Pimping Out a Pinterest Project

Some friends of mine and I saw this on Pinterest

Cute, Right?  I don't think she made these.  You can check out her post here.

Perhaps she did.  She has an adorable etsy shop for banners and cute wooden signs that you can see here and here on Pinterest.

Kathy knows how to cut wood.  I, DO NOT!  Great to have talented friends, right?

She agreed to make the pattern and cut the wood if I would work my magic

(her words, not mine) and Sharlynn, Tracie, Kathy and I would get together to make them at my place.  Shar was sick (poor Shar) so we made her a kit,

but Tracie, Kathy and I had a blast last night and this is the

PIMPED OUT PINTEREST PROJECT 

we came up with.  They would tell you I came up with. . . 

They're probably right, but having their energy helped me out a lot!

 All together

 On my piano with the flash on

all natural light. . . lovely I think!

We decided we loved them so much we are making a new set for the 4th of July and a set for Halloween, just because they will be soooo much fun to make!

Shar we missed you!  Kathy and Tracie, thank you!  Love you all!

Merry Christmas!

Just in Time For Christmas! $50 Shutterfly Credit Giveaway! PLUS a chance to win more prizes from Shutterfly!

Want to win?   Keep reading!  To Go to Shutterfly, Click the Photo Above. 

I was invited to a wonderful dinner on Thursday with several AZ blogger friends (all of whom are much more famous than I! CraftyVanessa,  JenkinsKidFarm,  PinkCakePlate, MeAndMyInsanity, APlaceForUS, MinefortheMaking, Mrs.Celebration )  We got to enjoy an awesome evening at Oregano's in Scottsdale and see all of the awesome Shutterfly Christmas Cards up close and personal!  They are truly beautiful.  Lots of Shutterfly Discount Codes are available right now too!  Try SHIP50 (free shipping at $50+) and CARD30 for 30% off select Christmas cards!

We ate:

and ate:

 

and laughed:

 And Shared:

I was asked to share my secret for getting my kids to pose and smile for great photos.  As you can see by this older Christmas photo shoot  they don't always smile. . . sometimes they make faces, and sometimes they are just cheesy!  I put these photos on a canvas so I definitely think they are #cardworthy! 

The secret that works for my kids (especially the boys) is FOOD!  I am not too proud to let you all know that I BRIBE my kids. . . regularly. . . It was shared at the event by CraftyVanessa that Marshmallows work well for her!  For more ideas on Family Photo Day click  HERE.

So, how do you win? 

Post a comment below tell me your secret for getting your family to pose and smile.  For additional chances to win share this post on FACEBOOK,  GOOGLE+, TWITTER, PINTEREST or INSTAGRAM (one additional entry for each share) and follow one or all of the following Shutterfly Social Media Links.  Let me know how many entries you deserve (and we'll check up on you!).  Drawing will be held on December 11th so hurry!!!

§  Twitter: http://twitter.com/Shutterfly

§  Facebook: http://facebook.com/Shutterfly

§  Google+: https://plus.google.com/+shutterfly

§  Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/shutterfly/

§  Instagram: http://instagram.com/shutterfly

Want to win even more?  Click below to enter the Cardworthy Photo Sweepstakes!

Merry Christmas!  Hope you have the best holiday ever!  My Shutterfly Cards will be in the mail soon!

The Makings of a Young Women Handout

I am often asked where I come up with the ideas 

for my Young Women handouts.  

While I do LOVE making them 

and I LOVE when they turn out better than I had envisioned, 

I don't know that I truly have a secret for coming up with the idea.

Usually, I start with the lesson. 

 All of my lessons are found at lds.org.  

This year we are on Manual 3.  

I usually figure out what part of the lesson I want the girls to remember 

and then I locate a thought, quote or scripture that enforces that lesson.

For Easter I knew I wanted to focus on the YW Values 

and so I went hunting for Easter candy.   

I bought oodles of jelly beans in YW Value colors 

(no such thing as gold jelly beans- hence the golden-Carmel filled egg) 

and I also knew I wanted to use the Lamb to represent the Lamb of God.

Later I thought about what I wanted them to think about who they are

 in relationship to the message of Easter. . .I wrote this:

This Easter place your values where your mouth is!  

Stand as a witness of God at all times 

and in all things and in all places 

as you bear witness of the divine mission of the Lamb of God.  

Be thou an example of the believers. 

 (All paraphrased from the YW Theme, YW Values and 1 Timothy 4:12)

I already had these Wilton disposable icing tubes which are

already ideally shaped for Easter!

I composed my text into the shape of the "carrot" and placed

it on this Cyrstal Wilkerson Houndstooth  digital paper.

Then I made the Happy Easter tag!  

I used CTMH Splendor paper and some 

miscellaneous CTMH Stamps.

Some green ribbon for the carrot -

all with a little help from my Freckle-Faced Strawberry

and there's the magic!

Breaking the Streak . . .

I was on a roll, just not rolling on the right hill.
I'm not counting the number of consecutive days I didn't blog. . . 
I'm just going to get back on track.


Take time to be creative every day.

April Card Class

 One of my Faves
Green, Black and Cream with vintage aging. . . yummy!

Astounding Generosity!

 Fun color combination and I don't like purple!

For a Friend

 I think this was my personal favorite! Water brush, dye ink painting technique.

It's Your Day

The Class liked this one!

Beautiful Spring

Mother's Day Apron - It's an open-able card and a refrigerator magnet.

I based this off the BBQ Grill Apron that's been around for a few years now.

Mother's Apron

Another Class Favorite - Brown and Red, always a classic!

Love Tree

I aM nOt SUrE WhAt WiLl FRIgHteN YoU MOrE. . .

The art that I'm posting 

which is certainly SPOOKY! 

or the fact that I am posting at all! 

 I would love to say that my absence is all from lack of time, 

and while time certainly has been a factor,

 truthfully, its more FEAR; 

the fear of rejection. . . 

the fear that no one cares if I post,. . . 

and the fear that no one cares if I'm even here. 

It scares me. 

 I'm sure on the surface we all look like we have it all together,

 but I don't. 

 You see, lately, 

I've had more in my life 

and on my plate 

that I feel I can cope with and adding it to for any reason 

would be more than I am able to bear. 

 Sad, but true. . . 

I wish I didn't allow fear in my heart 

except for maybe an occasional spook house on Halloween.

Now, I've opened up. . . FEAR an All.

Hope I didn't Scare you all right away.

 Scared or not, here is my post. 

 This was my Trick or Treat class Friday night.

Boo Crew Board Book

Cover of Boo Crew Board Book

Back of Boo Crew Mini Board Back

12X12 One Sheet Wonder Box

Candy Box

Candy Box Back

Candy Box Side 2

Boo Bag

I Can Color!

Finally!  40 years old and I learned how to color!

Thanks Jen for the FANTASTIC class!

Wish I could come to the next class,

but fortunately for me, my feet 

will be planted firmly on the Southern California 

sandy beach!  Laguna Beach, here we come!

In real life it looks like I painted it.  I am so happy with the results.

I cam home and looked at some other things I've colored...

hmmmmmmmm. . . let's just say. . . 

not so pretty.  Copics are worth it. . .

at least to a paper and ink enthusiast like myself.

Hopefully I can hone my skills from here!

Agency Is a Gift

Another Set of Young Women Handouts.  
What I CHEWS to be is up to me.  Agency is a gift.  See 2 Nephi 2:27
These are from last week's lesson on Agency.
Young Women Manual 2, Lesson 28


They were a hit.  Just to carry the theme a bit
farther, I used different flavors of gum.


The lesson was on using our agency to make good choices.
When you make a choice,
 the consequence-
good or bad-
is fixed to the choice.


Not that any gum can be "bad," but some flavors
are definitely not favored by 12 and 13 year olds!


Enjoy!

An Apple A Day!

Another Young Women Handout. . . Had fun making them!

Cricut Apple

The Lesson was on sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ

just by being a friend.

"Just" Jessica Turns 9 - Happy Birthday Girl!

Just Jessica is how we explain this amazingly wonderful, extremely talented, wildly outrageous bundle of girl she is and the wildly exasperating and often mind bending things she challenges us with.   No one else could be, well, Jessica!  Truly coincidentally (or maybe not so) Jessica was asked to speak today in primary.  The topic is the first line of her talk.  There wasn't a dry eyed adult in the room.  Love you girl!!!


Jessica's Talk for Sunday, August 8th

Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He is a God of miracles.  We all know of stories in the bible where Jesus worked miracles for others, but he still works miracles today.  I know that this is true.  I know it is true because Jesus Christ has worked a miracle for me.

9 years ago today I was born in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The same day I was born my mom was at gymnastics with a friend watching Mikensee at her practice.  They were discussing the desire of my mom's heart to have a baby.  For several years my mom, dad and sister had prayed for a baby girl to come into their lives.  They tried to adopt several children through the state, but something always happened and they had to say good-bye to several kids that they loved.  Because of this they were very sad, but continued to have faith that God would work a miracle for them.  A stranger, sitting behind them overheard their conversation and asked my mom if she heard her right.  "Are you trying to adopt a baby?" she asked. 

My mom said,  "Yes, why do you ask?."

The woman proceeded to tell my mom that her sister was an adoption specialist in Utah and then asked, "Are you a Mormon?"

My mom's heart sank.  They had been passed by for other adoptions and had been told by some agencies that they wouldn't even work with her because of her membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  She knew she couldn't lie and said, "Why yes I am, is that a problem?"

The woman said, "No!  We are too!"  They were both relieved.  She gave my mom her sister's number and once they got home my mom called her right away. 

The woman's sister was an adoption specialist for children with medical needs.  My mom was a little sad and told the woman, that while she really, really wanted to be a mother to another baby she didn't think she was strong enough to adopt a baby that would have to spend so much time in hospitals and at doctor's appointments.  The woman asked if she would have a problem adopting a baby of a different color.  My mom said "Absolutely not!"  The kind woman gave my mom the name and number of a friend who only worked at adopting babies with the same skin color as mine.  My mom was so excited.  She called TLC Adoptions immediately!  The agency sent her the paperwork to begin the process and my mom and dad stayed up almost all night filling out the paperwork.  Early the next morning my mom received a call.  It was TLC Adoptions.  They said a baby girl had been born the night before and that the family that was going to adopt the baby had changed their mind due to some other circumstances.  She told my mom that if our family wanted to adopt the baby girl that she would need to complete the paperwork, arrange to speak to my biological mother on the phone and be on an airplane to Indiana that day.  My mom cried with joy and excitement.  She hung up the phone hugged and cried with Mikensee, called my dad and then her mother.  Everyone went to work and she was on a plane that night to meet me.    After almost 5 years of prayers and effort my family had me.  I was a miracle and so were the circumstances under which we were united.

I have no doubt that my family is mine.  I don't know why I had to come to this earth with a different biological mother, but I know it doesn't matter.  I know my mom is my mom and that she always has been.  I know that when we were sealed in the temple my blood became the same as theirs and that they are my family.

I know Jesus is the son of God and the He IS a God of Miracles.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN.

Don't Fall Over Just Yet. . .

I know that if you are still out there, hanging with me,

you are most likely falling off your chair!

The thought of an actual post gracing the pages of my

 blog. . . I know I am!  Truly, it's not for lack of material.
 My life, is, as always, eventful and somewhat creative. . .
it's just also short on the time spectrum!  

On Tuesday we had a back to school swimming pot luck and party 

for the young women in our ward.  I had a cute idea to send them 

back to school with something to remind them of who they are. . .
 and that they are oh so important!  I hope you like them!  
The girls seemed pleased.  I also made one for each of my kids.
 I will attempt to sneak them in their backpacks the 

day they start school this year. . . shhhhhh, don't tell them!

Finished Project

Mini Squeeze - Drink Mix and Water

Cutesy Note
Hope you have a Beary Grand year.  Have a treat and a squeeze to get you through your first day.

Most of the product was CTMH,
but I did make the card using Digital Technology.  :)
 I'm so tech savvy!  LOL!

I won't promise anything, 
but I'll try to get 15 minutes of blogging
in a few times a week.  
Not that anything I have is worth your 15 minutes,
but as always, this isn't about you. . . 
(that was my 3 seconds of evil for the year!)

Love ya!  and if you are still around, 
you must really love me!

Time Out For Women - Hope Project

I am so thrilled to be a part of this great organization again this year!

Time Out for Women 2010

Phoenix, AZ

Friday, October 15, 2010

6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

9:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Phoenix Convention Center

South Ballroom, South Building

Jefferson & 3rd

Phoenix, AZ 85004 US

Happy 60th Birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful Mother.

Today she is 60.

She won't be embarrassed I told you, nor should she be!

Isn't she beautiful?

Everything I am I contribute to my loving Father in Heaven

and my Mom.

I'm so thankful for her!

Here we are together last year when she turned 59.

I'll be 40 this year. . . 

I remember when she was 40.

I hope I am as good and strong and beautiful

at 60 as she is today.

Love you Mom.  Looking forward to our celebration later!!!