Great sighting!

I was in a really cute boutique recently, and saw this adorable shirt!!

How fun is that? If you are having to squint to read it, it says, COME TOGETHER!! I guess that is the benefit of a buisness with the same name of a Beatles' song. I didn't name Come Together b/c of the Beatles, but I will take a cute shirt out of the deal!! Ohhhh, but on the website I saw it on, (www.lyricculture.com) it is $90. Ouch. I like it, but I don't know that I will ever like a t-shirt enough to fork over a Benjamin for it!!

I guess I should be on the lookout for other Come Together Stuff. When I was in elementary school, I collected pigs. (Not sure what that says about me.) Now I might start another random collection. And please, if you see anything to add to my newly decided Come Together collection, let me know!!

As far as what I collect right now, vintage kitchen stuff, and vintage Christmas decorations are all that make the list. I am into vintage. I love the look of trinkets, signs, toys and books from around the 1950's. The are so....nostalgic. I pretty much love anything vintage.

It takes 5 to make a collection, did you know that? So if that is the criteria, I also collect crosses, picture frames, and old ceiling tins. And when I shop at Sam's, I collect toilet paper, biscotti's, soap, and paper towels. :)

So, what do you collect?

I celebrate....

This week, my favorite show of all time comes on.

LOST.


I am officially a N-E-R-D over this show. I don't know when it happened, but I get really excited when I talk about it. Like, to the point where I know its nerdy, but I just can't help it. This must be what Elvis fans and Trekkie's feel like!!


So, in celebration of a return to some sort of entertainment on t.v. during this writer's strike, I would like to share some other of my favorite things!!

The Dave Ramsey Show- he keeps me company every afternoon while I drive. I feel I get much smarter just by listening to his advice. I wish he would be my business advisor, but I guess he is kinda busy.

Burt's Bees Lip Balm- I cannot leave home without it. I have tried the honey flavor, the lifeguard kind, and the lip gloss, and I still love the original.

Cherry Coke Zero- The ad is right- it really is real cola taste without the calories. And they say there's no truth in advertising!!

Nonni's Biscotti's- what I have for breakfast each morning

Individual packs of vegetables- not very glamorous, but these make my life easier as a mom of a 14 month old

Real Simple magazine- Practical, yet fun. I never knew I needed to know how to organize my sock drawer until I read it.

The Stress-free minty flavor of liquid soap at Bath and Body Works. I like it so much that I don't want to use it-- I just want to save it.

These bacon bandages are too funny. I would never wear a strip of bacon on my body, but I guess if you have to be hurt, you might as well summon the dogs of the neighborhood, too.

My guiltiest pleasure is the reality programing on VH-1. If I start, its like watching a train wreck-- I can't seem to tear myself away!!

And of course, I love these address labels. They make envelopes and packages look so much cuter and add a little PIZAZZ, which is crucial. When I put these and the return address label on the package, its like a little party in an box. And, I am out to impress my mail carrier by having the cutest packages on the block, doncha know!?

Does anyone else have any favorites??

Drum roll, please!!!

Here are the new Classroom sets of Valentine cards!! There are 3 boy designs and 3 girl designs.

They come in sets 0f 30
All one design is $14
Assorted of 3 boys/girl designs-- $17.

I love Valentine's day.

It is a great excuse to use MORE PINK!!

Get ready

I am reveling a new set of products this week!! Check back for the big reveal soon!!

Notepads are in the air!!

I just completed three different orders for notepads!! People must have a lot to say. I know I do!! :) Much to my husband's chagrin, sometimes. Heh-heh-heh.

So, here is an example of one of the notepads I just finished. It's for Amy Ford, who has ordered from me before, so I know her taste and am able to embellish it with cuteness!! (For instance, if this was for a man, I would not be adding the polka dots. But since I know she is a girly-girl, it is a very safe bet that she is okay with them!!) And who wouldn't be, after all? Polka dots rock!!

Good stuff

Since I wrote the last post, I got S-I-C-K. Sick like you feel when you are a kid. So, I was forced to stop working, stop my to-do list, and stop obsessing over things, and just rest.

Rest can do a lot for a body. It is when I get sick that I realize this the most. Every time I would lay down and sleep, I would wake up a little bit better. Isn't it kinda weird to think about that every human has a need to lay in a horizontal position and close our eyes and hibernate like bears do? And we need to do it every day? And we make little decorations for it, like pillows to sleep on and sheets and comforters and throw pillows on top of our pillows. Okay...I digress to the randomness of sleep (and myself).

So, while I was resting, I caught up on the lightest of reading- magazines. I love love love magazines and could never have too many. And I couldn't concentrate on anything really deep, so it worked out perfect to catch up on my magazine pile.

Here are some things I learned from Good Housekeeping.

Dr. Phil had an article about 5 Secrets of Happy Couples, which I thought was really good. Some of my favorite quotes...

Dealing with problem #1 Unrealistic Expectations--

There is nothing wrong with your marriage if you dealing with bills and kids and the broken garbage disposal and in-laws and work demands. That's a normal marriage. But if you never thought that's what marriage would involve, ..you need to get clear. This isn't a long date. This is a marriage. ---Dr. Phil

For those of us that are married, isn't that so true? Its like we sometimes expect the whole marriage to be like a date, when actually there is more reality and less date-like feel, and that's okay. That is real life. As much as I love movies and media, they can sometimes set us up for unrealistic expectations.

Problem #2 Money Miseries

...So 1st, you have to get real about what a fixed expense is. Because frankly, there aren't many. Food and shelter, that's about it. Cable tv..cell phone...Internet access... these are not fixed expenses. --Dr. Phil

This was a wake up call when I worked with the benevolence program at my church. It was so interesting that people that were in debt up to their eyeballs and could not pay their payments had so many "toys' that they felt entitled to. I do not say that to judge them-- not at all. People can spend their money however they want. But when they were coming to receive help from the church, we had to talk about what was appropriate to spend money on and what needed to be put off until they were in a better place. This was a great reminder to me to mentally keep luxurious expendatures in the right place and not to feel entitled to things.

The other marriage concerns were:

Family members who meddle

Kids who won't listen

Career concerns

Our lives are perfect concerning those issues, so I had no helpful quotes from that. :) ha.

My final excerpt from the shiny pages comes from an article called, "Love the One your with" talking about our body. Could this come in pill form please?

The quote that opened my eyes wider...

"Don't wait until a scary medical diagnosis to take the time to appreciate what you have right now. ...Think about the people you know who have died, and what most of them would have given to have one more minute in their body, no matter what their size. To speak to a person they love. To notice a yellow crocus poking through the snow (or dirt in Texas) in the early spring. To walk, run, touch, listen, to taste."

So, I had a lot to think about while I fell asleep!! :) Any thoughts from you...?

New creations

I am working like a dog to get an order ready for my Celebrity Bakery order. They open next week in Rockwall, and will be stocking my cards in this store at opening, then moving them to all 5 locations. In the meantime, I had time to see 27 Dresses today. I highly recommend this great chick flick. It has everything-- handsome leading man, great Elton John karaoke scene, and funny wedding memories. It was a fun diversion from work!!

I love the movie poster and am inspired to make an invitation based off it. I just need my next bride to let me use their head for the photo!!

Here is a Valentine's card that is one of my newest creations. I couldn't decide what to include on the tag, so I went with a "love" theme. It can easily be changed to something for a friend, though.

I am still loving the poll! Thanks for being a part!! I am so entertained by the lives of others!!

The truth of marriage

Last night, my husband and I went to eat with a group of 3 other couples. In the midst of the conversation, one of the husband's was lamenting that his honeymoon was misleading. He talked about how on his honeymoon, his wife surprised him each night by coming out of the bathroom in a different outfit. He said now she sleeps in an oversized nightshirt that says, "Its bedtime somewhere" and has flags from different countries around the world.

I could not stop laughing.

So, the moment of truth. To the right is an anonymous new poll that I encourage you to answer truthfully. Let's get to the bottom of what women sleep in. If you are a man, and are married, then feel free to answer for your wife. Are you wearing floor-length flannels, your birthday suit, or somewhere in between?

Many thanks

Hooray for:

Ame Moss
Tracey Hughes
Lesley Hamilton
Mary Demuth
Jennifer Honeycutt
Lecia Rau
Jennifer Beasley
Robin McCartney
Lesli Johnson
Paulette Brown
Jane Braddock

I cannot thank you enough for your wonderful and encouraging emails that you sent to your friends referring my website! I was blown away how many people did this, and even though the motivation might have been free cards, it still made me feel like a million bucks!!

And thank you to these folks:

Amy Ford

Jennifer Hunt

Sunni Lazo

Allie Miller

Kerri Pearson

Andrea Petty

Shawna Sullivan

Vanessa Warren

who feature Come Together Cards on their blogs! Thank you friends!!

If you haven't recieved your free cards, please contact me to do so!! And if you are interested in passing Come Together Cards to your friends or bloggers, its not too late!! Just let me know that you did so I can include you in the free stuff! :)

The test of technology

I am a lover of technology. I give thanks for email, computers, and cell phones. Sometimes I don't know how I ever survived without them!
However, sometimes technology can kick us in the hiney. For instance, when I was working in adoption, a family law attorney emailed the staff asking if he could handle our cases. My friend and co-worker emailed the staff back and told us that if she remembered this guy correctly, he was a bit of a jerk and really expensive.
Except she "replied all".
So he got that email.
How do you get out of a situation like that, and still save face? I don't know if you can!! He was a little peeved but seemed to have a sence of humor somewhat about it, and needless to say, he never wrote back requesting our services!!
I feel like I do dumb stuff like that all the time and yesterday was no exception. If you read my profile on this blog, you might have thought it was a little strange. This is what it said...

..... I love my work, but more than anything, love my family and friends. I have a sweet husband and adorable 13 month old son that I am crazy about! I have a dream that one day Hobby Lobby or Target will pick them up and give her unlimited store credit in return.

WHAT?!? This sounds like I want to trade Joel and Judah for store credit at Hobby Lobby!! That is what I get for coping and pasting! Ahhh, it makes me laugh to read it!! What it was supposed to say was that I have a dream that HL and Target will pick up my card line and give me unlimited store credit in return! Not my husband and son. As much as I like Hobby Lobby's 50% sale, I am keeping my boys! :)

So, chalk it up to another technology faux-pau! (sp?)
And thanks to my mom for questioning me on that! I know she really wanted to take Judah to her house and let me shop with my store credit! :) What would we do without moms/people that find the mistakes we make and point them out! Thanks, mom!!

Has anyone else done anything funny/dumb or am I the only one??

New Year's Resolutions

I have made some resolutions, which I really call GOALS. The first of the year is a great time to take a step back and think, "Who do I want to be?" I think if we are not intentionally growing and learning, then we can let the busyness of life sidetrack us and wake up a year later exactly the same person.

One of my goals this year is to cook more. When Joel and I first got married, I cooked a lot. But after 7 1/2 years, I have gradually stopped. I don't mind cooking, its going to the grocery store and planning meals that I am not a fan of. That could be b/c I spend half my life on a diet, so that takes a lot of the fun out. It is not as much fun to cut raw veggies and wash salad as it is to make a yummy casserole and pan of brownies! :) Go figure.

Last year, one of my goals was to do Judah's baby book by the time he turned one. And, it was up to the wire, but I did it! Here is the summary page of his last year. What a doll!!

I love to hear about other people's new year resolutions. It inspires me!!

Please, do share-- do you have any goals as you look towards a new year?

Welcome to the Blog!!

Haven't you always wanted to read someone's diary? I guess that is why my childhood diary had a lock on it. It was a big pink heart lock with my name in puffy paint, and as I recall, I kept the keys attached to the lock. Most of the time, I wrote things about my friends hoping they would read them, so, with that 6th grade goal in mind, I guess that was a good place to keep the keys.

This is a place to read about what I am thinking. Some of it will be related to cards and new creative processes, and most of it will be random thoughts that I would like to broadcast into your home for no apparent reason. But all of it will be fun. That is my money back guarantee.
It will be updated and interactive. I hope it is a place that you can come and chat with me. Believe me, once you start checking blogs, you might get addicted. It is a great way to kill time, but more than that, stay connected with friends and make new ones!!

Take a look at the new products page for all the, well, new products I have. I guess that is self-explanatory! This Christmas, I designed alot of new Christmas cards, which I had such a great time doing. It is such a neat way for me to feel connected with your family!! I even did some matching newsletters for those that send newsletters.

Speaking of, aren't some people's newsletter's funny? It can turn into such a comical ordeal, complete with health problems, bragging, and endless accomplishments of their children. I love to get those, and either relish all the details and pictures, or make fun of them. KIDDING. I only make fun of a very small, minute number. I have included one of my favorite examples of a Christmas newsletter below.

I also have added some new invitations and note cards. The new note cards have gotten a great response, and really should be called "Wild about Polka Dots". They are heavy on the dot. And you can see my very favorite new product, the Photo Cartoon. This is such a great way to personalize an invitation one step further by including a photo!!

As always, I appreciate you perusing my site and being a friend of Come Together Cards. It is such a blessing to get to create for others! Please, check back, leave your comments, and tell your friends!


Christmas newsletters... Hi Erma, This perfectly delightful note is being sent on paper I made myself to tell you what I have been up to. Since it snowed last night, I got up early and made a sled with old barn wood and a glue gun. I hand painted it in gold leaf, got out my loom, and made a blanket in peaches and mauves. Then to make the sled complete, I made a white horse to pull it, from DNA that I had just sitting around in my craft room. By then, it was time to start making the place mats and napkins for my 20 breakfast guests. I'm serving the old standard Stewart twelve-course breakfast, but I'll let you in on a little secret: I didn't have time to make the tables and chairs this morning, so I used the ones I had on hand. Before I moved the table into the dining room, I decided to add just a touch of the holidays. So I repainted the room in pinks and stenciled gold stars on the ceiling. Then, while the homemade bread was rising, I took antique candle molds and made the dishes (exactly the same shade of pink) to use for breakfast. These were made from Hungarian clay, which you can get at almost any Hungarian craft store. Well, I must run. I need to finish the buttonholes on the dress I'm wearing for breakfast. I'll get out the sled and drive this note to the post office as soon as the glue dries on the envelope I'll be making. Hope my breakfast guests don't stay too long, I have 40,000 cranberries to string with bay leaves before my speaking engagement at noon. It's a good thing.
Love, Martha Stewart

Response from Erma Bombeck:

Dear Martha, I'm writing this on the back of an old shopping list, pay no attention to the coffee and jelly stains. I'm 20 minutes late getting my daughter up for school, packing a lunch with one hand, on the phone with the dog pound, seems old Ruff needs bailing out again. Burnt my arm on the curling iron when I was trying to make those cute curly fries, how DO they do that? Still can't find the scissors to cut out some snowflakes, tried using an old disposable razor ... trashed the tablecloth. Tried that cranberry thing, frozen cranberries mushed up after I defrosted them in the microwave. Oh, and don't use Fruity Pebbles as a substitute in that Rice Krispie snowball recipe, unless you happen to like a disgusting shade that resembles puke! The smoke alarm is going off, talk to ya later.
Love, Erma