Sunday, January 31, 2010

Wanna Dance with Me?


As some of you may know we recently started a tradition of Dance Saturdays in our home. It's a fun way to burn some calories and have a blast with the kids. We recorded Kaylee being cute as usual. Sorry for the slight pause while I was trying to find a song. I'm not the best camera lady, nor do I know how to edit videos just yet. She has the best dance moves. Next Saturday I will try and get a video of all of us dancing around. For now it's just our little nugget. :)




I bought these today, I was in a serious mood for some chocolate. They are amazing!!!


This was my fortune, I like it so much I stuck it above my desk :)


I also won a giveaway not too long ago from Inka. I won the amazing scarf she made!!! I LOVE the colors! She also stuck some extra goodies in there. Thread, Chocolate from Finland, which by the way I have already devoured, and the cutest hair pin!! Thanks so much Inka!! I Love it all!!


On an amazing note... I got my plane tickets for the March trip!!!!! I'm so so excited!!!!!

I got lots of fun stuff done this weekend, I am about to start on a few Style School projects, so I will post all of them tomorrow :) Also, I am actually going to try a blogging schedule. I only have one day definitely planned, and that Happy Mail Wednesday, where I will post all the fun mail I receive :)

What did you do this weekend?

xoxo,
Lindsay

Friday, January 29, 2010

Craft Mode


This week I have been in serious crafting mode. Here are a few things I've made and so much more coming this weekend!! I am very thankful for all the good that has been happening in my life lately, especially with last week's news. Thanks again to all my friends that have been there for me :) Especially our weekly chats, I look forward to them every week! The last one we had was my favorite :) CONFESSION.... ;)

Treasure box I made for Ashley's mom. She loved the one I made for Ashley so I made her one too :)


Inside has a cute felt bottom


I made my mom her own little chapstick cozie. She loved the first one I made and that's pretty much the only thing I know how to crochet right now, lol. Even embroidered a little leaf on there.


The back is just yellow felt.


It's big enough to put 2 chapsticks in.


I also completed another Style School project. It was supposed to be fabric earrings, but since I don't wear earrings hardly at all, I made them into fabric magnets. I ran out of buttons else I would have made like 50 of them.. They are so easy and fun to make!! I plan on making a bunch this week :)




In other good news I won a giveaway today!!! Meesh aka Emjay aka Aquafrolic had a Mardi Gras giveaway and I won a KING CAKE!!! I am so excited! I haven't had one in over 6 years. I miss Louisiana so much and this will make me feel at home again :)
Thanks Meesh!!


Also, I got my Happy Mail names today!! Can we say EXCITED??? Laura, Lehua and Mandy.. I am so happy I got you guys as Happy Mail partners. LOVE YOU GUYS!! I also want to give a huge shout out to my Jamie :) Without her Happy Mail would not exist. Thank you for all the hard work, time and dedication you have put into putting together Happy Mail for all of us! Your the best!!

I have a HUGE to-do list for this weekend:

~ Work on Style File pages and apron project

~ Add inside liner and zipper to the panda bag I made in this post

~ Roll yarn and embroidery thread as well as organize all my drawers

~ Send out secret giveaway e-mail, you will find out more about this very soon ;) Getting an AMAZING giveaway together with some AMAZING friends in a few weeks

~ Buy my plane tickets for the Springfield trip in March, yay I get to finally meet my craft family!!!

~ Write at least 5 Happy Mail letters

~ Blog on 2010 Best Year Ever

~ Work on Joseph's Valentine's Day gift ;) We are doing handmade this year!!

~ Start organizing some of the cards I have received for the Valentine's Day card swap

~ Work on a blog feature :)

~ Catch up on blog reading

Think I can get it all done? Hoping to get a good portion knocked out tonight, I plan on putting in a super late night tonight!!

What are your plans for this weekend?

xoxo,
Lindsay

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Craft-Shopping OH MY!


I went to Hobby Lobby and Wal-mart the other day for the sole purpose of getting a handful of things.. Little did I know I would be walking out with a lot more than a handful... I seriously can't control myself in craft stores.. Impulse buyer much? I have no reason why all this shouldn't last me a very long time and keep me really busy for the next month!! I find my craft space getting a little cramped and need to find like a cubby space for all my storage boxes, anyone now where to find a cute cubby space for kinda cheap? Here's some of my crafty goodness I thought I would share! Come craft with me? hehe

Lots of pretty yarn.. anyone want to help me roll this?? I love all the fun colors!! Now what should I make? I always end up doing more collecting of yarn than making anything it seems. Trying to get this crocheting thing down still...



Felts, contact paper, tons of tissue paper and fabric scraps


Glues, adhesives, paper-clips, Style School project supplies, ribbon, misc everything!!!!


Stamps, ink pads and cards (they were on sale I couldn't help myself)


I also finished birthday cards from January-April for Happy Mail peeps, so sorry they are late January birthdays :(


Annnnnddddd I received Carol's Happy Mail!!!! Crocheted chap stick holder, a yarn button necklace, stickers, yarn, notebook, candle... LOVE IT ALL!!! Thanks so much Carol!!!


I found myself quite overwhelmed with my TO DO list last night, I not only have a notepad, but I write things on post-it notes and stick them above my desk so I see them as a reminder. When I looked up and saw about 15 post-it notes with 2 or 3 things on each one, I had a mini freak-out. So I wrote them all down AGAIN in my calendar and separated them into different days as to make it easier to accomplish. *Mini freak-out ends* I was able to pull down about 5 of those post-it notes today just from being more organized and getting stuff done instead of being overwhelmed and just staring at them! I have a lot of fun projects I'm working on this week and can't wait to show you guys!

What fun projects are you working on this week??

xoxo,
Lindsay

Monday, January 25, 2010

Whose been busy?? This girl!


So this weekend I wrote myself out a huge list craft-wise that I wanted to accomplish, and what do ya know? I finished all but 1!!! Let me tell you this list was pretty darn long too!

Here are some things I finished

~Valentine's Day Cards for the swap, yep all 25 of them.. I want to make a few more for friends that didn't participate in the swap because I have so much left over stuff and it was so much fun. SO if you want to swap with me let me know. You can either comment here or e-mail me, either works :)

**Note** I will post pics of all 25 cards (yes all 25) because each of them is very different and I love the way they turned out. I will do this AFTER everyone has received theirs as to not ruin the surprise.

~ I finished a treasure box for a very special friend of mine, I'm not going to show the whole thing, just part of it. Something has to be left for a surprise :)


~ I blinged out Max's collar for a Style School project, with what other than buttons! This project was perfect for me. I was downstairs putting it together and Max was scratching at the door crying because he wanted his collar back. I showed it to him and he kept licking it.. What.a.cutie! He is definitely the most Stylin' doggie!! :)

Here is the manliest dog you'll ever see... :)

I had to take like 100 pics to get a decent one, he kept jumping around and not cooperating.. thank you Max

Here is a close-up


~ I made a pink panda themed felt make-up bag (which will probaby turn into a nail polish holder since they are scattered everywhere), which was another Style School project. I named her Kua, which means pretty in Chinese. I LOVE LOVE her. I'm going to get a cute pink zipper and maybe that plastic vinyl stuff to put on the inside, anyone know where to get that? I want it to be a little more sturdy. This is by far, my favorite project. I love how much I am coming into my style, this class is amazing!!!

Isn't she the cutest pink panda ever???

~ I also did 2 more Style File pages. One is wardrobe and the other is for Life Inspiration. I am already having trouble closing my binder and still have many pages planned. I'm hoping to find a way to maximize the space so I don't have to upgrade binders.

Here is the pic of Life Inspiration, I got the embroidered leaf in the ornament swap and had to include it because it went so well with my nature theme. I have no idea who made it, so if you do, please let me know so I can give them credit :)


Here is my Handbag Heaven page.. gosh I love hobo bags. I need to find a cute one because I'm in serious need of an upgrade.


~ I watched so many VH1 reality shows my eyes hurt. HAHA that one is for Jamie.. Yes I watch Tough Love, Frank the Entertainer, and Jersey Shore.. There is just something about Hot Mess' on TV that make me giggle with glee.. It's one of me and my hubby's favorite things to do on Sunday's, well besides watching the SAINTS win their game so they are now going to the SUPERBOWL!!!! WHO DAT?!?! Ok I'll save that for another post.

~We made up a family day.. Dance Saturdays.. that's right we just dance around the house with the kids, just randomly... It's great exercise and I hear so many giggles my heart leaps with joy. I hope to keep it ongoing, we were so tired after our little dance marathon, the kids were pooped and we burned like tons of calories :) Then stuffed our faces with oreos...perfect.

~I organized my craft room again after the disaster I left from all the card-making.

In other AMAZING news, Kaylee has a tooth!! Her VERY FIRST one! She hasn't made a peep, so I had no idea until I went to clean her gums, and low and behold...a toothers!! For those that didn't know, we were worried because at now 15 months old she didn't have one. So thank goodness we don't have to go through dental x-rays!! I'm hoping the rest of her teeth come in this quietly *knock on wood*. Hope everyone had an amazing weekend!

What did you do?
xoxo,
Lindsay

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Best.Friends.Ever


First I want to say thank-you. I really appreciate all the love I received on my last post. It really brightened my day. It's so awesome to have so many great friends standing behind me and supporting me :) Thank you all for your encouraging and sweet words. I am a lucky girl having such great friends :) I'm sure I'll be needing a few ears to vent in a few months, it's nice knowing I have some that will listen. Thank you :)

Today I woke up to some awesome mail, what better way to start your day than with Happy Mail?? All of this sweet mail couldn't have come at a better time. I almost cried (I've been a big ball of emotions lately) when I saw the postman standing at my front door with all these boxes :)


I received this amazing handmade journal with this cute birdie (I'm going to put it on the front of my tissue paper holder) that Amber made me. Isn't the journal gorgeous??? I LOVE IT!! Thank you so much Amber, it was an awesome surprise!


I also got this very thoughtful Happy Mail package from Kristie! We weren't Happy Mail partners, but we wanted to do Happy Mail anyway because it's so much fun! I love all of the thought she put into it! I am so excited to try this tea, I LOVE LOVE everything she put in. Thank you Kristie!!


Here is another awesome package I got from Laura. Uh hello holy cute panda flip-flops!!! I love all the stickers and bath stuff too!! Thank you Laura!!


Carrie sent me this super fun package! I LOVE my Valentine's wreath, which is already hung up on my wall along with the super cute embroidery she made me for my craft room. I love the cute felt owl!! Do you see that BFF ring? Yea, that made me smile really big and the cute flip-flop magnet!! LOVE!! The button bracelet I especially LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Thank you so much for all the awesome goodies Carrie, LOVE YOU!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!



My best friend Kat sent me this Snuggie. Might I add it's PINK!! She said she bought herself one in red and if she was wearing one, I had to too! LOL. I have always secretly wanted one, shhhh don't tell anyone. I will be wearing it daily, it's always like 50 degrees down here in my woman cave. Love you Kat and miss you terribly. England is just too far away!!



I'm going to end this post with an awesome GIVEAWAY you have to check out. My sister AJ is having her very FIRST giveaway!! So go say hello and enter to win all this awesome stuff!! She handmade the pillow, isn't it so cute! It was the very first thing she ever sewed!


Today is my craft day and I will be working on a lot of fun projects and some super cute stuff for Style School! I'll post all the fun pics tomorrow!! Hope everyone has an awesome rest of their weekend!
xoxo,
Lindsay

Friday, January 22, 2010

Sad Face


This is how I've been feeling today

*jumped on the aqua nails bandwagon*

I found out Joseph is getting deployed in June. He will be gone approx. 4-6 months. I have never been through a deployment, so this will be very hard for me. I know he will be safe, it's not a dangerous place or anything. I am just incredibly sad he will be gone :( I will be a single momma for at least 4 months, that will also be pretty hard. I do not live close to my family which makes it a lot harder. I know I can do it, it's not that. It's just going to be tough. I need to find something to get my mind off of it. I vowed to make at least one thing from Style School this weekend, finish my V-day cards, learn to make a granny square and finish a box. I hope it will keep me busy enough to take my mind off of things.

This was not meant to be a downer post in anyway. Anyone who reads my blogs can see this is the first time I have posted something that isn't happy or upbeat (well besides the post office rant, which is now pretty funny) I just needed to vent a little. Thanks for listening or reading I should say :) I actually feel a bit better just writing this out. I'm hoping to be gone half of the time to see family (if someone will fly up here to drive back with me, *hint hint*) I can't leave the entire time or even half of the time because of housing rules.

Love you guys!

xoxo,
Lindsay

P.S. Encouraging words are greatly appreciated :)

P.S.S. Next post will be a fun one I promise :)

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Wednesday Fun


So I tried my hand at crocheting again, for the second time ever, and lookie what I made!! It is by no means perfect, but I still think it's super cute. It's a chapstick cozy :) For everyone that knows me, knows I am completely obsessed with chapstick. So what's better than making something for them to go in! My corners were straight until I embroidered them together, oops. I think I will have to work on that a bit :) Thank you Carol for teaching me the SC and Sonja for teaching me how to tie the knot better to even get started and how to "turn" it :) I still need to get the increasing and decreasing part down, so for now it will be cozies and scarves LOL! Couldn't have done it without you girls! Thank you Thank you!

Here's the front


Close up of the cute felt heart with beads


The back is just matching pink felt with a bit of white embroidery to add a little bit of cuteness.


All cozied up with my chapstick (trying a new flavor)


I also went on a quick shopping trip to Hobby Lobby and found this adorable ribbon box. I had to get it! It matches my craft room perfectly. Aqua, orange and pink...YUM!



I also went to JoAnn's Fabrics and found most of these cutesie stamps for only $1!!! They had a ton of different ones but I grabbed the Love Day ones of course.


I won a giveaway about a week ago from Debbie for naming her painting "Crafty Chloe". Isn't she a cutie? She has red hair just like me so it's perfect! I LOVE that saying!! I giggle every time I see it :) Thanks so much Debbie!!! You guys go check out her site, Pot Luck Designs, she makes the cutest paintings and is the sweetest!!!


In other news, I was an early bird and e-filed my taxes today. Yea, we just got the W-2 today. I wanted to do it quick and get it over with! It's been a busy busy day and I have only finished 1 out of 8 V-day cards for the day. I missed my goal of 8 last night and only did 5 :( It's harder than I thought doing each one completely different, lol. Hoping to have them all finished by Saturday night :) Hubby is making chicken quesadillas tonight so that is going to pretty much be awesome!! Hope everyone has an awesome week!!
xoxo,
Lindsay

P.S. Sorry if this post is all over the place.. that is how my brain has been today :)

Monday, January 18, 2010

Monday Funday


I pulled the Giveaway winner this morning, I really wanted to do a live video chat but no one was on :( So I got Joseph to pull it for me again :) Thank you hunnie for being my official giveaway name puller :)
Here is the cutie box with all the names


Joseph about to pull the winner


And the winner is...*drumroll please*


COURTNEY!!!! E-mail me with your address Courtney and I'll get your Sweet Treats package out to you asap :)

So I have been lots of busy this weekend, the post office is going to love me tomorrow :) Here are all the packages ready for shipment. From Happy Mail to trades to Just Because mail I was super busy putting these together this weekend :)


Today I started on the cards for my Valentine's Day swap, I'm not going to post the cards until everyone gets theirs, as to not ruin the surprise :) Here are *some* of the things I used today. Every card is going to be different and unique. It makes it a bit harder for me but also challenges my creative side. I want every card to have it's own special touch. I figure I will make about 8 a day and do only the fronts and back and then on the last day do all of the insides. So I'm guessing about 4 to 5 days to complete :) That's my goal for the week! Wish me luck!! I already finished my 8 for the day! YAY!

Love Day paper :)


Cards


Sticker embellishments


Stamps and ink pads


Felt embellishments


Here is the collage Jamie made all hung up on my wall. I made my own matting for the frame since it was a special size. The glare is horrible, sorry. I LOVE how it turned out and it matches my wall perfectly :) Oh, and if you notice in the bottom right my tissue paper. Yes, I color code them and yes, I fold them too!!


Hope everyone started off their week great! I posted a Motivational Monday post over on 2010 Best Year Ever blog, so don't forget to check that out too!!

How did you start out your week?
xoxo,
Lindsay