My Debut

Much to my surprise, there was no all-nighter! I decided to not think and just do. Got a table, samples, and decorative pieces out to see what I was working with.

Not bad right? Its a start and HUGE confidence booster. I've made a ton of things. Once I dug them out of all the nooks and crannies, I realized this. I slept pretty easy. I don't know if you ever thought about all that goes into a display, but I kept thinking there was something missing here, I was forgetting this or that. Hard to think of everything but I feel like I did a pretty good job. 

Iwas a little worried when I didn't have any type of business card at 2 pm today, so I threw something together pretty darn fast. Like my sister said, if you make paper crafts shouldn't you make your business card. Dang she is smart.. oh yeah I have an email address now too, heaLdbylauren@gmail.com

Here Iam!! This is so exciting for me.  All afternoon I knew that it was going to go well. I mean who actually would come up to me and say, "your stuff is terrible!" Exactly. NO ONE! everyone that I talked to was absolutely wonderful. It was also great to see my good friends so incredible that they came to share my exciting night with me. They all had such nice things to say and I have never considered myself an artist before.  I have some exciting projects I will be working on. The Love Letters were a hit! The dresses too. The input was amazing and of course new ideas are born! I made my first $12 dollars (yes I will probably do something crafty with it to save it). YAY! not that I was trying to get rich quick. I thoroughly enjoy what I do, and what I make!! 

It was the Chocolate Ball... so I had to have some chocolate at my table to give away. They are Hershey miniatures with the word 'thanks' stamped on paper and wrapped around them. Although I think many thought they weren't to eat and that it was part of wIat I make like wedding favors or something.  I have extras. have no fear I am not wasteful. i have come up with an idea to use them for. I'm going to start keeping them in my purse or car, and when I go to a restaurant i'll start leaving them on the table or perhaps give them to the checker at the grocery store or the teller at the bank! Or I will enjoy a little snack of my own and then give thanks to the Master Artist. I think we should all give thanks! ALWAYS!

I am excited for all that i will be doing and creating in the next couple months. It was a little sad to turn the lights of at my work space but I need a few days to recoup and I will be back healing soon! 

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Galatians 6:9

lauren

real world

It has occurred to me why it is the real world. there is not an answer sheet, cheat sheet, study guide, or any other kind of helpful hints to prepare you for whats really out there. i feel like i am in a class right now working on a final project. gross. however at least this is a little more enjoyable. actually a LOT more enjoyable. you would think that one with a marketing degree wouldn't find any trouble in marketing a product. wrong. i'm struggling to come up with the 'final presentation.' i'm even considering pulling an all nighter. based on my past experiences in college that is how i got things done...please hurry thursday!

MIZ

ZOU.. these dresses are made in honor of my friends (Emily & Teresa) finishing up their final year at mizzou in a just a few days! i am so excited for them to be out of school and join me in the real world. maybe i will actually get to see them some when they aren't buried in their books! sorry to spoil your graduation cards.

don't fear the future, God is already there

lauren

say yes to the dress

i am not trying to tell anyone anything. this was just for fun and i figured what a more popular style dress than a wedding dress. i am very proud of this, however, anytime you come up with an awesome idea, everything that follows seems less than mediocre. boo for that. i will attempt to style another wedding gown soon but right now i am trying expand on my inventory for the Chocolate Ball that is less than TEN days away.. yikes!

don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything..  Philippians 4:6

ribbons, buttons, and glitter OH MY!

i know its gonna be a good day when i visit Michaels, Archivers, Hobby Lobby, or any other craft store.. i get so excited to get home and start creating..

this is what the beautiful purchases turn into... YIKES

i'm not as excited about cleaning up that mess =( and my mom isn't so happy about it either.

BUT it goes along with the job and cleaning/organizing can be therapeutic. 

i believe i've spent over half of the last twenty four hours sitting at this table. luckily the sunflower seeds and starbucks frappucinos have kept me fueled. if not here i've been sleeping, running, or at the craft store.  i have been trying to crank out some dresses because i have less than two weeks to put together a booth for my FIRST ever event. its been hard to sleep cause i'm so excited about it! i have been trying to start a list of things that i need to get together and have on hand, but i can't even get it all organized in my head to write it on paper!  i have always wanted this and i wasn't expecting to be doing it until December. i think God decided maybe i was ready a little early and sprung this surprise on me! I am so thankful!! 

more details to follow on the event..

lauren

get dressed

you may or may not have saw this coming but it was the inevitable. a while back i started making paper heels. it was tedious work and it wasn't easy. very time consuming as well. i decided to take my minor obsession with children's clothes and attempt to do the same.

"Spring/Summer 2010"

what are you waiting for, get dressed!

lauren

cardinals baby!!

i know i know the guilt consumed me. but hey, when a handsome man is in your life you can't help but share him with the world.

i was blessed enough to have my three hours with him the day after my last blog. too bad he was fussy! eat, sleep, and poop...i mean really i know it isn't that hard. so process of elimination when he starts crying at me for something...

i used to hear stories of babies peeing on people and could never understand how it happens. well i know now. no no he didn't get me but i got a tiny preview of what it would be like if it did happen. and i just LAUGHED!!! sorry to gross you out. then after letting me know very loudly as a baby can be, that he was mad, he only just wanted to pass out in my arms. PRECIOUS!! nothing more pure than a baby! especially one wearing cardinal gear.

here is more of my obsession with the baby clothes. you should see his little cowboy boots!

lauren

The Nanny

If you've been following my blog, you know that I am a nanny. This post is dedicated to the little one who brings me joy, happiness, sometimes sadness, frustration, hope... and many many more. The love that I have for this child is insane.. and she isn't even my own! I usually spend Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with her and occasionally a Tuesday or Thursday afternoon once she is out of preschool. She is a smart one and knows how to work the system. I often find myself being talked into doing whatever she wishes...

She loves to swing! Luckily she has her own swing set in her backyard. Sometimes I sit and swing myself and the simplicities of being a kid rush back and all worries are gone. She was says, "Push me really REALLY high," I try as hard as I can but it scares me to push her too high as I am concerned for her safety. Mothering coming out in me already.

the other day while we were playing on her swing set she showed me her 'boo boo.' I proceeded to tell her that she can ask God to help heal her ouchie. She then climbed up in her play set got down on her knees and began praying to God. Literally it brought tears to my eyes... I have heard her say it before, her goodnight prayers, but in this situation it completely caught me off guard. What a reality check! Who cares if it was three in the afternoon and she wasn't getting ready for bed. Simply AMAZING!

She also loves ice cream (and chocolate pudding, cheese balls, chocolate covered raisins, and licorice, and red lollipops, only red). Anytime we are running errands in town or go to the park she always says so cutely from the backseat, "Maybe we go to Sonic and get one of them ice cream cones." Yes please tell me how you would say no!!

These are the steps that I have to wait and go down after she gets to the bottom where she declares, "Okay you can come down now!" Take note of how cute these little sandles are. I am utterly and completely obsessed with little kid clothes.. this will be a challenge some day when I am a mom to not buy every cute thing I see.

Here is her corner of dirt which she absolutely loves to water, even though nothing is planted there. I enjoy sitting and watching her. I know she will have a beautiful yard with lots of flowers when she grows up.

And then she is OUT! That is usually what happens after all the above. Some days we do all of these things, and some days we don't get to do any. This is only the fourth month I've been watching her and needless to say I am attached. Don't let this lead you to believe my job as a nanny is so simple. Dusting, cleaning, and dishes are often squeezed in to this chaotic day of playing.

It may seem unfair to not have any pictures of the baby brother but I currently am only lucky enough to watch him a total of three hours per week, where he cries, eats, and sleeps. I do love him and his clothes too... and cannot wait to watch him grow up.

I edited my photos from a pretty cool website: www.picnik.com

I have decided that since its summer and I have been spending more time enjoying the outdoors running and making road trips that are now much shorter. My blog won't be solely focused on my crafts. I've found other outlets to 'heal' such as cooking. Who knows what that will bring? Check soon to see my latest cooking creation.

lauren

Don't forget your goodnight prayers...all day long!