Since I've Been Gone

Hey, sorry i've been gone for so long. I still have yet to make that diy baggie ice cream from the last post. Well to explain my absence: I went camping! But only for a week, think I'll consider the entirety of August and blog vacation. Not that I needed it, I just didn't have time and couldnt really think of anything to post. It is nice to take a break some times too, even from things you love. I may be doing a craft show in Oct. It would be my first one. It's free which is amazing (donations are taken for the towns food bank, so its a good cause too). I'm still working on making stuff. So far all I have a table. So if I don't get enough of an inventory, i'll just post what I made on etsy, which will give me an excuse to finally have an etsy shop! If you have any advice for a first time craftshow vendor, I would gladly recieve it! I'm so excited and nervous at the same time, and quite stressed I won't get everything done. I'm focusing on scrapbooking. It's easy for me and I have all the supplies (i'm a collector more than a doer :/ ). I'm just kinda stuck in a creative and productive rut. It's not fun. Hopefully i'll snap out of it by tommorow.
So I guess thats all for now. Just wanted to stop in. I will start to update this blog a little add some pages and other fun stuff. Have a happy Sept. 1st!

D.I.Y Inspiration

Hello guys!
I love this time of year: back to school!!! I'm not longer in school, but i'm totally addicted to school supplies. And for running a business, this is a great time to get some things for a good deal. So far I got a ruler, notecards, highlighters, and crayons for a penny (!), watercolor paint (just for fun), push pins, and binder clips for $1.00, and erasers for $0.20. I really do love this time of year. Well, tonight I decided to paint with the watercolors, so I looked up inspiration online. And actually found a few more crafts that I just have to share and make!

1.) D.I.Y Ice cream using a baggie!

From 2 Little Hooligans

2.) Hulu Hop Rug D.I.Y

From Family Fun

and 3.) Popsicle Stick Bracelet D.I.Y

From Suzy's Artsy-Craftys Sitcom

There is a lot more fun stuff out there. It's definitely worth checking out new blogs! I actually found all of these fun D.I.Y from The Craft Crow which is mostly kids crafts, but some are good for adults too. It's fun to be a kid sometimes. And these are great to do with kids as well.
There's are tons of ideas on all these blogs, I definitely recommend checking out of them!

Happy Crafting!

-Jen

About Me part 1

Hello there! Hope you all are having a lovely start to the week! This past saturday I went to a paint your own pottery shop. Got there aty 10:30p.m and stayed till 2a.m. It was a late fun night! I'll post pics as soon as the piece gets done. I'm so excited to see the turn out! I painted a gnome. I've been wanting one for my yard since I finally have one! Any ways I wanted to do a fun post about me to so you can get to know me a little \better! So here's 10 out of 20 things about me:

1.) D.I.Y.is my favorite. I don't do it often, but I love reading about projects seeing other people projects, and thinking of things to do. A current one I want to do is make a spice rack and an outdoor couch using pallets found Here.
2.) I'm actually quite shy. But i'm trying to over come it and I think blogging helps.
3.) I'm also quiet. I tend to keep to myself. I'm also an introvert.
4.) I love office supplies. Back to School season is my favorite season and time of year. I love cheap office supplies!
5.) I am also addicted to The Office. Season 5 I believe is my favorite. and I don't have a favorite character, they all have their funny moments.
6.) I love to sew.
7.) I know a lot of scrapbooking, it's actually my job, but I am more than a collector than a doer.
8.) Cotton Candy is my favorite candy
9.) I'm currently addicted to McDonalds caramel frappes
10.) I don't like coffee.

So there's my first 10. If you want to know anything about me feel free to ask :)
Have a lovely night!

-Jen

Financial Friday: Invest Continued

Hey guys! I'm back with more. In the previous post the last thing I talked about was investing in yourself. That is super important because you are important. I'll get to the book list later. But there are tons of ways of investing in yourself. One i'm thinking of doing is an e-course that Elsie of A Beautiful Mess posted called D.I.Y. Dress up. It sounds like a lot of fun, and would be good to learn more about sewing. I've also been wanting to try to make my own clothes, how cool would that be. Also invest in others (this may not be totally a financial thing, but a good thing). Be encouraging, see potential in everyone, maybe sponsor a kid or teen to go to camp or a missions trip or a student for classes. I think the classic rule applies: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Investing in someone is probably one of the best feeling things to do. Well thats all I have for tonight. Have a good night and weekend!!!
-Jen

Financial Fridays- Invest

Hey! Writing this alittle earlier than normal, but I have a little time before work. Todays Financial advice is about investing. I actually don't know much about the stock market, but it is a great place to invest just definitely get advice from someone who knows about the market. Some great websites though are http://www.schwab.com/ -Charles Schwab, and http://www.fidelity.com/ . I only checked out both just by looking through their sites, but it definitely is a good start. Once again if you're new to investing and want to please please get advice from someone who knows about stocks.
Another way to invest is start a business. I'm currently in this process and it can get you great results. Not only financially but meeting new friends, and grow yourself personally. I will blog more about my person experience starting a business and more tips from that. But even an etsy shop or ebay or local via craft shows etc.
Not only do you want to invest finanically but also invest into yourself through books, cds, seminars. I took a financial class and it changed my life and benefited me more than I could ever do on my own. I will continue this post later today, because it's time for me to get going. But I will add some good books to start off with and alittle more advice!
-Jen

Oh, Ikea..

Went to Ikea today. Oh my goodness I think I like Ikea way too much. I had a budget and did pretty well at sticking to it. Now I have to save up more money for a couch I like but don't need right now, but in the future maybe, and a dresser. I actually found the dresser on craigslist and replied and waiting, but i'll keep checking craigslist. I love Ikea. It's so inspiring, I love to look at all the showrooms and get ideas for my own house. Which I can't wait to have a home that is completely mine, not a rental, but one I own either on my own or with my future husband (which i'm still contently waiting for him to find me by God's perfect timing... I hope he's cool with Ikea...lol). Tommorow after church i'm going to go to the home improvement store to get some wood to make my own hooks. I bought 6 knobs at Ikea for $1.99 and i'm going to attach them to wood to make hooks to hang my purses because I have no idea what to do with them. They are still currently in the moving box. I also want to make my own spice rack (kinda sounds like a highschool woodshop project, I never took woodshop or any creative electives in highschool, I don't regret it, but I would probably change that if I could.). I don't a spice rack or something that would be suiteable and instead of buying one, i'm pretty sure I can make one. We will see. I need to collect more paint chips too. I bought some bedding and the my bed colors are tan, dark brown, and dark purple. I want to figure out some accent colors so I can make coordinating fun pillows and maybe eventually get some fun sheets.
So a busy day tommorow! I may go to the craft store. I sketched out some ideas on the ride to Ikea and drew nothing but feathers. So I think I want to experiment with feathers and design a purse and totebag with a feather either hand painted on it or something. I'm just feeling like I need to craft soon. It's hard to while involved in the whole moving/unpacking process. So i'll clear away a space and make something pretty tommorow just to get me through lol. Well it's been a long and fun day and i'm tired. Have a good night and later! -Jen

I Like Boys who Love Jesus

I also like C28. It has some really cool clothing and other things. I find that most christian shirts aren't really cool. Some are more funny and more of a "hey that's catchy or cute or cool" but not really fashionable. C28 has some fun yet fashionable shirts and other things. So far I bought an over night bag that has doodle scriptures and a ring that had "diamonds" around half and proverbs 3:5 verse around the rest, but I lost it :( I still have hope of finding it, but I may just buy a new one.
http://www.c28.com/shopping/productdetails.asp?recordid=229339&source=recentlyviewed&iadid=RecentlyViewed
This is one of my new favorite tshirts. Maybe i'll come up with a list of things I like from there in a later post.
Now to check out etsy, i'm kinda in search for a bow ring. I think I like them or the idea of it.
Night! -Jen