Each day this week, there will be a contest to win a prize OR a freebie each day on my blog!  Sign up for my newsletter in the sidebar <——- to stay informed about you did giggle a little…and so did I.

Ok, now…on to today’s excitement!  Today, I have a wonderful layout to share with you! My great friend (and CT Member), Laura, made this gorgeous piece of art with my Spotlight Word Art Freebie! The white frame around the photo, black tab, flat white cardboard, and large torn cardboard are from my Old Stuff Collection! Wow, she makes my designs look GOOOOD, doesn’t she?

Looking at this layout made me remember some of the family cars we had while I was growing up.  We had an old caramel colored two-door something or other, a station wagon, a few others that I vaugely remember.  I know that at one point there was an El Camino in our driveway, but I seem to remember that being a car that my dad was just driving for work for a while.  I’ll have to ask him tonight.

Either way, family vehicles seem to hold a special place in our hearts. In a comment here, tell me about a car your family had (or if you didn’t have a car, tell me another funny family memory).  What was special about it? What did you hate about it? What great trips did you take in it? 

By leaving a comment you will be entered to win a $5.00 coupon to my store.  Easy-peasy, right?  Make sure to comment by tonight (April 14, 2009) at 11:59 pm.  I’ll announce the winner tomorrow!

Oh, and in honor of those childhood family vehicles that took us on many interesting road trips, I’ve put my Travel and Road Trip Word Art Combo Pack on sale for just $2.00 today only!  Don’t forget – I’m having a 25% off sale all week in my shop!

My new releases for the week are included in that sale, so check them out!

Yep…it’s a big week for me! Not only am I celebrating one year of being a digital designer….but I’m in the Designer Spotlight at Oscraps!  I’ve whipped up a great freebie, some rockin’ retro-style challenges, prizes, and more prizes to show my appreciation for the wonderful first year I’ve had at my digi-scrapping home!

You can read all about my challenges here…and then throughout the week I’ll be posting layouts by my team, old funny photos of me, and have some extra contests and freebies just for my blog readers!  To get even more of an inside scoop, make sure you are signed up for my newsletter…you can sign up over there <——– in the sidebar!

You’re going to want to head over to Oscraps to check out my challenges and find out how you could be the winner of coupons, free doodles, and free papers! Everyone who does at least one layout will recieve a prize! The more layouts you do, the more loot you’ll get!  I have tons of surprises up my sleeves (maybe they are bell sleeves like the ones I rocked during the 90s) this week….so stay tuned to my blog and newsletter for the inside scoop!

To get things started today, I’m going to be giving away a $5.00 coupon to one lucky person on my blog! All you have to do is post here about a favorite piece of clothing you had in year’s past – and that now makes you wonder if you even owned a mirror at the time.  What were we thinking with some of our fashions??? Let’s hear it…you don’t need to show a pic, but if you want to….bring it on, baby!

Here’s a pic of me to inspire you…scrapped by my team member, Deb (digideb)!  Make sure your comment is here by 11:59 CST tonight! I’ll be back tomorrow morning to announce the winner – and to give you another chance to win!

How funny is it that a train is coming through my town as I type this? Wow, I really offer the total package here….complete with train whistles and all! The only thing that could make this moment better would be a cartoon version of Tom Hanks walking through my living room shouting, ”Tickets puh-leeeease!” 

I know…you’re thinking that the only thing that could really make this better is if I’d just hand over the freebie already…we’re almost there, I promise!

While I have your attention, I wanted to remind you about the awesome Birthday Bash Sale I have going on!

*Everything in my shop is 33% off!

*I have a Special Offer in the shop: spend $5.00 and get my Birthday Word Art FREE! 

*Plus….you can save *even more* by signing up for my newsletter.  Sign up over there <——- in the sidebar of my blog. 

(Cue the ad with the adorable photo of my grandma on her 4th birthday.)

 Ok, ok, ok….ANOTHER train just came through town and now I have a crazy craving for some hot chocolate. (That’s the last Polar Express reference…I promise.  Maybe.)  That second train must be a sign that it’s time to get moving along with the blog train info!

In case you’re new to all of this Blog Train stuff, go here for more info and to start at the beginning.  You *might* want to read that thread….there’s a little bonus freebie from me (posted last night by the Birthday O-Fairy)! 

While at Oscraps, you might want to check out the awesome sales and the sweet challenges we have going on this week! There are a ton of prizes to be won! We are also having several chats (with MORE prizes)!

Your blog train word from my blog is “YOUR“.

 Keep track of the words from each stop and at the end of the week, email the WHOLE phrase to bloghop@oscraps.com.  Then, you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a FREE CUSTOM KIT created by Mikkel Paige! How sweet is that??

I think I’ve made you wait long enough! It’s time to give you your BLOG TRAIN freebie!!! Wooohoo!  

This freebie contains three word art pieces and a paper! Click here or on the image to download!

Oh, and when you download the freebie…leave me a comment here.  You should do it for two reasons:

1. I’ve been known to give out freebies to random people who comment on my blog.

2. It makes me feel so much cooler than I really am. LOL!

Sometime this afternoon, you’ll be able to get your next freebie on Danielle Young’s blog! She has something amazing (as always) for you…so check it out later today! Thanks for stopping by my blog….enjoy the rest of your trip on the Oscraps Birthday Train!

You *know* I have to leave you with a song…”Ooooh, we got it…hot, hot HOT! Yeah, we got it…hot, hot, HOT…HOT CHOCOLATE!”

In honor of the challenge at The Digi Dares this week…I made some new word art! You can click the image to be taken to the store! If you subscribe to my newsletter (there’s a form over there <—– on the sidebar), you will get an exclusive 25% off coupon for this new pack in addition to the usual thank-you gift subscribers get! This extra coupon is only going to be valid from now until 2.12.09, so hurry! 

I also made a FREEBIE word art piece that you can get by clicking here and scrolling down…the link to download is right there!  Even though it is in my store, since it is a freebie you can just download from the listing page!  This freebie is an add-on to the On Holiday Word Art Pack shown above! It is also the word art I used on my Guest Artist layout at The Digi Dares! Please, if you love the freebie…send your friends here to get the link!

I put my Beach, Travel, and Road Trip Word Art on sale, too….check them out! They will be perfect for getting your Digi Dare layout scrapped!

I’m also going to be giving away a gift certificate to buy the February Songbird Avenue Kit…so make SURE you are signed up for my newsletter by February 12th! One lucky subscriber will win an $8 GC to Songbird Avenue! Sign up now!!!!! 

Wow…that was a lot of info! Now, go sign up for my newsletter….hurry!!! Have a great weekend!

There will be tons of fun stuff all week! I have a freebie in the store – check it out here!

Check out the challenge forum at Oscraps to see how you can earn a $2.00 GC and be entered to win a free custom word art pack! Check back here throughout the week for challenges, new releases, and prizes!

Here’s my layout using the freebie:

Oh, and who knows…maybe I’ll be giving away random goodies for posting comments here and in the O forum…ya just nevah know with me! Enjoy the freebie!

 **If you downloaded this freebie before 4:00 PM (CST), on June 15, there was a typo.  ACK! Just drop me an email or a PM at Oscraps and I’ll hook you up with the corrected piece! Sorry!

**The winner of the $10.00 GC was Andrea (liuba)! So, Andrea…check your email for your GC!

Leave a comment here and link me up to a layout, card, or project you make with my Dad Word Art, and you could win a July Guest Spot on my CT! I’ll give you until 11:59 pm on Saturday, June 28th to leave a link and I’ll announce the winner of the July Guest Spot on Sunday, June 29th! Good luck – get ta creatin’!

I think the Cheery-Os do an awesome job at the O, and I wanna see these scraplift challenges have a TON of participation! So c’mon….do the challenge, help me celebrate seeing my word art on the scraplift challenge layout, and maybe win some free word art! Woot!

Click on the layout to be whisked away to the Standing O Challenge thread at O! Click here to see full credits and leave Rachel some love!

I’ll come back and post my layout when I get it done! Peace out…I’m off to enjoy my first Monday with no work for the summer! Yahoooo!