Last Days to Get "Forest Mist!"

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Just a quick reminder that "Forest Mist" will be expiring at the end of the month! I was hoping that this kit would help in raising a little money to help save the DigiScrap Depot. It is available for any price, as a donation to DigiScrap Depot. We all benefit from DigiScrap Depot - it's been an awesome advertising medium for us Designers and an even more awesome resource for us freebie hunters! This type of site is very expensive to host. If we all contributed just one dollar the site would be guaranteed to be here until the end of the year! So click on the preview to learn how you can help!

Work Boots

On the subject of spring gardening, if you're in need of work boots, here's a site that can help. "Work Boots USA" carries a wide variety of mens' and womens' safety toe boots ranging from military / government boots to practical hiking boots and stylish oxford shoes. They're all conveniently available for purchase online.

Spring Gardening

I am not a gardener. I wish I was - but I can accept reality. Ever since owning my own home, I have been struggling with my yard, trying to keep it nice... but the truth is, I suck. Do you know how hard it is to maintain and decent yard, here in Texas?! Where I grew up, in Canada, you didn't need to do anything but mow it. Here, there's planting and fertilizing and weed killing and most of all watering... it's a constant hassle. And to make things worse, I live across the street from the Head of our Home Owners Association, who, now retired, has nothing better to do than to look at my yard.

The first year in my home, I hired lawn care professionals to do the work. It was hideous. So I fired them and decided to do it myself. Last year, I thought I would take pictures to see if what I was doing was actually making a difference. So here's what I came up with:

I even made a Digital Scrapbooking kit to go along with it. It's called "Spring Gardening" and I am giving it away for FREE at My Digital Addiction! Click on the preview to be taken to the "Download" section of the site.

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There is also a coordinating alphabet, made to look like stone slabs - also FREE! Just click on the preview to be taken to the "Download" area.

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Now if you want to grab a quick freebie, or sample the kit first, here's something for you! I've created a little sampler - these items are taken from the kit - for a quick download.

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Spring!

First of all, I am really excited to report that I am currently the "Biggest Loser" in the weight loss competition at work! I am ahead of everyone with 9 pounds gone! There are 10 weeks to go, and I've got a lot of competition, so I've got to work out! Today my friend, Hannah called me and asked if I'd like to join her on a guest pass to her gym, so I'm heading out to the gym to work out like crazy.

In the meantime, here's a fun like thing to do to help you celebrate spring! Just click on the screen once you get there, or better yet, drag your cursor all over the screen! Enjoy!

Practical Experience from the Start

Kettering University, located in Flint, Michigan, USA is busy building a reputation as a leader in co-op programs. This university is unique because of their focus and value on hands-on training. Kettering places their students in companies beginning in their freshman year. They then rotate the students between school and their co-op job, alternating every 3 months, in order to gain necessary practical experience right from the start. This type of practice provides the students with valuable networking opportunities as well as possible employment contacts upon graduation. Of these co-op programs, the engineering co-op programs are ranking the highest. Both the US News and World Report have ranked Kettering University as "the #1 University in the nation for Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering" in its annual "America's Best Colleges Guide for 2008". This is actually the 8th year in a row that this University has ranked as the highest in it's category. If you are interested in industrial engineering and are wanting hands-on training, this might be something you would want to investigate. There is financial aid, as well as scholarships available to those who qualify. Much of the paperwork be done online, including instructions on how to get the admission process started.

Admiring an Artist

I am tired from 12 hours at work. I came home and did a quick 30 minutes on the bike, then sat down here to relax. Cruising around, blog-hoping is relaxation for me... checking out new products, seeing what's new, getting ideas, snagging freebies... gotta love it!

Every so often, I run across a blog that I feel obligated to tell you all about. It could be because of the inspiring layouts or simply admiring an artist. Today it's "FEI-FEI's Stuff." This girl does the most striking layouts ever! She knows how to work her page... incredible use of white space. What's awesome, too, is she takes great pictures of her daughter, the cutest little girl ever who is featured in pretty much all of her layouts. Plus she also gives away elegant and fun wordart. Here's one I love. If you click on it, it will take you to her blog:

Business Directory

If you're anything like me, searching through the "yellow pages" is pretty much extinct. Nowadays, everything is online. If you are looking for a trusted business directory, check this out: I've just come across this comprehensive search engine called Atlist.org that contains categories from Internet to Insurance, from the Arts to Automotive. Or say, since tax time is coming up, you want to search for Tax Return Prepation help... a quick search under Finance gives you a list of multiple businesses in your area! It even allows customers to review and rate the business. Kinda cool! I've used this sort of thing for travel a lot, and have found it to be extremely helpful.

Snow in Canada

So I'm back from my little trip to Canada to visit the family. I'm originally from there, so the snow shouldn't really impress me, but I was once again reminded of why I don't visit the family during the winter months! Here's a few pictures of the snow... and they were all quick to remind me that this was after a lot of it melted! The first is the road leading to my oldest brother's home. The neighbours were snowmobiling on it when we were there. The second picture is of the sun setting behind my sister's home. Got to love the country!

I'm glad I got back into Texas when I did because the DFW airport is mostly shut down today because of bad weather. The airline I was flying in on is completely shut down!

I'm Back with an Updated Alpha!

I'm Ba-ack! Or did you notice I was gone? Haha! I took a quick trip to the "Great White North," Canada, to visit my family. I'll have to put some pictures up when I get a chance - the snow was rediculous! I haven't seen the likes since the 70s! It was great, though.

I want to spend some time with my boyfriend, though, so I'm just letting you know that I updated the "Softly Whisper Alpha" to include two alphabet sets. I got to thinking that maybe the way I displayed the alphabet led folks to believe that a staple and custom shadowing was included - which it was not! So I made a whole other set with a staple and custom shadowing! Haha! So it now contains BOTH! Sorry for the inconvenience - you'll have to download it again from the "store" if you want it.

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Softly Whisper Alpha

So at work, we decided to hold a "Biggest Loser" competition. All who joined put $25 dollars into the pot. The plan is to diet and exercise for 12 weeks in order to lose the greatest percentage of body fat. If you gain weight of forget to weigh in, you have to pay extra. It started today. I ate very healthy and just finished working out. Wish me luck! The pot is over $500!

As promised, here is the matching alphabet to the "Softly Whisper" kit. Click on the preview below to be taken to the Download area of the site. As always, it's FREE!

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Softly Whisper Kit

Another release! I love releases! Here is "Softly Whisper." It's actually a lot like "Addicted to Love," now that I see them side by side in the store... I call it chocolatey-rose. This one is definitively girly, with flowers, lace and culicues. Here's a layout I made with it of my younger brother, Ben, his good friend and their two little daughters. Too cute!

Before you snag the kit, please remember the DigiScrapDepot, who is our "Site of the Month" this month. They need donations to keep running. Please, please don't let that site go... we all love it! I am giving away my kit, "Forest Mist" for any sized donation - ANY SIZE at all! - Just visit our Forum for more information.

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My new kit, "Softly Whisper" is now available in my "store" for FREE, as always, along with everything else! The matching alphabet is not yet in the "store" but it will be within a day or so. Click on the preview to be taken to the store or you can just snag a little Sampler, if that's all you'd like!

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Shadow Boxes

Well, we somehow got through the 5-6" of snow we got the other day... as expected it was completely melted the very next day, but that didn't stop everyone from freaking out, closing everything from retail stores to schools, and most importantly, calling in sick to work! Basically, I would say it was generally used as a great big excuse! It was fun driving around and seeing everyone's snowmen, though!

Here's a really cool product that I ran across. These shadow boxes are everywhere now, and the layouts being made with them are absolutely fantastic! Take a gander:

This particular product (and more information on these incredible layouts) is by Maya and can be found at Scrapbook Graphics.

A New Earth

I spent some time this afternoon listening to the internet broadcast of Oprah's class with Ekhart Tolle, regarding his book "A New Earth." I haven't actually read the book, but after listening to the piece, I really would like to! Did anyone else watch this or read the book? I'd been talking with my sister, recently about finding your purpose, and this seems to be right along the same lines... how do you find your life's purpose? What I've gotten out of the first class is to first be at peace with what is - with the present moment. I've noticed many times - that moments of quietness are what give birth to something new.

This is something I think I'm going to have to read more about... I did find some information that makes Ekhart Tolle's work practical, called "The Sedona Method." It is basically a tool for becoming part of the peaceful revolution in consciousness and value that is sweeping the planet, just recently inspired by Oprah's Book Club. "The Sedona Method" points out how our focus - what continuously and repetitively occupies and mind and thoughts - is on our own ego but if we learn to let that all go we can actually be released from our self-imposed prisons and in fact help generate a new earth! If this is something that you may be interested in, they offer a free DVD and CD (and you know how I loooove free)!

Momma and the Milkman

Here's a great story - as you may know I work as a nurse in a Labor and Delivery unit at a local hospital. Normally I don't talk too much about situations at work because of privacy laws, HIPPA, etc, but this story happened to be on the evening news, so I guess I'm free to tell it!

Shortly after arriving to work this morning, we got a call from the Emergency Room to tell us that an ambulance was bringing in a woman who had just delivered a baby en route to the hospital. They arrived - a beaming Mom, a very flustered Dad and a beautiful healthy baby girl. Together, Mom and Dad told us how they were racing to the hospital, when Mom quickly realized that they were not going to make it. Just 2 minutes away from our hospital, she told her husband to pull the car over - the baby was coming now! Her husband pulled over immediately into the first place that he could - it was the back of a large grocery store without a soul in sight. Mom, who's water just broke, told him "NO! We need help! Drive to where there are people!" Then around the corner drove the Borden's Milk truck. Dad flagged down the driver. Bob, the Borden's Milk truck driver, whom we later met, came over to help. He told us later "I was thinking someone needed directions until I saw these legs up in the air, then I thought Oh Crap!" Dad asked him to call 911. Bob called it, turned around and the baby was already born! So with guidance from the 911 team Bob and Dad tied the cord with Dad's shoelace, cleaned the baby's mouth and nose, wrapped her up in a warm blanket, gave her back to Mom and waited from the ambulance to arrive. As the ambulance drove away, Bob told the new parents: "You should name her Elsie!"

Once the new family got settled they thought it would be fun to call the News, so we did. They tracked down Bob, the Borden's Milk man and did a great story about it on the 5 0'clock evening news. If I find the clip, I'll post it.

It's Snowing!

It's like Christmas outside here! Please note: I live in Texas!!! Exacly two days ago we were outside in short-sleeves and shorts enjoying the beautiful weather and now there is literally a snow storm! I got home from work a little bit ago and the house was absolutely freezing because the thermostat had been set to "cold!" Haha! My boyfriends is due to get home any minute - I am thinking of running outside to build a little snow fort and attack him with snowballs the minute he gets out of his car. Haha!

Spending Saturday Night at Home

It's my parents' 39th wedding anniversary today! Can you imagine?! I feel very fortunate to have parents who stayed together in a world where marriage seems to be more and more a temporary affair.

It's Saturday night and we're sure fuddy-duddies here, we ordered pizza and are going to curl up on the couch and watch TV! Haha! We haven't gone out in forever! I think the last time was New Years 2007 - not 2008! We had gone to Cowboy's Red River here in Dallas with my best buddy, Melody and her boyfriend. There was a country concert going on, but the singer had gained about 80 pounds from his promo pictures and we couldn't stop laughing about that. We always have a hilarious time when we go out with her. She doesn't have filter in any way shape or form (don't worry! I tell her this too! haha!) so she's up there dancing and talking to everybody in the club like she's known them for years!

As you can see we certainly had fun this time, too - maybe too much! Haha! I think I'd too much Coors Light - my good ol' faithful! LOL! Speaking of - there's this real quick little mobile survey going around that could win you $300. The odds of winning are worth your trouble - 1500 to 1, so it's worth the text - just text the word beer to 247365. Just remember: SURVEY BEGINS SATURDAY, MARCH 1 and CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT, FRIDAY, MARCH 14th. STANDARD MESSAGING RATES WILL APPLY FROM YOUR MOBILE CARRIER.

Help Us Save DigiScrapDepot!

As many of you know, My Digital Addiction highlights a new Designer each month. It's one of my favorite parts of running this site, because I get to know different Designers and their products that I wouldn't otherwise ever meet. It is especially nice because it is also an opportunity to interact with the Digital Scrapbooking Community. I'm sure you will agree with me that this Community is made up some of the most sweet and caring individuals that any of us have had the previledge of encountering.

One of these folks, is Vicky, the owner of DigiScrapDepot.com. Several months ago, she started DigiScrapDepot.com as a place for Designers to compile their freebies. Ever since it has become a gathering place for freebie hunters from all over the world! In fact it grew so quickly that it has already required a dedicated server. This is great news on one hand, but on the other hand, a dedicated server cost a lot of money! This is where I was hoping I could help.

This month, instead of having a "Designer of the Month" I thought we could have "Website of the Month," DigiScrapDepot.

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I created a new kit called "Forest Mist" that I wanted to offer for FREE to anyone who would donate to DigiScrapDepot, in the efforts of keeping it alive. If you would like to donate, you can get more information HERE. Thanks to everyone who's generosity and contribution helps save this great resource!