Kit of the Month Questions

I know some of you have had questions about the June Kit of the Month. We've recently updated the FAQ section to answer some of those questions and to give you the latest information about the program. Click here to read the FAQs. You'll also find current images and details of the June kit by clicking here. It's an awesome kit and I hope you don't miss out on this one! As always, if you have a question or comment about the Kit of the Month program, let us know. We love hearing from you!

Pay It Forward!

Today as I was working in my scrapbook room, I was listening to uplifiting songs on a Christian music radio station. I always feel good when I'm surrounded by beautiful music with wonderful lyrics. These type of songs are heard in my home from the crack of dawn until we go to bed. The DJ took a break between the songs to say, "If you speak kind words, you'll hear kind echoes." Wow--I loved this so much I immediately wrote it down. You know I love quotes and this one has stuck in my mind all day.

I then began thinking of the "Pay is Forward" philosophy. How true this is with words and deeds. I thought of all the times in the past two weeks when someone has paid it forward and reached out to me. Last Thursday I was hosting a bridal shower for my dear friend, Crystil Williams. I'd had a very hectic week and hadn't thought about the shower until 2:00 p.m. ON THURSDAY. Can you believe it??? I'm the type who loves to plan and prepare for events like this, but it didn't happen. At 2:00, I ran to Costco and grabbed whatever prepared food I could find that looked appetizing (and homemade). Among the items I grabbed, I purchased already cut up apples and decided to make my friend's (Cherie Janiec) wonderful caramel dip to go with it. (At least one thing would be homemade!) When I called for the recipe, Cherie insisted on making it. Not only did she make the incredible caramel, she also brought over a triple layer chocolate peanut butter cake sprinkled with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups that she'd whipped up in a matter of minutes (she's an incredible cook). Everyone went crazy over both the caramel and the cake. I didn't take credit--I told them about my sweet friend, Cherie. The next day I decided I needed to pay this kind deed forward. I called another neighbor who was having a wedding reception at her home (her son's) the next evening and asked what I could do. I picked up eclairs (I ended up making too sharp of a turn and one box of them--eight dozen--got mangled--but that's another story! "Remember to Breathe!"), brownies, sandwiches and candles and helped with the fresh flowers. What a feel good moment.

Another wonderful moment. Three weeks ago, my sisters and I had spent several days in Amish country and were rushing my sis Debbie to the airport. We got a major flat tire in the rental van on the freeway. We had 16 pieces of luggage (had to unload it all) and a bunch bunch of girls who couldn't even find the spare tire. Steve, a mechanic for Toyota, saw us stranded, stopped and changed the tire in stellar time. I tried to pay him, but as you can see he just threw his hands in the air and said "Pay It Forward." Of course I had to grab my camera and take a photo of this nice stranger. How powerful! Steve--I hope your wife is reading this and passes on how terrific I think you are. I don't know if I'll ever pay this deed forward by changing someone's tire. But I will remember you when a friend needs a shoulder to cry on, a young mother needs help with her children or an aging neighbor needs the walks to be shoveled.

This is why we're here. This is what makes the world go 'round. Thanks, Cherie and Steve, for reminding me the "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass."

Have a wonderful rest of the week and remember to "pay it forward."

Love ya,
Lisa B.

P.S. A couple more things. 1--I'll be in London, Scotland and Amsterdam from the 25th until June 4th. It will probably be difficult to keep up on my blog over there so I'll give you all the details when I return home. 2--If you were one of the quote winners, my web site manager is still collecting addresses (by the way, it's Becky Higgins' brother--doesn' t he do a terrific job?) so I'll have to send them when I get home. 3--I've been crying most of today. Brecken's rat died and it's been very emotional for both of us. Why do we get so darn attached to these pets??

And The Winners Are...

I LOVED THE QUOTES FROM THE CONTEST!!! I collect quotes and really adored them all - which brings me to my next point. I had a very hard time deciding on only 25 winners from almost 400 terrific quotes. So - I had to break it down a little. First, I gathered the quotes that really stuck with my theme: "A saying or quote that makes you handle an everyday situation better." Next, I had to eliminate some of my very favorite quotes because there was no e-mail address attached to the quote (this was mentioned as part of the rules - sorry!). I also decided not to use quotes if they were repeated more than once. Just wanted to share some of my favorites that were the common ones:

- Be a duck (let the water roll off your back).
- It is what it is.
- This too shall pass.
- You get what you get and you don't throw a fit.
- Don't sweat the small stuff.
- Nothing is ever ruined.
- Don't worry, be happy.

So with that being said, here are the 25 winners. They will receive a Quickutz autographed cookbook plus another goodie from me. And - if you didn't win please know I loved your quote. I may contact you in the future to use it in another capacity.

Drum roll, please!

Amber said:

""In life, take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back"

Felicia Said:

My husband and I have a quote that we both love and remind each other of it often.....
"Instead of telling God how big your storms are, try telling your storms how big your God is" (author unknown)

When things are 'down' and we are complaining about something, we try to lift each other up by remembering this quote. What a spirit lifter it is!
Thanks for the opportunity to share!

anonymous said:

I get frustrated with people who just whine over really stupid stuff. So one of my favorite sayings is
"Put your big girl panties on and deal with it."

Personally it makes me laugh too. Just picture certain people with granny panties on and I promise you, you will laugh out loud!!!

anonymous said:

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT UNTIL YOU HAVE TO." My dh was in the Marines for 13 years (got out a year ago), and we went through many deployments, including 1 where he was due back when 9/11 happened and a year in Iraq (with him having close calls and losing friends) in 05. The first one has been my mantra since he joined the Marines. The second one came about when I was pregnant with my son (over 6 years ago) and I ended up in the ER a few days after finding out I was expecting...the doctors told me that I was losing him because there was no heartbeat. I'm happy to say that he's 6-1/2 now. when I was pregnant the 2nd time, I lost 20 lbs and was sooo sick the WHOLE time. Those mantras got me through. My daughter will be celebrating birthday #3 in June. The great thing is this quote fits every situation.

Alison Moore Smith said:

"Looks like a journal experience."

anonymous said:

The one we use around our house is "You can't fight crazy". As odd as this sounds, it always makes us laugh and we realize that things aren't nearly as bad as they could be.

Renee said:

My favorite saying is: "If money can fix it, it's not a real problem."

This saying is so true -- the little pesky problems of life (flat tire, leaky roofs etc) can be fixed with money. Real problems, such as divorce, death, illness, etc. can not be fixed with money. This saying really puts things in perspective for me!!

Tammy said:

One of our favorite quotes: "In 2 weeks it won't matter". Usually when something "big" happens in your life and you feel like you are going to have a total meltdown - 2 weeks later you don't even remember why you were so upset.

Laurel said:

When everything in life seems to be getting to you, and even the littlest things seem to be plotting against you - "Q-TIP"! Q-TIP means Quit Taking It Personally.

Example: The newspaper boy did not throw your morning news into the mud puddle because he has a grudge against you - he just has bad aim.

Linda said:

Thanks for letting us share! When things get tough and I need to put things into perspective, I try to remember: "This is just small potatoes in the big stew of life!"

anonymous said:

In our family, we say, "click, click, click." This means that life is a roller coaster and we're going up the hill (click, click, click) and the down-swoop will soon follow!

Kim Said:

My favorite quote is by Mother Theresa. She said "I know God won't give me anything I can't handle; I just wish He didn't trust me so much." I discovered this quote when I was in college and had cancer. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease when I was 20 and was in remission 9 months later. That was 13 years ago, and this quote still holds so much meaning and inspiration for me.

Kat-in-Texas said:

A quote I think of quite often is from my very patient and loving grandmother who has 11 children and numerous grand and great-grandchildren. Whenever she hears someone complaining about their children or hears someone who is irritated with their children about normal, everyday stuff she says quietly, "They should've bought a doll..." I think of it myself when I'm going ballistic and thinking, "Did I sign up for this?" (Yes, I did....and I should've bought a doll!) hee.hee :)

Tammy Said:

My favorite quote (actually it comes from a song by Mark Shultz called Closer To You) right now is "Just another day closer to you Lord." Whenever I'm having an exceptionally bad day, I remember this and I know that each moment that passes brings me one step closer to my true "home".

Kim said:

My husband was diagnosed with Colon Cancer the week before Christmas 2006. I thought I would never make it through. I kept this quote in my pocket at all times, "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced". It helped me face the situation and try to be strong for my 12 year-old daughter. It helped me through a lot of dark days along with the verse "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength".

Susan said:

I have been going through a very difficult period in my for longer than I care to dwell on. Some days I can feel myself spiraling into a panic. In addition to prayer I found that if I take a deep breath and slow myself down for a few minutes I could regain my balance and keep moving forward. I took some pretty scrapbook paper and made a sign and placed it on my bedroom mirror. Very simply it says:

"Remember to breathe."

Works every time.

anonymous said:

As a child whenever I seemed to have a big problem, my mother would always ask, "Have you lost and arm or a leg?". That always put everything in perspective!!

anonymous said:

"Tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes yet." - Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables

Colleen Said:

"If God brings you to it, He'll bring you through it."

I first heard it sometime after my husband's suicide four years ago. I felt so alone and isolated, but I wasn't at all. God arranged for me to be surrounded by friends and family. He sent me back to my hometown and found me a beautiful house with a scrapbook room too! When I realized my infant son was having developmental issues, He sent even more help. My dear friend Karen was a pediatric physical therapist who led us to other wonderful people to help us with him.

I love this quote because it reminds me of the Footprints poem. God is right there with us, leading us through the storms to the light! He holds us in His arms through it all.

Veronica Said:

My mother once said "Don't puke before you get on the tilt-a-whirl", meaning don't get yourself all worked up over something before it even happens.

Michelleo said:

"Worry is a darkroom, where YOU develop your own negatives." This helps in stressful times for me.

Tammy said:

"If you ain't laughing, you ain't living."
The more I think about that statement, the more it resonates with me. I have always been a person who always takes things so seriously and worries so much, sometimes about things I can't control. I don't always take the time to laugh, to enjoy all the fun this world has to offer. I mean, we only go around this crazy world once, and you have to make the most of your life....including trying to remember to laugh and lighten up.

Wendy Congiardo said:

This comes from my husband. "Get glad in your mad pants". That one always makes me smile, and usually gets me out of my bad mood.
Hope you get a kick out of this.

Danielle Wleklik
said:

When times get tough and they always do, I always say "Let no one steal your joy."

Monique said:

My favorite quote recently is "Today's Trial is Tommorrow's Testimony." It has really helped me keep things in perspective.

Thanks again for entering. And to the winners, you'll be contacted for your snail mail address soon.

Lisa B.

Changes at CK

I mentioned last week that there are some big changes happening at CK. After a decade of service on behalf of Creating Keepsakes, Editor in Chief Tracy White is off to new adventures. She has been a huge advocate for the industry over the past 10 years and her energy and passion will be missed.

I'm also excited to announce the new faces behind Creating Keepsakes. Please read CK's official announcement below:

After ten years with Creating Keepsakes, Tracy White recently resigned from her position as Editor-in-Chief. Tracy has been instrumental in Creating Keepsakes' success, and we will miss her sensitive spirit and boundless energy. We wish Tracy success and joy in her new adventures.

We are pleased to announce that Brian Tippetts has accepted the position of Editor-in-Chief. Brian, formally CK's Art Director, brings many qualities and strengths to this new leadership role. His years of publishing experience, creative vision, and day-to-day operating experience will enable him to take the magazine and industry to the next level.

To assist Brian, we are pleased to announce that Britney Mellen has accepted the position of Creative Editor. Britney is an avid scrapbooker and teacher and is passionate about documenting memories and experiences. She will focus her energies on overseeing editorial content, write a monthly column, and teach at CKUs and conventions.

So that's the scoop.

I'll post the winners of the contest really soon. There were soooooo many great quotes--I'm having a hard time narrowing it down to only 25.

Have a great evening.

LB

"Best Quote" Contest!

Hello Friends!

Wow--lots of changes this week. Probably the biggest is I had 5 inches cut off my hair. It's weird how liberating shorter hair feels--no more tedious blow drying or curling! (Sage also got this same haircut!) Also, a big change is happening at CK and I've been a little emotional this week about it. I'll let you know about this change at the first of next week.

Okay--so a couple of weeks ago my family was in Florida staying with some friends and their new puppy wet on the floor and everyone was stepping in it thinking it was just water. This was spread throughout the house (yuck!). It was Sunday morning and we were rushing off to church. When we got in the car, my friend, Eric, had a little melt down. But then he suddenly changed his attitude and said, "It's just a cricket." We were all puzzled? He then explained how crickets chirp at night and bother you but there's not a darn thing you can do about it. So, why let them bother you in the first place if there's nothing you can do? I loved this so much that I've been saying ever since, "It's just a cricket!" This is my new favorite quote!

So tonight I had to say this saying over and over--"It's just a cricket!" I bought acrylic paints and brushes for Sage to paint her own wooden stool. She was so excited all day--she'd picked her own colors at Michael's. We set up shop outside on the back padio and I sat across the table to give her a little company. Next thing I know red paint is all over my new favorite tan American Eagle pants (how did that happen--I was sitting across from her?). Why didn't I get washable paint? I sprayed stain remover on the spots and scrubbed them with detergent. Then I washed them and the red paint is still in the pants. Please, please, please give me some ideas on how to get those ugly spots out. They are soaking right now in the sink. However, I didn't let it ruin the fun we were having and kept reminding myself "It's only a cricket."

So, what is your favorite saying or quote that makes you handle situations better? Leave it here on my blog by midnight on May 14th (along with your e-mail address). I'll choose my 25 favorites and send the winner the new Quickutz Cookbook (see post below as well) autographed by Natasha Hixon (founder of Quickutz) and myself. Plus--I'll throw in another little goodie! This is going to be fun--I love unique quotes!!

Have a great rest of the week and remember--"It's only a cricket!"

Love ya,
Lisa B.

Lot's to Talk About!

Hey Everyone!

Wow--I was gone for nine days and missed hearing from you all. Today I'm trying to play catchup and it's a little painful.

Last week was amazing! I started my trip off by speaking to a large group of ladies in Perrysburg, Ohio (a suburb of Toledo). Loved my time spent there and the All About Me crop was a lot of fun too! If you're ever in the area, stop by the store Skrappaper. The owners, John and Susan Rapp, were so kind and it's got lots of fun stuff.

Next, I met all my sisters in Lancaster, PA and we stayed in Amish Country for three days. My sister, Carolyn, came from Ohio and the rest met us from Utah. What a blast we had--laughing, eating, hanging out with my Amish friends, and remembering the awesome times we had growing up. I hosted a crop at the Cozy Crop House (you must go there!) for my Amish friends and they had so much fun making cards. We laughed so hard when Lillian (see above photo) was helping my Carolyn use glue dots! Neither Carolyn or Lillian had ever scrapbooked before and they were so funny!

We then spent National Scrapbook Day at QVC and it was fun showing my sisters around the studio. Sally and Doug Davis treated us to a steak dinner at their house (I'm still dreaming about it--good times), then it was home early Sunday morning so I could be at church with my family.

In my last blog, I wrote about Jen Gallacher and her son Joey. If you haven't heard yet, Joey sadly passed away a week ago. Just wanted to share the note I got from Jen three days after his passing:

Lisa,

I want you to know how much I appreciated your sweet e-mail. I am so
touched that someone with your busy schedule would take the time to express
your love and support.

Losing my beautiful son was the hardest thing I have ever been through, but
I consider it a privilege to have been blessed with such an amazing boy. I
know that the Lord loves both Joey and my little family. I look forward to
the day when we can be together again as an eternal family.

I want you to know how much you have touched my life. Scrapbooking has been
a creative outlet for me for a very long time, but it became especially
helpful during my son's fight with cancer. It allowed me to have some
control over our situation and to create something of beauty during the long
hours of his care. Now that he has returned home to his Heavenly Father, I
am SO GRATEFUL to have committed so many of my memories to paper. And the
hundreds of photos I felt prompted to take will comfort my family for many
years to come.

Thank you so very much for sharing this gift with me. I am so grateful that
in addition to my journal, I have a tangible legacy of my son. I know you
were prompted to share this message with the world. Thank you so much!

Love to you and yours!

Jen Gallacher

I think you'll agree that Jen is one amazing person. Please continue to keep her family in your prayers.

Have a great week and I'll announce the cookbook contest in a couple of days.

Sincerely,
Lisa