My Time, My Creations, My Stampendence

You may have already seen Nichole’s post about the changes taking place at Papertrey Ink.

If you have not I suggest you read it, to be informed

Changes are coming.

Many roles are changing. Lynn has been given a new duty within Papertrey, as has Jennifer. Details on Nichole’s blog.

We are welcoming 3 new, and amazing designers! Dawn McVey, Michelle Wooderson and Niki Estes. BIG WELCOME to them. They are perfect additions.

Taylor is saying goodbye. With that change I have been promoted to a Senior Designer! I am so excited about this new venture. This position offer’s possibilities that I have worked so hard for !! There is just SO MUCH talent out there, I am in awe to be where I am today. So grateful for every opportunity I have been graced with.

I cannot wait to start this new venture.

This is however bittersweet. I have to bid farewell to many of my design teams I am currently on, in order to fulfill my obligations. I guess we can’t really do it all. In the end I had to do what I needed to so I can fulfill my dreams.

I have notified those I have to say goodbye to. It was not easy, as I have had the privilege of working for the best of the best! Each and every company was full of the most wonderful and amazing people. I will miss being on their “team”, but it is not goodbye to their products!! We all know how much I love my stamps, and new goodies!!!

I want to thank each and every person I have worked for & with! I have learned and grown so much. I also want to thank Nichole, Jane, Julie & Rick- for believing in me :D, and my fellow PTI DT members who are truly so supportive.

I want to thank all of you who come and visit me here!! For the kind words and support. Now don’t worry! I am not dropping everything! LOL! You will still be able to come and see fresh new eye candy, and ideas galore All the same sort of things you have in the past-I just won’t be as crazy around release times.

I may even have more TIME! You know what that means…………….more stamping

Change is so hard sometimes-but you can’t not go forward because you are afraid of what you can’t see, or don’t know. How can you grow and learn if you stay in one place? In what is familiar? What is worse than change, is regret. Regret that your didn’t do something. I know I don’t want to regret anything in life So I embrace these amazing changes and look forward to the road ahead.

Thank you again.

We interrupt this regularly scheduled blog post for a SPECIAL announcement!

I am now a new member of the Unity Stamps Design Team! You can check out their blog HERE. Sometime today I will link on my sidebar with all the members. She has an excellent team going, with crazy talent, so I am honored that Angela wanted to add me as well. Please check the Unity thread on SCS and welcome all the new girls!

Heather

Amber

Ana

Natalie

Jennifer

Maren

Patter

Angela was only going to pick ONE, but ended up with EIGHT! LOL!

This company has just EXPLODED! I have wanted to get EVERYTHING in their line of stamps since seeing them featured on the Craft Critique at the CHA show! Have you seen their big sentiments? OMG! I just ordered almost every single one!!

Anyway-I know you are wandering where on earth I will fit this in (I am asking myself the same thing! LOL!) but, I’m taking it easy, and I don’t have a heavy work load, and some of my other commitments have ended, and that lended  up a chunk of time for me. Plus when you LOVE working with something, its not hard to pump out the samples. PLUS that means even more to post here!!! Heck I may even upload to my SCS gallery more often! LOL!

Now that I have a FULL workload, I just spent the morning CLEANING OUT ALL MY SU! STAMPS and them some!! Tomorrow I will post a HUGE Stamp sale!!!! Plus we *may* be selling our house so the less I love the better!

 Given all my design work I haven’t used them in forever. Its best they go to a good home where they will get well loved. So check in later tonight or tomorrow for that.

NOW another WAHOOO!!!!

 I created my very first Scrap page!

Yes! ME-Lauren Meader, scrapped. I can’t believe it myself Oh and the shocker……….I enjoyed it! Many have asked me to do this, and here you are. Don’t expect this often though.

I tell EVERY company I sign up for that scrapping is out of the question. I have even let opportunities go because I don’t like it THAT MUCH! LOL!

When getting ready to create my sample for my big reveal, I was just compelled to do a 12 X 12 page.

Amber:Finding the beauty amongst the weeds

I have to say I am SOOOOOOOO proud of this page! I am totally patting myself on the back. I am so not a scrapper. If I can do it, anyone can.

View from the bottom to show dimension

I used Unity’s Butterfly Beauty for this page. I stamped my butterflies in chocolate ink, then colored with Copic’s and then sponged on some pumpkin ink. The antennae are copper wire. A souffle pen created the yellow spots.

I also used my Punch Bunch flowers to create my own “weeds”. The leave stems are ribbon I got at The Paper Tree.

I just loved the photos of Amber in the field at Charming Faire Farm picking flowers. Totally oblivious to the world around her. Picking and smelling each one. (I don’t think Dandelions smell at all, and if they do most likely not good).

I wanted a place to journal, yet hide my insanely messy penmanship, so I made a pull out tag to say what I wanted to remember of this page

I loved the colors in the photos as well, and was reminded of my Scenic Route paper in theAshville collection

I had this layout in my head since editing the photos, and figured WHY NOT! Just make a page. I looked at it more like wall art than a scrap page. I plan on getting a 3D frame to frame it, and put it in our living room. Poor Amber being the 3rd child, there isn’t a stitch of scrap book stuff done for her. Forget a baby book. Hopefully she will forgive me someday.

I will say having a “theme” in mind, rather than just making a page was fun and easy. I was definitely intimidated by that 12X12 canvas. So I said OK large card-REALLY large card.

But again I am so stoked with how well it turned out. Now I need to find a frame that matches my living room!!

Thank you to each and every one of you who reads all my blabbering and checks in here with me with so much love and support! You have no idea how much I appreciate and cherish each of you!!

Till tomorrow.

May of you have asked me numerous questions about the book-The Paper Garden.

Please check out my review —->HERE<—–over at the Craft Critique! It may answer your questions, or give you any extra info in case you are on the “fence” and needed a giant PUSH! LOL!

I took today off to get some much needed family time

I am hoping to get some MYTIME tomorrow and create, since not much has been done all week given Alexa’s scare, and my awful cold.

I have things done, but STILL need to photograph them too!! I know, I know-I need to just do it.

Enjoy the long weekend!

The waiting game that is.

So we saw the doctor. I love our pediatrician and her “normal” oncologist. Its weird they aren’t handling this. Im now “cut off” since Cancer is no longer the primary issue. Anyway-

Here is the “plan”

Alexa has to drink 7 oz. of Citrate of Magnesium. We need to clean out her bowels. The purpose of this is HOPEFULLY during the “cleansing” we start to see COLORED poop. It is possible that during her virus, the gut didn’t squeeze enough to activate the gall bladder to work on the  poop-leaving a “usually” small portion of poop un-colored. Since she has a bajillion other issues that lead to constipation it is supposedly likely

Another reason for the clean-out-if we DONT see colored poop-its all white we are in a load of CRAP, and I don’t mean just literally!

We will then do a ultra-sound of the gall bladder and liver (another reason for the clean out-makes results easier to see and more accurate). IF there is something unusual after that we have to resort to a CAT SCAN.

Now in the middle of all this if ANY fever results ER here we come.

Oh and BAD abdominal pain. She will have cramping but it has to be pretty bad.

So I have spent the ENTIRE day begging and pleading and bargaining with Alexa to drink the drink. We still have 3oz to go. I think I know where I will be all night. Sitting in the bathroom with Alexa! Because she has bowels f steel!

I have no idea when this will finally hit her.

A little background-Last year in Jan Alexa was FULL top to bottom-Yes, FULL! Puking Poop!

She got 3 enemas (the maximum allowed) and a tube ran through her nose to her belly pumping Go Lytley. She got 2 FULL IV bags full-not a poop squeezed out of her. Finally the NEXT day (they said most adult would be curled up in a ball on the toilet ALL day after 1/2 a bag) she began to poop ALL liquid. They thought they saw a blockage and the poop was passing around it and she was scheduled for surgery the next morning. Prior to the surgery they did another x-ray-she was CLEAR! She held all that liquid (and not one complaint except the tube in her nose) so long that is liquefied ALL her poop.

Anyway-here I am. Waiting for her to finish the drink and praying the cleansing starts SOON. Then I can get some answers.

So its either a fluke-Auto-Immune Hepatitis, or a blocked bile duct in the gall badder-gall stones-or early liver failure.

Prayers said for the fluke.

Im beyond exhausted and I know its stupid but am a little worried we may have to ditch Amber’s field trip. All the kids were so looking forward to it. ME TOO!! They have missed out on so much in the past 2 1/2 years you know.  Here we are again, different problem. I know I should not be whining but I am always honest and this is part of my thoughts. I just want everyone to be healthy and go to the stinkin farm like a normal family! What is so wrong with that.

 I just want to see brown poop!! I thought she’d be going by now. UGH!

Since the day your child is born we all worry over poop. Geesh.

I have read all the thoughts/prayers and emails and really cannot tell you how much they mean. Im not just saying that. I have really taken some comfort in all of you out there. I know it may sound silly but its so true.

So thank you for being my sounding board.

Ill be back when I know more.

 Believe

Well TODAY is THE day.

The day that I waited for since the day I heard Alexa had Leukemia. The end of treatment. It is amazing how fast time passes. I feel sad that I rushed through part of my daughter’s childhood. To get to the END of a long road.

This is Alexa’s LAST chemo treatment. Not the end of the road to recovery, but the end of most of the fear and worry. We have a 5 year window, that is very important to be considered in “remission”. I don’t think this thing that sits in the pit of my gut, since the day I first heard her say “Mommy my knee hurts”, will ever go away. Every complaint will be met with that panic. Every fever will forever be a big deal. But I now get to at least take a deep sigh of relief. Relief that she can fight her own germs. Relief that she can go forward and just be a kid. Relief that she has over come a HUGE battle! She has done so amazing.

I am so beyond overwhelmed. I started this post attaching photos of her along her journey. Photos of before with her thick straight dark brown hair, then onto photos of her in the hospital right after we cut her waist length hair to up above her shoulders so that when it began to fall out it wouldn’t be so bad, to photos of her in the hospital, looking like I never ever want to see her looking again.

Then I deleted it all. I had to. I thought that is OVER! DONE! Not going back. Not dwelling on all that.

 I couldn’t even bare to see some of the photos. They brought the rush of emotions and turmoil those first few months had brought to me and my family. A huge SOB in my throat. Photos of my kids wearing masks to protect their sister against germs that anyone could fight off, but now for Alexa could become life threatening, Photos of them playing with dolls that have port-a-caths. Photos capturing hings NO person, let alone children should experience. To think I even limited the photos because I didn’t want to capture that time. I can see why I didn’t want to remember any of that.

Now its time to move forward in HOPE, FAITH and BELIEF that this is behind us, and she is in God’s care.

I have worn a purple wrist band that is inscribed inside-Faith in Healing Alexa. I have never taken it off. I don’t think I can. Lavender is the general cancer awareness color and is also the color for Cancer Survivors-so I went with that. Plus its my favorite color.

If you can, send up a prayer for Alexa today. A prayer that she is still Cancer free and will remain that way for the rest of her LONG life. Thank you!

I truly believe this has happened for a greater purpose, and was meant to teach me and my family countless lessons. Through it all I just had to believe it would all be ok.

Now for a card I made above-it holds a limited edition Tic Tac cassette. The front panel opens up with a magnet.

This is the Think Pink set from MFT. A great set for a cause. You can color it to suit any type of cause that affects you. Not just pink.

Leukemia color is orange. Most causes are represented by a color.

CLICK HERE to learn more about that.

 Band opened

I stamped the Sweet Blush Satin ribbon using Berry Sorbet ink.

SOOOO-This is my thought for today-Believe. Believe in a cure. Believe in Healing.

Thank you all again so much for stopping by, and if you read my post and send up a prayer I appreciate it.

What a journey.

Till Tomorrow.

Well Happy Mother’s Day to you all! I get to do whatever I want! I see TGIFriday’s in my future, and maybe take the kids to the park. Follow that up with some stamp time, of course.

As you may have noticed I took yesterday off! I needed it, and really didn’t have time to post. I had family things to do. It was a great day. Now due to my lack of posting you can guess how much I HAVE to say! LOL! This is LONG winded. I know, by now, you know me.

I do have a post to share using my favorite image-Butterflies! My day would NOT be complete without that. But first my little Mother’s Day celebrations-My children.

IF YOU WANT TO SKIP THAT BLAH BLAH BLAH scroll down!

Noah-

 On the base

He had his first t-ball game yesterday! He was hilarious. Every time a kid got on his base, and it was time to run to the next, Noah would run too, trying to “beat him” to the next base.Maybe we should have him in track? I guess they do some drill at practice, and Noah just can’t seem to separate that for this first game! LOL! Anyway, I was so proud. Last year he sat in the field and pouted! LOL! He is growing up SO fast, and seems old beyond his years. Given Alexa’s issue’s he is like the oldest child, and is the care taker of his sister’s. Some woman will be very lucky to have him some day. He is a mini version of his daddy, with a few added qualities.

Amber -

 Ready to go.

She had her Dance recital. She was ADORABLE!! All the girls were! Each one did a fabulous job. I can’t even imagine how it must be to get on a big stage and perform in front of a big group like that. Especially at 3 years old! It was the cutest thing, ever. Jason didn’t even flinch when I told him we needed to buy the DVD! He just forked it over, with a smile! Its amazing what a little girl with blond ringlets, big blue eyes-that bat at you when needed, a smile and pink tutu will do to a dad’s heart!

This is her in the song “Everybody wants to be a cat” She is sitting and acting like a cat-pawing, and cleaning their ears! It was her favorite song to do. The other song way The Candy Man.

 On Stage-isn’t she the cutest?!

Alexa-

 She takes a pose.

Well, she got ill after her field trip, and I’m just watching her closely, since Wednesday is her LAST day of chemo, provided all goes well. She is growing so fast. Time has flown by since I was pregnant with her. I always remember being 17 weeks along and hearing that she would most likely die in utero, by 20 weeks, given some of the issue’s she had while I was carrying her. Its been a great, and long rollercoaster since that time-but here she is. Showing them all, you CAN be so wrong. She didn’t “ruin or burden” my life like they told me she would. She took me on the road less traveled, but a amazing journey just the same. I dont honestly know WHERE I would be, without her. Maybe a very different person that I am today.

Daisy-my furbaby

 Here she is with “boy cat”

They are like best friends! They play together, sleep together, and even eat together!

YES! I said EAT! My cat eats dog food and the dog eats the cat food. Yes I know that is not good, but I can’t watch them both every second! LOL!

Daisy is full grown now. I want to say she is about 15lbs of fur. We give her a bath and she disappears! LOL! We need to work on her jumping on people.

She is testing her limits with being very naughty. She is use to me being home, and is very spoiled with lovin’s during that time. Plus the kids play with er all day. SOOOOO, when I’m gone for more than 3 hours, she tends to show me how sad that makes her!! She is lucky I do love her so much! I can’t even tell you some of the trouble she ahs gotten into.

Her name has gone from Daisy Doodle to Daisy Devil! LOL!

I am so thankful for my family. Proud to be a mom of three amazing little human being’s who can one second make me think I am losing my mind, then they follow it up with an unsolicited hug or kiss. Or the best words ANY mom has ever heard-I love you mommy!

I am also so blessed to have my hubby! He is truly the BEST!

Now speaking of mom’s-mine came up yesterday, and we had a fabulous day! Not long enough. We hope to go to her house for a visit soon!

She got me this GORGEOUS wreath for my door. It had purple in it and seashells and starfish! GORGEOUS!!! She loved her Bella card, and the frame I made of my family and the Pansy Basket! I got her a planter full pf Pansy’s to go with it!

I want to share a poem with you, that my friend Tanya shared with me. I loved it so much, and thought any mother could relate!

I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day, and remember that mother’s shouldn’t be celebrated just ONE day a year! Our kids do something everyday, that makes even the hardest times worth every second. So try to look for your moment, in each day.

                                   Before I was a Mom,
                I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
                I didn’t worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
                          I never thought about immunizations.                                 

                                  Before I was a Mom -
                                I had never been puked on.
                                        Pooped on.
                                        Chewed on.
                                        Peed on.                 

               I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
                                    I slept all night.
                                  Before I was a Mom,
                I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do
                                          tests
                                      Or give shots.
                        I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
                    I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
                I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.                                 

                                   Before I was a Mom,
              I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn’t want to
                                      put her down.
                I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I
                                        couldn’t
                                    stop the hurt.
              I never knew that something so small could affect my life so
                                          much.
                      I never knew that I could love someone so much.
                          I never knew I would love being a Mom.                                 

                                 Before I was a Mom -

              I didn’t know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
                I didn’t know how special it could feel to feed a hungry
                                          baby.
                I didn’t know that bond between a mother and her child.
              I didn’t know that something so small could make me feel so
                                  important and happy.

                                  Before I was a Mom -
                I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10
                          minutes to make sure all was okay.

                  I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the
                                      heartache,
                  the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
                I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much, before I
                                          was a
                                          Mom.

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Now its that time for some eye candy!

My mother’s day would not be complete with out providing that.

I told you in another post I ordered Butterfly Beauty from Unity Stamps! The SECOND I saw it in a peek for blog candy (which I did not win :C) I knew they would HAVE to be mine!!

 Upon ordering, I have to say I was a little surprised at the price on some of the sets-ONLY because I thought they were going to be those tiny Un-mounted images. I didn’t give it too much thought, because if I love it, and I want it, eventually I’ll just get it. I also didn’t look to read the sizes, I just bought. A typical Lauren thing. Drives my husband insane. He’ll say things like “How much was the steak per lb.?” or “Did you notice that X went up 0.15 cents?” me-”Um, no. I didn’t really look at the price. I just knew we usually buy X or needed X so I got it” Jay-just shakes his head in horror and thanks the good lord I am not in charge of the finances.

So I got my set, and the stamps were a fabulous size! Well worth every cent.

 Here they are!

Think Winged Things (an old SU! butterfly set that I thought I’d never part with, now I may be able too!!!) only you get MORE butterflies, and sentiments for LESS!!  I was so super surprised and happy I was bouncin!
Deep etched rubber too.

Here is my photo, of my stamps, all laid out nicely. The stamp in the upper right is a bkgd. This gives you an idea of the actual size and deep etched rubber photo.

So I guess my point is, I love them!

As a customer I was very pleased. I love the packaging too! I also ordered the Time for tea (I think) bkgd (shown in photo). Shipping took 6 days total (including weekends) which to me for a new release, let alone new company, was very good.

I didn’t get the handles because I wasn’t sure about the whole thing. Shannantold me there are “codes” on the stamps when you order, so you know what handles you need for them (I didn’t get handles yet, just used my acrylic blocks). This set requires an A & B handle.

Poor me now I have to place another order . What ever is a girl to do! I do want to TRY the handles. I am going to HAVE to add a coupe sets to it, gotta justify shipping! Happy Mother’s Day to me.

OK now for the samples.

I have to say I LOVE this first card I am going to share-LOVE IT!! I HAD to share several photos for you to take it all in! LOL! I used my Scor-Pal to get the folds like they are. Its like a pop out card, only a different fold.

This is called the Beauty Within (like my blog I was so lovin that they had that combo in there!)

Here is a side view so you can really see how the card folds

I also paired this with Beautiful Blooms. Make sure you checkNichole’s blog for Sneak Peeks of the new release due on the 15h!! (like you even need me to remind you! LOL!) There is also a design team member peek daily! So check those out as well. So excited for this release.

My mom got me these little rose bushes you see in the bkgd. I hope I don’t kill them :C They matched my card perfectly.

Now for a professional look. You just can’t tell by these that the base is layered onto black cardstock, and how it folds out. The glitter is really pretty in person too.

OK now for another!

 Passion for Purple

You know how much I LOVE purple! AND I love butterflies! This card is for my friend Debbie who I will see next week at CHA!! YEAH!! It is her birthday TODAY!! Happy Birthday Debbie. Here is your card, you won’t get till Sat! She and I both LOVE purple.

So for this I stamped the butterfly on the card base, then on glossy white cardstock. Let dry, then sponged on various purple inks. Cut out the butterfly and added over image on card. Its very pretty in person. My mother agreed the photo’s did these samples no justice. Guess I better get a better camera (wink)!

The flower image is from Stampendous Agapanthus Cluster . I LOVE it! I just added some purple stickles to the  image, when I was done. 

Speaking of Debbie-she bought me these mirrored coaster’s.

I decided to use one of the butterflies for an etched glass image! Now I cannot even begin to tell you how HARD it was to get a photo of this! I almost didn’t even share it! But decided maybe you could grasp how pretty this is in person. I was thinking of adding a satin ribbon to it, to hang it up on the wall.

Etched Mirror

 I can’t get this to resize, and upload properly-sorry!! But how pretty would a trio of these be, hung with a  satin ribbon, on a wall?! LOVE IT! They are just the perfect butterflies.

Their images seem REALLY Scrapper friendly. I however am NOT a scrapper, but do love larger images over some smaller one’s at times. I guess I just say make sure WITH ANYTHING, you look at the size to see it suits you.

So there you have it.

Hope you have a wonderful day!! Thanks for checking in with me.

This week is going to be fabulous! Alexa’s complete’s Chemo on the 14th!! Then the PTI release on the 15th!! AND I will offer just some other random fun samples.

Feel free to share your Mother’s Day plans, or a special memory.

Next week is CKC where I will meet so many friends! I am beyond excited for that. Its like the whole month of May is one big celebration!

Till tomorrow.
 

I have been super busy and have no eye candy for you (SHOCK!!) I plan on stamping today though, and getting a week’s worth of stuff (and assignments done) completed because I have a crazy week of field trips, Kindergarten enrollment, dance recital rehearsal and recital, baseball practice & games, and Mother’s Day stuff to wrap up.

Anyway time to announce my Birthday MYTIME MAIL!! I told you I will draw the winner’s via www.random.org

Well I felt #1 should be whomever was #30! Its only fitting, don’t you think?

WINNER #1

30. Lynn |

Happy Birthday Lauren. I’m so happy that you have takent the time to reflect on your life so thoroughly…decade birthdays tend to do that to us. It’s true when they say that Life Begins at 30…it’s a time when we become more comfortable with ourselves, and believe me when I say that life really does get better with time. Thanks for sharing your reflections with us!

—————————————————————————————–

MYTIME MAIL WINNER #2  

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

596

Timestamp: 2008-05-05 12:52:26 UTC

596 .kat gomez |

Happy 30TH girl..
I love your work its awesome.. thanks for sharing all the good
stuff.. cheers to the next decade.. tu amiga kat..oh and a gift I would
LLLOOOVVVEEE to receive are COPIC SKETCH PENS!! I don’t have any and I can’t
wait to have some I would love a 72 set.. one day..

————————————————————————————————-

 MYTIME MAIL WINNER #3

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

206

Timestamp: 2008-05-05 12:57:40 UTC

206.Deb Neerman |

Happy 30th, Lauren!

I’m subscribed to your blog and read it everyday … even if I don’t post everyday, LOL! Your ‘list’ is full of wisdom and experience … are you sure it’s not your 40th?!?

One thing I’ve learned is that the older you get, the wiser you become … and not just wiser, but more tolerant. When you’re young, everything is black or white. As you age, you realize that nearly everything is in the gray area!

Oh. And to love unconditionally!

Happy wishes for another 30 years of love, laughter, inspiring and sharing! You rock, Lauren!

~Hugs, Deb

———————————————————————————————

Thank you to each and every one of you for visiting, the b-day wishes, and some who have been trying the sketch. Most importantly sharing your thoughts/wisdom & experiences with me.

It really has brought even more insight to my life.

Now I will share the Smilebox! This is much more fun & easy to share my photos

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Here is a Smilebox with photos for my 30th Birthday! WOW I had a blast.

We got up, Jason made me my favorite breakfast-home made waffles with raspberry caramel sauce! YUM!!!

He them took me to Jacques Bakery, where I picked out some gourmet desserts, in place of my Birthday cake! Well worth it!

In the Smilebox you will only see 4! I ate 3 before thinking to take a photos! LOL! With Jay’s help of course
He took me to shop for stamping stuff! YEAH!

We then stopped in Manchester to get Greek Vegetable platter! I LOVE greek food, and we have nothing like that where we live here. So I was able to have that Sunday, after my b-day!

We then went to dinner at Newicks where I got my Lobster!! It was delicious! I haven’t had it in like 6+ years!!! You don’t get much out of that shell! But I was full from pastry anyway.

Funny thing was when the waitress asked how old I was my immediate response was going to be 23! LOL! I have felt 23 since I turned 23. It was a happy year for me. I met my husband and life turned a happy corner. So I am going to forever be 23!

I got money for my CKC shopping trip, a headless set for my cell phone (now I need one for the house!), Some perfume by Britney Spears called Fantasy (WOW! Smells amazing), body wash/lotions and stuff, hair care things. I know Im forgetting a few things.

My mom sent me 2 handbags-which Amber quickly claimed as hers! Shopping money-which I bought my bed set with, a book on the year I was born! So cool! Gas only 0.67 a gallon!! 3 shirts, amazing hair care products, 2 butterfly silver necklaces, gift card to Dunkin Dounts, and I think Im forgetting something! LOL!

Jason’s grandmother sent me flowers! So pretty!!!

I got gift cards from friends to TGIFridays, and a Spa!! I also got a beautiful necklace, soaps, gourmet chocolates, coffee (HEHEHE), a scarf, a Frame from Sue (one of my readers). Jay’s mom made me 2 beaded anklets.

I have some other stuff coming too. Its just running late. My dad’s gift will be here Wednesday. HMMM! HE said Ill be really surprised.

I bought myself the Beautiful Butterflies set from Unity Stamps. I REALLY wanted it, so I splurged on it.

So that is all my friends. Thank you again for the responses and emails, ecards and all of it. Im still sorting through a lot of it! LOL!

OH don’t forget-my article on the Craft Critique-HERE! If you wanted to know more about the Punch Bunch punches, there you go!! I got more for my birthday too

OK Im off to stamp land!

Till tomorrow!

Who is there?

Oppourtunity.

Oppourtunity who?

For you! Can I come in?

Well you are probably wondering what the heck I am talking about. Read on please!

Paulette and I went to The Paper Tree today! What fun we had.  That store has some fabulous stuff. Elzybells, A Muse, and Cat’s Pajama’s to name a few. We won’t get into the paper and ribbon! WOW!! I felt right at home.

After we enabled some woman to buy certain stamps, and aScor-Pal , we sat and chatted with the owner Michelle for at least an hour. She said she liked me, and my excitement for this. WOW! I guess I must be a walking billboard for this hobby I love so much. I just can’t hide it. She asked me if I wanted to teach classes at her store in Manchester NH!! Whenever I want, I set my own hours! I can do whatever projects I want. I just need to think about it, and schedule a date!

Let me say she was SUPER nice to talk to. We really hit it off.

Now many of you know I use to be a Stampin’Up! Demo. I have NO problem talking and teaching people, large groups, no problem. If anything I can’t shut up. I enjoy people getting excited about this whole hobby. So here lies my dilemma.

ANSWER ME THESE QUESTIONS!

Should I open the door?  Should I take the plunge and attempt a class? My first one would be a project I design, using the Scor-Pal! I love that thing.

Do you live in the area?

 Would you attend one of my classes if you could?

My issue is failure. I don’t want to jump and not know where I am jumping too. I also don’t like wasting my time.

If you would like to take a class with me, feel free to tell me what you want to learn! I can do ANYTHING!! BE HONEST!!! I can take it.

I really think its a good opportunity, that I can do on my own schedule! I’m thinking of hosting several classes one Sat. a month! I can spare that. It would also help me earn some $$$ for stuff for our family.

Don’t worry I’m not dropping any DT work, or stopping my blog! I Love doing everything I am now.  This is just bonus where fun and having a “job” I may love collide.

What are your thoughts? Should I go for it?

Thanks for the input!!

Lauren

Johanna, Bev and Chriss-were both super sweet and nominated me for the Arte Y Pico award-which means Art & More award. ( I know someone else nominated me and I’m SO SORRY! Remind me who it was and I will link you). I need to tag 5 people but the first one really touched my heart today, as did one of my friends.

I would like to tag-

1) Dawn Bryson She is so talented and she touched my heart when she told me she is doing a walk for Down Syndrome!! The walk this Saturday! It is called the Buddy Walk. Check it out! There is one in my area every year in October. If you want to support that cause, go to her blog and make contact with her to donate :D. How amazing of people to give back in their free time. I LOVE IT!

*On that note-I wanted to share one of my best friend’s Tracey (aka cuccicoo1002 on SCS), is taking her daughter Shannon to donate her hair to Locks of Love today! Their area newspaper is going to run an article about it, and it will feature Shannon, before and after, as well as info about Alexa (since she was why Shannon thought to donate her hair-Can we give a collective AWE!!! How sweet!).

It truly amazes me how I believe God took a awful situation in my life, and brought so much good from it. Alexa’s life has truly touched so many, and brought so much good out of other people. I knew when it happened, there must be a greater purpose. For that, I am thankful, Alexa was a instrument, used to help bring so many other people together, raise awareness and touch lives in innumerable ways. More so, I am thankful that God has allowed her to fight this horrible disease head on. It’s hard to complain about things when Alexa goes through some tough stuff, and still has a great attitude (minus the steriod week-LOL) and a smile on her face.

She has also defied many of the “LABEL’S” people with Down Syndrome are associated with. I believe it is because she is a fighter, and I expect the same of her, as my other two children. I do what I can to push her to reach for the stars! I am so proud of her, I can’t even tell you. I know she has moment’s and somethings need work, but over-all, she is just an amazing human being. I wish I could get in he head for one day.

2) I would also like to nominate my friend Bee-She visits me daily, and we chat. She cracks me up. She has a son Noah, who has Autism. I think she is an amazing person, and mother! I don’t think she gives herself enough credit. So Bee-big cyber hug! She makes some pretty cute stuff too!!

3) Next up is Bobbie. OMG! She leaves me the funniest comments and always makes me feel like I’m a super star! I don’t know what it is, but she is just the cheeriest person I ahve ever NOT met! LOL!

 4) Now we have Robyn. Robyn is a SAHM to 5 children. That ALONE amazes me. From what I can tell she is still sane! I go INSANE most days by 3pm, and I only have 3. That is why I do my posts in the MORNING! LOL! Maybe she needs to teach me her secret! Anyway, all that and she is a Cricut Wiz!! You should see some of the stuff this girl pumps out with that thing. They need to hire her I also love that she still makes time for herself! That is so important.

5) Last but not least, I want to nominate Sharon. She is the brain behind A Chemistry With Paper. She is so talented, and has some amazing stamp sets! I did work for her for a short time, but had to cut back on some of my responsibilities. She was so super sweet to me, and so nice about me leaving. I admire her so much. She raised her boys on her own, and they seem to have turned out so great.  I was so sad to say goodbye to her and ACWP a few months ago, but I am going to be a happy customer!

MORE NOMINATIONS

Velta had nominated me for a Excellent Blogger award :D-a while ago :C Sorry it took forever to post about it. Vee has some of the most elegant cards I have ever set eye’s on! She has such a great flair for it.

Annette-she tagged me for 7 random things about me. I have done so many of these.

I dont know if I have anything else! LOL!

1) I hate veal, liver, and the thought of eatting lamb.

2) I am not into “texting” and all that. I an a TALKER, so if I want to say something, Id rather call ya! Although I love emailing and all that stuff.

3) I cheated on my diet yesterday :C I had Chinese food. And yes it was good.

4) I hate buying shoes! Although I am addicted to buying pocketbooks.

5) I love that every night Jay and I get to spend at least 2 hours-kid free, and watch out fave TV shows. I look forward to it everyday

6) I hate the Home Improvement stores. I do anything possible to NOT have to go to them. That should also include places like Best Buy, Circut city and stuff like that. Electronics BORE ME TO DEATH!

7) I  need “lists”. This halep me stay organized and keep it together. I find in my daily life if I dont put it on a list I am an airhead and forget. Its awful

OK Now I need to go do my blog post with card samples!

Be right back

 Here mousey, mousey.

You cant tell a mouse tale without a mouse card- This is my card for my friend Paulette-who had to hear my dramatic stories and terror all week. Sorry Paulette.

PLEASE NOTE: What you are about to read is a true story about a mouse. There is a  photo of the CHASE but my husband said NOT to publish it. Who really wants to see a cat chasing a mouse anyway right. It gives me the heebie geebies.

While all events sound DRAMATIC, they are true. I am a DRAMATIC person when it comes to situations like this. I would make a great hidden video candidate.

A little background first.

 This is Lily-AKA mouse killer

Taking a break after this mornings “festivities”.

We became the proud owner of this STRAY cat, while on our honeymoon in Hawaii.

How does that happen? How do you get a cat while you are away? Well, lets share.

Lily kept coming around to our house while we were gone. Our mother’s took turns caring for our kids AND feeding this STRAY cat! Needless to say, by the time we returned home, we owned her!

She was pregnant, and full of fleas! YEAH! The pregnancy was a loss due to malnourishment. , from being a stray for so long.

So we took her in, cleaner her up, and got her fixed.

We also have to older cats who are 11. Brother and Sister. They have names, but since having kids they are referred to most as girl cat and boy cat! PATHETIC I know.

They are all de-clawed house cats. They NEVER go outside. Although Lily has “escaped” a few times. Being a stray she found her way back, when she was ready.

We knew we had “A” mouse, in the house, for about a week now. Hadn’t seen it, but knew.

When you have 3 cats, and 1 dog sitting in front of your kitchen stove ALL night, for HOURS, you KNOW “something” is under there.

Do I even want to consider there is MORE than ONE-Um, NO! I definitely do not. But since this day-Monday, when this story took place, we have caught—————ready for this———–EW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!——-15 MICE!!! YEAH! Im freaking! But I THINK/HOPE they are gone. I have never had this many EVER! What’s worse is we didn’t even know we had any till this incident.

Yes, I know! You are freaking out too right now, and yes I want to MOVE, and yes I check my shoes before I put them on! LOL! And NO I haven’t slept since Monday. At least not very well.

My house is clean-I dont want this story to sound like we live in the Ghetto and have food everywhere! I mean Im sure we have crumbs somewhere! LOL! You can’t have 3 kids and no hidden crumbs!

I know most people get a mouse, here and there. We get them every year around this time. I think its due to our basement. We have to seal in some cracks in the foundation. We also live near the dam, and near some houses with fields.

ANYWAY-

OK THIS is the scenario I woke up to. MONDAY!!!!

NOAH: Screaming at the top of his lungs, and crying :MOMMY HELP ME !!  THERE IS A MOUSE!!! THE MOUSE JUST TRIED TO EAT ME AND BITE ME! MOMMY HELP! HELP! HELP!

(reality-it just ran across the floor near him)

ME: I fly out if bed to find Noah and Amber sitting on our dining table-Noah is crying hysterically, as he explains, the mouse ran across the floor, towards his feet, and under the video rocker.

I see our cat Lily sitting with her nose under the video rocker, tail flickering, and her swatting.

I JUMP as fast as I can on a chair next to the kids. I push the rocker forward a little-from the chair.

NOW I SEE the mouse! EEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am screaming, the kids are screaming. Noah is balling. I want to ball too-but can’t. Trying to be strong for the kids-but its not really working.

The mouse moves in an attempt to make it out from under the chair. Lily is nose to nose with the mouse.

I am FREAKING out, as bad as Noah.

The mouse is trying to bite the cat! I can see it lunging forward, and opening its mouth!  The cat keeps swatting it with both paws.

She pounces it and pounces it. It moves from the back of the rocker around to the front. Here is where I can see her going after the mouse.

After 10 minutes of swatting and pouncing I take a closer look. I think its actually dead.

 Um, yeah! I think Lily is thinking the same, sine she is now sitting and just swatting like “Hello! Little play toy……..are you going to move so I can chase you?”

 Um, NOPE! Not moving. It was curled up, and breathing shallowly. Poor thing. I felt bad.

Then the unthinkable! We moved the rocker,(carefully) and Lily dived forward, and grabbed the mouse IN HER MOUTH!!! I screamed! She ran. She began shaking her head violently. Then dropped it. Um yeah. Definitely dead.

Now what?

Well Daisy went to get it, so I realized “I” had to dispose of it PRONTO!

THAT in itself was a movie in the making. I grabbed a large dishtowel and quickly put it in the trash.

Later on I heard squeaking-YEAH! The mouse came back to life and was in the trash moving around! OMG!!! I opened all the doors quickly grabbed workers gloves, and ran out of the house as fast as I could-tossing the bag far into the back yard.

I needed a shower-I was SOOOOO grossed out.

Needless to say-not a good day.

After all this mouse commotion, Amber is NOT afraid of mice. She doesn’t understand the big deal, and says she likes them! She wants to be an animal Doctor like Daisy’s doctor.

OK WHERE did this kid come from? Noah cries at the thought of a mouse, as do I and she wants a closer look!

Here is her picture-of a dead mouse. I had to laugh that it was on its back, with a smile. Pretty good for a 3 year old! LOL! 

In case I didnt say-

I am petrified of mice. My fear began when I was little. I had a Hamster name Tinker. One day while cleaning his cage he got out of the “bucket”. My dad went to grab him off the counter, and he BIT my dad. I never picked up that hamster EVER again! I took care of him, but would not hold him, only pet him. He lived FIVE years!!! Anyway-after owning that hamster I have had BAD hamster/rodent dreams my whole life. My kids will NEVER own anything RODENT like-that includes BUNNIES. Sorry to the rodent lovers but I just CANT DEAL!

 I HATE mice so much so that while 9 months pregnant with Amber, I did my best to hop up on a counter when a mouse skittered along the cabinets in our kitchen. What a sight that was my my husband. He always tries to scare me when this stuff happens. He gets a few too many laughs.

LAST year, I went to lay down on the couch with Amber, and “something happened” I think I needed to get a blanket, as I moved the pillow ON THE COUCH a mouse went running along the cushion! Have you ever heard of a mouse on the furniture???? OMG! It was like brand new, and I didn’t think about thae fact mice could CLIMB!!!

 Do you realize I would have LAID NEXT TO A MOUSE!!! ALIVE????? OMG! I cannot tell you how I freaked out. I made my husband come home from work (he works an hour away).

That was just the worst.

Anyway, this is my sad gross story.

BLECH!

Ill be back later with a blog challenge, and tomorrow have a special post that I teamed up with Jen to do!