elliebellie handmade

project life week 4

2012-03-05T13:54:00.000-08:00

For this week of project life, I decided to use more of a color scheme. I love this mix of yellow, light blue, white, and splashes of turquoise. I'm not sure if I'll always use more planned out color schemes but I like it for this layout.

This is the week Jonathan got his two bottom teeth, he started sitting up more, and we went on a little get-away with our small group.

I finally used some Jenni Bowlin butterflies - I had been hoarding them for a long time and with a little guy, I don't have much use for them! I love them here.

I love this little layout on my PL page. Every monday, some girls come over to watch the Bachelor, eat popcorn, and drink wine. Here is sweet little Beckett who joined us that night. :)

If you look closely at this funny picture of Matt, you can see a long trail of spit up. Our sweet little boy has quite the case of reflux (it's getting better) and these last 7 months we've cleaned up more spit up and done more laundry. Our couch will never be the same...

I'm still loving washi tape and a new love is typing on velum and putting it on washi tape. I got the idea from Ann-Marie.

I have more pages ready to photograph and find their way on here, more traditional pages, a couple current crafty endeavors/orders, and much more. All will be posted soon so keep checking back!

Ellie

baby food!!!

2012-02-27T13:40:00.000-08:00

This little guy is eating solids now. This was how he looked the first time he tried it.

He was a little uncertain!!

And this is how he looks now...

He loves it!!

good morning

2012-02-27T13:13:00.000-08:00

Good morning from the little guy!!

adore you (again)

2012-02-24T16:17:00.000-08:00

I was going through my scrapbook and saw this oldie but a goodie. I blogged it here back in June of 2010 but thought I'd photograph it again and do a little repost.

Lots of Elle's Studio here. This was the beginning of my misting - oh, I was so excited about it but so uncertain of how to do it! I guess I still feel kinda the same way. I love my inks and mists but am still constantly figuring out different techniques to make them look how I want.

A close up of the paper flowers. I still love that heart paper I used as a matte and used it on a recent project life week! Yeah, I keep my supplies for a loooong time.

Have a fabulous weekend!!

project life week 3

2012-02-21T14:20:00.000-08:00

So once again please forgive the poor pictures. They were taken at the same time as week 2 (and week 4...).

I'm still loving this project! It has really taught me to look beyond the big moments and capture every day moments. I find myself looking at my life through the lens of memory keeping. What moments will I want to remember? It's been fun for Matt too. He's able to see the small moments that J and I share throughout the day. I'm working on getting his daily life more involved in this project.

Week 4 there was a trip to Paper Source (love their motto), another trip to Congregation Ale House, J doing FaceTime with my parents, and a few other small memories (oh, and of course Starbucks).

I did a week in review at the beginning of the layout that gives a nice snapshot of the week.

I love my ampersand stamp and Amy Tangerine paper.

Plenty of washi tape and label stickers used here. Plus a good deal of sewing.

Oh, and I feel sooo lucky... I've been wanting my Becky Higgins design a page protectors for so long and am one of the few that got them! I've been checking Amazon daily and there they were in all of their glory. And now they are gone.

Have a great day!

Ellie

project life week 2

2012-02-14T13:27:00.000-08:00

Here is week 2 of project life. I have up to week 5 completed but I'm just a little behind on getting each layout photographed and up on the blog. I guess I'm holding you all in suspense!

I apologize for the poor lighting. The best time for photography hasn't really aligned with nap time so I'm just going to take what I can get.

This week there were flowers from Matt, a boy who was learning to roll over every time I put him down, meeting my first goal at Weight Watchers (woohoo!!), a walk with Lindy and Luke, an awesome date night, and Matt taking the boy for awhile over the weekend so I could have some "me" time.

I used some Elle's Studio and Marcy Penner on this week.

I was loving the October Afternoon label stickers this week.

And I think my current favorite is adding little banners to 4 x 6 pictures.

I'm still waiting for the Becky Higgin's Design A page protectors to come in (which according to one of her tweets, will be by the end of this week!!!). Also, as I mentioned before, I'm not using one of the PL kits...I'm just using my stash. It's a great way to use products I love. I used to save them until the absolute perfect layout but found I never got around to using them up so this is the perfect project for me.

Once I have a few more weeks under my belt, I'll come up with a list of my favorites to help those of you out there that are wanting to participate.

Have a great day!

Ellie :)

happy (early) valentine's day!!

2012-02-13T16:31:00.000-08:00

Happy (early) Valentine's Day everyone! I hope you are able to spend time with the one you love! I felt inspired to make a little Valentine's Day tag that will go in my project life album. If you'd like one (or more) of them for yourself, I'd be happy to send them your way! They are $1/50 each + shipping.

skinny chocolate bread pudding

2012-02-08T12:38:00.000-08:00

Last night Matt and I were in the mood for chocolate. Well, I was in the mood....Matt is always in the mood for chocolate. I wanted to do something on the lighter side b/c I'm still working on this baby weight. I made these chocolate bread puddings and they were amazing!!

Light may not be the right word because they were so rich and delicious but they were less calories.

Enjoy!

lollies

2012-02-05T21:58:00.000-08:00

I made some lollies last week and it's official....they are one of my favorite things to make.

i've been busy

2012-02-02T18:14:00.000-08:00

I've been busy working on this fun order!

Plenty of personalized stationary and tags. Fun stuff!

5 months

2012-01-31T21:39:00.000-08:00

The boy is almost 6 months and I'm just now getting to posting his 5 month pictures! This just seems to be the way I do these posts. Oh, well.

So, at 5 months, this boy.....

... is such a joy to us. We never knew we would love being parents so much. It is seriously the best thing ever. Why did we wait so long to have you, sweet J??

... still gets this look of wonder. He soaks things in for a long time before he reacts. When meeting new people, he stares and stares and then warms up and interacts more. Sounds familiar.

... is about 15 1/2 pounds. He drinks 7 ounces four times a day. We are starting solids on Sunday, his 6 month birthday. Don't worry, we'll have the camera ready.

... has his toes in his mouth all. of. the. time. Even during baths!

... smiles and laughs. His laugh is the most delightful squeal. Matt and I find ourselves doing whatever we can to make him laugh.

... still likes to stick his arms and legs straight out. He alternates between this and the toes in his mouth.

... is trying to sit. He's almost there!!

... is reaching out trying to grab everything. It's crazy how fast this skill has developed.

... LOVES to play with Dadda. Matt can make him laugh and squeal more than any other. It's pretty darn cute. And whenever Matt comes home, J smiles soooo big, pumps his legs, squeals, and can't wait to play. I foresee plenty of Daddy - Son bonding in our future :) Oh, and I apologize for the gross drool shot. This is our life folks.

... loves rolling over in his bed. He moves around so much when we put him down that he usually gets his arms and legs stuck in the crib and freaks (and I don't blame him). We'll have to put that bumper up but until he's rolling both ways easily, I'm just a little too nervous to do it.

.... and he is pretty much the cutest baby in the whole world. Or at least that's what we think.

project life week 1

2012-01-30T21:34:00.000-08:00

Project Life week 1 done (and 2 but that will be posted later) and we are enjoying it over here in the Abney household. It's so fun to document and celebrate the small moments.

Lots of letter stickers, washi tape, and October Afternoon here. I used Picasa to format my pictures for this week but have since learned how to use Photoshop (Thanks, Matt!!) and I like it so much more.

Lots of fun this week including the Rose Bowl, a date night to Mohawk Bend, capturing my tendency to stock up on baby stuff whenever it's on sale, and a few of J's milestones.

I think the biggest thing I'm learning is to not obsess over each individual card but instead focus on the whole.

More to share soon!!

Ellie

a peek

2012-01-30T14:02:00.000-08:00

Come take a peek into our home.

some favorites

2012-01-26T16:49:00.000-08:00

I'm going through J's 5 month photo shoot that we did on Saturday and here are some favorites.

He tries to sit....

....and he falls.

With Dadda.

My little sweet boy.

project life 2012 cover page

2012-01-22T20:19:00.000-08:00

This year I am so excited to be doing Project Life. Wait. Let me clarify. Matt and I are so excited for me to be doing project life. Project Life is a system created by Becky Higgins that helps you to focus on the everyday life. It helps you focus on the stories that happen in the small moments, not just the big ones.
I could explain the ins and outs of it but Lisa does it much better than I can. Matt is thrilled about this project because already we are remembering the small stories in 2012 - the little things that would escape our memory if they weren't documented. I love it for this reason but I also enjoy playing with paper. :)

So here is my title page for Project Life 2012.

Becky Higgins sells kits with patterned cards to fit the pockets. I chose to use my stash because I always get new product but am never able to use it all on traditional layouts. This title page is pretty straight forward. It is a nice mix of October Afternoon, plenty of washi tape, left over Amy Tangerine, and some Studio Calico. For my pictures, I'm using my iPhone, my Nikon, and my wonderful little Instax Mini that Matt got me for Christmas.

And here is the reason I'm doing Project Life this year....

Ellie

currents

2012-01-18T23:26:00.000-08:00

time: 11:20 PM - yeah, it's late for me. Matt's out and I always stay up late when he's not home.
location: in my bed
weather: It's been in the 60s this week. It's been so nice wearing cardigans again.
eating: nothing now but I did eat popcorn earlier. I've been loving me some popcorn lately.
drinking: water - must. drink. less. diet coke.
loving: my sweet little bundle in the room next door. I really can't get enough.
wondering: if it's possible for him to get any cuter... nope! I know, I know...I'm biased.
enjoying: the fact that I got a lot done on project life tonight (more on that later). I love late night crafting.
accomplishing: today a lot b/c the boy slept so long! Go little J!
thinking: Stroller Strides is going to come bright and early tomorrow morning and it's gonna hurt.

Ellie :)

project life

2012-01-12T08:24:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am jumping in on the project life bandwagon and couldn't be more excited. More on that to come but here is proof that I was having waaaay too much fun working on it last night. So much fun in fact that I didn't go to bed until 12:30 (that's LATE for me) even though I knew my sweet one would be up bright and early. It's so worth every tired bone in my body. :)

wrapping ideas

2011-12-15T17:18:00.000-08:00

I love wrapping gifts in unique ways for people. Here is a wine bottle that I wrapped. I made the tags using washi tape, wrapped the bottle in kraft paper, and tied it all together with the ever-faithful bakers twine.

And caramel corn...

Ellie

{three months}

2011-11-18T20:45:00.000-08:00

This happened on November 5th but better late than never, right??

So, at 3 months, Jonathan….

…has his hands in his mouth at all times. He is constantly sucking and drooling. He sucks on those little fingers so hard that I can here him from across our home!

…is eating a new formula. His old formula just wasn’t settling well with him and he was still not eating well. We LOVE his new formula, Gerber Good Start Protect. It is wonderful.

…is doing a lot of “full- body smiles” – he pulls his feet up when he smiles and swings his arms around.

…just laughed his first squeal of delight today (11/18) when he was playing with his dadda. It was the most wonderful sound!

…loves his sleep. He loves to be put down at night to go to sleep. Boy does he let you have it if you try to cuddle him to sleep at night. The boy loves his alone time. J

…enjoys a couple of toys! He can pick them up and bring them to his mouth and suck to his hearts content. We named this giraffe Gilly after this wonderful sketch on Saturday Night Live.

…is starting to sit in his Bumbo chair! He always looks part happy, part concerned, and part proud when he is in it.

…wants to “stand” all of the time. When we put him on his feet (with us holding him up of course), he smiles so, so proud. What a big boy!!

…now smiles at me during Stroller Strides. I must look really funny doing lunges and squats.

…has found his feet. He hasn’t started sucking on them yet but stares at them like they are the most glorious things around. Aren’t they???

…is still a talker. And I love it.

We love you baby boy!!

P.S. Matt, if I forgot anything, will you add it in the comments?? Thanks J

december daily

2011-11-18T19:54:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm doing it. I am going to join the club and make a December Daily album. Basically, it's a way to enjoy and document all of the celebration that leads up to Christmas. Every day you take a picture (I'll do it on my iPhone and print it through Postal Pix - love) and then add it to your album with a little explanation. It can be a big holiday event or a small moment. The key is to have much of the album done before December so you can just enjoy December. Here I go..... wish me luck.... :)

As a side note, all of my December Daily pictures will be posted in Instagram so if you'd like to follow me there, my name is ellieabney.

birthday card

2011-11-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

It was my friend Beth's birthday yesterday and I decided to make her a card. We are both slightly obsessed with the chevron trend right now so when I saw this tutorial, I had to make the card. Immediately.

My dear husband got me the typewriter I really wanted (eek!!) and I had to use it to write the card sentiment. And to title the envelope.

I made this while the babes was sleeping soundly and I was drinking a big cup of coffee. Crafting + coffee + happy baby = the perfect way to start the day.

halloween in pictures

2011-11-01T22:23:00.000-07:00

Happy (late) Halloween! This is Matt's second favorite holiday so we always stay busy. Here are some highlights. Enjoy!

Sleepy baby at the pumpkin patch. I want to chew on his cheeks. I think I will! :)

with Dadda

with Momma

with friends

Dumbledore and Harry .... tee hee!

Han Solo and Chewie. Aren't they both the cutest?!

The cutest Chewie in the world.

And for a random side note, I'm trying to win a kit to do a December Daily album over at Elizabeth Kartchner's blog. If I post here, I get to enter to win an extra time. :) Keeping my fingers crossed!!

blog your heart

2011-10-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

From http://www.stephaniehowell.com/

I have been reading Stephanie Howell's blog for a long time now and love it. I love the creative inspiration. I love her stories about her 4 precious girls. But more than anything, I love how honest she blogs. Her blog is about creativity, her scrapbooking, and her girls, but more than anything, it is a place to be honest and share her heart. I have been so inspired by her posts over and over again and have decided to participate in her blog your heart challenge. All I have to do is blog what is on my heart and blog honestly. So here goes...

1. I love being a mom. I love my little boy more than I thought possible. I am so thankful for him and for the opportunity to be able to stay at home. Sometimes I go a little stir crazy so I'm working on ways to get out of the house and have adult conversation.

2. I'm not super happy with my post baby body...although who is? I am in Weight Watchers and I love it (post to come about a little make over I gave my tracker). But it's also hard. I'm not getting fast results. I also joined Stroller Strides this week. It's a great program where you work out in the park with other moms. There is also a coach so she pushes us and has the work out planned.

3. I'm learning to give myself a little grace with #2. I just had a baby. It's going to take time.

4. Jonathan's reflux is acting up again. He hasn't been eating well for about a week and a half now. It's scary because of our experience when he was a month old with him not eating and gaining weight. We are starting him on an additional prescription today so I hope that helps.

5. I can't tell you how much I love fall weather. The rain and clouds yesterday?? DIVINE.

Ok.... I think that's all for now. Thank you for reading!!

nursery

2011-10-24T21:02:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to share pictures of our nursery here for awhile but can't even begin to dream of doing it better than The Why We Love Photographers. They captured J's room perfectly. More importantly, they captured the love we have for our boy. Check it out! They are fabulous. Go here.

*** Update: I need to give a huge shout out to my friend Beth who helped so much with my nursery. Thank you!!

a to z

2011-10-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

This is an old picture of me from last fall enjoying my first pumpkin spice latte of the year.

So I've seen this list around the blogosphere and thought I'd participate!

A. Age: 28
B. Bed size: queen
C. Chore that you hate: cleaning the bathroom
D. Dogs: Nope. They actually kinda scare me. You never know what to expect!
E. Essential start to your day: A kiss from my love and then smiles and cuddles from my boy.
F. Favorite color: to wear? Grey. I've also been loving orange not on my person but everywhere else.
G. Game: mmm.... probably Ticket to Ride. Maybe catch phrase? or celebrity?
H. Height: 5'8"
I. Ideal Day: Matt at home so our little family can be together. A walk and some coffee. Cuddles with my boy. Time to craft. Finish it off with a movie.
J. Job title: Stay at home mom
K. Kids: 1!! A sweet little 11 week old baby boy.
L. Lives: in Pasadena.
M. Movie: Father of the Bride. For Halloween, Matt and I have scary movie nights and my favorite by far is Misery.
N. Nicknames: El, Boo, and all sorts of funny names that Matt gives me. My brothers always called me homegirl and sometimes still do. Ha.
O. Overnight hospital stays: Ughhh.... don't bring it up! As you all know, we were in the hospital for 3 days and nights figuring out Jonathan's weight gain issues. Of course, we also stayed overnight in the hospital when we had him in August. That one was happy.
P. Pet peeves: People correcting you when it isn't necessary. Mean people.
Q. Quote from a movie: mmm.... "I said Good Morning, Gill." - What About Bob. That one isn't my favorite but it was the first one that popped into my head.
R. Right or left handed: right
S. Siblings: Andy and Peter
U. University: Azusa Pacific University
V. Vegetable you hate: Celery. So gross.
W. What makes you run late: Everything. My own brain - I always think I can do so much more in a small amount of time than I can.
X. X-Rays you’ve had: On my arm when I was in 6th grade. I fell off a trampoline (while just trying to get down, mind you) and had a hairline fracture.
Y. Yummy food that you make: I love to bake. Pumpkin cookies are a favorite.
Z. Zoo animal: Giraffe!!!

If you all decide to participate on your blogs, leave a comment so I can read your list!

two months

2011-10-11T21:31:00.000-07:00

Our little babe is two months old already!! I seriously can't believe it.

So at two months, our little guy...

... is smiling a ton!! Unfortunately he didn't smile at all during this photo shoot but he is such a happy boy! Whenever I get him out of the crib he greets me with a big smile. melts. my. heart.

...weighs in at 11 pounds 9 ounces and is 22 3/4 inches. He is in the 50% for weight (huge relief after his slow start to gaining weight) and length and 75% for his head. Yup, he's got a big head. It's for all his brains.

...recognizes his momma and dadda. He knows our voices and responds to them. When I start talking, he'll turn his head to find me. He still loves to "talk" with me.

...has reflux. Not fun. Poor little guy. We have him on medication now and is doing MUCH better. He is eating about every 3 1/2 to 4 hours and is taking down 5 ounces. Good boy!!

...still LOVES his bath. Dadda tries to get home by bath time every night and they both just love it.

....holds up his head while burping. Baby boy has a strong neck holding up that beautiful big head!

...is starting to sleep a lot longer at night. Sometimes he gives us 5 - 7 hours of sleep!!

...still loves his swaddle. When he is ready to go down for his naps, I swaddle him up and he gives me a little smile.

...is spending more time on his tummy.

...grew out of his newborn car seat insert and went on his first road trip to San Diego (more on that later).

be still my heart....

beer and crafts

2011-09-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

I had a nice little break on Sunday.

ellie

one month

2011-09-18T15:55:00.000-07:00

Well, this is going to be more of a post about 1 1/2 months. The plan was to make it a one month post but things changed for us. When we went to Jonathan's one month appointment, we found out that our sweet boy wasn't gaining weight. After supplementing his feedings, we ended up being admitted to the hospital because he couldn't keep any food down. After ten hours in the emergency room and three days in pediatrics, we discovered that he wasn't getting enough milk from me so his belly couldn't handle the supplemental formula. He's doing WONDERFULLY now, praise God. He gained a pound and a half in a week and is thriving. So, these pictures were taken after he started packing on the pounds and were taken much closer to one and a half months.

So at six weeks, this darling...

...is loving his formula. He is eating 4 ounces 8 times a day. He scarfs it down. I mean SCARFS it down. During his nighttime feedings, he keeps his eyes closed and snorts his way through his bottle. Giving up nursing him was hard but seeing how much he is thriving using formula makes it so clear our decision was right for him.

...is so much more focused than before. He can find his little toys on his activity gym and just stares at them with such focus.

-...loves music. All music.

...loves being on his belly. Whenever he is fussy, switching him to his belly solves the problem.

...can recognize our voices.

...has found his voice and loves "talking" to us. Lots of grunts and groans. Such a boy. :)

...loves going on walks with his Momma and Dadda. We love it too.

...spends lots of time on his play mat.

...always has his arms straight out and his hands in fists.

...is still cross-eyed a lot. So funny.

Oh, and the teddy bear? That is Michael Mike Mike. It was Matt's teddy bear as a little boy. So precious.

Love this little guy.

Ellie :)

drumroll please...

2011-09-14T18:01:00.000-07:00

My baby boy has arrived! Almost six weeks ago!! Ok, so I'm a little late to share the BIG news here but I guess you can say I've been a little preoccupied. Before the details start to get a little fuzzy, I want to share the birth story of Jonathan David Abney (aka the cutest baby in the world). Ha! Ok, so I'm a little biased.

On Thursday, August 4th, I woke up for the second night in a row at 3:30 am...after not falling asleep until 12:00 am. I got out of bed and my mind was racing with to do lists and things I had to accomplish. Yep, I was nesting big time.

I was so busy that day. I visited my friend Jessie and wished her a happy birthday. I ran errands. I had lunch with my friend Deb. I ran to Bellies, Babies & Bosoms in Montrose to pick up a few last minute necessities. Then, I got home and started working on a project. I was home for maybe 30 minutes when, as I was talking to my parents, my water broke! I wasn't convinced because it wasn't the HUGE gush that you always see on the movies. Plus, he wasn't due until August 12th. I owe my boy big time for not making me go through another week of labor in the summer. My mom was convinced and so was my doctor so we headed to the hospital.

It was all divine. My friend Mariah was working in labor and delivery and was my nurse that night (By the way, she was amazing. Truly my hero. I am forever grateful to her for bringing my sweet boy into the world). My parents barely made the last flight out and made it in time for Little J's debut. Jonathan was so considerate and came on Thursday night thus capitalizing the weekend and allowing family to stay longer. The timing was so amazing.

Anyway, 13 hours after my water broke, my sweet angel came into this world. At 6:40 am on Friday, August 5, 2011, I finally became a momma. And it is amazing. My sweet husband was such a support through the whole labor. Without him and my wonderful epidural, I don't think I would have made it. My mom was also in the delivery room and it was such a special moment to share with her.

My heart swells as I think about that special day. I thank God for my sweet baby boy. What an honor it is to get to be his mom.

If you made it through all of this text, congratulations! Now onto the pictures...

Oh goodness I was huge. And so ready to have that baby.

Looking at each other for the first time. I will never forget that moment - being able to look into the eyes of my baby that I had been dreaming about for so long.

Here he is. All 7 lbs 10 oz and 19.5 inches of love.

Sleeping with Dadda.

Officially a family of three!! His sweet little face kills me. KILLS me.

We had a skinny little baby and his take home outfit doesn't come close to fitting. Ha! I have a feeling we'll look back on this one for a long time and just laugh.

my wishlist

2011-07-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

A girl can dream, right?

1. a vintage type writer for my crafty pursuits

2. something pretty from this shop

3. but more than anything??? for my sweet baby boy to come :)

the most gorgeous baby shower

2011-07-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

I have the best friends a girl could ask for. They are such a blessing in my life and I am so thankful for each of them.

Beth, Lindy, and Jessie threw me the most gorgeous baby shower ever. I cried from the second I walked up to the door and it just kept flowing. Just look at the pictures below and you'll see why.

Aren't these girls seriously AMAZING?!?! They made pretty much all you see there. It was a magical day - one that I'll never forget!

Jessie, Beth, and Lindy - Thank you for making me feel so loved and special. Love you girls!

thanks

2011-07-12T10:53:00.000-07:00

Here's a little thank you card I whipped up. Gotta love washi tape.

4th of July.. a little late

2011-07-07T09:09:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I hope you had a wonderful 4th! Here are a few pictures from our annual picnic at the Rose Bowl.

flannel burpies

2011-05-21T22:35:00.000-07:00

I made some flannel burpies for Lindy's shower awhile back.

Now I just need to make some for me!

Happy weekend everyone! :)

portland day 2

2011-05-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since we were in Portland but it's so fun to look back at the pictures.

On our second day there, we woke up and had a wonderful breakfast. Then we went to the Saturday Market.

It was located by the river and these beautiful trees were all in bloom.

The view from across the bridge.

I guess I was feeling maternal because I took so many pictures of these ducks and ducklings.

Then off we went to Multnomah Falls. Beautiful!! This was a stop on the way there.

And one of the smaller falls near Multnomah. We couldn't believe how close all of this was to the city.

We had such a wonderful trip. It was so much fun to be together and dream about our little boy. Speaking of which, he is due to arrive in less than 3 months!! I started the third trimester this weekend.... hard to believe! Our lives are going to change dramatically in 12 weeks (give or take) and we can't wait!!

portland day 1

2011-04-25T21:21:00.000-07:00

Man - I feel like I have so much to catch you all up on! Well, Matt and I found out we are having a BOY! We are so excited and can't wait to welcome him into the world in a few months. Craziness.

We decided to go on a a babymoon to Portland over my spring break. It is a beautiful, creative, quaint place. We loved it. Here are a few pictures of the first day there.

The trees were gorgeous. They were blooming and just spectacular.

Portland has an abundance of 3 things: pizza restaurants, coffee shops, and breweries. Matt was excited to try out all the local beer. He was really anticipating going to Rogue Ales but they wouldn't serve him b/c his drivers license was expired...even though he had a temporary.

Matt drinking beer at the wonderful Cafe Nell - my favorite restaurant of the trip.

Me before we went to the Kennedy School - an old school that was turned into a bar/restaurant/movie theater/hotel. It was pretty great.

what's been going on around here...

2011-03-06T16:40:00.000-08:00

You might have noticed that I didn't check in here much for awhile. I have a wonderful excuse..in my opinion!

I'm pregnant! Matt and I will be parents (CRAZY) in August!

As I've heard from many people, creativity doesn't come easily the first trimester. That is definitely how I felt. I was sooooo tired all of the time. I didn't have horrible morning sickness but I did have a lot of food aversions and a good bit of nausea. It's all worth it though!

I'm 18 weeks now and finally have more energy. I'm starting to be creative again - which is a good thing because I want to make all sorts of goodies for this little babe!!

More updates to come!

lindy's baby shower

2011-03-01T16:09:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Lindy is having a boy next month. By the way, she will be such a wonderful mama to that boy! I can't wait to meet him!

A baby on the way means something wonderful.... a baby shower! Beth, Jessie, and I had so much fun planning and preparing for this special day. Here are some of the highlights from the shower.

We took an old youth hymnal, added paper, and had people write messages to Lindy and her family.

Lindy loves fabric so in honor of her, we made handmade cloth napkins for each place setting. They were a gift to Lindy so now she has a set of beautiful napkins. I'm not going to lie... all of us wanted to keep them for ourselves.

The place setting. We used 16 oz mason jars for glasses.

Beautiful flowers courtesy of Macall.

This was on a table placed outside the shower. I'm bummed I didn't get a far away picture so you could get a real feel for what it looked like. Precious is what it looked like.

There were three tables set up in the dining room using a collection of chairs from our homes. Wonderful idea, Beth!

I love this picture of these three ladies: the mama to be, Jessie, and Reggie (Beth's mom).

Lindy, we love you and had such a wonderful time celebrating you and your sweet boy!

paso robles

2011-02-15T18:14:00.000-08:00

Matt and I have a little Valentine's Day tradition of going out of town every year. We LOVE the holiday because, let's face it, we love any excuse to get out of town. I'm the lucky duck because he plans it and surprises me every year. I'm one lucky girl, huh?

This year we went to Paso Robles. We love it there. It is calm, small, and quiet. We went to a brewery, Firestone, that Matt had been wanting to tour.

He looks pretty happy!

We went to some awesome restaurants, our favorite being Farmstand 46.

On the way there we stopped in Arroyo Grande, a very cute town.

Matt got his ice cream.

I got to take pictures using my new camera.

All in all? Perfect weekend.

happy heart day

2011-02-14T17:05:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope you are able to be with the people you love today.

He is my valentine.

He is patient, loving, and kind.

He is incredibly generous.

He is the happiest, most optimistic person I know.

He loves me, takes care of me, spoils me.

Matt, I am so happy to have you as my forever valentine. I love you!

oh happy day

2010-12-20T12:02:00.000-08:00

So many reasons why this is a happy day:

1. It is my first day of winter vacation. Two whole weeks of sleeping in as late as I want!!

2. I'm lying on the couch listening to the lovely rain outside. This is the 4th day in a row of rain and it is supposed to rain two more days! So happy.

3. The biggest reason of all???? My wonderful husband and I celebrated Christmas on Saturday and he surprised me with a glorious new MACBOOK AIR!! I absolutely love, love, love it. He spoils me rotten.

biggest project yet

2010-12-11T08:24:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I've missed this place! I've been so busy for awhile that I wasn't getting on here. Then we both got sick and it seems like all I needed was sleep! In the time that I was gone, I completed the biggest project I've done yet. I made 210 invitations for a client's sweet sixteen masquerade ball in New York. It was fun to come up with something different but of course the best part was the fact that they were so happy with the product.

I couldn't have completed this huge project without the help of my wonderful husband - thank you, Matt! We had a ton of fun but by the end, my fingers were definitely feeling a little swollen and chapped.

I wish I took more pictures of the process but I was on such a roll that I didn't stop to do it. Here is what the invitation looked like.

It's kinda hard to tell but it had a lot of layering of paper, ribbon, and feathers. Very masquerade ball-esque.

Wrapping up and packing all of the invitations...

I took this with my phone and you can't even tell how many packages there were there.

It felt so good to accomplish something so big - I know it's not a huge order for a normal business but for a one woman show, it was!

holiday tags

2010-11-19T17:44:00.000-08:00

Here are some personalized Christmas/New Years tags I'm working on right now.

adhesive

2010-11-13T09:38:00.000-08:00

Yes, I do use a huge amount of adhesive for every project. This is my current favorite for the basic adhering needs - American Crafts This to That solid adhesive.

Check it out at Two Peas.

For my more intense adhesive needs (I'm a dork) I use Scor Pal. This stuff is so stinkin sticky. It will really work for any taping project.

I've really only been able to find it at Amazon so far. If you guys find it anywhere else, let me know!!

leaves

2010-11-10T23:13:00.000-08:00

So this picture might not seem like a big deal at all to most of you - especially those of you who don't live in California. But, as I was leaving school on Monday, this is the glorious scene that I saw... a small pile of leaves! Yes, you heard me right...leaves!!! It is feeling like fall here! It has been the weirdest fall. In the 100's one week and then cold and rainy the next. I love the cold and rainy and make it through the hot just knowing the cooler weather is coming. And then I saw these wonderful leaves. So happy.

Ok, I've not done another truth for awhile so it's time.

day 5: something you hope to do in your life

I'm not going to think about this one a lot but instead say the first thing that popped into my head. Travel. Travel a lot with Matt. We LOVE our trips. We love getting away, relaxing, and just enjoying each other's company. We went to Maui in April and if money was no object, we'd go back every year. It was the definition of vacation. We had our little routine - same walk to get coffee from the same shop every morning followed by the same breakfast place. It made us feel like locals (that makes me think about What About Bob...love it). Traveling is one thing that we hope to never give up - even if we just go on small weekend trips. We need it.

Bill Murray's shirt in What About Bob?

Matt and I zip lining in Maui.

holiday crafting

2010-11-05T23:57:00.000-07:00

Is it officially ok to pull out all of our Christmas movies? I feel like it is because Halloween is over and we are in November. Maybe it's too early?

Well, it feels like Christmas is right around the corner here because of some projects I'm working on. Here are two different styles of gift card/money holders.

I will be making 16 for a client and really can't wait to make all of them. right. now. I love playing with felt.

sam

2010-11-05T23:49:00.000-07:00

So here is our new precious nephew.

I LOVE this picture of him!! I'm thrilled and delighted because Val and Brian (his wonderful parents) asked me to make his birth announcements. What an honor!

Happy Halloween!!

2010-10-31T21:29:00.000-07:00

more stationary

2010-10-24T19:29:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to stop in really fast to share another set of personalized stationary.

I watched the beloved Felicity while making these. I somehow missed this show when it came out so I am devouring it now. I actually made it through three seasons over the summer and am watching the fourth and final season now. Ben or Noel?? Ben or Noel??

I'll have a lot to share soon - so many fun holiday projects!

day 4

2010-10-19T17:31:00.000-07:00

Lindy and I went to Reno last weekend to visit Beth. While there, we went to Lake Tahoe.....gorgeous!! The leaves were changing colors and it felt like fall.

Onto day 4: something you have to forgive someone for

Aggg.... I don't know why I'm doing this to myself. I love the idea of doing something that forces me to open up on my blog but I guess I don't like the opening up part. Here we go...

I'm weird about forgiveness. I think it is easier for me to forgive BIG issues than little ones. I think that is because I actually talk about the big issues. If someone has really hurt my feelings, I go to the person and work things out. I usually walk away from these talks sad at first (I hate having hard conversations) but then much happier.

It's the little things. I don't feel like they are worth bringing up and then pretty soon, they have built up and I can't let go and forgive. Gotta work on that.

For example, many months ago a random stranger yelled at me at Michael's (I have a love/hate relationship with this store). It still makes my blood boil whenever I think about it. Yeah, gotta get past that!!!

THANK YOU for always reading my ramblings. Love to you all!

kindergarten

2010-10-14T23:28:00.000-07:00

I was looking through old pictures and happened upon this one. I was in kindergarten and for share time (I'm guessing), my mom and I played our cellos.

It is weird to think I was a little girl at the beginning of kindergarten and now I'm teaching for my sixth year.

This picture makes me think about how much I love my mom - how special she is to me, how supportive, how loving, and how proud. I love you, mom! Thanks for always being there beside me.

stationary

2010-10-11T19:40:00.000-07:00

I love making handmade stationary.

Day 3

2010-10-10T09:45:00.000-07:00

We are in Atlanta right now because we have a new nephew!! Matt's sister, Val, gave birth to the precious Samuel Matthew at 1 AM Thursday morning. He is just perfect. Congrats to the new parents - Val and Brian. Love you both! Unfortunately I don't have pictures to share at this point but when we get home, I'll load 'em up.

It is great to be here with family, relaxing, holding the babe, and reading. I always get some good reading in while on vacation - even if it is only for a weekend. This weekend it is the wonderful Artful Blogging magazine. I HIGHLY recommend it and it just affirms what I am trying to do here. Although I've only been blogging for a couple of months, I had no idea how it would transform my life already. I used to journal but haven't for a long time. This has become a sort of online journal. A place where I can share what I am up to but also reflect on what is going on - be it my crafts, family events, or my newest "truths" posts. Ok, before I lose you all (which maybe I already have), onto day 3.

Day 3: Something you have to forgive yourself for

Wow - another tough one. I think forgiveness is really hard for me - I wish it wasn't. Just as hard as it is for me to forgive others, it's harder for me to forgive myself. I'm guessing that is normal.

I thought about this one long and hard and realized it is more of a daily issue for me. Whenever I feel like I say something that hurts someone's feelings, make a mistake, or feel like I ruin a moment, I have a hard time letting go. One time on a trip, I blew up at my family and kinda freaked out and felt like I already ruined the trip or something. My mom said, "Do you think you have that much control?" Wow ... that was life changing for me. From then on, when I feel like I've ruined a moment by being a jerk, instead of dwelling on it forever (I still dwell for awhile) I think about what my mom said. Do I really think I'm that important or in that much control that I can ruin eveyone else's time? It's still a struggle but little by little, I'm getting better at forgiving myself for the small things.

If you made it to the end of this post, good job! I have a lot of orders so you'll see some fun crafty posts coming up.

Love to you all!

Orders and Day 2

2010-10-05T20:48:00.000-07:00

Hello world! I am in such a good mood for one main reason: RAIN!! After too many days of scorching heat, it finally feels like fall. We've had rain the past two days and it is supposed to rain again tomorrow. So happy.

I wanted to show you little sneaks of a couple custom projects I finished up this week.

I love wrapping up a finished project and sending it on it's way. It's fun making handmade goods look pretty and I just hope the recipients enjoy them!

Onto my new challenge....

Day 2: Something you love about yourself

I'm just going to say it - I love that I can read people well. I really feel like I have the gift of being able to see where someone is at, what they need, and how they feel. Intuition I guess. Yup, I like that (I mean love that) about myself.

What do YOU love about yourself? Care to join in on this challenge with me, all you bloggers?

Something New

2010-10-02T00:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, so you all know how much I love this blog. She's so inspiring and honest. Not to mention her scrapbooking is spectacular. She's been doing this 30 Days of Truths project inspired by GirlVaughn.com and I thought I'd give it a try too.

You see, I've been thinking a lot about this blog and what I want it to be. Is it just a place for creative inspiration? Or just a place to share what I'm doing with my family? Or is it a place to share me? The blogs that I love the most combine all three. They highlight their craft, show the goings on of their family, and share their personal ups and downs. So I'm going to give it a try.

Day 1: Something you hate about yourself

Oh man, we are really starting all out here. Ok, well, I think I'm too hard on myself. I don't think I let myself be free to make mistakes, to fall flat on my face, and look awful while down there. I think I want to have it all together, to do everything and do it well. In the meantime, I isolate myself and those around me. I always want to be there for those I love - to be there for them no matter what they are going through. But, it is hard for me to let people see me in my worst spots, when I really need help. Perfectionist much?

Wisconsin

2010-09-28T21:04:00.000-07:00

We were just in Wisconsin for a family reunion. It was wonderful to be with everyone - especially my dear grandma. When I was a kid, I used to fly across the country by myself every summer to see her. I love her so dearly. Of course we mostly only have pictures of Isaac...that's how most family vacations go now! Here is my favorite from the weekend.

Right now I'm wishing for some more of that wonderful fall Wisconsin weather.

for the sweet little girl

2010-09-20T20:54:00.000-07:00

This weekend I helped Beth make her birth announcements for this sweet little girl.

Oh man, I could just eat her up!

Ok, here they are....

Of course the only camera I had on me was my iphone so these pictures will have to do.

love my google reader

2010-09-19T02:02:00.000-07:00

Are there any other google reader fans out there? I absolutely love it. I have so many blogs I read and if I had to go to each one individually, I'd never be able to keep up. Here are a few of my favorite photos I've found on my lovely google reader.

I love these little goodie bags from Dear Lizzy.

Isn't this garland magical??! I can always find inspiration at The Pink Couch.

Jenni Hufford creates such beautiful, unique, romantic pages.

If you don't have google reader, go to google.com/reader and add a blog (like elliebelliehandmade.com...hint, hint) by using the "add subscription" button. Then, whenever you go to google reader, all of your wonderful blogs will be updated and ready for you to read.

Drumroll Please....

2010-09-17T23:33:00.000-07:00

Here they are! I've made 50 of these personalized cards, boxed them up, and sent them on their way. Just 50 left to go!

I love making cards. I get such satisfaction from packing a bunch of pretty paper into a box and sending it on its way.

I wish I would've taken more pictures. Each card is 3 1/2" x 4 7/8". I hand stamped the name at the top and sewed fabric ruffles to the bottom using the amazing Heather Bailey Fabric. I lined each envelope with this paper. They look so pretty and sweet.

What I've Been Doing

2010-09-11T22:40:00.000-07:00

I'm working on another custom order and had the company of my friends on One Tree Hill. Is it kinda sad that I watch so much teen drama???

Custom Tags

2010-09-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the long awaited post (yeah, right) about the tags I made. I'm sure there is a faster way to make them but this is what I did. I ran a standard shipping label through my printer, cut them down to size, added some of my favorite shimmer mist, and sewed on the ruffles.

Enjoy your long weekend!

Welcome!!

2010-08-27T22:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my new blog! If you followed me over here from ellieabney.blogspot.com, you might notice all of my old posts are here with us too. I'm so glad we didn't have to say goodbye :)

Here are my new business cards designed by the talented Sara. I am so incredibly happy with them. I feel like they are so "me" .... so happy.

Keep stopping by and I'll update you with my latest projects! You can see on the sidebar of this blog that I have an etsy shop. Please visit! I will tell you that right now I have so many wonderful custom orders that I won't be adding to it or updating it for awhile. Custom orders are my favorite because you get to create exactly what someone wants! If you see anything on here that you'd like me to make (or maybe you have an idea of your own), please leave me a comment and I'll get back to you.

Thank you so much for visiting!

Latest Project

2010-08-22T15:38:00.000-07:00

Before our wonderful vacation, I was working on a really fun project for a friend of a friend. Her baby girl was getting baptized and as a party favor, she was giving each couple a box of gourmet cookies. She wanted a personalized tag for each box. What a great idea! This is what I came up with.

Here is a stack of the tags mid-project.

Another picture mid-project.

Here are two pictures of the finished project.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

So Tired

2010-08-21T23:29:00.000-07:00

I'm tired. So very tired. I know I said the big reveal of elliebellie handmade would be this week. I apologize that I haven't done that yet. I left our vacation early because I had a job interview (yay). I had the interview Monday, got offered the job the same day, and started preparing my classroom on Tuesday. I've been in the room everyday since then working and working. I am so thrilled to have a job and am excited to make the switch to first grade! I'll miss my old school and all of the wonderful friends I've made there but am delighted to be in the same district at another wonderful school. God is good.

With all that said....thank you for your patience. The big reveal will come soon...as soon as I come up for air :)

Right Now

2010-08-15T15:41:00.000-07:00

listening: to nothing... sometimes that is such a wonderful sound :)
drinking: a iced tea from Coffee Table
wearing: sweats and my Mississippi State sweatshirt
feeling: tired. I had a long 22 hour day of traveling yesterday.
weather: hot but cold in here!
wanting: to sleep, watch 17 Again (I know, I'm too old to like it but I LOVE it!!), make crocheted flowers
needing: to unpack and do some paperwork
thinking: about my love...miss you!
enjoying: my couch
wondering: what Isaac will be like the next time we see him. I miss him so much!

Vacation

2010-08-12T21:45:00.000-07:00

furniture:

reading material:

tour guide:

(i know these photos aren't the best...they were taken with my phone...but that isn't really the point, you know what i mean??)

I've been gone...

2010-08-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been missing a little bit but so much as been going on! I feel like that is how I start all posts...

Last week I was sick a bit and also was working on an elliebellie handmade project!! Did I tell you that is the name of my little store that I'm opening? I worked with a fabulous graphic designer, Sara Barbar, to work on a logo for my new business (eek!!). I've gotten business cards, a stamp, labels, a banner for my new blog, and my etsy shop. The big reveal for my new blog and etsy shop will be next week so please look for updates. I'd love you all to follow me to the next blog site!

Anyway...back to the project... I was hired to make some tags for a friend of a friend. Her baby is getting baptized and she wanted specialized tags to put on the party favors. I have a bunch of photos I'll post next week. It was so much fun and was a milestone for me...it was the first project I've done for someone I didn't know!

This week, Matt and I are in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina with my family. We flew into Atlanta and stayed with my parents the first night. I saw this awful craft I made when I was little:

I was in a sewing class (which I am so thankful I took) and made this little beauty for my mom for Mother's Day...poor thing...she probably had no idea what to do with it. She's a great mom because she has kept it out all of these years.

I know I've mentioned my sweet nephew, Isaac. We have had such a great time being with him. Here he is with Uncle Matt:

Look at those curls!!!

Here he is with Uncle Andy:

I took this picture with my hipstomatic app on my phone.

We've been sleeping in, lounging at the beach, staring at Isaac, reading, playing games, and eating ice cream. In other words, it has already been an awesome vacation. I love being with family!

Felt Circles

2010-08-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to a new week! I feel like it is much easier to say that right now because it is summer. I love teaching but I also love having my own timeline throughout the day and week. ahh.... summer.... I better soak it up! Sorry....all you working people probably hate me now. I'll stop.

I know you've heard me rant and rave before about making your own embellishments and that is what I did for this page. There are no store bought embellishments here and these are so easy to make.

I just used Heather Bailey felt (it is the best - brilliant colors and great texture), embroidery floss, and buttons. Dunzo.

Renegade Craft Fair

2010-07-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

Oh. My. Gosh. I LOVED it!! I mentioned in my last post that Matt and I went to the Renegade Craft Fair on Sunday. It was amazing. It was so great to be surrounded by such creative people. I left so inspired and even more excited (if that was possible) to be selling my products. There were so many wonderful booths, there is no way I can do justice to them all, but I wanted to mention a couple of my favorites.

My favorite paper vender was Sycamore Street Press. They mostly had letterpress goods, which I love. Here is a little poster that caught my eye. If we had a baby, I would own this for sure. So funny.

I also really liked The Tinted Mint.

Jenny Wiegley had gorgeous quilts. Lindy, these are my inspiration!!

I thought these cute little crowns were really fun. Unfortunately I have no idea who made it but isn't it precious?

Esoterica Bazaar had this beautiful ring set. hint, hint, Matt :)

I thought this necklace was really cute too.

Ahhh...so much wonderful goodness out there in the world. Doesn't your heart feel full???

This Weekend

2010-07-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

Matt and I had a really fun weekend. We were both off of work on Friday so we drove down to San Diego for the day and went to the San Diego Zoo. Apparently I went when I was little but I have no memory of it so it was a new experience for both of us. We loved it! We loved walking around, looking at the animals, and just having the day together.

I'm glad I married a man who makes me laugh so much.

We then went to a local scrapbooking store, Paper Tales, that I had heard all about. It was AMAZING. It was the best scrabooking store I've been to. I felt like everything there was very much my style. Of course I got a few things.

On Saturday we got to babysit precious Beckett.

We were sad to give her back to her parents. She is such a good baby!!

On Sunday, Matt went with me to the Renegade Craft Fair.

Once again, another awesome craft experience. I really think my husband should win some kind of award .... two crafting outings this weekend!

We also saw Inception. It was really good but a lot of it was over my head. I think I'll need a round 2 to really get it.

That's all for now! What did you all do this weekend?

Paper Folding

2010-07-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

Here is another page from Kala's book.

I really liked this page because of the paper strips. For each strip, I cut long pieces of paper that were 1 inch thick. I folded each strip then sewed the whole thing to hold the folds.

It was a bit time consuming but I really like the end result. I also LOVE any type of craft that I can zone out and do while watching TV. I think I watched season 1 and much of season 2 of Grey's Anatomy (again) while making Kala's book.

I've mentioned before that my sister-in-law, Val, is having a baby boy in October. They are naming him Sam :) Anyway, I am now working on a book for her that I need to finish in 2 weeks. I'll be busy over here! It's already cute and boy and vintage .... yum. As soon as it is done and in Val's hands, I'll share it here.

Butterflies Galore

2010-07-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

It seems like everywhere you look in the scrapbooking world people are embracing butterflies. I was never too into them before but am now a convert. I think they are sweet, whimsical, romantic, and beautiful. Here are two more pages from Kala's book that have a plethora of butterflies.

I used this punch for all of the butterflies.

Have a wonderful Monday! :)

More of Kala's Book

2010-07-16T08:57:00.000-07:00

I know it feels like I've been posting pages from Kala's book for forever.....

....but they are going to keep on coming!! As you've probably noticed, I used green, teal, and yellow throughout the whole book. There are plenty of flowers,

butterflies,

mists,

and felt.

I love it when all of my favorites wind up in one project. I did make all of the embellies. I always think that's the best because they turn out the exact color and size you want them.

Right Now

2010-07-15T16:16:00.001-07:00

I've mentioned before that I love this blog. It is on my list of ones I check every.single.day. She is so talented and I am always inspired by what she creates. She does something on her blog called "currents". It is a list of what she is currently into. I thought I'd try it out!

listening: to Mike Birbiglia (Mike Bahooskie!)
drinking: a grande iced vanilla americano with half and half
wearing: pjs
feeling: free....it's the summer school weekend!
weather: hot
wanting: this stamp
needing: to do laundry
thinking: about my business cards - I can't wait to get them!!
enjoying: the summer....Sellie is happy
wondering: if I'll do a post like this again

More Burpies

2010-07-15T15:52:00.000-07:00

I have more burpies to share! My friend hired me to make four burpies as a baby gift for her friend's baby girl. We decided to put a little buggy in the bottom corner instead of a bird. I think they turned out so cute and girlie.

I had extra fabric left over so I made a little gift tag to match.

Thanks for reading!!

Cape Cod

2010-07-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I haven't posted in a week because Matt and I were in Cape Cod with his family. We had an awesome time, fell in love with Martha's Vineyard, would love to stay here sometime, ate more ice cream than ever, had wonderful time with family....all in all it was a great vacation.

I will post pictures soon but wanted to post another couple of pages from Kala's book.

I'll be back soon with Cape Cod pictures!

New Letterpress Goodness

2010-07-01T15:04:00.000-07:00

Before I get to the letterpress projects, here is my latest layout. A few nights ago I stayed up until 2:30 am crafting away. Here is one of the projects I made.

I love this picture of Matt. We were in Maui on Easter Sunday and decided to go to church before hitting the beach. It was our first day there so we were dying to start our vacation.

I made two different letterpress cards. It has taken a little bit of work to figure out how to use my wonderful machine but I LOVE it now. It's super easy to use once you figure it out and now my head is swimming with ideas of all sorts of projects. If you want any cards made, let me know!

Sorry for the annoying shadows on the cards. I'm still trying to figure out what atmosphere is best for taking pictures.

Enjoy your weekend...it's almost here!

Happy Anniversary to Us {one day late}

2010-07-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

Four years ago yesterday, on a VERY hot day, Matt and I stood before our friends and family and vowed to love, honor, cherish, and respect one another for the rest of our days. It was such a beautiful, wonderful day - the best day of my life.

Matt, thank you for four wonderful years of marriage. I'm so happy I get to spend my life with you. I love you!

Thoughts of a Scrapbooker

2010-06-28T01:06:00.001-07:00

I was reading one of my favorite blogs, life.love.paper., and was inspired by her entry. She was talking about how oftentimes, as a scrapbooker, she feels the need to defend herself and her hobby. That is how I feel exactly!

Every time I tell someone that I scrapbook, I feel like I have to explain myself - explain that I love making things with paper, that it really is cool, that I'm not wasting my time or money....

Why do I do this? I know other people think this is a dorky hobby. I know other people think it is for people with no social lives. But I don't need to worry what other people think about this hobby. Bottom line, it is fun, it is such a source of joy for me, it is a way to document our memories for our Matt and I and for our future children, and it makes me feel good to make pretty things. Do I need to have another reason? I think not. :)

Adore You

2010-06-24T18:40:00.001-07:00

I mentioned awhile back that our friend Jason took pictures of us in Pasadena. I couldn't wait to get my hands on them to scrap them! Here is the first one I did. It is about how much I adore my Matthew.

Happy almost weekend!

Two New Projects

2010-06-23T09:29:00.001-07:00

I have a whole list of projects that I need/want to post here. Today I'm going to post two of my favorite recent projects.

The first is a set of tags.

I love projects that I can finish in one short sitting. For these I used a combination of Crate Paper's Brook line and Elle's Studio tags. Of course I added distressing ink to the edges and misting on the tags.

My wonderful friend (and sister-in-law) Val came to California this weekend for her baby shower. Matt and I can't wait to have another little nephew! Unfortunately I couldn't attend the shower because I was in Arizona for Coralanne's wedding but I wanted to make sure she had something from me to open there. I made her a set of burp cloths. I got the idea and basic pattern from Susan Weinroth and changed it up a bit. I like the look of sewing not in straight lines like I do in my paper craft projects. I think it makes these sweet burpies a little more whimsical and they go along nicely with the bird.

I wrapped the burpies up with some raphia...

and then added ribbon and a handmade tag to complete the look.

Both the tags and the burpies will be available at my etsy store that is opening this summer. If you'd like to order any before then, let me know.

As always, thanks for reading!

Wedding

2010-06-23T08:43:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone! I've been a little MIA lately because I had the honor of being in my friend's wedding in Arizona!

Coralanne and I met when we were four and were best friends (more like sisters) all throughout elementary school, junior high, and high school. I left Arizona to go to college and haven't been back much for nine years. Although we didn't see each other as much during that time, she always made an effort to come see me in college and stay connected and involved in what was going on in my life. She is such a loyal, wonderful friend and I am so thankful for her source of encouragement throughout these last 23 years. I was able to stay with her for several days leading up to her wedding and it was so much fun! I was so happy to be there to help her with last minute details, packing, and helping with odds and ends. I am so happy for her and her husband, Eirik. What a privilege it was to be her co - matron of honor.

Here we are when we were probably five.

She was also a MOH in my wedding four years ago.

I have more crafty goodness to post today so check back later!

My Top Ten List

2010-06-13T23:27:00.001-07:00

Well, it is officially summer!! I know it's summer around here because I'm not sad it's Sunday night! Yes, I'd love for Matt to be off tomorrow but I'm thrilled I can sleep in. So, to kick off the summer, I decided to make a list of the top ten things I'm looking forward to about summer. Just to preface ... I'm sure I'll forget some of my favorites.

1. More time with Matt - love you!!

2. Plenty of time to craft

3. Learning to quilt - hopefully!! Lindy, we have to do it!

4. Felicity...need I say more? I've never watched it and am already DEVOURING the first season. Love it!

5. More time for friends. I love that most of my friends are stay at home moms or teachers so we'll be able to hang out during the day.

6. The Bachelorette - don't you dare judge me! :)

7. So You Think You Can Dance - Is it bad that so many of my entrees are T.V. shows?? mmm...

8. Family Vacations

9. Bike Riding

10. Etsy!!

Bliss....

Two Days Until Summer!!

2010-06-09T17:58:00.000-07:00

Here is another one of the pages from Kala's book. It's pretty basic but I really enjoy the simple look. Here are some more close-ups.

On to more exciting things (for me) ... school is over in 2 days!! I'll miss those little guys but I'm READY for a break, for some more time to create, and more time to relax. I need it! Matt and I always joke and say that I am a different person over the summer - Sellie (summer Ellie). I'm excited for her to resurface again! I'll be doing summer school again this year but only for 3 weeks. I'm doing Camp K which is a program to get little ones ready for kindergarten. It will be a change of pace, challenging, and a lot of fun!

What I am most excited about for the summer is time to work on my etsy shop! I currently have someone helping me with business cards and I'm working on making enough goods so once I open the store, it is somewhat full. Once it is up and going, I'll let you know! Please feel free to pass the information for this blog around to anyone who you think might be interested. This is not a private blog at all.

Thanks for reading!! :)

Happy Birthday to Me!!

2010-06-06T21:10:00.001-07:00

Saturday was my birthday and Matt planned a very fun birthday weekend for us. We had wonderful food, went to the movies, saw South Pacific, and the best part, he surprised me with a massage here. Then he gave me a wonderful present that I've been eyeing... the L Letterpress combo kit!!

So I can make things like this -

Eeek!! I can't wait to make all sorts of pretty things!! Thanks, Matt, for the best weekend! I love you!

So Proud :)

2010-05-29T13:43:00.001-07:00

Matt ran the Mt. Wilson Trail Race today and did awesome! Basically, it is 4.3 miles uphill and then 4.3 back. Out of the 8.6 miles, only 2 were on the street, the rest were trail miles. He did such a great job!!

So very proud :)

Here are the last two pages of the baby boy book. I need to find more velvet numbers to label the dates but other than that, they are done.

I also wanted to share a little bit of Kala's 30th birthday book. Here is the full page of the bird sneak peek I showed earlier.

I do love it. I used Crate Paper's Brook collection and love the color scheme. I feel like all I want to use right now is yellow and aqua. And of course lots and lots of mist!

More mist, more aqua, more yellow, more love.

I think that is all for now. I'm so happy it is a 3 day weekend! We don't have much going on just a lot of relaxing. What are you all doing??

New Pictures

2010-05-26T19:59:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone! Matt and I recently had the privilege of getting photographed by our friend Jason Watts. He is such a great photographer and wanted to take pictures of us in the best city ever - Pasadena! We've lived here since we got married (almost four years ago) so it's so fun for us to have pictures of us here. Plus, Jason is awesome! You may notice the new picture of me on the blog - that's all Jason. Check out other pictures of us at his blog at Jason Watts Photography

When he came last week to photograph us, he brought his wife Tabitha along. The four of us had such a fun time taking pictures, talking it up, and then getting a fabulous dinner at The Kitchen in Pasadena.

Here are the next two pages of my little baby book.

No, that is not supposed to be Mickey in the top right corner.

Have a lovely night!

More Scrappy Goodness

2010-05-20T18:14:00.001-07:00

My sister-in-law, Kala, just had her 30th birthday. My brother asked me to help him put together a book for her. He asked the women close to her (friends and family) to write letters to her and I got to put them all together in a lovely book. It was a ton of work but I had so much fun doing it. I used the new Crate Paper line, Brook, to do the whole thing. It was fun to experiment with new products and a bigger size album. Here is one little sneak peek of a page I made.

I've been really into inking my pages lately. For this page I used Maya Road's bronze mist. The doily is Martha Stewart. I've seen doilies everywhere!

I also have the next two pages of my baby boy book.

It has been such a busy week. School is out in three weeks (yipee!!) so of course it's been crazy. I hope to get some craft time in this weekend. I need it....it's my therapy!! I think I'll experiment with making different tags. If I do, I'll be sure to show you all. Have a great weekend!

Pages 5 and 6

2010-05-15T12:51:00.001-07:00

Are we all happy it is the weekend?? I sure am! Matt and I have a fun and relaxing weekend ahead of us. We are thinking a bike ride and Iron Man 3. It has been such nice weather lately. All I want to do is ride on my new bike!

Do you remember the book I posted awhile ago that I made for my friend Beth and her baby girl? Well, baby Beckett (isn't that the cutest name??) was born a couple of weeks ago. Here is a picture of Beckett, Beth, and I.

Beth is fabulous at design. Her home is gorgeous - you can see her beautiful chair in this photo.

Matt loves Beckett. Isn't he a natural??

On to crafty things, I can't wait to share some other projects I've been working on. As soon as this book is fully posted, I'll share. Here are the pages for months 5 and 6.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Pages 2,3, and 4

2010-05-14T07:01:00.001-07:00

I have the next three pages of the little boy baby book ready to show. What I like about this book is that you choose just one picture from each month. I know that new moms will have billions of pictures to choose from and probably not enough time to put them all in a scrapbook. Using this album, you can choose just one picture a month and put the rest in a regular album - no shame in that!

I love the quilt look on this page. I sewed (with my machine) the different scraps of paper together. I am dying to learn how to quilt for real. That is on the summer to do list for sure.

The white pieces of paper are two simple journaling strips for mom to say whatever she wants.

If you follow this blog long enough you will see that I'm obsessed with graph paper. I love how it looks against all other patterned paper.

That's all for now! I'm soooo ready for this weekend. Enjoy it!

Fun Weekend

2010-05-09T18:27:00.001-07:00

This was such a fun weekend. On Friday, Matt and I picked up my new road bike - an early birthday present. Isn't it a beauty?? We went riding yesterday morning and this morning and had so much fun. I'm a little sore but I'm sure my body will get used to it.... I hope...

Our wonderful friends Nate and Jessie have a precious little boy named Max. We babysat him today and while he was taking a nap, I took a couple of photos. I couldn't help myself! I made the little blanket that is draped over him. Isn't he adorable?!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!

Page 1

2010-05-04T23:08:00.001-07:00

First of all, before I get to posting anything, I must say I had a wonderful National Scrapbooking Day. :) I bought myself a couple of goodies from Studio Calico (I'll use anything as an excuse) and spent the day crafting away. Bliss....

So I've decided to post a page a day from the album I showed in the last post. This is so that I stay away from such lengthy posts and I keep you coming back for more! Ha.

This is a very simple first year baby book. The intention is to put a picture of your sweet little one on each page for the corresponding month. At the end, you'll have a photo from each month of your baby's first year all in one spot. It isn't super fancy but it is pretty, sweet, and I like it.

So here is month one. I'm envisioning a newborn picture here with the birth info underneath. I love the soft, fuzzy ribbon I found - very baby.

That's all for now - page 2 will be posted soon!

National Scrapbooking Day!!

2010-04-29T21:29:00.001-07:00

I know that all of you have been counting down the days to National Scrapbooking Day..... yeah, right! This Saturday, May 1st, is National Scrapbooking Day! Oh what should I do....

Here is a little book I started forever ago and I am just about done with it. I think it will be one of my first items on my etsy shop.

Enjoy your weekend!

Paper Source Goodness

2010-04-25T18:35:00.001-07:00

I LOVE Paper Source. It is my go-to shop for smaller projects, invitations, card making, etc.

My good friend Coralanne is getting married this summer and she asked me to be one of her matrons of honor. I feel so honored and touched. We've been friends since we were four and I am so excited for her big day. I can't wait for her upcoming shower and bachelorette party that I am helping throw for her and of course jumped at the opportunity to make her invitations. Here is what I got today.

Aren't they the prettiest?? I love the color scheme.

That beautiful mum is just the prettiest thing around. Can't wait to use it!

Matt's friend Mike was in town with his wife Ashley this weekend. We went all over LA which was fun because although we live here, we don't often tour LA. What were you guys all up to this weekend?

Card

2010-04-23T17:16:00.001-07:00

I have so many blogs that I visit on a daily basis. There is just so much inspiration out there! One of my favorites is Paige Evans. She is super talented and has such creative designs. I saw a card on her blog and just had to make it. So, here is my version of the card. Enjoy!

....I apologize for the poor lighting. I finished this one late at night and had to give it away the next day. I prefer to photograph using natural daylight but it just didn't work out this time....

You can find her card at www.paigeandchris.blogspot.com.

Love These Flowers

2010-04-21T18:58:00.001-07:00

First of all, it is raining here in Pasadena and I LOVE it.... especially because it is after 2:35. Gotta love it when it rains after the kiddos leave the classroom!

Here are a couple more pictures of the felt flowers that I'm obsessed with. Enjoy!

Felt Flowers

2010-04-18T18:12:00.001-07:00

First, THANK YOU for all of the wonderful comments and thoughts you have all sent my way. Thank you for all of the encouragement. You guys are the best!

I've been making these fun little felt flowers lately. I have so many ideas for what to use them for - add them to a soft headband for baby girls, put on the cover of a mini album, add a safety pin to the back and use as a pin for my sweaters, and the list goes on.

Beth's Book

2010-04-15T22:58:00.001-07:00

Here is Beth's baby book in full. I had so much fun making this book! Enjoy the pictures! Warning - this post is very image heavy!

Page 1: I've been obsessed with flowers lately - you'll notice many throughout this book.

Page 2: You've seen this page. For this book, every page on the left side is graph paper. Beth can journal on this page as much or as little as she wants. I also put the little rectangle label on each page with graph paper for Beth to put the date of the picture.

Page 3: I got the idea for the bottom of this page from one of my favorite designers, Christine Middlecamp. I punched circles using my 1 inch circle, folded in the sides, cut the circles in half, and lined them up under the brown cardstock.

Page 6: I love the vintage birdcage on this page.

Page 8: You've seen this page before.

Ok, this loooong post is over! Thanks for reading and looking at all of the pictures!

Sneak Peek

2010-04-10T21:21:00.001-07:00

Matt and I just got back from the best week ever in Maui. We had so many fun adventures and just had the best time together. I'll post pictures soon.

I've been dying to post again. My wonderful friend Beth is about (and I mean any day now) to have a sweet baby girl. Here is a sneak peek of the book I made for her and her little girl. I'll post the whole thing soon.

Mom's Baby Brag Book

2010-03-26T21:04:00.001-07:00

So I wanted to start posting some of the things I've created in the past. I decided to go way back to Christmas of 2008. My precious nephew was about to be born and I thought my mom needed a brag book. What new grandma doesn't need a special place to put all of her pictures of her first grandbaby?? It's funny to look back though because I can already see how quickly my style has changed. I still love this book though. Enjoy!

P.S. I apologize for the poor pictures - these were all I had!

I love adding mini file folders on my layouts. It hides journaling information about the baby's birthday, weight, length, etc.

That's it! I was obviously in a bird and tree phase and I'm still kinda there. I love them - vintage and baby all in one.