Milton Glaser was right!

I really do love NY! It was a short weekend trip accompanied by rain, but still, a rainy day of walking in nyc is better than a sunny day of taking a nap in my condo!

We went to visit with my friend from the north, Jeope™ and his lady. Highlights from the weekend include a ton of walking, a visit to MoMA, a hilarious Ricky Gervais show, some dancin' in the street (done by professionals, not us amateurs), and some tasty french toast.

I didn't really get any photos. The weather was too crappy for cameras. But on Sunday morning we had a bit of sun while Rob and I ate breakfast at Central Park.


Clockwise from left: have a Starbucks; Rob's bad hat head and my new haircut; goofy face; even in NYC, go Sox!

On (Paper) Cloud 9

I was so excited to get the call from the receptionist yesterday letting me know that I had a package! And I would have been seriously pissed if it turned out to be something having to do with work. But nope! It was my art!

The three prints that I had ordered from Paper Cloud arrived, and they are even more lovely than I imagined.





I'll have them hanging in my office until the new home is ready, which will be half a year still. But no point in leaving them boxed up until then! I'm really digging the chocolate brown and blue.

New boxed set!

I slaved away last night. Not really. I crafted a little while watching tv and listening to a baseball game. But I can dream. One of these days I'm going to get so motivated that I'm going to craft through the night. I can barely make it past 10pm.

You know, I'd be able to get more done if we weren't selling the stupid condo. Because then I wouldn't have to clean up every little thing each night. If I pull out 6 punches, I have to put them back. If I use 4 different threads, I have to put them back. Rob finally got his wish about me picking up after myself. I hate it.

Anyways mayonnaise (as Patti would say), here are the cards I made. I'm happy with this set. I always like the distressed look, so this Basic Grey paper is perfect. Just grungy enough.

Loosen up my buttons.

Got home from my weekend at my parents' house to find a package on my doorstep. My 1" buttons! I've been awaiting these little buggers and they were worth the wait. I can't wait to pin them all over my stuff.



I might tweak the packaging a little bit. Add some oomph. But it'll be something like this.



What do you think? $2/pack?

Dang it!

I had huge plans of bringing all my crafts to my parents' house this weekend so I can get a ton of stuff finished. I packed up all my supplies days early and was all set to go.

Of course I had to forget something. What did I forget? The container with ALL my paper!!!

So now I pretty much can't do a damn thing. That's just dandy.

Did you hear about the fire at the circus???

It was intense. Get it? In tents? Har har har.

Well, speaking of tents, guess who is the proud owner of a 10x10 EZ-Up fancy-pants tent? Me! I guess I failed to realize that by signing up to do an outdoor craft fair, I'd be subject to the elements. Purchasing a tent was recommended. And I had no clue how pricy tents were! Sure, I could have found a cheapo tent from a drug store or dumpster or something, but from reading what other crafty ladies have written, investing in a good tent was a better idea.

Thank goodness for craigslist because I was able to find a brand new 10x10 EZ-Up tent (which usually retails for around $300) for $150. The seller noted that they were purchased for "a wedding that never happened." Awesome.

Check it out. I'll be like a craft show pro!


*awesome watermark not included

Somebody stop me!

I'm trying to save money, really, I am. But after spending all this cash on preparing for my first show (including a $150 tent purchase last night), I should probably cut back on my shopping. Well, I already wrote about the adorable journal I picked up from Freshly Blended Press. Now I went ahead about bought 3 art prints from Paper Cloud. C'mon, 50% off!

I can just imagine these in my new home. I'll have to stash them in my office until we move though, or Rob might flip out.

I bought these three, 16"x16", in light blue on a chocolate brown canvas.



It was such a good deal, I couldn't help myself!

Wallpaper: Not Just for Walls

Or so claims Freshly Blended Press, the awesomest place to pick up a notebook or journal covered in wallpaper. Which I totally just did! Checka check-it out.





I picked up this Mini Wallpaper Journal from the Freshley Blended Press Etsy Store. I can't wait to see it and feel the wallpaper between my fingers. *drool*

Tag, you're it.

My gift tags arrived! Woohoo! And I'll have to say, I'm surprised at how well they turned out, considering they were printed at a random online cheapo print place. I ordered 20 of each design (6 designs in all) and the total, with shipping, was $25. Not bad. I think I may have to order some more, if I get some good feedback.

And here they are!







And these are the 6 designs for the tags.



I'd better get some sunny days this weekend so I can take a few decent photos. I've been trying to take these photos at night by dangling a lamp in my left hand while holding the camera in my right.

If you've wandered into my blog, I'd love to hear what you think about the tags. Should I go ahead and order more or wait to see if these 20 packs go at the show?

"No time! There's never any time!"

My title quotes Jessie Spano of "Saved by the Bell". If you saw the episode, you'll remember. I might need some caffeine pills if I plan to accomplish anything before the show.

So yeah, not a very productive weekend. I finished the pink and black boxed sets, just about. I didn't start any new cards. And I'm a little nervous because the next two weekends I'll be away from home. My mother told me to bring my crafts with me this weekend and she'll help me out. That means I have to get seriously organized so I know what to bring.

My key fob display came in. I think it's perfect! I'm going to start out pricing them at $5/piece, buy three get one free. But if they aren't selling, I'll drop it to $4. I kinda just want to get rid of them at this point.

Here's the display, don't mind the awful photo:


And a detail of some of the fobs:


As Jessie Spano also said, "I'm so excited! I'm so excited! I'm so...scared!" That sums it up.

Bald is Beautiful

No, I didn't pull a Britney. When dropping Rob off at work this morning, we spotted a bald eagle flying above his school. Apparently there's a pair of nesting bald eagles in Camden, NJ. Rob's told me that he's seen them from time to time, but he's also one to see a tree stump and think it's a bear. Wild imagination. Anyway, it was pretty neat to see!

A few new cards, made with American Crafts paper.







I'm awaiting the arrival of my buttons and gift tags. Gift tags will be in on Monday. Not sure about the buttons. I bought a display for my key fobs, and they look darn good. Turns out I have way over 100. It's so weird how I go through these craft phases. Hopefully I can unload some at the show.

Give a wink. Click my link.

I don't know what that title is supposed to mean. Got stuck on "Give a hoot. Don't pollute."

Just wanted to let you know that I updated my links. The other day I reorganized my bookmarks, which was a daunting task long overdue. There are so many blogs and message boards and websites that I visit everyday. Just wanted to share.

I actually have 4 separate folders for shopping links in my bookmarks. Crafts, Gifts, Home, and Misc. I might have to make a big shopping link list, but that could take a while. In the meantime, check out the ones (as Beyoncé would say) to the left, to the left.

No papercuts yet...

...and thank goodness, because I've been elbow deep in paper lately. I wanted to make some boxed sets for the show. Spent a fortune at the craft store, but I came out with enough paper to make hundreds upon hundreds of new cards.

This is my favorite. Paper design by Anna Griffin. I think I may have to keep some of these for myself.


This was my first boxed set that I made. But then I found out I had to get permission to use these papers, meaning I have to fax a form to the company per each item, and wait for them to mail a signed approval back to me. Kind of a hassle.


This is going to be another craft-a-thon weekend for me. Less than a month until the show!

Overload!

My brain is working overtime and I can't calm it down. All I can think about is crafting. What to make? How many to make? How to make it? I went from making boxed sets of cards, to thinking about making some handbound books, to sewing a felt flower, to considering turning that into a sachet. Okay, stop! One thing at a time.

Here's what I want to have at the craft show.

- 150 to 200 collage cards. I have about 120 now.
- 40 to 50 boxed sets of cards. I'm almost done with 20.
- 20 Appointment card sets. Only have about 5 now.
- 20 gift tag sets. Just ordered the printing today.
- 50 button sets. Just ordered buttons today.

And I'll probably bring the 100 key fobs I made last year that are just sitting in my closet.

So why do I feel that isn't going to be enough? It seems like a lot now that I think about it. I keep trying to think of new things I could make. Like IOU coupons. And little handmade notepads. But I might be going overboard. If I only sell 4 cards, I'll have a lot of crafts taking up space in my house.

Um, that was pretty much just me thinking outloud.

Duh, forgot to mention...

The reason why I plan to craft, craft, craft this weekend is because I was accepted as a vendor at the Art Star Craft Bazaar this June. It'll be my first show, and I'm a nervous wreck.

Enough about me...

I think I need to focus this blog a little bit more towards design/crafts, so it's not just me rambling on like a 14 year old girl on myspace. That doesn't mean I won't be talking about my home, or Rob, or weird things going on in my life, but I'll try to push it a little more towards something that might be relevant to others.

So, in that respect, let me show you some work! I know, I know, it's still all about me. But at least this is craft-related.

I had a project this week to make some baby shower invitations. I was given a rosy colored paper and told to build around that. No problem! Actually, I held the paper for about 20 seconds and already had an idea of what I wanted to do.

Here's the result:


I went to A.C.Moore looking for some brown grosgrain ribbon, and I found this. Perfect! I bought 9 spools and it still wasn't enough.


I was asked to make matching gift tags because they are asking people to bring their gifts unwrapped.


I have nothing on the schedule for this weekend other than craft, craft, craft. So hopefully I'll have some new things to show on Monday.

And away we go!

Our condo is officially on the market, as of yesterday. The sign is in our window. The lock box is on our doorknob. It's a very strange feeling. But after meeting with our realtor on Sunday night and taking a look at our neighborly competition, I feel much better! Ours was the nicest unit, although there was one that was comparable. But we've scrubbed and cleaned, and I think this place looks purty nice!

There are a few things we need to do, like get new flooring in one of the bathrooms, do some minor touch-up painting, and clean the outside hallway area where I accidentally spilled Café Mocha all over the siding. Tee hee. But I really think this place will sell! In fact, our realtor already contacted us saying someone emailed her about it! Woohoo!

Who knows what'll happen. November still seems so far away. But it's exciting to think about where I'll put my sofa (in front of the fireplace!) and what color I'll paint the bathroom (slate blue maybe?) and what kind of patio set to get (how about the free one in my parents' garage!)

You're all invited to our housewarming party in 2008!

Take the plunge???

We have until next Thursday at 4:15pm to decide whether or not we want to move. Yikes, that's a lot of pressure. I won't go into too much detail, but we found a beautiful townhouse, just 12 miles outside of the city. That's a 20-25 minute drive in to work, 30 in bad traffic. I get all excited just thinking about that.

We thought these places might be a little out of our price range, but thanks to my promotion, I'll be able to cover the mortgage difference easily. Phew. Our closing date is scheduled to be November 7th, which is still so far away. But that's kind of good since we haven't sold our house yet. That should give us plenty of time...I hope.

Here's what the Phase I townhomes look like. Ours will be a little bit different. Oh, and we're going to get an end unit. Woohoo for peace and quiet! (Let me just mention that we got a new neighbor downstairs and it hasn't been pleasant. He's a nice kid, but he doesn't realize that playing the guitar and keyboard at midnight on a work night isn't really acceptable in a condo.)




The townhouses are in Cinnaminson, NJ and are located right along the Delaware River. Here's where they'll be built. You can see the river back there. Everything looks kind of dead right now, but I can't wait to see it in the spring.




I think this is going to be a great community when it's completed. They are planning all the usual community things, like a pool, tennis courts, clubhouse, etc., as well as a promenade along the river and some little shops. There's also a brand new shopping center being built 2.5 miles away with a grocery store, Office Max, banks, etc.

I am so excited about having brand new, never used bathrooms. And a pantry! And a garage! And a gas fireplace! And two walk-in closets! Ahhhhhh. I wish I didn't have to wait until November!!!

Gala-riffic!

Last night was the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Winter Gala. It felt like prom night! After searching far and wide for a dress, I found the perfect one, fitting for the occasion. I had a hair appointment scheduled. Unfortunately it was a little late, so I ended up running around like a maniac, trying to get ready on time.

But all in all the event was a blast! We started the night off with our meal. Salmon, roast beef, asparagus, pasta salad, and potatoes, followed by some gourmet chocolate truffles. Mmmm. Then afterwards we took a little stroll through the few open galleries. After that, we decided to visit the Thomas Chimes: Adventures in 'Pataphysics exhibit that was open especially for the gala. It really was incredible. I especially loved his "white paintings". The rest of the evening consisted of meandering around the museum, taking advantage of the open bar (mostly with sodas!), watching people dance, and even dancing a little ourselves, although Rob's knee wasn't up to it. I would absolutely attend next year!

So, I'm sure you'd like to see a few photos.

Still goofy at a formal event:




Some shots of the museum:








My lovely dress that just so happened to be on major clearance:




And the happy couple:

I'm hyphenated.

On our 8 month anniversary (yesterday), I finally went to the DMV to change my name. I know, I'm a total slacker. Well, there were some obstacles along the way, like misplacing my birth certificate. But I am officially a hyphenated gal. I always thought that was kinda silly and just assumed I'd take the new name and discard my old one. But after thinking about it, it'll be less confusing if I keep both names. Because of my tendency to procrastinate, I figure I'll have my maiden name on a lot of my stuff for a while. This way, people won't think that pre-marriage Melissa is a different person than post-marriage Melissa.

I trust you all had a lovely Valentine's Day. Ours was low-key, just how we like it. My hubby was sweet enough to shower me with flowers (gerber daisies at work and roses at home), which I know is totally against his values. So props to him. Plus I got them on the 13th so I'd be surprised. Sweet. So V-day night was spent eating take-out and watching Jesus Camp.

We kept it low-key this year because as a V-day gift to each other, we bought tickets to the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Winter Gala. It's a black tie event, so Rob can get some use out of his tux, but I need to find a dress! After taking the day off to go to King of Prussia mall yesterday, I came up empty handed. Now I have two weeks to find the perfect dress/gown. No pressure though.

In work news, I'm a big wig now! Well, technically on March 1st. I got a promotion, which came with a hefty salary increase. They are so good to me. Now I'll be heading up my own department as the Director of Creative Services, which sounds fancy, right? I'm really excited about having some more responsibility. It's amazing how much things have changed since I started here in June of 2002.

In family news, we're headed to my parents' house this weekend for my father's 50th birthday. Woohoo! It'll just be me, Rob, my grandfather and my parents hanging out at home. My mom wanted to take him out to a nice dinner, but he doesn't want to have to dress up! Ha! So, happy birthday, Dad! You're the bestest!