Life is funny

Sometimes the things you need the most -- things that you'd never ask for or maybe even realize that you need -- the universe magically delivers to you. It's a mystifyingly beautiful thing.

Sometimes these things you need are not even things -- just words, reassurances, validation. You don't ask for them, but deep down, your soul is wishing and hoping they'll come along.

And they do. Usually right at the moment you need it most and often in the most unexpected fashion.

Case in point, a few projects that I submitted for publication a LONG time ago (we're talking this time last year) finally made it into print. I had all but given up on this first one.

Let me just say, I never in a million years thought I would be published in this mag:


And I never in a GAZILLION years expected to get the full back page:


But wait, there's more. Scrapbooks Etc. liked my project so much that they made it into a kit that they are now selling in "The SBE Shop" so that anyone can make it. Whaaaat?



Blown away. Complete disbelief. Every time I pass one of these magazines on a store shelf, I have to open it to the back page and make sure that's still me in there. Yeah, I'm a dork.

A few days after this mag hit my mailbox, I received a box containing this Memory Makers book that I submitted to last spring:


They picked up two of of my layouts:


The photo on this one turned out a little dark...


This is such a wonderful book -- literally HUNDREDS of pages in varying styles. It's a great source of inspiration. I've seen it at Hobby Lobby, but you can also order it on Amazon.

I will be posting the winner of last Tuesday's giveaway (the one from the gift wrapping post) later today, so check back this afternoon!