granny squares...

... are highly addicting.

i've made several with no plan in mind for what i'm going to do with them just yet, but that's not keeping me from making them. neither is the "claw" my hand turns into every night. 

curse my 38-year-old arthritic hand. *sigh* 

at any rate, it's a great way to keep busy and feel like you've accomplished something while sitting on the couch catching up on some TiVo! just sayin'.

i browsed through a few tutorials, but just couldn't grasp the concept until i found this one. and then it just clicked. if you've been itching to learn how to make a granny square, i definitely recommend it. super easy and fun to make. 

once you get that down, check out her website for more fun tutorials, like these easter egg pals. 

seriously. how cute would those look in a basket?

one last thing... if anyone knows what the pattern is for the blanket featured in her blog banner and where i can find it, shoot me a comment/link/email please? 

i'm dying to make a blanket of some sort and that one looks easy enough for starters, but i could be wrong.

happy tuesday!

xo

it's all about love...

i'm a little behind with this post because last week was spent recapping CHA happenings for Craft Critique, and i am totally grateful to have had the opportunity. it was such a fantastic experience! 


so listen, in case you missed the show or have not read the 26416465 posts out there about what's new & hot in the artsy/crafty world, {i never tire of seeing the eye candy}, please take a minute to visit the Craft Critique website for some awesome CHA coverage.

ok, first - there's a new challenge up at The Creative Type! because this month is all about ♥, the new prompt is all about ♥ songs, so if you're in the mood to be sweet & sappy, head on over to the blog and play along!

this song inspired my layout - "you & i" by ingrid michaelson & dan romer {oh how it makes me happy}:

chris and i always talk about our dream house on a mountaintop {what? it could happen.}, so i knew this was the song i had to use. i've also been waiting for the perfect opportunity to scrap the "A + C" photo {which you can read more about here}. it's one of my favorite pics and i may find myself using it over & over again. 

perhaps for a special little valentine something? eh, we'll see.

here's my love song tribute to my honey:

second - some exciting news! i've been asked to join the DT for Angie Delarie Designs! i've been a fan of angie's for a long time {it's not only because we share the same name. i swear.} so of course, i was thrilled when she asked and even more when i saw what i will be working with for my first assignment - hellacute!

if you haven't seen her line of acrylic stamps, paper & chipboard accents, you need to. because seriously, too cute.


speaking of which... you wanna win some of that cuteness?
angie's giving away some fun stuff because she's all about the ♥ {and valentine's day} too. just hop on over to her blog & leave a comment for a chance to win these: 

Three Speckled Frogs Dreaming

and some other fun little accents!
you have until the 12th. you're welcome. ;)


here's wishing you all a "love"ly week...
xo

february...

when did that happen?


with all the fun & fabulous valentine projects popping up everywhere, i had an urge to make a little something 

'valentine-ish' myself. actually, 2 little somethings. 

ATCs to be exact {my favorite thing to make}.

i made both of these for the simply ArTistiC challenge blog. this one was for our last challenge - card #10/swirls:

we are currently on hiatus {new challenges/swaps start up in march!}, but there is an open swap going on this month so i made this card to throw in the swap:

i'm hoping to find some time this year to MAKE some handmade valentines with the kid for her classmates, since this will be the last year she'll get to do that. 

because, you know... it's lame to give out valentines in 7th grade. duh. 

do you make your own valentines or have you seen any cool ones out there? i need idears. please to share.

here's hoping for fabulous february!

xo

{a day in the life}...

the day we finally cleaned out our garage. 

we've been putting it off for far too long. it had to be done. and it had to be done while our temps are in the 60's and not in the 100s. which isn't far off. damn desert living.

this was the state of chaos our garage was in before. i mean, it wasn't incredibly horrible - some unpacked boxes that have been in there since we moved in 11 years ago {clearly there was nothing we couldn't live without in those boxes} & random crap strewn about - but it had "hoarders" potential, so i figured we should nip it.   

 the man's work bench. {hey! are those my sneakers?!} 

it's not surprising he can never find a tool when he needs it. 

especially since the majority of his tools are shoved in buckets. placed randomly throughout the garage. and inside the house. 

it's the reason why we have 26165473 hammers. 

because it's easier to just go buy one than to try and find one. naturally.

i found a box of stuff i had stashed away for my first kid and look what was in it - my MOST FAVORITE childhood teddy bear! her name is "biscuit". she was a birthday gift from someone... i can't remember who, but i've had her since i was 5 yrs old. 

wow. she looks GREAT for her age, don't you think? 

BINKIES! my first kid was a TOTAL binky baby. she always had one in her mouth and one in each hand {note to self: find & scrap those pics}. those two stuck to the top of the box were her favorite ones. uh... i'm guessing it's probably about time i let those go considering the condition they're in. ew.

i also found a box of "collectibles" - some 80's barbie dolls given to us by an aunt {omg it's malibu barbie & skipper!} and a BUTTLOAD of mcdonald's promotional beanie babies still in their packages. 

i wonder if they're worth anything?

there's one teeny vintage doll that sort of creeps me out, as most dolls do. and a couple of 1966 nekkid barbies. at least the back of their heads are stamped 1966, but after reading this article, i'm thinking they're also 80's. at any rate, they look a hot mess.

*WARNING - if you are offended by gratuitous nudity - LOOK AWAY!*

in one of the unpacked boxes marked "home decor" {which has me seriously questioning my taste and sense of style}, i found a wall hanging from india. 

yep. actually purchased IN INDIA by my husband when he was there on a business trip awhile back. 

isn't it lovely {she says sarcastly}?

he thought so. he really did. so much that it HAD TO be hung above our waterbed. yes, a waterbed. don't pretend like you've never owned one. 

anyway, the day i got to take this beauty down and pack it away was one of the best days EVER. i think subconsciously it's the reason why i wasn't in hurry to unpack that particular box. {SORRY, HONEY!}

don't get me wrong, it was appreciated. 

and it really is a quite lovely piece of fabric with beautiful vivid colors and well, you can't see them in this picture, but alot of shiny sequins. 

it's just something that will NOT be going back up anytime soon or something that can be ripped apart. and i'd hate for it to be packed away for another 11 years so... i'm GIVING IT AWAY! 

yep. i don't know that anyone would be interested, but if you are or know someone who might appreciate this, please leave me a comment or shoot me an email! i'm not even kidding. 

wanna see the "after"?

i know it sorta looks the same as the "before", but trust me... it's not. we dumped a lot of crap. and there's still some work to be done in there, but now everything has a place. and i have a sense of... peace? sanity? lightness? something. you know that feeling when you de-clutter. it truly does wonders.

don't forget... if you're in need of an authentic indian wall hanging {because who isn't?}, leave a comment :)

happy wednesday!

xo

and the word is...

do more...

laughing. loving. playing. creating. teaching. learning. cooking. baking. reading. documenting. communicating. connecting. giving. the list goes on...

do less...

worrying. spending. yelling. complaining. sitting. analyzing. fearing. 

do nothing. do everything.

some days i want to conquer the world. other days i just want to curl up and watch it go by. 

do what i want to do. when i want to do it.

so often, i let guilt keep me from taking some time for myself - to watch a movie or to read a book or play a game or make some art because there are other things that NEED to be done around here first. but i realize now that if i don't do things for me {and my mental & creative well-being}, pretty soon, i won't want to do anything at all. what a sad existence that would be.

don't think. just do.

no more over-thinking and analyzing my creative urges and decisions. no more being fearful of doing something wrong or of failing. 


for me, this year is about doing. 
what is your year about?

it's a new... everything

yet, i feel like i'm already so far behind. and we're only 7 days into the new year! how does that happen?

speaking of new... TADA! new blog. finally. it's taken me long enough to clean it up. am i happy with it? of course not. i never am with anything i do {please tell me i'm not the only one}. 

it's a work in progress. 

there will be some tweaking  here and there. 

and adding of new things always.

but i am generally satisfied with it at the moment. 

it seems cleaner. lighter. simpler. 

and actually makes me WANT to blog now, so that's a good thing, right? because i have plans. and ideas. 

and things i want to share. 

oh yes.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

super cool pic from The Telegraph


i feel like it had to be said. because everyone else has already said it. and blogged it. and tweeted it. and proclaimed their resolutions and set their goals for the year. and are actively practicing their chosen "olw". 
which is great. for them. 
yet here i sit, with my christmas decs still up, presents STILL strewn about the house, kitchen STILL a mess from christmas day festivities {I KNOW!}, a pile of last year's mail and bills that need attending to. 
BUT... i've come to realize that, well - it is what it is.


i really admire those people who have their shit together before the start of a new year {i won't lie. i'm even a little bit jealous}. i've thoroughly enjoyed reading all about their past year and new endeavors. i just have to come to accept that i'll never be one of those people. and be ok with it. 
so... there it is. 
I DON'T HAVE MY SHIT TOGETHER! 
and probably won't until around the middle of june. 
BUT... i did choose a "word" for the year. so there's that.


one thing i've really enjoyed reading on others blogs are their recaps of 2010. i would LOVE to do something like that, but i can barely remember what i did last week, let alone the happenings of an entire year. 
so, i'll just share my most recent "proud moment" event - in december, i was a featured guest on the JBS Inspiration blog!

now, anyone who knows me knows how big of deal this was for me. 

i was beyond thrilled! 

and here's what i made:

wicker ball ornaments

and a layout

totally fun. totally honored to have been asked.
not a bad way to end the year. an even better way to start off a new year (at least craftwise)!


1st post of 2011 - DONE. post #2 coming up in the next couple of days and it's all about the "word", so please do come back. ;)


hope your year is off to a fabulous start!

thank you...

... for sharing your favorite traditions with me. they all sound wonderfully autumn-ish! AND... i learned that we do have somewhat of a fall season here in Arizona (thanks julie & erin!). i may have to travel north a bit to find it, but it would be well worth it, i think. :)

and now for the delicious little treat giveaway - the apple goes to (drawn by random.org, which i still haven't figured out how to display on my blog):

JULIE TUCKER-WOLEK!!

omg you're gonna LOVE this apple. it's ridiculicious!! please send me your address so i can get this sucker shipped out to you in time for halloween. hooray!

the new challenge is up at simply ATC! stacey fike has provided some fabulous inspiration for our very last "Alice in Wonderland" prompt. take a look:

i'm hoping i can find some time to squeeze out an ATC for this one. the illustrations & colors are so yummy! go take a look for yourself. the challenge ends November 1st. and then we reveal our brand new theme. i'm super excited about it! :)

that's all for now.

have a wonderful week!

xo