Artists, start your scrapbook engines

The honeymoon scrapping has begun. I'm so excited. I make a layout and then run to show Henry so we can smile and laugh all over again at our blessings. This is a trip (and I don't just mean the cruise) we never would have imagined possible. Thank you for sharing this journey with us.

I was a bit rusty from my scrapping layoff during wedding planning. My only creations in 2008 prior to this were framed scrapbook art and a few digital pieces that I never got around to making into Hybrid pieces.... I did a ton of stuff for the wedding and designed more than I used, plus a fun PowerPoint presentation and several cards but no real pages in months.

This layout is from our Nassau photos and features all the musical elements of our day. I really got a jump start in the design by using layout sketches. I want to thank the talented people at Pencil Lines. com for getting me going.

Other worthy credits for the Nassau layout today go to:

PAPER
My Mind's Eye-Tres Jolie reversible stripe (flower left, background layer right)
Worldwin-linen texture green card stock (base, both sides)
Green natural paper-Ellie Poo
Print Vellum-Cathy B by EK Success--it's raised and glazed
Shimmer scraps orange and yellow--not sure
EMBELLISHMENTS
Glittering die cuts--K & Co.
flower die cuts-Spellbinders
silk flowers-Oriental Trading Co.
brads-Creative Imaginations
Grosgrain ribbon-Offray (previously used in wedding decor)
TOOLS
Wizard-for die cutting and embossing www.spellbinders.us
happy together stamp: Studio K
Circle cuts right page-Colluzle
Gel Pens-Sakura
Paper Krimper-EK Success
Circle photo finish-PhotoShop Elements 6.0
Sketches-http://www.pencillines.com/

Thanks for stopping by. I've finished 10 pages (five 2-page layouts) and I'm excited to be back in the game.

The photos are here, the photos are here...

We're doing the happy dance this week because all the gorgeous photos from Palm Beach Photography have been posted for viewing (and purchase) online. Try the link for PBP or paste this in browser: http://www.palmbeachphotography.printroom.com/event.asp?domain_name=palmbeachphotography&group_id=19

If the over 300 photos there aren't enough for you, then by all means stop by my Snapfish.com albums and see all the candid photos from friends of the ceremony plus our honeymoon photos. My user ID there is ode2sun and the albums are clearly marked wedding and honeymoon. You do have to register with their site if you have not done so already.

Wow, I had better stop blogging and start scrapping. Blessings of peace to you all.

Scrap Magic

SDV!
Henry and I were honored to be invited to visit with the Orlando SDV (Scrapbook Dream Vacation) scrappers this weekend. We wanted to personally thank 700 voters for their part in our winning the Dream Wedding.

Nancy Boher, president of SDV, put a notice in her newsletter announcing the contest near the very beginning. We were in third place until her newsletter went out and suddenly we moved into first overnight.

There were those who thought that there couldn’t even be more than one message board for something like scrapbooking. There are still those that dismiss us as “scissor people.” If they could have seen what we saw Saturday night, they wouldn’t feel that way. Nancy put us up in front of all these great people and we told our story again. I cried, they cried, it was beautiful.

We met some others who had picked us up from the Cricut Board, Jen Lowe’s group, Two Peas in a Bucket, and others. We asked them to take back a big thank you to everyone. We are so grateful.

IMAGES:
1. Buffy, from Cricut board, who still uses the tag “Scissor People” on her blog.
2. Nancy Boher, the mastermind behind the East Coast’s largest and oldest Scrapbook Getaway company, Scrapbook Dream Vacations with Norma Anne. http://www.dreameventsinc.com/
3. Video of our visit, when you see this-- you will believe. This is just one of over a dozen events hosted every year by Nancy and Dale.

Vendor Updates

****Check out Hot & Tasty Cakes for their Dream Wedding review including a photo slide show. http://cakesuperstore.com/news/5/Pictures-from-%22Dream-Wedding%22-%252d-CBS12-Television.html
If you haven’t picked a baker for the Martha Stewart Wedding contest http://www.weddingmba.com/awards.html please consider giving them your vote. I must tell you that our cake was not only gorgeous—it was exactly the design we chose and it was incredibly delicious.

****Many of you have asked about the photos from Palm Beach Photography. They have not gone up yet, but they say they’re coming soon. I’ll let you know when they’re up

We've docked back at home

Wow, what a wonderful joy and blessing to experience this Dream wedding package. To win such a fabulous wedding (with your incredible help) and then follow that up with a fantasy honeymoon is just so amazing.

We're home now and trying to adjust to our real world lives. I keep feeling a rocking motion and it is a bit disconcerting. Henry, of course, has none of that.

It was so great to see our dogs and our neighbors when we arrived back in West Palm. We wouldn't trade our home for all the cruises in the world, but we sure would jump at the chance to go again!

Several of my pre-cruise investigations led to the topic of food and I must say we did enjoy some great culinary experiences on this trip. The two photos above are of us in the ship's private dining room called Scarlett's. You do pay an extra charge to dine there, but your meal is worth several times what you pay. It's a small private room with all the elegant appointments plus a four-star menu and service. On the first night I had surf and turf (fillet Mignon and lobster) and Henry had Dover Sole. On the second night I had lobster and Henry had fillet Mignon. The dishes were artfully arranged on platters and there were lots of courses and tastes. That lobster just melted in my mouth and didn't even need butter.

Yes, we did gain weight--smile. We averaged about seven pounds each. We also ate heartily and often greedily several times a day in addition to enjoying cocktails like the umbrella drink shown with me in the third photo.

I've got a few more photos and a video to share from the cruise and wedding before I take this blog back to it's original paper art format. I have been collecting lots of good stuff to help document and appreciate all these joys. I'm still journaling my pages every day and thinking of lots of great ways to infuse life with creativity. Thanks again!

Ahoy Mate

Ahoy Mate

We’re aboard the Carnival Valor enjoying the honeymoon portion of the CBS-12 DREAM WEDDING. This is so cool, we’ve never cruised before but we sure hope this isn’t our last.

The whole adventure is just a sensory explosion. So much to see, touch, taste, hear, and inhale. We have heard incredible live music, played bingo, danced, counted stars, been on a sunset cruise, eaten lobster, filet mignon, and ordered room service whenever we wanted….We toured each island destination by car or boat, Henry went snorkeling, I shopped the cool duty free places for “shiny things” and we both enjoyed parasailing for the first time in our lives.

Photos are just a few of the great shots we picked up. We’re on the stairs in the ship’s dining room, parasailing, and doing the “titanic pose” on our sunset island cruise. We’ve been sneaking around the Valor all week looking for a spot like that on the big ship, but no luck so far on that….

I won’t write long or post blog replies and respond to email until we return because we’re low on minutes and we’d rather use our ship dollars for umbrella drinks—grin. Thanks and blessings to you.

Video Highlights Aired this Weekend

We were on our way back from dropping my parents off at the airport for their trip back to Virginia when we got pulled over by a police officer. Henry’s registration expired the day before the wedding and he just hadn’t had time to send in the renewal….

The officer was strict but cordial and listened as we explained we’d just gotten married and lost track of the details. Being the chatty folks we are, we mentioned that we really did just get married and that he could see it on CBS-12 TV locally. He brightened immediately and peeked further into the car to see our faces. He then said, “That’s you? I just saw you dancing a waltz this morning.”

We hadn’t even watched the news this morning, but we have been taping all week and our efforts were rewarded with this video. Fortunately, we just got a warning about the registration and not a ticket since we were within the grace period. We’ll take happy endings great and small these days---smile.

Dancing on air and cruising on water

We really didn't think it would feel that much different to be married--but we really do. We're just reveling in the glow of all this and appreciate everyone that has made it possible.

Our cruise is coming up soon and we even have a way to share that with you. Just copy and paste or click this link:
http://www.funshipisland.com/?AgentFName=Susan&AgentLName=Sarno&AgencyName=CruiseOne&AgencyWebsite=www.cruiseone.com%2fssarno&AgentEmail=ssarno%40cruiseone.com&AgentPhone=7728788801&eLink=#dolphin

You'll get a cool video of all the fun that's in store from us. Susan Sarno, our agent, has been super in helping us get ready.

The station sent me a file of Saturday night's broadcast before our wedding. The picture doesn't upload well, but you can hear the words so I thought I'd include it for you.

Blessings of joy!