Saying thank you.

Wow that is fab!

I totally have chills. That is so wonderful. I love good people like this and I'm thrilled you shared with all of us. =)

Ali--You will never know how many people you have touched and inspired. Keep doing what you're doing. God has a plan, and you're living it!
On a personal note, I loved taking your classes (as always) and enjoyed myself for the first time in a long time this weekend. Thank you for that. Can't wait til you return! Love you girl--Trish

Ali,
Okay, so I'm gonna be a bit off topic here and let you in on one of my favorite bloggers (aside from you of course, LOL). She's Alicia Paulson on http://www.rosylittlethings.typepad.com. Now, the reason I'm telling you this is because I think her most recent post speaks to me as a scrapbboker and might speak to you too. She has recently come across about 100 letters at an estate sale and is piecing the lives of the family through the letters. What's inspiring to me is that bits and pieces of these people's lives have been immortalized by the simple act of writing and keeping letters. Though she had a bit of a guessing game in piecing the "story" behind the family's lives, she has put a few details together that illustrate life between 2 families between the 1930's and 50's. As a scrapbooker it made me realize how compelling everday details and "normal routines" seem of such great importance and interest to those who find such records in the far future. It also made me realize at the importance of stating factual info also in our scrapbooks. Tidbits like nicknames, favorites, people's realationship to one another, and so on. I have gained a whole new perspective on the importance of being my family's historian for the future generations. It's not that I didn't know this before, but it showed me that anyone, even strangers, can stumble across my scrapbooks and still find it interesting to know who we were behind the faces...I hope you take a quick moment to read her blog as she is such a personable person and just maybe, she might inspire in you the same as it has me today. Hope this wasn't too long but I thought you'd enjoy reading her post.
Always,
Paula

Wow.

that is awesome!!! :)

First, hope you had a safe trip home! I wanted to thank you for an awesome time Saturday. My kids loved the small album I made and my 7 year old daughter wants to make one of her own. The best part was she was telling my husband she wants to be just like mommy and do scrapbooking. She is very creative already, loves to draw and write stories, so I am excited to have her interested in scraping with me. I loved the class and really loved just hanging out and scraping with you and everyone at the store. What an awesome staff! I am loving your book and feel inspired to do more with all my patterned paper. Thanks for making scrapbooking so much fun and being such a great person to hang out with (even if I was a bit intimidated : )! Hope to see you again soon in either Ohio or a CKU.
Stay cool, Ilona

PS...I'm loving your new book...Kudos to you!

Hey Girlfriend;
I am as always touched by you! Thanks for being there for everyone and putting yourself out there for people to connect to! I hope you had a safe trip home! Thanks for your your humor and the fun! TTYS! JB

Ali-
Thanks for being so down to earth, so like everyone else...you are so awesome to be around! Your energy is contagious and I so enjoyed every minute of your class on Saturday! So glad Julie and I were able to get our books at the last minute, hope you got some cool crocs!
Until next time..
Robin

Ali! Was so blessed to hear about the check for an Autism charity. I have an almost 8 year old daughter with autism and she is truly a joy!!! I really enjoy reading your entries about your son. Each day is truly a new adventure. My sister (Jenny) came to a set of classes you taught in CA. She went with Pam Black. She was so excited to share some of your stories about treatments and such. Our Skylar has been GFCF for over 4 years and has been helped tremendously by the diet. She didn't speak coherently before the diet, and after 5 days on the diet (and a horrendous withdrawl from both gluten and casein) she woke up to say "Good Morning Mommy!" It's moments like that, that remind me what scrapbooking is all about. I'm here to share Skylar's story! Thanks for helping inspire me to do that!!

Ali, that is wonderful news. I am so glad that your story is getting out there and inspiring other people to help.

What a beautiful, serendipitous circle!!

what a cool post.

thanks again for making us look at this thing in an entirely different light...can't wait to spend more time with you. love that you're one of the 'peeps'...and that you 'get' us...even when we melt down. =) we love ya, A.
see you soon...
nicole =)

oh that is just beyond incredible! i have goosebumps! :) what a blessed blessed thing that these people have done for you, for simon... for all people affected by autism. me being one of those people (with my daughter abbi), i'd like to send out a big thank you too... its always so unbelievably touching to know that people are wanting to take the time, effort, and heart to help these kids. awesome.

Ali...it was such a pleasure and an honor to meet you this past weekend. Wish I could have been there on Sunday, too...too very cool about the check and the prize winner. :) It was enough for me, though, to get to spend Sat. in your presence at the workshops and the crop. You were as awesome as I imagined you'd be from reading you here and from all of your layouts I've seen and "read" over the years. Thanks for sharing so much of yourself in all that you do. I hope our paths cross again some day.
Blessings...
Lisa

Simply amazing that people can ban together and do such a gracious thing for a cause so dear to you. You are such an inspiration to all...keep doing your great work. It was so fun to see you again...you made my sister's day :)
x0x0

What a tremendous gift! You do so much to raise awareness of Autism and for that I thank you! Safe travels to you as you go home to your precious family.

That is awesome~ what a thoughtful thing for Scraptacular to do for you and people affected by autism everywhere. Kudos to all of you ladies (and apparently Ricky too!:))