Postcard Journal

I know quite a few postcard collectors (aka postcard junkies) online, so when I found this on Pinterest (another great addiction), I thought it would be perfect!

So what you do basically is use your postcards as month dividers, and then on each dated index card, you write one sentence about your day that year, and then you can look back and see what you did the year before on that day. I like it! This is perfect for me because:

1. I like to collect postcards

2. I like to write lists of anything and everything (as I'm doing here)

3. I wanted to be a librarian when I was little because I wanted to use a library stamp (& here I could!)

So check out DesignSponge.com (it appears to be another addicting website with lots of how-to stuff) to make your own daily journal. 

"Sew" easy even I can do it!

So I took the plunge and finally threaded the sewing machine...that was actually the part I was most intimidated about, believe it or not. Had a few errors here and there...had to rip out some stitches and redo them, a few crooked stitches, but it seems to work. Now I know what not to do for next time! I know this may seem like a simple project, but this is truly an accomplishment for me.

I found the measurements and pattern here:

A Feathered Nest

Unfortunately, my waist is not tiny enough to wrap the ties around to the front, so it's not quite the same.

I got stuck on some of the directions, so I used this tutorial while I was sewing and found it incredibly helpful.

Want a different kind of apron? Go here for 51 free apron patterns!

Beach Party

I made this card for my godson's first birthday. We got him a swimsuit, beach towel, and sand toys, hence the beach-themed card.

Love's greatest gift is its ability to make everything it touches sacred ~Barbara DeAngilis

Today we celebrated Aidan's 1st Birthday. Aidan is my adorable nephew who lives in Chicago with his dad and mom (my brother Jesse and his darling wife Stephanie), but he will be coming back to stay before we know it, and I cannot wait!!!


I wanted to get him something special for his birthday, so first of all, I put together this little video (I had to steal Jesse and Stephanie's photos, though...I hope they don't mind). This is a song that Jesse used to have when he was a little boy on a tape, personalized with his name.

Of course, a baby must have a card, and this baby loves baths and rubber duckies.

This baby is so cute that his face should be on a stamp...oh, wait! It is! Real stamps that you can mail with a cute little squirt on them!

Of course, Baby Livi is a cutie pie herself, so stamps had to be made of her as well.

And for my favorite gift to the little guy (but really for his parents), a hand-drawn picture of a very adorable baby. Made with bunches and bunches of love!

I'm glad they liked it. I've been patiently anticipating giving it to them!

A President's Day Surprise

Well, this actually has nothing to do with President's Day, except that the holiday is today. Regardless, I am sending a surprise gift to someone special...no, I can't tell who it is yet! I made these little cards....I hope you like them.

The gnome is definitely my favorite, but gnomes are far too mischievous to keep as pets. Alas, I will never own one.

Arts and Crafts...and other things

What have I been up to lately? Hmmmm...

finishing our 2000 piece Times Square puzzle (do you see a little Foo Foo under the table?)...

trying to look professional (Forever 21 sweater, H&M brooch, Wal-Mart pencil skirt ---that is the only place I can find a pencil skirt that fits wide-hipped ladies)....

dressing up (Forever 21 Contrast Banded Dress, Modcloth Pocketwatch Necklace)

and making very important birthday cards for my very important person!

Craft Bazaar: I am not this creative!

Monster Mittens
http://www.marthastewart.com/article/monster-mittens
Those are so fun, I think I want some for myself!

http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/handmade-pillows

Cozy Bed Warmer
Blog: Make It Do
http://makeitdo.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/make-it-do-gift-cozy-bed-warmers/
(I definitely need this one...I'm always freezing!)

FINIS!

Well, I've finally done it, and it only took 3 years!

My Grandma Workman taught me how to knit 3 years ago when I had my first surgery. Unfortunately, I was a little out of it because of the medication and had to completely tear the thing apart and start over. Since then, certain things have gotten in the way, but I finally finished Aaron's scarf, just in time for winter.

I was a bit nervous because while I was watching the tutorial on casting off, I found that I had only 2 inches of yarn left and about 6 more stitches, which was not enough yarn! I begged Aaron to run to the store after work and buy some more yarn. Then I tied the two ends together and finished with the second ball of yarn. Whew! I'm glad it worked!

I'm pretty proud if I may say so myself.

Shoes: Wild Diva

Pin: Vintage, Calhoun Street Emporium (it makes me think of Emma Pillsbury)

Want to learn how to knit? Go here for some really great tutorials:

Wonderhowto.com

Wikihow.com

Craft Yarn Council of America

Craft Gossip (for free hats and scarves patterns)