December rocks

Knitting is my new friend. Errr, addiction. I really can't stop. I'm on scarf #4 right now (scarf #1 - my first knitting project ever pictured above.) Can't show you the rest of my projects because they are going to be gifts, but a big 'yay' for knitting. It just feels right to knit when the weather is cold. And man, is it cold.

Wow, I must say ... I had a blast with December's kit from Red Velvet. Everything goes together so well. This may be my fave RV kit so far. Although it's tough to say because I love them all.

I made a few 9x9" pages for my Journal Your Christmas album... just have to add the dates/numbers to each and slide them into my book. YAY. Love the snowflakes and the narwhal and those sweet Hambly frames.

But the green gingham oil cloth is just the best.

I did a couple of pages using photos from the night we decorated our tree. We put L in her Christmas pj's and she had a blast checking out all of the ornaments and admiring the lights. Def scrapworthy.

And yes, here's the knitting again. Can you tell I'm proud? It's not my fault that two of the papers in this kit had this awesome yarn border edge that was just too perfect.

I used the snowflake stamp to make kraft wrapping paper. As simple as this is, I've never done this before and it was waaaay fun.

And I had a blast using Rachel's cool patterns.

I made felt ornaments but there are so many other uses for these – paper tags, embroidery, anything goes.

December is my month to come up with a challenge at RV.

Which is... to paint on something unexpected (and better yet, recycle something.) I found this piece of metal in our basement and used Rachel's Merry Christmas pattern to make this decoration for our fireplace.

Finally, I have lots of new stuff up in the shop. Stop by if you need a cute last-minute holiday gift for a little one - there's still time to get custom tee's before Christmas! Totally.

And while December definitely rocks, January may rock harder, because Lost is back. This is just too long of a break for me. Check out this sneak... aacck, I can barely stand it. January 21, people.

this morning...

Lotus and I go to the grocery store to mail a package and pick up parsley for walnut pesto (dinner tonight) and grab Starbucks on the way out. Not a big deal, easy stuff.

Stand in long line to mail package. With impatient toddler. Usually the post office has the long line, but now the grocery store postal counter has a long line, too. The others have figured out my secret mailing location. 'Tis the season to mail things. We reach the counter and I realize that my package is going to the UK and I had forgotten that the grocery store does not mail anything overseas. Argh.

Go to get parsley. And bananas. Lo is either trying to run away from me or holds my leg so tightly that I have to walk with her attached to it. Lady with 30 items steps in front of us in express checkout lane. But it's okay. Stand in line with impatient toddler.

Go to Starbucks inside the grocery store, order coffee and walk outside to car. Lo gets upset for unknown reason, refuses to be carried and throws my keys into the snow. I struggle to pick up the keys, grocery bag and Lotus while holding my coffee as an SUV stops two feet away from us (and the stop sign in the crosswalk where we were walking) and impatiently waits for us to get it together.

I balance coffee, grocery bag, keys + whatever toys/books child was carrying + child to the car and precariously set my coffee on the trunk of the car. As I get L strapped into the car seat, my coffee slides in slow-mo off the trunk, the lid pops off and my entire cup spills into the snow.

Which almost makes me cry.

We head off to the post office to mail package to the UK. Sigh. Lotus woke up with a cold this morning, so every time she sneezes, a huge glob of snot ends up under her nose. And every time she sneezes, she's in the car seat and I'm driving. I pull up to the post office, wipe little nose with Kleenex, and can already spot a very long line. I look in my bag and realize I had forgotten to fill out the customs form. Double grrr. The postal workers at this particular branch are always annoyed when you don't fill out the form ahead of time, and I decided I just didn't want to deal, so we leave post office.

And so I drive over to the drive-thru Starbucks. Where I order another coffee to try to get over the sadness of losing the first cup. Almost consider telling barista about what had just happened to see if I can get a free coffee but realize the world doesn't work that way. Pay for coffee #2. Rargh again.

Beg Bo to come home for lunch, fill out the customs form and run out the door (back to the post office) as soon as he's home. Mail package, drink coffee. All is okay again.

Lessons learned: 1. Think before you leave the house (and fill out the customs forms.) 2. Starbucks is the root of all evil. 3. And the post office needs a drive-thru.

Friday, I'm in love.

So today's kind of a cool day in my world. Knitting little by little when I can. Listening the crap out of this. Especially this one. Gives me little chills. (Thanks Kara.)

Jamaica asked me to do a little long-distance simultaneous nerd project several weeks ago. She even sent me these rad supplies to make my little book. So I can't take credit for how amazing this looks – she sent me the deliciously thick letter-pressed cover, pretty papers, bookbinding tape and elastic to hold it all together.

Our mission? (Also her genius idea.) Graph and chart our lives. Silly things, everyday things. So we each kept track. And then it became this week's Dare. Yup, like that kind of Dare. THE Dares.

So here are some of mine. Be sure to check out Jamaica's as well - just looking at hers made me want to make more. I am basically in love with the girl. (J... of course I will marry you. And I wish we really could be neighbors so we could have worked on our nerd charts together. And rescue each other when font/printer emergencies arise.)








And now it's officially time to get shiny and bright.

Because the new challenge is up at ScrapMojo! And the challenge is just that - use a fave Christmas quote + something sparkly. Here's my Guest Mojo Girl page... (much love for those girls!)

Be sure to play along for a chance to win an awesome prize pack from Sassafras! Now go check out what everyone else has made. So merry, so bright.

Preparations are in full force today to get ready for Craft Saturday tomorrow. Super excited for this holiday event! We'll be there from noon until 7 pm - extended hours!

Also super excited that we'll be right next to Java Joe's so I can drink yummy coffee all day with my Erin. Which is also the perfect excuse for you to come out and see us. Coffee + handmade spectacular finds. I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday.

I'll have some new custom t-shirts and birthday t-shirts for the kiddos.

And I'll be bringing Christmas scrapbook kits and these new holiday cards. And some other fun stuff. :)

Check out just some of the vendors' goods below. You'll have to come see the rest for yourself.




Last but not least, I have one more Friday thing to share. Because you know it's time to Work Your Soul. Oh yes, Kim has come up with an amazing challenge this week.

Image transfers!

It's messy and awesome and you absolutely must try it immediately.








What started out as an experiment with glue soon transformed into something a little deeper. Something happened when I saw all these photos ripped and torn and shredded. I somehow ended up writing about something I've never really written down before. I totally didn't mean to go there, but I'm glad I did. Paper therapy, I tell you.

cool, cool.

1. Tonight I spent some quality time with my girls. And acheived a goal I've had for years. My pals Amy and Sarah took turns teaching me to do a couple of simple knit stitches and I coudn't be more stoked. I'm prematurely starting a little chunky scarf but it will be a good practice project.

2. Check this out. It is basically my dream come true. My girl Shimelle is making fabulous screen-prints of my Christmas scrapbooking tags! She has printed them on cardstock and vintage dictionary pages - be still my heart. Really. I can barely contain myself.

3. Lotus is famous. She is featured on the GabbaFriends site!

4. And just when it couldn't get any more exciting, guess what? This month I'm the Guest Mojo Girl at ScrapMojo. I was thrilled to get an email from the totally inspiring Marie - I've got much love for that site - it's an honor. My interview is up right now if you want to take a peek. Check back Friday @ Mojo for the brand spanking new challenge and scrappage from moi!

5. More surprises on Friday. And an amazing way to start your weekend off right at Work Your Soul. Be ready to get messy. It's a fun one. And that's all I can say. ;)

oh my

Hello, hello December, my friend!

Take a gander at the gloriousness of the December kit from Red Velvet.

Rachel has cooked up some sweet extras this month - printable pdfs that you can use for gift tags, felt ornaments, garlands, or cute additions to your holiday projects. How fun is that?!

As for the rest of the kit... I could eat it up. Five Sassafras papers, Hambly frames and papers, Jenni Bowlin bingo cards and papers, vintage score cards, hand-cut pink felt trees, green gingham oil cloth, green Pink Paislee alphas, vintage score cards and other goodies...ummm, Merry Christmas to you? Yup, I think so. Hurry up and grab yours now.

We have lots of pretty white snow (which totally messed up our Thanksgiving travel plans yesterday) but I do have to admit that it's very festive and at last, it feels right. 'Tis the season.

Which reminds me, today is my little brother's birthday. We always had a tradition of not setting up the tree in our family until after his birthday on December 1st, so it's funny that I still end up doing that now that we're all grown up and out of the house. I'm sure we'll get everything decorated in the next few days. I'm always excited to get started. My talented friend, Yana, is coming over in a couple of weeks to take some family photos so I have to get things looking cute before then.

We have discovered that little L is terrified of Santa this year. It's not very surprising - she's a timid one. And at this age, who can blame her.

The free crayons and coloring book cheered her up, though. She gives the Santa in the coloring book kisses, so she isn't permanently scarred.

We scored some more Eames chairs off Craigslist. And yes, our house is now overrun with chairs but they were honestly such a good deal and we couldn't pass them up. Now we just need an expert to come over and tell us how to arrange our living room seating area. Or we should have a party. Everyone would definitely have a place to sit.

And check out this little end table that we got as part of the deal - it's a cylinder of brick that had been cut out of the historic Brown-Camp loft buildings from downtown Des Moines. Cool.

I have an exciting and busy week ahead with a few surprises on Friday. Fun stuff, busy stuff and then on Saturday, Erin and I will be doing Craft Saturday stuff! Don't miss it - it's this Saturday, December 6th at the Fourth Street Theatre next to Java Joe's downtown, from noon until 7 pm! You'll be able to knock out all the rest of your holiday shopping in one shot - be sure stop by to check out all of the goods. You'll be so happy you did.

If you have a minute, this is quite cute, and I'm not just saying that. It's Lo naming off her Yo Gabba Gabba characters and making them 'dance' on her toy piano. She's saying their names, if you're not familiar with the show ... Muno, Foofa (she re-visits Foofa a few times, ha,) Plex, Brobee, and Toodee. Keep in mind that the child is only one and a half and learning to talk, so you'll have to give her a break on the pronunciations. :)

it's almost time...

...to Journal Your Christmas! It all starts this Monday, December 1st, and it's not too late to sign up! Last year, I decided to give this online class a try. (You can see some of my 07 pages here.) I'll admit ... making a page each day in December all the way through the twelfth day of Christmas (in January) intimidated me at first.

But wow, I fell in love with making something every day during the holiday season, taking the photos and sliding that day's page in my book. At the very end, I was a little sad it was over.

The cool thing is that once you 'join' Journal Your Christmas, you're in for life. So of course I was looking forward to December this year when I could start all over again.

But it's more than just making a page a day. It's an experience. It really is. You're documenting the season, the memories, the music, the food, the feeling, the nostalgia, the preparations... along with a few thousand people from all around the world. Cool, huh? (The template for this 'evidence' page comes from Jamaica ... I'm looking for the link to the exact spot on her blog where she has it available for download but i LOVE this block of squares and have used it often to document randoms ... that girl is brilliant.)

You can make it into a scrapbook, or you can use it as a writing project with just a journal and pen. Either way, you're going to end up with something that brings back the magic for you (in your quest to 'take back Christmas,' as Shimelle says) and keep your memories fresh for you and others to look back on years from now.

And while we're talking about Christmas (because it is the day after Thanksgiving after all, so here we go!) Four of these fun and bright Christmas mini book kits are up for grabs in my Etsy shop.

All four include a super cute 6x6" American Crafts album with page protectors, plenty of card stock, letter stickers (two of the kits come with A.C. Thickers) and other fun little things to get you started. These make an easy gift or would be very cute to organize some of your Christmas photos from this year or years past. Or have your family help put it together over the holidays (perfect if you have kids sitting around looking for something to do!)

And the perfect thing to go with your Journal Your Christmas album? These date/number tags, also in the shop. This set will take you from December 1 all the way through January 7 (the twelfth day of Christmas!) But if you don't want to use them all, that's okay. You can choose from the pre-cut paper version, or the pdf download that you can print and cut yourself!

so really...

What are you thankful for?

I'm worried that some days I'll forget to stop and look, and these days will pass me by. My days spent with my little girl, who is trying on my Vans and hugging my leg and doing a little dance. All at the same time.

I'm thankful for the simple life. Complicated only slightly by a toddler who will turn two in a few months, with ideas and convictions of her own. But really, I've been thinking lately that these are quite possibly the most fun years of my life. And I don't want to miss them. Or wish them away.

As busy and crazy as life gets when you add a little one to your household, it's so very sweet and wonderful. Certain things mean so much more; other things don't matter at all anymore. I've seen the transformation – I've become less selfish and more patient. For me, these are the best of times.

Even though there are a lot of pretty little 'things' that I post about here - ahem, dresses and letterpressed goods and boots – I don't want anything or need anything else that I don't have. I have solid girlfriends who I keep close; who know the real me and love me come what may. (And vice-versa.) My husband is hilarious, our relationship is strong, and we don't take that for granted. My little girl makes my heart so very happy. I've never felt so much love in my life. And I'm thankful. For that.

'tis the season!

Can you believe Thanksgiving is only three days away? I don't think we'll actually be having any turkey this year unless I make it myself. For myself. I have married into a family of vegetarians.) Oh wait. We're going to my dad's house on Sunday, and we might have turkey there. YAY!

Am I the only one wondering how this came up so quickly? And running out to get evaporated milk/pumpkin/cool whip to make a pie? Maybe it is just me. [Awesome Thanksgiving-related illustrations from Natalie Dee.]

Oh my! I can barely contain my excitement. Have you seen the sneak preview of the December Red Velvet kit? This is going to be an absolute must-have for all your winter/holiday projects. It would also make a pretty sweet gift if someone on your list has been extra nice this year. This month's kit will be up for sale here on December 1st, so mark your calendar now!

I'm totally behind on this, but Kim and I posted a new challenge over at Work Your Soul on Friday.

Go check it - it's a super fun one and we have one seriously talented girl by the name of Patty helping us out on this one. Much love for this girl.

I keep bugging my friends to teach me to knit, but this is such a busy time of year for us all. I may try to learn to cast on and do a basic knit stitch here... or at least practice a little bit. Before I embarrass myself in front of them.

And check out these two. The one on the right is Francesca Lucia, circa 1980-something. She was mine. I, like so many other parents who had these in the 80s, was tempted by the new 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch Kids. How dare they tug at our heartstrings with an emotional purchase like this?! (I mean, my dad probably had to knock someone out to get Francesca for me that Christmas in 1980-whatever.) I looked through the new dolls in the store to find 'just the right one' to give to L for Christmas but couldn't decide. Then I looked in the basement and there was Francesca, and in surprisingly good condition. I was pretty careful with my toys when I was little, and she stayed nice and clean - she's just missing some shoes, and I had to re-braid her hair and put in new rubber bands. I used to feel silly saving some of my old toys, but seeing Lo play with my old pal totally makes me grin.

Elsie's class is still going in full force. I have been making time (either during L's nap time or late at night) to do some fun projects - including this little pink girly doll. Yes, another doll. Lo's been sleeping with her all week.

And I'm addicted to making these little felt notebooks. It's bad. I can't stop.

Writing in a journal has honestly felt pretty good. Funny or serious or meaningless ... I'm not really over-thinking the outcome. Not worrying about the Sharpie bleeding through the back of the page. Just writing whenever I have time or a thought that is worth a little black marker action. I think coloring with Lotus lately has really brought back my love of markers.

Want to see something gross?! Too late. This is a bacon cheeseburger toaster sandwich from Sonic. Officially the grossest greasiest thing I've attempted to eat in awhile. And I'm a pretty big offender when it comes to fast food. But this may have cured my burger craving for awhile. Anyway, since I couldn't finish it, I used it for this page in my Wreck This Journal. I smashed it inside the book so the grease soaked through like ten pages. And I'm sure it smells like onions now. I have an even grosser photo but can't bring myself to show you. Don't worry – my most dreaded page/assignment is coming up which will surely make this book even worse and/or possibly wash away the smell. I have to take the book into the shower with me.

On a happier and less greasy note, my fantastic husband scored these two Eames chairs off Craigslist tonight. They were a steal. And in other Bo news, I have officially witnessed a new side of the guy this week. A new level of cuteness, if you will. He was bleeding and as a last resort, put on one of Lotus' pink Hello Kitty band-aids. This doesn't sound like a big deal, I know, but trust me, it was really cute. I didn't tell him that we have a new box of normal band-aids in the medicine cabinet. Ahem, Bo... we have a new box of normal band-aids in the medicine cabinet. :)

hmmm.

So yes, the new challenge is up right now at The Creative Type. And this has been my favorite so far - use paint to write your words. Any style, any color – just use paint. This is a super fun one to do, so come play along with us! It will surely kick your mojo back into gear if you had you been missing it.

I've been really into my Free People catalogs again. Like I don't just flip through... I stop and analyze.

They're the perfect example of drawing+doodling+fonts and have made me want to mess with my handwriting and try different things.

And as I've said before, I'm taking Elsie's online class right now, and both she and Rachel are such awesome sources of inspiration (especially in the area of painted lettering) so I went ahead and painted the cover of this journal. While I was in the painting mood. It's not crazy beautiful like my Free People examples – just a quickie. The past few days I've just felt like painting on everything, so watch out. (I even attempted to paint L's nails today with light sparkly pink OPI.) This notebook is one of those Greenroom Eco woodgrain lovelies from Target and I really dig the size. And yup, those are lyrics from the Ben Folds/Regina Spektor song. I used that title as a note to self, because I so rarely record things in a journal anymore and it's so therapeutic that I can't wait to get back into it.

Some random pages from my 'Wreck this Journal.' This piece of newsprint is from my hometown paper, and it's about this woman who I used to care for in a nursing home where I worked during high school. It was her 110th birthday this year. And I just thought that was remarkable. It talks about how she had a particular request on each of her birthdays after she turned 100 ... a motorcycle ride, a beer, and she gets two dozen red roses for each year from her grandkids (all of her children are gone.)

This page shouldn't even be here yet, because it's so bare but they're all a work in progress.

Same here. And we need to eat more fruit.

I love pretty leaves. Lotus helped me pick these out.

Grocery lists and a pizza order ticket from our favorite local pizza place, F&O's.

And I had a great night on Friday busting out scrappage with Amy.

Between lots and lots of chatting, I did get a few things done.

And our other friend, Julie, happened to be there too, which was awesome. She was about to go into labor at any minute and I think at one point was timing her contractions. Holy crap. And she has to be the most adorable pregnant person I've ever met, right up until the end. She really is. (Any news yet about Julie+baby?)

Got caught up on a few summer and fall pages for L's book this year.

'Oh my' is one of the things we've been hearing a lot around our house. Like L will throw a toy on the ground, it will make a loud crash, and she'll say 'oh my' in a way that makes her voice crack. Possibly so she won't get into trouble for throwing things due to her ability to be cute. Hmmm.

so watcha-watcha-watcha want?

Crazy busy days behind and ahead of me, but it's cool. Having lots of work to do makes me feel like all is right in my head, and a part of me digs the feeling I get after a productive day and a late night on the computer downstairs. And part of me is a little bit tired and surviving on coffee and Pepsi for the sixth day in a row. New goals for the next few months include making some brand new stuff for Craft Saturday, doing thoughtful Christmas shopping/gift making, learning to knit (if I can persuade Sarah and Amy to help me with that) and learning to make a quilt. This shop is super close to my house and offers a beginners' class that should teach me everything I need to know so I don't totally end up in a mess on my first try. There is no crying in sewing.
*And what's with the Beastie Boys song lyric subject titles lately? Well, the B-Boys are always on my playlist and always in my head. But I'm also very sad that we just missed their show in Minneapolis a few weeks ago. It's hard to let it go. Bo is not happy about it, either. Sucks.

My November stuff is up at Red Velvet Kit Club. Can I get all kinds of cheesy and just say that I am so thankful to be part of this team? These girls really are the best. And this month's kit was so completely radical.

Even Elsie rocked it this month - you have to check out what she did.

I made this page with a HUGE leaf from our back yard. We have Sycamore trees that are fifty-some years old and drop these enormous leaves everywhere.

And I made a fun 6x8" mini book all about the little things from fall of this year. (I am just now noticing how yellow these photos are and I'm a little embarrassed... but we've just had no sunlight and on the day I took these we were really lacking so I had to use a lamp. Yellow. Ugh. ETA... it drove me crazy enough that I retook the photos. Yes, OCD. I know.)












My mom is visiting this weekend. The mall is busy and annoying. And I'm permanently cold - one of those days where I can't for the life of me warm up. I've been exchanging super fun emails with this super cool girl. Going scrapping with Amy tonight and really looking forward to fun chatting and maybe getting something done. And a new post is going up at The Creative Type tomorrow so don't forget to check that out! I think it might be my favorite so far.