new blog and website

hey everyone check me out here for now :

http://web.mac.com/bethquinndesigns/iWeb/
bethquinndesigns@hotmail.com/Welcome.html

I am still here !

So lots of stuff going on in my life right now and for the last month ! We are finally just getting settled in our house and I just got a new mac !! Yes I made the switch to APPLE - and so far I am loving it !
Can't wait to show off my new art studio and the things we have been up to ! I have got to get some pictures of everything and upload them - You would think I would have done that by now ! I love the new area we are in - Ethan started preschool and he loves it - I am doing water aerobics at the Ymca which is now 2 minutes or less from my house - It is awesome !! Our whole community revolves around the Y which is really fun - and it has that homey midwest feel -
Well off to a tball game for Ethan .... will post soon again !

And so its almost done !

Well finally the end is in sight !!!!!!! We close on our house on June 30th and move in on drum roll please..... July 1st - which happens to be my bday tooo !! happy birthday to me ! Its such a busy time packing and I am trying to get a few scrapbooking things taken care of as i am too packing my stuff away - OH it is an exciting time for us ... lots of changes and lots of new things coming our way ................

art unraveled 2006 - can't wait!

So I am going to art unraveled this summer in August and can't wait ! Above pic is Claudine Helmouth and i am taking her class !!! I am also taking a bunch more fun classes with DJ Petitte and Karyn Gartel to name a few - I am so excited that I get to dabble in the mixed media stuff - which I am a huge fan of ! I am also so happy that such a great workshop is in my area !! Can't wait to post all the fun stuff I make !!

Oh and we are moving July 1st - my bday !!! its so exciting - our house is almost finished now - the 23rd we do the final walk through and sign the official paperwork on the 28th !!! I will post more pics of our house soon !!

Got Game?

Okay so I joined this new website called the grocery game .... thought i would give it a whirl and start the whole coupon thing since hubby and i are finally getting our dream home ! yes now we are going to have some bigger bills and i would like to shrink some of the ones i already have ( guess that means not much scrapbooking stuff either..yeah right...LOL) So tonight i went grocery shopping with list and coupons - verdict ..... it was fun and i saved drum roll please 104.00 and spent 112.00 - WOWZER !!! 50% almost- wish they had this game for scrapbooking supplies ... so i guess you could say - yep it works and it was fun and all women love saving money !! I will keep you updated on how my savings go ....

MAYA ROAD CHOSE ME !!!

Okay so i am a couple days late posting - the excitement still hasn't worn off - now i only hope and pray the book gets there in one piece ! Love the girls at Maya Road - Deb is a sweetie !!! Can't wait to get all my goodies to play with and design with !! WOOHOO - yes $500 of sweet scrapbooking supplies - A girls greatest dream come true !!! I will have to show you the treasures as they arrive and of course what I do with them ! Can't share the book yet but as soon as they are done with it and it has been published (if they use it ) then I will post some pics !! It is such an honor to be chosen by a great company !!

along the MAYA ROAD!!!

Well, I got a call yesterday from Deb at Maya Road. I must of sounded pretty silly since I had no idea that they were calling for the contest already - for some reason i had in my mind the 10th of May - LOL !! I am a top 10 FINALIST for their "Journey of a lifetime Contest" Holy smokes !! I am so EXCITED !!!

btw- I was not picked to win the 10,000 grand in Chatterbox contest but am still HONORED that i was chosen to be a finalist in their contest too !! Congrats to the three sisters who won - can't wait to see the album !!!
what a last few months this has been for me !! my head is still spinning from all this excitement !!

Long time no blog

Okay so i have been a little busy ! Here is what we have been up to the past few days ..... our house is coming along fast !! We are all so excited about it !! I will update some more later !

I {heart} Chatterbox !

I MADE IT MEANINGFUL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I entered the Chatterbox Make It Meaningful contest and yesterday the calls went out !! Low and behold at 4:30 pm I received a call from the very special Melody Ross of Chatterbox !!! I of course was driving in my car when my cell phone rang - with my precious cargo watching scooby doo in the back - reaching in my purse and trying to get to the phone in time - but missed it by a second - instantly saw the long distance number and called it right back - here is what I remember from the conversation - MEL : hello. Me : Hello MEL: whos this Me: uhh Beth Quinn MEL : hmmm i dont think i called you silence JUST KIDDING !! how is your day going Me : Awesome now that i am talking to you !!!!! MEL : well we loved your book and the theme ! Me : ( shaking and trying not to cry on the phone ) thank you so much .... it means so much to me ... MEL: well have you shared it with everyone that the book is about .. Me : some of it but not all yet MEL: well you will have to hold off sharing with them a little longer to send it to us Me: okay ... (duh,,, i was at such a loss for words and was so dumbfounded ...not really having any idea what to say ) I know she shared more how they loved the book how it must mean alot to everyone that i wrote it about , but it all kinda blurred into one big conversation - I kept saying thanks this means so much to me !!! It is so precious being honored like that by a company that you truly love their products !!!
From there : I made it to my destination : my moms ( of course ) my children are in desperate need of haircuts by their aunt karlee .... however ... ethan is looking at me like whats up mom ? and i say go tell mamama we have great news - .. so he runs inside and i get cole inside and she is like uh huh - and i say mom i just got off the phone with melody ross - I made it (as i write i am trying not to cry again ) !!! we both start hugging and jumping up and down !! crying and smiling - and crying some more - she calls everyone , i call my husband .... who cant understand a word i am saying ... "are you okay " and i finally get out that i made the cut !! and he says for what book now??? husbands dont you love them .....!! so i explain and he is excited and i say guess i have some good luck and he says luck has nothing to do with it - ( big hugs to him for all his great support !! i love you honey !)
Then my family and i went to eat at the most fabulous place on earth - the cheesecake factory in scottsdale to celebrate !! Thanks to my aunt barb and fran, my bro ryan and sil karlee and my ever so loving mother for joining me !!!
I AM ON TOP OF THE WORLD RIGHT NOW !!! A scrappers High i guess you could say !! ( oh and yes mom remembered to take pics of the whole experience !!

Studio Friday - Inspiration

My family is where most of my inspiration comes from - I find inspiration in so many places... in things that are old... vintage... old photos of loved ones... pictures that speak to me when i look at them .... My three boys are my biggest inspiration though ... being a mother ... being a friend .. being a spouse... Love listening to music .... lots of inspiration there ... enjoy looking through books and magazines... taking classes... looking at others work ... love just letting the paper, photos, embellishments, and techniques guide me to creating art ! happy birthday studio friday !

Great inspiration !

So I lifted this picture of me off Tena Sprengers Blog- I was fortunate enough to take her and Carol Wingerts " a day to create" class all day saturday ! It was lots of fun and they are so full of talent and inspiration ! Thanks girlies !!! It was a long day but got to meet lots of cool new people !! (Hi Haley if you are reading this) It was nice to get some of my creative juices flowing again -
Now if i can only get my family all healthy - we have all been suffering from these lousy colds and terrible coughs ! I am seriously sick of being sick !!

Our House ....in progress...

so my mom asked today .. are you getting a maid? Oh I am so excited about our house being done ... and to be the first ones living it ever! That is the best about a new house , picking out everything you want the way you want it . I will share more pictures as more and more is completed. ...

Studio Friday - pick your poison

Oh i just had to get in on this one ! I have been wanting to post for Studio Friday for some time - its such a great site and full of so many great artists ! SO my poison is COFFEE ! like many others i see :) love love love it ! drink it hot and cold - yes i am one of those people that lets it sit out for a little while and will drink it even after it gets cold - weird maybe... but it tastes good to me ! if i don't get my coffee watch out cause i can be a mean momma ! LOL .. thanks for letting me share....

Me.. ain't she sweet?!!!!

Can you say excited... I know today is self portrait tuesday and this month we are supposed to divulge all of us - the good bad and ugly ... but I opened my email and what should I find my own personal dreamy diva from Rhonna Farrer - .. so i am just a little excited to show her off since I just love all of Rhonna's work - ain't she sweet....

Self Portrait Tuesday

Take me fishing daddy
and show me that worms
really aren't that icky.
Take me fishing
You can think about work later.
Take me fishing
Because I get the giggles
when the boat bounces.
Take me fishing .
Because my wedding may be
sooner then you think.

It seems lately for my self portraits i have been compelled to think of my dad who is no longer here. If you look you can see my wedding portrait of us together over the one when I was 4 fishing with him... Thanks dad ...

Freedom + Playtime= art

Today my mom was gracious enough to volunteer and take my two boys to visit their cousins in Anthem - I had the whole house to myself since my hubby works weekends ....talk about the ultimate playtime ! I got so much accomplished and had so much fun ! Thanks mom !
this is the layout that is in the recent edition of correspondenceArt - I will post more of my latest and greatest soon ! Wish I was one of the lucky ones going to CHA to see all the new stuff coming out... a girl can dream ..

Cole Turns Two

So Cole turned two ! the party was fantastic - we had 9 little kiddos (all cousins) running around here - and surprise they all got along !! He had great fun and lots of wonderful presents as always !
Now to find the time to scrapbook all the photos ! LOL -

Thanks to everyone who has commented on my blog ! I am really liking this new venture and looking forward to creating more wonderful stuff here !

Self Portrait Tuesday

So here is my next post for Self Portrait Tuesday - We all start out as angels but it is how we chose to continue our lives that leads us towards our destiny and our dreams - I have always loved to do art in some form dancing, singing, expressing myself- Now by scrapbooking and mixed media collage work - Although when I was in second grade my art teacher "Mrs Manning" told my mom at a teacher conference that I was terrible at art - Well, no I can not draw nor did I fit in her perfect little box of what an artist should be - Maybe that is why now I chose to be artistic in different ways thinking outside of the box -here is a quick little ATC i did of myself to display my self portrait of me - I am glad i have continued to journey into the art world and did not take my teachers words and lack of interest in my ability to heart - I think everyone is capable of creating works of art - just by letting your inner child come out and play ... who knows what you can dream up... happy creating !!

CorrespondanceArt Magazine!

I am jamming out to Barenaked Ladies and making spaghetti and thought I would write while I had a minute - always multitasking ! Yesterday I finally got my issue of CorrespondanceARt magazine for Fall and there was my layout on page 36 and i got a full layout page !! Talk about exciting ! This was my first time being published so I was totally thrilled to see it - My two boys were even excited to see their faces in there ! Its really a cool magazine , love the altered stuff - you should check it out !
okay back to making dinner ....

Self Portrait Tuesday

So here is my first self portrait reveal : wow this picture takes me back ! My dad was always messing around with us , he was a really good about always playing with us- just wish he was still here to meet my kids and play with them this way - its been 4 yrs since he passed away - I was actually pregnant with his first grandchild when he died unexpectedly in the night- i know he would have made a great grandpa for my kids- Everyone says now that I look like my mom but I always say "no if you saw my father you would think i look like him " I have his eyes and his hair color ... gosh i miss him.... love ya daddy !

My Special Kids

so today I am thinking of all the Dr's apts and therapy sessions I will attend over the next month for both my children- My little one, Cole, turns two on Saturday - doesn't time fly by, I wish I could keep him this age forever - because I know soon he will lose his baby scent and get his little boy scent - wish I could keep that in a jar- wish I could also shelter him from the nasty world that he will face at times with his disability - Friday I met with an early intervention case manager from the state and got him hooked up on services - I am a social worker and didn't even realize how much our state has to offer for special needs children - I guess i was naive or maybe just didn't want to face the ugly truth that Cole is disabled - Cole was born with a stroke which he had while I was carrying him. Yes, kids have strokes too - He had a Left sided stroke so he isn't able to use his right side as well - He can walk but doesn't use his right hand - but we go to therapy 2x's a week and things are getting better- I have another meeting with the state Friday so hopefully I will learn more abut what they will offer him - Its so fun still watching him grow and change - he is a delightful little soul and very strong willed which will help him - he is also very charismatic , my little charmer - WOW two already .....

Blogging

Wow ! So I am finally getting my blog up and going ! My life has been so busy and it is only the 13th today - no superstitions here - Friday the 13th has been fine for me ...so far....except for two little crazy boys running around everything is great !