Today I am....

:making: these cool message Easter eggs... seems like the blog-sphere is all agog over eggs filled with cool things! Cupcakes baked in eggs, eggs filled with candy... where does the fun end?!

:playing: with these tumble bunnies with the girls. Who knew that paper and marbles could be so entertaining? (and best of all it is a free printable!)

:hoping: that all the baking that I am doing will earn me these pretty measuring cups from Anthropologie... they would look so pretty on my counter next to this salt and pepper set from Mod Cloth!

:loving: this adorable ballerina shirt and thinking about how I can make it myself with freezer paper and tulle!

:wishing: that I would have seen this Zombie Easter bunny before it sold out... I know what Klint is getting next year!

:looking: around the house to see what piece of furniture could do without it's drawers so that I can make a dollhouse for AJ and Moira like THIS, lol!

:gathering: materials from nature to make the girls some beautiful instruments just like this one... so pretty and clever!

 :helping: Klint take some bokeh photos likes this and this by making his own filter. Who knew it was so easy to create these magical photos?!

(Speaking of photo-taking... I can't, for the life of me, get AJ to look AT the camera!!! She looks everywhere else and throws off the whole shot constantly... AHHHHH!!!! Any tips?? I think that we will be making a "Lens Buddy" like this so that she has something specific to stare at...)

:reading: the second installment of The Walk Series by Richard Paul Evans called Miles to Go... great book!!!

OMG! I NEED to do this with my hair!!!!

Finally, I just discovered a cool blog call A Beautiful Mess thanks to this post featuring way cool looking braids... then I saw the posts about tattoos and I was HOOKED! Looooooove it.... (and wondering what excuse I can have to get more tattoos now!)

My Tuesday ♥'s

Been seeing lots of cool stuff on the web and wanted to share it all with you before I accidentally close the windows and forget!

♥ the idea of making a vacation memory jar with the kids!

from here

♥ anything that makes eating healthier a little easier and a lot more fun!

found here

♥'s are all over the place with Valentine's Day right around the corner!

Super easy craft found here!

I can't tell you how much I ♥♥♥ this handmade rug!

Supplies came from here and the artist is here!

Finally, I am so ♥'ing this pretty bamboo scene complete with panda,

all made from felt!

What wonderful talent!!

Check out the full Etsy shop here!

Etsy Things I ♥♥♥

I love shopping on Etsy for me and everyone else in my life... lately though since our wedding anniversary (7years!) is on Dec 6th, Christmas, and then my 30th (gasp!) birthday in January, I have been mainly looking at stuff for me, lol! There are so many things that I like, bath goodies, jewelry, clothes and accesories.... the list is a great one! So here are some things that have caught my eye for any of the above mentioned occasions... paying attention Klint? =)

 Pink Cherry Bomb Sugar Soaps via here

(Would realllllly like this for our anniversary!)

Meet Me at the Birch Tree Necklace via here

Antique Pewter Tiny Twig Hair Pins via here

Organic Baby Wrap Carrier via here

There are so many cute styles... love them all!

I loved handing out these awesome "Bad parking" notes....must have more!
via here

I loooooove this bag and seriously NEED it! 

via here

I am sure that there are more finds, but that is all for now... what things do you ♥ from Etsy?

The Most Awesome Gift for Readers!

I am an avid reader and am usually involved with a couple of books at a time. I have to read before bed or else I don't sleep well, a trait I have passed down to my kids. But sometimes it is hard to choose just the right book for the book lover in your life. Well, today I found a site that not only takes that issue out of your hands, but also gives you the option to send either a whole bunch of books at once or a couple times throughout the year.... cool huh?

Introducing Just the Right Book!! 

So how does it work? Well you hop on their site, decide if you want to send one book at a time or a couple at once, answer some questions, pay up, and then know that you are going to make someone's Christmas very cool!

The cost is pretty fair and to test out how easy it is I went about the site as if I was going to send one book a month to Gabby. I chose a mix of hardcover and soft cover which came to $185, a very fair price for quality books! To help aid in the picking out of the right book you pick the right reading level, check off reading interests, write about the other interests and favorites such as Gabby's love of zombies and basketball, and even mention reading habits such as the reading before bed thing!

There are so many ways to go about doing this that there is no way to mess it up!!! (There is a guarantee too, just in case the book isn't just right of the recipient already has it!  Perfect and you can even do it in your pj's!!! Happy shopping and reading friends!

Want $10 Off $10 Hallmark Purchase?

I love shopping at Hallmark but find that many of their items are just a little pricier than I can afford. So how about a $10 off coupon for a $10 minimum purchase?! What a great way to get some pretty wrapping paper or a new ornament to celebrate 2010... All you have to do is sign up here and then print out your coupon, easy right!

The List 11.3.10

Hello!!! Yay for being 36 weeks and soooo close to the end of this pregnancy! (photos coming soon I promise!) Since Halloween is now over, the faux Christmas trees are out, and all the stores are playing Christmas music I am definitely getting in the mood for the holidays! I think I am going to make everyone a new stocking this year and have been putting together a list of gifts for the family. I am getting excited about the whole season in general I guess, especially with our new addition coming!! Here are some fun links that I have found.... enjoy!

Here are 10 Reasons to Throw a Party Besides a Birthday from OhDeeDoh. 

I love Martha Stweart's Christmas decorations, homemade ornaments, and stockings! These are the ones I will be making for the family this year! 

Pumpkin Bread sounds so good right now... this recipe sounds easy enough that I am pretty sure I can't mess it up... lol. 

With the colder months come higher heating bills... why don't you try entering the Freeze Yer Buns off Challenge 2010? Every degree less makes a difference!! (We are keeping the daytime temp at 64 and the nighttime temp at 58!) 

Every Christmas everyone gets a new ornament to add to the tree. I love these pretty Nutcracker boxes from Crate and Barrel... I could put some candy or a small gift card in them!

Do you find yourself screaming a lot at the kids and really getting riled up? Here are some easy tips on how to parent peacefully... it is truly a great article for any stressed out parent! 

Finally, I love this Rainbow Gundrop Wreath from a pretty Etsy shop called JustPretty (a fitting name!). I wonder if it is something I could make without eating the whole bag? 

Victoria's Steal of a Deal

So how would you like a Victoria's Secret Sweater, a Bombshell Tee shirt, and a pack of 3 lip glosses ALL for $13 plus tax? 


Here is how to do it:
1. Go to Victoria's Secret 
2. Choose a Sweater (this cute turtleneck one is only $12!)
3. Add the Bombshell Tee Shirt to your cart (found here)
4. Head over to Checkout (when you are done shopping of course!) and click where it asks if you have a promo code:


LIPGIFT10 - (will add a free lip gloss trio to your cart)
BOMBTEE - (this will make the shirt free)
SHIPWARMVS - (free shipping)


Your total should be about $12 if you get the turtleneck with about $1 tax!!! Awesome deal huh? 

A Little of This, A Little of That

Today I am 32 weeks along and feeling great! I have been really busy in the shop, it seems like everyone knows I will be temporarily closing for maternity leave and decided to order oodles of fairy doors all at once, which is a good thing. Here are some random thoughts that I am having, links that I have been interested in, and cute ideas that I have seen for the upcoming holiday season, which is not too far away!

One of the best things you can do this holiday season is Pledge to Buy Handmade. As an artist and being a part of the Etsy community I can see how fragile our little world is and all of it depends on people buying handmade instead of Big Box store items. Even buying a few things will make a difference to someone and the environment! You can sign the Pledge here!

These past few weeks have been filled with many conversations between Klint and I about how to handle Gabby's educational needs in a way that fit her particular personality. We have been researching, reading, talking to others, and meditating on the pros and cons of all the choices. A blog that I just started reading really caught my eye with this post, which talks about questions that homeschooling/unschooling families get and how to handle them.... I have already experienced some of the doubters and such, which can be quite nasty!

I think that for anyone, keeping a journal is a great tool whether you use it to vent, draw, work out problems on paper, or just jot down your random thoughts. This blog is my journal and I want the same outlet for Gabby, especially since she is learning how to write sentances. This pretty (and earth-friendly) journal will be under the tree for her this holiday season!

With Fall, like any season, comes change. I love these ideas and projects for your home, yard, body, and spirit. Most are so simple to do but will make a big difference in the coming months.

Even with me being in a healthier place than when I started out in this pregnancy I am still starting to feel aches and pains of my enormous belly. Luckily, this awesome Prenatal Yoga Studio in NYC has some free videos online here to help alleviate some of the pains!

I am always on the lookout for cute stocking stuffers for the girls that are not "junky" but will not cost more than a few dollars. One of the things that they will find in their stocking this year is their own personalized pocket mirror by Olliegraphic. Aren't they awesome looking? There are also personalized growth charts, plates, and other funness to be had!

So that is it.... I am busy cleaning and nesting, finishing up orders and starting others! I hope that you all have a GREAT day!!!

I'm a LUSH

A couple of days ago we ventured to the other side of Cleveland to Beachwood, a very "posh" area known for expensive restaurants, stores, and a mall that caters to the well-to-do that reside there (or wishes that they did!)
Even though as a whole this area is not really my cup of tea (I refuse to pay $200 for a pair of jeans), there are some stores that do call my name from time to time. One of those is LUSH.

LUSH is a cosmetic store that is vegan friendly, handmade, and really good for your family to use. Their packaging is minimal, they use only organic ingredients, and they only test on humans. All this is well and good, but my reason for shopping there is purely aesthetic.... I love how the products look and smell. Sure, a bath bomb may cost around $4, but it makes the tub purple and has sparkles in it! How cool is that?! Plus, the names for all the products are cool... Lovely Jubblies (awesome breast cream), Dr. Peppermint (a solid shampoo), and Ickle Baby Bot (a bath bomb for kids). This store makes Bath and Body Works feel like the McDonalds of body care!

I will be getting the Hair Henna Dye when I need a color boost this winter and am looking forward to another lovely bath complete with a Butterball Bath Bomb, candles, and some peaceful quiet!

Went to IKEA!

Today started out sorta rocky... last was not a shining moment in marriage and thus I only got about 4 hours of sleep. So I decided to do something to make me happy, something unique and out of our normal lazing about on a rainy icky Sunday. We decided to journey to the next state over to Canton, Michigan's IKEA store! Sure, it is 3 hours away, but for once we had a little extra money and what else were we going to go? =)

Although the kids started to get a bit antsy toward the end of the ride to the store (as did this VERY pregnant mama!) they were really behaved in the car, which was nice. And when we finally arrived it was as if the clouds parted to let the sun through! OMG, is the store HUGE!!!!!

There were a few things that were on my list to buy for Miss M, such as a sheepskin rug to lay on. But overall we were just there to take it all in, check out things that we are looking to buy at tax time, and find some good deals. I must admit that it is a LOT to check out and at times my eyes couldn't handle all the loveliness....
So what did we end up getting??

All in all we spent close but under $100 and got a 16 piece dining set that is not plastic, pretty wash clothes, the sheepskin rug, and even this cool wire thingy that the kids can clip their artwork on to.... LOVE IT!

There was a lot more that we could have bought but we contained ourselves and took lots of photos of furniture that we adored such as this cool little blue egg chair for AJ:

There were tons of things to do there for the kids and we all had an awesome time!
I can't wait to go back and shop some more IKEA!

Things I LOVE!!!

Here are some things I am LOVING!!!

Apple Dumpling Recipe via here

Pumpkin Apple Butter Whipped Soap via here

(I NEED THIS!!!!) 

Custom Name Banner Necklace via here

Craft Room in a Closet via here

Cake Embroidery via here

Pottery Barn Inspired Luminaries via here

The List 9.3.10

Happy Friday!!!! I am so glad that it is finally the weekend, a much needed break from the hustle of the school week, plus I got two new Etsy orders out which turned out wonderfully.... And the best part is that I am officially in the 3rd trimester! 3 more months to go unless Miss M decides to premier earlier than December 2nd. =)

Here are some things that I have spotted, tons of eye candy to make and buy!!

I am really starting to struggle with my clothes even though I have only bought two actual maternity pieces... I am thinking that I will whip up a couple of cute shirt skirts this weekend using this tutorial. I had no clue that shirring was this easy! 

My girls are already getting excited about Halloween. I plan on making some cute and creepy clips and bows for their hair, just like these.


There are a lot of things about today's parenting school of thought that I don't agree with, especially this bubble that parents put around their kids to protect them from failure, getting hurt, and exploring naturally. This article is AWESOME about 5 Mistakes Every Kid Should Be Allowed to Make!

AJ loves Disney Princesses... she loves dressing up like them, ALLLLL the movies, and plays with the dolls every day. I never thought about the messages though that these princesses send to our little girls though... this cartoon is a funny but eye opener to the real lesson that each seemingly harmless movie teaches.

I am trying to get my family to not eat out as much, no small feat since at the end of the day the last thing this mama wants to do is try to figure out what to make. Maybe this pretty Meal Planning Board will help with the process?

Every kid needs a bag of their own to carry around the important things in life: some snacks, a small book, a well loved blanket. This Japanese store on Etsy has the cutest bags for that special little one in your life!

With Miss M being a winter baby I am looking ahead to making her some cute outfits for the chilly months... this awesomely easy jean skirt tutorial by Homemade By Jill is perfect! Add some leg warmers and voila!

Finally, I discovered this store and fell utterly in love with the simplicity of the music boxes, birth boxes... basically everything there. However, the price tag was a little steep for the Birth Box that would grace Miss M's dresser. So what is a crafty girl on a budget to do? I am making my own, starting with creating this image to go on the top of the box! Pictures of the finished product to come soon...

And that is all folks! Enjoy all these fun links and have a great weekend!

Coming Home

For me one of my favorite parts of getting ready for a new baby is picking out the coming home outfit. Gabby had an adorable classic Pooh set, AJ was covered in Zebra stripes thanks to Old Navy, and Miss M will be sweet as can be in strawberries, thanks to Zulily!

At only $15.99 compared to the original $34.00, this outfit is even cuter because of the price.

Did I mention that there is a matching receiving blanket? =)

And look at this pretty dress that would fit ALL my girls!

Can you hear my sigh of wanton delight?!

What did you dress your little ones in for their coming home?