And the giveaways go to...

Congrats Ladies! And thanks to everyone for all of the wonderful organizational/simplify ideas - they will certainly come in handy at my house this year.
Create a beautiful day!
Andria

Hey Ali - I found an article on Psychology Today's website about living in the "Now" and thought you would find it interesting since you blog about it so often.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/index.php?term=pto-4696.html&fromMod=emailed
I think it's something many of us should read heading into the holidays. Thanks for the all the great projects, posts, and giveaways! You are always such a great part of my day!

Just a simple note to say thank you for your time in providing an interesting and uplifting blog. I always enjoy visitng here!

Hi Ali, I just wanted you to know that I love reading your blog and enjoy your perspectives on really living your life.Don't let anyone steal your joy with negative political views!We ALL need a fresh start and a reason to be proud to be Americans again. Wasn't it an electric moment when our West Coast blue states sent Obama over the top?! Have a wonderful day! Hooray from Washington!!

Congrats!!!!!
Hope you enjoy your goodies!!!

Congratulations, ladies!
I'm looking forward to reading the other ideas people left yesterday.

hey ali! i love your blog and i started on my deember book yesterday! just wanted to share a link with you and anyone else who's interested.
she made some amazing number tags with you in mind! so i thought it appropriate to mention :)
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16983510
can't wait for your next givaway! :)

i just wanted to tell you that i absolutly LOVE your blog. You are a very creative, strong and positive artist and woman :)
love and light
Susanna xo from BC, Canada

just wanted to say thanks for the great, well written post on Election day.
You ROCK!
Laurie
Indiana

Dear Ali,
Your wording (in your edits) was so gracious yesterday - thank you. You continue to inspire me in ways that extend far beyond scrapbooking. Lucky, lucky Simon and your new baby to have been blessed with you as their mother!
Louise

Ali,
The linked article that Erica left in her comment is wonderful! I sent you an e-mail earlier this year in response to the Jill Bolte Taylor video about Eckhart Tolle's book "A New Earth" and the webcasts he did with Oprah. This article does not mention him, but it basically summarizes the principles he discusses in his books. I highly recommend reading it. Thanks to Erica for posting it! Ali, I've told you before, but your blog brings daily inspiration to my life. Thank you!!

Hey I won!! Thanks Ali, thanks for all the inspiration and letting us into your life.

This is such a great from Studio Calico. Congratulations to those winning ladies!

Since I missed the chance to post my organizing idea... I will post it here. Every year I make a Christmas Calendar for the month of December. I make it in November and plan all our favorite activities from seeing the Lights in Downtown SLC to concerts to making sugar cookies and watching "A Christmas Story." Then it goes up on the frig. If you make the calendar cute enough at the end of the season it can go into your family scrapbook.
Also Ali, please don't stop talking about President-Elect Obama. We all need to agree to disagree and then learn from each other and work together.

Congratulations to all the winners! I can't wait to get my Studio Calico kit this month it looks awesome!
And Lisa, I bought those same numbers for my December Daily! They are so cute!

Ali - Love your blog and the art you create, as well as the way you strive to live your life. Thanks for inspiring the rest of us...
A step I'm taking to simplify: I am not going to create Christmas cards this year from scratch with lots of embellishments and paper pieces to put together. I am going to TRY my hand at creating a 5x7 digital card with design elements and several photos. I am not terribly adept at PSE though, so don't really know how it will go...
Have you thought about designing a digital Holiday card template we could buy and use? I know I would be interested in having something of great design quality into which I could just download some photos, upload to print and mail.
Maybe you could also address the process of making a digital Holiday card and then printing it. I'm particularly interested to know where to upload and print something that is not on photo paper but rather on heavy cardstock. I usually print photos at Sam's or Costco--I don't think they print on any paper but photo paper.
I know you've talked alot on your blog about the digital process, but another primer focused on making Holiday cards would help alot of us digital novices.
Thanks, appreciate you! Carol

Ali, just a personal thank you for your blog, to share with us a little about your life and your art!
it inspires me every day and gives me the little sun that sometimes I need!
ps: I would say too very strong: the world can change...

The way we simplified last year and will again this year is order our Christmas dinner from a higher end grocery store (New Seasons for those in the Portland area). We had so many left overs, no stress and it was cheaper than what we have spent in the past on Christmas dinner with a roast.
Thanks,
Betsy

Hi Ali,
Just wanted to pop in and say I love your blog and happen to share the same political views as you.
However, if you were Republican and posted regret at the outcome. I would not think it was good manners to critique you...I just don't get how people can be disrepectful in person or on a computer...respect is respect and we should all be thankful that you are so willing to share and inspire us all in so many ways. You blog is not just about scrapbooking but it is also your family's and you have every right to express any feelings and staements you'd like.
Phew....just had to get that out! Take care!

Congratulations to the winners of the goodies...they look like a lot of fun!

i say a little prayer for all the folks who comment with such hatred and fear regarding this election outcome. (i mean really there are lots and lots of reasons to vote for obama vs. mccain --what is up with the negative commenters that mention "killing babies" as though we favor that if we voted for obama?)
the main reason i wanted to comment though is that i was pleased to find a scrapbooking blog by someone who wasn't a mean spirited christian or Morman(i use qualifying words, because i am a Christian) ...there seem to be few choices out there. time and time again when i click to links of scrapbooking blogs i find something of hatred and fear in their journaling and i leave. (this is also the reason i don't buy any scrapbooking magazines, so many of the spreads have similar journaling in them)

Congrats to all the winners!!

Hey guys - just a note to all:
Comments left without a valid email address will be deleted.

Help Ali's blog readers! There is a free downloadable for numbers (cute ones in circles with patterns in red, black, white and light blu/aqua) somewhere here that a reader created and shared. I can't find it! Aack! Anyone have any idea where? Thanks! Tess thetessaroo@yahoo.com

Hi Ali
Have never posted before though I visit the site daily. Just wanted to say I think you handle all life issues, including political ones, with grace and tact. Thanks for sharing so much of yourself with us. Blessings to your growing family.
Peace
Allyson