Boxer Scrapbooks Weblog

Long overdue update

I have to say, our Design Team does a great job of updating the DT Blog.  I'll admit, I'm horrible about updating this one.  Dec 1st, 2010 was the last time I updated.  Why?  Probably several reasons, but the most apparant is that updating the blog takes longer than updating Facebook.  Facebook is just easier, and with the limited time I have had this year, that was my go-to.

I'm also supposed to be able to post here, and have it show up on the Boxer facebook page, but the widget isn't working correctly, and I haven't had time (there it is again) to mess with it.

So, what's new at Boxer?  It's a big time right now for some awesome new kits.  Laura's created two different ones using the KaiserCraft Advent Calendar box, and we've assembled them into great kits.

First up is the Summer Treasure Box.

  This great kit has fabulous color and texture, and utilizes some great new papers and 3-d embellishments from Hot Off the Press.  The kit includes all that, plus the ribbons, paint and even the paint brush, along with step-by-step instructions and color photos of the finished work of art.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up is the Christmas Advent Calendar Kit.

Again using a brand new paper pack from Hot off the Press, as well as awesome 3-d embellishments, Laura designed a Patchwork-Style design that will look great as a home decor piece for years to come! 

 

 

We've got her working on several other projects right now, and they are crowd pleasers! 

 

 

 

Next up--Chrys created our all-new Dog Chipboard Album.  This is the oversized 9.5 x 11.5 new  Rectangle Chipboard Album.  It's a great size for adding lots of photos, memoribilia and journaling.  You can see all the pages in the album by clicking here.

 

 

 

Other than that, we have only 6 shows left for the year: San Marcos, TX (Sept 16 & 17--this next weekend!), and our home show, Portland, OR the weekend after.  In October we'll be in Cincinnati and Kansas City.  In November, we visit Ontario, CA, and Bellevue (Seattle), WA.

From there---we don't slow down.  Just 3 weeks after the Seattle show, Geroge and I will be getting married!  So, between the 16 shows we've already done this year, we've been planning our wedding.  It's been crazy, but we're getting there.  In fact, today, one of my bridesmaids and I are going to look for dresses for them.  I get these little snippits of time, and I cram everything into them that I can.

Right now--I better go cram in a shower...

~Angie

 

Recapping the week!

Hello!
What a great week it has been in the middle of November!  Here's the recap:

George and I left for Bellevue for the Seattle CK Convention Wednesday afternoon.  Mom and Laura left several hours after we did, so we met them at the hotel.  Karen was induced that morning, given pitosin at about 6pm that night, but it was taking a long time working.  Mom held off leaving town as long as she could, and ended up having to back-track to the office anyway, putting her another 2 hours behind.  OOPS!

Karen had Kaya LeeAnn at 5:389am on Thursday, November 13, 2008!  Kaya weighed in at 6# 3oz and was 19.5" long.  Here are the camera phone photos I received throughout the weekend:

Such a pretty girl!  But I'm biased!  George and I had planned on running over to their house to see her, but my cold is coming back (or allergies) and George has come down with the flu, so we're staying away for the time being...

Seattle show was wonderful!  Didn't see Wendy from Canada this year (Wendy--where were you???), but classes went great, and people loved our new booth set-up.  It worked really well for us, too, which is always nice.

Cabo spent her first time at a kennel while we were gone.  The staff at Windyridge take such good care of the puppies.  Cabo was very excited to see us, but fell asleep on the 7 minute drive on the way home, and has been napping ever since we picked her up at noon.  When I say napping, I mean crashed-out!  See?

 

This is her pink bed we got for her the first night that we brought her home.  She's a bit big for it now, but loves to lay in it when she's in the computer room with one of us.  I had another photo of her curled up in a ball and fitting into it, but i somehow deleted it when I uploaded.  :o(  Funny dog.

About the show:  As always, had some great food in Bellevue.  Ate at California Pizza Kitchen again, which is always nice.  We have one here in Tualatin now, but it's at Bridgeport Village, and the parking sucks, so we never go.  Also ate at Pogatcha.  FABULOUS Croation food, this is our second year eating there.  The wonderful quilt store from that same center is gone now, and I don't know if they moved or closed completely.  Then Saturday night, had a gathering of lots of old friends (and some new) from the show circuit.  Had a great time, and great food, served by our hostess Vicki.  Great pinata that she created too!  That was a blast! 

Our good friends Judy and Danita of Galloping Horse Productions officially celebrated their last show.  They say forever, but are also leaving the door open for a few shows here and there.  They are wonderful ladies, and we'll miss having them on the road! 

Our newly married friend, Britney, who works for SEI, also celebrated her last show.  She and her new husband Mat are moving back to Idaho next week, and we're sad to see them go.  I took their engagement photos a few months ago for them on a rainy day at the Oregon Coast, and then they just got married on Nov. 1st!  Saw the wedding photos at the show, and she was a beautiful bride!  They're coming back to town in December, and promise that we'll get together for dinner with Danita, too.

Also, our friend Terri celebrated her last show on the CKC travelling team.  She'll be working for one of the vendors next year, so we'll still get to see her on the road!

In many ways, I'm happy that show season is over for us!  We're exhausted, but have tons of work to do in the next few weeks, and for the coming year.  I'm just excited I don't have to go to the airport for almost 4 full months!

George made the decision last night at midnight when we got back to our hotel room from Vicki's that he wanted to drive home then.  We ended up getting home at 3:30am, and slept until around 10:30.  At noon we picked up Cabo, and she and I went back to bed.  George stayed up and watched football all day while checking out the new World of Warcraft expansion, and I mad a dash over to Red Robin for dinner around 7:30, after realizing we didn't have anything to make in the house!  Guess I'll be grocery shopping Monday...

Wow--I'm tired just re-reading that.  Guess its time I went to bed, too!  Have a wonderful week!

~~Angie

A New Niece!

My best Friend, Karen, had her baby this morning!  Kaya LeeAnn was born at 5:38am, weighing 6lb, 3oz, and 19.5 inches long.  Mom and I are in Seattle for the CKC Seattle, so all I have is a camera phone picture of her, which I don't know how to get off the phone!  She's super cute, and I can't wait to see her in person on Sunday.  Ohhhh, the overload of pink is going to be awesome!  Her two big brothers, Reggie and Lion, are so excited to have a little sister. 

Karen's been my best friend since we were 3 years old, so she's really my sister.  I'm so happy for her, and can't wait to see the new little girl I get to spoil!

~~Angie

Special News!

My Best Friend Karen is 9 months pregnant and her contractions have started!  Actually, they started a few days ago, but they increased in intensity tonight (Sunday).  We're hoping our new niece will make her grand entrance in the next couple of days.  She and I have been best friends since we were three years old.  My parents always called her their "other daughter".

That being said, our office hours may suddenly be cut short and/or start late, as we help her out.  I'm on "older brother" detail, making sure Lion and Reggie make it to school and home, and Reggie still has football practice this week, since his team made it to the championship this coming weekend!  Both boys are very excited to have a little sister, and mom and I are excited that we get to buy pink again!  YEAH!  Karen's asked mom to be in the delivery room with her, and has invited me in as well.  I'm gonna pass, because well, I still want to have kids at this point, and really, don't want to be freaked out by anything.

So, that's it for today...I'll keep the blog updated...

~~Angie

Thoughts and prayers...

This week, our thoughts and prayers are going out to the Martin family, and especially their daughter Courtney.  The Martin family has been longtime friends of our entire family, going back as far as high school with my Aunt Kim and Uncle Kevin.

Courtney is a beautiful young girl who was married at her parents beautiful country home on August 9, just one month ago today.  The young man she married was a Marine, who served two tours in Iraq, and since his return, worked at a training facility for Marines.  Mom attended the wedding, and said that they were in fact a perfect match for each other, and she was an exceptionally stunning bride.

We received word last Friday, that Courtney's husband of just 3 weeks was killed in an automobile accident in California where they lived.  Courtney has been here in Oregon since their honeymoon, trying to figure out the logistics of moving her horses to Southern California.

Having gone through the sudden and unexpected loss of a very close loved one to a car accident, I understand that her pain cannot be measured or explained.  There are questions that may never be answered, and the general "why wasn't I there" question always hangs over you.  Mom is reeling over this loss, as she had nearly 39 years with my dad, and Courtney was just getting started.  I can't even imagine the pain she is going through.

Our thoughts and prayers this week are being sent to the Martin's as well as the young man's family.  May you find peace in the days ahead.
~~Angie
(I chose to withhold the young man's name out of respect.  We do not know their family, however we know their pain and are sharing thoughts and prayers for them as well.)

Two Years...

Today, Monday July 14th, marks 2 years since we lost my father Mike.  There are days that drag, and days that fly by, but all in all, it still feels like yesterday.  We still expect him to walk up to the house at anytime, but know full well that it won't happen.

 

It also feels weird when I type "my father Mike".  Somehow, I need to also say "my mom's incredible husband of nearly 39 years".  He passed away just a little over a month before their 39th wedding anniversary.

He's definitely here in spirit everyday at the Boxer office.  Every once in awhile, I find a note that he scribbled on the side of one of the boxes that holds our paper for picking orders.  He was famous for talking on the phone, and would just stop picking an order, and basically have to start all over.  He'd then start talking about a phone number that he'd written down somewhere, and can't find.  I've since found it in the last two years.  There isn't a day I don't think about something I'd love to tell him, laugh about with him, or know he would get a kick out of.  While I could go on for about a 10 page post of all of my memories of him, great things to tell the world about him, I'm going to refrain.  Those that knew him, knew what kind of person he was, what and who he stood for, and that they could always count on him.  (Photo above is him pictured on a beautiful Oregon day with his girl Molly.)

Mom and I are taking it easy today.  I'm finishing up a calendar for an event coming up soon, and we'll start packing the huge class kits.  (Post about the classes tomorrow, with photos and everything!)

Today is about dad.  His legacy, his life, and our memories of a great man.

All my love,
~Angie

Happy Mother's Day!

Hi from Boxerland!  Whether you have children with two legs or four (fur babies do count in my book), I'd like to wish each of you a very Happy Mother's Day.

I know about having a very special mom.  My mom is the best.  I actually consider her to be one of my best friends.  Now that I'm past 25 years old (all right--way past), I can honestly say it's one of the most important relationships in my life. 

Mom,

I cherish every moment we spend together, even when we're working. 

It's OK that the fresh cookies weren't coming out of the oven every day when I came home from school.  It apparently had no adverse effects. 

It's OK that you have a K-Cabinet, and like to brag.  I personally don't have room for one, so it's all good.

You BURN CHICKEN.  OK--maybe it was only once, and only 20 years ago, but I still like to give you crap about it.

I have no regrets, and you taught me how to live my life in such a way that I wouldn't.  We'll get through this one day at a time, and we'll do it together.  I love you very much, Mom.

~~Love Always, Angie

Check out our helper!

We've been getting ready for yet another show in the past couple of weeks, which is why I haven't posted since the end of April.  One of those days, our nephew Wyatt came to visit us, and help around the office.

Here he is during the morning coffee break:

With Coffee break over, it was time to get to work.  First, he wanted to take some phone calls:

Then--he really wanted to take Cabo for a walk.  Cabo just really wanted a shot at that hula monkey hanging off his car seat handle.

Wyatt was a lot of fun that day, and is such a happy little 8 month old.  Really struggling to figure out crawling, but you can tell he's gonna get it soon.  It was a nice break to have him around from the hard work we'd been doing non stop for several weeks.  Even though he was there, we did still get a lot of work done.  While Wyatt napped or sat in his Bumbo, we assembled kits and did some planning for some other upcoming projects.

Great day!  Thanks for the entertainment, kid!

~~Angie

 

Please welcome Wyatt Gregory!

Wyatt Gregory Frazer was born on Tuesday, September 11th, 2007 at 4:15pm.  He weighed in at 6 lbs, 3oz, and is 20.25" long!  Here are a bunch of photos (all of which can be clicked on to see full size):

Mom Jena & Wyatt

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Dad Dan & Big Sister Emma

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Grandma Kim and Grandpa Frank

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Uncle Jason (Jena's Brother)

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Aunt Vicki (Yes--the Vicki at Boxer Scrapbooks)*

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Aunt Angie (me)

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Yeah!  Even though he was 1 day early from the scheduled c-section, he's a beautiful, Healthy boy!  Here are some close up shots of him that I love.

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Quite a bit of hair, and mom and I noticed that he has Jena & my grandfather's hairline!  It's a little curly in the back, with some definite swirls.

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Such a cutie!  Can't wait to see him again tonight...

~~Angie