worth mentioning

This morning I went in Laney's room to borrow her brush, which we always have to be careful about.  I know her vanity in her room is pretty sacred and it's the cutest thing.  At 8, which I think is pretty young, she wakes herself and has a strict morning schedule she follows to a "T" each day, including taking bath.  I love that she is very routine, pretty cute.  So while I'm in her room getting the brush, I happen to see written on her marker board which is sitting underneath the vanity, an entire page of notes.  Of course, I had to read them.  The words I found, were the sweetest most precious thing I think maybe I've seen.  I stood there just reading it for 15 minutes or more, soaking it in.  I knew I wanted to remember those words for a long long time. 

You see, we are having some growing pains and challenges involving friends, self esteem and feeling ok.  Breaks my heart knowing what tears I know are yet to come, but these words I read were the sweetest.  They told me that all the things we have been talking about every day, each night are being heard.  I called Dad and told him and meant to go back and snap a quick photo for me, for tucking away in that special spot, so my heart could remember.

Well...at 4:30...I gasped remembering that I had totally forgot to take the photo.  Knowing Delaney was home, I quickly went to her room, only to find her sitting at her vanity writing something totally new, having a great time as only she would after school.  I stopped...just standing there.... 

I was so proud of her, yet so crushed.  I wanted to read it again, just one more time.  She saw the look in my eye, but do I tell her?  I had to, we are always honest.  So I told her I read her words and I loved them so much I wanted to keep them forever.  Made me a little teary.

You know what she said?  She said, Mom, it's ok.  I just wrote that this morning as my reminder for the day.  I have been writing happy messages to myself each morning before school and it's making the day great.  So I will write another one tomorrow and you can have that one.  It's ok, mom.

You know as a mom, you hope and pray and feel their pain so much deeper and when you see the fruits of just one tiny little bit make a difference, it's HUGE. 

So as I'm feeling so darn mad at myself for having such a brain lapse, Delaney is telling me this.  Well Mom, since you are so proud of me...can you take us out for Mexican tonight??????

I am supposed to be wrapping up lots of art, but I'm totally distracted because everyone just wants to talk about Creative Cafe.   I can't blame them because I totally feel the same.

Have you seen these pictures yet?  Now that is cool.  Oh, to see all this product in one place before it left for the 200 stores,  would have been a sight.  I am getting bombarded with emails because everyone wants to know where is this product going?  Is there a store near me?  When can I shop this?

I have been posting all week about some of the special events planned for Creative Cafe stores.  Here are a few more, lucky lucky ladies that get to shop these stores.

From Sonja at the Crop Circle in

Westchester

,

CA

The Crop Circle is planning our Grand Opening for Happy Hour on Sunday October 27th & October 28th!  We're offering an exclusive for oru VIP costumers on Friday.  We're offering punch card packaged exclusive Creative Cafe membership, good for FREE Happy Hour and all sorts of other goodies, good now through 2008, for only $20.

From Gigi at My Scrapbook Shoppe in

Port Charlotte

,

FL

We are Launching our Creative Cafe during our Holiday Open House on November 10th. We got the entire line... both Lucky and Spirit! We are so excited to start this! Our Launch is also right in the middle of our Gulf Coast Holiday Shop Hop (www.gulfcoastholidayshophop.com) Nov. 2-Nov. 16. Lots of new people through our store and lots of new people to Creative Cafe!

From Karen at K2 Scrapbook Studio in

Sarasota

,

Florida

We are so excited to get Creative Cafe! We are planning a big Grand Opening on the evening of Saturday, November 17th! the Festivities will include yummy food, great wine and lots of chocolate! And of course will feature the amazing Creative Cafe! WE will be doing our first

Art

Bar

project, free of charge to anyone who attends, and will have our design team on hand to demonstrate the use of the amazing new Accucut machine!  Lots of opportunities to play with the new goodies, and to sign up for our Creative Cafe club, and to hear about the weekly

Art

Bar

projects! Come join us!!!

K2 Scrapbook Studio

4281 Clark Road

Sarasota

,

Florida

,

34233

941-926-1744

There you have it:  3 more Creative Cafe happenings.   Send me yours if you know of another one.  If you missed out on these other Creative Cafe happenings posted earlier this week, check them out.  Might be one near you.  Also, if you want to drool a little at projects and close up photos of the products...you can read more here on Monique's blog.  She owns Scrap, Etc in

Alabama

and how I would LOVE to be there on Saturday morning.

I have to tell you...I have played with all of this product, well or should I say fondled it all and you are truly in for a treat.  You need to find one of these stores near you just to see what I am talking about.  You are going to love this... I have a link for you to find a store near you.   FIND A CREATIVE CAFE STORE

Well, thanks for giving me a little art break...

Danelle

Ack.....that darn Bachelor show!! Man, it is killing me. I guess it's time to confess that I'm a self-professed junkie, 100%. I think I've seen every season. It's the only show I personally make time for, other than a few family shows we watch together. I'm glad they moved the time slot to 9 so my girls don't see their Mom in this fog while it's on. I just watched tonight's episode and every week it just kills me. I just want to know the final result NOW, I am so not patient about it.

Ok, just had to interrupt for just a bit of that Bachelor news...and if you wondered....if you are a junkie, don't go anywhere NEAR that Bacherlor message board. That is one HUGE time eater and makes the addiction slightly worse....ahem....

might I just say that Mr. Bach. is quite the catch. So who are you all betting on? I always have my predictions and then the darn editors try to mess with your minds...ack....! I think my vote is on Jenny, but that seems far too predictable...

ok, enough about that....except that I can't wait for next week;)

Creative Cafe happenings

Here are just a few places I know of with special events coming up for Creative Cafe.  More info to come throughout the week.

Also, if you are in the Viriginia/Washington, D.C area, San Jose area, or Chicago, read here for more Creative Cafe activities.

From Amanda at Amadalinz Scrapbook Company

We are planning to debut it during our Holiday Open House on Saturday, November 3rd with a free make-n-take. Can't wait!

Amandalinz Scrapbook Company
Amherst, NH
www.amandalinz.com

From Lisa at a Scrap in Time:

we are SO EXCITED! We are planning to open our special room on Oct 27th or Nov 2nd! Depends on how quick our order gets to us! It is going to be so much fun haveing a happy hour! Can't wait!

http://www.ascrapintime.net/

Some links to other Creative Cafe special events:

thescrapbookbarn.blogspot.com
absolutelyeverythingblog.blogspot.com
k2scrapbookstudio.typepad.com

Today is going to be a BIG DAY...trucks are going to be lining up outside Creative Imaginations to ship all the product out to stores in one day and I am going to have pictures.  This I have got to see...

Kind of in product shock.  4 boxes arrived yesterday and 4 more today with ALL of the Creative Cafe goodies.  I have been so busy that honestly I was kind of surprised it was time.  We have worked so hard and so long on this and I think even I am blown away by how cool it is.  Feeling  a bit overwhelmed just looking at it.    I am working on several projects and I can't narrow my choices because I want to use this and that and well, it's causing a serious creative situation.

Here is the good news we have all been waiting to hear.  All of this is shipping out next week to stores...can you believe?  The stores have all been making HUGE plans for it's arrival.  Some of them remodeling, creating their own custom art bars,  planning parties, making plans for it's arrival with big events.  Here is the scoop:  I am pretty much going to be gone the month of November.  IF you are wanting to find out where and when you can be a part of some of these exciting Creative Cafe happenings, keep reading. 

Here's where I am going to be celebrating the release of Creative Cafe:

Scrap Lovers Creative Retreat

Friday, November 2, 2007 at 7:00 pm PT - Sunday, November 4, 2007 at 12:00 pm PT
San Jose, CA

What is special about this event is that this is the FIRST Creative Cafe event I get to participate in.  What's even better than that is the company I get to work with, Melodee Langworthy and Kristi Sikora Blankenship are all going to be there too.  Kristi will be teaching a class and I'm not sure if I can accurately describe how 30 minutes of listening to her will change your life.  This class will be something special and Kristi will be using all of the new Creative Cafe goodies to inspire in ways that will totally refresh your thinking and make you want to document more and celebrate more.  A peek at the series of mini albums we're making together using lots of the Creative Cafe stuff.  This is just part of it all.

We are going to be using some of the products I truly love so much.  One of my favorite things and has been for several years and I finally get to show everyone why.  The AccuCut machine!  If you have not used this lately (maybe it's been a few years) you need to see why this machine can change the way you create.  I put it to use on every project for everything I do.  This project below is constructed from envelopes cut with the Creative Cafe dies.  The entire book made with the help of that die.

   

I also have a surprise to tell you.  I have been begging Kristi for over a year to start a blog and the best I can do is to convince her to hijack mine, since you all know I am so good at maintaining;)  So keep your eye out for Kristi and her guest blog appearances on mine this WEEK!

CREATIVE CAFE store tour:  Chicago Area

How cool does that sound?  Store tour, I like the sound of that.  What I love about this is that you can pick the one that is best for you.  Maybe a day is better than another or maybe you are closer to one than another.  Here are a couple of peeks at the projects we're doing.

Thanks For The Memories   Thursday Nov.29,  Happy Hour from 6-7 , Class 7:30-9:30 PM then the 2nd class will be Saturday Dec 1, 9:00-11:00 AM  www.thanks-4-the-memories.com

Windy City Friday November 30 ,2007  2-4 Class #1       5:00-6:00 Happy Hour     7:00-9:00 Class #2    www.windycityscrapbooking.com

Hannah's Home Accents Saturday December 1, 2007  2-4 Class #1       5:00-6:00 Happy Hour     7:00-9:00 Class #2 www.hannahs.com

Scrapadoodle Sunday December 2, 2007 Times TBD.  www.scrapadoodle.com  12:00 class, 2:30-3:30 Happy Hour and then 4:00-6:00 class 

12:00-2:00 class, 2:30-3:30 Happy Hour and then 4:00-6:00
class.

   and if that wasn't enough...if you are in Virgina, Wash D.C area, I am visiting Ashburn Family Scrapbook Center for their Grand Reopening of their new store and Creative Cafe.  Friday November 16th and 17th.  For more information on classes

CALL 703-858-7733 to register or e-mail kelyrdavis@yahoo.com  Ashburn Family Scrapbooking Center 43150 Broadlands Center Plaza Ashburn, Virginia  20148           703 858 7733 Classes will include 2 Adult classes (images included here) and... Holiday Gifts Made with Love for KIDS Decorate your Space for KIDS It's going to be quite the month.  Watch for more details this week of all the Creative Cafe happenings here.  I'm going to share links to several of the Creative Cafe stores I know planning something special so you can be sure to know where to get in on the fun. If you have a link or info about Creative Cafe in your area, send me a link and your info and I will be sure to include it here.  Have to run.  We have slumber party here tonight and a request for seafood linquini.  So it looks like dinner is next since it's already getting late

500 photos from the last 5 days. Pretty much sums up the pace of activities this past week. Only part of the week was birthday. I am way behind. I would love to share all the photos, but I will spare you the full 500 and just show some of my favorites from the birthday activities.

I love planning birthday parties for the girls and somehow seem to always get a little carried away. I hope that being a mom makes that ok. Seems like my justification is always something to do with how fast they are growing and but to be honest it's a combination of being a true dreamer at heart.

McKinley picked out these masks a while back for her party and the rest of the party was planned after that. Lots of glitter, colored feathers, butterflies and sweet treats. Some of the them better loved than others.

The lighting for these photos really stunk, but we were having too much fun to notice at the time. There was dancing, giggles, presents, games, and goodies to eat and lots of feathers everywhere. Kind of like a fashion chicken coop...we got a good laugh out of that. That was Delaney's term.

I took photos of the girls and we put them in to frames for each one to take home. Crappy photo of the frames, but they were so cute and glittery.

The butterfly wands were pretzel sticks, almond bark, and sprinkles. The ribbon frames were Bare Elements frames. I have used those for so many things. Great staple to have. The boas I found cheap on ebay for $1 a piece. Amazing what great birthday finds there are on ebay. One of my favorite things was the banner. It was fast and easy and love that we can use it again and again. I made it from the Accu Cut banner die that is one of the Creative Cafe dies and several $1 fabric remnants. Stapled them on to string and tied the strips in between. Strung wall to wall, and then some for a fast way to decorate. Love that it is made of fabric and will last for several more parties.

I am up very early today.  Normally I would say that is very odd, since I have rarely been considered a morning person.  However, i think the craziness of the past couple of months are changing my M.O.  I seem to work late and the first time I move or roll over, I'm done.  My mind starts to run wild and I have to get going with the long to do list for the day.

Today is different though.  I woke quickly at 4 am when a snuggler came to my bed.  I lay there thinking about this exact moment 5 years ago when the world had suddenly changed in my eyes.  I was the new mom to a 2 lb baby.  Wow, my worries and fears and questions seemed like all I knew at that time. 

Today we celebrate a little deeper.  Last night, McK asks me in the middle of everyone watching the Nebraska football game on tv, "mom, how do babies get in your tummy?"   She was full of sweet little questions and excitement and today my smile is for this joy.   I think every year on this day, it takes all I have to keep from driving to NICU to the other families there to just spend the day.  If it were not an hour drive, we would be there.  My prayers are with all those families just like us.

So...today we are celebrating with the four of us.  McK has chosen to go to a movie and dinner and we have a few little surprises.  We will be having her birthday party with friends on Tuesday, and in true Mck fashion, it's all about the party at home.  I just love a little girl's party.  So stay tuned for  photos.  I have been making things for the party in the wee hours of the mornings as I'm trying to stay on top of this huge "To DO" list.

Happy Sunday everyone!