Memories Artwork Designs

Out for a little while....back soon!

Dear Scrapper friends!

I apologize for not posting for some time now. One week ago yesterday I had surgery on my right shoulder, so I am still recooperating. I hope you understand! I'm really missing my scrapbooking and TaeBo horribly! I haven't been able to do sports for a few months now. Yikes....and my pants are getting mighty tight! But I'm hopeful to start doing a little bit of something soon. :-)

There is a project I am working on for Scrapbooking Stuttgart's design team. (It was supposed to be for January....but I had to delay due to the OP.) I recently watched a few videos at www.mycraftchannel.com (very cool btw!) and checked out a few of Teresa Collin's videos and one of them inspired me to make a book about me (A-Z). What an amazing lady, really. Love her style, her products, her personality. :-) Since Yvonne from Scrapbooking Stuttgart sent me these lovely Echo Park papers, I thought I would use them all in this book. I will be posting as I go along, since A-Z is a lotta pages and I don't want to jot something meaningless down under each letter. It will take some time and thought about who I am, what I do, what I like etc. I was able to get a cover started before the OP, so here is a little sneak peak of that one. Fun, fun papers for sure!

 

Lots of my stash is being used as I really need to "use" it up. Sometimes I'll look at something and think "That's so pretty that I will have to use it for something really special." ...Now that is just silly of me. That just means I will never use it. I should consider all the things I make special, right!? Then I will be "forced" to actually use it up. :-) 

In other news...

My hubby just recently had an operation a week prior to mine as he had a ruptured hernia. Yikes! He's pretty much okay now, but still has to be very careful. While he was in the hospital, my daughter Jenna had to have one of her baby teeth pulled as it had decayed and infected her gums. :-( She was very brave though....but then again, she had a wonderful dentist specializing in children's dental care. Not like the witch on duty during Christmas vacation. That was a definite disaster.

Next week it is back to work with a hopefully good shoulder! Some days are better than others. Today... not so good. Maybe it's the snow, I dunno. ;-) I'll tell you one thing.... I cannot WAIT for Spring to arrive! Seriously now! -14°C is not funny, with or without the sun.

Thoughts....

Thinking about my parents every day. And I worry and worry. I know I shouldn't, but with Dad and his massive heart problems, one kidney and cancer...well, I just can't help myself obviously. My mom has constant back pain and exhaustion, especially making sure Dad is always okay, driving him to the hospital for all of the doctor's appointments. And believe me, there are many. The guilt of not being able to be there to help is not easy to deal with. I try to call at least daily...I'm just afraid. Something that all people go through at some stage in their life.

Okay... nuffa that emotional stuff!! Gotta rest the arm now. Just wanted to pop by and let everyone know I'm still around. 

Have a super crafty day!

 

 

 

Exciting News for me! I'm published! Whoohoooo!

I'm finally able to let it out, my exciting news (well, at least for me it's exciting) ;-). 

 

First....I've been published!!! I was very honored that Simea Gut asked if I would like to contribute in her new book (available a to order on Amazon.de), called  "Fotoalben gestalten: Der große Grundkurs Scrapbooking"

 

 

I can't wait until it comes out in a little bit! :-))) The cover looks very cool and I'm very excited about being in an actual book! Wow!... Thank you Simea! You are the best! One of the coolest gals I know, seriously.

If you speak German (haha) you gotta get this book!

 

My second big announcement, also extremely exciting for me, is being accepted on the Design Team for Scrap-Art-Zine, a German Scrapbooking Magazine (and there are not too many out there on the subject)!! This was a great Christmas present for me and Lord knows I needed some exciting news. If it would make my Dad better, I would give it all up in a heartbeat though. Anyway... I'm trailing off! Design Team, Magazine... I mean how COOL is THAT!? You can check it out here: http://www.scrap-art-zine.de 

Of course, this was a huge honor to be picked as well! I was hoping for this for a long, long time and finally I made it. I feel really, really lucky. Hope this is a winning streak in other areas of my life as well. :) Can't wait for the Spring edition to come out. YAY! A must-order!!

 

In other news... doing some Spring cleaning here and there, taking care of the administrative stuff....and oh, btw, I'm having a operation on my shoulder in 2 weeks! (yikes) They will be removing some kind of talc build-up in there that is causing pain.....pain that I've been dealing with off an on for about 8 years. So...I think it's about darn time it is taken care of! Although I'm not really excited about having an operation, it is better than being in pain the rest of my life. 

And we will be going to Turkey on vacation this year! YAY! The Robinson Club, supposedly the best Robinson Club in Europe according to employees we've "interviewed". It is toward the end of summer though, so it will be a lonnng wait. But, I'm also hoping to have an extended weekend with one of my best friends Anja somewhere sunny and relaxing. Hopefully we'll get it together, huh!

Have some other exciting news....but am not in a position to reveal at the moment, but hopefully soon! Hee! Stay tuned!

That is all for now. Hope everyone has a splendid Sunday and remember - make time for yourself, you deserve it!

Take care now,

 

Looking back on the year 2011

Some of my nicest moments -

meeting people through scrapbooking, work and TaeBo, getting to work on a few secret projects, enjoying the unusually nice spring and fall weather, seeing my parents, watching the kids grow, vacationing in Fuerte Ventura

What I did a lot of -

a lot of work and stress, a lot of scrapbooking to include teaching classes, filling custom orders and working on secret projects (soon to be revealed), did a lot of TaeBo, attending several events including one in Heidelberg with Billy Blanks and his daughter Shellie Cimarosti, a lot of worrying about both of my parents and their health as well as my daughter being sick and my son with his school life.

Places I visited -

Munich, Zurich, Chiemsee, Heidelberg, Canary Islands

Some of my not so nice moments -

finding out my dad has non-Hodgkins lymphoma cancer and the scary OP with his veins and kidney removal, my mom being in pain and weak all the time and her vein OP, Jenna's tonsillectomy, Fukushima, discovering the death of one high school acquaintance due to cancer and another childhood friend with stage 4, my shoulder pain returning after I had been so consistent with exercise. Also discovering I have a slight hearing problem, Jenna being sick most of the first half of 2011.... Over and over again. Finding out a pedophile child murderer had worked in the bakery we always go to for "years". Glad he was caught!! And my daughter Jenna having to experience the worst dentist visit of her life.

Some decisions I made -

turning Memories Artwork into Memories Artwork Designs so I could focus exclusively on custom design work and try to concentrate more on my family. My day job is stressful enough as it is, so I had to cut something somewhere. To stay fit with lots of TaeBo and try to keep organized. The latter has yet to be fulfilled....the former only got me through November until my shoulder acted up again.

What the weather was like -

winter had lots of snow, spring and fall were amazing, but the summer weather left much to be desired.

What I am looking forward to in 2012 -

My operation on my shoulder, seeing my parents, spending time with my family, getting well enough to do TaeBo again, our vacation in Turkey, my secret projects being revealed, another secret wish coming true, working with a great team of people at work.

My general hopes and wishes for 2012 -

that there is more peace in the world, less hunger and suffering, less violence and more love, no wars or natural disasters, no Euro crisis, less sickness, more happiness overall on the planet.

My own dreams and hopes in my life for 2012 -

that my parents feel better soon, that my shoulder OP goes well, that we all stay healthy and happy, that my son does well in school, that I get to meet new people, see old friends and family, see new places, keep learning more crafting techniques and be able to exercise again.....and overall....have fun.

Have a happy fun-filled 2012!

Worst dentist experience ever!!!

While on vacation in Bavaria my daughter Jenna began to develop a toothache in one of her molars. We gave her painkillers and waited to see whether it would get better. When it didn't, we decided to take her to the dentist on duty (since most are on vacation between the holidays). We had a super nice dentist that obviously knows how to deal with children. Part of her filling had broken and he sealed it up and cleaned her up. She got to pick out a ring as a reward for being so good.

Two days later she still had pain, only this time there was a different dentist on duty. We did not have to wait long, but little did we know that this would turn into a nightmare. This "woman"' or rather monster, looked in her mouth, asked her to be honest as to whether she flossed every day, to which she replied, "Every two days." Then next thing I knew, without warning, she orders Jenna to open her mouth and proceeds to start drilling open her tooth! Jenna turned stiff and started saying "ow...ow".

Now let me first say that Jenna has always been very good at any doctor's office. She let's herself get pricked and prodded with needles and got her filling from a nice children's dentist without any shots' no problem. She has had a tonsillectomy and was very brave.

To continue on....Jenna had a terrified look on her face and called to me "Momma!" I immediately went over and took her hand upon which the dentist told me that it is not necessary to hold her hand. Then she proceeded to tell my daughter that with eight years of age, she is old enough to answer her question about whether she is just in a little bit of pain or in more pain than a little bit. She was really scaring my daughter half to death, who was meanwhile crying and looking at me with pleading eyes. I was just as stunned as she was!! This woman's behavior was absolutely appalling and outrageous to me, and I really didn't even know how to react. I kept telling her that my daughter is not a whiny child that cries at the least bit of pain and that, yes....she is in pain! Then she has the gall to forbid me to speak for my daughter!!

She said to my daughter that she was a pretty girl with pretty earrings and that ugly teeth don't fit into the picture. WTH?? My daughter's teeth are perfectly fine! Constantly, with each whimper she would remind Jenna that it is her own fault she' in pain and that if she had flossed every day, this would not have gotten a cavity. I guess the pain she had already gone through was not enough. Now she had to humiliate her on top of it all. She also spoke so fast that it was difficult to follow what she was saying. Over and over she kept saying, "You are eight years old and old enough to understand what I am telling you. Do you understand??" Jenna was mortified of the woman to say the least! All she could do was nod and cry. I stood there in shock thinking of what to do, but I was too stunned.....and later on ashamed that I wasn't able to protect my baby! I later broke out in tears when we left the place as well. Why didn't I say anything?!?

She kept reprimanding her the entire time and ignored her crying. Then she shows her the bloody drilled tooth on the large monitor! That was all Jenna needed....I mean COME ON! There were also FOUR dental assistants with her in the room....FOUR?! What for?

She threatened to pull her tooth and said it needed to come out and Jenna almost got hysterical. I didn't blame her. After the woman questioned her 5-6 times as to her level of pain, she finally give her shots for the pain...."after" she had drilled open the tooth. She just left it at that and said she needs to get it pulled. So now she has an open wound / hole in her tooth and I pray that it doesn't get infected.

There are no words for the way I felt after this experience....and Jenna to say the least. She cried for a half an hour and cried each time she talked about what happened. I felt so awful for her pain, her fear, the fact that I couldn't save her from this awful experience. It had all happened so fast. When I thought she was just examining the tooth, she had already started drilling it. I'm so ashamed that I was not in a position to help her or protect her. If my husband would have been there, she would have gotten to hear a thing or two. I was just happy to get out of there and back to the house. My hope is that she doesn't let this bad experience ruin her otherwise good relationship with her regular dentist. My poor sweety.

If you are ever at the Chiemsee....in Prien to be exact and you have a toothache, DO NOT visit Dr. Brigitte von Heydebrand if you don't want to go home with nightmares!

For more about this story in German, my hubby wrote an article about Dr. von Heydebrand as well here... http://erikschimmel.de/2011/12/30/zahnarztpraxis-dr-von-heydebrand-prien/

Handmade Christmas Cards 2011

How I love to give my family and friends my own handmade Christmas cards. I don't think I could bring it over myself to ever purchase another card again! It's just so much more personal....more like a mini-gift.  My heart goes into each and every card. :-) Here are some of the cards I made this year...some are cute, some are distressed, some are vintage and some are plain. What kinds of cards are you getting this year?

There are quite a few more that I made, but I could not fit them all onto one block. :)

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your families and friends and may your New Year be happy, healthy and filled with fun!

Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas, Tag No. 1

I thought I would give this a try...although I did have to improve since I do not have the die cuts etc. I think it turned out pretty nice! :) (it only took hoooouuurrrrsss!) I used glitter glue instead of regular glitter, a different embossing die, my own pine cone creation LOL, and had to majorly improvise on the greenery. 

 

Can't wait to do more of them! See ya soon!

Me and her...

Jenna and I took this photo yesterday while waiting for Danny. I feel so bad sometimes for not being able to give her the attention she craves. Having a brother with ADD is difficult for a sibling. Since things often come easier for her with which Danny often has difficulties, most of the attention (even if it is negative) is directed at him.

When she starts having problems, it's often undetected by us, because we're always looking to see that Danny is doing well. Poor sweety. She tries so hard...helps around the house, tries her best to be the perfect daughter and we often don't recognize her efforts.

I vow to change this. Danny will be 10 years old soon and needs to show at least a little sense of responsibility. How I will accomplish this I don't know. I let him try things and it seems he almost tries to mess it up so that he won't have to bother with it in the future. Sometimes I have to wonder how many nerves I have left. ;)

So this is my little sweetheart, my little girl whom I love with all my heart. And I'm determined to make sure she knows this...and that we love her just as much as our son. <3

Have a wonderful day and don't forget your children need your TLC!

Design Team Work - Scrapbooking Stuttgart November/December 2011

November/December 2011's Design Team project for Scrapbooking Stuttgart was to make 2-3 Christmas cards from the materials that was sent to each of us. So this is what I made...simple, but cute:

The supply list included the following:

• Kraft Cardstock
• Assorted ribbon Rayher Christmas
• Brads Rayher
• Cart-us Christmas Collection
• Cart-us Paper Pad Christmas Collection
• Die Cuts with a View - The Christmas Box of Cards
• Kars wooden ornaments
• Various fabric decor

All materials can be purchased at www.scrapbookingstuttgart.de. 

Thanks for looking and have a wonderful weekend!

 

Family Photo Shoot and Family Layouts

Near the end of October, my co-worker agreed to have a family photo shoot with us in the woods. To say the least, they turned out fabulous!! Take a look at some of our photos on her blog here...

I couldn't wait to get some of the first photos scrapped since they were just so inspiring to me. This is what I am passionate about.....documenting "us".  Although I do enjoy designing for others, I'm so glad when I get the time to do something for us. That is, after all, where my passion for scrapbooking began - documenting my babies, me, family life, grandmas and grandpas and love.

 

 

 

inbetween... I did a few other things... ;-)

 

More to come ...

 

NOTICE: I will only be taking custom orders for albums until 1 December, frames until 14 December. So, please place your order by then to insure timely completion and delivery. Thx, bye!

 

 

 

Altered Projects & Cards

Goodness! I just looked to see when I last blogged and it was SEPTEMBER!!! I'm SO bad! Sorry guys, don't know what happened there. I guess I got so wrapped up in my custom orders that I've neglected my blog. Never to fear, I'm not gone, no way. ;-)

Aside from my custom orders, I did a few other things along the way.... 

A birthday card from my nephew.....

Some altered letters for www.scrapbookingstuttgart.de

A marathon congrats card for my hubby....

A 60th birthday card....

A sympathy card...

custom order of Slovenian Christmas cards

A so sorry card for friend who's birthday I totally forgot (shame on me)..

Last, but not least.... a Halloween Card.... :)

I would have more to show you if I was authorized by some of my customers, but they prefer not to have me display their customs orders....such a shame... ;-)

 

If you are needing me to design any Christmas cards or gifts for anyone, place our order now, because Christmas is not too far away!