Lucky Charm Templates

I made these for the challenge at Ginger Scraps (will link up when the forum is running) and just had to share with you guys. I’ve been dabbling around with creating digital scrapbook things and my favorite is templates. So here is my first set, I included the .psd files and the .tiff files. There are 5 templates in the folder as well. Here is a preview:

Nothing major lol  but if you use them please share as I’d love to see what you do with them. (I’ve broken the links to just the psds and just the tiffs. If you need other methods please let me know)
PSD
TIFF

Stress Levels Maxed

That’s how I feel lately. I have school to do, and am sadly behind on mainly because I don’t understand how to use Adobe Premiere pro to edit videos. Owen’s been sick, Jeff’s back hurts again AND then he feel at work and scrapped up his leg some (blog that later). Of course there is the whole living in my husband’s sister’s basement too. I feel trap almost and Jeff tries, he really does to help not feel that way but it’s hard. I know I’m not wanted and that effects a lot of things about me. I have fallen in my domestic duties and while it seems like a cop out it’s due in large part to my depression and anxiety. My sleep habits are whack and it’s just insane. I blame that on the fact that 11:00 AM and 11:00 PM look exactly the same. Jeff calls  bullshit on it though because it doesn’t effect Owen or him.

I need to get reviews up and it’s not like me to not have them up yet and those are going up as soon as I tackle my homework tomorrow. Monday is the start to a new routine. I’m setting my alarm for 9:00 am and putting it across the room so I have to get my lazy ass out of bed (this is always hard with Jeff’s new work schedule because he is home and I know he’ll get Owen taken care of in the mornings). I  am going to start taking my showers in the morning cause I see that it helps better. Then I’m going to use the upstairs table as my “desk” since the kitchen/front room get a lot of sun. I think this will be a better way to get myself into bed before 6:00AM. I am getting a white board monday to keep me on track and am ready for this new schedule. I can’t tone up/work out and expect results if I have a whacked out sleep pattern.

Wordless Wednesday; Weirdo

What fun is a camera phone if you don’t use it right? So O and I were bored at the buffet tonight and decided to goof around while waiting for Creativelydad. I know I’m such a good role model lol.

Meme: Mommy and Me

These is a great new Meme on Monday’s *shh I haven’t been to bed yet so it’s monday to me lol* and I love it! It’s called Mommy and Me Monday’s. I love the idea and that’s why I’m posting it even though I missed Monday’s lol. I love this idea for a few reasons. I use to be VERY anti-photos. I’ve had bad acne since I was in the 6th grade. I hated my photos being taken because I felt ugly. While my acne’s never gone away I am to the point where I tolerate it. I mean I’d love for it to be gone but yeah I don’t see that happening.

Hosted by Krystyn

A week after we buried my grandma I remember we were looking at photos of her and I realized if anything happens, what kind of photos will I leave behind? How will Owen remember me if I can’t leave any photos behind? It made me really sad and I’ve vowed to myself that no matter if I’m having an “ugly” day or not, I wasn’t going to just hide behind the camera or cover my face to get out of a photo. It’s important to me that I “leave behind” things that will let Owen remember me because you never know what tomorrow brings. This is one reason why I LOVE my camera phone. Owen and I are always taking photos in the car if we’re waiting for Jeff, if we’re at Wal-Mart waiting for someone we’re taking photos. Shoot I spent 20 minuets in Target 2 weeks ago taking photos of me and random items that I wanted lol! I love photography and am slowly starting to love being in the photo. I don’t see it being conceited but just wanting to be apart of those great (or random lol) moments you want to remember forever. So since I missed Monday’s photo I’m going to use one I love that we took a few months ago:

 

This was taken at Walmart lol. It was the day Owen and I went to see Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs in theaters, his first time at the movies. We had just left Burlington Coat Factory and I had gotten a new winter coat (in the photo) and I loved it (still do lol). We were waiting for Jeff to pick out some deoderant and I told Owen ready lets take a photo. As you see he’s in the middle of saying Cheeeese  and NOT looking at the phone.  I don’t really know why I love this photo but I do. It’s a favorite and I think I used it in EVERYTHING for like a month lol. 

Are you participating? If so link me up and I’ll come visit! Doesn’t this just seem to make Mondays more fun!?

Rainbow Brite Giveaway!

**Giveaway Closed**

Growing up I was a BIG Rainbow Brite fan. I loved everything about her and her friends. I was convinced I would own a horse, Starlight, one day. I think I loved Spritzie Sprite the best. Those little guys were all adorable and I wanted them running around my house ha! I was even trying to dress up as Rainbow Brite for the last adult Halloween party we went to, but Jeff couldn’t (or i.e wouldn’t) find something to go with me lol. I think I would’ve made a cute Rainbow Brite lol.

When I seen that she was making a comeback I was excited. I loved her new makeover (hey it’s been 25 years, we’re all entitled to a makeover right) and hoped you readers would love it as well. While I didn’t get to pick who I received, the awesome mailman brought Rainbow Brite’s friend Moonglow! I just love her and since Owen screamed when I asked if he’d like to play with her, she must not be cool enough to hang with his wrestlers. So the perfect person would be my 5 year old niece. Aunt Brandy suddenly became pretty interesting because as soon as I walked upstairs and showed her she was so excited. She kept saying how pretty her hair was, and I have to agree, her hair is pretty sweet. Moonglow has very well liked in the ‘community’ as well because I saw her riding in Hannah Montana’s tour bus/van thingy just the other day!

Moonglow comes complete with remove cuffs and some pretty sweet boots and if you really must have her, you can purchase her horse as an accessory (and what little girl wouldn’t want a cool horse lol). Moonglow and her friends are available at Target, Toys R Us. But of course one lucky reader gets to win their very own doll! NOTE the company has no control over what doll is shipped out to who and you won’t know who you’re getting until it arrives.

To enter just tell me who you’re trying to win this doll for (and hey it’s okay to say yourself lol!)

For extra entries please see below:

• Follow my blog
  
• comment on any of my other posts (please comment with what post it is)
  
• Follow me on TWITTER
  
• Sign up for my RSS feed 
• Sign up for my newsletter
• Email 2 people about this giveaway and include me in the CC (email on profile)
  
• Blog this giveaway
• Tweet this giveaway: I entered to win a Rainbow Brite or Friend doll at @creativelyyours and you can too http://bit.ly/aylEBJ (unlimited )

This giveaway ends Saturday Feburary 27th @ 11:59 cst. 

photo was taken from cybermelli because I forgot to get a photo before giving her to my niece.

 
*I was given a free free product and/or was paid for this review. Any opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Woo! Random Post

I’ve got a few reviews to get up as well as contests so look out for those after this post. I just have to say that I am rather excited because (hopefully) in the next month or two I’ll be able to purchase my own domain and get the move on to wordpress. Woot Woot! Also that will require a name change because apparently there are a million Creatively Yours out there and  their variations, but that’s okay because I’ve just figured out the PERFECT name and I can’t wait to share it with you guys … when I get it all switched over. Sorry I can’t share until at least I buy it. I have a name complex I suppose and am VERY terrified of it being taken away from me, blame my sister ha! So until then I’ll leave you with suspense lol. It really is a fitting name and I can’t wait. Also some VERY awesome reviews coming up; some from Giam (you know gotta get my hot mom look going), some very interesting suspense novels, and a few others. Also, I have a rainbow brite giveaway coming up later tonight and a couple others.  Hope everyone’s having a great Monday, it’s rather blah over here today lol.

*I was given a free free product and/or was paid for this review. Any opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced in any way.

btw; I love You

When Amy first showed us kit Blue Blooms I was in awe of it. Being a mom of a boy it wasn’t just the boy feeling that I loved. I loved the flowers and the the way it all came together. I have to say this is probably my favorite kit she’s created so far.

I think this kit is a big favorite of mine because the blue flowers just remind me of my grandma. She was big into gardening … she had this HUGE flower garden on the back of her property that was a pain to help keep maintained in the summer lol, but I’d give anything to just have those moments back and this kit just brought those feelings back, but in a good way. .
 
I guess I’m back in a moment where I just miss her. I’ve been having trouble dealing with just how different things have been since she passed. I feel like I’m almost starting life again because it’s the polar opposite of how things use to be. It’s really hard to deal with and when I’m adding in other stresses from other “family” members it just wears me down. Anyhow enough of my sappiness, one of the main things I love is the color scheme she came up. The colors she used here can be used for so many different pages/albums and I seriously think that this would make a GREAT baby album, or I think I’m going to use this to scrap my grandma’s photos and make an album with it. Her favorite color was blue and she’d just love this. s, here is my layout that I created and am just in love with. I used this kit (and other pieces from other kits) for a speed scrap at Scrap Orchard last night. I think this is one of my new favorite layouts lol. Of course in my true style I used pieces from other kits as well but 90% of this is the kit. So that is the highlight of my night lol. I am still trying to undestand this video editing program and get this video done for class. I can’t believe how late this is, but sigh I have to realize I will not catch on how to use EVERYTHING the first few times like I did with photoshop and such. I think that’s my biggest issue is not knowing how to use the program.

I’ve got some great contests going on and there are more to come! Well I have to sleep as we have a busy Sunday ahead. Jeff gets out early because his dad’s retirement party is this afternoon and then we’re hanging out at home with a friend from high school to watch a wrestling ppv. I’m equally excited because that mean BBQ chicken nachos (they are yum) and Chinese food for dinner (lol I have weird food combos I know but nachos are sounding good and I didn’t want pizza so I’m ordering Chinese take out ha!), ah I’m so behind Owen was super sick the last 48 hrs and yesterday was back to his self. It’s hard adjusting to him being back and healthy after the 2 days he spent sleeping …. it was really quite lol. I’m glad to have him healthy again, not having him to laugh and talk with makes me a bit depressed lol. Also, I don’t do vomit so I’m glad that’s over lol. Okay babbling done, have a great Sunday!

What’s Next Barbie?!

I’ve always been a big Barbie girl growing up. She mixed it well with my ninja turtles, I thought they all looked cool cruising in her red convertible. Yet over the years Barbie has gotten a lot of heat, what with her and Ken divorcing, her love for GI Joe (so all that may or may not be rumors you know how being in the public eye can be), and lets not forget all the jobs she’s had over the years. I love how inspiring she is to kids little girls (and boys hey there is no judging here Owen has been known to mix it up with my niece’s Barbie while they are playing with his action figures) and I really like the new “I Can Be” series they are doing with Barbie, but I think some of them are not all that great examples to set.

First is the Barbie I Can Be; Bride Doll, I mean they even have Ken and Ring Bearer (though he’s a bit pricey). I’ve done the whole dress up and pretend to be married stuff. What I have a problem with here is that we’ve already seen in fairy-tales and movies how clouded the view of marriage is and maybe I’m a bit jaded in these views because I’ve had my share of downfalls in my own marriage, but I think this is a bit much. I wouldn’t have a problem if they just released this doll on it’s own but why being married isn’t a JOB and this is part of a collection showing Barbie doing (what I’m assuming) different jobs, sure there are woman that love to do the whole step-ford wife bit still, and we all know there are still men out there that expect the woman to bow down and treat him like a God once the rings are on. This just seems to be a bad idea and just does more to glorify being married and being a bride to little girls. We have a lot more to offer than just being a wife, and not everyone wants to be married. Also before anyone says “Maybe that’s not how they are meaning it to be!” Here is what it says on the Mattel website:
“Barbie® I Can Be…™ dolls and accessories let girls play out fabulous careers and different roles, including a beautiful bride on her wedding day” Like I said, I think the Bride Barbie is cute but shouldn’t be included in something that showcases careers.

Then we have the Barbie Potty Training Pups. Now this is just ridiculous really. I know they make the Barbie Doll with Tanner the Dog that you feed him a treat and he poops. This potty training Pup toy is kinda the same idea except they pee and “poop” (yes the papers turn yellow or have little brown circles on them). Yup you fill their little bottles with water, Barbie feeds them and then you make them pee. I can see this being a disaster and I can see my nieces trying to make the real dogs that they are around pee … that wouldn’t be too fun lol. Now if you’ve NEVER even seen the promo for this I found it on Youtube (thank  goodness for Youtube lol) and will share it because while it’s funny in a way it shows how silly it is. So enjoy … or just laugh. I found the HSN clip on Youtube and I don’t think they got through the whole thing without laughing, it just is a bit much I think. Anyway, you decide:

What I wanna know is what happened to Malibu Barbie and all those barbies that were around when I was 7, 8, 9, or 10? Why does Barbie need pets that poop and pee? What’s next “gas” for her convertible?

Scrap book Layouts

Here are my latest pages I’ve been working on. I love them. I also bought my FIRST ever paper scrap supplies at Micheal’s the other day and can’t WAIT to have a FIRST try at hybrid scrapping. Wish me lucky as I’m kinda scared to not have my delete button lol. First up is one from the latest Hodge Podge challenge. Here is B is for …Click the link to see full credits. Up next is the latest release from the ever so awesome Amy Sumrall. She teamed up with Emily Merritt and Designs by Lili to create this beautiful kit called Waiting for Spring and boy am I READY for Spring lol! Also this layout uses a template that Amy has on her blog as well. Here is my layout: Waiting for Spring

Eye Buy Direct Giveaway

Contest is CLOSED. Congrats to Leah!

Needing new glasses can put a big dent in your wallet, something I knew all too well when I went to my eye doctor appointment last month and found out I had a small need for BIFOCALS … yes I wasn’t too happy to find out at 24 years-old I needed a small (like only one eye lol) need for bifocals … but what can you do right? So I sucked it up and after looking at the amazing designs offered at Eye Buy Direct. They offer affordable and cute designs for any of your glasses needs.

Of course my favorite thing had to be looking all around the site at the different frames they offered. It was hard to pick a frame and I think I drove my husband insane showing him the different pairs that I liked. Though there was one pair that I kept going back to and it was the these adorable Black/Green/Clear frames and I LOVE them. They are very comfortable and I didn’t have any trouble with the frames rubbing against my ears/nose as my previous frames did.

Also I love how light weight they felt on my face. I was a little worried about the black/green combo and how it might not always look right with what I’m wearing, but I’ve yet to have a problem with that and I really liked that my glasses arrived in a clear plastic case that shuts securly with two little magnets. The glasses were even wrapped in a cute clouds cleaning cloth.

I have never bought eye glasses online before but I can honestly tell you that I will be buying any other frames I may need (and since I’m always misplacing something AND the mother of a 5-year-old, I’m sure I’ll need another pair sometime lol) I will definitely be buying them from Eye Buy Direct again. In fact I am hoping to pick up a pair of prescription sunglasses in a few months when it starts getting warmer out.

Now I’m sure you’re like me and wondering the cost. Eye Buy Direct offers a variety of frames, and many of them are under $10. Also they accept a wide range of forms of payment to help make sure everyone is able to buy affordable frames that they love.

Are you in the need for a new pair of glasses? Thanks to Eye Buy Direct, one lucky Creatively Yours reader will be able to win their own pair of glasses *please note that this does NOT include the designer frames or the sunglasses) and entering couldn’t be easier:

Mandatory entry:
 Visit the Eye Buy Direct and tell me what your favorite pair of glasses are.

For extra enteries (only counting IF the mandatory entry if properly completed):

• Post a photo on their Eye Try to see what looks good on you & get feedback from other consumers.
• Post a comment to other photos and comment here with what your comment says so I can find it.
• Link up to your Eye Try photo of a pair of frames that you just love.
• Follow my blog
  
• comment on any of my other posts (please comment with what post it is)
  
• Follow me on TWITTER
  
• Sign up for my RSS feed 
• Sign up for my newsletter
• Email 2 people about this giveaway and include me in the CC (email on profile)
  
• Blog this giveaway
• Tweet this giveaway: I entered to win glasses from @eyebuydirect and @creativelyyours and you can too http://bit.ly/aElffq (unlimited)

This giveaway is available to US only and ends February 25 @ 11:59 cst.

*I was given a free free product and/or was paid for this review. Any opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced in any way.