Happy Birthday, Baby!

Ethan and I were married on July 11, 2009... and brought home our precious ball of fluff on August 10!  I was aching for someone to nurture, and this little sweetie gave me the perfect opportunity to do that :-)  

We named him Charlemagne, after my ancestor and Ethan's love of history.  However... at 7 and a half pounds... he doesn't quite live up to the ferocious conqueror's name!  So we call him Charley.

Today is his second birthday.  In honor of this occasion, I wanted to share pictures of his life so far!  I think you'll agree--he's adorable!!

We were looking for a little white, female maltipoo... when the pet store attendant handed me this teeny little red boy, I looked at him and fell in love.He weighed 2 and a quarter pounds the day we brought him home!  He was scared and pitiful, and would only eat soft foods out of my hands... we bonded pretty quickly :-) 

Momma toting him around in a Longaberger Medium Market Basket...

We only have one bathtub... where I bathe Charley.  When I tried to take a bath, he hopped in, and got promptly evicted. 

He loves tummy-rubbin's...

Cuddling after he got sick.

For some reason, he loved hanging out under the dresser in our hotel room in Lynchburg, VA last summer.

His first birthday!

I love when he lets me hold him while he snoozes <3

His first snowfall.

For a while, he was obsessed with hanging out on the basement landing.

Happy birthday, little fella!  We didn't expect you to be our only baby for this long, but we're so glad to have you to snuggle and nurture... you bring so much laughter and love to this house.  :-)

Always,

Momma Katie

Project Closet Office WrapUp

I'm going to try to wrap up my cloffice project today!  I have an awful lot of pictures and cool details to show you, and an office that is sooo begging me to bead, so I'm hoping I can get through this post in a reasonably small number of sittings ;-)

First things, first: we went shopping.  Among our purchases were some particle board screws, which Ethan used to secure the melamine slab to the cubby-thingies:

To cover the relative ugliness of screws and hole in my pristine white desktop, I had already decided I was going to use the pictures I have been clipping from magazines and such... and some triple-thick glaze.  Right now, there is only one picture on it, but I expect that adding to it will be a project that lasts as long as the desk does!  (And I already have a stack of images waiting to be added)

Next, I needed light!  Not just any light... lanterns.  Woo!  I have fishing line holding these beauties in place:

They're cute, but not super-bright.  I did, however, have an old lamp from my dorm days laying around... the shade was broken in one of my moves, so I made a new one.  I'm not entirely thrilled, but it's a start!  I got the idea for the ruffles here...

We also got some organizers for mailing supplies, receipts, orders, and components that don't fit in tiny tubs...

I suspect that this one will be spray painted yellow in the near future!

I need somewhere to keep custom order notes, idea cards, coupons/codes and other miscellaneous stuff that I am apt to lose :-) So, I got a bunch of little 6"x6" cork tiles, and hot glued fun ribbon borders to them, and mounted them to the wall using the two-sided tape included in the packages.

The green ones are my favorites!

Now, I have lots of space to keep my bead organizers... 

The 624 crystals that came in Thursday's mail!

... inventory...

Grab bags!  Claim yours now!

... pieces waiting to be photographed, or that just make me smile :-)...

Purple version of my chandelier set... better close-ups later!

... and some cute, happy items!

Isn't he PRECIOUS?!?!

Happy yellow watering can... holds pens, scissors and jewelry tools.

These flowers are leftovers from a flower headband I made my niece FOREVER ago... then they graced random surfaces of my dorm room for two years... then they lived in a plastic tub for two more...

Now... are you ready for the "after" pictures?  I can hardly believe this is the same closet!

Before: 

And AFTER!!!!

Oops.  It's better lighting than that, I promise...

Well... there you have it.  I don't have all of my supplies moved in yet, but since they are sooo scattered, I figure that will happen gradually over the next week or two. :-)  

And, now, I'm going to nap for a few days!  

Always,

Katie

Day 2: Office Closet Project

Typical Katie style, I couldn't wait to get my "cloffice" usable!  I'm not a patient woman, so once the paint was reasonably dry... the desk was assembled, the beginnings of organizing were purchased (along with a few little decorative touches), an old (dorm!) lamp was revived with a new lampshade (which will need some additions), lighting was installed, and cork boards were created and hung.  Yeah... the paint has only been dry about 24 hours as I type this.  Not a patient woman. :-)  

My blue wall, contrasting with the white door and shelf (which is anchored FIRMLY into studs... so the cloffice has to work around it!)... I think the color is pretty subtle, but just enough to not be sterile white, especially considering all of the white that is in there now.  Although, some of these things MAY get spray painted if I get bored later :-)

Here are the cubby-things that make up the legs of my desk... and the piece of white melamine we put over top of them.  The thingies came with three back pieces each, so that half are open to the back wall.  I stuck a piece of 12x12 cardstock under the backs before I nailed them in--this would work with any of this type of assemble yourself thingamabobby!  

Here are some close-ups:

This was Day 2... after I painted in the morning, and waited for the paint to dry! 

Stay tuned for Day 3... it's done, but I'm too sleepy to write any more tonight :-)

Always,

Katie

Too Excited NOT to Post this Prematurely

When I was living at my parents' house (junior high? high school?), my mom had the brilliant idea to put a desk in my extra bedroom closet for homework and my computer.  I. Was. So. Cool.  It was very James Bond-y :-)  

Fast forward, um, a couple of years, and closet offices (aka "Cloffices!") are all the rage!  I lovelovelove what Jen over at IHeartOrganizing has done with her bedroom closet...

Isn't it pretty?  Very tranquil.

All of my beading stuff is currently spread through the house.  Most of it is in our bedroom--on the desk, a bookcase, my nightstand, tray table--but there is also some in the kitchen (don't ask), the living room, basement... you'll find beads in almost every room of this house.  :-)  I want a little hub for my business... where my camera batteries can charge and I can type, where I can store mailing supplies, jewelry components, and inventory, where inspirational quotes, colors, and pictures can reside.  And we just happen to have a dreadfully under-employed closet in our home office. 

Here is the "before" picture:

I know, right? Nice, big, and nowhere near as useful as it can be!

We tossed most of the boxes, since we'd had the products long enough to be sure we wanted them, and got an accordion folder to organize the lovely stack of paperwork.  It'll be nice to have our sixth kitchen chair back!  

Ethan and I bought some "Blue Avalon" paint (by Glidden) at Walmart, and I got busy painting my first wall ever.  Painting clothes: practice uniform shorts from color guard... when I was 15.  Yeaah.  And the shirt is from a JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes :-)  And notice the 2Liter of Diet Coke?  I needed most of that bottle!

We secured Charley with his leash so he wouldn't try to interfere.  He was not amused.

But his daddy comforted him... :-) Aren't my boys handsome?

My closet looks beautiful so far!  We also have the makings for a make-shift desk that I am so excited for... lots of cubbie cubes with a piece of white melamine to lay over them as a desktop!  And I have all sorts of fun ideas for organizing my supplies, and adding bursts of light and color and inspiration... displaying jewelry... maybe even a little photography corner, so I don't have to keep using the top of my jewelry chest!

Stay tuned for the rest of the makeover!  Sooooo EXCITED!!!

Always,

Katie

What I Wore Wednesday: Grad Party Edition!

Ethan and I went to a graduation party on Friday for one of his favorite former students... this is one of the dresses we bought in Lexington.  Recognize my FANTASTIC red shoes?  And I made the earrings and loooong necklace right before we headed out the door.  Miss H is headed to Ohio State University, so the red and silver necklace with the grey dress was an appropriate color ensemble :-) 

The colors came out a little weird in the light (I accidentally had the "incandescent" white balance setting set instead of "daylight"!!)... haha.

Always,
Katie 

This Little Town Makes Me Smile

We live in a little village outside the small city adjacent to the medium city I was raised in.  (Got that? Ha!) Actually, we always kinda made (teasing, gentle) fun of the small city as being backwards and redneck!  At any rate, our village is adorable, and the small city is growing on me :-)  Recently, I noticed a new little bit of graffiti that made me smile.

This is weird.  Graffiti in general makes me really angry.  However, this particular case has made me think, try to imagine who may have written it and what they meant.

Maybe someone is super-glad to be here? Maybe they're craving acknowledgement? Are they FINALLY here? Or stuck here? This is the only spray paint you can see anywhere in the area--maybe even the city.  Food for thought :-) What else could they be saying or feeling?

Enjoy your day, wherever YOU are!

Always,

Katie

Inspired Pendant...

One of my cousins posted a picture of this necklace earlier this week on her blog, along with the lament that Anthropologie is so expensive. 

(Anthropologie, $118)

I thought I could probably make something similar with some findings I had on hand from these earrings...

So, here is my version...inspired heavily by Anthro, and completed entirely using components from other projects (and retailing for $100 less than the Anthro version).

Do you like? I do... :-)

Always,

Katie

Proverbs 31 Series Intro...

¹⁰ A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
¹² She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
¹³ She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
²² She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
²⁶ She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
³¹Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Proverbs 31:10-31

Ethan and I are both graduate students at Liberty University; Ethan is almost done with classes for his Ed.D in Teaching and Learning (next up: dissertation! Woo!), and I am about a year away from finishing my M.Ed. in School Counseling.  While the majority of our classes are online, we each have a few that are "intensives"--three credit hours crammed into five insane days, in residence.  I have two left, and Ethan has one, so... we are going to be in Lynchburg, VA for three weeks over the summer, starting toward the beginning of July.  (Actually, I'll have a class the first week, and we'll each have one the third week--the week in the middle, I can recuperate and we can celebrate our second wedding anniversary.)  So, to not become completely absent from the blogging scene, I'm going to work through a series of prompts, and set them to auto-post while we're away. I'll be exploring my identity as a wife and woman by answering these questions based on Proverbs 31:10-31 (found 'em on a new bloggy-friend's blog, love 'em).  I will definitely still be keeping up with the blogs I follow, and will try to post some jewelry and update posts, but I will probably not want to write much more than what my professors require!!

I would love for some of you to join me!  Any takers? Even though I won't be starting this for a little over another month, I thought I'd put it out there early to see if I could get any one to play and pray with me. :-)

Always,

Katie

Day 1. What does beauty mean to you?
Day 2. What makes you uniquely you?
Day 3. Who is someone you know who inspires beauty?
Day 4. Style 31. Post a pic of you in your favorite outfit.
Day 5. Write a blog thanking someone who has made your heart come alive.
Day 6. Jaded beauty. Has the world's definition of beauty ever jaded you?
Day 7. Write a blog to encourage another beautiful woman.
Day 8. Have a beauty secret (e.g. hair tip, make up tip)? Share, please!
Day 9. What virtues do you value in yourself?
Day 10. What is Jesus teaching you as a wife, mom, or friend? (Or just woman in general?)
Day 11. Post a recipe. Or if you don't cook, try a new recipe and write about how it turned out (pictures please!).
Day 12. Write about what wears you out as a woman.
Day 13. Write about something you would like to change about yourself for the better.
Day 14. Style 31. Post an outfit pic!
Day 15. Write to encourage a friend. Inspire her beauty.
Day 16. Write a letter to your daughter, or a young girl in your life. Tell her what beauty means.
Day 17. Write about 3 things that make you happy.
Day 18. Describe your personality.
Day 19. Write about your favorite comfort food (we are women- we ALL have comfort food!)
Day 20. Write about your job and why you love it or hate it.
Day 21. Write a letter to your husband to encourage him (or if you are single- your future husband.)
Day 22. What are some needs that need to be met in your community? Blog about how to extend your hand to those who need you.
Day 23. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
Day 24. What is Jesus teaching you presently?
Day 25. Style 31. Post a pic of your favorite comfy clothes.
Day 26. What do you hope your grandchildren will say about you someday when you are gone?
Day 27. Write a blog to encourage someone and build their confidence!
Day 28. Write about your insecurities as a woman.
Day 29. Write about "a day in the life of me." (Pics are great!)
Day 30. Who is your role model as a woman?
Day 31. Write about your dreams and goals as a beautiful woman!

Personal Mission Statement

Ethan and I are participating in a newcomer's class at the church we have been attending for several months.  This week, we did a little quiz to learn what spiritual gifts we have been given... which was really exciting for me, since I hadn't the foggiest notion what mine might be!  It turns out, my top three (in a three-way tie!) are: Craftsmanship, Hospitality and Mercy.  Now--to figure out how to use them as God intended :-)

We also had a little worksheet to write our own personal mission statement, which kinda made me tear up when I finished it.  Basically, it was a "pick three from this list that most resonate with you, pick two from here, and one from here..." kinda thing, then we plugged the words we chose into a form.  Voila, instant mission statement.  

Here it is:

My mission is to embrace, nurture and restore women and teens using my spiritual gifts of craftsmanship, hospitality and mercy and surrounding it with my core values of safety and hope.

Kinda cool, yeah?  If any of you are interested in doing either of these exercises, shoot me an email and I will  scan them in and send them to you! They have both provoked a lot of thought in me this week... I kinda feel like I'm at that point in my life when I need to be thinking this sort of thing through.  It is nice to have a mission statement that I think fits me so well, and that I can use as a focus for my service in and outside of the church.  Excited!!  :-)

Always,

Katie

More Little--and Not So Little--Joys

Ahhh... have I mentioned that I am the happiest, luckiest girl in the world? 

I showed you my pajama pants a few days ago... just because they make me happy.  Over the past week or so, lots and lots of fun things are giving me a little bit of a spring in my step, and a perpetual smile.  :-)  You're going to need to get used to seeing this sign-- :-) 

First, and biggest:  I am on a new medicine cocktail.  And it's working.  A lot of the physical and emotional pain that has kept me from enjoying life to the fullest is just gone.  It. is. wonderful. :-)  But, that's another post.

Second: My husband planned a fun little getaway for us next weekend--Memorial Day weekend.  We're only traveling about 2.5 hours away from home, but it will be a wonderful change of scenery.  And, even better, Charley gets to come with us.  All of us were traumatized by his kennel stay when we went to Las Vegas last year, so we can't bear to leave him behind again, where he may or may not be taken care of.  (PS: If you'd like to know what kennel to NOT use, email me!) And, it will maybe, hopefully, include a couple's massage!  Sooo... I've been giddy at the prospect of a little escape with my two sweet redheads :-) Details and some pics when we get home!!

Third: I got to have some fun with my amazing mother-in-law tonight... we whipped up a photo collage poster for my husband's cousin's graduation party.  I love spending time with her, laughing and listening to stories about my angel when he was a munchkin. Here we are with the fruits of our labor:

For the past week, I have been obsessively controlling my blood sugars.  This has always stressed me out and overwhelmed me, but it is going really well.  I think the new medicine must be helping me out with that, too :-)  Check out this CGM graph.  (My CGM-continuous glucose monitor--is a 24/7 sensor under my skin that broadcasts to an external receiver... which shows what my blood sugar is at any given time, as well as a history up to 24 hours and the direction in which it is heading.)  Having some semblance of control of this incredibly crucial part of my life feels wonderful and is so good for my self-esteem not to mention a BIG step toward making my body safe for a baby.  :-)  See, 24 hours under 200 mg/dL! (Good is 70-120) So excited!

Ooh!  And--I love these shoes!  I'm so not a shoe person, but I looooove these.  They go with, literally, EVERYTHING.  We didn't buy them the first time we saw them at Kohl's, because I wanted to wait until we could use our 30% off coupon on them... then we couldn't find them online.  Or in the store... or in the other store... or the third store... we finally found a pair in the color I wanted, in a size that fits my small foot (and has already stretched to fit my larger foot) at the FOURTH Kohl's store.  I have the best, most patient husband in the world.  :-)  These just make me smile. Idk why, maybe it's the flower, the versatility, or the fact that they are a symbol of just how willing my husband is to go to the ends of the earth to make me happy :-) 

Also: My toenails are blue.  On purpose.  :-)  Even better: OPI "Yodel Me on My Cell" for 50% off at Kroger!!

So... from the ginormous gifts of love and happiness, to the little things like blue toenails... I am an incredibly blessed girl.  I'm so thankful, and am enjoying feeling all of the elation without the wet blanket of depression dampening my joy. :-)

Share the joy... what are y'all blissing out about lately?

Always,

Katie