Music that Inspires Me

Creative energy flows so much better for me when I have good music playing in the background. After watching the Grammys last night, I was reminded how music can just transport you and make you feel a certain way, put you in a certain mood - which is important when you are creating! Music is such an important part of my life, I just feel strange when I don't have something playing (that is, unless the little munchkins are running through the house hootin and hollerin! Then, silence is golden!)

It just depends on my mood - sometimes I love to have Norah Jones singing something soothing in the background, sometimes it's something funky like Black Eyed Peas, lots of times it's Bobby Long, Marcus Foster, or Sam Bradley. Today, I'm listening to the Ballas Hough Band (as in Mark Ballas and Derek Hough from Dancing with the Stars). Check them out! I had the privilege of seeing them perform live last year when they were in Dallas. I get such a kick out of seeing people express their creative energy through live music. To me it seems like a very vulnerable place to be. Which is inspiring, because if you want to make something from your own hands, then you have to be brave enough to put it out there for others to see. (Unless it's just crap and you shove it in the back of your closet - like the sweater I tried to "teach" myself to knit with! A slightly askew, boat neck lovely. Trust me, it won't see the light of day anytime soon!)

What do you like to listen to when you are in your zone, bringing to life your one of a kind creations?

Let's take it out with a little Black Eyed Peas!

Making Hang Tags

Sort of like "Maaaakin' Copies"........well, minus the SNL stage.........

Getting ready for my first Holiday Trunk Show of the season. I thought I'd share how I make my o so lovely Hang Tags! It's fun - grap a cup of coffee (or tea) and let's go!
So, first, I print on card stock the verbage I want. Then I take a tag, of which I like the shape, and trace around my printing. Then cut out.... Yes, this takes awhile. Good activity while watching Dancing with the Stars, or Twilight for the 100th time, oh - have you seen Eastwick? that one's pretty good too! I'd recommend DVR'ing it though to watch when the kiddos are in bed.So, after I have them cut out - I lay them in a baking sheet and pour the morning's leftover coffee on them - not too much, just enough to make a nice stain. Then I "bake" them at 200 degrees for a few minutes until they are dry. You'll want to watch the oven really close to make sure you don't start a fire!Once they come out of the oven, it's time for a little Mod Podge.I lay them out on wax paper and spread Mod Podge over the front and back, making sure them dry really well. Sometimes I use Mod Podge that has an antiquing affect.After the Mod Podge dries, then I just glue on little bits of lace and Viola!

Now, I've got to get some sewing done so that I actually have something to hang, these Hang Tags on!

Dancing with the Stars - It's Stamina Baby!

I'm in my land of bliss at the moment. Totally indulging in Blue Bell Coffee flavored ice cream and watching all of the Dancing with the Stars clips! You do know what tomorrow is don't you??? It starts the 3 night season premier!! Yeah! I'm sooo glad I have a DVR because my poor family would be so tortured watching it for 3 nights in a row. There are 16 celebrities this season!

I'm excited for my man Maks - he's a cutie and his partner Debi Mazar seems funny and she's got the coolest eyes!- I think they'll be a cute dance couple. But Maks, what's up with the shaved head dude???!!

Of course, I've got to cheer for Derek - you know we're buddies, don't you?? Oh Yeah, we're tight. He and Mark seem like the sweetest guys - check out their band - Ballas Hough Band - totally love their music. I've got them right there in my iPod next to my Twilight soundtrack :). When asked how he and Mark could dance an entire show and then go on to perform with their band all in the same night he said "It's Stamina Baby!" - so,.... I'm trying to make that my mantra, sounds pretty good to me!

I'm also going to be watching Dmitry and Mya (well, just because Dmitry might come out with his shirt wide open! - Awwwwww!).

You gotta love Edyta - she's such a beautiful woman - just gorgeous, and I think she seems to have such a sweet disposition. And did you know that she's the only professional dancer to appear in all 8 seasons of DWTS? She's also married to Alex Mazo - wow, what a beautiful couple.

So, as I'm perusing the Dancing with the Stars website on ABC (because you know I have nothing else to be doing at any given moment!) I found this blog - He Said/She Said. All about DWTS, what else. Looks fun -

Anywhoo - who are you gonna be watching??? OOHHHH EEEEEEE!! I'm exited!

ABC.com - Dancing With The Stars - Photos. Check out the photos - because I'm too stupid at the moment to get them up on this blog post.

Random thoughts spouting off in my head:

-Thinking of signing up for a 5K (Whattt???!!)

-How am I going to get this little girl scout Daisy troop up and running?? (volunteers, anyone?)

-How in the world am I going to be ready for the holiday craft shows?

-When is Stephenie Meyer going to publish Midnight Sun? (please, please Stephenie....I need more hard copy Twilight to read)

-which brings me to, 62 days until New Moon is released!

-Bobby Long is coming to Dallas in December- eeeee!!

-Why have I decided to have so many hyperlinks in this post?

-What can I make for dinner tomorrow night?

-Do the calories really count if you mow the lawn before eating the entire tub of ice cream?

-Will my son sleep past 5 am tomorrow morning?

-Yeah for Fall! Got to get those decorations out before Christmas

-How will we make it to all 6 events next Saturday (soccer games, birthday parties, Girl Scouts, and Ranger's game)?

-I hate having to pay shipping costs to return underwear from Vicky that doesn't fit!

-which brings me to - "It's Stamina Baby!"

Dance Baby, Dance!!!!!

I'm so excited - tonight is the Season 8 premier of Dancing with the Stars! ABC, 8/7c for 2 hours.

If I had a mirror ball, it would be hanging from the ceiling fan

http://abc.go.com/primetime/dancingwiththestars/index?pn=index

I'm looking forward to seeing Shawn Johnson and Lil Kim dance, mainly because they are so vertically challenged - like myself! I also want to know who the new replacements are for Jewel and Nancy O'Dell. - Being in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, the local media is all excited about Melissa Rycroft from the Bachelor.

Maxim and Karina will be fun to watch too considering their recent engagement.

And of course, I can't wait to see "my guys" Derek Hough and Mark Ballas - since, you know, we're "buds" now! More about their Debut Album, out tomorrow! March 10th.

Ballas Hough Band on GMA

I am fully aware and most of my family and probably the majority of my friends (although they won't say so) think I am a total dork for being so caught up with the Ballas Hough Band and Dancing with the Stars. I can't help it! They are so energetic and so full of life and fun and I can't help but love watching them.

Here are the links from this morning.

This one is what I saw on TV - "Do It For You"

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6810813

This was another clip that I only saw online. Here they sing "Devastated" and are interviewed by JuJu Chang.

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6811241

Oh - and if you want to find out which celebrities will be the next contestants on the new season of Dancing with the Stars - tune into ABC Sunday evening during the Home Makeover show. They will be announcing them through out the show from what I understand. I've heard rumors of Donnie Osmond, Denise Richards, and Jewel.

Can you stand the excitement?!?! (dork. I know) I do have some very cute "crafty" sort of things to share with you soon, just couldn't pass up the chance to talk BHB and DWTS.

More Pictures of Ballas and Hough Band - Dallas, TX

Here are a few more pictures from our evening at the House of Blues in Dallas. I can't tell you how genuinely nice these guys seemed to be. Their energy and enthusiasm was so contagious - and, I am genuinely looking forward to hearing more of their music as well as seeing them dance.

This is Sam. We had such fun watching this kid play guitar. I hardly ever saw him with out a smile on his face...

The girl in this picture is Emily Grace. She plays keyboard. Seemed like a really sweet girl. I think the band had just as much fun as the audience that night.

Thanks again Ballas and Hough Band for such a fun evening my mom and I will have fun talking about for a long time!

Dancing with the Stars - Ballas and Hough Band - OMG!!!!! The BEST time!!!

Do you SEE who we are with??!!!!! I'm telling you this was the best time! Mom and I went to the Dancing with the Stars tour show in Dallas - then, hiked a few blocks down to the House of Blues to watch the Ballas and Hough Band. We love Derek and Mark as dancers and know we're definately fans of their music.
We hadn't planned to go to the concert afterwards, that was a fluke. I really didn't think we'd be able to get in - but we lucked out.

I can't tell you how nice these guys are - they spent time with each and every person that wanted a picture or autograph and seemed to be having such a great time with everyone.

I also got pictures of Cody, Cheryl, Lance Bass, and Maurice Green - they all came to House of Blues too. My sweet husband gave Mom and I a night at the Adolphus hotel in Dallas that night - and it was spectacular! Such a treat -

I'll tell you all more about it later - but couldn't wait to post these few pictures!!!

I'M GOING TO SEE DANCING WITH THE STARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you know me, you know I LOVE /DANCING WITH THE STARS, well, they are coming to Dallas!!!! and, I'm gonna be there!!!!
I bought myself and one other lucky person (not my husband, he's already said that he would pay someone to go in his place) a ticket!!! That's OK, he'll be jealous when I come home talking about all those hot ladies in skimpy oufits!
I am SO excited!

I'm starting to feel another GIVEAWAY coming soon - so stay tuned!

Top Ten Things I am Avoiding Lately (and it's NOT Dancing with the Stars)

1. the pile of laundry in the laundry room (as well as bits scattered thither and yon throughout the house)
2. unmade beds
3. dishes on my counter that need to be "handwashed" - don't you hate those??? (I've gotten in to the habit of taking my travel coffee mugs with me when I take my girl to school in the early, early morning, unfortunately, you can't put those things in the dish washer, it'll result in coffee spilled down your shirt, early, early, in the morning....which just leads to more laundry....)
4. creating a Family Budget. I've vowed to do this, but ugh, it's a pain. Got to do better about those spur of the moment purchases (like diet cokes in the afternoon between the hours of 2-4pm...it is Happy Hour afterall at Sonic! Half price drinks! - and more caffeine to get me through the afternoon)
5. cutting back on caffeine (who has the time?)
6. excercise (enough said.)
7. bills and receipts staring at me from my desk as I type this
8. dust "drapes" on my ceiling fans
9. putting curtains up in my kitchen
10. putting curtains up in my boy's room


Here's what I have been doing:

*Anticipating the Dancing with the Stars episode tonight!! WaHoo!!
*Sewing, cutting, crocheting, little hats and Yo Yo's
*Changing diapers
*grocery shopping
*Kindermusik this morning with my boy
*eating the crumbs left over from purchased bake sale goods this weekend.
*blowing my nose (I've got some sort of crud, allergies or a cold or something annoying)


What have you been up to????

New Apron

I wanted to share my newest creation - it's a half apron made from a vintage sheet, vintage buttons and vintage doilie. The zebra stripe obviously isn't old, but I thought it looked cute with the other trims. Hope you like it! You can also see it in my Etsy Shop.
I think it looks equally as cute on me as it does on my girl.

Did anyone watch Dancing with the Stars?? Who's your favorite? Who do you think needs to go? Did you vote? I thought Mario was the best man and really enjoyed watching all of them though. No one really stunk. The women were all really good too. Kristi I think was probably the best. I was really impressed with Marlee Matlin and Pricilla Presley. You can't deny the pure joy and enthusiasm from Marissa.
I love this show for several reasons, one of which is the fact that you can watch with your children. My kids love watching it - probably because their mom is dancing around the living room floor looking like a crazy woman.