my girl thursday

29 BEFORE 29: IN THE END

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 15:14:00 +0000

It happened. Last Saturday I turned 29 years old. My twenties are nearly complete. That is a fact I can hardly believe.

While I had a free moment I thought I would take some time to review the 29 before 29 list that I posted about this time last year. You know, before writing this out I thought I had failed myself pretty badly. Now that I think about it I'm feeling like I did pretty well. Its nice to reflect on the past year and see what's actually changed for the better. It's easy to believe that life (and our own behaviours) are static. It's nice to see that's not true.

Let's see how I did, shall we?

Learn to use my DSLR outside of auto
Nope. Didn't happen. In fact, I sold my fancy pants new DSLR and downgraded to a cute little Fuji bridge camera type of thing. I get super confuzzled when it comes to camera stuff and I'm tired of untying brain knots. I'm still an auto girl.

Knit or crochet a drawer full of dishcloths
Yessiree! Instead of filling my drawer first I'm working on some kitchen helper sets for Christmas gifts but I'll get to making my own soon enough. I love crochet!

Make a new quilt for our bed
Started but not completed. But I'm still hoping to have a new blanket on the bed before the new baby comes along. I also have a twin size quilt on my to-do list for a little girl named George. She has told me that she would like to find a pretty pink quilt under the Christmas tree.

Buy a house
DONE!

Put Georgia in daycare 1 or 2 days a week
Yup.

Go to the gym regularly
Ha! I mean, no.

Publish at least 1 zine
Sadly, no. I had an idea for a zine that I was really into. I'm still into it. I'm just worried that it will cause a little discord in my life. Maybe someday.

Sew a dress for myself
Another sadly no. I'm hoping to sign up for some sewing classes in the fall. I'm not going to attempt a dress before then because I'd rather have a better understanding of patterns and other such things.

Pay off my credit cards
I didn't get all the way there but I'm doing pretty dang good! I've upped my credit score over 100 points. I made myself proud.

Attempt a furniture makeover
I did do this but it wasn't as complex of a job as I had hoped for. Early in the summer I had dreamed of signing up for an upholstery course and eventually finding an apprenticeship somewhere. Then I got pregnant.

Start a collection
Indeedy do! I've started a charm bracelet and I think it's the perfect collection for me. Doesn't take up too much space and it's not super pricey. I love it.

Take off at least 1 day a week
I did! It feels great!

Read one book a month
I don't think I can claim that I've read 12 books this year. I really didn't adhere to this goal in the beginning. However, in the early summer I stepped away from the computer and started to pick up books. I love reading. It's like reconnecting with a long lost best friend.

See Tori Amos live (again)
No. Tori came to town right around the time that we moved into our new home. What I'm trying to say is that we were broke ass broke and there was no room in the budget for fun stuff.

Have a Christmas tree in our home
Hellz yes we did!! Better yet - I found our Charlie Brown-esque white tree at an auction for 2 whole dollars. Woot woot!

Show liquid liner who's boss
I actually did pretty good at this. Then I gave up make for quite a while. That's a whole other post. It's more interesting than it sounds.

Get Georgia using the potty
On the eve on Mothers Day, Georgia announced in the middle of the night that she would no longer be using diapers. She's all undies all the time.

Give serging an honest try
No. Get sergers away from me.

Get a ring on it
Surprisingly yes. Although it happened on my birthday. Not sure if that technically qualifies.

Ride an elephant
Twice!

Be outspoken in my appreciation
I'm going to say yes but that I have room for improvement. Thank you cards are going to make a come back in my life starting immediately.

Start a garden
I made FOOD!! I grew it from seeds. I ate it and it was delicious.

Do a serious purge of my craft closet
Yup. The move was the perfect opportunity.

Throw a smashing 30th party for my guy
Yes I did! It wasn't necessarily the rager that he had hoped for but it was a very happy evening indeed.

Learn as much as I can about Photoshop
I'm not going to say I learned as much as I possibly could have but I did improve my skills. We'll give this one a half mark.

Eat 3 meals a day regularly
I don't know if I'll ever actually do this. I'm a grazer.

Develop new creative skills
Crochet counts even if I only know a handful of stitches. Crochet is creative.

Watch less television
This happened for a while. Damn you AppleTV.

New tattoo!
This was going to be my 29th birthday present but then that whole conception this happened. Dream deferred.

Things I'm most excited about...
I'm definitely enjoying reading more. It makes me feel more like myself somehow. I guess I've always identified myself as a bookworm and I was definitely missing that part of myself. I'm also pretty proud of my new-found fiscal responsibility. I'm not perfect yet but compared to the me of a few years ago I'm a changed lady.

What I'm looking forward to...
I definitely need to get in some sewing lessons this fall. It's not that I don't know how to sew. I'm definitely comfortable with my machine. It's just that I don't understand a damn thing about a pattern. I'd prefer that they were less of a mystery to me. I'm also hoping to expand my garden next spring. We put in a couple small beds this year so we could test the waters. Next year it's going to be a bigger bed with lots and lots of vegetables. Oh yes, there's the ring as well. That's pretty exciting too. ;)

The things I don't regret...
I'm not beating myself up over not going to the gym. It's effing expensive and I'm not sure we'd actually use it to its fullest extent. We may sign Georgie up for some swimming lessons and recreational dance classes but I don't think we need to go all out on a family membership.

At the moment I'm undecided on whether or not I'll do a 30 before 30. Jesse and I have a couple big projects on the horizon (I'm lumping the baby in there) so I'm not sure that adding 30 more goals into this year is totally feasible. But I do love a good goal so I'm sure I'll come up with a list of some kind. I'm just the kind of girl.

Hope you are all doing fantastic. I'll talk to you soon(ish).

A PREGNANT PAUSE

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 18:31:00 +0000

I really don't like that many bloggers feel that they need to apologize when they haven't posted for a while. I'm not sorry. I know you've lived your life perfectly perfectly without a post from me. But this here blog is not dead to me and I thought it may be worth mentioning why I haven't been around. Okay, so you see honey, it's kind of like when a bird meets a bee. Okay, no.

Ummmm.....

Or okay, well, when two people really love each other.....uhhhh.

Here's the thing.

Yup.

I'm still sort of speechless. A second baby wasn't really in our plans but Jesse and I are trying to be as positive as possible as we venture down this new path. We know Georgia will be a really great big sister and she has been asking in earnest for baby. When I look back at photos like this I can't help but get a little excited about the whole thing too.

The first part of the pregnancy is the worst for me (and lots of other ladies too, I'm sure). I feel really sick a lot of the time and I have a total lack of energy almost constantly. I went from a 2am to a 7pm bed time. What I feel the absolute worst about is my ability to parent during this stage. I'm basically a heap of bones that can turn on the next episode of something before flopping on to my other side and going back to half-sleep. I'm not happy about it but it's where we are right now. Jesse is doing a good job of picking up my slack and I know in a matter of weeks things will return to a semi-normal state.

So, if you've sent an email, tweet or left a comment here in the last few weeks I would like to say that I'm sorry that I haven't been able to get back to you. Unfortunately the computer screen is making me mega sick these days and I've been living a very un-Internetly life.

I hope that each and every one of you reading this post are having a beautiful day. I'm about to squeeze myself into a bathing suit and take my sweaty toddler for a leisurely swim at the pool. Wish me luck!

GETTING BOOZEY (A VLOG WITH ♥ELCYIA)

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 13:00:00 +0000

You know when people say it's five o'clock somewhere? Well, for today at least, they're talking about this here blog. In this final edition of our second round of vlogs, Elycia and I are getting boozey...with mixed results.

Do you have a favourite cocktail (or mocktail) recipe? Feel free to share below or link to a blog post that highlights your favourite drink.

MS. CLEAN

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:00:00 +0000

I've had an idea for a while now but I'm having the hardest time acting on it. I want to break up with chemicals. Or no, that's not really realistic. I want to see other cleaners. I want some options when it comes to my cleaning routine.

I've said it in the past - I love chemicals cleaners. I love the way they smell. I love the way they look. I love buying a fresh bottle at the store. But I know it's not good. Good for me, for my family, for our pets or our environment. I get that. But it's hard because there's love involved here. I spent a great deal of my early years in a nursing home. The scent of Pine Sol immediately sends me down a spiral of happy childhood memories.

So for the month of July I am instituting a personal challenge. During the next few weeks I am going to phase out the chemical cleaners in my life. When I cleared out the cupboard under the sink this is what I collected.

Some of these were left in the house by the previous owner, some donated by my family and the rest is just a product of my mad love affair with the cleaner aisle. I won't pretend that this will be easy.

Along the way I'll be sharing recipes for some of my new favourite cleaning potions. I plan on using natural ingredients to make simple solutions. Most of the time it will be vinegar, baking soda, water - those sorts of things. I'll be adding in essential oils here and there to try and feed my need for scent but I have a feeling that once I get over that hump that I'll be cleaning away like my old self (meaning sporadically).

I'm looking forward to telling you more about this green (and very cost effective) challenge. Please feel free to join in too or even share recipes for your favourite cleaners. I'd love to hear all about it!

BOOK WORMING IT

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Okay, so things have been a bit crickets and rolling tumbleweeds around here lately. I won't go on a long diatribe about how freeing it has been to be away from the blog world because ain't nobody give a shit - most of all me. But I will say that it's proved to be brilliant for my non-virtual (some say 'real') life. I've been thinking some about my 29 before 29 list and trying to check off the bits that are really important to me. I've been doing a lot of dreaming, organizing and cleaning (the least glamorous of the three but still an important one). I'm in total nesting mode (totally not pregnant so let's just forget about that) and I've been pulling the house apart and putting back together in a different way.

During my down time I've been turning to books. It's easier on the eyes and brain and it's taking my vocabulary out of the 2nd grade realm in which it has become so comfortable. For a while I've been mourning the loss of reading in my life. Since I was in grade school I have been known as a bookworm. When I was in college I had a dedicated room for my personal library. But since having a baby - nothing. Since I started blogging - nada. My brain has been on a rapid decline.

So, for now, rather than Internet-ing I've been reading. Margaret Atwood, my favourite author of all time, brought me back when I found a copy of The Penelopiad at Value Village.

I read it in two days. It was okay. Not my favourite Atwood. Now I'm reading The Help. Next will be Lullabies for Little Criminals. After that will be another Atwood. Probably an old favourite like Alias Grace or Blind Assassin. For the most part I like to read CanLit.

Have you read a book lately that you can suggest for my to-be-read list? I'm a fan of fiction, but not really down for vampires or tacky BDSM relationships. I'd really like to hear what kept you until the last page.

TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE YOUR BLOG 'PRETTY' FOR ZERO CASH MONEY (A VLOG WITH ♥ ELYCIA)

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Well hello. It appears that it is once again a vloggy Tuesday with me and Love Elycia. This week we're chatting about personal take on blog aesthetics and how you can pretty up your blog without have to shell out your hard earned cash for a blog design. Not everyone has the resources (or desire) to have an intricate layout made just for them and we get that. So today we're offering a few pieces of advice on how to create a visually appealing blog for zero dollar bills.

A few of my favourite sites for nicely authored Blogger design tips are:

Pugly Pixel: I'll love this site forever and ever. Katrina rules my Blogger and Photoshop tutorial world.

Little Pink Strawberries: This blog is newer to me but full of great Blogger related posts.

Makin Cute Blogs and Blogger Buster are pretty dang helpful too!

Truth be told, Google is my very best friend when it comes to tweaking blog layouts. Have a problem? Ask Google. Don't get an answer that will work for you? Try wording your question differently. Seems like common sense but I get a lot of questions that would suggest that this helpful tool often goes unused. From experience I can tell you that not every tutorial will work for you. If the first doesn't pan out then you should try the next one you find. You might be surprised.

Good luck and happy blogging!

MAKE IT YOURSELF: VINTAGE INSPIRED PILLOWCASE APPLIQUE

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Hello lovers of craft! I'm back today with another sewing tutorial. This time around I'll be showing you how to create a vintage inspired pillowcase applique in the form of a hot ass Victoria broad. Awwwww yeah!

Oh, and have no fear - if your drawing skills are closer to remedial than remarkable you're in luck. This lady is more cartoon-y than lifelike, so it's okay if her curves (or hands) are not 100% realistic. (Hidden moral of the story: If your drawing sucks then just say that it's supposed to be that way. Problem solved.)

What you need for this project:
Solid colour pillowcase (2 if you would like a set)
Medium sized cotton fabric scraps
Assembled dress and bonnet template
Roll of Stitch Witchery
" strip of lace
Iron
Sewing machine
Thread
Pencil or Disappearing ink fabric pen
Embroidery floss
Embroidery needle

First off you need to assemble the template. You can download the full template here. Make sure you download each of the four images.

Once assembled, use your template to cut out your pieces of fabric.

Next I added a few strips of Stitch Witchery on the backside of the applique pieces. Then I placed the dress piece where I wanted it to sit and ironed in place. The Stitch Witchery is an optional step but I found it helped a lot during the whole sewing-on process.

Use a tight zig-zag stitch and sew around the edge of your applique pieces. You don't have to sew the bottom edge of the dress. We'll take care of that later on.

I placed the bonnet about 1 1/2" above the top center of the dress. Iron in place and stitch away!

Now you will need to figure out how much lace you need. Each pillowcase is different so I can't give you a definite measurement. Basically all you'll want to do is fold over your strip of lace so that you have two width and then just a little extra. Sew the edges together (right sides together) to create a loop.

Place your lace loop over the bottom edge of the pillowcase. Your lace loop should still be right sides together. The bottom edge of your lace loop should line up with the bottom edge of the pillowcase (and the fancy skirt). Pin in place and sew along the entire edge.

Iron seams flat.

Okay, get ready. This is where the real artistry begins. It's time to lightly draw in your embroidery pattern. Please don't get too jealous of my killer arm drawing skills.

Stitch! Stitch like it's going out of style!

Once you have finished up the hand embroidery you are done! Rest your weary head after all that hard work.

RULES FOR BLOGGING (A VLOG WITH ♥ELYCIA)

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Guess what? It's another vloggy Tuesday with me and Elycia. I am so stoked! Today we're chatting about a somewhat funny topic (or at least I think it can be kind of amusing) - the do's and do nots of blogging. Is there such a thing? Watch below to hear what we have to say and let us know what you think in the comments below.

Have you ever felt compelled to conform to a certain blogging norm? How did you break free from those imaginary restraints? Like I said, I think this is an interesting topic, and I would love to hear your feedback.

Happy blogging all!

MAKE IT YOURSELF: CHEAP AND EASY REPURPOSED KITE

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 17:12:00 +0000

Before this summer I had never flown a kite. Can you believe that? How does a girl get to be 28 years old without having held the anchor end of a flying paper diamond? The good news is that I popped my kite cherry with the skankiest looking kite emblazoned with the image of Barbie and two of her closest pals. As I ran around the park, looking the fool in my flip flops and a maxi dress, I thought I could most definitely make a cuter kite than the pink thing at the end of my line. So I did.

If you are in a high flying mood you can follow my directions and make this easy and very effective sled kite.

First you'll want to gather your materials. I used:

1 vinyl lined tablecloth (does not necessarily need to be lined but make sure it is somewhat sturdy)

duct tape (in coordinating colour)

2 24" pieces of 1/8" doweling

paint and foam brush (optional)

2 skeins of embroidery floss (or 1 if you are going to use the original thread that came with the kite handle)

kite handle
2 60" ribbons (to use as tails) <-not pictured

You'll want your kite fabric to be somewhat wind resistant. In an earlier attempt I used a light cotton. Didn't work so well. I went with a vinyl table cloth that I had purchased for a few dollars at the grocery store. It's lined with that flannel-ish stuff that sheds easily and that actually helps me out in a later step.

First things first you will want to cut out the main kite piece. I used an old handmade kite as a template and I copied down the measurements below:

Next you will add a small hole on each of the side corners. After I punched these holes I thought I better reinforce the corners with duct tape and then punch the holes once more. I would definitely recommend reinforcing these corners because you'll be tying your strings there.

Next you will sew the doweling in place. I decided to paint mine to match the kite because I'm fancy like that.

I sewed the dowel to the kite in three different place. One at the top, one in the middle and one at the bottom. If you're worried about the dowel tearing off you can sew the entire thing in place.

The kite handle did not come with a turquoise string. I unwound the original string and replaced it with a full skein of embroidery floss. This, of course, is totally optional and only slightly neurotic.

The last thing you need to to is tie your kite string in place. I don't have much to say on this one except that I wish I were more confidant in my knot tying skills. I quadruple knotted this sucker and crossed my fingers that it would hold in pace. You should probably take note of the 'Y' shape and try to replicate that as close as you can.

Okay, the actual last thing you should do (that I did not do here) is add some tails. My original sled kite did have tails but after Georgia ripped the off the kite was still able to fly. I did a bit of research to see if a kite absolutely had to have tails in order to fly and the general consensus was no. However, tails add greater stability to a flying kite. I was only able to test this specific kite once before posting and at that time there was very little wind action happening. Although I was able to get my kite in the air for a while it may have gone even higher if I had attached the tails. Live and learn.

Once your knots are in place you're off to the races! The kite races that is...

Go forth on a windy day and reclaim your long lost (or never realized) childhood bliss!

THE SECRET LIFE OF BAKING SODA

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:44:00 +0000

You thought you knew everything about your good friend baking soda. She's your trusty baking sidekick that gave your cakes a rise and your cookies their sweet, sweet tenderness. What you may not know is that baking soda is living a secret life. Several, in fact. Baking soda be getting around town and getting into everyone's business. Shameless powdery hussy!

Okay, so that might be a bit dramatic. We all know that baking soda can help whiten teeth or create fake volcanic explosions, but did you know that it's versatility goes far beyond that? I've been thinking a lot about how to integrate more natural house cleaning and personal care routines in my daily life and baking soda keeps popping up again and again. I'm so fascinated by ordinary things that can have multiple uses in everyday life. I have a feeling that soon enough I'll be buying this stuff by a 10 lb bag and chucking it all over my house.

Today I thought I'd share with you some of my new favourite ways to use this unsuspecting Jack-of-all-trades:

AfterBite alternative: Create your own anti-itch paste by mixing 3 parts soda with 1 part water. Apply to those dastardly bites. Don't use on broken skin though because no.

At home microdermabrasion: Same measurements as the anti-itch paste. Apply to face and rub gently in circular motion. After fully applied to face allow to sit for a few minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

Powder cleanser: I love me some Comet but that stuff is toxic as hell. Plus, it always leaves behind a grainy residue the gives me the hebejeebees. Swap out the green can with the orange box and your cleaning situation is a lot less yucky.

Thermos de-stanker: I will not drink from a stale smelling thermos. I can't. The stink become the taste and then its all 'Welcome to Gagsville'. Used a mixture of hot water and baking soda to remove the smelliness from your canteen.

Remove stovetop burns: Sprinkle stains with a generous dusting of powder. Pour some boiling water on top and let sit for a few minutes. Gently scrub away stains using a dish washing scrubber.

Drain clean: Drop one cup of soda followed by one cup of hot vinegar down a clogged drain. Blamo!

Air neutralizer: It's not that I want to add anything to the air I breathe - it's more that I want to take something out of it. Fill a clean used glass jar about half way with baking soda, poke some holes in the lid and twist shut. Let it sit in a your offensive smelling room and let the powder do it's job.

Oven cleaner: My oven is not self cleaning and I am terrified of the can of cleaner stashed under my sink. End result - a very messy oven. Very messy. I'm going to try and ammend this cleaning faux pas by sprinkling spraying inside of oven with warm water, combine 1 cup of soda and 1/3 cup table salt and sprinkle over water. Let this sit overnight and wipe away the mess in the morning.

These are just some of the many uses out there. If you have any favourite uses for baking soda I'd love to hear all about it! Or if you have another favourite multi-purpose tool be sure to mention it in the comments below.

FEATURED IN MODERN INK MAGAZINE

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 13:00:00 +0000

source

I'm honoured to be featured in the latest issue of Modern Ink! I was asked to share my top summer picks and narrowing it down to eight was no simple task. I'm a girl with a love for the warm weather and all of the amenities that it brings.

Check out the newly released June/July edition below and click here to visit Modern Ink. Fair warning though - the site is packed with interesting stuff so you might lose a few hours before you realize it.

Open publication - Free publishing - More art

FUNNY GIRLS ARE MY FAVOURITE: EMOTISTYLE

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:21:00 +0000

It's grey and rainy today and although that's just awesome for all the plants out there it's kind of killing my sunshine buzz. Whatever rain, I've got me some online sunshine. Meet the ladies of Emotistyle.

source

Shamikah and Molly are funny. And smart. And cute. And fashionable. Also, funny. It's worth saying twice. If you've got a problem then they have an outfit for you. Trust me, it works.

I was introduced to their YouTube channel via MACC with this video. By the part about the bodysuit I cry-laughing ever so slightly.

If you're digging these ladies as much as me you can subscribe to their YouTube channel, Facebook page and follow them on Twitter.

Funny is important. Let's support funny.

GOODBYE OLD LAYOUT. YOU WERE LOVED. (AND OTHER FEELINGS)

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Thu, 31 May 2012 15:18:00 +0000

Spring has undoubtedly been a season for change for My Girl Thursday. My thought process in regards to blogging has shifted significantly and I'll say that I'm feeling about ten bazillion times better about my online presence. In reality a lot of 'changes' that I've made won't necessarily be apparent on this site; it's more of a mental thing. I thought I'd share a little more about it today because I have a feeling that a lot of bloggers deal with the same sort of mental junk.

I've decided to let go of a lot of guilt that I would carry around in my day to day. For example, last weekend Jesse and I took Georgia on a road trip to a small town event called Kite Day. It was just like it sounds. A bunch of people gathered in an open field, decorated and flew kites. It was fun. Like fun-fun. And all I did was just enjoy it.

In the past I haven't shared a ton about our daily life. I didn't post a lot of photos or stories about family stuff. But I felt a weird sense of guilt for not doing it. Like I was wasting a perfectly good blog post or something. That, right there, is nonsense. Bull shit even. A perfect waste of mental energy. My blog isn't really about my family. So, why did I feel so bad about wasting a 'bloggable' opportunity? The thing that I've come to accept is just because something is 'bloggable' does not mean that it needs to be blogged. ~~Some parts~~ Many parts of my life are just to be enjoyed.

Conversely, one does not need to live a bloggable life in order to be a blogger. A few months ago Jesse and I were tidying up our living room and he said something about it being a very bloggable space. When he said that I felt a little bit sick. I began to wonder if I was creating a life that would be Pinterest-able content. I felt sicker when I realized that it was kind of true. I remembered the many times I had thrifted an outfit simply because it would be a cute outfit post - not just an outfit. And although the outfit thing was the extent of my infractions I recognized that inauthenticity is a slippery slope.

I know I've been writing a bunch about this stuff. Feelings. Icky, sticky, gooey feelings. But I've come out of a really dark place and I think it's worth talking about. I've gone from "Screw this! I hate everything about this! Why does anyone do this? I just want a real life." to a place where I feel really content and balanced. I happen to think that's awesome.

Anyhow, I know this seemingly has nothing to do with a new design but I can tell you that, for me, it does. A fresh view on blogging deserves a fresh layout. I've moved away from having a sidebar photo/bio because I don't really want to look at my face every day. Plus I'd prefer this site to be more about the content and less about me (a laughable sentiment after a post like this). I've abbreviated blog posts because I think it looks tidy and it saves readers from scrolling related carpal tunnel injuries. I went with a slider because I love it. It gives me a way to highlight posts that I love (both and old), showcase giveaways and feature entire categories at once. Did I mention that I love it? It's a fairly drastic new look, but I'm really happy with it. I used the Instinct template but if you check their demo you'll see that I altered it quite a bit.

Okay, so that was a lot of talking. Thank you to you if you stuck with me through all of it (and I mean all of it).

As a side note, there is still time to take advantage of the free ad promotion. If you do reserve an ad please (pretty, pretty please) make sure you ad size is exactly 150x150. I've spent hours going through ads and contacting everyone with incorrect sizing. You'll be doing me a solid.

Hope you're having an amazing Thursday!

CRAZY CAKE: A BAKING SHOW (A VLOG WITH ♥ELYCIA)

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 29 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000

It's another vloggy Tuesday with me and Elycia but this time we're doing things a little bit different. Awesomely different if you ask me (evil laugh goes here).

When we ended our first round of vlogs we asked if there was anything in particular you'd like to see us do. Now I forget who said it (and I can't find the comment) but some genius reader suggested a cooking show. Replace cooking with something sweeter and ladies and gents welcome to our very first BAKING SHOW!!

We filmed this at night so you'll notice that we have a nice vampire tone to our skin. Vampires are still on trend, right?

Okay, so I see a few things we can do differently next time. Oh, there will most certainly be a next time. Any particular recipe you would like to see? Make sure to leave links or directions in the comments below.

Oh! And for those wondering - the cake was okay. Not my absolute favourite, not the absolute least favourite. If I make it again I'll probably add a chocolate frosting. I'm not usually a fan of chocolate on chocolate cake but this batter wasn't quite chocolately enough for me. Also, the word chocolatey disgusts me.

Crazy cake girl OUT!

CLOSED - ADVERTISE YOUR BLOG OR SHOP FOR FREE IN JUNE

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 29 May 2012 14:28:00 +0000

Exciting news all! As a token of my appreciation for all of the love and support this little blog receives, for the month of June I will be offering free ad space to anyone and everyone who'd like it (common sense restrictions apply, you know what I'm saying)!! Woot wooooot!!

To get on board you can visit my sponsor page and reserve your spot. This month marks the beginning of my partnerships with Passionfruit ads and I honestly could not be more stoked. In the past I've done ad management for my blog and for another dear friends blog. It wasn't an easy decision for me to pass the work on to someone else; especially since I had a rather tidy and organized system, but in an effort to be on the computer less I've decided to just let the selling and coding part go. I'll still have lots of email contact with my advertisers and I'm always here for questions and chatting but I'm going to let Jason take care of the other end of it from now on. Can I get a whoop whoop for more free time? Ahhhhhh yeah!

Note: I will be opening up two large feature ads beginning in July but at this point they are not officially for sale. If you would like to reserve one of those spots please email me at thursday@mygirlthursday.com. ♥

CLOSED - GIVEAWAY MONDAY: CUSTOM WOOD COVER JOURNAL FROM NERD NEST

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Mon, 28 May 2012 14:12:00 +0000

Happy Monday friends! (If you are one friend in particular what I actually meant to say is HAPPY BIRTHDAY!) I have big plans to get stuff done today and I'm just hoping that a thrift store doesn't get in the way and mess everything up. Or wait, is it the other way around? Either way stuff will happen. The first stuff to happen is a fantastic giveaway from the lovely folks over at Nerd Nest! They have kindly offered to send one of my readers a custom faux bois wood notebook. Wooohooo!!

The Nerd Nest is a family blog and shop run by Megan and Jake, who write about a kitchen sink of topics, from recipes to tech to books to craft DIYs. Their shop is prefect for the nerdy nostalgic, specializing in and eclectic mix of vintage and handmade goods.

You may recall that Megan and Jake were nice enough to send me this journal customized with Ms Georgia Grace's initials. I bloody love this thing and so does she. I think she probably believes she's famous because her monogram is on the cover of a book. I know I would have thought that as a child. Then again back then just about anything was a sure sign of my famousness.

Would you like a chance to win some handmade journal sweetness? Here's how...

(Mandatory entry)

Visit the Nerd Nest shop and have a browse. Come back her tell me your favourite find (besides the notebook) in the comments below. Please be sure to include your email address so I can get in touch with you if you win.

(Additional entries - be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry)

Follow Megan on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Be sure to include @mygirlthursday and @Megan_NerdNest so both of us can see your message. If you need a little help in the tweet department you can use this:

This week I want to win a custom wood journal from @Megan_NerdNest on the @MyGirlThursday blog! http://www.mygirlthursday.com

Subscribe to the Nerd Nest blog via Bloglovin, email, feedburner - whatever works best for you.

Giveaway closed Friday, June 1st. Contest is open to everyone.

Good luck!

PS
Congratulations to the winner of the Chantilly Songs giveaway!

MAKE IT YOURSELF: SCALLOP TOTE BAG

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:46:00 +0000

This is a project I've been dreaming for ages and I am so stoked to share it with you all today! If you have been reading this blog for (quite) a while you may remember when I introduced my white scallop photo backdrop. I still love that backdrop as much as I did the day I made it but unfortunately it doesn't get to come out and play as often as I would like. (It also lost a war with printer ink and has a few blood red accents. Don't ask.) So I've been wondering how I could bring this scallop into my everyday life and here's the first project I came up with (clearly I have an affinity for the tote bag)...

This project is based on my basic tote bag template so you'll have to excuse some of my copying and pasting of directions. First you'll want to gather your materials. As always I failed to include some pieces in the group shot.

What you'll need...

2 pieces of the shell fabric - mine are approximately
2 pieces of canvas for lining - mine are approximately
14 - 16 strips of fabric - measuring at least 16" x 2 1/2"
2 pieces of cotton webbing for handles - measuring 16" each
print out of scallop pattern
sewing pins
scissors
sewing machine
disappearing fabric marker (or a pen in you're cocky like me)

First things first you'll want to line up your two shell pieces right sides together. Pin along the bottom edge.

Sew along the bottom edge and then press out your seam.

After sewing your shell pieces you'll want to plan out your scallops. For this project I decided to cover just one side of the bag in scallops. If you want to do both I say go for it - however these directions are very one sided.

Next we're going to focus on laying down our scallops. Lay out your shell fabric right side up. Remember that we are going to concentrate on just one half of this long piece of fabric. Now is the time to begin cutting out your scallops using this template as a guide. As you cut out your lines of scallops place them on this piece of fabric in order to see how many lines you will need. My bag needed 14 lines of scallops to cover the one side. Make sure you are placing your scallops from the bottom up. The bottom edge of the first line should be place about 1/4" above the bottom seam (as pictured).

Pin the scallop in place and sew along the top edge.

Continue placing your scallops and sewing them in place. I would advise you to cut your pieces and plan out placement in advance so you're sure you're happy with your fabric placement/choices.

Make sure you shift the placement of the scallop strip each time so that they are not perfectly aligned. This will fill in any gaps that would happen otherwise.

Keep sewing!

See - there is an end in sight!

Next you'll want to trim off the excess scallops.

I laid down a straight stitch along each side of the scallops to make sure they stayed in place during the rest of the making process.

Now you will fold the other half of the shell so that the right side will be on top of the scallops. Make sure everything is laying flat and lined up nicely. Pin the two long edges in place and sew. (My apologies, this image is at a weird angle. This is just one of the long side edges.)

Trim edges and square off corners.

Turn your shell inside out and press seams flat.

Shell is complete yo! Now we're going to assemble the super easy canvas lining. Put your two lining pieces together, pin along three edges (leave one short edge open) and sew along those edges. Trim edges and square off corners.

The shell AND the lining are now complete. You're awesome!

At this point your lining fabric should still have right sides facing while your shell piece is right sides out. Next you will place your shell pocket inside the lining pocket. Make sure your bottom corners line and and that everything is laying flat.

This next step is optional. I wanted to have a fancy strap on this bag so I ended up adding this pretty ribbon with a single long row of stitches.

Now you will shape your handle. I lay the strap on a flat surface, grab each end and fold it towards myself. This creates a U shape that will sit nicely on your shoulder. FYI: If you have decorated handles please do not follow my exact placement. The way I laid down my handles made them turn out inside out. Do the same U shape but lay the decorated side down the other way.

Carefully place the handle between the lining and shell fabric. Pin in place. Repeat on the other side of the bag.

Sew around this open edge. Be sure to leave a 2-3" gap open so that you can turn out the bag in a minute. For extra strength and durability sew over the handles a couple of times.

Using the open gap turn your bag inside out and tuck your lining inside the bag. Use your iron to press the top edge flat.

Lay top a top stitch all around the top edge of the tote bed and you are...

I hope you all enjoy this project as much as I do! I'm fighting the urge to bust out a million bazillion of these because I want to make some other things. If you end up making a scallop bag of your own please be sure to let me know by leaving a comment, tweeting, Facebooking or @ messaging me on Pinterest. I'd love to see what you come up with!

Happy crafting!

TATTOO GIVEAWAY WINNER'S FINISHED TATOO!

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:21:00 +0000

Today I am so happy to share something very special with you all. A few days ago Miriam, the winner of the tattoo giveaway, emailed me photos of her tattoo! It made my whole entire day when I got to see the finished piece. It is so beautiful and I can't tell you how happy I am to have been a part of the process.

For those of you who don't know Miriam won my tattoo giveaway in March when she told us the story of her mothers passing and her daughters birth. It was so touching and I know it had me and probably many others in tears for quite some time. If you'd like to know more you can click here to read her story.

This is a photo of a much younger Miriam with her mama. I love the happy expression on her moms face. Also, is anyone else seeing how much alike baby Miriam and Miriam's daughter are?! I love that!

I was so happy when I heard that Miriam would be having my friend Sandi design her tattoo. I love Sandi's doodles but I'm also blown away by her more realistic drawing skills. Girl has talent!

Once her tattoo was fully healed Miriam visited her mothers grave for some photos. I think they turned out brilliantly and it was such a fitting tribute.

I'd just like to take a moment to thank Miriam. Thank you for being so brave and sharing her story with me, the judges of the giveaway and everyone who read the entries. I know it couldn't have been easy to put it all out there but I'm so happy that you did. It was so nice to have 'met' you and to have helped commemorate such a special lady.

♥

CLOSED: GIVEAWAY MONDAY: TWO ALBUMS FROM CHANTILLY SONGS

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:43:00 +0000

Good morning, good morning and happy Monday to you all! We're finished up a holiday weekend here in Canada and I must admit that it treated me rather nicely. There were yard sales galore and lots of family time in the backyard. I'm always a tad worried before the May 2-4 weekend because the weather will sometimes do a sneak attack and throw down some hail on a seemingly normal summer day. But Mother Nature was good to us here and the skies were brilliant! But enough weather bragging, okay? Let's get on to the good stuff - a giveaway from Chantilly Songs!

Chantilly is your friendly neighborhood singer-songwriter has recently made a magical new set of recordings, available for listening and purchase on bandcamp. Today she is kindly offering up her newest EP Up To The Moon and a copy of the older Caught Light.

To enter for your chance to win this musical prize pack all you have to do is...

Mandatory entry:

Stop by Chantilly's bandcamp page and have a listen to her music. Come back here and let me know your favourite song. Be sure to leave you email address so I can get in touch if you're the winner.

Additional Entries:

Subscribe to the Chantilly Songs blog by way of Google Friend Connect, Bloglovin or any other RSS reader. Leave a separate comment for this entry.

Follow Chantilly on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Be sure to include @ChantillySongs and @MyGirlThursday so we can see your message. If you're searching for some tweetspiration you can use this:

This week I'm hoping to win a very musical prize pack from @ChantillySongs over on the @MyGirlThursday blog! http://www.mygirlthursday.com

Contest is open until Friday, May 25th. Everyone is welcome to enter.

Good luck!

UNINTENTIONAL COLLECTION: MEMORY BOOKS

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

While I was organizing the bookshelf in my office I noticed that I have a growing collection of memory books. Mostly empty memory books.

I really like the idea of baby record books, scrapbooks and photo albums but the problem is that I never get around to actually getting down to it. My biggest problem is with any record book that requires handwriting. I'm always worried that I'm going to have to scratch out a spelling error (a legitimate fear, it happens a lot) or do the always popular left hand smudge. Anyhow, I've gathered up my collection and I'm determined to have them all properly put together by the end of the month. The weather is lovely around here and I think this is a perfect picnic table project. I thought it might be nice to share the bits and bobs of my memory hoard.

I love this journal so much! It was sent to me by the very generous folks over at Nerd Nest and they were kind enough to customize it with Georgie's initials. It actually came with the stamp too and George absolutely loved it. I showed her how it was used to stamp on the cover and she spent the rest of the afternoon stamping whatever she could find (sans ink) and proclaiming "This is GG's!!" I plan on using this journal as a sort of scrapbook. I'm not much for full blown scrapbooking (the fancy layouts and such) but I would like a place to store important things like handmade Mother's Day cards.

I found this at a recent rummage sale and I couldn't leave without it. But if there's one thing in this collection that I'm afraid to actually put to use it's this diary. It is so flipping cute and old. It's going to be so sad when I have to white out a bunch of shit because I couldn't remember my daughters birth weight on the first go.

I was very happy to score this very cute photobooth album from the freshly relaunched Freckled Nest shop. Mine is named Veronica after my absolute favourite teenage detective. Jesse and I used to be much more strict about monthly photobooth visits. George was born on a 13th and that day each month we'd head to the mall for pad thai and photobooth. I think I just figured out an activity for the weekend. Cheeeeeese!

Lastly, I use an old photo album to store my Instax Wide photos. I thrifted an old clunky Instax over a year ago (maybe two years ago) and it is still one of my raddest finds. I don't use it as much as I'd like to because as soon as the kid spots it she wants to snap a million pictures of absolutely nothing. What the hell. Those photos costs over a buck a pop.

So that's it for my memory book heap. Do you have a special way that you like to record your history? Have you blogged about it? Be sure to share your story and link below. ♥

29 BEFORE 29: THE COLLECTION

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:24:00 +0000

When I first made my 29 before 29 list one of the things I was most excited to do was start a collection. Of course, when I decided to include that goal I failed to recognize that I subconsciously have many collections in my life but whatever - a new one is fun too. At first I thought I'd go with Pyrex because that's cool (not sarcasm, it's definitely awesome and very nice to look at). However, that quickly (very quickly) began to take up too much room and I had to switch gears and invest all my hopes and dreams into a charm bracelet. No jokes, I freaking love my charm bracelet. It's a slow going collection because it's not super inexpensive and they're not the easiest thing to find at the thrift shop but the other day I hit the mother load!

I thirfted this whole thing for only ten bucks! It usually costs that much for just one charm on Etsy. I won't be keeping every single charm but there are plenty that will make it to my bracelet. I'll probably eBay the others and swap them out for something more appropriate (maybe a Virgo rather than a Scorpio).

These are a few of my other recently(ish) acquired charms...

The boat opens up and there are some little people in there. It blows Georgia's mind every time.

Hey, and since we're on the topic of baubles, here are a few new pieces to my junky jewelry box that I'm liking.

This necklace is my new favourite. Sort of weird since I don't really believe in luck. The whole idea of superstition does make me smile though. I think it's a fascinating human behaviour.

Those giant rings are actually from Dollarama. Georgia likes to make me wear all three rings lined up on one hand. It's like a set of hippy brass knuckles.

Do you have a new collection on the go? Or an old favourite? Tell me all about it in the comments below.

DEALING WITH SELF DOUBT (A VLOG WITH ♥ELYCIA)

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Well, well, well. We meet again. I brought a friend with me today. You might know her. Her name is Elycia.

This morning we're talking about how we deal with all those hurtful comments that come up in regards to our blogs. Nope, we're not talking about the always endearing anonymous commenters out there. Today we're talking about dealing with our own self doubt and the nasty little stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.

Have anything you'd like to add to the conversation? Please leave a comment below. We'd love to hear from you!

PS
I have a winner for the Funk Off! giveaway. Congratulations go out to...

SHOP COOL PLACES HERE...

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:00:00 +0000

In the second sponsor introduction of the day I'd like to showcase some of the rad shops that are supporting my blog in May. Look below and you'll even find a coupon or two. Woohoo!

What will you find in my little ol' shop? Anything from vintage home decor to retro swimsuits to 70s maxi dresses to high-waisted everything to purses and more!

shop >> blog >> twitter

COUPON CODE THURSDAY FOR 20% OFF

MungoCrafts makes One of a Kind Hoodies from Recycled Sweatshirts. All month long we'll be donating 3 cans of food to our local foodbank for each hoodie we sell!!

shop >> twitter

Hi, my name is Trisha and am the mastermind behind the vintage online shop, Veranellies. Merging the names of both my grandmothers, VeraNellies was born out of a love for mid century modern pieces, industrial finds and handmade treasures created by me.

shop >> blog

Your friendly neighborhood singer-songwriter has recently made a magical new set of recordings, available for listening and purchase on bandcamp.

bandcamp >> twitter >> blog

ADDITIONAL COUPON:

COUPON CODE MYGRLTHURSDAY20 FOR 20% OFF

MEET COOL PEOPLE HERE...

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today is a day for the kind people supporting My Girl Thursday in May. I encourage you to click some links and visit some lovely blog homes. Happy Thursday all!

Hi, my name is Trisha and I blog over at Veranellies. By day I work a 9-5 (actually 7-3:30) then I become a vintage hunter, crafter, garden lover, baker, crocheter, vintage shop owner and glass manipulator by night My blog follows my daily ventures and has fun weekly features. I love seeing new faces, please stop by and say hello!

blog >> shop >> pinterest

The Nerd Nest is a family lifestyle blog by Megan and Jake, a nerdy couple in love with books, technology, DIY projects, and their two mini nerds.

blog >> Megan's twitter >> Jake's twitter

I'm Chantilly- your friendly neighborhood singer-songwriter/ crazy cat lady. My my blog features style posts, music, and chronicles the life and times of a creative gal living in Brookyn, NY. Come hang with me and find out more :)

blog >> twitter >> bandcamp

CLOSED - GIVEAWAY: VEGAN BATH & BODY TRIO FROM FUNK OFF!

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:44:00 +0000

Good morning all! I'm so excited to be here today with a giveaway from my favourite indie bath and body shop Funk Off. I am in the midst of a mad love affair with their body sprays and lotions and I know whoever wins this giveaway will be feeling the same. Let's get to it, shall we?

__________________________________________

Hello friends of Thursday!

We're super stoked to be here and we're even more excited to host a giveaway on My Girl Thursday!

So spring is already here and summer is just around the corner and while we're sure you've already started enjoying the sunshine and warmer weather, we thought you might like a new scent to go along with your new seasonal vibes! We like to hook ourselves (and our peeps!) up with a fresh scent each season, it helps get us in the mood for a little change. Plus, we think that even on the cloudiest of days a cool summery scent can really perk you up! And so, to celebrate the freshness in the air, Funk Off! wants to give one of you a chance to win a few of our favorite products in the scents of your choice! A Peace, Love, and Soap Suds! shower gel (that can also be used as shampoo!). A Later, Gator! lotion to keep your skin nice and moisturized when the heat and dryness of the season kick in. A Kiss This! lip balm to soothe and smooth your lips and add just a touch of shine for your low maintenance summer face routine. And one of our super brand new (not even released for sale to the public yet!) and super awesome Bliss Bombs! for the bath, because a nice warm aromatherapy bath is fantastic any time of year! All natural, all Vegan, all incredible. Oh snap!

To enter all we ask is that you visit the shop and let us know what products you would choose in the comments below. Also, please be sure to add the Funk Off! shop to your favorites on Etsy so you can see when we're offering up brand new products.

For an additional entry you can tweet about this giveaway letting everyone know they could have a chance to win too! Be sure to link to this post and include @mygirlthursday and @FreshNotFunky so we can see your message.

Good Luck you guys, may the force be with you!

Keep it Fresh!

"the Funk Off! crew"

Giveaway is open until Friday, May 11th. Everyone is welcome to enter. Good luck!