Monday, December 30, 2013

Some things accomplished

I've had a good and fast Christmas Break so far.

I can't believe we're already into the second week, but here it is.

I have gotten some things accomplished though, which is always good.

School scrapbooks are finally up to date...


We rearranged Grace's room, and added lights.

We even completed a project I saw on Pinterest.


 I LOVE it.  We just cut a large posterboard in a heart shape, added the pictures, then hung it on the wall with thumbtacks.  After that, we added the lights.  What a cool way to display pictures!

Then with a window from my Grandpa's and some chicken wire, I made a new memo board,




and hung it in the living room.

I even convinced Brent to help me with a project.  He didn't want to, but I wore him down.  There are only so many things I can do alone.

I first painted Evan's old train table, distressed it, and added an old window frame from one of Brent's job sites.  


It's a bigger coffee table than we had before, and I'm getting used to it, but I like it.  It'll grow on me.

I have more things to finish this week, so I'd better get to it.


Tuesday, December 24, 2013

4 about me

So, I was reading The Pleated Poppy's blog last night, and decided she had a really good idea.  She posted 4 things about herself, in many different categories.  You can find her post here.

I've been in a little blog rut lately, and haven't had time to put any craft tutorials on because I haven't had much time myself to do any crafting.

Sad but true.  I plan to do some on Christmas break.  I'll share later.

So, anyway, I'm borrowing Lindsay's idea, and sharing some 4's about me.

4 about me

4 jobs I've had:
1.  secretary at real estate office
2.  graphic designer
3.  kindergarten aide
4.  speech assistant/preschool paraprofessional

4 movies I've watched more than once:
1.  Elf
2.  Love Actually
3.  Ocean's 11, 12, & 13
4.  Under the Tuscan Sun

4 places I've lived:
1.  New Paris
2.  Costa Rica (one semester of college)
3.  Goshen, IN
4.  New Paris (can't help but come back)

4 TV shows I watch:
1.  Downton Abbey
2.  Scandal
3.  Castle
4.   Modern Family

4 places I've been:
1. Phoenix, AZ
2.  Orlando, FL
3.  Chicago, IL
4.  Atlanta, GA

4 Favorite foods:
1.  Mexican  (ANYTHING!)
2.  Buffalo Chicken wraps
3.  Fish (broiled, baked, or fried)
4.  Chicken (cooked any way)

4 places I'd rather be right now:
1.  Napa Valley, California (never been there)
2.  Cancun, Mexico
3.  Chicago, IL
4.  My bed!

4 things I'm looking forward to this year:
1.  Finishing more crafts
2.  Summer break
3.  Mini vacation with friends in 2 weeks
4.  building my ETSY business

4 places I love to shop:
1.  Anthropologie
2.  Target
3.  Hobby Lobby
4. White House Black Market

I hope you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR! 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Saturday, December 14, 2013

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner

It's 9:45am, and I've already done a ton of stuff.

It's a Saturday, I remind you, but one that I thought would be kinda bad, has turned into one kind of good.

I was up at 5:45am.  Gulp.  NOT my idea for a Saturday.

We were supposed to have an all day junior high basketball tournament at school today, and the girls were going to cheer.  We were supposed to be to school by 8am.

I had to wake two very sleepy girls who were out late watching a movie last night, and then crashed at my house.  (Don't worry, it was Grace and her bestie Christina.)

I woke them up at 6, cause you know, cheerleaders HAVE got to look pretty, especially when your boyfriend is on the team!

I went downstairs, made them pancakes, got the coffee running, and made my breakfast.

The girls came down, sleepily ate their pancakes, and I got a text. 

THE TOURNAMENT IS CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER.

(It's snowing to beat the band here.)

Hallelujah!  And I'll say it again...Hallelujah!

I sent the girls back to bed, then put in a load of laundry.

Meanwhile, Brent and Evan got up, ate breakfast, then got dressed and went outside.

We are selling some ewes today, and the boys are headed 45 minutes away to the sale barn.

I remind you, it's snowing to beat the band here..  Sometimes sideways.

Brent asked if I could come outside to write down their ear tag numbers, so we know who we sold.

Sure babe.  I'll be right out.


The ewe in the back, our first one, Lambchop, the tamest one we have, the one in the middle, licorice, cause she has black lips!

I came in from that little excursion and did some more laundry, changed the sheets, got ready, put some things away, wrapped some small gifts, and got out all the ingredients to draw the WINNER for the giveaway I had this week.

Remember, this is what you're winning...plus, maybe some extras cause that's how I roll.

I did the drawing quite scientifically (ha ha), cause I couldn't get the random widget to insert into my post and randomly pick a number associated with a name.

I wrote all the names down, put them in a bowl, and drew one out.


I wish you all could have won, but the shipping would've killed me, not to mention the labor of making all those items again.

So, LESLIE DEERING is the winner!  I'm so happy for you Leslie, and I just sent your ETSY purchase out this week!  Hope you have a wonderful Christmas with a little something extra to make your day.  I'll send out your prize Monday.

To wrap up, here are some Christmas pictures from around the house.









Monday, December 9, 2013

Love Languages and a GIVEAWAY!

Years ago when Brent and I were dating/engaged, as part of the process of planning our wedding, we had to meet with the pastor who was going to marry us. 

It was counseling and prewedding talks to get us ready to be man and wife.

We were supposed to read the book Love Languages, and each week when we met we talked about what we had read. 

Over the course of the book we discovered Brent's love language(s) were physical touch and words of affirmation.

Obviously.  Both are on his top ten list!

Mine were time and gift giving.

I actually LOVE to give gifts.  LOVE IT.  I cannot wait for my kids to open their gifts from me at Christmas and their birthdays.

I used to have an unspoken "contest" of homemade gifts with a set of friends we had early on in our marriage.  The wife and I were big Martha Stewart lovers and we tried making her crafts all the time, and then giving them to each other.  It was great fun. 

So, in the spirit of Christmas, I want to give someone a gift. 

One of you.

Here's what I plan on giving away.

Some are things I make and sell in my ETSY shop, and some are things from Target, my favorite store.

This Live canvas is one of my favorites.  I loved making it.

Everyone could use a little glitter at Christmas, and these magnets could be used to clip Christmas cards to your fridge, or hold all the important school papers.


Aqua and white bakers twine can be used for ANYTHING.  I use it to wrap gifts, and string up ornaments, etc. 


A mustache notebook and a glittery pouch and ornaments...who wouldn't want these?

And lastly, one of my homemade adjustable rings and some music garland.


To enter, you'll have several chances.

1 entry for becoming a new follower of mine (enter on the sidebar), and commenting to let me know.
1 entry for already being a follower and commenting to let me know.
1 entry for following my etsy shop (link on the sidebar to my shop), then commenting to let me know.
and 1 more entry if you purchase something from my ETSY shop and then comment to let me know it was you!

I will announce the winners on Friday, Dec. 13.  Friday the 13th will be one winner's LUCKY Friday the 13th.

Check back, and enter as many as 4 times.

Good luck!

Thursday, December 5, 2013

A Christmas Craft

A couple of years ago, I happened to stumble across a craft purely by accident.  It has been since sold in my Etsy shop, and adorns my Christmas tree as well.

It makes use of old, forgotten, and sometimes dusty-smelling books or hymnals. 

It's book page flower garland.

I'm linking the original tutorial/blog post here so you can read about it and make your own.

I currently have one strand of this in my Etsy shop, and last night I made more to list.

I'm also planning a Merry Christmas giveaway in the next couple days, so please stop by again and see.

Merry EARLY Christmas!

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

What will happen over break...hopefully

I have a day left of work, then I'm off for 5.

To say I'm a little bit excited is quite understated.

I have to get through work, then cheerleading practice after school, and then I'm home free, but first there will be a Varsity basketball game to attend.

Then, joy.  Unadulterated joy.  Maybe some sleeping in.

A lot of things to accomplish.  But then I always set a goal over break.

I've decided in a not very formal way, that alot of Pinterest ideas will be accomplished over Thanksgiving break.

Like, going through my closet, getting rid of what I NEVER wear, and putting together some outfits I've been pinning for awhile.


I need to sew up some jeans, and maybe add some ruffles to the bottom of my camis.

I need to start baking my Christmas cookies (always a favorite by friends AND my own family...)

and I'd like to try some new things, like homemade crunchwrap supremes,

P.F. changs lettuce wraps...

and some paleo meals.

Eating at my aunt's house, and Black Friday shopping with the kids is also a plan.

Then, some craft projects...for my Etsy shop, and myself.





and we can't forget...Holiday Decorating.

I need to mix mine up a little.  Move some decorations around, so my Christmas things don't look the same every year.



Simple isn't such a bad thing...maybe then I won't be so tired of it come New Years.

All in all, I'm getting pumped. 


How about you?

(feel free to find me on Pinterest.com...loriery, or just click the link on my sidebar.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday, November 21, 2013

What you never thought you'd do

I'm not one to write with big, giant, sweeping words.

In fact, I get made fun of if I whip out a new one I read in a book.

So, my posts will never be what, say, my idol, Flower Patch Farm girl has with her wonderful, sweeping writers prose.

I'm a simple kind of girl, which leads me to talk about something that just "sprang to mind" the other day while I was waiting in my van to go into the preschool I help at 3 mornings a week.

"Things I thought I'd NEVER do, or have." 

In typical Lorie fashion, it's gonna be in a LIST.  (Remember, there is nothing wrong with lists....ahem... Brent.) just sayin'.

So, here goes...

1.  I NEVER EVER wanted a mini van.  I mean, who drives one of those...soccer moms.  Frumpy people.  I was going to have a sport utility vehicle, and I was gonna look like I was cool.  Well, low and behold, 9 years ago, while I was the mother of a then kindergartner and a 4 year old, we bought one.  Gas prices had started to skyrocket, and sport utility vehicles were gas guzzlers.  It was the BEST THING WE EVER DID!  At the time, we were making yearly treks out to Illinois to visit my husband's extended family.  We had SO MUCH SPACE, AND we could put the kids WAY IN THE BACK, instead of right up behind us in a car.  We thought we were the smartest people on earth.  It was HEAVEN.

Now, it's necessity with all their stuff, and the friends we take home from practice.  Until my children are out of the house, we will have a van.  Now, granted, it's a sportier looking van, with leather heated seats, a DVD player, and all the extras.  We're not crazy, people. 

2.  I NEVER wanted to, or thought I'd live in the small town I grew up in.  I mean, come on people, I can't have a high paying, fancy job in a small town.  I can't marry someone rich with an equally fancy job if I stay here.  I thought I was gonna live in Chicago, or New York, or someplace MUCH fancier than my quaint little town.  (Ironic though it is, Grace now has the same aspirations!  New York is always on her mind, even though we have never been there.)  I had plans to move to Grand Rapids where my aunt and uncle were living at the time, and then I started dating my now husband, and I guess you could say, my priorities changed.  I don't regret the decision we made, but once a year, I have to get my "City Fix" and we travel to Chicago.  A girl's gotta dream, right?



3.  I NEVER EVER was going to find antiques interesting like my mom did.  She went to auctions, thrift stores, and antique stores.  My sister and I went with her.  I thought I hated every minute of it.  Little did I know I would grow to love them just as much, and make a small business out of selling/repurposing vintage items.  Who knew it would become a "fad" all it's own?


4.  I NEVER thought I would like the crazy, very ugly CROCS fad.  I mean, sure, they are great for nurses who are on their feet all day, but come on...they look ridiculous.  I'm happy to say, however, I have a pair in my back room.  They are GREAT for outdoor summer projects, cause you can hose them off, and slip them right on again.  When Evan was little, his feet were so fat, and he took his shoes off so much, crocs were the easiest thing for him to wear.  Just goes to prove, sometimes crazy really is GOOD! 

and lastly,

5.  I NEVER thought I'd be a writer.  I mean, I know, I'm not, my sister was always better at that, but I NEVER guessed I would ever be writing a blog, telling strangers about my life, OUR lives. Getting comments that crack me up from people I've never met.  What a great experience this has been, even though so very often my husband thinks it's important to tell me the blog would be SO MUCH BETTER if it was all about him.  Get your own blog buddy! 

So what things did you NEVER think you'd do or buy, or wear?  I'm dying to know!


Friday, November 15, 2013

Friday Finds

Thank goodness it's Friday.  It seems like it took forever to get here this week.

I caught myself more than once this week, thinking of so many other things while driving to work.  Things I had to do, cheer schedules I needed to make, etc. 

Today when I realized we had no big thing to do this weekend, I felt incredibly HAPPY.

This rarely happens to us, and it feels so freeing.

So, I'm instead sharing some Friday Finds from Pinterest.

Things from my FAVORITE store, Anthropologie...





theshabbycreekcottge.com
 DIY spray painted curtain rods...

 intials for everyone in your family...
 A photo collage with lights for Grace's room...




Things that make my already happy mood, well, happier.  Hope you enjoy them too.