I am co-hosting a Favorite Things party tonight with the Pink and Aqua apron sisters, and to say that I CANNOT WAIT is a laughable understatement.  We have been trying to get this on the calendar since October.  Crazy life has gotten in the way.  But no longer.  It is so on.

This is how the party works.
Each guest picks one of their favorite things.
Our price limit was $6 or under.
So you buy five of your favorite item.
Then at the party, each guest puts their name on five pieces of paper.
We go around the room, sharing what our favorite thing is, where you can buy it, and then pick five people to give it to.
Each person goes home with five new faves, and a list of other fun finds.

Sweets, treats, and goody bags are involved, of course.

I have been thinking for months about what I would chose for my favorite thing would be.
I obviously have tons of faves.

1.  Confetti sprinkles from Smart & Final
2.  My fave candle from Walmart, that smells just as yummy as the Bath & Body ones, but is only $4.97
3.  Rustoleum Lagoon spray paint

1.  Falsies mascara
2.  Burt's Bees lip balm
3.  Haagen-Daz Creme Brulee ice cream.  Like whoa.
4.  Nutella.  Hello.

1.  Sunglasses from Forever 21
2.  LemiShine (if you have hard water YOU NEED THIS!!!)
3.  Luna Peanut Honey Pretzel bars.  Crazy delicious.
4.  Twine sampler pack.  Happiness.

So what did I choose?
It's a secret.  
Super awesome.
Handmade.
Pretty.

Eeeeeeek!

Details to come....

What would your favorite thing be?


Feel like making a scrappier, shabbier, vintageier (totally a word) version of the Rainbow Garland?
No rotary cutter required.
Just patience and pretty sheets, lace, trim, fabric, and a pair of scissors.
Lets say that vintage sheets are easy to come by in your hood.
Must be nice.

I however have to import mine because our thrift shops are horrid and crazy overpriced.

My favorite sheet supplier is Jane Says Vintage.
She has an endless supply of the prettiest ones.
(P.S.  They don't smell either.  I'm super creeped out by smells.)
I got a little fat quarter set that was just calling to be ripped up.

If you haven't torn fabric, you are missing out.
It is so fast, and somewhat therapeutic.
All you need to do is cut little notches every inch or so, then tear.
It's the best sound.

 You will be left with lots and lots of long strips.  At this point, some of them might be all stringy.  Take a little time to pull the long and crazy ones off.  You want shabby... but not SHABBY, you know?

Then tie them all together in charming little knots.

I wish I also had a huge stash of vintage lace trim.
Sigh.
I grabbed a few of these from Joann's.
Vintage looking.
Not vintage pricing.
Where is the estate sale where I can buy a trunk of this for $1.00?

 Then take your strips and tie them to a ribbon, twine, even a curtain rod.  No rules here.  Make them as long or as short as you want.  Intersperse the lace for a little texture.  Burlap strips would be fun too.  If it didn't hate my skin and make me all crawly itchy.

 Step back.  Enjoy the pretty.

As the unicorns slide down sunshine rainbows marveling at the beauty of your latest project.


Hello Monday.
 Hello favorite little breakfast place.

Hello earthquake.
Our food was so yummy, we barely felt you.

 Hello spooky skies.
We aren't scared of you.

Hello deserted beach.

 Hello resting boys.

Hello when did anyone say that you could escape the blanket?

Hello attack.

Hello waves.

 Hello interesting seaweed.

Hello sand.
Hello curled toes.

 Hello why do babies think that this is delicious?

(Say hello with the lovely Lisa Leonard.)


I'm having a sad day.
The kind of day that you know is dumb.  The kind of sad that is not really truly sad.  Just emo.  Emo is lame.

Sad I'm not at Snap.
Sad Picnik is closing today.
Sad our guest room isn't filled with guests.
Sad because Shane is always sad lately.
Sad that since Shane is always sad, I can't catch up on anything.
Sad that I feel like I am doing just the bare minimum of everything.
Sad about the fact that Shane only wants me, yet sad that I'm sad about Shane only wanting me.

Mostly just sad because I'm sad.

So I'm thinking of making toffee crack for dinner.
Crafting my feelings away.


Listening to the a new CD Jason bought me, to cheer me up in my sadness.
I love that he knows just what I need.


So does Leslie who just sent this my way.
You can't be sad watching this.
You just can't.

Nor can you be sad when you think of the amazing outpouring of love shed on The Incubator Project.
I will gladly cry happy, sobbing, tears of gratitude when thinking of the little ones who will be comforted through all of you.

Much better than silly sad tears about dumb Picnik.

Caring for orphans > really anything else I can think of right now.

I have a reason to sing.


Grab your headphones.
Click play.
Repeat.


So much of my life is surrounded by music.
As much as I crave quiet, I also crave long aimless drives with just my playlists.

Switchfoot is always on those playlists.
The poetry, imagery, and depth of the lyrics speak to my mind and heart.

I parked in the driveway, in the swagger wagon, alone, listening to music, catching up on emails.  This song was playing as I opened up an email that brought me to tears.  Happy tears.  Ashley had finally received the long awaited word that they were matched with their much loved daughter in China.

Her name...

SONG.

An answer to prayer, to tears, to hope, to the wait.

One step closer.

One day nearer to seeing her beautiful face in person.

The best thing about Ashley, she is the type of person who's heart not only longs to bring their daughter home, but longs to give back to the orphanage where sweet Song is spending her days.

They are in need of an incubator.  A bit of warmth, comfort, and care for the babies that will need it most.

Would you consider being a part of this gift?

Visit Under the Sycamore and learn more about the project.

See the song filled printables that go along with the project.

Pray for the Campbells.  For Song.  For the wait.




 Meet no-blog Richelle.  Mama to five girls and a baby boy in heaven, ridiculously creative, Aqua Apron, my friend since forever, and the reason that pretty much any food I cook tastes good.  I think she should have a weekly recipe post up in this joint.  What do you think?  Lets all peer pressure her.

 School dress code = no nail polish.  Spring break = RAINBOW NAILS!!!!!!!

 Obsessed with cold brew coffee.  Crazy obsessed.  
Crazy stoked that Amazon has 16oz. almond extract.  
Because the 1oz. store version is not cutting it.
Sam's club has it too, I'm told.  But no Sam's in my hood.  Boo.

 Talking Tom app.  Awful.  Annoying.  
Awesome.  
When your little reads books to it and it reads them back to her.
  
NEW GLASSES!!!! 
DEMON SNAKE!!!!
I have never been afraid of snakes.  At all.  NOW I AM!!!!!!


Treat yo'self.  Seriously.
Do it.
(Love your guts Amy.)

Two hours in the ice rink with this furious friend.
Good times.

Surviving his DRAMA meant a cupcake date with the ice skater.
The ice skater is the only family member who happens to share my love for cupcakes.
The rest of my family is weird.
RAINBOW NAILS.
(Skitch app for the writing on of the photos...)


life rearranged


A sad, sick, teething, and furious baby woke me up in the dark, rainy, middle of the night.  
He didn't let me fall back asleep.

Lots of doctored up French press coffee, lots of movies for the sisters, lots of wishing I was napping.  
Or mostly wishing he was napping.

It's super hard to be a baby.
It's even harder to be a grown up.

Spring break take me away.
Please.
Stop raining while you are at it.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


It's been a million years since I've actually followed through with a Ten on Ten.
For some crazy reason I decided that today was the day to jump back in.
AND TODAY WAS CRAZY.

Here you go...
 8 a.m.
Hello grinder.  I love you.

9 a.m.
 Pink quilt. Pink legos.  I know.

10 a.m.
Beach towel laundry is my favorite laundry.

11 a.m. 
She calls them orange fish.  I do not correct her.

 Noon
Practicing for the school musical.  Oh, the drama and animation.

1 p.m.
Every time the Lakers win on the road Wingstop gives away free wings.
They have been winning on the road a lot.
I have been eating a lot of hot wings.
Yes.

 2 p.m.
I told the girls we were going on an adventure with Auntie Drew.  
They got dressed.  In petti and poodle skirts.  
They packed essentials.  Books and a tambourine.
Completely appropriate adventure gear.
Obviously.
Did I mention we had to climb through barbed wire?
Ya.  In pettiskirts.  That was easy.

 3 p.m.
A little rest was in order.  A reading rest of course.  Don't let this charming scene fool you.  Minutes later we had not one, but two rattlesnake encounters.  The latter of which almost MURDERED me.  Drew pulled me, and Shane in the Ergo, away from a beastly fanged, ready to attack rattler, one inch from my foot.  We all need therapy.  And a new adventure trail.

  4 p.m. 
A decompression session was needed on the grass, under a shade tree, far from the murdery trail.
He might have PTSD after I screamed and jumped like a girl.  
A girl who almost got murdered by a demon snake.

5 p.m.
But at dinner his biggest sister made everything better.


That was our day.  Nothing is ever boring around here.

ten on ten button