ShaunnaMichelle's

Sony Vaio S Series Laptop (VPCSE13FX/B) & Sheet Battery Review & #Giveaway — MomStart

2012-01-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

Sony Vaio S Series Laptop (VPCSE13FX/B) & Sheet Battery Review & #Giveaway — MomStart

Custom Orders

2012-01-12T01:05:00.000-07:00

Making jewelry is a lot of fun. I enjoy looking at the beads and buying the ones I like, then coming up with a pretty way to put them together to create a piece that I enjoy. Sometimes, I sell those pieces. A lot of the time, someone will see something I've made and want something a different color or length. Special orders are always welcome and they present a challenge to me. I want them to be perfect, but for that to happen, I somehow have to combine the customer's wants with an artistic vision to create something perfect just for them. I stress about it quite a bit, but in the end, I haven't had anyone be disappointed yet. I hope I can keep it that way for many years to come. My heart smiles when a custom order is shown or delivered and the recipient is absolutely thrilled with the results. I've had two such orders recently and I wanted to share them here with you.

This special order was for a friend who wanted a gift for her BFF. It is a Breast Cancer Awareness set.

I knew I wanted to convey a couple of things in this piece. One, of course, was the breast cancer awareness part. The other was love. My customer genuinely loves her BFF and I wanted her BFF to feel that when she received the gift. The hearts added that special tough to it and I was able to find an awareness ribbon with a heart too. I was very pleased with how this set turned out and even more so when my friend saw it and decided it was perfect!

This other set is a bracelet and necklace set for a special friend who just so happens to love horses and recently acquired not one, but two of them! A lifelong dream of hers! She wanted something that was turquoise and showed her love of horses. This one took a bit longer and the end product was not exactly how the idea started out, but I couldn't be happier with how it turned out:

The photo of the necklace definitely does not do this piece justice as it was longer than my little display allowed for, so it is weighted in the back to allow for the photo. Weighting it had the effect of not allowing the different sections lay together. It looks a lot better ON a person. My friend received the set today and is in love with it, which makes me so happy!

I do think I tend to do some of my better work when it is a custom order because I am trying so hard to make it something that they will love and cherish forever. I hope you've enjoyed looking at them as much as I enjoyed making them. If you have an interest in a special order, don't hesitate to email me or convo me on Etsy!

Relaxation is a Four-Letter Word

2012-01-11T02:24:00.000-07:00

Relaxation has always been a lot like a four-letter word to me, mostly because I could not for the life of me figure out how to do it. It probably seems simple to most people, I hear it all the time. "Just don't worry about it." Seriously? Telling me not to worry is like telling me not to breathe, and it's just as likely to stop happening. I stress and I worry and I usually manage to figure out most of my issues that way and come to awesome resolutions. The trouble is, stress can kill you. No, really, it can. I took a class in college this last semester and learned a lot about stress. However, I only took the class after the third episode of Vertigo I experienced in one year. If you don't know about Vertigo, it is a lot like riding one of those Gravitron rides at the fair, only you cannot ever get off of the darn thing. After being tested for things I've never even heard of (and some I have), we figured out that I didn't have a tumor or MS. I was seriously breaking down from stressing TOO much. Who knew? Well, obviously lots of people. Do a google search and there is tons of information out there on the subject. So the question has become, HOW DO I RELAX? I have no idea at this point. I stumbled across a MindBody Tool Kit relaxation set at a garage sale and bought it, but I've been sort of afraid to try it. I don't know what relaxing feels like. It is a little intimidating to think of letting all the worries and concerns just "go" for even a minute. I have to much to do to relax. Realistically though, that is not going to look very good on my grave stone if I don't figure this out. So, I ask YOU: HOW do you relax? I'm looking for every single idea out there, big and small. I don't care if it is completely silly sounding or if it is totally mainstream. I just want ideas. I'm hoping that maybe one of them (or even two) might work for me. School starts next week and then my schedule gets really full. I guess I'd like this semester to allow more time for things without feeling so....crunched. So, please comment with your ideas or maybe message me on facebook if it is something you don't want to share with us all. I appreciate the feedback. Sincerely and truly!

The Blog

2012-01-09T00:29:00.000-07:00

I know what I want out of ShaunnaMichelle's (the business), the question is what do I want out of ShaunnaMichelle's (the blog)? Obviously I would like to provide updates about the business, share things I've made, hopes I have, coupons, specials, or other general interesting things about the business. I also want my blog to be about writing and about other aspects of my life, like my family. I wonder if it is appropriate in a business sense to mix the two or should I start an entirely new blog for "other" stuff and keep this just about ShaunnaMichelle's (the business)? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

One Nation...Under English

2012-01-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

I got into a debate with an acquaintance of mine a few weeks back. She was talking to a woman whose car had been broken into. The women had left her doors unlocked and some of her music and some other items had been taken. I asked her why she had left her doors unlocked, to which she replied, "Well, this IS Montana!" Umm...okay. That doesn't mean we don't have criminals here. Anyway, the shop owner made some reply that it was because THOSE people were moving into town. Call it intuition or whatever you like, I KNEW who she was speaking of. So I said, "Hey now, let's not get nasty, I'm one of THOSE people." She then argued that no, I was not one of them. I said yes. She said no. I said, "I'm Spanish." And she said, "OH! You ARE one of THOSE people." Yes, to my face. Just like that. Yes folks, racism is alive and well in the USA and Montana does not seem to be any different.

I see the posts on Facebook about being all mad about having to press 1 for English. Did you know I spent over 30 minutes pressing buttons on the phone the other day to get to a real person and I never once had to press anything to speak to anyone in English? It wouldn't matter if they took that option off of there, you'd still have to spend 30 minutes of your life pushing buttons. Everything is automatic and convenient, just the way we wanted it. Pressing 1 for English might just keep you from getting stuck speaking to someone from a foreign country that you wouldn't be able to understand. It's not like businesses actually hire in the US anymore. Is that 1 second for that 1 button really worth griping over? I have an idea, let's teach our children another language so that they have the skills to live and communicate in an ever-shrinking world. Instead of keeping it English only.

I wrote an Argumentative Essay for college. I'm going to share it here. You may disagree with my stand on the topic, my professor sure did. I still got an A because I argued the point well. Hopefully you will see it the same way. The works cited part will probably be a mess, please excuse that.

OneNation Under English

The United States has always been anation of many languages. Because of the large role that thecountry plays in world affairs English is a language that is widely used aroundthe globe. The English language has been declared the official languageof many countries, but the United States of America has never declared anofficial language. In1780, John Adams proposed a government-sponsored Academy of the EnglishLanguage. According to an ACLU briefing paper, “the proposal was ‘rejected asundemocratic and a threat to individual liberty’ by the Continental Congress” (The American Civil Liberties Union). Recently there has beena strong drive to make English the recognized language of the U.S. However, to declare a national language for the UnitedStates of America would be a grave assault on the intentions of the FoundingFathers when they created this country.

It is important to remember that theUnited States of America is a nation of immigrants. Diversityis what has always made the United States great. Each ethnicity, culture, andlanguage brings a special flavor to all that makes us distinctly American.According to the CIA’s World Factbook, people who speak English as a firstlanguage only account for 4.68% of the world’s population. Spanish “firstlanguage” speakers account for 4.88% (Central Intelligence Agency). Spanish is thesecond-most spoken language in the world. In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureaudeclared that there were over 279 million people in the United States. Of thoseapproximately 224 million were English-only speakers. That leaves over 54million people who speak other languages, more than 34 million of whom speakSpanish (U.S. Census Bureau).

Despite these numbers, there arestill numerous attempts across the country to make English the officiallanguage of the United States. In an MSNBC report, Alex Johnsonwrites that “The United States has no official language, but 28 states havedeclared English their “common” or “official” language. Since January, numerousnew initiatives have been introduced at the state, local and federal levels toeither declare English the “official language” or to strengthen existing declarations”(Johnson).To sum up their argument, “A nation of immigrants needs a national language,”Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., said last month in introducing legislation thatwould make English the “national language” (Johnson).Opponents of English only legislation say the movement is motivated byanti-immigrant sentiment and is undeniably racist. The current tendency todeclare English as the official language of the United States is based on afear that we are being invaded by “foreign groups” that will somehow change usas a nation. We feel that we must draw a line somewhere. To some, thatmeans declaring English the official language of the U.S.

Iaccept that people have opinions different from mine about this topic. Thereare people who do make reasonable arguments in favor of this argument.According to their website, “U.S.ENGLISH, Inc. is the nation's oldest, largestcitizens' action group dedicated to preserving the unifying role of the Englishlanguage in the United States” (U.S. English). U.S. English says that “DeclaringEnglish the official language is essential and beneficial for the U.S.government and its citizens. Official English unites Americans, who speak morethan 322 languages (2000, U.S. Census), by providing a common means ofcommunication; it encourages immigrants to learn English in order to usegovernment services and participate in the democratic process; and it defines amuch-needed common sense language policy” (U.S. English).

Oneidea of the Official English movement is that if everyone speaks the samelanguage, it facilitates assimilation and saves the government money. If we duplicategovernment services in multiple languages, there is no incentive to learnEnglish. If people don’t learn English they develop their own cultural enclavesinstead of assimilating, possibly causing racial and ethnic conflicts. MakingEnglish the official language is supposed to prevent this. However, teachingpeople English as a second language would not completely eliminate the need forforms in other languages. Even native English speakers can have troubleunderstanding government forms, so it has to be a bigger challenge for peoplewho speak English as a second language. Providing forms in other languagesensures that people can fill out important documents correctly. I also do notbelieve that everyone should have to assimilate into one culture. Diversecultural backgrounds constitute who we are as a nation. We should promote andcelebrate them. As long as people respect the laws there should not be aproblem.

Anotheridea of the Official English movement is that it will empower immigrants. Ifimmigrants can learn English they can get a better education, better jobs, andbe more productive members of society. The problem with this idea is that whileEnglish-only legislation does force people to learn English, it does notgenerally include any provision for the classes that will teach people thelanguage. “The ACLU believes that “English Only” laws are inconsistent with theEqual Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. For instance, immigrantsmay not be able to defend themselves in a courtroom. Laws that have the effectof eliminating courtroom translation severely jeopardize the ability of peopleon trial to follow and comprehend the proceedings” (The American Civil Liberties Union).

English-onlylegislation does not explicitly promote stereotypes, but it does have theeffect of causing people to disparage people who speak languages other thanEnglish. For example, some people assume that all non-English speakingAmericans are illegal immigrants who should not be here. English-onlylegislation reinforces the argument that speaking another language is anegative trait.

TheUnited States of America has always been a country of linguistic, ethnic andreligious diversity. It was founded on the principals of having the freedom tochoose. My Elementary Spanish professor, Señora Curtis, does not believe thatthe United States should declare an official language. She feels that “TheUnited States should be what it supposedly represents, a refuge for all races whoselanguages should be respected as well as their cultures” (Curtis).

Iagree completely. The use of ancestral language is an inalienable right and thecountry should not have a single official language, just as it has no officialreligion. To declare an official language would be a huge regression for theUnited States in freedom, liberty and justice for all.

Works Cited

Central Intelligence Agency. "The World Factbook." 2009. Central Intelligence Agency. 24 November 2009 .

Clinton, William J. "EXECUTIVE ORDER 13166." 11 August 2000. United States Department of Justice: Civil Rights Division. 24 November 2009 .

Curtis, Senora Julianne. Should English Be Declared the Official Language of the U.S.? Shannon McMillan. 1 December 2009.

English First. 2009. 24 November 2009 .

Johnson, Alex. "Pro-English Measures Being Revived Across U.S." 15 June 2009. MSNBC. 24 November 2009 .

ProEnglish: The English Language Advocates. 24 November 2009 .

The American Civil Liberties Union. "ACLU Briefing Paper Number 6 "English Only"." The 'Lectric Law Library. 24 November 2009 .

The Center for Immigration Studies. 2009. 24 November 2009 .

The Federation for American Immigration Reform. 2009. 24 November 2009 .

"The Official Language of the U.S. and its Impact on the Translation Industry." 2007. Strictly Spanish, LLC. 24 November 2009 .

U.S. Census Bureau. The 2009 Statistical Abstract. 24 November 2009 .

U.S. English. 2009. 24 November 2009 .

ShaunnaMichelle's: An Identity

2012-01-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

I called a company a few weeks ago with the intention of getting "branded" and coming up with lovely things like logos and taglines and all that other good stuff that goes with running a "real" business. When I told the woman that my store's name was to be ShaunnaMichelle's, she said that she pictured a clothing store for young women. I guess I can appreciate that. Then she said that I should choose a name that reflects my business a little better. So I started thinking about that... A LOT. WHY does Starbucks make you think of coffee? Well, because they made a name for themselves. But alone, without that reputation, Starbucks means nothing. There are so many other companies that the same thing can be said about. I understand that, being a small business, I need to make my name stand out a little and make people know what we're all about before they even walk through the door. But why can't ShaunnaMichelle's do that? I could just add a little description afterwards: ShaunnaMichelle's Eco-Artisan. Or ShaunnaMichelle's Handmade Boutique. Or ShaunnaMichelle's Antique Artisan. I could keep going, but you get the idea. Eventually, with some time and hopefully success, ShaunnaMichelle's would stand on it's own just like Starbucks, Toyota, or Harley Davidson.

ShaunnaMichelle's was a name chosen for what it represents to me: beauty, perfection, innocence, happiness, love...all the things I want to make, to give, to display for you. You see, ShaunnaMichelle was the name of my daughter. She was born, and died, in 1995. She would have been Sweet 16 this year and it makes it all the more important to me that she be immortalized in my life by being a part of this business I hope to love and encourage and help to grow and thrive. I want you, my friends and family, to understand the point behind this name. I want you to understand why it must stay and why it must grow to mean something to everyone and not just me. So, the following is the story of my daughter's birth. It is sad and some of it is ugly. Read with caution, but please read. I welcome your thoughts and impressions in the comments.

InnocenceLost

We are allborn immortal. It is a belief that stays with us throughout our childhood andinto our young adult years. Inevitably, there are chips of the immortal armorbroken away at the passing of our beloved family pet or at the attendance of adistant relative’s funeral, but death can never really impress us personally. Thatis, it cannot touch us until some traumatic event strips away the immortalarmor leaving us with the knowledge that we can indeed die. It would neverhappen to me though. This is what I believed in the year of 1995. I was 19 andI had gotten the news that spring that I was pregnant. The possibilities layout before me and I enjoyed the uneventful pregnancy with a growing excitementof what was to come.

TheFriday prior to the delivery of my daughter, I went to my doctor following aparticularly fitful night plagued with dark dreams. These dreams, I was sure,were a warning. I could not put them into words but they gave me an ominousfeeling. I was extremely frightened. “You must induce her now! Today! There issomething wrong. I can feel it! I know it!” I couldn’t make the doctorunderstand the depth of the situation as I stood there screaming my fears athim hysterically with tears streaming down my face. “Just lie down now andwe’ll hear the heartbeat. You’ll see everything is okay.” His voice was full offalse calm, masking his impatience with my outburst, but I could hear it hiddenin his words. I lay down, and the room filled with the steady “whoosh whooshwhoosh” of my daughter’s heartbeat. Still, I was not convinced. The dreams werenot about today. “I know something is wrong! I need you to induce her today!Please, listen to me!” I stood shaking and crying as the doctor walked out ofthe room. He had no more time for me today.

TheMonday my daughter was delivered, I should’ve been filled with happiness andanticipation. Instead, I was filled with a growing dread as my mother usheredme into the car. The dreams had gotten worse. The ride over to the doctor’soffice was filled with my mother’s idle chatter and my dark thoughts. I laydown for my last exam before the delivery. I watched the doctor as he searchedfor my daughter’s heartbeat. Time slowed down, the clock ticking out seconds onthe wall. His face changed. I saw it. He acted if nothing was wrong. “Let’s doan ultrasound. Sometimes these little ones can be very uncooperative withletting us hear the heartbeat if they are in the wrong position.” His voicesounded odd, like it was far away. I watched quietly as he rolled theultrasound machine into the room. I stared at the screen as he moved the wandover my stomach. There was no kicking. No fists waving. There was no heartbeating wildly as I had seen many times before in the previous eight months. AsI watched the color drain from his face, turning him to a pallid shade ofwhite, I knew. He turned off the machine, asked my mother and me to meet him inhis office and walked quickly out of the room.

Wewalked into an orderly office with a large mahogany desk. My doctor was seatedbehind the desk, a Bible lying open in front of him. He asked us to sit and I collapsedinto one of his overstuffed chairs. His words immediately started to surroundme in a feathery echo as my dreams became a horrible reality. I could onlywhisper, “Why?” I heard my mother’s voice saying, “God needed her”, and a rushof red overwhelmed me as I hurled my doctor’s Bible across the room, slammingit into a shelf of books. I faced my mother in a fury. “FUCK God! If God is sodamn powerful, why can’t He go make His own, why must He take mine?” Just asquickly as the rage took me, it released me and I was left with the ghostly whispersof my dreams again, the unreality of the reality surrounding me.

I said nothing on the trip to thehospital or as they prepped me for delivery. The nurses tiptoed around me likeI might shatter. My mother hovered, trying to get me to speak to her. Shecalled my father and he came to take control as he always did. The nurses anddoctors were relieved by his taking charge. They asked me no questions. He madeall of the decisions. I did not care. The labor and delivery was painful, but Isaid nothing. When it was over, the nurse placed my daughter in my arms and theworld vanished. There was only her and me. The rest of the room darkened andwas gone. She was perfect. She had ten fingers, ten toes, beautiful pouty lipsand a gorgeous head full of ebony hair that glowed wherever the light touchedit. I placed my hand softly on her head. Her hair felt like silk. I silently pleadedwith her to cry. A nurse appeared and gently took her from me, but quicklyreplaced her in my arms wrapped in a little blanket with pastel colored feetprinted on it and wearing a pink stocking cap on her little head. I cradled her.I memorized her, committing every inch of her to my heart. When the nurse tookher a second time, gently prying her from my fingers, it was goodbye. As shewalked away with my daughter, she took with her my innocence and myimmortality.

Everyday Incivility: An Illustrative Essay

2012-01-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

This one seemed appropriate after the day I had considering I was feeling like being anything but civil today. However, the original tone of the essay was supposed to contain a bit of humor. If you know me well enough, you'll find the humor in it. If not, well...I suppose that might be a good thing! The stories contained in here are shortened to fit the word requirements of the essay and it certainly isn't every story that could be told. My husband enjoys telling them immensely, so just ask him!

EverydayIncivility

Incivility has becomequite common in public places. Take me for example. During my pregnancy with myfirst son I experienced many acts of discourteousness and responded in like-fashion.In one instance I was eight months along and doing a late night shopping trip.I was tired and wanted to go home after a long day working. There was only onelane open and it was a long line. A new checkout lane opened and I got in that linewhile my husband maneuvered the cart to follow me. A man sprinted to get infront of me, but I got there before he did. The man tried to go around me withhis cart because I didn’t have anything in my hands. He gave me a long-windedlecture about how standing in line when you have nothing is wrong. I explainedthat my husband was coming right behind me. The argument escalated when hethreatened to push me out of the way and bumped me with his cart. I threatenedto hit him if he hit me with the cart again. When he threatened to call thecops I responded quite matter-of-factly, “They won’t get here in time.” That obviouslywasn’t the best way to handle it, but I got through the line and went about mybusiness with no further problems from him.

In another instance Iwas in a shopping center during the same pregnancy. We were walking into anaisle where a man and a woman stood arguing about which of them should take responsibilityfor their children, yelling back and forth “They’re YOUR kids!” The twochildren were in the aisle kicking and hitting each other. When one of thechildren kicked me in the stomach, my husband and I became concerned about ourunborn child. I made the remark that they needed their butts smacked forbehaving that way. The man took offense to my observation and ending the fightwith his wife, immediately claimed “his” kids. He said he would punch me forthreatening his kids. After some vulgarities being hurled back and forthbetween us, his wife led him by the shirt collar one way and my husband led meby the hand the other way. We both continued to hurl insults and threats ateach other all through the store and in the end looked no more mature than hischildren had.

A more recent examplewould be during a trip to Costco with my family. My husband and I were walkinginto the store with our two young boys when a very large man shoved my oldestout of his way. He walked off without an apology or an “excuse me”. I statedthat he was just being an asshole and he overheard my comment. Deciding he hadenough time to argue with me, but not enough to have said excuse me to my son,he started hurling insults at me. When I told him he could kiss my ass he toldme it would take all day. I responded with, “have you looked in a mirrorlately?” and, surrounded by the laughter of the people around us, he stalkedaway angrily.

Of course, I’m not theonly uncivilized person in today’s society. Take for example the customers thatcome into my husband’s place of employment. A man walked in a couple of daysago and told my husband to fuck off because he couldn’t have another freephone. He had dropped his phone in the toilet and since that phone had beenfree; he wanted another phone for free. There is also the instance where two parentscame in yelling profanities at my husband because their children, who weredating, had been sex-ting each other and they thought the phone company shouldbe responsible. This is just a sampling of the people my husband deals withduring the week.

The sad truth is thatyou need only walk out of your front door to find examples of the incivility ofpeople in public places. Incivility has become so common in public places thatit has become a normal part of life.

The Coffee House: A Descriptive Essay

2012-01-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

TheCoffee House

Winter is approaching;I feel the chill in the air. I hurry across the parking lot and stoop under acanopy of colorful flowers that will soon need to be taken in out of the coldweather. I open the door and I’m welcomed by a warm blanket of air that envelopesme in the rich aromas of fresh coffee and baked goods. Stepping into the coffeehouse and closing the door behind me, I lock the chill of the cold fall dayoutside.

Liveplants are positioned around the room, their leaves casting shadows in themuted lighting. The dark blue ceiling appears low enough to touch. Pine woodpanels cover the bottom half of the walls. The tan color on the top half of thewalls is a shade darker than the pine, tying the pine wood panels to the darkercolor of the ceiling. Various works of art hang on the wall. I feel as thoughI’ve stepped into the den of a country home. Overstuffed chairs in shades ofgreen, blue and maroon are arranged into mini-living rooms with matching pineend tables and coffee tables. Sets of dining tables are set comfortably apartwith padded forest green chairs. The blue carpet has maroon running through it,tying the whole color scheme together into a nice country setting. The ceilingfans are on, moving just enough to keep the aroma of coffee and baked goodscirculating throughout the room. The front of the counter is open, revealing anarray of delicious-looking baked goods arranged in wicker baskets.

Aman is seated in a corner of the room, his coffee cup in one hand and anewspaper in the other. A group of older women are chatting happily as theycrochet, hooks flying skillfully through the yarn as they talk. They smile as Iwalk toward the counter, nodding their hellos. I place my order with the manbehind the counter and he expertly creates my perfect blend of coffee, milk andcaramel. My fresh hot coffee warming my cold hands, I walk to one of the diningand rest in one of the padded chairs. The whirring of the coffee grinder, thegurgling of the coffee brewing, the bubbling of the steamer warming the milkand the humming of the refrigerator create a relaxing symphony of sounds. Itake a sip of my hot coffee, relishing the warmth. My eyes get heavy and Isettle to the sounds and smells of the coffee shop. I can hear the man movingbehind the counter and it carries me back to memories of my mother movingthrough the kitchen making Sunday morning breakfast. The rustling of thenewspaper as a page is turned reminding me of my father at the dining tablereading his paper. I feel as though I have come home. The serenity of thecoffee shop is only interrupted by the occasional rush of traffic sounds as thedoor is opened by the next cold customer eagerly awaiting their taste of home.

My Projects for 2012

2012-01-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

I really have no intention of making New Year's Resolutions this year. Typically, it's just a feel-good promise to myself that I usually forget all about before my birthday anyway. So, this year I just have some projects I plan to work on for 2012. I thought I'd share them with you and I would be thrilled to hear your thoughts on some or all of them.

1. A healthier me. This one actually started last year. I quit drinking soda. I guess I shouldn't say I completely quit. I don't drink soda everyday. In fact, I haven't had a soda in over a week. My plan is to try to make other choices, healthier choices. Not just about soda either, but about other things. Obviously I want to eat right and find a way to be more active. I also need to deal with some stress (this is another blog post altogether) and other things that in the end will make me a healthier person. In the end, it is about feeling good about myself when I wake up in the morning and living long enough to see my boys grow up to be the men they are to become.

2. School. I have been going to school for some time now. The reason I started school was simple, I was bored out of my mind once the boys started school and I wanted to feed my mind. I always loved school, so I went back for the education and for the stimulation of it all. There was no goal. There never has been. I tend to lean toward Psychology and Sociology courses because I'm comfortable with the material and I have a lot of life experience that I feel allows me to add something to my classes. I'd like to branch out a little into the arts and literature because I enjoy those things. I've avoided them so far because there are no right answers, so I was never sure how to "ace" the class. I want to go back to going to school for the experience. I'm sure the grades will follow. I suppose I might have to start looking toward graduating at some point as well since school can get rather expensive.

3. One aspect of our business is to find furniture that is headed to the dump or that someone is selling cheap because it is not in good condition and then fix it up and sell it at a reasonable cost to families in our hometown. There is a severe lack of affordable furniture here unless you want the assemble yourself stuff from walmart. It has it's place, but I think that recycling or upcycling things really helps the environment and can create really unique, one of a kind pieces. It's not just furniture either. There's just so much out there that can be done to use or reuse items in unique and trendy ways. Throwing stuff is such a waste and it really does take up so much space in landfills. We are currently in a campaign through Indiegogo to fund this particular aspect of our business. Go check out the link: http://igg.me/p/57454 and please, leave a comment letting us know you were there. We appreciate the support. Also, feel free to forward on the link through facebook, blog posts, or twitter. Don't forget to check out the Perks for your donations while you are there. We've teamed up our two businesses to provide some pretty nice ones that I think you'll really love.

4. The other aspect of my business is handmade items. Right now, I'm focusing on my handmade items, which consist of handmade jewelry, knitted items, crocheted items, sewn items, and sometimes I make handmade greeting cards. Custom orders are always welcome. You can find my business on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/ShaunnaMichelles and on Etsy at: http://shaunnamichelle.etsy.com. I do giveaways on Facebook frequently, plus that is the place to find out about coupon codes for the Etsy store. You can also find some antique, vintage, or collectible items on Etsy if they fit the guidelines for Etsy. Items that do not fit the guidelines for Etsy can be found on my Facebook page or you can visit my Yardsellr Yard Sale at: http://yardsellr.com/yardsale/Shannon-McMillan-140752. I tend to list most of my destash items there too. Sometimes we use our local craigslist for larger items, but I post those listings on the Facebook page too. I hope you'll stop by and fan the page, I'd love to see you there. Also, if you have a facebook fan page, leave me a note and I'll fan you back. And you are welcome to add me to your circle on Etsy and I will add you back.

5. My hope is to have the entire business combined together and then branded appropriately to really let customers know what we're all about and what we want to accomplish. Once we've found our look and our name, we hope to open a real store in our home town by the end of the year. There's so many ideas we have for this store and we're sure you are going to love them. I hope you'll stick with us for the journey because I'm sure you'll love what you are going to see from us in the near future. If you want to help us in this venture, please visit the indiegogo link, spread the word, donate if you can (the lowest donation is $5.00), and show us your support!

I'm sure other projects will come and go throughout the year. Life is about changing and adjusting. These five are the ones I want to truly focus on and make the dreams come to a reality. Especially the business. I really believe in this business and I really believe that this is the best idea for our family. So, what do you think? Please give me your input, as that is how we get better!

What are your projects for 2012? Share one or a few, we'd love to hear them!

giveaways and reviews: Sponsored Giveaway from Forth Worth Fabric Studio

2012-01-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

giveaways and reviews: Sponsored Giveaway from Forth Worth Fabric Studio: Today we have a lovely giveaway from sponsor, Fort Worth Fabric Studio . I have so enjoyed discovering this amazing online fabric shop tha...

10 Guilty Pleasures Of Mine

2012-01-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

10 Guilty Pleasures..of Mine.

I have a hard time with this because when I enjoy something, it is really difficult to feel guilty about it. However, I suppose I do have some that make me think twice. Such as...

1. Chocolate Covered Strawberries. I'm supposed to be trying to eat healthy, lose weight, yada, yada. I cannot imagine that, despite the fact that strawberries ARE a fruit, anything slathered in chocolate could be considered good for you. So, when eating them, I have no cares in the world. Afterwords, I wonder just how mean the scale will be to me.

2. Moscato Wine. As a general rule, I don't usually drink. For starters, I have children. Children that are rarely ever away from me except for those times when they are at school or the rare occasion that I leave them with my mother-in-law to go on a *gasp* date with my husband. I do not personally believe in drinking around children. Not that I haven't done it, I have. And I don't care if you do. I'm just not entirely sure I consider it a good idea in MY personal parenting handbook. However, moscato wine is my weakness. I'll drink the bottle if you'll let me. Good news is that I rarely buy the stuff.

3. Twilight. I don't care if it's the books or the movies. I don't care if it's Edward or if it's Jacob. I'm team BOTH of them! Get your mind out of the gutter! For some strange reason, this story captured my attention. I read the entire series in 2 days. Then I was sad because I had finished it too quickly and I knew I would not get to be with the characters anymore. I could always read it again and again, but it wouldn't be the same. So I spend my time hoping Ms. Stephanie Meyer will indulge me and write another book telling us more about Bella and Edward. Does Jacob stick around? Does he end up with Bella and Edward's child when she grows up? Too many unanswered questions for me.

4. The Emo/Goth look. When I was growing up, I rocked that black hair with the burgundy highlights, the black clothing, the massive crosses, the bangs in my eyes, the dark eyeliner. Now I have children and I feel like I'm not supposed to dress that way anymore. But it is still in there. Lately I've been severely tempted to dye my hair black, cut some long bangs, and start wearing black eyeliner again. My kids assure me that they would not be humiliated beyond belief, but they are only 9 and 11, give them another year or two and I'm sure the tune will change. Still, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to rock the style just once more?

5. Coffee. Specifically, Starbuck's Caramel Macchiato. Oh. My. GAWD! That stuff is so amazing. Of course, you must ask for extra caramel AND dump a load of raw sugar into it...just to make it extra sinful. 3 shots of espresso should do it too. Why do I feel guilty you may ask? Well, have you SEEN the price of that stuff? It isn't cheap folks. Buy it a few times a week and you could make a house payment by the end of the year. Still, once in a while won't hurt anyone. Right?

6. Keno. I love those automated games, not the live keno. I NEVER win at live keno. Of course, I never really win at the automated games either. I've walked out with $20 or more sometimes, but if you left me alone, I can spend an entire paycheck in one of those places. Don't believe me? Ask my husband. When we first got married, I actually did that once. Oops. So now he goes with me and we have a limit. Still, it's fun to dream of possibly winning the jackpot, whether it's keno or the lottery. It is one of my favorite conversations..."What would you do if you won the lottery?"

7. The Mustard Seed General Mustard's Chicken with a side of Asian Slaw and those shrimp rangoons. YUMMO! I will literally drive the 2 hours it takes to get that meal. Not a problem. If you haven't tried it...come to Montana immediately and go go go! It is a must!

8. Collecting fabric. I've sewn two things in my entire life. One was a half apron and the other was a really big rag blanket. However, I have mounds of fabric in my house. I REALLY like it all and I'm really afraid to mess it up, so I tend not to use it, just collect it. I should probably use it. I'll work on that this year.

9. Having packages delivered to me. I will sign up for every free thing this side of the Mississippi River to get something in the mail other than bills. I LOVE packages. RAK packages, magazines, samples, whatever. I just love getting mail for ME that does not ask me for something in return (like a check for the monthly amount due).

10. Stuffed animals, especially stuffed teddy bears and amigurumi. They are cute and fuzzy...and cute. Oh, and my husband doesn't get terribly ticked off when I bring one home. Maybe a little, but a lot less than if it's breathing. I tend to be a critter rescuer and he doesn't appreciate the strays I bring home. Some of them tend to get a little anxious about being inside, like that one feral cat that tried to take his arm off or that one falcon I picked up on the highway. Anyway, back to the stuffed toys. I just LOVE amigurumi lately. I have a collection of these adorable little octopus made by a friend of mine who owns Little Sticky Fingers on Etsy. Trouble is, I have allergies and stuffed critters collect dust. A good air fluff in the drier fixes that right up though.

11. I'll have to add an extra one for good measure...Shopping. Etsy. eBay. Yardsellr. Listia. Amazon. Wherever...I just LOVE shopping. I don't even really HAVE to buy it because they've created pinterest which is like a permanent shopping cart that you can go back and look at whenever you want.

So....what is YOUR guilty pleasure? Tell me so I might possibly add it to my list! :)

Things I Learned in 2011

2012-01-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

2011was an interesting year. I've had some ups and I've had some downs, definitelymore downs I would say. Sad to say, but I don't think 2011 was a very good yearfor me and I am happy to see it go. I have high hopes for 2012. However, everyyear teaches something and here are some things I learned in 2011. They are inno particular order.

Knowing psychology and practicing psychology are two very different things.
Sometimes it is not about the end goal, it is about enjoying the moment.
Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.” It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.” Forgiveness is a powerful healer.
The beginning of something is always the hardest, but if you can make it past the beginning, you're in the winning stretch.
Moving does not always solve the problem.
No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch.
Mistakes are going to happen, it's how you learn from them that matters.
You cannot make someone love you.
Telling yourself you cannot have something is the fastest way to make that your one and only craving. Moderation is the key.
You cannot make everyone happy all of the time.
Loving yourself is important.
Vertigo sucks. Period.
Stress can do amazing, dreadful, damaging things to your body.
There are a ton of people who actually believe in me. Now I just have to believe in myself.
Sometimes, fuzzy socks are handy.
Being big is intimidating, but it is not very healthy.
Being honest is good, but that doesn't mean you always need to say what you are thinking.
Tornados are fast, but you can outrun them with the proper motivation.
Antiques are actually really cool.
Grudges and/or hate are very intense wastes of energy.
I wish I could meet more of my online friends in person. The ones I've met so far are so cool.
Knitting is fun...and relaxing.
Reading the news can be downright depressing.
Cancer doesn't care about age, sex, sexual orientation, race, or religion. It attacks everyone.
Racism is still alive and well in America, so sad.
Taking time for yourself is as important as making time for others.
There is no such thing as perfect. There is only your best.
Cats can run long distances on their hind legs...and it is funny as hell.
Being limited by genres sucks. I like them all. Well, most of them anyway.
Babies are made of hope and love.
Familial obligations are a thing of the past. You don't owe anyone anything.
Life is short and there isn't necessarily going to be closure.
You usually get what you pay for.
Have a contingency plan.
Saving pennies can really add up.
Do not worry about what you cannot control.
Privacy is an illusion.
Take a minute to enjoy the little things in life.
You'll never be 100% ready, so just go for it.
Find a way to let go of the past, it makes it difficult to look to your future.
Be willing to recognize when you need help and be willing to ask for help when you need it.
It is okay to have an opinion, just make sure you have all of the facts first.
Sometimes it is best just to agree to disagree.
Time flies way faster once you've had kids.
Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
Small changes can make a huge difference.
There is evidently a such thing as having too much paper.
Freedom isn't free.
Smiling is contagious.
Having ambition is very important.

Whatdid you learn in 2011? What will you take with you from 2011? Share with ushere if you like.

100 Things I Love

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Recently, #100ThingsILove was trending on Twitter. I posted a couple of things there, but I really thought it would make a great blog post too. It is all to often that we forget things that we are thankful for or take them for granted. So, my 100 things in no particular order of importance:

My husband
My son, Jaden
My son, Jordan
My son, Dominic
My daughter, Shaunna Michelle. She passed in 1995, but I love her nonetheless.
My friend Lee, we've been friends forever though we've never met in person
My friend Judy, she led me to believe that I could accomplish anything
My friend Niki, she believes in me even when I don't
My friend Jamie, she always has a bright smile and a positive outlook on life
My crafty friends who share in my addiction
My cat, Zoe
My car, a 2010 Scion XB in Black
My Droid X2, good phone
My Dell Desktop computer
Knitting
Crocheting
Sewing
Making Jewelry
Making handmade greeting cards
Taking photos, especially ones outside
SteaZ Iced Teaz: Blueberry, Pomegranate, Acai flavor
Trident Vitality Gum, the peppermint flavor
Facebook because it allows me to keep in touch with friends from all over the globe
Criminal Minds, the television show. Once upon a time, I wanted to be one of them when I grew up.
Luna by Scentsy, that stuff smells wonderful
Slacker Radio, Today's Hits Station
Fingerless gloves
Pashmina scarves
A really good book, the kind that you can actually be a part of for awhile
Dan Dotson and his wife, Laura Dotson, the most awesome auctioneers ever, really
Amigurumi
Silver, I think it is beautiful
Babies
Moscato Wine
Blue eyes
Black hair
Long hair
puppies
puppy breath
Stuffed teddy bears
Leather
A really awesome purse
beautiful houses with plenty of space for everyone
Revolution Teas DragonEye Oolong Tea...hot
Waterfalls
The Twilight Series..both books and movies
The Stieg Larsson Series
Golden Retrievers
German Shepherds
Cats, both big and small
Raptors (hawks, eagles, falcons)
Adam Levine from Maroon 5
Adele
Beadboard
Scrapbox Workbox
Tattoos
Big, flowing skirts
Neat foreign accents
Gerard Butler
Antiques
Old Steamer Trunks
Tea pots
Butterflies
Skechers shoes
biker boots
Bags...tote bags or otherwise
Coffee
autumn
Being pregnant
mountains
beaches
having things organized
office supplies
craft supplies
Straight hair
White hair
Palazzo Pants
Fire
journals
super soft, fluffy beds
pygmy marmosets
Harley Davidson
Colors
Black
Ming Shu Perfume
Black lights
Kanji
African Mahogany
The smell of Cedar
Geocaching
Success
Shopping
Raw Silk
Dinners Done Right
Kanki
The Mustard Seed
Road Trips
The Holiday Inn Express with the new bedding
Ghiradelli Chocolate
That super Cinnamon Bread from The Harvest Bread Company in Montana.

I'm sure there's more, but 100 should be enough for anyone to read, right?! And so much better than reading them one at a time on Twitter! Feel free to add a thing or two of your own, or link to your blog post of 100 Things You Love!

Have You Heard?

2011-03-28T02:59:00.000-06:00

About the Original Scrap Box!? No!? You just don't know what you are missing out on. Go check it out right away at their facebook page! TheOriginalScrapbox

They have the most amazing products for getting organized and they look amazing too! Check them out and then come back and tell me which one is your favorite...down to the color...and why! Would it help you get organized? Would that, in turn, give you inspiration to craft your heart out!

Knitting for Family

2011-01-03T03:05:00.000-07:00

For the holidays, I ended up going completely handmade. I gave my Mother-in-Law a knitted scarf in pink and ivory. She loved it and says it matches her coat perfectly. SWEET! Couldn't have planned that better if I had tried! I gave my father-in-law some slippers that I traded out for a friend of mine who crochets. He loved them! I gave my sister-in-law a pink camo type scarf that was super soft. She loved it! I gave my brother-in-law a flame cozy for cans that I traded out for a friend of mine who sews. I gave my little nephew a knitted camo hat, which he intends to wear skiing. I gave my other sister-in-law a pink knitted scarf and a pair of snowman earrings. I gave my other brother-in-law a knitted bottle cozy. I gave his son an apple cozy that I knitted. My mother got a knitted scarf as well, which she calls me every day she goes outside to tell me how much she loves it. Evidently, it is very warm! The only people who didn't get a handmade gift ON Christmas were my boys. So, I decided to knit them something before the holiday was over. I managed to finish the last bit this evening! Right in time since school starts tomorrow!!!!!! Phew! Anyway, here are pictures of the boys with their new hats and scarves! I hope you enjoy. I eventually plan to add knitted items to my online shops. Meanwhile, they are available through custom order if you are interested. Simply send me a message and we'll talk about the details.

Don't forget you can still enter for our Blog Candy give away. Just click HERE.

Stylish Blogger Award

2011-01-02T01:11:00.001-07:00

I got this award from Emily! Thank you Emily!

Here are the rules of the award:

1) Thank and link to the wonderful blogger that gave you this award!

2) Share 8 things about you.

1. I love knitting, it is my newest past time.

2. I also love making jewelry. I still like making paper crafts too. Anything crafty is great by me!

3. I am a full time student and I've made Dean's List every semester

4. I am a mommy of 2 wonderful boys

5. My favorite food is seafood and pasta, I LOVE Olive Garden

6. I have a collection of Teddy Bears

7. My favorite TV shows are Lie to Me, Without a Trace, and Law & Order SVU

8. I love a lot of colors, but my favorite ones tend to be blue and black. Sometimes baby pink!

3) Give the award to 8 bloggers you have just discovered

Jamie Michelle....one of my very good friends. I don't know why I didn't find your blog sooner!

Jamie Michelle

The Things I Love....another one of my good friends. I really should be visiting blog sites more regularly!
The Things I Love

I was introduced to this blog through another blogger. Great stories, great points of view.
A Mother's Musing, Mishaps, & Milestones

I absolutely LOVE this blog! One of the funniest I've read in a long time and it's just nice to know that we don't all think "nice mommy thoughts" every minute of every day! I love to know I'm not alone!
Don't Come to My Circus and Try to Wear the Top Hat

WONDERFUL cards!
Lady Guinevere's Inky Faeries

A super humorous, sometimes serious look at parenting, being a single parent, and life in general. This blog is a must read, he hits on some serious topics that I can really appreciate.
Single Dad Laughing

Everybody loves a challenge. Even if you don't, this blog is full of inspiration!
Card Makin Mamas

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the images! LOVE!
Karen's Doodles

4) Contact them to tell them about their award.

Don't forget to enter for the Blog Candy while you are here! We are working toward 25 individual comments and then we'll announce a winner! Good luck!

New Year!

2010-12-31T00:58:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year! To those that are out and about tonight, I hope you will stay safe and make sure you have someone to drive you home if you are drinking.

I always get excited for the New Year. To me it feels like a new start, a clean slate, a perfect time to start over or make changes. This year is no different. My family and I have faced some difficult times this year with my husband losing his job and both of us going to school full time to try to give ourselves that edge up for looking for jobs in this new market. Hopefully 2011 will see great changes for us and for you as well!

Do you make New Year's Resolutions? I usually try to. I can't say that I always follow through (I tend to be really bad about writing letters or remembering to send cards to everyone for birthdays) but I do follow through with some of them and, regardless, it gives me a sense of the direction I want to be heading in for the year. I always love to have a plan, even if things don't always go according to my plan. Anyway, I'd love to hear your New Year's Resolutions if you have them. I still need to write mine. Maybe I should make one about not procrastinating until the last possible minute, huh? So, leave a comment with your New Year's Resolutions and while you're at it, don't forget to check out the Blog Candy post. You never know, you could be the winner! Good luck and Happy New Year!

ShaunnaMichelle's Handmade Boutique

2010-12-26T16:46:00.000-07:00

Hello! As most of you know, I started a business in 2010 called Dragon Eye Studios. For various reasons, I've decided to rename Dragon Eye Studios to ShaunnaMichelle's Handmade Boutique. I think the new name reflects my vision for my shop much better. With the new name, some fun new changes are also coming. In the new year, we will continue to offer our wonderful line of jewelry as well as other handmade items. Keep an eye on the blog and the shop to make sure you don't miss out on the new items and on giveaways! You can visit us here on the blog, follow us on Twitter, fan us on Facebook, visit our Etsy shop, or visit our Artfire shop. Thank you for being understanding as the shop goes through its name change and some changes in appearance. I am looking forward to creating many wonderful things for you in the New Year!

HandMade Holidays: Shopping for the Men

2010-12-19T18:09:00.001-07:00

I had a pretty easy time deciding what I would do for the women in my family. But I still had to figure out what to do for the men. Out of the men in the family, only one of them spends any amount of time reading, so bookmarks aren't going to work. I've never seen any of them wear scarves either, so that probably wouldn't work. So, I turned to Artfire to see what I could find.
Here are some of the ideas I came up with so far...

For my Father-in-Law:
The first thing I found was this really cool Hand Tooled Leather Wallet featuring a fish. My father-in-law loves to fly fish, so I thought this was a really good choice. You can check it out at Lovejoycreations HERE.

I also found this really neat vintage Sakura Fishing Rod in a case. You can check it out at Rabbit Hollow Prims HERE.

That takes care of my father-in-law. Now I need to find something for my nephew, Matthew. He is a 20-something year old college student who is into fixing cars and computers. Young adults are always challenging for me. Let's see what we can find.
I found this really neat chain maille necklace at BlackBird Maille. You can check them out HERE.

Jim, my brother-in-law, love Harley and I wanted to find him something unique along those lines. I was totally stoked when I found this awesome lamp at Chrome Sculptures. Check them out HERE.

Next on the list is Dwight, also a brother-in-law. He is really into John Deere, so I decided to find him something that had to do with John Deere. When I see him, he is usually all comfy in a chair watching television, so I thought this throw looked rather comfy. You can check it out at Unhung Harps HERE.

Next on the list is Bert. He is another one of those young adult types. He is more into computers and gaming. I wanted to get him something edgy and cool. I found this really cool necklace at UnKamenGifts HERE.

Last on the list for now is Cody, my littlest nephew. He is in middle school. They spend quite a bit of time going places and doing things, plus they live out of town. I thought that something fun to do in the car would be a good idea for Cody. I found this cool Tic Tac Toe set at Silver Garden HERE.

Well, that covers the extended family. Now I just have my husband and two boys to get something for (or make something for). I hope you've gotten some ideas from my list here and that it makes shopping for the men in your life just a little bit easier.

Card Makin Mamas Challenge #10

2010-11-19T21:39:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I made a card! Recently I signed up for a swap in another of my groups, this one on CafeMom and one of the things I got back was this ONE image f this absolutely adorable snowman! Isn't he darling? I loved him so much that he inspired me to create a Christmas Card...and low and behold, Card Makin Mommas is having their 10th challenge on their blog and the topic is.....
HOLIDAYS!
This card is absolutely perfect for it, don't you think? I am by no means finished with my holiday card making (I'd better get stampin') but it sure felt good to break out the paper crafting stuff again! Hope you enjoy this adorable little snowman as much I did!

My Plans for having a Handmade Holiday

2010-11-07T09:34:00.000-07:00

Home for the Holidays

Well, it looks like we will be “home” for the holidays this year. By “home” I mean Montana. If things had gone at all according to our original plans, we would currently be in Raleigh, North Carolina. Things did not go according to plan. The plan got massively derailed. Oh well, part of life is learning to roll with the punches I suppose.

The holidays typically bring snow here in Montana. Lots of snow. This year we’ve gotten lucky so far because it is already into November and all we’ve had is a little bit of frost on the car windows in the morning. Usually, it has snowed by the 31^st of October. Usually, it snows ON the 31^st of October either right before or right during trick-or-treating. This year, this year I am holding out for no snow. That is a totally unrealistic hope, but still, I can wish can’t I?

This year we are really hoping for a more handmade holiday. We usually run around trying to buy and shop for the boys and anyone else we can think of, but this year we are incredibly limited on funds due to Chris losing his job in May. Finding a new job has proven to be difficult. He has since started school so that he can get more training to hopefully find a good job. For this year, that means holidays on a budget. We plan to cook, bake, and make most of what we give for gifts. Some of the things we give will come from Artfire. I think handmade gives that extra little love, don’t you? You should check out www.artfire.com. I never knew there could be so many different things in one place! Even if you cannot make it, you can bet that there is someone on Artfire who does! The amount of talent on that one website is astounding.

Since our entire family lives right here, we usually have an extended Christmas. With all of our family living here, we try to visit everyone. This year, it will be a little more extended with the divorce of my parents. Christmas Eve I typically visit my parents. This year will probably be no different. I suppose I will start with my mother since Dominic seems to get wound up as time goes on throughout a day and I would much rather the visit be peaceful than the typical angry teenager stuff he prefers to display. Maybe we’ll get lucky and he won’t be a Grinch. Mom just moved into a small apartment after her and Dad divorced. She is already having such a time trying to figure out where to put her things that I honestly do not know what to get her. I hate to add to the pile. I was thinking of possible giving her a handmade coupon book (http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/couponbook/). Maybe I could make one for a free coffee out with me, one for a free day of crafting together and other stuff like that. It is small, won’t take up much room, and will encourage our time together. For Dominic, he has really wanted an onyx necklace. I might see how well I can make men’s jewelry this year for him. Mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I, of course, started rattling off every crafting supply store I could think of with the suggestion of a gift card. She said that crafting supplies would not be for me because I make the items and sell them. She wants me to choose something that would be only for me. I had honestly never given it much thought past the crafting supplies, so I guess I will have to think about that a little.

Our next visit on Christmas Eve will be to my Dad. Finding gifts for him is almost impossible. I bought him this wonderful Galileo Thermometer one year and it is still in the box. I bought him a heated massager another year. You guessed it, still in the box. What do I get this man that won’t end up just staying in whatever box it came in? We intend to give him a picture of the boys. Other than that, I was thinking maybe a care package of things I know he likes. I may possibly create a coupon book for him as well, only for things like running errands or cooking him a meal.

Christmas Day we really try to sleep in a little and, since the boys usually stay up so late because they are excited, we are typically blessed with a late start to Christmas morning. The boys are also very good about letting us make our cup of coffee and get the camera ready before diving in to Christmas presents. Once the boys have opened their gifts, we open ours from each other. Each of the boys has been begging for a necklace or bracelet made by me, so that will probably be included in their Christmas gifts this year. They are the best fans of my jewelry! Making boy jewelry is rather difficult though because beads are typically so sparkly. I think I will have to search out some masculine ideas. I have a couple of beading magazines that should hopefully be a great source of inspiration. For Christopher this year, I always try to make him a new and exciting coupon book. He loves them. I think he still has the very first one I ever made him. He asks for the coupons back when he uses them to place them in a box he has for memories and the like. How sweet is that?! I usually also try to get Christopher a WOW card since he enjoys the game so much and some necessities like slippers or lounging pants. He is actually quite easy to shop for. Necessities or computer stuff and he is a happy man.

Christmas Afternoon is usually spent at my mother-in-law’s house. Everyone typically brings something yummy. Ami usually brings her handmade chocolates and cookies. I bring two of my favorite recipes: Appleberry Salsa and Sundried Tomato & Garlic Dip. Everyone loves them and requests them again each year.

AppleBerry Salsa came from a Pampered Chef Mini Book when I was selling Pampered Chef. I chop the fruit extremely small to make it more like a salsa. We use apple cinnamon chips that you can purchase at Target. It is SO good. I also typically double the recipe.

Apple Berry Salsa (The Pampered Chef)

2 medium Granny Smith apples

1 pint strawberries, diced (about 1 ½ cups)

2 kiwi, peeled and diced

1 small orange

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons apple jelly or apricot jam

1. Peel, core and slice apples. Coarsely chop apple slices. Dice strawberries and kiwi. Place fruit in bowl.

2. Zest orange to measure 1 teaspoon zest. Juice orange to measure 2 tablespoons juice. Add orange zest, juice, brown sugar and jelly to fruit mixture; mix gently. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. Spoon into serving bowl. Serve with cinnamon chips.

Yield: 3 cups (16 servings, 3 tablespoons each)

To be honest, I’m not sure where I found the recipe for the Sun Dried Tomato & Garlic Dip. Regardless, it is an awesome recipe. I love it. I typically just serve it with a variety of different crackers, but I really prefer Ritz Crackers with it best. I tend to double this recipe too since there are 13 people when Chris’ whole family gets together.

Sun-Dried Tomato & Garlic Dip

1 tub (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread

½ cup Miracle Whip Dressing

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, chopped

2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients until well blended.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with crackers and cut-up vegetables, if desired.

Makes 16 servings, 2 Tbsp each.

We all spend a good part of the day enjoying the yummy treats brought by everyone and chatting. This is, of course, after the children get to open the presents brought to them by their aunts and their grandparents. Gift exchanges between the adults are usually lost among watching the children open their gifts. This year I am hoping to make Chris’ mother a tote to carry her things in when she goes to dialysis. I’m not sure if she has something like that and I know she spends a lot of time up there. I’d love to give Chris’ father this cute little fish bookmark I found while looking around Artfire. (http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=136627). I think it is so cute and he loves to read and to fish…so it is perfect. His sister Stephanie asked for a set of handmade bows and cards this year. I found the tutorial for the bows on CafeMom in one of my groups. (http://www.cafemom.com/group/47724/forums/read/10400489/December_How_To_Handmade_Bows). I’m not sure if you can see it without joining the group though. You’ll have to let me know. I am at a loss for Dwight, Burt, and Matthew. I’m still thinking of ideas for them and I welcome ideas for those hard to shop for men! Ami will probably get a pink handmade piece of jewelry from me since pink is her favorite color. Jim and Cody are two more that I never know what to get them for Christmas. Again, I welcome ideas for hard to shop for people (Jim is an adult and Cody is in the 6^th grade now) While the adults chat, the boys all play together. Dinner is usually served a little later and usually consists of some type of meat (such as turkey or ham) and then whatever anyone has decided should go with it. It is usually rather eclectic, but it is usually very good. Sometimes we just decide to forego the large meal in favor of enjoying snack foods. In this case, we also make little sandwiches, little smokies, and a lot of other things that I’m not sure if you could call them healthy, but they sure are good!

We usually leave around the boys’ bedtime and, after we’ve put away their new toys and our new goodies that were leftover, we snuggle in for a relaxing evening, just my husband and me, with a sigh of relief that we survived another holiday at “home”. And we promise ourselves that next year we will plan ahead and have our shopping and making and planning done by July. Somehow, that never ever happens though!

This post is in response to a contest posted by Artfire. Share Your Handmade Holiday Plans, WIN a Canon DSLR. Check out the contest here: (http://www.artfire.com/win-a-camera). I’m not sure if a new camera will help my photos any, but it sure cannot hurt, right?

WINNER!!!

2010-07-02T16:14:00.003-06:00

I won one of the aforementioned blog candies!!! Whoo hoo! I totally didn't get a chance to blog about it until now because I was "faux" moving, but we're as settled back in as we can be for now. I won the exact blog candy pictured in my last post. Thank you Erica!!!! I LOVE getting happy mail!

BLOG CANDY!!!!

2010-06-13T23:31:00.002-06:00

My friend Erica has some lovely blog candy to give away on her blog, Paper Craftin' with Erica. Go check it out and enter to win not for not ONE, but TWO different packages!!! Isn't that GREAT!? Have fun and good luck! Be sure to fill out her survey while there too!

Inspiration Challenge

2010-06-09T20:23:00.001-06:00

This card is for the Inspiration Challenge at the Card Makin Mamas Challenge Blog. You can see the challenge and enter HERE. I honestly do not know the maker of the paper I used, it was specialty paper from a shop that sold oversees papers. The stamp is from Stampin' Up. I colored it using Derwent Watercolor Pencils. I hope you like it!

Papermom (dot) com Blog Hop!

2010-02-01T20:57:00.002-07:00

Head on over to Papermom.com for their first-ever blog hop!!! Papermom has all kinds of products in her shop, including: pre-tied ribbons, gifts, novelties, cards, and digital stamps.Go check it out, you'll be glad you did! My personal recommendations from her shop: Myrtle the Turtle and Cuppy Cake are SO cute!!! You just HAVE to go see them! Go! Go! Go!

TGF CHA Challenge Day 3

2010-01-26T22:29:00.001-07:00

This is little Toby Cub from The Greeting Farm. Isn't he the cutest thing you've ever seen?? He makes me smile! This card is for the TGF CHA Challenge Day 3. The paper is "Baby Muffin Man" from American Crafts. I colored Toby with my colored pencils and OMS. I distressed the edges with SU Close to Cocoa. I cannot for the life of me remember where I got the brads or ribbon...sorry. This card was a little different for me because it's not all straight lines. I chose to tipsy him a little because he's all wobbly and I just thought it fit so well. Something new for sure! I hope you enjoyed looking as much as I enjoyed making this card! Thanks for stopping by!

Brick Wall Card

2010-01-25T22:52:00.001-07:00

This is a brick wall card that I made for a challenge in Card Makin' Mamas on CafeMom. The tutorial for the card can be found HERE. The stamp I used is Cherry Blossom by Rubber Stampede. The papers are g.c.d. studio's Soft Vines, Bo Bunny's Paris Blossoms, and s.e.i.'s Chocolat. I colored the image using copics and distressed the image using SU's Close to Cocoa. The "bricks" are inked using copics. The flowers are from Prima and the white pearl stickers are from Martha Stewart. I hope you like it, it was super fun to make...though a bit time-consuming!

TGF CHA Challenge Day 2

2010-01-25T20:19:00.002-07:00

This is Charolotte from The Greeting Farm. She is for the TGA CHA Challenge Day 2. The paper is "Baby Girl" Dots/Light Pink Paper from the wild asparagus line by My Mind's Eye. I colored her with a variety of markers, including copics. I think this image is just too cute! Don't you just love her?

TGF CHA Challenge

2010-01-24T20:48:00.001-07:00

The Greeting Farm is giving away a FREE digi starting today and lasting all week. BUT...in order to get each free digi, you have to create something with today's free digi and post it in their gallery by the deadline. Each time you meet a deadline, you get the next day's digi! If you complete all of them, you get an extra free digi at the end!!!
This is the card I made with Monday's free digi, Mer Ian. Isn't he the cutest???
Hurry and get over to TGF to play!!!

CuppyCakes!

2010-01-17T19:27:00.001-07:00

I have finished January birthday cards and mailed them all off. I finished all of the February birthday cards too and they are ready to be mailed. This is my first birthday card for March and it's featuring cuppycakes!!! It is a really simple card, but I just love the way it turned out. The blue and brown together is really pretty! I think this may be a Stamping Bella image, but I'm not entirely sure as I received it in an image swap. I, of course, gave them both chocolate frosting because I've had chocolate on the brain lately. Don't they look scrumptious?? Yum! Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed the card. Thank you for stopping by. I need to try to do another "writing" blog entry soon. So much to do, so little time!

Love Is In The Air

2010-01-17T13:40:00.001-07:00

As with most holidays, Valentine's Day is already here in most stores across town. For crafters, this is a good thing. We have to have this stuff in advance in order to get the cards out on time, right?! Right. So in the spirit of Valentine's Day and for several challenges on Cafemom, I made some Valentine Day cards that I'd like to share with you. The first one was a sketch challenge from the Cute Critters Club. I chose a House Mouse stamp. I really like the way it turned out, but I'm not so thrilled with the photo. No matter what I did, you can't see the words on the charm. It says "Love" of course, but still.

This next card was for a challenge in Card Makin' Mommas. I believe it's called an easel card. I think it's super cute, though it would be much more convenient if it was bigger (for envelope purposes). I chose House Mouse again just because it is such a darn cute image.

This next card I made using a stamped image that I received in an image swap. To be honest, I cannot remember who gave it to me or what it's called. I really like how the card turned out though. I think it's my favorite.

This last card is so simple and yet so very beautiful in person. I loved the paper so much that I used it as the main focus of the card. It was fun to play with. I made a couple of them with images, but I really prefer these without an image.

Well...that's all I'll post for you today. I've made a ton of Valentine Day cards! It's really time for me to get focused on birthday cards! There are over 100 to send out this year!
I hope you enjoyed looking. Thank you for stopping by!!

Long Cold Winter

2010-01-16T01:20:00.002-07:00

I have some cards I'd like to share with you today. They are fairly simple, but I am proud of them none-the-less. Around the halfway point of my long winter break from school I got extremely cabin-feverish. With the cold, the snow, and not really having a reason to leave the house I was simply too bored. So, I asked my boys if they wanted me to make their Valentine Day cards for school this year. Surprisingly enough, they were very enthusiastic about the idea. I gathered up all of my "lovey-dovey" type stamps and allowed them each to choose two images. I made 12 of each card for a total of 48 cards. Phew!
Jaden, my oldest, chose Changito Pair and lovey Huggabugg. I couldn't decide if I liked the dots on the lovey huggabugg spaced further apart or close together, so I did 6 of each there.

Jordan, my youngest, chose Monica Romances by House Mouse and the mouse from Happy Heart Day by Stampin' Up.

My personal favorites are the Changitos and the House Mouse. I love how those two turned out! I hope you like them! I think I'll be doing this every year for awhile. The kids were so excited and I was happy to have something to do!

Birthdays! Lots of Birthdays!

2010-01-15T00:00:00.004-07:00

It is one of my goals this year to try to send everyone a birthday card. So far, I'm all done with January birthdays and now I'm moving on to February birthdays. It will be interesting to see how it is to keep up with all these birthdays once school starts! Wish me luck!
I made this card for the current sketch challenge in Cute Critters Club at Cafemom. The patterned paper is by My Mind's Eye and the image is from Stamping Bella. I hope you like her!

Spring On My Mind

2010-01-13T14:42:00.001-07:00

Spring has definitely been on my mind lately. I'm just about done with all of this cold weather and snow. One of my favorite stamps is Daisy by Elisabeth Bell from Sugar Nellie Stamps. It is definitely a stamp that makes me think of spring! She is just too cute and too fun to color. I enjoy making cards with her. Here are a couple that I've done using Daisy. Enjoy!

3D Butterfly ATC Card

2010-01-03T14:31:00.001-07:00

This card started as a challenge to make an ATC card. For those of you who don't know, ATC stands for Artist Trading Card. Evidently these are quite popular in the crafting community. Anyway, I had never made one, so I thought I'd give it a try. This first picture is the ATC. I photographed it on a black background. The butterfly is from K&Company's Amy Butler Lotus Tea Box Butterflies Die-Cut Paper. I layered two of them to create the 3D look. The antennae are made from coiled metal. I placed three rhinestones on the butterfly's body.

This next photo is the ATC after I've turned it into a card. I really just felt like this needed to be made into a card. Once the ATC challenge was completed, I did just that! I like how it turned out. It's one of my favorites and I keep it in my craft room. The doodles are done with a glitter pen.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing my card. It was one I truly enjoyed making. Thanks for stopping by!