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Jul 31, 2012

Loving MyMemories....and a winner!

I have to tell you...honestly, when I first started using the MyMemories, I was a little sceptical...I was not sure I would like it or not...I am NOT Crafty at all....I decorate cookies! BUT....after using it...I AM IN LOVE!  Once you get the hang of it...it is a dream to work with...I have been having sooo much fun using it...playing around...making different photo collages...really...it has become very addicting!

Wanna see what I have been up to?

OK...here you go!  FUN FUN FUN!











SEE! It is so fun...I can not wait to use it all the time...they have so many papers and patterns to choose from...and you can purchase lots of stuff from the store too.  Need a coffee mug for grandma with a new baby's photo on it...they have that...or  how about an apron with one of your favorite cookies on it...THEY HAVE THAT TOO!


Now....for the moment you have all waited for...the WINNER!

But first, I want to remind you of the other great offer I have for you!




Use code STMMMS99309




OK....now for the WINNER!



I have been a scrap booker for years now avoiding digital at all cost (I love the texture of things) but because of the mounds of pictures (thousands on SD cards) I recently decided to take the leap into digital. I have had a problem deciding which digital company to use. I am so excited to learn about MyMemories. Now I am in overload. They have really nice product choices. It was hard to pick just one but I if I have to for now I will go with the 12 x 12 Summer Sweetness Book from their Photbook Templates. I know you said to do one or all of the things on your list. I chose to do all. I liked MyMemories on facebook and thanked them for this giveaway, started following their blog as well as The Cookie Puzzle blog and have shared your giveaway on my facebook page. Thank for taking their challenge, because you did I have a new love!


Congrats Vivian!

Contact me at thecookiepuzzle@gmail.com to claim your prize!

Jul 24, 2012

MyMemories Review and a Giveaway!



I received an email from Liz at MyMemories a few weeks ago, asking if I would be interested in hosting a giveaway on my blog.

I have to tell you that at first I was a little puzzled....you see MyMemories is an award winning digital scrapbook software that can be used to create custom digital scrapbooks, photo books, cards, calendars and gifts all from the comfort of your home!

Um...did she know I was THE COOKIE PUZZLE?  I do COOKIES!  I am not a scrap booking type of gal, I am not a crafter at all. 

But she encouraged me to give it a try, and see if I could find a way to use it for cookies and for my blog.

And boy was she right.....I am in love.  Within minutes of downloading the software, I was able to create many collages, labels and lots of other goodies that I will be using in the future!



Wanna see?

Just look!

See...you can make great collages of your recent cookie projects!




OR!!!!


Look!  You can make custom tags for your cookie favors!


OR!


You can use the the WordArt Designer Feature to create amazing affects to use with your KopyKake!
I am loving the "Shape" feature...I can not wait to use these!




Want a chance to win this AMAZING program of your own?

Well you are in luck....I am going to be awarding ONE lucky winner with their very one copy
My Memories Suite V3 ( $40 value)

If you don't win...or you can not wait to try this wonderful Digital Scrap booking Software...don't worry...

I have a special added bonus for you!




If you use my code of STMMMS99309 ,  you can receive $10 off the price of My Memories Suite V3  AND  $10 off any purchase at the MyMemories Store...that is a $20 VALUE!
You can share the code with your friends and family, and they can use it too!  How cool is that, so even if you don't win...you can still purchase this amazing program, at a great price!





To enter do one or all of the following

1  Go to mymemories.com, and find one template that you would like to try, come back here and tell me which one!

2. Like MyMemories on Facebook and thank them for hosting the giveaway, come back here and tell me you did.

3. Like The Cookie Puzzle on Facebook, and leave a comment telling me you did so.

4. Become a follower of  The Cookie Puzzle, and leave a comment telling me you did so.

5. Become a follower of MyMemories Blog, and again....tell me you did so.

6. Share this giveaway on your Facebook page...tell me you did!



Giveaway is open to US residents only and will run until Tuesday July 31st at 8pm Central Time!
I will use Random.org to select a winner!

Good luck...and happy Digital Scrap booking!



* Note, I was provided with one free copy of the My Memories Suite V3, for my own use to review in exchange for hosting this giveaway.   The winner will receive a code that will allow them to download the software for free from the website.  No purchase necessary to win*




Hugs
Kim






Jul 22, 2012

Giving Children with Autism a Voice

If you have followed me on my blog, or on Facebook, you know that Autism as touched me in a deep and personal way.  My son, Collin, has Autism.  Autism is a part of our everyday life, be it good or bad, for 15 years, Autism is a real life factor for us.

I struggled writing this post....truly struggled...it is a very personal subject to me, not personal, in that I want to "hide" it from anyone, I am an open book, ask me about me and my son, and I will tell you what I know, what I have learned, and how I deal with it.

It is personal to me, because in many ways, Autism, is my "normal'....it is just who I am, it is what I do, it is why I do the things I do on a daily basis....it is second nature to me...it is hard to explain...really hard to explain...but I will do my very best.

What is so hard for me is that Collin is on the "high" end of the spectrum, while he does have is little "Collinisms", he for the most part, is a pretty typical.  Well, typical if you consider Dr. Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory, typical, or Forrent Gump, or Rainman.  He is just Collin, we love and except him, for what he is, who he is, for what he can do, and what he can not do.

What makes this sooo hard.....is that I feel GUILT....deep seated, real guilt....Guilt because, I know how very lucky I am.  Lucky to have a child with Autism, who CAN talk....who has had years and years of Speech Therapy to help him "find" the words to communicate.  It breaks my heart to know that there are mommies out there who will never hear those words, that every mommy deserves to hear ' I LOVE YOU MOMMY!"

Heart broken...totally and completely HEART BROKEN.


BUT...this post is not about me....it is not about Collin....it is about



GIVING CHILDREN WITH AUTISM A VOICE!



Ten days ago, I received a message from Melissa, she asked for my help, and after hearing about the program she helps run...I jumped in with both feet...yelled from the roof top...and did all I could to help her, to help children with Autism, and to help those mommies hear the words they deserve to hear.

Melissa helps run an organization called  Cookies for Ipads:giving children with autism a voice!



They are a group of mommies, who bake cookies and sell them, they then use 100% of the money raised to buy IPads for children with Autism!


This is the description of their group (Taken from their Facebook page)


I am the mother of a 5 year old adorable, full of life, little boy who was recently diagnosed with autism. After major research and hearing this and that, I have found that the Ipad is key for his advancement. We started a fundraiser for him, but for nights on end, I found myself not being able to sleep while thinking if the needs of others. So, I realized God was saying to my heart that it truly ...is better to give than to receive! SO, from that point forth I thought, do what you do best and give. I bake and I bake good!lol So, from there I invited several friends and they invited and so on and so on to do a bake sale. Here we are just a group of mommies, their friends, and their children's therapists who have decided to take this need by force. Research has shown that Ipads are a superior force in the lives of a child on the spectrum with special needs. We believe a child can become greater than they already are with one of these devices. However, these devices are not cheap, so we must do all we can do to provide to these little angels a tool that could change their lives! We are not a non-profit or a for profit organization. We are just mommies wanting to give our children a voice. May these cookies be as sweet as the need that they are providing.



In August of this year, they will be celebrating their one year anniversary, and having what they are calling "The Worlds Biggest Bake Sale" on July 28th

I used what resources I had, and put out an "All Points Bulletin" and humbly asked my cookier friends, to check out the page, and consider joining in!
And once again, they did not let me down, I think the last I heard over 27 bakers, from all over the county are sending cookies for this organization.  I am truly amazed and thankful that so many are joining in.  I can not wait to hear how it goes, and how many Autistic children will be getting IPads because of the generosity of others!

Now...I could not ask others to make cookies and not do any myself....so I fired up the oven, mixed some glaze...and started making cookies...Puzzle Cookies of course!











When Collin saw me working on so many puzzle cookies, he asked what they were for, when I explained where they were going.....he wanted to join in also..so I gave him a dozen cookies, some glaze and some sprinkles...and he started decorating too!  THIS is why I love Collin...he has a very kind and giving heart!

***Collin loves working on cookies, but just to keep it real, I did outline these cookies, but he flooded them and added the sprinkles***


He used a pair of tweezers to place on the sprinkles...that's my boy!



Collin said that he needed his OWN lable for HIS cookies....so this is what he came up with!





 This was a great cookie project to work on and this is such a worthy cause, that is near and dear to my heart.  I encourage you to like their Facebook page to see some other the other amazing cookies that are on the way to the bake sale, you will be amazed!

Thank you Melissa, for letting me help you and your organization, and thank you to all the bakers who heard the call...and turned on the oven, make some great cookies, and sent them to Ohio....there are no words to express how truly thankful I am!


Hugs
Kim



Jul 14, 2012

A Virtual Grand-Baby Shower

Aren't babies just the best...they are soo cute...and the smell....oh I just love the smell of a clean baby!

I get so excited when I hear someone is having a baby...being a mom is one of my favorite "jobs" in the world...but my "baby" is not a baby anymore...he is 17 and stands over 6 foot tall....so the news of new baby gets me excited!

And hearing that a wonderful friend of mine is going to be a first time grandma...well...I was just over the moon in excitement for her.

You know my friend...I know you do...it is Cristin, of Cristin's Cookies



Isn't she just the cutest? Wouldn't you just love to have a grandma like this? I mean really...that baby is going to be sooooo lucky....a grandma with cool pink hair...who rides a bike 100's of miles at a time..and she makes cookies....but not your run of the mill chocolate chip cookies...oh no...Cristin makes cookies like these..


and these


 And guess what?   Cristin is having a GRANDAUGHTER!   AND   the babies name is going to be


ABIGAIL CRISTIN


All together now...AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!



So....when I found out that Cristin is was going to be a first time Grandma....I did what any good friend would do....I starting planning a GRAND-BABY SHOWER!

I went right to work...I picked a theme....and colors (pink and lime green of course) I picked a location, and a date, and the menu and the guest list....Oh...this was going to be the BEST SHOWER EVER....I just knew it.

Then it hit me..I live in Missouri....and Cristin lives in California....and the guests....oh my...they are spread out all over the county, Michigan, South Caroline, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, Ohio, Texas, Lousiana, oh my...I think a few other states as well...needless to say, to get everyone together in one place, at one time would be hard....well...who am I kidding..IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE!


So...what do I do...I know...lets throw Cristin a Virtual Grand-Baby Shower!



SUPRISE!

 

Welcome to you Virtual Shower Cristin!

 

Close your eyes and picture it......Pink and Lime Green decorations EVERYWHERE! 

Balloons...Streamers...confetti...flowers....we went all out for you!

 

We have an assortment of beverages, and finger foods!

 

Some of your best cookie friends are here....hugs all around!

 

Oh look...your daughter Mellissa is here!

 

Oh, and the theme....well the theme we chose is



Children's Books


We all made cookies to match a book of our choice!

Fun, right?


So, have a seat....I will bring them all to you..


I chose the book "Duckling Gets a Cookie!?" by Mo Willems.  When I went to the bookstore in search of a book...this book caught my eye.  I loved that it was about a cookie, I loved the simple illistrations, I loved the simple dialoge.  Then I read the book....oh, my...it was soooo cute.  It is an amzazing story of misunderstanding, jealously, anger, and manners.  I was not until much later that one of the other guests at the shower pointed out to me that it is only one book in a series..I think I might have to spend the afternoon at the library soon to read them all!

So with out futher ado...here are the COOKIES!


This is NOT the cookie...this is the cover of the book!

but I made cookies to match!









These cookies were so fun to decorate!  While I only made two cookies, I have the urge to do the WHOLE book in cookies!


Are you ready to see the other cookies? 


Prepared to be AMAZED!




1. The Dukling Gets a Cookie!?

2.Ladybug Girl
Stephanie of Ellie's Bites

3. Oh, The Places You'll Go!

4. Rainbow Colors Peekaboo
Kristina of Kristin's Kreations

5. Camilla the Cupcake Fairy

6. Are You My Mother?
Stephanie of Sweets by Steph

7. Pinkalicious
Aymee of Wacky Cookies

8. Because I Love You
Jamie of Fresh Baked

9. Pat the Bunny

10. Peter Rabbin

11. Birdie's Big-Girl Shoes

12. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie


*****UPDATE****

Laura from LaurasCookies, was a little late to the party, but
she did the classic Good Night, Moon. 
Welcome Laura, better late then never, we are so happy you could join us!



Aren't all these cookies AMAZING...please click on each link to see the entire the entire collection of cookies, as you only see a fraction of what was made in the collage!




So, Cristin....were you suprised?


I wish we could have all been together in one room, just for one afternoon, to help you celebrate the up-comming birth of your new grandbaby!  I hope this Virtual Shower shows you that we love you, that we are celebrating for you, and the friendship, care, support and encouragement that you so freely means so much to us all!

We are all counting down the days until we get to see a picture of little Abigail Cristin...and get to oooo and awww about how cute she is!


We love you girl!
Hugs,
Your Cookie Friends


*** I would like to give a special Thank you to Melissa of Simply Sweets by Honeybee , without her hard work, this virtual shower would not have been possible!  While this shower was my idea, Melissa was the driving force behind it all, she sent about 8 million emails, cordinated picture delivery, created the collage, and I am sure answered 9 million questions!  Melissa, you are a true treasure, I value your frienship more then you will ever know.  Hugs, Kim

















Jul 3, 2012

Cookies for a very special young lady


Do you have a Doodlebug?

Do you know what a Doodlebug is?


Let me tell you, a Doodlebug is very very special to me....I have had it for 24 years...normal "bugs" are all creepy and crawly and just gross...but a DOODLEBUG, well it is just special.

Wanna see mine?



Isn't she the cutest?  This is my niece Robyn, well, actually, this is my niece Robyn when she was 2!

She was born when I was 15, and was MINE!  Well, actually she is my sisters, SHE is the one who carried her for nine months during one of the hottest summers in history, and SHE was the one in labor for 32 hours...but those are minor details....have a cute little niece at the age of 15 pretty much made my life complete!    I would totally "steal" her and keep her all the time, I would dress her up and fix her hair, and pretend she was mine...but then my sister would show up...and remind me that SHE had given birth to Robyn, so by default, Robyn was hers...but whatever...I knew the truth!

So...fast forward through the years...and Robyn has grown into an AMAZING young women, I could not be more proud of her.  She is beautiful (she gets that from me), smart (I guess my sister has alot to do with that) and confident young lady!

Wanna see a grown up Doodlebug?




This is Robyn at her college graduation...yes that is a cute dress and necklace...and yes..those are cowboy boots she has on!  Robyn graduated with a Degree in Animal Science from the University of Missouri in 3 1/2 years...like I said...my girl is smart.  She graduated in December and started graduate school in January....my girl has her stuff together!


Wanna know her animal of choice?

Here...let me give you a few hints....

Robyn's College Graduation Cap!

Robyn's Halloween Pumpkins

Robyn's "babies"



Have you figured it out yet?  COWS!  Robyn is studying Animal Science/Ruminant Nutrition in grad school!  So she pretty much loves all things COWS...but not Dairy, black and white cows....oh no...my girl is all about the Beef Cow...specifically HEREFORDS, in her opinion the best cows ever!



So..Robyn's birthday was yesterday, and I knew I need to make her special cookies, so I asked my the question on my Facebook page...what cookies should I make for a special young lady....and this is what Robyn responded with...


I hear Hereford steers are a way to any girls heart :)"



So...I went to work...I had to make Hereford Steers....but frankly...I am not that good with animals...faces are a real struggle for me...and do you know how hard it is to find "cow" cookie cutters with out utters?  Thank god for my mom..who loves to shop and found me one!

She here are Robyn's Hereford Steers!








So....I was not real happy with how the cows turned out, so I wanted to do other cookies for Robyn as well....so...I did Boots...because, Robyn pretty much lives in boot..heck she wore boots to her college graduation.


Robyn ordered these super cute boots and I used them for inspiration!







Then...because her name is ROBYN..I had to make her ROBINS...DUH



And then...because it was her birthday...and I was making cookies...I HAD to make Cupcake Cookies!



Happy Birthday Robyn!




Because it is MY blog..and I am in control...I thought I would share a few more pictures of Robyn..cause she is soo darn cute!


Robyn feeding a calf!
Robyn with baby deer!
Robyn in Australia
Robyn Turkey hunting
Me (short haired and glasses), my sister Susan, and Robyn at the KC Royals Game!
My sister Susan and Robyn...at an MU tailgate.  My sister is a master tailgater!




Here she is in Australia, petting a kangaroo, with a Coach Purse!





Happy Birthday Robyn

I am so proud of you!

 

Love

Aunt Kimmie