Product ReviewZ | MyMemories

MyMemories Suite 
Coupon Code: TDOAVLNK10
or STMMMS61543

As most of you know, I am a designer at MyMemories. Besides having many wonderful designers and an incredible amount of options of kits, MyMemories also has a wonderful piece of scrapbook software called MyMemories Suite.

I admit that I actually use Adobe Photoshop most of the time, but I have been known to use MM Suite as well. I enjoy the simpleness of it. Its very easy-to-use and I like that if you purchase the kits from the MM Store, then they are incorporated right into the software. It is available for PC and Mac, as well so that is really nice. I like that there are many options and each version gets better. 

If you are looking for software that is created JUST-FOR-SCRAPBOOKING, easy-to-use, great tools, and available for all - look no further!

Disclosure: I personally use this product. I have become an affiliate of this company, by my own choice and will receive compensation if you use the link(s) above to purchase this product 
(but it won't cost you any more).

This product is DeDe APPROVED and I highly recommend it!

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DealZ Finder | Persnickety Prints

My very favorite place to get my scrapbook pages is having a sale!

If you haven't experienced their prints 
and/or customer service - you gotta give it a chance!
Now is the very best time to gather all those digital
layouts and get them printed!

I personally purchase this service for all my scrapbook prints.

This product/service is DeDe APPROVED and I highly recommend it!

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DealZ Finder is a series of posts where I share some wonderful deals and sales that I see around the online world! I hate regular shopping, but if I can buy it online - I'm totally there! And who wants to miss a good deal right?

Disclaimer: All opinions on this blog are my own and therefore I choose what to review and which products to use. I use affiliate links to promote certain products that I believe in. I receive a small percentage when there is a sale (or other compensation), but it doesn't cost you anymore. Every little bit helps. My creative partners and I really appreciate your continued support. 

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High/Low + Freebie | September 26, 2014

My LOW this Week is that I just can't keep up with my life. How do you all balance all your interests and to-do lists? I'm going a little crazy! It just takes me so much time to do anything!

My HIGH for this Week is that my impromptu redesign of my blog is going well and I'm really enjoying how clean and fresh it is - I'm still going through posts and making everything work, but I love my menu bar! What do you think?


I do have a freebie for you today! I am currently in the process of designing a new kit (I started last Fall and am still working on it) - its called CARNIVAL SPECTACULAR and here is just a little sneak peek!

DOWNLOAD LINK

Have a great weekend!

High/Low + Freebie Posts | Each Friday, I get a little personal and share my high and low points of the week and then I offer a digital scrapbook freebie for everyone to download for FREE.

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DealZ Finder | Zulily

Have you heard of Zulily? 

Zulily is a retailer that is obsessed with bringing moms special finds everyday, all at incredible prices (things like clothes, shoes, health and beauty products, and toys)! Members can enjoy savings of up to 70% off retail prices; not to mention discover some exciting new brands and products. Their secret is that they order products in bulk and then create savings for customers through group buying. 

Only members can shop the sales, but membership is totally free and the sign up is instant and easy! So, if you haven't signed up for an account yet - GO NOW and take care of that!

Remember, it doesn't cost you anything, unless you choose to purchase, but once you are a member, you won't have to worry about missing that special deal! Christmas is coming - and I bet you love getting good deals - so GO CHECK IT OUT and sign up - it can't hurt!

** They also have a deal going on right now that when you invite your friends to join, you can receive $15, if they place an order!  Awesome right?

Are you going to sign up?

__________________
DealZ Finder is a series of posts where I share some wonderful deals and sales that I see around the online world! I hate regular shopping, but if I can buy it online - I'm totally there! And who wants to miss a good deal right?

Disclaimer: All opinions on this blog are my own and therefore I choose what to review and which products to use. I use affiliate links to promote certain products that I believe in. I receive a small percentage when there is a sale (or other compensation), but it doesn't cost you anymore. Every little bit helps. My creative partners and I really appreciate your continued support. 

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Product ReviewZ | Gerber Life Insurance

Gerber Life Insurance
Give your child an advantage for life!

When I was first married, I had no idea the responsibility that a grown-up truly has. I didn't realize that there would be SO MUCH to worry about and so many important things to take care of, like insurance and retirement plans. I had no idea things could get so complicated. As a married couple, we were thinking about life insurance and protecting our little family. Making the right financial decisions is always hard and continues to be hard for me, but I do believe in having insurance and being able to protect your family when hard times come.

So when I did have my first child and when I saw the Gerber Life Grow-up Plan, I thought it definitely looked interesting. I really liked that it was a WHOLE LIFE policy and that as long as you kept up with the relatively low payments, your child could have that insurance for life. I figured, why not and went ahead and signed up. It has been a pleasant experience since and I signed up my daughter when she was born as well. So now, I have 2 policies and I don't regret it at all. My thought is that I will continue paying for their insurance until they are married (or out of the house) and then I will hand it over to them and they can continue with it as they wish. It is nice to know that I have that protection for them and for us as a family.

I also enjoy the little benefits that they offer!
You can get a FREE Child Safety ID Kit right now.
Of course, you hope you will never need it, but it's better safe than sorry.....

Some of the things I love about Gerber Life:

* Great Rates

* Easy Online Payments

* Great Customer Service

* Protection for my kids for their whole life

So I encourage you to look into this insurance for your family. I hope it is something that will work for you as well as it is working for me!

Disclosure: I personally purchase this service for both of my children and my opinions are my own. I have become an affiliate of this company, by my own choice and will receive compensation if you use the link(s) above to purchase this product.

This product is DeDe APPROVED and I highly recommend it!

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Family History TuesdayZ | Falling in Love

Journaling Prompt: 

Describe when you knew 
your spouse was the one 
or how you fell in love.

My Personal Journaling:

I met my husband in January of 1998. I was in college and my husband's best friend was dating one of my roommates. He came over to find his friend and we met. I feel bad, but I don't actually remember the exact meeting. He does and for him he was interested in me from the get-go. I guess I made it a little hard for him and he took the next few weeks to try and grab my attention - coming over to our apartment, fixing things, etc. Finally he just asked me out and I was so surprised. I was so naive. I'd never had a boy like me before and it actually was a little overwhelming and I didn't know how to react. But eventually, I calmed down and within 2 weeks of our first date, we had our first kiss after spending just about every day together. The next 2 weeks after that, was filled with getting to know each other - a lot of talking and movie watching and just spending time together. And when about a month after our first date, Joey blurted out "Will you marry me?" (when we were dancing) - I said, "Yes." Of course it was like a year and a half later after we had dated a lot that the official proposal happened and we got married. But that night a month after we started dating - I KNEW. He really "got me." He knew how to make me laugh. We were both kind of home bodies and loved movies, books, and computers. He was so cute. He was really interested in ME - all of me. He made me feel good about myself. We were FRIENDS too. We loved being together. He wanted the same life as I wanted - to be married in the temple, to raise our family together..... We truly LOVED each other.

And I'm happy we still do.

Each Tuesday, I am going to be offering prompts or ideas. If you don't write in your journal regularly - I am going to encourage you to write just ONCE A WEEK and answer the question/idea that I give on Tuesdays. These ideas hopefully will spark a memory and you will be able to capture that in what you write/record so that it can be left for your children/grandchildren/family/friends. Give as much detail as you can when answering.

Will you do this for me? Will you do this for your families? You can write it down in a journal, you can type it up on a computer or journaling software, you can take a recorder and talk, you can videotape your answers, you can even scrap a page with the journaling. It doesn't matter how you do this - it's just important that you do it. The memories, the dates, the information is the only real thing we can leave to our families when we are gone.

If I come up with other family history ideas - I will be sure to share it here too - and if you want to share with me your ideas - that would be wonderful and I'd be glad to share them here too. Just comment here or email me at dedesmith32@gmail.com.

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Product ReviewZ | Unbox Love

Unbox Love

Fun, creative dates-in-a-box delivered 

to your door each month for $39.

My husband and I have a good relationship. We love each other and we enjoy spending time together, but sometimes life gets in the way. We've never had a set day for DATE NIGHT and that means that it actually rarely happens. We spend most weekends together as a whole family, which is definitely not a bad thing, but we don't always get time alone and when we do its usually watching tv shows/movies together. Now, we love movies/tv, so its definitely enjoyable and it's kind of our "thing," so I hope this ever changes, but sometimes I do wish for a little more. When we do go out, its usually dinner and a movie and that's always fun too, but once-in-a-while I do wish we could come up with something more creative to do with our time, but then I haven't put any work into it either. 

I was on Facebook, as per usual, and I came across an ad for UNBOX LOVE. At first, I just ignored it, but then something intrigued me and so I clicked the link. What I found out, was really interesting to me! A date-in-a-box, delivered to your door with everything planned out- all you had to do was open it up and play along. I figured - what could it hurt to give it a try, so I ordered it and I'm so glad I did. 

It turned out to be so much fun and definitely something that my husband and I wouldn't have tried without this! I was afraid that my husband wouldn't play along, but he totally has and I think he enjoys it as much as I do. We loved that everything was included and just had everything planned out for us. We have enjoyed the little conversation starters included with each month. It has really helped us to know things about each other that we didn't know. I really feel that it has brought us closer together. I feel more connected with him after these dates. I love that the activities are really engaging! Also except for our 2nd month, it was a date that we could do at home after the kids were in bed, which really worked great for us. Something else that I love about it is that it offers a surprise - you don't know what's in the box until you open it up! It's definitely brought more spontaneity to my life! 

We are now on our third month and we couldn't be happier! I get really excited when I see that UNBOX LOVE on my doorstep and I know I am in for a fun surprise!

Check out this month's DATE-IN-A-BOX: 

This month's UNBOX LOVE was about COMMUNICATION and it included: The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman, 2 Tangram puzzles,  Dove Chocolates, and Altoids

We started off our date with a communication game, using the Tangram Puzzles. We took turns being "The Builder" and "The Voice." 

The Voice creates a design using the tangram puzzle without allowing The Builder to look at their creation. Then, The Builder will use their Tangram and attempt to build the design created by The Voice, using only The Voice's verbal instructions!

I admit that my husband and I were pretty horrible at this. We each had a hard time describing our designs, which resulted in the other person having a hard time building the same design! But we had fun and I think it gave us some insight into how we communicate.

Our attempts to match each other's designs failed,
but we still had fun! 

Next up, we were take the test that was in the book, The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. We intend to read this together a little later on, but we just took the test on our date. We actually went ahead and went to the website and filled it out there. After taking the test, we cuddled up and talked about our results.

The last part of our date was using some Conversation Starters (included in the date box) to have some fun conversation with each other, as we ate our chocolates/altoids and cuddled!

It was a really fun night and I really loved the quality time that we had together!

"Creative dates delivered to your doorstep every month. Because your relationship is too important for boring!"

Unbox Love is truly a fun and unique way to share quality time with your significant other, without the stress of having to plan it yourself! I highly recommend purchasing this date-in-a-box. You won't regret it and your relationship 
will be better than ever!

Disclosure: I personally purchased this product (and I keep receiving this every month) and my opinions are my own. I have become an affiliate of this company, by my own choice and will receive compensation if you use the link(s) above to purchase this product. 

This product is DeDe APPROVED and I highly recommend it!

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Challenge Saturdays | ScatterZ Challenge - September 2014

Today you get a ScatterZ Challenge!

You do the challenge and then you get
a ScatterZ element as your posting bonus!

Here's what you need to do:

1. I want you to do a layout about your favorite things about FALL! Is it the cool weather, the changing of the leaves, fun fall recipes? What do you love most about Fall?

2. Upload your layout to my FACEBOOK PAGE for all of us to see! If you don't have Facebook - you can email it to me (dedesmith32@gmail.com) and still participate! Please include what product(s) you used!

4. You must complete and upload your layout by Sunday, September 21st - 11:59pm EST.

5. If you participate in this challenge you will receive this:

ScatterZ Challenge Bonus
Fall LeaveZ ScatterZ by DeDe Smith (DesignZ by DeDe) 

I can't wait to see your lovely layouts! I hope you all will participate! Please spread the news and have a great weekend!

Let me know if you have any questions!

_____________________

Welcome to Challenge Saturdays! I've got a new challenge for your weekend scrapping pleasure! Please join in!

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Recipe Thursday | Fancy Schmancy Tuna Noodle Casserole

Fancy Schmancy 
Tuna Noodle Casserole
by DeDe Smith

This week's Recipe:

This is my take on the traditional Tuna Noodle Casserole. I added a lot of veggies and it makes it so colorful and perfect for Fall. It also includes a unique topping (as you actually take 3 different types of crumbs and add them together)!

I have a big fondness for casseroles. I know many people do not like "cream of" soups added to their casseroles and it is healthier for you to not use those - but I actually love the taste, so I do use it sometimes. I did add a can of cream of mushroom soup in this recipe to thicken it up a bit - but you could totally NOT use it and be fine. I loved this dish. It had a lot of flavor and I love all the added veggies. My kids even ate it after a little encouragement (because of the veggies.)

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz mushrooms, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
16 oz egg noodles
3 cups sharp cheddar/monterey jack, grated
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup half 'n half
1 can cream of mushroom soup (optional)
1 bag frozen peas
1 bag frozen corn
2 cans of tuna in water, drained and flaked
4 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup potato chips, crushed
18 Ritz Crackers, crushed
1 cup Italian Breadcrumbs

Add olive oil to a large skillet and add onions and garlic. Cook for a few minutes and then add mushrooms. Cook for a few more minutes and then add celery and peppers. Cook on Medium-Low until mushrooms are browned and all vegetables are tender.

To the skillet add chicken broth, half 'n half, and cream of mushroom soup. Heat until boiling and then stir in peas, corn, and tuna. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook your egg noodles according to package directions for al dente. Drain and then add to a large casserole dish. Immediately stir in 2 of the cups of grated cheese and stir so it melts all over the noodles.

Pour sauce over the noodles. Top with remainder of grated cheese. 

Mix potato chips, ritz crackers, and bread crumbs and butter and spread over the top.
Bake at 400 degrees for  30 minutes.

______________________________

On Recipe Thursdays, I am going to be sharing a recipe with you! I will pick a recipe from my collection and I will be sharing where I got the recipe and everything. But I am going to include my own photo of the finished food, the original recipe, and try and share the things I changed when I made it!

I would love your help too! If you have a great recipe, especially week-night dinner recipes (but I would love all kinds of recipes) - please share it with me, by emailing me at dedesmith32@gmail.com. I will try it out and feature it on my blog! If you have cooking tips or anything else in regards to cooking and food - please email me!

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Wednesday SayingZ | Don't Let Yesterday...

{ This week's quote }

Don't Let

YESTERDAY
take up too much of
TODAY

DOWNLOAD LINK

Each Wednesday, I am going to be sharing a quote/saying with you! 

I am a collector of quotes/sayings/scrapbook titles, etc. and I love to hear new ones! So, each week, I will share a quote/saying with you that I hope will inspire you and make your day a little better! I also create pieces of wordart with these quotes each week and offering them to you as a freebie!!!  Feel free to use them in your scrapbook layouts or just print them out for great wall decor!

If you have any great quotes/sayings - feel free to send them in to me at dedesmith32@gmail.com - I would love to use them!

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Family History TuesdayZ | Remember Me

Journaling Prompt: 
List 10 things you would 
hope to be remembered for

My Personal Journaling:

I hope not only to have people remember me as these things - I hope to actually BE these things. Some of the things on my list are things that I would like to be, and maybe I'm not there yet. I think by knowing the things that you want to leave for future generations, it will help you to make the right choices to become the person you want to be.

If my actions are what others will remember me by, then I might need to change some things that I do!


1. I want to be remembered for being a kind, loving, and caring person.

2. I want to be remembered as an all-service individual. Someone who helps others.

3. I want to be remembered as a good mom and wife - someone who makes her family happy and successful.

4. I want to be remembered as someone who loved books and movies and loved to share those with others.

5 I want to be remembered as a good and loyal friend. Someone with a listening ear and a comforting shoulder and someone who is always there for you.

6 I want to be remembered as a creative person. Someone who can create things that help others.

7. I want to be remembered as a happy person and someone who makes others happy.

8. I want to be remembered as someone who lives her religion and who has a testimony of the Savior.

9. I want to be remembered as someone who has no regrets.

10. I want to be remembered as someone who cares about Family History and family stories and helps others to share their stories. I want to leave a legacy of story-telling and memory-keeping. I want my friends/family to feel that journal-keeping and memories are so important to leave for the next generations.

______________________

Each Tuesday, I am going to be offering prompts or ideas. If you don't write in your journal regularly - I am going to encourage you to write just ONCE A WEEK and answer the question/idea that I give on Tuesdays. These ideas hopefully will spark a memory and you will be able to capture that in what you write/record so that it can be left for your children/grandchildren/family/friends. Give as much detail as you can when answering.

Will you do this for me? Will you do this for your families? You can write it down in a journal, you can type it up on a computer or journaling software, you can take a recorder and talk, you can videotape your answers, you can even scrap a page with the journaling. It doesn't matter how you do this - it's just important that you do it. The memories, the dates, the information is the only real thing we can leave to our families when we are gone.

If I come up with other family history ideas - I will be sure to share it here too - and if you want to share with me your ideas - that would be wonderful and I'd be glad to share them here too. Just comment here or email me at dedesmith32@gmail.com.

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Featured Product Monday | You Are My Sunshine

Today I would like to feature a kit that I just put back into my store. It is an older kit, but actually one of my favorites. I love the Denim feel of the whole kit. It's great for a variety of different kinds of layouts and perfect for your denim-wearing girl! Scrap all those meaningful moments with the special people that make your life happy and wonderful!  

Let me know what you think!

Take a Look at my YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE!

"You Are My Sunshine" by DeDe Smith 

I shared this layout with you in yesterday's Life 2014 post! 

ENJOY! Thanks for reading my blog and have a great week!

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Life 2014 | Beth's 9th Birthday

We celebrated Beth's Birthday a week before her actual birthday. She wanted a RAINBOW PARTY so that is what she got! We decorated with rainbow streamers, rainbow tablecloth, rainbow plates and cups, and rainbow balloons! We had a family party this year with Dad, Mom, JJ, (of course Beth), Uncle Aaron, Uncle Cody, Aunt Becki, and Cousin Mallory. For dinner we had Rainbow Pasta with Alfredo Sauce, Rainbow Bread, and of course Rainbow Cake (with rainbow butterflies). She loved her gifts - she got: an Anna Costume, Horses and Girls from Horseland, a Black Sketch Notebook, Frozen Blu-Ray, and an awesome stuffed horse (Buttercup) that whinnies and responds to touch. Beth was so excited and it was really fun to spend the evening with family. We can't believe she is really 9 - she's just getting to be such a beautiful young lady and we love her!

- April 6, 2014 -

Here's the layout I did:

I used the "You Are My Sunshine" by DeDe Smith 
and "Fill 'er Up Templates" by Britt-ish Designs

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Wednesday SayingZ | you is KIND you is SMART you is IMPORTANT

{This week's quote:}
you is KIND

you is SMART

you is IMPORTANT

DOWNLOAD LINK

Each Wednesday, I am going to be sharing a quote/saying with you! 

I am a collector of quotes/sayings/scrapbook titles, etc. and I love to hear new ones! So, each week, I will share a quote/saying with you that I hope will inspire you and make your day a little better! I also create pieces of wordart with these quotes each week and offering them to you as a freebie!!!  Feel free to use them in your scrapbook layouts or just print them out for great wall decor!

If you have any great quotes/sayings - feel free to send them in to me at dedesmith32@gmail.com - I would love to use them!

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Challenge Saturdays | ONE WORD Challenge

Today's Challenge is all about ONE WORD!

Today's word is SMILE!

Here's what you need to do:

1. You create a layout using today's ONE WORD. You must use this word in the title of your layout. Your layout can be any theme, but has to include MY PRODUCTS ONLY.

2. Upload your layout to my FACEBOOK PAGE for all of us to see! If you don't have Facebook - you can email it to me (dedesmith32@gmail.com) and still participate! Please include what product(s) you used!

4. You must complete and upload your layout by Sunday, September 7th at 11:59pm EST.

5. If you participate in this challenge you will receive this Flower PowerZ ScatterZ!

Flower PowerZ ScatterZ 
by DeDe Smith (DesignZ by DeDe) 

I can't wait to see your lovely layouts! I hope you all will participate! Please spread the news and have a great weekend!

Let me know if you have any questions!

_____________________
Welcome to Challenge Saturdays! I got a new challenge for your weekend scrapping pleasure! Please join in!

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One Word Challenge tomorrow!

Please join me for a ONE WORD CHALLENGE this Saturday! Come back to my blog here and you will have 48 hours to complete a fun Challenge to get a great ScatterZ!

Please come and join in!

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High/Low + Freebie | September 5, 2014

My LOW this Week is that I just did not get any digital scrapbook designing done like I had planned. Amidst - carpooling my son to school, working a lot on my Origami Owl business, starting a delivery job twice a week, tending my niece a couple of days this week, and just daily life....I just can't seem to fit everything in. I'm trying not to get discouraged about that...

My HIGH for this Week is that my Origami Owl Fall Party went fantastic! I'm excited to be having 4 Jewelry Bars (parties) scheduled for the next couple of months, plus 2 that I am already doing this month. I even have got a few sales and that just makes me really excited. I love the O2 products and I just want everyone to see how awesome it is! That is really why I am selling it - (some extra money is nice too), but the real reason is that I just think it is so amazing and meaningful and such a treasure for you and your family to have. It's a little piece of you and your story - it goes right along with scrapbooking in my opinion - so SCRAP-A-LOCKET!


I do have a freebie for you today! Last week, you got the ELSA Dress. Today you get the ANNA Dress!  These go with the DollZ in Bethie's Room! Have a great weekend!

DOWNLOAD LINK

High/Low + Freebie Posts | Each Friday, I get a little personal and share my high and low points of the week and then I offer a digital scrapbook freebie for everyone to download for FREE.

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