Back home

I'm sure if you're reading this blog, you already know a little bit about me....and you probably know that I love to scrapbook. By "scrapbook" I mean everything from cards to layouts to altered stuff for home decor...almost everything. Sometimes, the project isn't important even...it's the process that I love. When they say that it's cheaper than therapy, they're right.

(The house from the brand new Gingerbread Banner at Clear scraps: MM glitter letters, Viva Decor Eiskristall, Accent jewels, HS rub-ons and some chandelier beads from my MCC)

Well, one of the blessings that I've been afforded due to my involvement in the scrapbooking and craft industry is a job with a company called Clear Scraps. They make acrylic and chipboard albums, layout bases and embellishments for scrapbookers. I've been on their Design Team for 3 years and DT coordinator for 2 now. This past year when the company changed hands, the new owners (a lovely Christian couple from Colorado) offered me a little bit more of an administrative position including communicating with other companies on Clear Scraps behalf for DT swap products, editing and proofreading their materials and some marketing work. I've told them...but I bet they have no idea what a thrill this is for me to mix these two areas - admin and crafts :) Heavenly!

(The front and back cover from the new DIVA brag bag from Clear Scraps: painted with Claudine Hellmuth acrylic paint, punched and bound with the Zutter Bind-it-all and finished out with Cosmo Cricket paper and chipboard)

I just got back from CHA - the Craft & Hobby Association show in Chicago. It was a whirlwind of setting up the booth, working the show, assisting with a class to 100 women and tearing down the booth (in record time, I might add). I wish I'd had a little more time to wander the aisles and see all the other companies out there but it was very, very busy in our booth with sales and also doing make & takes. We had planned for 200 people and I'm sure more than doubled that by the end.

(The Christmas Tree mini from Clear Scraps, not done as a mini-album but broken apart and made into 6 individual Christmas tags: Ranger alcohol inks, Kaisercraft jewels, Cosmo Cricket sentiments cut from the front 'sample' page in the Jolly by Golly pack and misc. red ribbons from my MCC)

BUT, I'm home. And glad to be back. I missed my kids more than I thought and they've been uber-affectionate this past weekend so I think the feeling is probably mutual. On my art blog I'm giving away some of the acrylic that I've accumulated through Clear Scraps - if you're a crafter, come have a look!! If not, and you're just here for me (little old me).....come back tomorrow for Multitude Monday - I'm exercising my thankful muscles and putting it out here in blogworld to publicly, and intentionally focus on what I'm thankful for.