Crafty Challenge V. 2.0

Morgan brought up to me the other day that I should start doing my Crafty Challenges again on my blog. I had totally forgot about them!!! Honestly, I think the last one I did I got a bit discouraged because of the lack of participation maybe (I know, boo hoo right?!). So I am going to try this again, because I know everyone loves to create things! The main goal is to share ideas, and obviously have a little fun with your inner crafter!

In the past challenges, I centered my idea around a holiday; well, there aren't any close enough! My inspiration for this challenge is from my own craft endeavors. I always see these cute accessories and think to myself: oh my gosh I can totally make the for way cheaper!

Crafty Challenge 2.1: Create a piece of jewelry for yourself, or someone else. The possibilities for this are endless! Earrings, necklaces, rings, hair jewelry, bracelets...you can create something out of fabric, metals, beads...anything!!!

Tip: If you have time, Etsy has tons and tons of supplies you can order with just a few clicks. Want to make earrings? Buy some backings and a cute button/cabochon/bead and just glue it on. It's really THAT simple. Of course, you'll probably be able to find things easily and quickly at your closest craft store as well!

Photo via Flickr.

Deadline: August 18, 2009. If you're going to participate, write a blog post about what you created on or before the date and send me a link: I'll create a post of all of the participants the day after the deadline. E-mail links to: parodyofanangelx(at)gmail(dot)com.

Dry spell, much?

I just pinched myself to make sure I was alive. I have nothing really bloggable to write about but here are some things I am wishing/planning to blog about:

1. My craft room project. The room that I painted probably 2 months ago, then let pile up with crap while I crafted on the kitchen table. Chris helped me start organizing it this past weekend and I discovered a few things. a) Is that much felt REALLY necessary?, b) As I discover mutiple unopened baggies of supplies that I've orderd online, oh yeah, I totally ordered that months ago..., c) Why do I have 20 different types of glue? And 10 rolls of tape??
2. I wish I could blog for months about wedding planning, at least I'd have something of substance to talk about. I might just want to work on getting engaged first. [Chris, are you reading this?? :)]
3. I could write about a fun weekend I had but Morgan and Jimaie already did :)
4. Etsy-ing. By now, you should have probably already figured out that when it comes to my free time, I'd like to think I can make time to work on my crafts and make some money, but that takes us back to #1...
5. TV Show Watching. Umm, I could blog about how I have been spending my free time the past month having nightly dates with our new favorite shows on DVD: Dexter, How I Met Your Mother, and now Heroes. But, if I were to do this then it would appear that I have no life, and we wouldn't want people to think that now would we? Ok, I have no life.
6. I turned twenty-four last week. Nothing to write home about, is this what getting older is like? *Oh oh, I did get my own sewing machine...ah, and back to that #1 again...*

I so promise I will get to one of these things soon! Eeeee!

I took advatage...

...of the Southwest airlines sale, sillies. So, we're going back! And it got me thinking: how often do you guys get to go visit out of state family?

Since I always worry about money, with the house and all, I don't typically splurge on anything. I spend my free time pulling weeds (half kidding!) instead of going to the movies. But, I think family is super important. So instead of buying a new house thing, we buy a trip :)

So here's to praying this time around it's not 15 degrees and snowy, but instead we can spend time outside in the beautiful fall colors.

PS, no, those dang Michigan commercials have not lured me into going there! Have you seen those? They are on 24/7!!!

Crafting Update

My Etsy shop had kind of fallen off my radar screen that past month, or two...I'm trying to make some time each night this week to update it. This crafting stuff is some serious business! (in all honesty, some of my favorite bloggers, Mrs. Priss & Wishcake make me a wee bit jealous! <3>

Tonight I made a some new things, and posted a couple of them.


Let me know what you think! I actually plan on revising some of the stuff I have in there right now to make it better. And I also made a few little girly type pins that I will try to add this week, too. Weeee!

Oh and isn't it awesome that I have a craft room yet I totally craft on the kitchen table. Yeah the kitchen table that we don't even use to eat on. Win!

/shameless self plugging :)

A big fat FAIL

The other night I was watching something on TV (cannot remember for the life of me what it was), but it gave me a sudden urge to make granola bars. So I spent a little while trying to find an awesome recipe online. I eventually used this recipe, but adapted it to what I had on hand. I basically ended up using oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, pecans, banana chips, dried cranberries, vanilla, and honey for Round #1 of Granola-Making Shenanigans.

That's just the background to this little lovely story (but you shoul definitely try to make your own granola bars, sooo yummy!).

I'm not sure if other people do this, but when I've baked something or have some type of food that needs to be sitting out on the counter, when we leave we stick said item in the microwave or oven so that the dog doesn't decide to get on the counter and eat it. Ok so the dog doesn't really just eat whatever is on the counter, she rips it to shreds, all over the house. Yesterday it was a bag of brown sugar. All. Over. The. Couch.

Anyways! I came home from a lovely shopping trip at Ross with a friend (where I may or may not have bought the cutest measuring cups and spoons EVER), and I said "Wow, it smells like cookies...I thought you were cooking dinner?"

Chris: "Uhh yeah...the granola bars were in the oven when I turned it on to preheat"

So basically, he cooked my granola bars, which were wrapped in CELLOPHANE. Oh yeah, and he also added that he thought I took them out, when HE was the one that put them in there.

Boys...

You make me want to punch you

I wish I owned this blog: Things I Want to Punch in the Face. Seriously, what's more fun that complaining about things that...make you want to punch it in the face!? Oh, is that what Twitter is for? Darn...

Things that are currently making me what to punch them in the face:

• Our neighbors. (Last night was awoken too all hell breaking loose as we heard a fight breaking out at who-knows-what time...loud yelling...yadda yadda. It scared the pee out of me...WHAT IF THEY JUMP INTO MY BACKYARD AND KILL ME?!?!!?)
• The fact that I wasn't one of the lucky people to go to Vegas. Whatever. I'll have to live with not being in the cool club.
• Celebrities. Okay...I'm probably the only one that doesn't keep up on celebrity gossip. I. Don't. Care. Mostly because 99% of them are idiots. Last week we caught an episode of "I'm a Celebrity..." and I saw who Spencer was for the first time. REALLY, PEOPLE? It us us, who drool over their every moving moments, that make doucheness like this possible to survive. gag me.
• Allergies. Why is it that every time I want to do something outside, I have to be afraid of DYING??? I seriously pulled weeds for like 10 minutes, all to suffer from DEATH all day long.
• Un-ripe avocados. This really makes me cry. Why would I buy a bag of them, and want to wait 3+ days for them to be edible. WHY?!?!

Ok, I think I may have to stop myself...my list could go on forever. I'm a really happy person, I promise :)

What makes you want to punch it??

Doggie Mama

Get it? har...har...oi.

So I feel I haven't talked about my "dawgz" lately (ala Randy Jackson).

Seriously, I think her tongue is 80 feet long.

Sadie has grown a TON in the past month and a half. No more little fuzball. And her baby teeth have all fallen out. She is super loving and a bit of a spaz at times when she is happy to see people. Lately I have noticed she has taken to sometimes barking at strangers (ie., when we're going somewhere in the car and she see's a person walking), and at Tundra or the kitties when she wants attention. It wouldn't be so bad if her bark wasn't as annoying as a boy going through puberty. The little terror has broken THREE harnesses that I've bought her (chewed the clasps). 2 of these were still in the package. According to this she is supposed to know sit, stay, lay down, and how to walk on a leash...UM FAIL. She is so bad on the leash. I've never had dogs that pull. Tundra isn't so bad, plus I give her slack because she IS a sled dog. Oh and when you call Sadie, be prepared to cover your face becase she will come at you like a rabid BEAST!!!



Tundra has seemed to have taken on the "mommy" role; she doesn't usually get too upset if Sadie is annoying her, and Sadie has really calmed her down, A TON. She is no longer a "jealous Jessica" as I used to call her. I think she is acting so much better because she wants to be the favorite :) Don't worry little Tundies, you are my fav. Oh oh, and I think I've talked about her many running away moments and not listening. The last time she ran out the door, she only went to the driveway and turned around and actually came to me when I told her too. IT'S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!!! (Now that I am remembering, last time we went to the dog park, she bolted out of the car before I could grab her leash...but she ran to the gate to get inside and waited!!!)

We are still, for the most part, going on walks every night; and we take them to the dog park sporadically. Sadie has become a master fetcher, and knows the difference between her "ball", the "puppy" stuffed animal, and "sheep" stuffed animal. She is sort of learning "sit" and "no" thanks to Tundra ;) I am so excited and nervous to take them up to the lake this summer. I have NO idea how good they will be or how they will act towards the water/boat.

This post really sounded like one of those annoying Christmas "letters" you get from your not-so-close relatives. Oops.