Saturday, June 27, 2009

Proud to Be an American!

As you may or may not know, I have what Mike has called a very "patriotic heart"! I fly the American flag in front of our house every day of the year, my scraproom is decorated in a stars and stripes theme, and the ringtone on my phone is one of my all-time favorite songs - Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA.

With that revealed, I suppose it is no surprise the 4th of July is one of my very favorite holidays! As a kid, I remember my very first fireworks show - and being so terrified of the loud noise that I spent the entire show nestled in my father's shoulder in tears, afraid to watch! As a teenager, I had outgrown that fear, and I remember celebrating with a friend's family and watching his father set off fireworks that rivaled the nearby country club's annual show (okay, maybe not the safe and sane fireworks, but it WAS a sight to be seen). And I'll never forget the phenomenal show we saw at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena one year!

However, my most favorite 4th of July memories have been made more recently while spending the past several 4th of July holidays with my family at Bass Lake. After a fun BBQ with family and friends, we load everyone up and head to the dock at dusk. We hop in the boat and find our spot in the middle of the lake. Can I tell you, there is no better place to watch fireworks than out in the open space of a beautiful lake with the silhouette of the mountains and trees creating a gorgeous backdrop. It is amazingly peaceful, and every year I find myself not only enjoying the fireworks, but taking some time to reflect on how fortunate we are to live in this great country. My thoughts always go to those who have fought and are still fighting to keep us safe and free, and to the loved ones of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom and liberty.

As we get close to this 4th of July holiday, I'd love to hear about your favorite Independence Day memories or traditions. Simply share via the Comments link below between now and July 4th. On Monday, July 6th, I'll choose one lucky winner to receive a fun assortment of red, white and blue embellishments from Close To My Heart (okay, they'll be Cranberry, Outdoor Denim and White Daisy)!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Moon Doggie means FUN!

And that's just what this layout is! Join me in July for and make this gorgeous page perfect for your tropical or beach memories!

Dates: Monday, July 6th @ 7pm (almost full)
OR Tuesday, July 7th @ 6:30pm

Cost: Choose your workshop package from the list below or go with the basic and sleect other items (prices do not include shipping and tax)

You will have PLENTY of supplies left over to create two additional 2 page layouts and a few cards - and MORE!

Basic: $22.35
X7111B-Moon Doggie L2 Paper Packet
X7111C-Moon Doggie My Stickease
Z1409-Journey Journaling Spots
Misc. Supplies

Better: $41.30
Basic Package +
C1356-Extreme Happiness

Best: $102.65
Better Package +
E1009-Building Block Alphabet ($34.95)
Z1140-DE Framed Fun ($4.95)
Z1298-Texture Tools ($9.95)
Z2116-Cranberry Ink Pad ($5.25)
Z2118-Desert Sand Ink Pad ($5.25)


Call or email me today to order your kit and reserve your space!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Saying Thank You!

As each year passes I am finding the last week of the school year to be more and more difficult! We have been so blessed to have such wonderful teachers to enrich the lives of our children, and I am always the parent standing in the classroom on the last day of school with tears in my eyes, trying to find the words to thank another amazing teacher for putting her heart and soul into teaching my child. This year is no exception!

Jenna had the most incredible experience with her pre-K teachers this year. They were fun, enthusiastic and had more energy than all of us parents put together. Jenna loved going to school every single day and thanks to Miss Robin and Miss Marietta, she is heading to kindergarten confident and ready to take on the world.

Joey was also fortunate enough to have an amazing 2nd grade teacher! Ms. Kodish made learning fun and exciting, and did everything to meet each child right where they were academically and help them succeed. She nurtured Joey's new found love of reading, and made school a place he wanted to be! As a parent, I couldn't ask for anything more!

Today, we surprised Ms. Kodish with this fun little album I put together with the help of the kids in the class. A few weeks ago I sent home a letter and a 4x6 piece of cardstock, and asked the students to write a note to Ms. Kodish. It was so fun to see how their personalities shined in these notes. From the creative girl who added a cute 3-d flower and wrote in pink glitter pen to the sweet boy who wrote something to the effect of "Even though I don't like school, you are a great teacher. Thank you for helping me with my math!" Each note, whether long and detailed or short and sweet was truly written from the heart!

One day last week I "borrowed" each of the kids for just a minute during class and took pictures of them to make the album complete. With a little help from Close To My Heart's Simply Snapshots, this treasured 9x9 album was done in just a couple hours.

Ms. Kodish couldn't read the kids' notes through the tears, but when she does read them I hope she will feel the love and appreciation we all feel for her!

Thank you Ms. Kodish, Miss Robin and Miss Marietta for helping my children grow! We will miss you all next year and will always remember how much you enriched their lives!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Tinkerin' Around

I am loving the new Wishes how-to book! It is filled with fun, fresh new card concepts. Here are a couple of the cards I've created lately. Both cards use the new Tinkerin' Level 2 Paper Packet and the Gear Up stamp set.

The first is a simple 5x7 card.
Use 3-D Foam Squares to add a little dimension and make your card elements POP!


This one is a standard 4 1/2" x 5 1/2" card - and again, so simple!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Deal-a-Day in June!


Who doesn't love a great deal?!?! Well, this month, CTMH has not just one, but 30 of them!

Everyday in June, head over to my CTMH website to see the Deal of the Day! You will find two different types of deals throughout the month...

*FREE Item - purchase just one stamp set (A, B, C, D, or E sized sets - SOTM and custom stamp s excluded) and get an incredible item absolutely FREE!

*Mystery Box - on 6 of the days in June ,you will find the special to be a Mystery Box filled with amazing products at an even more amazing discount.
Oh, and did I mention CTMH is offering these deals with irresistible shipping discounts? Shipping starts at just $3 for the FREE item specials and just a little more for the Mystery Boxes!
If you'd like a daily email notification of the Deal-a-Day special, just drop me an email (or comment here) and I'll get you added to my list.
Today's Deal-a-Day features on of my very favorite products...the Oxford Color-Ready Alphabet. These fun cardstock stickers are great used white or ink them or stamp on them for your own custom lettering - the possibilities are endless!