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Forest Gump-in’ it

I used to consider myself fairly intelligent. I even have old report cards and degrees to back this up, gathering dust most likely in an attic somewhere. I was never the valedictorian of any class, but just as any self-respecting first child perfectionist I took pride in not being stupid either. Lately, however, I feel like I am regressing or should be required to revisit my previous assumption of above standard intellect, and here is why:

I have become the whipping boy of “Words with Friends”. If you want an easy defeat, challenge me.

Why am I so bad? I have no idea. I seem to fare okay whenever I play an actual game of Scrabble, but lately my opponents have not completed elementary school so my standards have fallen over the last few years.

Add to this sudden drop in intelligence a feeling of always being organizationally challenged, and I find I am really starting to wonder if I’m not a lot dumber than I thought.

So if you see me reading my dictionary app on my phone, you’ll know why.

Monkey in the Mirror

It is official... I have become a dyed in the wool cynic. Even if it isn't always necessary, I find this skeptical approach is almost always in my best interest and often for the protection of my health, sanity, and safety.

Here are just a few examples:

· Commercials Lie

I saw a commercial today for some vacuum cleaner that said high traffic areas like stairs should be vacuumed twice a week. Twice a week or 104 times per year! (As if I have enough time and energy to manage once a week on a regular basis.) Obviously this is a marketing ploy to either make me feel like my house is a cesspool of bacteria and disease (which it probably is, if I remember even a smidge of my high school biology and chemistry), or to cause me to overuse my vacuum and eventually force me to replace it more quickly than the normal lifespan.

· People Overexaggerate

I'm not talking about a little creative license but a full-fledged fib fest. Normally most embellishment seems to come in the format of magnifying the difficulties of a situation to an absurd degree, but face it, we all know we tend to do it ourselves sometimes, so it stands to reason that everyone does it sometimes. The more dramatic the personality, the more often this habit will occur in the regular course of the day.

And perhaps some individuals really do lead lives that would put a daytime soap opera to shame, but I highly doubt it. Honestly I think the majority of us need to learn to reign it in a bit more when we start to get all worked up. Believe it or not, the world will not come to an end just because our insert major appliance here is on the fritz again (although it may feel like it) and there is little scientific evidence to support the claim that anyone's head has actually imploded due to sinus pressure or seasonal allergies (no matter how miserable we may feel). Turning a headache into a migraine may give it that extra pizzazz, but I'm starting to wonder how I am supposed to tell when something is important when everything and everyone on the information super highway wants to be a flashing neon sign.

· Everyone has an agenda

With the new age of social networking, it seems like everyone has an agenda these days. If we aren't actually selling something, we are selling ourselves. The physical items can be services rendered or consumer goods, but somehow those at least feel more honest to me. The sales agendas that concern me the most are the constant barrage of people trying to sell themselves as the world's best parent (or cook or organizer or decorator or Christian or minimalist)... you name it, someone's out there claiming it for their own. It all feels very reminiscent of high school... and not in the good way.

Generally laying claim to our skills and talents doesn't sound so bad, but very few people seem to show the other side of the coin, the time lost or consequent cost of these superior abilities. And since this isn't high school, we only see the side presented to us rather than the cheerleader or jock falling on their face in the cafeteria or the valedictorian having a nervous breakdown the week of final exams. It seems like there are no equalizers in this social networking sphere. We are who we say we are, or more importantly we aren't what we choose to leave out of our profile. Suddenly what we say has more power than we realize when it can go across the world into places we've never dreamed of visiting. I don't know about you, but I think that kind of power is scary and should carry some kind of warning label with it.

· People are not that dumb

Call me crazy, but I refuse to believe the population of the world is as stupid as our media sources are determined to paint us. Yes, I'm certain there are some really dull sticks in the bunch, but overall I choose to believe the majority are too busy to spend every waking moment becoming camera ready or wasting time blindly pursuing perfection. Hopefully the lion's share are chasing their dreams and following their bliss, in whatever package it presents itself, rather than worrying if the outside wrapping is in pristine condition or not.

For me, I guess it just feels like everyone is trying to become the next Martha Stewart or Oprah or whoever the next one name mogul is going to be, as if everyone just happens to have a communications and graphic design degree to help them best highlight their everyday life endeavors. If I have a choice I'd rather pick the faithfully flawed individuals in my life over the glossy artificial examples constantly swirling around in this media-centered world.

So while I haven't completely given up on soap or dental hygiene or become a complete misanthrope, I haven't absolutely ruled out buying a mountain all of my own to live on or installing a moat around the house. I'm almost sure if I look hard enough, someone has already had that idea and put an easy to follow step-by-step guide on how to make your own moat in 10 easy-to-read steps with an picture diagram to boot.

Me and my Harry Potter happy place…

We have been enjoying a countdown at our house for weeks now to prepare for the release of the latest Harry Potter movie to DVD. The kids are desperate to see this latest installment in the series, and although Hubbie and I went to the theater to see it we were hesitant to take the kids. The snake alone about did me in (along with poor Hubbie’s arm) and I knew what to expect, technically, having read the book many times already! So we compromised and said they could see the DVD under our watchful eyes and twitchy remote fingers. Snack and bathroom breaks will be planned according to age and maturity level to mediate any lingering concern over subject matter, but overall our anticipation is at an all-time high alert.

Regardless of movie logistics though, I am a loyal, loyal fan of the books and movies. It is a well-known fact at our house that this series re-ignited my zest for reading more than a decade ago and I have read each book many times. We also watch the movie marathons on the Family Channel often (even though we have all the DVDs at home) and the entire series has wormed its way into our family's vernacular. We are definitely Potter fanatics at our house!

So in final preparation I finished re-reading the seventh book yesterday and laughed at myself as I cried through the final battle scene AGAIN, not because I didn’t know what was going to happen or because I didn’t like the ending, but because it was just so darn beautiful. I did, however, have a hard time explaining this reaction to my children, who wanted me to account for exactly what part made me cry and why. Children’s literature this series may be, but what a wonderfully complex and compelling story for our children to grow up around!

I just cannot fully express my love for this story. It is beautiful and gripping and J.K. Rowling does a fabulous job capturing every age and its corresponding maturity level with amazing accuracy. For example her portrayal of the age of fifteen, when you feel like the whole world is determined to keep you a child forever no matter how grown up you feel on the inside, is so persuasive. It makes you wonder if she was rereading her own diary as she went along because every age is captured with eerie precision. But besides the plot twists and character arcs, what I love most about the Harry Potter series is that LOVE is the central, most powerful force in a land of magical forces and mysterious challenges. Love, friendship, family, and compassion reign supreme in a story many falsely condemn without actually taking the time to read it. Everything about the lore of the magic hinges on love and compassion. Love is all conquering. Power is not wicked alone, but the pursuit of power for personal gain is a slippery slope toward evilness. The truly powerful are those who protect others out of love, compassion, and sometimes even grief. Weighty subjects, yes, but important lessons for us all.

So today I'd like to thank the group of religious zealots that so determinedly advocated the Harry Potter series was "the devil's handbook" and "a manual for witchcraft" back in 2000. The controversy they publicized was so fanatical and bizarre that it piqued my interest into a topic I'd previously been completely unaware of and started me down this wholly stimulating and rewarding path. If not for the persistence of some to find fault and place blame for all the evils of the world inside a fairly new children's book series, I would have missed out on a wonderful story. (And for the record, I think God has a heck of a sense of humor or else there would be a whole lot more smiting in this world we live in!) So thank you again to all the zealots and fanatics! This is definitely one of those times I believe someone was digging through a pile of diamonds to find a speck of dirt, but I appreciate the effort all the same.

Important or Urgent?

I am ever so optimistically proud of myself so far this week. I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot in the name of my new year’s resolution on several fronts, and I’ve found a new tool.

Is this important or urgent? 

This is my new mantra. Sometimes it can be both, but sometimes something is just urgent while being really unimportant in the grand scheme of life. I like my new mantra. It’s helping me come to grips with my standards and expectations with a whole new perspective.

For one, I have bagged up 195 clothing items to take to Goodwill. And if it would stop with the the rainy drizzle, I might actually even manage to get everything dropped off this week too. I can’t even go into why there were 195 unnecessary clothing items in my home. There just isn’t a good answer to be found… kids grow, adults lose weight and change sizes, but none of it lets me off the hook for the amount of clutter we have been collecting in our closets. Shame on me.

Two, I threw away (THREW AWAY) three pairs of flip flops, multiple orphaned socks, and ratty underwear. Normally I do not throw clothing items away. I didn’t think I had that bone in my body, always thinking someone somewhere might find my worn out things useful. We even use old t-shirts in the garage for messy projects (for crying out loud!), but this is one of the many lies I’ve decided to finally retire.

My crud is literally just crud, toss it, move on.

Three, daughter has eaten at school for the last few days and NO ALLERGY EMERGENCIES have emerged so far!!!

Actually this totally should be number one in the scheme of things, but I digress. It took some Lamaze breathing on my part, a grandparent standing by when I wasn’t within a half minute drive of the school, and several antsy communications to pre-warn her teacher of possible impending doom, but the triumphant smile on my daughters face after her first day of being just like all the other kids in her class was priceless.

I have since then thanked all the ladies involved in watching out for my daughter’s well-being (in person), and call me romantic, but I believe these women are honestly looking out for her best interests. God has certainly blessed us in this arena.

Four, I went to my son’s first spelling bee last week. I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal for me personally, and had even tried to reign in his enthusiasm in the hopes of diverting a broken heart when he ultimately didn’t win the bee. Can we say buzz kill? Instead I lost about three years off my own life while I held my breath the entire time my child took his turn, every time. I was more proud of his efforts to remain calm and master his nerves than I can possibly express, and my little boy came in FOURTH place!

No, he did not out and out win, but he was the top boy speller in the whole school (since the top three were all girls). This little fact of gender has put my son on cloud nine and forced me to reassess my instincts. Yes, we worked on preparing for the spelling bee, quizzing him at dinner times and talking about how to channel your own sense of calm, but in the end it was my son who made the extra effort. He’s the one who wrote all the words on the preparatory list one last time the day before the bee.

Even more amazing, he’s the only child who managed to spell a word he couldn’t pronounce. I’m still at a loss for how you manage to spell a word you can’t say, but he did. And I am the proudest parent on the planet. I doubt I could be prouder if he had actually won first place. We’ve made a huge deal of his success at home and to channel my beloved Harry Potter, my son is definitely head boy by my standards.

So there it is, a good start to the week (and I didn’t even mention my son’s plans to have a chef salad today for lunch). I’m learning to focus on the important instead of the urgent, and miraculously it seems to highlight the good things in my life.

The muddy dog foot prints seem urgent, but really they just aren’t that important.

Noticing my daughter and husband curled up watching cartoons together yesterday… totally important, although not remotely urgent.

You see… I’m getting the hang of it slowly. Grandma Moo Cows would be proud, and that is really saying something.

 

 

 

New Year’s Resolutions and a follow-up

Lately I’ve been thinking about my self-diagnosed case of adult on-set ADHD. I don’t know if I can blame being a busy mom or if I feel even busier because of my inability to remain focused, but I imagine this is ultimately a “chicken or the egg” type of conundrum.

Also FYI, we found the two missing library books. One was hidden in the one tote bag I didn’t ransack the day I turned the house upside down (because I didn’t find the bag), but the other was hiding, HIDING I tell you… in the bookshelf in the playroom. Yes, I know what you are thinking. How dare a book do the inconsiderate thing of putting itself away properly!!!

Did I trust my children when they said they looked on the bookshelf? Yes, I did. My mistake.

Was this search for “hidden” books a symbol of how we live our lives in our house? I’m sorry to say, it probably is.

And so I’ve realized that something has to change. And that something mostly likely will have to start with me. I have recognized that I am constantly left feeling frazzled and less than focused. Too many times I have walked around the house looking for something that I should know where I put it, or I have remembered putting something away in the “perfect place” to later realize I have no earthly idea where said object is hiding.

Realistically it is time to admit that I’m doing too much, stretching my focus too far, and leaving myself and my family to suffer for my shortcomings. I’ve got to learn how to say “NO” and mean it. No more guilt, no more regret. I have limits, I am only human, and God still loves me even though I’m just little old me.

So that’s my super small, super easy new year’s resolution for 2011. I’m going to learn how to say “no” with a smile on my face and without letting guilt and remorse weasel their way into my heart. Yes, I would like to do everything possible for everyone, but no it isn’t going to happen. At best I’m going to make a lot of promises and fall short on most of them. So I’m choosing door number three. I want to be the woman who says yes to very little, but performs spectacularly on those few things.

If God has a sense of humor, he must be rolling around up there as he watches type A, wound tight me trying to reign in my perfectionism and “take charge” personality. I’m going to need His humor when I start saying (and meaning) these “no, thank you” responses to church and school and kids and friends and family. This is a resolution that is really going to really test me, but I’m going to do my best.

Romans 9:28

“God doesn’t count us: he calls us by name. Arithmetic is not his focus.”

The Irony of Recycling

At the beginning of each year, I get all jazzed to “pair down”. I know this is just how my brain works each January after a crazed December of giving and getting. During this time of year, it is not unheard of for me to stock up on the latest tomes from the local library on cutting clutter for the organizationally challenged individuals. I should note, however, that while I may hunt for the elusive “fix” for all my disorganization, I am obviously not alone. The library is constantly acquiring new books for me to peruse on the subject for any nuggets of wisdom I might not have already heard.

But my lack of success in this arena is not the issue at the moment though. My issue is that it appears I have lost a book called Reduce, Reuse, Recycle from the library. I find this ironic, since I swear I have a memory of returning it last week along with several other books. But the library checked their stacks and my friendly librarian can’t find it either, so currently the fault is lying at my door. 

What’s worse is that I didn’t even read the stinking book. It was a little yellow book with the recycling triangle on the front, and my daughter liked the picture on the cover and took it home to enjoy looking at the rest of its pictures. No one actually read the darn thing, and yet I am ripping through the house trying to figure out where it could have been misplaced.

I find this entire situation ironic. Perhaps if I had the read the little yellow book in the first place, I might not find myself in this current predicament?

New Years, Potties, and Perceptions

Recently in Beth Moore bible study focused on gaining wisdom, I was challenged to change my perspective on my life interactions. We discussed the concept that we are, as individuals, in charge of how we choose to view the world and our personal interactions. In theory this all sounds quite reasonable, but in practice I find it is sometimes harder than it sounds to change my inner monologue.

Today, for example, has not gone nearly anything like I planned… computer files playing hide and seek, persnickety programs, a medical resources tango, and a daughter itching to get to her scheduled afternoon play date have left me in a down in the dumps kind of mood.  The world isn’t coming to an end, but I’m finding these unexpected challenges emotionally draining today. Unfortunately recognizing this and changing my perceptions are not so easily interchangeable.

So instead I’m going to take a break, have a corndog with the world’s best daughter, and remind myself to laugh at the idiosyncrasies of life.

For example yesterday the above mentioned daughter cried in my lap because her very mean, very bossy big brother told her she could not clean the potty, because he had already completed said task. Yes, there were actual tears spilled over whether certain individuals would be allowed to enjoy scrubbing the porcelain water closet. In the end, windows were washed, rooms were vacuumed, surfaces were swiped, half a container of sanitizing wipes were used, and the whole house smelled of disinfectant.

Would I swear the bathrooms were thoroughly cleaned? Probably not. Did the kids attack the dirt and grime with gusto? Absolutely. Did I ever think I would have to mediate a squabble over who is privileged enough to clean the potty? Never.

So there we have it. Life is weird and wholly unexpected.

 

Galatians 5:22 (The Message)

But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard---things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people.

HGTV's DesignStar... I won!

Well not really, but I feel vindicated all the same. Emily on the show called Design Star on HGTV won the other night. I don’t actually know what night, since I don’t watch anything in “real time” anymore. (Whoever invented the DVR really should receive some electronic equivalent of the Nobel Peace prize.)

Anyway Emily Henderson was cute and quirky and won, I believe, for her inspired idea of a show called Style to Lifestyle. I call this idea inspired because I honestly thought the idea was great a few weeks before I even heard of her show’s inspiration. Call it coincidental timing, whatever… I won’t say I came up with the idea first, because I’m sure I really didn’t. Also we might be distantly related, as I know there is a Henderson branch on my tree a few limbs back. Anyway, she takes a look at your wardrobe or Style and then turns that into her inspiration for your home or Lifestyle. Sounds perfect.

And to make it even better, she’s working on the co-creator of “Glee”, Ian Brennan, and his home next, airing Sunday, August 29 at 10 ET. I’ll definitely be watching. Not Sunday at 10pm, but you know, sometime when I have more than five minutes to spare… ok, at least by Thanksgiving.

http://www.hgtv.com/secrets-from-a-stylist/show/index.html

Duck!

Most days I realize parenting is a marathon rather than a sprint, but sometimes I believe I have become so immersed in my own head that I prevent myself from seeing the little gems of parenthood along the way. In retrospect, there have been many gems over the last two weeks.


For one, we spent last Friday in the doctor’s office getting those necessary yearly physicals and required inoculations. This is never my idea of a fun way to spend an afternoon, and I was feeling tense and distressed over the pain I knew was going to be inflicted on my babies. Now our Dr. R is a treasure and I never miss an opportunity to sing her praises, but what parent enjoys holding down their children while they wail inconsolably in pain? Personally I’ve yet to meet the first one. But even in our discomfort, I realize these doctor visits are important and enlightening.

Besides the basic physical, Dr. R asks the children a smattering of questions to gage their ability to answer her as well as discuss their responses further. I know the answers to these questions (or I should), but my responses are not the point to this exercise. Giving my children an opportunity to speak for themselves is sometimes difficult, but often I am rewarded for my efforts, like this last time when Dr. R asked my youngest, “What would you do if you saw a gun?” Not missing a beat, my child responded, “Duck!”

Now of course the conversation crisscrossed around gun safety for a minute or two following this response, but I love her instincts… Duck! This is my child at her best; uncensored, undiluted, purely instinctual and wonderful. Children don’t give PC answers and my youngest doesn’t mince words either. This is the girl who feels comfortable in a combination of frothy cotton candy pink ballerina tutu outfits and black Transformer flip flops (or my personal favorite is the tutu and purple rubber rain boots combo). Some parents might call her look peculiar, but I can’t think of any better attire for my tough princess.

You see, I often feel like I’m raising a flamingo in a world of ugly ducklings. All those ducklings are going to turn into beautiful swans someday, all looking very poised and beautiful, but still very similar. If my instincts turn out right, I believe my rocker princess isn’t going to be a swan though, because she’s already a blazing hot pink flamingo. At this rate, being a beautiful swan someday would be a step down for my independent princess. I blame my parents (of course) and the movie Shrek. My parents, because they raised me to be self-confident and now it’s spilling over into my parenting style and directly shaping my children, and Shrek, because Princess Fiona ends up being a belching, bath bubble blowing green ogre that rocks harder than any of the other less vibrant Happily Ever After princess options while still sporting a tiara the whole time. Poor Prince Charming never had a chance.

As a parent I’m certainly not alone in my resistance to mindless conformity and all it stands for, I just didn’t realize the gift this self-confidence was for my children until I was faced with a color wheel newbie the other weekend. Previously I hadn’t given much thought to how someone could get so twisted up over a couple of little old paint chips, but I can puzzle through the emotions behind it fairly easily. Change is scary, and I was pressing for what probably felt like candy colored euphoria instead of safe and comfortable monochromatic beige.

Flat beige on beige is my definition of neutrals gone bad. It’s one thing to intentionally go for a very monochromatic look, but always picking beige so you don’t have to ever make a choice, is just indecision gone amuck. The word neutral, by the way, is literally synonymous with drab, indistinct, indeterminate, and wishy-washy. I can’t say I’ve ever met anyone who’s said, “Yes, I was really going for an indistinct, wishy-washy look in this room,” but maybe those people are out there somewhere and my flagrant overuse of the color pink scares them off.

Anyway I was blessed to watch a color newbie usher in an era of cheerful color into their home recently, and in the span of a weekend I watched a little house with good bones turned into a welcoming home in front of my eyes. I saw smiles of excitement on faces that had been etched with worry lines, and it was all due to a few cans of paint and some elbow grease. Now granted the amount of elbow grease required had many of us moving a bit slower the next morning, but I’m still glad we made the effort to beat the color wheel back into submission. And I hope, just maybe, we encouraged the next generation of color wheel newbies to give color coordination a chance.

At least I know one child who needs no help in that department. Yes, she’s mine. I’m expecting to get the blame for this in about ten years, but for now I enjoy every day of our little flamingo’s fashion parade.

No nuts allowed, except the ones that live here

Once I’ve had the requisite summer family vacation I’m ready for back-to-school bins full of colorful pens and lunch boxes and I’m ready to wear jeans and cardigan sweaters again. There is very little that inspires me as much as that back corner of the Target where all the crayons, markers, and folders breed like bunnies until they overflow the bins in glorious washes of primary colors. Honestly I get more excitement out of school shopping than the kids, but then again I think I’ve earned it this year.

This year amidst the purchases of 30 glue sticks, 6 boxes of crayons, hand sanitizers, and boxes of tissue, I’ve also been stockpiling Benadryl and Epi-Pen Juniors. You see my littlest is severely allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. So for the first time instead of being completely happy at the sight of the school bus yellow bins of art supplies and pencils, I also have to fight the urge to begin hyperventilating just at the prospect of walking my child into a classroom of her fellow peers.

I like kids, but honestly I love mine best. I’ve always said that everyone prefers their own brand of crazy, and I wholeheartedly prescribe to that philosophy. I accept that what passes for normal at my house might make others cringe, but we get by just fine together. The problem comes in when I think about leaving my baby in the clutches of her grubby classmates, because while my kid often has dirty knees and has ketchup in her hair at least twice a week, I’m willing to bet there’s someone else’s kid who needs to have the PBJ washed out of theirs at night. My oldest used to be that way until the new regime came into our lives, so I know I’m not completely dreaming to believe those kids are out there.

I used to enjoy a PBJ sandwich myself, many years ago, before Mr. Peanut and all his tree nut friends were cast as the villains in our little family’s story. Now we live by a new code. It is largely unspoken in our house, but it goes something like this… do whatever it takes to keep my baby breathing! I know it sounds melodramatic, and admittedly it is a highly emotional situation for me, but I’m not exaggerating. Our oldest turned into the Nut Nazi at the age of four, because he knew big brothers protect little sisters. I’ve seen him stand toe to toe with an adult on many occasions and quiz them on the origins of a baked good before turning down a cupcake or chocolate candy, because his sister couldn’t have one too. We’ve changed our entire lives to protect and insulate our family as much as possible.

It’s scary and terrifying, but I’m doing my best to make sure I don’t show that on the outside to my kids. Mom and Dad are the adults and we’re supposed to have all the answers after all, so after a very productive conversation with our wonderful school principal this spring I’m left to stock pile preventative medicines and laminate emergency contact info before our first day.

Yes, I said OUR FIRST DAY, because anyone who thinks I’ll be capable of being remotely productive on that first day has noodles for brains. I won’t let my kids see me. I’ll find a quiet janitor’s closet to hide away and practice my long forgotten Lamaze breathing or perhaps I’ll walk the track while clutching my phone the entire time. Regardless I’ll be close by, praying she won’t need me or the stock piled emergency medicines.

So this year I think I deserve a treat. I’ve already picked it out. These new fine point Sharpies sound like my kind of must-have. If you need us, me and the Sharpies will be the in the Janitors closet.

Sweet Boy!

What Mother wouldn't love to get a wonderful card like this?

The real card is four sided but I thought the front was the best.

My son made this for me on a Tuesday...just because.

If this isn't a fine example of how easy stamping can be, I don't know what is.

Remember to remind your children that Mother's Day cards needn't be extravagant or very difficult. To me , this card is the most beautiful card I've ever received--especially becasue it was "just Tuesday".

Do you have your craft supplies out so your children can find time to be creative? If not, you should grab a cup and put some pens/pencils/marker/crayons next to a stack of paper. You'd be amazed how creative your children can be when parents give them the space to work.

My children have their own stamps, markers, paper (solid and patterned), scissors, adhesive, scrubbing pad and mist. I didn't spend much money on these supplies. Mostly they are my extra/retired stamps/scraps, and my son knows how to keep his stamps clean and put away. We are working on his sister's tidying skills, but most of all I am proud that he will spend 3 hours in his room working on beautiful treasures for his loved ones. Grandparents LOVE these treasures and he's setting a great example for little sister to learn how to make hand crafted gifts.

Post-it Clipboards w/ matching pens

Well, I couldn't help but show these cute little coaster clipboards. You can't tell by the picture, but the post-its are the perfect color of green to go with the Ginger Blossom Designer Series papers. Aren't these adorable? I can see these as cute items for birthday party treat bags or part of a teacher gift.

I made them all the same this time, but I think they would be super cute if I had varied the coordinating papers. Woulda-coulda-shoulda, right?

A Sneak Peak at Opportunities in May!!!

Get On Board with Chipboard!
May 1-31, 2008

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On Board Chipboard is a great product to help you create fun keepsakes and crafts. Here is an example of the 5x5 Art Journal I created recently. The Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter doesn't show through as much as I would like but it is beautiful on the star shape in person.

5x5 Art Journal

Colors: Groovy Gauava, Soft Sky

Embellishments: Sherbet Ribbon Originals, Soft Sky Prints Designer Series Paper, Square Rhinestone Brad, On Board Chipboard,

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How Do You Add the Sparkle? Contest

The photo doesn't show it very well, but the sentiment says,"Time spent with Friends is Time well spent". The stamps are from the Time Well Spent Hostess set in the Spring/Summer catalog. The colors are Wild Wasabi, Soft Sky, Tempting Turquoise, Only Orange, and So Saffron.

I like this card but feel like it is a little bland. I had a couple of ideas...add some ribbon, my fave rhinestone brads, some glitter...the options are endless. What would you do to give this card some pizzazz? If you make a suggestion on how to spice up this card, you can earn 10% off your next order in April. Email me today to earn your discount on your next order!

Stampin' Up! Hostess Special (March 18-April 30)

Host a Stampin Up workshop of $350 or more and earn an extra $25 in hostess awards FREE!! That’s $65 or more that you can use to purchase any product from the current Idea Book and Catalog or Occasions mini catalog. This is a great time to get your friends together for some stamping fun and earn free Stampin Up products. Call or email me for more information or to book your party.

As a special incentive, any customer to sign-up for a catalog workshop (to be closed out before April 29th) will receive a 10% discount on all her purchases in addition to this great hostess special! Host a catalog workshop of $400 or more and get a 20% discount on all your purchases! Email me today to make sure you are the lucky hostess to receive this discount.

Returning to the Blog Again...

Ok ladies, I admit it. I couldn't hack it in the big world. I have given up my professional demonstrator website for my low-tech blog. I know it was beautiful, but my computer and the website were not the best of friends. I spent too much time trying to convince them to play nice and so I've given up the website (as no one has offerred me a new computer lately.)

I hope you will be patient with me while I try to remember how to upload and all those other great doodads I've lost to my long-term memory banks.

As a new incentive I will be posting weekly contests and incentives, so if you keep an eye out you could earn free products before you know it.

More additions to inspire you to get your creative juices flowing!!

The stamp set Baby Jesus is Born is still my favorite Christmas set. I just can't get enough of it. Tis the reason for the season and all... The In Colors of Purely Pom, Wild Wasabi, and River Rock are also very beautiful as a new twist on the traditional Christmas red and green.

I also like the simplicity of the Garden Sillhouettes hostess stamp set, because it doesn't need you to focus on more than creating a great color scheme. I am especially fond of Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi, and River Rock...a very soothing mix.

Coasting through Halloween?

Now if my DS can make two cute coasters like these using smaller tiles and the Carved and Candlelit stamp set, you too can look forward to making lots of handmade gifts for friends and family this holiday season. I never have enough coasters so I am looking forward to having a multitude of options from now on. No more rings on my furniture!

If you would like to know more about how to make projects like these, contact me for more detailed information.

Heat Wave!

Well I seem to find myself wishing the summer away again. I know it isn't good to wish your life away, but there is something about a heatwave that makes you look forward to fall. I've always looked forward to buying school supplies and fall clothes, and now here I am doing it again and it isn't even me who is heading off to school. I know the year starts in January, but for me the start of school has always been the beginning of the new year.

I'm sure it doesn't help that I am currently prepping for all these holiday themed workshops. With them I'm focusing months away, but hopefully all the forward thinking will make the holidays run smooth and joyous. When I was pregnant with my DD, I was so adamant that I wouldn't let us get too caught up in the rush of the holidays. We had so much fun making cookies, taking long walks, and driving around to look for holiday lights. Soon I hope to post a slew of Holiday themed items (start of school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years) to tempt and inspire everyone way in advance! This will give everyone a chance to do what they want without forcing a strict holiday timetable....I hope.

So keep your peepers open for great new ideas and tips!