Up Close and Personal

So each member of our family (that is 6 of us) has been spending wayyyy too much time near the toilet this week! We have come down with a nasty virus of the stomach flu. Some of us (little dude) have NOT made it to the toilet. =( What a week! I had planned to finish up my Christmas shopping early in the week before the girls are home for Christmas break and unfortunately that did not happen. I'm hoping to run out tonight, although I feel like I'm functioning at 75%. At least the puking is over! Ugh! Hope the rest of you stay healthy. . .this bug spread like mad!

So because I did not get to all of my shopping in the stores, I decided to do some online shopping. Anything to avoid the crowds and grouchy people of course. ;-)

I found this blog through this one (don't you just love when that happens?). Today I found the post about this etsy site! My little Zoe just loves clothes, and this

was perfect for her - plus with the discount I saved dh some $$. Everyone wins! I plan to get one of these sweet tees from Old Navy to wear with it.

So then I needed to buy something for my 'lil niece. I think these will be so fun for her and my little dude

My little dude's

I can't give everything away because some of my family read my blog. ;-)
One of my girl's wanted Zhu zhu pet accessories. . .I got her a zhu zhu pet for her bday before the big craze. Geesh! I went to Toys R Us to ask where the accessories not realizing that it is the number one toy this Christmas. The salesperson told me that they were in that morning and people were taking them out of other people's carts! Are you kidding me?? I am SO not playing that game. . .especially when we garage salers (can that be a word?) know that we will find them in garage sales this summer for like a dollar. ;-) Patience is a virtue.

Switching topics. . .This rad artist came out with some pretty cool overlays for photographers and digital scrapbookers and allowed me to test some of the product. I had so much fun! These are right up my alley. She is so talented and has the cutest prints in her etsy shop. This is one of my faves. Anyhow, if you love whimsical and original - than visit her shop!
These are some of the images using the overlays she has for sale
(tape frame from Kitschy digitals)





You can view more images from other photographers on her new blog!
Hope everyone is having a blessed Christmas season!
xo

Happy Birthday Sweets!

My oldest is 10 today! On one hand, I am so grateful to the 10 years we have been blessed to have her. On the other hand, I have sadness when the kid's birthdays approach because it is another reminder that life goes by far too quickly. =( I went to her bedroom last night and just looked at her sweet face as she slept and held her hand and reflected on 10 years ago, how I had gone to the hospital to have a procedure done that would flip her because she was breech. My due date was not until the 28th of Dec. I was prepped for an emergency C-section, should the aversion procedure have a setback. After the doctors flipped her (which was so amazing to see!), I began to have contractions and since I was all hooked up already - they broke my water and I was havin' a baby that day! She was a peanut - weighing 5lbs and 4oz. So tiny and beautiful with LOTS of hair! Today she still has LOTS of hair, she is so stinkin' stubborn (I completely think that her unwillingness to move into the birthing position was a sign of her stubborness). ;-) She is artistic, a daydreamer, a good student, loves to chat, loves Taylor Swift, having sleepovers, adores her little brother, loves to read Andrew Clements books, her American girl doll, journaling, knitting, sneaking candy (I found a nest of wrappers behind the couch while cleaning last week!), her alone time, building card houses (she loves to tinker and build things), enjoys helping in the kitchen, and like her mommy loves scrapbooking and sitting by the fireplace with a cozy blankie while watching movies. She is quickly turning into a young lady. *Sniff*












Happy birthday baby. . .I love you so much!
xo

Have a looksie

I have been following this amazing girl's blog for about a year now. It is absolutely one of my faves. She is so down to earth and I love her crafty style. She is doing a ginormous giveaway and blogging about it increases your chances to win. I'm SO down with that!

It's the EZ view craft desk



There are several blogs participating in the giveaway, so there are even more opportunities to win! 'Tis the season! Good luck to all who enter. Whether/not I win, it's exciting to see giveaways like this. Kind of like Oprah's fave things show. ;-)

Thought I would also post about the latest thing I've been working on. OHhhhh how I love this canvas album. One of the most fun things to work with. I highly recommend getting one if you haven't already. Especially if you love to get messy and play while you create. I stitched, misted, painted, and stamped all over mine.
Cover:

Family:

Faith:

Fall:

Art:

Brands I love:

Music:

Vacations:

Food:

I have a few more pages I am working on, including the header pages for each category. I decided to do 10 things about me. I have trouble with these kind of albums because I feel somewhat narcissistic scrabooking about myself, but I know I would have loved to know those things about my mom when she was at the age that I am. Somewhat of a time capsule. I think it would be especially neat for future grandchildren to see. ;-) Not that I'm in any hurry for that!

Tomorrow is my oldest dd's bday. She will be 10! I plan to do a special post for her tomorrow, but we are going to have a cookie decorating party for her sleepover on Friday. I found this twist and press cookie cutter at Williams Sonoma and it inspired the idea.


*note* I did not take this photo. . .it is from Baking Bites.
Doesn't it look like fun? You can mix and match the doll's heads and clothing to make your own doll. They have robot ones too. I can't find them on the site to link to it, but they are in the stores. I am confident this will keep my dd and her friends busy and having fun! Now to find a good sugar cookie recipe. Anyone have a good one? Link me up if you do!
xo

Lots to share! =)

So. . .first of all. . .I am still alive. =) Second. If you are still reading my blog, thank you for being so patient and loyal. Heheh. Third - this will be a heavy photo post so I can show you what I have been up to over the last month! I thought that might make up a little for my lack of weekly updates.
So to recap, last time I updated - we were all getting over H1N1. It lasted for about 2 - 2 1/2 weeks in our home. We planned to do a "Halloween do over" mostly so I could take pics of the kids in their costumes, and life has been SO busy that we haven't had the chance. Poor kiddos.

Anyhow, jump to the following week in November and my sweet Zoe broke her arm when she was accidentally pushed off of the big stage at our church. Would you believe that when we were at the Ortho dr, she asked what they were going to do to her arm and in a moment of feeling ornery, I told her they would probably just saw it off (Bad mommy. . .I know!). I quickly told her I was just kidding and gave her a squeeze when I saw her expression change. Imagine my surprise when we went into the "cast" room and they actually have saws that they use to take casts off. They were in fact using one on a little boy her age while we were waiting to have hers put on. Poor Zoe had a look of horror on her face. I had to think quick to calm her down. After bribing her with promises of a Starbucks hot chocolate on the way home, she was all better and has a hot pink cast to show for it. =)

She can still twirl too, which thankfully the broken arm did not hinder in the least. See my little dancing Superman wearing only his diaper too? I believe they were dancing to Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas".

I finally got around to making a cookie sheet advent calendar! I have always wanted to do this since they became popular, but just never took the time. Well I whipped it up in two nights and I am very happy with it. I love lots of color, so I went with bright fun patterns for this.

My fave magnet is this snowglobe one. It is the quickutz snowglobe die and I picked it up at a garage sale. Isn't it cute? I love snowglobes and I love miniatures, so I love this. I added some irredescent glitter to it to make it look snowy.

I kind of wanted it distressed so I sanded some of the paint off in areas and I still have to add the wire hanger and a few more embellies. The kids love it though and that is what I was going for. =)

I've also been painting and just doing art period. Do you ever have these creative storms brewing in your head that just won't shut up until you sit down and play? I have little stickies all over my desktop that are lists of projects I want to fulfill. Never enough time. Sigh.

For some reason these are showing up less vivid and colorful than they are. Anyways, it is supposed to be my kiddos but as my dh points out. Little dude looks like a girl. I think it's the eyelashes. Oh well. I still love it. ;-P

This one is just a way to use up some scraps (mostly from Kenner Road) and I wanted lots of color for a corner by my fireplace.


We've got mostly all of our Christmas items out now. I've finally realized that I don't have to put everything that I have or that people have given us out. Only what I love, and that's what I did this year. It makes me so happy to walk around the rooms and see these things. Wish I could keep them out longer!

vintage ornaments from a garage sale and the glass vase is from a garage sale too.


paper mache snowman I made last year. Glass dome from Hobby Lobby.


Silver tree from Target, vintage angels are from a Jenni Bowlin kit from 2 years ago there are pics of my mom, mother in law, and Great grandma (in law) from when they were young. I love them! Two art birds are from an antique mall I found yesterday. I mentioned I love color!


Don't judge okay? Heheh! ;-) I'm terrible at this, but I find it so relaxing and I get inspired by all of you amazing and talented ladies out there. I found a pillow at Target with something like this and thought it would make a lovely holiday wall hanging.

While I was taking pics, little dude came up to me and said, "What doing mama?" I told him I was taking pictures and he asked, "Take pitcher of Xanner (Xander)". So I leave you with this. . .

and yes. He wears the Santa hat every day and the superman pj's every night. Loves 'em. =)
Happy creating! I've got to go. . .I have LOTS of pics to edit and proof and 4 more photo sessions this weekend. It's supposed to get in the 30's and snow! Agh! Can't believe it's this time of year already!
xo