Post SIS Live '09

I'm baaaa-ack! Wow, it was a whirlwind weekend! My flights all went smoothly. I found rides to and from the airport and, even though I was the last one to arrive at the event, it was just a fabulous weekend. Every time I meet up with the FGirls, I'm getting to know them (and they, me) a little better. And that's SO great. I also got to see a lot of SISters that I'd met before AND it was so fun meeting so many I hadn't met before.

I LOVED meeting my secret sisters - the one I had and the one that had me. I was secret SIS to Denise and she was great. She really reminded me of my sister irl, Sue. But with lighter hair. :) I so enjoyed getting to know her a little through our "secret" emails and, even if I didn't actually make anything for her, I sure did have fun buying her little goodies for the past few months.


And the SISter who was secret SIS to me, Aimee, well, oh my gosh, I just can't believe the time and effort she put in to the gifts she made for me. Okay, she taught me what a really good secret SIS is! Thanks so much Aimee for everything!

By the time we learned who had who, it was more than halfway into Saturday and we were well-ensconced in our scrapping territory. Well, I was. I would have loved to spend a lot more time with these ladies getting to know them better and just sharing the experience a bit more. That seems to be my regret each time I get together with either the FGirls or the SISters. I wish I could have spent more time with EACH of them. But I'm really glad I had the time I did with my roomie, and with my table-mates - meaning the scrapping table, the breakfast/lunch table and the dinner table! I really had fun getting to know Diane and Marnie, who sat across from me. And Diane and Martha, who sat next to me, off and on.

Here's what the chaotic room we were scrapping in looked like:

Sunday was my birthday and I got all sorts of little gifties, and hugs and well-wishes. It was swell (though I wouldn't have minded a bit forgetting altogether that it was my birthday!). The highlight of the day was dinner with some of my FGirls. I ordered a fabulous meal and then, even though I was pretty darn full, decided that since it was my birthday, I would order dessert - key lime pie. YUM! THEN I found out that my meal was being paid for! Awwww. How totally sweet. It was SUCH a fun time.

Here are the FGirls that were at the event:

And, much to my surprise and delight, I did actually get some scrapping done! (I was determined this year!). I did the layout you see below. And I finished up my ATC's for June, which was great. Well, they're so dang quick to do. Here's the layout I made:

That's Dustin's Emily with her Aunt Mary Joe. They were so fun to watch together, not having seen each other for a while - and I love the photos I got, so wanted to scrap them. And there you have it! ;)

In other news, I had decided about a month ago that I wanted to re-do my scrap room - make it a little sleeker, a little less "cozy" by removing the carpet and laying down some durable wood flooring. I also got some cubicle-type shelving so I can have my stuff "out" where I can see it. I knew I would have to light a major fire under Chris's, um, BUTT, in order for this to happen any time within the next century. So I told him about my plan, got my shelving and then asked him to go in and make the measurements to my room while I was gone to TN.

Soooo, when he told me on the way home from the airport that it was supposed to rain on and off all week, through Friday, I grabbed ahold of the opportunity firmly with both hands and I said, "Great! You can purchase the flooring on Tuesday (with said measurements in hand), help me move out the bigger pieces of furniture and rip out the rug on Wednesday and install the flooring on Friday! Yipee!". Heh. He hedged and squirmed a bit, but after confirming for me that each of those things wouldn't take more than the day I'd designated them for, he tried to make me feel only a little guilty (which I had none of) before throwing up his hands in utter defeat and giving in. Now, I think even he would admit that this is NOT the way I normally operate. But, after 34 years of marriage (which we also just celebrated - on my birthday - "we" meaning the SISters and I because Chris wasn't exactly around) I have seen how the project timeline goes down. So, being that it's my scrapbooking stuff we're talking about being tied up for the duration, I was NOT willing to let this become a long, painfully and ridiculously drawn out process. I just couldn't because I need to be able to get at my stuff. I'm a professional, ya know? This is my job. And, well, I just want it DONE! :)

So, as we speak (so to speak), here's what my scrap room looks like:

Tomorrow he only has a few more staples to remove and then the flooring will go down. It will be up to me to go through my scrap stuff and purge as much as possible and then slap together (yeah, right - I'm well aware of how THIS usually goes) the three cubicle shelf units that I purchased. I hope beyond hope that they're not too much of a pain to assemble. I have done that stuff before, so, well, we'll see. If I can go through everything and get those shelves together so that we can move stuff back in there Monday, that would be aMAZing and wonderful! I'm not saying everything has to be perfectly in its place by Monday. I'll give myself the rest of the week to tinker away at getting everything just where I want it. But, I just can't wait. I always get so re-energized when I re-organize. And I'm just really looking forward to getting rid of the stuff I know I'll never use. (I do hope there's enough of it to make a difference. I will have to be strong.) It's true that the less stuff you have, the more the creative juices flow. Don't ask me why, but it is.

So, that's all I have for now. I'm off to bed so I can get up early enough to not hamper the beginning of the work tomorrow...(you know, hammering, pounding, noise and stuff like that...).

And, happy July!