Pink Ninja Blog Hop Baby!!

So I wandered on over to the Miss Ultra Talented Carrie Elias Bloggie to find that she is hosting a "blog hop" for the Pink Ninja crew!! This whole idea is sooooo fun and exciting!! I may have to just "lift" her idea for good ole Pink Pineapple....

Here's how you enter for a chance to win:

1. you have to be a follower of the Pink Ninja Addicts (check....actually I already was!)

2. you have to be a follower of these mega creative Pink Ninja Addicts Girls :
Ninja Master Ally (check...ditto to the previous comment!!)
Ninja Master Nely (double ditto...)
Ninja Star Carrie (Me) (triple ditto...)
Ninja Star Gloria (she doesn't have followers, but you'll want to see all the beautiful art she makes) (agree agree agree with Mrs. Carrie...you will want to check out Gloria's blog!!)

3. you have to talk about this giveaway on your blog (hehehhe....that's what I am a doin' right now folks!!) and the Pink Ninja Addicts has to see it ....

4. you have to leave a comment on the Pink Ninja Addicts Blog (check!) It's perfect!!!

Hello....can you say rad!! Look at the Pink Ninja kit you could win!!! Ummm....delish!

In turn.....

You get to see a lot of fun scrapbook projects, and enter for a chance to win a sweet giveaway at the same time :-) Winners will be announced on Friday (April 30th), on the Pink Ninja Addicts blog.....

the prize you win is AWESOME (You get to choose from the kit shown above, or one of Carrie's hand-made owls!!)

....check it out on Carries blog....ummm....her hand made owls are to die for!! (no seriously, I may actually DIE if I had one...or at least faint when my breath is taken away in utter happiness and glee!!)

DISCLAIMER: THESE PHOTOS WERE COPIED FROM CARRIE ELIAS' BLOG CALLED "BLUME". THEY ARE HAND-CRAFTED BY HER!!!

From Scraps To Cards...

If you know me well, you will not find this topic "out of the ordinary!"

It is a FACT: I do NOT like to throw out anything related to Scrapbooking.

Someone once told me "If you can't mount a picture on it throw it out!" GASP! Have they not seen the cute punches that I store in a basket? (Although I have not USED them in years.) OR all the stamps I store in plastic containers that could be used to doll up those tiny little paper treasures!! Seriously folks, work with me here!! Save a tree, save your scraps!!

Ok, enough rambling about my obsessive hoarding of all things paper.....

All the little bits & pieces that were sitting in a pile looked like a mound of gold that must be shined & displayed!! Instead of scooping up my "mess" & trashing all the leftovers after finishing up with the making of my "Garden" swap; I decided to make Birthday cards for the Free Card Exchange.

Here is the little card I whipped up with the scrappies:

The Card Exchange was held on April 10th, the day AFTER I left for our vacation. Thanks to Dee Steeves for being a WONDERFUL hostess. She made sure that the exchange went on without a hitch!

Here are a few pictures of the cards I received back in exchange!

Awesome group of ladies....so excited the ubber talented (& highly published I might add!!) Christine Penaflor has joined this group!! The theme for June's cards is "Anything Goes." OK.....I soooo LOVE that we have the freedom to use WHATEVER we want this time around & choose any theme that suits our fancy.

Why? 'Cuz that's how I roll!!

The next exchange will be June 5th at 11am (which by the way is NOT mandatory to be part of the exchange, just a fun little meet-up). There are a maximum of 20 participants (so we don't make 100 of the same exact card!!). We do have a few spots open & I would absolutely LOVE to have you join us!! Just shoot me an email and I will give you all the deets.

Giggle of the Day:

Aspen comes in crying, "Mommmmmyyy Coleby called me a bad word!" I say, "WHAT did he call you!" Terrified of the reply. She says through sweet little tears, "He called me WEIRD!"

It's Time To Water My Garden

I have planted many seeds in the past six months that have been neglected. They were not watered nor cared for. They were ignored, passed by.....they were simply "planted." I wrongfully assumed that sun & rain would do the rest, you know...make them "grow." Looking back, it certainly has not rained enough for seeds to grow and eventually become flowers. The sun has been peeking through the clouds with an occasional wave, but it certainly has not been bright enough to open the petals of flowers that were once seeds long ago. As you may have already guessed, the seeds are newly formed "friendships." Friendships that require constant sunshine and rain. Newly planted seeds are tiny & gentle, delicate to the touch. The soil that surrounds them is not yet "home" to them, it is foreign. Their roots have not yet strengthened. They will only grow if tended to just right. The whirlwind of activities in my life, some refreshing, some unpleasant have stopped me from even passing by my garden. I ignored my garden although it was always in the forefront of my mind. I had high hopes that the seeds would turn to beautiful flowers without any effort on my part. As I look out onto my garden today, I see a vast land of dirt with a few blooming flowers here and there that were planted from years past. These flowers are much stronger than the tiny seeds. Some have withheld many winters. Their roots have been grounded, their seasonal bloom is reliable even through terrible times of cloudy skies and an occasional drought. Joy fills my body as I am reminded that these flowers remain confident from past experience that the sun and rain will revitalize their beauty and ability to continually bloom. I have been a terrible gardener. I have allowed the day to day "rut" get into the joy I experience in tending to my garden, whether it be coddling seeds or watering flowers. Today, I choose to be a real gardener. A serious gardener. Not only for the flowers that bloom in my garden every year, but for those newly planted seeds. I want to be a gardener that is more thoughtful, and will remember to water often. One that is caring and will cast sunshine unto my garden even during the darkest of days. This is my wish for all my friends whether old or new, flower or seed..... please understand that the neglect you have felt these past few months was unintentional. I love my garden, blooming flowers and tiny seeds equally.

Here is a picture of a "Garden" swap I recently participated in with 17 lovely ladies. I chose to use a packet of seeds as the basis for my creation. I realize some may get tossed, some may get planted but never tended too, but there will be those that are planted, nurtured, cared for tenderly & will one day bloom into beautiful flowers.

The quote I attached to the seeds reads "At the heart of gardening, there is a belief in the miraculous" by Mirabel Osler. In this case for me, "miraculous" is the true belief that the seeds I plant will bloom. I have faith that this will happen because I choose from this day on to be a better gardener.

Here is a little picture of my creation for the "garden" swap. Enjoy. Plant. Water. And Care.

Love always,

Krystie