Win an iTunes Gift Card...

My friend Suzanne, over at Just A Bunch of Nothin' is holding a little contest. You don't have to do a whole lot, just tell a story about something someone has done for you and how you can or have paid it forward.

Read the story HERE

Why not? It's a free gift card, so go for it!!!

Summer Fun Photo Contest

I know I've posted this shot before, but for me, this is the epitome of summer fun. What can be more fun than jumping in a pool? Why...jumping in with two friends, of course! And over at
5 Minutes For Mom, they're having a photo contest, and so I'm reposting this picture in the hopes that they think it's what summer's all about! And honestly...if I were to win, the money would go for a good long lens for my camera!

The mother of all RAK's....

RAK: Random Act of Kindness. A term commonly used in the online scrapbooking community. Got something you don't want or need? Send to to someone else who might need it, randomly. Or not so randomly, sometimes (many online scrapbooking groups have lists for RAK's...kind of takes the fun out of it sometimes)

RAK's consist of anything from a strip of stickers to stamps, cardstock...heck, sometimes, RAK's don't have a thing to do with scrapbooking, but just what you love - like CHOCOLATE!!! Whenever I send an RAK, I really enjoy putting it together, working on what the person might like and hoping they enjoy it. I always enjoy receiving RAK's too.

I got an RAK this week. Mind-blowing.

Some background: Many years ago, I "met" a woman online by the name of Kim M. She had just started a yahoo "club" (back when they had both groups AND clubs) for military wives scrapbooking. I had thought about starting the very same thing, but she beat me by about an hour! I was the 1st person to join her group, and she made me a moderator. We worked well together, transitioning into a "group". I became a moderator for another group she owned, Army Spouses. We had a lot in common. She was in Bamberg, Germany...but she left just before I was ready to go. We have NEVER met face to face, though.

Kim is an awesome military wife - she provides a lot of information that new spouses really can use...she's well informed. She's a great mom, a great scrapbooker...just a wonderfully great person. When I was preparing to move to Germany, she made the awesome decision to open an online scrapbooking store. She asked me to be a designer for her. I was one of the first she considered. I was honored, and I said yes. But I had no idea what to expect. I was in the process of moving and was worried that I wouldn't be able to do what was needed. Kim was great, giving me the leeway that I needed (my supplies were still in transit) and working with me. She was familiar with my work and gave me product she knew I would use. I designed for her website for just about 2 years. I believe I am one of only 2 who stayed throughout the entire time she had her store open.

In January, she made the decision to close her store. Her husband was deployed, and she wanted to be able to be there for her boys. She not only gave up her online store, but she also gave up a job at home, too. I was sad to see the store go. But we all agreed that she needed to do what was best for her family.

Last week, she emailed me, telling me she was going to send me a package...a few leftovers from the store that didn't sell. I expected a small box, a few sheet of papers, some embellishments. What I received was NOT expected.

This box weighed about 40 lbs...seriously! Packed to the top, bulging, LITERALLY, at the seams.

There was so much stuff in there!

Basic Grey (one of my favorite lines) boxes, paper, letters, monograms, tags....there were idea books, embellishments, fibers, stickers, paper, paper...just TOO much to single out! There were layovers, vellum and a color wheel....just incredible. Kim told me I can pass along whatever I can't use...though it's going to be hard NOT to keep it all. Luckily, there are duplicates of a lot of stuff...SO, that being said:

Tell me about one special person you have met online, but never face to face...and how this person has changed your life. If you're a scrapbooker, let me know. I will send a package of stuff from my RAK out to one person, selected randomly, from all those who comment.

Kim - there is no way I can ever thank you enough for all of this.