Monday Motivators (Tuesday Edition)

three day weekends
new flash diffusers
helping a friend get crafty for her days away wedding
see's candy trips
hopeful new haircuts
buttery sourdough toast
new episode of the awesome trainwreck that is "bad girls club"
miller saying "cheese" everytime i bust out the camera (where did he learn this?)

Monday Motivators

hanging art
etsy customers
watching Miller put on sunglasses
catching up on "30 Rock" ("High fiving a million angels!")
hating the victoria's secret swimsuit catalog and immediately throwing it into recycling
blogs like this, this, and this
date night (aka wii bowling and some tomato-y, garlicky soup)
wearing my pajamas at 2:30pm

what's motivating you this week?

What a treat!

My lovely nieces were in town this week while their parents relaxed on a much needed getaway.  (I can't wait to see pictures, guys!)  I'm not sure who had more fun with them around.  The girls?  Us?  Miller?  My in laws?  :)

We spent a wonderful day eating fresh waffles, watching movies (FOXY of course!), playing with ALL of Miller's toys, coloring, walking, etc etc etc.

This week went by too fast!  We can't wait to see you guys again soon!

"...home is whenever I'm with you..."

I don't make resolutions, because I just end up breaking them.  By January 3rd disappointment creeps in, explodes its suitcase and sets up camp on my living room floor.  You will not be a houseguest this year.  Jerk.

One thing I would like to re-solution this year is to start playing guitar again.  My sad little acoustic Yamaha waits, collecting dust bunnies.  Each time I've had to move it in the last ten years, it greets me with doe eyes in hopes that I pick it up, dust it off and, at the very least, tune the poor thing.  Sadly, I just end up shoving it into the dark abyss of our underbed world.

This father and his ridiculously adorable daughter singing Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros' "Home" inspire me to start getting my fingers calloused again.

Monday Motivators

sleeping in
leftover bbq
fresh milk
fresh laundry
giggles with good friends
giggles with family
meltdown free post office trip
sweater weather
naps
making a home with these guys:

Playing with some of our new toys

{*balling, roaring, not eating*}

{*listening, calling*}

{*watching*}

{*juggling*}

200th post and a BIG thanks for all the days before this!

I sip my tea.
I listen to some Ray.
I am settling into 2011.

There's another great year ahead.  I hope you'll enjoy sharing it with me.

Clarity! And a big smile!

I'm still planning on taking a blog break this next week to catch up on a few (million) things I want to do before Christmas, but I just wanted to say:

1) thanks for the all cyber and cellular hugs
2) the "disappointing week" finished with a surprising twist.

A little clarity and a little patience go a long way.  :)

Big holiday love I send to you all!!

xoxo
Amy

Hugs please & an early Merry Christmas

I'm taking a little blog breather until Christmas is over to recover from a disappointing week, spend quality time with some of my faves and to marinate in some Christmas spirit(s).

I wish you and yours a warm, hug filled holiday week too!

{*Hugs*}

It's about to get crafty up in here!

Erin's shower this weekend went off without a hitch thanks to some dear friends that co-hosted along with me.  (As well as a dear friend who came by to help with some pre shower set up.  Thanks again, Summer!)

Erin is one of the most vibrant colorful ladies I know, so it was only fitting to throw her a shower filled with pops of primary bright colors (accented by dominant white as the color foundation). 

{Demolished, but deliciously moist and colorful cake}

The centerpieces were simple swirled paper flowers around a candle along white butcher paper table runners.

I used this tutorial from the blog dozi for the flowers to create a table setting similar to this one from emersonmade (found via sara's party perfect blog).  Not only was this SO easy, but I now have a bag of hundreds of flowers to decorate packages or anything else my heart desires!  Get ready, Christmas presents!

{Flowers being put to good use a day later}

Because the swirled paper flowers were so easy (and so cute!) I made (with the help of some crafty gals) nametags for each guest with colorful swirled felt flowers attached to pins and a strip of paper.

{Erin's pin was the large clustered one in front.  The guests wore the singular flower version.}

{"Famous Couples" collage centering Erin and her fiance, Ernie, greeted the guests as they arrived.}

I'm not a fan of shower games or mixers (bridal or baby or what have you).  What I am a fan of is that shower games are a way for the guests to learn more about each other and their relationship to the guest of honor.  So instead of word scrambles or toilet paper brides or whatever silly game there is, we had the guests share "Erin, I love you because..." reasons as she opened each present.  Erin also had to give one reason she loved her fiance for each present she opened.  This allowed for all of us to get a deeper sense of why we all love this couple so much.  I also had the groom give me a list of "Erin, I love you because..." reasons which I then read to her as a surprise after all the presents were opened.

{"I love you because..." cards for the guests to fill out and share}

It is such an awesome honor to be Erin's MOH.  Helping to throw her this shower was a tangible way for me to share with her and the other women who love her how special she truly is to me.   

P.S. I didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked on Saturday due to indoor lighting, my hatred for flash, my shaky camera hands, and my longing to appreciate and experience the day with my own eyes rather than through my viewfinder.  Also, Susan (who co-hosted along with me) is an AMAZING photographer with a great camera and a greater eye.  I'll definitely link and/or post to her pictures soon. 

What a busy weekend!

{showering}

{racing}

{playing}

It's beginning to look a lot...

... less disorganized! 

I took a break from bridal shower prep to finish setting out our Christmas decorations (which for the last week had become an obstacle course of decapitated faux trees and dangerously inviting glass ornaments in our living room).  P.S. I was the only one to actually break anything, despite Miller's "bowling" with the globe ornaments.

We opted for a mini tree this year, since (see Miller's hi jinks above) the best spot for a large tree was in front of the heater.  And there's NO WAY I'm giving up my heater- it gets cold here in L.A!  Like 50 degrees!  That's deep in your bones chilly!

Who invited you?

I have this wooden puzzle nativity scene that I inherited from my mom (or rather whined about it enough until she gave it to me- thanks, mom!).  Honestly, it's been a long time since I've gotten all nativity scene-y for the holidays, but that little wooden baby Jesus block might just be the cutest thing ever!  It also helps that there's a cute wooden camel.  And a cow.  And 2 horses?  And a lamb?

Here's my question though:  Who's this guy?

There are 3 wisemen.  And animals (see love above).  Mary, Joseph and the babe.  But who invited this guy?  Most creative answer gets a prize.  :)

Evan suggested it's the holy spirit or an angel.  I suggested it was Mary's midwife. 
Again, it's been awhile since I've gotten all nativity scene-y.

Showering

I have friends.
I have best friends.
I have old friends.

I'm proud to count Erin as all three. 

So while I'm elbows deep in prep for the bridal shower I'm co-hosting for her this weekend, I thought I'd share some pics from the lovely shower her new in laws threw her last week. 

Adventing

I always have high hopes that weeks before December 1st that I'd have hours and hours of energy to dedicate to Christmas crafts and all around hand touched wonderfulness.

This is never the case.

The weeks leading up to the holidays are always filled with late night wrapping paper sessions, fights over parking spots at Michael's, tri state area wide hunts for Trader Joe's puff pastry sheets.  It's madness.  But I still love it.

Maybe it's a few days behind schedule, but that hand touched perfect advent calendar is just around the corner... As soon as I get Evan to spray paint the blocks.  :)

(Mix a little "How Does She-Block Idea #6" with a little "Momtastic-Chalkboard Block Puzzle")  

{5 wooden blocks I found at a thrift store meet krylon black chalkboard paint!!}

P.S. Delia Creates had another awesome advent calender idea too.  She's wrapped a Christmas book for each day.  So sweet! 
Another great reason for me to buy more books. Thanks, Delia! :)