A Little Thursday Happy!

Happy Thursday! Spring Break started here for my kids at noon, so we had a busy afternoon at the park and having a fun early dinner at Culver's (boy's choice hehe). That pushed this post off a bit later than I had planned, but hey, it's still Thursday!

But before my CARD POST tomorrow, I wanted to do a quick fly by with a super fun Thursday announcement (well, it's fun for me!)...I was chosen as one of the new Design Team Members over at Wags 'n Whiskers Rubber Stamps! 

I'm so stoked about this. Before my injury and our move/home remodel ate up the last couple years of my LIFE, I was fortunate enough to be on a number of different Design Teams and Challenge Teams. I LOVED working with the talented artists and the other DT members to show off products and images and generally just have an amazing time stamping and sharing. When I saw the DT call I was hesitant, I had barely stamped in 2 years, but it was one of my goals this year to start working my way back into this wonderous hobby. So in the I applied, and was lucky enough to be picked! Thank you to Lacey and Nicola for this great opportunity! I love the W'nW images - they have super cute animals, kids and fairies...right up my alley! 

Wags 'n Whiskers hosts a bi-weekly challenge, and the new one goes live tomorrow morning! All of the new teamies have created something lovely for your inspiration, so check it out and play along if you'd like! You can win free stamps...

Until the morning - happy stamping to you all!

Well, Happy 2015!

I thought I would try a blog post. YES! I'm still around here and I'm looking forward to getting back into stamping. After so So SO many trials and tribulations over the last couple of years, I am healthy, I have a healthy family, slightly more self-reliant little boys, and...MOST importantly of all...A BRAND NEW SPANKIN' BEAUTIFUL STAMPING ROOM custom built for me, by hubs.  It was just finished a couple of weeks ago and I've been unpacking, organizing, reorganizing, and getting reacquainted with all of my beautiful, wonderful, *amazing* crafting supplies.

Photos coming soon. I know you want to see them! :D

Time to dust things off and have a glitter-baptism of the new space! Right?!

Death Swatch by Laura Childs - Review and GIVEAWAY

**This post will remain at the top until after the blog candy drawing. Please scroll down for new posts (I will have a new post every day this week so they are there!**

Hello and Happy Sunday to you! As promised, I am back today with my book review -- oh, and blog candy too! The review is of Death Swatch by Laura Childs. {I loved it, BTW. But read on for more!}. Ms. Childs contacted me after the holidays to ask if I would be interested in reviewing her latest book here on my blog. I had actually read books one through three when they were first out, so I was thrilled to reconnect with this series and catch up with Carmella, Ava, and the rest of the gang!

Death Swatch is the sixth installment of Childs' popular Scrapbooking Mystery series featuring heroine Carmella Bertrand, proprietor of the Memory Mine scrapbook shop in the French Quarter of New Orleans. While the characters are extremely well-developed over the course of the series, this is certainly a stand-alone story, and reading the first five books is not a prerequisite {although I believe you'll be hooked, so then you'll definitely want to go back and catch up on any you missed!}

Carmella, independent and nearly divorced from her charming but no-good husband, is a genius with all things papercrafting. The fabulous French Quarter, in fact all of New Orleans is rebounding from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, including Memory Mine and Carmella's best friend Ava's Juju Voodoo Shop. The girls are enjoying a typical gala in the apartment of good friend and float-designer Jekyl Hardy as The Big Easy gears up for Mardi Gras. Sipping on Purple Haze, the latest cocktail creation, and mingling with an amazing cast of characters, the bash comes to a screeching halt when Carmella and Ava discover Jekyl's neighbor and fellow designer near-death. No natural causes here, Archie has a barbed-wire garrote around his neck, and dies before the paramedics arrive at the scene. Jekyl is beside himself, and begs Carmella to help him piece together what happened on that balcony. Beautiful and intelligent, this won't be the first time she and Ava have provided...shall we say "assistance" to the New Orleans Police Department.

Clues abound, and in the course of their unofficial investigation, Carmella and Ava become involved with historical trivia, illegal absinthe, Russian mobsters, a 150-year old pirate treasure hunt, and one handsome police lieutenant {to name a few!}. And the whole adventure comes to a head smack in the middle of the biggest Mardi Gras parade of the year! Ms. Childs does a fantastic job introducing the diverse and colorful characters into the storyline, as well as incorporating insightful scrapbooking and papercrafting tips and delicious New Orleans recipes into the story {recipes and tips are included in full at the back of the book!}. I don't think there is a city anywhere that is better suited for a murder mystery, and Carmella simply belongs in the French Quarter. The overall effect of this story, with its attention to historical detail and legends, continuous literary tour of the Quarter {and one trip into the bayou!}, and the slow building of character development make this book an excellent read. I think it is my favorite of the series to date {and I have now read them all, I had to go fill in books four and five after I finished this one!}. I definitely recommend it to any one who likes a good book, doubly if you are a crafter! Carmella has some pretty amazing ideas in that department. I'm pretty sure she gets them to take shape much more quickly than I do too! ;-)

So there is my review! I hope you found it helpful. The book can be purchased from Amazon, and I'm sure just about anywhere you go to buy books. Laura Childs also has a website you can check out for more info on her books {the next one is coming out this fall!!}. On top of my copy, she sent me an additional THREE signed copies of this book {in hardcover!} to share with my blog readers. Read...SIGNED, HARDCOVER. Yum! I am a total book snob, I admit it. As I said yesterday in my teaser post, I like to read almost as much as I like to stamp -- and that's a LOT!! And yes, I am *late* getting this review and blog candy posted; my sincere apologizes to Ms. Childs for the delay! I read the book right away, but didn't get all my thoughts typed up until now. What else is new?

So -- would you like to have a copy of Death Swatch of your very own? I bet you would! Leave a comment on this post to be entered! It is not a requirement, but since I am such a book lover, if you'd like to share your favorite book or favorite author I'd love to hear it! I will close this giveaway on Saturday, March 7th, 2009 at 11:59 PM Central Time. Winners will be announced Sunday morning, so check back to see if you are headed to New Orleans {figuratively speaking}!

**This post will remain at the top until after the blog candy drawing. Please scroll down for new posts (I will have a new post every day this week so they are there!**

Greetings from Florida!

I know I've been MIA here this week, I think I mentioned I took the kids to Florida to visit my parents. So we've been busy at the beach and pool and enjoying the beautiful weather before we head back home to fall.

I'll try to be back later with a card to share, depending on how the day shapes up. Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend!!

A LONG Overdue Thank You Post

I have some blog candy "thank you"s and photos to share with the world - and I am ashamed to say these are from late June/early July. They ended up getting caught in the Category 5 Hurricane of our household move and I never got them photogrpahed and posted. So, sorry for the lateness and a HUGE thank you to everyone for the candy RAKs and prizes. *MWAH* to each of you!

This one is from Lorraine Rowe. She had a "guess where I CASE'd this card from in the SU catty" contest and I won her candy. Can you BELIEVE the amazing generosity?!?! Three unmounted SU stamp sets. Don't worry, they have found a loving home, heeheehee. She also sent me this beautiful card:

This next one is from Deb Neerman. I got four new stamps from Diva Impressions - NICE! Can't wait to ink 'em up now that they are found again (I did a little stamp area cleaning and moving around over the weekend - just a little, but look at the fabulous finds, LOL. Imagine when it's all finished....).

Lastly, I got these great clear stamps from Page Plans. I won one of their weekly sketch contests (Page Plans 5), and this was my prize. Wow!! As soon as I have time again I'll be back to doing their weekly sketch challenges - if you haven't visited them yet, check it out! Chris & Lesli are super talented.

And the Oscar Goes To....ME!

I have a couple more FUN awards to share & pass on - and a tag! It's been busy in the blog-o-verse, huh?

First, from Vicki, my uber-creative sister in Prickley Pear rubbah designing:

Isn't it pretty?! I haven't gotten this one before. I'd like to pass it along to with Emily, Lynn, AJ, and Wanda. I've been reading their blogs for awhile now and they're all very talented. Check them out!

I also have this beeee-utiful golden Visa BFF award from not one but THREE of my bestest girls, Danyelle, Deb and Kisa. Danyelle, you know I luuuurve you, I shall wish for some darkness for you to calm down the WJs and let you get some rest! And Deb - Y.K.Y.R. woman!! {'nuff said}. Kisa - welcome home, we missed you, you creative genius!

Should we think for a minute the damage that could be done with this baby were it a REAL gold card? And someone else was getting the bills? Aaah...now there's a fantasy I can really get into.

Of course the best things in stamping accessories {and blog awards} are not free. The deets:

1. You can only award this to 5 blogger friends.
2. Four of those must be hardcore addicts of your blog.
3. One must be a relatively new follower from another part of the world.
4. You must link back to the person who gave you the award.

I am thinking hard to figure out if I *HAVE* any hardcore addicts of my blog. Let's pretend...Heather {she's an in-town BFF too!}, Kari, Deb, and Allison. The new follower hat goes to...Lorie, the newest Belli Challenge gal!

aaaannnd...Jeani tagged me. Thanks Jeani! These are really fun, but I do have trouble coming up with stuff sometimes - I guess I'm not that interesting - LOL. This is the 7 random facts tag. The rules are simple . . . you reveal 7 facts (random, funny, weird, etc. facts) about yourself and then tag 7 other people (with links to their blogs) & post a note on their blog that they've been tagged!

You may be sick of reading about me {WHAT? No!} but I'll see if I can come up with some fun ones.

1. My favorite fast food place is Taco Bell. I don't care what anyone says! It's delicious.

2. I have spent quality time in the tube maze of the McDonald's play land. As an adult.

3. I have that Child-Activated Attention Defecit Disorder you've been hearing about. It's an epidemic!

4. One of the last times I was visiting back east {NJ}, I went to Atlantic City with my aunt, uncle and some cousins. My uncle won big at Three Card Poker so he took us all to lunch at the Hard Rock on the boardwalk and my cousin told the waiter that it was my birthday {wasn't}. So the waiter gets me a shot in this nice Hard Rock AC glass, drags me up on a table, yells to everyone it's my birthday and pours the shot down my throat. Literally. He wouldn't let me hold the glass and he tipped and MY HEAD back so fast he almost choked me. It was kind of embarassing actually. But I got to keep the shot glass. ;-)

5. The first movie that DH and I saw on a date was Gangs of New York. I know. It's amazing he got another date after that tragic choice.

6. I have read every Harry Potter book at least three times.

7. I've been to the ORIGINAL Ron Jon Surf Shop. It's in Ship Bottom on Long Beach Island in south Jersey and it's the only one of the stores where all the screenprinted clothes and stuff actually say "The Original". All the others say some variation of Ron Jon Surf Shop is #1.

Whew! I am going to tag some of my SBS13 sisters, I have been a little bit of an absentee sister lately with all the moving, but I do still read all your blogs! Richelle, Linda, Angie, Debi, Nessy, She, and Karen -- let's hear your facts girls!

Long Overdue Award

From the Naughty Blogger files {not like that - I can't believe your mind works that way!}, I have a very long overdue award to post. Allison, Deb Kari and Debi awarded this very cool blog tag to me and I am a couple weeks behind in passing it along.

Thanks ladies for the shout out! It always gives me a warm fuzzy {yes I really mean that} - and you're all super talented too! I read all your blogs on a regular basis. Here are the award rules:

• By accepting this Brillante Webblog Premio 2008, you have to award it to seven more people whose blogs you find Brilliante Award worthy.
• You can give it to as many people as you want but please award at least seven.
• Make a comment on the nominated blog.

Ok, I know since I am so late, a lot of people may have already gotten this award by now. But that's ok. You can get it again. :-) My Brillante Picks are:

• Heather - The Best in Life
• Danyelle - Hangnailz N Papercutz
• Jo - Only Joking
• Lisa - Lab Geek Turned Artist
• Kelli - Yard Sale Kind of Luck
• Jessica - There She Goes
• Lauren - My Time, My Creations, My Stampendence

Real Quick...

Ok, REAL quick. No internet for us until Monday. Verizon....oh, I'd better not start telling that story now. Suffice to say they won't be getting our money. Charter is coming on Monday and the little man is NOT LEAVING HERE until I have an internet connection on both the desktop and the laptop.

Can you believe right now I'm in the parking lot of Culver's (a burger place) that has free WiFi so I can quick check mail and type this up and set it to post. Unless I can somehow sneak out of the house with the laptop this weekend {*snort*}, I'll be back to my regularly scheduled posting and daily "stuff" early next week. And {really truly!} I do have lots of projects to share.

Have a great weekend!!

Tag, I'm It!

I got a fun facts tag from Jenn B. over at StampinAngelJenn the other day. Have you visited her? She's an absolutely amazing person, she does so much volunteer work, spreads kindness and participating in RAKs and the like, I am very much not worthy to share her airspace. But I will at least participate in her tag and maybe something good will rub off on me.

1. Name 5 things that I do for myself:

• I'm with Jenn on this one, stamp stamp stamp. That is my special time. I can get lost in my stamp space and work hard to create something beautiful, whether it's for one of the amazing companies I design for, a special card for a friend or family, or a fun thing like doing a stamp camp for my neighbor's girl scout troop. The creativity restores me. {Also, too long without and I can get a little...stressed. BAD for the family! So I guess it's the gift that keeps on giving, LOL}.
• I love to read. I often read on the couch before crawling in to bed at night because there's so much going through my mind it's hard to shut down. Reading takes me into the story and gets my mind off my lists. I've always been a big reader, thank my mom & dad for that {hi mom!}.
• Having a girl's night. Either something out-on-the-town - a mom's night dinner/drinks thing, or every once in awhile we go dancing at a club downtown, or just going to Archiver's and doing the Scrap Mania - 6 uninterrupted hours to stamp away and have girl talk. It's bliss. This should have maybe been #1. Don't get me wrong, I adore my boyz {even the big one, LOL} but sometimes mommy needs a break!
• Getting a special treat for myself, which usually means a stamping-realted tool I've been drooling over {I drool for a LONG time over the pricey stuff before I can make any final decisions -- we have a budget after all}. Sometimes it means a cute new top or shoes too though. It's not often but sometimes ya need that!
• Burritos from Qdoba. mmmm.....mmm....mmm....{sorry} That's my favorite place to eat. Yes, I know it's "fast food". Don't care! AND, it's cheap! Woo hoo!

2. Name 5 kind things I do for friends, my children or partner:

• Send cards for birthdays/anniversaries/events. I also like to do little hand-made gifties, especially for people that go out of their way to be helpful to others, I'll drop off a little set of cards and envelopes, or a pen & notebook, nothing big, just a little "you're a rockstar, thanks for the help" thing. Everyone likes to be appreciated!
• Ssshhh....listen. I listen to DS #1 tell me....everything. I listen to DH talk about his day and his work {and obsess over things of course}. Try to offer advice if possible or else, just be there. I listen to DS #2 try to talk. That's the best part I think. :-)
• I clean this house every day, so that ten minutes after I'm done DS #1 can tear through like a Category 5 Hurricane and destroy the place. Again.
• Take my friends' kids sometimes if they need a break. I am home w/ mine anyway, so if they need to get rid of theirs for awhile {LOL}, send 'em over!
• I take care of all the "stuff" for the family. Cooking, errands, budget, banking, shopping, et al. DH works a lot of hours plus he has to travel -- has to go where the work is -- so I do...everything. Some days it's tough and some days I feel like nothing gets done, but I know it's a load off that he doesn't specific things looming; that gets too stressful for him. I take it back, I don't do everything because I don't mow the lawn. :-p I do everything else though.

3. Name 5 kind things I've done for a strangers:

• I try to step up to RAK requests when I see them. I feel like happy mail can bring so much to someone {I know it does to me!} so when I see people asking for cards for sick friends or special occassions I always try to send one.
• I am a Birthday Fairy in the Wish RAK Forum at SCS. I send a minimum of 4 birthday cards a month to other Wish RAK members. Before I joined Wish RAK, nobody ever sent me birthday cards -- probably in the last 8 years prior I'd gotten about 3. I guess it's not a big deal in the grand scheme, but for a papercrafter who just loves cards, it's kind of sad. So when they asked for Birthday Fairy volunteers, I signed up right away to try to do my part.
• If I am lucky enough to be out running errands without my WJs {I mean kids} I always let the poor mom who DOES have her kids go ahead of me in line.
• I always hold doors for people. It's just right. Everyone's going to the same place, are you going to get there any faster by rushing through the door without pause? And some days it's hard, because you don't know how many times I've been walking in to a store, DS #1 by the hand and carrying DS #2 and the person DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME lets the door slam in my face, or worse, on DS #1's little fingers. I mean, really?
• I smile at everyone. You know, at the store or on a walk or doing whatever. I don't know why. I guess I just think it's a nice thing to do. Most people don't smile back, but hey, that's ok. I'd rather smile than run around with a big scowl on my face all the time anyway, right?

4. Name 5 hobbies I enjoy {I practically copied and pasted Jenn's again. She's got good taste!!}:

• Card making/rubber stamping
• Scrapbooking
• Blogging and blurfing
• Reading
• Visiting with friends

My turn to pass on the tag! Please feel free to participate if you'd like. If you don't like, that's fine too. I'll still love ya. I mean, I might cry a little. But don't you worry about that! {hahahaha}

• Heather Rolin
• Scrappin{Jewlz}
• Angie
• Ashley
• Katie Skiff

Have fun girls! And if you read the post all the way down here to the end....MWAH!

Shout Out to SheetLoad

Do you LOVE SheetLoad? I do! SheetLoad is a free monthly eZine featuring great stampin' projects, as well as a monthly layout and paper cutting template telling you how to make a "SheetLoad" of cards. It's a great way to make a bunch of cards at one, and the layouts are always great. Click to visit the site!

Thank You's - plus - PIF Candy Coming Soon!

Ok, so this is a long overdue post on all counts. Over the last probably two months I won a couple of blog contests and candy drawings that I never had a chance to photograph and post for everyone to see. I apologize to the awesome ladies that sent me these wonderful prizes for not getting recognition sooner. I have a "catch up list" that I am plowing through so I can be back on track and *timely* - starting now. That house hunting period really cut into my stamping and blogging time, let me tell ya!

This first one is from the amazing Linsey Rickett. I met her when I was the Guest Designer for Clear Artistic Stamps back in April. She's got a great blog with constant updates, go check her out! She is also a current Guest Designer for Gina K. You're a rockstar Linsey, thanks for the goodies! Here's a pic of my loot - there was so much it wouldn't all fit onto my little photo taking backdrop:

I also won a High Hopes stamp from Bela White at Bela's Creating Place. She asked to see some new cards made with floral images to help get spring sprung! Since High Hopes stamps are the *cutest*, I made a couple flower cards - and I got lucky! Bela also stuffed in a bunch of stamped images from other High Hopes stamps too, as well as some great designer paper. Bela, you're so generous. Thank you so much, I love Stanley! Here's the goods - and HERE is the stamp I got:

I also won a copy of the latest VSN magazine from Etha {not pictured} when she was published in it -- yet again! She's on fire! I was excited to win this because I hadn't seen the actual publication before, and I am mustering up all of my courage to try to get some stuff published - I have heard it's good to see the magazines you're going for to see their style, etc.

Last but not least, I got some Pay-It-Forward {PIF} candy from Chris {mudmaven}. The rules of the game were that in order to claim the candy, you have to keep it going by Paying It Forward with blog candy of your own. Well, from the better late than never files, here is the package and the card that I received from Chris, with a note to all my readers - I WILL BE POSTING some PIF blog candy of my own on Monday, June 2nd at noon. The first three respondants that are willing to take my candy and PIF with three sets of their own on their blogs will get 'em. So be ready - noon Central Time tomorrow, Monday, June 2nd for PIF candy. I'll put together the packages, take a pic, and post it, along with the details. US and Canada only please for mailing - I don't know yet what all I'm putting in there but if it starts getting heavy the USPS is pretty greedy when mailing overseas. Here's a picture of what I got when Chris PIF'd.

WHEW! All caught up in that regard. Thanks again to everyone and thanks for stopping by my blog!

For My Blog Candy Winners...

Your template winnings are in the mail today. I am sorry for the delay! My parents have been visiting and I just didn't get a chance to sit down and stuff envies. I hope you all enjoy them - I've been using mine BUNCHES - I think you'll find them to be invaluable! Have a GREAT weekend everyone!

An Award & New Shout Outs!

The fabulous Deb at Paper, Ink, Scissors & Stamps gave me this cool award. She's amazingly talented with a wickedly funny sense of humor - I check her blog every day and am so happy to have "met" her. If you haven't given her a visit yet, you should!

So the award - can I just say that I LOVE the graphic! It totally does rock socks. I am giving this award to a few of my newly discovered blogs - they may not be new, but new to me and I feel very fortunate to have found them. All were immediate adds to my daily Google Readering and have lots of great projects and ideas to share.

• Andi Mead - Family, Friends and Stampin' Up!
• Jill Dunn - Inkgenious {yes she is!}
• Paula Williamson - Paper Possibilities

Woo Hoo...More Fame!

I just love to feel the...er...love. Check it out! Danielle gave me a nod on the OTT-LITE blog again this week {repeat mention, how COOL is that?!}, and I was a Princess for a Day on the Queen Kat Blogger's Club for today, May 22nd. Good times all around!

Monday Quiz - 05/05/08

Caution: Seriously addicting. How far did you get? How many times did you start over? Sound off here! The Impossible Quiz.

Monday Quiz

If a man is talking in the forest, and there's no woman around to hear him - is he still wrong?

HAHAHAHA. No, sillies, that's not the Monday Quiz! That one is too easy.

Here's the real Monday Quiz - the Moon Survival Challenge. {I love this kind of stuff}. Let's all hope we are never in the situation to have to implement this knowledge, shall we? Because, face facts. Yes, I would theoretically survive when stranded on the moon using scavanged parts from my ruined space craft. But on the flip side....STRANDED on the MOON...yeah.

86%

Awards and Tags!

Happy Monday! I am finally getting some time to post some WAY overdue awards and tags from some of my fabulous blogging friends. I know I've been a bad blogger lately ~ sorry! We are trying to sell our house and boy does that take a lot of TIME.

First up, a tag from Lorraine. If you haven't seen her blog, you should check it out - she's got great ideas! This is the Seven Random Facts one - tell Seven Random Facts about yourself and tag seven other bloggers. I have trouble with this one - I am just not that interesting I guess! I did do it once before but I thought up some new facts for today. heehee.

1. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a teacher "when I grew up" - beacuse my dad was a teacher at the time. That only lasted until about middle school though, when I realized that I have NO patience for the kind of explaining and time it takes to teach someone school subjects - like math.

2. I'm such a hoarder - always have been {what papercrafter isn't right??}. When I was younger, whenever I got "more" of something, or something new, my dad used to say "look, something shiny!" because I'm such a pack rat. {get it - because the pack rats take all the shiny stuff and run it back to their burrow or wherever and keep it forever, never using it for anything or throwing it out....kind of like patterned paper.}

3. When I was pregnant with my DS #1 I had some memory problems. Either from "mommy brain" or from lack of sleep, not sure which! One day we were doing some landscaping and I went into the garage to get something, completely forgetting what I needed when I got in there. As I'm standing there my DH comes to find me and asks what I'm doing. I remember - sort of. I told him I was looking for "the hole-maker thing". He stared at me....then he says {in the voice they use with the people at the "special" hospital} "do you mean that you need a shovel?". Honestly! I could not remember the word shovel for the life of me, or where I would find one in our garage. Once he said that it all clicked back though. It was a bit bizarre though.

4. I prefer Diet Coke over Diet Pepsi any day.

5. I love to read. If it is "my time" and I'm not stamping {or blog surfing!!} you'll find me reading.

6. I always wanted to be able to sew. My mom can sew really well - she's amazing, actually. Doesn't even need patterns. But I can't! Although I recently bought one of those Hello Kitty sewing machines (a 3/4 size no less!) for sewing on cards and layouts. Now, if I can just figure out how to use it...

7. My cell phone ring tone is the song "Rockstar" by Nickelback. I love that song!

So - what's the verdict, am I dull? Did you even read down this far? Well, I'll try to get some better facts for the next tag, how's that sound? :)

I am going to tag:

• Kisa at Kisa's Paper Cuts {I know I tagged her not long ago but I think her facts will be funny so I wanna hear 'em}
• Jessica Lynn at JessicaLynnOriginal
• Danyelle at Hangnailz n' Papercutz
• Ely at Confessions of a Teenage Scrapper
• Karen at Karen's Creation
• Debi at Just Me and My Rubber Stamps
• Linda at The Stamper's Touch

I also have a "You Cheer Me Up" award from Monkia Davis at M.A.D. Stamper. Thanks Monika! I've been stalking {um, I mean reading} her blog for-evah and she does amazing work. She's also got a feature "Treasures of the Day" sharing great cards she's found in her blog adventures for even MORE insiration. Very cool!

I'm giving this one to Deb at Paper, Ink, Scissors and Stamps {she's so fun and I LOVE her blog} and Mary Dawn at My Pink Mexico because they cheer ME up!

Last one, I have a You Make My Day award from Sue at StampinDaly. Thanks Sue! I know I've been a bad blogger lately with {not} leaving comments much - just been too busy. I am so happy to have such great blogging friends to still think of me even when I am MIA! You're all fabulous. I am passing this award on to Richelle at Lady Bug Spots {for ALWAYS leaving me such wonderful comments!}, Giovana at A Place to Praise and Craft {I hope you get your trip to Peru SOON}, Wendy at Inkling of Love {for giving me your blog addy to check out - I love it, you're such a doll!}, and Delia at Scrapping With Friends {she's a newer blogger but sooo talented - I LOVE her layouts and she's so sweet too!}.

Whew, I think I am caught up with tags now at least. I have a lot of projects sitting here too, but I have to run to preschool for awhile. Hopefully I'll have some more posts later today!

Arte y Pico Award!

Ugh, this is soooo late, but I am finally getting to some of my "backlog" blog posts. Choosing who to pass these along to is so hard because I love so many blogs! There's so much talent being shared out there, it just makes me smile every time I load up my {ever-growing} Google Reader list.

The award - thank you goes out to Chris Dickinson! Yes, Ms. Weekly Belli Challenge herself has showered me with a little love. :-) I am so happy to get this, Chris, you know you made my week!

There are 5 rules attached to this:

1) You must pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contributions to the blogging community...no matter what language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given them the award itself.

4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of the

"Arte y Pico" blog, so everyone will know the origin.

5) To show these rules.

The 5 blogs that I am awarding are:

• Linsey Rickett at Outside the Lines
• Monika Davis at M.A.D. Stamper
• Michelle Zindorf at Freedom in Creating
• Kisa Peters at Kisa's Paper Cuts
• Tammy Hershberger at Stamp Happy

Check them out for some SERIOUS inspiration!

Would You Like Your Very Own Three-Column Blog?

I like the third column! I've wanted to try it for awhile but never made time {also, I was sooo scared of messing it all up!!}. I know you can download skins and such {don't even ask me the technical terms, I am flubbing my way through the blog thing as I go}. But it seems that with those sorts of things, you basically start over with a new look - so you'd have to redo blog rolls and widgets and all that. *razzzzzz* No thanks!

I had a fair number of comments and e-mails from other fabulous bloggers wishing they could have a three-column blog of their very own - but however did I figure out this wonderful, magical thing? *snort* {Probably, I shouldn't blog while punchy and tired}.

No big magic - I Googled it. The holy grail is in the form of a website that gives complete instructions on how to modify your existing HTML code to add the third column. It's easy - and the best part - no sidebar items are harmed in the making of the third column. I'm not computer illiterate, but I don't program HTML either. It worked great for my skill set {whatever skills those happen to be....}

Get yours <--click, click, boom! Remember to practice safe blogging - always back up your template code {with widgets expanded} before you even *think* about playing HTML games.

Facelift - Good or Bad?

What do you think of my new three-column blog template?

Good? Bad? Ugly?

I wanted to try it out for a bit - I think it'll be easier to organize widgets and link lists. Let me know how you like it {or don't}!