And the winner is....

Congratulations to Linda Tanner! Please email me, Linda, to give me your address and let me know if you would like me to personalize this for you. And many thanks to all of you who entered. I will be coordinating the new give away in the next week or two so if you haven't yet signed up for the newsletter, please make your way to the store website. Existing and new members will be put into the next drawing. Yes, I mean drawing...I know, I know it's so archaic! I can just hear the snickers and jokes now, "You mean you actually wrote each persons name on a scrap of paper and put it in a hat?" Yes, and a New York Yankee hat at that!!! Especially since today was the last opening day game at the current Yankee Stadium!! Well, Tuesday actually due to rain. Anyway....

Also, be on the lookout for the final touches on the store website, including an entirely new logo! Thanks to by BFF Kelli, we will have a new look soon. And as soon as I figure out FrontPage and how to write HTML the website will be fully functional with "Links" and "About Us" pages. My goal is to be complete in 2 weeks, but we'll see. Your patience is much appreciated during this process as well as any advice.

New layout, memory loss

Here's a layout I did over the weekend of the girls in Maui. They had so much fun. They love to be goofy and silly. (Did you catch the fingers in the gorilla's nose?) Honestly, there's no better sound than that of a laughing child! It's infectious. Makes you forget your worries.

And speaking of forgetting, my friend Kelli & I were talking (emailing actually, since we're both crazy busy and have difficulty connecting on the phone) about how we both stay home and yet STILL can't manage to find time to fit everything in each day. When I worked full time, I could seem to get things done. But now that I'm home, I constantly forget, usually the ONE crucial thing I need to do. The 47 other things that come up like a fire drill get done, but not the one that I swore I'd get accomplished! What's with that? Kelli uses post-its like no other, in fact I think she bought stock in 3M just for that reason. My lists and notes ordinarily make onto the back of junk mail, the kids' corrected homework, napkins or whatever's close by when I have a light bulb moment. You want to hear the really sad part? My lists & notes are on those things because I left my day planner IN THE CAR!

Notebook

As promised, here is a photo if the notebook for the giveaway! There are just 3 days left to sign up for the newsletter to be in the drawing for the notebook. ( http://www.scraphappystore.com/ )It's fun and bright, a little bling and some ribbon. Measures 4.5" X 8.5". Very cute stuff! I will be happy to add a monogram for the winner if you so choose.

Give Aways

Starting next week I will be giving away a special prize every month OR SO. I say "OR SO" because sometimes it may be more often and sometimes less. SO, this month will be an altered notebook. It's in the works now but as soon as it's complete I will post a photo. In order to be in the drawing for the notebook, you must sign up for the newsletter on my store website, www.scraphappystore.com. Next time the qualifications will be different but this will allow some benefit to everyone :) Plus it will increase exposure for both this blog and the store.

Also, look for changes to the website. My friend Kelli, the most talented and computer savvy gal I know, will be helping with the logo updates. It's very exciting to see the progress.

On a personal note, Lauren gets her cast off on Wednesday!! Yay! She will have just four weeks to get back up to speed before her State Gymnastics competition. Lots of work, but if anyone can do it....she CAN. Mira has begun Karate and absolutely loves it. She's learning how to "earn" things instead of ask (or demand). Look out boys, don't give her a reason to break out the new moves!!

That's it for now. I'm very much looking forward to the give-aways!

First Base

We may possibly have reached what I'm going to call "First Base." Store website up and running, although re-vamping of the artwork is still in the works. But it's funtional. Products...check (over 8,000!!). Blog...check. Local advertising...check. Making our way down the list is pretty exciting. Quite a mixed bag of emotions going on here, HAPPY to be here for my children, EXCITED to start a new endeavor, NERVOUS that my efforts won't be enough to get everything off the ground fast enough, HOPEFUL that my family will be proud of me and ECSTATIC that I have so much to look forward to. My mind is constantly racing with ideas and projects to start (and finish!). It's so refreshing to have those creative juices flowing again. Life is changing by the minute and I can't wait to see what happens next! Here's to NOT letting fear influence our decisions.