The Origin of Wonder

Easy & Quick Scarf Storage

2013-01-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

My momma ~~has an obsession~~ really likes scarves. But, she wasn't such a fan of how she had been keeping them. So we came up with something quick, easy, and effective.

All you need is a hanger, hot glue, yarn, a small piece of sandpaper, extra shower curtain rings, and a love for scarves!

See how simply putting them on the shower rings then hanger lets them slip and slide around to the sides? Totally unstable and the hanger is being pulled taught. Not very sturdy.

We had to run sandpaper over the hanger so the hot glue wouldn't peel right off the plastic.

Put hot glue on the top and bottom of the hanger--feel free to put a little extra on the sides if you would like.

Wrap around as much yarn as you would like. Cover the whole thing, or, like we did, a few strands at a time spaced apart.

Click on the shower rings, and add your scarves. Our scarves were actually already on the rings, but either way works.

See how pretty that looks? And it slides right into the closet with the coats (or, if you prefer, your clothes).

And it barely takes up any room!

Now take 10 minutes and fix up your box of scarves (:

For the rest of the school year...

2013-01-25T14:15:00.005-05:00

I am now employed full-time (:

I had an interview this morning and got the call less than an hour later. It's still a sub job, not a contract job, so no benefits or continuation for next year--but it's just what I need!

I won't have my own classroom, but I'll be working with 3rd-5th grade Title I students (for more on that see this)--basically the at-risk and low-preforming students. I've worked with special education a bit, but this will definitely be a fabulous experience.

P.S. I made this skirt...tutorial soon? I have fabric for another already.

I start on Monday! Wish me luck (:

My Life List

2013-01-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

I've never really liked the sound of a "Bucket List," just a little too morbid for me. I prefer to think of it as a Life List. This is my life and these are the things I want to do while I'm living it.

Some of the things on my list I've already completed (yea!) and I'm going to use this blog as a place to document the list and when I complete things. If you want to follow along I promise I won't make it totally boring. If not, just skip over these posts.

There will be a list as a new tab under my header to keep the list as well as link to all of the future posts about completions.

If you want to check out my list (warning: it's long), check out my new tab up top!

Semi-related, here's my twenty-thirteen goals (I'm not one for resolutions).

I'm always adding to the list and love hearing what's on your lists or what you'd love to do. Let me know!

I'm Back.

2013-01-07T16:02:00.001-05:00

Has it really been since October? Hope you all had magical Christmas' and wonderful New Years.

My season was incredibly crazy. Subbing 3-4 days a week, tutoring 2 days a week. Working almost every single night, sometimes until 1am before subbing the next day. I barely had time to breathe, but I still found time to enjoy my favorite season (:

Life has slowed. School just started again, so there aren't a lot of sub positions yet (just some lined up in the future) and work is really slow, half the hours I did have. So I'm going to soak up the extra time while I can.

The good news is, I'm back!

Tell me your favorite part(s) of your holiday, I want to hear all about it.

Happy Halloween

2012-10-31T13:47:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Halloween!

My family's favorite pumpkin patch is...

...a small side-of-the-road stop. I love that people still believe in honesty, refreshing.

This time, they were bringing more out on this awesome old tractor. Of course...

...we asked for a picture, and they told us to get on it! No wonder we love their little patch.

My instagramed version.

My plans for the night consist of trying to play card games with boyfriend while being interrupted by cute trick-or-treaters every few minutes (: Can't wait!

What are your Halloween plans?

EOW

2012-10-13T07:00:00.000-04:00

A year ago I wrote this post. As this day comes around it means it has been an entire year since two little girls I love so much lost their father. A year since one of the strongest women I know lost her husband. A year of the "firsts" without him has passed.

I wear this bracelet every single day. It's now so faded you can barely see what it says--but I know.

I never know when it's going to hit me. The other day with J's entire family, someone mentioned another officer death in the state...I had to leave the room because I didn't want to loose it in front of all of them. I can't watch an episode of "Cops" where there's a bank robbery, it makes me ill.

So please, just pray for his family--his beautiful family--& friends as they finish out a year of firsts and try to cope with a new "normal."

As I pray about and dwell on these things, I hope that you hold your family tight today, and everyday.

The Perfect Autumn

2012-10-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

...consists of...

...savoring the last days of heat with a walk with J.

...spending time with my sisters.

...nightime fires with the family & friends.

...fried food cookout with the family--pickles, onion rings & chicken--I'm getting hungry again.

...the annual library book sale--stocking up for my classroom (:

...pumpkin Spice Latte. (sidenote: I don't like coffee--I know, I know--so I get it with one less shot of espresso and one extra pump of flavor...delicious) Also, very impressed that he spelled my name correctly-everyone always spells it wrong.

...vacation with J that included wine-tasting in Traverse City. More on that later.

...playing this with my two favorite girls when I babysit them.

...Grand Rapids Art Prize...incredible.

...pumpkin spice donut from the local (as in 2min from my house local) apple orchard.

I can't wait to continue to create my perfect autumn (:

What would be included in your perfect fall?

Pinbusters: Nail Polish Remover

2012-10-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

I find a lot of awesome tips & recipes on Pinterest*, but who knows if they really work? I've decided to make a series called "Pinbusters" (ever seen the show Mythbusters?--I know, I'm clever) to let you know what really works!
*and around the web...this is one I Googled tips for, but GoogleandPinbusters doesn't sound as cool.

This one was sparked because a male friend (who wishes to remain anonymous) got his toenails painted. I tried to help him get it off, but there was no polish remover in his house so we got creative.

FYI: These ideas were all found on google in various locations--we just wrote them down and most were found on sites like ask.com and sites where I could not find authentic/original credit.

Here are our results.
1. ~~Hand sanitizer~~. -We didn't have much faith in this one, but even
letting it soak a bit didn't get anything off.
2. ~~Hydrogen Peroxide~~.
-This one seemed a little more promising. Used a
cotton ball just like normal remover. Nope again.
3. ~~Rubbing Alcohol~~.
-I really had faith in this one. Used a cotton ball.
I wouldn't call this one totally busted. However,
it took far too much effort for barely any to come
off--not worth it. Plus there was a strong
warning about how drying it could be, so I
wouldn't risk it--especially on finger nails.
4. ~~Vinegar & Olive Oil~~.
-Yes, it smelled awful. Unsurprisingly, it didn't
work. After the failed attempt we went back to
see what may have gone wrong...this method
was designed for use on wooden surfaces! haha
5. Nail Polish Remover.
-Finally! Something that worked...a day later.

As much as we worry about chemicals around, sometimes nothing works better than the product that was made for it.

It's official, this "pin" is *busted.*

5 Years

2012-10-02T07:00:00.000-04:00

...is how long J and I have been together.

I edited this picture before we started dating. We were seniors in high school.

Someday I'll write our love story...but we officially met in 5th grade, so it's a little long.

Our entire relationship up until July was long distance (except the 3 months we spend studying in England). Which means that it has not even been close to perfect--but we worked at it because it's worth it.

So here's to my best friend and the love of my life. Someone who challenges me, teaches me, comforts me, makes me laugh, helps me grow.

And here's to the next 5.

My Dilemma

2012-09-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

When I first started this blog, I was doing a really good job of keeping up with it. I took some terrible pictures, linked up to tons of parties, and did as many "weekly" posts and I could. I think it's this reason that I kind of fizzled out. It was a lot of work, and I felt pressured to turn out great post after great post and try to procure a lot of readers. I wanted to make tutorials for everything and basically just tried to follow every single tip to getting lots of readers.

After thinking about what I love most about my favorite blogs, I've come to a conclusion. I love personal posts. I used to think that I had to have lots of perfect crafts/tutorials/projects to have people like my blog (and maybe I do), but I'm going to emulate the people I truly admire. I really thought about changing my blog name altogether, but thought I'd stay with what I've got.

I hope you'll still stay with me (: Feel free to skip over any posts that aren't your style! I'm about to make this a mix of topics (something I once read wasn't a good idea for a blog...rules were made to be broken, right?)

Thanks for reading!

(Thanks to Target for these adorable Andy Warhol-inspired cans. I totally realize these don't match the topic...but every post needs pictures, no?)

Celtic Knot Headbands

2012-09-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

So I have a ton of jersey left over from cutting up all my t-shirts for my (still unstarted) t-shirt quilt.

Found a tutorial on Love Stiched for something similar a while back (here). Made thicker pieces and decided to mix colors for interest. Made the one above and this one below for middle sister who is going to Central Michigan University.

Couldn't make some for one sister without leaving the other one out. Used some strips of my old high school t-shirts for littlest sister who plays lots of sports and always needs a headband.

Here are all four together. They're super easy and a lot of fun to make!

My Very First...Quilt

2012-09-18T15:11:00.001-04:00

I have this thing about gift-giving. I really hate buying gifts for people. Pretty much I like to make things hard on myself. J is impossible to buy for--he never knows what he wants, and when he does, he just buys it for himself.

Last Christmas I decided to make him a quilt. And, in typical fashion, I went way out. Start out practicing on a mini-quilt or placemat? Not my style. I made him a quilt that is taller and wider than I am. It's a bit over 5ft square. He went to the Ohio State so the block O seemed like a fairly easy pattern to make myself, and it was!

I just pieced together some extras and matching fabric for the back. I actually kind of hate it because it looks like a giant letter "F."

Too bad I didn't realize that before. I'll probably add a label at some point which should break that area up. Oh well, it was a learning project.

It was at this point, when it went in the washer, that I was freaking out. Would the fabric bleed? (Couldn't find my color catcher sheets) Would it actually get crinkly? Would my hand-stitching on the binding hold? It did (:

Rolled it up.

Tied it with a spare piece of jersey.

It may not be perfect, but he really likes it. I did a simple straight-line quilting grid about 1/4in away from the seams. On my little machine it was difficult, but totally worth it. I can't wait to make another--more girly this time.

The Lil Journal Project: Week 1

2012-09-10T15:35:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite blogs, Lil Blue Boo, is doing a journaling series called The Lil Journal Project. Now, I've never been good at keeping a journal, but I love writing. In this project, Ashley has been posting journaling prompts--really awesome ones.

Here's my first week.
Day 1: She gave us a quote to write...with our non-dominant hand...I hope I never break my right hand.

Day 2: Map the first classroom you can remember. I decided to do the classroom I student taught in. The one where I was truly a teacher for the first time. This I will love to look back on.

Day 3: A list of simple pleasures.

Day 4: People Watching.

Day 5: Practice Handwriting. I decided to start a list of names of people who are really important in my life. This list is ever-growing--each in a different handwriting style.

Want to join us? You should, it's really great! I use the prompts and have been able to make them relevant to me.

Storing and Displaying Jewelry

2012-07-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

I really like jewelry and I love having it stored so I can see it all at once. Makes it much easier to make sure I know what I have to wear. Here's how I currently store/display mine.

All together. Let's take a closer look.

Earring display board I made. Tutorial here.

My long necklaces are simply on colored tacks on my corkboard. The shorter ones are in my jewelry box.

Teacups are really cute to me, so I like to use themfor my earrings and smaller hair clips.

It would be so annoying to dig through every time I wanted a pair of earrings. So instead I put them on buttons.

So simple, then I put them back on right when I take them off. Simplifies my life.

This adorable box came with my Erin Condren planner in it (I'm obsessed, I'll talk about it later)

It used to house my bracelets. Not so cute or easy to look through.

So I hung it on the candle stand I found while dumpster diving.

This is how it looks put together.

And my hair stuff...I have a lot of it, and I still can't stop making it.

All of these hair clips were made by me. I love them.

I have a jewelry box for the shorter necklaces, my rings, and my pearls.

How do you store your jewelry? Do you display it or is it hidden away?

Dumpster Diving Pt. 2

2012-07-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

Remember how I went dumpster-diving? Yea, me too. I saved my favorite part for last.

All this beautiful glass. Let's just look at some detail, okay? Detail is my favorite part.

So beautiful. Even though I don't have a lot of room, I had to keep them out because I just love to look at them.

What's your favorite kind of glass? I thought mine was milk glass, but I am seriously in love with this green glass.

Dumpster Diving Pt. 1

2012-07-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

Yes, you read that correctly. And this is me.

A month or so ago our neighbor packed up only necessary belongings and left her house. We then noticed a foreclosed sign on the house. Weeks later a man came to clean up...meaning he literally put everything into a dumpster. So of course my daddy and I went to check it out. All nice new stuff, no trash. Like antiquing, but free, right? And when they took that away and put a new one there the next day, I went in with my momma.

You wouldn't think it, but I got some good scores. Too many for one post...so here's the beginning of it (:

An embroidery kit with adorable scissors and some vintage-y thread. (I say vintage instead of old because I feel like it sounds better...but it was pretty old).

Vintage roller skates. 2 pairs. I love them. I even skated around the garage, but they'll make cool decoration when I have my own place.

A stack of records for daddy. Including some Beatles and other originals.

Beautiful umbrella stand. (I think that's what it is anyway)

I love detail.

A candle stand...that I figured out something really fun to use for...and it's not candles.

Here's a hint, I like it better upside down.

An old quilting pattern in a book...may have to make this sometime.

Cute little basket.

Little birdhouses...not sure what I'll do with these yet.

And a fun picture frame.

Besides all that I got a lot of supplies like stickers, notebooks, staples and some craft supplies for my future classroom. Oh yea, and about 2-3yrds of 4 different fabrics! What a score.

Have you ever been dumpster-diving?
(Yea, it was a first for me too)

Insta-Friday: 3

2012-06-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

I am in love with Instagram. Want to follow me so you don't miss the mundane details of my life? I'd love it. BarbaraEmily is my name. Here's what I've been up to.

Went down to Ohio State for boyfriend's graduation. 10,000 graduates...vs 48 in mine. Just a little different.

Had a sleepover with two of my favorite littles. The big sister was so smart and made me a schedule in case I wasn't sure what we should do. This was the first day.

I got to play Littlest Pet Shop at 7am. They are really cute, I almost want a few for myself!

Boyfriend was home for a weekend and we had a Panera lunch date. Delicious.

More wedding crafting...only a week to go!

Cookouts with my family. I love corn on the cob.

My dad found this in the front of my car. I almost cried when I saw it, I must have killed it and didn't know :(

Running errands with my momma usually means Starbucks...and we got kettle corn from the farmer's market...it's the best.

I'm wearing Toms in the wedding I'm in and I thought I should break them in before a full day of wearing them.

What fabulous summer things have you been up to?

Taking part in InstaFriday at Life Rearranged.

3am Wake-Up Call

2012-06-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

I am a heavy sleeper. As in, if people were screaming and jumping above me I promise I would sleep though it. That's why it was so weird that, the other night, I woke up to a loud crash.

You may not know this, but I'm fairly paranoid...possibly because I love Criminal Minds, NCIS, Law and Order etc. but I thought someone had broken into the house. When I heard footsteps running downstairs vs up I thought it was safe to throw on my glasses and run up.

What met me what not at all what I expected. Lots of smoke, a wrecked car, a screaming kid. He was yelling, along with a lot of profanity, that he was 15. I called 911, but some of the neighbors had called as well. We had a total of about 7 firetrucks, police, and and ambulance show up.

This was the other car.

Thankfully it had been parked and no one was in it. The kid had hit a few mailboxes, then slammed into this car throwing it across the lawn and driveway before he lost his tire-torn off the axel-and came to a stop in front of my house. He was drunk. But alive, somehow alive.

I wish I had a picture of how messed up his car was, it was literally a miracle he missed trees, the light poles, and anything else and survived.

I'm sure you know this, but please don't drink and drive (especially if you're only 15!!)

I'm a Teacher!

2012-06-27T17:27:00.001-04:00

Going through my pictures, I realized I never posted this...

After 4.5yrs of college, a semester of student teaching, and some paperwork...it's official!

I'm a licensed teacher (: (:

In related news...if you know anyone hiring really good teachers, let me know. I'm willing to move pretty much anywhere. And I'm pretty fantastic, if I do say so myself.

Senior Wills

2012-06-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

In my sorority at the end of your senior year you "will" away things to the younger girls. I love this tradition, and I passed on the things that I've gotten but I also added a few of my own.

Like this. We pick one girl who is our "Forget-me-not" who is supposed to keep in contact with us etc. (Not that we all don't, but whatever, it's a special thing)
I made this for mine.

Our "mascot," if you will, is a bear. Well boyfriend and I were thrifting and I found, no joke, an entire bag of small wooden bears for less than a dollar. I had to have them.

I sorted through them and then wood-burned them all with our letters. Every member got one, and the "special" ones were for my little, my god-littles, and our two newest members.

They're imperfect, but the girls loved them. And I loved making them for them all.

What have you made for someone else lately?

My First Art Show

2012-06-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

This is a really late post, but during the fall semester I took a photography class. I loved it. Every year there is an art show called "Michigan Small Colleges" and it's between my school and 3 other small schools. Of course our school likes to try and get as much art in as possible (it's a juried show, so not everything gets in). Just for the heck of it I submitted a photo--nothing to lose, right? Well, it got in.

Even though the show was held at Olivet this year, a couple hours from my school, my friend and I decided to go since hers got in as well. J was visiting, so we did what any self-respecting girl would do...we made him drive ;)

So here we are, walking around looking at all the art. And then we come across my photo. Apparently I won 3rd place. Now I'm ~~unhealthily~~ pretty competitive, so normally 3rd would make me upset. (I know, I know, I'm awful) But, this show had all kinds of art in it--sculptures, paintings, mixed media, drawings etc. And hundreds of works didn't even make it into the show so I was pretty stunned/excited. And I'm not saying this to brag, I'm saying it because I need to work on being able to be proud of myself without finding something I did "wrong."

Anyway, here's an embarrassing picture of me and my photo.

Yea, we were totally those first-time-art-show dorks taking pictures. Oh well.

What have you accomplished lately that you're proud of?

Edit:: Silly me, didn't think to post the picture. Thanks for saying something, Cassie! Here it is...

Wedding

2012-06-09T06:00:00.000-04:00

This past weekend one of boyfriend's old suitemates got married. I love weddings. Not only because they're a great excuse to get all dressed up

but because of what they stand for.

Plus, it gave the guys a chance to all be together again.

And to sing and be silly together.

And I got to make some beautiful new friends.

And, of course, I got to see this man for the first time in over 2 months.

What do you love about weddings?

Fire.

2012-06-07T13:55:00.000-04:00

The dorm that houses my sorority (And where I lived for 3 years) caught fire yesterday. I have some good friends who were living there and working at school for the summer--thankfully everyone got out okay.

The article about the fire says that it started in the kitchen area of the basement. What they don't say is that that kitchen hasn't been in use for years and years. They don't tell you that it was right next to our ritual closet and we possibly lost everything. All of our recruitment things, all of our symbols and ritual items, all of our old composites with the pictures of all the Alpha Phis before us. Hopefully when they are allowed to go in and look some of it was spared.

It's when something like this happens that I realize how blessed I am to have my sisters. I love and miss them all.

Sending all my love and prayers, ladies.

Hair Play.

2012-06-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

I love having long hair but I get in the habit of always doing it the exact same way, so I've been trying to branch out.

Like this simple style with a bow in the back. (I'm a sucker for bows)

And this pinterest-inspired hair bow on my little sister.

What are your favorite new hair styles?

Progress on Big Projects

2012-05-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

There is a lot of big projects in the works--they're slowly being worked on.

Paint sample shopping with momma so she can re-do the kitchen.

Sorting through hundreds of mason jars for a friend's wedding.

Working on my eventual hex quilt on the 2hr drive to watch my cousin's play.