"Saying Goodbye"

Hi, everyone! I know posting a goodbye now is kinda alittle crazy since I've not been able to devote time to this blog in the last year like I've wanted too. But for everyone of you (and you all know who you are) that have stuck by me, and been so kind to post such sweet comments through the years, I did want to say 'goodbye'.

This 'goodbye' is just for now, not a forever goodbye. I'll be back. ;) Whenever I feel that I have time to devote to creating and making again, I'll be more than excited to post again. But time-wise and physically I just am not able right now.

When I started this blog, I loved it...was consummed by it, and I know I'll get that way again, but for now there are sooooo many awesome people out there doing such creative things that I'm just going to sit back for awhile and soak it all in!

Thanks so much for all those that followed me....it meant more to me than some of you will ever know!!

Many blessings!!

"Alyssa's 13th Birthday Party"

My 'baby' girl will become a teenager this Thursday, November 12th. (It's hard for me to believe!)

So, we celebrated her birthday this past weekend at the TN Safari Park in Alamo. Everyone had a blast!! It was such a fun opportunity to see and feed animals that you normally wouldn't.

Alyssa was so excited that she fed a giraffe; zebra; ostrich; and, many others.

If you are in this area, I highly recommend checking this place out. The owners are very nice and have a great establishment.

Once you pay at the ticket booth, you have the opportunity to do a 'walk around' with some of the animals and feed them (i.e. the giraffe, lambs, pot-belly pigs, etc.), then you get in your car and drive through the safari area, where the animals come up to your car window and you feed them. This is when Alyssa fed an ostrich, llamas, zebras, etc. If you are interested, check out their website!

"Touch of Fall"

Thanks to my dear friend, Karen, you are now greeted with a little touch of fall when you come to visit.

She had some cornstalks left from an event, held this past weekend, so she added some fall leaves and a bow to the front, and we set them outside my front door.

Now, all Alyssa and I need to do, is make a visit to the pumpkin patch to finish up this fall decor!

I enjoy this time of year so much!! I do believe autumn is my favorite season, so I enjoy any decoration(s) outside that's possible.

Friends are such a blessing!! Thank again, Karen!

"Banner"

I just had to post this adorable banner that Alyssa's Aunt Maggie made for her and sent in a box full of 'surprises'.

Aunt Maggie always makes all kinds of adorable things, but as soon as Alyssa saw this, she fell in love and immediately wanted it hung above her bed.

I might add that, for as long as I can remember, Aunt Maggie has made Alyssa a 'special' pillowcase every year, just for her. And, along in the box full of 'surprises', was a pillowcase.

So, Aunt Maggie, thank you! Always know that these treasures are keepsakes for Alyssa!!

"The Last Song"

Well, ta-dah! Here it is, my second autographed book of Nicholas Sparks.

It may seem like something small, but it is really a keepsake to me! He's a wonderful author!

Now, I cannot wait to get somewhere cozy and read this newest release!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

"Another Autograph"

Good morning! I've already got this lastest novel by Nicholas Sparks bought; paid for; and, in line for his autograph today at the Davis-Kidd in Nashville, Tennessee. Yippee!!

We do not need to get into the unfortunate details of the fact that he is going to be so close to my hometown, and I'm not going to be able to be there personally to meet him. :(

But, let's just say, that, while I'm at a much needed check-up at the doctor's office, my book will be autographed. So, I can live with that and life is good!! :)

Now, I just cannot wait for Mr. Brown Truck to bring it!!!

"Look What I Found"

Ok, everyone, as I do daily, I was looking through Splitcoast and ran across some mugs stamped with adorable images of girls on them.

Of course, I just had to click on the link for the blog to find out more of this ladies work, and came across this opportunity for a chance at this wonderful blog candy!!

Here is the link to her blog: http://motivet.com/blog/?p=757, for any of you that would like to view her work and stamps further. (The only thing I want to add is that it is in German, but she has graciously added the option to click for translation.)

It would be early Christmas for me to win this blog candy, however, I can tell you, win or lose, that she is now totally marked in my 'favorites' on my computer! Her images have a touch of whimsy to them, but, to me, they are outstanding!!

Just wanted to share, hope you enjoyed!!

"Let Us Remember"

Let us all take time to reflect and remember the brave men, women and families affected by 911.

"Sweet Treats"

This is the tin I decorated for my stepmom for her birthday.

I had previous made her a tin like this, to hold all her recipes, however, she has completely filled it!! So, she decided she wanted this one to hold recipes just for her sweets! Ta-Dah!

Here is a photo of the tabbed inserts for the tin.

"M&M Treats"

Just a quick post! These are the small treat bags I made to take to my Wednesday night church meeting. Everyone usually brings something to snack on after fellowship, so I thought these would be fun to take.

I filled small jewelry-sized zippies with M&Ms and then, sized a treat bag to cover, using kraft cardstock. The punched circle in the front was 1 3/8. The quote I used is from Clear Dollar Stamps and I thought it would be fitting.

Finally, I simply closed the treat bag up, including the quote at the top, with a staple. Quick and easy!

"Centerpieces"

I had my 20 year class reunion this past weekend and I had to come up with the centerpieces for the food tables for the pre-party at the last minute. Ta-Dah!

I found these balloon weighs at the Dollar Tree, so I just jazzed them up a bit! Our school colors were purple and white, so besides tying purple and white streamers, I used my Cricut to cut a 5" star for the base of each. They were pretty simple, but they worked on short notice!

(p.s. A HUGE thanks to my dear friend, Linda Walker, for all her help!!)

"Stampin' Up Class Project"

This is what I got to make last night at a Stampin' Up class, taught by Stephanie Zeto.

I first saw this at a SU party and fell in love with it. So, when a friend of the family wanted to have a class for it, I knew I wanted to learn how to make one!

Even though this has several steps and looked like it was going to be hard to figure out, it was so worth it!! Stephanie did a great job showing us all the 'how-to's'. Kudos to her for being so patient with me! :)

Below is what the inside of the 'purse' looks like. The scalloped circles (one shown) slide in the opening 'pockets' on either end. All products used are Stampin' Up!

"Watch Dog"

This layout is of our precious Pom, Ariel. Her favorite spot at my house is in front of the back screen door.

Bless her heart, she doesn't know her size, therefore, she believes she is a giant guard dog! She definitely keeps an eye on anything that moves and barks like she is going to tear the door down, all while keeping up appearances and wearing her very cute green hair bows!! :)

The layout I created is pretty simple. The background and scalloped circle cardstock are DCWV. I cut the lettering on my Cricut, using Opposite Attracts, and added miscellaneous ribbon, blossoms, and bling.

Thanks for looking!

"Candy Card"

This is a card I made for Alyssa to give her homeroom teacher on the last day of school.

I attached a candy stick by using SU's slit punch underneath the stick and then threading ribbon through around the candy to hold it to the card.

The stamps used are SU's God's Beauty, which is a hostess set. I stamped on white cardstock, then used the SU's ticket punch on all four corners, before adhering it to deep purple cardstock.

"Green Gables"

My dear daughter has been in the production of Green Gables at school this past weekend and we've been very busy, busy! I am so proud of her and all the cast for the awesome job they have done. They still have two more times to perform on Wednesday (for the school), and then they will be done. They have all worked so hard and done great!

Alyssa loves being in the dramas at school -- it's one of her favorite things!! I've posted just a few pictures below from the weekend showings!

"Gal Pals"

This is another layout that I completed this past Saturday at the Mission Crop at our local Vineyard Church. I have always loved this photo of my two favorite girls, so I thought it was fitting that I do a layout for it.

Again, I used a layout design I found on 2Peas as a jump start for this design.

I used Bazzill cardstock for my background & matting and my patterned papers were all from My Mind's Eye. The blossoms were miscellaneous; embellishments by Heidi Swapp; sheer ribbon by Offray; and, brad by MM. Also, I loved the glittered green rub on letters used for the title by American Crafts. (I thought it blended well with all my colors.)

"At Twelve. . ."

I created this layout about my favorite girl's top "10", at age twelve. I used just a random 'fun' picture of her outside during her Spring Break, and increased the size to a 5x7.

The layout came together pretty easy. I used a layout I saw on 2Peas as a 'jump start' and then kinda made it my own. I used patterned paper from the Bo Bunny's Alissa line; scrap piece of Bazzill Leapfrog; miscellaneous blossoms and brads; Doodlebug alpha; K&Company sticker; Prima pink bead embellishments; and, a ZIG writer for the journaling.

"Bunny Boxes"

These are the fun bunny boxes that me and gal pal, Stephanie, worked on together. (Thanks so much to her for all the help on these!!) We made a variety of colors so as to work for girls or boys. These boxes are the perfect sizes to fill with small surprises for Easter.

The bunny is made up of a SU top note die and a variety of punches. After assembling it, we adhered it to the box, added a ribbon handle and, as seen posted below, added a 'bunny tail'.

"Yard Work"

The weather has been wonderful today! Alyssa and I have been outside most all day while my Dad and stepmom worked in the yard. I am so thankful that they come and work so hard to help make sure my house stays in tiptop shape. I am a little OCD when it comes to my yard. I always want it neat! (Luckily, my dad feels the same way!)

Since I bought this house last fall, this is the first opportunity we have had to add any type of edging and mulch in the front. Alyssa helped out today and was a good worker bee!

Mission: Crop 2009

This post is a 'plug' for the upcoming Mission: Crop at Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Milan, Tennessee, on April 18, 2009. The crop begins at 8:00 a.m. on the 18th, and ends at 12:00 a.m. on the 19th. That is 16 hours of scrapbooking, stamping and/or crafting!

This is an awesome crop to help raise money for the Church's foreign mission team, who will be going to Honduras in June. The cost is $40.00, which includes 3 meals, vendors, lots of games and prizes and those 16 hours of scrapbooking, stamping and/or crafting.

I have always had a great time at these Mission Crops. I have been a vendor at times, and I've also just been a scrapper. Either way, it is a wonderful day of food, fun and fellowship!!

If you don't want to miss out on the fun, email Jennifer Hickerson at countryjh@msn.com and she'll take care of getting all the info to you. So, come have a great day with us!