Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Advent Calendar

Did you think I dropped off of the face of the earth? Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I am back though...

First off, thanks to everyone who emailed me and posted about their mammo experiences. Apparently it isn't as painless for everyone as it was for me. (I suppose that is one good thing about having a small chest. LOL!) In any case, it is still important for everyone to have them whether it hurts or not. It could save your life!

Ok, off my soapbox. Here is a fun little advent calendar that I made for my kiddos. I used a Cookie Sheet from the Dollar Tree and some matchboxes that I got at Walmart. (I now have a huge bag of matches on the top shelf of my pantry which I am sure I will never use.) I covered them with some patterned paper and added a little magnet on the back of each one. I still have a few things to add to some of the boxes. I am shooting to have it done by December 1st so that we can actually use it! LOL! I have no idea what to put in them since they are kind of small. Hopefully I will be able to find some small stickers or candy or something to put in them.

You can click on the photo to make it larger...

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!! I hope to post a few more things later this weekend. *Ü*

Monday, November 17, 2008

"Public Service Announcement"

I am shamelessly using my blog today for a "public service announcement." I just came back from having my very first mammogram. I know I am only 38 years old and that you aren't supposed to start having them until you are 40, but breast cancer runs in my family, so I actually should have started having them a few years ago. I was either pregnant or nursing the past few years, so I put it off.

After years of hearing horror stories about mammograms, I have to say, it was the quickest, easiest procedure ever. So, here is my PSA, "GO HAVE A MAMMOGRAM!" Don't listen to those who say it was horrible, painful, whatever... It was a piece of cake and it is one more way to help screen for breast cancer. While I am at it, I might as well remind you to do your monthly self exams too. (I need to be better about that myself.)

OK, back to your regularly scheduled programming...

I should have something crafty to post for you soon. I just need to take some photos.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Close to my Heart

It was just announced today that we are now officially allowed to talk about our Close to my Heart business on our blogs! Woo-Hoo! I always have tons to say about how this amazing company has enriched my life and how wonderful their products are. Now I can tell you all about it! There is a great promotion going on this month. If you would like to find out more about it, feel free to visit my Close to my Heart website at www.lisa.myctmh.com.

I have tons of artwork on my website that you may not have seen before in addition to my upcoming events and some great video tutorials in the CTMH TV section. Be sure to check them out.

I will be at a Christmas Boutique this Saturday from 9am - 2pm. If you are in the area, feel free to email me at lisa@myctmh.com for more information. (I will have some fun free make and take projects along with the free food, free massages, door prizes, and more!) I would love to have you stop by! *Ü*

Stay tuned for more great CTMH information to come...

A Fun Tag and a Couple Awards

My sweet blogging buddy (and very talented I might add) Kathi tagged me last week. This one is kind of fun because it is different. Here are the rules:

1. Get the book on your nightstand (or whatever book you are currently reading).
2. Open it to page 56 and find the 5th sentence.
3. Post the next couple of sentences on your blog, along with these instructions.
4. Do not go and find your favorite book, it has to be the one you are reading now!
5. Tag 5 other people to do the same.

Ok. This is gonna be good. The only two books "on" my nightstand right now are my bible and a book I am currently reading called Taming Your Family Zoo: Six Weeks to Raising a Well-Mannered Child by Donna Jones. I have a ton of half read books inside my nightstand that are probably much more interesting, but since I must follow the rules, I will go with this one. I actually met Donna, the author, at one of our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meetings a couple months ago. She did a presentation at the meeting and was fantastic. She is very down to earth and had a lot of great advice about raising a well-mannered child.

Here is an excerpt from page 56, beginning with the fifth sentence: "Millions of kids are virtually raising themselves. Is it any wonder that civility has all but disappeared in today's youth?"

It goes on to describe how many of us fall into one or more of many categories as parents and how to not fall prey to these ineffective parenting styles. The styles she includes are: repeating parents, threatening parents, doormat parents, "Do as I say not as I do" parents, "She's lost her marbles" parents, inconsistent parents, "Kids will be kids" parents, overly strict parents, overly permissive parents, "It's not my child's fault" parents, and/or absent parents. I have to say that I a, guilty of many of these parenting styles. Donna has some great tips on how to avoid being all of these types of parents. (Now if I can just put some of her tips into action, my kids might actually be well-mannered. LOL!

Now for the award. I received this award from Vicki a few days ago. Vicki is another one of my CTMH online buddies. She may not know it, but I stalk her blog almost daily. She is such a HUGE inspiration to me! *Ü*

I was also nominated for this award yesterday by Lori. I am so humbled by her kindness. She is another amazingly talented CTMH consultant! Check out her blog. You will love it!The rules if you are nominated are:
1) You may post the logo on your blog.
2) Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3) Nominate 5 blogs.
4) Put links to the blogs you nominate.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

Ok, now I am supposed to tag 5 people from my first tag, nominate 6 people for the "I love you blog" award, and nominate 5 more people for the "Kreativ Blogger" award. I don't think I even know that many bloggers. LOL! I know I stalk a ton of blogs, but they have no clue who I am. Many of them already have already been tagged and nominated for the awards. I am going to humbly say "thank you" to those who tagged me and ask you all to visit the blogs that I have posted to the right, as those are many of the ones I visit regularly. (I actually need to update the list because there are a bunch more I visit these days.) I will do that soon.

Thanks everyone. Have a great evening! *Ü*

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Window Card

I saw a cute card on someone's blog that had a little window a while back and copied the photo onto my computer for future inspiration. I just made my version of the card but I don't know who made the one that inspired me. I hate when that happens. So, if this looks like a card that you made, please let me know so I can give you credit!
I used my new CTMH Argyle Backgrounds set to make the polka dots on Blush cardstock for the base of the card. Then I stamped the cupcakes using the CTMH Baby Steps set and colored them in with markers. Then I added some Prisma Glitter to the frosting. (Yummy!) I punched some squares from a small piece of Cocoa cardstock and popped it up with 3-Foam Squares. Then I took a piece of striped paper from the More to Adore Paper Pack and added a scallop edge with my SU! punch. I folded it over and glued it behind the "window."I finally added a piece of chipboard from a pack of CTMH Dimensional Elements Bookplates. I stamped the sentiment from the Happy Birthday set, added some sponging to the edges, and attached it with Blush brads.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Anniversary Card

First I need to acknowledge that my last post was incorrect. My sweet friend Bren actually does have a blog. I had no idea. Let me just say it is fabulous too! Check it out here. I also realized after I looked at her cute snowman card again that I completely forgot to add a scarf to my little guy. Oops. He is going to be cold. *Ü*

Onto my card...Today is not only election day, but also our anniversary. I am having flashbacks of our honeymoon 8 years ago when I told my hubby I would love it if there would be no TV during our honeymoon week in Hawaii. He agreed and told me that the only time he would watch TV would be to find out who won the election. Well, if you can imagine, we watched the news the ENTIRE week and by the time we got home from our honeymoon, we still didn't know who won the election. (All those crazy hanging chads. LOL!) I have a feeling that tonight may be a bit of the same. We may end up eating a nice anniversary dinner while watching FOX News. *Ü*

We decided to go very simple this year and not buy each other anything. We agreed to either make something, write something, or do something that didn't cost any money. This morning he got down on his knee and read our wedding vows to me and told me that he was renewing them and that he wanted to marry me all over again. Soooo sweet!! I didn't think of anything that creative so I made him a card with a list of things that I love about him. Here is the card:
I used a few minimal items for this card, but that was my goal. I didn't want it to be about the fancy card. I wanted it to be about what was written inside.

Stamps: SU! Short & Sweet, CTMH, Extreme Caps
Cardstock
: CTMH Cranberry & White Daisy
Inks: Black & Cranberry
Other: Nestibilities Scallop Rectangle and Regular Rectangle, Prisma Glitter, 3-D Foam Squares