Giveaway Winner!

                                                                    And we have a
                                                                       WINNER!
                                                                        
                                                                            Jess
                                                                            from
                                                                      QuiltsbyJess

Contact me at laurielouco(at)yahoo(dot)com with your contact information and I will get to you all the things you will need to download and start using your free software! Congrats!

As for everyone else, don't forget you are winners too! So stop by http://www.mymemories.com/ and use the code MSV210D to get a 10$ discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a 10$ coupon for the MyMemories store - $20 value!

My Dad's Struggle and Giveaway reminder

Just thought I would post an update about my Dad. I know  in the past I have given a small glimpse of what he has struggled with and since then I have had a hard time putting in words what has transpired in the past month. Dad has be suffering for the past year and a half with kidney failure and more recently liver failure also. He has been such a trooper as the Doctors have struggled to keep him comfortable and figure out what to do to help him.  As it turned out, transplants were the only option and that was yet another struggle to learn about and find a hospital willing to help.
My brother flew my parents in to Chicago to look at hospitals there as the one's in San Diego didn't seem to be willing to take him on. Amazingly in this journey Rush Hospital took him in when he fell ill in Chicago with an infection and declared they would keep him til they found him a liver and kidney. They ran every test necessary to confirm he was a good canidate and within six days of being put on the transplant list he was matched with a donor.
We couldn't believe out ears that this was happening so quickly especially since my Dad called with the news at 2 o'clock in the morning and when we really were feeling it to be a hopeless quest. Well its been almost 3 weeks since his lifesaving surgery and he is physically doing miracuously well. Mentally its been a surprising stuggle for him, although quite common, he is experiencing severe depression and struggling to eat. I am torn about not being able to be there for him and also to relieve my brother and sister-in-law of the daily need to visit and encourage him. I am trying to go on faith that things will work out, as they have just kept linning up, to make it possible for my Dad to receive these organs and have a second chance. Physically he gets stronger everyday, I just hope that he can get to a place where he mentally moves past this debilitating depression. We are so thankful for his chance, to enjoy whatever extra time he has been given.

On a happier note don't forget to enter my Giveaway before it ends on Wednesday! Can't wait to giveaway that great scrapbooking software!

http://laurieloustudio.blogspot.com/2011/10/giveaway.html

Giveaway!

I am excited to share with you all my very first giveaway on my blog today! Many of you are busy Moms and crafters like me and want to scrapbook the memories you make with your families, friends, careers and pastimes or hobbies. the holidays are coming up and many new pictures will taken and memories made. So it is my pleasure to offer a chance to win a free copy of award winning scrapbook software that is easy and fun to use! Using this software you can create digital scrapbooks, photobooks, cards, calendars and gifts!
Here's what you have to do to win:

-Visit the Website http://www.mymemories.com/ and tell me what your favorite product on the website is or a project you want to make with this software. http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software
-Then leave a comment on my blog
-Head over to my Fanpage and leave comment there.
-Like my Facebook Fanpage.
-Like the MyMemories Fanpage (they are giving away an IPad when they reach 10,000 likes!)
-Follow MyMemories on Twitter
-Follow me on Twitter

Here's another great part of this giveaway, even if you don't win you still win because all my readers will get a 10$ discount off their purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a 10$ coupon for the MyMemories.com store a 20$ value! The Promo code you will need is MSV210D

So get started and come on back and leave your comments here on the blog and I will pick a winner next Wednesday! 

New Schedules

Slowly I'm getting used to this new schedule of no kids from 8:30 to 2:30, but I've barely gotten a chance to enjoy having the extra hours with one thing or another going on.  So far I have held a garage sale, enjoyed a few days off with my husband, entertained my Father in Law who is visiting from Florida, made and shipped new orders and volunteered for my daughter's cheer team. Not bad for the first 2 weeks of freedom.

I have to admit though today I treated myself to a scone and coffee at a local coffee shop all by myself and it was devine! Tomorrow is my first full day in the Studio, and I can't wait to see how much I get done!
I'm really excited about my Paris themed set and am looking forward to adding the first new product to my shop when I complete and post the first of many, I hope, diaper bags. I think the design will be great for diaper bags or a large carry all purse, knitting bags, oh the uses are endless.

Here's a picture of a custom diaper bag I made and then a picture with the Paris, Poodles and Ooh La La fabrics that will be used in the first bags available in my shop. Ofcourse I'm keeping one of those fabrics a secret, shh! I promise there will be a big reveal soon!

2011 JR Fresh vs Redford - Plymouth Canton Steelers

2011 JR Fresh vs Redford - Plymouth Canton Steelers


My little Quinny going for a touchdown!

Heading to Chicago

Can't wait til Friday when we finally get to head out on vacation as a family and visit my brother's family in Chicago. It's a trip we all love, seeing family, playing with cousins and boating on Lake Michigan. Mostly I'm ready for a break in the routine around here and having time to just hang out with everyone and watching the kids have a blast with their cousins.

I've been busy in the Studio these past few weeks working samples up so I can get them photographed and posted on Etsy. My newest niece Nola will be modeling them for you and I can't wait to see everything on her. Are we ready yet for the craziness of the Holidays? Hard to believe we have to think of these things already but I've been sewing Halloween items all week! Not ready to give up the hot, hazy "slow" days of summer yet! Hope you are enjoying yours!

Still waiting.......

So my hard drive was toast. Geek squad wanted a ridiculous amount to repair something they said was probably covered under warranty, which of course was not. My brother-in-law sells and repairs used laptops and has been so kind to us with his expertise and "family" discount but we just couldn't ask anymore so when my husband found a great deal at Best Buy last summer he picked it up for me which was great until my hard drive fried. So I'm thinking a Mac is my best bet and I saved up the money but apparently used Macs are in great demand around here with some of the school districts giving them to students after raising taxes to fund them. So the parents of all these students really like their kids Macs and want one for themselves, which means supply and demand is skewed in this neck of the woods.
I'm really trying to be patient, but my photos of new fabric finds are waiting to be rolled out and my sewing room is filling up with merchandise that is anxious to find new homes, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that a MacBook gets found soon and I can share all these new things.
In the mean time I'm enjoying my first stress free summer with my kids in years and the days are happily laying out ahead of us to be filled with spontaneous plans with friends and family. Hope your having one of those summers too!