Halloween mail: Our newest family member

Look what came in the mail today**! 

 

 Meet Chocky (nee Chocolate), nickname Choco-lishish and Choco-locka at times, depending on the day and my particular mood.

 

 

Hmmmm....I think someone was wishing for doggie bones in the package, but she honestly loves Chocky.  Chocky wishes she didn't love her quite so much. 

She's been with us since August, but we're especially enjoying having a spooky black kitty around for Halloween this year!



**No, she really did not come in the mail.  No animals were harmed in this post.

I've got the googly eyes for you

I just love googly eyes.  I see them, I want to buy them. I keep them.  They are just fun, aren't they?

Today was one of those days, and I had a fun, quick and easy project with them.

Take one black pumpkin.... 

....lots of googly eyes....

....glue on....keep going....

....until you are out of googly eyes. Then you are done.

 

 

Fun new jewelry....and baseball stuff!

I'm having so much fun with so many projects these days! So many are in process, but none yet are finished to show yet.....stay tuned! This is a new stamp script I'm playing with for an upcoming jewelry show in November:

Singly these are great for bridesmaids gifts (and affordable starting at $22!) in all sterling silver; join a few for a cluster on a single sterling chain, and you have a beautiful Mother's necklace. Add birthstones or pearls for a completely customizable gift. Email me at lauragdesigns.com to place an order or ask questions; see more on my Facebook page of the same name, lauragdesigns.

Here's a sneak peak of a fun solution to, what I think is, a widespread problem.....more to come.


 

It really IS the little things.....

....and I'm glad I'm not alone.

I had a really random list for my Lowe's trip today, including, among other things, a new toilet seat.   As I stood and must have looked as confused as I felt (there are SO many options!), another mom stopped and said "It's really overwhelming, huh?"  She then proceeded to tell me how awesome this one was in particular, and I was, literally, sold. 

 Old, grungy, and with the original toilet safety sticker still stuck on there....

...to new, white and clean!  And it gets even better!

 This seat does not attach permanently to the bowl like the old ones do; it snaps on, and easily snaps off for easy cleaning!  And short of showing you a video of my toilet, with one easy touch, the lid slowly lowers itself to close!  The boy sufficiently ooohhhed and aahhhed over that when he came home.

So a big thanks to the random mom of boys who helped me out at Lowe's today, and shared my excitement over silly things like toilet lids.


After an hour of sewing this morning, I spent at least another hour pulling out the mistake that took the first hour.  When I got home, this is what I found.  At least someone is enjoying my mess.

At least I have my new toilet lid! 

Like I said, little things. 

Caught in the Curtains

Sweet puppy, enjoying her lastest favorite spot where she can keep track of the daily comings and goings of the neighborhood.

cleaning and curtains and catching up

Today's project: colorblock curtains are on the machine.  One down, 5 to go....

Behind the scenes

Sometimes the little projects make the biggest impact, even if they are really "unseen" to most people.

 I "finished" this hutch project a number of months ago, and it has been very useful, mostly for holding the family treasures (ie Lego projects).

 One thing left unfinished though that no one but myself would know is that I never installed the back of the lower part of the hutch.

 And since it housed mostly Legos, it didn't really bother me but so much!  Until....I moved it to the other room.  And all the Legos fell out.  Reminder: No back. 

 I now had the leftover beadboard from the bathroom, and that was perfect to fit onto the back.  In about 15 minutes, I had a new back to my bookshelf and a new place for storage! 

 

 It all fit perfectly from top to bottom, and I only had to make one cut for the last panel.

Now I have a new place to store piano music and odds and end that don't really look great on the bookshelf.  And yes, the Legos have been relocated (for now).  I'm sure some of them will make there way back down here. At least they won't go crashing out the back!

Wedding weekend

This weekend we had the honor of attending the wedding of another of "Carter's Cousins", and that is cousin #4 if you are counting!  Isn't he cute?  He's the little one....

 He had a great time hanging out with his cousins for the afternoon, and watching the process of everyone getting ready, including the groom.

Mom (that's me)

got the honor of helping her little man get ready.

 

 And in honor of his Grandpa, another cousin who prepared all the flowers included his picture on Grandma's corsage.  I thought this was a beautiful touch.  Other families members who had passed were also included in other corsages.

It was a beautiful rehearsal day and even prettier on the wedding day!

 

 

Coming up in the next 9 months: cousin weddings number 5, 6, 7 and 8!