Bon Voyage

If you need me, I'll be here! Be back next week!

Party Time

Caroline's birthday falls smack in the middle of winter break. So we always have her party in January. And today was the day...no school for us today. My friend is adding to her already adorable business, with paper craft parties. We were guinea pigs and it could not have gone better! She came with a set of personalized note cards and a sheet of book plates for each girl to embellish with all sorts of fun punches!

This "PARTY" banner hung on our front door greeted our guest.

I am in love these felt letters from Joann Fabrics.

Aprons waiting for the guest to arrive and begin crafting.

The girls busy working.

Lots of punches to choose from...monkeys, ladybugs, flip flops, flowers, cowboy boots...

Name plates

Don't you love this banner? It now resides in Caroline's room!

Finished note cards

Fun, fun, fun day!

Thank You Starbucks!

Our local Starbucks, hosts the public library every Thursday afternoon for story time and craft. I have been saying I was going since the Starbucks open back in October. Well, today Lulu and I finally made it. We met some friends there. The kids listen to the story, made a snowman, ate cookies and drank hot chocolate. The moms sipped coffee and talked.

Can't wait for next Thursday!

A Day in the Life of Me!

I went to the gym yesterday early to get into this class that is a real butt kicker. You know how that goes, the rushed morning trying to get the girls off to school, etc...

So, I get to the gym in plenty of time, the class fills up fast, I am chatting with some girls, I take off my vest to find this!

That is the peg from the mudroom peg rack in which my vest was hanging. I never even felt it. Waiting for the school bus...nothing...twenty-five minute drive to the gym...nothing...waiting for class to start...nothing!

This my friends, is a classic Heather!

Our Wii-kend

I have been busy this week, I think or maybe just lazy. I painted Emma's room...still need to paint the trim and some "fun" to the walls. I have been sewing a bit. I have hit the gym 15 out of 18 days in January.

So our weekend plans:

We are headed to the shore this weekend, MBM packed up the Wii for his entertainment, we have dinner plans for Saturday night with my parents and brother and his girl friend to celebrate my crossing over to the "other side" of my thirties...blah! I am planning to do some shipping with my mom on Saturday afternoon and maybe Sunday, too. We are staying until Monday.

But first, I am going to lunch with some of my friends to celebrate we have two birthdays to celebrate. We are going to a great little restaurant that has FANTASTIC Cosmos, they put a Swedish fish in the bottom of the glass! But, I will not partake...maybe just one glass of wine!

I got this for my friend who also celebrates her birthday this weekend...I hope she likes it!

Have a great weekend!

Counting down the days...

... until I can use this baby! I picked up the coral print last week on my shopping trip with Emma. I was on the fence about it, but the price gets me every time. I paired it with this striped fabric scrap....they are perfect...I mean perfect together. Of course, now I am on the hunt for more of that stripe! The inside and the covered button are a blue floral that is also perfect.

I also have been formulating a new plan for lulu belle. The past few years have been great and very successful (who knew) but, I was crazy busy! Spending most of the day and every evening sewing to fill orders, it was exhausting and got to be a bit boring. I had no time to create new stuff.
So, I am cutting WAY back on custom parties and turning my focus on wholesale, art shows, fundraising trunk shows, and ETSY. We will see how it goes. I started this as an outlet, to use my creativity, to get out of the house and spend time with grown ups, and to have fun. I was not at all prepared for success. And I am to much of a control freak to let anybody else do the sewing. I am very excited and have been busy creating all sorts of new things!

This weekend plans, instead of me sewing all day and night, Emma and I are going to do some shopping for her new bedroom, that I will finally have time to finish. Who's kidding who, start!
And Sunday, the whole clan off to an ice skating party.

And so the Year of Me is off to a good start, don't you think?

Guess What?

Lulu's every sentence begins with, "Guess what?"

So, I have decided to start guessing!

Some of my responses today...

"A giraffe read a story at school today"
"You are going to clean up the big mess you made"
"You forgot to give me a kiss"
"Brussels Sprouts and Lima Beans are your favorite thing to eat"

All followed by a giggle and a big, "NOOOO!"

"You want to make cupcakes"
"You have decided to stay five years old forever"
"You love me"

And these followed by a quick and enthusiastic, "YES!"

So guess what? We made cupcakes!

This and That

Thank you all that wished our family well with the pending adoption. It turns out that the birth mother is unsure of her adoption decision. So after a few days away from home and total physical and emotional exhaustion B and B came home. They are sad, but glad to be home. Thanks for all the fashion advice for my Office Party attire. I went without anything around the neck. I was unsure about the opaque hose but I think it all worked out. I wish I had taken a picture of MBM and I because I was having the BEST HAIR DAY EVER! My design assistant, Emma, and I went fabric shopping on Sunday. Bought a few new things for inspiration...can't wait to get started! She is so must fun to be with and out of all my girls she is the best shopper. More tomorrow!

I've got a secret!

My SIL and BIL are on their way to a hospital about an hour from there house to meet their new baby boy! But, SHHHHHH...nobody is supposed to know!!!!!! Their agency has prepared them that the birth mom is young and although she has started the adoption process, sometimes they change their minds. So, before you go to bed tonight, say a little prayer for a safe arrival for baby and birth mom. And maybe one more for the birth mom to follow her heart and be at peace with her choice! Keep you posted!

Office Party

Tonight, MBM and I are going to his company's holiday party. He works for an international company and he is based out of the Philadelphia office, but NEVER actually goes to the office. He knows 2 people that will be attending the party. And I haven't lost the ten pounds yet, can you imagine in four days, so there will be no drinks for me! Sometimes, it is just easier to be in a room full of strangers making small talk after a drink or two...maybe one glass of red wine won't hurt! UGH!!!! I did get a new dress though!

I picked it up on our trek to the mall for Caroline's birthday. I am wearing it with black opaque hose, black patent leather shoes and bag, and I am on the fence about jewelry. The dress has shiny black buttons on the sleeves, so I am thinking a black beaded bracelet and that's it...no necklace...what do you think?

********the dress is J. Crew...click here...it's on sale!********

Oh Emma!

My sweet baby girl Emma! Emma is A LOT like me. She looks just like me...dark hair, fair skin, freckles, chubby cheeks and blue eyes. I love it and so does she. I call her my stunt double, she tells people that we are really twin sisters.

The poor thing is also shaped just like me...shorter than short, short legs and a BIG bottom! Last night I hemmed 10 pairs of pants. Two for me, eight for her. Fitting pants on her is like fitting pants on Sponge Bob. THANK GOD I can sew!!!!

2008

Happy New Year! We rang in the New Year, don't be jealous, at home sound asleep way before midnight! We had a nice dinner together and left over ice cream cake from Caroline's birthday for dessert, complete with tiaras and noise makers! I made one last pomegranate martini for myself (see my plan for "08) and snuggled in with a book, MBM watched football and the girls, camped out in the basement, trying their hardest to watch the ball drop. Lulu out cold by 9:30 and Emma and Caroline have different accounts of when they fell asleep...but way before midnight for sure!

I don't like to make resolutions, rather, I make a plan for the upcoming year. This year is The Year of Me! I am going to take better care of myself (workout more, eat less, get more sleep, remember to take my thyroid medicine, etc...) and do more of things that I love to do like read, go antiquing (really junking), refinish some furniture pieces, paint some rooms, spend more time in the yard and garden. ****MBM is laughing right now at the gardening**** Anyway, that is my plan!

Today, Caroline and I decided to stay in our pajamas. She has a school project to work on, why do teachers do that? Give the kids a major project to work on over the break...I was a teacher, I am pretty sure I never did that! Oh, well!

Caroline has been working on this for that past few days in my extremely messy and neglected studio. I am trying to clean up around her and start planning what's next for lulu belle...my head has been spinning with ideas, designs, changes, and I need to get it down on paper and put it into action before I get swept up in parties and filling custom orders! Plus, I want to do some sewing and monogramming just for me and our house.

Is anyone else excited about the HGTV Dream House 2008...premier tonight!!!!!

I better get busy! Just one more thing...I have been getting comments from some new bloggers! Just wanted to say welcome...your gonna love our little world...I sure do!

Many blessings to all in 2008!