Blog Candy!

So sorry! I was going to post this yesterday but I was feeling so yucky with a cold and all, I spent all afternoon just curled up with a blanket, a cup of tea and a book.

I spoke with Melissa from The Rubber Cafe the other day and she really likes my stamp designs. She says that they are selling well and she wants more!

She suggested some positive, uplifting quotes, verses or sayings for my next batch of designs. Well, we would like you to give us your favorites and Melissa will choose some lucky blog reader or readers for a stamp give away! Just leave them here in the comments and in a few days I'll have her choose her favorites!

Have a great weekend!
~L

Be Cheerful...

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday I was feeling blue, gloomy, down. It was sunny and gorgeous in the 60's here but even that didn't shake it loose.

Today it is cloudy and gloomy but I am smiling. I have lots of reasons to smile today. Special K (my man) has an interview today. He is in such high spirits and so positive about this opportunity and it is contagious. Your comments yesterday (Brynn and Marie) really cheered me. Thank you! Yesterday I had a great phone conversation with my friend Kelly in Minnesota as well.

I thought today would be warm like yesterday so I shaved my legs and put on capri pants, I painted my toes and put on sandals. I took off for the library to see my darling friend Hal and grab some books and it was only 45 degrees out! Chilly but still a hint of spring in the air. My daffodils and tulips have started to poke through the earth. I can't wait until they are in bloom! My friend Julie sent me an email today telling me to turn off the news, close the newspaper and listen to this song!! I love it. You can't help but smile when you watch this video!

The Red Sox have their first Spring Training game tonight! Wish I was in Florida but I'll be watching it on TV instead. Can't wait!

Here are some quotes for you today:

I'm not happy, I'm cheerful. There's a difference. A happy woman has no cares at all. A cheerful woman has cares but has learned how to deal with them.

Beverly Sills


Even if we can't be happy, we must always be cheerful.

Irving Kristol

Make sure you check back tomorrow! I will have some blog candy for you from Melissa of The Rubber Cafe!

Two of...

my favorite boys, Joe and Duke.

 

I have a heavy heart today. Some days I think I can handle it all. Some days I feel panicked and worried. I'm trying to lift myself out of it today by doing some spiritual reading.

I came across this quote:
"The greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being."
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

So true. I hope your heart is light today.

xo,
~L

Cards...

I finally finished up some cards that I created with my handwritten stamps from The Rubber Cafe. Here are just a few samples:

 

 

 

 

I love to use pigment ink and heat embossing on the stamps. It really makes the images pop! I forgot that the sticker was plastic on the "happy birthday" card and nearly melted the whole thing! Oops!

Happy Tuesday that feels like a Monday!

xoxo,
~L

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

xoxo,
~L

Cookie Bakin' Fool!

 

Yep, that's me! I can't believe how much time I have spent baking cookies these last few weeks. My friends have even placed orders for them with me! Craziness!

 

 

Had to share this quote with you today:

The young student asked the Master: "What is the best way to begin and finish each day?"

The Master replied: "By giving thanks."

"But what if there is nothing to be thankful for," asked the boy.

The master smiled and said: "There is always something to be thankful for."


Author Unknown

But Very Much Appreciated!

Happy Day!
♥♥♥
~L

Happy Birthday Joe! (formerly Joey!)

Then and now:

 

He was such a cute newborn, jaundice and all! Now he is my man-child! Fifteen years old today. Time flies!

I also celebrate this day as the day as the anniversary of the day that I became a Mom! Best thing that ever happened to me, hands down!

 

 

 

Love this boy!

Here is a quote for you today:

No man can possibly know what life means, what the world means, until he has a child and loves it. Then the whole universe changes and nothing will ever again seem exactly as it seemed before.
-unknown (but very much appreciated)

February!!

I love February. Love Valentine's day! I took a bunch of pictures of Nate the other day. He sat still and smiled for ONE! It is a cute one though:

Found the cute shirt at Target!

How about that game yesterday? I love Kurt Warner and the Cards! They played a great game and came so close but I guess it just wasn't in the "cards". We had a great time at my friend Tina's Super Bowl party.

Saturday night I went out with my friend Steph to the Melting Pot for fondue. I had never been to a fondue restaurant and I loved it! We did the Wisconsin Trio cheese fondue and then the chocolate with fruit. So yummy!

I got this email today from Better Homes and Gardens with some yummy fondue recipes. Perfect timing! Check them out!

After dinner we saw Slumdog Millionaire. Great movie!! I would highly recommend it.

There is a new challenge going up today over at The Design Experiment Blog! The challenge this time was to create a layout about the craziest thing you have ever done.

Here is my layout:

Journaling reads:

My 20th Birthday
January 24th 1988
My whole life ahead of me.
I can remember exactly what
I wished for... a new beginning,
a fresh start. In 2 days, I
would be boarding a plane from
Boston to So Cal - 2992 miles away,
never having been there.
2 suitcases, a box full of memories.
Big dreams. A brand new life.
Craziest thing I've ever done.
Best thing I've ever done.


I hope you will play along with us this time!

Love,
~L

I felt like sewing...

...so I made this pillow...

What do you think? I like it. I just cut the heart freehand and sewed it on. Had to use that new pom pom ball fringe that I found. I hardly ever feel like sewing anymore so this was a rare moment.

Not much going on here. Special K had an interview this morning for a job I really want him to get!! Please say an itty bitty prayer for us! Thank you kindly!

I just discovered this singer named Sean Fournier. I really like him because I dig acoustic guitar music and well, he's cute! You can watch a little video here.

You can download his album for FREE right here. It's legal and everything. All he asks is if you like it you spread the word, I like it and I'm spreading the love!! Check it out!

xoxo
~L

Thank you!!

...for all of your wonderful birthday wishes yesterday! I feel so very loved!

Today would have been my Mom's birthday. I've been looking at old pictures this morning. I found this one of us from my wedding day (1993) and couldn't help but laugh!

 

If she were still here, I'd email this to her and say "What were we thinking? Our hair was huge!!" And she would laugh so hard and say, "I know, right!" Oh how I miss her laugh. I used to call her everyday just to hear it!

Happy Birthday, Mum. I hope they have a giant sized cannoli with a candle in it and a 72 ounce iced coffee from Dunkin' Donuts up in heaven for you today!

Have a beautiful Sunday, my friends. And if you can, call your mom and make her laugh... for me.

Love to you,
~L

It's a Fabulous Friday!!

Hey there! I just got this award from my friend Donna! How cool! Thanks, Donna!

 

Now I get to give it out to someone else! I'm just going to give it to my friend Danni! She is so amazingly talented and the sweetest person to boot. Check out her blog and her amazing creations. I just ♥ her!!

Donna tells me along with giving this award away I have to list five things that I am addicted to right now. Perfect timing because I was planning on listing my five faves today!

1. In my "happy birthday box" from Denise was this fabulous soap:

 

I'm not usually a bar soap kind of gal but I love it. Makes your skin smell so fresh and feel so soft! You can buy it here.

2. She also gave me this fabulous makeup bag from Juicy Couture!!


Now I have a makeup bag that is fancier than any purse I have ever owned! Thank you my sweet little Sis! You are the BESTEST gift giver ever!

3. If I could only watch one show on TV it would be Ugly Betty!! I love this show! Here is a (horrible) picture of me in Times Square in front of a poster of Betty in the window of the ABC building. My friend Becky is not much of a photographer, LoL!

 

I just discovered that you can watch webisodes of Amanda and Mark on the ABC website here. I've been watching them and LMAO!

I'll tell you what is not my FAVE show this season... Grey's Anatomy!! What da hell? I'm so sick of Dead Denny! Please go away! I mean he's hot and everything but I just don't get the dead thing. Are you feeling me?

4. I'm totally addicted to Starbucks lately due to our dreary weather. I treated myself to a Valentine's mug the other day:

 

Go to the Starbucks website and watch a cool video. You may have seen it on a commercial. Love it!

5. Can't let this historic week go by without listing the presidential inauguration as one of my faves! Love this quote from our new PRESIDENT:



I have to go get beautiful now because I'm going to a birthday lunch today with ten of my Bunco Babe friends who are all total knockouts!! Tomorrow I will be 41 years old... what da hell? Seriously?

Leave me some birthday love, please!

♥Lori♥

Congratulations to the new First Family!

How stunning they all looked. I love Michelle's style. I thought this color was such a statement. And those girls, ooooh, I want to steal them for my very own! (Not really, I'd never do that! LoL)



I do a lot of reading about autism and I found this article very interesting.


I'd love if you'd take a few minutes to read it too.

Edited to add this quote:
Sometimes we feel that we've got to climb a mountain or raise a monument to leave our mark on the world. What we fail to recognize is that often we make a difference simply by existing, by handling what life gives us. Maybe the way we deal with our challenges and our rewards inspires someone else to achieve worthwhile things in their own life.

Blaine Lee

Wow, so well said!
♥ Lori