Poetic Justice (or "All in the Family")

Kayson has been looking forward to his Junior Prom for months now.

Back up 20 years: One day his teenaged dad came home and mom (Kayson's Grandma) said, "Get dressed. You are taking your cousin to prom tonight." Kayson has given his dad crap for years about that priceless gem.

So for this coming-of-age-event, Kayson asked a girl he really liked. He met with a friend every day for 2 weeks going over THE PLAN for their date. At different points in THE PLAN, they were going to rent a limo, ride around temple square in a carriage, go miniature golfing, go to the fanciest restaurant in town, get to the dance, take pictures and somehow get home by midnight (curfew). After drawing a time-line for him to visually demonstrate that it would take a miracle, they settled on the limo and dinner at LaCaille. This is my son: live in the moment, damn the cost.

Meanwhile, Kiersta is a senior and didn't have a date, but wasn't really worried about going this time...she's been blessed to attend every other dance during her High School career. However, dad stepped up and threatened to buy her a date. She said she'd rather go with him! So the daddy/daughter date was a go.

Prom was last Saturday. On Thursday night about midnight, Kayson's date goes to the E.R. for an emergency appendectomy. He misses school to stay by her side at the hospital on Friday, but gets plenty of other offers/suggestions via cell phone, now that she's out of the picture.

Luckily, Mindi is bringing the girls up to stay at our house on Saturday night while she and RBC go to the Jazz game...so guess who Kayson took to Prom?

Tux: $110. New Shoes: $65. Corsage: $18.
Taking your cousin to Prom: Priceless!
And SUCH poetic justice.

A great time was had by all, but DH doesn't like to be on the blog, so here are the girls before the dance:
We did tell Kaitlyn that she can't date (again?) until she is 16. Does it count if you fill in and go to the prom with your cousin? Especially if you stop by the home of the girl-newly-without-appendix and give her the corsage?

Blog Candy Winner and one more sample!

Thanks to Random.org, the winner of the Blog Candy from yesterday's Blog Tour is comment number 57: Joyce Spear! She wins a package of In-Color card stock and Kiwi Kiss striped grosgrain ribbon, just like I used on my samples. Congratulations!

And if you have returned to my blog today, here's a bonus project as a Thank You for visiting (and I hope you'll be back!):

Matchbox Messages

The Blog Tour is over and it was such a success that we'll be doing it again in the future! Thanks for stopping by.

I am leaving up two of my samples from the Matchbox Messages stamp set for your viewing pleasure :) I used some of the In-Color palette (Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss and Baja Breeze) for the first set, paired with Chocolate Chip and a pop of Whisper White. In-Colors '09 are only available until June 30, when we get an updated palette for 2010, so get 'em while you can!


The Matchbox Messages set is designed to work with the Big Shot Matchbox Bigz XL die (finished box above), so I paired the next sample with another Big Shot Die, the Top Note, and a warm patchwork blanket made from Candy Lane Designer Series Paper to welcome a baby:


I love the Matchbox Die that co-ordinates with this set for the Matchbox, but the little frames on the above cards are also on the same Die...too cute!

Blog Tour MONDAY (& Win Blog Candy)!

I'm giving you a ticket to the Occasions Mini Catalog Blog Tour ~ ONE DAY ONLY: Monday, April 27th! You'll get to travel all over the U.S. as you collect amazing ideas using the stamp sets from the Occasions Mini Catalog...I'm featuring Matchbox Messages here at Squeeze Your Creative Juice :) and when you leave me a comment, you could win some of the supplies I used to create my cards. The tour only lasts 24 hours, so don't miss the bus!

Scrap & Stamp Camp SNEAK PEEK

Included at the Embrace Life Scrap & Stamp Camp on Saturday, May 9th is a 2-page layout (in the size YOU scrapbook). Here's a peek at one of the pages...and it can be "Happy" Anything!
REGISTER by May 4th for the camp and stop by Monday for the OCCASIONS MINI TOUR with BLOG CANDY!

Simon Cowell Speechless?

Okay, most of you have already heard about Susan Boyle, but just in case you haven't seen/heard this spunky British Lady, click. Here. Watch. Smile. Cry. Now!

Embrace Life Scrap & Stamp Camp

May is National Scrapbooking Month! Do something special to celebrate! Embrace Life at my Scrap & Stamp Camp on Saturday, May 9th where you can crop from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. $30 includes lunch, 2-page scrapbook layout, a Simply Scrappin' Kit ($20 value) and chocolate, the essential creative food. You will also have access to the Creative Collection all day: hundreds of rubber stamps, ink pads, punches, die cuts and other crafting tools.

Optional classes are also available for $16 each: Flipbook Album and Face-Book. Watch for sneak-peeks here!

QUEEN OF THE CROP CONTEST: Show off the best scrapbook page you’ve ever created using at least one Stampin’ Up! Product! Bring your original page(s) to be judged AND a color photocopy (photocopies will not be returned). Winning page(s) earn a fabulous prize and will be featured here on Squeeze Your Creative Juice!

(click here for page supplies and instructions from Stampin' Up!)

Occasions Mini Catalog Blog TOUR & Blog Candy!

On April 27th, hop on the Stamp Bus for a creative tour of spectacular samples of the sets in the Stampin' Up! Occasions Mini Catalog! Start your tour here and after you visit each stop, return here enter to win BLOG CANDY! The winner will be announced on April 28th, so make sure you don't miss the bus!

Why Scrapbook?

"Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love,
the things you are,
the things you never want to lose."

Why do I scrapbook? When I was 12, my mom handed me a box of photos and memorabilia she had collected, and a small scrapbook of my baby years and said, "Here: I think you would enjoy making a scrapbook of your life." I think she was just overwhelmed with 5 kids and didn't need one more thing to do! But she was right. I have always loved paper, and this was a tactile way of preserving my memories.

My early scrapbooks were not the gorgeous pages you see in magazines now, and most of them only captured the who, what, where and when. Now I scrap for a different reason: to remember family values, to capture a feeling or to show my love for my family. I'm still not a Scrapbook Diva (although a few of my pages have been published in the past), but I am happy with what I can create and share. This brings me joy!

Your reasons for scrapbooking may be different than mine, but I hope you will enjoy the journey of finding a way to hold on to those memories that you don't want to lose. To help you in your efforts, I am holding a Scrap & Stamp Camp on May 9 and 2 Scrapbook Classes on May 21. Click on my calendar for more details and watch for sneek peeks coming soon!

Get Connected

Ever feel DIS-connected from family and friends? Do you only communicate electronically? April is a fantastic time to RE-CONNECT with a hand-stamped (and heart-felt) greeting!

Inviting friends over to get crafty is a fun way to get connected: My April parties include 3 make-n-take projects~ a Spring Greeting Card, a candy gift box using the new Matchbox Big Shot Die and a 2-page 6x6 scrapbook layout or two 6x3 cards for your guests to finish for only the cost of the supplies (or free with a $50 purchase).

GOOD NEWS: Through April 30, you can choose a FREE stamp when you purchase $40 from the Occasions Mini Catalog or when you host a Stampin' Up! workshop ($150 minimum). Choose from any of these items:
To "Get Connected" call me or visit my SU! website to place an order 24/7!

A Creative Way to Land a Job...

Speaking of creativity, here's an ingenious way to make sure you get the job you've always wanted, courtesy of PepsiMax (Thanks to my SIL Melanie for sharing this with me!):

Spring Stamp Camp

My apologies for being gone so long: I finally rebuilt my computer and I am back in business! I promise to post more often to keep your creative juices flowing :)

Where is Spring?? It's snowing as I post this! I think we'll call this Sprinter for the mix of seasons. Let's try the mantra, "Stamp it and they will come": Join me at my Spring Stamp Camp on Wednesday, April 8 from 7-10 p.m. at my home in Spanish Fork. You'll create this darling Spring Banner (left) with the Big Shot as well as cards and scrapbook pages celebrating Moms, Easter and that elusive season, Spring!

The cost is only $20 for 6 projects and all you need to bring is scissors, adhesive-I recommend SNAIL or double stick tape-and a paper trimmer (if you have one). Please register by Monday, April 6 by calling 801-376-8685. Make it more fun by registering with a friend!