Pay It Forward

Thanks to the lovely Angela from Sew Loquacious I found out about a great way to promote handmade gifts through a project called Pay It Forward (PIF). Here is how it works: 1.)Angela will be sending me and 2 of her other readers a handmade gift, 2.) it return the 3 of us will post about it on our blog and host our own PIF for 3 of our own readers, 3.) then those people will continue the PIF from their blog. Confused?

Here are the official "rules" of the PIF

1. The first 3 people to visit my blog & leave a comment here on this post saying they want to participate will receive a homemade gift from me. You are allowed 1 year (according to the rules) in which to send out the gift.

2. You must have a blog of your own to participate in the PIF.

3. You must post about the PIF on your blog & you must offer the challenge of a PIF.

By accepting my PIF, YOU agree to host a PIF on your blog, you will agree to send a homemade gift (within 1 year) to the first 3 people who sign up on your blog to participate in your PIF & so it continues.

I started working on my 3 handmade gifts last night and I hope to have them completed in the next 3 weeks. I set this goal for myself, because once school starts again I won't have as much time to dedicate to the projects. However, the PIF rules say that you have up to 1 year to send out your handmade gifts...so you have plenty of time to participate and to create!

If this sounds like something you would like to participate in just leave me a comment and mention that you are interested in participating in my PIF. I'm not going to tell you what I'm making, you'll just have to sign up in blind faith.

PS- While searching for an image to go along with the PIF, I found several other blogs that participated in a PIF and they date back to early 2009! How big is this PIF?

Day #7 and #8 of my 21-Day Challenge

I will make this one short and sweet...I'm still on the wagon. I am still feeling under the weather with a head cold and such, which is making this process a little easier.

I stayed busy all day yesterday working on several projects that I will be posting here shortly.

I leave you with this for now...

Sorry it's so small, I hope you can read it!

Day #5 and #6 of my 21-Day Challenge

Don't worry, I'm still on the wagon...I just got in too late last night to post.

Yesterday I learned how to clean the house with out smoking. I also started to come down with a little head cold which has morphed into a full blown head cold today. It could be related to the not smoking thing since I think it is in my chest too. Oh well, better to be sick now rather than when school is in session!

I also learned that I no longer need to carry a purse when I go out with my husband because, 1.) He has his wallet and money and as you know, 'what's mine is mine and what's his is mine too', 2.) I can put my licence in his wallet if needed, 3.) I don't have anything to carry with me because I don't have cigarettes anymore. I don't carry make-up and he can carry the car keys in his pocket. I also don't take my cell phone out since he has his with him already...and nobody calls me after 8PM anyway.

Today I learned that I can spend 2+ hours shopping in Michael's Craft store without thinking about smoking and not rushing to get out of the store so I can smoke. Look at all the goodies I got...and they were on clearance!

I've never looked in the bead section before, but look at all the cute embellishments I found!

I wonder what I can do with that SISTER sticker??? I see a future Bloggerette Sorority Project!

This is actually from a store called 8 Ball in Burbank that is going out of business.

I'd seen these before, but now I have a plan for them!

Each card is about 8 1/2 x 6 in.

Yes, $7.00 for 148 12x12 papers!

I have enough stuff to keep my hands and mind occupied for awhile! I have not made it to the gym again, but I have not given up on it yet. I did get a workout while at Michael's today though, all that squatting up and down looking at the shelves, bending, reaching, walking around the store...that counts right?

Earthquake!

Ha, Ha...I got you!

No, there wasn't an earthquake...even if there was I wouldn't be able to tell because my desk looks like something exploded. To be more specific here is what exploded on my desk: left over school projects, school projects on the 'to do' list, my last scrapbook adventure, bills that need to be filled, CD/ DVDs without a home, random markers that I used and didn't put back, picture frames with out pictures, boxes of pictures, and so on and so forth. Here, take a look for yourself...

Needless to say, I can not create anything in this space. This is unfortunate because I signed up to craft for Rewind Week hosted at Sew Loquacious and it was due earlier this week. I was not able to complete it and I didn't even e-mail her and tell her I wouldn't be able to ( I was in a non-smoking coma for a few days). Sorry!

So, I tackled my desk today. It really didn't take that long. A lot of that "stuff" is for school...which I brought home to work on during my summer break. I put it all in a designated box labeled "school" that way it's all in one place and NOT in the way of doing some of my personal projects that I want to do this summer.

Here is the result.

I am now going to venture out to Michael's. I think I deserve some new yarn and I want to look for a few other things too...not sure what those things are until I see them.

Thanks for stopping by and I will see you later for an Update on Day #5 of my 21-Day Challenge...can you guess how it's going?

Swarovski Crystal Necklace and Earring Set GIVE-A-WAY WINNER

Oh my goodness! The time has come to announce the winner of the

Swarovski Crystal Necklace and Earring Set

First, I need to thank everyone who joined in for this give-a-way. I was pleasantly surprised at how many people completed all the ways to get tickets. The comment tickets really racked up. I love comments, they are like mini- Christmas gifts every morning!

So, I'm doing this the old fashion way...handwritten tickets in a jar, drum roll on the coffee table, and pulling one lucky lady's name out....

Wait- I also wanted to thank everyone for the tremendous amount of support you've given me over the past few weeks and in particular the last 5 days of my 21-Day Challenge. I know some of you came over for the give-a-way but I'm glad you have stayed and shared your comments and kind words on my other posts. I am sorry that everyone can't win because you all deserve it! I hope to host another give-a-way soon.

Okay, here we go. Congratulations to...

Karen at Some Days are Diamonds

Karen, e-mail me your address and I'll ship it out to you shortly!

Thanks again to everyone and I hope you to see you all again soon!

I'm thinking about knitting a scarf for my next give-a-way? What do you think? Would anyone be interested? I know it's only August, but it'll take me awhile to knit one...I'm a beginner.

Day #4 of my 21-Day Challenge

21 Reasons to Quit Smoking

1. Because my hair smells like smoke.
2. Because my clothes smell like smoke. 
3. Because my breathe just smells bad.
4. Because my smoking hand smells like cigarettes.
5. Because my sense of smell is minimal, but I know #'s 1-4 are true because when I was a non-smoker I could smell it on other smokers.
6. Because one of my students who is verbal told me "You smell like smoke"
7. Because my jaw hurts from chewing gum to cover my smoke breathe.
8. Because I wheeze for no reason.
9. Because when I get sick I smoke even though it feels like razors are ripping at my throat and lungs.
10. Because I get sick more often because I smoke.
11. Because I want to stay in bed on my days off with my husband instead of getting up to smoke in the morning.
12. Because I want to cuddle with my husband after *** with out needing to get up and smoke.
13. Because I don't want to rush through a meal so I can go smoke.
14. Because I don't want to worry about where I am going and wonder if I'll be able to smoke there or not.
15. Because I want to save $168 per month towards a vacation instead of towards cigarettes.
16. Because I want to hike Runyon Canyon without stopping to catch my breathe every few yards.
17. Because I want to go to the airport and not have an anxiety attack about NOT being able to smoke.
18. Because I don't want to kill myself slowly with cigarettes.
19. Because my family loves and supports me.
20. Because my husband loves and supports me.
21. Because I love and support me.

P.S. Tonight I learned how to bowl with out smoking between games. Unrelated to that, we won. We are the #1 Summer team on our league and I have the highest female scratch and handicap games. I get a trophy next week. I am going to put my new trophy next to the trophy I won last year...a horses ass, for being dead last.

Day #3 of my 21-Day Challenge