Feathering the Christmas Nest

I know you are all busy feathering your Christmas nests. The truth is that I haven't put up the first decoration. Well except I hung some of the ornaments from my Silver Bella felt ornament swap on the wire dress form in my studio. But that's it for me. We're supposed to head out to buy a tree tonight and I'm spending the day cleaning out corners before I bring up the holiday cheer and start to rearrange.

I have much to share with you this week: treasures, journals, aprons, studio pictures and who knows what else. I hope you'll meet me back here soon.

Happy Shopping

While many of you are out hitting the Black Friday sales, I will be Colorful Friday shopping. Since I really don't have any more Christmas shopping to do, I'm headed to the flea market, where among other things, I will be searching for more vintage tins to add to my studio storage collection. And maybe Sweet Hubby will get a chance to start shopping for me. I'm trying to imagine a present I would like better than an old tin filled with vintage pom poms. Better than jewelery I tell ya.

Hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday. I have decided to never eat again. Well at least not until that stuffing and egg breakfast casserole comes out of the oven in about 30 minutes.

In the Bag

I find in life, that it's the little things that really make me happy- good magazines, lunch dates in the Village, little green staplers, quiet time with my family and making something uniquely mine. I figure, while I'm out buying the ingredients for my Thanksgiving feast, I may as well carry them in style. I hope your holiday celebration is filled with little things that make you happy.

McMaster & Storm

I recently placed an order at McMaster & Storm. If you don't know about them, you are missing out on one of the greatest shopping experiences of all time. I first discovered them at the Country Living Fair in 2007. It was one of the highlights of that trip for me.

 

This wasn't my first order but it delights me just as much as if it were. Opening one of their packages is like opening a gift on Christmas morning. Only I already know what's in it. Which is even better because I know I'll love what's inside. Their attention to detail is enchanting.

A couple of these Petite European Staplers were given away at Silver Bella this year. I wasn't lucky enough to win one so I decided to treat myself. You know as a reward for leaving the glitter and all nighters behind. I justified this by assuming another year would pass with Sweet Hubby ignoring this item on my Christmas wish list. I'm sure he would think it was a silly thing to get your wife, not realizing just how much joy a little stapler with brass staples could actually give a woman.

 

Picking a color was hard. I chose the green but I was torn between it and the pink. You can see the other colors in their photo below. I'm thinking I should get the pink for my other work area in the studio. I mean why should I have to walk 5 feet just to retrieve my stapler? And shouldn't I have a backup in case something (Emma) happens to my green one? How's a girl supposed to own just one color?

So if you're looking for me this week, I'll be in my studio fastening things together, walking around clutching my stapler to my chest and muttering like that crazy guy in Office Space. I bought 10,000 extra staples so that should keep me busy for awhile. And don't even think about borrowing it.

A special thank you to Kara for the extra little yummies in my box and for being patient with me when I thought something was missing from my order when it was there the whole time. You just can't find customer service like that anymore.

Silver Bella Part I-The People (A Ridiculously Long Tale About Women that Sparkle)

This is probably my favorite picture from the trip and it's not even mine! Thanks Hope! This is from the first full day in Omaha, part of which was spent at this huge antique mall. I don't believe anyone walked out empty handed. I know Cammy, Kelli and I didn't.

This is the fabulous Hope Wallace Karney. She has magical powers and can get anyone to do anything. I'm not quite sure how she does it but I sure admire her for it. Plus she's very giving herself, which I'm sure doesn't hurt!

 

This is me and Meg Duerksen from the blog Whatever. We didn't have any classes together but how fun that we got to meet.

This is me and Kaari Meng from French General. I took 2 of her classes. I was only scheduled for one but I loved her, her classes and jewelery making so much that I paid for a 6th class just to be with her. I fancy myself a bit of a teacher's pet. Of course if you ask her about it she will say Jen who? But that's just to throw you off so you don't know she's playing favorites. Kaari is responsible for taking 87% of my money over the week and for my family eating mac and cheese from a box until the next payday. But to be honest I LOVE jewelery making and would rather play with beads than eat and in her defense, she wouldn't allow me to spend my last $40 on some awesome European jewelry tools. And can I just say that her assistant Dawn was hands down the best classroom assistant ever? Oh there I go again sucking up. I can't help myself.

Here's me and Cammy and Kelli. The 3 of us roomed together this year and had most of our classes together. Let me just say there were many nights of very little sleep (a total of only 6 hours in 2 nights at this point) and it shows on my face. Enlarge at your own risk. This was in the evening right before the Market opened and we got to shop til we dropped. The theme this year was aprons, thank God, because aprons are much less embarrassing than vintage prom dresses.

This is me and the extra fabulous Shelly Kennedy of Drooz Studio fame. Y'all, I don't even know why she talks to me. She is so awesome and talented and sweet and gorgeous and I could go on and on. I'm so happy that I got to meet her.

 

Here are the 3 amigos again at the luncheon. Our key note speaker was Jo Packham (Where Women Create) and she was fabulous. And Inspiring. And I could have listened to her speak all afternoon. I would have skipped my next class just to listen to her. What a lady!

 

This is me and my buddy Melissa Danner. What do I say about her? I'm so happy we finally had a class together. She is one of a kind (in a good way) and wonderful and funny and real and cool (even if her teenage daughter doesn't realize it) and I'm so happy that I know her and that she only lives a few hours away and that she's already planning to come see me. That's a lot of ands I know but that was me controlling myself.

There were other amazing women I spent time with that I don't have pictures of like my new Silver Bella Momma Carol and her sister Elizabeth the wonderful, talented and sweet as can be Michelle Geller, the always fun sidekicks Lisa and Karlene, the lovely Kari Ramstrom known to most of you as Artsy Mama. Oh and Jeanne from Bushel and a Peck, what a sweetheart she is. So real, so sweet, so stinkin adorable, so talented. I just know I'm leaving people out but I'm still in a fog from it all.

I just want to leave you with one last comment about the wonderful women at this event. I have never in my life been around women who are so generous, encouraging, talented and warm. I've never been hugged so much as I was in those 5 days and I loved every moment of it. My hug tank is full. That feeling of being a part of something and being surrounded by people that get you is what keeps people coming back to Silver Bella every year. I will miss all of these women but even more, I will miss that feeling of community.

Home Again and Exhausted Ramblings

I'm home from Silver Bella and wow did it feel good to sleep in my own bed last night. I came home to 2 sick girls, 1 tired husband, 3 love starved and hungry animals and 1 house very much in need of cleaning. Today I am completely exhausted (of course staying up until midnight watching the Colts play some amazing football didn't help) and I don't have the energy to blog much about my week, but I will soon. I will tell you that it was great, that I am creatively charged up and that I got to meet some wonderful women that I am so happy to call friends.

For now I wanted to tell you about a website called All Things Cottage that may be new to you. They were sweet enough to feature my 'ol cottage blog and after checking it out I can tell you that there is some great cottage eye candy on there. That brings me to something I've been wondering about lately. What brings you to my blog? Are you drawn here for decorating? Creative pursuits? General ramblings? To be a witness to my insanity? Something completely different? I'd love to know so please leave me a comment. That means you too lurker. And this isn't me fishing for compliments, my head already barely fits through a door. I'm just really curious.

So that's it for now except I did want to say this: ***To the man wearing the I Hate Peyton Manning and Eli sucks too tshirt at O'hare International Airport yesterday -TAKE THAT!***

pic from  all things cottage

The Time Has Come

It's here. It's time for Silver Bella. So begins the time of year when I can blog about little else. Feel free to take a sabbatical from me while I get it out of my system.

Four nights away from it all. I will miss my family so much. I will miss you all too, but I will have more glitter & wine powered fun than you can imagine. I thought I'd leave you with a peak of my felt ornaments all packaged up and ready to swap.

 

This is an in progress peek of the apron I made this year. I hope all of you have a week filled with friends and creativity. Okay, wine and glitter too. I look forward to catching up with you soon.

Shannan and Jen's Excellent Adventure

 

Friday was my long anticipated day spent with Shannan from Flower Patch Farmgirl. It was one of those rare perfect days that you know you will remember for years to come. How could any day that starts off with an aardvark decorated present be anything other than wonderful I ask you? Inside was the loveliest flower pin that I happily wear on my shopping tote. By the way, all of these pictures are Shannan's as I was so caught up in the excitement I walked out of the house without my camera.

 

Shannan is wonderful. She is warm, sweet, beautiful, sincere, encouraging, brilliant and wicked funny. Finding her was a blessing. Well, maybe not for her considering our entire first meeting happened because I insinuated myself into her life.

After getting to know each other for awhile through our blogs, she made the comment that Emma and I should come visit her farm sometime. She was just being polite but since she lives just 2 1/2 hours north of me I packed up Emma and got in my car and went. Bless her heart. I'm sure she never thought I'd actually do it.

 

This day was her chance to pay me back. We started our Adventure off with Anthropologie where oddly, neither of us bought anything. Next we went to the flea market where we managed to avoid fighting over a single treasure. I think this bodes well for the future of our friendship. 

 

Next we were off to the The Flying Cupcake where amazing cupcakes are only half the fun. You can see my previous post about this sugar wonderland here. It's impossible to walk in to this bakery and not smile. I guarantee you Shannan will want to come back here every time she comes to Indy now. After that we visited the Girly Chic Boutique which happens to be owned by the same talented woman that owns the bakery.

 

 We wrapped up our shopping with a trip to the inspiring and wonderful but very, very expensive store Uber. There was very little there that I didn't want. There was very little there that I could afford.

 

After our busy day Shannan got to meet my unruly gang. Her exact words and more true words have never been spoken. Of course they were as charmed by her as I am. And apparently we didn't scare her off because there is already talk of a weekend visit with her family. I guess she didn't realize I was just being polite.

Aardvark decorated present aside, the real gift of this day was Shannan's friendship. I'm happy to have found you girl! I can't wait to see you again soon. Note to self: next time have picture taken at the beginning of the day.

Good Books

Here are some books that I've recently read & loved and wanted to recommend for your To Read List. You do have a To Read List, right? I'm not the only one? What is it about the smell of a new book? Or the smell of the library? Or the feel of a bookstore? I could never be happy without stacks and stacks of books around. I have a neighbor who loves her Kindle. Loves it. There is just no way I could ever give up the feeling of holding a book in my hands, of turning the pages and touching the words, of holding it up to my face and deeply inhaling it's intoxicating scent. Please share what you've been smelling reading lately.

 

Letting Go

My dear friend Shannan is coming to see me on Friday and it got me thinking about this subject that has been on my mind for awhile. I thought this would be a good time to bring it up. Shannan, feel free to print this out and read it several times before you get here.

Dear Friends,
I've decided to quit trying to be perfect. I'm not and neither is my home. I really gave it my all for awhile but to be honest, it was exhausting. I assume that if you are coming to see me it is because you care about me and want to see me and don't really care that my carpet needs to be cleaned and that I still haven't refinished the kitchen table. I assume you would rather sit with me and visit over a cup of tea in a cozily cluttered room than to sit uncomfortably in a perfectly clean museum. Here are some things I would like you to know:

-When you come to my house it will probably be a little messy. A real family with real messes lives here.
-It will probably be a little dusty. I love to vacuum but dusting? Not so much.
-Don't bring your white gloves.
-If you drop food on the floor I suggest you skip the 5 second rule and let the dog eat it.
-I like piles of things. They make me happy.
-I was going to clean for your visit but I decided my time would be better spent in the studio. As my friend I'm sure you agree since you want me to be happy.
-Never come during that time of day when the sun is streaming through the front windows and you can see every streak in my house. We will both be horrified.

I'm embracing my life. The real one. I'm sure we will both be better off for it. I know I am more comfortable in a house that isn't spotless. Now if only I could stop apologizing for the imperfections.

Pic from Country Living

Don't Hate Me Because I'm Organized

I'm not bragging, but I only have a handful gifts left to buy for Christmas. Okay maybe I am bragging. But you'll forgive me, right? Neither of my girls has asked for a single thing for Christmas. They are pretty easy to please. Emma said she just wants to be surprised and that she would love to get some crafts. These 2 items are at the top of my shopping list. Do you have any other gift suggestions for a little creative soul?

You can find these here and here.

An Introduction

I'd like to introduce you to a new friend of mine. Her name is Teresa and she resides at Meadowbrook Farm. Teresa sent me the sweetest email the other day which is how we met. Boy am I glad she took the time. Her blog is beautiful. Her photography is beautiful. Her attitude is beautiful too. Teresa went through a similar need to shake her life up, only hers took her to the country instead of to the village. She is such an inspiration and I knew you all would like to meet her also. Why don't you swing by her place and say howdy? You'll be glad you did. 

 

The Halloween Post

Better late than never, here I am with my Halloween pictures. I didn't want the holiday to pass without my recording it for posterity.

 

 Although truth be told, I'm glad it's over. For some reason all of the extra clutter from decorations isn't working for me this year. It will all be gone today and it's got me thinking I might really pare down for Christmas this year. 

 

Sweet Hubby always carves the pumpkins. There's a reason I'm not allowed to handle knives around my family during the holidays. I'll give you a small hint that hopefully won't be enough to be used against me in a court of law. Preschool Maddie+washing hands on chair at kitchen sink after making cookies for Santa+Mommy moving steak knife by sink for safety reasons+slipping kitchen chair=wound and permanent scarring on Maddie's shoulder blade. Let's say no more about it.

 

Of course Emma would have to try to eat the pumpkin guts. She won't eat a cooked vegetable to save her life but is a purist and prefers her produce fresh.

 

 The dog suit. Every year with the dog suit. Every year with the looks of pity from other wives. Every year with me having to do the walk of shame around the neighborhood. It's enough to make me miss living in Miami where it was just too hot to step outside in it.

 

This was a very cold Halloween. Em actually had to wear her coat over her costume the whole time we were out and only lasted about 45 minutes. I actually think that's perfect. It provides her with just the right amount of candy and keeps me from eating too much of it.