Friday, 31 August 2012

friday letters.

Dear Baby Girl >> You were falling back asleep this morning and you gave me that little baby smile that your little baby self used to give me just after you were born. Takes me back to those early days with you and how hard it was adjusting to life with a baby. Now, our days are seamless and I can't imagine ever being without you. How is it that you're going to be a year old in less than six weeks?


Dear fall-like morning >> Please stay around. You make be want to sit outside with a cup of coffee and a sweatshirt.

Dear yard sale in our neighborhood >> We're going away this weekend, so thank you for being on a Friday (for once) so I can attend to your hidden treasures.

Dear iPad >> My one wish for my birthday is that you'd miraculously appear in a box underneath some wrapping paper. Sadly, my chances of this are probably less than me buying a winning lottery ticket.

Dear new computer and new camera >> See letter above.

Dear readers >> No, I'm really not greedy. I just would like a computer and/or camera that isn't from 2007. I'm sure we can agree that a lot has changed in the technology aspect since then. Example: my computer still runs Microsoft Office 2003.

Dear Republican National Convention >> I usually don't get political here (actually I never do), but this week the RNC 2012 literally blew my mind. Pretty sure it blew lots of other people's minds too. And blew the competition out of the water. Especially Ann Romney, Condi, and New Mexico governor Susana Martinez -- how awesome are they? Was kinda nervous how this election year would go, but I'm pretty excited and proud of my party right now.


Dear readers x2 >> OMG can I tell you how much I love you guys? In the last two weeks you've helped me grow my blog tremendously. And in the past month I've gone from 10 followers to almost 60. How crazy-awesome-fabulous is that? All because of you. Wanna help me get to 100 in the next month? How about my first paid sponsor? I couldn't do any of this without your support, so again, you rock my socks.

Dear Hubs >> How sweet was the message in your anniversary card to me? And your little gift of chocolate-covered strawberries plus a Yankee Candle? (In Beachwood -- can't get much better than that.) You snagged those suckers for free. I'm a lucky wife.


Dear Pennsylvania >> SO looking forward to spending a long, relaxing holiday weekend with you and my family. Shopping and picnics? I'll take it. S cannot wait to see Grammy and Paw-Paw!

Have a safe and happy Labor Day Weekend lovelies!

Photobucket

i love this man.


Four years ago today I married my husband. Literally the man of my dreams, even though it wasn't love at first site (for me, anyway...for him, I know it was). You can read the short-and-sweet version of our story here.

A (few) of the things this man means to me...

My love.
My rock.
Daddy to our baby girl.
Leader.
Provider.
A family man.
A man of God.
Faithful.
Loving.
Sharp dresser :)
Man of the house.
Hilarious.
Creative.
Smart.
Driven.
Hard-worker.
My best friend.

Oh, and he looks pretty hot in a backwards baseball hat and gym shorts. All mine...sorry ladies!

I can't believe it's been four years since our wedding day. I also can't believe that it's only been four years. It feels like we've been together and in love so much longer than that. Yes, we've had (and will always have) our little spats here and there (who doesn't?!), but times like those are meant to learn from, and only make a marriage stronger. And I wouldn't trade a single day between us.

I'm so thankful for everything we've shared together so far. Good and bad. Easy and hard.

I'm so looking forward to seeing where God takes us on this journey. Happy Anniversary Babe. I love you.

sneak peek: DIY baby headbands.


Surprise! I'm doing a tutorial guest post today for Amie over at Pinkapotamus! (I'll show you how to make that cute headband up there.) Amie's on vacation with her family for two weeks (lucky girl) and she's been showcasing some pretty rad bloggers during her time away. She also hosts an under-300 blog link-up every Thursday...how sweet is that? Oh yeah, and she also makes adorable items, like the felt birthday crown shown here and here. You can check out her shop here.

Earlier this week I posted about possibly opening up my own shop to sell items like the headband I'm making in my tutorial. Good news (and a special thanks to those who provided the motivation I needed)...I've decided to do it!

So, for all you lovelies out there who've established online shops...Etsy or Storenvy? Any tips to help a girl out?

News: Growlers new album in November


The Growlers: Hung at Heart - EDIT: 22 JANUARY - LP / CD / MP3 / Cassette


it's no secret these guys are one of my favourite bands going right now & i'm pretty excited for this one to drop.

update: head over to spin to hear the new track 'one million lovers' link

one million lovers transcode mp3 ripped from spin.com

a family weekend in pictures.

I know it's halfway through the week, but I couldn't pass up posting about the fabulous weekend we had over here. Unfortunately Hubs pulled a muscle in his back (playing golf) which ironically means he is out of commission for playing golf for a few weeks. Which also means that S and I have him all to ourselves for the next few weekends. To do with him what we please.

I call it a Mommy's Revenge. Don't worry. I think he actually enjoyed himself.

So Saturday included an afternoon at our church's corn festival (um, yum) and some finger-painting and plastic pool time in our backyard. Couldn't have asked for a better day!

Get ready for photo overload...and no, not gonna apologize...I'm a proud mama of her family!


This coming weekend we're headed to PA to spend Labor Day with my family (SO excited). What fun family activities do you have planned for this holiday weekend?

Tuesday, 28 August 2012

I don't know what I'm doing...

...I'm just doing something.  Channeling Jackson Pollack.  This piece looked kind of angry in the beginning, and then I softened it a little.  It is a reflection of my inner landscape, where I am still an artist in the bud, hoping to bloom soon.  Please.

Automatic painting...

Still in the what-the-hell-who-gives-a-hoot mode here in the little yellow house, where the yards languish and the dogs lay at my feet quizzically wondering if I will remember to feed them that day.  This morning, I made the decision to not go anywhere, hence I am currently clothed in my favorite paint-splatted jeans and one of my thrift store shirts, thinking about my next move.  I could go out and rake.  Raking is not all that horrid; it is picking up the piles that is a bitch.  I have finally devised a system; I take an old wastepaper basket that lost its pop-up lid, lay it on its side and scoop it full of leaves to dump in the yard waste bin.  The whole operation takes about an hour, and gets me all sweaty even on cool days, so it is a good thing to be in my grubs, because I can be impulsive and wind up ruining some garment I actually liked.  You can see from my current oeuvre that I am mellowing a little, colors getting a little softer, some direction to the piece, at least.  This is so much fun, not having any investment in the outcome, just worshiping the process.  Of course, for every one I put up for the world to see, there are three or four languishing in obscurity.  That's okay.  I learn something from every piece that comes up off the paper.  Most of all, I am learning how to spend the energy generated by my grief in a way that does not hurt anyone, even me.  Art therapy rocks.

Monday, 27 August 2012

time to open up shop?

As some of you may know (from my relentless babbling) I'm currently stuck in horrendous decision mode on whether or not I should open up an online shop. 

If you didn't know, I make headbands and other hair accessories for babies and little girls.


Now, three things...

One: I never in my life ever dreamed I would be making anything. I guess I was better than average at all those art projects, but I never gave it a second thought. I mean, as my dad put it, no one has an easy time getting a job after college in ART related majors, let alone making any decent money at it. And if you do/are...well, then you're just really talented or really lucky. I've never been either. What it boiled down to was...I ended up being pretty good at math. So accounting it was. 

Two: I don't regret going to school for accounting...or getting a very nicely paying job (before I graduated, no less) auditing federal government agencies and living in Northern Virginia. My dad was right. If it wasn't for two accounting job incomes, Hubs and I wouldn't have been able to save the money we did to buy our house. 

Three: Which brings me to the present. After five years of working my buttowski off, I'm a stay-at-home mama to my baby girl and my buried art-loving self has made a fierce comeback. This now includes an obsession for all things DIY. (Thank you, Pinterest.)


SO. Headbands. Inspired by that little nugget right up there. My new project. Opening up my own shop, my new adventure. One obstacle: There's just so many out there already. Selling the same stuff. Having this blog is a good way to start promoting...

But I'll also need YOUR help!

If you're interested in helping me promote my store when it opens (via your blog, Twitter, or Facebook) go to my Sponsors page and use the email address there to send me a message. To those who do help promote...you'll be eligible to win a hair accessory of your choice from my shop!