This heat is making me crazy

I miss the fall!!!

I'm a fall-winter-spring kinda girl! If I could have just 2 weeks of summer, that would be good enough for me! I cannot wait for the heat to fade out. I miss Not burning in my black car. When it's really hot, I can hear the great Hambino from the Sandlot say "we're bakin' like toasted cheesers" as I sizzle on my black leather seats and wait for the little AC vents to fill the mustang.

I miss cold breezes, and fall foliage, and my cartigans, coats, and scarves that are hiding in my closets. All my boots peek out at me every time I open the hall closet, pleading to be worn, but I'll sadly grab some sandals and tell them, just a lil longer guys. I love the build up to the holidays. And baking. Even Starbucks tastes better in the fall! Ughh September where are you?!? I love when its cold and I dig into my trunk-coffee table for blankets and curl up on my cozy couch with a really good book and hot tea.

School starts this Monday. I'm mildly nervous, but I think that's just a little anxiety before I start something new :) Though I love my art classes, and can't wait to finish my bachelors, I found an associates program at another school I could not pass up. I have 1,000,001 interests, and I want to do everything!

What just came out of the oven

I found this Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe online a while back, and people always love it! To the point where the bowl is scraped clean! So I had to pass it along :)

Click -- here -- for the recipe, it's just like the Applebee's kind. Super easy to make & toss into a little crockpot.
I'm wondering... with tons of artichoke hearts & spinach, do you think it could suffice as my veggie intake?? ;)

Image via http://www.allrecipes.com/

Rainy days

I love the rain! It's soothing. The air smells good. And I have time to post this! I'm onto girl onesies now that the next baby shower I'm going to is for Little Miss Madison, due in August.

Used some black and white fabric for flowers and ruffles on her little baby bum. Also making one with a colorful M on it, and playing with the idea of a green camo, & hot pink. I'm not keen on that idea, but it would please her daddy :) Hopefully her Mama Whitney likes these too

New Favorite Series

I recently discovered a show I never knew existed.

And I'm hooked!!

LEVERAGE

Charming cast, entertaining, very Ocean's Eleven meets Robin Hood. Smart theives, steal from corrupt rich business men. It just started it's 3rd Season, with the first 2 seasons available on Instant View on Netflix. I'm very excited to catch up.

via google image

I'm picky with shows, I get bored with story lines. And I don't like all the Reality TV garb.... but I was flipping thru channels & within 10min of the new premiere episode, I was glued to the tube. Yay for good Sunday night television!

Sunday nights, TNT
check it out

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>>>Also, (i'm all about the plugs tonight, they should pay me)

Hot in Cleveland seems to be off to a good start. It's okay. I really like all the ladies on it, so I had high hopes for it. It's produced by Sean Hayes (Jack from Will&Grace). And it says TVLand Wed 10/9c but I've seen the Pilot episode on at least 3 different channels. So who knows.

Speckled nails

Just painted my nails :) wanted to show 'em off

O.P.I. released a line of "Shrek" nail colors

and they're super bright and fun

Blue- "Ogre The Top Blue"

Green- "Who The Shrek Are You"

I wish I could get a better closer picture,

I had to zoom in here, so you can't really see it clearly,

(and ignore how awkward looking my hand is here)

but it's very speckly & tie die looking.

You could play with layering some patriotic colors,

very fireworks looking :)

Got the idea from here
you just sponge on layers

It's been the best weekend!

Just had to pop in & blog a bit about how ecstatic

I am right now! The week was a little rough,

but once Friday got here,

I received The best news! And I've been on cloud 9 ever since!

Had fun with friends, relaxed, had another wonderful morning in church today, went swimming at a friend's house...

everything's been pretty great!

But Friday was the best! And I can't wipe this smile off my face! :]

The Lord is really opening some amazing doors

for me right now & I am so thankful!

And this week is lookin' pretty good too!!!

Twilight Saga: Eclipse premiers Wednesday 6/30/10

but luckily I have Twilight *Trilogy* tickets in IMAX

for Tuesday's midnight premier!!

Exciting news, fun times, and plenty to look forward to!

Life is good!

And now it's thundering outside my window,

and my cushy bed is beckoning me!

good night sweet world!

Summa time!

In June, I'm hosting a garden party for my girl friends to come over and hang out. It's a Mad Hatter Tea Party theme and it's been several months in the making. I can't wait! I'm a girl on a budget, but I'm gonna make this work!

Isn't this a cute vintage wonderland?Been a Baking Betty today

(any excuse to wear one of my sassy kitchen aprons)

making Lemon Squares & Pecan Tarts, and testing out a few different finger sandwich recipes.

The girls all have their invites,

and everyone seems pretty excited about it.

[ Posting a picture of the invitations I made soon ]

They're texting me about finding new dresses, or digging thru closets and getting their favorite sundresses out, or what foods they're going to bring. I'm still trying to find/make a croquet set.

A true Alice in Wonderland fan.

Trying to turn my backyard into a little Wonderland. But I rent a house in a relatively new neighborhood where every house looks the same and no tree is above 6ft., so I'm going to have to be creative with decorations and shade from the June summer heat. I definitely have a blank canvas. I'm on a constant hunt for baskets, and tea cups, and cute country fabrics/tablecloths.

I found a great little hutch someone was tossing out :)

and yeah... I took it.

[Post a picture of it soon too]

It was a bright orange coral color when I found it,

but plan to paint it either

A) Medium Purple

B) Pretty Dark Turquoise

C) Apple/Lime Green

(a small part of me wants to paint it a hot pink, because never again would I ever have a pink hutch if i had to purchase it)

That's all for now... don't wanna give away too many surprises with some of the girls peeking on my blog ;)

images via Google

It's almost TIME!!!!!

Do you smell World Cup in the air?!?!?

WOOO WOOO!!!!!!!!!!

I've waited 4 long years and

I

am

ready!
It's the ultimate football season!

I wish I were in Malaysia for this so I could watch the games with my family and friends, among crowds full of dedicated football fans! Last World Cup was in Germany 2006, and I was in M'sia loving it! Coffee shops, pubs, and street cafes stay open allll night with big screens showing the games, and hundreds of chairs filled with all eyes on the tvs! I LOVE IT! Hopped up on caffeine, we had games on at 2:00am with the time difference, and everyone was screaming and jumping. I was at Coffee Bean a lot! I liked going to the mamak stalls (street cafes) the most though. It's comfortable there. Where your uncles have known the owners for decades.

All in all

World Cup = so much fun.

Fifty times better than the Super bowl!

Being in the states, we have fans, but I don't think you can quite understand the excitement. It's EVERYWHERE. Walking down any street you can see like 15 screens showing the latest game, or a replay. It's intense. People in the US are asking me "whats the world cup? oh, it's like a soccer game?" Umm no. You see everyone representing their own countries or their favorite teams alike, it's like The international event that's fun and exciting and puts people across the world on the same wavelength. Eveywhere people are watching the same games, and checking in on the scores. Here in the states, people say they're rooting for team USA, and want a USA Bid for the next game. And I'm like, 30 seconds ago you just heard about the world cup for the first time. I think we need to respect the sport a little more, learn about the game a little more, and maybe recognize a few of our own players before we start barking orders for an American Bid on future World Cups.

More Baby Gifts

a chipboard album

There's space for big and small photos on each side of each letter

A Crayon Roll

(not exactly baby-ish, but close enough)

Tucks neatly away :) Happy coloring....

And I made this glass box with twinkle lights around Christmas, but it's a great night light, and could be cute in a nursery or kid's room. You could use whatever scrapbook paper coordinates with their room

BRIDESMAIDS BECOME AUNTIES

So I've been busy making baby gifts for tons of friends, who happen to be mostly having boys.

At first I thought boy stuff would be difficult to find, but it's been quite fun. And I don't typically notice mother's day, but now since I have so many friends that are New Moms, thought I'd post some of these makings... (haha i accidently typed 'new moon' instead of new moms, oooh twilight...)

I made the 5 above for a friend's shower, & wrapped them like so, tried to avoid the typical pastels. I like to paint & stamp brown paper bags, add some tags, & used bold colors in the tissue paper.

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.It was hard to pick boyish fabrics, but here are up close pics
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I tried to sew a little treasure map trail... but then JK! sewing tiny loopy lines is really hard in reality!

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Roadtrip!!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!

A friend and I went on a last minute roadtrip to Colorado

for the weekend :) and I brought little Poppy along too!
The whole weekend had beautiful weather

and the bluest skies and thick puffy clouds

I couldn't stop taking pictures!

Trust me: The pictures do not do justice!
10 hours in a little convertible were not so bad with such pretty scenery... And when we got to Denver,
snowcapped mountains framed every skyline
I got to do a little shopping in Cherry Creek!
Drove all over the city of course. It's absolutely beautiful,
and definitely makes it to my list of places I may move to soon.
I got to try out Cherry Cricket, Earl's, and Fado's. MmMmm...
Did a little grocery shopping at Whole Foods
Sunday afternoon, hundreds of people were on every street leaving their Easter services. And I heard there were over 12,000 people around the Coor's baseball stadium for praise and worship,

and were singing "Somebody to Love"

*Found a new teapot to add to my collection*

I love it! I'm actually having a hot cup of chamomile tea before bed as we speak, in hopes that I can get sleepy! There's a tea infuser inside the teapot, and a perfect cup underneath.

And I picked up this cute tea bag squeezer,

among other things at Crate and Barrel

All in all, I loved seeing Colorado again. And I love the idea of living there, and having the mountains be an afternoon trip, or an easy weekend getaway. I could see myself walking little Bentley through all the beautiful parks and going sidewalk shopping. Some day..... until then I'm just finishing school.

All thanks go to God. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" - John 3:16 the greatest love. Happy Easter!

And here she is!

Poppy

my new bunny

She's 7 weeks old

grayish/chocolate Mini Lop

I love her to pieces!

From her floppy ears

to her little cotton tail...

Her little button face! So cute :)Right now she's about the length of my hand
And she'll get up to 6lbs.
I hope she's a fatty! The tiny ones are so hyper