Ladies and Gentlemen...

I have arrived...at least in the bloggy blogger sense of arriving. What makes me so sure and full of myself you ask? Two things...first...scroll allllll the way down to the bottom of the page, I'll wait here.....see that huge number down there...over 10,000 visitors!! How crazy is that? So thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you lovely precious readers!! I wish I knew who all of you were...unless it is just the five of you that I do know and you just visit here a lot...either way thanks!! The second thing is not this bush...I just happen to love it and all it's springy green goodness and wanted to share it with you...the second way I know I have arrived in the world of blogging is...the other night I was having a serious but happy discussion with a friend...at the end of the conversation she asked me not to blog about what we talked about...hehehe. :) I guess all my friends and family know that everything is fair game...unless they tell me otherwise. :)
On to crafty things...here are some cute tags I am working on...I like to do things in groups...make a bunch of this, then move onto that...it's how I avoid boredom. :)
After I made some of these for my swap buddy I decided that a few might do alright in the shop...they won't all have flowers...maybe houses, birds or whatever else I can think of...
For some reason I couldn't say no to these...who knows what they will become...
And I switched out my centerpiece...here is a cheap way to switch yours out...first get an empty picture frame...I put mine on top of a brightly colored table runner but you can put yours on a place mat or right on the table...then fill in the space with like things...here I used all my white birds...and added an orchid (that I already had-you could use any small plant or vase of flowers) in a color that complimented the colors...it looks much cuter in real life...it was horrible to photograph but you get the idea. :)
And last but not least...here is a new "recipe" I tried out last night...it was actually really yummy...it's called "cheeseburger joe's" Take one pound of ground beef, brown, add half cup BBQ sauce, and 1/4c of ketchup. Pile on hamburger buns and top with cheese. I served it with oven fries and green beans. :) Easy and tasty.

Coming tomorrow...my excitement over the RETURN OF THE OFFICE!!!!!!!!!

Peace and chicken grease ya'll!!

PS---Yes I will sell the coffee bags but I will only be making them as fast as I can drink it...which is about a bag a week...so if you would like to claim one..the first already is...just contact me and let me know...I will put your name on a list. :)

World's longest post....

First let me say that I LOVE weekends...especially the ones that Doug has off... :) Despite the gross gray weather we got lots done!! I also had a very productive crafty weekend...above is one of three finished houses...
Seven of these got made...
Remember that coffee bag...now it's a coffee zip bag...
I can't decide if it is nerdy or cool...it was a challenge to make.
Nine of these got made...a tiny one is not shown...
A few of these too...this is the only one that I feel like I can show without cringing...still not great but cute enough...and NO I still have not thrown that Mac box away...those trash men...
Mail came for me today...Meg can you believe that your box came today...loved the polka dots...
This was in the other box!!! My very early birthday gift from Michelle!!!! Thanks Michelle...I love it!! :)
Kristi also put this little goody in with my bag....I LOVE it Kristi!! You are the best!! :) Seriously, ya'll...if you have not bought a goody from Kristi yet...you are missing out...go here and check out her shop!
And here is my Spring swap from Meg!...Meg I had to giggle when I opened it...you will know why soon...
This is my favorite this...a cute vintagey apron!! And yes, I am wearing polka dots again...
Look at all the goods...there were seeds, gardening gloves(which I needed!!), magazines, stickers, chocolate, a yummy candle, cute clothespins and other fun things!! Thanks Meg!! I loved it all...can't wait to look through those magazines or see those seeds sprout!
We also gave Moses a haircut this weekend...here is the set-up...
During....After...look at that handsome boy!
He wanted to wear my jacket...he is cute!
This = Moses and daddy spending quality time together. : )
And here is my bright idea for the day...I had a TON of index prints from my recent load of photos and previous orders but I had been just throwing them away because I don't use them for anything...until now...Moses was loving looking at them so I put them in this cheap photo album that I had around...he has carried with him all day!! He loves to look at all the tiny pictures and find daddy in them...like a daddy version of "where's Waldo?"

Thanks...

Dear You,
Today I am thankful. For lots of things...here are some...my son, that I can be home with him, teach him, love him and be his mom and his caregiver in every way.. THE Son, that I am forgiven every single time I mess up and that His love for me is new every morning. My husband, that he is hard working, loving, manly and tender in all the right ways, that he loves me for me and never for who I am not. I am thankful for a place to live that is comfortable and nice. I am thankful for a car that is paid for and one that is twelve payments from being paid for. For debt that is going down, I am thankful. For creative ability and an outlet to share it, I am thankful for that too. I am thankful for the food we eat whether it is prepared by my hands or someone else's. I am thankful for friends I have hugged recently, and those I have never hugged at all. I am thankful for the rain, even if I am sick of the gray. I am thankful for the buds on the trees and all the flowers popping up everywhere. I am thankful for eyes to see and ears to hear all that God wants of me. I hope that you can take sometime today and jot down a few things that you are thankful for...I would love to hear them. I am thankful that you took the time to read this. :)
Have a blessed day!! No really, have a BLESSED day! Love, Crystal

Gray gray go away...

...in case you needed color today as much as I did...
totally inspired by Meg.

Tids and bits...

This is what 200 free prints looks like...0r 150 Pampers points. I FINALLY reached my goal to get these freebies...and we have hundreds of wipes in the closet to boot.
The last couple of days have been slow going...the rain and gray are seriously slowing me up...I do have three houses in the works...one is claimed...Scottie do you like one more than the others?
Cuter than ever...I think the middle on is my favorite.
Here is a teaser for you...I have an idea for this piece of "trash".
And here is a good idea...in case you don't already know it..I store my sheet sets in one of the pillowcases that goes with the set(see top shelf)...that way when you are going to make the bed, everything is right there!! How clever am I?

Seed question: I store the eggs in an egg carton with the top cut off...they live in my laundry room window where they get good sun.

Sharpie Question: I personally think that the DVD pen is a marketing thing...surely we would have heard more about this if it was an issue...You don't have to take my word for it though...see here. I also found similar answers when researching photo websites as well. I store my photo CDs in a CD case and we plan to eventually get a fire proof safe to store them in. We have also toyed with the idea of getting an external hard drive for just photos...we also always print off our favorites.

And JUST because I love all my blog readers and I probably owe you one for the April fools joke...I will give you FREE SHIPPING for all orders in the shop...just put "Blog Reader" in the notes to seller and I will refund your shipping!!! Friday, Saturday and Sunday only!! :)

A whirlwind visit...

Two of my best good friends came in yesterday evening for a quick overnight visit...friends you can be 100% you around are the best...some of the things we say to each other... :) I love these ladies...I was sad when they left...together, to a place where I used to live...
Meira was just as cute as she could be...Moses tried to impress her with all of his mad skills...He could play while laying down...
He could read books to her...He got lots of phone calls that he HAD to take...he is very popular you know...Yet Meira remained stone faced and unimpressed. It was a good quick visit. :)
Does this photo show the curtains any better...I am thinking we will go with the one on the right...

My to-do list at the moment...
1. Archiving our photos onto CDs so that we can get them off of the computer!
2. Houses
3. reply to emails/convos
4. get new bags made for the shop

A couple of questions answered...

For the egg shell seed starters...I just saved egg shells from when I used eggs, fill with dirt, plant seeds. You can poke a hole in the bottom for drainage and when you go to plant them, crush the egg up. :)

The polka dot hoodie is from Target a few months back.

Yes, I guess I am making tutus...:) convo me via etsy if you want one. :)

Can we make up now?

Aww friends...I had no idea how much you loved me! :) I hope that you can forgive my little April fools joke and that we can go on being friends...I, however, must tell you that I am completely pleased with myself because of it though...you see...I am the worlds worst liar and if I tried to pull off something like that to your face...well even Moses wouldn't believe me...so thank you for helping me, for ONCE in my life , pull off a silly little joke. :)...I don't know how crazy I would be without Etsy and my little blog here...
Here is what I will share with you today....above are my little seeds beginning to sprout...did you know that if you start seeds in egg shells that it is like instant fertilizer? I love this stage of spring...so full of potential and hopefulness for what my garden will look like this year...Last night began a huge progress spurt that ended just as I sat to type this...I finished the pillow above, a purse for a custom order, cleaned two bathrooms, vacuumed the upstairs, swept the downstairs, ran to Target for dipes and other needs, finished a tutu, posted some cards, planted some flowers, put down some pebbles in my walkway, started a border around a new flower bed, hung curtains in my bedroom and lots of other little things in between...nothing like people coming over to get your butt moving right? I also got ALL of these super fun goodies from my sweet friend April...who I am not sure is talking to me again yet...glad she mailed them before April first. :) Love it ALL...peeps, little boy scrapping goods, a shell from her collection to add to mine :), bubble for Moses and of course the sweetest little bird ever...thank you April!! I heart you friend!! :)Ok, and I need an opinion here...which curtain is better...or do they both suck? One is just flat and the other is tacked up to make it a little more 3d...sorry the pics aren't better but for some reason it was super dark in there when I took the pic...neither curtain is hung on a rod but simply tacked into the wall with upholstery tacks...
And finally...my latest "I can make that..." I have been wanting to make these forever, don't ask me why but they just look like something that would be fun to make...and they were...they are horrible to photograph without a model (Moses was too short) but still cuuuute!!

I hope you are all having fun getting ready for your swap...don't forget to try to have things in the mail by April 5th or so. :)

Friends?