It's Your Day

I made this quick, easy card to send to my cousin's husband. I didn't have any guy cards in my stash and had to think of something fast. Hope he doesn't mind that the paper has some pink stripes. Oops. Sorry, Larry. But, it will be on time! ha ha I used my mini pinking scissors to trim the edge after I stamped the saying onto the patterned paper. I reminds me of a corn cob. I distressed and inked the edges of the turquoise to tone down the color a bit. Uhm....I still see that pink shining bright in all it's glory. Let's just say this card is corn and raw steak. How about that? Corn and pink, raw steak. That's masculine, right? Wrong. Oh well. Maybe better luck next year with him getting a card that screams "man". *chuckle*

Riley cracks me up. But, then again...you already knew that. He has this quirky habit about "needing" to take a toy or bone outside with him to go potty. If he takes a stuffed animal, it almost always comes back looking like this. Here's Mr. Ephelant (elephant) after his snow bath. I'm not sure why Riley does this, but since no animals are harmed in the making of such funny moments, I let him do it. Why not? God uses him to make me giggle daily. Plus, we can all use some fresh air now and then....even Mr. Ephelant. *snort*

Meet Mr. Elfa

Yet again, my craft area is getting revamped. I tell ya. It DRIVES ME CRAZY! About the time I think I have it just so-so, then I start making piles of this, piles of that, etc. So....I decided to get an Elfa system at The Container Store to help me utilize more vertical space on this main wall.
This is the "you really can't tell how bad it is, but trust me it's bad" before shot. What you can't see is the 4-foot table behind the chair that has PILES on it, plus the 6 feet of floor space with PILES of stuff. Oh brother. I need an intervention. I plan to sort, purge and reorganize most of my stuff. I have to or I'll never come back down here to create again. It bugs me THAT bad.

This is the "while hubby is still at work and this chick really really really wants her Elfa together and thinks she can do it alone" during picture. Seriously, don't poke your eyes out due to the 1970s vibe of grossness you see here. I am so very grateful for my space, but seriously....1970s style. hee hee Here you can see where I pushed my 8-foot table towards the middle of the space and all of the glorious piles of "certainly I should be able to make sense of this all" that are filling both tables. Again, makes you want to poke both eyes out and call the organization cops on me. Right? Right.

Oh, I see light at the end of my tunnel. Mr. Elfa is upright! I got the free-standing version so that I didn't have to drill into this lovely "Lord knows how thick it is and what's behind it" knotty pine wood panels from the 1970s. I also had to work within a 6'x9' space, avoiding the duct work that is "hidden" behind that sassy wooden box thingy. Niiiice. Not. Anywho....What is nice about the freestanding is that I can ADD ON ANOTHER SECTION as my budget allows. Ah, yes! More space, more shelves. MORE ELFA. I've died and gone to Heaven. Oh wait....Heaven will be WAY better than this. Way better. But, for now...I'll take my Elfa. Ok, onward and upward...let's scroll down to see MORE goodness in the making...

Ta-da! A desktop! Woo-hippity-hoo! It's really three shelves end to end that create my desktop. Snazzy, eh? Ok, keep going...

Bada-bing-bada-boom! Ah........Mr. Elfa...you make me smile. The only bummer is that three of my shelf brackets needed ordered so the mini shelves aren't up yet. Do you see the WAY SUPER COOL Elfa tote bag? Oh my. They had all my little goodies all organized (imagine that...The Container Store being organized...yes, ah...love it!) and ready for me to take home. The bonus....I now have a WAY SUPER COOL tote bag to use for whatever....whenever. I just might snuggle with it in my bed when I sleep. Yes, I was THAT happy to get it. I even like saying ELFA. Come on, practice with me. ELFA. ELFA. Doesn't it make your mouth all happy to say it? I knew you'd agree. (P.S. Yes, I am this nutty. Just bear with me.)

Now, the goal is to organize said space after sorting/purging/etc. but it will take a while for me to do this process. In the meantime, sweet Elfa dreams and some day I will have a true "after" picture to show. For now, I have things all over it, but not in the manner in which it will stay. It will be a work in progress. Remember, the PILES have to be tamed before I can really do this job. I might need a candy bar to help me. Anybody got any chocolate?

Thanks for stopping by. If you don't hear from me for a while, you'll know I've poked my own eyes out so I don't have to look at the PILES. *chuckle*

Fun In Columbus

While Julie and Josh are on a 2-week Caribbean cruise, my mom is staying with Tucker. They pretty much sleep, watch tv, eat and keep each other company. I went down last Saturday for the night and had a great time!
This giraffe is his favorite. He curls up with it, puts the "butt" of the giraffe in his mouth like a pacifier and wiggles his front paws like he is "kneading" it's body. Goofy dog! He had this giraffe at the breeder, so it was technically his first toy. No wonder he loves it. It soothes him to sleep.

This dog hides bones and treats EVERYWHERE. When I went to bed Saturday night, I pulled back the covers, slipped into bed and OOH WEE....my leg hit a bone he had hidden. I have no idea how he got it under the covers, but I took it downstairs to him and he acted like it was Christmas. His feelings get hurt if you "find" one or "look" while he's hiding it. LOL In this picture, he is hiding one in his mouth.

Mom was laying on the couch and he "hid" one on her arm. Ok, Tucker, that was a bit obvious. He is so funny! What is even funnier is that mom laid there and just kept chatting with this bone on her arm, even after I told her it was there. ha

Oh boy. Humans get bedhead. Tucker gets "nap chin". LOL He looks so sleepy here.

OH, and this is very common. He was laid out and sacked out all at the same time. What a dog!

I have to tell you about a fun place in Dublin we went to...not once, but TWICE! Menchie's. It is a frozen yogurt chain, but this is the only one in Ohio so far. It is self-serve and you buy it by the pound. Grab a cup, fill it with one or many flavors of yogurt, then....

...add one or many toppings in the "dry" bar.

Then, add fresh fruit, brownie bites, cheesecake bites, etc. from the "cold" bar.

Then, take it to the register, have it weighed, pay and then EAT IT UP...Yummmmmmmm!

Oh, my. LOVE cheesecake bites. I topped mine pretty heavily on day two. Wowzers! It is such a fun place, cute environment and such a happy thing to enjoy. Menchie's! I will definitely be going back again.

Mom and I also went to B&B Scrapbooks in Powell. The nicest lady owns it and they are only about 5 minutes from Julie's house. Mom and I want to go crop there sometime, then spend the night at Julie's. Convenient! :)

On Sunday, we ate at Sunny Street Cafe in Dublin. I had bananas foster pancakes. To. die. for. YUM! Then, we went to Container Store where I bought my Elfa shelving system. Love it! I drove home later that night and Monday meant back to work...back to reality.

Hot Diggity Dog!

I stamped! For real. I mean, hey, I really really stamped! And, I did it at my craft table. I had about a 6"x6" space to work in, but I did it! I needed birthday cards for Dr. V and Cassie at work, so I stamped. Hot Diggity Dog! I almost forgot how to and better yet...I almost forgot how to post to my blog. So, here ya go....enjoy! Thanks for stopping by! Click the pictures for a closer look.

One Proud Aunt

Julie received her Master's Degree on 1/9/11. Cheers to a hard-working student! She also works full time at Nationwide Children's Hospital in their Dublin Medical Office Building.

A proud, supportive husband with his Master's graduate wife! :)

It's official! She did it!

Brooke graduated from the University of Akron on 12/11/10. She works in Akron, but hopes to transfer to Columbus soon and work two jobs. She plans on getting her Master's Degree, too. Wow! These girls are go-getters!

Wearing a cap and gown is such an accomplishment! So proud of these girls!

Hats off to you, Brooke! Congrats!

I never said I was right. Gotta be goofy or life gets WAY too boring. ha ha

Charles turned 22 on 1/7/11. We had planned a family dinner at Jake's restaurant, but it got delayed TWICE due to snow. When we were finally able to meet, there were only the four of us. Unfortunately, the rest of the Ashland gang was sick. Crazy winter sickness! Ugh. It was still a very relaxing and wonderful time with Steve, Charles and mom. Happy Birthday! I am so proud of how much Charles has matured this past year. He has found love (wink wink), has a new job and is beginning to understand just how must responsibility life takes. I have seen such a positive change and I thank God for that. :)

HOT HOT HOT wings! Yee-ow-zaaaaa! I tried the sauce and it set my tongue on fire! I do not know how he eats these! ha ha Thumbs up to that!

Make a wish, birthday boy! Love you! I remember when he was born and weighed a little over five pounds. Now he is taller than his Nanny! :)

Sweet Charles. I look forward to see what this next year brings and I hope it is full of blessings!

So, you see...I have a lot to be proud of even as an aunt. I thank God for these three precious people. They have shown me love in a way only an aunt could know. Priceless. Just warms my heart. :)