Time for a new look...

Maybe I will be more motivated to post here if I jazz the place up a little! So, give me a few days and I'll be back in business. Happy New Year!

A blessed day

Today started out as "one of those days". Now I admit that phrase is one of the most over-used phrases around, but truly...this day was extra special! Everyone woke up in a good mood (which is unusual around here, as none of us are morning people and usually someone is crying. So I'm thinking, "Great! We are off to a happy start". Rob was kind enough to start my car for me so it would warm up. We had coats/backpacks laid out, breakfast eaten...and we were out the door on time.

So I go to open up the van door and...it's locked. And the van is running. I call Rob and tell him to come home (good thing we live close by). In the meantime we walk up and down the sidewalk trying to keep warm, since it decided to get cold this morning. It occurred to me that I hadn't tried the driver's side door. Well guess what? It was open!!! I quickly called Rob and told him to turn around. We arrived at school at 9:05am (which is the first time it's happened this year).

Next I quickly designed/printed a sheet of Christmas cards for the kindergarten class, at Rob's request. When you know Photoshop you get volunteered for all kinds of things! But I like doing it, 'cause it makes me feel useful.

Then I ran to grocery store to pick up supplies to make porcupine balls for a funeral meal at church. It's pathetic. Every time I do a love meal, I end up making these. I'm not much of a cook, and they are so easy. Want the recipe?

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Mish's Porcupine Balls

1 pound ground chuck
1/2 cup rice
1 can Campbell's tomato soup (15oz can)
1 can milk
salt and pepper

Mix meat, rice, salt and pepper in a bowl and set aside. Empty the soup into another bowl and fill the soup can with milk. Combine the milk and soup; mix well. Add 6 tablespoons of the soup mix to the meat, mix and form into balls (should make around 8 or 9).

Put the meatballs into an 8x8 baking dish and pour the soup over the top. Cover with foil and cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook another 15 minutes.

Serve with a salad and/or a baked potato. Enjoy!

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Okay, back to the saga. I didn't have enough time to finish cooking these, so I ran to school to pick up the girls and ran back to grab the food. On the way back to church, the sauce spilled all over. BUT...I had the pan inside a quilted cozy-thing, so it didn't mess up the car. Yay!

Next on the agenda was a trip to the downtown library. A friend of mine plays in a group called the Moody Flutes, a flute choir, and they gave a little free concert at lunchtime. I had packed peanut butter sandwiches and apples for lunch (I'm cheap!). We made our way to the second floor, which overlooked the concert. We found a table but realized that area was reserved for a business luncheon. The waitress let us sit there anyway. I kind of felt stupid...here I was with my jeans, fleece vest and unwashed hair (which desparately needs a color job!) and my little sweeties in the midst of a bunch of well dressed business people. I even saw an acquaintance of ours who has a high-level job at a big company here, looking really important. But you know what? I was eating lunch with my kids, listening to the beautiful Christmas carols and watching their joy...and her kids are in school/daycare. I think I'm the lucky one.

The frosting on the cake was when the waitress came over and asked if the girls could have cookies. She returned with a big plate of cookies and brownies. Wasn't that sweet? And we weren't even supposed to be there!!

We found some Christmas books and were on our way. Oh, I can't forget the "angel in disguise" man. Heidi had left her Cinderella doll sitting on the table downstairs. While we were browsing in the children's area, a man asked me if we had lost a doll. He had tracked us down up there to make sure we got the doll back. Now, how many people would go to the trouble of doing that?

All in all, it has turned out to be "one of those days"...but it's the kind of day when you know God is here, working through people doing the smallest kindnesses, just to make your day a little brighter.

I hope you are having "one of those days".

Long time, no blog...

...at least it feels like it. Dawn, are you still reading? Or did you think I fell off the planet? LOL

I am doing okay on my list of "to-dos" so far. I still need to:

1. Wrap presents
2. Finish shopping
3. Make arrangements for Christmas schedules (ugh)
4. Make little treats for neighbors...he he

Not bad, eh?

I have managed to do a little scrapping and a little designing in the past week.

Credits: Christmassy Templates 1, Page 1 by Mish Gasser at 1HourScrap
Figgy Pudding kit by Iron Orchid Designs - DST December Exclusive Kit
Alpha by Robin Carlton from Tis the Season at The Digi Chick
Font: Kingthings Christmas, Century Gothic

Toni Berman's Holiday Sparkle kit and Painted Flourishes, both available at
Plain Digital Wrapper
Template by Danni R.
Font: MA Sexy

I made the second one to frame in an 8x10 frame for our Christmas decor. I think it turned out really cute!

I must confess that I have become involved in a ... hold your breath now ... paper scrapping group! I was invited to join Scrappin' in Toledo and it is so much fun! I attended their annual Christmas crop and let me tell you, these girls can scrap! It was 12pm - 10pm on a Saturday. They had tons of food, games, prizes...what a blast. I took my laptop and never even opened it.
But don't worry, I'll never give up digi. I think maybe I'll end up being a hybrid scrapper, adding real elements to my pages.

Oh, I can't forget to share this:

This one was actually a refrigerator magnet swap for Digital Art Quirks. Check out the gallery of awesome magnets here!

Well I better get back to my list. I need to go to UPS...wish me luck!

Cranking it up!!

It's been a while since I've had time to update my blog and I miss it!!

December has been amazingly calm...and I don't know why. It's almost eerie. I sent out my cards last week, have most of my shopping done (except for Rob (DH) but that's another story...) and am in good shape on my homemade gifts. WHAT is going on?? LOL

I've also been busy designing. I figured since it's Christmastime I should step it up and really try to get some products into the store.

Grab it here!

I also have a couple more that should be in the store by Monday. Woohoo!

In other exciting news, Toni Berman asked me to join her CT! I love her stuff...she has some fun, different products. Check her out here.


We finally had to have our big old maple tree cut down. I was so sad, but it had to be done as it was mostly rotten and we didn't want it to fall on our house!






And there are a couple of the girls doing their thing at gymnastics...




Well we are off to go grocery shopping now. Happy week!