12.31.2010

fill in the blank.

{image from here.}
1. new year's is (awesome/lame/other)  pretty lame, for the most part. i mean, i like what the holiday represents. but when it comes to actually celebrating, it can be lame. for me, it is the most overrated holiday. and maybe it is because i haven't had wildly successful new year's celebrations. there have been a couple, but only a couple. and that's just sad.  

2. last new year's eve i  did have a fantastic time with my girlfriends. we made food and hung out and then went dancing. it was chill and low key but still fun. i think that has to be the key...low expectations.  

3. my new year's resolution is  not yet decided. i think that i will come up with a list of eleven, for 2011. and i want to think of a word of the year. i wanted to do that this last year, but the year slipped away from me. not this year, though.  

4. the best way to spend new year's eve is  with people you love. whether it be friends or family. as long as you love the ones you are with, i think you can have a fantastic evening. and, per usual, low expectations.  

5. my prediction for an up-and-coming trend in 2011 is  ...i have no clue. for me, an up-and-coming trend is crafting. but that is only new to me. i literally have no clue.  

6. this new year's eve i will  be with family and i am pretty excited. it should be a good time. with good food. and probably lots of laughing. i'll let you know.  

7. a fresh start is  always, always welcome. and i'm looking forward to this one.  

i can't believe 2010 is done-diddily-done. crazy.
do you have plans for this evening?
or resolutions for the new year?

happy new year.
and be safe.

12.25.2010

merry christmas.

because it's adorable.



and who doesn't love a party.
with glow sticks.

merry christmas.

12.21.2010

because it is officially winter.

there are a few things that i have been thinking about lately. and there really isn't a better place to share them than here...on my neglected blog. and besides, i know you all want to read about my random thoughts. so, enjoy.

first: i love christmas music. i don't think i can get enough of it. from just after thanksgiving to new year's eve i continually listen to christmas music. i listen to it in the car. i listen to it when i get ready in the morning. i listen to it when i do dishes. i go to sleep listening to it. i make the kids i work with listen to it. i get angry if i can't find a radio station that is all christmas music all the time. but, yesterday i stopped. out of the blue. and i was okay with it. i played all my most played songs on itunes and loved it. it was like reconnecting with an old friend. i also introduced myself to some new tunes. it was good times. totally random, i know...but it's music and i love it. don't worry, though...i started listening to christmas music again today.

this is my favorite song this year.
(this isn't necessarily my favorite version, but i just watched a gwyneth paltrow special.)



this is usually my most favorite song.
it still is.
but something struck me different this year.

two: i love friends. i mean, i love friends, but i also love the tv show, friends. sometimes when i wash dishes or cook, i will play a random episode of friends, just listening to it in the background. and i always end up laughing. out loud. i might have a problem...i love friends more than the average person and i have a plethora of episodes recorded on my dvr. most days i prefer watching reruns of friends episodes than something new. and so therein lies the problem...because i love tv, all the new stuff i record adds up and then i end up erasing all kinds of shows that i would probably like, but i can't be bothered cause i have to watch my friends. oh well.


c: i don't know when it happened or how, but i am maybe, kinda, sorta, really, really addicted to crafting. and searching for the next craft project. and specifically, right now, i'm obsessed with crafting with felt. the stuff is magical. yep, i said it. magical you can do almost anything with it. i made some felt holly garland for my house and i fell in love. now it's a matter of deciding exactly what i want to make next. i am so overloaded with ideas and i'm struggling with narrowing it down. i really, really wish i had a sewing machine that worked better than the one i have. so i'm really considering these adorable dolls for my nieces. they are a no-sew project and i love it.

and then: i'm also a little tiny bit (that's supposed to be sarcastic) obsessed with wreaths now, too. there are three different wreaths that i want to make...and in reality, i will probably end up making all of them. and probably many more. and it's okay. and don't get me started on garland....oy vey.

{images from here or here. and here via here. and here.}

anyway. yeah. that's all.

12.17.2010

fill in the blank.


1. giving is  way better than getting. and it's way more fun to give, too. this year, i made {most} of my gifts...and while they are somewhat age inappropriate where the nieces and nephews are concerned, it was still fun to make the gifts and i can't wait to give them.  

2. receiving is  pretty awesome, too. i'm not dumb. i love to get stuff, but when it comes to this time of year, giving really is way better.  

3. the best gift i ever received was  ...uhmmm...well, it's a toss up. when i was maybe three or four, i got a stove and dishes. i loved that. and when i was maybe six or seven, i got this clay set. it had tools to make cool stuff with the clay. i loved that the most. it was probably my most favorite toy. then when i was in probably eighth or ninth grade, i got skis and stuff. that was pretty cool.  

4. the best gift i ever gave was  not a christmas gift. at least i can't think of a really cool christmas gift that i gave. but the best gift i ever gave was a book for my besties thirtieth birthday...i got all her friends to take pictures of themselves with signs wishing her a happy birthday. she was totally surprised and it was completely unexpected.  

5. something intangible that i wish i could receive is  continual contentment. i have moments of contentment, but then something comes along and changes that up...nothing major or drastic, but it would be nice to just be able to roll with it. to remain happy and calm when dealing with unhappy or stressful circumstances. it's something that i'm striving to work towards.  

6. something intangible that i wish i could give is  continual contentment. can you imagine what awesome gift that would be for everyone? can you imagine what kind of work we would live in if everyone possessed this. someday, somewhere.  

7. the one gift i always wanted as a child, but never got was  ...uhmmm...i seriously can't think of anything. i'm sure there was stuff that i asked for that i didn't get...but i think i had realistic expectations of my parents and/or santa. maybe i'm wrong, but i honestly can't think of anything.  

12.10.2010

fill in the blank.

{image from here.}
1. i wish  that i really truly could quit my job and just craft the days away. it is super weird that i have turned over this new crafting leaf, as i have never been all that crafty, but it is what it is. and i like it. i finished my christmas wreath...just in case you were wondering.  

2. yesterday i  worked. it was my monday. i also had a long conversation with my co-workers about seizing the moment and taking risks. sometimes i really want to take risks, specifically career wise, but i am a person who really likes routines and stability. someday, though...someday.  

3. today i will  work. both jobs. and i will be going to walmart after work. i love walmart, but not so much on a friday night. the problem is i ran out of some things that i need...i've been putting it off for about a week. i'm also going to work on getting my christmas crafty presents started.  

4. tomorrow i will  be working again. but only one job. and i am going to work all morning on my christmas presents. i'm hoping to get a good portion of them done tomorrow.  

5. maybe  i will have all my christmas stuff done by next weekend...so i can just relax until christmas. that would be pretty cool. then i can start working on my january wreath. because i really am going to start a wreath of the month club. on etsy. among other things. but that is a story for another day.  

6. someday  things will be so different than they are now. and i'm not saying that they will be worse or better, but different. and i like the idea of that. the idea of possibilities. the fact that i am in control of my destiny. it's good stuff.  

7. i love  the holidays. weirdly, i haven't enjoyed them the last couple of years quite like i am enjoying them this year. and so many things are different. but i like it. a lot. i think it might be that i am coming to terms with the fact that for me, right now, in my career situation, i won't be able to spend holidays with my family. it's taken me a few years to come to terms with this...and for now, i really am okay with it. thus the enjoying the holidays.  

any weekend plans?
how about holiday plans?
what's on your mind?
that's all.

12.09.2010

random.

because sometimes, in the middle of all that christmas music, we need a blasty-blast from the past.

my fave new products of the week.

i have made some purchases and acquisitions this past week and i'm in love with all of them, so i decided to share. i am in no way benefiting from endorsing these products...but i love them so much so it doesn't matter.

first up...aveeno intense relief overnight cream. i have pretty dry skin normally, but during the winter is it exacerbated. i have tried a few different brands of lotion, but i always, always come back to aveeno. especially the baby aveeno products. but this new overnight stuff is absolutely fantastic. for example...it's been about eleven hours since i applied this lotion (because i use it in the morning as well as at night) and i still feel like my hands are moisturized and i've washed them several times. enough said.


i have really tried getting into the holiday mood by decorating and such. and after i put up my tree, i decided that i needed a good christmas-y, pine-y smell. a few days ago i met up with my friend at the layton hills mall and we hit up the bath & body works (she is currently employed there). i told my friend what i was looking for and she came back with a candle and told me it was like christmas in a box...and you know what, she was right. bought the wallflower refills and now my apartment smells like winter. it's delightful.


and while i was at b&bw, i happened upon this lucious lip gloss. a few years back while on vacation in california, i purchased a coconut lip gloss at sephora and it was my most favorite. when i was at sephora (yes, utah is moving up in the world and we now have our very own sephora) a few weeks ago, i looked for that same lip gloss and i could not find it. when i caught a glimpse of this little gem at b&bw, i knew i had to try it. and while it is not quite the same as my original, this coconut liplicious tasty lip gloss is just that...quite tasty.


and finally, last night i went out with a friend. we had dinner and then were planning on going to a play at usu. (btw...we saw a midsummer night's dream and it was absolutely fantastic. i highly recommend it for any of my local readers.) well, after we finished eating, we had some time to kill and my friend pulled these little ditties out of her purse, colgate wisp. she had a whole package and she so kindly shared it with me. besides the fact that they are mini...anything mini is adorable...they are handy and they work wonderfully. now, truth be told, i did not use it last night after dinner because i dropped it under my seat in the car and we were in a rush once we parked, so i didn't have a chance. i did watch my friend use hers and it was lovely. i had to use the old standby...gum. but, alas, i was able to use it today and it is a little mini dream. they are going to be my new purse must-have.


what are your new faves or must-haves?
that's all.

12.07.2010

random.

i just came across this song on my ipod and i had to share it. it's an oldie but a goody. this is probably my most favorite sarah mchlachlan song. (but it is by gordon lightfoot...fyi.)

12.06.2010

and i'm back.

it's been a few, but i have good reasons. i'm not going to tell them to you, but if you ask, i might. just wanted to pretend that i'm a real blogger and post something today. thought i'd start the week out right.

today, i saw this on another blog and i have decided that i want it badly. too bad that a.) i live in a mini apartment so there is absolutely no room and b.) i have no idea how to even go about purchasing it. but it's super cool.

today i also i contemplated quiting my job and becoming a full-time crafter. i don't know what that means or how conducive to bill paying that would be, but wouldn't it be fun. i kinda have been obsessed with the martha stewart website lately. and i've decided that i want to make everything. i am crafting all (or most) of my christmas gifts this year and i'm pretty stoked about it. i would tell you what i am making, but that would ruin all the fun. i promise when all is said and done, there will be words about the projects i've planned.

one thing i am making that i can tell you about is this. i maybe, kinda, probably like wreaths more than a normal person. i made a "fall" wreath in november and this is my christmas/winter wreath. i may just have to make a new one every month. it my be my new "thing." we'll see.


and how about them patriots. maybe, just maybe, this is their year? i like the sound of that.