(diva)logues

My friends know me too well...

 

I'm beginning to wonder how much blogging I'll actually be able to do this summer.  We're only one week into it and between birthday celebrations, packing for a trip with my girlfriends & our families, and just the everyday life of entertaining a now 9-year old... I'm at a loss for words.  Or... not exactly at a loss for words, just a loss for time to write those words. 

Yesterday, was just one of my many busy days lately.  After spending too much time trying on outfits so I could decide what to pack, I ran on the treadmill & then we ran out the door to meet my girlfriend for lunch.  Lunch was fun & it was great to see her.  Not only did she bring me the sweetest & most fun birthday gifts, but she also brought an ADORABLE tote bag for Bryn for her birthday, too!  In fact, the photo above is a little notebook she gave me.  It'll be going on the trip with me so I can keep notes on the week, as well as sketches for page ideas while I'm gone.  Thank you again, Christa, you are too sweet.  Stephanie told us about a new store that "we HAD to go into" that was near the restaurant.  She said I'd love it.  Well... not only did I love it, I was overwhelmed with cuteness!  I've never heard of this store, so I guess it's new to our area, but since I did find the Charming Charlie website, it appears that it's a chain.  So, if you love inexpensive jewelry, clothes, shoes, handbags... you MUST go!  Everything in the store is organized by color... such a FUN place!  I picked up a few gifts, a pair of cheap sandals for the pool, a fun ring & watch, plus a couple things for Bryn.  I don't think my day would've felt nearly as busy, had I not spent an hour & a half in that store!  I'll just forewarn you on that before you enter. 

I have a list of things to finish up today & then it's time for some fun in the SUN!  There will be a lot of laughter going on in the next week.  I can guarantee that.  You better feel better SOON, Sal, we're on our way...

If the shoe fits...

... buy it in every color.  The higher the heel, the better! 

I mentioned last week that SRM Stickers had the pleasure of working with 2 of the new SEI lines.  On Thursday & Friday, SRM Stickers will be featuring on their blog what the team created with those lines.  I was sent the vibrant & fun Jocelyn line to work with & used just a little bit more of it to make some colorful border strips on this page.  I also threw in some other random embellishments from Nikki Sivils (the shoe!), Crate Paper & October Afternoon + a mix of letter stickers.  The journaling is all about the constant & OBVIOUS stares I got all weekend, day & night, at my shoes.  It became rather amusing... especially to Bob, who started laughing & commenting out loud every time it happended.  It was all just a wee bit embarrassing. 

Stay tuned for more on SHOES.  June 1st to be exact... ;-)   
 

I am officially 42...

It's been a great day.  And I anticipate it's going to be a great year, as well.  ;-)

As for my dentist appointment this morning, my teeth are not straight.  Yet.  But, I did go through 4 hours of work beginning at 7:30am & have temporary veneers on my teeth.  It's just that the temporary set is in the same mold as my old teeth.  Permanent veneers will be put on during my next appointment on June 3.  If the veneers come in sooner than that, he's going to call & get me in before then.  He doesn't want me in temporary veneers any longer than need be.  Love that!

So dear Chicago, I shall visit you with my old-looking teeth, but wearing these new killer heels should help put a smile on my face...

Thank you for all the birthday wishes!  You are ALL very sweet & it really meant a LOT to me!

Have a FABULOUS weekend!
 

Green is the new black...

I really like this sketch created by Jenyfur at SRM Stickers!  As part of the SRM Stickers "Spring Break Blog Hop," there's also a card sketch challenge going on.  Create a card using this sketch & post a link to it here.  There's SRM Stickers for the winner of the challenge.  Gotta LOVE that!

Here's the card I made...

I used an Express Yourself Birthday sticker for my sentiment & a FreeStyle Birthday sticker on my button.  Check out what the other team members made at the SRM blog today! 

I have a lot of photos from Easter, some of which I've already started scrapping with my March HIP 2B SQUARE kit.  But here's something that always makes me laugh.  Bryn & I wore our green dresses this year.  Somehow Marci & I always end up dressing alike, no matter what the event, but we've never discussed what we're wearing prior... 

I guess GREEN is "in" for Spring?

Hippity hoppity... Easter's on it's way...

Children's Place had some cute dresses for girls on sale, so I picked one up for Bryn to wear on Easter Sunday.  Since I'm always a fan of green (especially in the Spring) I went with a color-coordinated dress for myself (from Dillards)...

I originally picked out a green dress for myself with a ruffled neckline, but then I thought if it was cold on Sunday, a cardigan may not fit well over it.  I'll probably be layering some necklaces over this to keep it from looking too basic.  

Here's a photo of Bryn's page that inspired one of the pages I made with my HIP 2B SQUARE kit that I posted on Thursday...

Tonight is "Date Night!"  We asked our babysitter a few weeks ago about coming over tonight when we were invited to a State Farm party.  I wasn't totally excited about going, but it's a work function so we made plans for it.  Then earlier this week, Bob received an email stating that too many people weren't going to be able to attend due to Spring Break &/or other previous commitments, so they were going reschedule it.  He asked me if we should just cancel our sitter or go out anyway?  

I said, "Are you kidding me?  I didn't want to go to the party in the first place.  I'd MUCH rather have 'date night'... we're going out!" 

So dinner it is... & maybe a little dancing, since this particular restaurant has live music on the weekends.  Yay!   

PS...  I am officially addicted to SRM Stickers.  Last night I was a card-making fool...

Have you tried them yet?  You will be addicted to how easy they are to use.  I won't bore you with all of them, but I'll post some in better detail next week.  Have a GREAT weekend!

Be your own stylist...

Have fun being a "fashion director" at Macy's for a chance to win a $500 Macy's gift card.  Here's 3 outfits I put together...

 
 What outfits would you put together?  Let me know if play along.  I'd love to see your ideas!   

Packing...

... & making lists for Disney.  Getting excited about the Spring weather we are experiencing right now & will get MORE of on our trip.  Excited about pops of yellow in my Spring wardrobe... it always makes me feel a little happier.  I'm loving yellow + grey right now.  Here's some of what's getting thrown in the suitcase for this adventure to theme park land... 

 

Of course, the cross-body bag & the Keds are for the theme park days, but since there will only be 3 theme park days, I need less sensible things for everything else we do.  Like the pool & dinner & just hanging out doing whatever-we-please, for instance. 

Back to finishing up projects that are due while I'm gone.  Send inspiring thoughts my way please...

Fine dining...

Tonight is our special family Valentine's dinner at home.  We've been doing this for the past several years & all 3 of us look forward to it.  I found the cutest tutorial on making these pom pom balls out of coffee filters from Rhonna Farrar.  I made them last night while we were watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics...

 

I ran out of brown coffee filters, so I had to pick up some more this morning, but in the meantime I made a couple mini versions out of polka dot cupcake holders.  They turned out pretty cute, too.  I'm planning to use some of my baker's twine to hang them all from the ceiling.  Yes, I'm finding a million ways to use all that twine I have... don't laugh.  If you want some inexpensive twine for yourself, I have a LOT in my Etsy shop!  I bought some white coffee filters this morning too, so I'll have brown & white pom poms tonight. 

Here are the hand-made fortune cookies for tonight, too.  They were pretty easy to make.  My only problem is that my printer isn't working right now, so I only have 3 fortunes printed out.  Hmmmph.  Looks like I'm going to have to call the computer nerds people pronto...

 

Even though the paper "treats" aren't aplenty, the food & wine is guaranteed to be good.  Looking forward to our crab legs & lobster dinner tonight. 

Today is the FINAL DAY to take advantage of the special 10% discount "DB10" at Magpie Lovely created just for my friends!  Have you checked out her store yet?  I'm in love with the ruffled tanks & my new one should be arriving any day now!  Read here for more information on this lovely new website! 

Have a LOVEly evening!

A LOVELY virtual trunk show...

Yesterday I purchased the prettiest tank, adorned with the prettiest hand-made ruffles from Magpie Lovely...

And some day when this snow ends, I'll be able to wear it, too!  I can't wait for SPRING!  Doesn't it look just like the Anthropologie tops I showed the other day that I had been admiring?  Better yet... a MUCH lower price tag!  Love that! 

For the next 5 days, I will be hosting a virtual trunk show for Magpie Lovely...

 

She has the most beautiful & unique clothing, handbags, jewlery & accessories for women, children & your home!

Please enjoy browsing this LOVELY new website and for the next 5 days, enjoy 10% off your order!  Enter coupon code DB10 at checkout & be sure to check the box to the left that says "update."

I'll probably be making another purchase, myself!  You have until the 13th to use the special offer! 

Happy shopping!  

Gucci Gucci goo...

As a DSW email subscriber, I was given the opportunity to purchase from a small inventory of Gucci bags at REALLY LOW prices, as they were past designs.  You had to be a subscriber to have access.  In fact, you had to login to your account before you could be redirected.  Most of the bags they were offering were not my style at all... even if they gave them away for free.  Some even had floral patterns which are TOTALLY not me.  This travel bag caught my eye though...

They were asking $399 for it. 

   

So, I checked around just to see if it was selling elsewhere & to see what kind of deal I might be getting.  I found the same bag on Bluefly on the same day.  The retail price was $2,150, but they had it on sale for $1,720. 

I bought the bag!  (I noticed it was already sold out the next day when I went back to take a screen shot of that page, but I think they only had 5 to sell in the first place).  It's a big bag (thus the reason they call it a "travel bag"), but I need that when we're traveling.  I use it as my handbag, believe it or not.  I have a big camera with a big lens, plus a long-range lens, too.  I ALWAYS have to carry Bryn's "emergency" medicine for her food allergies (Benadryl, Epipen & Albuterol inhaler).  Plus there's my own necessities... wallet, sunglasses, makeup, snacks, bottle of water, etc.

To justify the purchase, I sold some gold jewelry.  Did you know you could do that?  Bob keeps telling me it's big now, because the price of gold is way up.  So, I sold 2 old gold necklaces & 1 had a matching bracelet that I sold with it.  I made Bob come along, because I kept thinking they would try to rip me off because I was a female & didn't know if I was getting a deal or not.  (And frankly, I didn't.)  They weigh your jewelry & also test it to make sure it's real.  I had a 10K necklace & a 14K necklace & matching bracelet.  It's not the most expensive jewelry I own, it's just the least worn jewelry.  In fact, I was probably never going to find a reason to wear it again, so I sold it.  I made $264. 

To make a long story, short (is there ever a short story on this blog?)... I figure I purchased a $2100 Gucci bag for a net $140.  Personally, I'd rather have a handbag than a piece of real gold any day.  I think you can wear a "statement piece" of jewelry that's "costume" & doesn't break the bank, but still looks awesome.  In fact, I prefer it.  Bottom line, though... I got a STEAL!  And I feel like I could do back flips over it.  I know that's totally materialistic, but it's my first Gucci bag & I REALLY got a bargain.  (And, yes, it came with the serial # & dust bag.).     

I mentioned to Bob & Bryn that this bag would be going with us to Austria this summer.  Then Bryn asked me, "Are you taking it to Disney, too?"  I said, "Uhhhhh, no." 

 

Happy Friday!

"Designers... make it work."

I mentioned to Bryn yesterday that I wanted to see if I could make a skirt or a dress out of newspaper to put on our dress form.  I had seen something similar on Atlantis Home the other day & showed her a photo of it.  This morning, while I was on my laptop & sitting right next to her (but not paying attention to what she was doing), she said to me, "What do you think, Mommy?"

I think...

• I have another artist on my hands.
• The newspaper "flower" is so cool.
• Project Runway, here she comes.
• Some day, if I'm lucky, she'll be making clothes for me to wear.
• My dress wouldn't have been nearly as cute as hers.
• Clearly I'm not the only one around here making "ruffles" with paper.
• I'm amazed & inspired by her every single day.

Hope you're having a GREAT weekend!  I'm off to hit the treadmill & then the 3 of us are going to Whole Foods when Bob gets home from seeing his dad in the hospital (yes, he's there AGAIN).  There's a couple new local clothing boutiques in the same area as Whole Foods that I want to pop in & check out, too.  Hoping they are worth the trip.

Grease is DEFINITELY the word...

Grease was a lot of FUN last night & definitely NOT a show where you might be tempted to leave at intermission because you might be nodding off to sleep in the audience (not that I've ever done that before or anything...)  Ahem.   And the good news is... we actually made it to the show because at 8:00 we were still sitting at the restaurant talking about sex & politics when we decided we really better pay the bill & leave.  We only missed the first 3 scenes.  But like my mom kept saying, "We know all the songs anyway."  It was worth it though.  It's not often that the 3 of us can get together like that & we laughed a lot in the restaurant.... so much so, that Marci said she could hear me laughing while she was in the restroom.  We all laugh loud in my family... 

We attempted to get a photo of us before leaving.  After the first 2 attempts-gone-wrong... because the timer had accidentally been hit, we finally got a decent shot.

Marci & Mom in mid sentence, while I'm the only one smiling...

Me in the truest form, "Just let me do it..."

And finally...

I'm pretty sure our waiter (as well as everyone else around us) thought we were nuts... but anything for a photo, right? 

And to answer Chris' question, I wore this dress with a big black belt that I added, black tights & my black suede booties I purchased recently as posted here.

Anyway, Taylor Hicks was entertaining & the whole show was so great, I'd see it again in a heart-beat.  HIGHLY recommend it!  I fell asleep last night singing Hand Jive in my head.

Bob's bringing home lunch soon, so I'm off to hit the treadmill.  It's another rainy, foggy day outside.  

It would be wrong to let any Crate paper go to waste...

As I was cleaning off the craft table the other day, I had to make cards with some of the left-over scraps.  I'd rather make cards, than file the scraps away...

We spent the evening last night planning our upcoming SPRING BREAK trip to Disney.  The 3 of us had SO MUCH fun on our first trip to Disney 2 years ago, that it's been a plan to return as soon as time allowed.  So, we booked a place by swapping out our timeshare, purchased some expensive airline tickets (no good deals, AT ALL!)  & now it's time to plan out our week so we can start making reservations & purchasing park tickets.  It should be FUN!  This time I'm not making the mistake of wearing flip flops all over the parks either.  Must start looking for comfortable walking shoes (that aren't fugly) asap!  If you have any suggestions, please send them my way!

Also, today is the last day you can post your favorite layout, card or project from 2009 at the These Are A Few of My Favorite Things blog for a chance to win 1 of 2 prizes up for grabs.  The winners will be announced tomorrow AND we'll have a new challenge up, too!

Off to run on the treadmill & then I'm heading back into my closet to pull out old clothes, shoes & handbags for charity &/or garage sale. 

   

Out with the old... in with the NEW!  :-)

Happy 2010!

Hard to believe it's a new decade, too.  Bob & I got married in 2000, so we'll be celebrating our 10-year anniversary in May.  That's hard to believe, too!  A lot happened in the last decade, the best part giving birth to Bryn.  The worst part, losing my sister suddenly.  But all in all... it was a good & very memorable 10 years. 

I have officially finished up my projects for CHA & am ready to send them off.  I sent another package a couple weeks ago... a handful of old projects Nikki wanted as well.  I'm honored to have some of my work in her catalog again, too.  It's an exciting event all around.  Maybe one of these conventions, I'll jump on a plane & attend?

So... I've been busy.  And thankfully I'm still waiting for my December HIP 2B SQUARE kit to arrive, so I'm going to have a clean craft room & a clear mind when it gets here. 

In the meantime, I finished up a few more pages in my December Daily...

... found some fun things on SALE (yes, Julie, I did NEED more shoes)...

  

... and something with a rebate...

...making some sales...

 

... wearing some new Christmas gifts...

 

... watching a couple movies with Bob...

 

... and playing games with Bryn...

 

As for this new year & this new decade, I am going to continue to focus on healthy living.  Because really, in the end, our health is the single most important thing we can have.  All the STUFF in the world doesn't matter if you can't get out of bed to enjoy it.  Why not make this the year & the decade you focus on your health, too?  Maybe it means taking a 10-minute walk every day.  Maybe it means cutting out 1 soda or 1 candy bar a day.  But the first thing you need to do, is to replace all those negative thoughts in your head with positive ones that say, "You CAN do this.  You ARE worth it."  It's not easy.  Nothing worth having ever is.  But trust me.  Once you start noticing a difference in the way you feel, you'll keep up with it all.  One foot in front of the other... baby steps.   

Happy 2010!

Dear Santa...

A few nights ago I finished this layout just for fun.  I intended to scrap several of the photos from the other day when Bob took Bryn to see Santa at the firestation, but just couldn't come up with a design that I was really digging.  So, I decided to just use 1 photo & put her letter to Santa + a few more printed photos inside this envelope that Sarah sent me awhile back... 

The letter Bryn typed on Word is rather amusing...

The layout was made using a Green Horned Unicorn felt flower (thanks Toni!), a bit of Nikki Sivils North Pole Nights & other random found things. 

Have you checked out Beth's etsy?  Look at these lovlies I purchased...

 

Mine are brooches, but she has really cute headbands, too! 

I think we're watching It's A Wonderful Life tonight.  I've only seen it about 200 times (in fact, Bob calls me Zu Zu sometimes), but it still makes me cry every single time I see it. 

Have a great weekend!    
 

And it's STILL all about the dress...

A new "all about me" challenge is up at the Nikki Sivils blog!  The challenge this time is to create a layout about a childhood holiday memory using the new North Pole Nights line.  Here's mine...

Notice I used my new Martha Stewart border punch set for this one.  Love that thing.

And speaking of dresses, here's the dress I wore to dinner last night...

I took the sash off & wore it with a big black belt instead.  Found it at Lulu's & also bought a couple other fun things while I was at it.  Loving that site.  Dinner was fun, too.  We sat & chatted for so long that they actually started dimming the lights on us.  We took that as our sign to leave.   

I added a few things to my shop.  I don't have much time to add anything else yet, as we're off to Bryn's friend's birthday party & then to an early family Thanksgiving dinner.  Will keep adding as I find time.  Still need to create my bio.  What can I say except... I'm a multi-tasking, work in progress.  :-)

So glad to see the sun...

We've arrived!  I'm not sure why, but it always takes FOREVER to get your luggage from the baggage claim at this airport.  A mere 35 minutes this time.  Always fun when you're REALLY hungry.  Bryn was dressed for the occasion though, wearing her pumpkin t-shirt that I made with a blingy iron-on & her Halloween knee socks from Aunt Marci... 

 

She was a little disappointed after getting into costume after dinner last night & heading outside for the "haunted pool."   We found out the haunted pool was actually the night prior & not last night as they had told us when we called from home a few days ago.  They did, however, have s'mores at a campfire & the "Casper the Friendly Ghost" movie showing outside over at the resort, so she got to enjoy the night after all.  And there were other kids in costume, too, so she wasn't the only one missing out on trick-or-treating this year...

 

After lunch yesterday, I visited Anthropologie with the intent of finding a few party favors for our guests today.  I did find something, but also left with a really CUTE tulip dress that was marked $39.95, originally $128.  It's looks better on, than on the hanger... one those things I'm glad I tried on & not just passed by...

 

I like the the cotton tank paired with the black, silk bottom, & the high-waisted sash.  I also left with a long necklace, too...

I think I visit that store every time we come here, as it's only 2 minutes away.  

After running this morning, I saw this Shopbop email & thought, "Ok, I have almost this exact same outfit... black faux fur vest, black slouchy suede boots & a very similar dress."  Now... where do I wear it?  I think a "date night" is in order... 

Off to the pool for awhile & then it's time to get ready for the party! 

More ruffles...

Yay!  I finally got to wear my purple ruffled platforms last night...

   

& paired it with my new boyfriend blazer, some black skinny pants, a couple layered tanks & some silver jewelry.  (Photo editing with Picnik)

 

It was sooooo chilly last night.  We went to PF Changs for dinner, still unclear where the rest of the evening would take us.  Our thoughts were to hit a place in the Valley that has live music on the weekends after dinner.  Bryn spent the afternoon with my parents & her cousin, Sydney, at the circus and then she was spending the night at their house.   

However, once we sat down had some wine & then placed our dinner order... my cell phone rang.  It was Bryn & she was crying, "Mommy, I don't feel good."  She said she had a headache, felt like she had a fever & that her belly kinda hurt.  I asked her if she wanted us to come get her.  She did.  So, I told her to have Gamma give her some Motrin & some Sprite or some juice & to just rest until we got there.  I told her that we just ordered our food, so we'd have to wait until we ate dinner before we could leave, but that we'd be there in about an hour & a half.  She was good with that.  So, our night ended early, but we were both glad to see Bryn.  We both said we missed her already before we had even left for the restaurant.  I was thrilled that she slept through the night, but she did wake up with a bit of a sore throat this morning.  No fever though, so that's GREAT.  I'm hoping this is short-lived!

And speaking of my "ruffled" platforms, my "ruffles layout" is on the "Top 10 By Votes" on 2 Peas.  And THIS TIME, it has nothing to do with my fellow Nikki Sivils team voting for me.  I actually made it there all on my own!  :-)

Bryn helped me make a turkey stew in the slow cooker first thing this morning, so we'll have that for dinner tonight with some fresh green beans that I'm going to steam.  It smells like Thanksgiving in our house today.  Yummy.  And Bob & I both ran this morning... he outside, me on the treadmill.

I need to finish up the treat bags for Bryn's class party on Friday.  I'm in charge on this one, but I ended up with a lot of help this year.  So yay for that!  And I'm finishing up treat bags for kids in the family today, too.  I'm also going to make a couple treat bags for some kids I get to see on November 1st.  Hmm... I think I need some chocolate treats, too....   

Ruffles are IN...

... on clothes, shoes, accessories, even scrapbooking.  I can't get enough of them for fashion or on my layouts, which I'm sure is already painfully obvious to you.   Moxie Fab World has a ruffles challenge right now, so I went with a lot of ruffles (scallops) on my page with some recent photos of my little mini-me strutting her stuff...   

   

While there was plenty of inspiration on the Moxie Fab World blog, I was inspired by my new J Crew ruffled cardigan.  It's even prettier in person...

The scallops & the orange ruler are from the Nikki Sivils Henry's Brilliance line, with some random stash & a little bit of The Boyfriend thrown in just because I ♥ it. 

Now, it's time for me to get fashionable & head out for "Date Night!"  Hope you're having a FABULOUS weekend!

You make me happy, when skies are grey...

Nothing but rain around here for the past 2 days.  So here's some fun & warm finds for the chilly season ahead, that won't break the bank! 

Fur vests are BIG this year.  This one from Express is on sale right now for 30% off + there's a coupon code for an extra $15 off on the main page...

Slouchy boots are also in right now.  I purchased these in black suede from DSW.  (They'll be cute with that black fur vest!)  I had earned a $10 off certificate, but they also have free shipping on all orders over $35...

I love my new J.Crew ankle cords in dark aubergine, but they aren't kidding when they call them "toothpick."  Best not wear those to Cheesecake Factory... LOL! 

Gotta throw in a couple from Forever 21, too.  I'm considering these caged heels... $20.80????

and this beaded tank...

   

American Girl has a cute little Halloween costume for their 18 inch dolls.  Since we are leaving town on Halloween, I thought a little Halloween costume for Bryn's doll would be a cute gift.  The $34 price for theirs was not so cute though.  So... I googled 18 inch doll Halloween costume and found this great site!  Not only was their little outfit less than 1/2 the price at $15.99, but she mailed it to me SUPER FAST.  I received it 2 days later.  Gotta love that! 

This whole site ROCKS!

My sister gave me one of these spiked heel cake servers a few years ago, but mine is now missing it's heel.  Hate when that happens!  Chiasso has one though, so I may have to replace it one of these days...

I also think their chopsticks are cute...

And this just made me smile when I saw it.  I ♥ the 80's...

 

And Rock That Body gets me moving.  How can you not love that they mixed in some Rob Base? 

Just a photo snapped with my phone at dance class last night.  We had to go out in the pouring down rain, but watching her dance certainly put a smile on my face...

Bob is running in a 5K tomorrow morning.  The low temp is supposed to be 34 degrees, the high will be 61.  Of course, at the 7:30am start time, it won't be that warm yet... probably  more like a balmy 40 by then.  He may be running it without 2 fans.  Yowza... that's almost freezing... already! 

Have a fabulous weekend!

Almost TGIF...

Here's an idea for those of you wishing for more opportunities for a "date night" with your husband.  Since finding a babysitter can sometimes pose a big challenge in the evening, why not do a "date lunch" with him instead?  Bob & I did just that today.  Everyone has to eat lunch, right?  And if you & your husband have an hour to get away from the office, meet each other somewhere in between where you both are during the day!  Not that having meals with your kids is a bad thing (I personally enjoy it & LOVE it) but having an extra hour to share a meal & some adult conversation with your spouse is always a plus!  ♥ 

I received my September Hip 2B Square kit today & am so excited to start working on it!  I swear... each kit is cuter than the last.  I don't know how she does it, but I am so excited about this month!  Plus, she sent an extra kit to do another special project, so I'll be sharing that as well toward the end of the month!

Here's an inspiring story of a local mom who decided to get healthy.  It's all about deciding to make a change for the better & then making a goal.  JUST DO IT... comes to mind. 

This Shopbop ad is cool.  I am loving all the fur vests I've been seeing now...

... even if I had legs that would look good in these leggings, which I don't, they just wouldn't work well here in the Midwest.  Manhattan maybe.  Which reminds me, I REALLY want to return to Manhattan some day soon.  I suggested to Bob that next year when we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we should do a weekend there.  We shall see...   

How about a sketch?

Sometimes I really enjoy using sketches!  It makes the page come together a little faster, since I tend to spend too much time shuffling photos & embellies around before I finally come up with a design I like.  All week long, the Nikki Sivils blog is showing how each of the designers interpreted the same sketch, primarily using the new Bootiful line!  Kathleen Glossup created the sketch that we all used...

The Bootiful line is so versatile that you can use it for more than just Halloween photos...

 

I did a little misting/masking on here + some machine stitching to add a little more interest.  Since purple is a big color for fashion this coming season, I thought the purple plaid paper would be perfect for some photos of a few recent purchases.  Check out the blog every day this week for more inspiration!   

Found this blog post at "For Love or Funny" through another blog & it made me laugh out loud. ☺

Tonight is Bryn's first night of gymnastics & tomorrow night is her first night of dance class.  No rest for the wicked...

For the love of fashion...

This photo was fun.  They handed you the remote & had you look into the camera (which also showed you a view of the actual photo) & then click it when you're ready.  Turns out, Marci was looking at the monitor, while I was looking in the right spot... the camera... duh!  LOL!  Oh well... close enough! 

The show was just ok.  It was really more like an off-the-rack show, rather than a cutting-edge, fashion-forward show that we would've rather seen.  But... it gave us time to chat & get caught up with each other, so all was good!   And... I'll always have Project Runway (and the Rachel Zoe Project)!  

And... I made another layout using my GCD Studios paper pad that I won this summer during their blog hop.  I believe Heidi is going to post my "review" of that Sunny Days pad soon. 

 

Everything on the layout is from the paper pad, except the white cardstock, the notebook paper & the title letters (Basic Grey & Doodlebug Designs). 

Off to the baseball game tonight with friends.  Should be a perfect night for a game... although I'm REALLY hoping it doesn't go into extra innings! 

09/09/09

9 things on the ninth day of the ninth month of 2009...

1. Had a long over-due hair cut & high-light today.  She actually did more low-lights than high-lights for Fall, so I'm sporting a little bit darker "do."
2. This new bag was SO CHEAP, but gets compliments every day.  I think it's the funky blue color.  It holds a ton, too, so I like that... 
3. I have a card on the GCD Studios blog today.  It's just a simple little card I made with my kit that I won from them, but it was a nice surprise to see it today....
4. Looking forward to a fashion show Saturday night with my sister.  Still deciding what to wear.  Maybe this...   
   
5. Clinique is my favorite MUST-HAVE for the face & body.
6. Does Beyonce have a bad song?  I think not.  This one ROCKS. 
7. 6 more days to complete your "favorite food" layout for a chance to win a fabulous prize!  So far, every single submission I've seen makes me hungry! 
8. Is it just me or is it just a little much when you're asked over & over again in Target, "Can I help you find something?"  I walked into the magazine aisle yesterday.  I started to flip through a magazine, when a girl walked around the corner just to ask me if there was something she could help me find.  I'm not at Nordstrom.  I'm at Target???  I'm looking at a magazine???
9. I ♥ Design Star & Project Runway. 
  Carry on...

Randomness...

Inspired by this Shopbop ad...

 

Been shopping...

  

 

Completed my annual mammogram in less than 20 minutes yesterday thanks to this place on wheels...

 

Looking forward to the new Satuday Zumba interval class beginning tomorrow morning...

 

Finding this hilarious blog about my favorite show!

 

Excited to be working on an extra project for Hip 2B Square with CUTE stuff!

I'm ready for the weekend.  How about you?

2009...

Larissa posted this in the SIS forum today & I was nodding my head as I was reading it...

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2009 when...

1. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave.  (I haven't done this.... yet.)

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.   (True, but I did trade in the card games for blog reading!)

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 3.  (Sad...)

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.  (I don't work next to anyone, but I have emailed Bob or called his cell phone when he is upstairs & I'm downstairs in the craft room.  Hello?  Is this my "cabana boy?" :-)

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.  (I'm not a phone person at all.)

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.  (I don't do this.  I'm usually buying groceries when I'm the only one at home.  But I vividly remember my mom HONKING LOUDLY when she got home from the grocery store.  My dad says she STILL does this & he's in the middle of working.  I guess there are disadvantages to working from home.)

7 Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.  (Hadn't paid attention to this, but will have to check it out.)

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.   (Sad... but SO TRUE!)

10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.  (No coffee.  But cereal comes first, then internet while I'm eating!)

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )

12. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.  (Just nodding.)

13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.  (Yes, all of my blog friends.)

14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.  (You are right.)

15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list.  (Did this too!)

Speaking of 2009... while shopping yesterday I noticed a black t-shirt with shoulder pads.  Can you say 80's attire?  And now this ad from Shopbop in my email today...

 

Man did I love my shoulder pads in the 80's, but now.... ummmm... not so sure about reliving that one. 

TO DO for Friday:

• Interval class at the Y
• Pick up Bryn from my parent's house
• Stop for a couple things at the grocery store
• Bake a cake to take to dinner tonight
• Paint toenails (while wishing for a pedicure)
• Do a little cleaning (while wishing I was scrapping)
• Bob comes home
• Dinner at Christa & Rich's house (looking forward to this!)

Have a great weekend!

10 things on the 10th...

1. Only 9 more days until school starts.  This summer has gone by too fast.   
2. I ♥ making things, especially with Nikki Sivils products...
3. Bob & I keep saying to each other, "Did I mention I'm glad to be home?" 
4. BUT.... glad to be leaving town again for our next trip in less than 3 months.
5. Looking forward to Fall, especially after seeing this advertisement where I put some hearts next to the killer suede shoes & the yummy red bag...
6. Sometimes going to the dentist is NOT a bad experience, like today for instance.
7. I am very, very lucky to have the BEST blog friends.  Thank you SO MUCH for this package of MAJOR CUTENESS, Sarah!  I am going to try not to hoard those yummy clouds, but rather just use them on LOTS of layouts...
8. I just recovered all the dining room chairs in a dark espresso brown microsuede.  Now if I can get the furniture restained by someone, I'll be very, very happy.  
9. Getting your old laptop back with no programs or "favorites" on it anymore is a pain in the booty.  BUT... I guess a working laptop trumps the aggravation.  And since I mostly use the NEW laptop, I can deal. 
10. Bryn was filling out an "All About Me" form for her new 3rd grade teacher.  When asked to list 3 things she enjoys doing, her first answer was, "Being with my parents."  Can I just say that I hope that never changes...  Melting here. 

Feeling good...

I just read Rinnavation.  I love Lisa Rinna & have been a fan of hers all the way back to Days of Our Lives.  I think I like her because she's just a few years older than me, but she's still doing all she can to look good, feel good & slow down the hands of time.  And like most of my role-models, she works hard for her body & looks better in her 40's than she ever did in her 20's.  I can very much relate to that. 

 It's a very easy read & I finished it in just 2 days.  In it, she talks about doing cleanses & detoxing.  One thing that works for her is SoCal cleanse, which I just ordered & received in only 2 days.  Super fast shipping & I didn't pay for that to happen either!   I also ordered some Spirulina to add to smoothies, for which she gives several recipes.  You can read more about each on their websites & she has her reasons in the book.  My reason for doing some cleansing/detoxing is really my sugar intake... specifically chocolate (or Dark Chocolate Raisinets, which I can manage to down quite a few of in one sitting).  While I do work my a-- off every day to allow for the extra calories, I've heard more than once that sugar really is the worst thing you can put into your body.  So... I'm making some positive changes.  I already have a multi-vitamin + vitamin D + Omega 3 that I take daily, but I just want to add more good stuff. 

    I have also made & tried her home-made cleanse she included in the book.  I have to say it's the oddest tasting thing I've ever tried, but I guess it works.  (2 T. of fresh lemon or lime juice, 1 T. pure maple syrup, dash of cayenne pepper & 8 oz. of water).  

Her Ballroom Body Blast dvd is a ton of fun, too.  Lately on my running days, I've been running for a 1/2 hour on the treadmill... about 3.2 miles... & then doing this dvd.  It's similar to my Zumba stuff I do on Mondays, so between LOVING Dancing With the Stars & LOVING Zumba, it's a win-win dvd.   And speaking of feeling good, nothing makes me feel better than a new pair of shoes (well, actually I have a list of things that make me happy that include more than a new pair of shoes, but you know what I mean!).  Here's my latest purchase, that I can't wait to wear with my "boyfriend" jeans & a tee... Found these lovelies here.  You can use 2 coupon codes at once (SUMMERLUV for $10 off any purchase of $49 or more and SHIP2ME for free standard shipping on $35 or more.) 

I have zero desire to be in my 20's again... ZERO.  But I don't exactly want to LOOK my age either.  No one's going to mistake me for a 20-year old (other than maybe that "blind" cashier at Whole Foods who carded me about a week after I turned 41... not that I was complaining, mind you), but I really don't want to LOOK my age either.  I'd rather look a few years younger than I am.  But the bottom line is that you can't just do it on the outside.  It starts with what you put into your body.  Junk in, junk out.  I agree with the general message of Lisa's book.  It takes some effort, but it's as simple as eating right, exercising & taking a few minutes on your appearance every day.  It takes as much effort to throw on a sundress & some flip flops to run your errands, as it does to put on some sweats & a t-shirt. 

When you FEEL good, you LOOK good.   

Making me smile...

1. This post on healthy eating
2. A place to learn different ways to hand-stitch
3. Actually landing a spot on Catwalk 
4. Finding beautiful blogs (thanks Mandie)
5. Seeing more photos of Willie B's new paper/product line here
6. My first attempt at masking/misting for a new LO to be posted on Monday
7. Coupons from Archivers
8. 
9. "Wacky" challenges
10. Sea of Shoes
11. Finishing up projects that are due
12. New running shoes
13. Making more cupcakes for Bryn's "friends" party on Saturday
14. Reading this great book that I can't seem to put down (I was friends with his older sister in grade school)
15. Hanging out every day with this smiling face

I need inspiration... so how about another RAK?

We spent the afternoon playing with Sydney & then watching her last session of Little Gym yesterday.  She was a star! 

 

I love how close these 2 are... like sisters... only they're cousins (of sisters!).  Always hugging each other, holding hands... it's precious.

I'm feeling slightly unorganized about Bryn's Luau-themed family birthday party on Sunday.  I have most of what I need, but still have quite a bit to accomplish.  But... at least I have a dress to wear...

 

I ♥ Forever 21.

Bryn is not feeling well today.  She has a bit of a cough, a low fever & just feeling generally icky.  So... my plans of going to the Y this morning & running a bunch of much-needed errands will be put off until Bob comes home from work this evening.  I've gotta wrap things up! 

I need some new inspiration.  So... I thought I'd do another RAK & give away some cute GCD tags!  The tags have bright, fun patterns & colors and worked well in my Hawaii mini that I just finished.  Leave me a link of something inspiring you lately & I'll throw your name in for the RAK.  I may just have to give away more than 1 set, so don't be shy... comment away!  I'll pick a winner(s) on Sunday evening!  Have a great weekend!