Handmade for the Better! Handmade for Good!

We had such a good time!!


Halloween came early this year in the Scrapbook Royalty Booth at Scrapbook Expo Ontario!

how we get so much done and stay awake!

loved the bat headband Sheila was wearing!

some of the awesome volunteers

winner of the Cricut Imagine Raffle! this raffle Raised $1400!! for Charity Wings


awesome Brenda who let us crash her crop and was so amazingly sweet!

The whole booth and the volunteers were Creepy Cuties! It was so fun and so productive and we raised about $2400 in donations! Some of which will be donated to Pink Link. A wonderful organization founded by my friend Vicki Tashman. I love what they do!

And Expo fell on Tiara Friday! so I had to post a photo of myself wearing my tiara which of course I had on... and her it is... and here are the photos of my brave girl and tiara friday sistas!

Lara and Jayme

and its Tiara Friday again!!

So join our fb page "Tiara Friday- The Movement"

Lara is giving away the most beautiful piece of jewelry! I just love it! go to her blog and post! This girl is so awesome!

And I am posting Tiaras for Donations on the Charity Wings website. The box just came so hope to get it posted tomorrow!

And Crop at Tiffany's March 12, 2011!

Registration opens on Nov 1st and the first 30 peeps get a Super Awesome Sign Up Bonus!!

dont miss it!

I read this over and over...

Well, not over and over and over but I definitely go back and read my "other blog" from time to time.

It reminds me where I was and how far I have come and the struggle to get here. It reminds me that because I am human I feel pain and that is natural.

And that because I am human, I can bend and adapt to the life that I have instead of the life that I thought I was going to have.

And that because I am human, I will cry, I will feel sad, I will feel defeated but I don't have to be any of those things.

So I have been to 4 Brave Girl Camps and spent a month of my life in the last 8 months in Idaho with amazing groups of women. And because I am human, I will love them, I will miss them, and I will cherish them, and I will never never forget them.

This year was the way it was because of my experiences past present and future I loved them all!

my first camp was with these ladies right here and I learned just how much women could lift eachother up.







in the end when we had to say goodbye it was bittersweet. we had made so much progress but were all excited to go home and put what we had learned into effect




















these amazing women were at the last camp I went to. I hate that I can't post every picture on here of every girl I met at camp. I HATE. that it is because of time and lack of it that I am not able to tell you about each and every one of them... they are all worth a story...

but I LOVE that the reason I have no time is because my life is so full and that it is full of getting to do charity work every single day.

The women on this pier were at the 3rd camp I went to.... It was a truly special experience... because....








I got to spend it with one of the most amazing women I have ever known. Someone that I am lucky to call my friend and my partner in Charity Wings. Someone that I have the utmost respect for and someone who I strive to be like every day.











these women were at the last camp I was at and I am soooooo in love with all of them! Participants, staff, it was just a freaking love fest! These women are going to be the light when I am in the dark. I know it.















saying good bye is never easy. But we know we will see eachother again.












I met such amazing women at this camp. young, old, all shapes, sizes, colors.. I can't imagine another place on earth where you can do this...






































I can fly now.....







I can find Peace... and give it.....















I can smile....
Its been a year.
I can move forward.
I dont know where I am going
I dont know who I am
I dont know how, when, or why...
Im scared, Im scarred, and Im lonely, but at least I can fly.


This post dedicated to the amazing people I have met in the last year, some at camp, some on line, and some that just find me somehow. and mostly to Melody, Kathy and Grandma who made one month of my life this past year soooo good.

Published for the first time!

If you were following my Lucky 13 journey then you know it was an incredible one! I have one last bit of the journey to share...

We got published!! My dear friend Cheryl wrote the article and this little group of artists I assembled got a little shout out in Somerset Memories from it!

Unfortunately the credit for the page I created got switched with Michelle Van Etten's but still good!

Here are a few photos of my finished book.

This is the Cover that I made. The pages are all canvas so I used Clear Acrylic to create pages

All of the pages people created for me are amazing! My favorite page is this one (bottom) that Nan did for me. It was from my trip to Bainbridge Island, Washington. It was a turning point for me in 2009. I sent her this really dark photo that just perfectly described how I felt at that time and she used her crafty mind to make this. She turned the photo into an iron on and ironed it onto the canvas. It was genius! and yes, I took that photo of the little mushrooms :)

Some of us did an ATC swap. I used them to create a page. I used my ATC on my cover.

It was an amazing journey. I want to start another group... just need to figure out the deets!

I could just cry!

Its not a secret that I am not a detail oriented person. Accounting is one of the most anxiety inducing parts of Scrapbook Royalty/CharityWings for me. I have had this black cloud hanging over my head because we were behind on our tax filings. Even though we are a non-profit and don't owe taxes, we have to file and it has been a nightmare.

Volunteers have the best intentions when it comes to helping and the books kept being passed from one volunteer to the next. and then back to me partially done. It was horrible.

UNTIL I FINALLY REALIZED, THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU JUST HAVE TO PAY FOR!!

people told me that but i didn't listen.... I get it now. and my taxes are officially done!!

I would highly recommend Robert Borish if you need a great CPA. http://www.1040guys.com/

He did not tell me to write this but I am just so grateful and this is what I felt like doing!

So- off to the post office!

I have so much more awesome stuff to blog about... maybe tomorrow :)

I love to be a part...

just can't get my blog posts on!!!

wow! so weird that 10 days passed!

HAHA! NOW ITS BEEN WAY MORE THAN 10 DAYS! I FORGOT TO POST THIS! it says at the top of this post 10 days but today is actually September 29th and in 38 minutes will be September 30th!

I don't know how the time flies like that? What tha? Its been 10 days since my last post (HAHAHA SO MUCH MORE THAN 10 DAYS!! )? Weird...feels like 2!

I did have a creative night tho! (WEEKS AGO!) I spent some time making jewelry.
One was for my friend Wendy who is super crafty. She won a bet and I never welch on a bet! So here is the bracelet I made her...


SHE LIVES IN CANADA, I SHIPPED IT SLOW MAIL AND LAGGED GETTING TO THE POST OFFICE! SHE GOT IT TODAY! THAT IS HOW LONG ITS BEEN SINCE I WROTE THIS! IM JUST STILL LAUGHING..

I also made these pieces.



I am making stuff to post on the Scrapbook Royalty Etsy Site. I am so excited about this! want to donate?!? I am so glad Miss Vicky has taken this on. She is just one truly truly amazing gal.

We are taking donations for stuff to sell! email MissVicky@charitywings.org for info

Jennifer made this Etsy Store Banner and I just love it!This month we are raising money for A Place to Bark. An amazing no kill animal shelter run by Bernie Berlin.



This is my piece I am putting in the Etsy Store and when I get my butt in gear I am going to open an etsy store of my own!

Ha ha ha! Every day, every other day... every week.. who am i kidding?

I was trying to do more posts. and I have but dang, the days get away from me!!
Anyway, it was a holiday, yeah, that's a good enough excuse right?

So.....Have you been to Glen Ivy?There are a few locations but the one in Corona has the hot springs and Club Mud. A Red Clay mud that makes your skin baby butt soft!

So, I went with some friends and it was awesome. While we were covered in mud. (Some of us more than others....) we were really wishing we had a camera. So I, being the resourceful one, offered to take a photo of some girls taking pics of eachother on a camera phone. And then I said, "Hey! would you take one for us and send it to me?" that being the plan all along of course :) She said no problem and so here is the picture...

We look like we just stepped out of the amazon jungle ... some more than others... Let's just say Albert has some really shiny hair now...(the mud is almost dry so you can't see it that well)

Anyways, it was fun. I recommend it! go during the week. its cheaper and less crowded for sure! Eat lunch there! the salads are amazing.

Scrappin for Ta Tas is fun!

I have had an awesome weekend!

I had some great revelations about myself and what I really need and want as far as my life moving forward goes. I found that I am in a much better place than I thoughtI was and it has helped me with my relationships with some very important people in my life. It takes me a while but sometimes I get it :)

Sheila and I had an affiliate event this weekend at the La Jolla Mariott that was small but really really great!

How cute is Gi Gi? Suzi Blu knows how tasty her little doggy looks to me now!! Suzi was so fabulous to grace us with her presence and teach an adorable petite fairy doll. It was awesome!! I actually got to play and make one. Ill post it tomorrow. (or the day after :))


Here is the awesome group of ladies that supported this event. Together we raised $1200 for Susan G. Komen. Yep! thats what we do!


Jennifer came down from Hesparia to fulfill her role as Scrapbook Royalty's Creative Director and she did not disappoint with her adorable mini book class!


Krystie and Teri from Pink Pineapple Scrapbooks were there to teach a layout class that was yummy and perfect for summer!


Krystie's class was complete with a glitter sundae which I wanted so bad to eat!



and my dear friend Miss Vicky was on hand to teach a stacked button bracelet class! She is always make a room sunnier and more fun! and I just love love love her haircut! She donated to Locks of Love!

Sometimes you gotta go for it!

I was at Laura's Desert Scrappers Retreat event a couple of months ago and it was really fun! They played "musical chairs scavenger hunt" and it was hilarious! Albert caught this photo of me running for the next item and.....

then diving for the chair so I wouldn't be out!! It was so close...hahaha!



But as you can see, I was on the floor in the end...
I had so much fun tho! And you can too!...



There are 2 Scrapbook Royalty options for the next Desert Scrappers Retreat which still has room! Sept 17-19th. Palm Desert!

• The Scrap Yourself Pink one day crop hosted by Jennifer Priest and Sheila the amazing awesome angel to raise money for Susan G. Komen
• The Royal Add On that goes with Laura's retreat. Super awesome feedback from last time so we are doing it again!

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

A Stache party and a huge Nessie Burger

How about those young'uns? They are amazing!

Me and Jesse at CHA Scrapbook Royalty Staging Room with our Meat Sticks and Nut Clusters Sheila bought us for snacks! We couldn't stop laughing!!

So there are some amazing girls that volunteer for Scrapbook Royalty/Charity Wings and they are young and so dedicated and I have to tell you about them!

There are more then just these two but here are two of them...
One is my friend Jesse. She has been with me since the very very very beginning for Scrapbook Royalty and has been at almost every event. She goes by King Jesse and she is definitely a King of somethin'!
Our friendship has grown and stretched and been tested and grown some more of the last 7 or so years since we met and I just love love love this girl!She just moved into a new place a few weeks ago and this weekend she has a mustache housewarming party. Jesse is obsessed with mustaches... I took this picture of her friend Chris and I love it! It was so much fun! I swear it is so weird to be the oldest person at a party but hey! I somehow fit right in!!!

And then there is Lauren, She just started volunteering and I can't even believe how awesome she is. She also just got engaged and I am so happy for her! She has taken Club Royalty by storm and made a huge impact on what I do. I can definitely count on her and that is just such a gift. Today we met for me to give her some stuffs and we had Nessie Burgers... We couldn't event slightly put a dent in them but dang they were good!!

ok. every other day then!!

looks like I will change my plan to an every other day post! haha!

This is where I was yesterday ...


went to Camp Pendleton. One of my besties, Brooke promised Albert a tour and he was amazed that they would let him on base since he is from Spain! or as he says, Barcelona.


and I played with her kids... I had actually been avoiding them for a few months after the divorce started. I think because I have such mixed feelings about kids now. I never doubted that I would be a mother, and now I do, and it makes it harder to be around other people's kids in a way. Especially my good friends who know me so well. But I had fun and they were fun and it was actually all very good.


and we had fun on the tour and Albert did lots of jumping. First off the tank which you can climb but at your own risk (big signs all over telling you so)



Then he played in Brooke's backyard on the trampoline. He kicked Brooke's kids out first :) Yep. He is a big kid! Fun fun fun!