Friday, January 25, 2008

Random Stuff

i hate winter and canNOT wait for spring

my feet are always FREEZING (one of the reasons I dislike winter)

would not trade my hairstylist and pedicurist for anything-they're FABULOUS

i miss my mom and dad being here-seems strange they're not here now when i get home from work

i ordered some very cool shelves from pottery barn and can't wait until they arrive to do something like this




wish i could stop my kids from growing up so fast-one will be 10 in a month and the oldest will be 21 in april-hard to believe

also wish i wasn't such a procrastinator and/or perfectionist-it dibilitates and frustrates me

can't wait to see some movies-27 dresses, atonement are just a couple i want to see very soon

going to make myself complete some projects this weekend-no matter how small

thankful that jeff watches out for me when i'm too lazy to do so myself

hoping to plan a special valentine's dinner soon-might try chocolate souffle
loving my new one year bible and disciplining myself to read from it each day

need to remember to buy spray paint-amazing what a little white paint will do for a junk store frame



wish i knew how to make fancy frames or brushes on my photos like some of the "professional" bloggers-makes their photos look so fun, SEE?

got another great globe at the junk store-only 3.99-YOWSER! collecting them for brady, but not sure why-neither is he

need to go clothes shopping, but it's SO depressing

i need sunshine and flowers in a BIG way-looking forward to 50ish degrees and sunshine on sunday and the antique mall-my reward for accomplishing some stuff on saturday...

maybe i'll find some of the stuff i've been looking for-fingers crossed












Monday, January 21, 2008

Can't Wait Til Spring

Guest blogger says:
Such a dreary day today and Patti needed a spring boost. Had to make a trip to Dierbergs and low and behold found this springtime bouquet. Cheers you right up doesn't it
Little sister - - - how do you like this???

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Baby, It's Cold Outside!


Brrr...it was only 4 degrees when we got up this morning. That didn't keep me at home though. Nope. Not that I was real productive either, but I had a very enjoyable day nonetheless. Just running around and hanging out with mom and my sister most of the day. Hitting the clearance aisles at Gordmans and Linens n Things and a boutique here and there. We also managed to work in a stop at Goodwill where mom and I picked up some men's wool sweaters. We're going to try and make felted purses. Yes, that and a half dozen other things we should've been home working on instead of running around in the cold. Now I'm wiped out and starting to get a sore throat. Nice.


Oh, well. Tomorrow's another day. Going to see what I can accomplish yet tonight. Winter Bella e-Zine has me on inspiration overload this week. On the hunt for several things for some of the projects I want to complete. Anyone have any old picture frames? How about a wooden cigar box? Lavender by the scoop? Making me crazy that I can't seem to find anything. Out all day and only spent $9 for the old sweaters-kind of a miracle for me. Even passed up darling Bethany Lowe Valentine goodies. Yep, I must be coming down with something! Now I'm wishing I had grabbed the banner-so, so cute, but was very pricey. Hard to pay that when you can make something similiar yourself, but I may have to reconsider.


I'm off to put on my fuzzy slippers and get cozy for the night. I'm already thinkin' about hitting my favorite antique mall tomorrow. Cold or not-I'm on a mission so I can make some projects!

UPDATED: This morning (Sunday) when we got up around 7:30 am it was only 2 degrees! Haven't seen it that cold here in sometime.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

S M I L E

These are some of the things making me smile as I reflect on this past weekend:
  • Brady beginning every sentence with, "Behold!" Makes you want to listen up, doesn't it?!

  • Visits to Red Lead-just love those gals and their style and how they inspire me to let go and make something. Here's a little something I'm working on using their new Valentine's Day inchie stamps-my take on one of their projects.


  • Spending time with my sister- she's such a doll and I'm so proud of her.
  • Jeff's requests for brownies-a regular weekend occurence. I'm happy to oblige.
  • Daisy D's valentine stuff- so very vintage and sweet.


  • Found objects and treasures and friends who share them. Can't wait to get to work on some of the goodies from Shirley and Trisha-thanks, girls!


  • This ultra quick calendar project from Jenni Bowlin- she keeps coming up with products that blow me away. And I love this photo of my dad and Brady. It's been so good for Brady to have them here with us. The cover is very pretty with a beautiful vintage millinery flower. Taking it to work tomorrow to replace my dollar spot calendar. Really just for reference, but will add a favorite photo from each month and at the end of the year will have a little album.

  • A Sunday afternoon nap.

And here's a couple for today-

  • Deer spied in our backyard by Dad this morning and me fumbling with my camera. Duh! I had it set on the macro setting and wasn't able to capture the 5 or 6 trotting through this morning. But it was fun hearing him hoop and holler-and he wonders where I get it from!

  • American Idol is back tonight-YEAH!

  • Realizing that tomorrow is already Wednesday-ready for the weekend already.

And this one made me smile, AND cry today-



  • Cam texting me this afternoon to tell me he loved me. Then this afternoon he told me why. The song I used to sing to him when he was little came on the radio, "Somewhere Out There" from American Tale.

What made you smile this weekend? Today?




Friday, January 11, 2008

Whistle A Happy Tune!


Just a quick post as DH is due home at any minute and we're headed out for the evening. Just catching up on the goings on in blog land, new music on ITunes and enjoying a cup of English Toffee cappuccino (sorry, Dad I couldn't resist-had to dip into your stash). I am really looking forward to the weekend. I have so many things I want to do that I'm not sure what to do first. Looking forward to a visit with my sister tomorrow as we go treasure hunting and to working on various projects around here. Maybe hoping to even get into my studio to start digging through and clearing out. I'm sure that's wishful thinking on my part-the weekend is only two days long after all.


Whatever you have planned-enjoy and don't forget to whistle a happy tune. If only I could whistle-guess I'll have to hum!

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Sailor's Delight



This was the sunset tonight. The photo SO does not do it justice, but I was playing with the panoramic setting on my camera. The color was really intense. A ride off into the sunset kind of sunset.


And this was waiting for me when I got home. My mom fixed dinner for us this evening-chicken pot pie and this wonderful Blueberry Crumb Cake. YUM! What a treat! Even Brady was overcome by the smell when he came home from school, Mom said.

Not much going on, but I did pick up my new Bible so I can get started on one of my goals for the new year. And I got the Amy Grant's new(ish) book, Mosaic. Very anxious to read it so I plan to wind down early and cozy up with it.

Hopefully, the saying will bode true for tomorrow...
red sky at night, sailor's delight.

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

The weather here is SO gloomy today. Makes me want to put my jammies on and climb into bed already. Can you imagine how long the days might have seemed before there was electricity? Thought about that last night when Mom and I were making crochet flowers to pass the time since there was nothing of real interest on television. It was refreshing to have an "unplugged" night and delve into home arts.

So fun to pick up crocheting again and work on it with mom. I can remember my Grandma and aunts visiting and watching TV while crocheting up a storm. How did they do that?! I could barely keep up as Mom called out each set of stitches to me from the pattern. I'm working my way into knitting-although I'm getting addicted to these flowers. Can't beleve how many variations there are. Here's the one I made last night. Mom added the vintage button and TA DA! instant pin for my jacket lapel. Just had to wear it to work today. Made me smile every time I looked down and saw it.

Keeping busy with my Winter bella e-Zine, too. Here's the decorative project from this weekend. A sweet, simple reminder of the promise that Spring days lie ahead. I'm loving using things I have on hand in new and unexpected ways. My fav part of this tho' is the tag made from a downloaded page of an old French book about birds. The shape of the tag was made using an empty punchout from a sheet of tags as a template-WAY COOL idea. SO glad I didn't throw that out-see, sometimes it pays to be a packrat! :)

We've enjoyed a few days of spring-like weather, but I can already feel the temperature dropping as winter weather takes hold once more. Not alot on TV again this evening-I'm ready for the writer's strike to be over, aren't you? So I plan to put on some comfy clothes and work on the newest Winter Bella project and maybe make another flower or two!

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Penny for MY thoughts?

Probably, not. But here ya go...

My sister informed me that you aren't supposed to purchase anything new the first 90 days of the year. It's a green thing, I guess. Does she know that's three. whole. months?!? Well, I already broke that rule anyway by the time she informed me. ha! I am resolved to be very selective about anything new I bring into the house. Seriously.

Usually by the after Christmas sales I'm not in much of a mood to go back and get Christmas things, but I was SO lucky to have spied these. They sold out in no time in our area, but I found them while at Jeff's Mom's Target. Isn't it funny how everyone has a Target?! :)



In breaking the aforementioned rule (three times in this one post!), I found this little treasure at the "junk" store. I also found these and plan to paint them cream. I've been inspired ALOT lately by Becky Novacek. Check out photos of her home HERE. She is also just super inspiring overall. Can you believe she is a grandma?! Anyway, love what she can do with a secondhand frame and some paint. How warm does it need to be to spray paint do ya think? Hmmm...oops! too late, I already sprayed the small one while waiting for my photos to load (54 degrees here already this morning). I know just the photo I'm going to put in it to add to my family room wall, too. Not sure about that accent color thing yet. Going to go for some texture in the white frames and use all black and white photos for sure.

Plan to get all of the Christmas hauled back to the basement today, but just couldn't do it last night. Instead, this is what I did. The first project of Winter Bella. Thanks, Mom for nudging me to scan this BINGO card before using it. ;)
And the beaded hanger-well, that was a necklace I spied at the "junk" store yesterday that I took apart and reused Rebecca Sower like. I love the way it pops the blue out of the papers IRL. Otherwise, all made w/ scraps and stuff I already had. Gotta love that! Not sure what I'll do with the finished project, but I like what it says and it felt SO good to make something after a couple of weeks. Hoping to do that Year In Review project later today or tomorrow. Stay tuned for that and a nifty vignette idea from this week's Winter Bella e-Zine.

I love this list of ideas of things to do in January when the after-the-holiday blah's arrive. Click HERE to check them out. Of course, the list was compiled by Sally Jean who totally inspires me-hopefully her list will inspire you as well. Many of them are very simple ideas about reviving and renewal. Some as simple as-write a letter to someone, seal it with a kiss and mail it! When was the last time you "wrote" a letter? See? Fun stuff!

Okay, this is turning into a WAY long post and I have lots to do this weekend before my favorite house guests return so I'd better scoot. They've inspired me to get SO MUCH done the past couple of weeks and I want to keep my momentum going. Missing you guys, by the way.

Have a great weekend!








Thursday, January 03, 2008

I "heart" the Dollar Spot!

Our local Target has refilled their Dollar Spot with oodles of Valentine's goodies and I just couldn't resist. Here's what I came home with-cute apron, silicon baking dish, dishtowels and sweet stamps. A word of caution however, some of these items were more than a dollar. Hasty me didn't realize that until I got home. Still great deals. Bring on the next holiday!


Also made a stop at Michael's and picked up some yarn and a needle in an attempt to begin making good on one of my intentions for the new year. Have a couple of other "new year" projects to complete first and then I'm going to give it a whirl. I haven't made anything in a couple weeks so I'm itching to do so this weekend. Winter Bella e-Zine has begun and I'm going to do the year-in-review project from my last week of class with Heidi Swapp's Big Picture class. Very sweet and I've already picked out my 10 highlight events of 2007. Can't wait to pick out the photos and share this when I'm finished. I've got the fever so I'll be back with those.



AND lastly not to be an enabler or anything, but our Target now has Wall Quotes (vinyl lettering that looks handpainted when applied) . They have several phrases to choose from and are very pretty-most $16.99. I bought one tonight and hope to put it up on a wall in our family room along with a group of framed family photos next week. So, so excited about this. Photos to come upon completion! Now, should I paint that wall in an accent color first? Hmmm... ;)




Tuesday, January 01, 2008

All Good Things

As they say, all good things must come to an end. And so we say goodbye to 2007 and welcome 2008. A new beginning, a fresh start. Another year to get it right, to make new memories, to accomplish new goals-or in my case, attempt to reach the ones we didn't quite reach the previous year.

We rang in the new year in typical fashion - we ate take-out and huddled in watching mindless TV and the clock as we struggled to stay up just long enough to wish one another Happy New Year. We spent a little time this morning sharing a couple of our intentions for 2008, but the big attraction today is the Cotton Bowl. Jeff's beloved Fighting Illini are playing today. He's already geared up in his blue and orange and in his recliner! I have the TIVO recording the parade for watching later today. I may take in some shopping or a movie later this afternoon.

Because I fail so miserably with most of my New Year's resolutions, I won't bore you with my entire list. But I do intend to try and learn to knit and to make a quilt this year (with Amy Butler fabrics). Lots of artful endeavors on my list, but some serious ones, too. Hope to get back to reading my Bible on a regular basis and to be more introspective. And I plan to look into the "one little word" philosophy/blog. I'm loving this one lately...

Do you make new year's resolutions? If so, would you share one? If not, share why you choose not to make resolutions. May this year bring you all good things.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!