Lisa's Blog

Hey Everyone,

Just letting you know that the April Kit of the Month is flying off the shelves. Seventy percent of our quantities are gone so if you want it, you'd better grab it fast. I promise you'll be nothing but delighted when you receive your package. It's a phenomenal kit.

Also, GREAT NEWS! We've heard your pleas and the December Kit of the Month (you know, that awesome stamp kit) is now available for preorder. Click here to order.

Life these past few weeks has been crazy. Kade shocked us a few weeks ago by announcing that he was running for Student Body President at his high school. Kade is a fun-loving, happy, energetic kid who has been an absolute joy in our home. He's always been big into sports (mostly football and track--he's one of the captains of the football team next year) and is one kid that doesn't love the limelight--he's never wanted extra attention. Running for a student body office has really stretched him as a person (he's never wanted to run for an office before) and we are thrilled he is giving it a try.

So--the past few weeks have been all about slogans, posters, posters and more posters, interviews, campaigning, badges, etc. Here is one of his posters (his slogan is "Kade's Promises Stick").



He also had to make a one-minutes movie that would promote his skills and abilities to other students. I think he and his cousin, Michal, did a great job creating it. Check it out here.

Tomorrow is the day when they'll announce the winners. Kade has a great attitude and told me that the other boys running are really nice kids and they'd make great student body presidents too. I found this quote and stuck it on my monitor:

"More powerful than the will to win is the courage to begin."

I'm so proud of Kade for embarking on this journey and win or loose, I think it's great that he had the courage to begin.

Wish him luck. I'll let you know the results!

Have a great Thursday.

Lisa

Hello Everyone,

The video showcasing the April kit of the month is up! I can't wait to show you all of the goodies that come in this phenomenal kit. We have less than thirty percent left so if you want it you better go grab it.

Have a great weekend!

Before I tell you about Kade's student body president outcome (see the post two below), I want to tell you about an experience we had when Kade was eight years old (this was in 1999). He was a brand new boy scout and the Pinewood Derby was right around the corner. For those of you who've never had a boy scout, the Pinewood Derby is an annual event where the boy scouts race hand-made cars against each other. The cars start out as a block of wood, then each boy scout and his father (or another adult) create what they hope is a winning car. Steve dug out his championship car he'd made with his dad when he was the same age and together he and Kade drilled, sanded and carved what they were sure was the perfect car (following the model of his winning car). The night of the big event, two-year-old Brecken got very sick. My mom, Grandma Downs, came over to babysit her while the rest of us went to cheer on Kade in the big race. There were 20 other boys competing and lots of family members cheering all the boys on. Here's a photo from the evening--Kade and his best buddy, Kyle, are showing off their cars.



Kade's little car did it's best in every heat but came in dead last in every race. It even started rolling backwards towards the starting line on a couple of occasions. Instead of giving up, Kade kept giving us an "It's okay" smile and valiantly kept competing. After the night was over, Steve felt like he'd let his little buddy down. When we got home, Grandma Downs asked Kade how the night went. I will always remember his reply: "My car came in last in every race, but before I went to the Pinewood Derby I prayed and asked Heavenly Father to help me be a good sport. And guess what, Grandma? I was a good sport!" I immediately got choked up and tears streamed down my face. What an invaluable lesson this eight-year-old taught me. Sometimes as an adult it's hard to remember to be a good sport--but through the mouth of babes I was reminded that it doesn't matter whether you win or loose--the important thing is to be a good sport. Kade was my hero that night!

Now fast forward to 2008. Last Friday Kade found out the results of his student body final elections. While it was a close race among the five boys who were running for president, Kade didn't win. He called from school to tell me the results and said the boy who won is a great kid. He came home from school in a very cheerful mood and took Brecken out on a "date" that evening. The next morning he got up, helped with chores for several hours, then spent the evening hanging out with extended family members (both grandmas and grandpas). It's been three days now and I've yet to see him feel upset or in a bad mood over this election. So--as you can see, Kade Bearnson really is a winner. Once again he taught me the importance of being a good sport--and to me that 's the best kind of winning of all!

Thanks for your support and Kade thanks you for watching his little movie. He was thrilled to see how many people have watched it!

Have a great Monday night. And--I can't wait to share with you what we did for Family Night tonight!

Sincerely,
Lisa

P.S. I spoke to a group of business students at UVU today and met a lovely gal named Tempestt Turman. I understand her mom, Cindi Hambleton, is a frequent visitor to this site. Just wanted to say hi, Cindi!

I think I've mentioned before that Monday nights at my house are Family Home Evening. This is a time where our family regroups and spends quality time together. We always go over the weekly calendar, have a spiritual thought and eat a yummy dessert. Sometimes we go bowling or to a movie. This past Monday night, neither Steve or I felt like cooking. So, I hauled everyone to Kohler's (our neighborhood grocery store), gave each person $7.00 and instructed each family member to find an item(s) to share for dinner. They had to be sneaky--it was a surprise and no other family member could know what they got. (It was hilarious running around the store trying hard not to be seen. by each other.) At the checkout, they were further instructed to put their item in a paper bag and not tell anyone what they got until dinner. When we got home, we sat around our round table and one at a time unveiled our dinner.




I was very impressed--I thought the meal would entirely consist of chips, candy and pop but I was pleasantly surprised. Steve got stuff to make bean burritos; Brecken: biscuits and Tootsie Pops; Sage: chicken nuggets; Collin: really hot chili and cheese-filled hot dogs; Kade: a frozen stir fry dish; Lisa: frozen fruits and yogurt to made healthy smoothies. After showing what each person bought, it was fun to all be in the kitchen together while we "made" dinner. You must try this at home--a great alternative to cooking and tons of fun!

Okay--if you haven't seen Donna Downey's new books yet, let me just say how great they are. They are from the series "Yes, it's a scrapbook" and they are tons of fun. The first one is called "A Photos First Approach to Designing Layouts."



The second book is "Fabric Scrapbooking." It's a super inspiring book:



To order these books, click here:


I also want to give a shout out to my wonderful friend, Stacy Julian. Stacy is the brainchild behind Simple Scrapbooks Magazine, Big Picture Scrapbooking and some really great books. She is truly one of the most inspiring women on the planet. She has decided to dedicate more of her time to her website Big Picture Scrapbooking (by the way, you really should check it out and take a class or two) and will no longer be working with Simple Scrapbooks on a daily basis. She will be missed! We love you, Stacy!

I'm off for a camping adventure with my family for Spring Break. Hopefully it will be warmer weather where we're going.

I'll be sharing lots of new stuff starting at the end of next week--new QVC items, May Kit of the Month, my new book(s) that will be available soon and much more. And--there will be fun prizes to win--promise!

Have a great weekend.

Lisa

I'm so excited to share my new book with you--just fresh off the press and available for preorder. (Go here for more details.) It will be shipped the first part of May.



I LOVE this book and am excited to tell you why. Here's a little background.

My oldest child turned 17 last December. Wow--I can't believe how fast the time has gone. I remember staring at him through the window of the hospital nursery--dreaming of our life together and all the happy memories we'd make. I vowed I'd capture every birthday cake, Christmas present, Halloween costume, Fourth of July firework and Easter egg hunt during his time with us. I'd then preserve all these memories in beautiful scrapbooks.

Guess what? Four children later and I haven't kept my promise. As hard as I've tried, I haven't been able to keep up with all these events. The problem? Like everyone else, I am a busy person plus I take a gazillion photographs.

I've accepted that I'll never be caught up. Now don't get me wrong--each of my children will leave home with many amazing scrapbooks (with some great holiday pages thrown in the mix).

A scrapbook my mom and dad recently gave each of my children has got me to thinking about the scrapbooks I've been creating. This scrapbook doesn't feature birthdays, holidays or even summer vacations. This scrapbook tells what's really important in life. It gives advice and wisdom and the honest to goodness truth according to Robert and Clarine Downs. It is a scrapbook that I will love and cherish all my days and will reflect upon over and over again after they are gone. It will be passed down from generation to generation where hope, courage and love will be gleaned from its pages.

I decided to make a scrapbook like this for my children and posterity. I wanted it to include the pages that matter the very most in life. I began jotting notes and making lists in my daily planner about what these pages would include. I transferred these notes to an index card wheel and included my favorite quotes, sayings, anecdotes and '"important things in life according to Lisa Bearnson" with each subject. My goal for this book was for it to be a comforter, adviser and teacher for anyone looking at it--long after I've departed from this life.

For example, if my girls are at a point in their life when they aren't feeling good in their own skin, I want them to remember this layout in the section called "You're Beautiful."



I'm hoping it's the one scrapbook that will be saved should there be a fire or natural disaster. It's the one book that will be picked up should my family need extra support when I can't be there. It's the one book that will show the way I lived, the way I loved, the way I laughed and what's really important in life. Some of the other 50 topics in the book include "Take Care," "Think Big, Dream Big," "Silence is Nourishing," "It's a Balancing Act," "It's the Truth" and "Family Traditions." Throughout the book, I give some ideas for fun family memories and suggestions for living a more fulfilling life. Also, I share my favorite quotes on almost every page.

Thanks to the many awesome scrapbookers who contributed pages in this book. I love how you put your own spin on each subject and put your heart into each page.

For example, here is Suzy Plantamura's page in the "I Love Home" section.



I want to give away 10 of my "50 Moments that Matter Most" books (I'll autograph it). Just guess where MY favorite place in my home is (this is featured in "I Love Home" section of the book). Remember to be specific. If you get it right, you'll have a chance to win! I'll randomly draw 10 names at 9:00 a.m. (MST) on Monday April 21st. (If you're the first to guess it right, you'll automatically be a winner!)

Good Luck! And--I just got back from camping over Spring Break and can't wait to share the details! It was definitely an attitude builder!

Sincerely,
Lisa

I've had a lot of people tell me that they would love to attend Creating Keepsakes University (CKU) but it isn't close enough to home for them or they just can't get away. So, guess what? You can now experience 3 of the all-time most popular CKU classes for yourself. It was so fun to get together with these ladies and film these classes. We even filmed some of it in my living room!



I teach this really cool class about how to put together an album based on one particular person--it can be you or someone else that you choose to create the album about. But, no matter who you choose as your subject, you'll totally love the end result.

Besides completing an entire album, you'll also get two more classes: The fabulous Becky Higgins takes you through the fun and easy process of creating 6 great cards. And Tracy White's journaling class is sure to kick your journaling up a notch.

And, there is even a trailer that I did when we presented this kit on QVC. Check it out for a sneak peek at what you're getting:



Best of all, all of the products that you need to complete all the projects right in the box. And with the DVD, it's just like being there! You can see everything you get here. So grab a girlfriend--or three--and stage your very own CKU. And be sure to pick up the three C's: chips, chocolate, and some cool tunes for a weekend of fun projects and great friends.

I want to give away one of these rockin' kits! Okay, maybe I'll even give away 3--yes, I think I will since the title of this post is "Good Things Come in Threes." So, just post a comment here on the blog about what other things are good in threes and I'll choose three of the comments to receive a free kit. I'll even throw in the 3 C's to ensure a great time.

Good Luck!

Thanks for participating in my contests.

First I have to say that so many of you had so many close guesses with my favorite place in my house. If you are a winner, please e-mail Pam at Davidandgoliath20022003@yahoo.com as soon as possible with your snail mail address. Some of you chose my scrapbook room which is probably my fourth favorite place in my house. I randomly chose one of you who guessed "scrapbook room" and will be sending you Donna Downey's two latest books. The winner of these books is:

Kelli (1:06 p.m)--scrapbookgirl171

My third favorite place in my home is in my bathtub. I take a very hot bubble bath every night, eat soft ice, put on favorite music and sometimes light a candle. It doesn't matter whether it's 10 p.m. or 3 a.m. or whether it's winter or summer--this is my time to be alone and relax plus I love feeling nice and clean between my sheets. It also takes a lot less time to get ready in the mornings--I'm ready to help kids get out the door, straighten up the house, then start working in my office/scrapbooking room. My very favorite bath potions are Dr. Teal's soaking salts and bubble bath.



I randomly choose one of you who guessed bath tub to receive these items. I wanted you to enjoy the best bath in the world too. The winner is:

Kim (5:33 a.m.)

My second favorite place is in my family room around our table. This is where we read scriptures each night and have family prayer every morning and evening. I am constantly writing notes to my family members and want you to have a tin box full of random little homemade notes--ready for you to leave on pillows, on dash boards or lunch boxes.



I randomly choose one of you who guessed "coffee table in family room." The winner is:

Regina 1:24 p.m.

Okay--now for the favorite place in my home. Drum roll, please.
By the way, kitchen and dining room table were very close so I'm randomly selecting one of you to win a copy of my new books.

The winner is:

Jenn7 1:13 p.m.

My favorite place in my house is my pantry. This layout is from my "50 Moments: Scrapbook the Pages that Matter Most" book.



Let me explain why I love this place in my house. No--it's not because I love to eat (although I do!). No--it's not because I love to cook (although I love to bake). It's because my pantry represents warmth, friendship and acceptance. My kids and their friends know they never have to ask me for food. I have an "open pantry policy" and they can eat whatever they want. Because of this, our home is always filled with lots of people. This brings lots of love, laughter and chaos. I love it because I'd rather have my kids and their friends in my home than anywhere else.

Congratulations to these lucky winners who guessed pantry. They will also be receiving "50 Moments: Scrapbook the Pages that Matter Most."

1. Tyler 2:23 p.m.
2. Dawn 1:29 p.m.
3. Kandi Puyallup 8:14 a.m.
4. Kristi W. from Pacific, WA 10:57 a.m.
5. Ida 11:05 a.m.
6. Katie (the QC: AZ)--katie.cupcake) 9:00 p.m.
7. Lisa P. Covington, WA 6:40 p.m.
8. Poohgirl1075@juno.com 1:52 p.m.
9. Wolffpack 2:34 p.m.
10. Carolc902@comcast.net 12:44


Now on to the three CKU in a Box winners. Let me just say you're in a for a real treat when you receive your package--complete with a Celtic Woman CD, chocolate and chips. P.S. I loved reading all your answers!

1. Susanne 7:28 a.m.
2. Janet (triplet) 11:31 a.m.
3. Shy Cheryl 12:59 p.m.

Starting in just a couple of days we'll be having a countdown to my May 2nd QVC shows and letting you see firsthand some of the cool products that will be offered and lots of "Top 10" trivia. Let me just say the words new, new, new! You're going to love the shows--so many new products. And--if you're in the Philadelphia area at 6:00 p.m. on May 2nd, come to the QVC live studio audience show. David and I would love to see you there. For free tickets call 484/701-1000 and ask about tickets for the Live Studio Audience Creating Keepsakes show on May 2nd.

Have a great Tuesday.

Lisa

Have you ever finished a layout and sat back and thought, "Hmmm, it just needs a little something"? That's why "details" are so important--sometimes just a few small brads or a carefully placed eyelet makes all the difference on a scrapbook page.

How much sleep does Lisa get during a 24-hour craft event when she's on QVC?
a. 3 hours
b. 10 hours
c. 6.5 hours
d. none

Have you ever wished you had a product that was so fresh and new, only you had it? Well, guess what--you do! It's easy to get in a rut when it comes to using your supplies, but with a little thinking outside the box, you can come up with ways to use your existing products in totally unique ways.

With so many holidays and special occasions throughout the year, it can be easy to forget about the importance of everyday life--the things that make us tick, the ordinary events of each day, the small milestones our children reach. These seemingly insignificant details are what make us who we are. This is the stuff of life.

Check out the QVC show Friday, May 2, from 9-11 a.m. (ET) and 6 p.m. (ET).

What (SCRAPBOOKING) Today's Special Value sold out the fastest...and what time?

Post your answer in the comments below.
I will reveal the answer with tomorrow's Countdown Trivia post!

The answer to yesterday's trivia question was (a) 3 hours !

Gone are the days of taking a photo of your subject and crossing your fingers that, when you get it developed, it'll be a good one! Digital photography has made taking pictures so easy that most of us have hundreds of photos--even some of the same moment--that are scrap-worthy. Now remember, you don't have to scrap every single one of them. but if you want to, go for it!

Be sure to watch me on QVC Friday, May 2, 9-11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Hall of Fame Kit

How many issues of CK over the ten years?

The answer to the last trivia question was the QuicKutz Silhouette and it sold out by 10:230am ET Since no one guessed the exact time, we picked out winner from everyone who guessed the Silhouette! And the winner is EmmaJ. Please e-mail vgrothe@ckmedia.com with your address and we'll you your prize.

Also, Jeannette P. you have won a prize for your answer to Thursday's trivia question. Please send your address to the email above so we can your prize to you!

Here is another sample page from the Hall of Fame kit. Tune in to QVC Friday, May 2, 9-11 a.m. and 6 p.m. (with a live studio audience!)

What was my former job before founding Creating Keepsakes magazine?

The correct answer for yesterday's trivia question is 111 issues! Kari you are our winner! Please e-mail vgrothe@ckmedia.com with your address and we'll you your prize.