Gettin' By

A very special Saturday Giveaway!

Since we're kicking off the first official weekend of summer, I though it would be appropriate to do a fabulous giveaway to celebrate warmer weather, cooler drinks, and of course, all things crafty. Creative Memories recently released a brand new Stamper System with interchangeable acrylic stamps and ink pads (You can check out a quick video demo here.)

This is such a nifty, innovative tool and I had a ball creating some projects with it!

S U P P L I E S :

On this page, I used the For Him and Be Young stamp sets with the Aqua & Cactus ink cartridge. It was a quick and easy way to make cute embellishment circles for my page.

I also made a set of tags (the Creative Memories Tag Maker is one of my very favorite punches!) using the Birthday Wishes and For Her stamp sets with the Honey & Berry ink cartridge. These would be perfect for gift tags or a simple card embellishment.

S U P P L I E S :

So now the good part! I'm giving away a complete Creative Memories Stamper System, which includes the base system, all four stamp sets I've used in my projects here and four ink cartridges (Black, Brown, Aqua & Cactus, Honey & Berry). 

If you'd like to be entered to win, just leave me a comment below. ** Comments will stay open until Wednesday, May 30 when I'll randomly draw a winner. And I apologize to my international readers, but this giveaway is open only to US residents.

Enjoy your long weekend, my friends!

**Please be sure to leave a contact email in your comment if you are not signed in to Typepad.  Comments will remain open until the morning of May 30 (whenever I've consumed enough caffeine to function) and the winner will be randomly drawn from the comments, announced at the bottom of this post, and contacted via email (if possible). Winners must be US residents and provide a shipping address for the prize within the United States.  And that concludes the fine print. Yahoo!

Bring on summer!

Another school year is in the books! Yesterday, Riely wrapped up first grade year and Hayden said goodbye to his grade school years with the completion of fifth grade. It marks the final year that I'll have both kiddos in the same school ever again (a fact both Riely and I shed tears over - sob!) I was able to snap a quick photo of each of them with their teachers before the school bell rang for the final time:

We couldn't let summer begin without a big THANK YOU to these fabulous teachers for making this such a successful and productive year. So we gathered up a bunch of colorful summer necessities to help them kick off their vacation and enjoy some well-deserved time off from school:

Each teacher's gift basket included a beach towel, sunscreen, flip flops, sunglasses, gardening tools and gloves, flower seeds, and the most important warm weather essential - margarita mix & glasses! (I totally would have included the tequila, too, had the school policy allowed it! Lord knows they deserve it!) The kids also wrote notes that we added in, along with a Target gift card and some other summery items.

Most of the goodies were found in the Dollar Spot at Target and the baskets were from the home storage section. They were so fun to put together and only cost about $22 each (not including the gift card.) Not to mention, they definitely helped us all get in the mood for summer vacation!

And with that, we can officially kick off summer! Bring it on, baby!

Project Life: Week 11 (The post where I make lots of excuses for not blogging.)

Yes, I am still plugging away at Project Life. And I had good intentions to post this latest spread over the weekend. But all these other activities like a hot air balloon launch, 12-mile run, town fair, and backyard barbeque popped up and they sounded like more fun than blogging Project Life so I opted to do those instead. Though I guess I should clarify that the 12-mile run was not really fun at all. In fact, it kinda sucked.

But now it's Wednesday and I'm back. Don't ask me what happened to Monday and Tuesday. Because when it's the last week of school, and you're trying to make teacher gifts, attend end-of-year festivities, pack your kids (and dog!) for a trip to Nana's, pack yourself for a Memorial Day weekend wedding trip, and your husband is out of town...well, days tend to disappear rapidly. Along with much of your sanity.

But enough about me and my (lack of) sanity! On with PROJECT LIFE! Here's what I've got for Week 11. And let's just try to ignore the elephant in the room marching around carrying a sign that says  "YOU ARE NOW ONLY 10 WEEKS BEHIND!" Stupid elephant.

S U P P L I E S :

Most of the supplies were leftovers from my JBS Mercantile kits, and I used a lot of the Echo Park goodies that were in the Project Kit this month. I like using kit scraps for these spreads, because everything is already coordinated and I spend less time searching my stash for matching items. The less thinking I have to do, the better!

This week included Mike's birthday, so I added an 8.5 x 11 insert with photos from that celebration and included part of a birthday card in the center square:

I also included an insert to hold additional birthday cards and memorabilia. I cut an 8.5 x 11 page protector in half and decorated the top edge with border stickers. I added a stamped circle tag and camera sticker and it nicely holds things that didn't fit on the other pages:

And now I'm off to finish those teacher gifts! Look for a post on these later this week (if I don't get distracted, of course!)

Six on Saturday.

1.  Skull Candy Ink'd 2 Earbuds ($24.95). I couldn't run without my tunes. I count on Britney, Lady Gaga, and even Sir Mix-A-Lot to get me through my workouts. And while my taste in music may be up for debate, my choice in headphones is not. I've tried many types, and Skull Candy is my hand-down favorite. They stay in place, the sound quality is fabulous, and the replaceable rubber grips make the fit customizable (i.e., they don't fall out when it's windy, you get sweaty or you have to pick up the pace to try and ditch the rabid Chihuahua chasing you down the street.)

2. Spring Training Racerback Tank by Lucy ($29.99).  With the temps creeping up, it's nice to have a tank that will keep you cool. I love these striped tanks from Lucy for their longer length (great for girls with freakishly long torsos like mine that don't want to show tummy!) and the inset mesh back panel that lets heat & sweat escape. It also comes in a yellow & grey combo that's fab!

3.  Smartwool PhD Light Micro Sock (14.00).  I love Smartwool socks for running because I hate blisters. And Smartwools consistently keep my tootsies comfy and cushioned on those long runs. These socks are a lighter weight version and they are perfect for summer heat. And bonus! They won't give you goofy sock tan lines!

4.  Jennifer Aniston Perfume ($55.00). Admittedly, I've always been Team Aniston. From her fashion sense to her hairstyles to her movie roles. there's not much about Jen that I don't like. So it's no surprise that when I smelled her fragrance, I loved it. A mix of light florals with sensual musk, it's a clean scent that reminds me of the beach. Plus, its subtle and doesn't intensify with body heat, so it's a great scent for summer.

5.  Navy Butterfly Ruffle Top ($49.00). The Dorothy Perkins site had become my new obsession. It's like Forever 21 for those of us who aren't, um, 21 anymore. This butterfly top is my latest find. I love it for the bold white and coral print and the softer, ruffled details on the bustline and sleeves. I can totally see it paired with white cropped skinny jeans or a pair of khaki linen shorts.

6.  Seven Sisters "Yolanda" Chenin Blanc ($9.99).  You didn't think this would be an alcohol-free list, did you?!?  'Tis the season for white wine imbibing and I'm loving this crisp and slightly fruity variety from the South African vineyard of Seven Sisters. It has hints of passionfruit and guava with a touch of vanilla and meets my three main criteria for wine: it's inexpensive, it's yummy, and it pairs well with sarcasm.

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

Give-It-Away Thursday.

It's amazing how quickly supplies amass in my little office. One day, it will appear neat and clean and the next, it's a regular scene from Hoarders. Lately it's been looking more like the latter and despite my ignore-it-and-it-will-go-away strategy, things continue to pile up. And when I found all these brand-new mini albums stashed in a box, I knew I needed to find them a new home. As much I love them, I'm so behind on Project Life that I can't see myself starting a new mini anytime soon.

There's Maya Road mini albums in acrylic, canvas, and chipboard, along with an Amy Tangerine Daybook and an SEI portfolio.  I've thrown in some other random pieces for good measure too - trims, chipboard, stickers, inks, flowers and a retro Heidi Swapp date stamp that only got used once or twice.

 

 

If you'd be willing to give these goodies a good home, just leave me a comment below.  I'll randomly draw a winner on Monday to receive the whole lot!**

And with that, I'm off to perfect my ignoring strategies on the overflowing laundry bins and insanely filthy car interior. Because one of these days, it's totally going to work.

**Please be sure to leave a contact email in your comment if you are not signed in to Typepad.  Comments will remain open until the morning of May 21 (whenever I've consumed enough caffeine to function) and the winner will be randomly drawn from the comments, announced at the bottom of this post, and contacted via email (if possible). Internationals are welcome to enter, but you'll have to pay postage on the shipment. And that concludes the fine print. Yahoo!

UPDATED WITH WINNER: Congrats to Marianne B, who will be receiving some happy mail! YAY Marianne!

Whip-Up-A-Page Wednesday

Today I've got a page from the mid-month JBS Mercantile gallery for ya, featuring my sweet boy!

S U P P L I E S :

The base of this design was established by grouping together several of the journaling cards from the Echo Park "This & That" line. I stamped the silhouette on one and used two more as photo mattes. I also included a manila tag, stamped with a JBS exclusive chevron stamp (look for it on sale in July). Some of the This & That stickers, popped up on foam squares finish the look, along with a die-cut title. (I used a calligraphy brush in Illustrator to create it.)

Hope you have a AMAZING Wednesday!

Road Trip.

This past weekend we loaded the whole family in the car and took a little drive to the mountains to visit some VIP mamas in our life.

(Despite her insistance that she should ride in back to read to Shinerbock, Riely was later relocated to her booster seat.)

We stopped up in Grand Lake to see Grandma D:

Nothing like a little post-dinner hula dance!

Then we made a stop at Nana's and tortured the kids by making them take photos in bright, bright sunlight.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH.....My retinas are burning!"

And then Mike caught my reaction on camera to the news that there would be no wine involved our Mother's Day celebration:

Just kidding!

Hope your weekend (and Mother's Day!) was equally delightful!

Five on Friday.

A list of five things making me happy this week!

1.  Clif Bar Coconut Chocolate Chip ($13.99/12). I'm pretty sure that if I had to exist solely on Clif Bars for the rest of my life, I could do so happily. I love these bars for their convenience, relatively healthy ingredients, and darn delicious flavors. My latest obsession is Coconut Chocolate Chip, which tastes like an Almond Joy mated with a oatmeal cookie...and that's pretty much perfection in my book.

2.  Brand New Diary Dress by Eva Franco ($224.99). I recently ordered this dress for an upcoming wedding and was just a bit apprehensive about it fitting (and being flattering) in the um, chest area? With the deep V neckline and the pleats on the bust? I shouldn't have worried, as once it arrived and I slipped it on it was perfection. Fitting? Check! Flattering? Check! Comfortable? Check! And the 12-year old fashionista in me thinks the hot pink belt is TOTALLY AWESOME.

3.  In-Kind Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner ($7.99 each).  I'm constantly on the hunt for a shampoo that will breath life (read: volume, body, bounce & shine!) into my somewhat fine hair. Because I have a deep-seated passion to one day be one of those girls in the commercials that flings her impossibly shiny and sleek tresses over her shoulder while being filmed in slow motion. When I dream, I dream big, people. And this new line from Safeway is making that dream one step closer. On the days I use it, my hair is noticeably fuller, easier to style and uber soft. Which might not get me a commercial cameo, but hey, I'll take it!

4.  RYU Grey & White Striped Bubble Dress ($59.99). I love the daily emails from Zulily because they bring little gems like this to my inbox everyday, without having to scour local boutiques for cute, cute clothes. This sweet cotton dress has some fabulous details (hello fabric corsage!) and paired with some red sandals, I think I'll be donning it quite a bit this summer.

5.  Bliss Spa Baggage Handler Eye Gel ($28.00).  My love of wine and late-night scrapping is not exactly the ideal formula for waking up refreshed and vibrant. In fact, I'm sure anyone who ever witnessed me awaking would never use words the words refreshed  or vibrant to describe me. Ragged and volatile, perhaps. But thanks to this little miracle-in-a-tube, I can look somewhat less zombie-ish after applying it. If only all the baggage in my life was this easy to unload!

And with that, I wish you the happiest of Fridays, my friends!

Whip-Up-A-Page Wednesday

It's time for another installment of Whip-Up-A-Page! As I was looking through the humungous and dangerously tall pile of layouts on my desk trying to determine which one to feature today, I came to the realization that I SUCK AT PUTTING LAYOUTS INTO ALBUMS.  Rather, I let them collect on my desk until they resemble the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and then I transfer them to our dining room table, where they will remain until Thanksgiving, the one time of year we actually use that table for dining purposes.

But enough about my inadequate organizational skills. I don't think I've featured this page on the blog yet (and if I have, well tough cookies! I'm OLD and I don't remember!) and it's one of my favorite recent creations.  The color combo + large chevrons just make me happy:

S U P P L I E S :

I used papers from Lily Bee's new Buttercup line, with a dose of aqua and gray cardstock thrown in. That aqua color is one of my very favorites shades of Bazzill - Kachina. I buy it in bulk!

1.  Trim several strips of cardstock and patterned paper 1.5" wide. Arrange on background of page at an angle. Trim ends of each strip to line up (mine are cut at about a 120˚angle and I marked each strip with a pencil line before cutting).

2. Cut various circles sizes from patterned paper.  Layer with doilies, buttons, and stickers in the upper left side and lower right side of page.

3. Print three photos (mine are 3 x 3, 2.5 x 2.25 and 1.75 x 1.75) and adhere on top of circles.

4.  Add chipboard letters and journaling strips. Embellish buttons with twine.

And there you have it! Have fun and enjoy your Wednesday. (And keep your fingers crossed I'm not mortally injured by falling layout piles, ok?!)

A recipe of mine that doesn't suck.

I'm not exactly known for my phenomenal cooking skills (a no-sugar carrot cake with faux cream cheese frosting I made for Hayden's first birthday comes to mind) but I do have a few tried-and-true recipes that I've perfected over the years. I recently posted a pic of one of my faves on Instagram and got several requested for the recipe.  It's simple, with easy-to-find ingredients, doesn't require any fancy appliances or equipment and you can totally drink a margarita while you put it together.  Which pretty much means it's my ideal recipe.

 

Black Bean & Corn Salad

2 - 15oz. cans black beans, drained & rinsed
2 lb. bag of frozen corn (you can also use fresh corn)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 jalepeno, diced (or two, if you like it spicy)
3/4 c. chopped cilantro
juice from 2 limes
1/4 c. plain greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1/2 c. red salsa (I like Blue Moose salsa)
1 T cumin
1 T chili powder
salt & pepper to taste

Mix everything together in a big bowl. Cover tightly with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Ideally, make this the night before you want to eat it. It gets better with a bit a of time to "marinate" in the frig! (During which time, you should totally drink margaritas.)

Serve over lettuce and/or corn chips and top with crumbled queso fresco. If you want to bump up the protein content, you can also add in edmame (I threw some in the last batch I made and it was tasty), garbanzo beans, or avocados. It's also a nice salad to serve with grilled chicken or steaks. And a margarita, natch.

Enjoy!

P.S.  I'd be remiss if I didn't direct you to my favorite margarita recipe right here, now wouldn't I?!?  Cheers!