christina williams

Love Notes

2012-02-14T17:28:00.000-08:00

Some love notes to my favorite people in the whole world:

Nolan: My littlest valentine. You are the missing piece of the puzzle. Every time I look at you I feel like my heart has missed you for years, but I didn't realize it until now. You've only been with us for three weeks, but I feel like we've known you forever. You love your cozy blanket, and you are so patient when your older siblings smother you with kisses and attention. I love cuddling with you and watching you grow and change every day. Just don't grow up too quick.

Charlotte: My Princerina. You are strong and independent. You keep me on my toes, and constantly put me in my place. I love that you're not afraid to say what you think, and you won't let anyone push you around. I hope you will always be as sassy and spunky as you are now. You are tough, and I have no doubt that you'll easily be able to handle growing up with two brothers. I love to hear you sing and watch you dance. I love the way your imagination works, and the mischievous twinkle in your eyes.

Hudson: My Buddy. You've been my little sidekick for six years now. You are so sweet, kind and thoughtful. You are confident and self-assured. You know who you are and I love that about you. You're very independent and you know how to get what you want. You have me wrapped around your little finger and you know it. You're smart, energetic and fun to be around. I love watching you at school--you make friends so easily, and you make sure nobody is left out. I love the little notes and pictures you draw for me, and I love what a great big brother you are.

Daddy: This is the eleventh Valentine's Day we've celebrated together. We've had lots of great times, and a few bumps in the road as well. Our friendship feels so genuine and comfortable and simple right now. It's perfect. I love how kind and thoughtful you are. I love how patient you are with me and the kids. I love how fun and energetic you are. I love your sense of humor.

I secretly watched you with Nolan the other night. You were getting him ready for the bath, and you just sat near him and watched him for a while. It was a really sweet moment. Then I noticed the holes in your jeans and laughed. As long as I've known you, you've always had holes in your jeans. I hope you always will. I think it's cute. I could try to tell you how much I love you, but I don't want to embarrass either of us. So just know that I like you a lot. (And you know I don't like too many people these days). I love you, obviously. But I don't throw that "like" word around very often. :) So that's something special right there.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine Re-Visit

2012-02-09T15:44:00.000-08:00

I forgot how a newborn kind of turns your whole world upside down. In a great way, of course. But we haven't had as much time for Valentine projects as I would have liked. So I'm re-visiting some oldies but goodies. My Fluttering Hearts Valentine is featured over at Honest to Nod today. Check it out in case you missed it the first time around.

Words

2012-02-08T10:15:00.000-08:00

Just a few things that have made me smile lately:

Source: babyrabies.com via Christina on Pinterest

Source: southernpiphi.tumblr.com via Christina on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Christina on Pinterest

Pendants

2012-02-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

This guy showed up on Pinterest quite a while ago:

Source: justcallmechris.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

And since then, I've been getting lots of inquiries as to when I'm going to start selling my jewelry.

Well, today's that day! Hooray! I'm starting out (very) small...because a newborn in the mix and my other side projects haven't left a lot of time for sparkly goodies. But I'm going to keep a handful of items available to test the waters. Here's my current selection:

I've added some extra photos here to show the full length and the size of the stones.

A little more helpful information:

All the stones shown are hydro quartz (man-made)...but I can make the necklaces with semi-precious gemstones as well...they're just more pricey.

All the gold is 24-karat gold electroplated (overlay) which is fantastically durable and perfect for everyday.

So there you have it. I've now done two things this year that I've been afraid of doing for a while. I started a facebook page, and I'm selling my jewelry. There I go again stepping out of that ol' comfort zone. Yikes!!!

In the Studio

2012-02-06T22:12:00.000-08:00

Take a peek at my latest shop update. Cutlery napkins in two swell new colors: chocolate brown and metallic silver.

Cutlery Napkins - Brown

Cutlery Napkins - Silver

And I've brought back this old guy from last year...get him while you can. He'll buzz off after Valentine's day. (Can you tell I'm a little sleep deprived?)

Bee Mine

In other news, I've finally sucked it up and started a little facebook page for my blog + etsy shop...so show a girl some love. Like me here.

Happy February

2012-02-01T16:21:00.000-08:00

Before Nolan was born, I got the "big kids" each a mini mailbox from the dollar section at Target. They get so excited for their daily mail delivery. These secret message valentines were a huge hit...and they provided a fun after school activity. We'll probably have to do a variation of these for every holiday.

{secret message valentine idea from bhg, via pinterest}

Nolan's Birthday

2012-01-30T12:24:00.000-08:00

I feel like Bryce and I went away for a weekend and came back with a baby. We're trying to figure out our new "normal" while life is still speeding on around us. Nolan is such a dream that I feel bad I ever complained about being pregnant. The delivery day was filled with ups and downs, but in the end we got a pretty great reward.

I woke up at 2:30 am Friday morning with steady, strong contractions. I lay in bed wondering how long I should wait, whether I should send Bryce to work or not, etc. etc. Hudson woke up at 3am and asked if I could sleep by him. I snuggled with him in his bed, admiring his sweet sleeping face. I knew this might be my last chance to enjoy such a moment for a while. Charlotte woke up at 5 am, as soon as I picked her up she laid her head on my shoulder, rubbed my back and whispered the word, "Happy." I took her to our bed and spent the next couple hours admiring her and thinking about how blessed we are to have these wonderful little people in our life.

When we arrived at the hospital I got the disappointing news that I hadn't progressed much at all. They suggested that we go walking for a couple hours and come back. Bryce and I wandered around in the drizzling rain--absolutely certain that we'd be sent home without a baby. I was so embarrassed that Bryce had taken the day off work and he'd have to go back and tell them it was a false alarm. The nurse told me to get a little something to eat. Since I thought we'd be going back home, I didn't hold back and ate Chinese food until I was stuffed. We arrived back at the hospital expecting to be sent home. Turns out the walk + lunch must have done the trick because I walked into my delivery room at 1:30 pm.

I'd never had an epidural before and really wanted to try it out. They came in and got me all set up, then the waiting began. I got stuck with a midwife who told me she'd do nothing to help me along. She refused to break my water since I wasn't a full 40 weeks, so we waited and waited until the end of her shift. As soon as she was gone a team of ladies entered my room and got the show on the road. They broke my water, we hung out for 25-30 minutes until it was showtime. I told my midwife I wanted it over in five minutes or less. I got my wish--Nolan was here in under five minutes. (P.S. I highly recommend getting an epidural. It made it totally bearable).

And now we're enjoying every minute with this sweet little guy. I feel lucky to have had a speedy recovery and plenty of help with the "big kids" for the last week. Nolan is exactly ten days old today; and my due date is tomorrow. I'm so glad we got a few bonus days with our baby boy.

He's Here!

2012-01-26T10:44:00.000-08:00

Introducing:

Nolan LaMont Williams

January 20, 2012

6 lb. 15 oz

Our sweet baby is here! He couldn't be more perfect and we love him to bits and pieces.

Here are a few of my favorite moments from the last week:

Practicing

2012-01-19T17:31:00.000-08:00

We're anxiously awaiting Baby's arrival, if you can't tell.

The kids practice their infant care skills every day.

Looks like all I have to do is get the baby here and the kids will take care of the rest. ;)

Sad United States

2012-01-10T15:36:00.000-08:00

Hudson's birthday is tomorrow. We're just about to get started making his Sonic the Hedgehog birthday shirt. As I cleared a path in my ~~disaster~~ (um, I mean office) to find my screen printer I ran across these drawings. These may actually be my all-time favorites. He delivered them to me and B one night in November after we'd done something super mean. Like told him he couldn't play video games, or stay up late, or eat a bunch of junk food (I don't remember the specifics). All I know is we run a pretty tight ship around here, so there's no room for funny business. ;)

When I asked him why the United States was sad, he replied, "Because I'M sad!"

Yes, My Love, the entire country mourns with you when you can't stay up past your bedtime.

I can't even tell you how many times a week I break this poor guy's heart.

Good thing he's resilient.

So basically, the point of this post: kids are awesome. Especially my kids. I mean, most days I feel like pulling my hair out. But when it comes right down to it, I sure think they're pretty cool. I love that Hudson is getting so good at expressing his feelings. And I think it's pretty rad that he can draw the United States better than I can.

Now I gotta stop stalling and go make some T-Shirts.

Simple Gifts

2012-01-06T10:01:00.000-08:00

I think a couple of my most favorite gifts I gave for Christmas this year were the most simple.

I just picked up some notebooks at Target and screen printed them with little customizations.

I love the look of a simple monogram.

And you know I've had my eye on a naughty-list notebook for some time now.

I decided it was high time to make my own; and I love being able to share things that make me laugh with people who appreciate it as much as I do.

***

I can't believe the first week of the New Year is almost over.

I wish I could say I'm enjoying the final month of my pregnancy...but I'm getting pretty uncomfortable.

I'm in the last-minute rush to get everything done...washing baby clothes, digging the car seat out of the garage, whittling down our baby name list, and being super annoyed by every person who crosses my path. :)

At least while we wait for Baby to make his appearance, I've got plenty of things to keep me busy: Hudson's birthday is next week, I'm working on two fun weddings, and lots of organization projects.

Hope your New Year is off to a good start! Have a great weekend!

Variations on Painting

2012-01-03T12:15:00.001-08:00

We enjoyed a few painting activities over the New Year's weekend.

Painting with Mom

Painting with Dad.

Keep it Together

2011-12-09T10:01:00.001-08:00

On a recent trip to the craft store, I had a breakthrough. I keep buying variations of the same stuff...just ever so slightly different than what I've got in my stash. So I decided in an attempt to simplify the holidays this year, I'm going to use stuff I all ready have. Duh! But at the time it felt like a moment of brilliance. The last thing I need around here are more patterned papers or clips, another shade of glitter, or different types of glue.

I needed something to hold together the 2012 calendars I showed you earlier. So I came up with these spiffy little binder clips. I first tried covering them with fabric, but I think the paper worked better.

I kind of went overboard (are you surprised?) and covered every single binder clip we have in this house. And that's an embarrassing amount of binder clips.

But don't they look nice holding together a calendar? So much cuter than a cold, sad naked binder clip.

It's not much of a tutorial, but here's how I did it:

Step 1: Make a paper template that will fold around the surface of the binder clip.
Step 2: Coat the black part (not the rolled sides, though) with a THIN layer of mod podge. I tried both the matte and the glossy, and I liked the matte a little better. (See what I mean about not needing anything new? I've got all the varieties of mod podge, for crying out loud!)
Step 3: Stick the paper to the glue-covered clip. Hold the paper in place until it sticks.
Step 4: Spread a thin layer of mod podge over the paper to seal it.

Use these little puppies to hold together all the important and not-so-important papers in your life. Or package them up in a cute little box as a fun stocking stuffer. OOH! Or customize them with names or funny sayings for an even more personalized approach.

Updates + A Winner

2011-12-05T09:48:00.001-08:00

Remember that strawberry lip treatment of Charlotte's? Well, it was so popular with her clients that she's expanded her lineup of treatments. Her latest offerings include the following:

Dry Skin/Hair Masque: This treatment is most effective when done moments before dashing off to the airport for a very important trip. She will use the 4 oz. or less lotion from your carry on, and completely saturate your hair, skin and nails (and quite possibly your clothes) in a very efficient manner. Have any lotion left over? Not to worry. Charlotte employs "green" practices at her spa. All leftover product will be used as a handy furniture polish. You're welcome.

And the Thanksgiving-inspired Deep Conditioning treatment. This one involves a very complicated mixture of mashed potatoes and gravy, jello and corn massaged gently, yet deeply into the roots of your hair. You'll come away smelling like Thanksgiving and your hair will have remarkable body and texture for days. Good thing she didn't take a liking to the cranberry sauce. :)

****
Now down to the REAL business of the day:

I'm so excited to announce the winner of last week's giveaway from The Land of Nod. Congratulations, comment #15, Adore by Nat. I'll contact you shortly to get the shipping info for your new goodies.

And thanks to everyone who entered, and a big thanks to the nice folks at The Land of Nod for providing such great toys for the giveaway!

Countdown to Christmas

2011-12-02T04:24:00.000-08:00

Remember last year when I was trying to figure out a plan for a fun advent calendar the day before I needed it? Well, here's what I came up with. It actually turned out to be such a hit that we're using it again this year.

We made these little bags out of holiday paper, printed a sticker for each day, filled the bags with little activity cards and pinned them up on the mantle.

I actually used my Cricut to cut the bags (they're on the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge, in case you're wondering). And I had some mini clothespins that worked perfectly for pinning them up. Inside each bag is a fun (inexpensive) holiday activity that we can do together.

Here's a little peek at this year's activities:

Looking under the couch and in the closet are activities that reveal a fun surprise: this year, it's an Elf on the Shelf, and a gingerbread man kit. I also took to pinterest to find some inspiration for other fun activities. I can't wait for our indoor snowball fight and the snowman craft.

Don't look too close...I'm short a few clothespins. ;)

And in case you're like me and do your best work at the last minute (or a bit on the late side), I've created some free printables for the number stickers and the activity cards. I think this would be so cute with little envelopes or tiny brown bags instead of the paper bags.

Giveaway: The Land of Nod

2011-11-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

You can imagine my delight when the nice folks at The Land of Nod asked if the kids and I wanted to try out some of their new holiday toys. I adore everything we have from The Land of Nod, so I knew these toys would be no exception. I really wanted to take some sweet photos of the kids playing with these darling toys, but that didn't happen...and I don't want to make you wait any longer for this giveaway. One lucky reader will win BOTH of the following:

Kids' Games: Kids Animal Memory Game - Animal Memory Game

I'm a huge sucker for a memory game. And these super cute wooden tiles completely take the cake. They're so darn cute, and they're rounded so chubby little fingers can pick them up easily. Plus, anything that can make Charlotte say "MY pink hippo" is pretty fantastic in my book. An added bonus: they come in a drawstring bag for handy storage and cleanup.

Kids' Puzzles and Games: Kids Jumbo Wooden Tic-Tac-Toe Game - Wood Tic Tac Toe

When our food is taking too long at a restaurant; when church seems to drag on and on; in the waiting room at the doctor's office...Tic Tac Toe is my never-fail boredom buster. Well, this takes a classic game to a whole new level. I keep it in the car for an easy distraction...and it's come in handy many times when the kids are supposed to be quiet and well-behaved, and they're not responding to my whisperyell or my stern warning looks. Love the simplicity, the wooden blocks, and the durability of this one.

How do you win these goodies, you ask? Simple.
1. Hop over to The Land of Nod, check out their toys and tell me what's your favorite.
2. Followers of my blog get an extra entry.
3. Tell your friends about the giveaway on Twitter
4. Spread the word about the giveaway on Facebook.

So that's it. You have four different chances to enter. Just leave a separate comment for each entry. Comments will close on Sunday (Dec. 4) around 11pm PST, and I'll announce the winner bright and early Monday morning.

UPDATE: The giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who entered, and Happy Holidays!

November? Where did it go?

2011-11-28T15:24:00.001-08:00

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. November has been such a whirlwind. I turned 31, and felt absolutely celebrated by all the people who love me. We spent Thanksgiving with my family (only the third time in 10 years!) It was so nice to be with my family, enjoying my mom's wonderful food. On top of all the partying, I'm 31 weeks pregnant...yikes! This pregnancy is flying by. Better start thinking of baby names ASAP.

I'm so excited that my 2012 printable calendar is finally available in my shop. I've been meaning to make one of my very own for the last several years, but never took the time. I think they make perfect holiday gifts for friends, teachers and co-workers.

Simply buy the file, and print as many as you want. The entire year fits neatly on three sheets of paper, which saves you time and money. (you're welcome). Finish them off with a cute clip or punch a hole and tie them together with ribbon. Then check a lot of gifts off your to-do list.

Finally, kick up your feet and sip some warm cider as you laugh at all the people scrambling around at the last minute. That sounds mean. But I'm usually one of those last-minute idiots...go ahead and laugh. I can take it.

P.S. I'll be back tomorrow with a fantastic giveaway from my friends at The Land of Nod...you won't want to miss it.

Halloween

2011-11-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to pop in and share a couple quick photos of our Halloween fun with you.

Charlotte loved all of her birthday gifts. I didn't take too many photos of her opening gifts. By the time the kids and I made it home from trick-or-treating and Bryce made it home from work, we were all pretty exhausted.

Notice her choice of accessories: a PINK pumpkin pail, and pink cupcake icing all over her shirt. Also, those tights are size 18 months...but they kind of gave her a bunchy "legwarmer effect" near her ankles.

All ready to go on Halloween evening.

Hudson had to have a Bowser pumpkin to go along with last year's Mario version.

Long Time

2011-11-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've showed my little blog any attention. October felt like nothing short of a three-ring circus. We ran from event to event, checkups and soccer practice; field trips and parties. I just squeaked by every time I faced a project deadline. Not to mention we threw a little bit of travel into the mix and stared some huge life decisions in the face. It's an understatement to say that I'm so glad November is here. Hopefully this month will be a little more kind to me. Or maybe I need to be a little more kind to myself and stop saying yes to everything everyone asks me to do. (Jill & Angel...I think I'm starting to see the light).

And the big elephant in the room, at least the big elephant in my mind is the fact that Bryce finishes his residency in June. That's seven months away. All the big decisions that I've been avoiding for the last 7-10 years are now barreling down on us. October forced us to talk about contracts, and locations, and money, and moving and all this grownup stuff I've ignored whilst in the trenches of schooling. I've felt pretty protected by dental school and residency because I figured they'd never be over. Wrong! I knew I'd be excited when this time came. And it is exciting. What I wasn't expecting were the other emotions. In addition to the excitement, I'm also terrified, stressed and nervous. Basically, I'm afraid of making the wrong decision. Because now our decisions affect some really cute tiny people, too.

A few other highlights of October:

Notice how I'm starting to fill out my Splendid maternity top quite nicely? I mentioned to a friend yesterday that I feel like my face is starting to get puffy and she confirmed it. Not exactly the response I was going for. But honesty never killed anyone, did it?
I'm not sure if it's pregnancy or old age, but my all ready horrible eyesight is getting much worse. Is it sad that all I want for my birthday is an eye exam and a new pair of glasses?
Charlotte had a pretty rough month, too. She suffered both a bee sting to the bottom of the foot and bumped her chin hard enough that her tooth went all the way through her lip. She made up for taking a few hard knocks by wearing her tutu everywhere for the remainder of October. She ended the month on a high-note by celebrating her second birthday.
Hudson had his first field trip ever, turned in a stellar performance for his school's walk-a-thon, and had a pretty awesome halloween. Oh, and he lost another tooth and has four more in varying stages of wobbly-ness.

So there you have it. That's why I haven't been around much lately. Lots of crazy, fun, exciting stuff going on. I feel like November is full of good things, though. We're close to figuring out our post-graduation gameplan, I've decided to embrace my pregnancy puffiness and eat my way through the holidays; and if I can clean off my desk, I've got loads of fun holiday projects in the works. To those of you who have sent kind words and expressed concern at my absence, THANK YOU! Your kindness means more to me than you'll ever know.

Happy November!

Me Too

2011-10-12T14:14:00.001-07:00

I have two kids. Their names are Hudson and Me Too.

Do you have a "Me Too" at your house? It's the hot new phrase around here. A close second to "MINE!"

Going to the garage to throw in some laundry? "Me too! Me too!"

Getting out of the car? "Me too, Me too!"

Brushing your teeth? "Me too, Me too!"

Homework time? "Me too, Me too!"

Only problem...when Me Too's little brother arrives, what are we going to call him?

Me Too, Two? or Me Three?

P.S. When Me Too wants to paint, the best solution I've found is vanilla yogurt + food coloring. Not so stressful when it ends up smeared all over her face.

52 Weeks of Mail

2011-10-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the last handwritten letter or postcard you received? I don't.

That's why I'm so excited to participate in 52 Weeks of Mail. It's all about sending cards and letters to loved ones and, as a result, making people happy. I always mean to send more cards and letters, but it always gets shoved to the bottom of my "to-do" list. For some reason, making a project out of it makes it a little more exciting.

If you'd like to participate, check out 52 Weeks of Mail on facebook. It's so exciting...there's currently over 1000 participants worldwide. The project started yesterday, on World Post Day. It will run through October 7, 2012. Here are links to a printable notecard, blog buttons, and postage stamp designs to help spread the word. Can't think of 52 people to send mail to? No problem. Check out sendsomething.net to find some pen pals.

Also, through the month of October, I'll be offering a 10% discount on all the greeting cards in my shop with the promo code 52WEEKS).

P.S. Graphics created by Kimberly Costa of Honizukle Press

Silhouette Cards

2011-10-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

If you ask me, it's never to early to start preparing for the holidays. Although, I'm usually the one scrambling around at the very last minute. I really should take my own advice, practice what I preach, etc. etc. But I've recently started working on some holiday orders for some of my favorite customers and it's forced me to at least acknowledge that the holidays are coming.

Here's our family's card from last year. With Bryce's crazy schedule, it's nearly impossible to get us all together for a family photo. And when it's light outside? Forget it. So this was my solution. I heard so many great things about our cards last year that I decided to add them to my shop. The listing is for a custom card design only. I send you the file and you can print it wherever you'd like. Costco, anyone? Or I can always print them for you. But I like to cut a few corners with expenses during the holiday season.

Now I gotta stop talking about Christmas and think about Halloween. I've got a birthday party to plan, you know.

Mummy Card Tutorial

2011-09-30T04:30:00.000-07:00

I made a bunch of these mummy cards last Halloween, and they were so quick and easy I thought it would be the perfect tutorial to share with you. Halloween is BIG at our house. Both kids love the holiday, and Charlotte was lucky enough to be born on Halloween night. The kids can't wait to decorate the house. But I have issues with decorating before October 1st. So I thought I'd distract them with some little mummy friends.

I'm sure there are a million different tutorials for similar cards. I've never looked, but it wouldn't surprise me. This is how I make them.

Step 1: Gather the goods.

1 colored card, A2 size (4.25" x 5.5") I just cut my own out of a larger piece of card stock
Flat white card stock (size 3.75" x 5") This is what you glue your mummy onto, then you glue the whole thing to the colored paper.
White paper strips (roughly 1" x 5-6") I just use scraps from old projects
2 White circles (1.5" diameter)
2 Black circles (1" diameter)
Extra colored card stock to match your folded card. You won't need much.
Glue. My favorite for paper crafts is zip dry
brown ink pad
scissors

Step 2: Glue the black circles onto the white circles to make eyeballs
Step 3: Glue the eyeballs onto the scrap of colored card stock
Step 4: Cut around the colored paper. Leave just a small border. Doesn't have to be perfect. It just helps the eyes stand out from the bandages.

Step 5: Ink around three of the four sides of your paper strips. Or do all four sides, if you're feeling like an over-achiever. But the papers will be overlapping, so you can save yourself a little trouble here.

Step 6: Glue the eyeballs to the top third of the white card stock rectangle.

Step 7: Glue on one strip at a time to create the bandages. Don't get them too straight...you want them to be slightly angled. Also pay attention to where the inked parts are. You want to put them toward the inside of the card. You'll go around the entire outside of the card on the next step, to get anything that is left uninked.

Step 8: See how the edges aren't completely inked? I just mentioned that like two seconds ago. Just take your ink pad and rub it around the outside edges of the mummy.

Step 9: Glue the mummy onto the colored card and you're done.

Step 10: Unless, of course, your mummy is a girl. In which case, she'll likely need a hair bow.

I have to say, that this particular girl mummy looks an awful lot like Charlotte when she has to wear a hair bow. She kind of rolls her eyes at me like that...then tugs on it till it comes out.

Shop Update: Napkins

2011-09-28T09:32:00.000-07:00

Finally, a mini shop update. Soon, I'll be adding some halloween goodies. So stay tuned. But for today, three new napkins. Well, they're old designs, just in spiffy new colors. :)

Dandelion Napkins in Turquoise

Cutlery Napkins in Red

Cutlery Napkins in Navy

Hope you're having a good week!

MIA

2011-09-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

I've been a little MIA lately. I don't really even have a good reason. Except that I've kind of reached that point in my pregnancy where I become really mean and nasty. My mom is the lucky one who gets to hear my daily rants about people who bug me. Thanks, Mom.

And I've been slammed with orders lately. That's normally a good thing, but lately I've been working with some really intense people who have a hard time understanding that making paper goods isn't my full-time job. I've considered closing up my shop for a little while, just to take a breather. I think I've decided against that for now.

Ready for me to stop complaining? I recently got into canning, and I've been busy with 25 pints of jam and some dilly beans. What? Never had a dilly bean before? You're really missing out. I'd offer to share, but you'll have to go through Bryce to get to them, and I doubt he's really willing to part with a single bean. Also on the bright side, I finally reclaimed my kitchen after a week or two of heavy-duty cooking.

I took the picture above on a rare family outing a few weeks back. It's the first time all four of us went out of town in over a year. So despite a few mishaps and a bee sting (that really didn't help Hudson's phobia of bees), we had a great time.

I've got some really fun Halloween activities planned and nearly ready to share with you. So hold tight and I'll be back when I'm in a presentable mood with something fun to share. :)

In the Studio: Stripes

2011-09-16T04:30:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of the business cards I've sent out recently. Apparently I have a thing for stripes these days. I recently ran out of my self-printed business cards, and thought a re-design was in order. So here's what I came up with:

I also changed my blog and my shop to reflect my current look. Bryce's response to my new business cards: "So, you're a graphic designer now, huh?" Thanks, Honey. After I design your first business cards, remind me to say, "So you're a surgeon now, huh?" You'll love it.

Honestly, I don't really know what I am. I do know that design jobs are what take up the bulk of my work time these days. Whether it's business cards, wedding packages, roadside banners, party invites, etc. I'm designing things for people. And graphic designer sounds a little bit better than I make stuff, or I'm not exactly sure what it is that I do. Those were the other two titles I threw around. :)

Can't believe it's Friday again. What are your plans for the weekend? I'm here with the kids while B is at a conference. I think I'd rather be stuck at home with these little rascals than sitting in a conference room looking at slides of blood and guts. But that's just me. Today I'm helping in Kindergarten...it's puppet-making day. And you know how tricky those glue sticks can be. Then I'm dragging the kids off to GemFaire to grab a few sparkly bits for some jewelry customers. Soccer, some canning and a cardboard box car/drive-in-movie will round out the weekend.

Have a good one!

It's A.....

2011-09-14T04:40:00.000-07:00

...BOY!!!

We're all SO excited. I can't believe my pregnancy is half-over. I'm officially twenty weeks now, and I've been so busy with the other two kids, my work and life in general, that I haven't really had time to think about being pregnant.

The only reminder of my pregnancy is that I'm constantly tugging at my pants. It's a really annoying problem. Whether I'm wearing maternity pants or regular pants, the only direction they want to move is down. Probably has something to do with the basketball-shaped bulge resting on them. So I pretty much give up the tug-of-war around 4 every afternoon and put on my sweats. The only pants that don't give me troubles are my Splendid leggings. Love them. I'll formally introduce you to them next month.

I had my suspicions early on that I was having a boy. Headaches, bad skin, and heartburn have been my constant companions these last five months. I didn't have those symptoms during my pregnancy with Charlotte, but I did with Hudson. Although, I guessed wrong both times before, so I kind of psyched myself out at that last minute and convinced myself it was a girl. So I was still surprised to hear the news. Needless to say, I think a little boy will be the perfect addition to this family.

A couple notes:
*A HUGE thank you to Ashley for her beautiful work. And for fitting me into your busy schedule. And for being my friend. xo.

Shopping Guide:
Shirt, Old Navy (similar) {yes, Jill, I totally bought this because of you}
Tank, Splendid Maternity
Jeans, Jolt Skinny Jeans (similar)
Boots, Steve Madden (similar)
Necklace, DIY (check out my tutorial here).

Hope you're having a great week!

Easy Canvas Prints

2011-09-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

I've seen so many great canvas pictures lately, so I jumped for joy when the nice people at Easy Canvas Prints contacted me about doing a product review for a canvas picture of my very own. I had such a hard time deciding what to have printed on the canvas. And in the end, I decided I wanted to do something a little different than a photo. I finally decided on putting the image from last year's Christmas card on the canvas.

I have to say, I really loved my experience with Easy Canvas Prints. Their website is clean, simple and SO easy to use; it takes you step-by-step through designing the perfect canvas for your needs. And it shows the updated pricing as you go, so there are no surprises in the end. They had such a quick turnaround and were very responsive to my questions. The image I received is exactly the image I uploaded...and the colors matched so well. Sometimes you never know what you'll get with the difference between computer screens/printers, etc. But I'm thrilled with the results.

And getting my new canvas prompted an overhaul of my gallery wall. I've still got one little bare spot where I'm planning on putting a little needlepoint artwork when I get it finished. Oh, and I apologize for the sub-par, shadowy photos. My couch is in a spot that only gets good light for a few minutes. And I just happened to be stuck in the tire shop with a flat during those few minutes. And I swear the frames are actually straight in person...my photography skills are severely lacking today.

Have a great weekend!

A Quick Note: While Easy Canvas Prints did provide me with a free canvas, they did not make me say nice things about them. This is my honest-to-goodness opinion on my experience with them. My experience was really so great that I'm planning my next purchase from them as we speak.

Yarn-Wrapped Letters

2011-09-08T04:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry for my little unexpected absence. I had no idea kindergarten would throw my routine into such an upheaval. I'm starting to feel like all I do is run back and forth between home and the school. But here's a little project I squeezed in last week. These yarn-wrapped letters are so quick and easy, and I think they'd make great baby gifts. In fact, I made this one for my new niece, Audrey.

Step One: Grab your supplies...

a large kraft letter, I bought mine locally, but you can get them online at CreateForLess
glue gun
your favorite yarn

Start wrapping the closed-off areas of the letter. You'll have to take a length of yarn and cut it from the skien, so you can wrap through the opening of the letter. Secure the ends of the yarn with hot glue and keep wrapping till the area is covered.

Step Two: Pick another spot and keep wrapping. The open "legs" of the letters are super easy, because you can leave the yarn attached to the skien and just wrap like crazy. The main purpose of this layer is to make sure the side-parts of the letter are fully covered.

Step Three: Keep wrapping. I had a few bald spots, so I cut little pieces of yarn and glued them into those areas. I knew I'd be wrapping another layer, so I didn't stress too much about it being totally perfect.

Step Four: Keep adding layers until you like it. The first one I made, I didn't like at all, so I simply cut the yarn off and started over. Also, the thicker the yarn, the quicker the coverage. I finished it off by cutting a little flower out of felt and gluing it onto the leg. Ta-Da! Quick, inexpensive, custom decoration!

P.S. Isn't my little photo assistant such a good little helper?

I'll be back tomorrow with a fun canvas project I've been working on, and the re-design of my gallery wall. And I've got some really fun baby news coming up soon, too! Have a great day.

Paper Flowers

2011-09-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

You remember WAY back when I told you about Katherine's 52 smiles project?
I've been absolutely horrific at documenting our projects. But we've had so much fun thinking of ways to make people smile. We're sharing one of our favorites over on good tots today.

In the Studio: Wedding Tags

2011-08-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a slew of fall weddings. Here are a few of my favorites that went out last week:

I changed up my border tags a bit for this bride, and I really like the way her color combination works with the clean, modern font.

You can never go wrong with simple black and white favor tags.

And these heart tags are for a fun barn-style country wedding.

Love the choice of a natural kraft paper to fit right into the feel of her wedding.

The First Day

2011-08-30T04:08:00.000-07:00

I meant to post these pictures yesterday, but we were kind of caught up in the first day of school excitement.

The new morning schedule is going to be a bit of an adjustment. But I think we all handled it quite well yesterday.

Hudson picked out his first day of school outfit--his favorite color, red, won out. As an added bonus, the shirt has a skull on it, so the other kids know not to mess with him. ;)

He practically ran all the way from the car to the classroom. His excitement helped me hold it together. And I'm proud to say that I didn't cry once. Which is nothing short of a miracle. You see Charlotte in the middle of everything? She had to take her backpack, too, of course.

And I just like this one because you can see his missing tooth. Hope you're all having a great back-to-school season.

Simple Pleasures

2011-08-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

I remember doing this as a kid. Hudson's buddies were over yesterday, and it was so much fun to watch them enjoy the same activity I loved as a kid. Although, their creations became lassos and snakes and whips, rather than necklaces, of course ;)

The last few days of summer vacation are here. We're trying to get everything in order before the big day. Kindergarden starts on Monday. He's so excited, but I did get a little misty-eyed today as we walked into his classroom to meet his teacher. Can't believe he's this big.

Hope I can hold it together as I drop him off on Monday. Why, oh why do I have to be pregnant every time he starts a new school? The tears are on the brink at all times. It's not fair that I was the blubbering idiot on the first day of preschool; and now I'm headed in the same direction for Kindergarden. I blame pregnancy. Because if I weren't pregnant, I'd totally hold it together. Right?

Oh, and if you've got a picky eater on your hands like I do, hop over to good tots today for my updated placemat download.

Have a great day!

Counting Caterpillar

2011-08-24T04:43:00.000-07:00

Charlotte wants to introduce you to her friend, the Counting Caterpillar. If you missed this easy activity a while back on good tots, it's fresh today over at Honest to Nod.

P.S. I got this idea from my dear friend Addi, way back when Hudson was a toddler. Thanks, Addi!

Napkins

2011-08-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel like the only things I've accomplished all summer are printing napkins and filling up water balloons. And I've done thousands of each. Here's a little peek at a napkin order that went out this morning.

The design is by Orange Beautiful. My customer bought the customized design, then turned it over to me for printing. Since gocco supplies are so expensive and scarce, it was high time I come up with a new solution for napkin printing. And thanks to my patient family, I finally experimented till I got it just right. After weeks of having screen printing gear strewn all over the house, I've got a solution so custom napkins are a reality again. Hooray! And the best part...the ink is waterproof, so when you wipe up a spill, the design doesn't go with it. :)

Wildlife

2011-08-18T04:30:00.000-07:00

Pardon my absence yesterday. I got a little side tracked. Let me explain:

Remember Mr. Raccoon? Well, he found a nice young lady, and wooed her over some pie. They fell in love and started a life together. The happy couple welcomed their first young'un to the world yesterday. In our garbage can. Seriously.

Side note: Have you ever heard two raccoons talk to one another? They sound an awful lot like Perry the Platypus, if you ask me. And don't be fooled by their cuteness. They're pretty scary. And let's just say that I was the recipient of some pretty malicious hissing yesterday.

To make a long story short, you know it's gonna be a good day when you have to call animal control before 7 am. And just in case you're worried that I'm a home wrecker, I learned that they do release the animals back into the wild. Hopefully a wild that's not so close to our house, though.

Now let's turn our attentions to a some animals that are a little more cute and playful. The kids and I are fishing over at good tots today. Come join us!

Canvas Silhouette Updates

2011-08-16T04:00:00.000-07:00

Remember those canvas silhouettes of my kids I made last year? The plan was to update them once a year to keep track of how the kids are changing. I love how Charlotte went from a little no-neck baldy to a wild-haired darlin' in just one year's time.

Here's a list of supplies you'll need:

12" x 12" Canvas
Acrylic Paint (I used red, white and aqua)
Oracal Vinyl (any color)
Foam Brush

Here's the step-by-step:

1. Paint the canvas white.

2. Take photos of your subject(s) in profile.

3. Use Photoshop or any photo-editing program to re-size the photos to fit the canvas.

4. Print the photos on regular paper

5. Trace a "cut-line" around the profile with a Sharpie.

6. Cut along the black line

Then I used the templates I made from the photos to trace onto the back of a vinyl sheet (see above & below).

The extra step of tracing onto vinyl really saved me a lot of stress when it came to painting the profiles onto the canvas. Last year, I used a label sheet; but the label shifted around a bit when I started painting, and didn't leave the fine details as defined as I wanted them. The vinyl is the perfect solution. It stuck firmly to the canvas, didn't allow paint underneath, and removed cleanly when I was done painting.

Next, simply stick the vinyl cut-out to the center of the canvas. Paint over it with your desired paint color and a foam brush (or a foam roller, if you don't like brush-strokes). Two or three coats of paint may be necessary. After the paint dries, remove the vinyl and your silhouette is done!

Pardon all the smudges on my kids silhouettes. They found the finished products on the table one morning, and carried them around the house all day. Now I'm off to touch-up the dirty spots, and then these silhouettes will grace our entryway for the next year.

P.S. If you need a little more in-depth info, check out last year's tutorial.

Happy Friday

2011-08-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

I'm popping in with an afternoon post today to wish you all a happy weekend.
Here's a little collection of things that I can still love everyday, despite my expanding waistline. :)

You know what a sucker I am for big rings. This one is especially fantastic.
I love all Capri Blue candles; this one smells especially summery and cheerful.
I've been seeing shiny, springy bracelets like this one everywhere lately. And you can never go wrong with Stella & Dot
I'm a lip gloss girl. Always have been. Always will be. No lipstick for me, thank you very much.
I've always been a fan of my Anastasia tweezers. I equally adore the Beauty Express Brow kit. Want more info? Here's a little video about how to use it. And I love that all the products are now available at all Sephora stores in the US. Hooray!
And who doesn't love a clean, tingly scalp? One of my favorite shampoos ever is also one of my favorite ways to wake up in the morning.

Even though a girl's well on her way to a super-sized belly, at least she can still look and feel good, too.

A confession: I broke my cardinal rule of pregnancy this week. No public exercise while pregnant. I attended my first Zumba class and loved it. I'm planning on breaking my "rule" again over the weekend. I may even break out my maternity swim suit and break another of my pregnancy rules while I'm feeling rebellious. :)

What are your plans for the weekend?

State Games

2011-08-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

Hudson's interest in the States (as in the United States) began several months back when we started his coin collection. He's got this awesome board with a map, and a spot for each state's quarter. (Thanks, Mom and Dad). We look at the map every night before bed. And we've since discovered several other fun state-related games that are pretty cool, too.

The Scrambled States of America is a silly story about what happens when the States decide to change places. We especially love the jigsaw puzzle, too.

Stack the States. Quite possibly my favorite kids' app ever. It's really fun to play, and makes learning really fun. Some of the questions can be tricky for the pre-K crowd, so Hudson and I like to play together.

I love that he knows the name of each state and where they're located. It's the best thing ever when learning is disguised as a game. What are your favorite educational games and stories?

Lately

2011-08-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of our recent fishing trip to accompany my narrative about what's been going on around here lately.

I'm so excited for my sister and her husband. Yesterday they welcomed their first baby to the world. I was on pins and needles all morning, wondering and waiting to hear how everything went. I'm so happy to know that everyone is safe and healthy. And I'm so excited that my new little niece has a full head of hair. I'm going hair clip shopping the first chance I get. Congratulations, Sis! I'm so proud of you, and so excited for you, T, and little Baby A.

Don't you just love Hudson's special "fish-locator goggles?" We found them in Daddy's tackle bag, and were sure they'd help us find all the fish to catch. They didn't. Although, maybe I should have pulled them out to help me endure the worst migraine of my life. I've been nearly incapacitated for the last three days as I've suffered through this one.

Excuse me for a moment as I climb up on my soap box: I can't stand it when people use the term migraine to mean "really bad headache." If you've ever experienced one, a migraine is a completely different phenomenon. Well-meaning friends always suggest some OTC remedy or another, meaning they have no idea what a real migraine feels like. Mine always starts as a dull pain behind my left eye. About this time, I begin seeing floating black spots. The pain gradually increases, radiates through the entire left side of my head and face, down the back of my neck and into my left shoulder and arm. Which results in really sore muscles and numbness in my arm. This time, I heard a soft pop in my left ear and normal sounds immediately became unbearable. I can't focus through my left eye, any light becomes blinding and I lose my appetite because of the nausea. This, my friends, is not just a "really bad headache." OK, that's my pet peeve for the week. Pardon my ranting.

I am so happy to feel good as new this morning, and to return to the world of fully-functioning adults. Today brings a play date with friends, some school shopping (kindergarden starts in two weeks...EEK!), and lots, and lots of printing projects. The only thing I'm lacking is the chance to hold my sweet new niece. I'll have to send lots of presents to make up for my absence. :)

Hope you've had a good week so far.

Maileg

2011-08-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

I attended the San Francisco International Gift Fair over the weekend. Not only was it a wonderful day out of the house without kids (my first in nine months!) but I came away so inspired and having found so many great brands and products.

I think my very favorite company at the fair was Denmark-based Maileg. All of their items are sweet and simple with a really classic and homemade feel. I imagine these toys being loved and passed down in families for generations. You can check out their website to find retailers that carry the items I've shown here:

Wooden box with rattles

clown, small, stripe

Brother & Sister Mouse

If I could create my dream playroom for the kids, this would be right where I would start. I love it all.
Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Back-to-School Hobbies

2011-08-04T08:20:00.000-07:00

Remember that wiggly tooth I mentioned a while back? Well, Sunday was the big day. The missing tooth combined with the fact that it's now August, reminds me that school is just around the corner. Kindergarden begins in three weeks. I thought I would be sad, but he's so excited I can't help but be happy for him. And with another baby on the way, a little structure to our schedule might be just what we need.

Starting school at 8:00 every morning is definitely going to throw a wrench into the lazy mornings I've become accustomed to. Although, as I think about the time he's at school, I'm determined to make it productive. Maybe I'll get all my design work done in the mornings. I've been planning on expanding my recipe card collection, and adding some new card sets. Maybe this is the perfect time. Or maybe I could run my errands without taking ALL the kids with me. And I have a huge list of jewelry I've been meaning to make. Or maybe I'll start exercising regularly.

Or maybe I'll pick up a new hobby. I loved trying pottery. Maybe it's time for something else. Needlepoint? Knitting? Learn a language? Work on my photography? Who knows? But I'm definitely going to make the most of it.

What are your plans for back-to-school? How are you going to take advantage of the time the kids are out of the house?

P.S. Have you seen Betterfly yet? Thier motto is, "Find people to help you look, learn and feel better." You can search locally for teachers and instructors in just about any area you'd like. Nutrition, crafts, fitness, music, tutors...it's pretty great. Or if you're really good at something, you can sign up to be a teacher for free. You set the terms and the price. Check it out.

***
I also write for good tots and Honest to Nod. Check out a few of my recent posts:
fingerprint artwork
Road Trip Bingo
Counting Caterpillar

Embroidered Wall Art

2011-08-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

I picked up a large embroidery hoop yesterday for a project I'm working on. Charlotte was convinced it was what her brother calls a "hoop-a-loop." She walked through the entire store alternately flinging it around her waist and picking it up off the floor.

Although my new project doesn't involve embroidery, looking at my new hoop-a-loop reminded me how much I love embroidered wall art. Here are a few of my current favorites from Etsy:

Kite, from Sukan

Gratitude, from Violet

Off to see the world, by Three Red Apples

Beach Huts Embroidered Canvas, by Gillian Bates

Orange Poppy Field, by Sidereal

Have a great day!

Mystery Meal

2011-08-02T04:10:00.000-07:00

The house was quiet. Perhaps a little too quiet. I followed the muted giggles into the kitchen. Two pair of legs poked out from behind the cupboard door. When I opened the door, I found my mischievous children along with their handy work. When I asked where the labels were, they pointed to the garbage can. Of course, this is the only time anybody has ever thrown anything away without being asked.

Despite their hijinks, my kids earn points on two counts: 1. They played together nicely--no screaming or hitting was involved; and 2. They used the garbage can appropriately and independently.

With that in mind, anybody want to come over for a scrumptious mystery meal?

Weekend Projects

2011-07-29T08:34:00.000-07:00

I've got a whole list of projects I'd like to do this weekend.

We're starting off our weekend with a trip over to feed the ducks and swans.
I want to get started making a photo book of my kids. I'm going to take one photo of them from each year of their life, add a few of their favorite things (see my inspiration here) and print them out over at blurb.
I'm currently working on an updated version of the kids' silhouette canvases. I'll finish them up over the weekend and show them to you next week. Spoiler alert: Charlotte's hair is pretty hilarious.
We'll probably hit up a local kite festival, and cross "fly kites" off our summer list.

What do you have planned for your weekend?

P.S. I'm over at The Notebook today as part of Meaghan's Friday Finds.

Recipe Cards

2011-07-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

When I was newly married (almost ten years ago!) I made a project of neatly printing all of my recipes on matching recipe cards. But as the years went on, I found that my favorite, most splattered-on recipes were the ones written on index cards by my grandmothers, or the one my mom wrote on one of her recipe cards. Not only are these my most cherished recipes, but they're easiest to find because they stand out in my recipe box because they don't match every other card in the file.

You know I'm a girl who appreciates cute stuff; but when it comes to cooking I'm all business. I need plenty of space to write a recipe. I don't want to have to dodge dangling salt & pepper shakers, or have half the card taken up with an image of grapes. I want clean, simple, no-nonsense recipe cards.

It's with all these things in mind that I created the first installment in my recipe card collection. I wanted to offer cute, durable, and functional recipe cards that would stand out from the crowd. I sent these babies to my professional printer, and they're thick and durable with a clean, smooth writing surface. Everything I've ever wanted in a recipe card. And I'm so excited that they're finally available in my shop.

Happy cooking!

P.S. The kids and I are over at good tots today baking cinnamon chips. Come take a peek. And bring your appetite!

Butterflies

2011-07-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Remember those painted butterflies the kids and I made a while back? Well, the butterflies are back. This time they're super-sized and dressed up for a good time. Here's a peek at a project I finished this week for a display window:

I've kind of always despised the tulle curtains my landlord provided for us. They do, however, make the perfect butterfly backdrop. The solid-color butterflies are cut out of sparkle paper, and they're super cute in real life.

This project has given me loads of inspiration. I'm going to work these babies into a window-seat re-do for Charlotte's room; and wouldn't they be super sweet for a baby shower? I'm working on a tutorial as we speak. Can't wait to share it with you!

P.S. Pardon my crummy pictures. It's hard to take pictures when your subjects are back-lit by the window. :)

The Cover-Up

2011-07-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

I've always heard friends talk about how much sooner they start showing with each subsequent pregnancy. They're not kidding. I wasn't ready for the "big reveal" right away, although my waistline started shouting out the news pretty quickly. Thank heavens for all the great slouchy, stripy tops this season. I have to say that my slouchy little plan worked pretty well.* In case you have a "little secret" to hide, let me point you in the right direction:

Top: 1. American Apparel, 2. Bobeau, 3. Ella Moss, 4. Olivia Moon
Bottom: 1. Bobeau, 2. Olivia Moon , 3. Olivia Moon, 4. Anthropologie

*Here's a little tip: if you really want to keep something a secret, definitely don't share it with your five-year-old. My son told his best buddy, and together, they dazzled others with the news as I taught a lesson at church. There were definitely a few raised eyebrows that day, along with some not-so-discreet glances at my midsection. So if you don't count all the people in my class that day, my cover-up worked wonders.

Maternity Style

2011-07-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've never felt confident sharing pictures of myself, let alone pregnant photos, and I wasn't planning on sharing this time around, either. I think my waistline started expanding before I even knew I was pregnant, and I just wanted to crawl into a hole and wait for it to be over. But the nice people at Splendid wanted to help me celebrate the good news with some of their new maternity collection.

And while yes, they gave me this cute top, they didn't require me to gush about how much I love it. I'm doing that because I sincerely love it. In my three pregnancies, my Splendid maternity clothes are by far my favorites. This is the Splendid Maternity Variated Stripe top, in case you need one. I really love it so much, I just ordered it in another color. Can't wait for it to get here. And I bet my family can't wait to see me wear something else for a minute. :)

My favorite thing is that this is something I would totally wear if I weren't pregnant. There's no empire waist, no ruching, no ties, no tell-tale maternity trademarks. Not that there's anything wrong with those things. And I do own quite a few "typical" maternity tops. But this one makes me feel totally normal, and stylish, too. I love the length, and I love the shape...it's the perfect solution for my awkward, chubby, "is she? isn't she?" stage.

My kids get a kick out of my pudgy belly. And Hudson checks every morning to make sure our baby is still growing. It's taken me a while to get excited this time around. I just know how much work this is going to be. I dread that last month of pregnancy. I know how many sleepless nights are ahead. But I also know how long we waited for Charlotte to join our family, and I feel so blessed to have this chance to add to our family.

And thanks to Splendid's encouragement, I'll be back at least once a month to give you a pregnancy update. So you'll be seeing A LOT more of me, a lot more often in the next six months...so brace yourselves. :)

********

Shopping Guide:
Shirt: Splendid Maternity Variated Stripe Top, in punch
Pants: Jolt Skinny Jeans (not maternity)
Sandals: Sam Edelman (similar)
Leaf Necklace: I made it
Stacked Bracelets: I made those, too :)
Nail Polish: OPI Cuckoo for the Color

P.S. Photos by Hudson. Ashley, Hurry back!

one, two, THREE

2011-07-21T04:00:00.000-07:00

We have a little announcement:

Baby #3 will be joining us in January! I still can't believe I'm going to have three kids.
Bryce and Hudson are super excited.
Charlotte doesn't have a clue what's going on, but she's definitely going to have some jealousy issues.
And I'm both excited and terrified at the same time.

*****
And since I actually put some thought into what we'd wear for this announcement, here's some info on our clothes:
Hudson's shirt: Mini Boden
Charlotee's shirt: Old Navy (similar)
My top: Splendid Maternity

Stay tuned for my first maternity style post, ever.

A Facial + A Winner

2011-07-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to comment #7, Jackie who wins the Perricone giveaway. I'll contact you soon about your big victory.

And to everyone else who entered, you're not going to walk away empty-handed. No, Sir. Today's your lucky day. I'm offering you a chance to receive Charlotte's facial services with a 50% discount.

The treatment begins with her favorite product, Strawberry Rosebud Lip Salve.

She uses a generous amount of product to gently massage your face.

And concentrates her main efforts on the lips, so you'll be soft and shiny and beeeeeautiful.

You'll walk away shiny and strawberry-scented with a huge smile on your face.

Any takers?

Update: DIY Bobby Pins

2011-07-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

My little Covered Button Bobby Pins have received a little bit of attention lately.
I've been getting lots of emails asking some of the same questions, so I'm going to answer those questions here for your reference.

1. What fabric did you use?
All the fabrics I used are from the Central Park by Kate Spain collection for Moda Fabrics. Here is a swatch sheet with all the item numbers for each fabric.

2. Where did I get the fabrics?
I got my fabric at a darling fabric shop in Livermore, CA, called In Between Stitches. They do offer some fabrics for sale on their website. Definitely stop by and check them out if you're ever in Livermore.

3. What size of buttons did you use?
They're size 30. The diameter is 3/4"; I find this size is perfect for the bobby pins. They fit the pad pretty well, with a little room to spare, and they look proportional to the size of the pin. I've also used these size 30 buttons to make push pins, simply by gluing thumbtacks into the back. Here's a link in case you want to buy some.

4. Do you recommend any other types of glue for this project?
I've only had experience with gorilla glue. But any type of glue that will bond to metal should be just fine. You could probably use hot glue as well, but I have problems with hot glue peeling off of metal...so if you're looking for longevity, definitely look for a glue that is specifically for metal.

Let me know if I missed anything. I'd love to see pictures if you've tried this project!
Have a great day.

Words

2011-07-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

I'm at a loss for words today, so I'm borrowing some of my new favorites from Pinterest.

Source: shop.thefoundary.com via Christina on Pinterest

Source: sycamorestreetpress.com via Christina on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Christina on Pinterest

Source: gorgeoustakethecity.tumblr.com via Christina on Pinterest

Just a few notes:

if you missed my DIY Bobby Pins, they're over at Honest to Nod today. I'll be posting some common FAQ's about this project later on this week, including fabric sources, etc.
today's the last day for the Perricone giveaway. I'll announce the winner tomorrow.
stay tuned...I've got some big stuff coming this week.

Have a Great Weekend

2011-07-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's Friday again. It seems like the weekends come one right on top of the next these days. Hope you get to do something fun this weekend.

Oh, and there are just a few days left to enter the Perricone giveaway. Don't miss out!

Favorite Free Printables

2011-07-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

Even though I love to design my own paper goods, sometimes I'm in a pickle and need a quick fix. Sometimes I'm in a creative rut and I can barely manage a scribbled a note on an old napkin. And sometimes other people's stuff is just better than mine. I'm no fool.

Kind Cards, from Kind over Matter

Thank goodness we live in a time when brilliant free printables are everywhere. My only problem is keeping track of them all. It's dizzying, really. This doesn't even begin to scratch the surface, but I've compiled a list of my favorite places for free printables.

I'm giving you the links to both the blogs and the printables. Because behind every great source for printables is an even better blog. So take some time and explore these incredible blogs while you're at it.
Have a great day.

Honest to Nod + me

2011-07-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

This summer is full of big things around here. This is the first of the big projects I've been waiting to unveil. Land of Nod just re-launched their blog, Honest to Nod, and I'm a contributor! It's an honor to be working with one of my favorite companies, and in the company of some incredible bloggers. Hooray! Go check it out today.

Our Summer Vacation

2011-07-11T04:01:00.000-07:00

We look forward to our special trip to Grandma & Grandpa's every year on the 4th of July. You really can't beat celebrating the 4th in a small town. I've only missed one year, and I'll never do it again. Here are a few highlights of our trip:

Lots of time spent in Grandma & Grandpa's back yard. The kids especially loved wading in the new stream. I think they were both soaking wet at the end of each day.

Grandma & Grandpa surprised the kids by renting a bounce house. A special thanks to all the younger aunts and uncles who can keep up with these two. I think the "big kids" may have enjoyed the bounce house as much as the little kids.

The parades are always the highlight of the celebration. There are two parades. One for the kids to be in, and the big one on the 4th, where they throw all the candy. Both were a hit.

Probably the biggest victory this year was Hudson actually did some sparklers. If you'll remember, he's a bit afraid of fireworks. Especially the sound. He's always had issues with loud sounds. Sensitive ears, perhaps? Remember those gunshot earphones from previous years? Hudson likes wearing his special "firework earmuffs" and it makes the sound more tolerable for him. And I'm glad he didn't miss Grandpa's spectacular firework show. My dad has impeccable taste in explosives. :) He really knows how to put on a show.

We also made a trip up to the lake. Charlotte absolutely had to go in. As soon as we got out of the truck, she sat down to take her shoes off. She was furious when we told her no. But Grandpa obliged her every whim, and dangled her into the cold water. And remember those tire swings from my childhood? Yep. My kids love 'em.

We all had such a great trip. And now you can see why I was too busy to keep up on my blog during our trip. I was distracted by all the fun. A huge thank you to my folks for making our trip so memorable. Can't wait to see you next!

Acai Berry Super Giveaway from Perricone

2011-07-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

You all ready know how much I love Perricone. And the clean lines and perky packaging of the SUPER collection have caught my eye time and again. The SUPER collection is based on superfoods. We hear about the health benefits of superfoods all the time. Turns out that they're really great for our skin, too. The SUPER collection harnesses the powers of those superfoods to target common skin concerns.

Today, Perricone is giving one lucky reader a product of their choice, up to $150 in value. Here are just a few you can choose from:

Sweet Clean cleanser, packed with acai berry super is both effective and gentle; and ideal for all skin types.

Have you read about the benefits of yogurt for skin? You can experience those benefits with Second Skin hand and cuticle cream. It was developed with probiotics from Greek yogurt, and leaves you with soft, polished skin.

I'm sure you've seen the Sun Kissed tinted moisturizer in all the beauty and fashion magazines lately. It provides SPF, and reflects light leaving your skin looking both flawless and sun-kissed.

********************************

There are SO many more products to tell you about, and they're all equally fabulous. But I'm sure you're thinking, but how do I win? So here's how you enter:

First, tell me which Perricone product (valued at $150 or less) you want or need and why. You can find the links to their site in the product descriptions above.
Tweet about the giveaway. Make sure to include me (@christinabw) in your tweet so I can see your post.
As always, followers of my blog get an additional entry. Just because I love you.

The giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada. It will end at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, July 19; with the winner announced the following morning. Make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry, and good luck!

The Trouble with Vacations

2011-07-07T13:33:00.000-07:00

The trouble with vacations is there's a whole lot to do when you get back.
This photo of my kids waiting for the parade to start accurately illustrates my attitude about the tasks at hand today.

Definitely stop in tomorrow for the best giveaway ever. Seriously. You're not going to want to miss this one! And hopefully by tomorrow I'm not buried under a mound of laundry.

I'm Back

2011-07-07T08:46:00.000-07:00

Just returned from a wonderful vacation.
While I'm wading through the piles of laundry, here's a little summer travel game I put together over at good tots:

Go here for a link to the free download.
I'll be back later on this afternoon with a report from my trip.

Taking a Break

2011-06-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

Be back in a few days. I'm taking a little break to enjoy summer with my kids. See you soon!

Summer Essentials

2011-06-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

I'm over at good life for less today sharing my top five summer essentials. See you there.

Keep 'em Busy: On the Go

2011-06-27T04:17:00.000-07:00

If your summer plans include traveling, I'm sure one of your top priorities is keeping those kids busy while en route to your final destination. Whether we're in the car or on a plane, I like to keep several surprises handy to distract them when moods start to crumble. Or when I get tired of hearing, "Are we there yet?" I'm a huge fan of the Land of Nod's arts and crafts for unexpected and unique surprises to keep up my sleeve. Here are a few of my favorites:

Love the handy travel case of this Art On the Go Case
Washable markers, colored pencils and oil pastels give them plenty of options on the go. And you can save the watercolors for later. (Unless you're super brave and want to take full advantage of that tray table on the plane).

Unusually-shaped crayons are always a huge hit.

And chubby toddler hands can grasp these Rock Shaped Crayons
just like the big kids.

Hudson got this Robot Stencil Set
for Christmas, and it's been an MVP in my "distraction arsenal" ever since.
It fits perfectly into my bag, and it's great for car trips, restaurants, and everywhere in between.

I can just imagine the three of us snuggled up in our seats
on the plane giggling madly as we put on a little puppet show with these Animal Hand Stickers
Distraction at its finest. Not to mention you'd definitely be the coolest mom on the plane.

I used to love lacing cards as a kid. Perfect activity when quiet matters. And these Fairy Threading Cards
are just too cute.

And for the burgeoning fashionista, a Fashion Coloring Book
Charlotte's gonna love this in another year. I might need one for myself, too.

While you're cruising along, give them the task of Coloring Postcards
so they can send a little love to their buddies back at home.

Happy Trails!

Happy Friday

2011-06-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

Put on some pretty shoes and have a great weekend.

Lemons

2011-06-23T11:40:00.000-07:00

Life gave me some of those proverbial lemons this morning when I learned my email and facebook had been hacked by a Nigerian cyber criminal. Ugh. So to any of you who received an email from me today saying that I am stranded in London and in need of money, don't fret. I'm safe at home today helping my children host simultaneous play dates.

If you want to see what I did with those lemons, check out my lemonade post over at good tots. Perfect timing for some lemonade, dontcha think?

Dream Home

2011-06-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

My mom called me about a week ago to tell me that she and my dad had just toured my dream home during the Utah Valley Parade of Homes. I snooped around online until I found the Four Chairs Furniture facebook page. I sat spellbound, pouring over photo after photo of perfection. It's like they'd torn pages from my inspiration file and made them into a home. Beachy, comfortable, fresh, colorful and fun...needless to say this entire home may actually replace my entire inspiration file.

I immediately contacted the designer, the incredible Lindy Allen of Four Chairs Furniture and Cristi, the homeowner (who is also one of the photographers at hiya papaya) to request permission to share these photos with you. And guess what? They were both super duper nice. I just love nice people. The best part is that Erin over at House of Turquoise just finished an in-depth five day home tour, complete with links to many of the sources and materials...even paint colors. So take a peek here, then hop over to Erin's posts for even more information.

Love this chandelier so much I had a dream about it last night.
A quick note: Four Chairs did all furniture and design, they supplied all wood flooring, wallpaper and furniture, including bedding and accessories and light fixtures. So if you have any questions about how you can get your hands on some of these gorgeous pieces, hop over to Four Chairs. They've updated their website with an easy email request button, so you can request pricing for items featured in each room of this home.

OK, now I'll shut up and let you look at the home.

The main floor:

Don't you love the reclaimed barn wood floor?

The kitchen:

Turquoise subway tiles? Check. Apron-front sink? Check. White cabinets? Check.

My dream kitchen in real life.

And I really love seeing countertops made from something other than granite.

Wallpapered ceiling, mismatched chairs, Roman shades. Love, love, love.

The mudroom:

Aren't the textures of the brick floor and the barn wood walls fantastic?

Now we move upstairs.

The Playroom:

The nursery:

Another bathroom:

This bathroom was actually the first picture I saw of the home, and I knew the second I saw this bathroom that I was going to love the rest of the house.

Family Room:

The ceiling fans and the end tables are two of my favorite features in this room.

Upstairs Hallway:

The Master Suite:

I still can't get over that yellow sliding door. Genius.

Master Bath:

The Craft Room:

As my parents were touring the home, they kept saying, "All this needs is a craft room." Then they walked upstairs and Bam! A craft room.

Downstairs:

I'm dying over the turquoise pool table.

The little retro kitchenette is right off of the theater room. I've always wanted one of those retro turquoise refrigerators. This makes me want it even more.

Theater Room:

I hope you had as much fun admiring Jeff and Cristi's home as I did. I'm sure I'll revisit these pictures over and over again.

A little more source information for you:
Builder: Hatfield Homes (Jeff, Cristi's husband, also helped with a lot of the architectural design)
Interiors: Four Chairs Furniture
Photography: Hiya Papaya

Not only is Cristi the proud new owner of a gorgeous home, and a talented photographer. She also has a darling etsy shop where she sells her recycled accessories and her fine art photography. Stop in and show her some love.

And Four Chairs Furniture is located in Lindon, UT for those of you who are close enough to visit. I definitely know where I'll be going the minute I step off the plane next time I'm in Utah.

I'm so sad I didn't get to see the home in person, although I probably would have been hyperventilating the whole time. A huge thanks to Cristi & Jeff for sharing your home, to Lindy for being so generous with your talent and your sources, and to Hiya Papaya for your gorgeous photos!

*All photos copyright Hiya Papaya. Used by permission.

Ambition

2011-06-21T04:44:00.000-07:00

It's our last summer before Hudson heads off to kindergarden, so we're going to make the most of it. The kids and I made a list of 100 things we want to do this summer, and we're off to a great start. The best part is most of the activities are free or inexpensive. I made sure to include some indoor activities for the days it's just too hot and the pools are crowded. I had to abbreviate a few of them, but any food items listed are cooking activities for us to do together. I'm really excited to make cars out of boxes then have a "drive-in movie." I still remember the red and orange box cars my dad made for my sister and me one year.

We all ready checked "beach" off our list. It was cold and breezy that day, but so much fun. I'm sure we'll make several more beach trips this summer. Hudson grew up going to the beach at least once a week for the first part of his life, so he's a natural. And Charlotte loved it. It was all I could do to keep her from throwing herself headfirst into the cold, cold water. She squealed and giggled when the water wrapped around her ankles. Then she would plop down on her bottom to fully enjoy the experience.

"The List" has taken center stage on our fridge. And Hudson so proudly places a checkmark or two on the list every day. I love it too, because it takes the "I'm bored," right out of summer. And you all know I'm a huge sucker for a checklist. I've left plenty of wiggle room in the list for some traditional summer "do-nothing" days too, just to save my sanity. What's on your summer list?

Cheap Summer Fun

2011-06-17T08:07:00.000-07:00

With Summer Vacation finally in full-swing we've got our list of 100 activities to do together. I'll share it next week. But I have a little homework for you this weekend. Hop over to kidsbowlfree.com and sign your kids up. I did it yesterday, and it's brilliant. Your kid can bowl two games free every day of the summer and all you have to pay for is shoe rental.

Another source for cheap summer entertainment is the dollar movies. Check out the theater near you and see if they offer a summer kids' program. We printed out the schedule and picked the shows we want to see.

Also, check out your local library for summer programs. Ours is doing a reading game, and they offer weekly entertainment: magicians, animal shows, etc.

Just a few ways you can beat the heat this summer. What are your favorite summer secrets?

In the Studio: Happy Tags

2011-06-16T09:26:00.000-07:00

I'm loving all the happy colors my customers have given me to work with lately.

Here are three batches of tags going out today.

I apologize for the not-so-pretty lighting. I wanted to take a quick photo before I dash off to the post office, and I figured my customers would rather I not wait till late afternoon when the lighting is better. :)

Glad the weather is starting to feel more like summer. Today is the "official" last day of school in our district, so all of our friends will be free to play for the rest of the summer. Hooray! What do you have planned for the summer? We'll be doing lots of swimming and picnics at the park.

Father's Day Printable

2011-06-15T09:50:00.000-07:00

I created this poster for a Father's Day window display at my parents' store. I didn't even think about offering this as a download until a customer went into the store and asked if she could have a copy of the sign for her dad. I made it in four different color ways so you can attach it to your Father's Day goodies.

And how cute would that red and yellow one be attached to a bundle of Sugar Daddys?

Or just get some assorted hard candies for the multi-colored cards.

The plain navy and white card would be perfect for a blast from the past basket.

And here's that free download I've been telling you about. Enjoy!

Kindness Kits

2011-06-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

So excited to share one of my recent projects with you:

Katherine came up with the idea of making these little kindness kits for the 52 Smiles participants, and I had the pleasure of designing and printing them for her. I really, really love working with Katherine on projects. She's so much fun, and such a source of creative inspiration. Can't wait to see what she dreams up next!

For more about Katherine, visit her blog here.

Photos copyright Katherine Marie, 2011. Please do not share without her permission.

Happy Friday

2011-06-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

Can't believe another weekend is here. The last few weekends have been exhausting. I'm hoping for a more quiet, laid back variety this weekend. Here's a quick happy list to get the weekend off on the right note:

Bracelets make me happy. Tassels make me happy. You do the math on this tassel bracelet.

Kate Spade sunglasses make me really happy

This dress makes me so happy. Can't wait till Charlotte is big enough to wear it.

Scratch that...I'm in no rush for her to grow up. Just can't wait to see how cute she looks in this sundress.

Maybe I can wait till next summer?

I love the way photographer Ameila Kay sees the world. These berry photographs make me happy. And they remind me of my favorite berry salad recipe, which also makes me happy. In fact, the aforementioned berry salad may have been the majority of my dinner last night.

A sweet friend surprised me with this darling print by Farouche last week. This print makes me happy. And having great friends makes me happy, too.

Science projects with the kids make me happy. Especially crystal growing kits

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

I'm wishing for a nap and some sunshine this weekend. What's on your weekend wish list?

Fossils

2011-06-09T04:17:00.000-07:00

I'm making fossils today over at good tots. See you there.

good moms

2011-06-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

Really loving this wall hanging today.
Hope you had a good weekend.

Little bit of Sunshine

2011-06-01T07:56:00.000-07:00

Katherine inspired me a couple weeks ago with her box of sunshine project. My friend Ashley and I re-created it for some friends last week. All that yellow got me thinking of some of my favorite pieces in my closet. They're all yellow. I reach for them when I need a little burst of happiness. And yellow pretty much goes with anything. Here are a few pieces that caught my eye on this grey morning:

{bracelet, belt, scarf, sweater, sandals}

Setting up Shop: The Basics

2011-05-31T11:09:00.000-07:00

Last week, I mentioned that I'd be doing an in-depth post all about how to start an Etsy shop. Well, I've decided to break it up into little segments I'll be posting all week. My first installment is all about getting started. Here are a few key points to consider before you open an Etsy shop:

Choose a username: Keep in mind that you cannot change your username once you register. You can call your shop whatever you want, but your username becomes part of your URL; so it will likely be on your business cards, etc. So take a second and think it through before you commit to your old high school nickname or something irrelevant.
Decide what you're going to sell: Pretty obvious, huh? But if you're like me with a zillion different hobbies you'll need to narrow it down so everything in your shop looks related. I find myself quickly exiting shops that are all over the place--jewelry, chocolates, knitted scarves, post cards, and refinished furniture all in one place. It sends the message that you're only kind of good at a lot of things, instead of being really good at one thing.

After your first shop is up and running smoothly, definitely consider opening another shop for your other things. I prefer to keep my first shop dedicated solely to paper goods; I'm considering a second shop for my jewelry...I'll let you know how it goes. :)

What will your shop be called? I don't know much about different locations; but some places require you to register a DBA (doing business as) if you're doing business under any name other than your legal name. Just something to consider if you're planning on your business becoming wildly successful. Also, if you're choosing a name other than your legal name, maybe run a search on it...I've heard horror stories of some sellers being contacted with cease and desist letters by larger businesses that share the same (or similar) names. Just something to be aware of.

Also consider what people are going to get when they do a google search for your shop.

Do some research: Check out some shops you like and see how they're doing it. Read their policies and their item descriptions...see what's working for them. Take notes on things you like and things you don't like, as well as things you'd like to implement into the running of your shop. Definitely don't copy other sellers; but you can learn a lot from observing successful shops. Also, think back to any interactions you've had with Etsy sellers. Is there anything that has left an impression on you?
Set up your profile: Fill in some information about yourself. Keep it brief, as most people don't spend hours (or even minutes) reading about the minute details of your life. But do make it personal. The beauty of the Etsy community is that people can buy handmade items from real people. You can update and change your profile as you go, but fill it out just to get started. Also, consider adding your location, or at least a general location. Some customers prefer to buy local, so they'll do a geographical search for sellers in their communities.
Fake it till you feel confident. That's probably the biggest piece of advice I can give...nobody knows what they're doing right at the beginning. But nobody has to know that. That's the beauty of being able to "hide" behind your virtual storefront. Nobody has to know that you're nervous or unsure of yourself. And you won't always be. Starting a shop can be overwhelming at first...but take it one step at a time and enjoy the adventure.

Also, there are some really, really great articles on Etsy for beginners. Definitely read through A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Shop on Etsy. And keep in mind that my list of "advice" is just stuff I've learned along the way. Etsy has so many great resources for advice. I'm sure nothing I say here is going to be groundbreaking or new, but it's just a compilation of what I've learned in the last 4.5 years.

Up next: Banners, Avatars, Shop Policies and Shipping.

2011-05-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

I'm over at good tots today with this fun, easy painted butterfly project. Check it out.

Here are some of the more mundane details I left out so I wouldn't bore the lovely good tots readers to tears. But you folks are a different story. You're used to me going a little overboard with the details. So here you go:

Download my butterfly template so you don't have to draw your own.

Fold a paper in half, and line the straight edge of the butterfly up along the fold. Trace around the template and cut out along the line. Unfold and you've got yourself a whole butterfly:

Add some paints and some kids and you've got yourself an art project. Have a great day!

Loving: Layla Grace

2011-05-24T04:15:00.000-07:00

{glassware, necklace, dress, earrings, candle, pillow}

I always turn to Layla Grace for gorgeous, perfect gifts. I admit, though, it's been a while since I've popped over to see what's new. And of course, it's right on the mark--it all feels so fresh and summery. Here are a few of my favorite, girly treasures...and how darn cute is that bullseye pillow?

Rules to Live By

2011-05-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

There are two things I must be wearing before I leave the house: 1. Sunglasses, 2. Mascara
Charlotte has embraced my first rule whole-heartedly. And she'd gladly follow rule #2 if I'd let her.
My question: What falls into the can't-leave-home-without-it category for you?

********
On another note:

The question I hear most often these days goes something like this, "I (knit, sew, make jewelry, etc.) and I'd really like to start an Etsy shop. But I'm nervous. Where do I start?"
OK, the question I'm actually asked most often involves Charlotte's crazy hair; but the Etsy question is second most common. So I'm working on a series for next week...everything you should know before starting an Etsy shop. If you have any burning questions on the topic, send 'em my way and I'll be sure to include them in my series.
Or if you're a seasoned Etsy seller and have any first-hand experience to share, drop me a line, please.

Out of the Fire

2011-05-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to show you my first two projects from my pottery class. The little cherry bowl is the very first thing I made. There's kind of a thin spot on one side, but for the most part I'm so thrilled with the way it turned out. I used a simple clear glaze, so you can see all the sand in the clay. I think I'm a huge fan of the clear glaze.

Next I made this little vase. It may eventually become a pencil cup; but for now it's holding some fresh freesia that smells so good. I have one more piece waiting to be fired this week and three more close behind. I had an accident with another of the pieces last night as I dipped it in the glaze...my tongs punctured a hole right through the side. Oops. Now I have to figure out what to do with a tiny bowl with a hole in the side. Any ideas?

Anyhow, if you've got a pottery class near you and a wonderful, willing babysitter I highly recommend it. Hope you have a fantastic weekend. I'm so glad the sun decided to join us again for a few days!

Happy Little Treasures

2011-05-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

Life has been complicated lately. I hate to complain, but I can't just act like my life is perfect, either. So I'll just tell you that while the last several months have been hard, the last couple weeks have been the rockiest yet. Hopefully I'll make it out of this bumpy stretch soon (and in one piece). Today I needed a quick pick-me-up, so I turned to my Etsy Favorites. Here's what's making me smile right now:

Linen Pencil Case

Bright colors and a pencil case? Just what I need today. I should lock up my Sharpies in this beauty so Miss Charlotte can't color on the walls or herself like she did this morning. Also check out all the gorgeous goodies at Pilli Pilli.

Rude Little Black Book

I especially need one of these right now. Besides the snarky humor of it all, my "bad list" has never been so long. Maybe taking detailed notes would be just the right therapy. Get it at 27th Street Press.

Take Action Bookmarks

I've got lists everywhere. Maybe if I wrote my lists on my bookmark I wouldn't loose them so easily. Not to mention that these are so cute it hurts a little bit. And they're printable, so I can take control of one part of my life right this second. Not only does she have fun paper goods, but definitely check out the hair accessories in Mayi Carles shop.

Custom Silhouette Plate

I love, love, love all the personalized plates at Aedriel Originals. We recently had a disaster with Mr. H's favorite plate, and I'm in the search of a worthy replacement. This might be the answer I'm looking for.

Cha Cha Messenger

My life feels like it's always a mess. There's laundry everywhere I look, nothing is as organized as I'd like it to be, and I'm always running late. Maybe if I had this gorgeous bag from Cha Cha, I could disguise my inner lunatic with a chic accessory.

Stella Doll

This little doll from Tiddlywinks is like a little cuddly piece of happiness. I think she'd be the perfect addition to my room, (er, I mean Charlotte's room).

*****

And totally unrelated, but do any of you watch Extreme Couponing?

I'm having so much fun comparing notes with my deal-hunting friends.

I'm not nearly Extreme Couponing material, but I can totally see how they get so into it.

Crybaby

2011-05-16T04:47:00.000-07:00

I was going through some pictures last night and I noticed a trend:

Perfectly depicts how I feel today.
I'll be back after I've fixed the surprise plumbing crisis that spouted up over the weekend.
Hope your week is off to a better start than mine is. :)

Painting with Squirt Guns

2011-05-11T13:55:00.000-07:00

I scored some squirt guns in the dollar spot at Target last week, and I decided we'd use them for painting.

My post over at good tots today gives you all the details.

Happy Painting!

Love & Banana Bread

2011-05-11T08:43:00.002-07:00

I'm scrambling to meet a few deadlines today...so for your entertainment, I leave you with two recent scenes from my life.

On Mother's Day, Hudson surprised me with a little 'love' on the wall. He fashioned it out of washi tape and pipe cleaners while B and I were eating. (And for those of you who wonder why H wasn't eating dinner with us...he absolutely, positively, most certainly could not wait while we finished preparing our real dinner...so he had the early bird special).

I was feeling pretty proud of myself the other day as I whipped up some banana bread while the kids were eating breakfast at the table. (Maybe because my normal morning routine includes tossing them a bowl of cereal and then passing out on the couch while they eat and watch cartoons...but I shouldn't admit that, right?) I'm astoundingly productive when I get more than four hours of sleep at night. Anyway, I went up to shower and left the bread to cool. This is what I discovered when I came back. When I questioned Hudson about it, he said, "I waited until it was cool. AND I shared with Charlotte." He exercised sensibility on both counts, so I really couldn't be mad.

Hope your day is filled with lots of good things...like love and banana bread.

Have you found One Sweet Find?

2011-05-10T04:23:00.000-07:00

Do you have a friend who always nabs the best vintage finds? You know that girl--she's the one who emerges from the flea market with an exquisite, unique piece for mere pennies. I have a couple friends like that, and I'm always baffled at how they do it. When I visit the flea market, all I come away with are tired feet and a couple churros. Lucky for me one of my fab vintage-hunting friends is willing to share.

Meet Jackie of One Sweet Find. You probably know her as Jackie of Sweetie Pie Style. However you know her, Jackie is the one behind the beautifully curated and thoughtfully edited Etsy shop One Sweet Find. She recently updated her shop, check out some of her most recent finds:

I'm really dying over that sweet little brass whale.
I especially love how any of Jackie's pieces could be incorporated into your decor, and look like a prized family heirloom. I may just have to tag along on one of her shopping trips to figure out exactly how she does it.

Top 10 Craft Supplies

2011-05-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

One of the questions I get asked a lot is about my favorite craft supplies. I've gathered up my top ten for you today. These are the ten items I must have in my studio at all times. Links are below and after that I've included a little glossary-style description of each item so you know why I love it:

1. Scor-It-All
2. Paper Shapers Craft Punches
3. Zip Dry Paper Glue
4. 3M Super 77 Multipurpose Adhesive
5. Chain Nose Pliers
6. Embossing Heat Tool
7. Glue Dots
8. Martha Stewart Glitter
9. Tiny Scissors
10. Gocco Grrl Screen Cleaner (not pictured)

Why, you ask? I'll tell you why:

Scor-It-All: Makes perfect, easy creases in any thickness of paper. Whether you're folding a few pieces or a hundred at a time, this will make it infinitely easier.

Paper Shapers Punches: The only paper punches I've found that glide smoothly time and again. No jamming or tearing to deal with. And the best part? Their new slim collection folds compactly so storage is a breeze.

Zip Dry Glue: The only paper glue I've found that doesn't warp the paper. It dries clear, and it's incredibly strong.

Super 77 Spray Glue: The only solution for gluing tiny particles; or if you need a more professionally-finished look to your glued pieces. This goes on evenly, and you have a few seconds to reposition before it dries.

Chain Nose Pliers: Of course, they're important for making jewelry. But they're also great for picking up tiny bits (rhinestones, brads, etc.) And they're the best for taking shanks off of covered buttons. Or pinching your husband if he's getting on your nerves.

Embossing Heat Tool: You use this for embossing--duh. But embossing is fun, and practically impossible without this little gem. I also like it for making glue and ink dry quicker.

Glue Dots: Perfect for quick projects or when tiny parts need to be adhered. I don't use them for everything; in fact, I kind of think of glue dots as the lazy-crafter's glue. So use them sparingly, and definitley don't use them if you're trying to glue down a whole piece of paper, ok?

Martha Stewart Glitter: Who doesn't like glitter? Janitors, maybe. But glitter makes me happy. And Martha Stewart's version is so easy to work with, and comes in so many pretty colors. And glitter is the perfect mistake-hider.

Tiny Scissors I find myself reaching for these almost daily. And not just because they're cute and tiny. But they're perfect for cutting loose threads, ribbon, and the pieces that your cricut missed. I've also found they're quite helpful when I'm having a bad hair day.

Gocco Grrl Screen Cleaner: Does anybody use gocco anymore? I do. I know it's a dying thing; and that makes me sad. But finding affordable substitutions makes me happy. This screen cleaner is gentle, effective, and so much more affordable than Gocco's version.

That's it. Did I miss anything? What can you absolutely NOT live without?

Happy Friday

2011-05-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

Because nothing makes me happier than a baby in a bathing suit.
Throw in some jelly sandals, a floppy sun hat and a big brother in an unintentionally coordinating swim suit and you've got a recipe for a fantastic weekend. Hope you have a great one!

What I Wore: Where did spring go?

2011-05-05T04:38:00.000-07:00

I meant to post this a while back, but I was kind of sick of seeing myself on here. LFoO, this is for you ;) Yesterday was a blazing 90 degrees so a leather jacket looks pretty ridiculous to me. Good thing I actually wore this outfit when it was a little more weather appropriate. Now I'm scrambling to find heat-wave friendly clothes...seriously. I made a mad dash to Old Navy yesterday to buy the kids some shorts. Didn't see 90 degrees coming. Maybe I should try watching the news?

Oh, and obviously I'd worn these jeans one (or two) too many days without washing because my belt is cinched a bit too tight making them look a little ridiculous. (Geez...who does the laundry around here?!?) Please tell me I'm not the only one wearing my jeans for way too many days between washes.

And when you look a little pale and washed out, never fear! B&W is here. Ta-Da! With the sunshine making its return, the freckles will be arriving any day now.

My Outfit:
Jacket Nordstrom (similar)
Ruffled tank, Halogen (similar)
Jeans, Citizens of Humanity
Shoes, Paolo (similar)
Bracelet, Cara (similar)
Necklace, (I made it)

Photos, Ashley (Thank You!!!)

In the Studio: April

2011-05-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

A few orders that I finished up toward the end of April:

These tags were designed to slip over the rim of a champagne glass.

The bride sent me a sample of their invitation and wanted to match the fonts. It took a lot of searching, but I finally found it. I kind of love/dread matching fonts. It's so hard wading through all the options out there, but when I finally find the match it feels like I won the lottery.

Here are some simple little tags I created for a bride. I used an assortment of colored and patterned ribbons, so the end result will be so cheerful and colorful. She's including them with their invitations and each guest will write them a message and slip it over the branch of a "wishing tree" as they arrive at the reception.

Anyhow, that's what I've been up to lately. I'm currently working on several more weddings and a personalized stationery set for Father's Day. It's kind of refreshing designing something for a man...a little challenging, but a fun change of pace.

Another Week, and a Winner

2011-05-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

The weekend is gone, and it was a good one. Good thing I squeezed a nap in on Sunday because I spent the entire night in a semi-upright position with a cantankerous toddler. And immunizations are on the list today for Baby C. Then out to run a few errands, make a delivery, and then it's off for my last volunteer day at preschool. I have mixed emotions: so glad I won't have to break up any more playground fights, but a little sad that our preschool days are almost over. Anyway, I think I'll wear my favorite shoes. They're always a hit with the preschool crowd, and maybe the sparkle will lighten up my under eye circles.

And now for the winner of last week's giveaway:

Congratulations, Sara!

(Random.org chose comment #1).

Early bird gets the worm, eh?

Thank you to everyone who participated, and thanks for all your help in promoting my new stuff.

I'm currently working on a couple other new things. Can't wait to share them with you.

P.S. Top photo by my girl Ashley

Have a Splendid Weekend

2011-04-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a few of my favorites from Splendid's new arrivals.

Equal parts nautical, chic, and perfectly comfy at the same time. Not to mention, you can mix and match just about everything and look wonderfully put together. These pieces are currently sitting on top of my want list.

And don't forget...there's still time to enter my giveaway.

Have a great weekend!

blue stripes, hoody, red stripes

sandal, bag, ballet flat, wedge

twill pant, maxi skirt, linen pant