
Just like most of you, I do a lot of reflecting this time of year... thinking about the events, challenges, and mostly the blessings of the last year and wondering about the year to come. I face the new year with a sense of anticipation and excitement, not knowing all that the year will bring but knowing that God is good and by my side makes every day something to look forward to!
(Do you like my 2012 album? It's a new class I designed over the last few days! More details at the end of this post!!)
2011:
- My travels took me on and off planes over 80 times last year. Teaching and traveling to South Africa and Paris, visiting Paris and London twice, criss-crossing the US several times from New York City to California to Texas to Florida and many places in between has been loads of fun. I truly love it. I love my students and the new and "old" friends and collegues that I have all because of this little thing called scrapbooking!
- Brandon and Alicia deployed to Iraq and thank God left Iraq safely. Please continue to pray for them as they spend the next 6 months in Kuwait. It's dismal and awful but relatively safe. I'll keep praying that nothing happens in Iraq or the Middle East that would require their units. I'd much rather have them bored and miserable than in harm's way!
- Jeremy got a job, although not the engineering job he needs, but it's a job. God also blessed him (and us!) by bringing Rebecca, his girlfriend, into our lives. Sooo thankful for her!
- Dave's job continued to keep him very busy! The Verizon strike in August was a bump in the road! We loved being able to travel together too!
2012:
- I'm looking forward to upcoming store visits and teaching across the country! If all goes as planned, I'll be taking four trips to Europe this year... France twice, England twice, and Italy.
- I'm planning two shopping trips for ladies... one to London and Paris in April and one to New York City next November. I LOVE sharing the places I love with others!
- Brandon and Alicia will be coming home for R&R hopefully in February and then finishing their deployment in June or July.
- Jeremy will hopefully find the electrical engineering job that he trained for and longs for. This may be the year he moves away when he finds that job! (Rebecca too? :)
- We're so thankful to all be healthy!
This year has had its difficulties... there have been nights that I've cried myself to sleep, kept a penny right at my side, prayed and tried not to worry, got stressed out and tired, but in the midst of it all, I can say that God answers prayer and that I trust Him.

Now about this new class! It's a chubby little 2012 album that we're going to make using a Melissa Francis calendar album, 6x6 page protectors, and darling October Afternoon products. The 36 pages of this album include a divider for each month, a pocket with a calendar printed on it for each month, and a page protector layout for each month. There are pockets and flaps and fold-outs and lots of different ideas for altering the page protectors to include several photos for each month.
I'll be teaching this class the first time on Friday night, January 20, at Creative Cuts and Crafts outside Chicago, and then again at Paper Tales in San Diego, the weekend of February 3 and 4. I don't sell the kits myself, so if you're interested in one, you can call those stores and order it. OR take a trip and come take the class at one of those stores! I'd love to see you there!!
As a thank you to all my blog readers and friends, I think we should start the new year with a present! I have a beautiful 2012 leather planner that J.Crew sent me, but I don't use a paper planner like this, and so I thought I'd give it away to one of you! Just leave a comment on this post and tell me what you're looking forward to most in 2012. I'll choose a name randomly on Tuesday, January 3, at 9pm EST.


Happy new year... may it be the best one yet!!