Christmas, Halloween

Mojo Monday #422

Hi Stampers!

I’m SO late on this Mojo Monday card challenge but I did it! (Better late than never right???) I actually completed it a couple days ago but just haven’t found the time to make this blog post! Needless to say when I went to link it up I forgot the linky closed at 8pm MOUNTAIN time…and here I thought it was midnight or something and I had 30 minutes to do it LOL! I’ve been super busy planning my card classes for the next few weeks (Yes, I’m a procrastinator…um obviously!…see previous sentence). However, my toddler 3 year old has been extra challenging the last few weeks (that means a stubborn little turd), plus my almost 2 year old was sick this past week. I was up to my elbows in bodily fluids…but we won’t go there! haha 😉 So I have a right to be LATE!

Here is the card sketch from over at Mojo Monday, and even though it is a “contest” challenge, I will get nothing. 😉 ha!…Except satisfaction that I completed a challenge, albeit on time.

I loved this sketch! I decided to use this beautiful design paper from Stampin Up called Winter Wonderland. It’s shiny and versatile and gorgeous! If you don’t have it yet, you need it. Trust me. Get some. Check out the dainty and fancy gold thread…see it? So pretty! Get some of that too! 😉 Hope you have a great week!

PS – I hope to do the Mojo Monday card ON TIME this week and get it posted. On MONDAY. ;-D  At least I will try. I have a Color Challenge that my upline posted…hmmm I’m thinking I will combine the two! I will post it here as well if you’d like to play along. 🙂

Silent Night, Winter Wonderland Charlene Becker www.sweetpiecesbyme.com

Here are the items I used for this card…remember, you NEED this stuff 😉

Also, I can’t help posting a picture of my little guy from Halloween. My son Wyatt really wanted to be a ghost. I made the costume about 30 minutes before we were going trick or treating even though I knew that he wanted to be that weeks ago…He kept changing his mind! I guess I was afraid of a “Nooo I don’t want to be that! I want to be a Ninjaaaa!!!” …But all was well, he loved his ghost except he wanted to see his face, so I had to cut that part out. Then he was a nun. Ha! Just kidding, but it sure looked like it. We had an awesome time trick or treating though and enjoyed time with friends. I even made a jack o’ lantern pizza and some roasted pumpkin seeds! I loved this recipe found HERE although I would only add 1 tsp of cayenne pepper to about 3 cups of seeds (triple everything else). I used 1-1/2 tsp and it was a tad spicy, and got spicier the more you ate…and  these things were addicting! I also dried my seeds on a baking sheet for 2 days. Not sure if this is necessary, I just didn’t have the time to cook them! It probably would be fine to rinse them well and cook them the same night, although I think I’ll dry them for 1 day next year.

PS – I was a ninja turtle. The purple one. 😉 Donatello I believe!

Halloween 2015 Collage

Wedding

Mojo Monday 419 – Stampin Up Wedding Card

This will be a quick post since it’s so late! I’ve been working on wedding banners and things for my mother in law’s wedding, which is next week! So of course we will need a Congrats card. There was one similar to this that Stampin Up came out with and I just tweaked it a little using this weeks sketch over at Mojo Monday.

Here is this week’s sketch! I had some difficulties with the layout, but once I got going it finally came together. My mother in law, Cindy, is having a dessert table that will be decorated with burlap, linen and lace. So I made this card to go along with it!

Congrats Wedding Card, www.sweetpiecesbyme.com

For the heart, I cut it out from the spiderweb doily, the inked the back of it with Soft Sky. The designer paper I used is Season of Cheer. I love how you can use several pieces of it for “other” occasion cards, not just Christmas…we all know how much leftover DSP we have after the holidays! 😉 I’m sure I’ll be posting some cards using leftovers later in December! 🙂

Here are the products I used for my card:

Christmas

Mojo Monday 417 – Stampin Up Christmas Card

Here’s this week’s sketch which is a tall and skinny card over at Mojo Monday. I just love these and love this sketch!

I wanted to do something for Christmas and using the new DSP called Season of Cheer. I adore the soft watercolor designs of this hand painted paper! Everything is so delicate and soft. I used Mossy Meadow and Cherry Cobbler cardstock to go with the holly leaves in the background. I also used Festival of Trees stampset & matching punch! So fun!! This one is from last year, but if you love these trees check out the bundle stamp set Peaceful Pines and matching framelits Perfect Pines from this years Holiday Catalog!

Peaceful Pines Photopolymer Bundle $45.00

PhotoGrid_1444009875202

Hope you like my card, if so please leave me a comment! I love reading them! 🙂 Here are all of the supplies I used to make my card!

Uncategorized

Mojo Monday #416 – Stampin Up Happy Retirement

Loved this week’s sketch over at Mojo Monday! I just love the circles and simplicity of it. This sketch was perfect for a retirement card for my Dad’s friend Cam. We’ve known him for 31 years! Such a long time and such a great guy, pretty much my adopted uncle. 🙂 I used the Cherry on Top designer paper which is so fun and colorful! This isn’t the best picture, so I apologize, but I was pressed to get this posted! This would be a cute birthday card too! Thanks for stopping by!


www.sweetpiecesbyme.com

Life, Living, Mom Life, Parenting, Picture Storage, Shutterfly, Sophia, Writing

My Silly Little Girl, Potty Training & a Picture Storage Solution – Finally!

I love being a mom. More than that, I love being a stay-at-home-mom. It’s definitely a FULL-TIME JOB. 🙂 It’s worth it. It is hard at times…but worth it. I have a 3 year old that has almost mastered potty training but it has taken a long time. I never pushed him or forced him when he wasn’t ready. I thought he would show interest but never did to my dismay. Finally after he turned 3 this June, and when I thought he would be in Pull-Ups forever, we got serious. We put up a sticker chart (I printed one I found online HERE) and I taped to it a small picture of a toy he had been eyeing for a while.

potty chart

I said if you just sit on the potty, pull down your pants, flush the toilet or wash your hands you get a sticker. (of course for making a pee or poo too but he wasn’t at that point yet) When the charts are filled up with stickers, you will get your toy! He wanted to sit on the potty. So he did and he helped me flush the toilet when I went and he started to get interested. I also had underwear ready for him to wear. Finally a couple weeks ago he went pee pee in his little potty! He was SO happy he made a pee pee. I praised him A LOT plus he got stickers and ONE M&M candy. After doing this for about 2 weeks he would forget about the M&M’s and sometimes the stickers, he was just excited to make something in the potty. We used 3 charts since he started to fill them quickly. We ordered his toy for him and told him that was for filling up his chart. After a couple days of a dry pull-up I put underwear on him. I also said if you need to make a poo poo just sit on the potty. He only goes #2 once a day so I thought if he has an accident it won’t be that bad. He only pooped two times in his underwear and you could tell he didn’t like that. The third day he went into the bathroom and came out saying he made a poop. I went in and didn’t see it. Uh oh…just like the Clorox commercial lol. I said where is the poo poo Wyatt? He said under the towel. So I lifted the towel and sure enough the poop was under the towel. I’m not sure how it got under there but I think he just squatted and went. (Clorox bleach to the rescue!) I told him next time just sit on the potty buddy. The forth day he didn’t go and in the evening he said my tummy hurts. I said well if you go poop in the potty you’ll feel better. The fifth day he went into the bathroom and closed the door. He came out and said I made a poo poo Mommy. I was scared to go look, but he said come see! I went in to find a very large poop in his potty! I was SHOCKED (at the size of the turd and also that he actually went in the potty). He was so proud of himself! I praised him and I said mommy is so proud of you! He has been pooping in there everyday and stays dry all the time. It’s been about 1 month since we started this! We just put a pull up on him at nap and at night (just in case) but usually he wakes up dry after his nap. Now we are trying to conquer going places and having outings in dry underwear. If you have any tips on that, please comment! Right now we have a little potty in the back of our truck. Not sure how to get him to use a public toilet. I might have to use cheerios and have him start standing up to go. This is the toughest thing I’ve encountered with raising my kids, but I said that about everything else with them! LOL! I’m sure I’ll look back and say, that was easy! hahaha

So that brings me to this picture of our little Sophia. Naturally she followed her “brah-brah” into the bathroom and was curious. I was picking up toys and came in not 1 minute later to find this! I just love how she was trying to hide. She’s a cute little stinker. I’ll be starting potty training with her very soon!

Sophia Potty

Sooo because these littles are SO cute, I have like 15,000 pictures of them. I decided I needed to find a picture organization solution so I can start putting albums together and scrapbooking them! I recently found This Life by Shutterfly! I’m loving it. I connected my phone, 2 computers, Dropbox, Facebook and Instagram and it automatically uploaded ALL my pictures, FREE! (it only costs if you upload & store videos) Apparently it will also delete duplicate pictures and organize them by date. I’m no longer overwhelmed with pictures on my computer and I can delete them to save space for other things. If you haven’t tried this, I definitely recommend it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Uncategorized

Stampin Up mini Hand Sanitizer with NEW Bath & Body Works pocket bac – Video Tutorial

Fall Project www.sweetpiecesbyme.com

I’m so excited to share with you this video tutorial! It has step by step instructions for a super cute mini hand sanitizer by Bath & Body Works. You can see my previous post with the step by step written instructions here.

Also you can order this 3-D Fall Class for only $15! The kit will include supplies for 4 of these anti-bac holders (not including the hand sanitizers or stamped images). You will also receive PRINTED color instructions! This is a GREAT ready to go class for anyone! Register HERE.

Mini Cards - www.sweetpiecesbyme.com

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave me some love and if you watch my You Tube video give me a thumbs up pleeeeeaaase 😉 xoxo ~Charlene

Uncategorized

America’s Tire Company Party Nor-Cal 2015

This past Saturday was AMAZING. Not only did my husband have his company party and receive 2 awards, but the man himself, Chairman and Owner Bruce Halle was an honored guest. He was so sweet, I was blessed to talk to him for about 1 minute! He is such a humble man and just adorable. I wish I could have talked with him for longer and just listen to all his amazing stories about his journey. Guess I’ll just have to finish his book Six Tires No Plan (which I started many moons ago!).

Bruce T. Halle

He started his very eloquent speech by giving all of us a very sincere THANK YOU. We were all so touched and of course he did get a standing ovation.

I was so proud that my husband, Galen, and his awesome crew at CAN 37 did a sales record in March ($400k) and then again in July ($450k). He has been a dedicated and hard working Manager, sometimes working 13-14 hour days and it has definitely paid off.

Galen Becker, the VP & AVP's

I apologize for the fuzzy picture but I was sitting pretty far from the stage. 😦 Galen did SO well on his speech even though he was definitely nervous. It didn’t show much and he was just amazing. I’m so immensly proud of all his accomplishments. He strives to be the best everyday and it shows. I love him SO much!!!

Awards 400k & 450k CAN 37, ATC, America's Tire Co

We didn’t get to go to the party last year because of our little baby. She needed her mommy to go nigh nigh. So this year was especially wonderful. We were greeted at  check in at the Hyatt with champagne. Then once we were ready and came downstairs, it was cocktail and appetizer time. Great food! Of course the pictures were a must (kind of like a “prom” picture if you will. I’ll have to upload that one later. Here’s the bathroom selfie! LOL! Well…it was the best lighting. 😉

Galen & Charlene Becker

We had such a great dinner, filet and salmon, broccolini and some really decadent mashed potatoes. Then there was the chocolate lava cake and the NY style cheesecake…oh my gosh…I wish I could have at them all! I ate most of my lava cake and a little of my husband’s. They were just divine!

Me & TracyAlisha & Me

And here are a couple of my very good friends, Tracy on the left and Alisha on the right. Alisha and I had fun getting ready together! She helped me start and pause a Youtube make up tutorial video. Which was amazing!I also rented a dress for the first time on the site Rent the Runway. Here’s a link to my amazing Nicole Miller dress! I got the most compliments – ever! I felt SO beautiful and more importantly, comfortable!

We had such a great time! I honestly can’t wait until next year. Thank you Bruce Halle for ALL you do for us. We are blessed!!! (and even more so now that we all have our little guardian angel pins) ❤

Christmas, Squishy Technique

Stampin Up Season of Cheer & Your Presents Card for Mojo Monday 415

Hello Friends!

Here is the sketch from over at Mojo Monday! I must say, this is a very easy and super cute sketch! I was able to think of a card immediately. I finally got to use my watercolor paper!!! I love the design paper, Season of Cheer and it’s watercolor, hand painted images…so beautiful! It coordinates great with the watercolor paper.

I used an aqua painter and just picked up the Soft Sky color from the lid of my stamp pad (just use the “squishy, squishy” technique lol. (That’s where you squeeze the ink pad a few times before opening it so that color will get on the lid. 🙂 Also, see the Cherry Cobbler cardstock on the sides of the poinsettia paper? I only used 2 small strips for that 🙂 This is just a trick I use when I want to save on paper or don’t have enough paper, or if I’m trying not to make the card too thick!

www.sweetpiecesbyme.com Your Presents

I stamped the little bow 2 times, once upside down, then cut it out. Super easy and cute! Love the gold glimmer paper with the embossing!

www.sweetpiecesbyme.com Your Presents

I hope you enjoyed my card, if so, leave me a comment! See below for all the stamps & supplies I used for this project. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

Uncategorized

3-D Anti-Bacterial Holder Tutorial & NEW CLASS – New style from Bath & Body Works! Register online! Ships October 1st!

Hey Y’all!  I was SO excited to see a new pocket hand sanitizer (Anti-Bac) from Bath & Body Works! It’s smaller and it’s oval! So now it fits in the oval punched paper holder better and it saves card stock since the box is shorter. 🙂 I used the tutorial by Erica Cerwin and modified it a bit. My step by step video tutorial is HERE. Anti-bac holder www.sweetpiecesbyme.com

Here is how I put this cute hand sanitizer box together: Start with a 3″ x 9″ piece of card stock.

Antibacterial holder www.sweetpiecesbyme.com

Score the long side at 1″, 2″, 5″ & 6″. Fold on the score lines and set that aside. Then work on the bottom piece. Cut a piece that is 1-1/2″ x 6″. Score on the long side at 1/2″, 1-1/2″, 4-1/2″ and 5-1/2″. Then turn the piece at score it on the short side at 1/4″ and 1-1/4″.

Antibacterial holder www.sweetpiecesbyme.com

Then fold on the score lines and cut off the corners of the small piece. You can then apply your adhesive (I prefer sticky strip). Then you can use the oval punch to punch the center.

antibacterial holder www.sweetpiecesbyme.com

Then you’re ready to peel the back off the sticky strip and put your box together! I like to adhere one side, then the front, then the other side, then the back.

Sweetpiecesbyme.com

sweetpiecesbyme.com

Sweetpiecesbyme.com

I’m also excited to announce that I have a 3-D Hand Sanitizer holder kit for purchase. It’s $15 (shipping included, and you get everything pictured here PLUS a PDF file instructions. (does not include stamped images or the pocket anti-bac) They will be all ready to put together with sticky strip on them (you would just peel it off!).

REGISTER HERE

antibacterial holder 3-D www.sweetpiecesbyme.com

Just register HERE by the 25th and I will be shipping them by the 1st. If you just want the instructions in a PDF file it is $5.00. (select which one when you register)

The stamp sets I used are Amazing Birthday, Grateful for You, Howl-O-Ween Treat and White Christmas. You can view these and all the other products I used by clicking the items below.

Antibacterial holder www.sweetpiecesbyme.com

My step by step video tutorial can be viewed HERE.

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Sympathy Card

Mojo Monday 414 – Contest

Well, that weekend went by super fast. 😦 I love those long holiday weekends, playing in the pool with the kiddos, having a BBQ (or going to one in our case), cold beer, spending time with family. My mother in law came to visit this weekend. She is so sweet, she brought me some jewelry. She loves to find great pieces at consignment/resale stores and sometimes she gives me her own pieces. It’s just a thing she does and I think it’s so special. This weekend I got to work on her wedding invites for her wedding in October! So fun! (I would not have her use store bought ones) 😉

Besides that, I was working on some tutorial videos which I will talk about here but also share in another post. Very fun stuff! But here is the card sketch for over at the Mojo Monday blog….

I had lots of ideas for this card….here is something coming together…I just love the Flower Patch stamp set with matching Framelits! I didn’t end up using the Blackberry Bliss. It seemed to dark to me as this was for a sympathy card.

www.sweetpiecesbyme.com Flower Patch, SympathyAnd here is my finished card. I used Mint Macaron for my base. (5-1/2″ x 4-1/4″ size A2 card) I also used the Butterflies Thinlits. The Fine-Tip Glue pen works great for these types of die cuts. Check out my video HERE on how to use the Fine-Tip glue! I share a cute Halloween Anti-Bac holder in the video! Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

www.sweetpiecesbyme.com Flower Patch

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