calico: 02.08

2.29.2008

i did it...

i'm entered. everyone waited until today to submit their photos. i don't stand a chance. it's okay. such an expensive machine would just get broken in my house anyways.

These are the two I think may win:

amy's market bucket bag

reusable grocery bag

oh well. it was fun. thanks for all your decision making help...and encouragement. i love it. i entered the pink one, by the way.

now we wait, and see who the heck i get to hate, i mean envy.

UPDATE: I originally posted a picture of the matching clutch, separate from the bag, and I got an email asking me to only submit one bag. So I took off the picture of the clutch, but didn't see the email til the morning after the contest closed. So, no cool clutch. Darn.

They post the winner the week of March 10.

2.28.2008

happy birthday to me

Look what I got in the mail today. From the most superb gift-giver ever. Gift giving is her Love-Language...very beneficial for moi. She researches, and is very efficient. I cried when I read Lisa Leonard on the return label, and cried as I untied the ribbon, and cried harder when I opened the box. My sister pays attention, and knows what I love.

Perfection. Lisa Leaonard's jewelry is simple, beautiful, quality, and personal. sigh. I love you, Corrie.

Take the 30 second quiz to find out what your love language is. i'm a mix of service and words. i think.

2.27.2008

what do you get when you cross a handful of neglect with insomnia...

two more bags....for the amy butler sew inspiring contest. The deadline is Friday. I have decided to put the sewing machine away, clean my house, feed my kids, and just enter a stinking bag already. I have overthought this for sure. Keep it simple, right? So here it is, I've decided not to use the one I posted earlier, I think the two I made this week are better options. However...

I NEED HELP!!!

Really, my indecisiveness has kicked my flat rear. I can't decide which one to enter. Remember, um, hello, $2000 sewing machine. No pressure. You can check out the pretty serious competition on the flickr page. There are some goodies there. Nervous. Yes. I am going to tweak these photos in picnik so they look better, and I'm trying to figure out how to put four pictures into one...so I only have to post two photos. ?? Deep down I feel like I don't stand a chance. But I've got to try.

So here they are.

Forest Passion Vine

Pink Lotus

Amy Butler is casual, flea market, vintage, modern, yet functional. SHE has to like it. It's got to be something she will look at and say, "Oh, I love that!" I'm not confident I have that. I have one more day to go a different direction, if I need to. I need pure honesty. I'll share the machine.

scotland and a cell phone

she is a girl of many talents...and she really wants a real cell phone.

check out stand delights

I saw these Martha Stewart publications in the checkout isle today (while making an emergency run for diapers, eggs, and chocolate chips), and I LOVE THEM!!! Everyday Food and Good Things for Kids: Crafts. Only $3.50 each, and full of martha goodness.

Everyday Food has an awesome quick list of 50 no-recipe dinners. Awesome. And the craft book is so full of fantastic ideas, like this button clock and scrappy gang; i love. Small little magazines, just enough to inspire.

2.25.2008

oh, how i love easter...

let me count the ways...

i found a recipe for peanut butter eggs. I haven't tried them yet, but I will...and let you know.

PEANUT BUTTER EASTER EGGS

3/4 cup cream cheese, softened

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup powdered milk (instant non-fat dry milk)

1 cup powdered sugar

melted chocolate (for coating)

Cream together cream cheese and peanut butter. Add powdered milk and powdered sugar with a wooden spoon until smooth (will be on the dry side and an easy to handle dough). Shape into eggs and place in a single layer on a plate or cookie sheet. Refridgerate at least 1 hour. Coat with melted chocolate. Refridgerate leftovers.

hang up your coat, stay a while

I have been admiring these fire red coat hooks from anthropologie, and the graphic element of these alphabet hooks. I have needed some sort of coat contraption by the garage for the kids to drop their stuff, and have been waiting for an abundance of good fortune to be able to afford these.

Well...good fortune comes in the form of 50% off at Hobby Lobby. I picked up this large wood hook thing for only $4. Gave it 2 coats of fire engine red. Got inspired, and used vinyl stickers we used on our mailbox to give it the graphic look I wanted. The numbers go up to twelve. 5 hooks in all. I used modge podge to make it glossy, and to keep the stickers in place, then used brown antiquing gel to make it look old.

The kids love it. Andy said..."Ah, mom, this is great! I've always wanted to be a fire man!" It's a little funky, but it does the job...delightfully.

2.23.2008

LOST...quite literally

I couldn't sleep last night. Why the heck does Kate have Aaron? What the hooey!!?? And why the hockey sticks is Sied killing those people for Butt Ben? Where is Penny? I do believe it is her father who is behind all this. Juliette is sneaky wierd, and why was the polar bear in the desert?!

No matter how hard I try, I've got to accept that I will never figure it out.

I hate that.

2.20.2008

picnik.com

oh my good gracious...i just discovered a new love. picnik.com. An awesome, and free, photo editing website. Look what I did...

BEFORE & AFTER...

Totally awesome. I'm a novice for sure, but don't you worry, it will only take time. You can pay $25 and get more features, but the free ones are enough for me to sit mush-brained at the computer for far too long. Unhealthy, it is.

But free.

amy butler sew inspiring contest

So...I got an email informing me of this contest. Bad. I really want to win. You just have to create a bag that is "inspired" by Amy Butler...i love...and so I took a look at the flickr page with all the submissions. Hmm...I thought...I could do that. I am totally in love with Amy Butler, I am inspired, I've made a bag or two...And then I took a second look at the grand prize.

WHOA WHOA WHOA wait a minute. Now I have to do this. Hello, $2000 sewing machine!!! AND...a beautifully decent stash of her

fabric, which is like $10 a yard...hello.

It is a horrible fate...do I enter and face the dissapointment of losing, or not enter at all. Lame. So I made a bag. I like it, but I'm not sure it's grand prize material. They are not very clear on what Amy Butler herself will be judging on...so I'm shootin' from the holster here. Ummm...hip maybe.

So take a look at the pics, tell me honestly if I need to go a different direction...this is serious guys. I will never again have an opportunity to own a hello, $2000 sewing machine. This is my chance. I am very nervous. The deadline is not until the 29th, so I can make another one if I have to.

Help me.

So, which pictures do I post on the flickr page, do I even use this bag, do I panic, do I take better pictures...I've got to let go.

There is some sweet competition. Overwhelmingly talented people out there. I'm in over my head.

Hello, $2000 sewing machine.

i hate flu season

dani's turn.

2.18.2008

valentines

i know this is a little past valentines day, but we're dealing with flu season here.

Jake and Dani wanted to really personalize their valentines this year. Jake drew a picture of his class, and I copy & pasted the image and printed them on some cool paper.

I got this idea from Merrilee back in December, and have been waiting to try to recreate it for Conan. Andy and Joey helped me cut magazines all day...it was a messy treat.

Andy wanted to make one of his own for his dad, so i found a recycled canvas in the junk closet, drew some lines on it, gave him a paintbrush, & supervised. It turned out actually pretty awesome.

2.15.2008

hello

I use a blog to put the things I love. I used to worry about boring my family with all my pictures and frivolity, so I started this new blog so those who like what I love, can come here. I will still post family stuff on the vox site. {no I won't}

this is me:

i love: colors, fabric, paint, patterns, parmesan cheese, sparkling grape juice, music that gives you goosebumps, photos, antique stores, organization, words, trees, mountains, pussywillows, sleep (i'll visit it again someday), organized chaos, smallville, lee's creek, pyrex, kids books, ballet, etceteras, and my kids big eyes.

i would prefer not to have lunch with: cliches.

i would like to know more about: photography, current affairs, patience and heritage.

I pretend to know a little about: dance parties, doodles, design, and dinner.

I know quite a bit about: daydreaming and diapers.

If i wouldn't have been a lazy teenager i would've: tried harder & worked harder to be good at something & to attend a school of dance or design; not cared what people thought of me; then come right back to now.

I love my kids because: they are strong survivors of craft neglect. and they are hilariously creative; not to mention smashingly cute.

i love my husband because: he smiles when i need him to, and lets me explore wife and motherhood with a good word when i mess up.

i would love to but will never have: a house that cleans itself.

i love the words: understand, simple, discombobulate, uber, okay.