Oh. My.

So sometimes I make things that I really like. Sometimes I make things that I really love. Other times I make things that I am SO excited about that I could curse my hands for not moving fast enough...or the sewing machine for running out of thread...or having to go to the bathroom...these are one of those things. If you don't love them...I am not sure we can be friends...because I more than love them...I adore them! :) Obviously the photo of my adorable man slips out and you put yours in it's place...

Here is the back of the one above...I will have two varieties...the Christmas 2008 one and...

The personalized ones. :) Eek! I could scream...that is how happy I am at how they turned out! :) How perfect would these be for grandmas...or aunts...or teachers...or you! :) I will be able to do a limited amount of them so if you need one...you know where to find me. :)

Here is the back of the one above. :)

And here is a new little bird going in the shop...

And here is the back...LOVE this fabric. :)

And per several requests...an update...the above one is from almost 23 weeks...

And here we have a giant LEAP to 27 1/2 weeks. :) Kinda shocking when you see them together like that...

Traci my dear I am going to post those bird cages right this moment! :)

Hope your day is happy!
xoxo

Hey guess what...

I learned that I really can't do it all...the last few days really wore me out...my brain kept saying go go go but my body totally pulled rank and slammed on the brakes. :) It was exhausting and tiring and I ended each day with feet so puffy that you couldn't see my ankle bones...but it was a good kind of tired and I would do it all over again...I know I am blessed to have great in laws... :) I really couldn't have done the last couple of days without their help...with their help we had a great Thanksgiving, a great Friday, made some yummy Norwegian cookies, made lots of fun memories and wore each other out. :) Moses tried to be a trooper...he managed to come down with the sniffles and a bit of something else...add that to seeing all of his favorite people and you have one over tired, over stimulated and exhausted little boy. Today we are taking it easy and not leaving the house...focusing on getting back on schedule with naps and eating. :)

Moses' favorite (and currently only(-her mama is expecting two weeks after me!)) cousin was here and they made a great tag team. Neither one chose to nap well the past couple of days...made for some challenging moments that Alli and I both hope are not a preview of what is to come with having two kids. :)

We were blessed enough to have Doug's precious grandparents with us again this Thanksgiving. :) They are such a treasure to their family...Moses had no problem lovin' and huggin' on them this time and I really think that made their day. :) They were a little fascinated with some of the toys that Moses had...

Kyleigh was happy to show them how things worked... :)

And before the family got here I managed to get our Christmas card done...well I took the photos then the ever AMAZING and TALENTED Sara took care of the rest...I debated back and forth about whether or not to show this on the blog since many of you out there will get one but then I thought that if I could send a few more customers off to Sara then it was worth it. :) Just look at how AMAZING and ADORABLE this card is!!! :) Go check her out if you want Christmas cards as fabulous as mine are. :)

And just a little heads up...as part of my realization that I cannot do everything...I will be limiting the amount of custom work that I will be doing over the holidays...so if there is something you have been wanting done, please contact me soon so that I will be able to help you out. :)

Hope this finds you relaxed and loving your family! :)

xoxo

and breathe...

Just a quick hello to let you know that all is well and good. :) My fabulous in-laws just left a bit ago and Doug is off to work...and I am suddenly very, very exhausted. Thanksgiving and today were wonderful...thanks mostly to the all the helping hands from the family. I barely have a clear thought in my head and about a million things to deal with...but for now I am off for what I hope will be a great nights rest and a fresh start for the morning...I hope your Thanksgiving was blessed and that your thoughts will lead to the real reason for this next season...

xoxo

hmmm....

This is totally what a couch is for right?

Busy hiding from my to-do list...don't tell it where I am!

:) xoxo

Monday, Monday...

It has been a crazy crazy weekend...two of my very best friends had their babies on the SAME DAY!!!!....I steam cleaned ALL of my carpets and stairs...still have to do the couch...we spent the morning at the dentist...and now is officially the start of my crazy Thanksgiving to do list...I am try, try, trying to get a Christmas card photo taken of Moses but so far (and 150+ photos later) I have had no luck...we'll try again tomorrow. :) I did get the sweet moment above...I LOVE those guys and photos like this remind me of how blessed I am to be able to live in a house that is just FULL to the brim with love and fun and blessings...my blessings really are too numerous to count. :) My swap box came from the sweet Holly of mommy holly. :) She sent me such a sweet box...full of goodies and smiles...and the sweet little red bird above. Thank you Holly!! :) I bought a cute new stamp today...LOVE it! :) I have a hard time spending money on stamps that cost more than $1 but had no trouble snatching this one up. :)

And here is a hug for the winner of BeckyMs felty foods! :)
O has won the sweet little Christmas Cookies
and
Courtney has won the sweet little pumpkin pie. :)

Ladies let me know you have seen this and then touch base with Becky to claim your prizes. :)

I hope to have some giveaways this week but honestly they are not TOP TOP priority. If I can dig my heels in and get lots done then there will be some...if not then we will pick up next week but I will do my best. If you would like to offer up something to giveaway just contact me via Etsy and we'll chat! :)

And lastly...there is a sale in the shop!! Go check it out! :)

Gotta run! xoxo

What love looks like...

in my house. My husband has started to back into our driveway so that when I get in and out of the car I don't have to fight against the uphill incline. :) That says love to me. :)

Hope you feel as loved today. :) xoxo

A Sneak Peek for Lyndsi...

My friend Lyndsi was kind enough to let me in her home all morning to photograph her beautiful family...which included her *sweet* newborn baby girl! :)

LOVE this one!!

And this one, too.

It really is a good thing that I am already pregnant. :)

Favorite Things Giveaway! Week Five-BeckyM-Fabulous Felt Foods

Hello-lo-lo!! How about some breakfast pastry to go with your morning coffee? This pastry is guaranteed to be both fresh and never get stale on you and brought to you by the ever lovely Becky of BeckyM! :) Seriously...how sweet is that? Makes me want to get out my toaster, clean it up pretty and buy some of these pastries just to display in there. :)

How about a fat free, guilt free lunch?

Becky is yet another one of the super SUPER sweet people I have met through the land of Etsy...she is a happily married woman and mother of a 2 year old daughter. She got her craft start making scrunchies....you know you had one for every outfit...and one to wear on your wrist! :) She started making felt food about a year ago when she wanted something for her daughter and niece to play with that was cute and safe. GO look through her adorable shop and come away with nothing...I dare you! :)

She also has a fabulously sweet blog!

Sweet Becky has kindly offered up TWO prizes today!! :) So we will have TWO winners!!!
The first is the above pictured felt Christmas sugar cookies. :) Even if you don't have kids...how seriously cute would these be displayed somewhere for the holidays?

The second prize is a slice of good ol' pumpkin pie! :) Once again...you don't need to have kids to enjoy this sweet creation...you just need somewhere cute to display it! :)

So what DO you DO to be one of the lucky two winners? Just leave a comment on THIS post finishing the following statement...

This year I am especially thankful for:

Winner will be chosen sometime on Monday. :)

And the winner of the sweet goodies from the ever wonderful Mrs. Amy (who I failed to mention yesterday is also one of THE sweetest people on the planet!!) is Simona!!! Click on her name to visit her cute blog. :) Simona just let me know you saw this and then head on over to Amy to claim your prize!!! :)

P.S. Traci--I basically free handed that J after looking up some fonts on the computer then using a yard stick and some plate from the cupboard...I bet you could do a B with a good compass? :)

Stopping the insanity...

So in case you have somehow missed how crazy I have been in the last...let's say couple of days...let me just remind you that I am obsessed with a certain object of choice...it is literally all I can think about (I do not love pregnant crazy.) I can't wait to have at it with every porous surface in the house...(that is how sad I am)I have decided today, that when Moses wakes up, I am just going to go buy it. Stupid coupon (I have totally rationalized that I can always save said coupon for soon to occur Christmas shopping) or not. It took me all morning to rationalize it but here is what just buying it will will do for me and my family:

1. My husband will continue to live. Yesterday he says to me that if I needed something to do (seeing as how I had been working on every project I could think of to avoid shopping for that item) that it looked like the stove-top needed cleaning. To which my only response was "Did that sound stupid as it came out of your mouth?" "Yep" he says. (And my husband is the best of the best...don't get me wrong...but sometimes men don't take advantage of the "preview" feature that is their brain....LOVE YOU HONEY!) To his defense I am sure it is not easy to live with me right now. :)

2. My family can trade cranky Crystal for steam cleaning obsessed Crystal. :) That has to be a trade up right?

3. I can cut off the pregnancy OCD before it gets out of hand and some poor innocent bystander gets hurt.

4. My husband told me I could "to stop the madness". :)

5. I can guarantee that the coupon will come in the mail tomorrow...if a neighbor doesn't stop by tonight to give it to me because it was accidentally put in their box.

In one last ditch effort to avoid giving in...I made a stack of these this morning, including this super cute snowman. :)

And finished up these cuties for a friend...they will be sweet little pillow hangings. :) Can't sell them in the shop yet, I am working on licensing. :) Aren't they just darling??

Oh, and...

6. Since lunch time yesterday Moses has been obsessed with doing his business (#1 and #2) on the potty...I was not ready for this...he actually comes to me or Doug and asks to go to the potty. Not quite sure where this came from or if it just suddenly clicked that if he does it in the pot, then he gets a skittle(his reward)...I have no idea what I am doing so we are just taking it one trip to the bathroom at a time...but clearly I can't handle both obsessions at once, right?

So you still love me right? Knowing that I would much rather go buy a steam cleaner than new clothes...and prefer a night of carpet cleaning to a night on the town?

Feel free to leave any further rationalizations that you see fit to make me feel better. :)

xoxo

A surprise giveaway...

Today is a good day for a giveaway I thought...this time of the year is so full of promise and hope and possibility...in fact I think that is true for all days...

Amy from Stinky Toes Design is offering up a mini-family stationary kit with 10 personalized cards...and 15 family address business cards...Just in time for the holidays!! :) She also has lots of fabulous vintage goodies in her shop...so hop on over there or to her BLOG and say HI!

SO how can you win today? Just comment and finish this statement:

Every day make sure you...

Here is how I would start that list:
1. Make your kids smile.
2. Make your husband smile.
3. Laugh
4. Give thanks to God!
5. Kiss your honey!
6. Tell them you love them.
...

Now you...leave your comment on this post and I will choose the winner sometime on Friday!! :)

Hope your day is busy but good!! I'm working on some more fun snow globes and lots more!!
xoxo

A peek...

So here she is...my snow globe ornament...the first of many I hope... :) This little ditty was inspired by a couple of things...first I wish I had thought of doing THIS because how fabulous are they? Then this fine lady made THESE and that sent me into a total tizzy of wanting to play with vinyl, too!! I was determined not to though until I thought of an idea that I could safely call my own...so how about these sweet little snow globes? :) They remind me of a mix of I spy's(inside is glitter, tiny bells and snowflakes), whimsical Christmas and my husbands Norwegian ancestry (that is why I have that ribbon Holly I. !).

So whatcha think?

I was thinking of doing some with little stitched scenes, initials and other fun Christmas-like things, too. :) This one will be in the shop pronto...

and I am mildly less cranky...mostly because Moses is still napping and I am avoiding thinking of the carpet cleaner that I am still waiting to buy... :)

EDITED TO ADD: IT SOLD!!! THANKS A BUNCH MY FRIEND! IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE OR MORE MADE AND RESERVED JUST LET ME KNOW!!! :)

8 reasons not to shop while cranky and pregnant.

1. Marshmallow Fluff x2
2. Donut x 2
3. Hot Chocolate
4. Frito's
5. Reese's peanut butter cups
6. Reese's chocolate bar (who knew??)
7. Holiday Oreos
8. Hot chocolate

The only things I needed were the jelly and chili seasonings...sigh...I feel gross just looking at that pile.

I did finish my J. :) Just a canvas painted with a giant initial. :)

Simple, fun, easy and cheap. :)

I am also working on a fun new idea that just hit me last night...but I'll wait to share it...it has to do with snow globes...hopefully the cutest that you have ever seen...

Like I mentioned...I am super cranky...super...be thankful that you don't live with me today. :)

Here is to a happier, more hormonally level day tomorrow...
xoxo