Well you would NOT believe what I bought!

Everyone talks about this new online shopping place called ETSY. The purpose of it is for people/crafter’s (like us), to have a place to buy and sell HANDMADE stuff. Its pretty cool.

OMG! I could spend ALL day just browsing, and drooling over stuff. You can add items to your favorites or even seller’s.

PLUS I thinking its cool to be able to support crafter’s like ourselves.

Anyway-I LOVE Amy Butler paper. Its put out by K & Co.

 Well, to my surprise she (Amy Butler) makes FABRIC line people!! HELLO! Gorgeous fabric! Just like my favorite pieces of cardstock! Its like 2 worlds colliding with LOVELY patterns! LOL!

So upon browsing Etsy, I began my search looking at handbag’s. A girl can NEVER have too many right?

I am normally into getting the newest Vera Bradley stuff. So I said WHY NOT try out some new HANDMADE version right?

So, after browsing the handbag’s section, I found this one particular seller at bagladiesinpa’s shop (her name is Lisa). I was SO drawn to her stuff. Fresh, clean yet funky and fun. I were a bag I would be one of hers.

 I use to sew, and can SO appreciate handmade bags and stuff, cause I could NEVER do anything like that, nor would I want to.

After looking at her collections,  I saw a style bag she made that I LOVED! But not in a FABRIC that I had to have.  I had seen other bag’s with a Amy Butler fabric I WANTED it in. So I PM’d her, and asked her if she could make me her “Cleo style” bag, using the “Lace-work” fabric by Amy Butler. Basically customize a bag for me-LOL!

She got back to me, and said she would! She also made some “accessories” that I had to have too! Smart woman.

Her photos and descriptions were great and helpful. Her communication ROCKED, as did her overall customer service.

She is a MYTIME approved seller :D. I am VERY picky so that is a HUGE compliment.

Here is what I got!

NOTE: This photo was copy/pasted from her site. I figure since I am giving her a good review she won’t mind!

 Bag, check book cover, zip bag, and key toggle

When it was done she contacted me to let me know it was listed if I still wanted it! (UM YEAH!!!! I asked for it)

After she shipped it was on my door 3 days later!

It came beautifully wrapped-so professional. Her communication ROCKED!

When I saw the bag and items, it was even BETTER in person! Very well made.

What a great experience I had. I am now buying my bag’s handmade from her, here on out.

FYI I am not related to this person, or anything. I just HAD to share my experience with all of you, cause I know only YOU could appreciate my babble about a bag-especially since its created from the same style of paper I’m addicted too!

I’ll be back later with some “stamping related” stuff to share.

Rain, rain go away. Come again another day.

Feels like Spring here in New Hamsphire. The rain adds to that feeling. I think it’s somewhere around 60’s today.

I am still in Spring mode here. Ready for flowers to bloom, and cheery colors.

Done with viruses  and pneumonia, and the kids being stuck inside. (NOTE: Alexa and Amber are doing very good! Thanks) Too bad I have a ways to go till winter has past. Maybe THAT is why my kids are killing eachother these days.

Noah use to be my headache. He is now “the good child”. Amber and Alexa cannot even be in the same room, without an all out brawl!

I tried to bring out some fun, by letting the kids play with Moon Sand. OMG! That stuff is AWFUL!

DO NOT BUY IT! DO NOT OPEN IT! IT WILL SELF DESTRUCT!

My play room looked like a mini beach!

Yes, I put down garbage bags even-before the play began. Hoping to capture the sticky sand, but NO! Sticky sand or not-SAND IS SAND, and it made a mess.

Let me tell you-Moon Sand will NOT make another appearance here in my house till it is warm enough to play OUTSIDE!!

Thanks MOM! That was a GREAT idea. I’m sure you giggled all the way home from the store when you were thinking of the FUN I would have cleaning it up.

When we were kids that stuff would not have gotten BOUGHT, let alone played with. Oh the joys of being a grandmother I imagine.

OK back to my card! LOL! Don’t know how I got so off topic. Maybe the clumps I keep finding in wierd areas of the house………………. but anyway…………

I LOVE using images in a way they aren’t meant for OR expected to be used like. I was in a BRIGHT mode when I made this card.

Here is my first example

For this card I used Papertrey Ink Limitless Labels, Green Thumb, and Beautiful Blooms.

The blooms are die cut with my Cuttlebug Flowers #1 folder.

I LOVE how Nichole makes sets that interchange with each-other, effortlessly.

The colors were inspired by my ribbon.

The label became a band.I love all the scalloped edges this has, as well as its dimension and POP! You can’t see it here-but this is very dimensional. The flowers a really popped up too.

I then took the idea and went more subtle with it

 Spring for you

Is this not so different? For me anyway.

On this card I used-Limitless Labels, and Text Boxed.

I just went with a shabby , scrappy, sorta naturey-I dont know how to describe it kinda look. 😀

Notice more sewing! How fun that is lately. Im getting my use for the $4 sewing machine! (PS-MY AREA- They sold out a while ago! I went back to check on those and the cupcake stands-GONE! SORRY!)

I LOVE River Rock and Soft Sky. They are just so gorgeous together.

I just loved both of these. As different as they are, I think it shows ANY stamp set can be used for ANY style. Just put your own lil twist on it, and don’t be intimidated!

I say that now, but I have that Crafty Secrets- Kitchen set-never inked-that petrifies me to even touch it! LOL! So not LAUREN. I get a headache looking at it. The weird thing is I DO like it? So what is up with that?

But Papertrey…………………..OMG! It screams LAUREN BUY ME! USE ME! LOVE ME!

I haven’t gotten much time to play with my new stuff, but hope too soon.

Hope you are having a great day!

Don’t forget its MFT’s New Release! Today.

Till tomorrow.

I love Valentines day, and Valentines cards.  I love LOVE 😀 Such a happy Hallmark holiday, but I’m down for another day to celebrate something fun.

They are just so fun to make.

This was no exception.

It was so easy-and so cute. I may give it to one of my kids with their V-Day goodies.

Lucky in Love-Love Ya Much by C.C. Designs

I got this bling heart sticker at the Target $1 spot. I thought Lucky would be so cute laying on it.

I kept it pretty simple-no need to dress it up anymore-that BLING is enough.

The ribbon is by SEI I believe. Added another element of color-to make the rest just POP right out at ya.

OK I gotta run-lots to ink and so little time.

I REALLY want to get some stuff done with my Gina K stuff too.

Oh and did I forget I have 2 samples with Papertrey to share as well 😀

Be back tomorrow.

So who likes animals? I do! I do!

I have come to realize it IS impossible to have too many of one image theme. For instance like my coffee set-I thought I had enough of the “same” theme for imagea. Oh! No! my friend! I NEED more. And flowers…………..NEVER enough! Some times you want elegant, other timessimple, 2 step, coloring, swirly, bold, whimsical……..see……………………. Never too many!

Same with all images IMO!

Kim’s new set Punny Farm is so cute. It is being released tomorrow. You can’t have enough animals can you?

Big , small,  cute, real………………………you get the idea.

I love all the different animals/sentiments. At first I was a little intimidated by it, but once I got inking I couldn’t stop! I think this set is pretty adorable without being cheesy. They are realistic yet cute looking farm animals. Now that is so me.

Here is my first-

Herd it

This also uses the bkgd by CHF Dotted Diamond. I used my markers to color the “flowers”. Purple is my favorite-so I used different shades of it for this card. I don’t know WHY I thought purple and cows-but I love the “spring meadow” feel this has! Her head is stamped and cut on dimensionals. So she peeks right out at ya!

 Just Chicken In

This card was made for my friends mom. She had been feeling “icky” so I thought this would be cute to get. Something different than the “normal” get well card.  I chose “hen” colors! LOL! I kept it relatively simple. These chicks are so cool.

lastly-my favorite- Wool you be mine?

 Enough said.

How CUTE is this? I just love it.

OK sorry for the short post. I have a TON to do, and wanted to share these with you.

Thanks to all for the comments and relating to my kid-aster’s (My kids+Disaster= kid-aster). Its been CRAZY here today as well. I am happy you can all relate.

Remember that commercial “Calgon take me away…………..”

Oh I wish. Just for a little while.

OK, if you have more than one child, you MAY be able to appreciate this.

Normally this stuff does not seem funny to me until it is LONG over.

People will always ask ” Did you take a picture?”

Normally I give a look like “Are YOU insane? NO I didn’t take a picture”. But this was rather amusing.

I NEEDED to get some stamp stuff done. I needed a whopping 45 minutes of “my time”, or I was going to go INSANE!

 My kids were fighting like well……………let’s say a pack of wild animals. Sometimes, when I have really had it with the bickering, and the million time outs, I will retreat to my stamp “cave”. Its better for ALL of us to take a breather.

I can hear everything they are doing-which is good in a safety sense, but not a sanity sense sometimes! LOL!

Alexa and Amber have been at eachother throats lately. Alexa isn’t feeling great, and is on edge, and Amber is continuously provoking her.

I am in my stamp room and hear the bickering.

Alexa yelling “Take a break. Get in there. You need a time out. Get in there.”

I’m thinking oh great-here we go. More fighting.

Amber is crying “Let me out!” as well as other things I cant make out. Time to intervene

She is screeching her lungs out, and daisy starts barking-THAT is unusual. She is not a barker.

So I come flying upstairs, to interviene, only to see this

Alexa LOCKED Amber in the dog crate!

Daisy is sitting in front of it barking, and Alexa is happily watching TV.

I grabbed my camera, to which Amber’s tears were quickly turned off, and was then all happy about it.

NOW that is a good time out spot!

Just kidding………………………………………..but you have to admit its pretty funny. I was unsure if I should make Alexa go in there for her time out for shoving her sister into a dog crate!

Lucky for her she isn’t feeling so hot.

Now these are they days Im not so sure I will miss when they are all grown.

How sweet it is!

Does this box of yummies make you just want to eat one?

Love the colors, love the layout, love chocolate, love this set-period.

Here is another card using Be Mine. It is a new release by MFT (ready for order the 9th).

I LOVE chocolate. So I had a blast making this card.

I used some yummy ribbon my American Crafts, and my cuttlebug embossing folder. I think these colors should be the official Valentine’s Day colors.

I am starting weight watcher’s next week,on the 15th. I chose that day cause everyone starts the first. I want to be in the mindset that I am starting a life style change-not a diet (as Dr. Phil would say).

 My goal is to get ALL the chocolate OUT of my house.

NO! I don’t mean throw it away! That is a form of chocolate abuse! I am NOT an abusive person. I will properly dispose of each morsel-myself! LOL!

I am lucky Im not the size of an elephant-with all the coffee I drink (lots of sugar and cream) and chocolate I love. I just have a few pounds that crept up on me through out the year. It mainly starts with the stress eatting when Alexa gets sick, then goes from there.

I drop it in 2 months, then gain it back slowly over the year. GOOD TIMES.

THIS year, I turn 30. So if it kills me I WILL use my exercise machine and get my toned ab’s back! I want to say that I look HOT in my 30’s, not LOOKED Hot for some of my 20’s. No I don’t look HOT now-but I will. BY my 30th birthday May 3rd.

I LOVE the DVD- Turbo Jam! Its only 20 minutes of a great workout! You lose 10 inches in 10 days! Its great. There is also some 10 min. stuff for when you are way crunched for time. Hey its better than munching for 10 min. or sitting on the computer.

OK by better I mean better for your butt.

So tell me if YOU have a new plan to get in better shape this year. Or share a diet you are on or plan to try, exercise video, meal plan-WHATEVER you want! I want to know I’m not alone in this insanity we women put on ourselves 😀

Ok I do have another SWEET idea for you! This one is FAT FREE 😀

I also hope it makes you view everyday items (especially SALE items) differently.

While shopping the discounts at Rite Aid I found this cupcake rack! It was on SALE for only $2.99!!!!!

I decided it would be PERFECT for my smaller bottle of Prima’s, and my Martha Stewart glitter. For photo purposes I did not FILL it. I wanted you to see how it looks.

Since I have the wire racks to store my stamps it fits in so nicely.

Who would think a cupcake rack could be used by a stamper? We are just the most innovative, resourceful, and crafty people on the planet aren’t we?!

THAT being said Debra shared a link with me that blew me away! Check it out

$6 Ink Pad Holder

Now that my friends is genius. I would love to actually try it.

Do you have any cool tips or unusual uses you want to share? Post them here!

Share the LOVE!!!

OK, I gotta run. Alexa has pneumonia too. So it will be a long, and late night. We spent the day at the doctor’s. She looks OK, but we need to hope no high fevers-otherwise we are IN HOUSE! Her counts are fabulous though! Thank God! That is good.

Amber is pretty much back to her terrible three’s. Who says 2 is bad? 3 is far worse.

But I love her to pieces and would FREEZE her at this point, as she is adorable. Yes, I am a sucker.

 Till tomorrow.

Today is the 7th, and that means we (MFT Designers) can now post with the New! Releases. I have some great samples, over the next few days, to share. It is so hard making stuff, then having to sit on it, for over a month-in some cases!

January releases 3 sets. They are Be Mine (mini set used here), Punny Farm and Happy Occasions. The release date will be January 9th! There will also be a cocktail party at the  MFT Forum. More on that later.

I don’t know about YOU, but my wallet HURTS with all these fabulous sets being released by all these companies. Worst thing is the releases aren’t over! Still got Paper Trey! I’m sure other’s that my brain can’t wrap around right now.

Also released yesterday was more digi paper by MFT—–> Kiss Collection. I am dying to use mine. I just got it loaded, and have yet to get “my time” to play. We did have a great weekend filled with time with friends. That is always nice.

So for my samples today I chose to use the set I am loving, called Be Mine. I used the MFT sketch challenge for this week-you will see samples by entering a keyword MFTSC12.

It was fun finally doing a challenge.

I LOVE hearts, and I LOVE black 😀 So I was very happy with this.

I think the center black heart just pops! To make sure of that, I colored my Making Memories heart shape tag rim, with a sharpie marker. Attached with terrific tape.

I also used Behind the Scenes, for the stripped panel, instead of a paper layer. Sometimes you don’t have the right paper KWIM? So this was perfect. Plus it’s nice to use stamps for your own pattern creation.

The ribbon is a black satin, that I got a Target for $2.99 for 15yds 😀 It helps make this elegant.

I had fun with these colors and elements, so I went on to make a simple card.

Admittedly, this may just be too plain Jane :C But its still cute right?

I LOVE the hanging heart. Oh well, maybe with some tweaking………….

Let’s just say after 3pm my brain shuts down, and the creative juices run dry. I have made worse-trust me!

So stay tuned…………….I hope to get lots of happy mail this week, and get some off to secret friends.

Thanks for reading.

Till tomorrow.

My heart is really a flutter, with the New! Lizzie Anne Release.

Have you seen all the must haves?

I think I am the only designer who doesn’t have her sets :C YET.

So, you know my mailman JOE (yes we are on a first name basis, yes the PO knows my voice, and yes they call me now when I have a package there to give me the option of an early pick-up!) is getting stalked tomorrow-for SURE! Its nice living in a small town.

I was able to order ALL of them! Except I missed the Far East one. No idea HOW I didn’t order it, but I didn’t-YET. I love the lantern in the set-way cute.

So tonight the party starts at 10pm EST. YEAH! There will be games and prizes too 😀

In honor here is a sample I made using Heart to Heart (heart with wings) and L’Amour (swirly hearts/sentiment). Not made with a NEW set, but still a great one.

Masculine Hearts A Flutter

 click

This may just be Jason’s V-day card. Is it NOT fabulously manly-yet with that touch of LOVE 😀

I embossed both the heart, and the swirl with white EP. I didn’t dust away the trails of excess powder, cause it added to the look I felt. I colored the little hearts with my Fantastixand versamagic dew drops in Aegean blue. The wings were gently colored with a white crayon pencil thingy, on thetured cardstock-for that soft look.

My favorite Dreaming of Dots will be revealed later as well! I LOVE that set. You will see…….it’s such a LAUREN set 😀

OK thanks for looking.

Till tomorrow. Enjoy the release.

While blog hopping-(something I RARELY get to do), I found this idea on Julie’s Blog. It is to find your word, to describe what you want in 2008!

It originated at Ali Edwards blog, from what I understand. Its like follow the link, to the link, to the link! LOL!

My word is ACHIEVE!

If you know me this is not shocking. I think its what I want for 2008. To me it has many meanings. I think it best describes what I want in life as whole.

Here is the dictionary version

a·chieve play_w(“A0053600”)

 (-chv)

v. a·chieved, a·chiev·ing, a·chieves

v.tr.

1. To perform or carry out with success; accomplish. See Synonyms at perform.

2. To attain with effort or despite difficulty. See Synonyms at reach.

v.intr.

To accomplish something successfully; perform at a standard or above standard level: skills needed to achieve in school.

I think it’s important to continue to better your best. I don’t mean that in a competitive way. I don’t feel I need to “compete” or compare. I am who I am, and am only interested in beating out myself. To continue to strive to become the best LAUREN I can be.

I believe in hard work, bumps in the road, and pushing past obstacles. That is what gives us strength, character , confidence and accomplishment.

I have many goals for 2008- for my family, personal health, my children, and career.

So if you could only use ONE-What is YOUR word?

Ill be back tomorrow to share a MFT Sneak Peek!

I know we do! It is up to the sill of my stamp room window. So at minimum 2 feet.

Gotta love New England. I really don’t know if I could live someplace without 4 seasons.

Unless that place happened to be Hawaii! I’m sure I could “adjust”. When Jason and I went there for our Honeymoon it was pure HEAVEN on EARTH.

I made this card the other day. After a big storm. When I saw Daisyboardabella I knew I HAD to have her! I saw Gina K posted that these snowflakes were at Target. So I had to get me some 😀 They SO made this card.

My colors were picked up from my SEI Ally’s Wonderland. You know I LOVE my Copic’s.

I used my Scor-Pal to create the border on my Bella!

I did get some ROCKIN stuff on my shopping venture. Some I cannot share cause I was finishing up my Secret Friendship stuff. Don’t worry I will share as the week goes on.  I NEED to get those OUT!

I am contemplating the Crafty Secrets Coffee & Tea set.  Any opinions on weather I should buy it?

Im stressing about the $30 for UNMOUNTED. I have had my eye on it for quite some time. I am by NO means vintagey-but this set is cutesy and I LOVE it.

Anyone have it and want to sell it? Or trade for THIS set-I have it brand new!! Cute, it’s just not LAUREN.

OK off topic-

So my card-the reason I made it…………………..

Make a Wish gave us a FULL day of ski/snowboard/snowtubing passes with rentals included! So, when we go, I will bring this as a Thank You! Its so nice of these places to donate things like that for families with sick kids. Means alot, and gives them something to look forward to. I want them to know HOW appreciated it really is.

Speaking of giving back, and Make A Wish-YES AGAIN!! I was informed by Lori of a post HERE on SCS. Thanks Lori. You can read the details there. If you can help-fabulous! I’m sure we all have un-used stuff we could pass on.

Another thing I am doing (YEAH!!!), is helping with Gina K’s new stamp set for a cause called- How Sweet It Is!

 Seven dollars of every set sold will be divided equally between the American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

How cool is that? You must read Gina’s personal story too. Very touching.

I JUST got my set yesterday, and will bust my butt to get some super-cute, enabling samples just for you to NEED the set. C’mon peep’s! Its rubbah and it supports a cause. HOW can you NOT love that?

Gina ROCKS!!! I also ordered her new sets. How cute are they??

Let me know if you get “in” on the new Gina K.

I’d also LOVE to hear what you think of the New! Lizzie Anne stuff. I am STALKING my mailman Monday! My box better be here 😀

I am so dying to play with their new stuff.

Oh, and wait till you see the new MFT!! MORE Cute stuff. Only 3 New! Releases this month though.

Oh is it not just ALL amazing? Where does everyone keep coming up with this stuff? SERIOUSLY!