The layout above is the first page of Chance's First Year album. Chance turned one on February 11, 2013 and I promised to make his mom, Michelle, a complete 12x12 scrapbook for him if three (3) orders came back to me from her referrals! You see, Michelle is my friend as well as my hair dresser so I made a deal with her. :-) Let me give you a bit of history so you understand how this all unfolded.
My mom passed away on November 3, 2009. Eating, sleeping, cooking and cleaning all came to a screaching hault. It's a good thing breathing is involuntary, for me. Scrapbooking, card making and crafting along with other significant parts of living were pretty much non-existent. Once I lost my mom a huge part of my heart went to heaven with her. I had no desire to do anything. I'll be honest with you it was difficult to get myself out of bed and take care of my children on most days. I give major props to my husband for getting me through one of the hardest things I've faced in my life to date. Scrapbooks were the furthest thing from my mind, in fact I was so sure I'd never feel that passion again I began to sell off my supplies. Cricut cartridges were being boxed up and shipped out. Yup, even my prized possessions.
That is how bad I felt.
A looong time went by before I was able to touch my stash. My creativity was under what felt like deep layers of thick, heavy, wet sand that may have been buried somewhere in China?! I did feel a shallow pulse that began to beat a little faster when I joined the Outlawz group. I love color so when I was asked to design for the Color Challenge Group it felt pretty good to connect with these girls and my stash. Thank God for Colleen, Maureen, Trina, Theresa, Lisa, Pryn, Angie, Guylou, Amy and all the other girls that helped me get through a super dark time in my life. They will never know how truly blessed I feel for their friendship. Words cannot express my gratefulness for each one of them.
My world got a little brighter because of the sharing, caring and designing with the Outlawz girls They were truly brightening my life a little more each day.
I desperately needed to make an appointment with Michelle to get my hair done so I had an idea. I should surprise her and make her a baby boy book! That's what I did. She knew she was having a boy, the colors for his nursery and even his name! I brought it to her without all of the pages completed (90% done) but I was so excited to share with her what I had so far. I was even more excited to share with her the fact that it was her and her unborn child that restarted my heart!!! My favorite books to create are for newborn babies. The soft colors, pureness, miracles and itty, bitty feet!
My mom had a lot of influence on me when it came to babies and decor. Her thought was keep them babies as long as you can. Soft colors and fabrics like a wooly, baby lamb. I remember when I put Osh-kosh denim overalls on Thea when she was only 2 months old. My mom was not thrilled at all. ;p I can hear her voice now, "Alright, hurry up and take your pictures already so I can me get her out of those darn jeans!!!" Lol! She was all about soft, cotton, chenille, flannel and details like smocking and adorable ducky buttons! I must admit, that is all of what I love to create with now :-) She was right!
I showed Michelle the book and she absolutely loved it. Yaaaay!!!! She asked me to make one for the shop owner who at the time was pregnant with her first baby. The theme was Noah's Ark. Can you believe I didn't take any pictures of that album?? Bummer, I know. That is when I said that if she got three orders to come my way I would make a one year book for Chance. She was up for the challenge :-)
To date Michelle has placed three orders with me and from those orders three more ladies ordered from me a total of five, yes, 5 books!!! Wow! Right?! Michelle is working on Chance getting his 2nd year album completed...for FREE! It would be my pleasure to make it too! <3 br="">
This story made me smile as I shard it with you. I'm happy to say my heart is steadily beating these days and I owe a lot of that to my friend, Michelle. xo Thank you girl for all of what yo do and everything you are.
{{{YOU ROCK!!!}}}
Have a great Thanksgiving and may your heart beat on...
Hugs,
Jenn
