Some Reader Features

I’ve had a couple of e-mails lately from some pretty awesome readers! I LOVE the opportunity to share some talent with blog land, and I really hope they get the attention they deserve. Enjoy!

First up is an all-year wreath from Lindsay at That’s So Cuegly.

This could be one of the most brilliant ideas I’ve seen in some time! What’s even better is the detailed tutorial that’s offered. How cool that we can copy it, eh? Love that!

 

Nancy from A to Zebra Celebrations turned a guestroom into her very own Mom Cave!

The organization of it alone had my heart palpitating. I WANT one of those paper racks! what a wonderful space!

She continues to show you a bunch of before/after pictures (which are my favorites), so go say “hello” and “can we be friends?”, won’t you?

Okay. I’ll see you on Friday for Show and Share Day! I know. If I were cool, I would have a button that actually matches my blog. Just squint your eyes and pretend I’m cool anyway, ok?

Burlap Monogram Art

Ohhhhhhh, the bathroom. Ever start a project thinking it’ll only take a few days and quickly come to realize it could very well take a few decades? Let’s just pretend you do. It will make me feel better.

I HAVE to be done soon. Next week, perhaps? Until then, I’ve started to put a few finishing touches on it—just to fool myself into believing it’s done. Jones Design Company had some name plate art in her kids’ bedroom, and I was inspired! I started out with some Ribba frames from Ikea and in true JaG form, the glass broke on the way home. Of course.

Working with what I now had, I lined the back with burlap (with spray adhesive) and used my Word program to make a monogram on some cardstock.

And here is the finished product! It’s exactly what I had imagined, and it’s the classic look I was going for. Yay! 

Of course, if I zoom out just a bit, you’ll see that I have quite a road ahead of me. A quick 3,946 cuts couple of cuts, and I’ll finally have the mirror frame built.

Hopefully, within that time I’ll actually figure out how to photograph this bathroom correctly. No natural light in here, and it’s proving difficult.  

I’m just inches, yet miles, away from being done. However, I think a little artwork will help hold me over for just a little longer. 

SAS Day and a New Toy!

Oops. Apparently when I schedule a new post, I’m supposed to actually schedule the new post. Sorry it’s late!

I’m not sure how we did it, but we survived two weeks without a dryer. Actually, I know how we did it. We employed our friend’s dryer (Thank you, Sarah!), and we suggestively left three bags of laundry asked my mother-in-law if we could use her dryer while we were back home for a week.

If you remember some time ago, my washing machine broke, and my husband stared at it for days attempted to fix it. Since we bought a new washing machine, I’ve simply been waiting for my dryer to die as well. It died. Finally.

I quickly learned that the washer/dryer people like to change their machines quite often because it was impossible to buy the dryer that matched our rather new washer. I was beside myself. How could this be? I could NOT parade around town gloating about my new dryer knowing full-well that it did. not. match.

You see my concern yet? The handle. It’s like having a new eyeball inserted, and it’s the wrong color. It’s a cheekbone in only one cheek! It’s having one eyebrow waxed! The humanity! I digress. It would have cost $200 (which I was gladly ready to pay before my husband stepped in) to get the different door on it.

If you think anything like my husband, you fully understand that it is NOT a big deal. If you think anything like me, you know that one must continue saying, “You’re lucky to have a dryer. You’re lucky to have a dryer” to get to that point. Oh, and it’s not the same color. I’m just sayin’. Not a big deal or anything. :)

How ‘bout we take this post in another direction, and you show me what you’ve been doing lately? Perhaps you got one cheekbone inserted, and you’d like to share it with us? Let’s see!

SAS in Review

Once again, the blogging community has blown me away. Thank you so much for your e-mails, tweets, and comments about my mom. She’s now home and recovering well.

It took me a looong time to choose some highlights for this post because there’s simply too much talent out there. Thanks so much for sharing. I had a BLAST checking them all out!

Dream Book Design There’s a lot going on at this blog. Go see. TONS of projects. This one’s brilliant.

Random Thoughts of a Supermom Can you tell I’m trying to cut back on sugar? Drooling over here.

Designing Domesticity I know we love our painted furniture, but sometimes you need to let the beauty shine through. I love that it stayed natural. Gorgeous!

Inspired by Charm A boy blogger! A real boy! So much talent over here—two pictures worthy talent. :)

Deming Design Studio FanTAStic DIY headboard. Love…

My World Made by Hand It takes patience to make this wreath, but it is SO worth it!

Simple Beautiful Home You won’t believe how this kitchen started out. Seriously. Won’t believe.

Miss Madison’s Charmed Life I can’t tell if I’m more in love with the dresser or the rug, but I DO know I’m in love.

Please go visit these talented bloggers! They’re all working so hard, and I’d love for them to get a little extra attention this week!

More Teacher Gifts

If you’ve been here before, you know I’m not all too excited about the teacher gifts we must give throughout the year. You know, the ones that have to be clever and useful and clever and useful? A couple of years ago, I made these but I was looking for something a little different this year.

You ever been to Michaels after Christmas? Hello! Lots of little trinkets for mere change. Change, I tell ya! I found these little recipe boxes for .40 cents a piece. I sat on ‘em for a couple months (not literally—that would be unnecessary) until I could figure out what I wanted to do with them.

I searched through my scrapbook supplies to see if I could Valentine these up a bit. It is my firm belief that pretty packaging can fool the recipient into thinking they got a really great gift. That’s what I do. I fool.

Since these pretty boxes currently sit empty, I’m hoping my belief stands strong.

I’ve got some plans brewing for what will go inside. As soon as I figure that out, I’ll let you see! Regardless, it’s a pretty cute presentation for .40 cents, no?

With a change of the tag(s), the boxes go from Valentiney to every day-y. Clever? Check. Useful? Check. Empty and pointless? Check check. Don’t you worry…I’ll figure something out.

I am currently perusing through 335 links from Show and Share Day. Say what?? I’m seeing some fanTAStic projects, and I can’t wait to highlight some of them. I’ll be back!

Show and Share Day

It’s been a whirlwind week at JaG’s house, but I am soooo ready for Show and Share Day! I imagine most of you haven’t been in bed with the flu for the past week and got a LOT more done than I did.

Unfortunately, another issue keeping me busy this week is that my fantabulous mom had a heart attack. I contemplated even saying anything (no Debby Downers here!), but then I realized that it’s that many more prayers or positive thoughts I could solicit. And believe me…she’s worth it.

She’ll be having surgery tomorrow to assess the damage, but to say it shook me to my core would be an understatement. I’ve been posting updates on Twitter, and I’ll continue to do so.

Of course, having a bunch of talented blogs to peruse might keep my mind occupied. I’d love to see what’s been going on in blogland. Let’s begin, shall we?

Just a Touch of Blissdom…

After the time I spent with these spectacular women, it would be an injustice if I didn’t share at least some reflections with you on the time we spent together at Blissdom.

I’ve gotta start with my roomies. Other people in blogland may claim to have the best ones, but I SO won the draw on this one. It’s one of those moments in life where you know you were just meant to be friends with these women. You could say it was my “Aha” moment.

Me, Sarah, Beth, Rhoda

While I want to be sensitive about singling out how much I loved one particular person or another, meeting Sarah was a really big deal for me. I always felt like we could be friends, and I was spot on. She is exactly what I had hoped she would be and more.

Had I known how much I was going to adore Shauna, I wouldn’t have wasted another breath spending time without her. We have too much in common, and she really made me laugh. Hats off to you, girl! That’s not always an easy thing to do!

If there’s any doubt who the nicest woman on the planet is, let me make it clear for you. It’s Richella. Yeah, that Richella. The one who makes you feel like the greatest woman in the world every time you’re around her. Loved her.

How lucky am I to have two of my bloggy Bff’s in a picture together? I generally don’t like to be friends with attractive people in order to make myself feel better. I guess I’ll make an exception for these gorgeous girls.

Beth, Layla

Myra, me, Richella, Sarah, Traci, Rhoda

How can I even begin to explain Traci (far right)? She’s a woman who knows how to make fun of herself, and I immediately fell in love with that. She’s funny, charming, sincere, and genuine. Who wouldn’t love to be her friend?

Shauna, Ashley, Sarah, Layla

Marian. One of the most talented women out there, and I was so glad that her personality was just as wonderful!

Here we are in our “Blissdom Newsletter” pose…

And here we are making sure we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Rhoda looks drunk, Sarah looks clueless, and I look…well…slow.

And finally, my friend. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have even gone to Blissdom. There’s no photo editing here. The room really does glow when she walks in. Love you, Beth!

The list truly could go on and on. I met so many wonderful women, and I have something wonderful to say about each and everyone of them. These are simply highlights. If you’ve ever wondered if these bloggers are as terrific in person as they seem on their blogs, wonder no more. They really are.