Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Give a Hand!

Hey everyone! If anyone is heading to Florida soon and needs a place to stay, then PLEASE watch this video!! My friend Gwen and her family would LOVE to have your support and help in a difficult time!!!!! AND even if you aren't and want to repost this, they would REALLY appreciate it!!!!!! Read all the details HERE! There is even a gift certificate drawing for those who help her out!


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Simply Handmade featuring yours truly :)

I promised to take a pic of my spread in Simply Handmade magazine. Here it is. Wait until I show you what my sweet hubby did for my birthday!!


Thanks to the wonderful people ay Simply Handmade for the box of goodies up on my projects return!!!

Thank you- now back to the crafts!

Thank you all for your sweet words yesterday! I really appreciate it! Such a hard time of year for the fam as we relive it through thoughts of the time and places we were at 5 years ago. My thought as I awoke this morning is that 5 years ago today when we pulled up to the funeral home was the first time I had ever  seen my dad cry. (My parents lost twins at full term before I was born, and mom said she saw him cry then, but this was the only other time even she had.) My heart breaks for my parents. Ecspecially now that I have a child of my own. It brought on a whole different perspective when I became a mom.

On to the crafty goods you come here to see :)
I had a craft fair in my hometown on Saturday. The first I have done with my creations in years. And would you believe there was not one banner or cupcake topper in the booth?! My high school best friend who happens to be fabulous and I set up a booth and it was so good to see so many people from my hometown I hadn't seen in years.
So, what all did I have?
Try brooches, rolled fabric rosette headbands, pins, hairclips, cards, wreaths, jotter notebooks, a topiary (i'll show you when I download my pics!) and more! Pics to come!
ANd a pic before I leave. From a recent custom order, a monogrammed card set!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

5 years....Sharp Knife of a Short Life....

Today is the day five years ago I lost my 18 year old brother in a car accident. He was alone, he hadn't been drinking or doing anything he shouldn't have been doing. He was on his way home from helping a friend write a paper. They think he might have fell asleep, less than 2 miles from his house on the WKU Farm. We were the family it could never happen to. We were the family who had it all together and comforted others in their time of loss. Not us. Never. Our lives are forever changed. Holidays are not as bright and cheery as they once were, and my mom and dad have lines on their faces that tell the story of their lost son. I have my days, days where I just want to cry and miss him. He was MY little brother who happened to be 6'2 and about 265 lbs and towered over me, but he was MY little brother who I did and still love with all my heart. It was such a tribute to that over 4,000 people showed up for our short visitation and graveside service. They came from hours away and some waited outside in line in the chilly fall September air for over 4 hours to pay their respects. These were the lives he touched. The hugs he gave, the elderly grandparents of friends who h stopped in to see on Sundays, the farm friends he had made through his terms as FFA President, his teammates and competitors as he served as captain of the football team. Cruise in 2005 my parents took him and his friends for senior spring break. Intersting to say the least :) LOVE these boys.

Guys all over our town have tattoos with his football number- 62, tributes to him with his name, dates, and angel wings. Cars over town have small window decals designed by Bubba's best friend with his name and dates and angel wings. A group of people in the town put an add in the paper every year on this date with his picture and a note about how they will never forget. The local FFA chapter auctions off 2 ferns at the annual banquet with the proceeds going to Bub's scholarship fund- this year the 2 ferns raised over $2000 and then they gave them to my mom. And we, the family, use the scholarship money donated when he passed to award 3 scholarships every year to local high school seniors in his memory. One for a a local football player, one for a local FFA member, and one for a local Church Youth Group member. We are continuing his legacy of giving.

My life is different.
Last night I was listening to the preview of Kenny Chesney's new album. How ironic. His song, "Who You'd Be Today" came out the same week Matt was killed.
His new album is released today. One of the songs is "Where I Grew Up." Part of the song goes:
The first time I saw Mama cry
Man, that sure was tough
Felt like I put on a few years
Watching Daddy wipe her tears
In my little coat and tie standing in that cemetery mud
That's where I grew up


I grew up right there.
His passing has made me a better person, but I try to look for the good in any tragedy. I have a closer relationship with my parents than I ever did, even though we were pretty close always. I take nothing for granted. I raise my son in a way my brother would be proud- teaching him to look for the good in everyone, help out whenever you can, and listen to the older, wiser people around us, they happen to know a thing or two about life, respect the Earth you live on, respect the animals around you, take care of the land, and to have a love for football & the Kentucky Wildcats :) He would love his nephew. I know he would have him doing and saying things just to get under my skin and love every minute of watching me climb the walls about it!
Today I just want to grieve. I want the day to go by and the date to pass and the calendar to change as when I look over I can remember every minute of every day in the days before and the days after. I have learned that if I want to cry, I should, and when I feel the need to smile, I do. I am with my family, my parents, my sister and we choose to spend the day together. We try not to cry, but just be together. No one has to say a thing. Matthew sure helps us smile and laugh and all the while we remember who he was named after, Matt.

In Loving Memory

Samuel Matthew Monroe
December 30, 1986- September 28th, 2005
We love you and miss you more than you would ever know Bub.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Apologies and Pics from customers!

I am SO sorry for those who I have been neglecting! ANDREA- you first and foremost :) With trying to prepare for an arts and craft fair, my birthday last Saturday, my dad being in the hospital, Dustin's doc appts and now startting aqua therapy, and the beginning of preschool, not to mention finishing custom orders, I have been a tad swamped!!! (Update- thank you for the sweet comments about my dad. I was at the hospital Friday and Saturday with him. They said Friday he would be there until at least Monday, well on Saturday the doctors came in and said he could go home, but had to come back in everyday for a week to have IV antibiotics. They still are not sure what is going on, but he is feeling some better and is HOME! I got my birthday wish!!!)
Just wanted to share a few pics I have gotten from customers lately! (A couple are older, butt don't think I have shared them!)
I have several posts prescheduled this week to share pics!
Hope you enjoy!!
(ermersyn and her high chair banner!)
(Isabella's gift and cake table!)
and princess toppers for this princess!
Thanks for looking! I have lots to show you this week!

Friday, September 17, 2010

Kick and Create :)- Creative Kids Crafts

I am the proud mom of a 4 year old green belt in martial arts :) Matthew tested and earned the other day. Here is is before he started is test. He is getting so big on me!!!
So in each test they get to break a board with their kicking technique. So that means we have 3 broken boards around here (one for white belt, one for yellow, and now one for orange) since he HAS to keep them. LOL. SO, I fianlly found a way to get him to do something with them! We decorated them!
A bin of stamps, a FAB Melissa & Doug stamp pad ( I love this thing! It has 6 colors in one pad for kiddos!) markers, etc.
He wrote his name and we decided to make a door hangin for his room with it :) The others are going to be decorate and given to grandparents and such. (Hey, at least they are out of my house after this :) We hae enough just laying around!!!)
Now, if I could just find some stamping time!!! LOL

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Echo Park Kits- and a note

Hi everyone! Just a quick post- my dad is not feeling so great and was admitted to the hospital yesterday, so if I am slow returning emails the next couple days, you know why! I would appreciate prayers. They are trying to figure out what is going on. Dad is NEVER sick. I have NEVER seen him in the hospital my entire life. He is 52 and in goos health, but started feeling weak, exhausted, and achey a few weeks ago and it has progressed, gotten worse and they are actually treating him for Lyme's Disease as they wait for the other test results! He is always in the fields with the farm and around animals with our dairy so of course a tick bite is a reality! Fingers crossed for him getting better soon!!!
On another note- I just listed a few extra Echo Park Paper Kits in the store. These are the collection kits straight from EPP.  Super low price and great shipping!
Kits contain:
12 12x12 double sided papers
1 12x12 sticker alphabet
1 12x12 element stickers
Shipping is Priority- Only $5.25!!! (US)
International buyers- please contact me with your address for shipping quote!
Available:
Everybody Loves Christmas
Merry Christmas
Sweet Summertime (On sale- only have 2 left)
Have a great day!!

Button It!

I finally had a chance to get a few new button rings done last week! Not many, but a couple. May throw a few up in the shoppe to see if anyone else likes them too :) LOL.
They have adjustable bands, so anyone can wear them!
I just LOVE buttons!
If you do too, any good brands/hints/ places to buy I must know about?
My fav is papertrey Ink b/c they give you so many large buttons for the price you pay and not a ton of itty bitty ones!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Balloons Wreath

Totally loving this balloon wreath I made! Perfectly fitting since I had a birthday over the weekend! Linking this up to Craft-O-Maniac Monday!

I have been wanting to do one of these for a while and FINALLY got around to it! Let me just say that there are over 250 ballons on this big baby! I love it! I am going to have it for sale at an upcoming craft fair, so we will see if anyone else falls in love with it! How cool to pull out for birthday parties for the front door :) YEAH!!!!) I love birthdays :)
have a great day!!!!

Guesses anyone?

Where has the week gone? It's 1:15 in the morning and as I sit in my studio I look at everything I need to do and I am a bit overwhelmed. Oh well :) I have had/will have an extra little guy running around here 3 days this week and 3 next to help out a family from church who needed a sitter. Good news: Matthew has a little friend to play with. Bad news: Matthew has a little friend to play with. LOL. All in good fun!
So,  any guesses on what I just finished?  I'll be bacl later today to reveal the whole pic :)

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Sketchy Thursdays!

If you are looking for a great place to play along with some FAB sketches, head to Sketchy Thursdays!!! I happen to be one of the sponsors this week! It's Etsy inspired week and there are some FAB prize packs they are giving away! Go here and read all about it and play along, tell them I sent you :) !!!

Simply Handmade!

GUESS WHAT?
I got a nice big box in the mail the other day from Simply Handmade (Same publishers as Cards, Bead Trends, Scrapbook Treds, etc :). It was the return of one of the submissions they had accepted from me. The box included 2 copies of the magazine, some chipboard goodies, letters, and stickers :) And guess what is on page 60 and 61???? My little felt birdie :) Makes me so happy! Needless to say framing plans are circling in my head :)
I will take a pic and post soon :)
Promise:)

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Animals On Parade

WOWZERS! Busy week for sure! Just a bit of eye candy :)

 

Saturday, September 4, 2010

GO BIG BLUE!

Football season has arrived. It seems as if the chill in the air even came with it as today in Kentucky is the coolest day in 3 months. It also happens to be the day for the biggest rivalry in the state- The UK vs UofL game. No love lost around here.  I am a TRUE BLUE through and through fan. Born and raised :) Hubby cheers for that other team. (They can't all be perfect girls:) All week the whole town of Louisville has been flooded with shirts, flags, and decals proudly displaying either the blue or red :) Facebook status wars listing stats, facts, and cheers. Text/Pic messages making fun of the other team, etc. All in good fun for those of us who remain sober :) A lot of you are from states who have pro teams. We don't . For KY fans, THIS is our pro team. This is our Yankees/Red Sox or our Packers/49'ers. So, a HUGE C-A-T-S for all my Kentucky fans!
GO BIG BLUE!

Friday, September 3, 2010

700th post! Crazy

WOW- I j ust noticed that this is my 700th post! Super cool!
Anyways- how cute is this custom order?!?!
The client's invites, anmetags, etc all had this same graphic!
I love the way the white stands out on the black! Fun!
Have a fab day!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Banneriffic :)

Hey everyone Sorry for no post yesterday ! Had a hair appt, preschool open house, then drove 45 mins one way to meet my mom for her to get Matthew and back. Matthew is staying for a few days while Dust has several doctor's appts that started this morning bright and early :) So, lets get crafty shall we!!!!
FIRST- HELLO to all my new followers!!! LOVE having you! Please leave a comment with a  link to your blog so that I can visit you! i love new blogs to add to my roll!
So, here are a few reasons I have not been in bloggy world much :)
Fun PlayDates with kiddos like this fun guy :)
 (If you know Amanda aka CraftyPaperGirl, this is her son Elan :) Matthew and Elan are so cute together :)
Custom orders like this bridal shower banner and bride-to-be banner:






And a custom request for a Lighthouse Banner :)
Have a great day everyone!!!
Thanks for stopping by!
Don't forget to sign up as a follower!