Overwhelmed

Do you ever feel so completely overwhelmed that you hardly know what to do?

Warning... this blog post is not very encouraging or uplifting. It is however filled with real thoughts, feelings and happenings in the life of a mother of 5...

If you're still reading... don't say I didn't warn ya!! ;)


I'm not one to often share negativity on my blog or online. I want to express positive things... to brighten peoples day. To be an encouragement. However... today it's my turn to share the realities. This winter has been the pits! There has been someone sick here since November. Yes, that is 4 months. We've gone thru everything including colds, flu, throwing up, bladder infections, infected teeth, ear infections, strep throat, pin worms (ew), chest infections, and I'm sure there is more that I'm just not thinking of. There is almost always someone on antibiotics, which i dearly dislike. I have hardly been outside of the house in the last month and a half. I'm sure I could count the times on one hand. I'm going completely stir-crazy!
We had to cancel so many things... my family coming to visit over Christmas, DS's birthday party outing, several dates, church, play group and just general getting out. Hubby has been getting groceries... what a guy! But there are things that you just don't think to put on a list... things you just get... like Kraft dinner... I NEED TO HAVE KD in the house when I feel like crap! :)
I try to keep positive. Be thankful that my kids are generally healthy and that none of these issues are serious. No one has been hospitalized. No one has been hurt. We are all together. But it is so hard. I am so overwhelmed.
And now I'm sick too. My chest hurts so bad... I have a hard time breathing. AND I have 3 kids sick and 2 I'm trying to keep healthy. My head feels like it's going to blow off, and i have so much laundry to do it's just not funny! I have been trying to see that everyone is eating and drinking enough... that no one gets double dosed on Advil or Triaminic... I have to write down when they take what and their temperature, or I'll get it all balled up! My brain has just stopped functioning!
I have scrappy assignments that I'm trying to get done... I know life comes first, but I also take my commitments seriously as well, and like to keep up when I can. My internet was down for the weekend due to the 40 cm of snow we got. Oh, did I mention It's now storming again, with another 15-20 cm due by morning.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! ENOUGH WINTER!!!

Alright... I'm done... None of this is written for your sympathy. I just have to get it out. I have to vent! Hopefully now with my thoughts written out, the bugs and germs will go away!! :)
Here's hoping spring is just around the corner!!! :)

I think I'm going to EXPLODE with Excitement!!!

Taken from the Spellbinders blog...

2011 Spellbinders™ Design Team!

Kimberly Crawford

Tonya Dirk

Christine Emberson

Judy Hayes

Lesley Langdon

Tina McDonald <--- THAT's ME!!!

AJ Otto

Windy Robinson

Gloria Stengel

Shanna Vineyard

Michelle Woerner

Latisha Yoast

It has been exciting to pour over the wonderfully creative art submitted by so many talented entrants. It has beem so difficult make decisions that exclude talented people. Thank you to everyone for your heartfelt submissions. We understand and appreciate the effort that goes into your artwork.

Our new Design Team Members will gather in Phoenix, AZ the first week of April for a Design Team retreat, and their first assignments will be due on April 30. We look forward to meeting our newest members and welcoming our returning members!

************************

I think this is the most amazing thing in the entire world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't share my final round projects with you... unfortunately. They are now the property of Spellbinders. But I can share the card I created for the second round...

Thanks so much for sharing in my excitement!!! I really think I just might burst! :)

Have a fabulous day!!

Until Next time... Happy Scrapping!

~TINA!~

FINALLY... I can blog!

Man oh man!! What a stretch! Sick kids, sick me... it feels like it's never going to end! This morning I have n kids with a fever, and no kids sounding like they are going to caugh up a lung... so it's looking like a good day! 2 are still on antibiotics and one is still home from school... but it's still a better day!!
It gets so overwhelming when the little ones are sick! The baby was even sick... and was up a LOT at night. Needless to say, if Mamma isn't sleeping... things fall apart here!
However... i slept last night! (we won't mention DH's snoring... ;) So I feel decent today! Decent is much better than horrible! So here I am... blogging away! :)

First order of business... i have 2 raks to give away!!

#1... Best Creation Blog Hop RAK:

mommyof5kidz said...

ABSOLUTELY ADORE your layout! GORGEOUS! Your ribbon flowers are super cute, too...and they look GREAT with your overall layout!

#2... ONE LITTLE WORD Rak:

EstherT said...

My word for the year is follow-through. I'm forever promising myself that I'm going to start inviting people over to lunch, take the time to call an old friend, or I'm going to start some new program and then life gets busy ... This year I'm going to make an effort to do these little things within a reasonable amount of time from when I think about them.

CONGRATS girls!!! I'll be in touch to get your mailing addresses to get your goodies out to you!!

I also have a couple of toots to share...

*I have a LO requested for Canadian Scrapbooker summer 2011!
*I have another LO requested for Scrap Street Ezine for April 2011! I think it's my first time in there! It's a Best Creation layout too! :) And of course, it uses Helmar Adhesives! :)

Now I suppose I should share a page with you... since you've been so patient with me these last couple of weeks! :) This page was done using the Travel Forever collection from Best Creation! I honestly struggled with this line. Not because it is not GORGEOUS! But because I don't travel very much... so that's what I decided to scrap about!

A GIRL CAN DREAM

The fun thing about the new collections from Best Creation is that they have die cut papers, die cut sticker sheets, mini alpha's AND Chipboard!! Yeah!! LOT'S of fun coordinating embellies!! Most of this page is BC goodies. I added some Jute, "DREAM" is Pink Paislee alpha, a couple of random eyelets, a Jenni Bowlin die cut and some card stock! The rest is all BC goodness! Of course I used my Helmar Premium craft glue to hold most of it together! Some liquid scrap dots was used for the flowers.I loved this die cut paper! What die cut paper you ask? The one that I cut the top and bottom off and added together in the middle of my page! I hid the seam using a die cut sticker border!! Such fun!

Thanks so much for stopping by! There is so much scrappy stuff going on... some fabulous design teams to apply for... waiting for word on Spellbinders... (EEK!) Some creating that I can't share yet... and this week I've committed to making nothing but cards! EGADS! Can you believe it? Me neither, but I want to get better at them... and that takes a bit of work, right?
So, off I go to tackle some cards! :)
have a fabulous day!!
Until Next time... Happy Scrapping!!
Tina

MIA

Hello all!
Just dropping in to say that I've been dealing with a house full of sick little ones... and now I've joined the ranks of those feeling like crud! So... I will be back in a day or 2 to share some new creations and to draw the winners for my RAK's. I appologize for the delay... but it's one of those times where life happens...
Be back soon!
((HUGS))
Tina

Best Creation Spring Flower Blog Hop

Welcome to the BEST CREATION Spring Flower blog hop! We are so glad you have dropped by! If you just happened upon this post today, please start at the beginning... the BEST CREATION blog.
We are having our First Blog Hop of the new season today and our theme is "Creating Handmade Spring Flowers". On each blog you will find lots of incredible projects and ways to create and use spring flowers that you can make yourself! In order to win our Grand Prize be sure and collect the kinds of flowers made on each blog and send the list to teresa@bestcreation.us. Also be sure and leave comments along your way on each of our DTs. blogs and especially on the Best Creation blog at the end of the hop. Be sure and check out www.bestcreationinc.blogspot.com. for the list of prizes you are going to win.
Here is a list of the blogs in case you get lost along the way.

Jona Saavedra
Brittny LeJeune
Nancy Burke
Kim Arledge
Petra Offrell
Liz Chidester
Jodi Wilton
Kim Holmes
Irit Shalom
Sandy Ang
Julie Walton
Alicia Barry
Nicole Wise
Katarina Damm
Emily Branch
Karen Taylor
Karen Thind
Sarah Mullanix

Tina McDonald <----- YOU ARE HERE

Tracey Taylor <--------YOU GO HERE

Teresa Horner
*******************************************************
For my project today, I chose to create some flowers for you made out of ribbon! You are seeing SOO many beautiful paper flowers on this hop that I thought I would change it up just a little bit for you! These flowers can be created out of any kind of ribbon you have around. You can also use tulle, fabric, canvas or anything you choose!

I LOVE YOU BERRY MUCH

Supplies: Best Creation Patterned paper, Assorted ribbon, Prima flowers/vine and pebble, Magistical Memories chipboard fence, Martha Stewart butterfly and border punch, Fiskars lace circle punch, Helmar premium craft glue, quick fix adhesive runner and liquid scrap dots.
Here is the project I created for you. It is using one of the older Best Creation lines. This line is filled with strawberries, flowers, swirls, polkadots, birdies and butterflies! Swoon! This creation was made just for me... I'm sure of it! :)
In creating this page, I did a lot of fussy cutting as you can tell. It is a little bit time consuming but so worth the effort! I layered some of the flowers using Helmar's Liquid Scrap Dots to give them a little bit of dimension.
The ribbon flowers are seen on the bottom left corner of the photos. See how well they blend into the overall design of the page?

To help you learn how to create these super simple flowers for yourself, I have put together a quick video tutorial. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section!

If the video is not working here for you, feel free to visit this link to view the video as well.

Thank you so much for stopping by! I have a little RAK of goodies up for grabs from me personally! If you would like to have your name entered into this draw, please make sure you are a follower of my blog and leave a comment in the comments section! It's as easy as that! :) Then stop by on Friday Feb 11th and I will announce a winner!

Now... please note that these flowers are called RIBBON FLOWERS. Be sure to jot that down and add it in your email to Teresa at the end of the hop!

Ok... off you go to the fabulous blog of Tracey Taylor!!

Magistical Memories April Guest Designer Challenge

Hello All! I have a layout to share with you... but first, some FUN news!! I mentioned in my last post that i was a finalist for the My Scrapbook Nook DT... well, I did not make the DT, but I was asked to be a guest designer! I am more than thrilled!! So I'll have more info on that for you when i have it! :) Now...
Every month at Magistical Memories we have a challenge where the DT chooses a winner to be our Guest Designer! In order to play along, you must complete a layout based on this sketch... created by yours truly! :) For more details on playing along, please drop by the Magistical Memories blog.
And here is the project that I created using this sketch along with the Magistical Memories Chipboard film strip! I LOVE this piece of chipboard! I need to get about 500 more of them!! ;)

BE MINE

Supplies: Little Yellow Bicycle patterned paper, transparency and cardstock stickers, American Crafts Alpha's, Fiskars Lace Circle punch, Queen and Co chipboard xo, Pink Paislee PP, Magistical Memories chipboard film strip, Helmar Premium Craft Glue, Quick fix adhesive runner and 450 quick dry

I have so many little details to show you on here... so bare with me for all the detailed shots...
The chipboard... I inked it with black ink, leaving it slightly distressed looking. Isn't it a DIVINE chippie!!??
I had a ton of fun with my sewing machine on this one!!! Check out the pleating on the paper and the stitching thru the title... a new addiction I think... :)
This pleated heart is how my page began... I started with that and the rest came together from there. I am actually working on a tutorial for this technique to share with you so stay tuned later in the week... :)
I have to admit... I think this has now become one of my all time favorite pages... It just came together so well and I love it to bits!... Kinda like the little guy in the pics! ;)
I hope that this page inspires you... Give the sketch a try...
And tune in again for the HOW TO...

Oh... also Tomorrow BEST CREATION is having a Handmade Flower Blog hop... it's going to be AWESOME! Please drop by... you'll be glad you did!
Until then... Happy Scrapping!!

Best Creation Sneak Peeks

Hey everyone! Bracing ourselves for another snow storm here today! Wow... that pile of snow is getting bigger and bigger! Kids are loving it though!! :) I'll have to get some pics! :)
I have been doing lots of scrapping lately, but I am not able to share it all with you yet! Spellbinders competition pieces are not allowed to be seen until the team is announced, and all of my creations for Best Creation using their new lines have to wait until they appear on the blog! however... I'm sure it's ok to share some sneak peeks with you! So shhhh... it'll be our secret! :)

Using the TRAVEL FOREVER collection from Best Creation...
And this is a sneak from a layout using the SAFARI BOY Collection...

Since that is all I can share with you for now, I'll let you be with that. I'll be back later today with a project I did for Simply Renee! I LOVE it... :)
So until then... Happy Scrapping!!
Tina