I USED To Have A Job...

Back when I used to have a job (that gave me things like checks that I could cash for money and self-confidence that I was an educated and appreciated member of the labor & delivery world) I would work three twelve hour shifts three days in a row. 36 hours.

With a half an hour lunch break (often eaten while staring at fetal monitors) that makes it 12.5 hour shifts so that makes 37.5. Oh wait, don't forget you need to get their early to park, walk in, change into scrubs, report to the floor and be good to go by 7. That makes a respectable 40 hours.

WHY does that matter? It doesn't. I'm just rambling.

I always took a day to "recover" after those tiring three 12 hour shifts in row. After that recovery day I was up and running again, back to normal and ready to attack life.

This December my Vintage Dutch Girl Etsy shop went bonkers. In a bonkery GOOD way :) Turns out people LIKE infinity scarves, and especially plaid and fleece ones:

Purple Buffalo, Brown Plaid, Red Plaid, Teal Plaid

I must admit, I'm partial to them too. If you were one of the reasons I was busy filling orders, THANK YOU for shopping my Etsy shop.

I had a superdupercrazybusy month. The Etsy wonderfulness, my two beautiful children turned 2 and 4 and also there was this little thing called CHRISTMAS! Think: seven family parties in four days. Yowza.

I'm a bit worn out. However, I've been taking a recovery-month-of-sorts and can sense the normal returning.

I've got a bunch of sewing ideas, decor ideas, furniture makeovers, upholstery redoing (*Ahem* learning) and then normal jib jabbing coming up this year.

Stay tuned my lovely readers!

A

P.S. For all you delightful lovelies, I have decided to have an indefinitely active Vintage Dutch Girl Etsy shop coupon code for 15% off all orders. Cause you are delightful. AND lovely. Your 15% off coupon code is: FOLLOWLOVE15 . Happy Shopping!

I'm BACK...Jiggity Jig!

Egads December was one stinkin crazy month!

I won't try boring you all with writing out in detail all that commenced in December 2010...instead I'll bore you all with giving you pictures.

Skadoosh! Here we go:

My itty bitty baby turned TWO. To celebrate we made her some mini cupcakes with pink frosting:


Um, I got more powdered sugar on the floor, counter and in my hair than in the mixing bowl. The Birthday Girl was frightened by the sound of the EVIL, MONSTER MIXER. Sheesh. At one point she laid her head down and sobbed. Drama queen. Bubbalu is...well... he just does that a lot.

Bubbalu (who also turned FOUR in December) was in our church's Christmas Program. Yes this is blurry:


But it's HUGE I tell ya. See that little boy? Here, let me point him out to you:


Yes, that one. He is actually ON the risers during the Christmas program! That's a first for our household. Pretty sure the Sunday School teachers were on to him and boxed him in on all sides with compliant, obedient children who wouldn't let him escape. He DID do some pretty intense head and upper body dancing but BY GOLLY he was ON the risers!

At the invitation of our Bro and Sis-in-law we dragged out rears off the couch and ran the jingle bell run. Yes, I actually ran it. Yes, it hurt. Turns out taking a four month leave-of-absence from running leaves you with zero lung capacity and shriveled, uncooperative muscles. Who knew!? Good thing I had a superb running coach that sweetly and kindly made me run the whole thing:


Isn't she cute? Yes, I'm wearing a Santa hat. Stop laughing.

The kiddos came along for the running ride and Uncle Shane and Daddy traded pushing our "city on wheels". Of course, I had to Christmasify the stroller too:


Yes, Bubbalu is wearing green light-up antlers and Lil Chick is masquerading as the tiniest Santa you've ever seen. You can't see it but their stockings are hanging from the handles in the back. Just wait til next year. We have HUGE plans. SUPER festive.

Had to share this one:


I LOVE Lil Chick's pink hat. She's giving Grandpa a nose Eskimo kiss!

So, didja get what you wanted from Santa? NO?
That's too bad, all (S)he has left is scrambled eggs:


Hope you and yours had a Merry Christmas celebrating the birth of our King!

A

P.S. For all you delightful lovelies, I have decided to have an indefinitely active Vintage Dutch Girl Etsy shop coupon code for 15% off all orders. Cause you are delightful. AND lovely. Your 15% off coupon code is: FOLLOWLOVE15 Happy Shopping!

Two Free Paper Wreath Tutorials...

Let's all talk about some wreaths.

Some hand make paper el cheapo ones. As in, I spent nada on these. Just used stuff I already had lying around. Super thrifty decor.

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There is about eleventy hundred thousand book page wreaths out in crafty blog land rightthisverysecond and I was feeling left out and had to join in on the fun. Of course, I did it MY way. With shortcuts. Of course.

1. Grab an old book. We're going to thrash it so don't choose something important!

2. Rip ALL the pages out from the binding. I ripped the pages out in about 50 page handfuls at a time.

3. Stack them and while holding them dab and lightly paint the edges with dark brown or black craft paint and let dry. *** OR, do what I did....which was run out to the garage, hold the stack of pages in my hand and give it a 7 second shot of espresso brown spray paint. Simple and quick drying...perfect except for the large spray paint splotch on my left hand. ***

4. Go out and purchase a foam round wreath base. *** OR, do what I did...which was to eat pizza. Grab that perfectly round (if slightly smelly) cardboard pizza liner and cut a large hole out of the center with your kitchen shears. Voila. You've got a wreath base...and you get pizza. Win-win situation. ***

5. Scrunch, roll and accordian fold the pages and glue them individually to your frame, making sure to hide all evidence of frame. *** OR, do what I did....staple them in large chunks and glue gun only when necessary. Saved a TON of time.***

6. Hang on wall. Take pics and blog about it.

Easy peasy. Perfect to do while watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.

Next up, rolled paper wreaths. Most of the rolled paper wreaths I've been seeing are made of vintage sheet music which is cool....except I didn't have any and didn't want to purchase any. Huh, I wonder WHAT kind of paper that I can use in large quantities that I have lying around??? Oh yes of course, my Christmas wrapping paper stash.

I mean c'mon, you all know I shop at Costco. I buy a hugenormous wrapping paper roll every Christmas and use about 1/1000th of the roll. Perfect!
1. Grab wrapping paper you like.
2. Eat more pizza. OR, if you want to be more classy, use a non-pizza sauce stained piece of cardboard to trace and cut out a circle frame for your wreath.
3. Cut a thousand or so (exaggeration. I don't want nasty emails from readers complaining that I misguided them in a craft tutorial and have caused them to suffer carpal tunnel syndrome) squares of wrapping paper. I did about 12x12 ish. And I used an old dull rotary cutter to slice though the paper quickly.

4. Heat up that glue gun and start rolling, keeping the printed side of the paper on the outside. Make cones that are smaller at one end and bigger at the end. Use a tiny dot of glue so your cone doesn't unroll when you let go. Position and glue to your frame.

5. Uh, keep doing that until it's done. It looks BETTER to be unperfect and have cones that are larger and some smaller...and the pattern varying a bit.

Done! This was my first one that I hung above my slider doorframe:

Then my sis-in-law came over and we got bit by the craft bugs and came up with:

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I completely LOVE the candy cane wrapping paper. Which means this wreath is my fave too. Hang a $1 silver glittery Merry Christmas ornament in the middle and you are DONE. Hang above fireplace, stand back and enjoy.

Now, get to paper wreath creating!

A

P.S. For all you delightful lovelies, I have decided to have an indefinitely active Vintage Dutch Girl Etsy shop coupon code for 15% off all orders. Cause you are delightful. AND lovely. Your 15% off coupon code is: FOLLOWLOVE15 . Happy Shopping!

Joining these fab parties: