...and then there is the collective Sigh of Relief...

Yes... the Wedding is over!!!

... it was magical, breathtaking, gorgeous, perfect... I mean there is no question that this marriage is blessed by God... from the very (short term)beginning of planning the wedding - God has blessed this Bride and given her the desires of her heart and the culmination of the all last minute hectic detail work that needed to be done manifested in a Fairytale Wedding that you would have thought had been in the planning stages for at least a year...


...simply blessed!


Of course, if you all went to their website (http://www.Kariandon.com) then you already know their love story... what that doesn't necessarily share is that they had fallen in love so fast, and so deep - and yet Karianna knew that they were not ready for marriage... being a Christian - she wanted to do things God's way - and she knew that if they stayed together, it was only a matter of time before they either married, or went against God... so - while it broke her heart, and his - they broke up... it was a long and painful separation. However, their friendship continued to grow... they spoke nearly every week and in the process, both grew and matured. All the while, of course, Brandon's intent was to win her back... little did he know, he never lost her!


From the wedding date having to wait until they knew his Leave time, and then finding it out and securing the one place that Karianna has ALWAYS wanted to get married (the Wedding Fountain at Pioneer Park)... to finding a gorgeous dress at David's Bridal - on clearance, for only $99 and having it fit her like a glove - no alterations needed... everything just fell into place for them.

Of course - we won't go into the details of that final week and my travels there and home, and back again to make sure that all our lists got checked off... but all of it was worth it!

The only complaint or regret is that I was one of three photographers that they had taking pictures, and somehow - a good portion of the guests brought camera's too - so I had a hard time getting the shots I wanted, with everyone looking at me, (the photographer) and not getting in front of me when I was trying to take pictures... now, in the digital camera age, apparently everyone brings camera's and stands in the aisles and walks around and takes pictures all on their own!? With the three photographers present, we should have made it clear somehow to everyone who the photographers were... mostly because the newlyweds didn't want to be taking pictures the whole time and end up missing their own reception - and we had already preplanned the shots that they wanted! Even with that, I came home with over 300 photo's... and many are gorgeous!!! Of course, the newlyweds will have to pick about a 100 or 120 for me to make an album for them - and I know that the other photographers had to have got shots that I didn't get... they'll have a hard time picking out their favorites out of so many choices!!!


Anyway - I DID do one 2-page layout a couple of days before the wedding - at my Scrapbook group... and I have several more photo's to scrap... I will get back to that this week and then within the next week or two, I may have the Italy photo's to play with... not to mention all these breathtaking Wedding photo's! I will just show a few... I can't wait to play with them!!!










Scrap On!
~Karrilee~

Wuv... TWUU Wuv....

Aaah yes... we women - we love everything Wedding, don't we?! There is a magic that comes to life in the midst of planning for such a memorable, special event... and our romantic hearts get all tied up in the fairytale of it all! Well - let me tell you, if ever there was a Bride worthy of celebration and honor, it is my niece. She is such a treasure, so pure and honest and transparent... so fresh and fun and deserving of happiness and romance. She is like royalty - honestly - among her friends and even among her parents friends - so this Shower was so much fun to prepare for and plan. And the wedding is just two weeks away!!!

I will share a few photo's of our Shower... but mostly I would ask that you all would pray for this young couple in the next several weeks... Pray for great weather, pray that her fiance will arrive on time and that he will have safe travel... pray for a calm rehearsal and a smooth lovely ceremony... pray for the photographer and that we will be able to get the pictures taken in a timely manner so they will have time to visit with their guests for a bit before they rush off to start their honeymoon... pray that they will have an enchanted magical first few weeks of marriage before he is shipped off to his second deployment in Iraq... pray for them both, as they are married, and yet forced to be apart - and all that that may entail!

I encourage you to read their Love Story... you can go to their website at www.kariandon.com and read all about it... (HINT: Click Refresh on your Browser to see more photo's of the adorable Couple on their website!) They are an honorable beautiful couple full of integrity and grace... and they are so in love... and they have waited for this time, this season, this moment for their entire lives... pray blessings over them and the next few weeks with me! I am sure I will be scrapping soon! Oh - I did make a birthday card the other day... here is that:

Also - I have unofficially started another job... I am (going to be) an assistant to two local Real Estate agents... working from home - in my jammies - doing computer stuff.... not a bad gig at all!

Anyway - the Wedding is now two weeks away with much left to do... I am not sure how much I can help from here... so we may be making a few trips 'there' to Wallyworld!!!

I pray you all are enjoying Summer... tomorrow marks the official start for my dd... Wednesday we will be sleeping IN a bit and hopefully not going anywhere!?

Scrap On!

~Karrilee~

Tulle, and Ribbons, and Bows, OH MY!?

So... it's been forever since I have even sat down at the computer to just read all of YOUR Blogs, not to mention update my own... but here I am, stealing a minute or two to say Hey! I have not done ONE THING scrap related for weeks... so not like me... even though I am normally 'caught up' I usually have cards to make or something to alter... something?! But - no... my scrap table probably actually has dust on it!?

But - I have been having fun none the less planning and prepping for my niece's Bridal Shower this weekend! I haven't thrown a Shower for over a decade... I forgot how much goes into it all... of course, lucky for me, my niece is anything but traditional - so it will not be a formal affair... but still - I want it to be fun and a blessing to her... Don't tell Na - but I even have a little notebook... OK - well - for those of you who know me very well - you know that while I lack in any competition with Na - she ALWAYS wins, hands down... I am a Notebook-type of person myself... so when I stepped up to help plan the wedding, and asked my sister (the mother of the Bride) and my niece (the Bride) to bring their Notebook with them when they came a few weeks ago so we could go over the plans... and they openly laughed at me and said, "UM.... a notebook?!?" I panicked a bit... it's true!? Then, over the course of that weekend, I did in fact supply them with color coded lists and a notebook to take home with them! LOL!? Yeah - I know - it is probably under a couch or bed or in some drawer somewhere - but still - it made ME feel better?!

So - this weekend is the Shower... and then in two more weeks, we have the Ceremony! I am the photographer for the Wedding and am so excited!!! Anyway - the shower is first so my focus has had to been on that... I need to go grocery shopping tomorrow and pack the car and then I am ready and can't do anything until the actual day! Oh yeah - my husband and my mother talked me OUT of attempting the cake on my own?! I could have done it - but they saw my eyes glaze over when I recited the menu and they made me stop! Literally - they both said no to half of my menu plans?! They also reminded me that I planned the Shower at 2pm so I wouldn't HAVE to serve a huge spread... but, you know how it is... once the planning starts, and you find all these yummy new recipes... Yeah - I said it... new recipes?! What!? WHAT?!?!? I can do it... I never use a 'tried and true' recipe for a special occasion!? LOL!? OK - well - sometimes maybe... but I had too many fun ones to chose from!!?! Anyway - it will be great! This weekend also happens to be a Crop Retreat weekend... they do it every other month and I cannot go... I even have PICTURES to scrap... but I can't possibly squeeze it in!? I mean - I could try... but... ?!?! I have been fighting off a bit of sickiness too - am feeling MUCH better - but I figure I better not push it too much!

So - hopefully I will have pictures of the shower, or some new lo or SOMETHING to post next time!!!

Praying for you all!
Scrap Happy!
~Karri~

Scrap Happy and sticky fingers

Hey there...
Yes - it has been a crazy week or two... I had a great turn out for my Scrap Happy Scrapbook group last week... almost all of the ladies that came are actually from other Crops I have gone to in the past couple of months... only one gal was from our church. But I love that... I think that is great and so in line with what I envisioned when I started the group anyway! It was a fairly productive evening for everyone at hand! (AND Connie had just rec'v a shipment in from Prima - so she brought in her flower of the month kits and some other fun stuff too...) As you can see... we had lots of fun!

I worked on Italian cards... I finished up that order the next day! Since then, I have done nothing scrap-related! I have however been elbow deep in Bridal Shower planning and prep! I made all the Party favors yesterday and my fingers are still a bit sticky from all that floral tape... I have pictures to print out of a few events... the above Scrap group, my daughters days and days of birthdays... some garden shots... so I will have some stuff to do whenever I have some time!? I need (well, 'need') to finish a book that is due back to the library on Friday... so I am hoping to get some sun/reading time this afternoon after my Bible study. I need to work on a few things for the Shower and Wedding soon - but it is not urgent... I get to go 'babysit' my nephews tomorrow for a few hours... and Dave is playing a gig at The Depot on Saturday too!

My thoughts and prayers are with my friend Corinna this week... I am praying that the Comforter is beside you, strengthening you and holding you close! His Love and Grace is amazing! I pray that even in this time and season, you feel His Presence!

Scrap On!

~Karri~

The Days and Weeks of Kayelyn's Birthday!

Aaah yes... it is true... my baby is almost (ALMOST!?) a teenager!

We always joke around that our daughter's birthday celebrations go on for so many days in a row is almost feels like a Jewish Festival of weeks and weeks of celebrations!? Oh - she is SO not complaining about it, of course!!! And really - neither are we! We are so blessed to have family close by and we are able to drag out the celebrations to really commemorate her getting another year older! Next year she will officially be a teenager?! Ugh?! So not looking forward to THAT part?! Of course - as it is now, she STILL has her days...

Overall - she is such a blessing to me! I adore her and am constantly in awe of who she is and what God is doing in and through her at this young age. She is a consistent source of joy to me and I pray that will always (well... at least ALMOST always?!) be the case! Oh - I know... I've heard it before... all of those "Oh, you just wait's" and "You'll see... you'll know..." head shakes... But here's the deal... I am praying against that! LOL!? I know what is considered 'normal' teen behavior in our culture... and yet I know many parents and teens who have successfully made it through those years without wanting to kill each other or shoot daggers of death with their eyes at each other! I have watched and observed... and I have seen it done! So - that is my hope... that we will remain close through these next few years where the lines of Mom and Friend start to blur and come back into focus and blur again... I have always told her that I am stricter than most... but that is because I know that my time is limited and soon the day will come where I will begin to let loose a bit at a time... and while I am trusting her and letting go, her other friends' Mom's will be panicking and wanting to take more control - but it will be too little, too late!? You cannot be the cool Mom when they are little and then want to set rules when they are older... I've seen it backfire too many times?!

Anyway - I have not scrapped ANYTHING since NSD... I still have a card order to complete (which I will work on tomorrow night at my Crop at church) and I haven't heard from my Italy Client for a few weeks either... hopefully that is coming along and I will get those pictures soon!? I do have a ton of Birthday Pictures to print out and Scrap - but I haven't done that yet... I'm trying to pace myself so I will have something to do for the NEXT Crop!? LOL?! It's sad, I know?! I just need more clients, that's all!?

Actually - my niece is getting married next month - so I have been submerged in everything Shower and Wedding related!!! I get to throw her a Bridal Shower in the beginning of June... and I am the Photographer for the Wedding (and my gift to her is to scrap their Wedding Album too!) So - I will have PLENTY of things to do soon enough!!!

My daughter had a family birthday dinner on her actual birthday, a friends slumber party the next day... one family celebration the NEXT day, and another family celebration on Sunday - along with Mother's Day of course! So, just for fun - here are a few Birthday shots over the days and weeks of Kayelyn's Birthday...

Scrap On!

~Karrilee~

National Scrapbook Day = Fun, fun, fun!

Well - even though I have been scrapbooking for over 12 years - this is the first year that I have actually 'celebrated' NSD by going to a Crop event! I signed up for another Fri/Sat Crop retreat in town with a friend. We had a blast... and actually got a lot of stuff done! I keep hoping that they will schedule one when I actually have a JOB... so I can work all weekend and actually be WORKING... oh well!? I had plenty to work on over the weekend! I only had 1 two page layout (with a pull out page) to scrap... but I worked on some altered items and cards too...

This is my friend Renee... sucking in those cheeks and looking Oh So Paris-like...

(yeah - that's hot!)

She is such a riot... I can't even imagine how well she will get along with the More Funner One?! LOL?! one day... one day... It's funny how we met (MySpace) and how fast we were able to click and become friends (immediately!?) - but I can't imagine going to a Crop without her!? (Plus - she is the one who keeps me in line... and won't let me print out my pictures?!)

Here is a Layout of our Tulip Trip...

I also made a couple of Frames for wedding gifts...

and a Mini-album for a Mother's Day Gift...

and a few random cards as well...

See?! It was fairly productive... and we had a great time while creating! We met some new people... and hopefully we are rested up and will not be paying for being gone all weekend long, sitting in hard chairs and forgetting to get up and walk around a little?!

Hope you all had a fun and eventful NSD... and that you are getting that rest you so deserve on this side of our own personal holiday!?

Scrap On!

~Karri~