Endless Vine

Week 2: Real Drinks

2012-01-24T07:01:00.000-06:00

I'll be perfectly honest, I was DREADING week 2. The rules for this week were only real beverages, meaning coffee, tea, and water. 1 cup of 100% juice was allowed for the week and red wine was allowed in moderation. The real trick was that you could only sweeten these drinks with pure honey or pure maple syrup.

Now, I normally drink unsweet tea and water, s no biggie there...but I had to cut out the creamer in my coffee and THAT was no easy. I love my Fat Free Hazelnut creamer. Then i discovered half & half has less than 5 ingredients so I decided it was allowed.

And the world is right again. ;o)

Houston Chevron Marathon & El Paso 5k

2012-01-23T08:09:00.000-06:00

Two weekends ago we traveled do to Houston for the Chevron Marathon and El Paso 5k. The hubbs enjoys running this marathon because its one of the flattest. Its a qualifier for Boston, so you see some really good runners from all over the place. And as we discovered this year, when the weather is good, the spectators are awesome.

That makes a big difference to the runners. So if you get the chance to watch a marathon/half marathon, cheer! Yell "go runners!" and clap...don't just stand there and stare at them like they're crazy, they already know that, and are definitely thinking that at that very moment...Anyway, the hubbs ran his best race yet at 3:51:08. So Proud!

I ran the 5k this year because I wanted a medal. The hubbs has a nice collection and I was feeling a little left out, so I signed up for the Houston 5k because ALL finishers get a medal. My training leading up to it was less than stellar. I was training consistently before Christmas, but then the holidays showed up and I caught a cold so I didn't train. The week before the 5k I was running 1 mile total and walking the remaining 2. My goal for the race was to run the first mile, walk the 2nd and run the 3rd.

Did I mention I did all of me training on a treadmill?

So my biggest fear was getting out there and not being able to pace myself. Turns out I'm a rockstar and found someone that ran a comfortable pace to draft off of and ran the WHOLE thing! My time was 41:04, which is a little slower than I normally run, but I don't care! I earned that medal!

I've got another 5k coming up in February, so I'm hoping to shave off 5 minutes. Its the Hot Chocolate 5k in Dallas. I sampled the hot chocolate at the Expo for the White Rock Marathon and was sold. Plus you get a wind resistant running jacket just for registering.

Week 1 of 14 complete!

2012-01-17T07:54:00.000-06:00

Week 1 of the challenge went pretty well. I missed a few fruits/veggies here and there, but I ate less junk...and I ate less at my meals because I just felt full.

This week we are only allowed to drink coffee, tea, milk, and water. One cup of juice is allowed for the week, and red wine is allowed as well. These beverages can only be sweetened with honey or maple syrup.

I normally only drink water, unsweet tea and coffee, so its not a big change for me. Except for the coffee part...can't have my creamer. I've been using milk, and its ok. Atleast I can still have the coffee...that might not be good for anyone!

14 weeks of mini pledges

2012-01-10T12:44:00.000-06:00

This year, the hubbs and I decided to start cutting processed foods from our diet by starting 14 weeks of mini pledges. You've probably seen the blog 100 days of real food on pinterest and maybe on facebook. It was started by a wife and mother of 2 that wanted to cut the crud out of her family's diets. She is way braver than I, and considerably more disciplined. She has different challenges on her site to help you cut out processed food and fill your diet with better nutrition. We chose the 14 weeks of mini pledges because it was the easiest and most manageable option. We didn't want to aim too high, and be disappointed with ourselves, and we didn't want to have to throw everything in our pantry/fridge out because we (shamefully) eat A LOT of processed foods.

We're doing our challenge weeks on a Monday-Sunday schedule to allow for grocery shopping on Sunday(this just works best with our schedule).

We started on January 9th with week 1 - "Two fruits and/or vegetables per meal – Eat a minimum of two different fruits or vegetables (preferably organic) with every breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal."

Can I just say that's a lot of fruit and veggies? That's a lot of eating period. Ok, moving on.

Day 1 went pretty well. We had stocked up on fruits and veggies the night before, and were excited about the new challenge. I had blueberries with toast at breakfast, and planned to have a fruit as my mid morning snack.

Then someone brought donuts to work. Dunkin' Donuts.

I resisted the urge to stuff a donut in my face ONLY because I STILL hadn't eaten my tangelo, and as I told my co-workers, "I can't fail this new challenge on the FIRST day with the FIRST meal!"

Lunch rolled around and I added broccoli to my shirmp fettuccine alfredo and took an apple with me to work for a snack in the afternoon.

I forgot about the apple until after dinner.

::facepalm::

So I had an apple for dessert after our pizza dinner. Tomato sauce counts as a veggie right? ;o)

I will say that I was not as hungry on day 1 as I usually am, and I obviously avoided unhealthy snacks due to needing to meet my quota.

Score 1 for the challenge.

Senior Photos

2012-01-09T16:00:00.000-06:00

Last week I shared the family pictures from my recent people photo shoot. After about an hour in a mild drizzle with temperatures in the 40s, we took some "senior portraits" of one of Tressa's nieces. Naturally at this point it REALLY started to rain. So we worked fast.

This girl is seriously gorgeous. She had a photo shoot with a real photographer recently and said that her pictures didn't turn out, so she wanted me to try. I couldn't believe that a girl this pretty could take a bad photo, but I'm so glad that I got the opportunity to work with such a beautiful subject!

Its pouring in this last one. We really wanted to try to get a picture by the lake, so we ran over, she sat down and I snapped a few quick shots. You can kinda see the droplets in the background hitting the water.

Definitely made for some great memories for everyone involved! Thanks again to this fun family for being my test subjects. ;o)

Family Photo Shoot

2012-01-05T10:21:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! The last few months of 2012 were crazy, and I haven't gotten to use my camera as much as I would like. But the day after Christmas a good friend asked me to take some family photos for her. I was very excited and honored and down right nervous about the shoot. I tend to shoot animals versus people, so it was a fun chance to stretch my creativity and experience what its like to tell your subject to do something and they actually listen! Her family members were SUCH good sports about the whole thing, because its was freezing and drizzling during the shoot. I think everyone still had a good time, and I hope they enjoy the photos.

Thank you to this beautiful family for letting me TRY shooting people for once! And thank you for stopping by today!

Busy...busy...busy...

2011-10-10T09:29:00.000-05:00

I've decided that life is just busy. And I need to embrace that. I often find myself saying "life has just been so busy lately," but quite honestly, I think THAT is the norm and when life slows down for a bit, THAT is the exception. I've decided I will embrace it, instead of fight and sometimes even dread it...and I will try to be a little more organized and better at time management...ha!

Its been a few weeks, so I better catch up...

-hanging out with my dear friend Allison
-finding out she will get to go home sooner than she thought
-honoring my dad's memory with the family
-getting to hear so many wonderful memories of him
-just getting to laugh with a family I haven't gotten to know before, despite them being MY family
-Tennessee
-rain!
-cooler temperatures
-getting my rear out of bed in the morning and running a mile...and feeling proud of it
-so many choices for food
-crafting
-watching girly movies
-Bible study
-snuggling with puppies
-the hubbs having a great time in Austin despite his race being canceled
-making awesome decorations for Unveiled (pictures to come)
-an even bigger room for our life group
-2 new pregnancies
-sweet baby Camden finally got to go home!
-actually making it to "big church" ;o)
-birthdays with the family
-crafting with my mother-in-love
-Getting to plan a bridal shower
-an incredible group of women in our Esther bible study
-getting to hang out with Ashley and catch up on life
-being able to intercede before the throne for others in need

I can't believe its been a month since I recorded my blessings...shame on me! There have been so many that I know I forgot...funny how its so easy to let those slip from memory.

Be blessed this week!

Senior Pet Portraits

2011-09-28T18:44:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't been around much. Life's hard right now. Mostly busy, but also hard. Time will heal the pain. And staying busy helps to dull the ache. Here are a couple of shots I took in the past couple weeks.

They're senior pets that were sweet enough to pose at work. September is Senior Pet Month, so I was offering free portraits with a check up.Thanks for stopping by!

Multitude Monday...on Tuesday

2011-08-30T19:53:00.000-05:00

-Dinner with the family
-celebrating the birthdays of 3 special people
-watching babies "swim"
-catch phrase
-mandarin orange salad
-cooking experiments
-dinner exchange
-planning for the fall bible study
-getting to go to my growth group
-rest
-rain
-clouds
-cooler temps
-seeing a mom's pride in their child

Camera Strap

2011-08-25T12:53:00.000-05:00

My super sweet husband bought me a sewing machine! It arrived yesterday (naturally it would be delivered on the day we actually get some rain, and therefore get soaked) and I ripped it out of the box quickly to make sure it was ok...and then rushed out the door to bible study. TODAY was my day off so, like a kid on Christmas morning, I jumped out of bed and put it together as quickly as I could and started playing!

I bought this flirtatious fabric from Stampin' Up! back when I was a demo (yep, I quit that gig, still love SU though) and have been DYING to make a camera strap cover since the moment I held it in my hands.

I took a sewing class with some dear friends a couple weeks/months back (time sure flies doesn't it) and made a pretty basic cover during the class. I really wanted ruffles though. So naturally, when I got my machine, I knew exactly what my first project would be!

I love the purple and the pink together, and the prints are just adorable!

For my first attempt at sewing all by myself, I think it turned out ok. Its a little baggy. I'll have to work on that for the next one.

I can't wait to make one for every season and outfit!

Thanks for stopping by!

Time Flies...

2011-08-22T16:11:00.000-05:00

I can't believe we're already back at Monday! Its funny how fast time flies by.

-physical healing
-girl's night in with my life group girls. LOVE them
-potluck with the life group
-a new room for our life group
-running out of chairs in the new big room because so many people showed up!
-a new growth group is forming
-a new website for our growth group, communicating information to so many people has been quite the challenge
-movie date with a good friend
-a new school year has begun
-my boss is back! She took the summer off (first vacation in 18 years!), and we sure did miss her!
-my sweet husband ordered me a sewing machine!
-my sweet husband cooked me a beautiful and delicious dinner Friday night because its been such a hard summer for me, and he wanted to remind me of his love for me...he's a keeper!
-another couple in our life group is pregnant! I think they set the record for the fastest though, they got married in May! ;o)
-getting out of the house after a miserable week
-working for a business that respects new ideas and supports change
-cleaning house! I know its weird, but I really love a clean house
-the internet being down at home (yes I'm mooching off some sweet persone that didn't protect with a password)
-an unexpected invitation to a conference
-a sweet, funny speaker with a message I needed to hear
-Raising Cane's and Taco Casa (for the record, Layne's is better!)

I had lots to be thankful this week, it was pretty busy. I guess that's why it flew by! Be blessed this week!

Just a little note...

2011-08-16T06:53:00.000-05:00

I haven't been very crafty lately.

Life's just been too busy.

Its slowing down now, so I've deliberately taken some time to get crafty. I have several friends and family members with birthdays coming up, so I better stock pile some cards and gifts!

I saw these little legal pads at Staples the other day and thought they'd make the perfect craft project. They are 3 1/2" x 5 1/4" and come in a pack of 3 for $2. Perfect inexpensive gift for a teacher, coworker, friend or family member! I think this idea may carry over to Christmas ;o)

I used the new Flirtatious Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up! as my inspiration for this project. I just love this paper. It really is flirty and fun! And it challenges me to use brighter colors than I usually use. I'm more of a muted tone kinda girl, but since its summer I'll lighten things up! ;o)

I used the scallop border punch, the decorative label punch, and the 1 3/4" x 7/8" oval punch for quick and easy detail and used a dot embossing folder in my cuttle bug for some extra texture.

The jacket that wraps around the note pad measures 7 3/4" and is scored at 3 5/8" and 3 7/8" to make the cover. I just covered the Staples logo on the note pad with some more of that lovely flirtatious DSP and voila! So easy!

An attitude of gratitude

2011-08-15T07:36:00.000-05:00

Its funny how, when we're facing something hard, even if its brief, it can make us forget the multitude of blessings that proceeded that trial. I was in a pit this weekend. Really depressed, and bitter, and frustrated about something...something minor really. And as I looked toward blogging my blessings I convinced myself that there was no reason to blog....to give thanks...its a sad place to be, but I know I'm not alone. Satan fuels those negative thoughts until we turn our back on God...thankfully I realized this soon into my pity party and I knew I had to continue with my list.

-RAIN! We actually got some rain on Saturday! EVERYONE I came into contact with was ecstatic.
-we did not meet or beat the record for consecutive 100+ degree days. We made it to 40, and caught a blessed break.
-God performed a miracle... http://kacy-elizabeth.xanga.com/
-a very supportive husband
-chatting with friends
-Chiloso's
-An abundance of volunteers at spirit night
-birthday celebrations and baby showers
-a relaxing craft day

On the move...

2011-08-08T18:16:00.000-05:00

Well hello there Monday. So we meet again.

A/C. 35+ days of triple digits (that's not a praise, just reiterating the fact that I am VERY thankful for a/c)
getting my moved to Lufkin
Quinn being available to help, and never once complaining (did I mention the string of triple digit days?)
my mom's bed fit in her apartment. We could only afford an efficiency, and I was really worried when we first opened the door, but ALL of her stuff fit!
She called me just as we were arriving home again and she sounded so happy.
the old house is clean and ready to be turned back over to the landlord. Bittersweet.
continued love, prayer, and support from friends.
hope for a new normal, hope for our weekends to be our own
realizing that when my husband is at his wits end, God gives me clarity and peace to reassure him, and vice versa. That must be one of the reasons two are better than one ;o)

This is love.

2011-08-01T18:49:00.000-05:00

I saw an essay contest in a magazine recently centered on the topic of love. I think the prompt read something like "when did you understand the meaning of love?"

I am a hopeless romantic, so naturally the question stuck out to me. And of course the idea of writing a beautiful story and winning the prize helped ;o) I'm also a deeply reflective person, so I've been pondering on love lately and what it really means.

In this world, this age, we have a shallow understanding of love, if we have an understanding at all.

To most people, love is fleeting, its an impulse...its temporary. The word is tossed around like fresh dough at a pizza shop. We play it up in movies to be an elaborate, overwhelming, dreamy state of bliss between two people, and yet we are quick to throw it out with the garbage in real life.

We say we can fall in or out of love, like its a matter of chance and we're a leaf being tossed around by the wind.

We tell people around us "love ya!" and then gossip about their lives to the first person to listen. We thrive on broken friendships and manipulation on reality tv.

I think we've lost touch with the meaning of love.

I have experienced love in the most incredible way over the last few weeks. It seems that really tough situations tend to bring out the best in people. Is that why we have them? So we can remember whats important?

Before my dad passed away I knew I had a loving spouse, and family and friends that cared about me.

When my dad passed it was like being swept up in a tornado. The flurry of things that had to get done and still need to get done when someone passes is nearly overwhelming. It'll make you crazy dizzy trying to keep up. And as arrangements and decisions were whirring around me, I was enveloped in a calming peace, I could feel myself being supported, lifted up, and even carried by countless hands. Hands that made meals, hands that covered my shifts at work, hands that hugged, and loved, hands that prayed, hands that were just there, hands that wrote loving messages, hands that drove many miles, hands that donated, hands that organized 20 years of life into an estate sale, hands that sweated through the estate sale,

hands that moved furniture and flowers, hands that were an extension of God's hands, His provision, His comfort and His strength.

This is love. A selfless pouring out of all that one can offer to carry a struggling brother or sister through a storm.

Learning to Sew...

2011-07-26T12:46:00.000-05:00

The last couple of Tuesdays I have taken a sewing class with some girls from church. Its been a great way to get some girl time in and get my mind off of things for a couple of hours each week. We learned to make a bag, and how to use some basic tools in sewing, like the machine, and some measuring devices.

I'll tell you I was really nervous that my project would come out looking lopsided, or backwards or something horribly wrong, but we had a great teacher, and we had a great time working on our projects.

I learned to sew with my mom when I was little, but I got into a disagreement with the machine one day and hadn't sewn another stitch since! I'm so thankful the girls found this class so that I can take it up again. I can't wait to make more stuff.

I also made a cover for my camera strap, but I'll have to locate the camera I took the picture with to be able to show you!

My cup runneth over...

2011-07-25T13:52:00.000-05:00

And incredible life group that supports each other when we are really in need. Even if its at a moments notice.
3 hours was all it took to organize an estate sale, thanks to my incredible life group
Baby shower! So fun to get together with the ladies and their babies and shower a new mom with gifts
a Savior that understands every heartache and every temptation, because He has been there
air conditioning
Baby Camden
The beauty of a sunrise
Not knowing how its going to work out...but knowing that it will. He has promised us that much.
Recognition and Praise for hard work, when you feel like nothing you do is right
swimming with Hazel after a long day.
Feeling the nearness of God, amidst the choas, the turmoil, and having a peace that truly surpasses all understanding. I see the storm rage around me, and yet I can bear it, because I am in His protection. I know what its like to not despair in a moment that it seems like that's the only option. I know what its like to have hope and strength that defies all odds.

Meet Bubba

2011-07-20T07:01:00.000-05:00

This sweet guy literally jumped in my coworkers car when she wasn't looking.

Thanks for stopping by!

Multitude Monday

2011-07-18T07:18:00.000-05:00

Lots of progress made cleaning out my mom's house.
Support from friends in so many different ways. Whether its a text, a phone call, a plant, or an act of service, I cannot even begin to express how much strength this gives a person who is grieving.
Sewing class with the girls
a day of rest
hanging out with old friends, learning a new game, and meeting neighbors in the process!
photo shoots with two sweet dogs
the hubbs being released to swim!

Praises in the Darkness

2011-07-11T07:18:00.000-05:00

Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength ; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.
Isaiah 41:30

Its hard to believe a week has gone by already. And yet seeing how quickly it did move by shows me that life can go on, life will go on...life must go on.

An end to suffering
My father passing on a holiday, when the work was closed, so I could leave immediately to help my mom and to make arrangements
A husband who knew exactly what to do when the news came, and though he wasn't at my side the moment I heard the news, he was there quickly and provided the strength and safety I needed in that moment
Clarity is a whirlwind of chaos
in-laws that helped out in huge ways
learning about my father's past
so many precious friends that came a long way to support me. Words cannot express how deeply it touched my heart, and how much I love each one of them.
putting together a service that honored my dad
making good progress on cleaning out their home
many possibilities for my mom's new living situation
an awesome work family that allowed me to be with my family during a really busy time of the year, when they were already shorthanded.
strength from my Rock and Redeemer

Multitudes...maybe not

2011-07-05T20:53:00.000-05:00

I had every intention of posting Multitudes today, Tuesday, instead of Monday because of the cute doggy pictures I wanted to share.

I had every intention of having a nice relaxing Monday to think about the many blessings over the last week.

And then my dad passed away sort of suddenly yesterday morning.

Sure puts a wrench in things.

I threw everything I could think of in a suitcase and headed to the nursing home. We left in such a flurry that my husband forgot to pack shirts. Haha. Atleast we remembered the dog. ;o) So maybe next week I'll post the multitudes.

Oklahoma City Dog Show 2011

2011-07-04T11:05:00.000-05:00

I spent the weekend in Oklahoma City with a couple of friends for a dog show. They were each showing their super sweet pups.

This is Ickis.

Ickis is a Cane Corso. He's a beautiful and sweet drooling machine. And he has no idea how big he is. Unfortunately, when he sees someone he knows outside the ring, he refuses to stack. So his owner, his aunt, and I have to hide when he's showing. He's such a silly boy.

This is Covered in Raspberries

That's her registered name. We call her Asbury. She's a fiery little red head. She won best of breed on Saturday and beat out the number one Bull Terrier in the country. We were stoked. Unfortunately she was really sick during the Terrier group competition (which will air on tv sometime later this year!). She held it together in the ring, like a true diva. Its a lot of pressure to be a star!

I really enjoy dog shows. We have a great time watching our favorite dogs strut their stuff, and then getting to shop afterwards. There's a show in Dallas next weekend, and then Houston the weekend after that...hope I can make one of them!

Its time for a new Idea Book & Catalog!!!!

2011-07-01T12:42:00.000-05:00

You guys have no idea how excited I am about the release of the new 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog from Stampin' Up!

Just looking at the cover tells you there is a ton of cute stuff in this thing! And the new In Colors are to die for! I'm so excited about it. I've already picked out a ton of stuff that I MUST have.

Stampin' Up also redid the hostess program so the rewards are even better! Check out my webpage for more info and to order!

Wedding Album...4 years late

2011-06-30T07:47:00.000-05:00

I thought it was only fitting that on my wedding anniversary, I share with you my recent attempt at creating a wedding album. I purchased a Groupon for Picaboo last year. It was $10 for $100 worth of credit. I'd say that's a steal! And after putting off trying to put together a wedding album for almost 4 years, I decided one day to sit down and create one.

The software was easy to use. It had tons of templates to use to create the pages, and they're organized by the number of pictures you want on a page. You can even include journaling on the page, but that wasn't the look I was going for. Each template is totally customizable, so you can move stuff around. I thought that was a nice touch.

You can even choose to use a picture as the background for the page, or use one of their background images. I did both in this album.

You can choose from a variety of albums covers; leather, linen, etc. I went with leather. I like the sleek black cover contrasting with the green table cloth in the background of my cover picture. And the stitching is a nice added detail.

And you can choose lay flat pages as an upgrade. I was really aiming to use a couple of 2 page spreads, where one photo spans 2 pages...but I couldn't figure out how to do that with their software. But still...lay flat pages look really nice.

I'm quite pleased that I ended up only paying $15 for this album, shipping and all. It took me about an hour to pick out pictures and design layouts. It took another 2 hours to upload my design to their website for printing. I received my album 1 week after ordering, which was within their advertised time frame. So overall I was pleased. I'll just have to watch Groupon for another great deal!

Now that's a dog...

2011-06-28T06:53:00.000-05:00

Meet my little friend Buddy.

Ok, he's not little.

You can't tell from the picture, but he's huge. If you've ever met a St Bernard in real life you understand. You don't have to bend over to pet him. He weighs almost 200 lbs. And he slobbers...A LOT. But he's always got this sweet look on his face, and I love him. I get to see him a lot, and felt it was time to do a mini session with him. Like, super mini. Like 10 minutes because it was 80+ degrees at 9am and like 100% humidity. and he has a lot of hair.

Thanks for stopping by!

Multitudes....

2011-06-27T18:17:00.000-05:00

Is it Monday again? I feel like yesterday was Monday. My how time flies these days.

Hanging out with the girls at a baby shower
celebrating and anticipating of the 3rd baby girl to our group!
celebrating the new marriage of two pretty awesome people
seeing how God has changed my heart in relation to kids. It sounds awful, but honestly, 2 years ago, I hated kids. I never wanted to have them, and I wanted to stay far away from anybody else that had them, especially groups of them. If I walked into our Sunday school class in the state of mind I had back then, I would have run away. Today, I embrace the 8 kids that have been born to our class in the last year, and anticipate the birth of 4 more. For the record, I am still NOT ready to have kids myself, but atleast I think they're kinda fun.
A night to relax and be quiet by myself. This is important to a water/earth like myself.
That the computers were only down for a couple of hours today, instead of out all day
being a part of a great growth group and life group.
my hubby can run again. And even though I think he's crazy, he really loves it.

Quick Masculine Card

2011-06-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

My 4th Wedding Anniversary is coming up next Thursday. Its pretty crazy to think its been 4 years. In fact, I JUST put together a little wedding scrapbook. Yeah, it took me 4 years. Haha. I'll share that in another post. This one's for the anniversary card I made for my hubby. He doesn't read my blog, so I'm not worried about him getting a sneak peak. ;o)

Color Combo: Cajun Craze, Night of Navy, River Rock & Early Espresso
Stamp Set: Plane & Simple, Teeny Tiny Wishes

The hubbs is an aerospace engineer so I jumped on this stamp set as soon as I saw it. Its got a great vintage masculine feel to it. Hope he likes it!

Fourth of July Decor

2011-06-21T07:58:00.002-05:00

Need some ideas to decorate for your upcoming 4th of July Party?

Here's a couple of projects I've been working on. First up is a wreath that I made using scraps of retired paper from Stampin' Up! The flowers are made using the scallop die and scallop circle punch.

I really love the next project. It makes a great centerpiece!

These are just made by accordion folding strips of paper, and the super cute pail is in available in the dollar spot at Target.

I think I'll work on a banner next...

Multitude Monday

2011-06-20T07:15:00.000-05:00

-a few moments of lucid conversation with my father
-celebrating my brother-in-law's birthday
-sleeping in
-praise from my manager
-crafty days
-preparing a father's day meal with my in laws
-enjoying time with family
-playing a new board game...and winning!
-snocones
-a very patient husband when I'm in a foul mood

Have a blessed week!

Father's Day Inspiration

2011-06-17T08:50:00.000-05:00

One of the perks of being a demo for Stampin' Up! is the Stampin' Success Magazine that they send out. Its full of information, business tips, and project ideas. I mostly love it for the project ideas. ;o) I used this sketch from the May 2011 issue to make a Father's Day Card.

Here's what I came up with!

Sketches are a great way to get the creative juices flowing, especially when you have lots of projects to work on in a short amount of time!

Have a great weekend!

Sneak Peak!

2011-06-14T12:40:00.000-05:00

Here's a little teaser for the upcoming Idea Book and Catalog!

New In Colors and a new stamp set! Eek!

Hidden Blessings

2011-06-13T20:32:00.000-05:00

Today is one of those days...really this week is one of those weeks. You know the ones where you're standing in the valley and the mountains block out the sun? Its hard to see the blessings, to even want to look for them...

- dinner with old friends. I just love them. And its incredible how much kids grow! I caught a glimpse of what heaven will be like last night...reunion after sweet reunion.
- Getting a quick moment to catch up with college friends. Again,(be it very brief) a glimpse of heaven. I love those people.
- Finding joy in the trials, because I know that God has more confidence in my ability than me...and I know that I'm growing...and that's a cool thing.
- Lunch with our life group, I don't get to see them as often as I'd like, but they're an awesome group.
- flowers from a loving husband that knows I am at my wits end!
- Working with a group of people that I really love. They drive me absolutely crazy sometimes...and are making me gray at a ridiculous rate, but I love them. And I'm really glad I came back to them, and I know that I'm supposed to be there with them.
- Hazel swimming....ok this is a repeat, but seriously, it never gets old.
- The Mavs winning, because it makes my husband happy. :o)
- as my boss put it...at least the air conditioner works!

My Cup Overflows...

2011-06-06T07:19:00.000-05:00

- driving around my old hometown, and reminiscing with my husband
- a beautiful wedding
- seeing friends from high school
- playing board games with family
- a clean bedroom, i mean deep cleaned and dusted!
- a life group (our sunday school) that helps each other out in times of need
- greek food
- the return of my hospital manager, and a weight lifted off my shoulders!
-watching Hazel swim and jump into the pool all by herself!

Open House Make n Take

2011-06-04T10:49:00.000-05:00

I got the inspiration for this card from another demo, and simplified it to be used for a make-n-take at my upcoming open house. Anyone that makes a purchase during the open house gets to make this card!

Email me at stampincrystal@gmail.com for details!

Butterfly Charms

2011-05-21T08:31:00.001-05:00

A new scrapbooking store opened up in my town and I am SO excited that I don't have to drive 15 minutes to the nearest city to get adhesive! ;o) They have lots of cute stuff, from beautiful papers, to fun embellishments. I bought some manly papers to continue scrapbooking Cole's races, and I found lovely vintage ribbon for my new found love of vintage inspired cards. I also found these beautiful butterfly and dragonfly charms by Paislee Press. Butterflies are all the rage right now, and as soon as I saw these charms I snatched them up.

Aren't they lovely? I've been dying to make a card to use them, and finally had some time last week to sit down and create.

This one was a little labor intensive. I took some chocolate chip scraps of paper, distressed the edges with a hobby blade, and then hand stitched them together. For the hydrangea, I stamped the image in early espresso and sponged on perfect plum and old olive, then crinkled up the paper and tore the edges and then dabbed it in early espresso ink. I think I'm a little obsessed with this crumb cake paper. ;o)

One look, 2 occasions.

2011-05-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

Here's a set of cards that I made based on a design in the Stampin' Up! 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog. People often forget that the book is more than just a listing of all the stamps and supplies that Stampin' Up has to offer. Its also a great resource for inspiring ideas when you can't get your crafting mojo started! ;o) The basic design was inspired by a favor bag on pg 103 combined with one of the cards next to it. I loved the finish project so much I made a second one!

I've noticed my style gravitating toward vintage...just can't help but love it!

Here's a close up of the butterfly.

Stamps: Bliss, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Crumb Cake, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Very Vanilla
Tools: Cuttlebug, Dots embossing folder, Scallop Oval XL Punch

Thanks for stopping by!

Multitude Monday

2011-05-16T21:09:00.000-05:00

I've decided I don't want to count anymore. Not that I don't want to list the blessings, just that I don't want to number them. Its no longer about the number, I just really enjoy looking back over the week to see where God's fingerprints are evident in my life.

-Helping women feel beautiful at Glamorous Brunch. Such an amazing feeling and experience.
-A work family that loves each other. We fight, I suppose just like a real family, we get on each other's nerves, but we love each other. Dang that place is special to me.
-The hubby cleaned house...on his own...without me asking. HUGE brownie points!
-Getting to know a new couple and realizing its such a small world.
-a kick butt hairstylist
-rain - good soaking rain
-incredibly beautiful weather this week. Just getting to sit outside and read. Walking out of a store and it being the same temperature inside as it is outside.
-open houses with a good friend
-finally giving a gift that my mother appreciates
-feeling included

Be blessed this week,

Birdcage Thank you Card

2011-05-05T11:07:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've been really loving birdcages. I don't know why. I see lots of them in home decor stores and I just love it. So I decided to make a thank you card based on it.

I used a new embossing folder by Stampin' Up! called Framed Tulips (#121809) and I am loving this embossing folder! It adds some great texture and finishes off the card nicely...I think so anyway. I used some retired paper from Stampin' Up! for the background, and basically just tore the edges off. The Old Olive cardstock was distressed by crumpling up and flattening out the paper over and over, and then I took a hobby knife and rubbed it across the edges to add more distressing. They make special distressing tools for this purpose too, so you don't risk cutting your fingers! The cage was cut out using my Cricut, and the bird is from a retired hostess set from Stampin' Up! Thanks for looking!

The flower bed makeover continues

2011-04-13T12:45:00.000-05:00

If you missed the first installment of this project you can read about it here

A few days after digging out the flowerbed I was able to level all of the edging stones. It went much faster and easier than I thought. And I bought way too much paver sand and base. Since I ran out with the compost and manure I really over shot with the sand and base...guess I have it on hand for future projects!

Then I started adding plants. I guess I need to take a new overall picture of the whole bed, but for now, here are pictures of what I put in. And let me just say, shopping for plants is so fun! Who knew?

Dragon's Blood Sedum

Purple Cone Flower (there are 2 of these, and one yellow coneflower)

Salvia

I forgot what this was called...

And my personal favorite...Autumn Joy Sedum

They don't look like much now, but they are summer flowering plants that will hopefully be beautiful in a month or 2. They're all drought tolerant too, which is important for someone like me. ;o)

And best of all, they've all been planted for atleast a week and are still alive!!!

Counting the multitude...

2011-04-11T19:08:00.000-05:00

475. A retreat for Women's Ministry Reps that was full of practical info
476. Being chosen for skits
477. A family that decided to dedicate their pool house to the Lord. So many ministries get to meet at this beautiful building because of their generosity.
478. Meeting a friend's parents and enjoying a race with them.
479. Celebrating my birthday with family.
480. That some of us get to plant the seed, and some of us get to water...but God makes it grow.
481. Being at a potluck with TONS of babies, and liking it.
482. A hubby willing to run errands for me when I'm exhausted
483. Rain
484. A new bible study

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-06T07:07:00.000-05:00

Flowerbed Make Over

2011-04-05T06:45:00.000-05:00

Our flowerbed in the front of our house has needed help since just about the day we moved in. We have what I like to call "builder special" bushes that fill the flower bed.

They were ugly, and I really hated them.

The worse part was the grass that grew into the flower bed. Let me just tell you right now, keep mulch on your flowerbed! Lesson learned.

So, we've lived with this horrid flowerbed for 3 years now. I cringed at the thought of someone coming over to our house for the first time and THAT was the first impression. Blegh. After the first year of living here we said we'd rip out everything and start over. And then we learned the soil out here is clay. Dislike.

After 3 years of living with an ugly front flower bed, I finally had had enough. On the first nice day in March I took to ripping it to pieces. And oh boy did it feel good. I really wish I had a before picture. I can't believe I didn't take one. But this is what it looked like an hour and a half into me digging out bushes.

And yes, I said me.

At this point I had ripped out 6 out of 10 bushes. Just imagine a really overgrown mound of bushes and grass and that was the before picture.

The hubby was conveniently called away to play ultimate frisbee. I had to stop after an hour and a half for an eye doctor appt. Then it was back to work. After another hour and a half we had this

And then I stopped for lunch.

By the end of the day, I had this...

And I was exhausted.

The next day the hubby helped out and quickly finished digging out the second half. Apparently he's stronger than me. We have several bags of clay/soil on our porch.

I then started to fill in the bed with manure and organic compost...I ran out...

At the end of day 2, and after several trips Lowes, it looked like this...

To be continued...

The Blessings Rain Down...

2011-04-04T07:20:00.000-05:00

465. Much needed rain this morning
466. New plants for the flower bed.
467. A great new haircut
468. Lunch with friends
469. Beautiful weather which leads to long walks outside
470. Renewed interest in my stamping classes.
471. 2 more babies added to our life group
472. Knowing that I'm being refined and enduring the discomfort of the process with the end in mind.
473. A dog show with good friends
474. dancing

The one in which I share my super cute new 'do!

2011-04-01T14:48:00.000-05:00

So, yesterday I decided I was going to treat myself to a new 'do. I got highlights for the first time ever! And while this was way shorter than I thought I was going for, I am absolutely in LOVE with my new hair. And it is super easy to do...thank goodness because now its too short to make a pony tail!

My hair stylist is AWESOME! check her out at Styles by Steph

Baby Wreath for Baby Adley

2011-03-31T20:37:00.000-05:00

Sweet baby Adley just graced the world with her presence on March 29th. I made this little diaper wreath loaded with goodies for her baby shower a couple of weeks ago. I'll post a tutorial soon! These are super easy and fun to make. Her room was the inspiration for the colors and the design of her name.

Congrats to her proud parents! She's a beauty!

I'm still here!

2011-03-29T20:27:00.000-05:00

I was honestly shocked to look at my blog page and see that almost a month has gone by without a post.

Funny how time flies by.

I have had lots of ideas for posts, lots of pictures to share...just no time...or maybe no motivation.

I've been in a little bit of a funk when it comes to writing...and crafting...but I've been very busy with home improvement type projects. And soon, I hope, I'll share those pictures and posts with you.

Thanks for waiting on me.

Baby Shower Invites

2011-03-02T06:34:00.001-06:00

Now that I know these have been received by everyone I can post a pic!

I used the baby's room as my inspiration point. The walls and bedding have pink, brown and a hint of green in them. The mommy-to-be painted circles on the wall and I wanted to echo that in the invite. The buttons were made using an embosslit by Stampin' Up! called Sweet Buttons (you can find it in the Occasions Mini) and running that through my Cuttlebug. The carriage is from the stamp set Fun & Fast Notes (in the 2010-2011 Idea book and Catalog). The back just has the info for the shower.

Praises in the darkness

2011-02-28T07:08:00.001-06:00

Let's be perfectly honest...I don't feel like counting praises. I've been in a real funk for the last week. My dad went into the hospital with pneumonia last Sunday, my job is extra stressful because I'm training a new girl, my jaw has really been giving me trouble this week and I just don't want to sing praises right now. Can you blame me? But if there's one thing I've learned in counting the multitudes every week, its that when you least feel like counting them, you get the most healing by counting them. So here goes...

455. A precious friend survived a heart attack.
456. The in-loves are finishing up a fabulous trip to Israel.
457. My sister was able to drive over form TN to visit with our Dad, maybe for the last time
458. Dad waking up to talk with me and Cole after sleeping for pretty much 48 hours
459. The hospital he is in is just minutes from my parents house
460. They were finally able to find a room and a sitter so that they could move him out of ICU
461. My mom running into an old neighbor by chance, and they came to visit my dad in the hospital
462. a baby shower that was a much needed distraction. It was so wonderful to get to just hang out with the ladies.
463. Country Potato Soup from La Madeline
464. Knowing a friend made it safely "home" to Africa.

May your week be richly blessed,

Oh, how He loves us...

2011-02-21T20:22:00.000-06:00

445. A new receptionist at work
446. absolutely beautiful weather all week
447. running with my hubby and our dog
448. feeling the power of friends lifting you up in prayer
449. watching a friend get baptized
450. getting to sit and craft for hours
451. a new faucet in the kitchen
452. dinner and a movie with the hubbs
453. a new purse and new wallet...for $21!
454. potlucks at work

January's Stamping Class Projects

2011-02-18T10:15:00.000-06:00

So, yesterday I realized I never shared the projects from January's stampin class. Silly me.

We also decorated a box, but apparently I forgot to take a picture of that. Oops!

Baby Shower Invites

2011-02-17T08:28:00.000-06:00

I almost titled this post a Baby is Brewing because that is what the invites say...but I didn't want to mislead anyone. ;o)

I made these for one my Life Group girls. She's having a little boy. The shower is an afternoon tea.

And of course I included a tea bag.

These could also be shower favors. Or you could alter them for a bridal tea, or just a get well card with some green tea included.

Now I'm off to work on another shower's invites...this time for a little girl!

Puppy Love

2011-02-15T08:16:00.001-06:00

Spontaneous photo shoot at work yesterday.

This little girl wandered up to my coworker's house.

An attitude of gratitude

2011-02-14T07:11:00.000-06:00

434. The birth of another baby into our circle of friends
435. Visiting with family
436. an afternoon of uninterrupted crafting
437. a new garage door opener
438. Getting to run twice this past week
439. warmer temperatures!
440. a room overflowing with people in Sunday School
441. A new study to strengthen our marriages
442. Being surrounded by people wanting to be honest with their struggles in marriage, and wanting to encourage each other to do better, to love better.
443. I missed a day of chaos and non working computers at work.
444. The computers (mostly) work again!

Cozy Crafting Day

2011-02-10T14:45:00.000-06:00

Its been a little chilly here in Texas so I've been spending my days off in doors, fully refusing to go anywhere. Its the perfect weather for stamping though. And apparently its the perfect weather for cleaning, I managed to organize 1 of our spare bedrooms and the laundry room today before I started stamping. And did I mention I ran a mile this morning on the treadmill? Yeah, I'm a little bit of an over achiever. ;o)

So here's what I was working on today. Well, I'm also working on baby shower invites, but those won't be finished until this weekend, so I can't post pictures of those yet

This first one was the result of scraps of fabric and excitement to use my new cuttlebug.

The flower type thing was made from fabric cut into circles...I frayed the edges to make it wavy and add the vintage look I was going for. The cherry cobbler base was made with a dots embossing folder for a little added texture. The very vanilla sheet was cut by the cuttlebug and the top note die. And of course I used my new favorite set "Bliss" from the SAB catalog.

This next one is for a friend who is going through a really tough time right now.

I colored in the flower with Stampin' Pastels - which is chalk.

Thanks for stopping by!

Multitude Monday

2011-02-07T07:23:00.000-06:00

424. beautiful snow... the stillness, the quietness, the peacefulness of snow.
425. Safe travel on icy roads
426. safe travel on snow covered roads
427. Memories made in the crazy winter storm
428. Friends that you can just sit and watch hgtv with after a long week
429. a walk through the neighborhood after a week of being indoors
430. playing board games with the hubbs...even though I lost miserably
431. "shoveling snow" at work with a squeegee and a wet floor sign
432. super bowl parties with lots of good food
433. seeing God move in a big way to provide for his faithful servants.

Have a blessed week,

Random Thoughts on a Rather Frigid Day

2011-02-03T10:02:00.000-06:00

1) I am really bad at Project 365 this year. I'm sorry! I've found that remembering to take pictures has been particularly challenging this year...that and actually uploading the pictures.

2) I was told that this would be a mild winter. I feel lied to. Single digit wind chills in Texas is not a mild winter.

3)Starbucks hot chocolate mix is my very good friend as of late...I'm sure my hips will tell you just how good of friends we have become.

4)Surgery by candlelight is so romantic...just kidding. This is related to the rolling blackouts...we didn't do any surgeries by candle light...just by window light. ;o)

5)I was definitely in a windowless bathroom when a black out occured.

6) I hate Jerry World (again, related to the black outs)

7) Today is the perfect day for playing with all my fun toys that I ordered during Sale-a-Bration with Stampin' Up! LOVE!

Happy New Year!

P365 Woes

2011-01-27T15:30:00.000-06:00

So taking a picture a day is hard...especially when you see the same things every day. And when you forget to take a picture of something exciting. So here are a few pictures that I haven't shared from this month. Maybe next month will be better!

1_10_11

1_11_11

1_23_11

1_24_11

1_27_11

Just thought you should know...

2011-01-25T19:17:00.000-06:00

I have an announcement...

No...not THAT kind of announcement....

I finally have an iPhone!

Yay! It has taken a lot of begging, pleading, generosity on behalf of my dear friend Robin, and dunking my old phone in the toilet (NOT on purpose) to get one...and trust me the angels were singing today!

Now...if I had your number before...I do NOT have it now because of the death of my previous phone...so please email me with it. Thanks!

Multitude Monday

2011-01-24T07:10:00.001-06:00

414. Game Night with our Sunday School class that created some great memories.
415. Lunch and shopping with Allison before she leaves for Africa, again.
416. A new dentist
417. An awesome dental hygenist.
418. Running into Andrea at Chiloso, and getting to have lunch together.
419. A record breaking 108 women at Unveiled.
420. Women staying after the event to talk about the topics the speaker covered that night.
421. Getting to meet a dear friends new puppy
422. a husband willing to help in a bind
423. a meeting where we get to dream.

Unveiled Recap

2011-01-21T07:42:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm a slacker and haven't taken any pictures this week. But I do want to share with you about our Unveiled event Wednesday Night.

We had a record attendence of 108 people. We've never been a group to care for numbers, but when the ladies just kept coming in and we were running out of seats, we started counting.

I think a huge part of it was our speaker for the night Tanya Magnus. She's one of our very own Lake Pointe Ladies, and she has a wealth of knowledge and experiences that she loves to share. She has founded a ministry called Choose to Soar and she has a real passion for bible study...and she's hilarious! It was really a great night with some practical ways for the ladies to discover their piece of the puzzle...who God created them to be.

I made 80 of these little tags as favors for the ladies to take home. Just a little something to remember the night and the message by.

Of course we ran out. Bummer. But I hope the ladies that did get one enjoy it. It'd make a cute bookmark don't you think?

Mulititude Monday

2011-01-17T07:20:00.001-06:00

404. Delish dinner with the in-loves
405. An opportunity to pray for women that will attend unveiled while I worked on favors for the event
406. Getting to chat with friends while we finished up the favors
407. A very productive planning meeting for Unveiled
408. A cricut cartridge on sale for $9.99!
409. A lovely lunch date with a dear friend
410. A cricut that could cut out 80 tags for me while I stamped!
411. Getting to have stew on a COLD winter day
412. A warm house and warm clothes when its frigid outside
413. Not having to go to Walmart this week.

You Capture | Doorways

2011-01-13T14:29:00.003-06:00

I've been following Beth over at I Should Be Folding Laundry for a while now. I found her blog because of her weekly "You Capture" challenges. I thought it would help me be inspired to take more pictures. Just like I thought P365 would inspire me to take more pictures. Well, each week goes by and I see the new challenge and I think "Oooh! Great one! I'm gonna do that this week." and each week passes and I don't do the challenge! Well I finally did one!

It was perfect timing because I just added coat hooks to our entry way and moved the hubb's Grandmother's painting to the other side of the entry way. I'm really digging the look. It feels really cozy there now.

The little table you see at the bottom was a coffee table that I have painted light yellow and am SLOWLY converting to a bench. SLOWLY is definitely the key word there. Haha.

I edited the picture with the Pioneer Woman's colorize and seventies actions. Thanks for looking!

Project 365

2011-01-11T06:54:00.000-06:00

You can click on each picture for details

1-4-11

1-6-11

1-7-11

1-8-11

1-9-11

1-10-11

Phew! I had some serious catching up to do!

Multitude Monday

2011-01-10T07:10:00.000-06:00

392. Snow! Lots of beautiful white snow to play in. :o)
393. Cotton Bowl party at our house with lots of great friends, and even though the Aggies lost, we still had a great time.
394. Serving with great ladies to make over Mary's house
395. God answering prayer
396. A new hair cut
397. Hazel's really great recall (thank you agility training)
398. finding a dress and necklace for $14
399. new year's eve celebration with close friends
400. stamping while the snow falls outside
401. lunch with one my college roomies
402. being given the freedom to dream
403. making healthier choices for the new year

BTHO lsu!!!

2011-01-07T16:26:00.003-06:00

Gig 'Em Aggies!

Whoop!

Today's Project - A new way to display my cards

2011-01-06T15:18:00.000-06:00

I saw this really great photo holder while shopping at Pier 1 a month ago.

I thought it was super cute, and naturally, I thought I could make it myself. My main motivation in wanting to make it myself was that it was too small for the where I wanted it to hang. So I searched online for one that was the right side, and THEN I decided I should make it myself. How hard could it be? Plus I was certain I could save some $$ by making it myself.

So I sat on the idea for a month. And finally today, I decided I was going to do it.

It really wasn't hard to do, but I'm not sure that I saved much by making it myself. I bought a 22x28" frame from Hobby Lobby on sale 50% off for $21, bought the wire at Target for $2 and used a staple gun and staples that I had at home. So maybe since it was bigger than the original I saved some $$.

An added bonus for making this myself is that the clothespins can be positioned whereever I want them. They were strung on the wire on the one from Pier 1. I'm on the lookout for red miniature clothespins to replace these pink ones. I'm not a fan of pink, these were left from a baby shower I hosted, and red is an accent color in this room.

I really like how it looks next to the photos I have up on the wall. Very clean. Great continuity.

I'd say it was a success!!

What if your best...

2011-01-04T07:37:00.000-06:00

I heard this song last week on an FFH cd my hubby has. He has a ridiculous amount of cds, but that's a whole other post. Anyway, as we start this new year I hear many well wishes for a blessed new year and many prayers that God would pour out His blessings in the coming year, and I wonder if people understand what they're praying for? I think in America, we mistake our happiness for blessing ALL THE TIME. And its not that I don't think there is blessing in the happiness, but I think that even when we're not happy with what's going on in our lives God is trying to bless us, and sometimes we're ungrateful.

"I'm trying hard to keep from falling off this wheel
Trying hard to keep so still
As you're shaping, and remaking
Something new is bound to surface
Something bound to bring you fame
Something sure to make you great
Something you can use
But I am only clay and clay doesn't get to choose

I want your best but what if your best is brokenness
Would I be broken?
I want your best but what if less than what I ask
And what I'm hoping?
What if your best is here in the waiting, here in the going thru the motions?
I'll still be trusting all I am, and all have, and nothing less to Potter's hands

I'm trying hard to keep from giving you advice
It's like teaching Shakespeare how to write
Or Monet, the way to paint another scene
But there's just something in this amateur that thinks
That my opinion's what you need
On how to work in me
But I am only clay, and clay probably shouldn't speak

Chorus

Take my life and let it be consecrated just to thee
Take my voice and let me sing for you my King
Take my moments and my days and let them flow in ceaseless praise
For You always, for You

Chorus

Only here for you to mold, I'm holding on, because I belong in Potter's hands"

Blessings,

Project 365 - Off to a rough start!

2011-01-02T15:40:00.001-06:00

Let's pretend that this was taken on Jan 1.

I got a new 35mm lens for Christmas and was playing with it outside and really liked this shot. You don't need to know that it was actually taken in 2010. I just didn't have time for a photo on New Year's Day. I was cleaning.

This one was actually taken Jan 2. And so was the one after it. My first 2 cards of 2011. :o)

Thanks for stoppin by!

My New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-01T09:05:00.000-06:00

I'm not normally one for resolutions.

I usually think they're dumb. People usually just break them anyway, so what's the point?

This time, I feel differently. I'm not really sure why. I'm going to make some resolutions and try desperately to stick to them. I'm posting them here in hopes that those of you that actually read this blog might help keep me accountable.

1. Project 365 - I'm gonna try my hand at this again. Take a photo every day.
2. Eat healthier - I love food. Its my weakness. I LOVE to eat. And I need to control myself. It'll help me lose weight, and I'm beginning to feel like some of the chemicals in the foods I eat might be interacting poorly with my brain. I do believe that what you eat can have profound effects on your body, so I am attempting to cleanse myself from the "gunk" by eating fresher, more natural foods.
3. Run. Typing that word makes me cringe, but honestly, I want a runner's body (and I'm not talking about my hubby..hehe), and the only way to get that is to run. I will NOT be signing up for anything more than a 5k though. I'm not crazy.
4. Take charge of my finances. Really our finances. Really just needing discipline. Maybe I should just make one overall resolution to be more disciplined! haha.

I've realized I've gotten kinda lazy this year with how I'm living life, and I'm going to step up to the plate, be an adult, and get my act together.

Are you making any New Year's Resolutions?

The last post from Twenty10

2010-12-31T08:13:00.000-06:00

I can't believe another year has flown by. I feel like I should take some time to reflect on how the year has gone, remember the good times and the bad...but I just don't have time! Not today anyway. All I remember is that there was a lot of sickness, a lot of rewarding time serving others, some ups, some downs, and some in betweens. I've got several new year's resolutions for 2011...I'll be back tomorrow...maybe...to post those...hehe, and maybe a picture for Project 365 too! ;o)

I hope everyone has a super fun night tonight ringing in the new year. Be safe!

Project 265

2010-12-29T06:56:00.000-06:00

So last year I tried to start my own personal Project 365. Its a popular project among scrapbookers and photographers alike. It seemed like a simple concept at the time. And I kept up with it relatively well for a couple of months....and then...it stopped. The concept is that you take a photo a day. That's it. Its a way of recording your life in photos for one year. Anyone can do it, you just need a camera. There are groups all over the web that you can link up with and share your photos and encourage each other. Flickr is my favorite site, and of course on my blog. Then maybe at the end of the year you turn it into a scrapbook/photobook. I think I'll try it again for 2011. Who's with me?

Multitude Mondays are Back!

2010-12-27T11:36:00.000-06:00

I've been very naughty this year, and stopped recording my blessings over the last month...maybe two. For that, Santa brought me a terrible cold for Christmas! I'm still fighting it, hoping to be reaching the end soon. It has not been pleasant. For the most part though, Christmas was enjoyable, and I hope yours was wonderful.

380. Reconnecting with family
381. playing Settlers with the sibs
382. a sweet husband that takes care of me when I'm so very sick
383. lots of wonderful gifts!
384. celebrating the most wonderful gift the world could ever receive!
385. Christmas cards
386. Christmas lights
387. me, the hubbs, and the hazel cuddling under blankets
389. A much needed rain (even though it made traveling tricky!)
390. Christmas parties.
391. Watching my high school play for the state title at Cowboy Stadium (too bad they lost!)

A social network Christmas

2010-12-20T07:04:00.000-06:00

Saw this in church yesterday, and thought it was so cool.

Did you get choked up? Cuz I did, such an incredible story. Merry Christmas!

Stampin' Up! on the Today Show

2010-12-16T07:39:00.000-06:00

Earlier this week, Monday to be exact, Shelli Gardner appeared on the Today Show as a part of their annual toy drive. Stampin' Up has been apart of the drive for several years, and Shelli has appeared on the show twice now. Here's the super short clip!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Waiting for Santa Paws

2010-12-07T13:50:00.001-06:00

Since I have REALLY been lacking in sharing my photography lately, here's a shot I took today of Hazel.

I'm entering this one in the photo contest at

Christmas Treat

2010-12-07T12:45:00.000-06:00

I made this adorable little treat to give to my Bible Study girls tonight at our Christmas party. These are super easy to make.

I got the basic design from Regionals this year and modified it to meet my needs. The wrapper is 8 1/2" x 2 7/8" to fit the bag. It is scored at 2, 4, 6, & 8 inches. I randomly stamped it with snowflakes from the Holiday Collection stamp set (retired). I used the decorative label punch to make the window, and just used a 2x2 3/4" scrap of paper to fill the background. I made the reindeer and penguins using the owl punch, as I've seen so many people do around the web. Then filled the bag with some yummy candy and tied it off with twine. You can get everything you need to make these favors in my store (minus the candy!) click the link on the right hand side of the blog. These are so easy to make, I promise you'll be seeing them again!

Blast from the Past

2010-12-04T07:31:00.000-06:00

So there's a trend on Facebook to change your profile pic to a cartoon from you childhood in an effort to raise awareness for child abuse. I'm not sure that changing your picture is going to do all that much for child abuse, but it definitely brings back memories. I couldn't pick just one, so I thought I'd share a few of my favorites.

What about you? What was your favorite childhood cartoon?

All I want for Christmas is a Post it

2010-11-29T17:31:00.000-06:00

I just love the post it notes in the dollar spot at Target. Where I work you can never have enough post its, so I thought it would make an excellent little gift to my coworkers for December/Christams. Can't wait to give them away!

Christmas Invitation And Online Spectacular!

2010-11-23T19:32:00.000-06:00

Here is another Christmas invitation that I worked on last week. I used scraps to put this together and got the wording from a friend.

I also wanted to mention a sale that is going on on my website from now until November 30th. You can save up to 50% off select Stampin' Up! products! Click here to shop.

Pumpkins!

2010-11-23T09:31:00.000-06:00

So I thought that when October was over, I'd get my life back. WRONG! So much to do, so little time. I'm way behind on posting pictures from the wedding, I've got invites to share with you, and so little time to do it!

Anyway, to hold you over (maybe?) here are some cute little pumpkins I made. I'm a sucker for pumpkins in the fall. Cute crafty ones especially (as you can tell from my blog header). I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

We will never forget...

2010-11-17T22:42:00.000-06:00

Today Show goes Viral

2010-11-17T08:06:00.000-06:00

I watch the Today Show every morning. I just love me some Matt Lauer. They're doing some silly videos this week. This one cracked me up.

Purple Snowflakes

2010-11-12T07:03:00.000-06:00

I have fallen off the face of the earth. And this is why.

The holiday season is upon us and that means holiday party invitations! I've got 2 sets going right now. I'll show you another once its complete. And maybe I'll have a post with wedding pictures. Until then...

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Birthday Cards

2010-11-03T06:50:00.000-05:00

I got a new hostess stamp set a few weeks ago and only recently got to open it up, put it together and stamp with it. And I just LOVE it! Its a fun little set, with adorable little cakes to color. Normally I don't like a lot of coloring, but this was soothing, and the cakes are so small its just a couple of quick swipes with a marker and you're done!

Back to Multitude Monday

2010-11-01T09:52:00.000-05:00

I know its been a week or two since I've shared my list, so I have a little catching up to do. October was incredibly busy and I'm looking forward to enjoying the holiday season now that all of the chaos is behind me!

355. Friends that look out for each other
356. home parties
357. a generous snack display at Bible Study
358. a new face at Bible Study
359. freshly baked cookies
360. Tressa growing more comfortable with praying out loud
361. Nikki wanting to do Bible Study with the women's prison ministry!
362.a peaked interest in my crafting classes
363. Seeing God work at Unveiled
364. leadership team coming up with great ideas for Unveiled
365. A night out with the girls to celebrate a friend's upcoming wedding
366. Wonderful treats at Bible study
367. teaching the Bible study a new game
368. a full day off that was unexpected but fully enjoyed!
369. A great new receptionist at work
370. peaked interest in my pet photography
371. a day to just rest with the hubbs
372. the amazing conversations that happen at Bible Study
373. Nikki and Michael are married!
374. Co-workers that came to celebrate the special day with her
375. Meeting Nikki and Michael's crazy fun families!
376. I was able to control the chaos that surrounds a wedding
377. Hanging out with Kevo
378. Trick-or-treaters
379. Relaxing evening with friends

Have a blessed day!

Sneak Peaks

2010-10-28T06:54:00.000-05:00

Here are some sneak peaks from my upcoming class! There's still time to RSVP!

And yesterday I forgot to include a picture of the ladies that attended the halloween class. Aren't they cute?

Halloween Cards

2010-10-27T14:07:00.000-05:00

Those of you that were looking for Multitude Monday, it will be back next week! Life is a little chaotic this week. But I'm confident things are going to slow down next month.

I wanted to share some cute cards that we made at my upline's halloween class. They show the versatility of the owl punch (you can make an owl, ghost and a bat) and they're just super cute and easy to make.

We used the Spooky Night Rub Ons from the mini catalog and the Wicked Fun DSP from the main idea book and catalog. We made a couple of other fun projects, like a little haunted house, but I forgot to get pictures of them. Oops!

I'll be back tomorrow to share a couple of sneak peaks from my upcoming class.

Happy Wednesday!

9 years ago

2010-10-22T07:39:00.000-05:00

9 years ago I was a junior in the high school marching band. I was the favorite junior preformer in the colorguard. I was skinny, I was tan, I could run laps around a football field with relative ease.

9 years ago he was a Senior in the high school marching band. He was trumpet section leader. He was cute, the girls loved him, and I thought he was gay (I'll expand on this another day if you don't know the story).

My friends were vying for his affection, so I was trying to get closer to him to plant a bug in his ear. I had a boyfriend afterall.

He was getting closer to me because he was vying for MY affection.

The night before homecoming, my boyfriend began to question my friendship with him. I told my boyfriend there was nothing there. It was the truth.

The night after homecoming we were supposed to meet friends at the local snowcone stand, where I worked. Where my girlfriend that had a crush on him worked. It ended up being just me and him. He said "I have to tell you something, but then I have to leave. I like you." He made no attempt to leave.

I had heard from some of the colorguard girls that this was the case, and I panicked. I was falling for him too. But remember I had a boyfriend. Now there was something between us.

Naturally, my boyfriend dumped me the next day.

One week later, 9 years ago today, early in the morning in the band hall, Cole said to me "well, I guess we're dating."

More Hot pink and black!

2010-10-19T06:53:00.000-05:00

Those of you that know me, know that I do not like the color pink.

At all.

It kinda makes me cringe.

I'm not sure if it harkens back to my tom boy days or what, but I really just hate the color. I try to avoid it at all costs, but since God obviously has a sense of humor, my crafting table was covered in it this past week. Of course He would have me passionately involved in a women's ministry that uses pink and black in everything!

Unveiled's first event for the fall is this coming Wednesday and our fearless leader wanted our signs revamped. I should've taken a picture of what they looked like before. They were pretty, but very simple. Just imagine small black stenciled letters on the pink sign and pink stenciled letters on the black sign.

I'm not sure if I made them any better, but here's what I've got!

Here's a couple of close ups. We live about 15 minutes away from a Hobby Lobby so rather than drive into town to get zebra print paper, I hand drew zebra stripes my own on white paper. I used a chandelier stamp with white Staz-On ink for the chandelier, that was a gift from God waiting for me in the clearance section of Hobby Lobby.

I also hand painted all of the lettering, and added that black trim...would you believe that this is supposed to be a shelf? The words are just painted on the bottom for a unique framed look.

Thanks for stopping by!

Multitude Monday

2010-10-18T06:43:00.000-05:00

346. a great first 5k for my MIL
347. a sleep-over and late night crafting
348. intense topics with our Bible Study
349. Lots of new faces at the Unveiled leadership meeting
350. Really great ideas for improving Unveiled
351. being able to create things people enjoy
352. the generosity of our vendors that allowed us to give away tons of fun things at Fun Fest
353. My husband comes home today!
354. Despite the race not going how he had hoped, he maintained a good attitude and he crossed that finish line.

back up plan

2010-10-15T07:03:00.000-05:00

So I had planned to post pictures from the wedding over the weekend and pictures from club fed, but my camera went with my husband to Kansas City, MO for his marathon this weekend, so that will just have to wait. This is the first marathon that I have to miss and I'm really bummed about it, but sacrifices have to be made.

Anyway, to keep my blog from going stale I thought I'd post my flyer for my upcoming class. This class is actually going to be held at my upline's house but taught by me. She's moving to NJ at the end of November so I'm taking over her classes and merging them with mine. I'm really excited about the projects we'll be making. And this will be the last class I teach in 2010! I'll post some sneak peaks later on next week. For now, you can view one of the projects we're making on the flyer.

RSVP to stampincrystal(at)gmail(dot)com!

Pink, Black and a hint of Green

2010-10-13T12:09:00.000-05:00

One of the MANY projects I've been working on is yet another baby shower banner. These things sure are popular! I love the way this one turned out...super cute and I love the colors that were used to plan this shower.

I had to lay it out on the floor to fit it all in the picture. That, and my crafting table is COVERED in a dozen other half finished projects. Here are some detail shots...

These little flowers are super fun and easy to make. Someday I'll post a tutorial. Someday.

Off to work on another project! After lunch that is. :o)

The blessings rain down...

2010-10-11T13:54:00.000-05:00

Can I share a little story? On Friday I received a package that contained a christmas present for my mother in law. I opened the package to show a friend the beautiful gift and accidently broke party of it. I just dropped the lid. I was so upset with myself. I had that package in my hands for less than 5 minutes and broke part of it. So I called the woman I had ordered it from to order a replacement lid. She had an open order that she added my lid to and attempted to submit the order, but her card was declined. Odd she thought. She found out that someone had stolen her credit card info and was attempting to make an $800 purchase at the same time! Because the 2 purchases were being made at the same time her bank flagged her account and put a hold on funds. What an amazing thing God did through my clumsiness!

336. A broken lid prevented identity theft.
337. Friends and family of the bride and groom showering them with wisdom and blessings
338. Seeing God answer a dear friends longtime prayer for a spouse
339. rain this morning
340. meeting the baby so many had prayed for for so many years!
341. Another successful Club Fed
342. hope for healing where there seemed to be no hope before
343.laying in my hammock preparing for Bible Study
344. serving in the preschool class yesterday
345. seeing that God still answers prayers.

Multitude Monday

2010-10-04T20:55:00.000-05:00

Can i be perfectly honest here? I really don't feel like praising this week. I started this list this morning, and honestly by the time I got home from work tonight my heart was so heavy that I had decided not to do Multitude Monday this week. But then I thought I SHOULD push through, it might offer healing...it might restore my soul. So here goes...

326. My dearest friend made it home safely from Europe!
327. My stamp camp was awesome!
328. Baby chance making it to church for the first time
329. learning about different religions
330. celebrating the Father-in-laws birthday
331. That I can be angry with God and I can tell Him like I see it and He is patient and merciful
332. That even though a woman has lost her husband so suddenly, so young, she will be reunited with Him in the glorious courts someday.
333. though there may be pain in the night, joy comes in the morning
334. that I get to kiss my husband good night tonight, when so many cannot
335. the promise of redemption and restoration

Wondering why...

Fill in the blank Friday...on Saturday ;o)

2010-10-02T07:02:00.000-05:00

1. True happiness is being surrounded by close family and friends.

2. The most surreal moment of my life was probably my wedding day.

3. My favorite texture is oh man, I love texture...all texture!

4. My signature color is purple. Love it. Or gray, I love it too. ;o)

5. My signature style is jeans and layered tops. I'm starting to invest in long necklaces and I love headbands!

6. If I could choose one store to spend my life savings at, it would be New York and Company.

7. My best thing about autumn is Everything! I LOVE autumn. Its the BEST time of the year!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Veterinary Clinic Makeover

2010-09-30T07:33:00.000-05:00

The clinic I work at is in the process of a makeover. Its been a long time coming, and I'm so excited to see the changes being made. So far we've redone 2 of the 4 exam rooms. Well, they're almost done. I think they pretty much just lack new computers. We're moving up people! I have no idea where the pictures of the rooms in their original state are..but here you can see what it looked like after the wallpaper came down.

Its amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do.

This is another room after we hung pictures. Almost all of the pictures are ones I took. :o) That empty space over the sink is where the computer will go.

Pretty spiffy huh? Wouldn't you love to take your pet to this vet? ;o)

Garden Party

2010-09-29T10:27:00.000-05:00

Monday night was the Lake Pointe Church's Women's Ministry Fall Kick Off Event called Garden Party. Try to say that 5 times fast! Its an annual event that involves dinner (which is served by men from our church), door prizes, worship, and a great speaker. People sign up to host tables, which means they decorate them, and then you can buy tickets in groups to sit at the tables, or you can just buy individually and end up at whatever table you end up at. Unveiled hosted 2 tables and also bought the seats for those 2 tables. We also decided to wear big hats since it was a Garden Party!

I was running around handing out amazing door prizes so I didn't think to take any other pictures of the night. Then I worked the Unveiled booth after Margaret Kennedy spoke on life's waiting rooms and letting God have control in those waiting rooms. She was amazing and she came over at the end of the night to learn more about Unveiled. It confirmed that we are doing something right in Unveiled and others want to know how we're doing it!

Diaper Wreath

2010-09-28T15:51:00.000-05:00

I made this adorable wreath at the request of a friend who wanted to use it as decoration at a shower she is hosting. She had seen one that I made at another shower (although I never did take a picture of it). Being crafty, I felt a little guilty just giving the new mom a pack of diapers, and I'm terrible at those diaper cakes, so I tried my hand at a wreath! I customized this one to match the colors of the nursery and I personalized it with the baby's name. These are super easy to make and you can tie on pacifiers, bottles, clothes, etc. for a great gift!

Multitude Monday

2010-09-27T06:37:00.000-05:00

316. Getting to meet Baby Crews
317. Getting to go to Bible Study and meet our awesome group of women!
318. Visiting family
319. My dad is back home where he is most comfortable
320. movie night with lots of laughs
321. seeing my photography displayed
322. giving birthday presents
323. forgiveness
324. so many babies in sunday school!
325. the fact that I enjoy the presence of babies now...when a year ago they were a dreaded distraction

Fall Birthday Card + sneak peaks

2010-09-24T08:38:00.000-05:00

Today is my hospital manager's birthday. I'm really blessed to work for some incredible people. We always buy a funny card for everyone in the clinic to sign to give to the birthday person. Then we sing happy birthday (even if clients are there) and have cake....its like a little family and we take birthdays very seriously! Since my hospital manager is also a cherished friend I wanted to make him a more personal card...maybe I just needed an excuse to make a card!

This was mostly made from scraps that were laying around...

Autumn Spice DSP
Early Espresso CS
Whisper White CS
Cajun Craze CS.
Cajun Craze ink
Pumpkin Pie ink
Early Espresso ink
Occasional Quotes (hostess set)
Dotted Autumn (retired)
Decorative Label Punch

I'm so excited its fall and I get to use fall colors and stamp sets! Although next weekend is my Christmas Stamp-a-stack which I am super excited about. Here are some sneak peaks.

Each person will make 3 each of 4 designs (I forgot to take a picture of the last one...you'll just have to come to the class to see!). Here's the info...tomorrow's the last day to RSVP!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a fabulous weekend!