Monday, August 31, 2009

It's Almost Time...

I know, I know... Halloween already?? It's still two months away, but you have to enjoy it while you can. Well actually, I still have a few Halloween decorations up from last year. Only the super classy ones, of course. Skulls are always in season. Halloween is my favorite holiday as far as home decor goes. So this weekend when I walked into the craft store and saw them putting up Halloween decorations, I got excited whereas most people would just roll their eyes.
·

And, of course, you have to get a jump start on any crafts because there are so many. My mother-in-law found these cute guys in a magazine called Cloth, Paper, Scissors. It was a contest winner, so there were no instructions, but we winged it and they came out cute. Mine is above and my mother-in-law's artistic broken-hearted skeleton is below.

·




We also tried this Martha Stewart craft, paper-covered switch plates. Only we had to stop after a few switch plates because I couldn't decide which paper I liked best.



And finally, I also made the new pillowcases for our living room pillows. Unlike our last covers that I just sewed right on the pillows, I made these cases with zippers, so I can throw them in the wash when they get dirty. I get smarter every day...

I'll say it was a productive weekend.


Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Neat & Nostalgic

{the happiest place on earth}



I go to Disneyland... maybe six times a year. I love to just be there. It brings back a certain nostalgia for me because I went there a lot when I was young. Back then, the trip from San Diego to Anaheim seemed like such a long journey, the small drop in the beginning of Pirates of the Caribbean made my stomach flutter, and riding the doom buggy in the Haunted Mansion with my Grandpa was the highlight of the trip.Today, my Disneyland experiences are shared with my husband and friends. Disney's California Adventure park is right across the entrance from Disneyland and, while it has more "grown up" rides, I still prefer Disneyland. Just walking down Main Street brings back all the memories of good times I had with my family. Like the Main Street Candy Palace, where my grandma (who had a huge sweet tooth) always bought vanilla nut fudge or a pecan log, while I opted for some rock candy or lemon drops. Or the theater where I used to watch "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" with my grandpa.

Of course, things change; rides are updated to keep up with the latest movie or taken out all together, but it's still always a good trip down memory lane.


(ahh the good old days)

Monday, August 17, 2009

In the Making + Sour Cherry Crumb Cake



Most of the time when I make an article of clothing it is just almost wearable, with some fit issues. I think I rush things - I like the instant gratification that shopping gives me, but I also like the satisfaction of being able to say I made something. So those are good reasons to do both. I went to the fabric shop with the intent to buy some material for new pillow covers. While I was there I came across this really cool black and white patterned fabric that I thought would be neat for a dress. This time I made my own pattern from a top and skirt that I already had. And I’m taking it slow. Putting some love into it. So far I’ve finished the top pieces and started the bottom pleating. Stay tuned to see how it turns out.

On the sweet side of things, this weekend I made this Sour Cherry Crumb Cake. It was really good... and much better than the dinner I made to go with it. If you like crumb cake, you'll like this.


I spent the rest of my free time this weekend catching up on the first season of True Blood. Sookie is mine! Also, on Saturday I took a break from dress hunting at all the Anthropologies in San Diego to see Paper Heart. Charlyne Yi is painfully dorky but super cute at the same time. It was a good little movie and a good little weekend. Now it's back to the working world until next weekend. Sigh.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Weekend in Pictures


1. Mad Me, 2. Me, 3. Greatfruit, 4. Bellove, 5. While I was sleeping..., 6. Nap time, 7. Magazines, 8. Buttermilk Cupcakes, 9. Yellow nail polish with my name on it, 10. breakfast!, 11. Wicked, 12. Cafeteria Style Sushi

Yeah, not a super exciting one, but weekends are always good! This weekend I felt like we just did a lot of running around. I got a haircut (new/old bangs), I got a new and much-needed battery for my camera, I took a nap while Aaron hurried to finish his artwork. As you can see by number six, he failed and went skating. We went to see Wicked on Saturday night. My week-long desires to see Paper Heart and to buy a dress from Anthropologie were NOT fulfilled. I guess there is always next weekend... it just feels so far away....