Father's Day

Perfect for dad or grandpa on Father's Day. Thanks for visiting today. Have a blessed week Fran

All Stickered Up new items

All Stickered Up has wedding items,personalized gift items,
 car decals and custom business logo car decals.
allstickeredup.etsy.com

12 ounce vanilla scented jar candle personalized

perfect for bridal shower hostess gifts, wedding gift, teacher gifts

Welcome sign with 4 interchangable plaques

for each season (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter)

personalized with your last name.

7 personalized vanilla scented jar candles perfect

gift idea for baby shower favor or bridal

shower favor.

Bride and Groom toasting glasses

personalized with names and hearts

9 x 12 ceramic photo tile with baby birth facts

can be made with single, twins, tripletts, etc..

Please use coupon code:ETSY10 for a discount of 10% off entire purchase. 

Thanks and have a blessed day. 
Fran

And the winner is.....
JOLENE at
http://justmycricutandme.blogspot.com/

CONGRATULATIONS you won the welcome vinyl wall quote (pictured below).


Thank you to everyone and all your sweet comments.

Many blessings,
Fran

BLOG HOP WEEK....

So excited to be asked to participate in a BLOG HOP this week. How much fun is this!! Thanks for Clare for including me and my blog. Check out her beautiful fabric Cricut covers at: HER BLOG

☆•°*””*••°*””*•☆FREE GIVEAWAY★☆•°*”˜☆°*•°*”˜☆

Leave a comment here on my blog
saying your favorite item in
my Etsy shop
and you will be entered to win a
welcome sign vinyl wall quote

for your front door.

☆•°*””*••°*””*•☆★thanks for playing★☆•°*”˜☆••°*”˜☆
giveaway ends on August 13th 2011. One winner will be
picked and details will be sent to email address


Check out the fun personalized items I have at my website allstickeredup.etsy.com.

Perfect gift idea -A personalized tile


Advertise your ETSY SHOP with a personalized window decal

Perfect little flower to enhance your scrapbook page

Use coupon code: bloghop to receive a 15% off your total purchase.

Next Blog to hop to is It's Always Fabulous. Here is her blog: http://www.suesfabulouslife.blogspot.com/
And here is her Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/itsalwaysfabulous
She has some great scrapbook stickers and adorable 8x8 paper packs.

Thanks!
Fran

Should we lower our expectations?

As children I think we have high expectations of people (and things for that matter). Being a child we need parents, family members and friends for physical and financial support more than we do as adults. As adults we need others for emotional support. And as I journeyed through my late 20's and thirties I have come to a very sad realization that my expectations were seriously too high of other adults in my life.

Seems easier to lower my expectations of people so I don't get hurt. But is that the real way to go? I know that by doing that I will be hurt less and its defiantly the easy way out. I've lived the last 8 months with lower expectations of others and its been much easier. My anxiety is gone (thank you, Jesus), I'm a happier person, not so quick to anger.... I could go on and on. As I was having a conversation with my husband last night and I told him about my theory of lowering my expectations he said yea, that sounds simple enough. I'm gonna try that too. Then a light bulb practically hit me on my head. WHAT WAS I DOING??? This is ridiculous, God doesn't want us to take the easy way out. Now my mission is the pray about it and figure out exactly what He wants me to do with my theory and easy way out.

The one person who keeps exceeding my expectations is God. He has been a rock through every aspect of my life. I'm am so thankful for the day when I was 13 years old sitting around a table at a family friends house and hearing about God and how AMAZING He really is. I've continued on occasion to sit around a table with those two very important people and learn about the Word of God and it has opened my eyes and heart to show me that the most important thing in this world is God. And that he gave his only son, Jesus, up for us to wash our sins away forever. I remember laying on the floor of my friends bedroom, having a sleepover, praying a simple prayer and asking Jesus into my heart. That day was a changing day for me, however, I didn't realize it until years later.

Until next time, many blessings.
Fran

New beginnings - the story of All Stickered Up!!

a sample of a few things I've been working on. The first tile has your family last name and first names on the very top of the tile and the bible verse Phil 4:13. The second photo is the set of 4 coasters. And the third tile is a 9x7 tile personalized with grandchildrens names.

WHEW... We've been so busy the past 8 weeks. Now that Christmas is officially over I have a little time to post (finally).
Lots has been going on, about 8 weeks ago, I started a business (by accident). I know you're asking how the heck does someone start a business by accident. I've been scratching my head ever since too.

Over the past year I've been trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Because since my boys started going to school full time I've felt a little unimportant. Like I'm not needed as much in their lives. It was really a very difficult time from August to about the middle of October. All that feeling unimportant was over mid October when my sister brought back all of my scrapbooking stuff included in the stuff was my Cricut. It hit my like a ton of bricks, seriously like God was screaming at me, this is what you need to be doing right now. YOU CAN DO THIS!!! I got my Cricut out (mind you it was in the middle of my nephews birthday party we were hosting at our home) and found some old blue and white plaid contact paper and just went to town practicing cutting words out of the migshift vinyl on my Cricut. If you've ever seen PS I Love you (I just watched it for the first time last night) I felt like that scene when she finally realized what she wanted to do with her life was design shoes. I was whirling around in my office, cutting with the Cricut, making list of designs and ideas and more. I am getting goosebumps just typing this as I think about how enlightening it is to FINALLY know what you want to do and put it to work.

So as I'm cutting the contact paper with my cricut I hear my mom and my sisters saying where the heck is Frannie. As I'm adhearing the first vinyl wall word I've ever created to my office door everyone is like that is so awsome!! The next day I race out to Michaels to purchase some real vinyl and transfer paper and created my first real wall qoute that is on my family photo wall and I created a ceramic personalized tile for my mom with all our names on it. The next week when I showed my mom the personalzied tile she loved it and asked if I could make something with the vinyl for my sisters baby shower favors. I said of course and that is when I came up with the 3x3 personalized coasters that I made for each guest at her shower. I got literally 12 orders by the end of that evening. And I thought this might be something people really like. After the baby shower I created my website on Etsy and posted and few photos on Facebook and as of today I've had over 60 orders. Check out my items here
allstickeredup.etsy.com

This has been a really fun time getting my creative juices flowing. My husband has been a huge help with all of the projects. And I've gotten some really great ideas from family and friends. I want to thank each one of you all for showing me such great support!

Thats whats been going on in my life. I'm super busy and lovin' it!!!

Have a blessed week.
Fran

Recipe: Spaghetti with eggplant and tomato sauce

I just saw this recipe in the Woman's Day Magazine. It sure looks yummy!! I'm going to make it next week, hope its tasty. And its a perfect way to use some of our homegrown garden tomatoes

Spaghetti with Eggplant and tomato sauce
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS
2 lb eggplant, diced (11 cups)
2 Tbsp salt (for soaking eggplant)
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lb ripe tomatoes, peeled (if desired), seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp tomato paste
12 oz spaghetti or spaghettini
Oil for frying
1⁄4 cup chopped basil
1⁄4 cup grated ricotta salata orParmesan (see Tip)
Freshly ground black pepper and salt, preferably sea salt, to taste

PREPARATION
1. Put eggplant into a colander over a plate. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp salt; toss. Set aside to drain 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes over medium-low heat until light golden. Add tomatoes and tomato paste; cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes soften and sauce is slightly thickened.
4. Meanwhile, when water comes to a boil, add pasta and cook as package directs.
5. While pasta cooks, heat 1⁄2 in. vegetable oil in another large skillet (you’ll use about 2 cups of oil). Add eggplant and fry until golden, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Stir eggplant into tomato sauce.
6. When pasta is cooked, reserve 2 Tbsp pasta cooking water, then drain. Return pasta to pot. Stir in sauce, reserved water, basil and cheese. Season with salt, pepper if desired.

Maxine’s Tip: Ricotta salata is cheese made from sheep’s milk that is salted and aged. Aged pecorino or feta cheese can be used instead.

Nutrition Facts
Yield 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 594
Total Fat 21g
Saturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 8mg
Sodium 657mg
Total Carbohydrates 89g
Dietary Fiber 10g
Protein 16g