speaking of Maine, one of the members at 2peas posted a super cool layout today that reminded me of our Maine adventure. Isn't the crab fantastic?

And finally, based on the ability to create embossed suns, as seen here at Bonnie Sharp's blog from back in May, I ordered this--the Spellbinders Nestabilities Inverted Scalloped Circles (Large). Look at this card...isn't that some hot summery embossing?

Happy Tuesday!