Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful:

--that I live close enough to my sister to help her out when she's in a child care bind.  And also that Bella and I get to have my littlest niece, KK, for a slumber party and a special fun day!

--for The Office...it has kept me entertained again these past couple of weeks, but especially the past few nights when Hunter's snoring banished me to the couch.  Watching it made that much more bearable. {not to mention I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to relive the days of Michael Scott...}

--for elders and leadership in our congregation who are excited about and ready to let the Lord work through us!  We're praying and preparing for BIG things to happen through our congregation this year--it's exciting to be a part of!

--that I discovered the CocoPPA app.  Granted, not all of the shortcuts work all that well... BUT I love, love turning my phone on and seeing that happy little homescreen!  Even if I do scroll over to the next page to use my original home screen anyway...  The new one is prettier and happier.  So it wins :)

--for my pajama pants.  And the fact that unless I leave the house, I'm able to stay in them at all times.  Pure Bliss.

--for a weekend with family and friends celebrating some special birthdays.

be grateful, be thanks.

love, angie

A Birthday WISH...in the form of a card

Eventually I will have time and inspiration to sit and create a ton of cards for birthdays, sympathy, thanks, congratulations, just because...  Then I'll have a slew of beauty to choose from when I need one.  A hand crafted wonder to hand out that bears my hard work.  And I won't be stressed because I don't have time to make it when I need it...

One day.  Eventually that'll happen.  Right?

Until then, I'll stick to doing my best to make them as I need them.  Most of the time this still leaves me either stressed and working late into the night, or sometimes sadly, resorting back to a store bought card...

I really wanted to make the cards for the birthday boys I mentioned in my last post.  First off, I had an idea in mind that wasn't too girly so I could actually make it work for men (making manly cards can be quite difficult...and sometimes a drag without all the frill we girls like).  Second, I love all three of those fellas and wanted to pour a little of myself into what would be their gift holder (I'm big on the giving of gift cards...).  Third, I found a dose of determination.

So here's what I came up with:

I love the subtle punch of fun that the chevron embossing adds.  Plus, how fun is that pun to spell the word "wish" using a candle?!  The Polka Dot Parade DSP gives a festive embellishment without seeming too girly; plus I chose the manlier colors of the pack to help that cause. I didn't have the Bigz alphabet die with me that night, so I had to improvise and use the Cricut.  

I also love that using an embossing folder adds quick and easy embellishment to both sides of your card.  This gave me the opportunity to use some Stampin' Dimensionals to raise the birthday sentiment, keeping it simple with tone on tone paper (Whisper White) and a solid ink color (Real Red).  

The numbers at the bottom make me grin... :)  The stamp is one piece, so I had to get creative one highlighting their ages (and I'm so glad their ages were numerical.  this wouldn't have worked so nicely had they been turning, for example, 52.)  I cut a post it note to the width of the two numbers I wanted red and covered them up before inking the Basic Black.  Once the stamp was covered nicely, I removed the post its and covered the 2 and the 5 with a Real Red Stampin' Write marker.  Just a fun little touch :) 

*If this had been a kid's card--or if the numbers didn't work out to stamp their age--you could use this technique or multiple markers to jazz up the stamp and make it multi colored!*

Both sentiments inside the card are from the Patterned Party Stamp Set (#123065-W/#123067-C).

Visit my online store for all of your Stampin' Up! needs 24/7!

happy crafting,

angie

The Big 5-0

and the big 2-5.  and the big 2-5.

March 3 is the day for birthdays in Hunter's family!  His dad, middle brother, and oldest stepbrother all share that birthday, so each year it serves as a great time and reason for the whole family to get together and celebrate.  But this year was a tad more special because Frank turned 50!  And not only that, Blaine and Clint both turned 25!  So not only did we have three birthdays, but we had three milestone birthdays.  Fun!

Maybe it's just me (and the rest of the family), but we think it's pretty cool that Frank and his wife, Shawnette had twins by marriage--Blaine (Frank's son) and Clint (Shawnette's son) not only have the same birth day, but they were also born the same year.  I just think that's cool.

Anywho, this last weekend was filled with celebrating those three lives.  The whole family (minus Hunter's younger stepbrother who is serving in the military, and his wife) got together with several good friends for a good old-fashioned shin dig.  Per our usual, there was plenty of food and drink to go around, and the night ended singing around the fire.

Of course this would be the one day that winter decides it's ready to come out to play down here.  January and February--75 degrees.  Outdoor party in March--40 degrees and crazy windy.  Of course.  But we still had a good time and got in some good visits.

Clint, Frank, Blaine

Scrumdiddlyumptious cake (red velvet) and cupcakes (raspberry filled, strawberry, pecan praline, and cookies & cream) from Pronia's Deli and Bakery!  

Knowing we'd be outside most of the day, we decided to bring Bella's Cozy Coupe (she loooves that car) so she'd have something to stay entertained.  Great decision :)  Here's Nicole (youngest brother's girl) playing with her in it.  She had to be a little hood rat outside all day because of the wind (and two ear infections in a month...) 

BA (Hunter's youngest brother) and Grandmaw (Frank's mom)

Bella knew who to snuggle up around when the cake got cut and served...
Bella, Hunter, and Blaine

Happy Birthday, Gents!

Here's to you three fellas who I'm lucky enough to be related to!  You make life interesting and fun and I wish you only the best!

love, angie

Can I just say how much brighter our world would be if we never lost the wonder in simplicity?

go ahead.  giggle at the little things.  like a tiny tot and her balloon...

March "Best of 25 Years" Set

If you'll remember, this is the company's 25th year--and they are choosing to celebrate it BIG!  One of the ways they are doing this is through their "Best of 25 years" stamp sets.  Each month during 2013, they will release a new set of stamps that were favorites over the past 25 years.  Each set will be themed and each set will also contain a brand new, never before seen image!  They are $14.95 per set and only available in clear mount (*clear blocks sold separately).

And as if that weren't enough...each of these sets also comes with a proof of purchase sticker.  Once you collect six of these (store them on a Collector's Card provided by your demonstrator), you can mail that card in for a return of a FREE set of your choice valued up to $14.95!Each month, a new set will debut, but that is not the only month it is available.  ALL "Best of 25 years" stamp sets are available through March, 31, 2014.

Here's the new set for March!  This one's theme is flowers.  How appropriate to welcome Spring!

I also want to strongly promote Stampin' Up!'s partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities.  Currently, they have a stamp set, "Moving Forward" (which can be found on the inside of the back cover of the annual catalog, p. 209) which they use to help contribute to this blessed charity.  For each of these stamp sets sold, Stampin' Up! donates $3 to Ronald McDonald House Charities!  What an easy way to help something great--and get an adorable stamp set at the same time! 

Check out the set as well as a write up below:

Click here to shop at my online store 24/7!

happy crafting,

angie

a little cleaning to welcome spring...

I so very much wish that I was one of those people who enjoys cleaning.  I mean, some people actually love doing laundry, bask in doing the dishes, have enough elbow grease to make any surface shine.  I am so not one of those people.

Although I LOVE a clean house, I just don't enjoy the process to make that happen.

After some blog hopping and Pinteresting, I've discovered a few cleaning products that I actually love using, so I thought I'd take today to share them with you.

1.  First up is a DIY concoction.  I've seen several of these floating around, specifically in the detergent form, but I just can't bring up the courage to run one of those through my dishwasher and I haven't found an HE version of the DIY laundry detergent (not that I'd be brave enough to cycle it through that machine either...).  However, this was a surface cleaner with only two ingredients and bragging credits to boot.  So I figured I could handle this one.  And boy am I glad I did.

I found it through Fabulessly Frugal, but it's also running through Pinterest.  So simple: white vinegar (12 oz) and blue Dawn soap (10 oz).  Who woulda thought?  Heat up the vinegar (about 2 minutes in the microwave), pour it in the bottle (you can get an empty spray bottle at WalMart for $1), then add you soap.  Gently swish it together and you're ready to clean!

I used it to clean my tub and shower and was amazed at how quickly and easily all the gunk came off.  At first I tried to spray, let it set, and come back to scrub (which is how I normally clean my shower area...partially so I can breathe once the chemical aroma has faded some).  However, this is more of a spray and scrub type formula.  And I hate the smell of vinegar.  Hate.  But the soap drowns it out just enough to make it tolerable.  It isn't a lovely smell that you'll be oohing over (unless you're one of those weird people who likes nasty smells), but it isn't one that will make you pass out from chemical intoxication either.

You can just keep adding to that same bottle if you're running low.  One of the big bottles of each ingredient will last you quite a while.  Give it a try!  It's cheap, and you'll be hooked :)

2.  For number two, this is actually a product I discovered in college:  Lysol Mold and Mildew.  Not bathroom cleaner, not kitchen cleaner.  Mold and Mildew.  I'm not always able to find this specific mixture at the store, so when I do, I get so excited!  I use this to clean my shower curtain (and formerly my tub and shower).  Now, I just did this today and my nostrils are still burning a little from it, but that's because--embarrassingly--I had let my shower curtain get pretty dadgum nasty.  But, after a quick and ample spray of this stuff all over it, that baby is shining again!

3.  Lastly, Method All Purpose Cleaner.  I have seen this stuff for a while now and been curious about it, but not wanting to impulse buy cleaning product because it just looks pretty, I had always resisted.  Until a few weeks ago, a blog I follow did a whole post on how much she loves it and how well it works.  So I splurged a little--making a trip to Target specifically for that (and obviously coming out with much more than just that...).

I got the pink bottle because it smells good, cleans all surfaces, and it's pretty :)

And let me tell you--this stuff works!  I am yet to find something it doesn't clean with ease, and I find myself actually wiping up things I would normally ignore for a while just to be able to use my Method cleaner!  It's also non toxic and scented, so the smell is not only not harmful, but it also smells fresh and lovely!  The pink bottle is pink grapefruit, and I just love the smell as much as how well it works.

I am trying to get in the habit of cleaning a little here and there instead of putting it off so long that it's overwhelming and realllly unenjoyable :/  We'll see how it goes.  I'm happy to report though, that as of today, our Master Bath is beaming in cleanliness!

How many of you out there are lovers of the cleaning process?  What about those of you like me, who enjoy the product but hate the process?

Also, floors are probably my biggest weakness.  I hate hate hate cleaning the floors (and with a toddler, they're probably what I should focus on the most...fail).  Any tips or suggestions or products that would make that chore easier, or shall I even say somewhat enjoyable?

happy cleaning...(or at least not miserable cleaning),
angie

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful:

--for the opportunity to have lunch with some special ladies from church.  It's so nice to catch up with them when we have a little more time and freedom to visit.  I'm also very thankful that AJ was very well behaved during that lunch so I could participate in conversation and enjoy myself!

--that the turnaround is -are you ready for it?- OVER!  My boy has still been working later than normal these past couple of days trying to get caught up on his normal day tasks and machines (that he hasn't been able to focus on as much because of the turnaround), but each night is earlier than the last.

--that we get to have dinner with some sweet friends of ours.  Hunter works with John, and his wife, Sky is also a teacher--so we all four hit it off pretty well :)  On top of that, they're expecting their first sweet tot this summer and they just found out this week it's a girl!  It's fun to get to share this journey with them.

--for those crazy teens at church, whom I love dearly.  I know I brag on them a lot, but it's because they deserve it.  Our youth group kids (and all of the adults who work with them with us) are just plain awesome.  And I'm thankful for them opening their eyes and hearts to the thought and action of what we can do to make the world more awesome.

--for my sweet father-in-law.  Sunday is his 50th birthday and his wife is throwing a party for him Saturday.  We're looking forward to spending the day with family and some old friends, celebrating the life of such a respectable man.  (Plus, his middle son {Hunter's brother} and his stepson {Hunter's oldest step-brother} also have their birthday on Sunday, and they will both be 25.  We think it's pretty cool that Frank and Shawnette got twins by marriage!  It'll be a day of milestones all around!)

--that Duck Dynasty premiered again last night!  It may sound silly, but we love the show and look forward to giggling through the episodes together.  Plus, I grew up going to youth functions at the church where they attend and minister, so it's neat to see them up on the big screen.

--for the trips we have coming up and the fact that we've somehow been able to make them all happen.  They'll all be unique and meaningful in different ways and we didn't want to have to miss out on any of those opportunities.

--that my grandmother got a good report from the specialist she saw earlier this week, and will hopefully not be having to have surgery for the issue!

be grateful, give thanks.

love, angie

baby boy shower

Not only did we have the youth rally this weekend, but I came home to helping host a baby shower the next day.  I was exhausted, but it was so very worth it.

My dear friend, Jennifer, has been through quite a journey on her way to mamahood.  And her honesty and faithfulness through that process were remarkable to witness.  She and her husband will happily be welcoming their sweet little boy, Jaxson, in a few months (through her sister's gift of surrogacy).  This was such a special shower to help host!

Jennifer is also one of my crafty friends (actually from whom I inherited the Stampin' Up! demonstrator torch) so we couldn't get away with anything less than crafty cuteness.  Her bedding has owls and chevron prints on it, so we played off of those as well as the color palate.  Here's a little peek into the fun:

I designed these little invitations with her owl bedding in mind (not to mention, I have a slight obsession love for owls right now, so they were first on my idea list)--but I designed them before I knew how many we had to make...which was 100!  Had I known that, I probably wouldn't have had so many separate layers and pieces; but nonetheless, it all worked out and I liked them :)  The center piece was typed out and then run through the Big Shot using the Top Not die.  The owl on the front was also created using the Top Note die.

We also wanted to help boost his library, so I created these little inserts for the invitations.  I found the poem online and adjusted it to fit our circumstances.  The little owls, made with the owl builder punch and cut in her colors, made a sweet little accessory.

One of my best friends painted the sign on the drink table.  She has a raw creative talent, and painting comes so natural to her (me, not so much...).  The verse was a perfect fit for the circumstances.

The bar was set up with the guest book and all of the yummies (cake, blue/green candy--sixlets, jolly ranchers, gummy bears--mixed nuts, and sugar cookies)!

Guest signed in in Jennifer's baby book, but they were also encouraged to fill out one of the baby libs (below) I created for something a little fun and different :)  I'll gather all of those up (along with the sign in sheets from her other two showers) and put them together in a book of some sort. 

Tracy, Jennifer's best friend and the mastermind behind the shower, created this banner--BEAUTIFUL!  If you want to know a true crafter, Tracy is your gal.  She sews, paints, paper crafts, refinishes, arranges/stages, designs...all of it!  Her eye is spot on and she is truly talented.  I just sat and stared at this piece; it was just perfect!  The letters were made from fabric that his bedding is made from and the pennants are burlap.  The brown is fabric and the frame is made from house trim.  Lovely.

I'm not big on the corsage thing, so I made "what's becoming my trademark" name tag for Jennifer to wear instead.  In my opinion, so much more fun that a corsage!  

Opening her gifts--she got quite the loot!

Jennifer made us these beautiful frames as our hostess gifts.  I just love the rustic whimsy they have!

It was such a special time to be a part of, and I'm blessed to have been able to help gift the shower to her.  We had a great turn out and she got lots of goodies!  

"a baby is God's opinion that the world should go on..."  --Carl Sandburg

love, angie