Craftin Desert Diva's Link Up Party ...CRAFT ROOMS!

 Happy Monday!  Craftin Desert Divas (CHECK IT OUT HERE) are having a link up party to show off our Craft Rooms!  I love this idea!  I am always perusing Pinterest and Facebrook Groups trying to get inspired on how to organize all of my crafty junk!

After the Christmas holidays, I decided to redo my craft room.  Painted the walls a soft light color, donated tons of unused product to Goodwill and purchased lots of storage items from Michael's and Hobby Lobby when those things were on sale.

Here are pictures of my progress to date:

I LOVE the storage cubes.  They hold a TON of crafty goodies and now that everything is organized, I have been able to save a lot of time when I craft.

This was fun!  Head on over to Craftin Desert Divas and show us your crafty room!!!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!

Hugs!!!

Happy Card

If you would like to play along in the CARDZTV Challenge, check HERE.

Happy Sunday!  We have had a few unusual weather days...one day it was 100 degrees and the next day it was 46 degrees!  I will be so glad when Mr. Spring runs Mr. Winter back to the North Pole!

I have been making cards all week for a wonderful organization that I am sure most of you are aware of:  OPERATION WRITE HOME.  My son recently deployed and was surprised and happy when he saw a box of homemade cards from Operation Write Home at the USO building where he is currently stationed.  He emailed me and asked me if I would make some cards in his honor and send them to Operation Write Home.  I told him I would be glad to.

Here is a sample card that I made this week:

My crafty friend, Susan, of itsmesusanp sent me these adorable SVG cuts that she cut recently.  I love the cuts and thought the sun was such a happy sun!  This card literally took seconds to me since Susan did all the hard work!  I had so much fun making this card!

The sentiments are from CARDZTV stamps.  I used two different sets.

You can shop for these awesome stamp sets HERE.

Have a great day!

National Scrapbooking Day and Giveaway

Hello my crafty friends!  It is National Scrapbooking Day!  Woo Hoo!  I am going to be holed up in my cute Crafty Corner making Mother's Day cards!  Hope at least some of you will be able to craft today!

Mary, over at CARDZTV is having a very special giveaway today to celebrate this special day!  Go check out Mary's blog to see what the super special prize is!

Challenge No. 29 "There's No Other Like My Mother"

Hello  my crafty friends!  Are you ready for another CARDZTV Challenge?  Mother's Day is just around the corner...and the theme, starting today, is to make a card, layout, or craft project with a Mother's Day theme.  This challenge will end May 16th at Noon Eastern Time and the winner will receive one set of CARDZTV Stamps!!  Mary will announce the winner at CARDTV.  You can shop for Mary's awesome stamps HERE.

Here is my project:

This adorable image of the cute girl with her fancy hat and flowers is from Digital Delights by LoubyLou.  All papers used were from scraps!  Some of the papers used are even leftover scraps from Halloween!  Use your imagination to use your excessive piles of scrap paper!

The following stamp sets were used for this card:

Come play with us!!!!

Celebrate You!

Happy Thursday!  How many of you have been to Michael's in the past several weeks?  They have been having some awesome sales going on....great deals!  The floral chipboard in the center of this card was purchased out of the $1 bin for 20 cents!!!  There is four floral chipboard flowers in each pack.  I purchased several packages....cannot pass up that kind of a bargain!

All papers used in making this card were from my scraps.  The sentiment, "Celebrate YOU!" is from Cardztv Stamps.  You can purchase Mary's awesome stamp sets HERE.

Have a great day!

See ya later, alligator!

Mom and Matthew

Ali and her Mom, Kim

Ali's Dad, Biaggio and Matt's Grandma Page

Matt's Dad, Steve and his other awesome Mom, Kelli

Matt's other "Dad", Billy

We had a great visit with Matt before he left for his deployment overseas.  I had a wonderful time getting to know Ali's family and visiting with Steve, Kelli and Page.  Billy was a trooper driving through horrid weather to get me to Lawton.  There was a lot of food to eat and lots of laughter.

As Matt was going over my "duty assignments" during his absence, I could not help but marvel at what a responsible, mature young man my son has become.  He held it together and made sure that each one of us got to spend time with him.   We had a great time laughing and telling stories during meal time.

And then, it was time to say goodbye.  I have "sent" Matt off several times.  During summers in high school, I  sent him to Ruidoso to work at the racetrack.  I sent him to Texas A&M to attend college and he graduated in 2009.  It was so different this time, because it was the U.S. Army sending him overseas...not me.

I did not cry and I did not say goodbye.  "See ya later, alligator!"  was what I whispered in his ear as I hugged him.  

I received notification that he arrived in Kuwait yesterday and is waiting for his Visa to cross over to the United Arab Emirates.  

As mothers, fathers, stepmothers and stepfathers, we raise them the best we can and leave the rest to God. 

I have a feeling this is going to be a very long year.