Fun Resolutions!

I of course have some serious resolutions but I am going to focus on my fun ones!
I have a serious addiction to shopping--I love it, the high of finding the perfect outfit that looks amazing, the thrill of the hunt, the fun of a sale--and the result is I have a closet full of amazing clothes. I resolve to wear everything in my closet this year(with the exception of the bridesmaid dress from my sister's wedding). If something doesn't fit or doesn't look great--it is getting donated. And I will try to buy nothing new until I have gone through everything. One exception is pants and jeans--I will have to wear them more than once(especially when our winter highs are in the teens). And I will try to do a monthly recap in a picture montage.
My other fun resolution is to plan a fun date for my husband each month. His Christmas present from me was a Date of the Month club so I can't really back out. But I want to focus on planning and having fun with him. I will make invites and take pictures so I can give him a little album of what fun we had this year!

What are your fun resolutions?

Fantasy Week: Shopping for Elle

Now I will be the first to admit (but don't tell my husband) that Elle really doesn't need anymore clothes at this point but where is the fun in that...
This dress from Janie and Jack for my brother's wedding this summer

Baby Sweet Pea costume from Pottery Barn Kids

This cute shirt from Gymboree--at only 10 bucks might have to buy it and I have a coupon laying around somewhere


This print from etsy


These cute baby booties also from etsy


This whole look again from etsy!

Fantasy Week: Shopping for me: Gadgets

My fantasy life continues...
A flat screen TV--mostly to clear up space in our new apartment--our living area is long and skinny and we don't have a ton of space between our TV and couch...


The iPhone 4 (or even a 3Gs) we have my parents first generation phones and love them, but no matter how many times I upgrade our software I can't send picture text messages. So for that reason only, a new phone...


The Silhouette Digital Craft cutter and a lifetime supply of paper and vinyl to go with it--I found such cute project ideas, why I like this one--you hook it up to your computer and can use any font or thing you have NO CARTRIDGES--downside is it isn't MAC compatible so I would have to get a PC too.


Photoshop Elements--I really want to get into digital scrapbooking and have found so many templates and things but I would need this program to try it out--not sure if I am ready to bite the bullet, I might try the 30 day download and a free class I found online to see if I like it.

Fantasy Week: Shopping for me

So this stay at home mom thing has left me time to watch TV and search the internet--yeah right--but during naptime or early in the morning what else is a girl to do?--but no money to shop with. So this is my fantasy week--what I would buy if suddenly I become independently wealthy. Today's installment clothes for me.

Boots from Lands End




A collection of stuff from Ann Taylor Loft, of course


This outfit from JCrew--would go great with the boots don't ya think?


This shirt I could actually afford from the Gap--maybe several colors?

Baby Crafts--Grandma T-Shirts

If you can't make 'em buy 'em: Well I can't actually take credit for these, Custom Bling Apparel made me these and the Grandmas got lots of compliments on them!

Spring?

The weather outside is frightful--sideways snow on April 1st, slamming me back into the winter funk that I was temptingly pulled out of with 75 and sun on Tuesday--perhaps a springgy purchase is in order and look what I found in my DownEast Basics catalog today--not sure if it will work with the Baby Bump though...

Where has the time gone?

So apparently it has been a month since I have even been on my own blog--wow! Well let's see what has happened in that month

• we found out Baby Byrd is a girl!! At the same time we found out I have a rather large cyst on one of my ovaries which necessitates me getting more frequent ultrasounds--good because its more opportunities to see Baby Byrd not so good because we just got the bill for the first one and are freaking out about health care costs...
• Because the only thing that has got a workout in the past 2 months is my credit card (not my expanding body) in buying adorably cute outfits for her and somewhat fashionable maternity clothing for me...
• Some of which happened on a recent last minute trip to Vegas where I would be able to see my sister which of course involved shopping and some long awaited sunshine(which besides the tip of my nose my body hasn't seen in 4 months).
  
• I have been taking classes right and left to try to get up to my masters plus 36 as soon as I can since...
• we are waiting to hear from the school district what our pay will look like--we have heard pay freeze, pay cuts, furlough days, and got an email the day before spring break informing us that they can no longer pay for our health insurance all of which means significantly less pay in top of maternity leave...
• ...SO most days I come home, try not to be stressed out about the future, pray that this cyst won't burst or I won't need surgery(miscarriage rate is at least 10% if I do), try to get some reading done, and sleep(which seems to be the only stress reliever that doesn't involve spending money!)

Wow this was a giant vent, I am over the moon excited about Baby Byrd, am loving teaching and feeling so successful with my students, and I have confidence things will work out. I think the cold and the lack of sunshine over the past 4 months has made me a little depressed.

Ready for some early Christmas Shopping?

Shelly over at SingleStoneStudios is selling holiday gift certificates at half price!! Yep that's right, you can get a $50 gift certificate for $25 and a $100 gift certificate for $50!! What a deal. Their work is fabulous and our apartment home is full of her designs, including one I submitted but haven't taken a picture of yet! I also have her modern mums in bronze metallic at the top of our stairs so cool!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

normally I am not in the holiday spirit yet but I have found our Christmas card on etsy!! This is the listing picture--I don't want to reveal the one with our pictures just yet!

Check out this new etsy shop--4 Leaf Boutique--cute cards and announcements!!

Glamour PJs

Glamor PJs

How cute is this?

I have been spending all my etsy dollars the past few weeks on fabric and applique stuff--I will post pictures soon of my onesies collections. (No not for me just yet--my brother and some friends with newborns or who are expecting). But I couldn't resist this cute little necklace--I didn't buy it but maybe someone wants to buy it for me?

etsy love!If

If you have a pet, you should check out ThirtyDash9. Jen makes fused glass pendants and magnets using pictures of your pet. She made this for me to give to my brother after our family dog, Snickers, died. She also sent me a pendant as well. Her work is great and its a fun gift for the dog and cat lovers in your life.

This the image that she put into blue glass for the tile and pendant!

Summer scent!!

I have found the perfect summer scent--White Citrus from Bath and Body Works! I am normally a vanilla girl but when the thermometer regularly hits 100 it just doesn't work. This is a very light and fresh scent--plus BBW is having a big sale--buy 3 get 3 free!!

look what arrived in the mail today..

I ordered this from Stella and Dot, my husband's cousin has an online boutique and hosts parties!! It is so gorgeous in person, I can't wait to wear it! Alas tomorrow is a hiking field trip so it will have to wait until Wednesday.

things I am loving right now...

...personalized gifts! I love giving presents and have been on a mission to give really personal presents when I can.

This necklace from MamaBethBling, become a fan on facebook and you get deals!--I gave my sister for her anniversary. It has their names and birthstones!

Mom, if by chance you are reading this--stop now!

For Mother's Day, I got my mom a necklace like this from The Pretty Peacock! Ours has all the kids and spouses names on the bottom tier, my parents names on the middle tier, and the word love on the top with my mom's birthstone. She is wonderful to work with and her packaging is beautiful too! She has a great blog as well--and has deals of the week!

For my mother-in-law I sent my blogging friend Ashley Brooke this picture of her dogs
and she turned that into this...

Seriously, if you haven't bought anything from Ashley yet you are missing out, her work is beautiful and she is so gosh darn nice!! She just started making sticky notes...

Two of my teammates at school are getting married this summer, so one got a beautiful frame like this from Onkie Bazoobie
.

Another, whose shower I am co-hosting this weekend, is getting a sign like this

(This is mine from our wedding cake table--I get compliments all the time on it and I love giving these at showers, as does my sister, we are arguing over who gets to give one like it at my sister-in-law's baby shower!)
from my favorite seller OffWoodlandLane who has some amazing new shadow box frames in her store!
and some cute luggage tags from A Touch of Whimsy!

So as you can see there is no recession in my household!! Don't tell that to my credit card company or my husband! I love etsy and finding people who make great stuff by hand themselves--I feel a little better spending money that way.

Ann Taylor Sale

Up to 60% off and an extra 10% if you use an Ann Taylor Card. I have been waiting for this dress to go on sale...

Weekend roundup

Things I have found and fallen in love with this week:
Ashley Brooke Designs--check her blog and store! I ordered these Love Birds Notecards and the Easter Urban Cards--she is running a sale and she is so nice to work with!



This shower invitation from etsy seller SassyInk(great name too!) for my friend Courtney's shower--they fit her perfectly!


That OffWoodlandLane is back! She made a beautiful custom name sign I used at my wedding and I just ordered one for a bridal shower I am throwing. Her work is great and they are great personal gifts.

That Shelley from SingleStoneStudios is doing a great giveaway! I have to take pictures of my latest vinyl set!

This dress from Land's End