MIA for a While!!!

I see it has been a long time since I have posted anything here.  In fact, it has been so long that I have forgotten my password to my blogger account!!!  Anyway, I have been busy working on next year's VBS at our church!!!  At first I was a little reluctant to go with this year's theme, but the more I think about it, the more I am thinking about all the cool stuff I can work in to spread God's word to our kids in the community!!  I have decided to hold several fund raisers for VBS this year.  Our first major fundraiser is a pie sale!!  We have decided to sell pies for Thanksgiving.  So far it seems to be very successful!!!  Looks like we are going to make over $500 for our first fundraiser!!  God is at work already for our church!!  Next, we are looking at selling fresh wreaths and having a craft/bake sale.  I have been very busy working on cards, cards of all kinds!!  I have decided to share some of my creations that will be sold this year for VBS.  Just remember, if you are interested in purchasing anything that you see here, please send me an email or leave me a message here.  I will get back with you ASAP.

This is a mix of similar cards. They are 6.5 x
5 inches each. 

There are 2 in this set.  These are also 6.5 x 5
inches each.

There are 8 in this set.  The different colors and patters are just a little different in each
 card, but the set is mainly the same.  These are also 6.5 x 5 inches each.



There are also 8 cards in this set.  You get 2 of each design.  They
are also 6.5 x 5 inches each.



There are 4 in this set.  These are everyday cards.  I believe they are around 5-6
inches square.



I believe there are 5-6 in this set.  They are also 5-6 inches square.  They are everyday cards.



There are 10 cards in this set.  They are blank on the inside.  They are somewhere
around 3 x 4 inches.

This set is around 2 x 3 inches.  It is a small note set.  It is done is a
Christmas style.  Will be great to attach to gifts or just to send a little
Christmas hello to someone.

This set is also around 2 x 3 inches.  They are blank inside.  Great for a little thank you,
hello, or just general everyday greetings.

Another set of 2 x 3 cards that can be used for general everyday use.  They are
also blank on the inside.

I think there are about 8 in this set.  They are blank with a small design on the
inside.  They were made from 5 x 7 inch papers.  This makes them
around 3.5 x 5 inches.  They have an inspirational
message stamped on the outside and can be used for
general everyday use.

There are 8-10 cards in this set.  They are around 3-3.5 inch squares.  Another
set that are great for a little Christmas note.

A general set that is around 3 x 4 inches.  There are 8-10 in this set.  They are blank on
the inside and are great for general everyday use.

There are 10 cards in this set.  There are 5 of each design.  As you can see,
they are also blank on the inside and are great for everyday use.

This is another set of everyday inspiration cards.  I believe there are
8 in this set.  They are blank on the inside.  They are great for
everyday use.

This is a set of 8 Christmas cards.  They have an inspirational message
stamped on the inside of the card.  They are 6.5 x 5 inches.  Each card has
a different design.

This is a set of 10 everyday cards.  They are around 4-5 inches on each side.
They are blank on the inside with an area to write.  They are also great for
everyday use.

I do not remember how many are in this set.  They can also be separated into two
different sets.  They are great for small birthday cards.  They are blank on the inside.
They measure about the same as the above set of cards.

I believe there are 7-8 cards in this set.  They are general everyday use cards.  They are 3.5 x 5 inches.
They are blank on the inside and also have a small design
on the inside.

This is a necklace made with glass and metal beads.  I have not measured them so I am not sure exactly
how long they are.  They are not choker style necklaces.

This is also a glass and metal bead necklace.  It is very neutral in color and is great
to wear with many different colors.  It is also not a choker style necklace.

Another metal and glass bead necklace.  It is also not a choker necklace.

Again, another glass and metal bead necklace.  This one is slightly shorter than the rest, but
still not a choker style necklace.  Has small pink drops around the necklace.

Another glass and metal bead necklace.  This one has several aqua-colored
flower beads around it.  Also, not a choker style necklace.

Another fun, neutral-colored necklace that will go with many different
colors.  Each accent bead is different due to the difference of color in the beads.
Not a choker necklace.

Another longer necklace made from glass, metal, and natural stone chips.  The chips are
a turquoise color alongside a varying dark brown to black color.  They are accented with
a faceted bead covered on both ends with metal bead caps.

Again, if anyone is interested in anything I have here, please feel free to email me at the_roaddummy_1@sbcglobal.net or you can just leave me a message here and I will get back with you ASAP.  I will also be posting other items for sale in the next couple of weeks.  I also have live wreaths for sale that will benefit our VBS.  I will post some pictures of these soon and you can message me if you are interested.  They are simply beautiful and would make a nice addition to any holiday decor!!!  Thank you for looking and I hope you can help us raise money for VBS!!!!

~hugs, melanie

Florida, New Orleans, and some pages I made alog the way!!!

We have been on vacation since last Wednesday.  I think the kids are getting homesick.  I think the hubby misses them, too.  He didn't get to come with us because he didn't have any vacation time left.  I will be glad to get home and go back to work, though!!!!!  I really enjoyed getting away, relaxing on the beach, seeing some very interesting sights, and just having fun.  We got to tour the USS Alabama in Mobile, watch the sun set from the beach, eat at restaurants that I cannot name here on my blog, see things that I cannot mention on my blog, and we walked so many miles in New Orleans!!!  I will have pictures soon!!!  I also was able to get a page or two completed while riding down the road. 

This is a page I was able to do between Destin and New Orleans.  I took some great pictures of the beach when we were in Destin.  I loved how the water is so blue-green and the sand is so white.  I loved listening to the waves crashing on the beach.  It was great.  The kit I used for this page is called beach House and it is from Sus Designs.  You can pick up this kit here.  There are also many other great kits to pick up in her store.

Here are a few pictures from our vacation so far:

This is a bird I took a picture of in Biloxi, MS, on our way to Destin.  I was probably 5 feet from it when I took the picture.  Makes for a beautiful picture.

They have turned the light back on at the end of the tunnel.  Not really, but this is the light at the end of the tunnel coming out of Mobile going to Destin.

The battleship, USS Alabama.  We stopped and toured the ship.  It was hot outside, but not too bad inside.  We went to at least 4 different levels with at least one more to go down.  Very interesting if you have never been and are in the area.

My children, Ashley, Tim, and Justin, standing in front of one of the propellers used for this ship.

The view from our hotel in Destin.  It was a beautiful sight!!!  Very relaxing, too!!!

I took Tim to play golf at Baytowne.  He played the 18 hole course while I drove the golf cart.  Our tee time was at 7am.  It was early, but we had fun!!

Yes, those are alligators.  They are at Fudpuckers in Destin.  They had to have had at least 50 of them.  They were all fairly small, but I still didn't stick my hand down in there!!!  The kids did have their picture made with one.

In the dining room we sat in at Fudpuckers, they had a lot of cases full of different beer cans.  This is just one of the pictures that I took.

Sunset on the beach looking east.  It was really nice.

The underside of a stingray at Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach.  It is worth the money!!!  The kids had a great time.

The penguins at Gulf World.

A really spoiled sea turtle at Gulf World.  They said they got him when he was still a baby--about the size of a golf ball.  The turtle is really cool!

These flamingos are really cool!!!  They are in an area where there is no fence or cage.  I wanted to take them home with me!!!

One of the dolphins during the dolphin show.  It was a lot of fun and very interesting.  The kids really enjoyed it a lot!!!

We made it to New Orleans!!!  We walked over to Canal Street from out hotel to catch the streetcar.  A lot of walking!!!!

So, for now, I am going to finish!  We are going to go to Bubba Gump for dinner and the kids are acting like they are starving to death.  Trust me, they really aren't!!!!!

~hugs, mel

New Pages and Vacation Coming Up!!!

Wow!!  I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted.  I have been really busy the last couple of weeks with work, getting ready for vacation, and entertaining the kids while they are out of school.  Oh, and throw in a whole lot of cleaning the house while trying to keep two little tornadoes from destroying it!!!  I feel like I need to go back to work so I can get a break!!  Anyway, the kids are out of school for the summer.  I go back to work tonight for the next 6 nights and then it is off to sunny Florida for some rest!!!  I think I will become a beach bum while I am there!!  Now, to get caught up on some things.  I have three new pages that I have created using three different kits.  The first one is called Enchantment and it is by Heartfelt Perfections.  This is a wonderful kit for anything love related.  It has a great mix of reds and whites with some eclectic elements thrown in the mix!!  I used a couple of pictures of my twins when they were babies for this page.

You can find this kit in her store HERE.  You can also find it in tagger size if that is your preference.

Next is a page I did a couple of weeks ago.  I got busy and forgot to post it.  So, I am doing that now!!!  It is called Boy Street and it is by Butterfly Dsign.  I have been looking for a kit like this for a while.  It works great for those pictures of boys or men!!  It has a great mix of grunge and industrial elements with just the right amount of feminine elements to make this kit perfect!!!  I had the joy of getting to work with this one before it came out.  A very big thank you to Butterfly Dsign for letting me work with this!!!  Also, with the end of school, vacation planning, cleaning house, and working, I can't remember if I sent this to her or not.  If not, I really do apologize.  Some days I didn't know if I was coming or going!!!

You can find it in her shop HERE.

And for my last page, I made it using a kit from Heartfelt Perfections called Nature's World.  I have a lot of different pictures of my kids over the years.  Some of the better ones of my son Tim are from when we went to the Buffalo River.  In case you are not from the area, the Buffalo River is a river that works it way through northern Arkansas.  What makes it so very special is that it is great for canoeing.  It is not very deep.  The water at all points is so very clear you can see right to the bottom.  It is surrounded in several places by tall cliffs.  It is so very peaceful and a very welcome change from the craziness of the city!!!  It is so far in the middle of nowhere that you can't even get cell phone reception!!!  That made for a great day on the river!!

You can grab this one at Heartfelt Perfections' shop HERE.

Next time I post, it will probably be from Florida.  I plan on getting up to see the sun rise and sitting on the beach to watch it set!!!  I will have those pictures plus many others from our trip.  For now, I must get some sleep so I can get through the next 6 nights!!!

~hugs, mel