shop is open!!!

 

bird watcher necklace

 camera happy necklace

estate sale necklace

sweet matryoshka necklace

grr.

source

I am finally feeling better!  But have been frustrated this afternoon trying to put this good-feeling energy to work taking product photos for my shop.  GRRR!!!  It is sooo hard to get the look that I want.  I even had the shop stocked with about 15 products and then de-activated them because I was embarrassed of the crap-tastic amateur photos I had in there.  Cory is bringing the tri-pod home for me so I can try again tomorrow.  I think I have to give up for tonight.  I also just realized that it is almost 7 pm and I have not eaten anything yet today!  What?!  Now that we have some Monical's pizza on the way I am starting to get rrreally hungry!

sherbet row

Today while driving home from visiting my Grandmother (she had surgery the same day I did actually), I spotted this row of colorful rainbow sherbet houses & had to stop to take a photo.  They look like they belong somewhere warm & tropical, don't they?

equations...

 +

= 1 very happy fiance

I will definitely be using Amanda Johnson's adorable how-to video to make some from scratch kettle corn!  And our Netflix just arrived...Cory's favorite came, WILLOW!  I have agreed to watch it with him tonight; he's been such a good nurse while I've been recovering ♥

photo 1/ photo 2

wish list...

fabric flag bunting from Sparkle Power

owl hedgehog clutch from Tsuru Bride

Finnegan from Sleepy King

painted owl nesting dolls - source unknown

resting...

source

I am still not back to my normal self just yet & will be at home recovering for a few more days.  I plan to go into work for half days later this week.  Believe it or not, I am anxious to get back into a good routine!  I am still hoping to get my Etsy shop opened sooner than later, but have had to somewhat rearrange my plans.  I have just not felt up to doing much of anything.  My main hurdle at this point is product photos.  Maybe I'll have some good light this week :)

off the charts cute...

Well it was not the Bears best game...but I did get to hang out with the cutest cheering section ever!  My sister Erin, my nephew Treyton and my nieces Addie and Avry are just off the charts cute all decked out in their Bears gear :) 

da bears...

source

We really aren't huge sports fans in our household...neither Cory nor I really care for competitive sports.  But the rest of my family is pretty obsessed & it is fun to get together to cheer on a team & eat yummy food.  So today we will be watching the Bears vs. the Packers at my parent's house with the rest of my family!

wedding workbook...

mason jar twinkly lights

shoes for me - Jessica Simpson/Zappos

new Lisa Leonard design

flower girl dress - J. Crew

Gerbera daisies from Costco

bridesmaids dresses in matisse blue from J. Crew

i ♥ this bag

I slept most of today...it felt so so good to sleep & heal.  When the pain meds start to wear off I get pretty miserable, but I think that the worst is over now.  Here is my latest "my bag & what's in it"...I got this Orla Kiely bag from Piperlime last fall & I am still in love with it!!!  I will be back tomorrow to share some of my wedding ideas :) 

recovering...

My gall bladder surgery went just fine yesterday...I am feeling pretty sore today but Cory has been a fantastic & attentive nurse!!!  I have been taking it very easy, snuggling up with the pups & watching movies...Grey Gardens, Girl Interrupted and the House of Yes.  Thank goodness for Netflix.

three generations...

source & article

There was a really cool article in today's local newspaper about the 3 generations of my family that played in the same county basketball tournament in 1952, 1972, 2002 and 2004).  Above, from left to right: my brother Nick, my grandfather Bumps (real name William), my dad Rick and my other brother Michael.  Another interesting tidbit, the yearly tournament is held at my (and my father's) alma mater - IWU!

oishi = delicious

My mom got me this amazing cookbook for Christmas this year - I LOVE IT!!!!!  We have only made a handful of recipes from it but each & every one of them is crazy authentic & makes me miss Japan.  But I am so happy to be able to recreate my favorite meals and also to share them with Cory.  My stomach has been a bit of a drag lately.  Today I received news that I will have my gall bladder out next Tuesday.  I think it's pretty common & I've never had any trouble with anesthesia so I'm not worried or nervous; I'm just looking forward to getting it over with and tackling more recipes from this awesome cookbook!

Baby belly laughs always make me smile, Conan usually does too :)

tgif...

my favorite type of tea in my very favorite cup

I have now seen 3 doctors in 2 weeks and up next is a surgeon who will decide whether or not a scope is needed to look at my gall bladder.  And subsequently if it will need to come out.  Stupid gall bladder.  The GI specialist I saw today says it sure sounds like the gall bladder but that it is sort of smushed in there with lots of your other digestive organs & can be tricky sometimes.  Tricky gall bladder.  I am jumping through the HMO hoops as we speak.  Hoping I feel better & can get a few things done this weekend; here's my list:

• new blog header & shop banner
• finish up latest mini-books
• clean the house & do laundry
• take product photos
• organize the craft room & shop supplies
• visit with my sister 
• mail a package to my BFF in Montana
• go to the market & make a nice dinner
• discuss wedding plans with Cory

updates...

It is really too bad that Jason Schwartzman is married & just had his first baby....and that I just got engaged!  Because, dang, you just gotta love him.  I think a record collection for a baby is just perfection.  I just wanted to pop in here & share this video I saw over on Tara Whitney's blog.  I have been having upper GI problems for the last few weeks so I have not been around here very much.  Yesterday while in the process of getting a CT scan, I had my second arm vein blown out in 2 days (the other was during some lab work the day before) and then they put an IV in through my wrist.  When they began to pump the saline & dye into my arm, we discovered the IV was not actually in my vein.  I ended up having the tissue on my wrist pumped full of dye; it swelled up huge & hurt really, really bad (imagine burning then the feeling your hand/arm may explode).  Ugh.  Definitely ready for my medical dramas over here to be over.