even bombarded with problems, i'm thankful.

let's face it, life hasn't been exactly peaches and cream lately.

• even though my house is a constant disaster, i'm thankful i still have a house.
• even though my back is screaming in pain and pain killers are currently my friend, i thankful that i'm not paralyzed and can still walk.
• even though emma has been extremely difficult to parent, i'm thankful that i have a children to love.
• even though ashlyn is extremely defensive, i'm thankful that God gives me the grace to love her through all the emotional meltdowns.
• even though we have a mountain of medical bills, i'm thankful we have insurance because they could be so much more.
• even though i'm riddled with guilt from being physically limited to live up to my own expectations, i'm thankful i have a counselor who keeps me centered and shows me perspective.
• even though i can't do everything i used to do, i'm thankful for a husband who picks up the slack without complaining.
• even though i can't celebrate Thanksgiving with my mom, i'm thankful for invitations to celebrate with her family and catch glimpses of her in them.
• even though i can't afford to host Thanksgiving dinner, i'm thankful for my dad and step-mom who go above and beyond to make the most amazing feast ever.
• even though my marriage isn't perfect, i'm thankful i have a marriage to work on perfecting.

so, so, so very much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. no doubt. but i'm especially grateful for perspective. and the fact that every negative has a postive counterpart.

hAppy ThAnkGiving fRiends! hope your holiday is full of gratitude and surrounded by those you love.

so i thought i was back...

but apparently i wasn't. heh.


i feel lost not being able to blog daily. crazypants.

here's the deal. after hooking up my computer after fetching it from the repair shop i discovered that it connected to the internet ONE time, and now it won't connect. grrrrrrr.

it's quite comical really. i can connect to IM just fine. i can send/receive email through my Outlook just fine. both needing an internet connection to function. my network connection says it has the appropriate connections......but, i can't get a webpage to appear using Internet Explorer OR Mozilla Firefox. so not cool.

what's so comical is that in order to blog with photos, i have to download and resize photos on the non-internet connecting computer, then email them to my yahoo email, then open up the laptop that does connect and download them from my email, then upload them to photobucket, then insert them in my blog.

a LOT of work.

not only do i have to do this for blogging for also for all of my design team work and etsy shop updates too! anything that needs a photo and needs loaded online needs to be emailed to a different email and using a computer with internet connectivity.

i have some kind of hangup about blogging without photos. i don't know why. it doesn't bother me when someone else blogs without photos, but i just can't seem to do it myself. i chalk it up to lack of witty writing ability on my part, i suppose.

anyyyyyyyyyywho.

good news is the repair shop is willing to fix the issue free of charge. but dang if i don't have the energy to unhook the monitor, the router, the printer, the scanner, the keyboard, yada yada yada, drive it back over there, and wait. again. *sigh*



on another note....i just have to say that being inspired by something and then actually implementing it into your life totally ROCKS! a week or so ago i linked to a family sketchbook idea. i knew i had the perfect book to use for it---a 12" x 24" 3-ring "scrapbook" type book i got as a Christmas gift a few years ago. but thinking about it was as far as i got. 'cause let's face it, life is crazy busy. i had no time to gather all the colored pencils, find a safe spot for the book to land when not doodling, etc.



but, one saturday when i was in a particularly high amount of pain from my back, doug made a deal with ashlyn for her to help clean up the livingroom and do some dusting. she was all over that. in return he would reward her with some money. we don't normally do paid chores around here, so the offer got her excited.


later, she asked to use her money to purchase a book from half-priced books...her new favorite store. she ended up picking a brand new book, steeply discounted, with 404 step-by-step How to draw (people, cartoons, animals, etc.). Score.



this book was just the motivation needed to actually START doodling. so, we've been doodling fools. sometimes using the book to practice and sometimes just doodling randomly.



but her absolutely favorite thing to do in regard to art right now is to make POP UPS.


the girl is OBSESSED. she has these random pop up figures all throughout the house on just about every surface possible. after asking me to make her a list of the Thanksgiving dinner attendees, i realized she wanted it because she's got grand plans to give them away on Thanksgiving. she LOVES giving her art away. and she's dreaming about opening her own etsy shop---too cute. she often asks me, "mommy, do you think i could sell this someday online?"

to which i always reply, "of course, baby. of course."

HELP me pick!

my computer is back.....YAY! that means i can use my scanner again too! i've been dying to get it back so i could scan these preschool pictures of spidergirl.

they are SO good that i am having a hard time choosing which one to buy. and yes, i'm only buying one. as much as i love them and want them ALL, they are ridiculously expensive. but, i'm thankful we have the option of picking just one sheet instead of all ten.




(the pink background doesn't look this weird in person....my scanner doesn't scan pink or yellow very well)



so tell me.........which one is your favorite? and would you get an 8x10 or (2) 5x7's?

doesn't it figure.

my studio materials are strung all over the place and i've got a superbadcreativeitch (yes, that is a word) to make lots of pretty things.

but i can't find anything. ARGH!

so until i get myself organized again, i'm listing it all here with links, so 1. i can remember and 2. you can be inspired too!

(most of these links are to FREE tutorials....BONUS!)
Keyfob Wristlet HERE
Ornament Wreath HERE
Puppet Theatre HERE
Strawberry Pincushion HERE
Ruffly T-shirt Scarf HERE
Pumpkin Spice Playdoh HERE
Felt Play Food HERE
Felt Patterns HERE
OREO cookie turkeys HERE (oooh, don't need my studio for this! hee.)

buried under scrapbook supplies...

everything is fine, i will return soon. i have lots to share, but just about every story is better with pictures. trust me.

i'm slowly making the massive move of my studio to the next room over, but trying to do it without actually packing anything into boxes. dumbest idea ever!

ha. it's a sight to see. but i still don't have my computer with all the bells and whistles back so i can't show you the madness.

this is rockin' the cuteness!

(photo via Sew, Mama, Sew!)

i happened upon this FANASTIC tutorial earlier in the week and forgot all about it until a friend mentioned cotton thread and hand-stitching.

well, ya'll know how much i loooooooooove hand-stitching. i see a similar project like this in my near future.

Melissa from Checkout Girl does amazing hand-stitching/wool felt work. see for yourself in her Little Pink House etsy shop and on her blog.

so, so thankful today for other crafty mamas that love to share their talent with the world via free tutorials! thank you Melissa.....it's so lovely.

hodge podge of randomness

wow. this being without a main computer stuff really puts a kink in my blogging. hrmph. blogging is so much more pleasant (to me anyway) when sharing photos + words.

so, again, i'll resort to the random bulleted list. 'cause i like lists.

• a conversation with emma the other day went a little like this (me) "hey emma....i love you", (emma) "well, mommy, i love you much betterer." said very matter of factly. totally cute.
• ashlyn has decided she wants a guitar. hahhaa. i'm all for supporting her interests, but if you knew how clutzy & uncoordinated this child is, you'd be laughing too. hopefully i can find one thrifting until i can see if she'll really stick with it.
  
• this is day 2 of my computer tower being in the shop to remove what they think is a random virus and i haven't heard a report yet. is that good news or bad news? at $65 per hour for repair, i'm hoping the "oh it'll take less than an hour to repair and you'll have it back in 48 hours" guestimate they gave me was really the case.
• i need it back now! i've got assignments to photograph, and resize, and write instructions for..........and an etsy shop to update!
• i've been trying to make our countdown to christmas activity list of something small to do each day from dec 1 to christmas eve. i'm looking for new, fresh (to us) ideas. what traditions/activities does your family do to celebrate the holiday?
• did i mention that we moved the girls into the same bedroom? yes. we did.
  
• and, did i mention that we moved the playroom into emma's old bedroom? yes. we did.
• only problem with that is that it is about 1/2 the size as it used to be. time to purge toys! (secretly cheering!)
  
• and, did i mention that all that moving means that i can now move my studio into the old playroom? (doing amazing acrobatics! hee.)
  
• and with that move means i'll be at least tripling my space? YAY. don't be hatin' though. my studio before was about the size of two standard 1970s closets. not.big.at.all. AND i'll be sharing it with the girls since they love to scrapbook with me.
  
• and did i mention that the (new) playroom has been organized and turn upside-down at least 3 times in the last 2 weeks because i've moved furniture (which i'm not supposed to be doing) trying to get it all to fit and be functional?
• exhausting just reading it right?
  
• moving along......i have a major itch to create. i think i'm going to work on putting together a December Daily album this year. that Ali E is super inspiring. i tried to do one in 2006 AFTER the month was done and over and, well..........it still isn't done. ha. this year, i'm going to be on the ball.
  
• Spidergirl has decided that she wants a Hello Kitty birthday this year. on the guest list? all boys! this is after last year she wanted Spiderman and had primarily girls at the party. oh, that child of mine. she makes me smile. we'll see if it stays that way in the next two weeks. for the whole year all she's talked about is a snowman birthday cake.
• speaking of her birthday (dec 5.) she knows it's close. every.single.morning. "mommy, is it my birthday today?" no, my child. not today. i think we better make a paper chain countdown this weekend, LOL.
• i've got a handful of scrappy projects to share. as soon as i get that darn computer back!

tell me what you're doing this weekend.......

inspiring me

(necklace image via Anthropologie)
my computer is on the fritz and i currently don't have access to any photos or the ability to use my scanner...bummer.

so instead of ignoring this little space of mine, i've decided that i'm going to share some other little spaces on the net that are inspiring me with a little link love.

• starting with this necklace from anthropologie. it had me at hello. but at $48, i haven't committed to buying it. i keep wishing for someone to buy it for me. hee.
• i'm in love with this one too.
• but then.....i was browsing some favorite blogs earlier in the week and found this fantastic tutorial on kendra's blog showing me how to make my own! *GASP* she's BRILLIANT! if only i knew an inkling about jewelry making i may be able to pull it off. anyone local that can teach me?
• speaking of tutorials...there is a fabulous one (also doubling as a sneak peek into online classes) by Debbie Hodge on Ali E's blog.
• wanting to start my own family doodling sketchbook.
  
• a newly discovered, totally delightful craft blog

addicted to hand-stitching.

there is something so irresistible about hand-stitching. i'm not quite sure why i love it so much, but i do. and i can't resist putting tons of it on every layout i make.

here's my most recent hand-stitched project........with more Autumn Bliss from Little Yellow Bicycle.

hand-stitching + Autumn Bliss = superdeedooper delightful (love.LOVE.love)
(photograph of me and emma taken by Nena Earl, Oct 2007)












do you ever hand-stitch on your layouts/cards? if so, link me up to your project(s) in the comments so i can take a peek!

i laughed so hard i cried.

once a week papers come home from school in a folder called the "Monday folder". I LOVE digging out the Monday folder from Ashlyn's bookbag. for i'm never quite sure what i might find in the Monday folder. but, one thing is for certain, there is always something that makes my heart swell and love her even more-- and always, always something that makes me giggle.

this week, i found this treasure..........it's too good not to share.

"The Wish": A Short Story
by Ashlyn Willis
(typed exactly like she wrote it)

Once upon a time my sister asked for a wand and poof there came a wand. also it could do anything. still I wished for some thing and I got nothing. that sucked a hole lot! i achly (actually) hated that a lot! then she asked for a nother wond cause her other one broke and her parents said no and there it went poof a non break abul wand and she used it to poof me away! auwwww (ouch) i yelled help me and poof came a fairy wond and I poofed my self back up and my sister got grounded. I also always got what I wanted if I wished for some thing and I wished for a TV the next day and the next day I wished to have chiken pie pie for dinner and poof we had it for dinner I loved that it achly rocked cause I love chiken pie pie achly it's my favorit food to eat it has peas, carrots and biskits in it just by saying it it makes me hungre to eat it i'm starving right now but I alredy had lunch all man but I was hungry. I love that stuff but back to dinner it was delishis I ate 7 bouls my sister ate 4 my mom ate 7 like me and my dad just ate brokle carrots and some peas and corn because he doesn't like chiken pie pie that much achly he hates chiken pie pie but I love it my mom does my sister kind of likes it and my doll loves it a lot!

and then later in the night I dreamed of chiken pie pie and I poofed myself down to the kichen and ate all the leftovers and went back to bed my sister was alredy asleep snozing then I could never sleep so then I got an idea! I'll poof myself alseep and then the fairy came down and told me thet the wand ran out of fairy dust she told me it wouldent work so I asked for a nother wand and poof came a nother wond and there and then I poofed myself asleep but it didn't work and down came the fairy and she said sorry about that we ran out but i might have what your need I think thers one more wand and there she gave me here very last wand just for me not for your sister. I said no not for her she's still grounded she, achly she's grounded forever. shwo said the fairy she did not follow the wand rules but you followed the rules that why you did not get grounded but she did I said she is not nice sometimes she is nice but not a lot of times but sometimes shes really really nice to me but sometimes shes nice to my parents ther names are Tania and Doug back to Emma my sister when she's nice to my parents then she'll be nice to them and really really mean to me. I hate that.

funny, funny stuff. into the treasure box it goes. hee.