Happy Anniversary My Love

Today Patrick and I celebrate our 10 year anniversary! I love ya baby!!

Me Ra Koh CONFIDENCE Photography Seminar

This past weekend I attended the Me Ra Koh Confidence Photography Seminar for women in beautiful Huntington Beach. It was a wonderful time of learning and sharing. I (yes me) am now shooting in full manual mode on the camera!! This is me with Me Ra. This weekend made me realize that I too, can fulfill my dream of becoming a photographer!

In addition to the many things I learned, I was able to take advantage of using the instructors equipment. I found a new lens that I will make mine one day. The Carl Ziess 2.8 24-70 lens. Yes she is expensive, but I think she is worth it. Not today, not tomorrow, but one day.

Woofy Wear

JoAnn's has all their Simplicity patterns on sale today and tomorrow (4/23/2010 & 4/24/2010) for $1.99. I purchased this pattern to make the boys a Halloween costume. How cute will they be??

Happy News

I have been hand picked by Miss Jill at Jill DZines to be on her Creative Team! I am just beside myself to have this opportunity to promote Jill and her designs!! Stay tuned for the goodness to follow!!

Make your own sale at Macy's

My niece forwarded this coupon to me (thank you Frannie!) and I thought that I would share it you all of you!! Let me know if you use it and what you buy!!!

Daddy Needs New Shoes

I thought this was just too funny. I would love to have been in the store while they were filming this!!

Hats

On our last trip to Las Vegas we joined up with Frannie and her family at the Clark County Fair. While at the fair Patrick and I stopped at the Veteran's booth and picked up these hats. They came in handy at the Bone Yard. More about that to come.

Trams at Disneyland

They are finally getting around to putting doors on the trams at Disneyland. Patrick and I have a friend who works the parking detail and he told us this was coming a while back. Seems that we live in a litigious society and this is Disney's way of CYA.

If I Don't Buy That Fabric I'll Surely Faint!

I copied this from a sewing site I have begun frequenting - but it applies to many areas of my crafting life!!

"Few true sewers, quilters or fabric crafters need an excuse to buy more fabric. We are hooked on cotton. We obsess over silk. We daydream about calicos and ginghams and plaids. But just in case you need to explain to others why you have a million yards of fabric at home, but still need a few more fat quarters and just have to buy yardage of the newest prints ... here's a handy list of reasons you need more fabric! Copy this list and tuck it in your purse for quick reference!

•It is a patriotic duty to support cotton farmers, textile mills and fabric shops.
•"Oh, it's not for me! I'm buying it for a friend!"
•It's on sale.
•I need extra weight in the trunk of my car for traction on snowy, icy roads. This is important, even in Florida and Southern California, as you never know when the weather will change.
•It's non-fattening.
•Like dust, it's good for protecting previously empty spaces in the house.
•Because it's there.
•It's much cheaper to cover the floor with fabric than new carpeting.
•The devil made you do it.
•It's the only remotely artistic thing I have ever done.
•I can't live without it.
•I have new shelves for fabric storage.
•It will go with some I bought last year.
•It's so pretty, and I'll use it some day.
•I want my daughter to have a proper inheritance.
•Without fabric, I would have nothing to do with my rotary cutter and my mat and my sewing machine.
•It does not promote tooth decay.
•It calms the nerves, gratifies the soul and makes one feel good.
•If I don't buy it now, I may never see it again.
•A large fabric stash is the sign of a creative mind.
•I owe myself a reward for that half-pound I lost last month. "

Dream Big

Jillian took these pictures of the two Mandres at breakfast one morning. Aren't they just the cutest!! I used My Mind's Eye papers for this layout and since their monthly challenge featured a sketch, I made this layout for the challenge!! You can check out the challenge here. I also used the Graphically Speaking Cricut cartridge for the "dream BIG" embellishment and a few Martha Stewart border punches.

Next Project

Hey, guess what? I signed up for a quilting class! I am really excited to get started with it, but it doesn't begin until next month. We will be staring with a 9-panel sampler quilt. While I know basically how to sew, I am hoping to pick up a lot of the tips of the trade. And you know me and classes (love them)! With that said, I am starting a new sewing project today. More pictures to come . . .

April 15th - The Dreaded Tax Day

Patrick and I filed our taxes a while back, so we are not feeling the tax related stress. If you are feeling a little over taxed - here are some companies offering a little relieve today ~


-- FREE COFFEE AND TREATS

CINNABON: Get two free bite-sized cupcakes from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at participating mall locations as part of "Tax Day Bites!" Flavors include Chocolate Passion, 24-Carrot Cake, Vanilla Bliss and Cinnacake Classic.

MAGGIEMOO'S: Get one free slice of ice cream pizza -- ice cream with red frosting to look like sauce and white chocolate to look like cheese -- at participating locations from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.

STARBUCKS: Get free brewed coffee all day Thursday if you bring your own mug, a promotion the cafe chain says is friendly to the environment as well as taxpayers.

-- DISCOUNTED MEALS

BOSTON MARKET: For a "last-minute tax break" -- one free meal for each one you buy Thursday through Sunday -- show this coupon: http://bit.ly/d1YlRO
IHOP: Expanding on the tax deduction parents get for kids, the restaurant chain is offering free dinner for one child age 12 or younger with each adult meal purchased 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. all month long.

MCCORMICK & SCHMICK'S: The seafood restaurant is offering $10.40 dinner and drink specials in the bar on Thursday -- a nod to the 1040 tax form. Bar guests who come in April 15 also receive a $10.40 gift certificate for a later visit. And professional tax preparers, who may have to work right until the midnight deadline Thursday, get their freebie Friday: dessert on the house plus a $10.40 certificate if they show a business card.

P.F. CHANG'S: Get 15 percent off food purchases for dine-in or take-out, excluding alcohol and happy hour food and beverages.

Lily Bee Contest

Lily Bee is having a LOVELY contest during the month of April. Each week for four weeks Lily Bee is giving away the entire Lovely collection. All you need to do to win is put this blinkie on your blog and post a link to it on the Lily Bee blog.

Scrap the Girls - April Challenge

I found this challenge blog and this is my submission for April. The challenge was a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 challenge - Use 5 - buttons, 4 - patterned papers, 3 - flowers, 2 - photos, 1 - alpha. You can check out the challenge here. The pictures are of my dad and my granddaughter, Amara at her 1st birthday party.

The paper line I used for this layout was from the new The Girls Paperie by Margie. I used the Cabbage Rose, Paisley and the die cut Wall Paper. I also used the Martha Stewart border punch and Be Happy stamp from Unity.

What has Sarge ate now?

The back door! I had put him outside for being bad. I guess he figured out if he ate through the door, he could sit out in the garage with Patrick. Now granted, this was an interior door placed on an exterior opening. Years of weather had caused this door to pull apart and we have been meaning to replace it - but we didn't expect to do it this way!

Saturday Drive

Saturday Patrick and I took a drive up the coast to Long Beach to enjoy the nice day and lunch. We usually end up at Shoreline Village and eat at Tequila Jacks on the patio. It is relaxing to sit on the patio, watch the boats come and go and people watch. Saturday we tried the Yard House. It just seems wrong that my ice tea is in the smaller glass. I had the Chicken Rice bowl and it was ok. Patrick had the jambalaya and let's just say, he has had better. Next time it is back to Tequila Jacks! (They have a great Long Beach Peach drink there - Stolichnaya peach vodka, bols peach schnapps, sweet & sour, peach puree)

Sewing Swag

So when I purchased my sewing machine back in January at the CHA Super Show, it came with a promise of a box of swag. Yesterday, my box arrived and look at all the goodies I received.

I have really been enjoying sewing lately!