One Crazy week Surgery, Work and everything else

Hello,

So this past week has been really busy, I went back to work on Monday. And let me tell you it was crazy I was so busy I didn't have time to eat. I was up early all week and going to the bed very late. I also spent a lot of time preparing for surgery. I had doctors appointments and gave so much blood I'm surprised I still have blood left. Then I worked till 10pm Thursday night the day before surgery and I could barely sleep that night. I woke up at 4am and was at the hospital at 6am I was so nervous and scared to death. But even with all the fear I went through with the surgery and at 7:35am I was in the operating room. An hour later I was out of surgery and feeling the pain. I was sent home around 1pm since all went well and it was outpaitent. I came home had homemade chicken soup and slept the whole day. The only bad thing about the surgery is that I can't stand or sit without help and so if I have to use the restroom I have to wait for someone to help me.

Other than that I have spent most of the weekend laying in bed or the couch as I have to be on bedrest. So no crafting for me for a few days till I fully recover. I hope to be back to my normal self soon as I have so many project.
I have 2 birthday cards, a baptism which I am organizing so I have to create all the invites and party favors and finally I have to start planning a babyshower and a bachlorette party. So I will be busy busy in the coming weeks. Now I will be getting back to Kendra on E! and continuing my bed rest. Stay tuned as I post all of my work in the upcoming week.

Have a blessed weekend
Melissa

Cuttlebug Challenge Giveaway introducing the new Cricut Cake

Good Evening,
So today was my first day back at work after being on vacation, and I am exhausted. My boss will be out till Friday and I am on my own. So I have been busy busy no time to even use the bathroom. And to top it off I have a new employee which I am training and its been a little diffcult OK OK enough with my ranting.

For those of you who don't already know how awesome the Cricut Expression by Provo Craft is it's awesome. I recommend everyone try one and you will fall in love. And even if you don't think your crafty you will after owning any of the Provo Craft products.

Now to the good stuff Provo Craft has just unveiled there newest product which is sure to make everyone a cake maker. It's The Cricut Cake and it's a safe electronic cutting machine. What can you cut well just about everything gum paste, fondant, frosting sheets etc. Imagine the possibilties. Now everyone can be a mini Martha Stewart. You can purchase this cutting machine as of April 14th on HSN, or head over to www.cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com for your chance to win your very own Cricut Cake. Good luck to everyone who participates and hope you will be back soon.

Have a wonderful night
Melissa

CheerLeader Word book album

Hello,

Hope everyone had a wondeful weekend. I have been on vacation and tomorrow is back to work for me, I had an awesome vacation with the boys. I really didn't have much time to scrap but I wanted to share a project I did for my cousin's daughter. She is a cheerleader and had all these photos from last year collecting dust. And so since I love word books so much I decided to create this wonderful book. This book was my first ever attempt at creating a word book so it had its challenges. It took a few tries and lots of wasted cardstock and paper to complete the book. But in the end my little cousin loved it and every chance she gets to shows it off to her friends.
I created the word book using the DS by Provo Craft (Cricut) and Plantin Schoolbook Cartridge for the words.

Here is the completed book which I finalized with her initals

The paper is from American Crafts and Martha Stewart

I used cardstock and bristol to create the book as I had no chipboard.

This book has a glitter effect which was done using Stickles

The book was bounded using small silver rings which I got at Cherry Blossom Studios in Coconut Creek, Florida.

I added the ribbons that match the paper it added some pop to my design.

Hope you enjoy my post... I am off to scrap hope to post soon.

Birthday Flip Card with Cricut DS

Good Morning,

I wanted to share a little project I did for my dear boss. Last Friday was his birthday and so I decided to create a flip book/birthday card to celebrate his 48th b-day. I got the idea from the wonderful blog www.mypinkstamper.com. And with my Design Studio from Provo craft decided to create this book. I tried and faile a few times not always having all the materials I needed, but in the end it turned out wonderful. I added some of his personal touches and incorporated his country in the card.

I got this wonderful paper from my dear friend & co-worker "J" and it turned out to be perfect and very masculine a $3 find in Ross. I didn't have chipboard so I decided to use to bristol, poster board and cardstock to create the book and make it heavy & sturdy. I later added the paper stock and the pictures I also made the letters in the name 3d by added the same element fron the front cover to each of the letters. I had the entire company sign the card with well wishes. This book was such a hit everyone is wondering if they will get a flip book for there B-day OMG i think I started something.

I would like to take a minute and Thank my wonderful DT my BFF "Christy" and Jane for helping me out.

Materials

Bristol

Poster Board

Cardtock and American craft paper

Jolee stickers

Home Accent Cricut

Plantin Schoolbook Cricut

Wildcard Cricut

Scrapbooking & Card maker in Training

Hello Again,

I just wanted to take a few minutes and share with you all my new passion and how it happened. For starters I am in no way a professional card maker or scrapbooker. To be honest I never knew I could be crafty nor did I ever think I would fall in love with crafts. That is until earlier last year when my cousin became pregnant. You see I am more of a party planner I love creating party favors and decorating for parties. I even work for an event planner in my spare time. But while I was planning my cousins babyshower she decided she wanted ladybugs as her theme. Well if you don't know ladybug themes are not very common for babyshowers so I had to get my creative juices flowing to create her a ladybug shower. It took months of planning and preparing and it was hard. I had so many task to accomplish one of them being a scrapbook for the new baby. I had never done a scrapbook nor did I even know where to start. So I decided to ask my co-worker who has a passion for scrapbooking to help me along. She sent to me to Joanns fabric to start my hunt for scrapbooking things, and when I walked in I was in love. Now I love shoes that was always my passion shopping for shoes I'm like Emelda Marcos that is until Joann's came along. After my first trip to joanns I got so many ideas for the shower. I needed to enlist help and my dear friend & co-worker decided she was up for the task. As the planning went on I realized I needed table names and tags to be printed as we had 150 guest. So 2 weeks before the shower I went over to my co-workers house who owned the cricut and we started creating. I made beautiful table cards with the storybook cartridge we created Tulip table setting cards and beautiful tags. After that day I decided I needed to have a cricut and so as a Valentine gift I receive the cricut expression. And now all I want to do is scrap, my dear friend moved away to St. Croix so I am on my own to complete the scrapbook she started. As I complete the projects and work a full time job I will be posting my accomplishments. Hope you stay tuned!!!!!

Happy Easter Card

Good Morning,

Happy Easter to all, Welcome to my new crafty blog. I wanted to share this card which is my first attempt at card making with the cricut. I really wanted to have all the tools to make a great card, but as I am just starting out there are some kinks I need to work out. I really don't have many cartiridges as of yet I own only about 7 and so I had to make due. I hope you enjoy my card and if you can please grade my workmanship. I would like to know what everyone thinks about my first card.

To make this card, I used white cardstock and brown cardstock for the frame.

The frame and bunny where cut using the Stretch Your Imagination Cartridge from Cricut.

The yellow flower was from a pack of embellishments I got for .99cents at Target as well as the green leave.

The little flower on the corner is from a pack of glitter foams flowers from Joanns.

I also used Stickles as an accent to the bunny eyes and nose as well as around the frame.

Hope you enjoy and come back to see all my other creations.

Quick Update

Good Morning,
I have decided to switch gears with this blog. I really haven't had much time to update it often and life has gotten a little to complex. I have found a new passion lately and would like to use this blog to share my new passion. Scrapbooking & paper crafts have become my new outlet for stress and a way to express myself in art. Starting this week my blog will be updated weekly and I will be sharing my projects. I would like to have a fresh start on this blog and hope when you stop by you will like what you see and continue to come back. Now I am a beginner in scrapbooking, card making etc. So I hope you will understand and follow me through as I work to perfect my art and enjoy my adventures in heels..... Stay tuned

Haiti

So this past week has been very busy for me, I have many projects at work. So my personal time is very limited and I haven't had time to write. Work has been crazy with tight deadlines and unrealistic time lines as usual. That's the nature of this buisness. While its been a very crazy week, I have made time to catch up on the news and the devasation in Haiti.


Haiti was hit by a massive 7.5 earthwuake as we are all aware. The devastation is everywhere in pictures and news reports everyday. While this is not the first time Haiti has been hit by a natural disaster this was the worst. In the days following the quake help has been arriving from all over the world. Every country has sent some kind of help to this country and their people. Its nice to see all the help pouring in but its also sad to know that this type of tragedy has to happen for us to come together. It has not all been smooth and even this tragedy hasn't stop certain individuals from making dumb comments about the situtation. I believe in freedom of speech but I also believe there is a place and time for everything and now is not the time to spill your venom.


It's been hard to watch the news and see the pictures that only show a small part of the devastation. This is enough for me to realize that we as people sometimes take life for granted.
The problems we face everyday are small in comparision to what the people of Haiti and other poor countries face everyday. The people of Haiti have nothing they've lost everything homes, kids, parents, grandparents, friends neighbors and even there security. But they haven't lost there faith in God. We should all take a moment to thank god for everything we have and everyting we don't need. And when you lay down in your bed to sleep remember to say a prayer for those who won't have a place to lay there head tonight.

May God bless the people of Haiti and may the lord walk with them...

Much love

Weekend roundup

Hello friends hope you had a very nice weekend here is my roundup!

I am sure by now we are all aware of the Artic weather the whole country with the exception of the west coast. Which this weekend had a 6.5 earthquake in Ferndale, CA close to San Fransico, thank god no injuries. And so in Florida it has been no different freezing tempetures have caused for all kind of weather headlines & news. Like the frozen iguanas that are literally falling out of trees in a state of hybernation. And the gentleman who I am sure wasn't aware but decided to pick up the frozen iguanas, and put them in his stationwagon. While in the car these reptiles warmed up all started coming to life and running around the car, thank god no harm was done.

There was also snow reported in Orlando on Saturday and the news even showed a mini snowmen in ocala. Really, come on now Florida is best known for Hurricanes not snow, sleet and snowmen. What is going on with mother nature?

While I am not thrilled about the cold weather and am so happy it's coming to an end. The weather has been a great excuse to do nothing at all this weekend which has been great for my wallet.

Saturday morning I was greeted with a true NYC day it was dark, rainy and bitterly cold. After breakfast I did some house cleaning. It was so cold and rainy outside that the windows where freezing. "C" wanted to go out she loves the cold weather, I'm convinced she is from Alaska. I informed her we weren't going out nor taking the boys out in that cold. Considering that they could get really sick. We spent the rest of day in front of the tube watching movies and the Food Network which is one of our favorite channels.

Later in the evening we braved the freezing weather for some hot, greasy and delicious pizza. And for dessert some homemade hot chocolate with marshmallows - yum. Dinner and a movie at home with the boys was a great way to end this night.

Sunday was another day of cold minues the rain. I wanted to spend the day home catching up on my reading. But the boys wanted us to take them bike riding on the trail by the house. We had promised them we would take them on saturday, but the rain ruined the chances. I told we would go in the afternoon if it got warmer, and so I spent the morning catching up on my reading. (I am proud to inform that I am almost done with Breaking Dawn). Later after lunch "C" and the boys where developing cabin fever and didn't want to be home. The boys couldn't go riding cause it was still in the 40's and the wind chills in the 30's. So we decided to run some errands and visit some family.Later we came home and I made a nice hearty dinner (Rice, Red Beans & Pork Chops) and prepared for Monday Madness. After dinner it was time for Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters.

The weather for Monday was worse than Sunday, too bad I couldn't call in frozen.

In conclusion the uneventful weekend was much better than expected. Thanks to the freezing temps rather than going out we stayed home and enjoyed family time.

Update - While editing this post this evening I was listening to the news about Haiti. My thoughts and prayers go out to Haiti in the wake of these tragic events. Please take a moment to appreciate your loved ones. And give thanks for everything you have.

New Years Resolution

Happy 2010

So it has been a few days and the New Year is finally here sorry for no updates. I am just getting back to my everyday routine and hope to update more often. So to begin the New Year on the right track here is my first post of 2010.

The New Year has always been the way we as people wipe the slate clean, we use it as a way to help us cope with everything that we did or didn’t do in the past year. And although we could always wipe the slate clean and reset our resolutions (goals) anytime during the year almost as tradition we do it during this time. So why is it we wait till now to make these goals & resolutions? And do we ever fully follow through with all the resolutions we make each and every year?

I admit I am guilty of all of the above, and like all creatures of habit I am not going to break tradition now. So like every year, here are my resolutions.

Lose Weight- The goal this year is to lose 30 pounds before July. This time it’s a family affair.

Quit Smoking – This is a personal challenge I have been trying to win for years.

Work to Live not Live to Work – If work has to be a part of my everyday so does living. We often put work ahead of everything else including our lives and families.

Read More- I love books and this year I want to read more than the last.

I hope we can all stay on track. I almost forgot there is one resolution we should all make which is to follow through. I hope you all will join me in keeping up the tradition. And just to prove you are not alone, Check back weekly for updates.

Stay Tune for more updates on my goals as well as more fun stuff….

Smile, Love, Live