Filling Blanks

I am currently obsessed with: planning a friend's bridal shower and bachelorette party... mostly because I want to be done with the planning part! The obsession counts even if it's not a "happy obsession" right?

Today I am: HAPPY because: it's Mardi Gras time & we're kicking it into high gear this weekend! Tonight- the Mona Lisa Moon Pie Parade! Oh the good times that are about to be had!

The age I am is: 26. The age I feel is: it varies! Some days I feel like a kiddo & some days I feel like a grandma. Most days... I just want to feel 26.

Something I've been procrastinating is: I usually procrastinate when it comes to laundry. I have a pile of clean towels that have been staring at me for a week, screaming "Fold meeee!" & I just keep flipping them the bird and passing them by ;)

My favorite place is: anywhere that i am with my MR. He makes every place I go feel like home & that is a comfort I can't explain.

The last thing I purchased was: a couple of Icees for myself and some friends while shopping at the mall. It was a crack Icee too. You know... the Icees that are the perfect consistancy... not too frozen, not too slushy. I think Icees new slogan should be "A cup o' genius".
You're welcome for that Icee... I will gladly receive payment in the form of my own Icee machine.

My favorite thing about my home is: that is is more often than not filled with my nieces and nephew. It even makes me smile when I find their sticky little fingerprints on things. Seriously... I've been known to take photos of little hand prints on my mirror. I am head over heels for them, can you tell?

brought to you by The Little Things We Do

I Love/I Hate

I Love:
This simple dress from Three Little Ducks is so sweet! Their entire shop is pretty pretty.

[Maybe one day when I have all the time in the world, I will try my hand at making this for myself.... ya know, right after I make that quilt I've been wanting to make.]

I hate:
Hey, I love faux boi as much as the next gal, but I can't support what's happening here, Mod Cloth. I just can't.

{Even the model thought it was ugly & asked that her head be cropped out}

Fill in the blank

1. I am pretty much loving the weather the last few days. If only i could set up my sewing machine outside...

2. The bravest thing I've ever done was finally walk away from my ex-boyfriend. It would have been easier to move in with him & marry him like he wanted in the end. But I would have ended up unhappy again.

3. I feel prettiest when my makeup is a little worn in, my hair is "2nd day" curly & I have a smile on my face.

4. Something that keeps me awake at night is endless to do lists running through my brain & my sewing machine staring me in the face.

5. My favorite meal in the entire world is sushi! Or maybe I just haven't had really superb sushi in a while & am craving it mega bad? I like lots of food, so it's hard to pick 1!

6. The way to my heart is making me laugh.

7. I would like to be at the beach! My(spf70 covered face)misses the sunshine. & I can't tell for sure, but I think that the sunshine just might be missin' my face a little as well :)

Fill in the blank Friday is brought to you by
The little things we do

Hope you have a pretty weekend!
xo


photos via

And I Quote

"There's always going to be bad stuff out there. But here's the amazing thing -- light trumps darkness, every time. You stick a candle into the dark, but you can't stick the dark into the light."
Jodi Picoult

{A note to you: Everything will be just fine. Love fills your life & that is pure magic. I love you so.}

Have A Heart

Heart shaped pizza!  Papa Johns has nothing on us! & Lucky Duck wine :)

(because it's cheap & because we are!  Lucky, not cheap!  Maybe both?)

 

 Valentine goodies :)
The card MR made me wouldn't stand up, but it was so sweet!  He sketched a tree with our initials carved in it on the front.  What a cute boy!

Rolo brownies & heart sprinkled ice cream!

& That's what our Valentine's Day looked like :)

Plus that little trip to bucks and walk in the park that I mentioned in yesterday's post!
How was your V-day?  Did you post about it?  Leave me a link!

Valentine-y Girl

As my nephew kissed me and told me goodbye yesterday evening, he wrapped his little arms around my neck and said "I love you, Valentine-y Girl!"  & he made my heart swoon.

Then the Valentine-y girl & her MR went for coffee & a walk in the park. 
[We're not sure why the Valentine-y Girl's forehead looks like Tyra Banks'. Weird angle? Or maybe I really do have a mega long forehead]

& the MR took photos of the Valentine-y Girl in her new boots and Valentine swag

A few weeks ago, CSNstores.com sent me a lovely pair of grey boots to review & I have to tell you,

shoes may just be the most fun thing I've ever reviewed!  Who doesn't love a good pair of boots?  I LIVE in boots from October to February.

These boots are mega comfty & though I chose grey, they come in a few other colors as well.  There is enough of a heel to give you that little boost, but it's short enough that they didn't make my feet hurt in the least!  Thanks so much to CSNstores.com for the opportunity to review these great boots!

Outfit details:

Cardigan: It's Our Time- Marshall's a few years ago

Dress: Max Rave- Rave (they were going out of business & I went in just to see if they had any cute jewelry! I came out with this dress for $3! & they actually had some cute stuff in there!  I hadn't been in since i was a teenager & everything was crap-o-la) I've seen this dress at Marshall's & F21 as well! 

Jeggings: F21- Forever 21

Boots: Journee Collection- CSNstores.com
Hair accessory: This flower was in my wrapping paper drawer!  Apparently it had been tied to a gift & I thought it lovely enough to either re-use it or re-purpose it! I just hot glued a barrette on to it & voila!  Not rocket science, but cute all the same.  I will re-wear it next weekend at a luau couples shower too!

Can't really see my ring, but it came[via my sweet boyfriend] from Creations by Cat on Etsy!

Where I stand on Valentine's day

via
MR & I are a couple who truly celebrate our love for one another on a very regular basis.
So, this year, as heart doilies began to make their way to the shelves of local stores everywhere, I decided it was time to reevaluate Valentine's Day.

I have been in a relationship on Valentine's day for the last 7 years or so,
(well, except for last year, when I had a break up on V-day... more on that in another post b/c I find it very funny and worthy of sharing)
and have always said to the man in my life "Let's not make a big deal of it. It's just another day."
And maybe I said that because I wasn't REALLY fulfilled in my relationship before(it was the same boyfriend for 6 of those years) & I figure I may as well spend Valentine's day the way I spent the rest of my days. I remember chinese takeout with my family one year. A McDonalds drive thru another. REAL magic moments, ya know?

Anywho, as the day of hearts & roses grew nearer this year, I realized I was feeling a little different about the whole thing. Maybe, having found someone who makes my heart go boom every single day, I should WANT to join in the hoopla just a little bit? However, if we were to join in, I'd want to do it in true Lacey & MR fashion. I don't want a diamond necklace in a pretty box or ugly red lingerie I'll never wear. I don't want MR to feel stress and anxiety over picking out some great gift.
(That's what Birthday's are for, duh.)
So, yes... this year we are celebrating Valentine's day!
& then a week later when we find ourselves having the same celebration we did on February 14th, I will giggle & feel like the luckiest... and maybe even whisper a happy "Suck it, Hallmark... I've got this love thing down."

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!  

I hope you all celebrate your love again very very soon!

Shiny & New

 I recently worked with a designer to create a new look for my shop.  I have made my previous banners & reserved listing markers and just used a photo for my avatar.  I wanted everything to look put together though and am so glad I finally took a leap and hired someone to help!

Some previous banners, made a'la me & the help of picnik or some other photo editing website:

This may have been my first banner.  It's fine and dandy & I kept it for a good long while.

I felt like my banner needed a holiday spiff, and that's where picnik stickers came in.  Gotta love them.  I kind of adore the ginger bread man as the A in my name :)

Itching for a change, I went super simple.  I dug it, but knew it was definitely temporary until I was brave enough to hire someone.

 Here is my brand new, shiny, lovely banner!  I just love all of the little embroidery hoops & frames!  Do you see the MR+LW one?  L♥VE!  I think my shop finally "feels" like me & it makes me happy every time I click in and see it all!  I have to tell you, I am not the best at working with other creative types.  It is hard to let go of control, you know?  Some people like being told "This is exactly what I want" and some, nahsomuch.  The poor designer sent me a few prototypes to choose from and I'm all, "Scratch everything I told you before... here's what I REALLY want."  She did a great job with it(& me!) though & I couldn't have been happier to have hired her!  She was so sweet & patient with me!  If you like what you see, go visit Kayleigh at Locketmoon Designs!  She does blog designs too!

More newness:

 Cutest little avatar I ever did see!

Reserved listing photo!

A Sweet Shower... not a kinky one

 I'm planning a bridal shower for one of my best friends that is to take place in mid-April.  Me, being me... I already feel like I'm behind.  I want to have it all planned out down to the teeny tiny details already.  But so far about all I have done is picked out invitations, decided on a "theme" & put my name on the books for a cake and some cookies.

I am planning to make the dining room table the dessert buffet! 

 

Clearly, it won't be as amazingly lavish as these Amy Atlas tables. Nor as large.  Nor will I have the perfect color backdrop hanging from my ceiling.  Definitely scaled down, but lovely all the same!

The print of these cupcake liners is my inspiration for the whole party...

(and I plan to make some cupcakes to fill these bad boys)

[I  also bought some fabric in this same print to make table runners!]

These are the invitations:

I'll make some poms to hang from the chandellier

 

 and some cake plates to use to put goodies on.  I plan on getting the materials from GW and gluing them together and spray painting them.  I know you've all seen these tutorials a million times on blogs!

& I'll craft up some sweet doily banners to drape across the big kitchen windows

I have already made a cute bunting to decorate the top of the cake... which I want to keep super simple and sweet.  Similar to the cake pictured above on the turquoise stand.

via

Okay... so apparently I am a little more put together than I thought now that I've laid it all out here.  The crafty stuff I can handle in a snap, but  

HERE'S WHERE I NEED YOUR HELP:

I need some ideas for things to include on my sweets table that I can make ahead!  Maybe something that can be popped in the freezer until the night before the shower? 

& Ya' know what?  Whichever ideas I choose & use, I will send those people a little goody in the mail!

Who doesn't love that?

all images not linked are via google images

Weekends are for learnin' y'all

Things I learned this weekend:

- Sometimes pizza and beer are just better than any fancy schmancy gourmet meal you'll ever have.

- I have a knack for losing gold cardigans.  It hurts my heart... which goes pitter patter for gold cardigans.

- French fries, coke & a bubble bath do a hangover good.

{not necessarily at the same time!}

- 4:30am is just too late/early for an old lady like me to be going to bed.

- 9am is apparently NOT too early for an old lady like me to go to bed the following night.

- Fergie is a very masculine woman & The Black Eyed Peas are lacking.

- My boyfriend is a major dream boat.  Maybe I've known that all along ;)

Oh Janelle

[joining in writer's workshop today!]

Describe the last thing that made you laugh really hard...

I was going to tell you how I laugh really hard when I watch Teen Mom.  This season is really bringing the big guns.  I thought nothing could beat Amber telling Gary how to propose & Macy wearing those glasses that magnify her eyes & saying "Kyyyyyyyyyyyyle" in her little country accent...

BUT then the producers of Teen Mom found Janelle & holy crap, she's just great!  What a winner.  Oh & Janelle's Mom's voice?  Ahhh, amazing.  MR does a really great impression... maybe I can get him to share it with y'all someday?  Anyyyyway, as I was searching for a Teen Mom clip worthy of showing you, I found these little gems:

[Ahem, your welcome in advance]

[b/c apparently everyone was dying to know what is in Janelle's makeup bag?]

[and who wasn't wishing she would make a music video?  I know I was.]

 

A Wee Bit of Me

Hi there!  A little random writing exercise to get my brain flowing today.  Feeling a little stuck, knowwhatimeanverne?

{one} what was your favorite sitcom growing up?Ohhh man... there are a bunch popping into my brain right now.  For some reason My Two Dads threw itself in there!  Random. I also totally got my rocks off to reruns of The Brady Bunch & The Partridge Family. & I liked all of the TGIF shows, of course! {two} what song always makes you happy when you hear it?Regina Spektor- On the Radio
{three} do you still have your wisdom teeth?Noooo.  Those bad boys had to come out via emergency surgery.  One night my freshman year in college they decided they didn't much like being in my gums anymore & started pushing like they were being birthed.  The oral surgeon took them out first thing the next morning before his office even opened.  It was the most painful relief ever.
{four} what is your go to way to relax?A bubble bath & a mixpod track.
{five} do you play any instruments?Nahsomuch.
{six} nude beaches: yes or no?Well, I don't care to be nude on a beach... but to each his own.
{seven} do you chew your pens/pencils?I have chewed a pen or two in my life, yes.
 {eight} can you change the oil in your car?No.  I pay someone else to do it for me & I'm fine with that.
{nine} can you curl your tongue?Yep!
{ten} can you knit or crochet?This may surprise you, but I've never tried.  It doesn't seem like my cup of tea!  I prefer quicker projects!