Very Merry Christmas!

Things will likely be very busy this week. I did want to stop and wish everyone a very merry Christmas. This has been a year of very many blessings and I am so glad to have everyone for the next week or so.

A Love List

Right now I love...

Having girlfriends who are crafty. Including miss jeanne who made me this adorable engagement book. Complete with snaps of Dustin and I.

The new blogger app for iPhone.  Finally.

A fat stack of christmas cards from people who are special to me and I treasure.

Weird and funky Christmas ornaments and the smell of pine.

And last but not least having the next week and a half off so I can just be here and content and enjoy family and friends.   For the record I want to do a whole lotta nothing in this time!

 

Life. Lists. Goals.

Oh boy! Time. Weeks. Months. Days. Life. Lists. Goals. Have all gotten away from me this year. Funny thing too – I spent the more time in 2012 at home than I have in years and still time didn’t stand still it flew by. Regardless to say “Da List” there “might” be a last minute push but many things will not be finished and my fall list – well I only accomplished 2 of the 7. Ugh. I keep smaller to-do lists in my iPhone and I have 14 things that are “small tasks” that have been rolling over on my list for weeks, although I did complete 215 of these items in 2012. Not to mention - I feel very defeated because for the first time in like 8 years I’m buying Christmas presents not making them for my friends and family. I just didn’t have time to make them. Christmas shopping yesterday I was not enjoying it in the least bit I wanted to get out of the stores and lines and run away fast and I LOVE to give presents and really I love shopping. Blah.

I’m a very goal oriented person I like checking things off my lists and reaching goals. So this inability to do so is very frustrating. It’s really hard to accept that sometimes living life just gets in the way my goals and I need to accept that. Still with that said I’m on the right track, I feel like this is how it’s supposed to be. And really how can I complain when this has been a year full of beautiful, funny, fulfilling and awesome memories - and wholly cow I did a WHOLE LOT!

As these last few weeks tick away I’m already starting to put together more lists, goals and challenges – I’m going to make them even if I never finish them. And I cannot wait to see what 2013 has in store.

Merry Christmas from NYC

This weekend both Dustin and Aunt Thea were here an we did some Christmasy things. We got doughnuts from doughnut plant. We went to the Brooklyn Flea Market. We saw santacon everywhere. We went to Rockefeller Center to see the tree and decor. We walked pretty much everywhere. We saw big Christmas bulbs and big lights and a giant package. We even did a little shopping. (Yes that's right this year will be the first year in years that I buy my gifts not make them. But everyone is getting the same thing.). It was a fun weekend.

Around NYC

I've been in NYC most of December. It's time for a little list on what's happening.
Around NYC ...
I have been seeing the lights.
I walk and walk.
I have been looking for a yarn shoppe.
I tried Doughnut Plant where the pistachio doughnut is delish.
I am making time for blogging.
Around NYC...
Subways trains have been late.
The office conference room has been crowded.
I sport my Stanley backpack from my brother.
I am wondering why there's a 1000 bead and jewelry stores.
I miss Dustin.
Around NYC...
I am feeling a little less lost.
I tried Brooklyn Tacos - guac taco yay.
I feel like the city makes my face dirty.
Taxi cab backseats toss me around and make me ill.
I feel winter coming.
I think need a long winter coat.
(Snaps included from the last few weeks thanks to Mandy of something monumental for the new app tip.)

Best of Life Videos - October 2012 - Magic

I still enjoy making these. You often forget what happened in the month until you make them. October was a pretty sweet month. Friends of ours got married, Halloween, Date on the Street, the Chinese visited among other things.  The song is Magic by Rabbit - I wanted to use another song but seems that the format of that song is not accepted in the video editing software I used so I had to settle for this one.  Which I also love.  Enjoy.  If you can't get this version to work here's the youtube link.

DIY Stocking for Dustin

Dustin didn't have a stocking so I crafting him one out of leftover felt. It was a simple project and fun to design. I decided he needed a super awesome bearded gnome. Away I went with my seeing machine and this was the end result which I love. He opened it this morning and was super excited to have one to put up next to mine an Jono's.  
anyhow I am counting this as #7 on my 10 crafts for Da List in the home stretch on that project.

Wonky Christmas Tree

We got a Christmas tree. I've been getting real trees the last few years usually from lowes but this year I don't have an SUV so when I learned Marsh down the street had trees I decided we should walk over and pick it up and carry it back. Dust was down so we donned our new festive hats that Michele sent and went to pick it up.
There was only one tree left so we took it. (Lesson 1 don't buy the last tree.) Then we walked it down the street. I say we but really Dustin did all the lifting i just walked beside him and our tree. We trimmed it up and well to say the least it's a little wonky. (Lesson 2 avoid tree trimming trees from marsh). But we put it up anyhow and decorated it - I have picked up some ornaments which I gave Dustin and we mixed them in with my collection. All wonkiness aside we love our goofy little tree and we enjoyed getting it and putting it up together. Oh and yes we now have two pieces of bacon on our tree.

Tuesday 10 - Oh My It's December

I cannot believe it's December already. Time just continually flies by.   Anyhow despite my needs to slow down time so I can do all the things I want to do I thought I might share 10 things I love.
1. Christmas Lights - oh my how Christmas is going to sneak attack me!

 2. Haribo Gummy Bears (yes and I'm a dork I eat them by color).

 3.  Spending Time with my family.

 4. Warm Bubble Tea - Have you tried this?  It's awesomesauce.

 5. Doing spontaneous things with Dust like going to Chicago in the middle of the night.

6. Heart Sweaters - I want to make one.

7. Date Stamps

8. Glasses - I have quite the collection and I love them.  Especially my green ones and these Crosby Warby Parkers. 

9. Moleskins - I love the real deal.  I have a substitute that I bought that was cheaper and it's LAME.
10. Bows - I love bows.

Lets Get Married - Will You Be My Bridesmaid

This post is kick starting a new series on my blog which for lack of a better term I am going to call "Lets Get Married".
A little backstory first - I never was one of those girls who had dreams of my wedding dress or wedding day. I don't really like fancy ball gowns and formalities. I never cared about having things all "Cinderella" with a Prince Charming and all that jazz. And as we start preparing for a wedding I am already starting to notice that is still am not - but I still want our wedding to be a celebration of us and our becoming united. To me our wedding is just a special day at the beginning of our marriage, but ultimately it's the marriage that lasts a lifetime not this party. So I am looking forward to making this an event where I can engage many of my friends and family throughout the whole planning an special day and we can all enjoy ourselves. One of the first things Dustin and I did was come up with our bridal party. I could have picked 10 girls easily so it was a challenge narrowing it down but I am excited to have the other girls help beyond bridesmaid duties - coordinators, official decorator, present makers etc.
Anyhow I wanted to make something special to ask my girls to be my bridesmaids. These are what I came up with. I used our wedding colors, scrap paper and stamps I had on hand an came up with these pocket cards. I love how they turned out. And they had the desired effect, immediately on opening them each girl was already ready to sport some kind of fun dress and make stuff like crazy. They also had many fun ideas to contribute to the wedding which I appreciate. I am so glad to have my bridesmaids on board and I cannot wait to move forward in this process with them.
- Let's get married.