Create {2}

No, haven't forgotten that I pledged to create something once a week.  Ok, i kinda did.  I'm thinking that FRIDAY will be my deadline for a new creation.  And Friday came and went and no new creation.  ::smacks forehead against wall::   BUT, i have a very reasonable and valid excuse scapegoat explanation.
There will be a post about this later: but I have been completely consumed with a certain book series that my dear friends have been baiting in front of me for weeks.  Lets just say I've read MORE books this month then objects I've created.

MOVING on, Since today is a vacation day, I've decided to quickly whip something up.  I wish i would have thought about this more, and taken my time, because As you'll see...  well, i wonder if you can...  

For now though
Cute right?

I love the color combo here!!!! And that adorable little camera i bought a wee bit from my fav. designer fabric store that sometimes i dream about living in!  it was so expensive for the full yard, so since it had sectioned off squares i went a head and got but i got about thirty of those little squares for about 5 bux, so no complaints.

Here I am trying to ignore the fact that I've completely ruined a really cute bag by angling my shot.  Because its the angles that will hide any imperfection. ;-)

This is the backside, which I  should probably use as the front side considering.....

Another pretty shot of the bright orange PEEKING out!  So cute!

Ok, now here is my shame... 

Don't all go running off at the same time....

If you didn't see it before...

Here is the full front side.

EEEP!  

Usually I love the imperfections in my work, they make them adorable, annoying, indicative of a lot of things that i have a hand in  unique.  But this; it is just glaring at me how off sided that camera is. wow.  I need to practice with my measurements.  I think it was the zipper that throw me off.  Granted It only took me twenty minutes, and I would have just tossed it aside and tried again, but I don't have any little zippers!  My mom gave me this one about a week ago for my sisters birthday.  Yes Mel, this was going to be a second present for you, but obviously I can't give you this one.  I'll have to take a trip to F&M and buy some more 8in zippers and then actually measure this time.

sheez.

Connect { 1 }

So, someone's been reading my blog, and to get me out of my little lair called Tad and I and arranged a long over due connection!

So last weekend we planned to have dinner,  What a great excuse to cook a lot of food!  Tri-tip, Mashers, green beans the works!    We talked about baseball, little house on the prairie, the Hunger Games, unwatched movies, stealth bombers, how the office is doing downhill,  life, just everything! And we played wii!

Then we sent a picture text to my sister since in an odd coincidence it happened to be on her birthday! So we were celebrating her birthday together without her! (and before you get all, "that's mean" on us, she lives 4 hours away.)


AND now I have finished one of my connections!  Thanks You guys!

(and Josh, please note the restraint it took NOT to rub the giants victory in your face.)

Create {week 1}

Alright.  As Briana may have already suspected, I already had my weekly creation already complete and ready to post since monday.  You can call it cheating, i call it being prepared:  It was done in the first week of new years, in fact most of this some completed on new years day.


Briana's sweet sister is having a sweet little boy, and her nursery is all about little baby woodland creatures.  I love me some owls so when she approached me to make some gifts for her... my wheels started turning!


Here's what I came up with:

 A little owlie burpie based off some of the colors and imagery from her nursery 

A matching onesie to go with it.  

Now, these aren't her colors, but as soon as i spotted this owlie flannel, i couldn't say no. 

Would you? I thought not.

Of course that burpie also comes with a little onesie

DRUM ROLL PLEASE

 But my pride and joy... and i mean TRUE and PURE handmade, totally  hand embroidered pride and joy:

Is my sweet sweet little plushie owlie.   A few years back Briana spotted another little owlie of mine and has been plotting to find someone she could commission an owl for.

So there he is.

And like all of my felt creatures, he gets branded with his name that will always belong to him and him alone.  Ollie.  Tad had to pry him from my hands and remind me that i made Ollie for a purpose.

So I mailed my creations off and now i can only hope that the recipient loves them!

New Years Resolutions...

Well, i'm not a fan of these.





In the past:
 - I've tried to take a picture a day for a year, 
-  i've also tried to stay up on my blog .
- I've tried to give up Mt dew
- I've tried to set up a work out schedule 
-I've planned to cut out take out and cook at home each night.


All of these i have HAD success with for a WHILE and then over time I either lost interest and it faded or I just failed miserably all together.


So in 2011, I'd hate to set myself up for failure.    


 Instead of "resolutions" and "promises" and "whatevers"  


I've been thinking about what I love.  I love to to create.  I love to read. I love to try out new things. I love to cook.  I love to connect & bless others.  (not in that order, and a lot of those overlap.)


I wanted to stay away from professional goals, only because work stories are boring, i spend most of my time at work, and  I need to be refreshed.


So i've created some "goals" Things I'd like to accomplish, things that will refresh my mind, my spirit and my soul.


1. For my crafting:  My goal is to get more things into my shop. Its not a priority, My priority is to get back to that feeling of accomplishment I have when I complete a project! - but I'm going to challenge myself to CREATE something each week.  I think I owe it to myself.  I love making things to much, it can be something for lovealisa or it can be a gift to someone else, or it can be a fun thing for myself.  Whatever the case nothing makes me happier then with i'm sewing/glueing/painting/beading/crocheting/designing.


2. For my reading:  Recently I received a kindle for Christmas, and I HAVE BEEN FLYING through books! That said, I AM on vacation from school, and i'm sure once I go back I'll lose a lot of time.  So I think I"m going to set a goal of reading ONE book each month. 


3. For my new things:  Since I've shown Tad how cool etsy is for my little teeny shop, and how many people make a living off of their small companies, I have turned him away from a "Fox Books" type and into a more "shop around the corner."  We've been trying out small businesses in town (We're not like LA, but there are a lot of places i haven't been to.) I'd like to make it a goal to visit ONE local or family owned business/attraction in town a month. This could be food, shop, theatre, etc.


4.  For my cooking: This is simple.  I'd like to be sharing a recipe/meal... twice a month.  I'd like to do once a week - but... we're being realistic, not pie in the sky.


5. For my ministry to others: This is an interesting one. I think i'd like to challenge myself to connect with someone or some group twice a month.  This can be an encouragement, coffee with an old friend, volunteering, donating time, money resources, gifting.  This one i'm sure will morph over time.  I'll take ideas on this one.


_______________________________________


This hope is that as I accomplish these things, i will start documenting them on here. My blog will be overflowing with posts, I will be proud of all i can do, and you will get to rejoice with me!   So really its like a win-win-win. 

Cheap Tips # 1...

Ok,  I've been saving this one for a while now.    I've been meaning to share this because one, it'll save you money and two its a funny story.

i'd like to start sharing some tips because I'm a cheapskate.  Most of the them, I guarantee, if you are frugal enough .. you already know about... but some, hopefully, you might find helpful.

Tip # 1  Buying Bagels at Von's.


For the last year or so Von's has had their amazing freshly baked bagels constantly on sale a dozen for $3.99.  They also have prepackaged ones for $1.99.   NOW, if you are like me, its just me and my husband at home.   We cannot consume 12 bagels in a week.  just not happening.   BUT i HATE the prepackaged ones because they never package my favorite ones: wheat.   And if I were to buy the 6 individually it costs more then if i were to buy all 12. BUT i hate wasting.


Quite a predicament ...


Here's what to do:  Wait for the sweet bakery ladies and ask them kindly to print you up a NEW tag for a six pack of bagels (It'll usually say 6 plain or 6 sesame because there is really no tag for assorted).  Then mix and match your favorite six bagels for the $1.99  and slap that tag on your bag.

Here's what not to do:   Take up the six bagels without a preprinted stickers and ask for the $1.99 price.  You WILL ruffle the cashier's feathers and you WILL get into an argument with the manager about how you've done it before and you'll do it again... and you WILL pay the full $4.74...   Just ask for a preprinted tag and let it be just between you and the bakery girls what you're doing!

The end of the year is fast approaching

I can hardly believe my second year of teaching is coming to a close. I mean, here at my school I go two weeks longer  then the other local schools.....  but its still almost over.

I was in a department meeting mapping out the end of the year and there's like this week, next week, memorial week LAST week of school. 

Now compound that with the fact that the last two weeks here are dedicated to preparing for a personal reflection of the year for each individual student- its like its already here.

Summer. I can here you!  Sleeping in. Sewing up a storm. Avoiding the heat. And watching way too much television.

Awwww. Perfection.

Pandora Radio.

How amazing.  

I know i've been using it for over a year now... but It still ceases to amaze me at how much it thinks like me.  And its a great addition to my long commutes when the three music stations in my town aren't playing anything good (which happens often.).

Recent Pandora Gems:
- N*SYNC: Lets talk about flash back of awesomeness!  you weed out the newer stuff and Pandora gets you only want 90s, its smooth sailing.
-GLEE CAST:  I can't tell you how epic this is!  Once you dislike  the Mraz and Buble enough its pure Broadway bliss!  (plus a few old school Disney musicals sprinkled in...)

The Downside.
-Only one:  The moment you run out of skips.... its like the walls are closing in on you.  I ran out today and NONE, NOT ONE, of my stations can appease me.  Suddenly we are all playing crap and I can't get away.  I can't start new stations fast enough....   Its like they know....