Just a quick break in vacation to tell you...

...to go check out the Midnight Oil Scrapbook Designs blog today! Its my day on the blog to introduce myself and show a favorite project! While you're there be sure to check out the posts from my fellow DT members as well! There are some fabulous projects there!

Oh yeah here is the card challenge from Paper Popsicles this week! Decorate a card inside and out! Make a card with a sentiment that starts on the front and is completed inside.

Also be sure to read the blog for an AWESOME deal!!

Back to vacation!! Be sure to come by tomorrow for the Paper Popsicles August kit reveal!

Valerie

See Ya!!!

Sorry I haven't been around I have had some stuff to get done and getting ready for vacation! We are off first thing in the am and I CAN'T wait!! So I just wanted to say good-bye and I'll be back next week some time! DON'T forget to hop over to Paper Popsicles blog and submit this week's card and check back on Wednesday for the new sketch and find out who won! Also you DON'T want to miss the August kit! The gallery is open and TRUST me you are going to LOVE the kits!!

See ya soon!

Valerie

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [edited to say HOLY HAPPY MAIL DAY!!!!]

So I was stalking the wrong person!! Her I thought it was the mail lady who would be bringing my My Mind's Eye package and here it was the UPS guy!!! Sorry mail lady! LOL! So the ring at my door bell yesterday morning brought me this LOVELY and GENEROUS package!!! Just look! I got one of everything EXCEPT the ribbon! : ( (You know I have a ribbon addiction!)

OH MY!!

ALL the die cuts and transparencies!

Brads and chipboard pieces

Round and Round

Stomp

Whirlybird

Lucky Me

Now I am stalking the FedEx guy for my Midnight Oil DT box!!! OH WAIT!!! I hear something!!! : ) LOOK!!!

All I can say is WOW!!!!! Looks like I am going to be one busy and HAPPY girl for a while now!! : )

And on that note I was able to get some good pics FINALLY of some LO's I have done! So without further ado here's some eye candy!

So I have been working on this post ALL day, and before lunch I ran outside for the mail and GUESS WHAT??!!!! ANOTHER HAPPY SCRAPPY MAIL package!! A package from Melissa at Paper Popsicles! With some SUPER FUN stuff to play with!! I'm not sure if I can share this info yet, so you will have to stay tuned to find out what it is!!! ; )

What a way to turn around a day when you're feeling blue! I have been amazed by how mature the boys are becoming and ALL morning all they wanted to do is sit at the table and write letters on one of those dry erase boards. All they can talk about is when they go to Preschool in the fall with Josh and it makes me sad to know that my babies are growing up! Where did this time go??!!

And speaking of Paper Popsicles DON'T FORGET you have till midnight CST to get the card sketch done and uploaded! I will post mine tomorrow!

Well this is feeling like the post that will NEVER end, so I'm gonna say good-bye for now!

TFListening to me!

Valerie

Where did this week go????!!!!!!

I CAN'T believe this week completely got away from me!! AND I CAN'T believe summer is half over already!! CRAZY!! And the sad part is we haven't had ANY nice warm weather to really enjoy the summer! The boys have only had their pool out once!! Yes there was 1 really warm week around Father's Day, but we were all sick then!

So let's see it was a week of craziness- the most fun was going on Wed with my aunt and cousin to the Kohl's Children's Museum! If you're in the area I HIGHLY recommend it!!! We had SOOOO much fun! So then I came home and a couple days later go to download the pics and guess what?!! 3/4's of the pictures VANISHED!!! Its a new memory card, the camera was taking the pictures and I was reviewing them, the only thing I can think of was the batteries as ALWAYS were dying quickly and I changed them twice, but that has NEVER affected taking pictures before! So most of pictures from our day are gone and there were a LOT of cute ones! I am SOOOO SAD!!! Here are a couple that remained on the camera.

In scrappy news I have been having fun working on my August mini kit from Paper Popsicles you are going to want this kit!! I am also waiting anxiously for my first box o'goodies from Midnight Oil Scrapbook Designs!!! I am also stalking the mailman waiting for my prize from My Mind's Eye!!

Oh Yes how can I forget I didn't post the Paper Popsicles blog card challenge! Here it is!

Don't for get you have till Tuesday to complete it!

Well my laundry just finished, and I need to get to bed its gonna be an early day we are taking the boys to a White Sox game tomorrow, and its kid's day so there will be LOTS for them to do!! Can't wait!! Hope the camera behaves!!

TFL!!

Valerie

And the winner is......

....Becca!!!!!!

Yeah!!!!! Thank you SOOO much for participating in our first blog hop and I hope everyone had a good and was inspired to go and create some fun new summer projects!! And don't forget to go check out ALL the fun on the Paper Popsicles Message Board and blog, as well as have some fun shopping in the Paper Popsicles store!

Becca please log into the Paper Popsicles message board and send a PM to Melissa and let her know you were the winner from my blog...she'll get your prize out to you!!! Congrats!!

TFL!

Valerie

Paper Popsicles Blog Hop!!

Paper Popsicles is having it's first ever blog hop, so you'll be asked to hop from blog to blog featuring yummy eye candy with a summer theme...and of course what's eye candy without a little blog candy...so just leave a comment before you hop along to the next blog and you just might pick up a prize!!! Each blog will feature a secret word...these words needs to be collected and then put together to form a phrase. This phrase will then need to be emailed to paperpopsicles@gmail.com by Sunday night, July 12 at midnight Central time to be eligible for our grand prize. So......lets get started!!! If you are joining me from Jackie's blog great...you are hopping right along...if you just stumbled upon my blog...you won't want to miss a thing, so hop on over to the Paper Popsicles blog to get you started.


To make this fun little picnic gift basket you first need to head over to the Paper Popsicles store and purchase some of the Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Paper and elements sheet, as well as the Fruit Digital Design by Cheeky Radish. The basket I bought at Michael's and then from my stash I used DoodleBug mini rub-ons, Antique Linen Distress ink, pop dots, Diamond Glaze, Fiskars Apron Lace punch, Copic Markers and Mod Podge.


(PLEASE don't mind the undried Diamond Glaze on 2 of the cherries-I had to go and couldn't wait any longer for the glaze to dry! OOPS!!)


Did you know that the Paper Popsicles blog features a new card challenge every Wednesday?


Did you know that every month we have weekly theme challenges hosted on our message board?


Did you know that we have a monthly sketch challenge?


Did you know that we hold auditions each month for our next guest designer....details can be found on our message board!!!


Have you seen the kits in the store?


Did you see there is one main kit, two mini-kits, and a card kit each month?


Have you been over to see the design team and guest designer's galleries to see their amazing work done with the fabulous products offered in the Paper Popsicles store?


now...for my secret word...it is AND


before you hop on over there...be sure to leave me a comment here so you are entered into the drawing here on my blog....


next...be sure to keep on hopping and collecting words for your secret phrase by checking out Jen C's blog next...


don't forget to send an email with the secret phrase to paperpopsicles@gmail.com at the end of the blog hop....and good luck!

Don't Forget!!

The BIG Paper Popsicles Blog Hop starts tomorrow!! Hope to see you there!!!

3 Days left till...

Are you ready???!!! It is going to be SOOO much fun!! And I have seen some of the lovely eye candy coming your way and let me just say you will NOT be disappointed! ; ) So be at the Paper Popsicles blog THIS Saturday and Sunday to get the details!

Here is your Wednesday card sketch a day late. Sorry I will explain where I was in a minute.

And here is mine from last week's sketch.

So I was MIA ALL day yesterday because I went to the DuPage Children's Museum with a couple girlfriends and their sons. It was quite the experience and I must say I prefer the Navy Pier children's museum MUCH better. I only hope when they move the Navy Pier children's museum they keep it the same way and don't go to the open floor plan like the DuPage one. So anyhow after our adventurous day I came home and then went to work. It was weird to work a weeknight again I haven't worked weeknights since January, but dh's overtime ended so I am able to work week nights again. So here are a couple cute pics from our adventure yesterday!





This picture makes me laugh as Joseph LOVES tools and construction and when he saw the real tools and wood to use he wanted to do it SOOOO BAD!! The drool was just flowing from his mouth! LOL!! Unfortunately it was SOOO crowded in there and I was out numbered 2:1 and it needed to be 1:1 to go in the wood working area.

I Finally Can Share My News!!!

I found out last week that I was chosen to be part of the MOD Squad!!! YES I made my FIRST Manufacturer Design Team!!! Here's the announcement!!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Drum Roll Please....

We are thrilled, we are excited, we are beside ourselves....WE HAVE A NEW DESIGN TEAM!


First I must say, this was by far, the most difficult decision we have had to make in a very long time. We had over 50 very talented applicants apply for 14 positions on our MOD Squad. Which means we had to disappoint a lot of very talented crafters. This is never an easy task and certainly one we don't enjoy. But the good news is we were also able to spread joy and happiness to 14 incredible ladies (not leaving the guys out here - we only had female applicants...).


So without further ado, we would like to introduce the new MOD Squad (aka: the Midnight Oil Design Squad). You can find links to their blogs along the left hand side...


Gloria Stengel
Debbie Fitzgerald
Shannon Morgan
Jennifer Hansen
Marisa Faylim
Dolores Cancel
Lori McCausland
Carolyn Lontin
Pamela Jordan
Valerie Chmielak
Naureen O'Neale
KellyJean Gettelfinger
Amy Oxford
Vickilyn Crawford
Erica Hofstetter
Tina Guigui


These wonderful ladies will begin introducing themselves here in the following days. You can also find out more about them at their personal blogs. Then beginning August 1st each of these ladies will begin posting projects, tips and techniques for your enjoyment right here at the MOSD blog!


Congratulations ladies and thanks in advance for all your hard work!

I am expecting my first box of goodness any day now and all I can say is I AM SOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )

Make sure to head over to their site and check out all the fun things that they have! http://www.mosdinc.com/ and their blog http://www.mosdinc.blogspot.com/

Well my little ones are waiting to go play with their friends so I better get going!

TFL!
Valerie

HAPPY...

...July 6th!!! LOL!!

Sorry I'm a little late! I had a SUPER busy weekend! I got NO sleep, had to work and had company Saturday and today! I hope you all had a great one!! Here are 2 projects I made for the 4th!


REALLY simple to make too! I bought the "naked" shapes from Hobby Lobby and painted them with some MM paint, used good old Modge Podge and added star confetti and ribbon, outlined with Stickles and used some Cheeky Radish images from the Paper Popsicles store and colored them with my Copics!

Even though we had a cold and wet 4th we made the best by going to a parade in the rain, to McDonald's for lunch, and then later to see fireworks! Here are some of my fav pics from the day!







DON'T FORGET that the Paper Popsicles blog hop is this weekend!! And the card sketch on the Paper Popsicles blog is due tomorrow!!

Valerie

What a day!!!

Its July 1st, AND Wednesday so you know what that means???? Paper Popsicles reveal day and a new card sketch!!

So first off here is the new sketch!

Don't forget you have till Midnight CST Tuesday to upload your card Good Luck!!

Here is a glimpse of my Paper Popsicles kit this month!




Be sure to head on over and check out the Design Team gallery to see the rest of the mini album and the rest of the AWESOME Design Team work!!

And speaking of Paper Popsicles Melissa has added some MORE AWESOME digital designs!! Just look at these!!

These digital designs are just SOOO much fun to play with!! There is a great how to on the message board with directions to make the designs shape cards!

And while you are in the store picking up some adorable digital designs be sure to check out the July Blow Out SALE!!!!
Great deals, especially when you consider that our prices are lower than retail prices to begin with

20% off - Embellishments, Stickers, Paper, Available Past Kits

25% off - Alter This, Chipboard & Die Cuts

40% off - Stamps

50% off - Clearance

Oh and I almost forgot we will be having a blog hop! Mark your calendars for Saturday July 11 and Sunday July 12. A little hop for some great prizes!! More details to come!

I did a little blog visiting of my own yesterday to the new My Mind's Eye blog and won one of EVERYTHING from the NEW Summer CHA '09 Abbey Road collection!!!!! Can I just say I am on cloud 9!!!! I LOVE My Mind's Eye and this collection is PERFECT for the mom of 2 boys!!! I CAN'T wait to get it and play!!! Be sure to head on over to http://mymindseye.typepad.com/blog/ and check it out you may be the next winner!!!

Stayed tuned for a couple cute and easy 4th of July projects this week! They are SOOO cute you're gonna want one!

TFL!
Valerie