Sunny California

Hooray! Our California vacation is finally here! Jeff and I have been planning this for months. We have a ton of fun stuff planned: the Giants/Dodgers game, Wicked, Disneyland, the beach, seeing friends and family, eating at Cheesecake Factory (hopefully!)...we are pumped! I'll be sure to post pictures and details when we get back.

Happy travels!

Tag - you're it!

I've decided I'm a big fan of tags. I can make a tag much quicker than a full-blown card when I'm crunched for time (which happens to be quite often). Here are a couple of my latest.

I'm also a fan of paper punches (like the flower one Jeff gave me for my birthday). I've heard from a reliable source you can use them on a sheet of labels to make your own stickers. I think I may have to try that.

Bitty Booties™

I finally did it! After months of wanting to try this pattern out, I actually sat down and took the time to make Heather Bailey's Bitty Booties™. The pattern is well written and easy to follow. Plus, the pattern is open for whatever little embellishments you fancy. I barely finished these in time for Kristen and Sophie before they left for Boston.

The soles (don't you just love that fabric?!)



And the pretty tags on the back (the finishing touch)

Do you want to try your hand at Bitty Botties™? Get the free pattern here. You can also learn how to do yo-yos (the flowers) here. Heather Bailey is amazing!

Busy as a bee

My, my! What a busy week its been! Ariel and Paige's showers (not to mention all the time to put their gifts together), putting the finishing touches on the gift I made for Amy (my first customer!), planning and teaching how to make headbands for Enrichment (that was fun), co-ed softball games (summer wouldn't be complete without them), giving Jeff a haircut (long overdue), going to Patio of Fire (we had a blast and won t-shirts! get the full scoop here)...I think I'm ready for a break! Luckily I have the weekend to recoup and get ready for the busy week ahead.

And don't you worry - I have grand plans for a headband tutorial, so you can all enjoy the headband love. You'll also be seeing pictures from the aforementioned projects sometime, too. Have a great weekend!

Balloonies

America

At this very special time of year, I wish I had something profound and inspiring to say. Since my words can't due true justice to the occasion, I'll quote from the Gettysburg Address given by Abraham Lincoln in 1863.

“It is for us the living…to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”

I hope that amid the parades, barbeques, and fireworks of the 4th of July, we will all feel the weight of what it means to be American - that because so much has been given to us, we indeed have a great responsibility to understand and defend the freedoms many have given their lives for.

I recommend everyone visit this website. It has some great ideas on how we can understand, support, and defend America, the Constitution, and the freedoms we enjoy.

Happy Independence Day!