Giveaway, Fenway, & Last Day

I've got 3 completely unrelated topics to cover today.

ONE

The first is a fun Everything Little Miss giveaway over at Carrots 'N' Cake. It's easy to enter, and 2 winners will be picked tonight. Just visit Tina's post and follow the simple rules of the game! Each winner will get a set of the apples cards and a garbanzo bean card (9 cards total).

TWO

Look at this cute light switch cover my mom got for us.

I put it up yesterday morning. It's perfect for our bathroom light, because nobody can ever find the switch. I'm hoping this will help draw attention to it so guests won't be so confused. (Thanks mom!)

THREE

Today is Eric's last day at Salary.com. July will be a bit of a summer vacation for both of us. It's good for him to take this time off, because by all accounts HBS is very intense. He starts in mid-August, which is creeping up on us very quickly!

Eric, congratulations! You've had 3 successful years at your job and you have 2 exciting years (and the rest of your life) ahead of you. I'm so proud!

A Sunny Wedding Day

On Saturday our friends Kara and Dave got married! I've known the bride since 6th grade, and I met her husband 2 years ago at Sara's wedding. They're a wonderful couple, and I enjoyed being a part of their big day.



I had a great time at the wedding. I danced my tush off, and I was exhausted by the end of the night, but that's the way it should be! We sat at a table with Sara and her husband and some of Kara's friends from college. I really enjoyed talking with everybody, and I think Kara and Dave have excellent taste in friends (wink, wink).

The wedding was in North Adams, so I got to spend some much-needed time with my family and my dog. My gramma and my uncle were also visiting, so it was full house! Friday night we all had a great big family dinner with lots of talking and catching up. I love that Eric fits right in.

Saturday, before we left for the wedding, it felt like prom because my parents and my sister busted out the cameras and snapped a bunch of photos. They don't get to see us all dressed up very often.

*Want to see pictures of the ceremony program I designed for Kara & Dave? Click here!

♥♥♥♥♥

New Shelves

My new shelves! We put them up last weekend, and they've made my life much more mangable.

Almost all the things you see there had been piling up on the floor next to my desk. I've been accumulating a lot in my efforts to get Everything Little Miss off the ground, and in our small apartment I didn't have any place to my new stuff. Solution: shelves. They are wonderful.

I spent hours on Monday getting everything organized just so. I'm really happy with how the room looks and I feel like I have so much more space.

What a difference a few shelves can make!

Have you made any simple changes lately?

Don't forget to check out my new designs at Everything Little Miss; I added 4 cards to the shop! And if you missed yesterday's Lost In Thoughts, you should take a peek and let me know what's been inspiring you this week.

Happy, happy weekend!

Spot Of Yellow

I almost forgot to post today! Oops.

Well here's a little burst of sunshine for you, after another rainy day. I'm not complaining though. If the sun were out I'd feel guilty for sitting at my computer. And I'd probably be roasting like a turkey in our apartment, because it gets so hot. If you're wondering, no, we do not own an air conditioner. I don't know where we'd keep it the 48 - 49 weeks per year that we don't need it. And we'd probably end up using it when it wasn't strictly necessary. Then we'd be wasting energy and money, so we don't have one. Some weeks in the summer are difficult, but we break out the ice packs and turn on the fan - so far that's worked.

Anyway, back to the daisy. In early spring it rained a lot. For like 2 weeks straight. Remember? Before the rain there wasn't much happening, flower-wise, but when the sun made an appearance it seemed like the world had bloomed overnight. I'm reminded of that now (with the endless rain). I feel like I'm in a bit of a time-loop because every day is grey, but it doesn't mean nature's stopped. When the clouds part and I venture outside I'm surprised to find lush gardens and new flowers blooming. That makes me smile. ☺

I introduced a Scattered Hearts Set and a Garbanzo Bean single over at Everything Little Miss today. And don't forget that tomorrow's Lost In Thoughts Thursday!

From: Me

click image to enlarge

This hilarious sign appeared on the back door of our apartment building last week. I especially like who it's from.* And the penmanship.

In any event, yay for simpler recycling, though we didn't have trouble with it before. But easier is always nice. All in one bin. Weird, but I know they do it in Cambridge and some other areas. I have no idea how it works. Can you enlighten me?

*FYI: Our landlord is a weird guy, but he's also a really good landlord. Really good.

A Bee In Purple Flowers

I haven't been stung by a bee in years. I remember when I was little I used to get stung at least once a summer. One year I was stung 3 times in one day! It's likely that back then I just used to be in their territory more often. I'd run around the yard like a maniac, and I wouldn't be thinking about bees until I felt the pain of a stinger.

Now I look forward to seeing bees. I always try to photograph them, because they're a beautiful challenge. I've been interested in insects my whole life, and bees are especially cool.

What do you think of insects? Do they freak you out? Has your relationship with them changed as you've gotten older?

I took the photo on Saturday, in Harvard, MA. Happy second day of summer!

Stop And Smell The Roses

It's Father's Day! So why am I posting a photo of roses? Well, my dad taught me that it's always worth it to stop and smell the roses. If we're driving down our street at sunset or on a beautiful, clear day, he always stops in this one spot, just to take in the view. He doesn't speed by or take it for granted. He's that kind of guy. (That kind of guy is the best.)

I also want to talk about my mom, because I didn't write a Mother's Day post. If my dad got me to stop and smell a flower, my mom got me to appreciate its subtlties in color, texture, and scent. She's an amazing artist and she tackles every project (painting, soap-making, cake decorating) with gusto. She taught me that it's important to try, and that if it doesn't work out you can try again.

I took this picture yesterday at Eric's parents' house. We went to spend time with his parents and do some laundry. When we got there we found out that it was their 28th anniversary (oops, our bad!). We had a really great day, too. The forecast said rain, but that didn't happen. We ate lunch on the deck, went for a great walk, and then had a delcious dinner! I'm so glad we went yesterday, because today was all rainy and grey.

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dads out there!

Dandelion Wishes

Fly away. It's the weekend. Have fun.

*Father's day is Sunday. Don't forget! Are you doing anything special? I wish I was spending the day with my dad, but I'm not. Boo hoo. I'll call him though! That's for sure. Not sure yet if we'll be seeing Eric's dad.

21

Posting has been light this week. My life revolves around job applications and Everything Little Miss. Job applications aren't that interesting, and you can read about Everything Little Miss over on that blog. So, I haven't had much to say.

But today is different. Today is my little sister's 21st birthday! Maybe little isn't the right word. I have her gifts (yeah, that's plural) all ready for her, and I'll give them to her when I see her next. Yay. Happy birthday Emma! I hope it's a wonderful day. And don't forget to make a birthday wish!

Here's a picture of us circa 1990. I'm guessing my dad took it.

I'm wearing my favorite paint-splattered jeans (left).
Emma's wearing a shirt our mom made (right).

Here's one of us (and our brother, Max) from this past Thanksgiving. Our dad took it while we were waiting for dessert.

Max, me, & Emma

Isn't she beautiful? Her hair's not as curly as it used to be, and she has a nose ring now, but her laugh hasn't changed. She's busy working (3 jobs!) and having fun during her summer vacation. (Aside: You may remember that Max recently had a birthday, too. And I think today is his last day of his freshman year!)

On another note, don't forget to check out today's Lost In Thoughts! There are a few more pictures of my sister and some fun finds.

We Found A Parade

After a week of rain, the sun came out on Saturday. We headed downtown to drop off come library books and just walk around. We unexpectedly ended at the tail-end of the Boston Pride Parade. There was some interesting-sounding music on a float, but we were too far behind to really hear it or see anything.

This was the most interesting character we saw. And I think character is the right word. We didn't see much, but it was fun. Like I said, we just caught the tail end; we walked along with the stragglers until we got to Charles Street.

Today's question: What did you do on Saturday (or Sunday)?

I listed a new card in my Etsy shop today. Check out my blog post about it here.

Making The Bed

I've been making the bed everyday since I got laid off. I never used to make the bed.

Well, I've discovered that my mom was right. Getting into a nicely made bed is so much more relaxing than getting into a jumble of sheets and blankets. It's not like it's hard to make the bed. I don't do any hospital corners or anything, I just straighten out the blankets and arrange the pillows. It takes like 35 seconds. Easy peasy.

Today's question: Do you make your bed? Why or why not?

Wondering what the picture has to do with making the bed? Those are our sheets. Girly, I know, but I love them. I actually got them before Eric and I moved in togther, and since sheets are expensive I wasn't about to get rid of them! I got them four of five years ago, and they're a mix and match set. I chose a pink fitted sheet and red pillow cases. The only problem with these sheets is that they aren't as luxuriously soft as our set that's made with organic cotton.

Happy Friday.

Strappy Sandals

I took this photo in 2005, when Eric and I were on our road trip. We saw this lady in New York City, our last major stop.

I hope those sandals are long gone. The weirdly cropped pants, too. They weren't doing anything for her. Well I guess they were doing thing something. They caught my attention! Ha.

Now that it's close to summer, I'm wondering what horrible sandals will pop up this year. Sometimes I think designers are a just messing with us; just testing how far into ugly they can go. Do you know what I mean? Seriously, there are like 10 people in the world who actually look good in sandals like that, but I still see them around (4 years later!).

Have you spotted any outrageous (bad or good) styles lately?

Today's Thursday, so that means I've got a new Lost In Thoughts up on Everything Little Miss blog. The third video is amazing, so you should definitely check it out!

Make A Wish

I posted a new card on Etsy today.

I made this one because I always tell people to make a wish when their birthday rolls around. I'm a big wish-maker. I believe they come true. You just have to know what to wish for, that's all.

When you're not blowing out birthday candles, there are still a few occassions fitting for wish making. When all of the numbers on the clock are the same (ex: 3:33), make a wish. If you see a shooting star, wish away. Should an eyelash fall out, place it on your finger and wish as blow it it away.

There's also a famous poem about wishing.

Star light,
Star bright,
First star
I see tonight

Wish I may,
Wish I might,
Have this wish
I wish tonight.

★Happy wishing! ★

Healthy Eating

I've been eating out more than usual, so I'm being extra careful about my meals this week. It helps that I recently discovered the blog Carrots 'n' Cake (I actually know the author!), which is definitely inspiring me to be healthy. I've also found that I'm more dedicated to healthy eating and exercise when I keep track of what I eat and how much I exercise. Taking the time to document makes me think twice about everything -and that's good. Soooo, I started a free account with Fit Day.

This is what I've had for lunch the past two days.
Cottage cheese, 1 slice of turkey, 2 thin slices of American cheese, 1/2 an avocade, and 1/2 a grapefruit. There are so many different things that it's really satisfying, but it's also healthy.

Tonight we had portobello mushroom burgers, and they were so, so, sooooooo delicious! It was the first time I ever made them, and I was really pleased with the result. We topped them with cheese, avocado, tomato, onion, lettuce, mustard, and ketchup - no buns. I also made my first (very simple) cole slaw: red cabbage, shredded carrots, mayo, and apple cidar vinegar.

Okay, enough about food! What else have I been doing? Well this morning I lined envelopes and wrote up a tutorial over on Everything Little Miss. I've also been designing cards like mad. I'm just about done with 3 or 4 new designs. I'm really excited!

In other news, today is Sara and Marcel's 2 year anniversary! Want to know how he proposed? Sara wrote all about it today! Happy anniversary!

What have you been eating? Has the summer weather (non-existent today) inspired you to get healthy? I really and truly want to know!

Arts Festival & Friends

How was your weekend? Ours was lovely and delightfully sunny. We spent a lot of time outside; it doesn't get much better than that!

On Saturday morning we headed over the the Arts Festival in Coolidge Corner. I like going to these things to see the way people display their products and to check out prices. I'm investigating because one day I'll be showing Everything Little Miss at places like this!

I also like going to see Jennifer Hill's booth. I can always spot Jennifer from a mile away because of her gorgeous reds and distinctive designs. We worked together at my last job, and she's been full of encouragement for quite some time now. I love her work, and it's nice to be able to see it in person. Anyway, the picture is of her booth. She's in the yellow sweater and her sister is helping her.

We spent Saturday afternoon in Harvard with Eric's parents. Then we headed to The Barking Crab to meet up with friends. Since we arrived pretty late, we weren't there long before the group decided to go to Lucky's, which was about a block away. It great to catch up with our friends and we had a lot of fun!

Yesterday we had lunch with some new friends. We met them at the HBS Admitted Students Welcome, and they were here yesterday picking up the keys to their new apartment. After taking a look at there new place we walked to Harvard Square and got sandwhiches to go at Leo's Place. We ate outside, and there was live musical entertainment in the background. Everything felt very summery. We had a really great time, and I'm looking forward to all of our new friends moving to the area!

The Special Delivery

Yesterday I promised I'd tell you all about my special delivery. I'm here today to fulfill that promise!

Last week I visited a stationary store in downtown Boston, and I spoke with the owner. I told her about Everything Little Miss and asked if she'd look at my stuff. She said I could bring some samples in on Wednesday or Thursday of this week. So I spent a lot of time getting my cards ready and finalizing the packaging, and I headed over to Rugg Road Paper Company on the 3rd. When I arrived, the owner was speaking with a sales rep, and I ended up waiting for about an hour. With each passing minute I grew more nervous! Finally she had a moment to meet with me, and she was really kind and positive about my designs. And guess what! She decided to make a purchase! She selected 6 different cards designs. I'm feeling more confident about my creations and I'm over the moon!

It was exactly what I wanted to happen, but I couldn't believe it. I practically ran out of the store to call my mom and dad and Eric. I managed to get everything packaged up by yesterday afternoon, and Eric drove me over to deliver the goods when he got home from work. 

So it's official, you can now get cards by Everything Little Miss in downtown Boston! How incredibly cool is that? Wanna check them out in real life? 

Rugg Road Paper Company

105 Charles Street

Boston, MA 02114

I also wrote about this on the Everything Little Miss blog. Happy weekend! I'll be smiling the whole time!

Stack

Hello everybody. I made a special delivery this evening. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow! 

In the meantime, check out today's Lost In Thoughts over at Everything Little Miss!

Cool Bike Rack

I saw this cool bike rack in Boston the other day. I wish I had a bike. I don't know where I'd keep it though. And I'm actually terrified of riding around the city. There's so much traffic. 

When I was home for Memorial Day Weekend I rode bikes with my brother. I borrowed his bike and he used our mom's, because hers is too big for me. We just rode up and down our street (it's a dead end with very little traffic). It was SO FUN. That's what riding bikes is all about for me. Just going back and forth and having a good time. It's not about exercising or dodging cars. 

Anyway, I had a big day today. I'm grinning from ear to ear. I'll give you the details soon, I promise! 

Popcorn: YUM

I grew up eating popcorn. It's the snack I always ask for when I go home. I've even eaten it in lieu of dinner on more than one occasion. 

There's movie theater popcorn, and then there's my mom's popcorn. I just love her popcorn. Most of my friends like it too, even though they don't know anybody else who prepares the snack my mom's way. Here's how we like it:

• stove-pop the kernels
• sprinkle with soy sauce
• dust with nutritional yeast (found at health food stores)
• eat!

My mom picked up the recipe from a friend, and this how I've eaten it my entire life. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Oh, I just love it! (Yes, I'm snacking right now.)

What's your favorite snack? Does your family make it a special way?

Max Is 15!

Yesterday was Max's 15th birthday. My friends are always shocked when they hear his age. They generally think about him as they last saw him - sometimes they remember him as a toddler, other times as an elementary school student. In reality, his freshman year of high school is coming to an end, and he's almost old enough to get behind the wheel.

Thinking about Max growing up doesn't make me feel old. No matter his age, I'll always be 11 years older than he is. It's just a fact. Our age difference never matters when we're together.

Happy birthday Max. I hope it was fabulous! Wish I could have been there to celebrate with you. xoxo