living dreams

Turning 50..er.. 28

My friend Suzanne is turning 50. And lately, her spirit and spunk have totally been bringing a smile to my face. She's engaged to be married to the love of her life, she has a good job, she looks HOT, and is so much fun. Today she struck a pose in the hallway at work and said "ooh, I'm spicy!" Gotta love that. Fifty is a good age to be spicy. I feel like that's where FW is. Growing and getting spicy. Getting comfortable in our own skin and ready to relax and have fun and be spicy. This will be our year, I can just feel it. In my gut. I am gearing myself up and getting ready for it.

Although it's almost down to the wire to get things done and ready for CHA, I am here blogging. So many fun and quirky things happening here. I got some "me" time and got spa'ed - ahhhh! Happy feet and hands. A quick haircut and color. My fun D&G glasses. Oh yes. I have joined the couture gang by paying a stamping arm and a leg for a high fashion name. LOL. Got notice that all the stuff that we shipped, made it to the show. *phew!*

and the fontwerks girls are all giddy with excitement. to see each other. to congratulate erin on her fantastic book that will knock our socks off. to fondle the new rubber and acrylic. to see the show that is CHA, to see all the new product, and to meet friends, new and old. Life is pretty grand.

I know everyone wants to see more of the stamps and what they look like instead of just the teasers. But I thought I'd show you Kate's papers instead... yumma yumma.

And lastly, happy 28th birthday to Rachel - one of the FW girls from the very beginning. She was one of those to whom I said "this will be your year." Ha! She sure proved me right. Rachel, here's to a fabulous day, a grea t time in Vegas, and an amazingly fantastic year ahead! Smooch!

I can see clearly now...

Sneak peek # 2 for you - also the announcement that FontWerks now offers clear stamps as well as our rubber ones - because we know there are those of you who love the red rubber, and the rest of you who are always asking "when is FontWerks coming out with clear stamps??!" LOL

Well, now we are. :)

We will be wearing the "Got Stamps" shirt at the show as well - so cute.

And - I wanted to say, if you've not heard about Erin Lincoln's new book, go here. Cry, laugh and cheer. And go get that book. That girl is a whiz, a whiz I tell you. She will have you scrap your stash in no time flat.

Want a sneak peek? :)

As promised, here is a little sneak peek for you!

More to come!

Surgery update

THANK YOU to everyone who posted and emailed about my dad's surgery - we all felt the love and support, and I wanted to update you on how it went - the plate went in fine but now they're thinking there might be some radioactivity that might affect the brain, so lots of prayers needed for that. Other than that, all seems fine, we have to literally tie my dad down and tell him not to move about so much. He goes in on Thursday for another surgery to remove the plate and then after that, time will tell I guess. My folks will need extra prayer as well, because they'll have my kids for 4 days out of the 7 while I am gone to CHA this coming weekend LOL. Yes, pray hard.

I am so excited, people. Everything is coming together for CHA. We had issues and oopsies come up as you might imagine with a show like CHA but they were nicely and quickly resolved. Everything is falling into place. I am in love with what we are showing at the show. I am so excited to be seeing my team again. The last few days before any show are the most stressful of all, but the euphoria and adrenaline will carry me through. As will a haircut appointment, pedicure and manicure. Haha. All in the name of business, I tell my hubby. It's all for the business. :D

Watch for a full sneak peek coming in the next few days as well as our very very very late January newsletter.

Guide the doctor's hands...

Tomorrow is the day, we can't believe it is here already. 2 months after his cancer diagnosis, my father will go in for surgery. We are blessed that he is getting the treatment that he is, and in the speed that he is receiving it. Tomorrow he will go in at 9.30am and go through a two hour surgery where a piece of radioactive plate is placed in his eye, hopefully to destroy all the cancer cells in that area.

We met tonight to support him and my mother, and prayed over him. He called it an honour that we did that for him. We have also agreed to cover the 2 hours of surgery in prayer, for we believe in prayer. If you do, join us, won't you?

Thanks.

T minus 13

As I sit here, it is less than 2 weeks to CHA. And I am surprised at how relaxed I am feeling. It makes me a little nervous, isn't that ironic? Almost like a false euphoria. I know there's still so much to do, but I think I've got most of the biggies done that I feel the rest is do-able within the time period. And worse comes to worse, thank God for UPS/Fedex overnight. I really think I am spending my children's inheritance on courier services.

On the home front, Emily is all signed up for activities galore. I have been talking with a few friends who have BTDT and they are nodding their heads in agreement that I am entering one of the busiest and craziest times of my life as my kids start organized sports/activities, but to a person, they are telling me to enjoy, enjoy, enjoy... as the time flies by and before you know it, I will be an empty nester and missing my kids. And I am already dreading that time. I see that with my folks, they love to have us all around, and I think we made their entire Christmas by having the whole family stay overnight. Right now my kids are just too precious and good and beautiful that I would love to freeze these moments and keep them at this age. My mom has told me she had the same feelings when my brother, sister and I were a certain age. I just think it's so cool that I am experiencing the same emotions my mother had, oh so many years ago.

Also on the home front, I am beyond surprised at a new turn of events. Rob has now brought up the topic of having another baby, not once, not twice, but many many times. My jaw almost hit the floor the first time he mentioned it. I gestured around us, incredulous eyebrow cocked, and he was smart to read it correctly - "are you nuts? 2 kids, just starting activities, fulltime jobs, a growing SB business, shift work, church, etcetc? And the laundry?! We just got our last baby out of diapers!" And yet he laughed and still nodded his head, yes. And the worst thing? He's got the kids on his side. They want another sibling. Another sister, Emily says. And poor Cameron, he doesn't know better, he just follows what Emily says.

Don't get me wrong. I haven't gotten the signal from my body to say that I am done. My heart is not closed to having another. I actually have had quite a few pangs as i play with my 6 mth old twin niece and nephew... but oh it is so nice to hand them back to their mother when they are fussy. LOL!! And I am living on about 4-5 hours of sleep each night now, I can't imagine how that will decrease with another baby in the house.

Ok, back to business. I am finalizing catalog and order forms and such. I am really hopeful to get that info out to my retailers before the show, or a sneak peek at the very least. They are salivating and delighting me to no end. Their eagerness, support and enthusiasm just give me such a boost of strength and renewal that I cannot tell you how much it means to me.

So I'll share something tonight - another design from the amazing Kate. Something called "Simply Daring." It rocks my world.

And, to end... thank you to my FW girls, you don't know it, but today, you did it for me. Just by being you. Not to mention that they told me FW made it into CK's Top Ten book. Someone scan that page in for me!! Please!! :D :D :D

An addition

I promised to share a little about an addition to the FontWerks team, and here it is - I've invited Kate Teague to join us and we will be showcasing her paper line at CHA-W. Those of you who know Kate know that she is an amazingly talented digi/paper scrapper. If you had asked any of the current FW girls who they felt was an honorary FW member, they would have all said, "Kate." So you can imagine how tickled I am about this. :)

I have had several emails over the last few weeks about DT additions. I am of two minds on this issue. I do know I would like to add someone who can alter the heck out of things, a mixed media artist. On the other hand, I am happy with my team and they have bonded so well that I worry about how another addition would work out (and that's why I am happy that Kate was already considered a honorary member). Knowing the FW girls though, they would go out of their way to welcome any new member. I do have a solution that I am mulling over and will think it over more, and will be sure to share when I am able.

Mine and hers

WOW. The last few days have been tough. Hard, tough, long, tiring, but yet exciting, rewarding, inspiring, exhilarating! Getting ready for a show like CHA is tough, but throw in an outside job (fulltime!), a hubby who works shift work, 2 kids, a home to take care of, plus the lingering effects of vertigo, and you have one pooped lady. So tonight I am taking some time off. I'm actually sitting on the couch flipping channels, which is not for fun but out of necessity, since I don't watch very much tv, I can't really remember what is on anymore LOL. But I am just glad to be able to sit, and veg, rest and rejuvenate.

And having my new stamps next to me is very very exhilarating. I can't remember being ever so excited about a line (do I say this about every release??) I love the stamps, every single one of them. A lot of time, effort, thought, worry and care went into the choosing (and creating of a couple) of the fonts, and designs. A lot of me goes into each and every single stamp. I don't believe FontWerks is a mass-producer of stamps, because of the time that goes into each design and stamp. And yes, we cut and package them by hand. Because they are our handiwork. It's good to have hands-on the company and the products. Keeps us grounded and busy, busy, busy. This week I am one step further in achieving my dream. Emails and phonecalls from distributors, wanting very very much to carry FontWerks to their customers. Thank you, God. And I wanted to share what is really hitting it home for me this week - phonecalls and emails from my retailers, who just cannot wait for CHA. They want to see what we have coming out, and they want to carry it all. Now, please and thank you. LOL. I have had to tell them I will try and give them all a sneak peek as soon as I can. But it is so good to hear that the products are so wanted and so looked forward to.

Anyway, Emily has been prancing around the house tonight with her pink tutu, tights and a bejewelled tiara. Ok, she does this every night. She is one princessy-dancer. She told me tonight that it is her dream to dance on stage. I have heard this before, but tonight I heard it. She wants to dance. She wants to skate, swim, play, do. As I have my dreams, so does she. And it is my job to help her achieve whatever dreams she has. So tomorrow, off to the dance studio to sign her up. And to the baseball sign up as well (this was decided last week). I guess my time as a chauffeur mom has officially started. :)

Advance notice of MIA

Just wanted to let you know that between CHA prep, newsletter, orders and planning, I am officially out of any spare time, so won't be updating for the next couple days.

But before I sign off, wanted to say, I received the new products today, and ... yuuumm! So happy. Love, love this line.

See you soon.

The power of lists...and a little sneak

In my last post I wrote about how I love lists. Oh yes. They are my sanity savers, my link to all that I need to remember, to do, to buy, to call, etc.

Well, since I'm still working away at the computer at 3.15am my time, and just getting ready to go to bed, I thought I'd share some of my list with you, for what I have to do tomorrow, just for fun. Some of the stuff is in abbreviated form and I can't share more than that, hope you understand!

7am - Wake up, finish SS plates #3.

8am- Get kids up, breakfast, off to daycare (i don't send my kids off to daycare all the time on the days that I am home but being so close to CHA, this is better for all of us).

8.30-9 - Phone calls. Emails.

9am - 10.30 - SS plates #4, #5.

10.30-noon - orders

12-12.30 - shower, quick phone calls

12.30-1.30 - glasses

1.30-2pm - Post office, LD

2pm - 5pm - Plates

4.30pm - send Rob out for packages and packaging

5-5.30 - Emails/phonecalls

5.30pm - pick kids up

5.45pm - start dinner

Family time

7.45pm - Business meeting

9.30pm - Time with Rob

10pm - Plates

11pm - Orders / Emails

This is what the general look of my day will be tomorrow; I try and add in time to eat, a few minutes to veg and watch a few minutes of TV, and the appointment to get glasses might morph into a few minutes of clothes shopping for CHA. And I do take breaks from the computer throughout the day and evening, even if it is a couple minutes to check on the kids, or see what Rob is doing, etc.

You'll note the lack of creative time, to scrap, to read, to create something other than product. That is weighing heavily on my mind and on my heart. Will have to relook at my time and priorities after the show. Also, this week is Week of Prayer at my church and I am determined to make some time in the evenings to actually go to one or two of the meetings.

The next three weeks are going to be pretty much like what tomorrow's list looks like. Once production deadlines are past, then it's off to focusing and finalizing on CHA projects, plans, and more. So much to do. But with the help of the lists, it'll get done.

And I promised Nancy I'd share a sneak peek today - hope you like it, Nancy!  Introducing Fashionable, from FontWerks. Coming to you at CHA Winter 2006 (3 short weeks)!!

I also have 2 big announcements to make fairly soon - involving product and design team, can't wait to share!