Todays Featured Blogger: Trendy Cards

For some reason, my featured blogger post isn't showing as the most recent post. Scroll down after my Frisco post and show my featured blogger Trendy Cards some love!

What a Trip!

Well as I blogged about before I made a weekend trip to the great city of San Francisco with my mom, sister & best friend. I hadn't been since I was younger and to go back was such a great treat. I felt like such the tourist from trolly rides to taking pictures of everything possible. As I like to say, you can never have enough pictures right? We visited Alamo Square, which is the home to the beautiful and famous "Painted Ladies", you know those houses you see in any picture describing San Francisco? We visted Fisherman's Wharf, and took a ferry ride into Salsalito, a small town along the bay with some cute shops. I'm all about the shopping. However, after a long day of shopping it was time to go out and have a good time. One too many drinks kind of good time. After taking over the stage at a local karaoke bar and singing everything from I Love Rock & Roll to Sweet Caroline I was exhausted. (The videos are too embarrassing to post...lol) But, its times like those you'll always remember.

Todays Featured Blogger: Trendy Cards

I asked Trendy Cards if she would be interested in being a featured blogger because her cards are too cute! With reasonable prices and a great selection, her blog and cards are Simply Fabulous! Be sure to read her interview below and be sure to check out her shop on Etsy, as well as her blog! Congrats Trendy!

How did you get started making cards?:

I'm a graphic designer and I used to work for a Greeting Card company here in town, and when I stopped working there, I decided to start creating cards by myself and try to sell them online, that's when in 2006 I decided to open an eBay store & Trendy Cards was born, specializing in personalized note cards, invitations & labels. On June last year I discovered Etsy, and thought that it was a better match for me than eBay, but didn't have the time to create a shop there until January this year, so I'm fairly new at Etsy still. I'm currently keeping both shops but I'm putting all of my effort & energy on my Etsy shop right now.

Check It Out Here!


Check It Out Here!


Your favorite cards to make are?:

I love making cards (any), but maybe my favorites to create are the ones that have patterns, I love creating new patterns. I've always loved Stationery (I collected them when I was little, cards, envelopes, stickers, etc) so for me it's a lot of fun creating them now.


How long does it take you to make a card?:

The designing process takes time, I do different tryouts, and several printouts, to pick a final design. Sometimes I can create just one in one day, and other times I could do 5, it all depends on the designs. And from the moment somebody orders to the moment it ships out, it usually takes 2 to 3 business days: first I have to create the proof and email it, then, revisions (if any), printing, trimming, folding & finally packaging.


Check It Out Here!


Check It Out Here!


If you weren't making cards, what else would you be interested in making?:

Maybe handbags & diaper bags that look like cards, matching different patterns together, or cool hair accessories, using the same concept, I've always liked that too.


Want to be featured like Trendy Cards? Post a comment or convo me at Etsy for details!

Kreative Blog Award

Well how nice is this!
Thank you Jacaranda Designs!
So now I must:
List 7 things you love and then pass the award on to 7 people..tagging them and letting them know they won!
You can copy the picture of the award and put it on your sideboard letting the whole wide world know you are KReATIV!
(7 is my favorite number, so this is perfect!)

1.) I love being with my family
2.) Having a good time with my friends
3.) Weekend get a ways somewhere fun
4.) My dog Bing and all animals of coarse!
5.) I love being crafty and bouncing around Etsy
6.) Singing in the car
7.) I love my boyfriend
8.) I love country music and country concerts!
9.) Going to the beach
10.) Watching old movies too!


Now for the seven people I have chosen:

Trendy Cards

Dragonfly Key

She's Batty Designs

The Silver Dog

We Blog Artists

My Lily Den

Mustardseed

What's Playing On Your iPod?

I wish I could say the reason I have had a leave of absence from blogging was something intriguing such as I have been traveling the world in search of new medicines or helping the homeless go from home-less to home-owners. But I can't. The truth is, I was on a 4 month African safari, got stranded and saved myself and 24 others. Ya, well, thats a lie too. The only thing that matters is I'm back right? So what have I really been up to you ask? Well, still working the same dead end job, being addicted to Red Bulls and Starbucks (Grande, Ice, Carmel Macchiato, Upside Down With Soy Please!) and getting excited for a weekend trip to San Francisco. Finally, a weekend to get away and just be. In preparation for this trip to San Fran I have accumulated a playlist to keep my mind occupied for the plane flight. The playlist includes:

You Make My Dreams Come True-Hall & Oates
-Just an all around feel good song, makes you wanna bob that head and dance like a dork for some reason.

Benny & The Jets-Elton John
-Oh Elton, what do your lyrics mean my friend? Who is Benny and who are the Jets? Benny sounds like a great guy.

Sweet Thing-Keith Urban
"The moon is high and the night is young come and meet me in the backyard under the cottonwood tree..."

Is This Love-Bob Marley
Mr. Reggae himself.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered-Stevie Wonder
Gotta have Stevie on the playlist and this ones a classic.

Here Comes The Sun-The Beatles
Another feel good song, because thats what this trip is gonna be all about, just feelin' good!

I find that my iPod is a melting pot of all genres and eras. So now I ask, what's on your iPod?

What Were They Thinking?

"She Did It With Her Mind"

"Missing Something?..."

"Nah, Really?"

"Thanks...You Shouldn't Have..."

"Ladies And Gentlemen, The President Of The United States"

"Phew, Good Thing You Told Me"

"Woah, Woah, Woah, Hold On, I Forgot Step #312"

"Damn, Then Where Can I Get Some Water Around Here..."

"Thanks Gary, Back To You In The Studio"

Line Partners

When it comes to going to theme parks, everyone should expect to stay in line for more than half their visit. Therefore, it is very important to pick a good line partner. A line partner is the stranger who you are going to be stuck in line with for the duration of your wait. So its important to pick and choose who you can tolerate and who you should let pass. I bring to you the 5 L's:

The Loud 1st Timer-This person is loud, they don't seem to get out much. They are laughing way too hard with their friends and don't seem to care who they are annoying. Step away, this person will only cause frustration and could potentially ruin the ride.


The Love Birds-Unless you want to go bird watching, let the love birds fly ahead of you. They can't seem to get enough of each other and unless you brought your barf bag, step away.



The Lady With 5 Kids-Enough said...



The Line Brusher-This person is tricky to spot out. This is the person who brushes right up against you in line and it doesn't seem to bother them. If you happen to find yourself with a line brusher as a line partner, simply give them one hard "noodge" and if that doesn't do the trick, play the sick card. The sick card is violently coughing and throwing in a few head twitches.

The Lookie Lou-If you see someone entering the line, taking there time, camera around neck, speed up and get in front of this person. This person is known to leave gaps in the line, which will cause serious annoyance.



I hope this guide will help you the next time you find yourself in any line. Remember The 5 L's on your next trip and your experience should be a breeze!

ELECTION DAY!

I hope everyone took the time to vote today! I feel that you can't complain about anything unless you vote!

Great Website Find!

Etsy.com is a great website to buy and sell handmade crafts! Click the widget on my sidebar to check it out!

Must See Video: Homecoming Queen

I heard this story on the morning news this morning, and my mom and I both had tears in our eyes and smiles in our hearts. It's so great to see a story like this, and it should remind everyone that beauty is something that comes from within. Being someone bitter about not winning the title of Homecoming Queen (I swear it was rigged), I think that people need to look beyond looks and popularity and notice the not always noticeable people.

Must See: Oprah, Tuesday, Be There!

I think Tuesdays Oprah is a must see. Oprah and Lisa Ling go behind the scenes and inform you on how people treat the animals you eat. I have told a few people about this upcoming show and they all say the same thing, "I can't watch that". And that is understandable, ignorance is bliss. However,"being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn". Thanks Benjamin Franklin for the great quote. I hope you will all take time out to watch Oprah, and if you do, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

Tina Fey For V.P.

Missing Any Mail?

DETROIT — In a case that echoes a Seinfeld episode, a former postal worker has been charged with stealing thousands of pieces of mail that authorities say she had kept in a storage unit northwest of Detroit.
Federal investigators say they've recovered more than 9,000 pieces of mail from a storage unit in Fowlerville. Authorities allege that Jill Hull admitted storing the mail because she couldn't deliver it on time. Some mail has postmarks from 2005.
Hull worked for the Postal Service in the Howell area for 3 1/2 years. She quit in August, about three weeks before the mail was discovered.
A phone number listed for Hull was disconnected.
In a 1996 Seinfeld episode, Newman (Wayne Knight) stored mail in Jerry Seinfeld's storage unit instead of delivering it.

Attention Californians: Vote YES! On Prop 2

This November 4, Californians should vote YES! on Prop 2 – a modest measure that stops cruel and inhumane treatment of animals, ending the practice of cramming farm animals into cages so small the animals can't even turn around, lie down or extend their limbs.
Voting YES! on Prop 2...
Prevents cruelty to animals.
It’s simply wrong to confine veal calves, breeding pigs, and egg-laying hens in tiny cages barely larger than their bodies. Calves are tethered by the neck and can barely move, pigs in severe confinement bite the metal bars of their crates, and hens get trapped and even impaled in their wire cages. We wouldn’t force our pets to live in filthy, cramped cages for their whole lives, and we shouldn’t force farm animals to endure such misery. All animals, including those raised for food, deserve humane treatment.

Improves our health and food safety.
We all witnessed the cruel treatment of sick and crippled cows exposed by a Southern California slaughter plant investigation this year, prompting authorities to pull meat off school menus and initiate a nationwide recall. Factory farms put our health at risk—cramming tens of thousands of animals into tiny cages, fostering the spread of diseases that may affect people. YES! on Prop 2 is better for animals—and for us.

Supports family farmers.
California family farmers support YES! on Prop 2 because they know that better farming practices enhance food quality and safety. Increasingly, they’re supplying major retailers like Safeway and Burger King. Factory farms cut corners and drive family farmers out of business when they put profits ahead of animal welfare and our health.

Protects air and water and safeguards the environment.
The American Public Health Association has called for a moratorium on new factory farms because of the devastating effects these operations can have on surrounding communities, spreading untreated waste on the ground and contaminating our waterways, lakes, groundwater, soil, and air. Prop 2 helps stop some of the worst abuses and protects our precious natural resources. That’s why California Clean Water Action and Sierra Club-California support YES! on Prop 2.

Is a reasonable and common-sense reform.
Prop 2 provides ample time—until 2015—for factory farms using these severe confinement methods to shift to more humane practices. Arizona, Colorado, Florida, and Oregon have passed similar laws. The Humane Society of the United States, the ASPCA, hundreds of California veterinarians, including the California Veterinary Medical Association; California family farmers; the Center for Food Safety, the Consumer Federation of America, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the United Farm Workers, and the Cesar Chavez Foundation; Republican and Democratic elected officials; California religious leaders; and many others.





How would you like to be caged all day and mistreated? Would you treat your house pets with such cruelty? I didn't think so, Vote Yes On Prop 2.

Good Deed For The Day

So many charities, so little time. Want to donate, but feel overwhelmed in making the decision of where or what to donate to? I choose a couple that may be of interest to you and included a little description from each from their websites. Have another charity in mind? Check out charitynavigator.com, which evaluates over 5,300 charities and their financial health.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest and most effective animal protection organization—backed by 10 million Americans, or one in every 30. Established in 1954, The HSUS seeks a humane and sustainable world for all animals—a world that will also benefit people. We are America's mainstream force against cruelty, exploitation and neglect, as well as the most trusted voice extolling the human-animal bond.

Our mission statement: Celebrating Animals, Confronting Cruelty.

We work to reduce suffering and to create meaningful social change for animals by advocating for sensible public policies, investigating cruelty and working to enforce existing laws, educating the public about animal issues, joining with corporations on behalf of animal-friendly policies, and conducting hands-on programs that make ours a more humane world. We are the lead disaster relief agency for animals, and we provide direct care for thousands of animals at our sanctuaries and rescue facilities, wildlife rehabilitation centers, and mobile veterinary clinics.

We celebrate pets, as well as wildlife and habitat protection. We are the nation's most important advocate for local humane societies, providing shelter standards and evaluations, training programs, direct support, and national conferences. We are building a Humane Wildlife Services program to provide homeowners and businesses with humane and effective solutions to conflicts with our wild neighbors. The HSUS publishes All Animals, a membership magazine, and Animal Sheltering, a bi-monthly magazine for animal sheltering professionals.

We confront national and global cruelties through major campaigns targeting the barbaric practices of dogfighting and cockfighting; abusive puppy mills where dogs are treated not like family but like production machines; the worst cruelties of factory farming in modern agribusiness such as confinement of animals in crates and cages; inhumane and unsporting hunting practices such as "canned hunts" of captive exotic animals; the slaughter of American horses for export to foreign countries where horsemeat is considered a delicacy; and the clubbing of baby seals and other animals for the commercial fur trade. Our track record of effectiveness has led to meaningful victories for animals in Congress, state legislatures, courtrooms and corporate boardrooms.

We stand together and unite our voices to raise public awareness and mobilize a massive response to the atrocities in Sudan's western region of Darfur.
Responding to a rebellion in 2003, the regime of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and its allied militia, known as the Janjaweed, launched a campaign of destruction against the civilian population of ethnic groups identified with the rebels. They wiped out entire villages, destroyed food and water supplies, stole livestock and systematically murdered, tortured and raped civilians. The Sudanese government's genocidal, scorched earth campaign has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives through direct violence, disease and starvation, and continues to destabilize the region. Millions have fled their homes and live in dangerous camps in Darfur, and hundreds of thousands are refugees in neighboring Chad. Violence continues today. Ultimately, the fate of the Darfuri people depends on establishing a lasting and just peace in all of Sudan and in the region.
We are committed to the goals that the Save Darfur Coalition advocates for, including:
Ending the violence against civilians;
Facilitating adequate and unhindered humanitarian aid;
Establishing conditions for the safe and voluntary return of displaced people to their homes;
Promoting the long-term sustainable development of Darfur; and
Holding the perpetrators accountable.
We call on the United States, other governments, the United Nations and regional organizations to focus their efforts on ending this crisis.

Oh So Privileged!

New fav this season? Privileged on the CW. I have never been a fan of the CW, it's always the same teen drama BS, however I watched the series premier of Privileged last night with Reba's Joanna Garcia and I was really impressed. Good story line, great characters! Anyone else watch it? Take a click on the picture to find out more!

It's Baaaaack....

Yes, I am talking about football. The season I have dreaded for a few months now. I don't think it would be as bad if it wasn't taking over my life! Everywhere I go, football. Everything anyone talks about, football. The one thing that keeps me from hanging out with my darling boyfriend on Sundays, football. HELP! If it wasn't so damn complicated, maybe I could sit down and actually try to follow it. Just when I think I understand what a blitz is, someone's gotta break it to me that there are many kinds of this thing they refer to as a blitz. Well $%#@, Blitz This! (holding up middle finger). I am however, going to give it a fair shot this season. I'll keep you posted.

Now I'd like this time to say a prayer.

Dear God,

Please help me with the things I cannot control such as football rage and please give me an understanding for this thing called a blitz. On Sundays God, please give me the strength to hold back my angry words towards my boyfriend when he tells me that he doesn't want to go to breakfast because footballs on, please give me a better opportunity such as...I donno...shopping? Thanks, God, you're the man.

In J.C.'s name,
AMEN!

WooHoo!, She Didn't Do It Again

It's so good to see Ms. Britney back in the game. Last night at the VMAs she looked great and back to the old Britney we all know and love.

Online Surveys & Market Research

Video Of The Month. Love it!

Why is this the cutest/funniest moment ever? It's great to see something like this when things have been so serious with all the political campaigning. I think Palin will make a great impression as Vice President, she's real and comes across as just a typical American. And what a cute family!