April Fools...

Happy April Fool's Day!

When I was a little girl my Grandma Bigler would make April Fool's Day Cookies. Hidden inside each one would be anything from money, cottonballs, m&m's, marshmallows, rock salt, or other hidden treasures. Every year I looked forward to the surprise I would recieve when I ate her cookies. Since her death I have come to realize the importance of traditions and carrying them on. April Fool's Cookies are something that I want my children and grandchildren to remember about me and I will tell them all about their Grandma Bigler(Sugar), who had a wicked sense of humor and loved to play tricks on her Grandchildren. So, if you visit our house on April Fool's Day be careful when you eat. You never know what you'll find hidden in your food.

Good Pails...

Earlier this month, I took part in The Ultimate Blog Party hosted by fiveminutesformom.com. It was so much fun! I got to meet lots of people and make some new friends. They had over 100 prizes to win and I was lucky enough to win this customized pail from goodpails.com. They have so many different fabric choices and great ways to use their pails. I love the kid prints and I will be purchasing pails for Sage & Aurora for their Easter Baskets. Their current baskets are falling apart from being carried around the house, these are SO sturdy and SUPER CUTE!!! I'm going through a pink and brown phase and so this is the fabric I chose for my bucket. I received it yesterday in the mail and am currently using to hold Aurora's shoes. Check out this site and order you custom pail today! You'll love it, I LOVE MINE!!!

Butterfly Birthday...

Butterfly Birthday Card

I made this for Lydia to give to Lindsey

for her birthday.

New Projects...

I haven't posted any new creations in awhile. Here are my latest.

This was my swap for March's Demo Meeting

This card for my friend's son

Tinkerbell Birthday Invitations for Lydia

Lydia's Birthday Banner

I am very pleased with the way everything turned out. I hope you all enjoy.

Friend...

This is a card I made for a make-n-take at my first workshop, but it didn't turn out how I imagined, so I scrapped that idea. My Mom decided to confiscate it and use it for her friends birthday card.

Picture Tag...

Okay here's the deal with this tag: you have to use pictures for all the answers and you can't use your own pictures. Go to Google images or any other search engine.

Favorite Color:

I just loved this pink high-top converse. Totally 80's!

Favorite Animal:

I just love Manatee's! They are very misunderstood animals. Hopefully one day they won't be endangered anymore.

Bad Habit:

See's Candy Molasses Chips, they are addicting.

Favorite Food:

Almost anything from Claim Jumper's especially the Porter House Steak-medium rare

Favorite hobby:Card-making, it relaxes me.

Place i live:

San Diego, Ca

Favorite Dessert:

Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory

My Job:

Mom

Picture of Me:Cula
Cula Tier Garden Spotlight

I tag: Jenn, Kristen, Marissa, Amy, Diane, Melissa, & Angie and anyone else who wants to do it.

What Can Brown Do For Me?

I've been contemplating this for the last day and I finally called UPS to complain. I really wanted to give them a chance because I really do like UPS. The last four UPS deliveries I've had (in the last week) the UPS man has left the packages behind a vehicle and all four times I've almost ran over my precious packages. I didn't even know they came because they've been wimps and haven't driven up my driveway lately. So they load up their dolly with my precious packages and pushed those heavy boxes up my long steep driveway. (Sorry, couldn't find a picture of my driveway, and my camera died as I was trying to take a picture)

What could be so precious you ask???

My Stampin' Up! products of course!

So... in response to UPS' question...

Brown could leave my packages by the door like normal delivery services!

Sorry, just needed to vent.

ABC's...

A- Attached or single: Attached (married)
B-Best Friends: Marci, Juniper, Diane,Marissa, Mom, Robert
C-Cake or Pie: Cake, cheesecake to be exact.
D-Day of Choice: Saturday
E-Essential Item: Camera.
F-Favorite Color: PINK!
G-Gummy bears or Worms: Gummy Worms
H-Hometown: San Diego, CA
I-Indulgence(s): Stampin' Up! and BBQ Chicken pizza
J-January or July: January
K-Kids: Four Fantastic Children
L-Life is incomplete with out: My Husband and Mom
M-Marriage date: February 2, 2002 (222) and no it wasn't on purpose.
N-Number of siblings: Two Brothers
O-Oranges or Apples: Apples
P-Phobias or fears: I am claustrophobic
Q-Quote: "Everything I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my Mother." - Abraham Lincoln
R-Reason to smile: Sage holding Aurora, saying: " Don't cry Rora, I lub you."
S-Season: When I lived in Utah is was Fall. There nothing quite like the Big Cotton Canyon in Fall. Here in San Diego, it's Spring
T-Tagging: Anyone who wants to do it
U-Unknown fact: My Mom is my very best friend
V-Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals: Nothing tastes better than a juicy medium rare steak
W-Worst Habit: Putting myself down and not believing in myself
X-X-rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds, the first time I saw each of my babies, I will never forget those moments.
Y-Years of Age: 26
Z-Zippers or Zebras: zippers, I love the zippy sound

Little Smokies....

As promised, I am posting my favorite snack recipe.

Little Bacon Smokies

1 large bag of Little Smokies(Sam's or Costco)

3 lbs. Farmer John Bacon(Sam's)

Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 325*. Line a cookie sheet with foil and fold up on the ends.

Cut each package of bacon into thirds. Wrap bacon around

the Little Smokies and lay open side down so it doesn't lift.

Line them up right up next to each other.

Smother with brown sugar and bake until the sugar has just a few clumps undissolved.

Cool for 5-10 minutes and serve.

These are super easy to make and a big hit wherever I take them. Enjoy!

New Business Blog...

Hello Everyone! As many of you know, I am now an Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. I have created a new Blog where I will post pictures of my Creations made with Stampin' Up! products, as well as Stampin' Up! News and Updates.

This new Blog is also a place where you will be able to order custom cards and other creations. If there is anything you would like made but do not see on my Blog, I will be more than happy to meet with you and discuss the projects you have in mind. I hope that you all enjoy it, I know I do. Stamping has become a wonderful outlet for me. It encourages me to be creative and think outside the box. I look forward to your comments.

Visit me at http://www.pinkpolka-dotdesigns.blogspot.com/

Stampin' Up! Deadlines...

Hi Stampers!

Just wanted to remind you of a few deadlines that are coming up:

**Sale-a-bration (Now-March 17)...order $50 of merchandise before March 17 to get a FREE stamp set from the Sale-a-bration mini. Don't know where your SAB mini catalog is? Contact me for a catalog.

**Recruit Special (Now-March 17)...sign up to be a demo (or you to just get 20% off each order you place) and receive a FREE stamp set from the catalog (your choice) as well as 20% off the starter kit! Contact me now so I can send you the password and link to sign up on-line today!!!

**Wild Wasabi Cardstock special (Now-April 30) Purchase a special-offer Wild Wasabi cardstock pack (110294) for only $3.95. The pack includes 16 sheets of 4-1/2" x 11-1/2" Wild Wasabi textured cardstock that has been scored at 1-1/8" and 5-5/8". This special product offer is the result of a miscalculation in cutting and scoring on one batch of Wild Wasabi textured cardstock for the Holiday Glitz promotion; while this paper did not meet specifications for the Holiday Glitz kits, it is excellent for creating other fun and exciting projects. Stampin' Up! has announced more specials to keep the fun going after Sale-a-bration ends:

**Hostess Special (March 18-April 30) Host a $350 workshop between March 18 and April 30, and earn an EXTRA $25 in hostess awards! Book your in-home party OR catalog party TODAY!!!

**Free-Wheelin' (March 18-April 30)---Buy one of the following sets and receive the matching wheel for FREE:
112848 Wonderful You Stamp Set (p. 91) & Stems & Silhouettes Jumbo Wheel (p. 91) $33.95
112851 Life's a Breeze (p. 80) & Something Fishy Jumbo Wheel (p. 80) $29.95
112850 Pun Fun (p. 66) & Sweet Stars Jumbo Wheel (p. 66) $30.95
112847 Year after Year (p. 60) & See You Around Jumbo Wheel (p. 60) $30.95
112849 Stitched Exotics (p. 83) & It's Beautiful Jumbo Wheel (p. 82) $33.95
112853 Enjoy Every Moment (p. 51) & Daisy Dash Jumbo Wheel (p. 51) $29.95
Don't forget a jumbo wheel handle and jumbo ink cartridges if this is your first wheel purchase :)

Contact me Today for more information

Cula Parker
Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator
Phone: (619) 527-4994
E-mail: culaparker@yahoo.com
Blog: http://www.culaparker.blogspot.com/

Can't Hear A Thing...

My Sinuses are so clogged that I can't even hear people talking to me. I was fine Saturday morning and then after I swept up all the debris (from Robert tearing down the Patio so we could set the trampoline up) I started sneezing uncontrollably and then later that night my sinuses clogged up and I haven't been right since. I've been popping Tylenol Sinus Medicine and nothing is helping. Tonight I'll try some Vick's and the Humidifier.

The Source...

Okay, so it's not a very good picture but this is the source of all that good. We decided to buy a Trampoline to help Sage burn off some of his energy. He is so energetic and has the hardest time falling asleep at night at a decent time. Both Saturday Evening and Today he has spent the better part of the day outside jumping, and he's fallen asleep at 8pm. It is HEAVEN! I highly recommend it to anyone who has VERY energetic children.

Fast Asleep...

I was in the Kitchen tonight making Banana Muffins and Sage came in and started talking to me, next thing I knew it was really quiet and I turned around and this is what I found.

He is the silliest boy I know. He is just like his Daddy and can sleep anywhere if he's tired enough.

Remission...

We got the results of my Mom's CT Scan this morning and..... her liver was clean. Which means if there are any tumors they are microscopic, which is a huge improvement from 90% of her liver having tumors on it. We are all very excited and are celebrating tonight with her favorite meal: Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy and Carrots and Chocolate Satin Pie from Marie Callender's. In 3 months we'll do more blood work and if everything is normal we'll go another 3 months and then have a CT Scan and if everything is normal we'll go another 3 months and from there we'll take it 3 months at a time. Our Family would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support during the last 6 months.

Usual or Unusual?

I found this website on a blog and thought it was wierd but intresting. Give it a try.

http://www.humorsphere.com/fun/usual.php