Woohoo--I'm so excited!!

Check this out at Sassafras Lass I'm the blinkie winner! I'm in shock! But SO excited!! I thought when there page came up those pages looked familiar.... I just had to share with my blog friends! Have a GREAT Friday! And I plan on starting my December Daily tonight, I really am!

Awards and a GIVEAWAY

So this past week I received two awards from two different scrappy blog buddies. I felt so honored!

Stacy Milford was first with:

Here's the rule: I need to pass

this award on to five people, post on their blog to let them know I left this award, and then

I need to answer a list of questions in ONE word. Here's goes:

1. Where is your cell phone? purse

2. Your hair? messy

3. Your mother? AWESOME

4. Your father? Handsome

5. Your favorite food? Good

6. Your dream last night? none

7. Your favorite drink? Water

8. Your dream/goal? organization

9. What room are you in? office

10. Your hobby? scrapbooking

11. Your fear? danger

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? happy

13. Where were you last night? home

14. Something that you aren't? quiet

15.Muffins? AllBran

16. Wish list item? health

17. Where did you grow up? Mesa

18. Last thing you did? ate

19. What are you wearing? clothes :)

20. Your TV? off

21. Your Pets? dogs

22. Friends? sweet

23. Your life? BUSY

24. Your mood? happy

25. Missing Someone? nope

26. Vehicle? Odyssey

27. Something your not wearing? braces :)

28. Your favorite store? Walmart

29. Your favorite color? purple

30. When was the last time you laughed? today

31. Last time you cried? Uh....

32. Your best friend? DH

33. One place that I go to over and over? church

34. Facebook? NOPE

35. Favorite place to eat? Pei Wei

Alright that was difficult! Me and one word! Not really happening.....Now to pass it on:

Jamie

Emelyn

Laura

Frances

Next came Jamie Harder with her Friends award:

This award is bestowed onto blogs that are exceedingly charming. These bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes cut, even more friendships are propagated.

I would like to nominate:

Candace

Julie

Tina

Stacy

Thank you Jamie and Stacy! You seriously made my week! :0)

Now for the giveaway! I have some WONDERFUL Unity stamps to give away! They are brand

new and I would like to share them with you my blog readers. And YES, there is a catch! :)

(this is only for the girls in the continental US--sorry)

Okay, here we go:

1. You need to become a follower that will earn you a ticket in the drawing.

2. you need to leave me a comment about what your favorite Christmas Activity is.

3. Tell your friends! Every time you refer a friend and they say they were referred to by you. Your name goes in the hat again!

The drawing will be open for a week. So 3 lucky winners will be drawn next Friday! Good luck and spread the word! Here's a peak at what's up for grabs:

Thanks so much for stopping by! Make today a GREAT one!

Happy Fall!

I took this IDEA from the Shimmerz blog and made my own little sign-even though I don't have shimmerz or a canvas-I REALLY like how it turned out. I actually made this for a friend who lent us costumes from Halloween. I plan on giving it to her today.

A few tips that I did to make this.

1. First of all the letters are Scenic Route and they started out looking like THIS. I sanded them to take the shine off and sprayed them with my Tattered Angels mist-coffee shop-(it's the only one I own).

2. For my wood block I bought that at a dollar store like 2 years ago. I painted it white then distressed it using THESE I've had them FOREVER!

3. instead of using a gold leafing pen I used these metallic rubons for the center and edges of my leaves.

4. my paper is a modge podge that went together. You want them to match a little...

Supplies used:

wooden sign: dollar store--you maybe able to get a piece of wood and cut it down at Lowes....

mist: Tattered Angels

letters: Scenic Route

pattern paper: Graphic 45, Scenic Route, Sassafrass Lass

bling: Prima

ribbon: American Crafts

Sorry I've been away, I've been Christmas shopping, soccer, playing with my new PHONE(I feel so smart!--get it it's a smartphone...) soccer, reading my BOOK, soccer.

For those of you that have asked my niece is doing well, she might even get to come home sooner than expected! Thank you for your prayers.

Stay tuned for my giveaway post! As you know THIS is my 300th post! 3 hints it will have to do with unity, followers and friends!:)

Thanks for stopping by I hope that you make your Veteran's Day a grateful one, especially to those you know who have fought to keep our country free.

Abigail's album

Do you ever find yourself distracted? What I mean is, do you ever want to start one project and realize you probably should do a couple others before you start the first one?

It's like when you clean your house. You pick up something in one room which needs to be put away in another, when you get to the other room you realize there is a mess in there that needs to be cleaned up and you start cleaning that one up--ALMOST forgetting about the first room you started cleaning...that is until you walk back in there! If your giggling, you must do this too!

What does this have to do with today? I made an album. No, not my Christmas album, but a baby album for my new niece Abigail. I thought I would have more time, she came a month early, she is doing well but needs to stay in the hospital until her due date. Anyway with the album I sort of cheated but loved how it came together:

I "cheated" because I used a kit from SEI. Everything is cut out and there is a map for where everything goes. I bought a set of 4 on clearance about a year ago. Anyway, THIS is the kit I used. I just added my own touch--sewing of course! :) SEI carries several of these in different sizes, this one happens to be 4 x 6 page protector. I like the fact that all they need to do is add pictures and journaling.

As for my other project that is NOT my Christmas album, it has to do with fall and I got the idea from the Shimmerz blog. I don't own any shimmerz (although I want too!) So I had to make do. Right now I'm in the middle of it's creation. HOPEFULLY, I will have time to finish it today!

Thanks for stopping by and reading this MEGA long post! Take care and have a FUN Friday!

Back to School album

So I FINALLY finished this Back to School album:

And ya know what? I have the paper for next year's album-it's REALLY cute! I ordered from Stop and Scrap (they do great deals on paper packs and often have % off)- got the October Afternoon Report Card.

I'm now assembling my December Daily--I should say that I'm gathering.... I'm pretty excited, last year I waited to long and got to stressed out to do it. What is a December Daily? It's Ali Edwards idea of chronicling December. Her whole idea is get the album done now so that all you have to do in December is print off pictures and journal. EASY, right? I sure hope so! One thing I like is that her album is a mod podge of papers and supplies--I have that!

Here are her:

Cover & foundation pages of 1-12

foundation pages of 13-25

I'm planning on using a lot of the December kit from Scrapbook Circle--FABULOUS I tell you!

I FINALLY have my voice back but not the lung capacity-I do however feel SO MUCH BETTER! Hope all is well with you! And for those of you that are wondering how close I am to 300 in posts, it's like 2 away! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Where've I been?!

Been fighting a cold or SOMETHING all week, and now I have laryngitis! Woohoo! Made cheering at the soccer games fun, NOT!! Good thing I can whistle LOUDLY!

Somehow I made it through the week not making any soccer practices...just didn't feel up to it...only 3 more Saturdays and were done!

Anyway, Wednesday I started this cute little album:

I had the kid's sign their names and tell me about their thoughts on the first day of school. All I need to do is clip their signatures and journal their thoughts and mine. I made one of these albums last year, (you can see it HERE) it was just so fun! I plan on adding a few more pictures this year of activities that they have done throughout the year. It's pretty simple, I didn't want to add to much bulk. I used the now SOLD OUT August Kit from Scrapbook Circle to make this.

when I get this one completed I'll take more pictures and share! Thanks for stopping by and visiting! :)

Spooky!

to say that I prepare ahead of time is an understatement (you can ask my family, I sort of get manic about it)--- I had my Christmas Cards all done in June/July. I have one child completely done for Christmas (as of today---YAHOO!) Working on DH--know what I'm gonna get him, it's just getting it. having dinner planned out in my mind.... I don't know where it comes from--the need to have things done ahead of time--my mom? my dad? I just know I feel much better not waiting until the last minute, it's more enjoyable for me. Although the secret keeping is almost unbearable! Why am I feeling the need to share? I have no idea.....

Thanks for reading by the way....

I do have something creative to share:

I had this pictured in my head for days and I was FINALLY got it completed--I just didn't share it with you! Now you see how I am!

The frame I bought at Walmart I think it was $5. This was such a fun little project and easy! Thanks for stopping by!

supplies:

pattern paper: Imaginisce

stamp: Imaginisce

cardstock: bazzill

distress ink: Ranger

buttons: Unknown

sewing

Dream on!

I just have to tell you these pictures crack me up! My "boys" are wearing their Sunday best because we had just come from my nephew's wedding. As we were driving by on the way, we noticed the Camaro. (YES, like from Transformers!) We hadn't actually seen one, so when we saw this, we got excited! The lot was closed (notice DH looking to see if there is anyone there....) We thought for sure the doors would be locked, 6 yr old DS grabbed the handle--it was OPEN! We had to check it ALL out (engine, trunk, etc....) I think the biggest boy was the most excited. I told him the only way he would buy one is if I could drive it to get my groceries!--YEAH RIGHT!--Hence the title....

Thanks for stopping by today!

supplies used:

pattern paper: Imaginisce

cardstock: Bazzill

brads & chipboard, foam shape: American Crafts

star brad: Making Memories

letter stickers: Sassafrass Lass, and My little shoebox

mesh & buttons: unknown

sewing....

Boo card

Okay, not an original idea I saw THIS card on Two Peas. I knew I had these same items (for the most part in my stash) I had to make this quicker than I thought. This ended up being a birthday card for my good friend, we went out to dinner last night. So I hurried up from a full day of soccer and made it.

I've got a giveaway coming up! It will be my first! It will either coincide with my 300th post OR my 100th layout. Whichever comes first, so stay tuned....Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies used:

pearls: Basic Grey

bingo card: Jenni Bowlin

pattern paper: Pink paislee

button: crafts etc!

sewing

cardstock: Bazzill

ribbon: unknown

stamp: Inkadinkadoo

Granola

Feeling good right now, have a load of laundry clean and dried, made granola, made bread AND the kitchen is clean, it's only 10:20 am! woohoo for me! (not a typical morning--I'm feeling quite productive.....) I wanted to share the granola recipe with you.

**while combining everything else soak in warm water:

1 cup Craisins

3/4 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup dried blueberries

(you can also add pumpkin seeds, apple chunks, and anything else you would like)**

10 cups Old fashioned oats

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup Oat bran

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup ground flax seed

1 cup sliced almonds

***combine all of these in a large bowl***

in a saucepan combine:

1 cup Maple syrup (she says don't use cheap stuff--I bought mine at Costco)

3/4 cup Oil

1 Tablespoon Cinnamon (or sweet spice mix)

1 1/2 cup honey

Mix together and heat until bubbly.

pour this wet mixture over the dry mixture and mix WELL. Place granola on two jelly roll pans with sides, spread it out so it covers the whole pan. Bake for about 15 minutes then give it a SLIGHT sift- be careful of the edges--this makes the crunchy part. Then switch pans (from top to bottom)and bake another 8-10 minutes, this all depends on how crunchy or chewy you want it. Let it rest on the counter for 30 minutes before transferring it to another container.

This recipe came from a buddy of mine at the gym....I tasted a little it IS yummy! I think my family will be glad to have all of the "supplies" off the counter, they've only been sitting there for a week!

Hope you have a FANTASTIC Friday! We have a soccer game tonight, yeah! Makes Saturday with two games bearable! :)