The Memory Bee

Happy October 31st!

I'm not a big fan of Halloween...I enjoyed it through my kids when they were little and had fun trick or treating, but it's not a special day to me now. Kind of creeps me out. That said, I thought I'd share my last (maybe until I have grandchildren) halloween project. Jenni Bowlin had a project kit a couple years ago that I used to feature a photo and a little journaling from halloweens past. I started with a picture of my mother in law and her twin brother, then a picture of me, and then the boys through the years. Here's some of the pages...I love books like this that give you a bird's eye view of the passage of time!

A Whirlwind Weekend!

As I look back over the weekend in California and the last few weeks of teaching at stores from the east to the west, I am overwhelmed with how blessed I am to meet all these wonderful women who love scrapbooking and making projects with purpose and are just so doggone nice! Everyone of you are a blessing to me and enrich my life. Like I try to say in my classes...I don't take any of you for granted...thank you for being so sweet!
I had a fabulous time in Fremont over the weekend! From the Friday night crop to the classes on Saturday to a fantastic meal that I'm still savoring the memory of at La Fondue to class on Sunday to lunch at Red Robin to shopping at Santana Row to the red-eye flight home last night...wow! What a blast! Those girls sure know how to have a good time! I loved seeing everyone from past CKUs again and making so many new friends. I can't wait to see you all again! Big, huge thanks to Suzy and all the girls for a great time! I've put all my pictures in an album on the side.


I was looking forward to meeting Kerry Lynn for the first time at the store. I really like her new kit club, Kenner Road, and am a subscriber. I love the way she mixes product from different companies, includes vintage and new things, and has great ideas to inspire from her design team. You know how you have the feeling sometimes that you are going to be friends with someone...she's that kind of person. Can't wait to hang out together some more!

Happy birthday...

to me and my mom! Aren't I the best birthday gift ever?! Ha! She has been sharing her birthday with me all these years...I think it's a pretty special thing...to share the day of our births! It means so much to me that we got to celebrate our birthdays together a little early Monday night with a special dinner out at the Little Harbor Restaurant overlooking Tampa Bay.
I love you, Mom...hope you feel loved and blessed today! Miss you already!

I had a fabulous time in Florida...great weather and a wonderful time at Violettes last weekend. I taught two days of sold out classes there and could have done a third with the people from the waiting lists! Wow...what an awesome store! Thank you to all the students...so many familiar faces from past classes...and so great meeting so many first time students...and to Sande and Diana for such a warm welcome and being so helpful! I'll be posting the class pictures on the side later today. I can't wait to come back!!
Dave was able to join me for the second week and get a little sun and relaxation, too. I returned late last night to SNOW! What a bummer and a rude awakening that winter is around the corner! I'll savor the memory of the heat and sunshine for the next few months!

This weekend I'll be in the San Francisco area teaching at Picture Me Perfect. CAN'T WAIT to see everyone there...join us if you can! I'm not sure if there are seats left but you can give them a call and see! Love to see you there!

Soaking in the sunshine!

Loving the sunshine and the sunsets...the sand and even the birds...the warm water of the Gulf and the search for good shells. Life is good!


I had such a good time at The Scrapbook Shoppe yesterday! It was great to see everyone again and meet new friends, too! I think everyone enjoyed leaving with two finished projects that they will use and not just add to their collection of projects (they better use them! :) I put our class pictures in an album on the side...I accidentally deleted one of the pictures of two sweet ladies...if it was yours, I'm so sorry!

Two Weeks in Florida 2008

I'm packing for hot and humid and will be up at 3:30am to get ready to go to the airport for my very early flight to Florida. Can't wait to sit on the beach, read a book, do the Florida shuffle (look for shells), do some shopping, of course, and spend time with my parents. I'm also so excited to see all my friends (and friends-to-be) in my classes at The Scrapbook Shoppe this Saturday and at Violettes the next Saturday and Sunday. I'll try to post along the way!

You can picture me sitting in a chair, under my umbrella, right here! :)

A Week in my life 2005

Ali Edwards is encouraging people to record a week in their lives as she did in her popular CKU class for several years. I'm so happy that I got to take her class back in 2005...I cherish the album that I made following her formula and inspiration. I took the original 12x12 album we made and converted it to 8x8 so that people could look at it more easily. I also did a little different version of the week in your life system. Rather than recording each day of the week, I did a different aspect of my life on each day. I'm struck by a few things as I look back on it...how much of a regular routine I had, how many things have changed since then, and how glad I am to have recorded the little details of life. I need to do it again; right now was just not a good time, but I will do it!
Here's a look at some of my pages...there are 3 two page layouts for each "day" in the actual album.









Hope you enjoyed this peek into my life then! :)
We had a great garage sale yesterday! Thanks to everyone who came and bought our stuff! I wish I had taken a picture when we were all set up...the tables were crammed with stuff...it looked like a very well-stocked store. I had to laugh when a lady came in at the beginning and said, "Is this all there is?" I think she meant she was looking for something besides scrapbooking products but I thought we had a ridiculous amount for two people! I remembered to take a picture about half way through...looking pretty empty! We had a lady come from Gilda's Club to pick up the things we had left, and I think she was surprised that there wasn't more to pick up! We sold almost every last thing! Yeah! Does that mean I can buy more now? I'm sure I can find more to donate to Gilda's Club!

My trash...your treasure!

Not really trash...but unused treasure that someone else can enjoy! I'm getting ready for the scrapbook and craft supply garage sale that Kelli Russell and I are having tomorrow at her house from 10am to 2pm. You can email me at memorybee@msn.com for the address if you would like to come or check the ad in the Buffalo News.
Kelli is having her sale to raise money for her daughter Chelsea to go to the world baton twirling championships in Europe next spring. You might have seen Chelsea on the cover of the Next section of the Buffalo News a couple weeks ago. Kelli as lots of great stuff to sell, including Sissix cartridges, a Cricut machine and cartridges, stamps, and more.
I'm having a sale to get rid of LOTS of stuff! I've been putting things aside since our last sale at the Scrapbook Spa and am on a major purging mission to clean out the scrapbook supplies that I know I just won't use. Lots of really good products for great prices. I'll have some class kits, too. Here's a little bit of just one of my piles. There's a lot more!

I'm so excited to have gotten the flyers for my cruise next fall. It's beginning to seem a little more real. I love hearing from people who are signing up! A big thanks to Angie for a mention on Scrapscene yesterday!
Isn't this the cutest little pouch and card I got in the mail yesterday from Anthropologie?! It's a coupon for a discount for my birthday (later this month.) I love the handmade looking little envelope...I'll save it to use in a project. You can sign up at their stores and get one, too. (I took a picture of it on a little peek of a layout I'm working on for the Melissa Frances newletter. I'm the guest designer for an upcoming issue. Love the products I'm playing with!)