It is Finally Here....Scrap-A-Ganza!!

Today is the big day -- The Scrap-A-Ganza Expo in Houston opens today. I know the three ladies running it are probably going crazy this morning as they kick off the show in a just a few hours. What started out as a burning desire to bring a modest scrapbook show (atleast the first year) to the Houston area, has turned in to a much larger endeavor. There are over 20 classes being offered being offered by local and celebrity instructors, the all day crop on Saturday was so popular and sold out so quickly they added another crop day on Sunday! There are quite a few vendors offering various scrapbooking, stamping and other wares in the expo side.....I can hardly wait to get there this morning.

And yours truly is teaching a SUMMER WORD BLOOM MINI ALBUM class there this morning and it is SOLD OUT !!! I am so excited. Now granted, I did think the project was rather cute and am so thankful that others thought so as well! We are going to have a lot of fun in the class and everyone is going home with an adorable mini album to keep their special Summer Photos in.

Well, I better get my stuff in the car and head over there. I hope to see some old scrapbook buddies and make some new ones this weekend :) Have a Happy Scrappy Day !!!

$1 Inspiration that is "Priceless"

Ever wonder what to do with all that cute $1 stuff you see at the store? I recently was inspired by a fun "golf" pen I found at the local discount store. I needed a quicky gift card for Father's Day and decided the "golf' pen was a perfect base to create a one of a kind card for Dad. I took 2 of the $1 pens, punched holes in the cardboard backing, tied a little ribbon through each hole to create a "card".

I added some AC Vinyl Thicker letters to the front for the title and covered the inside of the "card" (which was the back of the cardboard holder of the "golf pen", added a Father's Day missive....and wallaaaaah!!!! Trust me when I say I will be looking for more fun $1 items to create with in the future. Let me know if any of you have ever "altered" a $1 item to create something inspired.

Family Reunions are FUN!!

Who would have thought it would have taken me this long in life to learn more about my mother's KEPKA side of the family? And that I would have enjoyed it so much ? Since the late 1950's, the KEPKA's who are of czech descent have had a family reunion in Kansas around or in the town of Wilson where our first KEPKA relatives from Bohemia in the 1876. This is the first time I have ever gone...frankly, I just found out about it a year ago and promised to go. I was able to meet my Great Uncle Don and he had a treasure trove of old pictures of my mother and uncles as little children on the family farm in Wilson. I don't have any old photos of my mother, a farm or anything like that so getting these was so exciting!!! My cousin Randy, my great uncle's son, had put over 50 pictures on a cd and brought them for me. Can you imagine my delight? These pictures are from the 1940's so cool to see the clothing, hairstyles, cars, buildings, etc from that period of time.


There were around 150 KEPKA's at the reunion, most of them all living in and around the town of Wilson. And I was so surprised they all brought pictures to the reunion to share....many from the late 1800's......WOW!!!


I was able to hear many stories from some of the older generation of relatives about my great grandfather and great grandmother, grandfather and my mother as a child ...it was so rewarding to hear these stories. I will be able to add many more stories of my family history scrapbook.


I encourage any of you who get a chance to attend a family reunion to take a leap of faith and go....even if it is three states away and they are people you have never met :)