Sunday Random (or Five on Friday, as that's how long it took me to write this post)

What's up?  Where has Davinie gone?
Pre-Registration for Preschool next fall (I'm the Registrar and my time isn't up until Payton "graduates" from preschool in June).

Work.  I work part time.  In health insurance.  As much as I'd love to blog and pin and craft all day, it just isn't in the current cards.

Assignments.  Holy toledo.  I've actually been crafting more than you've seen.  I've just been unable to share it at this time.  I am truly grateful for every request I've received lately, though.  I just need extra hands and more hours in the day.  Anyone willing to share?  Donate?

Girl Scouts.  In case you live under a rock (or are outside the US), this is the time to buy cookies.  My little Daisy has kept me quite busy.  Yes, I've been that mom sitting at the table outside the grocery story, toothless blond cutie in tow, selling cookies.  Buy some from a Girl Scout.  The money goes back to the troop and allows girls to do a lot of great things.  One things on our agenda is to spend the night at the Zoo.  I hope that one pans out because I WANT TO GO.  :)


With that, here's some Friday random.
1.  This winter I was asked my Fancy Pants Designs to be their first Guest Blogger.  Of course I said yes.  Fancy Pants was one of my original loves in the scrapbook industry.  I was also quite anxious to get my hands on some of their CHAW11 release.  Now. 
I was sent the "It's the Little Things" line, with all it's fun embellies and fresh, new color palette, as well as their new Brag Book.
You can check out my projects here.
A note on the Brag Books:

 




















There's a lot of hype regarding the upcoming Smash Books from EK Success.  I was at CHA.  I handled them.  I am one of those people who thinks you need at least 2, with all the embellies.  ;)  But I also adore the Brag Books from Fancy Pants.

The Smash books are more "alternative".  They are a fun place to jot thoughts or inspiration.  But I wouldn't necessarily use them to document the lives of my little girls the way I plan to do with my Brag Book (and I'm REALLY excited for Payton's birthday so I can get started on hers). 

What I'm saying is that you need both for different reasons.
As for the Smash Books, the word is they are shipping in April and as mentioned before, Studio Calico bought just about everything for the shop (and maybe upcoming kits).  I hear you'll need to be fast though.  It is so hard to determine popularity, and while I know the quantities purchased at CHA seemed to be great at the time, the hype from this books has me wondering how fast things will sell out. 

2.  The calls have been posted for the summer issue of Scrapbook and Cards Today.  If you'd like a chance to have your work posted in this high quality, inspiring magazine, check them out here.  I've mentioned this before, but working with Catherine and the team at SCT has been a dream, so if you haven't worked with them before (and even if you have), take a chance and submit to this call.  It looks like the deadline is April 5. 


3.  Have you seen the latest catalog for Pier 1 Imports?  I think I dog eared every page.  As I've mentioned, we are busy renovating, and I'm now tackling the kitchen/dining/living room area.  I decided to paint some walls in my kitchen blue and just about everything in this catalog compliments that idea.  We are hoping to bust some walls down and create a big kitchen island, so my living room, dining area, and kitchen all need to work together.  I am sooo inspired.

4.  Speaking of renovation and inspiration, I recently subscribed to Country Living.  I wanted to find inspiration for decor with antiques, etc., as well as ideas for our home and changes that we need to make.  Imagine my delight when my first issue arrived on my doorstep, and I didn't have to look past the bonus cover to confirm that the subscription was totally worth it.  Say hello to my future mud room:

I am a huge fan of an apron sink, so loved this right away. The fact that I could tuck this unit into the exact same spot in my single car garage turned mud room is like the skies parting and the sun coming out.  I adore everything about this.  We will need plumbing for a sink, but had plans to get that done anyway (because for pete's sake, a mud room, especially a huge one like ours, NEEDS a sink).  I am so excited to actually visualize something that will actually work in my home.  It's so pretty! 

This will go adjacent to that bench that my mother has actually volunteered to make for me.  How cool is she!  I'm so excited, because it finally feels like I have a direction with regards to my crooked house.  ::sigh::  I am so glad I finally took the plunge on that magazine and am now wanting to check out back issues for other things I may have missed.  It has craft projects in it too!  The girls and I are going to be busy with eggs and nests soon.

5.  Speaking of eggs, for number 5, I wanted to share one more thing we are up to, because my list isn't long enough? 

Meet Crystal, Zena, Sunshine, and the almost elusive Ringpop.  They will soon be joining Betty and Flowerbelle in the coop outside. 

Please let them all be girls.  Please.

Urban chicken farming is becoming more and more popular, and while this early stage is just gross because they are, well, dirty birds, farm fresh, organic, free range, natural eggs are very appealing.  It is also TONS of fun for the kiddos.  I'll probably start popping in to report on the chickadees and their antics, should you be interested.  I actually have several stories from our first set that I need to share too.  Holy fowl.  They certainly keep us entertained.

Since I'm turning into a Martha and have plans to make use of our great big garden, we'll be getting cows after Easter for butchering this fall, and now I have eggs, it looks like all I need to do is perfect the art of making cheese and we may never need to leave the house.  My car is a gas guzzler anyway, and since we live a couple miles from everything and I get probably 12 mpg in town, it's too expensive to go anywhere anyway, lol.

Have a great weekend!  Davinie