I've been using Google Reader for several months now, and I have to say, I love it, love it, love it. Right now I have read 65 blogs. Do you know how long it would take to check 65 blogs a day or four times a day? Neither do I, because I use Google Reader. Even when I only monitored 10 blogs, it would take a fair bit of time to link to the 10 blogs I read, often to find nothing new.

Here 10 reasons I love Google Reader. (Being a nerd doesn't count!)

1. Unread post are bold - I don't waste time reviewing old post.
2. I can organize blog into folders I named (Cards, CKMB, Company, Lifestyle, Portlandia, SB Celebs, SB News, Scrabooking and Stores are mine).
3. You can see how many other Google Readers are subscribing to your subscriptions. - Important info for nerds like me! My blog has 2 subscribers; thanks Marilyn and Christina!
4. You can still see the blog pics though the reader -I do have one pesky blog that doesn't show the pics, but 1/65 ain't bad!
5. If I can't see a pic (that darn 1/65) I can easily link right to either the post or blog. This is what I do to comment too.
6. Recommendations - Google Reader will recommend other blogs based on the subscription you already have - I've subscribed to several.
7. It's free!
8. Shared post - I can mark great post to share with my friend via this page http://www.google.com/reader/shared/13981102155271029266?hl=en.
9. If you use Google Reader too, I can add your shared page to "My Friends Shared Items" to see what you're finding interesting. -I'm nosy.
10. Shared Item Widget - lets me list my last 10 shared items from Reader on my blog without doing anything after the initial placement which was super easy. -Because I know you are all waiting with baited breath to see what I find interesting.

So I was directed to the Cricut MB by a post on the CKMB. I stayed a while and noticed that allot of the threads were frothing about "Skittles" I thought that's weired because most SBers prefer chocolates, don't they? Any, why would you put something so sticky on a card or page anyway? Never the one to just mind my own business and walk away, I poked around a bit, eventually I realized they were talking about these little acrylic bubbles you can glue to a page and it looks like a clear, glistening brad. They're really cool. (Some places call'em Baubles or Dew Drops) The next day, since I was at Michael's desperately seeking the new Cuttlebug folders and the Series 11 stamps, I popped by the floral sections because I too need Skittles. Baaa.... Baaa.... Baaa... oh... what was that?


Anyway....since they were on clearance, I bought one of each of the pink(light and dark mixed), yellow (three shades) and blue (light blue, clear and frosted). For two bucks each. I came hope and sorted my skittles, reveling in the bargin.




Then something called to me. "Tigardlilly.....there's more...." And what to my wondering eyes should appear, but threads about dyeing skittles, my dear! Uh huh, you can dye skittles with Ranger Alcohol Inks! (You know they come in 24 colors, plus you can mix them!)




I went back to my Michael's to buy more, but only the blue was left, so most of my creations are on the blue/white skittles.



Which brings me to my point, if any of you shop at MY Michael's; STAY AWAY FROM MY SKITTLES!!!!!! They mine, Mine, MINE. I'm serious; I called them. I call them all, in the entire metro area. NO, state. NO All of them. They're mine, they're all mine.

How do you organize your chipboard stuff? is a post on the CKMB. Since I've been though several and have now developed which for me, is a great system I wanted to share. Sadly, the board did not want me to share. Since it wouldn't let me post my pics, I thought this would make a great follow up to my Re-org post anyway, so here it is:

I found these neat little hinged tins at Specialty Bottle Company. They are 5.5" x 3.7" x .9". The hinged lids also have clear window so you can what's inside. If you're like me and you lose everything, even when your just sitting at a table cropping, hinged lids are good! (I really do lose everything, when I started cropping with other people, I really had to resist the urge every fifteen minutes to ask, "Did you take my Tweezer Bees?" "Is that my trimmer?" "Are you hiding my pictures? I know my niece is cute, but just because you scrapbooker her, doesn't make her yours!" But I do resist the urge which is a good thing, because never, ever has anyone ever taken my things intentionally or accidentally. Apparently the chaos ends my table.) Oh yeah, back on topic, even with shipping, these tins were less than a dollar!

So I use one tin for each letter, X and Z share one tin, one for punctuation, one for 1-5, another for 6-9 and 0 (The number breakout seems odd, but it's the only way I could get 6 and 9 in the same tin, which is important, because they are the same shape.) I also keep other small chipboard and ghost shapes in these tins by shape or theme.

All of my alpha, nums and punctuation tins fit into two of these neat little wire basket from Target's Dollar Spot. I use a third basket for letters too big for the tins.

The three baskets sit in a pretty little row, the letters withing, patiently waiting for a layout of their own.

The entire Alphabet will fit into one of the large Snap 'n Stack Organizers (I got mine on clearance after Christmas, but they have them for full price with a different color lid at both Target and JoAnn's)

I've been working on my scrap area, prompted the purchase of a new display from a LSS moving to another locale and my boys' wish to build and dare I say, play the Foosball table that's been in a box in the garage for just about a year now. (I share my space with them, but they'll gladly complain that my scrap table takes up too much room in their game den) So here's my new display, partially filled. They boys were great help assembling it, especially considering we had no directions and had to back up and re-build about 462 times!


I am using the top two bars for some of my larger punches and. The only thing on the third bar right now is a seven-figure check given to me by my cousin and scrapbuddy. On the bottom bar, I've attached a dowel rod with clip it up clips, and voila, faux clip it up. There's allot more to go it, it's still a work in progress. Just below the last bar, shelf which is great for displaying mini-albums. So far, I'm loving it!

And here's a pic of a tin I picked up at the infamous Dollar Spot, which perfectly hold my corner punches I like to keep handy.

Tonight, our LSS (Scrapbook Attack) had a little customer appreciation event including a raffle with great prices. You got a ticket for every dollar you spent in the lat month or so. To improve my chance I decide to do a bit of last minute shopping. I was actually pretty good, I only bought two small Technique Tuesday set. But they were awesome set! I hadn't even seen them on their blog or site yet. So I got A Little More Organized, a companion to my beloved Organized and Inspired and Storytellers - Remember the Moments.

Then the raffle began and I won this really cool card box by Adorn It. You'll have to go to melegs' blog to see what she won!