Ameroonie Designs

Point of View Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:28:00 +0000

This month marks the 1 year anniversary of Point of View! I can't believe we've already been doing this for a whole year- crazy how time flies! :) When you reach an anniversary like this it's not unusual to stop and look back and reflect on how it's gone, what you like, what you want to change. So here we are- reflecting and looking back- and CHANGING!! :)

Up first Reflection:
These are a couple of the reveal collages from the past year:

Spring Point of View Reveal

October 2011 Reveal- theme: Burlap

And on a personal note, some of my very favorite projects have been Point of View projects, especially my very first Point of View project, my Scalloped Skirt:

And I'm pleased to report that my daughter still loves this skirt and wears it all the time. :)

It has been a fun year full of amazing projects and challenges. And I'm really looking forward to the year ahead. But, with reflection comes the realization that while Point of View has in some ways been exactly what I wanted it to be, in other ways it has fallen short of its potential. When Jonie and I first discussed the concept over lunch one day last year, we had both recently participated in craft competitions. What we loved about the competition was the challenge- the opportunity to push ourselves out of our comfort zone and try new things, or perhaps finally find the motivation to make something that had been on our list to make forever, but we just never had the need. What I didn't like about the competition was the judging. I didn't like having my project, that I loved and worked hard on, compared to the others in the contest. I didn't like losing. ;) So, we came up with Point of View- a chance to push ourselves, to try new projects and to create projects regularly. (let's face it, sometimes we need a little external motivation ;) ) But I also wanted it to be more than just our group's projects- I really want to create a platform for everyone to participate, so we can all benefit from the motivation, the excitement and the opportunity to let our own "Point of View" be seen and heard.

It's really that last bit that I feel we've fallen short on. The missing piece of the Point of View puzzle- is YOU!

So, now on to the changes.
In order to make this more about you, we are opening up the selection of themes to you! Leave a comment on this post with your suggestions for themes you would like to see us use. Do you have a project you LOVE that you'd like to share? Give us a theme that goes with it and then come link it up! Do you have a project on your to-do list you've wanted to get to FOREVER but never seem to have the motivation? Give us the theme and then make it happen! We want themes YOU want, so we can all be motivated and inspired. :) And with that change comes another adjustment- we are actually going to publish the themes for the whole year as soon as they are decided on! That way you can get going on them and look forward to sharing them with everyone.
And, just like we did last year, we are going to continue to invite guests to post with us each month- so you can have the chance for a little extra motivation if you like. If you want to be a guest poster, please send me an e-mail with your blog URL and we'll get you on the list. If you have previously contacted me about guest posting, and haven't yet had your turn- don't worry- you're still on the list and I'll be in contact with you shortly! :) (but it might not hurt to send me a note again. Mom-brain and all.)

One last bit of news- certainly not the least bit of news- is that we have a new member of our Point of View group. Ashlee from I'm Topsy Turvy has agreed to join us!! I could not be more excited- she has amazing projects and seemingly limitless energy and creativity and she also happens to be one of my real-life friends- I'm a lucky girl, I know. :)

So hit us with your best shot, open up the floodgates of suggestions and we'll make this year bigger and better than ever! :)
Have a great Friday!!
XOXO,
Amy
p.s.- I will have a better post about this next week, but I wanted to give you a sneak announcement of our next theme: PINTEREST!! Anything that has inspired you from Pinterest (and if you're not on Pinterest, it can be anything inspired by a blog/ magazine/ picture whatever!) Recipes, crafts, pictures- get started and we'll share more details next week! :) Can't wait for this one!!!

Today {a Mom-day post}

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:01:00 +0000

I hope you don't mind that I'm not a posting ninja over here recently. It seems like life is just about all I can manage from day to day- forget about extras like blogging and showering. Too much work if you ask me. :)
I'm hoping it's the pregnancy, but even if it is, it doesn't bode well for me, since after pregnancy comes a newborn. And newborns and sleep don't really go together, and I don't do well with no sleep. :) Still, I'll do my best to keep things interesting around here.

First up: A dinner this week inspired by Pinterest. I followed the link to this recipe for Stuffed Pizza Rolls at Our best Bites. I changed the outside of the rolls and used pre-made biscuit dough instead. They were a HUGE hit with my family. And pretty easy too. These are definitely going into our regular rotation. I've tried a couple of recipes I've found on Pinterest and we've enjoyed them all. I guess in one small way Pinterest is making my life better. For the most part it just adds to my to-do list. :) (you can find my Pinterest boards here.)

I also finished up this set of custom blocks and figurines for my sister-in-law. Her oldest was born on St. Patrick's day- so they like to do things up big at her house. When she asked me about blocks- she requested this saying and I think it's so cute because her kids are her pot of gold. And the little blonde leprechauns represent her three kids. Such a fun personalized decoration to pull out every year. :)

So, that's what I've been up to. We get to find out what the gender of our baby is next Friday. I'm pretty excited because it means I can finally make some progress in preparing for this newest addition. We have a LOT to do to get ready- finish the basement, move oldest daughter downstairs, create nursery for baby, get clothes (for me and baby) and on and on. No wonder I'm tired all the time, just thinking about it makes me worn out. lol
I'd love to hear/read what you've been up to lately- feel free to leave a link to a recent blog post in the comments and I'll jump over and check it out! Hope you're having a great week.
XOXO,
Amy

Giveaway winner announced!

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 17:19:00 +0000

I am so excited to announce the winner of the Riley Blake Fabric Giveaway! The winner is Kristen- and as I went to check out her blog I noticed that yesterday was her birthday! So Happy Birthday a day late Kristen and enjoy some free fabric as a bonus present! :)
I used Random Number Generator and counted through the comments. Thank you so much to everyone who entered! I've learned that fabric is truly a way to creative women's hearts so I'm hoping to have more giveaways in the future. :)
Have a wonderful weekend!
XOXO,
Amy

Point of View Reveal- February- GREEN!

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

There are a couple of things you might notice about the collage today- the first is that there are only 4 pictures in it! I'm sad to say that both Camilla and Michelle have decided that they need to leave our Point of View group. I am really going to miss their fabulous ideas and terrific projects- but I'm thrilled for them that they find themselves in a position that they are busy enough with other things that make them happy that they have to let something go. We wish them both the very best in all they have in front of them. The second thing you'll notice is the abundance of GREEN. :) Yes, that's our theme for February. I thought the theme this month would be easy. Boy was I wrong! This one sure stumped me- so I'm hoping you've had better luck than I did with your Point of View on the theme. :) I'm sure impressed with everyone's projects this month- I hope you'll take a peek at all of them and check out the details.
Jonie- Just Between Friends- where you can also link up your own GREEN projects for all of us to enjoy
Leanne- Organize and Decorate Everything
Gwen- Gwenny Penny
Amy- just keep reading! :)

I was very, very tempted to make a pillow for this theme. Pillows come pretty easy to me and all. ;) But, I really wanted to do something different and working with paper just seemed like a good idea. Until I tried to get the project to come together. It just didn't want to work for me. The colors were off, the look wasn't what I wanted. Finally I recruited my sister and between the two of us we worked out the kinks. The result is this simple but fun Lucky collage piece. I wish I had more process pictures, but as I was getting more and more frustrated with the project, it never crossed my mind to pull out the camera- so I'll just have to tell you what we ended up doing. The letters are from recollections at Michaels. The sheets of cardstock were also purchased at Michaels but I ended up using some of my own paper to get a brighter look on the papers. The gold glitter paper is from American Crafts. I used a 1" circle punch and cut out tons (a very specific measurement ;) ) of circles from each of the three colors of paper. I knew I wanted to graduate the colors from light to dark and I liked the look of "mixing" the layers so there wasn't a harsh line between colors. When I was pleased with the overall scheme- I pulled off all the circles and started gluing them down. I just used a hot glue gun since it was cheaper and faster than the other options I had on hand. :) Once all the green circles were down, we added in the gold and green glitter dots (the green dots were from the alphabet set- they are the dots for the i's and j's ;) I'm just hoping I'll never need those letters) The letters were self adhesive, but I found they didn't stick as firmly as I would like, so I ended up gluing those down as well. I finished it off by gluing ribbon around the edges of the canvas.

I am still working on the finished grouping for this table, but here's where I'm at so far. The leprechaun houses are birdhouses from the $1.00 section at Michaels. I was originally going to have them double sided so I could use the birdhouse side for a spring display, but I've decided they will work for both anyway without over complicating the project. (I think I've already over complicated things enough- haha) The little figurines are my own creations, you can get a better view of them here.
So there you have it, even though I made this project WAY harder than I needed to- I really like the end result, and I feel pretty "lucky" to have gotten it finished. Oh man, I think I need to go to bed.
Have a Happy Friday and Don't forget to link up your own GREEN projects over at Jonie's blog- I can't wait to see your point of view! And, we have some very exciting changes coming to our Point of View group- we'll be announcing them next week- You'll want to stay tuned!! :)
XOXO,
Amy
p.s. If you haven't yet entered- today is the last day to enter my fabric giveaway- HERE!

scalloped underskirt skirt tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I first made this skirt for Riley Blake's Cutting Corners College. I was so excited to be a part of their great site- they have some amazing tutorials over there. I am thrilled to share the how-to on my own blog today. (the measurements listed are for a skirt sized 3T-4T .)

Materials:
Main fabric (waist band and overskirt) 3/4 yard
accent fabric (underskirt) 1/2 yard
scalloped border template
3/4" elastic
optional embellishments- in this case velvet ric rac

Cutting measurements:
From Main Fabric:
waistband 32" X 5"
overskirt (cut 2) 27 1/2" X 9 1/2"
From Accent Fabric:
scalloped edge and connector piece (cut 3) 6" X 42"
Elastic: cut to measurement of waist + 1"

To get template:
Click here and print it out (make sure it's not scaled to fit). Either print it on cardstock or cut it out of paper and trace it onto a stiffer material like a cereal box. Note: The scallop should measure approx 2.75" in diameter. If the scaling is off, or you don't want to print it out- you can make your own template using any size circle- to adjust the measurements just divide 42" by the diameter of the circle you are using. This will let you know if you need to add some length to the strips you are cutting (of the accent fabric) so you will have complete scallops all the way around the skirt. When adjusting the length of the strips, make sure you include a 1/2" seam allowance. If you have any questions about this, feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail and I'll do my best to help you.

Now we're all ready to go:

Take one of your underskirt pieces and draw a line 1/2" from one long edge, and one short edge. Line up the scallop template with those two lines and trace.

Move the template down the strip of fabric, lining up the first scallop of the template with the last traced scallop to make sure the spacing stays even. When you finish the strip there should be 1/2" of fabric at the end.

Take all four of your short strips of fabric and sew the short ends together to make loops. On the long overskirt pieces, sew both short sides (right sides together) to make one large loop. Sew over these seams with a zig zag stitch (or serge). Press the seams to the side. (if you have directional fabric you will want to alternate the direction of the seam on the underskirt pieces)

While we're at the iron, let's press our hems into place. For the waistband fold over the top edge (check the direction of your fabric if necessary) 1/2" and press. Then fold over another 1" and press.

For the overskirt hem, fold the bottom of the fabric up 1/2" (press) and then again another 1/2". Press.

Now, back to the sewing machine:
Sew down the hems we have just created using a scant 1/2" seam allowance for the skirt hem and a scant 1" s.a. for the elastic casing- making sure on the casing to leave an opening to thread the elastic through. (approx 1")

Ready to make scallops? Here we go:

Take your piece with the scallop tracing and leave it wrong side out. Take another underskirt piece and turn it right side out. Slide the second loop inside the first loop, lining up the seams so they "nest" together as shown in the picture. Line up the edges of the two pieces and pin in place. (it is helpful to pin in the "ditches" of the scallops so the pins are not in the way when you go to sew along the traced line)

Shorten your stitch length to a fairly small stitch and sew along the scalloped line. Pivot at the "ditches". Then cut out the bottom hem. I use pinking shears so I don't have to cut the wedges into the curves, but if they aren't available to you you can cut out the scallops leaving a 1/4" seam and notch the curves so they lay flat.

Next you will want to go into each of the ditches and notch them out as close as you can to the stitch line without actually cutting the threads. The closer you get, the better your scallops will lay flat so take your time.

Turn the scallops right side out. Don't worry if they look like this at first, once you push out the seams they will even out. :) Using a dull, slender tool (I use a blunt turning tool) slide along each of the scallop seams using your hand to pinch press the seams flat and even. I usually do this at the ironing board, flattening a few scallops at a time and pressing them down.

When you are done, topstitch the scallops to finish them off. We're almost done now!

If you are embellishing your top skirt, now is a good time to do it. I wanted to cover my hem stitch line with the ric-rac so I did it at this stage, but you could also do it before you even sew the loops together in the first step. I ran two lines of stitching through the middle of the ric rac as close to the top of the valley as I could without sewing off the ric rac. You could also sew along the curves (I'm too lazy) or use some fabric glue (I've never used it so I have no promises to make :) ), or skip ric rac altogether. :)

Let's make a skirt! Take your scalloped piece and slide inside your final underskirt loop matching the side seams. Line up the top edges, pin in place and sew using a 1/2" s.a. Zig zag the seam. Press the seam up toward the single layer and topstitch in place.

Now you should have three loops: The waistband, the over skirt and the under skirt.

Take each loop and fold it in half, lining up the side seams. Mark each of the folds with a disappearing ink pen or chalk. (at each of the sides there should be two layers of fabric for a total of 4 marked points- make sense?) This will help with lining up our gathers. Make sure you mark all three loops. Now take the two skirt pieces (over and under) and run a gathering stitch along the top, unfinished edge. (So very sorry about the lack of pics for this part- I always get a little over-excited to finish) If you need some visual instruction I have the same steps in another tutorial I did on my blog. Take the waistband piece and turn it right side out. Line up the bottom unfinished edge with the top of the over skirt (right sides together) matching up the four marks (making sure the seams line up), gathering as needed to fit them together. Pin. Now slide the underskirt over the over skirt (right side of underskirt will be facing the wrong side of the over skirt. Repeat matching up marks and gathering. I re-use the pins so there aren't a million of them in the seam. Sew down using a 1/2" s.a. Zig zag the seam.

Now you will press the seam allowance toward the waistband and topstitch it down. The last step is threading the elastic in the casing, stitching the ends together and closing up the opening.

And here's another version I did for my cute niece. :) Enjoy your new skirt! And as always, if you have any questions, please leave a comment or send me an e-mail and I will fix the tutorial. :)
I appreciate Riley Blake Designs for the opportunity to contribute to the Cutting Corners College and also for the AMAZING goodies in my giveaway! If you are looking for some awesome fabric, click over to see what's available. :)
XOXO,
Amy
Linked up to EBCE link party at Every Creative Endeavor, I'm lovin' it at Tidy Mom, Weekend Wrap up Party at Tatertots and Jello

GIVEAWAY Fabric and other Goodies!!!-CLOSED

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:52:00 +0000

********THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*******Winner announced here.
When I was given the opportunity to host a giveaway for Riley Blake Fabric, I had no idea how hard it would really be! When I opened the package to see what they were offering to you my fabulous readers, I honestly had to just remember how awesome you are to find the willingness to give this much gorgeousness away! Everything you see in the picture (minus the glass jar holding the Ric Rac) is part of the giveaway! Want a run down of what's included? First: A Fat Quarter Bundle of Daisy Cottage Cottons- all 25 of them!
A 2.5" roll of Scoot strips. Crochet flowers and flower buttons from the Sew Together line of notions. And last but not least Yards and Yards of ric rac! Brown and Orange Jumbo Ric Rac, pink, gray, navy and black of the medium Ric Rac! Can you believe it? All of this amazing stuff will go to one very lucky person!! (did I mention already that I wish that was me? I did? Well, I do. ;) )
Now for the Details:

How to Enter:

1. Anyone can enter. Just leave a comment letting me know what your favorite line of Riley Blake Fabric is. If you are anonymous, please make sure to leave an e-mail in the comment, otherwise I won't be able to contact you about your win. (one entry)

2. Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect or RSS feed. (one entry)

3. ~~Follow Riley Blake Designs on Facebook~~ or follow their blog. ******EDIT***** I have just learned that it is against Facebook Policy to have liking a page be a condition of entering a giveaway. In order to comply with that policy an entry will no longer be given for liking Riley Blake's Facebook page. If you would like to follow their Fan page- they always have wonderful information and links, it would def. be worth your while if you like their fabric at all. This entry will now only be available if you would like to follow their blog, Pinterest account, or my Pinterest account.(only one entry for this though- so feel free to do all three, but it will only grant you one more entry.) I am SOO sorry about the confusion, but I'd really hate to lose my FB page or have Riley Blake lose theirs. If you are interested in more clarification about the Facebook policies, Tauni wrote a wonderful post on the SNAP Conference blog.

That's a total of 3 entries per person! I'll leave the Giveaway open for a week (through next Friday Feb 24) and draw a winner on Saturday morning Feb 25!

Best of Luck everyone!!

And while I do really wish I could keep all this lovely fabric, I do know that I have the very best readers on the planet and you all deserve to win mounds of lovely stuff!

Happy Friday!

XOXO,

Amy

In case you were wondering just how AWESOME I am

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:38:00 +0000

My cute friend Andi from Jane of All Crafts tagged me in a post where she answered 11 random questions from someone, asked 11 random questions herself and then tagged 11 bloggers to do the same. And since I am a complete rule breaker I am following NONE of the rules except for the part about answering the 11 questions. If you would like to answer Andi's questions yourself- consider yourself tagged. :) There will be no reward or harm if you choose either path- just for clarification.

1. If you had to eat the same thing everyday for the rest of your life what would it be? Wow, since I pretty much eat the same thing every day NOW, I would probably say I am certain I could live on Ramen noodles forever (since my kids ask for it for lunch every. single. day.) But if I could choose? I would have to say ice cream- sorbet specifically. Love the stuff.
2. If you woke up one day and were an animal, what type would you be? These days in my pregnancy mode I would probably say a sloth. The rest of the time? Oh a Unicorn for sure- cuz I'm unique and special like that. :)
3. If you could pick any profession other then your current one, what would it be? I would probably go back to working in Forensic Science. I loved my toxicology lab job and I'd definitely be doing lab work somewhere.
4. How many states have you visited? 11. Man I need to get out more.
5. Ever been overseas? If not where do you dream of going? I have been on a cruise to the Caribbean but that's it. My great-grandfather was born in the northern fjords of Norway- miles north of the Arctic Circle in a home called Sommerset. I would love to see that lovely yellow house in person one day.
6. If you had to choose, would you rather be an awesome dancer or an amazing singer? It's nice that I don't have to choose- I'm already both IMHO! ;)
7. What is your favorite beverage? (alcoholic or non) Diet Coke. nuf said.
8. What would your dream home look like? It would be built by my dad. It would have a laundry ROOM- not just a laundry small pantry sized area. It would have a front porch and a back porch, and probably side porches too. Not too big, but just big enough.
9. What trait about yourself do you value most? My confidence. I didn't earn it, or work for it, I was born with it and it has carried me through some very difficult experiences. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have a firm understanding that I am AWESOME no matter what any one else says. :)
10. Have you ever tasted the rainbow? ;) umm. yes, but doing that makes my mouth pucker.
11. Mac or PC? PC. Mac is trying to take over the world. I'm all about freedom. ;)

This has been a lot of fun. Thanks for tagging me Andi. And again, since I'm too lazy to come up with new questions, or specifically create a list of 11 other bloggers, consider yourselves all tagged. If you answer the questions, leave me your url in the comments and I'll create a backlink for you on this post.
Have a wonderful Thursday! (don't you wish it was already Friday? I do.)
XOXO,
Amy

A catch-up post

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:23:00 +0000

I sure hope you weren't waiting on me for super awesome Valentine's day ideas because they sort of fizzled over here. Oh, the kids still got their candy, but the dressing them up and making them fancy went no further than these last couple. Really, they didn't care, and I just didn't have the energy so I guess no harm done right?

I did, however, manage to get a couple of skirts made up for my niece. My sister and I bought the fabric for these before Christmas and I just finally got up the oomph to get them made. This one I made using my Scalloped Skirt tutorial. I love that top fabric. So springy! :)

This is her other skirt. I am also loving this fabric. I will have a tutorial up on this blog in the next few days.

I am also trying to get production going for boutiques and things coming up. It's very slow going, and not nearly at the levels that I'm used to, but for now, it will have to do. :)
And one last little teaser before I sign off today. I have a giveaway coming up you are going to LOVE! Riley Blake is sponsoring a fabric giveaway on my blog this week and I am DYING over how much and how gorgeous this fabric is. You will for sure want to stay tuned!
Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!
xoxo,
Amy
Linked up to Look What I made at Creations by Kara.

A slight but important shift in perception {Monday is Mom-day}

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

I have never tried to cover up the fact that motherhood for me has been harder than I thought it would be. Not so much the being the mother part, but definitely the homemaker part. And while I would not trade what I am doing with my life right now for anything- I have had a difficult time catching a glimpse of the "bigger picture" of mothering I have been missing.

This weekend I read a couple of things that have started the wheels turning in my mind, and I think I may have found the answer to what I have been feeling. The first thing I read was this article that I found through a pin on Pinterest. In it she tells about her struggles with infertility and how the journey through the pain of not having children has changed her heart to where she is today- and how she is in the process of becoming the mother her children deserve while she waits for that opportunity to come into her life. And even though I am already a mother, I think that I have so far to go in becoming the mother I want my children to have. And it's less about doing things like the valentines treats, and more about doing things like leaving them love notes so they know how special they are to me and making sure they know what I know about faith and trust and love and working hard.
The second thing I read was actually given in a lesson in church on Sunday. The teacher read a scripture in Matthew 25:34-40. In this scripture the King is giving his faithful servants reward for being charitable to him, and the servants ask when they did these things for the king. v.37 "Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?.... v.40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
The teacher said she thought it was a perfect metaphor for motherhood. Often we see naked people and clothe them (as my naked baby just comes down the stairs- perfect timing), we feed the hungry and thirsty of our brood, and care for them in illness. Before when I would read this scripture I would think of the service I render to those outside of my home as the acts I would do to qualify for the reward from the King. It wasn't until yesterday that it really struck my heart that these acts of service, performed daily in my home, if sanctified by my love for my children and the willingness of my heart- are also acts worthy to qualify me for that reward I seek. And that these acts, lovingly performed for these children I have provided physical bodies for, are acts performed unto my King.
Motherhood, then, is not merely about surviving the different phases of raising children, or keeping the house neat and tidy, or keeping up with laundry and shopping. Motherhood is a purifying, sanctifying, learning process that takes the mother and refines her into someone stronger, better and more capable. We all have the opportunity to become the kind of women our children deserve, whether we have children or not. But being a mother provides me unique opportunities for service and learning that I might not find otherwise.
So today- I'm off to serve my children, and my King. With a willing heart and a mind open to seeing the lessons I am in need of learning. To look at the dishes not as a pain (which they totally are) but as a chance to learn and to teach- one I will try ever harder to embrace.
Have a Wonderful Monday!
XOXO
Amy

Fun with Figurines

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:27:00 +0000

I know I showed these to you already, but sometimes I just love looking at them en masse. I think it's so fun to look at all those blocks and know they're going to great homes. :)

My aunt asked me to make her two sets of these blocks. They are customized for her and got me thinking that perhaps I will branch out into more custom offerings. I already change out hair color if it's requested- but I'm thinking about doing children's names and adding custom figurines that reflect the interest of the child- princess, ballerina, soccer player, etc. Hmmm...wonder what the interest would be in that?

Some close-ups of the figurines. I think the girl looks a little like Debra Winger in Urban Cowboy. Not that I've ever seen the movie, just clips. But I adore their big belt buckles and boots. The hats were fun too. and the yellow bricks are hay bales, just in case it's not clear from the picture.

Do you like to customize things for the recipient? Or do you just make it how it comes and they can deal? ;)

Hope you're having a wonderful Wednesday.
xoxo,
Amy

confessions {a Mom-day post}

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:25:00 +0000

I know it's Tuesday, but this post has been weighing on my mind and I just couldn't seem to get to the computer yesterday (at least when it was working).

I got a phone call from an old friend last Monday. (not that she's old, we've just known each other a long time ;) ) She was calling to let me know that another friend from our old group had just suffered a terrible tragedy- her 2 year old son was accidentally backed over by her husband and killed. My heart is simply broken for this family. It is the sort of thing nightmares are made of, one this family will never wake from. As my friend was conveying the message she said, "It could have been any of us." That thought has struck home so much for me this past week. My mom made the mistake of reading the comments on the story that was published in a local newspaper's online site. Instead of finding sympathy and compassion there was condemnation and criticism, judgment and anger. All of these thoughts swirling around have led me to this:

My confession:

I am not a perfect mom.

I try, I really do. I worry about my children, and do all in my power to keep them safe and healthy.

But, I am human. I get distracted and tired and sometimes they just get away from me no matter how focused I am.

I walk around my large SUV every time I leave the house, except for the times when I don't. It doesn't happen often, but in those moments of hurry or distraction- but for the grace of God I could be the one suffering regret and pain.

I guess my plea is this: Forgive me my imperfections. Know I am doing my very best, even though I am well aware that there are plenty of times my best is not nearly good enough. Assume I am trying, even when you see me failing, or floundering or completely dropping the ball. Understand that I love my children with every fiber of my being and that I would willingly give my life for theirs if I could, but that sometimes my own sanity has to take priority or they will be left without a sane mother to raise them.

If you look closely, you will see plenty of mistakes to judge or criticize. You will raise your eyebrows at me when one (or all) of my children are acting out in public. You will see hand-me down fashions and worn out shoes. You may even see me feeding my baby formula on occasion. (gasp!)

In a cyber age, where personal contact is fading and anonymity allows for aggression and criticism- understand that behind the story, or the blog, or even the Facebook post there is a real person, with feelings and dreams and hopes and struggles and failings and weaknesses. A person who is very aware of their shortcomings without any help or suggestions from you. Someone who just needs encouragement and understanding and sympathy. Be the one to give it. To lift and support and love.

And even with all my shortcomings- I promise to do the same.

XOXO,

Amy

Point of View Features and Feb. Theme

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:50:00 +0000

I have chosen to feature this awesome crayon art from Polly at Helping Little hands. I just love how she created it and the depth of color she uses. Plus, I love the primary colors! Amazing Job, Polly!

And if you are interested in jumping on the Point of View fun wagon- next month the theme is going to be GREEN! Play that out how you will and come link up next month. We'd love to see your Point of View!

And, if you're still looking for some Love Day ideas- head over to the Point of View link party from last week and check out all the amazing projects that were linked up. There's some really good stuff to see. :)

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend and we'll chat on Monday.
xoxo,
Amy

Valentines Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:40:00 +0000

Last year I created this Love Notes Board for my kids. I just put simple notes in the envelopes with a small treat. This year, I am hoping to be more Prepared. :) So, I purchased the treats I would be giving the kids and started making small valentines to put in their spot every day. This is the first installment. I am hoping to have the rest of them ready to post throughout the week.
I tried to keep them simple and purchase things that were inexpensive- but when it comes to things like this I tend to get carried away. I would say I probably spent $40 for all of the treats and some of the packaging. But, considering I am getting 56 valentines plus candy left over, I don't think it's too bad a deal.

Here's a close up of the Pop Rocks valentine. I have been using my Cricut to cut out a lot of the shapes, and trying to make good use of my stash of stickers and rub ons. I hope the kids like them, and even if they don't "get" the sentiment- I know they'll LOVE the candy. :)
xoxo,
Amy
Linked up to Look What I Made at Creations by Kara. Also Linked up to Positively Splendid's fun party. :)

Love-ing {a Mom-day Post}

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:11:00 +0000

I just finished my newest block/figurine set. I have been wanting to do a Valentine's set for a while, but I wasn't really sure what figurines to make. I DO NOT like cupid- somehow the idea of making a man in a diaper just didn't appeal to me. ;) My sister suggested to just do a boy and girl and I think she was spot on. :)
And in honor of the upcoming LOVE day- Here are 14 things I am loving:
1. I am loving that I can actually drink Diet Coke again. Very rarely, but still- it actually tastes good again which is nice.
2. Love that I have enough energy to actually get the laundry done in one day. I didn't realize how much I enjoy my one day of laundry per week-then forget about it the rest of the time routine.
3. Love having close in-laws who welcome my children over to their home whenever they want.
4. Love a husband who will run and get me a breakfast burrito just because I cried. :)
5. Love having so many kind and wonderful friends. (even though I do NOT love when they move away- I'll miss you Erin)
6. I love that my kids are so excited about having a new baby in our family.
7. I love my religion and the peace and direction it provides in my life.
8. I love fabric. enough said
9. I love blogging, meeting new people, sharing great ideas and improving my life through the inspiration I find on the web.
10. I love an extended family who loves, nurtures and supports me and my family.
11. I love pinterest.
12. I love that my basement is getting finished even though it means the rest of my house is a cluttered, dusty mess.
13. I love the homemade laundry detergent my neighbor sent over for me to try. And I love that she sent me the recipes she has been collecting for homemade cleaning supplies as well! :)
14. I love that so many good friends are finding success with their handmade businesses (Way to go Vintage Rose Wraps on hitting 10,000 Facebook fans!)
What are you Love-ing today?
XOXO,
Amy
p.s. I am also, of course, loving all of you- and appreciate so much your stopping by!
Linking up to Look What I Made at Creations by Kara.

January Point of View- LOVE

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

It seems like you can't turn a corner these days without running into something red or heart shaped. :) Well, even though the theme was LOVE and not Valentine's- I don't think these projects are going to disappoint. Are you ready for the project reveal?
Wait no longer:

Mmmm- aren't they yummy? Such fun projects to browse through, love and Pin- am I right? :)
Ready to go check out the goodness? Here are the links to further details:
Jonie at Just Between Friends
Amy- just scroll down
Our very special Guests this month Meg and Steph joining us from DIY Divas
Camilla from Rosy Red Buttons
Michelle at A Little Tipsy
And Gwen from Gwenny Penny
Leanne had to miss this month dealing with a family emergency. We love and miss her and are glad her daughter's doing better. :)

After you're done checking out all this goodness- head over to Gwenny Penny and link up YOUR favorite LOVE posts. (remember that it's any interpretation of the theme- so link away!)
Now- on to my project:

The Ruffle Heart Pillow

Oh yes- I am definitely in LOVE!

When I made the Wavy Ruffle Pillow last year I had the thought that it would be fun to create other shapes with the ruffles- and this seemed like the perfect time to test out that theory. I didn't re-do the entire tutorial, because I followed all of the same steps from the Wavy Ruffle Pillow tutorial, but I did document the couple of changes I did.

First, we are obviously going to need a heart shape. I just folded the paper in half and did it the good old gradeschool way, but you can be more deliberate and use a cutting tool like a Cricut or Silhouette if you want. The shape does get a little skewed by the ruffles, so don't spend too much time on it- just a general heart shape will be just fine.

Here is where I make the confession of all confessions. I am an "eyeballer". I don't measure things very often. I find that I am usually more accurate if I just eyeball where things go instead of trying to be exact in my placement. So- center your heart on the front pillow cover panel and trace around it to give you a guideline for placing your strips. Then take your pink (or colored) bias-cut ruffles, pin down the first layer. I lined up the center of the ruffle (where the gathering stitches are) on the pencil line, you could also line up the outside or inside of the ruffle along that line as well- it's up to you. For this pillow, I did sew down one round at a time, instead of pinning all the ruffles and then sewing- but either method would work. Fill in the inside of the heart with more colored ruffles and you'll get something that looks like this:

Which I think is gorgeous and I was really tempted to leave it like that, but I felt it looked too much like my Faux Chenille Pillow- and I wanted them to look less alike. So, next I filled in the outside with white ruffles. Then I finished my pillow with an envelope closure and I was finished.

I'm really glad I added the white ruffles. This pillow turned out just like I hoped it would.

Now are you ready for some linky fun? Head over to Gwenny Penny and link up anything LOVE-ly. We can't wait to see what you've done.

XOXO,

Amy
Linked up to the Be Mine Bonanza link party with At Home with K. Also linked to the Saturday seven at Positively Splendid. Partying with Creations by Kara at her Look What I Made linky.

Do Your Best Block

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:02:00 +0000

I was recently asked to be an assistant Den Mother in my son's Wolf Den in Cub Scouts. I am excited to be involved with him in this fun adventure, but I have to admit, learning the scouting "ropes" is like learning an entirely new language. I don't understand half of what they're talking about in meetings, but I'm hoping I'll learn quickly. ;)
We have a pretty large den- 10 boys now. With many of them just barely joining our den, we decided it would be a good idea to help them get their Bobcat right off in our Den. But, since not all of them need their Bobcat, we thought it would be fun to have a project all of them could take home- even the more 'seasoned' scouts in our den. This is what me made:

It's the Cub Scout Motto and it's something all scouts should know. We thought it would be a fun reminder the boys could keep in their rooms. (plus, it's a pretty good motto even if you're not a scout ;) ) We cut 4" blocks from a 2X4, sanded them and then let the boys get to work. The painted them blue and then used glue sticks to glue down the letters we had cut from cardstock using a Cricut. It might be easier to use vinyl, but we were trying to keep costs down.
The boys seemed pretty happy with them, which is what really matters. :)
xoxo,
Amy

Prepared {Mom-day

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:16:00 +0000

My living room is a mess. We are currently finishing our basement so all my fabric and craft supplies now reside in my front room. It drives me crazy, but this one is having a blast! :)

I'm sure by now you have all seen the "one word" resolutions all over blogs and the internet this month. I thought- "Wow, that sure sounds a lot easier than making specific goals I'll probably never do but feel really guilty about."
As it turns out- it is just as easy to slack on your "one word" resolution as it is the more specific kind. :)
But before I whine about all the reasons I have fallen behind in my goals, I will tell you why I chose my word in the first place.
This Christmas did not go as planned. Not even a little bit. We only planned 4 activities for the season- one for each child. Seems easy enough to follow through with, right? Um we got to 1 of them. :( Turns out I was pregnant and didn't know it, but still, I felt awful that I didn't make the season all that it could be. Christmas at our house is followed quickly by two birthdays. My husband is used to getting the short end of the after-Christmas budget, but my 3 year old was expecting a BIRTHDAY! I couldn't help but think if I only started sooner with all of this stuff, I might have avoided the stress and worry and just enjoyed each of these celebrations. So much of my life is spent flying by the seat of my pants, putting things off until the last minute before I give them the attention they need.
So, as I thought about my word for the year, I thought- it would just be nice to be prepared for things, instead of just reacting to them.
And thus it became- "my word". Prepared. It has a nice ring to it doesn't it? To me it sounds like organized, on top of things, calm, ready. It is what I want to be.
And now, throw in the wrinkle of the aforementioned unplanned pregnancy, and Prepared has a whole new meaning. I want to be prepared physically (will be again delivering naturally), mentally (5 kids terrifies me- I need a game plan), and emotionally (my husband is my Rock- I need to nurture that relationship so it can support me through the crazy after baby hormones that wreak havoc on me) so I can thoroughly enjoy this last little baby of mine.
Not to mention the rest of my life. Christmas is huge for me- I want it to be magical and special and meaningful for my children. This will require preparation. Birthdays, holidays, LIFE- to be lived, enjoyed, relished! Being prepared is the key.
Now, we all know a goal without a plan is just a wish. So now I need a plan. Lots of plans in fact. I am planning a "Christmas all year through" event here on the blog. Nothing fancy or too specific, but I hope to have inspiration and motivation to be on top of things before next year rolls around. I am making plans (as soon as the yucky first trimester stuff goes away) to have a regular "working" schedule, where I make inventory for future boutiques and sales opportunities so I'm not under the gun as soon as I sign up for an event.
All of this involves thinking ahead, planning and preparation. Not to mention follow through. So that's why I'm writing this here, in public, for all of you to see. So I have more motivation to keep this 'on top of things' attitude going. :) Call me on it, ask me how it's going from time to time, chide me if I'm slacking. And if you have a goal you're working toward, and need a little bullying to get it done- I'm your girl. ;)
Have an awesome Monday. And don't forget- Point of View is THIS WEEK. Please don't ask me about my project, I told you, I'm still in the planning stages of this prepared thing. ;) But the theme is LOVE and we would LOVE to see anything you think relates to the theme (it's a very loose interpretation of the theme we have- so if it's just something you LOVE, come link it up on Friday)
Have an awesome day!
xoxo,
Amy

Rainbow Birthday Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:05:00 +0000

My youngest turned 3 on Saturday. My how time flies! She wanted a rainbow cake for her birthday. I was pretty sure I could handle it, but I should have known with pregnancy hormones raging I was in for some trouble. ;) I pushed through, though and made this:

No matter how you slice it, it's one BIG piece of cake. Two cake mixes and three cans of frosting later we had a rainbow cake fit for a princess. :) She loved it, and I thought it was funny how colorful even the crumbs were. ;)
I am so grateful for 3 year olds and how easy they are to please. She had a wonderful birthday.
XOXO,
Amy

The More the Merrier {Monday is Mom-day}

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:45:00 +0000

The night before Christmas Eve we received quite a surprise- we found out we are expecting a baby! We were not planning on this change in our lives, but now that ~~most of~~ the shock has worn off we're pretty happy about it.
I had really thought that this brood on the stairs waiting to head down and devour Christmas would be our family. The little one just turned 3 on Saturday. I had big plans for the coming year. Plans to grow my blog and my business and to finally start digging out of the hole the recession has put us in. Plans that now need to be adjusted.
I love motherhood. I love these little people with all my heart. Watching them grow and learn and become is the joy of my lifetime. So I hope that you will understand when I say that although I KNOW I will love and treasure this new little addition to our family, I also am having a hard time adjusting the plans I have developed for this new year. In my mind I keep hoping I can still have/ do it all. When the reality is that I can't. There are physical limitations as this OLD body of mine tries to grow this little munchkin. (how women manage to have babies at 50 is beyond me, my 35 year old body is dying!! :) ) For example, I went to bed at 9 p.m. last night and STILL woke up tired. :) It's a lot of work making a baby, and don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise, no matter how old you are. lol
I am nearing the end of the first trimester, and with that I am hoping for a surge of energy to carry me through the end of the pregnancy. There are so many projects, plans and ideas running around in my head- I really want to see some of them become reality.
And if the only project I manage to fully complete this year is the creation of a new life. Well, I guess that's a pretty big accomplishment in and of itself. :)
Anyone have advice on managing life with a large brood? Somehow 4 kids seemed manageable, but 5??? it just seems like A LOT! :)
Have a wonderful Monday!
xoxo,
Amy

Looking Back- and Forward {Mom-day}

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:59:00 +0000

This year has been so amazingly fun. I have learned so much about myself as a person- what I am capable of and what really drives me from within. I have learned that I LOVE blogging. I love connecting with so many people I wouldn't normally have the opportunity to associate with. I love being inspired by all that I see, and it's an incredible rush when you feel like perhaps you've inspired someone else, just a bit. :)
I have learned to trust my instincts and heart, and to not be led by others who don't agree. I have learned that I have my own style and voice- one that is different from others, but carries value and weight just the same. I don't have to make or do what everyone or anyone else is doing- it is important that I remain true to myself.
Perhaps it was turning 35 that finally gave me permission to stop trying to be someone else, and to revel in simply being me. Whatever it was- it is a delightful feeling to be free from the oppression of the popularity game and to just enjoy the life I have built up around me.
Looking ahead to a new year I am really excited to make this life I have finally embraced as beautiful as I can. I have dreams of slipcovers, shelves, organization, purging and living with purpose and enthusiasm. I see outings with my children and events planned and enjoyed thoroughly. I also see growing and evolving and changing (and not just the growing that comes with creating new life. ;) ).
The coming year is going to be epic! And we start it off with a bang this week as our little girl turns 3 on Saturday- complete with rainbow birthday cake and everything!
So to all of you who have been here forever- and to those of you who just pop in from time to time- Welcome to the new year! I hope it brings you so very much joy and happiness and the fulfillment of all your dreams come true!
XOXO,
Amy

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:48:00 +0000

I know I've been pretty MIA this month. I hope you all are having a wonderful Holiday season. Amidst the craziness of the season- I hope you are also filled with love and hope and peace.
I won't be posting again until the new year- I'm going to take some time to just focus on and enjoy my family and the holidays. Thank you so much for an amazing year- and looking forward to another incredible year to come!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

XOXO,

Amy

Jolly Holiday Pillow

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:30:00 +0000

It's my turn to post as part of Gwen's Haul Out The Holly event. There have been some amazing projects done already, and I feel very lucky to be a part of it again this year. If you are visiting from Gwenny Penny- Welcome! I am delighted to have you. :)

It's probably no surprise to any of you who come here often, that the project I chose was a pillow. :) I love pillows because they are fast, inexpensive and fun to try new techniques on.

Initially I planned to create a grid using buttons with a cute Christmas fabric border. In the search for the right fabric, I found this fat quarter I had purchased and suddenly a new plan was hatched. I decided to make my grid using felt embellishments pulled from the fabric itself. (the fabric is Ornaments in White in the Sleigh Ride collection by Caleb Gray) Since your fabric is likely different from the one I chose, I'm not going to go into specifics about how I created each embellishment, but I will show you close ups of a few of them:

I did a lot of hand stitching on them, but you could easily use glue instead. (It would be MUCH faster)

Once your embellishments are made, we're ready to start creating the pillow. For this 16" pillow I used 3 fat quarters and a scrap of muslin that was 10 1/2" square. You will also need some quilt batting cut 16 1/2" if you want the quilted look I created.

First off let's cut the fabric:

10 1/2"X10 1/2" square of muslin, Red fabric border: (2) 1"X10 1/2", (2) 1" X 11 1/2"; Main fabric: (2) 3"X 11 1/2", (2) 3" X 16 1/2"

Now let's get sewing:

Take the two short red border strips and sew them on opposite sides of the muslin square. (through the whole project we will be using a 1/4" seam allowance)

Press the seams toward the red border. (this fabric strip is thin so you will want to make sure you don't stretch the fabric)

Take the longer red strips and pin to the remaining two sides. Sew down.

Repeat with the accent fabric. Again press the seam allowance toward the red border. Add remaining sides and you have a finished front. Well, almost. Now we need to add the accents. Typically I just eyeball spacing on things, but I figured you might not be that laid back. ;) The center square measures 10" so I measured the center point and went out from there. I knew I wanted to hand quilt the border around the embellishments, so I wanted to go ahead and draw my circles for that before I added the embellishments (I used a water soluble marker).

You can see the arrow pointing to the center dot where an embellishment will be placed. To make sure the traced circle was centered, I took a paper circle the size I wanted, folded it in quarters and punched a hole in the center.

I used that to find the center dot and traced around the template.

Here's the front all ready for embellishments. I wanted the embellishments to have a quilted look to them so I put the batting behind the front panel before I added them. I used embroidery floss and stitched them down around the border using 2 strands. For the hand quilting border I used 4 strands of floss.

I didn't have a large embroidery hoop (note to self, BUY ONE!) so I just basted the dickens out of the front panel before I did the stitching. Once the embellishments and quilting are done- we need RUFFLES!

Take your ruffle fabric and cut it into 3" strips. (I used a fat quarter so I ended up with 6 strips)

Sew all the ends of the strips together forming one large circle, press the seams open and press the whole strip in half along the length. Fold in quarters and finger press each fold- mark with a pin.

(make sure that there aren't seams at the folds, if there are, adjust the folds a bit so the seams fall along the edges) At this point you can sew a running stitch along the raw edges and ruffle the fabric, but I decided I wanted the look of more of a pleat than a ruffle so I just chose to fold under pleats as I sewed the fabric down along the edges. (use a scant 1/4" seam to do this)

All that's left is the back. I chose to use the left over pieces of my remaining fat quarters, so I have two different panels. Cut each panel to 16 1/2" long. Finish one long side of both panels with a 1/2" hem.

Place the panel you want on the OUTSIDE - right side down on the front panel, line up the un-hemmed side.

Place the remaining panel down, lining up all the edges. Sew around all four sides using a generous 1/4" seam allowance. All that's left is clipping the corners and turning right side out. At some point you will need to spray the front with water to dissolve the pen markings (don't soak the fabric, just a light spritz will do). Stuff with a pillow form and step back and enjoy.

And now you're set to have a Jolly Holiday!

Thanks again, Gwen, for having me in this year's event. I can't wait to see what the rest of the celebration holds.

XOXO,

Amy

Christmas goings on {a Mom-day post}

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:48:00 +0000

I am still in the thick of it, friends. 7 Nativity sets of figurines need legs, one set of elves is missing theirs, and 9 sets of blocks are waiting for paper, letters and topcoats. I was hoping Saturday would be the end of it, but alas, it was not to be. Above you will see a sneak peek of the skirt tutorial I am finishing up (it will be posted on Friday- so watch for it!) and this week it's my turn to participate in Gwen's Haul out the Holly event (if you haven't seen what she has going on over there, you should really check it out. There have been some FANTASTIC projects submitted already- like these love where you live ornaments from Chris and Andi's fabulous sparkly bowl filler ornaments) There is a list of gifts I need to make, one last custom order of figurines and blocks for my Aunt, and then just keeping everyone happy and staying on top of our family countdown (you can read about here). Plus housework- oh wait, I haven't done housework in weeks- well there's the guilt from NOT doing housework.
I am so grateful to be busy. Grateful for the slew of orders that makes it possible for us to make at least one wish for each of our children come true without severely damaging out budget. But I'm also grateful for reminders this past week that Christmas is about celebrating Christ and that simplifying or eliminating some of our traditions to enable us to slow down and really think about and worship Him, well, it just isn't the tragedy I might at times make it out to be.
I hope you and your families are enjoying a wonderful holiday season, full of love, hope and peace.
I'll see you soon.
XOXO,
Amy

Guest Posting at Sumo's Sweet Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:35:00 +0000

Hi friends! Today I'm over at Sumo's Sweet Stuff sharing one of my family's favorite Christmas traditions. It's our version of an advent and it's lots of fun, I hope you'll hop over and take a peek!

See you soon!
xoxo,
Amy

Currently in progress

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:50:00 +0000

This is the mock up I made of the skirt tutorial I am in the process of writing. Hopefully it will be done this evening. (to be posted on another blog- I'll let you know as soon as it's up)

I kept feeling that I needed to make a nativity set of figurines. The baby Jesus comes out of the manger (my 2 year old loves this feature) and they sit on blocks that read "Silent Night". I'm pretty happy with the results. I am in the process of making up some sets for sale. Let me know if you're interested. Hopefully these last sets of figurines will be the end of my production for the season. I'm ready to relax and enjoy my family and the season and some creativity that's just for the fun of it. :)
Hope you're having a wonderful Tuesday!
xoxo,
Amy