July Kit Projects

I had a fantastic weekend last weekend scrapbooking into the wee hours of the night. 4:30 in the morning to be exact! Yikes...I haven't pulled one of those in a looooong time. I think Michelle and I watched all 3 Twilight movies and a few others before and after...no wonder it took me so long to get my projects done. I hope you like them, they will be on our flickr page this weekend.

This is a fun one of the boys at our garage sale.
Ethan had found an old pumpkin hat and decided to sport it for the day.

My sweet girl and her puppy snuggling...

A super fun weekend with our friends!!

My kiddos and their cousins that we don't get to see nearly enough.

And...a card, I know right!! I did another card!!!

The last 3 projects were scraplifted from the Kenner Road Blog...I recently fell in love with this girls work, so go check her out...she's pretty nifty!

So that's what I've been up to this last week, how about you? Got any fun plans for the month of July? We are taking the kids up to Michigan Adventure in the morning, they are BEYOND excited and I can't wait to have fun with my family. We need some good family time, it's been a crazy summer so far and we all seem to be going every which way but with each other! I'll post some pics when we get back.

Until then be sure to head over to the Rooster blog to check out the July Kit, Butterfly Stampede and Michelle's inspiration for the week! Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!

Peace & Love,
Tobi

Last Ride with the Edge

Hi everyone! Happy Friday!! I have my video of the Ford Edge, a day late but it was so flippin' rainy yesterday I couldn't do it. (Pay no attention to the nervous rubbing of the lip) :)


He, I always laugh when I see myself in these videos...what a DORK!! I sure hope you have enjoyed watching these, even though I think I look ridiculous it was an awesome experience! Kathy over at Harold Ziegler in Elkhart asked me to choose my favorite car...but I am going to keep you in suspense until Sunday night! I totally have a favorite and I want one really bad...really REALLY bad!

Have a SAFE & FUN 4th of July everyone! We are headed down to lake Wawasee for the weekend. We go every year to hang with some great friends and the fireworks are shot from a barge in the middle of the lake, SO COOL! There is nothing like watching the sky light up as you lie on a boat with your babies snuggled up with you! I can't wait to be with these cool cats tomorrow...

Peace & Love!
Tobi :)

On the *Edge*

Hello Folks. It has been WAY too long since my last post but it has been so stinkin' busy around here! Here are some things I've been up to!

And the most exciting thing this week...

Driving a new Ford Edge from Harold Ziegler Ford in Elkhart!!

I am having a ball driving this car! It is SOOOO not a mini van, and I LOVE that! I am so over driving a mini van and this car has been such a breath of fresh air. It feels a lot like the Ford Explorer just a little more compact. I will be back tomorrow with my fun video "tour" of this bad boy! And yes...this car is ALL boy! :)

Peace & Love!
Tobi :)

Happy Fathers Day!

I hope everyone had a fantastic-ly amazing fathers day! Ours was pretty low key which is nice sometimes. My mom and dad came down yesterday and we grilled out with friends. We haven't done that in a looooong time and it was so nice to hang with those folks that are kind enough to be our friends (mom and dad don't have a choice)! It was a great night watching the kids all run around together...and FROM eachother! Then of course as it got dark the customary chasing of the fireflies which always leads to TONS of mosquito bites! Today I just relaxed with my parents as Von golfed with the neighbor boys. I got all the June Midnight Rooster kits packed up and they are ready to ship tomorrow! I also did a video post of my current vehicle obsession...the Ford Flex! Please don't judge me on this video today...I was a little tired and lost myself as I went into detail on the car!! There are SO many cool things about this car that my ADD kicks in and my mind is jumping from one cool thing to the other! So please...forgive the girl behind the camera!


I love this car so much and I am so happy to have had the opportunity to drive one of these bad boys! I hadn't heard much about them and man is that a shame! These Flex's have so much to offer a family and I highly recommend you go test drive one. Kathy and Damon over at Harold Ziegler Ford have a few of these on the lot...go check them out!!

I'm peacin out for the night!!! Have a super duper week everyone!!!!
Peace and Love!
Tobi

I love when I am surprised...

This new car, the Ford Flex, has surprised me. It was so different looking form the Explorer so I figured it had to be different looking on the inside too. WRONG!! It is amazing, inside and out.

We have been driving it since Monday and to say that I am enjoying it is an uderstatement! And Von...he LOVES this Flex. It sits lower to the ground but still has that SUV feel. And it has the room of a mini van without the "mini van" status, which "I" love because I am tired of being a mini van driving mommy. It has all the SYNC features which is fantastic...I still get to tell "Nancy" what to do! I won't get too detailed in my post tonight, I want to save it for video posting tomorrow.

If you can't wait too see it, then drive over to your local Ford dealership and tell 'em the Blogging Mommy sent you over to drive this amazing machine! If you live in my area, eh hem, that would be Harold Ziegler Ford in Elkhart. ;)

See ya tomorrow!
Peace and Love!
Tobi :)

My last ride with the Explorer...

That's right, I had to take back the Explorer today. I'm gonna miss that girl. I have some last bit of awesome-ness to show you so soak it up and enjoy!!!

Remember when I said I was going to share a really cool feature? So I was driving down the by-pass last weekend and I have this baby on cruise. Suddenly it starts slowing down and I haven't touched anything...then I noticed the car in front of me had slowed down. Hmmmm. The car in front of me started to speed back up...so did the Explorer. Wow...it senses the speed of the car in front of you when you have your cruise control on and adjusts your speed so you don't get too close. Amazing. I asked it to order me P.F. Changes but then took it back because I was worried it might actually show up in the glove box or something! I'm tellin' ya guys, this vehicle does it all!!

Here are a couple of other cool things I wanted to show you before I took her back...
First, the "key":


And now the back of the car:


I had a small tear in my eye as I gave Kathy from Harold Ziegler the key back, but I was super excited to see what new vehicle I was going to fall in love with next!

Well here it is!! A beautiful Ford Flex!

Come back Wednesday as I show off this amazing "hidden" gem of the Ford Family!!

Peace and Love!!
Tobi

For the love of an Explorer

Oh man do I love this car. Just look at her!! Isn't she beautiful!?

I think I need my Midnight Rooster logo on the side...

Too much? How 'bout on the back??

I see a white decal for the back window in the works...
So I have some more video as promised of this lovely vehicle so kindly given to me for the week by our local Ford dealership, Harold Ziegler Ford of Elkhart.
Once again I look horrible!! The allergies are kickin' my butt and my eyes are all swollen and red and itchy!! So pay no attention to me...just check out the cool feature I highlighted...along with my daughter Emma!



And third times a charm...

So I realize I taped this on Monday, but with the sad news of little Isaac I just didn't have it in me last night to post about the car. But today is a new day, a fresh day...a very HOT day and the LAST day of school for our kiddos. If you have any questions about this car or any other cars Ford makes you can contact Harold Ziegler Ford and ask for Damon. Or better yet, go in and test drive one of these babies and fall in love like I have!! Make sure to tell them "The Blogging Mommy" sent you!

I hope you all have had a fantastic day and I will see you back here tomorrow!!
We are continuing to pray for Isaac and his family as he begins his journey on the fight of his life. I ask you to keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Peace and love!
Tobi
AKA: The Blogging Mommy!

Praying for this boy

My heart is here, with this boy and his family tonight.

I really, really want to brag up a car...but my heart just isn't there tonight. This little boy, his name is Isaac and he is 5 years old, is the son of a high school friend that Von played basketball with. We called him cabbage head, but all in love because he is one of the nicest people you will ever know. This little boy is the son a mother that my husband taught with at the elementary school. She is funny as hell and witty and beautiful. This little boy is a brother...sandwiched in between two brothers who love him like only brothers can love each other. This little boy is a grandson, a nephew, a friend. Yesterday he was just a little boy...today he is a little boy that just had a malignant tumor removed from his brain. At age 5. The reality of this is like falling from a fence as a kid and having all the air knocked out of you leaving you unable to breathe. The reality of this is looking at your own children and wondering how and why they are so lucky and naive that they don't know this kind of fear...yet. The reality of this is knowing that no matter what you do or scream or pray or cry, it is out of your hands. The strength this family will come to know is a strength I don't think exists for people going on in an uninterupted world. If you are a praying person, please pray for this family. If you a spiritual person, please think of them often and wish them peace and harmony.

I will be back tomorrow to share about the car.
But for tonight, lets put cars and houses and "stuff" out of our thoughts...and think of our children and loved ones.

Peace and love to you,
Tobi

Swap my ride...day 1!

Hello friends! Check this bad boy out...

I think it's the most beautiful car I've ever seen! This is what I'll be driving for the next week, maybe 2 if I can't possibly give it up.
So here's how it all went down today...
I drive up in my 'ol mini van and told her I still loved her even though I was doing this...
I walked in to Harold Zeigler Ford and met Kathy, the GM. She was beautiful and funny and super-super nice! She took me out to the car, introduced me to one of her top sales guys, Damon, and he showed me the in's and out's of this gorgeous beauty. I drove away with a huge smile on my face anxious to share my love with you, but not until I fed my belly with some lunch. Oh and did I mention it had a full tank of gas??? Love it.

Here's Damon getting me all set up and syncing my iphone so all calls come through the speakers of the car when I'm driving...amazingly cool.

check it out...it says "Tobi's iphone"!!!

There are so many amazing features about this car, I can't believe how much it does and how user friendly it is. I think it took all of 2 minutes to sync my phone! Almost everything you want to do can be done by voice command or through the touch screen. I'm kinda bossy so I like to tell the computer voice lady what to do...we call her Nancy. I took a short video to show you my favorite feature...PLEASE don't judge me on how rediculous I look, it's a bad angle folks! And I had to do 2 different videos, because well...videography isn't my speciality. Enjoy!!!


Did ya get a gool 'ol laugh...?? Tomorrow I promise I will hold my camera horizontally!

I can't wait to share more with you!!!! Be sure to visit the Harold Zeigler Ford Facebook page to see the photos they took today!! Tomorrow I will be posting some scrapbook yumminess too! Have a GREAT weekend everyone!

Are you Ford Tuff???

I will be this month!
I have some super exciting, awesomly cool news to share!!! So my amazingly cool best friend Michelle works in the sales department for B100, our local country radio station. They recently hosted a "mom's day out" in honor of mother's day where some lucky mommas were totally pampered for the morning and driven around in a sweet ride donated by Harold Zeigler Ford. When Michelle went to drop the car off that afternoon Kathy, the General Manager asked if Michelle would be interested in driving a new car for a week and then blogging and facebooking about her thoughts on the car. Michelle's not a big blogger and turned her down, however when she turned her down she SOOOO kindly offered up my name instead! (Cool eh?) So Kathy called me and we have it all set up for me go in tomorrow to try the first car! I feel so honored to be chosen to do this, how cool to drive a NEW car for 2 weeks and then blog about it and how cool it is! I will post the pictures and video tomorrow so be sure to check back to see how it went!!

Some other exciting stuff in the land of the Oxenriders...my little Beanie Bop graduated Kindergarten tonight..wha??? Hard to believe this georgeos little chub of a baby grew up and made it through a YEAR of school already! I guess he's all the reminder I need that I will be turning 37 in July. THIRTY-SEVEN? Amazing, I still feel like I'm 30.

He's so handsome...I just love this little punk.

Have a happy Friday eveyone!!! I can't wait to share my new ride with you tomorrow!
peace+love+Ford Tuff

Movin' On..... :)

to the new blog!

It's awesomely beautiful. Go check it out! Our very talented Jing Jing Nickel has the debut week and she has started it off with an amazing Becky Fleck sketch. She of course has rocked her layout as usual and will inspire you all to join in I'm sure!



Be sure to join our flickr group and post your layout based on Becky's sketch. Jing Jing will pick her favorite layout this weekend with the winner being posted next Monday!!! :)

As for me and my blog...well, we will go back to being our same old lame selves! You are more than welcome to grab a cup of mountain dew and follow my ramblings if you so desire. :)

So it made it to summer status in Indiana this weekend. Warm enough for our hillbilly slip n slide...

the funniest thing about this is that our neighbor had just mowed the retention pond that the kids were sliding into...so they ended in a big fluffy pile of clumpy grass!
Gross...


They thought it was awesome so I guess all those little grass cuts they all got were worth it??? OUCH!!!

Have an absolutley fabulous day!

peace~love~and summer

I wanted to keep ya'll waiting...

Not really...I've just been busy! BUSY finding cute things to give away to you all every month!! :) On our new blog (this is the last MR kit post on this blog) we will have LOTSA opportunities for you to win awesome stuff every month. You can visit it now...but it's not very pretty yet.

Here's how:

Sketches: Every other week one of our uber-fabulous DT girls will do a layout based on a sketch she has chosen and challenge YOU to do a layout of that sketch as well. You will have a week to post your layout in our flickr gallery, from which she will choose her favorite...and award you with much goodness. :)

Product/Project Challenges: Every other week (alternating with the sketches) a DT member will come up with and host a challenge. Post your projects in the flickr group the same as you would your sketches and she will choose her favorite...awarding you with some scrap love.

Reveal Night Giveaway: Each month on the eve of the full moon a DT girl will turn one of you into a vampire and send you off to Forks, WA to live with the Cullins...ha!! YOU WISH!! REEEEaly what will happen is...starting in June, on the eve of the reveal each DT member will post a question on their blog. Post an answer to that question and you will be entered into a drawing for an exclusive Midnight Rooster mini kit. These kits will be different each month, with only EIGHT available each month...so be sure NOT to miss these!

Sound good? Awesome! Sorry to tease you about the vampire thing...I couldn't resist!

So who wants to know the winner of our LAST stamp??? So sorry to keep you all waiting!!! My attempt at a drum roll is pathetic so I won't even try.
Again I had to beg my dear, sweet, sweaty bowl of hotness to draw a name for me...



AND THE WINNER IS......



Aubree!!! Please send your full name and address to info@midnightrooster.net and I will get your rooster stamp on his way to you!

Short and sweet today friends! It's a beautiful day and I want to go enjoy some time with my family...if they remember who I am...hmmm.
Speaking of family...this little man graduated pre-school last week...

He is officially a Kindergartner now...I will have not one baby left in my house next year as they all trample off to the big yellow cheese wagon...ehh...don't let me kid you...I can't WAIT!!!! :)

peace, love, and sparkly boys! :)

And were back!

This is the BEST DAY EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!
The website is officially up and open for your viewing pleasure!! I would love for you to check it out! Keep in mind however that we are still working out some small kinks...just a few! :)

I will be back later to announce our last winner of the exclusive and ADORABLE rooster stamp from the main kit. :)

Peace~love~and happy Midnight Rooster-ing!

The scarlet "L"...for looserville.

Hello my faithful friends. I am currently walking around my world with a big red "L" on my chest. I feel a bit embarrassed that we took the site live without making sure the shopping cart worked. I guess I was just so excited and rushed to get it up by the promised day that I allowed some things to get overlooked. That will not be the case again, and hopefully we will be up ASAP!

So moving on to much more happy and exciting news!!! The newest winner of our rooster stamp is...



MELANIE STANCZYK!!!! Congratulations!!!! Please send your full name and address to tobi@midnightrooster.net and I will send out your stamp on Friday! Today is our last day to leave a comment for our stamp giveaway so be sure you leave some happy words for us to help us push through these trying few days! :)

Are you ready to meet our final 2 AMAZING AND BRILLIANT designers!? I am so excited to introduce them to you!

Michelle Burry-Midnight Rooster DT coordinator

Michelle Burry:
I live in South Bend, IN but am still a small town girl at heart. I've been scrapbooking for over 10 years, and my style has really evolved since I created that first layout all those years ago. (Thank heavens! ;) I don't have any children of my own, so I really enjoy spending time with my niece and 4 godchildren - who are often the subjects of my layouts and my photography obsession. I am also an avid crafter and have recently discovered the joy of knitting. Give me some yarn, fabric, buttons, or ribbon, and I'm a happy girl!




Wendy McKee

Hi, my name is Wendy, i have been married for 8 years to my husband and together we have a gorgeous 6 year old boy called Harry. I work one day a week in a baby unit with children under the age of 3 which i love. The rest of my time is spent looking after my son, scrapbooking making cards and spending time with my family.

I started scrapbooking when my son was born and i haven't stopped since. I am so excited about getting to know you all.



So there they are, in all their glory! These girls are here to inspire you every month with their beautiful and amazing projects. And be sure to check their blogs too...they always have fun stuff there as well to get all your creative juices flowing!

Thank you all for tuning in today, soon we will have our website up and running and you will no longer see a plain white screen!

Make it a GREAT day!

Peace~love~and patience :)

Peace be with me...

*beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep* please stay tuned as we are experiencing technical difficulties.

So I have been saying some big prayers every night. Not for God to let us have a successful kit club, or to sell out in the first day...but for peace. There is so much that goes on behind these cyber walls and I need all the calming peace prayers you can shoot up right now. Normally I am a bit of control freak hot head. But this whole experience has changed that a bit. I can't control this website building, it is in the hands of some great people...and those people are only human. I know they are working hard to get this right and loosing my cool is not going to get them to work faster. And plus, I reeeeeeeeeeely like these guys, they are so awesome! So calm I shall stay...until this baby is up and running smoothly.

I will post or final two AMAZING designers and their work tomorrow. What a fantastic Mothers Day treat for you all! I don't want their post to be overshadowed by this delay news...they need to have all the focus on THEM!! I will also announce the winner of the stamp from yesterday in that post.

So stay tuned, and thank you all so much for checking or *trying* to check the site yesterday. It means so much to me that you are all so interested and excited!


*card by Emily Spahn*


*card by Charity Hassel*


peace*love*and HAPPY MOTHERS DAY WEEKEND! :)

Guess what tomorrow is????? :)

I am doing the SUPER happy dance...is there such a thing you ask?? Why yes, tonight in this house we are getting jiggy and shakin it my friends!!!

THE WEBSITE IS GOING LIVE ON FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After 12 noon on Friday (today) you will be able to subscribe and purchase your very first Midnight Rooster kit! Follow this link Midnight Rooster and it will take you to our beeeeee-utiful website that Adam and his gangbusters have spent countless hours designing!

OK...so the website news is great news right? But how 'bout these girls??? Check out our next 2 designers! Your gonna like' em, love' em, wanna marry 'em!

Kirsty Wiseman

I’m married to Mark and we have a lovely daughter called Ellie, We also have a dog called Eddy and together we are invincible.
We live in a northern town in the UK and spend most of our free time together just cozying up and enjoying life and its challenges.

I’m a serial crafter and have been crafting professionally since 2004. I freelance design for several UK craft magazines, design rubber stamps and patterned paper lines, test uk craft product, demonstrate on a dedicated craft shopping channel and when that’s not happening I am a professional photographer catering for weddings, portraits and corporate literature. Scrap booking is my first love and will remain to be so but I’m not averse to card making, altered art, stamping and all round general faffing with paper. I enjoy the contact with like minder crafters and have made many friends through it - that is one added bonus to the industry and one I covet the most. I love being creative, it really does allow me to drain the other things in life that can drag you down and by doing so it recharges my batteries and gives me a renewed zest for life each and every day.

I’m absolutely delighted to be on Midnight Roosters exciting new design team. I am inspired by Tobi's drive to make it successful and from the sneaks I have seen so far, I’m itching to get going!



Jing-Jing Nickel

I am Jing-Jing Nickel. Pronounce it like there are nickels in your pocket making that jingling noise! *laugh* I was born and raised in Shanghai, China. My teenage years were spent in Dakar, Senegal, a West African nation. I went to college in Minnesota and hold a graduate degree in mathematics from the University of Arizona. Now I work full time in the Twin Cities, MN, as an I.T. engineer.

When I started scrapbooking in 1999, it was the most perfect extension of my love for traveling and travel photography. Then with the birth of my first daughter, a new dimension of scrapbooking as well as a new realm of creative possibilities was born with her. Today and every day, I scrap my family, my trips, and my family on trips.

As for quirks... I am extremely blunt. I say what I mean and mean what I say. Such blatant honesty is my greatest strength and most inscrutable weakness.

Find me and my crazy self on my blog: http://thislittleartofmine.blogspot.com/




Just like the last 2 days, leave us a comment and you will be entered to win the fabulous exclusive rooster stamp from our first kit! Gwen did, and now she is the lucky owner of this said stamp...You'll notice Jing-Jing used this rockin' cute stamp in a few of her layouts this month!!! I made my poor hubby wake up and draw the name for me. His only request, "please don't get my face in the picture". That's too bad I thought...he has a very handsome face!





Congrats Gwen!! Send your name and address to tobi@midnightrooster.net and I shall mail out your stamp this weekend!!! :)

My work here is done.

peace...love...and happy dances!