Heavy!

I started to write a status on Facebook but thought that one; I might be a little wordy for a status post and two I don't really want comments from those that have different views than me TODAY! Usually I don't mind a good debate of differing political viewpoints. Today I won't be able to take it. I need some time to mourn and then recover! This is my blog and if you don't like what I am writing don't read it! 

What has me scratching my head is that I have never been so vested in an election since I had the privilege of voting. I mean I paid attention here and there. I usually asked my sweet, smart friend Robin for guidance since we had the same values, morals, faith etc. I trusted her opinion. I would also listen to my friends and family who were definitely more into politics than i ever was...Stacie, Shelly, Andria, my brother Don. I would chew on what they would say and then make my own political decisions! These 5-6 years have been different for me. I have read up on my own, took other opinions in and researched the differences and came up with my own conclusions. When President Obama was elected the last time I was a bit nervous. I will admit that I was happy that our country actually voted in a black human being! Some things were changing. I found some comfort in that! That lasted all of 1 month! Where did all those people go that voted for them?? I was so disheartened, I actually knew smart, strong faithful people who voted for him for the sole reason of the color of his skin??!! What?!! How can that be??!! He promised change! Well, we got change! Change vs. dollars in my pocket book! Higher taxes, healthcare costs that have gone through the roof and expect to go higher! I know some people think that if Romney was voted in Women's rights would be pushed back 50 years. Really people?! 

I watched those poles last night like a hawk! I had hope! I even got a little excited and thought what if?! 

So last night the country spoke, well at least half of them will be happy. I can only pray that Obama sees that he made it in by the skin of his teeth and that it was not a landslide and maybe he might rethink his positions of the economy, healthcare, gas prices, etc! Realizing that half the country did not want him for a second term!

The minute I heard Diane Sawyer announce that Obama had won I was immediately sickened! I was shock that I felt that way. I could have probably teared up a little if I had let myself go there! I mean seriously where was this coming from?? Just an election. We will be fine! But what I was thinking was for  my children, my grandchildren!!! How will we ever recover from another 4 years??!!  Immediately I received a text from my friend Stacie of her disappointment as well. I went on Facebook sadness and celebratory posts! I couldn't take it! I didn't want to see his I won speech. I didn't want to see Romney's I lost speech! I turned on my Beverly Hills Housewife show. That helped. Reality! Hah! 

Went to bed and woke up at 4 with such a heavy heart! Couldn't stop thinking of what happened! How can this be? How does half the country not see what I am seeing?

So like I said I am going to take today to be sad and mourn just like I said! Today is Bible Study. I have a pumpkin bread pudding in the oven and my girls and I are going to pray for our country and eat yummy bread pudding! That will help! I am going to wish my friend Stephanie a Happy Birthday today and start some laundry! Life goes on!

I am thankful for this country and my freedom! I am thankful for the men and women that fought for my freedom and for my right to vote! I will show my children to respect the man that is our President even though he is not the one that I voted for! Most importantly, I will cling to the fact that My Lord and Savior knew who the winner was going to be and His great plan for our country is better than anything I could every dream of! 

21 and A Boo!

 Ed and I are celebrating our 21st Anniversary today! It really is hard to believe that it has been that long. Sometimes it feels like 5 years and if I am being honest sometimes it feels like..well more than 21! Last year my facebook page said, "Thanks for joining me on this roller coaster they call marriage!" I still love that analogy of marriage. I first heard that line during one of my favorite movies, Parenthood. Wise old Grandma never really said much. Most of the time the family was annoyed that they had to pick her up, or have her at their house. She just mainly observed the going ons around her. One day when life was hectic getting ready for one of the grand kids plays, costumes, hair dos etc. Mom was at her wits end, Grandma says some diddy about her friend liking merry go rounds. Round and round, never changing. Just round and round. But, she was more in favor of a roller coaster. Up and down, twists and turns. Way more exciting than a merry go round. She is so right! Although sometimes scary, but really a roller coaster gets your heart pumping! My point is I love the roller coaster Ed and I have been on together!

 The picture above is of Ed and I on our honeymoon! A Caribbean cruise. The bottom picture is our dear friends, the Antols, on the same cruise, on the same chair on their honeymoon only 3 weeks prior to us! It really trips us out! I love how young we were and looked! Shelly told me today that during their honeymoon her and her husband all week thought that it would be fun to enjoy their cruise with friends. Little did we know we were only 3 weeks away!

 I love my Halloween banner! I wish I could take the design credit for it. This was designed by Irene and Adrienne. They are designers that Mambi uses off and on. I asked them if they would be kind to die cut me the letters. I then copied the banner. I think I changed it up here and there but for the most part...it's a replica!

Another new addition to my Halloween decor! I am in love with all my skellies! I didn't have any Halloween embellishments, so I made some with paper. Sketched some bats, cut them out, glittered them and they were added to the Boo. I love the glittery spider web I made. I sketched that out as well, adhered it to some thick cardboard from a cereal box, cut it out and then glittered that as well. It has been somewhat of a challenge being at home and not having EVERYTHING at my fingertips. I have had to learn to look at things around my house and adjust when I am creating! That and having to clean up every time I am done is not my favorite! I need to get my space cleaned out in the garage! I am still seeing glitter everywhere on my counters. I swear that stuff is like dust just goes places you would never imagine! Funny story, when I was mocking up products at Mambi, there was on these particular products a lot of glitter. For days I was glittering. So much so that for days when I went to the bathroom I would see glitter falling out of my clothes and settle all around the toilet! I swear!! TMI?? Nah..pretty funny!

We are off to the boys football game and then the Varsity game! That is right, celebrating my anniversary at 2 football games! My choice!
 So excited we might even be able to put on a sweater and a scarf!!
Enjoy your weekend and create something fun!
Ciao Bellas~

A New Beginning

A lot has happened since my last post in 2010. This is going to be a long one. Go grab your favorite beverage and join for a few! 

We have moved for what I hope to be the last time until we retire! Another fixer upper so a few things have needed to be done and with the economy what it is it has been a very slow start! I will say this...we have a home and food on the table so we have much to be thankful for!

One of the main events that has really been a huge bummer for me personally is that I am no longer working and creating at Me and My Big Ideas. As the industry has changed my job was really no longer needed and what I can do for them I can do from the comfort of my lovely home! I will still be creating here and there for them, which is a huge relief I just won't be going into the office. I miss my peeps a ton and they haven't been able to get rid of my visiting! There really is something to be said about being around creative people on a daily basis! If I am going to be honest I was in a funk for a few weeks and Thank God I have friends that kept me busy during the summer... that and a freshman in football! Yikes!!! That schedule is brutal! 

Once I cleared my head with a lot of time with Jesus and lots of discussions with my dear friends and understanding husband I am able to see some things a little more clearly and am ready to see what my next adventure is going to be on this roller coaster we all call LIFE!  

School is in full swing, football is about half way over and Fall has somewhat started to show its colors

here in the south OC! Finally! Which means that my favorite season for decorating is knocking at my door! 

My creative mojo is back!! I actually signed up for Spooky Spark with Margie Romney Aslett. My first online class that I actually watched and took inspiration from!! I have signed up for a few online classes here and there and never really stuck with them. Time and schedules got in the way. But not this time! Watched the 3 - 30 minute videos and then got started! It was just enough to get my engines revving!

I believe that you can still sign up! I've linked her name and class...go check it out!

 Here is my little vignette that I have right when you walk into my entry way. All papers are from Mambi. The rest is from what I had in my stash and the skellie's are from the 99 cent store. I suggest you run not walk to that store for the best deals in town for Halloween decorations! I spent a total of 12 bucks and seriously used every single thing I bought! Love that place! Margie demonstrated her junk bows. Now this is technique is not new to me but adding the paper to them was! What a huge difference that extra touch made! I love them and everywhere I look now I hear myself saying, "Oh that  might need a junk bow!" Oy vey! Don't stand still cuz I just may junk you up!!

 These are the paper lollies that are everywhere in blogosphere! Love them! They are easy peasy and add just enough whimsical to any occasion! Again all papers used are from Mambi. I also cut out some of the designs from a pattern or two to embellish the lollies! Inked them up to help them look a bit more weathered and old, poured some mini rocks from that awesome store...99 cents and voila! Cuteness! 

 This is a corner of my fabulous shelves that hubby made me for my birthday last year. Got the idea from these freakin fabulous DIY'ers! I linked you directly to the shelf tutorial but I HIGHLY suggest that you take a tour around their blog. They are amazing and Shelly is pretty funny and just a regular girl trying to be the best that she can be! Her energy is contagious! Everything used except for the glass jar (which I've had for a very long time) comes from the dollar store. I covered a diced tomato can with Mambi paper, dipped the edges in Martha Stewart glitter ( that stuff is the BEST) and stuck in the black roses. Put some skellies that were once garland and some glitter spiders, some more mini rocks and mini spiders in the jar, stuck the cute tinsel spider web behind that jar and it really was that easy!  

 My Haunted House is one of my favorites! Purchased the paper maiche house from Hobby Lobby and covered with Mambi paper and embellished with some of the Halloween soft spoken from Mambi. Added a tombstone or two and instant creepy. Will say this...very time consuming! 

Again, I cute out images from one of the patterns in the paper pad and adhered them to some kraft paper that I had crumple and inked to give the effect of old, tied some twine to them and hung them from these bottles I bought awhile ago at The Container Store. I also added some green food coloring to water for another creepy added effect! Love it!

I don't think I am done! How can I be I have a couple of more weeks until the big day??!! So I am sure that I will be tweaking, creating and adding more here and there. 

I am really excited to be back blogging again. I finally got tired of reading everyone else's fabulous blogs and knew that I could do what they do...create and share about their adventures along the way! 

If you for some reason were a reader a long long time ago I would love to hear from you and from the bottom of my heart...Thank You for coming back and if you are new...Welcome! I hope we can journey together on this creative bus!!

Ciao Bellas!!

Counting down to the BIG day

Take note: very picture heavy!

Wow...time flies and I always seem to say that! It should just be my motto! Lots of stuff going on and for some reason haven't had much tome to catch my breath! I am sure all of you out there are feeling the same way. 

I am really excited to show you some new pillows I made this year. I think they are fabulous. I had seen them at Pottery Barn last year and then my friend Twila posted them on her facebook page and that sealed it for me that I was making those bad boys. First off I wasn't going to spend serious coinage for some felt and burlap. Although Pottery Barn uses linen on theirs but pish posh you can't tell the difference and I certainly am not letting anyone cuddle with my beautiful pillows so it doesn't really matter. 

check them out!

 Don't you just love them??? 

 Here is our tree this year. The deal in our house is Ed puts the lights on and then the kids and I decorate. Well with Mak not home much this year...you know her being a senior with a car! Well it was 80 degrees outside I was totaling sweating and was just a crab so I gave up and it almost looked like someone threw up on the darn tree. My darling Makenna came home the next day and rearranged and finished the cascading ribbon and now it looks lovely. 

 My favorite part of our tree every year- the top. Ed hates it! Too funny how opposite we are he says it is just too foofy!

 My favorite ornaments. Totally homemade from the kids. They may be cheesy but every year when I bring them out the memories of my babies just flood right open.

 Lots of my decorations are homemade. The plates are china painted when I had tons of time when I was single. I lost one last year. It was of Santa made me sooooo sad! I just couldn't bring myself to throw him away so I kept it until this year and finally put it in the round file. Still makes me sad as I type this.

 My advent calendar that I finally this year filled! Lots of mambi product.

 Top of the bookshelf. Just never know how that will turn up year to year. Still needs something but I am done!

 Entry way vignette. This is new and I really like it.

 These are my girls. My rocks! Friends for life I will say. Man oh man do we laugh.We had our Christmas Brunch and annual ornament exchange which can get a little shall i say loosely ugly! the best I say just the BEST! Love these women~

 Last but not least my very favorite Christmas decorations. Santa praying over baby Jesus. Ties it all up doesn't it??

And the very reason we celebrate this time of year...the nativity scene. I am so grateful and overwhelmed for this most precious gift of all. 

Luke 2:10-12, 14

Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord"..."Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

Take some time this season to take in the memories and sit and be with those that you love. 

Merry Christmas to you and your families. 

REALLY!!!???

Well I am now having to redesign my blog which doesn't make me very happy! So this post will be short! I have to get to designing my blog to make it pretty!

I made this super fast and easy Halloween projects this week and wanted to get them posted for you.

All 3 of these projects were made with Mambi's latest Halloween paper pad and soft spoken embellishments.

I love this witches hat! Super easy to make. Start off making a cone and then embellish away. I used Martha Stewart glitter to add and extra punch! Love it!

 This treat bag was super easy as well and would be great to use for those class parties. The treats are in a cellophane bag held in with a staple. A decorative edge adds just a little something! 

This treat bag reminds me of something you might find in a grocery store. This bag gives the element of surprise. You are not sure what is inside! A trick or a treat!! Hee Hee!

Adhering the ends and then using a crimper gives it that grocery store look. Another great idea for a class party.

Well hopefully some of my followers are able to find me! I will be posting this on my Facebook page as well. 

Go to the Me and my BIG Idea blog to get some great Halloween and Thanksgiving ideas.

Have a fun and safe Halloween!