A Fun List

I don't normally do these, but I've seen this around the past few days and thought it might be fun! Here's a chance to get to know me a little better. If you play along, please put a link in my comments section so I can get to know you better, too!

The colored items, I've accomplished.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/Disney World
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House - didn't get to go in though
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox twice
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Sweet and Simple

Sweet and simple. That's the rally cry for these next cards. I was inspired by Kathi's card which was inspired by these cards by Jennifer McGuire. I loved them so much I went out and bought the Amore heart punch by Fiskers, just so I could create my own. And I LOVE my Swiss Dots embossing folder. It is so versatile and adds just enough depth to any card. I can't believe I just got it!!! The hearts are on pop dots for some added dimension. Quick and easy Valentine's Day cards!

Products Used: 1st card: Cranberry & White Daisy CS (CTMH); Amore Heart Punch (Fiskers); Scallop Scissors; Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (Provo Craft). 2nd Card: Urban Rhapsody Die Cut Mat Pad (K&Co), Amore Heart Punch (Fiskers).

Bananas

Zach's favorite food these days is bananas! He sometimes eats 3 a day! Usually it's just one or two, but sometimes he cons us into thinking he hasn't had one lately!!! Here are some cute pictures that I captured of him enjoying his favorite food the other day! I'm pretty sure he's going to turn into a monkey pretty soon! And I LOVE the faces he makes on command these days! He's so much fun to be around!!!
He got so impatient waiting for me to bring the peel down to eat the rest of the banana, he decided to try the peel. Good news is that he didn't actually bite it off! Crazy little guy!!!

Birthday Cards

I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted. I've been busy creating and have some new artwork to share with you!!! The first card is for my Goddaughter's 1st birthday later this month! It has some fun dimension and lots of bling!! I used the Jen's SFYTT from last week for the inspiration for this card!

The second card is a birthday card for Lesa's Card for a Cause - Week 2. This week Lesa has chosen a local children's shelter. For those of you that tucked your kids in a warm bed tonight, fed them a good meal today and helped them with homework over the weekend, take a minute to think of the kids who have none of those benefits of a home. Think of those who have never had a gift or a party to celebrate their birthday. That's the cause for this week - birthday cards! What a great cause!!! I can't think of a little girl that doesn't like butterflies! (And it was so much fun to make a girly card again!!!) See Lesa's blog to send one of your own creations and make some little kid's birthday!!!

I used Crystal Stickles on the main image and for the dots on either side of Happy Birthday! The sketch is a Dec 07 Page Maps sketch.

Credits (All products CTMH unless otherwise indicated) PAPERS: Precious Paisley PP, Discovery PP; CS: White Daisy, Sweet Leaf, Hollyhock, Buttercup; STAMPS: The Best Way, Blissful Flight, Spring Possibilities, From Me to You; ACCESSORIES: Clear Sparkles, Amore Punch by Fiskers, Crystal Stickles by Ranger, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder for Cuttlebug by Provo Craft.

Cards for a Cause

**I posted two separate posts today. Make sure you scroll down to see both!!!

One of my favorite things about crafting blogs is BLOG CANDY!!! I love getting inspiration from so many people and so many different points of view. When I was browsing last night, I came across two great blogs with some AWESOME candy. And the best news is that in order to win, you have to make a card for a great cause.

First is Jen's blog I{heart}2stamp. She is giving away over $450 worth of goodies and has an awesome new blog design. Her rules can be found here. She is having everyone make cards for the Dallas Baptist University's International Student Services Department. Go check it out, and make sure you bookmark her blog, it's full of inspiration!!! Here is my card for the students.

I know it's probably familiar to some of you, but I finally broke open my CTMH From Me to You kit from two years ago! I love the simplicity of the kit! I thought missing you would be appropriate for the students to send a card back home!

My second chance at blog candy is from Lesa's blog, Punkydoodle Papers. I just came across her blog last night and it looks like so much fun. She's doing a month long challenge for Cards for a Cause. Her Week One Cause is Valentine Cards for the Elderly. Her rules can be found here. I used a non-traditional Valentine, more of an all purpose, thinking of you card that is bright and cheery. I love the fact that she's bringing these cards to some nursing homes and assisted livings. Working in the business, I know how lonely and sad some of the residents can get. I will start donating some of my extra "stash" cards to the nursing home where I work as well. They may seem outdated to me, but if they'll brighten someone's day, it's well worth the smiles!!! My card uses the same kit as above! I love this kit!

Thanks to Jenn and Lesa for a chance to win. Join in and try for yourself.

Artwork, yeah!!!

Well, with the new year, I've been trying to be better about getting into my scrap room to create more. So far, so good! On the 7th, I started a challenge with a few other CTMH scrappers to complete one creative project a day for 30 days! So far, I'm ahead of the game!!! If I can make 30 projects in 30 days, that'll be almost as much as I completed last year. (Not a great year for scrapping!) So I'm here to share some of my projects with you. I won't put all of them in one post, so I won't completely overwhelm you, though.

Here is a birthday card for one of Zach's friends who turned 2 on the 8th! I think it came out pretty cute. I think the sketch is from PageMaps. The paper and embellishments are all CTMH. I used Liquid Glass to outline all of the stamped images to make them pop, and I used pop dots to make the elephant and balloons 3D.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone out there! It's been a crazy December, but hopefully life will be slowing down and becoming more managable again! We had our last Christmas celebration last night. I'm somewhat glad to have all of the chaos over and done with, but really hope I can keep the spirit of Christmas alive throughout the year!

Any resolution makers out there? I haven't made any official resolutions, but I do have a few goals for this year to make my life more fulfilling! Here are a few:
*I hope to get into my scrapping room at least twice a week and complete at least 2 scrapbook layouts a month!
*I hope to start eating more healthily and exercise more often not only to get healthier, but to set a good example for Zach and get him on the right track.
*I hope to take care of myself better this year. I've done a poor job of that the last few years, putting everyone else first, but I hope to make some time for myself to reflect, relax, and enjoy myself and the things that I really enjoy doing!

One of my favorite pictures from my Christmas celebrations!!! Grandma and I hanging out on Christmas Eve. When most of the family went to church at 4pm to watch my niece sing and my nephew read, I stayed home to get some of the food ready for dinner and help keep track of the kids. (I was going to chuch later that night, anyway.) When Grandma got home I asked her how church was. She said, "I prayed for you!" with a devilish sort of smile! While I know I can use all of the prayers out there, this simple statement just still makes me smile! She comes up with some of the best one liners out there! I can only hope to be as quick and funny as she is when I'm up in my 80's! I only wish I got to visit with her more! Hopefully in the new year!!!

What are your hopes and goals for 2009?