Go the Distance with Partylite

so it's been an awesome week in St Louis with my Partylite friends. even got to Busch Stadium (the third) and take a tour. I now want to tour baseball stadiums ALL OVER!

This is me in the Cardinals dugout. How cool is THAT? i MAY just have to start watching baseball!

Chickens like their heads....

We've all heard the phrase "running around like chicken's with their heads cut off".... or at least most of us have. I guess as time goes by, phrases like this become more and more obsolete. (does that mean I'm getting old? o.O



The last few months have been so crazy for me that I barely have time to do my favorite crafts, much less come on and blog. (in fact, I'm ignoring work to take a sanity check with you guys! ;))

This last month in particular has been even harder. I had to deal with the passing of my 3 year old nephew and then as I started to come out of the doldrums THAT brought on, my aunt passed away of complications of breast cancer. Both passings are bad enough on their own, but each incident could have been prevented. I've come on here to blog a few times, but then put it aside because I could not adequately put into words what I wanted to say.

My last post talked about a few projects I was going to do. Mainly the note-taker found at Pink Chalk Studios. Even though I *said* I'd whip up a few of the projects I already owned before purchasing it, I couldn't resist. I bought the supplies I would need to make this....


I bought the crayons and the paper happily anticipating a fun bright yellow pad with the elmo print I had purchased for Kekoa. It was going to be another one of those "Just because Auntie Loves You" gifts.... one that he could use at his other aunt's home while his mother went to work. But circumstances changed and she wasn't caring for him any longer and then suddenly he was gone. Now the project sits undone bc everytime I look at those crayons I cry.

I WAS productive though. I got more active in my scrapbooking as DH allowed me to buy a CRICUT.



Boy the die cutting fun I had! I made scrapbook pages....
This one looks like a book! -->



Nugget tins...

I made some cards that I have no pictures of and also picked up stamping and the use of a cuttlebug to make EVERYTHING extra pretty.

I also did a couple real quick table cloths and cloth napkins. One set for my aunt because she liked this placemat/napkin set I made for a swap and her sewing machine was broken.
I really need to go back for more of that brown palm print.... I don't have those pictures with me though. camera's at home so I'll post those tomorrow....or something. The 2nd set was mine bc I got tired of the ugly green "formal" tablecloth I had hiding my "dining table". So I bought a nice sturdy floral print and whipped up a quick cloth for myself. sorta....still have to do those edges, but it was either leave the fugly one on or leave the foldup/scratched up 6ft folding table bare. I like the illusion so I choose to cover it.


oh yeah...and those kleenex holders? Everytime I make that floral one, it "disappears". huh. so I've got to make ANOTHER one bc I'm in the middle of allergy city here. *sneeze* 'scuse me!


that's me in a nutshell (austin!) Hopefully you should see more posting here again in the near future. Lots of crazy variety in my crafting made me feel like that chicken, but thankfully I'm almost totally caught up. Except for the Fling ACS Auction table....still go to get those monkeys going!

I confess

I have a bad habit. I blame my mother for it. I'm sure you're probably guilty of it also and are either hanging your head in shame or rolling on the floor now in laughter. What is it you ask?


Buying patterns that then sit and collect dust.


Not willing to admit to it yet? I only bring it up because I want to make these:




I'm trying to be good though, and abide by DH's wish to pare down our ownings. So I've made the decision.... I can't buy the pattern until I have finished at least THREE of the shoebox full that I already own. Which include the pants that I'd dearly love to wear.

don't run away!

so a few weeks ago, rather desperate for some last minute baby shower gifts I made some cute little chapstick holders and kleenex pretties for the guests. We were low on $$ and I had lots of fabric. Sadly not a lot of time. :/

They were great in the bags though and with some added candies, no one knew different. lol. My bigger issue though, was that I realized (just recently) that I never made one for me! Auwe, how could I do that! I go through more Kleenex than any THREE people I know! seriously. I do! for reals! This past weekend, I was clearing off my desk for Andrew & Jack's Karazhan run when I discovered some left over fabrics. quick as a wink I sewed myself up the prettiest kleenex pretty of them all! The kicker? Last minute all the plans changed and Jack decided to do something ELSE sending Andrew over to Pauls and me home alone for the rest of the day. :( I dunno when the last time I felt so abandoned was! Needless to say, my sewing machine was there to comfort me! ;)

SWAPITY SWAP

I participated in my first swap this month on craftster.com and learned quite a few things. Swap details? This is the Easy Peasy Swap - it's just that! Easy Peasy!
You are required to make ONE MEDIUM SIZED CRAFT and that is it. No more, no less. Just a medium.

What is a medium? For this swap please plan to spend 2-4 hours of crafting time. Crafting time is actual time that you are spending physically crafting. time to dry does not count. shopping for the crafting does not count. physically crafting is the time that counts

easy peasy! love anything that has that phrase attached. I sooo didn't love this swap though :( I think mostly because of the time of year...tax time. I had procrastinated on getting my expenses for my Partylite business detailed down so I could do my taxes and so spent zero hour online at taxact.com finishing up. but THAT'S a whole nother story.... I drew Disneybelle as my swap partner and learned quite a few things about her. The obvious being her love of disney stuff. ;) I also learned that she's graduating from Perdue and moving to Florida soon. She was hoping to get stuff to decorate her new home with utilizing her favorite colors of Black, Brown and "martha stewart blue". I had no idea what MS blue was, but she explained that it's that light almost tealish blue found on her website. I had so many ideas running through my head that time ran away from me before I realized it. I had to hurry to finish up so it's not as pretty as I would *like* it to be, but she still loved it!

Did I mention I still haven't finished my quilt a long blocks? I've got to meet a hostess tonight in Southcenter so I think I'll finally stop by Joann's and get a self healing mat big enough for my sewing projects. The small 8x11 one for my scrapbooking just isn't cutting it. pun intended ;)

Dirty Snot...

So I was doing my morning blog-surfing today. It's so nice to be able to start my day by peeking into other peoples worlds. *sigh* I guess it also helps because I see such happy cheerful posts that either make me smile or laugh... This morning I came across a blog I'd never happened across before. Two Lime Leaves. In her blog she did a little meme for 7 things.

5. I have never eaten, nor will I EVER eat an oyster. Why would anyone want to eat something that looks like infected dirty snot?

Ever read something that gave you an automatic visual? This one did. I was very rofl with it. Mainly because Oysters are one of my FAVORITE foods.....as long as I don't havre to be the one cooking it. lol.

There's nothing like a new baby to make people feel all gooey inside. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I can't WAIT until it's me...but at the same time, I know I'm not ready yet. *sigh* Easter Sunday wasn't spent with a bunny...or in church for that matter. I woke to a text message from my sister announcing that Aiden Ikaika was born at 753am. yay! a big 7lb 15 oz baby measuring 19 3/4 inches long! wowsers! The plan had originally been to have my cousin Kaleo and his mom come over because Monday was his 18th birthday and do a surprise party for him. After a few phone calls, we shifted it to Tacoma so we could all go visit baby. He was definitely surprised and we had fun. Mom was still a party pooper in her attitude, but we've learned to deal with that. at least I have.

I spent a nice hour and half talking to her the other day. well...listening. She called to see if I could check around for a hd enclosure and I tried to get her to come up again. Of course, the weather lately had her freaking out. she definitely ain't coming by any time soon...that's kinda frustrating too. I'm always having to drag Jack down to Tacoma just so I can spend time with them, but they're not willing to come this way. It's something I've learned to deal with over the last few months since I moved up here. It's definitely one of the hardest lessons to learn~putting myself before others and not getting hurt when they're selfish. Don't they realize I gotta pay for gas too?

Makana was student of the month last month for academic achievement and no one even thought to tell me. how depressing. None the less, Jack and I are talking about doing something special for him. Probably a weekend with us, or maybe a new ps2 game. we'll think of something.

Mom's bday is in 11days and my sisters seemed to have bagged out yet again. too bad. Maybe we can do it next month and make it for Dad's birthday..... I think I'm just going to get Raiatea tickets for my mom and dad for her bday. She'll like that.