Lisa's Color Challenge...

For Limelight's 1st Anniversary Celebration,

Lisa is hosting a Color Challenge...

Here are the colors...

I created a mini-album for our annual trip to the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis! I only completed the cover for this challenge and will complete the inside just as soon as we make the trip!

Supplies:

5x7 Album (The Paper Studio), Cardstock (Bazzill), Flowers (Prima), Brads, Squares (QuickKutz), Letters (Sizzix), Adhesive (Xyron)

Happy Crafting!!!

Jennifer's Photo Challenge...

For Limelight's 1st Anniversary Celebration,

Jennifer is hosting a photo challenge...

Post 3 photos, 1 each, of the following:

1) A CAT NAP

These are my canine babies!

Taz - Silky Terrier

Simba - Yorkshire Terrier

Lady - Papillon

2) SOMETHING YUMMY

Peeps are my favorite Easter candy,

especially when they are stale!

3) FOUR

The 4 of us enjoying dinner at Applebee's

with family & friends!

Happy Picture Taking!!!

Lorie's Card Sketch Challenge...

For Limelight's 1st Anniversary Celebration,

Lorie is hosting a card sketch challenge.

Here's the sketch...

Here's my card!

Supplies:

Bazzill Cardstock, BoBunny Paper (Alissa), Sweetwater Paper (Family Ties), Ribbon, ColorBox (Ink), Stickles, and Marvy Uchida Punches

Happy Card Making!

Limelight Sketch Challenge #22...

The focus is Patterned Paper!

Here's the sketch...

I decided to create a card!

Supplies...

Bazzill Cardstock, BoBunny Paper (Alissa), Sweetwater Paper (Family Ties), ColorBox Chalk Ink, Stickles, and Marvy Uchida Punches

Happy Card Making!!!

Interactive Family Reading...

How long has it been since you've explored the wisdom of Aesop's Fables?

For me and my family, it has been too long! Sooo... We have decided to re-read these incredible writings together! I truly cherish the discussions that are brought on by these pre-1700 stories! This is absolutely priceless family time!

Happy Reading!!!

How Do You Observe Memorial Day?

The "Memorial" in Memorial Day has been ignored by too many of us! While I am all for getting family and friends together to BBQ and participate in outdoor games/activities, we do not observe the day as it should be, a day where we actively remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice!

Sooo... Today, observe Memorial Day by:
* visiting cemeteries & placing flags/flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.
* visiting memorials.
* flying the U.S. Flag at half-staff until noon.

God Bless Our Military!

Teach a Friend to Scrapbook Month...

May is "Teach a Friend to Scrapbook" Month...

Join me and my neighbors over at SCRAPBOOK.COM!!!

http://www.scrapbook.com/articles/doc/39059/248.html

I am going to attempt to teach my Mom! She is an avid cardmaker but she just hasn't attempted scrapbooking... She says it intimidates her! Sooo... I decided to start her off with an 8x8 canvas... Wish me luck!

Happy Scrapping!!!

The Men of Xyron

You gotta see this...

USS New York

Here SHE is, the USS New York, made from the World Trade Center !

The USS New York was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center! Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry in Amite, LA to cast the ship's bow section. When it was poured into the molds on Sept 9, 2003 "those big rough steel workers treated it with total reverence", recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing, who was there. "It was a spiritual moment for everybody there", Junior Chavers, foundry operations manager, said that when the trade center steel first arrived he touched it with his hand and the "hair on my neck stood up". "It had a big meaning to it for all of us", he said. "They knocked us down. They can't keep us down. We're going to be back."

The USS New York is the fifth in a new class of warship - designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists. It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft.

The ship's motto? 'Never Forget'

Thanks for sharing Amy...

Add Some Spice To Your Card Making...

Do you get bored making rectangle & square cards?

Check out this Make n Take from Archiver's!

Simply use decorative stationary!

To make this 5 3/4" Circle Card, we used:

Circle Note & Scalloped Circle Note from Yours Truly

Acrylic Stamp Set from Clear Stamps

Adhesive Beads from K&Company

Chalk Ink from Colorbox

Scrap Ribbon

Standard Hole Punch

Happy Card Making!

Fiskateer Tag Swap

It has been quite awhile since I have used decorative tags on my layouts... Sooo... I decided to sign up for Deborah's tag swap over at Fiskars...

I made this one to use with some pictures from the Missouri Botanical Garden and then duplicated it!

Journaling square is made with Marvy Uchida punches, Bird is made with a Stampers Anonymous stamp, and branch is made with a Sizzlet die...

Happy Scrapping!

Breaking Dawn by: Stephenie Meyer

Well... It's finally here!!!

Have you read it yet? I have!!!

I must say that I am very, very pleased!

Stephenie Meyer is a truly talented writer!

Now... The wait is on for:

Twilight the movie (12/12/08)

The Official Guide of the Twilight Saga (12/30/08)

Midnight Sun (to be announced)

Happy Reading!!!

Round-It-All x2

These tools do not mess around!

They are heavy duty corner rounders in two sizes (pink-1/2" & blue-1/4")! They will corner round anything & everything, ie: chipboard, tin, leather, acrylic, and much more! To make them even better, they have a lifetime warranty!

Ok... Enough of the sales pitch... However, let me just say that if you are addicted to handmade books/albums as I am, then you simply MUST invest in these babies!

Happy Scrapping!

Take The Quiz...

What Holiday Are You? I Am Valentine's Day!!!

You are a true romantic who places the ultimate importance on love. You are warm hearted, and you find it easy to care for people. Love is what drives you - and you have a love to give. You enjoy making someone's day. You're full of surprises. What makes you celebrate: Being with the person you love on a special day At holiday get togethers, you do best as: The sentimental one On a holiday, you're the one most likely to: See it as romantic and special

Love Elsie Recipe Idea Box

This little box is packed full of INSPIRATION!!!

I have been sooo busy with summer activities that I have become the Master of Unfinished Projects... Sooo... Give me a few weeks to play and I will post a few of my super fun creations inspired by Elsie Flannigan and the Featured Designers!!!

Happy Scrapping!

Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse by: Stephenie Meyer

OMG!!! These were sooo refreshing!!!

Needless to say, I am anxiously awaiting the release of Breaking Dawn (book #4 in the Saga) as well as Midnight Sun (Edward's point of view for Twilight)!!!

Happy Reading!!!

Pieces of My Sister's Life by: Elizabeth Joy Arnold

This was an awesome read!

I couldn't put it down... I ended up reading cover to cover one afternoon by the pool!

Happy Reading!

Night by: Elie Wiesel

I finally finished reading Night by: Elie Wiesel...

Be sure to check out my review...

Happy Reading!!!

Happy Earth Day!!!

Although we have come along way in taking measures to protect our precious earth and make it a much cleaner place to live, we still have much more we can do...

Some ways we can help are to:

1. Drive less, Carpool more, Utilize public transit (especially with rising gas prices!)

2. Reduce the "stuff" you purchase, reuse instead of disposing, and recycle

3. Avoid toxic plastics (primarily Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, and phthalates)

4. Conserve water (fix those leaky faucets!)

5. Buy Organic

6. Compost

7. Tell elected officials the environment really matters to you (don't forget to vote accordingly!)

Together we can and will make a difference!

Today and everyday, be conscious of our Earth!!!

Why is everything shaking & rattling?

I hope everyone is safe and unaffected by this morning's earthquake...

For those of you who shared in this experience... Wasn't it eerie?

I woke up this morning around 4:38am to my bed massively vibrating, paintings rattling on the walls, and the sound of a gang of kids trampling around my second floor! Of course, I jumped out of bed only to find the kids and the dogs still sound asleep and our home still intact! At first I thought it was a tornado until I rushed outside in my pj top and panties (ewww not a pretty sight!) and heard birds chirping and saw no debris thrown about... There were no other neighbors outside (thank goodness!) but at that point, I was seriously wondering if I ate something bad the night before causing me to have an awful nightmare! Sooo... I hurried back inside and turned on the news to see that we just experienced a 5.4 earthquake!!!

Ironically, this exact date in history, 1906 at 5:12am, marks the anniversary of The Great San Francisco Earthquake which still ranks as the most devastating earthquake in CA history as well as US history! Obviously, this earthquake was NOTHING in comparison to the earthquake of 1906... However, isn't it amazing that history really does repeat itself in some way or another?!

Thanks for taking the time to visit... Take care of you!