This is...my favorite children's book

Or better titled, "This is my favourite children's book," since the "This is..." meme suggestion came from Sydney, Australia blogger

Potty Mouth Mama

So my favourite children's book is



The illustrations, the rhyme...it's timeless.

This is...my trade secret

The latest installment of the "This is..." meme.

It's not my "trade," but here's my best card-making/stamping tip I can offer. Ok, it's two tips, but they go together!!

* When you make a card you love, use the same colors/papers/layout and make a bunch, instead of starting from scratch each time.

* When choosing paper, look for ones that are color-coordinated with a good mix of solids and prints so you can stamp on the solids and layer the prints.

My ideal paper is:
1. double-sided
2. thick, card-stock-like (but not textured--they make it hard to get an even stamp)
3. pre-color coordinated with the aforementioned mix of solids and patterns (preferably with some larger prints and some mini)

Perfect example, by Amy Butler:

Fronts:



Backs:



Oooohhh, the possibilities are endless!!

P.S. Anyone interested in a card-making tutorial?? I'd be happy to tell you what I know! :)

This is...my Sunday

Church...

naps...and hopefully some crafting! Then a good hour or two of home caring to recover from the weekend and prepare for the week ahead. Not very exciting!
This is what I made today, though! Tea cards with Amy Butler paper. Mmm.

This is...what makes me happy.

Sunshine through the rain...

Cute cupcake finds...

Toes in the sand...

And fresh, white sheets.

Aaahhhhh....

This is...what gives me goosebumps

A sweet (but steamy) kiss. My own or on the big screen, it's all good. This particular movie (the modern 'Romeo and Juliet') was over-the-top good on the smooches. I'm one gigantic goosebump watching that movie!

This is...the space in which I create.

Here's my (late) installment of the "This Is..." meme.
I could've taken a picture of my bed because that's where I get my most creative ideas--many of which get lost in the fog of sleep.
So despite having a desk, I actually do my crafting at the dining table. It's big and flat and affords me a view of the main part of the house. My sons "crafts" with me, in case you're wondering what I do with scribbled-upon sheets of construction paper!
I need to drag my stuff out again and do more crafting soon!! Or, I suppose I could clean off my desk...

This is...my way of recycling

I'm a good recycler! And since I may be the only "This Is..." blogger in Arizona, USA, this is how we recycle here.
I keep a trash can in my kitchen to fill and my hubby takes it out and dumps it in the big blue bin about every-other day. I recycle absolutely EVERYthing I can, mostly boxes/cardboard, junk mail/magazines, aluminum cans and glass bottles.

Then Big Blue goes out once a week. For us, it's Friday. I wrote this on Friday so I snapped a photo. Ours goes out absolutely every week, usually overflowing.

Here's two of my other recycling tactics:
1. I keep a bag in my closet and when new clothes come in (and that's new-to-me new), old clothes go in the donation bag for Goodwill. I drop off at Goodwill at least once/month. I also shop a lot at Goodwill. THAT is good recycling!

2. I keep absolutely every shred of ribbon I get with invitations or gifts to use in my card making.

Can't wait to see everyone else's ideas!

This is...my jewelry box

This "This is..." orginated as best I can tell with
http://anastasiac.blogspot.com/
Check out lots more there.
On to mine...
HA!! One box???? Puh-leez!!! I am a very well-accessorized woman (thanks to my mom, grandmother and husband, plus my home-based jewelry business!) so my jewelry chest contains mainly my "fine jewelry." This is the earrings, bracelets and pins. Fifteen years worth. My birthing bracelet is in there along with pins from my great-grandmother, an ivory bangle my dad brought back from Africa, Native American pieces, stuff I made, a dragonfly pin from my mother-in-law...lots of goodies.


Here's just a small fraction of rings in a jewelry box my friend from fifth grade gave me several years back. Yes, K, I still have it! :)

I also have this wacky hand that holds my pearl pieces. They're pretty to look at, so why not??

The stuff I wear daily is kept accessible on this tray, where I can grab-and-go. It's all stuff I sell, so I'm advertising when I wear it. I sold a necklace off my neck just today!!

This drawer holds some of my very, very favorites--stuff I would never sell.

And this is the dish from France that belonged to a dear family friend who recently passed away--it stays by the kitchen sink for my rings and such when I'm working in the kitchen. I took my jewels out so you could see the dish.

This is...the contents of my handbag

The "this is..." meme originated (as best I can tell) with http://www.threebuttons.blogspot.com/
I love these!!!!
Here we go.
:: striped Ralph Lauren cosmetic bag full of all my "looking good essentials" (I hope you didn't want to see what's in there--WOW, it takes a lot!!)
:: samples of my new blog banner to show my mom
:: two tiny hair clips
:: nylon footies from trying on shoes at Naturalizer, oh, a month ago??
:: my name badge and my son's name badge from church--oops, we're supposed to leave those!
:: six pens
:: my checkbook (it needs an Etsy cover, preferably Amy Butler fabric, huh?)
:: my striped notebook--I always have a notebook with me
:: a lip gloss sample
:: Fossil zebra-print wallet
:: two Dove dark chocolates (I was going to give them away at church a while back)
:: a roll of film, I have no idea of what--I haven't taken non-digital pictures since 2005!
:: two orders for my jewelry biz customers to fill at the showroom this week and deliver to Chandler
:: oh, and the bag itself is the one my jewelry biz gives us when we sign up to display the jewelry--I added pretty paper to jazz it up
Anyone who reads this who wants to participate--go ahead! Just leave a comment so I can check out YOUR handbag! :)