camille yanair

i wish....

2012-02-09T21:00:00.003-07:00

*that andrea and haley lived down the street from me. i have no idea how to make crafty or hoopy friends here. i haven't even seen any people who look like they'd enjoy those things.

*that my dog would stop hiding under the bed when i leave for work everyday.

*that my car ran on air. or really anything besides something expensive as gas.

*that i could publish a book. either of poetry. or a kids' book.

*that i had the guts to actually let anyone read what i write.

*that all the houses and buildings that are going unsold could let the homeless people sleep in them until they are sold. i still don't understand why this couldn't be a reality.

*that i could get outta bed earlier so i have more time to run in the mornings. i want to streeeeeetch myself!

what are you wishing for these days?

2012-02-06T19:24:00.006-07:00

i LOVE reading other bloggers' "photo an hour" posts, so here's my version...it's maybe not every hour, but as close as i could get!

6:30 am: running with annie. i sleep in my running clothes to make getting up in the am easier ;)

7:30 am: books & coffee.

8:30: off to work!

9:30: more coffee.

10:30: eat breakfast/my babies' naptimes/hang up art projects that dried overnight from the day before.

(all day): change 7 babies' diapers, minimum 7x a day...so about 50 diaper changes. i'm a BOSS at changing diapers ;)

(all day): work with sweet babies' fine/gross motor skills. including tummy time.

(all day): update skills board/label EVERYTHING.

6 pm: (i'm at work, 830-530ish), sketch/read/relax in SILENCE.

7-9 pm: music/books/blogs with annie may.

good gracious my everyday life comes across as boring! oh well, good to do this so i can look back and see just how simple and easy my life is :) i'd love to see if you've ever done a post like this, leave me a link! happy monday!

dream house....plus i need questions!

2012-02-04T12:25:00.003-07:00

still in love with bohemian everything....that will never change :) and i'm thinking of doing a Q+A Vlog....what questions do ya'll have for me...anything mundane/personal/deep/etc? i have no boundaries ;)

i confess....

2012-02-03T19:46:00.003-07:00

i confess:

*i really am wanting things i don't need. like a new tattoo, a nose piercing, and a new bedding set.

*i really need to pay off my credit card :)

*i'm really sad about going to get a non-south carolina drivers license tomorrow. i'll still be a south carolinian though...right?

*i can't wait to show yall me and shane's new little love nest...

*and i can't wait to love on my man...when i see him in 6 weeks.... :(

*i'm feeling a little down this weekend.

hope ya'll have a great weekend, link up for your friday confessions!

happy mail day!

2012-02-01T19:27:00.002-07:00

just wanted to stop in and remind myself how amazing my ldb is! she sent me flowers today to start off my birthday month! andrea,(www.littlelifeofmine.blogspot.com) you are awesome. in every way, shape, and form. thank you so much for my birthday month flowers!!!!!! they are so beautiful! and i also got my hoop in from haley! it's PERFECT. everything about it is awesome! i *think* she's stilll running an awesome sale on them so check it out at http://www.facebook.com/KnottyCraftKreations#!/KCKreations ! hope everyone has a splendid wednesday! works been great this week but i can't wait for the weekend!

overwhelming

2012-01-31T19:30:00.002-07:00

i keep wanting to post things but real life keeps getting in the way.

i feel a bit overwhelmed with living right now, not in a bad way particularly, just having lots and lots of very grown-up-py stuff to do right now...paying bills, figuring out how to pay those bills, figuring out how to pick out my own health/life insurance (um...hello confusing stuff. anyone have any advice on this, it'd be much appreicated :), missing my honey, figuring how to buy/thrift/find us all new furniture while paying those bills....wooooooooeeeee its a lot! once i get everything straight i hope to be back to silly, fun, inspiring posts! happy monday!

busy.fun.exhausted!

2012-01-28T09:45:00.004-07:00

this has been one of those weeks that were really great, but now i'm EXHAUSTED. i worked out my "abs" (ha, i mean cookie stomach!) and arms yesterday, and had big plans of going to the art museum today to sketch, but now i can barely move...and i have some sort of sinus gunk from my kids at work so i may stay on the couch all day and read (i'm reading "the easy hour" by leslie stella, it's HYSTERICAL :)

some of the best parts of this week?

*getting surprise flowers from my man! he makes me feel like a princess sometimes, even though he's 700 miles away. i miss him to the point of making my stomach hurt, but this eases the pain a bit :)

*polyvore-ing it up...i am still so obsessed with this site. i can't figure out how to "follow" people though...help!

a day at the art museum by camilleyanair featuring pearl bangles

*so i started a new job since moving, and i work with babies again (which i love) but is super nerve wracking because these parents don't know me/etc. well after 2 weeks on the job, one of the parents emailed my boss and told her she loved what i was i doing and that "enrollment would increase if there were more teachers like me." TOTALLY made my day/week/month/life. i don't mean for this to be conceited, its just i pour my everything into making sure my sweet babies have an amazing day, everyday, and it is SO lovely for someone else to see that.

*i got to chat a bunch with my ldb this week, and that's just one of those simple things that made me happy :)

what all have ya'll been doing this week?? i hope it's been amazing! happy weekend!

about me & fun questions....you should answer them too!

2012-01-25T06:23:00.004-07:00

so the rules are to list 10 facts about yourself then answer the following questions...so here's the 10 facts about me (especially helpful if ya'll are new to these parts!)

*i'm a south carolinian now located in south jersey.
*i LOVE coffee, super creamy and sweetened with truvia please!
*if i'm awake, i'm either running, hooping, reading, crafting, or writing. i don't know how to just sit still.
*bare walls and solid colors make me feel antsy. i need colour and patterns!
*i'm a nondenominational Christian. it's amazing how much my Jesus loves me (and you too! :)
*if i'm comfortable around you, i sing nonstop. nursery rhymes, radio songs, hymns. it's almost obnoxious. i really don't realize i'm doing it until you tell me though!
*i'm super pale. and love to tan. but reeeeeeeally trying to embrace my paleness..eek.
*i never want to get legally married but do want to have a small wedding someday.
*i'm obsessed with my dogs.
*my dream job would be a children's book illustrator who lives in a solar powered rv!
((seen over at interpretedbyme.blogspot.com :))

i LOVE reading these things when other people fill them out, so answer them in the comments or leave a link ;)

1. Who would play you in a movie?
*drew barrymore.

2. If you had an infinite amount of money to buy one item with, what would it be?
*a solar powered rv!

3. If you had to give up one of your 5 senses for the rest of your life, which one would it be and why?
*taste. i couldn't live without hearing music, seeing art & sunrises, smelling my babies, and feeling hugs.

4. If money was no object what hobby would you take up?
*traveling the world!

5. What is the worst book you have ever read?
*the twilight series. i'm still apologizing to my brain for that. those were written SO terribly (imo:)

6. If you were an animal, which one would you be?
*definitely a cat. i'm moody, sometimes i want to cuddle and other times i have no use for people. i'd also love to be able to climb trees :)

7. If you had to eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
*chocolate chip cookies. handsdown.

8. If you could befriend one famous person, who would it be?
*angelina jolie. i admire her SO much!

9. If you had a super power, what would it be?
*to turn leaves into money. i could travel, help people, pay off debt. it'd be awesome.

10. If you could go back in time and relive a moment, what would it be?
*meeting my exboyfriend. i wish i'd never met him.

11. If you could ask God one question, what would it be?
*why don't you make us all equal right out of the gate? so at least we all start on equal footing? why do some people get born into good situations, and others born into bad ones?

hope everyone's having a good morning!

weekend adventures ((beware of my obnoxious accent :))

2012-01-23T06:17:00.005-07:00

one of my best friends in the world, john, came to visit me this past weekend ((seriously, one of the nicest things anyone's ever done for me. i am very lucky to have him as a friend :) and ladies, he is single ;)) , and we had a blast! he'd never been any further north than DC, so of course he had to come visit me to see what philly and south jersey have to offer! we went to the philly museum of art, grabbed a cheesesteak at geno's, walked around philly exploring all the fun shops, went to a dive bar, and generally acted silly. ((which you will see in the two videos below, i never realize how awful my voice is til i hear it...eeeek!) hope everyone had a good weekend, if you're ever in south jersey or philly, come visit meeeeeeee!

pretty things on a sunday....

2012-01-22T10:10:00.002-07:00

images from freepeople, mainly. seeking inspiration today, going into philly to take pictures, please leave me links/ideas/etc so i can have some inspiration tonight? happy sunday!

life lately, according to my phone. (plus a friend question))

2012-01-15T20:27:00.004-07:00

1. had to buy real winter boots and a real winter coat in order to survive the 20 degree temps up here. this southern girl is getting KILLED by real cold weather. my toms & cardigans weren't cutting it!

2.i made homemade soup! shane normally fixed every single one of my meals back home, so this is a big deal for me :)

3. jersey day at my new job! go steelers (super sad yall won't be at the superbowl this year:(

4. i'm OBSESSED with tree sillouhettes. and tea. lots of tea.

5. 2 AMAZING books i'm reading, one for pleasure, and one for a bookclub i just joined (in hopes of meeting new friends :) ...

speaking of which, anyone have any suggestions on meeting new local friends?? i tried the meetup site, twice, and both times, the people i met up with were....a bit off. for me. so i need to find friends! if you have any ideas or are in the philly/nj area, lemme know!!!

(what would we all do without camera phones??? )

more goals for this year...mainly a note to myself...

2012-01-15T20:26:00.002-07:00

anyone else have new years' resolutions that they're just figuring out??

long distance love...help?

2012-01-15T08:48:00.005-07:00

i miss this man. this is the first time in 3 years together that we've been apart for more than 2 days, and he's handling it way better than me. ugh. it sucks.and makes my heart hurt. being 700 miles apart for the next 4 months is going to be tough, but i keep telling myself i can do it. any advice out there from people who've done this long distance thing before?? please let me hear it/know your experiences!

happy little things.

2012-01-12T21:47:00.005-07:00

i've been really trying to be consciously aware of how blessed i am, even when it comes to little things, and have been trying to keep a spirit of gratefulness on my heart....some little things i'm grateful for this week?

$1 wa-wa hot drinks...

early morning runs with my pup...

great books...

chocolate...

art journals,

indoor heat, hot water, a job, chocolate, cozy blankets from home, new running shoes, good health.

just typing out that list made me feel happier.

what little things are you thankful for this week??

ups & downs, and a whole lotta tears.

2012-01-08T17:38:00.005-07:00

today was tough. and a little good. but mainly tough. a stupid piece of furniture made me cry. i was trying to put together a dresser to put my clothes in, and couldn't do it (normally shane or my dad always does those types of things), and just realized how alone i am right now. but. i can do this. i HAVE to do this.

the important people in my life support my decisions, and i've prayed about it and am at total peace about this...so i don't understand why some people (who aren't living my life, or have walked in MY shoes, or really shown any interest up until now) are bringing up so much negativity about the matter (another source of tears, even thought i know it shouldn't get to me). i really really just don't understand it. sorry this blog hasn't been the sunshine filled place it usually is, but i've been trying to fight through the clouds today. tomorrow WILL be better. :)

and at least i've got stuff to still be thankful for right?

today's thankful list: homemade dinner, sunny weather, funny movies, & sweet annie may.

on becoming intentional...or how i changed my life in a day.

2012-01-07T21:17:00.004-07:00

ahhh. the big update...here it is! this time last week i was a resident of sunny old south carolina, a place i've lived all my life, all within the same 7 miles (moved from my childhood home to college dorm to our little art house, all that close to each other...eek).

due to a series of random coincidences, events, and opportunities, i now live 700 miles away from there. far above the mason-dixon line. and FAR from those 7 square miles. and everyone i know. all my family. my shane. my house. and one of my dogs. (i brought the little pup with me).

why? because i was sick of floating. of being flotsam instead of the wave. i was living up to other people's expectations of me, regardless of what i wanted. and that simply won't do. i need my life to be mine. for every decision i make to be intentional.

so now here i am, the author of my own story, and i've never felt more empowered (and a wee bit terrified)!

i was a good girl in 2011....

2012-01-06T20:26:00.003-07:00

sorry for falling off the face of the planet, i've got a doozy of a life update for yall tomorrow...until then...i know the real meaning of christmas has nothing to do with gifts, but i mustve been good this year because my loved ones SPOILED ME ROTTEN!! :) my top 3...
1. my mominlaw gave me a vintage louis vuitton! eeeeee! what i've ALWAYS wanted!!

2. my ldb gave me a (handmade and amazing) paintbrush roll and watercolour journal, perfect for painting outside when it's pretty out!

3. shane gave me a peacebomb bracelet! its a bracelet made out of reclaimed bomb debris in laos. i adore it and have worn it everyday!

did anyone get or give anything exciting this christmas? i can't wait to update ya'll tomorrow :)

tuesday=happy lists!

2012-01-03T19:34:00.005-07:00

today i am happy because:

*my sweet babies, who moved up friday, did so well in their new rooms today!

*my life is about to take a wild twist.

*there is a little time for shane & i to hang out tonight.

*i have an amazing support system, especially my dad & stepmom, bebe & hank, and friends. it's amazing to feel loved and supported.

if you made a happy list today, leave me a link so i can see it!

NYE & a WINNER!!

2012-01-01T10:23:00.005-07:00

new year's eve was sooo much fun! i spent it with my 2 best boys & shane and we all love hanging out together SO much! such a treat when we're all together (john & sid are constantly deployed so theyre never here at the same time!) the boys were CRAZY by 3 am, so we got pizza and headed home (ya'll shoulda seen me hail that cab, it was like i was from a big city!)

and now onto the giveaway winner.....it's melissa from http://melissamevans.wordpress.com/ !! please email me with your address pretty lady! hope everyone had a fun and safe NYE! what'dya do??

adios 2011, hello 2012!!

2011-12-30T16:43:00.004-07:00

2011 was a slow blur. so much, yet so little, happened. i have the same job as i did when i started off this year, same house, same friends, same dogs. yet so much has changed, as far as who i am.

i've had family drama ::out the wazoo:: this year, and it's really opened my eyes to the people i want in my life, long term. i've learned that some people just aren't worth it. so those people are out of my life, and i'm trying not to miss them!

in 2012, i'm trying to find more contentment in the blessings God's given me...i want to want less, and do more. what are your resolutions/goals for the new year?

i got 99 followers but a ...(giveaway time!!)

2011-12-28T20:08:00.004-07:00

so i'm too impatient to wait til i have 100 followers, 99 is just as good, especially when the 99 are as awesome as ya'll are :)

everything in this giveaway is delightful *i think*....it includes:

2 of my favorite magazines, a book by one of my favorite authors & a handmade bookmark, an original painting by MOI!, purple scarf, handmade journal, a gorgeous mug w/ green & chai teas, a hippie-esque messenger bag from chile, stationary, a hairbow from my friend jamie's shop (http://www.thisyearslove.etsy.com), and a few other goodies!

to enter, you must be a blog follower (1 entry)! for additional entries, you can follow me on twitter: @camilleyanair (additional 1 entry), blog about this giveaway (additional 5 entries), and/or tweet about this giveaway (additional 5 entries)!

please let me know in one comment which of these things you've done! this giveaway will end friday at 12 am! happy entering :)

new mediums.

2011-12-28T08:15:00.000-07:00

i am an avid craftophile, there are few mediums that i haven't attempted to be good at, unfortunately my crafting career is compiled mostly of "attempts"! this week i've tried my hand at (1st picture) watercolours, (2nd) graphic design, and (3rd) furniture (hard to see, its a student desk with some of my favorite wordsworth lines)...none turned out amazing, per se, but they were fun anyway! next i want to try to make a doll! what crafting mediums are you wanting to try out?? any advice on what i should try next! hope you're having a happy day :)

happy christmas!!

2011-12-25T01:05:00.000-07:00

hope ya'll al have a very happy christmas :) i'll celebrate with friends, family, sitting on an old man's lap (come on, how creepy is it that that is a tradition??) and making shane dress up as mr. klaus. merry christmas

celebrity style crushes...

2011-12-22T19:39:00.003-07:00

i'm supposed to be packing for my christmas vacay...instead, i'm looking up outfit inspiration...some of my favorite celebrities to look up for inspiration? janis joplin, and the olsen twins. the others are randoms found in my inspiration folders :) where/who do you find sartorial inspiration from???

wanna participate??

2011-12-20T20:23:00.004-07:00

i (seriously) can't believe it, but i'm 3 away from 100 followers! i want to do a GINORMOUS, SUPER FUN, AMAZING 100 follower giveaway when i get there, so if you'd like to donate anything to the giveaway package, that'd be awesome (in exchange for multiple posts/entries/etc), just comment or email me at camille.yanair@yahoo.com. hope ya'll are all having a great tuesday!

inspiration from a mucinex induced haze....

2011-12-18T19:57:00.002-07:00

i have an epic head cold. one that relegates me to being completely useless. other than watching toddlers & tiaras and trolling the interwebs for inspiring pictures...enjoy! i'm off to enjoy a mucinex/wine cocktail! happy sunday!

poly-amourous.

2011-12-17T22:20:00.002-07:00

dark by camilleyanair featuring summer boots

penny's vacay by camilleyanair featuring a fur collar jacket

warning by camilleyanair featuring a black beret

**i LOVE free shopping via polyvore. anyone else have a polyvore account? i'd love to look at your sets! it's fun seeing what i have in nearly all my sets, cowboy boots, turquoise rings, leopard print....good thing i already own all these things!**

mean girls.

2011-12-17T12:47:00.002-07:00

let me start this by saying, i *used* to be a mean girl. growing up, i lived in a household where insults were a lot more common than praise. not that it is an excuse, BUT "hurt people hurt" and i had no qualms about passing the hurt on from myself to others.

when i was about 19, and finally out of there, i realized i HAD to break the cycle. so i changed myself, and while i'm still a work in progress today, i make a very.conscious.effort. to not say/do things to people to hurt their feelings, ever.

as a result, i am very sensitive when people do/say things to hurt me. (some may say this is karma, maybe it is.) up until now, i've had nothing but positive experiences blogging. the girls i've met through here are encouraging, inspiring, and amazing. one of my best friends? i met through blogging.

however, recently my feelings were extremely hurt by another blogger, and i'm not sure what to do now. i reached out, let them know my feelings were hurt, and that was it. so now, i'm conflicted. do i quit blogging altogether? try to forget about my feelings being hurt? make my blog private? what to do, what to do?

how i turned my day around...

2011-12-15T20:26:00.005-07:00

*went thrifting! and found wooden bowls, a TACKY christmas sweater, 2 great books, and ....finally....a FRINGE purse!! been lookin' for one of these for forever. all for around $10? yes please!

*bought my favorite flavor of incense and had it lit and going, alllllll day. om nagchampa is soooo relaxing.

*redid my blog. went for a super simple look for right now. trying to simplify my life, and my blog is following suit. whatcha think?

*i also put whip cream on my coffee this am. silly and small, but a surefire way to brighten your day! it makes it feel all fancy :)

*made up silly stories about my coworkers, complete with illustrations!

*snuggled my babies at work, and snuggled my puppies at home.

if you're ever having a bad day, try one (or all) of these things! i swear they work! happy thursday! (and thanks to everyone for the encouragement, love ya'll :)

book lovers unite!

2011-12-15T09:48:00.003-07:00

i'd like to dedicate this post to my first love....BOOKS!! i've been crazy about reading since i was little, and came across this questionaire, and would love to see what your answers are to it! if you do it, please leave me a link so i can read it!

If you could a favourite author just one question, what would it be?
*i would ask Rita Gelman if I could travel with her!*

What are some of the new books you've read, this year?
*the doctor's wife, eat/pray/love, the sex lives of cannibals, dress your family in courdoroy and denim, a year by the sea, love song....all of these were very very good, definitely recc. them!!*

If an author gave you the chance to rewrite or to change the fate of a book character, who would you chose?
*i would get Louisa May Alcott to not have anyone die in Little Women...*

Did your parents read stories to you when you were little? If yes are there any special ones you remember the most?
*yes, all the time. i remember being obsessed with "goodnight moon" and having to go outside everynight to tell the moon "goodnight"*

What do you like more the smell of old antiquarian books or the smell of new fresh ones you just bought?
*OLD BOOKS. loooooooove that smell!!*

You get the opportunity to choose between to secret talents: either to be able to make things come to life through reading them or the gift to read yourself into a book. Which one would you like to have?
*i would write myself into all the travel memoirs i read!*

Do you have a favourite children’s book or a favourite fairy tale?
*the boxcar children books, goodnight moon, and the toothpaste millionaire!*

Someone would talk to your friends and ask them to compare you to a book character. With who do you think would they compare you?
*hmmm....this is a hard one....probably one of the ladies in "the mermaid chair" or crazy old Alice (from Wonderland)*

Tell me the name of a writer who you would like to have as a friend.
*rita gelman, sue monk kidd*

You can hide in a written down world for only one night into which world do you escape?
*alice's wonderland.*

You have to flee to an unknown place and all you can take with you are three books of all the ones you own. Which three ones do you put into your bag?
*alice's adventures in wonderland. tales of a female nomad. the mermaid chair.*

so much for a fun day off....

2011-12-14T14:51:00.002-07:00

ahhh i had big dreams for today. none of them involved fights or doctors appointments. however, that's exactly what today consisted of....a huge bust-up fight with shane (surprise! we're not a perfect couple! i know that's hard to find in bloggy-la-la-land!)& dr.visits.

shane had a bad morning this morning, and instead of trying to turn it around for him (like yes, ::Grumbles:: i shouldve) i just kind of ignored it, so of course it rubbed off on me! i think we're better now, but ugh. i hate fighting. (but i'm super stubborn about what i think, so they're bound to happen!)

onto the doctors appointments...one was expected, sorta. and the other? turns out my heavy breathing ( i breathe like that weird kid off of "hey arnold!" that helga always punched...remember him?) is either from an upper respirtory infection or anxiety. so if a zpak or mucinex doesn't kill it, it's anxiety! woohoo! and here i was thinking i had it under control....

so now i'm sitting here in an absolute FUNK. and no idea how to get out of it! any suggestions?

i am happy because...

2011-12-13T19:16:00.002-07:00

*i love my new bangs & lowlights! love them!

*my Shane has tonight off, his only night off all month!

*i have a day off tomorrow! its gonna be crazy busy, but i'm still excited for it! i just might take myself on a date :)

linking up over at www.mysocalledchaos.com ......what are you happy about today??

the perfect daytime date.

2011-12-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

i'd like to think i'm a good girlfriend...however i know i'm a *handful* a LOT of the time...right shane? ;) between my space cadet ways (i tend to wander off a lot when talking in real life and forget what i'm saying) and undiagnosed adhd (we can't watch movies because i lose interest after the first 20 minutes) there are very few times when i direct ALL of my attention to my shane (something i know i need to work on :/ ) ...however, sometimes he takes me on amazing day dates anyway...this is my definition of a perfect *daytime date*: thrifting, followed by magazines and coffee. pretty simple right? and made even more amazing when i find a watercolor print skirt for $1 AND it fits perfect AND shane buys it for me!

what's ya'll's ideas of a perfect daytime date? we're always looking for new things to do!

a money free weekend...

2011-12-11T17:02:00.003-07:00

so this weekend was a cash poor, but fun, one! between bills & christmas gifts, i haven't had *any* extra $ until thursday's payday, so i made it my goal to not spend any money friday, saturday, or sunday!

so...you ask...what exactly was there to do for 3 days??

first: find big rocks outside, drizzle with glue and roll in gold glitter, and voila! awesome bookends for our hippie house!

i hung out with some awesome kids, this one had on his mom's boots and used a star wars light saber to act out puss-in-boots. it was awesome! (and soo creative!)

i also took the puppy girls on a playdate with our friends' puppy, jinxy. it was wild! and nearly impossible to carry on a conversation with my friends, we were too busy breaking up the wild animals!

one thing i *always* look forward to on the weekends, money or not, is breakfast with shane. normally we go to a breakfast joint up the road, but do to the lack of funds, shane made us ((super spicy)) salsa & pepper omelets and toast! so good!

i also filled up a ton of collage pages in my journal. loooove doing this, so relaxing and sometimes i don't have the right words and this helps my creativity get going!

i'm off to get a workout in, what's your favorite *free* things to do?? happy sunday!

the little things.

2011-12-08T09:57:00.002-07:00

i've been finding the beauty in the little things this week...

*quilted fabric that a coworker saw and brought to me, so sweet!

*hanging sparkle lights (that were free from someone's trash!)!

*making christmas cards, sending out packages and cards. i felt like an elf!

*homecooked breakfasts from my shane!

what little things have you appreciated today?

((EASY)) diy christmahannakwanzaa gifts!

2011-12-06T16:29:00.006-07:00

so everyone knows i'm always broke..the result? diy gifts for everyone this year!
so here's a quick list to getcha thinkin'!

*smartphone cozy made out of old tshirts/fabric scraps! simply cut 4 rectangles of fabric, that are all the same size, and about 1/2" bigger (on all sides) than the phone it's for. whipstitch or use fabric glue to close 3 of the sides, leaving one of the short ends of the rectangle open for the phone to slide into! perfect for those who throw our phones around, keeps that expensive touchscreen safe!

*painted vintage clutch! vintage,solid color, leather or leather-like clutches are often around $1 at the thrifts. simply paint with acrylics for something one of a kind for the ladies in your life!

*fabric scrap/tshirt blanket! cut tshirts or fabric scraps into squares (10" x 10" works well), and get 20 of these squares. sew 4 of them, end to end, and repeat until you have 5 strips of sewn together squares! simply sew (i use just a needle and thread!) these strips long side to long side, until they're all sewn together! sew facedown to a vintage sheet, or similar sized *comfy* piece of fabric, flip inside out when you have about 4" left on one side, and simply whipstich those last 4"!

*monster dolls/neck pillows! i made these out of puff paint and fabric scraps, but you can use whatever you have laying around! i simply stuffed them with more fabric scraps!

i'd love to know if ya'll have any diy gift ideas? hope y'all are having a good tuesday!

bloodshed.

2011-12-05T20:07:00.002-07:00

had this awesome post planned but shaved off a fingernail while singing in the shower and now it hurts to type. more tomorrow! ciao!

christmas questions!

2011-12-04T16:41:00.002-07:00

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? **hot chocolate, egg nog is SO GROSS!!!**

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? **He wraps them of course, that's half the fun!**

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? **white definitely, can't stand the other ones!**

4. Do you hang mistletoe? **no but i need to! then i could smooch my shane even more :) **

5. When do you put your decorations up? **shane makes me wait til thanksgiving! i'd put 'em up october 1st if i could!!**

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? **my bebe's stuffing. it is soooo delicious!**

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? **going to the mall on christmas eve with my bebe and hank to see who of us saw the most people we know!**

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? ** eh, i've always been a skeptic! he just seems so...creepy? a big fat man wants me to sit on his lap and tell him my secrets? i don't think so. **

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? *Yep!! Just one though :) **

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? **with ornaments we've collected over the years! it's like a scrapbook!**

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? **LOVE IT. so magical :) **

12. Can you ice skate? **no, i'm terrible at it. teeerrrrrrible.**

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? **the tiffany's bracelet shane's mom gave me the first christmas we were together. it still makes me tear up everytime i wear it.**

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? **celebrating that my Jesus was born! what a gift!**

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? **fudge!! oooooh how i love fudge.**

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? **chinese food on christmas eve & matching pajamas with shane and nicole.**

17. What tops your tree? **nothing, our tree is about 10" tall so it'd fall over! can't wait til we can get a real tree!**

18. Which do you prefer: **i love seeing the presents shane gives to everyone, he thinks sooo long and hard about them!**

19. Candy canes: yuck or yum? **yum. but only in december.**

20. Favorite Christmas show? **elf! i know almost every word!**

21. Saddest Christmas song? "hark the herald angels sing" makes me miss my mom.

22. What is your favorite Christmas song? **anything by Transiberian Orchestra! love them!**

i'd love to see ya'll do one of these! make sure to leave me a link to read it if you do! happy sunday!

thrifting holy grail!

2011-12-03T14:53:00.003-07:00

i've been trying to lay off the thrifting lately (yea...right) because the holidays have left me b-r-o-k-e!! ((but i'm super excited for giving out presents...eeeeeeee! so excited:)) but! i had a day off this past wednesday, and was driving past the rinky dink thrift store and spotted this on the rack hanging outside! a perfect condition, 1970s faux fur brown coat....for one dollar!! ((its super hard to photograph :( )) i LOVE it and it fits perfect!!

have ya'll thrifted anything fun lately??

random saturday morning inspiration!

2011-12-03T09:02:00.003-07:00

**all via blog.freepeople.com....can't WAIT to show ya'll what i've thrifted lately!!** happy saturday!!**

((as seen on...))

2011-11-30T18:38:00.003-07:00

saw this on a multitude of blogs, perfect for today when i did a lot, but still feel wordless for some reason?

Obsessing over: my body, and why it can't look the way i want! grrrr!

Working on: my piece for an art competition in columbia, due friday at 3! eeee!

Thinking about: how cool it would be to pay my bills via my art!

Anticipating: Christmas time in NJ, can't WAIT to see everyone up there!

Listening to: an old episode of Chopped. does anyone else obsess over this show like Shane and I do??

Drinking: my third glass of water this hour! i'm so so thirsty!

Wishing: i was skinny. my bills were paid. my neighbor would STOP PLAYING ROCKBAND AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS. ugggh!!

ya'll should do this, so i can read it! please link to it if you do :)

today was good because....(+questions for YOU!)

2011-11-29T18:12:00.003-07:00

today at work was CRAY-CRAY.
(tuesdays are always way worse than mondays when working with kids!)
BUT i decided to look for the good in the day so here it is:

i made a *deeeelish* homemade gingerbread latte for breakfast. so yummy!!

and i got to snuggle my sweet babes. can't hate that!

okay, onto some quick questions for y'all! i've noticed some new faces and i'd like to know....

where you're from?
do you have a blog button you'd like me to put on my sidebar?
what's your favorite type of pie?
would you rather...pee your pants in front of your friends or in front of strangers?

ha! happy tuesday!

bloggy friends! i need your help/advice! ((thanks kindly ;))

2011-11-28T17:15:00.003-07:00

*first off* i typed "help" into the weheartit search so i'd have a pic to go along with this post, and this picture popped up...how funny is that??

anywho...i have two questions i really need ya'll's advice on! (both completely unrelated of course)

1. i want to get my stepmom something really great for christmas, because she's one of the greatest people i know, but she's visually impaired and can *barely* see, so i don't even know where to start? she already has a book reader/etc, so books on tape are a bit redundant :/ please help!

2. i *used* to collect crocheted granny square blankets, but now i am REAAAALLY trying to pare down, and have no clue what to do with them? any crafts i can make out of them? anyone want them? they're too beautiful to just donate!

hope everyone is having a *maaaah-ve-lous* monday! i have a fun questionaire for ya'll to answer tomorrow ;)

christmas wish list

2011-11-27T19:00:00.004-07:00

well we all know that the real reason for Christmas has nothing to do with gifts, but it's still super fun to make my "santa list"!

my dream items this year? anything from Poor Pitiful Pearl! contributions to start sponsoring a Compassion child! floral stitched cowboy boots! and the apartment therapy book of small spaces!

what are you hoping santa brings you this Christmas???

food lately///sushi, turkey & dressing.

2011-11-25T21:38:00.003-07:00

first. i have eaten horrible on this little thanksgiving break. gotta get back on track! ((and not beat myself up *too* bad for it!)) shane made turkey and stuffing yesterday...it was interesting. definitely different from how my grandmas make it!

today we tried to make sushi at home! shane's turned out perfect...mine was more abstract! it still tasted like sushi at least! ((right??:)) it seems like you could do sushi in a bowl if you wanted? sticky rice (aka shortgrained rice w/ rice vinegar) + seaweed paper (nori i think?) + sliced cucumber + wasabi + soy sauce...and voila!

anyone tried to make sushi before? any tips? happy late saturday night ;)

((cozy)) clothes + interiors!

2011-11-25T21:34:00.001-07:00

diy gifts!

2011-11-24T19:28:00.002-07:00

thriftstore china + porcelain paint (found at hobby lobby or michaels)..super cute!

amazing painted oxfords from www.minipennyblog.com, super cute and easy to make!

toilet paper roll owls! toilet paper rolls + paint + sharpies? cute easy ornaments!

thrift store flat ware + spray paint? custom silverware for anyone!

anyone have any DIY gift ideas? i'd love to see them!!

so thankful!

2011-11-24T09:12:00.002-07:00

i have so very much to be thankful for this thanksgiving. sure i have more bills than money, crazy "family" members, and a body that's not perfect but i have *way* more gratitudes than complaints!

i am appreciating this thanksgiving: my healthy pups, my amazing treats-me-like-a-princess shane, friends that have turned into family, my health, a warm home with the absolutely neccessary bills *somehow* paid every month, God's grace, my sweet work babies, and the loving blog community.

hope everyone is having an amazing thanksgiving, what are you thankful for today?

schumaker.

2011-11-23T19:13:00.004-07:00

ya'll, i finally found a craft i don't particularly enjoy. shoe making! i found a template in martha stewart magazine for how to make slippers out of simple craft felt and thought i'd give it a try....it couldn't be that hard right? well, they weren't hard to cut out/sew, but the end result is something fit for an elf...a blind elf. has anyone else had any crafting mishaps lately? or been succesful in making shoes? do tell!! :)

i am...

2011-11-21T15:21:00.003-07:00

loved this non standard questionaire from ms. weigands blog (www.thewiegands.com)...

i am weird because: i pick up things on the floor with my feet. i rearrange my house constantly. i dream of what it's like to be homeless. i fall asleep in the shower.

i am a bad friend because: i never ever answer phone calls. ((id rather text)). i will always be late when we meet up. sometimes i'm flaky. :/

i am a good friend because: i will drop everything if you need me. i'll be your #1 cheerleader, no matter what it is.

i am sad because: right now, we can't afford to have a baby. nearly all of my friends live btwn 1-15 hours away. i hate my body.

i am happy because: i have a warm home to come home to. me, my puppies and shane are healthy. it was 75 degrees today!

i am excited for: putting up our Christmas tree and wrapping presents. Christmas in NJ. daytona. being a mama one day.

if you do one of these, let me know, i'd love to read it!!

healthy meals (easy peasy!)

2011-11-20T17:35:00.004-07:00

everyone who knows me needs to know...i can't cook. AT ALL. so when i tell ya these are easy, they are! and they're healthy (and vegetarian) too!

the first one is lettuce wraps. lettuce+spicy mustard+spicy peppers+feta cheese+tortilla shells. easy, and after 2, i was STUFFED.

the second one is a guinoa mix. quinoa is easier than rice to cook. stick it in boiling water, wait a few minutes, then strain and its good to go! mix the quinoa+diced tomatoes+feta+black beans+light italian dressing and voila! shane eats this with tortilla chips, i eat it plain but its yummy either way!

happy eating!

excerpts from my inspiration journal

2011-11-19T23:40:00.001-07:00

**currently dreaming of all these things. will be thrifting various fabrics and getting colorful hair dye tomorrow! happy late night saturday!!**

things no one tells you about love...

2011-11-19T18:34:00.002-07:00

*it's really hard work.

*its not worth seeking unless you're willing to work hard.

*it turns you into such a sap! love songs kinda seem relateable sometimes.

*it makes coming home a bit more exciting (walking into your house being greeted by someone vs. walking into a dark empty room.)

*boys don't know how to clean the bathroom and dont' understand why its gross to leave their razor trimmings everywhere ::BARF::

*the second you stop looking for love, it WILL find you.

things i love thursday + a giveaway!!!

2011-11-17T16:34:00.004-07:00

things i'm loving:
maxi dresses for winter.
living in a shed. ((how do we feel about this???)
books!

also, a giveaway! i'm giving away a thrift package over on angies blog (www.mysocalledchaos.com) and she's having awesome giveaways all week!! go check them out! happy thursday!

what i been wearin' winsdee! and a fashion question!

2011-11-16T18:22:00.003-07:00

we've been having crazy weather here, almost 85 the past couple days, which means i get to pull out some of my summer dresses! woohoo!

wearing a thrifted dress and boots my boyfriends mom gave me! next up, a maxidress and flip flops-my favorite go to outfit ever! i got this awesome dress at rugged wearhouse for only 3 bucks!!

so today i got 2 pairs of skinny jeans for super cheap, but i don't have the guts to wear them yet! i'm typically about a size medium but wear all my clothes a couple sizes big, something about fitted clothes scare me, i feel like i can't pull them off! so..
what to wear with these jeans i got?? links to pictures would be especially helpful!! thank yall! happy "winsdee"!

i'd love to get to know you! (questions for YOU :)

2011-11-15T18:18:00.003-07:00

hiiiiiiiiiii!

so i've realized i don't know all my blog followers, and i'd LOVE to get to know you!! so...i have a few random questions for y'all!! ((i am *obsessed* with the "question game")) i can't wait to meet you!

question 1: where ya from?
me? i'm from good ole south carolina! born and raised and CAN'T WAIT to leave!

question 2: if you had a kid tomorrow what would you name it? boy&girl!
i'd have to choose between the name jimi, tim, paisley or clare!

question 3: what's your *dream* job?
mine would be to be a stay at home mom/book critic/children's book illustrator!

can't wait to see ya'll's answers :)

picasso & starbucks...aka catchup!

2011-11-13T13:12:00.007-07:00

holy moly, hadn't realized i hadn't been to my online space in so many days! guess that's what happens when you're busy living? (or too exhausted from work ;) i've thrifted a wee bit, babysat a LOT, drank copious amounts of pumpkin coffee (it is SO good:), and cleaned my ((perpetually messy)) house!

while shane and i were looking for canvases at the thrift store for me to paint (cheaper and more enviro friendly!) over, i came across a framed picasso print for $3! i hope to get it appraised sometime this week!

reading books while drinking coffee is THE BEST way for me to be happy :) books i've been reading lately? the doctors wife, alice i have been, and the confident woman devotional. definitely reccommend all 3!

last night i started working on a new piece of art based on mandalas, accompanied by skrillex & bassnectar of course ;)

last but certainly not least, shane surprised me with flowers this week. our relationship is FAAAAR from perfect, but when he does stuff like this, it reminds me of how lucky i am :)

hope everyone's had a great week! i've got a boot makeover, and some healthy meals i've made to share this upcoming week! happy sunday!

what i wore "winsdee"

2011-11-09T16:08:00.002-07:00

well here's my *attempt* at a "what i wore" post. too bad i took this pic before reading deannna's post on HOW to take good pictures like this (www.delirious-rhapsody.blogspot.com)!

we're having somewhat of an indian summer here this week...today's high was 75 and it was BEAUTIFUL! and made leggings or pants unneccessary! woohoo!

my shoes/dress/cardigan were all thrifted, and the necklace is the one i won over at www.freespiritedmama.blogspot.com last week! it's safe for all my babies to chew on and play with :)

hope everyone has had a great "winsdee"! i've worked, campaigned for our friend running for city council and now i'm off to a coffee date with jojo! ciao!

pink and glittery.

2011-11-08T20:57:00.002-07:00

today involved a LOT of paint! i made a painting for shane's kitchen (i LOVE that "coffee, tea, or me?" quote ;), and painted a pair of faded blue cons i found at the thrift store GLITTERY AND PINK.

everything is made better when it's glittery and pink. ;)

the shoes didn't have laces either, so {{after washing them in the washing machine on hot w/ lotsa bleach}} i cut off a strip off the bottom of a white tshirt (another thrift find), stretched it, cut it in 2, and voila ...LACES!

i wish everything in my life could be made better just by throwing it in the wash with some bleach, then painting it glittery & pink.

eating books.

2011-11-07T16:50:00.004-07:00

this past weekend was my girl time, so i curled up in my house (apart from babysitting) and drank loads of coffee, and read tonnnns. there's a used bookstore about 10 minutes from my house, and i *may* have spent the last of my $ there...it was BLISS.

i'll need to get together a must read book list soon, anyone have any suggestions? i love travel memoirs the most! which leads me to my thankfulness #6: BOOKS! i live/breathe/eat them (well...i would if i could).

my #7 thankfulness is for the roof over my head. i'm so very lucky to have a warm house to come home to. i found all these pictures on weheartit...i'm OBSESSED with colorful cozy spaces! anyone have interior inspiration to share? i'm off to rearrange furniture! happy monday!

days 4 &5, and a few questions...

2011-11-05T20:37:00.002-07:00

first things first...days 4 & 5 of being grateful this month? dedicated to my job (i mean, how awesome it is that i get paid to snuggle sweet babies like these???) and my man. he puts up with a lot ;)

onto something completely random...does anyone have a running list of questions they keep in their minds? or is that just me? the ones really bothering me this week?

*how do you do "outfit of the day" blog posts without looking silly? anytime i try to take a picture of my outfits i look like a complete moron. and everyone looks awesome when they do it!!

*how many/much clothes does a typical woman have? i'm trying to pare down my wardrobe even further, but love clothes, so i don't know how much i really need?

*i wonder why God decided to let some people have amazing moms, and then decided why some of us didn't need that? ugh. doesn't seem fair.

sorry this was so random, hope everyone is having a great saturday night!!

thrifting, thankfulness, and mail.

2011-11-03T15:37:00.004-07:00

the past two days have WORN.ME.OUT. in fact, i thought today was wednesday until after work. i did a wee bit of thrifting at lunch though, and found a beautiful brown leather bag, a cloth table cloth to cut down to cloth napkins (so we can be more green!) and some placemats for when we eat off our coffee table :) have ya'll thrifted anything fun lately??

i also got some fun mail! a wallet that http://lavenderbiscuit.blogspot.com/ made and a necklace i won from a giveaway over at http://freespiritedtmama.blogspot.com/ . The necklace is safe for babies to chew on/play with, so I'm super excited I can finally wear jewelry to work!

(sorry this post is so scattered, it's been a long week :) but onto days 2 and 3 of being thankful...

day 2: i'm thankful for my dad & stepmom. they are my rocks, and i love them SO much. very very grateful for them!!

day 3: definitely thankful for my health!! while i'm not the thinnest, healthiest, most shining example of health, i'm really grateful i rarely get sick, have never broken a bone, etc. ::knock on wood::

hope everyone's having a great week, hooray tomorrow's friday!!

first of thirty...

2011-11-01T18:47:00.002-07:00

today begins the 1st day of the 30 days of gratitude, so here's my gratitudes for today!

*my sweet kids i babysit.

*relaxing car rides ((with my feet on the dash :))

*hot showers on cold days.

hope everyone has an excellent first day of november!

costumes, a good day, and thankfulness...

2011-10-31T15:49:00.005-07:00

happy halloweeeeeenie! hope everyone has had candy today! i'm sitting with all the lights off, watching spooky law & orders, since no kids in our neighborhood trick or treat, they all go to a festival at the church up the street! today has been amazing! back to work with my babies, shane made the yummiest lunch, and i won TWO giveaways! (which i'll post about separately sometime :)

we had the cutest costume parade at work today, so i dressed up as a ladybug and my coteacher was a fairy! (yes, we were the only teachers to get into it, but who cares :)

this past weekend i babysat one of my babies, then went out to a restaurant downtown with shane and some of our friends.i was *amazed* at the level of ...skankiness? (for lack of a better term) with some of the outfits. even at my wildest, i wouldn't go out in nearly every female costume i saw. sad. (i went as a hippie...not really a stretch, and shane went as himself ;)

i *wish* i could have gone as a contestant off of toddlers & tiaras. i am fascinated by that show....

on a completely different note, over at www.theobanions.blogspot.com, they're doing 30 days of thankfulness, where they say something they're thankful for every day of november. definitely participating in this, i need to be grateful for what i have, WAY more often.

inspiration journal ...

2011-10-30T17:08:00.004-07:00

inspiring me this week...(all via weheartit)...shane and i are watching a terrifying movie right now adn i'm trying to distract myself (it's called "the rite"). hope everyone is having a relaxing sunday evening!

a cozy (easy!) diy + 7 random facts.

2011-10-27T20:57:00.008-07:00

one of the easiest diy s ever!!
find an unused colorful sweater...cut sleeves off...(some people may want to serge edges with a sewing machine, not me!)...pull up to knees!
drink a hot drink & read a book while wearing. :)

and SEVEN RANDOM THINGS (you may or may not know;)

*i love watching all the "real housewive" shows on bravo! *i eat chocolate everyday (i WISH i could stop!)*i can get really tan if i try...but if i dont i'm as pale as notebook paper!
* cemeteries REALLY freak me out. the thought of me, or anyone else, being buried ...::shudders::* also freaking me out? people inside mascot suits...it could be anyone! a murderer! etc!*i'm a law and order freak. i dvr all 3 kinds (regular, ci, and svu) and have seen all but about 5 episodes. *my celebrity crush is kid rock. (isn't that weird?)

what are yall doing for halloween this weekend??

making my own happy.

2011-10-27T15:53:00.007-07:00

sorry about venting, i worked really hard to make today & yesterday a happy one!

today i ate healthy (apple, boiled egg, & quinoa!), read a really good book while soaking up the 80 degree sunshine, and had a quick thrifing trip where i got an awesome haul & ran into a friend and her supercute baby!

i found red leather boots, crafting supplies, 2 cute dresses, a book, a hoodie, some ts to tiedye, sweaters (for an upcoming diy) and mugs to paint! so excited!

yesterday my besty drove us to the beach for the day!! we walked around downtown & had a margarita after writing on the beach! one thing i love about sc is that its still possible to get a tan when its almost november!

hope everyone is having a beautiful day! thanks again for all the encouragment the other day, ya'll mean so much to me <3

a venting session...

2011-10-25T19:52:00.002-07:00

i've been absent these past couple days for numerous reasons, mainly just feeling a little beat down and tired of humanity. i know that in the grand scheme of things, i have NOTHING to complain about, and I'm super grateful and appreciative of that.

but it doesn't make me not want to vent...(so close your ears :) i'm not feeling amazing, i ate terribly unhealthy today & was called fat by 2 people, someone (one of my friends) knocked off a creative idea of mine & began selling it on etsy, and i didn't get a package from my swap partner. stupid, silly stuff. but annoying all the same.

tomorrow will be better. the sun WILL come out, tomorrow.

butt trumpet & a black sheep...

2011-10-22T21:07:00.004-07:00

today i got a happy meal!! ive got no clue why, but i was craving a mickey D's hamburger! gross, i know! but it came in the cutest trick or treat bucket ;)

shane & i went and walked around the chili festival for a bit, with a group of our friends, and had a lot of fun, but it wore me out! i had surf and turf chili and it was sooo good! a texas funnel cake too! (btw...isn't my my man handsome!!)

i also made a suuuuper long dangly pair of earrings today, i saw a pair i liked at a local store, but they were $40, and this girl doesn't have that!!

there were some hysterical chili names at the festival...ecolonic stimulus and this one was the best..."butt trumpet chili"...bahahahaha.

and one last random thing...there was one black sheep among all the white sheep at the fair...my kindred spirit :)

i'm in charge of making the dinner menu for our house this week, we need dishes that are yummy, cheap, and healthy...any suggestions?? happy saturday!

scenes from today...

2011-10-21T14:33:00.002-07:00

random scenes from today...

my friend joelle and i went into the fair for lunch today (you get in free if you're only there for 2 hours) and she got the fried treat platter...a fried milky way, 2 fried oreos, a fried reeses and fried cookie dough. (and yet she's still the most in shape person i know!)

worked on my art wall in our house this morning, i *think* it's finally how i like it..for now at least!!

magazines and coffee. THE most perfect combo :)

this morning it was actually cold here, and our little pup annie HATES the cold. so shane tucked her in a fleece blanket. made me fall all sorts of in love with him ;) and how cute is she??

i'm now tucked up on the couch, painting, and watching law and order. i have the worst stomachache from starting new medicine and i hope it goes away before the weekend gets here!! happy friday!

how do you stay inspired?

2011-10-20T21:45:00.005-07:00

earlier today i saw on casey weigand's blog how she stays inspired. and it got me thinking....how do i stay/get inspired?

*go for a run or walk and look at all the cute & pretty houses in our neighborhood.

*browse weheartit and blogger for inspiring DIYs, room decor, etc.

*create a page in my art journal.

*play with makeup and selfportraits.

*go thrifting!

*visit barnes & noble, grab a coffee, and browse the magazines & craft books!

what do you do to stay inspired or get inspired when you're stuck in a rut??
happy friday!

clogs & dogs.

2011-10-19T15:57:00.004-07:00

today was such a hodgepodge. went to work, went thrifting & picked up some brown clogs and the last part of my halloween costume!

if you remember a while back i picked up clogs exactly like this and painted them yellow...welll....my toes went through the front of the shoes while i was at work! embarassing! so here's my chance at round 2 of painted clogs!

also, my dogs have been extra cuddly today, how cuuuute are they?

i was thinking today...there are a lot unhappy/mean people in the world (i.e. the one lady at work who calls me "fat" or "chunky" to my face at least once a week), but there are a lot of amazing ones too. the people i've *chosen* to have in my life lately have just been SO good to me, and i'm so thankful for that. i'm glad i've finally gotten old/assertive enough to take control of my own happiness, and not let negative people in my life anymore (sorry, just a thankfulness tangent :)

hope everyone has a wonderful wednesday!

these boots were made for walking...

2011-10-18T16:45:00.003-07:00

warning by camilleyanair featuring a cashmere shawl

wake me up... by camilleyanair featuring western cowgirl boots

*i am obsessed with polyvore :) love styling outfits with things i have in my closet!

*my besty just added a ton of cute stuff to her etsy shop, http://www.etsy.com/shop/scarlettkey

*today i worked with 6 infants, for 9.5 hours, with no break and no help. i'm pretty convinced i can do anything now ;)

*i hope tomorrow goes by fast!

pages from my inspiration notebook...& a goat!

2011-10-16T08:28:00.007-07:00

all via weheartit. oh! check out the world's easiest DIY i did over at www.lariatsandlavender.com today! also, i fed a goat at the fair yesterday. and shane bought me a hippie headband. and i ate a deep fried reeses. *heaven* happy sunday!

isn't she loveeeeeely...

2011-10-14T19:49:00.003-07:00

(some of the goodies andrea sent me! doesn't she need to sell them!!)

today was lovely. perhaps because compared to yesterday, when i had a 24 hour stomach bug and threw up for 12 straight hours. sexy right? ooooh it was bad! but now i'm all better!

and had a great day today to make up for it! my kids at work were great! my besty work friend, patti-wagon, gave me some AWESOME music, and my ldb sent me the coolest package ever! AND i got pumpkin coffee and crafting time!

woohooo! the simplest things make me so happy :)

hope everyone has had a happy friday! i *think* i'm going to the fair tomorrow, so ya'll will get to experience some of that tomorrow! night!

what i (wish i) was wearing wednesday!

2011-10-12T14:00:00.003-07:00

i loooove polyvore. it's such a mindless, fun, FREE way to waste away time :) it lets me live out my fantasy as rachel zoe! here are two sets i made when trying to figure out how to wear my new plaid shirt! might try one of these tomorrow, today i look like a bum! (and feel like one too!) happy wednesday! only 2 days til saturday!

tuesday thankfulness...

2011-10-11T18:17:00.004-07:00

today i am thankful for:

*being able to keep my sweet babies after work today. building a fort with them totally turned around my bad work day around. :)

*having a job that i can have a "bad day" at. (does that make sense?)

*mind fluff books by Candace Bushnell and Sophie Kinsella.

*pumpkin spice coffee creamer (a surprise from my besty JoJo)

*the bible verses, 1 Corinthians 12: 26-27...inspired me greatly today.

what are you thankful for today?

housekeeping!

2011-10-10T18:46:00.003-07:00

just some really random things i'd like to say....

*first off, how amazing is my blog redesign? erin from http://whimsicalbullshit.blogspot.com/ did it and i looooooooove it, and will probably name my first born after now :

*this man treated me so well this past weekend. took me to/tailgated with me for a USC game, and just hung out with me, making me smile. i really really needed it.

*my ldb, Andrea from www.littlelifeofmine.blogspot.com is having some issues with her furbaby kitty, and i know she could really use some positive vibes & prayers right now. as someone whose OBSESSED with my furbabies, i know how scary it can be when their sick :/

*i'd love to fill up my sidebar with all my favorite blogs' buttons! if you've noticed i don't have yours, please let me know asap so i can get it up there :)

happy monday my loves!

thrifting & decorating adventures.

2011-10-09T17:25:00.005-07:00

today was fantastic. breakfast with shane, crafting (i tiedyed our comforter! ...and our bathtub and porch...oops!), cleaned, thrifted, watched football, decorated, and now we're eating pizza and watching law&orders!

i had such great thrifting luck! a concert tee (had to make a dress for the pin up, she was a bit naked ;), 2 winter coats, 2 hippie skirts, a plaid shirt (finally! jamie, i need help styling this!!), 14 kids' books (for christmas presents + my classroom), a frame, and a canvas...all for $26!!

i decorated around our house a bit as well! printed out & framed pictures of all our friends for our mantle, and put up some of my favorite things in cute little vignettes :)

hope everyone is having a great sunday!

music help!

2011-10-09T08:13:00.004-07:00

so i have a confession. and it's quite embarassing. i am incredibly bad with technology. as in, i listen to the radio still. i hate cds, and have no clue how to even use an mp3 player/ipod/etc. well time's are achangin' my friends! i bought my first mp3 player this weekend! and now i need music to put on it! that's where ya'll come in! i think the only way to do it is to upload songs via cd to my computer, then put them on there...*i think*. i would love to swap jewelry/etc for music help, so please let me know if you're interested! i love any type of music (country, rock, techno, rap, anything!) and could really use the help! muchos gracias!!

inspiring me:

2011-10-07T15:52:00.002-07:00

(all via weheartit)
hope everyone has a relaxing weekend headed their way! i have a bit bad tummyache so i'm under a stack of blankets with a pile of books tonight! tomorrow shane and i are going to the usc football game, i'm so so excited! the rest of the weekend will be dedicated to crafting! any fun diy projects ya'll can recccommend? happy friday!

closet cleaning.

2011-10-06T08:52:00.005-07:00

i've been trying to clean/organize my closet allll week long. it's not going very well! ha! i need closet organization tips!!? shane and i share a tee tiny closet plus a clothes rack for all our hang up clothes, and they just seem to explode all over our room all the time!

for whatever reason, i've been writing and art journaling a lot this week. my brain and subconscious must be on overdrive trying to figure something out, but i don't know what it is. and of course, chocolate helps my creative flow ;)

i got the bracelet i ordered from jamie (www.thisyearslove.etsy.com) and she is the queen of packaging! definitely order something from her shop if you ever need a pick me up! opening it up made me feel so special!

hope everyone is having a great thursday!!

thankfulness...

2011-10-04T18:17:00.003-07:00

today i'm thankful for:

*good friends.

*my independent streak.

*2 great days at work this week.

*the Phillies winning.

*piles of blankets.

*crispy, cold mornings.

What are you thankful for this Tuesday?

scenes from the weekend.

2011-10-02T08:35:00.004-07:00

can you tell i love TOMS? i wear my yellow ones a lot, but i don't know what to wear with the red ones? anyone have any polyvore sets featuring red TOMS? shane made me that miranda lambert cd, and i LOVE it. every single song is relateable and singable. perfect driving music. i made those rosettes and i have no idea what to make with them? suggestions? can anyone use them for anything? and naps with my pup make my day :) but make my arm really hurt! hope everyoen is having a relaxing sunday! i have to show ya'll some necklaces i've made later today ;)

because it's a great day to be alive...

2011-10-01T16:06:00.002-07:00

(my sweet baby pup, annie may :)
today has been awesome so far! i went yard saling and to breakfast with my dad and shane, then shane & i went christmas shopping (we both buy early:) for various family members at the craft and book store! i'm now cuddling with the pups, crafting and watching tv, and i'm going out tonight for girls night! oh! and i got that bracelet from yesterday's post, i'm so excited! it's been a great first day of october! anybody else do anything exciting today?

extreme rambling (feel free to ignore:)

2011-09-30T19:13:00.003-07:00

*i'm lusting after this bracelet from my friend jamie's shop (www.thisyearslove.etsy.com) it's sassy!

*dinner with my grandparents tonight made my week.

*august & september of this year have SUCKED. october, i'm counting on you to be amazing.

*work has been very stressful these last couple of weeks, but i know it gets easier as the kids get older.

*my hair is falling out in huuuuge clumps from stress. sexy.

*i'm super grateful for the friends i've made through blogging. so so SO grateful. and their perfectly timed letters (molly:) (andrea:)

*i want to craft and build a fort this weekend, and drink a pumpkin coffee.

*it was over 90 degrees today. i'm kinda ready for fall.

*the breeze coming in through my screen door right now is deliciuos. feels like the ocean.

*my bills always equal more than my paychecks but somehow my lights & phone stay on, and i have a roof over my head so God is providing for me somehow. so blessed.

*it feels really good to get all this stuff off my chest :) hope everyone has STRESSFREE weekend ;)

hodge podge.

2011-09-28T17:40:00.002-07:00

just random stuff on my mind tonight...

(image via weheartit) i LOVE this nursery/theme/etc. so perfect for a boy or a girl. it will be a while, but i CAN'T WAIT to be a mom and do all sorts of fun stuff like this. i like this because it's not in your face boy-y or girly!

i'm back to blonde! i think the red looked ok, but i feel much more myself when i'm blonde! weird, i know. now i'm hoping all this dye + stress doesn't make my hair all fall out! any helpful healthy hair tips?

this quote inspires me.

other random things: i filled up a whole sketchbook with art journal pages (i love it!), my dogs are super cuddly today, i need to motivate myself to run tonight, i need some new good books to read? hope everyone's wednesday is wonderful!

love & art journals.

2011-09-26T20:14:00.003-07:00

(image via weheartit). i started art journaling today, after seeing a whole plethora of books about it at barnes & noble this weekend! it's so much fun to have ways other than straight words to express myself! and i love any chance to make a mess! perhaps one day i'll be brave enough to show ya'll excerpts from my art journal...but maybe not. they're not perfect or pretty, but they are me.

on a completely unrelated note, i've been thinking a whole lot about love lately. just what it means exactly. how people can say "i love you" (i.e. past boyfriends, etc) and then years later those words coming from the same people, would mean nothing. the fluidity of love is something i'm trying to figure out, i think?

hope everyone has had a great monday! only 4 more days til the weekend! any art journalers out there? tips? tricks? :)

le weekend.

2011-09-25T10:26:00.004-07:00

this weekend's been pretty low key. trying not to spend too much $ + a toothache will really slow a girl down! not that that's always a bad thing!

i've finished a quilt, practiced my drawing (i'm terriblE!!), hung out with our couple BFFs (that's my friend rachel, shane's best friend's girlfriend! follow that? everyone always thinks we're related :), ate some reeeeally homemade vegetable soup (thanks Shane!), and lounged around doing lessons and newsletters for work.

i really want to sponsor some fun blogs in october, anyone have any suggestions? i'm already ad swapping with angie from www.lariatsandlavender.blogspot.com and i'm so excited about it! hope everyone is having a happy sunday!

to do lists, money matters, & an ETSY SALE!!

2011-09-23T15:57:00.003-07:00

hi blogosphere! long time no see! hope everyone is well! this week has just about killed me, TGIF! my to do lists are about to bust out of my planner (aka the only way i remember to do anything!), and unexpected bills are popping out of the wazoo! a toothache, 4 bald tires, and 2 plane tickets-and so far the only thing paid for is the plane tickets...eeeeeeeeeeek! i'm having an etsy sale to help raise funds for my tires & toothache! www.camilleyanair.etsy.com everything is under $10!!! i hope everyone has a great weekend! what are ya'll up to? any ideas on cheap ways to have fun this weekend? i'm trying not to spend money! :)

le nest.

2011-09-19T18:42:00.002-07:00

i want to redo my bedroom again...le sighhhh.... (via at)

scenes from my day...

2011-09-19T15:37:00.002-07:00

1. coffee + blogs + news, early in the am, before work.

2. writing penpals, sending out etsy orders/swaps, etc. one of the favorite parts of my day :)

3. watching my sweet babies at work be wild. THE absolute favorite part of my day. i LOVE my job :)

hope everyone had a great monday, i'd love to see scenes from your day!

inspire me?

2011-09-18T17:38:00.002-07:00

(all via weheartit)

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

2011-09-18T09:27:00.001-07:00

is RUTHY from http://superfluousambitions.blogspot.com/ !!!! email me your mailing address please! (camille.yanair@yahoo.com)

saturdays are for...

2011-09-17T18:46:00.003-07:00

*brainstorming fall outfits (thanks for the tips Angie & Jamie, found boots, but couldn't find plaid :()
*thrifting (found brown leather boots, a crocheted vest, a strapless cream dress, a green cardigan, a tunic, beads, and a tie dye tshirt for $22!)
*pumpkin spice coffee & cake pops
*2 hour naps with my man & pups.
*white wine in a mason jar.
*smiling when you feel like crying.
*and creating necklaces out of found beads, etc. these are $10, shipped!
*hope everyone is having a happy saturday!

moccassin weather.

2011-09-17T09:15:00.003-07:00

its finally moccassin weather here in sc! (aka its 70 degrees and all us natives are FREEZING to death ;) i love pumpkin everything, cozy evenings at home, spiked apple cider, and boots but every fall i forget how to dress warmly! from march to september, its a dress and flip flops, but after that, i get so lost on what to wear? help! any links to fall fashion? especially bohemian esque? i'm off to browse the internet to see what in the world to wear this upcoming week! happy saturday!

altered brain dump.

2011-09-15T18:07:00.005-07:00

1. i just discovered the art of altered books. where you turn an old book into something beautiful. how fun! and resourceful! i want to have an altered book making party. ya'll are invited!

2. i really want a pair of cute rainboots, that arent too expensive...anyone have any ideas?

3. i need a new blog banner, anyone want to make me one in exchange for some jewelry, publicity & love? (i'm broke as a joke!:)

4. i would REALLY like to live in a travel trailer like this one. (all images found via weheartit).

hope everyone has had a lovely thursday. mine was partially good, partially horrendous, but i'm focusing on the good! tomorrow's friday! woohooo!

missoni.

2011-09-14T14:18:00.002-07:00

1. i went to target yesterday to see what was left of the missoni collection, and picked up two clutches from the very picked over racks! the one i got for myself is just like this, just brown/turquoise/yellow instead of this colorway. if anyone is interested in this one, it's $25, just let me know! i'd also trade it for some rainboots!

2. i got about an hour of writing time in today. it was lovely and made my brain not feel so jumbled up! shane got me this leather journal from a little bookstore in NJ, and i LOVE it! it's perfect purse size! (am i the only weirdo who has to have a journal with them at all times??)

3. this is my picture wall at work, its on the side of my class refridgerator and has pictures of some of the kids that have been in my class. it makes me soooo happy to look at it! bonus points if you see a pic of my "pretend kids" ...aka deanna from delirous rhapsody's kids ;)

hope everyone has a happy wednesday!

lover-ly.

2011-09-12T16:53:00.002-07:00

1. i made some necklaces out of my bead & pendant collection, if anyone wants to trade jewelry? :)

2. i saw this on dottieangel.blogspot.com. can we say OBSESSED? i must live in one of these.

3. i got new running shoes, the other ones were making my feet feel like they were going to bleed everytime i ran. i.love.these.

4. when i was in philly i met up with the usc alumni chapter there. i LOVED them! it was awesome to find all these people who love usc as much as me! GO COCKS!!

5. miss angie sent me a picture+card, and it was so sweet it made me cry. blogging may seem silly sometimes, but the connections it forms between people are SO real. ive been going through some serious crap, and while many of the people in my everyday life have been completely oblivious to it, my bloggy friends have been so good about checking on/encouraging me. ya'll will never, ever know how much i needed and appreciate it. but thank you with every bit of myself. i love ya'll :)

hope everyone has a loverly start to the week!

obsessed with...

2011-09-10T16:40:00.004-07:00

1.the flowers shane surprised me with at 1 am last night/this morning :)

2. how much my pups love each other. these two were made to be puppy sisters. so lucky they both found us.

3. finally making a spot to relax on my (super tee) tiny back porch. not the most attractive, but it'll do.

other things i'm currently obsessed with? *free people catalogs *law & order on dvr *vegetables *writing my pen pals *3 hour naps *missoni for target *starting my new quilt.

happy saturday evening lovelies!