Thursday, April 28, 2011

It's Stinkin' Cute Craft Thursday - 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY -Giveaway!!!!!

We have made it 1 year doing this linky party thing... That is really an incredible achievement I would say. I mean really it is HUGE. I committed to doing it and I stuck with it. I can't say I am always on time... I mean I do tend to be "tardy to the party" hehehe. But overall it is up first thing Thursday and awaiting all of my lovely linkers to join in.

Thank you! Really THANK YOU! So because of this I want to give away something. Because I am not good with the post office I figured I would give away $20.00 in printables from your choice on ETSY only to one lucky linker. As long as with tax it is $20.00 or under I will purchase and pay for it to be e-mailed to you. It could be an apron pattern, an invitation, or any other printable you can find. I want this to be something YOU want... not that I like. We all have different styles and I figured this is the best way to do that.

Ways to enter:
1) Each person that joins the linky party will automatically get (1) entry - multiple link ups although welcomed will still be only worth 1 entry.
2) Don't have anything to link this week... that's ok... just go to the right hand side and like my BRAND NEW ISSCT Facebook Page - Give me some time to get used to it... I am not quite there yet with the cool kids but I am trying to hang in there. (2 entries for joining my facebook page)
3) Again... don't have an entry you can also follow my blog to get an entry, if you already follow that counts as well (1 entry)

For each entry leave a separate comment and leave 2 comments for liking the facebook page so that I can use the RNG easily to select the winner.

Now on to two features for this week...

Lindsay over at Diary of a Crafty Lady has shown us how to make the most adorable Holiday Thumb Print Art. I love it! I will have to do this with Laci!


Over at Little Rays of Sunshine Kim (please correct me if I didn't get this right) decided to show us the most uh-mazing tutorial on how to do a NO SEW Shopping Cart Cover... um, did I mention that she did a tutorial too? Yeah, she did... it is so totally awesome I will have to make one for Holden when he gets big enough.


Again, I can't thank everyone that links up enough. This is truly one of the highlights of my week to see that you all link up. For my two features this week please go grab a featured button. I can't wait to see the entries for this week...

Now remember you do not have to link to be able to win the giveaway!

Let's get to linkin'!!
Rules: 1. Please link craft projects that you have done (not advertising an Etsy site or giveaways unless they are something you have made that you are giving something away)!
2. Linky Tools will remain open until next Wednesday evening so there's plenty of time to link your projects!




TTFN~


Rules for linking:
(1) Link to specific blog post, not blog home page!
(2) Link craft projects that you have done!
(3) Make sure to visit a few of the links and leave some comment love!
(4) Linky Tools will remain open through Wednesday, May 4th so you have plenty of time to add your projects!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

OCD

Anyone who knows me at all can tell you I am OCD and completely anal retentive. Tell me is this too much. So this morning as I lay there before getting up I was thinking to myself how nice it would have been to have a birthday binder to stay organized. Don't get me wrong, I have my lists and stuff everywhere, but by everywhere I mean... one to do list is on my iPad, one list is on a piece of paper in my bag, and one list is at home in a bag. It would be really nice to have a birthday binder with sections for each area... like this:

Section 1: Birthday Topic & Random Ideas/Inspiration
Section 2: Cake/Cupcakes (Ideas or Vendor)
Section 3: Food Ideas & Shopping Lists
Section 4: Character Costume / Name & Number of person wearing said costume
Section 5: Bounce House
Section 6: Face Painter
Section 7: Wall/Garage/Mantle Decoration Ideas
Section 8: Balloons
Section 9: Outfit for Laci / Shirts for Jake and I
Section 10: Gift Bags
Section 11: Miscellaneous

I mean I already know that I am strange, think about things entirely too much, but work with me here... does this not sound like a decent idea? I mean my cards and brochures from vendors are just in bags and random places, then the next year I don't have to go searching for a piece of paper, I could just go to my 4th Birthday Binder and start planning my 5th and so on and so forth? I really just might do this for Laci's 5th Birthday, in fact I may go ahead and put stuff in said Birthday Binder and put the binder on a shelf in my craft room so that next year I can use my binder to contact the same vendors (provided they did a good job).

Am I crazy, OCD, or just organized?

TTFN~

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Hoppy Easter... :o)

Hope everyone is having a great Easter! What have you done to celebrate this wonderful holiday? Here is a glimpse at what we have done this past week...

Easter Eggs we made:
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Carrot shaped cookies I made for Laci's class:
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Community Easter Egg Hunt - Laci with the Bunny:
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Community Easter Egg Hunt - Self Portrait of Jake and I (not too shabby):
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Laci's loot from what the Easter Bunny left at our house... um, he did too much, really WAY too much!
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Laci's Easter Basket:
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Laci looking hugging her bunny from her Easter Basket:
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Laci and her new Bunny:
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Hope you have all had a wonderful weekend with your friends and family! This week is party week... 6 days and 1 hour till this house has an insane amount of people here having fun. Can't wait! Have a great week!

TTFN~

Friday, April 22, 2011

Highs and Lows


My new blogging buddy Jen over at Life, Crafts, and Whatever is doing a new type of Linky Party... Not the crafty kind, but it is called Highs and Lows. It is truly a perfect thing for me to post about on the weekend when I don't feel like adding pictures. I will have to watch the movie that she is referring to in her post... Either way the linky party is pretty cool... List out my Highs and Lows for the weeks, sounds easy enough, here goes...

Highs
1) Getting complements on the cookies I made for Laci's Easter party (will post another day).
2) Sleeping 10 hours. Talk about rejuvenation!
3) Laci trying out for the competitive cheer squad and doing great!
4) Laci doing her first back walkover at home on the carpet... twice! It was great!
5) Making a great friend and them saying they will come out to Laci's party, bring their kiddos and meet me! Talk about excited!

Lows
1) Seeing a weather forecast and thinking it was going to rain the day of my daughter's birthday party.
2) In the middle of making cute said cookies from above wondering why I thought it was such a good idea, but unable to turn back.
3) Oh, how can I forget... bad infection. That's ALL I'm gonna say about that.

Overall it was a great week! So how about it! Go join Jen in her new style linky party! I like it. Reminds me what I did this week and made me think that it really was a great week! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!




TTFN~

Thursday, April 21, 2011

It's Stinkin' Cute Craft Thursday - 51

It is no secret that I am a holiday junkie. It makes me happy to see all of the awesome holiday stuff.... so this week is more Easter features with one addition that made me ROFL because it was AWESOME! I loved it!

First off, if you are hosting a holiday party and need some inexpensive decoration check out Ashley at Cute as a Fox. She shows you how she put together her rice krispie treat topiary... isn't this thing just super stinkin cute! Bonus, not only does she show you how to make it edible, but a little bunny told me that she also has a tutorial on how she made a basket out of the treats too... :o)


Second, Simply Designing had me in stitches when I was waiting for my nephew to be born. I was flipping through her blog on my iPad and loved how her obsession LOVE for peeps showed in her PEEP week. Here was Day 5 the Peep-Pops, but feel free to flip through the whole week. If you like peeps at all you will LOVE some of the stuff she did and want to do it too. Those S'more peeps looked G Double O D GOOD!


Misty from Creative Itch, just gotta love you... We both seem to be into this cookie making thing right now. In fact I stayed up until 11:30 working on my carrot shaped cookies, so I know how labor intensive they are. They are so a labor of love! Here she took the easter egg cookie cutter and made cute little Chick Cookies for her daughters bake sale. Misty they looked great and I am sure everyone there was like AWWW those are AWESOME... cuz they totally are!


Last but totally not least... Meet Cheeto! La-Dee-Da Creations has linked up her very first vinyl project. Her bright orange kitchen aid mixer got some love and I heart it! She got some black vinyl, transfer tape and cut out the name she gave her mixer. It sits on her counter and looks fabulous! I LOVE CHEETO, it makes me smile!


Thank you to all my participants... To my four features make sure you have a featured button... Now, if you have read all the way here, I would like to thank each and every one of you who have participated. It is a joy for me to see what everyone has done each week and I am privilaged that you link up to me. Next week will be one year of me doing a linky party. I think something special should be in order... a drawing or giveaway... if you link something up this week you will be entered. One entry per person. I say this because I don't want everyone to re-link things that they have linked in the past. So, ideas anyone? What would you like to get? Leave comments in the notes section!

Let's get to linkin'!!
Rules: 1. Please link craft projects that you have done (not advertising an Etsy site or giveaways unless they are something you have made that you are giving something away)!
2. Linky Tools will remain open until next Wednesday evening so there's plenty of time to link your projects!




TTFN~


Rules for linking:
(1) Link to specific blog post, not blog home page!
(2) Link craft projects that you have done!
(3) Make sure to visit a few of the links and leave some comment love!
(4) Linky Tools will remain open through Wednesday, April 27th so you have plenty of time to add your projects!

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

10 Days and Counting

Talking about being real yesterday was nothing compared to this...

I have 10 days before Laci's party and am starting to freak out. Why? Because I have been so busy with baby showers, Holden being born, and not spending enough time on the details. I have a GROWING list of things to do and am praying that the white tarp I ordered from online gets here soon. If it doesn't get here I will survive, but it would be a really cute addition to the bounce house. Here is my ever growing to do list...

1) Confirm cake delivery on Friday, April 29
2) Make Shirts for Jake and I
3) Oh wait... I have to buy the shirts first
4) Punch out the party hats
5) Finish up the gift bags
6) Digitally Create the fire place sign, print, laminate, and install
7) Food Labels
8) Decorate Tarp when it comes in
9) Sew Velcro on the tarp
10) Take balloons to party city
11) Cut out photo cards for guests (card to take with them telling them thank you and the link to view the pictures
12) Pick up the 20x24 frame
13) Make a list of needed food
14) Buy said food
15) Make cookies
16) Make dipped pretzels
17) Make Rice Krispy Treats
18) Pick up popcorn from popcorn papa
19) Make Green Egg Oreos
20) Buy Laci's gift from Jake and I
21) Pull out cash for three of the vendors (no mugging me on Friday or Saturday)

This is just what I already have on my list. I am kind of freaking out that it is only 10 days away. I sure could use a hand...

To top it off I am going to the doctor today because I am pretty sure I have an infection of the not so fantastic kind. I want to head it off at the pass because it is major uncomfy.

TTFN~

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

What would you take?

It's no secret... I live in Texas. I don't know how many of you are aware, but there are some pretty massive forest fires going on west of where I live... way west, but still. It got my husband Jake and I thinking, what would we take if we were told we had to leave the house and had x amount of time.

We listed it out if we only had 10 minutes:
1) Laci would be our first priority
2) Our dog Kami
3) Computers and external hard drive
4) Wedding album and Laci's baby pictures
5) Sewing Machine and Embroidery Arm (dude this thing costs an arm and a leg... if I had the chance I would take it).

If we had an hour:
We would move on to clothing and other valuables. But to be honest, there isn't much that we couldn't replace. Yes there is emotional and sentimental value, but if we got those things, that would defiantly help ease the blow.

Anyways, the reason I say this was not just because of the wild fires going on right now, but because after talking about this I had a nightmare last night. So I had a dream that my mom and sister had about 10 minutes to get our stuff out of this burning building. It was what I would picture a NY apartment building to look like. Weird I know. So I go into the apartment and luckily go to this room to make sure a guy and baby were out and he was sleeping. It took a couple minutes to wake him up, but once he was up he got out with the baby and some of their clothes.

Then I go to my room. I seriously took as much craft stuff as I could stuff in my bags and hands. I didn't get clothing not one piece of it. I kept hearing in the back ground my sister yelling lets go, as I was grabbing beads and string and ribbon. I finally get out to the car and realize I didn't grab any clothes. I told them I had to go back in and fill up a laundry basket and as I was going back in I woke up.

I know I was having weird dreams because I had a MASSIVE headache last night. I woke up at midnight and could barley stumble to the bathroom to check the cabinet for Aleave or Tylenol. No such luck... crashed back in bed because I didn't feel safe going down the stairs (really that is how bad my head was pounding). Woke back up at 4:45 and felt safe enough to make it down stairs. Got Aleave and went back to bed. Woke up at 6:30 with a tiny tiny headache and got up. Headache is gone now, but man that was brutal.

So what would you take if you had 10 minutes or one hour? Keep in mind some of the people in west Texas were told to leave immediately, so what would you take even if you only had 60 seconds to get out the door? Make you cringe a little? This obviously impacted how I felt. Luckily I don't live in an area this is likely to happen anytime soon, but still it makes you think...

I'll try not to be so "REAL" tomorrow... this was a little too much for me.

TTFN~

Friday, April 15, 2011

Easter Banner

First off, I have to tell you how excited I was to get picked for the Design Team over at My Computer is My Canvas! Colette was looking for people to help bring her designs to life and I was chosen. I didn't say anything before because I didn't want to get my hopes up, but I have even already completed my first assignment. I think of it as if I am in school, I have deadlines, but they are with crafts. You can't tell me that none of ya'll like crafts. hehehe so it is FUN homework!

Anyways, Colette is an Uh-mazing digital artist and I L-O-V-E her work. She even has some FREE that's right I said free printables on her site that are cute as punch! To get there press the button below.


My first assignment was to bring the Happy Easter or Welcome Spring Banner to life. I love holidays, so I picked the Easter one. Here is the preview of the file...


Here is what I came up with... what do you think?
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Do you like this and want to get the printable to make? Well Colette has these little pretty things in a bundle pack on her ETSY shop for ONLY $5.00. Sweet deal... go check it out!

TTFN~

Thursday, April 14, 2011

It's Stinkin' Cute Craft Thursday #50

What a week... really... I mean like I am exhausted and thinking about the fact that Laci's party is in 2.5 weeks is REALLY FREAKING ME OUT! I haven't don't 1/2 of what I want to do done. I know it will all come together, but I am just needing to re-charge my batteries.

It was so hard to pick this week. I have three quick easter ones and then one dress that I am DYING to learn how to make a dress that is twirly like this...

I love this idea for easter party favors from Crissy's Crafts. What a unique idea to use the plastic wine glass. Tucking that idea away for sure!


My lovely Ashley from Cute as a Fox wows me as always with her ideas. This time she made rice krispie treat chicks... Uhm, super stinkin' cute!!!


Brandy over at The Moody Fashonista linked up an idea someone told me about a while ago, Easter Carrots for Your Little Bunny. I love the simpleness of it!


Last but not least is Dominique from Craft Couture. She linked up a beautiful dress that she made for her daughter. I L-O-V-E it!!!


Thank you to all of my features and to everyone who participated in the linky party. I love seeing what you all come up with and can't wait to see more. Features, go grab a featured button! Hope you all have a great day!

Let's get to linkin'!!
Rules: 1. Please link craft projects that you have done (not advertising an Etsy site or giveaways unless they are something you have made that you are giving something away)!
2. Linky Tools will remain open until next Wednesday evening so there's plenty of time to link your projects!




TTFN~


Rules for linking:
(1) Link to specific blog post, not blog home page!
(2) Link craft projects that you have done!
(3) Make sure to visit a few of the links and leave some comment love!
(4) Linky Tools will remain open through Wednesday, April 20th so you have plenty of time to add your projects!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Bluebonnet Pictures

This past Tuesday my mom and I took Laci out to the Bluebonnet field that is right next to the blast ball field. I can't tell you how beautiful this is in person. When Laci gets bigger it will be easier to take the long range pictures that really show of the beauty of Texas Bluebonnet fields.

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This has been a very busy and eventful week and I hope that everyone enjoys their weekend and gets to spend time with their loved ones! Today's agenda includes donuts (done), baths (done), blast ball, hair cut for Jake, nap for Laci, seeing the movie Hop with Laci's best friend, and then going over to my sisters house for dinner (luckily she lives 8 blocks from me).

Again, I hope you have a great weekend!!!

TTFN~

Friday, April 8, 2011

Laci's New Cousin - Baby Holden

More to come later, but I had to share how excited Laci was when she met her new cousin, Baby Holden. She is so excited about him being here!

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TTFN~

Thursday, April 7, 2011

It's Stinkin' Cute Craft Thursday #49

Ok, so my sister is having her baby today... eek! I am so excited to be Aunt Julie to Baby Holden. Maybe on Friday I will post a picture of the now FINISHED... cookies I made for the hospital... Did they turn out as good as the picture? Eh, not quite, but it is the thought that counts and they still will taste good I am sure!

Ok, so I was going to try and pick one favorite because I really need to go to bed, but I couldn't...

So pulling at my party heart strings April over at KoolBeenz did an adorable blanket with Dr. Seuss fabric... I so need to do this! It would be perfect for a throw blanket at the party!


Misty from Creative Itch did some adorable bunny bows... aren't these little bunnys just super stinkin cute!


Last but certianly NOT least is one of the best things ever... YOU'VE BEEN EGGED by Rachel at Sun Scholars... This is just awesome!


Sorry to have kept it so short this week, but I have so much to do and so little time... I felt like I was in the movie Willy Wonka when I said that... hehehe

Anyways, Thank you to my features, grab a pretty button and to all the folks that submitted something thank you so much. I can't wait to see what you all come up with next! Have a great day!

Let's get to linkin'!!
Rules: 1. Please link craft projects that you have done (not advertising an Etsy site or giveaways unless they are something you have made that you are giving something away)!
2. Linky Tools will remain open until next Wednesday evening so there's plenty of time to link your projects!



TTFN~


Rules for linking:
(1) Link to specific blog post, not blog home page!
(2) Link craft projects that you have done!
(3) Make sure to visit a few of the links and leave some comment love!
(4) Linky Tools will remain open through Wednesday, April 13th so you have plenty of time to add your projects!