Hello...hello and hello again everybody!

I have some really wonderful news...well it is a little old but on Monday, May 25,2009 our newest little one arrived...She weighted 4lbs 12oz and has a head full of hair. Her name is LaNya and she actually was released from the hospital before I was. For most that have read my blog before, I was worried about the c-section (this was my 3rd one) and considering what happened on the operating table, I had just cause. But I can say at least this time the spinal didn't fail and I was not put under general and I got to see and kiss her before she was whisked away. But there were some other complications, very serious ones. For all that believe in prayer, I ask you to please pray for my healing. I truly do need it!

But I haven't been able to be on the computer because I was just released from the hospital on Sunday. And I haven't edited or added photos of her just yet. I will be doing this a little later this week when I get breaks here in there between pumping milk, changing diapers and all that new baby adjustment stuff...have a blessed day everyone. And thank you all in advance for your prayers and well wishes! Tracy

35 weeks

I am sitting here trying to figure out what to write about. I don't want to complain because I am thankful that I have made it this far but I am sooooo ready to be done. Now to be fair I have to say that I haven't been this far along in a pregnancy for a long time, and so it is hard to adjust to not being able to get up, but instead roll out of a sitting position. LOL...

I haven' t done anything creative at all this week for myself, except check out blogs of people that I love and pop in every once and awhile on twopeasinabucket to see the gallery. I haven't lost my creativity/inspiration, I just don't have the time to be creative right now, or at least not for my own personal scrapbooks or cards.

Yesterday I got the call from the hospital and my c-section is scheduled. I am honestly terrified of it but I am hoping that I don't have to have an emergency one and that scheduled ones are a lot more smoother than my previous two emergency ones. I also am so excited to be able to be this close to my actual due date which means if the baby does come early there would be a really short stay in the NICU or special care nursery. That to me is well worth the wait!! I can't imagine actually have a child come home with me after I deliver her/him but I am getting so close to that happening that it is both wonderful and scary all at once. But I wouldn't trade this for anything. I know that my last posts have been all about babies and birth but this is one way that I can share what I am going through and all the thousands of thoughts about it that I can't seem to get outta my head...like tonight I woke at midnight looking for our cellphones because I just had to make sure that they were charged so that we could get in touch with each other. And of course I haven't been able to get back to sleep no matter how hard I have tried so I decided to do my blog post now. Maybe I can get some sleep after this is no longer on my mind.

A card I just wanna keep for myself!

I love making cards! At least while I am unable to get into my space and really work on scrapbooking. But sometimes while I am busy with orders and creating things to sell I am not able to be as creative as I want to be for my own personal items. And then sometimes I make something that I absolutely love 100%... and I stared to make a card this week that fits the category of it's too cute to send out! Well I wasn't really going to make cards/gifts this yr. Mostly because I just didn't feel like it but instead call and tell everyone happy mothers day. But the more I thought about it the more I wanted to change it back to my normal tradition of sending cards and gifts. But that is hard to do when all you stash is on a level of the house that's off limits. And I had some supplies upstairs from making save the date cards postcards.

But I decided to have the guys bring up some supplies into the livingroom so that I could make a few personal cards. I didn't want all my supplies but I wanted to use some of the things that I have had in my stash for awhile that hadn't been used.

So here is one of the 2 cards that I made. My camera batteries weren't charged so I had to take a quick photo so that I could upload it for my blog entry. I love this card so much that it still is sitting on my side table. I guess you can say I made it for myself...Happy mother's day to me...lol!

Supplies: MME pp, bazzill cs, MM kid's trim ribbon, BG buttons, Hero Arts stamps, Fiskars scalloped border punches, TH distress inks (broken china, shabby shutters, and spiced marmalade).

What a beautiful day...Well in my mind! LOL

Today was amazing! I got a huge order done, mailed and out of the way. I also had to deal with an issue that I saw arising...have you ever started a project on the wrong foot and then regretted or felt like you needed to start over because you might be getting taken advantage of? I did...I had taken an order and designed two cards and worked hard on the designs all before getting any payment (my fault!) and then after being told I love this card!! I bought some of the supplies because the retail store stated that they couldn't hold it for me. Now I didn't go out and purchase hundreds of $$ worth of product but I surely spent my own $$.

So I wasn't too bothered by a request to show another design of a card when I thought things were set in stone...nope that didn't bother me as much as being told by the customer that she wouldn't pay for something that she hadn't seen! Huh...I was working on something and hadn't gotten one single cent!...I had been communicating all the details, supplied photos of my work and then on top of that worked my tush off to get this order started all while not taking other orders and don't forget I didn't get $$ for my time! And all I stated to her was that I could email her an example of cards that I had done previously that were similar to what she was asking for.

So I attempted to communicate that I am a business and I was going to have to get payment before I moved forward with any more work...The same as any business that is making customized cards. They have an example, you see what you like and order yours and then you pay and receive a proof after that. I am not upset by this although I do now have 25 yards of gold ribbon and some other gold items that I can' t see myself using at all in the near future...but I have learned a lesson. One that I had learned before but now I'm going to follow 100%...non-customized examples, and at least a down payment before work is started! But the good part is that is just as this order began to go south, I got a call from a person I have made cards for tons of times and she wants me to do cards for her daughter's wedding, the save the dates, the invitations, shower and thank you cards. I am talking about a nice little piece of $$! I made sure to discuss payment/receive a down payment and set up dates to meet to go over proofs. I like when business is conducted this way! It just makes me feel better but then again this order was from a returning customer and she has always been pretty amazing to work with.

I can't wait until tomorrow...ok later on this morning because it is 3am! I am going to a local scrapbook store for a few hours to do a make and take. I have no plans on sending any $$ because I have an order of products on it's way from ebay. Some items that have been on wishlist now for over a year and finally I am going to get them. It's not that I didn't have the money for it, I just couldn't get them for a reasonable price including shipping so I waited. I tend to do that a lot. Especially if it is something scrapbook related.

I have also planned to start looking for a 2 seat stroller. I have been thinking about it but then realized that maybe I need to start actually looking for one. I might have to have my hubby start checking garage sales.

Here is a quick pic of one of the two gold cards that I created. It is very traditional in it's feel but that is what she was looking for.

Hello everyone!!!

I'm still out here. It's just been a really busy last couple of weeks. I have done a mini relocation of my space since I can't be on stairs. It is so hard to do what I do and have all my stuff in one location and then try to scrapbook in another. Especially when you have 3 card orders going and one possible wedding invite for wedding in July. But that isn't a complaint at all, just a minor vent! lol lol

Let's see what is going on, nothing but work really. I get so swamped sometimes with details on a card that I tend to overdo them. But these last 3 orders went so smoothly I know that I am due for a lot of work on something else in the near future. I wish that I could post the pics of the cards, but that can't be done until after the customer receives them and the event is over. But it is the cutest card, I hope that when I am 50 my kids/family want to do something just as special for me.

Let's see what else is going on...oh, I am trying to find a great deal on peacock feathers. It is turning out to be an adventure. I could order them online but they are costly. But I am going to wait on a vendor that I used for a wedding for a friend I did awhile ago to get back to me. I have heard that peacock feathers are becoming the trend so maybe I will find a good deal.

And just a quick update on pregnancy...all is well. I ended up at maternal assessment again but all in all everything is going ok. Well kind of...I was told I am thinning. And since I am only 31 weeks (32 tomorrow) that is a concern. But I am being good, and doing my very very best to follow all restrictions. It seems easier now that I have a work space on the first floor.

I hope everyone is doing fine...and enjoying great weather! It is all rainy here...almost looks and feels like fall instead of Spring.

Daydreaming....

Today I sat in my livingroom daydreaming of what it would be like to live in a warmer climate all year around. I think Vele started it by saying that he wanted to move to Arizona (weeks ago). I said yes, of course we could move there and we looked at houses forever. Now we aren't rich or even really sure that is a great place to live but he has family there and we wouldn't be that far from more family (on his side)who live in Cali. So the idea sounds awesome to me. Shoot he could say lets move to Tim-Buck-too (however it's spelled lol)and I would say ok. But Phoenix does seem like a better fit. So today I was daydreaming after the boys left for school and LeiLani was still was asleep...it just seemed so nice to live somewhere where it was warmer all year around. And maybe have a pool and a nicer house. But then I started remembering all those great houses that were worth double what they were listing for and I wondered how is the job market? But it would still be an awesome idea!

Well I am sitting here wondering what to post about and wish I could share all the thousands of things that are roaming around in my mind, but it would be a really weird post. And my kids would die of starvation...what's for dinner tonight? Well it would surely have to be that shepard's pie that I started almost an hr ago. I think I let mine simmer too long because I like well cooked and tender ground beef. Plus I simmer on lower than low. But the kids are driving me nuts. So I will have to get it moving soon. I realized now after posting that this might be the last shepard's pie until fall. I tend not to cook this in the summer. Only because summer is for grillin', summer salads, watermelon, and ice cream! I can't wait it's just the beginning of spring here and actually it's one of the best days in awhile people are out walking their dogs and I watched some kids play soccer in the park while waiting on my boys to get home and of course I let them run out right after homework and a quick snack to play in the park. LeiLani just about had a fit so I took her in the backyard.

Ok I'm off to take care of finishing touches but before I go I just saw the sweetest thing...it was simple but to me it was sweet. A elderly couple walking around the park holding hands. It was so sweet! I hope that one day, Vele and I will live to enjoy those ages and still want to have each other around...but more importantly want to hold hands and look at each other. Because he is my sweetheart!

A wonderful give away!

Well as most know I have been researching which machine to get forever...and I love a great giveaway so I had to link this new giveaway for everyone. You could win a chance to win a Big Shot machine which I have and LOVE!!! or a Silhoutte machine which is what I have wanted forever. I will admitt that I hope that I actually win the Silhoutte but it would be nice if someone won it that I knew too!

So here is the link to the website...
http://simplyhandmademag.blogspot.com/2009/04/die-cut-machine-giveaway.html

And good luck!