I'm baaaaack!

What is it about a Squishy face picture that we just can't resist!

Well, i am totally and completely exhausted! But holy mole did I have a successful week! CHA was amazing. I am totally totally wiped out from talking non-stop for the past 5 days and I have one more day of it tomorrow but I am happy to say that it has been completely worth it!

just a couple of quick pics and I can add more later...

are these the cutest things ever???

first day was madness but everyone in this picture is beyond awesome!

Now thats a real big princess!

oh what wonderful friends I have

My little Jessekins came over today again to help me finish the 100+ welcome packets for The Royal Slumber Crop. She is such an amazing friend. She has been to almost every single SBR event and just slaved away! And since the begining she has been enthusiastic and willing to help any time I call. I just love this girl! She is also the only friend that came to visit when I was living in Taiwan last time! The rest of you missed out! We had so much fun. But how can you not have fun with Jesse???

And my new slogan is "Never underestimate the power of a Princess" This was in the inside of this crown key ring that Rachel ( I call her blewie) gave me today. She said she saw it and couldn't resist. It makes me feel so special that she thought of me. Nothing is better than a spur of the moment gift just because! Thanks Blewie!

and I got a new signature from a new friend Bonnie G. It reminds me of fairy wings! If you get an email from me, it will be on there :) i just love it!

I am an Evangelist...????

Today I went to a dinner to honor the Channel 10 Leadership award winners from 2008. I met some very nice people that are all about charity! It was wonderful to see Geni Cavatt again, she is so funny! and now on to the Evangelist thingy...

I was told by my husband that I am an Evangelist for Scrapbook Royalty. This may sound stupid but I really didn't realize that people that are not in the bible call themselves that! But they do. Its a title like President or Sales Representative. I am not going to add that to my business card, but I did look it up (dictionary.com) and it is kind of interesting...

e⋅van⋅ge⋅list   /ɪˈvændʒəlɪst/ [i-van-juh-list] –noun
1.
a Protestant minister or layperson who serves as an itinerant or special preacher, esp. a revivalist.
2.
a preacher of the gospel.
3.
(initial capital letter) any of the writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) of the four Gospels.
4.
(in the primitive church) a person who first brought the gospel to a city or region.
5.
(initial capital letter) Mormon Church. a patriarch.
6.
a person marked by evangelical enthusiasm for or support of any cause

So I guess the last definition applies but then I thought I'd better look up "evangelical" and here is what it says:

e⋅van⋅gel⋅i⋅cal 

 /ˌivænˈdʒɛlɪkəl, ˌɛvən-/ [ee-van-jel-i-kuhl, ev-uhn-] –adjective
1.
Also, e⋅van⋅gel⋅ic. pertaining to or in keeping with the gospel and its teachings.
2.
belonging to or designating the Christian churches that emphasize the teachings and authority of the Scriptures, esp. of the New Testament, in opposition to the institutional authority of the church itself, and that stress as paramount the tenet that salvation is achieved by personal conversion to faith in the atonement of Christ.
3.
designating Christians, esp. of the late 1970s, eschewing the designation of fundamentalist but holding to a conservative interpretation of the Bible.
4.
pertaining to certain movements in the Protestant churches in the 18th and 19th centuries that stressed the importance of personal experience of guilt for sin, and of reconciliation to God through Christ.
5.
marked by ardent or zealous enthusiasm for a cause.–noun
6.
an adherent of evangelical doctrines or a person who belongs to an evangelical church or party.
Origin: 1525–35; < class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">evangelicus (< LGk euangelikós; see evangel 1 , -ic ) + -al 1

So #5 applies and I am starting to feel it but I thought I'd better look up the origin "evangel" cause it sounds like Angel to me and that I know I am not! and this is what i found:

e⋅van⋅gel1   /ɪˈvændʒəl/ [i-van-juhl]
–noun
1.
the good tidings of the redemption of the world through Jesus Christ; the gospel.
2.
(usually initial capital letter) any of the four Gospels.
3.
doctrine taken as a guide or regarded as of prime importance.
4.
good news or tidings.

So #4 works for me. I hope that when I am "marked by ardent or zealous enthusiasm for a cause." that I am bringing "good news or tidings" to the people I am talking to. That they see that I am really doing this from my heart and my only ulterior motive is that I get to brag about doing good. I really am "a person marked by evangelical enthusiasm for or support of a cause" But I know it is almost impossible to believe. I am so not a saint! I just get the best feeling from doing charity work and I really can't explain it because it is work, but I just really really love what I do. It makes me the Happiest Happy People!

I knew I loved Starbucks and then....

They made me love them even more! I am such a junkie. my drink has evolved... my new drink is a Grande 1/2 soy 1/2 non fat 2 pump chai with not water and no foam. yes, its a mouthful but thankfully they only screw it up once in a while!

And the real reason I love "Bucks" is that they are doing a really cool thing to promote volunteerism. Jennifer posted about it on the SBR blog http://scrapbookroyalty.blogspot.com/2009/01/say-im-in-and-get-free-coffee.html


pledge 5 hours of volunteer work and get a free tall coffee! I don't drink coffee but I know a lot of people do and I think its a great motivator right? go on line and pledge and you know I am always looking for volunteers for SBR!


And today is the last day to vote for Jennifer... scroll down a couple of posts for the details... I really hope she wins!

And I have been working hard, to get ready for CHA. the biggest networking opportunity for SBR all year. Jesse came over last night and helped me bling tshirts and kit for the Slumber Crop. So much to do!!





Thank you Michelle for the pre-event challange kits. they are perfect!

What a turn around...

When life gives you lemons...? Lemonade is not always possible. It's been a bit rough lately. This whole getting older and wiser thing is really hard. Life lessons and all. Well, at least I can say that I am never bored or boring. and I can still say that I am a Happy People! No matter what I wrote on my facebook update :)

So for some fun, I am posting a little giveaway from SoCalScrap These girls have been amazingly supportive of Scrapbook Royalty and I just love love love their logo. They are doing a give away on their blog so click here and find out how to enter!

I am running around like a crazy person getting ready for CHA and the Royal Slumber Crop and 4 other affiliate events and a fund raiser just for SBR. Its crazy here!

I-I-I...

I am thinking today:

I am not sure where I am going but I know where I have been. Where I have been has made me who I am and that is all I can be. Accept me for me and we will be friends forever.

I am blessed to have lots of friends and people who care about me. Some have come and gone but I am blessed to have a few who accept me for who I am...

I have good news:
Scrapbook Royalty's story and mission has been published again! Page 94 of February's Creating Keepsakes Magazine is all about SBR! CK is pretty much the biggest magazine in the industry and we are in it! it is amazing! I have not seen the magazine yet but here is a picture of it from Gloria's blog

I have a request:

and my wonderfriend and Scrapbook Royalty Creative Director, Jennifer needs votes for her adorable book! she is a finalist in the Quickutz Deck the Halls Contest!!
WOoohOooOooOoOoooo!!!
Please vote for her here:http://www.quickutz.com/qk2/myqk/memberProject.aspx?projectId=3146

You'll have to register with Quickutz but it is painless, I promise.

You can vote once every day so please vote for her!!!

Whew! Marathon Day!

I am laughing because I just typed in Marathong!!! Hee hee!

Ok, so yesterday was bananas!! I was driving around from one fun thing to the next like a crazy person thinking "This day is bananas B-A-N-A-N-A-S!" - my tribute to Kelly Kapur :)

I stared with spending about 2 hours just trying to get the new SBR logo to work on a business card. It took forever but I finally got them ordered. Then finished putting together the fun kits for Scrapbook Club at Pink Pineapple and then rushed out the door to meet one of my fav people, Georgia!

we had a nice visit in Carlsbad and I got the cutest picnic set by The Piggy Story I love cute little piggies and I definitely love eveything do! the happy laughing fairy pig is irrisistable to me!

Then I went to a meeting with Lisa K from Heritage Makers at the Boys & Girls club to talk to them about doing a digi crop there! I can't wait!

Then it was off to an American Girl Tea Party at Julie M's house to celebrate Emily's birthday. When I was leaving the house in the morning with the American Girl Bitty Baby doll that Julie and Emily got me last year, Jean looked at me and said "Have you lost your mind?" and I just laughed so hard. I guess at times the answer would be a resounding "yes!" but this time I actually had a reason for carrying a baby doll out to my car :)

And then I ended my day with a wonderful Scrapbook Club meeting at Pink Pineapple Scrapbooks where my guest was Diva Danielle and Rayme Royale from the Diva Craft Lounge Radio Show. Which you can listen to any time on the interweb! We did an adorable valentine's inspired ATC make and take using the oh so cute images from Miss Vicky . Here are some pics from the seriously so fun event.

I have been doing this club at Pink for almost 3 years. Every month 20 + women gather and exchange ideas and ooh and ahh over eachother's creations. It is really an amazing group and I am so thrilled that it has been going on so long. I feel really special every time people attend something that I am planning and enjoy themselves enough to keep coming back!

Speaking of something I am planning! The Royal Slumber Crop is at 102 sign ups! We can only take 120!! So if you were waiting to sign up, I would not wait any longer! Its going to fill for sure and the sponsors are seriously making this event amazing! The feeling of charity, the classes, the creativity, and the comradarie, that is what makes these events so worth it and what keeps people coming back! Hope you can make it!

Disneyland - do I live there?

What I did at the end of the Christmas holidays...


teri asked if I live at Disneyland and all I can say is "heck yeah!" in my dreams :) I just love it there, the smell of happiness and fantasies coming true in the air :) Did you register your birthday yet? You can go for free on your birthday! I will go with you if I can!

So i was there to see my cousins Erica and Masaki and their families. Erica lives in Hong Kong and went back that night. Masaki lives in the Bay Area and I do not get to see him often at all. We all grew up visiting on summer holidays and such and it feels good get to see them once in a while. And of course when they said meet us at Disneyland, I was in!

here is me schooling Cody on the Buzz Lightyear ride. Check out my score :) hee hee! I know a few tricks and have been on this ride about 400 times :)

Last Friday Maryam and I went to Downtown Riverside to go shopping at all the cute little antique stores. I was really really good. I only bought a piggy ornament and some stuff for Scrapbook Club. It was really fun. We had lunch at the historic Mission Inn and I finally gave her her Christmas present. I made this hat for. Dang I am crafty! You can't tell but I blinged out the flowers and Maryam loves butterflies so I put one of those on there as well. The area around the Mission Inn is adorable with little shops and museums. I would recommend it for a day trip to anyone!

Another cycle of Scrapbook Club at Pink Pineapple starts tomorrow and I am totally excited about it. I am now in charge of doing the kits and i have to say they are beyond beyond cute! I hope everyone likes them. I am also going to be teaching my "Wish" crown book class on Sunday from 11am-2pm at Pink. Hope you can make it! STUPID BLOGGER IS NOT LETTING ME POST PICS BUT THE INFO IS ON MY OLD BLOG...WWW.ELENA.TRAVELINGPRINCESS.COM i WILL KEEP TRYING TO POST PHOTOS. :)