9/11

Today is a day of remembrance, and a time to thank all of those who have served our country. Past and present, and future, the word thank you doesn’t seem to be enough. Many people have given so much of themselves, to work tirelessly to preserve our freedom and protect our country. Saying thank you doesn’t seem to be enough.

Today on 9/11 we take a moment to remember those at the World Trade Center NY in 2001, who lost their lives that day, and the families they left behind. We take another moment to honor all of the individuals who helped that day, and who are, or who have served our country. Today we remember.

In honor of all these individuals and their families My Time Made Easy ™ LLC and Paper Sweetieshas organized a Blog Hop with *NEW* products & projects to inspire you to create gifts for our Troops, or that special someone!

Please see what all the following designers have made using the *NEW* products:

My Time Made Easy ™ LLC

Paper Sweeties

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Andrea Ewen

Char Cundy

Jeanne Jachna

Jinny Newlin

Pattie Goldman

Additional designers:

Tammy Hobbs

Melissa Phillips

Nicole Segnere

Rebecca Deeprose

Now you are probably excited to see what was released in honor of this special occasion!

*NEW* at My Time Made Easy ™ LLC is an amazing package collection called Made in the USA!

Made in the USA Package $10

As mentioned above, this collection was created in honor of those who have, or who are currently serving our country! This package includes everything you need to create your own amazing gift package! Contents in this collection are the Tough Tank Template, a sheet of Camouflage Digital Paper, and an additional three sheets of patterned paper in red polka dots, yellow stars, and blue stripes, as well as a Set of 31 Digital Images called Made in the USA.

About: Made in the USA Digital Stamp Set: includes a Military Forces tag that can be customized, a saluting soldier silhouette, a Dog Tag, circle flag tag, alphabet for you to create your own tag, as well as a Made in the U.S.A. sentiment.

Tough Tank Pretty Packaging Template

Available in PDF, SVG, GSD, DXF, WPC

Completed Project Size:

4 3/4 Inches Tall

6 1/2 Inches Wide

7 1/2 Inches Long

This was designed at the request of, and in the honor of my brother Craig, who served many years in the U.S. Army! He wanted a realistic version of the “real deal” to honor his time spent serving our country!

Of course I was up for the challenge, as I think it is an excellent way to honor our troops.

This truly makes the perfect personalized package 😀

 How fun is this?! Note: The top of the tank rotates 360 degrees!

The top also comes off the tank, so you can package all sorts of gift items inside the tank.

Details: I designed this collection and used the Tough Tank Template as seen here, with the Camouflage paper. I added the tag from the Made in the U.S.A. Digital Stamp Set, all included in the Made in the USA. It was customized with the name G. Avery, using the alphabet in the set. It is for my brother’s son. I actually made two, one for each of his sons.

I also did the name on the Dog Tag image in the set, which I used to wrap up the Army Men I am sending his boys. They are so into them of course 😀 I am adding some water grenade balloons and of course candy 😀

Now you too can easily re-create this Tough Tank to create your own customized gift package. The perfect container to package up gifts for any of our Troops, maybe for sending a special care package, a great gift option for someone who served, or is serving in the military, or maybe that special child in your life who enjoys playing with Army men, and things of similar nature. Makes an excellent party favor or centerpiece too!

Be sure you see what all the designers have done for you, and the *NEW* goodies Debbie has created for her new company Paper Sweeties!

I hope that you take a moment to thank someone for their service to serving our country! There are SO MANY organizations that you can send cards and care packages for our troops, so I recommend you find one to support or in your area 😀

I have found this one A Million Thanks, but you can find your own, or if you know of an organization please link it here or on our Facebook Page!

Hey everyone-Guess who has a blog now?

Elisabeth-the creator of Elzbels from the UK!!! Check it out–>HERE

 Her site for purchasing is going live soon!! I don’t know if that is a good thing for me! My wallet can’t handle it! LOL! I figured many of you would be happy to know know this since you ask me about her site often.

I also wanted to remind you to take a peek at Nichole’s Blog. The new release peeks have begun! She links a senior DT member daily for an additional sample-so dont miss that either. Also fellow DT member Lisa Johnson is this months designer-so she will feature daily peeks on her blog with her new set-Flower Garden (OMG! I couldn’t stop using it) through the week. Check her out HERE!

Also ATS is having a nice sale 😀 Check it out

And I was VERY excited to get this recognition for my very first scrap page using Unity Stamps-Beautiful Butterfly!! I did find a 3D collage frame so I can hang it up! No I am not making a scrapbook!  It was 40% off at Michaels today! YEAH!

OK Gotta run. I HOPE I didn’t forget anything.

 Dog Tag

Hip Hip Hooray! It’s Friday!

No Vanilla Bean Chiller big girl drink for me tonight! LOL! I have to be bright eyed (ok that never happens until coffee #2 at least) and ready to go for tomorrow. I have everything set to go for my classes tomorrow! I think I actually got it ALL together! I’m getting very anxious, and when I am excited I talk a LOT. So I hope I can shut up long enough to crank out the awesome projects we have planned.

I am already planning my next 3 card classes!! One is going to be different BLING techniques!! I’m excited to get started on that one, and one will be cards using acetate in different ways (LOVE acetate!!) and the next, I may do cards with punches.  I am thinking of doing Friday evenings at 7pm. Think GIRLS NIGHT OUT!! Plus with summer here not many people want to be inside on a Saturday. PLUS I don’t want to miss Noah’s T-ball games too often. Anyway, that is more up to Michelle and YOU people out there who may be ready to sign up. So you will have to let me know. No worries I think I will do some Saturday’s at 10am if she can fit me in.

OK I am sorry, I’m going on and on and feel like I should be asking What about YOU? How are you, what are you doing this weekend? Feel free to chime in 😀

Onto the Blogger’s Challenge. Make sure you check out some of the talent. Today’s challenge is Animals.

Well I had an idea of what I was going to do………….then that changed when I went to Old Navy to buy the kids some summer stuff. Well at checkout was this ADORABLE coral color corduroy dog collar! Well I had to get my fur-baby something!! So I got it, and took it home.

Well I go to remove the tag, and I thought WOW! I LOVE this tag! I can’t throw it away!! I have to use it. Then I said- I know I have a stamp like that German Shepard! So I run down to stamp land, and find my MFT Gone to the Dogs! Sure enough! I do. But I didn’t want to use that image. After some thinking I used the bull dog. I think its cute. Whole new meaning to DOG TAG isn’t it!! See this really shows how inspiration really is EVERYWHERE!

The bone tag is Friends Furever. I have to say how much I adore that simple image! I really love it, and would have bought the entire set JUST for that image. Heck the entire set was only $9! You can’t get many wood mounted images at that price! Thank goodness the entire set is adorable!!!! Love that boy/dog! LOVE IT!

I punched the paw prints (EK Success) and placed some patterned paper under it.

Now to share about my fur baby! It has been a while since you saw Daisy. If you are new here-Daisy is a Cockapoo. She is now almost 9 months old! She is full grown, and I took her to the vet yesterday for her flea/tick stuff and she weighed and WHOPPING 14lbs. She is a ball love. I really can’t imagine that we DIDN’T have a dog for this long. I can’t believe I let a dog sleep with us! My kids don’t even do that.

She is definitely a CHEWER though. They say thats the cocker spaniel. The rungs of my wood chairs look like chew toys. NOT COOL.

If we leave her home alone too long she will retrieve someones shoes and bit them farewell! She knows how to open gates, and can jump so high! She gets really spoiled because I am home ALL day, everyday, so when no one is around to pay attention to her, she gets mad.

Since we got the pee smell out from the carpets during the  earlier puppy days , no more piddles! Unless someone comes over. She just pees everywhere with excitement. Its the strangest thing.

A couple weeks ago I came out of the shower, and my bed hadn’t been made yet cause Daisy was still sleeping.

THIS IS WHAT I FOUND-NOTE: Objects in photo are much larger than they appear!!

In case you are wondering WHAT you are looking at-THAT is a HOLE she chewed into on my Memory Foam layer on our mattress! We had a memory foam overlay.

She ripped through the sheets, and went to town. Now we have a King Size bed, so that memory foam layer  is NOT cheap. I had to call Jay at work so he had time to calm down. She really needed to look REALLY cute when he walked through the door.  She was SOOO happy to see him he couldn’t be that mad. Who else gets that excited when you come home from work?

Well, I took her to a new groomer. And she cut her down all even. Poor Daisy looked SO HOT with all her fur. It was so long and curly. I would brush her but you couldn’t even tell! LOL! I guess that is the POODLE part.

Anyway-here she is sporting her new look.

How could that sweet innocnet face do all that naughty stuff! Must be the cats!

 She is so soft!! Oh and smells SO GOOD!! I was VERY happy with this new groomer. I already booked her next appointment for 8 weeks from now.

I know in 2 weeks she will just look SOOOO cute as it grows in a little. The groomer put the bandanna on her. I thought it was adorable! AND Purple! Hello!! Love it!

I bought her the cutest little tie on summer “dress”. She use to let me dress her up. Yeah! Now she did everything she could to rip it off before I could get a cute photo :C Oh well. Can’t blame her I guess.

Anyway, that is it for today. I have some projects to prep. All my blogger friends I am sorry I have no paid anyone a visit in SO long. Next week should be better. I rarely get out into blog land as it is.

Well thanks for visiting me here.

 Come back tomorrow for the Saturday Sketch. Oh and pray I don’t BOMB tomorrow! LOL!

Lauren

OK Girls-its time for all of you to join in the Challenge!! This should warm you up on a Monday.

I have seen a lot of you have joined in on the Pink Cat Studio {love} train. Now I want to challenge you to use some of those image’s with a color challenge 😀 (You don’t HAVE to own PCS stamps to participate, but if you do please try! Keeps it fun)

Each month the PCS design team has one member issue a challenge for the others. This week it was my turn. I chose this as my inspiration of color: white, pale yellow, olive, Caribbean and navy. Just use whatever colors you have that are close.

American Crafts A La Carte Collection in Quiche

Now the additional part to the challenge is you HAVE to use a CIRCLE element! That means a button, tag, paper-something round! Sky is the limit! OK!

BOUNUS for YOU!! Try my sketch 😀 (you can mix up the colors of course)

Here is my Not so PINK cat-Blooming Birthday Wishes

This card uses Crafty Kitty Plate 1 (Yes! ATS sells PCS!!!) Isn’t it SOOOO cute! I loved her. Its like she is watering my pretty bridal confetti flower. I kept the Caribbean color as an accent color. I had this paper from SU! for at least a year or 2. Can’t remember. It really came in handy for my challenge. I wanted to use that paper I picked for the inspiration, but that would be TOO easy. Almost considered cheating! LOL! I used my white gel pen for the flowers in the sentiment

She is, of course colored with my Copic markers 😀

I hope you have fun with this. Send us a link here to your creation. ALSO-Be sure to check out all the DT member’s blogs to see their take on the challenge!

I think these are such happy colors. Perfect thing to perk up a Monday!

Can’t wait to hear what you think and see your very own version-

Lauren

OK you better answer YES to this question! LOL! I’m not that old yet!

Do you remember the movie Clash of the Titans? I so loved that movie when I was a kid.

Harry Hamlin was the HOT Greek God Perseus. Oh did I love him.

Here is a You Tube clip of when he met up with Medusa! There is a ton I found on Google. LOVE IT! I never knew they made Clash of the Titan’s figurines!!

By now you MAY be asking “What is my point?”

Well THAT is where my love of owl’s started! Remember the golden owl in the movie?

 This is Bubo!!

Bubo was the name of a mechanical owl in the 1981 film Clash of the Titans. It was a gift of Zeus made by Hephaestus for Perseus since Athena would not cede her companion bird.

The name is derived from the Bubo genus of owls. Bubo watched over Perseus. REMEMBER?????

Now, when I saw this owl (below)from C.C. Designs A Hootin Good Time, it brought back fond memories of watching that movie a million times. AND my love for Bubo. I’m sure if I watched it now I would die of laughter. So I’ll keep the memory as is!

 2008 version of Bubo.

I used some HOT colors, gaining inspiration from some Basic Grey paper. LOVE IT!!! I colored my bridal confetti flowers, with my copic markers, to look like the flowers in the paper, for a little something extra. Sentiment, and flourish are by Stampin Up!

I thought the phrase-so thoughtful was cute for the owl! LOL!

So after that super long explanation, I am leaving you with the sketch for today! I know a whole day early! Happy Mother’s Day! LOL!

Here is yet another sample!

Its the same layout! My focus became the panels, not the center circle image.

This sample uses In the Meadow my Lizzie Anne. This is going to be Jason’s mom’s Mother’s Day card. It doubles for my blogger’s challenge too! The blog challenge was to create a card for Mother’s Day! YAHOO!! Here is one of them.

I wanted a VERY SOFT look for this, so I brushed my Pebble’s chalks onto my cardstock. They are shimmery, so while the color is subtle it makes a huge impact.

I then took my quickie glue pen (yes you need one) and colored in parts of the flowers. I then added white flock, so they look just like the real deal!! You just want to make a wish, and make them blow away.

Here is a closer view-because they are worth it!

This is a sweet & funny card to me because Jay’s mom is a total nature person. If I ever got stranded somewhere, with anyone, I want it to be her! Me and my mom would cling to each other and just die! While, Jay’s mom knows all that naturey stuff, of what you can and can’t eat. If its poisonous to picking the dandelions out of her yard for salad! When the kids eat something weird she is the first person I call to identify what it was they ate so I can call poison control-I kid you not. Last year Alexa ate a Lily of the Valley berry-THAT is poisonous. Great right?

ME-so NOT naturey! I love the beach, and any place that has “amenities”. No reptiles, rodents, or a large assortment of bugs that could freak me out, and possibly kill me. Places with a bed, and HOT shower. Anyway, we got her a grow your own salad kit, since she does this in her own back yard, she can bring it indoors. I hope she likes it, because I really did think a lot about her card. Every-time I see a dandelion I think of her.

DID YOU KNOW-She is the one who introduced me to stamping! I loved all her hand-made cards she would make for me, that I decided to give it a whirl! I owe finding this passion to her, for sure. How can I possibly thank her for all that?

OK so that is it.

Today I am off the a field trip with the kids to the Space center. Amber has her dance recital this weekend. My mom is coming up for a visit, and things will be busy. I hope whatever you do, is enjoyable! I’m picking my mom up some of those YUMMY desserts from Jacques Pastries, like I got on my birthday! She was tickled pink, when she saw them here! I hope to get her a couple to go with her gift.

Have a great one.

If you try the sketch, send us a link here so we can all see it!

Till tomorrow-maybe!

Cowboy Up-definition by Urban Dictionary:

 Billy Buckaroo

Don’t you all LOVE the Billy set? Seriously he is just so adorable. I love him. He has made BOY cards not only fun, but something I’m looking forward to.

It is time I Cowboy Up with the Blogger’s Challenge group I belong to. Sadly it had been a couple of week’s since I posted with the challenge. Life got busy and I had other things going on, so it was hard to participate, AND some I just plain ole didn’t like! LOL! I swore this week I would participate. No matter what. So I did!

You can find links to the other Blog Challenge members on my sidebar. I know like a ba-jillion more people have joined, and I haven’t really updated it-SORRY :C But check out the other player’s!

We were challenged to use a Color Challenge of chocolate chip, brocade blue, so saffron, and certain celery. I thought-OK I can do that. I often don’t do well with color challenges. I feel very limited. On this, I rebelled a bit, and threw in a real red bandana around his neck! LOL! I only used a saffron for his hair. I then added a larger amount with the star (which is outlined with my ATyou glitter pen), and a masculine sort of floral panel. The flowers have that gray-ish blue sort of center to them. I kind of liked that unexpected element.

I found this super cute burlap sack of Bubble Gum nugget’s at Michaels, and thought it would be the cutest little thing to accompany this card!

So that is that.

If you got Billy and made something with him, post us a link so we can all drool!

CONTEST ALERT!! Click HERE! Enter to win the New Pink Cat Release 😀

I’ll be back tonight 5 pm EST with my Papertrey Blog Hop Challenge! So Ya’ll come back now, ya hear! LOL! I know-shut up Lauren.

See ya later.

I have 2 posts for today-so don’t miss the other one 😀 

Well today is the first day of the kids being on school vacation.

Um, yeah!! LOL! Not sure how I feel about that! I know that sounds awful. I LOVE my kids, but I also love my 6 hours a week of “mytime”.

Vacations often equal “Stop looking at me! She isn’t being nice. He won’t share. Get out of my room. Don’t hit me. He is spitting. She isn’t letting me take a turn. I want to go here, no I want to go there. I need another snack. OOPS! I didn’t mean to break that, or I got playdough stuck in the carpet for the 100th time. Ha! Ha! I got it first. No! you didn’t!” kind of banter, endlessly from 6:3o am to 8:00 pm.

In all seriousness, I know I will miss these times. I will right?

The weather is awesome, and I can take them to some fun outdoor activities this week. The only thing is getting stamp time in. I can’t keep them in the house when they are home all week, so I will be on the go, everyday.

This weekend I was able to get a sample done for the Pink Cat challenge. It looks like weekly the team posts a challenge for each other.

 I’m very excited to be a full time member of the team Especially seeing what is to come. WOW!

Here is the source of inspiration Tammy posted for us.

Feel free to participate by making your own interpretation of this. You can send a link here or at the Pink Cat blog–>HERE.

I know each of the DT members for Pink Cat (see my side bar for member blogs), will be posting there vision of it as well.

When I looked at this I saw various colors that I chose to interpret as ribbon!!!

Lily The Butterfly Fairy

Now that I have this uploaded, the colors aren’t like the curtain as much as I thought they were. I used various ribbon for a panel, to match the curtain. I thought it was a cute idea.

I LOVE my Lily set, and having her as a Butterfly Fairy. By the emails and responses I received YOU love Lily too!!

I colored her with my Copic marker’s. Many of you asked about skin tone’s. Well Deborah Kapsiotis-one of my blog reader’s, found this and decided to share this info with me, and OK’ed me to forward it on over to YOU! So I hope it helps.

What are the best skin colors?
> The color of skin is wide and varied.  For an orange/peach skin it is
> recommended that you use YR00 and YR20.  For a pinker skin, try R00 for a
> base color, R000 for highlights and R02 for shadows.  For a neutral skin,
> E00 or E01 for midtones, E000 for highlights and E02 for shadows.  E21 and
> E51 are also popular for skin midtones.

I honestly pay NO attention to which one’s I use. I just color and go. I always have scrap cardstock to test the colors, and make sure I am getting a good match before I color my stamped image.

The sentiment is from MFT- Princess Birthday it reads-Have a Fairy Nice Day!

Close-Up view

I stamped the wings twice, once on the blush layer in brilliance pink ink, then again on vellum cardstock, then cut them out. I added adhesive rhinestone’s.

She is just so pretty, and cute!!! Love these summery/ happy colors. Thanks for the inspiration Tammy!

Well that is all for today! We are off to lunch soon, and a trip to the park. Maybe the kids will let me sneak in a trip to Target! LOL!

Enjoy the day!

Lauren

I have a fun post for you today! It is a “For the Boy’s Challenge”.

If you are a mom of a boy, then you agree there just isn’t enough CUTE stuff for boy’s. What you can find, that is cute, you must get immediately! LOL! Girls can be so easy for me, but boy’s, are much more challenging. Let’s not get into boy gift/favor idea’s. What is even more funny, even though they are challenging, I enjoy coming up with ideas for them.

Charmaine and I have become great PSF’s over the month’s.

As of late, we are both loving Lily from Pink Cat Studio. We also LOVE Billy!! After some behind the scene’s “chatter”, we decided it would be fun for us to give each other a challenge. I love doing a fellow blog challenge! It is always fun to see what other people come up with, using the same concept.

So here were the Challenge Rules!

1)We both had to use the Billy set

2) It had to be a party gift , or a party favor set. So I assumed a card, and gift/favor item.

Now in that set there are a few things we could choose from that would make our idea’s very different!You have a Pirate, Cowboy, Super Hero, and a boy with a frog.

We did NOT tell what each of us was planning on using. It was going to be a surprise!! I can’t wait to see what she decided on.

Here is my set-

 Super Hero Party Gift Set

I had a hard time deciding what I would do. I was leaning towards the cowboy. Noah has a birthday party to attend this coming weekend. I got out my Billy set, and asked him what HE wanted me to make for his friend, Austin’s party. Afterall he should be the one picking out what to give right?

He said “I like the super hero best!” That was NOT what I thought he would pick, but I did give him full authority!

 A is for Austin.

So here is a close up of the card. I used the Simple Alphabet for the “A” on his chest. When in doubt color block!!

Inside I stamped a sentiment from Verve Visual (starlight starbright)-that says “SUPERSTAR, thats what you are”. I thought that was cute.

 Noah also picked the paper after having several collections to choose from.

WOW! Talk about a challenge. The paper in this collection is by SEI–Such a Boy collection ( I LOVE that set, had it 2 years, and have never used it!!!). It is a great collection of unusal color’s I would not normally use. THIS is why I “collect” paper!

It is like a pumpkin, groovy guava, aqua mist, so saffron, choc. chip, gray, and black! I think I like it!

I colored him with various Copic Marker’s. I always have a scrap piece to practice my colors/blending on BEFORE I try them on my image 😀 I also like to test what colors work best with my paper.

Then it was the next deliemma, “WHAT do I do for a gift item?”

Well since he is a super hero, and there is a bit of a star theme, I decided to do a Star shaped gift bag!

I wanted to do these for a while, and most likely would have done one similar for the Cowboy theme.

I liked the dual sided stripped paper for this, so I went with that.

I decided to decorate it like my card-the You’re Super! sentiment, then the 3 buttons going across. I am on this kick of making these little banner style tags that go off the ends. Don’t know WHY!

To create this bag : I used my star Coluzzle template. I cut 2 of the largest star panels, then made it onto a bag-by cutting a panel.

FROM MEMORY-The panel was 3 1/2 wide by 8.

Using my Scor-Pal–

Along the 3 1/2 side I scored it at 1/2 inch, then 3 inch mark

Along the 8 inch side- I scored it at 2 1/2, then 5 1/2. 

That gives you a finished holder that is 2 1/2 inches squared. I adhered the 1/2 scored sides to the stars with  redline tape.

Then I debated on my handles! Ribbon handles would be too girly. I was scouring my stamp room, when I saw an empty Prima’s Paint Can! SCORE!!!!! I knew there was a reason to save EVERYTHING!

So I put in 2 large brass eyelets, one on each  side (just like on your prima paint can) then I put in the metal handle!!! I had to sqeeze the handle in a little, so the handle would not fall out of the eyelet holder’s.

 It was so PERFECT!!! It looks SOOOOOO much more professional I think :D. I love it.

I added a snippet of twill ribbon from Martha Stewart.

This star bag will hold a gift card to Toys R’Us. I think it will be a hit. I hope it will be!

Now, you need to go check out Charmaine’s set!! I know she will love to hear what you think.

Tomorrow is the PTI release! So I will have my projects for that posted here, then.

Till then!

YEAH! Its Friday!!! I feel this card I am sharing today-BELOW- represents my week! In a good way. Im on another MISSION today 😀 And tomorrow is my Blog Giveaway!!!! Check back 😀 1 year of blogging!

I have SO much I have to share in the next few days I could be here ALL day uploading-but I have to wait. Things to do here first.

I have had quite the BUSY week! Bursts of energy. Which when I really want to do something, I pull it from the bottoms of my toes and RUN!!! THEN at some point I CRASH AND BURN!

Not only have I re-done the girls room this week, had a million errands, appointments, and creations pumped out (more to come!) yesterday I started Noah’s room. I have to finish that today, so we can get the items we need to finish it all up (including Amber’s bed and blah, blah, blah)

Noah is BEYOND excited we are changing up his room. Both he & Amber helped move everything out, and wash baseboards and all that fun stuff. They did a excellent job too-Mommy Approved!

He made me move his carbed 3 times-before he was “set” with where it is now. He is JUST like me in SO many ways its almost hilarious. Now I know what its like to deal with ME! LOL!

 Unfortunately I didn’t get it all done since it was started late,  after my shopping trip to Target, where I only went in to get a couple items for a care package for my nephew, and turned into a $262.22 trip!

Jason was like “How do you go to Target for some coloring books, and manage to spend almost $300?!”

Me-“Um, we needed “stuff, and there was sale!” (Thank God I didnt get the CARS themed carpet pieces at $50 a box (half off!!! and I still want them), he would have had a STROKE!) Keep in mind too this is all MY spending money 😀 Not house money-so he really can’t complain TOO much……….right?

Now ALSO keep in mind, I got some ROCKIN sales! I got decorative items to finish the girls room, and Noahs room.

HERE is where I go into a rant about stores-so feel free to skip it!

Now here is the FUNNY thing-you go to the KIDS section for a bookshelf. There is one that I wanted for ONLY $60!!!

OMG! are you kidding?

So, I stroll on over to the FURNITURE section-bigger, better bookshelf-actually looks like a nice piece of furniture for ONLY $30!!

Now WHAT is up with that???? And fabric lined baskets for $24-when I can go to M’s and get them 1/2 off for like $6-$9!! 

Anyway, I was really annoyed with that find. I felt it was like “Oh if you want your kids room to be perfect we need to double the price. ”

I also almost bought this wooden cube holder ($40)-you know its a cube shelf, that holds those fabric soft boxes, to prettily store your crap. I decided to go with the wire cube holder (only $12 and I have the same in my stamp room) and perfect for a boys room! Will make just as nice of an addition.

The cost of things that KILLS me is CURTAINS!! OMG! SIMPLE curtains-ONE panel (what is up with that $24!) and thats cheapie curtains. Not the nice ones you REALLY want!

Noah’s colors are like a Navy blue and a real red. Nice boy colors-that can run into teen-hood.

OK my tangent is over-I just wanted to open your eyes to SHOP around!! Similar item, if not better item, in a different section-different price!

———————————————————————————————————

WHEW! Sorry about that. I had to just get it all out! I feel so much better 😀

Now about the card-this weeks blogger’s challenge was to create a birthday card. Everyone seems to get stumped for BOY cards-so here you go!!! (I will also post the get well boy card soon)

 5-4-3-2-1 Blast OFF!

I LOVE this set Out of This World. Makes GREAT boy cards.

I immediately had this idea for a countdown! SO I got my DCWV glitter stack, and rub-on’s and away I went!! (WHERE was Nichole’s Simple Alpha when I made this????)

The paper is by Polar Bear Press, as are the sticker letter’s used for the OFF

The rocket was stamped, colored and cut twice-holes punched out of the windows-glitter on the FIRE!!

Its just a really cute card-that was actually REALLY easy! Again I so wish I had this or Noah’s Birthday invites when we had it at the Space Center.

Alright I really got to run!

SPEAKING OF COUNTDOWN- Dont’ miss the Papertrey Party tonight—HERE! 10pm EST.

Debbie has a pretty project using some peeks—->  here, and Amy has 2 projects on her blog (LOVE the tin AMY!!!)—-> HERE

Well thanks for checking in here today! Check out the other blog challenge players if you can!

Remember tonight-PTI release, tomorrow Blog giveaway, AND Saturday Sketch (which will include a tutorial for one of my PTI projects!!!)

Back here tonight-I hope to be able to post a few projects with a NEW! Company I am guest designing for. I think you will LOVE what I have to share.

Till then!

This is my card to you blog reader’s! I have a message below-please read it if you have time!!

I will share the card first, as my thank you note to you all is lengthy!

If you visit me here often, then that won’t be shocking since you know I am LONG winded!

I have my blog challenge to post today! Please check out the other member’s on my sidebar-if you get the chance. It was a fun challenge this week.

I do have some MFT new release stuff to share, so I will try to make it back here later.

This week’s blogger’s challenge was to do a SHAPED card! I LOVE doing shaped cards so was very excited by this challenge. The goal was NO RECTANGLES!

I HOPE this qualifies-since its sort of a rectangle!

Ter.RUFF.ic

What do you think of my fire hydrant? Isn’t it SOOOO cute?

This card uses one of my most favorite dog sets! Its called Puppy Love. I used ruby red card-stock.

 I LOVED making it. It was super-duper easy too! Took like 7 minutes to make this!!! And that includes cutting out the dog 😀

I know you probably want to know HOW-so here you go!

DIRECTIONS

You have your rectangle card-fold at the top! A2 size card ( 4 1/4 x 5 1/2)

You will sponge ALL the edges of the pieces in this card!

1) Use the coluzzle oval (or other oval template), and cut a half oval for the top-

EDITED TO ADD: STAMP 3 ovals on that piece. I used the A Muse shadow oval

2) Cut a 1/2 inch band, a little longer than your card front, and round all the edges. Layer over edge where 1/2 oval is adhered to card.

3) Cut another piece, about the same size, and only round the top 2 corners. Adhere to bottom of card.

4) Use keytag punch and punch 3 pieces. Cut one in 1/2 for the end pieces. Adhere to card.

5) Punch a 3/4 circle and put it on the top of the hydrant.

6) Tie around choc. ribbon.

7) Now stamp sentiment, and stamp-color-cut dog, adhering with dimensionals!

DONE!!!

If you get a chance to make one-send us a link here so we can view it.

Today I am taking our dog Daisy to the groomer! She is almost 6 months old!!!! WOW!!

She weighs a little over 10lbs, and Im told by 8 months they are full grown.

She is the sweetest thing-ever. I am so happy we have her. I know I say that a lot, but its true. Getting a puppy was a huge step and responsibility. She was definitely a great fit.

She is quite furry! Her hair is on the longer side. She is buff, with copper ears! SO CUTE!!

Her eyes are covered by fur-and I dont know HOW she can see! I can’t wait to get some pictures of her all prettied up! 

The only thing that isn’t so great about her is she eats ANY AND EVERYTHING! If she can get it in her mouth, she will eat it!

Oh yeah, and her “accidents” all like to take place on my living room carpet! Which despite using the carpet cleaner-still smells like PEE!

If you have ANY advice on what I can use to get that out, and STOP her from peeing in that corner-that would be GREAT!

Oh yeah-and I take her out like every 2 hours! So its not ME! I swear within a few minutes of coming in-she pee’s in her “spot”. NOT COOL!

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Don’t miss your chance to win some MYTIME MAIL—->HERE

I want you all to know I have read EVERY single wish that has been typed in my comments section. Last I read there was over 400, and I have to say it was AWESOME reading your wishes!

I laughed, I related, I cried, and wish for some of the very same things as you. It was very enlightening and wonderful to read.

Thank you for taking the time to share all of this with me. It has really been a blessing. I also thank you for the well wishes for my family!

So many are experiencing loss, pain, heart ache, body failure, wishing for a baby, or the health and well being of the one’s they have, or are on their way into the world.

World peace,and safe return home from war, spirituality, and weight loss!

Others wish for maids, chef’s, TIME!!!!, stamp rooms, and craft related items 😀 Oh yes! You know you want MORE craft stuff!!! AND we can all use more MYTIME

They are ALL important-and I thank you for sharing-again.

In case it got missed there was a poem in there by Denise Johnstone-I thought was very sweet!

To make a wish, but not on a star
through your blog page from a far.

I’d wish for Love,  for us all
Never to experience pain or to fall.

I’d wish for Happiness and a Safe Place
Not for diamonds and pearls or lace.

I’d wish for Laughter and Light to shine
Not just for to day, but for all time.

I’d wish for others and for You, 
To keep up doing what you do

Not just for material gain,
But to give something back in “Thanks” time and again

For the creative talent you have been given
That continues to inspire us and keep us driven.

THANK YOU Denise!
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OK That is it for now! I’m off and running.

 The winner will be picked tomorrow, when I post my Saturday Sketch! Don’t miss that! Sunday I have a SUPAH cool challenge for YOU! So I hope you will play along with that too.

Thanks again for reading-

Till later.