People with no html skills should not blog

Hi. Have you visited the blog in the past week? I was trying to format it with a great new background.

Only it flopped. Big. flOP.

Instead of changing the background, it somehow layered it over my old one.

Layers are great for clothing, bedding, keeping babies warm in winter. Layers are not great for blogs. Polka dot and green grass just don't really GO.

My apologies. I would like to tell you that I've been working on it non-stop since I realized the problem. *chuckle* But who are we kidding?

This week we have had 2 sick kids off and on, me volunteering at the school, me rallying for public education, meetings, meetings and more meetings.

Oh and I've made 4 new sets of Lunchbox Notes. They'll go up in the store one by one this week to join the dozen sets already there.

And with this week promising to give me more time for, well, everything, I promise to look into the bizarre polka dot layers. Stay tuned for a pretty new layout!

Finishing Touches

About a month ago, I had a plain little composition notebook looked like this: I wanted to jazz it up and make it cute. So I cut some scrapbook paper to size and stuck it on there.

Something just wasn't jiving though.

Hmmm. I found a pink coordinating paper and punched a circle (Which by the way Fiskars punches rock my socks. And no, they did not pay me to say that. They don't even know I exist.)

There's a start.

Then I found some cheery green ribbon and cut a piece.

Time to start playing with different looks. Finally I saw one of my adorable little elephant stamps and decided that was the missing link! A little inking, stamping and ribboning (look, I made a new verb!) and the notebook was done.

A cheerful mini-notebook. Just the right size for jotting down notes, to do lists, grocery lists, or doodling during a boring business meeting (just don't let the boss man see!).

Whadya think, should I put it up for sale in my etsy shop? Or hoard it and keep it all to myself?

Linked at these great places:
Someday Crafts
Whatever Goes Wednesday
Night Owl Crafting
A Glimpse Inside
Paisley Passions

Orange

I love the color orange. Until very recently, I carried a bright orange purse! I was delighted when an etsy friend made an orange treasury and featured my Mod Squares Lunchbox Notes!

'Knock Knock...Who's There...Orange...' by jmaeson

Can you guess what my favorite color is?

Pumpkin orange matt... TopazTurtle $25.00	GET ORGANIZED in th... mulberrypatchw... $20.00	Necklace Burnt Sien... kateemarie $25.00	Vintage Mod Orange ... madforvintage $19.00
Handmade wallet wit... PatrisCorner $30.00	Double Sided Green ... cineloh $9.00	Lunchbox notes-Mod ... TheBargainBabe $3.00	Gold and Silver Bea... yvette0516 $15.00
Zombie and Skull Ba... rockythezombie $13.00	Recycled Orange Re... ruddlecottage $17.99	Red Kusudama origam... glycosidic $6.00	Yellow Golden Rose ... judithbellorig... $10.00
Hello Kitty Fabric,... CyberFabric $3.99	swarovski pearl bra... gorgeouslittle... $32.00	Best Wishes Nature ... mjayelle $5.00	4in yellow flower o... BustlingBlosso... $9.99

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.

Linking here:
Miscellany Monday

Giveaway Winner announced

The winner of our first blog giveaway is....

Tutus & Teaparties!

I used random.org to choose a post number and it gave me number 3, which was Tutus & Teaparties post.

Congrats! I have sent your email address to our lovely sponsor, LoveLettersbyDina. She should be in touch with you soon about redeeming your prize.

Even if you weren't a winner this time, remember that you can order from LoveLettersbyDina's etsy shop.

Thank you to all who entered. Hosting a giveaway was lots of fun, I'll do more in the future!

Hot off the presses

Just listed at my etsy shop, Zucchini Summer!

Another set of 12 Lunchbox Notes!

Aren't they purty? The inspirational phrasing and soft colors make them perfect for older kids/tweens/teens. Or use them for gift tags, leave little notes for coworkers, and so forth. The ways you can use these are endless!

See the entire collection of Lunchbox Notes here, inside my etsy store. These little glimmers of joy are only $3 per set!

Linked up at these great blogs:
Paisley Passions

You can win!

Welcome to our first ever bloggy giveaway!

This is being sponsored by a fellow etsy seller: LoveLettersbyDina

She makes folk-art style magnetic letters. How fun would these look on
your fridge?

Or these?
Personalized names available...great for a bridal shower gift!

What can you win?This set of "HOME" magnets, or you can choose any other shop item up to $10!

How can you enter?

There are several ways to enter:
1--leave a comment on this post saying you want to enter (1 entry)
2--leave a separate comment saying which item at LoveLettersbyDina is
your favorite. (1 entry)
3--follow my blog publicly and leave a comment telling me that you are a
follower (1 entry)
4--blog about this giveaway, including a link to this post, and then
come leave a comment (with link to your blog post about this giveaway)
(1 entry)

So you can earn FOUR entries into the drawing! One winner will be
chosen at random on Thursday night. Entries close at 8pm EST
Thursday, February 17th. Winner will be posted on Friday. I will pass
on your info to LoveLettersbyDina and you and she will work out if you
want the HOME magnets or something else for $10.

I am not being compensated or receiving any goods or services for this
giveaway. I am not responsible for the shipping of prizes.

Linked up at Sumo's Sweet Stuff.
Linked at Six in the Nest.
Linked up at Keeping it Simple.
Linked at Sugar Bee Craft Edition.
Linked at Totally Tuesday Blog Hop

Sneak Peek

*looks around with shifty eyes* *looks over shoulder*

*whispers* ONLY for you my dear readers. A sneak peek at two new sets of Lunchbox Notes. They haven't even been added to my shop yet. You get the first look!

Honeysuckle pink and turquoise are the latest trends in colors for spring. I combined them both in these cherry little cards.

You asked for some cards for men, *cough* husbands, and I obliged! Wouldn't this set of neutral dashes work well for a man? Even for a middle school boy, coworker, etc. I am excited to release them later this week!

P.S. Have you been to TheRikRak Studio blog? She is having a giveaway with lots of possible ways to enter. I kind of hate to tell you about it because then you will go enter and reduce my chances of winning.** BUT if I post about it, then I get an extra entry.....so I am hoping it evens out in the end.
**Hey, I am nothing if not honest.

A little brag

Blogs that do nothing but brag about their greatness are annoying. So I promise not to do it. Except for today.

BytheBookPaper has featured me and my shop in their blog! She did a nice job on the write-up and I am so grateful to have been included.

You can read the story here. Please stop by and show her some love!

Stay Tuned....(giveaway coming!)

Stay tuned folks, I'll be doing my first ever giveaway soon! A seller on etsy is sponsoring the prize and you will love it! That's the only info you get right now. :)

In other news, is anyone else freezing? It is below 0 outside. Well, that's what they tell me anyway. I'm not going outside to confirm it! Our heat wasn't working correctly. It was blowing COLD air. Luckily once my hubby swept out the filter it was fine. Gotta love an easy and FREE fix like that!

Whatever is....

This is a clever intro. (Honestly I couldn't think of a clever introduction to the project, so I thought if I just typed "this is clever" it would fool you. Did it work?)

As a control-freak, worry-wort, my mind is always racing. A Bible verse that I need constant reminder of is in Philippians. "Whatever is true, whatever is right, whatever is praiseworthy....think on these things."

A friend recently posted that on facebook and it inspired me to make this wall hanging. It will hang in my living room to serve as a constant reminder about what to think about, and to let the control-freak worry-wort things take a chill.

Want to make one too? Here's how I did it:

First, pick your papers. Spend a lot of time doing this. Wonder where the paper you just bought is?

Settle on papers and get out your Slice die cutting machine. All your friends have more expensive Hobos and Gypsies or something like that. Laugh evilly as you think of all the money you saved by getting a Slice instead and how much you love it and want to marry it.

Start cutting letters.

Feed Fussy Baby puffs to snack on.

Meticulously use scissors to finish cutting out letters because your beloved Slice didn't cut all the way through the thick card stock. Have mean thoughts about the Slice and consider divorce.

Feed Fussy Baby more puffs and hope for FIVE MINUTES, please FIVE MINUTES!


Play with how to arrange the words. Do you want an 8x10 size? 12x12?



Shabang! Decide that the layered sizes of paper will work.

Spend 10 minutes looking for Xyron. Fail to find it and resolve to use a tape runner to painstakingly adhere everrry letter. Be grateful you didn't include the longer words of the verse, like "praiseworthy".

Discover where all the baby's puffs have actually been going:


Adhere all the letters. Make the "Whatever is" piece by layering scrap yellow card stock, white sticker letters, and brown kraft card stock.

Make funny faces at Baby who is now not fussy, but incredibly BORED. Watching Mommy craft must be mind-numbing. I have a feeling HGTV won't be offering me a show anytime soon.

Dig out the Mod Podge bottle.

Spend 2 minutes trying to pry off Mod Podge lid. Realize it has been far too long since you used it when the lid fights back. Decide peeling back the top this far is good enough:


Spend 4 minutes looking for paint brushes. Find none.

Use balled up paper towel to dip into Mod Podge. Shelac the heck out of your wall hanging. Shelac shelac shelac. Say "shelac" three times just for fun.

Let dry. Even though the Mod Podge is "matte," it leaves a distressed look to the papers.

Admire your handiwork.

Decide you just may marry the Slice afterall.



Also going to link up at:

My Romantic Home
Fingerprints on the Fridge
Crafty Friday @ Home Sweet Farm
Fun to Craft
Serenity Now
Lit and Laundry
Me and My Bucket
Not Just a Housewife
Crystal's Craft Spot
Hope Studios
Tute N 2sDays
House of Hepworths
Beyond the picket fence

Someone sucks at hand-sewing

And it is me, me, me, me.

I wanted to make this adorable Easter garland. It looks like peeps! Saw it on another blog and just had to do it.

But my sewing machine is not here right now and it is old and probably ready to retire anyway.

Undeterred, I thought, "I can do this by hand!"

yeah. great idea.

I traced the pattern and cut out my yellow bunny peep shapes. So far so good. I can operate a pair of scissors.

Then I started sewing bunnies to the ribbon. They got tangled in each other. I stabbed myself with the needle and cursed a few times. Don't judge me.

While sewing bunnies I realized something. I suck at hand-sewing. My first stitches were HORRIBLY uneven. But I went with it.

And in the end, it actually is quite charming. Folksy. I'm going to pretend I did it that way on purpose. Shhhh. It'll be our little secret!**look, my picture is sideways. Not only can untrained apes sew better than me, I bet they could beat me at uploading pictures too!

PS...if you want to see the beautiful version done by someone with talent, you can see it here.

Linking up at places that will tell me I'm fabulous even though I'm mediocre: