diy doily dreamcatcher

I have been in love with these doily dream catchers from Roots and Feathers for months now. They are so pretty and so unique, and honestly... I just want them all. I have to admit that as much as I love them, they are a little pricey for me. I actually bookmarked the etsy shop and decided maybe I would splurge for my birthday. But then when my birthday came, the dream catchers were gone! So, what do I do? Make my own.

Supplies needed: 1 super awesome stick (hopefully free from your backyard, like mine!), doily, embroidery thread, strip of fabric, beads, feathers and twine.
Luckily I had everything on hand and just picked up a doily from my mom's house!

1. cut a small strip of fabric and wrap it around the stick. place the doily between the fabric and stitch it closed.

2. to attach the feather tie a knot, using the embroidery thread, around the stem of the feather. slip a bead through the thread and loop it around the bead. attach to the doily.

3. Add twine to hang and tadda...

I love the stick I found and glad I changed my mind about which feather's I used. I love the end result but I bet the Roots and Feathers dream catchers are much better quality.
Pinterest Challenge week 1 - Complete.

orange tights

I bought this dress last spring, on clearance for $14, at Target. I wore it to death through the next 2 seasons. But then one day I saw a girl at work wearing the exact same dress and I was over it, just like that. I haven't seen her wear it in a few months so I thought i would get a little creative with the way I put it together...hence the orange tights.

I have to admit that after being on the drill team in high school I steered clear of tights for a LONG time, but how can I resist all these cute colored one's.

Linking up with the Pleated Poppy

weekend goodness

Saturday morning I woke up early for work, which is rare because the office is closed BUT deadlines are unavoidable. I think Babe knows the difference between the week Days and the weekends because he was pretty upset when I told him I had to work and he said he wanted me to stay with him forever (I love that!). So the only logical thing was for him and my husband to come with me right?! This was actually my husband's suggestion (since I work pretty close to the beach).
We got to the office and they decided to wait around for an hour until another one of my coworkers got there. In the meantime Babe claimed a cubicle... spun around in the chair a few times... took a coffee break... and thought hard about his next design.

They left and came back 3 hours later with tacos for lunch.

 

We then headed to the beach, which was originally not the plan but Babe insisted that all 3 of us go to the beach together.

On Sunday my husband left really early in the morning so Babe and I had the day to ourselves (also SUPER rare). We snuggled, watched who knows how many kid movies, put on mask's and played super hero's, played hide and seek (I hid in the blankets on his bed once and he couldn't find me, even after walking in the room twice. When he finally did find me he laughed and said "it just looked like a pillow"), and we played swords with sticks outside. We stayed home the entire day because I "thought" my husband had the car seat..
turns out he left it in the garage.

I wouldn't change the day if I had the chance

 

(sorry about the low quality photos, It's my fault for resizing them smaller! lesson learned)

365 project week 8

Considering this past week has been extremely stressful for me (as posted here), I'm surprised I was able to capture at least one moment everyday (except Wed.) After the stressful week, I was disappointed that I had to work for 4 hours on Saturday morning BUT the rest of the weekend couldn't have been better and I can't wait to tell you about it soon. For now, you will see a sneak peak here at the end.

2.18.2013 Lake Balboa

 

2.19.2013 the rain drops turned to ice on my car

 

2.21.2013 taking a much needed walk at the park

 

2.22.2013 taking a much needed ice cream break between deadlines

 

2.23.2013 look at that model on the beach

 

2.24.2013 babe playing "swords"

 

I hope you all had a great weekend

coffee date

If we were having coffee today I have to be completely honest and tell you that I have been feeling really annoyed. Lately I have been feeling extremely overwhelmed, stressed out, overworked... you name it, I feel it. When I get stressed out I get EXTREMELY annoyed with every tiny thing around me.
For example:

my co-worker talking Loudly and Giggly about "how cute" a picture of a cat spooning a teddy bear is.

the woman working at the post office REPEATEDLY telling an elderly lady that "you CANNOT come to the post office and tell us you don't know what is in the package you are mailing out, it could be a bomb. and I don't care that it's for your daughter in a wheel chair"....
Seriously, I think she heard you the first 2 times, no need to repeat 12 or 15 times.

the Fire Truck that is in TRAFFIC with the rest of us and will not stop honking his horn for us to move out of the way. I understand there is an emergency but our cars cannot magically pile on top of each other to make way for you.

engineers frantically coming to my desk with 3 hours worth of work that they want me to do in 1 hour!

Babe waking up EVERY single night for the last 2 weeks wanting ME to snuggle him
(this sounds cute, but trust me, when I have to wake up at 5:45 in the morning... it's not!)

I could seriously go on and on but I think that might be way too much anger for one post.

Then, just as I was at my breaking point, I saw this post by Alli from Life on Leroy and I thought... that's what I need. I need a spot that I can go to and just sit and be away from everyone and everything and enjoy the moment, just one peaceful moment. But of course I live in L.A. and where the heck am I going to find a spot as amazing as hers?! I just might have to make it my mission to find "my spot" but at the moment I decided to get up from my desk and go for a walk. I couldn't go far (deadlines remember) but there is a tiny park nearby that has a tiny trail, so I did a lap in my wedges.... and felt a smidge of relief... until I got back in the office of course.

Sometimes life is just stressful and you have to ride it out.

So I'm hoping the weekend will bring some peace in me.

I will mention this though, my husband told me I looked cute when I got home from work. I laughed and said "thanks. too bad my hair isn't done, then I'd look cuter" and then he showed me this video (warning: you might cringe if you love your hair) and I started crying from laughter (those are the best laughs).
Is it mean that I laughed, that hard, at that poor girl.

 I hope everyone has an amazing, peaceful weekend!
Linking up with Alissa

sparkle tee

This past weekend was one of the best I have had in a long time. Sometimes I just feel so overwhelmed that it's nice to just relax and enjoy your surroundings. Not only did I do a lot of relaxing but the weather was so amazing, we did a lot of out door relaxing.

This maxi skirt is one of my favorites because it's such a versatile neutral color. I can dress it up, or down, like with a cute sparkle pocket tee. I love this simple tee but my husband has told me that it really isn't that special and after seeing these pictures, I kind of agree. I love the sparkle but it really is a shapeless shirt.

BUT I'm sure I will wear the heck out of it anyway.

Linking up with the Pleated Poppy

 

Pinterest Challenge

I love Pinterest, how about you?! I wrote a brief post about my love for Pinterest here, and even mentioned how I found Merricks Art through Pinterest. So I was really excited yesterday when Merrick and her sister's (Janssen and Landen) announced their next "Sister's Share It All" topic... a "Pinterest Challenge"! Yay!
So the gist of it is this: Go through your boards and pick six Pins (whatever they may be), write a post about what you'll be doing and link it up on any one of their Blogs (if you click on any of their names above, it will lead you to their post). Over the next six weeks write about them as you go or write a final post in April (or a combo of the two).
I have to admit that I love accomplishing things I Pin. But weird thing is since I started blogging I have really slacked off on it. So I'm very excited to get a few things done over the next 6 weeks. It was really tough to pick six but I narrowed it down and here is what I'm planning on Wearing, Cooking, Making and Drinking...

I think I'm also going to do a #PinterestChallenge on Instagram.
Anyone else up for it? Let me know if you linkup too.

a day in pictures

7:00am (ish) wake up next to babe

8:00am breakfast and blogs

10:00am debating if I should purge my closet (I decide against it)

11:00am chutes & ladders (husband won)

1:00pm feeding the ducks at Lake Balboa

2:30pm Boba, except I didn't get Boba in mine because they ran out... WTH!

5:00pm ready for a run. loving the weather but hating the wind. so I choose the treadmill instead

7:30pm movie and popcorn

Linking up with Lowercase Letters for Miscellany Monday

365 project week 7

So since it was my birthday last weekend, I got completely distracted and forgot about the 365! I feel like I'm really failing at this project (being that this is the 2nd time already this year) but I DID take my pictures. I really don't want to post 2 weeks of pictures though so here are a few random ones.

2.4.2013 Monday morning fog at work

2.6.2013 Finally taking a walk on the new bike trail behind our house.

I let Babe have an old digital camera we don't really use and he went crazy with it.

 

2.9.2013 party mask

 

2.10.2013 Birthday morning presents

2.14.2013 My husband and I tried Creme Brulee for the first time on Valentine's Day

2.15.2013 Traffic... my worst enemy

2.16.2013 Babe having fun, one of his favorite things to do... run on the couch

coffee date

I haven't had a chance to link up with Alissa for coffee date since like December, so I'm really excited for coffee date today, even if it is an afternoon cup. It still counts right?! This week  the topic is "5 things you may not know about me". So if we were having coffee this "afternoon" these would be the 5 things I would tell you.

1. I grew up in little tiny desert town with one major intersection.

2. I was on the drill team and riffle squad in high school.

3. My first job was at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

4. I met my husband the same night I went on my first and only blind date (he was not my blind date)

5. I dream of the day I can visit Ireland. It is such a beautiful place that I MUST set foot on.

and my picture has nothing to do with coffee or myself but it's still pretty right

 

I love post's where you get to know a little bit more about a person.

What 5 things would you share?

a little love letter

A while back I linked up with Joelle from Something Charming for a handwriting challenge.

This week she is doing a Love Letters edition... cute right!

I actually almost forgot about it but I was home sick today

(don't want to talk about it),

and while I was scrolling through my blogs I remembered!

And just in time for Valentine's Day.

So here is my love letter, to my Babe of course.

Oh you thought I would write one to my husband, too obvious.

 

 

Random

1. I had today off from work... just because.

2. Babe has been with my SIL since Friday. My husband went to pick him up today so in addition to having the day off, I had the whole day to myself.

3. I decided to ...
... stay in bed until 9:30am!
... finish my shopping trip that I started yesterday. I'm really glad I decided to go back to the mall because I found some really cute pink pants for $7.50 (originally $25) and a Fedora for $5.50 (originally $17), both from Target! And some pretty floral lace pattern shorts... woo hoo... I love a good shopping trip.
... and order a large pepperoni pizza for lunch. Yes... a LARGE pizza for myself.
I ate 3 slices.

4. After lunch I spent the rest of the day and night watching Gossip Girl, the Vampire Diaries and Revenge on my DVR. It was a good, relaxing day.

Linking up with Lowercase Letters for Miscellany Monday.

it's my Birthday

Yeah, I like to brag about it sometimes :) Last night I had some family over for food, drinks, a little dancing, lots of sweets and some other interesting shenanigans that may, or may not, be on youtube.
I had a great night and it comes pretty close to topping my singstar, wine and sushi party a few years ago.

 

I was suppose to spend most of today shopping my little heart out, but I was so exhausted, I was only out for about an hour and came back home. I did score a few goodies though. A new "Pink" water bottle, a pretty little leaf (and other charms) necklace and free Benefit mascara and highlighter from Sephora. They love birthday's also, so much that they give you a free gift if you are signed up for their rewards card.

And finally, today is the day I announce my Birthday Gift Giveaway winner.

 Since there was only a handful of entries, I rolled a die and the winner is comment #3....

Congrats Kristin!  Check your e-mail :)

today...

... I think I need 2 cups of coffee.

... is suppose to be one of the coldest nights.

... I am getting excited about shopping tomorrow
(silly, I know. But shopping on your actual b-day is so much fun)

... I am looking forward to drinking wine and eating cupcakes!

I was looking for a picture of a cupcake (because I know I have so many)

but this one of Babe on my birthday last year is so cute, I couldn't resist.

 

Have you entered my Birthday gift giveaway HERE.

A bracelet (made by me) and a $10 Target gift card.

I will be picking a winner tomorrow night.

Valentine Blogging Party

A few weeks ago I saw a post for a Valentine Swap hosted by: Casey, Nicole, Lauren, Alycia, and Ashlee . This is the second swap I have participated in, the first was a Fall Friendship swap, which I loved. So I was really excited to participate in a Valentine swap. I was paired with Amy from Sweet Home Santa Barbara. Can I just say how fitting it is that she has the word "sweet" in her Blog name, she really is a sweet girl.

I was really excited to receive my package from Amy, and here's why...

How gorgeous is this scarf?! I LOVE this color so much.

And yummy scents! 

I haven't actually opened the Almond soap yet but I can just imagine how amazing it is.

I seriously love Almond!

The frame has a cute little saying on the front that reads 

"we do not remember days; we remember moments..."

Thank you so much Amy! I love everything!

new glasses

In the past few weeks I have read so many reviews about Firmoo from other Bloggers, while anxiously waiting for mine to arrive. I have mentioned in the past that I wear prescription glasses about 5 times a year (and do not wear contacts the other 360 days). I don't have bad, or even half bad vision but every now and then I get the WORST headaches from staring at the computer all day.
Anyway, I decided to go with a non-prescription, just for fun... fashion pair.

The last time I bought glasses was about 6, maybe even 8, years ago! I hate buying glasses (even sunglasses) because my face seems so small when I try ANY pair on. So it may seem silly, but the way I chose a frame was by picking the smallest width that was available to me (and they still seem kind of big huh?!)

I like the shape and the cute design on the inside of the frame. The frame is really great quality, very sturdy, which is good because if I want to, I can pop in a prescription. I have to admit that I wasn't SUPER impressed with the selection BUT for the great prices I guess the selection is decent.

A little bit more About Firmoo.com

Firmoo.com is the world's most popular online eyeglasses store. They have always been committed to offering customers the best quality products at the most affordable prices.What’s more, Firmoo launched a first pair free program. You just need to pay shipping.

So, If you need a new pair of glasses at a good price, I suggest checking them out.