You are currently browsing the monthly archive for January, 2008.
It’s the last day of January and it’s been a great start to 2008. I need to kick myself into gear and take down my New Years decor… yes you heard me right… I decorated for New Years. MOMents is at my house each month so I like to decorate for each event.. The January one was cancelled - oh well, my house was cute anyway!
I have to paint my new mantle and then I’ll take some pictures of Valentines Day for you.
~Em
I was so excited to get my “Make it Special” gift wrap DVD last week. Thank you Tracey for a WONDERFUL video on how to make my gift wrapping more unique and special. You all need to email Tracey and order this DVD now!
You see, I used to work at a interior design/gift shop for over five years. I learned a LOT of fab-u gift wrapping techniques (and a new language, thanks to my FFT girls!) I don’t know how but over the years (I am unnecessarily dating myself - I am only 29) I lost my knack at wrapping gifts. I saw this blog post over at A Cottage Industry and bought the DVD. My first event was my brother’s 14th birthday. Great… a teen boy does not need a foo foo gift wrapping job. Well, I had to put my new skills to the test. So an hour before the party I started printing and cutting and then the phone rings… it’s my other brother… “hey can you come at 5:00 instead of 5:30?” … yeah sure since it is 4:49 and you live 10 miles away! So in about 5 seconds I whipped this out. Not a true test of my new-found ideas but it was the BEST dressed gift at the party 
Oh yeah, my brother’s name is Nathan Hyske - hence the N H on the bag. In the video, Tracey did a bag like this for a couple and used their initials like a monogram… so cute! I encourage all of you to make the best out of your gift by making the wrapping just as great!
~Em
If you didn’t know, Jen and I are the co/creators-owners-moderators extraordinaire of a group for moms called MOMents Off the Clock. We currently meet at my house on the first Monday of the month. Our “event” themes are kept secret to our members but hints are given the previous month in the form of “entry requirements”. We currently are a local group but we are toying with the idea of expanding with some online features such as “podcasts” and video feeds of our meetings. What do ya think?
To see what MOMents OTC is all about, check out our website. I’ll keep you updated on the next Monday MOMents post.
If you are one of our local members - you DON’T want to miss February’s event! Oh my, oh my it’s going to be GOOD!
~Em
I am longing to hop in bed with a cup of hot cocoa and watch a girlie movie (the man is away on business… ha ha that sounds so proper) but, alas - I want to show you all (one person reading this) what I accomplished today. Here is my $5 thrift store mirror before…
and after two coats of primer, one coat of paint and a swipe of glaze…
and this is a wall -complete- in my new bedroom… look how romantic it looks in the dark (unintentional effect due to my camera deciding not to use flash at the moment) I also changed the sawtooth on the back of the mirror so would hang vertical - now I can be-jewel myself in style!
and these people in the old vintagy photos… no clue who they are! But the man on the left is quite dashing ain’t he now?! What shall his name be?
~Em
Okay here is the backtrack on this crafty idea… while visiting tracey… jen saw a link to cindy, who got the idea from martha. I didn’t think I could do it but tonight I made this rose from…
drum-roll please…
coffee filters!
Jen has already made two… (I showed you mine, now I want to see yours!)
Oh yeah, if you want to make them too, go here - Watch the Video or you will be LOST!
~ Em
I told Jen I was feelin’ crafty today… Here is all the supplies it took to make my project o’ the day. I made two of these while I was making dinner (30 minutes).
It’s kind of hard to see but what I did is take a magnetic tin with a see-thru lid (found in 2006 in the $1 section at Target) and lined the bottom with scrapbook paper. Then I cut up a Valentine’s Day card (that I got a huge pack of at the dollar store). I cut out a bird and the word Sweetheart. I used Mod Podge to decoupage it all in there. I cut a strip of green scrapbook paper and put it inside around the sides. I then put in a iridescent pipe-cleaner around the bottom to add some sparkle and topped it off with a little white glitter on the birds wings. I put the lid on and tied a ribbon around the outside in a simple knot. It’s a cute Valentines Day shadowbox-magnet-thing. Here is it on my fridge all done holding up my kid’s New Years card (a new tradition!)
I made one for you too Jen… xoxo
~ Em
Not really. In fact, I’m not really too cool for anything - I’m kinda lukewarm-ish.
Yes, today is the day, another semester of junior college underway. (ha ha that rhymed) I kinda freaked out this morning when I read the syllabus of one of my classes… “expect to spend 10 hours a week on classwork in order to get a passing grade” - gulp!
So does that mean since I have three classes that I should expect to spend 30 hours a week on school?? Do I even have 30 hours a week to give?
Wish me luck folks, I am going to need it. I’ll leave you today with glimpse of my new bedroom… it caused me to have inflammation of the lungs… but… I love it - details & more pictures another time 
~ Em
For Christmas, Aaron finished off my collection of Nancy Thomas calendar plaques by getting me the missing November. It was a total surprise, he did a good job! He even had his mom buy it online from his brother’s computer so I wouldn’t find out!
He also - unbeknown to him- bought me this wall rub-on ”If it weren’t for the last minute, I wouldn’t get anything done” - this is my motto for my adult ADD!
Now ONE wall in my house is complete… what a joy!
~ Em
While reflecting on 2007, I have realized that it has been the best year of my adult life. Between 9/13/06 and 1/12/07 was by far the worst - but staying on a cheerful path of reflection… 99.9% of 2007 was AMAZING! I have discovered a new person in myself, my true self. I no longer have anything holding me back and I am only surrounded by people with forward thinking - finally! I have discovered that I love decorating and crafting, travel, family traditions and reading. I realized what it’s like to REALLY be loved unselfishly. 2007 was fabulous and I am sure this year will be even better!
My resolutions for 2008 are simple - be thankful for the things I have and surround myself with beauty. I also want to resolve to create a schedule for myself because if Baby Wise works so well for children, then shouldn’t I be more content with the consistency of a schedule too? I currently sputter along with Flylady but this year I am going to FLY (finally love yourself). Check out Flylady for all the details on how to FLY too! This wonderful woman keeps everything on a schedule from what day she balances her checkbook to what day of the month she cleans under her bed… I need this!
Like Jen, I want to learn to say NO more often. I have already put in my 6th month notice at work so I can go to school full time and get a big girl job. I will gradually ease myself out of my last ministry that I am involved in at church and focus on my own “ministry” (of sorts)MOMents… fellowship with other moms… I need that as much as the schedule! I already cut down my involvement in Tatum’s class to once or twice a month instead of weekly. I want to focus on my schooling and my family and MYSELF!
I’d love to hear about your plans for 2008 too - leave me a comment or email me.
~Em
To start off the new year I bought a new vacuum. Well…. I didn’t intend to buy a new vacuum ~ On Jan. 1 my old one almost blew up my house. Aaron and I spent all day yesterday taking down and putting away all the Christmas decor. After it was all cleared out I got out my vacuum to get all the fake snow, pine needles, glitter, etc. I plugged her in and hit the on button…. boom my power goes out. I surged the entire right side of my house! We went to Target and bought a new, red vacuum and I spent the next 3 hours going to town. It’s one of those with the clear plastic cups so you can see all the nasty stuff you suck up…. I dumped it THREE times after only doing two rooms… that only had area rugs and hardwood floors. YUCK! I thought my other vacuum was doing a good job - it wasn’t…(should have - it cost over two grand). The bonus of the night… Aaron put the hose attachment down the heater vent in the front room and sucked up my old iPod shuffle that I lost two years ago!
I love my new vacuum! Here she is…
~Em
