Am I off my rocker? Seriously?

Ok, so we all know that I love to create and design……I also love to teach.  I teach around my families schedule and kind of just teach here and there.  My classes do well but I’m not sure that I would consider myself a “professional” but more just a Mom doing what I love.  Just trying to bring in a bit of money here and there and sharing a part of me that I love to share.

I’ve never taken a class.  Nope, really.  I have no idea how other teachers teach.  That usually causes me some stress but then sometimes I think it’s better because I just do what I do and I don’t try to measure up to anybody or do it like them. I never know how I measure up, but my classes always sell out, so I figure that I must be doing something right.

Well, have you heard of Reflections?  It’s a HUGE event held in Newport Beach at the Newport Hyatt (walking distance to the beach and Balboa Island)…here are some of the details……

We’ve officially secured the dates! Reflections 2010 will be on April 30th – May 2, 2010 with registration beginning on Thursday, April 29, 2010

Here’s the full scoop… During your 3 day extravaganza you will be treated to:

• 3 full days of classes taught by 7 amazing designers
• 3 hour long, technique packed classes
• Breakfast provided – Friday
• Lunch provided – Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
• ‘Make and takes’
• Isle Carnival
• A special event on Saturday night
• Kick-off Crop Thursday night
• Crop rooms open until midnight on Friday and Saturday
Plus lots and lots of surprises along the way!

Talk about a fun time…..I did a make and take last year on Friday night for Maya Road and Pink Paislee and the ladies said that they were having a blast!

This year Karen asked me to come back as a teacher.  I was flattered and excited and thought about it for a minute and then said, “YES”…….and then the list of other teachers came out and I got that big moment of DOUBT…

Kelly Goree

Maggie Holmes

Elizabeth Kartchner

Katie Watson

Oh my goodness, what the heck am I doing?  I am not these women, they are far too amazing.  They are far too professional.  They are far too well known.  OMG, have I lost my mind?

But then I laughed….yep, I have lost my mind…many times.  So, I’ll just add this one to my list.  Honestly, I am totally intimidated but I just have to do what I do naturally.  Do what I know and what is in my heart and it will all be fine.  Right?

I will be teaching about 6-9 classes, I’m unsure on that but will be staying there at the beautiful hotel.  Teaching and hanging out, getting to be social and being around people that share the same love that I do.  That excites me beyond belief!  There are a few social events, last year they did a bonfire etc….and that all just sounds so wonderful to me!

I have an idea of what I want to teach but am waiting for CHA-W to see what product inspires me…………I’m pretty sure that I already know what Maya Road product I want to use………..You will not believe the previews that we are getting for CHA-W….sorry, they are top secret.  If I told you, I would have to kill you.  Very exciting stuff.

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Back to normal life.

Swine flu sucks.  Maddy is better.  Derek still has a cough.  Hannah however got hit the hardest.  She got a bronchial infection, a pretty bad one.  She just started on antibiotics.  She has missed a week of school but hopefully will return tomorrow.  It’s been kind of nice having just her home with me.  I don’t get much alone time with her.  Poor girl though, it hurts her chest so much to cough so she tries to hold it in.  It’s a very painful infection.

I got it a little bit……I swear that I must have been exposed to it as a kid (that outbreak in the 70’s) because I got a few days of dizziness, headache and no energy but that was it.  I think I just fought it and came out fine.

I’ve been doing lots of crafty stuff, but nothing that I can share yet.  Boo hoo.  Sorry.

However, I do have a tutorial on the Maya Road Design Team Blog that you can check out!  You can see my “haven’t left the house in a week and have to substitute supplies” project!

Oh, and I can share a few more project photos with you.  These are from the Kenner Road class that comes along with your purchase of the Windy Corner add on kit.

You can purchase the class separate but it is free with the kit. You can purchase both the kit and the class right HERE.   It’s taught by Kerry Lynn Yeary.   I contributed 2 little projects for the class.

There are some stunning designs in this class.  These ladies are super duper creative!!  Love it all!

Ok, speaking of Kenner Road……….I’m off to work on the November kit right now!!

~Katie

ETA- I wanted to add that when I knew that I was hooked on scrapbooking, I immediately knew that if I could that I wanted to teach scrapbooking.  When we moved to Texas, I was able to attend a CKU-T, it was the first and I believe only CKU-Teachers.  It was just for people that wanted to teach, already taught or owned stores that had teachers.  It was a blast but sadly the program was discontinued.  Really mostly the people that did the make and take type of projects with us, just talked and gave lectures about teaching.  Some teachers had the gift of gab and some were not comfortable with public speaking.  There were a lot of last minute fill ins for celebrity teacher spots.  They couldn’t come last minute and some poor girl had to teach her class(s). Spotty memory on it.  But there was something to be learned from each person, not just the teachers but the people attending.  I think that event gave me the confidence to move forward with teaching.  I am not shy about asking stores to teach or contacting companies to see about ordering for classes.  If I had not been so comfortable at that event, I might not have been as comfortable moving forward.  I just wanted to mention that.  So when I say that I haven’t taken a scrapbooking class, I meant it…as I don’t consider those a class by any means.  Funny enough, I have found some of the projects that I did at that event in a box recently.  They ranged from just a tag to a tiny Bazzill mini picture book.  I will go now….I have the gift of gab..jabbermouth!

btw- Emily Adams and Collete Hall were the most inspiring.