hey ya'll!

so i've been meaning to make a shout-out all it's own –

i had the pleasure of meeting the lovely catara of catara carrell photography

(when she did my shoot for berks county living)

and i absoluetly fell in LOVE with her and her beautiful photos!

agggg these of her kids are just too cute.

and i LOVE the ones of her pets, too!

so nice, right? check out her blog to see so much more and enjoy!

thanks for being so awesome, catara – you're the bomb.

yep, that's what i said. the bomb.

xoxoxoxoxox

whoa, i think 2012 is going to be my year!

it's all seems to coming together and i guess have successfully flooded the market with my work – uh, can't you tell with all this publicity? sheesh!

just in this new year of 2012 i'm already featured in berks county living


and better homes and gardens has my work
in the background of a photo shoot!
{big thanks to my old college pal amy of oscar design who spotted me and let me know!}



seems like big things are really brewing ... cross your fingers for me!

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

also, this year my choice inspirations will be:

again i choose to follow maragret kilgallen.
after all she really is my all-time favorite artist.


bethenny frankel who really inspires me to go for all the things i want
and reminds me that you can have your cake and eat it too - just in moderation.


and michael angelakos of passion pit
who started a musical career by simply recording a valentines gift for a girlfriend...

covered all my favorite bases – art, food and music.
ok, 2012 here i come...
xoxoxoxoxoxox

happy holidays!!
{pastel vintage cookie awesomeness can be found here}
hope everyone had the warmest and most joyful days of the year –
can't wait for 2012...
xoxoxoxoxox

awwww darn.
i know having free-range chickens is risky and you must always prepare for death on all fronts – but man it's still a bummer when you find your girl-friend chewed up on a dreary night.
RIP ladyhawk. we will miss your funny personality and the way you would chase the mail lady.

this time it was no fox. this time {almost too fitting for her name} it was a monster hawk. and almost out of spite that darn hawk only ate her little neck and left her body untouched. at least mrs. fox was feeding her young - naturally we felt better about that.

so i plucked her feathers and plan to roast her for christmas.
we decided it would be the best way to honor her. then in the quiet morning rain as i pulled her beautiful green and orange feathers i had a moment where i felt as if i was doing what so many people had done before in the yard of this old house and that somehow it made me more connected. and i guess more than anything... i thank her for that.
xoxoxoxoxoxo

oh my goodness – can this be real!!!???

my Each Day calendar is on Oprah.com!

i'm feeling like i've officially broken into some kind of new world.
to have anything i do associated with OPRAH
is blowing my socks off right now.
thank you universe.
wow, hard work and a steady hand really does pay off.
believe you can do something and run towards it –
i promise something awesome will happen.
xoxoxoxoxox

whooohooo thanks apartment therapy!

i LOVE every single one.

xoxoxoxoxox

happy mid-week everyone!

below is a lovely treasury...

by sara from nova lily –
thanks so much for including my just sending postcard!
xoxox

AND
if you're interested in getting a inspirational {and FREE} wallpaper for your i-phone you can select artwork from 26 etsy artists – including my new invincible spring piece!

check it out over at kind over matter –

be sure to scroll all the way down – i'm at the very bottom!

what a cool and generous idea for the holidays, right!?
as always – thanks, amanda!
xoxoxo

holey toledo – check it out!
my "bless this" print is featured in a lowes creative ideas project!

we get this lowes creative ideas issue every once and a while and to my surprise when i flipped the latest one open i found my print in a master bedroom big reveal!

(aaaaaggg – the colors of the room even match the print!
i may have to use this as inspiration for my own spare room.)

then i logged online at the website and checked out the entire story – so cool!
as it turns out , lowes is following a young couple (becky and derek) on how they choose renovate their first home with the lowes creative ideas team. i LOVE the idea and i LOVE that they have my print hanging in that beautiful new room!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

the story of huntin' for a tree...

we went up and down all the rows
until we found the douglas firs

where kritter found her favorite.
(it was very bright that day!)

so we found some help

and even met this little guy in the checkout line

and went home very content.

what a nice pick – it sure is a beauty.
and it smells like clementines!
mmmmmmmmmmm.

the end.
xoxoxoxoxoxox

and here they are!
it's been almost two months and our vanilla extract
is turning to a golden shade of awesome.
the illustrated "how-to" tag makes them such a sweet and complete gift.
can't wait to hand them out to friends and family –
xoxoxoxoxox

oh hello, friends!
check out my 12 days of cheer voucher over at oh hello, friend!
xoxoxoxoxox

so, this year at thanksgiving my grandma brought
a bunch of these gingham aprons and let us choose our favorites...
the pics are from the impromptu photo shoot (thanks, aunt mary!)
(some were delicate, some had pockets, some were pleated,
some were just simple and fun,
and the long red one even had a long poem about pa dutch life!)

{click on the photos to see in detail}

as it turns out, my great-aunt martha made these aprons
by the dozens and i can see why – they're so fun, cute and easy!
i love them! she chose such great color combos,
obviously got really into it, and ended up making this
lovely collection which we were all so thankful for!
agggg! i can't wait to curl up this winter by the fire and make my own...

after checking out all the details i see how truly great they are.
why so great, you might ask?

1) the gingham checks help you create your own pattern and keep it straight.
2) you can use small gingham and make lettering to make it special!
3) choosing bright colors and contrasting thread means you can use the pattern over and over but each one can be unique and special!
4) i find in projects like this that keeping simple structure can actually allow for more creativity and all the love will be in the details!

here's to continuing the tradition –
oh, my great grandkids/nieces will be so happy some day...
xoxoxoxoxox

hey again friends,
hope everyone had a great thanksgiving!

so, in leu of the time of year –
i have to give up some thanks for the support i've been receiving lately...

first off, the artstar craft bazaar holiday show was great! i've actually gotten so many notes, orders, and contacts afterwords that it totally would have been worth it even if i didn't sell a thing while i was there. gotta love that.

one of those little notes was from ladyott saying she was going to post my goods as one of her favs from the show! hooray! thanks lady ott!

(and check out that other featured artist –
my lovely tent-mate chez sucre chez!)

plus, i've been spotted in berks county living magazine!
labeled as one of the best in berks – wowee! my very first magazine spotting.

+ lucky me – i'll be in the next wedding issue of berks county living magazine featuring unique wedding items! thanks so much BCL, you're really making my season!

check back soon for my next post about my great-aunt martha's amazing cross-stitch aprons!
xoxoxoxox

this past weekend we celebrated my mom's 60th birthday!
and i guess we've started a little tradition of making heartfelt/tear-jerking slide shows – here are some of my favorites from my mom's early life ...

{1 year old. love the leg rolls.}

{i think this was 4th grade. so cute.}

{the famous raccoon friend that walked across my grandmother's painting as it was drying.}

{such a beautiful graduation photo!}

it's really a lovely thing to put photos to music and see how powerful it can be. i'm realizing more and more how important taking photos is for the people who come after you. every time i find a new picture of my parents from the past it shows me a little more into who they were outside of being my mom or dad and i find that so important now.
thank goodness for milestones and reflections.
i love you, mom!
xoxoxoxoxo

whoo hoo - i've just set up a tumblr page and my pinterest account!
(sorry for the lack of boards and posts so far but bear with me until i get into the swing of things!) i've been feeling so out-of-the-loop with all this great stuff but i'm finally getting into it and seeing so much i love out there it's unbelievable! what inspiration! check them out for yourself and i know you'll agree...