polaroid Friday. . . Danielle Thompson

i have decided to do a "polaroid friday" every. . . well, friday.
i will highlight things that have been inspiring me for the week in the ever so kitschy polaroid way!

to kick start my polaroid shaking fun i am going to highlight a dear friend of mine. . .
Danielle Thompson

her photos ALWAYS inspire me and her kitschy love is more than my little retro heart can stand!
her color palettte makes your heart *swoon* and your crafty mouth salivate.
she is amazing.
period.

Danielle. . . this is for you.


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also. . . Danielle is SUCH a sweetheart and did a very fun idea called "conversations" inspired by her friend Floresita (lady behind the VERY inspiring blog "feeling stitchy". . . can you say floss heaven!)
she highlighted a few people to have "conversations" with and Danielle chose ME as one of them!
WHAT!?$?#!?!!
seriously? so nice and what a honor!

check it out!
thanks D! you are too kind :)


isn't this clever? she highlighted pictures that she took and then some that i did.
you can tell our different styles. . . but yet the themes are similar.
and if you didn't notice. . . Danielle's photos are FAR superior to mine!
and i mean this in a good way and not in a "feel sorry for me" way! really.
she is such an amazing artist and photographer. . . i just feel blessed that she would honor me in such a way. go and look at her Flickr. . . and you will KNOW what i mean!

100th POST!. . . and sneak PEEK!

This is my OFFICIAL 100th post!
wow.
NEVER thought i would make it to this. . . but once i got into the "groove" of blogs. . . it's surprising i didn't reach this milestone sooner? hmmm. . . it MIGHT have something to do with these two kids that keep hanging around our house? ;)

well. . . not only is this my 100th post. . . it is a post that i am VERY excited about!
i have been talking about doing digi-kits/paper for some time now. . . and well. . . that time has come!
so. . . introducing a "sneak peek" at the digi kits that i am going to be releasing MONDAY NOVEMBER 2nd!




right now all i have is paper. . . but hopefully soon that will change!
i will be selling my digi-kits in my Etsy shop. . . so i would LOVE if you stopped by sometime next week just to see what i have been working on. :)

oh, and, before i forget. . . i will also be offering a FREEBIE that you won't want to miss!
it is my FAV paper set. . . and since i LOVE you all so much. . . i am giving it to you for FREE!
so. . . come back Monday for that.


here is a sample page using a sheet of "orange gingham" from my "gingham trio" digi-paper kit {see above. . . coming out monday!} :


the digital elements are none other than KITSCHY DIGITALS. . . made by my *wonderful* friend and the most artistic gal i know. . . Danielle Thompson. ;)
love you D!
check out Kitschy Digitals. . .
i used paper from the "Kawaii Fruits" kit. . .
the tape frame is the "Washi Tape Frame" kit and can be found here. . .
and the wood paper ("Skylar" kit) and flowers ("Olivia" kit) are part of her pose doll kit lines. . . the originals! . . . and can be found here at twopeasinabucket.

thanks for all the encouragement and love as of late. . . it means a LOT!
love you all SO much!

Halloween. . . 2009!

OK.
i LOVE halloween!
it is one of my favorite holidays. . . a close second to Christmas.

this time of year just brightens me up and makes me feel all warm and cozy like.
it's fantastic!
the smells in the air. . . the leaves changing. . . pumpkins. . . spooky stuff. . . trick or treating. . . and let's not forget CANDY!
candy candy candy! delicious candy.
how is a holiday dedicated to candy not fantastic?

SO.
every year i get all pumped up about what the girls are going to be.
something different, unique and home made.
i LOVE to make the girls costumes. . . something about the personal touches and the "you aren't going to find that down at the corner market" totally appeals to me.
i think up all year ideas for costumes. is that sick? well. i do anyway.
i have costumes in mind for YEARS to come people!
i know. but i can't help myself!

but. . . narrowing down what the girls are going to be. . . and convincing my subjects that they will like what i want. . . (Indy. . . talking about you girl). . . can be challenging.

but it's done.
that's right.
DONE


i usually wait until the day of Halloween to *surprise* everyone with what the girls are going to be. . . but. . . this year i just can't wait!

so. . . presenting. . . the Plant's Halloween. . . 2009!

Kennedy is. . . a package of PEZ candy!

Indiana is. . . Luke Skywalker in Degobah Fatigues! . . . complete with YODA

are they not super adorable?
i love how each turned out. . . and how they really highlight each of my girls' personalities.
Kendy is sweet but has some "bite"!
Indy is my rough and tumble girl who loves animals. . . and Yoda :)

we took the girls to a local cemetary for the photo shoot. . . wanted to do this for over a year!
i think they turned out fantastic! just enough "scary" :)


SO. . . here's to a Saturday night full of frantic running around in outfits that are not normally "socially acceptable" just to get a sugar high! and if you get a "trick" along the way. . . all the better!

Pumpkin Festival. . . 2009!

we found out about the Pumpkin Festival last year. . . decided to go. . . went. . . loved it!

Indiana wouldn't STOP talking about it after!
we KNEW we would have to go again this year and Indiana waited patiently for the time to come . . . and well. . . it came. . .
and it was COLD!

last year. . . it was 70 with the sun shining. . . this year it was 45 with a chilly wind blowin' on in!
we almost didn't go. . . but that was crazy talk (at least according to our boss. . . the three old we own named Indiana!)
so. . . we went. . . against better judgement. . . and

we had a BLAST!

really.
despite the FRIGID weather and the fact our noses fell off after. . . it was fun!
no one was there. . . go figure?. . . and we got to do everything!

we went and fed the animals. . . goats, llamas, a baby buffalo (yes! it was SO cute!) and. . .
a camel?
poor thing was freezing it's hump off! don't they live in the desert? random.
but he was fun to pet. . . and he REALLY liked Indy! kept nibbling at her coat and shoes! she LOVED it! Kennedy ran. he might have liked her too. . . but she is NOT our animal girl!
she gets too "riled" up to give them a chance! she just screams and points. . . very comical to watch! :)

we went in the "Magical Castle" to see a "magic" show. . . and i use the term "magic" loosely!
it was pretty much horrible! but we laughed the whole way through!
pretty bad when you can actual see how the magician does his "tricks". . . not to mention he was the "dirty old man" type!
creep-o city. enough said.

we ate a onion blossom. yes. it was pretty disgusting! don't you just love fair food?

we went through the hay maze. . . and i use the term "maze" loosely!
more like a "walk through some hay stacked up high. . . not a maze" maze! the girls didn't mind. . . Indiana kept talking about the "smell". . . tee hee. . . she has a sensitive nose that girl.

we went through the "BOO barn". . . quite terrifying actually.
not very "kid" friendly.
quite gory and creepy.
like zombies in a graveyard (covered in blood, mind you) digging up their friends body parts. . . all of which have skin falling off of them. and this is just a part of it!
good thing Indiana LOVES scary stuff! she dug it. . . hard core.
she wanted to go through again! what a weird girl!

we went on a horse drawn hay ride through a field and pumpkin patch.
it was magical!
so fun and cozy!
all we needed to top it off was some hot cocoa. :)

we had the girls' faces painted. . . Indy got a Black Cat. . . Kendy got a Spider. . . they both sat still really well. . . but they couldn't NOT touch them after they were finished. . . and well. . . they eventually ended up all over their faces. . . and hands. . . and bodies!



we went and saw all the pumpkins. . . and we are talking THOUSANDS of pumpkins! very festive and fun.

got pics. . . and then left.


what a great tradition we have found here in New York. . .
Indiana is talking about going again. . . next year! :)

new home

living in our new rental home. . . i have come to find that i am loving making a house a home. . . and finding new things to make it really ours.
someway it feels better.
like we are not just squatting. . . but that it is OUR home.
how nice to have a house!

after four years of living in very TINY apartments. . . we have really grown into needing a home.
the girls (and i!) need the space and the YARD! to run. . . to play. . . and be creative.
granted. . . the house still needs some work. . . but things are really starting to come together!

the yard is just. . . well. . . atrocious!
but. . . i am going to give myself a "break" and wait until the weather has warmed up again to really get in up to our elbows with that! the weeds alone! *sigh*
i am ashamed to say that we live here when people see the outside. . . but it is becoming our home. . . and will hopefully be "our" home for the next few years!

it is spacious (for us!). . . four bedrooms/two baths. . . and fits our little family perfectly!

with the new house also comes new things. . . like a NEW couch!
well. . . it's new to us! but. . . i LOVE it!
the old woman who owned it before us would not let A SOUL sit on it!
she bought it in the sixites as a "set" and didn't want it to become ruined! so cute :)
now we get to reap the benefits of that :)
who else just hearts craigslist? :)

anyway. . . i will post some pics of our new house later. . . but here is a sneak peek! :)
here here to living in a home :)

can you see how cool the couch is? it has an almost "wood grain" pattern in it! what!?! come on. so neat-o!

oh. . . and notice the NEW blog header?
it has some sneak peeks also into some new digi kits that i am working on. . . hoping to release those within the next two weeks. . . SO. . . be on the lookout. . . because i will also be offering freebies! :)

thrift goodies

at this moment in my life. . . pretty much everything is run by so many different things that a way for me to "escape" and get some uplift in my kitschy/retro spirits is to go thrifting.

i LOVE it.
seriously.
LOVE it!

so of course when i was on vacation in Utah i wrangled my mother into going into almost every single thrift store in the Northern part of the state! we had a blast. . . and i got some AWESOME goods!
do you remember that i said that i brought home two suitcases full? that wasn't an exaggeration. i did. and we had to check them both because they were the "big" size! oh boy oh boy!;)

anyway. . . this is for you Danielle. . . you said you wanted to see some more of what i thrifted and well. . . here is some! :)

this is the "first" half of what i bought. . . meaning what i got the first leg of the vacation. . . i added to this pile! HA!


my mom found the coolest records and let me have them. do you see how "Pioneer" is written on the front in Sharpie? that is the Elementary school i went to! GO ROADRUNNERS!


my onion gal. proudly displayed in my kitchen. isn't she just TOO much goodness at once!?!
i love her.


found a strawberry shortcase doll house for indy and kendy. . . circa 1980s!


thrifted trim my mom grabbed up for me! long live pom poms!


ok. . . this guy is a cheat. . . since i didn't get him in Utah. . . i got him here.
but does he not scream "peace and love"! totally groovy :)

more pics

i have been going through the pics of our vacation and couldn't resist posting some more!
we had SO much fun. . . it was a trip and a half! :)

a few things. . .

. . . been a busy, busy past couple of months and here's some low downs.

decided to move. check!
cleand an entire new rental home top to bottom. . . (full of dog hair and pee. . . YUCK!) check!
"moved". check!
went to Utah on "vacay". check!
went to Disneyland. check!
went thrifting. check! check! check! and double check! (i just heart the D.I.!!!!!)
saw and visited lovely family. check! (thanks mom and dad!)
Pace painted WHOLE HOUSE. check! (thanks snugs!)
flew home. . . on a red eye. . . with a screaming baby. . . for an hour and a half! horrid. check!
had rents visit for a week. check!
went to Toronto. check!
saw Niagra Falls. . . again (which i don't mind!). . . check!
ate my weight in Buffalo Wings. check!
unpacked new house. check! (well. . . accept ten totes! i just don't have the built-ins like the old apartment! anyone know of any dressers out there? need to find some. . . soon)
had a couple nervous breakdowns. shamefully. . . check!
all settled in new house. . . hmmm. . . not quite a check!
went to Bunco. check!
thought up costumes for Halloween. check!
yard work. NO check! (hopefully this weekend. . . dang rain!)
feel completely exhausted. CHECK!

all in all. . . it has been a fun ride. seeing family is always wonderful. . . and so is having a new home.

but. . . glad to be home and have things less insane. . . like knowing where my toothbrush is! seriously. it got to that point! ;) moving is the pits! don't want to do it again until we leave Buffalo. let's hope we don't have too.

here are some random pics of the events. . . more to come! :)

this is a REAL place in Utah. . . isn't that funny? it was SO retro and cute. . . didn't eat there. . . maybe next time when Pace is actually with us!

Pace has had his own dairy place since 1957 :) go figure

Casa Loma in Toronto, Canada. . . that is my parents and the girls in the bottom of the pic. . . if you look with a microscope you can see how happy they are :)

one of my FAV thrift finds in Utah. . . i took home TWO suitcases full of thrifting junk! tee hee :)

wouldn't you just love a print of this? me too!

Indiana and Avery loving each other on a fairy mushroom. . . they have a new area in Disneyland called "Pixie Hollow" (it is where "Ariel's Grotto used to be. . . for all you Disneyland lovers!). . . it was SO adorable and frankly magical!

did i mention we got to actually meet Tinker Bell!?! it was pretty awesome :)

my sister Sarah, Kennedy and me on the "Chew Chew Train" in bug's land. . .

it it a ride where you ride on Heimlich from Bug's Life and see all of the foods he loves to eat. . . Candy Corn, my favorite! :)

can you see my Indy? she ran right up to Sully and just snuggled him the ENTIRE time! couldn't get a great shot of her looking. . . but isn't that just sweet! my monster snuggler! i also love how Liam (my nephew) is just like, "Yo, what's up Sully!"

all the kids on a flower in Pixie Hollow. . . hard to get a shot with every single kid looking! especially when my two girls are involved! well. . . maybe it's just Indiana. . . that stinker!

stamps. . . oh my!

if you know me. . . you know i LOVE a good craft

and well. . . i just love to do all sorts of crafting.

from scrapping to sewing to hybrid to digital. . . i just heart it all!

well. . . while i was "away" Danielle Thompson came up with something that just be-stilled my little heart. . .
clear acrylic stamps!
clear stamps!
with her designs!
WHAT!$#@!!!@#!!
so exciting :)

i love to stamp.
my madre sells Close to My Heart product and she has REALLY gotten me into the clear acrylic stamping scene.
so easy. so fun. and a whole lot cheaper than wood stamps.
now. . . don't get me wrong. i still use wood stamps.
but clear stamps are just so nice and user friendly. . . they are hard to pass up!
did you know you can see where you are putting the stamp?
so rad.

any hoot. . . Danielle is offering some clear stamps at her Etsy shop Tiny Bazaar. . . they are preorder. . . but worth the very little wait!
see?

aren't her photos and projects breathtaking?
so go and buy some.
i did.
can't wait to get them in the mail!
EEKKK! seriously.
can't wait!