Don't Judge a Book by it's Cover!

Well here it is - the BIG announcement that you have been waiting for!!!

Welcome to my 1st ever scrapbooking challenge! I am hoping that this challenge will inspire you to “Think outside of the box” and help you “FOCUS” (ah my word for the year) on actually completing a layout (ok – its really to help me focus and complete a layout but hey you can win prizes!!! LOL) I am calling this challenge – Don’t judge a book by its cover!

In this challenge you will complete a layout in which when one first reads the title and looks at the overall layout they would assume that the layout is about one thing…. But when reading the journaling they will actually realize that the layout is about something completely different.

The Deadline for submitting your completed layout will be March 3rd at Noon Eastern Time. You will submit a photo of your layout by emailing a photo of it to: lori_mcdnld@yahoo.com

Along with your photo please provide the text of your journaling in case it is not easy to read it in the photo.

Layout can be one or two pages long…

And that’s it! Yep – there is no requirements about using cutting files. No requirements to own a cutter, nothing like that! I really wanted to make this challenge opened to ALL Scrapbookers!!!

So what are the prizes…

1st Place will receive receive THREE (3) of my cutter files of your choice (or if you do not own a cutter you will pick THREE (3) of my files and I will cut the titles for you and send you the completed titles) AND ONE (1) Beloved Keepsakes Photo Bracelet custom made from the photos that you will provide!!! (Over 40 crystal color choices and you will get to choose! See example below)


2nd Place will receive TWO (2) of my cutter files or once again if you do not have a cutter you will pick TWO (2) of my files and I will cut the titles for you and send you the completed titles.

3rd Place will also receive TWO (2) of my cutter files or once again if you do not have a cutter you will pick TWO (2) of my files and I will cut the titles for you and send you the completed titles.

Additionally - all entries will be placed in a drawing - one lucky person will win a Beloved Keepsakes custom made photo ribbon pin made from one of your favorite photos!! (Pins come with a yellow, pink or white ribbons - you get to choose!! See example below.)


Should you have any questions at all please feel free to contact me at: lori_mcdnld@yahoo.com

I along with you will be completing a layout following the above requirements…. Be watching for it to be posted soon!

Ok – so what are you waiting for? Time is ticking – get busy scrapping!

Until Next Time!

Cya~
Lori

PS - Feel free to share this challenge with all your friends or on any message board that you may be a part of!!! If you are a blogger as well - feel free to post on your blog!!! I would love to see as many people as we can enter this!!! If it is successful and you guys like doing this - I would consider hosting one EVERY month and having some big name scrapbooking companies donate some killer prizes!!! (So let me know if you would like to do that!)

God is GREAT… even when it comes to scrapbooking!

I just want to say upfront that I am not trying to “convert” anyone to Christianity. I am not trying to press my beliefs on anyone, nor am I knocking anyone’s beliefs that are not the same as my own… I just wanted to share a story with you about how I am so grateful that I have a God that watches out over me, directs me and guides me even when I have no clue which way to go!

Back a few months ago I got an email from my very dear friend Jamie who is also the owner of our local scrapbooking store (LSS). Jamie had decided that after five years of running Savannah Scrapbooking that she was ready to move on with other things in her life and she was (gasp) selling the store! Was I interested?!?!?

Hubby and I talked at GREAT GREAT GREAT lengths about this – and I have to tell you I am soooo blessed to have a wonderful husband that understands that scrapbooking is my passion. He was totally behind me 110% - if I wanted to buy the store – then we would buy it!!! He was behind me – what EVER I decided I wanted to do!

I have to tell you I LOVE THAT STORE! It is probably one of the best scrapbooking stores I have ever been to (and let me tell you – I have been in scrapbooking stores from GA to CA!) – and I am not just saying that! Jamie has done a great job with the store in it new location.

Anyway – I went back and forth – almost daily on this decision (for almost two months)! First, I didn’t want to see the store close! It is the only scrapbooking store in town. Now we do have a “Michaels” and an “AC Moores” but Savannah scrapbooking was the only true scrapbooking store in town.

Second – I have to admit – was the challenge! Could I run a scrapbooking store? Could I make it a success? Could I infuse my own flair and would people love to come hang out and of course spend money there? I had ton of new fresh idea’s – could I make them work?!?! Oh the CHALLENGE!

I requested the profit and loss statements from my friend Jamie and hubby and I poured over them! For hours and hours we talked about it… I seeked wise counsel from my family and my friends…. And I prayed. I prayed a lot asking God to direct me and guide me. To please help me make the right decision.

Well… the bottom line is - I decided I just didn’t want to be tied down to something 24 hours, 7 days a week! For the first time ever I was having health problems. Two surgeries back to back – what would have happened if I had a store and I was sick??? Hubby is home for the first time ever in our marriage – which is great but he is scheduled to deploy again in 2009. Thus, I really feel the need to spend as much time with him as I can between now and then. Life is short we all know this….

And let’s be honest – you can hire great people to work for you but no one is going to care as much about a business as you do. If someone calls in sick, if they have a family emergency or what ever – you are the one responsible. It is your baby! It belongs to you 24/7 – and hey I don’t have kids for a reason – you know what I mean?!?! Bahahaha….

So last month – I told hubby it was a no go. I didn’t want to do it. I stopped talking about. I stopped praying about it – but I have to be honest I didn’t stop thinking about it. I didn’t let the idea go… I was still wondering “What if?” Did I just pass up the best thing ever? Did I make the WRONG decision?

And then…

Yesterday I went to visit Jamie at the LSS. She hasn’t found a buyer for the store and it will be closing soon (If you are in driving distance - come on UP - everything is 30% and she is selling everything – including all the paper racks – check out her blog she has photos and prices!!).

While I was there – I told her how stressed I was about the store. How I had really gone back and forth and back and forth with the decision and I still wasn’t sure I had made the right one…. And then she informed me that someone else was opening a NEW Scrapbooking Store less than 2 miles up the road from this store!!!!

Yep- a new store was coming to town! Now let me tell you Savannah just isn’t big enough to support two scrapbooking stores!! Not with the two chain retail craft stores in town too!!! And this new store coming to town had NO IDEA that Jamie had planned to sale/close Savannah Scrapbooking!!! They had just decided to open up another scrapbooking store in town – and open it up right down the road!!!

It was such a HUGE relief to talk to Jamie and realize that God had directed me and guided me yet once again! He did answer my prayers and he then showed me that he did it! He was behind me the WHOLE time!!! I mean could you imagine buying a scrapbooking store – and THEN finding out that there is another store opening less than two miles away from you?!?!?! And now both LSS are having to compete with the two large chain store as well?!?!

Whew!!!! God is GREAT! I now feel so relieved in my decision not to purchase the store – and hey Savannah is still going to have a Scrapbooking store! As a one of my friends loves to say – it’s all good!

Unti Next Time!

Cya~
Lori

PS - Don't forget - tomorrow is the Scrapbooking Challange Announcement!

Happy Hump Day!!

I am so sorry I didn't post yesterday - but you know there are some days where I just hate being a girl (if you know what I mean?!?!?) So I just sat around most of the day eating chocolate and taking Motrin!

Today I am off to run errands in town... Man with the price of gas lately I have really tried to limit my trips into town.... Even though town is only 25 miles away - that is a little over a gallon of Gas just to get there and back!!

Speaking of Gas.... did you see this file I have up in the store??

Ok - I am off to take a shower... I just about have all the details of the scrapping challange all worked out - and hey - this challenge is going to be for ALL SCRAPBOOKERS - with a personal cutter or not - so if you have a scrapping friend - share my blog with them - and tell them I will be hosting a way cool Challenge!!! You will not want to miss Friday for sure!

Until Next Time!

Cya~
Lori

Rainy day...

Today is really yucky - this is the radar of my area of the US - see the right top corner of the red square - well that is about where I am!!!!

Hope you all had a great weekend! We sure did!!! We finally got our taxes finished! Thank you God!!! And then on Saturday afternoon we visited my parents! It is always great to see them!

Sunday - we went to church then to the Waffle House for Breakfast/Lunch!!! LOL Then we came home and geared up our bikes and went for a bike ride - Wheew!!!! After four measly miles I was SMOKED!!! Bahahaha.... We came home and worked in the yard - well hubby worked in the yard and I laid in the Hammock reading my KINDLE (man oh man I LOVE LOVE LOVE that thing!!!)

Afterwards we had dinner with my best friend and her family - man it just doesn't get any better than this!!!

BUT.....

I have got to get FOCUSED!!!! Both on home and work stuff... so I am off to clean house and then I promise you I will have some new files loaded to go up in the store by the end of the week!!! Ya'll make sure you hold me to it - ok!!! I REALLY need to focus on work now that all the health stuff for the most part seems to be behind me!!!

So I am off to clean! And then to work!!!! I plan to announce me scrapbooking challenge on FRIDAY of this week too - so that means I need to focus on that as well!!! And I hope to have another huge announcement soon for all of those scrapbookers that do not have a personal cutting machine!!! (I am REALLY EXCITED about this one!!!)

Until Next Time!

Cya~
Lori