It's 2013- HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I am so happy and thankful to be alive. I don't say that lightly. I live each day with appreciation. I know life is always going to throw us curves. I know that 2012 was fabulous and yes, there were challenges.

We celebrated last night at home with our kids (some went to celebrate with friends), playing games, making bridemaid's bouquets (Gentry is AMAZING!!!!), getting pizza and watching the celebration on TV. So very much to look forward to in 2013!!!!

Did I mention that my camera needs to be shipped back to Canon? I'm thankful to have my phone camera...

Gentry's flowers made out of book pages. They are gorgeous but take FOREVER!!!! 

Yes, the kids are wearing shorts and it is freezing outside. Oh, and yes, that is Zach's bike in the house. Welcome to my life. Did I mention Ty was snowboarding all day? He loves it. I love that he is has a talent to make films. He has a GoPro and films himself and edits the videos to share with us when he gets home. How did our young kids know how to do some many amazing things with technology? It amazes me...

I love that the kids wanted to spend time with me bringing in 2013. Such a great low key night! I have never done the WORD for a year. You know the word that you focus on for a year. I got up this morning and thought of it. Last year I did have a word BUT I did not realize it until about 6 months into the year. It was ACCEPTANCE. It was for me personally. Accepting myself as  I am and I thought about it every day. This year I want to continue to work on bettering myself, my attitudes and who I am to the core of a person.

I am going to go with TIME. I want to spend even more TIME focusing on what really matters. For me I know I must choose my time wisely. I want to spend more quality time with my family and my friends. I want to spend less TIME on things that don't matter. I want to spend more TIME reading good books, scriptures and serving others. I know that time to precious- each day is a gift. Anyway, TIME is something I will be talking about. I already do, but hopefully I will be able to share more.

I wanted to share a project from my brand new release- yes, next week is CHA! I am teaching this project next week at OH SCRAP and AGAIN in February in Illinois. It is a combination of TWO of my five releases.

Here is the project- did I mention it is 32 pages????

The workshop is called MEMORY JOURNAL- I never want to forget.

I am in LOVE with my new collections. This is my MEMORIES collection mixed with my SHE SAID collection. 

The side view....

UPCLOSE of the cover- 

This line is beautiful and colorful but still very true to my style. I love the meaning and that the lines are designed to help preserve memories from today, yesterday and the past. I thought of my mother as I designed the MEMORIES collection. Yes, the notecards are part of the line, decorative tape (crowns), etc. I'm beyond in love with how my collections turned out. 

I want to thank all my California friends for signing up. My first workshop sold out so fast and I added a second workshop and it SOLD OUT too. THANK YOU so much girls! Yes, there are no spots left.

However, I am teaching the same  MEMORY JOURNAL project in February one last time and you can sign up now- 

The Scrapbooking Studio

Friday February 8th 2013- 

1701 E Empire Street Ste 310, Bloomington, IL.

 (309) 585-0409

I am so exited to finally after so many months to show you a little bit of my new lines. 

Well, it is January 1st and I just had to share another project with you made with the TC Stampmaker. It is so practical, beautiful and meaningful. Designed by Julie Jacob-

Wow... what a wonderful idea!!!!  

 

All of these tabs were created with stamps with the TC Stampmaker from the FREE December download.

Julie's notes:

 

Materials Used:

Chipboard for covers
Patterned papers, transparencies, vellum paper (various) for inner pages
Bind it All & Coil - Zutter
Tab punch - McGill

TC Stampmaker & December Download (months) - Photocentric

Ink - Tsukineko (VersaFine - Onyx Black)
Washi tapes & various stickers
Cover design - done in Photoshop by Julie (she should sell this!)

Method:

Cut chipboard and all inner pages to 5" x 7".  (You can get 3 from a 12"x12" paper)...but for this I really raided my scrap drawer.  

I didn't want the inner pages to be matchy...anything goes.  I included papers, vellum paper, transparencies...you can add whatever you want!

This book is going to be something of a gratitude journal for me...so I stuck to papers for the most part. I designed the cover of my book in Photoshop and printed it off.  Then I adhered it to a chipboard cover.  

Next I punched all the holes and bound my book with the Bind it All.

Using a tab punch, I punched 12 from various papers...and stamped them with the month stamps.

Then I adhered them in my book.  

Embellish the inner pages with whatever you have on hand.  I'm fond of washi tape...so I used lots of that. :)" julie jacob

Okay... don't we all agree that she is amazing? I love it. What a great project to do.

The winner of my MEMORY JAR 2013 is:

Dawna said:

Hi Teresa, As mothers it always saddens us when our children have to go through difficult times. I'm glad she's coping well and gaining personal strength through the process. She's very lucky to have such a loving family to help her through it! I so loved your "Memory Jar" idea, so if I'm not lucky enough to win this time around, I'll have to do one up for my family! Thank you for all the wonderful collections and inspiration this year! I look forward to meeting you at "Oh Scrap" for the Jan. 10th 2013 class! Can't wait to see what you've got in store for us!

Please email teresa@teresacollinsdesigns.com

This is what the show segment was about-

Do you want to remember all the special moments and things that make you smile? I

 used clear Apothocary Jars(you can use Mason Jars) that are displayed and kept close by at home with a notepad and pencil inside.

Each time you have a special memory or something that makes you smile- write it down and put in the glass jar. This is a jar of memories. On the next New Years Eve open and reread all the wonderful memories that you want to remember and that made 2013 so fabulous! Remember, it's worth REMEMBERING!!!!

 This is the MEMORY JAR that I gave away. Thank you for watching my weekly show on My Craft Channel.

 

Some of the other jars shown on my show.

I am so grateful to be able to do these shows. I love hearing all your feedback and appreciate your support!

 Happy NEW YEAR!!!!!