Emmy's: Blogger Shout Out!

Okay - so I won't pretend - I don't watch real/live TV (I watch episodes of shows), so I did not watch the Emmy's. However my very good friend, former roomie and fellow SKANK member KRISTEN over at andthenifound5dollars did, and she has some great comments about her loves and hates on the red carpet.

If you are a fashion fan and love to pick apart what the celebs are wearing, you should definitely check out her post!

***EDIT: Per Hannah's request below - SKANK - "Staci" "Kristen" "Amy" "Nicole" "Katie" - 5 girlfriends from high school - first initial from first name - listed in birth order - happens to spell out that great word!***

mid-week update

Some things I've been thinking about this week:

• Tonight I babysat my sweet niece Chloe and got to spend some time chatting with my brother-in-law, Brian. It was nice catching up with him and it's so awesome to be able to get along with my sister and her hubby so well and to call them friends - not just family.
• I'm still definitely interested in doing some sort of Bloggers-Bible something. I'm really hoping to focus this for women - specifically young/young-married and currently without children. I'm not trying to squeeze people out, but I'd like to do internet-Bible-study-type thing with like-minded females who are in the same situations as I am. I have three ladies interested so far, so if you are also interested let me know! I've been tossing ideas around in my head on how we can do this. My thoughts are to have passages to read weekly and to encourage one post a week - about the passages, what you learned, what you question, etc. Anyway - more on this when I get my head wrapped around it.
• My husband is great. He works hard to provide for us and keeps us in check. He doesn't have the benefit of two days a week off, so spending three days with him this past weekend was just so wonderful. 
• I've been really feeling like I need to get my eating and health under control recently. I have a hate-hate relationship with exercise and a love-love-love relationship with food, so it's quite a struggle. I wish I could get motivated about exercise and eating healthy, but what excites me is napping and chocolate.
• This weekend I have a baby shower for a friend of mine that I worked closely with for 2 1/2 years. I also have plans this weekend to see a friend of mine (and her new baby) that I was close with years, but probably haven't seen in almost 2 years!

So. That's what's been going on in my head this week. What's been going on with you?

Bloggers Bible Club?

Lately I've been really feeling the effects of not reading my Bible like I should - and feeling the guilt, though not really doing anything to change it. I had a kind of serious break down this weekend over something ridiculous and I've been struggling with envy/jealousy a lot lately as well, not to mention a general lack of guidance for my career path. I know that my lack of Bible-reading isn't the reason these things are happening, but I'm sure it isn't helping.

I know I don't talk a lot about God or my faith on this blog. It's not that I want it to be a secret, it's just that I've tried to keep a focus on this blog, and it has always been an outlet for my other passions - food and design - while I felt like my God-passion was satisfied through church on Sundays, being in the worship/praise band and occasionally attending small group.

I've always had Christian girlfriends, but as I've been growing up I've noticed most of these friends are no longer my age and are at different stages of life - most are my sister's friends or have kids. The small group I attended with my sister went through it's own changes and is full of married friends now with kids. Most of the friends Josh and I have at church that are our age are in small groups already, and due to his more hectic work schedule, it's hard for us to meet regularly with others.

I've been meeting new blogger friends recently across the globe and it got me to thinking. Is there some sort of Blogging-Bible-Club-Study any of you are a part of or is it something you might be interested in? I'm not even sure how it would work, so I'm definitely open to suggestions. Maybe a certain portion to read weekly and it can be posted about (if you want) or discussed via email? Or maybe even a new blog that anyone in the "club" can contribute too and discussed in the comments?

Please let me know your thoughts or if you have any suggestions of reading plans that you may follow. I know as we get into fall and then winter...that seasonal depression is going to kick in and I need to be prepared and motivated before that gets here!

shoutout: thanks

i just wanted to give a big thank you to all you new readers/commenters out there. i really appreciate my friends for loving on me [even though they know alllll about me] and you new readers who only know me for my crazy blog-food-designer life. your encouragement and comments always make me happy and brighten my day!

i don't know about you, but i'm looking forward to the weekend! we're celebrating my brother-in-law's 30th birthday tomorrow and i've done some pretty unadventurous cooking this week (hotdogs...salad...baked beans anyone? sometimes a person needs these simple things in one's life) so i'm looking forward to more fun foods this weekend!

have a great one!

fabric friday: 4-1-11: headboard

i thought i would share this fun use of fabric posted by design*sponge a few days ago.

STARCHED FABRIC HEADBOARD

image from metalandmud.wordpress.com

i love how easy this looks (and for those crafty people out there, only takes a few hours) and that it's easily removable. i also love the color and pattern that was chosen for this particular project.

you can read the whole how-to post here at metal and mud.

another fabric idea - that i adore - are fabricwrapped headboards. here's a DIY video from design*sponge on that too!

image from design*sponge

blog love: Puremotif Photography

hey, all! i'm traveling to Jasper, Indiana today for work, so i thought i would just encourage you to take a look at my sister's photography/design blog. it's possible i'm a little biased because she's my sister, but i think she is just SO AMAZING at photographing weddings, families, couples, babies...OMG everything! check out her blog here and make sure you subscribe to stay up-to-date on all her awesome posts!

wedding season is coming up so she's sure to have some awesome wedding and engagement images to share!! don't forget to check out her facebook page and like her there as well!

label help

so recently i've been really trying to pare down the labels i use on posts. i find that i tag things that i may never write about again and that no one would really ever search for. based on what i desire to write about and share, i feel that i should be able to create better focus in my posts (and hopefully better posts) by removing unnecessary labels.

i'm looking for advice here people. how do you categorize what you write about? do you tag posts specifically, like "momentum fabrics," or do you keep things more general like "fabrics?" i'm looking for advice!

i love have the labels column on my blog, but hate seeing a bunch of random tags that i may never blog about again.

what's your system?

a lovely award

i don't think i've ever received a blog award before! (maybe once, in my 8ish years of blogging...), but thanks to the oh-so-lovely herself, Meighan of Fredricka Rose, i get to put my count up to TWO!!! i feel so honored to have received an award from a blog friend!! make sure you check her blog out!!

and to pass on the love myself...

and then i found 5 dollars
superyay!
brian and rachel plus
chaos symphony

not only are their blogs awesome, but the bloggers are amazing!
they are truly *lovely* and i love them!

a random bunch

i love the fall. i think this is because it is like another holiday for me...so we have fall, thanksgiving, christmas and then new years...all times of family fun, good food, awesome outside colors and smells, giving and receiving gifts, fun decorations and just plain awesomeness. i also have started loving the cooking aspect of the holidays much more. the girls and i are throwing around the idea of doing our own "Friendsgiving" [idea from Danielle & Dave after i was invited to their own last year :)] and i'm excited to try some pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese [and some with vanilla] frosting for Thanksgiving desserts :)


i went to josh's yesterday - his grandma had started putting the tree up already...i can't believe it's already that time of year! seriously, this year has flown by...


i found this post from on my other blog, while i was looking to see what i had posted last year around this time of year. please go look. it's funny. :)


nothing too exciting planned for this weekend - which is WELCOMED. tonight i have some powerpoint to finish for church and there's META CAFE. tomorrow probably some cleaning [i'm itching to clean the bathroom and kitchen floors...yeah, it's true...and to finally get that last moving box out of my room] and visiting of friends!! sunday is church [up early] and more relaxing. the last few weeks have been ESPECIALLY exhausting...so i'm excited to just lounge around the house and not do much.

have great weekends everyone and happy friday!


oh! and i forgot about this! kc and i made enchiladas wednesday. here's a pic. meatballs tonight!

101 things about me...

[inspired by Jessica]

1. i love my lappy
2. i think i'd love an apple lappy better
3. my favorite color combination is black & white with an awesome red accent
4. i also wouldn't mind that with an awesome teal/dark blue accent
5. my room is full of clothes
6. most of these clothes are clean...
7. i hate to clean [and put away clothes]
8. i hate to garden
9. i love to cook
10. i love to bake cupcakes!
11. i am a chocoholic
12. i don't care for alcohol
13. i've never smoked a cigarette
14. i never plan to smoke a cigarette
15. i hate cigarettes
16. i like big mirrors for decoration
17. i like crest vanilla something blast toothpaste
18. i use an electric toothbrush
19. my bathroom used to be a closet
20. i'm dying to move out
21. i don't have any furniture to move out with
22. i use a "microwave stand" to hold lappy next to my bed
23. i love family guy
24. i love futurama
25. i love the simpsons
26. i love maggie, specifically, from the simpsons
27. i love watching these and laughing about them with josh
28. i love my family
29. i love my skank's
30. i love oh my josh
31. i love iNSPiRAL
32. music is a major part of my life
33. i can't go 10 minutes without singing
34. i sing better with a wireless mic in my hand
35. my dad is one of my best friends
36. my longest best friend is alicia, she lives in FL and we've known each other since we were 2
37. my gramma has cancer
38. i love my grandparents
39. i was born in england
40. england was the best vacation ever
41. my sister and her husband are some of my favorite people ever
42. i love metropolitan home
43. i love kitties
44. i enjoy kitty sitting
45. the office is the only TV show i will watch diligently
46. except maybe "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" [since i watched it tonight and thought it was good...but odd...]
47. Gill Sans MT is my new favorite font
48. i sell Knoll furniture
49. i adore Knoll furniture
50. i am a designer, not a decorator!
51. i like HGTV and those shows about selling/buying new houses
52. i want to live in a big city someday
53. maybe i want to be famous someday
54. i used to want to be rock-star famous
55. Metropolitan Home is one of my favorite magazines
56. i was totally bummed when Blueprint stopped
57. i love photography!
58. i can't believe how probably less than 5 years ago film was preferred to digital
59. i love going to weddings
60. i like to get dressed up
61. i love surprises!!!
62. i love getting together with my friends
63. i really enjoyed watching Sex & the City movie w/ my SKANK's
64. i'm TOTES excited for kt & mike to get married!!!!!!!!!!
65. i'm all about the abbreviations
66. totes
67. probs
68. ushe
69. [inapprop's]
70. i'm starting to look forward to kickboxing
71. i love how josh's sense of humor matches mine so perfectly
72. i specialize in office furniture planning & design
73. i like to blog
74. my posts usually are senseless
75. i adore taking pics of my cuppies
76. i adore saying "cuppies"
77. i am a facebook stalker
78. i try not to be
79. i love my job
80. my bed is the most comfortable place in the world
81. i like to shop
82. i love to shop
83. i have way too many clothes
84. and purses
85. and shoes
86. i buy most of my clothes at NY & Company, Old Navy & American Eagle
87. i buy most of my shoes at random places, or Payless & Shoe Department
88. i like going to movies
89. i think i could have an overactive bladder
90. i'm betting one day i'll get Minérè's Disease
91. i've gotten really bad dizzy spells twice in two months
92. i can't believe it's already July!
93. i can't believe i'm at 93 already!
94. i hope some of my blogging buddies do this [kt, kc, stace....]
95. my one recent piercing [cartilidge] is giving me problems
96. i want to get another tattoo
97. i want this other tattoo to be on my arm
98. "want" doesn't mean "likely to happen"
99. i'm struggling to find meaningful "things" for these last few
100. i like silver jewelry
101. i love Jesus.

follow up

i posted a few weeks ago on some things i'm looking forward to. one was the new Death Cab for Cutie CD. it came out tuesday! totes excited. i also downloaded the Duffy CD and sissy shared with me The Bird and The Bee. i enjoy this so far, and maybe it's because i've been sort-of listening to it all day, but i feel like i'm hearing the same songs over and over again...yeah...duh.

i don't really have time to post right now, or i'd put some links up, but ugh i feel like i'm so busy i have no idea what i'm even supposed to be doing.

booo :(

fun find & mother's day

[cupcake pictures and det's coming soon]

i wanted to share this awesome thing i found through a crazy batch of blog-links...

i found the pictures from Apartment Therapy after finding the link to that site from Gizmodo which i found thanks to some sweet blog-sharing from Jenn from freeandflawed. anyway, it's a bookcase within a staircase. it's freakin sweet. [except i can totally imagine myself falling down (and up) this staircase...because, i mean, duh.]

mother's day went well for myself & family. i have a pretty awesome mum who loves me to pieces [and is a good sport when we make fun of her:

• for watching too many Lifetime movies
  
• when she dances like a maniac
• because she sometimes makes a "rat face"
• when she doesn't understand computers
• when she doesn't understand things in general
• because she likes to say "did i make a funny?"
• when she actually does make a funny
• when we look at pictures of her crazy big red hair

the point is - is my mum is amazing. she loves her family more than anything and has sacrificed so much for us. she is a beautiful, Godly woman whom i love & look up to so much.

yay for mummies!

totes awesome.

my bff kt likes to send me awesome blogs, and sent this one to myself and new fellow blogger & other bff staci.

Hostess with the Mostess posted about "Sweet Paul" and i just had to share...with anyone that may read this...i'm excited to spend some time reading both of these blogs...but that time is not now, because um, yeah, i have to get back to work. but seriously, check out the FRUIT in these ICE CUBES!? awesome.

also, lilacs are starting to really come out! we have a bunch on our island at work. i'm excited to pick some when i get home :) :)

photo from steph.sicore.org

also, if you haven't checked out iNSPiRAL's blog, facebook, or myspace yet, it's PROBABLY time you did so. [and if you're on facebook or myspace, why not become a fan??]

don't forget...

to check out the coolest new blog!

postings!

well i've been jumping around a few blogs for a while, and i've decided to try to just keep track of one blog here...seeing as i have a hard enough time just posting to one blog, let alone two.

i can't promise to have extremely interesting things to say, but hopefully i'll have an enjoyable post every once and a while!

this weekend is easter which means a 4-day week (hooray!). Friday promises to be a fun and relaxing day, i'm singing at all three services this weekend, driving to Cleveland to take some friends to the airport Saturday morning, Easter fun with the family on Sunday, and Monday taking a half-day and going to see MAE in concert in Slippery Rock with some friends. Should be a fun weekend!!

we celebrated St. Patrick's Day this past weekend with some Irish foods - Reuben dip, Irish Creme & Coffee, and Irish Creme brownies (which i still have 1/2 of because they were too difficult to cut and eat). yesterday was some more celebrating with more dressing in green and hanging out with friends.



hopefully i'll have some more exciting things to talk about soon!