Birthday Weekend

I've had a nice relaxing weekend. This weekend was my birthday. We had a nice lunch, followed by some shoe shopping, and then I had some fun with my new desk and cabinet I made for my house.
I came across these booties last week and I couldn't stop thinking about them.

They are Blowfish, I have owned several pairs from them, and have never been disappointed. These are the "hatfield bootie."

I also wanted to try my hand at making whoopie pies. So I decided I wanted "carrot cake whoopie pies" for my birthday cake. They are super yummy. Now I'm dying to try them in chocolate!


I worked on a desk and cabinet based on an ikea style. I had wanted to make an accompanying cabinet with drawers but unfortunatly my neck got tweeked and I was pretty much crooked neck all week. I'm happy to say this weekend it felt light years better, right in time for my birthday. Here's some pics of the work in progress.


I started on working on a couch too! I can't wait to finish it. I just need to get some upholstery tape and I'll be on my way to finishing it up. It was actually alot easier than what I had expected. It takes time but well worth it. Thanks to MitchyMooMiniatures Tutorial!

We went apple picking for the first time last week. It was a family owned orchard. We went with our local homeschool group and had lunch, played tag, and fed ponies. Now I need to do some apple baking this week.


I have a roast in the oven with carrots and potatoes. A perfect end to the weekend!
Have a nice Sunday!

Busy Bee

Well we kicked off our first week back to 'the ole' grind' as my son says. I am learning how to teach two kiddos now. It is actually going pretty well. I'm not going to say we don't get a bit fussy with each other at times, no worries though.
It will be nice to a three day weekend!
Tuesday night the husband and I had a date night to see "Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings." It was pretty awesome. They did not disappoint, and came out two more times for several more songs. If you have never listened to gillian welch, your missing out!

Her guitarist Dave Rawlings is pretty amazing as well!
I made some time this week to take some mini picks. I found these amazingly detailed guitars on ebay a couple of weeks ago and I was very pleasantly surprised when I got them in the mail. The detail is amazing!
I got an ovation and a gretsch guitar. I took a little studio shot the other day.


The other day while on Flickr I came across a link to a blog called "My Milk Toof." I was pleasantly surprised by the amazingness of the pictures and the little adventures of the milk toofs. Even more excited, they were made into a book.
The pictures are just too adorable. Seriously check it out!

I am planning on relaxing with a capitol R this weekend. I might work on some dollhouse related things but other than that, relaxing is on the agenda!
Have a great weekend!

A New Schedule/Orange Chicken Lo Mein/ Etsy Likes

As our summer winds to an end, I've decided a new schedule must get in order. This summer I have been quite lazy as far as getting out of bed before all the critters converge on my room. I am just not an early bird. But I want to change this. The new schedule must start out at 7:00 a.m. No more 8:00. I officially started this today. Wake at 7:00, excercise for about 40 minutes, get a cup a', start the dishes (if not done the night before), kids are playing, make breakfast, vacuum, make beds, let the dog out, start school by 9:30.
I already feel better, and more awake to take on the day. We still have this week to finish out summer. I've ordered all of our new workbooks and wrote out some projected lesson plans. We start Latin this year, which I'm pretty excited to learn myself.
I made orange chicken lo mein last night. It was quick and easy. One reason being, I used La Choy orange chicken stir fry sauce. I didn't make it myself.
I used about 1 pound and 1/2 of chicken cooked in a few cloves of garlic. Chopped red pepper and onion. I cooked some frozen brocoli. Whilst I started boiling lo mein noodle, key to give the chinese taste. Once the chicken is cooked almost all the way , toss in your chopped red pepper and onion. After that cooks a bit about 5-6 minutes put a cup of the La Choy orange and ginger stir fry sauce. Let that stew for a few minutes and thickens up. Once it has thickened throw in your drained brocoli and your cooked noodles and toss. I have to say, it was quick, easy, and delicious. I am trying to come up with healthy yet fast meals for the school year.
I know I'm weird, but I really do love to slave in the kitchen. It's fun to learn new techniques, and try new meals.

I love Etsy for all the amazing artists of all sorts.
Love these earrings! I haven't worn earrings in about 2 years, yikes, but these colors by Toshisworld

I can't get over how amazing these necklace are by megjroberts

I absolutley love these espresso cups by jimbobart!

I love anything in mini form so when I saw this mini viking ship in a bottle by "tiny world in a bottle" I couldnt' believe my eyes!


Have a great day!

Closed, Until Further Notice

Well I have had to make the decision. The decision about my Etsy shop. With the school year starting next week, I have decided it's time to take a break. It was hard making this decision, but if I'm going to be truthful with myself, it would be far too stressful. I have in recent months been a ball of stress. I hate how it makes me feel and act. I think this will be one less thing to harbor this feeling. Now, I can't imagine myself not making things, it's relaxing. and how my brain works. I hope maybe this time will renew me and maybe ever bring back an even more creative side. I plan on still selling locally, but on a nice slow paced scale. Ahhh, and can take deep breath now. I had originally started my shop to make some extra money for the family, and after talks with my husband, he was not at all opposed to it.
With this all said, I'm excited! I kind of want to start making stuff for fun again. I haven't done that in ages. I want to get a new craft book and work my way through some projects. I want to not have pressure or be on any time restraints. I want to make crafting fun again. Woo hoo! I said it.
I have been watching "Project Runway", and I am getting the itch to get clothes making again. I love making clothes. I know I have some requesting costume making coming up her soon, so I'm putting that on the sewing machine agenda. I was really excited when I saw these patterns from simplicity the other day "Lisette."

The styles are very nice and taylored.
I also need to make myself a nice handbag. I have been using a teeny one for awhile, so I thinks its time to make a new one.
That's all for now! Have a great day!

Oh My, I'm Still Here

Wow, summer is really winding down to an end. I can't believe it's already a couple of weeks into August. We have been enjoying these last couple of weeks before our homeschool begins. I have been planning out what needs to be accomplished this year and buying different books here and there. This year I will be embarking on teaching two kiddos. I'm not too worried about it. That is why I am making sure to write down a lesson plan so I make sure I don't forget anything. I checked out a stack of books to help me with the planning.

We had a crazy storm over the weekend and lost power for about a day and a half. Not too bad. I was very thankful I hadn't gone grocery shopping. We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather to not have power. We spent our powerless morning walking alongside the ohio river on our downtown walkway. It was fun.

We are going to the fair this weekend. We haven't been in about three years, and the kids are all old enough to enjoy the games and such. They have been telling us that they want to go on; bumper cars and the ferris wheel. I don't know about anyone else but I'm all for the food. I like all the little acts to watch around the fair as well. Oh, and funny enough, I really do love seeing all the farm animals!

I finished working on a new picture that I plan on putting in the shop. I just need to paint the frame.


Oh my I almost couldn't believe how delicious this recipe sounds "Carrot Cake Whoopies." Are you serious! Bye the way, I really am enjoying "Kit and Nancy." Such a beautiful blog! I found it thanks to "lucy violet vintage."

I was so excited when I heard about the exhibit they are showing at the "Mad Musuem" in New York titled "Small Realities" featuring various minature artists. Thanks to "call of the small" sharing, you can submit your own pictures in the gallery. It was pretty cool seeing mine on their site. Check it our here.
So neat to see other miniaturist that I know in the gallery as well!

The flickr group "Re-ment Addicts" was having a "back to school" themed contest, and I had so much fun trying to come up with a pic. I couldn't get the idea of packing lunches out of my head. As a kid, I looked forward to lunch all day. So I used my little bento box as the main theme of the picture.


Have a great day!!

Friday!

I hate being a debbie downer, I really do, but this week has been exhausting. It's not like I can put my finger on one thing. Just one of those weeks. I think I need to win a vacation to a deserted island. I will lay in the sand and fall asleep. Yeah that sounds more like it.
Maybe I'll share some things that made me happy this week.

I would love to sit on that deck right into the forest.

I love the work of Laura George!

This card sold by Renegade Handmade in Chicago make me giggle this week. By the way, I visited when I was in Chicago and they have such a cute shop in a fun area. Check out some of the houses nearby, they are beautiful!


I love the way Saltwater Sandals look. I especially love the navy blue!


I'm a sucker for documentaries so the other night I was itching to watch one. I had saved "Last Train Home." If you buy things that are made in China, almost all of us do, this will open your eyes to their world. They follow one family and show the difficulites of leaving their children behind to be raised by the grandparents. You feel all the emotions of this family, and the raw emotion of the daughter who has grown to be angry against her parents. Really interesting.

Have a great Friday!

Hello! Mini's and Zuchini's

Things have been slow around here. I have been on the go this summer with the kids. I almost can't believe that July is nearing an end.
I have been working on a dresser for my house for a few weeks now. It had been sitting in pieces waiting for me to decide on some colors. Then it hit me the other day, the colors. I got to painting and glueing and finished it last night. I was so excited. I need to take pics of the drawers open too. They really are working drawers, crazy. This little project really did take some time. Mostly with the fitting of the drawers to be able to fit snuggly, yet be able to pull them in and out.



Next on the dollhouse agenda, I need to make a couch or chair of some sort. Also, some wall shelves.

The other week I had some zuchinni in the fridge and my husband has been telling me about fried zuchinni he used to eat as a teenager, so I wanted to give it a whirl, they were yummy.
Super duper easy, and great to do with a surplus of zuchini you may get this summer.
All you need to 2 or 3 zuchinni's, bread crumbs, flour,a couple of eggs, some parmesan in the bread crumbs, and oil.
Dip the zuchini in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, and place in the oil. Let them brown and then flip to the other side. When done, put on paper towel to drain, salt, and then put in the oven to stay crispy, in between batches.
I usually put the stove on 200 degrees and place the batches on a baking sheet while I finish the others to keep them crisp.
My husband insisted on ranch dressing on the dipping sauce, and it was really good. I only ate a few, I pace myself with fried foods, but we had some left over for the next day, and they were good too. I wished I would have taken a pic ;)

I'm so excited for the end of August, we have tickets to see Gillian Welch and David Rawlings here in town. Can't wait!

Okay, I've got some ladies who are waiting to play dolls. Have a great day!!