Emergen-C samples from Smiley360

I have tried my samples of Emergen-C and my favorite was the Immune+ Citrus followed closely by the Coconut-pineapple, which was unexpected. My least favorite was the Strawberry-Kiwi and I thought the Super Orange tasted a bit like melted jello.

I had heard of Emergen-C before, but never really knew what it was. I truly believed, before I found out more about it, that it was a cure for the common cold and that if you took it at the first sign of sickness that it would get you well right away. After learning more about it, I have a better understanding of the product.

I did not mind the fizz even though the first one I had surprised me! It sort of reminded me of a carbonated drink. It was not unpleasant though. The look and design of the product was fine, and I like the name.

 I don't feel any different after taking them, but I realize that they are not a cure-all. They are merely a supplement like the vitamins I take. I will probably stick with my current vitamins, but it is good to know that there is another supplement out there that can boost my immune system. Thanks for letting me try them for free Smiley 360!

Secret Outlast Completely Clean

I have been trying out Secret Outlast Completely Clear for a few weeks now, and really like it!

I put it to the test last week with my busiest day since switching to Secret Outlast.

My day started off by getting my 18 month old baby girl ready for school-which has become a challenge since she thinks running from me while I try and get her dressed is a game. We got to my work earlier than I could drop her off because I knew I had a lot to do. While she played in my office I got a little work done before I had to go drop her at her Preschool. After dropping her off, I had to head to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned. After that, I proceeded to lead an advanced tap dance group for an hour. They always joke about how hard I work them, but they are not the only ones that walk away sweating! After that, I returned to work to try and get a few more things set up for the Veteran's Day Concert that evening. I was moving chairs, getting things set up, going back and forth between the choir room and Sanctuary. After I got everything set up, I had a rehearsal with my friend, Kim for a duet we are playing on bells in a few weeks. After that, I had to go pick up my daughter and send her home with Kim. After our rehearsal, I had about an hour before I started teaching piano. I taught piano from 4-6:50pm, when I rushed down to the Sanctuary for the 7pm concert! Sang in the concert, got my baby girl and went home.

Even after everything that I did that day, I still felt fresh and clean! I still don't think it will last for 48 hours after a day like that, but it worked when I needed it to.

Thanks to BzzAgent and Secret for letting me try out the Secret Outlast completely clear ddeodorant I was already a long time Secret user, but I may have found a new Deodorant!

SleepIQ Mission from Smiley 360

I went to try out a sleep number store and the Sleep IQ today. I walked into the store and was immediately greeted by Ed! I told him that I was there on the Sleep IQ Mission through Smiley360 and handed him my card. He asked me if I would like to try out a bed and find out more about that before I learned about the Sleep IQ. I tried out the P5 bed. He started at sleep number 100 and took it all the way down. He explained that the air moves from the areas that it is not needed to fill in the areas that need to be supported causing the bed to conform to your individual shape.

We tested it out and I felt very comfortable at a sleep number of 35. He then showed me a picture of the pressure points at a 100 and then again at a 35. What a drastic change! I felt so comfortable!

Then after trying out the bed, he proceeded to show me the Sleep IQ. He pulled out his ipad and showed me what the app could do. He said that you could input things such as when you ate dinner, if you excerciezed that day and anything else that may affect your sleep. you could look at one night, a week or a month to see how much good sleep you are getting. He even said that the Sleep IQ could suggest a different sleep number if you are not sleeping as well at the current number.

The Sleep IQ is available with all of thier beds, but you can get it without as well. Beds range in price from $1300 and up.

I wish I had know this when we bought a bed a few years ago. I was pregnant and not comfortable on our other bed, so we ended up buying a new bed that cost almost the same, but is not as versatile as the Sleep Number Bed.

We will consider Sleep Number next time we choose a new bed!

As a part of this Mission from Smiley 360, I will receive a free pillow in the mail. This review is my honest experience with my trip to the Sleep Number Store.

Dad Birthday card

My Father-in-law loves cars and anything with wheels, so when I made his card for his birthday I wanted to use this car from my Nifty Fifties cartridge. Back when Michaels had some of their paper on clearance I picked up some great paper for guys, and I used one of those sheets for the background of my card. I love doing fun cards, so I decided to try my first twisted easel card. I used foam squares to pop up the white background, the car and the Dad. Enjoy!

I am entering this card in a few challenges:

Crafty Purple Frog- Birthday

Happileigh Scrapping- Birthday

Lia Stampz- Birthday

Unstampabelles- wheels

Bunny Zoe Cards- easel

Kaboodles Doodle- Easel

Happy Birthday to Sonny!

The organist that I work with at my church has a birthday tomorrow, and I wanted to make her a special card. I made a Z-fold card and used a sketch from "My Time made Easy" to get me started. Since we are musicians, I wanted to put some music on there, so I embossed the white squares with my music cuttlebug folder. I cut the bird from Gypsy Font cart at 2 inches. I used some ribbon and a new Fiskers stamp I had. I embellished the stamp with pearls, since pearls and turquoise are her birthstones.

I am entering this card into these challenges:

Crafty Catz- Fancy Folds

Delicious Doodles- Things that flutter

Polkadoodle- Pretty things with Wings

Simply Create- Wings

Cute Card Thursdays- Birthstone Colors

Paper Crafting Journey- Bird

My Time Made Easy- Sketch

Happileigh Scrapping- Embossing

Paper Playtime- z-fold

Craft Your Days away- Monocromatic

Father's Day card 2

This is a card I made for my father=-in-law for Father's day. I used the T-shirt and tie on the Simply Charmed cart. I used foam to give the tie and shirt more dimension. It is simple, but I love how it came out!

Here are the challenges I am entering this card into:

Sparkles Forum- Father's Day

Here Come the Boys- Father's Day

Creative Inspirations- Father's Day

Come and Get it- Father's Day

Crazy Challenge- Father's Day

Flourishes- Father's Day

Sisterhood of Crafters- Celebrating Dad

Crafting for all seasons- Father's Day

Paper Play- Father's Day

Delightful Challenges- Father's Day

Craft Us Crazy- Father's Day

C.R.A.F.T. challenge- Father's Day

Sew Many cards- Father's Day

Delicious Doodles- Father's Day

Stamp, Scrap and Doodle- Father's Day

Secret Crafter- a Male Card

Little Claires- cards for men

Father's Day card 1

I found this free digi at Dustin Pike's website, and immediately thought of my Dad. We had a dragon named Dudley that was a favorite of my family's and I thought this would be perfect for Father's day! Inside I wrote "You are my knight in shining armor".

I started with the sketch from Inspirational card sketches. I used my cuttlebug to add the embossing to the cream paper and some foam squares to pop it up. I think my dad will love it!

Here are the challenges I am entering this card in:

Sparkles Forum- Father's Day

Here Come the Boys- Father's Day

Doodle Dragon- It's a boy thing

Creative Inspirations- Father's Day

Come and Get it- Father's Day

Crazy Challenge- Father's Day

Inspirational Card Sketches- Sketch

Flourishes- Father's Day

The Sisterhood of crafters- Celebrating Dad

The House that Stamps Built- Father's Day with texture

Crafting for all seasons- Father's Day

Paper Play- Father's Day

Delightful Challenges- Father's Day

Craft us crazy- Father's day

C.R.A.F.T Challenge- Father's Day

Simply Create- All about you dad

Sew Many Cards- Father's Day

Delicious Doodles- Father's Day

Stamp, Scrap and Doodle- Father's Day

Secret Crafter- a Male Card

Little Claires- Cards for Men

Grandma's birthday card

I made this special card for my grandmother who will turn 91 at the end of this month. I have never been very close to her, since I have always lived far away, but since she moved in with my parents, I have gotten to know her a little bit better ( as well as you can from half-way across the country!). We will get a chance to see her in July, but it has been 2 years since we saw her, so I wanted to make something special!

I tried to keep this one fairly simple so that she would be able to see it, but I could not help adding some flowers and bling:) All of the cuts for the flowers came from Accent essentials, just various sizes, and I cut the same pieces from 4 different colors so I could layer them.

Challenges that I will be entering this in:

Sentimental Sundays- Handmade flowers

Designed 2 Delight- Handmade flowers

The Paper Shelter- Black, White + 1

Crafty Catz- Pink, Black and White

Delightful Challenges- flowers

Ladybug Crafts INK- Black, White, + 1

Paper and Such Design- Birthdays

Use it Tuesdays- Bling

Crafty Ann's- Happy Birthday

Mother's Day Card #2

Here is the second Mother's day card I made this week.

I used this sketch as my inspiration.

I used a designer paper I got about 6 months ago that had names for Mom's on it, as well as some paper from November that was pearly white with swirls. I handmade my flowers using the Cricut Cart Accent Essentials and added some bling to them as well as added a butterfly button. I made an easel card so that it could be displayed. All in all, both cards are similar, but different. Now I just have to decide who gets which card, my mom or my mother-in-law?

I am entering this card in a few challenges:

Creative Cowgirls- Mom

There's magic in the air- multi-fold

Stamping boutique- wings

Scrap Creations- Flowers

Die Cutting Divas- mom

Sisterhood of crafters- mom

Little Red wagon- mom

Flutterby Wednesday- 3 flowers, 2 designer papers, 1 button

Mothers Day card #1

This week was mother's day card week. I had to make a card for my mom and my mother-in-law. So I turned to some online inspiration and found these two sketches to help me get started.

I decided to make them into easel cards so that my moms could display them. I also had found this great designer paper about 6 months ago that had Mom written all over it which I thought would be perfect! I also used some designer paper I had bought back in November that was white pearly paper with swirls and thought it would go well! I made handmade flowers using Accent Essential Cricut Cart to make the layers, added a little bling and a butterfly button, and voila- 2 different mother's day cards!

Challenges this card will be entered in!

Creative Cowgirls- Mom

Sketch and stash- Sketch #53

There's Magic in the Air- Multi Fold

Die Cutting Divas- Mom

Scrap-Creations- Flowers

The Stamping Boutique- Wings

Flutterby Wednesdays- 3 flowers, 2 Designer papers, 1 button

Little Red Wagon- For Mom

Sisterhood of crafters- For Mom

Aud Sentiments- For Mom

AiFactory- Anything Goes

CCEE Stampers- Butterfly

Charisma Cards- May Flowers

Craft Us Crazy- Mothers Day and Flowers

Cute Card Thursday- Use a sketch form somewhere else

DYSU Challenege- 3D

Digi Doodles- Anything goes

Dutch Dare Card- For Mom

Moving Along with the Times- Anything Goes

PaperCrafting Journey- Bling

The Rubber Cafe- For Mom

My Creative Time- 3D

Mojo Monday- Sketch

Versatile Blogger Award

I have been awarded the Versatile Blogger award by Mary and Lolis! Thanks so much! I would have never expected to receive any award, because there are so many great blogs out there, so I really appreciate this honor!

In accepting this award I have to mention 7 things about myself and pass this award on to 15 other blogs.

1. I love doing all kinds of different crafts-hence the name of my blog:)
2. I am a full-time Assistant Director of Music at a Methodist church that is ranked in the top 25 largest Methodist churches in the US.
3. I love photography, and even though I used to work at a photography studio, I don't enjoy taking pics of people. My passion is for architecture and landscapes!
4. I recently won an honorable mention for one of my photos out of 2300 entries, and my photo was on display at the Fort Worth Main St. Arts Festival!
5. I am at that stage in my life where I don't feel like I really fit in. I'm married (to a wonderful man for the last 4 years)! with no kids in my 30s.
6. I was born in Germany and have also lived in Little Rock, Arkansas; Clovis, New Mexico; Yorktown, Virginia; Danville, Virginia; Fort Worth, Texas, and now Mansfield, Texas.
7. I love to talk:)

So now to pass this award along to 15 of my fav blogs:
1. The Misplaced Midwesterner
2. The Science of Music
3.......Ibecircled......
4. Reflections of a Sojourner
5. Courtney Lane Designs
6. Creative Delights by Nicole
7. GreenScrappin Machine
8. More than Favors
9. Obsessed with Scrapbooking
10. Made by Momo
11. Practical Scrappers
12.Less is More
13. Sentimental Sundays
14. Stampin Sisters in Christ
15. Scrap Happens

Wedding Card

I made this wedding card for my brother-in-laws wedding. His wife is also a crafter, so I felt like I really needed to go above and beyond to make a special card for their wedding.

This was my first try at this trifold card, and I think it came out great. As I was looking for inspiration for the card, not only did I turn to their wedding invite, but I actually used part of their invite to make my card! I used a stamped image in the center and used the letter "L" from the front of their invite, as well as some of the paper and ribbon from it. My sister-in-law was just so amazed by our card, and I was so proud to give it to her!

I am entering this card in a few challenges:

Crafty Ann's- Fancy Folds

Digi Doodles- Glitter and Glitz

The ABC Challenge- Sparkle

A Spoonful of Sugar- Let's Celebrate

Crafty Cardmakers- Wedding

Delicious Doodle- Anything Goes

Totally Papercraft- Wedding

Happileigh Scrapping- Wedding and Jewels

Stampin Vacation- Wedding

Totally Gorjuss- Bling

Stampin for the weekend- wedding

Jasmine Birthday card

My niece means the world to me, yet I do not get to see her very often because we live so far away. I enjoy trying to make her birthday cards as special as I can, and have earned the title as "best scrapbooker in the world" from my niece. No pressure:)

This year for her birthday, she celebrated at Disney and I found out from my sister-in-law that Jasmine and Goofy were her favorite. I had just bought the Disney Dreams come True cartridge and could not wait to use it.

I made my first ever stairstep card for this special birthday. I cut out Jasmine, the palace, the magic carpet and one of the containers from Disney Dreams Come True, and the magic lamp and other container from Paper Doll Dress Up. I used glitter paper for Jasmines outfit, and decorated with jems and glitter glue. I also used some glitter on the gold roofs to give it that extra sparkle. I wrote my birthday wish on a stream of smoke coming out of the lamp, and finished off the card with a $20 bill for the birthday girl!

I am going to enter this card into a few challenges:

Crafy Ann's- Fancy Folds

Digi Doodles- Glitter and glitz

ABC Challenge - Sparkle

A Spoonful of Sugar- Let's Celebrate

Delicious Doodle- Anything Goes

Cupcake Craft- Lots of Layers

Ladybug Crafts Ink- Anything Goes

Karen's Doodles- Layers

KB Cute Monday- Birthday

Easter Swap

I just opened my package from my Easter swap on the Cricut Circle MB. I was so excited to see all of the goodies that my swap partner, Lavendargal, was able to cram into a small box! It had stamps, stickers, embellishments, ribbon, embossing folders, chipboard album, Zig 2 way glue, adhesive, beautiful Easter egg ornaments and a lovely handmade explosion box, as well as two round containers holding even more embellishments! It is always so much fun buying for other people and being surprised at what you get in return!

Valentine Gift

So I know we are a month past Valentines day, but I am behind on posting my projects. I'll admit that I have not been as crafty as I would have liked, but I have still been making things!


This is the present I made for my husband. Using many sketches and probably 20+ hours of work, I made my first paper bag mini album! This post will be very picture heavy, and not alot of descriptions about products used, because it would take forever to list. I did use my Cricut to cut out the inserts and all of the hearts in the project. I hope you enjoy it though. I am pretty proud of it, and most importantly, my husband loved it!

I made this project with my husband in mind, but it does fit a few challenges, so I will enter it in these challenges:

Crafty Ann's- Elvis Song "Portrait of My Love"

Digi Doodles- Ribbons and Bows

Stampin Sisters- something hidden from first view

One Stitch At a Time- something for the boys

Sentimental Sundays- Let's get sentimental

Secret Crafter- anything but a card

Amber's Crafts- use a die cut

Frodo

Well, I had asked for only one thing for Christmas- and I got it! All I wanted was a kitty! He won us over at the shelter and we just had to get him. Here are a few pics of the new love in my life!

Pillows for my Niece!

So, this is a project I tackled before Christmas for a present for my niece. It is always difficult to know what to get her because she lives in Florida and I live in Texas. I only get to see her about once a year, and she is growing up so fast. She is at that age where so is no longer a little girl and is not quite a teenager.
My brother-in-law just got remarried to a wonderful, and crafty, woman. After they got married Chris and Logan moved into Lorena's house. Logan decided that her new room was going to be green and pink. While we were down for the wedding, my mother-in-law showed me a blanket that she was making for Logan that was green on one side and pink on the other.

I just started sewing a few months ago, but pillows are my specialty. I decided to push the limit and try to make pillows that were not all the standard square. I found some great fabric and patterns and was ready to go.

They turned out so much better that I thought they would, and she loved them. They are perfect for her room, and most importantly, I put love into them that no store bought gift could have done!