a pretty productive rut

*Disclaimer: These photos are horrible because my house has the darkest rooms with the yellowest light ever. And yes, any after-dark photographs take place in my bathroom because it is mostly white and is, therefore, the brightest of the darkest rooms ever.

So I mentioned that I have been a craft rut...but even in my rut I managed to make this

[layered necklace with hand stamped and baked charms]

and this 

[and your welcome for snapping a photo of it on my I-just-worked-out hair [gross] so you could hopefully see it better..even though you can't, but I promise I took 3 different ones, and they all looked exactly like this]

...and now I have decided that it looks kind of dumb in the photo, but I promise it is cute. I wear it all the time, and these metal headbands are AWESOME. They don't hurt your ears like most. 

My next project is some embroidery...if I can just sit still long enough to do it. 

Be happy.

-Katie

Accordion Wheels [take two]

I have kind of been in a craft rut. It has been one of those times when I am just trying way too hard, and I wanted to feel creative so badly. It just wasn't happening. I came home from work on Friday, and I made this pillow just because I wanted to make something. 

It is okay, but it wasn't a project that I was super excited about. It didn't give me that project "high" that I needed. 

That is when it hit me [after three miles on our new treadmill, Woo!]...one of those ideas that is so simple, but I feel like it is brilliant. One of those ideas that makes me wonder, "Why am I just now thinking of this?". I had just done the post about my bunting obsession, and while photographing my bunting around the house I was reminded of the accordion wheels I made for my sister's baby shower. I hated that they were just hanging in the closet waiting for the next [girly] reason to celebrate, so I decided to give them new life. I pulled them from the closet, cut the yarn I used to hang them before, made 3 new, large ones to go with them, and...

I just attached them with masking tape so they will be easy to take down if when I am ready for a change. I think Nicholas thought they were silly [and maybe he is right], but I love them just the same. They add a little cheer to the dining room, it was super easy, and it gave me the project fix I needed. 

I also have full intentions of doing some embroidery on that lamp shade as soon as I get a chance...but my dirty house is calling so I must get busy. 

Be happy...and silly! 

-Kate

Craft Sunday

Sunday I had a date with 2 cute little girls, and we had all kinds of fun. They were my craft buddies for the day and kept me company. I really expected an unenthusiastic reaction when I suggested that we make handmade valentines for their school party, but I was surprised when both girls were on board with the idea. Of course they also were super pumped about getting to come over and bring their Just Dance 3 game, but the valentines actually came first. I knew I had enough stamps to get the job done, so they cut lose on some printable business cards I had laying around [they are so handy for all kinds of projects]. They made some pretty cute valentines if you ask me! 

They used my tiny love stamp made from the pencil eraser along with some heart stamps, my "hello" banner and "just for you" stamp I got for $1 each, my super cool customizable stamp that Nicholas got me for Christmas, and my set of alphabet stamps.  

 

The girls did a really good job on the valentines, and after that we had ice cream, played Just Dance 3, made some cute jewelry using the Sculpey...but don't think it was all fun and games.

 There was some serious stuff going on. 

 I am so super duper excited that my mr is off work tomorrow, and we are going to get to spend the whole day together. Eeeek! I have some projects I want to work on as well, so hopefully I can get some things I need for those while we are out and about. And next weekend I am finally going to make it back to Arkansas! I am missing my Georgie, and I am so excited about seeing everyone. 

Be happy!

-Katie

not your average Valentine's day

I am thankful for a husband who knows that I don't care about roses and babies breath with a big plastic bow on a kind of ugly green vase and going out to dinner just to stand in line for an hour because that is the same idea as every other man in existence. Don't get me wrong...this girl loves flowers, and I know that sometime he will buy me flowers again. However, it will not be on the day that he is expected to buy me flowers, and they will be more creative than roses because he is observant and a good listener. Plus, if I got flowers right now they would just make my house look bad because it is so dirty...but I digress. What I am saying is that I am thankful for a husband who: 

• works hard to provide for us AND attends school full-time so that he can better provide for us in the future
• came to see me at the bakery before he left for work yesterday since I left before he was [fully] awake
• told me what he really wanted for dinner on Valentine's Day was frozen pizza because he knew I wouldn't want to cook after being on my feet all day
  
• left me a sweet handwritten note on the counter so it was the first thing I saw when I came home
• bought me Just Dance 3 for Valentine's Day because I said it was fun, and he remembers things like that because he is a thoughtful gift-giver
• gladly ate a frozen pizza on a paper plate so I wouldn't have any dirty dishes to wash
• played Just Dance 3 with me and sweated his booty off [because he got way more into it than I do] even though I kind of yelled at him for being in my space and for accidentally hitting my hand with his Wii remote
• is going to take me to buy a treadmill this weekend [his only Saturday off this whole month] because I am tired of waiting for warm weather to start jogging again, and I really, really want one
  

There are lots of other reasons he is good, but these were just things that made me thankful yesterday. He is fun, and I love him, Valentine's day or not. 

And since I failed once again at taking photos on a holiday, I will share a photo of the Valentine I made for Nicholas [because I always remember to take photos of inanimate objects].

I have some fun stuff that has been going on that I want to post about, but I have some important photo orders to get done. I am hoping to have that accomplished tonight! I have some things that have been on my list way too long!  Until then...

Be happy! 

-Katie 

100th blog post!!!

I don't know why, but I noticed recently that I was getting close to my 100th post. I felt like I should have something exciting to post, but there isn't that much super exciting stuff going on around here. I started doing some brainstorming about some new things that I could be doing around the blog. So in honor of my 100th post I made a list of 100 10 goals for my blog in the next 100 posts. 

1. Learn some html and get a blog design that I am happy with

2. Continue to Embrace the Camera

3. At least 4 quality posts each week

4. A regular weekly or monthly blog feature

5. Keep a running list of blog posts, goals, and ideas...

6. Share a post featuring other bloggers

7. Continue to evolve new brand of my photography

8. Don't stop creating

9. Don't worry about followers or comments, but post about things that interest me

10. Be happy!!!

I make lists all the time, but it seems to be beneficial when I blog about my lists. It holds me somewhat accountable, and makes me get things done. Now I will be able to refer back to this list and hopefully knock these things out in no time! 

 On a different note...

I was sitting on the couch looking at my cute bunting on my shelf, and it kind of made me laugh. Nicholas is always giving me a hard time about my bunting obsession and how we have it everywhere. I decided to share all of my bunting around the house. Maybe it proves my obsession, but if that is true it is all for Nicholas. 

1. living room shelf bunting

2. photo and clothespin bunting [office]

3. doily bedroom bunting

4. chalkboard bunting [office]
5. Yes, I even have bunting in my photos

6. office bunting [this was my first ever diy bunting]

These aren't including my seasonal buntings that are stashed away in the closet. So yeah...maybe I have an obsession, but at least it is a cute one! 

Be happy! 

-Kate

Embrace the Camera!

I am so excited to finally be participating in "Embrace the Camera" over at The Anderson Crew. I have been wanting to do this for so long, but I always forgot to take the photos! I mentioned in a previous post that I really had so few photos of us [yet I always have photos of my projects and things]. I am on my way to changing that for 2012, and I thank my silly adorable husband for helping me Embrace the Camera!

I am really not a big fan of being in photos, so this is kind of a big deal for me. I was just really bummed when I realized how few photos we had of ourselves from last year. Hopefully I know this year will be different!

Be happy...and embrace the camera!

-Katie