T is for Tags

If you've been keeping up with my posts as of late, you have probably read about my latest business venture with Creative Memories. *happy sigh* I think I love them even more now as a Consultant, than before when I was just a customer. I really don't want this blog to turn into a plug for my business, so I will try and limit the amount of posts I have about them.


In this case, I couldn't let this go without sharing it with my fellow money-savers, penny-pinchers, new uses for old thing-ers? ;)


There is this gadget called the TAG MAKER. Oh my word... let me show you how it works and then I promise to explain how it will be a blessing to you all.

Obviously, it's a shape maker that.... makes tags. You insert some heavy cardstock, or scrapbook paper, and out comes a cute tag.

Then, you insert the top of the tag into another slot, and you've got a hole to string ribbon, jute, twine, or whatever you want through it. Simple, right?

Well, this little guy usually goes for $27. BUT, through the month of July (and that is ending very soon) it has been marked at 15% off. That's $20.25 for this tag-for-all-occasions maker!!


For some of you who are thinking, "why do I need a tag maker?" Let me give you some insight into how this will help you save $. You can use it to create tags for:


1) kids' presents (because children don't appreciate a $3 card anyway)
2) CHRISTMAS TAGS (hello! no more itty bitty tiny little stickers. Now the whole families name can fit on there)
3) labels for your herbs/cleaning products/etc.
4) backpack IDs (once you laminate them)
5) VALENTINES DAY exchange cards for kids 
6) and of course, scrapbooking!


Honestly, I know you clever bloggers can come up with more uses. The possibilities are endless once you have the perfect paper to fit the occasion. Personally, when I think of all the kid birthdays we are invited to (church, neighbors, school, family, friends), this gadget pays for itself in one month. Just look at what a friend of mine did with the tag maker:

She created an advent calender for her kids! This tag maker has been a huge hit at my home parties and after purchasing one for myself, I knew I had to share it with you. I'm sorry I took so long to do so. The 15% off sale ends this weekend!  

As an added bonus, just because I love my bloggers so much, I'll throw in an extra gift to the first 3 people who purchase one through my site:


http://www.mycmsite.com/sites/amandarodriguez1


Here is the link to get straight to the shape maker:
http://www.mycmsite.com/sites/amandarodriguez1/Content/Shop/Product.aspx?sku=637571&path=/Hierarchy/Paper%20Scrapbooking/Tools/Cropping%20Tools/Makers%20and%20Punches

Please send me a message too, telling me you processed the order, just in case they come in, out of order. Remember, the first 3 who purchase a tag maker 1) through my site and 2) before July is over, will get an EXTRA GIFT from me. 

OK, there's my small plug. :) Have a great weekend! I've got a home party and then, nothing but home projects. WooHoo!

News from the home front

My toddler is still not potty trained. At what age do Mothers start to say, "oooh. Your child is still in diapers? I see." Maybe if I have a goal in mind this would work better. Potty trained by Christmas? The girl loves her diapers. Especially now that my Mother-in-law bought her those Pampers Prints with little pink flowers all over them. Why would my toddler want to give up those for Ariel undies??? She doesn't even know/like Ariel, Barney, Dora, and all those other cartoons displayed on them.


My Creative Memories business is taking off rather nicely. I gave myself a 30 day goal and I'm thisclose to reaching it. Of course, this also means I have quickly realized that "working at home" can very well turn into a 6 hour work day. I feel like I'm on the computer, phone, and Facebook all the time. Anything to promote a new business right?


With the extra "work hours" I have been putting in, I will indeed be working on some home projects this week as my down time. One of those involves painting my ceiling fans:

Yes, you heard right. Every single ceiling fan in my house is either dated or black. I will be painting them in an attempt to make them look new again. Anyone ever tried this? This week, I have to:


paint 2 black fans
give 4 ceilings a fresh coat of paint (b/c the rooms are all done except for that darn ceiling)
stain a wood mirror frame I found at an estate sale


Has anyone stained anything recently? Any tips for a newbie? I found this pretty mirror at an estate sale for $10 and thought it looked like one Hobby Lobby was selling recently (for $40).

I immediately wanted to paint it white, but then we were given a new dining set. The set is a gorgeous dark wood and now, I want my mirror frame to match it. Any products you recommend for staining?


Finally, thank you, to the ladies who participated in my Newbie Summer Link Party! I enjoyed looking at your ideas/projects and I even met some new people in the process! I'm quickly approaching some milestones with "Mama's Little Ladybugs." I'm almost at 100 friends, I am nearing my 100th post, AND I have been blogging for almost 1 year!!! This is pretty exciting for me as I never expected anyone to give a hoot about what I did. What was created for family only has turned into a huge network of friends. Thank you to the ladies who always leave comments, who have followed my site, and who email me regularly. You have made this so much fun! Hmmm, perhaps a giveaway once I reach each milestone?

Have a great day!

Big News!

ACK! I am so sorry I've been absent from the "land of blog" lately. There have been major developments in our lives that took up all of my free time.

Before I announce my big news, I want to thank all the ladies who are still posting to my Newbie Summer Link Party! There are only 4 days left and you are welcome to post multiple projects!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE PARTY!

Speaking of projects, I haven't had a chance to create one single craft. Reason? Well, the first bit of news is that after a year of being an avid digital scrapbooker (word?), I decided to join a business called...

Maybe you've heard of them? I've been using their digital software for over a year now to create some of my scrapbook pages. I love their digital products because everything is stored in my laptop. I don't need a craft table, or scissors, or glue... none of that! Here are some pages I've done in the last year...

My babies at a "pumpkin patch" at a local church.

 Halloween with a cat, a flower, and Mama was a ladybug. ;)

Last day of school for my older baby.

My fireman and I. swoon.

Seriously, I love their products. I enjoy creating special albums for my daughters. Eventually, I signed on knowing that even if I didn't sell a thing, I would be having fun. Thankfully, I have been blessed with generous and supportive friends who made my kick-off weekend a success. If you haven't heard about Creative Memories, you are welcome to visit my site:

http://www.mycmsite.com/sites/amandarodriguez1

or you can message me. I love talking about my job. Really. I do. :D

Now, the second bit of news is pretty exciting and a major factor as to why I haven't been able to craft a thing. On August 9th, my hubby is going to sign ADOPTION PAPERS declaring him the legal parent of my 9-year-old!!! Ever since we married, over three years ago, he has been trying to adopt her.

Our First New Years

I had her at a young age, and her biological dad walked out of our lives when she was 6 months old. She has never known a "Dad." One of the reasons I married my husband, was because he stepped up and took on the role of "Father" without me asking him to.

 He loved her from the start and never hesitated to call her his own child. After three years of battling lawyers, we have come to the end of a painful past and the start of a new family. He's been her Daddy in her heart, but now she gets to have him as her Daddy on paper. She's thrilled that we will all finally have the same last name. ;)

 

So, I hope ya'll can forgive me for the lack of posts. I've got an adoption date to prepare for. I will no doubt be a crying mess that day and will definitely share some adoption pictures with you all! Have a great weekend!

Tween Jewelry Display

I want to start by saying "THANK YOU" to the ladies who have posted summer projects to my link party. You have shared some great ideas! There is still plenty of time to post more, so don't forget about the party and please help me spread the word. :)

CLICK HERE TO JUMP TO MY
NEWBIE SUMMER LINK PARTY

I have been absent for about a week because I was preparing for a garage sale that turned into an EPIC FAIL! I advertised, posted signs leading cars to the sale, and only two people showed up. I had no choice but to have our sale on a Sunday and I think that was our first mistake. Now, I'm having loads of fun trying to sell these items individually on Craigslist. *sigh*

On a positive note, I finally found a solution for my daughters bracelets and necklaces. My 9-year-old doesn't wear earrings and lacks the space for a jewelry box. So, taking advantage of her walls and a robe hanger, I found my latest victim item that needed to be spray painted:

Look at that brass beauty! You know how much I adore brass. ;) We've had this hanger for years, with the intention of one day using it. However, I thought it was perfect for little necklaces and bracelts. After a couple of coats of some plum spray paint, it looked like this: 

I apologize for the poor color. It was a cloudy day today and I had to use the flash to capture the color. It's not that bright, though. I promise. :)

Here is my daughters cluster, with her new jewelry hanger. And it only cost $3 (for the spray paint).

Remember to keep posting to the party! The last day is July 25th!

I also have a GREAT recipe to share, but I wanted to get some input from my readers. Do you all care much for recipes? I try to only post ones that can be done in under 30 minutes, don't cost a whole lot, and pass the "picky eater seal of approval." However, I've noticed low traffic on my recipe posts. Thoughts? Would you like to see recipes or do you not really care for them?

Linking up with: House of Grace, A Beach Cottage, Christina's Adventures, House of Hepworths, At the Picket Fence, Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

Newbie Summer Link Party!

May I just say, I am loving the coastal style right now. It is a trend I don't want to see going anytime soon. However, living smack in the middle of the desert, I feel a little ridiculous putting up oceanic decor in my home. So, this is my small attempt at "hinting" the coastal style without feeling like a fool.

The inspiration for this began with a lantern that I found at Goodwill for $4. It was a lovely, brassy thing, and the glass panes were still perfectly intact. After a couple of coats of some black spray paint, it looked good as new:

I filled it with some Dollar Tree rocks, a candle, and paired it with a votive holder turned Q-tip holder. :) I found that votive holder at the Dollar Tree and thought it kind of looked like a sand dollar. I also added some coastal looking shower hooks and a hurricane vase:

The shower hooks and vase were clearance finds at Target ($3 for each hook) and Walmart ($7 vase). The base of the vase was brown so I gave it a quick coat of black. This is what my guest bath looked like before:

A bit empty, wouldn't you say? And now: 

We bought the picture frames a long time ago and they had been sitting in storage because I didn't know where to hang them. I put some of my favorite pictures of the hubs with his ladybugs.

So, there you have it. This is my summer, coastal inspired, guest bath. I really didn't know how long I would enjoy a "gray room," but all the white and black accents just make this guest bath feel very crisp and refreshing. Perfect for a candlelit soak! Now, it's your turn! Let's see those summer inspired projects.

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Here's a quick reminder about the rules and who can post:

* You don't have to be a follower to link up (although, I really hope to meet new friends at my party)

* Please link back to my party somewhere in your post AND/OR post my button

* You must be qualified as a NEWBIE

Make a List Monday

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY, BLOGGIES!

I am so excited because tomorrow is the start of my summer party! Even if you're project isn't done, no worries. The party will run until the 25th of this month. Yeah, that's right... that's how we party where I'm from. ;) Anyway, I'll get back to that later. First, I wanted to update you on the list I created a week ago. If you can recall, I found a new link party called "Make a List Monday," with Ordinary Days. Here is the list I had created for myself, along with an update. I'm actually shocked at how much I completed. Looks like keeping a list keeps you focused. :)

 1) Finish porch redo

Check! I posted this last week and love how it turned out. Now, I'm brainstorming what to do with the red tile. Cover it with an outdoor rug? Lay a new tile? Stamped concrete? Any input would be much appreciated. :)

2) Successfully re-pot a plant (don't laugh, this may kill the poor thing)

Semi-check! I discovered a great site for newbie gardeners that showed me I didn't really need to pot the plant. Since my city is so hot and dry, there's hardly ever a worry about the water being too wet/soggy. So, I cheated and simply placed the container directly into my ceramic pot. Sweet! Can you even tell? Don't answer that...

3) Create a necklace/bracelet holder for my 9-year-old
um... yeah. This is the one task that didn't get completed. I found a great necklace holder but it needs some spray paint (nothing is safe from a can of spray paint in this house). My daughter couldn't decide on a color, so this task may have to be pushed back.

4) Find & install new towel hooks for the guest bath
Double check! These lovely hooks were a clearance find at Target. With a quick spray of white, they fit perfectly with our guest bath. I prefer this so much more than the shiny, silver towel rack we had before. More on my guest bath finds will be revealed tomorrow. Think coastal inspired...

Linking up with: Ordinary Days