i received this the other day from a friend....thought of a BILLION women that could relate!! enjoy!


It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'

Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible.. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?? I need that now Mommy!

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.' Hurry Mom, I'll be late!

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude -but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!?

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Jan ice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well.. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Jan ice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .

I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These bui lders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fuelled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything. (I have been studying this in my art appreciation class, some of these cathedrals took one hundred years to build, amazing! ~Janna)

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it. And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.'

No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become. At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness.. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there..'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!

WINTER SCRAPBOOKING RETREAT
Saturday and Sunday - January 23 - 24, 2010

Two full days of scrapbooking!!!

9:00 AM Saturday to 8:00 PM Sunday! WooHoo!!!

Cost is $60 for a four foot table space or $85 for a full table for both days!

If you would like to stay the night at the hotel, the group rate is $69 a room (plus taxes). Tell them you are with the Creative Memories group when you make your reservation in order to get the special rate. Room reservations need to by made by Jan. 8th and you pay the hotel directly for your room. Room check in is the standard hotel check-in after 3:00 pm and check-out is 12:00 noon.

You do not need to stay the night in the hotel to participate. Meals are on your own.

Drinks, snacks and make-it take-it's are included in your registration fee! Just come and have fun!!!!

You will get a goodie bag and tickets to win door prizes.

Be sure to include your favorite soft drink on the registration form!

$20.00 deposit will hold your space. Retreat fees need to be paid in full by January 1st - subject to a $20 cancellation fee if you cancel between January 1st and the 23rd.

Location
Holiday Inn
549 S Rock Rd
Wichita, KS 67207

Send your registration and fees to:
Margo Walker
635 Christine Court
Haysville, KS 67060
Or Call: 316-522-8478


WINTER SCRAPBOOKING RETREAT REGISTRATION FORM

Please mail your check or money order and a copy of this form to: Margo Walker at
635 Christine Court, Haysville, KS 67060 to reserve your spot!

Name_________________________________________ Phone ________________

Address ______________________________________________________________

City _________________________ State ______________ Zip ________________

Email ________________________________________________________________

Event Fees: Regular space $60.00 ____ Full table $85.00 ____ (one person per table)

Enclosing $20.00 deposit, with balance due by Jan 1?____

Amount enclosed _________________

My favorite soft drink is:___________________________________
For additional information and dietary needs, please call Margo at
316-522-8478.

i've been REALLY anti-computer lately!! do you ever get that way? i feel like its just a HUGE time sucker!! blah!!

So i've been neglecting my bloggin' duties - and believe me, i've heard about it!!!

wanted to drop in and show you the FREE make n take we'll be doing tomorrow!!! We're doing FREE make n takes every Saturday in december (up until christmas!).......come join us!!!

These custom gift tags are SO cute and easy to make - plus you'll learn how to be "green"!! Each one is used with just scraps and imagination!!!

Did you get to make the rings last weekend!??! If not - we still have some of those left!! If you purchase a ring, you can "bling it up" for free!!! ;)

We'll start the make n takes at 9:00am and do them until the supplies are allllll gone!!!

AND we're gonna start our TWELVE days of Christmas Sale TOMORROW TOO!! :) it's sure to be HO HO HOOOOOO-rific!! :) (wait does that mean HORROR-IFIC!??!) hmmm!??!

Scrapathon

A benefit for A Better Choice,

a non-profit Catholic Crisis Pregnancy Center providing Christ-like counseling, community resources and referrals concerning pregnancy issues, abortion alternatives and healthy lifestyle choices.

January 16, 2010

8:00 am -10:00 pm

St. Thomas Aquinas Parish

1321 Stratford Lane

Wichita KS

A $50 donation will reserve a spot all day and you can come and go as you wish. Tell your friends; bring your photos and supplies. We will provide 3 meals, beverages and snacks, including fresh baked goodies at 3:30pm. There will be a swap shop to trade supplies with other guests, a help desk for beginners and door prizes.

To register call Vallarie Eades at A Better Choice

259-6453 or e-mail abc@abetterchoiceinc.org

Sponsored by

Pro-Life and Social Justice Ministry of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish

here are your BLACK FRIDAY sales for FRIDAY ONLY!!

*Purchase a $50.00 gift certificate for only $45.00.

*Spend $50.00 and receive a FREE gift with your purchase! (it's a good one too!)(excludes the purchase of Gift Certificates)

*Receive $5.00 in "Attic Bux" for every $50.00 you spend!!

*ALL Card Cubbys will be 20% off!! (these make FANTASTIC gifts for: teachers, hairdressers, hard to buy for girlfriends and mother in-laws!!!

*Take 20% off any ONE item of your choice!! (excluding Epson products!)

*Attic Kit Club!! - sign up for a 6 month subscription (beginning in JANUARY) and you'll receive your first month 1/2 off!!

*COPIES!! Friday ONLY! For every 5 copies you have made, you'll recieve a COUPON for 5 FREE future copies!! (you have to bring them in friday!!)


*SLICE Cartridges - Buy one - get a second for 1/2 off!!! (that's a pretty saweet deal!)

*Smooch Inks, Cats Eye, Stickles, Glimmer Mist and Stamp Pads - Buy 3 get ONE free!!!

*All IN STOCK Xyron Sticker Makers and Refills - 40% off!
(excludes the X machine)

*WRMK - the new CHOMPER (it's the AWESOME new Corner Rounder and Corner Shape Punch!) - 20% off

*All EK Success Slim Edger Punches - Buy ONE - get
one HALF off!

*American Crafts Thickers - Buy TWO - Get one free!!

Come on in and STOCK up and treat YOURSELF, or get that holiday shopping done for the scrapbooker on your list!! Which reminds me - HUSBANDS, SPOUSES and SIGNIFICANT OTHERS (also known as Scrubbys...) we are here to make your job SUPER easy. We have a gift registry system - come in shop for all the fun things you'd like to have! We put it on your "Wish List" and all "they" have to do is call or come in - tell us what or how much they'd like to spend....we'll wrap it up for ya (for FREE, cuz i LOVE to wrap!) and have it ready and waiting for you when you arrive!!!

fine print: all bogo items must be of equal or lesser value. we will be NOT be punching Scrap*Funattic punch-cards on Friday. sale ends Friday at 6:00pm. Excludes all Espson products.

SALE!!
TODAY ONLY!!

*All Cardstock – Buy 10 – get 5 Free

*30% off All Page Protectors

*ALL Calendars 30% off

*Jolee’s Stickers – Buy 1 get 1 ½ off!

*Stickles and Cats Eye – Buy 3 get 1 FREE!

plus - 10% off any items used in the make n take today!

Come see us!! Crop with us tonight - 5:00pm-5:00am!!

WINNERS!!

okay - so all week we've been having sketch challenges and questions, comments and fun!! HERE are a list of all the winners and what they're winning!!!!! (kinda makes ya wanna join facebook - doesn't it?!?!)

Comment WINNERS!

Shelby Bates - Fancy Pants mixed media album

Glenda Thompson - Chicks in the Attic September kit

Margo Hazlewood - Eskimo Kisses Paper pak

Jill Keller - 8x8 Linen Album - WRMK

Teressa Roos - Easel Frame Album

Diana Corner - 8x8 Tis the Season Colorbok Album

Dina Stewart - Doodlebug True Love Collection Pak

Linda Gilbow - KI Festive Kit

Janine Barnhart - Fancy Pants Mixed Media Album

Sarah Butler - CITA September Kit

Tiffany Pettit - 10x10 Making Memories PreDesigned Calendar

SKETCH Winners!

Janine Barnhart - Mini Clip It Up!

Rachel Z. - (notice i didn't even TRY and botch your last name!) Martha Stewart Scallop Dot Punch - THE SET!!

Kim Brown - ek Success Edger Punch (love these!)

Tiffany Pettit - XL heart punch

Diana Corner - Tote-Ally Cool Tote!!

We'll hold on to your prizes until you can make it in!! CONGRATULATIONS and thank you SO much to all of you for participating!!!!!!! I can't wait to do it again!!

Saturday Nov 14 1pm-4pm
Year In A Day Calendar Class
Supply List

If you are taking the class with Monica on Sat here are some things you might like to bring.....

• splat mat
• tim holtz blending tool (with a few extra sponges)
• distress ink - vintage photo (brown), tattered rose (pink), peeled paint (green)
• black ink
• colonial blue ink
• smooch ink - molasses
• chestnut roan ink
• sanding block or file set
• vellum spray
• red pen
• black pen
• zip dry
• foam tape
• glue dots or your favorite adhesive
• glimmer mist - meadow green, coral
• Heidi swapp star mask
• tim holtz works mask
• pearl chalk
• snowflake punch (about 1 inch)
• star punch (about 2 inches)
• deckle square punch (1 7/8)
• stickles (rock candy, star dust, icicle, green, purple, xmas red, yellow, cotton candy, waterfall, magenta)

Again, these are not required... if you happen to have them though, you wouldn't have to share in class. Most of these items are available to purchase at the store - remember, you get 10 % off the day of class!!!

FAMOUS!! :)

It's always really cool to be looking through your favorite scrapbooking websites, blogs and magazines and see someone you know being published!!!

I wanted to share this with all of you!! (if you'd like to check out the site, go HERE

Congratulations Heather!! You're pretty darn good! ;)

Hartford High School
Crop for After Prom
This crop is to raise money for After Prom at Hartford High School.
Crop for After Prom will be held at the Hartford Community Center located at 117 Commercial in Hartford, Kansas on February 20, 2010 from 9 am to 9 pm. This event will feature 12 hours of cropping, onsite vendors, fabulous door prizes and a whole lot of fun.
Seats for the event are $20.00 each or get a table for five for $75.00.
If you wish to be a vendor at our 12 hour crop, booth will be $20.00.
To register, complete the form below and mail it with your payment to:
Shelley Jenkins 3050 Road G Americus, KS 66835
For more information, please contact Shelley at 620-366-1334.
Make your checks payable: HHS After Prom
Food/Beverage: The 2010 After Prom Committee will have concessions with lunch/dinner items.
****************************************************************************************
Name:_______________________Email:_______________________Phone:______________
Crop seat $20.00: ______ Crop table for 5 $75.00________ Vendor Booth $20.00________
Who you wish to sit with:_______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Special seating requests:_______________________________________________________
Space is limited so register today.
Doors will be open at 8:30 am.

Wanna win some AWESOME COOL SCRAPBOOKING LOOT!?!?

Check out our FAN PAGE on FACEBOOK!!! You don't have to JOIN facebook to be in on the action!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/manage/updates.php?id=110372373920&sent=1&e=0#/pages/Andover-KS/ScrapFunattic/110372373920?ref=ts

Click on the link and join in!! :)

Have a great Friday! Happy Scrappin'!

Hey guys!! Hows it goin!?!?

Still wonderin' whats new and exciting and happenin here at the attic!?!?,......WELL - sit tight, i'm working on it! :)

until then - i wanted to let you know of a great crop that's going to be happenin' in Salina NEXT weekend!!! I've been told that this crop is spectacular!!! Small, quaint and the PERFECT weekend getaway crop!!!! Check out the details, check out your calendar, then treat yourself to a weekend away!!!


It’s a Fall Scrap-A-Ganza!

Save the date!!
November 13th thru 15th
Friday 10am to Sunday 3pm

Location: Ramada Inn Hotel & Conference Center
1616 W. Crawford Ave, Salina, Ks

Crop Fee (Per Person)

$90 crop the weekend
$210 with hotel (single occupancy)
$150 with hotel (double occupancy)
$50 Saturday Only (no meal voucher)
$130 with hotel (based on triple occupancy)
$120 with hotel (based on quad occupancy)


*Bring a snack for the hospitality room and you will be entered to win a prize*


Payment info:

Please make checks/money orders payable to Kim Rayas and send to: 2092 Shalimar Drive, Salina, KS 67401. Cancellation policy: there is a $50 non-refundable cancellation fee. Cancellations must be received by 10/31/09 to receive refund minus cancellation fee. If for any reason we should have to cancel, you will be refunded the full amount paid.


Book now as seating is VERY limited!!

What’s included in the weekend??

• Over 50 hrs of scrapbooking
• $15 Meal Voucher to O’Malleys
• Goodie Bag
• Door Prizes
• Vendor—Scraps! from Larned
• 2 persons per 6’ table
• Continental Breakfast w/room
• Pool, Sauna & Hot Tub w/room
• If you book a room, your family can come enjoy the pool, game room, ping-pong, air hockey & pop-a-shot




Be sure to share this with ALL of your scrapping friends!! We hope you join us for a fantastic time.



Fall Scrap-A-Ganza Registration Form
(Only a FEW spots available, so register NOW!)

November 13th thru 15th

Ramada Inn Hotel & Conference Center
1616 W. Crawford Ave. Salina, Ks

Name: ____________________________________________ I am sharing a table with: ___________
Address: __________________________________________ ________________________________
City: _____________________State: ___ Zip: ____________ ________________________________
Email: ____________________________________________ I am sharing a room with: ___________________
Phone: ____________________ Cell: __________________ _________________________________________
I am registering for: ___crop only ___crop/single room. ____crop/double room ___crop/triple room ___ crop/quad room _____Saturday Only
Neither the Ramada Inn nor crop hostess is responsible for any lost or stolen items or accidents. ________ (initial)
_______ (date)
____ (initial here) I understand and agree to the $50 cancellation fee. If I do not provide written notification to kimrayas@sbcglobal.net that I am unable to attend by 10/31/09, I understand that I will not be refunded. NO REFUNDS FOR THE CROP WILL BE GIVEN AFTER THE CANCELLATION NOTICE IS DUE.

Please print and submit with payment to: Louise Robb, 2092 Shalimar Dr Salina, Ks 67401. Questions regarding the crop, please call Kim Rayas at 785-822-7294 or email kimrayas@sbcglobal.net. If you’d like to guarantee registration, but need us to hold a check, please contact Kim to make arrangements.



We look forward to having a “croppin” good time together!

Okay - as i promised - here are some more photos that i took over the last few weeks, trying to get ya'll caught up!!! :)

We've got some EXCITING news coming your way (at least we're SUPER EXCITED!!...and so will YOU!! .... and you Donna Wunderlich!!;) ) coming your way very soon.....plus an update on all the new stuff thats arrived......we're gearing up for Christmas, black friday, special classes, sales and projects!!!!

So - i'll come back tomorrow with yet another HUGE update!!! Thanks for hanging in there with me - i'm getting back into the swing of things!! .. sLoWlY! :)

The girls and I worked SUPER hard preparing for the garage sale. A Huge thank you to Michielle Doll for volunteering her time on Friday to help us set up!! We have NEVER been able to get out of here before midnight the night before the sale! THANK YOU!! :)

We were POOPED when we were finally done! )

The Piggies & Paws event that we had at the store last week was AWESOME!! We had a great turn out and some family members are getting some wonderful irreplaceable Christmas Gifts!

Danica is SO good at this!! She works VERY well with the kiddos - patient and sweet!! I don't know how she does it!!

The Garage Sale was an ENORMOUS success!!! There were a FEW stickers left after hayden has his choice!! :)

Notice what he's playing with?? PaperKins!??! He LOVES these things and there were PLENTY of them in the garage sale!!

Right before the Garage Sale began....all is peaceful and calm!

Kate stepped in and took the place of Renee for us!! She did an AMAZING job - and i think she might have had a good time as well!!

We got away for an afternoon to visit the patch!

Punkin Carving.....Kord informed me this year that he was too old to Trick or Treat this year!!? WTH!?! i remember being mad .... MAD...at my mom cuz she made me stop trick or treating when i was 12!!! i would STILL trick or treat if it didn't look a little ODD (just a little!)

i've always wanted to create my own costumes for the kids ..... i've had some great "ideas" but never really sure how to bring them to life!! wellll....that's where Renee comes in!!

I told her that Hayden LOVES legos and i'd LOVE to make him a lego costume!?? ..... ask and ye shall receive!!.....ta da!!!

He LOVES LOVES LOVES this costume!!! STILL plays in it daily!! 5 days AFTER halloween!

Everyone needs a "Renee"! (you can't have mine tho!)

I glued his lego's onto his star wars Darth Vader bucket!! (he was actually a Lego Skeleton from Lego Star Wars!)

Thank you Renee!!! :) you're da bomb diggity!

about a week before halloween - christy came in and asked us for these Prima Blings Flourishes....she'd seen in the latest mags......so we decided to create one of our own as well!

i think it's gorgeous!! and you can leave it out through thanksgiving, cuz it's not a jack-o-lantern!!! I like that!!!

LOOK at this costume that one of "favorite" customers!! Each year she and her dh make the most elaborate handmade costumes!! This year, with a little help from their Cricut, some foam board and some crayon banks.....she created the PERFECT little Box Of Crayons!! Can you believe this!?!?

All of this on the back, the REAL crayon box info.

This is not just copied and blown up - she re-created this bar code with her cricut!! You HAD to see this in person to REALLY be blown away!! :)

Wee Wee - from our french maid!! (im sure that's spelled wrong - is it "wi wi"?! or we' we'!?!

Of course, we had to have a visit from THE one and only Dale Earnhardt!

A little over the shoulder pose from our model squirrel!

I couldn't resist this picture!!! If i didn't know better - id think they were brother and sister!! They FIGHT and LOVE as such!

Recap!?!

Sooooo, i know that i've been a terrible blogger - if you stop and think about it - i haven't really given you a decent, juicy, filling, informative, humorous blog since before ganza!!! and i'm REALLY sorry! no excuse-well, really i have a LIST as long as my 6 year old!, but not gonna bore you with the details!!! im not sleeping until i get all of our attic friends CAUGHT up on the happenin's around here!!!!


we got our newest little sweetie - Carleigh!!! She's SUCH a doll - and a little diva too! :)




We've been SUPER busy with weekend football games, and weeknight practices - as im sure SO MANY of you can relate to this time of year!


My oldest has been burdened with the ever so dreaded reading glasses!?!?!!? (gets that from his mother! )
Scrap*Funattic 2010 February Crop*A*Ganza sold out in about an hour, a coffee theme this time!! SOOOO many wonderful ideas and surprises for this one!!!
Monica's Calendar class is coming up VERY SOON!!! It's almost full - don't waste any time getting signed up for this one!!!


Our kit club is going strong!!! We are so excited to be growing each month!! And we have even MORE exciting ideas and inspiring designers planned for the future!!
October's Kit was unique......
& FUN......
Novembers kit was FULL of fall colors, warm and fuzzy embellishments and SO many different perspectives!
Notice these kiddos?
Or better yet, notice the "style" of the layout? Jana designed the layouts for this months Chicks in the Attic Kit!!! Ahhhhh, it's SO good to see her in action again!! missed that girl!
THERE ARE LOADS MORE PHOTOS AND UPDATES FOR YOU - FROM HERE - LEFT MY CAMERA AT THE STORE SO I WILL GET THAT DONE TOMORROW!!! STAY TUNED!

Here's your ganza recap - YES, i know that the photos are loaded backwards, and i would normally NEVER post somethin like this - but ive got SO much to tell you that we're just gonna make it work!!

thank you SO much to Ronda Mollenkamp for the WONDERFUL bux break during ganza!

Another WONDERFUL "Kate game" - you had to cut out with your cricut and correctly spell all of the attic gals names!!!....

Another Facebook Challenge - to make Kate some handmade jewelry to sport for the weekend!
i LOVE this photo!! THIS is why we keep doing what we do!! THIS photo says it ALL!
Kates "buddy" one handed scrapper challenge.....
yolanda found using her mouth helped her out a LOT!



Our ganza entertainment for the night......Beyonce and her sister were back for an encore!!!

you REALLY had to be here to REALLY appreciate this!
Lindsay was ONE of the winners of a free ganza seat!!!
a tad bit excited!
which winning balloon will she choose?
each of these balloons had a prize stuffed inside!
another "buddy system" challenge from kate!
you and yor partner had to move around the entire room without touching the balloon!!!
leave it to the sisters to be the winners!!
AND they were being SUPA fast too!

Poor Amy Florio - this was just ONE of the unfortunate events of the weekend-
and she's down!
nothing like a friendly little pillow case relay race in the lobby of the best western amongst scrappin friends!!!
can you imagine what the other hotel guests were thinking......!!???
i love this photo too!! The friendships that have been made - memorable.... i love it!
yeah - this is me - but i'm NOT sure exactly what i'm doing?!?!

Just another one of Kates CRAZY games! - SO MUCH FUN!

ummmm, i was out at my sons football game during this one - so i'm at a loss as to whats going on here?!?!?!?
thanks smyers for pickin' up the balloons!! (since i realized id forgotten about THREE hours later!)
What would we do without our creative JEANYUS?!
and a HUGE shout out to Krusty Mullins' daughters friends for all their help too!! it made it SUPER nice to have the xtra hands!

Assembling the ribbon cups!!

Thats all folks.....for now - no worries - i have MUCHO more to share with you tomorrow!! )