Hey everyone! I'm going to do a little shameless advertising today, so be prepared. :P

So, if you follow me on my Twitter or Facebook then you know I'm doing this little thing called NaNo WriMo. During the month of November, all participants of NaNo WriMo (National Novel Writing Month) have to write a 50,000 word novel (or a 175 page book). There are no prizes, just writing for fun. :) I'm currently at almost 30,000 words! Excited!

I decided that because of this that I would finally start to share some of my writing with everyone. I'm totally stepping out of my bubble for this, lol. I'm not one to share stuff like that with just anyone, but after the encouragement from a few great girls (you know who you are!) I decided that I would like to share it with others as well. I created a blog dedicated to just my writings and such. So, I'd like to introduce you to:

http://ashwords.blogspot.com

This morning I finally posted the first excerpt of my story...and if you're interested I'd love for you to read it and let me know what you think! I'm going to go ahead and warn you that it is riddled with grammatical errors. The editing process isn't until next month, but at the moment I'm looking for a few people I can trust with great editing skills...so if you're interested, let me know! :)

And now, since you read all of that and waited so patiently I decided to share a few things I have been doing!

Here is the embroidery hoop album from Elsie and Rachel's online class! I haven't filled in the insides yet since obviously it's till 2009! I'm going to use it for a mini album of R and my relationship throughout the year of 2010. :)

And here is the stuffed owl for the class as well. I really loved that fabric (and in secret bought way more than I needed :P). I'm also finishing one for Ronny, which was Halloween-themed but I wasn't able to finish it in time, haha.

I was a little afraid to post this. I'm not sure how happy I am with it. It was supposed to be for the painting project the online class, too. I based mine off of WTWTA as well, and I tried a few techniques. It didn't quite turn out the way I wanted it to. But I was so impressed with myself for the splatter paint stars and trying to paint fur that I thought I might share it anyways. :P

So that's it for today! DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR THE GIVEAWAY BELOW!!
I'm going to try to take some photos soon of some extra things I've thrown in to up the ante...the one picture certainly doesn't suffice, I know! :P

xoxo

I make funny faces into the webcam. :P
Found a cute little site called Asian Poses - and here is the white-girl take on their list. lol

I have a post in my drafts I keep meaning to post, but I keep forgetting...so as soon as I remember to post my photos in there I will finally hit "Publish Post" for ya'll. Sorry. :)

Here's to a wacky Monday!
xoxo

Hey everyone!

My girl Jamie is having a giveaway! If you think the Smurfs are just rad...then you need to check it out!

CLICK HERE TO SEE!!

PS - Don't forget to sign up for my giveaway below!

Alright...the moment you've all been waiting for...
[drum roll please...]

Again, my apologies for having to keep putting it off, but life tends to get crazy for me this time of year, it never fails! haha

Anyways, so as I was trying to clean up the craft room, & I found a box that had a couple of things I was going to send to someone a while back. Things happened and it never was sent. So now I still have it and have nothing to do with it!
Meanwhile, I was feeling a little guilty for being such a bad blogger and internet friend that I really wanted to do something for you guys...so two and two finally clicked in this silly little head of mine and I decided to give the box of stuff away to one lucky person!

Now, what does this box contain? Not much really:

These are a couple of 'knick-knacks' I found at a local thrift store...and they were bought with the original person in mind. Obviously I think the owl is just too cute! But sadly I have no where to put it!

But wait! There's more!

I'm also going to throw in a few more goodies! I'm not going to post any pictures of that because 1) I'm not completely finished with it and 2) I want it to be a surprise! :)
Trust me, though, folks...I think you just might like what else is coming in this box!! :)

So, what do you have to do to enter?

-be a follower of this blog! It's only fair that the loyal readers get an extra entry, right? :P
There's a catch - to be counted for this one, though, you'll have to comment. If someone happens to win solely based on the one entry they get from following my blog, then I need to have a way to contact them!

-leave a comment! This one counts as either one or two entries. If you comment and do not follow then you get one entry. If you comment and are a follower, you get two! :)
Leave a comment telling me what is something you're thankful for??

-blog about the giveaway! What's wrong with a little healthy competition?? Of course, the more the merrier I always say! Just leave a comment with the link to your post...and this will earn you another entry!

-tweet about it, too! Same concept as above, lol. Again, just post a comment with a link to your tweet, and this will earn you one more entry!

-be creative! Okay...this is a new concept, we'll see how it works. If you find a creative and fun way to spread the word, then you get another entry!
Go crazy! Post a picture of yourself doing something extra-silly while spreading the word, or draw a pretty picture, or heck, write a 500-word essay on why you think you should win (I don't recommend that for your hands lol) and it can get you yet another entry! :)

Ok...so get started already! I'm scheduling the deadline for the end of the month on November 30th. This should give you plenty of time to go crazy and spread the word! :)

PS - Don't forget to sign up for the Christmas Card Swap - signups end tonight!

xoxo

[click to go to link :)]

****UPDATE!!****

Ok, I think that I might have been a little (okay, a lot) vague in my description of the card swap! haha

Here's how it works:
1. You email me your mailing address and let me know that you want to participate. Also if you want a Christmas card, or if you celebrate something different, then another kind of card.

2. I will then add everyone who wants to participate to a list.

3. This Saturday, I will email everyone the list of names on the list.

4. You will either make or buy everyone on that list a card. Fill it out, personalize it, whatever you want to do with each person's card.

5. Then, by the end of the first week of December, you will mail your package of cards and $1.00 (to cover stamps and envelopes).

6. I will then seperate everyone's cards and put them in an envelope and send those cards to you!

7. You will get loads of happy (and merry!) mail! :)

Does that sound more like it? :D

Of course, if you have any questions, just email me and I'll be happy to answer it!

So, for now, all you need to do is:
1. Send me an email with your mailing address and if you want a different card than "Christmas" to:
ashleyrwatts@gmail.com

2. Pass this along to anyone you think would like to play along! :)

Again, any questions just hit me up! :)

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Hey everyone!

Just so we're clear...this isn't the surprise! I'm saving that for Saturday!
(And yes, I already have the draft saved...all I have to do is push 'post'!! :P)

But, I did want to do something fun for everyone while I'm in the Christmas spirit!

I hear a lot about ornament swaps and craft swaps...but you never hear anything about Christmas Card Swaps!

So here's the idea!
Just like any other swap, I will compile a list of names and addresses of everyone who is participating.
Then, you'll send all of your cards to me and I'll separate them out and send them to everyone on the list!
Pretty simple, yes?

And hey, just because I said 'Christmas' doesn't mean I'm excluding anyone!
If you don't celebrate Christmas or just prefer a different kind of card, please let me know so that I can add that to the list I send out to everyone! :)

So, here's what you do:

1) Send me an email with your name and address to:
ashleyrwatts@gmail.com

2) Let me know if you want to receive something other than a Christmas card

And then I'll send an email out to everyone participating with a list and further instructions!

I hope you'll all join in with me! :)

I'm always a day late for my monthly goals! But at least I have them, right?

I started making lists and goals every month for the past few months...and I have to say that it's SO much easier to deal with life when you know what you need to do! haha I have noticed that I'm slowly but surely working this into my life...and it's getting a lot easier to do every month! :)

Anyways, on to the goals!

1. Finish my 'novel' for NaNo WriMo (almost 8,000/50,000 words done!)
2. Finish my autumn journal (I'm going to try to finish October's soon)
3. Working out even more than I did last month
4. We did the 40 Days challenge last month in which I gave up eating out. Now I've decided to read my Bible the next 40 days...I've been getting out of the habit of doing that.
5. Finish my Autumn is Love projects (I'm SO behind! BUT I do have a few finished that I haven't showed you guys yet...but I keep forgetting!)
6. Finish up my Ornaments for Kimi's ornament swap!
7. Start my 'life in a week' (I like starting those things on a Monday lol)
8. Force R to take Christmas photos with me :P haha
9. Write notes to all my friends and people I love
10. Finish my dad's blanket
11. Finish R's blanket lol
12. Maybe a new haircut?
13. Finish these goals! :P

What are your November goals??

PS - I WILL post my surprise post this week..I PROMISE! Everytime I try to start...something else comes and I can't. I'm really sorry for that...but this week...NO MORE INTERRUPTIONS! lol

Ok, I saw this class by Katja...and I want to do it!
Sadly...I'm VERY tight on money at the moment...so I thought that since she is giving away a spot to her class that I would give it a shot!

So...I think you should go ahead and enter, too...because this class looks like it's going to be a good one! :)

Click Here to Jump On Over There!

Ps. I'm working on a couple of things today...and I'm hoping to have a couple of posts for you a little later today!