Hiya Luv

Bon Jour!

2012-05-25T05:13:00.010-07:00

This morning I am flying to Southern California to attend my cousin, Ashley's bridal shower.

Ashley and her husband-to-be, JR


My cousin's, Annie and her fiance Jaime, Ashley, and I at lunch in Las Vegas the day before I got married!

This so no ordinary bridal shower. The theme is Paris and my Aunt always goes above and beyond all expectations. I can't wait to see her vision and help decorate for the event. It is sure to be outstanding!

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I will be sure to share pics on Instagram. If you don't follow me, please do! My IG name is hiyaluv720
Happy Weekend!

Introducing: My Pod their Pea.

2012-05-24T06:55:00.001-07:00

When I first read about Caryn and Ali's story on Alyson's blog, I was mesmerized by the kindness and selflessness in this world. I am so inspired by Caryn and Ali and hope you will enjoy their amazing surrogacy story.

I am Caryn. I'm a mother of two gorgeous kids that are lucky they are SO adorable because boy are they crazy! I am also the wife of an amazing man who just so happens to be one of the Few and the Proud...a Marine. Thanks to the rambunctious, strong-willed children that we have produced, we have made the solid decision that we definitely don't want any more babies of our own.

Two years ago, I put an add out on a military resale site looking for a new babysitter. I went through tons of responses and set-up quite a few interviews. This is how I found Ali. Just from the emails, I was pretty sure Ali was the one I would choose to take on the task of helping raise my children while I was at work. The day I interviewed her, I also interviewed a few other people. I knew right away that Ali was the one for our family. There was just something about her and how comfortable I felt with her around me and the kids. A few weeks later, she started watching the kids and I couldn't be happier with my decision. She has been such a blessing to our family with her flexibility and availability. We can always count on her when we need her and the kids just love being around her and Brian.

Ali(son) and Brian have been married for 5 years. Like my husband, Brian is a Marine. When they married, they made the decision to wait at least 5 years until they had a baby so that they could enjoy time with each other. About a year after getting married, Ali was diagnosed with an auto-immune liver disease. Last year, she found out that secondary to her liver disease, carrying a child would put her (and the baby) at significant risk of death.

When Ali told me that she couldn't have a baby, and why, I was so heart broken for them. I see how Ali is with children and I know how much she wants one of her own. Despite the craziness of our life since having kids, I cannot imagine not having mine. I especially can't imagine knowing that I have a fully functioning uterus, "great" ovaries, and everything else I needed to make a baby. Almost immediately, I decided I wanted to be a surrogate for Ali. I talked with my best friend about it a few times, and then talked to my husband. He gave his seal of approval (although he later stated that he thought I was joking) and I finally got the courage up to make it official and told Ali.

Now, almost 7 months later, we are in the process of putting their pea in my pod and making Ali and Brian a baby of their own. I have decided to do the surrogacy without compensation because I know that a military paycheck cannot afford a surrogacy. I'm not doing this for money, I'm doing this so that Ali and Brian can have the baby they deserve. That being said, they need a little help to carry the financial burden. Military insurance does not cover much, if any, of the fertility treatments that are required to make this baby! This fundraiser is intended to help cover legal fees and fertility treatments so we can all help make Ali and Brian's dream a reality!

Brian and I are so grateful for the amazing support of all our friends and family (and strangers!). You can read our whole story on my blog, Path To Our Miracle. Basically, my health issues that we have discovered over the last 5 years makes it too risky for me to give birth. We chose to wait to have children till we had been married for a few years, so when we started talking to my doctors, it was because we were ready. That "baby" was already there in my heart. Shortly after receiving this news, my friend, Caryn, offered to carry for us. She is also keeping a blog through this adventure, My Pod Their Pea. She is not asking for compensation. What an amazing, priceless gift she is giving us.

Unfortunately, even with this amazing gift, the cost is very high. We are looking at about $25,000-$35,000 just for the legal fees, medications for Caryn and I, and the In-Vitro. Then comes the normal costs of having a baby. Caryn, and her sister, Alyson have been so wonderful in helping with coming up with some fundraising ideas. Also, so many family and friends offering to help with fundraising. I am so excited to be able to share with our child not only how much we love and fought for him/her/them. :-) But also, the pulling together of prayers/good thoughts/love and yes... finances from so many people for them.

I have always wanted children. I have always loved working with kids. I loved babysitting when I was younger. I love babysitting now. I remember in high school, anytime I had the opportunity to go work in the elementary wing of the school, I was there! I have spent the last 15 years trying to decide "What I want to be when I grow up", and stressed through high school and college not being able to decide on a "career". I know now that what I WANT to be is a mom. Whatever job can prepare me for that, and make me a better person in myself is the job that I want. I have found many jobs that I love, and am so happy babysitting, and growing as a health coach. I have so much more about this that I have been running through my head this last week. With Mother's Day coming up, I am going to write more about it on my blog.

Thank you very much to all the sponsors that have donated for the raffle/giveaway. I am so excited for some people to win! There are some really awesome items, and gift certificates for some great shops. Thank you, and good luck!

Blog Re-Opening!

2012-05-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

I am getting back into the swing of things in blog land my friends and it feels so good. I have missed this creative outlet and am so happy to be back!!!

Here are just a few things that I am looking forward to...

*writing. putting my thoughts on paper/online will hopefully help me formulate ideas and be able to articulate my thoughts and feelings better in conversations with friends, family, and colleagues.

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*sharing. i love reading your blog posts and in turn sharing what is going on in my life. i enjoy sharing information and sparking ideas. i hope to jump back into being a blog mentor.

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*highlighting others. one of my favorite things to do is find new bloggers or handmade shops that have been "undiscovered" so to speak and help empower them and raise awareness for their blog/shop by supporting their endeavors and highlighting them whenever possible.

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*new opportunities. the beauty of blogging is that there are always opportunities on the horizon. you never know what will come from blogging and chances are you will be amazed at the doors it will open for you. i am hopeful that this is still true.

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If you are a follower, thank you so much! If you are not a follower just yet, I hope you will consider joining the Hiya Luv community. If you like what you see on the blog, follow me on twitter.

One last note...
I have reopened my sponsorship opportunities and you can view more information here. As a Grand Re-Opening of the blog, I am offering a 15% discount on all ads purchased this month. Use code LOVE when signing up for an ad space.

The Chelsea Atlantic City

2012-05-21T04:12:00.000-07:00

In late March I purchased a Living Social deal for a stay at The Chelsea Atlantic City for D's birthday which was in April. Last weekend we finally got around to using it. I was so excited to go away for the weekend with the Mr. and was also really excited to check out The Chelsea.

We go to Atlantic City a couple times a year at least and we have been wanting to try out The Chelsea so the Living Social deal was perfect timing.

We arrived at The Chelsea and were greeted by a laid back and friendly valet tenant who was filled with information about the hotel. He told us the history of the hotel and the good places to eat while visiting. Right off we were impressed at the customer service.

The front desk staff were no different. The ladies at the desk were just as nice and accommodating as the valet tenant even while dealing with a rambunctious group of college students who had evidently destroyed the 3rd floor and were checking out.

Before arriving to our room I noticed the retro furniture and fixtures. The lights, stair railings, floors, walls; everything had a retro vintage feel to it. I was in love. I felt like I had stepped back in time.

When we arrived at our room we were pleased with the size. I try out the bed right away and was happy with the "down" comforter and linens. The bathroom was pink tile with a gray bathtub. Of course I was a fan of the room also! I enjoyed the balcony that looked over the swimming pool.

We did not stay in the room long. Just long enough to drop off our belongings and head to one of the nearby casino's.

The next morning we woke up early and ate breakfast at a delicious restaurant in The Chelsea called Teplitskey's. I ordered challah french toast stuffed with sweet cream and fresh berries while D ordered their biggest breakfast that included pretty much everything from the menu. He wanted to sample it all because he could not figure out what to order. After stuffing our faces and wholeheartedly enjoying our meal, we left Tepliskey's happy and wanting to come back.

Next time we visit Atlantic City, The Chelsea is the first place we will be looking for reservations. I highly recommend it if you like genuine good customer service, clean, stylish, vintage, boutique-like hotels.

blog revisions

2012-05-20T06:52:00.002-07:00

I have wanted to revise my blog for quite some time but did not know the look that I wanted to go for. I started doodling and everything I doodled incorporated cupcakes, pink, grays, chevron, and hearts naturally. I did not want my blog to feel childish which is how I felt about the owls after awhile.

Cute. But it was time for a change.

One of my very first blog headers! Circa 2009.

The peonies kept me happy for a period of time but all along wanted something different.

So I sprung for pink chevron with pink and gray font.

I like it and am satisfied.

Mainly because I am proud of myself.

I did it myself and it took me quite awhile to figure out the html coding.

I was going for a cheerful and fun vibe and I think that the pink chevron does the trick.

If you are interested in updating your blog and want to do it yourself, check out the video tutorials on YouTube by PuglyPixel. They are really well put together, clear, concise, and provided great direction.

How do you decide when the time is right to update your blog?

How do you decide on a new style?

pardon the dust...

2012-05-17T18:34:00.002-07:00

over the next few days you may see quite a few dust bunnies hanging around.
bear with me as i update the blog. thanks my darlings.

400!

2012-05-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

The other day Hiya Luv earned it's 400th reader!

Hip! Hip! Hooray!

So exciting!!!

So exciting that I had to publicly acknowledge this milestone with a huge thank you to all of my readers for your dedication to my blog.

You make writing fun and you are what makes the blog community amazing!
I adore each one of you and all of your comments and emails!

Cheers to YOU and here's to another 400!

Happy day!

My Thoughts on the April Birchbox

2012-05-15T16:21:00.006-07:00

When I first heard about Birchbox I was so excited to sign up and receive mine in the mail. It took several months to get notification that I could sign up adding to the suspense and raising my expectations. I am going to share my thoughts and opinions on my box and the items that I received. I am not being paid for this post; all thoughts are my own.

1. In mid-April I received my Birchbox and was immediately impressed by the presentation. The quality of the box and the tissue paper wrapped items with a bow. As I unwrapped the items I was surprised at how small the samples were. I know that "deluxe" samples are small because I receive them when I order from Sephora and Smashbox but I guess I was expecting more for $10. Perhaps I am too used to getting deluxe samples for free with an order which made me feel like I was not getting enough for my $10.

2. Viva la Juicy perfume sample. I love this scent and was excited to receive a sample size spray. This was my favorite part of the box.

3. June Jacobs Pumpkin Enzyme Polish. This was my second favorite item in the box. This pumpkin-scented scrub can be used on the face and body. The pumpkin scent is refreshing and leaves the skin feeling refreshed.

4. Color Club Nail polish in Age of Aquarius. The nail polish is a fun bright green color that calls attention to your nails. Trouble is that I did not like the finish of the polish. I found that the polish needed longer drying time than others such as OPI or Essie. I also thought that the polish didn't go on well. It was sheer and took three coats to acheive color consistency.

5. Showstoppers fashion tape. Double sided tape that can help hide bra straps and hold up hems. I have not tried these just yet.

6. Be Fine Exfoliating Scrub. The scent of the scrub is yummy. Trouble is that the scrub was completely dried up and caked so it was unusable.

7. Be Fine daily moisturizer with sunscreen. The sunscreen was expired so I did not use it. Birchbox emailed recipients that received expired sunscreen and offered 100 points if you filled out a form. 100 points is worth $10 on their site.

Overall, I expected more for $10. I was disappointed in the Showstoppers fashion tape because it is something I won't use. I was even more disappointed by the dried up scrub and expired sunscreen. I did cancel my subscription because I was not satisfied. I have read mixed reviews on Birchbox and get the idea that each month varies so it is hit or miss.

Have you tried Birchbox? What are your thoughts?

doodling

2012-05-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

I have been playing with picmonkey for the last month or so and love the features. I have been doodling and trying to create a new blog header for Hiya Luv and have been coming up short. I want to make ~~something~~ a header that I really LOVE but nothing strikes me just yet. In the mean time, I began doodling and created this.

Am I the only one that does this?

accomplishment

2012-05-06T06:43:00.001-07:00

This week has been the most challenging week thus far on my weight watchers journey. It didn't help that a certain friend was visiting. I always struggle when this particular friend is visiting but this week felt extra challenging.

What I found to be the most challenging was that I used my weekly points pretty early on in the week. I usually have most of my weekly points left at the end of the week. Sometimes I splurge during the weekend or maybe I will enjoy a strawberry cheesecake waffle sundae from Friendly's with my extra points. I really struggled to stay on target this week so I feel particularly accomplished that I was able to do it thanks to the support of twitter friends and great coworkers.

In fact, I lost 3 lbs. this week. I have no idea how. I stared at the scale in astonishment when it said I was down 3 lbs. for a total of 20 lbs. lost since January 1! I am 5 lbs. away from my goal weight and am in disbelief.

A photo of me and my little sister on January 7, 2012.

I was at my heaviest. 150 pounds.

If I can do this diet, anyone can! Seriously. I ate pasta this week not once but twice. I had margaritas at Don Pablo's (which is where I blew my weekly points). I don't feel that I ate the healthiest this week although I did live on lots of fruit because I crave sweets. But, the scale doesn't lie? I have used the same scale since I started and even weighed myself several times this morning as I do every Sunday morning as soon as I wake up. 20 pounds down. It is amazing to me. A miracle. Unreal.

A photo taken of me taken on April 4, 2012.

I like this picture because I can tell I lost weight in my face.

A photo of Dave & I celebrating Cinco de Mayo at a local bar with friends yesterday, May 5, 2012.

20 pounds lost is exactly the motivation I need to continue on this journey to lose 5 more and be at my goal weight. Never in a million years did I think I could lose 25 lbs. It feels so good to be so close.

another challenge

2012-05-02T17:30:00.003-07:00

If you follow me on twitter, you know that I have been working hard on my weight since January. Last week I attended a health screening at work and found out that my cholesterol is sky high. I was not that surprised because five years ago at 25, I was also informed that I had high cholesterol. I was also told that I am overweight. My BMI is high by a smidgen but that still did not feel good.
I was disheartened when I received the news.
Why am I making such a big deal out of it? Stressing? Taking it personally?

Because I have been working really hard. I have lost 17 lbs. since January and have been eating healthier than I have in a long time. And my cholesterol is still pushing 300?

I am motivated by positive reinforcement. I was feeling really good. Now I feel really bad and I can tell that my motivation is waning. I have already worked so hard and am still not in decent shape? I should be focusing on how far I have come, I know---but I just feel so

Defeated.

I need to remind myself that I can do this.
I need to get back to my routine and continue working hard.
Eventually, I can make a dent.

*Thank you to my twitter peeps who are my support and inspiration. Thank you all for the encouragement and advice.

Supporting #ProjectPurple

2012-04-24T03:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the pleasure of hosting former NBA player Chris Herren on campus. After seeing Chris Herren's documentary Ungaurded on ESPN in early November, I thought it would be beneficial for student's to hear him speak about his recovery process. I am a member of a committee that works to prevent substance abuse among college athletes and we all worked together to pull off the event.
So much planning went into hosting Chris Herren and I am so glad that we did it. The students really enjoyed meeting Chris, hearing his story, and have been talking about what they learned from him since last Thursday's event. Our committee have received great feedback and suggestions from students for future events and we are excited about the new academic year to implement some of these new ideas.

Here is a clip of the ESPN documentary if you are interested.

Tomorrow is the first annual Go Project Purple Day created by Chris Herren. Project Purple is an initiative that Chris created to help raise awareness and raise money for families struggling with addiction and substance abuse. On April 24th students across the US will wear Purple and stand up together to raise awareness and funds for this organization that helps families in recovery. If you are in Boston, the Prudential Center will light the Boston sky in purple in honor of the special day.

Chris Herren, Dave, & I on April 19 at the University of Delaware.

To learn more about Project Purple, you can visit the Go Project Purple official site.
There's still time to enter the Giveaway!

overcoming regret

2012-04-23T17:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes my job calls for weekend work commitments. Like yesterday-I was asked by a sorority to come to their chapter meeting and talk to them about stress management. I was happy to do it because I love working with students.

In college I felt like I got to experience everything.

I studied abroad.
I was a leader on campus
I was in ROTC
I was a RA
I frequented the Dean’s list

The list goes on---but I was not in a sorority. Not joining a sorority is my only regret from college.

So yesterday was a rainy Sunday and not just a typical rainy Sunday but one of those days where you just want to stay in your jam jam’s all day. I wasn’t feeling particularly motivated. I didn't want to leave the house. I didn't even want to shower for that matter.

But I put myself together and drove to campus. I slushed through the puddles in my Hunter’s and arrived to the meeting soaking wet and feeling particularly defeated and sour because I hate being wet and cold. I felt blah and tired and ugly and so many things---I was not in a good place to present on stress management.

I was the last part of the sorority meeting so I sat through 40 minutes of their meeting. Through that 40 minutes I experienced sisterhood and bonding. I experienced roll call, the singing of their chapter song, planning of greek week festivities, announcements, and so many other things.

Through the 40 minutes my sour attitude had totally changed.
I was happy.
I didn’t care that I was freezing cold and soaking wet.
I had experienced something that I never got to experience in college that I always regretted; being in a sorority.
These girls made me feel welcome.
They welcomed me into their group and I was a complete outsider.
They allowed me to be one of them for a short period of time and showed me a glimpse of what sisterhood means to them. I really enjoyed my time with them and they inspired me.
I was so appreciative of my time with them because they helped fill a void even if it was only for 40 minutes.

Do you regret not doing something in college? Have you ever been able to go back and experience that something?

Thank you for stopping by! Remember to enter to win free stickers!

What's changed + a giveaway

2012-04-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

D and I have been married 5 weeks today and I don't feel that different. I mean I do feel different in having his last name and it does feel nice to be looked at as "official" by others. But really in the scheme of things, life is not THAT different.

I am getting used to my new name. I love my new name. But it sounds silly to hear others say it or to even say it myself. Surreal almost. Signing my new name on documents and credit card receipts feels odd too. It is a fun process---but there is lots to be done to change your name. I had no idea. There were steps to take with social security, IRS, USPS, banks, my work, health insurance, etc....and I need to get new business cards and stationery for Hiya Luv.

I was thrilled when I was contacted by Printrunner.com about hosting a giveaway for them. I had checked out their website and products earlier in the year and was eager to give them a try. Printer Runner offers quality printing for less while offering quick turnaround time.

Stickers

Print Runner offers a great way to print online with a wide variety of products too choose from such as posters, greeting cards, bookmarks, sticker printing services, flyers, catalogs, and so much more.

DETAILS

One lucky Hiya Luv winner will receive a set of full color stickers from Print Runner!!! The winner will receive 250 standard stickers in full color on premium sticker stock. Measurements of the stickers you will receive are 2"flat width x 3.5" flat height. Stickers are ready to ship in 3 business days!

Please note***Giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above.

There are 3 ways to enter the giveaway:

1. Leave a comment with your email address.

2. Follow PrintRunner.com on Facebook. Please leave your email address with each entry.

3. Follow PrintRunner.com on Twitter. Please leave your email address with each entry.

The giveaway will end on Wednesday, April 25th. I will notify the winner via email.

*Thank you Print Runner for a great giveaway. As compensation for this post, I will receive a set of full color standard stickers.

Hunger Games: The Book & The Movie

2012-04-09T18:15:00.000-07:00

I recently posted about my hesitation to read the Hunger Games book and movie. After much discussion with coworkers, blog friends, twitter friends, and my siblings, I was convinced to read the book. The book was really good. After I read the book, I had to see the movie. I was excited to see the book unfold visually. At 2.5 hours, I was shocked at how fast the movie went and I was even more surprised at the large amount of content that was in the book but was left out of the movie. I don't want to ruin the movie or book for you if you haven't read it or seen it so I won't go any further. With that said, however, I would love to hear from you.

Did you read the book? Did you see the movie? What were your thoughts?

to hunger games or not

2012-03-25T18:28:00.000-07:00

My twitter and facebook are both abuzz with this Hunger Games business. I am not one to get involved in a craze.

Years back when the first Harry Potter movie came out I went to see it. I was bored out of my mind. I had not read the books so I thought that perhaps I was missing something. Then the second HP came out and I went to see it again much to my dismay. I took a nap. Snoozefest. I was lost 30 minutes into the movie. Or maybe I didn't give it a chance because of the hype. Regardless, I have not read the books even to this day.

Then came along Twilight. Craze. No thanks.

Hunger Games. Craze. Intrigued. Why? I am not sure. I don't like the premise; fighting for food. Children killing other children. Just not my cup of tea. But I'm intrigued because of the craze this time. I don't want to get sucked in to the hype. I don't like books or movies with blood and death. So why on earth would I even think about downloading a sample of the book on my Kindle? No clue but I did. I read the first chapter really quick. And I still find myself intrigued.

Do I give in to the craze? I don't know.

A few thoughts on our wedding

2012-03-23T18:52:00.001-07:00

A week ago tomorrow, Dave and I got married in Las Vegas, Nevada in a short and sweet ceremony surrounded by close family and friends. After much discussion with our parents and family members, we decided to skip the traditional wedding and get married at the La Bella Chapel inside the LVH (formerly known as the Las Vegas Hilton). The LVH is special to us as we met there in 2007.

Me on my wedding day!

Taking the edge off before walking down the aisle.

I was stressing out because my dress was loose. I have lost 15 lbs since I bought it!

I am so happy that we did what we wanted to do. Our wedding was very low key. Our wedding was casual. Short. Sweet. To the point. Our wedding was perfect for us. We wanted our day to be as drama free as possible and not send us into our "new" life in debt. That is exactly what we did.

Dave & I with our family and friends (Sadly the picture is blurry)

{ I just love my rings!}

{My bouquet was perfect. Simple and sweet.}

We invited our friends and family to the Ale House in Vegas after the ceremony for food and drink and to celebrate with us. Again, very casual and reasonably priced. We will have a real reception in a couple of months in Delaware for all of our family and friends. We all had a great time and I have no regrets from our special day. I would do it over and over again this way.

The Deletion of Pinterest

2012-02-25T14:54:00.001-08:00

While I have been MIA in the blogging, handmade, and pinterest world, I have been busy with homework (I am taking a course towards my doctorate degree), traveling for work, and doing things that I have not been able to do in a long while because of lack of time. Therefore, I have lost contact with what is going on out there in the blogosphere.

I was surfing through my Facebook page today and noticed a post by Chrissy of Hoot Designs and what I read made me really nervous. What I read was a post about Pinterest infringing on copyright laws among other things. Wait. What?! For reals. All the legal lingo is broken down here in this detailed and informative post by DDK Portraits.

So...with that said, off I go to delete my Pinterest. After one last look around.

what discourages me from blogging

2012-01-15T20:08:00.000-08:00

I have taken a couple of months off of intense blogging and now that I come back to it, I find that the biggest reason I can't motivate myself to blog is that I feel like I have missed out on so much.

Sure, I have missed reading blogs and commenting and having a relationship with others in the blogosphere. But what really intimidates me like no tomorrow is the vast array of talent that is out there. Talent in making your blog look like a million bucks. The newest most amazing fonts, with fun backgrounds, professional photos, and the list goes on. The pretty sponsor ads are also intimidating because I see how many awesome people are out there that I internally am competing with.

I keep asking myself why it bothers me so much. Why do I let competition with blogging get to me? I don't allow competition to be a major force in my life anywhere else? It is really quite odd.

I used to be able to write without a care. Okay maybe that isn't true. I did care about what I was writing but it seems that now I overly care and am always wondering, "no that is boring. who wants to read about that?" Truth is that the topic could be something really rad and I just won't write about it because I don't have fun pictures to show with gorgeous matching font and wit.

Perhaps what I am feeling is a bit silly? I assure you these feelings are real. I had a super fun photo for this post and of course I can't get it to work. I need computer lessons. I need confidence in blogging lessons. I need...to get a life.

W is for

2012-01-14T17:17:00.000-08:00

There are 2 big W's that are constantly on my mind these days. Weight Watchers and Weddings.
I started Weight Watchers a couple of weeks back and so far am really happy with the program. I am infusing it into my life and finding that eating healthier makes me feel better, happier, and I am down 5 lbs. but am a ways from my goal weight. I have made mini-goals along the way to my "real" goal weight so that I can celebrate on my journey.

Weddings. My wedding. We are in planning mode and this is where I need your help. Do you know of any handmade wedding blogs?

Etsy Showcase: Curiously Wrought

2012-01-07T05:55:00.000-08:00

I have not done an Etsy Showcase post in quite awhile however while I was scouring pins on Pinterest I found this woman's work to be unique and different.

Little Ohio 9x9, $65

Wolverine Michigan Love 9x9, $65

California Love, $75

Eleanor Mathis, shop owner of Curiously Wrought describes the process of her nail and string art.
"Each piece is custom designed from the state, to the colors, to the placement of the heart or team logo over a town that is special to you! Once it is designed, the wood is hand cut and painted or stained, each nail carefully hammered in, and the string is hand strung to create a unique 3-D map of the place you love."

How cool is that?

changes

2012-01-03T04:30:00.000-08:00

Hiya Luv is going through some changes. I am going through some changes. I am still trying to decide where I want my blog to go. If I even want it to go anywhere or if I want it to just be a humble little abode on the net.

I used to have big dreams for my blog. I used to want to have a shop that was bustling and a blog that was just as much my career as was my shop. Then my new job came along and I am in love with it. Ever since then I have really put all my eggs into that basket. I still get joy out of my blog but honestly I have been concentrating more on home and the other job than the blog and shop.

For now the blog will be an outlet for fun. It will not have a set focus like it once did on crafting. It will be about anything...I will not pressure myself to write consistently or often. I will not pressure myself to have the best pictures, fun tutorials, new material that others haven't written yet, or stress about not writing for a week or two or maybe even three or four. I will do what I want.

I am re-evaluating my own expectations. I am reevaluating my own commitments. There will be changes in 2012. I just can't do it all and it is not fair to try to do things halfway...

Thanks for sticking around on my journey friends. :)

It's true...

2012-01-02T14:03:00.000-08:00

I signed up for Weight Watcher's today. And I am freaking out that I have to give up on the abundance of sugar that I eat. And change my ways. It really is a good thing. I just need to take it in stride. I want to change my lifestyle. I want to take big steps to eat healthier and be healthier. I have been wanting to do this for awhile and now is a great time to start.

Now if I could just get D to do it with me...it is so hard to cook for me and then for him...but for now I will make do....

Without my iPhone...

2011-12-27T17:50:00.000-08:00

The past couple of days Dave and I have been in the middle of the mountains in rural Pennyslvania visiting my grandma. We had a great time relaxing by the fire, eating amazing home cooked meals, and besides wi-fi being completely cut off from the world via cell phone. When we arrived at my grandma's I turned off my phone and didn't look at it for a couple of days.

I am glued to my phone. I am constantly entertained by it as the iPhone has my "life" on it. I typically use my iPhone now more than my laptop. I play games, pay bills, tweet, read blogs, etc. on my phone. As I hadn't paid any attention to it in 2 days, I did not feel a sense of urgency if I did not have it on me.

As we were leaving my grandma's today we were rushing. We had just learned that the rain we had been expecting to fall in the late afternoon/evening hours had turned into a wintery mix and was to arrive around noon. It was 10am and the rain had arrived. As we rushed around the house gathering our belongings, grabbed leftovers that my grandma had packed us, I didn't think about looking for my phone.

On the way home the rain was quite a wintery mix with the temperatures dropping. Polo sat on my lap like a good boy and I held on to him and tried not to be nervous about the weather as we drove around the twists and turns of the mountains. Dave drove but I could tell he was nervous driving my little Honda Civic through the mountains. (He is always super nervous driving with Polo in the car anyhow and the weather didn't help at all.)

When we got close to home Dave mentioned that since we now had cell phone reception that I should call my grandma and let her know we were almost home. I could not find my purse anywhere.

Scatter brained.

Sinking stomach.

I had left my wallet, purse, and iPhone at my grandma's 3.5 hours away. I was tempted to turn around and drive back however was talked out of it by Dave due to the weather.

Mad at myself I keep asking, "How do I forget something so important? Why am I always so scattered?"

I don't have an answer. I don't know how to fix my scatter brain. That bothers me.

I am meeting up with my grandma tomorrow half way for lunch. I feel so bad about my mistake.

Without my iPhone I realize how much I depend on it for so many things. It is kind of peaceful not to have it. I have been reading on my kindle, I blogged!, wrapped gifts for Dave's family, cleaned the house!, and am eager to sew. I haven't been eager to sew in weeks.

So iPhone, I love you so...but I have a totally new perspective.

bah-humbug

2011-12-21T15:17:00.000-08:00

I usually love the holidays. I enjoy spending time with family, catching up with relatives I haven't seen in awhile, sharing laughs and jokes over family games, and enjoying great homemade food. This year however I am not excited about the holidays. In fact, I am sad. Very sad. I want to avoid the holidays at all costs. I lost both my grandpa's this year and I am not in a celebrating mood. I just want to stay home and grieve. Yes, lay on the couch and watch movies and sleep Christmas away. I don't want to be jolly and laugh over family games. I don't want to catch up with relatives. I don't want to force myself to be happy. I want to be sad. I want to miss my grandpa's. I want to stay home. I don't want to travel to Ohio. I don't want to leave my pajamas or my house. I know my parents and family are disappointed. I know that it is a good idea to be around others during the holiday who are also grieving. But I don't want to......