You know...

I never quite realized just how big my kitchen floor was...until we recently painted our kitchen, and I got on my hands and knees and scrubbed the entire thing with a handy-dandy scrub brush.  I have one of those Hoover hard floor cleaners...well, let me tell you -- those things apparently DON'T work very well.  When I saw all of the dirt and nastiness that I got off of my floor by scrubbing, eeeeek.  I was embarrassed that I've been using that thing for so long!!!

Anyway -- I'm quite happy with how the kitchen turned out.  We've been talking about painting it for over 2 years, and we FINALLY did it.  When we first started talking about painting, I had bought new bulbs and shades for my chandelier in the dining area, and I said "That way when we paint, it will look fresh and new".  Well, one by one the bulbs started to blow, and I kept saying "Nope, not going to change them until we paint - then I'll change them all at once"...by mid-November, we were down to 2 bulbs...it was getting hard to see dinner, lol.

We had volunteered to host Thanksgiving dinner, so between that and the nearly non-existent light to eat by, we decided to FINALLY paint.

Here it is, all finished, and looking pretty :)

This is the dining area end:

and the kitchen end:

Now, I'm most excited about this -- I have plate covers on all of my switches...you know that saying "the shoe makers children have no shoes"?  Well, my hubby is an electrician, and since we had been talking about painting the kitchen (following a Family room addition onto our house, that partly involved the kitchen), he never put plate covers on all of our switches in the kitchen...SOOOO, now the room is complete, and looks so nice!  Check out these fancy schmancy switches:

Since we had a little more than 2 years to prepare for this momentous occasion, hubby sprang for these super duper programmable dimmers, buying them here and there, until we had enough switches for the kitchen. (about 8 or 9 all together)

Thanks for taking a tour of my home improvement project with me!! :)

Hope all is well with you all -- have you got your Christmas shopping done yet???  I'm about 90% there, YEAH!!! :)

It's a WRAP!

Happy December!!!

Today, the My Time Made Easy team is sharing a GREAT new template that is available for purchase RIGHT NOW over at My Time Made Easy, called Wonderfully Wrapped.  Let me tell you -- this is a FUN template.  It's SUPER easy to put together -- with a more sophisticated look.

Here's mine:

I was feeling a bit nostalgic, as today is my last post with the team at MTME.  Those of you that follow me, have noticed I haven't been around much.  In fact, my last post was the last MTME release!  I think I need to take a step back for a while, focus on my family, and my home...and you never know, you may just see me pop back up out of nowhere...but for now, this is what I need to do.

BUT -- back to my nostalgia ;).  I decided to go back to the VERY FIRST digital papers offered last year, the "12 Days of Snowflakes", and as usual, I felt the need to tweak the colors, because I've had this pretty ribbon FOR-EV-ER, and never had a good paper that matched it, that's the beauty of digital paper, and a little photoshop know-how.  Here's the side view:

I kept it very simple, creating a large ornament out of some silver glitter paper using my Marvy Mega Circle punch, and hand cutting the ornament 'topper'.  I used the frame and a sentiment from So Sentimental, and affixed it to the front. Done!

Simple, elegant, EASY, just the way it should be.

I'd like to take a quick moment to thank my fellow teammates for all of their support, laughs, and shared late nights over the last year... they are ALL an amazing group of women, and I'm BLESSED that our lives have crossed.

I'd really like to thank Lauren, for giving me this amazing opportunity.  She is such a delight to work with, and her creativity inspires me daily.  I love to see her business grow and flourish, she deserves it.

And of course, I'd like to thank ALL OF YOU...for stopping by, and leaving a word or two, or for just stopping by, and perhaps sharing a smile :O).

I wish you all the happiest of holidays, may they bring you joy that lasts all the new year through!!

Now, hop on to the rest of the team's blogs, they've ALL got something marvelous to share with you today!!

Any Way You Slice It - Group Post!!

When we last left off -- we were dealing with bugs...well, I think it was a false alarm...I never did find anything, and when she went back to school, the nurse checked her and didn't find anything either... *sigh*  That's ok though...now we've moved on to other bugs...same daughter, different issue.  So, she was out of school on Tuesday because of 'lice'.  Then she went to school Wednesday, and when I got there to pick her up, she was running a temp of 101!  My poor girl :(.  So, we were home again today, doing lots of snuggling (which *I* certainly don't mind ;) ).  She seems to be feeling better this evening though, so I think it will be back to work/school tomorrow...

I hope you've been enjoying the release at My Time Made Easy this month!!  Today is a group post, and I'm featuring a great little template called 'Any Way You Slice It'... Yep, it could be cake, or pie, or a reindeer, or a flag, or...well, goodness...it could be a lot of things, ha ha ha.  I chose to make a cute little Secret Santa gift box, that looks like a Santa hat (which I'm a bit embarrassed, because as I went to link the stamp set, I realized I made a similar template to Lauren *blush*) but here's my version...

The template features images from Secret Santa and Fanciful Flourishes.  It's VERY sparkly :)  I used heat and stick powder and lots of red and silver glitter.  Here's a closer view of the side:

The bottom of the box is lined with white maribou fur.  Totally fun.  I sometimes like to give fun ornaments like the one in the background as secret santa gifts, and an ornament, or a gift card with some chocolate will fit nicely inside this box for sure!!

My tag features images from Secret Santa, and has a bit of sparkle added here too.  The hat was stamped on a separate piece of CS, colored in and cut - and mounted on the tag with a dimensional.  

What kinds of things do YOU give for secret Santa gifts...inquiring minds want to know!! lol.

Be sure to drop by the rest of the team's blogs, as we've each got something to share with you today!!!

My Time Made Easy Design Team:

Lauren Meader (owner)

Kristin Bueter

Catherine Doucette

Katie Shawger Cotton

Tracey Cuccia - that's me :)

Pam Imholz

Tammy Hershberger

Lisa Kind

Tangii Crain

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Monique Hansen

My Time Made Easy - Star of the Show!!

I'm a little late posting... we have some new unwanted guests...yeah, I think there's still mice downstairs...but even worse...we've got lice.  There.  I said it.  Well, I guess I shouldn't say "we"...but apparently it's running rampant in the Elementary school, and there was a case at my young daughter's preschool...and well, it seems the little one had an egg or two in her hair today...ugh.  SO, I've spent the evening doing a lice treatment in her hair (even though we didn't find any lice, the school found 2 eggs...that's enough for me!  I've also checked my older one, and my husband, he checked me...I went to the laundrymat and washed ALL of our bedding (can you tell I'm just a BIT freaked out?? lol) okay.  Sorry.  (You're all scratching your heads now though, aren't you????)

Moving on!!  Today's post is all about Star of the Show - a KILLER new template from My Time Made Easy.  I LOVE this template.  This is a simple assembly, and such a versatile shape -- think 4th of July, or Christmas, Birthdays, Sports...YEP, lots of possibilities here!!!

Here's what I've got for you today...

This uses some oldies but goodies in the MTME arsenal.  Lunch Box Love Notes, and the Alphabet Soup Collection 2 pretty printables paper.  I had my older daughter in mind with this.  She's in first grade, and has had a HARD time this year.  She's really smart, and funny, sweet, and kind...most of all, she is SENSITIVE, and this year, she's had a REALLY hard time adjusting to her new teacher.  Like, anxious tummy hard.  I've gone through a HUGE range of emotions, from angry, to sad, to almost insane, lol.  I've been fighting with the school to have them meet her needs -- as she wasn't being challenged enough academically.  Although I REALLY wanted them to move her to another classroom, they asked me to give them a few weeks to try some new things in the classroom, and I agreed.  Whatever they did -- it seems to have worked.  Mind you, I'll be keeping a CAREFUL eye on what's going on, and if I start to recognize the same signs I had before, but, no more anxious tummy at the mere mention of school, no more "I hate school" (which I think is an unacceptable term, ESPECIALLY from a 6 year old!  I'm SO proud of her for still getting up and going to school, not giving us a hard time about going, when she was so miserable for so long...I too, am happy that my fight has changed things for the WHOLE class, not  just my daughter.  So, I'll keep this little box aside, for some day when she needs a little pick me up, she really is an amazing little girl, I'm so lucky to be her Mommy. :)

Be sure to stop in with Lauren, Lisa, and Catherine!!  Thanks for dropping by --- (Have you stopped scratching yet??) Make it a great day!!

Group Post!! My Time Made Easy November Release!

Well, we had a great time celebrating my Dad's birthday the other day - and he very much enjoyed his gift.  Yesterday was PACKED, I had to work (unusual for me, I typically work Mon-Fri) and then came home to take the kiddos Trick or Treating, and did we WALK.  It was great, though a bit chilly, and we all had a wonderful time.

BUT -- I know you aren't all here to listen to me ramble on about my weekend...it's release day at My Time Made Easy, and there's lots of Christmas Spirit already in the air, and all around.  I swear the stored start earlier and earlier every year, don't you??  Well, now that Halloween is over, you know that Thanksgiving will be here, lickety split, and then on to "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" :).

The team is sharing some fabulous card ideas today, ones that are easy to replicate...and here are mine:

Each of these took me very little time to complete, most are one layer, or almost just one layer ;).  I don't know about you, but I'm sure that most of the people I send cards to don't keep them.  *sniff*  While it makes me sad, it's just a matter of reality...so I try to make cards that look nice, but don't take forever to complete.

This first one uses the snowflakes and a sentiment from Dashing Through the Snow...add a little bling, a pop of red (kind of reminiscent of a snowman's scarf, I think) and some snow drifts along the bottom...some glitter...and there's one card!!

Now this next one is probably my favorite...When I saw the reindeer and sleigh images from Dashing Through the Snow, I thought of a silhouette image..."♪Up on the Rooftop, reindeer pause♪" ha ha ha.  the moon is shining bright...and so is Rudolph's nose... I used the roof pattern from Sugar and Spice, and glittered it up with some heat & stick, and dazzling diamonds glitter.

Next up -- "♪Jingle Bells♪"
Catherine did a great job with these images in Secret Santa, this bell and bow is too sweet!  I embossed both and the sentiment in gold detail powder, doing the bell first, and then the bow, and colored in the bow with my Signo white gel pen.  I added a gold border with a paint pen (that started to give out on me on the last line :( )

Lastly - my little gingerbread family...how cute are they?!?!?!  These cuties are from The Gingersnaps!  This is a small set, PACKED with images!!  You will need a craft knife to separate some of them there are so many! I made my family, me, hubster, and the 2 girls...cute, eh?  SO quick too -- the longest part was adding the black bead eyes, and the bling bows and buttons.

So, if you've never made your holiday cards, I hope these inspire you to make your own this year, and if you're a seasoned holiday card maker -- I hope this helps get those juices flowing... 'Tis the season!! :)

Thanks for dropping by, be sure to stop by the rest of the team's blogs, we've ALL got something to share today!!!

My Time Made Easy Design Team:

Lauren Meader (owner)

Kristin Bueter

Catherine Doucette

Katie Shawger Cotton

Tracey Cuccia - that's me :)

Pam Imholz

Tammy Hershberger

Lisa Kind

Tangii Crain

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Monique Hansen

Happy Birthday Dad - Made Easy

Today is my Dad's birthday.  My Dad is a pretty amazing guy.  He's 64 today.  He shouldn't have seen his 62nd birthday, but due to his AMAZING stubbornness and will, he made it through an INCREDIBLY risky surgery, and is here today :).  He was a smoker for MANY MANY years...because of that, he developed poor circulation to his feet.  He had numerous surgeries to fix it, and none worked.  He had an open wound on his leg that wouldn't heal...from one of those surgeries.  And although everything was done to prevent it, he got an infection.  And it got bad.  Fast.  He was in ICU, on a ventilator, and my Mom had to make the decision for the doctors to amputate my dad's leg above the knee...  They weren't even sure he'd make it through the surgery, but it was the only chance he had.  And he made it. He has a prosthetic leg, and walks with canes, but it's SO much better than the alternative.  Here's a picture of him from our family vacation this Summer...

I'm so proud of him, and all he has overcome.

Now -- that being said....my Dad is not into any hobbies, and he is THE hardest person to buy for.  He and my Mom buy what they need/want, and he's pretty simple to please.  So, Dad gets his favorite snack, Entemann's glazed donut holes, and for a little fun, some scratch off lotto tickets.  I kind of hate just handing him a stack of scratch offs though, so take a peek at what I made this year:

This is one of the fabby new templates that is going to be available from My Time Made Easy this month!!  It's called "Carry it".  I love the little handle up top, it's part of the closure...so clever.  You might recognize some of those images too -- the sentiment is from Just for You, and the leafy images are from the Thankful set.  I've also used the new Trendy Tags cut file, and some delicious new paper designed by Krisitn Bueter.

It holds a good amount of tickets nicely -- don't you think?

WHOA -- sorry about the 'GLOWING green' in this pic!  yikes~

So, even though it's not fancy, or expensive, I know it's something my Dad will enjoy...and with all he's been through...he deserves it!

Be sure to stop by and visit Lisa, as well as Lauren, Catherine, and Debbie too!!  They've all got something marvelous to share with you today!

One more picture to share of the FABULOUS fall foliage around here -- and then I'm off, I have to go celebrate a birthday! :)

Thanks for stopping by!!

Pinch Me Treats - Group Post!

Welcome to the final group post of the October My Time Made Easy Release!  Today we are all sharing the New Pinch Me template.  This is PERFECT for little class treats...and that's exactly what I intend to do!!  I kept it simple, as I don't want to be killing myself for things that are going to get thrown away buy those little goblins, I mean, um, children ;).

I used vellum CS, and stamped the spiderweb image from Spooky Surprise in basic gray ink.  Then I went over it with my stardust pen, for a little shimmer.  I stamped the sentiment in black, and added the ghosts on the sides in white.

For the closure, I sponged the flap in green galore ink, and used the dripping goo border punch on the edge of the flap.  A fun quick treat that can be EASILY mass produced for classroom treats, and can be easily adapted to any occasion - Valentine's, Thanksgiving, Christmas, it'll work for ALL of them! :)

Be sure to stop by the rest of the team - they've all got some goodies to share with you today!!  (links in my sidebar :) )

Thanks for popping by!

Supplies:
Stamps: Spooky Surprise
Ink: Basic Gray, Green Galore, Fresh Snow
Paper: Cardstock Vellum
Accessories: Stardust pen, black elastic cording, Pinch Me template

Oh-K-Dokey, Let's Grab a Cup!!

Good Morning!!

I'll apologize for being so chipper on a Monday morning...but at least I have something to share that a good number of people enjoy EVERY morning :).

I've professed my love for my Keurig before.  This little machine really HAS made my life easier.  I also know  A LOT of people who now have them.  How excited was I, when I saw the Grab a Cup set, and Lauren INCLDUED a Keurig-like image?!?!

Frequently I order from a coffee place online that allows you to make your own 'combo packs' - it's a great way to try new varieties of K-cups without having to commit to a WHOLE BOX.  Let's face it, those things can be expensive...but SO worth it ;).  Anyway -- sometimes I like to share some of my finds with my friends as well -- and My Time Made Easy has a GREAT way to do so.

The Oh-K-Dokey cut file -- and the Grab a Cup template:

Now, I'm not suggesting that you 'doctor' your coffee in the morning, by any means, but hey, who am I to judge?  I was thinking this is more for those 'coffee dates' - whether it's with a friend, or even your hubby (I know, can you imagine??)  A little grown up twist added in there.

Here's a close up of the Grab a Cup template:

I could see this filled with those gourmet marshmallows, or sugar cubes, tea bags with honey straws...oooh, lots of fun things, but as you can see, I've chosen to put in a few cordial liquors to add to your favorite coffee. (Yes, I realize that this is not the first time I've incorporated liquor into my projects...I'm just keepin' it real... :) )

Here's a close up of the Oh-K-Dokey wrap...I really do love this - and it's SUPER easy to cut out by hand - a big plus for those of you without a cricut, I know ;).  Soooo, if you're wondering, should I buy a Cricut or a Keurig...(shhhh, don't tell Lauren, but...) TOTALLY get the Keurig first, lol.

THEN be sure to get the Cricut (or other die cutting machine of your liking) because my friends - that really is a HUGE time saver!!  It's nice to just tell the machine to do it...

Both projects feature paper from the new All Steamed Up digital paper collection by Kristin Bueter.  So, tell me, what's YOUR favorite kind of coffee?  Do you have a Keurig?  Inquiring minds want to know! lol.  My personal fave lately is the Donut House Coffee (travel mug size) K-cups from Green Mountain.  My next in line is usually Nantucket Blend (also from Green Mountain) but I've also grown fond of some of the new Wolfgang Puck ones...

Be sure to head over to Lauren, as well as Stephanie today, to see what they've been up to :).

Thanks for stopping by, and go enjoy that coffee! ;).

Supplies:

Stamps: Grab a Cup, Spooky Surprise  (My Time Made Easy)

Ink: Brilliance Chocolate, Berry Sorbet, tuxedo black (memento)

Paper: Dark Chocolate, All Steamed Up digi paper, pure luxury white

Accessories: Berry sorbet satin ribbon, Chocolate chip satin ribbon (SU! - retired), paper rose, Grab a Cup Template, Oh-K-Dokey cut file 

A "Suspenseful" Group Post with My Time Made Easy!

YAY!!  The day is here!  Well heck yeah, I know it's Friday -- but it's also the first of the month...so it's My Time Made Easy Release day!!

Today, the Design team is sharing one of the new templates called In Suspense with you.  What a FUN template this is.  PERFECT for 'booing' or a just because for a neighbor, or coworker, or a child...how fun would it be for your little one to find one of these on the door...

I'm in love with the changing foliage here, and have been in a "Fall" frame of mind these last few weeks.  I find it's nice to have some 'thank you' cards and things on hand, for when I need them.  Usually I'm a "make it just for that person" card maker...but with my time limited, I try to craft when I can, and make it count! lol.

Here's my In Suspense template, I used the Fanciful Flourishes stamp set - I embossed the flourishes with clear EP, and randomly added leaves and acorns from the NEW Thankful stamp set.  The sentiment and grouped leaves are also from Thankful, and that fabulous frame is from Spooky Surprise.

and here's a closer view of just the front...

I won't keep you, as the rest of the team has some treats to share with you today as well -- please join me in welcoming Debbie Marcinkewitz to the design team!!  SO excited to have her on board (AND I'm excited that I have another TS connection, now that I'm no longer a consultant ;) )

Here's the list - be sure to drop by and show some love!!

•    

      Catherine Doucette

  
  

      Debbie Marcinkewitz
• Katie Cotton
• Kristin Bueter
• Lauren Meader
• Lisa Kind
• Pam Imholz
• Stephanie Kraft
• Tammy Hershberger
• Tangii Crain

Supplies:
Stamps: Thankful, Spooky Surprise, Fanciful Flourishes
Ink: Versamark, Scarlet Jewel, Orange Zest, Rich Cocoa
Paper: Kraft, Pure Luxury White
Accessories: Orange Zest Ribbon, Prima Rose, Clear EP, In Suspense Template

October Peeks are Here!!!

It's October release time at My Time Made Easy -- but there is some important business, first and foremost... HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEXA!!!!  Lauren's daughter turns 11 today :)  My little one just turned 3 last Saturday, and I remember when I was pregnant with her, that Lauren guessed I would have her on the 29th (which was 9 days PAST my due date -- so I was QUITE glad when she arrived on the 25th! lol)  I certainly hope Alexa and the family has a GREAT day together celebrating, as there is MUCH to celebrate, as Lauren wrote about here.

But -- back to my project to share with you today.  Lauren has some GREAT new goodies coming out this month to help package up those delicious warm cozy beverages...you shouldn't need another coffee set...she's got everything to make a perfect (inexpensive) gift for that special someone.

Here's the Fancy A Cuppa and To Go templates that will be released on October 1!!

Isn't this ADORABLE?!?!  Think of all of the fun things you can package up!!

I've chosen to package up some hot chocolate and mini peanut butter cups, it's hard not to love chocolate and peanut butter.  The front panel of the Fancy a Cuppa template has that gorgeous cut out...it's a nice sized template, you can definitely use it for more than the cups, which here is a closeup of one...

All of the images I used for this project are from the new Fancy a Cuppa and Fancy a Cuppa  Add on sets that will be available in just 2 SHORT days! :)  Oh, and WHERE did I get that delicious dotted paper???  Why, it's included in the new Coffee Beans digital paper collection designed by Kristin Bueter, I love it, don't you??

If you didn't come here from Lauren's blog, be sure to stop there, as well as Catherine, Lisa, Debbie, Kristin, Tammy and Tangii, they've all got something FABULOUS to share with you today!!

Here's a picture of my munchkin and I picking apples a few days before her 3rd birthday:

Thanks for stopping by -- hope it's a GREAT one!!

Supplies:
Stamps: Fancy A Cuppa, Fancy A Cuppa Add ons  (My Time Made Easy)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Paper: CS from Couture CS, Patterned paper - Coffee Beans Collection (My Time Made Easy)
Accessories: Pear Poly stitched ribbon (SU!), Fancy A Cuppa, To Go templates

A Little Casing for Today...

Fall is in the air here.  We have been having BEAUTIFUL weather.  I just love it.  Autumn is my most FAVORITE season.  As such - most of my cards that I have been making lately are in Autumn colors.  I saw this fabulous birthday card by Maille Belles on the cover of Papercrafts this month, and needed to recreate it

Here's my take:

Ever so slightly different, my dimensions are different than the original - hers were 5.5"x3.5" mine is a traditional A2 sized card.  Also, I have modified the color palette, and used a different image from Turning a New Leaf for the focal panel.  I LOVE the way this turned out, and I think I will be using this again in the future, perhaps next time my translation will not be so literal, I didn't realize until I just went back to look at the cover that I used a very similar birthday sentiment *blush*.

Thanks to Maille Belles for the FABULOUS inspiration!!

Hope you all have a GREAT Sunday!!!

Supplies:
Stamps: Turning a New Leaf, Birthday Bash Sentiments (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Versamark, Brilliance Chocolate
Paper: Scarlet Jewel, Orange Zest, Harvest Gold, Ripe Avocado, Dark Chocolate, Kraft (all PTI)
Accessories: Dark Chocolate Buttons, Clear embossing powder

My Time Made Easy Group Post!

Today is group post day for the team at My Time Made Easy.  While I do love the Shop Around Template, we switched gears today, and are all sharing cards made with the new stamps, papers, etc.  I decided to use the Homemade Card and Envelope file to make my card, and believe it or not, I HAND CUT this, lol.  My new crafty space doesn't allow for me to leave the Cricut set up *insert sad face here* so, sometimes I just have to be a big girl, and cut some things by hand.  This file is SUPER easy to do just that.

Assembly took the least amount of time...what took the most time?  Measuring my mat layers, lol.  Some days I'm right on, and it's super easy, and others...well....not so much.  I apologize for my pictures -- I DROPPED one of the lights for my light tent...and it didn't fare well :( .  Off to search for some new lights I guess -- it's ok, I felt like I needed brighter ones anyway -- but I didn't want to be forced to look, lol.

Here's the insert -- I decided to make a quick invite to invite a couple of the neighborhood moms over for coffee and dessert...thought it might be a cute idea to give to them...

I cut a small slit just below the roofline on the insert, and tied the ribbon through that - so it holds the card in the envelope --

I'm keeping it short and sweet, as you've got OODLES of goodies to look at on the rest of the team's blogs today...so off you go!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Supplies:
Stamps: On Display (My Time Made Easy)
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Pear Pizzaz, Dandelion Delight
Paper: Hawaiian Shores, Harvest Gold, Simply Chartreuse, one sheet wonder, Sweet and Sour Nomad's digital paper (My Time Made Easy)
Accessories: Homemade Card & Envelope template, hawaiian shores bitty dot ribbon