the lime green door

CHA Day 1

We made it!  I survived the longest plane ride of my life, the trip takes me from Cleveland, Ohio to Chicago, Illinois (1 hr 15 minutes) but it only took 55 minutes, and then with a 2 hour layover, it was off to sunny and warm Orange County California (Santa Ana & Anaheim), which is the longest leg of the entire trip, 4 hours, however we must have had one heck of a tailwind, we were 30 minutes early. 

I have a few awesome photo's of the Chicago skyline, that I took from the plane as we approached for landing, with it snowing and the ice on the lake. Definitely a spectacular site!

 

 

We (the Moxxie girls and I) arrived to warm, sunny skies, and got to our cute little boutique hotel, and then grabbed a bit to eat at the IHOP.  We walked the few blocks to the convention center to see our booth, making sure it had begun to get set up by the crew.

Tomorrow, we will go back over in the morning, and we will be putting the final touches on the booth, and assessing what additional layouts (if any) that we will need for display purposes. 

Will post again tomorrow..on Day 2 of this wonderful trip!

1.20.09 Moxxie Sneak Peeks Round #2

Moxxie is releasing more sneak peeks of the products that will be dropped at the CHA Winter 2009 Trade Show this weekend.

They are also giving away some free stuff for a lucky someone who leaves a comment on why they are lovin' the new stuff!

 

 

 

 

 

I'M GOING TO DISNEYLAND!

I am absolutely blessed to be going to the CHA Winter 2009 Trade Show with Moxxie. They are just too wonderful and generous to me (A HUGE thanks to Jennifer and Jen!).  The show is in Anaheim, California the 25th thru the 28th of this month. We are staying at a place named Candy Cane Inn--how Stinkin' Cute is that!  This boutique hotel is 2 blocks from the show and 250 yards from the main gate of Disneyland!  HOW COOL IS THAT? Here is a pic of the hotel grounds....beautiful, and the weather has been in the 80's (which absolutely beats the 11 degrees we have right now!)

1.19.09 Moxxie Sneak Peeks! They are here!

As most of you that read my blog know, I am a DT member for Moxxie, an awesome, themed scrapbook paper & embellie manufacturer.  Well, it is CHA Winter 2009 in Anaheim, CA Jan 25th-27th, so Moxxie is counting down the days to the show by "leaking" sneak peeks of their new product. 

Wanna see?  Here they are!

 

 

 

 

 

Wanna see more of Moxxie?  Moxxie's Website and then see more of Moxxie's Design Team's work, classes, samples, challenges and more? Got Moxxie Blog  

1.9.09 Refresher on the 10 Things In Your Home That Can Kill Your Dog

Dogs are very curious animals and as omnivores and natural scavengers, can get into and eat just about anything. However, there are many toxic substances found in your home that could potentially kill your dog. The following is a list of ten common household substances that you should make sure to keep out of your dog's reach.

1) Antifreeze: Many people do not realize it, but common antifreeze kills many pets each year. It smells and tastes very sweet to your dog and is very appealing to him. Ethylene glycol is toxic however, and each winter, many animals are killed by it. Symptoms of toxicity include seizures, vomiting, stumbling and lethargy leading to kidney failure. Make sure to keep your antifreeze out of your dog's reach. If you suspect that your dog has ingested antifreeze, take your dog to the veterinarian immediately.

2) Chocolate: Chocolate contains a substance called the obromine which is toxic to dogs. Baking chocolate and dark chocolate is especially dangerous. While it usually takes a somewhat large amount of chocolate to kill a dog, poisoning and death does occur with smaller amounts ingested. Signs of chocolate poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, increased urination, and increased activity. This can progress to seizures and unusual heart rhythms. Call your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your dog has eaten chocolate.

3) Bleach: As you might imagine, household bleach is toxic to dogs. Keep all products containing bleach out of your dog's reach. Symptoms of bleach poisoning include drooling, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Do NOT induce vomiting if you suspect your dog has ingested bleach and contact your veterinarian immediately.

4) Tylenol. As little as two regular strength Tylenol tablets can kill a small dog. Dogs lack the proper liver enzymes to break down acetaminophen. Signs of toxicity include drooling, lethargy, and abdominal pain. If you suspect your dog has ingested Tylenol, call your veterinarian immediately.

5) Watch Batteries: If your dog ingests a watch battery, it can cause a potentially fatal ulceration in the stomach within 12 hours. All other alkaline batteries are toxic to dogs as well. Symptoms of toxicity include drooling, lack of appetite, vomiting, and lethargy. If you suspect your dog has ingested a watch battery, contact your vet immediately.

6) Moth Balls: Moth balls are very dangerous to dogs. They contain an insecticide that causes central nervous system excitement and seizures. When metabolized, ingestion of moth balls can lead to liver failure. Symptoms of poisoning by moth balls include vomiting and seizures. If your dog has consumed moth balls, do NOT induce vomiting. Seek veterinary care immediately.

7) Fabric Softeners and other detergents: All sorts of household detergents are toxic to dogs at one level or another, but fabric softeners fall into the highly toxic category. Signs of toxicity include vomiting, lethargy, burns to the mouth, drooling, muscle weakness, and even coma. Do NOT induce vomiting if your dog has ingested any detergent. Contact your veterinarian immediately.

8) Mouthwash: Mouthwash can contain boric acid which is highly toxic to dogs. Symptoms of poisoning by mouthwash include vomiting, drooling, seizures, and coma. You should take your dog to the veterinarian immediately if you suspect poisoning by mouthwash or other household item containing boric acid like contact lens solution or denture cleaner.

9) Peach Pits: With most fruits, the pits and the seeds are toxic to dogs. Signs of poisoning include drooling, vomiting, and lethargy. If you suspect your dog has eaten a peach pit or the pit or seeds of any fruit, take him to the veterinarian immediately.

10) Household Plants: Many common and popular household plants are highly toxic to dogs. A partial list of toxic plants includes poinsettias, lillies, ferns, devil's ivy, aloe, and ivy. Symptoms of poisoning due to ingestion of toxic plants include vomiting and central nervous system excitement. Many of these plants are fatal if ingested. Please contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your dog has eaten a toxic houseplant.

With diligence on our part, we can help prevent our dogs from getting into substances that are toxic to them. Many veterinary school websites offer lists of things that are toxic to dogs and what you should do if your dog ingests such things. As always, if you think your dog may have eaten something dangerous, contact your veterinarian immediately or take your dog to the closest emergency clinic.

(courtesy of ilovedogs.com)

1.5.09 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Texas Longhorns

I definitely don't want to talk about it...1-8-09. 11:30 p.m.

       

It happens tonight!  

GO BUCKEYES!!! 

Texas will be a hard team to beat, but have at it!  I will be glued to the TV starting at kick-off at 8:20 p.m. EST!

1.1.09 Happy New Year!

It is finally here!  2009! My start of 2009 is of course, resolutions, the taking up kind, rather than giving up...I am making a plan to practice GRATITUDE and THANKFULNESS.

It is so easy to get caught up in the rush of life, rudeness of people, not being or seeing the people that you love and care about.

Time flies by, and we miss out on all the moments that we will never get back, and wish we could have, would have, or should have been there or done that.

I am slowing down. Taking time for things that MATTER. Things that are bigger than me. Things that need to be appreciated, that were previously overlooked. Things that are right here in my own backyard. My home, my husband, my family, our finances, our health, our pets, our friends, others who are in need of help or have no others to turn to. 

Even though the state of our overall economy is in dire straights at the moment, GRATITURE and THANKFULNESS need not cost anything but a feeling, an emotion, and time. 

Here is a part of my plan...

1. Keep a Gratitude List or Journal

I plan to write down at least five things each day that I am grateful for in list form in a journal of sorts. Want to try this with me? You might think that at first, it would be hard to come up with different things each day, but even I was surprised at how expressing gratitude in this way caused me to recognize that I have so more to be thankful for than I ever could have imagined. I keep this little journal with me so that when I have a few moments, I can jot down things when I have a moment.

2. Express Your Thanks Out Loud

 

Tell others that you are GRATEFUL or THANKFUL for them. Do it while you're eating dinner with your family or friends, go around the table and share one or two things that you're thankful for. What's especially great about this simple habit is that your actions may  inspire others to see things they had not seen before or that it may start a pay it forward, where others start expressing their thanks out loud. Try not to take the efforts of others for granted. Thank them for their kindness and helpfulness in your life.

3. Write a Letter of Thanks

When you feel thankful for certain people in your life, be bold enough to say it out loud or put it in a letter. One of the great tragedies in life is that, too often, we just don't know what we mean to others. You can take one small step toward changing this by writing a letter of gratitude to an old friend, co-worker, mentor, or friend. Just recently, my DH and I lost a very special person in our lives, and had not told him how thankful we were for his kindness and work with others.  We are pledging to not let this happen again.  Shout it out loud, drop them a note--need to keep writing those Thank You cards!

4. Be Grateful for the Challenging Times

In the last 6 months, our lives have changed a lot, financially, healthwise, work wise. We are grateful that my DH has a job, while I do not have one. We have learned to be thankful and grateful for what does come our way. We do not let these snippets of work with misc. income sources go by without a huge debt of gratitude. Share with your others some of the challenging times you've gone through in life that you're also grateful for. We have had lessons in creative meal planning, not wasting food, the priviledges that we do have and many of these lessons have shown us alternative ways of coping without being sheltered, strapped, or leaving us with the feeling that we are being punished! We have rediscovered the local hiking trails and parks (free) the library (also free) and other fun things to do that are either free or low cost, that we might have otherwise passed up before! How have you grown through your most challenging experiences, and what good has come out of them?

5. Make it a Habit

Learning to be truly grateful can change your life. One way to continue a new "attitude of gratitude" is to create a habit around your thankfulness. For example, you might set aside a certain time of day to reflect on what you're grateful for. Sometimes it can help to do something ritualistic at the same time, such as make yourself a cup of tea. Then, as you're sipping the tea, consider what you're grateful for. Each time you make a cup of tea, reflect on your gratitude. Over time, this will begin to seep into your everyday thinking, and you'll realize that you have much in life to be grateful for! Whatever you do, keep practicing gratitude and thankfulness.  You will start to see a happier you, a less stressful you, and a joyful you!