goodies from lori

Do you remember a couple of days ago when I told you about my blog candy winnings? Well, I linked you to Lori Barnett's blog called Stamp Scents but I didn't show you the very cute card and card candy she sent with the Gold Canyon goodies.

This card is just adorable! I think I love that "F". I mean really how cute is it with the flower pots and such. And the color combo is one of my favorites! I thought the "f" was from a SU! set but I can't find it in the last two catalogs so if you know the name please let me know.

Lori also sent me these very cute card candies too. I've never made them or received any in the past so it is really neat to see up close what you can do with this idea. Do you see the finished one on the card she sent me? Way cute, huh? I can't wait to make something with these! Again, Lori, thank you so much for the fun blog candy. I just keep enjoying them each time I look at them!

I'm thinking about hosting an image swap and just want to get everyone's feedback on it. It would be a no-vendor require swap so you can use your favorite stamps. I would cap the groups at 10 people each so you would have to stamp and send me 20 images and you'll get 18 back as one set is for me for hosting the swap. Pretty standard stuff. What do you think? If you'd like to join leave me a comment and then I'll make a post just for the swap.

I hope you all have a fantastic Saturday!

yum!

Well, here it is! This is the recipe page that I'm using for my swap with Courtney. I know, I know, it is pretty plain and doesn't have a lick of stamping but you know what? I still like it! All of the swaps pages have a black background and the "yum" is the same but I didn't have enough of the So Saffron papers so most of them are made with slightly different papers and I had to switch to Apricot Appeal for four of the pages as I totally ran out of So Saffron. Guess that is what I get for procrastinating so long!

Funny story about the black brads (unless you are Courtney and got the frustrated text...you'll see). Yesterday afternoon I decided that I needed to add the black brads to this project (and I'm glad I did) but didn't have nearly enough. So, I thought to myself...self, surely even in this small town (Pop. 15,000) the LSS will have a package of black brads. NO! No, they did not! Can you believe that? So, I head over to Fred Meyer (like Target) to their incredibly small craft section thinking surely they would have them and NO! No, they did not either! (Here is where I texted Courtney that it stinks living in a small town!) Ugghhh! So, Todd calls one of his co-workers who lives in a neighboring town (45 minutes away is neighboring) and asks him to purchase me some black brads at Craft Warehouse before coming to work and you know what? HE DID!!!! Yay! So, I get my black brads at 8:15 p.m. last night which worked great as I got them all done before Gray's Anatomy came on...woohoo! Ahhh...small town living! LOL!

Oh, and guess what? My grandpa's wife called yesterday to update me on how things are going and they are going okay. Grandpa is very tired and having some problems sleeping (although that isn't new for him) but he is home and that is GOOD. The other thing the phone call was for was because she wanted to ask if I would scrapbook all of grandpa's pictures from his recent trip to DC to see the WWII Monument of the places in the picture. . I am so excited to help in this way! So honored they would ask me! So nervous that I will be able to do it quickly yet make it look nice. So excited because after I get the pages done I get to sit with grandpa and journal his thoughts and remembrances. Ummm...how cool is that? So, I'm wondering...if you have any USA/patriotic scrapbook stuff (12x12) that you'd like to donate to my little project that would be great. Honestly, if you just have some layouts that you love and are easy to put together I would love that too. My grandpa was in the Navy so Navy stuff would be neat to. If you are off shopping online and come across something e-mail me the link so I can check it out, k? Thanks you guys! ***Edit...I just found a Navy 12x12 scrapbook at Joanns online for $20 and got free shipping! Woohoo!*** ***I just found this VIDEO...you must go see it!***

Okay, I've written a book again but I just HAD to tell you about my new project coming up! Today is Friday though and that is a wonderful thing! I hope you all make today a wonderful day and that you do something nice for someone else!

nestabilities

Yesterday, I told you that I'd show you how I store my Nestabilities. Well, it is really pretty basic but does require some shelf space for storage.

So...this is the clam shell that the Nestabilities come to you from the manufacturer in. When I bought my first couple of them they came in individual packages but now they come in one big package. Very large, very cumbersome and totally not storage friendly.

After I receive the package that is in the first picture I turn it into what you see above. I just went and bought some CD cases and magnetic strip with adhesive on the back. The rest you can pretty much figure out. I do have a problem with one or two of the dies moving around but the case is closed for storage so really it doesn't matter. These fit on my book shelf next to my PTI sets and I just love this storage system and my Nesties. Want some for yourself but not sure where to get them? Go to Cut@Home, sign up for their VIP newsletter and when you receive the newsletter each month you will receive a 40% off one item coupon. That means the $77 set of four squares you see cost me $46 plus shipping. Not sure anyone else can beat that. Two things though. The Cut@Home website is very slow...it takes forever for pages to load but the coupon is worth it. Most places are out of Nesties right now...Cut@Home included. They will take your order though and put you on the waiting list. That is what I did and as soon as they came in they were mine. Woohoo!

In other news...are you currently trying to loose weight or on Weight Watchers? Then, I have the book for you! It is called Hungry Girl. It is a fantastic book full of recipes that look amazing but are easy on the waist line. Amazon has it for less than $10 right now when the price on the book is $17.99. So it is easy on the checkbook too! Not sure if you want the book? If you go HERE you can sign up for their newsletter and get daily recipes and great ideas for eating healthier.

Okay, I'll stop writing now. You all have a super Thursday!

HAPPY MAY DAY!!!

just have to show you

Remember two days ago when I showed you what my backyard garden looked like? Well, after 3 trips to the rock quarry, a trip to the nursery, and some hard work...here is what it looks like now. Don't ya just love it? I think it looks great and it is so nice to have something back there other than dead grass...lol! Now if the wind would die down and the temperature would come up the roses would be loving it!

When I went to the church last night I checked my box and what did I find? This WONDERFUL bookmark. Oh, my goodness I love it! Whoever made it for me (and there was no identification) knows me well because that flower on the front is my favorite flower...Lily of the Valley. On the bottom it has the flower and says thinking of you, my name is on the right side (I love it when I get things with my name on them! Weird, right?) and on the back it says "Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things." That is just so sweet and makes me feel so loved! I have a clue of who might have made it for me so I must check with her today but I had to show you guys right away!

Tomorrow, I'm going to show you guys what I do with my Nestabilities after I receive them. I don't like the clam shell that they come in so I've copied someone on a blog (can't remember who at this point) and put them into a more friendly for Lorie container.

Today I must work on my recipe swap for Courtney. I got all the recipes printed out last night. Now I must figure out a layout and get them done as they are due in her hands on the 5th....YIKES!!! I'm such a slacker this time!

And, two last little updates. Kyler goes next week to finish up his root canals. His teeth have done a great job of accepting the stuff they put in them to get them to seal up so...final stage is next week on Wednesday. He is excited to be done with it but apprehensive about the shots. I know he'll do just fine! Also, an update on my grandpa. He went home I think on Monday. I haven't talked to him since then because I'm sure he was inundated with visitors and such yesterday so I'll be calling today to see how he is doing. Thanks so much for your support and prayers with both of these matters!

***Edited to tell you that SU! has extended the Occasions mini catalog to be effective until June 30th! So, if there is anything you were wanting...you still have time! Also, coming May 1st spend $35 with SU! and get any On Board chipboard item on pages 178/179 for 25% off. Pretty cool, huh?***

So, there it is...a book, when I didn't even think I had enough to show/tell you for a small post. Just goes to prove I CAN talk a lot, huh? LOL! I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday and I'll see ya tomorrow!

sketch for you to try card

I had another occasion to make a sympathy card yesterday. One of my Children's Church volunteers mother-in-law died last Friday. I had a committee meeting last night and thought it appropriate for the members of the Christian Ed committee sign it. The card itself turned out very pink which was not my intention but it did and I still like it. The paper is from Basic Grey's new Sugar paper pad. I used watercolor crayons for the flowers and just scalloped the main portion of the paper. The stamp set is from SU! and is called As Close As A Memory. I often fall back on this set for sympathy cards as it has a great sentiment for the inside of the card. The layout of the card is from Jen's Sketch For You To Try this last Saturday.

Oh, and I wanted to tell you guys that I won THREE blog candies recently! I won a fun blog candy from Lori Barnett a week or two ago (and my car now smells great and not so new anymore!) and then just on Sunday I won THIS from Inky Paws (Jeanne) and yesterday I found out I won THIS from Card of the Week (Susanna). Holy cow, girls! I am SO blessed! Remind me not to ever complain about not winning anything, k?

Today is Tuesday and it is supposed to rain and be windy and cool here today...blah! That is okay though as I do have several things to do inside. I hope you all have a fantastic day planned today and that you make it the best Tuesday possible!

creative in a different way

Okay, there is something you need to know about me. Being creative in any way, shape or form does not come naturally. It is all learned either by other people, magazines, and TV.

Our back yard has pretty much been plain and boring since we moved in. I finally decided last year that we really needed to do something about that so we put in the garden area that you see on the right. Then, it sat there over the winter. This last week I decided, since roses do really well in my yard, that I wanted to make the back garden a rose garden. So, on Saturday Todd and the boys put some new top soil in and got it all smoothed out. Yesterday, Todd and I went to Bi-Mart (a small...very small Costco kind of place...sorta) and bought 11 rose plants and one Hosta plant (a couple were for the front too). I have since been told that the Hosta won't do well where I put it BUT...I'll try it anyway. So, my creativity was used up on planting those rose plants and then discussing exactly what we could do about that stupid grass that you see. Doesn't seem to matter what we do with it...it is just looking dead. I think we are going to have to re-seed.

Today, we go and buy our tree. It is going to be a flowering plum tree. No fruit just pretty leaves and flowers. Hopefully it will survive the summer (have to water it lots). Well, we also will be thatching the yard today too.

I hope you all had a great weekend! Make today a wonderful Monday!

has the tooth fairy come?

Although my kids are grown now I have great memories of when they lost their teeth and would wait for the tooth fairy to come. While I did a great job of making sure she came when my oldest two were little the tooth fairy was a little more forgetful when it came to Kyler loosing teeth. Here is something that would have totally made it so much easier! I made this tin for my friends little boy who is in 1st grade and has (or had...he may have lost it already) his first loose tooth. Isn't it cute? Inside will be some cotton on the bottom for the tooth/money to lay and then I think I'm going to try and put a small piece of lined paper on the inside top of the tin so that the dates of when the tooth was lost can be written down and, hopefully, never forgotten.

So, anyway, I used Melanie Muenchinger's What's in your tin? 1 to stamp the top part of this tin. The paper is from DCWV and the ribbon is from a ribbon share I was part of quite awhile back. There are several fun "sentiments" in both What's in your tin? 1 and What's in your tin? 2. As a matter of fact set 2 has a stamp that says "Survival Kit. In Case of Emergency Open Me." I'm going to use that to make a get well tin for my grandpa. I found a great website that lists lots of "survival kits" that you can make by just adding a couple of things from the list and then typing out the meaning of each item, packaging in a fun way, and then giving to the bride, mom-to-be, skier, chef, get well, etc, etc, etc...I told you there were lots of them! I may find something to make for my grandpa's wife to as I'm sure this whole ordeal is taking quite a toll on her too.

Well, I hope you all have a great Sunday! It is supposed to be cloudy here today BUT up to 70 degrees and virtually no wind so it will be a GREAT day! After church and Todd getting up we plan on going and getting 13 rose plants and planting them in our new rose garden. I'm so excited! Have a great day!