~* My JoUrNeY *~ an altered album

Okay Mr. Tim Holtz! I actually altered your grungeboard album! It was inside my "Bon Voyage Dahlings" guest design kit from Keep in Touch! I have to admit I was a little intimidated by it for a second. Okay, for a few minutes! But because Kelly had such a beautiful collection of papers and tons of pretty embellishments in this kit for me to play with, I went into "creative mode" pretty quickly!

Have I mentioned that I love Kelly?"

Though this is a travel inspired kit, it was very versatile in that I made it into a journey not of travel, but of myself- a uniQue journal all about me including my thoughts, my beliefs, and what makes me tick! We are all uniQue, and it's not only fun, but important I think to get it on paper in our own creative way!

Speaking of journeys, on a personal note I will be spending some quality time with my family for the next few days before school rolls around for the kiddos again. I'm really looking forward to this special family time! So, it really is "Bon Voyage Dahlings" for now!

xOxO

~*i LOVE this MOUSE*~ keep IN touch

Here's one more project from the Bon Voyage Dahling kit at Keep in Touch. This is made using some Tim Holtz grungeboard which was left over from my main project! I've NEVER used grungeboard before so I was a little intimidated, but I have to say, grungeboard is pretty damn cool!!! xOxO

~* KeEp iN ToUcH*~ "bon voyage dahling!"

I have been a fan of Keep in Touch for some time. I've bought many kits from Kelly and was very excited when she asked me about a year ago to guest design for her in August! With Kelly kits, the possibilities are endless because not only does she have an incredible way of putting beautiful things together, but she is known for loading her kits with many, and I mean TONS of unique embellishments.

My kit, "Bon Voyage Dahling," is nothing short of spectacular and this is just one of the creations I was able to make this month. If you love embellishments like I do, check out Keep in Touch. There are so many adorable kits to choose from, both scrapbooking and card making.

And Kelly's prices are very reasonable. More designs to come....

xOxO

~* JuNgLe bOoGiE *~ & a giveaway from Color Me Miki!

Here are my final 3 projects with Color Me Miki's JuNgLe bOoGiE kit!
Do you recognize the lines at all? (Hint- I mentioned one of them a few posts ago!)

Head on over to Terri's Blog. She's doing a giveaway for a $25 shopping spree at

Color Me Miki! Good luck! xOxO

~*cOlOr mE MiKi *~ JUNGLE BOOGIE giveaway!

There is a fun giveaway going on at Color Me Miki this month. Here is the August Jungle Boogie kit that I got to play with! Take a close look at it and then head on over to Terri's blog where you can get the details on how to win a $25 shopping spree at Color Me Miki!

Good luck! xOxO

we're all MAD here in ~* WoNdErLaNd *~

" I wonder if I've been changed in the night? Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is 'Who in the world am I?' Ah, that's the great puzzle!" ~ alice

~*~*~

a little Mad creation with my precious Ava and Alice

from the Jungle Boogie kit @ Color Me Miki.

Coming soon! xOxO

~*FrEaKiNg OuT!*~

Change is a good thing right? Then why am I so freaked out about

changing the background on my blog? I think it's cuz I loved those darn rhinestones that I had down the side so much, I didn't want to part with them. But I needed a blog makeover, big time!

It all started with Gypsy Fox!! It's her fault!

She makes adorable buttons like this one for me

~* LOVE it!*~

(You can grab the code if you want to link to me!)

If you need a button or a siggy, check out her beautiful, sparkly designs.

And check out these free backgrounds from

Cute 'n' Cool too! So many pretty ones to choose from.

Okay, I'm still playing around with my blog, I'm obsessed now!

Have a great weekend everyone!

xOxO

~* a PiNwHeEl bOuQuEt *~

Okay, here's a little project from the August Jungle Boogie kit that will be available at Color Me Miki. This is very easy and the pinwheels are

by no means an original creation. In fact, I google searched how to make them here and just altered them a tiny bit!

So here's what I did:

cut your paper into 5 1/4 inch squares. Obviously double sided paper works best, like the cute ones in this kit! (HINT HINT!)

Fold each square in half diagonally both ways,

then cut right along your diagonal line towards the center of the square,

leaving about an inch from the center. Do this along all 4 folds. After your cuts are made, take the right corner of each side and make a pierce up near the edge,doing the same with all 4 right side edges. Then pierce the

very center of the square.

Overlap those pierced edges to the center aligning the pierced holes and secure with a brad.

My favorite part, I glued on Starbucks straws for the stems!

What a great excuse to go to Starbucks huh!

Tie with a pretty ribbon and voila ~

your pinwheel bouquet!

xOxO

~* kEeP iN ToUcH *~ sneak peek!

Here's a peek from a couple of projects I created with my kit from

Keep in Touch.

I love Kelly's kits, they are always awesome and this one was no exception!

More photos coming soon! xOxO

~* CoLoR mE MiKi *~ sneak peek!

Well, here's a little peek of some projects for Color Me Miki! Gee, can you tell what line it is? Yep, one of my faves - Sassafras!!!!!!

Always fun kits from Terri, and this one, Jungle Boogie, SOOO cute!!!

More to come soon.............xOxO

~*Double Header August! 2 GuEsT dEsIgN kItS!*~

This month is busy & exciting for me! Not only have I been working on some projects which I can't publicly announce quite yet, but I have been asked to guest design for 2 incredible kit clubs this month.

So these sparkly flowers go to

Color Me Miki and Keep in Touch!

I'm currently in the middle of a 3 month guest design spot for Terri of Color Me Miki which has been so much fun for me! Terri has such cute kits,

so easy to work with. Check her blog for anniversary contests this month!

And I was asked about a year ago to guest design for Kelly of Keep in Touch.

I'm a regular customer of Kelly's! If you love embellishments, Kelly is known for loading her kits with them, and I am talking TONS here!I have finished my design work for both clubs and will post sneaks shortly.But thank you to Terri and Kelly for asking me to guest design for them!

I lOvE you guys! XoXo

~* mY sPaRkLiNg sTuDiO!*~

I thought I'd give you a peek where I create. I wish I could get better pics, but photography is my weakness - I really should have made that number 1 on my list yesterday.

Practice makes perfect right? Hopefully, because after the million photos I have taken, you'd think I'd be a professional photographer by now. Ask poor Melanie what I go through, she'll tell ya! xOxO

~* HoNeSt ScRaP AwArD! *~

Okay, I was tagged by KeKe with an Honest Scrap award and I have to give up 10 things about myself that ya probably didn't know!

So here goes:

1. I love PINK- "If it's pink, buy it!" is my motto. Okay, so y'all knew that one.

2. I am a fantasy football wh*re. Yep, I love it more than scrapbooking. I can give the boys a run for their money, literally! I know stats, current injury reports, I check football news daily! There, I admitted it.

3. I really get into politics! Yes, I like Sarah Palin and I believe we haven't heard the last from her!

4. I have 10 fuschia pink extensions glued in my hair and I LOVE them!If I ever get braver, I'm dying my hair like Pinky!

5. I love 80's rock, and have seen the following concerts back in the day: Journey, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Rush, Bon Jovi, Sammy Hager, I could go on forever...... you get the point!

6. My favorite Starbucks drink: Chai Tea Latte - addicted!

7. My favorite makeup is MAC, and I could open a small store with what I have.

8. If I could live anywhere, it would be Santa Barbara.

9. My husband just informed me to add that I am selfish! Fine, maybe a little! I'm honest!

10. I have the best husband in that he loves me despite my selfishness!

11. Eleven is my favorite number, so my eleventh thing would be that I am very spiritual. I believe we create our own destinies and it is important to keep positive, looking upward and inward!

So I want to hear about you guys. I am gonna tag 5 of you and then you can claim the award too:

Jocelyn

Nerina

Julie

Maggi

Rose

Yep, It's All About Me, and YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! xOxO

~* GoT ArT *~

So it has been a strange week with the passing of Michael Jackson and his memorial service yesterday.

I thought it fitting to post this beautiful, one of a kind art piece created for me by the talented Sherry of etsy store Got Art. Don't ask me HOW I ended up on Sherry's blog awhile back, but by some stroke of luck, I did. And how lucky for me because not only is Sherry a talented artist,

but a very sweet lady.

My piece is the second in a special limited series of

4 that Sherry is designing.

I believe she has her third piece available and displayed on her blog now.

Such a nice tribute to a gifted artist by a gifted artist.

Thank you Sherry! You truly RoCk!

xOxO

~* my inner princess *~

I am obsessed with vintage earrings, as most of you know! My love for these priceless vintage treasures started when I was a child when I would play with my grandmother's precious pieces for hours on end, many of which I am proud to own today. I'm always on the hunt for more as I LOVE using them on my artwork.

To my delight, I came upon this beautiful etsy store My Inner Princess with gorgeous frames and accessories using these vintage beauties created by a talented woman named Sandi. I wanted to share this etsy store because I love discovering the many talented artists out there. The frames, in particular, are amazing. The only drawback, trying to pick just one. I went with a pink one of course, but this blue & green baby is looking pretty good!

I'll be back for more Sandi, guaranteed! xOxO

~* and the sparKling winner is.....*~

Congratulations Lucky Number 7 which is

Nerina of NicNacManiac!

Thanks to everyone for playing along on this holiday weekend!

Mr. Cutie is none other than Mr. Joshua Morrow,

aka Nicholas Newman on The Young and the Restless!

It was fun to see how many of you guys knew him! Funny cuz I was an All My Children girl for well over 20 years, but now I'm addicted to Y & R.

Not just cuz of Joshua, well, maybe! xOxO

All entries were assigned the following numbers based on the order of their replies. The final winner was chosen using a random generator at random.org:

1. KristiB, 2. Sherry, 3. Castles, Crowns & Cottages, 4. Melanie, 5. Jocelyn, 6. Maggie, 7. NicNacManiac, 8. Jazsutra, 9. lotsascrap, 10. Julie, 11. Sue, 12. Rose, 13. Stacey, 14. Lizzie, 15. Kimberly, 16. Bobbi, 17. Leanne, 18. Zandra, 19. Jenna, 20. Jane, 21. Bobbie, 22. Erin

~* a PiNk & SpArKly RAK *~

Here's what I put together so far for my RAK, "that's HUGE!"

as Paris Hilton would say!
I may even throw some more PINK in there since I'm in a great mood!

So leave your comment in my RAK blog post below!

I'm getting quite a variety of favorite soap operas from you guys! If you don't watch any, that's okay!

Leave me a comment before midnight this Sunday!

Happy 4th of July everyone! Keep sparKling!

xOxO

~* it's a RAK with Mr CuTiE! *~

Okay girlies, time for a RAK!!! I have to thank my friend KeKe for a wonderful RAK I received. She inspired me to pass on the kindness! Now I don't know exactly what this prize will include, but I can promise it will be fun, and sparkly! And no, it's not the boy candy above or I wouldn't be parting with it! (Just kidding John!)

So here goes. I am a HUGE Soap Net fanatic, and this cutie is on my favorite soap. Give me his name, either real or show name, and if you get it right- you're in for the drawing. And I am not publishing the comments till the end, so no one can see!!!!!!!!

I'm not heartless, so here is a clue- look at my music player on the bottom of my blog-

Okay, even if you DON'T know who this is, leave me a comment anyways telling me

your favorite soap and I'll still enter you!

Just want to see how many soap girls are out there!

On Monday, I'll announce my winner and the prize!!!!!!!!

Good luck!!!!

xOxO

photo courtesy of www.thesoapdispenser.com

~* BlOg AwaRdS*~

How sweet to receive this blog award below from the talented

Callista and Cindy!

Thank you!!

Now I am passing it along to these fabulously talented ladies:

Stacey

Nerina

KeKe

Julie

Check out their blogs for some great inspiration!!
xOxO

~*hApPy aNnIvErSaRy Color Me Miki!*~

I'm so excited to be guest designing for Color Me Miki on their very first anniversary!!! Not only that, but what a way to celebrate as Color Me Miki is the featured kit for July on Webster's Pages Inspire Me!! Congratulations Terri!

This month there are TWO incredible kits available at great values. The "Oh My, Cherry Pie!" kit that I worked with was so fabulous, it made creating simple. And the "He Said, She Said!" kit is jam packed with goodies too. There are add ons available as well.

Terri has a great eye for putting together amazing kits. You can check them out here. And check out what the amazing design team gallery did with the kits here!

Keep an eye on Color Me Miki's blog all month long for fun contests too!

xOxO