I'm Just a girl

Catching up.

Home from Minnesota.

it was an event filled trip.

i was lucky enough to be involved in two great events.

the Creative Connection.

and

Arhivers Scrapfest.

i was lucky enough to have gotten an invite last year to the Creative Connection and loved it.

returning this year and being asked by Jo Packham to be involved was an honor.

the women who are part of this event are amazing.

creative, brilliant.

so many women i have looked up to in my creative career.

it truly is an event to connect.

make new contacts.

new friendships.

The first day i was involved in a day of Pitch Slams.

a Pitch Slam is where there a table of experts,

{lol yes i was an expert}

Tim, Jayme from Making Memories, Ginger from Provo Crafts and myslef were the panel.

the entire day was spent hearing, seeing and giving feedback to the women who pitched their ideas to us.

it was a very interesting process.

i felt like i learned a lot.

our feedback was honest, direct and hopefully helpful.

wow would i have loved to have gotten to do this when i was starting my career.

it was a great day.

great spending time with Jayme, Tim & of course the Pants wearing Mario.

yes i said pants. so weird!

{he always wears shorts}

the evening was spent at a beautiful dinner listening to key notes from Christina Ferrare and Heather Becker from Decor8.

Two very inspiring women.

The next 3 days were spent at Archivers.

doing demos and make and takes.

it was a lot of fun working with the Bazzill team.

seeing friends in the industry.

catching up.

Friday night i went back to the Creative Connection with Tim, Mario & Claudine.

i went to the handmade market did some shopping.

then met up with girlfriends.

there were lots of photos.

lots of laughter.

it was a great night.

the weekend was a lot of fun.

it's taken me all week to just catch up.

working with new designers.

new lines.

getting ready to head to Florida on Sunday to do HSN for Bazzill.

planning a party for Brooke who graduates from Beauty School Saturday!

working on Spark.

getting ready for Fall.

today is the first official day of Fall.

i love Fall.

it is such a beautiful time of the year.

today to follow tradition i will be making my world famous Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.
and like tradition sharing them.

with neighbors.

friends.

i wish you could smell my house.

it's amazing.

i always share the recipe.

so here it is.

make them.

the recipe makes like 5000 so cut it in half if you are not sharing!

Fall is a great time of year.

get out and enjoy it.

i am heading out for a walk in the brisk air.

then home to make muffins.

kiss kiss

m

Margie's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 Cups oil

2 Cups brown sugar

4 Cups sugar

mix

8 beaten eggs

1 1/2 TB baking soda dissolved in 1/3 cup warm water

4 cups canned pumpkin

mix in

7 cups flour

2 tsps baking powder

2 tsps salt

1 1/2 tsp ginger

2 tsps cloves

2 tsps nutmeg

4 tsps cinnamon

mix

add 1 cup warm water

stir in 3 cups chocolate chips

back 20 mins @ 350

 

Forty6.

What an amazing, fun weekend.

it was my birthday weekend.

i celebrated forty6.

not that bad really.

 

this is what forty6 looks like.

i have decided forty6 is going to be a great year.

i mean why the hell not?

age is just a number anyway right?

i have an 84 year old mother who has the energy of a 60 year old.

even with a new knee and hip.

she just keeps on moving.

going.

living life to the fullest.

so forty6 isn't that bad.

not bad at all.

i am young at heart.

this weekend was filled with celebrations.

a lunch with my Mom & Daddy.

 

it was so great to see my Dad up and out of the house.

{thank you for all your prayers. He is doing so much better.}

hanging out with one of my dearest and oldest friends.

Anj and i have been friends since Jr. High.

it was fun to spend the night with her and her sister Jube.

we laughed.

a lot.

 
had a great time with them.

Sunday was my actual birthday.

9-11.

after the events of 9-11 i feel like the day is a somber one.

it is still my birthday.

but i try to do my "celebrating" the day before.

9-11 will never be the same for any of us.

it is a day to remember.

so yesterday i kept it pretty low key.

got up and went on a long walk.

reminisced about the past forty5 years.

life in general.

cleared my head.

i have big plans for forty6.

for some reason i know it's going to be an amazing year.

so yesterday was a day to remember.

i spent it with the most important people in my life.

my kids.

minus meg who is in Hawaii.

{missed her}

we just hung out.

Brooke colored my hair.

the boys just chilled.

it was good.

brooke cut max's hair.

threw in a little color.

we all laughed.

talked.

just were together.

perfect.

so many of you wished me a happy birthday.

sent beautiful wishes my way.

thank you.

what a gift.

being able to be connected.

have great family.

friends.

so here's to forty6.

it's going to kick.

this week is going to be crazy busy.

off to TCC Wednesday to be on a Pitch Slam with two dear friends.

Tim Holtz and Jayme Shepherd.

then it's off to Scrapfest.

the Archivers event.

my first official with Bazzill.

can't wait to see so many old friends.

new friends.

happy Monday.

it's going to be a great week.

kiss kiss

m.

 

forging new trails.

i have started to exercise.

i have never been one to do it.

not a fan.

don't like getting sweaty.

don't feel like i am particularly athletic.

but.

i have started exercising.

i have access to a gym at the colorful townhouse.

a pool.

and what i love most.

a trail.

it winds all around the entire complex.

so i have started taking the trail.

everyday i walk a little farther.

longer.

faster.

i wind my way in and out of the streets and onto the trail.

i get up early with the sun.

not going to lie.

i am loving it.

love the feeling of the early morning sun on my face.

it's starting to get brisk in the morning.

love the cold air.

it makes me feel alive.

so i walk.

and walk.

one day i will run.

maybe.

this past weekend i spent alone.

another new trail for me.

all of the kids were gone to Idaho with their Dad.

my house was so quiet.

just me all weekend.

i did me things.

i walked.

went to the gym.

had a massage Saturday.

and crafted all weekend.

at first i was like,

"this is great"

but by Sunday night i was lonely.

missing my kids.

this new trail in my life is a good one.

like exercise i have never liked being alone.

but more and more i am.

learning to forge this new trail.

doing things for myself.

i know.

i am 45 i should already know how.

but for 25 years i have been a wife.

a mother.

had a house filled with children.

family.

in a week i will be 46.

46 is going to be amazing.

damit.

i am doing things for myself that i have always wanted to.

i am still a mother.

and love every minute.

{well most of it}

WINK.

i am doing things i love.

like my new job.

like Spark.

spending time with girlfriends.

creating a home.

stretching in new ways.

everyday going a little further.

it's not always easy.

sometimes it hurts.

but in the end it's good.

while i walk i listen to music.

but mostly i listen to the thoughts in my head.

on my walk there are tons of these thistles.

i absolutely love them.

some would say they are weeds.

but i love the way they look.

if you look closely at them they are really prickly.

you wouldn't want one in your pocket for sure.

but i love the beauty in them.

like this new life of mine.

it's not always easy.

or smooth.

but there is beauty in it.

every day i am out there walking the trail.

finding beauty.

stretching.

growing.

changing.

it feels good.

breathing.

exhaling.

happy Tuesday.

get out there.

there are trails to be forged.

kiss kiss

m.

 

all things Spark...

Besides my new job at Bazzill.

designing a new line.

living life.

you know stuff.

right now i am in-trenched in Spark No. 3

making stuff.

lots of  yummy stuff.

last week while i was in Arizona i spent time with my dear friend Liz Eaton.

she is an amazing artist.

she is a Silversmith by trade.

amazing.

i love her work.

i have a few pieces i wear almost everyday.

this one i love.

love it's sentiment.

love.

Liz is coming to Spark No. 3.

last week she showed me some of the work she is creating for our Artisan Market.

LOVE.

Can't wait to get one.
i love the idea of Spark jewelry.

love it.

So. if you're coming to Spark no. 3 you will have to rush to get one of these.

i have one on order.

Liz is amazing.

she has so much Spark.

i can't believe it but Spark is only a month and a half away.

oh my hell.

i have so much i still want to create for it.

today my girlfriend Chrissy came over.

we Sparked.

created, talked, laughed.

i told her some stories.

secrets.

i love a friend i can laugh with and tell secrets to.

i love Chrissy.

i am a lucky girl.

lots of good things in my life right now.

i feel excited.

alive.

i have been holding my breath for a long time.

exhaling feels good.

really good.

i am a happy girl.

i hope you are too.

Happy Labor Day weekend.

kiss kiss

m.