An Update

Good Morning! I just wanted to pop in with an update for those of you that stop by and visit my blog. I am going through a difficult time right now and need to take a break from stamping. More important things require my attention and stamping is going to have to take a back seat for a while. I even had to resign from my design team duties with Storage Units, Ink & More. I will be back as soon as I can (hold tight) and I will still try to visit other blogs to see what everyone is up to, as long as time allows.

I hope everyone is doing well!

Finally!

YAY! Look what Mr. Brown delivered today. I've wanted one FOREVER, so my sweet hubby gave me one for Mother's Day (along with a "MOM" necklace and a Chicago Cubs jersey; GO CUBBIES!). Actually, he let me pick it out and make the purchase myself, since he wouldn't know where to start. I purchased mine from Ebay and got a SUPER deal on it; including FREE shipping.

I sure hope this makes a difference in my photos. It should, since I've been using two pieces of white cardstock and a $4 lamp from Wal-Mart...LOL!

I'll be back tomorrow with my Fun-Frilled creation for this week. I hope everyone has a great day!

Blog Award

I received this MAKES MY HEART SMILE blog award from my fellow Fun-Frilled design team member, Morgaine. Thank you Miss Morgaine!

Here are the rules:
1. The winner may put the logo on the blog.
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 10 blogs.
4. Put links to their blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees.

Now it's my turn to nominate 10 of my favorite blogs. This is NOT EASY, so I've decided to nominate all of my fellow SUINK design team members (there are 12). They are:

Alex
Amber
Carolina
Cathleen
Chat
Colleen
Janna
Kristen
Leigh
Mary Jo
Suzanne
Tori

Tagged

Good Morning! I've been tagged by my fellow SUINK DT Member, Amber.

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you (as I did above).
2. Mention the rules.
3. Tell 6 things about yourself.
4. Tag 6 other bloggers by linking to them.
5. Go to each person's blog and leave them a comment to let them know they've been tagged.

So, here are 6 things about me (WARNING: I'm NOT that interesting...LOL):

1. I was a gymnast for 13 years. In my junior year of high school, our team took 3rd in state. BUT NOW, I can't do a cartwheel to save my life, but my husband CAN...LOL!!!

2. I LOVE PENS!!! My friends know how much I love them and usually bring me back one or two whenever they go on vacation. I have pens from all over the world. I take them from Doctor's offices and sometimes from the waitresses at restaurants (I know; HORRIBLE). I have about 5 in my purse, about 20 at work, and who knows how many at home....:) I'm what you call a "Pen Snob".

3. I have naturally curly hair, but I prefer it straight. Isn't that how is always is; you have curly hair and straighten it - you have straight hair and curl it...LOL?!?!

4. I HAVE to have coffee EVERY SINGLE morning or I am NOT a happy person.

5. I am a NAP person. I take naps every Saturday and Sunday afternoon (if there isn't something that interferes with it) and will usually sleep for at LEAST two to three hours.

6. I have put myself on a "Stamping Spending Freeze" for the time being. While organizing my stamping space a couple of weeks ago, I came across way too many things that have yet to be used; things that I purchased over a year ago; YIKES! So, I'm currently working on using up the stuff I have until I buy anything new. Let's see how long that lasts...LOL!!!

Okay, now it's time for me to tag 6 people. They are:
Michelle
Rita
Sheryl
Tina
Tracy
Wanda

New Look

Good Morning and TGIF!!!

So, what do you think of my new look; do you likey? A new year, a new blog. I LOVE IT and it's all thanks to Amber. If you are interested in a new look for your blog or maybe just a new banner, I highly suggest contacting Amber. She is super sweet and works with you ever step the way. I told her exactly what I wanted and I got it. And, she was SUPER QUICK! Her email address is: amber77k@gmail.com.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Deleted Posts & RAK

Good Evening! So, listen to what I did this afternoon. I was editing a few of my posts that had the label "Storage Units, Ink & More", because I had mispelled the label. In one brief second, I accidentally deleted three of my most recent SUINK posts (including today's post). I just sat there and stared at my computer screen for about 5 minutes; I couldn't belive it. In the past, when I've deleted a post, it asks me "are you sure?", but it didn't this time. So, I had to go back and redo all three posts and thank goodness I rememberd most of what I typed...LOL!!! You can't really tell by just glancing at my blog, except for all of the WONDERFUL comments that were left for me are gone *insert sad face*. Any who, I guess I'll have to be more careful next time.

I also have another Birthday RAK to share with you. I received this SUPER CUTE card in the mail today from my blogging buddy, Michelle. Thank you so much Michelle; I LOVE IT!!!

I'm off to get ready for a New Year's Eve party that we are going to tonight. We NEVER go anywhere on New Year's Eve unless we are spending the night there, so luckily for us, our friends four doors down are having a party this year, so we can walk...LOL!!! I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe New Year's Eve!

The Leonard Family Elves

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

100 Things I Have Done....Or Not

Good Afternoon! I hope everyone is having a good week. As I was blog hopping this morning, I came across this list on Judy's blog. I thought it would be fun to see what I have and have not done on the list. If you would like to play along, just copy and paste the list and highlight or underline the things that you have done. The things I have done are highlighted in red.

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland/World

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican (I even sang for the Pope!)

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Fostered a rescue animal (adopted)


YIKES; I have some traveling to do...LOL!!!

*ETA* - Michelle wanted to know what famous people I have met. I have met Martin Sheen and model, Niki Taylor.

Youngest SASI Fan...LOL!!!

Saturday I was at my stamping desk making a card for Taylor's Cupcake Challenge this week (which I'll post tomorrow) and had my holiday SASI stamps out. My youngest Daughter Erin (who is five) asked if I could stamp some images for her to color (she always asks me to do that when I am stamping...LOL), so I did. She took the images into her room and proceeded to color them. A little while later she came up to me and said "Mommy, come see my room". I said "I did honey, you did a great job cleaning it". She said "No mommy, you have to come take a look at it again, PLEASE???", so I did.

I walked into her room to find the CUTEST thing. She had two pieces of white computer paper and a card she made set up on her Winnie The Pooh chair like she was going to take a picture of it (like I do with my cards). Well, of course I had to take a picture of it...LOL! After I did Erin said "Mommy, take a picture of me with my card too." Then, she said "Wait, I have one more." As she was switching out her images I quietly heard her say "Steady, Steady" as if the small piece of paper was going to break if it fell on the floor; it was priceless. I laughed, told her how adorable she was, and then thought "I think she just might be the youngest SASI fan...LOL". I've attached some pictures; isn't she just the cutest?!?

Blog Award!

YAY! I received an award. This award came from Wanda at My Creative Corner! How sweet is that? Thank you for the award Wanda and thank you for visiting my blog.

In the spirit of paying it forward, I now get to nominate my favorite blogs. But, because there are SO MANY wonderful blogs out there that give me so much inspiration on a daily basis, I'm just going to list 7 of them randomly.



Here are the rules:

1. Pick 7 of your favorite blogs
2. Winners can put the logo on their blog
3. Link the person that gave your award to your blog
4. Name the 7 that you are giving an award to with their links.
5. Leave a message on their blogs, so that they know they've won!

So, here are 7 of my favorite blogs, listed in no specific order:

Taylor - Taylored Expressions
Denise - All Things Stamped
Sheryl - Stamping with Sheryl
Michelle - Mish Mash
Susan - Susiestampalot
Michele - Thoughts of a Cardmaking Scrapbooker
Jody - Confessions of a Ribbon Addict

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

I'm Here

Hello!!! For those of you that actually stop by to visit my blog; I'm still here...LOL!!! Unfortunately, stamping has had to take a back seat to everything else going on this summer. I've missed it dearly and I'm ready to get back to stamping on a regular basis. Last night I cleaned and reorganized my stamping area (for like 2 hours), so I'm good to go. I hope to start posting again early next week. In the meantime, I thought I would leave you with an adorable picture I took of my girls on the 4th of July (sorry, I couldn't resist). Till next week!

Vacation Pictures

T.G.I.F. Everyone!!! So, you're probably wondering if I even stamp anymore. I do, but haven't made anything new in weeks. My hubby and I were on vacation last week and we spent most of this week "catching up" on everything. I have some "me time" set aside tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to creating again. So, since I don't have anything new to post, I thought I would share some pictures from our vacation. We took almost 200 pictures. Of course, I'm just going to show you a handful of random ones. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Miami Skyline

A Live Starfish

My In-Laws on a Hobie Cat

Our taxi in Nassau had Louie Vitton seats

Me and my hubby on the boat over to CoCo Cay

Our ship from CoCo Cay

Beautiful Blue Water!!!

My hubby getting ready to snorkel

My In-Laws at dinner on formal night

Sunset

This & That

Well, I still haven't created anything new to post. I haven't stamped in over a week *sad face*. I've been so busy and I'm lucky if I get to sit down and relax before 9:00pm. And, at that point, I'm ready for bed. One of the reasons that I've been so busy is because my hubby and I are leaving for vacation tomorrow morning. We are taking a Royal Caribbean Cruise to the Bahamas (NO KIDS....WOO, HOO!). My Mom is flying in from Arizona tonight to watch our girls while we are gone (isn't she sweet?). I didn't realize how much you have to do to prepare for being gone for a week, especially when it comes to someone else watching your children. I'm SUPER excited and will share some pictures when I get back. Oh, and you can bet I'll be stamping on Mother's Day...LOL!!!

Last Thursday my oldest Daughter, Alicia, spent the day with my at work for Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. I had such a wonderful day with her and she had fun too. Here are some pictures I took of her. Check out that GIGANTIC slice of pizza she had for lunch.

I'm Back!

Hi Everyone!!! For those of you who used to visit my blog, you know that I stopped blogging a few months ago to focus on some things, mainly myself and my family. I'm still doing that, of course, but I missed blogging way too much, so I'M BACK!!! Did you miss me....LOL?