I am giddy with excitement! Today is the day my guest post is up over at "Or So She Says"...Go check out my post over there! I get to give you a wonderful glimpse into my life with my wonderful man!!!

Go HERE to see my post!

It's Valentine's Week over at Cuttin and Stampin!

Weekly Challenge #4 Tuesday, January 29th thru February 4th.

Create a Valentine using a stamp.  

(you don't need to use an A Muse stamp to enter)

I have a great project to show you today. Our assignment was to create a Valentine using a stamp and I have a really cute project. I am having my elementary and preschool grandchildren over on Valentine's Day for breakfast. So, I wanted to invite them in a very special way. So, I decided to mail them an invitation.
I used a round canister type container I had hanging around my scrapbook room, wrapped it with the A Muse paper, used the stamps on it, wrapped the twine around it. Then, I used a dollar store doily and my computer to generate the wording for the invitation. I intended to include some candy in there and totally forgot... Last, I headed off to the PO and mailed the canister off to my grandchildren.

Supplies Used:

round canister

A Muse paper and twine

A Muse Stamp Set: "At First Sight"

Dollar Store doily

Computer invitation wording cut into a heart

Go to to Cuttin and Stampin Challenge Blog for a complete list of rules and to enter your creation. You can go Here for more information on A Muse studio products.

Forever My Valentine Series

Check out this morning's Forever My Valentine series over at "Or So She Says." If you did not read this in my earlier post this week, I will be featured in this series sometime over the next couple of weeks.

No Menu Today but something very exciting!!

I don't have a menu for you today because I am away enjoying a few days of girl time with my friend Daphne. We are going to finish putting together her scrapbook room! We embarked on this awesome task in late October and her busy schedule and mine to combine again to finish it up just has not happened until now. So, we have today and tomorrow to get it complete! I will be back home on Wednesday evening so will post an abbreviated menu of the week on Thursday.

Onto the exciting! I am going to be featured in the awesome series Forever My Valentine. This series started today over at "Or so she says" blog. You won't want to miss a single day and I do not know what day I will be featured so you will want to check out each and every post so you don't miss it! Oh, how excited I am about this!!! My post is all about this wonderful man!!

A Late Monday Menu!

Monday
Hubby wanted to grocery shop with me and we went out

Tuesday
Hamburgers
Baked Beans
Fries





Wednesday
Honey Glazed Pork Chops
Macaroni and Cheese
Green Beans
Rolls


Thursday
Smothered Steak
Rice
Rolls

Friday
Sausage Skillet Dinner (I use bowtie pasta instead of lasagna noodles)
Salad
Garlic Toast

Saturday
Fried Chicken
Potato Salad
Fried Okra
Rolls
Cherry Cobbler

Sunday: 
Shrimp Scampi
Coconut Shrimp 
Hush Puppies
Cole Slaw

Teresa's Blogaversary Winner!

Sorry it took me so long to choose the winner! I do have a Level 2 CTMH paper pack and an embellishment package to go with it for the winner....I am going to give the winner a choice of two different paper packs! So here is the winner!!!

Sarah Biswabic...you are the winner!!! I will contact you shortly to give you your choices.

Winter is in the Air....Even in Florida!!!!

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but these projects are so delightful. Welcome to the ‘Winter’s In The Air’ blog hop. We have all made projects to warm your heart, and potentially decorate your home, during these snowy months.

If you arrived here from Michele's blog...you are on the right track. If you did not please go back to Melanie's blog and begin the hop. 

Here is my project...one of my crafting goals for this new year is to make some kind of wreath of some type to hang on my front door for holidays and seasons...well, I took this hop as an opportunity to make a winter one! So here you go...funny thing is as I was making it my hubby asked "What are you doing?" When I explained making a winter wreath for the front door he exclaimed well why don't you send it up north where they actually have winter. A Florida girl can dream of a bit of winter weather can't she....oh, but not too much!!! LOL!

If you comment on everyone’s post you will be entered to win this from Melanie.  It includes paper, stickers, metal embellies, adhesive, mists, stencils, a journal and more.  Be sure to check back on Tuesday, Jan 22 to see who won.

Here is the blog candy you  can win over on Melanie's blog...be sure to comment on each person's post for a chance to win.

Now from here you will go see what Robin has to share with you today!

Here is the line up for today.

Melanie http://afternoonscrapper.blogspot.com/

Claire http://threewaterscreations.blogspot.com/

Elecia http://creationsby-kahaulani.blogspot.com/

Sarah www.craftingwithsarah.blogspot.com

Nancy http://alwaysastorycreationsbynancy.blogspot.com/

Anita http://scrappyhappymommy.blogspot.ca

Ashley http://marinewifesscrappinlife.blogspot.com

Miranda http://www.nanasscrapspot.com/

Michele http://michelescraftroom.blogspot.com/

Teresa http://freshandrenewed.blogspot.com/

Robin http://cutonedesignsbyrobin.blogspot.com/

Lucy http://love2createitall.com

Christine http://hotberrydesigns.blogspot.com/

Charity http://thebookinroom.blogspot.com

Lluvia http://sweetbirdmemories.blogspot.com

Have a great weekend and thanks for hopping with us. 

Monday Menu 1/14-1/20

Meals this week are a bit on the simple side...not a lot of recipes required...just needed to have a week where there were not a whole lot of new and different things. 


Monday
leftovers of Meatloaf and Pork Chop dinner

Tuesday
Lasagna
Ceasar Salad
Garlic Toast
Apple Pie Bars


Wednesday
Taco Soup 
Cornbread

Thursday
Country Fried Steak
Rice/Gravy
Peas
Rolls

Friday
none

Saturday
Roast w/potatoes and carrots
Green Beans
Rolls

Sunday: 
Fried Chicken
Potato Salad
Fried Okra
Rolls
Cherry Cobbler

Cuttin and Stampin Time!

Weekly Challenge #1 Tuesday, January 8th thru January 14th.

Use Twine and Straws in your creation. 

I am so excited to share my twine and straw creation with you today. Have you ever had a thought in your head and weren't sure if you could actually execute it or not? Well, that is exactly what happened with this creation. So my idea came out very similar to what I had in my head. I am extremely pleased with how it came out.

close up of the center

I used a luncheon sized paper plate a cut a circle out of the dark grey solid paper. Then I began gluing straws in an alternating pattern; grey, pink...around in a circle like spokes. I then used a heart shaped doily as the middle to cover up my boo-boos...they were not quite even! Then I cut this cute cupid from Sweethearts Cricut cartridge at about 4.5." I layered it with the various A Muse studio papers. Then I used another A Muse studio pattern paper to cut a larger circle for a background. I also cut the word love to glue as a sentiment across the bottom straws. I took the A Muse twine both the pink and the grey and wove them in and out the straws to just add another layer. Then, I  hot glued some ribbon ( I had some pink froo-froo ribbon that fit perfectly) to the back as my hanger. This is going to serve as my Valentine wreath to hang on my front door. 

Go to to Cuttin and Stampin Challenges for a complete list of rules and to enter your creation. You can go Here for more information on A Muse studio products.

Teresa's Blogaversary Blog Hop!

To find Nana's Birthday Bash blog hop go here!

Hello to all our crafty friends! We have a great blog hop for you today. A little over a year ago I began this new blog to celebrate the fact I wanted a change in my life. And for that change to be permanent came lots of prayer and leaning on God to give the right answers. The answers He needed to give not the answers that I desired. Well here we are 1 year later and I am so thankful to be a Stay at Home Wife loving life and doing all I need to do to create a warm, loving atmosphere for my family!

So thanks for joining us today...enjoy all the projects. They all represent some kind of change in each person's life.

Make sure you comment along the way as the blog candy for this wonderful hop is a Close to My Heart Level 2 paper pack with an embellishment pack to compliment the paper.

I created a 2 page layout today with this great paper My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Rosy collection. The pictures on this layout are pictures of my daughter, grandson, and I at our baking day. We get together every other week and bake. That is one of the things I was so excited that I was able to add into my new schedule of being a SAHW. My daughter has three children and does not work outside the home, so getting to spend more time with her and my grandson who is still a pre-schooler has been a real joy to me. Hope you get inspired to create something this weekend.

The journaling reads: One of the many things I have enjoyed  since the change from
 having a full time teaching career  as a teacher is being able to spend more
time with my grandchildren. It brings me great delight every other week to
spend time with my daughter and grandson baking.

Next you will head on over to the talented An'Jenic, she has a wonderful project to share with you.
Here is the full line-up for you to follow.

Teresa~ http://freshandrenewed.blogspot.com/

An’Jenic~ http://anjenicgibson.blogspot.com/

Lori ~ http://www.scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com/

Anita - http://scrappyhappymommy.blogspot.ca

Sandy- http://scrapbookblessings.blogspot.com

Miranda - http://www.nanasscrapspot.com/

Sarah - http://itswhatkeepsmesane.blogspot.com/

Michele ~ http://michelescraftroom.blogspot.com/

Melissa ~ http://iamapapermaniac.blogspot.com

Daphne~http://craftyscrapsofstuff.blogspot.com/

Nana's Birthday Bash Blog Hop

Welcome to “NANA’S BIRTHDAY BASH” Blog Hop!

If you've hopped along from Melissa then you are in the right place!!  If you are just joining me from your dashboard, or reading this via email, please be sure to CLICK HERE to start at the beginning with NANA'S BLOG. (you'll want to catch up on all the FUN!!)...

In addition to seeing a lot of awesome creations, there is some blog candy available too.  Nana a/k/a Miranda is giving away a $25 Michael’s gift card along with a surprise box.  To be eligible for the blog candy, you are required to visit each stop in the hop and leave a comment! 

I have a million family birthdays in the first 4 months of the year! Well maybe not a million but a lot! So here is card #1! This is for my grandson who will be turning 8! He is such a joy!

Next on the hop is Mary follow along to her Blog!

SHOULD YOU GET LOST ALONG THE WAY, HERE IS THE ENTIRE LINE UP:

Miranda - http://www.nanasscrapspot.com/

Angela - www.3crazymonkeys.com

Melissa - http://iamapapermaniac.blogspot.com/

Teresa- http://freshandrenewed.blogspot.com/

Mary - http://scrappingg.blogspot.com/

Anita - http://scrappyhappymommy.blogspot.ca

Candice - http://candiedcards.typepad.com

An'Jenic - http://anjenicgibson.blogspot.com/

Christine - http://hotberrydesigns.blogspot.com/

Sandy- http://scrapbookblessings.blogspot.com

Pam - http://lovebugcreations3.blogspot.com/

Ashley - http://thebloghopprincess.blogspot.com

Goals for 2013

It was my turn to share my Scrapping/Crafting Goals over at Three Scrappy Gals. Check it out, it is a new challenge blog I am doing with 2 other friends. We will have challenges each month and give away blog candy monthly! You will make sure you want to follow along with us. So head over there to see what my scrapping and crafting goals are.

But, I thought I would share my other goals for the new year with you here! I have quite an extensive list of goals so I am hoping and praying I can stay on top of them this year!

General Goals

• complete/execute at least 2 new food pins per month from my food related boards on Pinterest
• complete/execute at least 2 other pins per month from my non- food related boards on Pinterest
• create organizational/cleaning/routine schedule for maintaining my home
• stick to the above created schedule
• walk 30 minutes daily (weekdays)
• create new entry way display
• replace all kitchen towels/pot holders
• replace all bath towels
• try again for a container herb garden
• Spring Planting-new plants/flowers 
• plant vegetable garden

Monday Menu back in full force!

Monday
Macaroni Cheesy Ham Bake
Cucumber Salad
Rolls

Tuesday
French Bread Pizzas
Salad
Smores Bake


Wednesday
Tacos

Thursday
Herb Crusted Pork Chops
Broccoli Casserole
Rolls
Cherry Cheese Cakes

Friday
Meatloaf
Corn Casserole
Mashed Potatoes/Gravy
Rolls

Saturday
Retirement Dinner

Sunday: 
Chicken Tamale Pie
Fried Mozzarella Sticks (Homemade)
Layered Spinach Salad

My Imagine-ation Monday!

Good Monday Morning! If you are looking for my Monday Menu post go here.

Here at My Cricut Craft Room it is My Imagine-ation Monday. We were asked to do something centered around our favorite book today. Well, I am a book lover...but mainly a children's book lover since I spent 17 years teaching school. I needed a book mark for my brand new 2013 planner. (isn't it pretty?)   So, I thought well let me combine the two things together. My favorite children's author is Jan Brett. Check her out if you have elementary aged children and have never read her books. My class wrote to her several years in a row and we always received an information packet in return, usually showcasing her newest book. Well, there is one beloved character in every single book she writes and this character is named after her pet hedgehog, Hedgie. I used to share all this with my students and they loved trying to find Hedgie in her books in the illustrations if he was not a main character. So, in honor of my love of Jan Brett I created my planner bookmark with a Hedgehog character.

Supplies:
all paper was scrap papers in my stash
Hedgehog was cut at 2.81" on my Gypsy
Circle was cut at 4.90" on my Gypsy
Cartridges used: Create a Critter, Cherry Limeade

Head on over to My Cricut Craft Room to get more inspiration!

Celebrate with Cuttin and Stampin!

Hello Crafty World,

Here at Cuttin and Stampin we are HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY and in the mood to CELEBRATE.  Today we are having a blog hop Celebrating our new Design Team and kicking off our weekly challenge blog.  Each of us has produced projects to Celebrate.  (If you got here from somewhere other than Robin's blog, please click here to start at the very beginning of our hop.) 

There are 11 new Design Team members and the final stop is where you can enter to WIN blog candy.  There are (2) $25.00 gift certificates to A Muse Studio up for grabs.  So grab a cup of coffee and hop along to meet the NEW CUTTIN and STAMPIN Design Team. 

I’m Teresa and a SAHW. I just recently took a leave of absence from my teaching career to determine if early retirement is for me. I began scrapbooking when my first grandchild was born almost 16 years ago. I have dabbled in all kinds of crafting since I was a very young mom. You name it I have done it. Being a SAHW has allowed me the time to really get back to creating. I am so very thrilled to join in with Tammy and be a part of this new and exciting team. I hope you are inspired along the way to get creative and crafty. Make sure you visit A Muse Studio to see all the great products they have in their catalogue.  

I used the brown cardstock as my card base. It is the typical A2 card size 5.50 x 4.25.
I embossed the top white piece which on the back side is the chevron pattern with my swiss dots embossing folder.
Then, cut a small strip of the dark pink for the bottom. I adhered these two together and then distressed all the edges.
I cut the bird at 3.5" from my Cricut cartridge "Cherry Limeade"
I inked around the edges with chocolate ink. Stamped the sentiment with A Muse Studio's Contemporary Greetings
stamp set. I then used twine to tie around the bottom edge of the dark pink.
I turned the top right corner down and secured it with a pink sparkle brad from my stash.
All product except ink and the pink sparkly brad used to make this card came from A Muse Studio.
 I am in love with their products.

I want to thank you all again for stopping by and being part of our CELEBRATION Hop.  Your next stop is the fantastic and talented Kim. 

Don’t forget to hop all the way through leaving comments for each of the DT members and enter to win blog candy at the end. 

In case you get distracted along the way, here is a complete line up so you can make it to the candy.

Tammy – http://cuttinandstampin.blogspot.com

Teresa K – www.createenjoyshare.blogspot.com

Janet – http://janetscreativeworld.blogspot.com

Doris – http://momsbeenscrappin.blogspot.com

Sherri – http://sherri-iloveflipflops.blogspot.com

Pam – http://mzlavr2.blogspot.com

Robin – http://create-a-latte.blogspot.com

Teresa R – http://freshandrenewed.blogspot.com

Kim – http://kimross.blogspot.com

CallyAnn – http://callyanncraftycreations.blogspot.com

Daphne – http://craftyscrapsofstuff.blogspot.com

Blog Candy – http://cuttinandstampinchallenges.blogspot.com

Status of My Weekly Menu Posts and other changes to regularly scheduled blog posts

I have really fallen down on putting up my Weekly Menu posts. One of the things I plan to do over this first month of the year is to try to do some different things regarding my weekly menu post. Monday Menus just goes so well alliteratively speaking but it is sometimes very difficult to get it up on Mondays. I am going to really try. I also am going to begin linking up the recipes when I post the menu cause it got to be too time consuming to return and link up and give a critique of each meal. So anyhow, here is this week's Monday Menus but a couple days late.
 

Monday:
Ate a very yummy dinner at my daughter's with her family and my son's family.

Tuesday: New Year's Day
Brown Sugar Glazed Ham w/Pineapple
Hoppin John (Black-Eyed Peas) 
White Rice
Collard Greens
Cornbread Muffins

Wednesday:
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Garlic Bread
Salad
Peanut Butter Brownies

Thursday:
Steak w/Blackberry Sauce
Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Salad
Rolls

Friday:
Fried Pork Chops
French Fries
Succotash
Key Lime Pie

Saturday:
Cracker Barrel Chicken Tenderloins
Roasted Potatoes
Leftover Veggies from Week

Sunday: 
Macaroni Cheesy Ham Bake (original recipe) I will link this up when I create it.
Rolls
Salad



Also, I am going to share Thursday Thrifty Tips with you but that will not be every week. Well, mainly because sometimes I just plain don't have a thrifty tip every single week! haha...Baking Days with my daughter is only going to happen every other week...in her busy schedule as a SAHM of 3 children she found it just too much to do it every week...so I will have a baking day every other week with her and then the alternate week will be by myself.

I want to really bring some regularness of posts to my blog this year and share both my domestic and my crafty sides of life with you. Hope you enjoy the freshness and renewed happenings around here!!

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year to all of you wonderful people! Hope you have a wonderful and healthy new year! I love new beginnings! Change is good and I am embracing many this new year. I will be sharing things that I plan to do over the next few days. But today the first thing I am sharing is my newest blog adventure...2 girlfriends and I are beginning a new crafting blog. I am soooo excited to be sharing this with you. So, hop on over there and become a follower there will be lots of inspiration and some blog candy along the way too!

Three Scrappy Gals is the place you want to be!