well ... it wasn't SO bad ...

and so ... it rained yesterday. a lot. when we were first setting up, i had to send dave on a lint brush mission (HOW do i forget a lint brush?? i work in fabric and felt and yarn ... and have a CAT!?!?) the rain started to come down pretty hard and i had to call him to buy a tent. :( it made me mad because it effectively ate all my profits ... but i suppose it will be needed if i do this often. :/ we had a break mid-day but then it started up again around 2pm and we ended up packing it in at 3pm (an hour early).

dave was a very good partner and helper. thanks honey!!! :)

one half of the table ...

the other half of the table ... the apples ended up being the hit of the day!

all in all it was a good experience and i got lots of "oh this is SO cute!" :) and, of course, i SOLD some things too, so that keeps me going! :o) i think i will continue to try .. continue to put myself out there ... continue to work on new and cute things ... because i think i am on the right path. :)

now i am excited to clean my apartment, catch up on my LBF Quilt-a-long and finish up Maddy's quilt for Ann Marie. :) but tonight, tonight is rest with my honey on the couch and a football game on the tv. :)

xo

ps - watch for the grand reopening of my etsy shop in the coming week!! there will be a give-away to celebrate!!! :)

pray away the rain!

tomorrow is the big day. i think i am really ready and have a lot of cute things to sell!! today is the perfect stay-at-home rainy day to finish up a few projects, tag and lint brush everything and pack up the car. BUT. the weather reports are saying showers possibly in the morning. as in TOMORROW morning. as in the morning that i am to be setting up my craft table at ole suckasunny day!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

*sigh* i got rained out last year. i BETTER not get rained out this year. :(

pray for some sunshine, guys, ok? or, at least, no rain. ugh.

sweet sunday.

yesterday was just the best day! dave and i slept in, discovered it was beautiful out, went for a ride, had lunch outside on the patio of the tewksbury inn, went to the storage place, target, a&p, did some stuff around the apartment, had dinner in, watched football. i (almost) finished my work on week 3 of the quilt challenge (ran out of thread!!) and am starting the binding on maddy's quilt. it was a productive, relaxing, fun day.

days like today - dave and i bumming around, running errands, doing some things around the home, enjoying each other's company - just make me so happy. there was a time i thought i would never have lazy sundays with someone. there was a time that i thought that, even if i did have someone to share a lazy sunday with, i would be too busy worrying about life and the world to actually enjoy it. there was a time where i just didn't believe that there was someone out there who even WANTED to share a lazy sunday with me.

but. i was proved wrong. huh. go figure.

my faith has struggled a lot over the last few years. i am still not where i was ... and pretty sullen towards God. i don't blame him ... i don't ask him why ... i don't even care why. he's just been ... quiet. and i don't really listen for him anymore.

but i am working on changing that.

and, even if things are a little quiet and strange on the spirituality front, i can and am still thankful for a lot of blessings. i know how to live on my own ... and i know i can SURVIVE on my own. that was a HUGE learning experience. i also am thankful for the wonderful people in my life to share everything with. and then there is my dave. :) there, even when God is not speaking to me (or i can't hear him ... or forgot how to listen ...), in my life is a boy who is so patient, so loving, so kind, so supportive ... how can i not think he's a blessing? how can i not see that God had something amazing in mind for me when life blew up in my face? how can i not be thankful for a guy who likes to spend sundays riding around, running errands and vegging at home with me? *sigh*

sometimes i look at my life ... i realize it's been awhile since i've been scared ... or hurting ... i realize that this is what happiness is ... and i am thankful all over again. :)

so busy ... so good! :o)

so busy these days ... but it's been all good things!! :) i am on week three of the LittleBitFunky quilt challenge brought to us by sweet Crystal. and here is a little preview of my progress ...

i still don't really believe i will have a quilt when all is said and done! but, i won't think such negative thoughts!! ;o) i am combatting my perfectionist qualities with this quilt. no templates? no pencil markings? no pining? ahhhhhhh! :) but i will perservere!!!

and speaking of quilts, i decided to make ann marie's twin girls fleece quilts for their 3rd birthday. a week before the actual party. and i've never made something like this before in my life. ever. i figured that HAD to be a sign of insanity. "hmmm ... i've never made a quilt before ... lets make TWO in a week!" i, of course, did not finish in time for their sunday birthday party ... but i showed ann marie my progress so she could see the goodies that are coming ... and i did finish Sydney's this week ...

since my sewing machine is pretty basic and i don't know how to do anything other than sew in a straight line, i had to stitch the binding by hand! hence, the length of time it is taking me to finish ... but, i'm getting there!

hmm ... let's see ... what else has been going on ...

we've been eating, sleeping and breathing football these days! dave and i went to a giants preseason game ...

and jets training camp ...

(dave watches ALL football like a coach. it's the cutest thing!)

and we are off to the giants and jets preseason game today after little anthony's birthday party. :o)

~*~

my craft show is QUICKLY approaching ... and i am starting to panic. do i have enough completed? is what i have good enough? i didn't complete NEARLY what i wanted to ... i am free and clear on sunday and i plan to spend the day sewing ... here's hoping i finish A LOT of stuff. OH! and miss crystal made me THIS for my table since i knew i wouldn't have time to make my own ...

isn't it the sweetest?!?! i can't wait to see it in person!!! :o) thanks crystal!

~*~

work is work ... it's fine ... but it SO does not fit in with my crafty lifestyle!! but i am working HARD at not letting that be a factor. i am trying to do SOMETHING each day ... wether it's sew a few strips together or put some stitches into a binding or cut some fabric. if i have to work at a job that sucks the very lifeforce from me (hehe) then i will spend my remaining hours crocheting!! :)

~*~

oh and we picked a wedding date and reception hall ... October 16th, 2010!!!! and we want to look at going to tuscany on our honeymoon! and we are pretty sure we know who our caterer will be! IT'S HAPPENING!!!!! eeeep! :o)

~*~

and ... that's all i got guys! off i go to get ready for birthday parties and football! have a sweet weekend!

challenge.

been busy, as usual. apartment isn't the cleanest. not accomplishing everything i mean to. but. i am crafting. i read a book this week. i worked. i slept. i visited friends and family. i ate better. so ... i suppose i have to look at the week as a whole ... and it's been pretty good. i am accomplishing more ... not everything ... but more. and that is whats important. :o)

so ... in other news, i have accepted crystal's quilt challenge at little bit funky. and, for probably the first time in my life, i have finished something BEFORE the deadline. :P so ... here are my cool fabrics ...

and here they are cut into 2 1/2" strips ...

i am SO looking forward to making this quilt. and FINISHING this quilt. :o) ok, crystal, i am ready for step two!!! :o)

relax.

vacation was amazing. two and half weeks off replenished my soul like i can't even explain. before the wedding i felt like i could just loose it and harm someone at work. i would sleep and wake up tired. my home was a mess and life was just overwhelming me. but these past 17 days off have made me feel like a human again.

first was kyle and jen's wedding. what a beautiful bride and an amazing couple they make. everything basically went off without a hitch and we all had a lot of fun.

its so strange to think that my little brother is married ... is a husband ... has a wife ... has his own home ... it blows my mind actually! but i am so happy for them ... i love jen like a sister and friend ... they make just the best couple ... and i pray SO hard that they live the happily ever after. they both deserve it.

next up with our vacation. we spent a week in plum island and then 2 days in boston. we had a truly amazing time. we both needed to decompress and relax very badly. and once we did, we reconnected and had just the best time. we slept late, spent time on the beach, did a little exploring, ate like pigs, read, shopped, talked, planned ... boston was gorgeous and once again i dreamt about moving there. it's definately something that we talked about ... but moving so far from family and his theater just isn't an option unfortunately. but we loved the visit just the same.

i also had a lot of fun with my new camera (as if you couldn't tell! :p)

*sigh!* it was all heaven. the following week we bummed around, was extremely lazy (which felt SO decadent! and SO amazing!). i finished up my turtle Ami from the Roxycraft pattern ... and created my own pattern for a piggie. she still needs some tweaking ... but came out cute all the same.

i've hesitated signing up for the craft show this september because i don't have any vacation time left and i am unsure what my inventory will look like ... but dave encouraged me to do it ... so i think i will drop the check off today. a little nervous about that ... but ... well ... at least that gives me a goal.

i did a lot of life thinking these past 2 weeks. it's time i put aside any residual fears and start planning this wedding. my life seriously needs a little discipline. i need to loose some weight (stop eating SO MUCH garbage!!! you don't feel well afterwards anyway!!). i need to stop whining and just get things done. i need to relax at work and stop putting so much stress on myself. i just need a little structure. a little more focus. and maybe, somehow, a few more breaks from work to keep this perspective. i swear people would be more productive if they had a week off after every 6 or so weeks they worked. i know i would be. i was useless before kyle's wedding.

anyway ... i just want to work really hard at life. i don't want to overdo it ... but i just want to stop being so lazy and lamenting the fact that i never have time. i will be even busier when i have children ... i need to learn how to squeeze the most from a day now!!

i know it's only wednesday but i have spent a whole two days on my cleaning schedule. i am getting things done. i couldn't sleep anymore so, instead of laying in bed playing video games (which isn't bad SOME of the time ... but not ALL of the time), i got up, made coffee (still working on achieving that perfect cup ...), wrote this post and will crochet until i have to get in the shower. dave and i are eating at home. i am bringing lunch. i am watching my calories. i love love LOVE doing nothing, relaxing, etc ... but i crave a little structure. i blame my mom for that!!! :p

and i am doing a lot of thinking about my crafts ... and i really really want to work hard on them. i want to create a strong etsy presence ... i just have to figure out what direction to go in. but that is my goal for the rest of the year ... to really really focus and work hard to get this baby off the ground!!! :o)

coming soon ...

i've been away and i am on vacation. i have plans and ideas and am planning on revamping my world. stay tuned for changes and updates in the next few weeks!!

xoxo

jessica

updates

so why is it that i read other people's blogs and want to write a post of my own ... and then i get here and it's like i have never written a paragraph before in my life?  

let's see ... what is going on in my life.  

jen's bachelorette party was this past weekend and, aside from a rough rough saturday night after a few too many shots (bleh!), we had a great time.  the weather cleared up nice - almost two full days without rain!  that has to be some kind of new record! :P  i got a little

 sunburned but stacie, jen and i spent a lot of time on the beach and i read and dozed

 ... which is always a perfect way to spend some time.

this coming weekend is the big Stanley black-tie wedding.  i am looking forward to that a lot too. :)  can't wait to wear my gorgeous gown and be all dressed up with dave.  :o)

work is work.  annoying but handleable.  

trying to get back into bible reading and devotionals.  i really feel the need to work on my spiritual journey.  i just have the hardest time setting aside a consistent daily time ... and i have the hardest time not getting discouraged.  i am kind of at a loss and not sure what direction to go in.  i am just going to keep reading and searching ... and hoping.

added a few more critters to my ami army ... and started on a new one ...

trying to keep up with the chores ... be wise with any of my spending (it's good to have dave reign me in now and again!) ... reading a book or two a week ... eating relatively good and trying to figure out how to squeeze a little exercize into my schedule.

sparkly shiny people

i can't believe it's been almost a month since i've posted!  i have like 20 saved posts that i haven't finished ... written in all manner of foul and stinky moods ... and then i go back to them a day or so later and am not feeling it, so i never post them.  and so i thought it was time to actually post something today.  you know, for like the .5 readers i have anyway.  :o)

so ... what's been going on in my life?  well, dave and i got ENGAGED.  yep.  i know, you're shocked.  ;o)  we haven't made any definitive plans ... but we were thinking about a nice NEXT june or july wedding.  right now, i am just enjoying being in this limbo state where there is no pressure and nothing to do except kick around ideas and staring at my ring in various lighting to see where i get the best sparkle!  :o)

(mah bling)

i had a bit of a freak out period, of course.  i was extremely anxious about "taking the plunge" again.  i was worried that we would get married and things would instantly turn into yuckiness.  worried about joining everything and the expense of a wedding and then failure again.  but ... i've relaxed a bit ... and am just trusting my instincts (against MY better judgement!!! my track record SUCKS), the opinions of those around me and God.  it's extremely hard to do this ... but i'm too tired to worry anymore!

and so ... we are getting married.  we have a joint checking account.  he let me get hello kitty checks.  he bought me QUITE a ring.  he rubs my stinky work feet.  :)  he must really love me, right???

so ... what else?  work is ... the same.  i have stressful days ... and i have days where i love my job.  i am convinced that H is plotting to get rid of me ... but, hey, all i can do is my best and see what happens.  and i am trying my best.  i love my store and my people.  i am trying very hard to roll out and follow all the corporate baloney.  and i am counting down the days until i can demote myself to bookseller!  LOL.  oh well.  all i can do is take it one day at a time.

my etsy shop is collecting dust.  i am really into amigurumi ... and have great ideas ... but am too tired by the time i get home from work to really do anything but sit in front of the tv and whine (and wine :P).  and a day off these days doesn't necessarily equal sleeping in and relaxing.  i am ... craftually frustrated.  i am thisclose to just buying crafty things from etsy and claiming them as mine.  lol.  no, not really.  i could never do that.  but it's BAD when i am actually entertaining that thought.

hmmm.  i am trying to loose weight.  i am eating better and have cut out a lot of crap.  but the weight is hanging on and frustrating the heck out of me.  but, the way i see it is, unless i make a "life change" and not just "go on a diet" ... i will be carrying around this extra stuff forever.  so i am trying to focus more on just being *relatively healthy* rather than "INEEDTOLOOSEAMILLIONPOUNDSBYJULY".  so there is that.  lol.  think i'll go have a pudding now.  hehe.

i am working hard at staying organized.  keeping my home pretty clean and clutter-free.  i try to do a little each day so that i don't wake up one morning and the dishes and laundry are threatening to attack.  i do a little straightening, a little cleaning each day ... and try to stay afloat.  dave is a HUGE help (which still shocks my soul!) and helps with the money and budget ... it's just amazing living an adult life with a true partner and not just someone is along for the ride. :)  ok, so maybe i AM making the right decision for a change! ;o)

and that's about it.  taking a vacation day tomorrow and spending it with dave and his mum.  going to try and find a fancy dress for noelle's wedding and the bat mitzvah the week after.  trying to live the best i can each day ... and not let the daily crankiness and stress take me over.  :)

it's all good! :)

good times.

hello all! :)  things have been busy and good these last few days.  had a super fun weekend with my boy ... saw his new show, Neverending Story, on Saturday (really really AMAZING! :)

  and then we, along with Jeremy and Tommy, took a ride up to Mt. Airy.  we ate at a great place on deck overlooking the Shawnee Golf Course (and I had THE BEST dirty martini i have ever ingested with bleu cheese stuffed olives!!!) and then we went to play the slots at Mt. Airy.  i admit to getting a BIT peeved when Dave was up $300 and then gave it all back XD ... but aside from that little bump, we had a blast.  we spent the night at Jeremy's Amazing House and we were going to go to the Crossings for a little shoppng but ended up sleeping in and then getting breakfast and going home.  it was a nice weekend! :)

tonight i made chocolate dipped pretzels and think they came out good.  here are some pictures ... SOMEday i will take good photos ... X(

have i mentioned that i LOVE my chocolate melting pot???

dipped pretzels awaiting their decorations.

yummy.

mittens wanted to play with the pretzels too! :)

pink chocolate ...

i tried sprinkles first.  the teeny hearts looked the best.

but the drizzles looked the best! :)  

i love them!  haha.  and managed to not eat too many! :)