12 Days of Christmas - Fun Present Swap - Day #5

On the 5th day of present swap my santa gave to me....
Sizzix texture folders!  I've never had one of these before!  How fun!

12 Days of Christmas - Fun Present Swap - Day #4

On the 4th day of present swap, my santa gave to me...

2 pair of mittens

2 Christmas clear stamps

1 2 year planner

How did my Santa know I lost my mittens and needed new ones?

12 Days of Christmas - Fun Present Swap - Day #3

On the 3rd day of present swap my santa gave to me....3 extra large bottles of stickles.  Man, I use stickles on everything - these are perfect!

12 Days of Christmas - Fun Present Swap - Day #2

On the second day of present swap, my santa gave to me...
Football brads!  Totally cool - I haven't seen these in Micheals yet so I'm so excited! 
I also received very pretty pearl brads and micro beads.  I'm super excited to try these out!
This swap is fun!

12 Days of Christmas - Fun Present Swap - Day #1

Here's is what day #1 had in store for me.  ATG tape - how perfect!  Two rolls will last me at least 2 months!  Horray!

Fun with a Stocking Swap

I sometimes participate in various swaps over at the Cricut message boards.  This month I swapped a filled stocking.  Here is the one I received.  The snowflakes and angel were hand crocheted!  I haven't opened it yet because I want to wait for Christmas. So stay tuned to see what I got!

12 Days of Christmas - Fun Present Swap

Another swap I participated in this month  over at the Cricut message boards was a 12 Days of Christmas Swap.  Beginning on December 14th I can open one present per day until Christmas.  Each package is numbered in the order that I should open it.  My secret Santa was extra cool because she added two bell ornaments and a tin FULL of Hot Tamales - one of my favorite candies.  Yum!

Christmas Presents for the Teachers

My kiddos (ages 6 & 9) used the cricut to decorate some gift bags for their teachers this year.  I love how creative they are!   The cartridges used are: Storybook for the 1" letters, Baby it's Cold Outside for the 3" snowflake, and Snow Friends for the 4" snowman.

You Make My Heart Smile Card - Smiley cartridge

Here's a cute card I made with the Smiley cartridge that was a free download when registering a gypsy in November.  I love this cartridge!

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin - HCG in Arizona - Off Topic

I decide to create a brief post about HCG because I have so many friends asking about it and want to keep the information in one spot.  Sorry this is not craft related!


First of all - I do not reccomend this diet without proper supervision of a primary care physician. Secondly, I am not a medical doctor or specialist so information contained here is opinion only and does not substitute for your doctor's advice.  Now...knowing that....here goes.




HCG is scientifically defined as Human Chorionic Gonadotropin.
It is a natural accruing protein hormone that develops in the placenta during the first trimester of pregnancy shortly after conception.  The drug you buy from the pharmacist is a variation of the hCG form that is used for fertility treatments, and in a much smaller dose.  All hCG used for medical purposes   is natural, but created in laboratories from sterile cells.  It is NOT extracted from women or animal urine- a common misconception.


If you choose to go to a clinic to partake in a monitored HCG program then do your research to ensure you're not overpaying.  I have a few friends that have gone to Maturomedical in Tempe, Arizona and have been successful.  I have received quotes in the thousands for a 40 day program, but you should be able to get a 40 day round for under $400 if you do your research. 


If you choose not to go to a clinic and do HCG on your own (You can get enough supplies for 2 or more rounds at less than $75/round)  I suggest doing the following:
1.  Read Dr. Simmons manual called Pounds and Inches 
2.  Purchase this guide on Amazon HCG Weight Loss Cure Guide
3.  Read up and ask questions on this forum HGC Diet Forum
4.  Purchase your supplies*
*If you are doing this the first time, the easiest way to get started is to purchase a kit.  You can purchase one from YourHCGDiet. There are many different types of HCG such as drops, pellets, creams, and shots.  Some folks have success on the drops, while others have success with the shots.  I haven't heard anything regarding the pellets or creams.


For those of you brave enough or cheap enough to purchase it on your own then you'll need to do the following assuming you are injecting your HCG:
A.  Buy your HCG.  Perhaps you will try this company:  www.alldaychemist.com.  Fertigyn appears to be stronger than the others, but again this varies depending on the person.  You can also buy B12 there as well, but will need to inject this with a larger needle.
B.  Buy your mixing vials.  Try this company: www.gpzservices.com
C.  Buy your needles: Insulin Needles (you can use insulin needles to mix as well, but if you don't want to use them then you'll need to buy some mixing needles)
D.  Buy your Bacteriostatic water for mixing

In all...the diet is a tough one - especially for someone like me who loves carbs. The positive part is that it is quick weight loss and you can drop the weight and then just focus on maintenance.  What ever you choose, I hope you will work with your doctor to find a healthy solution for you.