etsy.com

Etsy.com was featured in an article in the NY Times today.
How I love etsy.com and the thought of buying something someone made.

My ultimate goal is to start making something to sale on etsy!

Look at these awesome things for sale on etsy.com!

oilcloth bib

oilcloth lunch sack

pink stationery set with initial

black lab christmas cards (she can make the lab blonde like Dixie!)

snowman outfit for little girlies

love everything from paperologie (have some tags on the way!)

it's an "H"

burp cloths

for the "baker" in me

cute, fun notecards

ohmygoodness birth announcements

baby girl hairbows

faux robees

personalized stamp (much like the one on my Christmas list)

precious pacifier clips

lil' pumpkin

how cute

your name on a wall

established

Ok, I guess enough is enough!
If you are anything like me, you are hooked already!
Let me know what you find while you are out there...etsy-ing!

Good night!

12.15.07 and baking...

Well, the nasty cold I had turned into a sinus infection that left me with swollen eyes and a tender face. I ended up not going to work on Friday. I went to the doctor instead. She put me on Azithromycin, which seems to have helped me! I am feeling much better now.

As I mentioned earlier on the blog, December 15th 2004 was the day

Alan and I got engaged. I went back to our wedding

web page on theknot.com and read the story of the proposal.

Sweet to read and remember exactly how I felt that night!

Here is the account:

Well, Alan was leaving on the 16th to go duck-hunting in Arkansas. He called me before church that night and asked me if I would go look at Christmas lights with him after church. I gave him several excuses about why I couldn't go, but obviously he persuaded me to go with him "because I wouldn't be able to see him for three or four days". So after church we rode around a few neighborhoods to look at Christmas lights. Then we stopped and got a cappucino to drink. We got back in the truck and he said "I bet the lights at Georgia College are on, let's go see". I was thinking ok we will drive by, and then he'll take me home. Well, I was kinda wondering what we were doing when he pulled up in the parking lot and turned off the truck. I was like "what are we doing here, and I am not getting out of this truck, it is freezing." But once again he got his way. So here we are bundled up in our coats and gloves with cappucinos in hand on the coldest night in December on the Georgia College campus. So then he starts talking about "do you remember this, do you remember that..." And I am thinking why is he saying all this, as we proceeded on down the sidewalk towards Front Campus. After walking around for a few minutes I started asking if we could go back to the truck because my toes were about to freeze to the sidewalk. So we were walking in front of Atkinson Hall (one of the most beautiful buildings on our campus). He asked me if I saw any shooting stars, and I was like "I don't see ANY stars, can we just please go to the truck. I am freezing". So he stopped and told me to give him a hug, maybe that would warm me up, so I did. I needed to get rid of my cappucino cup, so I turned around to throw it away, and when I turned back around there he was on his knee, with a beautiful and just-what-I wanted ring in his hand and a smile on his face and he asked me to marry him!!! Between the SHOCK (I thought the day would never come), the excitement, the security, the happiness, and the love, I suddenly was very warm! :) Of course my answer was "Yes! Yes! Yes!" It is wonderful to know the God brought us together, and that through much prayer, Alan and I know that this is God's perfect timing for us! I am blessed to be Alan's future wife. Please pray for us as we prepare to spend the rest of our lives together. :)

So you can guess what we did last night. We rode around and looked at Christmas lights.
We had already had our Starbucks (the peppermint white chocolate mocha is delicious) for the day, so we didn't stop for cappucinos. But I am once again reminded at what a sweet and precious husband that I have. You see, last night was all his idea once again!

On to today...this is what I have been doing all afternoon...
I made all these for my co-workers in the Cath Lab!

These are for Alan to take to work for his co-workers!

Here are the peanut butter balls. Freshly dipped and drizzled with chocolate! Yummy!

I talked to my sweet friend Laura this afternoon and I told her what I had been doing all afternoon. She told me I should start posting some recipes on here. So here is the recipe for the goodies in the Christmas tree platter.

Graham Cracker Bars

2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup of pecans
Mini Semi-Sweet chocolate chips
Graham crackers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter in stovetop pan. Add sugar and cinnamon. Stir until melted.
Line cookie sheet with foil.
Layer graham crackers on a cookie sheet.
Pour butter, sugar, cinnamon mixture over graham crackers.
Add pecans on top.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Immediately add as many chocolate chips as preferred.
Cool completely then break apart.

This recipe was given to me by my friend Sarah Hobbs! Hi Sarah! She is a wonderful cook! She is always making something new in the kitchen!

more random things...

1. I was conceived in the hospital when my dad was a patient. My parents told me that back in the summer. I guess that's why I feel so at home in the hospital (at work). Hehehe!!!

2. My face hurts right now...especially the bridge of my nose. I am sick with a nasty sinus infection.

3. I won't take medicine for my nasty sinus infection.

4. Thursday is my call day. I clocked out at 7:00 pm. I am so glad I don't work 12 hours shifts anymore, except the occasional late call day.

5. Alan and I have been married for 2 years and 7 months.

6. I light a smelly-good candle in my house almost every night.

7. One of my New Years Resolutions is to make a "guest basket". Complete with big white fluffy towels and washcloths monogrammed of course with the word "guest", different soaps, candles, lotions, razors, shampoo, conditioner, q-tips, cotton balls...and whatever else I find!

8. I play Pac-man or Solitaire on my iPod almost every night before bed.

9. I got my iPod on the first day the third generation iPods came out. It's silver and I love it.

10. My husband always makes animal noises. Turkeys, this kind of duck, that kind of duck, deer, owls. Sometimes I feel like I live in a zoo.

11. I addressed my Christmas card envelopes last night. Still haven't made the cards, or the pictures. (Sarah, I got yours today. You go girl!)

12. I am frustrated by people who talk negatively about their husbands and their children. Aren't they blessings God has given to us abundantly!

13. I am frustrated by people who "blame" my happiness or joy on the fact that we are newly married. Quit stealing my thunder people!

14. I helped a doctor put in two stents today. While in nursing school I didn't know what a cath lab was. Funny how God puts us right where we belong. I love it!

15. I see Alan and I with a little girl one day. Her name will be Lanie.

16. Sometimes I think I waste my creativity.

17. Our neighbors brought us over some homemade tamales last night! They were yummy!

18. I collect "H"'s.

Ok, I can't think of anything else right now. And my nose is running and I keep sneezing. I need a warm shower and then I'm off to bed!

random things...

1. I am making chicken and dumplings right now.

2. My toenails haven't been painted since umm...August.

3. I got off work at 10:30am today.

4. I cleaned our bathroom today. It's my least favorite place to clean.

5. Only 13 more days till Christmas!

6. I recieved an early Christmas present in the mail today on accident. OOPS! But I love it!

7. Alan is hunting...again!

8. We are almost done with our Christmas shopping.

9. Alan and I got engaged on December 15, 2004.

10. I love looking at baby clothes in stores. Alan thinks I am crazy.

11. I still haven't made our Christmas cards.

12. I bought three new ornaments for our tree today.

13. Alan and I made peanut butter balls, fudge, and white chocolate covered pretzels on Sunday afternoon for our neighbors and our bosses.

14. I love the idea of buying things that are handmade from Etsy.com

15. I have been a nurse for 2 1/2 years.

16. I love Christmas time.

17. I am the middle child. My sisters always told me I am adopted.

18. One day I would love to own a gift shop with monogrammed stuff, stationary, gifts, etc. I would call it Evie Lou's, after my two grandmothers.

19. I went to 2 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools.

20. I would take a nap every single day if I could.

21. Alan calls me "Boots"...why? I have no clue.

22. I'm tired of this list.

Good night!

it's beginning to look alot like Christmas...

Here are some pictures of our house decorated for Christmas...

our little tree in the kitchen (rooster)

This is a great idea and recipe book!
Renaissance hurricanes from Southern Living! Love them!
Some of the presents under the tree...with themed wrapping paper.
Christmas placemats!
Several of our tree in the living room...


The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...
My willow tree nativity! I hope I am getting the creche for Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

lots of stuff to share...

First of all, at the beginning of November we hosted a baby shower for our sweet friends Ken and Libby. The tablecloth below is my first finished product with my sewing machine. I used the fabric that Libby used for the baby's nursery bedding.
In mid November I celebrated my 26th birthday. Alan went to Arkansas on the Friday before my birthday so we had cake on Wednesday night before he left. I thought he did a great job picking out colors for the cake!

And below is a picture of Libby and Ken's precious little bundle, Luke!
They welcomed him to the world on the afternoon of November 24th.
He is absolutely perfectly precious!
I can't wait to take more pictures of him!
What a blessing from the Lord!



On Friday night Lauren and Chris came to dinner at our house. We set the date months ago to ensure that we got together this December. Last year we met halfway at Cracker Barrel to exchange gifts. I made this little snowman cheeseball for an appetizer. Mom and Dad gave me the cute red polka-dotted platter. It was perfect for the little snowman cheeseball.

We tried to take a Christmas card picture of ourselves today. It didn't work so well.
I did get a cute updated profile picture of myself out of them though.
Look at the top right ------->.

Hope everyone's holiday season has gotten off to a great start!