my new favorite crafting supply

old library catalog cards.

i found them on a recent visit to the k-state library {with hubby} and they have them in stacks all over the place, to use as scrap paper. 

 a charming idea.

i just haven't been able to resist sticking them on anything and everything. so if you're getting something from me in the mail anytime soon, you'll be sure to see these babies making an appearance!

{and ps- my birthday is tomorrow {yay!} and i'm planning an april fool's day party for the kids at school and i'm super excited about it. i'll be sure to share all the details soon!}

may day basket exchange!

  as a kid, may day {may 1} was always a much loved holiday- running to neighbors' doors and leaving basket full of flowers, candy and tons of other little goodies! and even better, may day traditionally marks the end of winter, and who doesn't love that?

i've already been thinking about all the fun things i'm going to do with my kids at school to celebrate, but i thought it might be even more fun to spread the may day love around and do a package exchange. 

 so who's with me?

exchange details: since may day is all about the end of winter, this exchange is going to be all about spring and warmer weather! have fun with it and get creative with your 'basket' of goodies: music, reading material, crafty goodies, prints or postcards- whatever makes you thing of spring! but to ensure it's a fair exchange, just make sure your package is worth at least $10-15.

to sign up: just email me! angelinaladawn@gmail.com

make sure you include all this info:

-name 

-snail mail address

-blog or website address {required}

-willing to ship internationally: y/n

-how many swap partners you'd like: 1, 2 or 3 {asking for multiple partners means you will receive multiple packages}

timeline: sign ups begin today {march 29} and end april 12. that gives you 2 weeks to sign up, and another 2 weeks to get your 'baskets' ready to send sometime during the last week in april so they can all arrive by may 1. may day!

spa night cupcakes

last weekend my mom gave me this book as an early birthday present.

{i have a thing for cupcakes} 

it's completely adorable {crack it open next time you pass it in the bookstore}

 so, i was inspired to make these for our girls' spa night:

mint lifesavers = cucumbers, m&ms = hair/curlers, green frosting = facemask

i used ziplock bags to pipe the nose and lips

 we had lots of food, did facials, made salt scrub, did our nails, played a hilarious telephone-meets-pictionary game, and rockband. it was a good time.

{the ginger with the ginger cupcake}

beat 'em up! beat 'em up! ksu!

in a town that could never be accused of lack of pride- where an opportunity to plaster something {anything!} with the power cat is never passed by, there still somehow seems to be an explosion of purple here lately.

march madness has hit us, and it's hit us hard!

last night's game against xavier was amazing. the town literally went nuts {i'm using the word "literally" here literally} as soon as we won, people opened their doors and screamed, college students were running around campus in hoards, aggieville went nuts, and fireworks lit up the sky. it was a ruckus to be heard around the whole city of manhattan.

and then today npr pronounced the game "the best in the tournament"

yes my friends, it's good to be a wildcat <3

crafty clock

one time hubby bought me this really cute craft clock. 

but it looked like it belonged in a nursery.

{all blue, pink and purple}

{started to paint the 2 before i realized i should document the transformation}

so what's a crafty girl to do but grab some paint and redo it?

 ah! much better.

crafty mail love

nothing puts a smile on my face like a nice letter. 

especially when it's cute and crafty.

these are some of the letters i've gotten recently.

handmade envelope from my bestie:

and wonderful handmade card:

complete with adorable drawing inside:

and my cousin sends me letters written on old pages of travel magazines.

way too cool.

she also sent me a list of old movies to watch, and a paint card with one of the colors from her sister's upcoming wedding.

anyone else want to send me something? or maybe you want a little something from me? email me! i love to spread the snail mail love <3

{angelinaladawn@gmail.com}

sister love & bragging rights

despite the fact that she was in major pain, and at the emergency room until 4am the morning before. my sister was awesome at her masterclass with yo-yo ma!

it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and very thrilling. 

seriously, it was like having an acting class and meeting meryl streep. {that's actually a very poor comparison, but i can't think of anything comparable to playing for the best cellist in the world. or ever}

two other students played as well, but joy went first {because she started on stage, since her leg is in a cast and had to hop up the stairs}

and in my not-so-humble {but very biased} opinion, she was the best player, the most entertaining, and had the longest lesson. she got lots of compliments from people in the audience, and yo-yo was definitely impressed. {he used the word "incredible"!! eek!}

sadly, we weren't allowed to take photos or record anything during the masterclass {these are shots of her warming up before anyone came in} but she got some photos taken with him afterwards that i'm hoping they will email her soon. {he also took a photo with me since i wheeled her around and carried her cello for her. he's so nice!}

i can't even begin to tell you how amazing yo-yo ma was.

no. words.

and in case you would like to know, she played: 

Pampeana for Cello & Piano Opus 21 by Alberto Ginastera

it's a really wonderful and fun piece. give it a listen:

also, she had ankle surgery today, but everything went great and she'll be going home tomorrow. i'm just so proud of my little sis! {thanks for letting me brag} {and thanks for all the well wishes!}

card for sister

my sister broke her ankle {surgery scheduled for monday}, had a birthday, and is playing for yo yo ma, all in one week.

{what a week!}

so i made her a get well slash happy birthday slash good luck card.

and yes, you heard right, she's playing for yo yo ma! today! i am beyond thrilled and excited and very proud of my little sis. needless to say, i'll be posting some photos and other braggy things after the master class is over. 

send her some good cello {and get well} vibs, won't you?

 

violin case project

i don't know why i didn't do this before! granted, it's not the most amazing thing ever, but it's such an improvement!

violin cases are so boring, and mostly all look the same {the biggest differences often being whether it's black or brown} i can't tell you how many times i've gone up to a group of cases and opened the wrong one. whoops!

and just in case you wanted to follow my train of thought on this project, here it is:

1) i originally thought of embroidering something musical on it. but i don't have any embroidery skills to speak of

2) so then i thought about sewing on a few buttons and embroidering little stems on them to make them into notes.

 i actually made two of these, but it wasn't good. just not quite right.

but i liked the button idea, 

3) so i thought about sewing buttons all along the edge. i got out my stash of buttons, sorted them by color and had every intention of just putting them in random order. but as i started lining them up it looked really dull and boring. a little too random.

4) so then, since they were already grouped by color i thought i'd just sew a line of one color until it ran out and then switch colors. 

5) and then i thought, if i'm gonna do color, i might as well go rainbow. 

and that's what i ended up with. i'm sure the buttons will pop off over time, but that'll be easy to fix. and if i ever change my mind about the whole thing, they'll come off easily and leave the case in tact. 

i used lots of my old vintage buttons with things like trains, hats, and various animals that i've been hoarding.

book talk

recently finished:

percy jackson book I by rick riordan

i actually borrowed this book from one of my kids at school. they're all completely obsessed with the series and yes, i felt left out of the 4th-6th grade loop. it was really good for kids literature, and my hubby didn't make fun of me once for reading it! {which is a big step for him- i guess when you're getting your masters in literature you have to be a book snob and make fun of stuff your wife reads.}

started, but never finished:

gilead by marilynne robinson

i'm sorry to say that i finally picked up this book {after it was on my to-read list for forever} and i just couldn't finish it. i love the writing style and the stories, but after reading it for 3 days and not making it past page 75, it was just kinda boring, so i decided to quit. which feels wrong somehow. but i say, what the heck?! i'm an adult now, and if i decide i don't like a book, i don't have to finish it!

finishing today:

the unit by ninni holmqvist
i picked this up on a whim at the library tuesday. it looked entertaining so i just jumped in. i didn't read the synopsis because i was afraid it would ruin the story. it's intriguing for sure and translated from swedish.  just what i was looking for.

next up:

that old cape magic by richard russo

i also picked this up at the library. i've been waiting to read it since it came out. richard russo is one of my absolute favorite authors and i'm very excited for this book. {empire falls is one of my all time favorite novels. ever ever.}

can.not.wait for:

the girl who kicked the hornet's nest by stieg larsson

the third {and final} book in the series, which comes out march 25. i am so excited! i read the first book in the series right before the second one came out and devoured them. you should check this series out- it's awesome.

anyone have any books they want to share, too? 

my messy spring break

it's spring break!

my plans? craft craft craft. {and some other stuff too, but it's not as important}

my first project? a birthday present for a certain special someone.

and me? i work better surrounded by all options. 

{see the little angie shaped hole there in the middle?}

yeah, something like that.

{i guess it might be redundant to say that it's a paper craft}

good thing hubby doesn't mind walking over a "mess" {but i know where every little thing is, so there's no mess in my eyes} i also like watching movies mid-craft, so i'm set up in front of the tv. 

i just finished the duchess. loved it!

anyone have any other movie recs? {foreign films are out since i can't read subtitles and craft at the same time}

and sadly, i can't reveal this project until said person has received her birthday present. but i'll have some other things to show off later {altered violin case anyone?}

my knick-knack keeper

so i have this little knick knack shelf {that's what i'm gonna call it} and it's been looking pretty shabby since i got it {several months ago}

so i figure i have two options to make it work for me aesthetically:

1) keep it minimal and bare {so it doesn't get kitschy}

2) go all out, embrace the kitschy, and load it up.

 

so i went with option 2:

it's something i plan on adding and subtracting from at will, so i filled it will lots of little vintage trinkets {pins, figurines, buckles, randoms} and other little bits of things i like but don't know what to do with {string, ribbon, chipboard pieces, and more randoms}

it's kind of my inspiration board. so i put it with my crafty stuff.
and i think i like it.

who couldn't use more kitsch?

adventures with a camera

one night, whilst still living in michigan and tired of being stuck indoors for too many winter days, i went out with some dear friends on the first reasonable nice evening we'd seen in months.

armed with a camera and led lights we hit the town to make some light art.

and we made these photos. 

{and a few memories to go along with it}

i wanna do it again

here they are!

in all their glory. 

my newest batch of bags all on display at t-la-re.

i've been playing around with a couple new patterns- larger bags with adjustable straps and sides that expand with snaps.
{i'll show you some photos later}

it's kinda fun seeing them all together.

one of my newest bags. i really like the bright colors.

i'm also toying with the idea of making a bag mixing the navy/white flowers and the navy/white houndstooth. i think it could be great, i just haven't perfected it in my head yet.

apartment art: bathroom edition

i have so many different little things around our apartment that i've made, i thought i'd share some {well, i've shared some before, but this feels more official} 

the bathroom seems an odd place to start, but these were some of the first things i made for our apartment after we got married, and i like them.

 {we've all seen bathrooms, so i'll keep these photos just to the art}

colors match the bathroom rug and shower curtain 

they're all painted, with stitching and/or hand applique details

  

this one is by itself on another wall, above the hand towel and next to the lights and mirrors.

this o

hope you enjoyed this little peek at my very very basic painting skills :)

glorious day

walking to work today i just couldn't stop smiling. 

which isn't actually that unusual.

but today was so perfect. 

so beautiful!

blue skies and white wispy clouds.

bright sun shining and a cool breeze.

and birds singing.

i just couldn't help tuning my ipod to my favorite summer music.

music that reminds me of lying in the grass.

falling in love.

and laughing so hard it hurts.

and this song in particular.

it was the recessional song at our wedding. the only recorded music we used.

because it's our song {or one of them} and it's so perfect.

 carbon leaf- life less ordinary {partial lyrics}

Live a life less ordinary
Live a life extraordinary with me
Live a life less sedentary
Live a life evolutionary with me
Well I hate to be a bother,
But it's you and there's no other, I do believe
You can call me naive but...
I know me very well (at least as far as I can tell)
And I know what I need

The night you came into my life
Well it took the bones of me, took the bones of me
You blew away my storm and strife
And shook the bones of me, shook the bones of me
By the way, I do know why you stayed away...
I will keep tongue-tied next time

Live a life less ordinary
Live a life extraordinary with me.
If I could name you in this song
Would it make you smile and sing along?
This is the goal: to get into your soul
If I could make you dance for joy
Could that be the second-chance decoy?
The bird-in-hand I would need
To help you understand?

fill in the blank friday!

i've been wanting to do this for a while, and today seems like a great day!

 

1.  One thing I MUST do before I die is  make my own dresses. and then have kids and make all their clothes, too. {just like my mom did!}

2.  I would rather spend all day in the library than go to the mall any day.

3.  If I could give my younger self one piece of advice it would be don't be afraid to let bad friendships die. they will anyway, and taking control of the situation will ease your heartache.

4.  If I won the lottery tomorrow I'd by husband a new mac, and 2 plane tickets to spain for spring break.

5.  The best surprise ever was my engagement! hubby flew all the way down to nebraska the day after christmas to surprise me. perfect.

6.  My biggest fault is procrastination and complaining. i like to call it "venting" but husband says it's more like going on and on and on about things that annoy me.

7.  My biggest strength is my energy and love for others. at least i think so :)

 head over to lauren's to read some more!

and now i'm off to finish up some spring cleaning! {cause it's spring here, and our apartment is in some serious need of reorganization} 

 

 

my wall calendar

a couple years ago i saw this project online and made my own.  

i've been using it ever since.

  

a wall calendar made from a baking sheet, and covered with scrapbooking paper.

the months and dates are interchangeable with magnets, and stored on the back side of the baking sheet.

 

i lost a few months in "the move" so i'm working on remaking the missing ones.

 

i made the dates from pieces of emphera, bottle caps, game pieces, buttons, felt, paint, sharpie- anything and everything.

i hope you like it as much as i do!

ye old sewing machine

i've been spending so much time with my sewing machine lately that i thought it was time i shared the story of its purchase with you.

many years ago, just before i went to off to college my mom bought me this oldish, but working, sewing machine at a garage sale. and it was great. i didn't use it a lot in those early college years, but i was comforted knowing that it was there, in the back of my dorm room closet. 

fast forward a few more years and i'm a newlywed. using my sewing machine a lot more (since i have my own little apartment now) and it stops working. so my wonderful new hubby says the first thing we're going to do is buy me a new machine for our first christmas together. yay! until then, i'll just borrowed my mother-in-laws.

so right after thanksgiving i go to the best sewing machine store in town, tell them what i'm looking for and lo and behold! they have the perfect machine for me, with all the features i want, and since it's refurbished, it's half price and has a 2 year warranty including any repairs it might need.

needless to say, i'm over-the-moon extatic and sad i have to wait until christmas to use it! {still just borrowing mother-in-laws}

so, sometime in january there's a problem and i take it in to get it repaired {which is pretty inconvenient because the shop is about 20 miles away}. i get it back a couple weeks later and it's fine. then a month later, the same problem: take it to get fixed, pick it up. and then it happens a third time. boo!

this time when i go to pick it up, they tell me that it's not a fixable problem, and they will credit me the money from that machine towards a different one. the only catch is that they don't have any similar machines in, so i either have to upgrade {a lot} or just wait indefinitely for one to come in. no refunds.

so hubby is pretty upset and he's explaining to the shop guy that we're newlyweds, and poor and this was my christmas gift, and 3 months later it's still not fixed properly. and we want our money back, which the guy says they can't do.

meanwhile, i start crying {you know, just tearing up a little} because i'm really really disappointed. {i hate crying in front of others, but i couldn't help it}

so they guy sees this, visibly feels bad, and basically says "ok! here, have a new machine!" 

so, i got myself a brand new, way more expensive machine. 

and all was right with the world <3

edit:  i'm not a big fan of pink, but somehow you have made me wish my machine was pink!
i guess the lighting in the photo is weird...standard white :(

la boheme

we moved all the way out here {manhattan kansas} so that my husband could follow his dream- which led him to school. 

and will lead him to another school after this. 

but i'm not wasting my time here, either- i found a job i love, opened my etsy and am pursuing my suzuki certifications {teaching the violin is my passion}

we didn't exchange christmas gifts this year {we were just happy to be surrounded by friends and family} and we won't do birthday gifts, either.
life is more simple this way. we're taking less for granted and making the most of our time here. in a strange way,  we're living this crazy-poor-artistic lifestyle- doing what we must to get by, but pursuing our dreams non-stop and full-force.

it's kind of romantic.

and i kind of love it. a lot.

in fact, if we were only {only!} living in paris, i think we would be the quintessential starving artists. a scholar and an etsian.

 it's got a nice ring to it, no?

photos here, here, here