Monogrammed Stationary

Here's my pre-apology: If you are my friend, then for the next few months, maybe years, you will probably get a homemade gift from me.  

Birthday. Wedding Shower. Baby Shower.  I'm making it all.  

Some turn out cute, some not so much.  Here is one that turned out great!  A gift for my friend, Mandy.  I can't take full credit for this.  I got my inspiration HERE.

List of necessities:

Flat white card and matching envelopes (I used card stock that I cut down to size)

Cute paper (Hello, Hobby Lobby)

Pencil

Disappearing glue stick

Scissors

One sheet of card stock

A computer and printer

Sewing machine

Corner cutter (optional, but highly recommended)

1. Print an initial on one piece of card stock.  Use a fun font. I used Georgia, size 150.  For more great fonts, go here.



2. Cut out the letter.  This will be your stencil.
3. Trace several letters on the back of your cute paper.

4. Cut out each letter.  This takes time.  I did it over the course of a week while watching TV with John, watching Burl roll around the floor, etc.  Eventually, I'll get one of these and things will move a lot faster.



5. Sew one, two, or three lines on the bottom of your card.  Horizontal or vertical.  Whateva.



6. Glob on the disappearing glue in the bottom corner.  Or center, whateva. It will gunk up on the seams, but no worries.  It disappears.



7. Press down yo letter.  #6 and #7 need to happen quickly!!!

8. Use the corner cutter if you like.  Right now, I LOVE my corner cutter.  I use it all the time.  (Especially when I make bookmarks!)

WA-LA.  I cute little gift!!!

Double Zero

During my shift at the Gap this week, I helped a petite lady with some jeans.  She was looking for skinny jeans in black and was debating between the zero and double zero.  Between teeny and teeny-weeny.

Usually, I try and relate to the customers.  As I compared myself to her, I really could not find anything to relate.  Until she said this,

"I LIKE THIS STYLE BETTER BECAUSE IT COMES UP HIGHER ON MY WAIST.  I JUST DON'T LIKE THE LOW STUFF."

Now that I've had Burl, I speak mom-talk, so I knew what she was saying and I knew I could relate.

So, I got down on me knees so I could look her in the eye, and with my teeny weeny voice (didn't want to frighten her with my big voice), I said:

"Me too.  I hate to say it, but I love jeans that come up higher so they don't cut off my stomach.  I might get down to my pre-pregnancy weight, but my stomach is not the same."

She totally related to that and we had a moment together.

So, I encourage all those Mamas out there with there mom-stomach to embrace it.  We're all in this together.

Getting Stuff Done, 6 Cents At A Time.

Ever since I had Burl, I am on a getting-things-done frame of mind.  Not just frame of mind, but I actually get stuff done.

No need for insight or understanding on why exactly this has happen.  I'm just going with it.  Quite frankly, it's about time!!!

Backup all the pictures on the computer.  Done.

Start a blog.  Done.

Clean the blinds. Individually.  Done.

Paint the dining room chairs that I bought 7 years ago.  Done.

Actually take donations to Goodwill.  Done.

Learn to sew.  Done.

Get pictures printed.  Done. All the time.

I think digital cameras are great, and I can't even imagine going back to film.  Being able to take multiple shots without fear of wasting film...picking the best picture to upload or print...seeing the results immediately.  What's not to love about digital?  The only problem I have is that, for me, it's harder to actually get my pictures developed.

Until now.  

Because I'm getting stuff done.

Digital pictures are being developed.  

I go to Ritz Camera.  They print in an hour.  They put the fancy smancy white border around the picture.  {They even print words on the pictures...for free.}

AND...on Tuesdays and Wednesdays I can get prints for 6 cents.  It's the 3 1/2 x 5 size.  

Also, I can upload them online on Tuesday or Wednesday, then I can have them delivered or pick them up whenever I get by the store.  Thank you very much, technology.  Don't mind if I do.

Interested?  Click HERE for the link.

  I have tons and tons and tons and tons of pictures.  Printed.  Not just on my desktop.  Yesterday, I did something with them.

When my neighbor gave me a string and mini clothespins as part of a baby gift, I knew exactly what to do with them.  Put them to use in my open frame.  I lurv open frames.

Bookmarks

I love to read.  I love paper.  I love to find a home for everything.  And I love to match a bookmark to my current read.  Really, I do.



Therefore, I keep any cute paper that I find, get or steal.  Invitations-cut off the words, keep the cute design.  Cards-do the same.  Cute business cards-Don't mind if I do, Heidi.

I'm very protective over my repurposed paper bookmarks.  So, I put them in my super cool birdbath so this little birdie can watch over them.  Stand guard.

Cute little papers + vintage looking birdbath (gift from my Aunt) =  so cute on my bookshelves.  

I hope that I'm not the only one who has a little collection of random cute things that are on display...anyone else?