hAPPy neW yeAr!!

Wishing you a Happy Happy New Year! Hope that 2012 is your best year yet!!! Here's to new opportunities and fresh starts :)

Tuesday's Ten

1. So enjoyed Christmas with my two guys. The littlest one was over the moon excited and the big one did very good in the gifts to his wife department :)
2. Spiral sliced ham is truly heavenly. I love it!
3. Is anyone else as exhausted as I am? I feel like I could laze around all week.
4. My baking was a failure....I guess my hips are grateful :P
5. Excited about the New Year. No resolutions yet just grateful for the newness of it all.
6. Yesterday was my birthday. I really enjoyed every second of my day. Hope it speaks to how I will spend the year.
7. Do any of you guys journal? Curious about how you approach the process. Do tell.
8. Basketbal is back! Let's go HEAT! Times like this I wish we had the NBA package on our cable plan, ugh.
9. People surprise you...for  the good and the bad.
10. I will post my holiday crafts soon. I have not really felt like pictures and posting. I know I should be spending qt with the guys.

Merry Christmas!

Enjoy every single thing that the day brings! I am enjoying seeing the wonder of the season through my son's eyes. All is new, bright and MAGICAL!

10 for Tuesday: Lessons

In this hectic season, here are 10 life lessons that I hope will make this crazy season a bit better. I am trying to keep them close to heart.

1. People matter. Every single moment I can spend with the people who I love, I plan to do it and enjoy them.
2. Perfection doesn't exist. Stop pushing so hard for things to be perfect.
3. Compliments are free- share kind words freely. People need to hear kind words.
4. There really is something to be said for smiling until your cheeks hurt.
5. It is okay to take a moment for me. Maybe it will be during a long shower or driving the scenic way home but I need a few moments to myself. It is a good thing.
6.Homemade is cool but convenience sometimes trumps making it myself.
7. Do something that doesn't feel like me. I just may discover something I love.
8. New traditions have a place beside old ones. I am ever evolving so things I treasure may evolve with me.
9. Everyone doesn't have to have a present. Accept the gifts that people give and enjoy them and the intent.
10. Love freely and abundantly.

What life lessons do you hold on to at this busy, busy season?

Versatile Blogger Award!

My blogger friend Tori ( I feel like I can call her that as much as I stalk her gorgeous blog) blogs over at One Eleven and if you can get past the amazing header you will certainly swoon over her sewing creations. But that is not all she shares so many of the things that inspire her from architecture, old family photos (that you could really just insert me in~ I remember sporting those mini shorts too), music and fashion. It really is a blog where you want to stay a long while and see what she whips up on her machine.



Well she nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award.

The task you ask is:

The versatile blogger award is all about getting to know other bloggers and blogs they read.

Here are the rules:

nominate 10-15 fellow bloggers
inform the bloggers of their nomination
share 7 random things about yourself
thank the blogger who nominated you
add the versatile blogger award pic on your blog post

Easy right so here are 7 random things about me:

*my sense of direction is amazing. I never get lost, take me some place once and I can always find my way back

*I love handwritten notes, to write or to receive them fills me with happiness

*I never dream of a white Christmas~I prefer a sun filled one any day

*I like to eat my meals in sections- all of one thing before moving on to the next thing

*I hate the feel of putting lotion on, makes me feel all slick and slippery like a seal or something

*magazines make me happy~ glossy pages, juicy gossip and celebrities are my splurge. My Real Simple and O are the necessities.

*I love long, hot showers and air drying....bliss

The blogs I nominate are:

The Funky Firefly

The Luckiest

Swim, Bike, Quilt

Everywhere Orange

Needle and Spatula

I Make Stuff

Man Wife and Dog

Journey to Josie

La Vie Petite

Thanks again Tori! You are the best!!!

Buttons galore

Life is super busy around these parts. I am sure most of you can relate to trying to get it all done. I am feeling the pinch but not feeling overwhelmed~ that is really just my personality more than any real strategy. My to-do list is winding down and most of the packages have been sent. Yay! I am working on a few hand-made projects and I hope to finish them up this weekend.
Tonight I made a initial button print for one of my cousins. I am not sure how I am going to jazz this up- either a frame or hanging from a ribbon. I think I need to add a few more buttons but I am pretty pleased with the product. See things I pin on pinterest do actually get made...eventually :)

How are your holiday preparations going?

Tuesday's Ten

I will keep it short and sweet today since I can't afford to lose time on the computer. Do you realize how many days are left until Christmas? Oh my! So here are 10 blogs I like, hope you enjoy them too.

1. Gina's Skinny Recipes: Great recipes, nice photos and visually appealing.
2. Diary of A Quilter: Tutorials and pretty amazing quilts!
3. The Funky Firefly: Super stylish blogger and my bestie :)
4. Meet the Dubiens: Cute food and neat crafts for people with kiddos.
5. Newly Woodwards: Newly married, crafty & witty.
6. Pyrex Collective: Pyrex, lovely Pyrex.
7. The Pinterest Project: A blog dedicated to Pinterest Projects~ cool to see the outcome
8. Love Affair with My Brother: Yes, She means the Machine...sew very cool.
9. Vintage Revivals: She makes old stuff new with so much style.
10. Moneywise Moms: Deals and money-saving advice.

So when you have a minute, you should check these blogs out. You won't be disappointed.

Yummy goodness!

First it was the machine and now it is the oven that is getting its workout on :)  Tonight at around 6 mind you I got the urge to tackle some meals for the week. I made a spicy chicken chili, a potato, sausage and pepper casserole and roasted veggies! This family will be eating good for the next few days. Which frees my evenings up to sew. Go me!

My machine was Smokin'

I had a very productive sewing evening tonight. I finished a quilt top that I started tonight. Yeah, you read that right. I started a quilt top and finished it in a day. I will say that I did all of the cutting while I was at work.So the awful part was out of the way. My husband always says I work better with a deadline. Anyway, I followed a great tutorial from Cluck Cluck Sew and I primarily used the fabric that I won and some scraps from my niece's quilt. I love the way it turned out and can't wait to wrap it up. Another holiday craft underway :)

Is it Tuesday...Here's 10 :)

Things I am looking forward to this holiday season.

1. Getting holiday cards. I love seeing people at their best :)
2. Warm cocoa~ yummy goodness in a mug.
3. Holiday celebrations with friends and family. Keep the invites coming.
4. Hosting Christmas dinner. Busting out the wedding dishes for this one.
5. Taking my son to see the Christmas trees on the National Mall. He is going to flip out!
6. Baking some good stuff. Feel free to leave me some tried and true recommendations.
7. A WEEK off from work. It will fly by but I am going to enjoy the time.
8. Finishing up my homemade gifts ;P
9. Making some ornaments with my sweetie.
10. Avoiding the madness in the malls but grinning like a bandit when the UPS man arrives!

What are you looking forward to this holiday season ?

this dude, Santa

Makes me super happy as he hangs on my tree.

Tis the happiest season of all.

What makes you happy this holiday season?

Seriously Lucky

I am feeling rather lucky: first I won a pattern ( got it in the mail today), then I won a Japanese pattern book and today I won a blog makeover. Go me :)

I am feeling rather fortunate...December is off to a stellar start!!!