Anything goes for the Scrappers of Color challenge # 16!  The bff  CK gifted me some Teresa Collins papers and embells, and my online pal Angi gifted me those fabulous jewels so I went back to my favorite black cardstock for a quick and easy LO!  Me and Thing 3 hanging out with friends :)

AND, I'm currently working my 2nd SMASH book and it's travel themed so I thought I'd share some of my summer travel pages that are still in progress ! I am doing a travel theme but not a specific trip nor am I using any particular embellishments; I'm just using up stash! Some of it is straight up vintage-stash from 3 or 4 years ago...hoarder that I am!

***BLOG COMMENTS ARE CLOSED***
In honor of Scraps of Color's (SOCs) 7th Anniversary, I've teamed up with some crafty ladies for  a colorful BLOG hop! As you travel along this blog hop I hope you'll make some new friends and be truly inspired !! The blog hop starts at TIARE' S BLOG  so if you  started there and then HOPPED here from Karen's blog then you are in the right place!
I thought I'd share both new and older LOs--all showing the importance of getting out and having fun with girlfriends and then scrapping the moments!  Get in front of the camera no matter what you look like, flaws &all-YOU are your own worst self critic; folks are only  looking at how much fun you are having!

BIRTHDAY-PARTY ON!!

MY blood SISTAHS !!!

and here's a sneak :):)

than being inspired by a group of talented crafters?  Hope over to Scrappers of Color (SOC for short)- a celebration of creative women of color and the many shades which reflect our rainbow. Get inspired today and also see the vid that's up by Tiare...for those of you in the holiday spirit, she's got 7 Days of Kwanzaa and Christmas giveaways to some awfully lucky viewers!  And if you aren't in the spirit yet, you will be when you see all the goodies she's got to give away!  I personally am feeling a new kit right about now! Again, be good to yourself and find time during the hustle and bustle of the holidays for some crafting of the adult kind; your kids won't mind {REALLY} :)

Am so inspired by Tiare and her weight loss journey AND the fact that she is so courageous as to scrap it too ..and since she was interested in 10 things (not fun but true facts) about "ME" (or YOU)-here goes!

1.  I MUST start the day with coffee- and I ain't playin'-the more the better. Unless I'm sick, then it's tea :)

2. I suffer from allergies all year round-Zyrtec is a staple in this household.
3.  I'm addicted to massages-when I can get them!
4.  Time to craft is part of my weekly schedule EVERY week  :)  It feeds my soul and makes me a happier wife & mom! And you know what they say, "If momma ain't happy, then nobody is happy."  It's a golden rule in this house to please the Queen ** (most days anyways)
5.  My husband grants me the luxury of sleeping in on Fridays-that's why I try NEVER to schedule appointments of any kind UNLESS it's absolutely 1000% necessary-yep, a thousand percent   :)


6. I've been scrapping for 5 yrs and I still can't really create great LO's from sketches. I do them, but scraplifting is better for me.
7. I too would really love to lose weight. I mean a lot of weight like about 60lbs! I want to make better food choices (it's the carbs that are my problem) and really get in better shape in 2010.
8. I'm living a totally different life than I was 5 years ago...God had a different plan for me so I guess what I thought was supposed to be my path wasn't it AT ALL   :)
9.  My son's hearing loss has blessed us with many new friends in the deaf community who have bestowed more blessings on us than I can count.  ASL rocks!
10.  I am a HUGE fan of A & E's Intervention and Hoarders-what can I say??? I think those folks really need to get their stuff together-it's quite fascinating. And, I'm a neat freak to some extent- Makes me wanna be a neater person and clean up stuff when I watch both shows!

Not fun facts, but facts....what's on your 10 List?  Send me a link so I can read yours!

of the week is Wendy !!   Check out her fabulosity; I've been a fan for more than a year!  I love that she's not afraid to use color and she's an awesome journaler...cute kids too!!!!

THIS IS A FIRST but hopefully not a last- I usually feature a "SCRAPGAL" of the week but this week, I have a surprise- I GOTTA GUY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Folks, but your hands together for Scrapbook Joe- this dude puts some scrappy chicks to shame and OMG, I wished I lived in California near him just so I could babysit his studio...he has all things T!m and more,{ gotta love that} and hell, just go to his blog and look at his creations and layouts, you will be like WHAT???  Cause come on, to be honest, we know that scrapbooking is a female dominated industry; I only know 3 guys that scrap-Tim, Tracy and Stephen.... Joe and I have traded email and are now cyberpals :-)  ....I may have to do a scraplift contest lifting one of his layouts along with a cool prize sometime....so for now, head on over to Joe's  and of course, tell him Queen Kat sent ya!

done for my Fiskateers Baker's Dozen (Groovy Deborah's) challenge...hard to incorporate embossing since I had never done it but after a turorial by my good buddy Bri, voila! ...had 13 things we had to use and here's my take:




Sorry pic is not so great and crooked!

Some friends and I went to a wonderful scrapping event at Lisa's house last weekend. You may know Lisa as the author of the book, Ethnic Scrapbooking...and if you don't, where have you been??? You can check her out here at http://www.ethnicscrapbooking.typepad.com/thebook/