Tuesday, March 26, 2013

A Spring Explosion!

Happy Tuesday everyone!  I apologize for the short post today but I'm on the road and currently typing this up at midnight, and I'm soooo exhausted LOL!  I have been on the road since Friday...first to Charlottesville to see Luke Bryan (awesome, more on that in another post cuz I gots stories heehee)..then back to my mom's...then to Columbia, SC on Sunday & toured Univ of SC on Monday...then traveled almost 6 hours to Birmingham, AL where we will tour Auburn Univ tomorrow and leave on Wed for Hilton Head.  Does that make you tired?  Yeah I'm BEAT LOL!  But so far a good time...course I think all our bums are numb and we are a tad travel weary.  We are staying at the Ross Bridge Resort in Birmingham (Alexa has declared its like Hogwarts so she's happy lol)..we have 2 rooms so I hope to get a bit of rest and then see some things around town after our tour tomorrow!  Anywho stay tuned for more posts & stories!!  **note it was chilly in SC and WINDY, then it snowed in Atlanta...so the weather is NOT very Spring like ugh**


Here's a few pics for ya:

my Luke Bryan...yeah we were in the pit...and we were really CLOSE ;)

James & Alexa on the U of SC tour yesterday!


my son passed out in car on drive to Alabama LOL!


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Spring Explosion!!


Today is the Magnolia-licious Tuesday Challenge over at the Challenge Blog!  Its all about SPRING...spring colors, spring images, spring feel (cuz Spring sure is sloooow to come huh)!  So you can join in on the fun with us using a Magnolia OR Wee Stamp...all the challenge details and DT projects are at the Challenge Blog HERE!  I created the brightest, sunniest, happiest, cheeriest colored card I possibly could to chase the winter blues AWAY!!!



My card uses an older image from the 2012 Summer Memories Collection "Rose Garden Tilda" (she's 12% off too) at Magnolia-licious...whoot!  I had never used her (gasp) but she's soooo DARN CUTE and perfect for Spring!  I used a mix of papers from Trimcraft "Hideaway"...loved the bright colors!  I used a Memory Box die for the white swirls, flowers are all from Wild Orchid Crafts and border is from a MS border punch.  The leaves are a mix of Marianne Designs dies & Spellbinders dies that I inked.  The other green-foliage in the corners is actually an SCACD die "Ornate Hinge"...its a beautiful die that can be used in other ways.  The sentiment is from PTI accented with some rhinestones.


She's colored with TouchTwin markers (colors to come, sorry I forgot my chart) but I'll update it soon.  Some Stickles on the flowers and trim on her shirt.  Perfect for a Spring's Day!

Have an awesome week everyone!!


Thursday, March 21, 2013

Easter Blog Hop...Hippity Hop!!

Happy Thursday friends!  Hope the week has been treating you well!  I almost had a cardiac-arrest experience yesterday...I was running around doing 50 million things think that it was Thursday already and I wasn't going to have all my work done before I left.  I literally was having heart palpitations from stress...then I went to put something in the calendar and I realized it was only Wednesday...bwahahahaha.  You ever do that?  Oh boy, what a relief it was to know I had one more day to get things in order.  SO I did finish all my projects and posts and will finish laundry today and all the packing.  I leave tomorrow with Alexa to pick up my Mom and head to Charlottesville for the weekend to see my Luke Bryan and Florida-Georgia Line....pit tix...so that means I'll be up close & PERSONAL with Lukey hee hee (I'm not scary am I hahahaha).  Then on Sunday we leave for Columbia, SC and spend the night...tour University of South Carolina on Monday and meet with the Marine Biology dept.  Then we leave that evening to travel to Birmingham, Alabama for two nights...on Tues we tour Auburn University (Alexa's first choice of college) and meet with the Zoology dept.  Then on Wed we will travel back up to Hilton Head, SC for a few days of rest at the beach...one of our fave places in the world.  Then we leave Easter Sunday for Charleston, SC for 2 days of fun...then home on Tues.  You tired yet?  Yeah me too...it will be crazy, chaotic but always fun and its all about family time for spring break.  So I will have a few posts up between today and April 2nd but not many...I try to make sure that I get quality-uninterrupted time with my family while I'm away and not have to worry about work stuffs much...hence the mad rush to get work stuffs done before I leave Friday morning LOL!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and spend it doing something fun!  And YES you know I will post my shenanigans and photos on Facebook if you follow me there!

I also have a new post up on my other blog "Bitz of Me"....for those that were asking for my BBQ ribs recipe...there you will find it!

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Magnolia-licious Easter Blog Hop

Today the entire Magnolia-licious DT has gotten together for a fun Easter/Spring Blog Hop!  Each DT gal has created a project in the hippity...hoppity...Easter theme.  We hope you get inspired to get crafty as well and find some new ideas to try!  You can find the entire blog hop list at the Challenge Blog HERE!  Or start at the beginning of the hop with Norma Lee's blog!



I created a fun Easter book that opens up to reveal a box inside...perfect for yummy treats or other fun presents from the Easter Bunny!  The the book-box was cut on my Silhouette Cameo and the cut file is from the Silhouette Store...oh boy I can wander forever in the cut file store and put lots in my cart LOL. I love that I can buy just one cut file at a time instead of a cartridge of images I will never use...much more economical!   My image is new from the 2013 Easter Collection at Magnolia-licious called "Tilda Hiding Easter Egg"...so cute huh in her bunny outfit!  The "Once Upon A Time" is a cut file from Silhouette as well...I loved the font and curliques...I added some ink to it to distress a bit.  Then a few flowers and swirls from a Memory Box die.



I inked the outside of my book where in a real book you would find the pages....I used a light brown Copic Spica pen to draw random lines lightly with a ruler so it looked like a real book.  Then I filled my book with yummy Reeses Peanut Butter Eggs....Alexa's faves, shhhhh LOL!  I forgot to take a picture of the inside without the candy..but I lined the inside of the box with matching papers as well.  I left the left side of the inside cover blank because I will most likely write a message and attach it there for someone...shhh :)  **Forgot to add the papers are by Authentique "Hope" (10% off now)**


"Tilda Hiding Easter Egg" was colored with Copics:  E43,E42,E41,E40 / R20,E11,E00, E59,E31/ B99,B95,B91.  Yes she has some grass on her feet...why you ask...well I was gonna create a scene for her and then decided she looked better cut out...so there ya go....she has some grass stains on her footsies ;)  There are Stickles on the egg for some sparkle...oh by the way...that BIG egg in the background was cut from the Cameo as well.

That's it from me...now you need to hop on over to 
to see what Easter-awesomeness she's created for you!!



Monday, March 18, 2013

Enjoy Your Life!!

Happy Monday everyone!  Hope that those of you that celebrated St. Paddy's day yesterday didn't over-indulge LOL...I am part Irish but sadly didn't celebrate.  We were busy finishing up Alexa's bedroom makeover and just didn't have time to do everything.  Oh well...I'm sure my Irish Gram will forgive me this one ;)  Plus Riley thinks he's 100% Irish so he celebrates everyday hahahahaha (no not with the drinking...no no no...just with Irish pride)!

I will be sharing pics of her NEW room very soon...still waiting on a Ocean Canvas I ordered from Etsy to come in to hang over her dresser.  And I have a couple of projects I'm making for her shelves...we will have new carpet put in after Spring Break.  Then she's DONE (well we have to paint her dressers white once it gets warmer).  Then we move onto Riley's new bedroom in the basement..phew.  We have most everything ordered...but we have to paint and get everything put together and done.  Saving that for AFTER Spring Break for sure.  He's super excited to move downstairs and have his own big bed and space.  I'm tired just thinking of all I gotta do to get him moved in...oy vey ;)



Check out my new Lifestyle blog "Bitz of Me" ...I have a couple of new posts up and one coming tomorrow on some cute things I finished up!!

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Enjoy Your Life!!
(A TouchTwin Inspiration Hop)



Today all the TouchTwin DT gals have a fun March Inspiration Hop for you to showcase these awesome alcohol markers.  If you haven't tried them you really should...the ink flows beautifully, great-soft brush nibs and they work with other alcohol markers you may have on hand.  (shop here) I am IMPATIENTLY waiting for Spring to arrive here in VA...me and that groundhog have some things to talk about cuz we got snow last night...ahem..ugh!  So all my projects lately have been BRIGHT and SPRINGy LOL for a reason.  So I had to use this cutie-patootie by Saturated Canary called "Summer Swing".  I had a tire swing growing up that I spent a lot of time on...it was hung under our huge willow tree and I have such great memories.  Ahhhh the joy of summer when you are a kid...nothing beats it yet we seem to wish it away all too soon.  That's why I added the "enjoy" sentiment...we need to make sure we enjoy all the moments in our life, because they are usually gone way too soon!

I'm entering this sweetie into the following challenges:




I used pretty papers from a few different pads but the main one is First Edition "Hideaway".  I love the bright spring green and corals together.  The grass elements (coated with Stickles) and the "enjoy" sentiment were done on my Cameo machine...man I love that thing!  The "enjoy" sentiment actually said "enjoy the moment" but I cut it down to just one word to simplify! I distressed all my papers with my Zutter Distress machine and the butterflies were done with punches.  The circle element over the image was done with a Spellbinders die...I like spotlighting the main image this way!



TouchTwin Colors Used:
Greens:  G43, GY47,GY59,GY174
Corals:  R14,RP7R, Colorless Blender
Hair:  BR98,BR95,BR97,BR107,YR132
Skin:  BR103,BR97,YR133
Grays:  CG9,CG7,CG5,CG3,CG1,CG0

Some Stickles were put on the butterflies and her frilly underskirt.  Diamond Glaze on her eyes and shoes for shine.


That's it for me...now your next stop on the hop is my 
lovely friend Vicki's Blog!
(If you'd like to start at the beginning of the hop go HERE)


Friday, March 15, 2013

Silhouette Art!

Happy Friday folks...I love Fridays!!  We have a busy home-improvement weekend that includes painting Alexa's room, putting up her shelves and finishing her new desk from Ikea.  Also visiting the flooring store to pick new carpet for upstairs bedrooms & basement rec-rm and bedroom and tile for lower foyer.  And I have to fit in a few projects as well LOL..so not much sitting for this gal.  I leave next Friday for a weekend away with my Mom & Alexa to see my Luke Bryan and Florida-Georgia-Line...whoot!  We have pit tix...that means SUZANNE WILL BE UP CLOSE & PERSONAL with my Lukey...sooooo excited!!  Then next Sunday we leave for SC and Alabama for college tours thru Wed for Alexa (SC Univ and Auburn Univ)...then finish up with 5 days in Hilton Head, SC.  We love it there...SC is my future home one day soon :)  So anywho, that leaves just a few days next week to get projects done and stuffs...not much time! So tomorrow starts a whirlwind of activity...can you hear my hubby sighing already???? heeheehee

I will have my FL pics and stories on my post on Sunday for you all ok?  New project too!  Have a great weekend everyone!!

I have new posts on the "Bitz of Me" Blog too if you wanna scoot-a-loo over & see!  More fun stuff to come after this weekend when I actually get some half-finished projects DONE LOL!

 

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Silhouettes!!


Today is a NEW SCACD release..whoot!  I'm so excited to share my projects...as they will be on the walls of my new office soon!  Following on the fantastic Blank Canvas Collection, we are excited to present the SCACD Blank Canvas Collection #2 & Natures Direction Set. Building on the original release (recently featured in Craft Stamper Magazine), this new collection will take you on further creative adventures as you mix and match the stamps and use a variety of techniques. Perfect for beginners and seasoned mixed media enthusiasts alike, these stamps will grace cards and paper-crafting projects as beautifully as they will altered canvases and other mixed media projects. 

Check out the yummy 6x6 paper pads on sale HERE too! 

International friends can get the stamps/dies at Quixotic Paperie.



I LOVE Silhouette Art...so pretty and elegant and I knew I wanted some for my office but man its PRICEY to purchase.  Well I have all the tools to make my own so that's what I set out to do with these stamps!  Simple black frames I got at Michaels and they were on clearance too + coupon so they each cost $4 and the smaller one was $2...so $10 for frames.  The background papers are from an older 12x12 MME collection I had....FREE.  So for $10 I had art for my office...it doesn't get much better than that huh?

The two images above are from the "Blank Canvas Collection #2"...there are many different versions of stamps for all kinds of art in this set.  The dancer/leaper "Leap of Faith" comes in line art also so you could paper piece her, paint her, etc (the women stamps are sold in pairs). So many options with this set of images so make sure to check them all out! I embossed the images with Stewart Fine Detail Embossing Powder in black...I love the coverage of this powder.  I emboss with Versamark pads (I have it in the Dazzle color too)...I'm old school and it works good so why change right?  I embossed on shiny-coated white cardstock...I like the gleam of the paper with the images.


Can you tell how much I love these...squeal!! LOL!  And so easy to make as well!



This Inspire Stamp is FREE with the purchase of both the "Blank Canvas Set #2 AND Nature's Direction" Sets.  I love it, perfect for my office!  I embossed it as well but changed the background paper to a darker version so it would coordinate but stand out as well! (It would great colored too)

Now I am the last stop on the hop...but you can start at the beginning at Elaine's Blog Here to see everyone's fabulous projects!! 


Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Easter Eggies!

Happy Tuesday everyone!  I am home from Florida and I promise to share more photos of my trip later this week after I get them loaded & edited.  If you follow me on Facebook you've probably seen AND heard some stories/pics already hee hee.  I have a few stories OF COURSE that will make you chuckle from my vacation.  But I will say I am extremely grateful to have been able to go and visit my two besties (Pat & Dana)...especially after Pat's cancer/health struggles last year...we felt blessed to be able to spend this time together again.  And we ENJOYED it, laughed hard and just had a great time together...I will treasure it always!



Although I will say it was extremely HARD to leave the sun, blooms, beach & 80 deg temps to come back to cool, gray & rain LOL!  But I know Spring is on its way soon here so I will IMpatiently wait for it.  But back to the real world for me today...that meant cleaning, laundry and grocery shopping and cooking.  Because NOTHING gets done when I'm gone EVER, NEVER, EVER...ugh!  So I had to do a lot of scrubbing today...drives me nutters that no one in my house knows what a vacuum is or a dust cloth.  But I'm all caught up again and got groceries and had to pick up daughter from school for a drs appt.  Tomorrow she gets her braces off so she's a very happy girl...I on the other hand GET my braces very soon...oy vey.  I had braces in high school but my teeth have moved again causing me extreme migraines & jaw pain.  So I am getting molds made for Invisalign, which are clear and are worn like retainers for 9 mos...then I will be done..for the 2nd time...ugh!


If you haven't popped over to my new blog "Bitz of Me"...you are welcome to :)  I will have a new post up tomorrow for you and there are a few fun posts up over there now too!  As always...thanks for visiting!

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Easter Eggies--A Magnolia-licious Challenge!!

Today is another fun Magnolia-licious Challenge (we have them every 2 weeks) and this time the challenge is to create "Spring/Easter Projects".  Easy peasy with the newest stamps from the Easter Collection at Magnolia-licious!  You can find all the challenge details AND see the beautiful projects done by the DT at the Challenge Blog Here



I'm entering this into "Thistlewood Farms" Spring Linky Party!!

I used this sweet stamp "Tilda with Egg & Chicken"...isn't she the cutest?? I created this fun lil basket using my Silhouette Cameo...where I have placed my image is actually where there is an intricate egg cut out (called "basket box easter egg in Silhouette image store).  I love using the Cameo, so easy and quick and so many fun things to make.  I cut the basket out with 2 sided/colored cardstock and then decorated with these fabulous new papers from Teresa Collins.  The scrollies were done with a Memory Box die and then I added some layered flowers...the lil sparkly eggs in the flowers are from Michaels (they come in sprays and I just cut off what I needed).


This cutie was colored with Copics:  E37,E50,E31 / B02,B00,B000 / RV34,RV32,RV000 / Y15,Y11,Y00.  I added some Stickles to her sleeves and a few of the eggs.  Perfect image for Spring/Easter!


Friday, March 8, 2013

Swirly Spring Hop

Happy Friday everyone & Happy Weekend!  I'm still in warm Florida visiting with my friends and having an awesome time.  I tell you...the best ab workout is laughter...laugh till your sides hurt KWIM. Yeah both sides, my ribs and stomach hurt from laughing so much....just what the doctor ordered that's for sure :)  And yup I missed all the snow & ice...heehee...and have been wearing short sleeves everyday...lovin' it!


me & my navy blue toes at the pool

Dana & Pat at our "spots" at Dana's table...we haven't broke out the technology yet

Pat gettin' ready for some lobster crackin'

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Welcome to the "Friends of True's - Swirly Spring" BLOG HOP! 


If you are here from Bonnie'e blog, you are in the right place. If you just happened onto mine you will want to head back to True's blog where it all starts. There will be a prize package donated by Inky Antics that includes  True's entire, newly released, Swirly Spring stamp line seen HERE! 




This is my card using the new set "Swirly Sunshine & Flowers" ...such a cheery image and sentiment.  I chose equally cheery papers for a "sunshine effect"...they are a mix of PTI and scraps.  The swirls are a Magnolia Doohickey die, bow was done with a Bow Easy and some rhinestones finish it off.  I distressed all the papers with my Zutter Distress machine.



My image got colored with Shinhan TouchTwin markers (colors to come).  Then I added Stickles to the sun and flower centers for a fun sparkle.



That's it for me today...have fun hopping along!


Here is a list of all of the links in case you get lost along the way.

Judy Rozema

Make sure to leave a comment on every stop, to increase your chances of winning the prize package. One lucky commenter from a randomly picked blog will win all 6 stamp sets! The winner will be announced on True's Blog on Monday, March 11th.


Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Snow Bird!

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Well I am at Ronald Reagan Natl Airport in DC awaiting my flight to Florida.  I was supposed to leave tomorrow but because I live in "Murphy's Law Land"...where if its gonna happen, its gonna happen to me...we are gonna get a HUGE snow storm starting tonight.  So I knew my flight would be cancelled and I'd be stuck! UGH!  So I changed to a flight a day earlier, which is fine but I had so many things to finish today...so no projects from me until later in the week for some events I have coming up.

I am so excited to get to Florida and see my besties Pat & Dana AND some warm sun.  It was 22 degs here this morning in Virginia so anything above 55 degrees is a heatwave to this girl LOL.  I'm so happy to not be dealing with the snow that is going to hit home.  And to top it all off my son is home sick today...he came home yesterday with a fever and went right to bed.  I tell ya everytime I travel the *poo* hits the fan.  So hubby has a lot going on at home with the snow storm, son sick and probably school cancelled tomorrow along with just trying to get home tonight before it all starts.  But I left a fridge full of groceries, dinners to heat up and laundry all done....so he can't complain too much.  I wish someone would do ALL that for me when they travel...hint, hint...ha!

Anywho, I will be posting some pics on the blog of my adventures in Florida with my friends....we never know what we may get into ;)  And of course on Facebook as well if you follow me there.

I will have a few posts also on my new lifestyle blog "Bitz of Me" including one up today HERE!  Its a bit crafty and all about Spring...so hop on over and check it out if you get the chance.

Bitz of Me

In the meantime, have a wonderful week wherever in the world you may be!



Friday, March 1, 2013

My Besties!!

Helllooooooo T.G.I.Friday right everyone? LOL...I have a do-nothing weekend...that doesn't mean I will do nothing of course, but no big plans!  We are going to IKEA on Sunday to get some goodies and hopefully find a new headboard for Riley's new bed.  I need to get him OUT and in his new room, he's like a giant sleeping in a toddler bed I swear.  I look in on him at night and its like the bed and room just SHRUNK with him in it.  Plus once he's finally out of his room, I get to take it over as my office #2...whoo hoo.  I already have the paint and goodies ready for it ;) and it will match my new blog's "Bitz of Me" color scheme.  I hope to find a desk at IKEA for the room and a bookshelf as well...I'm a fan of the Expedit system and we have the black versions in our basement.  They hold up well but aren't too expensive.  But I'm going junking for an antique buffet that I can paint & rough up for my office too...I want something a bit shabby chic in there for storage.  James starts sweating and getting nervous when I talk about this stuff cuz' he knows he's gotta put things together and move things up and downstairs.  But I'm TIRED of waiting and Riley is too...so I'm gonna have to push him on this.  God love the man but he is not always the most motivated of people on the weekend when I want to tackle projects.  I wish I had a project-friend that lived closer so we could work on projects like this together and then trade off...that would be awesome.  Usually its me doing it by myself during the day when everyone is gone LOL...which can sometimes lead to all kinds of debacles ahahaha!  So stay tuned for that project...it will all be documented on my other blog.

Pat, Me & Dana last year

The Big, Mad, Hissing Gator!

But I'm really looking forward to flying down to Naples, FL on Wednesday for a week in the sun with my two bestest buddies, Pat Jaynes and Dana Shaw.  This will be our third year doing this and we always have a BLAST and always lots of STORIES.  Last year our Everglades airboat ran over a GIGANTIC GATOR and we were in the front (dummies that we are) and the guy goes back to see if the gator is ok and pulls up RIGHT NEXT TO HIM...and the gator is HISSING LOUDLY cuz' duhhhh he is PEEVED alrighty.  And yours truly is the closest to him freaking out just a teeny bit...ok A LOT...I was pushing Pat & Dana off the end of the bench trying to MOVE AS FAR AS I COULD while those two are laughing hysterically.  Then the guide nonchalantly says "yeah did you know gators can jump up to 6 feet, pretty cool huh"....UMMM ARE YOU NUTS...then I was ready to walk on water at that point or run and about to have cardiac arrest.  Then they thought I was gonna hold the baby gator when we got back to the center...yeah no..not on my bucket list so don't care and don't wanna and I didn't LOL!  Good times...lord knows what may happen to us this time..perhaps we need some prayers yes? ;)

NewsBitz:

-My friend Jami Bova is still raising funds for the MS Bike Ride she is doing with her husband to raise monies for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.  By donating even a few dollars you are entered to win a NEW Kindle Fire and if you come back to my blog to let me know you donated you can be entered to win a $25 GC to Amazon.com.  This is of course a cause near & dear to me and you can read more HERE!  Thanks!

-If you haven't checked out my new blog "Bitz of Me"...well you are welcome to LOL.  Its not a crafty blog but a lifestyle-story-everything-blog of fun!  There will be fun decorating and organizing projects I'm working on, recipes and fitness stuff, fashion and life stuff....you name it and I'll probably be talking about it at some point (within reason people, let's not get all excited heehee)

-The CMC Challenge Group has a new challenge up today...everyone is welcome to join in on the fun.  Hop over to see the DTs fabulous projects, our guest designers and our fabulous sponsor Louby Lou Digital Designs (challenge is ANYTHING GOES COLORING) but the DT did all buggies & reptiles for a fun twist!!

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Besties!!


So today I'm sharing a card that I made with a Sherri Baldy Designs Besties digi image called "Carley Rose"...isn't she a cutie? I'd soooo wear that outfit myself, I love it!  Sherri so kindly sent me this image and I just fell in love with her...her big eyes & retro outfit, too fun!  It took me longer to color her then normal...because I've been lifting weights and I swear everything on me HURTS LOL.  Including my forearms so I had to take breaks coloring her ahahahaha..no fun!

I'm entering her into the following challenges:



I used new papers from Authentique "Renew" (10% off too) that I adore...love, love, love this color combo and the patterns in this pack.  I distressed all the papers with my Zutter Distress machine for a little bit of shabby chic-ness.  The black swirls were made with a Magnolia Doohickey "Leaf & Swirl" die, the yellow swirls with a Memory Box "Elegant Scrollwork" die and the corner decorations were made with a La La Land die "Filigree Corner Die ".  I layered flowers and made some with my NEW Nellie Snellen "Floral" punches I just got in...love using those!  The sentiment is from PTI (Paper Trey Ink).


She was colored with Copics: BG75,BG72,BG11,BG10 / Y15,Y11,Y00,E31 / E11,E00,RV11 / C9,C5,C3,C1 / E37,E35,E31,YR20.  Then I added some Diamond Glaze to her eyes and necklace, Stickles to the flowers and sash on the dress for sparkle.




Wishing you all a fabulous & happy weekend!!


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