Keeping Calm & Carrying On

Four Legged Friends

With a career & business that has a very demanding (& revolving) task list-including creating & designing new products, marketing materials and visual "happiness," it's important that I am able to keep myself truckin' along. As a result, welcome to the third edition of "What makes me tick Tuesdays" where I share glimpses into what keeps me sane and brings me happiness.

Today's Tick:

Baby Mio. My Pups.

If you know me, you KNOW I am a sucker for this little face.

Baby Mio is going to be four years old this July. He's a Papillon and Chiwawa mix. He's got the butterfly ears that Papillon's are known for and the tiny little Chiwawa face. He's my baby.

Even on the saddest or worst of all days this "little guy" gives me kisses, snuggles right next to me and is my favorite little rascal. I love his white-dipped paws and how he always sits with his rump off to the side.

He's incredibly spoiled, which I take 100% credit for, and little is like a child. Again, my baby. With no children yet of my own, he is it. He sleeps with me and comes to work with me everyday. He's like the puppy all little kids wish for--the one that follows you wherever you go no matter what you're doing. He's a great little watch dog too...and only barks at strangers pretty much.

Baby Mio inspired my Tail Waggers & Cat Naps collection (Bella Blvd), which will also soon become fabric with Riley Blake Designs. Here's one of the many layouts I've created about my furry friend...

I seriously think I could have 5 little doggies and be perfectly content. (While I know that's most likely not what's in store for me, I'm just sayin....)

Are you an animal lover too?! 

Christmas Layouts: Bella Blvd

Well, it's "Christmas In March" around here today as I continue plugging away at 2010-year end scrapbooking layouts. What do you do with your annual Christmas Card? What do you do with some of your favorite Christmas cards?

In 2010 I saved my sisters Christmas card and mine as well. They were both 5x7 photographs that I just love.  I didn't want to distract from the photos at all, do I kept my patterns and embellishments minimal. By using 1 and 2-color patterns the page stayed simple and not busy.

Of course I wanted to incorporate some Christmas colors so I added only two .75" strips and red bows. (tis the season). Here's how the layout turned out. Gosh that's nearly 2 years ago already. Time goes by so quickly!

The layout is a combination of all things Bella from the Winter Wonder, Christmas Wishes and Sophisticates product collections.

At the same crop, I completed this next page, documenting mine & Steven's St. Nick tradition.

Each year St. Nick comes on Steven's birthday (Dec. 5^th-Lucky him I know right?!) We each prepare stockings for each other and also little treats for Baby Mio and exchange that night. It's fun to see what he puts inside---some of my favorite things usually like Reese's peanut butter cups and "pink" things. So sweet.

Baby Mio is always very curious too---Christmas is 1 out of the 2 days of the year we dress up the little pups. In 2010 he had the cutest little Santa outfit ;) The entire layout features my Christmas Wishes collection for Bella Blvd.

Love layering those Cute Cuts elements, and playing with the miniature sized patterns on the Quadrants papers. Here's the final product:

For more Christmas Wishes layouts and ideas, visit the Christmas Wishes Collection idea Gallery over at the Bella Studio blog!

So, what are you scrappin' these days? I have a few more Christmas-themed layouts to do and then I'm onto 2011--woot woot! Slowly but surely I'm playin' catch-up!

LOCK DOWN

That's what I like to call my life these days. Do you know why? Because I'm in hiberation until I finish designing new products for Bella Blvd! It's the hap-happiest season of all!

I must confess: I am much more creative at night! Wish me look and send good creative juices my way! Poor Baby Mio is stuck working with me too! (He looks kind of annoyed, huh?!)

One more quick thing before I leave....today over at Bella I'm sharing a SUPER QUICK & EASY home decor idea! Stop by to check it out, but here's a peek for now!

Ciao ciao for now! Hugs...

New Feature!

Well, it's obvious around here that I always have so much to say, which is why I've decided to give you a break every once in a while with this new feature, Single Photo Saturday. It might be a photo of what's inspiring me lately, a favorite family photo, a "right now" kind of image, or whatever is making me happy and keeping me smiling. Today it's this snuggle little guy.

How can you not love that little face and those huge ears! Baby Mio always melts my heart.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend! (PS-it took me about 20 bad shots to get this good one!)

I've got a super duper easy one for you today.

My puppy has a girlfriend. Her name is Dezna. ;)

They are like a little bride and groom and just love to play together. It's super funny because Mio doesn't really play nice with that many other dogs. 

Products Used: Tail Waggers & Cat Naps pet collection from Bella Blvd (papers and chipboard), Thickers from America Crafts, black glitter alpha stickers from Doodlebug, and twine from The Twinery.

My View Lately

So, I finally moved into my new office at the Bella studio. We are preparing for new staff members this summer so re-arranging the studio is exactly what we needed. I now I have my own office-which is wonderful because I can have the privacy when I need it and can design my little heart out when I'm under deadlines without any distractions.

Well, little Baby Mio has acclimated to the move quite well. He still loves the pink couch---but now it's in my office.

Here he is working hard on Tuesday:

And on Wednesday, working even harder!

What a hard life, huh? Thought this would make you laugh today!

Puppy Dog Latte from Starbucks

He's my baby, I can't help but scrapbook and spoil him ;) Don't judge  me!Baby Mio LOVES Starbucks because they give him free puppy lattes! Did you know that if you go through the drive through and ask for this they'll give you a small cup of whip for your little furry friend! OMG, Mio loves it! Unfortuneatly, now everytime we go through any kind of drive-through he thinks he's getting one! What a life, huh?

This layout uses a mixture of Basic Grey, Jillibean Soup, Elle's Studio, Hambley and Bella Blvd.

More of December Part 3

Finally, I just wanted to share with you a couple of my favorite pictures from December. Steven and I exchanged stockings this year and Baby Mio was just so curious about what was inside!

(yes, I have a zebra stocking!)

Hope your holidays were merry & bright. I'll soon be bringing you up-to-speed on 2011!

 

December

I'm sorry for being such a bad blogger, but I've been trying my hardest to enjoy everyday of December. It's so easier to get caught up in the "business" of it all that I've tried to be "BUSY" with meaning-ful things instead of just being busy to be busy. Does that make sense?

Here's a glimpse of December. Steven and I helped Ang and the kids decorate the tree this year....here's our silly picture...(Mio doesn't seemed thrilled, huh?!)

Carson has now been given the man-of-the-house job, to put the tree-topped on the tree. This year mommy showed him how. After all, he's the man of the house now!

During the night of many traditions we hall had Chris in our hearts and our minds as it's still so very hard to believe that he's not here. This ornament Angela placed at the top of the tree, one that he had bought her back when they were dating in high school.

It's stories, sentiments, and ornaments like these that made me realize how important those tiny little gifts are. ...... so, if you received an ornament from me for Christmas you know why!

Afterwards the kids fell asleep while watching a Christmas movie....and the dogs too!
 

Mio's all ready for St. Nick!

and so is Steven's house! We decorated the house and the tree together. It looks great, and smells good too! ;)

(Yup, that's my zebra stocking-you guessed right!)

Steven's birthday was relaxing. Here's us taking a shot of Jameson (never again, by the way-it burned the whole way down!) to celebrate his 27th!