I met Lisa, the owner of Scrapbook Circle, a few months back.  She joined me and some friends to see the midnight premiere of Eclipse.  :)  We had a great time.  I was able to quickly figure out what a great person she is, and what a great business she owns.  While I don’t scrapbook, I used to.  And I can appreciate great scrapbooking kits from a mile away.  Every month, Lisa brings out the most fantastic kits any scrapper would squeal over.  She includes everything each month to make layouts of your precious memories.  How easy it is with her business, because everything is picked out for you, so the ease of allowing your creativity to flow is that much easier.  As we know, scrapbooking takes a lot of time, so why not have Lisa help you with her monthly kits?  Save time, but have the same great look as if you picked every piece of the kit yourself, because Lisa has a serious eye for combining scrapbooking papers, embellishments and more into her kits that anyone will want.

Today, Lisa has offered to give away her most current kit!  The September kit!  Woot!  It’s fab too!  Check it…

Love it!!!  It’s making me want to scrapbook again!!  But… want to see some finished fabulousness?

I love the creativity people poor into their scrapbooking.  Whether it’s on a page or a different medium.  Capturing memories and making them into art is so rewarding!!

Lisa is rewarding ONE of you with the above September kit!!  Who wants it?

HERE IS HOW TO ENTER:

Visit Lisa’s website.  Tell me what other month’s kit you love other than September!  Come back here and leave a comment letting me know.

BONUS: Go to Lisa’s blog.  Leave her some comment love – come back here and let me know you did.  I will be checking.  :)

If you can’t wait.  Go ahead and purchase your September kit now!

And lastly…

May the force be with you.

xo

Thank you Lisa for sponsoring us!!

If you’re interested in sponsoring Shey b – featuring yourself in every blog post for a week, please email us!

shealynn@gmail.com

It’s been quiet around these parts… haven’t gotten many comments… what’s up peeps?  I miss hearing from you!  :)

Random things today…

Starting the process of having CAMERA BAGS made and ready in time for Christmas!!  They should be out by early November and will be READY TO SHIP!  *insert huge grin here*  Any last requests before my designs are complete?  I have many features in line already that I know you all will be excited about.  1 hint?  You’ll be able to customize the bag a bit – any time you want.  Stay tuned for that!

We have a new sponsor this week!  Check out Scrapbook Circle!  You like scrapbooking?  Well, do NOT miss checking out this website!!  Lisa owns Scrapbook Circle and has sponsored every post for the week.  Thanks Lisa!

If you’d like to sponsor a week of posts to advertise your business or blog, email me anytime.  shealynn [at] gmail [dot] com

I will be starting a new workout program next week.  I want to try it out for a couple of weeks before I start bragging about it.  But I am really excited.  I need to lose weight and get my body back into shape!  I am lazy by default, so to say I hate working out is a pretty massive understatement.  But, I hate being overweight more, and this exercise involves hip hop dancing, so goodbye flab and hello fab!  Time to kick the lazy to the curb already!  I am starting it on Monday and will let you know how it goes!  :)

Yes I totally just admitted that I am lazy and hate working out.  Keepin’ it real people.  haha!

My birthday sale is officially over.  My business is now over 2 years old.  Here’s to another crazy beautiful year!  That goes for life and business.

Have you heard Jason Derulo’s album?  I am listening to it right now.  Ummm, I kinda love it!

Did I happen to share the picture I snapped of the brand new Abercrombie model that was at the Abercrombie store on 5th Ave. in NY?  I didn’t?  Shame on me.

Sorry!  The picture isn’t that great!  It was taken with my iPhone.  But you get the point.  He was really cute!!  There was a line a couple blocks long.  Girls waiting in line to get a picture with the new model.  I just stood at a window and snapped a quick picture.  ;)

I need to put aside some time to sew some things for my girls and myself.  I am wanting to make throw pillows for my front room couches.  And eventually I want to make throw pillows for the back room couches that are used more often.  Skirts are wanted by my girls as well as some dresses.   Lots of little projects that I need to do in my spare time.  SPARE TIME?!  *enter very loud obnoxious guffaw here*.  I will have to Make this time.  Hmmm.  Should be interesting.  ;)  Are any of you working on super cool projects right now?  Show me show me show me!  :)

I am working on new camera strap cover designs as about half of my store will be stripped 1 month from today.  Remember most things are LIMITED EDITION.  Scroll down a couple posts to see what will remain in my store.  I am only talking about camera strap covers… no other product will be removed, but the fabric choices won’t be the same.  If you want to be all matchy matchy, order now before it’s too late.  ;o)

OK, I am starving.  I need to go before I start chewing my arm off.  Just kidding!  But for real… leave me a comment!  How are you?

xo,

This post is sponsored by Scrapbook Circle!

It’s no secret.  I adore reading.  It’s one of my most favorite things to do.  Last year I started a goal to read 100 books in 1 year.  I finished my 100th book on December 31st at 11:57pm.  Literally.  I mostly read Young Adult books.  They are perfect for me.  I don’t care for overly descriptive sex scenes, and a lot of the adult fiction has about bored me to death.  But Young Adult rocks my world!  I am 29 years old and a proud YA reader!  *pumps fist in the air*

This year my goal is to beat last year’s goal.  So, I plan to read 101 books or more.  I am well on my way.  60 books read and counting!  Whoop!

That said, I decided that I want to let you all know what my favorites are.  But instead of just talking about my favorites I am going to see if I can get interviews with the authors as well!  This week I have S.L. Naeole the author of the super amazing awesome fantastic GRACE series.  I just finished her lastest in the series, Black Halo.  Pure awesome!  I am actually thinking about re-reading the Grace series again.  Her 4th book comes out in tentatively in December (maybe sooner) and it’s called Grace of Day.  I CAN NOT wait!  I know her 3rd book just came out, but I can’t help but anxiously await the next book in this amazing series.

So!  Stay tuned for S.L. Naeole’s interview!  She rocks my socks!   Hint… she is offering a couple things to give away too!  Told you!  She is totally AWESOME!  :)

Excerpts from “Falling From Grace” by S.L. Naeole (the 1st book in the Grace series)

He looked at me. I closed my eyes, prepared. I took a deep breath, and then… “So we meet again.”  I opened my eyes and blinked. Was this the only thing he knew how to say?  A face so divine, a mouth so lethal, eyes so deep and mysterious, and when he speaks with that glorious voice that made my legs begin to tremble even harder—not from the bike ride, but from something else altogether—he has nothing new to say?

***

I’ve been called a freak since I was seven-years-old—since my mom died—but I didn’t do anything that was freakish in any way until yesterday, when I got on your bike and let you invade my mind like a parasitic worm.

——–

We have an awesome sponsor this week!!  She is sponsoring every post that I write this week.  She owns a scrapbooking company that will rock your world!!  Please welcome Scrapbook Circle! Go to her website and check out her fabulous items now!!  If you love to scrapbook, you will adore her scrapbooking kits!

SPOILERS!!!  DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT READ MOCKINGJAY!!!!

Mockingjay Preface:

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe, in the powerful and haunting final installment of Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy.

My Thoughts:

I was REALLY disappointed.  Here is why…

The thing that bothered me the most was at the end when Katniss talks about her relationship with Gale and how she basically equates it to pathetic.  She also says Gale’s love is “fire, kindled with rage and hatred.”  I hate that statement because I do not feel Gale harbors hatred towards her or even Peeta.  I believe Gale’s hatred is for Snow and Coin and for all of the people that try and take control of their lives.  He wants so badly to be free of it all and I believe Gale loved Katniss wholeheartedly.  I do disagree with her falling for Peeta.  While inevitable I suppose, he tried to kill her almost that entire book and then BAM!  after a couple months he’s cured?  Ridiculous!  I know it states he still has moments of rage and urges to kill Katniss, which seems completely stupid that she would trust him enough.  Just sayin’.  She has a really hard time trusting anyone throughout the book, but suddenly it’s ok to trust this.

I think Gale should have been left out of the series completely.  He has done nothing but be there for Katniss and the book just ends.. no goodbye.  No nada from Gale.  What was the point of him in there?  Just to provide a love triangle?  Just to have us have “teams”?  Weird.  And when she blames Gale for the bomb that killed those children I was disgusted.  It was so easy for her to point the blame at everyone else, but did she ever once realize her actions had consequences too?  Time to grow up Katniss!

I feel like this book really made Katniss’ character different from the other 2 books.  A lot different.  She was so incredibly emotional in this book.  And very indecisive.  With everything.  I don’t think that is all bad, but it just seemed like such a drastic change from before that I found myself wondering why she made the decisions she did.  The other books I didn’t have such thoughts.  She did not seem like she was in full control over herself.  More like she left others influence her a lot.  This to me was quite distracting.  She is the FACE of the revolution!  But I found that she really lost a lot of her strength by all of her self doubt and her untrust of those close to her. (is untrust even a word?) I feel she was very manipulated by District 13 – NOT Snow.  She was always reacting to everyone else’s decisions instead of ACTING!  She always acted on her decisions before but now it’s suddenly changed.  I felt like she was weaker mentally because of the Hunger Games instead of stronger, which I thought she would have been.

Katniss lets herself be used by District 13 in order to fulfill the role of the Mockingjay.  And then finds herself being controlled, and used for other’s gain.  She again lets her decision be made for her instead of making it completely on her own.  She doesn’t make the decision to be the Mockingjay for HERSELF.  She does it so she can get the other victor’s back. COME ON!  Own your decision!  Do it for yourself.  Do it because you WANT to be the face to something as big as the revolution not because you feel pressured or feel it’s the only way to get something you want.  I feel like so much of the fight in Katniss died in book 2.  Katniss has the power to own up to being the Mockingjay!  She is the most influential person out there.  I was hoping by mid book she would be leading in her role of Mockingjay and owning it.  But instead you see her being used for District 13′s gain.  The most she does is lead a group of rebels into the Capital on her mission to kill Snow.  These rebels she is “leading” then begin to die left and right in incredibly gruesome deaths.

When she FINALLY makes it to Snow’s mansion I found myself relieved!  Maybe I can relax now.  Once Katniss arrives in the outer parts of the Capital this book just goes from one gory death to the next.  So I finally thought I could get a break.  No.  Unfortunately Suzanne Collins finds it necessary to have a scene where children – TODDLERS are blown up!  BLOWN UP people.  At this point I was tempted to just throw the book across the room.  WHY DID SHE NEED TO PUT THAT IN THERE?  Oh and just when you can finally take a shaky breath after reading that, what happens?  Prim is blown up right in front of Katniss!  This leads to Katniss getting burns as well, which leads into her recovering and seeming to go mad.  She takes a vow of silence to honor Prim… would this have honored Prim?  NO!  Since she did all of this to save Prim I would say that Prim probably would have been bummed that Katniss let her mind take over and get her 1 inch shy of insanity.

But, oh!  When she finally does decide to voice her opinion on something it’s to cast a vote to have ANOTHER Hunger Games as a way to get revenge on the Capital’s people.  At this point lighting this book on fire was not entirely out of the question.  I mean HOW COULD she want that?  After everything she went through.  Not 1 but 2 Hunger Games.  And the horrific things she witnessed.  How could she want that for anyone’s children?  I was so very disgusted with voting yes to another Hunger Games.  Fortunately Snow manages to say something to her about Coin.  He makes her really THINK about things.  The only gift he ever gave her.  So, the day of Snow’s execution, she ends up killing Coin instead of Snow!  Hallelujah!  She made her own decision!  And a right one at that.  She knows that Snow is going to die within minutes anyway because of the blood and noises coming out of his mouth.  This part I was practically cheering!

Then comes her trial for killing Coin.  And once the trial is over she is shipped back to District 12.    Once again… she isn’t making any decisions for herself.  I did, however, kinda like that District 12 was given another chance.  Those that ended up going back were given a 2nd chance.  Again, Peeta comes back to District 12, and is suddenly cured.  Katniss chooses Peeta and 15 years later she and Peeta have a couple kids, which is only does FOR PEETA.  Not for herself.

I also noted that Katniss didn’t even say goodbye to her own mother!  Ugh.  Hugely disappointed in this book.  Stop at book 2.  Book 3 is gore filled nonsense.

So, people.  What say you?

When you own your own business you’re always trying to figure out what you can do to make things better, what needs to be changed, etc etc.  For the past couple of weeks, that’s pretty much what I have been doing.  Mulling things over in my head.  I have come to some conclusions, thus I am here sharing with all of you.  :)

Here is what’s going to happen … starting now.

New camera strap cover designs will be listed as “limited edition” – what this means is that each new design will only be available for about 1 month after it’s first listed.  I love offering the most fabric choices, but it makes for a very full store.  Therefore the decision has been made to have the camera strap covers (most, but not all) limited edition.  Not all of them will be limited edition, however.  Black and White Damask, The Valentino, The Pleated Sage, The Pleated Ruffle, The Ruffled Black & White Damask, Black & White Damask’s W/ Minky, The Couture, The Chic, The Ruffled L.C., Purple Rain, All Click! designs, and The Argyle will still be available all the time.

Now.  This means that every other camera strap slipcover listed is only available until Oct. 1st!  So get them while you can!  Otherwise, once they’re gone, they are gone for good.

Next up…

Christmas Deadline.  I know I know, it’s not even September yet.  :)  But I need to share it anyway.  Deadline to order and receive your items in time for Christmas is Thanksgiving Day!  The past 2 years I have had later deadlines, but this has led to me being a bit of a hag and a jerk around my family.  I have been stressed to the point of snapping, crying, and venting to my fellow friend store owners at the drop of a hat.  I am determined to not have that this year.  And no all nighters either.  ;)  I think everyone will be happier this way, especially my husband!  LOL!  Of course I will remind everyone about the Christmas deadline.

Other than having a new Couture listed in my store, that is it!  :)

Have a great weekend!!

More New York.  But I found a song that I like and I kinda found it fitting.  So the lyrics are mixed in with the pictures…….

{My new friend, Jackie.  She joined me in Central Park.  Had to snap a picture of her taking a picture.  :) }

I took the N Train in from the ocean
Up to 14th St. Union Square
I swam around with the bodies in motion
Drank in the people, then came up for air

And I am a breeze in the still August air
And I can’t believe that I’m still standing here
I am a ghost to everyone I know
A star stands still above while Brooklyn blurs below

Between mistakes and new beginnings
This city swells up like a symphony
I disappear in those bodies of motion
And a comforting wave washes over me

I am a breeze in the still August air
And I can’t believe that I’m still standing here
I am a ghost to everyone I know
A star stands still above while Brooklyn blurs below

Picture yourself riding under the freeway
It’s 3 in the morning in the sodium sky
Don’t be alarmed, it’s only a feeling
No one can see us tonight

I am a breeze in the still August air
And I drop my knees with all this beauty here
And I am a ghost to everyone I know
And it feels so free
But it’s so cold
It’s so cold
When Brooklyn blurs below

Song Called: Brooklyn Blurs – By: The Paper Raincoat

Well, I finished MockingJay at noon today.  I plan on writing a review of it soon… I just need to get my bearings.  This book left me speechless and I felt like I was out of breath by the end.  You’ll find out soon what I thought about it… but not now.  I need to think about this before jumping into the review.

***

I will be listing a new Couture today… stay tuned for that.  And for the remainder of August, enter 2YEARS at checkout to receive 25% off your entire purchase!  The Couture is excluded in the discount.

On a happy note… I wanted to share this gorgeous flower that caught my eye in NYC!  Simply awesome!  Whatcha think?

I love the colors!!

That’s all for now.

How are YOU?!

****

****

I am super excited that I get to do this for you all!  :)  Surely you have had to hear about The Hunger Games book series, right?  PLEASE tell me yes!  It’s only one of the best Young Adult book series’ ever. Definitely in my top 10 series’ that I could not have lived without reading.  haha.  Anyway.  As some know, I read and review for publishing companies.  This morning I headed to Target and picked up my brand new shiny copy of Mockingjay.  The LAST book in The Hunger Games series.  I brought it home, and it sits and is motivating me to get mucho work done so I can finally sit and devour that book. Because devour I will.  Anyway.  My mail man just knocked at my door, and do you know what he held in his hands from the publisher?  A brand new copy of MOCKINGJAY!  Sweet heavens!  So now I have TWO copies!  Are you getting where I am going with this?  You are?  Goody!  But I am not quite done.

I asked my followers on Twitter if anyone was up for a Mockingjay giveaway… and TOO MANY people did not know what I was talking about.  I literally blanched at the screen.  This is just not good at all.  SO.  Because I am THE COOLEST person on earth (yes!  you may notate that in the comments too!)  hehe.  I am giving away *MY* set of The Hunger Games.  You will get The Hunger Games, Catching Fire AND Mockingjay.  And because I am super freaking awesome, someone who HAS read the first two in this series will win my other copy of Mockingjay.  Sound good?  :)

And by the way… it’s not only because of my awesomeness that I give these away to 2 of you.  It’s because You’re super freaking awesome too!!

Here is how to enter:

If You have NEVER read any of books in The Hunger Games series, leave me a comment stating such and you’ll be entered to win the entire series.  (Any meaning… you have not ready one book in the series).

If you have read the first 2, but don’t have the 3rd one… state such in the comment and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Mockingjay!

P.S.  You don’t get extra points for saying how awesome I am, but you may add that if you wish.  ;)

Ready?  Set?  GO!!!

.. is now officially in preschool and loving it!!  This is completely surreal, because as I said before… wasn’t she just born?!  :)

**

Love her!!

xo

OK, so I had no idea that I wouldn’t be posting for SEVEN straight days!  Good grief.  Sorry about that everyone!!  Well… maybe you didn’t miss the posts, who knows.  So, maybe I am not sorry.  :) ha!

Anyway.  I have more pictures to share.  And since I missed my Night Owls Tweet post a couple weeks ago, I am going to throw that in here too!  It won’t be fancy schmancy with the frames, but at least I can get it off my conscious and know that I am up to date on those!  :)

Week #12

Night Owls Tweet #1

Walking down 5th Ave. In New York City.

Night Owls Tweet #2

Cabs are like a dime a dozen in New York.  You find yourself always surrounded by them no matter the time of day.  There’s nothing that says New York City like a yellow taxi cab.

Night Owls Tweet #3

Pigeons are like the cabs.  You see them EVERYWHERE.  I saw this post full of pigeons, so once I was across the street and completely free of possibly being pooped on, I had to snap a picture.  It cracked me up that there were so many on that light post… made me wonder if that was their meeting spot.  I love that I happened to get a little snippet of the “no standing” sign… just made me think … “who in their right mind would want to stand under that post?”

Night Owls Tweet #4

Nice view of The Plaza while I stood on the famous bridge in Central Park that you see in so many movies.  Central Park has always been a bit surreal to me.  Standing in the middle of this amazingly lush park full of trees, and flowers, lakes and laughing children.  Then look above the trees and you notice you’re surrounded by a sea of skyscrapers.  So so cool.  I loved standing there and literally imaging a life in NYC and I know Central Park would definitely be on our almost daily agenda.  I haven’t been there since Angelina was 6 months old.  So I had forgotten just how amazing that park is.

Night Owls Tweet #5

Mystery tunnel.  Made me wonder what was on the other side.  :)  Didn’t get the chance to see for myself.

Night Owls Tweet #6

See what I mean?  this picture is in Central Park.  All around are trees, ponds, animals, people, and laughter.  Right before me was an amusement park right in the middle of it all, and bordering us… the concrete jungle.

Night Owls Tweet #7

While at Rockefeller Plaza, I went into the ginormous Lego store.  And when I looked up … had to take a picture!  I loved the quote!  ”Creativity and Imagination shall be the stability of thy times.”  And that entire thing is made out of legos!  Amazing!

OK… Nights Owls Tweet for THIS week…

Week #14

Night Owls Tweet #1

Had to do it!  I am a Coke Zero addict!  One of the first pictures I took while in Times Square.

Night Owls Tweet #2

Night Owls Tweet #3

Last time we were in NYC when Angelina was a baby we came in November for Thanksgiving to visit family.  It was incredible during that time of year!  They had the huge larger than life Christmas Tree up decorated to the nines, and there was ice skating!  The flags surround the plaza always.  I love it!  At Christmas it just adds to the charm that is Rockefeller Plaza.

Night Owls Tweet #4

Times Square at night is nothing short of Amazing.  It’s kind of like Vegas, but better.  :)

Night Owls Tweet #5

Night Owls Tweet #6

Of course another staple of New York is the Subway.  The lady working that night was so nice and let me go down to the platform for free since I just wanted to take pictures.  I think she let me go down there for free, though, because it was so insanely hot down there that I could have sworn I was walking down to the gates of hell.  I bet she was evil laughing the entire time too.  ;)

Night Owls Tweet #7

And one of the subway in motion.  I stood in that hell tunnel waiting and waiting.  I had to get this shot, so the feeling of my skin melting off was worth it…

And there you have it!  Nights Owls Tweet pictures for 2 weeks!  :)  I have more NYC pictures to share, so stay tuned!!

Check out Kris’ N.O.T. post here.  :)

What have you all been up to?  Do tell!  :)