Do You?

Love to Scrapbook?
Love to drink wine with your friends?
Then these are perfect for you!

xx, nora anne

p.s. Scroll down just below for my Growing In Unity post for Thursday!

A Valentine and A Thank You

We had an all day crop at the store on Saturday. I didn't get any scrapbooking done, but I did make a Valentine for my husband and a few thank you cards my sister asked me to make for her. For the Valentine I used my Unity December Store Kit, some Bazzill Swiss Dots and Making Memories ribbon, along with Prima flowers. Althought the color in my photo is very off, the red looks pretty orange here! Still haven't read the manual for my new camera!



Here is one of the three Thank You cards I made for my sister. This one is using Unity stamps again (I just LOVE them!) and some Basic Grey Indian Summer and Bazzill CS.



I also took this super cute class at One Little Spark on Friday night. It turned out adorable and can't wait to use it on a layout!



On another note, I got my new {ippity} Winter Release in the mail yesterday so I am hoping I will have some time to ink them up this week. I would really love to do a few layouts and incorporate some stamping into them, something I don't often do but always think I should!

Happy Tuesday :) Hope you all had a sweet Valentine's Day!

xx, Nora Anne

Unity Stamp Co. Friends with Flair Hop & a Holiday

Some of you know I started a new job a the beginning of January. I am working for a municipality so this is a local government job. This means I get A LOT of holidays off, NO I am not complaining. I am off today for Lincoln's birthday. This works out just fine for me since it is also my mom's birthday. She would have been 70 today and I can't believe it. She passed away at 67 and it's strange to imagine her at 70. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY, I miss you!" Her younger sister joined her in heaven on this day last year so it is a sad day for our family for a number of reasons. With that said, I am glad to be off from work at my "real job" and I will head over to the Scrapbook Cafe, my "fun job" and prepare for our all day crop tomorrow.
But before I do that, I want to share with you two cards I made using one of Unity's new Donna Downey sets, the Artist In You. I just LOVE this set, it can be used for any occasion, with or without the sentiments. The sentiment on the first card is from Unity's Hodge Podge of Happiness set, the second card uses a sentiment from the Artist in You.
Thanks for stopping by and joining me for my first Friends With Flair hop! Go back to the Unity blog to see who else is participating today!



And don't forget to check out the {ippity} blog for sneak peeks of the new Winter Release!!!!
Have a great weekend.
xx, Nora Anne

More Snow Is On It's Way!

After being buried by over 2 feet of snow this past weekend, they are now calling for another storm which will bring anywhere between 8-16 inches starting this afternoon. WOW! This is more snow than we have had in so many years. There's just nowhere to put it all!
I was hoping my new {ippity} Winter Release stamps would be delivered to me before being snowed in again so I could play and make samples. The new images are just TOO CUTE! You are going to love them! Sneak peeks will begin soon over at the Ippity Blog. Click here to purchase your own {ippity} Stamps!!! ----------->>>>>>>> do YOU ippity?!
I am so excited for all of the new CHA releases and can't wait to have them on hand in the shop! I'm trying to use all of the summer releases before new goodies come in! Here is a layout I did for the Layout of the Month in January using the Pink Paislee Cupid line. Although it's a Valentine's line, I thought it was perfect for my niece's birthday pictures!



**Layout Inspired by Live Pink Gallery**

My First {ippity} Hop and a New Job

So, for a long time I have visited and enjoyed all of the blogs that participate in the Unity Blog Hop. Although I have TONS of Unity Stamps, I've never participated myself. I decided to join in to the {ippity} hop since I am now officially an {ippity} chick! (I just love that name :)
The challenge this week was to use buttons on your card. I made a very simple card since I'm a little crazy this week. I am starting back to work in the Health Benefits field after a 7 month break. During the "break" my sister and I bought the Scrapbook Cafe, our local scrapbook store that was about to close, so I have been really busy with that. But since I was offered a job with a pension and benefits in the same career field I was previously in, I couldn't turn it down. My sister is going to pick up the slack at the shop and I will be there as much as I can.
I am trying to stay positive about this new chapter in my life, but I have to say I am not overly excited about it. Considering, the economy I have to realize I am so lucky to have this opportunity so I am keeping my chin up!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the {ippity} hop and thanks for stopping by!



Supplies used: Ippity Straight From the Heart stamp set, Memory Box papers, Memento ink, Prima and Making Memories flowers, MME button.

xx, Nora Anne

Things I Hate and Things I Love!

I HATE MY WINTER SKIN! It is dry and it is itchy. I exfoliate, I apply lotion, daily, nightly. I use mild soap recommended by my dermatologist. But, regardless of all of this, I itch. My arms, particularly my left arm, just itches. And I hate it. Wrrraaahhrrr!! It drives me crazy. So I complained and I am done...LOL! and now I'll move on.

Today was the Layout of the Month at the Scrapbook Cafe. It went well. We sold out of almost all of the Webster's Pages Home for the Holidays and Pink Paislee Cupid, I love both of these lines. Here are two layouts I did with them.




I can't wait to create some projects using the Cupid Line with my new {ippity} stamps (speaking of things i LOVE!)



And at the very top of my list of {loves} today is David Duchovny. I was never much of a fan as I hadn't seen many of his movies/shows, but now my husband and I are addicted to Californication and I am addicted to Hank Moody! LOVE HIM! Since we discovered the show during Season 3, I bought my husband Season 1 and 2 for Christmas and we have been enjoying it since! We are still on Season 1 and Hank has been getting himself in some real trouble already! I can't wait for more!




One more week until I start my new job, back to real life, back to the reality of getting up EARLY, dressing for work in something other than jeans and UGG boots, commuting and being "professional". I was a little excited, but now that it's only a week away, I am more dreadful. We'll see how it goes...........



Happy Sunday!
xx, Nora Anne

Red Velvet Art and Some News!

This print by Elsie Flanagan says it all!!!!!

So much so that I HAD to order it in celebration of my "new life"! Some of you know I took a layoff from my insurance job last month after almost 10 years due to the office relocating. I wasn't upset about it, it seemed like the right time in my life for a change. I didn't know how many changes would be going on until a week ago when I walked into my local scrapbook store, the Scrapbook Cafe, to say goodbye to the owner who is moving to England.

We got to talking and when I told her I wasn't working the wheels started turning for both of us! I left there 2 hours later and went straight to my sister's to discuss my "dream" with her. We were in the car within an hour and back there to talk to Angela. That was last Monday. Today I was there organizing the store and moving things around and if things go as planned, I will be a partner in this store very soon.

I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING!!!!! Never in a million years did I think I would be doing something that I love so much and have a true passion for as "work", as my JOB! I should know for sure in the next few weeks, but was too excited not to share!

Thanks for stopping by and letting me share my news...I couldn't be happier right now :) Keep your fingers crossed!
xx, Nora Anne

***Edited to say, I hope Elsie doesn't mind me sharing her print here. I was too excited to think of that when I wrote this!***

Some New Cards, Kelly Goree and A Weight Loss Update!

I went to a quick crop at the Scrapbook Cafe on Saturday night, I was there from about 5:30-9:30. I made some cards that I've been wanting to make for my cousins and my sister's friend.

Kelly Goree from Basic Grey was there this weekend teaching classes so I had the opportunity to meet her and chat with her. She was so nice and is super talented! I'm bummed that I was unable to take her classes but it was cool to meet her and hear a little about her job with Basic Grey.

I also made two cards for my Etsy shop.

This one was made with 2 digital images from All That Scraps. Isn't she such a cute little bunny?!

And this one was made with a stamp I got from One Little Spark.

I also picked up my kit to make my Design Team projects for the Scrapbook Cafe tonight, so I have to start brainstorming some ideas for that!

On to my weight loss update! It has officially been one week and one day and I have lost 8.5 pounds so far! And that is without even exercising. I am hoping the weather will mellow out so I can start walking at lunch time again. To be honest, I haven't really been following the Flat Belly Diet. I followed it to a "T" for the first 4 days, but haven't really had time to read the whole book so I have just been cutting out carbs, eating a lot of veggies and drinking lots of water. It's unbelievable how much better I feel in such a short time! and my clothes are already fitting better...WOOHOO!!!!! I'll keep you posted :)

xo, Nora Anne

Design Team!!! and Two New Cards

I was so excited to get an email yesterday letting me know that I was selected as one of the new Design Team Members at my local scrapbook store, The Scrapbook Cafe!!!! I have been a customer there for several years and am so happy to be selected for their DT! My first project will be a layout about me that will be displayed in the store, so I have to get working on that :) YAY!
On another note, here are two new cards I made for a great Etsy customer and a new friend! Isn't the internet great? You get to connect with people all over the country and the world!


Thanks for stopping by! I hope you are having a great week.
:) Nora Anne