Labor Day, Etsy & Sweet Pea Scraps...

So thank goodness for the extra day this weekend eh? SOOOOO glad that it's a holiday weekend as I have SO much going on!!

First of all, Renee and I are doing a little joint promotion for our etsy shops...and I will be giving away one of her amazing handmade scrap embellishments...this girl is chalk full of talent!! We will work out the details and let you know...but you will want to check back in on Monday as that's when it all begins!! Now I have to get some new items loaded into my shop..it looks kinda bare in there!!

AND...I will be revealing my Sweet Pea Scraps September kit layouts too! I LOVED this kit...it's perfect for those vintage heritage pages that I love to work on!! Will reveal those tomorrow as well!! So stay tuned...

OH and I almost forgot...tomorrow (Monday) is FREE shipping at AC Bailey...and need I say that the NEW thickers are all loaded up in the store. YUMMY!!

hey all...

I'm still here. :) Just been busy and haven't had internet at home thus...no posts this week. School started Wednesday so will have photos to share when I quit being lazy and download them from my camera. :) Running/walking still going good...I'm finally under THAT mark. :) Total of 12 lbs lost since 7/28 so I really can't complain. Ummmm....no big plans for the weekend except working at the lss on Saturday night...so if you live near me..come scrap. :) Shawn is FINALLY going to work...yeehaw. And well...month end tomorrow for me at work. Oh yes..and only 3 people entered my challenge so I'm sending them all a little goodie...be watching your mail (actually probably won't be mailed until Tuesday...deal with it.) Good night ya'll!

two more...

to post!! The first one is from the wonderfully talented Renee of Pink Owl Paperie (link on sidebar)....**edited to add that I cannot get Renee's gorgeous layout uploaded here but it's posted on her blog..so check it out!!** and the second is from the awesome Miss Vivian who is very active with Sweet Pea Scraps challenges!! THANKS girls for playing along!! Now all the rest of you....oh you know who you are. :) You have until tomorrow night at midnight to send in your challenge. OR...you can even just leave a comment here with a link to your layout and you'll be included in the drawing!! I work tomorrow at the lss so I won't be online during the day...but I will most definately be checking things tomorrow night. Have a great Saturday!

thank you Missy!!

So my friend Missy came through for me...at least there was ONE person to do my challenges so I don't feel like a complete LOSER. :) LOVE this gals style...she has the coolest style ever...so great with mixing different patterned paper and a pro at using up her scraps. LOVE how she highlighted the 19...I mean how cool does that look?? Yay Missy!! Looks great...and thanks dude for doing my challenge. :)

Day 3 of the mile run. I had Mathew come with me tonight and ride his bike. Poor Auston was sobbing saying it wasn't fair...even when I explained that tomorrow night would be his turn. He just cried and cried...it was really pitiful. But Mathew encouraged me the whole way...told me that I was jogging 'pretty fast'. :) Finally I had to blurt out...CAN'T TALK. Seriously...I am using all the oxygen I can get to breathe...talking just wasn't in the cards for me. :) And did I tell ya'll my new goal? (can't remember if I did last post or not) I really want to get into shape and see if I can't get on a woman's basketball city league. I just REALLY want to play. Oh and today I wore my jeans that this spring I had to use a rubber band to keep fastened. Just can't believe I let myself get THAT heavy. *sigh*

So I still have yet to get my new creations up on Etsy...OR scrap. I'm such a slug. I work Saturday at the store although I don't think I'll get to scrap...I'll have to actually work that shift. :) But I'm going to take my SPS kit just in case I get a few minutes of down time.

HEY..it's FRIDAY tomorrow!! How exciting is that?? :) Have a great day!

...

sorry for the dots...no title tonight. :) About to jump in the shower as I smell. And not pretty I might add. I am really proud of myself because I ran a full mile tonight....not all at once but I did run a mile. I ran 1/2 mile then walked a mile and ran another 1/2 mile. I took my trusty companion with me once again...he sure does help keep me going. :) ***ooohhh...had to edit to say that Shawn told me tonight that my love handles are getting smaller!! WOOHOOO!! Cuz...he would know. :) *giggle* ***

Still have a Sweet Pea Scrap layout sitting on my table...the same one that's been there for..ummm...2 weeks now? Not sure why I can't get in the mood to scrap. OH and get this...I totally forgot about my Random Chaos layout!! It just slipped my mind...completely! I feel horrible!! So that tells ya that I haven't scrapped in 2 weeks. Wonder what my deal is??

Getting some stuff ready to put in the etsy shop...some journaling stickers that I whipped up for the September Sweet Pea Scraps kit. They are cute...although I'm pretty sure Julie is going to make them all sorts of pretty colors. :) Mine are just black...but I am embellishing them a bit. Need to figure out how to get some more traffice....but then again I guess it would help if I had more STUFF in the store. I'll get there. :)

Can't believe that school starts next Wednesday...I was looking at the boys' lists and I haven't even bought all their school supplies yet!! EEEK. And Mathew needs some new shoes...his are very...errr...smelly. :) Auston got new shoes at the end of school last year so I think he's okay. We don't do the whole school clothes shopping thing here...they each get a new outfit for the first day of school and that's about it. If they outgrow something or need something throughout the year then we get it for them then....I just think it's silly to drop so much money right before school. Plus..everything they had last year still fits and I always do the after season clearance thing so they have some new shirts that I bought last spring. It's all good. :)

Have a happy hump day ya'll!!

so 3 days of not...

doing my little walk/run thing and boy was tonight tough. Actually...I take that back...the running wasn't bad at all..in fact I ran a good pace tonight. I think that has something to do with my dog...he is a runner and once he set the pace I certainly couldn't stop him. Here he is being all handsome. :) But I'm glad that I'm up and going again....it feels good. Now I'm off to take a Tylenol PM and hopefully get a good night sleep.

Sunday night...

and I'm ready for bed...but thought I should update really quick like...not that I have done anything major exciting or anything. :)

lessee...first of all...I'm stupid. Yup...that's right. I get my very first special order on etsy and you know what I do? Undercharge. Cuz I'm too NICE and try to make people HAPPY. So I charged her $10 per autograph book and my materials cost that much...so pretty much I just gave away 5 hours of my time. *sigh* But she was really sweet and nice so I'm not too upset just am realizing that I need to make sure I account for EVERYTHING when quoting a price. I didn't factor in adhesive...which I went through a whole roll and a half (at $5/each) or my 5 hours worth of time. But they turned out cute and the girls I hope will get great use out of them at DisneyWorld getting autographs. What do you think? I even used one of my blossom bitties. :) She is also interested in chipboard albums for the girls...and the price I originally quoted her is going to have to change but I'm sure she'll understand. Hey..it's not my fault I'm dumb. :)

So yesterday I met up with a gal from my hometown. We bumped into each other at Walmart about a year ago....and just NOW finally met up. Mostly it's my fault as I'm really a recluse. :) We met up at the park for lunch..then the boys and I went over to her place and when we were ready to leave I realized we had been there for FOUR hours. Nuts. But she's really nice (I didn't know her really well as I was an 8th grader when she graduated...but she lived next door to my grama) and we had a ton to talk about (obviously). So it'll be nice to have someone to socialize with every few months when I get the urge. *snort*

Oh and speaking of me being all social and all....I was invited to be part of a book club! Woohoo!! I'm actually stoked. (my husband said...you are SUCH a nerd). Once a month they get together and discuss a book...this time they are all reading biographies...any biography. I've never read one so that'll be interesting. Normally I guess they all read the same book. Cool huh? And I'm almost...almost done with the Hobbit...boy has that been a grueling task.

And I suck. I haven't ran the last 3 nights. It's going to be hell tomorrow when I go for my nightly walk/run. I think I need to start doing my step aeorbics in the morning as well...I need to boost this whole thing up a notch cuz I'm really wanting to lose some more weight.

Alrighty then...that's my excitement...have a Happy Monday. OH...and I posted a new challenge on the Sweet Pea blog...check it out. And speaking of challenges...remember the 2 I have going. :)

Cuz I'm such a dork...

I almost had you all miss the news. :) It's nothing like...I'm pregnant or anything. :)
Remember I said it was a bit of enabling?? Well....FRIDAY AND SATURDAY at ACBailey everything...yes everything in the store is 30% off!! That is just CRAZY!! So just wanted to share a little bit and if you are looking for a deal...well there ya have it. :) Happy shopping!!

Okay slacker people...

my challenge was sposed to end TOMORROW but since I have a bunch of slacker readers apparently...I'm going to extend the deadline to the 24th. So NOW you have NO excuses but to get an entry in!! I'm giving you 2 more Saturdays to get a layout done. :)

Challenges:
#1 - use the word BECAUSE in your layout title
#2 - use the color scheme Red/Yellow/Blue.

Easy peasy right? That's what I thought. Now GET BUSY. :) Yes...I'm being really bossy. Just email me at jenns@sweetpeascraps.com or post a link to your layout in the comment section. And remember..there is a PRIZE at stake here people!!

So I'm going to upload some a couple (okay..three) things in my etsy shop including these adorable vintage blossom bitties which I think are SO cute I want to keep them for myself. :) And after that I'm going for my nightly run.

OH..and I have some VERY cool news to share with you on Saturday morning...call it a little enabling. :) Have a great night!

Monday has come and gone...

and I'm exhausted!! I ran again tonight...but I think I partially died. :) Every cell in my brain was screaming at me to STOP...just STOP the torture. My lungs burned, my stomache burned, my throat burned and my shoulder ached...yet I endured and kept on running..that whopping .6 of a mile. :) Whew. Glad it's over with.

So here is my first challenge layout as promised....BECAUSE. And I made these little things that I call button bitties and threw in my etsy shop cuz I thought they were cute. :)

And I have to tell you of something that makes me happy at this moment....That 70's Show. The funny thing is...I used to think it was a stupid show...now I laugh my rear end off while watching reruns. Red totally cracks me up..he's SO blunt. And Kitty's laugh...omg..is so contagious. Yeah...I'm pitiful. That's my dose of TV for the night...reruns of That 70's Show.

Have a great day tomorrow!!

This weekend...

has actually been really nice. Saturday morning the boys let me sleep in until 8:30am!! I don't think I've slept that late since...well since before I had kids!! Shawn was already out the door as he went scouting..yes...hunting season is already upon us...in fact...this weekend is opening for archery antelope..and yes...he's hunting. :)

So I took the boys to the skate park. They have been begging to go. Of course...once they saw the actual skate park up close they didn't know what to do. I think they thought they would just start out rolling around like the 'big' kids. Intead I had them go on a little ramp and they practiced just going down and back up the other ramp...nothing too dramatic. Unfort...they only had about 20 minutes when the skies opened up and let loose these humongous rain drops. I loved reviewing the pictures I took...the one of Mathew totally cracks me up as I caught his little tongue sticking out in concentration. Every Saturday the skate park is open for 7 and under until noon...and even though Mathew is 8 I thought it was probably better he learned and got comfortable before throwing him in with the big boys.

Then last night we watched Transformers (only because it was on HBO) and it was REALLY good. I was totally surprised as I had no desire to see it but it was just a really great show. And of course did the normal laundry and cleaned the house. Still a couple loads to do today but then I'm done. Still have to run to Costco and get groceries. Boy am I rambling or what??

SOOOOOO....anyone going to do my challenges?? Hmmmm??? I'm about done with my BECAUSE layout which I'm thinking the embellies I might make and put in the etsy store as well. I need to get busy and make some more things for it as it certainly looks bare in there!!

Okay well I'll stop rambling now. I'm about to post another challenge on the Sweet Pea Vine if you all want to check it out...I think it's by Chantel this week. And I have to get started on the amazing September Sweet Pea Scraps kit. Okay..I'm done now..promise!! Have a great day!!

so this is me....

tonight...at 9:15pm. Yes...I look like a dork. But that is totally me. :) I'm not photogenic at all....see my red complexion? Yeah....I can thank my father for that...and it only gets redder when I exercise!! The stringy, clumpy hair...oh and the sweat. Boy do I sweat. (which I actually wear a thick sweatshirt when I'm walking so I'll sweat extra much...and I think I'll try the wrestler's trick and wear a garbage bag over my tshirt and under my sweatshirt...yes...I'm odd) BUT...my point in this photo is that I have been on a weight loss mission.

I am bound and determined to get down to my goal weight..which when I started was 15lbs. I'm excited to say that I've lost 6 of those pounds already. Since last Thursday I've been walking a little over 4 miles a day. Every morning I walk 2.2 miles and the same every night. I have been making it in about 1/2 hour so I'm booking it. :) I feel GREAT. I haven't really noticed anything so much in my clothes as of yet...but the scale is going down and that in itself makes me VERY happy. And tonight...tonight I ran. And I didn't die...which I thought was very cool. :) I ran about a mile and did okay and now I am thinking maybe I can start running so my goal is to run the whole 2.2 miles. We'll see. Anyway...I'm just rambling...just happy that I feel good. Can't wait to lose the pudge in my face and around my middle. It's amazing what a little exercise and fresh air can do for ones soul.

sooooo....a couple challenges and a prize!!

today was the first day of swimming lessons for the boys. Shawn was able to take them which was very cool. I came home from work with them just chattering away about what they did. I love that they get so excited about swimming...especially since I can't swim. AND Auston especially is becoming SO comfortable and confident in the water...another blessing since he fell in my in laws pool when he was 2....and was found 10 minutes later. Little turd was smart enough to let his feet touch the bottom...kick up to the top to get air and sink back down again. SCARY stuff. (I wasn't even home...I was at Women of Faith in Spokane). *sigh* Anyway...it always makes my heart happy when I see him getting over his subconscious fear of the water.

Have to share the layout I did at scrap camp (I did 14 total but they have yet to be all scanned!!). I swiped one of Renee's cute little chipboard circle embellishments...which I think totally completed this page...and was one of those...why didn't I think of that..moments!!

And...I have a little challenge for ya'll...and a little prize too!! For the Random Chaos challenge this week we were to use the colors red, blue and yellow on a layout...plus add in some buttons for good measure. Here is my layout that I made of Auston's bad burnout on Saturday!! Yes...he is totally okay..in fact he showed off his big bandaid like it was a trophy!! I love how the layout turned out..so much so that I actually made a duplicate of the embellishments and put in my Etsy shop!!

Oh yes..so back to my challenge with prize. :) I'm going to offer up some of the raffle tickets I have been making....you'll get an assortment of various colors/sizes. And it's a drawing...not a beauty contest so even if you just happen upon my blog don't be shy to enter. Ohhhh..and I'm giving you TWO chances at the drawing. I'm rambling aren't I?? :)

So first challenge is to complete the Random Chaos of the red, blue, yellow and some buttons AND my challenge for the Sweet Pea Vine was to create a layout using the word BECAUSE (which I still have yet to do myself...eek!). So that's it....complete a layout using one or both of the challenges (if you combine them you will only get in the drawing once though)...link to me in the comments section and you're name will go into the drawing!! I will give you all until the....15th of August to get this done. Easy enough?? Can't wait to see 'em!!

woohooo!!

I got my very first Etsy sale. :) How exciting. I do need to thank Renee (Pink Owl) for all her awesome help and answering of my endless questions. THANKS RENEE!! :) She was also the one who inspired me to get my store going. She's super talented (link is on my sidebar) so check out her shop.

But of course..it can't be a simple first sale...oh no no no...this is me we are talking about remember?? It's to the UK. Now..I haven't mailed to the UK for ever..but I used to send stuff to Kim fairly often. I put $3.00 on the shipping for everywhere else (which I have now edited) so am hoping it covers the shipping...which I'm gonna guess it won't...so my sale of $2.00 probably isn't going to be very profitable. *sigh* Oh well...someone liked my stuff so that's kinda cool. What did they buy you might ask? Well these cool raffle tickets that I've been making. Just about to upload some more designs too. Fun stuff.

So my friend Katie from Boise just came for lunch. She's been at Lost Prairie skydiving since late Wednesday night. And I totally get how special it was that she pulled away from her thing to have lunch with me. She's awesome. Although a tad rudolphy as she has a sunburned nose. :) But it was nice seeing her and visiting...if only for a couple hours. (and WHY may I ask am I SO unphotogenic?? Sheesh...just pitiful). Oh and yes...she's TALL and is squatting down while I'm on my tippy toes...more pitifulness right there folks. :)

And I hate to tell ya'll this but the AWESOMEST Sweet Pea Scraps kit is officially SOLD OUT. Bummer if you didn't get your hands on one. It was really fun and totally retro. I created these 2 layouts using it. Instantly reminded me of clothes I wore (that my mom tortured me with apparently) in the 80's. So there was my inspiration. :) Check out the Sweet Pea gallery too because the girls really outdid themselves!!