island girl jen

broken...

2012-02-06T09:52:00.000-05:00

physically.
mentally.
heart.

Massages and Bubble Baths

2012-01-10T14:23:00.001-05:00

Yesterday ended a 4 day weekend for me... I achieved a lot in those 4 days...

- worked from home a little
- went on a lunch date with my kiddo
- went on a lunch date with my girls at Ikea
- finally took down Christmas decorations
- made some major headway on the great purge of 2012
- dropped a lot of bags off at the Goodwill
- and the best part was when I treated my self to a massage, followed by a hot bubble bath...

Yep- I need to take 4 day weekends more often...

2012

2012-01-01T22:18:00.000-05:00

this is the year i will commit less so that i can do more. i will not clutter my days with nonsense. with filler activities. i will take more photos. i will take photos of people and places and things. i will put photos on the walls. in frames. i may even turn those photos into the calendar i say i will create every year. i will put photos to paper and glue. sometimes it will look like a masterpiece, and sometimes i will just look like i put photos to paper and glue. i'm ok with this. i will create. just to create. i will make things. i will paint things. i will sew things. i will knit things. and i won't care if i'm the only one who likes it. i won't care if there's not a reason to make it. if i like it, if i want to make it, then i will. this is the year i won't commit to a diet. but i will commit to trying to eat better. i'll try to make heathy decisions. sometimes i'll succeed. sometimes i won't. and that's ok. i won't commit to working out everyday. but i will commit to moving. to being active. to push my trx training a little more each time i go. i will commit to getting stronger. this is the year i will fall in love. out of love. or not at all. and through it i will still put myself out there. and some days that will suck. and somedays it won't. and that's ok. this is the year i will travel. sometimes close. sometimes far. but i will get on a plane. or in the car. sometimes i will go alone. sometimes with others. but always with a sense of adventure. this is the year i will keep it simple. i will surround myself with things that bring meaning. and inspiration. or beauty. or makes me feel beautiful. or brings me closer to a goal. this year i will focus on my core. yes physically. but also in my mind. in my heart. with the friends i keep. the relationships i nurture. everything starts with your core. this i believe. yes this is the year.

December Daily - days twenty one thru twenty four

2011-12-24T22:52:00.001-05:00

Day twenty one - finally watching Elf for the first time... We loved it!

Day twenty two - babysitting some of my favorite people ever... Pizza, Legos and Harry Potter

Day twenty thee - Christmas party with my knitters.. Present exchange and board games... Fun times always!

Day twenty four - Christmas eve tradition... New PJs... Phineas & Ferb theme

December Daily - day nineteen and twenty

2011-12-21T12:09:00.001-05:00

Nineteen - keep up with fashion diaries.. Trying to step up my fashion game.

Twenty - work is getting rough- post it's are saving me for visual reference on my progress throughout the day...

December Daily- day seventeen and eighteen

2011-12-19T00:45:00.001-05:00

Seventeen- One last day of Xmas errands, haircuts and some downtime at Panera waiting for an oil change. He plays with Legos while I knit... Joy...
Eighteen- checking out a local park with one of the oldest/ tallest trees in the area... Gorgeous weather today...

December Daily- days fourteen, fifteen, sixteen

2011-12-16T23:13:00.001-05:00

Fourteen- proud of myself for keeping up with my TRX training, even through the busy holidays. It's what keeps me grounded and gives me a sense of routine.

Fifteen- crafting for him. I live seeing him get creative. He sees in his mind how he wants things to look and puts it all together. So awesome.

Sixteen- playing with handmade gifts. Embracing imperfections with this project and reminding myself that the sentiment is there and that's what the recipients will appreciate.

December Daily - day thirteen

2011-12-14T09:45:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is wrapping the presents... It's all about the packaging.. playing with paper and glue to make pretty tags...

December Daily - day eleven & twelve

2011-12-13T12:00:00.001-05:00

Eleven - mini Christmas card photoshoot that ended with an amazing Cracker Barrel breakfast.. Happy belly.

Twelve - in the midst if gift wrapping as realizing that I have enough Christmas wrap for the next 10 Christmases!

December Daily - day eight, nine & ten

2011-12-11T00:05:00.001-05:00

Eight- working on handmade gifts for the grandparents... Hoping to instill in you the importance of handmade...

Nine- company holiday party.. Great food, fun conversations, entertaining gift exchange...

Ten- testing out an idea for handmade gifts... Looks promising...

December Daily - day seven

2011-12-08T09:28:00.001-05:00

My favorite part about Wednesday evenings...reading homework.. Cozied up in bed listening to your voice... Always makes this reading loving mamma proud...

December Daily-day six

2011-12-07T00:14:00.001-05:00

Flowers. Dinner. Show.

December Daily - day four and five

2011-12-06T01:05:00.001-05:00

Day 4- focused on putting up the tree, talking about favorite ornaments, all about decorating. My favorite part if christmas is sitting in the living room by the glow of the tree.

Day 5- your list... Your words... Your sentences... Your wishes...

December Daily - day three

2011-12-04T16:46:00.001-05:00

Busy, busy Saturday... WP parade w/ friends, playtime at your fave park, then lunch. Later in the day it was a potluck and finally founding out the sex of our friends baby.... Good times indeed... :)

December Daily - day 2

2011-12-03T12:45:00.001-05:00

Sushi & Beer lunch - a Friday indulgence... A chance to get out of the office and decompress from the work week. A little girl time escape. I look forward to this every week.

December Daily - day one

2011-12-02T09:27:00.001-05:00

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar- I can tell this is going to be a big hit... You want to stay up til midnight to open the next day's box. The first thing you did this morning was walk straight to the calendar... Pull out the Lego pieces and started putting the vehicle together. I'm so glad we decided to do this.

I'm lucky...

2011-11-15T19:16:00.001-05:00

...to have friendships with some amazing women. Each of these friendships were formed in such unique and unexpected ways. I'm lucky to have this amazing group, this tribe..of women who each bring something different to my life... Who i can call on, and lean on..and are always there...

{this moment}

2011-11-11T13:09:00.001-05:00

A Friday ritual. A single photo-no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. (from the Soule Mamma blog)

Swatched

2011-11-09T10:05:00.001-05:00

Excited to start a new project...hopefully this one won't take almost a year to complete.

The witch and the zombie ninja...

2011-11-01T22:44:00.001-04:00

A Halloween filled with...
Pillow sacks full of candy
Zombies, zombie hunters, scary Alice,a cowgirl and a 50's girl
Coffee
Beer
Trick or treating in heels
Good times....

Fridays...

2011-10-29T12:36:00.001-04:00

Were made for good friends, good food, and lots of laughs...

lately i've been...

2011-10-18T09:28:00.000-04:00

addicted to greek yogurt with honey and flavored granola

getting to know Siri on the iphone 4s

running every photo i take through either instaplus or instagram or both

realizing i'm becoming a mac girl (hello ipad, macbook pro and now iphone)

editing wedding photos

art journaling more - thanks to this creative and talented woman

wanting to scrap

finishing up knitting projects

attempting to put this list into practice - it has been an eye opener

waiting for cooler weather - my hoodies, boots and scarves are ready to be dusted off

enjoying the last bit of calm before the holiday storms begin

eating way too much sushi...but really, can you eat too much sushi?

sushi...

2011-10-11T22:58:00.000-04:00

is a good excuse for....
great conversation...with great friends
laughter
boy talk
beer
girl talk
closeness
frozen yogurt for dessert
and at least one photo to document it all
and i get to do it at least once a week...sometimes twice...

30 Day Photo Challenge: Days 3 & 4

2011-08-05T10:06:00.000-04:00

Day 3: Clouds

painted in Spikerson's pirate bathroom

Day 4: Favorite Color

teal, peacock blue, summer blue...whatever you call it... i love it...right down to my toes

See my original post about this challenge and the daily list here.

giving it a go....

2011-08-03T15:13:00.000-04:00

saw this 30 day photo challenge on Vee's blog....and decided to give it a go. of course i'm one day behind, but that's easy to make up...my hope and dream is that this will turn into a mini...but let's start with taking the pics first... ;)

Day 2: What I wore - I'm not much on jewelry...but for a whopping $1.99 I was willing to give this larger than life ring a chance...

oh you know...just hanging around...

2011-08-02T09:13:00.000-04:00

awesome weekend with my bff....sushi, movies, girl talk, late nights, sleeping in, Ikea, shopping, indulging in bad habits, and ziplining....

technology much?

2011-07-14T11:50:00.000-04:00

this little scene probably happened every morning of vacay....what? you don't have an ipad, phone, and laptop with your morning coffee?

a vacay so amazing..

2011-07-12T08:18:00.000-04:00

it blew my mind...like origami....

words can barely describe how near and dear to my heart this vacation was and still is to me...i miss my girls so much already...

my brain needed this vacation...

my heart needed this vacation...

i needed this vacation....

our theme song...

2011-07-01T09:38:00.000-04:00

Spending a few lovely days with this girl....and this girl....and we *might* be singing this song a time or two or three while we're together...

see you on the flip side...

Dare 179: I love...

2011-06-30T09:20:00.000-04:00

getting up early in the morning and playing with paints...

then staying up late to play with pictures, paper and glue....

a lot of creativity has been happening in this home...and i love it....

saturdays....

2011-06-28T12:53:00.000-04:00

were made for laughs, games, conversations, and picnics in the park with good friends....

apparently...

2011-06-23T11:04:00.000-04:00

he's training early to be a 90yr old man....but you have to admit...the dinosaurs are pretty cute! ;)

ninjas + fro-yo

2011-06-21T12:09:00.000-04:00

even ninjas need a Fro-Yo break....

2011-06-20T10:21:00.000-04:00

*i'm craving me time...

*missing my leisurely morning coffee that i experienced in Austin

*excited for a mini vacay to hang out with some awesome people

*feeling good about opening up new experiences for Spikerson - especially travel

*i've been wanting to paint...even though i don't paint

*starting to take pictures again

*re-kindling my love of scrapbooking..and stamps

*catching up to 1999 and video chatting with family

*missing my parents since they left for PI to retire -time zones are tricky

*excited about the summer to do list Spikerson and I have created

*thankful for where i am financially compared to this same time last year

*struggling with teaching Spikerson to read and not wanting that frustration to rub off on him

*thinking about new routines

*feeling completely behind in life

*trying to figure out what to do with my life...always working on this one

*reminding myself that my word for this year is OPEN - and all the possibilities that it can create for me

*wondering if i should abandon ye old blog all together

About a caterpillar named wormie....

2011-04-18T14:40:00.000-04:00

We have some new little friends staying with us. Their names are Lightening, Rain and Fire Flame....can you tell the 6.5yr old named them? There was a little incident earlier last week, where Spikerson found a caterpillar, which he promptly named "wormie" , was accidentally left on the front porch and ahem...attacked by ants. So after a sobbing phone call the next day relaying the story to me, I told him we could make a trip to the farmer's market to get another caterpillar. For a small investment - we ended up with three. The best statement of the weekend was when Spikerson said he didn't want to watch TV - he wanted to watch his caterpillars! Score 1 for nature!

Fedora Friday....

2011-04-15T11:35:00.000-04:00

I've dubbed these past two Friday's at work "Fedora Fridays"....of course I'm the only one who wears one, but oh well. This also runs simultaneously with "Fro-yo Friday" which will be happening again today. I'm in love with my new hat - I see a trend coming for the summer...

on running...

2011-04-13T10:54:00.000-04:00

I have never been much of a runner. In fact - my "running" (haha - pun intended) joke is that the only time you will see me running is to a 50% off sale at the GAP...not kidding. But I've always admired running, and people who run. I've just never been very into it myself. I've attempted and failed many times at trying to run.

And I'm attempting it again right now.

I'm using the Couch to 5k program, which a close friend of mine has had great success with - to the point where's she's even run a 1/2 marathon. So I'm trying it again. And so far so go. I like that the Couch to 5k program eases you into running.

My goal for this time around: Take it one day at a time. Show up for the run. And just get moving.

wish i was here...

2011-04-11T11:19:00.000-04:00

rocking my new pool hat...

girl talk by the pool with my knitting girls

and a glass or two, or three of pink vodka lemonades....

anyone else want to rewind the weekend?

Arghhh...

2011-03-15T08:57:00.000-04:00

i'm making progress on Spikerson's treasure map themed bathroom. this has definitely been a lesson in imperfection...lol! but it has been alot of fun too. we've been planning it together, and he tells me what colors he likes, and he drew the jolly roger on the sail of the ship. i like that it's kind of whimsical and playful. hopefully we'll have it wrapped up by the end of the week, i'll post pics once it's all complete.

butterflies...

2011-03-14T10:10:00.000-04:00

soooo...not the best picture...but, i'm still proud of my butterflies. i bought these mirrored butterflies from Target about a month ago...i knew i wanted them, but wasn't quite sure how i was going to use them. i scoured Pinterest looking for inspo and found a pin (don't ask me why i didn't repin it) where someone placed a tree decal behind their tv. i liked the way the tree seemed to be coming out of the top of the tv...and that's when i knew exactly what i wanted to do with my butterflies. so i spent a couple of hours saturday and sunday painting my living room a nice shade of teal...i believe it's Sea Teal by Valspar...and before the paint was barely dry the butterflies went up...best $20 i ever spent...

favorite....

2011-03-10T10:40:00.000-05:00

having recently moved into a new place, it's been both interesting/fun/challenging to find new homes for the things i love most. this plant was gifted to me back in 2003 - i've brought it to the brink of death and back - so it's a miracle it's still alive after 8 long years. it's moved from kitchen counter, to bookshelves, to window shelves over the course of 8 years. and in this new place it's found it's way in front of a very pretty window, that gets very pretty light. it's resting on one of my many stacks of Real Simple magazines (i can't seem to part with any of my past issues of this mag) that i have throughout my house. it's my new favorite spot in the house - for whatever reason it just makes me happy to see it there soaking up the sun...

on being un-balanced

2011-03-07T14:12:00.000-05:00

sooo....apparently there's a point where if i don't find balance and restfulness in my life...my body will do it for me. after months of running myself into the ground, my body pumped the breaks. i missed two days of work, so that i could take the time to finally listen to my body and let myself just rest. no running errands, no laundry, no cleaning, no dishes, no work....nothing. and it still took a few more days after all of that rest to completely recover. almost a week later i'm back in the saddle, and going through the motions of life, but this time i'm taking breaks (or at least trying to), writing lists to break down tasks, and just letting things go...this is killing the perfectionist side of me....but it's needed. it's wanted. i can no longer live with un-balance in my life...at least not for long...otherwise i'll find myself grounded on the couch watching marathon episodes of "the Legend of the Seeker"...

37 random bits and pieces....

2011-02-21T09:14:00.000-05:00

In honor of the day after my, *cough37thbirthdaycough* , I give you a random list of 37 bits and pieces...

1. moving seems to be a never ending process...if you're not putting things in boxes, your taking them out

2. having a full size fridge with ice/water dispenser feels like hitting the lottery

3. the flu sucks...the flu for a 6 year sucks double

4. i'm pretty sure i haven't had a full nights sleep in over a month

5. i'm supposed to be training for a 5k in April

6. making the mistake of not taking any time off from work to move - not the smartest idea

7. i miss knitting

8. i miss scrapbooking

9. i signed up for a scrapbook kit club, and i can not be more thrilled, it feels like getting back to my roots

10. i also signed up for Mondo Beyondo - but alas - i have put it to the side due to the move and work

11. it feels like i put off my dreams - again

12. work is insane right now...i.n.s.a.n.e.

13. i need a new computer - just sayin'

14. i can't wait to go home next weekend and spend time with my fam

15. i've been obsessed with Pinterest and all the home inspo it has provided

16. i've been meaning to get to the bank for 3 weeks now...must.do.soon.

17. making time to blog has been difficult lately - hence the one blog post a month - must work on this

18. i've been thinking of having a housewarming party

19. i really can't wait to get our taxes done-paid-and put behind me

20. i'm crossing my fingers that i will travel this year - no matter how short the trip - just get me on a plane

21. spikerson is really into reading lately - or attempting to read - i need to make more time to nurture this

22. we have fort building and teepees on the brain - benefit of big moving boxes

23. i need a trip to ikea soon - i desperately need rugs and sweedish meatballs

24. allergies are the devil

25. so are girl scout cookies

26. and carvel ice cream cake

27. ok not the girl scout cookies and the carvel ice cream cake - but definitely the allergies

28. i seriously can't wait to get my etsy shop up and running again

29. i'm starting to run out of things to list

30. i've probably made 10 trips to the goodwill since moving...i made 10 trips before I moved...

31. that last statistic is both scary and freeing all in one

32. my parents leave in a few months to retire in PI...i'm both scared, excited and sad about this...

33. i'm exhausted beyond words - but i just keep pushing through - i'm pretty sure my body hates me

34. i need to reinstate my "in bed by 11pm no if, ands or buts, rule" to help with #33

35. i'm ready for a new book series - not sure anything can top the Hunger Games though

36. i've also been wanting to sew lately...but not sure what i want to make...

37. just for the record - that's not alot of candles on my cake - it's just a small cake...

And if you've read this far - then you are a superstar in my book! xoxo - jen

i swear i'm still alive...

2011-01-30T17:02:00.000-05:00

i'm sure the five people who still read my blog have really missed me...lol! i'm still alive, i have been insanely busy this past month with photography workshops, work, my mom's 60th bday, work, a sick kiddo, work, taking two e-courses, packing for a move, and work. did i mention i've been busy with work? and now i'm contemplating training for a 5k. cuz you know...i don't have anything else to do...this week I'll try to play catch up.

so i mentioned a photography workshop. this workshop was lead by shannon sewell. i'm completely inspired by her photography and after spending a day with her i'm even more inspired by her enthusiasm and love for what she does. and also her willingness to share her thought process and knowlege. we spent the day in st. augustine. the first half of the day was spent talking about the photography business in general, answering questions, and sharing ideas. i really received so much inspiration from the other photographers there. since i don't really have a photography business, i more so wanted to learn about shannon's styling and how she comes up with creative concepts for her shoots. and how she processes her photos. on a side note - i also really liked her boots...sassy right? i received all of this and so much more. she likes to keep things simple and i really like that...also, one of the best things i took away from the workshop was a quote from shannon "set limits, not goals" - which may seem kind of odd -but we were discussing burn out that alot of photographers experience, and much of it comes from not being able to say NO. and that's where the "set limits, not goals" phrase comes from....by setting limits you learn to say NO, you give yourself time to do what you really want to do. and in turn you're more likely to achieve your goals. the second half of the day was spent shooting - one session at the beach and a second near a park....it was a bit chaotic but fun. below are some of the photos of everyone in action.

ok, let's all cross our fingers that i update again this week with pics from my mom's 60th bday... ;)

this weekend...

2011-01-17T11:09:00.000-05:00

involved a concert - The Script

a baby shower...this cake was amazing..and the cupcakes were amazing too...and check it out...the zebra was handmade by one of my favoritist people in the world...

and GASP...a little bit of crafting...for Ali Edwards' One Little Word class at Big Picture Classes....

and I'm so excited for the week ahead...I'm taking some time off from work to bask in the brilliance of this girl, and then spend some quality time with my mom as she turns 60....

this weekend...

2011-01-11T09:25:00.000-05:00

was filled with:

bike riding

late lunches

trips to the farm

seeing my knitting girls

naps

inspired script writing

reading

movie watching

mini golf play dates

lunch at cracker barrel

grocery shopping

chill time

laundry

bread making

knitting

impromptu early dinners

starbucks date w/ little man

busy, busy...but the good kind of busy...

Friday quickie....

2011-01-07T10:41:00.000-05:00

a quickie...and i mean quickie - like 30 minutes or less - project that i did last night. a t-shirt necklace based off this tutorial i found online...so many ways you can go with this project...my mind has been spinning with the possibilities...yay for Friday quickies on a Thursday night... ;)

starting...

2011-01-04T21:48:00.000-05:00

to get a little messy again..playing with paper, and ink, and my really big paper cutter...putting together this little project... and truly excited about it....i also started work on my One Little Word album...yay for random tuesday night creating...

found....

2011-01-03T14:42:00.000-05:00

via Kelly Rae Roberts' blog today:

Unconditional
Willing to experience aloneness,

I discover connection everywhere;

Turning to face my fear,
I meet the warrior who lives within;
Opening to my loss,
I gain the embrace of the universe;
Surrendering into emptiness,
I find fullness without end.
Each condition I flee from pursues me,
Each condition I welcome transforms me
And becomes itself transformed
Into its radiant jewel-like essence.
I bow to the one who has made it so,
Who has crafted this Master Game.
To play it is purest delight; 
To honor its form--true devotion.

~Jennifer Wellwood

a promise from me...to me....

2010-12-30T11:37:00.000-05:00

"the heartbreaking lesson that i've learned these last many weeks is that sometimes we have to break (or surrender) to the things we most resist in order to receive what our hearts most need." kelly rae roberts

dear self...in this next transition of your life i promise to let you live a little more, to not hide in the shadows, or behind fears, or the unknown...i promise to let you struggle, shatter, break..if only to let you be more wide open...i promise that this transition in your life is not your life...it is in fact a piece, a part, a moment, a transition...albeit a huge one...but it is not your life...and you jennifer will be better and stronger for it on the other side...i promise to let you grow your friendships and make them deeper...i promise to let you experience more and to let you be more open to possibilities..i promise to let you just play with reckless abandon....i promise to let you throw expectations to the wind..and i will tell you to just go for it...don't worry about what others may say, or think, trust what your gut tells you and make it happen... and if you fail - i promise i won't let you wallow in it...i won't let failure define you...i won't let you believe that failure is all you are...i'll remind you to be open to the new possibilities that failure presents...i promise to let you be more in the present and to let life sink in... promise to let you focus on you and to let you dig deeper into your true self...and i promise to help you let go...of expectations, of fears, of what could/should/would have been and move forward to the here, the present, the now....open yourself up and let yourself feel all the feelings - no matter how difficult - that this transition presents you...it won't be easy and you'll have good days and bad days...you'll face alot of truths about yourself, and you may not like some of them, but i promise you that you will be more free- you will see yourself differently...and it will open you up...and a better life will come rushing to you...i promise...

a letter to me...from me...

2010-12-28T19:56:00.000-05:00

dear jen....it's ok and it's time to let go. this year is rounding out and lots of ups and downs weaved their way into this year, your life will go on. mistakes were made, some were small and fixable, others were huge and unfortunately there are no take backs-no changes, your life will go on. learn from them and move forward - because in the end, all you can do is control your reaction, your response - so choose calm - choose possibility vs. expectation, your life will go on. there were alot of wins this year too, so be proud of them, own them, you deserve at least that much. it's time to let it go, be open to what's ahead, the new possibilities, the new focus on you, your life will go on. you still have friends who are close to your heart that you are ready to give more to... family that you are ready to share more with...

let it all out and let the universe rush in.
your life will go on.
it's time.
be open.
be ready. ..
your life will go on.

xo-me

K.I.P. (a.k.a. Knitting In Public)

2010-12-20T09:42:00.000-05:00

I spent Friday night at a new to me Irish Pub hanging out with a close friend Knitting in Public, talking, laughing, venting, eating, drinking. We got quite a few "that's so cool" comments from other people in the bar.
Knitting in public is really quite the conversation starter...people are always interested in what you're knitting and how long you've been knitting...and someone always mentions a memory of when they were younger - watching someone in their family knit, or crochet...or a gift someone hand knit for them...and that's the part about knitting in public that i think "so cool".

right now i'm trying...

2010-12-14T10:36:00.000-05:00

to be still

to hold it all together

to hold it in

to stay quiet

to keep tight this invisible rubber band around me

so that i don't burst

or break down

or become a heaping mess

right now i'm trying...

to process the past

stay present..right here..right now

to see the future

right now i'm trying...

not to be torn between the three

right now i'm trying...

not to crawl into my warm bed and cry it out

because i don't think i would stop once i start...

not to let emotions cloud my judgement

not to get off course

right now i'm trying...

to just get through the day

one breath at a time

to hold on to even the tiniest strand of laughter

of hope

of happiness

of friendship

because that's what helps me breath

because that's what helps my fragile self get through the day

right now...

2010-11-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

i'm feeling overwhelmed but excited

trying to be open to the possibilities but scared to death at the same time

life seems to be changing quickly but not fast enough

attempting to own my strengths and shutting out the negative thoughts

telling my self i'm worth it...that it's ok to dare

accepting what the universe has been gifting me

trying to stay on track with my goals

thankful, thankful, thankful, for amazing friends that make up my strong support system

taking a breath - trying to understand the actions of others - even when i don't agree

reminding myself to be IN the moment

missing home

purging

planning

creating

thinking of creating

letting go

wishing

dreaming

loving

daring....

post it like you stole it....

2010-11-16T09:45:00.002-05:00

stole this from So KnitPicky ...I always look forward to her Tuesday video posts...and this one had me in tears it's.that.good.

Crafty : the World's first Gangsta Arts and Crafts Music Video from JOE KOWAN on Vimeo.

101 Reasons to Buy Handmade...

2010-11-12T10:21:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty sure this link, 101 Reasons to Buy Handmade, has made quite a few rounds in the blog-o-sphere, but I figured why not share it here too. Sometimes I fall short, but buying/giving handmade has really been my goal, especially over the last year or so. I want gifts to be more personal is what it all comes down to.

my favorite gyratin' musical artist

2010-11-05T14:44:00.000-04:00

i've watched this video 10 times today...I heart me some Matt Nathanson...

Lately...

2010-11-03T22:51:00.001-04:00

-ive been reading 2 books at once

-reading with Draven

-missing knitting

-started walking

-wanting to travel

-paid off a credit card

-was gifted a couch

-dealing w/ insanity at work

-ready to move

-feeling grateful

-wanting to write a letter

-having conversations that have been put off for too long

-tired but hopeful rolled into one

Ninja-fied....

2010-11-01T10:35:00.000-04:00

someone was very ready for trick-or-treating this year...hope you had a safe and fun halloween!

Liquid leather...and a test...

2010-10-30T15:46:00.001-04:00

Liquid leather...the color nail polish im wearing for halloween party tonight...

Test...testing out blogging from my android phone...

so this weekend we....

2010-10-18T14:51:00.000-04:00

This weekend was fairly uneventful, yet still busy...the weather was beyond gorgeous...seriously, we couldn't have asked for better weather...we pretty much ran our normal errands, grocery store, Target, JoAnn's, then we got down to business....

made red velvet birthday cake....

gasp! i scrapped! more to follow!

and we made an impromptu trip to the farmer's market....fresh lemonade, fresh bread and fresh music...horray!

how we spent our 10.10.10 weekend...

2010-10-12T11:34:00.001-04:00

- really good thrift finds

- inspired to do an etsy update

- inspired to try my hand at coming up with a knitting pattern

- fall festival time

- riding on a school bus

- sno cones

- ice cream sundaes

- kiddo bungee jumping

- tons of carnival games

- a pair of googlie eyeball prize rings

- naps

- garage sale-ing

- more instax lovins

we are still loving october around here...especially the cooler weather :)

a little blurry...

2010-10-04T14:09:00.000-04:00

would describe both this photo, and the first three days of October....we've packed quite a bit into the first three days of the month, and I'm pretty sure it's going to stay steadily busy...this past weekend was filled with:

- dinner at Raglan Road with some good friends and lots of fun conversation

- a trip to the zoo, honestly I was not too impressed with the zoo, but the kiddo seemed to like it

- a visit to the farmers market - kettle corn is a must

- hit up a used book store and also some treasure hunting at the goodwill

- naps - at least i napped - a certain 6yr old, not so much

- finally finished the baby sweater - currently being blocked as we speak

- a few trips to Starbucks

- Maitland Art Festival - it's a smaller art festival, but just the right speed for bringing a 6yr old along, plus they have free face painting - thus the picture above. and they had an amazing balloon artist, she made Draven a spider man balloon figure, and we saw her make tinkerbell, and a dragonfly...when did balloons get so fancy?

I can't wait for another crazy busy weekend this coming weekend!

P.S. oh and the weather lately has been insanely beautiful! thank you October!

P.S.S i think this weather has amped up my creativity...so many fun things i want to create and do right now...horray for creative bursts!

hello october...

2010-10-01T09:20:00.000-04:00

goodbye weekends by the pool...summer is coming to a close...sort of...florida weather tends to extend summer, but this week we've had some pretty cool almost fall-ish weather...

so i'm calling it fall ;) and right now i'm looking forward to:

fall festivals

art shows

scarves

more knitting

salted caramel hot chocolate from the Bucks

fall photo shoots

halloween costumes

wearing hoodies

boots

over-the-knee boots

over-the-knee socks

cozying up under our favorite quilt

making soup (o.k. experimenting with making soup)

maybe some traveling

and so.much.more.

what are you looking forward to for fall?

making progress....

2010-09-26T23:27:00.000-04:00

I've spent most of last weekend and this past week working on the Baby Sophisticate baby sweater. I'm hoping to make a matching hat also. Pretty much all that's left is the collar and then adding on the buttons. Then it will be on it's way to California. :)

coffee stains...

2010-09-21T10:42:00.000-04:00

along with McSpikerson's bday last week, it was also my boss' bday. he is famous for spilling, dripping, and just plain dropping coffe and food on himself. so after watching him spill ice cream on himself, i decided to make a him a little stain removal kit. it started as a simple idea that slowly turned into the completed project below.

contents:
zipper pouch from office depot
2 pks clorox stain wipes
1 tide to go pen
1 package of baby wipes
and a red lobster bib with a starbucks sticker over the "lobster"

i used craft paper for the outer wrapping and added a starbucks symbol that i puched from an old starbucks bag, and backed it with some scrapbook paper. then i added a few letter rubons and wallah....an unofficial "starbucks coffee stain removal kit". i also stuck a gift card to the front...b/c without the coffee we can't have stains.

all in all the bossman loved it, and i got to dust off some of my old scrap supplies! :)

someone....

2010-09-15T19:54:00.000-04:00

turned 6 this week...and it's been a three day celebration starting with:

lunch at the TRex restaurant in Downtown Disney
having happy birthday sung by the wait staff
building a Build-a-Dino
shopping to his hearts desire at the Lego store
impromptu marshmallowing dipping at the Candy Cauldron
Cirque du Soliel show
special homemade pirate cupcakes delivered to school
wearing a bday crown and sticker at school
lots of presents, and a little bit of money ;)
birthday dinner from Panda Express
Carvel ice cream cake
watching whatever he wanted on tv
more fuji instax lovins

overall i think he had a great bday :)

labor day list...

2010-09-07T22:42:00.000-04:00

this past labor day weekend was filled with:

way too many oysters
not enough mojitos
trips down memory lane
squealing, screaming, fighting, loving cousins
alot of sun
a little bit of rain
scoring $1 magazines at the flea market
trying new salads
chocolate cupcakes, with chocolate frosting and sprinkles (duh)
lots of photos
way too many episodes of icarly
quality time with my bff's
quality time with my kuya
hot dogs and hamburgers
computer down time
belly flops and cannon balls
feeling old
feeling young
and a whole lotta fuji instax lovins....

Friday FO's...

2010-08-13T08:47:00.000-04:00

Just thought I would share a few FO's that I completed this past week.

First up is a little monster plushie. This poor guy ( we call him RAAWR ) has been waiting in the wings for about a month. I decided while watching my newest obsession, Veronica Mars, I would go ahead and finish stitching him up and stuffing him. I see a few more stuffies in my future...and I see now why there is a whole magazine dedicated to these...they are fun!

Next up is the Braided Scarf from the Spud and Chloe blog. This was a quick knit and the yarn is so soft. Knitting this has put me in the mood for fall big.time.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend...I'm thinking about loading some film into the fisheye camera and letting Draven loose with it this weekend. Gotta make the most of his last few days before school starts on MONDAY!!

Thursday tour of Etsy...the "Back-to-School" edition...

2010-08-12T10:25:00.000-04:00

With Draven starting school in just a few days, I decided this week's Thursday Tour of Etsy would be dedicated to the classroom....

You don't want to show up to the first day of school without an apple for the teacher. How about this Vintage Apple Bank: Ghostly Treasures

And every class room needs a chalkboard like this Vintage Chalkboard Lap Desk: Elizabethwrenvintage

Let's learn about all the amazing places you can travel to with this Mid Century Globe: HoldtheWire

I love the pop of color on this teal Vintage School Desk: CampHobaChee

And last but not least, the metal lunch box. Holly Hobbie was a personal favorite of mine growing up. Holly Hobbie lunchbox: Gigiandmehandmade

this weekend....

2010-08-08T20:36:00.001-04:00

someone got his haircut....

and it's been a big deal around here. all summer draven has been saying that when school starts he wants short hair with spikes. i have been dreading this. dreading. but he's a big boy and it's his hair, so we took him to the only person who has ever cut his hair...

and she did a great job...he loves his new hair. loves.

Thursday Tour of Etsy... the "knit is it" edition...

2010-08-05T09:57:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week I started work on my braided scarf. The yarn I'm using is so yummy and soft. All this knitting has inspired this week's Thursday Tour of Etsy...the "knit is it" edition. I scoured Etsy and put together a few of my favorite knitting related items. I wouldn't mind owning each and every piece on this list.

I love this set of gray cable knit pillows from Strikk. They would pair nicely with some yellow or orange throw pillows.Definitely adds a warm and cozy touch to any living room..

Rawwwr!! I'm seriously loving this monster shark phone cozy from Handamade. Along with phone cozies there are shark can cozies, and even a boston terrier coffee sleeve! Seriously cute pieces!

I want to make it my mission to knit up every pattern in this Retro vehicle pattern set by LeahSutton. First on my list would be the camper...I want to knit one up in every color of the rainbow.

Ummm...anyone who knows me well, knows that I have a small obsession with gnomes. So I was pretty giddy when I found this knitting themed gnome print by MultiplePersonality. This print would be a great addition to any craft room...actually in any room.

This Knitting Hearts print by thepoppytree is just pure happiness. I don't know what part of this print I like best...the chain of hearts or the cute hair with knitting needles peeking out.

I think "Keep Calm and Carry Yarn" should be every knitters motto. I really like the GildedLily 's take on the old war posters "Keep Calm and Carry On". If you're ever unsure about what supplies to get your favorite knitter, then this charm necklace is a great gift alternative.

it's official...

2010-08-03T22:25:00.000-04:00

i am now the mother of a kindergartener. i registered Draven for kindergarten today....in a few short weeks he will be starting a new big boy adventure, and i'm so excited for him. but until then, he's still my little pumpkin wumpkin... ;)

August already?

2010-08-01T22:17:00.000-04:00

This year has been flying by....how is it all of a sudden August!? I have to admit..i've spent much of June and July swamped with work...a lot of late nights were dedicated to "the man" and unfortunately that meant many of my goals were pretty much dropped. but no more...work is finally starting to settle a bit, so no more working until 1 and 2 in the morning. So with that i'm starting to re-focus with some August goals:

1. Yoga - seriously need to get back on this wagon...the benefits are completely worth it.

2. Budget - I've started working on a budgeting plan - based off of Dave Ramsey's baby steps. I really like Dave's program, and baby step 1 has been a life saver for me on many occasions. I'm basically calling this operation "debt free by 40". gotta have goals yo!

3. Knitting - I've decided to start working on some cool weather knits...starting with the Braided Scarf from the Spud and Chloe blog. I'm using Lion Brand Hometown USA in a really deep purple called Portland Wine. This yarn is so soft. And really, with a name like Portland, how can you go wrong?!

4. Last but not least is the etsy shop...i have so many plans for the shop and it's time to get on them. As far as I'm concerned...if there are any more late nights working until 1 and 2 in the morning - it better be for the shop!

So I don't have a lot of goals, but what I do have is pretty big. So feel free to keep me on my toes and ask how any of my goals are going...accountability is always key!

Thursday tour of Etsy... "the tick-tock edition"

2010-07-29T09:38:00.000-04:00

I can hardly believe that August is just around the corner...it seems like summer just started a week ago. This summer has been a blur! (kind of like the photo above). Around here i've been busily getting organized for Draven to start school, and overwhelming doesn't even begin to describe what work has been like for me this summer. So needless to say, time is definitely flying by. Which leads me to this week's Thursday tour of Etsy... "the tick-tock edition".

Find Me a Memory: Spartus Wall Clock , Vintage Station: Mushroom Wall Clock , Manstuff: Flip clock and desk calendar , Avantgarage: Cosmo time and folding lamp

Astelier: Red Westinghouse deco clock , Remember Me Emily: Wind Up Alarm Clock Westclox Clockwork Universe: Soviet Russian alarm clock , Industrail Relic: Timex wall clock

Charlie St. Cloud... A.K.A. "i want to go cougar on Zac Efron"...

2010-07-28T10:01:00.003-04:00

haha...just kidding on the cougar part...ok, maybe not.

anyway....i went with my friend Beth to see a special preview of Charlie St. Cloud. The movie was better than expected and even had a little twist to it. I love this song from the movie...I loved alot of the music from the movie, so I see a soundtrack purchase in my future.

and let's all cross our fingers that i will pull of a Thursday tour of etsy for tomorrow... ;)

tap...tap..tap...

2010-07-27T01:18:00.000-04:00

is this thing on?

seriously...we should be back to your regularly scheduled posting now that life is some what back on track.

so if there's still anyone reading this blog...stay tuned....

2010-07-14T11:15:00.000-04:00

sweet....one of my etsy shop items landed on Etsy Stalker today! check it out...

weekend wrap up...

2010-07-13T22:36:00.000-04:00

this weekend we were very lazy...but crafty...and tanned...and fed....and lazy...

saturday a.m. breakfast

saturday a.m. knitting in bed

saturday p.m post swim

saturday dinner p.m. dinner in my fave new plates

sunday a.m. breakfast in bed w/ sunday comics

sunday all day crafting...

special delivery...

2010-07-11T13:58:00.000-04:00

Some of you may not know this...but i used to scrapbook. And i used to submit my layouts for publication. One of the last layouts I submitted, was picked up for Kimber's "Remember This" book. I couldn't be happier with how this book turned out. Kimber is top notch when

it comes to scrapbooking, and she's put out some really great books. I'm honored to have one of my pages in her latest book. I've poured over every layout in this book 3x over and I can't get enough of all the photo and paper goodness. This will definitely become my go-to book for layout inspiration.

and who could resist having your mail delivered by this cutie...

thursday tour of etsy... the "oh deer" edition...

2010-07-08T09:35:00.000-04:00

Two of my favorite items in the shop right now are:

Vintage Disney Bambi bed sheets.

Vintage Bambi cross-stitch blanket

and now to share with you some of my favorite "oh deer" finds on etsy....

Fawn and Tree Planter: thriftscore; Shabby Chic deer antlers: happybdaytome; Fawn Friends: traceyhooping;Vintage fawn ornament: TracyAnns

on finishing...

2010-07-05T18:49:00.000-04:00

over the last few months i've started a lot of projects...but i haven't finished any of them... so i've decided to declare July "finishing" month... so on the list:

1. finish my summer floppy hat

2. finish draven's 5yr bday party album

3. finish posting the stock pile of vintage goodies that i have for the etsy shop

4. finish the lazy sunday lounge pants i started back in february...yikes!

5. start working on the hand made items i would like to add to my etsy shop

so that's my list and i'm stickin' to it... ;)

hope everyone had an awesome 3 day weekend!

rockin' the summer hair...

2010-06-17T22:14:00.017-04:00

today i happened to run across this video on Daily Candy...and immediately new that this little "do" would be my new summer hair...

10 minutes and a few (okay 10) bobby pins later...

i had this.... side view...

back view...

and from up above

i seriously love it, and can't wait to rock this as my new summer hair... i think i'll start this weekend...

a thursday tour of etsy "the random favorite finds edition"

2010-06-16T13:09:00.000-04:00

this week i thought i would put together a small list of some of my fave finds on etsy. i could seriously spend all day browsing all the wonderful shops on etsy...i'm sure most of you feel the same way. :) feel free to link me to some of your fave shops as well!

Elisa Lou - Gadget Pouch. I've actually purchased a sling bag from Elisa a few years ago. It's my go to summer weekend bag - I get compliments on it all the time, and the quality is great.

Meg Brothers - Fabric Journals. These are just beautiful, so bright and happy. I would definitely keep these tucked in my purse at all times to write little bits of inspiration. I think they would make a great gift or add on gift...the pop of color would look amazing sitting on top of kraft colored wrapping paper! And Meg sells amazing bags and clutches in her shop too!

William Dohman - Keep Calm recycled wooden sign. "Keep Calm" has been my mantra lately. I love the cool color of this sign, and the fact that it's recyled wood is a bonus.

RachelleD - Sweet Blue Birdie Gardens - this is just stunning. I'm not much of a jewelry person - but I could live in this necklace...the yellow flower is just perfection. I want one of every necklace in this shop!

White Willow Vintage - Colourful Straw Bag - this bag could seriously be my summer bag. i love that it's vintage, i love that it's straw, and i love the little touch of color.

Tim Laurson - Swinging Bed - I would build a porch just so I can have this bed. I mean seriously...I could see it hanging in the perfect backyard setting with a huge oak tree...so many wonderful days of napping, reading and knitting could happen in this space....

So there it is...a few of my random favorite finds on etsy...hope you enjoyed this weeks tour! And please, don't forget to share some of your fave finds with me!

accidental collection....

2010-06-15T13:26:00.000-04:00

at some point while treasure hunting for my etsy shop i started buying up these colorful lotus flower bowls...they've become a sort of accidental collection...i always seem to find them for dirt cheap, and they always come in the happiest of colors...aqua, yellow, orange, kelly green, white....does this happen to anyone else?

p.s. "tuesday tour of etsy" posts are now being moved to thursdays...so look out for a "thursday tour of etsy" post coming later this week.

Williams-Sonoma

2010-06-14T09:41:00.000-04:00

is the secret to my yoda pancakes from two posts ago..and not only do they have yoda...but vadar and a storm trooper as well. you can find them here and they also have cookie cutters here. Our first attempt with the cookie cutters did not go so well...but I picked up some tips from one of my fave bakers, so I'm hoping round two will go much smoother!! If you make the pancakes or cookies, shoot me a link in the comments...I'd love to see them!

this weekend i'm hoping...

2010-06-11T09:42:00.000-04:00

to do a little bit more of this....

so that i can finish this...

it feels good to break out the paints, and embellies, and pretty papers again....

what are your plans for the weekend?

weekend wrap up....

2010-06-09T09:41:00.000-04:00

this past weekend consisted of....

making progress on my summer hat....

pool time...

and star wars pancakes

a tuesday tour of etsy "the cozy up to a good book" edition

2010-06-08T09:18:00.000-04:00

this week's edition of a "tuesday tour of etsy" is inspired by all the vintage children's books i've recently added to my etsy shop...so cozy up to your computer and take a look at some of these great etsy picks that go great with cozying up to a good book...like a vintage red crate to store all your fave reads, or a fun cloud pillow to rest on while your read...and of course a fave blanket to snuggle under while you read.

peter pan/alice in wonderland 2 in 1 book; giant john; set of 3 tip/tip and mitten books

deer lamp: royalwe; vintage crocheted afghan: thevintagehorde;

hug a cloud: goodbyeblue monday

vintage red milk crate: vintagejane; vintage cat's eye reading glasses: etherial attic

sew many memories....

2010-06-04T07:26:00.000-04:00

some of the best memories with my mom revolve around this sewing machine. i remember staying up into the wee hours of the night making cute summer tops, and matching shorts. this machine is older than i am (which is pretty old)....and i go months, sometimes years without using it...but every time i bring it out and dust it off, it's like seeing an old friend. we get reacquainted....remembering how to thread the bobbin, running the thread through this piece and that part...i'm always amazed at how automatic it quickly becomes...and i always think back to things i have made with this machine, pillows, pj's, dresses, shirts, hemming pants, adding ruffles...i can't wait to make my first quilt with this machine. i am a true believer in basic life skills, and i think that sewing (both by hand and on a machine) is one of them, so i can't wait for the day i show draven how to use this machine.

what do you own that brings on a flood of memories? or what can you not wait to pass on to someone else?

Friday Dance Party

2010-05-21T11:32:00.000-04:00

It's Friday...I suggest you have an impromptu dance party to get your weekend started!

a tuesday tour of etsy: "the vintage camera edition..."

2010-05-18T14:55:00.000-04:00

i've been taking pictures just for fun for as long as i can remember. i'm always the one at family events with camera in hand, ready to snap the blowing of the candles, the cannon ball in the pool, even the food being served. i tote my camera with me everywhere, especially on the weekends. and when i don't have my 'real' camera, my camera phone is always around. so with the edition of this sweet rainbow polaroid added to my shop last week, i figured it was high time for the camera edition of a "tuesday tour of etsy"....

vintage polaroid land camera: 18of35

argus argoflex: rememberwhencamera, vintage brownie hawkeye: sweetlovevintage, mint green vintage imperial mark XII: blueflowervintage

kodak brownie starflex: rememberwhencamera, red vintage imperial mark XII; backpedlavintage; polaroid 315 land camera: naturalhome

weekend wrap up...

2010-05-17T12:55:00.000-04:00

this weekend was filled with sushi, good convresation, with good friends,celebrating a birthday, plenty of people watching, playing the "guess my age" game, pool time, movie watching, treasure hunting, and milling around target to get out of the house a bit....how was your weekend?

R.I.P. Blackberry.....

2010-05-14T10:19:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I thought it would be fun to multi-task by doing the dishes and checking twitter at the same time...um yhea, not so much. I went to put the phone on the counter...

it slipped.

then plummeted.

then landed.

in a bowl of water.

so needless to say....R.I.P. Blackberry....

This photo was taken after I let it sit in a bowl of rice overnight to see if there was any chance of saving it. Result: No Chance. So because I felt sorry for myself, I upgraded my phone to the new Samsung Moment.

And let's just say that I love her....she's almost more phone than I know what to do with...but I'm learning...and I've also named her Mo-Mo...and I've promised Mo-Mo that I will never do dishes around her. Ever.

One of the things I like about Mo-Mo is that she takes cool pics...see...:

And speaking of pics, this experience has taught me one major lesson -

BACK UP YOUR PHONE!

I had over 300 photos on my Blackberry - thankfully the SD card was not destroyed during the slip/plummet/land and I was able to download all of my photos from the last year and a half. But I lost every single phone contact, so I'm currently emailing everyone to get their info - it's not a fun process. Lesson learned.

a tuesday tour of etsy: the bright and colorful kitchen edition

2010-05-11T09:30:00.000-04:00

With the start of summer just around the corner I can't get bright colors out of my mind. I'm seeing them everywhere - clothing, accessories, even in home decor. That's why I love the bright and colorful vintage Fluffo tin currently in my shop. It also happens to be the inspiration for this week's "tuesday tour of etsy: the bright and colorful kitchen edition". The fruity design and mix of teal, yellow and red can brighten up even the drabbest of kitchens. So while I'm thinking of ways to un-drab the kitchen take a look at these other bright and colorful kitchen finds from Etsy....

Vintage Fluffo kitchen canister: 18 of 35

vintage orange/yellow butterfly apron: jennypennyvintage, butterfly embroidered linens: kamisue, mushroom s&p shaker: loverlyvintage, yellow daisy kitchen timer: rutabagasix, vintage turquoise fondue pot: vintagesurplus, vintage aluminum cake carrier: redhot66

thankful...

2010-05-10T21:50:00.000-04:00

every.single.day. for this little guy...and because of him I had a wonderful Mother's Day...hope all the mom's out there were spoiled rotten yesterday...and that their day was filled with a little bit of relaxation, indulgence, and hopefully a little handmade too...

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T10:07:00.000-04:00

One of the best videos defining motherhood....

You have to be brave with your life so that others can be brave with theirs."

-via Katherine Center

a tuesday tour of etsy: the office supply edition

2010-05-04T16:43:00.000-04:00

office supplies just make my heart happy...i like finding unique items to store pens, pencils, and even my son's crayons. and i like alot of color. i figure if you have to work/look at the office supplies all day, they might as well be bright and fun. kind of like the vintage dymo label maker in my shop (see below)... i've put together a few other fun office supply finds from etsy. maybe one of these can find a place in your office or cubicle and turn it into a happy place (at least between the hours of 9 and 5)....

vintage dymo labe: 18of35

NeverTooOld, AmeliaBedelia, bellalulu

nernest, harmoniepark, whitewillowvintage

Pushing Daisies...

2010-05-03T12:41:00.000-04:00

today i received an email from the ladies over at MaeDae, they included the vintage binoculars from my shop in their "Pushing Daisies" post - thank you ladies! Make sure to check out their blog, they have a lot of themed etsy finds!

Now I'm off to find Pushing Daisies on Netflix! :)

weekend wrap up...

2010-05-03T11:52:00.000-04:00

this weekend our normally one kiddo household was invaded by my cutie patootie niece...so we did a lot of hanging out, napping, snacking, a trip to ikea, and letting the kids play with my cell phone camera...so just like this first photo - the weekend was a blur...

how was your weekend?