so excited!

starting a blog was a big step.

posting my scrapbooking stuff was a big step.

and then sharing some of my stuff with Heather, Roslyn, and staff at Urban Scrapbook was a big step.

and then the day when i shared my mini maze albums with Lori and Jan and Pat (in that order!) was a very big step.

i am very good at comparing myself to others. and there are some totally incredible artists out there. where i cannot come close to being in the same ring as them. i am comfortable with that. now! i like what i do. and i do it for me. that was a big revelation.

so then i met with Pat and got the challenge to prepare something more specific for a class.

and i worked my little butt off! heehee (we all know how little that is....i wish!)

and so i came up with these teacher gifts:


i did my best to meet the challenge. and i was happy. phew! but would Pat be happy? how much would i have to change? yes lots of little questions pinging around in my little head. (i think i'm hung up on "little" these days...wonder what that means?)

this one has front and back covers made of felt. and the apple is felt. after the years of cross-stitching....and sewing clothing and do-dads.....and i now sew felt! is that a 70's thing coming back?
and it has 8 pages - precisely! 2 tags plus a gift card. this is a sample of 2 of the pages. i tried to gear this one towards a preschool, kindergaren, primary teacher.

this one is more typical of the maze albums. ribbon binding and closure.

again 8 pages. that spell t-e-a-c-h-e-r. and this is just a sample. i tried to design this one more for primary or even upper elementary. but perhaps a jr. high teacher would like this one too. or a principal. or a vice-principal. or.... and yes 2 tags and room for a gift card.

this one i am proud of. those are Tim Holtz grungeboard hinges. yahoo! this is the front....
... and this is the back. i love how i attached the ribbon. and LOVE that ribbon. little (that word again!) story with the ribbon....searched the rack specifically for alphabet, or ruler or numbers. came up empty. sigh. then just while i was picking out another part, Roslyn came across this. i think it makes the album just pop! because the hinges just aren't enough! haha

and again...same number of pages, and you guessed it tags and all. these spell out i-n-s-p-i-r-e. tried to gear this one with more of a masculine feel. and more for upper elementary....jr. high....and those sr. high teachers need some appreciation too! Heather saw the little "live out loud" quote on one of the die-cut sheets i chose. we laughed over the irony of it being used for a teacher. then she suggested doing the "shhhh" over top. perfect! i didn't think i'd be able to fit it in. but then i found this great poem....and realized that this particular line was a great fit for the idea.

soooo....now when i see the alphabet and number ribbon, i think of Roslyn. and when i see the "live out loud" shhhhhh.... i think of Heather. and then my next thought moves to....i wonder how it would have looked had i gone for the other die-cut sheet....what do you think, Heather?! {wink}

and so finished the albums. shared them with Pat yesterday. and she loved them! and they will be a class. and i am SO EXCITED!!!!

so i'll keep you updated. the class will be in June. the date will be set soon. and the price too. it will be for all three albums.

and Sherri must have seen the relief spread across my face...that first one is a biggie. it was good to hear that subsequent projects are less intimidating.

i'm looking forward to the teaching part. is definitely different teaching adults than kids. it will be another learning experience. it will be the first scrapbook class i've taught where the students are required to bring their own supplies...not use mine! it will be fun.

and i can breathe.

and clean my house.

but i really want to scrapbook a page for myself now!

[oh....Aidan and Kiara wanted to say thanks again for the candy aunty heffer! maybe they'll be in tomorrow for a vist.]