Nice Blogger of the Day Award!

Up close and personal and the kindness of strangers....Ok... as we all know... pretty much everybody in this crazy creative community of ours is GREAT! It's so weird (in a good way) how close you can feel to complete and total strangers through the internet and this blogoland that we live in. It's so virtual but real at the same time. You feel like you know people and in way we do. We know a lot about each other via the blogs. By this time I think EVERYONE "knows" Kurtis over at "Stampin Kub's" blog. Well I love his blog, style and so of course, he is in my reader. I always get updates right when they become available. I don't want to miss anything don't ya' know. I especially love his male perspective on creativity and his clean simple universal style. His designs can work for anyone. Well I had a simple request today about his blog and I emailed him. I asked him if he could fix his images so that when you click on them they can popup and magnify. I have a hard time seeing stuff at normal size because I wear glasses and I'm farsighted. So even with my glasses on I have a hard time seeing close up stuff (the strength has increased annually as a tech writer and with all the time I am on these computers yadayadya) Anyway, he got right on it and he emailed me back that he was able to figure it out and has now installed the plug in to make it work. I just wanted to thank him for taking the time out of his day to help me out. Now I can see his nice things up close. Thanks Kurtis and I hope you don't mind I used your photo from your blog to showcase you today. Go on over and check it out. Click on the pictures on his blog because they magnify now. ;D

~now go be a great day
missprissme

Messing with my blog

EDITED TO ADD: I'M LOVIN' MY NEW LOOK, IT'S VERY VINTAGE'Y AND THE STRETCH LAYOUT IS JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKIN' FOR. I MIGHT MOVE TO TYPEPAD AT SOME POINT THOUGH... IT SEEMS THAT BLOGGER IS LIMITED AS TO CHOICES FOR CUSTOMIZING. UNLESS OF COURSE I'M MISSING SOMETHING? WHICH I PROBABLY AM.

By the way I am testing out some different looks for my blog. I am not quite sure how to customize my blog so it is all trial and error. I did however figure out which template I needed to use to have it stretch across the page. I wanted to add a blog banner but didn't fit right so I removed it a million times. Since I couldn't figure out the banner I decided to at least use Christmas colors (well somewhat). Stay tuned....

Other updates...

As long as I am at it. I am sure everyone is quite asleep right now and unsubscribing as we speak but I finally got my final mammogram report back from the clinic. I got a letter in the mail and it said that they would like to recheck in six months just to verify stability. I'm ok with that because that means that everything it ok right now and not to worry. I don't mind the follow-up because breast cancer is 100% curable if caught early. I like those odds and intend on assisting with keeping those on my side. So I will schedule another one dutifully in six months YAYAYAYAYAY. I am sooooo happy I heard good news.

~missprissme - now go on out there girls and get yours done if you haven't already done so - it's not scary at all and it doesn't hurt. Just go out in the garage, place breast on concrete and practice with the garage door (using the garage door opener). You'll be just fine. ROFL

Favorite New Prissy Pal - Kim Hughes - Paper Hugs

This isn't usually my thingy but I decided to showcase some of my favorite blog peoples today. Hey maybe I'll call it Blog Friend Fridays. I just LOVE Kim Hughes over at "Paper Hugs". Now she doesn't need me to showcase her at all she is definitely blazing her own trail, but her blog is just so cute and nice... from the header, the samples she shares with us and the clincher those TIPS they are amazing. Not only that she is a super compassionate and caring person. She offered me such kind words of support when I was freaking over my mammograms last month. It really helped me in the weird cyberhug (paperhug =D) sort of way. Here is the link now go on over there and give her a hug. As most of you know she has designed some stamp sets too. Here is one of the sets on my wish list. How cute is that owlie? Disclaimer: I am not in any way being compensated for this plug by anyone. I'm just saying...

Later on today I will pull over some of my favorite things about her blog but for now I gotta run.... HAPPY FRIDAY PEOPLE....

A New Prissy Pal In Blogoland

Light a torch people one of my favorite people of all time just got into blogoland!

Just wanted to send a shout out to the newest "Prissy Pal" to join us all in blogoland. Her NEW blog name is Out On a Limb, because that is where all the fruit are. Isn't that cute? We all know how fruity crafters can be! I used to work with her and now call her a friend. We've been stamping together for a while now too. She became a Stampin-Up distributor with me (they call me the cult leader) and we have soooo much fun going to workshops, shopping and entering contests. I can't believe I found someone as gaga as me over all things PRISSY. She's a super creative gal so be on the lookout for some fun "cute" stuff to come. She's extremely smart with a Master degree in Biology by day =D and all things Prissy by night. hehe. She's gaga over anything PURPLE. Go on over and tell her hi & tell her misspriss sent ya! Hi Michelle. Welcome. Check out my blogroll on the right I've added you to my list.

Before & After Pics don't have any

Whew I just finished cleaning my patio, kitchen and living room. What a big job. to clean up after the Witch Fire. Ok maybe I am taking it too far....with all my witch fire smileys.

Ash and cinder everywhere. We had the windows closed up but they don't have a perfect seal and stuff still gets through. Well it is very fine particles anyway so this got through as well. There is black soot everywhere. I wish I could have taken before and after pics (you should see the soot all over the place) but my daughter needed the camera in New York with her this weekend. I am so glad she had a trip and somewhere to go to get out of here because the air quality is still baddo. I also wish I had something pretty to post instead of just my blahblahblah. I am taking breaks in between cleaning and just felt like chatting with bloggoland.

• I first vacuumed,
• then I scrubbed,
• I moved all of the small articles on counters and whatnot to the center of the room on a table,
• then I cleaned everything off top to bottom
• then I vaccuumed again

Ok that's just a part of it but it's done in those three areas. The patio was another matter. That took me all day yesterday to sort out from hosing down everything to pitching and sorting, feeding/watering the birds. I don't have a bird bath but decided to construct some out of some saucers that go under my flower pots. I had some bigger ones that I wasn't using so I cleaned them, set them on top of the flower pots instead of under and filled them with water. Making a makeshift bird bath. I made 2 of them. I thought the little birdies were probably all traumatized and thirsty toooooo. But then the squirrels seemed to use it more.

Things seem to take me longer anyway. My cousin and I were just talking yesterday about how when our babies were little and we kept house. I used to be able to get up in the morning, houseclean the entire house including washing all floors, tubs, showers etc... the hard stuff and take care of the kids, and have the meals on the table. We could accomplish this in a day. Now I don't know whether I am just doing things more thoroughly or what but I am lucky if I get one small area finished in one day. Aging gracefully I suppose. It's all been very stressful as you can imagine.

Thanks for listening!

Creating Keepsakes and Lisa Bearnson ROCK - Heart Warming Story Out of the Ashes

Ok I think that only my blog readers and PRISSy pals are going to get this one but I have a fun story to share amidst all the destruction and chaos of this last week. As I have reported my family and I had to evacuate from our residence quickly on Monday, October 22nd at 3:00 a.m. due to the fires in San Diego. The Witch Fire specifically. I mentioned the few items I was able to "grab on the go" ...I was only able to grab a few of my markers, a few boxes of assorted stamps, my newest die cuts and the Creating Keepsakes September KOTM (brand new in the box). We headed east on Interstate Hwy 8 over the mountains to El Centro. We really had no plans we just knew we wanted out of San Diego and ended up 100 or so miles east out of town. We left in a pack of 4 adults with a caravan of 4 vehicles. The Santa Ana winds were so fierce still with gust up to 95 mph on the mountain that the interestate pass on the mountain was closed to high riding vehicles. This required us to drop off a couple of our vehicles because one of them is a Sprinter which rides pretty high (think Mr. Brown truck ). In the process of dropping a vehicle off and transferring some things from one vehicle to the next the winds picked up my Creating Keepsakes September KOTM from the clothes basket I had it in. Right out of the back of the car that's how strong the winds were. Lets just say my kit TRAVELED.

(click on the link scroll down and to the right to see the September one...here is a link to JPebbles gallery of a completed Sept KOTM in fact she was my major enabler and why I bought it in the first place) and off it blew across this huge empty parking lot. My DH says, "what was that" and comments "well that's lost for good." Because it was blowing away with the wind. Well, when I realized it was my Creating Keepsakes September KOTM, I looked at him and replied: "oh no it isn't...I am going to get it. Off I ran after it. Here I am running for my life from fires and I have to have my scrap kit. Picture when a piece of paper get picks up by the wind and you try and catch it? Not so much.... Anyway ME running after ANYTHING is a sight to behold in and of itself. But I wasn't going to let my new Creating Keepsakes September KOTM get away. After running some distance, I did catch up to it. I am dusting it off to put back into the car. However, it was battered, bent and mangled and the lid was missing. After I returned to my home which was still standing (Whew) I decided to contact CK somehow to see if I could get a replacement for the kit that I lost in the winds and yes CK and kindred spirit prissy pal Lisa Bearnson were happy to oblige. I am sooooo excited. I know that losing a mere scrapbooking kit is NOTHING compared to all of the destruction and those that lost their homes. Frankly, I don't think I could live through losing everything it was stressful enough just evacuating let alone coming back to the nightmare of losing EVERYTHING. But it is a tiny gratitude and a tiny happiest moment amidst all of this chaos and I just wanted to share how sweet I thought that everyone over at CK was for helping me out. I am going to make something very special with my travel journal. hhhhmmmm maybe the escapade of running for my life from the witch fire....travel journal.....get it? I don't know maybe I'll just hoard it with all the other stuff I never have time to use. But that's fun tooooo. At least I still have a place to hoard it to. =D

We're Back Safe and Sound

Just a quick post because I am exhausted.... evacuation is soooooooo stressful and I can't even imagine the stress involved with losing everything. OMG I was never so happy and grateful to be back in my home. Yes, it's full of ashes, dust, odor (think campfire times 10) but I still have my home. Air quality isn't the greatest (ya think?), my lungs hurt, we have purchased masks but they are hot and don't know how effective they really are. I was nearest the "witch"

fire. How appropriate is THAT!!! I mean it was like HELL I tell you so witches and goblins etc very appropriate to name a fire that (oh I know its satan that is in hell and not witches that's halloween but you know what I mean???). I think they name it after it's point of origin so I think this one started near witch creek or something like that.

I thought about all of my bloggin' friends and my craft while I was gone. I had to leave everything behind and didn't pack much. Guess what did get stashed in a basket in the minutes I had? All of my A Muse stamps, my new copic markers and the nestabilities. That was it. Nothing else. I just kept seeing all of that melted rubber and I just shudder to think. I am taking work off tomorrow for one day regroup but hopefully will get back to my office on Friday. Just in time for meetings I am ill- prepared for. =(

Drumroll please.....

I have to say that I have had soooo much fun doing my first blog candy. I hope everyone likes the little package I put together. Of course holding true to my namesake I had to include a little sumpin' of "All Things Prissy" i.e. a little sumpin' of Paper, Ribbons, Inks, Stampin' and Scrapin'. Don't ya think? I also decided to include fall themed/colored items since it is that time of year.

Blog candy contents include: PAPER: An assortment of Crafty Secrets double sided designer card stock (Earthy and Radiant), RIBBON: 3 yards of orange and black polka dotted ribbon, 72 yards (1 package, 6 full spools) of Martha Stewart baker's twine ribbon in the new harvest colors, INK: 1 SU mini black ink spot (which is a favorite of mine, yes I am parting with one ;D), STAMPIN': a mini set of Crafty Secrets Bird Notes, and SCRAPIN' an assortment of Crafty Secrets vintage page title images and 2 packages of eyelets (25 ea color) in fall colors also.
Here's how I chose. I printed out all of the comments and cut each one up separately.

All of the comments were so interesting and there were some very good ideas for future holiday traditions. Most of you thought I should keep the cow theme. Which got me to thinking maybe I will keep it for one of my cards...but just change it up a little.

Then I folded them up and put them all in a little bowl. I know so lo-tech of me, no random number generator or anything.
I especially liked the suggestion from Karen Gladney over at Karen's Kreations.

She says: "I think you should keep your cow theme going as that is what people are used to getting and can pick them out right away and know they are from you. Great cards btw. Maybe dress your cows up like reindeer and have them pulling a sleigh. That would be cute. Then you could say Happy Mooomas. Corny isn't it. Nice to have traditions like that. Keep it.. Tks for the mystery blog candy."

Even though she thought it was a corny idea, I thought it was a good corny (hehe) and a great idea. I never thought of dressing cows up like reindeer or penguin for that matter. So I think I am going to design something with cows in it for one of my designs this year. As I said in a previous post usually I have approx 4 different cards that I send out (I can never decide on just one, of course). So maybe one will include a cow somehow. I can't wait to design something.

And the winner is... Karen Gladney. Yep I picked her name. It was super ironic too because as I was reading through the comments before I printed hard copy and cutting them up for selection, every time I went to read them over these past few days, my eyes kept going to her comment on my blog first. So when I drew her name in hard copy, I thought to myself it was meant to be. Maybe it just falls along those lines that what you focus on you attract. Congratulations Karen! Send me an email with your snail mail addy and I will ship this right out to you.

Thanks to everyone who participated.

Blog Admin

Just finished up with some blog admin stuff. I couldn't believe how many of my previous posts weren't labeled!! Anyway, I just labeled most of my posts, added some new label categories, published some drafting posts (which for some reason were draft? when I thought they had been posted). Lot's of time investment involved with these blogs. I love it but it's hard to keep it up sometimes. Ok so this now goes into whining? Maybe yadayada? Off to do fun stuff now, like STAMP. EDITED TO ADD: I almost forgot... I removed the "Stamping Top 50" widget counter. For me it was completely worthless. It kept losing count and then I would have to re-install it. I would then lose my chronology and place in line. I thought it would have been fun to see if I ever reached the top 50. But I doubt if I will ever get that thing to work.

I also added a link list...linking to the challenges and swaps that I am currently in. I will update it as these change.

I also need to create a "watermark". I just got photoshop and haven't done my watermark yet but plan on doing one. I wonder if I have to retroactively mark my photos? Yikes, I see more blog admin in my future.

I have also added more Prissy Pals to my blog roll. Check out the new list, if you see your name there feel free to add me to your blog roll as well. I am going to add more eventually listing all of the blogs from my reader. So if you are not in the list and would like to be added please email me and I will update it immediately for you. Also, if you are not on my list never fear it's a work in process and I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Blob Admin

Just wanted to let everyone know that I have removed the authentication protocol/ word verification from the comments feature on my blog. Now you can freely comment and you won't have to enter the illegible letters to finish your comment on my blog. I don't think this should be a problem. However, if for some strange random reason I start getting slammed by spam engines, I will put this security measure back on the comments feature. I highly doubt that I will have any problems but will play it by ear. I am certain the spammers don't need my little blog to advance their ads. Blog on....

Quote of the Day

I don't know about you guys but I really like the "Quote of the day" banner I have on my blog. It's really positive and always cheers me up. I found the feed on Sparkpeople. I don't know if any of you have ever tried Sparkpeople out but it is a 100% free self improvement, goal setting and weight loss site. I do not benefit in anyway by displaying their banner, spreading the "spark" etc in any way. I discovered it quite a few years ago but didn't actively use it until this summer. You can create your very own Spark Page similar to my space or any blog actually. This is where you state your bio, goals, pics, team joined etc. You can make it public or private. I chose to make mine private as I wasn't quite brave enough to share my weight loss journey with the masses. It has a nutrition tracker, fitness tracker, a bazillion articles on every topic known to man. Anyway, like anything, it works if you work it. But if you do, this site is the number one site IMHO for nutrition and fitness on the web. It is built brilliantly with top of the line programming. Check it out it's well worth it. The founder basically created it to spread the word on how he was successful in life, goals and self improvement. He wanted to pay it forward and help others. You can read his story on the website. But he made his first riches back in the day selling the first ever auction/garage sale type website that he invented/created to what is now known as Ebay. With advertising and his own money he operates the site 100% free to us.

I'm Conducting a New Catty Poll over at Splitcoast

Click on the title of this post and/or click here SCS to go take my poll on new SU catty reactions. UPDATE: MY CATTY POLL I STARTED IS GOING GREAT. A LOT OF INTERESTING FEEDBACK OVER AT SCS. HERE'S SOME POLL RESULTS SO FAR: Overall favorable FOR SU. The 3rd column is number of pollsters responding and the 4th is the %s.

View Poll Results: Do you like the new SU catty?
Love, it's gonna work with me		36	55.38%
A OK, It can work		17	26.15%
So so, Don't love but don't hate		10	15.38%
Hate, no variety, too $$		2	3.08%

Blog Layout

I am experimenting with my blog layout. I wanted the Quote of the Day moved up. I found it hard to scroll to bottom everytime just to read it. This way it's handy! I can't find another spot where it will fit.

Daily Thoughts

Don't miss the new page element I've added to my blog (scroll all the way to the end) the Thought for the Day, I really like them... compliments of SparkPeople. The quote changes everyday
~best

Tag you're it...

Kurtis over at stampin Kub tagged everybody today so (in no particular order) I tag the following:

Betz Whites blog. She's an artist that deals in felt among other things. I just like reading her blog. She was on Martha recently with a tutorial about these little cupcake pin cushions. They are cute cute cute. She has a book on pre-order launching later this summer.

Flea Market Studio. Need a pretty fix or a vintage fix. Yep she's the one.

This art makes me happy. Why? because isn't it the truth!

Kindred Spirits. Why? because aren't we all kindred spirits in this papercraft world?

I made this, why because it's a guy and I like seeing how guys think with their right brains.

Of course all of the other usual suspects who I mention regularily on my blog. I decided to list new ones. I have 60 or some odd in my google reader so don't feel left out. I have so many I love.

I probably should run over and tell people they have been tagged. Maybe later.

~missprissme

Prissin'

I sure do wish I had some pictures to share tonight. Ok so I don't have anything to upload tonight. The digi is charging anyway, so even if I wanted to. Nope, not gonna happen.

Anyway, I had a "good mail day" as they say in blog land because I received my new (insert drum roll because I am that excited) Create-a-Cut today. I have only practiced with it a bit but I love it. Maybe I will do a tutorial and showcase it sometime. It is great. I got it through Ellen Hutson's web store. http://www.ellenhutson.com/servlet/StoreFront. She is so great. I have ordered from her a few times now and she encloses the prettiest thank you notes with your purchases. Such a classy lady. Love her bunches

I was also playing with my new Crafty Secrets stamps CraftySecrets "kitchen classics" set which I purchased over at Anna Wight's web store. Check it out: Sassy-and-Sweet-CRAFTS I gotta tell ya' loving those toooooo. They are much prettier than first thought. I have been experimenting with a recipe card set design. I have the SU "what's for dinner" set and have in the past made recipe card sets for gifts from that set. So now I am experimenting combining stamps from each set. I have used the lines from the SU "what's for dinner" set and other images such as the border, and seasoned with love from Crafty Secrets. It is a work in progress so when I get something finished I will upload it.

It has been so much fun and great decompression time.

I just had to write about how much fun I am having.

~miss priss me

New Digs!

Welcome to my blog! I am new to this as I just discovered blogs a month or so ago and I now have 63 blogs in my google reader list that I read daily. So bear with me as I add things. I have many more Prissy Pals to list and favorite places to websurf.