TWILIGHT

I can finally remove the countdown from my sidebar. YES, the movie finally has arrived. I saw it Friday afternoon with my BFF Jen. Jen bought the tickets in advance and we picked them up 2 hours ahead of time to avoid the crowd. We really didn't know what to expect. When we entered the theater a half hour ahead of the movie start there were a handful of school girls, tweens. But by the movie start, it was packed and the energy in the room was incredible. Everytime they squealed I tried my best to contain myself b/c I wanted to squeal too! The movie was great, much too fast and understandably condensed since the book was 500 pages. I wouldn't have minded it being a mini-series to capture all of those moments between Edward and Bella. BUT at least it looks like there will be another movie!!! I can't wait to put a new counter on my blog.

OK, so why are women over 25 embarrassed to admit that they like Twilight?? Really, what's not to like? Seriously, it's well written, easy to read, and it's a LOVE story. Why not admit that although we may love our husbands/boyfriends, we all envy the deep passion shared by Edward and Bella. She is his life. Wouldn't we all like to be put on the pedestal at least for a little while? It's also very sweet and innocent and reminiscent of of new love, that butterfly feeling. I know I relived those moments as I read.

So, come on, join in with me here, you can do it, "I - LOVE - THE - TWILIGHT - SERIES!!"

(don't you feel better now?)

Who's who, do you ask?

Hi Ladies,

It's been so long since I've posted anything crafty. I hope to get some work done over the holidays to share. I'm still slowly working on my children's first year album, which I think will have several volumes, lol. Perhaps I can post some of those pages soon.

On a serious note, in these tough economic times my company, Marquis Who's Who, is trying to promote their new website as much as possible exploring various venues to get the word out. So I thought, why not post an announcement on my blog? Please, if you have a moment, visit this awesome site and pass the word along. This site offers a wide variety of information such as Food and Wine, Health Travel and most importantly, Who's Who in America, interviews with doctors, designers, chefs, the list could go on. Here is the link: www.whoswhoinamerica.com.

Thanks so very much for lending a hand.

Happy Mail

Oh, it's been so very long since I've stamped. It's my busy time at work. I had a project due today and another this Friday and then I can breathe a little easier. In the midst of the chaos, I came home tonight to find some happy mail. I was so excited, I tore into it. It was an awesome birthday/Halloween card from my blog friend Dani. Yep, my bday is on Halloween. I love that it is. You kind feel like the whole world is celebrating that day with you with all the parties and costumes and candy giving. Anyway, she also included the most adorable Halloween stamps. I've never seen these. You get some great stamps out there in Utah. You're the best Dani! I appreciate it. :o)

Spooky : Creepy : Scary

Here are a few Halloween layouts. These are pictures from last year. They were so much fun to make.

Free Halloween Digital Kits and a rant too

Hello Ladies,

Life has been crazy lately. The bathroom renovation is still ongoing, but we do have a shower and sink so I really can't complain. Just the little details need to be done. DH was given notice last week. It's never an easy thing to hear but gosh during a renovation? Why couldn't we find this out before we spent all of this money? Then my poor peanut has been sick with "something." Dr. said it's an ear infection but it must have been a doozy. She's had a fever since Saturday. So there's been A LOT of worry, stress and lack of sleep.

OK, thanks for reading and on to the good stuff. I came across this free Halloween digi kit form Fugi. It's really quite awesome and I hope to use it for some Halloween cards. Anyway, I hope to post a few Halloween scrapbook pages later. I was able to go to a much needed girls night out scrapping last Friday. Those nights are really the only time I get to scrap. OK, ok, enuf yappin'. 

Get well wishes

We had our company picnic last Friday and since we ended early I got to stop by this little scrapbook store I used to frequent. They changed a lot of their merchandise and I was floored to see My Favorite Things stamps displayed. YEAH, no shipping!! I just had to buy a set. I got 'Rain or Shine' because I really don't have a get well set and it can be used for more than that as well. I do have another MFT set that my friend Dani gave me. I haven't tried it yet and am dying to but since I needed get well card, this set worked perfectly. I think it came out nice. 

Have a great weekend ladies.

How Men Make Cards

I frequent a blog called Scrappin with IKEA goddess. She posts lots of digi freebies. Well, she posted this youtube short. It is hysterical and definitely worth watching until the end. Man Made Cards

Our Secret Garden...

So here's another scrapbook page using a free (yes, that's right, free) digi kit from Shabby Princess. I like how it came out. Since it's next to impossible to scrap or make cards right now with our bathroom renovation going on, digi is the way to go for now. 

We didn't realize that there would be 4 inches of cement below the tile floor. So all of the dust put a nice coating on all of my supplies in the basement. When I got in from work and saw it, I could do nothing but shrug and remind myself that I was still organizing so what's a little more cleaning? (sniff, sniff)

Have a great day!

Meeting you

I've been a BIG fan of Emily's blog for a while now. I love her style. It's so fresh and inspiring. I am usually the gotta make things even and measure kinda girl. It probably stems from my job as a production manager. I've been wanting to break myself out of that mold. Recently I've seen her do some amazing things with paint and I finally got the nerve to try it. Here I used my WIP scrapbook kit. How convenient to have all of these coordinating papers and embellishments. 
I've slowly been trying to catch up on my stack of photos. When I met my children for the first time, unmedicated, I just burst into tears and cradled them saying. "It's so nice to finally meet you..." Being born premature and me suffering complications from delivery I didn't get to hold them until the following morning. Even the 9 weeks on bedrest didn't compare to that one night that I anxiously awaited to meet them.

I won!

I've been wanting to post all week but it's been hard to find the time. I won the design challenge over at Wish on a Scrap! I won a $10 GC to Loreen's store. I am so excited about it. Thanks again Loreen. I will be contacting you soon to see how I can redeem it.

PIF - Winner - UPDATE

I've left a few messages with Laura and gave her until Sat to contact me with her address. She has made no attempt, so I had left a message on her blog that I hope she doesn't mind, but I need to keep the PIF moving along and will select another winner. Kim you are the new winner!! I'll leave you a message on your blog.

Butterfly smiles

Well, I felt inspired yesterday and with good reason. Wish on a Scrap is hosting a design challenge where this dress is the inspiration. Well, I've never completed this kind of a card so quickly and it was so much fun. What great colors are in the dress, eh? It's the perfect flirty summer dress. Anyway...here's the card. I really love how it came out. What do you think?
I cleared embossed the butterflies and used my sponge dauber to help them come alive. The ribbon was a lucky find. It was actually a piece of the ribbon that was on my bouquet from my best friend's wedding. I loved it and saved as much as I could.

Random question...

If you had the opportunity to receive a gift certificate to a craft store of your choosing, which store would it be? Comments appreciated.

PIF - Winner

Hello Ladies,

I used random.org to choose a winner. So...Laura, you won! Please e-mail me your mailing address (phonio@yahoo.com). Laura, your package is ready to go and I can most likely mail it to you tomorrow.

Thanks to all who participated.

Have a great week.

PIF - Blog Candy

PIFs are so awesome aren't they? So, let's keep this moving along. I don't know just yet what will be up for grabs, but I figured I can get the ball rolling in the meantime. Here's what you have to do to enter:

1. Leave a comment on my blog

2. Write a post on your blog announcing the blog candy

3. If you win, you must Pay It Forward with blog candy

Pretty simply, right??

Enter by Sunday and I will use random.org to choose a winner on Monday.

Good luck!

Look What I Got?

I was lucky enough to win a PIF from Loreen's blog. Can you believe what I got? Nice stash, eh? THANKS Loreen! I especially LOVE the little giraffe stamp. Isn't he adorable? She's the owner of the awesome web store, Wish on a Scrap. I just ordered her August contest scrapbook kit and cannot wait to receive it. All she coordinated for the kit is mouthwatering. :o)

And here's a wonderful RAK from none other than Christi Thorsen for winning the Bella Babe contest in July. I love Christi's work and was so thrilled to receive one of her gorgeous cards. Thanks Christi!! 

Not too shabby...

OK, so I found out about Shabby Princess, a digital scrapbook store through a blog candy giveaway over at Scrapin' Mama's. I recently found out about Creative Memories doing this, but thought that it cost way too much. After taking a look around, I saw that there are free scrap kits available so that you can try before you buy. Well, since I have Photoshop, I decided to give it a whirl. What you see is an 8 x 8 scrapbook page. I printed it out at Costco for $1.50 folks!! It came out awesome. Now, I'm a hands on kinda girl, but it would be a nice gift, no? You can make your own book for someone. I actually thought I might make a mini album for my kids. (when I find the time, right?) Could be a nice idea for Christmas. Anyway, have a great day!

Book Candy

I love making bookmarks as gifts. I think it's the perfect little something b/c anyone can use one at any given time. Don't you have a few living in different books lying around the house? I used my ink pads to watercolor the image. There is some sparkle that didn't show up in the photo. For the first time I also sparkle painted some flowers on the background paper. It adds that extra something.
Anyway, I hope I can get to creating more this weekend. Perhaps I can sneak downstairs Sunday morning.
Have a wonderful weekend.

An Award - Moi??

Wow, I am so very happy to have received a blog award by Jacqueline. I'd like to keep it moving along since it made my day, why not make someone else's?
If you'd like to participate, please PIF by doing the following.

1. The winner can put the logo on their blog.

2. Link the person you received your award from (optional, I know some of you are working as design team members)

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Put links of those blogs on yours. (optional, I know some of you are working as design team members)

5. Leave a message on the blogs you have nominated.

My Absolute 7 favs (other than those already listed in Jacqueline's blog) are:

http://3peasinapoddesigns.blogspot.com/
http://live-love-laugh-create.blogspot.com/
http://laurenm.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/
http://cici510.blogspot.com/
http://pickledpaperdesigns.blogspot.com/
http://thevintagepearl.blogspot.com/
http://michellewooderson.blogspot.com/

Enjoy visiting these wonderfully talented ladies!!

PIF

Loreen owner of Wish on a Scrap is offering a PIF blog candy giveaway. Head on over. She's sure to give out something awesome.

Funky Rockabella

I'm back from vacation. It was our first time away as a family. It was a lot of fun and challenging. Funny/cute stuff that happened:
~kids walking out of the bathroom with the long line of TP following them
~funky dancing in the full length mirrors
~squeezing inside the bottom shelf of the end table
~Maria kissing all of the display teddy bears at Boyd's Bear (I think it's the headquarters so there were a lot of bears)
I'm sure there's more. We had a great time despite some of the frustrations of the kids wanting to walk not holding hands and touching things they are not supposed to, but hey, they're babies.
I also got to visit 2 local scrapbook stores. Those local stores always have awesome paper. It was so very exciting. For the 2nd shop, Mark made me take Maria. Wise tactic on his part. He knew she wouldn't tolerate being in the stroller long. So, I certainly made every noise, sang songs, danced and played peek-a-boo to lengthen my stay. It worked out well, 30 dollars later.
Anyway, I can finally post the card I made for my summer sister since she received it in the mail yesterday. I just love Rockabella. I thought the paper was appropriate, not my typical style, but way cool for her.

Have a great day!!

Another Alert - blog candy

Please visit Suzanne's blog for the chance to win some awesome blog candy. She won the Bella homepage contest for the month of July. It's a beautiful card, go check it out.

Blog Candy Alert

Head on over to Maria's blog for some awesome blog candy.

Mission Accomplished!!

WHEW! DH went over there this morning to claim the gals for me and no luck. Then he went out later and put a note in their mailbox with our home phone number and no luck. So I pushed the kids over about an hour ago and they were all sitting outside having a party (the bellanappers, not the Bellas themselves). I was so relieved to get them. Now I can't wait to play! :o)

OH THE HORROR...

I didn't have my cell phone on all day since I was working from home. I turned it on at around 8:45 pm just before taking a run to the food store. I had a message from a STRANGER. He said he had a UPS package delivered to his house with my name and address. His voice was breaking up, I couldn't hear the address clearly. I panicked and was thinking, what package could it be that he has of...GASP...BELLAS!!! This strange fella has my Bellas. AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! The address, what was his address...after listening 3 times, once on speaker phone with my dh listening intently, I think I have the address. OK, it's Friday night, it's not too late to appear in the front of a strange fellas house demanding to hand over da Bellas, right? RIGHT, on with the rescue. Well, I looked, and squinted, and veered my car all over the road. I couldn't see the numbers on any of the houses!! How timely to go blind!! OK, very long story short. I gave up the mission. I couldn't see the house numbers and I wasn't going to walk all over the neighborhood looking although I was very tempted. I will venture out tomorrow morn sometime and hopefully find my Bellas. Sniff, sniff, poor gals must be scared half to death.

OK, I'm NUTS, what can I say. Very tired too so that only adds to this drama.

See ya!

Bella Babe Winner

I had hoped to post earlier in the week, but life gets away from you sometimes. I actually won my very first contest. There was no loot that went with it, but a fabulous title, Bella Babe. When I told my DH I won the Bella Babe contest, he was happy for me, but had to laugh at the title and how excited I was since I blurted it out. Anyway, Kim awarded this to me. Please check out her blog. She's got a fresh perspective on design and leads you to a lot of great places for design ideas and techniques.
I realized after making this card using Rockabella and another I made recently for my summer sister (shh, it's a surprise), that I should have bought her when Stamping Bella was having her free shipping sale. She is soooo much fun. Oh well, I will have to wait for the next sale.
Speaking of Summer Sisters, mine is Dani. She was honored with being asked to join the 3 Little Dreams design team and Kim was asked to be guest designer! Head over to Dani's blog. She's got a great sense of humor and her creations are delightful. I am so lucky to have these girls as inspiration. OK, now I'm getting long winded here. Have a great weekend if I don't post sooner.

Bella scrapbook debut

Since I now have a real scrapbook space (I stole my husband's workbench in the basement), I've been trying to devote sometime to scrapbooking my pregnancy and ALLLLLLL of my kids pictures. I was almost done with the shower when I remembered I had an image swap of Teddybella. Wow, as I was coloring her, I realized how her belly looked just like mine. I was HUGE with 2 kiddos in there. If I went full term, I don't think I would have been able to move. I usually don't mix stamping with scrapping, not sure why, maybe it's the fear of getting ink on something that's not supposed to have it, but I really love her on this page. Anywho...hope you all had a Happy 4th! Have a great weekend.

Blog Candy Giveaway - Wish on a Scrap

Hi everyone!! Please visit Loreen'sblog for an awesome blog candy giveaway!! She's offering a WHOPPING $25 gift certificate to her new company Wish on a Scrap. I've recently learned about her company through another blogger and the contest kits look awesome and are so very reasonably priced especially since the price includes shipping costs!! Check it out soon.

Notice: Full Sheets of New Scrapbook Paper Were Not Harmed

I wanted to make my Bella Sistah a card. She loves to scrapbook, so why not make her a scrapbook card? I masked the balloons on Balloonabella so that she could hold the scrapbook sign. Also, I decided to keep with the scrapbook theme and used my scraps. Everything but the white card was from my scrap pile. I was so excited to dive in to find coordinating colors. Anyway, I hope she likes it. Funny thing is, I just read on her blog that she won a scrapbook contest, so how perfect is that??

Have a great evening. 

Eloise

I just placed my $75 order with Stamping Bella. She is offering free shipping for orders $45 or more. The last time she had this promo I passed it up. I think it was the guilt. BUT, since I was paid for hosting a class for my friend, I have a little stamping money to play with. :o) I think I ordered so much since Em said that the free shipping offer won't come around again for a while. There were just a few that really enticed me. Anyway...here's a card with Eloise. She's so adorable. I made this for a bling contest, but I took about 10 pics and can't get the sparkle in her skirt and wings to show up, oh well. Please feel free to leave a comment. I'm new to this blogging and posting, so any thoughts, good and bad, are always welcomed. Have a great day!

RAKed!! Woot!

I am so very excited. I got not one but TWO beautiful RAK cards. A BIG thanks to Pam Gaynor for the awesome Bikeabella card. I love this card. I commented on it when she posted it and I can't believe I got it! Thanks for the website tip about the cuttlebug folders too, Pam. I checked it out and have my eye on a bunch.

A BIG thanks to Dannette Ruger for the awesome Huggybella card. I love the color combo. Everything just pops!

Thanks so much to you both for making my day. I was so excited to get them and they will be placed on my craft wall.

Penguins in the Summer

I made this for my nephew's birthday. He turned 4 years old today and loves penguins. I was able to snap a pic of him looking on as his cousin helped him open the envelope. I'm so glad he liked it. I think the stamp (by Imaginice) is absolutely adorable. I can't wait to use him again real soon.

Father's Day and more...

Here are some Fella (Stamping Bella) Father's Day cards I made for friends and family. I'd like to say a special 'THANKS' to Debby Tillman who sent me a whole bunch of Fellas about 2 months ago. I was so excited to use them. THANKS Debby! 

The 'shirt' cards was an idea I found on 

Kim Doktor's

blog. Kim provided the link to the blog with directions to make the shirt. It looks complicated but was so easy.

This last pic was a card and altered item I made for my boss. He LOVES soccer. The card is a slider, and the bottom is a pediasure bottle filled with chocolates.

First post

Hello everyone!! I've been working on getting myself together to create a craft blog for a week or so now. Father's Day kept me busy since we hosted and there were many cards to be made. BUT, it gave me the chance to take pics of the cards for posting. 

I'd love to include a thank you in my very first post to my Bella Sistah Kim Doktor. She sent me an awesome package yesterday. Please see the pic for all of the goodies that include flowers, stamps, images, candies filled in those adorable bottles, a beautiful card and so on. THANKS KIM. I love this whole concept of having a Bella Sistah especially since I don't have a real sister.