Time for change

Well I've had some time to think about where I am in life with work, family, scrapping and the whole 9 yards as the saying goes, and I've made the decision to make some changes for myself, hopefully for the better.

The first of those changes was to sadly relinquish my position on the CyberScraps design team. A lot of my decision came from the fact that I don't really have the time that's needed to be a fully involved design team member for a retail store with an online component as well. It takes far more hours than it looks from the outside to keep up with all the work needed each month in terms of the gallery, forum, cybercrops, challenges, planning, etc, and with only a couple of people it's been hard to keep up. I've definitely not been able to support Cath as much as I would have liked to and it isn't fair for me to continue when I know I can't do that. I'm going to be cutting back now to things which don't require a lot of online involvement which for me really takes away from my scrapping time which should be the whole point of the exercise. I've been with Cath since she began the online store almost two years ago now and I've loved every minute of being immersed in the whole design team lifestyle and playing such a hands on role in the direction of the shop. I've especially loved the amazing women I've met through my time there as well - people I probably never would have met otherwise - and I hope that anyone who wants to keep in touch will do so through my blog or email me or carrier pigeon or anything at all and naturally I'll do the same. I'm also very thankful to Cath for all the opportunities that being a part of her design team has given me and I know she'll continue to do well.

So what now? The typing is here as always so that's keeping me busy but in the spare moments (what are those?!?!?!) my lovely friend Alana who runs Scrapping Outback has asked me to help her out to showcase some of her products so I'll be doing that in bits and pieces for her. I'll also be helping out at the Scrapping Outback stand at the Scrapbook and Papercraft Convention next month (Queen's birthday long weekend at the Brisbane Convention Centre, Southbank) doing product demonstrations etc so I'd love to see you if you are going. That reminds me...

.... that Scrapping Outback is holding a big competition - Sounds like fun......here is the info!
Brisbane Scrapbooking ConventionJune 8 & 9thWould you like to see your work on display at our stand, alongside works by Lu Benson (li'l ol' me), Rachelle Minett, Sandra Gerdes, Petrina McDonald and Jill Geraghty Groves...well you could. If you have purchased products from Scrapping Outback you are eligiable to enter. We want you to help us show off our best products. So if you do not already have our designs in your stash, you need to do some shopping.To enter you just need to submit your layout or off the page project. You can enter as many submissions as you like...the only requirments is that you MUST contain products from Scrapping Outback. Entries are to be uploaded in the Brisbane Scrapbooking Convention Competition in the gallery. So register your details in the gallery, grab some products and show us what you can do with our designs.Entries close 27th May. Winning layout will receive a huge prize pack valued at $100, presented in one of our Convention reusable shopping bags which will be personally autographed by all the above designers as well as your layout on display at the Brisbane Papercraft Convention. Sounds cool hey?

In an update from my work for Kaisercraft at the Stitches and Craft Show a couple of weeks ago, I'm also really excited to announce that I've been asked to be a Design Team member for Kaisercraft!!!! I only found out yesterday so that's mega exciting. As far as design teams go it's a great opportunity to work with all of their latest and greatest products to create samples for their catalogues, trade shows like CHA and the monthly workshop booklet that you can find at your local scrap shop and it's something I can fit in around the typing business as well which I'm really thankful for. There are some other fantastically talented Aussie scrappers joining me on this very exciting design team but I'll let them tell you in their own time - I dont' want to spoil anyone's surprise but I'll link as soon as they've made their own announcements. Huge thanks go to Melissa Kennedy who asked me to come on board - I'm really honoured to be involved and can't wait to show you all the exciting things that Kaisercraft has planned! They just keep getting better and better as I'm sure you all know. Stay posted for updates.

So have I been scrapping? Not much really but I did a couple of layouts today that I'm really happy with.

I'm off to do some typing tonight because there's always that waiting for me and tomorrow Caeligh wants me to help her make a mini album for her to keep in her room. She always loves to see the layouts I've done but wants to keep them for herself in her room instead of in any of my albums so we'll make her something that's just her own.

I hope everyone's travelling okay and keeping well. Hopefully now I'll have a bit more blog surfing time to catch up with you all. I miss reading what everyone's doing and I definitely need to have a big catch up!

Have a fab week, love Lu