Friday, May 31, 2013

Dilly Beans & Jellypark

Happy Friday, my friends!  We have a new challenge for you today, along with a new rule, at: 



The new rule is that we are now a Dilly Beans only challenge blog - yay!  I used #163: Cupcake, Skull, and Crow for my black & white creation, along with some digi papers, word stickers, my Dymo Caption Maker, some little black pearl stickers, a ribbon tag, and a clay Glo-Skull. I am also entering this into the:
and
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We also have a new challenge and a new release for you today at:




I made a creation using one of our new images, #235 - Walking the Dog, colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits and paper-pieced.  I had these little felt stickers in my stash, they had been begging to be used on something, anything, for so long - so I finally pulled them out and slapped them on this card as embellies.  :)  It's supposed to be 90-95 degrees here this weekend, so we're getting everything done that we can today so we can take it easy when it's hot out!  I'm on my way out with Cass now to do errands - hope you all have a great weekend.  Peace.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Birdie Brown & Digi Stamp Boutique

Hi there everyone - today I have a card for the:


I made a Father's Day card using the DIY Dad freebie and some paper (I paper pieced his clothes and hat) & a ribbon tag from Stampin' Up!  The sentiment is from Digi Stamp Boutique.

And my next card is for the:


 
I used Zoe Princess & Henry Prince, colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits and some glitter.  This was made for a friend of mine who wanted a card for her boyfriend (who is one of my best friends) for the anniversary of their one-year of dating!  They are one of those couples who you just know were meant to be together, and I'm really happy for them that they found each other.  Peace.

WW: On the Playground, Anyone for Anya & Crafting with Dragonflies

Hello there - woke up this morning to no Internet service at all.  Apparently, some equipment was damaged in San Francisco and it took allllllll day and afternoon and evening to repair it.  I can't believe how much I got done today with no Internet to distract me... hee hee  

Anyhow - we have a new challenge for you at:



Our sponsor is my friend Arielle's "The Wax Fruit Company" - come check it out!  

I also have a card for the:


I am also entering this into the:


I used this sweet Anya Cheer digi stamp with some paper from My Mind's Eye.  Have a good night!  Peace.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

A Day for Daisies #70: Anything Goes & Forever Friends: For a Child

Good morning, friends!  Don't forget to check out my "Blog Every Day in May" posts (I've only missed a couple!) over at my writing blog here.  Thanks!

Today's card is for the:



I am also linking this up with the very last challenge at:

I used Bunny Doll Birthday, colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits and paper-pieced with this pretty paper from Authentique.  I can always use birthday cards, so I used my Dymo Caption Maker to slap a happy birthday sentiment on here.  Ribbon is from Stampin' Up! and I was disappointed to see they are not carrying as many ribbons as they once did.  So if any of you know a good, reasonably priced outlet for ribbon (especially grosgrain, taffeta, and/or satin), please do let me know!  Peace.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Boots and Beaches

Happy Memorial Day!  I was thrilled to be able to spend the day crafting yesterday, and I got a chance to make something for our new challenge at:



We're sponsored this week by Gingerloft Digi Stamps, and I used Cowboy Boot to make a cute little ATC.  Come play along with us, we're a mixed media challenge blog so you can make whatever you like!

I also managed to make this card for:


So this week's challenge was a photo inspiration:




As soon as I saw the photo, I knew I wanted to use this paper pad from Authentique.  I printed Cheeky Beach onto a light patterned paper and colored her in with my Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits.  I also followed the sketch (although I rotated it) from:

 
My "stash" item is those little word stickers, I bought 2 small sheets of them on clearance quite a while back and I have been using them sparingly ever since.  But I bought myself a book of similar stickers from Tim Holtz a couple of weeks ago, so that made me feel like I could use the ones I've been hoarding.  LOL

Have a great week, my friends.  Peace.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Wicked Wednesday & Just Some Lines Reminders

Guess what, guess what, guess what?  I FIXED MY PRINTER!  LOL  Although I still cannot print wirelessly, I bought a $20.00 Printer USB cord at Target yesterday and after patiently (ha!) troubleshooting my printer and making a few changes, it worked!  I was so excited - I love this printer and really did not want to have to buy a new one.  Today we're having a cookout for Jeremy's birthday, so I can't get to crafting until tomorrow (at least it's a good/fun reason!).  At this point, I am really itching to get printing, coloring, and creating!

Anyway, today we have a reminder post for you at:



We're being sponsored by The Greeting Farm, so I used Chibi Spain (digi), printed on DP (My Mind's Eye) and colored with Prismacolor markers and lots of glitter  I added some little dark red pearl stickers and a sentiment rub-on from SU!

We also have a reminder post for you at:



I made an engagement card using Bird Ring Bearer (retiring - on sale!) and a Christmas card using Spruce Tree.  Come play along with us!  Have a great weekend, everyone.  Peace.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Dilly Beans: Dots!

Hello friends - happy Friday and happy birthday to my husband Jeremy!  He's one year older today, but one year younger than he thought he was.  hee hee  We have a fun weekend planned with going out to dinner tonight and then a cookout tomorrow.  I'm looking forward to it - it's so nice living in California and never having to "hope" it's going to be nice out for a cookout.  It's nice enough for a cookout 95% of the time.  LOL  Have I mentioned that I love it here?  :)

I am super excited to tell you all that we bought our very first brand-spankin'-new car the other day!  Fresh off the lot with 15 miles on it - a 2013 Toyota Camry Hybrid.  OMG this thing is so cool.  The technology is just amazing now - it's so much fun to link up your smart phone and be able to use Pandora and all of the fun apps... answer your phone or change radio stations with a push of a button on the steering wheel... I felt like a movie star.  hee hee  Wanna see it?  Here she is:



Isn't she pretty???  :)

OK so let's get down to business - I've been super busy lately and was so glad I caught up with all of May's projects before I left for my vacation, because I just have not had any time to sit and craft since I got home. And I had no luck finding my printer cable the other day, so I'm off this morning to go buy a new one.  I'm definitely missing my crafty time and I cannot wait to print out a bunch of images and get coloring!  For today, we have a new challenge for you at:



I am also entering this into the:

 and
and
and

I used 223 - Ladybug Fairy, colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits with some Stickles on her wings.  I paired her with this fun polka dot digi paper and a polka dot ribbon from my stash.  Added some ladybug embellies and the little beaded letters.  Come play along with us!  Peace.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge: Song & Dance

Good morning!  So the Internet guy came and upgraded us yesterday and we're in business as far as that goes - but my wireless printer still won't work.  I was in tears after trying for hours to figure it out, and I finally gave up.  I'm going to find the USB cord today and try troubleshooting through the Lexmark Service Center, so wish me luck.  I have some things that I have to get done, and I need to print out images to do so - very frustrating!!!

So today we have a new challenge for you at:



Our sponsor this week is The Greeting Farm - everyone loves a chance to win some of their fabulous stamps and digis - so come play along for your chance to win one rubber OR digi stamp of your choice.  I colored Chibi Trumpet (digi) with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits and markers. The trumpet is covered in Diamond Stickles (there's also some on her earrings and eyes for eye-shadow). I fussy-cut her super close and mounted her to an ATC-sized piece of DP, which I also attached to a stronger piece of cardstock.  I printed out a musical note and also fussy-cut it before attaching it to the ATC and covering it with Gunmetal Stickles.  The sentiments are stickers from SRM Stickers.  I sponged the edges lightly with some dark brown ink to finish it off.  Peace.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

I'm Back & Peace ATC

Holy cow, it's a damn good thing I pre-scheduled so many blog posts for when I was away, or I would have heard crickets chirping when I logged in today!  ;)  I got back from my trip back East late last Thursday - I almost always buy my tickets through either Orbitz or Expedia, because you can find the cheapest tickets that way.  This last time, the return trip brought us into San Jose rather than San Francisco, which I did not even realize until I was already in Massachusetts (just a blonde moment).  Not a big deal, really, but it is an extra hour and a half drive time for my husband to pick us up. Each way.  LOL  So anyway, we were on our layover in Chicago's O'Hare Airport (Cass likes having a layover as she's a bit ADD and it drives her bonkers trying to sit still for the 6-hour direct flight), literally in line to get on our plane, when they announced they had over-booked the flight and needed 2 people to volunteer to go to San Francisco instead.  I looked at Cass and said "let's do it, why not?"  So we went up to the agent and she said "The flight is leaving 10 minutes before this one - so you have to get over there fast."  I don't know if you've been to O'Hare, but that is one big-ass airport.  Cass called Jeremy to give him the good news, and we ran to our gate which was like 10,000 miles away (OK it was probably a quarter mile, but it felt like 10,000!).  The agent was printing our new boarding passes and then handed us another one and said that we each got a $300 voucher from American Airlines for any flight over the next year.  I was totally psyched - I was just trying to be nice and figured it would be a better flight for us anyway, and we got rewarded for it.  Jeremy laughed at me and said they always offer something in those situations, but I had no idea.  I'm not a seasoned traveler like he is - hee hee.  Needless to say, I felt like I had won the lottery.  LOL

So then we got home late Thursday - and the weekend was a whirlwind.  We are moving up to this house in the mountains in Santa Rosa, about half hour from where we were living.  We're renting an old farm property and we're having a blast.  Jeremy and Trevor have been busting their butts planting gardens and tending to the fruit trees and grapes.  We got egg-laying chickens and we're thinking about getting goats or sheep.  Eventually, I plan to have a horse - that's been my dream since I was a little girl.  I know nothing about horses besides the fact that they are huge and they poop a lot.  hee hee  But I'm willing to learn and I am looking forward to being a country girl.  The only thing I'm not sure I'll ever get used to is the flies.  I can handle the spiders (no joke - some of them are as big as my hand!), the bees, the snakes... but let a fly buzz by me in my house and I won't be able to rest until I've killed the little bastard.  Flies breed maggots.  *SHUDDER*  I hate flies.

So I spent the weekend organizing my crafty area and then trying to get my printer hooked up so I could get to crafting.  No luck (wireless printer, signal not strong enough to find it). After contacting our Internet provider, we realized that we needed some serious upgrading - so they are coming today between 1-5 to upgrade us and hopefully get me back in business.  I am anxiously awaiting his arrival and it's only 8:00 a.m.  ;)

So - yesterday I decided to do a little hands-on rubber stamping since I couldn't print anything out for the projects on my "to-do" list.  I decided to make this little ATC for the:

 and
 and


I used the Stampotique "peace definition" stamp on my ATC after I had colored it with alcohol inks and blending solution.  Then I attached a little peace sign sticker and a butterfly and it was done - so easy yet I love how it came out!  Hope you all have a great week!  Peace.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

WW Reminder: Show us the Future & Just Some Lines: Anything Goes with JSL

I've decided to blog the rest of the "Blog Every Day in May" posts on my writing blog here:  Peace, Happiness, and Writing.  I hope you'll check it out and let me know what you think!
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We have a reminder post for you today at:


I am also entering this into the following challenges:

and
 Creative Corner: A Song (this ATC makes me think of the Eagles' "Witchy Woman")
and
and

I used the gorgeous new image Jehanne drew for us called Emo Fortune Teller, colored with Prismacolor pencils and mineral spirits.  I found this wooden star in my stash so I covered it in dark ink and then sprinkled gold glitter all over it.  I created the background for the ATC and for the actual image by using Gold Glow, Spun Sugar, and Log Cabin Smooch Spritzes.  Tied a ribbon around it to finish it off.

We also have a new challenge for you today at:



I used Fairy Walkies, colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits.  The paper is from My Mind's Eye, I added a flower and a couple of ribbons, this is not my usual color combo but I really like how it came out.  I'm also entering this into the:

Flutterby Wednesday: Use a Button (along with a fairy or butterfly)
and
 and
and

Have a great weekend, my friends!  Peace.

Day 17, Dilly Beans, and Jellypark

Day 17: A favorite photo of yourself and why.

This is me and Trevor when he was about 4 weeks old. I had just turned 22 - don't you just love his little tie-dye onesie?  hee hee  I love this picture and I guess the reason why is obvious - it's just me and my first baby.  I look at this picture and remember clearly how much love I felt for him. Some things never change.  :)
................
We have a new challenge for you today at:


I used Ahmea Mermaid, colored with Prismacolor pencils and mineral spirits and some Stickles.  I love this bright and fun paper from MME.

We also have a new challenge for you at:



I used one of our new images, The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth, printed onto DP and colored with Prismacolor pencils and mineral spirits.  I used pieces of the DP fussy-cut and attached with pop dots for embellishments.  Peace.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Day 15, WW & DICC

Day 15:  A day in the life...

I am away from home - I'll update Day 15 as soon as I get home!  :)

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We have a new challenge for you at:


We are being sponsored by Just Some Lines, and Jehanne designed this beautiful image called Emo Fortune Teller just for our challenge!  Head on over to see what the rest of the DT created with this gorgeous digi stamp!


We also have a new challenge for you at:


I am posting on the run (on vacation) so you'll have to head on over to the challenge blog to see the itinerary and link up with us!  We're being sponsored by Hatter's Hope - my fun pirate image was combined with a sentiment from Dilly Beans, paper from MME, and some Tim Holtz paper tape (Washi tape).  Peace.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Day 14: Ten things that make you really happy

Day 14: Ten things that make you really happy.

1.  When my kids are happy.
2. Visiting my family and friends.
3. When my kitty Oliver snuggles in my lap.
4.  Crafting, playing with my art, and writing.
5.  Tattoos.
6.  The sun shining on my face.
7.  The beach.
8.  When my husband surprises me with something.
9.  Reading (especially Stephen King books).
10.  Babies.

Peace.  :)

Monday, May 13, 2013

Day 13: A public apology

Day 13: A public apology.

I would like to apologize to my high school principal, Dr. Hynes.  I was a little shit in high school, always getting into trouble for silly things (not really a bad kid, just a little shit!) and I also had a reputation for fighting.  Which was funny, because fighting scared me to death.  But if anyone messed with my sister, who is exactly one year younger than me, my momma bear side came out and the fighting began.  My mom would bring me back to school after each episode, and Dr. Hynes would tell her what a good kid I was - which exasperated my mom since she was bringing me back for fighting.  At one point, he even told her "I wish she would just wait until after school to do those things."  hee hee

The thing is, I never really appreciated how good he was to me.  Technically, he could have made my life hell and probably kicked me out of school.  Instead of yelling and screaming at me when I did get in trouble, he'd bring me into his office and ask me riddles.  I still have the sheet of paper he gave me one day with 10 riddles on it - it stumped me for the longest time, but I finally figured them all out.  I still enjoy getting that piece of paper out and asking my own kids those riddles.

I have great memories of Dr. Hynes - and that just proves what an awesome principal, and person, he was.  Is.  I haven't seen him in over 20 years, but he left a lasting impression on this little shit.  He never gave up on me, he saw something in me that made him believe I'd be OK - that I'd be more than OK, that I'd be successful.  He never treated me like an annoying teenager, like so many teachers and others do when we ARE annoying teenagers... LOL

I'm sorry for not appreciating you as much as I should have back then, Dr. Hynes.  Thank you for being you.
Peace.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Day 12 & Cassidy's Prom

Day 12: What do you miss (a person, place, thing, time in your life...)?

My mom is one of ten children (the 2nd oldest), and I grew up with over 20 first cousins.  As a child, Christmas Eve was my favorite holiday because all of us would get together at my nana's house, 30+ people all talking and laughing at the same time.  We would have pinatas for the kids and a grab for the adults, along with tons of food and drink.  I can remember sitting in the backseat on the hour-long drive home, being happily exhausted and watching for Santa up in the sky.

I always felt a closeness with my cousins and aunts that was very special to me.  But as time went on and I grew up, it just all changed.  I guess it happens, but I miss them.  Families are complicated and mine is no different, we have had more than our share of heartache and sorrow and hurt and sometimes you just have to step away to spare yourself from any more.  It doesn't mean I don't love them just as much as I always did, but I have to protect myself and my own family (my children) from hurt as much as possible.  And when people have a pattern of hurting others, whether it's through drug addiction, abuse, or just plain selfishness, it's not likely they're going to stop.  More than anything, I miss that time in my life when my family was all close and we would all get together and laugh and enjoy each other.  I miss having a big family.    
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My daughter Cass went to the prom the other night, her and her friends looked absolutely gorgeous and they had a great time.  Here are some pics, Cass is in blue:


This is one of my favorite pics - LOL:

Her and her best friend Missy:

This is her with her cousin Eric:

This is her papa with her:

This last one is her nana (my mom) on the left and me on the right:

Have a happy Mother's Day!  :)  Peace.


Saturday, May 11, 2013

Day 11, WW & JSL Reminders

Day 11:  Sell yourself in 10 words or less.  Easy Peasy.  :)

Girl who loves to make people smile and laugh. Peace.
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We have a reminder post for you today at:




 For the Queen of Wands, I used a gorgeous image from Michelle Perkett Studio printed onto the DP and colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits and markers.  I added a candle digi stamp shrunk down tiny and I gave her a wand to hold instead of the heart she had.



 For "the Moon" tarot/ATC card, I used some newsprint DP with a rub-on from SU! and owl stamp from Prickley Pear.  I used my circle punches to create the moon, inking the smaller punch for shading.  Sentiment was created with my Dymo Caption Maker.
The original tarot cards that I used as inspiration (on the left) are from Fairchild and Paschkis).
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We also have a reminder post for you today at:



I used Emo Tulip from Just Some Lines, colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits.  DP is some older paper from Stampin' Up!  Ribbon is from my stash.  Peace.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Day 10, Dilly Beans: Celebrations and Movie Magic Monthly: Star Wars vs. Star Trek

Day 10:  Most embarrassing moment(s) - spill!


Well, I get embarrassed really easily and it's hard to pick out a specific time that was my "most embarrassing moment" - but here goes:


My son Trevor has always had issues with his teeth, and when he was about 8 years old we went to the dentist for a routine cleaning.  To my surprise, the dentist decided to pull all 4 of his front bottom teeth because they weren't coming out on their own and the new teeth needed the room to grow.  Trev was absolutely fine, but I was crying so hard that the dentist asked if I needed to call someone to come drive us home.  It cracks me up now, but I was so embarrassed!  I don't even know why I was crying so much, I guess it just totally freaked me out to have my baby lose all 4 teeth (and what looked like a lot of blood!) at once.  LOL  I'm still emotional but let's just say after having gone through the teen years with both a son and a daughter, it takes a little more than a pulled tooth to make me cry.  :)
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We have a new challenge for you today at:



I used Amalia Princess, I removed her crown and the star from her wand and replace it with a US flag.  She's celebrating the Fourth of July holiday, and her little tutu is all covered in Stardust Stickles.  Papers and paper embellishments are from MME, and I added a few little star gem brads.
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We also have a new challenge for you today at:



I knew right away that I wanted to use this freebie from Mayzy Art for my creation - this is Han Solo and Princess Leia.  I colored them with Prismacolor pencils and mineral spirits, and sponged the edges all around each layer.  Added a shiny silver chipboard star and this Star Wars logo I found online.  The image kind of steals the show, though, I think it's just fabulous.  Hope you'll come play along with us, you've got all month - we'd love to see which one you'd choose!  Peace.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Day 9 and From the Heart Monthly Freebie Challenge

Day 9:  A moment in your day (can be a photo or a photo and words):


This pic is a moment from my day yesterday.  This is my sweet daughter Cass with two of the most adorable babies I've ever seen.  This was my first time getting to meet the precious twins born to one of my favorite cousins, Nick, and his awesome wife Aimee.  Meet Alaina and Brielle - they are 10 months old and they hardly ever stop smiling.  They are just little angels who let me and Cass hold them and play with them for hours, it was just heaven.  Hard to believe that Cass was that little not so long ago.  So that was definitely the highlight of my day yesterday.  :)
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Today's creation is an altered coaster that I made for the:



I used this month's freebie that was e-mailed to me for playing along last month (thank you, Faith!), printed on some light DP and cut to the shape of the coaster, then colored with Copic markers and then spritzed all over with a few different shades of pink Glimmer Mists.  I used Paper Mod Podge to apply the entire piece to the coaster, and another layer of Mod Podge on top.  Punched some holes along the top and tied little pieces of ribbon through it.  It has a magnet on the back so it can be stuck on the fridge.  Peace.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Day 8 and Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge: Tarot Cards or Symbols

Hello friends - Day 8: A piece of advice you have for others, anything at all.

My advice is to smile more.  Just smile.  You'd be amazed how good it feels.  You simply cannot be in a bad mood while smiling.  
 Go ahead, try it.  Smile.  Yes, right now, for no reason.  Well, because I love you.  There, see?  You smiled, right?  Didn't it feel good?  Isn't it hard to be grumpy with a big old grin on your face?

I found a great list of the top 10 reasons to smile:

1. Smiling makes you more attractive.  :)
2. Smiling changes our mood (see??).
3.) Smiling is contagious (see again? LOL).
4.) Smiling relieves stress.
5.) Smiling boosts your immune system.
6.) Smiling lowers your blood pressure.
7.) Smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin.
8.) Smiling lifts the face and makes you look younger.
9.) Smiling makes you seem more successful.
10.) Smiling helps you stay positive.

You can check out the complete article here.

I'm amazed at how many people don't smile.  I'm amazed at how many comments I get because I do smile - a lot.  I love to smile, I love the way it makes me feel and I love the way it makes others feel.  I usually get one of two reactions when I smile at strangers in public - which I do, despite (or maybe because of?) my social anxieties around crowds.  Folks either look pleasantly surprised and smile back or they look quickly away, not wanting to make eye contact or have to return the smile.  I feel bad for those folks.  So if you're one of them, do me a favor and return the smile the next time some crazy girl like me offers you one in the grocery store, the post office, or just walking down the street.  Just smile.  It's easy to do, it's free, and it just might make you and the person you're smiling at feel good - and you'll be spreading sunshine before you know it.  ;) *************************************************************
I just have one thing to share today - my ATC for the new challenge at:


The tarot symbols are cups, wands, pentacles, and swords - I focused on swords for this ATC, using Mermaid's Revenge from our sponsor Delicious Doodles, colored with Prismacolor pencils and mineral spirits.  This image is so beautiful, I just basically printed it out ATC-sized and mounted it crooked on another piece of ATC-sized DP.  Sentiment was added with my Dymo Caption Maker.  Peace.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Day 7 and HDH MM: Stephen King Knightmare

Day 7:  The thing(s) you're most afraid of.

I struggled with what to write about for this topic - I wanted to write about being afraid of something bad happening to my kids, but I assume that's every mom's primary fear.  So I'm going to tell you about my extremely irrational fear of heights.

I am so afraid of heights, I can't even stand myself.  I get so annoyed with myself when I'm in a car (a car, for crying out loud!  INSIDE A CAR!) and we're going up (or down) a mountain, and my heart starts pounding and my palms start sweating as I realize there is a cliff on my side of the road.  Or the other side of the road.  Or anywhere that I can see.  I cringe when my husband says "Look at that... fill-in-the-blank" - I can't even enjoy the scenery.  And I wish so much that I could.  I wish so much that I was like him, and our son, and our daughter, and that I could just gaze out at the gorgeous mountains and cliffs and places where your car can end up 600 feet below if you aren't watching where you are going... oh sorry, I got distracted by all that... space.  LOL  Seriously, though, I wish I could enjoy it.  Their eyes light up when they talk about the possibility of jumping out of an airplane, bungee jumping, or taking a ride in a hot air balloon.  You could not pay me to do any of those things.  If you paid me a million dollars, I might offer someone 1/4 of it to PUSH ME OUT, but I simply could not do it myself.  And I'd probably have a heart attack if someone pushed me, so no amount of money would be worth it.

I guess in the grand scheme of things, it's not so bad.  When I'm forced to be in a situation where I have to deal with heights, I just try to remember how irrational it is and not let the panic take over.  Deep breaths, positive thoughts, all that.  It does work enough to get me through it, but I wish I could find a way to not have to suffer through that irrational fear to begin with.  What are you afraid of and how do you cope with it?
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OK friends I'm about to get on a plane this morning to head back to Massachusetts for a week-long visit and bring my daughter back to Cali with me!  :)  My first plane trip alone, I'm a little nervous but also excited.  I have plenty of reading material and a couple of movies loaded on my Nook HD, so I shouldn't be bored.  I'll be checking in from my mom's and I have all my blog posts pre-scheduled, so hopefully you won't even notice I'm gone!  :) 

I did have to squeeze in one more project yesterday between packing and stuff, this one is special to me, it's for the:

HDH Macabre Monday: Stephen King Knightmare

My friend Megan sent me this adorable 4x4 art journal a few weeks ago and I was itching to get started in it, these were my first pages.  I used paints and mists for the backgrounds, the image on the left is a free coloring page I found online (printed twice, second image I fussy-cut and layered the tower and clouds over the painted/misted original), and the clipart on the right was also found online.  I added Stickles to the sun, tower, rocks, and clouds.  Sentiments were done with my Dymo Caption Maker.
Peace.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Blog Every Day in May: Day 6 and Nina Mermaid

Day 6:  If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do'?

The funniest part about this question is that I don't have a job anymore - and I find that I am just as busy now as when I worked a full-time job!  So what do I do?  I wake up early and go to bed early.  In between, I fill my hours with cooking, cleaning, and crafting.  Ha - the 3 C's!  I love that I get to stay caught up with laundry, that was always a hassle for me.  I don't enjoy cleaning, so I only spend what time I have to doing that but it does get done regularly.  Crafting is my passion and I thoroughly enjoy spending hours at my table, getting my hands messy with inks, paints, glues, and glitter.  And I have begun to eat and feed my family organic foods, I spend a lot of time in the kitchen preparing fresh meals.  I enjoy looking up new recipes and experimenting with my own creations in the kitchen.  I've blossomed as a cook and realized I am actually quite good at it, something I'm proud of.  There's just something gratifying about creating nourishing and delicious food for your family from scratch, it makes me feel good.  And I love teaching my daughter to cook, spending that time with her in the kitchen bonding over baking or coming up with new recipes for dinner.  We have fruit trees and grapes on our property and we're planting a vegetable and herb garden.  We are also going to be acquiring some chickens - hoping to rely more on foods we grow and raise ourselves than market-bought foods.  This should keep me even more busy!  So that's what I do - and I love it.
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I used one of the new mermaid images from Dilly Beans, she's called Nina Mermaid and you can find her here.  She was colored with Prismacolor pencils and mineral spirits and a generous application of Icicles Stickles to her tail, her cute little bathing suit top, and the flower in her hair.  Sentiment is from TLC Creations, I distressed the edges of the sentiment and the blue cardstock behind it with my scissors.  DP is from My Mind's Eye.
Peace.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Day 5 and Simon Says Stamp: Happy Mail!

Day 5:  Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends. What makes them great? Why do you love them? 

This was a hard one for me, because I have a lot of crafty blogger friends (card-makers, scrapbookers, etc.) and there are a few who are very special to me.  Today, though, I'm going to tell you about one of them who is not involved with my crafting community.  This particular girl is someone I became friends with in high school. She blogs because she likes to write, like me.  She writes from her heart, she writes about what's important to her or what is on her mind at any given moment.  She doesn't write every day, but when she does she pours her heart out.  That is my favorite kind of writing - from the heart, honest and open, this-is-me type writing.

Her name is Beth, and her blog is actually called This is Me.  Beth and I have been real-life friends for over 25 years now, as incredible as that sounds (to me, anyway!).  She's not my best friend, but she is one of those people I  just know would be there if I needed her.  She is blonde and beautiful, funny and clever, talented and amazing.  She can also be sassy and fresh, which I might love the best about her.  hee hee  She is one of the best moms I know.  She has a positive and uplifting personality and a smile that lights up the room.  Infectious, that's how I think of her smile.  And I love her voice, the way she talks.  It's... soothing.  She has a heart of gold and feels badly if she thinks she hurt someone, intentionally or not, whether they deserve it or not.

She was also very close to my friend Melanie, who I wrote about yesterday.  Her and Mel shared a bond that was obvious to anyone who knew them, two special girls who were more like sisters than friends.  We grew up together, a tight-knit group of friends, and we share bonds that can never be broken.  We've shared a lot of experiences and emotions, both positive and negative, and it doesn't matter if we don't see each other for a day, a month, a year, or ten years - that bond will always be there.  I moved 3000 miles away from these friends a year ago, but I never feel like I'm that far away.  Thanks to the Internet, social media sites and e-mail and blogging, I get to stay in touch daily with the people I love.  But it's still the people who make the effort to keep that connection, you know?  I'm really thankful for friends like Beth and I was grateful to have the opportunity to let her know in this way.  Thanks for being you, my friend.  Don't ever change.  I love you!  
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Today I have a card for the:

Simon Says Stamp Challenge: Happy Mail


I used a cute image from By Lori Designs, colored with Prismacolor markers, pencils & mineral spirits.  Stickers are from SRM Stickers, cardstock is from Stampin' Up!  I love the simple and sweet look of the framed image with the sentiment stickers all around it.  Peace.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Blog Every Day: Day 4, WW Reminder: Sun & Surf, JSL: Mother's Day

The Day 4 prompt for the Blog Every Day in May challenge is:  Favorite quote and why you love it.

Please click here to read my Day 4 Blog Every Day in May post on my writing blog.  Thanks!
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We have a reminder post for you today at:


I am also entering this into the:

and

I used Sail Away Lion from our sponsor, 2CuteInk.  DP is from Stampin' Up! Sentiment is from TLC Creations.
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We also have a new challenge for you at:



I am also entering my Mother's Day card into the following challenges:
 
 I used Flower Angel, colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits, markers, and paper-pieced.  DP is from Authentique.  Peace.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Day 3, Dilly Beans, and Jellypark

Happy Friday!  So the Day 3 prompt for the Blog Every Day in May challenge is:  Things that make you uncomfortable.  This is an easy one for me - not many people know this, but I have a Social Anxiety Disorder.  I'm the most friendly, outgoing, happy girl there is with my friends and family, but tell me I have to go walk through a crowd of strangers and I start to sweat and get heart palpitations.  When I was a little girl and would go to crowded stores with my mom, I'd hook my finger through her belt buckle and would not let go.  And maybe even when I was not-so-little... my favorite section of the stores was always the aisle where they had books, coloring books, and stickers.  If my mom left me there to browse, you could bet your sweet life that I'd still be exactly where she left me, no matter how much later she came looking for me.  No way was this girl gonna go walk around a crowded store alone... and do you notice how I keep saying "crowded"?  That is the key word here - it's crowds, specifically crowds of strangers, that make me uncomfortable.

I didn't really know what was wrong with me until years later, when I majored in Psychology in college.  As I learned about anxiety disorders, I was shocked myself to realize that I had one!  I love to be the life of the party, I love to make people smile and laugh and I love to talk.  But crowds  - crowds of strangers - make me shrivel up inside.  I can feel my body trying to close in on itself, make itself smaller so it can't be seen.  I find myself holding my breath, and feeling a tightness in my chest.  Although I forced myself to do it, and to try to enjoy it, trips to places like Disney World or Six Flags just aren't fun for me.  Too many people pushing and shoving and... too close to me.  But at least they are outside - inside things are even worse.  My kids are older now and last Summer was our first Summer in California, so we took a ride a few hours south to visit Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  Santa Cruz was actually a lot of fun and I had a good time, managed to keep my anxieties at bay and was really proud of myself.  But the aquarium was awful.  AWFUL.  We paid hundreds of dollars for admission for 5 of us, and I don't think I lasted more than an hour.  I felt so bad, but I couldn't do it.  It was just so crowded, and people were so pushy and... it was just too much for me.  So we left and went to the Bubba Gump Shrimp Factory for lunch.  It was a fun trip and I learned a lesson - it's OK to avoid situations that make me uncomfortable, period.  I'm thankful that I have a family that understands and accepts me. 

So that's what makes me uncomfortable.  And even though I know it's irrational and silly, I just can't help it.  I have finally accepted that this is who I am, and I'm OK with that.  I'd much prefer to avoid those situations than have to medicate myself to get through them, you know?  How do crowds of strangers make you feel?  Does anyone else reading this feel the same way?  I'd love to hear from you!
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We have a new challenge for you at:



I am also entering my card into:

and
and
 and
Perfect excuse to create a Mother's Day card for your mom, mother-in-law, gram, whoever!  I used Paige, colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits and paper-pieced.  My papers are from Authentique.  I added freckles to her face (to look like me - LOL) and glitter to the flower in her hair.  Sentiment is from AI Factory.  I added a ribbon and a few little gemstone stickers to finish it off.

We also have a new challenge and a new release for you today at:




I am also entering this into the:

and
and

I used one of the new Jellypark images, Friends are Flowers in Life's Garden, colored with Prismacolor pencils & mineral spirits and a bit of marker.  DP is from MME, I added a paper flower and a little bee charm.  Come on over and see the rest of the DT's creations with this sweet image and one more new release!  Have a great weekend, everyone!  Peace.