Two at a Time

Bedroom Re-dos

2011-11-09T10:50:00.001-05:00

My girls. They never really had a finished room. Not even a nursery. We started to do it while I was pregnant and then I was put in the hospital for the second half of the pregnancy. Hubby did the best he could, but we ended up just settling for some mis-matched furniture and no real theme. I thought I would re-do it when they moved into toddler beds at 3, but nope....still didn't.

I'm not sure how this all got started. I think it had something to do with my friend Nancy and I at last month's Fishhawk Garage Sale. I told her we were thinking of bunk beds for the girls, but they had to be the ones with the stairs (the ladder ones just made me nervous). So we looked at several that day but didn't find exactly what I had in mind. But about a week later, Nancy sent an email with the exact bunk beds I was looking for....on Craig's List. In excellent condition. At a ridiculously good price. Sold.

I always told BP that I thought - when the time was right - we would give the girls our bedroom furniture and buy new stuff for us. We paid $200 for our bedroom set at an estate sale in 2002. It's from 1963 (there's a stamp on the back of the mirror that says so). It just made more sense to give 4-year-olds furniture that was still nice...but not brand new. So that meant we had to buy new furniture for us. (See how I did that??)

Here's some pics of the girls' new room. I found the bedding and accessories at Target. It's called Love n' Nature Collection and it's just the cutest. I was worried Breena wouldn't like it because it wasn't purple, but she actually loves it.

BP really wanted to keep the papasan because he sits there with them at night before bed to read. I agreed but said I wanted a new cushion. Then I looked up how much new cushions for those things were. Yikes. So I found a DIY papasan cushion slipcover tutorial and I'm going to attempt to make a cover that coordinates with their room much better... and at about a 1/3 of the price of a brand new one.

I still have decorating to do. I want to frame some pictures to put up and I want to put their names on the wall somehow. But they love their new room.

And I love mine!

Here's the sage-y green color it was before:

And here's what it looks like now:

The furniture isn't white...it's more of an off-white with a dark wood top. It's also a distressed, shabby-chic (BP had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that we bought brand new furniture that looks old and used on purpose.) I wanted an iron bed. He wanted wood. This was our compromise.

Here's some more pics:

We got rid of the awful vertical blinds over the slider and replaced them with grommet topped panels in a deep red to match the bedding. (not sure why this pic is so dark)

The mirror that goes on this dresser was broken during delivery. We should have the replacement by Friday.

I still have some decorating to do in here, but I love how peaceful and light it now is. Unlike a lot of homes in Florida, all of our trim and doors are a cherry instead of the usual white. Putting light colored furniture in this room really brightened it up.

Now....what can I re-do next....????

Whoooooo is ready for fall...??

2011-10-26T11:07:00.000-04:00

Details on how to make this cute owl box using Paper Layerz by Megan Elizabeth will be available here starting November 1!

Halloween Decor

2011-10-04T10:02:00.000-04:00

I went a little crazy with the October kit from Club Ruby. I just couldn't stop making Halloween decorations for the house...

Here's the mantle over my fireplace. I made the framed sign on the left and the Halloween banner.

Then I dressed up the hall tree in my foyer with a paper flower topiary, a scary skull hanging, an upcycled box and vinyl spiders - complete with rhinestone eyes:

Directions for all my projects can be found under my profile on ClubRubyDesigners.com.

Now...go scrap something!

Halloween Cake Pops

2011-09-29T11:12:00.000-04:00

Bakerella makes it looks sooooo easy.

This is my first attempt at cake pops. (Ok, technically my second attempt. Most of the first batch got pitched. Ok, ok...so I ATE most of them, then threw out the rest.) Luckily my four-year-olds do not care how lumpy, bumpy and demented my jack-o-lanterns look. They just say ' You're the best mommy EVER for making us lollipops!'

October Kit Sneak Peek!

2011-09-22T12:27:00.001-04:00

I am having SO much fun with the October kit from http://www.clubrubydesigners.com.

I just finished up an awesome home decor project that is already pretty-ing up my foyer for the coming season. Here's a pic:

Be sure to check back after October 1 to see how it all turned out!

WINNER

2011-09-12T14:11:00.000-04:00

The winner of the Gypsy A-Z DVD from the Above Rubies Studios 21 Days of Giveaways is:

The Bradenburgs!

Email me at britten@aboverubiesstudio.com to claim your prize!!

Drippy Goo - Not just for Halloween

2011-09-04T21:04:00.002-04:00

When I went in my scrap area today to clean up after yesterday's project, I spotted my Martha Stewart Drippy Goo punch, sitting right where I left it. And suddenly....I had an idea.

I wasn't in a Halloween-ie mood...more dark...kind of... edgy... (maybe because of my new hair color...? ) Hmmm...so the question was....can I make Drippy Goo -- rock n' roll???

I grabbed my Gypsy and started scrolling through my cartridges, waiting for inspiration to hit. AH-HA! Rock Princess! An obvious choice for a rock n' roll card....but was there something that would work with the Goo?? And then I found the perfect one and some accessories to go with it. Of course, then I had to select the right paper...

I loved the hot pink, greens and blues on this sheet of Paper Layerz. And even though these weren't really layered images, Paper Layerz still worked because the colors coordinated so well. No digging through my scraps or hacking into 12x12 sheets for just a small cut. Everything I needed was all on one piece of paper.

I cut out the images I wanted, then hit the edges with a little Distress Ink in Black Soot...

I adhered my Rock Princess die cuts to a 5x5 card of black cardstock with my ATG and foam squares, punched some scraps with the Drippy Goo, added a generous amount of Magenta and Lime Green Stickles....and in minutes (not counting the Stickles drying time) I had my Drippy Rock Star Card!

Anyone have any other non-traditional suggestions for Drippy Goo....?? Let me know and I'll try them out and post them here later this week!

GIVEAWAY!!!

2011-09-02T23:49:00.003-04:00

Woot! Woot! It's my first blog GIVEAWAY!

Megan over at Above Rubies Studio has been hosting 21 DAYS OF GIVEAWAYS and today is my day to play! I'm giving away Megan's super popular Gypsy A-Z DVD!

I've also got a Halloween card tutorial for you using Paper Layerz - Megan's innovative new line of paper. I love, love, LOVE this paper and best of all, it's now available at http://www.aboverubiesstudio.com!

In order to be eligible to win, make sure you:

*become a follower on my blog

*leave a comment on this post

*and make sure you leave a comment on Megan's post at AboveRubiesStudio for another chance to win!

Winners will be announced on September 8th on Megan's live UStream!

Now for the card:

I picked this PaperLayerz design because of the subtle pattern and the colors were perfect for the images I wanted to cut.

I cut the witch and all her layers from the Wrap It Up Cricut cartridge. One of the best things about Paper Layerz is that it's printed on Cut Mates cardstock...which means beautiful, perfect cuts - even with the smallest details - every time.

Here's my witch - all layers assembled.

I used a piece of Kraft cardstock as the base of my Halloween card. My favorite card size is 5x5 and I used the popular Martha Stewart Drippy Good border punch along the bottom, then punched a matching border out of Paper Layerz.

I used (my new) Lacy Labels Lite cartridge to cut this cute die and then stamped the Trick or Treat sentiment with a Studio G stamp from the $1 bin at Michael's.

I don't t think you can have a Halloween card without some Stickles. I used Copper here.

Viola!

Don't forget to sign up to follow my blog AND leave a comment for your chance to win the Gypsy A-Z DVD!!

Club Ruby September Kit Sneak Peek

2011-08-31T11:00:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow is September 1. Already. How did that happen?

I have a love/hate relationship with this month. It's my birthday month (the 21st if anyone is thinking of sending a present) and who doesn't love gifts and cake. But I do NOT like being one year closer to 4-0.

Anyway...enough about me and my issues with getting older...

The September Club Ruby kit is packed with scrap goodness. Here's a card I made with just some of the papers and cute button brads from the September kit and my new Bloom Lite Cricut cart that I picked up on clearance at Walmart:

Check out http://www.clubrubydesigners.com starting tomorrow to see tons more projects using this kit from our awesome design team. This kit - and any past ones that didn't sell out - can be ordered from http://www.craft-e-corner.com.

The Weekend

2011-08-30T10:41:00.000-04:00

What a crafty and wonderful weekend I've had!

Megan - my boss over at Club Ruby Designers - (who has also become a fabulous friend) - has been here in Florida for an extended weekend and we've been having such a fun time - as well as getting some much needed work done. She arrived with a lengthy To Do list and an e-Craft in her suitcase, so I knew we would be getting down to business:

I did drag her away from the house for a bit to take her to an awesome scrapbook store called Violette's in Lakeland, FL. It's a good 45 minute ride from my house, but it's totally worth the drive. Of course we had to stop at Michael's, have lunch at Panera Bread, a caffeine stop at Starbucks (if you ever find yourself at Starbucks with Megan, note that you might be there awhile....her coffee order is very specific and borders on diva-like *insert eye roll here*). We also got a chance to check out the newest products and catalog from Close to My Heart at consultant Adeline Brill's Open House. (Thanks for having us Adeline!) Megan also got to meet my scrappy friend Darlene, who just started her own blog where she will be posting all of her fabulous creations.

We finished up the weekend with a fish bowl sized fruity drink:

and bowling:

Of course, Megan also did some videos while she was here and she even got me in front of the camera. To see me squirm, go HERE. After you watch the video, make sure you leave a comment for a chance to win a Cricut Cartridge from Craft-E-Corner and stay tuned for more giveaways over at AboveRubiesStudio.com.

The eCraft Has Arrived

2011-08-24T09:18:00.000-04:00

As I turned into my neighborhood last night on the way home from the Y, there was a UPS truck in front of me. As he made the left at the stop sign, I began praying to the Scrapbooking Gods (or Goddesses) that he was on his way to my address. As he wound around the corner, I got more excited and when he stopped in front of my house, I barely remembered to put the car in park before I leaped out and started jumping up and down in the driveway.

Here is what that wonderful man in brown had for me:

Yes, my scrappy friends....thanks to my wonderful boss Megan at Club Ruby Designers and the generous geniuses at Craftwell, I am now the proud owner of an eCraft cutting machine!

Now those of you who know me, know I have been an avid Cricut user since hubby bought me my first machine for Christmas in 2007. Four years later, I now have 3 Cricut machines, a Gypsy that I couldn't live without, and over 50 cartridges. But I have been intrigued by the eCraft since I first saw it at an expo several years ago.

There is a few things that makes the eCraft different from the Cricut. The first is that is does NOT need a cutting mat. Paper can be fed through the front of the machine or loaded into a tray on the back. It also comes with a roller attachment if you are cutting a long length of paper.

After registering my new machine on their site, I was able to download software that allows you to (very easily) import and cut any .svg file on the internet...which is HUGE. There are tons of free .svg files out there, as well as ones you can purchase for a dollar or two. I spent some time playing with the software last night and I found it user friendly and fun. I accessed the help screen and learned in just a minute how to weld a word and then with a click, sent that word to the eCraft to cut. Woot! Woot!

I have big plans for this machine, but as with all new toys, there is a learning curve so I have some practicing to do. Stay tuned for updates!!

Don't forget about the 21 Days of Giveaways going on right now over at AboveRubiesStudio. I'll be having a giveaway here on my blog in September. Don't miss out on your chance to win!!

Check out THIS new paper line

2011-08-19T15:28:00.002-04:00

I was lucky enough to be invited to the CHA Convention in Chicago last month....and it was AWESOME. I was there promoting a fantastic new line of paper - Paper Layerz by Megan Elizabeth.

Megan designed Paper Layerz to make coordinting and layering your die-cut images faster, cheaper and easier. Each 12x12 sheet is segmented into 9, 4x4 blocks so you can cut out all the layers of an image from just ONE sheet of Paperlayerz. Think about popular Cricut cartridges like Create-A-Critter, Florals Embellished and Everyday Paperdolls. Imagine not having to dig through your scraps looking for coordinating colors or *gasp* having to cut into a 12x12 sheet just for one small piece. And here's another bonus: Paper Layerz is printed on Cut Mates Cardstock. Cut Mates is cardstock designed specifically for use in die-cutting machines - Cricut, E-Craft, Sizzix, Silhouette, Slice....perfect cuts every time without rips or tears. I personally cut hundreds of images in the 3 days of doing Paper Layerz demos at CHA last month and I never once had to re-cut an image. How amazing is that?!?!?

Here's some cards that I made using Paper Layerz. We had these on display in our CHA booth:

Megan is my boss over at ClubRubyDesigners.com where I am a part of her Executive Design Team. She is also the brains and talent behind AboveRubiesStudio.com, which is where you can get all of Megan's super popular DVD's. If you want tips and tricks for using your Cricut, Gypsy or Cricut Imagine and if you want to see the latest products, tools and techniques in the papercrafting industry - Megan has the inside scoop on them all, what works (what doesn't) and where you can find it...go check out ARS right now!

UPDATE 8/24: Paper Layerz is available RIGHT NOW at the AboveRubiesStudio.com store. Get yours now before they sell out!!

Published Again....(well, sort of)

2011-06-06T16:07:00.003-04:00

As part of my Executive Design Team position over at Club Ruby Designers, I was asked to come up with some beach-themed projects for an ad for Club Ruby and Craft-e-Corner that would be published in a June issue of one of Northridge Publishing magazines. I didn't know for sure which magazine the ad would be in, so when I was at my local Joann store yesterday I picked up June's issue of Cards magazine just to see if maybe it was in there.... and there was the ad on page 11!

Here's the magazine it's in:

And here is the ad:

You can find instructions (and my byline!) for these projects here on Craft-e-Corner's website. All materials used were from the Be Thankful November Club Ruby kit which is available for purchase here.

Tim Holtz Pocketwatch

2011-04-14T09:26:00.001-04:00

I picked this awesome little trinket up at the Scrapbook Expo last weekend. We were doing a make-n-take and the instructor was wearing one. It looked so cool, I bought one just to see what I could fit in it!

The back pops off and I happened to have a circle punch that was the exact size of the watch. So I punched a piece of scrap paper and then glued the brad and the tiny key and attached the rhinestone for a pop of color. I didn't have to glue down the paper, so I will be able to easily change the inside.

I love wearable art!!

Club Ruby Design Team - OPEN CALL!

2011-03-28T12:30:00.000-04:00

Click HERE to find out how you can be a part of our fantastic design team.

All the details are on the CRD blog...but don't wait! The call is only open for 2 weeks - so get to work!

It's Here!

2011-03-25T14:46:00.001-04:00

The April/May issue of Cricut magazine is finally here and my project is in it!!

Check out the pics below:
(my name is printed really tiny under the second pic!)

The pictures and instructions take up four pages!

This is my very first submission for publication, so I am so excited that it made it!

A Color Challenge

2011-03-22T09:22:00.000-04:00

I'm hosting another challenge starting today over on the Club Ruby Blog.

Come over and play along! All participants will get a chance to win a goodie bag from Club Ruby!

You do have to be a member of Club Ruby - but hey it's FREE so whatcha waiting for?

Sign up here!!

Challenge!

2011-03-08T22:26:00.002-05:00

Come over to Club Ruby Designers and play along with this weeks challenge (it's an inspiration challenge!) and all participants will be entered for a chance to win a goodie bag from Megan!

Click here to play!

Let's try a pic

2011-02-27T14:57:00.001-05:00

Girls at the "beach" yesterday...

This is a test...

2011-02-27T14:53:00.001-05:00

Just downloaded an app for my iPhone so I can update my blog from there. Let's see if this works...

Embossed Cards Using the Cuttlebug

2011-02-03T14:58:00.000-05:00

I love adding embossing to my cards...it's almost like I can't help myself...

(Chandelier from Home Accents Cartridge, Chairs are Michael's rub-ons)

(Stiletto from Forever Young Cartridge)

(Dragon from JT Imagine Cartridge)

(Owl punch - Stampin Up!)

(Brad from Stampin Up!, Rosette made with Martha Stewart Score Board)

Vintage-y Part II

2011-01-28T15:41:00.000-05:00

I downloaded the vintage pharmacy label and then stamped the numbers and words.

I can't pass up a pretty, vintage swallow and some gorgeous vintage-y paper for underneath.

I found these huge, foam alphabet stamps at Joann on clearance this week. I love letters and monograms and thought a set of these blank cards would make a really nice gift.

More vintage images I found online....teacups from the 1850's that I laser printed on white cardstock. I love the detail on the cups. There's 5 different ones but I only took a picture of one (I don't know why...I think I'm just tired today maybe).

Thanks for looking!

Vintage-y

2011-01-24T15:36:00.000-05:00

I was browsing a newly opened, little vintage store in my neighborhood on Saturday and I got inspired to try to create some of my own vintage-y looks.

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, how cute would these tags look tied to a bottle of wine or to a bottle of new fragrance for your significant other??

Dear Poor, Neglected Blog...

2011-01-24T10:49:00.000-05:00

I've been crafty I swear....I just haven't had a chance to post anything here on my crafty blog. *sigh*

Here's some cards I made using my new favorite Cricut cartridge, Nifty Fifties.

I'm working on something new...a style I've done in the past but am now going to re-visit and see how it goes.

More to come :)

BENTLEY IS HOME!!

2011-01-10T11:16:00.001-05:00

As I type this, he resting in my lap. Like he never left.

If you follow my blog, you know that Bentley disappeared from our yard back in July and it literally broke my heart.

A vet's office in a city about 20 minutes from us called me this morning. She said they a client of their's had brought in a little dog that she found. When the vet scanned him, they found his microchip which is linked back to me. The vet gave me the name and number of the woman that found him on the street. Her name is Abby and her Yorkie died several months ago. She admitted that she wanted to keep him. But her heart told her to try to find the owners first. She was worried that a child somewhere was missing his/her little dog.

I never ever thought I'd see my little dog again. I can't believe he is home with us. I can't believe that there are still good, honest people out there. I

I have to leave soon to pick the girls up. I can't wait to see their reaction when they see Bentley after all this time.

Home

2011-01-04T15:51:00.000-05:00

I used to think "home" was where I grew up and where I spent most of my life. That somehow - living there longer than anywhere else - made it home. But after almost 3 weeks there over the holidays, I realized that my hometown really isn't my "home" anymore.

My parents are there. My niece and nephew. Aunts, uncles, cousins. My grandparents are buried there. My high school. My college. My first job. Someone who has become one of my best friends lives there. The houses where I grew up and the first one I bought. My ex-friends and my ex-husband. Basically everything that shaped the first 28 years of my life is still there. Right where I left it.

But it's not home anymore.

My home is here. With my husband and the family we have created with our girls and a wonderful group of neighbors and friends. Where I gave birth to my twins. Where we have created a beautiful home in a beautiful part of the country. Where I finally decided what I wanted to do for a living.

This is home. And after 19 days away, I'm really glad to be back.

Two Thousand Eleven

2010-12-21T11:08:00.000-05:00

Oh my scrappy peeps....there is SO much good stuff coming in 2011. I simply cannot wait for it to get here.

Here's a few hints about the upcoming scrap goodness that is entering my life next year:

* I have been honored & humbled with an invitation to join the staff of a fabulous & inspiring scrapbooking website.
* One of my jewelry items is going to be published in a national papercrafting magazine.
* I will be launching a new website dedicated solely to my jewelry line.
* The NABS Scrapbook meetup group - started with my friend Angie back in June - is growing and thriving. There has been a surge in requests to join NABS in the past month, which means meeting new scrap friends that are just as nuts about papercrafting as I am.

I will be sharing more details....soon!

Now...go scrap something!

O Christmas Tree!

2010-12-08T15:41:00.000-05:00

Okay, okay...this isn't really MY tree...

I googled "world's most expensive Christmas tree" and this is what I got. It's in Singapore and it's worth about a million bucks. It also weighs over 7000 pounds. (Not exactly something that you can have hubby fetch from the attic on his lunch break.)

You don't see a picture of my Christmas tree because... we aren't putting one up this year.

*I'll pause while you climb back into the chair from whence you fell when you read this devastating news.*

Yes, it's true. There is no musical Pisowald Christmas decor illuminating the front yard - and pissing off the neighbors - for 2010. There are no stockings hung, no garland strung, no cookies baked.

And since this is the internet after all....I don't know what criminal types are eagerly perusing scrappy blogs like mine just waiting for an unsuspecting papercrafter to divulge just when her and her family will be out of town so they can break in and steal all her pretty paper... I can't tell you exactly when or where we will be going.

(If you are a burglar reading this, note that all of my scrapbooking supplies have been booby trapped and you will not get out alive. It would be much safer for you to just break into the garage and help yourself to my husband's fishing paraphernalia.)

Maybe decorating would've gotten me more in the Christmas spirit. I'm not a huge fan of the holidays anyway so without any festive decor hanging from every nook and cranny, it's really easy for me to be Scrooge-like.
I'm hoping that once we are in the sub-zero weather...surrounded by our families (and other people we see less than once a year) that it will all finally feel like Christmas.

Til next year....

A New Look

2010-11-15T09:11:00.000-05:00

I finally got a chance to update my blog to a fancy 3-column style. Considering how technologically challenged I am, this was kind of a big deal.

Hubster is working on my new website. After it's all set up, he's going to hand it over to me. That should be all sorts of fun. He bought me a new computer (well, new to us) over the weekend which he is currently re-building (I don't know what that means, but he's pretty excited about it). All I asked for was a new mouse, but who am I to argue??
__________________________

I am very, VERY excited that the Gypsy now works with my new Imagine. I actually used my new "I" to make a baby shower card - my first real project with this machine. I think it came out pretty cute:

My very talented and generous Stampin' Up demo Lisa has offered to take some of my jewelry to a craft fair she is doing this weekend, so I've got to get to work while the chicklets are in school...

News

2010-11-11T08:45:00.004-05:00

Looking for my jewelry?

Click here.

(Three years later and Breena is still making Baylinn cry.)

I usually don't read the paper that comes to our house Thursday thru Sunday. Well, except for the circulars on Sundays (read: Joann's and Michael's coupons). But Brian brought it in today and set it on the kitchen counter so I looked through it while sipping my first cup of coffee. As I read just the first section, I was reminded why I tend to avoid it and the t.v. news.

It's Veterans Day so the front page article is indeed about a man who is a vet in the Iraq war. He came home with all his limbs, without a bullet wound, without any shrapnel in his body. Instead he suffers from a cancer that was caused from toxins he was exposed to during one of his Iraq tours of duty.

Also on the front page: a local guidance counselor in our neighboring town arrested for possession of child pornography. Lots of it.

Then there is the snippet that says "Injured triplet comes out of coma" - which I suppose would be the good news of the day, if I didn't already know that her sister had died in the tragic accident that put 5-year old Gabrielle in a coma in the first place. The triplets were playing in their neighbor's yard when a woman driving carelessly after a fight with her husband ran them down.

I don't know why I kept reading. Maybe I was looking for something good, something positive. Instead I came across the article about the 9th graders who took guns to school for "protection." A mom from my scrapbooking group has a daughter who is in the same class as these boys...a mom who spent hours scared for her youngest who was on lockdown while the school was searched and the guns were found.

Should I continue? There was the story about Elizabeth Smart testifying against the deranged man who kidnapped her at knifepoint from her home when she was 14. Then the one about amazon.com selling a book offering advice to pedophiles.

Finally the obituaries. Amongst the paragraphs noting the long lives of area residents, was a tiny pic of a bald, smiling little boy. Ezra David Matthews lost his fight against neuroblastoma on November 8. He was 2 years old. I looked up at my 3-year olds, who were pouting because I had just yelled at them - again- for fighting over toys (we have 2 of just about everything but this doesn't seem to matter.)

My girls drive me nuts. They are the reason that a glass of wine and a bubble bath is part of my nightly routine. But they are healthy. Happy.

Here.

Wanna Shop??

2010-11-04T15:19:00.014-04:00

Here's the link to my etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TwoataTime

Or if you see something here on my blog you like, just send me an email. I accept paypal and ship for FREE in the United States.

email: britten@tampabay.rr.com

I love custom orders, so if you want something in a different size, shape or color... email me and we'll chat!

A new website is in the works....so soon you will be able to shop right here at my TwoataTime website.

All of my jewelry and hair accessories are hand-made by me... from paper. Each piece has been sealed several times to make it durable and water-resistant, yet it's extremely comfortable and light-weight. Treat it like you would any costume jewelry and remove it before immersing in water.

Below is some things that I have for sale but that haven't made it into my etsy store yet.Everything is available in other colors by request & at no additional charge.

Blue bird on 18" snake chain, $10

Gray flower bracelet, $15

Pink & Brown Owl on adjustable ball chain, $10

These flower rings are one of my most popular items. They are hand-dipped in enamel to make them durable (and shiny!) and adhered to an adjustable silver band. All rings are $7 and available in other colors by request and at no additional charge.

These rings were custom made in burgundy and dark brown to match bridesmaid's dresses.

(Thanks Christy - not long now!)

All of my earrings are super light-weight...I have a customer who has a torn earlobe (ouch!) and had not been able to wear earrings for 4 years, until she found my earrings at a craft fair. She's now the excited owner of 4 pair.

Necklace ($10) and earring set ($5). Available together for $15 or separately.

Copper earrings, $5

Double drop earrings, $6

Embossed flower earrings,$5

My girls have long hair and I never know what to do with it. That's what inspired these hair clips and barrettes. Some are ribbon covered metal clips, others are attached to a black barrette. All are $3 each.

Monogrammed clips available in any color combo and with your choice of initial.

Shiny star, green butterfly, pink tiara with rhinestones, yellow bird, AND LOTS MORE designs and styles!

All $3 each.

and coming soon.....

The Bridal Collection

Trick or Treat?

2010-11-01T09:00:00.002-04:00

Apparently last night's answer to the age old question "Trick or Treat?" was treat because the two fairies pictured above came home with 7 pounds of candy...

Hold On Tight

2010-10-31T10:17:00.006-04:00

Yesterday was an emotional day.

I had an absolutely wonderful day at the St. Andrews Craft Fair. The weather was near perfect (except for the wind gusts that threatened to blow away my ultra-light-weight paper jewelry). The fair-goers really had an awesome response to my jewelry so it sold better than I expected and I know my friend Angie had something to do with that (Angie is the "A" in our NABS Scrapbook Group). She volunteered to help me out at the fair, so she showed up wearing all of my jewelry and became a walking, talking advertisement for my little business. And it worked.

(I know, I know....I need a big sign.)

Angie is moving back to her hometown in Michigan this week and she is going to be missed by so many people here in Florida. Our NABS group is just not going to be the same without our vowel.

(Angie and I at our NABS Halloween crop last night)

After the long day at the craft fair, I came home to grab a snack, a shower and some scrap stuff and headed out to our Halloween Costume Crop.

(Group Photo)

(This is N.A.B.S - Nancy, Angie, Britten, Sharon)

Even though we lost touch for awhile, we have all been scrapping together for several years. We re-discovered each other through another scrapbook group on meetup.com in 2009 and when that group fizzled, Angie and I formed NABS in June of this year.

While it is always great to crop with these girls, it was a bittersweet night because we knew it was Angie's last crop with us. I hate saying good-bye. I'm just not good at it.

I also learned yesterday that a few of my scrappy friends have also been dealing with deaths of loved ones and job loss. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

Happiest of Halloween everyone.

Into every life a little water must leak...

2010-10-27T10:58:00.007-04:00

Wait. That's not how the song goes.

The pile of wet wood you see above is my 5-month old floor.

Yes, it's been a damp 2010.

I came home Monday around noon to find a couple puddles of water in the hallway and the powder room. I thought maybe the toilet was leaking a little. Brian thought so too. Until I walked into our bedroom... and the floor squished.

We've got a leaky pipe....somewhere under the concrete slab the house sits on. Until they figure out where that leak is and get it fixed, we have no running water. Which sucks.

The plumber is here now so I am just hoping and praying this is fixed....soon.

_____________________

Now on to some happier news...

A bride-to-be and her mom purchased two of my rings at the craft fair a couple weeks ago. She liked it so much that she asked me to make her bridesmaids rings to wear at the wedding. I also made her these cute little boxes. Her colors are burgundy and brown.

Yep, that is a paper flower...dipped in enamel to give it high gloss and protect the paper.

It took me several tries to perfect the process for these rings but I just love how they look. It's just a fun piece of jewelry (and for $7, it's cheap too!)

________________

The last news I have to report is all about Club Ruby...and it's BIG!

Starting tomorrow - October 28 - Club Ruby will be opening up a basic membership to EVERYONE for FREE! There will also be other higher levels of membership with lots and lots of perks that will be available at a ridiculously small cost per month. So be sure to check out the Club Ruby site tomorrow for all of the details.

I was also asked if I was interested in a promotion to Master Designer for Club Ruby. My answer of course was "HELL YEAH!!"

I have loved being a part of such a talented Design Team and working for Megan and Sean has been a fantastic experience. They are so down-to-earth and superbly genuine. I love that they love what they do.

Country Day

2010-10-22T09:21:00.005-04:00

Our (Christian) preschool isn't celebrating Halloween, they are celebrating Fall with a Country Day for the kids. They couldn't wear their Halloween costumes, but they could dress in country western attire. Since we don't really have much of that laying around the house, I wanted to make the girls a couple of t-shirts. I started with a stencil I cut with my cricut and some fabric paint, but that didn't work out, so I dusted off my sewing machine and did a quick applique with some felt I had. The t-shirts are Disney...a super find I discovered at the Dollar Store - for a buck!

The shirts look cute....from a distance. As soon as the teacher saw them she said "I see that Mom got crafty!" Uh-oh.

I'm sure the girls will someday refuse to wear my handmade creations...so I'm going to do it while I can. Even if they don't always turn out so great.

Custom Order

2010-10-20T10:18:00.002-04:00

For Melody

Happy Dance

2010-10-16T21:55:00.004-04:00

This *Happy Dance* is for getting through my first craft fair -- without any (visible) signs of a nervous breakdown. Which - for me - is a major accomplishment.

(Thanks for the pic Darlene!)

It might not look overly impressive, but I worked my butt off to get the stuff you see on that table made for the fair. And it really turned out to be a positive experience. The other vendors were friendly, the people running the fair were helpful, and the customers had nice things to say about my jewelry. (Although my friends and family have been very supportive and encouraging, it was good to hear that people who weren't related to me liked my stuff.)

I sold more than I thought I was going to, which was a nice surprise. I even got a couple custom orders and some customers said they would be looking for me at the next craft fair on the 30th.

Having just this little bit of success has given me a boost of self-confidence that I really needed. My etsy store desperately needs my attention...plus I've got some design ideas for Christmas floating around in my head. The sales I had today...along with some kind words from strangers...will give me the motivation to keep going.

I owe my NABS friend Darlene a HUGE thank you for volunteering to hang out with me today. She gave up most of her Saturday to help me and I can't put into words how much I appreciated that. She's a veteran craft fair vendor so her advice and support (as well as her black tablecloth and anti-pasta salad) was so valuable. I'm hoping she wants to get back in the craft fair circuit so I've got a partner to do these shows with. It's so much more fun with friends!

More Cute Clips

2010-10-12T16:32:00.006-04:00

If this one doesn't sell, at least the girls can wear it...

This one is inspired by Boomer...

See the resemblance?

Hey Look! New Stuff!

2010-10-07T13:52:00.005-04:00

Ever since I finished up my 3 Club Ruby Design Team projects for October, I've been making items for the craft fairs I have coming up.

Everything I've made so far as been for grown-ups. But I definitely think I'd be crazy not to tap into the little girl market so here are a couple new things I've been trying out. Luckily I have two girls with tons of hair to model for me. (These would look a little silly if I had boys.)

If I can get some more made, I might stick a couple in my etsy shop too, just to see what happens.

Once Baylinn saw this headband with the crown, she wasn't interested in trying on anything else.

Pumpkin barrette.

Bat barrette.
Crown barrette.

Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

The Gift of Gab?

2010-10-04T09:11:00.005-04:00

Whoever coined this phrase never met Breena.

The child loves the sound of her own voice. She talks constantly. If she can't think of something to talk about she just makes statements. I call her Captain Obvious.

For instance:

"Momma, you having coffee. You wiping off the table. You wearing black. You a girl. I'm a girl. Boomer's a boy. Daddy's a boy." See what I mean? Captain Obvious.

It might be the worst in the car. Breena tells me how to drive ("slow down!" "stop!" "go!"), makes random statements like "trees don't talk," and then she loves to attempt to get my attention while I'm driving with "look at me momma!" and "watch this!"

I took them to the mall yesterday morning and Breena talked non-stop in the car until the usually quiet Baylinn actually yelled "Stop talking!"

Brian says to ignore her. That just makes her more determined. "Momma, you not talking. You not talking to me? Momma. Momma. MOMMA! What's wrong Momma?" Holy crap.

She has invented her own language:

"papa ernie" = pepperoni

"the crap store" = the craft store

"scraperate" = scrapbooking

"sip sups" = flip flops

"apple starts with a b. Baaa. Apple" (we are working on this)

The irony of all this?

Last week Brian and I went to the girls' preschool for their Open House. Both teachers told us how "quiet and reserved" Breena is. I'm not kidding. They thought Baylinn was the first born and the dominant twin because she can be quite bossy - especially to Breena - while at school. They said they actually "felt bad" for Breena because Baylinn takes things from her and tells her what to do. I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. We thought maybe the teachers had them mixed up, so we gave them a quick quiz, but nope, they knew Breena was the red-head.

Go figure.

Yawn

2010-09-30T14:19:00.008-04:00

Dear blog,

It's been 20 (!) days since my last update. I'm sorry I've neglected you. I have written a hundred [mental] blog entries in the last 3 weeks ...none of which managed to make it out of my head and onto the computer.

Last week was my 29th birthday (again) and I got two fabulous presents from the Hubster and Chicklets. One was the new Cricut Imagine - which prints AND cuts:

and the other was this nifty point and shoot camera by Nikon called Coolpix (mine is silver, not blue). It's the size of a credit card and only about an inch thick, but it has some awesome features that I have no idea how to use yet:

I also got to go on a fabulous scrapbook retreat with some talented scrappers from my NABS meetup group. Here we are posing out by the pool:

We spent 4 blissful days scrapbooking, eating, shopping (some did WAY more shoppin' than scrappin') talking, sharing supplies...and germs. Angie managed to pass on her head cold to 3 of us while we were there. Not the best souvenir to bring home to two 3-year olds, that's for sure:

So I've been sick almost a week now and I just can't get my groove back. I've got lots to do and no energy for any of it. I'm hoping to be over this nasty cold - SOON - because I've got jewelry to work on for two October craft fairs, Club Ruby Design Team tutorials to write and Christmas gifts to get started on. But for now...

...time for a nap.

A Giveaway

2010-09-10T17:55:00.003-04:00

My most awesomely talented friend Summer is doing a birthday giveaway on her blog. Check it out here.

----------------------------------------------

I'm sooooo glad it's Friday, people. So. Glad.

I had NO CLUE how hard it would be to get two 3-year olds out the door (on time) for preschool. I figured out why I've been struggling....it's because I've been spoiled.

As a SAHM, there aren't many instances where I have had to get the girls somewhere at a specific time. Now that's all changed. I'm packing snacks, arguing with Breena over her clothes, (socks and shoes) trying to put on mascara while my eyes are still closed, fix everyone's hair, take the dog out, load everyone in the car, buckled in, battle schoolbuses on the way to the preschool and get in The Line by 8:30am. It's not as easy as it sounds.

---------------------------------------------

Unfortunately, I have felt totally uninspired when it comes to my jewelry line lately. And that's not good considering I'm doing two craft fairs next month. So if you've seen my creative mojo laying around, could you send it back my way?

A Guest Blogger

2010-09-07T14:52:00.003-04:00

I had every intention of blogging today about something crafty (my newfound love for Stampin Up!'s watercolor crayons and how beautiful they look on a Martha Stewart stamp set I got at TJ Maxx for $1.99). I was also going to share with you a really embarrassing incident that happened to me on Sunday.

But I have a crop at the Y that I'm hosting tonight and need to get some things together...so I don't have much time. Instead I thought I would share part of an email that I received from my mom today. I'll get to the other stuff later this week.

If anyone was wondering where my (slightly warped) sense of humor comes from....the mystery will be solved after you read this....

(Oh and I didn't tell her I was publishing this so let's just keep this to ourselves....)

Hi Sis,

How was your weekend? What did you guys do? Was it hot..........????

Jim was running late to pick me up one day a couple weekends ago.........so I turned on the TV and started flipping through channels...........I ALWAYS stop at QVC and that was my first mistake...........so the moral to this story when I get to the end..........is .........this is ALL Jim's fault.

Montiel Williams was showing off this blender thing................and what appears one size on TV DOES NOT appear the same size when you get it..........he was blending crap like crazy.............smoothies, soup..............and it was blending in SECONDS.........my blender chugs along with some help from me shaking the darn thing and poking it and eventually the motor starts to smell hot.........so I decided this one from Montiel would be a good idea.........impulse buying it is called...................I spent $173.00............on something I could barely haul up the steps.............it is huge..............it will not even fit under my kitchen cupboard with the lid on............it is the next largest appliance in my tiny kitchen next to the stove and frig...........but man can it blend stuff (it has a motor a 747 would envy)........and since I have spent all of this $$$ I decided I needed to use it for more then just margaritas and the fruity smoothies.............oh..........by the way it came with a cookbook..........thing is most of the ingredients are NOT from western PA..................different seeds and crap I have never heard of and neither has Wal-Mart. But, I found some stuff.........and made a Spinach Kiwi Smoothie.............you should have seen the color of that!!!! Green Slim has nothing on this..........but it tasted pretty good..............I drank/ate it..............now I am determined to eat healthier and use the blender almost every day.......Jim, on the other hand is slightly afraid to come to dinner................as he may be drinking it through a straw.

Anyone having a pool party with frozen drinks should invite me and my new appliance...........I can make frozen drinks in record time.

Love you.
Mom

A Tour

2010-08-31T15:34:00.012-04:00

I don't have a scrap room. Using the word "room" makes one assume that I would have a door. And walls. So I usually call it my scrap area. It's actually a kind of loft at the top of the steps on the second floor of our house. I'm lucky to have a dedicated space to do my thing...but some days I really wish I had a door. With a lock.

Usually when a crafter posts pics of her scrappin' space, she cleans it up first. I decided that I would let you take a peek at my area -- as is. I was in the middle of 3 different projects when I got the inspiration to take these pictures. So if you are offended by anything less than neat or tidy...you might want to look away now. (Don't say I didn't warn you.)

First up is the wide angle shots...so you can see all of the chaos at once...

Here's the right side. On the other side of that half wall behind the units with the drawers are the stairs. We got the furniture from a neighbor who was selling it at a garage sale. It's made of monkeywood from Thailand and was custom designed for her son's bedroom. She sold it all to us for $150. It is beautiful and sturdy. You just don't ever see much of it because it's always buried under all my stuff but it fits in this space perfectly.

The drawers just don't hold all scrapbooking stuff. I have books and office supplies in there too. When this is cleaned off (which is never), this is a really nice place to spread out.

This is the left side where my computer and printer is, along with my ribbon hanging thing that I made myself from a curtain rod and some clips from the drapery department at Joann.

Here's my favorite part of the room.

My Scrapbox. Here is what it looks like when it's closed...and when it's open and organized beautifully:

Now here's mine:

Uh-huh. You see now why I showed you the picture from the website first.

It does fit perfectly in the little alcove at the end of the room. And it does look really nice when it's all closed up. But it makes me sad when I can't see all my scrappy goodies, so I leave it open 99% of the time. I do close it when we have guests staying with us. (Sometimes).

My Expression sits on this little table caddy-corner to my desk, so I can plug my computer into the E when I'm cutting something from SCAL. The drawer underneath holds all my cricut cartridges.

Finally....I decided to share this one last picture with you:

Pictured above is part of our spare bedroom - which is right across from my scrap area. When I run out of space in my craft area (which means I need to clean it up and don't want to) I usually end up in here on the floor between the wall and the bed. If I'm worried about making too much noise while the girls are napping, I set up my baby bug in here to make cuts. That white thing on the nightstand is my makeshift photo box where I use the natural light from the window to take pictures of my projects and my jewelry for etsy. I really do clean this up when we have overnight guests....

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my scrap area. If you have any questions, post them in the comments section and then check back later. I'll answer them there.

Now, I really should make something with all the stuff in here.

Another Non-Scrappy Post

2010-08-26T16:04:00.004-04:00

I was outside in the side yard with Boomer this morning, when I noticed the bottom part of the lanai kind of rippling....like something was walking between the shrubs and the lanai and bumping into the screen. I assumed it was a cat and bent down to pick up Boomer before he could see it and give chase.

But the thing that emerged from the shrubbery was SO not a cat....

Being originally from Southwestern Pennsylvania, I had never seen an armadillo up close before (not counting the ones that I see as road kill) and a two foot long creature that looked just like that picture above passed about 4 feet from me.

I'm not gonna lie. It freaked me out. And it came right towards Boomer and me. As I backed up towards the screen door in a panic, numerous thoughts flashed through my head:

*That's the ugliest critter I have ever seen.

*It's wearing armor. Can it get to us through the screen?

*I wish I had my pepper spray. And my cell phone (I have no idea who I would've called. 911? The pound? It's not like I have this guy in my contact list.)

The creature was apparently late for a meeting because it moved quickly and with purpose. Though it came close, it didn't seem to notice us and just cut right through our hedges into the neighbors back yard. *shudder*

Now I have to add armadillos to the list of things I attempt to avoid while outside in my yard. Other things on my list include: Wasps, bees or stinging insects of any kind. Snakes(!!!). My next door neighbors. Large birds with long pointy beaks. Nutria rats. Alligators (not that I've ever seen one in my yard, but it seems like I'm about due.)

Overheard....

2010-08-24T15:34:00.002-04:00

Baylinn: "Let's play with this ball Sissy!"

Breena: "Why?"

Baylinn: "Because I said so!"

Hmmm....now where in the world could she have heard that phrase from??!!!

It's Time!!!

2010-08-23T09:44:00.002-04:00

Club Ruby is here!

Wanna see what I've been talking about - and working on - the last few months??

Wanna get fabulous scrappy goodness delivered right to your door every month??

Wanna be one of the first in the Club??

Space is limited and the price is right...

Hot

2010-08-21T09:36:00.002-04:00

Is seems silly to remark about how hot it is in Florida in August.

As I stood outside in a black tank and black yoga pants, waiting for Boomer to do his business, I wondered how long it would take for me to melt into a puddle right in my own backyard. Our temperature thingy says it's 88 degrees. In the shade. At 9:30am.

I'm not complaining. Really. I'm merely documenting this so I can be reminded in January - when my family up north is frozen into ice sculptures - why we live in the Sunshine State.

Need a Laugh?

2010-08-13T20:49:00.001-04:00

Watch this video of Boomer and Baylinn and see if you get through the 45 seconds without a giggle....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b0J8rPXxg4

My Life Is Full

2010-08-11T09:13:00.003-04:00

...of pee.

(If you thought this was gonna be a sappy, mushy blog post about how my life feels full again because we have wonderful kids and a new puppy and blah, blah, blah...then this is obviously the first time you've read my blog....)

Footsteps above woke me up at 5am. I looked at the video monitor just in time to see Breena getting out of her toddler bed - buck naked. I went upstairs and discovered that she had wet the bed and then stripped off her wet nightgown. So I wiped her down, put her in dry pjs, changed the bed and tucked her back in. I attempted to sneak back to bed, but Boomer was whimpering so I went in the kitchen to check on him. He had peed in his crate. I took him outside and then came back in to clean out his crate. As soon as I put his furry butt down, he did a hop and a skip and pooped on the floor. *sigh* More lysol, more cleaning and it was now after 5:30 and neither of us were going back to sleep. Boomer and I crashed on the couch watching Married with Children (an oldie but goodie) until the girls woke up at 7.

I hope to get back to posting about making stuff....soon. We had a NABS crop on Monday night and it was great to be creative again. I'm headed to Joann's later today to get a bell for Boomer's collar (ok, so maybe I'll browse the scrapbook section too) so we can keep track of him a little easier.

His name is Boomer

2010-08-09T09:17:00.005-04:00

And we brought him home last night.

He's not a replacement for Bentley....because nothing can replace my Little Dog.

But Boomer is a welcome distraction.

He's a 9-week old, 2lb, micro mini schnauzer. According to the breeder, he should stay under 8lbs. Schnauzers are also hypo-allergenic...supposedly even more so than Yorkies.

He is super-sweet and playful. He loves the girls. He cried and seemed to be looking for them after they went up to bed last night. Even now he is napping on Breena's lap while the girls watch cartoons.

Bentley was my dog. He was gently tolerant of the girls, but he didn't seek them out to play, nap or hang-out. He wanted me to let him out, wanted me to throw the ball, wanted only my lap. Boomer will be more of a family dog...and that's a good thing - a great thing - for all of us.

The girls are old enough to help out with taking care of him. I am hoping he wears them out...and vice versa. Schnauzers are also known to be protective of their homes and owners, so I hope he will help me keep them out of trouble.

Before bringing him home, Brian promised me that if Bentley ever came home, we would have room for both dogs. That was really important to me because I have not given up hope that he will be back home with us one day.

Okay, well....

2010-08-07T15:31:00.002-04:00

...I feel better today.

There is some peace in my heart that hasn't been there all week.

My heart still aches, I still miss him terribly. It's just not quite as raw as it was.

My vet's office called yesterday, excited. One of their clients had found a male Yorkie and wanted to know if anyone had reported one lost. The woman who found the male said he was 3-4 pounds and neutered. She would bring him in to get him scanned for a microchip. The vet wanted me there in case it was Bentley...wanted me to be able to take him home right away.

It wasn't. Not. Even. Close. The woman brought in a 10-12 pound, fully-intact, male Yorkie. I stayed while they tried to scan him for a microchip. He didn't have one. Just a collar with no id. And fleas. The woman didn't want him. She has two other dogs and can't afford another. I told her about the Yorkie and small dog rescues I had seen recently on the internet. I asked her not to take him to Animal Services. I couldn't take him home because you just can't trust a dog with an unknown background around small children.

It did give me a renewed faith in humanity. There are good people out there that will try to help lost animals find their homes again.

But I don't think Bentley is lost. I think he was stolen or maybe he was attacked in the backyard by a predator. I will always have a small sliver in my heart that will hold on to the hope that he will be back with us someday.

I miss him.

And probably always will.

Nothing

2010-08-03T08:16:00.002-04:00

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts, prayers and support.

We still know nothing. Have heard nothing.

I am patiently waiting to feel nothing. Isn't that the next step in grief? To go from raw, constant pain, anger, and sadness to just feeling....nothing? I want that numbness.

It's hard to be in the house with his things. His bed, his toys, his blanket, his food dish. I didn't realize how many pictures I had up of him until now. His image is everywhere.

He is my first born. My first baby...just with fur.

We weren't looking for a dog when we got him as a teeny puppy 6 years ago. But I knew from the moment I saw him, that he was different from other Yorkies. He was just....special.

It's hard not to smile when you see him. You can't resist bending down to pet him or pick him up. If we have Bentley with us and come across a stranger who doesn't respond positively to him, it's hard to trust that person.

He stayed with me every moment while I was home on bedrest the last 4 weeks of my pregnancy, even though my lap eventually disappeared. And then the twins came and Bentley went from being the top man on the totem pole to 3rd place. He has always been in denial of his new place on the pole. He quietly insists on my attention whenever he can get it. When...and if....he comes home to us, I will make more time for him.

I promise with all my heart.

Bentley

2010-07-31T13:32:00.003-04:00

This is Bentley.

Bentley is a 6 year old, 3lb, full-coated, Yorkshire Terrier.

He is the sweetest dog you will ever meet.

Truly.

His whole goal in life is to find a lap to warm.

Bentley disappeared from our backyard this morning.

Devastated does not begin to describe how I feel.

He has id tags and is microchipped.

We've made calls, put up flyers, searched the lake by boat, searched the neighborhood by bike.

He is simply, inexplicably just....gone.

Brian, neighbors, friends search while I sit by the phone and sob.

Please pray that Bentley comes home.

What's Up?

2010-07-27T14:57:00.006-04:00

Man, I've been busy. My crafty to-do list never seems to get shorter...I just keep adding stuff to the bottom of it.

A bove Rubies Studio is getting to kick off Club Ruby in August, which means I've been designing my butt off for that. I've been asked to make a couple 12x12 scrapbook albums for other people. I had some custom jewelry to make. I have two craft fairs coming up in October that I'm trying to make inventory for. There were a bunch of events in July I made cards for. And of course, there's the house to clean, the kids to yell at, dinner to cook, groceries to buy.

Here's one of the birthday cards I made for hubby's niece. I think it came out cute.

And here's a card I made for his nephew - who also had a birthday in July. In my opinion, boy birthday cards are not any easier than man birthday cards!

Thank for looking...!

The Girls - At 3 (and 2 months)

2010-07-20T16:53:00.007-04:00

I was a little late getting the girls 3 year pics done this year. But don't worry, it won't happen again...cuz it's just too damn hot in Florida in July to do an outdoor photo shoot.

I am so, so, so happy with how these turned out, and how quick my photographer got these images to me (we just did the shoot on Sunday!)

Here's just a few of my favorites:

A huge, HUGE thanks to Christine Sorrell for taking these on an early Sunday morning. Visit her website to see more of her gorgeous work:

http://www.sorrell-photography.com

So there was this SNAKE...

2010-07-15T15:48:00.004-04:00

...in my bedroom the other day...

Yeah, not exactly something that I want to say more than once a lifetime.

I had just put the girls down for a nap. I came downstairs, got the clean sheets out of the dryer and walked into our bedroom to put them on. As I came around to my side of the bed (of course it would be on my side) I looked down.....and started screaming.

The next thing I know, I'm standing on the bed hyperventilating while my husband pounds down the steps to find out what appendage I have severed because that is the only thing that could've caused a scream that long and loud.

I don't know how I got on top of the bed. And I don't recall the exact conversation we had while he was standing in the door (when he saw me standing on the bed, he didn't come very far into the room), but it was something like this:

Him: What's wrong?!

Me: THERE'S A SNAKE!

Him: What?

Me: A SNAKE!!!!!

Him: Where?!

Me: On the floor BESIDE THE BED!

Him: I'll be right back.

Me: NO! I'm coming with you!!!

Him: You stay here and watch it in case it moves.

(I hear some noise in the kitchen and then he's back with....tupperware.

As he heads for the snake, I yell...)

Me: WAIT! Get my camera!

Him: What?!?!

Me: I want to take pictures.

Him: Why don't you wait til I trap it first.

Me: Okay, that's probably a better idea.

If you compare the size of the snake to hubby's hand on the tupperware, this obviously wasn't of the boa constrictor variety. But still....IT WAS IN MY BEDROOM.

We debated on whether to kill it or not. Killing it in the bedroom (on our new, post-flood, wood floors as hubby pointed out) seemed kind of gross, so he managed to scoot the thing out the sliders and in to the yard. So the beast lives. For now at least.

Since the incident, I've managed to scare the hell out of myself on at least two more occasions. One turned out to be just a stretchy, black headband that was under the bed and the second one was a pair of black stretchy pants that I left pooled on the floor of the walk-in closet.

I'm not sure if I'll ever fully recover....

Breast Cancer Charm

2010-07-14T13:58:00.004-04:00

By request...

Whose Team Are You On?

2010-07-12T15:11:00.003-04:00

For me, the choice was easy:

(soon for sale in my etsy store)

Card Patterns Sketch 71

2010-07-04T22:12:00.002-04:00

I saw this Doggie in the Window and just had to have her!

(Ok, ok.... that's a lie, but this Poodle Stamp in Michael's just doesn't have the same ring to it.)

There was also an "Ooh LaLa" stamp next to the poodle but I knew that saying was on my Forever Young cartridge so I decided to keep my $1.49 and cut out the phrase on my Cricutinstead of buying the second stamp.

I really, really liked how this card turned out -- until I got out the glitter pens and Stickles. I don't know what comes over me when I get a bottle of that sparkley glue in my hand, but suddenly the poochie looked like a hoochie and there was no turning back.

I've never entered the Card Patterns challenge before, but the sketches are fantastic so I will definitely be participating again!

I'm Obsessed...

2010-07-04T10:32:00.003-04:00

..with making these bracelets.

I've got a ton (a TON!) of other stuff I should be doing, but this compressed paper and acrylic paint keeps calling my name. I've used up the grungeboard sheet that Angie gave me so I convinced hubby to stop at Tuesday Morning yesterday so I could run in and buy more - while he stayed in the car with the girls. Such a good hubby I have!

I even figured how to attach snaps (which I found at Walmart of all places). I've been using the paint I have in my stash, but I keep thinking about heading out to Walmart in the pouring rain for more colors. And more snaps.

I'm not sure if these are something I will sell on etsy. I would probably have to try to make them adjustable or custom make them to size. Until I decide, I'll just keep making them for myself!

I've Been Busy, Busy...

2010-07-02T14:42:00.007-04:00

July is a major month for birthdays for me...plus I've got a bridal shower and there were a couple of new babies born in the last few weeks....so since I refuse to give the Hallmark company one red cent for a card I know I can make myself, I've been busy making some things. (Hence the slightly sticky tile in the kitchen and the pile of laundry waiting to be folded and put away).

Have you ever made a card - or anything else - that you like so much that you don't want to give it to the person you made it for? That's how I feel about this bridal shower card. Sadly, the glittery parts on all the flourishes didn't show up for the camera...you'll have to take my word for it that it sparkles like a vampire in the sunlight (a Twilight reference just for you Marci!)

This necklace is for a co-worker of my husband's who just had her first baby, a little girl named Riley. I used the pearl for the dot on the i because the baby was born in June and pearl is June's birthstone. I don't know the mom personally, so I hope she likes it. I'm thinking about selling these in my etsy store for about $12 or so...you pick the name and stone/gem. Think they would sell??

Alright, two blog posts in one day is over my limit so I gotta go tackle the housework that will not go away, no matter how many times I wiggle my nose and make a wish.

Sharing

2010-07-02T14:33:00.007-04:00

I (finally) downloaded the pictures from when my mom, sister, niece and nephew were here a couple of weeks ago. I just wanted to share some of my favorites:

Baylinn...just chillin' in the Bay she was named after.

It should be of no surprise....Breena put the glasses on herself.

My nephew Lucas. He LOVES the beach!

My niece Aubrey. She is 9 months younger than my girls. She's just the cutest.

I Think It Looks Like a Corsage...

2010-07-01T15:46:00.003-04:00

....and ain't it cute?!

My friend Angie bought some grungeboard and I had some grungepaper so we traded. She also told that she had seen a tutorial on how to make a bracelet out of grungeboard. Of course I had to google that and see if I could make my own version.

The flower is from the Forever Young cartridge and it's out made out of grungepaper, distressed with Distress Ink in Worn Lipstick and Black Soot. I put a silver brad in the middle and hot glued the flower to a strip of grungeboard that I pained with black acrylic paint. I used a velcro dot to secure it since that's what I had on hand, but yesterday I found snaps in the craft department at Walmart and they worked great on another bracelet I'm working on.

I know they can't read yet...

2010-06-26T11:11:00.003-04:00

..but for some reason, just wearing this makes me feel better....

So....Yesterday Sucked

2010-06-25T15:30:00.004-04:00

But today has been better. :)

One of my 3-year olds actually helped me get over myself...

Baylinn has refused to jump in to the pool by herself this year. Something has been holding her back. Fear? Uncertainty? I'm not really sure. But suddenly yesterday she took that first step all by herself.

After she hit the water she yelled, "MOMMY I DID IT!" I was so proud of her for getting over her fear, for not giving up. Of course that's when it occurred to me that I was thinking of giving up. That I wanted to quit because I was afraid. That I was afraid of taking that big step into the unknown.

I want my girls to see me try my hardest at something...even if there is the very real possibility that I might fail.

I Don't Like This

2010-06-24T09:45:00.003-04:00

I feel vulnerable today.

I hate this feeling.

It makes me feel....kind of itchy all over. Like I want to crawl out of my skin. Or under the bed.

I'm suddenly tempted to delete my facebook page, stop tweeting, close my store.

I have no explanation for why I woke up feeling like this. Maybe I'm just overwhelmed. Maybe being mom, wife, and domestic engineer is enough on my plate. Maybe adding "creative business owner" to my list of titles was not the best decision for me at the moment.

Walmart Clearance-Cricut Carts

2010-06-23T09:26:00.002-04:00

If you've got a Cricut, check your Walmart aisle. They seem to be phasing out the old Cricut carts and just carrying the new Cricut Lite cartridges. I found a number of cartridges in the clearance aisle at my (non-Super) Walmart. I picked up Wild Card for $23 for my friend Angie - a total steal for a still-kinda-new cartridge.

Good Luck!

Creating vs Working

2010-06-21T09:41:00.002-04:00

I worked hard this weekend.

If you consider making jewelry out of paper "work". I actually think that's the fun part. The un-fun (is that a word?) part is getting the right pictures taken, the best description written, and finding the time to post it on etsy.

But I've committed myself to this new venture, so the laundry is going to have to wait, elmo is going to have to babysit and dinner is going to have to plan itself. For just a couple hours today.

For now.

Sneak Peek

2010-06-18T17:09:00.003-04:00

Here's a sneak peak at what I've been working on.

The charm you see there in the picture above is made out of paper. I have been working on this idea for months and months...playing around with different styles, sizes, sealants, etc...I have SO many ideas that it's hard to keep up with myself.

I posted this one on my etsy store just to get myself going. Although etsy is really user friendly, it can take awhile to put in all the pics, the description, the pricing, the shipping. It should be much easier and take much less time for me going forward. I hope to have many more things in the shop by early next week. Just cross your fingers for me!

Grab Your Ice Skates

2010-06-17T16:55:00.003-04:00

Hell has officially frozen over.

I'm on Facebook.

I pretended FB didn't even exist for quite a long time. When I was asked - repeatedly - why I was not on FB, I calmly responded "Facebook is evil."

Why did I change my mind? I didn't really. I still think that FB sucks huge amounts of time that could be best spent elsewhere doing something productive. I have read the stories about the people who have lost jobs and gotten divorced over content published on Facebook. But the e-course on creative business I'm taking (the link is there on the sidebar) strongly suggests being a part of both Facebook and Twitter. So since I paid for that advice, I figured I'd better take it.

So there I am. I am on the FB bandwagon. Or maybe I fell off the wagon? I dunno. But I do know this...

I am NOT farming....

I'm a Domain!

2010-06-13T08:14:00.004-04:00

You can now access this blog just by typing: http://www.twoatatimedesign.com. How exciting is that?!

Over the coming months, I hope to build an actual website. It's a little intimidating because I am just not technically inclined...but luckily hubby is so he has promised to help me when I need it. I'm not sure what's more important....to try to do it all myself so I can have that feeling of accomplishment...or leave it to the expert (that's hubby) so I can concentrate on actually having content for the website when it's complete!

The Crap Store

2010-06-12T00:01:00.000-04:00

(In the car this morning:)

Me: Okay girls, we've got to go to the craft store real quick, then we'll get some lunch and then we gotta make a stop at the mall.

Breena: The crap store?

Me: The craFT store, sweetie.

Breena: (slight pause while she's thinking) You gettin' stuff to scraperate at the crap store?

Me: (sigh) Yes baby, stuff to scraperate.

I'm Not Avoiding You...

2010-06-11T15:21:00.002-04:00

...my dear blog. I've just been busy....

First of all, I'm loving my e-class. Kelly Rae has managed to make it both informative and inspiring...not an easy task.

Along with my friend Angie, we have started our own scrapbook meetup group. I didn't realize how much time it would take to get it set up, organized and coordinated. If you've never been to meetup.com you should go and check it out. It's a great place to find like-minded people in your very own neighborhood.

Most importantly, I've been spending every spare minute working on my new papercraft line. No, I'm still not ready to share it yet. Soon. I think. (I hope.) I saw an ad today about a craft fair coming up at the end of June and I have been bouncing around the idea of getting a booth and putting my new stuff out there just to see what happens. I would have to work really really hard to get ready in just a couple weeks.

Hmmm....

It's About Time

2010-06-06T21:38:00.004-04:00

I loved being a stay-at-home-mom when the girls were babies. They were good babies. GREAT babies, actually. But as they've gotten older....something seemed....off. Not with the girls really. Yes, they are at an...um "challenging" age:

The house is quiet. Wait a minute...it's too quiet. "Breena?!" I yell from the other room. "Nothing!" she yells back.

It was me that felt off. My temper quicker, my patience less and I found myself longing for preschool to start so I can get a break. But a break to do what? More cleaning, cooking and grocery shopping? Ugh. No. Thanks.

But I have this idea. I've had it for months. Have thought about it, worked on it, given up on it, come back to it, given up again....yet it's always there, whispering to me, demanding my attention. I've been pushing it down, putting it off...

At the end of last week, I came across this on my friend MC's blog. I knew when I read the description, I had to do it. I registered late so I spent the weekend catching up on Week 1. There is so much information it's almost overwhelming, but already I'm starting to believe that I might be able to finally see my idea become a reality.

Stay tuned...

Overdue

2010-06-04T13:39:00.006-04:00

Yikes. I am overdue for a blog update.

We've had a lot of stuff going on for the last few weeks.

Our house was finally back to normal last Friday. All the wood floors and trim were complete, the 2 cabinets replaced, the laundry room tiled, the bathroom finished. Most importantly, our brand new A/C was in. My mother-in-law and Dave arrived Saturday, just in time for the girls' third birthday:

Because of the chaos leading up to their big 03, we kept the celebration simple. We went up the road to a farm where you can pick your own blueberries:
Then a stop at their favorite restaurant for lunch (That would be McDonald's) and then a nap before the evening festivities started. Cake and ice cream was enjoyed by all, presents were opened and everyone was exhausted by the day's end.

Grandma and Dave headed back to Pittsburgh on Wednesday and the girls and I are starting to get ourselves back on track.

I've been spending some time in my scrap room and I can feel the mojo slowing kicking back in. Provo Craft released (finally!) a fantastic update for the Gypsy last week which gives it many of the capabilities it was supposed to have when it was launched back in September. I am thrilled with this update and am excited to see what PC is up to next with the Cricut Circle.

I've got to go pack and plan for a big crop tonight. I've missed my scrappy friends and I'm so ready for a night out!

An Anti-Crack Post

2010-05-24T15:39:00.008-04:00

I decided to come upstairs and post for a number of reasons:

1) The girls are still napping.

2) The air conditioner up here works.

3) I really don't want to start dinner in my hot kitchen.

4) The tile guy is here working in the downstairs bathroom and every time he bends over, his jeans come down in the back which prominently displays about 4 inches of butt crack.

(Now this post title makes sense, doesn't it??)

Thankfully the girls didn't notice the er, "exposure", earlier because they would've pointed and said something both hysterical and terribly inappropriate.

I actually had a moment - probably brought on by stress and heat exhaustion - where I was going to take a picture of said crack and put it here on my blog to accompany this post. You can thank me later for resisting the urge not to scrap that particular memory....

________________________

Okay, how about I show you something I actually made out of paper....since that really is the purpose of this blog....

This is a baby card for my friend who is expecting her third child - a boy. I saw that scallop layering idea on a sketch blog (I can't remember which site or when I saw it exactly) and wanted to try it out. That cute frog stamp is one of those dollar ones (not Studio G, the other one). Brown cardstock and matching ribbon are from Papertrey Ink. The tiny tags and baby stamp are SU!

As always...thanks for looking and hey, why not leave me a comment since you're already here??

_______________________

WOWZA!! Check out this totally fabulous BLOG CANDY!!

SERIOUSLY??

2010-05-23T21:03:00.003-04:00

Bad stuff happens in 3's. I don't know who invented that "rule" or whatever it is, but it's just how [insert bad word here] happens...

First there was The Flood.

Second there was The Broken Air Conditioner on the 2nd Floor (which is only 3 years old, btw).

And now for the Grand Finale....

We have The Broken Air Conditioner on the 1st Floor.

*deep breaths...in and out...in and out*

UGH.

I'm going to attempt to look at the bright side now...

The repairs from The Flood are almost complete. Our wood laminate was replaced last week. This week we should have our kitchen cabinet back, the bathroom fixed and all the tile work done.

The upstairs A/C broke while we were on vacation. Our A/C guy is also our neighbor so he was able to fix it before we got home AND it was under warranty.

The downstairs A/C is 21 years old and was going to have to be replaced at some point, so of course, why not now?? The part that went bad actually caught on fire, so we are lucky that it didn't burn down our house.

I am currently resisting the urge to crawl under the bed (the one upstairs, where it's cool) and not coming out until someone gives the "All Clear!" sign. But as much as I want to hibernate, I can't. I've got projects due for my Design Team. There is a Scrapbook Expo that I've been looking forward to this coming weekend. My mother-in-law is arriving Saturday and staying for 5 days. And the girls turn 3 on Sunday. Of course, there is also the usual shopping, cooking, cleaning, bill paying and child rearing.

UGH.

A Makeover

2010-05-20T15:51:00.008-04:00

My friend Jess is having a baby shower on Sunday. Her mom - who only had the best intentions, I'm sure - ordered these tubes of hand cream as favors for the shower:

While very cute, they didn't really seem to say "Boy baby on the way!" so when Jess told me how disappointed she was with these, I volunteered to give the tubes a boyish makeover. Jess also wanted a thank you tag attached. This is how the tubes (all 40 of them!) look now:
The two-sided cardstock is from American Crafts - courtesy of Tuesday Morning. 25 sheets for 2 bucks! The "Many Thanks" Stamp is SU!.

(Sorry for the crappy pics. I took them with my cell phone.)

Where Have You Been?

2010-05-15T15:36:00.003-04:00

I've been at the beach (without internet or email access *gasp*)...thanks for asking!

We had a vacation planned for this past week, and it really couldn't have come at a better time. It was great not to have to deal with the insurance company, the restoration company and the water company for a whole week. But now we are home and hoping that we will have a real floor again soon.

The girls loved the beach and the pool, hubby loved fishing in the ocean, and I loved drinking margaritas with my toes in the sand.

I packed my cricut, my gypsy, and my scrappy supplies, but didn't do much of anything creative. Now I that I'm home, unpacked and re-charged, I'm ready to get some things going again. I have my first Club Ruby Design Team projects due soon for Above Rubies Studio. I've made a number of things with the awesome Club Ruby kit but I think I'm going to do some tweaking to a couple before I officially submit them.

I've got some other scrappy-related ideas floating around in my sun-cooked brain....so stay tuned!

Things are.....better.

2010-05-03T14:00:00.002-04:00

Not back to normal. Not all the way. Not yet.

They did come in today and take out all the fans and dehumidifiers....except for 3 in the kitchen with the cabinet dryers attached since apparently there is still some water under there. Our floors are a mess of exposed concrete and what's left of the wood laminate. Our powder room and our living room/dining room remain unusable. But I have a new-to-me washer and dryer set and hubby washed clothes all day Saturday while I went to a crop, so we once again have clean clothes. Best of all, with 95% of the equipment gone, the noise level has also gone down considerably.

It's better....much better.

Six Days

2010-04-29T20:41:00.012-04:00

Really, in the Great Span Of Time, 6 days is not that long. Heck, it's not even a full week. But a lot seemed to happen around here in the last 6 days...

Friday the 23rd was our 5 year wedding anniversary and my mom flew in to take care of the girls while hubby and I escaped for a couple nights to Orlando. We stayed at the Gaylord Palms Resort right outside Disney. This is the view from our balcony...of the inside of the resort. It's landscaped beautifully so you feel like you're outside, but the whole place is really under glass.

Since it was our anniversary, they gave us an extra night free, upgraded our room and even posted this on one of the large tv's in the hotel:

We had drinks by the pool and a fabulous dinner at one of the restaurants. And then we were up early Saturday to catch the hotel shuttle to Epcot:

I loved Epcot. I especially loved the food. Margaritas in Mexico, bratwurst in Germany, tiramisu in Italy. Yes, I basically ate my way through the park. And it was delicious.

Sunday morning we had the best breakfast ever at another restaurant at the hotel and then we headed home to rescue Grammy from the twins. My mom and the girls did great, though Breena was having some potty training issues. Yet that didn't stop us from heading to the Magic Kingdom on Monday:

The girls had a really good time and I think it was our best Disney trip so far (this was their 3rd trip to the Magic Kingdom)....even though they refused to nap in the stroller. Well, until Breena finally, FINALLY gave in....for about 20 minutes:

We even stayed for the night parade. I love seeing the castle like this:

We made the trip home from the Magic Kingdom late Monday night, got a little rest and then took Grammy to the airport Tuesday afternoon.

Wednesday started out great. Brian bought some sod from Craig's List (don't ask) so a few of the neighbors came by and helped him put it in. With all the help, it didn't take long and it looked great! Later that day I was upstairs updating my blog for the Bombshell Hop I almost missed, and then I got the girls up from their nap. I was still in the nursery with Breena when Baylinn came running back upstairs and said, "Mommy, there's water in the house!" I immediately ran down the steps and right into a puddle of water. The washing machine was leaking...and had been for about 10 minutes or so. Long enough to cover a good part of the first floor of the house in water. I yelled for Brian who was just as shocked as I was when he saw the flood creeping across our tile and wood floors. I worked our shop vac while he called the neighbors - who had been at our house laying sod just that morning - and asked them to come over with their shop vacs. We worked for an hour straight but got all the water we could see up and out of the house. Then it was time to call the insurance company.

So there's good news and bad news. The good news is that we were home when the leak happened so it only lasted minutes and we were able to get the water out before it ruined any electronics or furniture. It also didn't harm the tile that runs through the middle of the house and into the kitchen.

Now the bad news...

Our wood laminate floors are ruined. The insurance company sent a group out today that worked for hours pulling up the wet parts of the flooring and setting up equipment to dry out the concrete, baseboards and walls (yep, the water got into the walls that quickly). Here's what 22 fans, 4 dehumidifiers and 2 cabinet dryers look like on my driveway:

And here's what they look like inside my house:

As large and ugly as they are, it's nothing compared to the noise these things make...it sounds like you're standing next to a jet engine. You have to shout to be heard above the racket. Lucky for us we have a 2 story and the noise isn't quite as bad up here so we'll be pretty much living on the top floor until the dry out is done - hopefully on Monday. We aren't sure how many weeks it will take to get all the floors replaced....

I did get both girls to the doctor today. Baylinn for a lingering cough and Breena for her, err, bum issue. I hope they both feel better soon. It will make living in this chaos for anther 4 days a bit more bearable.

Whew! If you're still with me....thanks. I needed to get that all out. It just didn't seem possible that so much could happen in such a tiny span of time.

Tomorrow night is GNO @ JT which I am very excited about. (Yes, that's a special code and no, I can't tell you what it means.) Even better, Saturday is National Scrapbooking Day and I'm actually going to get to crop for most of the day at my favorite crop place with my favorite scrappy friends. I can't wait!

The Bombshell Blog Hop

2010-04-28T16:35:00.005-04:00

I'm late. Like, REALLY LATE.

I've had this card done for weeks, but was gone all weekend, my mom was in town, missed the reminder email from Bombshell and just NOW at 4:36pm remembered that I was supposed to have this posted at midnight...Ugh. So sorry!

The challenge was PINK, so I decided that my niece's Sweet 16 Birthday would be the perfect inspiration.

Here's the rest of the list....so keep hopping!

Kas
Patti
Meredith
Katie
QueenBScraps
Steph
Erika
Sy
Angie
BoHoRose
Kelli
Stempelientje
Cheryl
Kathi
jheuser
Alison
Shaz
PerkyNihilist
Danielle

I am SO Excited!

2010-04-21T14:34:00.002-04:00

I just received my first Club Ruby kit from Above Rubies Studio and I am soooo excited - CUZ THIS KIT ROCKS!!

I mentioned a little while back that I was selected to be a part of the new Design Team at Above Rubies and I knew my first kit would be arriving around mid-April. It came today and I almost ran my husband over in my haste to get it in the house and to get it opened. As I was going through it I just kept saying, "OH! OH!! OOOHHH!!" Yes, it is really that good.

I have a few weeks to get my projects completed, photographed and turned in to Megan at Above Rubies. My work with this kit will be shown exclusively on their site, so make sure you bookmark Above Rubies Studio and check back often to see the projects that myself and the other members of the DT come up with, and to find out when you can purchase this kit for yourself (trust me, you're gonna want to.)

Oh The Horror

2010-04-18T22:24:00.005-04:00

My husband didn't get it. He didn't understand why I got so upset. But I know you will understand...

I worked for quite some time on a retirement card for one of hubby's co-workers. I used some of my carefully hoarded SU! designer paper and matching cardstock, searched the internet for the perfect non-cheesy, retirement-themed sentiment, fussy cut the flower and used not one, not two, but THREE pop-dots to secure it to the front, and then hand made the matching envelope. When I was finally happy with it all, I gave it to hubby to sign and address. After a few minutes, I heard a suspicious sound coming from his office. With a sinking feeling I yelled down the hall, "Hey!! Do NOT use scotch tape to close that envelope!!" There was silence...and then a quiet, "I almost did." I immediately retrieved the card and sealed the envelope myself - properly. Crisis averted, but whew, that was close!

Nothing like a little transparent tape to make a hot mess out of a beautifully crafted creation.

Here's a picture of the card - before I added the sentiment to the front:

The card design was based on a sketch that was part of a challenge here last week.

Friday Already

2010-04-16T15:34:00.004-04:00

I've been meaning to post all week, but haven't really been spending too much time up here in my scraproom (*gasp*!) ...

Nope, I haven't been crafty all week. Haven't made a thing. Nothing. Nada. But I do have an all day crop tomorrow, so I'm hoping my mojo will show up somewhere between now and then. I have about 11 cards that need made between now and June and "simple" doesn't come easy to me. Thanks to my friend Summer (her super-cute blog is here) who sent me some links to a few sketch challenges which should help me get the ball rollin'.

As for the twins...

Thing seem to be getting a little more.... manageable. The screaming fits and tantrums that my red-haired child was throwing every 5 minutes are now less frequent. We've stuck to our guns...no amount of fit-pitching is going to get anyone what they want. So slowly....it seems to be getting through to her. While we know just how smart she is, she is equally as stubborn. A lethal combo in an almost-3-year-old.

___________________________________________________

Here's a one-picture layout using more awesome paper by Mariah Johnson. This picture of Baylinn is actually from Valentine's Day, 2009 - when she was about 21 months old. Why post this today? Because back then, it was good to be her. Nowadays...not so much.

Her sister's fits often come when it's just the 3 of us. When that happens, we go home. Immediately. So that means that Baylinn sometimes gets the short end of the stick. Poor kid. It's just what sometimes happens with siblings. One mis-behaves and the other one gets caught in the crossfire and so her fun ends up cut short too. As they get older we are trying to do things with them separately...it's just not always easy.

A New Week

2010-04-12T00:01:00.000-04:00

When this posts at 12:01 am Monday, it will be the start of the new "work" week for me and I'm really, really, REALLY hoping for it to be better than last week.

Did you notice how I put work in quotes?? That's because I don't really work. I'm just a stay-at-home-mom to twin almost-3-year-olds. I have TONS of free time. Just loads and loads of it.

(Is the snarky sarcasm coming through ok? Good. Just checkin'.)

A Giveaway

2010-04-11T21:07:00.001-04:00

My friend MC is giving away some great blog candy. Check her out here.

Lucky U

2010-04-06T14:16:00.003-04:00

I'm not having a good day.

I know how blessed I am. How lucky.

I know if my girls would've been born at 26-weeks - like they would've been if not for the miracle of modern science - things could be much, much worse. I know. I know. I KNOW.

I won't bore you with the details about the trials and tribulations of having two-year-old twins. I am tired and frustrated. This morning I sighed, I cried, I told myself it will get better. It has to. She cannot be this trying forever. Right. Right??

I googled and found stories of two-year-olds that are way worse than mine. I thought it would make me feel better. It didn't.

So I'm blogging instead. This is my Lucky U card:

The inside said "Lucky U, you get a card from me!" (Maybe it should've said, "Lucky U, you don't have two-year-old twins! HA!")

The sparrows are Bombshell Stamps. The Lucky, the U and the fancy square are Studio G stamps. Staz-On ink, Distress Inks, and Prismas for the (crappy) coloring - I'm trying to get better at it, but it might be a lost cause. The cardstock is from my stash.

Tomorrow will be better.

I hope.

Milestones

2010-04-02T15:56:00.005-04:00

We have lived in Florida for 7 years now (wow, time flies when surrounded by warm weather and endless sunshine) and until this past month, I could count on one hand how many birthday parties we have been invited to. Suddenly it seems that everyone we know is having a Big Birthday this year. You know which ones I mean by "big" - the ones that end in an "ooohhhhh!"

The latest birthday party was for a neighbor who turned 40 (insert *shudder* here). I was at a crop when I was trying to come up with an idea for the card, so I took a vote - should I make a scary "eeeek, you're 40!" card or a pretty "beautiful wishes on your birthday" card? The scrappers voted and guess which idea the majority liked better....??

Personally, I love any reason to use a skull and crossbones in a design, so I went with what the voters wanted. The paper and cardstock is retired Stampin Up!, the skulls were cut from Indie Art and the "40" from Blackletter. The rhinestones were donated by my scrappy friend Angie and the black and white ribbon was a freebie from Dawn at our last Scrap Tats meetup (thanks girls!)

If you've never heard of meetup.com, you need to get on there already. It's not just for scrapbooking... it's for all interests and hobbies and a great way to meet people....

Especially if you are like me and don't really like most people. It's a great way to ONLY have to interact with ones that like the same stuff that I do.

A Secret....Revealed

2010-04-01T15:42:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago I became a part of the new design team at aboverubiesstudio.com. I have been keeping this little secret to myself while the lovely and talented owner of Above Rubies, Megan Gravener, has been getting everything ready to launch the new Club Ruby website, blog, forums, tutorials, giveaways and so much more.

Here's a link to today's April Fool's blog post at Above Rubies that was "leaked" so you can see for yourself all of the great things to come. But shhhh! Don't tell anyone! The details are still a big secret!

(Personally I simply cannot wait for the Above Rubies "Gypsy A to Z" DVD. I love my Gypsy, but I know I can get so much more out of it and it looks like this DVD will do just that!)

Bombshell Stamps March Blog Hop!

2010-03-31T00:01:00.004-04:00

Like I mentioned in yesterday's post, the theme for the Bombshell Stamp March Bloghop is METAL - We had to try using metals in our project : Make something on metal, metal accents, metal embellishments, or even "Metal" music...

Here's a card I made with the METAL theme in mind:

I cut the frame out of my Storybook cartridge and then heat embossed it a couple times to make it look like an aged, metal frame. I colored the Bombshell in black and white to keep with the vintage theme and then put a piece of clear plastic over the image so it looked like it was really in a frame. I then "hung" it on a piece of shiny, hot pink cardstock to resemble the top part of a wall. The damask pattern paper is supposed to look like actual wallpaper, with the black wood-grain cardstock with the silver studs serving as the chair rail.

So much detail is lost in my crappy picture taking...lol. In person, the flowers match the pink almost perfectly. Oh well... you get the point!!

Make sure you leave a comment and Happy Hopping!!

Bombshell Card

2010-03-30T14:06:00.003-04:00

I've signed up for the March Blog Hop over at Bombshell Stamps. It's the first time I've ever participated in one of their hops and I'm really excited for it. You'll have to wait until tomorrow to see the project I did just for the hop - which has a METAL theme - but here's a card that I made using my favorite Bombshell stamp:

I made this for my friend *Darci whose husband was being a real butthead at the time. Paper, cardstock and striped ribbon is Stampin Up! (retired), Staz On ink and Prisma pencils for the coloring, "top note" die cut from Storybook cartridge, font from Opposites Attract cart, vintage buttons, polka dot ribbon and flower from my stash.

*Name has been changed to maintain confidentiality.

The First Step Is Admitting You Have A Problem

2010-03-25T21:01:00.005-04:00

I really, REALLY was just going to Joann today for a new paper trimmer.

I've used the same light green, Cutterpede trimmer for 6 happy years and the expandable arm just snapped off in my hand this past weekend. I was devastated. I mourned for almost 4 days before heading to J's this afternoon with a 40% off coupon in hand and two toddlers in tow. I had myself convinced that I'd get out of there with only a trimmer.

And then I saw the paper stacks on sale for $9.99.

I only bought one. But did I really need another 48 sheets to add to the THOUSANDS I already have? (Don't answer that.)

So here I am trying to find somewhere for my latest stack and I am out of room in my Scrapbox. In case you don't know what a Scrapbox looks like, here it is:

Yes, I have one of those, and yes, I could not find a place in it for another 48 sheets of paper. So I start re-arranging things in order to make room for the stack I just had-to-have-and-couldn't-live-without and I realize that the other thing I have started collecting are... stamps.

Acrylic, rubber, expensive, cheap, sets, singles, wood-mounted, un-mounted...you name it, I've got it. And they are taking up precious storage space - space I need for my....uh....paper.

Here is the last of the 12x12 layouts I did during the retreat. It's called "Partners In Crime"

The girls are 11 months old in these photos. I had caught them in Bentley's dog food dish, just having a grand ole' time. The best part of these pictures is the fact that it looks like Breena was the mastermind and ringleader of this incident. See how the bowl is between her chubby legs and she's got both fists in there while her sister looks on....at least at first. Two years later and Breena is still the one that is coming up with schemes to get her and her sister in trouble. I doubt it will ever change.

Those fat scallops at the bottom are one of those flat EK Success border punches. It's hard to tell from the pic, but it also embosses. Love it!

Hump Day

2010-03-24T14:04:00.003-04:00

I'm oh-so-glad it's Wednesday. It's Date Night for hubby and me and we might go....line dancing.I know what you're going to say, but hey we sometimes run out of stuff to do on Date Nights. We used to take ballroom dancing lessons on Date Night, but then we never actually went dancing anywhere - so it got kind of ridiculous. It'd be like taking golf lessons and then never going golfing.

So I gotta go figure out what exactly I'm supposed to wear to line dance, but here's a layout I did while on my retreat.

This was an ancient kit (seriously, the copyright said 2004!) from TLC - anyone else remember them? They went belly-up a few years ago but I still have a bunch of these kits in my stash. I went through a stage where I really liked the flat, cut-em-out cardstock embellishments but I'm over it now so I've got a ton of them and I never use them. Storytellers is another company that sells a lot of those and I was a part of their monthly club for awhile too, so I have a variety. Maybe I should offer them as some blog candy....hmmmm...

The Recovery Continues

2010-03-23T17:20:00.005-04:00

I'm sure that as this week goes on, I will get feel more at ease in my normal routine (which was interrupted last weekend with a 2 1/2 day scrapbook retreat.) Because I'm still all out of sorts from being gone. I started unpacking my scrap stuff last night, only to get distracted mid-way through by an idea I just HAD to work on immediately. Now my scrap area is a total disaster.

And then there's my red-haired child (see yesterday's post for a picture of the culprit) who seems to be (unconsciously, I hope) torturing me with temper tantrums and potty accidents in order to get retribution for being left with her dad for a couple days. *sigh*

Anyway, here's another layout I did while on the retreat:

The title of this is "Trike Rider" -- which was inspired by "Knight Rider" -- (the original one with The Hoff of course. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, than I'll pause here to stick my tongue out at you for being SO MUCH YOUNGER THAN ME.)

The title and the flowers were all cut with my Cricut, the paper was from my stash - some was scraps, but the buttons were a real score from the dollar bin at Michaels - which I bought while shopping at the retreat.

Thanks for looking and HEY - LEAVE A COMMENT!

My New Look

2010-03-22T16:04:00.006-04:00

Whatcha think?? Like my new banner? I found a fab graphic designer on etsy.com who worked with me until I was finally happy - (definitely not an easy task). Here's her shop if you are looking for an update to your blog or etsy store.

I spent a long, lovely weekend at a wonderful scrapbooking retreat in Davenport, Florida, just 20 minutes from Disneyworld. We had SO much fun and actually got some scrappin' done, though we also did our fair share of gabbing, eating, shopping and errrr...more eating. Here's the website if you'd like to check it out for yourself the next time you're in town. (Don't forget to tell Christine that you heard about it from me.)

Here's one of the layouts that I did this weekend. If it looks like I spent about 5 minutes on it, you're absolutely right. I love, love, love this paper from Marah Johnson and didn't want to cover up any of it!

I've got lots more to post, so check back later....and HEY LEAVE A COMMENT SO I KNOW YOU WERE HERE! Otherwise it just seems like I'm sittin' here talking to myself.

Update

2010-03-11T15:33:00.006-05:00

1) Everyone is finally well. Hurray for antibiotics.

2) I haven't made anything lately. But I've been thinking about stuff I want to make. So that counts, right??

3) I was selected for a new design team for an incredibly awesome site! Details will be coming later...

4) I'm trying to give my etsy shop a makeover before opening up for business again and have spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to decide on a new logo, banner and business card design. It never takes me this long to make a decision....ugh.

5) I'm going to be part of the March blog hop at http://www.bombshellstamps.com. I love, love, LOVE these rubber stamps but I don't use them often enough (much like all of my other stamps) so I signed up for the blog hop in order to force myself to make something with them. Here's a pic of one of the sets that I have. Isn't she gorgeous?

6) I've got LOTS of crops to go to this month - including a weekend retreat in Orlando! I'm trying to get 2 albums done - one for each of the girls - and with all this scrapping time coming up, I should have lots to post in the coming weeks!

I'm Avoiding My Husband

2010-03-03T21:33:00.007-05:00

Because he's sick. He has what I had last week, only he's got it worse. (pause)

No really he does have it worse. He's not just saying that. (longer pause)

Okay, initially I thought he was just totally milking it...but then he threw up - which I didn't do last week - so he does feel really bad.

Side note: I really do think men are kind of wussy when they are sick. He asked me to go get him cold medicine this afternoon, then called while I was out to ask me to get him chicken soup (cuz he didn't like the stuff we already had *insert eye roll*) and crackers. And did I think he needed to take Vitamin C?? Back into the store I went for orange juice. And then he texted me that he needed ginger ale too.

Now I'm in my scrap room but feeling uncreative, so I thought I'd post some pics of some things I finished up yesterday (before hubby caught the Bubonic Plague)...

Our church is having a St. Patrick's Dinner and Talent Show and they are also setting up a silent auction. They asked members to contribute items for the auction, so I thought I'd make something "papercrafty" to donate.

I found this square plate in a drawer in my scraproom with the price tag still on it. I picked a design I liked, cut it in vinyl, slapped some glass etching cream on it and viola!:

(The sunny, blue-sky background courtesy of Florida In March!!)

Next I made some 4X4 note cards. I always have a hard time picking colors that I think other people will like, so I played it safe and did white on white. Some pop dots, Stickles, rhinestones and the always useful Swiss Dots folder for the Cuttlebug and here are 6 handmade, church-appropriate, blank cards with matching envelopes:

I made one more thing....but I'm not sharing it here just yet. I'll give you a hint though...it fits in this cute little matchbox from TBBM:

Of course, I will eventually show you what's in the box...

...but not yet!

Ick

2010-02-25T13:50:00.003-05:00

I'm sick. And Mom's don't get sick days. Ugh. At least now I have a legitimate reason for not doing housework.

Here's the layout of Breena that I recently finished. I love her but gosh she has been tough this past week. They've been sick (which explains how I got this) and sometimes complain that their teeth hurt so we're hoping that maybe their final (6 between the 2 of them) 2-year molars are coming in. Which hopefully explains Breena's regression back to constant whining and temper tantrums. Hopefully.

The birds are a 3 part punch from Stampin Up! Much like Baylinn's layout, I'm not in love with this one either. I really wanted to use the punch so I based the lo around them. Sad I know. Kind of like when you dress your kids up in a certain outfit and then take pics so they will perfectly match some gorgeous scrapbook paper you have. Not that any of us has ever done anything like that....

Two at a Time

Bedroom Re-dos

Whoooooo is ready for fall...??

Halloween Decor

Halloween Cake Pops

October Kit *Sneak Peek*!

*WINNER*

Drippy Goo - Not just for Halloween

GIVEAWAY!!!

Club Ruby September Kit *Sneak Peek*

The Weekend

The eCraft Has Arrived

Check out THIS new paper line

Published Again....(well, sort of)

Tim Holtz Pocketwatch

Club Ruby Design Team - OPEN CALL!

It's Here!

A Color Challenge

Challenge!

Let's try a pic

This is a test...

Embossed Cards Using the Cuttlebug

Vintage-y Part II

Vintage-y

Dear Poor, Neglected Blog...

BENTLEY IS HOME!!

Home

Two Thousand Eleven

O Christmas Tree!

A New Look

News

Wanna Shop??

Trick or Treat?

Hold On Tight

Into every life a little water must leak...

Country Day

Custom Order

*Happy Dance*

More Cute Clips

Hey Look! New Stuff!

The Gift of Gab?

*Yawn*

A Giveaway

A Guest Blogger

A Tour

Another Non-Scrappy Post

Overheard....

It's Time!!!

Hot

Need a Laugh?

My Life Is Full

His name is Boomer

Okay, well....

Nothing

Bentley

What's Up?

The Girls - At 3 (and 2 months)

So there was this SNAKE...

Breast Cancer Charm

Whose Team Are You On?

Card Patterns Sketch 71

I'm Obsessed...

I've Been Busy, Busy...

Sharing

I Think It Looks Like a Corsage...

I know they can't read yet...

So....Yesterday Sucked

I Don't Like This

Walmart Clearance-Cricut Carts

Creating vs Working

Sneak Peek

Grab Your Ice Skates

I'm a Domain!

The Crap Store

I'm Not Avoiding You...

It's About Time

Overdue

An Anti-Crack Post

SERIOUSLY??

A Makeover

October Kit Sneak Peek!

WINNER

Club Ruby September Kit Sneak Peek

Happy Dance

Yawn