Life can be busy at times, right? We’ve all had those episodes.
Tonight’s post is personal news about several things that have been going on with me and my family during the last several weeks. It’s been a busy time.
The month of May started out as one would expect for having a graduating high school senior. We kept up with reading all the emails/communications from the district & the school (to know the process of turning in everything, closing accounts, turning in paper work, etc) and of course we were planning and prepping for graduation AND for a grad party! I caught a cold at the beginning of the month (as many of you who watch my Live videos know). And boy, was it a stubborn one! I couldn’t seem to get rid of it for quite a long time. So that was a bit frustrating with all that we had going on.
The end of May arrived, we were all healthy and well (no one else in my family ever got what I had – crazy), and we were ready for the festivities and celebrations.
Hooray! Our youngest son, Luke graduated on June 1st!
Time flies way too quickly. I started my blog in the spring of Luke’s Kindergarten year! This photo shows Luke on the left and his brother Nick on the right at the start of that 2012/2013 year. (I remember Nick was so ready to help Luke navigate elementary school. Gosh they were so adorable at those ages.)
And here is a comparison of little Luke to 12th grader Luke.
But I digress…
The ceremony was indoors at the Mariucci Arena at the University of Minnesota. We arrived early and got great seats. My sister was with us and took the above photo with her awesome zoom lens.
We were blessed to have had great weather to capture a few photos outdoors afterwards. This is my family…me, Luke, Tim, and Nick.
We hosted Luke’s graduation party at our house on Saturday, June 7th. The weather held up pretty well – only a mild rain shower towards the end. And many came to celebrate with us.
It was a wonderful time, and we were ready to focus our attentions on the next things coming up on the calendar in June: preparing for our big annual garage sale and preparing for my husband Tim and Luke’s trip to Vienna.
But something very unexpected happened the evening after the grad party. Our oldest Nick who had joined a “sandlot” baseball league for something fun to do with his friends this summer broke his tibia and fibula while sliding into home base when he scored a run for his team during that first game of the season. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. It’s been a struggle mentally and physically. It’s been very painful, he can’t work out at the gym (he’s a body builder), and he has to take a lot of time off from his job (he works for a moving company). If you’ve ever experienced breaking a bone you know that the process for healing is a slow one. He had surgery this morning. So at least that part is over.
We are still holding the sale. It will be bigger than ever and we even have a food truck coming the first day. And Tim and Luke are still going to on their trip. Nothing has changed for that. But know that I’ve got some extra care giver duties lately and I might not respond to emails, calls, and messages as quickly as I usually do.
I have to admit, it’s been wonderful to be needed again. My kids are so independent at ages 18 and 19. And I’ve missed doing motherly things. So taking care of my son hasn’t bothered me at all. I love that I can be there for him.
Here is what a couple of our areas in our garage looked like yesterday after only half of the participants had dropped their items off. Crazy, right? Anyone who attends will love the selection!
Sorry there was no creative project idea for you this time. But I’ve got ideas swimming around in my head and will have time to create and share again soon.
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BLACK FRIDAY SALE COMING SOON!
From November 25 to December 1 you can get 40% off select products: Stampinā Blends, Paper Trimmer and blades, Ink bundles, 25% off select adhesive, and 15% off select cardstock! Create more by spending less during this limited-time-only sale! Shop the online store right away on the 25th so you can catch all that is offered!
CYBER MONDAY PAPER PUMPKIN PREPAID SALE!
From December 1ā9, Stampin’ Up!Ā® is offering big savings on prepaid Paper Pumpkin subscriptions to celebrate Cyber Monday! At 8 a.m. (MT) on 12/1/25, you can click this link to purchase your discounted prepaids. Click here for details. Subscriptions start immediately with the December Watercolor in Bloom Kit. This cannot be skipped. (If you currently have a subscription and do not want to get more than one kit each month, you can purchase one of these prepaids. But you’ll want to cancel or put your current subscription on pause.)
Make This Season Bright with the 12 Days of Crafting Advent Calendar
Introducing the 12 Days of Crafting Advent Calendar (made available 9/23/25), a brand-new calendar full of products you can craft with all year long! Every day of this calendar contains never-before-seen dies, paper, embellishments, and even more items you wonāt find in any of our catalogs or in our online store!! Click here for more details.
NEW NOVEMBER RELEASE ONLINE EXCLUSIVES ARE HERE!
So MANY fantastic new products are now here in the Online Exclusives section of the Online Store! You wonāt find Online Exclusives products in any catalog. The next set of products will release January 6.
JANUARY-APRIL 2026 MINI CATALOG PRODUCTS ARE COMING!
Out next publication filled with fantastic products will kick off January 6. Request your copy here.
NEW KITS ADDED OCTOBER 1ST!
Two new kits were recently added to the Kits Collection!
A PEEK AT NOVEMBER’S PAPER PUMPKIN KIT
Wrapped in Cheer: Craft festive goody boxes perfect for holding gift cards, candies, and other festive little favors! Makes 8 projects: 4 each of 2 elegant Christmas tag designs with 8 identical coordinating goody boxes. The kit also includes pre-cut paper pieces, linen thread, red dot embellishments, and delicate greenery pieces with double-sided printing for a sophisticated touch. Coordinating Colors: Basic Beige, Cherry Cobbler, Mossy Meadow (Classic Stampinā Spot), and Old Olive. Click here for a flyer showing peeks of the October – December kits. And donāt miss the special add-on that coordinates with all three months: the Abundant Joy Dies (#167855) ā made available September 11th and only while supplies last! If you are not a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, I invite you to give it a try. CLICK HERE to learn more about Paper Pumpkin kits of creativity. CLICK HERE to sign up by November 10th for this next kit.
PAPER PUMPKIN CREATIVES TUTORIAL BUNDLES
Our Paper Pumpkin Creatives Design Team is excited to share that our October 2025 Cozy Christmas Bundle of Tutorials is now available. Visit HERE for more information. Visit HERE to get to my Tutorials/Classes for Sale page to purchase and to see others offered. (The next one featuring the Wrapped in Cheer kit will be available December 1st.)
ALL STAR VIDEO CLASS BUNDLES
Our All Star Design Team is excited to share that our November 2025 Lights of Aurora Video Class Bundle is now available. Visit HERE for more information. Visit HERE to get to my Tutorials/Classes for Sale page to purchase and to see others offered. (The next one featuring the Hobby Haven Suite will be available December 1st.)
LAST CHANCE PRODUCTS
Every two months retiring products get added to the Last Chance Products List in the Online Store. And depending on inventory, these products may or may not have discounts. I encourage you to shop today to see what is leaving, because once an item from this section is sold out, it is gone for good.
New items were just added October 1st!!
PRODUCT CHANGES COMING
Stampinā Write Markers are being discontinued. The cling stamp line (red rubber stamp line) is being phased out. Stampinā Up! will soon be transitioning into sleeker, slimmer packaging for stamps and dies. More details about these changes can be found here. And a video where I share tips/ideas for the new stamp & die packaging can be found here.
Stampinā Up!Ā® Products Available to Even More Crafters Throughout the World
Stampinā Up! products are now available to āNon-Open Stampinā Up! Countries.ā Effective immediately, and under specific conditions, current Stampinā Up! products can now be purchased by crafters in most countries where we do not currently conduct business. Itās so exciting that we can now make a positive difference in the lives of even more people around the world through creativity and connection.
You can find the full details and conditions here.
Oh my goodness!!!! Rachelā¦..sending prayers of healing, comfort, strength and safety travels for your family! What an incredible set of events of highs and lows. Hugs, Barb
Thank you Barb. š
So sorry you had to endure that miserable cold in May when you were busy with fun and memorable family activities. I had something similar with a cough that ended with a sinus infection! Crazy that a similar ābugā was going around in different parts of the country! Sending well wishes to Nick. I know the frustration b/c I broke my ankle 2 1/2 years ago and was layed up for months. Safe travels for Luke and your husband and wishing you some well earned down time after your big garage sale. I always look forward to your live broadcasts (& replays). Cheers from California.āļø
Thanks so much Michael. You have always been so supportive with your kind words. I appreciate you.
My goodness, Rachel!! You have been a busy woman! I’m glad that most is good, but big injuries are so hard to deal with. While the young heal faster, it’s so hard to lose that fun time while recovering. Too much energy and no place to use it. And your Nick is so physically active! I feel for him. I will pray for you all and say a special prayer for Nick for a speedy recovery. Take care!!
aww….thank you so much for your empathy Debby. ā¤ļø
Oh Rachel, I am sure about now you’re taking a sigh of relief. I truly hope you have been able to enjoy all the craziness of the past weeks. Time passes so quickly and our children š§ grow up so fast as well. Seems like it w as yesterday when my twins graduated and were off to college, but it was 15 years ago. I hope your son heals quickly and your husband and son have a wonderful time in Vienna and you get some well deserved rest. May God’s angels watch over your family .
Thank you so much Tina. I appreciate your well wishes, blessings, and empathy. š
Rachel I love watching you and you so talented. And fun to watch. I have Ben watching you for years!
Thanks Mollie! Hugs to you. š
Where do you get your wigs/toppers?
Various places…My toppers are from Hairline Wigs and UniWigs. But my wigs I buy wherever. For wigs I look for certain brands (BelleTress, Jon Renau, Raquel Welch, Estetica, Amore) and can buy them from different sites. My toppers are human hair. And my wigs are mostly synthetic.