(diva)logues

"Money... it's a gas... "

 

Happy 2022!! 

 

It's been an amazing start to the year.  Things are really good in my life, but I'm also trying to remember to begin and end my day with GRATITUDE no matter what's going on... today or any day.

 

Being thankful for everything we've been blessed with is so important... the big stuff, but especially the small stuff we can easily take for granted... having a roof over your head, good health, food, transportation, heat in this cold weather, loved ones... the list is very LONG!  

Having the MINDSET of GRATITUDE is so important regardless of what's going on in the world around us... which is well... crazy.  Who could've imagined after 2020 we'd still be dealing with all this 2 years later?! 

I remind myself to begin my day and end my day though saying THANK YOU for what it's in my life, for who's in my life, for the opportunities I've been given... and to be thankful for every day that led to this day... the good and the not-so-good. 

It's ALL played a necessary role.   

Life is a journey of ups and downs, and growing through what you're going through.

And you can't get to the good stuff without going through stuff that really sucks.  You just gotta hang in there and trust the timing of your life.  

Have gratitude for ALL of it, find the lessons in ALL of it, and figure out how YOU can change YOU to change your situation in the meantime.  

Because nothing changes without YOU actually making changes to YOU.  

 

 

And on that note... 

 

If you're looking for some ways to add a little more cash to your year ahead... I thought I'd mention some things that worked for me in 2021.

 

First and foremost... I got a second job.  Literally everyone is hiring. 

If you hate your current job, leave.  Get a new job. 

If you love your current job but need additional income, I can assure you that someone out there wants to hire you.  Like DESPERATE to hire you.

I think I already mentioned this but my last interview consisted of... "you're standing and you have a pulse... you're hired."  LOL  

Also... if you're in, say a restaurant or grocery store, and you don't have enough patience to wait for who IS there working, I strongly suggest grabbing an application on the way out.  They could use your abilities way more than they could use your complaints & impatience.  

 

But aside from the obvious of having a paycheck or two... and passive income like your money earning interest... here are a few ADDITIONAL ways that I accumulated cash this past year...

 

 

Get Upside

 

My sister told me about this last January while we were all on a family vacation.  I've since heard it advertised on the radio too.  But if you've never heard of it... it's a FREE app that gives you cash back rebates on gas, groceries and restaurants from participating businesses.  

She explained it to me as an app that gives you rebates for your gas purchases.  

And since gas is hella expensive these days, every little bit helps.

 

It's an easy process... simply open the app, it sees your location, suggests nearby gas stations and the rebate percentage you'll get.

Find the one you like... click CLAIM... then click CHECK IN once you get there. 

Pay at the pump with your preferred credit or debit card... and in a couple business days, the rebate is in your account.

 

For the majority of the year I used the app for gas purposes until I noticed they had also added quite a few local grocery stores and nearby restaurants.  

And while I'm really not a big fan of Schnucks and I'd rather go to Aldi... for a 16% rebate on my purchases... I'll just say yes please and thank you to Schnucks!  

The percentage of rebate can vary by location and change daily, but once you CLAIM it, you have a certain time frame to complete your purchase. 

 

My total in rebates for 2021 that I just transferred to my bank was $132.94. Not bad considering I had no choice but to buy gas all year and well... groceries ended up in there too... 

 

 

If you're interested... I'll be happy to share an invite code to you so you can get a one-time 15 cent/gallon bonus cash back the first time you use the app!  

 

BIOLIFE PLASMA SERVICES

 

Ok, I know I've talked about this quite a bit, but it still kinda blows my mind how much money they'll pay for qualified candidates to donate their plasma.  

In 9 month's time during 2021, I earned $3730 by donating plasma.  Most weeks I donated twice a week, some weeks only once.  

 

Plasma-based therapeutics are used in the treatment of serious disorders such as hemophilia and immune system deficiencies, and to treat victims of shock and burn.

 

To donate plasma, an individual must be at least 18 years of age, weigh at least 110 pounds and pass all other required donor eligibility criteria.  

If you're interested in checking it out for yourself, the current promotion is $800 for your first month.  Initial donation must be completed by 01.31.22 and subsequent donations within 30 days.  

Download the app to schedule an appointment or sign up on their website and bring the coupon attached below to your first donation OR enter promo code DONOR800. 

 

Please tell them I referred you at your first appointment and I'll get a bonus for sending you after your second successful donation is completed! 

Don't wear a hat or they'll make you take it off for your photo.  Also ignore my hat head photo they'll likely show you if you use my name for referral!  LOL

It's a win-win for both of us AND for all those we're helping with our plasma!

 

No... not everyone qualifies.

Yes... it is safe!  They are very thorough with your health history and your health each time you donate with a finger-stick blood test & vital signs prior to every appointment.  

In fact I was sent home once for my protein levels being too low that day.   

No, you can't donate too much.  The most you can donate is twice during a 7-day period.  They cannot use your plasma though, until you've donated at least twice.  

 

Great way to help others while also being compensated for your time though if you're eligible!  

 

 

POSHMARK

 

 

Selling my stuff on Poshmark has been another source of income for the past 2 years.  

If you're interested in more on getting started with selling items you no longer wear, you can check out my recent post and video tutorial here!

 

There are other things I've used over the years to get rebates like Rackuten for online shopping... but you can find more on that here.

 

Also... 

 

My goal is to make some more content videos this year... some to help with Poshmark... and some more choreography too.  

 

Because when all else fails... dancing really does solve everything if you ask me... 

XOXO

"World turns black & white... pictures in an empty room... "

 

Do you ever sit in the same place every day & stare at an area that is completely uninspiring?  Not that every area of my house needs to be inspiring, but it does help if I like to walk into a room.  Or in this case, sit in a room.  And let's be honest... the sight of my teenage daughter's room drives me nuts, but I've learned to just close the door and ignore it. 

Maybe college will make her a bit more tidy?

When I moved here 3 years ago, I went from a very large 565 sq.ft.  craft room, to one the size of a very small bedroom, and a wardrobe closet that went from an entire converted bedroom to 2 small walk-ins. 

I'm not complaining.  I know I was fortunate to have that & that I'm blessed beyond measure with what I have now. 

But suffice it to say, I had to get rid of a few things & decide what I was really using & what I was just holding onto for no good reason.  And let's face it, it was less to move if I just threw it away or gave it away. 

Trust me, I know how to organize &/or purge.  I've been Marie Kondo-ing things before Marie Kondo was even born.  Minus the "thank you" part.

I also tried to do this move as inexpensively as possible... repainting or repurposing furniture I already had, using things in different ways, and basically seeing how things ended up with my personal life before making any crazy changes or big purchases. 

 

To make a long story short here, I got tired of looking at the closet in my craft room & decided to reorganize it with some shelves.  Once again though, I didn't get St Louis Closet Company on the phone like I did in my old house, I did this on the cheap.  Man would I love to have them come do all my closets though.  And I'd be lying if I didn't say I'd like to someday have another bedroom converted into my closet again.  It's on my vision board though.

I had 2 goals in redoing this closet... get the scrapbooks off the floor & into a more organized space, and find a place to put the vision board I made a few months ago during Book Club at Bloom Fitness Studio.  Technically when you make a vision board, you're then supposed to hang it somewhere you'll see every day... and well... mine's just been sitting on the closet floor inspiring no one. 

I'm not sure how long I'll be in this house, so for now I'm creating spaces to work for how I want to live in it, but I don't want to do anything too crazy that may not give me any return on my investment if I move. 

 

 

I started out with 2 shelf units.  And then once I got started & realized it wasn't working out like it did in my head, I ended up buying a 3rd set. 

Sterilite Heavy-Duty 5-Shelf Ventilated Shelving Unit, Gray (2 Pack) | 0155V01

 

I realized while going through everything that I've still got a lot of stuff in this closet that I haven't used in the last 3 years.  So technically speaking, if I haven't used it in that long, I probably don't really need it.  However, in addition to pitching stuff, I kept a lot too.  Don't ask me why because I guess the honest answer is, I like to look at it, since clearly I don't seem to use it!

I could say the same for a lot of stuff in my wardrobe closet too.  I just like to look at it.  Like some kind of wanne-be fashion collector. 

And then I'm reaching for a hat & workout clothes... and I'm out the door in that boring get-up once again.  Insert big sigh...

 

I digress.  Back to the closet... it may not look totally different, but it FEELS different to me.  And as for my soon-to-be-interior design major daughter, she walked in midway & said... "I really don't think those poles look good like that."

Really?  You really think I was going to leave it like this?  I'm space planning right now.  There will be another shelf on top, but I had to order it.  LOL

 

Literally still laughing out loud even typing this.  SMH.  She clearly doesn't have much faith in me, but trust me... I've taught her everything she knows.  And man am I envious of what she's about to learn!!  So wish I could see all her projects & sit in on her classes!!

Here's some non-recent BEFORE pics though.  There was quite a bit more clutter & boxes of stuff that were in the closet prior to these old pics that were taken, which ultimately lead to me doing something about it...

 

And AFTER...

Here's an inexpensive over-the-door shoe organizer I used for all my paper punches. 

Everything on the wall is basically just random stuff that inspires me, makes me happy or reminds me of my former paper-crafting days, which by the way, I'd like to return to soon.  3 of the things on the wall are Bryn's art work, which I always love to display...

And yes, I did make all the greeting cards, minus a few that I purchased & just stuck in there...

As I mentioned earlier I had a pretty big craft room.  Within that space, I went from an entire gift-wrapping station, featured on Great Day St Louis several years ago, to a couple shelves now.  And actually I was featured on Great Day St Louis again with the rest of my craft room a year later.  So I'm pretty proud to say that you CAN downsize & still have a space that is organized & functions just as well... even if it's not TV-worthy. LOL

I agree it's probably odd to have your printer in a closet, not to mention a paper cutting board as well, but I like the fact that for aesthetic purposes, these "work" items can be hidden when I close the door to the closet.   But for my own purposes they're still at hip level & easily accessible.  And as you'll also notice, I left the original closet shelving alone, figuring it was something the next owner wouldn't have to mess with replacing if I ever did move.  Annnnd... it allows for additional storage anyway...

The zebra rug makes my heart very happy. 

 

And by the way... just in case you're wondering about the shoes in the first pic, they're also something I just like looking at.. because I mean... calf hair & animal print... are you kidding me?  And well, I like wearing them too, but I can't say they're good for anything fitness related. 

 

Steve Madden Women's Cliff Sneaker, Animal, 8 M US

Fashion over function,  I say... LOL

XOXO

"One way or another... I'm gonnna find ya..."

 

So my friend told me she hasn't seen anything on my blog this week & misses reading it. 

I said, "Well I should just post that I'd have a blog post more often if I didn't spend an hour on the phone with you all the time." 

So funny! 

 

And to be honest, I'm always amazed that anyone even reads this silly blog over the years, but I do appreciate it!

 

So here we go with some randomness for a Friday.  Also known as Fri-YAY because I get to dance with a room full of awesome people this morning. 

 

 

"They say" one of the trends for Spring 2016 is shoulders.  I bought a couple new pieces I've already worn this winter. 

I've always liked off-the-shoulder tops or dresses... trend or not. 

And even though it's not Spring yet, I say you should bare those shoulders all year round if you want... but my fashion motto has always been if you like something, you should wear it regardless of "trends"...

 

 

 

Body Pump is a great way to sculpt out some shoulders.

And guns.

And legs.

And abs.

And a booty.

 

So far I haven't seen much improvement in my chest, but it is what it is & I have no plans to pay for new ones.  LOL

 

Lots of Body Pump options between the 2 places where I teach & tomorrow we're officially launching it at the YMCA with all our instructors.  Should be tons of FUN! 

It will absolutely change your body like nothing else I've ever done if you stick with it. 

LOVE. THAT. CLASS.

Well... almost as much as I love Zumba.  And that's saying a LOT!

 

No matter how many classes I do though, you will never catch me sporting ALL the trends.  And really nobody should.  You should dress for YOUR body & what looks flattering on you... not wear whatever fashion peeps say is the "in" thing.

 

So.... shawty ain't wearing Paper Bag Waists unless I want to look like a sack of potatoes.  Or if I'm jumping in one of those potato sack races, then it's a possibility...

 

 

And I don't plan to be caught in orange any time soon.  So if you see me wearing it, please come bail me out & let's never speak of it again.  No one needs to see their Zumba instructor on the 5:00 news... 

Plaid is still in & I'm still loving that, so yay.  Although I'm not exactly digging any of these options below soooo maybe not...

 

And speaking of fashion... last night I said to Bryn... "Ok, you almost ready for bed?"

She said, "Yes after you take a shower.  Plus I'm still deciding what to wear tomorrow."

I said, "You going hobo?"

She said, "Not full blown hobo, but semi-hobo."

 

And don't even ask me what that means because I don't get it.

 

All I can say is that she has a lot of nice clothes, so not sure how the "hobo" thing started.  Thankfully it's not every day & she will eventually move on to another trend. 

I mean.... back in the 80's I swear I thought I'd wear shoulder pads forever.  Not even kidding.  I loved that look.  Went well with my big hair. 

 

Fast forward to 2016 though, and I'm wearing my own set of shoulders without the assistance of padding.  #boomshakalakalaka

 

The boobs, on the other hand, are another story...

 

Will work for shoes...

The title pretty much says it all.  I've had my eye on these suckers since they were first advertised last month.  In fact, they originally debuted on pre-order.  But now they're in stock.  And since I've been teaching a lot of classes for the last 4 weeks... I rewarded myself.  And they're not even high heels.  Shocking!   

I wish "shoe" a fabulous weekend...

Cutting + braiding for Zumba...

... and I'm not talkin' hair.

Awhile back, I pinned a link to braided-back t-shirts via Pinterest.   With a basic short-sleeve $6 Valentine's tee purchased from Target, I decided to finally put this technique to use. 

{Note... under supplies it says you'll need a t-shirt, fabric sheers, needle/thread & patience.  They aren't kidding.  It's not a quick process.  And I kinda had a sore neck afterward from leaning over for so long.  LOL}

Loved the results though so it was worth the time it took...

 

As they say on Pinterest...

"Nailed it."

Or well... close enough anyway.   

"I'll buy you a round, if you come close, turn up the sound..."

Well... I think we're finally in the clear and my little very tall mini-me will be heading back to school tomorrow.  She's been eating today, so I think that's a good sign.  Love when she's home with me, but yay for that virus being behind us.  It was AWFUL.    

Here's that other new page I recently finished.  It was inspired by my Top 12 favs post from Monday.  One of the layouts I included on here wasn't even on my list, but I wanted to include a page that I'd made about Zumba since 2012 was my first year teaching it.  Well, plus it kinda matched...    

Most of the page was made using the Simple Stories SN@P collection.  Love, love, love it.  Will be using more of that collection ASAP.  The blue background paper is from Simple Stories Harvest Lane collection.  That photo of me is from 2 summers ago.  Sadly... the state of my craft room floor pretty much looks exactly like that right now...

The rest of my house is usually immaculate.  Why does my craft room floor look like this?  This must say something about my creative mind.  And I'm not sure I want to know what it is!

And speaking of my creative mind... what do think about these new booties?

I say... different, sparkly & maybe slightly crazy.

Kinda like me.  ;-)

I like big butts and I cannot lie...

Ok, I've had a couple requests for details about New York, so here goes.  I have over 100 photos from the weekend so I won't bore you with ALL the details & ALL the photos... we'll just keep it short & sweet.

There was Times Square...

Some shopping in China Town...

Made it out alive & had lunch in SoHo...

Found Parsons School for Design (any Project Runway fans out there besides me??)...

Managed to find a Starbucks every day...

Ran into strange men in bikinis...

Took many dangerous cab rides...

And attended a fashion show at the Waldolf-Astoria Hotel...

There were 5 designers in the show.  Typical runway show... each designer sends their models down the catwalk one at a time & then all the models come out at the end with the designer. 

The show was kicked off with evening wear by Sushma Patel...

Then Robert Flores with mens wear...

And wait a minute.

What? 

They're all coming out at the end in their underwear.  Yes please! 

And then Diani Mota, Joan Couture & Marisu Miranda.

I know.  Who cares. 

You just went back to look at the boys again, didn't you?

My friend's daughter that came on the trip with us had quite a few photos taken with models after the show.  Then the 2 of us were posing for a photo when next thing I know, 2 of the models got in the picture with us.  Not sure how that happened?  I didn't ask them to come over??  But I can say I appeciate their obvious love for eye liner since they were wearing even more than I was...

And there you have it.  My weekend in a NUT shell. 

Pun intended.  ;-) 

"Come and whisper in my ear, give us dirty laundry..."

I have a couple fashion-worthy trips coming up very soon.  Not that packing the right outfits isn't on my mind every time I leave town, but these 2 trips will be a ton of fun to shop for... I mean pack from what I already have in my closet, of course.  Ahem. 

An impromptu trip to New York literally just came up last week & we are flying there next weekend.  Seriously.  My friend asked me to go.  I went home & called Bob to ask if I could... he said YES... & I bought airline tickets right then & there.  The WAY cool thing about this girls weekend is that it just HAPPENS to be occurring during Fashion Week in NY.  And if you've been reading my blog for the last 4 1/2 years, you might already know that I like attending fashion shows.  I've been to 7 of them in St Louis... the first show I attended was in 2004... and it's been a goal of mine to make it to a show during Fashion Week in NYC ever since. 

Let's see... Fashion Week in St Louis or Fashion Week in New York? 

Something tells me there will be NO comparison and I could literally jump out of my skin with excitement at the fact that we got tickets to a see a runway show next weekend.  Is it one of the BIG name designers?  No.  But I don't have $5000 to blow on a ticket, nor am I a buyer or a celebrity so this will work.  Oh yes it will! 

And let's just say my plan is that it will be the FIRST runway show I attend during Fashion Week in NYC... not my ONLY. 

And then a little over 2 weeks after that, I'm off to Vegas for a couples trip.  I'm thinking a lot of "bling" is in order for that one.

And probably a bottle of Advil... ;-)

TGIF!  Have a great weekend everyone! 

What if a liar's pants really could catch on fire?

Just a quickie since I haven't been on here in a few days.  Actually almost a week.  I have been working on a few things, but figured I should just wait to photograph them when my camera is here.  The new lens has arrived though... just waiting on the camera... so I'm half-way there.  No more black smudge on my photos.  Yay!   

Just a mix of things on here (mostly Bella Blvd, SRM Stickers & Doodlebug Designs)...   

And since that page isn't the most exciting thing I've ever made... how about something that IS exciting? 

Like shoes...

I'm thinking they'll be worn with a white dress soon. 

Now I just need to make some plans.  Who wants to take me out?

Cricket... cricket...

Over the rainbow...

It's absolute favorite day of the year... the day Bryn was born.  I am so blessed to have her in my life.  And I totally believe she is here, in my life, to teach me just as much I can teach her.  She's a beautiful, smart, creative, funny, loving, strong, determined, thoughtful & caring girl.  She's inspires me, challenges me, & sometimes makes me a bit crazy, probably because we're so much alike.  She's 1 inch shorter than me, wearing the same shoe size as me, the same top size as me & has the long legs I'd kill for.  She's beginning a new chapter in August and entering middle school.  I'm still not sure I''m ready for it, but I know she is.  She's 11 years old today & I can't wait to celebrate with her...   

And with that... it's almost time for her rainbow-themed family BBQ.

If only my new rainbow platform shoes were appropriate for a BBQ... 

I think I better save them for another day.  :-)

What happens in Vegas...

... starts with what's in the suitcase, of course!  Here's just some of what will be packed in my bags soon.  Some old, some new... and lots of BLING!  

Bling in Vegas... hello... it's a MUST!   

And my swimsuit Valentine's gift didn't fit, so I had to order a new one... 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

     

Advil is getting packed first, just sayin'.  Might be necessary, especially if I make Bob stay out late dancing with me!  Well... not IF I make him... he WILL be!  Also... in looking at the forecast, I'm not even sure if we'll be able to sit at the pool, but we'll probably need warm jackets at night... thus the coat.  Gotta love the desert!       

And did I mention we have tickets to see Celine Dion at Caesars Palace?  I drove all night...to get to you.  Is that alright?    

It's going to be a FUN trip!  Our first trip of 2012... and I can't wait! 

Ok...ok.  Still have a couple Zumba classes to teach and attend before I leave... ;-)

Happy ♥ Day...

Happy Valentine's Day!  We'll be celebrating with our annual tradition of making lobster at home for the 3 of us.  It's too hard to get reservations at a restaurant and I'd rather celebrate with BOTH my Valentines anyway.  Plus... Bob & I already had dinner out with friends last weekend, so technically we've already celebrated.  ;-)

This year, Bob gave me a different kind of "bling" for a gift... a blinged-out swimsuit!  And since I have 3 fun-in-the-sun trips between now & the end of March... this suit will definitely come in handy!  I say that with hope... as I haven't tried it on yet.  It may not fit.  LOL

     

So anyway... since it's Valentine's Day, we were asked to create a Valentine-themed project using any of Nikki Sivils' collections.  I used one of our family photos taken by Fitzgerald Fotography LLC...

I went with a combination of Nikki Sivils' collections to make this page... Sugar Cookie, Max & Mollie, d Summer & the new Exit Here woodgrain paper... basically lots of PINK! 

Also... just another reminder to check out the "Box of Love" deal on the Nikki Sivils' blog.  There's been a great response already, and quantities are limited... so hurry! 

I hope your day is filled with lots of LOVE... and chocolate, too! 

XOXO

A few things I ♥ today...

• These FREE journaling tags... love, love, love!

• This article about other people's lives in this day of Facebooking, blogging & online networking.  So, so true. 

• And rainbows + shoes?  Are you kidding me?  It has my name written all over it.  Probably shouldn't spend $275 on a pair of shoes though...

Maybe they'll go on sale? 

For like... 75% off?  LOL 

4 years of blogging...must be time for a GIVE-AWAY...

Actually, my first day of blogging was on February 15, 2008.  Not much has changed since then.  Bryn has changed A LOT.  The formatting of my blog changed, too, so my photos were cut-off with only 1/2 the image showing on some of them back then.  I snagged this image from that month...

... and nope... that hasn't changed either.  In fact, I just bought 2 new pairs of shoes recently...

I do love animal print... especially leopard print & snake skin.  Crazy since I really HATE snakes.

Sooo...how about a little give-away to celebrate?  I have lots of extra unused Nikki Sivils' products to share with one lucky reader...the Ellies Day Out paper collection, buttons, brads, a mini book, 4 6x6 paper pads, stickers & Breadless Tabs... 

 

Just leave a comment on this post to be entered into the give-away.  Maybe you could tell me why you read my blog... is it to see my projects or perhaps because you love to see me mention Zumba for the 500th time?  LOL  I get a lot of hits every day, but only a few people leave comments so I'm just curious.  Curiosity killed the cat, you know, so maybe I shouldn't be curious?  Hmmm.

I'll leave commenting open until this Sunday, February 5 at 7pm Central time.  

And much thanks to those of you who have been visiting my blog over the years.  It's been nothing but a great experience in a FUN industry and I have loved every day of it!  Your comments keep me laughing, for sure!   

Big hugs...

"Jack & Jill went up the hill, each with a buck and a quarter... Jill came back with two-fifty... a working girl, now work it girl..."

6 days without blogging & I'm not even on vacation.  What up with that? 

Aside from being totally uninspired & lacking in motivation to do anything scrapbooking-related lately, here's a little of what's been going on around here lately & keeping me busy... 

... a family photo shoot (more on that later)...

... had a moment of temporary insanity & allowed a 10-year old to talk me into putting the tree up the weekend before Thanksgiving...

... prepared this turkey (inspired by an image on Pinterest), since I SUCK at the Butterball version...

... found out at 7am on Thanksgiving morning that I was going to have to teach the 75-minute Zumba class at 9:15am, when my friend/Zumba instructor said she was sick.  Created a playlist & burned a cd at lightening speed to prepare for the class.  Had about 70 people in the gym that morning... total BLAST...

... spent the rest of the day at my parent's house with my family... being thankful, eating, drinking & playing board games...

... saw 2 awesome movies in one weekend with our friends... (Jack & Jill was HILARIOUS, especially since I was seeing it with my friend, who's a TWIN... LOL)...

     

... some Christmas shopping online AND at the mall...

... wore this mini dress & these thigh-high boots to a dinner with friends and someone said to me, "Cute dress!  Missoni, right?" to which I replied, "Ummm, no... this would be the much lower priced knock-off."  (as in Forever 21... LOL)...

... helping spread the word about the upcoming ZUMBATHON at the O'Fallon YMCA on New Year's Day morning, with DJ Pru, strobe lights, prizes & the BEST WORK-OUT EVER to start your 2012 off right!  EVERYONE welcome & I'll be helping teach a few songs, just sayin'...

... back home from an awesome Spin class now & I'm determined to get to work and meet a deadline that's looming.  In major need of inspiration! 

SOS please someone help me... 

Whassup...

Just some of the random things going on around here lately...

• I guess I'm not the only one around who had the new Missoni for Target collection on my calendar yesterday so I'd remember to go on the day it debuted.  Evidently Target's website crashed from the madness of people trying to get access to it.  While the 2 Target stores I visited yesterday didn't have the entire collection for sale (or if they did, it must've sold out prior to 11am), I did pick up a couple things.  I got this black & white sweater dress that I'll probably wear with black leggings & booties... 

 
 

... and I picked up this travel valet...

 

I'm kind of obsessed with all things chevron right now.  

• Aside from shopping, I got certified to teach Zumba last weekend.  I don't think there's any surprise here how much I LOVE Zumba.  I went with my bestie/Zumba instructor for the training.  Had a blast.  We're still laughing about some of it...

 

 

• I'm loving this debate that was started on the Crafty Pod blog the other day.  A friend in the industry sent me a link to it and I have to say, it really got me thinking.  More so than I had already been thinking, I might add.

 

• Had a deep tissue full body massage on Monday at Massage Envy that rocked my world.  Went in with a pulled muscle in my back/shoulder blade area.  Cannot believe how much better I felt afterward.  During the massage, it hurt like hell though when she was working on that area.  Have no clue how I even pulled the muscle, although my all-day Zumba training certainly did not help.  Needless to say, I joined their monthly program.  Will be going once a month now.   

 

• New favorite song... "Sexy and I Know It" by LMFAO. 

  
 

• I have my 25-year high school reunion this weekend.  How did that many years pass by already?  Seems like a lifetime ago.

  

• Oh... and Bryn leaves for 5th grade camp on Sunday night & doesn't return until next Thursday night.  She's looking forward to it.  I'm not.  Why exactly do they need to spend 4 nights away from home?

 

Have a great day everyone! 

Little love notes...

 

Love these cute little free printables I found here.  Since Bryn was old enough to eat lunch at school, I've always added a little note to her lunches every day as a way to connect with her while she's away.  With her food allergies, she's never been able to buy her lunch... so let me just say... that's a lot of note writing since 1st grade!  These little cut-outs make the notes short & cute.         

I must add that by the end of last school year (4th grade), she asked me to stop signing the name "Mommy" at the end of my notes. 

I said, "Well, that's my name."

She said, "Can't you just write MOM?" 

I said, "No.  I can't."  LOL

So... I started signing random names to the end of my notes, like... "Love you, Lady Gaga."  or "Love you, George Washington."  etc.   

It wasn't long before her friends were interested in seeing who wrote a note to her that day. 

This year... 5th grade, I feel defeated so I just write "Love you" at the bottom.  For what's it worth though, she does still call me Mommy or Mama... I'm just sayin'. 

Cool or not... that IS my name.   LOL

 

And I love you, too, leopard 5 inch platform pumps that I just bought yesterday. 

Love always, Mommy ♥ 

LOL  ;-)

Have a FABULOUS weekend, everyone!

"Step up, step up... let your hair down... pop, drop & lock... it go all out..."

Yes, I'm still here... just having fun.  LOTS of fun.  Haven't created anything in 2 days, but I did manage to get my craft room cleaned since it looked like a tornado ripped through and left paper & product all over the place once I finished up all my projects for CHA. (Which, by the way, is already next week!)  And since I invited my friend & her daughter to come over yesterday, it's always motivation to actually clean.  

Note to self:  Invite friends over more often, so the house gets cleaned regularly.  Or... become rich & famous and hire someone to clean for me.    

Anyway... was cruising through Piperlime (one of my favorite online stores) and made a couple purchases...          

 

 

Gotta love a little retail therapy on a Friday afternoon. 

Got a sneak peek at a new zumba song last night.  Although we were drinking some wine when I learned it, so it remains to be seen if I can actually remember it in class tomorrow.  I'm loving the song though.  In fact, Bryn asked me to stop playing it so much.  And is Jennifer Lopez hot or what?   

Have a great weekend!  I'll be back with more of my projects for CHA next week...    

Stylin'...

 

credit

Forever 21... times two...

One of my favorite places to find inexpensive trendy items is Forever 21's online site.  And "trendy" is the key.  I'll spend a lot of money on something that will stand the test of time, like a handbag, but if it's something I may only wear a couple times... then I may just go the inexpensive route.  And yes, I realize I'm far, far away from being 21 years old (ummm you can just double that number) but some of their things can work for someone, shall we say a bit older.  It just takes awhile to weed through it all.  Their website is constantly updated with new items and they have pages & pages of clothing and accessories.  I also pay attention to the fabric content, as noted on the website for each item I'm considering.  Some fabrics look cheaper than others, so I'll just pass on those.

I recently purchased 3 new maxi dresses for summer from them.  They are easy to throw on with sandals or flip flops, but can be just as easily dressed up for evenings.  All 3 dresses were less than $28...

 

 

I liked the last one so much, I bought one for my sister, too.  She will, however, have to let me know if she plans to wear it around me.  I refuse to be wearing the same dress at the same time.  We dress alike enough as it is!      

And Bob just ordered these snakeskin platforms for my upcoming birthday (per my request) from Victoria's Secret...

 

Come to mama!  ;-)

Inspired by fashion...

... inspired to shop, that is.  ;-)

Always love the emails from Shopbop.  "Style goes everywhere."  Yes please... and take me with you when you go! 

 

 

  


Gotta love all those shoes...

 

 

I love that the 70's are back this year too. 

I haven't made any recent purchases from Shopbop, but did buy this dress a couple weeks ago from another online store...

 

Now... just as soon as it warms up a bit I will find some place to wear it.  I'm thinking we need to schedule a date night soon...

Fashion vs. style...

LOVE this ad in the new J Crew catalog.  It was timely, considering Bryn & I had just been talking about following trends vs. wearing your OWN style...

 

And now it's time to hit the dance floor!  Off to Zumba...

December is here...

... and I am officially not ready for it.  Going to try not to stress out about getting the Christmas shopping done & everything else that comes along with the holidays though, so I don't end up in the hospital again like I did last year.  No time for that nonsense!  Must keep this thought in the forefront of my mind...

 
... and it's a FREE download.  Love it!

I put my December Daily mini book together yesterday.  Most of the pages aren't embellished yet, nor are the numbers on each one, but I prefer to do that as I go along.  I never know how many photos I'll end up with for each day, so I'd rather do it all at the same time.  My front & back cover are from the cardboard box that Piperlime ships their merchandise in.  As if I don't LOVE that website enough already, then they have to make it even better & ship your order in the cutest lined box EVER...

 

And just go ahead and roll your eyes & shake your head at me now, because I'll forewarn you that you're going to see that dimensional snowflake again soon.  That's what you get when you read this blog... the same thing over & over again... LOL

 

Oh how I love pink + green for Christmas!  Who I am kidding... I love pink + green period.  Just look at my craft room.  LOL  Anyway... the book is just random old paper + stash I pulled from my scrap bin.  Will probably use some SRM stickers throughout the book, too.  Did you know SRM is having a design team call?  Sadly, it's already time for them to say goodbye to their first team ever & look for a brand new team.  It has been a BLAST!  SO MUCH FUN!  So much GREAT product!  Get all the details here!

And speaking of Piperlime, I just put a couple things on my Christmas list from them...

  
faux fur jacket             metal ring necklace

They would go well with the seriously cute & seriously el cheapo stiletto heel work boots I just bought from Forever 21...

LOVE them. 

PS... Look here for the SRM Stickers + Cosmo Cricket blog hop.

Time for Zumba... my favorite day of the week!  Must go dance & sweat my butt off...  

A perfect morning...

 
It's the little things that make me happy...

• Waking up with no more migraine after sucking it up & coaching Bryn's double-header last night (yes... that would be 2 hours of volleyball in a very LOUD gym)
• Hugs + kisses before Bryn left for school
• Zumba (LOVE.THAT.CLASS.)
• Crazy Bowls for lunch with my Zumba friends (LOVE.THAT.FOOD.)
• An email from Scrapbook Trends requesting one of my pages for the April issue
• Some new FALL fashion

  
 
♥ And a little thank you to my husband, who came home from work at lunchtime yesterday to surprise me with lunch & a Decaf Soy Latte.  Then he left work early to pick Bryn up from school.  I didn't ask either of him, he just wanted to help make me feel better.  It worked.  He is the best & I feel very, very lucky...

OH, how I love a party with a theme...

... especially when the theme involves wearing some bling...

    
 
Just one of the many photos from Teresa's "jeans + bling" birthday party last night.  I didn't have my camera with me, but there were a few on hand to capture the fun.  There were a lot of girls there from the Y and we had a great time celebrating with appetizers, wine & red velvet cake!  And a few of us die-hards made it up to the Y this morning for a work-out!  

Going to the Y again in a bit for Bryn's volleyball game & looking forward to seeing my sister there.  We'll be catching dinner with her afterward.  Perhaps Cheesecake Factory?  ;-) 

Lots of school-related HIPness...

Images of the September HIP 2B SQUARE kits have been posted!  Here's the main kit & the add-on kit...

There are lots of options including kits that include only patterned paper!  Check out all the details here!  Looks like LOTS OF FUN to me!  Can't wait to create!

I'm looking forward to this afternoon!  Our school district has implemented something new this year... early release days.  There will be 8 of those days this year & today is the first one with the students released at 1:30pm.  I'm planning to pick up Bryn from school & we're going right to a nail salon.  She's getting her first (professional) manicure & I'm getting a pedicure (for the first time in ages... usually just do it myself).  We'll probably do a little shopping before heading back home.  Then after dinner tonight... volleyball practice!   

Tomorrow night is Girls Night!  We'll be celebrating a friend's birthday from Zumba class.  The theme is jeans & bling.  I'll be wearing these...

It's just a little bit of bling.  ;-)  

And speaking of Zumba... I'm headed there now!  

What is it about 100+ degree weather that makes me long for FALL?

Aside from the fact that the heat & humidity stinks... it might be all the new fall fashion hitting the stores right now.  Who wants to wear these, raise your hand?

And speaking of wish lists, here's some of my favorite things I spied at CHA...

SRM Stickers We've Got Your Sticker (love that they include brown & white sentiments)...

Nikki Sivils My Friend Birdie...

 

Basic Grey Wander (imagine me using a buildings paper other than my beloved Craft Fair... heehee!)

 

Crate Paper School Spirit...

... and the Crate Paper Snow Day line...

Bella Blvd Sunny Happy Skies...

... and Bella Blvd's Socialite...

My Minds Eye Alphabet Soup...

... and My Minds Eye Blackbird...

Prima's Road Trip...

Echo Park Life is Good...

October Afternoon's Modern Homemaker...

Cosmo Cricket's Togetherness (love that ledger paper)...

 

I liked some of the new Thickers fonts also...

Just a reminder that I have a LOT of baker's twine... like enough that Bryn's grandchildren will still have plenty to use.  Each package in my etsy store contains 10 yards of red + white twine for only $1.50.  I think if you check around, you'll find that it's a real bargain...

Stay COOL this weekend!

My weekend recap...

My weekend was spent like this...

• About an hour at the subdivision pool + a rainbow snow cone from the snow cone truck...

 

(I love when I forget to bring my camera & only have my cell phone.  I also loved that it was 99 degrees + 105 degrees heat index.  Thus, the one hour-ish time frame.  Yucky.)

• Zumba class + running
• A little time to create with the new Blueberry Hill line from Nikki Sivils...

• And some time creating a card with the Baby Sticker Sentiments from SRM Stickers...

 

• Watching Bryn's excitement about finally receiving her birthday present ordered at the end of May, that was on backorder until now.  She named them "Jack & Annie," after the characters in the Magic Tree House books...

   

(Always a messy face when eating.  I suppose she'll outgrow that some day?)

• Games + some popcorn...

• Seeing the movie Ramona & Beezus with Bryn & her friend...

(Am I the only one who cries at kid's movies?)  

• Packing for CHA.  You know, important things like my SRM Stickers projects, my camera & comfortable walking shoes...

• Picking a winner for my SRM Stickers giveaway!

 

Newbie here...I am looking forward to our family vacation to Branson. I have not been in almost 10 years.

Posted by: Michele Marshall | July 23, 2010 at 03:17 PM

Michele Marshall... email me with your address & I'll send out your stickers! 

 I hope you all had a GREAT weekend! 

I ♥ the annual Anniversary Sale at Nordstrom...

For the past several years, I've purchased a new handbag for the upcoming fall season during the annual sale at Nordstrom.  They put out all their new fall merchandise in July, slash the prices temporarily & you get to buy at the sale price before it goes up to the regular set price at the beginning of August.  Since most of my bags are kept & reused year after year (I try to not buy anything too trendy, so it works for more than 1 season), this year I needed to get a new brown bag since I sold the one I'd been using for the last couple years.  I went with this one...

   

I may have snagged a new pair of sunglasses, too.  ;-)

 

If you're interested in getting your own good deals during the sale, check it out here before the prices go up on August 2! 

And speaking of deals, have you entered your comment on this post for a chance to win my SRM Stickers giveaway?  You have until tonight at 7pm Central time before I choose the winner!   

Stars & stripes forever...

It's Friday & we're ready for the weekend.  Bob's leaving the office early today to play golf with a friend this afternoon.  Bryn is going to see Toy Story 3 with a friend this afternoon.  And I am going to do a little more cleaning & crafting & getting ready for our BBQ we're having tomorrow night with our neighbors... a friend of Bryn's and her parents (the mom just retired from the Army!).  After everyone is back home today, the 3 of us are going out to dinner tonight... no cooking for me.  Yay!

I picked up some red, white & blue things from Michaels today on clearance & I think I have a menu planned for our BBQ...

 

Found free printables here for these popcorn holders & I plan to fill them with red Twizzlers & mini marshmallows for the kids...

 

We usually stay in town for the 4th since we have such a great view of several fireworks displays in the horizon from our back deck.  There's also a lot of fireworks going off in the subdivision, so we have "surround sound" during the display. Also, we have a big trip coming up so it wouldn't make sense to leave town right now, when we really should be thinking about packing. 

Speaking of packing (and stars & stripes), I'll be doing some sight-seeing very soon in this black & white maxi dress.  It was very cheap... Forever 21...

 and I'll need to dig this out, too... 

I'll be back on Sunday with a 4th of July page using my 4th of July SRM Stickers! 

I hope you enjoy your weekend! I, for one, am thankful for all the men & women who protect & serve our country every single day of the year.  Happy Independence Day Weekend!