Animal Killer + A Card

I accidentally killed Goldie, Anna's goldfish. I was cleaning her fish bowl this morning, did everything right, put her in and five minutes later, she was floating at the top of the bowl. Why on earth did this have to happen right after I lost Douglas? Good grief... please, don't ask me to babysit any of your pets while you go on vacation!

On a brighter note, I FOUND Douglas... unbelievable, I know. He was in a pile of yellow leaves near a log pile on the side of the house. Anna was so happy! She put him on the deck to play and an hour later, he went missing again. This time, we believe he is under the deck hibernating. Douglas, we hope to see you in the spring!

And, since I haven't shared anything crafty in a couple of days, here's a card I made to go in a package of handmade greetings for the holiday show, Temptations, that I am participating in. This is the Valentine:Supplies: pink card base, KI Memories shimmer heart paper, white stock, border punch, ribbon, and felt (and I love you paper mfg. unknown).

Good Bye, Douglas.

Douglas, the turtle, has been acting funny lately. Not moving much, not eating, keeping his eyes closed, etc. Do turtles hibernate? I thought I would try to lift his spirits today by taking him outside. We had lots of puddles in the driveway and tons of worms wiggling in them from the overnight rain. I thought he would be in heaven, seeing all those worms, but he didn't move much and only one of his eyes opened. I watched and waited for about a half hour. He seemed to have perked up a bit, so I left him out there, checking on him ever so often through the window. Then, doomsday came. I couldn't find Douglas and it was time to go get Anna from preschool. I dreaded telling her, but assured her that we would look some more. An hour of search and rescue, Douglas was not found. I told Anna that he was fine, nature is where he belonged. She cried and said, "I know, but if we find him, I can tell him good bye and then let him go into nature." My little animal lover was crushed... and it was all my fault. I lost Douglas.

I will be purchasing the cutest, softest, stuffed turtle I can find tomorrow. I'm so sorry, Anna.

2 Page Layout-o-rama!

Hello friends! Do you ever find yourself pondering over piles of pictures, trying to decide which ones to scrap, which ones to put in a photo album, which ones to ditch, and so on? Well, I have a couple of remedies for you! I used both ideas this weekend and they worked for me, so they are tried and true! Now, on to the goods...

This LO is of Anna's 5th birthday party. I always have a ton of birthday pictures and I always have a hard time deciding which ones to scrap. So, for this LO, I used the good ole' Walgreen's and had them do the hard part for me. I uploaded my pics, clicked on "collage," chose my format size (8x10), and added all the pics I wanted (up to 15!). I arranged them the way I wanted and for less than $3, I had a group of pics ready for a LO!

Our trip to Dinosaur World was super fun, and again, lots of pics were taken. I scrapped one page, then used a 6 pocket page protector from American Crafts (a pack of 10 costs $5.99 at Archiver's). I used 2 of the slots for a title and journaling spot and the rest of the pockets were filled with pics- ready for the album! I see myself using this technique/form of scrapping with vacation and holiday layouts. Easy peasy!

So, now that you know my two new favorite things to do with scrappin', here are two pages that were done with just wholesome, scrap goodness!

Our trip to Gulf Shores. I used the Snorkel line from Cosmo Cricket and Core'dinations paper. The pics I got on this trip were awful, due to a forgotten battery charger and a disposable camera. So, cutting up the pics was easy for me to do!

And this one of Elan, I have avoided it for over a year now... his first year "Growth Chart." Once I completed it, I felt I had conquered the world! It's pics of him at 1-2-4-6-9-12 months and his stats at the bottom of each. I love that it worked out that he was looking up at the bird holding the tape measure!

Okay... are you inspired? Go make a two page layout! It's not so scary... have a good night!

A Successful Scrap Weekend!

I'm back... the scrap weekend retreat was awesome! Lots of great girls, ideas and creations! It was relaxing and rejuvenating and I got my crafty mojo working! Eleven great LO's, a birthday card, a Christmas card and 2 Christmas gifts made! So... wanna see? I thought so!

The birthday card I made for my nephew, Daniel. He turned 3 on Saturday, but his party is Friday. I got him train themed items, so a train card it is!

A layout about A Typical Tuesday. I want to remember the busy schedule and the daily routines I have with my children. I spend a lot of time in the car, that's where the pic was taken, setting the camera on the dashboard waiting for an oil change!

You may have seen these funny pictures before of Douglas and Wrigley. Seriously, these pics are super hilarious- I had to scrap them! The big glittered turtle is from Jo Ann's in the dollar section. Paper: Studio Calico.

And the last one, Anna and Elan. I love the title "The Protector." Anna was saving Elan from Paw Paw, the tickle monster. She was very serious. This paper from Studio Calico worked perfectly- especially the Red Riding Hood words! That's a big covered chipboard circle in the center.

Sooo much more to show you (except for the Christmas items! ;) tomorrow. Stay tuned for the two page layouts post and some new faves that I want to share with you!

Good night!

Show and Tell

Long time, no see! Happy Friday! Woo-hoo! I'll be leaving in a couple hours for a girls weekend of scrappin'! Three days of pure creative fun, eating, drinking, and girl time!

Today, I wanted to share a few things. First, the wonderfully talented Sammye Jo at 62 Cards made Anna a precious name banner for her birthday. Anna (and I) loved it! It matches her room perfectly and it is so cute and girly! Here's Anna holding it in her festive outfit (she was painted like a cat at her school fall festival!)

Secondly, I was in a card and stamped image swap that Sammy Jo also hosted. I got all my images and cards back and there were lots of cute ones. I thought I would share my faves:

This vintage coffee pot has my name written all over it! I love it and see lots of uses for it... how will I choose? The card swap... lots of darling cards!

It was hard to only choose one fave, so I chose two:

Lastly, I got a Pay It Forward gift from Sammye Jo. Oohhh... So cute... a package of pink letters with polka dots on them and a darling set of handmade buttons! I was so excited! Those buttons are to die for! And, how cute is that pink and green packaging she tucked the buttons into?

That's it for today! I've got to get packing! I hope to have lots more to share when I get back Sunday evening!

Happy Birthday, Anna!

Anna is five today. FIVE. I just can't believe how time flies. She is beautiful inside and out. She is caring, loving, crafty, smart, genuine and a leader. She is stubborn and wants things her way. She can't get "talked into" much of anything. She says "no" alot, but I remind myself that that answer will be a very good answer in the teenage years. I am only looking forward to the future with her, I just hope it goes a little s l o w e r...She wanted a goldfish, so that's what she got. First, she named her "Fancy" then changed it to "Goldie." Elan has stuck his grubby little hands in the bowl more than a few times to "hold" Goldie. Uh oh...And a few pictures of her party:
Her delicious pumpkin cupcakes and all the jewelry Mamaw brought her.
This is funny: the bracelet is from the Vatican in Rome and the necklace is from the casino boat, Caesars! She was telling people that Mamaw brought her a bracelet from the "attic". Needless to say, she loved them both, but mostly because they were from Mamaw.
Anna's best friend, Molly. Molly's shirt says "best friend" and gave Anna the same one for her birthday. That was so cute I almost cried!

And this sweet thing, carefully opening her birthday cards. She absolutely adored each and every handmade card that her friends made for her. This card she is holding is from my niece, Kendall. She made her a birthday card with a turtle (Douglas) on the front. Anna loved it so much she hugged it! They are already carefully tucked away in her special letter box. I love that she appreciates all the handmade items made for her and appreciates the time and effort put into them.

Happy Birthday, Anna! I love you so much and five is going to be great! Love, Mommy.

Anna's Invitation

Good morning, friends! It's going to be a busy weekend, so I thought I better post now, just in case time gets away from me!

Anna turns five on Monday. We are having her party tomorrow. I love it how Anna thinks Halloween is a celebration for her since her birthday is in October! I let her pick her party theme- and it's usually a hodge podge of things all put together! Here is her invitation:
Yesterday, she got to choose her pinata (a pumpkin), paper goods (an orange plate and ghost napkins), goody bag items (witches fingers, eyeball pin pong balls, Chinese yo-yos, candy, etc.), and cupcakes (decorated like pumpkins). The child knows what she wants, and don't try to talk her out of it!

Thankfully, she decided against a rabbit as a gift. She wants a goldfish. Like Elmo's Dorothy. Sounds great! And easy! So, today I will be getting a super cool fish bowl with pink rocks and a plant to put a goldfish in.

I have lots of crafting to do today as well. I hope to post those creations late today or tomorrow morning. So, keep warm, snuggle under a blanket and sip some hot cocoa or coffee and enjoy today.

Blog Awards!

Y'all are too cute! I got two bloggy awards this week!
The first one came from my southern sister, Sammye Jo. Thanks, girl! Love her blog and all her creations! She has always got somethin' crafty cookin' over at 62 Cards! She truly is an Xxtraordinary Blogger- she never misses a beat- seriously! If her husband is in surgery, her little one is sick, in laws in town, that Sammye Jo still has a blog post!

I would like to pass along this award to:

Lucy, Steph Zerbe, Lauren, Heidi and Kathy

The second one came from my blog friend, Diane. Diane is a wonderful crafter and her cards are amazing! She even sent Mac one of her fab creations for choosing her name as a blog candy winner! He was thrilled and it made his day! Thank you, Diane!

I would like to pass along this bloggy award to:

Jenn W., Erin, Sweetie, Scrappin Cricut, and Kayla Renee at Scrap the Girls

Okay... since I got these bloggy awards, I am required to tell you 10 honest things about myself and then, pass it along to 5 others. Here goes:

1.) I vacuum every single day.
2.) I can not leave the house without all the beds being made. Messy bed, messy head!
3.) I try to do at least one crafty thing every day.
4.) I have 3 brothers, parents who are still married, 9 nieces and nephews and 1 on the way!
5.) My best friend is my mom.
6.) I prefer jeans and clogs in the fall/winter and dresses and flip flops in the spring/summer.
7.) My favorite feature about myself is my eyes.
8.) My favorite color changes, but I always love red, pink, green and blue. I don't like purple, but it was my favorite color when I was little!
9.) I am 5'11" and have been since 6th grade. I never minded being the tallest person in the class, or the entire school for that matter!
10.) And the biggest truth of them all... I asked out Stephen almost a dozen times before he finally asked me out himself. I set my eye on him and was determined he was the man I would marry! Seven years, 2 houses, 1 dog, a turtle and three kids, and still going strong!

So, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed some honest tid bits about myself! Thanks to Sammye Jo and Diane for giving me these special bloggy awards!

Embellishment Challenge

The Die Cuts R Us blog has a challenge every Tuesday. This week it is to make your own embellishment. I made several of these stocking embellishments for the upcoming holiday season.

For some reason, this picture looks a bit washed out. It's a little brighter in real life! I also made some with red ball fringe. The stocking measures about 2.5x4 inches and can be used on a card, gift tag, scrapbook page, etc.

Supplies: Both patterned papers are from My Minds Eye, ball fringe, satin ribbon, machine stitching.

Anna's 5th birthday (sniff, sniff...) is coming up on Monday with her party being on Sunday. I can't wait to share her invitation and goody bags! They are a hoot!

Many Thanks...

I had oral surgery yesterday. It wasn't too bad... if you like having your mouth open for 4 hours and numb for 10 hours, having about a zillion stitches, a fainting/seizure spell, and a bit of swelling and pain today. Not my idea of fun, but boy will my mouth be beautiful!

I have plenty of people to thank for helping out with my kiddos, carpools, and the dinners that have been brought- my, oh my! The food has been unbelievable! My family rocks! So, today, I was feeling well enough to get in my craft room for a while. I figured I better get a move on the thank you notes. I made these three thank yous pretty quickly. I used all the same papers (October Afternoon), just different embellishments: This glittery butterfly is from Me & My Big Ideas

This "graffiti flower" was a gift from Sammye Jo at 62 Cards. I had to use it knowing it was going to someone special who would appreciate it! ;)

These 3 fabric flowers are from Trinkets. I received them in a goody bag at a weekend crop a couple of weeks ago. I added the pink button from my stash.

And on another note, I will be mailing out my Pay It Forward gifts tomorrow! So, you girls be watching for a fun package in the mail from me! Lori, you still haven't emailed me your address! I have yours ready when you do! Profumo@bellsouth.net

Off to bed with an ice pack on my face... I'll return tomorrow!

Cute, not creepy!

I love all this Halloween paper so much that I made several more festive cards. Here is one that I love. Look at that little boys face!

And, this is a package of 8 folded notes that will be for sale on my website soon. I'm coming up with lots of new designs for the holidays. Thanks to all the Caardvarks sketches a couple weeks ago, it has inspired me to really go the extra mile to make cute, unique cards, packages and gifts.
I will be posting some holiday goods soon! I have vowed to make most of my gifts this year, so I started early! I have to be careful what I share though! ;)

Hope you get to create this weekend!

A Card, A Challenge, A Winner!

This is my Halloween card for three challenges:

Caardvarks: May Arts ribbon
Pile It On: 3-D
The Pink Elephant: Colors: black, orange, purple and white


Supplies: May Arts ribbon, button, cardstock: The Paper Source, patterned paper: Basic Grey, font: Blackadder.

And... here they are... my other 3 challenges:
Mac, Anna and Elan. Trying to get a good fall photo of them together at the park was impossible. I ended up filming a WWF match. Sheesh...

And... last but not least, I have a winner...
KIRA! Come on down! You just won a cute feltie owl and personalized note flats! Please email me with your information at profumo@bellsouth.net .

Alexander and the ...

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

Have you ever read the children's book? I had a day just like his... (maybe worse)

It started at 5:30 a.m. when Elan was yelling, "MOMMY!"

I hopped up running into his room, "Elan? Honey, what is it?"

"Mommy, is it morning?" No way...

"No, sweetie, lay down and go back to sleep. It's still very dark outside."

15 minutes pass...

"MOMMY!"

I get up again. "Yes, Elan? What's wrong?"

"My chin hurts."

"Ok, let me put some Vaseline on it. Now, lay down and get cozy and go back to sleep."

15 more minutes pass...

"MOMMY!... MOMMY!... Mommy! Mom?

Grrr... "Elan. It is the middle of the night. You need to go back to sleep. This is crazy! You are going to wake up Mac and Anna! What is wrong this time?"

"I have a booger."

"Well, it will have to wait until morning."

15 more minutes pass...

"MOMMY! MOMMY! MOMMY!... Mommy! Mommy!..."

He apparently isn't going to go back to sleep...

"ELAN! Mommy has had enough! This is ridiculous! I have been up 4 times in 45 minutes. Let's get up. You are going to be so tired today..."

I get him in a comfy chair, turn on Disney Channel and warm up a cup of milk. I hand it to him and he starts to cry.

"I want to go back to bed! I'm tired! I don't want milk! I don't want to watch a show!"

Oh boy, buddy... You are going to sit there and watch a show and drink your milk if I have to tie you down to do it...

"Elan, if you want to go to bed, then go, but I am up for the day."

So, he marches himself upstairs at 6:15 and climbs back into his crib and sleeps for 2 more hours.

************

Then, I find out I have to have surgery on Monday morning on 8 teeth. I have some serious gum recession... so bad I have to have donated gum tissue. Yes, a cadaver in my mouth. Eww...

************

We go to the park today because it's gorgeous and I take my camera along in hopes to get a great fall shot of the kids. Literally, it turned into a wrestling match. I'll post those WWF pics tomorrow.

************

On the way home, car crash. Yep, I totally ran into the back of someone. Kids crying, cops flying, mommy sighing... can this day get any worse?

************

I think it's official: I am a worn out, frazzled mommy. I'd be happy to be a glutton on dark chocolate, then drown in a pool of stout beer.

Show and Share

Hi there! Last week, a glorious package came for me in the mail. It was a huge box of Halloween goodies that I won on a blog. It was full of 12x12 Bazzil cardstock, the new line of Basic Grey Halloween papers and stickers, ribbons, stamps and even foam adhesive. Seriously? I was super excited. I immediately made a thank you note to send out to the generous blogger that I won it from. This is what I made and everything I used was from the box of goodies that I received! And, to keep with the Halloween theme, here is my favorite collection of decorations. This is in my foyer. I love my new and vintage pumpkins and it gives the entrance to my home such a warm feel!

A closer look at those cute jack-o-lanterns...And that's all for show and share.

Don't forget about my giveaway! I'll draw a winner on Thursday. For what you can win and all the details, click here.

Giveaway Day!

Good Monday morning all you crafty people! Today is giveaway day! Yay! It's a good one and fall inspired:One lucky chic will get a set of 12 note flats and envelopes, personalized with their name (or someone else's) and a new owl feltie. This "Autumn Owl" is brand spankin' new and not even in the Etsy shop yet! So, you ask, how do you win this cool prize? I'll tell ya'...

1.) FOLLOW this blog. But, only if you think it's cool and inspiring! You click on "follow" at the right and it will prompt you from there. (FYI, Lots of people use their Facebook pic.) If you are already a follower, you are already automatically entered.

2.) To increase your chances, post this giveaway on YOUR BLOG and try to spread the word! Share the love! If you post it on your blogaroo, be sure to comment at the end of this post so I can drop your name in twice!!!

I will choose a random winner on Thursday, October 8! Good luck!

Rainy Day = Crafting!

It's raining and a chilly fall day. Perfect for staying home and doing crafts/projects and putting out all my fall and Halloween decorations. It's the start of a new month, and October is my favorite time of the year! October brings: Anna's birthday (19th), my brother Nate's birthday (4th), Halloween, World Card Making Day (tomorrow), leaves turning beautiful colors and a crisp, clean, chill in the air. I just love it!

To celebrate my love for October, I'm having another giveaway! It's one you won't want to miss! So, stay tuned for details, and a pic of what you could win! (Hint: it will be a hoot if you get picked!)

Photo: Elan in the rain. He wears this fireman gear even when it's not raining. Photo taken in July 2009.

It's Cloudy Here...

I feel like I'm in school again and I didn't make the varsity team...

Didn't win a prize...
Didn't make honorable mention...
Didn't win...

There will always be next time.

Please visit Caardvarks blog to see who did make the Design Team- they TOTALLY deserved it! The two ladies they chose did amazing work!! Congrats to them! Can't wait to see all the upcoming cards they create.

And for today, a card I made yesterday for a friend who is having a rough time, which is also appropriate for today's post:

The inside reads: "Hope you find sunshine on a cloudy day..."

Supplies: Cloud and Yellow Stripe Paper, My Little Shoebox; Yellow Paper, Core'dinations; Button, Thread, Scrap orange paper, Sunshine Stamp by Snag 'em Stamps.