Gratuity should always be added...

{Long post... making up for yesterday, LOL}

Hello, hello!!! i can't believe it's Thursday already... i have 2 more days before the party... the stress has calmed a bit, although not completly gone... i am almost done with all of my things but very sketchy on what others were "assigned"... i'm very eager to show you some table deco, but a part of it isn't complete yet, leaving me with nothing to put together... soon! hopefully soon!

Week 3 of He-Art Journaling with TGF... i'm sure you've been seeing some awesome pages around blogland from those who are taking the class... i hear it has been inspiring others to take the plunge and try it out too... it's a very fun way to keep a "journal" and best with no rules... Week 3's theme is GRATITUDE... so many ideas flew through my head, but my challenge was putting it down on the paper... and so this is what i came up with....
no painting this week.... tempted but decided to go back to my roots and stamp.... i used 3 different "Thank you" stamps... 2 of which come from TGF sets... "Why, thank you" from the Sweet Message set and "thanks so much" from the Butterfly Wishes set.... the other stamp is an oldie and i can't remember from where.... i searched the web to see if any gratitude quotes popped out to me and there were a few... but i choose 2 that had a lot of meaning.... oh i can't forget that i added butterflies... =D
TGF's Angel Anya was a #1 pick to go with one of the quotes i used... and of course you know why she is in blue!! ;)
the pink heart has one of the quotes i found.... please excuse my horrible handwriting.... LOL... the smaller hearts are just sayings that i always use when ever possible.. whether it's for myself or what i'm teaching my children...
ok, i really, really LOVE this quote.... from the moment i read it i just knew i wanted to use it.... the first image that came to mind was Angel Anya.... because she is praying... how perfect was that match!... if you go back and look at my spread (1st picture) you'll see that i angled the words differently... my intention was to make it look like light rays... yah, it was better pictured in my head than executed.... hehe!

i'm happy with this layout... on the simplier side, but does it really matter?!? if you are a part of this class or just joining in the bug, i hope you all are having as much fun with this "new" thing as i am... =D

now onto so yummy!!

here's Keenan's 1st birthday cake that we had to celebrate his special day on Tuesday... he loves cars and chose this design himself... it was this or Elmo and he was set on this... LOL.... safeway's cakes are always yummy if you customize it just right... my fave is chocolate cake with strawbery mousse filling and whip cream icing... they don't do the strawberry mousse anymore so i had to sub with custard filling, which is yummy too....
here is the little one endulging in his first piece of cake ever.... he didn't like the texture of it between and in his hands, so in the end we had to feed the cake to him... LOL.... yes, he was a complete mess... but that's ok, he was allowed to be this time.... ;D

next week i'll share pictures of his party birthday cake... it's a Queen Emma from a local bakery that is SO huge... some of you might remember my birthday cake from last year with all the layers of tropical flavor... yep it's going to be that same one on a grander scale... hehe.... for now, you'll just have to picture a full sheet of cake in a beach/ocean theme with the wonderful island flavors of guava, lilikoi (passion fruit) and coconut!! yum, yum, YUM!!!

we are on the topic of gratitude and i want to THANK everyone for sharing in on my sharings each time i post, and for coming by and leaving such wonderful messages... for the endless support and encouragement.... and most of all, the friendship... it's definitely a bond of sisterhood!! i LOVE you all for having a special place in my heart and my life and want you to know that yes, i am THANKFUL for you!! =D

and Keenan would like to send out big bear hugs and THANK YOUS for all the blessings and birthday comments too!! he enjoyed his special day... mommy was a little sad that the year has flown by so soon, but still happy and grateful that the year brought much more happy memories.... =D

come here tomorrow and check out a keepsake creation... probably be the last posting until next week.... let me get through the party first... hehe!! til tomorrow, have a beautiful blessed day and don't forget to GIVE THANKS to someone!