Organize Your Stuff Challenge - weeks 4, 5 & 8

Weeks 4, 5 and 8 of the Organize Your Stuff Challenge were paper (4), scraps (5) and projects, unfinished layouts and kits (8). Although my paper stash was not a huge mess, it was scattered in numerous places throughout my space. It has been purged, consolidated and stored in Cropper Hopper (CH) vertical files in my IKEA Expedit. I removed all the cardstock from my CTMH paper kits and merged it with the rest of my cardstock stash. And I only had to purchase one additional CH to have all my paper looking lovely and organized! Non-CTMH pattern paper is stored in its own CH. Specialty papers such as Creative Basics, vellum and Stick Stock have been organized in smaller-size CH Paper Pouches.

Removing the cardstock from my CTMH kits reduced the amount of space they consumed. I purchased the basket below to house the kits "out-in-the open". "Out of sight, out of mind" does not work in my craft area, so this basket serves as room decor and a gentle reminder to use my existing supplies.

And since I located my trusty Brother P-Touch labeler, each CTMH paper kit is labeled and alphabetized for easy retrieval. As we work through the trench weeks of this challenge, the space decorating week is my "light at the end of the tunnel". Once there, I intend to add some gorgeous flourish rub-ons to the front side of my new kit basket. My scroffice will be organized ... and pretty!

Next up are photos of my progress during week 7 (Ideas), 9 (Embellishments) and our current week 10 (Alphas).

The Purpose Driven Life

I have once again, with great determination, pulled The Purpose Driven Life from my bookcase. I have started on this journey 2 or 3 times before, failing to cross the finish line once I missed a daily devotional. That perfectionism is very binding and weighs heavy on me. Maybe it wasn't the right time before. Something is telling me this time is different.

If you'd like to join me in the discovery of life's most important question: "What on earth am I here for?", leave a comment and look for posts titled "TPDL-Day #". This time around my approach to reading the book is not hyper-focused on completing it in 40 days, although that may be the case. I'm forcing myself to believe that it is better to complete the journey on my timeline, than forgo the transformation possible when not completed exactly as intended.

From the book's acknowledgement -

"Before you were born, God planned this moment in your life. It is no accident that you are holding this book. God longs for you to discover the life he created you to live - here on earth, and forever in eternity."

It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ ... he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
Ephesians I:II (Msg)


Wikipedia article on the book:

The Purpose Driven Life (2002) is a devotional book written by Christian author Rick Warren and published by Zondervan. The book has been on the New York Times Best Seller list for advice books for one of the longest periods in history, while also topping the Wall Street Journal best seller charts as well as Publishers Weekly charts with over 30 million copies sold by 2007.

The book offers readers a 40-day personal spiritual journey, and presents what Warren says are God's five purposes for human life on Earth and describes itself as "a blueprint for Christian living in the 21st Century ... using over 1200 Biblical verses and quotes to challenge the conventional definitions of Christian Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Christian Ministry and Evangelism."

Content
The book is intended to be read as a daily inspiration, with each of the 40 short chapters read on consecutive days. Each chapter contains a personal application section at the end with a "point to ponder," a verse to remember, and a question to consider over the course of that day. Rick Warren described his book as an "anti-self-help book." The first sentence of the book reads, "It's not about you," and the remainder of the chapter goes on to explain how the quest for personal fulfillment, satisfaction, and meaning can only be found in understanding and doing what God placed you on Earth to do. The book's 40 chapters are divided into six major sections, with the following titles:

What on Earth Am I Here For?
Purpose #1: You Were Planned for God's Pleasure (Worship)
Purpose #2: You Were Formed for God's Family (Fellowship)
Purpose #3: You Were Created to Become Like Christ (Discipleship)
Purpose #4: You Were Shaped for Serving God (Ministry)
Purpose #5: You Were Made for a Mission (Mission)


Will you join me? The first seven chapters are posted online here to help get you started.

Enabler Alert !!

Picture the above in pink, not orange. Just picked this up at Walmart at a clearance price of only $10.00. Almost purchased one a few weeks ago at Michael's for $20.00 after using a 50% off coupon. Glad I waited. I have been eyeing one of these for quite a while, but was waiting for the right price. And as Bob Barker would say, "The Price Is Right!" The original Crop-A-Dile (smaller version) in the case with accessories was also available for $10.00.

The Crop-A-Dile II Big Bite™ punches holes and sets small (1/8"), large (3/16") and extra large eyelets and snaps. It also easily sets all sizes of WRMK Gromlets™ with a 1/3" center. It has a six inch punching and setting depth so you can place eyelets, snaps, gromlets or other metal embellishments anywhere on your scrapbook page or craft project. The Big Bite can punch through paper, leather, fabric, plastic (such as CD's), thin tin and chipboard.

I'm already imaging the projects I can make!

CTMH Convention 2010

Time's a ticking! I just registered for my CTMH Convention room at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in Washington, DC. This will be my first time attending and I'm super excited. Just a quick road trip to DC for three days of scrapbooking and stamping, networking with fellow consultants and getting motivated to work CTMH as a business, not just a hobby.

My team member Carol Labuski is joining me, and although Convention is not until July, we've both started packing. From business classes to team meetings, plus hours of Create & Take events, the agenda is packed with invaluable experiences. CTMH is truly a company who stands behind their mission statement ~"We show you how to celebrate relationships through the art of scrapbooking and stamping. Faster. Simpler. Easier." Can you tell I'm like a kid at Christmas time!

Friends - SC255 at SCS

CTMH has a fabulous gallery for consultants to share their artwork and projects. I created the card above based on the artwork of a fellow CTMH consultant named Emileeann. Starting with sketch # 255 over at SCS, I switched-out the Notebook patterned paper and used a felt and paper flower combo as my focal point. Toped the flower off with a Pewter Designer brad and added a rub-on. Now to decide who the recipient shall be.

CTMH products used:

cardstock - Black, Colonial White, Bamboo

PP - Notebook

Tulip felt flower, White Daisy paper flower, Pewter Designer brad, Black polka dot ribbon, rub-on

Dare to Dream!

Join CTMH in March and receive 4 exclusive new stamp sets FREE!

Be your own boss with flexible hours and unlimited earning potential when you join CTMH as a new Consultant this March. When you join, you will receive 4 new stamp sets FREE! The retail value of the free stamp sets total $91.80, which nearly covers the price of your New Consultant Kit. When all is said and done, you will receive more than $400 in fabulous new products to get your dream business started. Now is the time to make your stamping dreams come true! Ask your me about joining my incredible team today.

Scroffice decor

While shopping at Michael's for my basketweave afghan yarn , I just HAD to stroll through the scrapbooking section too. Since my yarn was already on sale (YIPEE), I could not waste my 40% off coupons! I purchased a 12" x 12" stretched artist canvas and an opaque Cotton White StazOn ink pad and re-inker set. StazOn ink is designed especially for use on plastic, metal, glass, ceramic, polymer clay and glossy cardstock. Basically, most porous surfaces.

I'm trying my hand at altering the canvas with ink, paper and embellishments. I've noticed so much gorgeous artwork with canvases lately, that I thought I'd give it a try. My intentions are to make two and use them as wall artwork in my newly re-organized scroffice. This is a whole new medium for me and way out of my crafting comfort zone. I'll reveal the finished artwork in a future post.