It's all apart of life's pageant

Happy Easter!

From someone who thinks she's the Cadbury Easter bunny...

Then when I informed her that her ears were backwards and that she really wasn't the Cadbury Easter bunny, but nice try. This is what I got...

We hope you have a wonderful Easter Sunday - enjoyed with family and friends!

In like a lamb | Out like a Lion

our spring has been just that - just yesterday it was 40 degrees and we woke up to snow in the the upper hills! Jesse is modeling the season...

Happy Valentines Day!

What's in your sweetheart box? (click image to view larger)

 

It was a very Merry Christmas...

I can't believe it was just Christmas - whirlwind of family and friends! Now the house is quiet and a mess, but I have no energy to start the clean up. The decor will stay up until the first weekend in January, we are enjoying the festive look (at least that is what I am telling myself!). Here are a few photos of Christmas 2009....

Christmas snowglobes safe and sound

Jesse opening presents on Christmas day - a blur

Experiencing her first Christmas cracker

 

My MIL from the South. Can't you tell? She has a stick of butter in her hand!

Hope you all had wonderful holiday celebrations!

Fun Friday Finds | Gift ideas for yourself!

I am almost done with my Christmas gifts - most of them are handmade this year. My goal is to try to avoid going to the mall and if I am buying a gift it will be online!

This time of the year my friend Jeanette has some great gift ideas on her blog, she has some unique finds. I thought I would put together a list of ideas for yourself - don't forget about you! This is definitely targeted towards "HER" so next week will be for my "HIM" readers.

Of course I am going to start with my vintage aprons! I have a few left on Etsy!

This morning I was having a discussion with my aunt about easy gifts to ship and I thought of pjs! For me buying pjs has been something you do in the winter time, Dottie and I bought each other pjs for Christmas each year - matching ones of course! I found these by PJ Salvage....

 

And Nick & Nora at Target was always a favorite of ours... this Reindogs sleep shirt would have been a must buy!

Handmade for you...I first heard about this company here - and for someone who knits and crochets I was salivating! Granted is one of those hand knit sweater companies that I can appreciate the time that goes into making some thing like these sweaters...

 

But I really LOVE these, you can give your UGGs a new look...Next time I am in Vancouver, BC this is going to be a boutique to stop at!

Next on my list would be Fragrance - Jeanette really was the first person to get me excited about Jo Malone. Before that my go to fragrance was Eau de Lune by Laura Mercier, this was my signature 'smell'. I was always intrigued by Jo Malone but was somewhat intimidated by the 'fragrance combining' . But with a little help I am now a Jo Malone fan! I combine Orange Blossom and Lotus Blossum/Water Lily.

I am also love the Vitamin E hand cream and lip conditioner during the winter months when my hands a lips are super dry.

SweetPaperie has been my go to designer for personalized stamps - she has some new designs, like this one... I think that while we are always a family unit, there are times that we need to be our own individual persons. Something as simple as your 'own' personalized stamp can give you that! :)

Enjoy life!

 

Fun Friday finds

Some things to bring a smile to your face....

Dachshund bookends from one of my favorite designers Jonathon Adler and under $50! Available here.  

This cute little bowl is made by Paloma's Nest - check out the rest of the Etsy store here. The holiday collection and love notes are perfect!

Since I can't seem to finish knitting my scarf I am going to pick up this miniscarf from EmilyMaySparks

Happy Friday and Enjoy Life!

Fun Friday Finds

This weeks Fun Friday Finds are blogs that have been inspiring me lately. I have been spending A LOT of time in front of the computer learning things that I thought I would never learn(i.e. Lightroom2 and CS4 to hint a few) so from time to time I need to take a break and look at websites or blogs so I keep myself energized in the direction I am headed.

 A Little Hut - her paper cut designs are so simple and elegant. She even shares a video tutorial for a gift tag.

picture from A Little Hut

InLeaf - rich linens and leaf printing... YUM!!!!!! Can't wait to repaint our downstairs room and bring some of these pillows in.

picture from Inleaf

Life Love Paper - visit to be inspired by the writings and photographs of this gal. Her blog banner was featured in Artful Blogging magazine, this is how I found her. After you consume yourself with the blog head on over to her Etsy store, I am loving this and this

picture from Life Love Paper

hmmm I think I see a trend here - fall is on it's way. I have some busy days ahead of me but I am hoping that I take the time to see the leaves change before they are gone.

Happy Friday and enjoy life!

Fun Friday Finds

Today's Fun Friday Finds are books. I read a great article by Stephen King in Entertainment Weekly about "What's Next For Pop Culture?" What's going to happen to books, radio, serious American movies, network TV, and why should we care? Because of QUALITY.

"And when the good stuff's gone? It ain't coming back, son. That's what I'm really afraid of." Stephen King.

Books have been a concern for me since I am an avid reader. It is exciting to be around for launch of E-book technology - I have Kindle: Amazon's 6, and while I love it for convenience of travel, it has not taken the place of the tangible book for me. There are some books that are not available in digital format and most of my reference reading I still prefer in traditional book form so I can make notes and highlight. Mr. King brings up some good questions about the future quality of content - what happens if publishers and editing go out of business? Where is their place in this changing industry? I am anxious to see how this all evolves.

On my nightstand...

I have never considered myself to be a good writer. Those of you who read my blog regularly can attest to this! I pulled B's in most of my English classes, I think my love for reading saved me there. When I entered into the workforce we had writers available to us - whew. But now it's just me, no editor, no copy writer, just me RAW. So I apologize to those of you that cringe with my run on sentences, fragments, misuse of 'myself'. I am working on it! A blog that I read on a regular basis recommended this book Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott. It is a writers book on how to write a book or short stories. I am about half way through and loving it! Her humor and the way that she is breaking down the process all makes sense.

 

I gave The Devil of Nanking to a friend of mine based on the review our local book store gave: "Hauntingly dark". And apparently it is. I have yet to read it - but be forewarned that it's DARK. I am also anxious to read The Outlander: A Novel (P.S.) as it is recommended by the above friend! The Outlander is available on the Kindle so I downloaded that immediately. The Devil of Nanking is in traditional form only, for right now.

 

The book The Art of Racing in the Rain: A Novel has been one of my favorite dog books.The book has combined to of my loves: dogs and car racing. Even if you are neither a dog lover or car racing fan, I think you can enjoy this read. I believe the message in the book is to live in the moment and no better than a dog to teach us that. The exciting news is last week my aunt and I went to a fundraiser where Garth Stein was doing a reading for Animal Aid! If you have a chance to hear him read he is VERY entertaining and candid.

 

Happy Friday and enjoy life!

Fun Friday Finds

Found this website Delightful.com while on this blog...be forwarned - here are some of my favorites! Today's theme: COLORFUL everyday items.

Eva Solo Smiley Bowls - fun and functional! Just the right amount and somewhere to put the shells.

Sally Jean - Soldering for Virgins

A couple of weekends ago I was taking a class called Soldering for Virgins and it was exactly that! It was an all day class and you need all of this time to really learn each of the steps of soldering. You cannot skip over steps or try to make it easier - Sally Jean's way is pretty tested and we all followed along as she broke everything down and came out of there with completed charms!

I am pretty bummed because I am having issues again with iPhoto (totally my fault) I lost all of my pictures from that day. She has a gorgeous studio in the Pearl in Portland and you can see it in her book Pretty Little Things: Collage Jewelry, Trinkets and Keepsakes and in issue one of Where Women Create.

I tried years ago teaching myself how to solder - unsuccessfully. I bought her book and I tried it at a "make n take" one time. But could really never get the hang of it and fearful that I was doing something wrong that tends to be VERY hot. So when Sally Jean emailed me at the last minute to let me know that there was an opening in her class I jumped at the opportunity! (ALWAYS get on the waiting list.) I learned so much in seven hours and had my 'aha' moment soldering: Flux is your BEST friend!

It is also very important to have the right tools, it makes all the difference. Her book that I reference above has a list of recommended suppliers. I am lucky enough to live really close to Cline Glass Company. This place sells everything you would need to get started, they do phone orders.

This is the soldering iron that you will want to buy if you are going to be doing multiple projects. My plan is to make some Christmas ornaments for gifts this year!

Sally Jean's husband Brad is selling pre cut glass on Etsy. This is the prefect way to buy good quality glass that is cut and also has the corners rounded for you.

If you have a chance to take one of her workshops I highly recommend it!