What I'm looking forward to

I'm a girl who likes a little variety in my life, so I suppose it's a good thing that I live where I do because the weather provides plenty of that. Last Tuesday it was negative 15 degrees, Friday it snowed 3 inches, and today we reached a record high 63 degrees. Thankfully it was gloomy and rainy, because if it had been sunny I would really be itching for spring right about now, but I did take advantage of the warm weather to wear my favorite maxi skirt and indulge in an iced latte, my summer time go-to drink.

Luckily the rest of my winter looks like it should move pretty quickly, as I get ready for an already jam-packed spring. Right now I'm really looking forward to our last minute vacation to Nashville this weekend. I wanted to squeeze in a trip, and this weekend looks to be amazing. We have tickets to see Carrie Underwood at the Grand Ol Opry and I cannot wait to spend the whole weekend in the gorgeous new boots that I got for Christmas!

Wedding Inspiration

I was completely exhausted from my hours of laundry (don't you just love unpacking after vacation? Ummm no.) so I walked out into my studio to work on something mindless, but when I saw the disaster area that is my studio right now I just wanted to cry. We're talking pieces of centerpieces, bouquets, and invitations everywhere! Yea, I turned around and when back in the house, where I made a big giant list of every thing that I have to get done in the next 8 months, and after I finished my four-page list it dawned on me that maybe I really don't have to make everything myself (gasp!). So here I am, trolling etsy for ideas, and things that I really might be willing to pay someone else to do for me.

I was originally planning on doing these myself, but when I saw how much they cost, and I thought about how much of my time they would consume, I think I'm going to order them after all. PartyPoms has a huge color availability, and her photos make me drool!

This incredible idea is from KristinaMarie. Oh I have died and gone to heaven, this is exactly what I was looking for! I want to drape these beautiful garlands over our church pews. However I think I will make my own because I have got to try this out! How easy could you get, paper circles and a sewing machine, I just got a scalloped circle punch from Martha Stewart's craft line that will be perfect for this. Granted, I'll let you know how easy it is after I try it...

Excuses Excuses

Yes, again, I have been away for a long time, but this time I have a number of very legitimate excuses (as opposed to before, when I was just being lazy).

Excuse #1: I got engaged!!! Yes after 6 years Aaron finally asked, and it was so cute too. We were finishing up some little things in my studio before I moved all of my junk in, and he was helping me stick a beautiful decal pattern on one of the walls. This should've been clue number one because he never would've offered to help me do that otherwise. anyway, here's a picture of the wall we were working on:

When we were done we stepped back to admire our work and he pulled the ring out of a drawer!

So, needless to say I have been frantically trying to secure wedding vendors, and get myself organized, luckily I had already picked out one of my wedding plan books (available on my etsy shop)and I can wait to share a few posts on specific pages in my personal book!

Excuse #2: I have been moving all of my fun crafty stuff from my parent's house, to my new studio at my fiance's. But, my gorgeous studio is now completely done and I have been spending all of my extra time in there. Of course I never imagined that it would turn into wedding planning central quite so quickly, but I am so enjoying it! Here are some pictures of the finished product:

Excuse#3: I was on vacation. Aaron and I made another trip to Ohio's Amish Country, luckily we found a much better campground this year. So after a long weekend of s'mores, fabric shopping, antiquing, and a little sprint car racing action, I didn't have a ton of time for blogging, but I do have pictures to share:

Excuse #4: Some of our very close friends just got married, and though I started a quilt for them in January, somehow I was still finishing it up just this week. But I was able to finish it in time for the wedding, and as much as I love it, I was so glad to give it to them because I have spent so much time looking at it that I would be happy if I never saw it again! And in keeping with tradition starting with the last wedding quilt that I made, I of course forgot to take a picture of the finished product.

So yes, I realize that I have a lot of excuses, but I also have a lot more to share, so I will keep you updated on wedding details (I am already planning for a post on the special invitations that I have created for the members of our bridal party!), and I will definitely continue to focus on wonderful etsy vendors, whose beautiful work makes me fight the urge to whip out my credit card!

I'm Back!

I'm back from my little mini vacation, and while it was wonderful to go do something new I now feel like I have so much catching up to do! I have some pictures from my trip that I will post at some point, either today or tomorrow.

While I was away I received a job offer, which made my vacation a wonderful celebration and a last hurrah for summer since I will be going back to work next week. I have a lot to prepare before then, so my posts may be less often than they had been previously, but I will definitely continue blogging and selling on Etsy, no worries!

Check back for my vacation pictures, they will be up soon!

Hard work can really wear you out - who knew?!

I am exhausted! Have you ever gotten so into a project that you literally can't stop? That was my morning. I woke up with the intention of printing a couple books and then binding a whole pile of items, but my attention was caught by the paper design project that I have been working out (without a lot of luck) all weekend. Before I knew it I was cutting out tons of tiny paper flowers.

I worked furiously for hours, I didn't even stop for lunch! So now, I'm not only exhausted, but starving, it's time for me to take a break, but before I do I have to start a new sketch - something outside my window just caught my eye...

Then I promise I'm going to take a break - I need to start planning for my vacation! My boyfriend and I are taking his new camper out for the first time next weekend. We are going to visit his brother and then spend some time in Amish Country. I have been dying to get over there all summer, so I can't wait!