OWH - WHAAAAT??????

Good Afternoon my friends!

Today is a beautiful Monday here in New Jersey - hot and humid but that's summer in New Jersey!

I'm sharing two cards today that are part of my latest box going to Operation Write Home!  

What IS Operation Write Home you ask? So glad you asked! Operation Write Home (or OWH as we lovingly refer to it) is a wonderful 501(c)(3) Organization that ships cards to our heroes in the Armed Forces all around the world. Crafters from all over lovingly make beautiful cards that are blank on the inside.  The heroes can then write to their loved ones back home. 

We send a variety if cards in every box - Birthday, missing you, love you, thank you, Christmas, Mother's/Father's Day, seasonal - you name it we send it.

If you'd like to make a donation to OWH to help defray the cost of shipping these packages out to our heroes please go here: http://operationwritehome.org/donate/

Now onto the cards!

Our cards can carry words of comfort and inspiration to people who just might need to hear them as much as they 

want to send them!

I hope that my cards help both our service members and their families and loved ones up know 

that we love and support them for all they do for us!

Not Just Another Pretty....

Card!!!!!!!

As well as paper crafting, I also love to sew! I've been sewing for over twenty years now! I learned to sew when my oldest daughter was just one!

I am blessed to have a terrific sewing machine that not only sews but does machine embroidery! I just create a design or lettering in software on my laptop - save it to a disk - and put it in my machine! Just call up the design and press go! I don't even have to be near the machine!  It's amazing to watch it sew all by itself! Magic!!!

Today I had to do an order of towels for a client! Seven towels with their initials! I did them all in fun vibrant colors as they are taking the towels with them on vacation!

                                                

If you are in need of any custom embroidery work,. please feel free to leave me a comment and I'll get in touch with you!

I can do bath towels, beach towels, pillowcases, bibs, burp cloths, hooded towels for children, totebags - you name it and I can probably do it!

Thanks for stopping by!

As always please leave a comment - I really do love to hear what you think!

Ann Marie

Friends......

Good Monday to you!!!! It's beautiful here in sunny NJ this August afternoon - NO HUMIDITY!!!! I am loving it.....

Something else I also love is the fact that I am surrounded by FRIENDS! Friends have been extremely important to me and I have been blessed to have widened my circle of friends as my life has gone on.

I wasn't terribly popular in grade school - and in high school I had a "core" group of eight girls but they were a year ahead of me so they graduated before me...I had a few friends though that I've kept in touch with from high school.  I've also had one of my very best friends since grade school and A-HEM that's over 36 years ago! LOL

College friends....I've got two that I've kept in touch with via Facebook and visits. Work friends - yup got one lifetime friend there too!

But I was blessed by God to make so many friends after I had children.  At first there were Mom's Group friends.  Found two of my "keeper" friends there.  Then there were "mom" friends - mothers of the friends of my children. PTA Moms too. Some of them are among my nearest and dearest now.  I've made friends via online forums that have become in real life friends.

Church friends and friends from the sport teams my daughter has participated in and crafting friends and now scrapbooking buddies too....wow I couldn't even begin to COUNT the number of friends I am lucky to have!

I just keep ADDING to my list of friends - which is a wonderful thing.

So to honor my blessings, I've decided to send each of my friends a handmade card (don't worry if you haven't received yours YET - it's going to take awhile to get through the list!) and here is the very first one:

I am a seamstress as well as a card-maker and crafter so this card is going to one of my "sewing" friends.  I love the vintage feel of the kraft paper and the vintage look of the pattern guide sheet too!  Of course I had to add a little "bling" as well!

Leave a comment or send an address if you would like a card too!

Thanks!

Let it Snow...Let it Snow...Let it Snow!!!!!!!!

For those of you who know me well - you know how much I ADORE snow and snowmen! I'm that person you can't stand in the winter when you say you've had enough with the snow already - I AM PRAYING FOR JUST ONE MORE BLIZZARD! LOL LOL

I have been collecting snow-people (it's not just snowMEN anymore ya know! Women's lib and all - Snow WOMEN UNITE!)

I put my snow collection out AFTER I pack up my Christmas decorations.  The snowy goodness stays through March or till Easter whichever come first!

Some of my "snowies" even stay out year round so I can enjoy them on these terribly hot summer days!

So I decided to pull out a few COOL-er cards to share with you today!

This guy seems to be reveling in the sight of some fellow flakes coming down!!!!

While this guy seems to be begging for a cold snowy hug!!!!

Who wouldn't love a cuddly polar bear bringing a special sentiment???

 

And I love the snowflake on this card - it was a Christmas gift tag. I just hid the hole for the string with a rhinestone!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Who knows maybe this will inspire you to start making YOUR Christmas cards early this year? Or spur some Christmas shopping to beat the rush?

Bye!!!!

New for 2013....

Welcome back! I am relaunching my blog with more of a purpose to share my cards and other crafty creations with my friends and family! 

So to start us off (again) here is a card I've made and given to one of my "besties" for her 25th Wedding Anniversay!

Still need to hone my photography and editing skills! 

Hope you like this card!

Feel free to invite friends to follow me too!

See ya soon! 

Ann Marie

Don't Faint

But it is time to start blogging again for real this time.

With the dawn of 2012 everyone in blogland has published their list of resolutions.

I only made ONE resolution for the coming year.

Wanna know what it is????

I want to sell some of my craftiness. I am not expecting to become an overnight success or millionaire with this. I have been sewing and crafting for almost twenty years now and if I had a dollar for every person who has told me "oh you should sell what you sew/make" well I'd be a lot closer to that million right now!

So I am going to take a leap of faith in 2012. I believe that if God gave me the talent to sew/craft then I should believe in His gift and actually DO something with it. No hiding my light under a bushel for me!

You are probably asking: "So exactly HOW are you going to do this Ann Marie?"

Well, I have already created this blog to "talk" about my sewing and crafting projects. I have also created a store on Etsy.com. I will be working in the coming weeks to create items to actually STOCK in my store. I will be back here to post pictures and a link to my shop.

I am asking my dear friends and followers to HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS RESOLUTION!!!

I am also asking for your prayers as I head into this venture!

Till next time,

Ann Marie

No need to adjust the fine tuning on your screen folks!

I REALLY AM posting twice in one week! LOL

So far no sewing has been done for the Stash Challenge over at SewingMamas - but I do have a bunch of shirts to embroider for school today (last minute orders - gotta love 'em! :*)  )  Hopefully with the kiddies back to school I will be able to sew uninterrupted (I don't even KNOW what that feels like)!

Have been going through JUNK and more JUNK for our town wide yard sale on Sept 11th - if you're in Joisey get off on my exit (6 off the Turnpike) and stop on by!!!! Lots of great stuff - seriously!

Older daughter will be at school (college) and my younger two kids go back to school tomorrow so by 7:00am I will be all alone with the dog and the bird. I do my best to ignore the bird - her name is Oochie which is short for Oochalino which means "little bird" in Italian.  The bird is a cockatiel and is my hubbsy's bird - it SHRIEKS whenever I go past it. We're not sure if it likes me or hates my guts.

The dog Buttons (a beagle - 3 years old) is not so easy to ignore - I love her. I am hoping to start walking her every morning (more for exercise for me although she can use it too!). Normally the kids do 99.9999% of the walking of the dog but I will do it when they're out.

So what should I sew first? I'm leaning towards a purse for me - or some new pants. Either option will give me lots of fabric points (more for the pants LOL!!)

Post and let me know what you think I should make for ME!!

See y'all next time!!!

OK OK so I know I should be......

hanging my head in shame since I started this blog and then sort of abandoned it. But like the saying goes "I'm BAAAAAAAAAACK!!!"

It is National Sewing Month - YAY! I love love love to sew. I learned 18 yrs ago when my dd was a baby and today that baby started College! She is going FOR FREE (can't get much better than that!) on the NJ STARS scholarship program. OK I'm a proud mama - can't blame me can ya?

So anyway long story short (I have a sister who says this ALL.THE.TIME.) - I really want to sew this month.

In fact I belong to a great forum www.sewingmamas.com - and I am involved in Stash Game. Basically you earn points by decreasing the amount of yardage of fabric in your "stash". BUYING fabric during this month causes you to lose points. 8 points per yard sewn and -8 yards per yard purchased!!! LOL There are prizes (cool prizes) for lots of categories.

AND I am going to buy a serger tonight! (Shhhhh don't remind me that I already own a top of the line Husqvarna Viking 936 serger) I am going to keep my 936 set as a cover stitch machine and use my new Brother 1034 D for my "workhorse" standard stitch serger. I got a super-duper deal (read STEAL) on this machine. Goes for $235 on amazon - mine is only $120 AND I'm getting 12 spools of serger thread, an instruction manual AND a book of Serger Techniques and Inspiration! WAHOOOO - GO ME!!!!

In addition to my sewing this month - I intend to get a lot of crafting done. My kids (well the other 2 - 7th and 10th grade) start on Tuesday! So I will be sewing and crafting and organizing ala Flylady! (Check her out too www.flylady.net)

OK that's enough rambling for today ......... do I always sign off that way? Maybe it will become my new tag line???? Wait for my next post and see!

Welllllllll....................

If I post every six months does that still make me a blogger? Or a slacker? Probably both LOL!

Well it's been a very hectic six months in my life - as soon as I started this blog I went back to work full time for the first time in 2.5 years - I was laid off from Merrill Lynch way back in the beginning of the corporate downsizing - one week later I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and have been out of work since then.

So I work for the ARC of Mercer County in NJ - we are an advocacy group that runs 13 group homes for the developmentally disabled (formerly the Association of Retarded Citizens). I was hired as a Personnel Assistant and less than three months later was promoted to Staffing Supervisor (please hold your applause).

Well let me tell you just how hectic it is to staff 13 homes with staff during the height of SNOW BLIZZARD SEASON in NJ. I was working days nights -weekends - you name it!!!!!!!! It has slowed down some - thank goodness!

I'm trying to do more crafty things as I find them to be therapeutic in that I tend not to worry about anything when I am immersed in a sewing or craft project.

One of the big "craft projects" I am in the middle of is - creating a craft room in my home. Now don't get all excited it's NOT that type of craft room. There is NO actual workspace in the room. It is only 6 x 12 feet and contains two doorways and a full size window to boot. So basically I am using it for storage for my Mary Kay business needs AND my crafting supplies.

So I am in the process of organizing every thing I own craft wise (well except my fabric - that's a whole 'nother post :) )

Joe and Jack installed the nine cube shelf systems (three of them) in the room for 29 cubbies for boxes for storage. Then there are three bookshelves along the six foot long back wall.

Oh yeah the room is HOT PINK cuz it was my daughter's room when she was small and she wanted it "Barbie" pink - and IT IS!!!!!!!

Pics to come later.

OK so that's my absence explained in a nutshell. Hopefully it won't take another six months to post again!!!

Throwing My Hat In The Ring

Well most of you that know me in real life are probably NOT shocked at all that I have decided to start a blog. Ask anyone and they will tell you that I tend to have a lot to say and am not afraid to say it either!


So you ask WHY have I decided to do this now? Is it because I have an over-abundance of free time on my hands? NOO! Is it because noone listens to me in real life? NOOO! It's probably because by sharing it with all of you, I hope to learn more and possibly help others too!

Also I know absolutely NOTHING about blogging - I am totally winging this here. Hence the PLAINness of it all. I am going to upload some pictures and templates as soon as I figure out how to do so!!!

I'm going to start with a little about myself - the brief description to the right just wasn't enough.


My name is Ann Marie - I am married to a wonderful man named Joe for the past five years. He is my "keeper" husband - he came into our lives when my children and I needed him so much. He is always making us laugh and takes care of us in such a special way.


I have three children "E" who is 17, her brother "J" who is 14, and their little sister "N" who is 11. They are beautiful, healthy, active vibrant kids who make me so proud of them!!! I hope they know that.


I am a Breast Cancer Survivor - I was diagnosed in May 2007 and underwent a lumpectomy, a partial mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. Thanks to God, my husband, kids and family and friends I am totally CANCER FREE today!!!!!!! If you or someone you know is having a problem with breast cancer (lumps, shadows on mammograms, fears etc.) you can contact me privately. I would be happy to try to help in any way I can.


I love to talk about my cancer - I know how funny that must sound to all of you. But I see it as a story with a very happy ending. If talking too me helps even ONE WOMAN to get a mammogram, or see a doctor or start doing BSE's (Breast Self Exams) then all my talking will not be in vain.


So you will hear about that on here.


I also LOVE to craft. I wasn't crafty or artistic AT ALL growing up. I couldn't draw a stick person!!!! But when my oldest dd was almost one - I learned to sew. Several of my friends were showing off the pretty little outfits they were making their children and I was SHOPPING.(Ok so my shopping didn't stop - I just started buying FABRIC!) So when a friend asked me to take an adult ed class on sewing at a local high school I jumped at the chance. So that was over 16 years ago now and I feel I am a "pretty good" seamstress.


I have been encouraged by others to start sewing professionally - so I am in the process of setting up an Etsy shop named PrettyPinkPolkaDotz (more on that to come). I will be doing custom children's clothing and embroidery. I may also offer handcrafted greeting cards too.

I am VERY into papercrafting these days - I got a Cricut electronic cutting system for my birthday last year and now I am just crazy about it!

I love to read - anything with a happy ending - but prefer modern romantic comedy type books. Just can't read anything heavy lately!


Oh also I am a Catholic and tend to mention God so if that's not for you - then that's okay. But I will say what I want - I am open and honest to a fault. I can't lie seriously - I get a stomachache!


I also own my own business - I am privileged to represent Mary Kay Skin Care and Cosmetics.
(If you would like to order or request a catalog - you can email - mention this post for a Blog Discount!)



AND I can ACT - I've been on the stage in one form or another for ahem over 35 years. I started with the lead in the Christmas pageant in 4th grade and they haven't been able to pull me off since.


Currently I do murder mystery dinner theater where the audience actively participates in the "whodunnit" of it all! It is a blast!!!!!!!! I think we actors have just as much fun as our audience.

And a few other small things I LOVE to use parentheses (didja notice yet?) and I often use CAPITAL LETTERS to emphasize things - cuz ya don't always "get" what I'm saying in print like you would in real life. And I like to use slangy English when I am writing casually but did edit both my HS and college newspapers so I DO know how to spell and speak correctly!!!

SO that's who I am in a nutshell...........I cannot wait to meet you all and hope you enjoy my blogging!

G'night!!!!!!!!!