Sunday Scrappin': September 19

It's Sunday again and that means it's time for Sunday Scrappin'. This is a GREAT way to get inspired, meet other crafters and share your creations, so please drop over and join today!

I admit, I'm late getting this post up, as it's now Monday. But, I was waiting for some finds to come through Paypal from my sponsored blog posts, so I could get this adorable kit to scrap my RV shopping pics from way back in 2007. This kit was just perfect, as you can see below!

My TA-DAs:




These are from back in 2007 when Aspen was just 2, and I had just begun to research RVs and the fulltime RV lifestyle. Now, three years later, Aspen is 5, she has a baby sister and the dream is still very much alive!

My TO-DOs:
Nothing particular planned this week as far as scrapping. My philosophy is "Scrap what you feel", so I'll see where the mood takes me this week. Happy Scrappin'!

New TV Technology From Tivo

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of TiVo. All opinions are 100% mine.

We haven't had TV in our home since we moved in over here in February of this year. We do have Netflix, so we have some TV but we don't have cable anymore. I refuse to pay the high prices that the cable and satellite companies want to charge these days. Over the six years that we had cable with a local company here, our monthly bill rose $60.

With Fall coming, it would be nice to have someTV again. There's some cool new Fall TV shows starting, and old ones we did enjoy, stating again. With cold weather coming, we'll be outdoors less and that means needing more things to enjoy indoors. Getting cable again is not an option for us, but after reading about this cool new Tivo gadget today, I wish it was!

If you do have cable, you can maximize your TV experience with the new Tivo Primiere and Slide Remote. With this great new product from the Tivo folks, you can enjoy such terrific new features as a new HD user interface for optimized search & discovery and the ability to record up to 45 hours of HD programming. The unit connects to your cable service, replacing your cable box and giving you access the world's largest on-demand video store. You can even schedule recordings online or with your mobile phone! How cool is that?

If you're a TV lover, be sure to check out the Facebook Fan Page for Tivo and join today.

Would you love to have this cool technology? Even better would you like to have it for free? Well guess what? The Tivo folks are giving away a bunch of them. Enter to Win today! Hurry up, the contest ends on 9/22!

And hey, if you win, make sure to invite me over to watch okay?

My Studio

One of my favorite art forms is creating lifelike reborn dolls. For those of you not familiar with this art form, a reborn doll is a vinyl play doll or blank doll kit that has been transformed using various techniques into the most lifelike doll possible. Realism is the goal. I was first introduced to reborn dolls in the fall of 2002 when a coworker brought in a doll she had made. I was instantly smitten and wanted to learn how to make them. She was kind enough to take me under her artistic wing and teach me the process. I've been creating them ever since.

I hope you'll all take a minute or two to check out my studio website: Blessed Beginnings Studio. Here's a little peek at what you'll get to see.

If you like what you see, please consider helping me promote my studio by adding my button to your blog.

<a href="http://www.blessedbeginningsstudio.org/" target="_blank"><img width="200" src="http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c11/Earthmommy/rebornbutton.jpg" border="0" /></a>

Our Etsy Store is Open!

Ashley and I have openned an Etsy store together. I hope you will all stop by and check it out!

Sunday Scrappin':September 12

It's Sunday again and that means it's time for Sunday Scrappin'. This is a GREAT way to get inspired, meet other crafters and share your creations, so please drop over and join today!

My TA-DAs:
This week I continued with the June 2009 Astronomy pages. I reposted the first page that I posted last week just so you can see it with it's companion page. I found these pages a little challenging to do, because I didn't want the scrapping to take away from the images, but I did want that artsy digiscrap feel too. I'm pleased with the way they turned out. Enjoy!






My TO-D0's:
Lately I've been thinking about my dream of someday hitting the road in an RV and traveling the country. At different times in our lives that's been something we were actively researching and at other times it's been on the back burner, just like most big dreams. The other night I came across these cute pictures from 2007 when the girls and I went to an RV dealer to check out some models. We fell in love with the one they're in in these pics.






This week I'll probably scrap these and continue on with the Astronomy ones as well.

Have a great week everyone!

Teaching To Make A Difference

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Woodrow Wilson. All opinions are 100% mine.

In today's tough economy, many people have decided to make a career change. Many others are considering alternatives to their original career plans. One of the hardest hit fields has been education. With schools cutting budgets all across the country, many schools in poor rural and urban settings are severely understaffed. At schools where strong, positive teachers are needed the most, they are found the least.

The Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship is designed to change all of that. The goal of th program is to recruit, train and retain effective teachers for the students that need them the most. It provides recent college graduates in the science, technology, engineering and math disciplines the opportunity to further their education and make a real difference in the lives of students at hard to staff schools. Participants will receive a $30,000 stipend to complete an intensive master's degree program at one of fourteen different participating universities.

Potential candidates must have completed and undergraduate degree in one of the above fields by June 2011 and must have graduated with a 3.0 GPA or higher. They also must demonstrate a commitment to the program and its goals. Those selected will complete a field-based Master's Degree in teacher education. They must commit to teach for at least three years in a high-need school, where they will receive intensive and support and mentoring in the classroom.

Visit here to learn more: www.wwteachingfellowship.org and please also take a moment to review this informative and inspirational video.

Things That Make Me Smile

The view from our playroom window, from the baby's perspective.
~

All the Hot Wheels gathered in their bin, my favorite one on top.
~

The way Abby never gets tired of the talking shape puzzle...


...even when she's getting tired.

Labor Day Weekend Photo Journal

Another end of summer holiday weekend has come and gone. We spent it doing weekendy kinds of things.

Here in our town we have a festival over Labor Day weekend. We go every year and this year was special because we actually live back here now. Shawn and I took the little girls on Friday night to take advantage of wristband night at the carnival. Aspen had a ball.


She went on the Super Slide six times.


She rode the kiddie train (which she is quickly getting too big for!)



We bumped into some neighbors and Aspen went on a helicopter type of ride with her friend Maddox.


Our last stop was the giant inflatable slides, always Aspen's favorite.

Saturday Ashley and I went back with the little girls to check out the craft show and other fun stuff like Aspen's favorite, the pony rides. I can't believe how big she looked on that pony!



Saturday we also did a little fun shopping. Aspen got a tie-dye shirt she's been wanting for ages and Ashley got some super cute bottle cap earrings. We finished off Saturday with some festival food, chicken on a stick (yum!) and funnel cakes. Sunday I took the little girls again and this time we took my Mom & Dad with us. They had a ball too.


Aspen was especially happy to ride the ponies again, and once again I was told by the handlers that she's a natural. I've got to get this kid into riding lessons.



We wrapped up the holiday by going over to their house today for a cookout. My Dad blew up a little inflatable pool for the girls and they played in it and made mud pies. Hubby grilled some delicious burgers and hot dogs and we feasted and enjoyed all the pleasures of a day at Grandma and Grandaddy's house.












I hope all of you had a safe and happy holiday weekend too!

Sunday Scrappin': September 5

It's Sunday again and that means it's time for Sunday Scrappin'. This is a GREAT way to get inspired, meet other crafters and share your creations, so please drop over and join today!

Is it really September already? Time seems to be passing quickly. We had a busy week here, and between school, our usual household tasks and helping out my parents as they get settled into their new home, there wasn't a whole lot of time for scrappin' (horrors!). I did manage to get one page done though.

My TA-DA this week is:




Last June we started studying Astronomy for the first time. Ashley had it as an elective and so we invested in a nice telescope. Everyone was so excited the day it arrived and this is the first in a series of pages about our first day learning to use it. Good times!

This week I am planning to continue doing Astronomy related pages, both from last year and this year, as long as that's what I feel like working on. I find that I enjoy scrapping so much more when I "scrap what I feel" as the saying goes.

How about you?

Earn A Teaching Degree Online

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's been a while since I posted. Aspen's home school has been keeping me really busy with gathering materials and creating curriculum. I feel like I spend hours preparing lesson plans, and she blows right through them in a matter of minutes. It's amazing. I don't know how teachers in a school setting with multiple students do it! Some days I wish I had some formal training in teaching. If I was younger, and my kids were older, I might consider a teaching career after they were grown.

There are more and more opportunities for people to seek career training these days. Online education has really expanded and excellent programs are now available for aspiring teachers. One such program is the USC Rossier School of Education’s MAT@USC program. It's open to current educators and aspiring teachers. Students have the opportunity to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from an elite research university with the convenience and flexibility of studying online.

The program information includes details on the highly interactive online learning environment combined with field-based experiences right in your local area, as well as a groundbreaking tuition reimbursement program and scholarships.

The face of education is changing all over the globe, and tomorrow's teachers need to be able to keep pace with the new technologies and methodology being used, while still possessing a strong background in the fundamentals of teaching.

Students enrolling in the program can earn a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from an internationally renowned research institution with a 100-year history of educating teachers to be agents of change. The school itself has been ranked #22 in the United States, and #9 among all private universities by US News and World Report. The distinguished USC faculty has been recognized for their contributions to modern education and Rossier and the MAT@USC were awarded by AACTE for innovative use of technology in education.

If you're currently a teacher wanting to enhance your knowledge and skill, or you dream of one day being a teacher, check into this innovative and unique program today.