have a great weekend!

do you like my new clothes?
Originally uploaded by miesmama

my first trunk show tonight!

It's going to be great fun! Tonight, live on Etsy in the Virtual lab, the Etsyblogger's team is having a trunk show. 26 wonderful shops, including me, will showcase some of their wares with a description, and then take questions. Also, as a bonus most of those showcasing will be giving out a store discount tonight during, and after, the show! So come and join in the fun, and get a deal too!

Roseworks Jewelry

BE0028
Originally uploaded by Rose Works Jewelry

Aren't these retro earrings fantastic? They were made by my wonderful fellow Etsyblogger (and owned by me), who just happens to be this months featured blogger - congrats Roseworks!
Her shop at Etsy is full of goodies, perfect for Valentine's Day gifts.
Her name is Ruthie, and she is a wonderfully supportive fellow team member, she can be found at the shop, her blog and on flickr, check them out and get to know the amazing Ruthie!
The team is also having a trunk show tomorrow night on Friday 30th January at 9pm, live on Etsy in the Virtual lab - so come and check us all out, and get discounts to boot! More info here.

X's and O's -

For a Valentine's felt garland this year, I've made and hung up a cute garland full of X's and O's, lots of hugs and kisses for the season. I thought it'd be fun to have something other than hearts, and what better? I love the contrast between the dark heathered, almost blood red, felt and the stark, simple white felt - love!
This year for Valentine's Day I expect we'll take the two kids and go out to eat good restaurant food, and probably eat a fair bit of Valentine's candy, too!
Gone are the horrible teenage days of wondering if you'll even get a Valentine's card, and if you do whose it from, and is a gag card? Yuck! Also, gone are the days of romantic couple dinners, to a point. Because, now we have children, Valentine's Day is a time to share the love: all things pink, red and sparkly; boxes of candy; handmade cards; flowers; good food; and, maybe a small present full of thought!
What a great holiday!

what I made lately -

I love this simple image of a fern, and have used it a few times already. Most of my inspiration comes from nature, so these days when the world is just white and sparkly, my mind is wandering towards super simple white on white images. I was wondering what a white felted bag with white vintage lace doilies, might look like! Mmmmm.....

whose doll is this?

are you my doll?
Originally uploaded by miesmama

Today I received my birthday present to myself - the very cute petite Blythe doll, Squiggly Squirrel.
She is very small, but very cute. She comes with a squirrel outfit and dress, both of which can be removed and changed if wanted. She has quite a bad case of bed head, so she may be wearing her squirrel cap for awhile, until I feel confident enough to steam it into shape!
But, the real question is - whose doll is this? Xiao Fan sems quite attached already, and she really is the perfect size! Mmmm, we'll see.

love this book! -

Sometimes, I really wish I didn't work in a bookstore - it could be so easy to spend all the money I earn there, and then some! It's like a child working in a candy store - but as vices go, I 'spose, it's not a bad one! The cons, and pros, are that you see all the new books coming in, and covet quite a few of them!
The one I discovered yesterday was the new title by the amazing Danny Gregory, I have both his others; Everyday Matters, and The Creative License, both of which are excellent and totally inspiring! This new title is beautiful, not all Danny's work this time, but a wonderful collection of other peoples art journals! They are eclectic and amazing, and so very inspiring! I have tried hard to maintain some sketch journals, but they invariably just end up on a shelf somewhere - well I'm inspired to try again, so out comes the pen, and the watercolors, here goes!

my first Pullip, Xiao Fan -

She's was my birthday present, isn't she beautiful? My husband surprised me with her, I didn't know if he was going to get me a Pullip, or a Blythe, or which one! The box arrived a couple of days before my birthday, and the suspense was killing me! I'm so excited to have her, I want to go on a shopping spree for new clothes for her, but I'm being good and holding off. If you share my obsession please leave a comment, I'd love to have a partner in crime; if not, go on an flickr search through the different Pullip and Blythe groups, you may just get hooked too!!!!!!

what I made today -

Since the world outside seems to be forever a sparkly, icy white, I decided to reflect that inside as well. I decorated this wreath form with white batting, yarn, vintage lace doilies and a strand of pearly beads - I had a blue flower for it too, but it didn't seem to need it! It was part of the private blog "A Year of Color" that I signed up to do, and this month is, aptly, blue and white!

Lou Reed, and others courtesy of the BBC - A Perfect Day

sooooo excited!

I just signed up for 8 wonderful weeks of bloggy and crafty goodness, with the amazing Rachel and Elsie. They're doing an online class with about 30 super cute projects, I can't wait to get started!!!!!!!!!!! Yay!

music monday -

The Call by Regina Spektor

This song is amazing! I first heard it on the Narnia - Prince Caspian movie, which was really good also, but found this video on YouTube, and had to share some amazing anime also with you. Enjoy!

a new obsession -

I'm not sure when, or why, it really started, but I now have an unwavering obsession with a particular type of doll! Yes, I said a doll! Weird, I know, but if you check out some of the amazing Flickr groups about these beauties, maybe you'll get it a bit more! They are called Blythe dolls, the one above is actually a Petite Blythe, just a wee 4 1/2" tall, and she's winging her way to me from Hong Kong - oh, did I mention that they're made in Japan, and are highly collectible, oh I know I picked a great doll to be obsessed with! Some of the 12" Blythes are sold in the thousands, not just hundreds, of dollars! I also requested a full size one for my birthday, but that will be a surprise which I'll share with you later - I can hardly wait!!!!

Apart from the Blythes, I also love the Pullip dolls, they're kind of similar, but not! You'll have to investigate for yourself, and if you feel an obsession growing, please let me know as I need a fellow conspirator!!!!!!

just read a wonderful book -

French Milk by Lucy Knisley.

It is sooooo good, finished it today in one sitting! It is a travel journal in graphic novel form, kind of - the drawings, sketchings, are intermingled with musings, mouth-watering descriptions of their adventures in food, and photos.

It is a wonderful journal about staying in Paris, and all the things you can see and do, and eat! And you really get a feel for the place. I'm lucky enough to say that I've been to Paris many times - it could be my favorite place in the world - mostly in my 20's and often travelling with my mother, so I can totally relate to this book, but even if I hadn't I would love this book.

As a little trivia, the author comes from this area of the world, nearby in Rhinebeck, NY, although she is now living in Chicago - what a small world this is!

I have to thank Inside a Black Apple for clueing me in to this book in the first place, one of the many reasons to read her lovely blog!

Now I am left with the dilemma of what to read next........ahhh!

getting crafty in blue & white -

- today I made a cute heart pillow to hang on a doorknob, or bedpost, or anywhere you want to pretty up! Also, two cute felt flower pins that have the same purpose, to pretty up a bag, coat, or cardigan! inspiration comes to a lttle fruition in blue and white!

inspiration in blue & white from flickr

inspiration in blue & white from flickr
Originally uploaded by miesmama

more pages of inspiration to share with you -

my inspiration journal for January...

jan journal
Originally uploaded by miesmama

...has begun, and I love it!
It's so much fun to collect images and inspiration in a very particular color combination - this month is blue and white.
I'm going to do a journal for each month, and different color - it's something I definitely want to continue, it feels good to keep a journal, be it visual only, or written.
Okay, back to it!

finding inspiration in blue and white....

White Christmas
Originally uploaded by Anne*°

I joined a group called "A Year in Color", run by the uber-talented ArtsyMama. It runs for the whole of 2009, and every month has a different color/s for inspiration, the color palette for January is blue and white. What a perfect combination for this time of year!
I can't wait to get started, color is always so inspirational, and it'll be fun to be guided and inspired by a talented team of people - soooo much fun!
So, I'm off to find a blank journal, in which I can collect all my color inspiration for this month. I'd ideally like to have one for each month, full of one color combination, how cool would that be!
Okay, so I'm off to play - what will inspire you this year?