Just Scrap It!!!

Here- but away.

2009-02-16T08:07:00.000-08:00

Well my flying lessons are on hold for a week. I am a little sad... lol.. I was really enjoying myself! I have run away from home for the week while DH is on a business trip. I grabbed the kids and we came to Grandmas house for a week of fun. YAY! I am still going to keep up with my morning and evening routines as best I can. My main focus this week is going to be on my control journal, since that is something I can do away from home. I won't be posting everyday this week though since this week is about relaxing and enjoying some time away from mommy-hood. (that is what grandmas are for right!??)

So thanks to all who are stopping by to read!! I will be back next Monday with my next flybaby post!

Day 5 - oh boy

2009-02-13T10:29:00.000-08:00

Whew.... this is a hard day. However I feel better after spilling all my guts out on the computer. Thinking of the positive voice is hard... but it is helping. Thank you so much to all of you who are cheering me on in this! I am surprised that anyone is even reading this blog! lol. Krista- thank you for your comment. It was a blessing I needed this morning.

So.... it isn't even noon yet... and day 5 is about to kill me. I was hoping for a nice up beat positive day today so that things would be easy. Of course not... no such luck. Instead I have very mean voices in my head today. I am almost in tears already. So I am going to try..... VERY HARD to make some positive voices appear. I am debating weather or not to put all my demon's on my blog for everyone to read. It seems a bit to personal... but then again most of the reason I am doing this blog is so that I have a record of my process. Maybe if I am fighting these demons someone else is too... and this will help them. Or maybe you will all just think I am a freak after reading this! lol

Here we go. Today's assignment "Are you hearing any of those nagging negative voices popping into your head? I want you to take a piece of paper and write down what you hear then I want you to turn those ugly words around and say something nice to yourself to negate the ugly words that they said"

Neg Voice 1- Why am I such a lazy butt that I can't get out of bed before my kids. Even when they do get up I lay in bed ignoring life for a while. I know I would feel better if I changed this... but I just struggle so hard.

Positive voice- Change is hard... change takes time. Don't beat yourself up because you aren't perfect. It is hard to get up because I have no focus in the morning... no where to be. Maybe you need to change that. Get in a morning group of some kind that will help you get your rear in gear in the morning!! Ask Scott for help... he would be willing to help you get out of bed. You know you would feel better. Don't write it off as a lost cause yet. Keep trying... it will feel so good when you succeed.

Neg voice 2- why am I so short with my children! I need to have more patience!! They are just children... don't expect them to be perfect.

Positive voice- my kids are health... my kids are not abused. My children have the gospel, I am a better mom than some out there. Yes I have short comings... but hey... I can't be translated yet!! Think of all the good you do for your children. You are a good mom. You just need to have more patience with yourself.

Neg voice 3- There is just to much. My house is too messy. The corners are gross! The more I clean the more I find needs cleaning! It will never get done!

Pos voice- Time.... breathe and allow some time. Nobody has a perfect house.... NOBODY. Even those people you are now listing off in your head... their house is not spotless... if you looked in all their corners you would find a mess..... that is the world we live in. Imperfect... dirty... tainted. We are hear to learn. Here to work toward the better good. Learn to push the adversary out of our life. Clean up the dirt a bit at a time and learn how to keep it under control. You can do this. It has only been a week. Don't expect perfection, just look at your shiny sink and remember that you are getting there one baby step at a time. Now go de-clutter something for 15 min and stop whining!

Well I wrote that all at about 12:00 today. Let me just say that the positive voice helped A LOT! After my little 'fit' that you can read above I went and found a closet that needed some attention. I was amazed at what I could get done in there after 15 min! I felt better. After that the Negative demon's started to quiet down. I found that my negative thoughts all seemed to come back to those three things... which I had already argued to myself so it was easy to think of the positive again. There were only 2 other demon's I had to face today.

Neg voice- (after cleaning up my basement room really good and then looking at the book shelf) Look at this mess!! What is the point? It will never all be clean at the same time! And even when I do clean the kids just mess it up right behind me!

Pos voice- Don't look at the book case... I will work on that another day. Turn around and look at what you HAVE done today. And as for the kids messing it all back up.... well... without them I would be out of a job... then what would I do... OK OK OK STOP thinking of all the fun things you could do with your time... it would get boring really fast, and besides your children won't be home forever so for now just enjoy having them close.

Neg voice- What am I doing this for? Scott probably dosen't even notice a change.

Pos voice- Innocent untill proven guilty. I can't decide for Scott how he feels about this. Why don't you ASK him if he has noticed a difference. Even if he dosen't who are you doing this for? You or him? Well both... but it IS for me too, and I feel better, I have noticed a change... even if it is little for now. 5 days isnt long enough to change the world (though 7 was enough to create it... but that was only for Heavenly Father). I have made and seen changes this week. Focus on that... and move forward.

Ok- so there you have it. All my personal negative voices for the day. Now don't go thinking I only had 5 negative thoughts today.... It was just these same 5 thoughts over and over and over again! lol. I think I am going to keep this positive voice around a while... it helps when the demon's get to loud.

Day 4 - write it down

2009-02-12T21:42:00.000-08:00

Hmm.... well today was kind of a bust. I am not sure why. I just could NOT get myself motivated! I have been really tired the last few days and today was no exception. I left my sink dirty last night because I was so tired that I couldn't face it. Well having a clean sink in the morning definitely helps in the motivation category. bluck. I was finally dressed by about 1:00 I think.

Today's assignment was to write down what we have been doing on sticky notes and put it by the bathroom mirror to help me remember. Personly though I think sticky notes by the mirrors is tacky and un-tidy looking. lol. So I came up with a different plan for my 'control journal'. Maybe some day I will actually getting around to making it! lol. When (if) I do I will post a picture. Hmm... maybe tomorow I will post a picture of my shinny sink for all of you to see. Wouldnt that be exciting! lol. I am not to 'deep' today... to tired to think that much. So I will just leave it as a short post today and say that I did well in that I finally made it through all my little tasks, but other than that it was a totally lazy day.

Ooohhhh ouch.... I just looked at day 5. That is going to be a toughie.

"Day 5 - write down what you hear.
Are you hearing any of those nagging negative voices popping into your head? I want you to take a piece of paper and write down what you hear then I want you to turn those ugly words around and say something nice to yourself to negate the ugly words that they said."

Well... tomorrow aught to be a deep blog! Better get to bed so I don't beat on myself to much tomorrow!!!

Day 3- keep doing it

2009-02-11T10:03:00.000-08:00

Hmm... Well yesterday was kindof a bust on the flying front. I knew it would be a tough day since I stayed up LATE monday night (3 am - but it was SO WORTH IT! Midnight crafting with friends!) Anyway I was tired and un-motivated ALL DAY yesterday. We did get to go to the Draper Temple open house. That was wonderful. However, on the flying front I didnt manage to wear shoes at all around the house yesterday! I did keep my sink shinny and wiped down a bathroom though!

Day three instructions are - Do what we have already done. WHEW! Maybe they know that day 2 is rough for most people and they need another go on day 3? LOL.... or I am just making that up to make myself feel better! Either way... I get a second chance at day 2! I am sitting here blogging with MY SHOES ON! Hair is done... MAKEUP is done... bed is made... sink is shined... and both bathrooms are wiped down and shinny. Hey... that makes it sound like I am doing pretty good! (we will leave out the fact that my kids are in jammies playing by themselves while I type this).

So here I go for another try at day 2 and wearing my shoes. Maybe tomorrow I will actually manage to get up before the kids.

Last I thought I would share my new motto. In one of the Fly lady e-mails they send last night they were talking about being happy now. We live in a world that sells happiness. Buy this, wear that, have what your neighbor has and you will be happy. Only is doesn't really work that way... we are just programed to THINK it works that way. The e-mail was all about being happy NOW with what you have.. who you are.. and what you have before you. One line of this e-mail hit me SO HARD that it is now my motto

DON'T PROCRASTINATE HAPPINESS!!!

I love it!!! I am a self proclaimed procrastinator so this one hit home for me. That is exactly what we do. "I will be happy when.....". It is OUR CHOICE to be happy or miserable. It makes me think of the POW during the Holocaust. He was happy. Someone asked him why and he replied that they could take everything away from him but his attitude... that was his. If HE can decide to be happy... the I sure had better be able to be happy!! I am SO BLESSED! So today I am making the choice not to procrastinate my happiness. The cleanliness of my house will not determine how happy I am. Today... I am happy to be me. I am happy to be alive and healthy. I am happy to have a loving husband and two adorable children who are healthy. I am happy to have a home to live in. I am happy to have weakness.... yep.. you heard me... I am happy to have some growing to do.. a direction.. learning, and purpose.

Today I am happy because I WANT to be happy.

Day 2- getting dressed to my shoes.

2009-02-10T10:26:00.000-08:00

Well here we are on day 2 of my flying lessons

Day 1 went really quite well... though I didn't get around to cleaning out my kitchen garbage's. It took a few hours to shine my sink. Mostly because I had to stop after every step and give the kid-o's some attention. But I got it done! At first I was a bit... unsure... how I felt about the sink. When it was all said and done.. it wasn't that much different than before. It was kind of a let down.. until I decided that it only meant that my sink wasn't TOO BAD before and maybe I wasn't so 'far behind' as I thought I was! That made me smile a bit. Still I couldn't help but feel a little frustrated that I wasn't on some amazing emotional high because my sink was so shinny. So I came down stairs to work on my laundry while my mind was still contemplating the conundrum of my shiny sink. When I looked at my washing machine it came to me! I needed a SHINY WASHING MACHINE! My washer is something that I NEVER wipe down... GROSS! I know! I think about it EVERY TIME I do laundry... but never take the 5 minutes to get a rag and wipe all the lint and soap boogies off of it! So yesterday I DID!!!!! It was SO EASY! 5 minutes and I was DONE! My washer was nice and shinny white, lint and boogie free! Somehow my clothes seem CLEANER today! It made me feel so good! Now when I look at my washer it makes me smile. You should have seen my husbands face when I told him what I had done!!! So far I had not told him about the site.... it was my little secret project. Mostly I didn't want to get his hopes up for a perfect house when I still felt I would loose interest in the program after a week. But last night around the dinner table I could hold it in no longer. I told him about the site and about my task for day one. He was trying NOT to look as excited as I knew he was! LOL. When I told him about the shinny sink he said that was great and he was proud of me. Then said he was fighting the urge to look over his shoulder right then to look at it! LOL I told him "go ahead!" so he looked and said that it looked nice... especially the faucet. I knew it wasn't that impressive so I told him my theory that It didn't look shockingly different because I normally keep it decently clean. He consented to that theory. I then told him that since I hadn't felt this deep sence of satisfaction I had been expecting that I shined my washer instead. HIS FACE LIT UP!!! He said he was more impressed by that than anything!! It was GREAT!

Back on the subject of the sink though. I thought the idea of wiping it dry after every use was a little eccentric. Seemed silly to me... but I though... hey, I will give it a try and see if it is 'for me' or not. Well... I have to say... the FLYlady was right!! I LOVE my shiny faucet!! It looks NEW... ALL THE TIME! I use the sink... then wipe off the water spots and in seconds my sink looks like I JUST CLEANED IT AGAIN! This morning when I woke up and wandered into the kitchen I looked at my shiny faucet... AND SMILED! It made me feel good! What a strange sensation one silly clean faucet can make! So now I am a sink wiper! I think I may start leaving towels by ALL my faucets!

So on to day 2! Getting dressed down to my shoes! Here is what the FLYlady says about getting dressed to your shoes

"Why do I have to get dressed to my shoes?

Several years ago I worked for a direct sales cosmetics company. One main rule for that company was that you could not make a single phone call in the morning unless you were totally dressed all the way to dress shoes. The reason behind this duty was that you act differently when you have clothes and shoes on. You are more professional. The customer can tell when you don't feel good about the way you look. So, if getting dressed makes that big of an impression on someone that can't even see you, then what is it going to do to those who can see you. Mainly yourself.
Many stay at home moms (SAHM's) are guilty of not seeing the need to get dressed all the way to the shoes. They figure, since only their children will be seeing them, why bother? Well, I am here to tell you, that you will be amazed at the difference in your attitude about yourself, your children, and your home when you feel good about how you look. I don't want to hear, "I don't wear shoes in my house". Well you do now. Buy or clean up a pair just for that reason. - FlyLady "

Hm- here is the deal... I REALLY DON'T WEAR SHOES AT HOME! Never have! Not because I think I don't need too... well that too... but mostly because I don't like wearing shoes! lol. So here is my consent. I am going to try it... for today. I got up and got dresses like always but then I took a few minutes to do my hair and makeup. It feels good. But I haven't yet put my shoes on. I am going to though. I am going to spend the second half of my day wearing shoes around my house. I am going to TRY the theory out... just like drying the sink. Maybe I will find that the FLYlady is right once again... and maybe I will find that this is one of those things in her flight plan that I can adjust to myself. We will see! I will let you know tomorrow how it goes! So that is it. All I have to do today is wear shoes! Easy! (and I have to clean my bathrooms because my lovely son got into my makeup this morning and poured the soap all over the sink. ugh.

Day 1 of Flying lessons.

2009-02-09T11:10:00.000-08:00

Well here it is... my second blog back in action. Here is the deal...

I AM LEARNING TO FLY!

Ok... not flying as in with the birds (sorry Jeremy) Flying as in
Finally Loving Myself.

I found this wonderful site trough a friend's blog. THANK YOU STEPHANIE!!! I will forever be in your debt! Here is the run down

This web site below is my new motivation!
http://www.flylady.net/

For a long time I have needed a change in my life. I knew that.... what I didn't know what HOW to make that change! I needed a schedule... a routine... a DIRECTION! I have never been able to make this change for myself. It is just to hard... to much.... to overwhelming to think of it all on my own. But now I have a friend to help me! The FLY lady. This lady is my new best friend! I LOVE HER! The whole site is dedicated to ladies like me. Ladies who need a little outside direction... some love.... a big hug... and a SHINY SINK to get me started! This site is all about learning to love yourself ONE GOOD HABIT at a time!

So I am taking the challenge.... I am learning to FLY. I am SO EXCITED about shining my sink today!! It is soaking in bleach as we speak! Am I intimidated.... OH YEAH!!! The negative voices keep telling me to stop now... that it is too much.... I will loose my interest so why start... I don't WAN'T to change, I LIKE being lazy!! But I know those voices are lying... they are the easy road voices. I can do better.... I deserve better.... I WANT to be better. So I am taking the plunge!

So why spill my guts on a blog?? Well.... I am very much a "words of affirmation" person. (If you have read the 'Love Language's' book you will know what I am talking about... if not... you should read it!) Anyway... I need to talk... I need people to KNOW what I am doing and tell me how great I am! lol. Lame I know. Instead of putting all this on my husband I am opening my heart to the web. No I don't expect comments on every post... or most of them. It is more that I feel like someone KNOWS what I am doing... and that is important. So the next time you come to visit me you can say "WOW.. your sink really IS shinny!" Also this is a motivational journal of my journey. This is my 'DEEP' blog. lol.

That brings me to another question. Why make a NEW blog for this? Why not use my other blog? Well basicaly..... because they are different catergories for me and need seperate spaces. I have a confesion..... I LOVE KIERANS BLOG! Kieran is always so open and honest in her posts. I feel like I know more about her than I ever thought I would. I check her blog daily hoping to get some of her inspiration. I would love to open up like she does... but I can't on my other blog... that is just me. My 'Family blog' is where I post the things people who want to keep up with my life MIGHT want to know. Funny thinks the kids do and say... what is going on in my home. Basic daily stuff. This blog... this is a personal journal. This is were I am going to grow... outloud. If you care to read along with me you can. If not... well I know I have a journal now.. even if it is just for me.

Ok.... enough blabbering?? YEAH I THINK SO!!! Just wanted to give a good intro to what I am doing here... for me... A guideling to remind me what I am doing when I get discouraged.

So today is Day 1 of my babysteps! I am Shinning my Sink! That is IT! nothing more. Not trying to shine my whole house in one day... that would discourage me. I am also working on laundry just because it is laundry day and my family needs clean clothes... but for once I am not going to beat myself up if (when) they are not all folded and put away at the end of the day. If my sink is shinny when I go to bed tonight... I will be happy... and I will feel good. This is a promise to myself.

Once my sink is shiny I MAY take the daily challenge and clean my garbage cans... I may not. We will see. I am excited to see what tomorows baby step will be. I am excited that I am excited about cleaning! So here we go! I am going to
FLY

I feel so loved!!!!

2008-10-02T19:52:00.000-07:00

Ok, So I just have to tell you how loved I feel right now! My hubby comes home the other day and tells me he won a $100 gift certificate to Kohl's from a radio station drawing! SWEET! Then he tells me he is going to let me spend it! EVEN BETTER! So today I have to go pick it up from the station. Scott forwarded me the e-mail telling him that he had won and where to pick it up at. In this e-mail it says "Thanks for the sweet e-mail. How about this as a prize for your wife's first kiss? $100 to Kohl's" So I read this and think....My first kiss??? What does THAT have to do with a random drawing!!??? (p.s. my first kiss was with my sweet hubby) So I start bugging Scott about what the lady was talking about. He gets all shy and won't tell me!!!!! Finally he is bright red and he tells me that they were having a debate during the morning show on whether or not high schoolers should kiss around or wait for their first kiss to be truly special. Scott wrote in to them and told them that I had kept my first kiss special and given it to him and how much it had meant to him!

AAAWWWWWWWW...................

.

Then I was like "was that really so hard to tell me?" And he says.. "yes... my face is boiling.. now go away and let me sleep!" ROTFL! He is SOOO CUTE!!! It embarased him to tell me our first kiss was special to him! What a silly boy! (he dosn't share his feelings easily!)

So yeah... anyway.... I am feeling super loved right now! And I have 100$ to go spend at Kohl's! WOO HOO! (Scott is going to really be embarrassed if he finds out I put this up on my blog! lol... but hey... I am enjoying the loved feeling!)

October... hmmm... wasn't it just September!?

2008-10-01T08:18:00.000-07:00

Wow I am so good at this blogging thing! LOL. Once a month isn't a great average. Maybe someday I will get myself organized enough to blog more often!

Well I am blogging today because I have some great news!!!! AND A FREEBIE!

THE GREAT NEWS! (and the freebie!)

At DSO we are celebrating Halloween all month long! We are going trick or treating! Everyday there will be a new goodie up for you on the DSO blog! Yep... a free treat EVERYDAY until Halloween... NO TRICK!!! The big treat will come on Halloween..... So make sure and stop by the DSO blog on Halloween!

I get to be first up to treat you with a freebie! So run over to the DSO blog and grab up these fun templates!

This was my first attempt at templates! It was so much fun!!! I want to go make some more!!!!! lol.

While I am here blogging I will show you my new product! I had a lot of fun making these! It's a set of rusted frames! These are great for masculine LO's and easily add some shabby chic to any LO! Get them HERE!

And last of all make sure to check out my new Picture Perfect Challenge for October! We had a great time with the challenge last month!! I can't give you a link to the new challenge because it isn't up quite yet!! LOL.. that is next on the to do list!

For now enjoy your freebie and have a great October!!

SEPTEMBER!???

2008-09-03T21:26:00.000-07:00

Soooo... I must have been in a vacation coma for the last two months! HAHA! Sheesh... I didn't realize that I hadn't posted since July!!! The first of July no less! EEK! Well I have some major catching up to do don't I!!!

First up- Picture perfect challenge for sept!
This challenge has been my favorite so far!! These ladies are just blowing me away with their amazing photos!! You can check out the challenge and join in the fun HERE!
I wanted to show you some of the amazing LO's the girls have been doing! I was going to choose just 1 a week to show you.... but I just couldnt narrow it down any farthur than this!

Butterfly Butterfly by Loucee

Beauty of Life by abhall76

Untitled by Dinphy

Can you believe how beautiful these are!!! WOW WOW WOW! I am so in love with all the LO's that have been submitted for this challenge! I am going to lock my self to my computer and do some major scrap lifting!!!

New product!

HEART ATTACK.... I know.... I hardly EVER have new product to share! LOL. But this month I have something new in the store and 3 things on the way!!! WOOT! I am just going to show you what is in store now though.... you'll just have to wait to see the other three!

Here is the preview of my new Layer'em up set 3! It is on sale 30% off this week!
This is a great set of overlays and textures that has been specially chosen for how well they work together! Take any color background and place these 5 layers on top, then play with the blending modes and opacity to make hundreds of papers that are each unique but compliment each other! Use these overlays separate or in combination of 2 or 3 to get even more patterns! Don't forget to mix and match these overlays with my other 'Layer'em Up' set's 1 and 2! With your imagination the creative possibilities are endless!
Commercial Use OK!!! Use this set to easily create coordinating papers for your kits!

I can get you some freebies! would you like that???? OK! Here is a little blog hunt for you then! I asked some of the lovely designers to make a few papers with my sets and give them up as freebies on their blogs!! Here is a list of the blogs where you can pick up the goodies! ENJOY! and leave some love for the hard working designers you grab them from!

RCmama
Shannon
Nikki
Andrea

Thanks so much girls for these lovely gifts you made to give out on your blogs! YOU ROCK! And there are more goodies to come!! So check back and I will get you some more freebie links!
Until then
HUGS!

OIY- cars SUCK!

2008-07-09T23:12:00.000-07:00

What a totally crazy week this has been!!! My car TOTALLY DIED on my way home from Idaho last Thursday. It threw and engine rod... so it is really DEAD! The car isn't even worth what a used engine would COST, let alone even putting it in! So we decided to get us a 'new' car. (that means highly used car) So we spend Scotts 4 day weekend test driving Mini Vans. UGH. In the end though we found a WONDERFUL Toyota Sienna with low miles and all the bells and whistles in our price range (cheep). We got all the paperwork and stuff done yesterday and picked her up! YEAH! I now own a MINI VAN! WOOT! I am really excited!! Isn't she a beauty!???

Now that all that is out of the way I can get back to digi scraping! YEAH! (at least for a few days before I go with hubby to NY!!! YEAH HAW!

The BIG NEWS:

DSO is having a GRAND RE-OPENING!!!
Some of you may have noticed that DSO crashed last month. NOT FUN. Bunny has worked her butt off to make a BEAUTIFUL new home for all of us digital scrappers! CHECK IT OUT!!!! The site is just TOTALLY STUNNING and SO MUCH FUN! Here is the ad for the MEGA SALE we are having!

Yep... you read it right.... 50% Store wide!!! You HAVE to go check this out!!! And don't forget to bookmark us!

Here is the newest kit I have in my DSO store. 'Heritage Baby' is a fun pastel colored kit themed for boy and girl pictures with a vintage feel! This is a fun kit for ALL your baby photos! Get it while it is 50% off this weekend! 'HERITAGE BABY KIT'

In celebration of the new grand opening a bunch of the designers have gotten together a GREAT free kit for you!!! You get to do some fun blog hopping and scoop up an AMAZING kit while you are at it!!! Here are some previews that Kim B made for us with all the goodies. TOTALLY HUGE! This doesn't even show everything!!

HUGE isn't it!!!! If you want to grab up this wonderful free kit here is a list of the blogs you will need to visit today! I think we are leaving the links up until Monday.... but don't wait! Grab it as fast as you can!!!!!

Andrea Dickinson
Beth Long
Boo Silva
Doodle LT
Holey Cow
Kim Broedelet + Jazzy

Kuoha Designs Ink
Livia
LJ Crochet
LPand3 Dogs
Luisa Potter
Melanie Ann
Nikki Fabulous
RC Mama

Shannon

Here is the 4shared link to my little bit of this great kit that we are calling 'My Scrap Journal'. (notice how the kit matches the theme of the new site!! TOO CUTE!
Grab my pieces here!

Just remember while you are snagging up all this free stuff to leave some love for everyone. We all worked really hard to get this to you. Also feel free to tell all your digi scrap buddy's about our free kit and our Grand Re-Opening! Make sure to send them to our blogs for the freebies though!

WHEW... well I am about typed out!!!!! I am COMPLETELY wiped out tired so I am going to shut up and go to bed so that you can all move on to the next blog and grab a piece of this great kit!!!!

HUGS!
Tina

Happy Vacation!

2008-06-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

Well I am leaving town tomorrow for Yellowstone! I grew up in Idaho and went there at least every year, but I havent been in a few years. I think my DD is old enough to really enjoy it this time so it should be lots of fun! The problem is that it is also the end of the month and I have a MILLION loose ends to tie off before I leave town!! EEK! Ah the joys of vacation! Stress out for 3 days before you leave and then take a week after vacation to get life back on track! LOL... you'd think we would just stop going!

Ah well! On to the fun stuff!! Bunny is selling a GREAT new product! She has hybrid templates to make little gift boxes!! These are SO CUTE! You get to dress them up ANYWAY you like in your photo program of choice. Print them out and follow the folding template and VOILA you have an ADORABLE gift box that is PERSONALIZED! Here is a picture of the one I made with her template! It was SO EASY and FUN! Be sure to check out Bunny's store for this and ALL her great Products!! (if you are reading this on Thursday or later her product will be in the store HERE) The kit I used to decorate the box is my own 'Cherry Cordial' kit and you can get that in my DSO store. Here is a picture of the box I made! I can't wait to make another one!

I am SO HAPPY to have such a great CT!!!! I gave them my new kit 'Heritage Baby' (on sale 40% off for one more week!) and they came up with some BEAUTIFUL pages! Here is a page that was made by Christina. I love this LO!
And now to introduce my newest CT member.... SHANNON! Yeah! I am really excited to be working with this wonderful lady! Here is the page she made up with my kit.

Alright... I better get down to laundry and packing... ug.... do I have to?? lol. I am excited to go camping... just not to get ready for it! LOL

And the WINNER IS...........

2008-06-18T21:50:00.000-07:00

LINDIE!!!!!!!

Thank you ALL so much for the kind comments! This was a fun contest! I may make this a regular thing! Anywho.... If you left the comment under the name Lindie please send me an e-mail to manatee25.tina@gmail.com Once I have YOUR e-mail I will send you links to the kit!!

I hope you all enjoyed the contest! The Heritage Baby Kit is NOW available in my DSO store! I am selling it 40% off for the first 2 weeks! So get your's now for ONLY $2.99!!!!

GET YOUR 'Heritage Baby Kit' HERE!!!!!!

Well... it is LATE at night and I have a HUGE day tomorrow! My sister is visiting me from out of state and we are ditching the 4 kids off at babysitters for the day and going to the local amusement park!!! WOOT! Can we say... E-X-C-I-T-E-D!!!!!!!!! I am going to need some serious sleep though if we are going to get out the door on time tomorrow! LOL Will let you all know how much fun I had when I get back! HAHA

HUGS! Thanks for stopping by my corner of Digi Land

Hm.... Is it really JUNE!????

2008-06-12T10:08:00.000-07:00

Well... Lets see.... My last post was in...... APRIL!!! HAHA... Guess it's time to update hu!!! First I will catch you up on the last few months. April was crazy... just as I thought it was going to be! LOL. It was fun but really busy! Durning April I didn't have time to blog and with everything going on I got totaly burned out!!!! I gave my self a vacation for May! lol. I read 5 books, played with my children, and avoided house work!!! It was a GREAT month!! HAHA.

Now we are entering June and I started missing the computer world! lol. So I dusted off my PSE and started creating again!! It felt GREAT!!!! I just finished a new kit!! It will be going into the store next Thursday!!.... Wanna see???? HU HU DO YA!????? Ok Ok... You know I am going to show it to ya!!! LOL

Its called HERITAGE BABY!

What do you think!???? I personally love it!! LOL Can't wait to give it to my CT girls and see what they can do with it!!! I love seeing how creative they get!!! If you are interested in applying to join my CT send me a note at manatee25.tina@gmail.com

Remember this goody isn't in the store until next Thrusday.... BUT... I have decided to give one lucky reader this kit FREE!!!! What do you have to do to enter??? Leave me some love!!! Yep, thats it! Leave a comment on this blog post and next Thursday I will draw one lucky name from a hat and that person will get my kit.... FREE!!!!!!! Check back next Thursday and I will post the winner! (you will have to check back so that I can tell you where to e-mail me if you are the winner!!!) GOOD LUCK!!!!

Well... I need to get to some much needed house work so hugs to everyone!!! Before I go here is a quick freebie for ya! This coordinates with the elements in my Heritage Baby kit. Hope you like it! Grab it here
You are welcome to tell your friends about my contest and freebie but send them here not to the 4 shared link!! THANKS!

April Explosion!!

2008-04-09T14:29:00.001-07:00

When did life decide to go CRAZY!? LOL Somehow I have found my entire month of April sucked into a vortex! It is only the 9th and I am seriously wondering "HOW am I going to get EVERYTHING done in time!???" LOL. Life is good... just busy!! I won't be posting a freebie next week as I am going out of town for the entire week! My ex-step mother is getting re-married and I am staying with my half siblings for the week so she can enjoy a Honey Moon!! (sound like a confusing family..... it gets even more crazy... lol... but we don't have time for that today!!) So I will be gone next week... grab up your freebie for this week and then check back in two weeks for the next piece!! What else is going on that makes my month so crazy??? LOL. OH YEAH!!!! I got COMMISIONED to do some work!!! YIPPIE!! I was flattered by this! I have been asked by a company to create a kit specifically for them! I am excited for the opportunity... but it also means that I won't have time to work on ANYTHING else for the rest of April!! LOL *sigh* Such is my life. so here is my post for this week! lol. sorry if it is a bit rambling and dis-jointed... that is how my brain feels right now! HAHA

OK! here we go! First off... NEW PRODUCT!!!!! YEAH! I got a new product up in the store and I am WAY excited to show it off! This is a fun new series I am doing! Each set will contain texture overlays that combine well to make a beautiful set of papers! The idea is that you buy the pack and use these layers stacked up on top of each other. By changing the blending modes and opacity of the layers you can come up with ALL KINDS of DIFFERENT papers that MATCH and work together!!! These are FUN for personal use and FANTASTIC for commercial use... and YES they are CU Friendly!!! WOOT! This is set one and more set's are on their way! Get them all and then have even MORE mix and match posibilities!!!

Layer'em Up set 1 will be on sale 40% off through April!! (but April is going FAST so don't wait! lol)

Get yours HERE!!!

Next up- CT CALL!!!! Luisa and I are teaming up to find a creative team!!! We are looking for 3 people who would like to work with our kits to help us show it off!! Both of us have little children... which makes for little designing time.... which adds up to - NOT getting kits out very fast! We figure together we might have enough to keep a CT busy! lol. So if you have ALWAYS wanted to join a CT and just didn't feel like you had the time.... then this 'light work load' CT might be a perfect fit!!! Please read the ad below and see if you can comply with our terms. The last day for our call is TOMOROW!!!!Hurry and send us an e-mail to join.our.ct@gmail.com

Now to the PICTURE PERFECT CHAT!!!! WOOT! This is going to be fun girls!!! Lani and I are hosting the first Picture Perfect Chat! Join us TOMOROW NIGHT (Thursday April 10th) at 9:00 EST in the DSO chat room! We will be talking about taking photos in general and discussing this months Picture Perfect Challenge which you can find HERE! Lani has some GREAT tips for us this month so make sure to check it out and join us at the chat!!! (p.s. There WILL be an attendance gift.... I just haven't made it yet! LOL) And while we are talking about chat's--- Don't forget to catch the Monday Make it Chat Monday April 14th at 9:00 EST in the DSO chat room! They are ALWAYS a blast and you get a template PLUS a posting bonus!!!

Now what is left for me to yack about... I am not one much for LONG blog posts... but SHEESH there is SO MUCH going on! LOL

I think I am to the freebie for the week though... and that is REALLY what you all came here for anyway ISN'T IT!!!! LOL... hey... I would too! So here it is!!! Special thanks to miss Bunny this week! The original photo edge is from her new CU grab bag for April! GOOD STUFF GIRLS!! Get it here! I added the fillies... but the frame is really the best part!!! LOL

SUMMER TEASE FRAME

Well ok... I think that about wraps it up!! LOL. Don't forget I am 'off' next week so this freebie will be up for 2 weeks! See ya in a while crocodile!!

Are we done.... yet????

2008-04-02T12:46:00.001-07:00

Well as a continuation of last weeks post....we are better.... FINALY... I think.... lol! OIY what a horrid bug we got!! So last week I told you all how we had been ill for the week but were at the end of it..... well I spoke TOO SOON!!! Everyone was happy and healthy on Friday and Saturday of last week.... then Sunday.. DIARHEA!!!! Both the kids had it! UGH.... NOT FUN! So that is what we got to deal with Sunday and Monday. Tuesday was all on the up and up and so far today we are back to our daily activities... I hope we STAY better this time!!!! lol

There are some FUN changes going on at DSO! Since it is getting close to summer time and we know everyone starts to get busy Bunny has decided to do a Download-a-day type of a deal! As a design team we make the mega kit and for the past year you could earn the kit by doing all the challenges. Since we all won't have as much time to do all the challenges we are doing the mega kit in small downloads each day! YEP!! A freebie EVERY DAY! Go check it out here! You must be a registered DSO member to see the DL-A-DAY thread.

Lani (jovi girl) and I have teamed up for the Picture Perfect Challenge at DSO! Lani has a GREAT tip for you this month and I have got a great posting bonus for you if you participate! Check it out here!

Don't forget that you can still get my Cherry Cordial kit 30% off... but not for long!!!!! My DSO Store

I did manage to get the next part of Summer Tease done for you so that I could post it this week! YEAH! This is turning into a fun kit! I can't wait to put it all together! Get this weeks piece by clicking on the link below! Feel free to tell your friends about it but sent them HERE to my BLOG not to the 4 shared link please!

Summer Tease Ribbons

Enjoy the week everyone!!! See ya back here next Wednesday!

Ta Ta!

CT CALL!!!

2008-03-28T14:12:00.001-07:00

Great news girls!!! Luisa and I have decided to team up and get a little CT going!

We are teaming up because we are both stay at home mom's with little kids...... HIGHLY TIME CONSUMING!!! LOL. So we only get a new kit out every month or so. This isn't quite enough to have a ct each on our own! We thought if we teamed up we might have enough new product to keep a little CT busy! So if you have always wanted to be on a CT but never thought you had the time to keep up with it... this may be the perfect opportunity!!! E-mail to join.our.ct@gmail.com if you are interested!! We will leave the call open until Aril 10th, then make our decision!

Check out our stores to see what great things you would be working with and pick up some deals too!

Luisa's Store

My store!

Toilet Trouble!!

2008-03-25T21:08:00.001-07:00

What a LONG weekend we have had around here!!! LOL. The whole weekend has been focused around the great white porcelain throne!!! UGH! First of all we got a nasty 24 hour flu bug that we passed through the family!!! So we have been taking turns hanging over the one toilet that works in the house!

Normally we would have 2 toilets but that has been yet ANOTHER toilet issue we have had this weekend! My dear sweet little son decided that flushing an Easter egg down the toilet would be a good idea....... I found him staring down the toilet as it was flushing with plastic eggs all around on the floor and thought to myself..... "I hope he didn't just do what I think he just did..." and of course he HAD! So Saturday morning while my DS and I are puking our guts out my DH gets to spend a good few hours snaking half of the plastic egg out of the toilet. We are pretty sure the other half is still in there... indefinitely..... Hubby said "we will just have to stop using that toilet until we move....." YEAH RIGHT!!!! I could tell he was fed up with it so I left the subject for the weekend. HAHA

Then yesterday morning I was putting the toilet seat down, when the lid came CRASHING down on my thumb!! OUCH!!!! Now it has a nice tender bruise on it and I can't do much of ANYTHING without hitting it and then I think "what a nice reminder of how CRAPPY (pun intended) our weekend was!!! HAHA

ANYWHO.... that has been my weekend... how was yours!?? LOL

One quick plug for my new kit before I hand out the next part of the Summer Tease Kit.

CHECK OUT THIS KIT!!! 24 papers and 46 elements of decadent chocolate inspired goodness!!! This kit was inspired by a candy wrapper and it is sure to satisfy your hankering for Cherry Cordial colors! With a dash of elegance and a pinch of shabby this kit is versatile and sure to fill even the heartiest craving!

Ok so I had a bit of fun with the food puns.... but doesn't this just look YUMMY! It is also 30% off for a few more days!! Grab it now before the sale is over!

GET YOUR CHERRY CORDIAL HERE!

And now what your REALLY all came here for... THE FREEBIE!

Summer Tease papers part 2!!

Remember you can get it HERE this week only!!! Next Wednesday the link comes down and a new part of the kit will be in it's place! Remember to send your friends here to my blog and not to the 4 shared link. Also don't forget to leave me some love if you snag this! After all.... I am being nice to give it to you for FREE!!!

If you missed the first part of the Summer Tease kit, DON'T WORRY. The whole thing will go into the store when it is done! Hope you all have a barf free week!!!

Easter Treats!

2008-03-19T14:31:00.001-07:00

Well Easter is on it's way and I have a fun treat to share with you for the Holiday! First up though are ANNOUNCEMENTS! LOL

FINALLY IT'S IN THE STORE!!! WOOOHOOO!!!! Cherry Cordial is a kit I have been working on for MONTHS! It is HUGE!!! 24 papers and 46 elements!!!! Here is a preview of the kit to get your mouth watering! Get yours HERE! On sale 30% off for 2 weeks!!!!

I also want to welcome Sophia Sarducci to the DSO design team! WOW this girl has some BEAUTIFUL STUFF!!! See it HERE!

Next up DSO is having an Easter Egg hunt!!! TOO FUN!!! We are hiding freebies ALL OVER the store for you to find! There will be clues to help you find the goodies!! Check it out and get in on all the action! DSO EASTER EGG HUNT!

There is still time to get a LO up for the Picture Perfect Challenge! Here is yet another STUNNING LO Done for this challenge!!! This LO is done by MaggotMommy- I just LOVE this photo!!! Get the photo tip and make your LO before the month is up!!!! Picture Perfect Challenge

OK! Now for your TREAT! My DH asked me to get this recipe from his mom. I made him a GIANT peanut butter candy heart for Valentines day! My MIL said she usually uses this recipe at Easter and makes them into egg shapes! HOW FUN! I am going to do this and wrap them up in foil and hide them with the rest of the eggs!!! Thought some of you might like to have the recipe too!!! CAUTION : this makes ALOT... so you may want to do half the recipe!!!

Peanut Butter Eggs (or any other shape!)

1 1/2 Cups peanut butter

5 Cups Powdered Sugar

1 Cup Softened butter

1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla

Mix the ingredients together and mold into whatever shape you like! (great for kids!!!) Then dip the shapes in chocolate! and let dry! EASY!!!!!

Here are some picts of the heart I did for DH!

I think that I will be setting Wednesday as my Blog day!!! I am HOPING that will help me actually DO the blog thing!!! LOL You should look forward to getting a freebie from me every Wednesday too! The link will be active until the NEXT Wednesday when I post a NEW freebie! So without MORE chatter... here is the FREEBIE you have been waiting for!! This will be a kit eventually that will go into the store. So check back each week to get your new pieces!

Feel free to let other's know about this freebie, but please link them to my Blog NOT to 4 shared. THANK YOU!

SUMMER TEASE PAPERS 1

I am a bad blogger!! HAHA

2008-03-10T13:44:00.001-07:00

Oh man!! I just can't seem to keep up!! LOL. I'M TRYING!!! ROTFL. I think I need to pick a day of the week to blog and then do it THAT DAY... HAHA. Eh... I will decide that later.... LOL (which is why I am ALWAYS running around like a crazy!!) Oh well!!!

First I want to give a BIG WELCOME to Nikki!! She has earned larger wings and become a fairy at DSO!!! She is no longer a pixie and will be selling at DSO now!! YEAH!

As for me, well this month I have a FUN new challenge up at DSO!!! The Picture Perfect Challenge!!! WOOT! I am REALLY excited about it! Each month you will get a photo tip and then you use it to take some GREAT pictures... then scrap them how you like! FUN STUFF!! Check out this months challenge and tip RIGHT HERE! Lani aka JoviGirl will be doing this challenge with me so get ready for some GREAT tips!!!! And of course there is a posting bonus for doing my challenge and as always if you do ALL the challenges at DSO for the month you get a FREE MEGA KIT!!!! So check out ALL the great challenges!!!

I have had SO MUCH fun watching all the great LO's get posted for the challenge!! I wanted to share one with you that I LOVED!!

How cute is this!!!! I LOVED this LO by Shazbutt. She was kind enough to let me post it here! There are some other REALLY wonderful LO's so far!!! So go check them ALL out!!!

Here is one I did for and example that I really was happy with.

And now for everyones favorite!! The FREEBIE!!!! This time I am giving you a QP! This QP was made using my NEW KIT 'Cherry Cordial'!! I am SO EXCITED about how this kit turned out!!! I hope it will be up in the store later this week!! As for now here is a teaser to get your mouth watering!!! Hope you enjoy it!!! Feel free to let your friends in on the goodie but please give them the link to my blog not the 4shared link. Thanks!!!

CHERRY CORDIAL QP

Oh yeah... and p.s. I decided not to do the contest right now (mentioned in previous post)... just have to much going on right now... I know you are all heart broken! HAHA.

Long time no blog!!!

2008-02-25T10:27:00.001-08:00

WOW it has been a while since I have blogged!!! YIKES!!! HAHA. DH went to NY AGAIN for a week so instead of staying home with the two kids I ran away to Idaho! HAHA. Went back to moms house and let her take care of us for the week!!!! What a GREAT vacation!!!!! I am back and in business again though!!! Hitting the designing hard so I can get some fun stuff going! Lots to tell you about today plus a GREAT FREEBIE!!!! (keep reading if ya want it!! haha!)

First up don't forget the great chat at DSO tonight!!!

February 25th @ 9pm, Eastern/6pm Pacific so you can be sure to join us at the DSO Scrap N'Chat. It's a lot of fun and you get freebies too. You will be given a template to work with and if you post your completed layout in the DSO Scrap N'Chat gallery by Wednesday night you will get this great posting bonus.

DSO Scrap N'Chat Bonus:

Next I have a GREAT new item in the store!!!! SO EXCITED about this one since it is my first ever COMMERCIAL USE item!!!! You can of course use it for personal use also! This is a fun set of overlays for you to use!!! These are 12x12 jpgs on a slightly off grid theme! If you have a regular photo program bring these images in over a solid background and change the layer style to create some beautiful papers!!! For my SBM friends you can use these as shapes!!! Start with a solid paper background then open a contrasting or complimentary paper scrap click on custom shape then browse to your jpg image. now your contrasting paper will have an overlay effect on your background!! You can get this fun set of overlays in MY DSO STORE. These are on sale for 2 weeks!!! 35% off!!!!

Now here is a bit of FUN news!!!! I AM HAVING A CONTEST!!!!! Rules and details to be posted later this week.... BUT to get your juices flowing here is a heads up!!! I am finding myself in need of doing a Heritage kit!!! I have struggled with heritage kits in the past. So I have decided to have a contest to help get me inspired!!! The basis of the contest will be to e-mail me your 'contest entry' This can be ANYTHING you think might help me get some MO JO to get in the Heritage mood!!! Color swatches... design bits.... written lists of what you think should be in a heritage kit...... hey even a picture of your favorite grandmothers hat!!! WHATEVER!!!! There will be a prize for EVERYONE who sends in an entry, AND a 'grand prize' for the entry that inspires me the most!!! So get your thinking caps on and watch my blog later this week for all the details!!!! PS.... here is the twist... this is going to be a BABY HERITAGE kit!!!!!

Last but not least here is the FREEBIE you have been waiting for!!!! Get this fun frame here. This frame is from my kit 'Glittered Pizazz' only available in My SBM Store. Feel free to let all your friends know about this goodie but please link them to my blog and not to the 4 shared link!! THANKS!!!!

One more quick bit of info you all you bloggers out there!! This is my first post using Windows Live Writer. WOW WOW WOW!!!! This is a free application that make blogging SO EASY!!!!! WEE HAA!!! Thought some of you might want to check it out!!!!

Well that is my bit for this lovely Monday morning!!!! Hope you enjoy it and have fun snooping my stores!!!! Remember to check back Thursday or Friday to find out all about my CONTEST!!!!!

2008-02-05T19:46:00.000-08:00

WEEE HAAA! It is Tuesday and I am FINALY back to the grind stone! My DH was gone for a week long busniss trip to NY last week. First time he has had to do a business trip so the kids and I had to learn to manage with out Dad! LOL. My 4 yr old daughter is SUCH a daddys girl! She did really well with him gone... but it meant a LOT more attention from mom! Thus I got NOTHING done last week!!! ROTFL! However we made it through and daddy is back home now!!! Took the weekend to get cought up with everything. Got a new product up in the store and I am giving out another freebie for ya!

New product first of course!!! LOL. The one thing I did get done last week was this great paper pack!!! 22 12x12 papers that will add elegance to ANY layout! Various colors go with several themes and pallets. Grab them up in the store to stock pile with all your great papers! Get it HERE

And now for what you all came here for!! THE FREEBIE!!! Here are 4 papers that coordinate with my new (top secret...lol) kit! Enjoy the papers! 1 week to pick these papers up and then they come down from the freebie world! Get em here
Feel free to spread the news but send there here to my blog not to 4shared please!

Freebie to CELEBRATE!

2008-01-26T21:17:00.000-08:00

I am feeling PRETTY HAPPY today!!!!! Just got my FIRST KIT up in my DSO store!!! YEAH!!!! I am SO happy that I am CELEBRATING... and that always means good things for YOU! LOL.

First the kit is ON SALE this week ONLY for 33% off!!!! Grab up my Ornamental Christmas kit today and get started on all those holiday photos you have been avoiding!!!!
You can get the kit here!

And now for the second part of the celebration! A FREEBIE!!!

This freebie has expired. Grap it up for CHEEP in my DSO store! MY DSO STORE

Don't forget Monday, January 28 @ 9:00 pm Eastern Time is the Monday Make it Chat at DSO! LOTS of FUN and a GREAT posting bonus too!

Well, I have been working HARD this week and now it is time for a BREAK! So enjoy the freebie and think of me sleeping in my bed for 3 days! (LOL... YEAH RIGHT! I wish!!)

HERE WE GO!

2008-01-24T22:56:00.000-08:00

Well here it is! my NEW blog! LOL. Right now it is VERY bare... but that WILL change! I just want to SCREAM AND SHOUT to the world
I AM A DIGI DESIGNER FOR DSO!!!!! Yep, that is right! digital-scrapbooking.org has accepted me as their newest designer! I am SO EXCITED! I just can't WAIT to get my store up and going! As for now I still have a lot of paperwork and set up things to wade through before my product will actually find its way to the store! Here is a sneak peek at the kit I will be trying to get to the store first! And a few of the pages I made with it! The kit name is 'Ornamental Christmas' so keep your eyes peeled for it in the store! It is a Christmas kit that I just LOVED working on! I am hoping to get it into the store before ALL your Christmas photos are scrapped! LOL. Hopefuly someone out there will still find some use in it! The papers are REALLY universal! They work for ANY occasion, not just Christmas! I love these papers so much I am contemplating a full color paper pack in this same style.

Thanks for stopping in, and be sure to add me to your favorites list! Come back often and get freebies, sneak peaks, and other fun goodies!

And don't judge a book by it's cover (just yet) My blog looks pretty plain but that WILL change! Lots coming! It just takes some time when you are a stay at home mom with little kids! LOL

HUGS TO ALL!
Tina