Lord Have Mercy!

…’Tis The Season

2013-12-17T20:47:00.000-05:00

It’s the most wonderful time of the year around the Kerin household, and I have been a busy bee getting all of the decorations and odds-and-ends together. I finished the final touch-ups today, and I’m so glad that it’s finally all done. Now I can sit back and enjoy the season and the ambiance.

We purchased the beautiful 7-foot Frasier Fur (in the picture above) from Lowe’s this year, and I decided to use the same colors and ornaments as last year…but I also decided to make more decorations to cover more of the tree this year. Here are a few ornament clusters I made using 3 various sized ornaments, ribbon, and glittery snowflakes.

After adding some new elements to the top portion of my tree, I decided not to use our star we originally purchased years ago since it didn’t match anymore…so I had to figure out what else to do. I saw large white wooden letters and teal glitter at Michael’s (that just HAPPENED to be on sale), and decided they had to go home with me. I dug out the ol’ Mod Podge and sponge brushes and coated the front side of the letter with it. Then sprinkled a generous helping of glitter over the top and brushed off the excess glitter on the side with a clean brush. Once the Mod Podge was dry, I used clear acrylic sealer to coat the front and sides. After all of THAT dried, I hot-glued two clothes pins onto the back of the letter in order to attach the “K” to the top branch of the tree. I’m soooooooo happy with the result! What do you think?

Here are the decorations for my mantle. My hubby put the wood together for the “Merry Christmas” sign, and I printed the text on top after painting it with acrylic paint and sanding it. Once the touch-ups were done with the calligraphy and the “merry” was filled in using Sharpie paint, it was sanded one more time to distress the lettering. Clear acrylic spray was used to coat the entire piece when the desired look was achieved.

The green pine garland was wrapped with white lights and affixed to a scrap piece of picture mold the length of my mantle…this way the garland will sit atop the mantle without falling off to either side, and I didn’t have to knick up my mantle with hooks or pins. I used some of the ornament clusters I had created last year and added some teal poinsettias between each cluster.

I found the large votive holders a few years ago at Kirkland’s for under $20, and had them stored in my closet. Epsom salt and clear glitter were combined to create “snow”, and various loose ornaments were dropped in atop the snow. I LOVE the look of the snow when all of the lights are off except the Christmas lights…it’s stunning!

I also found some medium-sized ornaments on teal and green at Target for a steal, and decided to put them all in one of my glass candy jars. At the last minute, I found a strand of 35-count white Christmas lights at Michael’s for $1.99 and thought they’d look great mixed in with the ornaments…and I was right!

I even decorated the outside this year using items that were either left over from last year (or years before) or items that were FREE. The wreaths were leftovers from last year as were the ribbons and ornaments that were added to them. One went between our garage bays, and the others went on the windows at the front of our house. The flower pots are holding the roots of my geraniums from this year, but they are covered with a thick layer cedar branches. I added large teal glittery and glossy ornaments (given to me by a sweet friend of mine this year) to each pot along with a few pinecones (that I stole out of my mom and dad’s yard…teeheehee), and placed one between our two garage bays and the other on our front porch.

So that’s what this Momma Bear has been up to this year for Christmas. I haven’t even begun to make all of my Christmas candy yet…I guess I’d better get on the ball! LOL! So with that, I’m headed to the kitchen to make brownies for the yahoos and read a little before I pass out for the night.

Until then…let me know what you’ve been doing different this year for Christmas and'/or the New Year!

…They Tied The Knot

2013-12-15T20:46:00.000-05:00

It’s official…they are now a family! Wishing many years of love and happiness ahead!

Until later…

…Time Flies

2013-12-01T16:15:00.000-05:00

It seems like only yesterday that this precious and beautiful little lady entered our lives, and it’s even harder to believe that she will be celebrating her 9-month birthday at the end of this week! I can’t imagine loving her more than I do today, but each passing day brings more love and affection with it. She’s my pride and joy, and she’s the apple of my eye. I’m so proud to call her mine, and so thankful that she calls me “Memma”. God is good all the time…and all the time, God is GOOD!

Until later...

…Our New Addition

2013-03-10T05:45:00.000-04:00

I would love to introduce you to Miss Kaylee Marie Gurley, my precious granddaughter. Her mother, Jordyn, gave birth to our princess this past Wednesday afternoon, March 6th. She was born at 2:20 pm, weighed 7 lbs. 3 oz., and was 20-1/2 inches long. She and her mother came home Friday…both are healthy and perfect!

Our oldest son, Christian, met and fell in love with Jordyn when she was already pregnant with our angel. I must admit that it was hard, as a mom who had become pregnant before I was married myself, to accept that my child had fallen in love with a girl who was pregnant with someone else’s child. And I was also afraid that Christian didn’t understand the responsibility he would be taking on stepping into the role of “daddy”. But as we began to learn and know more about Jordyn, we fell in love with her, too…and of course, we began to feel as though Kaylee was our granddaughter by blood as well. As I’ve told many others before, once I love you there is no going back…I will always love you!

I am so excited to see what this life has in store for Christian, Jordyn, and Kaylee. Although I know that there are rough times ahead and periods of adjustment that they’ll go through, I am confident that the Lord will guide them and help them to raise our new little angel. And they will always have us and Jordyn’s mother, Kristi, to lean on.

I look forward to spoiling and loving this precious little bundle as long as God allows me!

…{the written word} and a new look

2013-01-10T23:10:00.000-05:00

Well…the new blog header, footer, and sidebar elements are up and running! I just finished up the new signature badge to complete the transformation (all supplies from Sweet Shoppe Designs). I’m still in love with the simple white background…I think it makes the blog look clean and uncluttered…just like me! LOL! Hope you like the new look as much as I do!

In my spare time {ahem}, I’ve also been doing a little reading. I’m totally addicted to books that are in a series…it’s hard for me to order (much less read) a book that is considered “over” once you’ve turned that last page…especially if I feel invested in the story and the characters. Then again, it’s also excruciating to wait a year (sometimes more) for that next installment in the series to be released, but becomes so worth it when you realize that the story isn’t over and may continue for several more publications! This is why you’ll see several pictures with more than one book included in the photo. Here are some of the books I’ve recently crossed off of my “to read” list:

The Divergent series by Veronica Roth (Divergent, Insurgent, Book 3 coming fall 2013)

The Kane Chronicles series by Rick Riordan (The Red Pyramid, The Throne of Fire, The Serpent’s Shadow)

Peculiar Children series by Ransom Riggs (Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children, Book 2 TBA)

My Blood Approves series by Amanda Hocking (My Blood Approves, Fate, Flutter, Wisdom)

The Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking (Switched, Torn, Ascend)

The Watersong series by Amanda Hocking (Wake, Lullaby, Tidal {6-4-13, Elegy {2014}

The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater (Shiver, Linger, Forever)

That’s it for today! I hope to be back with a little review for all of the series that I’ve listed here on the blog sometime in the near future, so keep a lookout for that! Until later…

…Back In The Saddle Again

2012-12-28T00:05:00.000-05:00

Yep…you guessed it! I’m taking photographs again, and I must say that it feels wonderful to be back behind the looking glass! I will be sharing both photos and stories from time to time, so make sure that you’ve subscribed to my blog to keep up with the latest posts. There will be recipes, reading lists, and lots of randomness (is that a word??? well it is now)! I will also be redesigning some graphics and headers for the blog, so you are also in store for a new look! BIG CHANGES COMING!!!

Until then…

…Clearing the Air

2012-10-25T20:30:00.000-04:00

Howdy from Georgia! It’s been a while since I last posted, and I wanted to touch base with all of you for a bit. This will be quite a lengthy post, so please bear with me as I clear the air about some things that have brought to my attention.

When I first started blogging a few years ago, I did it as a means to share and document some of the paper-crafting I was doing at the time. I was enjoying perusing the internet, other blogs and paper-crafting communities to find (and try to be) some inspiration. I “met” some fabulous ladies and gentlemen in the process of blogging and cardmaking, and even got to spend some time with some local ladies that also shared a love of stamping and crafting in general. But I also “met” a lot of individuals who were one thing on the computer and another in real life. I guess that’s the dark side of the world wide web…anyone can act and/or portray themselves as anything they wish without being policed or held accountable. Such an incident happened earlier today while I was checking the comments waiting to be reviewed for publication. A “certain unnamed stamper” left a comment (which has been deleted by me) stating that she was so disappointed in the direction that my blog has gone since I left the stamping community, and that she would not be returning to view my blog again. She went on to imply that the posts I created regarding the books that I have read over several months upset her to no end. She is entitled to her own opinion, and quite frankly, so am I….so here we go!

I have always tried to keep my blog posts light-hearted and “fluffy” as to be an inspiration and positive experience for the readers….all of the readers (unless I needed to vent, of course). This “certain unnamed stamper” insinuated that I should be posting more “Christian” things since I had stated over a year ago that I was taking a break to focus on my walk with the Lord. As a result, there were several weeks and months when I didn’t post anything to my blog so that I could get my spiritual life on track. During that time I sold or gave away every stitch of stamping and crafting stuff that I had accumulated over the years. Wanna know the WHOLE truth???

I walked away from the crafting community because of women like this “certain unnamed stamper”! My personal experience in the stamping world is that most (not all, but most) of the people out there are simply looking out for Number One, and Number One ONLY…and they don’t give a flip who they demolish in the process. I have witnessed and been privy to backbiting, lying and scheming, and deceitful behavior the likes of which would make your hair stand on end! ALL FOR THE MIGHTY DOLLAR AND ATTENTION!!! And then after months and months of having NOTHING to do with that community, I’m reprimanded and belittled for not being “Christian enough” in my posts on my personal blog. My relationship with the Lord is NO ONE’S business but my own, but to set the record straight….those books were read at night whenever I layed down to go to sleep (and I still do the same thing). They were read after I had spent the day as a stay-at-home mom and devoted wife doing all of my chores and household duties for the day. They were read after I had spent my quiet time with my Bible and my Lord. They were read in order to help me wind down and fall asleep…much like people watch television as they fall asleep. Yes…I could have used that time to read the Bible again, but I didn’t. I had a teenager in my home who was reading these books and others like them, so I was making sure that I knew EXACTLY what was in them…and I enjoyed most of them. That doesn’t mean that I’m any less “Christian” than the next person either. I’m sure there are people out there who sit on their couches and enjoy questionable television shows when they should be reading their own Bibles, but I’m not about to judge or call out someone when I don’t know their heart or their character.

It’s been said that we should guard our character which is who we actually are, and we should think less of our reputation which is what people think we are. I have walked away from communities, friendships and relationships (including some of my own family members) in order to guard my character and protect my family. I was raised here in the South by Christian parents who instilled in me that your words should be the truth, your walk should match your talk, and right is right even if no one else is doing it. I’m not one who enjoys drama or controversy, but I’m not afraid to stand up and defend myself when necessary either…and when someone threatens my integrity I find that highly offensive. You don’t have to like me or every single thing that I post on my blog, but that’s just it, isn’t it??? It’s MY BLOG. I’m not gonna be on here every day bearing my heart and soul to individuals who would rather be trying to tear someone down than to lift them up…that’s not who I am. I have made bad decisions just like everyone else, but I’m at the point in my life where I am making no apologies for who I am or what I stand for…to ANYONE! I can’t tolerate liars or those who think they are “holier than thou”…and I won’t tolerate them. All I can do is pray for these people, NOT associate with them, and do what’s best for me, my husband and my children…after all, they are the ones I answer for.

If this post offends anyone, then you are welcome to stop following my blog. I will not lower or compromise my standards simply because they don’t conform to everyone else’s morals and/or beliefs. I will not be changing the format of my blog either…I will post what I want when I want. Welcome to America and the South! Amen.

…A Little Summer Reading? Yes, Please!

2012-08-09T23:13:00.000-04:00

It’s been a wonderful summer of fun and reading at the Kerin house! Here’s what I’ve read in the last few months:

The Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, Inheritance)

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series by Stieg Larsson (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest)

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling (The Sorcerer’s Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban, The Goblet of Fire, The Order of the Phoenix, The Half-Blood Prince, The Deathly Hallows)

The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan (The Lost Hero, The Son of Neptune, The Mark of Athena---coming soon)

The Hunger Games series by Susanne Collins (The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay)

The Hush Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick (Hush Hush, Crescendo, Silence, Finale----coming soon)

The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare (Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, Clockwork Princess-----coming soon)

The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare (City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls, City of Heavenly Fire----coming soon)

Random novels by Nicholas Sparks (Safe Haven, The Notebook, Message in a Bottle)

The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan (The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan’s Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, The Last Olympian)

And I reread the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn)

The Witch & Wizard series by James Patterson (Witch & Wizard, The Gift, The Fire)

So what have you guys been reading? I’m a series kind of girl, myself…so if you have a certain series you’ve enjoyed reading please share it with me! I’d love to make my “wish list” longer even though it’s already at FIVE PAGES!!! LOL! At the moment I have two more series on my bedside table----The Lord of the Rings series and the Narnia series. After those I have the O’Malley series waiting for me as well. However, I have promised the hubs that I would read all the books I have now before I order anymore…anything to appease the bread-winner! LOL!

That’s it for me today! I will see you all again soon! {{{HUGS}}}

…Just Start

2012-07-06T08:02:00.000-04:00

I absolutely love this quote from Saint Francis of Assisi. When I began my life transformation a little over 3 months ago, I never imagined that I would be down 58 pounds and still going strong! Where or when is the best place or time to start, you may ask? Just start…you won’t be sorry!

…How It Should Be

2012-05-30T14:25:00.000-04:00

Of all the changes I’ve made these past few months, these three have had the biggest impact on my life and my health.

#1: EXERCISE to be fit.

#2: EAT to nourish your body.

#3: IGNORE all the negativity.

I’ve made a conscious effort to increase the amount of fresh fruits and veggies that I consume, to increase my personal activity level and exercise regime, and decrease or eliminate all the unhealthy stuff. It’s been a little over a month and I’m already noticing changes in how I feel, how I look, and how my clothes fit. I’ve lost over 20 pounds so far {but I have a LONG way to go still}, and it has given me just enough incentive to keep going and change my life for the better.

Not only am I reaping the benefits physically, but I’m also finding that the exercise helps clear my mind and even relaxes me. I sleep better, I find myself in better moods, and I experience less stress during the day. There’s apparently a lot to be said for that “runner’s high” you get from exercise; however, I’ve heard it said that it’s not really a runner’s high, but actually relief from not dying! ;) Either way I feel good after a couple of hours of elliptical and resistance training.

One day at a time. One workout at a time. One pound at a time. I AM WORTH IT!!!

…I {Heart} Kitchen Aid & Cookies

2012-02-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

Guess what…I’m back! It’s been several months since I’ve left the stamping world, and I have to say that it has been such a relief. I’ve been spending quite a bit of my time in the kitchen testing and writing recipes for my very own cookbook (thanks for the idea, Jessica Diedrich). I have been dreaming of getting a stand mixer for several months, and I finally took the plunge and purchased a black Kitchen Aid Artisan mixer yesterday! WOOHOO!!!

My youngest son and I were dying to break that puppy in, so we decided to make some homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies…and it worked FABULOUSLY! I’m totally in love. No more mixing by hand or using my small mixer that wanted to burn up every time I made a thick batter! It’s all an effortless process now. Check out the completed cookie dough that’s ready to go into the oven:

I always use my medium scoop from Pampered Chef (it measures about 2 Tbsp.) to achieve perfectly sized and uniform cookies. I also bake my cookies on a parchment paper-lined metal baking sheet. It’s so much easier to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack by simply pulling the entire piece of parchment paper off of the baking sheet straight onto the cooling rack (plus it makes for easy cleanup). I also try to space out my cookie dough scoops about 2 inches away from each other…nothing’s worse than having your 12 cookies spread out during the baking process to create one large one! And it’s SO hard, but I never open the oven door to check the cookies as they melt into their gooey goodness either…that just lets all of the heat out, and that effects your cooking time and cooking consistency. Here’s what they looked like when we pulled them out of the oven:

I like for my cookies to have a lightly crisp edge and a soft and chewy center…and these definitely delivered! What on Earth is better than having your home smell like fresh baked cookies? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!! Interested in sharing some of this yummy goodness with your family? Try them out!

Mercy’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups semi-sweet (or milk chocolate) chips

1. Preheat oven 375 degrees F.

2. Sift together flour, soda and salt into medium mixing bowl.

3. In large mixing bowl, beat butter and shortening on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and white sugar. Beat again until light and fluffy.

4. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat well until just blended.

5. Add dry ingredients in 3 stages while beating until well blended.

6. Stir in chips until evenly distributed throughout dough.

7. Drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheet in 2 Tbsp. scoops, spacing each 2 inches apart.

8. Bake for 12-15 minutes and remove to wire rack to cool. Makes approx. 6 dozen.

That’s it for me today! After 6 dozen cookies, a homemade chili dinner, and a long day or running around with my hubby it’s finally time to grab my book and head to bed! It feels so wonderful to be back in blog land sharing my love for new things with you all. Let me know what you think of the recipe and I’ll see you back here later! ENJOY!

…Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T00:01:00.000-05:00

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” ~ JFK

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

…Did You Think I Was Gone For Good?

2011-09-07T21:00:00.000-04:00

I’m still here! I’ve been enjoying a long and wonderful summer with my hubby and boys, but they had to go back to school today. After spending the summer vacation free of deadlines, stress, and drama I’ve decided that I will no longer be stamping. It was a fabulous hobby that was fun and very fulfilling while it lasted, but the time has come to let it go and start another adventure. I will always be thankful and appreciative to all of my faithful and precious followers, and I will miss you more than the stamping and creating! You all made every moment worthwhile.

With that being said, I am here to let you all know that I will be having a HUGE everything-must-go stamp sale starting tomorrow. After I have sold all of the stamp sets I will begin selling off all of my cardmaking accessories: cardstock, patterned papers, ribbons, etc. As soon as the sales page is ready to view, I will add another post above this one announcing the official sale and the link to the page with all of the information you’ll need to get started shopping.

Thanks again for a wonderful ride, and for your sweet and loyal friendships. I will miss you all!

…”Priority Determines Capacity”

2011-04-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

With that being said, I have decided that I am going to be giving the Lord more priority in my daily life. After our study last night at church with Andy Stanley called Time of Your Life: Part Two ”At Capacity”, I am changing my life’s priorities around. First of all, I will not be wasting my time on FB statuses or checking the statuses of others when my time can be better spent chasing after God and what He wants to show me as I spend more time with Him and in His Word. I will still have a FB account, but I will not be spending (or wasting) so much time on it. Yep…I’m was one of those FB junkies!

There are so many other things that eat up my time during the day that keep me from being more productive in the things that REALLY matter...God, family, faith, and others. I will not be posting to my blog as much either (even though I've already taken great strides to minimize my time on that already). I am deciding that it is more important for me to spend time seeking the things of God than the things of the world. When I look at the timeline of my life I realize just how short it is...how every day brings me closer to the end...and how each day passes more quickly than the last. And quite frankly, I think I've wasted enough of it.

So TODAY I choose to reprioritize the rest of my life, my time, my talents, and my everything. I want to bring glory to God. I pray He uses me in a GREAT and MIGHTY way. I pray His holiness and guidance drenches everything that He puts ahead of me. I pray He forgives my doubt and laziness. And I pray He helps me to keep His Word and to follow HIS instructions. Time is too short to live for anything else. Once God is THE BIGGEST priority in my life I know that everything else will line up as it should.

"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men (and women) of little faith! And do not seek what you will eat or what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; BUT YOUR FATHER KNOWS THAT YOU HAVE NEED OF THESE THINGS. But SEEK YE FIRST HIS KINGDOM, and these things will be added to you. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, and unfailing treasure in heaven, which no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:27-34 (NASB)

…BLD April Blog Hop

2011-04-08T12:00:00.000-04:00

As you already know, today we’re having a new release blog hop using the new images from By LORi Designs! If you’ve come from LINDA’S BLOG then you’re in the right place; if not, then you’ll need to start over at ANGELA’S BLOG to catch up and follow along. Here’s my card for today’s hop…introducing:

“Puddle Jumpers Quinn”

I started my card as I would any other…with a sketch. This time I chose to use April’s SFYTT by Jen del Muro, but I turned it into a standard-sized card instead of a square one. I printed the Quinn in Black and colored her with Copic Sketch Markers, then paired the completed image with some patterned papers from the Blossom Soup paper pack from Jillibean Soup along with some Riding Hood Red, Kraft, and White Cardstock. I distressed the edges of the Kraft cardstock panel with the Distrezz-It-All from Zutter…I just LOVE the way the edges fray when distressed with this machine! I stitched the red dotted panels directly to the large Kraft cardstock panel, then also added some stitching around the edges of the pink text panel. After adding some Crinkle Ribbon, a handwritten sentiment, Button/Twine accent, and tons of Dimensionals the card was complete!

That’s it for me today! Thanks for stopping by to see me, and hop on over to SHERI’S BLOG to see what she has for you…I’m sure you’ll LOVE it! Until then…

…Without A Little Rain

2011-04-04T23:30:00.000-04:00

It’s the start of a new week, and I wanted to make sure that Brooke was able to start hers with a little smile on her face…so this is what I took with me when we went to see her yesterday afternoon (along with several puzzle books to help occupy her time while she’s in bed):

I printed some of the newer images from the By LORi Designs’ March release: Puddle Jumpers Ella’s Umbrella and the sentiment from Umbrella Sentiments. I colored Ella with Copic Sketch Markers then cut her out leaving a bit of a white border around the entire image. I paired the completed image with some patterned papers from the Stella Rose-Mabel paper pack from My Mind’s Eye along with some Summer Sunrise, Taken With Teal, and White Cardstock. I stitched the small striped panel, punched a border along the bottom of two of the panels, then pierced the upper edge of the entire floral panel with a Mat Pack and Paper Piercer. I added some Turquoise Rhinestones to the sentiment panel as well as the lower portion of the card base. After adding some Dimensionals and a couple of stripes with my White Signo Gel Pen the card was complete!

That’s it for me! Thanks so much for stopping by, and I will see you all back here on Friday with a card for the By Lori Designs’ April Release! My boys are on Spring Break, so I’m going to be a very busy momma until this next weekend. If I get a chance to sit down to play one day I will be sure to post my creation for you guys…but I’m not making any promises! LOL! Until later…

…Fluttering By

2011-04-03T23:20:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday, peeps! I’ve had a whirlwind weekend, but I finally got a chance to run up to the hospital and see Brooke this afternoon. My guys and I have been having horrid sinus problems, so we didn’t want to go up there until we were feeling better…heaven knows we don’t need her getting sick right now. Her white cell count and platelets are extremely low and she has a head cold, but she was in good spirits and cutting-up with us yet we could tell that she wasn’t feeling 100%. Please continue your prayers for her, and I will keep you updated on her condition as the days go on.

Now let’s turn to some fun and cuteness! I haven’t really been in the mood to do a lot of stamping lately, but when I do feel the “need” kicking in I almost always reach for my images from My Favorite Things. As soon as I saw the MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #13 from last week I KNEW what I was going to do, and here it is:

I decided to use the “Fred Bear & Butterfly” set, stamped the images in Black Ink, and colored them with Copic Sketch Markers. I paired the focal panel with patterned papers from the Stella Rose- Hattie paper pad from My Mind’s Eye along with some Enchanted Evening, Harvest Gold, and White Cardstock. I stitched the edges of the horizontal panel, distressed the large floral panel, then pierced that edges of the focal panel. I used the Die-namics Rolled Rose Die as the accent to the sentiment panel and added a Gold Rhinestone to the center. After adding some Stickles, more Rhinestones, and several more Dimensionals the card was complete. I’m so pleased with the way it turned out! :)

That’s it for me today! Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll see you back here tomorrow night with the card that I took to Brooke today using an image from By LORi Designs! Until then…

…Playing Catch-Up

2011-03-29T13:30:00.000-04:00

I had promised to have some MFT cards for you yesterday, but I had only colored the images…no cards were made until this morning! I have always LOVED the Wednesday Sketches from MFT, and I was so saddened when they stopped doing them. Luckily, they began reissuing the sketches a few weeks ago so I was one happy girl! Let’s play some catch-up on the last two challenge:

“Pure Innocence-Ladybug” for MFTWSC11

Supplies: Stamps: Pure Innocence-Ladybug (MFT), Papers: Riding Hood Red, Dark Brown, Vintage Cream, Simply Chartreuse, Stella Rose-Gertie DP(My Mind’s Eye), Inks: Memento Black, Accessories: dimensionals, sewing machine, rhinestones, nesties, big shot, mat pack, paper piercer, copics, scissors, fresh cut grass die-namics

…and “Pure Innocence-Being Cute Is What I Do” for MFTWSC12

Supplies: Stamps: Pure Innocence-Being Cute Is What I Do (MFT), Papers: Hawaiian Shores, Ripe Avocado, Raspberry Fizz, White, Stella Rose-Hazel DP (My Mind’s Eye), Inks: Memento Black, Accessories: dimensionals, sewing machine, ribbon, rhinestones, heart punch, flower punch, silver brad, copics

That’s it for me today! Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll see you all back here in the next day or two with another card…and maybe a VIDEO!!! Until then…

…Hello My Sweets!

2011-03-27T00:01:00.000-04:00

It’s Sunday and I’m looking forward to a calm and relaxing day with my family. In between spring cleaning, coupon shopping, and being a domestic diva (teeheehee) I found some time to make a card…aren’t you proud? LOL!

I got this newer “Cheeky Chat” from The Greeting Farm, and I couldn’t wait to get her inked up! I stamped her in Black Ink and colored her with Copic Markers before cutting her out with scissors, then added her to the focal panel that was paper pierced around the edges. I used Kraft Cardstock as a card base {shocking…once again}, then used some patterned papers from the Latte Matstack paper pad from DCWV. I stitched around the edges of the large purple background panel, then cut the polka-dotted panel in a large circle before adding it to the base. I trimmed the sides that overlapped the card base edges, then added one of the sentiments from the “Daily Grind” set from There She Goes. After adding some Ribbon, Silver Brads, and TONS of Dimensionals the card was complete.

That’s it for me! Thanks for stopping by today, and I’ll see you all back here tomorrow with a couple of cards using some MFT stamps and sketches! Until then…

…Shopping Day Game Plan

2011-03-24T00:01:00.000-04:00

Happy Thursday! Even though the spring cleaning continues I wanted to give you all an idea of what I do when the time comes to go shopping. I’m TOTALLY obsessive-compulsive when it comes to organization and preparedness, so your methods may not be the same as mine…you’ll figure out what works best for you as you go along.

Before I head out I always make sure that I have my binder, and that I have copied the stores’ COUPON AGREEMENTS just in case I run into a problem with a cashier who is unfamiliar with their store’s policy. I check my fave couponing websites for deals (as well as the store’s weekly ad), and I make a list of what I want to buy that day at that particular store. As I’m making my list I pull the coupons from my binder and set them aside.

I also check behind my “store coupons” divider (in the back of my binder) to make sure that I have all of the coupons cut that I need for a particular trip. I print them off from the store’s website, punch holes in them with a three-hole punch, and add them to the section without clipping them…I can always clip what I need later and it saves space. IMPORTANT TIP OF THE DAY: Remember that you can use a manufacturer’s coupon AND a store coupon on the same item…BIG savings! You can use these on as many items as you’d like…for example: if you purchase 3 boxes of Kleenex tissues, you can use three manufacturer’s coupons AND three store coupons. Get it?

When the list is complete, I stick it and the coupons that I’ll be using into a legal-sized envelope labeled with the store name (as shown below). I usually always have my binder in my bag for quick referencing in case I find a deal that wasn’t advertised, but sometimes I just take the envelope instead if I’m making a quick trip out. Either way all of the coupons I’m going to be using are in one place, and if I need to add more I can.

So here’s your simplified shopping day strategy:

Know when the sales start and end for each store;
Have your coupons and shopping lists ready to go;
Take your store cards with you (most sales only apply if you have a store card. You can also upload store coupons onto your store cards using Cellfire.com)
SHOP EARLY;
If the sale products you want are sold out, ask the cashier for a RAIN CHECK. These last up to 30 days, and you can still get the sale price and store rewards for those items as well.

That’s it for me today! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope this helps you as you get ready to head out and save some money! :) I’ll see you back here in the next day or two with another card. Until then…

…What’s Next?

2011-03-23T00:01:00.000-04:00

For me? Glad you asked! :) I’ve been so busy spring cleaning around the house that I nearly forgot to show off some of the new “special additions” that will be coming soon to By LORi Designs!

Introducing: “Happy Easter Baskets”

…and “Skyla & Rover”

Aren’t they adorable (if I do say so myself)? Each image comes with a coordinating sentiment that can be used, or you can create your own personalized greeting. Head on over to the BLD Store and add these images to your digital collection!

That’s it for me today! Thanks for stopping by, and I will see you back here tomorrow with another Couponing post! Until then…

…Little Angel Creeper

2011-03-15T03:00:00.000-04:00

It’s Tuesday, and I’m elbow-deep into spring cleaning! Why in the world did I even start when I KNEW that I wasn’t going to be able to stop until EVERYTHING was done? Because I’m a ding-dong…that’s why! LOL! Since I’m so busy (and crazy) cleaning my little heart out I thought I’d share the last of the cards that I made on our last Girls’ Weekend…ENJOY!

I don’t know about you, but I have been in love with these Creeper images since DAY ONE…and Sasha from the new “Creeper Crew Collection” from The Greeting Farm is no exception! I think she’s a combination of Taylor Swift and America’s next American Idol…Lauren Alaina {Yes, I’m obsessed…and it doesn’t help that she goes to high school with my sons either}! I stamped her in Black Ink and colored her with Copic Markers before cutting her out with a Nesties Die.I added a little shimmer to her eye shadow with my Gold Glaze Pen…ain’t she purty? I used Kraft Cardstock as a card base {shocking, I know!}, then used Melon Berry as the larger background panel. I paper pierced the edges and decided to sponge and distress it as well. I paired the image with some patterned papers from the Be Loved paper pack by My Mind’s Eye, and used the MFT Die-namics Dainty Dots Border die as one of the vertical strips behind the focal panel. The sentiment from MFT’s “Pure Innocence- Little Angel” set was stamped in Black Ink, and several Silver Nail Heads were added underneath. After adding some Stitching, Ribbon, Buttons with Twine and Rhinestones, and TONS of Dimensionals the card was complete.

That’s it for me! My muscles are aching, my back is killing me, and I’m tuckered out; but I WILL get this house clean if it kills me…and it just might! Thanks for stopping by today, and I’ll see you all back here tomorrow with some more info on couponing…and I might even have a recipe for you this week as well! Until then…

…Getting Started With Coupons

2011-03-14T03:00:00.000-04:00

Let me start by saying that I am in NO WAY a professional at this whole couponing thing, but I do have some tips and tricks to share with you. I started couponing just last month when my husband and I decided to get a handle on our finances and look into buying/building a new home. We decided to pay off our debts and lower our household expenses, and one of the most expensive (after our house payment) was our grocery bill. Now, thanks to couponing, we’re on the road to cutting that by 60-80%!

I started by purchasing one newspaper and scouring the weekly ads and coupon inserts. Now I purchase four newspapers a week unless there are going to be more than two coupon inserts that week…then I buy six! I suggest buying newspapers based on the amount of people in your family. There are four of us, so I buy at least four. Now let me breakdown the types of newspaper inserts you’ll find.

There are two that appear almost every week (usually one, but sometimes both at the same time)…Smart Source (SS) and Red Plum (RP). These are jam-packed with savings! Once a month there will be one or two others that appear along with the SS and RP…Proctor & Gamble, and General Mills. Want to know when each of the inserts will be included in the paper? Check out this complete list of coupon inserts for the year (This applies to the newspapers in the South for sure, but I’m not sure about other regions. The coupons included each week also vary by region.):

SOUTHERN SAVERS’ COUPON INSERT SCHEDULE FOR 2011

Some people clip ALL of the coupons to add to their coupon binder (I’ll be discussing that in a second) while others only cut what they’ll use for that week. I like to go ahead and cut everything out and get it organized so I’ll know which coupons I’ve got at a glance. Here’s how I organize all of my coupons:

This is my “Coupon Binder”…a 3” three-ring zippered notebook! I found this Five Star zippered notebook on sale at Office Depot for $9 (you can use whatever you’d like, but why spend a bunch of money when you don’t have to, right?), and I chose a zippered one so that my coupons wouldn’t fly out when I throw my binder into the backseat of my truck! LOL! And believe me…I take it EVERYWHERE with me! Here’s a peek at how I organize it:

I purchased an alphabetical set of dividers that included an index and plastic dividers. You can use the paper ones, but I’ve found that they tend to tear when you’re flipping back and forth in your binder. Each letter represents a certain category. For example, “D” represents “Breakfast” (I have my categories listed in alphabetical order as well because I’m a bit OCD…you do NOT have to do your this way). Let’s see what’s behind the “D” divider:

It’s all of my coupons that have to do with “Breakfast”…cereals, oatmeal, grits, pancake mix, syrup, etc. I organize all of the manufacturer’s coupons using baseball card protectors that can be purchased at any office supply store. I recommend starting with at least 60 of these baseball sleeves…you can always buy more when you need them. If I have multiple copies of a coupon I’ll include them ALL in one pocket whether they’re from the paper or from the internet. Here are some of my favorite online printable coupon places (You can usually only print out 2 coupons from your computer per site. If someone else has a computer in your house you can use theirs to print out a total of 4):

Coupons
Smart Source
Red Plum
Cellfire (coupons saved to your store card)
Cool Savings
We Use Coupons (also a great community and resource)

Now that you have the newspaper weekly ads and coupons it’s time to look for the best sales! The best way to get more bang for your buck is to utilize both sales AND coupons to get the lowest price you can. Check out your weekly ads from the newspaper to see what kind of deals you can find, then match them up with your coupons. ALWAYS LOOK AT THE SALES PRICES PER UNIT…just because it says “value pack” doesn’t always mean that it’s a better value! Need help knowing what deals are out there? Check out these websites that not only show you the deals, but they also tell you which coupons you can use to save the most (These are my favorites. There are literally thousands of blogs and coupon sites online, so get out there and find which ones will help you the most):

The Krazy Coupon Lady (my most favorite!!!)
Time 2 Save
Hip 2 Save
We Use Coupons
Southern Savers (this is for the southern United States)
Coupon Shopping With Treasure

That’s it for today’s “lesson”! I’ll be back in a couple of days to cover couponing lingo, doubling & stacking coupons, other tips & tricks, and even more about my coupon binder! THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP FOR TODAY: Start out small. Don’t get frustrated if you’re not saving 75-90% the first time you try couponing. There is a method to it, and you’ll pick up on it the more you do it. You won’t be a professional overnight! Like everything else…it takes practice. Keep your heads up and a smile on your face! Until later…

…Oh Baby!

2011-03-13T00:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Sunday, everyone! I had every intention to post a mini couponing how-to today, but my inbox and comments were filled with so many questions that I need more time to get everything typed out. So I will be back here tomorrow with the first part, but today I wanted to share another card that I made at our last Girls’ Weekend.

TAH-DAH! Whatcha think? I decided to use the “a la modes-Oh Baby!” set from My Favorite Things, stamped them in Black Ink, and colored them with Copic Sketch Markers. I paired the focal panel with patterned papers from October Afternoon’s Modern Homemaker paper pad along with some New Leaf, Red, and White Cardstock. I pierced the edges of the large striped panel, then stitched the punched panel and red cardstock strip down the right-hand side. The background on the focal panel was sponged using a Sponge Dauber and a Distress Ink Pad while the sentiment from the same set was stamped in Black Ink and cut out using the Word Window Punch. I added a heart and flower by punching cardstock and patterned paper with the Heart Punch and Trio Flower Punch, then added a Silver Brad to the center of the flower. I also added some Crystal Stickles to the bow on the giant teddy bear, and added three more Silver Brads down the upper right side of the card base. After adding some Saddle-Stitched Ribbon and tons of Dimensionals the card was complete. I’m so pleased with the way it turned out!

That’s it for me today! Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll see you back here tomorrow with the beginning of my “How To Get Started With Coupons” class! Until then…

…All About the “Cattitude”

2011-03-11T03:00:00.001-05:00

…and you have happen to be the owner of a fluffy feline, you KNOW that’s the truth! It’s ALL about the attitude with those finicky little fellas! Here’s another card that I made at our latest Girls’ Weekend. I sure do miss those girlies…sniff sniff! :(

I stamped two of the kitty images from the “Cattitude” stamp set from There She Goes in Black Ink, and colored them with Copic Markers. The focal panel was cut out with one of the Classic Circle Nesties Dies, and I added some Orange Rhinestones to the right-hand side of the panel. I paired the completed images with some patterned papers from the Fine & Dandy True Blue paper pad from My Mind’s Eye along with some Orange Zest, Aqua Mist, Dark Brown, and White Cardstock. I distressed the edges of the large background panel using the Zutter Distrezz-It-All, and pierced the edges of the orange patterned paper panel. I added some Chocolate Ribbon around the center of the large panel, and added a bow at the top. After adding a Sentiment Flag, Corduroy Button/Twine combo, and several Dimensionals the card was complete…what do you think?

That’s it for me today! Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll see you all back here in a day or two to answer some questions regarding couponing. Until then…