Our little girl ...

Her first graduation! Pre-K and she's as serious as can be! We are so proud of our little girl. She was chosen to hold the bible during the salutes to the American flag, the Christian flag and the bible. She took her job so seriously and did a fantastic job! Of course, she was born for the stage. I say that because after every song she was the only kid taking a bow! :o)

She loves her brother so much and he was so happy to see his "Sissy" up on stage.

It wouldn't be a school function for Kalyssa without a picture of her and her best friend! These girls are positively adorable together. We are so sad that she won't be attending the same school next year but I'm sure there will be lots of play dates in our future!

It's Official! I'm a real live ARTIST!

I've never considered myself an artist. Never. My best friend says she always has because when we met in high school I would draw stuff in a sketch pad while we were at work. I guess I was fairly decent but I never considered myself good by any stretch of the imagination.

In the early part of the century (2002/2003 maybe) I started paper scrapbooking. Again, I was passable but I wouldn't say good. In 2007 I discovered digital scrapbooking. This changed my life! The paper style was so messy and actually dangerous to have around my young toddler. Still, I was passable. It's been 3 years now and I've taken many classes (at http://www.scrapgirls.com/) on design, techniques and photography. For the last 2 years I've been on the site's Welcoming Committee for their forum. I've loved my place on the team since day one and I still do. Recently they had a call for openings on the Layout Artist team. Not once did I think that I would be chosen but I figured it couldn't hurt to try, right? I had heard that they will give constructive critism and tell you how to improve your skills for the next time you apply so I thought that would be a really good thing for me. Something to work on.

About a month ago I was shocked, to say the least, that they chose me and 3 other very talented ladies out of 45+ applicants to be a Layout Artist. Since then I have been given some assignments and a few of the product designers have asked me to create layouts featuring their new products. This is a HUGE honor in my opinion!

So, I have had this title officially for a little less than a month. But today it's really official because I've had my first layout published in the Scrap Girls Newsletter! And even better ... it's in the TOP SPOT! It's the first thing you see when you open up the newsletter! It doesn't get much more exciting than that for me folks! I am totally loving my new title as Artist! Even though I never in my wildest dreams would have put that label on me!

Wanna see the newsletter? You won't have to go digging around for my layout. It' right there on top! :D

Scrap Girls Chit Chat Newsletter: May 21, 2010

♥ - Me, the Artist! (Ha Ha! I still can't believe it!)

P.S. Thanks Ang for letting me be the first to play with your new Winsome Collection!