i'm back!

i've been such a bad blogger this past week.

forgive me?

being under the weather early in the month put me way behind on sewing, so i've been busy trying to catch up.

the first step to making lots of new goodies?

replenishing my stock of tomato tags:

 

unfortunately, i didn't get any photos of my latest batch of bags, but i'll take some shoots of them in the store soon. and then {if they don't sell by the end of march} they'll be going to my etsy shop.

it feels good to be back! {and not be working like a maniac!} 

what have you been up to? i feel like i've missed so much 

to my love:

happy birthday love. 
i adore you. 
{and all your silly faces}

valentine's cards con't

the cards i sent out to my swap partners:

and some cards i sent out to other family and friends.

i went a little valentine's day crazy this year, but it was so much fun!

valentine's swap

i'm back and all healthy again! {finally} thanks for all the warm wishes earlier this week <3

and now, as promised, my wonderful valentine's day swap cards:

breakfast at tiffany's card from micaela {who can no longer say she isn't crafty!}

 

from gayle {i just love the pattern combinations. so sweet}

from erin {with help from her boys} complete with a tea bag

 

from michelle {loving the grade-school nostalgia}

from caitlin {got a little squished in the mail, but i adore the feather and lace}

  

and one more, from my sweet mom, who also sent a little gift card so hubby and i can have a night out :)

i loved doing this swap! it always put a big smile on my face to receive a sweet handmade card. thanks to everyone who participated {and lets do another one soon, k?}

dear friends,

as much as i've tried to keep it out of my blog- i'm sick. again! i've been going back and forth with this thing now for a couple weeks and ignoring it is no longer working. i finally hit my "sick peek" this weekend: lots of coughing, no voice, achy all over, and a fever. 

yep, that's right, i spent valentine's day sick as a dog, in bed.

<

luckily i'm getting better {slowly but surely} and i have a hubby to take care of me {waiting on me hand and foot, moving the tv to the bedroom, and being extra sweet}.

 but i'm still taking things pretty easy- going to bed at 7, drinking lots of water and oj, taking extra vitamins, and watching lots of alias {years later, i'm still obsessed!} and not doing much of anything else.

so, if you can wait just another day or two, i promise to post photos of my wonderful valentine swap cards, {which all put mine to shame!} and answer this one last question from micaela.

thanks for haning in there with me <3

love,

to you:

just a little handmade love to brighten your valentine's day.

from me to you.

questions answered

my answers to all your oh so personal quesions!

 

#1: maire-jolie asked, "what brought you to manhattan? did you attend (or are you attending) k-state? if so, what did you/are you studying?"

i moved to manhattan {kansas} so my husband can attend k-state university. he is getting his masters in english literature, with emphasis in both the cultural studies program and rhetoric program. personally, i think he's one of the smartest guys i know. but then again i'm biased :)

i am currently done with school and don't plan on going back anytime in the near future. i'm perfectly fine with my bachelors degree in music!

#2: pen.ny asked, "how long have you been married? when you and the hubs fight (if you do!) what is the best way you guys resolve the icky moments?"

3 1/2 years! {august 5, 2006}

when josh and i fight {as everyone does} i don't know if there's anything we specifically do, but we definitely have don'ts. we don't call names, or say things out of spite. we keep comments relevant {we don't change the subject or try to turn it around on the other person} and most importantly- we never go to bed angry! {which has led to several late nights} but we never let things fester. we never go to bed less than happy again <3

#3: julie asked, "if you had one day to live over again, what would it be and why?"

i'm sure this is predictable {or cheesy maybe} but i would love to live my wedding day all over again. every little part! {even the part when my sister forgot the ring} i figure the "why" part is self-explanatory.

#4: melissa b. asked, "how did you get into blogging, and when? do you see yourself as a long-time blogger, or is this just a fling?"

i started blogging pretty much the day i moved to kansas. it was mainly to keep in touch with family- a semi-joint venture with best friend sarah {who also started hers the day she helped me move} and to give me a journal of sorts to chronicle this new adventure we're on.

i think i'll keep blogging as long until it no longer makes sense for me. or i don't like it anymore {so no specifics here!} but i love it {and the community} too much for it to be just a fling.

#5: jennifer asked, "the tomato? where did that come from?"

ok, there's a story here! {i can't believe i haven't shared it already, and it probably should have it's own post, but here it is anyway}:

hubby: angela dawn! {my name}

friend brian: wait, is your middle name la dawn?!?

me and hubby: *laughing* no!

friend brian: *with heavy french accent* angela la dawn! angelina la dawn! angelina le dawn! {and     on and on} ok, what's your maiden name? {starts with a t} t...t...t... tomato!

 hubby and friend brian: *with outrageous french accent and flailing hand gestures* angelina la dawn tomato!

a bunch of other friends then came over, joined in, and a nickname was born.

#6: krysten asked, "what is your favorite book and why?"

so many favorites! but of course pride & prejudice and persuasion. but a new favorite is flight. it's written by sherman alexi, a native american author, and it's a small book but very profound. i can't do any kind of synopsis justice, and i don't know how available it is at most local libraries, but if you can get your hands on it, read it!

#7: sarah and olivia asked, "Where is your favorite place to hide?"

what a great question! a couple years ago we took a little weekend trip with 2 other married couples {very dear friends} and we played a rousing of "manhunt" {read:hide-and-go-seek-in-the-dark for adults} and my absolute favorite place to hide was under the seats in the last row of the in-home theater {which was just one of many cool features in the condo we stayed in}. i still think of that little place fondly!

"what is your favorite ice cream?"

when hubby and i were first getting to know each other we played a game of "what's your favorite..." and he asked me this once too. when i said i didn't have a favorite he thought i was totally copping out, but then i tried to list one. or two. or ten. so the answer really is- i don't have a favorite because i love all ice cream! true love.

"what do you think of your hair?"

read my thoughts on my hair here, and see my new haircut {that i absolutely love} here

"did you like pushing daisies?"

i really liked pushing daisies and i can't believe it's gone! the sets, the costumes, the characters! all so charming.

#8 michaela asked, "what's your favorite movie and why?"  

i don't watch a lot of movies, but i do have quite a few favorites. i literally grew up watching {singing and dancing} to musicals, so they're a big love. movie to watch over and over again? life aquatic with steve zissou. i love the characters, the actors, the music, the dialogue. love it over and over again.

"favorite quote from a book?" 

a couple years ago i read hunting unicorns by bella pollen and the main character {daniel} says, 

"it's wrong to say time is a great healer. it isn't. what happens is that you get used to things."

and 

"if there were more obvious clues to why people behaved the way they did, the world would surely be a nicer place."

they have both really stuck with me.

"when did you know your love was the one?"

saving this one for later  :)

thanks for all the great questions. i hope you enjoyed!

questions for me?

i really like this idea {most recently seen on lauren elizabeth's blog}

so i thought i'd give it a go {as i hope you will also}
 my answers to your questions.

so go ahead- lay it on me. 

what do you want to know? 

i want to answer any question you have for me, about whatever you'd like to know {you know, within reason- no bank account numbers!}

it could be fun. and you get to know me a little better <3

photos here and here

haircut and what i wore

feels a little strange to have a post just about myself, but here it is- my haircut!

 

i decided to go shorter than i originally planned {cause i really like it short} and it's pretty versatile for me cause i can wear it wavy, too {i'm naturally wavy} 

 

and here's "what i wore"

{i've seen this on lots of blogs, and i'm not a real clothes horse, but since i've got all these photos of myself i thought i might as well show you}
 

necklaces: grandma's

grey vest: forever 21

black baby doll dress {with long sleeves and cowl neckline}: from my mom, who decided we should share it, but so far i love it too much to let her have a turn {sorry mom!}

old favorite jeans: vigoss

and my boots!

photos taken friday before dinner with friends

sleeping kitty fix

 

 

  

  

i don't consider myself a cat person. i just like mine. cause they're awesome :)

{aria = grey, cache = orange}

book swap treats

i received my package from my book swap partner yesterday. i'm so excited! krissa sent me this gorgeous copy of her favorite book. and guess what? it's mine too!

 

she inscribed the front with her favorite passage, and signed it "a girl still waiting for her darcy". it's beautiful. 

thanks so much krissa! {and thanks to kateigh for hosting}

in other news: i got a haircut! {photos to come}

and i'm working on my first giveaway. a handmade journal and some other little goodies. i think i'll save it for something big {like 100 followers?} but i'll probably get too impatient to wait for something, so keep your eyes peeled!

airing my dirty laundry

this is it. all our dirty laundry. 

we have a lot of clothes. we don't buy them a lot, but we keep them forever so we've accumulated quite a pile. plus we have tons of underwear and socks, so we only have to do it once a month or so.

and while we're at it, i might as just tell you that all these clothes have been sitting there since yesterday. that's right, we're literally living in our dirty clothes until tomorrow night, cause i'm not doing them tonight either!

 growing up i never understood why laundry was such a big deal, but right now i would give anything to go back to 5th grade and leave all these laundry woes behind.

{thanks mom for protecting me from this horror for so long!} 

boot love

i've had my eye on these babies for a couple weeks, so saturday i went over to one of my favorite places to pick them up. 

we're in love.

 

they're by regina lynn designs {local artist} and one of a kind- just the way i like it.