The Cozy Couch

Vegas Recap - Takin' a Break

2009-05-13T11:59:00.000-07:00

It's been a LONG time since my last post. Okay, maybe just over a week, but still! Soon after returning home from our Vegas trip, Hubby and I got really sick with the flu. The picture above (at the fight) is not at all what we looked or felt like last week! Luckily, we did not contract the H1N1 flu. However, whatever virus we caught was simply awful! Not only did I suffer from the typical symptoms of the flu, but I had a loss in appetite for food AND paper crafting! GASP! Can you believe it?! I'm just glad the worst is over and we are feeling much better these days.

Today, my co-worker (Hi Tammy!) noticed I had not blogged in awhile. Also my older sister, who sometimes visits my blog (Hi Ruth!) to make sure I'm still alive, was wondering why I haven't posted anything lately. Yes, I'm still breathing! Just taking a break to get over this darn flu. So I thought I would at least post a re-cap of our trip to Vegas. Perhaps this will fill the void on my blog until I'm 100% again. By the way, I received my Green Tangerines kit for April and it's so awesome! Can't wait to get back on the craft table to create! For now, enjoy the photos:)

It doesn't look like it, but we are on our way to Vegas. Okay, okay....so this is a picture of the short cut we took on back roads to the Sacramento International Airport.

Yay! We made it! My brother-in-law Steve and his girlfriend Riza were so nice to allow us to stay with them at their timeshare in Vegas. I attempted to capture a nice pic of me and the hubsters BUT he kept playing jokes on me! He kept saying, "Okay, babe! This time I'll be serious". How many clicks later, I still did not have a shot until a passerby asked if he could take the picture for us. HA! How embarrassing!
Filipinos totally know how to keep cool in hot weather. A Filipino delivery company called LBC provided fans for....well, fans! HA! LOL!
Watching the Pacquiao fight. This was happiness after a successful round 1!

The newspapers said 15K Britons flew to LV for this fight. Hatton fans had 5 really good chants. What do you expect when you bring in a band to lead?! Filipinos would have taken over with a united "Man-ny! Man-ny!" chant except the fight was over before we even had the chance! Needless to say not a peep from 'Hatton Wonderland' after Manny put the smack down.

Getting out was no fun. However, this picture makes me laugh. The only reason you don’t see any Filipinos in this pic is because we are too short! HA! LOL!

Even Larry Merchant was so small, I didn't realize I was walking beside him, For those of you don't know him, he's an HBO announcer for major boxing matches. I love my souvenir Pacquiao T-shirt!

Dining at BLT Burger at The Mirage. I ordered kobe beef sliders with sweet potato fries. Aren't they super cute? I ended up eating only the meat and fries because it was all just too much!

One of our stops was Fat Tuesday’s cantina inside Planet Hollywood’s mall. My brother-in-law Steve ordered us the largest container possible. In fact they had to pull this one from underneath the bar. There are 27 shots of Vodka in this thing......or something like that!

Group shot at the Hawaiian Tropic Zone at Planet Hollywood. Notice how we all pushed our drinks to Steve's side of the table.

This is a pic of a cab driver who nearly killed us on our way back to the hotel! I turned off the volume on my camera in order to take every picture possible of this crazy man - including his cab license! HEY! Just in case! The guy was seriously insane!

YAY! We finally saw Cirque Du Soleil’s “O” Show! A pic souvenir of our date night! So corny! HA!

Hubby’s favorite breakfast. The Grand Lux Cafe is a great spot to eat at the Venetian. They are known for the hollandaise sauce on their eggs Benedict. Very bad but oh so good!

Leaving for the airport. Hubby sporting his souvenir shirt with pride.

Until next time, LV! Hope to see you at Pacquiao vs. Mayweather!!!

In Las Vegas for Manny Pacquiao

2009-05-02T12:35:00.001-07:00

The hubby and I are in Las Vegas to watch Manny Pacquiao battle Ricky Hatton tonight at the MGM. I'm filled with such pride because I think Manny truly represents the Filipino culture well. I love how he is so humble, is faithful to his God and shows respect at all times.

Having worked in pro-sports for over 5 years now, I'm always amazed at how sports has such an impact on all walks of life. The Pacman has not only gained great respect from his opponents and boxing fans all over the world, but he has lifted the spirit of an entire country. Now that's amazing!

So I'm sitting here in our hotel room waiting to head out to the mall, anxious to watch the fight tonight live. We arrived last night and will be taking it easy all of today (shopping, etc). My husband and I are very excited for tonight's fight!!!! Woo hoo! No matter the outcome, I'm *hands down* a Manny fan and feel very fortunate to witness one of his fights. Let's go, Manny! Filipino! Filipino!!!

Prepare - GTKC March Kit

2009-04-30T05:55:00.001-07:00

I had time last night to do a quick one-word card to add to my book of motivation. I used supplies from my Green Tangerines Kit for March.

Hilarious - GTKC March Kit

2009-04-26T00:32:00.001-07:00

Oh! It's so nice to be home!!! Can you believe I was home all day today?! I got crack-a-lackin' on more LO's with my GT March kit. Woo hoo! This 2-pager was dedicated to our puppy Murray. I snapped a photo of him mid-yawn, but doesn't it look like he is busting up? HA! I'm seriously considering making greeting cards with it. It still cracks me up when I look at it.

By the way (it's a bit difficult to see), I tried more doodling on these pages. I had so much fun with it! The perfectionist in me is learning to let go.

At Home with Mom - GTKC March Kit

2009-04-25T11:56:00.000-07:00

I finished another LO of our visit to the Bay Area to see my Mom. I'm havin' lots of fun with my Green Tangerines Kit for March. The spring colors make me happy!

JOURNAL:
She has always been a great cook. Every time we visit, she always take the time to buy and prepare foods we love. Even when she says, "No I can't make that" or "I don't think I have time", she manages to still accommodate our special requests - on the table are the very foods we asked for. Thank you, Mom, for slaving away in the kitchen.

When we arrive at the house, Mom has already prepared all our favorite dishes (written around photo)

She's a clean cook with all the best shortcuts. Just take a look at her perfect round omelet! Yummy! (written around photo)

Daily Routine - GTKC March Kit

2009-04-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

JOURNAL:
Every morning growing up, I could always find my mom in the kitchen putting on make-up. Same place, same time every single day! I remember her daily routine also included making coffee, vacuuming, cleaning, gardening and the wash. She loved taking care of everything in the morning so she could be worry-free for the rest of the day.

I made this layout using my GTKC March Kit. My favorite item to use on this LO was the felt ribbon. It was a bit difficult to adhere since the design is so intricate - a little sticky on the fingers! Can you believe my mom is 67 years old? I can only wish to be so lucky when I am that age. GO MOM!

Luckily I had extra time tonight to create a simple hello card. It felt good to be at the craft table again.

NOT in the Trunk

2009-04-23T23:59:00.000-07:00

Dear Hubbs,

Aww...you were so kind to leave a comment on my Balmonte Book post. And I love that you visit my blog now and then to show support. So I guess now is a good time to let you know (via my blog) that I went to Michael's to buy a few things that were on sale. It was good of me to find such great deals right? I mean, take a look at the rolling scrapbook luggage. It was 50% off, babe! That's a steal!!! Those green plastic cases were half off too. Only $5 each. And remember how we talked about how expensive Cricut supplies are? For example, Cricut cartridges run $89-$99 each, remember? Well, Michael's happened to have one last Paper Pups cartridge for ONLY $39.99. So it only made sense to get it, right? There are other things I found, but I put them all away already. I'll have to show you those things later. Don't you agree the luggage was a necessary purchase? Now we don't have to haul everything in small bags and boxes when we travel.

So surprise, babe! I got a few things. Let me know when you read this post. I'm wondering how long it will take for you to discover this. I changed the date of the post to April 23rd since you visited my blog today already (April 24th). Yes, I took the picture while you were in the shower and posted while you were downstairs making breakfast for us this morning.

OH! I love you! THANK YOU:)

Bubbs

Baby Book for Balmonte Baby

2009-04-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

Wow! Say that title 5x in a row! I have been putting my Bind-It-All to good use lately. Here's another mini-album I made for Chris and Lori and their new family of three:) I guess it's not quite so mini as it was a 6x12 album. It was great to do it this way because all I needed to do with each 12x12 was cut it in half! Don't you just love Penny Lane from My Mind's Eye? What great color combinations! I can't wait to see the finished album when they add family photos.

Yes, I know. Lots of pictures and long posts. But my blog is a place for me to look back at all I have done, so I like to record it all. Thanks so much for visiting! Hope you are keeping it cozy!

The top has two squares stand for Chris and Lori. Then I added three squares to the next page to show they are now a family of three! I made the flowers using Cuttlebug.

I really loved adding the button badges to the photo insert pages. Neat way to separate them.

I left a lot of space for journaling. Lori is one of THE MOST creative people I know. I'm sure she will add nice touches and make this album all their own. You think this book is good? She will make it great!

I love how acrylic paints and sponge stamps make letters pop!

A true labor of love! One of my favorite albums!

Baby Card

2009-04-21T06:57:00.000-07:00

Our friends Lori and Chris recently gave birth to a new son! We are so excited for this sweet blessing in their lives. They also asked hubby to be a God parent. YAY!

Here's the card I made to accompany the Balmonte mini-album. I used paper from the My Mind's Eye Penny Lane collection. I really, really love the colors and designs of this entire line! I needed an envelope and my older sister came to the rescue with this awesome one! (By the way, she is one of my creative gurus. My sister is GREAT at paper crafting and packaging...GENIUS, I tell you!). For someone who says her eyesight is going, she did a great job centering everything and cutting awesome lines for this super cute envelope! Thanks, Sis!!! I love you!

An Album to Inspire

2009-04-16T07:40:00.001-07:00

I'm starting another album. This time it's just for me! I'm scrapping one inspiration word a week and writing whatever is on my mind on the back. The 5x7 playing cards are from Heidi Swapp. I used my Green Tangerines March kit for this particular page.

Weight Watchers is hosting a Momentum Walk-It challenge. I signed up yesterday in order to start training for a 5K in June. I'm very excited to train and record my journey in my inspiration album. I think incorporating my hobby will keep me motivated:)

Art for Wall Hangings

2009-04-13T23:16:00.000-07:00

Spring break was so much fun. Our family friends spent the week with us. Miraculously (and thanks to IKEA), we managed to move all my crafts from our dining room to a spare bedroom upstairs before they arrived. I'm not quite done with the room, but I thought I would post a photo of one of my projects - wall hangings!

We plan on buying a new computer and Photoshop this year, but I couldn't wait to experiment with some digital goodness from House of 3. What I love most about digital artwork is I can change the colors of the elements to whatever I need. In this case, I changed the yellows in Ho3's Housewarming kit to nice green and teal colors. I created the 8x11 pages above and used iron-on sheets to get them onto some cheap fabric. I then nailed them to simple wooden frames from IKEA. Voila! Instant wall art for my new design studio! It takes time to put everything together, but I bet it will be worth it. I have 2 down and 4 more to go. I will definitely post pics of my new room when everything is done.

When Work is Fun

2009-04-09T12:24:00.001-07:00

I have had the privilege of working for two awesome professional sports teams. For five years, I was with the San Francisco 49ers handling player appearances and programming in their community relations department. Then in 2006, I came to the business operations/finance department at Maloof Sports & Entertainment (Sacramento Kings, Sacramento Monarchs and ARCO Arena). I support Senior Vice President of Business Operations John Rinehart (I couldn't have asked for a better boss!) and the eight departments he oversees. I didn't realize how much I would enjoy learning this side of the business. The best part is I have more balance in my life. Can you believe I get to work 9-5pm Monday thru Friday, no events and no games? In pro sports, that's a bit of a miracle!

Anyway, I had to share this video of our mascot playing a joke on team members in the executive offices at ARCO Arena. John is featured towards the end where they abort the mission. Hee! I'm still laughing over this video! Thank goodness I was holding a cup of coffee or something that morning! I think they let me off the hook!

It's moments like these that make me appreciate being at MS&E. I'm surrounded by great colleagues and friends. We have the most entertaining (and brave) mascot and our video productions department did such a great job putting this piece together. The video was featured at our game the other night against the Lakers. Enjoy!

March ATC

2009-04-07T21:55:00.000-07:00

The theme for March ATC's at Keep on Scrappin' was PETS:) As you know, Murray came into our lives last July. Does he look similar to Winnie (the dog in the yellow mini album I just completed)? WHY YES! They are both Scottish Terrierss. It was because of our wonderful experience with Winnie that we knew a Scotty was perfect for us.

I decided to use purple cardstock since I had plenty in my stash. I also felt like playing with the color of the photo and went with a blue-ish, purple tone. Too bad they were not exact. However, I do like the two different tones. I was tempted to embellish, but held back. Whenever I use photos, I don't want anything else to take away the focus.

I started with this original photo. Here is Murray when we went to visit him for the first time. He was the eldest of three puppies. At the time we all just referred to him as 'Big Boy'. I changed the tone of the photo to purple and added a distressed frame layer over the top.Voila! My pet ATC for March! I added brown ribbon and a charm. Then, I wrote WOOF! and faux stiched the photo with a white gel pen. Finally, I embossed the bottom with a scallop folder from Cuttlebug.

A Mini Winnie Album

2009-04-05T08:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a mini album I made as a thank you gift for my co-worker's husband. He was so kind to give me access to purchasing great tickets for the upcoming Pacquiao vs. Hatton fight (yes, can you believe I like boxing?) in Vegas. Other than to thank him, I was excited to make this mini of the their dog Winnie (that rhymes!) JUST BECAUSE:)

The challenge was finding paper that was masculine for him, but yet feminine for the dog. The answer came in the extra paper I had from my Basic Grey Ambrosia set.

All the phrases in black came from Cricut's Paper Pups cartridge. My favorite was adding the glossy accents to 'Best Friend' on the cover.

It was interesting starting this mini WITH pictures (vs. the Peyton album where I had none to start with). Seemed more of a challenge since I had to choose which photos to highlight. Starting the album with Winnie as a puppy was a great choice. My co-worker In Ja gave me many photos from this outing at the park. I wanted to use them all, but decided on these. I stamped the images than put Glossy Accents over. The butterflies sort of pop out, but it's hard to see. Of course, I accented with Stickles!I LOVE this picture of Winnie sleeping on In Ja! I used a Cuttlebug flower die to create the flowers. Then, I distressed the white ones using Tim Holtz ink. Winnie's first haircut is featured in the photo with the red bow...hence, the red ribbon:) I had my own collection of Winnie photos I took last year. I used a computer program to add 'Go, Winnie Go' to the photo. I also provided a pocket full of tags. In Ja took an actual paw print from Winnie, listed of the dog's favorites and wrote words to describe Winnie's personality. What great additions to their album instead of more photos!Maybe it's because of the colors, but I love these pages! You can barely see, but I used gun metal Stickles along the scallops. I should have used something a little more sparkling. The sentiment was done on the computer. Flowers were cut with a Cuttlebug die.More of my favorite photos of Winnie! Especially the 'Miss You' one! Can you believe she stayed still when I did this close-up? She's such a well behaved dog! These were pages I didn't want to over-embellish. The pictures say it all.

Baby Girl Mini Album

2009-04-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

I have been busy working on mini album gifts and custom onesies for good friends. Unfortunately, these projects have taken me away from doing anything else - like 365 cards (miss you guys!). It's been so much fun putting the albums together based on techniques I have learned since my last one.

I promise to post all my projects soon. For now, I'd like to share a mini-album I made for my colleague and good friend Stephanie. She is expecting her first child this month. I am so super excited for her and happy to report that she loved her mini-album gift.

Everything I used came from the My Mind's Eye Bloom & Grow collection. I didn't want to go with a typical all-pink theme. I love that this paper collection uses bold colors, but is still soft and feminine at the same time. Other materials came from Bazzill, Tim Holtz and American Crafts.

Touchy Feely Friday

2009-03-27T10:06:00.001-07:00

Today's task on 365 Cards is to incorporate three different methods of adding texture. My coworker's son arrives this weekend from school to spend his birthday at home. His mom has been very excited to celebrate his special day. Since I have an abundance of Basic Grey Granola paper left, I used it for this very male, but super sweet card. I added texture using wet and dry embossing. Of course, I also had to get some cinnamon Stickles on the cones!

Still Alive on 365

2009-03-26T17:58:00.000-07:00

For these past few days, we have been busy with our kids' activities. Our son participated in a district band festival playing the drums. Of course, we think his band director and band played the best! Also, our daughter competed in a regional spelling bee. She was the only 8th grader from her school and district to advance to this stage. Unfortunately, she did not go as far as she did last year (sigh of relief that we do not have to travel far to the state competition this year). However, we are still so proud of her! Last, I have also been busy with applying for an interdistrict transfer so our daughter could attend a great school nearby. After days of emails, phone calls and transcripts, we finally received the news today that she is approved to attend the school this fall. Whew!!!

I took pictures of my cards on the grass simply because we've had some gorgeous days here in the Sacramento area. With each card, I attempted to step outside of my comfort zone as far as style. It's important to try new things and employ various techniques and styles. I learn more about the art of paper crafting this way and definitely more about myself as an artist. This week's challenges on 365 Cards exposed some weak areas for me. Without these assignments though, I would not have gone down some of these roads. And for this reason alone, I am grateful to still be alive on 365! Thanks for helping me explore and expand!

Crossword Connection
The task for Day 23 was to use a fun printable crossword puzzle with the words 'I Love You'. To be honest, I have never done anything like this before. You should have seen me at the table. I sat there for hours trying to figure out what to do! Hee!Setting the Scene
The theme for Day 24 was to set a scene - a nature scene! A great coworker and friend (HI, LYNN!) lent me her Paper Pups Cricut cartridge to try. It had everything I needed to create this relaxed scene in nature. I Cuttlebug'd many of the pieces to give it texture. The pup on his back is my favorite. So much fun! Ad Inspired
For Day 25, I had to create a card using the following ad as inpiration. I wanted to use white on colored paper, and then use the same colored ink on white paper. What an awesome idea! I love the cohesiveness through the patterns, yet the difference in bold colors. Also, the black definitely pops off in this ad as it does on my card. Color Me Anything But That!
I love ALL colors. There isn't anything out there I detest. However, I do notice that I rarely use purple. So for today's Day 26 challenge, I decided to use this color for my card. The other inspiration for this piece came from thinking about one of my best friends. Paula LOVES purple. I don't blame her. It's such a rich and awesome color. Also, since Easter is coming up and we have been there for each other in our 'walk', I couldn't help but think of her when I made this. I'm so lucky to have her as a friend! Love you, P!

Catching Up on 365 Cards

2009-03-24T07:36:00.000-07:00

I have been super busy making a baby mini album (which I will post soon!) and visiting with family. It took me away from 365 Cards entire weekend. However, I got caught up on a few last night. I also opened my February Kit from Green Tangerines. Woo hoo! So many goodies to use! I will post quickly for now, but will add more description and links later. I'll also catch up on the rest of the cards I missed tonight. Thanks for stopping by!

Inside Out
The task for Day 20 was to create a card that was primarily embellished on the inside, along with the sentiment.Sing Along Saturday
For Day 21 I had to create a card inspired by the song 'Lean on Me' by Bill Withers.
Super Sketch Sunday
For Day 22, the task was to create a card using the following sketch.

March One Card Swap

2009-03-20T08:03:00.000-07:00

Teri over at Big Ideas from a Little Girl hosted a One Card Swap for March. It was limited to one full card only - no goodies or treats in the card - since participants are mainly interested in exchanging ideas. My swap partner for this month was Penny of Penny's Favor-It Creations. I had SO much fun creating something special for her. At first, I created a different card than what I sent. When I went to GT last week, I came across new paper and embellishments from American Crafts' Craft Fair Line. He-llo! The "I {Heart} Blogs" and "DIY" buttons were screaming at me. Of course, I had to create a new card with these goodies!

I really stepped out of my comfort zone on the design and layout for this card. I'm not use to mixin' it up like I did on the tag, but I wanted to give it a try. It felt good to let loose and let go. The colors are very happy, so I hope Penny enjoys it as much as I did making it for her. My favorite part is the mesh ribbon behind the "I {Heart} Blogs" button. I cut it with a flower die! Enjoy Penny! Hope all is well in Waipahu!

Going Green and Keep it to Yourself

2009-03-19T08:08:00.000-07:00

Going Green
The task for Day 18 at 365 Cards was to use green as a dominant color for a card. Even it though it was the day after the St. Patrick's holiday, the card did not have to resemble leprechauns or the like. For my card, I decided to create a tree using paper from Basic Grey's Mellow line. I hand cut the tree trunk (which I think I made too big) and used my Cuttlebug for the leaves. I'm not sure if you can tell from the photo, but I tried to highlight the leaves here and there using Stickles. The flowers are from Bazzill and the stamp is by Autumn Leaves. You can't get any greener than a tree:)Keep it to Yourself
Today's task for Day 19 at 365 Cards is to create a card keeping the sentiment to yourself. The challenge is to convey a birthday message without actually saying it on the card. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to use paper from a Me & My Big Ideas cupcake scrapbook set. My super sweet blogger friend Marie at Aloha & Mabuhay gave this to me when she came over my house for a workshop. Whenever there is a birthday, there MUST be cupcakes!

Green Tangerines Kit Club

2009-03-17T23:47:00.000-07:00

Wow! I'm super excited I signed up for the new kit club at my favorite scrapbooking store Green Tangerines. Because the store is near my house, I can easily pick up my monthly kit and avoid any shipping charges. What got me hooked? Just check out GT Kit Club's photostream on Flickr. He-llo! Pretty awesome layouts, card designs and altered projects! I love the convenience of GT kits because I don't have to take too long in the store coordinating designer paper, stamps and/or embellies. They are just so fast, easy and well coordinated. This will also give me a chance to practice paper crafting techniques by following the new GTKC blog. In the beginning, I will most likely create projects similar to what I see, then hopefully one day I will soar on my own:)

Take a look at February's kit (BTW, the March kit will be available soon!). Each month I have the option of getting add-on packages of paper, embellishments or items for altered projects. I can't wait to play with everything. One of my first projects will be an awesome mini-album for one of my husband's best friends (and his family) in San Diego. In fact, when I saw February's kit, I instantly knew it would be perfect for them. I'll definitely post pics when I complete the album.

*NOTE: The top six squares on the picture to the left contain photos of what comes in the main kit. The bottom squares are photos of items that come in the embellishments add-on kit. I got both for my album project. Exciting!!

Buttons and Bows

2009-03-17T08:07:00.000-07:00

For Day 17 at 365 Cards, I made a card using three bows and three buttons. The paper is from Memory Boutique (I'm trying to make use of all the paper I bought at a clearance sale!). The chipboard squares are from Bazzill, the stamp is from the Greetings acryclic set from The Paper Company Studio and I bought the ribbon from Michael's. Last, I used buttons I purchased from my favorite store Green Tangerines. The pics aren't all that great right now, so I will have to replace later tonight. Thanks for stopping by!

Catching Up on 365 Cards

2009-03-16T02:10:00.000-07:00

I've been away with family in the Salinas area to celebrate the life of my cousin Janie who finally passed away last Saturday. While it was a sad occasion, it was so nice to see all the faces of the people I love the most. Despite being tired from traveling, I just had to catch up on my 365 cards on Sunday night. So far, I have not missed a day. I hope I can keep it up! Here are a couple I missed over the weekend and also the card for today's challenge.

DIY Flower Embellishment

The task for Day 14 was to create a flower embellishment out of paper. Whenever I don't have a rubber stamp of an image, I sometimes research silhouettes or images on the internet to use as templates. For example, I hand cut out the hibiscus flowers and background vine for this layout. I wanted to do the same for my day 14 card. My inspiration piece for this challenge was this card by Papyrus. It was really interesting to learn to build a lotus flower in layers. Since I am still learning various techniques, I didn't mind creating a card that was almost the same as the one from Papyrus. After all, I am giving them credit by pointing to their site. In the future, I'll be able to be more creative with this technique. For this card, I used paper by Memory Boutique and a stamp from the Greetings clear stamps set by The Paper Company Studio.

Super Sketch Sunday
Here's my take for Day 15. I attempted to closely follow the sketch below using Basic Grey's Infuse paper. This weekend, I visited one of Michael's newer stores in Marina, CA (near Monterey). Their new store layout has a dedicated paper crafts area in the center that is huge! I was very happy to see more Tim Holtz products, including his acrylic stamp sets. The friendship stamp below belongs to the Everyday Sentiments line from Stampology by Autumn Leaves.

Imagine This
Today, 365 Cards is having its first "Imagine This" challenge. It's all about sunshine! In the near future, I will send this card to a student who is in college. I tried to make the sun rays more interesting by adding dimensional tape to the ends. The paper is from Memory Boutique, the Live Life stamp is from Everyday Sentiments by Autumn Leaves, and the flowers are Prima. Of course, I also used Stickles!

Red, Blue and Yellow

2009-03-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

Today's task on 365 Cards is to create a card using only the colors red, blue and yellow. Our son CAD's room is filled with these primary colors, so I could not help but think of him as I was making this card.

I am super proud of CAD because he is doing very well with school, piano and band (drums). I also appreciate him because he is so considerate and compassionate towards others - although, his older sister might disagree. While he is the youngest trouble-maker in our family (in fact, he wears a shirt that says, "HELLO, My Name is Trouble"), CAD is also a great problem-solver. He often tries to quickly find solutions in creative ways. And the last thing love about him is that he is just so witty! There have been plenty of times I should have gotten upset with him, but instead had to break out in laughter. Such a time was when we were dog-sitting Winnie, the sweetest Scotty ever. I passed by the hallway to go upstairs only to find a big mound in my peripheral. When I took a step back to look, I discovered both CAD and Winnie under her blanket. We all know who was up to no good! Why, of course, it was my SUPER STAR! Instead of scolding him not to play with Winnie's things, I asked him to wait while I grabbed the camera. Perhaps, my name is trouble, too!

See what I mean! Isn't this the cutest picture?

CAD watching TV with Winnie

Winnie probably wondering what CAD is up to this time.She is the reason we got a Scotty pup last year. His name is Murray.
CAD absolutely adores Winnie. They are such good friends.

"Big Move" Theme

2009-03-12T22:44:00.000-07:00

Today's theme on 365 Cards is "A Big Move". Day 12's task is to create a card for someone who is moving or has already made the move to a new home.
When I used to participate in Jr. Society of Women Engineer summer camps in high school, I remember having to deconstruct bicycles or clocks in order to learn how to put them back together again - without the directions, mind you. Since I am fairly new to paper crafting, I decided to apply this same approach with this card. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be even though it's a simple box. However, I really enjoyed trying to figure things out. In the future, I can use funky designed paper for students off to college for the first time or whatever style is appropriate for the recipient.

Giving It All You've Got!

2009-03-11T22:59:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it. I'm not too thrilled about this card. It looks as if Lucky the Leprechaun LOST his charms all over my card. Hee! Okay, I'm exaggerating! I was happy earlier at the JoAnn store when I found a pack of these Colorbok photo mats for only a buck. Even the coordinating chipboard was just a $1. What a deal, right? I was also pleased with my layout. It seemed balanced, even a little interesting. Do you want to know where I went wrong? See the stamped flowers along the border? THAT'S where it all went wrong. It got worse when I decided to take a sponge to blend more green onto the card. Now are you feeling a bit sick in the tummy?

Nonetheless, it is my creation and I fulfilled Day 11's task on 365 Cards. I know how to approach this kind of task next time. The Cozy Couch is about my journey in art. I expect to have plenty of good days and bad. When I get better at this hobby (remember, I just started in November of last year), I'll be able to look back at my projects-gone-wrong (like this one) and chuckle. Just not today. I'm still a bit quesy from looking at my card!

By the way, my husband surprised me by commenting on my "Picture This" post below. What you talkin' bout, Willis?! (inside joke with the hubsters). I'm so thankful he is supportive of my new hobby. Thanks, babe!

Picture This

2009-03-10T23:59:00.000-07:00

The challenge for today on 365 Cards is to create a card using a photo. I was super excited to hear about this challenge because not too long ago, my cousin Liza in Michigan said she hoped I could someday use her photos for my scrap pages or cards. I thought today's assignment would be the perfect opportunity to feature her photography. In fact, I found two awesome photos on her Flickr and decided to make a couple of cards (not just one)!!!

Cards that feature great photos often don't need much embellishing. Trust me, I LOVE to embellish and really tried to see how far I could get with the following cards. In the end, the photos won. Extra items on the card just took away the focus. Liza's photos are so good, they didn't need anything to make them better.

I really like this hugs and kisses card. Liza did a great job surrounding a cute Pucca doll with sweet Hershey treats. The only embellishment I used was a thin red satin ribbon. I also used stamps from My Mind's Eye and Inkadinkado.

Liza took such a great photo of flowers in a vase. I just had to create a card using it. I did want to experiment with Stickles on photo paper, so I added the glitter glue to the centers of the flowers. The sentiment on the inside says, "Thinking of You". I'm pretty happy at how it all turned out!

Baby Shower Card and Gift Card Holder

2009-03-10T23:58:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy with 365 Cards that I have neglected to post other projects. Last month, we attended a baby shower and I wanted to create a card that would house a gift card inside. There was a video tuturial I saw awhile back on this type of card. I could have sworn I watched it on the Nestabilities site. However, I was not successful in finding it again so I had to create this card from memory. Luckily, it only took me an hour to design and make.

This blue 'For You' card features paper from Basic Grey's Granola paper pack (I would love it if Michael's carried more of them!). I cut out the flowers using a Cuttlebug flower 4-pack die cut set. Then, I distressed the edges with Tim Holtz ink to make them stand out and added cinnamon Stickles for the center of each flower. Finally, I used my George cartridge to cut out the words. When I folded the card, I made sure to create a flap on the inside. To create the pocket on the flap, I traced the gift card on the inside edge and cut the piece out with a Fiskars finger tip craft knife. Since I was not sending the card, I thought it would be cute to tuck the card in a vellum envelope. Super fast and baby blue cute!

Proud to be a 365er

2009-03-09T01:03:00.000-07:00

While I was away visiting with family in the Bay Area this weekend, I discovered I was awarded with 'card of the week' at 365 Cards for my ad-inspired piece! Woo hoo! Thank you so much for choosing my card!

I was inspired to do the thank you card above for Day 9 - Just the Scraps because I have piles of scraps just screaming to be used! This challenge required using three pieces of scraps, but I only got around to using just two. There were scraps in many different shades of green but none that matched my card. Bummer!

Here are some other cards I completed for last week:

Day 6 - Flashy Friday

I recently purchased a Stamped cartridge for Cricut and wanted to use it for this challenge. I just love this font. My other favorite part is the white mesh ribbon at the bottom. The black and white design paper, black circle ribbon and flower are all from Making Memories.

Day 7 - Shape Up!

The challenge for Day 7 was to create a card using the shape of a circle. I decided to make a 'swivel' card using a tiny gold eyelet. Then, I embellished my creation with pop-up stickers from K&Company. The paper is by Basic Grey and the stamp is from Inkadinkado.

Day 8 - Super Sketchy Sunday

Kazan Clark of 2 Sketches 4 You provided a sketch for us 365ers for Day 8. I'm often inspired by 2S4Y, so I was pretty excited about this challenge. I also couldn't wait to use my Porcelain paper from Basic Grey and Printing Press Cricut Cartridge. Here is what I came up with...

Goodbye, cousin Janie

2009-03-07T07:50:00.000-08:00

Our family lost someone very special today. At 46, my first cousin Janie finally passed early this morning at the hospital in Comfort Care. While I'm extremely sad she is gone, a huge part of me is glad she can finally be relieved of any pain.

I'm posting this not so much for the blogging world to see, but to journal it here at The Cozy Couch so I can go back and re-read this post now and then. However, if this touches anyone in any way, I'm happy for that, too. It's moments like this that allow us to reflect on our own lives, be thankful and cherish those we love. And that's a good thing.

Oh, Janie. I was just talking about her with my older sister on the phone. We both mentioned that all we could hear these past few days is Janie's laugh. Our cousin LOVED to laugh! We also talked about her 'let's go!' attitude and her heart of a lion. I could hear her words now, "Come on, Joann!!!"...followed by a giggle.

It's hard accepting she is no longer here with us. Part of me thinks I'm going to see her at the next family party where I will get to indulge myself in her awesome and yummy Mochiko cake. I'm also going to miss how she'd tell my kids about the times she babysat me. "Oh, your mom! I remember when I had to change her diapers....." (yeah, I think I'll leave the part out about how she described my wonderful poo-poo). But that was Janie. She knew how to make others laugh or smile.

And even though she was fun and funny most of the time, I also liked that she was stern, too. Standing at a little over four feet, she could point her finger at you, nod her head sideways and make you feel eency-weencie. She'd say, "Don't do that!" You can ask me or younger cousins that came after me. Janie does not play sometimes! But usually in the end, she'd be right there joking with you again.

I'm really going to miss you, Janie. Thank you for being there. Cousins usually don't get around to talking this way, but I love you. And thanks for always loving me, too.

Here is a photo of my older sister and cousins when they were young. Ruth is in the cute blue dress (ha ha! Mom dressed you like a doll!) with her arm around Janie to her left.
Janie is one of eight siblings. Here is a Cabutage family portrait taken years ago when my uncle was still alive. Janie is seated right next to her dad just as she is now with him in heaven.

Simple Thank You

2009-03-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

Today's challenge for Day 5 on 365 Cards is to create a simple thank you card that can be easily reproduced. My example for this is too stinkin' easy I'm almost embarrassed to post. However, I have done this card design in the past for 'thank you's' in the office. I must say it has come in handy for those times I wanted to quickly show gratitude at work.

As you can see, this is more like a postcard or note instead of a card. First, I cut a 4x5 rectangle from two-sided paper. I just happen to grab extra Tres Jolie paper from My Mind's Eye in my scrap pile. Then I used a Cuttlebug die for the embellisment. I could have easily used a Prima flower or something similar to cut time even more. Next, I stamped a thank you sentiment from an Inkadinkado acrylic set. The other side of my card is red like the flower. I'll use a white gel pen to write a note. I suppose I could have rounded the corners and stapled ribbon at the top as a pull, but didn't I mentioned I wanted to be lightening fast? Hee! Last, I inserted my card into a vellum sleeve. This card is great for when I want to leave something special at someone's desk.

Ad-Inspired Card

2009-03-05T01:17:00.001-08:00

The assignment for Day 4 at 365 Cards was to use an ad as inspiration for a card design. It wasn't easy to be inspired by just one ad! Fashion, hotel and wedding ads are usually what inspire me most. When I did a little research on the net, here are the images that spoke to me. Yes, I know...I couldn't just pick one!

I love the peacock colors in this Prada ad. The purse is super cute, but check out that hat! When I saw this, I automatically knew I wanted to play with jewel tones.

W Hotels are my favorite places to stay when vacationing. Every one of their properties is ultra chic with modern and sophisticated decor. I'm a visual person, so it's no surprise. Wouldn't you love to attend a business meeting in this conference room with beautiful purple and green colors! Great shot for their ad.

This Kyocera ad is simply cool.My favorite part is the shape and rhythm of the butterflies in flight.
My last piece of inspiration was this silhouette. Artist Kim Naumann did such a great job with the collage. I absolutely love the bird on her shoulder.
And finally, here's the card I made using the ads above as inspiration. You can see how I incorporated what I liked most from each ad into my card. I'm still in this 'Stickles' and 'fluorishes' phase so I incorporated both elements. Last, I used Bazzill linen paper and acrlyic stamps from Inkadinkado.

Challenge Trio - Button, Bow and Ribbon

2009-03-03T09:32:00.001-08:00

Here's my take on 365 Cards challenge for Day 3. The assignment is to use a button, bow and ribbon on the card. I have a great friend at work named In Ja. Ever since I started my hobby, she has been so supportive. Every Monday I find coupons for Michael's and JoAnn's at my desk. Now and then, she will also leave cool embellishments or boxes for me to use. The ribbon roses and green button she gave me were perfect for this project.

Also, I decided on this sentiment because my mom called me to let me know my cousin Jane isn't going to make it in the hospital. Most of my family is traveling there now to say goodbye. If and when the time comes for her to leave this world, I will write her one last loving note on this card.

It's a Balancing Act

2009-03-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

WHY: To think about your true priorities, to remind others that balance is crucial

I'm gettin' back to my 50 Moments project by using sketches from the new Scrappy Sunday challenges on Paper Craft Planet for my layouts. Hopefully my daughter Alexis will join me this weekend as well.

My on-going goal will always be to try to have balance in my life. I'm finding that in order to do so, I must remind myself that it's perfectly okay to be selfish now and then. For a wife and mother (and probably just a woman), this can be very difficult. Balance is about taking care of other things in my life AND myself. It's also about 'letting go'. Sometimes it's better to spend time with my husband and kids on an outing than handling chores that need to be done. My mom often reminds me the dishes can wait. At the moment, I am working on balance by incorporating a hobby (paper crafting, yay!) in my life. It's great for dealing with stress and getting my creative mind working again. I also have plans to go back to school again this fall. Now if I could just commit to going to the gym!

Here's the layout I did for this challenge. The JoAnn Store in my area had a sale on Memory Boutique papers and embellishments. I nearly hoarded the whole entire line, sometimes buying 2-3 packs of the same stuff! I intend on using all of it for my 50 Moments pages such as this one. How do you keep your life balanced? What does balance mean to you? What are you top three priorities at the moment? Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!

Inspired by Lisa Bearnson's 50 Moments.
Click here to purchase.

Less is More

2009-03-03T00:38:00.001-08:00

Today's challenge at 365 Cards was to use no more than two embellishments on my card. I could not believe how difficult it was to have such a restriction. However, I really like the card's simplicity. My two items are the flower cut out (from paper) and the ribbon. Oh yikes! I just realized I used Stickles on this one. Eeks!

365 Cards - First Challenge!

2009-03-03T00:27:00.000-08:00

Here's my take on the Day 1 sketch at 365 Cards. Everyday, participants are encouraged to make cards based on certain criteria. For this Day 1 challenge, we simply had to follow a sketch. I used paper from Basic Grey's Ambrosia collection. The yellow flowers were cut on my Cuttlebug. Based on the sketch, I should have created a square card, but I didn't realize this until after I was almost done. Eeks!

February ATC

2009-03-02T07:52:00.000-08:00

Here is my February ATC for Keep on Scrappin. The theme for last month was Valentine's Day. I overdid it with all my pink projects, so I decided to do something a little different. Believe it or not, this was my SECOND attempt for the ATC. I had a completely different idea, but when it came down to constructing, it just didn't look right to me. So, I went back to the craft table and came up with this. I used paper from Basic Grey's Sugared collection, spiral notebook pages from a Michael's $1 paper pad and a heart cut-out made with my Cuttlebug. OH! And a stamp from Close to My Heart. Very sweet!

Blog Candy Alert

2009-02-26T23:55:00.000-08:00

Erika is givin' out her first blog candy at Ink Cut & Fold. She is celebrating over 10,000 hits. Way to go! While you are there, check out the card box she created for 365 Cards. Super sweet!

Happy Birthday to Jen

2009-02-26T13:39:00.000-08:00

Jen Young is celebrating a birthday and there's an insane party going on at Pieces of Me. Visit her to see all the great things she's giving away every hour on the hour until 6pm Hawaii time! Jen is also celebrating by giving a 35% off discount at her store Little C's. Hope you are having a great day, Jen!

I created this digital birthday card using art from Basic Grey's Marrakech paper collection.

40th Birthday Gift

2009-02-23T07:45:00.000-08:00

Here's a gift I wrapped for our friend Jay's 40th birthday. It's actually a sleeve around a package of recycled Nike Pro V1 golf balls. For those of you who do not golf, these cost more than some new packages of golf balls! Anyway, the tagged tucked away at the top reads, "Old and used just like you, bro!" Jay is one of my husband's good friends.

I used paper Basic Grey's Granola collection, along with Stickles in cinnamon, especially on these cool chipboard letters I received as RAK from one of my best girls Kristy at Itty Bitty Green Me. She actually has her own custom invitiation company and is a creative guru herself, but that needs to be a separate post some day! Anyway, I LOVE these letters she gave me. I cut the ovals from Cricut and embossed them using my Cuttlebug. For a super quick gift wrap, I was very pleased at how it turned out.

Have Some Photo Fun

2009-02-20T22:14:00.001-08:00

Alter your photos at www.befunky.com!

One-of-a-Kind 'Cathy Z' Camera

2009-02-20T07:55:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Looking to buy a camera? Cathy Zielski of Bits & Pieces is selling her Nikon since she graduated to one in the Canon line. She posted her item on Facebook, so I mentioned I would help spread the word! Cathy also said her camera has really been loved and cared for. From the photos I have seen her take with this camera (including the ones you are interested to see on eBay), it definitely looks to be the case. See for yourself! Visit her item on eBay here. You can also look up by item #190288365515.

As you may know, Cathy has written a couple of awesome books. I absolutely love her philosophy on colors and layouts. You probably know her best as the artistic director of Simple Scrapbooks Magazine. And eeks! Did you get the official announcement that their last issue will be their May/June 2009 issue? I'm still so super sad about it. Having said all this, you know this camera has been blessed with GREATNESS! Hee! (Can you tell? I'm a big fan of Cathy!) Now wouldn't you want to have the magic of this camera?

More Projects in Pink

2009-02-19T07:55:00.000-08:00

Hope you don't mind. I'm going to post about several 'pink' projects that have been keeping me busy lately. Consider that I am making up for all the days I neglected to get something up on The Cozy Couch. By the way, I was sick at home today with the worst cold EVER. I encourage you all to be sure to wash your hands wherever you go and use antibacterial gel any chance you get. It is SO not worth catching whatever awful bug has bit me. Now on to my projects...

Here's a birthday card I made for one of my girlfriends Rachel (Love, Life and Lipgloss). I was inpsired by K&Company's Grand Adhesion purses. In a previous post, you'll notice I first cut out my own purses for a textures and dimension ATC swap. Since Rachel is very much into fashion, I thought it would be great on a birthday card. I used paper from a pink, black and white collection by Making Memories.

Up next is a card I used for a 'Love Card Swap' with Sara at Scrap Happie. The quote is from one of my favorite movies called Brown Sugar. I love this movie because it reminds me of all the music I listened to growing up in the 80's when hip-hop was on the rise. I must admit, I didn't do much since I joined the group late. Simple and cute was the way to go with this one.

Bona's ATC group at Keep on Scrappin was successful in creating a 'Live, Love, Scrap' project. Each person was responsible for designing one card with one letter. I chose the letter 'E' at the end of the word love. The most interesting part is a lot of people thought I used black ribbon behind my letter. However, I simply used a Cuttlebug embossing folder!. I can't wait to put this up as a banner!Next, is a baby shower card I made for my colleague and friend Stephanie. She recently had a shower at the office, and will have another amongst close friends outside of work. I have other projects I am working on for her second shower, but I still wanted to get her a little something for her celebration at work. I thought she could use a subscription to Parents magazine. And of course! I used Bittersweet paper from Basic Grey to make her super cute card.

This isn't a paper project, but I just HAD to post! For Valentine's Day, my husband searched high and low for a Bind It All for me. I thought it was sweet that he visited all the scrapbooking stores in our area. He even knew to get on a waiting list! What made me laugh most is when he finally told me about his search referencing 'CHA' in Anaheim and all the store names. I couldn't believe he was speaking my language! HA! Thank you, babe! I'm going to have a lot of fun with this!

And last, here is what I made for the SWAPS - Card and ATC Group at Paper Craft Planet. Bona led the group this month in an inchies swap. I had never heard of these before and could not believe the very limited amount of space I had to use. Surprisingly, I had a lot of fun with this challenge. I used clear stamps from Inkadinkado's One Plus One Equals Love set.

Keep on Scrappin with Bona

2009-02-16T22:10:00.001-08:00

One project from my recent Cozy Couch workshop stood out to me so much, I had to do a separate post on it. If you don't know her already, meet Bona of Keep on Scrappin. She's the older sister of one of my best girls Rachel (Love, Life and Lipgloss) in the Bay Area. When our family first moved to the Sacramento region, I can't tell you how relieved I was to know Bona was already in the area. Seeing her is like being back home with my girls.

The part I love most about Bona is she is so helpful, supportive and FUNNY! I know you blogger friends will agree! Also, Bona shares everything she can. Whether it's teaching me a new technique, sharing the latest and greatest or giving me something she has made, Bona always reaches out.

Did I mention how creative she is? You'll just have to visit her blog to find out!

The project below was from a mini-album tutorial she led at my workshop. Bona was so kind to provide all the materials for each of us. She pre-cut fabric and paper and also pre-stamped images for us to use. Bona's one rule was to create the mini album using only materials she provided. What I liked most about the project was it forced me to really think outside the box. I am super pleased with my mini-album. Here it is front to back (left to right). THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, BON!

The Cozy Couch Workshop - Valentine's Day

2009-02-12T09:43:00.001-08:00

Last Sunday, I held my very first workshop. I invited a great group of friends over to make cards using Basic Grey's Bittersweet paper. I absolutely LOVE this collection! There's nothing that says love like something handmade for Valentine's Day.

I held the workshop in my dining room. Each guest had a place setting of card kits with heart ornaments and blank card sets as gifts. I also made cute name tags for everyone!

I provided enough supplies for guests to make three greeting cards. Two designs were taken from Basic Grey's Bittersweet card kit. The third was a simple card with a giant heart. Guests were welcome to use any tools and/or embellishments to design on their own.

Our appetizer potluck was great! Take a peek at how I used leftover Bittersweet paper to decorate jars of party mix. Blogger friends craft AND cook! Bona made Caesar salad in cute pink Chinese take-take out boxes. The Hawaiian style fried chicken wings were made by Marie. Ono-licious!

What is a party without giveaways and gifts? For being such a supportive friend and awesome 'craft coach', I gave Bona a Starbucks gift set. I also created a few giveaways such as a Cozy take-out box filled with Hersheys kisses. Marie made each of us our own gift bag of Almond Roca with a special design on the front. And I'm such a lucky girl. Check out my RAK's from Bona and Marie!

I know there are a lot of photos already, but I couldn't help but include snapshots of my guests. OH! I must thank my hubby (in the red shirt) for all his help . He cleaned the house before, during and after our party. Thanks, babe! You're the best! Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Great Recipes for Parties

2009-02-10T21:27:00.000-08:00

Some recipes not only taste good, but they help 'break the ice' at parties simply because they use interesting ingredients. Whenever guests eat my crockpot meatballs, they exclaim, "You used grape jelly?!" And crunchy glazed pretzels are quite the surprise in a raspberry salad recipe I love to make. The best thing about both recipes is they are so easy to make. Give them a try at your next party!

Grape Jelly Meatballs
1 bottle Heinz chili sauce (found in same aisle as ketchup)
1 cup Welch's grape jelly
1 package frozen homestyle meatballs (not Italian)
Dijon mustard to taste (optional)

In a saucepan over medium high heat, melt grape jelly along with the chili sauce. Place frozen meatballs in a crockpot on the high setting. Pour sauce over meatballs and cook for four hours. When the meatballs are done, I add Dijon mustard to add a little tartness. Feel free to experiment by replacing the chili sauce with a spicy BBQ sauce.

Raspberry Pretzel Salad
1 (6 oz) raspberry or strawberry Jell-o
2 cups boiling water
2 (10 oz) frozen raspberries
1 1/2 cups crumbled butter pretzels
3/4 butter, melted
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 (8 oz) Cool Whip
3 tbsp sugar

Place frozen raspberries in a bundt pan. Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Pour over frozen raspberries and place in refrigerator until set.

Crush 1 1/2 cups of butter flavored pretzels and place in a small baking pan. Melt butter in microwave. Dissolve sugar in butter, then pour over pretzels. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool, then crumble.

Mix together cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Fold in Cool Whip until mixed. Spread mixture over Jell-O layer. Top with pretzel crumb mixture and refrigerate overnight.

Rather than taking the dessert out from the bundt pan, I just leave as is. Also, you can prepare this recipe with the pretzels as the first layer in a rectangle pan. However, I find the pretzels are not as crunchy as they are when they are sprinkled on top of the cream cheese layer. Enjoy!

Keep On Scrappin ATC - January

2009-01-21T23:59:00.000-08:00

Bona over at Keep on Scrappin had a very neat task for this month's ATC. Using black, white and pink, each person in the group is to create a card using one letter. Then together, our cards will spell the words LIVE, LOVE, SCRAP.

I chose the letter E (no significant reason) in the word 'love'. Right now, I really like the Sabrina collection of paper by Making Memories. Normally I would embellish like crazy, but I decided to keep this one simple and sweet. Can't wait to post my banner!

A Day in San Francisco

2009-01-20T23:12:00.000-08:00

On the first weekend in the new year, our family hung out in San Francisco. Despite having lived in the Bay Area almost all our lives, we never felt the need to take a city-wide tour. Since my husband has always wanted to do a cable trolley tour AND the fact we now live almost two hours away, we decided to indulge ourselves in a 3 1/2 ride around the City. Surprisingly, it was so much fun! Below are a few pics from our excursion.

Recommendations from our quick trip:
-Visit here to view cable car tour info. Grey Line drivers are so much fun. Ask for Romeo!
-We keep coming back to Le Meridien off the Embarcadero. Our family loves it there! Away from the crowds at Pier 39 and the wharf. Located in quiet Financial District off the Embarcadero. Close to shopping:) Nice modern rooms. Neat views of the City and Bay Bridge.
-For late night, try Parkway Pizza in the Embarcadero Center. Yummy New York style pizza!
-Lemon shortbread cookies from Miette are THE BEST!
-Don't forget to stop for hot chocolate at the historical Golden Gate Bridge Cafe

Smallest 'Painted Lady' (Victorian) in Pacific Heights

At the Palace of Fine Arts

Saying ALOHA to friends in Hawaii. They are just across this ocean.

Rent for this home in the Presidio is $10K/month...on a one year only lease!

Danielle Steele's mansion is said to be valued around $80 million.
She is registered for the most vehicles in SF - 27 cars all with private parking!

I love this picture of AG at the Ferry Building off the Embarcadero.

The best shot I took on our trip. It was a great day in the Bay.

Blog Candy on Creative Journey

2009-01-20T22:42:00.000-08:00

Christine over at Creative Journey is celebrating 50,000 hits on her blog. Be sure to visit and leave a comment. She is giving away some neat blog candy!

Motivational Monday - National Day of Service

2009-01-19T23:59:00.000-08:00

I was very happy when President-elect Barack Obama encouraged Americans to use the MLK holiday as a day of service. Volunteering in the community and helping those in need has always been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Whenever an opportunity arose to help, I was usually one to raise my hand right away. So it came as no suprise that in my professional life, I got involved in servicing others as part of the community relations department for the San Francisco 49ers. Even now, though I am in a completely different department (business operations) at Maloof Sports & Entertainment, volunteering is still important to me. I love that the company I work for provides many opportunities for its team members to make meaningful differences here in the Sacramento region.

Today, I didn't have a chance to get out of the house to volunteer as I would have liked. I watched my nieces, caught up on my paper crafts and blurfed almost half the day (a term Amy has taught me!). In doing so, I came across a blog tart opportunity Jen Del Muro is offering on her site i{heart}2stamp. I wasn't as captured about the $450 worth of stamping blog candy as I was on her twist in the give away. She writes:

Fellow North Texan and Splitcoaster Julie Carlisle {afancycat on SCS} works in the International Student Services Department at Dallas Baptist University {DBU}. They have students from over 50 countries at the University that they give cards to. I have donated several cards to her in the past and she was one of the first people that came to mind when I decided I wanted to do this blog tart giveaway, as she is always so sweet and grateful. Send your card to her at the address:

Dallas Baptist University
Attn: Julie Carlisle
3000 Mountain Creek Pkwy
Dallas, TX 75211

Right away, I felt encouraged to head to my craft table. What a great way to offer blog candy AND lend a helping hand! Awhile back, I purchased a Global Views paper pack from Michael's. How fitting was it to for a greeting card to give to an international student? I also had plans to participate in CPS' Readers' Choice Sketch Week. So I combined the two tasks and created the card below using CPS' sketch #97.

The point I want to make is you can reach out in various ways. Yes, sometimes it's about joining the masses to run a marathon for a cause or getting out there to deliver meals to the elderly. However, you can also make a huge difference by yourself wherever you are (in my case - at home). Even if my card reaches only one person, I know I will make a difference in that person's life just by making them feel special. That is still called impact. In turn, I hope that person 'pays it forward' and helps someone else feel just as great. When we combine all these acts of kindness, we can see that together we are a strong force that can bring positive change in our communities.

Thanks for reading my incredibly long post. What can I say, I love to write - especially about a topic like this. I hope you are encouraged to reach out to your community. Take good care!

I'm back!

2009-01-17T23:59:00.000-08:00

I've been away from my blog for quite some time. Somehow, I couldn't get myself to write a post in the new year without seriously thinking about how to move forward with The Cozy Couch. In the beginning, I created this blog with a theme to capture all my passions in life - "In the Kitchen" for great recipe blogs, "Off the Couch" to chronicle my journey towards healthier living, "Out the Door" to talk about all-things-travel, etc. However, I became obsessed with paper (HA!). Almost every day, I found myself hoarding materials, tools, and embellishments for this new hobby of mine! I knew something was wrong when I'd stay up until 3 or 4 a.m. working on projects, and even then, I still wasn't tired. I had to force myself away from the craft table and into bed. Have you ever felt this way?

At the same time, I have experienced such pure bliss working with beautiful paper, fabulous embellishments and awesome tools! Not to mention, blog hopping from one amazing artist to the next, searching for creative projects, mingling with new Blogger friends about a common obsession and finding cool places to shop online. The past two months (since starting this hobby back in November) has been like a roller coaster ride.... exhilarating highs with sleepy lows. Luckily, this is a ride I think will last forever.

There is such a thing as 'too much of a good thing'. And so here I have been, virtually tip-toeing around my blog, waiting for ideas to flow. How do I achieve balance in my life with my two new favorite activities of paper crafting and blogging? I have decided to go back to my original idea of addressing different aspects of my life - other than crafting. Don't get me wrong. I will definitely highlight projects now and then, but I think I will leave paper crafting for the weekend, and concentrate on other things during the week. Maybe that will bring more balance to my life? I'll give it a try:)

For now, here are some things I worked on since the start of the new year. Hope you are doing well! And take a listen to my new song list. I'm starting out the year with mellow tunes!

Dec ATC's for Keep On Scrappin'
This was the first time I used Glossy Accents (along the lines). Our Scottish Terrier pup was my inspiration!

January ATC for SWAPS/PCP - Textures & Dimensions
This was inspired by K & Company's grand adhesion purses.
I created a template of my own and hand cut each one.

Caardvarks Challenge - 'Calico'
Based on sketch by Becky Fleck of PageMaps

Island Paperie Challenge #1

2008-12-31T18:51:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I made it on time to enter Island Paperie's inspiration challenge on Paper Craft Planet. Island Paperie is a scrapbook store located on the beautiful island of Maui in historic Wailuku Town. This store specializes in tropical themed paper crafting supplies. Jen Tepler, one of the store's designers, says the store is hosting a challenge to celebrate and promote IP's new online store.

Our task in this challenge was to create a scrapbook page, card, mini album, altered item, etc. using the following 12x12 page from IP's signature paper line. Since my husband and I just celebrated our anniversary on Dec 20th, I thought it would be fitting to scrap a page about our wedding on Pa'ako Beach in Maui nine years ago. I really like how the hibiscus flowers were bunched in one corner of this paper so I decided to keep that element on my page.

This challenge allowed me to practice new techniques (for me, 'the rookie', anyway!). I really enjoyed using the flower die cuts for the Cuttlebug I just got! Also, it was good working with Tim Holtz' distressing inks. I get better with each attempt using Ranger products. Finally, I learned to give my piece dimension using various embellishments such as brads, buttons and glitter glue.

One of my favorite elements about my page are the square rub-ons I used around our picture. The other was the use of a hole punch to distress the photo itself. I learned this technique from Irene Tan at Scrapperlicious (Thanks, Irene! You are awesome!)

Whirlwind Holiday

2008-12-29T13:51:00.000-08:00

Whew! The holidays have finally come and gone. It was a bit crazy getting ready for Christmas along with trips to the Bay Area to visit with family and friends. Every December, we celebrate my birthday and wedding anniversary on top of the holidays so this time of year is usually hectic for our family. Hee!

I took today off from work to spend time with my older sister who is visiting from the Monterey area, but also to catch up on cleaning, crafting and blogging. Sorry, I have been away! Here are a few photo updates of favorite recent projects and holiday memories. Hope you are doing well!

My good friend Bona at Keep on Scrappin taught me to make a mini photo album from plain business envelopes. Basically sealed envelopes are cut in half to create pockets for photos. I used paper and die cuts from Memory Boutique, Prima flowers and Offray ribbon.

One of my favorite gifts I made this year was the following mini album. My colleague's father passed away on Thanksgiving morning and I thought this album, complete with space for journal entries, would be a neat way for her to store her favorite memories of him in one special place. I used Deja Views Global paper with Offray ribbon on a Basic Grey chipboard mini album kit. I'm happy to say she really loved the gift!

Another fun project this month included two birthday gifts for one of my best girl's daughters. Kristy over at Itty Bitty Green Me enjoyed hooded sweatshirts I made for her daughters J and T. I created my designs using a simple program called Broderbund's Print Shop. Then, I printed my designs onto Avery Dark T-Shirt Transfers and ironed them onto plain hooded sweatshirts. Can you believe the background for the back design is a scanned image of a small chipboard piece from Memory Boutique? Because I used hooded sweatshirts, I decided to place the main designs toward the bottom of the back areas. Then on the front pocket areas, I personalized each one to say 'Big Sister' and 'Lil Sister'. Both J and T are now kid divas!

IMPORTANT NOTE - When giving personalized gifts to kids, please be sure to warn parents about wearing such items in public. Strangers can call kids out by their names if they are printed onto their clothing, bags, hats or backpacks.

With my mom, sister and kids for Christmas at our house. Since everyone worked on Thursday, we celebrated Friday and Saturday. It was actually pretty nice doing it this way!My favorite decorations in the house were on the stairs. There's nothing like a lit staircase!Our mantle decorated with Christmas card love!The look of pure awe and surprise. Our daughter AG is an old soul. At the top of her wish list was the entire 'I Love Lucy' series on DVD. What you don't hear are the squeals of excitement that came afterward!Santa Claus brought us Rockband 2 this year. How did he know? I absolutely love playing the drums! We think it's a fun way to spend time with the fams!My mom freakin' rocks! That's all I have to say. Here she is giving RB2 a try.My husband's side of the family celebrated Christmas at my sister-in0law's house. She was very excited to pour us delicious pomegranate martinis as soon as we walked through the door. THEY WERE SO GOOD!This was us ALL NIGHT LONG. Glasses of 'happy juice' kept it going and going and going...It has been quite a memorable year for my husband and his siblings. Xmas was that more meaningful. We look forward to more memories together! There is nothing like family.On the way home, 'happy juice' was still in effect. I will never confess as to why my big sis laughed so hard in the car. It was quite funny though...I will tell you that!From our family to yours, best wishes in the New Year.
I hope you'll visit me often here at The Cozy Couch in 2009! Cheers!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-24T11:13:00.000-08:00

This year, a new member of our family came into our lives - a Scottish Terrier pup, that is. Before he was born in July, we tried to come up with cute dog names. The breeders named him "Big Boy" temporarily as he was the eldest of the bunch.

Since his parents names are Basha and Kona Bear, we wanted to create a Scottish and Hawaiian name for him. Our ideas included names like "Kiko", short for Kilikopela (which mean Christopher in Hawaiian) and "Chandler" because our family loves the famous TV show Friends. Last Christmas, we promised to get our son a new puppy this year, so it was fiiting he name the new dog. After hours of research on the internet, Chris came back to us with the name Murray. Our 10-year old picked such an uncommon and mature name. Our new puppy sat perfectly in our arms for the first time - Murray Kilikopela.

When it came time for Christmas this year, I just had to incorporate Murray into our annual photo card. Good thing Chris came up with a clever name because it allowed us to wish everyone a 'MURRAY CHRISTMAS'! Hee! I really had fun creating this year's card. I used images from Basic Grey's Dasher collection for all the lettering.

From our family to yours, we hope you enjoy all the festivities the holiday season brings. Have fun exchanging gifts, eating delicious food and singing festive songs on Magic Mic karaoke if you're like us! HA! Most of all, may fond memories be made on your family's cozy couch!

Stay warm!

Celebrating 9 Years!

2008-12-21T09:31:00.000-08:00

My husband and I are in the Bay Area celebrating our 9th anniversary. YAY! After visiting friends for gift exchanges yesterday, we headed towards SF. Honestly, we didn't really have plans this year (that's because I want to go to Hawaii next year to renew our vows on the beach on which we were married! Hee!). We cruised around our hotel hoping to find a place to eat at 10:30pm. As luck would have it, Benihana took us in as their last guests and placed us at a table all to our selves - we had our own personal chef!

Anyway, I'm the business center writing this post. When I get home, maybe I'll post a wedding shot and write more about my best friend. Take care!

2008-12-19T10:18:00.000-08:00

I was going to email Amy of Tsuruta Designs to say how much I appreciate her support. She's been snowed in (I think) for the past four days at home in Seattle, so I was going to email on that, too. However, I thought I would do something even better - write a post about her so others can link to her site and enjoy it as much as I do! I want to highlight her blog because I think it's great when veteran designers lend a hand to eager rookies (like me!). Amy has been so supportive and kind!

As you know, I am new to blogging and paper crafting - well, stamping and cropping, that is. I just started all of this last month. If you know me well, I spend a lot of time researching before really getting involved in projects, etc (just ask my husband about how I go about planning family trips...HA!). So, in building my own blog and learning about paper craft techniques, I have visited many sites. However, there aren't many where I feel compelled to go to the VERY beginning to read one's blog. I enjoy Amy's style of writing and not to mention all her beautiful work! Amy's blog is absolutely (as my 13-year-old daughter would say) DE-LOSH! Tsuruta Designs is definitely one for the coffee table at The Cozy Couch. I can curl up to Amy's blog any time!

Thank you, Amy, for commenting on my beginning projects! Hee! Your blog is inspiring. I love the many websites you reference. And I was so touched to get your birthday card.

Wish

2008-12-19T07:20:00.000-08:00

I know I'm addicted to paper crafting when I make a purchase, stuff it in the back seat and don't tell hubby about it until hours later right before he's about to sleep. Michael's had a 50% off promotion on Cuttlebug this week and yours truly HAD to get one, along with many of the die cuts and embossing folders as I could. I love this machine! It's super easy to use and pretty fun, too! Nothing makes me more happy then to roll the plate though to find crisp cut shapes on the other side! My husband was pretty impressed when I gave him a demonstration in my 'jammies'. LOL!

Last night I had time to use it to make a birthday card. I selected one of the flower die cuts and constructed my piece with Memory Boutique products. Other than the cute flower, I was pleased with the 'w i s h' stickers I distressed using Tim Holtz ink. I finished them off by adding glitter glue. It gave the stickers an interesting curl at the edges. As you can see, I'm still learning how to distress around the card. I had a lot of fun making it.

***On a sidenote, yes, I am also learning how to take photos. I will remember not to use 'icky green' colors in the background next time. What was I thinking?!

New Twist on Masquerade Mask

2008-12-17T20:40:00.000-08:00

Okay, before I show you what I did, promise not to laugh.

My daughter recently attended a masquerade-themed Christmas dance. She wanted something different and unique, so I offered to make a mask for her. It wasn't anything elaborate like masks I've purchased in New Orleans. It was actually quite simple really - burgundy glitter with flowers to match. However, the twist came when I came up with the idea to glue the mask onto a pair of broken sunglasses. Yes, that's right! SUNGLASSES! Aren't those stretchy bands stapled to masks and birthday hats irritating? They cramp hair into odd shapes and are sometimes so tight they cause migraines. Now I know it seems really odd, but it worked! AND Alexis was able to pull the glasses back like a headband (after all, it was super important to follow Daddy's 'boys-within-arms-length-rule'...and you've got to be able to see to make sure, right?)

Anyway, I know my older sister is laughing....right...about...now. HI RUTH! I may be going nuts with my new hobby, but at least I'm crazy with purpose! Let me know what ya' think!

**My mom just called to say she wants to wear them to her masquerade ball this weekend!

First Mini Album

2008-12-16T07:20:00.000-08:00

Yes, I think I will be posting many of my 'firsts' for quite awhile. One of the cute birthday gifts I received this year was from my good friend Bona (the person that inspired me to get into paper crafting! YAY!). She got me a Teresa Collins 5x7 'tis the season mini-album kit. It came complete with die cuts, tags, ribbon, covers, paper and closures. While there were instructions on Teresa's site on how to put the mini-album together, I decided to tackle it on my own. It was a good decision because I got to practice some basics such as adhering paper to thick cardstock and cutting it out, using my Crop A Dile II Big Bite (for the first time!), measuring ribbon and cleaning up edges. I look forward to adding photos, embellishing and distressing my 2008 Christmas album. Thanks for the gift, Bon! It's coming out great!

Christmas Cards

2008-12-16T00:57:00.001-08:00

My friend Bona hosted a holiday card making party. We had so much fun designing our own cards and then making cards from the ones made by others (as an example). Since I'm new to scrapping, it was a great opportunity for me to learn how to use tools and apply different techniques!

Away from My Blog

2008-12-16T00:19:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't been posting lately. It seems like there's something to do every weekend this month. For this reason, we will resume the 50 Moments project in January.

On Dec 6th, we had family and friends over to watch the Pacquiao fight against De La Hoya. I must admit, I like both fighters, but was definitely rooting for Pacman on this fight! Then, I celebrated another birthday last Friday and attended my first card-making party on Saturday. As you can imagine, there are other things planned the rest of this month including my wedding anniversary! Here are a couple of photos from the past two weekends in December...

The cutest Pacquiao cheerleader EVER!

Family and friends on our stairs for a group shot.

My family surprised me with an ice cream cake!
We finally had a chance to meet a blog buddy - Marie!
Xmas Card Making Gathering

2008-12-11T01:37:00.000-08:00

Tonight I attempted to do a card with a mushroom on it. Again, I committed to using scraps, especially because I'm still learning to work with paper for the first time. I have been inspired by this Moxie Fab World challenge. Unfortunately, I wasn't too proud of this piece because of its many flaws (I know where they are!). I'm going to move forward with posting it still. I figure I will look back and say to myself, "Wow! You've come a long way." For now, experimenting will have to do.

Woodsy Christmas Owl

2008-12-10T02:48:00.001-08:00

I finally participated in my first card challenge for Cath over at Moxie Fab World! It took awhile for me to figure out how to post my artwork to the CK Media Website. Luckily, she included very clear directions for a rookie like me!

The challenge was to make a Christmas card, gift bag or tag using woodsy trendy icons such as owls, mushrooms, deer and gnomes.

Today, I was inspired by an owl image. I have so many leftover scraps that I committed to using them for this piece. Many of the shapes were hand cut, so it took longer than I expected. However, I was pretty happy with my recycled scrap owl in the end.

Hopefully, I will have time to do crafts with other woodsy icons before the deadline!

PHOTOS #4 - You Can

2008-12-08T23:30:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun with this assignment. It wasn't too hard to find fun photos of my son Christopher being silly or engaging in the wrong activities. The best part was discovering that I have been successful at capturing all his quarky and fun moments. I really do have that many photos of our little guy. This is a 2-page layout in which I featured Chris when he was naughty ("Hello, My name is Trouble") or nice.

Alexis decided to capture another active cutie pie in the bunch - our neice Julia. This little firecracker is full of energy all the time. While we are sure Julia looks up to Alexis, it was very surprising to learn that Alexis appreciates Julia as well. I thought Alexis did a great job with her layout. We are just on assignment #5, but I can't wait to see how she and I grow in this new hobby.

Scrapbook Layouts by Joann, Alexis and Bona. Thanks for participating!

Cold Brocolli Salad

2008-12-08T23:22:00.000-08:00

I've been asked to bring this salad to gatherings on more than one occasion, so I thought it would be a good idea to post online. I can't believe how many times guests go back for seconds, sometimes thirds...even the kids come back for more! It's a really great tasting salad that surprises a lot of people. I usually don't measure my ingredients - just add how much I see fit. Comes out perfect every time!

Salad:

5 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/2 - 1 cup raisins, cranberries or fresh grapes
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (you can use almonds)
1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon (packaged kind in salad section)
1/4 cup of red onion, chopped

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons vinegar (can add more if you want it more tart)
1/2 cup sugar

Preparation:

Combine broccoli florets, raisins, sunflower seeds, crumbled bacon, and chopped onion in a large serving bowl. In a separate bowl or large cup, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. Add dressing to the salad and toss to mix well; chill thoroughly before serving.
Broccoli salad serves 4 to 6.

Let's have a little fun - I've just been tagged!

2008-12-08T22:38:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged by Bona......to list 4 answers to questions about me.

4 things I like/love about my husband/boyfriend:
1. Makes me laugh A LOT (he's very sweet!)
2. Is the best protector & nurturer in the world to me and the kids
3. Is such a great dad to our kids
4. Appreciate being able to talk about anything with him (what's going in the world, etc)

4 jobs I've had:
1. Business Operations, Maloof Sports & Entertainment (Sac Kings/Monarchs/ARCO Arena)
2. Community Relations, San Francisco 49ers
3. Adversting/Finance, San Mercury News
4. My first job in high school was at Super Cuts....working with my Mom! HA! LOL.

4 Movies I have watched more than once:
1. The Holiday - Oh gosh, I can still watch this everyday!
2. Just Like Heaven/Sweet Home Alabama (I like Reese!)
3. 13 Going On 30 (love watching this with my daughter)
4. Ratatouille (with my son Chris)

4 TV Shows I watch:
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Private Practice
3. No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain
4. Project Runway or Rachel Zoe Project

4 People who email me regularly:
1. My coworker and good friend In Ja
2. IM with Paula, one of my best friends
3. Bona - YAY for craft updates from her!
4. Something on FB almost everyday

4 favorite foods:
1. Anything at Bangkok Garden Thai in Sac
2. "Crispy Chicken" dish at Chang Brothers in Roseville
3. Lemon pepper wings at Wingstop
4. Fresh tortillas you have to cook (can get at Costco)

4 places I want to visit:
1. Europe - England, Italy, France, Germany, etc
2. Philippines - Can you believe I have never been there?!
3. Japan - I really appreciate their culture
4. New York

4 things I am looking forward to in the coming year:
1. Going back to school (crossing fingers)
2. Crossing the finish line at my first half marathon in March
3. Celebrating 10 years with my hubby....hopefully in Hawaii
4. Taking part in Karen and Trent's summer wedding

4 people I tag:

Rachel
Marie (did you do this yet?)
Amy (can you do another?)
Melissa

Come get your blog candy!

2008-12-05T08:39:00.000-08:00

Stampin Inspirations is giving away some awesome blog candy. Visit her site for more details. Happy 2nd Anniversary, Maria!

CHALLENGE #4 You Can

2008-12-01T23:20:00.000-08:00

Why: To reflect your true personality, to share family traits

In challenge #4, Leslie asks what's your attitude toward life, toward your family, friends and career? How do others' attitudes influence your life? How has your attitude changed over time?

You do not need to scrap pages that address all of Leslie's questions. You may showcase special skills or focus on a family member's personality. For example, I may want to scrap about our spunky little niece Julia or focus on my brother Mike's interesting inventions. I suppose these pages would be a reflection of my attitude towards these family members.

Good luck!

ASSIGNMENT NOTES:
-2-page 12x12 layout due December 6th
-Email photo by this date if you are participating

Inspired by Lisa Bearnson's 50 Moments.
Click here to purchase.

PHOTOS: #3 The Perfect Adventure

2008-12-01T17:16:00.000-08:00

I really liked this assignment because I got a chance to share my obsession with the bookstore, my favorite escape. I know. I should be listing places like the spa or shopping mall, but I absolutely love books.

One of my favorite moments on a trip, however, was when I travelled to Kaua'i. We stayed at the Grand Hyatt Kaua'i Resort and Spa in Koloa, Hawaii. This hotel features salt water lagoons, white sand beaches and freshwater river pools. Almost every night, my husband and I would head to the water for a night swim. I remember one time floating for hours. There is just something so relaxing about floating on water. When I looked above, my view framed by the swaying palm trees, I saw a clear night sky filled with hundreds of stars and a bright moon. Ooober goober romantic? Well, yes! Read on....

So at the time, I was a beginning student of Kumu Patrick Makuakane's halau called Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu. Unline other hula schools, his beginning class was 2 years long! (Because we bought a house in the Sac region, I was not able to see this goal through :(....sorry Kumu!). The lineage of the dances I learned from Kumu Patrick were passed on from Auntie Maiki Aiu...which were dances performed by royalty in Kaua'i a very long time ago. So when I went to this island for the first time, after having learned the ancient dances and chants that were passed along to me, the feeling was amazing. To step on their grounds, to walk the sands of their beaches, to see the mountains and land from which their dances and songs were inspired and then to see the stars they probably gazed upon - well, now you can see why I say my moments floating in the pool were romantic! No matter how cheesy, I will never forget the peace I experienced in those moments.

Alexis scrapped about her desire to see New York city and all the excitement it has to offer, especially Broadway! She has already asked us if she could attend NYU. I don't think I'm ready to say yes! HA! However, we love our kids so much and will support them no matter where they go - even if it's far from us. We cannot wait to travel there so both Alexis and Chris can experience the Big Apple.

Scrapbook Layouts by Joann, Alexis, Bona, Natalie and Rachel. Thanks for participating!

PHOTOS: #2 Word To Live By

2008-12-01T11:44:00.001-08:00

This assignment was tough. All my life, I have identified role models in everything I've done (sports, dance, leadership, work, etc). If I wanted to be the best, I picked the best people from whom to learn. I also value in everyone that comes into my life - good or bad. There are many of those individuals that have made lasting impressions on my life, too. However, I dedicated this piece to three sisters who molded me into the person I am today. My depth of my heart is shaped by these strong women - my mom and my aunts.

The eldest sisters of 17 children (yes, my grandfather was a busy man!), my Auntie Emily, Auntie Hermana and mom came to the United States in the 50's. At the time, they worked in the vegetable fields, which author John Steinbeck referred to as 'green gold', in the Salinas valley. Life was a struggle as they lacked the education and only had limited resources. Through the years, my mom and her sisters worked many jobs (sometimes two at a time) just to make ends meet. It was because of their perserverance that the second and third generations of our family have been able to succeed.

Three words come to mind when I think of my mom and her sisters. My Auntie Emily taught me kindness. Without saying anything, she has taught me through her acts of kindness towards others. As part of such a large family, it's amazing how she manages to make each of us feel special in our own way. Auntie Emily always thinks of others. She's one of the kindest people I know.

I have learned a lot about love from my Auntie Hermana. Though she never shows her affection through hugs and kisses, my Aunt speaks volumes in how she cares for others - her cooking and dressmaking are my favorite two! I have discovered that love can be shown in many ways. Sometimes the person you think doesn't love you at all is the one that loves you the most.

Last, my mom has taught me to live with passion. One of the things I appreciate most about my mom is that she allowed me to explore all my interests....and supported me with each and every one of them. My mom believes in doing things from the heart...and with your whole heart. Anything less, then don't bother. (I'm also thankful she taught me about having the right intentions, too.) When anyone tells me I have a true zest for life, I am proud to say I learned it from my mom.

I decided to leave the white areas of my layout blank. I'm still not sure if I want to fill it with my words or quotes from my mom and her sisters regarding kindness, love and passion.

By the way, I was surprised to discover Alexis wrote about me for this assignment! Her page is a reminder that as a parent, we have the incredible ability to make lasting impressions. Our children listen to our words and pay attention to all that we do. Thank you for touching my heart, Alexis. I love you!

Scrapbook layouts by Joann, Alexis and Bona

Journey towards 13.1 - "THANX2U"

2008-11-25T22:54:00.000-08:00

I registered for the Shamrock'n Half Marathon in Sacramento scheduled for March of 2009. YES! I was actually supposed to walk my first race back in October in Long Beach, but hubby had to change to a weekend work schedule in case he got hired....and he finally did! As an added bonus for changing the date of my race, he has entered the race to walk with me instead of being at the finish line. I'm still so very touched by this and really look forward to accomplishing this goal with him.

Other than needing to lose A LOT of weight and get back towards a healthier lifestyle, I signed up for a half marathon because it's one of those things in life I'd love to do at least once! Train to End Stroke is a team training program through the American Heart & Stroke Associations. I chose to walk in support of this program because heart disease and diabetes run in my family. It scares me to think with all the weight I have gained through the years, I could easily be affected by one or the other - or both! So far, with the loving support of family and friends, I have already reached my goal of raising $2000 towards this worthy cause.

Because I registered early, I was able to personalize my race bib. I chose the name 'THANX2U' for several reasons. First, I wanted to pay tribute to all the people who helped me reached my fundraising goal. In an unstable economy, I know it's not an easy time to donate. I was so touched by those who showed their support. Every contribution and encouraging word solidified my desire to accomplish my goal. I know it will feel great to cross the finish line for those who believe in me.

Second, 'THANX2U' is my way of appreciating the events and people that were challenges in my life. I am fortunate to have been chosen for certain obstacles. They say God doesn't give you what you cannot handle. I see the benefit of learning from every situation so that it makes me a better, stronger or wiser person. 'THANKX2U' is the name I will wear across my chest to thank anyone or any situation that has ever brought me down. Without them, I would have never learned to get back up.

Third, I chose to put 'THANX2U' on my bib in honor of Alfonso Albornoz. This is my good friend Allison's Dad. She, too, entered a race in his honor, but became pregnant with her first child. I first learned about Train to End Stroke when I made a donation in support of her race. When she had to pull out, I thought it would be great to - in a sense - take her place and finish the race for her.

Finally, I am racing for my kids Alexis and Christopher. Our kids brighten our lives. I am a better person because of them. I would love nothing more than to cross that finish line to demonstrate they can do anything in life. In all that I do, I always think of them. Words will never be enough to explain just how much I love them. 'THANX2U' is for Alexis and Chris for their unconditional love and support in all I do.

My journey starts now (...again). I'll be blogging about my ups and downs towards my 13.1-mile goal! Now and then I will highlight events and people that motivate me (like Uncle Al). Feel free to come back and visit the OFF THE COUCH (good name, eh?) section of my site. Wish me luck!

CHALLENGE: #3 The Perfect Adventure

2008-11-23T19:42:00.000-08:00

WHY: To share your good memories with others, to remember your relaxing moments

Lisa Bearnson's #3 assignment is simple and fun. She poses several questions to help us find a travel subject to scrap. What's the best vacation you've ever taken? Where do you dream of travelling? What's your perfect escape? This will not be a difficult assignment for me and Alexis.

One trip that stands out in my mind is when I traveled to Washington D.C. with Alexis (and my older sister....thanks for coming with me!) when she was elected to the Junior National Young Leaders Conference last summer. We were too afraid to let her travel across the country on her own, so I tagged along. I was not able to see her while she was away at her conference, but it gave me a chance to explore our nation's capital with my sister. As you can guess, there was SO much to see. In fact, we didn't even get a chance to see it all! Our family will just have to go back and see the rest.

I will most likely scrap about a place I dream of travelling....which will most likely also be my perfect escape. Who knows? If I scrap about it, maybe it will come true!

Stay tuned for photos from assignment #2! Hopefully, I can upload by tomorrow night!

ASSIGNMENT NOTES:
-2-page 12x12 layout due November 29th
-Email photo by this date if you are participating

Inspired by Lisa Bearnson's 50 Moments.
Click here to purchase.

Linnae Gomez of Asiel Design

2008-11-20T22:18:00.000-08:00

Recently, a girlfriend asked for wedding vendor recommendations. When it came to the topic of flowers, it was not difficult to think of a great designer. Linnae Gomez of Asiel Floral Design in San Jose is an amazing artist!

During my years at the 49ers, I met her father-in-law Jon Gomez, a flower broker in San Francisco who deals exclusively with exquisite (fist-size) roses from Ecuador. 49ers staff and players would often purchase from Jon for the quality of his flowers and beauty of his arrangements.

Jon insisted I meet his son and daughter-in-law at their store warehouse in the Rose Garden in San Jose. He thought it would be a great site for a community event to include 49ers players. From the outside, it did not seem like a possible place for an event. However, I was really surprised to find a romantically decorated space inside. Between Linnae's husband's collection of unique French statuary pieces and her beautifully bold floral arrangements, I could see their San Jose warehouse was a perfect spot for an event with the players.

At the time, Linnae gave me a tour of their warehouse and showed me some of the pieces she was working on. Other than beautiful, I remember wanting to use the words 'hip', 'fashionable' and 'surreal' to describe her arrangements. She used rare flowers, but also incorporated fruits, twigs and vegetables - things you wouldn't think could go in an arrangement. I recall exclaiming to her, "You're stuff could easily be captured in wedding magazines!" At the time, she humbly said, "Well, I sure do hope someday that could happen!"

So it came to no suprise when I recently visited her site and found her on FB (Hi Linnae!!!), that I discovered her business had flourished. Her work has been featured in many mags and she now does business in San Jose, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Orange County!

You MUST see her work at http://www.asieldesign.com/. Her Fall Frenzy and Tim Burton Playground collections are my FAVES! Photographer Jennifer Skog has also captured some great shots of Linnae's bouquets.

FLORIST: Asiel Design

PHOTOS: Jennifer Skog and Geoff White (above)

Super Quick Tags

2008-11-18T22:13:00.001-08:00

A friend celebrated a birthday yesterday. I chose to make her tags because she is an Arbonne consultant who often distributes her products in beautiful copper gift bags. The project was a great way to make use of existing materials at home. Also it was something that didn't take too long on a weeknight. I figured she can use the blank sides to write notes to her clients and then display her initials on the outside. Hopefully she likes them. I actually enjoyed making them as it gave me a 30 minute break from wife and mommy duties!

Click here to learn more about Barbara Rinehart's 100% to Charity Arbonne program.

PHOTOS: #1 Gifts & Talents

2008-11-17T21:32:00.000-08:00

YAY! We finished assignment #1! My daughter, good friend Bona (Keep on Scrappin) and I scrapped about our gifts and talents. Thank you so much, Bon, for supporting me in this project by participating. I definitely think we should have a party to share our scrapbooks in the end!

I was especially proud of Alexis' work on her page. Because our family has been so busy lately, I didn't have time to explain the assignment in detail. However, it looks like she did just fine. I was so surprised at her layout and the pictures she chose to share.

It was also very touching to read about her appreciation for a gift her grandma Irene has given her these past years. She has supported Alexis with piano lessons since she was a little girl. My mom used to play often when I was little. She allowed my older sister and I opportunities to learn as well. So I know it means a great deal to my mom to pass along the gift of playing the piano to her grandchildren.

I am posting Alexis' journal entry below in hopes my brother Mike will show our mom on the computer at home in the Bay Area. Look what Alexis wrote, Mom! She has such a grateful heart. Her first page was dedicated just for you!

CHALLENGE #2 Words to Live By

2008-11-17T19:29:00.001-08:00

WHY: To be a role model, to appreciate the people who have influenced you.

Since I was out of town this weekend, I was unable to post assignment #2 on Sunday. But now that we are back home, let's get started!

Leslie Bearnson asks in her 50 Moments book what words do you live by? How do your actions show what you value? Scrapbook about a person you admire who lives what he or she believes.

Growing up, my stepdad (who raised me for most of my life) used to say to me, "If you can't do your best, don't do it at all." This did not come as a surprise. When he took an academic test in the military, he scored in the top 2% across the country. An aeronautical engineer, he helped design the first rockets that went into space for NASA. Then later, he continued to work on projects such as the Blackbird and Hubble Space Telescope for Lockheed. We are talking about a man who showed me to change tires in the 6th grade and had me file taxes for the interests made in my savings account in the 8th grade. Did I mention he'd diagram exactly how we would pack the trunk on camping trips?!

For the longest time, his favorite saying pushed me to do my best at all times. At first, I didn't want to disappoint him in anything, but second, I learned to not settle. I realized later in life, though, this was a saying for a perfectionist - and that I quickly became! Unfortunately, if something was missing, if I didn't start a project on the right day (Monday), or if I found the quality was lacking, I would not 'do it at all'. Therefore, I was always motivated to do my best. While I have become more forgiving and don't necessarily need everything to be perfect before I make a move, I still think about his quote. Is there a saying your parents used to say often and you applied it to your own life?

Your scrapbook page may be inspired by a teacher, leader, coach or manager that heavily influenced the person you are today. What words did this person live by that meant so much to you? Perhaps they didn't use words and spoke to you through their actions. What were those?

Use this page to celebrate a person that has inspired you. Tell a story of inspiring words that motivate you.

ASSIGNMENT NOTES:
-2-page 12x12 layout due November 22nd
-Email photo ASAP if you are participating

Inspired by Lisa Bearnson's 50 Moments.
Click here to purchase.

Rin on the Rox

2008-11-16T08:52:00.001-08:00

My husband and I spent one last night at his apt here in the Bay Area. No more work commute to the Sac area. YAY! His brother Steve shared with him acapella vids on YouTube by a best friends duo called Rin on the Rox. We sat watching several of their re-makes of pop songs. I am in love with their sound and hope they make it into the music scene.

Rin (Erin Paula) on the Rox (Roxanne) are both Filipino and beautiful, too. They sing songs from their bathroom at home! Maybe for better acoustic sounds? Come to think of it, we all sing good in the bathroom right? These girls totally rock it though. I'm all about supporting folks in the Filipino community, so I'm happy to share their gift of singing....definitely art to appreciate. Visit their YouTube page for other songs. They even take requests! Enjoy!

NOTE: Please be sure to pause or stop my music player list at the bottom of my page first. It automatically plays when you visit my site.

The City I Miss So Much

2008-11-14T14:36:00.000-08:00

Our family has been living in the Sacramento region for the past two years. My husband kept his job in San Jose and has been commuting all this time. Recently, he got a job close to home (which we are VERY excited about), but I realize that we are now REALLY no longer in the Bay Area.

I loved growing up in San Jose. It's not as congested as So Cal. It lies between the beaches in Santa Cruz and the bridges in San Francisco. And San Jose is busy enough to be its own 'big city'. What I miss most are the family members and life long friends I've made through the years. I was fortunate to have such supportive parents who allowed me many opportunities growing up. Of course, there are countless fun memories with friends I will always cherish as well.

In light of the recent 'move', I wanted to share my favorite places only in San Jose. My list is not complete, so come back for another visit!

EATERIES

-Sonoma Chicken Coop (tomato lobster bisque soup and bread pudding)

-Tico's Tacos

-Krung Thai Restaurant

-Mandarin Gourmet (must try the Tangerine Beef or Chicken)

-Gombei Japanese

-Hukilau

-Falafel Drive In

-Burrito Factory (tamales and churros)

-Habana Cuba

-Happi House (are there any here in Sac?!)

-Peter's Bakery (burnt almond cake is a MUST!)
-Grande Pizzaria

PHOTO: www.sanjose.org

CHALLENGE #1 Talents & Gifts

2008-11-09T07:53:00.000-08:00

WHY: To share your strengths, to pass along your legacy

Assignment #1 of the 50 Moments scrapbook project is about talents and gifts. In her book, Lisa Bearnson asks, "What are your talents and gifts? When did you discover your talents? How have others' talents enriched your life?"

For this assignment, scrap about your best attributes and how you have come to develop them. Perhaps someone influenced you or helped you grow your talent. Maybe there is a specific accomplishment you want to archive.

To start, list your top skills and identify what you do best. Talents and gifts lend themselves to great natural abilities. Each represents the ability to do, sense, be aware or know something. While you may be thinking of things that are complex, talents and gifts can also be as simple as knowing a hit song when you hear it, making someone laugh or throwing great parties.

Because our best attributes are natural parts of us, we often cannot identify them. So ask your family and friends to give you feedback. Our talents and gifts are noticed by those who know what to look for or who cannot do them.

Here are some questions to help you create 2-page layouts for this assignment:

GROWING UP
When you were young, what did people tell you that you were good at?
What were always being recognized, admired, scolded or reprimanded for?
What did you do well growing up that seemed unusual and unique?

THE TRUE YOU
What do you have a knack for?
What comes easy to you?
What makes you animated or lights up your face?
When do you lose all sense of time?
What activity connects you to energy and ideas?

ASSIGNMENT NOTES:
-2-page layout due November 15th
-Email photo ASAP if you are participating
-Use layering technique (e.g. matting photos with colored paper)

Inspired by Lisa Bearnson's 50 Moments.
Click here to purchase.

50 Moments Starts November 9th!

2008-11-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

YAY! My daughter Alexis has agreed to join me on a creative journey! Together, we will be scrapping 50 Moments that matter most to us. This will be a fun and memorable way to spend time with my baby girl - although, she's very much a young adult now. I'm looking forward to us learning more about each other, eating freshly baked cookies with cold milk, hanging out, sharing stories and laughing A TON (as we tend to do)!

We decided to post assignments every Sunday. Hopefully, I can be consistent about posting. I am learning about blogging at the same time, you know! Two-page layouts will be due Saturday night. If others are joining us, I will post photos of their finished layouts here at The Cozy Couch. Some pages may require certain techniques - embossing, stamping, etc. For the most part, our pages will be about free expression. If all goes well, we should have awesome 'about me' scrapbooks by this time NEXT YEAR! Yes, this is going to be quite the lengthy project.

If you'd like to join us, come back tomorrow for the first assignment. You can jump in or out of the project as your time allows. Otherwise, visit us often at The Cozy Couch to see the progress on our 50 Moments project!

Inspired by Lisa Bearnson's 50 Moments.
Click here to purchase.

Keep On Scrappin ATC's

2008-11-07T20:41:00.000-08:00

Back in September, my friend Bona sent me an invitation to join her ATC, or Artist Trading Card, group. I had never heard of the concept before, but was very interested to learn more.

Some sources point to M.Vanci Strinemann of Switzerland as the person who came up with ATC's back in 1996. Basically, they are 'original, small editions, and most importantly, self-produced' miniature works of art. Artists sign, date and provide contact information on the back. While trading cards face-to-face was a main objective in the past, artists now tend to participate in ATC swaps online and trade their cards via mail.

ATC's are usually created on cardstock that is only 2.5" x 3.5" small - a serious challenge for me! Artists use a variety of methods to make their ATC's such as mixed media, watercolor, chalk, graphic design, etc. Bona's ATC group happens to be a scrapbooking one (my fave!).

In September, Bona challenged the group to create ATC's along the theme of grandparents. For a long while, I was stumped! The grandparents on both sides of my family passed away a long time ago, so I really had no one with whom to identify. Luckily, I remembered my mom met an elderly couple, the Baldwezas, who was available to babysit while my parents were at work. To show respect, I called them lolo (grandpa) and lola (grandma). One funny memory I have is of my lolo washing my potato chips in the sink because he thought they were too salty for me. I obeyed and ate them, but they weren't all that good! I also cherished how my lola would make me desserts from scratch, often grinding away fresh coconut on that stool thingy-ma-bob with the rounded serrated blade at the end. Do you remember those? I designed my September ATC using a Filipino plaid pattern in warm, comforting colors as my base. Then I embellished my piece using flowers and buttons. For all the care lolo and lola gave me, it was only fitting to use 'LOVE' to describe them.

Last month's theme of Halloween was a given. Usually witches, pumpkins and bats come to mind when one thinks of this holiday. I wanted to be unique and different, so I chose to use a black chandelier. I came up with 'SPOOKY chic' to describe my fashionable ATC. The most difficult part about making the card was applying orange black glitter to each of the letters. I also purchased black jewels from Heidi Swapp that were pre-taped. Cutting out each stone time consuming and meticulous! However, I was pretty happy with the end result.

The group is currently working on November's theme of Thanksgiving. I have some ideas, but I'm not sure what I like best yet. I'll definitely share it at 'The Cozy' when I'm done!

To check out our group's ATC's, visit Bona's blog at www.keeponscrappin.blogspot.com. She is SUPER crafty. You will find a lot of other cool projects she has completed. I owe it to Bon for inspiring me to get creative again. I didn't realize how much I missed it! THANKS, BON!
PHOTOS: Bona Rivera Tran

Time for a New Project!

2008-11-06T10:47:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited because I picked up a copy of Lisa Bearnson's 50 Moments. Since starting this blog, I have been researching 'challenges' and journal-type projects to follow. This new Creating Keepsakes book is the perfect project for a beginner like me.

Lisa encourages her readers to scrapbook pages that matter most. From simple moments to hopes for the future, comfort food to a favorite time of the day, 50 Moments helps readers ponder their most meaningful moments in life...and beautifully scrap them!

Care to join me as I dive into journaling and scrapbooking for the very first time? If you are interested, purchase your copy of 50 Moments soon. If not, come back to The Cozy Couch to see how I progress. I plan on starting this project this weekend. My hope is to develop some cool paper craft skills and also learn to share more about myself! Perhaps I can convince my 13-year old daughter Alexis to journal her teen life along with me. It would make for a great mommy/daughter project for sure!

Lisa Bearnson's website
Creating Keepsakes

History in the Making

2008-11-04T21:26:00.000-08:00

"In challenging waters, the leader must be the rock that provides stability, the shield that offers safe harbor and the compass that points the way."

POSTER: David Choe
Upper Playground

Pondering Sweets

2008-11-03T07:22:00.000-08:00

An old college friend of mine captured this photo and posted it on his Facebook last night. All the photos made me laugh because I, too, would have done this on a lazy Sunday! However, I don't think my idea would have been nearly as cool.

A person [who in my opinion] defines the true meaning of 'friend', Nerio is not only a genius at graphic arts, but possesses the most positive outlook on life and is refreshingly funny at the most unexpected times.

When I saw this, I immediately had to make it my first post on art. Isn't it fitting that she's on a couch? Sweet!
PHOTO: Nerio Mones

Get Cozy

2008-11-02T23:00:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite place on the couch. Our deep oversized sectional easily seats ten, but I always seem to find myself in this itty bitty corner. With my back to the busy flow of the kitchen, this is the place I seek to relax and take a break.

Most of the time, I have my nose in magazines and books. Currently, a copy of Eric Maisel's Creativity for Life is on the coffee table. Of course, I always love catching up on missed episodes on the DVR (No Reservations, Grey's Anatomy, Nat Geo, etc). On the rare occasion I have free time, you can easily find me working on paper craft projects or browsing through art mags for inspiration. When family and friends are over, this is the ideal place to get comfy and spend quality time. Just the other weekend, my closest friends came to visit. We lounged all day long in our sweats and belted out tunes on the karaoke (can you believe we could not make it through MC Hammer's 'U Can't Touch This?!).

When I sit to put on my shoes, I go through a mental checklist - grab cell phone, check all the doors and windows, is the curling iron turned off upstairs? And if I'm not getting ready to leave the house, I'm on the laptop for hours researching great deals for family vacations.

However, my favorite way to spend time on the couch is with my family. Awake or asleep, warm or cold, happy or sad, quiet or loud. This is where we are together the most. What can I say? I have a front row seat to our family's versions of 'American Idol' and 'So You Think You Can Dance'. It's the best seat in the house!

So welcome to my virtual living room on the net. Come on in! Relax, explore and create on 'The Cozy Couch' where there is always an extra seat!