OK This is going to be a mighty fast post.

I have an exposed nerve in my mouth, and am DYING with pain!

I know, I sound dramatic but seriously-I realize my dental office is a NIGHTMARE! I cannot, and will not go back there after the way I was treated this weekend. I have no idea what I am going to do to get this taken care of, but wish me well. Im hardly functioning. I cant NOT hold my mouth, barely able to eat, and I can’t be taking pain meds, driving, and caring for my kids-not gonna happen! I’m not big into pain meds to begin with. This is unbearable. Wish me luck on my dentist HUNT. I hate dental insurance plans :C

 One of my regular sweet reader’s emailed me a little while ago with some offer to help me figure out my insurance plan-I can’t find her email! So if its YOU, PLEASE email me again. I’m on the ball! I so appreciated you offer earlier. I just didnt have all the info. Now I THINK I do.

OK on a cheery note:

Think happy thoughts, non-traditional happy Christmas colors!

This card makes me happy.

I really love this tree image from C.C. Designs.  It is a new Little Bits Kit being released on Nov. 7th!!!

I paper pieced the tree with SU! DS paper.

The gifts are super cute too. Perfect size. I love them for the fact they can be used ALL year round. On this card they are cut and on dimensionals.

My color’s were inspired by my ribbon.

A quick and simple card.

If you haven’t go check out All That Scraps. She has a TON of new stuff in!!

She carries the NEW Copic glitter pens, Memory box note cards, Fluffles, Lizzie Anne, MFT, Cats Pajama’s, Gel-a-tins, Stampendous, ALL sorts of patterned paper, as well as Bazzill, and Prism!

Be sure to look at all the new embellishments too!

There is also a gallery, with a “theme of the month”contest!! Don’t miss out on that.

Free shipping on orders over $10 USA. Now that is a super deal.

PLUS her shipping is FAST!!!

I have the CUTEST gift bag cover to share with you-but am waiting till the 7th, when the sets become available!!!

Thanks for looking.

Well, yesterday I promised to show you what I have been up to!

I am working SMART, not hard, to give as many handmade gifts as possible, before the holiday stress sets in. I want to enjoy the season. I also want the shopping to be done. Most of that I do on BLACK Friday-cause I seriously end up saving hundreds of dollars when I’m done! Can you say Toys R Us-at 4 am? If it wasn’t worth it, I wouldn’t do it every year. I go in the mind set that people will be in awful moods-the lines will be LONG, and to concentrate on the holiday music, and smile 😀 Dont be in a RUSH. Its not the day to be all tense.

I told you I am on a MISSION to finish ALL my Christmas gifts, cards, and shopping BEFORE December.

Normally I say I’ll do it-but this year I AM going to do it! I’m well on my way. So proud too 😀 Finally some follow through. Not to mention I have some LONG over due thank you’s and hello’s to get out. If you are one of those people I am SO SORRY!!!!! I swear it will come-better late than never right? Also my PSF’s who send me nice cards for NO reason-thank you to you too!

I’m also on a crazy to finish streak because I get nervous,  if Alexa went back into the hospital, I would stress about the kids getting done and crazy stuff like that. I also want to enjoy our traditions. The thing I HATE most about the holidays is WRAPPING!!!!!!!!!!!! I make Jason do it all! LOL!

I’d love to hear YOUR least favorite thing about the holidays-so don’t forget to tell me!

BACK TO THE POINT!!!

I STRESS about gifts for teachers, and doctors every year. I don’t know why, I just do. Not this year!

Think Boutique. High quality stationary-

  A little note…………note card gift set.

Note cards by Martha Stewart

Stamps- Deco Designs by TAC (The Angel Company), Sentiment-a little note by Elzybells.

Ink- Groovy Guava ink, Brilliance graphite black

Other- Martha Stewart Ribbon, Prima flowers (fabric ones) and Bazzil Flowers (both found here)

I need to say that this particular set by TAC, I bought a year or two ago, and I LOVE it! Since I bought it, it is one of my most favorite. The sentiment cost me $6, is tiny, and it hurt to buy! LOL! BUT I got my use out of it, so thats what matters!!!  It was perfect for this set. I had to do a bird with the sentiment like that.

I was at Michaels, and my friend Anne showed me these notecards, on clearance for $1 each! They are notecards, with matching envelopes from Martha Stewart-normally $7.99 a set! WHAT?!!!! INSANE! So 16 pieces for that price ($1)-without any cutting! Count me in!

They only had the color I chose-which ends up being the PERFECT match to Groovy Guava!

I bought all 16 they had! So I stamped 128 notecards, PLUS their envelope’s, to get my gifts for 16 people DONE in less than 2 hours (after the ribbon/flower was attached)! Now that is awesome!

 All the note cards/envelope’s done.

 They are also the PERFECT re-gift! LOL!

I thought about making the sets monogramed note cards. That idea quickly left, when I didn’t have a stamp set that would make the process easy, and figured I wanted to get done quicker, and that may delay the process. PLUS I don’t know everyone’s FIRST initial!

So here is a list of who is getting “covered” by spending $16, plus 2.99 ribbon, and about say $2 worth of flowers (I had a bunch $10 retail for a mix) so $21 total.

I will add a tiny something extra (like chocolate) to a couple of people-but its still cheap. Figure, even if I bought a big bag of Lindt Chocolate Truffles ($10), and gave them to each some -that is still a great gift for a grand total of only $1.94 each!!!

These are people who are important to us, and impact my children’s lives daily! So a small, affordable price to pay.

Alexa- Her Teacher Aid ,  Class Teacher, Bus Driver (for her and Noah), PT, OT,Speech, 2 Oncologist’s, 3 nurses in the Oncology dept.  who care for Alexa regularly.

Noah-His teacher, and 2 teacher’s aides that help in the class.

Amber-her teacher, and the teacher in the next room.

Not bad!!!

Thanks for looking 😀 I hope you enjoyed my breakdown of holiday gifts, and banter!

Till Tomorrow!

I’m off shopping (hopefully)!

But, it IS Saturday, and that means a Saturday Sketch!!

Sorry Im not all bubbly. I have a cold, and feel a little tired.

As I type I am chomping away on a $30 (mini) tin of chocolate covered Popcorn-in support of our Boy Scouts. I have to say its pretty yummy. It better be right! Don’t know why I felt compelled to share that. Choclate should be the CURE all don’t you think?

I was thinking of finding a way to organize ALL my sketches (one’s you have yet to see), and printing them into mini books! Now that could be a cool gift. PRINTED though-not hand drawn. Then I can just copy of multiples in minutes 😀 We will see if I can figure it out though-computer challenged BLONDE here! LOL!

If you read this blog you may already know purple is my FAVORITE color.

I must say I was quite happy with this creation. Very “beachy” colors to me. Again it was inspired by my Strano Ribbon in ROBIN

 Lavender Wishes    Sketch

I LOVE this set! Its By the Seashore . You can also get it at ATS, so you can add a bunch of goodies 😀 I also used Behind the Scenes from MFt as well 😀

This set reminds me of my mother! She LOVES the beach. If I were to associate ONE thing with my mom, and HAPPY memories as a kid, it would be Ogunquit Maine. We spent alot of time there as kids, and it has a special place in my heart. Her favorite movie of all time is “Somewhere in Time” with Jane Seymour, and Christopher Reeve, and Its a Wonderful Life. A must see movie a million times this holiday season!

So, I hope you will try the sketch today! Leave a link in the comments section so we can all peek at your version!

I’d also love to hear what place or a happy memory you have as a child or of your mother.

Tomorrow I will share my AMAZINGLY cheap teacher gifts! I am proud!!!

To get 16 gifts for Christmas DONE-feels SO good. I always struggle with handmade teach gifts. So check back.

Noah’s appointment went great! My kids were angels today! YEAH!!!

Does that mean I got samples done? NOPE!

I went shopping, shopping, and MORE shopping 😀

I found Bella’s at a Local stamp store-thanks to my friend Anne who filled me in on this amazing place while my shopping venture at Michaels. THANKS ANNE!!! My wallet hurts!!

I’m going back tomorrow, maybe with my friend Paulette.

Tonight I am making a quick attempt to share some SIMPLE cards-each with a very different look, using the New! Release’s from MFT Stamps-Build a Bloom, and Essentials Sentiments! For the times you are CHALLENGED, and short on time!! Each card took LESS than 5 minutes to make 😀

Did you realize that you get 28 sentiments in that set for ONLY $15.95? That works out to be .57 CENTS EACH! That is an amazing value!!! Look at the popular sentiments by other companies, and there is no comparison!

You will pay up to $7 for a wood mounted sentiment, same size!!!

Just had to put that out there!

Anyway I hope you like-

 Poinsettia Gift cert. holder

 Dots that Rock

 Bella Bloom

(OK this one took about 8 minutes-due to the nestabilities frame, color spritzing, punch, and perfect ribbon topper! But still! LOL!

OK Goodnight!

Check in tomorrow for my sketch!

 O’Button Tree

Its the BIG “O”-LOL! In mytime terms 😀

I am one HAPPY girl today!

Today is Friday! YEAH!!!! Although Noah has his 5 year check up, and is freaking out. My kids (for obvious reasons) are petrified to go to the doctors. So to ease the “pain”, for all of us, we will have to hit Target on the way home 😀 Nothing like some retail therapy to sooth the nerves! As you have read, Noah is like mommy-LOVES to shop!

I got some new goodies! More happy times.

Notice the scallop around the edges of my white layer? THAT my friends (as well as the glittering dove) is a NEW! border punch by Martha Stewart! OMG! Im in love 😀 She has a bunch out, but I had to restrain myself. Noah’s birthday party is next weekend!

More goodies-

My O’Button tree is one of 2 new sets that will be released Nov. 7th! So RUN to All That Scraps on the 7th!

 They are the first 2 of many- called Little Bits Kits!  CUTE huh? Seriously check out the design teams blogs for their samples! TO DIE FOR!! PLUS they are SO affordable! Rubbah, on ez-mount for ONLY $11! HELLO!!! Gotta get them.

This one uses the tree from Lucky’s Christmas Wish.

I will share some more samples as we count down the release 😀

I made this for the Blogger’s Challenge-it was to used embellishments-alot.

So, I used the tree as my start. Used some gorgeous stickles, to not only “color” my tree-but as the GLUE to hold on my buttons! The buttons are from Autumn Leaves. I added some A Muse twinkle stickers for the tree “star”, and the “ornaments”.

 click for larger view

The dove was punched from DCWV glitter stack-gorgeous and EASY!

Thanks for looking! I hope you will the check the other challenge players!

Tomorrow is my Saturday Sketch!! So I hope you will return to play along.

Id LOVE to hear of YOUR new purchases, or what you are HAPPY about today!

Its important to remain thankful for at least ONE thing everyday 😀

So what is your HAPPY thing? I’m dying to hear it.

Hannah loves to shop! That means Lauren loves Hannah!

Looks like Hannah has alot more money to shop than Lauren does :C

How about you?

I had this in my computer and fogot to post her!

You can get her —–> HERE I think she’s so sweet! A little larger than I anticipated, but thats not a complaint!

Enjoy the night 😀

Have you seen the NEW! Release from MY FAVORITE THINGS?

Well ONE of the set’s is called Build a Bloom. LOVE IT!!!

I used the elements in the set to create, 2 cards that are so NOT flowers!

I love when you can use a stamp set in a way that it was not designed for!

Let me know what YOU think of my designs.

The first one I will share is called Ciao Bella!

Isn’t she beautiful! Do you see it? Its a woman-side profile-faceless, PERFECT MFT style!

I used the “s” shaped leaf for her hair, the vase for her hat, and the little flower piece shaped like this- “)” for her upper/lower lip, and neck.

Is that NOT cool?

Next I saw a bird

 Blue Bird

Again the “s” shaped leaf made the body. The small leaf, made the tail feathers, and wing. The stem became my tree branch. Leaves-obvious. The starburst pattern “*” for the flower centers, made my nest! My button is the sun, and my flower punch, are the flowers on the tree.

I have to say I was quite excited! Not only are the actually flower’s fabulous, but so are the possibilities.

The sentiment is called Essential Sentiments, from the new release as well, and is a MUST have! Well worth every penny! Hello 28 sentiments!!! you can never have enough! If you are just starting out stamping, then this is the set to get.

Thanks for checking in! Lots of goodies becoming available today! So what are YOU getting?

I know I’m off to cyber shop! So Ill spill what I “must have” later!

Tomorrow is Friday-Blogger’s Challenge!

Till then.