Blog Candy! Check this out...

Tam is an internet friend of mine with a HUGE amount of talent. I'm in awe of the talent she's got. She has more in her little finger than I have in my whole body (so you know how much talent she must have!! LOL)

Check out "Living Out Loud" for an awesome Blog Candy RAK that's going on Just Because! While you're there, you have to take a look at her projects, cards and Etsy shop, Whatchamadoodles. She's exceptional!

Now, truthfully, I hope you all stay away coz I truly am drooling over this RAK and the fewer of you that visit and do your qualifying, the better my chances of winning! So maybe I'd better just send you to Whatchamadoodles and not to the blog... Right?

Yeah well, Momma always did say I was too nice... So run on over ya'll. Check out her blog, do what you are supposed to do and don't forget her shop. Seriously, if you aren't into the mini albums or plaques (which you've got to have a screw loose not to be but that's your trouble), you surely can't deny her card making talent. She's so awesome!

Thanks for checking her out... thanks for not qualifying... Oops... sorry, did I say that out loud?

Looky looky what Marlene did!

I'm lucky enough to be part of a wonderful board of ladies. These gals are always so supportive and uplifting to one another. There's no drama. They are truly wonderful people.

Recently they found my sketch blog and have sufficiently built up my ego. Marlene, one of these fabulous ladies, created an amazing layout using one of my sketches as a jumping off place. I think you'll agree, this is STUNNING!



Don't you LOVE it! I love her colors, the bling and her title. I think that photo is just darling.

Leave her some blog love won't you??

Thanks for looking.
Peace and blessings,
Lissa

What an amazing Blog Candy Giveaway!

This blog is awesome! Look at the blog candy she's got going!

There are two of them and she's doing it in honor of her birthday which was yesterday, October 2nd. The giveaway is going on until the 30th so you have to go over and check it out!

This first giveaway is worth over $300 retail! Holy Moley!



The second giveaway is worth over $50!



Run on over to Twinkles Glow with Stamps and check it out! It's an amazing giveaway. She's got the "qualifiers" listed out and it's easy peasy!

Boo!

That's what this little skeleton is saying...



Inside the card reads: You scared me right out of my skin!


This is for the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #21 that coincides with the WorkBox giveaway being hosted at Priscilla Styles and 10 other blogs. I kinda like this little guy!

Thanks for looking!

Peace and blessings,
Lissa

I LOVE and Covet This!

Who doesn't just love the idea of being so organized everything fits into a single gorgeous armoire style cabinet; the kind of armoire that looks like fine furniture and would easily fit into your den or formal living room? Oh yes, it does exist and yes, I covet this furniture.... I do. I know I shouldn't, but I do. It's gorgeous and amazing and I so want one! The shaker style of this piece really appeals to me. You can get this in different finishes as well as styles too. If you say it doesn't excite you, I'll say you're not being completely truthful, unless of course you're not a crafter and then, well, sorry for your bad luck!

How excited was I to find a contest going on RIGHT NOW where I could possibly qualify to win one of these?!?!? Oh holy moley, my heart began to pound, my blood pressure shot up, I broke out into a sweat and I my fingers couldn't dance fast enough over my keyboard to follow the qualifying rules for entry. So, here I am, posting about this beautiful ScrapBox, the contest and adding the cool little logo to my sidebar...OH yeah... I totally wanna win this awesome treat!

Here is some information to get you started as found on the website hosting this grand opportunity, Priscilla Styles:

You can enter to win your choice of a Ribbon box or the ScrapMaBob and qualify for the amazing Workbox giveaway taking place on October 12, 2009. Yes, you read correctly. She is giving away either a Ribbon Box or a ScrapMaBob (these are so handy!) and that winner will be entered into the Grand Prize Giveaway-- a Workbox in their choice of color/style. WOW!!!!!

The contest runs from September 28-October 8, 2009. The Original Scrapbox will give away ONE Workbox to a lucky qualifier. There will be 10 finalists selected from 10 different blogs to be entered in the final giveaway.



Do you want to win your very own Ribbon Box or a ScrapMaBob and then be a finalist in The Workbox Giveaway? Aren't they awesome? You can check out all the cool products the company offers HERE. Enter this code when you place your order to get $100 off your shipping: 100Writes


There are more details and lots of ways to get additional entries on the Priscilla Styles blog. RUN over to Priscilla Styles and read up on this NOW for your chances to enter as well! And by the way...when you sign up for this, make sure you tell them Lissa Ballard referred you! It WILL make a difference!

AND... for further incentive to mention my name, if I do end up winning, I send all of you who referred me a little RAK in the mail!

There are a lot of other sites involved with this contest too. Make sure you check out all the different blogs listed for more chances to win!

Well check it out - blessed again!

This time a friend of mine has blessed me! Lookie what I got today!



My instructions are to share this with five folks who I feel have become my friends. This is gonna be tough. I feel so blessed by my on line friends. You guys help fill my day, you've stood by me through some really tough places and events. Picking just 5 will be hard!

So here I go... (and if you're not one of the five please don't be offended... You're ALL amazing!)

Tara

Kathy

Deb

Nancy

Tam

Here are you more specific details...
Nominate 5 other bloggers you feel have become part of your circle of friends.Link to your nominees within your blog post. Include these instructions on how to pick up the award in your blog post. Link back to the person who gave you the award in your blog post, to show your appreciation. Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received the award.


So many thanks to Marci! You can find her HERE at Marci's Scrapping Spot.

I am oh so blessed!!!

You guys might remember the wonderful girl I call my daughter. Since I wasn't fortunate enough to be blessed by having a girl child, the Lord brought me one just when we needed each other most.

Aly came into my life when she was searching for herself, for meaning, for validation, for hope and for a little bit of salvation. She was a lost little girl trying to do her best in a very strange, moving too fast world. She and her then boyfriend moved in with us at our home for a year. She was about to turn 18 and hadn't finished school.

In the year she was here, she got a job, graduated with her GED, mended her relationship with her real momma, began rebuilding her relationship with her dad, learned a whole lot about who she was, who she wanted to be and how to begin that journey. In the process, I grew to love this girl as though she were my own.

Her mom, Mary (we called her Mar) and I became really good friends. We were brought together by common physical ailments as well as a common love. She willingly and lovingly shared her daughter with me. When she came to Williamsburg for Aly's graduation, she and I bonded well and when she left, she told me she was so happy Aly had found a second mom in me and that I'd been there for her Aly. She blessed me by allowing me to be called Momma and Momma Lis. She also blessed me with her love.

Aly finally grew strong enough to tell the boy she had been dating good-bye. It was a terrible relationship and very destructive. She needed to be rid of it as it was bringing her down. When she did this, she knew it was time to move back home and help her mom out. Mar wasn't well and had been doing worse physically.

Aly left Williamsburg in August for Iowa. We cried, we hugged, we kept in touch and we still call each other Momma and Daughter. Less than a month after Aly arrived at her parents home in Iowa, Mar died of a massive heart attack. The month Aly had been home had been wonderful for them both. Mar died far too young but I think she knew it was okay to go and be rid of all that pain. Aly was okay and was going to be okay. She and her dad were going to be okay together and between Aly and her brother, they'd keep things together.

In February, Aly called me to let me know she was pregnant. I knew this would be difficult as she and her boyfriend hadn't been together for very long. There was never any other option as far as whether or not she would have the baby. Not only would she have the baby, she would be an amazing mother. She loves kids, she's great with them, and she'd always wanted a child of her own.

Yesterday I was blessed to become a grandmom! Aly and her boyfriend Josh have become the proud parents of a beautiful little baby boy. Dayne Scott Hogue was born at 11:42am. He weighed in at a perfect 7 pounds 11.6 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long. He's absolutely a beautiful baby; a real stunner!

Thank you Aly. Thank you for loving me, for loving me enough to share your beautiful family with me, for loving me enough to call me Gramma! Thank you for loving me like a momma and letting me love you right back.

You're awesome Aly Girl! You're gonna do great.