recap.............

 the past 4 weeks have been characterised by the above picture..............very chaotic, busy and non-stop.  we went to Bloemfontein to teach some classes for a week, came back and immediately started preparing for the next event...........although i love it, i am ready for a nice, long break.........which will only take place in the form of a week away in the middle of June......YAY!!  something to look forward to!  

there are new and exciting things happening at the shop.  i used to think that it was important to do these on a big scale, but i now know that it is better to do something small really well, than to do a big thing not as good! i hope that makes sense?  

for a while i was convinced that i was totally empty on a creative level, but God has restored my want to be creative by being obedient to Him and just finding rest at His feet and not anywhere else.  i have met some wonderful people in the past few weeks, and have had some really enriching experiences......God has also been showing me how horrible i can be, and i have been trying to be less horrible........especially to those i really don't want to be horrible to.  and to be less judgmental and critical.............that is a huge stumbling block for me, but i have to admit, i have been listening to the Bible being read while working at home in the evenings, and it is as if my ears have opened for the first time iro certain aspects.  i want to be obedient to God and i want to please Him, that is my purpose on earth.  i have realised that i can only do that - seriously - if i obey His commands.  and those are purely that i must love Him with everything i am, and my neighbour as i love myself....  and to my shame, i have to admit that i have not been loving all my "neighbours" equally.  may God forgive me and i have prayed for opportunities to be able to love all my neighbours, especially those i really don't even like!!!!!!

i have also been so inspired by one of my clients, Charlotte, that i am designing a very special once off class.... a very personal class.  i got out all my stamps, inks and odds and ends that i love, but never use.  it has been quite a journey.  i went through some old journals, things i had written in my "stormy years" and i had to tear up some of the writings - i could not fathom some of the ideas i had about life and love!  i kept some of my writings, and i am reworking one of the journals for the class.  i will show some after the class.....

on this day, many years ago, the Holy Spirit was sent to us as a Helper.  when we accept Jesus as our Saviour, we are baptised with the Holy Spirit.  it is, however, not a given that we will then live as we should.  controlled by the Spirit.  we need to surrender to the Holy Spirit.  all of us who claim to belong to Jesus. we should bear the fruits of the spirit as stated in Galatians 5:22-23a - "²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control".  let's look for one another - let's be known to the world as Spiritfilled and not hypocritical, self righteouss and pompous.....i know i have a lot of work ahead of me.  i want to invite anyone who is also struggling with the fruits of the Spirit to email me privately, so we can edify each other.  i know it is hard.  some of the fruits are easy to live.  but some of them are really, really hard.......may the Lord Bless you and give you the strength to persevere.  remember, His Grace is enough................xxxxx

things......

i was browsing through my photos looking for a snapshot of something, when i found this old layout i did for my in-laws of their Mozambique trip in 2011. i loved making this page - it was uncomplicated and as i rarely get to scrap just for pleasure these days - it is always for a class, or an event. i remember making this page and just having fun with it. 

 i saw a post on Facebook this week where someone outright said that she was going to "scraplift" a kit that was on sale - and i thought to myself that although information is freely available everywhere, some people actually make a living from spending time and energy designing scrapbook pages.  it is their JOB.  i wanted to say to the person that maybe she should buy the kit?  but, you know, sometimes it is just not worth it, i guess.

priscilla and i will be leaving for Bloemfontein in 4 days' time, and this has been one of the busiest weeks with the most things happening to me that has nothing to do with Scrapbooking in, well, since forever.  

 i have been thinking a lot about various serious things the past few days, and i feel a change is coming......i feel that i will have to say a few things that might upset a few people and then i will also have to let go and not say a few things and leave some people to their own devices.......one can only do so much, and even Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 10:14 and Luke 9:5 to shake the dust off their feet from the towns where the people did not want to listen....(please, i am not comparing myself to a disciple - but you should know by now that my Bible is my only GPS in life) 

have a super evening - remember that you are loved by Someone who actually sent His own Son to a horrible death on a cross - just so that you may choose to have eternal life........... xxxxxx

Last Chance/Laaste Kans

 This is the last chance to book for our Bloemfontein event that starts on 24 April 2013!  Daar is nog 'n paar plekke beskikbaar in die klasse, so as jy nog nie bespreek het nie, doen dit nou!  You don't want to lose out on these amazing projects!  Please note - these projects are exclusive to Bloemfontein and we will NOT be selling the kits after the event!

Below are the Sneak Peeks of all 8 Classes on offer!  Remember - you can book for each class individually!  We will be doing 2 Card Classes, 1 Mini Album Class, 1 Mixed Media Altered Book Class and 4 Double Page Layout Classes!

 

 

  

 

   

   

To Book for a class, just send an email to events@scrapbookstudio.co.za or  follow this link! Ons wil jou graag daar sien en belowe ons gaan heerlike speel!  The goodie bags are filled to the brim, exclusive stampsets have been designed - spesiaal vir die Vrystaat en sal slegs te koop wees by die funksie!  Don't delay - book now!

                                                                       The Sales Team
                                                                      Scrapbook Studio

obedience..........

hellooooooooo

i am still halfway suspended and not sure of which direction i am supposed to be going at work, but i am thankful that in all other areas God has been very good to me.  small things - a husband that tells me every day that he loves me, God's reminder daily when i open my Bible that if i obey Him, He will be faithful, the rain that fell, the roof over my head and food in the fridge.....to get back to work though, i am not nearly there.  just when i thought i was getting on track, school holidays started and the shop was wonderfully busy (oh, we had order number 1000 online - WOW) and classes were being taught while new stock kept arriving and we were(are) trying to get everything sorted for Bloemfontein in 2 weeks' time.

so, you know when people say "oh, it must be so nice to be able to scrapbook the whole day" when you own a scrapbook store or work in one.........uhm, that is just not true.  but, i don't want to bore you with the truth, so i will show you a layout i actually did make a few weeks back when i had a few hours one weekend and i desperately needed to just to something fun!  i have loved these papers forever, but somehow never had the right photos.  when i went through the Retreat photos, i found these, and knew i had to use them. i really like how it came out!

it has been a tough time as well for me - especially in the faith department.  i know that God values obedience more than anything else, and that we are supposed to hear His Word and obey it - all of it in context.  (Luke 11:28, John 6:63,John 14:21&23, etc).  i also know in my heart of hearts that when you are obedient to God's Word, you are never in the "popular" category and you will offend people - most people in fact.  it has always been very hard for me to actually choose a side - i was such a pleaser and i always wanted to keep everyone happy.  i am realising, however, that i only need to please God.  no one else.  i used to think that i cannot be too vocal about my faith, and i need to keep a low profile as it will affect my business.  this week i was so shocked when i saw a "fellow" Christian display images on her Facebook page that does not become a person who claim to follow Christ at all, that i actually posted a sentence saying that it was sad when someone who says that he/she is following Christ looks just like the world.  i was taken aback by the attacks i received from people telling me not to judge and saying that they were not aware that people who follow Christ look different from the world.  the Bible is actually emphatic about that - we are NOT to conform the world.  we have to look different when we follow Christ. we have to sound different.  we have to act different. we cannot hide our light.  we have to be the light in this dark world. i fail miserably and i think my light is very dim and mostly hidden.  i would like to come out of the dark, though and do my best to be light in this dark world.  i want to show people that Jesus does not give prosperity in monetary terms - He gives abundant JOY.  He does not make everything go right - as a matter of fact, the only guarantee you get from Him while you are alive, is that you will have a hard time.  He does, however, promise an eternity in His presence if you choose Him above all else and give yourself fully as a living sacrifice to Him.  i cling to that promise and i cling to Him.  you too, can cling to Him.

Gauteng Scrapbook Event

Book now for a two day Scrapbook Event at Dainfern Clubhouse, Dainfern, Gauteng for only R1100 with

Jowilna Nolte (from Scrapcouture) and Cariena Basson (from Scrapbook Studio JBay)

Saturday 20 July and Sunday 21 July 2013

Schedule:

Saturday 21 July

8am-8:30am Arrival & Registration

8:30am – 10:30am Session 1

10:30am-11am Tea Break

11am – 12:30pm Session 1 Continues

12:30pm-1:30pm Lunch

1:30pm-3:30pm Session 2

3:30pm-4pm Tea Break

4pm-5:30pm Session 2 Continues

Sunday 22 July

8am-8:30am – Arrival & Tea

8:30am-10:30am Session 3

10:30am-11am Tea Break

11am-12:30pm Session 3 Continues

12:30pm-13:30pm Lunch

13:30pm-15:30pm Session 4

15:30pm-16:00pm Tea Break

16:00pm-5:30pm Session 4 Continues

Deposit of R500 secures your seat and then 2 payments of R300!

Book now to avoid disappointment! Only 30 seats available!

Join us for a day filled with amazing new techniques, Lucky draws, goodie bags!

There will be Retail Therapy!!

missing in action........

 i know i have been missing for a while and thank you to everyone who has been sending mails and messages wanting to know when i will be back online...........it has been a VERY busy few weeks and i have LOADS to write about, but i will need some time to do that, and time is a very rare commodity at this stage.......so, i will leave you with some beautiful images of a place i love and of the one plant i am a little obsessed with - a clivia - and this one growing wild.....

i cannot take any credit for the photos, they were taken with an underwater point and shoot by a friend at Oubos.  Marius features in the photo above.  i will hopefully be back soon with some scrapbook pages and some tales of the amazing Scrapbook Retreat we had, but for now i am really tired after 4 hectic weeks of hosting the wonderful Retreat, counting stock, unpacking new stock, scrapping layouts for the Bloemfontein event and teaching classes.........so please bear with me for a litte longer, i promise i will get my act together!!!  xxxxx

Pine Lodge Scrapbook Weekend

Scrapbook Studio Pine Lodge PE Scrapbook Event
26 & 27 October 2013

Join us for two days of Scrapbooking at an amazing venue! Port Elizabeth’s Conference gem – Pine Lodge -  is situated a stone’s throw from PE and is the perfect venue for a relaxed weekend filled with your favourite hobby – Scrapbooking!! 

Cost of the Event is R2495 and the price includes the following:

• 6 classes taught by 5 talented teachers
• All meals, snacks and tea/coffee/juice
• Complete kits
• Amazing goodie bags and prizes for each Scrapper!

Everyone will be a winner!

Teachers: Kim Smith, Elizna Parsons, Tracey Slaven, Cariena Basson and Jowilna Nolte

Book your seat NOW online 
or
Send an email to events@scrapbookstudio.co.za and we will send you a booking form
or
Phone 042-293 2781 during office hours and reserve your seat!

Seats are Limited!

10 days to go.........

exactly 8 nights from now, this is where we will be...........my staff and i will call this magical place home from 18 february.  i am so excited - i had to go get relicalm at the pharmacy - my head is spinning and i am thinking of a million things at once, and i am buying and buying things and things and things for the ladies - more and more for every class - a little surprise and a big suprise and more sweeties and food and happiness and scrappiness and i can't wait!  i am also DEAD tired, and i feel like my little engine is going to burn out!  a fellow scrapper and good friend told me to revisit this post on my blog - so i went to bed early last night, and took some time today to go to church - (WOW - what a message about the Goliaths in our lives, where over 40 teenagers answered an alter call - more about that later) - and then my hubby and i went for lunch in the mall. this afternoon i finished a bonus layout for the retreat and played with the dogs while making a few cups of coffee for my DH and just taking it easy............thank you, my friend, for reminding me to take TIME..........i feel a million times better!!  xxxx

scrapbook retreat previews......

we have been working really hard on all the preparations for the retreat in 4 weeks' time..............above are a few peeks at what the 40 ladies can expect over the 4 day period of Scrapping Bliss..........just to put you in the picture.....we are packing 400 kits, each with LOADS of little details that have to be perfect.........i can't wait - i am so excited!  i will be leaving for the venue on Wednesday for a few days to make 10000% sure everything is just perfect for our amazing scrappers.  i hope and pray that it will be every but as wonderful as i imagine it will be!!!  xxxxxx

love my cuttlebug...

 i do love my cuttlebug.  it is one of the tools i have had the longest, and it is the only die cutting machine i own, apart from the SLICE, which i never use, as i love cranking the handle.......!!!  i created my main piece, the orange circle, by just blending a white piece of cardstock, that was cut into a circle, with Adirondack Dye Ink, Terra Cotta.  i then stamped a dictionairy stamp onto it, and then embossed it with an embossing folder.  i sanded it slightly when it was done embossing to reveal the white core paper.  i then rubbed some stickles over it with my finger

 

 this is the completed layout.  the only patterned paper i used was the blue strip at the bottom

 i coloured the pearls with Terra Cotta Alcohol Ink to colour co-ordinate with the rest of my page's elements

we are so busy preparing for our retreat in February, that i have to apologise for not being so active on my blog.............i promise to TRY and update more regularly!!!  i try to update daily on Facebook - if you want to see what is going on at the shop, please visit our Facebook page...... take care of yourself and remember to do something really good - even if it is something small, for someone who does not deserve it!!  xxxx