hands+notions

settling in

fall is coming...well, it is pretty much here and i am having a strong wave of feelings - feelings of change. a new breath to make a serious effort to build the home and life that i spend time wishing i had. i need to stop wasting time thinking about my life and start putting one foot in front of the other and create it. i have about 80% of the ingredients - its just getting it together and giving things their proper place so it feels right...

it is the season

 yard sales, estate sales + the like~
my favorite time to score some good finds.
my mom + i try to go every weekend- we don't always
find stuff, but i love the hunt.

here is a sweet little deal:
3 piece set- a little worn, but loved
none-the-less:


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i have a closet full of this summer's goods-
will be posting more finds soon...
 just to share!

:untitled:

i am getting back on track
with my shop orders + with life = yay!
spring is in full effect + work at the garden center is aplenty...
we are still in renovation mode on the house -
going slow but still hopeful + pushing forward.



added a couple of club options in the shop
and a sale!
~
i hope to start updating the blog more with
fibery stuffs... for my own purpose
of reference + ramble.

i spent today washing + dyeing fleece
and i did happen to browse upon a new
favorite shop of mine.

 





*photos from their etsy shop*

i do totally love everything they have!
i got my eye on a couple items
as gifts...

food stuffs = get in my belly!

easter was wonderfully spent
i made a couscous salad
totally yummy + soon to be in constant
rotation around here



couscous prepared
one large cuke diced
one large pepper diced (i used orange)
1/2 of a red onion diced
cherry tomatoes
sauce:
2/3 c sugar
1/4 c AC vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
Tablespoon mustard (i used spicy brown)
Tspn fresh garlic
shake of seasoning salt
shake of coarse pepper to taste
:you can adjust sauce to your liking easily:
serve cold or at room temperature

i also made a dark chocolate pumpkin cake
that was super moist + gone in a heartbeat



1 pkg cake mix of your choice (just the mix)
1 can of pumpkin (15oz)
1/3 c water
mix + bake per directions
350 degrees for about 25 mins
i made 2 rounds + used
ff whipped cream mixed with a 1/2 packet
of cheesecake pudding mix (just the powdered mix)
then topped it off with a grated espresso truffle
good times!

There was also a simple + sweet pumpkin cream cheese
dip



1/2 c pumpkin
1 package cream cheese
sprinkle of nutmeg + cinnamon
to taste
served w/ honey grahams (bug bites)

overall a wonderful spread of goodies was enjoyed
and my cousin found out that he is
having a baby girl. she is due in
September + they plan on naming
her Piper.
i cannot wait to meet her-
there is a lack of babies in my family...
she is in high demand!

soap you wanna | soap you gotta

back with another installment of something i love-
and by love, i mean deeply.
i introduce you to villainess -
soaps + such you will crave!

:photo from thier site:

i have purchased from her site a few times. first i got some soap and then as soon as it arrived, i ordered more. then i ordered some more stuff too. and again since then. i cant stop buying it.
not only do i love LOVE love the soap. i love LOVE love the
whipped lotions.


:photo from their site:

i have the smashing, the dulces en fuego (soap+whipped: it's just that marvelously deliscious), the ginger snapped, pyromania (yumz!) and shanghaied. i love that when you
register for an account you get points for your purchases which
you can use to take money off your next purchase -
plus, you get 2 free samples of soap with every
order. i am about due for some more to
give as gifts + for my own collection.
she also has perfumes that i got my eye on.
the packaging is wonderful + you get little bits
of candy in your order too!

the products are perfection - sincerely.
the soap does not
leave your skin dry, it's really a pleasure and dare i say it, addiction, to bathe with. i shower just to use the soap.
the whipped is so good. it leaves your skin silky soft for a long time
and the scent stays around just as long too...so you
are always smelling good.
really, just go buy some for yourself + you will totally
see where i am coming from. i am a customer for life.
seriously.
and anyone who knows me will most
likely be getting gifts of soap/lotion from
villainess.

right now | things i love

i thought i'd share a couple of things i'm into right now.
i have had these items in my hands + up close -
so i know they are good!

first up: print from monkeypowered

 

: photo from their etsy shop :
this print is so so so cute + was very happily received by my bathroom wall!

next is this wonderful + snuggly tshirt
thank you redroostercraft/pinpals

 

: photo from their etsy shop :
i also ordered a couple of their paper dolls + boy are they fantastic!
i do especially love burnaby+alicia - again!

 

: photo from their etsy shop :
i have this cute couple framed + hanging in our new bedroom...
i love that i can get in there and move them around whenever the mood strikes. i love my whole experience of shopping with the pin pals + i do plan on buying more in the future!

and i got this tshirt ( in ash+white striped) a bit back
thanks to misnopalesart

 

:photo from their etsy shop :
and i totally love the shirt - so cute, cozy + charming!

i do love me some etsy shopping..probably a little too much but i do have an awesome variety of goods to show for it.

a pinch

ugh. these last few weeks have been busy + not so fun.
classes are providing me with a huge load of homework
daily. our computer crashed and we lost
about 98% of our stuff. our gutters, that we just had put up in the fall, became so loaded w/ ice that they pulled off one whole side of our house...taking with it our new fascia and soffit. i love having a house but it really is a lot of work - all the time.

our new bedroom is almost fully done. really the only things left are making our new comforter cover + putting up pictures/decor. we love it. it is so cozy and perfect. pics soon - once i get them off my other card + onto the computer.

in some other happenings - i bought these cute measuring spoons at the dollar store.



the make me want to bake more!

the next few days are supposed to be bringing some more sun and warmer temps. i can't wait - i will be out + about thrifting with my mom and doing homework on the porch.

:: up to my elbows

swimmin' in some wool/fleecey goodness around these parts


i've got about 40 or so pounds of goregous wool that i'm sorting through...and about 20+ more pounds on the way. all sorts + all super yummy!
i am one happy gal.

i am also quite happy because since my parents have finally moved out...
we now have an extra room. we are moving into their room + turning what was our bedroom into my fiber room. the bedroom that was theirs has a huge closet and still needs a bunch of finishing up - when we bought the house it was 2 very small bedrooms. my parents knocked down the wall + made it one large room for them to stay in until they could get back on their feet. so now we are doing the final touches to make it ours.
here it is as we started on it a couple of days ago:


we tore up the carpet and all the trim to put up new stuff. as you can tell, they smoked in the room. ick- a new rule in the house is No Smoking Allowed!
so we still have lots to do, but are super excited to have a new room, a fiber room + more work accomplished on the house - which seems to be a never-ending thing...
olive will have her own area in that little cubby spot by the window + she is totally excited about it. i can tell.

new year | new mug = happy me

i had a wonderful holiday with family + friends!
i had lots of good food, not tons, but enough to satisfy.
i received some lovely gifts.. one being my new camera!
i was looking in to getting this powershot- but my bf got me the dslr instead.
i am one happy, but busy learning it all, camper.
i have lots to learn + experiment with.
i do have another favorite gift - bought by me for me my boyfriend.


it comes from the super awesome skeletaldropkick. she whipped up a great custom
order for me of 3 mugs. the recipients are all happy with them.
we do a secret santa/dirty santa type of game + people were
fighting for the mug. i sort of got it with a certain person in mind
and lucky me + them...they ended up with it.

i'm still hanging on to a bit of the flu - so i am back
to bed for some snuggle time with my dog.
she keeps me warm, her snoring is my background music
and her toasted tar/frito feet smell somehow makes
me feel happy to have her around.

back with some random things

i've been alittle out of the loop of everything for a while now. i was just overwhelmed with classes, homework, life + living.
you know, the stuff that gets in the way?
glad to report things have since smoothed out a bit.. all except for the classes, homework and life thing :)

these little birds are making me happy right now
they are so cute
............................................................
so i was tagged by the ever-so-lovely laila:rawfish
6 random things about me
(i'm sure everyone is clammerin' to know)

1. i hate the sound of people cracking their knuckles - it seriously makes me vomit when i hear it. i can't help it. it's horrible. bleh

2. i also cannot handle the sound or thought of biting popsicles or ice. even if i imagine the sound - i instantaneously get goosebumps.. it is however a good way to cool myself off in the summer..i just think of the sound and i shiver. no lie.

3.i am very unorganized + messy + cluttered all around. there is no hope for me.

4. when i was little i used to love to sleep under tables and chairs...and even behind couches and in closets. my mom used to have to go searching for me to see where i was napping that day.

5.speaking of napping - boy do i love naps! especially on a rainy day, a sunny day, a cold day, a hot day - curled up with my dog olive.

6.  i have a half sister but have never had a relationship wit her. she is my dads other daughter and i never see my dad. we have a very troubled relationship... but as an adult i am reconnecting and building a bond with my sister, who is 12, and it seems a strange thing to happen so late in my life, but i am so loving it. growing up as an only child, i always wanted a sibling and even moreso as i get older. i'm just happy it's
happening. plus she totally digs twilight too!

now- i'm not tagging anyone, but do feel free to pick it up + go with it. i enjoy reading about other people.