tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18792582303827329952024-03-13T20:54:50.909-04:00Nataleelee CreationsGetting InspiredNataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-57016556830354298202010-10-28T18:27:00.000-04:002010-10-28T18:27:07.249-04:00Madymae Etsy Shop!Check out my friend Bonnie's new ETSY shop! <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/madymae">http://www.etsy.com/shop/madymae</a><br />
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<a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=polkasignature2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/polkasignature2.jpg" /></a>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-67943385053748777232010-10-16T19:59:00.002-04:002010-10-16T19:59:59.361-04:00So...yeah....I haven't blogged in forever...Sorry everyone....school has taken over my life once again....and we have moved...just started my craft room and it looks awesome so far....I'm going to start making cards again soon! I can't wait!<br />
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<a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=polkasignature2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/polkasignature2.jpg" /></a>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-15012293796001106152010-08-23T09:35:00.000-04:002010-08-23T09:35:20.981-04:00That First Birthday Card I Promised...<div style="text-align: center;">So here are the pics from that first birthday card that I promised to show you all a few months ago! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVcAFYrTLT662uhn_clzoxLyJVkbMLZAedBiSzcpauX3d0OdWuFQ6p9qbDOUxTrri_Dxzh0q18GyXYecUhqADwJ3jjphvfPPbZh9HeP7BE1vOTkdJKReWCxlkXxZSiiLEOQXuTf2Sp-lQ/s1600/IMG_4085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVcAFYrTLT662uhn_clzoxLyJVkbMLZAedBiSzcpauX3d0OdWuFQ6p9qbDOUxTrri_Dxzh0q18GyXYecUhqADwJ3jjphvfPPbZh9HeP7BE1vOTkdJKReWCxlkXxZSiiLEOQXuTf2Sp-lQ/s320/IMG_4085.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ffG5KYTb3QvOAO1Ht1ucGe8b3z1upsfr8jOsE7Hvlc5a0vn5uAr_uNxAUZgq_iIsJPC5-89mmIXmD2VQgRevjd7-2XvbWNVylYWtcWJoPsTdJa4Xbk7paTKEipBbStTnn2PBl4WDGIY/s1600/IMG_4086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ffG5KYTb3QvOAO1Ht1ucGe8b3z1upsfr8jOsE7Hvlc5a0vn5uAr_uNxAUZgq_iIsJPC5-89mmIXmD2VQgRevjd7-2XvbWNVylYWtcWJoPsTdJa4Xbk7paTKEipBbStTnn2PBl4WDGIY/s320/IMG_4086.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKv8J31wGPxM5uGyionmq6cUtZILf3F9KSYX9o-shhNQ5kjSZGtCtu9LZmcxrIvwjgzAodXmCSeoW46oP-0WOaIJ9i-P8anG6QvP3jqcn-P-vj7VfNp-QvCA7vIlQnIscdaWd066h8l8/s1600/IMG_4097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKv8J31wGPxM5uGyionmq6cUtZILf3F9KSYX9o-shhNQ5kjSZGtCtu9LZmcxrIvwjgzAodXmCSeoW46oP-0WOaIJ9i-P8anG6QvP3jqcn-P-vj7VfNp-QvCA7vIlQnIscdaWd066h8l8/s320/IMG_4097.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8jh1t0JcuocPAnyMf4QLXbmL-SuQ1MCQy0-IUZ0BkUPyX1MNNk0-x0oJ-Vd6KpJfpGLGvcGSWRCnKcAO4hiJk_QA__uCAlotdIYXH8LhlPSpGKFZzdi-XqHIAN3tP2Q49G2oEzojz1I/s1600/IMG_4105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8jh1t0JcuocPAnyMf4QLXbmL-SuQ1MCQy0-IUZ0BkUPyX1MNNk0-x0oJ-Vd6KpJfpGLGvcGSWRCnKcAO4hiJk_QA__uCAlotdIYXH8LhlPSpGKFZzdi-XqHIAN3tP2Q49G2oEzojz1I/s320/IMG_4105.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=polkasignature2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/polkasignature2.jpg" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-70478608585142277742010-08-19T08:54:00.000-04:002010-08-19T08:54:54.637-04:00SUMMER SCHOOL FINALLY OVER!!!SUMMER SCHOOL IS FINALLY OVER! After taking 6 summer classes in a row, and also taking the first teacher certification exam and PASSING, I'm EXHAUSTED!!! Maybe now I'll have time to be creative again! School starts again on the 30th...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=polkasignature2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/polkasignature2.jpg" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-38654777089158655542010-06-08T11:39:00.000-04:002010-06-08T11:39:11.398-04:00It's been a while....Sorry to my followers out there for not posting the 1st birthday card that I promised to post yet! I was just able to give her the gift, so possibly sometime this weekend I will be able to share...Things are a bit hectic since my summer courses started....<br />
I'll keep you all updated!<br />
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<a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=polkasignature2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/polkasignature2.jpg" /></a>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-77271634930233290932010-05-23T11:46:00.001-04:002010-05-23T11:47:44.984-04:00Earrings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGY46-aZvhB3bEYa1IFXIbZYXwBXAx9hP1buJJRcFgw8ENi55tKYEwosS60sfxgoiqfDbLb4X3qeF3YFzN1fNq6E8xBAktWK9V4_OzMtPPHsj73pdT1lKEngtlhE91QoehB6RR0joJxA/s1600/IMG_4072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGY46-aZvhB3bEYa1IFXIbZYXwBXAx9hP1buJJRcFgw8ENi55tKYEwosS60sfxgoiqfDbLb4X3qeF3YFzN1fNq6E8xBAktWK9V4_OzMtPPHsj73pdT1lKEngtlhE91QoehB6RR0joJxA/s320/IMG_4072.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYaZNmjlL2I_TuSN8WpqD-ZDwNXX_1l5lyvdBNVVS9n-u5zO2D3gZ6Rt-cEWBy_kIWm6n-3mcWokNzk-BywJ-pgo-0EAtpRkKw2SU0xdcFa7wmgCKvUouDRu-IgCKuVJbyG5rcvAG-AI/s1600/IMG_4066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYaZNmjlL2I_TuSN8WpqD-ZDwNXX_1l5lyvdBNVVS9n-u5zO2D3gZ6Rt-cEWBy_kIWm6n-3mcWokNzk-BywJ-pgo-0EAtpRkKw2SU0xdcFa7wmgCKvUouDRu-IgCKuVJbyG5rcvAG-AI/s320/IMG_4066.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">So...My camera did not want to focus yesterday. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Sorry for the horrible photos. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I made these earrings for my cousin's graduation present. I made another pair but you couldn't even tell what they looked like in the photos so I won't bother putting it up. I'm going to try to get better pics of these later!! </div><div style="text-align: center;">These were a lot harder to make than I thought they would be. It took a lot of beads falling off and breaking wires, but I think that it was worth it! </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=polkasignature2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/polkasignature2.jpg" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-28470143628437337422010-05-15T17:16:00.000-04:002010-05-15T17:16:06.255-04:00Origami Favor Boxes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3yQMGkowvmd0A0o97ji2A7GiU99OAAf2_aLFiMQ-_8q6IJRgGr-wusJ1200ZUiL2puawejLc1qu1D1BR6JQiRDiL8Ukiuj5me_utgTzTumA4-RjNmtaKh0nFZl7UfZ1R7HtJm7CapErM/s1600/oragami1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3yQMGkowvmd0A0o97ji2A7GiU99OAAf2_aLFiMQ-_8q6IJRgGr-wusJ1200ZUiL2puawejLc1qu1D1BR6JQiRDiL8Ukiuj5me_utgTzTumA4-RjNmtaKh0nFZl7UfZ1R7HtJm7CapErM/s400/oragami1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">When I hear the word <a href="http://library.thinkquest.org/27458/nf/origami/history.html">Origami</a> I automatically think of cranes. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> Instead I found out how to make these cute boxes. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">These boxes don't require any glue or tape at all, and are perfect for favors or candy holders at parties. You can even fold up two ends and connect them, and fold down the two other ends to make a cute little basket. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The Jellybean paper is from the <a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/product_view.php?id=1661">Sweet Stack</a> from <a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/">DCWV</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/product_view.php?id=1661"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9wXnb7U6ZrQx9sB8LMBeZ5-JfJFUEyUFVORBfqJogcCI3eLiJXrjMpZudJJ9eqRuR_LHSaXpfILWkjtpD6C8pc1n4RkS-z9wiwcQPxxvgMycAxLB9OyDkrKorzBWfQf4dVh5W00kmM4/s320/SweetStack.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The lined paper is from the <a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/product_view.php?id=1897">Latte Stack</a> from <a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/index.php">DCWV</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/product_view.php?id=1897"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGFkrq9CuorHnW7lsSk234ECkw9fkYuzKwB6N0m6skn4LQZbdJX68-Hl6Z6C9lSm-upXPlRBA3Ox8MXqICcNnXT0BQLGzxPwszSMSI8i0tmcSE4uvSt9VoudHv97a3MuIA7dYrqU8tZA/s320/LatteStack.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The paper was a little too thick for this project. I'll have to find the right type through trial and error. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I can't wait to make more!!</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=polkasignature2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/polkasignature2.jpg" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-67803846998661328922010-04-25T16:58:00.000-04:002010-04-25T17:15:39.304-04:00My First Necklace!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9QO1JrrWBC3CTdNm1xZDSk-qyKuq2CJjUBR4PdjJb-uRvSB1Tyfnw8PEV-7K88AQh_1IuycapFxwKW2cXjzjJplK6EvHoe4BRtv0IJaxnEukbzDj6cecO9-17FG5FvbwPZrBRLjfXyQ/s1600/IMG_4004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9QO1JrrWBC3CTdNm1xZDSk-qyKuq2CJjUBR4PdjJb-uRvSB1Tyfnw8PEV-7K88AQh_1IuycapFxwKW2cXjzjJplK6EvHoe4BRtv0IJaxnEukbzDj6cecO9-17FG5FvbwPZrBRLjfXyQ/s400/IMG_4004.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4y2go2lubaSg0NTintNB5MjA-CBi1_5CgAlruyjNvAJvtbx3ykFE5QZJieSL5N5fvtSkAdvaRzOGRhJnYsjapW5IHctwppLrbK9SUVHfxl9pCKxqKRZFaW5TUbhCF7xEzRv0eSKsM6I/s1600/IMG_3992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4y2go2lubaSg0NTintNB5MjA-CBi1_5CgAlruyjNvAJvtbx3ykFE5QZJieSL5N5fvtSkAdvaRzOGRhJnYsjapW5IHctwppLrbK9SUVHfxl9pCKxqKRZFaW5TUbhCF7xEzRv0eSKsM6I/s400/IMG_3992.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I made this necklace for my sister's birthday! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">She loved it (after receiving it a week late since the post office wouldn't leave it at her leasing office when it wouldn't fit into her mailbox!!!) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oh well...she was excited when she finally got the package!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I just LOVE the beads that I used! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They are <a href="http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=bd0841">"Bead Gallery"</a> beads, and I found them at <a href="http://www.michaels.com/art/online/home">Michael's</a> after what seemed like forever...I was overwhelmed at all of the choices that they displayed! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My mom finally spotted the large bead to go with the smaller round ones.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So, I had NO IDEA how to even start a necklace...but I figured it couldn't be too far from the basics of making earrings. I was doing alright until I had to figure out how to put the chain on....it was difficult wrapping the wire through the rings of the chain....3 hours later........haha....but it was worth it! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wanted to make the clasp area in the back a little more exciting, so I added one of the smaller round beads. I think it looks really nice!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I also made some Earrings to match....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRorajK7giKV08aYWqUCBcxZwarDWYPAW2DLzyMTL5GXlZGYhJG_di-vfLEpaphqwDDVxb2suZBRnXvw5WNrjc31_lD2Los3rLNJ-yHYr-POEc5D-siCSaqH1cE4lMjwkGmvfAsh2V9s/s1600/IMG_4001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRorajK7giKV08aYWqUCBcxZwarDWYPAW2DLzyMTL5GXlZGYhJG_di-vfLEpaphqwDDVxb2suZBRnXvw5WNrjc31_lD2Los3rLNJ-yHYr-POEc5D-siCSaqH1cE4lMjwkGmvfAsh2V9s/s400/IMG_4001.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I can't wait to make some more!!!!</div><br />
<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="43" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/polkasignature2.jpg" width="400" />Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-31063229496806135012010-04-25T10:50:00.001-04:002010-04-25T10:51:52.299-04:00What do you think?<div style="text-align: center;">I have a new post divider!! What do you think?? </div><br />
<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="42" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/polkasignature2.jpg" width="400" />Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-41053046756185836762010-04-17T20:13:00.000-04:002010-04-17T20:13:50.783-04:00A New Card!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTF5sJ-_2Ojh_BQ3Qvy7AcdNL7GcV4d-iKY_yyzEaRKJXXzXKgf-4SmhobdJLWzbkJZkaKYInesToxUpXjxbcwL01mgSxGQ_tTCxrygOx6Cz4WsGiZEsKIm7VzpM2HdHZXjBzEwm4qD8/s1600/IMG_3974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTF5sJ-_2Ojh_BQ3Qvy7AcdNL7GcV4d-iKY_yyzEaRKJXXzXKgf-4SmhobdJLWzbkJZkaKYInesToxUpXjxbcwL01mgSxGQ_tTCxrygOx6Cz4WsGiZEsKIm7VzpM2HdHZXjBzEwm4qD8/s400/IMG_3974.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">H</span></span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">ere is the latest card that I made for my grandmother's <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">89th Birthday</span>!!! </span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Of course, I used my awesome </span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.cricut.com/">Cricut Expression Machine</a>!!</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Here is how I made the card:</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I started out the same way that I have started out on all of my cards. I set the size dial to 6" and using the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cricut.com/shop/#0/1/148/3/Cricut/Cricut%20Plantin%20SchoolBook%20Cartridge">Cricut Plantin SchoolBook Cartridge</a>, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;">I pressed the card button. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;">I would use a larger number, but that is the biggest size that it will cut on my machine. I like to work with the bigger cards because I have more room to put cute details on them.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/product_view.php?id=1897"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-jWp9Un6ThpB3ouGBkvwp1m_gJRCTGttHbjOEJ9ruDHpsIq1R-t93C6YON8kd1oies8fnA_UnPMFc7ib50rkVNWi82xZBQjM0EgoUlabyXyhmuAYdmdBqv0-ZGsrs2YgfdCxvBLSz4KQ/s320/LatteStack.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Next, I used the same <a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/product_view.php?id=1897">Latte Stack</a> that I have been using for all of my cards so far. I cut out a 6" rectangle using the beautiful pattern you see on the front of the card. </span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are so many great options in this stack. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I like the look of the Tall Ball function with the letters, </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so I used that at 1" for "happy birthday"</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Behind the "happy birthday" greeting, I cut out a couple of tags (sorry I don't remember the size) and used a decorative pair of scissors to cut around them. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I used the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.cricut.com/shop/#0/1/728/3/Cricut/Cricut%20Serenade%20Solutions%20Cartridge">Cricut Serenade Solutions Cartridge</a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to cut out t</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">he butterfly and the scroll. I played with the layer function and I think that it worked out well!</span></span></span><br />
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<b>This is my favorite card that I have made so far! </b></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=new.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/new.png" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-68071151731968347082010-03-27T19:36:00.000-04:002010-03-27T19:54:15.127-04:00Qingdao, China<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/English/e20029/qingdao.htm">Qingdao, China</a></span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-weight: bold;">So, as most of you know, about 5 years ago Brien and I lived in China. I wanted to share one of my crazy experiences with those of you who haven't had a chance to read my blog from way back when! I laughed as I read it. And, I FOUND MY PICTURES WAHOOOOOOO so I incorporated them......It's pretty long but worth reading! ;0) </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><br />
*************************************************************<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Hey everyone. As some of you know, I went on a trip to </b><a href="http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/English/e20029/qingdao.htm"><b>Qingdao, China</b></a><b> for 5 days with 100 kids, 12 Chinese teachers, 2 tour guides and me...and NO ONE spoke English. </b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>It was an awesome experience...not awesome like hey this is awesome, but awesome as in a WILD AND CRAZY way!</b></div></span></span><br />
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<b> Here are some things that I experienced on my journey:</b><br />
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<b>DAY 1</b>:<br />
Whoah...there are <b>100 kids here</b>...but they aren't really interested in me at all..which was a big difference compared to kids at schools that we teach at....at the schools that we teach at, they can't get enough of foreigners and ALWAYS wanna talk to you...but here, they all have their friends and are super excited for their vacation. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I sat next to this really cute girl who was trying to speak "Chinglish" to me.....</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYV9lUxOtpHtzk172QSnmvkTiT98AZ66lvH8oeZ3tBT92FeU-t93WDZEPO9uawD5B1JigSrSncw_9w5QqUyf09R8mV2DB3bcV5v8JGNgHGMqvoXDXj6NnXHKdsVrxpnr1gHjuSPU60DA/s1600/cutegirlonplanetoQingdao.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYV9lUxOtpHtzk172QSnmvkTiT98AZ66lvH8oeZ3tBT92FeU-t93WDZEPO9uawD5B1JigSrSncw_9w5QqUyf09R8mV2DB3bcV5v8JGNgHGMqvoXDXj6NnXHKdsVrxpnr1gHjuSPU60DA/s400/cutegirlonplanetoQingdao.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>I had to turn my Chinese brain on full blast for this trip.</b></span></span><br />
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</b> The plane ride there was <b>NUTS</b>...we took up the entire plane and the kids were up out of their seats, throwing food at each other and SCREAMING..it was really funny...if I were just a normal passenger--not on a trip with these kids--I would be like OH MY GOD! haha... Anyways...when the plane was taking off all of the kids were like WOOOOOO and laughing and they were sooooo excited since it was the first plane ride for most of these kids! It was cute! </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQ3VtIrbhwp9NQ3Qb2itw9Aw1uaO20IWd16HBi_9kmB2jeGvp0uq6x1ZEAkG994LHsJwAV3UymZ8vboZ146vvZyKl9oNQzVN3KyEM58L50nFTx60niLAEx9DIpQtFWXSQhjSsNf6dpRY/s1600/PlanetoQingdao.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQ3VtIrbhwp9NQ3Qb2itw9Aw1uaO20IWd16HBi_9kmB2jeGvp0uq6x1ZEAkG994LHsJwAV3UymZ8vboZ146vvZyKl9oNQzVN3KyEM58L50nFTx60niLAEx9DIpQtFWXSQhjSsNf6dpRY/s400/PlanetoQingdao.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The tour guide kept on trying to talk to me, but I didn't understand everything and was frantically searching in my dictionary to find words she was saying to me. I just kept saying what everyone always says here: "Hao hao hao" (Those of you who live here know what I'm talking about, those of you who don't, Hao Hao Hao can mean a million different things!) haha</span></span><br />
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The poor flight attendants...there was a lot of turbulance, and the seatbelt signs were on...of course no one cared and were still running around....Things are REALLY RELAXED here in China! I felt like I took all of my students on vacation! When we got off the plane, it took us about an hour to get to the hotel...When we arrived it was midnight and there were screaming kids EVERYWHERE..it took about an hour and a half to get them all situated into their rooms. I shared a room with two of the tour guides..they were really nice....but I was too tired to try and communicate with anyone.....<br />
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<b>DAY 2</b>:<br />
So, I woke up at 4 AM for no reason and just layed there. I started hearing the kids at 6AM running around and yelling..I was already up, so it didn't matter! First, we went to <a href="http://www.thatsqingdao.com/qingdao-attractions/parks-gardens/xinhaoshan-park.html">Signal Hill Park</a>. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCZ8dZoeH12uXZtX-RUtsuVctiARP2TJSnh0BPBDsMMYrcZc__BjaSMvOpTR3vNCzR_JU9EjM3GQe7Slqv-Rx9GPBRXLe73OZSf4Kczj1PYPgu928jEUHEc_syLAgkBeqqKfS2_Cd6rY/s1600/Signal+Hill+Park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCZ8dZoeH12uXZtX-RUtsuVctiARP2TJSnh0BPBDsMMYrcZc__BjaSMvOpTR3vNCzR_JU9EjM3GQe7Slqv-Rx9GPBRXLe73OZSf4Kczj1PYPgu928jEUHEc_syLAgkBeqqKfS2_Cd6rY/s400/Signal+Hill+Park.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thatsqingdao.com/qingdao-attractions/parks-gardens/xinhaoshan-park.html"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2WojvxhewjAWDk-OJn_XOK-6ZlMrRx0UcJXystX9VimkNNuWzewuEIQoDoEyhlSSPJjdQzi2Ya0TjUN9qToMXej5Ivlu487F8X4o9ffOMGi2sB-StP3HVWvNP7Aedsi_6K00hpMwTKg/s320/signalhill.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It's on top of this mountain and it was a really nice hike..it was raining though, so we didn't get much of a view. "WHAT A PITY" as my students would say! </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdQo7_IikEBNHz9ubvB3wCd952u5-cBHDfc7akmqhWK0PimDc6-lgDNUpN0asLCjqDA0as8UdGJrOsYqhw4lsFykSIpNXFWcg95ESGleJV-7EQxrawFKxzZc5F-7WLVZA6bhwzwWHSqE/s1600/HikeuptoSignalHillQingdao.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdQo7_IikEBNHz9ubvB3wCd952u5-cBHDfc7akmqhWK0PimDc6-lgDNUpN0asLCjqDA0as8UdGJrOsYqhw4lsFykSIpNXFWcg95ESGleJV-7EQxrawFKxzZc5F-7WLVZA6bhwzwWHSqE/s400/HikeuptoSignalHillQingdao.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">When we got towards the bottom of the mountain, the rain stopped and I got some views of the German inspired buildings around. Man it was SO NICE to see mountains and hills and NATURAL greenery, instead of FLAT CONCRETE EVERYWHERE! </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Then, we went to <a href="http://www.qingdaochinaguide.com/attractions/beaches-surf-sea/zhanqiao-pier.html">Zhan Qiao Pier</a>, which was really nice. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.qingdaochinaguide.com/attractions/beaches-surf-sea/zhanqiao-pier.html"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKgNLWAwv9Fv-s5pAM7T4hwuezE9qRkd6aUYljMUT_KjHq_9jVwtqlTXwIK2pw71VpB0pAwVTSX6qFyBBgVOxvCPtzDDPbafq5zcKuQU1DsIuST_yae4Z8cUHnItUBPRpU7g_XBMobqTk/s320/zhanqiaopier.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8f9rN9FGJrAaLrM29ubXD40rWlLAYYkCbkKS7Bmzqa9HDhuveBEWM7Urh1bUbItOt9iryQzXJqpi1jaDCcHlhv1I8JzM_RqGqB88N9yZ8todzjTtQQyuzZXlrjWrDyLDkantHW2lsaVA/s1600/ZhanQiaoPierQingdao.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8f9rN9FGJrAaLrM29ubXD40rWlLAYYkCbkKS7Bmzqa9HDhuveBEWM7Urh1bUbItOt9iryQzXJqpi1jaDCcHlhv1I8JzM_RqGqB88N9yZ8todzjTtQQyuzZXlrjWrDyLDkantHW2lsaVA/s400/ZhanQiaoPierQingdao.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPFyHyouqrscwiQv77dvn4F691aM8tI86mkhhFgXJagcH246gW7kVDGs9PL4CIKVL6p8xG5yIC17MK7tfzjC2ukJeWOCSYS1juAt1RZjiOBXc9QHl8C5w6qURiw_13hlM3WnSyQN9JXk/s1600/p362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPFyHyouqrscwiQv77dvn4F691aM8tI86mkhhFgXJagcH246gW7kVDGs9PL4CIKVL6p8xG5yIC17MK7tfzjC2ukJeWOCSYS1juAt1RZjiOBXc9QHl8C5w6qURiw_13hlM3WnSyQN9JXk/s320/p362.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It was only misting out, and it was really cool out....felt nice not to sweat for once! It smelled like the ocean! I think I got into <b>EVERY SINGLE PERSONS PICTURES</b> on that pier....OY! Stray people would "slyly" snap shots of me, and the brave ones would actually ask me. When we got back to the bus, it started downpouring, so we were lucky we got back when we did! Good thing I brought my umbrella, even though my good friend, Reshalati, INSISTED I wouldn't need it there. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Next, we went to this <a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.china-tour.cn/images/Qingdao/Qingdao-Aquarium.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.china-tour.cn/Qingdao/Qingdao-Aquarium.htm&usg=__jXkMMjJrDSsX_f8JCaLwHjaBdTQ=&h=358&w=500&sz=27&hl=en&start=2&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=019kaXkSu7l0nM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3DQingdao%2BAquarium%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1">AWESOME AQUARIUM</a>! </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-IFLMBEAjIvhJtopWqjo_M3-Q9e-Ov5NyiHaBfGAHGexmeyjODTy7TTw7M6O-fzTVjlaMCuuVULzG8Dk0_I7-a4dfQvHGVZ5V-0zMrep0quHWZ33s1KwBoeawhLR03R-sRThC6h8_so/s1600/SeaTurtleQingdaoAquarium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-IFLMBEAjIvhJtopWqjo_M3-Q9e-Ov5NyiHaBfGAHGexmeyjODTy7TTw7M6O-fzTVjlaMCuuVULzG8Dk0_I7-a4dfQvHGVZ5V-0zMrep0quHWZ33s1KwBoeawhLR03R-sRThC6h8_so/s400/SeaTurtleQingdaoAquarium.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I haven't been to an aquarium since I was a kid...They had one of those tunnels with water surrounding it. It was so beautiful and peaceful..I just stood on a moving walkway and stared! </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KuMJFDm_HyTLDsWhdl1q7TQ3S1BUmMy1njvAOl_KtC_V0ap8Y8BKRJ92a02Ta2WzQGa8OZaYlm58AoEGgGt901NjgdWcJ3ImXSWowcOeN6prkBpRCFx_PILF-rgI0U6EbkOyb4r-lOI/s1600/QingdaoAquariumWaterSurround.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KuMJFDm_HyTLDsWhdl1q7TQ3S1BUmMy1njvAOl_KtC_V0ap8Y8BKRJ92a02Ta2WzQGa8OZaYlm58AoEGgGt901NjgdWcJ3ImXSWowcOeN6prkBpRCFx_PILF-rgI0U6EbkOyb4r-lOI/s400/QingdaoAquariumWaterSurround.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Then, we all seriously waited for an hour for this lame show to start, and it only lasted for 5 minutes. The kids enjoyed it at least. They are entertained by the littlest things! At the end of the aquarium I seriously thought I got lost for a while..I even went outside to see if our bus was still there...and somehow I found a stray door back into the place where I saw one of the tour guide's flags....What a scary feeling that was!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Then we left, and I heard "Qingdao Pijiu" Which is "<a href="http://www.tsingtaobeer.com/tsingtao_history_lager.php">Tsingtao Beer</a>" and I got excited....Well, here's what the tour was: We all stayed on the bus and a Qingdao employee came on and just talked and the bus driver drove us around... LAME - O!!!! I put my iPod on and blasted music. I was pissed..I thought we were gunna see some cool beer being made and at least get a freakin mug! </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>We ate breakfast, lunch and dinner at the SAME place today....WITH THE SAME FOOD. Great!</b></span></span><br />
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<b> DAY 3</b>:<br />
Today, I packed my bags and all I could figure out was that we weren't staying at that hotel anymore. <b>This whole not knowing ANYWHERE we are going was CRAZY</b>! So, I heard the tour guide say something and all of the kids started cheering, so I figured we were going someplace cool. We ended up going to the beach...it was sooo nice!!!</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJLgqyqY1T3wTTesBQXQnpTHBBZ2x2fn-u0LMS9o5GRZEFmQkcfRNHUdFE3tehuloBz3yh8pjTPCp3wNI5F7WSBPbo9xooZcS5N4v_rcULFmWkQ1Nx0v7he_5hcRhyphenhyphenycZkEvip7oxZ1k/s1600/vlcsnap-13707159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJLgqyqY1T3wTTesBQXQnpTHBBZ2x2fn-u0LMS9o5GRZEFmQkcfRNHUdFE3tehuloBz3yh8pjTPCp3wNI5F7WSBPbo9xooZcS5N4v_rcULFmWkQ1Nx0v7he_5hcRhyphenhyphenycZkEvip7oxZ1k/s400/vlcsnap-13707159.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrH_rh9s_wiQ3DDQZsPjtlMNivjDk2bjL0my1fOGf9XZuha6IF5-DY86_w5H1tyiwwS-cZw7vdgjUD4rIq2RxnHIpPcOt_nOPg87df1NO-g9Y_3FqU2TKxAnwU7RX8Is6B8eDuf9FiyWg/s1600/vlcsnap-13707440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrH_rh9s_wiQ3DDQZsPjtlMNivjDk2bjL0my1fOGf9XZuha6IF5-DY86_w5H1tyiwwS-cZw7vdgjUD4rIq2RxnHIpPcOt_nOPg87df1NO-g9Y_3FqU2TKxAnwU7RX8Is6B8eDuf9FiyWg/s400/vlcsnap-13707440.jpg" width="287" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Yeah the sand was all wet, and it was cool out, but it was nice to hear the waves again! The kids were going absolutely CRAZY and were soooo excited! It was great! They all threw their shoes off and ran into the edge of the water and would all scream when waves would come. I'm sure that most of these kids have never been outside of Chengdu before and have never seen an ocean! So, it was a huge deal (like it is to anyone who hasn't been to the ocean before). We didn't have time to go swimming swimming, just put our feet in...that was good enough for me, cause it was freezing! The kids all got soaked and had to change their clothes. Then, an hour later we all got back on the bus....and of course I didn't know what we were gunna do next....I just assumed we would go on a cool boat ride or a museum or something....</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Well, the bus just kept going and going....<b>5 HOURS LATER</b>, we all got off the bus, and there was a boat waiting there for us...and it was seriously like a DUNGEON! We all just piled into this boat with <b>NO WINDOWS AT ALL</b>..and just stood there for 20 minutes....I thought I was going to puke everywhere...(I could only imagine this is what it was like for people to come to America on the boats....) </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOXn3QpKkQZTKvMqWWVW4TyD8xwJjxhPT7iwPczz9E2l6Bh8xhC7-B5c6xgXS54oOIghWo75cRSLAnqwmVoXzwwhzji-pG2WvzuV_2SaIkJkx-6ALwEBHpR5erOEKSRVE2gVfsL-eVo0/s1600/vlcsnap-13708692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOXn3QpKkQZTKvMqWWVW4TyD8xwJjxhPT7iwPczz9E2l6Bh8xhC7-B5c6xgXS54oOIghWo75cRSLAnqwmVoXzwwhzji-pG2WvzuV_2SaIkJkx-6ALwEBHpR5erOEKSRVE2gVfsL-eVo0/s400/vlcsnap-13708692.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSj3IfXXBwH_GkJ-2NZlVsvS-tPWHBLjCzPM_oZNfTiv7QdH3kaC_QjDerweLq6YnY2eYJ3GtR7Hce0AGxDEWJYfTzWBEr1kXienbxcA2ookxL7XibR5na9uvU53lPn_V2rB_lN4XLPi0/s1600/vlcsnap-13709141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSj3IfXXBwH_GkJ-2NZlVsvS-tPWHBLjCzPM_oZNfTiv7QdH3kaC_QjDerweLq6YnY2eYJ3GtR7Hce0AGxDEWJYfTzWBEr1kXienbxcA2ookxL7XibR5na9uvU53lPn_V2rB_lN4XLPi0/s400/vlcsnap-13709141.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We ended up at a Navy Base....the kids all piled out of the boat and officers started yelling at all of the kids to get into lines and come quickly....it was nuts!</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWHhxly7ugFWkyKo-brM4Hem-3QRCdfuwiw2ZYyRRags3tNfRzNm7MgF2d3ABRb0jRh5xKUv_J0IFEIWxVcao9jqMp3wkNcVztOES-PQwIlojxdJLTZB5ApR0LJ_NpLp1yEA05PWjFyQ/s1600/vlcsnap-13710145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWHhxly7ugFWkyKo-brM4Hem-3QRCdfuwiw2ZYyRRags3tNfRzNm7MgF2d3ABRb0jRh5xKUv_J0IFEIWxVcao9jqMp3wkNcVztOES-PQwIlojxdJLTZB5ApR0LJ_NpLp1yEA05PWjFyQ/s400/vlcsnap-13710145.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">When they got to their rooms there were like 20 people to one room with bunk beds that are WOOD..really...WOOD beds..and NO BLANKETS...</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1TvSetZ3esjD1IV_376nqUTyGiaobhiUYoyR3INoOolfa2715a88fCN2NfC76W22fmmoaqUcRxw_gmfu3MM6zMcjDExdltCbdCxKU7CHcasZShldnVW4AE9A0qhGwI8P6aNQ91d_1ds/s1600/vlcsnap-13709781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1TvSetZ3esjD1IV_376nqUTyGiaobhiUYoyR3INoOolfa2715a88fCN2NfC76W22fmmoaqUcRxw_gmfu3MM6zMcjDExdltCbdCxKU7CHcasZShldnVW4AE9A0qhGwI8P6aNQ91d_1ds/s400/vlcsnap-13709781.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I got really nervous....luckily I was told that since I am a foreigner I wasn't allowed to sleep there THANK GOD....I had to go to this hotel which was pretty nice! </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The meals were <b>DISGUSTING</b> and I just ate a couple of bites of bread (seriously) for breakfast, lunch and dinner.<br />
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<b> DAY 4</b>:<br />
Before any meal at the Navy Base, the kids had to do these drills, and if anyone got something wrong, they ALL had to do it over again until everyone got it right..it was really funny! The kids sang some songs and did some military drills all day....BORINGGGG.....I wasn't even supposed to be there...haha.....</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Then, all of the adults went on this trolly ride around the base and of course I didn't understand anything, so I got to go on for free...Then we got dropped off at this little shopping center where everyone sold the same things...SEASHELLS....it was nice to just walk around instead of just sitting there though! Then, we seriously sat, waiting for 3 HOURS for lunch that I didn't eat...and after lunch we waited for 2 HOURS....WHAT THE FLIP....WHAT A WASTE OF TIME! I get soooooo antsy! Well, at least I practiced my Chinese with people! </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So, I had to go to the squatter bathroom and literally WAS GAGGING....I went, and then RAN out of there like choking and coughing...people were staring at me...I don't care...MAN EVEN WITH MY NOSE PLUGGED IT WAS RANK! <b>IT WAS HORRENDOUS</b>!!!!! I've NEVER been in such a disgusting bathroom in my life! </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So finally after all that waiting we went to a LAME Navy museum. Then we all got our stuff and got back onto the dungeon boat back to the town <a href="http://www.weihai.gov.cn/weihai/en/overview/">WeiHai</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Then, we all got onto the bus and I was told we were going back to Qingdao (At least that's what I thought I heard) So I prepared myself for a 5 hour bus ride back....and <b>5 MINUTES</b> later we got to this hotel..haha...this was so crazy not knowing ANYTHING.....</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It was a really nice hotel...I had to share a room with some grandma who came on the trip and one of the tour guides. So, I'm just watching TV, and all of a sudden the grandma comes out of the shower <b>TOTALLY NAKED</b> and just starts talking to me!!!!! OMG...TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT!! I wasn't THAT surprised, since I've lived in China for almost a year, and weird stuff always happens...They also all go pee with the doors WIDE OPEN and just get naked in front of you to change. I just HAD TO get out of the room, so I went into the lobby and just hung out for like an hour. I had such a headache from hearing ONLY CHINESE for all of this time..I needed a break! Then I went back to the room, and the phone in our room kept on ringing, and the Grandma would just stare at me and I'm like HELLO I DON'T SPEAK CHINESE I'M NOT ANSWERING IT! Then, kids kept coming in and out of my room when we all have our pajamas on....I felt EXHAUSTED!<br />
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<b> DAY 5</b>:<br />
So, I woke up at 5 AM for no reason..I kept waking up super early on this trip...Maybe I was paranoid that they would leave without me! Everyone went to eat the same meal of breakfast....EVERY FREAKIN MEAL WAS EXACTLY THE SAME!! I didn't even want to LOOK at any of the food. I bought a Pepsi and some small cookies for some nourishment since I hadn't eaten in 3 days. Everyone was trying to force me to eat, I didn't know how to communicate that if I even SMELLED any of it I would throw up everywhere..I just kept telling them I already ate. HOW THE FLIP CAN THEY EAT THE SAME FREAKIN THING EVERY DAY FOR 3 MEALS A DAY!! AHHHHHHHH!!! Soooo weird! </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Then I just got on the bus at 7:30AM and we left at 9:30 AM . That's how it's been this WHOLE TRIP.. WAITING WAITING WAITING on the bus...it was soooo annoying! Then we left for Qingdao...Then guess what we did? We went for lunch....Everyone but me! I sat in the lobby and ate a Snickers bar while people stared at me. Then, I got on the bus and waited for another hour to leave. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We went to the Haier museum....Another LAME museum...<b>WHO WANTS TO GO TO A MUSEUM FILLED WITH REFRIGERATORS</b>? They took millions of pictures!!! Too funny (ESPECIALLY THE HAIER MASCOTS!!!)</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZGjQyjUMhEkcFEL9Qc1phHDO0kHnYgF6TU7ZHm5zb6ZQcYz7KLDVVcp9HJ8qyMX7BIBsa0zc7yrAv4xmsLtK4B_pqBEjwpmPf7GhjW8AFr38wKkciSQJjOj8UNyGbuZXqP5SPkBPvSs/s1600/vlcsnap-13710414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZGjQyjUMhEkcFEL9Qc1phHDO0kHnYgF6TU7ZHm5zb6ZQcYz7KLDVVcp9HJ8qyMX7BIBsa0zc7yrAv4xmsLtK4B_pqBEjwpmPf7GhjW8AFr38wKkciSQJjOj8UNyGbuZXqP5SPkBPvSs/s400/vlcsnap-13710414.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Then, we went to Coca Cola. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxeSOW44Cc0cB5trIJSovzsQHFOztRA02h5RQuf-L9ogP6L5BF3prduBgD0kPR5v0imElEA3eWSetMPA5v4MEhJxIFSvw-so0gz4y4pAR57R5PC4qrzB3xo3nc1NAOcpPQKqJpIRyqG0U/s1600/vlcsnap-13710488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxeSOW44Cc0cB5trIJSovzsQHFOztRA02h5RQuf-L9ogP6L5BF3prduBgD0kPR5v0imElEA3eWSetMPA5v4MEhJxIFSvw-so0gz4y4pAR57R5PC4qrzB3xo3nc1NAOcpPQKqJpIRyqG0U/s400/vlcsnap-13710488.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We went in and they gave us a free drink and watched a movie which was mostly just Coca Cola commercials...we got to see drinks being made and bottled which was cool...and that was it....It wasn't even an hour...</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Next, we went to this weirdo store that ONLY sold dried packaged seafood and it smelled <b>HORRIBLE</b>. I thought GREAT now the entire bus is gunna smell like this! The kids of course went crazy and bought like EVERYTHING in the store! </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Then, it was time for dinner...This time I didn't even get off the bus! The kids were all asking me in Chinese why I wasn't eating...I told them I wasn't used to it and I ate some crackers. FINALLY we were off to the airport....Our flight left at 10:50 PM ....</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And of course at the END of the ENTIRE TRIP I find out that most of the kids DO speak SOME English and they all started talking to me and asking me questions at the freaking AIRPORT....I guess they didn't have anything to look forward to anymore, and they finally realized that I was there with them! </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXWLu5sa9M4zFsvd6Qho6JduW7GJtTariEa7QOqdylPSL9vbLVrJUNAtfBqN52rrHf4gK8Xekr1PvMJEWy6BHDzBol8MlvEan8677FRDZLpex0UfOBgb0XBd9bnqqdRB7yQ_lZ1YOcHv8/s1600/vlcsnap-13704598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXWLu5sa9M4zFsvd6Qho6JduW7GJtTariEa7QOqdylPSL9vbLVrJUNAtfBqN52rrHf4gK8Xekr1PvMJEWy6BHDzBol8MlvEan8677FRDZLpex0UfOBgb0XBd9bnqqdRB7yQ_lZ1YOcHv8/s400/vlcsnap-13704598.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">My ticket said I was supposed to sit in the middle of all of the kids, but I told the flight attendant I couldn't sit there, so she let me sit in the front row..I had had ENOUGH!<br />
<br />
FINAL THOUGHTS:<br />
WHO DOES THIS?!?!?!?! It was a CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY experience and I'm really glad that I did it....It was hard, but worth it. I really had to turn my Chinese Brain on the entire trip and I learned a lot of new words, and my listening skills have improved! I learned A TON of different cultural differences....It was cool being absolutely FORCED to speak only Chinese and listen to ONLY Chinese....</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
I was pushed WAY beyond my comfort zone MANY TIMES....But hey, you gotta do that sometimes in life right!?!?!<br />
<br />
~NaTALIE~<br />
;0) </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">*********************************************</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif, helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hope you all enjoyed this story! Life is too short, do something CRAZY!!!</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=new.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/new.png" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-64110258052445359552010-03-19T22:48:00.000-04:002010-03-19T22:48:05.534-04:00Alice in Wonderland Movie in 3D<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">GO SEE IT IN 3D! SOOOOOOO AMAZING! </span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=new.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/new.png" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-25499797604926169222010-03-14T20:23:00.000-04:002010-03-14T20:23:27.960-04:00Classic Case of Writer's BlockSo, I started writing one day and before I knew it I had 3 really awesome chapters to some sort of book...the only problem is that I'm not sure where I'm going to go with the story. <br />
The chapters are well written, but they are in no order...Every time I go back and read it over I change things....anyways, I thought I'd share my writer's block with you........................<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=new.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/new.png" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-27014415529655145622010-03-07T14:47:00.000-05:002010-03-07T14:57:10.178-05:00Noelle's Baby Shower!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.roycroftinn.com/inn/inn_history.htm" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDg3uB3QoBww7A-e3cFstL7IoxoX2fL2uJcKG_mYi-hzHOM7uIKr0Uv_iINvtXNp0fFEDqs6uucvZdrCaH4vnaU10REXwcefBdirT-pVJDftu-ht4LNG4k50mx37ZVfomhoCgNcex41U/s320/Logo.gif" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.roycroftinn.com/inn/inn_history.htm"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fANk0oDm7zDCEQoNnLcyETRVoGB3jqdkjTlUIiWmDGk0LNLctMQZEEfOEnJpFlV3wY4oCcFxlwRbCyzgu_jz6svK-zJGvtOaBH5ftsRFNI3LWoi9fl_ElwOiwxbRN8flvh7KOXwdOL4/s320/Fireplace.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">My cousin, Noelle, is having a baby girl!!!!<br />
<br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Her baby shower was at the amazing<br />
<a href="http://roycroftinn.com/inn/inn_history.htm">Roycroft Inn</a> in <a href="http://www.east-aurora.ny.us/">East Aurora, NY</a>. <br />
<br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The Roycroft Inn is very rustic, cozy and elegant. <br />
I thought it was the perfect setting for a baby shower.<br />
I just love it there!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9njzzbnNLTwaI58kDHryeh6pnSRxwyZtogFnLpvneSqyCoAWZJckYxfb1wp2w6pdUKFb3sDnghOJ87QWe5R1qGer_cNAQ4ALin6rMj40f3Sni_lAq7wB_N0f6kMdH-vak7faq28m9ZhU/s1600-h/2010-02-27+09.33.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9njzzbnNLTwaI58kDHryeh6pnSRxwyZtogFnLpvneSqyCoAWZJckYxfb1wp2w6pdUKFb3sDnghOJ87QWe5R1qGer_cNAQ4ALin6rMj40f3Sni_lAq7wB_N0f6kMdH-vak7faq28m9ZhU/s400/2010-02-27+09.33.35.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here is a picture of the card! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Since our family is French, my mom thought it would be cute to write bébé on the card.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's hard trying to think of something to put on the front of a baby shower card!<br />
I think it turned out cute!<br />
I made this card using my <a href="http://www.cricut.com/">Cricut Expression Machine</a>!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Here is how I made the card:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">used the </span><a href="http://www.cricut.com/shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?id=148&s=1&sc=18"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Cricut Plantin SchoolBook Cartridge</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> for the whole project.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The card was cut using Tall Ball function and cut at 6" using two different pieces of cardstock: A light purple so that I would be able to write a message on the inside, and I wanted the darker purple for the front and back of the card once it's folded. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I cut the polka dotted rectangle using the Shadow Rectangle Feature at 5 3/4".</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The pink strip with white scallop on the bottom of the card is from </span><a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/product_view.php?id=1663"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">DCWB's Sweet Stack</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I had to painstakingly trim around all of the little bumps to get it but I think it was worth it! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/product_view.php?id=1663"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOhqtELegqOjYEppKKexh8Uv-MPE-GPGVbrhhuINI-f0aImmmG41ieiC7pFE36FBiwDayFjK6xks00Dpxj20EtZXg5O0DDqQRbAu-WrxTE0rBBYCEwWyAa_UiMA1TPgyZPiR_GWOKKgM/s320/SweetStack.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I cut out the letters for "bébé" using the Tall Ball function key for both colors </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">(The top color and the shadow darker color) at 1". </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I cut out exclamation points and cut them down to size for the accent marks over the "é's". </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I added the cute pink ribbon on top of the card, stringing it through the folding guide hole that the Cricut automatically cuts out when cutting the card.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I had written up a whole explanation about how I did the envelope, but I definitely FORGOT to take a picture of it!!! So I'll just leave it out...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">After we signed the card, I tied the same pink ribbon that was on top of the card itself through the holes in the envelope. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=new.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/new.png" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-84223415439452262032010-02-24T11:59:00.000-05:002010-02-24T12:03:38.970-05:00Don't Forget to Recycle When Scrapbooking or Crafting!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQM0oHJz9HRjYcFHaw3LEhwCG2DhbcUsYXcZP7G1qiXl5bPSwTxSRtGyo1OUvoBGl8wVPUc8r_xgKBdQ9YlbCvsZDVQfV5ZXifDXqZXGvbpQ6vDHcMEVYmtxzumtyYj8KwhJbR08ZZ-LQ/s1600-h/recycle+earth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQM0oHJz9HRjYcFHaw3LEhwCG2DhbcUsYXcZP7G1qiXl5bPSwTxSRtGyo1OUvoBGl8wVPUc8r_xgKBdQ9YlbCvsZDVQfV5ZXifDXqZXGvbpQ6vDHcMEVYmtxzumtyYj8KwhJbR08ZZ-LQ/s200/recycle+earth.jpg" width="171" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">One MAJOR thing that I looked past when collecting papers and cardstacks was to LOOK TO SEE IF THEY WERE RECYCLED PAPER!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/index.php">DCVW</a> carries a couple of 70% Recycled Cardstacks:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">(Click on the pics for a closer look) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/product_view.php?id=2019" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip63qWOmktNTZQeeTkxKRIeF-GEYZYy9uDSIWzf2RuiV0UvyYUseZHPAfqnk6ZFEiQc2G79d48ZgazTomBOiSsRtobrFMi3IhiHBOuH9gysWlnCCCT7It8vxPLBZA6KVGogM5aDJqrvuo/s200/ECO+Stack.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/product_view.php?id=1739" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-wVKAO1uVOK_vSdiQEh2ZjHb2ChbDPoTbOVes1fmVzbCMklrXq6UUYgXW7ro1JYsPdqqzZTP9NukBUhSD3WDyeQsc67wUPImgETsgM5Nl3GXQqRuz8LkldyOlNk-Rshd8k8d0TZdNRQ/s200/The+Green+Stack.jpg" width="200" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"> There are plenty of recycled cardstocks </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">available too, you just have to look!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: lime; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: lime; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><b>PLEASE check for a recycle symbol before purchasing any paper or </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: lime; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><b>supplies for your scrapbooking or craftmaking!</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And ALWAYS keep a bin by your workspot to throw </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in scraps to use later or to recycle....I even save up the smallest pieces to cut up small </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">circles when needed for the centers of flowers.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMwdEf1UVKCQUgMv9i1F7jnJN2OsRd4jQ3_xfg20OnB7jXbFyB8WbfO5-wm_Cu0iyozuLxx8PQYMu_2usy_xKbInmSK1W4yZ1zSRmpfxzR4gTx1M4LqOBEbqL-hZPWq1RIaa6TIbjYVc/s1600-h/new.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMwdEf1UVKCQUgMv9i1F7jnJN2OsRd4jQ3_xfg20OnB7jXbFyB8WbfO5-wm_Cu0iyozuLxx8PQYMu_2usy_xKbInmSK1W4yZ1zSRmpfxzR4gTx1M4LqOBEbqL-hZPWq1RIaa6TIbjYVc/s320/new.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-28356276265264545372010-02-21T15:50:00.000-05:002010-02-21T15:50:32.346-05:00KEEP NYS PARKS OPEN!!!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION TO KEEP NEW YORK STATE PARKS OPEN!!!!!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/SaveNYSParks/">CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION</a></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">CLOSING OUR PARKS WOULD</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">BE </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-large;"><b>DISASTROUS<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">!!!</span></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>WE NEED EVERYONE'S HELP!!!!!</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=316960658569">JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP</a>!</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/SaveNYSParks/">PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION!!!!</a></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=new.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/new.png" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-27166464364999837652010-02-18T20:23:00.000-05:002010-02-19T09:42:18.009-05:00Photo Love #2 - Paris Crêpes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&client=safari&ie=UTF8&q=Victor+Hugo+cafe+paris&fb=1&gl=us&hq=Victor+Hugo+cafe&hnear=paris&view=map&cid=8524460969813829687&iwloc=A&ved=0CDIQpQY&sa=X&ei=y_x9S62TFor2ygTk5oHTCA">Café Le Victor Hugo</a></span></i></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ92tgJ0SpTz84x-7RCx3PrLDoNhK5MSALhXG9ImmWlDQN9gxnyI8gxWvLk5BQultAqegE9zP_gG5vE15GHfD7uMaVrY6f8lmr9hH6am6urjpU4I33ioJFbLe4ps_vW5rUk6d3ae4o0QU/s1600-h/HamGruyereCheeseCrepeParis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ92tgJ0SpTz84x-7RCx3PrLDoNhK5MSALhXG9ImmWlDQN9gxnyI8gxWvLk5BQultAqegE9zP_gG5vE15GHfD7uMaVrY6f8lmr9hH6am6urjpU4I33ioJFbLe4ps_vW5rUk6d3ae4o0QU/s400/HamGruyereCheeseCrepeParis.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Une Crêpe Jambon et Fromage</i></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLrlDV50ycKNqAZJgBwRq3oMf9obj3Lole6pgymGyf-sGd4GkS5WgdXwfqHdNlp7KSqRFhh_k8QWK5W6hTnBh5E82bXdogm4FS13i_7DuQ0m5vZuqNs0BKfvgNEhDAa_nf7GmqlYwq_Q/s1600-h/IMG_0120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLrlDV50ycKNqAZJgBwRq3oMf9obj3Lole6pgymGyf-sGd4GkS5WgdXwfqHdNlp7KSqRFhh_k8QWK5W6hTnBh5E82bXdogm4FS13i_7DuQ0m5vZuqNs0BKfvgNEhDAa_nf7GmqlYwq_Q/s400/IMG_0120.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Une Crêpe Nutella et Banane</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times-Roman;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times-Roman;"><b>Paris, France </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times-Roman;"><b>March 2009</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times-Roman;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After eating at pricey restaurants for a few days, my mom and I decided that it was time to become one with the Parisians. We took off on our own and stumbled upon the cutest bistro when trying to find our way back from the Eiffel Tower: "Café Le Victor Hugo". </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Looking like it came straight from my imagination, I was eager to take a million pictures. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ed2KXvLusNLQF951wpGmLBVbS8x8WyO4xpi5Wut84zK_ZEeUhJ8kgMXhHZo0LI7KnVcYq5ml_1nIJqX9zN3f6wZKqwygh31gRp9eH2Umfain-dqP0YOS1-sezV5nXzOznbqHKpvInHs/s1600-h/IMG_0123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ed2KXvLusNLQF951wpGmLBVbS8x8WyO4xpi5Wut84zK_ZEeUhJ8kgMXhHZo0LI7KnVcYq5ml_1nIJqX9zN3f6wZKqwygh31gRp9eH2Umfain-dqP0YOS1-sezV5nXzOznbqHKpvInHs/s400/IMG_0123.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We sat outside on a cool day taking in the amazing scenery, watching people walk their little dogs (and eating with them at the table too!), listening to the beautiful fluttering French language of the passerby's and for me, not believing that it was real.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Since it was my first trip to Paris, I thought it was beyond necessary to eat an authentic crêpe of some sort. When we opened up the menu, I was ecstatic to see that I actually understood most of what was written, and that these ridiculously amazing crêpes were on the very first page....It was meant to be. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Je voudrais une crêpe jambon et fromage, et une crêpe nutella et banane sil vous plait." I stumbled a bit on my words since throughout the entire trip my fluent-in-French mother, grandmother, aunts and even younger cousins would take care of the speaking for me. I was so excited when he understood what I meant: "I would like a ham and cheese crêpe and a nutella and banana crêpe please." </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That was it...I caught the french speaking bug </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and from then on I craved crêpes for the rest of our trip. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>If you are lucky enough to find yourself </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>in Paris one day, stop by and take it all in! </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Carte_M%C3%A9tro_de_Paris.jpg">Simply hop on the metro, and take "Ligne No 2" to "Victor Hugo".</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-c1zgLhn7sz0atHxkIvDEZOuhE17vxJSqsn-iueSoG_rynL4A8wH8HJIiCzHS_GFWK5MyX-0OlJrfGaI7uIQeJgfLOO4JArGF2rGcEMSnUfkNnjzjG-3EIPP3mePJw1VhHKDg-CMvsU/s1600-h/IMG_0122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-c1zgLhn7sz0atHxkIvDEZOuhE17vxJSqsn-iueSoG_rynL4A8wH8HJIiCzHS_GFWK5MyX-0OlJrfGaI7uIQeJgfLOO4JArGF2rGcEMSnUfkNnjzjG-3EIPP3mePJw1VhHKDg-CMvsU/s400/IMG_0122.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=new.png" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/new.png" /></span></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-263639042045600322010-02-17T13:01:00.000-05:002010-02-17T13:01:32.112-05:00Whoops<div style="text-align: center;">So I haven't posted in a while, </div><div style="text-align: center;">sorry to all of my visitors out there!! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I've been busy watching the 2010 Olympics, </div><div style="text-align: center;">playing with my new Motorola Cliq Phone, </div><div style="text-align: center;">and getting inspired of course........</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Look for new posts soon!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=new.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/new.png" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-87071997540971986322010-02-14T12:21:00.001-05:002010-02-14T12:21:58.833-05:00Yay!<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!</span></span></span></b> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=new.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/new.png" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-36626530290644088692010-02-11T15:26:00.000-05:002010-02-11T15:26:13.507-05:00Yes, I'm Amazing!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3h6CPey-Pe2n7c09hbjTFmnSVZnht_QFK1WfGnQumFxCaj_axDCbfP_zPZsNjsQLV2lQd_whVeiIGH7veDeylMmhzQ8StO09Yghy-3x15FdnBYrwpU3LI_2C_g2dee787UeZXr02L3s/s1600-h/IMG00042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3h6CPey-Pe2n7c09hbjTFmnSVZnht_QFK1WfGnQumFxCaj_axDCbfP_zPZsNjsQLV2lQd_whVeiIGH7veDeylMmhzQ8StO09Yghy-3x15FdnBYrwpU3LI_2C_g2dee787UeZXr02L3s/s400/IMG00042.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This is what happens when you have an injury...Hahahaaaa</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I have beaten Super Mario Brothers Wii 3 times, </div><div style="text-align: center;">found all of the secret goals, </div><div style="text-align: center;">and found all of the star coins for every single board. </div><div style="text-align: center;">(With the help of my hubby)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Brien wants to sell it now...But I still love playing! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/?action=view&current=new.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac39/Natalielilahall/new.png" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-52262646796558551162010-02-11T10:05:00.000-05:002010-02-11T10:05:47.930-05:00YAY!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">WAHOOOOOOO WE FINALLY FOUND MY CAMERA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Gotta get some better pics for you all now!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGFrwb7vAzmALmpCjTxZwc60NOvWZgDvmeF8BZjtNF8jtNy0oMIcG5FUx0v_xo_o2YfqXIPt6KHeILvxAeVzQKZiPKBY4GgZ635aDFs_N_1UZyiNii9f0ED3OnA1Y32lSzWCuzcTVE-4/s1600-h/new.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGFrwb7vAzmALmpCjTxZwc60NOvWZgDvmeF8BZjtNF8jtNy0oMIcG5FUx0v_xo_o2YfqXIPt6KHeILvxAeVzQKZiPKBY4GgZ635aDFs_N_1UZyiNii9f0ED3OnA1Y32lSzWCuzcTVE-4/s320/new.png" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-30407729584873034912010-02-08T12:35:00.000-05:002010-02-08T12:37:36.340-05:00Happy 94th Birthday Maga!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXpBz1Us4LVjPDJMjA_GvHJQZRtaZ4tNFB4DLIOzP0JzbPMHOKknkpHMoRxz8iLt6IAW1WJ6xdYkZMUnzpP9wOamyoYFBAyaqkHHL51fbaZ_vP_8qY0SXRGJQdNBlRTN8VwbYGFwf_NU/s1600-h/Photo+119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXpBz1Us4LVjPDJMjA_GvHJQZRtaZ4tNFB4DLIOzP0JzbPMHOKknkpHMoRxz8iLt6IAW1WJ6xdYkZMUnzpP9wOamyoYFBAyaqkHHL51fbaZ_vP_8qY0SXRGJQdNBlRTN8VwbYGFwf_NU/s320/Photo+119.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqqW6E5H9_Nng6J6YY677UWhR7N8LCMd16zHVhyoW5dOA1iDrCsmGenSdqDQo_44hisBSFtd-BraofP69lGC9wV8kLp9mz7lAL76vTusZOyXOWsJASG2TUy27teHoROD3nyop7-dNIfl8/s1600-h/Photo+117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqqW6E5H9_Nng6J6YY677UWhR7N8LCMd16zHVhyoW5dOA1iDrCsmGenSdqDQo_44hisBSFtd-BraofP69lGC9wV8kLp9mz7lAL76vTusZOyXOWsJASG2TUy27teHoROD3nyop7-dNIfl8/s200/Photo+117.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCSj5tV44w_xY8_qqI981-Z-QOB57Vu7tv4odPpqY3DsW_DB8AYdCPnYN4u8JgYd-nYKRYvU6szauaJvjUb9ug_V9Qp-K98Bf7_MIn_dTQps-_Lfwe5duAvz7jEI1u-dckDTLm3LpimM/s1600-h/Photo+118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCSj5tV44w_xY8_qqI981-Z-QOB57Vu7tv4odPpqY3DsW_DB8AYdCPnYN4u8JgYd-nYKRYvU6szauaJvjUb9ug_V9Qp-K98Bf7_MIn_dTQps-_Lfwe5duAvz7jEI1u-dckDTLm3LpimM/s200/Photo+118.jpg" width="175" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Here is a card that I made for </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Maga's </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">94th</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> Birthday! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-large;"><br />
</span></div>I used the <a href="http://www.cricut.com/">Cricut Expression Machine</a> to cut the card and envelope. I also incorporated some beads along the left side of the card, and the dangling beads on the right side. <br />
<br />
I used the <a href="http://www.cricut.com/shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?id=148&s=1&sc=18">Plantin Schoolbook Cartridge</a> for the card and envelope, and I used the <a href="http://www.cricut.com/shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?id=728">Serenade Solutions Cartridge</a> to cut out the butterfly and the scroll images on the envelope.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Card and Envelope were cut out at 6" using the Tall Ball function, and the floral rectangle on top of the card was cut out using the rectangle feature using the shadow function on the Plantin Schoolbook Cartridge at 6". The Butterfly was cut out at 2" and the scroll was cut out at 1".<br />
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I cut the scallop edge of the floral paper with scallop scissors, and used the opposite side of the scrap to glue to the bottom of the card. I didn't feel that it was necessary to write a message on the front of the card, because I thought it would make it too busy. I wrote the message on the inside.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">The card, envelope and floral paper are from the <a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/product_view.php?id=1897">Latte Stack from DCWV</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.diecutswithaview.com/product_view.php?id=1897"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eN55dltMH9-WbxYQ4unxHogiaurNhjNF_rUA7m2SX7CHNede_-7ljGeyL8ZJlEBtOhEgg8BJ0Uc2PMpTFgiclX-MFLBYwtHc1yNlaIYP1QrPcfNQhwM7Sx-ht0kcrd30l7rlhAKZ7rw/s200/LatteStack.jpg" width="176" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The beading was simple to do. I used the Beaders Paradise Bit for the beads on the left side of the card: I simply took wire and loaded it up with the tiny beads, and put the wire through the hole in the card that the Cricut Expression cuts out (to show you where to fold the card) and bent and glued them down. I used the Blackberry Jam Beads for the jewels on the right which were also put through the holes that the Cricut already cut out for the card.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I used these beads again: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiSbPVvPajuInFJhGu8xkmv9uoi66BurAgvthbfTgQ8e4RT0jKJb2oFx1LFIF8lIdJx_6MrFrOcgRV4JtdgsYGNHFdG9IAAdL47YQUGMJdXln2O22uLavJiADw_nnQw6gl64xXpQVNm4/s1600-h/JesseJamesDressItUpBlackberryJam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiSbPVvPajuInFJhGu8xkmv9uoi66BurAgvthbfTgQ8e4RT0jKJb2oFx1LFIF8lIdJx_6MrFrOcgRV4JtdgsYGNHFdG9IAAdL47YQUGMJdXln2O22uLavJiADw_nnQw6gl64xXpQVNm4/s200/JesseJamesDressItUpBlackberryJam.jpg" width="200" /></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWX5bz1veHTHujRKqRzEE7_kgvBPbAUJQu6T0N5EtVsiwgKlQsB-ogPM_tpkH38RajtRG19WuAIZf3dLG5Tqc1Fny1R2CCSbfd4jrsjGZt_Dljb8qD7IAUnARimTzE5fbDN3t0sLKBzYU/s1600/Beaders+Paradise+Bit+Lavender+Mix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWX5bz1veHTHujRKqRzEE7_kgvBPbAUJQu6T0N5EtVsiwgKlQsB-ogPM_tpkH38RajtRG19WuAIZf3dLG5Tqc1Fny1R2CCSbfd4jrsjGZt_Dljb8qD7IAUnARimTzE5fbDN3t0sLKBzYU/s200/Beaders+Paradise+Bit+Lavender+Mix.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: lime;"> <span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span style="color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">Jesse James Dress </span> </span><span style="color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">Beaders Paradise Bit </span></span></div><div style="color: lime;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: black;">It Up Blackberry Lavendar Mix Beads</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"> Jam Beads </span><br />
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</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnPCZu5EE4N4SBXSSzBb3PpKFpg650nifFPIGC1DCQNMe4s2IvbdHxwegO9ejNaRi0ana-bPb85CujEI-UDWXVvID6t7851g8Jw8o1SNUNHZaOy8QMyRuR6gDYiMl2OtUzqMeD3UPhh4/s1600-h/new.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnPCZu5EE4N4SBXSSzBb3PpKFpg650nifFPIGC1DCQNMe4s2IvbdHxwegO9ejNaRi0ana-bPb85CujEI-UDWXVvID6t7851g8Jw8o1SNUNHZaOy8QMyRuR6gDYiMl2OtUzqMeD3UPhh4/s320/new.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div></div></div></div></span>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-32464459096643194782010-02-07T10:34:00.000-05:002010-02-08T11:31:32.381-05:00Happy Lazy Sunday....Oh and Happy Superbowl to those who care... <br />
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<a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/1397/saturday-night-live-snl-digital-short-lazy-sunday">Lazy Sunday</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83GCY9HRSJpPmM52luX57pnpZ4p_-WURPo89Mgps0k6pcOTiaEWplM3KtDI4ziw0T0Tb17ge1NZ5dlqqmpNMBlqGW88ZeMhuhyphenhyphenSZ0ammyuxStVJx2CntkEFHALbb9LY3B8t1tTGGsnto/s1600-h/new.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83GCY9HRSJpPmM52luX57pnpZ4p_-WURPo89Mgps0k6pcOTiaEWplM3KtDI4ziw0T0Tb17ge1NZ5dlqqmpNMBlqGW88ZeMhuhyphenhyphenSZ0ammyuxStVJx2CntkEFHALbb9LY3B8t1tTGGsnto/s320/new.png" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-78436881822060309542010-02-06T09:49:00.000-05:002010-02-06T10:16:11.164-05:00Coolest Scarves Ever!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Santa-Monica/Buffalo-Gal-Frills/196305032388"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7L0z1uquBGquEeQ8Y1p2GfhPoZDreQVcKo3t_HNdt4f0Ue3_enhrAHfCqYjaDY29Ty95gT9kSBJ_fP0QazQ-gEmr_6uir3JbQQ1bYvXlNNFFCM6laHj5DfStT8rylWJFzkgaiLkXmx0/s320/awesome.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I usually try to wait a couple of days to put up a new post, but I just have to share this with everyone...<br />
<br />
I was on my twitter page today and saw that I had a new follower...Usually the people who friend request me are crafters, scrapbookers, photographers, or just spam haha...But this one person really caught my eye.<br />
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Looking at the thumbnail of the picture above, I had no idea what it even was...I thought maybe it was a necklace at first....Well, I'm glad that I took a closer look! I have never seen anything like these awesome scarves! <br />
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The scarves are called: "Jersey Cord Scarves" and they are all hand-made out of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">recycled t-shirts</span>!!!<br />
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You can read more about the genius who makes them (whose hometown is Buffalo btw!!!), and can purchase one here: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/BuffaloGalFrills">Buffalo Gal Frills</a><br />
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There is also a Facebook page with more pictures of the scarves themselves: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Santa-Monica/Buffalo-Gal-Frills/196305032388?ref=mf">Facebook Buffalo Gal Frills</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Want me to review your restaurant or product? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="mailto:HallNatalieE@gmail.com">Contact Me!</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nataleeleecreations.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_toDQNQY7uKJe-yBRr8Lbwbm_cphNdVjjmmwrSegjShqxWWmswJ-H92piLnhLmDhq-UNpgL0TI5qscsy-xBQz0HZrU5U8YB7fnZYBnlWF0Qwln_rcHt35ZRtlSMhV51EZxiQWz28x4Y/s320/signature.jpg" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1879258230382732995.post-8230770849892812972010-02-05T09:12:00.000-05:002010-02-05T09:54:10.364-05:00REVIEW: Let's just talk a little about P.F.Chang's...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pfchangs.com/index.aspx"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFltC5Bp4sws-sL64Po4hQ79JsOPB-OdpRx2TJFmGgP-qKfJfDhMTwyBq4QvEYjT_uBJKlKBxpcwz4JdSan8kmZII05OvjVPDwu-aRkIpV8OHxCDmTisXpnoHPG6HTEuj6gccUCf4KcPM/s320/pfchangs_logo.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.pfchangs.com/index.aspx"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">P.F. Chang's</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> finally opened up in Buffalo...I've heard about it before, and people would rave about it.... I'm glad we were finally able to check out the hype! I really wasn't sure what to expect...I knew it couldn't be just an ordinary Chinese take out place...So I went in pretty open-minded. (I don't have any pics of the food because our camera was stolen...sorry!!)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We ordered the "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.pfchangs.com/menu/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">CHANG'S CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">" </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">for an appetizer.....YUMMMMMM!!!!! It tasted like the Wok itself, and had such a depth of flavor to it. I could have eaten just that as my meal....We ordered two (since there were 6 of us) and they went really fast! My mouth is watering just talking about it!!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For dinner, I ordered their signature dish: the "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.pfchangs.com/menu/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">MONGOLIAN BEEF</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"</span>....Even MORE YUMMMM!!!!! I loved the scallions especially. (Scallions are in a few of my favorite dishes from Chengdu, so it was nice to get that in every bite). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Be careful, you will have major onion breath for like 2 days!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> It was very expensive ($14.95) but it was a huge order, and would be enough for two. I thought it was definitely worth it!! </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My hubby, Brien, ordered the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.pfchangs.com/menu/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">CHENGDU SPICED LAMB</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"</span>...</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He loved it....I normally am not a fan of lamb... in fact I hate lamb...but I loved his dish too! It had a key Chengdu flavor, kind of like "Shao Kao" seasoning with the spice tuned down for Americans ...but it was delish!!! I couldn't get enough of it!! Man I miss those flavors!!! </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dessert....well I was pretty disappointed. Brien and I ordered the "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1265309380404">THE</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.pfchangs.com/menu/"> GREAT WALL OF CHOCOLATE</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">" </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">which was basically a massive piece of chocolate cake....looks better than it tasted....I wouldn't order that one again it was pretty bland...I was happy we were all sharing desserts at the table..My sister-in-law, Michelle, ordered the "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.pfchangs.com/menu/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">BANANA SPRING ROLLS</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">" </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and I didn't want to give it back!!! Holy moly that was an AMAZING dessert!! I'll definitely order that one instead next time!!!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For my drink, I ordered the "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.pfchangs.com/menu/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">PF-X</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">" </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">which has: </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">X-RATED Fusion Liqueur, Mango Vodka and Pama Liqueur shaken with a splash of Sprite</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">....</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Best drink I have had in a long time....It was $9 and not that big, but I loved it! Yes, it sounds frilly and girly....but who cares....get over it....try it!! Tasted like a jolly rancher!! </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Go with a big group of people and all order different dishes...we had so much fun passing our food around the table trying bites of each other's. That way, the next time you go, you know which dish to get. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I don't think anyone took food home, it was that good!!! Just be prepared to pay a lot! (I'm sure if you go at lunch time it would be cheaper)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #251617; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">I recommend this restaurant to anyone!! </span></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Sooooo good!!!</span></i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Want me to review your restaurant or product? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="mailto:HallNatalieE@gmail.com">Contact me!</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nataleeleecreations.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1T5ikHsbPbNIwA71MQKdphIguPH-HlmL1VUw-W_mqEYbRZwuaVCUwy310wPXU1Mn62_1vUFfB27bS8NyV1xlyYT20SUY46fymKTK9pfsH5Hi8_JE9scHV9byf8CdWJCCHhhf1vNAGCos/s320/signature.jpg" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03103531322519161763noreply@blogger.com1