{Finished the Website...Now I Can Relax!}

RIGHT during the whole house buying/moving process, my cousin, Suzanne, asked me if I could do a website for my Uncle & Aunt's business. They've owned their own business for over 20 years, but only recently decided that they needed to get up to speed with the idea of having a web presence. I agreed to do it, though it has been awhile since I've built one from scratch and only the 2nd time that I've done a web form. I also learned how to make a "Favicon" which is the little icon you see in the URL window and if you "favorite" a site and you can see it on the "tab" if you have multiples tabs opened in a window. I'm gonna do one for the blog! I started work a few months ago and just got the "rough design" idea approved...but then things kicked into high gear with the house/move so it had to get put on hold. I picked it back up on Friday and busted most of it out then, and did the finishing stuff yesterday (including the web form which involved MUCH trial & error!) and now the site is "live"! So....check it out and let me know what ya think!

www.tri-cityacoustics.com

{Baby Logan's Shower Invites for Melissa...}

Mike and I have friends from the military, Joe and Melissa. We've known them for 17 years. They live in Washington, we live in So Cal. Does that stop the friendship? Nope! Joe and Melissa are the type of people that you can pick up the phone and talk to after 2 years and it's like you just talked yesterday! (Huh, Melissa!?! Hee, hee!) Melissa asked me if I would make baby shower invites for her cousin's 1st baby probably about 3-4 months ago...just planting the seed. Then we moved and now I have a craft room all set up for JUST this type of thing! So I busted out 21 invites this week, and mailed them all out on Thursday. I can't WAIT to get people's reactions to them! Like usual...pictures just don't do them justice, they are SOoOO much nicer in person when you can feel/touch them! The onsies are all cut out of patterned paper, the rectangles they are mounted on are embossed, that whole panel is up on pop-dots...nice twill ribbon (since it's a boy it makes it look more masculine and STILL lets me use ribbon!), the cute little chickie stamp set that Melissa picked out, and custom printed to match. Ahhhh....babies! They are the best! And when it's the first one, even BETTER! Welcome Baby Logan...I know everyone can't WAIT to meet you! :-)

{A Few Cards I've Made Lately...}

Ahhh...the new craft room! It's HEAVENLY! My husband adores me SO much that he allowed me to take over the 3rd bedroom for this purpose! It doubles as the office too...but come ON, it's mainly all about the crafting! I had a daughter promote from Middle School, a cousin graduate from High School, another cousin get married, and a baby shower for Meghann's bass teacher all in the span of June...so I needed to put the craft room to work! Here are the cards I made!

{2009 St. Patrick's Day Card}

{Without the flash}{With the flash to show just how SPARKLY it is!}

LOVE this card! I know you shouldn't say how much you love something that YOU create, but I think it's super cute! So all our friends and family will be getting these in the mail! I sure do enjoy creating beautiful pieces of art for all the people in our life that appreciate it!

{Today is a UPS Kinda Day!!}

Well....between the new computer monitor and my Valentine's gift from Mike, today will be a UPS kinda day! I will be getting rid of the old computer monitor and getting ready to set up the new one after Janet comes over for a visit this morning.

I'm pretty sure Meghann will go to school today, but we'll see what her temp is when she wakes up. At least there was no coughing last night...that's a good sign!

The other thing the UPS man will be bringing are all my new goodies from PaperTreyInk that Mike bought for me for Valentine's Day! How nice that they had a monthly release ON Valentine's Day! Makes the gift giving easy on Mike...he says, "Go ahead and order!" and I get exactly what I want for V-Day! WooHoo! I love having new stuff to play with! I'm sure I'll make a few sets of cards to give to family...it's always nice to have cards on hand for any occasion! I know that everyone enjoys getting cards in the mail....even if it's not a holiday, just a "thinking of you" or "how's it going" card make all my family and friends happy! Unexpected mail is the best! So start checking your mailbox...you might be getting a card from us soon!

Mike will be going on Tuesday for his pre-op testing and prep. He's really looking forward to his surgery so that he can start getting back to normal. Keep those prayers coming...they are appreciated!

{Clean Craft Space.....Ahhhhh......}

(Any image can be clicked on for full sized one)The Basic Overview of my Craft StationAll my big tools and drawer units under my craft station. My PS3 tote that is FILLED with cardstock and patterned paper. And my Janome Sew Mini...perfect for crafts!Close up of my Stampin' Up and PaperTrey Ink cardstock as well as my pretty IKEA ribbon jars. All my punches are behind the jars because I want to wait until we buy our house to mount a bar on the wall for them.Background stamps, Making Memories rotating tool holder, Scor-Tape, etc.Close up of my rotating embellishment storage jars. It was a super cute spice rack from Sam's Club a few years ago that was modified to hold all my little buttons, brads, Swarovski crystals, etc. It's the BEST!

I'm so lucky that Mike supports my "habit"! All my friends and family support it as well....with gifts and $$$ for MORE supplies! I know everyone enjoys receiving my handmade cards/gifts so it makes it so much more rewarding for me! I can't wait until we buy our house so that I'll have a whole room just for crafts! It'll be nice to have it out of the "living space", though it does keep me close to my family while I'm working on all the projects I do.

{Special Christmas Card for Mom & Dad}

This year I decided that my parents should have a special Christmas card that only THEY get. I don't know why I've never done this before, but at least I started NOW! So I'm making sure that this post won't show up until after they get their card! We're spending a few days with my parents for Christmas this weekend and are so happy that we can spend such quality time with them. We're also getting professional family pictures taken on Sunday by Rachael Brinton....a childhood friend that I was "reunited" with on Facebook! We're really excited to be able to have Rach take our pictures...her talent is truly God given!! Click on her name above and you'll see her amazing work! Her links are also on my sidebar.....

Anyway......here are the pictures of the special card for just my parents! This card involved a LOT of cutting out of small parts. The house stamp set is not decorated for Christmas usually, that is an add-on set. So you cut out the windows with the wreaths on them and glue them on top of the regular windows, etc. It was REALLY fun to create this card and I know my parents will appreciate it! They have always nurtured my joy of crafting! Maybe because they are both so crafty themselves!

(Click on any image to make it larger)

Merry Christmas to Mom & Dad!!

{Various Christmas Cards for 2008}

This year when I was starting to make our Christmas cards....I just could NOT bring myself to make 50 of the same card like all the years past. So I decided that I would make about 6-8 of each version. Some, I only made 2 or 3 of. I just wanted a variety! You'll have to wait and see which one arrives in YOUR mailbox, but this way you'll get to see each one! You can click on each picture to see it larger. We hope you have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!