2011 I have been waiting for you!

Every New Years I love to take a few moments to sit back and reminisce about the wonderful year and changes that have come with it.  This year more than others I feel the need to look back a bit further, back four years ago when I first found out (this exact weekend) that I had been accepted at the U of M dental program.  I hate talking about life beginning once I am out of school because that might suggest that I have not been living the past 21 years of my life and I just don't believe that.  I have had a wonderfully beautiful life in between the exams, stress and studying that go along with being a dental student, but to say I haven't been looking forward to 2011 would be a lie.

During our first few hours at the U of M my class was introduced to our name, The Class of 2011, and wow did 2011 feel like a lifetime away at that point!  I can't believe how much has changed, how much I have learned and how much I have gained both academically and personally since I came to Ann Arbor.  I love knowing that tonight we start the journey that 2011 will bring but that means I have to leave the safety and comfort of 2010 behind.  I love knowing that I feel ready to be done with school, that I have the skills and abilities that I need to be out in the "real world", but this safe nest of the school and at my Hamburg heaven is kind of nice and leaving the nest feels a bit scary.  

Lets fully reminisce for a moment:

2010 brought graduation for Cal followed by him getting his dream job in Madison Wi.  We moved half of our house to madison, which amazingly left me with a still quite full house, but a huge hole in my heart.  I became a D4, and enjoyed being treated as such (the big kids at school).  I passed part 1 of fourth year boards.  We played in the lake all summer and on the lake in the winter.  Cal is officially out of the military!!!!!! <---- I have been waiting and praying for that one for a LONG time!!!!  I made some new friends (Tabs, Liz and Annie) and became even closer with old friends (Becks and Tess).  And it is important to note that I have really re-discovered my passion for crafting.  Scrap booking, refinishing furniture and frames, jewelry, candles, embroidery, sewing, basically you name it, I will try it!  And of course I found some treasures at garage sales and antique stores.  So to sum it up, I have been SO blessed!  2010 was amazing!

But on with the new:

I have so much to look forward to in this coming new year starting with a Michigan bowl game on new years day ahahhha oh and of course the Badgers in Pasadena too!!  I have boards, boards and boards (thats right 3x the boards in the coming months, so if my creativity and blogging die out you must understand it is only temporary!), an amazing Mexico vacation to count down to, and  I have a best friends wedding and maybe even 2 (depending on Tessa's plans) to look forward to!!!!!  In 2011 I get to live with Cal again---ahhhh this might make me the most excited of all!  And I graduate and get to work--wooowww I can not even imagine doing dentistry for money, what would that even be like???  I get to start paying back loans-ahhhhhhhh (insert scared face here)!  So yes, even though I have enjoyed every single little moment that 2010 has brought me, I guess you can say that I have been waiting for 2011 for quite some time now!  Bring it on!

Feeling like the Monday after Christmas!

Didn't get to wish the blog world a Merry Christmas, thought this picture might do the trick! 

There were many many Christmas highlights but I think this picture with my dad in his zubas and my sister and I's favorite where's Waldo tie really captures the joy of this time with family!

And for about two seconds I got worried that I wouldn't have anything to do when I wasn't creating Christmas decorations butttt don't worry I have already found more than my fair share of new ideas and hobbies!

Yesss I have been completely enjoying my Monday off!  To start with I decided to try taking up embroidering!  I am happy with the result, I am trying to not be tooo critical since it is my first try!  I am on to working on Tuesday!

And I am on to finishing more furniture...(in Cal's small apartment) this is waiting to dry so I can add a few more coats!  I am excited to pick out some cute knobs and see the final result!  Say tuned! 

A week away=some crafty nights

Look what I am busy making  tonight!  Thought they would be inexpensive ornaments for our Madison Christmas tree-light weight to travel with but cute!  I am also going to use them for gift topper, I made matching gift tags!!!  I am having so much fun being crafty, to say the least!

And here are the highlights from Becki and I's week in Muskegon, MI on rotation:

I dragged Becki to about every thrift store and antique bargain store we could find, my goal was to find new things to refinish...and by refinish I mean sandpaper, and paint white and once in awhile use chalkboard paint also....

Found this old sewing drawer at an antique store for $2.00, for those of you that don't know I am a little crazy about drawers as of late but I guess what am I not crazy for these days!

It was painted an ugly brown color so don't judge me for painting it white....(usually they are SUCH pretty wood).  Annnddd I found the cute knob at the Hob Lob as I have now nick named it!  I would like to digress to say that I am in love with knobs...perhaps because I am one... they had them at Hobby Lobby this past week for half off so I grabbed so extras, what a huge difference they make to old furniture....I am all for small things that make a big difference, and these did the trick....I also grabbed some extras (in the blue mason jar--yet another love of mine!) and I am already thinking of a million things I might like to do with them! 

Found another crazy gold frame to paint white :o) note to self even if you are desperate because you are living out of your suitcase at the Hampton Inn you should NOT try to paint stuff with black foamy brushes-IT DOESN'T WORK and you will end up getting frustrated.

Chalkboard window thing...turned out cute, still needs some clean up work...and some creative chalkboard art and sayings.

Old candle stick holders and some random things all turned out fun I though and not bad for less than a dollar total.

Anddd thanks to Lindsey and Tabitha's inspiration I made some jewels with ribbon, I am excited to wear them and might have a hard time giving these away!

Finally I found this amazing old quilt from an antique shop in Muskegon....as those of you who antique know, old quilts are VERY popular right now and they are usually VERY pricey butttttt not this time :o) I found a treasure and I LOVEEE it!!!  No white paint needed for this find! 

Products from a wonderfully crafty weekend (post 2 for the weekend)

This first on was actually done in Erie with my sister over turkey weekend...but thought it would be a good time to show it---super easy just add paper and brown ink....I thought the cricket lettering was a nice addition.

Christmas cards for this year:  nothing too complex but fun especially because if features my newest obsession.... scrapnfonts which is a website that sells the CUTEST fonts and clip art the possibilities with these clip art and fonts is endless!!!  (Christmas tree was from scrapnfont).  I am especially thinking scrapnfonts come in handy for the wedding invites that are going to be made in the near future!!!

Second use for scrapnfonts for the day: that I am super excited about---calendars!  The quotes and the calendar template was from the website!  They were super easy to make but a little time consuming, just 7 half sheets of scrapbook paper sewn together (thats right I did a little hand sewing!!!)  And add all of the little parts! **Note the unfinished clipboard holding up my calendar.... that is next on my list of things to craft---cute decorated clipboards to hold to-do lists, notes, quotes, and maybe even a calendar! 

And the most basic use for the scrapnfonts-print of vellum and put on my beloved window-easy as pie!

And my crafty weekend won't be complete if I didn't make some jewels!  Really have to say I am having fun with this stuff!!!

Family and friends let me know if there is something that catches your eye for the holidays!

Weekend fun---post 1 of 2!!

Alrightyyy remember my pile of crap that I picked up from the Bargain Barn in Erie PA???? Well I had some time to work on my crap I mean treasures and I have to say I am pretty excited about the results...and really for a first experience re-finishing I have to say it was EASY and super satisfying to see the results!  Now I am obsessivly looking around for new things to work on, this new discovery might really change what I will bring home from garage sales next summer!!

Sanded, stained and a coat of poly later I think this old school desk is looking GREAT!!!  ***note to self-might not be a good thing to do inside....I think inhaled more than my fair share of fumes!

Project #2

Sand and paint

Add a nail and there you go-wreath hanger thing... (I think this might look cool against a different color wall... buttt I HAVE to have this wreath above my bed because I love it SO much--Cal's mom made it for us out of our wedding flowers!)

Note cool wall hanging AND desk night stand!

Annddd a more realistic picture of the nightstand with all of my junk on it! 

I really wasn't sure what the real color of this frame was to begin with thats how dirty it was!

WoW look at that shine!

add white paint

*I did go back after painting the frame and distressed a bit with sand paper because I wasn't really going for the perfect look*

And finally there is nothing like recycling junk laying around the house not being used-I started out with an Ikea frame:

Sanded and painted white

Sand and then spray paint the glass=chalkboard!