Friday, July 31

Guess What?

I had surgery on my ankle TODAY!

I went in for a second opinion on my ankle at noon and had surgery to put screws in my fractured ankle 2 hours later! Yep, that is right! A FULL ON FRACTURE that wasn't really correctly diagnosed by the last doctor. This doctor was so kind and understanding about the fact that my insurance was changing to a new company as of TOMORROW { AND not to mention the fact that I had been dealing with this since APRIL} that he put me in the operating room ASAP! Otherwise I would have had to come up with more money for the deductible and couldn't really afford to do that. So, basically it was NOW or NEVER!

Maybe that is why they call him DR. LOVE!! No, really, that IS his name! Dr. Michael LOVE! LOL!

I am in a lot of pain, but my awesome friend, Chas, is really helping me get through the fears and concerns I have right now! Sorry I didn't call and tell any of you (parents, sister, friends) in advance, but I didn't have time to!

Well, I am gonna get some sleep, I NEED IT! Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the SheetLoad of Cards and Whimsie Doodles DEBUT Days!! These two companies that I am lucky enough to design for ROCK out the best sketches, the best digi's and the best creative inspiration! So, don't miss out!

Big Huge Hugs to you all, especially CHAS!!

SheetLoad SNEAK-PEEKS!

Sneaky Peeks of the August issue of SheetLoad of Cards!! HUGE debut day coming up on Saturday here on my blog! Not only is SHEETLOAD OF CARDS having a new issue come out, but WHIMSIE DOODLES is also having a NEW RELEASE, too! So, get ready to see a HUGE collection of new cards featuring these two fabulously creative-companies on Saturday!

To see MORE sneak-peeks of the August issue CLICK HERE!






HAPPY FRIDAY!

Thursday, July 30

YET ANOTHER FREEBIE!

Melyssa is giving away yet another DIGI SET on Saturday when she releases 7 new Digi Sets at WHIMSIE DOODLES. Go see this POST HERE to leave a comment to win the set below.

Don't you just love her card? She is just amazing, her cards are awesome! I love this happy, summery scene! Perfect for a Pick Me Up, a Get Well, a Happy Birthday, a Congrats, just about anything! I love how Melyssa stitched around her cupcake hot air balloon focal piece! Isn't it great? LOVE IT!


Make sure you see ALL of her posts at the WHIMSIE DOODLES BLOG to get a chance to win even more digi's!!
Have a SUPAH DAY!

Wednesday, July 29

ANOTHER FREEBIE!

Go to WHIMSIE DOODLES to enter for a chance to win this AWESOME 'Home Schooled' digi set! All ya gotta do is leave a comment on their post that has this pic below! Melyssa, the owner and creator of the WHIMSIE DOODLES digi line is just so UBER talented! Not only does she come up with those awesomely creative images, but she can actually CRAFT them into some beautiful cards, too!

Her 'HomeSchooled' card below is just ravishing, in my opinion!!! Go show her some love to be entered to win this set HERE!!



Don't forget to mark Saturday on your calendar to come back and see all of my WHIMSIE DOODLES DEBUT cards using the Newly Release Digi's!!
Enjoy your evening!

Tuesday, July 28

Another DIGI to WIN!

Here's a glimpse of another WHIMSIE DOODLES digi image that will be available on August 1st! You should see the GIRL School Bear!

This card wasn't made by me, I think it was by Melyssa, but it could have been made by another Doodlelicious Design Team member, too. If you want to win this digi-set just head on over to Whimsie Doodles HERE and leave a comment to get entered to win! OH, and don't forget to leave a comment on THIS POST HERE to get a chance to win another set, too!

I had an MRI yesterday and had to recover from traveling the weekend, so I haven't had a chance to create any new cards using the new releases for Saturday! Hopefully today will be nicer to me!


Enjoy your Tuesday!

Monday, July 27

New Whimsie Doodles being released on Saturday!

Wanna see a sneaky peek of one of Whimsie Doodles new digi image sets debuting on Saturday? GO HERE to see a fabulous card created using it ANDDDDD if you leave a comment on that post you will be put in a drawing to WIN that set FREE!!

GOOD LUCK!

Sunday, July 26

My Weekend!!

Yes, I married the CUTEST guy with the BEST SMILE! Here's PROOF! LOL!

I am sure you all haven't been on the edge of your seats to know what I did this weekend, but I did tell you that I would have some pics to share! HEE HEE! Don't tell my hubby, but here he is in all of his YOUTHFUL SPLENDOR! HAHA!

We went to his 25 Year Class Reunion this weekend, and BOY how did I have fun! I was sincerely SHOCKED to see how much our Eli really does actually look like Scott. AND here all this time, I thought at least ONE of my four was favoring me instead of their dad! UGH! ;o)

Aren't those dimples to die for?? SO CUTE! Wait a minute, there's really only ONE dimple and that is what our Isaac has! WOW, so weird!

Above: Another Eli-looking pic of Scott in 9th grade.

Above: Here's where I really saw Eli in Scott, it is the cheeks and jaw line, and eyes. OK, well, the entire pic minus the blond!

Above: Here's Scott at 9 years old or so! HAHA! Isn't he just too cute with his JAWS shark from Jeff Kult's birthday party? HAHA!

Above: OH, and it has been confirmed that KayLee looks like him, too, since this could just be KayLee's birth pic instead of Scott's! THOSE EYES! AW!
Well, I hope you all enjoyed seeing Scott in his earlier years, I know I enjoyed snatching these for my blog! Now on to put them on FACEBOOK for the ultimate embarassement, uh, I mean, SHARING! HAHA!
See you all tomorrow!

Razzleberry Lemonade Part 3

AH, SUNDAY!!!!!!! Time to recover from Saturday's excitement! I will fill ya in later, HEE HEE!

Believe it or not but this is the same DSP as the last two cards! I just used one of the patterned paper sheets for the Crushed Curry yellow floral background and accented it with the Dusty Durango orange to give it the feeling of Fall! Tree For All Seasons stamp set is fun to work with! I used the tire swing and the bird house, too!

The tree image is pop-dotted on top of a Dusty Durango piece of cardstock that was distressed around the edges. And I used an orange eyelet to thread the polka dotted ribbon through to expose a knot.

Can you believe that summer is almost over? I am seriously shocked that in less than three weeks my Josh will be headed off to college and the Eli and KayLee will be starting 2nd and 1st grade, respectively. This is the last year my youngest, Isaac, will be home all day. Next year will be at least a 1/2 day of kindergarten, if not full day, if the school system incorporates that for ALL of the classes by then.

So, I am going to enjoy my time with Isaac and REALLY cherish every moment with him. If he gets into all day kindergarten next year I will regret not spending more time with him unless I make a conscionable effort to do so in the first place.

Do any of you all have any milestones going on in your home, too? I'd love to know I am not alone! (sniff, sniff! I am really gonna miss my Joshi!)



Enjoy the rest of the day!

Saturday, July 25

Razzleberry Lemonade Part 2

Are you all doing anything fabulous this weekend?? My weekend should be fun, but I will tell you all about mine on Sunday and hopefully with some pics! I'm gonna make you wait!

Until then here's a second card using SUP's new IN COLORS of Rich Razzleberry and the Razzleberry Lemonade DSP.

The lighter pink cardstock is Pink Passion stamped with the BOHO BLOSSOMS background stamp. I used a chipboard flower inked all over with the Pink Passion craft ink and then went around the outside edges with my finger using the Rich Razzleberry classic pad. The clear button is backed with a Crushed Curry circle and threaded with a skinny lemon yellow ribbon.

I should use chipboard more often, I really liked the end result of this card! Let me know what you think!



Enjoy the rest of your day!

Friday, July 24

Razzleberry Lemonade Part 1

I had some time in the craft room yesterday and had a wonderful time using the new SUP In Colors!! Here's the first of three cards that I made yesterday!

Using the new release of Razzleberry Lemonade DSP by SUP!, I indulged this card in the Crushed Curry Yellow with an added dash of Rich Razzleberry! I used one of the flower stamps from a Level three hostess Stamp set from a few catalogs ago. My friend, Tiffany, gifted this to me last weekend and I just had to use it!! I cut around the floral silhoette and pop-dotted it onto a skinnier slice of Rich Razzleberry and softened the bottom edge with a scallop border. I wrapped it with some organza ribbon and added a few dew drops to finish off the corner.

I believe the sketch is a MOJO MONDAY sketch from FOREVAH ago, but better late than never! They have just the best sketches!! I got two more for ya coming up!


WOOHOO for Friday!!
And don't miss the previous post about
SheetLoad of Cards!

Thursday, July 23

SheetLoad! Don't forget!!


Don't forget that the July issue of SheetLoad of Cards is available for download and there is still time to enter the monthly challenges and win FREE digital stamps from the July sponsor, Squigglefly!!

Head on over today and find out how to enter the July Shout Out to SheetLoad and Show Us Your SheetLoad contests.

See y'all tomorrow!
I have a card for ya!

Wednesday, July 22

Medical Wednesday

This is what today should be called because I have been in the doctor's office for nearly 3 1/2 hours. YEAH, you can just imagine my mood, can't you?

ANYHOO, for those of you who care to know, I was nearly scared to death this morning with my ankle result. The bone scan showed a big huge black dot! I KNEW this was going to be bad since the rest of the xray showing all the bones in my feet and legs and the outside shadow of my skin was either light gray or white. Black is BAD, obviously. Especially when it was on the LEFT INSIDE ANKLE where my problem is. OH, and it was NO SMALL dot, it was pretty sizeable for my liking!

SO, he takes a looksie and notices the obvious swelling and says that it is definately a stress fracture, and that my bone scan from earlier last week is RED HOT (meaning BAD) and we have to figure out what else is wrong. He decides to do another xray, but this time of my right ankle for comparison to my left bad ankle. The bones are the same size, except for a little bit of abnormal new bone growth on my left bad ankle..... hmmm.....

He then notices that the original xray of my bad ankle was back from April 27th. And then kind of quickly sits up and says that we need to do another xray of the left ankle to get a recent look at it and that he's wanting to rule out a TUMOR!!!!!! OMG OMG OMG! Here I am alone and may be facing a BIOPSY! GEEZY PETES!

Well, he ruled out the tumor after reviewing the xray and says that he still wants to have an MRI done of my ankle to check the tissues, because he doesn't like the look of my RED HOT bone scan! So, I am having that done on the 27th. BUT until then I am in a leg boot. He actually wants me on crutches to not walk on it at all, but I told him I just didn't know how I could handle that having four kids and being home by myself all day from 7am to 6pm, especially with a new puppy that I have to walk every 2 hours or so. So, he said if I promised to wear the leg boot he wouldn't put me in a cast! SO, I did promise I would be a good girl and follow the rules with the leg boot.

I DO like the fact that he told me that I have to slow down and do 'nothing' more often. He said to get a movie and relax my leg (with my boot off!!!) for the length of the movie even, now and then! WOOHOO! So, now I have the excuse to not go down to the basement to do laundry! Poor Scott! HAHA!

So, that is the scoop! For those of you who just care about my paper-posting and are still reading this, THANKS! I will hopefully be able to craft more now that I can't stand for a length of time in the kitchen cooking and can't go up or down stairs to do laundry or put it away in the kids' room upstairs!

OH, and I had to go back to this same doctor as soon as I got home to take Eli to get his cast off of his right arm. He still can't swing a bat or ride a bike or anything like that. The doctor told us to pretend the cast is still on for the next three weeks. After that we go back for another consult to make sure all is fine so he can start swinging again! Did I tell you how AWESOME he has gotten at hitting left handed with ONE hand!!??? It is amazing, I should video it to share with you, you would laugh! Have a supah day!


A NEW CARD NEXT!

Tuesday, July 21

Simple, Special, Stunning!!

SheetLoad of Cards has added a new monthly feature on their blog! Each month one member of the Design Team will feature that month's sketch in THREE different ways!

The first one {Simple} is basically using the sketch 'as it is' in the monthly issue. The second card {Special} uses the same sketch, but it gets 'perked up' using more accessories, or adding layers, etc. The third card {Stunning} is where the designer really puts her own style into the sketch! SheetLoad of Cards hopes that adding this feature will inspire newbie card-makers and also challenge those seasoned card-makers who may need some new creative ideas!

This month, Jessica George, was the featured designer and boy, did she out do herself! Go see this new feature by CLICKING HERE and head on over to SheetLoad of Cards!

Happy TUESDAY!

Monday, July 20

Pepsi and KayLee

I have been working on Design Team deadlines, so nothing new for you to show. So, instead, I thought I would share with you an updated pic I just took of our new puppy Pepsi (13 weeks) and KayLee (6 years)!

Pepsi is an astounding dog, I have been blessed with a wonderfully smart and loving pet! Pepsi learned how to sit after just two attempts and learned how to shake hands after like 6 or so tries! She is now FINALLY not jumping all over us when we tell her to stop (her claws are sharp!), so she minds beautifully! OH, and potty trained?? YEP! Hasn't had an accident in the house for at least 2 weeks, if not longer, I lost track it was THAT long ago!

She has also made me get out of the house more during the day and enjoy the sun and fresh air, too with our walks up and down the yard! I don't know how I am going to do this with a leg boot on, if I end up getting one on Wednesday, but I guess we will see! Can you just imagine my neighbors seeing this dog pulling this stump-legged lady down the hill of our property? TOO FUNNY!! HAHA!



Have a wonderful afternoon and EVENING, TOO!

Friday, July 17

Ankle Update

Well, I finally heard from the doctor about my ankle... YEP, a low-grade fracture. Uh, I guess I should have listened to the doctor when he told me that all I had left to do is a bone scan BACK IN APRIL!!!!!! I had a regular x-ray, but sometimes hair-line fractures don't show, and I guess this is true of low-grade fractures, too, unless this is the same as a hairline fracture. I don't know! LOL!

My stubbornness and my (shall we say) "money-conscious" hubby didn't make the decision to get the bone scan EARLIER easy. But, finally after nearly three months, I had had enough of limping when I walk and seeing my ankle swell up like a balloon!

According to my girlie, Kelly, she said that it mustn't be 'that' bad since they aren't concerned about getting me into the doctor right away. I don't even see the Orthopedic surgeon until WEDNESDAY! UGH! Here I finally go and try to take care of it and they put me off!!! It serves me right, though, doesn't it!? HAHA!

Thanks for all of the emails and comments of concern! Looks like I will live after all! HaHa!

Have a great Friday NIGHT!

Whimsie Doodles Sketch Challenge!





Good Morning Everyone! Today marks the half-way point of July! Can you believe it? One more month and my kids will be back in school! WOW, this summer is flying by!

WHIMSIE DOODLES is having a SKETCH CHALLENGE on the sketch below. Here's my take on the sketch using the PuddleJumper digi image! This is just a partial view of the PuddleJumper digi, to see the whole image CLICK HERE! I love the sentiment, isn't it cute?

I used my Copics to color in the images, some Ranger Glossy Accents to make the puddle look 'wet' and used a bit of Martha Stewart ribbon for embellishing! I used my Nestibilities oval dies and offset the smaller one to give it a bit of room for the eyelet.

Also be sure to look at the WHIMSIE DOODLES NEW RELEASES in the ETSY STORE!! Melyssa really out did herself with these images! I am in love with Patience, the Fairy and the little boy and girl ToothFairies! Perfect for designing up a little keepsake box for those lost teeth! There is a wonderful poem that goes with each image, too!

Be sure to play along with the sketch challenge below! You could just WIN TWO FREE DIGI-STAMP IMAGES OF YOUR CHOICE!! You must use a Whimsie Doodles digi for this one, so IF you don't have one, go download the FREEBIE DIGI in the right hand sidebar of the Whimsie Doodles BLOG! Deadline is July 26th 10pm eastern! Click on THIS LINK HERE to see how to WIN!!!
Have a SUPAH DAY!

Thursday, July 16

Boring........

I just wanted to leave a post here saying that I am sorry that this blog has been kinda slow lately. Besides the obvious medical distractions, I HAVE been working on some cards and things, but I can't show them because they are either for SheetLoad of Cards or for Whimsie Doodles! I have a bunch of things I have to get done ALL on the 20th of July, so of course, I am running out of time!

I hope to take an hour or two tomorrow to play with my stamps that I haven't even mounted yet, so maybe I will show you something new and exciting soon!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Bone Scan

Happy THURSDAY!!

I am headed to the hospital to have a bone scan of my ankle done today. Back in early May I did something to my ankle {long story which would bore you} and after ruling out a blood clot a few weeks after that, I was told by the doctor that the last thing was to do a bone scan to look for a hairline fracture or who knows what!

So, I go in at 12:30pm to get some kind of nucular or nuclear or whatever medicine intravenously, then go home for three hours, then head back to get this 'special' xray done. I was told it is not all that bad, but just takes time. You know what happens if it is a fracture? Yeah, a fashionable LEG BOOT! I almost would rather have a plaster cast so I could get together with my friends and have everyone help me ALTER IT with scrapbook paper, ribbon and embellishments!! HAHA!

Wish me luck!

Wednesday, July 15

Whimsie Doodles DEBUT DAY!!!!

ANOTHER FABULOUS GROUP of Digi's by WHIMSIE DOODLES have been released TODAY!!

Check out my cute little cards here featuring the "LAWN RANGER" and "PATIENCE the Fairy"!

Notice below how I used Ranger's Glossy Accents to glassy up the headlights!? SO FUN!
These papers are by Crate Paper, an OLD set that I have had FOREVAH! PERFECT for my little turtle riding around on his tractor!
I used PATIENCE as a gift card holder for that 'Better Late than Never' gift giving! These papers are by MME, Dreamy 2 line, which is available at Precious Scraps!! Just email Bev and she will hook ya up!

Head on over to WHIMSIE DOODLES' BLOG to see more of the Design Team's creations; OR better yet, go to each of their blogs (the Doodlelicious Design Team LIST is in my left sidebar) to see these new digis and some other fabulous artwork, too!
IF you wanna head straight for the WHIMSIE DOODLES STORE click ON THIS LINK HERE and get ready to press that paypal button!! I am seriously IN LOVE with these digis! They are just so fun to color!! Don't ya just love Patience's dress and hair! AW!!!
Make it a SUPAH DAY!!!!!!!

Monday, July 13

WOW, AN AWARD!!

WOW, What a pleasant thing to get online to tonight! You have to understand that I have been in bed ALL day today since church let out at 10am! MAJOR MIGRAINE going on here! I peeked in on email earlier, but no blog hopping until now! WOW, this migraine was a bad one!



I am no stranger to migraines, but normally they aren't this bad! BUT, I am totally on the UPSWING with this award, my fellow design team member, KELLY LANDERS, has honored me with!! THANKS KELLY! This 'I LIKE YOUR STYLE' award is such an honor to get coming from Kelly! She's a SUPAH artist, let me tell ya! Check out her blog and see for yourself!

Of course I now have to forward this to those I think are "WORTHY", HAHA! I do have so many artist friends that I think are MAJOR talented; and you can see them ALL at left under the 'What's New in the Paper-World' blog roll. But, please allow me to highlight a few for you!

Kathleen Paneitz - she is quite the accomplished (and HUGELY published) artist, you may have seen in any paper-related magazine. She and I have become cyber-friends over the past year and while she doesn't post many paper items on her blog, you should check it out anyways! WOW, she's an amazing photographer, too! PLEASE take some time to check her out, she is SO worthy of this award!!

Kelly Birrell - this is a different Kelly than the one who forwarded this award to me, don't be confused and skip over this gal! Kelly is a personal friend of mine (poor girl!) and is seriously an amazing scrapbooker! Make no mistake, her cards are lovely, too, but her scrapbook pages astound me, too! Kelly's eye is keen and detailed and SMART, too! She's always composing her photographs while taking pictures so that they will work for a future layout! YEP, that's why I said SMART!

Diana Gibbs - Well, let me tell ya a little ditty about Di... she's HILARIOUS! Not only is she a gifted artist and superb card designer, she's a sit down (opposed to a 'stand-up') blogger- comedian at her computer! I LOVE LOVE LOVE reading her blog every time she posts! She can always get me movin' and motivated even when my mood is NOT the best! Some of her paper-creations are sweetly twisted (go look for the recent post of her robot 'passing gas', LOL), which makes her a favorite in my book!

Andrea Vernagus - Andrea, Andrea, Andrea... a truly talented and giving artist! I met Andrea through a blog-candy-for-a-cause last year {that she was hosting for a sick baby} and have been impressed with her card-style ever since! Recently Andrea has been posting some of the most beautiful techniques! And her end result is even more beautiful! G0 scroll on over down her blog for some beautiful artwork and get inspired to try something new!

Tiffany Bauer - The Sketch QUEEN of Paper-Crafts! Tiffany seriously can work a SKETCH! She just posted a SLEW of cards using different sketches from different sources. Tiffany is also a friend of mine and my one and only Stampin' Up! Downline, too. She was #1 Rising Star last year at convention and #50 Top Demonstrator in the U.S., too! So you can tell from that she's got some talent AND knows how to make a business successful! I can't wait to see how she fairs at convention this summer! I am SURE she will be one of the top 10 in sales (or better!)!!

Marianne Walker - Last but surely not least (don't forget to check out my blog roll at left) is MARIANNE! OH, HOW I LOVE Marianne! She is employed by Copic Markers and seriously knows her STUFF!! It is shocking to me what this gal can do with just markers! From shading to shadowing (which she taught me is two different things!) she knows how to make images come to life on paper! Her blog is full of tips and techniques and inspiring creations, too! Put her in your favorites or on your blog roll if you use Copics OR even if you are considering investing in them! Her knowledge is crazy-plentiful and will keep you on top of the COPIC GAME!

Now, I really REALLY wanted to give more information out on these gals...

Sharon Harnist (this famously published gal can COPIC COLOR to no END!)

Denise Marzec (PeanutBee is amazingly detailed INSIDE her cards, as well as out! I love her pastel ways, something I just can't seem to accomplish!)

Carolyn King (Another amazing artist, often published in mags, too! Cammie is wonderfully well-rounded from stamps to paper to embellies, don't miss out on her blog!)

AND My fellow Design Team Members of:
Whimsie Doodles
Precious Scraps
SheetLoad of Cards

ETA: HOLY CRAPOLA, I forgot to mention my dear friend, JenMarie! She's quite the paper-guru, TOO! So, be sure to see her lovely creations, too!!!

... BUT, I am seriously needing to go put my head back on my soft pillow! The migraine is trying to return and I need to nip this in the bud NOW before it gets worse! My hubby can NOT stay home tomorrow so I can lay in bed for two days in a row, so I better scat for now! BUT please be sure to check out Sharon's, Denise's and Cammie's blogs as well as all of my VERY talented friends and designers on SheetLoad of Cards, Precious Scraps and Whimsie Doodles (listed above), you will be inspired by these talented ladies each and every day!

Thanks again to Kelly for forwarding me this award! I am SO very flattered!!

Have A GREAT WEEK!

Friday, July 10

Wanna save some MOOLAH?!

Friday greeted me unkindly. I went to go plug in my cell phone which had a SLIVER of power left and well when I tried to start the charging process I noticed that it basically had NO PLUG. The darned, uh, the 'new' puppy found it and had chewed the end near OFF!

SO, off I went to shop for a new cellphone. I was out of contract so I knew I could get a new cellphone dirt-cheap compared to shoveling out money for another charger that I bet I wouldn't have been able to find since my phone was so old! LOL!

So, the comparative pricing begins..... First I went to AT&T.com, my carrier. SHOPPED for hours, but did find a few that I found really exciting! MP3, Digital Camera with 3.2 Megapixel, the works! After I took KayLee to dance class, Isaac and I went to Walmart to see what their local AT&T in-store site had to compare to. To my surprise I found the THREE phones I had narrowed my search down to (from AT&T.com's website) right there at Walmart! AND they were even CHEAPER! WOW!

SO, I go home... and got to thinking... walmart DOT COM!!!!!!! SO, I searched Walmart~online for their prices and found that they were even CHEAPER!!! OHMYGOSH! So get this! I got a $399.99 Blackberry Curve 8900 phone for ONLY.... are you ready? .... a $36 activation fee! THAT IS IT! The activation fee at AT&T would have been just $18, but the exact same phone at AT&T would have been $149 if I had bought it through them!!

So, let's do some math here.... $167 at AT&T.com or $36 at Walmart.com??? Hmm.... NO BRAINER!

ETA: Just saw on amazon.com this link HERE, which shows the same phone for $499.99!!! OMGosh!

You can also go to LetsTalk.com, and see nearly the same prices. I guess LetsTalk.com buddied up with Walmart.com to do a special promotion together, so I had to click a couple of boxes to 'okay' and 'approve' the fact that this was going through LetsTalk.com somehow, but I checked it out and all of the reviews were fine! OH, and if I had purchased this same phone through LetsTalk.com directly it would still have been less than AT&T at $100.00, but it was still higher than Walmart.com, GO FIGURE!

SO, all in all I ended up having an AWESOME day! I think saving over $350.00 on something that I use EVERY single day is a STEAL, don't you?? If you would like a $25.00 coupon to use towards a phone at LetsTalk.com, let me know and I will hook you up! I already sent out a few to my friends, but if you are wanting one, let me know with a comment on this post and I will get'r done ASAP!


I hope you had a wonderful day like I did and I hope your weekend is Da'BOMB!

Did ya see....




.... my post below? Did you see my lovely COPIC coloring?? Well, guess what??? CRAFTY GOINGS ON is giving away this set of 72 Copics! I THOUGHT you would want to know! I was right, wasn't I?!

Click on Karen's Blog Link above to get the details on how to win them!

GOOD LUCK!

Thursday, July 9

Are you having a FINTASTIC day?

WOW, can it really be THURSDAY? We are almost there, people! The weekend is in SIGHT! LOL!

Do ya like my purty fish? These Koi Fish by WHIMSIE DOODLES are so fun to color with my trusty little COPICS!! I turned this digi image to the left so they aren't swimming upstream anymore, but doing this left me a void in the oval, just perfect for a sentiment! I filled in the white cardstock with my Copic markers to give it that watery look. I used a hue darker to give it some dimension on the outside edge of the oval. I did the same thing on the sentiment box. I felt that leaving it white would have made the rectangle too stark.

{note: papers are by MME, Dreamy 2 line available at Precious Scraps! Just email Bev and she will set you up! Flowers are by Prima, Inc and the ovals and scallop oval are by Spellbinders/nestibilities, OF COURSE!!}

Click on the pic for details! And see the WHIMSIE DOODLES STORE for their current available digis! There will be a new release next Wednesday, too! And just WAIT until you see those! They are supah sweet!! Most images {each with a sentiment} are just $2.50 (sets are $5.00), which is a steal considering you can change the size of the image to whatever you need, from small for making a card to frame-size at 8x10!!




I do hope you ARE having
a
FINTASTIC DAY!

Wednesday, July 8

BLOG CANDY WINNER!

OK, so I can't find the camera to record a video or even a picture of one of the kids drawing the name out of a pretty bowl, so I resorted to picking a number at random BEFORE looking at the comments.

I took into consideration the 10 added entries, when a person linked the blog candy post to their blog, too! AND, since it was my hubby's and my anniversary, I choose HIS AGE of "43" as the number to count up to!

So, the winner is the one and ONLY, Sharon Harnist by adding the blog post to her blog! Those 10 votes made it happen for her!!

CONGRATULATIONS, SHARON!!

I can't overlook the obvious of my '8th' anniversary, though! So the SURPRISE consolation prize goes to JenMarie!! THANKS for playing, too!

I have both of your addresses already (since Sharon sent me a Blog Candy one time and JenMarie won one from me before!) LOL! All I need now is for Sharon to give me her choice of colors and bracelet size! I will post the bracelet for all to see after Sharon receives it in the mail! She needs to see it first, of course!!

THANK YOU to everyone who played along! I LOVED all of the presents that were chosen for me and my hubby's anniversary from the CSNstores, it was really fun having you all shop for us!

Be sure to put me in your 'Favorites' so you don't miss out on the next Blog Candy!

Have a wonderfully relaxing evening!!

Blog Candy....

.... coming UP!

I need to take KayLee to her dance class, but will do the drawing after I get back! {Note to self: Must find camera! Memory card is in the computer, but the camera is no where in site for the video-ing of the drawing!! YIKERS!}

Get your last chance shopping trip done at CSNstores NOW and post about what you find for Scott's and my Anniversary ON THIS POST HERE to get your entry for the sterling silver and Swarovski custom bracelet!!

Back SOON!

Tuesday, July 7

Holocaust Butterfly Project

Would you like to do something to commemorate those children killed in the Holocaust? CLICK HERE to see info about the Butterfly Project that is going on at the Holocaust Museum of Houston!! I am going to do this and I think you should, too!!!

Please spread the word to your scrappin' buddies or simply do this with your family! I plan to use this project with my kids to explain to them what happened in the past and to let them realize how lucky we are to be U.S. citizens!

Comment on this post with a LINK to your butterflies!!

SHOW SHEETLOAD YOUR SCHTUFF & WIN!

Do ya want some free digis from Squigglefly?? Well, show SheetLoad of Cards your creations based on July's sketch and you just may win! You can use the July sketch dimensions EXACTLY or just use it as inspiration and create a card with your style and flair to it!

CLICK HERE for info on how to enter to win!

Monday, July 6

Shout Out to SheetLoad of Cards!

Good MONDAY MORNING to all my PEEPS! I hope today finds you happier than yesterday, but not as happy as you will be tomorrow!! I know that is the case for me! I am happy that another Monday is upon me, preparing for my niece's visit! Whitney is coming to spend a day or two with us and she is bringing three friends with her to enjoy Holiday World!!

{If you need some discounted tickets, I can get them to you for $28.00 each! That is $12.00 off the regular price and don't forget Holiday World gives you free soft drinks and free sunscreen!}

AND I am sure that I WILL be even happier tomorrow because the cleaning will be done AND I will be enjoying another day of summer with the kids in the backyard pool!

OKAY! ON to some crafty-good stuff! SheetLoad of Cards is having their monthly SHOUT OUT! What's up for grabs? How about some FREE digi Images from July's sponsor SQUIGGLEFLY? CLICK HERE to see how to get in on the chance to win some digi images!!

Don't forget about my beautifully discounted Bracelet BELOW (gotta pay for those new COPICS that are coming in a few days)! AND don't forget about the BLOG CANDY, too! You can enter once a day by shopping for me and my hubby for an anniversary present!

I have to say that I am LOVING all of the wonderful gift-ideas! WOW, from lipstick-shaped couches to some rockin' & kickin' highheels, you all have come up with some SUPAH gifts! It has been so much fun! I am still thinking that a FUTON is in order for me and my home, since all of our family lives out of town! The prices are totally awesome and they are seriously gorgeous!

Have a super duper day and be sure to
SHOUT OUT TO SHEETLOAD!

Sunday, July 5

Caardvarks & SheetLoad together!

SheetLoad of Cards and ShortCuts has teamed up with CAARDVARKS for a cross-promo! Using this month's SheetLoad of Cards' sketch, the Caardvarks, ShortCuts and SheetLoad Design Teams are featuring a wonderful array of cards using ShortCuts products! See a load of lovely creations by clicking ON THIS POST HERE !!

While I don't have any ShortCuts products for this one, I went ahead and did a card for this week's cross promo using July's Sketch that you can FIND HERE. I used some old paper that I have been hoarding for well over a year or two now and used the FREEBIE DIGI IMAGE 'This Bud's For You' that is available at WHIMSIE DOODLES!

{ NOTICE: If you have never used a Digi-Image before, this is your chance! It is free for you to download and play with and figure out how to use! I LOVE digi images because you can adjust their size from a small wallet size to even an 8x10 size! }





If you want to play along, head on over to SheetLoad of Cards for more info and then check out Caardvarks Challenge post HERE! Don't forget to download your FREEBIE DIGI HERE, available from Whimsie Doodles!

Enjoy your afternoon!

Saturday, July 4

Happy 8th!

Happy Anniversary to my Honey!



Check below for info on BLOG CANDY!

Friday, July 3

4th of July BLOG CANDY!

Look at what is coming for my dear puppy, Pepsi! A NEW DOGGIE BED!

Have you ever heard of CSNstores?? Well, I hadn't either! I have just recently learned about this online store that has TOP QUALITY items, NOT items with defects, etc. They are one of the TOP THREE U.S. online retailers specializing in home and office goods, but wow, do they offer some other awesome stuff, too!

As you know I just recently added a puppy to my home, which is rapidly growing into a large-sized DAWG! Pepsi is half Rottweiler and half Mt. Cur, which means SHE NEEDS HER OWN BED! HAHA! I also learned from my vet that these breeds also have hip dysplasia as a common medical ailment! So, to keep this from happening sooner than later, I have opted to give her a wonderfully supportive bed of her own! You can click on the picture below (NO, that is not my puppy!) that I stole from their website to see all the wonderful details of this bed!

Now, my neighbor, Rachel, my sister, Kris, my Mom, Jean and my friends Kelly, Amy and Chas have all just recently adopted dogs into their families! SO, I thought I would bring these wonderful beds to your attention, in case you want to pamper your pup, too! Not only do they have beds, but they have crate mattresses, pet couches and even outside-furniture, as well, for your loyal dog! {OH, and don't you dare stop at the DOG! They have covered the CAT-necessities, too!!}

AND why stop there? You need to see their wonderful furniture items, too!! Their furniture is beautiful! From FUTONS to SOFA SLEEPERS, they have exactly what you need for your temporary guests! The prices are well below what you would pay at your local store, too. I know because I just recently priced out a few sofa sleepers in hopes of getting one for when my parents or in-laws come to visit! AWESOME prices and with name brand companies like Serta and Simmons!



OH, YEAH! BLOG CANDY! Did I lose you yet? HAHA!

As for BLOG CANDY.... Well, since my 8th Anniversary is on Saturday (talk about Fireworks, BABY!) I am thinking that a JEWELRY blog candy is in order!! And since I know I won't get any from the hubby, I might as well make someone else happy with some, right?? SO what better way to celebrate than shopping and getting some bling???

HOW DO YOU PLAY???
What you need to do is to go to CSNstores, and window shop! Come back and leave a comment on this post to tell me what you have found that you love (with a LINK please) and think that my hubby and I should give each other for our Anniversary! Of course price is no object here, this is just for fun! I seriously am limited on shopping-time right now with the kids with me 24/7, so if you find something that I should know about link me up!

SO, what is up for grabs??? How about Genuine Swarovski crystal and ALL sterling silver bracelet custom made for you in your preference of size and colors? This is a $50.00 value!! So, go get shoppin at CSNstores! Leave a comment on this post LINKING ME TO YOUR ITEM so that we can see what you have found to be a 'must-have'! OH, HOW MANY TIMES can you enter? One time each day from now until next Wednesday!! Yes, I am allowing you to shop every day for a week! Don't you wish your hubby let you do that? LOL!

Drawing will be around noon-time on Wednesday, July 8th!

Oh, and YESSSSSSSS, if you post a link on your blog to my BLOG CANDY, then you will get additional entries! Just leave me your blog-addy with your link on this post and you will be in for an additional TEN ENTRIES!!!


Enjoy shopping at CSNstores!

Thursday, July 2

Another MEME for you......& a BLOG CANDY WARNING

Got another meme for you..... play along if you like! Hook your answers back up to SUNDAY STEALING! WHY am I doing these MEME's?? Well, I want you to get to know me better! AND I HOPE that you will also do the MEME's so I can get to know YOU better, too!

A – An advantage you have – I have a way of remembering numbers: phone numbers, financial numbers, addresses..... it actually comes in handy! Oh, I am also good with a tape measure, I can design just about anything with my kitchen/cabinet designing background!

B – Blue or brown eyes – GREEN!

C – Chore you hate – putting away the laundry, kitchen floor

D – Dad’s name – Donald

E – Essential start of your day – Shower, Teeth brushing and Coffee

F – Favorite color – PINK (yellow is second)

G – Greatest thing you’ve ever done that made you feel really good – waiting until the wedding night to consummate my 2nd marriage! Awesome things do happen to those who wait!

H – Habit you have – Good habit: Hoarding Ribbon; Bad habit: Hoarding Ribbon

I – Issue you hate that the world tries to make you pursue – Being SKINNY

J – Job title – Freelance Artist and Artisan Jewelry Designer

K – Kohls or Target – Target

L – Living arrangements – streamlined, simple, Shaker

M – Music you like – 80's, Top 40, Alternative

N - Nicknames – Niki

O – Overnight hospital stay – four births

P – Pet Peeve – Copycats & Liars

Q – Quote that you like most – Never Explain, Your Friends don't need it and your enemies won't believe it anyway!

R – Right or left handed – Right

S – Siblings – one sister, HEY KRIS!!

T – Time you wake up – during the school year: 5:30am; Summer: whenever!

U – Underwear – I would hope so! Lacy!

V – Vegetable you dislike – I think I like them all, even okra!

W – What makes you run late – the crazies (my kids)!

X – X-rays you’ve had – Chest, foot

Y – Yummy food you make – Cheesecake

Z – Zoo animal – Oh, those crazy monkeys!!

Comment on this post with your link, if you decide to play along!

Check back for another BLOG CANDY!

Wednesday, July 1

Whimsie Doodles has NEW DIGI images up for grabs!!

WHIMSIE DOODLES has some wonderful new digi's out for your viewing pleasure and creative projects! I just didn't realize how versatile digi images are until I came across Melyssa's line! Seriously love these!! You can crop them to make them SMALL for a little tag or mini notecard or you can print them out on a large 8 x 10 paper, too! Perfect for framing and giving as a gift!

Here's a digi image called FLIPPED. I just call this guy FLIP, HAHA! The sentiment is so cute and you can even enlarge the sentiments with confidence, because the letters don't end up all jagged and wimpy looking! I colored Flip in using my Copics and also colored over the sentiment, which was printed on white cardstock. I used a Quickutz diecut scroll for the loopdee loops!

The papers are the new MME papers Breaking Free, GIRL I believe. You can get these papers at PRECIOUS SCRAPS! Bev's been super busy since opening up her Scrapbook store in Dover, TN, but she isn't too busy to take your order online with a simple email until the online store is up and running!



Go check out the rest of the
new images by CLICKING HERE!
OR get yours at the ETSY STORE today!

SheetLoad of Cards JULY ISSUE is ready for downloading!

SheetLoad of Cards' JULY ISSUE is up for grabs! Isn't the cover just beautiful???

Well, just WAIT until you see what is INSIDE! WOWSERS!!!!!!!


Go check it out!

Howdy!