I am Back.... Well I Never Really Left

Hello Bloggers!

I seems as if I have taken a break! I always promised myself that once I started blogging that I would keep it updated! If I have any lurkers that have noticed the lack of an entry, I would like to first start off by apologizing for not being here... But I have really never left... LOL!

I have several entries that I would like to post but I am experiencing a little technical difficulties when it comes to posting my personal pics!!! Can anyone help??? And yes, they are in jpeg...

Okay, on to the next item on the agenda... How many of you are excited about the upcoming election???? I saw the kids from the Ron Clark Academy performing live "You Can Vote However You Like," a parody to TI's "Whatever You Like," on cnn yesterday and it made my heart smile! It is my most ardent desire that whomever wins this election supports music education!

Here's the link
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/politics/2008/10/24/von.ga.kids.political.rap.cnn.html

Here's the link for the lyrics...
http://music.spreadit.org/you-can-vote-however-you-like-lyricsron-clark-academy/

Enjoy and remember that your vote is your voice!

Roses are Red... (It's the Little Things that Matter)

I have always been a multi-tasker... Back in August I planned a going away party, bridal shower and another event all in the same weekend.. I was sooo tired! Everything turned out beautiful, and I could not have been happier with the turnout of each event.

As I was leaving my last event... I had a special delivery with a little note attached thanking me for being a great person and always striving to make others dreams come true! It's the Little things that matter...coming to a layout soon!

Determined to be Disciplined...

If there were one area in my life that I needed to improve upon... I would definitely say that I need to be more disciplined... I know that it is the key to me fulfulling my destiny and ultimately my compelete happiness... Here is my plan of action for the areas in my life that I thought could use a little more disclipine.

* Spirtual-Dedicate time each day to develop my personal relationship with God.
* Financial- Cease buying things that I do not need. Create a budget and stick to it!
* Physical- Eat more veggies, drink more water, and excercise as soon as I am cleared by the doctor.
* Mental- Reward myself by doing something creative.
* Personal- Write...Write...and Write more!

There you have it! Disciplined, I am determined to be disciplined!

For the Love of the Crown...

I have competed in pageants every since I can remember... The earliest pageant that I can actually remember winning was when I was junior high... And then I caught it... What you ask??? The pageant fever!!!

I don't think that I loved the pageant (the competition aspect) more than I loved the crown... Now, don't get me wrong... I was never the type that wore my crown longer than it took for me to take a picture for the local paper... I never carried myself as if I was greater or any less than anyone else... I just had a true love for the crown...

Well, now many years later, I am still involved in almost every facet of pageantry. I produce, coach, and consult with promising pageanteers. I love what I do... But there is still something that brings me right back to the crown... What is that something you ask???? Royalty!!! I think that crowns and tiaras are sooo royal...

While surfing the web for some crown clipart, I found some wonderful sites and blogs concerning crowns.

First there is: http://gabrieladelworth-crownsandtiaras.blogspot.com/2008/10/crowns-and-tiaras-for-any-occasion.html



And then there is http://rosespetitemaison.blogspot.com/2008/01/crowns-tiaras-and-fences.html



Until next time...

Your Highness!

Be Creative in Your Holiday Giving

While I am stuck in the pink and green mode... I thought that I would go ahead and look at some pink and green wrapping for my Christmas tree this year. I know... I know... Thanksgiving isn't even here yet, but I am feeling a little jolly today! LOL!

I was talking with a friend the other day and we were discussing plans for the holidays... Well, what do you know we ended up talking about gift wrapping! So I began to surf the web and here is what I found!

How about a bright Christmas??? It works for me!!! I love it!


I also found a website that gives you step by step instructions on how to wrap a gift... I wish I had found this many years ago...

http://www.christmasmagazine.com/en/mc/wrapping02.asp

Our the state of our economy will probably effect how we will Christmas shop this year... As for me, my list has been shortened quite a bit! I am going to do more handmade crafts and give them away as gifts... I really like the following ideas..

Something for a teacher or friend...Bandages for the soul...


How about a belted onesie for the little one... Too cute! I {heart} this!


An expression album for the family...(To order one of these, please visit the scrapbookersbag.blogspot.com)




Well, that is all for now.... I will be assisting with the Miss Black and Gold Pageant tommorrow for the state of Alabama... In honor of the pageant, tommorrow's post will be all about crowns!

Party Planner

If money were no object, I would be a party planner (at least part-time anyway). I love coming up with new ideas, fun games, beautiful decor, and tasty treats to celebrate with others. Baby showers... bridal showers...April showers... You can count me in!

I am planning a baby shower for a dear friend and I have been surfing the web for new ideas. She will be having a baby girl that is due on Christmas Day! So... you guessed it, I would like to have a Christmas themed baby shower... I love the fact that many of the new Christmas decorations vary in color, so I am not tied to the traditional red and green... As a matter of fact I would like a pink and green Christmas baby shower... How cute is that?

First let's look at the invitations...



Next let's look at the decor... I love this diaper cake


Table decor...


I love this minus the alcohol... LOL! I don't drink...


Add a little pizzaz...


And a beautiful cake...


I like this one to...


And we are done.... Any ideas for "new" baby shower games?????

Giving the Gift of Creativity

I recently had surgery and my lovely mother came to take care of me. When I started to feel better, I wanted to scrapbook. As I scrapbooked, I noticed that my mother became totally engrossed in what I was doing. She watched as I cropped the photos, designed layouts, and embellished my newest creations.

Later that day, while she was out shopping for me, I put together a basket of brand new scrapbook items for her. When she returned, I gave it to her and the joy on her face brought tears to my eyes. She could not have been happier. She immediately started scrapping about all the wonderful things that God has done and is doing in her life. Her opening page was entitled, "I Don't Mind Waiting."

I watched as she carefully arranged her pictures and embellishments on the page... She looked up at me and said, "I have somewhere to release my thoughts now... to share my passions and to express my views in life... I like scrapbooking because there is no wrong way to do it... You just let what is already inside of you flow out onto the pages."

I think that I gave my mother one of the best gifts ever... The gift of creativity!

Free Your Creativity

"Stop fighting your creative spirit that is struggling to break free inside you. You will not be the person you were meant to be until you free this creative spirit and find ways to put it to use. Freeing your creative spirit will not send you into financial ruin or cause havoc with your life, if you acknowledge the creative side of you and find ways to gradually blend it into your thought process. What will happen is that you will find happiness you didn't know existed and you will become the person you were meant to be."~Edward W. Smith

This quote is so true. I spent most of my life trying to be what I thought others wanted me to be. But about three years, ago I completely turned my life around and I decided that I wanted to be free. Free to express myself... free to release my creativity... free to be who God created me to be!

Once I began to walk into my newly found freedom, I began to discover so many wonderful things about myself that I never knew before. I could scrapbook, write poetry, bargain shop, praise dance, produce beauty pageants, do make-up, mentor professionals around the world, and most of all motivate and inspire young ladies in my community. I am truly enjoying life and walking in the free-ness of being me!

I have created this blog to inspire others, just as others have inspired me. This blog will encompass every facet my life... My posts will be range from pageants to praise dancing... It is my most ardent desire that in my posting, I will be an inspiration to someone...somewhere!

Lesson for the day---- Allow your creative spirit to be free!