"Designing" is fun AND rewarding...

Recently, I received an email from my friend Sarah (aka Scrapbook store owner). She invited me to be a designer for her store for the next month. I thought it sounded fun, so I quickly responded yes!
To take part in designing, one is given a "kit" of products; scrapbook paper, stickers, ribbons, etc. and the designer is to create one scrapbook layout and one "other project" which can be another layout, a greeting card, or whatever the designer chooses to do. The only rule is that the designer must create these projects using 90% of products from the kit as opposed to using whatever they may want to use.
The first project was easy. It's pretty easy to come up with a fun page about kids and Christmas. The second project, however, was something I really wanted to think about and did. I'm not sure what inspired me, but all of a sudden, it was very clear. I was going to create a layout about our troops being away at Christmas - nothing too serious, but just an acknowlegement that I feel for them being away from their families at this special time of year. I was pleased with the results and happy that I decided to give it a try.

A baby boy (and a scrapbook) for Niki

Dave works with a sweet (and fiesty) girl named Niki. We have become good friends with her and her husband Alex so when I found out she was pregnant, I was just itching to create a scrapbook for her. I knew, however, that Niki did a bit of scrapping herself, so I asked her if that was something she would like as a shower gift and she said yes. I was very picky about this one just as I always am when giving one to a fellow scrapper! It turned out pretty cute I thought and Niki and Alex agreed! Niki liked it but I think Alex liked it even more! When they opened their gifts at the shower and Alex noticed that I had the name "Max" on the cover sheet, he got really excited! AND that's what it's all about :)

Halloween scrapbook entry '06

Now how did THAT happen?
For four years, our little Destiny was content being a witch for Halloween. Not the same witch mind you, but a witch. Sabrina the teenage witch, a sparkle witch, a scary witch, etc.—but a witch just the same.
Right before school started this year, our “little Destiny” decided to grow her bangs out. Then a few months later when it was time for Halloween costumes, she decided to look for a Pirate costume. Hello—did we miss something? We turn our backs for one minute and she grows her bangs out and becomes a pirate who looks darn near like a teenager. Personally I think she’s way too pretty to be a mean old dirty pirate... but she sure looked cute.
We are in sooo much trouble...

Margie's Farewell Album

Margie, Margie, Margie. We knew there would be a time when it would be time for Margie's husband Joe to graduate... and that meant that their little family would move away. However, it always seemed like a long time off. Destiny and I met Margie and her girls (Alex and Sabrina) shortly before Destiny and Alex were to start kindergarten. We met at the Bridgeway Island mom's group and were excited about the possibility of our girls being in the same class. It didn't happen that year... and it didn't happen in 1st grade, 2nd grade, or 3rd grade either! But the girls were friends and Margie and I were school volunteers together as well as email pals.

There was a point when the girls were in second grade that Margie came looking for me. She told me that she was relieved to know we hadn't moved away (she hadn't seen us for a while) as I was one of her "staples". So as the news spread that it was time for the Mack family to move away, I got the same sick feeling in my stomach that Margie had a few years earlier, only this time one of us really was moving.

Whenever I thought about her moving, I'd tear up - it was sad news! I contacted her two best pals (Angie and Rulaine) and asked them if they were doing anything special for her goodbye and if they might be interested in working on a scrapbook with me - a farewell scrapbook of sorts. They were happy to join in and the three of us along with a few other special ladies put together fun memories, messages and pictures for her.

When "the girls" hosted a farewell coffee event, we presented her with the album. She was so exhausted from preparing for the move and so beyond emotional that she couldn't really even look through it - I was not surprised. I figured if we were all emotional, then she must really be!

At any rate, Margie loved her book and the messages inside and I'm happy to say that although she is all the way in Acworth, Georgia, we are still email pals and she and her sweet girls will always have a special place in my heart.

I didn't get a picture of her album, but the picture above is of Margie and Alex at their last Bridgeway Island field trip at the roller skating rink.

Susie the Scrapper

My sister Susie got bit by the scrapbooking bug about a year ago. I invited a few friends over to scrap during a time when Susie was here for a visit. I thought Susie would enjoy visiting with my friends (aka "her" girlfriends) and have fun creating a small scrapbook for Mom f(for Christmas) as well as starting one for my brother and sister-in-law (Mike and Kim).

Little did I know how hooked she would get! She is a diehard! When she is visiting and we have a scrapping night, I have to MAKE her stop so we can go to bed - she'll go all night! She has become very good at it and is working on her second 12 x 12 album of family and friends. She doesn't need direction and rarely needs assistance - quite impressive! Her latest "find" is self-adhesive ribbon as she is able to use ribbon on her pages without any help.

The above picture is of Susie after finishing the title page on her very first album. She was quite proud and loves to show her books off to others.

Little Scrapper

Destiny is a scrapper in her own right. She threw this page together in just a few minutes in honor of "her" new puppy Lily. She is creative in every way imaginable and unlike her mother, doesn't think so much about putting a single page together! This makes for a much more productive scrapper...

:)

Cary's Scrapbook

When my friend Cary graduated from college, I just HAD to create a scrapbook for her. The problem was that I found out about her party just a few days before hand and with all of the end of school activities going on, I knew I'd have to hustle to get it done!

I also knew that for Cary, I needed to make it unique. I did not see Cary as a "pink" girl and it couldn't be anything too "cutsie", so I found a great 9 x 9 brown faux leather album (my favorite cover to date - I've purchased them three times now!) and found papers and embellishments in oranges and browns with a bit of hot pink and other colors here and there. It was fun experimenting with different colors and I ended up LOVING the finished project. This is a picture of my favorite page in the album. Congrats to Cary!

To see this page larger, click on page above.

To see the album cover click here: http://www.shopatron.com/product/product_id=MEM26217/388.0.9494.5857.12472.0.0

Creative or just crazy?

Gee whiz it's happening again. I go through these phases at least once a year when I think that this will be the year that I really start a business. I consider myself a creative and multi-talented individual which makes it hard because I want to do a little of everything. What is everything? Well let's see, there's retail management and gift buying and resume writing and document creating (newsletters, etc.) and article writing and scrapbooking and party planning, And... (you get the point)

I put on my thinking cap and get going on a business name. Now, keep in mind that this is probably my first mistake. Business planning is much more about developing a "plan" financially speaking, determining what to do, and figuring out how to go about doing it than immediately coming up with a catchy name and logo. But that's just not how I do it. I have to start with a name and then I have to fool around for a few hours on my computer with fun fonts and clip art because, of course, I just have to come up with a cute logo and business card. Then I email my results to my friend Gabby, because she thinks about the business world a lot too.

That rush soon dwindles a bit though. I'm creative, but I'm not a graphic artist, so I eventually get frustrated as my logo in progress is not absolutely fabulous. And you know, when your name is out there in print, it just has to be great!

The title that seems to fit what I like to do the best is Creativity Consultant. A C.C. is going to help others in any way that they need creative help. Need party ideas? A new resume? A newsletter or flyer that will knock their customers' socks off? Need to plan a store event and don't know where to start? Need an advertorial written for your business? A Creativity Consultant is there to save the day. I could be there to save the day. I could do a lot of this via website and email...

But then the retail girl in me screams, "What about me?" And I think to myself, "You know you love retail, you should get a retail job." And it's true, I love and miss the retail world. But Dave and I made the decision for me to be at home with the kids. This is something that many families can't afford to do and we are lucky to be able to do that for the kiddos. I could work part-time doing that, but then again...

I would love to own my own gift store (possibly party too!). That's been my dream since my Roberts days and I would do such a good job! I loved my years at Roberts (Hallmark and Gifts) and I did a darn good job at it and built so many wonderful relationships with the customers. But there is always the subject of financing (gotta get myself one of those money trees!), and moreover there is the subject of time... the thing we never have enough of. I couldn't do it half way - it would have to be all or nothing.

Jim and Dorothy Roberts, a.k.a., "Mr. and Mrs. R" made great sacrifices in order to open and maintain their very successful retail business. For many years, Mr. R. worked seven days per week, from 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM (at least) and would then do the books at home. This was all taking place while Mrs. R. was at home, alone a lot, raising FOUR children! They did it somehow and had one of the most successful and loved stores in Napa for over 35 years, but can I commit to that?

Small businesses are tough. They take oodles of time and commitment and they don't show returns a lot of times for many years. Is that something we could afford? Probably not right now.

Getting back to the name game, there's been "Your Girl Friday" which I loved and used for a few years in Napa while writing for Napa Valley Marketplace Magazine and doing misc. other small jobs. Then there was "Kimberly Funk Communications". And since then there have been lots of playing with names; "Little Country Cottage" for one and most recently I came up with "Celebration Station". For what you ask? Well... I could use it for eBay sales and a few other things... there's also, "Marketing Magic" (market your business or market yourself).

See how my mind works? I get on an idea and my mind just starts going and going ! Luckily my friend Sarah owns a scrapbook store and lets me play idea games with her. I love sharing my ideas with her. (www.imascrapbookaddict.com)

So I ask you, am I creative or just crazy? Perhaps I should just call my business, "Creative Kim Strikes Again!"

Puppy Power

It's been three months since we lost Shelby, a.k.a. "Little Fat Girl", and already a year since we lost Maggie. We still miss them tremendously and I (personally) wasn't in a rush to get another dog, but it's amazing what power a cute little puppy can have over me! Dave knew Clearview Kennels (where we had boarded Maggie and Shelby on occasion) had two pregnant momma dogs that were due in March. To me that meant only one thing - that we were indeed getting a new dog and fairly soon at that!

What does that mean to an outsider? Simply put, when Dave says, "We'll just look", it's safe to say that we will indeed be taking something home, be it a puppy or other new "toy". That is how we ended up with Maggie and Shelby (a year apart) among many other things we have obtained over the years.

Anyway, we found out the pups had been born so Dave and Des went to go take a peek at them and loved them of course. The next week, the four of us went and visited with the puppies for a while. They were 10 days old and their eyes were about to "pop"/open at any time. What a treat! They were these sweet little creatures that looked like helpless little moles. That may not sound very adorable, but they were! By the next time we see them (next week), they will have their eyes open and start having their own little personalities - THEN we will pick which little girl will be going home with us.

Puppy Power indeed!

Little Man Lost

Little Man Lost is a poem I wrote for my "Grampa" Jensen back in 1993. Grampa had been suffering from the effects of Alzheimer's disease for quite some time when it was decided that he could no longer live on his own and that his live-in assistance just wasn't enough.

We were with him the day before he went into the home and my mom and Uncle Bob were to help him move the following day. I was so restless and emotional that night before the move that I just had to find a way to deal; knowing that it would be the last time he would ever see his home again was just unbearable to me. This poem started popping into my head and was finished within about an hour. I shared it with my roommate Lisa, and then drove over to my mom's to share it with her as I just couldn't sleep.

The picture above was taken of Grampa with his grandchildren at his surprise 70th birthday in 1987. He lost his battle in 1997. It's been over eight years since he passed away, and yet we still miss him so much!

Little Man Lost

The little man
With a heart as big as the sky.
We look at you now,
And ask God, "Why?"

Why would such pain
Be cast upon you?
Such anger and confusion,
Not knowing what to do.

You were always there for us,
With support and love,
And stories of the old days;
We could never get enough.

Life has its way of changing,
Though it's hard to understand,
But we're here for you Grampa,
Holding out our hands.

They say, "Time is a teacher".
You've taught us to be true,
Little Man Lost,
We sure do love you.

7/28/93

Sweet Shelby

Yesterday we lost our sweet Shelby Sue. Based on multiple tests taken and symptoms witnessed, it appears that she had liver cancer that had begun affecting her brain. Our family is heartbroken and are still in disbelief, however, we know that she is now at peace ~ no longer suffering. We will miss her sweet little happy face, but reading this poem/essay really made me feel good. It describes "Doggie Heaven" exactly how I would picture it to be. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers.

Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again.

The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown

Naughty or Nice?

I'm a little bit late with the Santa picture. The scan saved it as a different type file than blogger accepts, so I had to do a little research to determine how to make it work. Naughty or Nice? Hmmm... depends on the day!
:)

I Just Don't Remember...

~ Okay, so here's the story of where this poem came from. I'm not sure why I started thinking about this subject... I think it might be because a few of my friends are getting divorced and have young children. Thinking of how their kids will have to grow up living in a broken family may have made me think of my own experiences - I'm not really sure. All I know is that one night I was thinking about things and realized that I really couldn't remember my dad living at home with us.

Shortly after that realization, Christmas came along. My sister-in-law, the "new" Kim Dalton, created a small scrapbook for me entitled, "Christmas Through The Years". When I opened up the book and found the above picture on the front page, I had this weird wave of emotion come over me. The reason it was weird was because I had just been thinking about the whole subject of my dad and all. I found it to be my very favorite gift this year. It wasn't a big and expensive gift that I loved, it was the one filled with Christmas memories, including ones with my Dad that touched me tremendously. A poem started rolling through my mind that very minute and I found that I absolutely couldn't go to bed that Christmas night until I had put it down in writing!

I Just Don't Remember...

I just don’t remember
And I find it quite sad,
You living at home with us
Us at home with our dad.

Sometimes I feel cheated,
Sometimes I feel sad,
We could have been quite “normal”
And talked of the fun we had.

But you had to move away
And the rest of us stayed home
We continued to live as a family
And you lived all alone

I do remember you decorating
the garage for my special day,
Streamers way up in the sky
All set for the kiddies to play

But why can’t I remember you
In the mirrors of my mind,
Playing with us and laughing
Or with Easter eggs to find?

Were there Saturday mornings?
Did you help with our fears of the dark?
Were there family dinners?
And days of fun at the park?

I know there’s no such thing as normal
As I sit here writing this poem,
But I just can’t help but wonder
What it was like when you lived at home.

You were my Daddy
And forever you’ll be in my heart,
I just wished I got to grow up
Without us living apart.

There are pictures that prove
that you once lived with us…

But
I just
don’t remember…

Written late night on December 25, 2005 ~

Family and Friends

One of my favorite quotes ~

Warm smiles and happy faces
we share together in familiar places...
The truest of feelings that never ends...
This is my love of Family and Friends.
~ Author Unknown