Getting Ready....

Well today seems to be a day for getting ready.....

First - I am getting ready to go out of town for the weekend!!! How fun!!!! I love road trips! I especially love road trips when I get to drive AND I have a way cool car to drive!!! The only thing that is a little sad about this trip is hubby is not around to go with me. (I think I am having a little bit of a blue day.... missing him makes me somewhat blue.)

I do have a friend going with me though - so I don't have to go alone! The funny thing is, her name is Lori too! So everyone always gets confused when the two of us are at the same place at the same time... and now we are driving up together!!! I had to RSVP who would be coming for the weekend events (a baby shower for a dear friend), so I just replied, "The Lori's are coming!" LOL

Second - I'm getting ready to come home from being out of town. I love road trips, vacations and getaways - I really do! But I love to come home even more!!! I am somewhat of a homebody. Well, at least according to hubby! And there is nothing better than coming home to a clean house and fresh sheets!!! Yummy!!! So I have been cleaning and I just washed the sheets and put them on the bed! Oh - I already can't wait to get home!!!

(Now tell me this, is there ANYTHING better than clean, fresh, crisp sheets after a long six hour drive?!?!?! If I had to name one of the best feelings - I would totally have to say it is climbing in my bed after a long day - and there be clean sheets (and yes I am a sheet snob - 600 thread count for me)!!! But man - there is just something about that very first night you put clean sheets on your bed! And have you ever notice how no other night feels that yummy - until you wash the sheets and put them on all fresh again!!!!) Ok, ok, ok.. moving on!

Thirdly - and probably most importantly I am getting ready to execute some major changes within Beloved Keepsakes!! There is a NEW TERMS OF USE! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE if you have downloaded any of my files or if you have purchased any of my files... please download the new terms of use and read them! If you have ANY questions AT ALL - email me! This is very important!

I am moving into the next stage of my business. I plan to start cutting, selling and marketing my titles that I have designed to LSS's, gift shops, etc. I am very very very excited about this. My dear friend Chris helped me re~work my "Beloved Keepsakes" logo. She also helped me come up with packaging, new business cards, and thank you notes!!! So a huge thanks to Chris... I would never be where I am right now without all her help!!!!

Anyway, with the new changes coming up - I spoke to my friend (who's an attorney) and figured I probably needed to make some changes to my TOU. So like I said - please download the new TOU and email me me with any questions or comments.

Ok- well I think that is it for today! I am getting ready to hit the road. I hope you all have a GREAT weekend! Don't forget to pop in on Monday as I there will be a little something something for my readers! Also, don't forget if you haven't already, to stop by Amy's Blog to enter the contest for the cutest little bag album kits she created! The deadline is midnight Sunday (that is Eastern time!!!).

I'll leave you with a few examples of the "New" Beloved Keepsakes packaging! Maybe one day you will see them in your LSS and you can say - "I knew her when"!!!! Bahahahaha!!

Until Next time!

Cya ~
Lori

I probably shouldn't do this.....

BUTTTTTTTTT.......

Did you see that my GA girl Amy is hosting a contest on her blog!!!! I know, I know, I know... I shouldn't be sharing this with you as it will totally RUIN my chance of winning!!! But the prize is way way way tooo cute not to share!!!!!

Here is a sneak peek~

So make sure you head over to Amy's blog to enter - she is actually giving away several of these and I think she is doing it on Monday!!!

Whooo Hoooo!!! I love to enter a contest - and there is nothing better than FREE Stuff!!!!!

Oh before I forget - let me give you a heads up.... I am going to be out of town and no where near a computer from Friday til late Sunday!!! Do you think you can survive without me?!?!? LOL

If so..... I think I will make it worth your wild to check in with me on Monday!!! (Hint, Hint... I will be doing something you all say you like to come here for.... hmmmm wonder what it could be!!! And NO - I will not be blaming anything on Chris.... well at least not THIS TIME!!!!! Bahahahahah!!!

Thanks to everyone that posted comments on the blog - I guess the biggest thing is everyone seems to like what I am doing.... so I guess I will just keep on keeping on!!! Next week I will try to get some more product reviews up, good shopping deals, and then as I said come Monday there will be a surprise!

Hope you all have a GREAT WEEKEND!

Until Next Time!

Cya ~
Lori

Hmmmmm.... (edited!)

Only one thank you for sharing the awesome directions for the spinning rack!!!! Yet - there was over 40 people that requested the information -so I thought you wanted it...

I guess I just thought I would have heard back from more than one person....Especially since I had over two hundred visits to my blog yesterday alone!!!! (I know - you must all be waiting til you finish your spinning racks and then you plan to send me a photo of it!!! Is that it??! LOL)

Oh- after reading some of today's comments, let me add - PLEASE don't feel bad if you didn't say thanks yesterday!!! That totally wasn't what I meant!!! I don't want anyone to think that it is, that I wanted you to say thank you. I didn't expect anyone too - I just normally get some kind of comments on my blog and yesterday I didn't!!!

Well - I guess I'm questioning - what is it that you want to see or read about here on my blog? Some days it is really hard to come up with something to blog about... but Ifeel like if I am going to take the time the blog - I want it to be worth the time that you are going to take to read it! If that makes sense!!

Why do you visit?!?!

Is it the Terms Restricted Files that you get to download (without having to buy them at Paperthreads? Is it the shopping tips? The product reviews? You like to hear about my boring life?

I guess in trying to keep your interest - the question for today is ~ "Why do you visit my blog??"

Hope to hear from you!
Until Next Time!

Cya ~
Lori

Holy Cow!!!

WOW!!! I had sooooo many emails, PM's and comments on how to make the spinning rack!!! I mean hey - I understand!! It is way freaking cool!!! LOL

I got sooooo many comments actually I contacted the "creator" herself (her name is Amy and she lives here in the South to boot!!!). I used my southern charm and asked her if I could just link back to her and her directions. I am very happy to report that she said that would be great!!! (You just have to love GA girls!! We are the friendliest people you'll ever find - wellllllll until you make us mad anyway!!!)

Amy is a "thrifty crafter" too!!!! Actually in all honesty I think she is more "thrifty" than me!!! Check out her blog for some way way way cool ideas and stuff!!! She actually decorated a composition book for her son using soda cans!!! I KID YOU NOT!!!!! It is really pretty awesome - and I have to say after visiting her blog I think I want to go garage sale shopping!!! (OH WOW - I just went and looked at Amy's blog - did you see the WAY WAY WAY cute pocket knife project?!?!? -- Why can't I think of things like that!?!?! Click Here to see it!)

Ok - so to get the directions on how to make the spinning rack go too the Rocky Mountain Hobbies Message Board. (Click on the words and it will take you straight to the correct thread you need to go too!!!) You do not have to join to view the message board there!

Now - let me tell you - I really like Rocky Mountain Hobbies. My dear friend and prayer warrior Susan clued me in on this great site!!! They have awesome shopping there ~ from a monthly kit club to a bargain basement (where everything is 60% to 90% off - and you know me I LOVE a sale!) They really do have it all!!! And make sure you check this out - when you look at the paper - and you scroll your cursor over the photo - it pops up a larger sample of that sheet of paper!!! No more guessing what you think the paper looks like!!! How cool is that!!!!

Ok - back to Amy and her spinning rack (LOL)! When Amy emailed me back she said that it will be a little ways down the road but that she is going to have another project coming and this time it is a ribbon organizer!!!! Oh yeah!!!! You know I will be watching for that!! I'll let you all know when I see it!!!

For my personal spinning rack I used the following:

~ 10" terracotta saucer

~ 8" lamp shade wire frame

~ I cut my threaded rod to 21" long by using a hack saw and making sure I went right between the threads to keep from damaging them! This made it where I could still screw the bolts and things over the threads!

~ I painted the whole thing black. Then I spray painted just the base with Krylon "Make it Stone" texture paint in color "Obsidian". Followed that up with a coat of crystal clear acrylic.

~ I also took some cork contact paper and cut out an circle the same size as the terracotta saucer and stuck it to the bottom of my rack once it was complete - so that way it made a cork pad for the whole thing to sit on - hence it shouldn't scratch my table or counter tops!!!

~ For the clips - I used the Darice Dangler Clips (that I got from Joann's Fabric online!). But when I hung them from my lamp shade frame - they didn't hang the way I wanted them to - so I used 7mm jump rings (also got them at Joann's). Now this was a little time consuming I will be honest with you!!! But I did while I was watching TV! I actually opened each ring, placed it on the wire frame, then closed it up. Those jump rings are what I hung the dangler clips from!




So there you have it - I would love to see photos of your spinning racks when you get them done!!!

Until Next Time!

Cya~
Lori


(Since I gave you the link to get the directions here on my site - I will not be responding to allllll the emails I received - wheeewwww!! There were just tooo many of them!!! Sorry!!!! So if you needed something other than the directions and I didn't respond to you - please email me again!!!! Thanks!!!)

Detail Oriented!

So for those of you who know me well ~ You know how "detail oriented" I can be! I personally just say I'm annal! Hey - IMHO - call a spade a spade... but my dad says that "detailed oriented" sounds much better!!!

Having stated the fact that I am indeed "detailed orientated" and very organized - I'm always looking for new ways to organize my scrapbooking space.

Right now I am working on the marketing plan to sell my scrapbook titles to local scrapbooking stores and venues - and in the process of working out all the details for that I got to thinking about how was I going to store my "packaged products" while I was filling orders or showing products.

After several hours of Internet search time - I came across a product called the "Clip it up System" by Simple Renee... Here is a photo of it!

I thought this was really way cool! You could purchase the system with just the bottom base (as seen here)

or with the top and the bottom (as seen above). And then... I started pricing them... UGH!!! Even with my wholesale account they were kind of pricey - and I know you all know that if I am going to get something - I want a GOOD deal!!!!

So a few more hours and research and I found a group of women who had figured out a way to make their own "clip system"!!!! BRILLIANT - Just BRILLIANT - I say!!! I sent off an email, crossed my fingers and my toes and waited!!!

Low and behold - they were willing to share their plans!!! (You just have to love crafty people - not only are they smart - but most of the time they are nice too!!!!)

Well I rushed out - purchased my supplies and got ready to make my system and then... well - hubby came home, the roof started leaking, DMV wouldn't give me my tag for the car.... the plants were wilting, the sun wasn't aligned just right!!! Hahaha.. whatever... it just didn't get done!!!

You will be very proud to know that I finally made the time and completed this project! Whoooo Hooooo!!! I have to tell you I am pretty impressed!!! It turned out really well and since you are making it yourself you can customize it to whatever size you would like!!!

Here are so finished photos of my clip it organizational system!!!

(without the clips)

(with the clips and some of my stuff!)

If you are interested in the instructions - drop me an email and let me know!!!

Until next time!

Cya~
Lori

Good Morning Sunshine... (updated with info about PW)

There just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day!!! I swear I have a list of things I need to do/want to do and I have every intention of getting them done... then the next thing I know it is midnight thirty - and I am beat - and half of the stuff I meant to do, well it didn't get done!!!

Regardless - Good Morning!!!

I am off to visit my parents today - so not a lot is going to get done today either! But I did promise you a treat - so I shall keep my word! BUT... two things...

First - I hate to be a meanie - but... this is no longer a "FREE" file.... Due to some copyright infringements that have been going on with other designer's files... I am now only offering you a "TERMS RESTRICTED FILE" download.

What does that mean? Well it means that these files are no longer free. I'm only offering files to you on my blog with the restrictions that they are for your very own personal use and that you have read and accept my terms of use. I am very serious about this. A lot of blood, sweat and tears (as hubby would say) went into the designing of each file. So if you can not agree to these terms - then do not download the files from my blog.

Second - I have not figured out how to convert these files to the KNK format yet (I did try! But I am doing something wrong)... so if you want the KNK version email me at lori_mcdnld@yahoo.com and I will send it to you - but you must email me during the time that this file is being offered as a "terms restricted file" download. After this file is no longer available in the other formats - it will no longer be available in KNK either. (This is no longer available in KNK either!)

Having said all of the yucky stuff (which I really hate to do - but I am sure that you can all understand why I need to protect my work and my lively hood!)... Here is a photo of today's "term restricted file" download.

This is one of the files I did in the very beginning... I have reworked it a little and now an offering it to you.... click on the file type you would like to download.

Sorry this file is not longer available here on the blog.

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Until Next Time!

Cya ~
Lori

PLEASE READ -

I'm sooo sorry I had some technical difficulties this morning... Tried to fix the password - can't.... So I have removed the password all together - and will try to fix this when I get home tonight!!!

Meanwhile enjoy the file and I am sorry that you had troubles!!