for my moms

My mother really liked the book I made her for Mother's day. It was fun and easy and really looked like it was much more difficult to make than it was. And she didn't even notice the part where I put the text on upside down!! Okay, maybe she noticed and just didn't mention it.

This is the card I made for my mother-in-law. I haven't heard if heard whether she liked it or not, but I'm hoping she did.

There is nothig like making something for someone you love!!

I made one for my step mother too, but failed to take a picture of it to share with you.

What I've been making

I only have a few moments to get this blog post started before it's time to leave and go to my church for movie night and watch "Faith Like Potatoes."

This is the front cover to a mother's day book I made for my mother. I haven't gotten her reaction yet, as I mailed it a bit late, but I'm sure hoping she likes it. I'll either edit this post and add more pictures of the book or start a new post.

I've realized that I'm just plain happier when I'm creating. Sure, the laundry doesn't always get put away, or the house may need to be picked up, but I'm just HAPPIER. It seems like putting together a piece of this and a bit of that and having it turn into something worthy of a gift or something that preserves a memory is very fulfilling!!

I have been paying attention to the "happiness level" or "satisfaction level" of the people in my life. I can tell you, the people who are creative are living happier lives. I'm seeing people with little or no money, material possessions, and things that most people think "bring happiness" being happy and able to deal with the blows life deals them. I'm also seeing people that should be "over the moon" with all the money they have and/or worldly possessions suffering. I can't swear that it's just creativity, maybe it's the whole hobby thing...having something to do that is all your own; but regardless I'm seeing happiness in people that some would think should be miserable.

Enough of me on my soapbox (though I'm sure I'll hop on it again from time to time.) The point is, enjoy the things in life that bring you lasting happiness.

I think I'll end this post here as Lisa should be here to pick me up for movie night any time now, but know there will be more to follow, maybe even tonight.

Happy creating!!
LeighAnn

Crop Out Autism Frankln SEPTEMBER!!

Passing on the information that we (Lisa Booth and myself) are hosting Crop Out Autism on Saturday, September 25th in Franklin, IN.

This is a charity scrapbooking event that raises money for the Johnson County Autism Support Group.

Date: Saturday, September 25th

Time: 10am-10pm

Place: Franklin IN

Registration is $10 to attend and a minimum $10 donation if you pre-register by August 28th, after August 28th it's $15 to attend and a minimum$10 donation.

There will be a light lunch and an evening meal as well as snacks and some drinks provided for crop attendees. There will be a silent auction, a scrapbook supply rummage sale, and classes. (For the rummage sale, you bring your unloved scrapbooking supplies, packaged for a rummage sale with prices on each item and they will be placed on the rummage sale table. All the proceeds from the rummage sale will go directly to the Johnson County Autism Support Group.)

You aren't a scrapbooker? You can come and learn about scrapbooking, use the supplies provided by the crop, and learn from all the other scrapbookers that are at the crop. (See "Have something else to do that day" for other ideas how to help.)

Have something else to do that day? Consider donating to the cause, donating to the rummage sale, making or donate something for the silent auction, sponsor someone else to come to the event.

How do I register/donate? Reply to this email and I'll send you an invoice that you can pay via paypal or with a credit card through paypal. Send me an email or call me (317-507-1166) and I'll send you registration form and you can mail a money order back for your registration.

Why should I pre-register? By pre-registering, you let us know to save you a spot! We can better plan for attendance and make sure we have enough goodies and prizes!!

Please feel free to forward this post and to pass on my email address and phone number!!

Looking forward to hearing from you!!

Feel free to contact me with any questions

LeighAnn Rebillard

317-507-1166

snipsoftime@yahoo.com

Crop Out Autism Franklin April

Okay, I blew it. I didn't blog AT ALL about the event in April . I should be beaten with a wet blogging noodle or SOMETHING. But the event was a success and we raised OVER $500 for the Johnson County Autism Support Group. I'll add some pictures to this post to show you how much fun we had:)

We also made some decisions about the event. As you know, this was only the second time Lisa and I put this event on. We're new at this and just learning how to plan and organize events. So last year we did it in September and did okay. We wanted to move the event to April this year to go with Autism awareness month. We've now decided that doing it in April makes it more difficult as with the weather finally turning nice and spring like after winter, people don't want to be indoors and have a lot of outdoor commitments to things like baseball, soccer and things like that. So we have decided to go BACK to the September date. So we have decided that the crop will OFFICIALLY be the last Saturday in September from now on.

With that decision came the discussion of "do we do it again this year or do we wait 18 months and do it next year?" With the help of a brilliant friend we decided to do it again this year to that there is no chance of people forgetting about the event and we'll be at it again Saturday, September 25th.

So with all that being said, enjoy the attached pictures from April's crop and start looking for other blog posts telling you ALL ABOUT the upcoming Crop Out Autism Franklin event in September.

This is Julie, she was our "Queen of the Crop" as she was the first to arrive and the last to leave. We'll have a new Queen next event and some other categories and maybe a Princess or two as well.

This is Barbara and the FIRST time she ever scrapbooked!! I think we might have given her the scrapbooking fever so many of us suffer from!!

Please subscribe and check back often!! I promise (as I have so often done) to be better about blogging!!

Time gets away from me

I really think the name of my blog should be "and time gets away from me again." I mean really!!! Okay, I'm done with school for this quarter (was on the 19th) and am gearing up for next quarter (January 11th.)

I didn't really make Christmas cards this year. I was exhausted when I was done with school and work both. I did make 13 cards for work, assembly line style, very simple for my co-workers. Now I'm doing a few New Year's cards to try out some new techniques to take with me up to my dad's for New Year's. One for my dad and Sue, one for Aunt Kathy and Uncle Rick, one for Aunt Karen and Uncle Mike and one for Grandpa and Grandma...hope they all can make it.

I haven't had time or energy to just be creative. These four little cards I'm making for New Year's are really for me. I mean I'm giving them away, but they are for me to be able to play a bit. I've fallen in LOVE with one of my Ranger embossing powders. It's a clear embossing powder that has GLITTER in it. It looks amazing to make snowflakes with...subtle but elegant (kind of .)

I also just got the latest stamps by Michael Strong...AMAZING of course!! They are paisley and I can't wait to use them!! I'm thinking maybe a birthday card soon.

Oh, and as I'm wrapping this brief little entry, I have to tell you that while I'm not a big TV watcher, I'm in LOVE...L-O-V-E with Glee!! I'm a total Gleek, have downloaded both season 1 CDs to my Ipod, have downloaded all season 1 episodes to my Itunes account as well...watching them on demand....love them!! It is totally my "happy" show. Every episode makes me smile!!

Got to run now, time for the kids to call their Grandma and say thank you for the books she sent them!!

sharing some photos

Thought I'd share some pictures I took in the studio this past Saturday. The one of the buildings is acutally outside (like you needed me to tell you that) of my school.

This month...

I really don't want this to turn into just a once a month thing, but life sure gets in the way of what you "want" to do sometimes!! Lots is going on in my little corner of the world. I'm still in school (quarter doesn't end until the middle of next month) we've taken a friend in with her three kids, I'm still working full time and I'm just trying to stay caught up with things. I'm still happy in school, though sometimes I allow myself to get a little overwhelmed. I'm looking forward to next quarter as well as my classes look pretty cool (more on that later.)

I've gotten A's on my color theory projects, which REALLY makes me happy as we are mostly working with paint and I am NOT a painter. They are beautiful pictures, but they are showing that I do understand the concepts, whether I do them pretty or not LOL!! This one was using a monochromatic and an achromatic color palette.
My photography class, of course, is my favorite. Rocky is so encouraging and really enjoys teaching us how to take pictures and get the most out of our cameras. No matter what I do when I graduate, what I will have learned from him will be priceless.

This is the week of Thanksgiving and things are hopping around here for sure. My work schedule is crazy as we'll be busy at CVS, and I only have one day off of school (because of my schedule) not to mention cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Hopefully I'll get some good pictures of all the festivities!!