ScrapFest 2010!

I am SOOO excited- me and my scrappin gals are headed to the Twin Cities for 4 FABULOUS days of SCRAPPIN', SHOPPIN', CLASSES, MAKE N TAKES, CROPPIN' and a whole lotta FUN!!!!

Will I see any of you there?

Drop me a note and let me know!

DETAILS HERE:

SCRAPFEST 2010

Caring Bridge

Just wanted to update my blog-

My son Oliver has been in the hospital most of the past 2 months.

Our family created a Caring Bridge site about him and the journey towards health.

I haven't had much time to scrap lately, and I don't have time to keep up with my blog regularly right now either... but I just wanted to let my scrappin' friends know why I wasn't around!

If you would like to follow our story, feel free & thanks for understanding and encouragement!

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/oliverbarker

Friday Favs 6/18/10

I didn't have time for my normal list, it has been a busy week with Oliver being back in the hospital... but I did want to share a funny story of something that happened to us one night when we were driving back from visiting him in the hospital in Fargo...

***

We were coming home from Fargo tonight and a TINY baby skunk ran out in the road in front of us- I freaked out and yelled at Matt not to hit him and Matt swerved and went right over top of him... we jumped out of the car to see if he was alright, and he started hopping and waving his tail at us. I think he was trying to spray us, but he was the size of a hamster and not very successful. It was hilarious... and obviously he was fine, just mad!!!!

I am sooooo relieved the skunk was ok,

but after seeing how adorable it was (and TINY!)

now I want one so bad as a pet....

I would get him "De-PU'ed"! ♥

SOOOOO...

The skunk is my Friday Fave for this week!

Scrap Yourself Challenge 7

It is Wednesday, which means it is Reveal day on the

Scrap Yourself Challenge Blog

This week's challenge is:

"Hidden Talents"

This one was kind of tough for me... I have lots of hobbies- not sure if any of them would be be considered a hidden talent though. I decided to go back to my high school photos and use this prompt to document my love of theater.

"Drama Queen"

I used the May Swirlydoos Kit "La Vie En Rose" for this page... the themed paper from Creative Imaginations was a PERFECT fit!

Supply List:

Pattern Paper, Stickers, Tags: Creative Imaginations; Flowers: Petaloo, Bazzill; Bling: Prima; Alpha Stickers: Making Memories; Thickers, Ribbon: American Crafts; Ink: CTMH

I love the musical & dramatic theme of this Creative Imaginations line it "set the stage" for this page! (ba- dum- bum- ching!)

I wrote all my journaling on a tag and hid it behind the photo.

Journaling:

"When I was in middle school, I discovered a love for ACTING! All through high school I took drama courses and I was in the International Thespian Society... my senior year I was President of the club & I competed at a District and State level in Musical Theater. I went on to declare a Musical Theater major in college. I have always wondered what would have happened if I has pursued my love for the theater instead of getting married and starting a family. I guess I will never know, but the DRAMA QUEEN in me lives on! Maybe one day I will hit the stage again ♥ 6/2010"

*****

If you haven't already, head over to

SCRAP YOURSELF

and see what the rest of the design team did for this challenge.

Hopefully you will join us and make your own

page or project reflecting your talents!

blessings ~ Zoa

SY Challenge 7 Sneak Peek!!

SY Challenge 7 Sneak Peek:

"Hidden Talents"

The Full Design Team Reveal is this

Wednesday June 16th!

Make sure you stop by the BLOG tomorrow

to see all the FANTASTIC designs!

Blessings~ Zoa

SY Challenge 6 is Up!!

Go check out Team B's Reveal!!

SCRAP YOURSELF

Blessings~ Zoa

XOXO June Challenge & DT Reveal

The Lipstick Chicks

just revealed the June challenge & here is mine:

"J'Adore"

my sweet daughters Anabelle & Julianna

Supply List: Scalloped Paper & Die Cuts: K & Company;

Pattern Paper & Tag: Graphic 45; Flowers: Prima, Bazzill;

Thickers: American Crafts; Alpha Stickers: Making Memories;

Clip: CTMH; Stamp: Stampabilities; Ribbon: American Crafts;

Stickles: Ranger; Ink: Colorbox, CTMH

*****

This month's prize is sponsored by:

DIVINE DESIGN KITS

The winner will receive this FABULOUS kit!!

Make sure you stop by the

XOXO Challenge Blog

to see all the DT's beautiful work & to play along!

Hope you can join us!

Friday Faves 6/4/10

here are the highlights from my week:

Little League started

Potluck @ church

Kid's summer Drama Camp put on the play "Sleeping Beauty"

My brother in law graduated high school

Memorial Day

Relay for Life

wow- it was a busy week!!

I'm Featured!

I was contacted this week by a couple of sweet women who own

Scrap Café,

a Brazillian scrapbook site to inspire and teach others

in Brazil about scrapbooking.

Every Friday they have a column called "Bomboniere" where they feature a scrapbooker, and they asked if they could feature me this week and a page I recently made for a

SCRAP YOURSELF challenge.

OF COURSE!!! ;0)

What an honor! I am thrilled to be featured!

Here is the link:

http://cafedoscrap.blogspot.com/

(and they were so thoughtful to have the post in English as well as Portuguese so that I could read it)

Blessings~ Zoa

Scrap Yourself Challenge 5

It is Wednesday, which means it is Reveal day on the

Scrap Yourself Challenge Blog

This week's challenge is:

"The Biggest or Most Important Decision You Have Made"

I thought the obvious answer to that prompt would probably be marriage, and I wanted to dig a little deeper. I decided to make the page based on our family's decision a few years ago to move across the country and have a different life.

"Moving To North Dakota Changed Me"

Supply List:

Paper: CTMH, Bazzill; Border, Flowers, Chipboard: Prima

Thickers: American Crafts; Stickers: Making Memories;

Glimmer Mist: Tattered Angels; Other: Tag, Butterfly, Stitching

I printed 2 copies of the same picture, cut out the butterfly of one and "popped it up" on top of the 2nd photo for a 3D effect! I love how it gives the butterfly some "flight"!!

I used the same 3 colors found in the photo as my color scheme: blue, orange and cream/tan. I absolutely love the effect of the orange glimmer mist on the paper!!

I wrote all my journaling on a vintage dry cleaning claim tag and hid it behind the photo.

Journaling:

"I can think of only 2 life changing decisions I have made in my 32 years... when I got married, and years later, when our family decided to move across the country to North Dakota. We left everyone and everything that we had ever known for a completely different life. I had the FALSE assumption that everywhere in the U.S. was pretty much the same... NOT! ND is so completely opposite of Florida in almost every way. It was a HUGE culture shock moving here and it took me a long time to adjust.

Now after living here for 3 years, I can HONESTLY say that I am a better person because I have lived here. North Dakota changed me. I have learned to slow down and enjoy life and simple things. I appreciate my family more. Nature more. Community more. Friends more... LIFE MORE! I have learned that you can be friends with anyone and social classes and differences don't matter here. I have learned values and what is valuable. I learned how to LIVE. North Dakota changed my life! "

*****

If you haven't already, head over to

SCRAP YOURSELF

and see what the rest of the design team did for this challenge.

Hopefully you will join us and make your own

page or project reflecting the Biggest Decision You Ever Made!

SY Challenge 5 Sneak Peek!!

SY Challenge 5 Sneak Peek:

"The Biggest or Most Important Decision"

The Full Design Team Reveal is this

Wednesday June 2nd!

Make sure you stop by the BLOG tomorrow

to see all the FANTASTIC designs!

Blessings~ Zoa

May & June Pubs

I have 5 pages in the May Issue of

Scrapbook News & Review

available now!

and...

I also have 2 pages coming out in the June Issue of

ScrapStreet Magazine

available June 1st

FUN FUN!!

Go Check Them Out!

Friday Favs 5/28/10

Here's what happened this week:

1. Last Day of School

2. Summer Vacation Started

3. So You Think You Can Dance

(my favorite show- I am soooooo excited!!!)

4. Scrapbook Goodies

a big box of Birthday fun came in the mail!

5. Thunderstorms

(I LOVE rain & thunderstorms-

especially because up north we only get them a few months out of the year)

HELLO SUMMER!!

xoxo~ Zoa

SNR Subscription Special

"For those of you familiar with Scrapbook News and Review Magazine, you might know that Kate Koch, the editor-in-chief, and Marisol Jiminez, the managing editor, are both brain cancer survivors.

In honor of National Brain Tumor Awareness Month and their continued efforts to spread the word about brain cancer and the many lives it has touched, we would like to do something special.

Until May 31, 2010, for every dollar that comes through the door via a subscription to SNR, we’ll match dollar for dollar and gift all proceeds to the Brain Tumor Awareness Organization. We can honestly say that without research and hope, Kate and Marisol would not be here today to enrich the lives of our friends and readers.

The Special: For every annual subscription purchased at the special rate of $39.99 or semi-annual subscription purchased at the special rate of $19.99, we'll either gift a comparable subscription to a friend of your choice or add on another six months or year to your personal subscription. Please don't delay -- this special offer is only good until May 31, 2010 -- and spread the word. This month, let's keep hope alive!"

Scrapbook News and Review Magazine

SY Challenge 4 Reveal!

Go check out Team B's Reveal!!

SCRAP YOURSELF

Friday Favs 5/21/10

I was scrapbook shopping today...

and I bought:

all of this line... LOVE!

4 new distress inks...

THIS!!! Love Tim Holtz!

"Siren" Smooch (the red one)...

this package of ribbon...

it looks FANTASTIC with the G45!

Key Lime Shimmerz (the lime color in the front)

and some Alcohol Ink- Shell Pink

(because that is what Sharon L from Prima recommends!)

***

Can't wait to start playing!!

Have a great weekend!

xoxo~ Zoa

Scrap Yourself Challenge 3

I am so excited- today is DT Reveal Day on

Scrap Yourself!!

The 3rd Challenge is:

Something You Collect

Check out the site to see all those fun collections...

You will find some FABULOUS Scrapbook inspiration too! Join us for this fun challenge!

SCRAP YOURSELF CHALLENGE BLOG

Here is my page:

I used the Swirlydoos kit "From Venice, With Love" for this layout. I loved the colors & elements in the kit, and they coordinated perfectly with the pictures I wanted to use!!

I used Tim Holtz crackle paint to distress the chipboard heart. Since this layout is all about my love for vintage finds, I thought it was only appropriate!

I also used some of the Prima Burlap on this layout- I have been wanting to use it forever, and I finally found the perfect place!!

Left over Prima packaging was used for the tag, and

I used 7 Gypsies stamps to decorate it before I journaled.

Journaling Reads:

I LOVE to go to Antique Stores, flea markets, yard sales, junk sales etc! It is one of my favorite hobbies. I love the thrill of a great UNIQUE FIND, that is a huge part of the fun to me- you never know what you might find! My style is country, rustic, primitive, shabby chic, elective... you name it. My favorite furniture and knick knacks have come from these used venues. Some people would call it JUNK, but I look at the "junk" as TREASURES. I have been collecting yard sale finds for decades, even when I was a child. My mom & I would get up early on Saturday mornings, grab a Beaches Leader and the hunt would begin!

I am lucky that Matt enjoys the hunt also... now we share this fun hobby. These pictures were taken on our "100 Mile Yard Sale" road trip in May of 2009. We went for my birthday weekend... 100 miles of junk up and down the Mississippi River!! These were some of my favorite finds.