really... so long between posts?

It's been a seriously... 

busy busy

month here for me people!

In November-

I started redoing Hailey's room.

She moved into the boys old room in the basement & we (okay it was me) decided to turn her room into a guest room. We frequently have guests & it is only difficult because we always put them in Trent's room. That is a nightmare for me. So much work & it throws him off his schedule. So- In changing this room to a guest room-- my life will eventually be easier- right?

I have to say- all the wallpaper is down & I haven't even walked into the room since the friday before thanksgiving. No time.

One of Jack's best friends---

SETH CAME HOME FROM HIS MISSION!!!

So lucky for us Jack was home a little bit. 

He is so fun to have home.

Great News-

Hailey got a job at Cafe Rio!!!

FREE MEAL

-Oh ya-

She doesn't get to bring home free food I just love to yell free meal like they do.

Are you just sick about the whole Hostess going under business?

I may have ate my last raspberry filled powdered sugar donut?

I don't want to live in this kind of world? A world without twinkies?

Dear me--- can it be so?

SOMEONE FIX THIS!

A little update:

We LOVE having Brittany close & think she should eat dinner here every night.

Laura is on bed rest now-- she's 26 weeks--- much too soon for these little buggers to be wanting to come. So down she is!

I've been working nearly 30 hours a week & haven't had a day off in 10 days straight!

sigh- Christmas time + retail = crazy busy.

I've been in the last two Sunday nights after the store closed putting up Christmas floor sets.

Fun really-- but so tiring.

my window

ISN'T IT GORGEOUS!!!

I'm just a little over the top - proud of it.

I've also been making capes for Christmas- remember the super hero capes I made for Charlie & Joey?

Well-- I have had some orders & made 5 capes now! you know, just in my free time - still it's great for a little extra Christmas money & they are really fun to make!

Thank Heaven's for Brett- he is such a huge support & truly my sweet heart. 

I love to see him with his "other girls" Lavern & Shirley.

It just cracks me up!

They run to his as soon as he opens the back door. 

Thanksgiving Post 

(it was so much fun!) 

coming soon

creating

Last week- besides finishing the quilt-

( I forgot to mention I am naming that quilt "snow day")

I finished two pinterest projects!

I had some fabulous orange hand soap that I made a soap dispenser to match- It is sitting on my sink next to the dish washing soap.

I also made these birthday cards. I need a lot of birthday cards throughout the year. This idea I found at Ucreate. Kari at Ucreate is the best! She used to be missionary Jack's Sunday School teacher!

Being creative is the best way to improve the winter blues.



the girls are gone...

To camp.

I miss them.

BUt- there is nothing better than girl's camp!

I dropped Hailey off at 6:15 this morning...

just to find out that they switched the time to 7:00 and no one called the four girls from our ward.

45 minutes early in the morning- rough.

So all of the girls said goodbye to their parents, piled into my car & off we went for donuts & milk.

Chloe didn't leave until 1:30.
This week is also her first ballet recital on point!
So-- she went to a staging rehearsal this morning & up to camp late.
She will only get to spend this one night & then go back & forth during the day.
It's a big week for her- She's been dancing on point for 2 years & finally we get to see it!!! I am really excited, she is bummed that most of her friends are at camp & can't come. That's the breaks in the summer time.

Brett has also been out of town- it's pretty boring around here. I decided to get some projects done, so I let trent invite some friends over- ordered a pizza & haven't seen them all night.

I spray painted an out of date lamp & this CD holder mat black.
They now look like permanent Halloween decorations.
I'm not good at this... in fact I stink at it. I just don't choose colors well.
I also finished binding a little quilt for charlie that I sent in to the quilter with the Lola quilt. It's so cute!! I can't wait to get it out of the dryer & get a photo of it up.

it's been a lonely day
Funny how I love my time alone- but after too long... it's so lonely around here!
Lucky for me-
brett comes home tomorrow tonight

picnic quilt

I have been working on this picnic quilt for a while now.

In between all the busyness of summer.

It's a gift, that I cannot wait to give away.

Because- it has turned out so darn cute!

Last night Jack & Hailey helped me set it up then I taught them how to tie.

Are the awesome or what?
It was really fun for me & now
Jack & I are thinking about making one for his dorm room.

I love projects like this.
It is so satisfying to finish.
Which by the way....
it's not even nearly done & taking up the whole family room
so I better get dressed & off to work on it!

pillow love

I just finished this pillow-

Oh how I love it!!

Even though...

it took forever to sew those buttons on.

I think it was worth it.

By the way,

buttons are 1/2 price at JoAnn's Fabrics this week.

creative thursday with photos!

Even though my camera wasn't working...

I got some pictures this week from creative thursday

thanks to Janae for letting me use her camera!!

(view from my place at the table)

I am on a sewing kick & loving it.

I don't usually like to tote my machine around-

besides being old... it's really heavy.

I am so glad I brought it today - I got a lot a project done that

I am thrilled about.

Having a day out of the house-

getting something creative done-

spending time with these great friends-

PLUS janae made the most delicious chocolate cake-

MY FAvorITE!

Not to mention hearing all about Karrie's

fun trip- Karrie just got home this week from a cruise.

She is so adventurous. Traveling to the Dominican Republic and on stand by!

Oh the stories...

I'm so glad you made it home-

And with SAnd for my collection!!

thanks

Here's what I'm working on-

(done with) a cherry apron for megan.

It was a very productive Creative Thursday!

creative thursday- felt cookie edition

This week for creative Thursday-

(Wow I LOVE my Thursdays...)

We met at Janae's with lots of projects in hand-Kristy brought yummy chicken artichoke pizza, bread sticks & brownies.

And- surprise- Karrie brought us all a valentine treat!

Our own bag of her fabulous carmel corn & a scooby doo valentine :)

I was sUper productive & made valentines for all of my scouts-

then worked on these-

Felt Sugar Cookies

I have made dozens of them this past two weeks-

I love them

You can make some too- here is the tutorial

I got the idea from one of my new favorite blogs-

Pamela Susan.

Pamela Susan's blog if Full of lovely things

she makes jewelry & lots, lots more ... she's amazing!

Check her out here!

creating.... cupcake aprons

So this week- I have a couple of friends with birthdays.... I wanted to create something special- so I have been making cupcake aprons.

It's been really fun to get back to sewing & working with fabric. The problem is I really can't multi task when sewing. I get completely obsessed with finishing & perfection & everything around me falls down. I cannot clean or cook or think- it's a complete commitment.

Maybe that's why I like to sew.

Maybe that's why I don't do it very often

The only think I know for sure is. Jack is one great apron model- he's got it all! He's tall & skinny & boney & everything. I think this could be a career. If only he would not have taken the camera from me (while I was laughing so hard I almost started to cry) and deleted my other pictures... coward!
He says I owe him a blizzard - what do you think?

spt- because of a blogger arts & crafts

I can't even begin to tell you how inspired I am from so many of you bloggers!

Bloggers with great ideas who share them, of course,
KNOCK MY SOCKS OFF
I can't say that I've done many of these ideas........ good intentions be damned.
but now that I am sitting here on my rear end with nothing to do- I've got plenty of ideas to choose from. thanks blogosphere!
the first two ideas come from joys of home as soon as I can get my husband to go to the dollar store & Roberts crafts to pick up the supplies I'm going to do them. somehow having to send him to do this takes all the fun out of it- can you relate? Anyhow- how cute is this?

Just click on the photos for the unbelievably easy tutorial. A warning- since I've started reading joys of home I can't find a can of black spray paint at Roberts craft store. I'm sure they have them at home depot, but you know?

Another AMAZING inspiration is from Mique at 30 hand made days.If you've never been to this blog- STOP READING ME & GO THERE NOW she finds tutorials all over the net & puts them in one easy to find blog. So great.

I really want to make one of these... and the cute needle holder book Michelle tutorialed a while back.

so one of these days- I am going to take a picture of myself doing these things.but for now I continue-trying to wrap beautiful presents like Michelle-tying double ribbons around things like Kristi and trying to look on the bright side of life like all of you creative bloggers.

thanks for the inspiration- thanks for sharing

Banner Project Complete!

Last summer I found this pattern at my favorite little fabric store. I fell in love with it immediately, but I couldn't buy it. I just couldn't think of what kind of banner to make- I get so caught up in projects and had many others, etc., etc. I went home & couldn't stop thinking of the sweet banner. I thought up a million different banners to make with it. So I went back a month later... & couldn't find it. I searched the store, they said they didn't have anymore. I found it in the very back of a pile right where it had been.

I started my first banner a couple days ago then finished it this morning. I LOVE IT. I can't wait to take it to my dear friend's new baby. She has a bright pink room & this light pink banner will be so cute over her crib. Great pattern. The photos just don't do it justice!

I can't wait to make a birthday banner- a Valentine's Day banner... So fun.

I Did It!

It's downright amazing how blogging has made me feel accountable. Like, if I say I'm going to do a project I really have to do it. Can you believe this? I did it. I completely took apart my laundry room- 98% of it- organized it, and put it back together again. AFTER PHOTOS

Here is the post (in case you missed it-it's just down a couple) of what it looked like before.
I found so many great things. Like a great print I forgot I had that I am going to have framed & put over my folding table. I can't wait for that. I have a perfect place for my darling Englebreit prints on the other side of the room. I love Mary Englebreit prints.

It's hard to tell in the photos but this room is light green. It's the very first room I painted when we moved into the house. The green in this room is calming & one of my favorite colors. This room was the main reason I wanted to live in this house. It's great that I can shut the door to laundry messes, but still be so close to the family when I am working in there- it's just off the kitchen & family room. Even though I share it with my kids & their clothes, it still feels like MY room & I like that.

Well...now my bathrooms are all dirty, I didn't make dinner tonight, & there is a huge pile of laundry just behind these photos--- but hey...

it was worth it.