Catch Up Post

This morning I said goodbye to my parents and two youngest sisters who had been visiting us this week from California. They were only here for a few days, but we made the most of them and had a wonderful time. My sisters (ages 9.95 and 10) did a marvelous job of occupying my sons while my mom and I sewed. Check out our fabric concoctions. Yes, they are the same Amy Butler Swing Bag pattern that I posted about below.

My Mom's bags:


My bags:

Truly, my bags are more gorgeous, right? I was planning to take the little guy to the fabric store with me this morning in search of a new pattern and some crazy funky fabric. However I just woke up Grant and he won't be going to school due to "a plugged nose on both sides, mom." Shoot. Maybe I'll be brave and drag them both out.

Anyway, we went to the coast on a cold, wet day. It was awesome to just GO and not have an agenda in mind. Except for Mo's clam chowder, of course.


Isn't he hot?


What else? Hmm . . . I released some new stuff at The Digichick.


All of my templates (including hybrid) are 40% off this week!

And at Funky Playground Designs.

Just $1 this week!

And, I created a layout about my adorable nephew.


I thought I would mention here that I did a couple of blog posts for The Hybrid Chick blog.

Where to Start
Preparing Hybrid Templates for Printing

The newest issue of Bella Scraps Magazine was released, and I did a little tutorial about adding photos to Quickpages.

And . . . I think that's it. Well, I'm sure there is more, but it's early and I need my coffee to take effect. Hopefully I'll come back and post again!!

Click this!

Click here to see this exciting new blog!! Yeah, I'm contributing a bit. You can find my article somewhere in there! Oh, and a few of my templates. Hee, hee!

This is the "quiet" grand opening of the blog, but we are hoping to have a bigger GRAND OPENING soon! (Maybe next week!)

I sewed!

Looky what I made!! I used the Amy Butler Swing Bag Pattern, and some inexpensive fabric that I found at WalMart. The original pattern didn't have a button or closure, and while it is a nice idea, I wish I had just stuck to the pattern. I REALLY like how roomy the bag is without being too big. And, it is nice and sturdy. It is reversible and I have interfacing in there, too!

This is the first thing I have sewn (besides layouts and cards) since I made Grant's crib bedding 6 years ago. Yay! I'm kinda hooked now. I'm excited to use my Amy Butler fabric. Wahoo!!

(Don't look too closely, and remember that I am a tiny bit clueless about sewing!!)

I got it!!

I just love a good bargain! Especially when it is for something I really NEED! Like a table. But, not just a table, a coffee table. But not just a coffee table! A tufted leather coffee table ottoman thingy.

Let me tell the story: I've had this decorating bug for about a month now. Maybe a little longer. So, a while back, we went into Salem and stopped by Ross. Mitch sat in the car with the boys while I browsed. I'm glad Mitch stayed in the car, because the Lancaster Ross is just so gross. Stuff was falling off shelves, people were stepping on items that shouldn't have been on floors, children were screaming, the loud speaker calling for security kept sounding. Mitch would not have been thrilled. However, I did lay my eyes on a round coffee table ottoman thingy that was highly intriguing. What made it even more mysterious was its lack of a visible price tag. It had some dings in the wood and was obviously not in perfect condition, so although I looked for a price tag, I didn't search too hard. I left the store empty-handed, even though I found two of the most adorable pairs of shoes! The line was so long and the kids were so loud that I just couldn't take it. Even for shoes. I did tell Mitch about the table and just couldn't get it out of my mind. But still, I figured that it would be too expensive.

A couple of weeks later, gluttons for punishment, I guess, we stopped by the Lancaster Ross again. I saw the same coffee table ottoman thingy (okay, maybe this was the trip when I discovered the shoes. Doesn't matter.) Still, no price tag. Mitch was out in the car, and I would have loved his opinion. Children were screaming. I left, empty-handed. Still, I wondered about that table. It really would be the perfect fit, and it is exactly what I was looking for. And, at Ross, how expensive could it be, right?

This morning (which is weeks later), it was just me and Cole, so I decided to head to Keizer Station to check out the Cost Plus World Market chairs (pictured below). Keizer Station has a bunch of fun stores, and I visited each of them according to which store opened first. Target, then Ross, then Cost Plus, I skipped Bed Bath and Beyond. (Gosh, I really do ramble, don't I?) Cute pillow at Target. I was tempted, but did not buy.

Over to Ross. Walked in and THERE IT WAS! The coffee table ottoman thingy. As I explained to Mitch, I figured it HAD to be God telling me that this was supposed to be MY table. (Of course, he reasoned that the car that has been sitting on the lot for months now must be God's way of saying that it is supposed to be HIS car. Hmm. My logic is working against me here.) Anyway, it was the SAME coffee table ottoman thingy that was at the Lancaster Ross for so long, and the sales guy said that they shipped it back over to see if it would sell at Keizer Station. He flipped it over for me and it was $300!! Well, no wonder it wouldn't sell! I mean, it is not perfect. It has scrapes and dings along the wood (which can be fixed with one of those little wood stain pens), and some of the leather is a little worn on the edges. Still, my reasoning told me that my own children would have done that eventually, so I asked to speak to the manager.

When the manager arrived, I asked him if this price was firm, or would he be willing to give me a discount?
He asked, "What price are you thinking?"
I said, "I'd take it for $100." (Nonchalant. I'd be doing you a favor type of thing.)
He countered, "If I do this, it wouldn't be returnable."
"That's okay," I replied.
Done. Purchased using my new Paypal debit card (so all of this $$ is coming out of my "fun money" account).

Check it out:

$100 baby. You're so jealous. (Oh, and notice that it fits in with Christine's guidelines? I'm so good.)

Oh, and the chairs at Cost Plus were all sold out and won't be back in stock until April. Argh. I HOPE to be able to sit in one at the Tigard store tomorrow, if possible. In the meantime, she gave me a raincheck on that price for 4 chairs. Pretty cool.

Digi catch up post!

I have TOTALLY been slacking when it comes to showing off my digi stuff, so I'm going to try to catch up today!

First, at TDC, a new product:



and my project up close:



And, released today at Funky Playground Designs (I'm a guest! Wahoo!):







Here's a link to my little corner of FPD!

And a sweet little layout:

credits here.

•I finally finished up my latest article for Bella Scraps Magazine. Whew!
•The March issue of the DST Insider was released. Yay!
•I have a mini album that I am so proud of that is in a holding pattern circling Jen Wilson's server. (She's having computer problems right now.) I'll link you up to the blog post I prepared for her as soon as I can!!
•I'm working on a project for The Hybrid Chick! (Oh, is that still a secret? It won't be a secret anymore on March 15th!! Fun times!)

**side note:

I recently got together with some friends, and they told me that I really should be writing for something. It occurred to me that I might not have mentioned that I actually DO write for some online publications and stuff like that.
For example, I am the Editor-In-Chief and sometimes (okay, often) feature writer of The Digishoptalk Insider - a free publication available for DST members (click the link above). I REALLY love that job. Yeah, I do get paid. It is fun and keeps my brain from turning to mush.
I'm also a feature writer (mostly hybrid-related tutorials) for Bella Scraps Magazine. This is one you have to pay for, but I do get to give away two copies per month! Maybe I'll have a giveaway on my blog for March. Hmm.
Sometimes I write blog posts for various stores, although that has slowed down a bit (thank goodness!), but you can find my older blog posts at The Digichick and Funky Playground Designs. Obviously, as stated above, I'll be posting on Jen Wilson's blog soon. AND, then there is The Hybrid Chick! (I imagine that will take up a lot of time.) Oh, and I've contributed to The Daily Scrapper (online mag). So, yeah, I do write for something. Which is why I don't always get to my own blog!!**

Chair issues

I just can't live with the pressure of knowing that there are only 5 chairs left at Overstock.com, and I can't return them if I don't like them. So, I'm bailing on that. However, I found a similar chair at Cost Plus World Market!

I'm beginning to think that the scale of these chairs might be better than the chair pictured in my post below (although I might still get that one for another room of the house).

What do you think?

This one?


or this one?


I think I might go visit that top chair this weekend.

Oh, and I put my pretty print (my "happy picture" as my friend calls it) above the mantle, and it is too narrow for the space. So, I might need to get new artwork for above the mantle. Thankfully the same artist has another print that I think would work perfectly! The colors are not as bright, but it is still nice (and I have seen this in person!).


Whew! This is going to add up! If I get 4 of the top chairs, I will have to get 2 now and 2 later (could be months before I have $ saved up). If I get 4 bottom chairs, I could buy them today. Hmmm . . .

Chair time!

Christine is talking to me!! Go check out her posts, then come back.

Did you read it? She says that she likes the armless chairs better. I like them both. I kind of like the style of the armless chairs better, though. So, going with that idea, I've been looking at these chairs on Target.com lately. My friend Sarah has 2 of them in her living room, and I got to sit in them this weekend and check them out. They are super nice, made of something that looks like linen, and are very comfortable. What do you guys think? With free shipping, free in-store returns, and 15% off, I could pick up 4 and not completely drain the PayPal account. And, of course, picture them with funky fabric pillows.

Christine says WAIT!!

Okay, so Christine got back to me, and she says to wait . . . running out the door . . . naked children . . . gotta be a mom, etc, etc. She QUICKLY gave me some advice: Go with 4 chairs instead of a couch and do a round ottoman.

You are not going to believe this, but that is what we were saying we were going to do for YEARS. Really. For years, we both (Mitch and I) agreed that we needed 4 chairs and a round table or ottoman. I just recently (maybe a month ago) started exploring the idea of a couch in there, and it still isn't sitting well with me. (I'm not much of a pun person, but that was pretty clever . . .)

Oh, this waiting is killing me!! I'm so excited to hear more about what I should do!! Sounds like Christine is on the same page!!

EDT: She posted!! Yay! So excited!

Getting ready to purchase

Well, I THINK I MIGHT be getting ready to purchase furniture. I'm getting antsy. I really wish that some more people would comment on this blog and give me their opinions!!!

I'm thinking this sofa:
here

and two of these chairs:
here

REALLY, I love the sofa in the green, but it just seems more practical to get the sofa in chocolate. By the way, just to clarify, this is not our family room. This will be more of a sitting room. We have a big, fat, cushy couch in the family room (which will be tossed at some point when I built up my paypal account again after redecorating the living room!!).

PLEASE comment. Should I do it? Both of these pieces have free shipping and 15% off, but only until Friday!!

The motherload

First, let me catch you up on the "goings-on".
•The boys got haircuts and look super cute. Little men. I just love it!
•We went to a Portland Trailblazer game on Friday night while the boys spent the night at their Grandparent's house. We had box seats! So cool! There were two suites for our group from SF, and both suites had huge spreads of party food: meatballs, wings, chips, dips, veggies, fruit, brownies, etc. One side had a quesadilla bar, and then at dinner time (as if we needed more food!) they brought in prime rib, roasted veggies and potatoes. I was STUFFED! The game was a lot of fun, too. I enjoyed our attempts to get on the big screen. I actually did see my arm in one shot while they had their cameras on the drum crew that was in front of us. Oh, and the Blazers won. (We seriously had a blast!!)
•I became a little obsessed over the weekend. I discovered funky fabric. A gal posted on a forum I frequent about a sale in her etsy shop on fabric, so I checked it out. That started the obsession (maybe a week ago), then I bought myself a camera strap cover from another gal's etsy shop. Yep. Funky fabric. So, I went in search of this funky fabric. First, some internet research to find the names that I like. Then (total waste of time) a jaunt into Salem to the big fabric stores. Joanns and Hancock still carry the same fabric they carried in the 90's. Ridiculous. Then, back home to research obsessively only to discover that I need to look at quilt shops for this stuff if I want to see it in person. Uh. We have a pretty nice quilt shop here in town, so as soon as it opens (in a few minutes), I am headed over. I KNOW they carry Amy Butler fabric there, I just don't know if it will be the patterns I like. (And, of course, I am totally open to some non-Amy funkiness.)
•Then, just to heap on the obsession, I attended a very fun baby shower yesterday for my friend Mellisa, at Sara's house. Sara is SO talented at decorating and finding absolute steals on home decor items and furniture. Crazy good. Every time I go to her house I leave totally inspired. Oh, and she sews. With funky fabric. So, now I've seen this gorgeous stuff in person, and yes, it does look just as nice up close as it does online, so I have NO problem with purchasing fabric online. And, Sara gave me some great suggestions on where to find my funky fabric. She usually buys it online, but she knows of some great stores in Corvallis. Of course, I only go to Corvallis during football season, at night. But, if, for some reason, we decide to take a family field trip out there, I will be sure to call Sara first.
•Came home from the super fun baby shower just GLOWING with obsession. Mitch was on the computer. Argh. Once he jumped off, I got on and did more research on my fabric/decorating thing. My biggest issue right now is furniture. I have ideas on what I want, but it is sort of hard to narrow it down, especially when we don't have ANY good furniture stores in Salem and I am not about to tote 2 kids up to Portland to look at furniture. Yes, I've done it before, and I won't do it again. So, Ikea is a possibility, but I'm not crazy about their upholstered furniture options. Like a lot of the wood stuff, though. I need to check it out in person (sounds like a date Saturday!!). Overstock.com has some ideas (like the two I posted about below), but the whole online-shopping-and-can't-return-it-without-paying-through-the-nose thing is a little frightening. I went to bed last night feeling excited, frustrated, anxious and ready to get moving on this decorating thing.
•THIS MORNING I HIT THE MOTHERLOAD. Cheap furniture, very nice looking, good reviews, and you can return it to any Target store for no charge!! Oh, and free shipping. So, now I am refreshed and excited and thrilled that I will actually be able to afford some new furniture that is stylish and can be returned. I'm off to the fabric store to find the funky fabric that will be the accent in my room (or maybe just a new bag. We'll see.).