Lucky Kitty

... six months later...

Yep, it's true - it has almost been six months to the day since I left my poor little blog for dead. Didn't even come back to check on it, didn't leave an extra bowl of water out - none of it.

I did keep my sad lonely little blog in my thoughts - always hoping that I would return to it someday. 

You see, not to make excuses, but things got crazy. 

I became a mommy.  Not just a mommy, but a mommy with a full time job.  Not just a mommy with a full time job, but a mommy with a full time job and a full time student husband. 

I moved all of my sewing and crafting supplies out to the garage to make room for the high chair in my kitchen.  Now, whenever I want to make something, I have to sneak stuff in the house and make out with it while no one is looking... I'm like the bad babysitter keeping my boyfriend in the shower until the parents leave...

I got a new job - which is amazing - not only because it's the type of job that will grow with me and that I can depend on, but I'm pretty sure nobody wants to fire me because I have to pick my kid up from school... so, that's an improvement...

Needless to say, all of this has quickly and effeciently made sure that I don't have much free time for making stuff, and since my blog is about stuff that I make... well, you know the rest.

So, this afternoon, after lunch I was hanging some pictures up in my new office and it dawned on me that I had created something crafty, fun, and super easy to do... oh, and cheap too!

It's so good - I had to share it with you guys... which I think means that I just might be blogging again...

Alright - to my project... it all started with some cheap Ikea frames - $2.99 a piece to be exact.  I think they're called The Ribba...

Next, I went over to the Snapfish, picked out some pics, made them all Sepia tone, and ordered them for a mere $ .79 a piece.

Finally, I wanted to have more than family photos on my wall - I wanted to have some color and texture too.

I've always dreamed of having awesome vintage wallpaper on a wall, but have always been too scared (or lazy) to ever attempt it. Not to mention, rolls of awesome vintage wallpaper come with equally awesome price tags... but samples of rolls of awesome vintage wallpaper are super dupes cheap - $1.00 for an 8x10 sample to be exact.

Go check out Bradbury & Bradbury to get your wallpaper lovin on!

...and voila!  I present to you a totally awesome homage to my family (and awesome vintage wallpaper) for my office wall for only $34.65 total!

Next project? Making this side of my new office look more like an actual human inhabits it... Stay tuned (I promise I'll be back before it's been six more months)

 
 

Sufferin Soffit-tash...

Our house was built in 1971, and most recently flipped by a dear friend right before we bought it. Our friend did an amazing job - fixed up the cabinets, floors, countertops, appliances, sink, etc. in the kitchen (and so many other parts of the house) - he even added a little breakfast bar! Good times...

But the original cabinets - with their soffits - are still there. They look one million times better with a coat of paint and some new hardware, but those pesky soffits have always bothered me...


See? Big, white, covered in ceiling popcorn... not a fan.

What to do? Well, we could rip all the cabinetry out of the kitchen, soffits and all, and start over... which still might be a possibility down the road... but for now...


I thought maybe they'd look better with the nice calm green wall color that's on the kitchen walls... turns out, it does a great job blending the soffits in, making them not so big and white, and has eased my urgency to start yanking those cabinets and soffits off the walls myself.

It's pretty darn amazing what a little bit of paint can do to change your mind!

Dear Porch,

Dear Porch,

Why do you hate me so? Is it something I said? Something I did and didn't realize? Why is it everytime I decide to do something different to you, it starts raining like cats and dogs... or the postal delivery person decides to scrape their boots on you and peel up some paint in their wake...



Why is it that Home Depot didn't have any "Tobacco Brown" grout yesterday, just "Sable Brown" and why are the two just slightly different from one another... do you think anyone will notice? It will probably just drive me crazy...



Why did I ever start messing with you in the first place? I should have just left you plain and black as you were before we met... but plain and black gets really dusty... and it's just so... plain... and black...

Maybe once all the tile is done and everything is painted and sealed... maybe then you can rest in peace and I can stop torturing us both...

Sunday Mornings...

Coffee with my husband on our deck...


Ozzy helping me make breakfast...


mmm... maple & brown sugar oatmeal with flax seed, fig, and some cherries...


Snoozin...

Settling in...

Well, I think my transition into new job is almost complete.  I'm starting to form a new routine, getting to know my new bosses, figuring out how much work I have (or don't have), figuring out that my new corporate computer doesn't let me have access to Photobucket... what's up with that?  How much trouble could I possibly get into on Photobucket... I get the whole "restricted from MySpace" thing... that's cool... but Photobucket?  I have lots of projects to share with you, but alas, no pictures... I did manage to save a pic to Typepad... let's see if it works in the blog...

Success! Whew! Great - back on track. That's all for now! I'll be back soon once I get my pics transferred! xoxo, N-

The Differences Between Husbands and Wives

I snapped this pic on Christmas morning. I find it amusing that we each bought each other two books about our favorite subjects...

For the Husband, we have Grant Morrison The Early Years and Absolute Watchmen
Two books about comics and their writers featuring two of his favorite authors - Grant Morrison and Alan Moore.

For me we have, Craft Inc and Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing
Two books about crafting and sewing featuring one of my all time favs Lotta J.

Neither one of us would probably be interested in reading the others new books, but it was nice to hang out on the couch and read our books together...

Littlest Christmas Tree...

We had our tree trimming evening this past weekend! Coming in at approx. 5 feet tall, this little guy wins the contest for littlest Christmas tree ever (in our house...)...

There was eggnog with spiced rum in cute reindeer glasses that I only use once a year, but darn, they're so cute...

I banged my head really really hard on the lovely cabinet that our friend Eric made for us...

Hey Eric, that cabinet is up there solid - not even my big ol' head could make it move!

The husband tried to vacuum up all the fallen pine needles that occur when you move, put lights on, look at too long... etc...

...all in all... it turned out great!

I Took the Pledge...

I took the Buy Handmade pledge yesterday and so should you! Click that link, yo!

I usually try to purchase as many gifts as I can from actual people that make them - or I just make 'em myself, but it somehow feels more official this way!

Today, for instance, I was stocking the Holiday cards on the front rack in my record store (oh yes, Christmas starts in October here in Retail Land), and instead of picking out which ones I was going to purchase (with my discount), I decided that all Holiday Cards from my house this year will be handmade...

I found three different styles over at Etsy and promptly scooped them up so I'll have 'em nice and early. I would show you here... but... you might be receiving one from us and I would hate to ruin the surprise!!

Tickets on sale now!!

Buckle up for LuckyKitty at Stitch 2007!

When: Saturday, November 10th
Where: Austin Convention Center
Doors: 4:00pm
Fashion Show: 9:30pm
Line up: Click here!
Tickets: ON SALE NOW! Click here!
See you there!!!

Stitch + LuckyKitty = ?

Ok, oh my gosh, I did it.

I applied to possibly have a booth at Stitch


It seems like a good idea - they sell out every venue they've ever booked and anyone who's anyone in Austin attends.

It also seems like fun - creating your own booth space - meeting lots of people who may actually like and or buy stuff that you make...

It just makes the whole "having your own crafty business" situation seem very real...

Guess I've got a couple months to chew over the whole idea - they're taking apps until August... wish me luck!