DEAL ALERT!!!

A friend of mine (thanks, Karen!) was nice enough to inform me...

MICHAEL'S ARTS & CRAFTS STORE IS HAVING A SALE!!!! - ENTIRE INVENTORY OF CRICUT CARTRIDGES ARE $39.99 - CUTTLEBUG IS ALSO 50% OFF!!!!

That is just way too good! That could be cheaper than eBay... However, they are not offering rain checks, so it is limited to what they have in stock, which is never the "popular" cartridges. Hmm... it still looks as if I may have to put stuff on eBay today to get a little "cash-in-hand!"

Also... if you have any Walgreens near you, I have discovered a great way to save $$$! I know... we've all tried refilling our ink cartridges in order to save money and to be more "green." We ended up with a mess and with cartridges that no longer worked properly. Walgreens refills cartridges, but they do it professionally and quickly! It usually takes about 15 minutes in the store. To refill a cartridge, color is $15 (sure beats the $34 for a new one!) and black is $10 (as compared to $19 for a new one!). I had them do it and have had no messes, with the cartridges printing just as well as before. There are some printers/brands they won't refill, but I have an HP, and it did just wonderfully! Go to www.walgreens.com for info about which cartridges they will/won't refill. Do not check out the "ink cartridge refill" box to find a location. Call the location nearest you, as they are not all registered with this service, even though they do it.

Today is semi-back-to-normal day. Kids go back to school - Spring Break is OVER!!! I go back to semi-normal routines... as normal as possible without a vehicle - NO! the other driver did not have insurance... oh well. Such is life. I am guessing this was Divine Intervention telling Lisa (me) to get off her (my) fat butt and EXERCISE!!! And so... we will be biking and/or walking to practices. At least I have Juan's car for the morning stuff. Oh well... that's my day planned... so far. Gotta drop off the kiddies... Toodles for now! lisa

I found it!

Coca-Cola stuff is one of my other passions. My brother, in answer to one of my quests for knowledge, put me in touch with this fabulous site: http://www.2collectcola.com/page/ACC/CTGY/TSB! They have Coca-Cola scrapbooking stuff like pages, all kinds of different stickers, borders, etc. The prices aren't too bad either. But hey! They have even more treasures than scrapbooking stuff! If you love Coca-Cola, like me, you will love this site! Thanks, Josh!

I have also now finally won the Tags Bags Boxes & More Cricut cartridge via eBay. Thank you everyone who helped try to find it for lower.

And... I also got "Happily Ever After" (which features Cinderella, Aurora, Snow White, Mulan & their story fellows) and "Dreams Do Come True" (which features the remaining Princesses - Belle, Ariel, Pocahontas, Jasmine & their story fellows). These were on clearance at Walmart for $45 with no shipping needed! Juan actually bought one for me! Thank you! I love them, and so do the girls... especially Marissa. She thinks they are hers, but they can be used "for" her. There are some really cute things on each cartridge, besides the actual characters, so I am so psyched to test them!

I have a "lot" of Coluzzle stuff coming and can't wait for it to get here!

I just love all of my new toys. My girls are getting more interested, the more they see... However, they keep asking me, "Can you make me one?" My thought is that I would love to, but I really want them to take it up more and learn to do it themselves. Karen & I are doing another scrapbooking day today, so hopefully they will join in. Until later... Toodles for now! lisa

Back Again!

First, let me say that I've worked hard trying out new techniques and reading a lot... as you can see in this photo of my latest page. True... Labor Day 2007 was quite a long time ago... but I finally got it into my book.

These next two are "closer-ups" of the double-page layout.

Here, I did an accordion-style technique that allowed me to incorporate several more photos. There are photos on each side of the accordion.

Then, I used a photo for a pocket and added hidden "pull-out" journaling.

Also, on the first page, there are tags with several "faces". This allowed me to showcase the "flip-side" of things (Jr. made some really funny faces, that I put onto the tags) and do some more hidden journaling.

The letters and numbers are punch outs, sprayed with adhesive, coated with sand, then applied with "Crystal Lacquer" to make it shiny and raised. The letters ended up being pretty heavy, so I adhered them to the pages with with "red tape."

The papers, I cut and tore, to resemble the many layers of the beach and the beautiful day that we experienced. I'm very proud of these pages... However, I am for now on ordering my prints online, as I don't particularly care for the glossy and would rather get the matte finish. The glossy is just way too difficult to keep fingerprints off of.

This layout took quite a while for me, as there were several new techniques. I didn't want to do too many pages for the one event, so I explored my options so that I could do as many photos as I wanted without using a lot of space. This was very successful (at least I think so). The pictures of the pages do not do it justice. I also wanted the viewer to experience the pics, so I made it as interactive as possible, and added the pull-outs and flips.

Also, the use of Crystal Lacquer was something I've wanted to do since I saw the stuff at the the EXPO. The company who makes it, though will for sure be getting a letter from me. Although I love the final result, this was an extremely messy thing. Mess, I don't mind, but the product leaked from the bottle when pressure was applied. It also took much longer to dry than the instructions said. 15-45 minutes my foot! It took almost 24 hours! So... needless to say, I wasn't able to finish it when I thought I would be able to.

Oh yeah! I got to use the Crop-a-Dile Big Bite... now I really want one! The eyelet and brads were set through it. Gotta love that! Works like a dream!!!

I did another couple of layouts from the Butterfly Exhibit, but they are done. I need to finish off the titles and journaling, so my Cricut will be whipped out tomorrow, and I'm hoping to complete them.

I've been trying to not think about my beloved car so much, as it will be another 2-3 weeks. We'll see... for now gotta go! Today is "family day" as Juan's home and so is his daughter. I was hoping the sun would peek out so we could go bike riding, but so far, it is still gloomy and chilly. Yuck! Toodles for now! lisa

My Favorite Tools and What I'm Looking For...

Most of you know I love scrapbooking and other crafts. Right now, I'm more fascinated with the scrapbooking. Here are some of my faves:

I adore my Cricut and use it constantly for many things. I only have a couple of cartridges: Mickey and Friends, Mickey Font, George and Basic Shapes, Paper Dolls, and Sampler (a concoction of bits from a couple of cartridges). I am currently looking for: "Tags Bags Boxes & More" and "Zooballoo". Also... I am looking for Cricut Design Studio (computer program that allows you to do much more with your existing cartridges). If you have any information on these (excellent deals or sites), please let me know!

Also, I just recently started using the Coluzzle cutting system by ProvoCraft. This system allows you to do precise cuts each and every time. I know my Cricut cuts, but this other system allows me to center my photos and cut those, too! Yeah! I have the following templates: tags and bookplates; boxes; and small nested circles. These are great. I am looking for the following: any nested templates, puzzle templates, and a alphabet template with "straight" letters (no dots or bumpies!).

We love "Red Tape!" It is one of the greatest things imaginable. Oh... and Glue Dots! Gotta get my adhesives... Pop Dots are another wonderful three-dimensional adhesive that finds its way into my hands often.

I am awaiting my Cropper Hopper paper organizing system to come in the mail (eBay auction), so that my little problem of paper pulling goes away. This will probably become another favorite.

Karen got a Cropadile Big Bite... and it is awesome... so awesome, that... I want one, too! It can punch a hole through anything. I would love to make a CD album... So, those of you who are close by... save those destroyed CD's for me! I could recycle them and put them to excellent use!

Another thing that I am looking for (craft/scrap-wise) is anything Coca-Cola. I picked up some stickers at Michael's the other day (on clearance) for $1.29, but haven't been able to find any papers or other items. A nice die-cut would be cool. Or... a cool Coca-Cola paper or ribbon... I love Coca-Cola and just thought it would be excellent to do a page of ME! I never do myself, and thought it would be fun... Suggestions or comments? Help! is really what I'm after!

One other thing that I would totally love is a "Bind-It-All." These are kind of expensive (at least to me). But would be totally excellent in making my (our... sorry, Karen! - we share, ya know... lol!) own books, albums, chipboard and bigger things. It basically puts an almost spiral-type binding on things (punches the holes at least).

Today is the usual... laundry day. But, I have to do some writing and other things, and then we're scrapping this evening, as there is no swim practice (for either kid). Jolene (my sister) seems to be doing fairly well. Her swelling is going down... now if I could only get her to eat!

The insurance adjuster finally called yesterday. She said she would find out the information I had been calling everybody else for... they are paid to do it (lol!). It seems like it will still take a while. Bummer! I could really use a bigger car than Jolene's... An auto sales rep called today, stating that he could get us what we already had (or at least pretty close to it). The only thing is... if we were to get a new car, we are probably looking at (maybe) a Tahoe Hybrid. It could totally save on gas! You'll have to check it out (or wait for updates).

Anyway, gotta get going... Stacy has an ortho appointment, and I have to finish laundry and start dinner, too. Have a beautiful day... we are! - Toodles for now! lisa

It's a Great Week... so far...

Although the ending of my week wasn't so good last week, this week is much better. Gone are the stressful days of running around, getting kids to two different schools, picking them up at two different times, taking them to two different practices. School is out! We have just been sitting and "gel-ing." Yes, we are getting some stuff done, but it is much more casual, and I am lovin' it!

Easter was also a great thing. With the "issue" from last week, I was driven by Juan to my mom's. My sister was there with her fiance, and my brother with his family. We didn't have the Easter Bunny... but we sure had a chipmunk (my sister!). She is recuperating from a jaw surgery (Friday also) and was a tad swollen. Yikes! We had a great time with the kids hunting for eggs (which contained $$$). Then we did dinner, talked a lot, and went home (I drove my sister's car, so I had transportation... Juan went to work from my mom's house).

Monday was different but easy. I slept in! Yeah! And it felt really good.

I'm still a little stressed from calling my insurance, the police, the "other" insurance, etc. and not getting a response back, but without running everyone around, it was much less stress on me, and I worked through it. (I made the same calls today without a response, too!) I'm still a little sore (stress and tension does that to a body), but overall, I'll survive and be okay.

We went to practice (the high-schoolers are swimming with the club swim team during spring break), and Stacy swam (Rey was at my mom's, taking care of my sister). I had deck duty and watched Marissa at the same time... boy was that a challenge! We were done fairly early and went home. No pressure, no going to bed at a certain time, no homework worries... it is GREAT!

Today was more of the same, (especially the "sleeping in" part!) except Rey and my sister came home. Jolene (my sis) is going to stay for awhile until she is okay on her own. The swelling has gone down a lot and she is able to eat "solids" through a syringe (YUCK!). But... swim practice was cancelled unexpectedly due to maintenance failing to unlock the pool gate. Hey! That bites!

Dinner tonight was super easy. Egg salad! Yum! Gotta love that egg salad on whole wheat with lettuce... Easy and not wasteful, and the best way to use up those Easter eggs.

Oh yeah... and I forgot. One of the must-have features I've decided I absolutely need for any vehicle (should we seriously have to get a new one) is automatic headlights! I was driving my sister's car and couldn't figure out why it was so dark! Whoops! I guess that's a little something I got way too used to! Just one of my random thoughts besides... gotta get scrappin'! Toodles for now! - lisa

HAPPY EASTER... and other things!

Here, in Southern California, it is a beautiful spring morning... it has the potential to be another scorcher. Yesterday was 91 degrees and was supposed to be no more than 79! (The weather cannot make up it's mind!) Who knows what today will bring... but it did bring the Easter Bunny!

I'm in the middle of a couple of articles and was just taking a break. I thought I'd send you some Easter greetings and hope everyone is well. Here are some cards I made... just for Easter, and I'm sharing them with you! Most of it is done with my little Cricut (which I absolutely LOVE). On the insides: one says, "Hoppy Easter!"; another - "Hoppin' your way to wish you a wonderful EASTER Day!"; and the last - "Happy Easter... from sumbunny who love you!" They were all done with stamps, my writing and embossing. Enjoy...Please comment. Your greetings can be shared with everyone.

And for all of those wondering how I am (after the accident), I'm a little stiff and sore (tension and nerves) and currently still without a vehicle. The police have not returned my calls, and neither has the insurance agent of the "other" party. But... I know I have been lied to (by the actual insurance company of the "other" party), because the paperwork I saw was issued after the supposed cancellation date of the policy. Go figure. Do you think anyone wants to pay up? How long is this going to take? All I know... guess who they are dealing with. I am extremely persistent, and this is no joke. I will "bomb" them with phone calls!!! This needs to be pushed through. There is no reason why I should have to pay when it wasn't my fault. Then again... what exactly is "no-fault" insurance? LOL! It is a joke!

On the other side... It is a beautiful day. Enjoy it... and have a HAPPY EASTER!!! Toodles for now! lisa

Through No Fault of My Own! - RAM!!!

I'm a little perturbed right now. I have no vehicle... I was in a car accident on the way home from dropping the girls off... was hit in the intersection by someone not braking enough for a red light. My car is thrashed at the passenger rear (so is the tire - totally shredded). I was pushed into the lady next to me (her car is pretty ok). The driver (who hit me)'s insurance policy expired 2 days ago... uh... It turns out, we DON't have uninsured motorists "protection" and don't have rental coverage! YikeS!!!!! Can I cry now? and even more... Juan wants me to stay calm and act ok, to not scare the baby... but.. The cop gave the guy (other driver) 3 hours to get a new insurance paper (the dude says the insurance is covered, he just didn't have the current paper... I sure hope so!). And my insurance says my best bet is to start with his insurance, so it is handled quicker. (Sigh....) I really want to cry now. My eyes are watering. I'm having a very bad day.

To top it off... it was a Dodge Ram 2500 4-wheel drive! Well, they live up to their names! I waited at a red light, while a crossing guard guided a runner. The light turned green... I waited about 2 seconds, saw no approaching vehicles, was almost across... and WHAM! The Ram rammed into me! Beautiful truck with minute damage... only the front bumper. It doesn't exactly look cool with white paint (mine) on it.

But going back to the perturbed thing... the insurance is really putting it to me. First they tell me that we have to shell out $165 to the tow truck ourselves, then they tell me the "other" driver's insurance company will reimburse us for it. Uh... isn't the insurance supposed to handle all of that? I would hope so. Then... to make matters even worse, they told me that an adjuster probably won't even be able to check it out until next week, and that I might want to get ahold of the "other" driver's insurance and get things speeded up from that end. Hello! What are they going to do about it? Apparently nothing.

A rental vehicle of the same size (we really need a mini-van size) is $499 a week. Wow! Thank goodness my kids aren't going to school for the next two weeks. We can get by... just won't be doing much. I guess I can reacquaint ourselves with the public transportation system. We can do the movies (next to the mall is cheap - $2 for matinee/$3 for evening); we can do the mall; we can do many other things, just as long as we are open-minded.

Maybe this is for the best. No one was hurt. Marissa wasn't with me, and the car, although very damaged, can hopefully be fixed. I wasn't in my pj's... We may have to pay a deductible... we'll find out later. But in the end, we'll all be ok.

Just remember, life happens. It happens quickly. So... make the most of it and make sure to brush your teeth and your hair before you go out! And remember also how beautiful each day is (look at that blue sky in the truck's photo!). Toodles for now! lisa (who is now much calmer...)