Sugar*Sugar

Getting Organized

This seems to be a constant issue for me. Staying organized. Oh, it's so hard for me! Especially in the summer months with kids at home, growing laundry piles, popsicle sticks and slip-n-slides into the mud.

My studio has been in a constant state of messiness for a while now... I've just been putting things off and making due. Piles of papers, bits, buttons, ribbons and half complete projects have been waiting to be dealt with...

One of the dreaded chores has been dealing with my several boxes and drawers FULL of trims and ribbons.

I finally dumped them all out into ONE HUGE PILE!

I thought I might never make a dent!!! :0)

But, I have... after 2 days of on and off, facing my pile... I could feel it staring me down as I walked past my studio door. I did my best to avoid eye contact with it.

 

So, I'm about 1/4 of the way thru my pile... it looks at me a little nicer now, not so terrifying after all.

This feels MUCH better! I can't wait to see them all together when I'm completely done!

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I hope you are all enjoying your summer! I have an unusually busy summer this year... not like I've ever had! In lots of ways that's a good thing, keeping the kids busy and me half way sane!

So, with that comes less time in blog-land, so forgive my infrequency! I am going to do my best to post at least once a week during the summer, just to keep connected with all of you busy gals!

:0)

Okie Dokie, I'll chat with y'all soon!

xo

Analise

The Art of Gratitude

 

Yesterday was a good day.

I got the phone call I had been waiting for, telling me my little sister was finally admitted to the hospital, ready to have her baby! She's had a hard pregnancy and has been ready to deliver for oh, about 6 months now. lol So I'm happy for her that the waiting is finally over and I have a new niece!

She is completely adorable and has the bestest chubby cheekies an auntie could ever want! :0)

It was such a happy day for so many people! I loved sitting in the waiting room with all of the other families waiting on news of their own. Babies really bring people together. Everyone there was willing to wait, for hours, in a boring, stale open room of strangers... just for that one little person to arrive. I felt so honored to see other families celebrating, crying, hugging. And of course, listening to all of the veteran moms recounting their own birthing stories to anyone who would listen. All of us strangers felt like we were on the same team, exchanging smiles and nods of congratulations to one another.

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Another great part of my day came a little earlier when my daughter brought me the mail. My advance copy of the most recent issue of Somerset Life! YEAH!!

Here's the conversation:

Me: Oh my Gosh! Is that? Oh! It is!! (I begin carefully opening the outer wrapping...)

Kid 1: Guys! It's Mommy's magazine! Come here!!

Me: Just a minute, let me open it and see...

Kid 2: Mom, I never saw your picture in the other maz-a-gine, are you sure you're in a maz-a-gine?

Me: OH MY GOSH! *smiling* Yeah! There I am!!

Kid 3: Mama, you said we are gonna be millionaires! How come we aren't millionaires yet?!

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Again, I am completely stunned, honored, amazed and full of gratitude. This issue of Somerset Life is beautiful and full of artful ideas and projects that are useful and inspiring! I am totally humbled that I have the opportunity to a part of this publication.

Inside you will find art and projects from so many talented artists and fellow bloggers! I found work from Melissa, Suzanne, Andrea, Lisa, Karla, Lori, Kristen, Pam, Rebecca, Sandra, Tammy, Dawn, Diane, Mendy, and so many more! I was also so happy to see letters to the editor from the super sweet Tiffany and Jenny! :0)

 

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A note about Show & Tell Sunday!

Because of all of the hustle and bustle and new babies and all, I have decided to take a week off of Show and Tell. So take a break y'all!!

Relax this weekend!!

No rushing to take photos, no polishing, dusting or ironing required! :0)

Talk to y'all soon!

xo

Analise

The Beginning of Summer

I have the photo above as one of my scrolling pics for my screen saver. So I see this photo all the time, every day.

And, I have this fortune (from Panda Express... Orange Chicken, OMG so good!) posted on my fridge... if only I would consider it more often when I reach for the mint and chip ice cream or extra rich super fattening coffee creamer or the dip to go with my chips, but that's a whole other blog entirely.

I think I may have shown this photo before, but I felt like I needed to share it again today.

Mostly for me, but we can share....

I've started my summer with a bang. I've been working on a gigantic yard sale all week to raise money to send our church kids to summer camp. I'm so tired, it's not even funny! We will continue to raise funds for them for the next few weeks, then I will be their chaperon to Kids Camp in July.  

Because of all of the things I've got going on, I am going to need to step back from the computer a bit more and focus on the kids.

Oh God, please help me.

*wink*

hee hee

Okay, so here's the dealio...

For all of you out there wondering about this week's Show and Tell, you can find the sign ups HERE at the sweet Miss Heidi's blog, Birds of a Feather. She has graciously volunteered to host this weekend as Cerri is preparing for her new shop opening!

Like Cerri, I also will be unable to post and share this weekend, but I'm sure you will all have a great time without us! :0)

Also, If you are new to Show and Tell and would like more information on how it works each week, read HERE , HERE, HERE or HERE to find out all the details!

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If you've sent me an email and I haven't yet replied, please accept my full apologies!

I have been gone most of the week and will be pretty busy for the next week and a half, not on the computer much, except when I can get a few moments! I will do my very best to return all questions as soon as I can! :0)

Thanks so much everyone, I hope you are having a great summer so far!

Enjoy every minute!

Oh, and remember...

YOU ARE ABLE TO DO WHAT OTHER'S SAY YOU CAN'T DO!

xo

Analise

Trash to Treasure- Show & Tell

Welcome everyone!

This is the 3rd try at posting my blog... typepad seems to know that I am tired and is toying with my emotions! lol Okay, okay, I'm gonna get to the point, and let's cross our fingers that this draft survives and makes it online!! :0)

Today's Show & Tell is "Trash to Treasure"! I am really excited to visit all the blogs and see all of the treasures everyone has found.

I am going to share the list of gals who are participating first, then share my "trash" with you!!

As always, if you would like to join in the fun and post a blog of your own, please leave me a comment and I will add you as soon as I can. I will be out all morning, but will catch up as soon as I get home.

Please stop and say hello to:

Tammy

Pinkie Denise

Di

Polly

Susan

Stephanie

Lisa

Barbara

Suzanne

Kathy

Fitty

Mya

Lynn

Joanna

Karen

Christa

Melissa

Andrea

Heidi

M at OC Cottage

Lisa

Rene

Jeanie

Cami

Jeanne

Lynn

Debbie

Rebecca

Tiffani

Stephanie

Elly

Linda

Deanna

Shanda

Heather

Margo

Dede

Nancy

and of course, be sure to stop in and say Hi to Cerri at Little Pink Studio and see her treasures!!

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My Trashy Treasures are honest to goodness, real trash!

If you know me well, you know that I am not beneath taking things from trash heaps, dumpsters and piles o' junk everywhere.

I know it's rubbed off on my friends and family. They have all been known to call me with the exact location of some "cool looking" trash on the side of the road.

Here's a real quote from a message on my answering machine, left by Aly.

"Analise. Hi. It's me. Did you see that old door laying in the grass, just past the corner of Alluvial and Armstrong? You need to go get it before someone else does! I almost stopped, but there was a grouchy looking man there, taking out his trash, so I just stared at him. Go get it."

I was too late.

Someone else took the door. Dang!

Another time, during a clean up day in our town in Texas, aptly named, "Clean Up Cleveland", Jeff and his mom came driving up to my house with an old door STRAPPED TO THE TOP OF HER 2 DOOR FORD FOCUS!!

No, I'm not kidding. It happened.

I'm like, "What the heck are you doing??"

Jeff's like, "Getting you this door. We found it in the ditch... What?"

I did like the door. Perfect color, chippy old paint... it now hangs over my fireplace...

It looks really cute at Christmas with stockings hung on it with care.

Another trash heep find was an old bed frame from the 1800's. Aly's neighbor was throwing it away, and she jumped all over it... for me. :0)

It was broken in parts, but have saved it all, juuuust in case! These are a few of the pieces of carved wood roses, wreaths and bowers with the original shabby green paint.

I've also been known to paint anything and everything. Usually either PINK or WHITE, of course. I remember my sister in law one time telling me to "cool it with the white paint already". "Never!", I replied.

Here' a peek at the inside of this old wardrobe I found. I've painted it and added fabric for the panels, easy peasy.

(fabric and a staple gun)

Sorry, the lighting is terrible! I had to use a flash...

I really, REALLY don't like using flash...

anyway, the photo... sorry...

I lost my train of thought, I'm watching a movie and writing at the same time.... 

okay, last one for now... I'm writing this at 12:30 am, so, I'm getting a little loopy!

I found this old ugly frame in the garbage behind a thrift store. I was dropping off some items for donation, and saw it in the trash dumpster. I investigated. It held an old badly executed oil painting of a vase of flowers. There was a huge tear down the middle of the canvas, so it was therefore rendered "garbage" according to the thrift shop standards...

I know, they were being picky, right? lol

So I snagged it. It sat in my garage for a year.

When I first started blogging, I decided I wanted an inspiration board. So I tore out the canvas and hung it around a fabric covered cork board.

It fit perfectly. The ugly gold was getting to me though.

A few weeks ago, I found a can of spray paint I forgot I had. I wanted to use it right away on something...what... what can I paint?

The FRAME!

So, it went from drab to fab, in about fifteen minutes!

I just love how it came out~ totally bright pink! Fun right?

Well, I must be getting on my way, it's 1am now and I need SLEEP! Thanks for listening to me ramble! he he he

Talk to y'all soon,

Analise

Sweetness

As soon as I saw this vintage style "Sweet Shop" sign, by Kari Ramstrom aka, the super sweet Artsy Mama, I knew it must be mine! I was totally excited to find it still available in her etsy shop... three clicks later, I knew it would be on it's way to me!

Adorable Right? And SO me!

It's made from mostly vintage materials, vintage ledger paper, vintage flocked wallpapers in the yummiest of colors, vintage crepe paper ruffles and trim!

I *LOVE* it Kari! Thanks so much!!

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I also need to announce the Show & Tell topic for Sunday, June 8th. I can't believe it's already June and time for school to be out. Honestly, this year seems to have flown by!! My kiddos are out of school this Friday and the Summertime madness will begin. Yeah!

So, our topic... I thought it might be fun to show me your trash,

your TRASH TO TREASURE, that is...

I would LOVE to see your shabby, chippy, "trashy" finds that you have made chic and fabulous! Tell a little about what you've done to repair the piece, if needed, or added paint, or taken paint off, or left how you've found it! Before and after pictures would be great too!

Sound like fun?

Please leave me a comment if you will be sharing so I can be sure to add you to Sunday's list!

~Analise

Studio Storage

Sorry for my tardiness in posting today's Show & Tell blog!

  

I am feeling a lot better with my whole wisdom tooth situation, or lack thereof. To leave out the icky details, I'll just say I had some complications that I'm still dealing with. I'm still having nerve pain and will go back to the doctor again this week. For the most part, I am on the mend! :0)

This week for Show & Tell, we are showing our container storage for our studios.

I have to be honest.

My studio is a WRECK. Completely a mess!

So, I sifted through some old pictures I had and thought I would post a few of them. Don't worry, you don't have to be appalled at my piles of paper, trims and fluff. ;0)

I am, however, going to be short and sweet today, just posting photos. Cerri at Little Pink Studio is our fabulous hostess today, so pop in to her blog to check out the list of other gals showing their studio organization ideas!

 

Thanks for dropping by y'all!!

xo

Analise