Provo Craft Does It Again

This weekend, the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) Winter Conference and Trade show is happening in Los Angeles.

I wish I could go because I'm in the Cricut Circle and know I'd get lots of goodies from that - maybe even (wishful thinking) a new Anniversary Edition of the Cricut Expression - the Cricut 2


I only have the original cricut and I love it! But this expression is interesting. It operates through Wifi, cuts images from both the regular cartridges and the imagine cartridges, uses a screen instead of needing an overlay. It is like they took people's wish list for what they wish a cricut could do and upgraded their machine. Only 9 more months until my birthday ... maybe...

They also are going to have these cute little guys available soon (Mar/Apr I think)



Aren't they cute? I want every single one. What I would do with them, I do not know but I love them - they are so stinkin' cute!

My favorite printed paper company - Basic Grey - has some new lines up too. I am totally loving the Rocket Age collection from October Afternoon

Today is just Day 1 of CHA - I'm sure there is lots more to come - can't wait to see what is new in the scrapbooking world.

Go-To-Feel-Good Songs

I used to have one go-to-feel-good song - "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves - that song makes me instantly happy ! I love it! But now I have a 2nd go-to-feel-good song. "Say Hey (I Love You)" by Michael Franti and Spearhead. It just instantly puts me in a good mood - so now I have TWO go-to-feel-good songs.

I also love this video - they look like they are having such a good time - I especially like all the kissing at the end.

My Favorite Commercial

With the invention of TiVo, I don't watch too many commercials - but there is one that I always watch when it is on and will actually run into the room, rewind the TiVo just to see it again - I love this commercial.

My favorite parts are when he is looking at the rug, when he ducks down in the bus and when he is having the nightmares - so cute! Glad he decided to the smart thing by getting Traveler's Insurance so he could actually relax and play.

Awesome Things

As mentioned in my New Year's Day post, my One Little Word of the year and my theme for the year is Happiness !

I bought the book "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin. While I haven't really started the book yet (just haven't taken the dedicated time I feel I need to sit down with it) , I have been following Ms. Rubin on Facebook and have really enjoyed reading her each day.

Today, she posted a link to a blog that I have actually read before but had forgotten about. . . 1000 Awesome Things.com as of today, there are 332 more Awesome things to come. There are lots of things on the list that I have said to myself are wonderful things.

Such as:
Sleeping in New Sheets (or even freshly washed ones)
Getting your choice of seat in the movie theater (I love getting right in the middle)
The first scoop of peanut butter of out jar (man I love that!)
Putting potato chips on a sandwich (I do this all the time! Love it on bologna especially)
Perfectly stapling through a thick stack of paper (doesn't happen a lot - but love when it does)

I am always noticing things like that. Just the other evening I put on my freshly washed PJs and thought about how awesome that was - love the smell and the softness.

Everytime I put ice in my glass, I'm so grateful to God for that. It is incredible to me all the uses He made for water and ice being my 2nd favorite thing about water (drinking it is my first) but how cool is it that He designed water so that when you freeze it, it turns hard and it cools your drinks (and is great for munching on too - but don't tell my dentist that - he gets on to me for it)
I just love ice - it is one of my favorite things !

When I go on a long driving trip (which I've done a lot of the past 2 months) - I go to QT before I leave (that in itself is awesome because they have big drinks, for a cheap price, yummy hot dogs and taquitos and they even have an ATM from MY bank). So I can stop, get gas, get a drink, get a snack and get my cash - all in one place before heading out for my long drive. I get the big 32 oz and pack it with crushed ice as much as I can (you can choose from crushed or cubed ice - also awesome). I then either fill it with Diet Dr. Pepper or buy some bottled water, then top it off with more ice. After I start driving, the drink is gone in an hour or so but I have ice for the whole trip! I just munch on it the rest of the way.

There are so many wonderful things in the world - even little things like ice - you just have to open your eyes and look for them - don't take things for granted - lots of things can make you happy, if you just let them.

Examples:
Today's date - it is 1/11/11 - that is pretty cool !
My office is closed for a snow day - sweet !

Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)

As mentioned in my previous post, my word of the year is "Happiness"

I heard this song on the way to work today and I totally love this song - haven't heard it in years! It makes me HAPPY (especially about 1:54 into the song when they say Osmond, Donny)

1-1-11 Happy New Year

Happy New Year !

I love the date - how cool is that? Today is also my brother's birthday - Happy Birthday!!

My mind has been racing the past few days about the upcoming year - all good thoughts and things I want to do and accomplish. I know you can start realizing your dreams at any time but for some reason it is like you get a fresh clean slate to start with on January 1st.

I always loved opening a new notebook or brand new sketch pad - this is the same concept - an empty notebook to fill with new stuff for the new year.

I'm not making resolutions per se, but more like setting goals for what I would like in my life for 2011. Here are some of them...

Spiritual Goal:

Spend time daily in the Word and in prayer. I do pray daily but not always the quite, deep prayer that I would like. Plus I have kind of gotten away from reading the Bible. For several years I've said I want to read the entire Bible but never make it past mid-February (just got busy and behind and then gave up). But this year I vow to complete reading the entire Bible. Even today, Pastor Scott challenged us to spend time each day reading the Bible - how timely is his message?!

To accomplish this, I decided I want to read it chronologically and I am going to follow this reading plan that I found on ewordtoday.com

Knitting/Crochet Goals:

I have a few projects that are considered a "WIP" - work in progress. I am not going to list them all right now but I am going to make a list of them and put them in order (may post about that later). I actually have a list already but it needs to be updated and re-ordered.

My goal is to not start any new projects until all current WIPs are completed. Also, I will not buy any new yarn until these projects are completed. I may not buy any new yarn even after they are completed. I have other WIMs (works in mind) and have some yarn already I can use for projects I want to make. I won't focus on them for now though - only the ones that are already started.

Scrapbooking Goals:

I'm really looking forward to scrap booking this year. I didn't do much last year and really won't be doing a lot this year but will be doing some and more concise type of scrap booking. Here is what I will be doing...

• Project 365 - will continue to take a picture of the day. I've done this for the past 2 years and enjoy it. I ordered my scrapbook hero's (Becky Higgins) Project Life Kit to help me keep organize and complete my album for the year.

• One Little Word - I'm taking a Big Picture Scrapbook class from Ali Edwards called "One Little Word" - you pick a word meaningful to you and that is your word for the year - I thought of this word weeks ago - way before I even knew about this class. I said my theme for the year was going to be "Happiness". This is the first year Ali has done a class on One Little Word and I almost didn't sign up for the class because I didn't know that I wanted to really scrap about Happiness. But then I decided I did !! I want to document the year and the Happiness I live in throughout. We got our first assignment today but I don't have my page protectors or album yet (it isn't a kit but just some items we need) - So as soon as my page protectors come, I will get my album going. At the end of the year, I will have my 2nd album completed - first Project 365 and second One Little Word

• One more - more of a statement than a goal but goes hand and hand with the other 2 album goals. No new supplies. Other than an occasional (must-have) cricut cartridge or adhesive (which does run out), I vow not to buy any scrapbook supplies in 2011. I have plenty cardstock, pattern paper, embellishments, etc to last a whole year (and then some)
  

• Those are really my only goals. I would like to make a scrapbook of San Antonio (if I go) and New York (if I go) but I don't want to over-set my goals. I do have some other things in mind (want to do a recipe scrapbook and scrap some older photos), but I know those 2 albums are attainable. If I get more scrapping in - great but I am focusing on only those 2.

Other Goals:

• Save $X amount in my savings account. I know the amount I want to have in there - I will make a plan and divide that out in monthly amounts and save that much so that at the end of 2011 - my saving account balance is that amount.
• Arrive early for work - I have been a little late here and there lately. My plan is to be at work by 7 am every day (work starts at 8 but I could use a jump start in the morning)
• Lose X lbs - I have a number in mind and it is attainable - I plan on eating healthier and exercising.
  
• Read at least 3 classic books this year - starting with Robinson Crusoe.
  
• Go to San Antonio - I've been wanting to go for years - hope to go around the end of April - see the Alamo, Sea World, & Riverwalk just to name a few. I already sent away for a travel package from their tourism board and I purchased a Frommer's book about San Antonio and Austin.
  
• Go to New York City and see Donny & Marie on Broadway. I am hoping that D & M will return to Broadway next Christmas, I am saving my money just in case. I would love to see them on Broadway and especially see NYC at Christmastime.
  
• Be Happy - my word for the year, my focus for the year - live in Happiness. God is so good, I need to live in the joy He brings into my life - continue to be positive and see all the good in life. I bought the book "The Happiness Project" to guide me along this journey.