Spring is knock knock knocking at my door!

I finally took down the cute hand-stitched "be warm" sign off my door.  It had some little mittens... and was such a cute way to think of this awful winter we had here in New England... I really do hate just about everything about winter.  If it weren't for my boyfriend being so stinkin out-doorsy... I would have stayed inside all winter sipping on hot chocolate... and eating yummy cozy food.  I did take a stab at some ice fishing and snow-mobiling... both of which I loved!

Anyways... I needed a new display for my door.  I usually would just go out and pick up something, but I have been trying to express my creativity a bit more...

I also have an obsession with purses.  A few months ago I bought this awesome bag... and it had these flower embellishments on it.  There were about five of them.  I really loved the purse... did you notice I said "loved"?  Slowly, but surely the flower embellishments fell off... every single one.  SO FRUSTRATING!  Unfortunately, it wasn't that cheap of a purse either... so forget that saying about you get what you pay for!!

As the flower embellishments fell off I saved them, thinking I would try to put them back on.  

Instead I just ended up taking it apart, because I wanted to learn how to make them myself!  It really ended up being pretty easy.... so even thought I had a fallen purse... I ended up making some flowers of my own, and creating a new door hanging!

I love birds... flowers... and spring!  The sun is finally shining... and things are looking up!

It was a bit of an emotional weekend for a few reasons... but we must remember... with Spring comes new life... fresh starts... and lots of beauty...

*Think Spring* my friends!

Cookies make life better....

So I have always had a love for baking.... especially cookies and cupcakes!  I know you have seen some of my cupcakes... but I made a small sort of realization!  I love to be crafty... and I love cookies.  So on Thursday I took my first stab at cookie decorating!  I think they turned out pretty decent... I realized I have a lot more work and perfecting to do!  I can't wait for the chance to do another batch.  What do you think?!

The good luck cookies are for my babes!  He had a big day on Friday! :)

I really hope to make many more batches of cookies and get much better! ... I have a feeling the folks at work are going to be eating a lot of cookies!

I can't wait to start doing what I love....

So basically my life is being run by school right now.  I feel like I am back in undergrad... I am carrying my book bag everywhere... just in case I have a spare half hour to work on these TWO 20-pg papers I have hanging over my head, not to mention a 15 minute presentation to go with each... UGH!  Ok enough complaining.  In the next two weeks, all of this will be complete and I can go back to my loves... my boyfriend... my kitty... my family... my friends... and MY CREATIVITY!

I bought a new toy... which my boyfriend plans to pick up for me today... a kayak!  I CAN NOT WAIT to start using it.  SERIOUSLY!  SO SIKED!  It's gonna be awesome!  I already know it!  So my lime green kayak, will be in for quite a bit of fun this spring/summer...

I have a new edition coming to my home... no folks not a child... a feathered baby of sorts... and I will have much more about that edition coming later.  He/She won't be coming into my home until MAY sometime... the waiting is killing me!   

I have been neglecting my blog, and I hate that.  It was a project that I was geared up for, and suddenly realized I had to attend to my regular life first.  BOO is right.  But, I have been completely and udderly inspired by all the blogs I follow regularly.  It's really quite amazing the talent and creativity that is out there!  I can't wait to get back to crafting.  I have been working on some organizing and mind-creating.  Soon enough this stuff will be projects in motion... and I am looking forward it.

So... coming soon... more creativity, more happiness, and more things that I love...

For now.... *back to the laptop*... *back to the job*... *back to school-work* ... *gags*... I need a cupcake! :)

The Value of ME Time....

So today is the first day in a while I have dedicated to ME!  Granted... I did have to work, but afterwards.... ME.  All I can say it has been SO good.  I had a yummy snack... and did things I have been wanting to do, and now... I am sitting my bum on the couch and catching up on some DVR.

Lately I have realized I have been focusing too much on things... things that are bothering me... things that are negative... and things that aren't really important at all.  Remember, the most important things aren't things at all.  Happiness is important.  Loving yourself is important.  Sometimes you need to take a step back, focus... breathe... and take care of yourself.  I have been neglecting myself.  That's completely unacceptable.  I have been neglecting the things that put me at center, put me at ease, and put me feeling like the crazy ME that I am!  I realized things are completely out of hand... when I don't have but one more pair of clean underwear to wear.  If you know me personally.... whenever I get stressed I buy underwear... haha.  So I HAVE TONS!  To run out... BIG ISSUE!

It is important to take the time to do things for you.  I have been craving the time to do laundry, to clean my kitchen, my bathroom, organize my craft room, and finally sit down and create.  Creating is what I love... sewing... cooking... Mod Podging.... whatever it is... I want to do it!  I have been stressing about some new work hours, but I am going to take it as a positive.  I will have one day off a week... and it will be dedicated to doing what I want.  I AM SO READY!

So here is my vow... to take care of MY needs, even if it may involve saying NO to the people I love... because at the end of the day... I can not please other people truly and fully, if I am not pleased myself.

So.... I am going to be a bit selfish for a bit.  The sound of that makes me cringe... and I will struggle with the idea of doing it... but I WILL.

So yeah.. needed to vent.... back to my DVR :)

Coffee Filter Quilting!

So, a while back I attended a weekend class on how to make coffee filter quilts!  Basically it is a Drunkard Path, for those of you that are quilters!  I have been so overly busy, and my craft room has been a disaster... oops!  I have had the squares done for quite some time, and have finally laid it out to get it in order to begin piecing it together.  It's a bit of a quirky quilt.  It's all scrap fabrics I found in my mother's stash.  So many of the fabrics are from quilts she has made for other family members, head bands she has made for me and my college field hockey team, purses, pj pants.... so it is really special.  I can't wait to see the finished product, but for now it is exciting just to see it laid out!  SO here is a preview, and maybe at some point I will post a tutorial.  For now, I just wanted to share this quilt, and all the special fabrics involved!

I have always had a special love for all things scrapy.  The craziness of the quilt, and all the different fabrics are so beautiful to me!  I may have to begin brainstorming other scrapy ideas!

GREEN Velvet Cupcakes!

So... how awesome is it that my boyfriend's birthday falls on St. Patty's Day!  This allows me to be creative!  Of course his favorite cupcake is red velvet, and that is more Valentine's Day if you ask me... so I put a little tweak in... and made GREEN velvet cupcakes.  It finally gave me an excuse to bust out the Kitchen Aid I begged for for Christmas!  I got the cupcake display at Home Goods... can anyone else spend hours in that place?!  Thank you Paula Dean for always coming through on delicious recipes... I think my father secretly wishes she was related to him in some way! :) 

Hope you all had a wonderful Irish Holiday!  Hope you were safe and cheerful! :) 

oh... and HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!

Sorry... life is getting in my way...

So... a small update.  My "real" life is getting in the way of my fun creative one right now... and I apologize.  Between getting promoted to Varsity Field Hockey coach, the possibility of hours changing for my career, and traveling a lot to visit the BF.... I have not had time to create!  I will be spending time with my mom tomorrow... the woman who is the true inspiration to my creativity!  I have a quilt I will be laying out... and it's so awesomely quirky... I will post pictures!  I am so inspired by other bloggers, I can't even begin to place into words!  So those of you who have been checking in... please stay tuned!  I will be updating shortly.  I'm not off to the best start, and I only have myself to blame for that!  I have not given up... I just have to breathe... get my necessities in order so I can truly enjoy my desires and fun!  Hope to be seeing you real soon!