Flashback (& Forward!)

I definitely stole this from Bethany at Cartwheel Soup, thanks Bethany!!

20 years ago I... (1988)
1. was living on Grand Island, NY and going to a special school for gifted and talented kids, I was even a nerd at age 7!
2. Went to the Gloria Estefan concert in Buffalo, and got a perm!
3. Had only 2 sisters, no brothers yet
4. Listened to Rock & Roll, was taking ballet, watched Smurfs and She-Ra
5. Lived with my grandparents a lot since my mom had a tendancy to cut out on us a lot.

10 years ago I... (1998)
1. was a junior at Sweet Home High School and a cheerleader
2. sang in every choir imaginable, performed a ton, and was most likely dating someone from the tenor section!
3. was in foster care, living with my aunt and was probably more messed up from that than anything else from my childhood.

5 years ago I... (2003)
1. graduated from Baldwin-Wallace after 4 great years of Zeta Tau Alpha, dancing all day, and hanging out with my guys of Pi Lambda Phi!
2. Eloped to Niagara Falls with my fellow Greek sweetie!! (Our 5 yr anniversary is on Sat!)
3. Got pregnant on our honeymoon with Miss Gabby!

1 year ago I...(2007)
1. Had my second girl, Miss Amelia
2. was working in the insurance industry, stuck in a cube working 9-5, ugh!
3. was driving a red minivan, double yikes!

This year I... (2008)
1. quit my job and get to stay at home with my girls!
2. began dancing again professionally and now live at the dance studio when I am not home
3. started doing graphic design and have a thriving business on Etsy that I tend to at night and when the kids are napping.

Last month I.... (November)
1. Began making girl's barrettes for a craft show and realized that I love crafting in general. =)
2. Had a great Thanksgiving with the in-laws and my sorority sis Carena.
3. realized that no matter what, I can't make my family in NY care and put a stop to the cycle started so long ago.

Yesterday I...(Dec. 3rd)
1. babysat my two little terrors along with my two girls.
2. took the kids to see Santa at the mall
3. had sloppy joes and tatertots for dinner-yum!

Today I...(Dec. 4th)
1. Will babysit again
2. am taking the kids to the library for some reading fun
3. have musical theatre class from 5-6
4. will take a nice bubblebath

Tomorrow I will... (Dec. 5th)
1. not have anyone else's kids but my own!
2. go shopping for my anniversary clothes
3. take Spooky to the dog park, sleep in a little, and maybe eat out with the kids!

In the next year I will... (2009)
1. still be dancing, crafting, and not working in a cube!
2. be married to a Lakewood cop (Klint takes the test on Monday!!!)
3. still be as happy and in love as I have been this year!

All I Want for Christmas...

...is a place to keep my craftiness organized and cute!

For Christmas I have mentioned that we are only giving each other 4 gifts: Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read. Well, my want and need are one and the same: a place to keep my craft supplies organized, a place where I can craft and feel inspired but can close the doors and leave a project half done without fear of little hands (or paws) getting into the glue, glitter, and papers. So I started looking for inspiration and found exactly what I wanted at (of course) Martha Stewarts's website. =) Do you see why I am adoring this woman nowadays? This was my mecca of craft areas:

It is a place that I can close, is cute, and very well organized. Problem is though that is takes a lot of work to find two sturdy bookcases that match but are different depths, not to mention the cost of fitting them together, fitting them with plaxiglass shelves, etc... so we thought about what else would work within a $100 budget... when the answer was looking at me as we thought and thought... our catch-all closet in the playroom!! It holds all the things that don't have a home, things that are forgotten and not needed or have a place elsewhere in the house. This is the inspiration picture from Better Homes and Gardens magazine- 100 tips for Organization.

So now that we know what is going to house my craft area I need ideas on where to get cute storage supplies, tools that you use to keep your inspiration flowing but not overflowing into your living areas. What organizational tool can you not live without? I need to get everything from a desk to shelves, etc so help my hubby out and send your organize tips and tricks here!!

Today

Today I Feel: Content. I managed to take three kids to the zoo without losing my temper, sanity, or one of them!

I Love the Smell of: My new peppermint cleaning set by Mrs. Meyers ... love it!

I am reading: Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer (4th in the Twilight series)

Outside it is: Cold as all get out!!! Flurries everywhere and a definite winter chill going on!

I Wish: that my feet would warm up and that my bubble bath wouldn't run out...ever.

My girls are: both a source of joy, especially during naptime... =)

I am inspired by: crafty people, everyone from Martha Stewart to bloggers like Homemade by Jill.

My favorite thing: is my new necklace from http://www.dogeared.com/ , a teeny piece of pink coral meant to inspire my creativity.

Surf's Up Saturday- Twilight on the Brain

Ok, I am not ashamed to admit that I will join the millions of teenagers who swoon at the name Edward Cullen and are waiting very impatiently to see the movie Twilight. I read the first book about 2 weeks ago and haven't been able to put the series down. I was so desperate to read the final book that I downloaded the audio book to my laptop since that was the only thing available. =) (Seriously, read these books if you love a good romance mixed in with good old fashioned vampire mythology!!) I have been facinated with vampires since about 6th grade taking it to the point where I couldn't sleep unless my head was turned left since I read somewhere that vampires only bite the left side of your neck...yes I know that is totally silly! Here are some great sites and things devoted to vampires and Twilight by Stephanie Meyer!

Monstropedia- great resource for anyone interested in monsters, including vampires!

Bookends inspired by the Twilight series by PatreskaPapers

Twilight Bracelet by Millie5328

(Another great series about teenage vampires!)

Craft: Make your own Vampire's Blood

What you need:
- 1 cup corn syrup
- Liquid soap
- Water
- Red food coloring
- Green food coloring (optional)
Steps:
1. In a bowl, mix the corn syrup with some water. Keep adding water until you get a thick consistency. 2. Add a few drops of liquid soap and mix it together. Note: Do not use if you have any skin allergies. 3. Add the red food coloring and put it in the fridge. Once it hardens, use it your face and body to turn into a scary vampire! Tip: If you want the blood to look more realistic, add a few drops of green food coloring.

What I Am Thankful For

The other dy I had the kids make Thanksgiving Thankful Turkeys where they had to write what they are thankful for on the feathers. It was so cute hearing what they were thankful for, Gabby was thankful for spiders, chocolate milk, and mommy who keeps AJ out of her stuff. But it made me think about all the things I am grateful for, especially with all that has happened this last year and with Klint and I coming up on our 5 yr anniversary. So here is the list:

I am thankful for....
* having healthy kids who are the light of my life
* being able to stay at home with the kids
* having a great dance studio where I teach 4 days a week
* finding a great dog who adores me and the family....she is such a treasure!
* still having our house amist all this housing crisis and financial meltdown
* having the ability to create pretty things that people want to spend money on, my wardrobe thanks you!!

and of course I am thankful for having my wonderful husband who hopefully will soon be joining the Lakewood police force. He keeps me sane when the kids try to tie me up and even on no sleep tries to help where he can with the mayhem! =)

Well... I am sure that there is more but that is what comes to mind at first. Have a great Thanksgiving everyone and eat up!!!

Surf's Up Sunday- Green Goes with Everything

When I go to the library most of the time I never really know what I am looking for. I will browse the various sections and I will just randomly pick up books to read. I do choose a book by it's cover (and it's intro on the back!) but this method rarely fails me. This week I happened to pick up a book called Green Goes with Everything by Sloan Barnett.

As soon as I started reading the intoduction I was hooked... and terrified at the same time. I wanted to run into the kitchen and throw away every cleaning product that I had, then move onto the refrigerator, the bathrooms, basically every room in the house. Now, I know that the purpose of the book wasn't to scare me, but ever since I read the first chapter I am scrutinizing everything that touches my family a lot harder. So in honor of this new chapter of green in our house here are some eco-friendly links and retailers that have caught my eye!!

VivaTerra : I love interior design and this design catalog has been coming to my house long before I switched from Palmolive to Method! The pieces are so natural and lovely, everything looks classy yet functional. When I make my millions my home will be full of items from this fabulous company! One of my wish list pieces is this coat rack made out of entwined roots. And who could pass up these wonderful floor pillows that look like smooth stones?

Green-Kits.com : A great company that makes going green easy as pie! Green-kits are made by Eco-Logics, Inc., a Virginia-based company committed to providing earth friendly products of all kinds. These include leading brands of non-toxic household products and environmentally-friendly paper and household goods, organic baby and personal care products, and sustainable grocery bags. The prices are more than reasonable and there are many kits to choose from! My favorite is the All Green Clean Kit seen below for only $35!! (Now go purge your kitchen and go clean green!)
Baby Bunz & Co: This site is a really great resource for any mom who is thinking about reusable diapers, changing to green baby products, or just looking for something new and different for a mother to be. I have heard many great things about the diaper brand Fuzzy Bunz but I am really tempted to try Weleda Diaper Care Cream for miss AJ's rash prone tushy.

http://www.ecofabulous.com/ : Of all the greal blogs and green sites that I have read this is one of the classiest and has the most diverse resources, without all the preachy-ness that eco sites nowadays can so easily get. I love the article called Don't Be a Turkey, Have a Green Thanksgiving, there are too many good ideas there to name!

What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another. - Gandhi

Calling All Mothers!!!

Check out this project flying around the blogsphere.... just read the post from Rocks In My Dryer and you will get a warm fuzzy feeling inside.... there is a lucky woman out there who has one great guy for a hubby!

I feel so inspired right now... I am sorry this is so short but I have to go write an important letter!

Click here for a direct link to The Mother Letter Project

Cinnamon Bird Ornaments

Although these whimsical birds look and smell like gingerbread cookies, their sparkling plumage hints at their true nature as sweet works of art. This sturdy flock -- including a cardinal and chickadee, among other birds -- will migrate each Christmas to decorate the tree. The birds are not meant to be eaten, though, however enticing they may be.


Tools and Materials
2 medium bowls
1 cup ground cinnamon
1/4 cup applesauce
Craft glue
Rolling pin
Bird templates
Utility knife, or bird-shaped cookie cutters
One straw
Wire Rack
Paper towels
Baking sheet
Glitter and beads
Bottle with applicator tip
Length of thin ribbon for each ornament
Tissue paper, for storing

STEPS:

Step 1: In a medium bowl, mix together 1 cup ground cinnamon and 1/4 cup applesauce using a rubber spatula. (I used about 1/3 cup of applesauce because my dough was too dry to shape or roll out)

Step 2: Stir in 1/2 cup craft glue. Stir the dough until consistency is smooth and dry. Let stand 1 hour. Applesauce gives the dough pliability, glue makes it firm, and cinnamon imparts a lovely fragrance and a gingerbread color.



Step 3: Turn out one-quarter of dough onto a cool, flat surface; flatten with your hands.

Step 4: Flatten with a rolling pin to 1/4 inch thick. If dough becomes too dry, spritz with water. If it sticks to rolling pin or work surface, sprinkle with additional cinnamon.

Step 5: Photocopy bird templates onto card stock (these are enlarged roughly 150 percent); cut them out, punching holes where indicated. Lay a template over dough; cut out shape with a utility knife (or use bird-shaped cookie cutters). Repeat with each of three remaining quarters of dough.

Step 6: With a straw, poke a hole in dough as indicated on template (for hanging). Air-dry ornaments on a wire rack lined with paper towels for 24 hours, turning them over every 6 hours or so to keep them flat. Alternatively, preheat oven to 200 degrees. Transfer ornaments to a baking sheet; bake, flipping once, until dry, about 2 hours.

Step 7: (As you decorate, proceed from the finest embellishment to the coarsest, adding glitter, then beads in order of size.) Using a bottle with an applicator tip, spread craft glue over the area you wish to decorate. While glue is still wet, sprinkle with glitter or beads, holding ornament over a bowl as you work; tap off excess. Work with one area at a time, letting it dry at least 30 mins before doing another section of your piece.

Step 8: Thread a length of ribbon through ornament's hole, trim the ends to prevent fraying, and knot. Once you take the ornaments off the tree, store them, wrapped individually in tissue paper, in a cool, dry place.




That's it! Simple as can be! You can find this and more ideas at www.MarthaStewart.com.... Martha, you are my hero! =P

Cleveland Craft Show Opportunity!

If any of my fellow Cleveland gals out there are interested in participating in a craft show here is your chance. My dance studio - Rock City Dance- in Middleburg Heights is hosting a craft show on Dec 13th at 1-6pm. It is a "bring your own table" event and only costs $10 to hold a place.
I will be there with all my clippy glory and hope you will come too!!! It is sure to be a hit and just in time for the holidays!

For more info email: info@rockcitydance.com or call 440.243.4999

(Oh, and come try out my adult beginner tap class! It is a blast!!)

Name My New Line of Products

Ok, so a new day, a new project, and a fresh outlook on life after spilling my tears and putting all the drama on a shelf. I am starting a new product line, not on Etsy since the market is so flooded there, for little girls. I am now selling hair clips and hair clip holders of evey size, shape, and color. And since there is going to be a craft show at Rock City Dance it is a great opportunity to do some great selling. But I need a name for this line since Zen Design Studio just isn't cutesy enough for me. I want to stick with the Buddha, Zen, Panda thing I have going on and need some fresh ideas for a name. Here are some possibilities- Lil Buddha Baby, Buddhaful Baby, Zen & Tao, Zen & Now.

What do you think would be cute?