My first toot! (well, second really)

My first toot was really being a guest designer for 2 Jills kit club, but they closed before it was my turn.

So this is really my first toot! I am so happy to have been chosen by Coordinates Collections to be one of 2 guest designers for April!

I am so excited! I joined this kit club back in November and have loved every kit I've received. The sub was actually a Christmas present from my mom.

Catching up!

I thought it was about time to update!
I've been participating in a fun contest at Scrapdango called the Crowned Contest. I'm having a lot of fun and getting to know some great people! I also started a sub. there, and my kit should be here any day now! I can't post any of my layouts from the contest until it is over, so keep a lookout, because I really like the layouts I've done!

This first layout is one I completed for a challenge at Coordinates Collections. It was for "different" journaling, and mine went around the flower. Here's Devon helping to feed her little sister for the first time.

This layout was done from a sketch by Susan Costanza for The Scraproom. There is a sketch posted in the newsletter and then a contest on the messageboard. I LOVE this paper from Scenic Route. This was actually from The Scraproom February kit. The photo is of Kinsey at the hospital when she was born. I just love baby feet!
This was a fun layout to do! At The Scraproom, a challenge was posted to come up with a list of 18 things that make you happy. I thought this was a great idea since I never scrapbook about myself! I was very nice and used a picture of myself before kids. This was made using the February Coordinates Collections kit.
I've also been participating in another contest at Transparent Touches and Tags. It's called Use Your Stash in a Flash! My friend Jen is hosting it. This layout was created for the second week of that contest. I missed the first week because of CHA.
And finally, this layout was created for a guest design team spot at Back Porch Memories. It was based off of a sketch by Becky Fleck. I used the February Coordinates Collections kit.

Goodie Winners!

I decided to have 3 winners after sorting out all the loot!
Congrats to:

Terri (mango90)
TeressaTSR
Lisa Turley

Please email me your addresses!
tarynstots1@yahoo.com

Thanks for all of the comments everyone!

Ground has been broken!!!

I can't believe that finally, after a year, we are finally breaking ground on renovating our scrapbook retreat house! We are adding on an entire ranch house for my mother to live in, as well as another bedroom, great room, and extended crop room. Here are some before pictures.

Keep checking back for work in progress photos!
We hope to be booking by late spring!

CHA Giveaway!!!

I was the lucky recipient of MANY Making Memories items while attending CHA in California this past week! (See below. Including the black and green totes in the bottom picture! and not pictured...THE SLICE! 2 of them!!! whose retail value is $149.99 each)

Soooooooooooo, I am going to be doing a giveaway to share the wealth! All you have to do is post a comment here by Wednesday, February 20th, midnight EST. Tell me what your favorite MM product is right now. I'm not sure how many prize packs I'll be doing yet, because I haven't unpacked the goodies! So it could be 1, or it could be 10!

CHA Dinner With Willows

This year, the Willowtraders gang met up at the Alcatraz Brewing Company for dinner. It was a really nice place! The food was good, the company was better, and our waiter Matt was extremely nice. Here are some pics:


This is the whole group that made it.

This is Michelle from A Million Memories and two of her design team members--Amy and Michele. Funny thing is, I was sitting next to Amy, and she ends up living about an hour from me in Pennsylvania! Small world!

This is Cindy from Label Tulip, with Alissa (Back Porch Memories designer), and Meredith (AMM design team).

Here's Kim (studio K) (check out her website for a great challenge! www.colorstory.com), Lara from Scrapbook Sussies, and myself.

This is Sonda with daughter Baylee and her hubby. This is a great picture!

Here is love-angels and her friend.

Sorry about these last horrible quality pictures! They are probably the best ones...Lara with her Krispy Kremes!


Thanks everyone, especially Kim for saving the day and giving me a ride! I had a great time!

More creations!

I finally got around to doing our pumpkin carving page. This was the perfect paper for it! It came in a Scrap Room kit from January.

This is a clock I altered for a design team call at 2CroppinCousinz.com. I really like how it turned out and it will look good in our basement living room.


Other than that, I've been pretty unproductive lately. I've been cleaning out my supplies and getting rid of things I know I won't use.

I am finally getting a haircut today. And my mom is coming over. Thank goodness, because last night was TERRIBLE sleeping wise. Kinsey was a bit uncooperative!