Lessons from the Scrapbook Page

CHA—Are you there?

Last year at this time I was in the throes of my first CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) convention and tradeshow. It was overwhelming and exciting and exhausting. I was meeting with senior editors for some of the top magazines that I'd admired for years, and meeting contacts and marketing directors for many of the scrapbooking manufacturers. Contacts I made at that one event carried me through an entire year. It doesn't seem possible that it was only a year ago. So much happened in the scrapbooking world for me in 2007.

So, are you there? Have you ever been to CHA? Am I missing anything?

I must admit to not missing the sensory overload that comes with tradeshows and major events. From the aching feet from standing and walking all day, to the ringing in your ears from constant noise, the quiet of the office today is a nice substitute. Maybe not as exciting on a daily basis, but certainly easier on the psyche.

Are there things you were doing last year that have changed for you? Are you being kinder to your body and soul this year? I hope so. Every year that passes seems to offer a new bit of insight or wisdom, a deeper understanding of myself and my dreams. Is the same true for you? I'd love to hear about it.

Just some ponderings this beautiful Monday morning.

The Best in the Nation

Yep, it's true. The Top 25 Videographers in the Nation were announced in Orlando, Florida at the annual 4EVER Group Video 08 Convention and Tradeshow. Why does that matter?

I'll tell you...
My husband, video producer extraordinaire, was named one of the top 25! He was completely surprised by the award and accepted it just a few weeks ago at the convention.

The voting is done by colleagues in the industry and is an incredible honor. EventDV magazine even gives each honoree prizes, an article in their magazine, and their very own trading card. You gotta love that!

How Cool Is This???

The Genealogy Insider blog from Family Tree Magazine named Lessons from the Scrapbook page one of the Best Scrapbooking Blogs! Read their post below...

The Best Scrapbooking Blogs
Posted by Grace
January 7, 2008

If you're the crafty type, you're probably at your best when you're among creative people or when you stumble across something beautiful that makes you cry out I want to do that. What's that old saying—no scrapbooker is an island?

The March issue of Family Tree Magazine's Preserving Memories column was conceived while thinking of the crafter in dire need of inspiration. Our very scientific process of visiting approximately a bazillion blogs resulted in this list of five fabulous sites.

Bookmark these babies and enjoy!

Lessons from the Scrapbook Page: On this inspirational blog, you can watch the latest installments of Real Women Scrap TV.

Mad Cropper: Keep up-to-date with news from the scrapbook world and plenty of step-by-step projects.

Memory Makers Blog: The editors of our sister magazine give you a peek at their latest pages (like the one you see at right).

SimpleStudio: Simple Scrapbooks serves up advice plus lots of layouts and photos.

Sprague Lab: This "studio of scrapbook alchemy" focuses on computer-assisted scrapping.

What are your top 5 blog picks for 2007? I'd love to hear about them in the comments.

Happy New Year!

I'm here and enjoying the fresh start that each new year brings. Some exciting new posts, reviews, and ideas are brewing and on the horizon. Can't wait to get them all together and share them with you.

My holiday break was fantastic. Super busy, but productive. Cleaned the house, organized the garage, sanded and painted shelves, and celebrated the holidays with my family. New Year's Eve my husband and I watched 4 episodes of Gilmore Girls and 2 episodes of LOST. So much fun! We were catching up on last season from the time we stopped watching TV.

We also hooked up Apple TV, my hubby's Christmas present and for me it's like a huge digital picture frame! I've seen those frames at the stores and everywhere, and now I have one of my own that's a full size flat screen. Incredibly cool way to view my photos. Lets me enjoy them from my computer even before the albums or scrapbooks are done. Something to think about!

One of the highlights of the break was reading comments from some of you. I'll paste two of them below so you can read them too...and to thank the people who wrote them. They truly blessed me and even made me get a bit teary-eyed if you can believe that. We all long to feel valued and that our life has meaning. These comments made me feel that last year's challenges and trials were definitely worth the time, energy, and effort. Thanks to all of you for sharing and for being part of my life!

Tasra, I wasn't sure where to put this, so hope this is ok, I just finished your book (I actually found it hard to put down) and all I can say is WOW - I am now suggesting it to all my friends (both scrapbookers and non-scrapbookers alike) and it will be a well used, revisited book for years to come I'm sure. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and the best to you and your family in 2008! Good luck with your Apple job and I so look forward to Real Woman Scrap in the new year.. it's a daily visit for me as I have lots of catching up to do and I just love to see what is new as well. Take care, you #1 Aussie Fan, Chelle xx

Tasra! Congrats and all the best as you go in a new direction. Praying with you that the Lord will guide you re: the future with Real Womens Scrap - I just can't say enough of how God used your book to touch me just when I needed it most [after a crazy summer of parent illness, death, and my own sickness.] I know He will use you whatever the path may be - Judy@faithbasedpages.com

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E-Bay, Black Friday & Other Must-See Stuff

So I've got some news...I'm moving! Our family has decided to relocate back to the Silicon Valley and we are excited to be going "home." This move will be a chance to reconnect with family and friends and has opened up some exciting new doors for me professionally...more about that next week.

Until then, we are clearing out the closets and selling off our stuff. We want to move as little as possible and make sure that what we own is what we love. No sense keeping things that we don't use, don't need or don't fit. And what better way to simplify and minimize than eBay? I haven't done much on eBay before, but am always impressed with the vast amount of great deals you can find there. So I set up some items for auction and have a few bidders. How exciting is that?

How about you? Have you ever bought or sold on eBay? Tell me what your experience was like...I'd love to hear it. What about Black Friday? Did you brave the stores? My daughter and I woke at 3:30 am and were finished by 10:30. Tell me about your adventures!

Life Can Get Overwhelming

In case you forgot, life can sometimes creep up behind you and throw you for a major loop. That's how I've been feeling the last three weeks. So many new things have "cropped" up into my life and business that I find myself struggling to keep balance. You may think that odd since I literally wrote the book on balance for busy women, but it's true. We all go through seasons and for some reason this seems to be a season of change for us.

While I can't give you all the details, I can tell you that we're working things out, simplifying our lives, and making some "hard" choices and decisions about the next steps. We all have to do that at times...now is our time. So, stay tuned.

Here's what I know for sure:

• Real Women Scrap TV will keep coming to you every week. We have some amazing shows and interviews from Memorytrends, as well as some of the latest and greatest products and projects to share.
• Lessons from the Scrapbook Page (this blog) will continue...perhaps less frequent postings for a while as we work some kinks out, but it's not going anywhere! I always read your comments and love hearing from you.
• Real Women Scrap (the book) is still available and picking up speed. It's available in many local scrapbook and book stores, and online at Dare Dreamer Press and Amazon.
• Personal and Group Coaching Programs are getting ready to relaunch. Due to the high interest, we are revamping them to make them more user-friendly and accessible to everyone who wants to change their life with personal or group coaching. We expect to finalize details by mid-October. If you've requested information before, we'll send it out to you as soon as it's available.

As always, thanks so much for your patience and your cyber-love. Seriously, you (my blog readers) are what makes it all worthwhile!

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The Day Has Finally Come

It's time to TRI!

My big day for the triathlon has finally arrived. Everything is packed and I'm on my way to the event. If you're reading this Sunday, August 26, then I may be in the water, riding my bike, or running as you read! Start time is 9 a.m. and we expect to be finished in less than 3 hours.

As most plans go, I didn't get nearly as much training time as I would have liked. With traveling and business, it sometimes got pushed to the side. I even thought seriously about quitting. But I'm not a quitter. So I just revised my goals and decided that I would focus on finishing and having fun. I'm not competing for time or any medals, I just want to finish the race with a smile on my face.

I'll see you on the other side of a completed triathlon. Thanks for your prayers and well-wishes!

technorati tags: triathlon, training, goals, quitting, focus

How I Hit Number 1 On Technorati

After many long hours of blogging, research, coaching, and sleepless nights, I finally hit #1 in the Technorati rankings. Can you believe it? I'm Top 100! What an amazing feeling to know that I'm at the top of the charts. It feels like hitting the bestseller list in the NY Times or Top 40 hits. Wahoo! What a great anniversary present to me.

Want proof? Check out the screen shot...