friendship bracelets

hello! i'm home from my wonderful week away and much to my dismay, we seemed to have jumped back into winter. i know kansans can't be the only people experiencing this crazy weather swing! i mean seriously, i thought this was supposed to be spring!  

regardless of the weather outside, i'm already bringing out my summer wardrobe. which for me always includes a bunch of friendship bracelets! which really doesn't take much explination- they're iconic and elementary school kids have been making them forever and a day.

some how i've never kicked the habit and i've been making new ones each season for years, so i've built up quite a collection. these are just a few of my favorites

and of course, sometimes i even make them for friends, because nothing says "love" like some knotted embroidery floss!

 

on the road again

it's finally spring break! 

birds are chirping, there is fresh coffee in the kitchen, and did i mention 

it's spring break?!

{::cue music:: "oh what a beautiful mornin..."}

ahh yes, spring break. that magical week that comes never-too-soon and always just in time to cure the i'm-about-to-pull-out-my-hair stresses. so husband and i are headed out of town to spend some time with my little sister and family and friends in chicago. i love a good road trip with the hubs! {and all that quality time with my long-distance loved-ones}

  

and for the road, i've packed the last of our cuties. am i the only one who has noticed their adorable stickers and is it possible that it makes them taste better?

 

 happy spring break friends!  

{and if you don't get a spring break, then i wish you lots of sunshine}

lists 14-19

for the 30 days of lists project. 

{click image to enlarge}

 list #14: things i love about spring!

#15: on my shopping list

#16: places to see in manhattan kansas {my current home town}

#17: words that are hard to spell. 

i'm a bad speller, always have been, so i'm putting off doing this list. in fact, i may just replace it with something else! i'm just waiting for inspiration...

#18: road trip must-haves

#19: recipes i want to try

{lots and lots of cupcakes!}

day of silence

text the word "Quake" or "Japan" to 80888 to make a $10 gift for disaster relief and response in Japan through The Salvation Army World Services Office.
The Salvation Army in Japan is responding to the earthquake and tsunami that brought devastation to the north of the country. Joshua Smith from has designed a shirt to help raise funding and awareness for those affected by the disaster. The Japanese Kanji on the shirt translates to "Save World Army"

100% of the proceeds of the sales of this shirt will go toward The Salvation Army's relief efforts in Japan

today is a holiday

while the rest of the world celebrates st. patty's day, i'm celebrating my adorable nephew's birthday! he's a bundle of pure joy and i'm sad we don't get to spend the day together, so i crammed, jam-packed-to-the-brim an envelope of goodies.

like these crayons i made:

which are to be kept in here {an old tazo tea can}:

and these fun recipe cards:

plus a handmade card and paper bunting:

and a little craft kit, zoo stickers, toy story sticker pack, coloring book, mini bottles of bubbles and easter window clings:

all topped off with origami luck stars and candy!

 whew!

i spent like a week putting it all together, and i loved every second of it! my big sister said he had a great time opening it and sent me this as proof:

added bonus: he's wearing the yo gabba gabba hat i made him for valentine's day that sis says he tries to sleep in. 

could he be any cuter??

cookie appreciation

last week we did staff evaluations at work and i realized that i have an amazing staff that i love working with! i wanted to show my appreciation and nothing says "i appreciate you" like homemade cookies. yummy yummy cookies.

these are my most favoritest cookies. i made them for thanksgiving and husband's birthday. 

{you can get the recipe here}

a little red string, some doilies, and 80 cookies later the staff mailboxes were stuffed full of goodness! {and i made sure hubs got a handful, too}

lists 7-13

my most recent lists for the 30 days of lists project!

{click on the image to enlarge}

 #7: blog goals

#8: what's in my bag

 {it's really just an extra-extra-large wallet. the left swatch is a leftover piece of fabric}

 #9: my wishlist {to do with my love}

#10: favorite websites

 #11: date night ideas

{i've mentioned it before, but the biggest downside to living in manhattan is the restaurants. they kinda suck. so my dream dates mostly center around eating good food together. like indian food. we miss it so much i listed it twice!}

#12: weekly rituals

 #13: diy's i want to try

ted talks: andrew bird

just watched this with the hubs and i had to share.

if you're not already an andrew bird fan, prepare to become one!

book wishlist

since we've recommenced with the gift-giving traditions, i've opened the flood-gates and i've got a birthday list a million miles long. i can't stop! i already shared some of my etsy faves, so i thought i'd share what's on my book wishlist. let the gift-giving begin! {cue evil laugh. mwahhhahahhaa!}

 {this one has been on my list for years.}

{this one too}

{so pretty!}

{i really do heart macarons}

{awesome!}

{not really a book, but i have to include it}

{and one more japanese craft book to finish}

i really don't need more ideas, but i want to know what would be on your book list anyway!

ipad case

i mentioned that husband got an ipad for his birthday {that he lets me play with!} so i decided not to take "the lazy way out" {aka buying a case}, got my tub o wool out and made him one myself!

velcro flap, heavy-duty interfacing, and some batting.

i also tried my hand at a little free-motion name tag. it looks kinda like jish or jssh, but i'm not worried about it enough to redo it.

and some of the top-stitching is a little crooked, but for the most part it's quite fulfilling to imagine a result and make it a reality all in one rainy afternoon.

 of course, i think my sewing machine needs a check-up now, it started acting a bit wonky at the end.

lazy sunday

husband had lots of work to do, and i had several different projects to juggle, but we still found time for some relaxing. 

i love a lazy day together. and it couldn't have come at a better time.

30 days of lists

personally, journaling doesn't do it for me, but oh how i love a good list. and then i stumbled upon this and it called my name. 
"angie! tomato! hello! i'm am the perfect project for you right now!" it said.
so, i came to the party a little late and made a few lists of my own {with lots of help from all my old catalogs}:

 {my handmade notebook}

  {so many of the things i'm looking forward to this year are wrapped up in whether we move or not and where to; it made this a short list}

 i heart music! i knew i either had to do a small list or open it up to 209 songs, so i choose just these 2 and included the lyrics: "such great heights" will always be a special song for the hubs and i, and "not your year" has been in my head for months. it's somehow very uplifting for me. 

so are any of you participating? i want to see what's on your list! {and it's never too late to jump in}

etsy wishlist

so for the first time in 2 years husband and i are exchanging birthday gifts! yay! he got an ipad {more on that later} and i'm enjoying putting together my own wish list. i loved the simplicity of not giving gifts and the thought that went behind that decision, but i have to say that i'm excited to be getting something new this year!

so my first stop? etsy! let me share with you my budding birthday wishlist:

great lakes print

recycled silver ring

"batman" necklace

moccasins!

art print

black quartz necklace

crafty bird

what's on your etsy wishlist? any suggestions for me?? 

{i may be one step away from going wishlist crazy!}

violins as decor

i display my love for the violin around my house. 

like these beautiful bookends i got from my sister-in-law a few years ago:

love them! 

and i love this print, a gift from a student:

{i keep it up here and i know how badly it needs a frame}

and the other day i got this little beauty from my favorite vintage place. i think it looks just like an f hole {i just need to figure out where to hang it!}

i'm excited for the day when i have my own craft/music room and i can hang my instruments on the wall, too. but for now, they're better in their cases.