Easter hopes

photo by: ZilaLongenecker

I hope that you see sunshine where you are today.
I hope that you get to be with loved ones on Sunday.
I hope that you get to eat candy from a plastic egg.
I hope that you enjoy being with the people around you.
I hope that you smile at little girls with white lacy hats.
I hope that you wear something in the pastel family. 
I hope that you get to go to church this weekend and hear about Jesus' sacrifice + glorified resurrection.
I hope that you have a happy Easter weekend!

making monday a little sweeter // giveaway from alex

Hey Monday readers...how are you today?

Excited that there are six days until Christmas? 
Thrilled that the semester is almost over? 
Ecstatic to see loved ones this week? 

If you answered 'yes' to all the above, then you + I are in same boat. This week is going to be crazy busy, but let's just sit back and take it one day at a time, shall we? Grab a cup of coffee and read on to find out about a sweet deal from a sweet friend of mine.

I first heard of Alex who blogs over at defteling when we were paired up for the calendar swap hosted by design crush + greedy girl. She kindly offered me a 2012 weekly planner in addition to a 2012 calendar, but since I already have an academic planner that goes into the new year (filled to the brim with assignments), I asked her if I could offer it up on the blog...

Luckily for you -- she agreed!

One of you will start out 2012 with a brand new handmade weekly agenda planner!

How to enter (open to all readers -- U.S. and beyond!): 

01. Leave a comment on this post sharing your answer to this: I am most thankful that _________ happened in 2011. (Mine is my trip to Europe and my niece, Baby Z, coming into this world!)

02. As a special thanks + bonus to my subscribers, those who follow are allowed an additional comment (just leave one telling me that you follow).

**A winner will be announced the Monday after Christmas (the 26th). That way, it's like I'm prolonging Christmas gift opening for one of you! :)

**Even if you aren't the lucky one, you can still save! Alex created a discount code // PSL2011. If you use it in her etsy shop during checkout, you will get 20% off your entire order (excluding shipping).

For more of Alex's work:
etsy | Alex Wijnen
blog | defteling
website | defteling.com

30th anniversary party // the details

The 30th wedding anniversary party that we threw for my parents (three weeks ago) was a success! It was the perfect blend of DIY crafts (made by my sisters and me), loving family + friends, and that homey warm atmosphere we achieved by having it in my parents' backyard. While it rained for a little while, it was a good thing my parents have hanging branches that we were all sitting under -- we didn't get rained out which was quite a relief (for the nail-biting, worried, party planner in me).

This party was such an event I have to break it down into different posts. This one is all about the details. The little, DIY touches that made the party cute + special from their children. We wanted it to feel as homemade as possible. Every detail, down to the grapes on the fruit skewers were handled with care by the kids.

Here's what we did:
//The fabric bunting was made by my sister, Hannah without the use of a sewing machine. Talk about dedication! This girl stayed up late during the days leading up to the party and hand-sewed each flag onto the fabric. We wanted the theme + colors to reflect their wedding as much as possible, which is why we went with light blues, pinks, and yellows. We must have been pretty close because one of my aunts commented that she thought the fabric was from my mother's bridesmaids dresses!

//I made the embroidery hoop K + S (Kevin and Sandy) by finding patterned fabric and hot gluing it to the hoop. Then I used Word to print off a 'K' and 'S' and traced the letters onto black felt. It's one of the most simple handmade gifts I have ever made. A perfect wedding (or anniversary) present.

//The most rushed craft was easily the paper lanterns. I knew I wanted to have them, but we didn't actually buy all the supplies until Thursday night (the party was on Saturday). On Friday I made all three lanterns (based on this tutorial) while Chad mixed together the chicken salad. They turned out so pretty and I got several compliments on them, which I was a little embarrassed about since they were so simple.

//One of the most fun craft projects we did was the photo wall. Most of the responsibility fell to Hannah since she had the most access to their old thick photo albums in their basement. The photos ranged from the early days (wedding, honeymoon) of my mom and dad right up to this past year. We love looking at our parents when they were our age (!) so this was definitely a treasured part of the day. (And a big hit! People seemed to like seeing Kevin with a mustache and Sandy carrying my brother as a baby -- 29 years ago).

Next up is all about the attendees! Stay tuned! :)

the most simple Easter craft.

I'm not even kidding. It took me two episodes of Sex and the City to complete this colorful Easter garland. It is just such a cheery piece of Easter in my kitchen. I like it because you can use any colors you want and it includes a trip to the hardware store--which is a bonus if you have a husband that doesn't really get in touch with his crafty side ("But honey, we're going to Menards!").  :)

Here's what you need:

String // I used thick white thread and a needle and I was set. I've seen other people using dental floss and a needle. Pretty much whatever you have lying around.

Paint Samples // Whatever colors you want and whatever amount you want. If you want them to be close in color, pick out a rainbow of shades (which is what several others have done in addition to me). Figure that two egg shapes can fit onto one sample.

Scissors, Egg Shape, Needle (or something to make a hole with--you want the hole small).

Giving credit where credit is due...the reason that mine doesn't look so uniform is because I didn't cut the paint samples in half which means I don't have the white line running through the middle. Mine's a little more eclectic and I kinda like it.  :)

So if you are looking for a new Easter idea--give this one a go. Plus, it's free!

P.S. Anyone else love reading the paint colors? Wouldn't that be a cool job...

from monday to monday.

Hello darling friends! Let's catch up, shall we? (If we were catching up in real life, I would invite you over to my house for orange-glaze scones and some tea.)

Last week, amongst all the crazy protests (Wisconsin is going through some rough debates re: teacher's unions right now, just in case you didn't know), the PPST (I passed!), two movie nights, and one whirlwind cleaning spree, I was able to whip up this wreath for my dear friend Jackie to hang up in her future house with her future husband Mac.

I credit the completion of this project to a whole night of cutting out fabric circles and this super-simple fabric flowers tutorial.

Seriously, it's a good thing I have a niece on the way...I'll be cranking out fabric flowers like crazy!

P.S. Jackie, I know you read this, so please oblige me and act surprised when I give this to you. :)

v-day mail.

Today at preschool, my students started decorating their Valentine's Day bags for their party. The art table was stocked full with glitter, sequins, feathers, glue, and markers so they could make their bags with their own style. The buzz at was all about what sweet boxes of valentine's they would pick out. (Remember those? In my day we had Power Rangers, and My Little Pony). One little girl whispered to me that she was working with her mother and making her own handmade cards (girl after my own heart) :)

My Valentine's were handmade this year too. Using Martha's template and some cardstock, I created these critter cards for my friends and my swapmates over the weekend.

My V-day Card Swap buddies are:
Stephanie | Light in My Heart
Danielle | Caught Light
Lillian | Unstitched
Sarah | Inoculatted
Emily | E V Love

Hoping some Valentine's cheer comes to your mailbox next week!

starting to appear.

It might seem a little early, but I just can't help it.

The hearts are slowly making their way into my house.

Last year (or any other year for that matter), I wasn't able to decorate for Valentine's Day. Since Chad and I weren't married or living together, I was only able to give him a card and letter. Now, this year, I'll be able to decorate our apartment and show my love in more than just a card. :)

As you can see, I've already gotten started by doing my take on the framed hearts by sarah and bendrix. This weekend and next, I plan on crafting up (and baking up) these fun projects:

01 | heart paperclips (for little notes to Chad and remembering where I stopped in my book).
02 | crayon hearts window display. (I can finally use my pink thread to hang them up in my window).
03 | Red Velvet Whoopie Pies (heart shaped of course).
04 | Mini Fabric Bunting (I just got a bag of red + pink fabric from the thrift store yesterday...now I'm just glad I found a use for it).
05 | Valentine's Critter Cards (I'm participating in a V-Day card swap over at the stationery place this year, so I'm going to make extra for those gals).

What about you--any Valentine's Day crafting going on at your house this year?

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it's january 6th...do you have your calendar yet?

01. / 02. / 03. / 04. / 05. / 06. / 07. / 08. / 09.

(Excuse my attempt to be witty.) :)

If you're like me, you probably already have a 2011 calendar (well...you saw that now I have mine. But if for some reason you don't, I've complied 9 neat ones I'd like to see on my wall.

One of my favorite things to do in the first week of a new year is to write down all the things that I know are going to happen in the year in those neat little squares. For twenty-eleven, I already wrote down special events like--my nephew's birthday, my parent's (and my in-laws) 30th wedding anniversary, my first wedding anniversary, a dear friend's wedding, and mundane January happenings like dental appointments, bill due dates, and my work schedule. Nothing special...but to me it's my life. It's a way to see what is lying ahead for me.

having a merry little christmas (mix).

There are 15 cheery mixes in the hands of 15 family members & friends of mine {soon! I sent them out on Tuesday, so they should be arriving pretty soon, all my far-away friends}.  I just thought it might be nice to share with all of you what I did: 

* Each person got a mix cd of 14-18 songs based on what I knew they liked. 
(For example: while I know Marci love listening to A Fine Frenzy, I know my mother doesn't. Therefore, mom got a cd full of songs of the 50s, 60s, Sufjan, and Mannheim Steamroller.) See?

* I made the cd jackets using Marta's easy tutorial. I also used my Japanese masking tape for the edges. 

*All the songs were ones I like listening to...after all, they were all bought by me + will be on my iTunes forever. Here is an (incomplete) sampling of the songs:

Happy Listening!

my new found love.

Those who know me in the real world know that I'm not much of a crafter. Sure I dabbled in scrap booking my sophomore year of high school (I mean, who didn't?), but other than that I just leave the DIY stuff to the other bloggers.The ones who know their way around a can of spray paint and who can operate a sewing machine without muttering a few curse words. I just didn't think I could be a crafter. 

Then ... I went to Jess's crafternoon. And among a handful of cheery bloggers + friendly faces, I realized that I could really get into the vast world of crafting. She (and Jeff / G) welcomed us into their home, and encouraged us that crafting is so simple. Anyone (me!) can do this. And do this well.

A little show + tell:

1) My wreath. All you do is twirl yarn around a wreath form. Why did no one tell me?! I now know every single Mother's Day, Baby Shower, Bridal Shower, and Christmas gift for all the females in my life. I also made some felt flowers...easy peasy (I don't know how many other ways I can say it--crafting is easy and fun) :).

2) My cake stand. (See the poinsettia in the background making its appearance?) If, at all possible, this is even easier. It's a pretty white plate super-glued to a candlestick holder. I can't wait to display sweet treats--especially Christmas cookies (courtesy of my grandma).
Sidenote: I went to the thrift store today and saw plates and candlestick holders in a whole new way. Oh the possibilities....

P.S. See more of our crafternoon here & here.

Wedding Season: What to Give {Vol. 3}

1. Black and Silver Wall Rack: $15.00
2. Distressed Key Holder: $6.00
3. Office Organizer: $16.00
4. 16 Fabric Pushpins: $14.50
5. Small Vintage Jar Trio: $15.00
6. Lidded Glass Jar: $14.00

Everyone needs a way to organize the chaos. Whether it's a place to hang up keys or the husband's coat, or finding a cute way to display the cotton swabs and Q-Tips in small clear jars. At my apartment, we're just getting into the living together mode and we've found that having a central location for everything {bills, receipts, schedules, bulletin board, calendar} is the ideal way for our house to function smoothly. Some cute fabric pushpins would make any new bride smile.

Christmas Finds: Volume III

It's a snow day today! The best news a college student can get is that they don't have to go into class and can just sit in their house and look at the snow outside.  Many thanks to the president of my college for making that happen.

Onto the next featured gift list....this one features all things Mom!
To me, mom {equals} organic, recycling, piano music, homemaker, classic Television shows, antiques,  jewelry, fine wine, classy.

My mother always cooks Sunday dinner for my family. Unfortunately, during the football season, she misses the Vikings games that start at noon. Now, she wouldn't feel so bad about missing it if she was wearing a Minnesota Vikings apron while she cooks.

Every Sunday for church, my mom dresses up. She's the most stylish person in our pew since my sister and I haven't worn dresses in about a year, but my mama wears dresses almost every Sunday. She can glam up even more by wearing these blush rose earrings.
{Hannah did wear a dress last Sunday, I am the one who hasn't worn one in a year.}

She's also one hard-working homemaker. She keeps the house clean, the laundry folded, the dishes washed, and the lists made. She's someone who deserves to take a bath with these aromatherapy sea mineral bath salts.

She is Ms. Green. She is all about the organics and recycling {she gets upset when packages arrive with packing peanuts because they don't bio-degrade.} That's why some of these reusable sandwich bags would be right up her alley...and they are a lot more sanitary than reusing plastic bags.

She also is a world-class cook {to my family}. I hope to be a good cook like her for my mr. Now she can be organized with this recipe card set.

She'd also love feeling clean and keeping the earth clean with these organic face scrubbies

Being a glasses wearer for almost 30 years, she's probably gone through her fair share of glasses cases. She would loved this updated eyeglass case.

hey sister?

Can you have a girl next? I love UJ but I bet he wouldn't let me put this on him. I'm thinking Eli wouldn't like it too much either:)

{Kenziepoo}

miss you.

A couple weeks ago, my best friend came into the Cities to visit her dad. It was on a weekend that I was already busy, and I wasn't able to see her since she was in town for less than 72 hours. I bummed around pretty much the whole week until Friday when my friend Dani was in town and I thought that I'd be able to see her too. Turns out that didn't happen so I have been in a girlfriend slump ever since then.

I absolutely love my friends that I see on a regular basis. I think that after graduating high school (been four years for me) the relationships with your friends change dramatically. Not only do you have to be in class with each other anymore, in my case, I wasn't able to be in the same town (or time zone) as them. I went to school that provided room and board and I made friends with people who lived in totally different parts of the country. This makes meeting back up awkward since it's often a year or two and you have different priorities and ideals since the last time you saw them. It's also hard to have phone conversations with people since you usually have to have majorly epic talks since it's been so long.

I know that this post is all over the place and hard to follow which I do apologize for. I think that it's hard for me to organize it since I don't know how to organize these thoughts. Simply put-I miss my friends both far away and close. That is all. Does this happen to anyone else out there?

image credit:
1.absolutely beautiful things
2.k is for katie via lovely little tihngs
3. personal photo (best friend and I-2008)