A New Addition: The Brady Wreath

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas - or Happy Holidays - whichever greeting you prefer.

Ours was wonderful - it's the first year that the kids have really been excited about Santa and all of the Christmas-related festivities.  I'll try to post more on that later.

A couple weeks ago, my husband asked me to make a wreath for a coworker of his - it was actually for a family member of a coworker - so the only details I was given was to make it in "white, creams, and tans."

Any requests for additional specifications or details were fruitless.

Typically, this would not work for me.  Typically, I need very specific instructions. Typically, I'm not dealing with 2 men working with more detail-oriented people who understand why "white, creams, and tans" are not true details.

It's always a little worrisome when you put a ton of time and effort into creating something without knowing what the end result might be...

...may I remind you....

...but I had already made 4 other wreaths that week...one of which took over 1000 (dyed!) coffee filters....and I just wanted to get it done.

I'd been thinking about doing a wreath similar to this for a while, and I was happy with how it turned out...

I used several shades of book pages, white coffee filters, and coffee-dyed filters.

It's named "The Brady Wreath"  - after the person who ordered it.

(SHAMELESS PLUG - see, if you order a custom wreath from me, it may be named after you...it's not everyday you get a wreath named in your honor!)

What does "white, creams and tans" mean to you?  

uhhhhhhhh....

....my thoughts, exactly.

(Oh, and of course, I never found out if his coworker liked the wreath or not because my husband "hasn't had a chance" to talk to him. MEN.)

take care -



Help Wanted: Seeking Professional Opinion(s)

You are the most talented and creative people I know, and I'm not just saying that because I'm about to ask your opinion about something...

It's because I'm horrible at making decisions, and my husband (who proudly makes dog food for a living) doesn't spend much of his "free time" crafting, so I thought I'd go straight to the experts (you) for advice....

....here goes...

Do you think we should use this for our Christmas table centerpiece?

Teehee...sometimes I kill myself. 

 Actually, this isn't my real question, but I had to share Max's most recent craft project.  He today decided he had to paint this pumpkin, and the only washable paint I could find was red and yellow finger paint. 

(Please excuse all of the crap our "memory-making" and half-finished floor in the background)

Emme was not inspired by Max's pumpkin project....

...she decided painting the table, cardboard, and her hands would be more fun.

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Okay, so here's my real dilemma (is it ironic that I can't spell that word)...

I made a driftwood mirror to put on Etsy:

I haven't cleaned it up at all because I truly need advice on what to do....so there's glue strings and paper scraps everywhere.

Just to "see," I stuck a couple paper flowers on it...

(yes, that is my hand/camera in the mirror, you'll see them again)

Hmmmm...so I sort of liked the way it looked, though it's not really my typical style.  I thought it might be a twist on the typical driftwood mirror idea.

Then I added some gold leaves like the ones on my wreaths:

(By the way, none of this is glued down, so the flowers are kind of jammed into the holes)

And then I added even more leaves...

So then, I was about to go look for my spray glitter, neon puffy paint, and bedazzler...and thought I'd better stop and ask for help before I reach the point of no return.

Please be honest with me....do you like it:

1. Plain

2. Couple Flowers

3. Couple Flowers and a few Strategically Placed Leaves

4. All-Out Jungle Mirror (the one with lots of leaves)

5. Just Burn the Whole Thing

6. It's okay, But What You Should Do Is.... (and then you share your incredibly amazing idea, and I become an overnight Internet sensation like the grumpy cat)

My goal is to sell the mirror.

If you've read my blog in the past, you know most of my stuff is pretty plain...I have trouble knowing when to stop, so I usually opt for the safe route and keep it simple.

Begging for help at these link-up parties:

Home Stories A2Z, Coastal Charm, Savvy Southern Style

Thanks so much!!

take care -
 



Greatest Gift of All - LIFE. Be The Match.

A couple years ago, shortly after Emme was born, I came across a blog - Blessings, Miracles, and Thoughts in Between - that really touched my heart.

Sweet baby Kate was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder that required a full bone marrow transplant.  Can you imagine what Kate's mom, Lindsey, must have been going through? 

Waiting to find a donor must have been agonizing, and still, she took the opportunity to educate and rally support for her readers to consider being "swabbed" and added to the bone marrow registry.1

Sadly, 6 out of 10 patients never receive the life-saving transplant they need.

Luckily, a match was found for Kate - and today, she's a happy 4.5 year-old big sister, and recently made her first visit to Santa!  (I've heard that a pink bike may be in her future!)

Needless to say, I registered right away.  It was super easy - just a cheek swab.  That was July 17, 2011.

Only 1% of registered donors are ever found to be a match, so I honestly didn't think about it much after that.

Last Friday, I received an email from the donor registry stating that I was a match to specific patient with leukemia. Cue the goosebumps.

What an amazing opportunity. I feel like I've won an extraordinary type of lottery with a much greater prize than money. It's as exciting to me as when I learned I was pregnant.

Can you imagine a patient's relief of getting the call that a match had been found?

Please understand, that I'm not implying that I am special in any way - it just happens that we have matching cell proteins (this is my understanding, but if I'm wrong, please let me know).

I believe that anyone who was physically able to donate would do the same.

If it weren't for Lindsey and her beautiful daughter, Kate, I never would have even known that the bone marrow registry even existed.  Hopefully, one of you might decide to join the registry too.

The more of us who join, the more lives that are saved.

Monday, I will have additional blood tests done to confirm that I am an exact match.  Amy, the coordinator from the registry, explained that the patient will be notified that a potential donor exists at that time.

If I'm a close enough match, my bone marrow will be going to a gentleman who is 62 years old...my dad will be 60 next year.

I'm praying that I'm a match.

take care -
 



Favorite Pins of the (Last Few) Week(s), vol. 4

Max started preschool in October, and he's had some type of cold or ear infection the entire time.  

So has the rest of our family.

I usually don't get sick, but his current cold must be a good one, because it's even made it to me.

Right now, daddy is giving the Dynamic Duo a bath, and mommy gets 10 minutes of blissful alone time....and look, I'm spending it here.  That's love.

Here's what else I've been loving lately....

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And we all need to see this message every now and then....especially on a Monday.

  I pinned it to my "Free For All" board, but wanted to link to the blog - JKJK- since it's a printable.

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So, when Max's teachers asked him what he knew about turkeys, he told them that they say, "wobble, wobble."  

When asked what he was thankful for - he said, "Mommy, Daddy, and dinner." 

(To be honest, I'm surprised I made the cut, usually Daddy is the center of his universe and Mommy ranks along with shots and vegetables)

Recently, in school, they've been talking about being happy and sad, so he'll frequently announce to us that, "Max is happy"...

Or, he'll ask me if I'm happy or sad.  If he sees a picture of someone smiling, he'll tell me that they are happy, along with a goofy, toothy smile.

I could kiss his teacher - what a gift - to hear your child tell you that he/she is happy.  That simple sentence has been pretty much my life's work for the past 3.5 years.

I'm a little misty-eyed just thinking about it.

Then, there's Emme - I get misty-eyed thinking about prom-dress shopping...and not in a good way.

Recently, a mom told me I was lucky that I had a boy then a girl, so Max could keep an eye on Emme.

HA!

At Emme's 2 year well-child check up, her pediatrician told us that she will likely be 6'4" when she's fully grown.

Don't think she'll need any protection from anything.

Right now, her favorite phrases are "Stop it" and "Do it" and "I do it."

Luckily, her independence is rubbing off on Max, and he's become more insistent on doing things on his own.

Bath time is wrapping up, so I should probably do the same before I'm attacked by naked toddlers.

It's a good life.

Have a great week!

take care -
 



Monday Motivation

A mental pep talk...

pixie cloud

...I give myself every morning before facing my 2 adorably energetic and....ahem...spirited toddlers.

Have a good one!

take care -
 



Favorite Pins of the Week, vol. 3

You ever have one of those great days where everything goes better than expected?

  Friday was one of those days for us. 

 Emme had her 2 year check-up.  She typically screams shrieks the entire time we are at the doctor (she doesn't like male physicians), so this time I scheduled her with a female nurse practitioner who was AMAZING and wooed Emme into actually enjoying her visit.  

(Emme even blew her a kiss when she said goodbye!)

I promised a trip to the park if the kids behaved at the doctor, and we went, had a great time...and no one (even me!) threw a fit when it was time to leave.  

We came home, and Emme and I crafted while Max napped...then Max and I played outside while Emme napped.

And finally, while we were settling down before bed, I did my last Pinterest check for the day and noticed that one of my wreaths had been pinned by Country Living (they were a guest-pinner for Etsy).  I ADORE Country Living, so it was kinda like noticing a hot guy checking you out --LOL.

Saturday was a different story...oh well, you win some, you lose some.  

Hope you enjoy my favorite pins from this week.

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It takes a special lady to pull off this look....I'd say Tootsie Lou is just that lady.  I think it's the ears???

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And to my fantastic Friday...

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Have a great week!!

take care -