Dog Shadow Box

Dog Shadow Box 

I just recently finished a shadow box of my dog.  She was 14 and a half years old when she passed away in January of this year (2016).  She had been such a huge part of our family.  She had lymphoma and I had to make the very difficult decision to have her put down on January 23rd.  It was by far the hardest thing I have ever had to do.  She was so weak and in so much pain that I couldn't let her suffer anymore.  We went as a family to the vet after I called to make sure that I could take her in.  My husband and youngest son didn't want to go back, but me and my older son did.  It was so sad to see her go, but I needed to see it happen.  It truly was hard to watch, but I didn't want her to be alone with people she didn't know.  We petted her and talked to her until she was gone.  I still have a hard time with my decision, but I couldn't let her suffer and she is in a better place now.  She has crossed the doggy rainbow bridge and is happy and free of pain again.  That makes me happy.  Here is the shadow box that I made in her memory.  It includes her collar, leash, and bear that she loved.  It was the only toy that she ever liked.

We also had a gravestone made for her a few months ago.  A very nice lady on Etsy made it for us.  She did a wonderful job!!!  Here's a photo of it.

Happy Mail

Happy Mail

Do you love receiving packages in the mail?  Me too!!!  Sometimes if I've ordered a few things around the same time, it's exciting to see which package gets to me first.  Sometimes I'm even surprised at the things I get because I forgot I ordered something!!  Lol!!!

Today I got some happy mail!!!  However, it is for a custom order that I'm working on.  It's still exciting though!!!  Where do you usually purchase goodies from?

My special order items usually come from Ebay.  I can find unique items there for scrapbooking that I can't find anywhere else.  However, if I'm buying a special gift for myself, I buy from Etsy or another handmade seller on Facebook.  I made a New Year's resolution for this year, 2016, to buy from a handmade seller once a month.  Which reminds me, I need to make a purchase for this month, July!!

I hope others will join in on my resolution, especially if you are a handmade seller also.  You succeed when you help others!!!  This is very true!!!  I try to help many people with sales and knowledge in selling handmade.  It has truly helped my business to grow!!

Ok, well, I probably need to check out my favorites list on Etsy to see who my next purchase will come from for the month of July.  If you have a shop, comment below!!!  You could be next in line for my resolution sales coming up!!!  I hope that you, too, can commit to this challenge.  These gifts are not always for myself.  For the month of June, I bought a handmade sign for my sister's birthday which is coming up.  Sometimes you have to get creative on what you want to buy and from whom.  Thanks so much and I hope to hear from you soon!!!

Inspiration!!!!

Scrapbook Inspiration - Ideas

I have been scrapbooking for many years.  I've gone through so many "inspirational" scrapbooking books and magazines over those years also.  I just kept thinking that these books and/or magazines had just a few things that would interest me each.  I wished there was an album that a lot of things inspired me.  These books and magazines also took up a lot of space for me to keep all of them just for a few ideas.

Then, an idea came to me one day!!!  Why not cut out the scrapbooking layouts that I liked from the magazines and photo copy the ideas out of the books and make my own "personal inspirational" book?

So, that's what I did!!  Here it is!!

I created a binder with sheet protectors.  I started glueing these "inspirational ideas" on cardstock and putting them in the album!!  What a great idea!!!

I have been collecting these ideas for about 8 years.  When I am running low on inspirtaion, I go to this book.

There's probably over 100 sheet protectors in this binder.  Most pages have about 4 different ideas. 

I always find some idea in this book to get me "jump started" on a layout or album.

I hope you can take this information and maybe make your own "inspirational album of ideas".  Have fun!!

Graduation Scrapbook - Part 2

Graduation Scrapbook - Part 2

Below I am sharing my completed graduation scrapbook album for my son who just graduated this year, 2016!!!  I love that his school, Clermont Northeastern, allowed the seniors to put on their caps and gowns and walk the halls of the elementary school.  They gave hi-fives to all the kindergarten through 5th grade kids!!  It was so awesome to see all of their faces (both seniors and elementary kids), so excited to do this!!!  It was the first year that the school has participated in this and hopefully it will become a tradition each year. It is so great for the seniors to see how far they've come and for the little kids to see where they will end up!!  Congrats to all!!!

I have some of these albums available in my Etsy shop, if you'd like to check them out!!  Here's the link to my shop!!!  https://www.etsy.com/shop/MadeForYouScrapbooks?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Graduation Scrapbook Album

Graduation Scrapbook Album

Things have been so busy this summer with my oldest son graduating!!  Yaaayyyy!!!  We are getting him signed up for college and trying to find him a job that will work around his school schedule.  Who knew that signing up for college was such a hurry up and then wait process?  It's a bit exhausting!!!  So, anyway, I was finally able to get started on his graduation scrapbook album.  Again, yaaayyyy!!!  I still have to glue everything down, but it's all put together.  So, here's a photo of the work in progress!!

This album will go with his collection of life scrapbooks, plus his Cub Scout and Boy Scout albums.  I am very proud of the young man he is becoming.  He has had some academic struggles over the years, but seems to have come out above them.  I'm actually surprised he wanted to go to college because of the struggles he has had with some of his classes.  This just makes me even more proud that he has overcome his challenges and ready and willing to take on more!!  I wish him the very best in his college years and life itself!!  Go get 'em buddy!!!

My Dream - Updated

My Dream

When I was in school all of my friends knew what they wanted to be when they got out of school. One wanted to be a veterinarian, one a nurse, and so on. I never knew what I wanted to BE.

However, when I was in 3rd grade I started making and selling bookmarks. Funny, huh? Well, it made some money.

Then in the 6th grade I started making friendship bracelets out of embroidery floss. I had so many different colors!! I even took orders and made them for classmates.

Then in the 8th grade, I decided to make beaded necklaces and bracelets. I even took orders and made those too.

In high school, my best friend decided she was going to go to a trade school for her last 2 years of school. What? And leave me here!! I looked at all the classes that were being offered at my home school and nothing appealed to me. So, on a whim, I went to the trade school too and took the same course she did, Business Technology.

As it turns out, it was the best choice for me. I had never done so well in school. I kept a 4.0 both years and was the top in my class at the trade school. This is also where I met my future husband!! (actually he had gone to my home school and was the brother to my best guy friend, we just hadn’t met yet)

When I graduated I had a job as a secretary for a lawyer. Some people would think this was a great job!! Well, it paid the bills, but it wasn’t what I wanted to do!!

I got married, bought a house, had a couple kids, and left the lawyers office. I got a job as a toddler teacher at a daycare. Best job ever!! I was making money, being creative (art projects), and my kids were right there with me!!

I stayed there for a few years until my older son started having trouble in school. Between talking to the teachers, tutoring him at home, and working full time, something had to give. I had to quit that job.

Then I became a stay at home mom. I took care of my younger son during the day and got my older son and a little girl on and off the bus. Great job!! While I was at the daycare I had been introduced to scrapbooking. So, now being a stay at home mom, I could also scrapbook. Yay!!

Then in 2013, I decided to start my own business. I wanted to make premade scrapbooks for people’s photos. Now I know not everyone is a scrapbooker or even really likes scrapbooking. This is the great thing about what I do. All of my albums are ready for 4 by 6 photos. So, it’s really not much different for you to put photos in than a regular photo album!! Okay, well, it is much prettier, and you may use a little glue, but it is really easy!!

Anyways, my first year was great, and I hoped the following year was even better, which it was!!

Unfortunately, my business wasn’t paying enough of our bills, and I had to get a part time job!! Booo!! Less time for scrapbooking now!!

I, then, took a job as a cafeteria worker (lunch lady) at a local school. Now, I know most of you are thinking, this is a great job in this economy. Well, it does pay the bills, but it is not where I wanted to be!!

After two years of being a lunch lady part time, I was finally able to get a job at my own kids' school, which I had tried for years.  I started working full time as a special needs aide.  I really love it, but it makes it really hard to continue my scrapbooking business.  However, the health insurance is very much needed for my family.

I have all this figured out, though. I have calculated how many scrapbook albums I need to sell to make the same amount of money that I am at this job. Are you curious to know how many I would need to sell a week?

Three!! Yes, I said, three!! You know that this is so doable? I was so excited when I figured this out. So my goal, right now, is to sell 3 albums a week!!

While this is still my goal, selling 3 albums a week, it could not replace the health insurance.  My goal is to still be at home doing my scrapbook business in the near future, though.  And I am closer to that goal than I was in 2013.

It has taken me all these years to realize what I am supposed to BE. It was right in front of my face all along. I have always been an artist and creator. Beyond that I am an entrepreneur, I was even back in grade school.

I now know what my calling is!!! I was meant to scrapbook people’s stories, even my own!! I believe this is what I am supposed to be doing!! I am supposed to help people tell their stories through scrap booking. I am supposed to help them capture and relive all these great memories they have been given!! This is what I was called to do!!

This is what I’m supposed to BE!! This is my dream!!

If you would like to help this mom's dream come true, click either of the links below!!

This link will take you to my eBay store where all my wonderful premade scrapbook albums are waiting for you. You can fill these albums with all of your great memories to cherish for years to come. http://stores.ebay.com/madejustforyouscrapbooks/

Or you can click this link and be directed to my Etsy shop where you will find MOST of the same items.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/MadeForYouScrapbooks?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Thank you so much for reading my story!!!  Please tell me yours below!!!