happy birthday (to me)

hey y'all!

i thought i'd pop in for my birthday and say hello/ goodbye (i gotta run... i'm watching 4 kids between the ages of 9 and 1 for my friend for part of the day & part of yesterday).

and, since i love you so much, i thought i'd share some cards with you as well. i never know what you're in need of inspiration wise, but i hope this fits the bill in some way :D

the first one up features a free-hand patterned paper banner with Lawn Fawn stamps that i borrowed from Paulina one time we had a crazy crafting session a while back...

and here we have a VERRRY me card... that color, the glitter, the flower, the ribbon leaves, etc. (p.s. if i've shared this card before, enjoy it a 2nd time!)

anyway, that really IS all i have time for, but best wishes to you all...

hello sunshine! Denami Blog Hop

welcome to the Denami Design Blog Hop!

you should have come here from Karen's blog. if you didn't you can start over here.

this time we're going with a MONOCHROMATIC theme along the hop. don't forget that Denami is giving away TWO $20 gift certificates to the website to TWO people who comment along the hop! you have until April 11, 2011, 11:59pm PST, to leave comments on all the blogs (to be eligible for a prize). :D

so for my card, i LOVE the 'hello' sentiment Denami has, and since yesterday was one of the first sunny days Washington has seen in a long time, i decided to go wiht a monochromatic SUNSHINE card :D it makes me smile! the paper comes from Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket, and October Afternoon. i added some stickles to some of the sun's rays and bling by the sentiment (it looks dark, but it's really a gold yellow). the felt/ chipboard sun is from Me and My Big Ideas.

i had a ton of fun making this, and also limiting myself to one color :D who would have thought? i'm actually writing this in Seattle as i'm on a scrapbook retreat... so far we've had TONS of laughs, quite a few things accomplished, and most of all--FUN :D

the next blog on the hop is Samantha's... thanks for stopping by and leaving your encouraging comments! :D have a lovely Sunday!

wish big.

celebrate with style!

hehe, i think that this card does just that... celebrate with S.T.Y.L.E.

if my memory serves me correctly, i meant to post this for a former Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger. (like... a LOOOONNNNGGGGGGGG time ago.) oh well. it's still a pretty card, and i still have yet to give it away ...although there's a few weddings this summer... one of the lucky ladies will probably get this during a shower.

i tried making my own paper flowers for this one, and i seriously LOVED it. i think that i'll have to do it again, but next time with some double sided patterned paper. wouldn't that be awesome to see two different patterns on the same flower? i think so :D

anyway, i glittered the flowers and used PTI's sentiment stamp from the Big & Bold set, and also put some Amy Butler paper as the background with some Webster's Pages velvet trim, and seam binding as well.

i love how clean and pretty it looks. what do you think? does it work as a wedding/ congratulations card?

my brain isn't always logical...

hey everyone! long time, no see, right?

well, i wanted to share a few things with you, but beware! they're in no particular order and aren't necessarily crafty:

• my friend Paulina has an awesome fitness blog and she's having a GIVEAWAY that you can still get entered in
• i recently joined PINTEREST and have become quite addicted. thankfully i'm busy right now, so my time on the site is limited, but BOY oh BOY!
• my co-teacher Jen and i are heading to Seattle this weekend for our twice yearly scrapbook retreat... we're going to be experimenting with paperbag scrapbooks, so it should be fun... oh, and we'll also be making sure that we just relax and enjoy ourselves, maybe have a drink or two :D

• i'm going to be joining a band in the next week... i know what you might be thinking, a BAND?? really? well, it's not a rock band, and i'm not going to be singing... i'll be playing one of the two instruments i know--the tenor saxophone (i've played the clarinet for longer, but don't enjoy it as much). i'll be in a community band (about 40 people, aged 16-70+) that practices once a week and plays concerts throughout the year. it seems like it's laid-back, which is perfect for me since i won't be able to go to every single practice, you know? BUT, one thing you should know. i am SUPREMELY excited about this. in my college search back in HS, i specifically looked for a college that had 3 things: water polo, marching band, and a good education program. i was blessed to have found one that specifically met my requirements :D so yes, i have "band camp" stories, and they're actually hilarious. i loved playing ALL FOUR YEARS in my college marching band. in fact, if i could afford it, i'd go back every single year and play in the alumni marching band performance they have every fall. music for me is almost like crafting... it relaxes me, and i love being a part of a group. does anyone kwim?
• i'm currently reading "To Kill A Mockingbird," and i really love it. i somehow missed reading this in HS or college, and i'm so glad i picked it off my shelf recently.
  
  (photo courtesy of Amazon.com)
• my birthday is coming up, and i recently discovered the Amazon Wishlist feature. does anyone else use this? i think it's awesome because you can post anything from the internet to whatever wishlist you want, and it puts it all in one place. amazing.
• the library system in my county now has free music downloads through a resource called "freegal." the music you get can even be downloaded to an iPod, etc. how cool is that?? :D

• i'm decorating birdhouses instead of making cards or scrapbooking. i mean, i'm not going to stop doing either of the other things (tongue-twister there), but for RIGHT NOW, i've been making some decorative birdhouses that will go around my apartment.
  
  
  (note to self: still must share apartment photos. after i do 4 loads of laundry. *le sigh*)

and that's it, i think... oh, please come back for the DeNami Design Blog Hop on sunday...

because it will be awesome... thanks for stopping by and leaving your lovely comments :D

a few things i love...

happy valentine's day! mine is being spent at home from work because i have the flu... my fever broke last night, but two days of chills and overheating has me wiped. i'm trying to take it easy, so i thought i'd save a full project for a different day.

one thing i love doing is sharing some of the things that make me smile, so i'll jump right in:

1) Glee... love it. can't wait to own season 2 on DVD.

2) almond cluster granola (in bulk) for cheap at the local grocery store. $0.78/ lb is hard to beat!

3) an upcoming project that i personally think is amazing... sneak peek below:

4) fleece blankets (you know the kind that are 2-layers, tied along the edges?) in pink and zebra print. what lifesavers when i was shivering my skin off during this fever/ flu.

5) my mom who calls me just because and upon hearing i'm sick announces, "i'm coming over. what do you want me to bring?" and then despite my protests of, "i'll make you sick," brings a HAUL from Costco... microwaveable meals, juice, chocolate milk (my fav), 4 pots of petunias, pre-mixed salad, frozen lasagna, mini cinnamon rolls, almond cookies, and a bouquet of valentine's day roses. gosh, i'm one lucky girl, huh?

what are you loving right now? i'd love to hear what makes you smile! :D

...and that's all i have for today, go enjoy yourself!

DeNami Buttons Blog Hop

welcome! so glad you could join in on the fun with the Denami Buttons Blog Hop! you should have come from Sue Lelli's blog, and if you didn't/ got lost/ want to start at the beginning, then just go HERE. :D you're sure to see inspiration from everyone today!

today i have a non-traditional project to share with you... i actually couldn't decide on which one to show until friday night, when i wore this necklace to a jr. high dance i was chaperoning :D (oh, don't you remember those days of young love? :) hehe!)

so for this necklace, i borrowed my idea from Jennifer McGuire, and i dug through my stash of buttons to find a rainbow collection, which for anyone who knows me, is TOTALLY my style. i tell people all the time that my favorite COLOR is "red, black, pink, and blue. oh, and i like orange, yellow and green too. purple's not bad either!" you see?

and of course i have to package it all pretty :D i stamped a white dot background with the Denami polka dots [love!] and then added some ribbon and flowers... as well as that cute tag that features a Denami sentiment, "you're a sweetie!" wouldn't this make a great gift for someone? a sweet little surprise? :D

so what do you think? i love wearing this with just about anything, and it's totally a rush when someone asks--"DID YOU MAKE THAT??" ha! anyway, hope you enjoyed... be sure to leave a comment for a chance to qualify for a gift certificate to Denami Design. oh, and be on your way to Ruza Rebel's fabulous blog for more eye candy!

happy hopping & come again! :D

boy, do i love pink!

first of all, can i say WOW! i had so many comments on my blog hop post HERE that i was smiling for two days straight :D seriously! oh, also, if you need a break and want a laugh, you should check out my embarrassing story over HERE a few posts back :D

well, i thought i would share a card that also comes from one of previously un-posted folders of my computer... i like this card because it showcases one of my obsessions:

PINK!

ha! so you've noticed a few things: PTI sentiment stamps (borrowed from Paulina) and then a felt swirl, pink Denami ribbon, pink flowers, MME polka dot paper... and it goes on! my favorite colors are red, black, PINK and blue. and then i like orange, green, yellow and purple too :D

and to document the reality of my obsession with pink, here is my Christmas tree (with horrible lighting, but sadly the best i could get all season). i made all the bows myself, and bought most of the ornaments from WalMart, Target, or Michael's... all for cheap.

my friends and family all loved it when they visited, and i got a few sweet comments like, "can we just take this one home and give you ours to decorate here?" or "your tree belongs in a department store" ...all those sweet friends!

i added some white poinsettia flowers among the branches because my pink/ white theme needed more of the 'white' side :D i think i had 6 strands of pink lights in addition to the pre-lit set already on this (FREE) artificial tree. what did your tree look like last year?

anyway, thanks for visiting, hope you have a great Wednesday!

DeNami Scallops Blog Hop

welcome to the DeNami Design Scallops Blog Hop! you should have made your way over here from Tina's blog if you're following the bunch of talented crafters. :D remember, if you get lost along the way, just head on back to the DeNami Design blog and pick up where you left off.
okay, just a few reminders about the hop:

• you have a chance to win a $20 gift certificate for commenting on the blogs along the way, so don't forget to leave some love for each of the lovely gals! :D
• also, the commenting doesn't end today, you can comment all the way until January 10, 2010, 11:59pm PST to be eligible for a prize.

sounds like fun, huh? well, let's get to it then...

my scallops project was super fun to create, and i totally love the results.
it amazes me to say this, but this has to be my first CARD creation in... forever? i've been busy working on mini-scrapbooks and before Christmas i was scrambling to finish mini-albums for some family members. i just didn't fit cards in!
so here we go...
this card features a Fiskars scallop punch called "threading water" that i absolutely LOVE and always come back to... it's timeless and cute--perfect for just about everything. paired up some dinosaur paper from MME and the sentiment "Lil Baby Stomps" (including the DeNami "baby" swirl script sentiment). the inside is one of my favorites because it says, "congratulations on your little guy's first steps!" hehe, super cute, huh? :D i know who i'll be sending this one to!
this card was easy, but cute... kinda what we all need every now and then, huh?

anyway, thanks for visiting! i love seeing all your lovely encouraging remarks!

also, don't forget that your next stop is over at Amy Smidebush's blog. you're sure to enjoy her project--she's such a sweetie too! thanks again, and happy hopping :D

flashback 6.0 & birthday wishes

hello again! do you all know who Amy Tsuruta is? yeah, you know, the awesome Washingtonian who always has a kind word for everybody?

:D

she's been hosting a challenge over at her blog, and it's called "flashback friday." this week's version challenges you (thanks Yvonne!) to share:

**The first card you blogged about that featured an unexpected find from your home**

so here we go. i know this may look kinda normal to you, but that stamp on the lower right, in the circle... that's my unusual object, because when i was at my parent's house, i found this stamp that my dad had tucked away in some drawer or shelf... who knows what he would have used it for since he was a technical writer for Boeing before he retired a few years back.

anyway, that's the first card i could find with an unusual object to me... i know it might not count to some of you, so i dug up another post...

this one featured one of my first scrapbook pages (which i didn't know how to photograph)

do you see the ticket saying "keep this coupon" and the embellishment on that big pink strip at the top? that's a Baskin Robbins (31 flavors of ice cream) cut-out... i found it around the house and used it in this layout because i think i won some ice cream or something... haha, don't even remember!

and of course, i thought i'd share a new card with you too, so here we go:

this one actually went to my Principal for her birthday... it was a while ago, but i never blogged about it. i think i made this card while stamping with my friend Paulina who has some serious blog candy going on right now... you can win $40! you should head over and check it out!

anyway, i hope your friday is fabulous, and thanks for stopping by! :D

dude! upcoming CSN product review

hi there blog friends!

i have some exciting news about a deal from CSN stores... the full story (below) is delicious and embarrassing, so read on to get the juicy details. but just as a tidbit, did you know that CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from stylish handbags, to Herman Miller chairs, or great cookware? yuppers, that's right... so keep on reading here...

but first,

can i ask you a question? why are good things so difficult sometimes? take blogging for instance... i love the encouragement and community i gain from being surrounded by amazing people, but sometimes i forget to schedule time into my calendar to enjoy those things. and the holidays... i'm a HUGE Christmas fan, but sometimes being with family is rough, and even though it's good/ you miss them... well it still, dare i say, sucks?

that being said, i'm glad to be back. maybe regularly, maybe not. i'm not gonna lie, i really don't know how this year is gonna pan out.

i just know it'll be fun. and awesome. and exciting...

oh yeah, like this amazing and exciting "FIRST" for me... i get to review a product for CSN stores!! i've wanted to do a review on something for like, FOREVER, and i never have... i mean, i've even offered my services as a book reviewer for my sister Cecelia, and i still don't think she's asked me (oh wait, there must be an email about that book tucked away somewhere...) but, that's not the point. i get to do a review. now, i'm not a resolution person, and i actually don't have many goals written down, except for maybe get.married.soon. (ha! after i find a guy! *goes looking...*) so when i heard about this opportunity to get FREE STUFF, i actually emailed my sister something along these lines (ahem, exact wording included):

"this seems fake. what do you think?"

...like, i rubbed my eyes and shook my head, pinched myself, looked over the details in the email, and then realized that i had accidentally sent the question to Cameron, the awesome CSN representative i'd been hearing from.

OOPS. hehe, CRAP. *hits head against wall, tries to unsend email, prays that it doesn't go through*

and then i sent the query FO' REALZ to my sister, and she zapped me back with:

"That's how I got my free pan and bakeware and coffee press! Doooooo iiiiit."

(you know in that crazy voice that that one guy does in that one commercial...? no remember? eh, oh well.)

and then i hoped that since i'd resolved wait, decided that i was gonna DO THIS, that Cameron wouldn't write me off as some crazy person which i so totally am not even when i do bounce around teaching my students things like when the clock says "12:34" you should lift both feet off the ground and 'make a wish.' yes, that's right, i teach 7th grade... i try to get to their level... HA!

and turns out, i'm not as psycho as numerous testings have revealed. so it's a good thing on both counts. 'cuz CSN stores have like, EVERYTHING! i'm totally hitting up the cookware... and maybe a shoe horn.

so here's a sneakie peak at what i PLAN/ HOPE to get from this deal-io (all of my wish-list is totally subject to change and my every whim which is totally understandable considering the awesomeness offered to me for FREE!!!)

a hand mixer. (which i don't have... hmm--problem? yes. soon to be rectified!)

a microplane zester (good for zesting things. Ree, the Pioneer Woman recommends them, as does a best friend of mine... freshly zested nutmeg topping whipped cream on top of hot buttered rum is like... HEAVEN. can i die now? just kidding... now, i may not get a pink handle, we'll see how i'm feeling about my favorite colors when i place my order :D ha!)

i say that the best part about this is, that when i do my review of the products i get from CSN, and when i use these items when i make cakes or cupcakes, or muffins, or icing, or on mixed drinks, or to get my shoes on, i'll think of you all and remember to blog more. (or at least that's what i'm hoping...)

and that, my friends, is all i think i can muster today. we'll talk about cards and scrapbooks later, and how my craft room is even more awesome than i thought possible, and maybe...

oh bugger, i'll just let you leave, and you can stop by later and see what i mean.

loves!

(oh, i almost forgot to ask... any thoughts on the new banner? i'm debating whether to lose the dotted background part... comments welcome! :D thanks dearies!)