Rock on, sistah!

I'm feeling so FULL right now. Full of inspiration, full of passion, full of excitement. It's good - but a little overwhelming. I'm tired, but in a really good way. I like this exciting energy.

The weekend with Ali at the store was over the top fabulous. She is SO freaking real, and down to earth and easy. Her teaching style is totally laid back, much like mine. I love teachers who keep it real and fluid and low stress. She is so low stress. I took her Perspectives class - which was totally fun. Stacy Julian took the class also - what a blast to sit with her and her friend Paula, and my friend Debbie. Our pictures had to be cropped to 3 x 3 inches for the album, and I can't tell you how many times I heard Stacy say "Oh, let's see, which kid to I have to crop out this time?" Love Stacy.

Ali did a fabulous make and take at the anniversary party - it was so cool to watch her figure out what she was going to do. She pulled a ton of product out of her suitcase (think Mary Poppins) and then just sat on her knees in front of the table, playing and rearranging and talking to herself, "Too many lines... Keep it simple" Too groovy. She used almost all 7 Gypsies products, which is absolutely my current favorite line. I just can't get enough of their stuff. How cute are we with our matching Anniversary Party shirts and Miss Ali? I had some great conversations with Ali about this animal called scrapbooking - how it's so amazing that she can go all over the world and share this hobby with women... it's really this huge thing for so many women. And yet, for the rest of the world, it's just paper and decorative scissors. Ah well - let them think that. Because we know better. It's about stories and art and life and love and passion and creating.

I cannot tell you how grateful I am for my job. That I get to indulge my passion for creativity in an environment full of wonderful women. I LOVE teaching - pushing people to create and think outside the box and tell their stories. I LOVE pretty paper. I LOVE that I get to make my own schedule, and that I make quite a bit of money doing what I love and that I can always learn more. There's just this endless world of possibilities out there for the things I can do with my stories and the people I can meet. Awesome. Really.

I get to go next weekend to Portland for the Creating Keepsakes Convention. I meet my Mom and my best girlfriend Brooke and my friend Jan there every year. We take classes and shop shop shop and stay up way into the night talking and laughing. Can't wait.

So tonight, I'm grateful and full and happy and excited and just plain thrilled to be at this place in my life where I can be involved in the things I'm involved in and know the people I know.

I'm blessed.