What I said and What I meant.

So in my last post, I said, "and…nothing more to say." But what I meant was "I have a secret that I can’t say anything about yet, but I’m so excited!"

I’ve been invited to be a Garden Girl at Two Peas in a Bucket. Oh. My. GOSH. I can’t believe it. It’s something I’ve always kind of dreamed about, but was afraid to dream TOO much about it.

So here’s how it went. I started to really want to join the team, allowing myself to think it might be a possibility, near the end of June. And I decided to email the owner, Kristina, to let her know I was interested. Can’t get what you don’t ask for, right? So she added a bunch of girls a few days later. Not me. That’s ok. I wasn’t too disappointed. She said she was going to add 2 more girls. So there was still a possibility. I started to REALLY want the gig. Really. I mean, to the point were I started to lose sleep over it and have anxiety checking my email, hoping she would have sent me an invitation.

After several days of that, I began to realize something was wrong with me. Really wrong. I should not be that concerned about a website. A hobby. This was taking WAY too much of my energy and focus. It should not hold such a huge place in my life. I don’t want to be the kind of person that has nothing outside of scrapbooking. I began to really think about myself and what I need/want/hope for. I realized that I don’t need any scrapbooking gigs. I realized that I do this for my family. Not fame. Not money. Not free supplies. I started this all with a plain old desire to create. And when I add too much other junk into my reasons for scrapping, it messes it up. Makes it not fun. So the past few months I’ve made some adjustments to the way I approach the whole thing. Got grounded, centered, hopefully, got the right perspective on the amount of room scrapbooking should take in my life.

And wouldn’t you know it? When I gave it up, it came to me. And instead of bawling like I might have a few months ago, I smiled, laughed, worried that it might be too much work or take away from my family, then accepted (gladly!) the position.

For me, this is so cool. When I first began scrapping, it was because of a Hall of Fame issue of Creating Keepsakes. Where Tara Whitney and Shelley Sullivan (now Laming) and Renee Camacho  and Melissa Caliguiri (and more) all were in there. When I found Two Peas from a magazine, and then the Creating Garden, where all these women were Garden Girls, I was in heaven. I have anticipated every time the Garden bloomed and I would go through the layouts with awe, feeling so inspired by each one. When I was a newborn scrapper, the Garden was the milk that made me grow. :)

So WOW. To be a part is SUCH an honor. I’m excited. This is big. It’s what I’ve always wanted. And I’m a bit afraid, but not too much, because really, it’s just a website. It’s just a hobby. It’s just for fun. Right? Right.

This entry was written by Shannon Montez, posted on October 28, 2005 at 5:04 pm, filed under old blog. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Trackbacks are closed, but you can post a comment.

53 Comments

  1. jen paddack-hyde said . . .

    That is absolutely awesome!!! CONGRATS!!

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 5:15 pm | Permalink
  2. AmyG said . . .

    Congrats! so happy to have you there :)

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 5:16 pm | Permalink
  3. april said . . .

    you so totally deserve it, shannon.

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 5:48 pm | Permalink
  4. tracy said . . .

    Congratulations, Shannon! Sweet skills, indeed! :) I can’t wait to see your first Garden seeds!

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 6:01 pm | Permalink
  5. Katrina said . . .

    Congrats Shannon! That’s wonderful news - you deserve it!

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 6:27 pm | Permalink
  6. ellen said . . .

    Congratulations! I am SOOO happy for you. You so deserve it…even though I don’t know how you will possibly be able to keep up with a fan club and your sweet kiddos!

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 6:49 pm | Permalink
  7. elizabeth said . . .

    Yay, Shannon!!! : )

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 6:52 pm | Permalink
  8. tara pollard pakosta said . . .

    congratulations to YOU! so excited for YOU~! so deserving~ what FUN!!!!!!! i would love to be a GG someday!! that would be a true honor. for sure. wow. i was that way about submitting for a little while but now i have stepped back and forgotten it a bit…did just what you did , so now maybe i will get published in CK, haha!~ lol!!!! enjoy it. can’t wait to see what you create girl!
    tara

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 7:31 pm | Permalink
  9. Erin said . . .

    Congrats Shannon!!! Very happy for you and can’t wait to see your stuff:). Big old grin from me.

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 7:49 pm | Permalink
  10. melissa (momteacherwriter) said . . .

    this couldn’t have happened to a more talented scrapbooker or more wonderful person!
    congratulations, shannon!
    i am so happy for you and i cannot
    wait to see your garden seeds!

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 7:53 pm | Permalink
  11. Michelle Adams said . . .

    Oh - do I know what you mean! :) Sooooo very happy for you!!! :) :) :)

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 8:18 pm | Permalink
  12. Christie said . . .

    You rock! Such a big congrats coming from me to you! Big smiles too!

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 8:24 pm | Permalink
  13. Lara said . . .

    Right. But BIG Congrats to you!! So excited to see your work in the garden!

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 9:09 pm | Permalink
  14. Linda said . . .

    Congratulations, Shannon!!!! I am SO thrilled for you! Can’t wait to see your stuff blooming in the garden!!

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 9:22 pm | Permalink
  15. Julia said . . .

    YEA!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m so excited for you Shannon, this is just too cool, CONGRATULATIONS! :-)

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 9:31 pm | Permalink
  16. stacy benintendi said . . .

    go you!!!!!! :)

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 9:34 pm | Permalink
  17. Lisa Damrosch said . . .

    Shannon I couldn’t be happier for you. Truly!! CONGRATS and ENJOY…

    Hugs
    Lisa

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 9:51 pm | Permalink
  18. Heather Preckel said . . .

    So happy for you Shannon and you will be such an asset to the garden!!!! You ROCK!!!! :)

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 10:04 pm | Permalink
  19. Diane R said . . .

    A well deserved honor, indeed!!! Congrats.

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 10:33 pm | Permalink
  20. Jessi said . . .

    Totally deserve it………love that I have a my picture with a famous celebrity to cherish forever! :) :) :)

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 11:40 pm | Permalink
  21. Rebecca Cooper said . . .

    HUGE congrats Shannon!

    Posted October 28, 2005 at 11:56 pm | Permalink
  22. marygrace said . . .

    Congrats Shannon! So happy you’re on board. :D

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 1:00 am | Permalink
  23. Vicki O said . . .

    congratulations!!! can’t wait to see your incredible talent showcased in the garden!

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 6:37 am | Permalink
  24. Julie said . . .

    Shannon, congratulations! I’m so happy for you! You have such a great head on your shoulders. I can’t wait to see your new creations! =) =) Signed, your OK friend. ;)

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 6:41 am | Permalink
  25. Janet O said . . .

    That is SO COOL. See, when *I* was a newborn scrapper, it was the HOF issue that YOU were in that inspired me…so in a couple years maybe *I* will be where *you* are! LOL!
    Congratulations again - you are one of my faves!

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 6:47 am | Permalink
  26. Waynette said . . .

    Congratulations!

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 6:48 am | Permalink
  27. Maureen said . . .

    I’m so beyond happy for you! Truly, this made me happy happy happy!
    I have totally felt exactly the same feelings as you! I may need you to teach me how you figured out how to step back…..cause I did, but once back into it….those feelings start to creep back in and it kind of sucks.
    Whatever…that is NOT important…..*THIS* is! You rock and you are fun and such a wonderful addition to the site I love so much!

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 7:34 am | Permalink
  28. Moriah Bettencourt said . . .

    Go Shannon.. you’re a Garden Girl!!! That’s awesome!! I was gone all day yesterday & came home to see the news… I was like “it’s about time!”

    Hopefully we can still shop & lunch together now that you are famous ;). Sooooo happy for you!!!

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 8:34 am | Permalink
  29. candi said . . .

    you are so right…

    you know I love you and I am so happy to see you there!! biggest congrats!
    You will rock the garden!

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 10:07 am | Permalink
  30. joanna said . . .

    You’ve totally got the right perspective!! So thrilled for ya!

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 11:11 am | Permalink
  31. tracy said . . .

    Congrats girl!! Happy to be your GG buddy :)

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 2:29 pm | Permalink
  32. Hanni said . . .

    congrats shannon! i am so happy for you!!!

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 3:44 pm | Permalink
  33. Shelby said . . .

    so awesome! HUGE congrats :)

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 4:20 pm | Permalink
  34. rebekah said . . .

    whoohooooo, shannon!!! what awesome news! congratulations! can’t wait to see your work in the garden!!! :)

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 4:28 pm | Permalink
  35. marie cox said . . .

    Yeah!!!So happy to have you in the garden…it’s gonna be fun

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 5:45 pm | Permalink
  36. Hilary said . . .

    Perfect entry my dear… absolutely perfect.
    Well, it might be MORE perfect if a little foot massage would flip down from my computer, but I am fairly sure technology’s not there yet.
    Hilary

    Posted October 29, 2005 at 9:08 pm | Permalink
  37. Julie Hickey said . . .

    Yay! Finally!!!! I’ve been waiting for this ;)

    Posted October 30, 2005 at 6:05 am | Permalink
  38. Courtney said . . .

    CONGRATULATIONS SHANNON! Now you suck too right???? Ha! I can’t wait to see what you come up with for the garden! Have a great Sunday! courtney

    Posted October 30, 2005 at 7:56 am | Permalink
  39. kent said . . .

    Well offical Congrats! Whew - I didn’t have to keep that secret too long. :-) It has been awesome seeing you grow as a scrapper over the years and its amazing how much you have accomplished (has it been 4 or 3 years since you really got into it)? Anyway, glad that your work can be shared with even more people now. Have fun with this experience!

    Posted October 30, 2005 at 9:00 am | Permalink
  40. Lara said . . .

    Awesome blossom! I’m so glad your a Garden Girl! And Grace told me yesterday that she’s hanging out with you soon! Lucky gals! Have fun and can’t wait to see your work up in the Garden!

    Posted October 30, 2005 at 9:31 am | Permalink
  41. Lara said . . .

    Woops - I meant “I’m so glad *you’re* a Garden Girl!”

    Posted October 30, 2005 at 9:31 am | Permalink
  42. Lindsay Teague said . . .

    HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGe congrats my friend! Well deserved! You’re the bestest~

    Lindsay

    Posted October 30, 2005 at 1:06 pm | Permalink
  43. Rachel said . . .

    so excited for you and happy to have you as a team-mate :)

    Posted October 30, 2005 at 1:17 pm | Permalink
  44. Emily Kate said . . .

    Congratulations! Your work is fabulous and will be a great addition to the garden!

    Posted October 30, 2005 at 4:49 pm | Permalink
  45. gabby said . . .

    hurray!!! congratulations… i adore your work oh so much…

    Posted October 30, 2005 at 6:37 pm | Permalink
  46. kellicrowe said . . .

    right.

    congrats!
    kellicrowe

    Posted October 30, 2005 at 9:43 pm | Permalink
  47. maggie holmes said . . .

    congrats girl!! looking forward to seeing more of your work!
    hugs,
    maggie

    Posted October 30, 2005 at 10:04 pm | Permalink
  48. traci said . . .

    Yipppeeee for you! SOOOO glad you’re joining the GGs and that emailing Kristina paid off for you!!! Congrats again!

    Posted October 31, 2005 at 7:15 am | Permalink
  49. Sabrina said . . .

    I know I am so late on congratulating you but I didn’t realize you were one till I saw one of your garden seeds. I’m so excited for you and can’t wait to see more of your work. A clogging GG! Hee! Congrats!

    Posted November 1, 2005 at 10:06 am | Permalink
  50. stephanie thiel said . . .

    Holy Moly!! I’m just catching-up on my blog reading…and found this amazing tidbit of news! Congrats Shannon!! I’m so excited for you and for all those who get to see your incredible work! Wow! A local girl too! I’m thrilled for you kiddo!!

    Posted November 2, 2005 at 11:40 pm | Permalink
  51. Carrie said . . .

    So happy for you, chica! :)

    Posted November 4, 2005 at 2:02 pm | Permalink
  52. Lisa BC said . . .

    Shannon, I just wanted to say congratulations and what a great addition you make to the garden. I love your style and think you are awesome.

    Posted November 5, 2005 at 7:48 pm | Permalink
  53. MarilynH said . . .

    When did this happen?? Well, now I know because I went hunting to find out!! Yeah for you!! sorry i didn’t congratulate you when it happened. I never get around to 2peas anymore (makes me too sad) and I find I create better if I don’t look at any SB pages anymore!

    hugs~~
    M :)

    Posted December 5, 2005 at 9:22 pm | Permalink

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