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Dear Internets.
This week has been rough. Heck, the past few weeks have been. It's a tough battle. It's just everything is terrible all at once, when really it's the same situations it's always been. I don't really want to get into the details, but let's suffice to say I haven't been feeling my jolly creative colourful self as of late.
I'm fairly certain it has been showing.
My major goal here, is to keep a happy place, to share happy things. And that only. Because there has to be something that is all good, somewhere, right? Well, other than D, because he is good, but you know what I mean.
However, today I'm taking a break from that, to just say that life is not happy yarn hearts and blankets and vintage Pyrex.
Not lately it hasn't been.
Which is why I'm going to leave you all with this Pinterest link and image, something lovely I found today thanks to the very lovely people I follow over there. I swear, I check Pinterest at least 4 times a day, if not more, and it really is worth it.

Pinterest Link

If only it were that easy...

xoxo, Jess (who's off to enjoy a Mike's Hard Strawberry Lemonade - because she deserves it, dammit!)

Hearts and Bubbles and Pink or Something

Internets, there's lots going on about regarding Valentine's Day. My Pinterest is filling up with pink and red and hearts and whatnot. Well, not my account, perhaps, but those of the people I'm following. Even just a search for "Valentines" over there will garnish far too many results.
I don't really participate in Valentine's Day. D has stated he doesn't either (but that conversation will come in later in this story). This is actually (to be entirely honest) my first Valentine's being in a real relationship (especially one in which we're engaged!). So I really don't even know what's called for.
But I decided to make my own Valentine's Day. Yesterday, I decided. Of course while I was working. That's really when I think of some awesome things, when I'm off at work doing the menial things they have me do. So I jotted down  some notes - things to get, how to set it up, all that jazz.
Today, D and I went off to The Dollar Tree. Which is a fabulous place. Well, if you want cheap things, and of a not terribly sturdy quality. Actually, I hadn't been there in quite a long time, but was reminded of it's gloriousness recently thanks to a blog post from A Sort of Fairytale in which she organizes her linen closet with bins and such from the Dollar Store with fabulous results!

Anyway. To the exciting parts.
I haven't collected all of my "props", have you, but as we were looking about, I told D I wanted to "make Valentine's Day" and he was concerned it would include him, and that he doesn't play Valentine's Day.  Well, it doesn't really concern him - other than he will be sharing with me in the delicious things we will have to consume. But again, more 'bout that later.

So far, I've actually got most of what I need.

 Yes, I bought fake flowers. But for a dollar for each, and they're so colourful, and they will never die! I've not gotten a green thumb, and real flowers get awfully expensive, considering they die not soon after you get them home...these can serve purpose for now, and years from now.

 Plastic wine glasses - why yes, yes I will. They also had the reverse colouring in these as well (clear with red hears), but D said he liked these better, so home they came.

 Can't have Valentine's without little chalk-hearts-with-sayings.
Seriously, though,  you can't. It's impossible. I've tried. It's just not right to at least not have one box of these this time of year.
And yes, 1$ for the four pack.

Fake flowers, popped in a half-gallon mason jar. Honestly, I think they're great.

I'm not done yet, no. I plan on creating a little "vignette" of Valentine's...and I still need a bubble beverage of our choice.
Which, is actually this...

Not my Image - Via here

We aren't really drinkers of the alcoholic variety, and this stuff is delicious anyway.

Until the planning is complete...I think I shall leave you Internets with the idea of plotting your own Valentine's. Whether there's a love for the holiday or not, I really do think you should get at least one box of the conversation hearts. It's worth it.

xoxo, Jess (who is off to find the rest of her "props" - or make them!)

Some Dear Words - Of Which Are Not Mine.

Dear Lovely Internets. I promised you good things for today, did I not? I remember doing so. Therefore, I feel it fair to bring forth good things.
However, today has been a crappy day, and I don't want this place to be depressing, so let's not discuss. Let's just say it was a crappy day and there is no happy rainbow sunshiney things I could post that are of my own creation for the day.

I do, though, have a board on Pinterest that makes me happy in times like these.
It's my "Stop Tempting Me!!" board. Quotes and such that are intended to push one in a proper and happy direction. Some of them are fabulous, and some of them are, well, just a little kick in the pants!
It is one that makes me happy, one I need to read more often, to help get through the crappy days (however long they last, hopefully not long), and to just soak in for a while. Maybe you do too, Internets. So, we're going to share with you.

The whole board can be found here; and Internets, if I have not found your pinterests yet, please point me in your directions!

And my favourite things, are as follows.

Which I do believe I've already shared! But it still gives me a tickle in the heart.

It doesn't have to be red, per-say, I honestly prefer a more berryish colour, but the idea is still there!

Correct you are, little poster!

I don't imagine anything very fancy, but it is far from what is reality, let's just say that.

I also just realized that these are almost all green so far. Well, aqua. And no that is not on purpose, entirely by accident, but it is a most lovely colour, for sure. 

Yes!

This last one pulls my heart strings every time I read it.  Because it is fact. Life isn't really very long, when you think about it. It may seem long, there are a few hours that seem like they take days, but overall...it's rather fast. I'm constantly realizing things aren't as recent as I seem to think they are.
Whatever it is you do, you are exchanging your time, your life, your breath and energy for it.
So it better be worth it.
And, heart strings pulled. Every time I think of this. 

Again, I would like to iterate, that these pictures are collected on a Pinterest board, and the links to the images are therein. 

xoxo, Jess (who is wishing)

The Things One Can Do!

Internets, you would be so very proud of me. No really!
I went, last night, from this:

To this:

Thanks to this:

Yes, dear internets, I have dyed my hair. Well, it got dyed. By D, actually. He's done these things before, and I have not. Until now! I have red hair! It's actually a very dark red, which is good. I'm rather fond of it. No really! It's quite lovely!
I honestly wouldn't mind keeping it this colour. It suits my personality a bit more than my natural blonde does, anyway.

My first crazy act of 2013 - dying my hair. We, however, decided against cutting my hair into Bettie Page-esque fringe. I would love to have it someday, but my hair is rather thin, and in order for it to look right it would require a lot of primping that I am not quite ready to do.
So, I am fringeless for now.

But my hair is red! Oh I'm so excited Internets, you don't even know!

I have not yet started the meal planning. I know, shame on me. I discussed with D, and we are actually on vacation next week - and because of that we won't be eating home-cooked foods (except for possibly at his parents' house) often enough to warrant going grocery shopping this week.
However! I have managed to cook the past two nights! No really! First was spaghetti, with deer pepperoni meat, I think he said it was? It was good stuff either way. With Safeway-bought garlic bread, delicious. Last night was fake nachos. Which means there was a can of chili, some shredded pepperjack cheese, some cream cheese, and a lot of Tapatio sauce all heated up and melty with tortilla chips. It's not fancy, but I assure you it works up like a charm, in about ten minutes (even faster if you're good at grating cheese - I am not).
Tonight, I'm not sure what we are going to eat, but I do need to do dishes so I can at least have clean plans to make...something...with!!

And, the kitchen trolley.
Internets, it is done. I'm going to let it show itself off.

So, I apologize, the top really is a lovely peach colour. Not whatever colour you wanna call that off-pink-whiteness it's got there. There's clear contact paper on the top and the second shelf - holding the damask print paper down, and that way I can clean it off if I get it messy. Because I will get it messy. I'm not sure how yet,  that's just the way things go around here.

Happy New Year, Internets. There's lots of lovely images going around Facebook and Pinterest about it being a New Year and people getting shit done. But there's one that has warmed the insides of my heart to near bursting.

Image Found Via Pinterest - Original Source (via Pinterest)

Some reason, Internets, it makes my heart burst just looking at it.
So many things I want to do, that I keep putting off for no apparent reason, other than a few "what if's" that end badly. Well, who cares if it ends badly. It's worse off not having tried at all!

xoxo, Jess (newly red-headed!)

Not What You Were Expecting, Eh?

Oh hello, I'm sure you'll be expecting the turn out of the searching for meal-planning things, correct?
Well, let's be honest Internets, all I've really got is four Pinterest links (yes, I'm resorting to Pinterest to store links, shame on me) and two bookmarks for recipes on my phone. The beauty of the Pinterest links, though, is I can view them anywhere I am - be it on the desktop or on-the-go, with their Android App. By the way, what I've found and pinned can be found here: http://pinterest.com/orangelaserbeam/foods/
And no seriously, that was all found while I was in bed, allegedly sleeping. Nah, I was in bed, D was  sleepin, and I was wide awake. So what does a girl do? Get on her smart phone and google. Obviously. I can't stay away from you, can I internets.

We aren't going grocery shopping anytime soon, I assure you, and I told D, and he needs a few days to think about what he would want, anyway. I told you about the "dunno what to eatttttt" thing, right? Yeah, we're verrryyy good at it.

I do, however, want to share something else, that's been on my back burner for well over a week now - shame on me.

A kitchen trolley! Ya! I know! Other than my kitchen is far too small for it. It will be a craft station, when it finally gets its last coat of paint. In the mean time, I will share some before pictures, and hopefully in the next few days can bring forth some completion pictures.

I was *not* looking for furniture, but it caught my eye as I walked down the aisle! And no, I did not pay 48$ for it - this is the store I work in, so an employee discount was used, thank goodness.

Smart enough on my end, I did not take pictures of it while it was put together upside down. I got it all together but the top only to realize I was looking at holes for the wheels to go into instead of holes for the top to go into! I have not, admittedly, put much furniture together in my day.

These are my paint colours of choice, and a damask scrapbook paper that I'm coordinating with it. On the cheap from Michael's - which can be a lovely and terrible store all at the same time.

I just love the way the oranges come together in this - it almost looks like it has texture, but it does not, sadly. Wouldn't that be awesome, though?!?!

And that, Internets, is really all I have to show of it for now. It's got a lot of paint on it, but of course I skipped taking any in-between pictures. I've only got the handled-parts of the top left at this point to do up, and just need to get them done and viola, trolley!
But until then, I will let you guess as to what I put where. And what we did with the papers!

It will be a Happy New Year, won't it? I certainly hope so!
I keep forgetting that's here, and I'm not sure why. Get so caught up in Christmas, only to forget there's another holiday right afterward!
So,  Happy New Year to you all, and a lovely 2013 to you! Hopefully we can all be a little happier, a little more crafty, and a lot more fabulous! Because, really, who doesn't want these things! I sure do!

xoxo, Jess (who really truly wishes each and every person a great 2013 - right now, we all deserve it)

In Which I Show You Some Space

Dear internets,
You are a lovely place, and I spend far too much time in your loveliness, which is not how this is supposed to work. I am supposed to be able to see pretty things you have to offer, and then take all that inspiration and make good things from it. That's how this out to work, right??
Well, apparently not. No, no, no, not one bit.
Internets, we have an issue.
This is what my desk looks like. For now, lets just focus on the desk. Yes, we have two (only!!) finished projects hanging out. One is that wooden tray in the middle left, it has it's bottom papered, and I love it. And the second is the picture frame on top of the stereo. It also has some decorative paper in it that I colored and made pretty-er. Thank goodness for gel pens and glue!

 

Damn you and your pesky ways. Oh, and yes, that is all dirty laundry on the floor. And clean laundry in the hamper. And yarn in bags under the desk, and some vintage finds on the left of the desk. 

I cannot believe, dear internets, that you are letting me share this ugliness on your face!! Oh heavens! Well, I suppose this is how it's going to be. 

Dear internets, excuse my hastiness. I love you so muchly. I am on your Pinterest and I love that dearly. I am oh so excited to get started on the things I have been finding!! 

However, this is the state of current affairs!! It's all over the house! I have a moose to crochet, and this is what is bugging me the most! Not that I have NO pattern for said moose, oh no, that will be fine, but the part about how I cannot, for the life of me, figure out what to do with this mess!

So, because of a few blogs (here and here) that I found while browsing your loveliness, I am going to have a clean up. 'Bout right. 'Bout time, as well. 

Dear internets, let me go for the evening, I will post this to your face, and I will turn off the lappybook and I will be done with this. For now. I need to clean and sort. I need to make fudge for Christmas, to take to my fiance's momma's house, and I need to take a shower, because I'm filthy. And then, tomorrow, I shall return to you and your Pinteresty ways. 

Oh internets, how I love you.

xoxo, Jessica