Me, Myself, & Michelle

Do you Swap?

I discovered "swaps" last summer, and I have been addicted ever since.  I'm even a swap hostess now.  Let me explain...

Online, there exists a scrapbooking world unlike anything I've seen before.  There are hundreds of scrapbooking communities on the internet that "swap" supplies, ideas, and handmade page embellishments.  These communities are made up of scrapbook artists (new and old) from all over the country and even the world.  (Hey to Sam in the UK!)

It works like this... A hostess posts a swap on one of these community sites, and then the scrappers/swappers sign up for the spots.  If a swap has 10 spots, then each swapper makes 10 like items.  In return, she receives back 10 different items, one from each of the other swappers that signed up.

It is so much fun, and so addicting!  At this point, I have participated in approximately 100 swaps, and have begun to hostess some as well.

Here's my first attempt at altered letters.  This is the "M" for the word SWIM.

My favorite swap site is IASST - "It's a Scrapbooking Swap Thing."  The talent of these ladies from across the nation is amazing.  Their great ideas are what keep me coming back.  Feel free to check it out:  http://groups.msn.com/itsascrapbookingswapthing

See you on the message board!

Michelle

Scrappin at The Pink House!!

http://ScrappinAtThePinkHouse.com

The work begins...

So until yesterday, all of this "We're opening a Scrapbook store" has been so exciting.  My mind and my heart have been racing wild for a couple of weeks with excitement and anticipation and fright.  I've been giddy over the planning and the possibilities.

Now it's time for a reality check!  I found out about another scrap store relocating to bascially down the street from us, and we actually had to start moving the first batch of display units that we bought.  So, now the heads in the clouds, angels singing, etc., part is over and the real work begins.

Have a peek at our first learning experience...

                             So after a day and a half of DIYing-it, Mom says "Okay, that's it.  We're calling 2 Men and a Truck!"  In 2 short hours and one truck load, those guys moved everything out of the old store and put it all nice and neat in my garage.  We are definitely calling them back in a couple weeks to move those units into the new store!!

Wednesday, already?

Where does the time go?  It's Wednesday already, and I don't feel like I've gotten very much accomplished, yet.  Monday was a day of recovery...  got home around 1:00 pm from the weekend beach party and pretty much vegged the rest of the day.  I spent Tuesday trying to catch up on some scrapbook swaps that I'm late completing and started to get some house work done.  Now it's Wednesday, and I'm still waiting for the cappuccino to kick in.  What's a girl to do?

Let's see... here's today's To Do List:

• Hubby is off work today, so I've asked him to help me pick up some display racks I bought for the new scrapbook store. 
• I need to go downtown to the Girl Scout Council office and pick up 200 recruitment flyers and be back in time to pick the kids up from school at 3:15. 
• Mom's flying back in today from Jersey, and I have a tennis match at 6:00 pm. 
• Sometime today I have to finish 2 more swaps, work on the Pink House website, clean some more of my house, and wash the kids' school clothes for tomorrow.

Of course tonight is the big 2 hour American Idol Gives Back show.  So, I'll need to get my To Do List completed before 8 pm.  Wish me luck!

The Pink House

So, there we were...  Mom, me & my 5 girls were in the car driving back from the beach.  Our Spring Break in Charleston was almost over.  Mom says, so you wanna go see "the house?"  Sure Mom - show me this "house" that you think could be a scrapbook store. 

Well, we pull in to the grassy parking lot, and it really is an old pink house from the 1940's with a big 'ole front porch complete with rocking chairs and a table to set your sweet tea on.  Should I say it was love at first sight?

There was a For Rent sign out front with the owner's name and number.  Just for "let's see," I called to find out the rental rate.  Well, when the guy said it was only 20% of what our last look-see wanted, my jaw dropped open and my heart started going 90 miles an hour.  I haven't slept since.

So here is the before picture.  We get our keys on June 1st.  Hope you'll come support Karla's and my new dream!!

Disqualified!!!

Oh man, I have soooo been disqualified from the "Wife of the Year" award! I have been so busy lately... let's see... planning my mother's 50th birthday party - I'm the new Unit Mngr for the West Chatham Girl Scouts (an 11 troop unit) - had 2 birthday parties to take the kids to this weekend - I'm in TWO tennis leagues - had to file my taxes this weekend - OH, and did I mention that I'm the mother of 5 kids AND opening a brand new scrapbook store ??!!%$%$&^.

So, last night around 9pm as I am finally eating dinner... I realize that I am late getting my older girls to my Aunt's house (to spend the night) and still need to get their bags together. Also, I needed to get the other 3 bathed and in the bed. PLUS I still hadn't picked out (much less washed) their clothes for the next day. On top of all that, I still need to get eggs boiled and make egg-salad sandwiches for tomorrow's lunch.

How does this make me a bad wife? Well, stay with me here... All of this preparation was necessary in order to leave our house at 6:00 in the freaking morning, so we could drive to Jacksonville for my husband's very first bicycle race!!! Are you kidding me?

I just couldn't do it. I ran out of energy. So, instead of kicking into overdrive and getting all this done, I sat on the couch and finished my dinner. Then I went to bed without tucking the kids in, without a goodnight to my hubby, without washing my face or anything.

So, guess what I get?? I woke up at 12:30am and couldn't go back to sleep until just before my husband woke me at dawn to say goodbye!! Well, like I said... I'm now officially disqualified from the "Wife of the Year" award. Sorry Honey!! Hope you're kicking some but in your race right now.
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Very First Post

Hello Cyber Space!

My name is Michelle, and I'm a scrapaholic!  Also, I'm proud to say that I finally joined the 21st century.  A couple of weeks ago, I finally got a cell phone.  But even bigger news is that today I created my very first webpage and now my very own blog.  How hi-tech am I?

So why the sudden leap into the cyber world?  Well, hold on to your seats... I'm opening up a scrapbook store online and in "reality"!!  So, I guess I'll need to get more comfortable with all things computer related.  Help!#$&*^%

More updates (daily?) to come.  Wish me luck - :) Michelle -   Scrappin' at The Pink House!