What not to wear...

Remember this post where I reminisced about my daughter?  Well tomorrow is the day that my "baby" goes off to school.  So crazy, but it is here! We purchased a few new outfits and pairs of shoes over the weekend. I posted a blurry pic on FB of her first day outfit.  I also posted the rules that I gave my husband for dressing her since he usually does the first part of the day.  I got a huge response to that post because...well...*most* men are clueless about fashion and coordination of colors.  Which isn't to say that I am fashion diva (not even close) but I can at least match a few things. ;)  Here are the rules to that I gave my hubby about dressing our child:

Rule #1- patterned pants need a mostly plain top. 
Rule #2- patterned top gets plain pants. 
Rule #3- exception, plains can be mixed. 

Rule #4- patterns can rarely be mixed. 
Rule #5- when in doubt... DON'T DO IT!

He made a snide comment on my FB page but secretly he said to me, "Thanks, that really helps!"  Our marriage is founded on a lot of humor, so we can poke fun at each other and it is all in good fun. :)

Now for the card.  I made this using some of my new MME stuff that I mentioned earlier.  I also used some other stuff I had around that needed using.  The dies are Avery Elle and Quick Cuts, the stamp is Clearly Wordsmith.  I made this card using the following inspiration- Pinspired #16 (focusing on the flower DP), Color Q #205 (I don't have the new raspberry ripple from SU! so I used this brighter pop of color with my enamel dots) and finally the Friday Mashup 125 using ABC's (A- Avery Elle die/Arrows, B- Baby Sentiment, and C- corner rounder punch).  I had a ton of fun making this card and it makes me think of my baby and her big adventure tomorrow.

Today's Question of the Day is about the men in your life, we all have them somewhere, husbands, father's brothers, cousins, co-workers.  Like I said *most* of them are clueless about certain things like fashion. What seems obvious to you and I isn't to them.  They are clearly wired different from women.  So, what are some "rules" that you've had to teach a man or men in your life?

Thanks for stopping friends!

Putting the SPARKLE in PS SPARKS!

Do you remember the other day when I mentioned celebrating my new DT role and I mentioned that I went shopping at my local scrapbook store and got myself some new MME papers and enamel dots.  Well I *had* to get the new stuff out and play a little bit today.  I had a ton of fun and broke out some other new products I hadn't used yet like my Avery Elle Chevron Bits dies.  And I haven't used my Paper Smooches Slang Gang set much either, so I wanted to get that inky.  I was LOVING this weeks inspiration over at Paper Smooches SPARKS so I used that photo to get my inspirational juices flowing.  Check out this fun picture!

When I imagined this card, it was a bunch of frames overlapping, but I realized I only had a few frames.  I went with speech bubbles instead.  I went with the same idea but wanted to make it even more edgy by using some ink splatter too.  Some of the spritz I used had some shimmer to it, which I think you can see here.  BTW- I feel totally dorky saying edgy because I feel like it makes me sound like I am saying how trendy and cool I am when the reality is I am a dork. :)  However, I do feel like this card is both trendy and edgy with the neon colors, the sentiments, the enamel dots and the chevron bits.  Originally I was making this with my Mom in mind since she is retiring in a week, but I think it is a little too trendy for her and not really her style.  She likes pretty, so I'll just have to save it for another occasion.  I have to get on making her another card instead.

Though we went out and played in the sun and water the last couple of days...really the perfect Labor Day weekend weather...signs of fall are coming.  The night air is getting crisp, the leaves are starting to turn, the spiders are out in full force and the acorns are starting to fall.   I love each of these things...minus the spiders of course, EW!  Today's Question of the Day- what are the signs of fall that you love?

Have a great evening!

Flashback Friday- Vitamin O

Today I am having my own little flashback of a week long kayaking trip my dad and I took on the outside of Vancouver Island 12ish or so years back.  What an amazing trip!  We paddles along little uninhabited islands and found so many wonders- animals, shells and even a couple of Japanese glass floats!  We learned from our kayak guides about good old Vitamin O.

What?! You've never heard of Vitamin O?!  Well it is super important for your daily nutrition and you should have some right now!  It is best with milk and I like the DoubleStuf version.  I am talking about Oreo's people!  While we are on the topic...SCANDAL ALERT- did you know that the DoubleStuf only has about 1.9 times the stuffing!!!!  It is a good think I am so loyal or I might have to forsake them forever! ;)

Anyway, I made this card for my Daddy who has a birthday coming up in a few days.  I thought it might bring him back fond memories of that trip and Vitamin O.  We still joke about it to this day and he has Oreos in the house every time I come visit him. :)  Love my Daddy! I used my We Go Together set from Fresh Squeezed stamps for the first time.  (Just realizing now that this is out of focus, must not have been wearing my glasses or something- boo!)


Here is the review of some of the last two week's questions and answers:

Briny Blue (8/18)
Q- What is your favorite paper crafting tool?
A-- Lots of you said your cuddlebug but I thought I'd share the one that was a little different, from Virginia who said, "My favorite tool (one of many) would be my Fiskar Micro Scissors.I don't think I can live without one :)"

Thai Adventure (8/20)
Q- What is one of the most memorable trips you've taken and what about it did you love?
A- Michelle Z said, "Your trip to Thailand sounds wonderful! The best trip I've had was my trip last weekend to see my daughter. She graduated from college and moved away and I've missed her sooo much! This past weekend my husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. He surprised me with a trip to see her. When I tell people this, they don't think that it sounds very romantic. And then I tell them that he took me there because he knew that there was no place in the world that I'd rather be. Sweet, huh?"

Life is a Circus (8/21)
Q- I want to know one either a) what is your favorite comic and why? b) what is a quote or saying that inspires you? OR c) all of the above!
A1-  Favorite cartoon answer by Barb which includes a quote!... "Calvin & Hobbes is my favorite cartoon. My favorite quote (among many from my enlightened little cartoon friend) is..."Nothing spoils fun like finding out it builds character."
A2- I loved this quote Amy left that is from Margaret Mead- "We are continually faced with great opportunities which are brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems."

Mama's takin' us to the Zoo tomorrow (8/26)
Q-  What is your favorite animal and Why?
A-  CM said, "My favorite animal: miniature schnauzers! I had 2, who I spoiled and pampered immeasurably. One of these days, new puppy coming home (I hope!!)"

Thank you also for the advice on what to do for my daughter for her first day of kindergarten and all the congrats on my DT news!  I love having all you amazing people in my life, thank goodness for the internet! :)

Don't forget, today is your opportunity to come up with the questions! I'll ask them as the weeks progress, so what is it you are burning to know?

The happies are still with me!

Hello!

Just a quick post to share a card I made for Seize the Sketch #2.  Because this weeks challenge is sponsored by CASual Fridays, I thought it only appropriate to use their stamps.   A pretty simple card with some DP and the stamps and a few stickers that I used for my banners.  I love this soft color pallet and this stamp set, this card makes me happy. :)



Speaking of happy...hope you say my earlier post today with my crafty news! :)  To celebrate my news I stopped by my local scrapbook store Urban Scrapbooker and found a ton of fun new MME stuff and splurged.  Don't tell my hubby! :)  The earlier post is also where today's question is, check it out!

See ya'll tomorrow!

Some Crafty News...

Hello and Happy Wednesday!  This Wednesday is particularly exciting for me because I get to announce my first full time (not guest) DT gig!  I am super excited to be joing the Cut It Up Challenge Blog!  You probably remember this post where I mentioned my number one tool is my Big Shot....well, that is what this challenge blog is all about...using die cutting machines, whatever one you prefer!   

To celebrate this acheivement, I made a card that is specifically about feeling that sense of accomplishement, that *high* if you will.  Don't get the pun, well check out the card, because I feel like I am walking on air today!  Wahooo!  For this card I used my brand spankin new Simon Says Stamp Sunshine die as well as my favie-fave cloud die from Papertrey Ink.  I also added some pre-die cut bits from BasicGrey's What's Up collection. 

For today's Question of the Day- what is one goal you have that you'd like accomplish this year (it can be a calendar year, from your birthday, from now forward, whatever you want)?  Mine was getting on challenge DT because I LOVE challenges- check! 

Please come and play at the Cut It Up challenge on September 6th, which will be my first official post on the DT.  The challenges are every two weeks on Friday's there after!  There is lots of fun to be had over there and some good prizes ta-boot!  Oh and there is a FB page too, check that out for upcoming fun as well!

Thanks for stopping and sharing in my good news! :)

OH EM GEE!

It totally just dawned on me that next Tuesday is the last day home with my little girl.  I have the day off to stay with her since camp is out and the following morning she will get on the bus for the first time to go to Kindergarten.  KINDERGARTEN!  OH EM GEE where has the time gone?!  I could potentially sit down and cry right now, I want to, but instead I am going to put my thoughts towards what special thing I can do for her that am or afternoon (other than just being there) to let her know how special she is and how proud I am of my big girl.  Any thoughts?  Let's actually make that the Question of the Day!  I had something else in mind prior to sitting down and typing this but now I have to go with that question.  So what ideas do you have for something special I can do for my baby?

All previous train of thought has been disrupted, no there may not have been much but there was something there before!  I have no idea what I was even going to post about today. Now I just want to show you pics of my little girl and reminisce!  Here are a couple of my love. :)

August 2008                                                                                  October 2008

December 2009

September 2010                                                                                        November 2011

May 2012                                                                                       August 2013

I did have a card to share, but I think it would pale in comparison to my beautiful little girl, so maybe come back tomorrow and look for it then! :)

Mama's takin' us to the Zoo tomorrow....

...zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow.... and we can stay all day.  Going' to the zoo, zoo, zoo.  How about you, you, you?...

What?  You don't want to hear me sing anymore?  Well it is a good thing you are only reading it and not hearing my actual voice!  :)  The real question is, have you heard that song by Raffi?  Well I bring it up because...well because I can't get that song out of my head...but I also bring it up because I had a fun trip to the zoo on Saturday with my BFF and her son Cruz!   (Side note- as a parent almost every single reference I have goes back to something for kids, kids music, kids books, kids movies.  No wonder you non-parental units out there don't want to talk to the likes of me! LOL!)   This last weekend I was lucky enough to have a visit from two of my favorite people in the whole world, my BFF Lin
dsay and her son Cruz (age 3)! We have been friends for many years and I love to be around her, we just always have a hoot together!  It is always soooo fun when she visits that I wish she would stay forever (working on that part and you can help me later- GRIN!).  OK, enough distractions... so we went to the zoo and let me tell you there were babies galore there.  We saw baby lions, jaguars, komoto dragons a baby giraffe and apparently there are baby otters too, though we didn't see them.  We also spied our very favorite kind of baby monkey!  We were lucky enough to snap a photo....

Anyway, my friend LB is just the best.   I know that she is there for me no matter what I am feeling or needing and there is NEVER a shortage of laughter  And her son.....soooooooo cute!  I love that little guy like he is my own family, I would do anything for him.  Anyway, like I mentioned earlier, I just can't get enough of them and wish we lived in the same city.  Wanna help me work on her?! ;) Sure you do....send out vibes to Lindsay and Cruz for me to move to Edmonds, WA.  LB I think you might be reading this and chuckling about now. :)

I have a card to share with you, but first I'll ask today's Question of the Day- What is your favorite animal and why?  Perhaps it is your pet that you love or maybe it is an animal that facinates you.  I happen to love lots of critters for many reasons, but here are a few that pique my interest at this moment- the elephant with it's long memory, the giraffe with it's strange long legs and neck and bony knobs on its head, and the sea is just teaming with strange creatures.  So now it is your turn to tell me, but FIRST, take a look at today's card.

This is one for Neat & Tangled's birthday  and the Eat Cake Challenge over at the Little Tangles Blog.  I used the free digis they provided to make this fun card.  Love me some free digis BTW!  Anyway, I printed the sentiment small across the bottom of the paper, colored it a bit and used it as a banner on my card.  The cake is fun and I didn't have to add much, but I wanted some sparkle, so other than some color I added some Stickles to dress it up. I used my Doodlebug Washi tape for the cake platter to go with the DP. Finally, I finished my card off with some of these fantastic of the N&T birthday sequins.  Pretty easy peasy, and I am happy with how it turned out.

Thanks for stopping and commenting, I always love to read your comments!