SALE-A BRATE Tonight, C'mon!

We interrupt this blog to bring you this announcement!

SALE-A-BRATION
It's Stampin' Up! biggest promotion of the year. Spend $50 and get a free stamp set, or paper, or punch free! (before tax and shipping).

Hostesses ~ Receive a free Sale-A-Bration product for every $300 in workshop sales*, in addition to our regular hostess benefits. I would love to bring a workshop to your house!
*Note: This benefit only available on qualifying customer, demonstrator, and workshop orders. Online orders do not qualify.


Want to become part of my team? Recruits can choose any retail stamp set (valued up to $47.95) from the current catalogs when signing up during the promotion. Plus, get 15 percent off your Starter Kit (Standard or Digital+)!

Check out my website today! http://crazyboutstamps.stampinup.net

Now back to our regularly schedule programing......

Hello!
Did you like my commerical? Why yes I am in rare form tonight. I have homework to do, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Not feeling it. I know, I know, who does, right? I know I will get my second wind around 10p and go until 3 or 4 in the morning. Funny how I work. I have always been that way. The whole kicker here is I really don't have too much to do!



My cousin Jennifer just went through the same program I am going through at Specs Howard. She's went 1 year straight. I am not sure I am disciplined enough to do that. I have yet to get my Adobe software yet (I guess you have to order it first before it comes, LOL!) She has loaned me her laptop.......... that is loaded with the software I need to get my graphics homework done. She is the bestest cousin I have!!! I am going to try and get myself ahead 3 or 4 projects tomorrow using her Mac computer. I would LOVE to purchase a MAC but that is not in my funds in the near future!

I spent today working on projects that I have put off way to long! I am helping host another scrapbook weekend shortly. So today I worked on goody bags and miscellaneous stuff that needs to get done. Once again, trying to get a head of the game. I need to cut card stock, and prep the items needed for my make n take. I will......maybe tomorrow......

Have you been reading my friend Patty's blog? She has posted some really interesting stories and pictures. As much as I didn't want her to go, I think this is a good thing for her. If you get a chance, please check out her blog: http://www.patguat.blogspot.com/.

I am going to leave you with this parting picture:

Awesome watch dogs don you think?

Until tomorrow........................

HOLA!

Hola or Hello!

Today was a busy day. Had to make up for all that I didn't do yesterday. I got it all done....the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and dining room cleaned. My books ready for my class tomorrow night, dinner ready for the crock pot and an ABC book for the admissions director done. I am tired. Oh, and my laundry....done! I feel accomplished, but I am also tired! We also went to my parents for our weekly dinner.

My husband and I made dinner last night. We had burgers on the George Foreman grill and seasoned fries. We have had this before. Nothing new. However, for whatever reason, my husband had a reaction to the fries. His eyes swelled shut, he had red blotches and his nose was continually running. He looked like he was in a street fight and lost!! I gave him Benadryl and that seemed to help last night. This morning when we woke for church, he still looked bad. I gave him more Benadryl. He stayed home and went back to bed, and I church. He pretty much had swollen eyes the whole day. I guess I won't be making those fries anymore!

My friend Patty has gone to Guatemala for 8 weeks. She is doing "mission" work. She has gone to Guatemala through Safe Passage (www.safepassage.com). She will be teaching children who in the easiest terms, live in Guatemala City's landfill. Sad, very sad. You can read about her travels here www.patguat.blogspot.com. I have been posting notes back to her...in SPANISH. Now, I only know the few words that everyone knows Hello, How are you, Goodbye.....I will one day learn to speak Spanish! So until then, I have been cheating and using the Google translator to send her messages. Funny!! OK I thought it was!!! If you get a chance and read her blog, can you leave her a comment. She is kind of homesick and I think a kind word here and there will help her adjust! She comes home on February 26.

I have done a little stamping. I will post pictures soon.....I start school tomorrow night so I am not sure on how my time will be. I promise to post on Thursday when I don't have class.

Until then.................

Baby it's cold outside!

Hello!

Well I started off posting everyday....then once again got sidetracked. I am working on it. It's one of my New Year's Resolutions.....get better at posting!

Today was a "funny" kind of day. It started out with really great intentions and then went down hill from there!

My husband I and decided we were going to "sleep in" today. Sleeping in for us lately has been 8:00am. Well, our furry friends decided at 7:30a that they needed to go "potty" and woke me up. So much for sleeping in. So I made a plan of action for the day. It was going to be a cold day and I decided I was going to hang out here and get needed stuff done around the house.

I had big plans to get my house cleaned, laundry done and some sample made for upcoming events. I started with the laundry, you know the yucky part of sorting? My husband and I each do our own laundry. When we were first married he shrunk a lot of my sweaters (I had the Madonna belly shirts going on, and with my belly, not a pretty picture) so we made a pack that we would each do our own. I started off well. Got the clothes sorted, and the first load in the washer. I had decided that I while I was washing I would hang out in my stamping area and get a couple of the samples I need done, you know get a head of the game. That is a new way of thinking for me!

Anyhow, got all the stampin supplies cut and laid out, when my husband called and said he made us "brunch". I came upstairs and he had a really yummy breakfast waiting for me eggs, hash browns, ham, toast, juice. It smelled good and it was a great surprise. We had a great meal together. I decided to sit on the couch (at 11:30a) for a "few" minutes. A "Law and Order" rerun was on that I had not seen....next thing you know, I look at the clock and it's 3:30p. 4 hours!! I slept for 4 hours!!!! My day shot....down the tubes....nothing done...nada......so I decided what the heck, kicked back for more laying on the couch and watching TV. My husband decided he was going to relax too and read a book. It was one of those kind of days that we have not allowed ourselves to have in such a very long time! It was great!! We even (and if he finds out I told anyone he'll have a fit) watched The Princess Diaries together! So everything I had planned today I just deferred until tomorrow.

Our weather in Michigan has been odd this winter season. We got our first "big" snowfall on Thursday evening. We got 6 inches of snow. We usually get a snowfall by Christmas but this year it didn't happen. I am not complaining. Snow is fun for the first couple of snowfalls, but then it get OLD! Anyhow after the snow, we are having a cold blast. Lows in the single digits. Not one of my favorite things........Our pets like to cuddle together except Tillie. Tillie likes to be on her own, but she is getting older and moving slower (who isn't). We moved the the furniture around after Christmas and our floor heat vent is more "available" now to the pets. Tillie has taken a liking to laying in front of it. I brought up a pillow from the basement, and as you can see she loves it!

none of the other cats even attempt to lay on it. The dogs leave it alone too. We find it quite funny!

OK I am back to the couch and to my book. I am going to finish off the day with me on the couch with my husband, the remote and a nice warm blanket. Maybe it's a cuddle alert!

Until tomorrow...........................

I'll be there for YOU!

...............It's like your always stuck in second gear,

When it hasn't been your day, your week your month or even your year

I'll be there for you.....................The Rembrandt's www.soundtrackslyrics.com/def/Friends.html#01

My life is blessed with friends. My husband, my mom and dad, my sisters, my work friends, my out of work friends, my previous work friends, my pets, my BFF's, my stampin friends, my scrappin friends, my facebook friends, my Girl Scout friends, friends of friends. I am blessed!


I was thinking today how wonderful it feels to have so many friends. When I returned to work today I felt good seeing my work friends or my work "BFFs". It makes going to work not so bad. My friend Karen celebrated her birthday while we were off, Sabrina got a lap top for Christmas so we can "facebook" each other at home, Robb got his much "needed" toaster and my friend Jamie celebrated her holiday with her husband and son. Jamie's husband has enlisted into the Navy. I can't even think on how hard it would be to not have Larry around for 4 months at a time.

Jamie is an outstanding photographer. We have used her services(the last 2 years) in the annual holiday pictures of my nieces and nephews. She also took pictures of my family this summer. That was my birthday present from Larry. It was so much fun! I hope we get to do that again next year~hint hint!~



She has such a great outlook on life, always fun to be around, and always has a smile. I enjoy talking to her and have many many laughs. If you are looking for a photographer, check out her website. A M A Z I N G! http://www.jamicarlson.com/




Here are a few she took for my birthday:


She has such FABULOUS pictures on here website that you should take a gander!


Friends seem to make bad days good, good days better and better days fabulous!! I am blessed beyond words........just a little ramblings today!! And if you are counting this would make 3 days in a row of blogging!


Until later.....................

Two days in a row.......

.....that I blogged. See, I told you I would try harder :0)


Today was spent "un-Christmasing" our house. The Christmas tree was taken down, the stockings put away for another year and the Christmas cookies "finished up" (meaning my husband polished them off!). Yup, we are officially "un-Christmased". I just hate this time. The holiday let down. UGH!!


Anyhow, I did get some card making done yesterday and today. I made my new niece, Adrianna's baptismal invitations. I really liked the way they came out. Simple, but I added some glitter for that "TA-DA" and that is what it did, gave it that "TA-DA". I hope my sister liked them.


We also rearranged the furniture in our living room. Our house isn't all that big but moving the furniture around gives the illusion that it is. The dogs and cats are a little out of sorts. They seem a little confused. The way the furniture is, the cats are now fighting over who gets to lay in front of the heat duct.


I also received a call today from my friend Patty. Patty and I met at the Montessori school I work at. She was one of the team teachers in Upper Elementary when I started. Patty and I became fast friends and have been friends for 9 years now. I only got to work with her one year because she had an opportunity become available in Traverse City so she moved there and has been teaching there ever since.


Last year she started taking about doing some overseas work. First she was talking Afghanistan and I "expressed" to her that she shouldn't go. She listened, but said she was going to go and do this work. She has had strong feelings for this. She found a place that could use her help and is going overdseas tomorrow. She is using the group http://www.safepassage.com/ to do her work.

She leaves tomorrow bright and early on a plane to Guatemala City for 2 months. How, I will miss our phone calls and our finding answers to all the worlds problems. I was a little "verclumped" this afternoon. She promised to email me and update her blog. Here is the link to her blog http://www.patguat.blogspot.com/ in case you may want to follow along. If you would, please send good thoughts and prayers her way.


I also made a pot of split pea soup. Not my favorite, but my husband loves it. I do have to say my house smells good! I am going to share some of the soup with my parents. Funny, how all of the sudden I have the urge to cook. Gosh, what does that mean????

I thought I would share one picture with you this evening......maybe, just maybe there will be a few more tomorrow!

This was from the Christmas Cookie Exchange.

Until next time...................

HELLLOOOOOOO 2010!!!

Happy New Year Everyone.....a day late, but none the less, Happy New Year!!

Let's get caught up, shall we? I finished this quarter with 2 "A's" and 1 "B", with a spot on the deans list. Not too shabby, huh?? One more week and the grind begins all over again. This time a marketing class, composition two and a graphics's class. Little excited to start the graphics's class, using Adobe Illustrator. I will have the same instructor as I had last quarter, so I have good idea of what this instructor will want and need so it should make it a little easier on me in completing the assignments.

Christmas was wonderful. I got a lot of nice things. However, I didn't get my Wii. Maybe for my wedding anniversary in February. OK a girl can dream a little, can't she? :0)

My husband and I went to the movies. We usually go a couple times a year. We did make a resolution of a date night once a month. Hopefully we will follow through with that! Anyhow, we saw "Blind Side" http://www.theblindsidemovie.com/ and thought it was a great movie. I use the cry factor as my movie "great" gage and I cried 2x's. We also saw "It's Complicated" http://itscomplicatedmovie.com/ we really enjoyed that movie too. The whole movie theatre was laughing out loud. I just love Steve Martin and have for years! We are hoping to see "Avatar" http://www.avatarmovie.com/ we are just waiting for line to go down.

New Years Eve was celebrated at my sister's house. As always it is a blast!! Being with my entire family sure makes a great start to the new year. We play games, eat dinner together and just hang out with each other. We also do a "Pollyanna" gift exchange and it gets funnier and funnier as the years go on. I love cleaning my closest cause you never know what you may find for the gift exchange. To my family reading this, you are in for a BIG surprise next year. Larry cleaned out his work gifts from MichCon! That's all I am going to say!

We were also blessed to have my Aunt Margaret there. If you remember last year at this time she was sick and we found out she had cancer. After a year if chemo and surgery, she is considered "cure". She will have to see her doctors every month for a while, but at this point, she is doing much much better. Thanks you for all your kind words and prayers. It meant a lot to me and my family.

I have been working on the St. Vincent dePaul fundraiser scrapbook weekend. It is set for the weekend of April 23, 2010. Here is the registration form....its last years, as the new one hasn't been posted/updated on the website yet, but it still can be used. The cost is still the same as last year. We would love to have you come and scrap with us!!! http://www.svdpdet.org/assets/CampScrapALot2009Flyer.pdf

Well I must be off. My husbands car didn't want to co-operate today, so I need to get ready to go and pick him up from work. In Michigan, it's a bit chilly here (-10 with the windchill) so too cold to walk.......have a wonderful day, until next time!!

OHHHH one more thing!! Happy Birthday to my friend Karen Y. Here's to many many more!

Robb....

.....wanted me to mention him, so I did!

Long, long, time ago, in a way off land...........

……….There was a maiden who had so many things to do……blogging, cleaning, helping, work and family. At times she didn’t know where to start!

Funny how life gets the best of your good intentions? Let’s see, the last time I posted I had returned back from my Florida vacation and was just hanging out with my family during the summer. Hmmmmmm……….from that point, I have had my hours decreased by 15 a week at my job, I am back in college second year, taking 3 classes, and at times over whelmed with it all! I have taught some Stampin’ Up! workshops and have even done a home demonstration. I became a new aunt for the 9th time and have successfully co-chaired another fundraiser scrapbook weekend for St. Vincent dePaul. Yes, this maiden is busy. I have to say, I love it when I am busy. This way I am not worrying about tomorrow. I am living in the moment.
Let’s start with a workshop or two.....

The St. Vincent dePaul Scrapbook weekend (for those interested in attending the Spring Weekeknd, you can find information here: http://www.svdpdet.org/ozanam.html)

………………The Make – N – Take at the crop. We made a paper bag album.

Here are a few of the pages:

Sweet Treats Workshop

Halloween Happenings

My sister and nieces……..aren’t they the cutest!

I am in my 2nd year of Graphic design and loving what I am learning. I wish there was a way for me to earn a living as a rubber stamper! I should be done and graduated by December of 2010. That is, of course, if I take classes during the summer. We will have to see on that one!

The maiden had to so much more to do, that this maiden says have a wonderful day and will chat with you soon! Pending that there aren’t any Dragon attacks!

Happy Summer!

Hello, Hello Hello!!!!

I know, I know......SORRY! So much to tell! My husband and I went on vacation as soon as I was out for the summer. It was a great trip. It was wondeful getting away and "reconnecting". Sometimes we get into the habit of being 2 ships that pass in the night. We had a great drive down, visit with my cousin and her friend

Sammy. We went to Clearwater Beach for 2 days and on our way home we stopped in Atlanta to see a friend from High School. Now Ron and I haven't seen each other in over 25 years! We reconnected on facebook. It was a great visit. He and his partner Harry took us to a great place for dinner. It was so wondeful catching up!

I have done a lot of nothing this summer. Hanging out with family, reading and just being plain lazy! I have been "farming" a lot on Facebook's Farmtown. It is actually kind of fun and makes me laugh when I have crops to harvest and no one is around. I get all nervous, like the virtual food is going to spoil! I can hear you chuckling!!!

I have lived pretty much in the sunshine either out in my yard putzing around or at my sister's in her pool.

I have done a little stamping here and there......100 Thank You's for a Wedding gift and 100 Baby Shower invites for my hubands nephew. I will post pictures soon.

I have gotten the new Stampin' Up! Catalog and habve ordered some new fun stuff from it. I am hoping to play with my new stuff this week. As soon as I get the samples done I will post them.

I hope everything is well in your world!

Happy Mother's Day! and more.......

Hello! Hello! Hello!!!!


Were you worried about me??? I know, absent once again!! Sorry!!!! I have been busy with my school work this quarter, that jeez!!! I took one final on Thursday. That class has ended, Just have my Math class left on Saturdays, yes I did say Saturdays!!!! That ends on June 13 ~ and it is my last math requirement. WHOOT WHOOT!! Math I must say is no my cup of tea!


Let's see, what has happened in the past 2 months, hmmmmm..........


I co-chaired a Scrapbook Weekend Fundraiser for St. Vincent DePaul. It was a warm and wonderful weekend. It was a really fun weekend and I got a lot done. It always feels good when that happens.

I made 160 wedding invites for a wedding gift. Crystal was a "former" scout in my troop. My friend Laura and I made the invites as our wedding present. It was a fun thing to do! The wedding was this past friday.


Here is a picture of the invite:











And the Happy Couple,
Crystal and Dave












I also, with my sister Francy and ther bride Sara, made 130 shower invites for Sara's shower. I like the color combination and of couse I love the new edge punch. Francy is working on the envelopes so they can be in the mail by tomorrow.......






I am currently working on thank you cards for a teacher at work, she is getting married in June. This year, my husband and I have received 4 wedding invites. The most we have received in the last 3 years!

Well, it is time for me to leave for church. One last thought for you:

Happy Mother's Day everyone!


Blessed are mothers
Models of care, like no others.
With mothers' love in mindMay we grow to shine.
Bright beacons of care
For family, friends, neighbors-
Our world family everywhere!

-Susan Kramer