Not Everyone's Mama

I’ve got a little poll for you! And as a thank you for answering my questions, I have a cute little freebie preview of my newest element pack called Chalk Me Up!

Isn’t that cute?  Can you not wait for the rest to hit the store?  Now, you might ask, how do I get this freebie?  Please Heather, tell me now!

Ok, I will!  No need to get so impatient!  LOL 

Leave me a coment (make sure you leave your email address) answer my little poll and I will send you a link to pick up your chalk me up cherry!  You have til Monday night to respond, well, you can respond past then, but Tuesday I’ll be sending out the links to pick up, and then that’s it.  Little Cherry goes into retirement!

Here’s what I want to know!

Are you particular about your freebies?

When I first started looking for freebies, I did not care about what it was, it was free, it was mine.  LOL  Now, it takes a really special freebie for me to download, cuz um – well, my computer can only hold so much.  LOL

Do you ONLY download freebies, or do you buy things also?

I’ve just started buying, so don’t feel bad about answering this one truthfully!  My husband didn’t want me spending money on something he didn’t consider to be important.  But, now that he’s seen all the stuff I make for our scrap books, he doesn’t mind me spending a little, but he still cringes a little when I tell him I bought something.  LOL  Heck, I cringe when I tell him I bought something.  So, the freebies help me out!

Do you (or do you plan on buying) buy things from a designer that you didn’t know because you tried one of her freebies?

I plan on it.  There are so many wonderful designers that I have gotten freebies from, I have a wish list for the rest of their stuff!  Little by little!

Does your favorite designer offer freebies or sales?   If not, would you buy more (or be able to buy more) if they did?

2 of my favorite designers are Blythe Evans and Micheline Martin.  I think they have both have sales, but not everything I’ve bought has been on sale.  But, Blythe’s alpha she had on sale yesterday, I went right on over and snatched up!  LOL  But, with these 2, sale or no sale, I’d be buying the things I wanted from them.

Ok, you’re turn!  Remember to leave your email addy so I can send you the link, and have your comments in by Monday night (or before I sent the links out Tuesday, I’ll post it here when I do)

Now, on to my newest product!  I had SO much fun making these!  Chalk Me Up

Remember when you were younger and you loved to color with chalk on everything?   Sidewalks, construction paper, cardboard?  Go back to your childhood with Chalk Me Up!  12 elements all chalked up!  What a fun way to add some more pizazz to your colorful layouts, or to add an accent to your ones with lots of space!
 

These will be $3.99 but they are 50% off – $1.99 right now!  Snag them while they are on sale!

Special thanks to Micheline Martin for use of her Cardboard basics

Mr Linky and the freebies are in this post.

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AGH!  Ok, why didn’t someone tell me it was Saturday?  I mean, I knew it was, I took Jordan to his soccer game.  Then, I sat down to get to work on a lil something that ‘s coming out, maybe tomorrow called Chalk Me Up, then, we went to eat.  And there is a reason I don’t eat at buffets all the time, I eat too much macaroni and spaghetti, then I feel yucky, EVERY TIME!  But I keep doing it.

Then, I sat down again, and finished Chalk Me Up.  And then thought, whoops, I didn’t send out an email about the freebie being linked up yet.  And then I said, whoops again, I didn’t get Mr Linky up yet!

But, it’s Share it Saturday!  It’s still Saturday in Iowa, I’ve got another hour to go!  Woohoo!  This will be up all week and you will find it linked to the bottom of every post I make so you can easily get to it.  Feel free to add your freebies and snag some freebies!  When ya go a’snaggin – leave your designers some lovin!  They (we) like to know we are appreciated.  And if you’re feeling really adventerous, check out their stores!  A lot of designers are having some AWESOME sales going on.  You can get a lot of stuff, quality stuff – really cheap if you look at their specials!

Ok, if you’re using Mr Linky for the first time.  Click on him.  Add your name, your site, and enter.  Voila, there’s your freebie!  If you’ve found some freebies, and want to list them, PLEASE make sure the designer does not have anything posted about putting their freebies on freebie lists.  There aren’t many, but some do.

And MOST IMPORTANTLY – ok, actually, there are two most importantly’s.

1)  Do not link to anything that violates copyrights:  IE – Kits made from Disney Characters

2) Do Not link to directly to the file download (IE – No rapidshare or 4shared links).  Big big no no. 

Alrighty, and heeeeeere’s Mr Linky.

Scroll down to the next post for my freebie!  Leave some love if you download!

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**EDITED:  Freebie now linked up** 

Click on any of the images to get to the page.

First we have the breezy pastels paper pack:

6 Beautifully springy, breezy, pastel papers for you to satisfy your softer side. 
These are going to be $2.50, but are 99 cents right now!

Then I just put in a set of bows from Alyce’s bows that are commercial use!  All you have to do is add your colors/patterns!

And now your freebie! the breezy pastels add on freebie!

This has 1 strand of beads, 1 stitched fabric, and one tag.  If you snag the papers, you’ve got a mini kit!

Now, for my shopping spree!  Blythe Evans has the CUTEST little boogers in her store!  I love her names!  Check out all of them!  Too fun!  Anyway, back to the boogers!

$3.00 for the personal use ones!

I grabbed her commercial use ones! 

are they not the cutest little buttons?

Now onto the new love of my life:  Micheline Martin!  Sorry Pato.  LOL 

Let’s see, I got her stitches script (For PSP YAY!) her sticker script, and her card board!  Pato’s not happy with me.  LOL  Thank you Micheline!

Now, you must head over to the Bargain Bin at Digital-Scrapbooking.org.  I’m not joking!  3 pages of products each priced at under a dollar.  I know I have 2 template sets, a set of overlays, and a paper pack in there.  The other designers have some wonderful stuff to check out also!  There are kits, alphas, elements, tons o stuff to go through!  Fill up your shopping cart with tons of fun stuff for cheap, and remember you never know what will be in the bin from Friday to Friday!

Ok, done with my flyer.  LOL  I’m just so excited about all the products out there right now!  And not just my own!

Mr Linky in this post.

More Freebies In This Post

Heck, just scroll through, there are freebies freebies everywhere!

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These little bitty things are Katiana’s baby buds. 

12 teeny tiny pastel silk roses inspired by my daughter, Katiana’s flower girl dress.  Hence the name “Katiana’s baby Buds”.    Use these to add a soft touch to your layouts.  Perfect for layouts of weddings, Easter, christenings, quinceañeras, and much more! 

These will be $2.99 but are on sale right now for $1.50.

When you put them on a 12 X 12 LO, they look like the small ones on the bottom.  The big one is there to show the texture.

You can grab those here!

Scroll down to see my other product added today and grab the freebie that goes with it!

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Here are 50 beautiful realistic bows to go with all of your layouts!  There is a color that will match just about any thing you want to scrap!  These ARe Alyce’s Bows because they were inspired by a big Bow on one of her outfits. 

They are 4.580 X 3.623 inches in size, but size down easily if you want to work with a smaller bow!

These will be $3.99 but right now they are on sale for 50% off!  50 bows for $1.98

Check them out!

I also have a freebie of Alyce’s bows for you to try!

You can snag that HERE!

Leave me a comment if you grab the bow!  I love to know what people think of my creations!

I also have Katiana’s Baby Buds and Breezy Pastels Paper Pack going into the store shortly!  If you get there before I post it, make sure you take a peak at those also!

Mr Linky and the Freebies are in this post.

Scroll to the post below for a freebie list!

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I was watching the Today Show this morning and this segment came on.  It’s about women who breastfeed other babies – women who want other women to breastfeed their babies.

 How do you feel about this?  One of the comments about this was, it’s for the busy women who just doesn’t have time to breastfeed.  Meredith said, but what is that saying?  When you’re too busy to feed your child?  I could understand when it comes to women who CAN’T breastfeed.  I was worried I was going to be one of them because I had a reduction after Jordan (I was getting scholiosis in my back) and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to breast feed the girls.  But, I ended up exlusively breastfeeding Katiana for 16 months and am going strong with Alyce.  It took a lot of work in the beginning to get them working right again, but the girls (me, not the babies) figured out how to do what they were meant to do.  LOL  But, like I said, I can completely understand with women who can’t breastfeed and want to give their child the benefits of breast milk. 

I’m probably going to step on some toes here, and I’m sure someone is going to yell at me.  I can understand formula feeding for whatever reason.  We all have different feelings on breast feeding versus formula, etc, I’m a huge breast feeding advocate but I’m not going to tell you that you have to do it, but if you want to know the benefits, I’ll be happy to tell you!  But, the comment about busy women paying someone for breast milk, when you make it yourself?  I know pumping is a pain in the toosh, or in the boob, but why wouldn’t you give your child something that your body made specificly for your child if you are capable of producing it rather than something that someone else’s body poduced for their child.  I mean, this isn’t coming from people who aren’t offended by breast feeding.  This is obviously coming from people who know the benefits of breastfeeding.  Otherwise why would they pay someone else to do it? ($1000/week – from the article)

Our body adjusts our breast milk as our children’s needs change.  So, I’m wondering if you are nursing another person’s child – (I know they have milk banks – and I think those are wonderful for preemies and those who can’t breastfeed but want to) if your body adjusts to that child’s needs? 

Meredith finished up a story that one of the ladies had told her about how her neighbor was gone, the baby was with a sitter, and the baby was screaming.  Could she go next door and nurse the baby to console him.  I don’t know if I could do that.  I think I could pump some out in an extreme situation, but to actually bring another child to my breast that isn’t mine?  But, then I think about Katiana, who wouldn’t take a bottle.  What if something happened to me?  What if I got in an accident and I was in the hospital and she was starving?  I still think I’d have someone feed her a bottle.  If she was hungry, she’d just have to learn how to take it.  I don’t know if I could physically nurse another person’s child.  What about you?   Then this brings up women who adopt babies and they use the system where they have something hooked up to the breast, the baby sucks, they get formula, but it also stimulates that woman’s body to produce milk.  But, in the cases of adoption, that is YOUR child.  Not someone else’s.  I don’t think that’s the same thing.

You know, speaking of breastfeeding.  I think it was Baby Talk that had a beautiful picture of a baby nursing on the cover a couple of months ago.  You couldn’t see the nipple.  It was just a precious picture.   Someone wrote in and called it pornagraphic.  Since when is breastfeeding pornographic.  I’ve been interviewed in 2 articles now on breastfeeding, one online and one in our local paper.  When I breastfeed in public, I cover up with a blanket, but I do feed my daughter in public.  And to think that someone might think that is pornographic, that is just ridiculous.  My comment to a radio show host here in Des Moines, (the one who was against nursing in public) “Your sexual hang ups regarding breasts are your problem, not my child’s.  These were first and foremost made for nourishing my child and that’s what I’m using them for.” 

I found the cover on a blog.  You can see if here if you want to.

I’m not out to start any fights with this!  )  Just food for thought!  Something I’ve been pondering this morning.

 Now on to the freebie list.  Bunny posted a list of freebies and told me to go ahead and post it over here on my blog.  So, here’s a long list of freebies for you!

KITS

http://admirandoavida.blogspot.com/index.html postedd the 18th.  Small kit with ornamental decors.

http://nanas-attic.blogspot.com/ PRETTY KIT.  Love this blog.  Great tutorial on the 24th!

http://roseliscrap.blogspot.com/index.html pretty “melon”y colored kit.

http://byodete-scraps.blogspot.com/index.html nature themed kit (also some pinks posted on the 1st)

http://hm-scraps.blogspot.com/index.html Green kit on the 23rd

http://pamelagibsondesigns.blogspot.com/index.html very nice, browns and blues. kind of romantic. LOL.

http://mumslittleworld.blogspot.com/index.html scroll down. Says its a sampler, but its got quite a bit in it!

http://scrapcelina.blogspot.com/index.html spring kit (scroll down for some LOVELY ribbons!)

http://scraphouseblog.blogspot.com/index.html kit with a PRETTY blue, brown, melon color scheme. 

http://3alfsscrapbookdigital.blogspot.com/index.html underwater kit

http://kakleid.blogspot.com/index.html kit

http://cia-dos-scraps.blogspot.com/index.html really cute pastelly-bright flowery kit. LOL

http://evakdesigns.typepad.com/digi/  cute pink and peach

http://sheroozzz.blogspot.com/index.html minis

http://valgouveiascraps.blogspot.com/index.html very cute spring kit on the 24th

PAPERS

http://vjscraproom.blogspot.com/ a sitshced leather paper.  cute.. like colorblocking. check older posts too, always goodies here.

http://angelsdigiscrap.blogspot.com/index.html fuzzy spring papers.

ASSORTEDS and ADDONS

http://100xcientonatu.blogspot.com/index.html  flower shapes brads… several updates in the last few weeks, so read recent posts too!

http://catriona-macgregor.blogspot.com/index.html pretty memorial freebie on teh 20th!

http://lalalime.blogspot.com/ baby rattle element

http://seebeesfreebies.blogspot.com/ Mouse Balloons

http://mermaidshaven.blogspot.com/index.html VERY NICE!   This girl keeps getting better and better!

http://khristy.blogspot.com/index.html note cards

http://janniscrapdesigns.blogspot.com/index.html cute tags and stuff

http://mistycatodesigns.blogspot.com/index.html glittery alpha.

http://secretlifeofschmoopy.typepad.com/thesecretlifeofschmoopy/ pretty tag on the 21st

http://beth-dragonflyscrapper.blogspot.com/ gel alpha on the 19th

http://darlenedesigns.wordpress.com/ pretty sampler

http://scrappinbikerchick.wordpress.com/ 2fertuesdays

http://alexis3700.wordpress.com/ kit sampler and a template!

http://digital-scrapbooking.org/gardenscraps/ cute spring tag

http://melsmadhouse.blogspot.com/ BOYISH kit sampler…

DOODLES and STAMPS

http://scraps-by-xyreena.myblog.de/  scroll about half way down for some wingy type doodles.

http://andikadesigns.blogspot.com/index.html stamps (literally…)

TEMPLATES

http://anitastergiou.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/04/sketchplate_fri.html  pretty, there is a coupon code, im assuming to get it free though i dont see WHERE to get it.  Good luck with this one!

http://scrapandrea.blogspot.com/2007/04/freebie-for-you.html

http://ria-scraps.blogspot.com/index.html

http://papierstudio.blogspot.com/index.html on the 24th.

http://dorothyscreations.com/blog/ card templates on teh 21st

QUICKPAGES

http://colorindo-a-vida.blogspot.com/index.html matching kit in earlier post.

http://drimendesscraps.blogspot.com/index.html cute “greenish” quick cards.  Theres a kit in an earlier post.

http://scrapsinfinitameg.blogspot.com/index.html yellow/brown qp, scroll DOWN for the kit.

http://youniquephotos.com/blog  BEAUTIFUL QP!!!!!

http://cheryl-creations.blogspot.com/ on the 19th

STICKERS

http://carla-meuscraps.blogspot.com/index.html  flower stickers

http://pillowgirlscraps.blogspot.com/index.html great sunshiney stickers!  Scroll down for wieght loss wordart! awesome!

http://kathysnorthwoodsnook.blogspot.com/index.html springtime sticker

Mr Linky and the rest of the freebies are in this post.

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I just got my new Baby Talk Magazine yesterday and just read an article called 8 Happy Baby Secrets and started kicking myself.  )

I’ve always been a huge attachment parenting advocate.  I breastfeed (we are at 4 1/2 months with Alyce, I went 16 months with Katiana, and 4 months with Jordan – I didn’t understand nursing strikes when I was nursing him), wear my babies – with my sling or in Alyce’s case since she doesn’t’ seem to like the sling - carry her A LOT, we co-sleep – Jordan is in his own room, I think he moved in there at 3.  Katiana still sleeps with us, we encourage her to use her own bed, which doesn’t happen often, I figure she’ll naturally move to her own room when she is ready like Jordan did.  And Alyce sleeps with us too.  I try to start her in her bassinet if she’s asleep already, but when it’s time to eat or she is fussy, she’s in our bed.  I don’t believe in crying it out.  (Especially at Alyce’s age)

Why am I kicking myself?  I’ve forgotten something I consider to be a huge thing.  Jordan was such an easy baby.  No problems sleeping, he’d play by himself happily, he loved his binky, then gave it up on his own at 1.  I’d run my fingers over his eyes and he’d go to sleep and stay there.  )  My girls, they are/were high need babies.  And with Alyce, I’ve forgotten that that is just a personality trait, not a reflection on my parenting abilities, that this is a part of her personality and not something that I need to fix.  And I’m letting it stress me out.  Katiana was VERY high maintenance.  I couldn’t put that child down.  And I had to change my thoughts I had.  I couldn’t compare her to Jordan.  I couldn’t try to “fix” her, that’s just what her personality was.  Kat is still high maintenance.  LOL  She’s such a little drama princess already. 

Alyce is a little less high maintenance than Kat was.  She at least will go to sleep and stay there for a bit if I have her swaddled tightly and she is in her swing.  But, with the 3 kids I’m just not approaching this the way I did when I had a 5 year old and a new born versus an 8 year old, a 3 year old, and a 4 month old. 

I love the “Get Behind Your Child’s Eyes” section also.  Sitting here thinking about it, if I reacted to Katiana when she is upset the way she would like me to react (more sympathetic, etc) it might save some sanity around here for both of us.  (I’m not saying give in to her every whim )

And boy do I need to set aside me time without children every once in awhile.  That’s another reason I get so stressed out.  I have 2 very high maintenance young ones, and Jordan with his adhd, he needs lots of supervision and instruction on what to do.  And I don’t take time to just let myself breathe!  I think I really need to set time aside to yoga again every day.  I was so much less stressed when I was doing that.  Then I got put on bedrest with Alyce and just haven’t started again.  I need to find a time when Pato is home and can watch the kids and I can just have some time to focus and work on me.  Wouldn’t hurt to start doing yoga again either with my sister’s wedding in July, my maid of honor dress looming in front of me and 30 lbs to lose from Katiana still.  (I’ve lost the 16 I gained with Alyce, but I gained 70 with Kat and am still up that extra 30 that I didn’t lose before I got pregnant with Kat)

Ok, so when I start getting stressed, ya’all need to remind me just to breathe!  )  I really recommend reading that article if you have little ones!  Or plan on having little ones!

DSO is still having a designer call! We’re “new designer” friendly and if I might say so myself, a great group of ladies to work with! Go check out the store and shoot Bunny an email (left side of the page, contact us)! Tell her that Heather sent you!

Mr Linky And The Freebies

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You may have heard of Kellie and her little baby Miles who passed away at 3 months on 4/22/05 while making the rounds of blogs and/or forums-galleries the last couple of days.  I just heard her story today, and it touched me.  I wanted to send you to her blog.   And to Jessica’s Blog where she is having a tribute to Miles.  I know I’m a day late, yesterday was Mile’s heaven day, but it’s never to late to appreciate what you have.  To take a moment to think about someone else’s life.   In celebration of Mile’s life, they have  a kit you can download, with some requirements ( ) ) before you can download it.  Check it out at Jessica’s!

Mr Linky and Freebies are in this post.

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