bday blog candy + wish list

hooray hooray! it's my birthday in 4 days! :D i love celebrating my birthday, believe it or not, and though i'm not getting old according to some, i'm still getting *older.* hehe, well, i thought that i'd celebrate with a little giveaway to share in some of the fun!

you can see from the picture below (sorry if it's not the greatest) that i've included a variety of items to make this just a plain 'ole fun prize! all you'll have to do to win is leave a comment in THIS post telling me what you do to celebrate your birthday.

that's it! :D

i'll draw a random winner sometime after the contest closes on May 1st at 11:59pm PST (May 1st is my BIG DAY!) and i'll announce the winner here later on the blog. if you don't follow me, then you'll just have to remind yourself to check back in a few days afterwards to see if you won :D

super easy way to win some goodies, don't you think? (BTW the goodies inlcude a sentiment stamp set from The Paper Company, Hambly stickers, glittered vintage tags [6], and some American Crafts coordinating ribbon. i figure you can do a whole lot with this stuff!)

also, i've had a request to post some of my *wish list* like i did last year... so here's a peek at some of the things that i would like. it would be interesting to know if any of them match up with what you like too! here goes (in no order AT ALL):

• the Zee Avi CD
• small and easy sewing machine (like the Janome)
• large outdoor potted plant... hahaha! for my deck to replace the dead one :D
• zebra print from IKEA
• the "Vera" bag from Vera Bradley in 'Symphony in Hue' pattern
• 2PeasInABucket gift card
• Storybook Cricut cartridge
• PTI stamps: Polka Dots II, Giga Guidelines, Signature Christmas, Tiny Treats, Background Basics: Woodgrain...

so yeah... i think i gave a different list to my family, mostly because they don't understand the 'crafting' stuff as much as i do, and usually it's easier to tell them to get me a gift card so i can get what i want :D

so that's all for today, i'll try to pop in later with a card soon... but other than that--GET COMMENTING! you'll have until May 1st at 11:59pm PST to leave me a comment HERE in this post. good luck, and happy early bday to me! :D

***CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED***

flavorful notepads and stickies

i think i'm making up for lost time here. either that or i have a lot of projects from wayyy back to show you.

this one is from over a month ago when i made some bridal shower party favors for my sister who was the maid of honor in her college roomie's wedding. i got to use some artistic license because i knew the friend, and the colors... so i was basically given free reign to make the 'right choices' in regards to patterns, layout, etc.

here's a stack of notepads i covered. my main focal point has Coredinations cardstock as the scalloped circle and base of the pad... i really LOVED working with that cardstock--super sturdy!

and oh, how i love pom poms :D

down here you can kind of see the spread of what i did... smaller 3x3 post-it pads, notebooks for jotting things down, etc. i coordinated everything, and i used some SEI papers along with a sheet or two from DCWV. i absolutely LOVE how all of them turned out, but they never would have happened without some ideas from Dawn McVey and Paulina. they are the ones who displayed how to do some of these tricks :D

thanks for stopping by again. my advice to those of you stuck in a card-making rut... go make something else! i know that making these 40 items (20 each) was so much fun for me :)

2S4Y Laura's #50

so i got to play with Laura's sketch this week, and i decided to make two cards to show you... both feature some LOVELY ribbon that i picked up the other day--a new fav of mine from May Arts!

i love being able to base a card off of a sketch... it goes so quickly after that! i keep finding myself looking back at cards and using those simple sketches over and over... i definitely think that this one will become one of those.

anyway, here we go... i used some paper from the DCWV "girly" stack and then some a chandelier sticker from Hambly. i think that i need to remake this card in about 3 different color palettes... don't you? :D the sentiment is a combination of AC thickers and a stamp from Impress that i masked off a bit... super fitting for the occasion, don't you think?

this next card was super fun to make... oh how i love the fun buttons on this! the studio style stamp set from PTI has great sentiments, and i made this card with a specific crafty co-worker in mind. in fact, we're on a scrap retreat together as we speak! i've already laughed a TON and eaten some lovely food + snacks... this will be a great day! :D

thanks for stopping by--i hope you have a lovely weekend and that you get a chance to check out the rest of the talented card-makers over at 2S4Y!

P.S. oh, also! be on the lookout for some blog candy that i have planned here real soon... it's my birthday in about a week, and we'll have to celebrate :D you don't want to miss out on this! xoxox

my future's so bright

i made another baby card... for the same baby :D haha, i couldn't help myself, and i wanted some practice doing more 'masculine' cards, and since i had the perfect opportunity with a friend giving birth to a boy, i thought i'd break out some more of the Cosmo Cricket Boyfriend line. i really had a good time making this card simple and as 'guy-ish' as i could.

i stamped out the baby boy's name, and it looked super sweet cute... his name totally fits him even though i can't show you what it is.

lately i've been finding that because my schedule and lack of internet at home, i've been making cards with no real 'purpose' in mind, like a sketch challenge, and so forth... instead, i create just to make some cards and have them on hand. like recently i made some thank you cards that used similar papers and i just did some mass producing with the same design. it's just a good day when i make something that i like. i love it when i get to sit down and just create, don't you?

this weekend (in fact, right now, as this is a pre-scheduled post) i'll be at a scrapbook retreat in Seattle--i get to stay at a super sweet hotel, sleep in or wake up whenever, and have all my meals made for me! sounds like a dream come true.

i think that what mosts excites me about this weekend is the fact that i KNOW it will be productive. basically i can't wait to get some quality scrapbooking done. i know i'll have brought too many supplies, but i find that things work better when you have more rather than less :D last time i went on a scrap retreat i made 30+ LO's. haha, yes, i actually DID make them even though i only ended up posting one of them for your viewing pleasure.

maybe this time you'll get to see a few more.

anyway, thanks for looking, and keep stopping by for some more--your comments are ALWAYS appreciated :D

fortune cookie

did you ever do that thing where you read a fortune cookie fortune and added the phrase, 'in bed' at the end? just to be semi-crude and twisted? i think that i did that EVERY single time i went to the local Chinese restaurant in my college town back in PA. and i know it's not just a 'college' thing because the A Muse company has a sentiment set that does the exact same thing... except you can use the sentiments a la carte, or with the 'in bed' phrase :D

so i decided to finally use those sentiments on one of my cards. this is a great 'just because' card--i gave it to a friend who needed a little laughter and relaxation in her busy life. and i used the 'in bed' addition on the inside :D

so here's what the card reads: "Your hard work and efforts will be recognized and surely rewarded..." and then, "in bed" is on the inside :D haha. my friend appreciated the humor, but i know lots of people would be either offended or confused... do you have people that you know you can't give 'punny' cards to? i think that things like that make life so much more fun :D

anyway, i used some more Sassafras papers that i split with Amy, and also some October Afternoon rub-ons (i applied the owl to Bazzill cardstock and then cut him out) an Impress stamp for the branch, and some K&Co flower sequins (to make the owl from a 'he' to a 'she'). you can also see the QUITE different card i made the other day in THIS post using some totally different Sassy papers :D

i love the bright colors in this card... stripes are such a good way to pack in a ton of patterns or colors into a small space, while not crowding anything too much.

well, what do you think? do you approve of this message? the colors? tell me! i love finding out what you think!

thanks for stopping by :D

flowery 'thanks'

okay, so i mentioned a few posts ago that i was splitting some Sassafras supplies with Amy, and i ended up getting to meet her in order to pass on the goodies--> that's what i call a win-win situation!

so when we were talking, Amy mentioned that she wanted to see something using these supplies (she's so good about pulling things out of her stash and then mixing in something new) on my blog. well, i finally got around to it a while ago, but it seems that my schedule for actual posting got in the way, and i'm finally getting it done NOW.

but it's better now than never.

i pulled out one of the double-sided papers with a softer color scheme. just so you're not confused, that's not my normal style... normally i'd do a diving leap over to the brightest colors of the bunch, but i thought a different attack might work better differently for a change... :D

anyway, i ended up looking through some of my supplies and found some great coordinating products... MM chipboard alphas, a doily, BoBunny flower, some DCWV stitch rub-ons, and a Sassafras button from Paulina.

this card didn't require any stamping, and it was amazing! i actually quite like the end result, which is always good when one is trying something new.

speaking of new, i have posted a *new* kind of feature for me... just some ramblings on my life. so if you're bored, interested, or both, head on over and check it out.

thanks for stopping by, and also for leaving your comments--it means a lot to me!

fun stuff (aka ramblings) about me

so i've been inspired by my friend Paulina to do a 'rambling' post on random topics. i warn you now... none of this is terribly important, so if it's importance you're looking for, it probably won't be found here.


that being said, here goes nothing...

• i like to crunch pine cones on the sidewalk to make the loudest sound possible. i frequently go out of my way to do this.
• i have the been addicted to cracking everything in my body... back 2x before bed, neck, hips, knees, toes on both feet, and more... ALL just before falling asleep. i recently started going to the chiropractor and breaking said habit is HARD!
• i like to draw pictures in stick figure format of the scenes from books we read in school on the whiteboard.
• i have never been kissed.
• i lost my voice last thursday (i coached my team against an undefeated school and shouted myself hoarse), and it's taken me until today to get it back.
• i love scaring people.
• i know how to play the card game bridge, but rarely do.
• my closet is full of pink, red, black, and blue clothes. then throw in some green, orange, yellow, purple, and white... and VOILA!
• i have a hard time spelling vaccuum correctly.
• i think that facial hair on guys is cute (most of the time), and sometimes sexy. :D
• i might be obsessed with baking bread...
• i have been known to talk with strangers in parking lots regarding their recent Cricut purchase for their wife

and that's it for now! if you weren't bored, then it's a miracle! i might do another one of these in a bit, so we'll see how things turn out (like... did you like it/ think it was dorky? let me know).

thanks for stopping by, and sorry i've been such a stranger :)

mini monsters CPS #161

o.m.gosh! i played with another sketch this week! this time i used CPS's #161 and the DeNami Design Challenge to use BUTTONS!

and i totally went crazy :D scraps came out, random pieces, and even some fun stamps that i haven't used in a while.
i've got to make this a super short post though, because my weekend is looking like it's going to be busy busy busy! can't wait to show you some of the things that i've been working on in the way of decor around my apartment!

thanks for looking :D

2S4Y Laura's #49

hooray! this week is getting better by the day :D

i'm loving sleeping in and taking things easy... getting work done around the house, and cleaning up my craft space only to get it all messed up again :) nothing beats that, huh? spring break ROCKS!


here i got to play with Laura's sketch from 2sketches4you. LOVE their sketches, LOVE the participants :D hope you get a chance to play along too...

here we go.


i used papers exclusively from Cosmo Cricket's Earth Love line... so fun to just pull out the coordinating papers and play :D


i also stamped the bee using a DoodleFactory stamp, and then part of the sentiment has some mini-alpha stamping ($1 bin from M's) and also some Making Memories alpha stickers ...all very earthy, don't you think? i distressed and inked the edges to give it all a rustic feel.

i just LOVE that 'bug me' sentiment... something about me and PUNS just makes me smile :D

anyway, thanks for stopping by, and i hope your week is fun and relaxing!

'thank you' for spring break!

omgosh! i've had such a busy and fun weekend...

let's see what i've done:

• started spring break on friday afternoon *yahoo!*
• DIDN'T coach any water polo on friday after school *DOUBLE YAHOO!*
  
• hosted an egg coloring party which was as i'd say, a HUGE success on friday night... first real party at the apt.
  
• slept in late on saturday, went to my parent's house and had some yummy breakfast
• colored more eggs (yes, more. this time with my mom)
• had some KRISPY KREME donuts! AHHHH! i LOVE them. you see, i think this might be a downfall for me... i live RIGHT next to a KK place... and they're so cheap and delicious. i will have to resist a LOT.
• met AMY at Jo-Anns to give her some Sassafras goodies that we split up :D sooo fun and awesome--i'm so lucky to have met/ talked with her. (and WHY did i not get a picture with her? grrr...)
• saw my friend's baby AGAIN (he's so cute!) and took her daughters to the library. we checked out some Bill Peet books that my sister Cecelia featured a while back on her blog, and also some Fancy Nancy books... can't go wrong with those, can you?
  
• had chile relleno casserole (oh how i LOVE that dish... will have to steal and make the recipe myself) YUM
  
• went to ANOTHER party that night... ate TONS of fruit, enjoyed friends and fellowship--stayed late.
  
• slept through my alarm on Sunday, so went to 2nd Easter service and listened to a great sermon. thanks Pastor!
  
• after church went to ANOTHER party at a family friends... they have 10 kids and are just so real and down to earth--can't even imagine :D
• ATE WAY TOO MUCH
• took a nap at said friends house
• went home
• finished one decoration for the wall
• watched a new suspense movie
• went to bed
• SLEPT UNTIL 12pm!!!!

so you see, i've been busy. but it's been amazing. this week will be full of nothingness/ hanging out/ doing whatever. it will be my 1st spring break not at my parents house, so i'll be able to do WHATEVER and sleep till WHENEVER. (maybe you've wondered what teachers do during their breaks... same things the kids do.) i'm planning on seeing the movie "Date Night" featuring Steve Carrell and Tina Fey with my friend Paulina this weekend, but i think i'll be making some time for a few movies that i've wanted to see too... $2 movie theater, here i come!

anyway, my cards were super fun to make, and i made them within a batch of cards... flowers, MM little blue flower, carolyn gavin epoxy sticker, bigger Prima flowers, MM/ DCWV/ WRMK paper, PTI sentiment, and some cricut cuts. ah, some bling there too :D

anyway, i think tonight's dinner is going to be Costco style... so cheap yet yummy :D

thanks for stopping by, and have a lovely Monday!

april fools and summer wishes

okay, i admit it. i'm a jokester. i love pranks. i like scaring people (as in the 'jump out and yell "BOO!" as loud as possible'). i pull pranks as often as my schedule allows. april fool's day is for me, a GREAT day.

see below.

and then this one.

do i not look majorly unhappy and hurt?

now, before you get all worried... no it's not REAL. i didn't actually get a black eye (although i've had one before).

i told all my classes this story:

ummm... water polo seems to be attacking my face. can it please stop now? (latest pictures of the injuries sustained on 3/31... after thorough icing + pain relievers) i got kicked in the face by one of the girls i coach when i got in the pool yesterday--it WAS an accident.

IN REALITY, this is just pretty instense makeup (err, paint). i used some red and blue tempera paint *yes, i know, it's weird* some purple eyeshadow, and a little bit of lipstick. VOILA! i've got all 5 of my classes convinced, and all but 2 of my co-workers that i got another water polo injury :D even my sister was upset that i posted these to my facebook page earlier because it was apparently upsetting my grandmother (which wasn't my intent, but i think it's AWESOME that i fooled just about everyone).

see, i actually DID get a bruise earlier this week from getting elbowed in the chin. it hurts (and is still getting better)


it was basically a huge blood blister inside my mouth, and one reason i had everyone fooled is that i got a concussion from water polo about 3 weeks ago, so getting a kick to the face really is quite plausible.

anyway, i would love to hear of any april fool's that you pulled on someone... i've heard of some awesome stories--let me know if you hear one :D

anyway, on to my cards >

this is a simple summery card, made with some WeRMK paper, and some PTI sentiments. love the bright colors :D


here's another one using the same concept with a fun flower and some ribbon leaves. i used an epoxy button thing from K&Co, May Arts ribbon, and the swirl comes from DCWV paper 'Mi Casa' line :D


totally fabulous, right? you can't get any better than that BOLD swirl! i rolled the edges on that baby a bit, and it gave it the perfect texture for the card. no sentiment needed! i love that.


okay, that's it, i JUST officially started SPRING BREAK from school, and i've got a egg coloring party planned for tonight, so i've got to get workin! :D

also, don't worry, i haven't forgotten about the pompom pictures i was going to show you... give me a few days to relax from school and i'll get them up in a jiffy.

thanks for stopping by! :D