On Twitter, Blogger, Weight Watchers and Self Esteem

I am not what most people would refer to as a "fragile" person.

Actually, many might even consider me arrogant, full of myself, or if they are trying to be nice - confident.

The thing of it is.... I'm not arrogant. No, I'm not really totally fragile, either, mind you, but I don't actually have the self confidence that I apparently exude. I can be broken and it isn't nearly as hard as I make it seem on the outside.

So, that being the case...Twitter and Blogger don't help! No...I know that's funny, but seriously...think about it....it's like freaking high school all over again!!! You have the 'popular' bloggers and the Tweeters that all 'hang out' (online, of course, seeing as they live all over the world) and the ones that go to the big conferences like the recent BlogHer event and the ones that have companies knocking down their headers just to get these people to mention them in a Tweet or a blog post. And yet....I am none of the above. CRAP! It's happening all over again! LOL! High School! And to think - I thought by the time I hit thirty it would all be behind me! HA!

So this is the thing....the other day I was chatting with someone that I work with very briefly on Twitter. If you are a Twitter user, you know that every conversation is totally public, but that's part of the fun...anyone can jump in! So, over the course of grand total of about six tweets back and forth I managed to INSTANTLY lose 2 followers. Okay...no biggie...obviously they can't handle the fact that someone might have a different opinion than they do and so they decided they don't like me simply because of that despite the fact that they liked me fine prior to that....hmmmm...that makes sense. LOL!

Now yes, this could have been sheer coincidence, but let's be honest, here...it's not likely in this particular case. Just trust me on this one.

Then there is the blog. I have that cute little followers widget over there on the right side of my blog because I absolutely LOVE to see the faces of those who read my blog! I get so excited with each and every comment and I just really enjoy the community that evolves around blogging. It's crazy wicked fun! The thing is...the other day....(just before the Twitter incident) I lost a small bunch of followers!

I was so sad!

Seriously! And these people, I know I didn't likely offend, seeing as I tend to avoid the offensive on my blog, just 'cause I like you guys and stuff. So they just left because they find me boring? Obnoxious? Unlikeable?

These are the things that went through my head.

OR...the reality of it is that Blogger tends to drop followers from time to time, as those of you with Blogger Blogs already know so well, and some people only follow for giveaway purposes and then unfollow after that because they just don't have time or aren't really interested in your subject matter.

All of the above are reasonable. So why the BLOODY HECK did it bug me so much to see that number go down? Maybe I am fragile.

And then....the BIG ONE. The GREAT BIG HIT to my self esteem happened on Wednesday night.

I am sure I have mentioned Weight Watchers before, no? Well, anyway, last summer I joined and I hit my goal weight after several months and I was THRILLED! I mean, I felt better, I looked great, and I felt SO GOOD about myself! So, I am a lifetime member of Weight Watchers and now I go in once a month to weigh in and prove that I am maintaining and it is all free as long as I stay within two pounds of my goal weight.

I didn't.

On Wednesday evening, for the very first time since I reached my goal weight I had to PAY!!!

I cried all the way home. LOL! I am so NOT even kidding you! I MUST be fragile! HA!

So how much was I over? 2.8 lbs.

Yes. I was over my goal by less than 3 lbs. And that managed to get to me THAT much! Seriously? WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME? As my husband kindly pointed out, one could easily lose that much simply by pooping. (LMAO! Sorry if that was too much info, but I really couldn't leave it out! LOL!)

But here is the thing....I'm fine about all of the above now. No, not because I've justified any of it, but rather because I realized that it REALLY DOESN'T MATTER!

Am I defined by my Twitter Follower Count? Ummm... let me think.....

Yeah, no.

Am I less of a person if I don't have a GAGILLION blog followers? Ummm.... let me think about that one, too......


Yeah, No.

Is it okay if my weight fluctuates just a bit here and there as long as I stay healthy and take care of my body?

YUP!

And I'm not alone...I know others have been saddened by the loss of a Twitter follower, blogger follower, or some other little insignificant thing, so this is why I am writing this post today.

FREE YOURSELF!

You are you! Not who any social media number or classification determines you to be! Not even who the number on the scale tries to tell you who you are....nope....you are just you.

There are far more important things in life to worry about. So I beg of you ... DON'T let those types of things even touch your self esteem. Be happy.

Please.

I am!!!

Oh...and I happened to see the number of people subscribed to my blog has gone up drastically, so even if you aren't public followers, I know you are out there, and for THAT I am thankful! LOL!

Oh, yeah....and I really am THAT AWESOME!

Just say'n.

Just Drop'n In....

Today's post is a quick one. I have a long one brewing about the whole blog following/twitter following/self esteem thing, but it's not quite ready yet. And....I am tossing around the idea of doing a vlog post. You know...a video...with me...and my thoughts...out loud. Are you interested in that kind of thing? Let me know!

Anyway...here is a card that I made for a wonderful friend's birthday last weekend! I recently got some Bam Pop! stamps and they make me SOOOO happy! Can I even TELL you how cute these stamps are? Nope. I can't. That's why I had to use one to show you just how stinking amazingly adorable they are! I am so totally in love with them. Robots. Flying. In the sky. With parachutes. Seriously. How could that NOT invoke a smile? LOVE IT!



I used bright and cheery colors and pieced together a 'scene' of sorts to create this card. I just LOVE these tree stamps, too! Now I want some cool line image tree stamps to mix with them! These ones are from The Paper Company and were sent to me by none other than the fabulous Jewelz! Thanks, babe! I love 'em!

So, basically, this card was way fun to make and a wee-little bit hard to give away! HA! Have you ever done that? Made something for someone and then decided to keep it 'cause you just loved too much!? LOL! I did give it to her, though. I hope she liked it! LOL!

Well, I need to get my thumb to stop bleeding, so I will chat with you fine folks later. Have a great day!!!!!

Large Format Posters Giveaway and Wordless Wednesday!

I am SO excited about this photograph! It took LOTS of shots, since we did it ourselves with the timer on the camera, but it was a BLAST to do and now it is so much more than just a perfect photograph, but now it is a memory, too! I just love that!

Which is why when I received the offer from Large Format Posters to receive free Custom Poster Printing it took me exactly NO time at all to know which photo I would choose! The best part is...Large Format Posters is offering one of my readers FREE Poster Printing, too!

So, do you have a photo that renders you speechless every time you see it? Maybe it is your Wordless Wednesday or Wordful Wednesday post for today! Enter to win to have that great photo made into a custom Poster! And don't forget to check out the great photos posted for Wordless Wednesday and Wordful Wednesday!

To Enter:
Leave a comment telling me about the photo that you have that you would want turned into a poster. (required)

Optional Additional Entries:
* Follow this blog and leave a comment letting me know you follow. (optional)
* Tweet this giveaway and leave a direct link to your Tweet in the comments. (optional)
*Blog about this giveaway and leave TWO comments with a link to your blog post. (optional)

Disclaimers:

Giveaway is open to US/CAN residents. Ground shipping of prizes is free, but there is a $5 handling fee that must be paid by winner. Large Format Posters reserves the right not to print obscene or offensive materials.

All designs submitted in the form of a giveaway may be used by Large Format Posters for online marketing and promotional uses. The designs will be used solely as examples and will not be printed or commercially distributed.

I have been offered the same opportunity as the winner in exchange for posting this giveaway.

Giveaway ends Sunday, August 2nd.

There is just something fabulous about a Traveling Gnome

No. Seriously, though, folks. There is.

There is just something SUPER FABULOUS about a Traveling Gnome!

Actually, I pretty much think gnomes in general are pretty great.

DID YOU KNOW that there is this simply wonderful little shop on Newbury Street that sells nothing but gnome and fairy stuff? Yeah. It's pretty amazing.

The Hubbums even offered to buy me a gnome when we were there. I didn't choose to get one this time around, but I am quite sure that eventually a wonderful little friend from that shop will grace my studio. It's just meant to be.

In the meantime, however, I will continue to use my fabulous little gnome stamp to make me smile.



Hence...the Traveling Gnome Card that you see here, this fine Tuesday morning!

I have been sitting on this wonderful suitcase paper for awhile now and I decided that it was time to use it because I totally love it! I used both the front and back of the paper (the back was that blue dotted paper I used for the background) which I totally love to do because it makes me sad to see a side of double-sided patterned paper never used! LOL!



I used a fabulous satin-ey kind of ribbon and I just love the way it looks on the card. I'm really loving wider ribbons on cards lately, but I don't have many, so I need to work on that stash. I think I could incorporate them into my layouts, too, actually.



And, of course, the start of the show...the NikoArt gnome stamped image colored with Prismacolor pencils. I stamped him on textured paper, which I usually don't do, but I was feeling 'dangerous' when I made this one! HA! Incidentally, colored pencils + small surface area + textured paper = tricky to color. I definitely had to pull out the Mineral Spirits to blend this one and get the best color coverage. BUT...he looks great, doesn't he? Yes. He does. I promise.

And just in case you aren't familiar with the Traveling Gnome. He is pretty much my hero. Just say'n. Enjoy.

Farmer's Market - A World of Color!

Well, if you have read this blog, like, oh....I don't know.... EVER...then you know just how much I LOVE color! Color simply makes me happy! That is one of the many reasons why I absolutely ADORE Farmer's Markets! I mean, of course I love the fresh, local, and often organically grown fabulousness that is the fruit and vegetable wares, but they are also such an amazing wealth of brilliant color! I just can't help but to snap a few photos! These were taken in downtown Boston. The vendors were hilarious about me taking photos! One even INSISTED that I get him in the shot! LOL! I love it! Whoever tries to tell you that big cities are not friendly places has obviously never spent any time in one! Boston is a wonderfully friendly city...you just have to know how it works.

Here is a layout I created using American Crafts products and the photos from the farmer's market.



Do you visit local farmer's markets? What do you love about them?

An Amazing Giveaway!

I just wanted to let you all know about an amazing giveaway for scrapbookers! Melissa over at Creating From the Heart is giving away a great collection of goodies including a MM Slice! Check it out on her blog!

A Quick Card, A Challenge, and a Prize!!!

So, since my desk was the complete disaster that I showed you on Wednesday, I decided it would be fun toss myself a fun little challenge! So, I decided that I would create a card from start to finish using only stuff that was on my desk (and, the overflow piles around it, of course! LOL!). It took me no more than ten minutes to make this fabulous little card and I love it! It was fast and easy and everything was at my fingertips! LOL! too bad ir's all in piles and not organized at my fingertips! HA! Here is the result of my challenge:


Supplies: Cardstock, Patterned Paper, Ribbon, red solid paper - American Crafts; Punch - EK Success; Embroidery Thread - DMC; Button - from my stash.

Now...for all of you out there with a messy desk...I am forwarding this challenge on to YOU! Create a card using ONLY the items that you have on your desk. Post a photo of your messy desk and your finished card on your blog with a link to this contest. Then come back here and comment to let me know you have entered! I have a pack of tags from Elle's Studio for the randomly drawn winner! You have one week! Post your messy desk photo and your card by Saturday, July 31st for a chance to win! If I get lots of entries, I will add more to the prize, so spread the word!!!!

Also, I am hosting the same challenge over at AMR, so if you enter there, you can enter here, too, for two chances to win! The prizes are separate - one prize for my blog winner and one for the AMR winner!

Show me what you can do with your mess!

How Hard Can a Person REALLY Laugh???

I think that is the question that the writers of this musical were trying to answer! Oh, my goodness! I went to the Trinity Rep last night with my Mom and my sister to see Menopause The Musical. We laughed and laughed and then...when we caught our breath...we laughed some more. Four women, all with completely different backgrounds and totally different current lives, come together in one place where you can always find an abundance of middle aged women - Bloomingdales. They become quick friends as they instantly find that the common bond between them is that they are all CRAZY! Okay... so that might be from the perspective of someone who has yet to go through this stage of life of which these women speak.... LOL! But, in all seriousness, the musical was fantastic. The cast was wonderful and each actress filled her role so amazingly well. The songs, all re-written favorites from the 60's or so, are wonderful and hilarious all at the same time! Nothing but fun! Fredena Williams was amazing in the role of the Professional Woman. Her voice alone captures you, but her sassy tone and style illuminate the stage! Cherie Price, as the Soap Star, was adorable and brought spunk to an already fun role. Carolynne Warren was a riot playing the role of the Iowa Housewife! You could just see so many people that you know in her vibrant character! Barbara Pinolini, Earth Mother, reminded the audience of the generation from which (most of them) came and she did it with great fervor! Overall, they gave an amazing performance and kept the entire audience in stitches the entire show! It was a blast and a great way to spend a night with my Mom and my little sister, whom deserves all the credit because it was all her idea in the first place!



If you would love to see Menopause the Musical and you don't live in the Providence area, check to see if and when it is playing in your area here! If you are in the Providence area, Trinity Rep has many shows still open in both July and August so check it out!

WW- The Craft Fairy Threw Up on My Desk.... and some WINNERS!!!

Why these photos for Wordless Wednesday? Because, quite simply, there are no words to express how much I DON'T want to spend my time cleaning this disaster! LOL! I want to make more stuff!!!! But, alas, my space has become QUITE limited, so I'm guessing I will have to do at least SOME clean up before jumping into my creative endeavors this evening. Such is the life of an artist. Such is the life. *sigh*
....*another sigh*

For More Wordless Wednesday Posts check out the list here!


BUT....I do have TWO winners for you!!!!

The Winner of the Uprinting Stickers is........ MONIE G!!!!
and
The Winner of the Earrings from Pretty Cool Jewels is........ MJ!!!!

Congratulations, Monie G and MJ!!! Please contact me within 48 hours so I can get you the info you need to receive your prize!!!!

The Skin MD giveaway ends today, so don't forget to enter that one!!!! Really, this is great stuff! The Hubbums has been using it, as he has some time off, and it is working great! He loves it!

Let's Talk CHA for a bit, shall we?

I know... the scrapbooking blog world is probably overloaded with sneaks and peeks of all of the new product on the way, but I just can't help but to toss in a post with some of the lines I am most looking forward to getting my hands on!

I have to say, I am actually really excited about the releases this time around. Last time there were a few that I wanted from some favorite companies, but not a ton...this time around we are talking a whole different story! I am STOKED! Seriously...I am just giddy about some of this stuff! So, here are snippets of a few that I am most excited about:

Blue Skies by American Crafts: Holy CUTE!!! No, seriously, I love it all! The stamps are SO STINKING WONDERFUL!!! And if you haven't tried AC Flair embellishments yet, you totally should because they will make you happy. I promise.

Cosmo Cricket Boyfriend AND Earth Love DOUBLE DECK!!!!!! Do you people see what they have done here? They took TWO amazing lines, both of which I MUST HAVE and combined them in one package for my purchasing pleasure. Seriously. I think I am going to kiss them.

Jillibean Soup Talk Soup collection Goodness! Can you see this Kraft fabulousness? No, seriously, though, folks. If you aren't happy yet you should see a doctor, 'cause my friends, this is some GOOD STUFF we're chatt'n about today!

Kaiser Krafts: This collection is just totally fun and cute! I wish the colors were a bit stronger, but I love it anyway! LOL!

Maya Road has SO many wonderful things coming out! these are ADORABLE and I totally can't wait to get some! I have no idea what I will do with them, but I will find something because anything this cute WILL be used! LOL! I really am in love with the new pins and trims, too!

My Little Shoebox has jumped right into a spot amongst my favorite companies! They really didn't even have to work for it! LOL! I love this new line, Little Ladies, releasing at CHA!

My Mind's Eye has some REALLY cute stuff coming! I don't know, again, how I will use dinosaurs, but I will find a way, dagnabbit! I WILL FIND A WAY!!!!! Hee-hee.....


Pink Paislee. Not much more needs to be said on this one. Amber Road is AMAZING and if you get a Christmas card from me this year, don't be shocked and/or amazed if it happens to be made with Mistletoe and Co. Just Say'n is all.

Okay....that's enough drooling for now. Go grab something to clean off your keyboard and return to your regularly scheduled activities! Thank you to all of these fabulous companies for sharing these sneaks with us and for developing such amazing products for me to spend my lack of money on!!!!

So....tell me....what are YOU most looking forward to from the sneaks you've seen so far! We will have ALL the news soon, so let's spill now before there is more to want! HA!!!

I found it! And I LOVE IT!

What did I find, you ask? I found ME! I found my style again! It was a little lost for a bit.
If you are a crafter, I am sure you know how that happens from time to time...you start to stray a bit and in time you lose track of who you are as a crafter.
If you have never experienced this, it pretty much sucks, so I pray you never do! However, if you have been crafting for a long time, I'm sure it is a familiar story.
And yes...this is what happened to me. I lost my way, I got sidetracked, and I just couldn't find me in some of what I was creating. (If you would like an example look at the 'USA' card I created a couple of weeks ago...it is SO not me!)

Until...

Yes, until now!

I'm back and I am back in full creative force! I am so excite! How did I find it? Well, it actually came from a bit of competitive spirit and a little push to do something I always say I will do and then never actually do.

I auditioned for a design team.
Not just any design team, though! I auditioned for the American Crafts design team.
This is significant because they have been a steadfast regular in my stash for a really really long time! It was a perfect fit! And, in jumping into their fabulous products I found me and my style all over again! I am creating the way I was made to create!
MAN this is fun!

Here is a peek at one of the layouts that I created for the submission!

Do you see that fabulous color? LOVE THAT! But .....

That color is given the solid base that it needs to rest my eyes and keep me happy.
And then there is the dimension. I do so love dimension! I popped up the white outer border and then just popped up as many of the components as I could! I wish you could see it in person! It's so dimensionally fun!

I used some way fun paper, too! Check out that fabulous alphabet paper! I had to buy it! I loved it too much to ignore it...but, as you know, I don't have kids, so I had to use it in a slightly less traditional manner. So, I used it on a page about learning with a photo from a day at the museum! (The Boston Science Museum, actually....if you've never been it is so amazingly wonderful! We go as often as we can because we love it so much!)

So here you have it.
This is me.
NO....not in the photo, you sillies!!!
In the style. In the layout. In the art.
I found me!!!
I am pretty darned happy about it, too!

I hope to share more with you this week! I'm just excited to be back!
Although, my scrapbook room sort of looks like the craft fairly came and threw up on it.
That darned swine flu has no bounds, I tell you! LOL!

Thus, I may have to take a few days to, oh, I don't know....clean up the hurricane. But I'm totally okay with that because I can't be stopped now!

Have a Happy Monday!!!

Saturday Evening Thoughts

10 Random things about my day today.

*It was in the mid-eighties today and a bit muggy, but I'm loving it anyway.

*We went out for breakfast this morning because we love going out for breakfast on the weekends. It was yummy.

*Took a nap today.

*I walked to AC Moore today and got a great package of American Crafts cardstock (My FAVORITE!!!) with a 50% off coupon and two packages of findings on sale for a jewelry project I was working on.

*I made a pair of earrings.

*I'm working on a new layout. It's not playing very nicely, but I'm sure we will get through it. If not I will threaten to dump liquid glue all over it. Paper doesn't like that at all!

*I talked to my in-laws earlier this evening. That was nice, since I don't get to do that often. My Mother in Law sent me Safeway plastic wrap because it is the best and we don't have Safeway here.

*My Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Crafting Kit came in the mail today! That made me smile big.

*The glasses from Liz Kartchner came today. I'm excited about that!

*I'm kind of hungry.

What did you do today?

Harry Potter, Terminator: Salvation, and A Lucky Layout

We went to the drive in last night to see these two movies:

and

Harry Potter was AWESOME, but that sort of goes without saying if you are a fan. So good! I love it even more now that they are older! This cast is amazing! I'm so ready for the next one, but so sad that it will all be over soon.

Terminator, on the other hand, was what one might call ridiculous. Now, let me start by mentioning that I'm not really a Terminator fan to begin with. This movie was not on my list to see, but The Hubbums sort of wanted to see it and it was part of the double feature, so we stayed and watched it. It's a dumb movie. Part of what is annoying is that they basically stole the whole 'skin job' concept from Battlestar Gallactica. Yes, I realize that the concept was probably not original to BSG, either, but I am a BSG fan and not a Terminator fan, so as far as I'm concerned BSG just wins. HA! LOL! Although, at the end of the the movie a skin job that looks a whole lot like a certain 'Governator' does appear and that sort of gave me a double take! No, it's not really him, but it's a darned good look-alike!

Both Movies - Daniel Ratcliff and Christian Bale. All in one night. Enough said.

And I have a layout to share with you today, as well! I know...it's hard to contain your excitement with all of this movies and layouts in one post....it's Friday, I thought I'd go a bit CRAZY! HA!!!

Lucky

This was SUCH a fun layout for me! I really love how it turned out! I used a Jason Mraz song lyric for the journaling. One thing I like about using song lyrics is that I have a bit more liberty, in my mind anyway, to cover some parts of it since it is familiar. I love the way the journaling serves as the backdroup for the entire layout. The tree is handcut and pieced. The background paper and the strips beneath the photos are all Sassafrass papers. LOVE THEM! I used a fun Japanese popcorn pen to create the title. You write or color with the pen and then heat it for that fun puffy look! I added bits of fabric and some fun buttons to accent the page.

I hope you are all having a great week and I hope you have some fun plans for the weekend! Are you heading off to see any movies? I still want to see Up! so bad, but at this point, I think I may be waiting for Redbox.

*Don't forget to enter the three giveaways posted Monday, Tuesday, and Wedensday of this week! I have another Etsy Feature with a giveaway coming soon! *

What could be Sexier than a Man in an Apron?

HA! Now THAT is surely a way to draw you in! LOL!



Julia over at the Apron Goddess is hosting a fun blog carnival that is ALL ABOUT THE APRONS! I just found out about it, but I have had these photos for a few days just WAITING for the PERFECT post opportunity and this is SO it! LOL!

So, a couple of weeks ago The Hubbums was making dinner, as he often does since I sort of suck at the whole cooking thing. Baking I can do...cooking, not so much! LOL! (Someday I will have to tell you about the 'spaghetti pie' incident! It wasn't pretty, I tell ya!) Sorry about that...on to my story. So, The Hubbums was making these really crazy yummy kabobs with steak strips, potatoes, corn and RANCH! (I know...awesome, huh?) But, the thing of it is...it was a slightly messy process. So...The Wifee had a BRILLIANT idea!

"Hubbums, if you want I can grab my apron for you." *giggle*giggle*

"Okay."

Wifee: Thinking to her self, "SERIOUSLY???? HE WILL ACTUALLY WEAR IT???!!!!"

So....I ran off to grab it and brought it to him and he put it on. HA! How cute is my Hubbums? Seriously? WAY TOTALLY CUTE! He's the bestest! LOL!

So, there stands The Hubbums donning an absolutely adorable Boojiboo Japanese Dolls Apron. HA! I love it!











LOVE THESE PHOTOS!!!! LOL! They make me smile and remind me just how much fun this fabulous man of mine is!!!

Incidentally, as he was looking down at the Japanese Dolls, he decided that Boojiboo should make him a more masculine apron. He wants a Boojiboo Samurai Apron. LOL! Do you think they would do that for him? HA!!! How stinking cute would that be???

So, there you have it! My apron post! I know...it's not a sexy picture of me in an apron, but I think this is WAY better than that! LOL!!!

Oh! And...since I totally love my Boojiboo apron, I can't help but to toss in a plug for them! If you are an apron lover, you should totally check out their shop! I love them!!!!

For more fabulous apron posts check out the linky over at The Apron Goddess!!! Join in and let me know if you do! I'd love to see yours!!!

***Don't forget to check out the giveaways from earlier this week! I have THREE open right now! It's craziness!!!!***

**Skin MD Review and Gvieaway!**

I KNOW! Can you believe THREE giveaways in THREE days? It's crazy! But way fun! LOL! Today I am actually excited to FINALLY be able to share with you about an really great skin care product for those of us who happen to LOVE the sun!

Several weeks ago the folks at Skin MD Natural sent me a sample of their Shielding Lotion to try out and share with all of you! The problem came, not with the product, but with the weather! If any of you live in New England you know that the sun and, really, the entire summer season, was quite reluctant to visit this area this year! But, alas, we have finally seen that big beautiful orb in the sky and it's fabulous rays have been shining down in all their glory! I LOVE IT!

And, being one who loves the sun, I tend to like to lie out in it from time to time. NOW...before you all tell me that's dangerous, let me tell you that the sun has so many benefits and with a job that keeps me in a basement 40 hours a week and a commute that keeps me in a car for 10 hours a week, this girl needs a dose of serotonin now and then!

BUT...that does not mean that I want to cause harm to my skin, which, as we all know, the sun can do quite easily if one is not careful. So, the other day, I (and I will be honest, it was slightly reluctantly) tried out the Skin MD Natural - Shielding Lotion.

Can I tell you something?

I love this stuff!

Here is why:
1. It's not oily, or greasy, or slimy! I can't stand sunscreens because they tend to be all of the above and I HATE that feeling! Skin MD Natural is none of the above! How awesome is THAT?

2. It absorbs quickly. Have you ever put on sunscreen only to look like a snowman, or perhaps a ghost for several minutes after because the stuff sits on top of your skin? YUCK! SO NOT CUTE! Skin MD Natural absorbs as you put it on protecting your skin instantly without making you look like a sheet.

3. It leaves no residue or stickiness. Some sunscreens are almost visible because of the sheen or residue that they leave on your skin. They can even make you feel sticky! Yuck! Skin MD Natural doesn't do any of that, and I love it for that!

4. It works!!!! Yes, that is the best part! I can happily report that I have NO signs of sunburn after an afternoon at the poolside over the weekend! That is a good thing!

5. Even cooler than JUST protecting your skin from the sun, Skin MD Natural is a shielding lotion. It is highly effective in protecting your skin from dryness and other environmental factors that can damage it! It blocks out irritants, making way for the skins natural moisture to do it's job! My legs generally need lotion on a DAILY basis because they get so dry. Can I tell you something awesome? Since I used the Skin MD this weekend, I have noticed an improvement right away! I have been able to apply lotion to my legs less often and my legs look great! (Even if I do say so myself! LOL!) Check out their website for TONS of incredible information! It's worth your time!



Are you interested in trying out Skin MD Natural yourself? I know you totally are! Well, here is a chance to win a bottle of Skin MD Natural - SPF 15!

To enter comment here with one thing you don't like about your sunscreen and how Skin MD would be a better choice for you. (Required)

For a second entry (Optional) follow my blog and leave a comment letting me know!

For a Third entry (Optional) follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway! Leave a comment with a direct link to your tweet.

You can cut and paste the following:
Want to protect your skin and look great? Win Skin MD Natural from @JustJingle http://tinyurl.com/l45a8p

Giveaway closes Wed. July 22
Have a great day!!!

***Blog Sponsor Giveaway!!! UPrinting Custom Stickers!***

UPrinting offers some pretty cool stuff, including custom sticker printing. That means that you can have your very own stickers created by you for you! CUSTOM STICKER PRINTING!!! And do you want o know what is even cooler about UPrinting? They are fabulously generous, too! They are offering 250 FREE Custom Stickers to one Just Jingle reader!!!

Since UPrinting is so generous and is also offering this fabulous opportunity to me, I decided to go ahead and start designing my sticker! I immediately thought about my blog and went ahead and used a photo of my header and simply added my blog url to the photo so now I promote my blog anywhere! I am so excited!

So, here's the deal! All you have to do to enter to win 250 Custom Stickers from UPrinting is comment below telling me how you would use the Custom Stickers! (This entry is required.)

For one extra entry (optional) follow my blog and leave an extra comment letting me know.

For a third entry (totally optional) copy and paste the following into Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. Follow me on Twitter and leave a comment here with the URL to your tweet!

Win 250 Custom Stickers from UPrinting and @JustJingle! http://tinyurl.com/nruaxf

This giveaway will close Friday, July 17th, so enter quick and tell your friends!!!

Giveaway is open to US/CAN residents. Shipping of prizes is not included and must be paid by winner. UPrinting.com reserves the right not to print obscene or offensive materials.

All designs submitted in the form of a giveaway may be used by UPrinting.com for online marketing and promotional uses. The designs will be used solely as examples and not be printed or commercially distributed.

Have a fantastic Day and don't forget to check out yesterday's giveaway, too!

*Etsy Love* Pretty Cool Jewels - GIVEAWAY!

I am so excited to introduce you to Pretty Cool Jewels, a fabulous jewelry Etsy shop run by Diana!

Diana has been creating beautiful and unique jewelry pieces for over twenty years! Her designs are classic and creative at the same time, making them fabulous additions to your wardrobe! Diana uses semi-precious gemstone beads for her unique designs, too! I love that! She has so many wonderful beads in her collection! One of the things I like the most about Diana's work is that she creates different styles, so there is something for everyone in her shop! Here are a few of my favorites!

If I had long hair I would so have tons of cute little embellishments for it! I really love this clip! The colors are fabulous and it is so easy to wear!



This bracelet, the Estimated Prophet, is just stunning! I love how you could wear this with anything from a cute black dress to a pair of jeans and a white button down!



This necklace, Here Comes the Sunshine, is one of my absolute favorites in her shop! I just love it! I'm a sucker for long beaded necklaces and this one is just fantastic!!!



And Diana has generously offered an amazing giveaway, as well! One Winner will receive their choice between the following three pairs of gorgeous earrings! I know it will be very hard to choose!!!!





Aren't those amazing?!!!!! Wow! So...read the following so you can be entered to win one of these beautiful pairs of earrings. I think I would choose the second pair...maybe the first,.....I don't know, though...I love those ice earrings....Oh, MAN! They are all stunning, what can I say? LOL!

If you can't wait to win a pair or if you see something else you love head on over to Pretty Cool Jewels and treat yourself to something fabulous! You totally deserve it!!!

To Enter to Win the following is required:
Go to Pretty Cool Jewels and come back and tell me something you love that I didn't mention in this review.

The following will give you extra entries but are in no way required to win:
*Follow this blog and leave a comment letting me know!

*Follow Diana's Blog and Leave a comment here letting me know! (Leave her some love, too!)

*Make a purchase at Pretty Cool Jewels and leave THREE comments letting me know for THREE extra entries.

Giveaway ends Tuesday, July 21st.

That's it! Have a fabulous Day!!!!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today we celebrated my Mom's birthday! And she's pretty great, so that was fun! I felt bad because we couldn't stay long, but it was one of those days where we just really enjoyed each others company, you know? Sometimes hangin' with the fam can be just plain fun! Dad grilled and there was way too much food, which is pretty much how Daddy does things! LOL! And it was all fabulous! This is the card that I made for her.




The Use Your Stash challenge this week goes up tomorrow and you should check it out! Let's just say, you may see this card again! ;-)

Here are a couple o fun close ups:





This card was a blast to create! I really love it!

Here is the supply list: Patterned Paper: Pink Paislee; Cardstock: American Crafts; Stickles Glitter Glue: Ranger; Brads: American Crafts; Stamps and Ink: Close To My Heart, Celebration labels and Be Yourself; Punch: EK Success (large scallop), Fiskars (small scallop template); Trim: Pink Paislee

And here, is my beautiful Mom on her birthday! It is a gorgeous sunny day, here, too, which is her favorite kind, so that worked out well!

Happy Birthday, Mommy!!!!

Oh, and just a note - keep an eye on the blog this week! I have several giveaways that are ready to go! I think I will have three or four of them to do this week!!! I'm excited!