What a girl wants

What a girl wants...

I think that was a movie title a long, long time ago.

Speaking of movies, Grace and I just watched a heart wrenching one...If I Stay.

Oh my, my eyes are still puffy.

Couldn't help myself.  And I'm an ugly, ugly crier.  Runs in the family.

So...

On the lighter side....how are your husbands in the gift buying area?

Good?  Bad?  Ugly?

Or maybe a little like mine...dare I say, Lazy?

It wasn't always like this.  When we were first married, and had small kids, he ROCKED.

I got a diamond necklace, earrings, clothes.

The problem was, the longer we were married, he told me he thought it was a challenge to buy me clothes, and just ask the salesperson what they wore, as long as I got the thrill of taking it back, cause wasn't that the point, the thrill of me getting a better deal?  A better after Christmas score, and more clothes in the long run anyway?

Are. You. Kidding. Me.?

Then it just came down to giving me money in a box, wrapped by Grace.  So I could spend it the way I wanted.

Does he NOT REMEMBER that my love language (from all those 18 years ago in pre-marital counseling) is GIFTS?  I LOVE to give them, and LOVE to get them.

So, this year, I got something I wanted, then gave Grace money, and she got me the rest, cause AT LEAST SHE KNOWS WHAT I LIKE, and I wanted SOME of my gift to be a surprise.

Yes, I could make a list, but I don't know if he'd even know what some of the things are...

If I DID make a list...it would look like this, and anything on it would be a good gift.

I would choose this perfume (which I did, and Grace wrapped it.  I can't wait!)

 I would wear these boots while I was also wearing the above perfume. 

and I bet they'd be SUPER COMFY as all my Toms shoes are.

I would bling it up a little with any of these bracelets from the Buckle.  Cause I'm into a lot of bling lately.

After putting on these colors...

I would head on over to get a creme brulee latte, or a while chocolate mocha, or even a valencia orange refresher from this place.

After returning home, I would light this baby in either the geranium scent, or cranberry, or even lemon verbenna, because these are GOOD candles.

Either way, ANY of these gifts from my hubby would be good ones.

Even if he isn't a good gift giver, I AM, and I like getting everyone gifts that they enjoy.

What would be on your list?

Somethings are always newer to someone else

It was time to refill my Etsy shop a little.

I've been slacking over the summer since my cousin, Emily, and I have been focusing all our creative efforts on our small booth at the local flea market.

I'm sorry Etsy customers of mine, you've seen little variety, and a whole lot of time between new things.

So, I added some new things tonight.

Like oilcloth bunting/pendants,

 more chalkboard items...

 fabric flower pins,

 map tags,

 ornate bulletin boards,

 vintage ceramic planters,

 and cutesy chalkboards.

Things I would use in my OWN home, anytime.

I'm even planning for a surprise event Emily and I were invited too...a little craft fair in Galveston, IN in October (more details later).

So much to think about, with so little time in between!

Hope you find something you like in my shop...and have a GREAT WEEKEND!

Let's keep it under wraps

I know we're not ready to talk about this yet. 

Heck, it's still 60 degrees here in November (which is totally rare, and actually a little annoying...)

But it's something that needs to be discussed, and discussed soon, seeing as how Thanksgiving is just mere weeks away.

Seriously...where did the year go?

I'm talking about Christmas gifts for teachers.

This year, it's gonna be hard for me.  My kids each have a male teacher.  Women teachers are SO MUCH easier to shop for.  Men, you never know...so I'm stickin' with food, and maybe a gift certificate to the movies or a restaurant.

SOOOO, last night I started making cookies for them, to freeze.  My weekends are usually busy catching up on things I didn't get to throughout the week, so I decided to bust a move and start baking.

I already have some cookies in the freezer, but variety is the spice of life if I'm not mistaken.

I started making my all time favorite...sugar cookies with buttercream frosting and sparkling sugar from the bulk store in town.

Yummy, right?

And then you add the frosting, and it just gets that much better.

I've been checkin' out Pinterest, and other blogs for teacher gift ideas. 

Here are some good starts.

Bucket full of candy bars.  Who wouldn't love this?

Jars full of cookies...easily done.
And for the newlywed teacher that one of my kids has...

a MOVIE basket.

So, good luck figuring out what you'll be giving this year. 

It's always a little fun AND stressful for me each year.

For the love of a flower

Have you noticed how flowers are all the rage now?

Maybe they always have been, and I've just been outa the loop.

But they seem to be everywhere you look.

They are in home decor

and blankets.

They are even on front doors, (wreaths are mine)

They are on bags

and jewelry.

They even appear on swoony craft projects.

I've made many myself.  Including bobby pins (tutorial here) and flowers for wreaths and purses.

It's addicting.  You can use all sorts of media like material scraps, denim, felt, etc.

It's the new fad.  I didn't think at my age I would be back into the "in fads" but I guess this is a little different.

Go ahead, search all over Google, Etsy, Pinterest, and any blogs you may like.  Everyone is all about FLOWERS.

You know you want to be in the "in crowd" again.  Go for it!

Look for a GIVEAWAY in the near future.  It's coming.  I'm working on it now!

Motivation

I am NOT a procrastinator.

I AM NOT.

But sometimes I think I really am.

You see, I was commissioned by one of the Kindergarten teachers last week to make her a clipboard. She would provide me with the clipboard and I would "bling" it up like I do, and have done for others in the past.

So, Friday she brought me her clipboard.

I just finished it tonight. Because I just started on it today.

Pathetic, I know.

I don't know what my problem is lately. I make all these to-do lists (and mine this weekend was pretty long), and then it's like the stress of the situation makes me wait until the last minute and then I do my best work.

Demented. Sure. Crazy. Absolutely.

So, after Grace's Jr. MYF fundraiser meal at church today, we arrived back home around 2pm and I got to work.

I had lunches to help pack, laundry to finish, thank you cards to write for 4-h pigs that were purchased, PTO minutes to complete and email out, and a clipboard to finish.

This was my starting point.

(disclaimer...this is NOT the clipboard I started with. I forgot to take a "before" picture, but this is a clipboard just like it.) Just so you know.

I had a pile of necessities on my craft table.

Piles of ribbon...

and a pink color scheme in mind. (she likes pink.)

Here is a little before the "bling".

This is the back.

And the front, all mod podged up and ready to be used.

Hope she likes it. I always get a little giddy while making them, and want to just make a ton, but I have to restrain myself. Not everyone likes what I like, so I usually ask for preferences before I start.

Now, I'm off to my bedroom (currently the quietest room in the house) to watch a little TV, make a menu list for this week, and read my current purchase.

I'm pretty darn excited. (About the magazine that is.)

But before that, I'm linking up to these three ladies. Come see.

iheartnaptime (who doesn't?)

dittledattle

and creatingreallyawesomefreethings

Christmas Gift Ideas

So, I was one of the crazies who shopped on Black Friday.




Now, wait, before you pass any judgements about me....I was NOT out at 3am, I didn't go till around 8am.



It was MUCH more low key at this time of day. I didn't see any fighting in the stores over items. I DID have to wait in line, but I'm sure it was a lot shorter than earlier that morning.


I DID finish my Christmas shopping on Black Friday. That I am happy about. However, I'd like to pass along some great sites on etsy.com that are adorable. Now, let me just say this about etsy.com. It's a site all about sellers who either sell vintage items or who make items to sell. You can search for anything, and all of it is great. I love to support other crafters making a living selling their creations.


I did do a lot of online shopping this year. More than any year previous to this. It's just so easy to do, and quick, and I only shopped the sites that were offering free shipping. I didn't have to set foot in 20 different stores, it was all conveniently shipped to my warm home.


Anyway, here are some VERY cute items that you might like.

This is one of my favorites, and you can find it here. It's made by LillyEllenDesigns.

And since I have a daughter who is very into Paris and the Eiffel tower lately, here are some very cute items.


You can find this very chic coin purse here....along with some other very cute things.
It's made by MFIPC.

Then there is this little ditty. I want one myself. You can purchase it, and others like it, here.
Moira made it and I think I need to make her my new best friend.


Lastly with the whole Paris theme and all are these cute little resin Eiffel towers. They could be used for earrings or even a necklace. Did I mention Grace is also into designing her own jewelry lately? She is. You can buy these very cute and stylish towers here.

Then there is this very talented lady. I LOVE this print, and would like it hanging in my house, but all the other ones she makes are equally great. You can find this one and others here.

Then, because I am a little obsessed with journals and to-do lists, I found these. (seriously, when it's time to buy the kids school supplies, I buy myself some as well. There's no problem a good, cute notebook can't solve!) I AM IN LOVE. Now, I could make these myself, I have oilcloth in my possession, but it's a matter of finding the time. This lady makes many things out of oilcloth. Check these out here.

Now, wasn't that fun?