Shout Outs!

So for some reason the title "rainy day = heavy hearts?" came to mind and I was going to write about how it started out this way, but how I'm trying to lift it, but whaaaaaaaaa whaaaaaaaaa I don't want to be so serious today! (but just for one more second)... Ok so the whole... "when life hands you lemons thing". Life has handed us a few lemons lately.. We're trying to so hard to make lemonade, but has anyone ever stopped to realize that lemonade is really sour without the sugar? What about the sugar? I NEED SOME SUGAR!

On that note... Here's some shout outs to people and things that have been giving me some sugar!

1. Pam of Folk Art Tree Fandangle absolutely made my day. First of all, she had the most clever idea of sending a gift to every 50th person that hearts her etsy shops. When she told me I was 50 I thought it was a really sweet idea, but didn't want her to feel obligated to send me a gift. She (sweetly) demanded that it didn't matter I was a team member, but I was 50th and I won. So today I open my little gift. The card she wrote me was the sweetest thing and made my day. Her packaging was adorable. She puts in a tiny little piece of paper that says smile on it that falls out into your lap and makes you do just that and then (we haven't even gotten to the gift yet!) the cutest little earrings were inside the box. They are sterling and swarovsky crystal and I just love them. Thank you Pam.. that deserves a shout out.

2. My Boys. This show just keeps getting better and better. One of the episodes this season.. maybe the first I think I laughed uncontrollably for at least 3-5 minutes. It was great. We had to pause it. Jeff and I both love it. We just wish that the episodes were longer and by golly that the season was longer! 6 or 8 episodes or whatever it is is SO short! But we LOVE it and we want more!

3. Sushi. Oh how I miss you dear sushi. It's been far far too long. But you still deserve a shout out. I've yet to find a "sushi buddy" around here and the only place that was open for lunch is no longer. I NEED my fix!

4. Toyota Sienna. I just love my car. It's wonderful. I love that because we took one of the bucket seats out we have a big open space where I can easily change a diaper, we can sit and have a snack, or just waste time. It's wonderful. As much as it's still crazy I drive a mini-van I still love it.

5. Mini Golf. I just love mini golf and I'm getting her started early! She had a blast. When we were in NH we went to Pirate's Cove with Mom and Paul. She was a bit too young for the putting concept, but she loved being there and having the ball.

6. CSA's. I am so excited to start getting my veggies from Hatchet Cove Farm. Hatchet Cove Farm’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program is a great way to receive farm-fresh, nutritious, organic vegetables at a great value. When you become a CSA member (by buying a ’share’ in the farm for the season) we become your farmers, and Hatchet Cove Farm becomes your farm. How does it work? When you purchase a CSA share you help support the farm by paying up front for your veggies in the spring. That helps them pay for seed and cover the expenses of starting up the farm for the season. In return, you get a weekly selection of all that is available on the farm. This means you are eating the freshest, most delicious seasonal veggies possible. Kelsey and I can't wait to start visiting the animals!

7. Scrabble. It really is the world's best board game. I don't play nearly enough. I think I need to start a scrabble night!

8. Sesame Street. Kelsey loves it and ok I admit it.. it makes a good babysitter sometimes. Kelsey was just so delighted to see the picture!

9. Comfort Foods. mmmmmmmmmmm. mac n cheese, stuffed shells, pot roast. yeah that pretty much sums it up for me right now. Oh and I have meatballs cooking right now.


Ten seems too cliche.

Facebook brings on the orders...

Facebook has been a really great way to get exposure to my etsy shop and some of the hand-painted accessories and toys I have created. As a result of posting my work in photo albums on facebook, many of my friends have purchased from Whimsidoodle. Here's a look at some of the orders I've had in the past few months and how they came to fruition:

Kristin knew she was having twin boys and wanted letters for their nursery. I was the only person who knew their names. I based the letters off of her bedding, as well as some coolorful canvas art she'd gotten with a jungle animal theme. The boys just came last week. Congrats to Kristin and Josh!

My friend Danielle had seen some of my work on facebook and in my etsy shop and she immediately thought to have a set of ladybug coasters made for her aunt. I used unfinished 6" ladybugs and put extra coats of varnish on them, so they can withstand moisture. I've had very good luck with that. Her aunt loved them. It was a set of 4.

My friend Carly wanted to get some letters for her niece Alaina. The bedding was from target and I used some of the flowers and butterflies from the patterns as inspiration. The target site is great for this, because it shows an entire collection, which may be bedding, lamps, light switch covers, rugs, valences etc, so everything has a different patten and it gives me a lot of opportunity to segue from it, but use it as close inspiration by combining components within the different patterns. I don't have that many stores near me and none with letters, so Carly found letters she liked and had them shipped to me.

Another baby on the way was Payton. My friend Kelly wanted to have them sent to her sister before Payton's arrival. They were also inspired by the bedding and nursery, which is a ladybug theme. Kelly also had the letters shipped to me. She found them on walmart.com and they are great. They were already white and very big... 8", which was the largest I'd done. They were a little challenging, because they were more like plastic, but the paint varnish took to them fine.

This was actually the order that started it all! My cousin Mary Elizabeth and I did a custom trade for our etsy shops. She sells the cutest handbags in her shop. Actually, it all started because she made me the cutest diaper bag and matching zip pouch for my baby shower. I loved the zip pouch so much, I'd been using it as a makeup/ditty bag when I traveled, but I needed something bigger. So I had her make me a custom one (which I LOVE - it's this beautiful black and white almost damask design, but funkier), but I'd also fallen in love with some of the cluthes my other cousins had, so I had her make me one of those as well in this gorgeous pink and green fabric. She also has wallets, key fobs and lareger bags in her shop! So in trade for my two bags she had me paint furniture embellishments for her daughter Nicolina. She told me the paint colors (a periwinkle type color) and I did my thing. I think they got put on the door in her room. These letters are only 3" high or so.

spring revelations... what's next?

I find myself feeling many things lately... some of them include hopeful, cheerful, and happy. Yet, for the first time in a very long time and maybe ever, I have feelings of inadequacy, lack of confidence, doubt, wondering who I am and what my place is and it started to occur to me the other day where some of it stems from. It's really great... every time I find myself in these positions I can just blame society.

For instance, after college I found myself struggling with the "next part" not happening as planned. We're raised (as girls especially) to go to school, then college, get a job, find the man, get married and have babies. So there I was living in Boston out of college, 22/23 years old and there a'int no man! I wondered what was wrong with me and why it was taking so long. I'd done everything in the right order and this was something I couldn't really control. I was living in a city I'd been in for 5 years and it was like a foreign land. Everyone I knew aside from a few friends had fled off to their new jet setter lives and careers. All of a sudden there was no longer keg parties and 20 something guys looking for a lay and no commitment. Now, every where I went I met baby factories and had to look for wedding rings. It was like the twilight zone in a matter of months. Naturally when my best friend and roommate got a job in NY threatening to leave me behind I couldn't stay. I fled, scared to be alone and went "home" to my parents where the "get a job", "exercise" and "stop going to the bar every night" notes appeared on my bed within a matter of a week.

So... I find myself blaming society yet again. Ok society.. I DID IT. I graduated from kindergarten, 8th grade, high school and college (ok, so I don't have a MBA yet, but maybe someday). I went on eharmony I found my man (a really good one btw), we bought a house, got married and had a baby. We did it all in the right order (sort of if living together is considered socially acceptable. My catholic gram didn't think so), but now I realize ... "now what?" I've spent my whole life working toward the next thing. As a child you constantly hear, "you have the whole world ahead of you... go get it!" So now I wonder "where's the big world?". I know it's there, opportunities are everywhere and I've certainly never been accused of being something other than a go getter, yet, it's so easy to become paralyzed. And once again I feel like people around me are facilitating the "what next" by the natural question....... "when are you guys having another baby?" While we're waffling over this question and it may happen, I find myself realizing that the reason to do it is not because it's the natural what's next.

I think a lot of it stems from being a master multi-tasker and having a hand in so many different things that I never feel a master at anything really. At 29 I feel out of the loop to what hip 20 somethings should know and be in the know. Do I really have time to twitter? I haven't written in my blog since January. Do I have the time to try and use every socal networking tool to get people to my etsy shop? Do I have the time to sit down and replenish my shop? Do I have to have an existence beyond being "Kelsey's mom" if that's when I'm happiest? Do I have to be in the know in order to stay in the game? I do have to work... How many questions should I have to ask myself in one day before I have the answer?

So.... what's next?

I'm not sure. I'm trying to enjoy every day and find a balance and figure out my purpose right now. One thing I am sure of is that chasing after your almost 2 year old while she tries to get puddles and knowing that you make her whole world is the most amazing feeling in the world and wow does that give you a sense of purpose. I'll take it!

Another day

We had a very busy few days. Kelsey and I went down to Mass for girl's weekend. It was fantastic. There were of us girls and two babies. We all fit in my van to go out and about.. shopping, sushi, sightseeing. It was so needed and a great time. I'll get pics up in the next few days.

Yesterday was the Built Energy Forum at the Augusta Civic Center. What a success! I am so proud to have been apart of such an event and even more honored I get to put it on my resume. We had such talented speakers and the Governor of Maine, John Baldacci came to speak. We would have been happy with 100 attendees and got over 250! I tihnk we ad 275 people in the room during the talks. It was so inspiring. So hopefully that room full of people will figure out how we can all have more efficient, green homes without the $4500 mortgage for 1800 sq ft!

Today we are cleaning the house and trying to clean up the tornado that hit inside. So far so good and lots of work to do to close out the event. I love watching Kelsey play and dance. She has a baby doll that she hugs and loves and "ma" (kisses) now. In the past week or so, but they are pretty inseperable. As I type she hands me baby who is now on my shoulder for a burp. Oh here comes grandbabydoll number two and a Kelsey to hug the mama. "ahhhhh mama" she says.

I love the love.

Thank you for the hard plastic piggy Kels.

must share recipes

Kelsey and I went to play group today and our friend Liz has the best recipes for pretzels and play doh!

here is the pretzel recipe:

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups flour (I use bread flour and never seem to get that last half cup in the dough)
4 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon Yeast dissolved in one cup warm (not hot) water


Baking Soda wash: is 1 Tablespoon Baking Soda dissolved in one cup boiling water
Egg Wash: 1 Egg and 1 teaspoon water
Kosher Salt

Directions:
Mix Brown sugar, salt and yeast together. Add flour
I use a big mixer with a bread attachment and I believe that a foodprcessor would make quick work of it, too.

Put this in a bowl (I put a light coating of olive oil on the dough) and cover it in plastic wrap. Keep out (not in fridge) overnight to let the dough rise. If you were pressed for time you could have it rise on the couter for a couple of hours---but this option makes the dough less easy to roll.

Cut into pieces and roll out. Shape and then brush with the baking soda wash. Brush with the egg wash and then sprinkle salt. Place on greased cookie sheet.

Put into a preheated oven (425) for about 10 minutes or so--until golden brown.


PLAYDOH recipe:

4 Cups flour (I buy the really cheap kind to make the playdoh with) :)
1 cup salt
1/2 Cup Cream of Tartar
Food Coloring
3 or 4 tablepoons of oil
optional:(essential oil scents like lavendar)

Put all ingrediants into a saucepan and start on low....mix really well. Increase the heat some and after a couple of minutes it will start to come together. It is very sloppy at first. Keep stirring until it really starts sticking together. The heat is what is binding it so you might have to turn it up a little...should never boil.

keeps well in a plastic bag.

this and that - 10 thoughts I ponder

#1. I am ready for a REAL vacation. It can even be in this country, but it needs to be kidless, winterless and just the husband and I.

#2. I often find myself wondering how people with many kids fit into small cars.

#3. I just don't understand the big deal about goat cheese. Not to mention I hate the taste, but when and why did it become so trendy.

#4. This is me ready for the new season of American Idol and wondering what happened to David Cook.. why do they drop off the face of the earth afterward?

#5. I've come to realize that it's not important that I send Christmas cards to everyone I always did, but most important to stay in touch with everyone that matters.

#6. Do men add to their daily calendar "be insensitive at least once today or mission failed?"

#7. Girl time really is the key to my sanity or what's left of it.

#8. Little things make me really happy and little things really piss me off... (add to resolution list - work on that)

#9. Watching your child grow every day is the greatest thing that can happen to you.

#10. It never gets easier after loved ones die, it just gets different. But always remember.. you can't get time back.

The beginning of a new year...

Snow themed pictures on a snowy day here in Maine. I guess these pictures represent the overall feeling I'd like to have at the end of 2009. I am ready for some calm, peace, drama free and trauma free time. While I know I am lucky as can be and things could always be so much worse, I also know I have to allow myself the ability to take in some of the pain, grief and stress I've had, reflect upon it, be thankful for what I have and move forward. If it were only that easy.

We're all starting our resolutions. Jeff and I each have about 13. I found my myself taking away many of the resolutions that caused me to have to measure a success (or failure) and found myself adding more that caused joy or self improvement. Jeff made a comment about last year's resolutions and how he only finished one. That really sparked something inside of me. I was very passionate about.. "why is that a failure?" "Let's celebrate how much of it you DID complete!" He had resolutions such as read 10 books or earn $10K at his second job at domino's. While he didn't complete either, he was close and they motivated him. I think that in all the years I knew Jeff before that he'd read maybe 10 books combined, so 6 or 8 in one year was great for him. And he loves challenges, so pushing himself to be extra nice and extra helpful to his customers was a great character booster (now we just have to work on the general public realizing they should tip their pizza delivery guys and that it's not all built in!) I realized that it's not silly to have resolutions such as take a bath twice a month, or go on a family vacation and if it just can't happen in '09 (I'm in 3 weddings this year!), to have it planned in '09 and ready for 2010.

The economy is a downturn as we all know. Mainers are always ahead of the game in saving I'd say.. the state motto should be "scrimp and save". While I admire it ,I don't adhere to it as much as most, but I certainly heed the warning. Having gone through a bankruptcy as a kid I know what it's like to have a lot and then have nothing and I know how to not spend. I find myself planning a lunch with my friends and hearing others say they are on such a tight budget these days they may not be able to go. I pause a moment and wonder if I should be as strict. Should I be like my brother and sister in law and have a budget that runs straight through next December. Frankly, NO. I can't do it. It's not me. And when we are really in a tight place I get resourceful. Rolling change, selling things we don't need, conserving food. Sure ok. I can admit it probably adds some unneeded stress. And don't get me wrong.. I do save and I don't spend frivolously, but we certainly aren't saving 3 months worth of bills just in case as Dave Ramsey suggests. Believe me, I wish I had $10K in my checking account plus everything else in my investments, but we live day to day and try not to touch the investments. Anyway, my point is that as hard as the economy is and how scary everything is right now, we're still ok and I'm certainly sitting tight and not doing anything major, but I realize that $10 at lunch is going to buy me memories that I'll always have and some time with my friends that my inner soul needs right now.

What I learned more than anything in 2008 is we can't get time back. Some become paralyzed by grief and loss and life continues to go on around them and they miss... a lot. Life won't stop. Death won't stop. Tragedy won't stop. But our ability to move forward, and create memories can continue. I've never lived my life with regrets, but I would regret having something else happen to another one of the people I love the most or even myself and not have the hugs, kisses and all the things that need to be said be said.

I find myself at a place of reflection and calm, yet also at a place of such turmoil. So here's to 12 months from now resulting in a piece of mind reflective of snowy afternoons and hot chocolate with marshmallows.

And the winner is...

I just realized I should probably post about the winning logo for www.midcoastmagnet.com's logo design contest.

We had over 60 submissions and probably over 100 designs, as some of those submissions were concepts.

We are so proud to announce Joan Hantz as the winner! She did a great job and Joan's design embodied exactly what the board was looking for! As the board sat at the table discussing this design kept coming back to the discussion and we kept seeing uses for it such as conference tickets and street banners and hanging name tags. It was clean, simple and complimented Juice like we had asked, but it also provided a funtional design that could be incorporated into event branding.

The contest was sponsored by Paolina's Way of Camden, Maine. Thank you Christina Sidoti for your generous donation. Check out Paolina's! They have awesome Italian fod and a great atmosphere! They are also hosting the new Midcoast Lounge Project!

Windsor Street Design Associates, Inc. (WSDA) is a full-service graphic design studio that solves business-communication problems. WSDA started as Joan Hantz Design in Rochester, New York in 1981. Businesses and not-for-profits flocked to Joan, who offered fresh ideas and an easy manner. As workload and reputation grew, other talented designers were hired. In 1990, the team moved into a spacious Victorian house on Windsor Street in the city’s fashionable East End. Today, located in Maine, the studio continues to serve as a hotbed of creativity, strategy, and a wide range of graphic designs for businesses and not-for-profit organizations alike.

I have been really horrible with keeping my blog updated. It just hasn't been a priority.. not that I exactly have loyal readers, but the few that I do have.. I'm sorry. I know some of you enjoy my ramblings.

I've been super busy with work. Feels weird to call it that, but it's true. And I've actually found myself referring to them as clients lately...wow.. that's almost a bit too adult and professional. Kind of crazy that my big, bad, and expensive BU business degree might be paying off ...AND I only have $250 on my student loans left I just discovered.. that's a big woot woot.

So winter in Maine is officially here. We got hammered with 18 inches yesterday. It looks nice outside and luckily I don't ever really have to leave unless I want to.. damnit! These pics are from the dusting that lasted about 8 hours a few weeks ago. I didn't get outside to get pics today. Almost seemed kind of silly to take pics this year because the storm from last year was so incredible and today didn't even compare. Here's last years..So Christmas is only 3 days away.. that's crazy! I am so excited to head to NY and then NH. I can't wait to see Gram and can't believe it's been since May. I just have to lessen those gaps of time as sadly she's not getting younger, but I love how well she's doing. It makes me so happy.

This picture was from that light dusting mentioned above. The first day Kelsey got all bundled up. We were walking down to the stop sign at the end of our road which is also Julia's bus stop. A house down the road is having lots of work done and she was just memorized by the bulldozer (I think that's what heavy piece of equipment it was.. but maybe a front loader).

I think it's so funny that my husband loves the "Soup" (on now as I write) and even more amusing that he's now the second guy I know that watches it. The first however will gladly take Metro status and Jeff on the other hand would not be proud of that. But who says you have to be Metro to watch some guy make fun of Lindsay, Tyra and Heff's girlfriends.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays. Stay Safe.

The logo contest continues

Submissions for the new Midcoast Magnet logo are in and they are great! We received over 60 concepts and well over 100 designs.

We are having a logo contest ... CLICK HERE to take the survey!!! We welcome more feedback!

Here's what we were looking for and wanted the logo to embody:

Here's what we are looking for:

1) We need a fresh logo that embodies the key elements of our mission: 'Midcoast Magnet brings people together to develop innovative projects that support creativity, livability and economic sustainability. We are dedicated to vibrant culture, entrepreneurship, and social and professional networking.'
2) We want a look and feel that ties the design image more closely to our statewide program, the Juice Conference (www.juiceconference.org), but still allows Midcoast Magnet to be an individual entity. Juice is a program of the Midcoast Magnet.

3) We want the logo to feel new, fresh, innovative, snappy, trendy, welcoming and symbolic of the times.

Yay! Front Page Again

Last week I was lucky enough to have another treasury I made (second time) make it to the front page of Etsy. It's such an honor and great exposure. Congrats to all that have their items on the front page!

Calling All Designers and Creative Types!

We Want You To Design The Next Midcoast Magnet Logo!
Calling All Designers and Creative Minds!

Mid-Mag Logo Redesign Contest

It's time for Midcoast Magnet to develop a new logo and fresh look. We want you to design it and profit from it!

The Prize:

The winner will receive $750 in cash, donated by Christina Sidoti of Paolina's Way, a great new Organic Italian Restaurant featuring wood fired pizza in Camden, Maine. The winner will also be featured in a news article and will receive credit on our website.

Here's what we are looking for:

1) We need a fresh logo that embodies the key elements of our mission: 'Midcoast Magnet brings people together to develop innovative projects that support creativity, livability and economic sustainability. We are dedicated to vibrant culture, entrepreneurship, and social and professional networking.'
2) We want a look and feel that ties the design image more closely to our statewide program, the Juice Conference (www.juiceconference.org), but still allows Midcoast Magnet to be an individual entity. Juice is a program of the Midcoast Magnet.

3) We want the logo to feel new, fresh, innovative, snappy, trendy, welcoming and symbolic of the times.

You design it, we'll flaunt it. Show us what you've got!
Contest Rules:

1) Submissions must be received by November 10, 2008
2) Email a jpeg no larger than 1 MB to info [!at] midcoastmagnet.com
3) Submissions will be presented in a pollto the 1,300 Midcoast Magnet subscribers to determine the top four contributions. The Midcoast Magnet Board of Directors will determine the ultimate winner.
4) Participants must be 18 or older.
5) All submissions become the property of Midcoast Magnet.
6) Participants must agree to two rounds of editing to finalize designs, as well as making sure the design is compatible for 2 color, 4 color and b+w, as well as identify the CMYK and RGB colors.
7) Contest is not limited to Maine residents, just those that love Maine.

www.midcoastmagnet.com

Our Trip To Mass

Kelsey and I had a nice trip to Massachusetts last week. I unfortunately and predictably I didn't take any pictures until the last leg. We left on Friday the 26th and headed down to Katie's to spend Friday night and Saturday with Katie and Emily in Marblehead. Friday afternoon we ventured out in the rain and went to Whole Foods. They have the best salad bar ever and it made for a great dinner!

Saturday morning I caught up with an old friend from high school, Steph Doiron and we had breakfast. Then I headed to Reece's baby shower and got to see some of my favorite ladies from the WV.

Sunday Kelsey and I packed up and headed down to JP to stay with my beloved friend Ashley and her daughter Temple and fiance Finn. We had a nice time. It was so nice to be back in JP and I lovede walking around the pond. Ash made a really yummy dinner too. I was so impressed with Miss Kelsey as well.. she fell asleep listening to ash and I chit chatting.. I think because she couldn't see me.

Monday we drove into Boston and met up with Shelagh. We had a great day in Boston. Walking through the Common, shopping in Down Town Crossing. And we discovered the coolest restaurant. We knew we'd both heard of it.. But I just got in the mood to venture to China Town and have Dim Sum for the first time. China Pearl is a restraunt in the heart of China Town on the 2nd floor. We definitely had some challenges with the language barrier, but we made it through ok. You sit at your table and waitstaff push carts through the restaurant and stop at each table asking them if they want anything off their cart. It was a little bit challenging figuring out exactly what they had and most of the dishes had these tiny little shrimp, which kelsey shouldn't eat yet. It was really good! and SO cheap. We had 6 different plates of food and there's a lot of food on each one and the whole bill was $20. What a find!

We then all drove up to Chelmsford and stayed at Shea's house. It was a fun sleepover and Kelsey slept awesome.

It was a great trip and I LOVE the fact that I got to see 5 of my girlfriends!!!! How great is that~!

another day for whimsidoodle

Today was a good day... and a productive day. Kelsey is definitely teeething and two of her 1 year molars are coming in on the same side, so she took a LONG nap (happens when she's up a lot at night.) I managed to vacuum, do the dishes, do laundry, put clothes away, take pictures of 3 items, get them uploaded, get a gift ready to go, pack... whew.. and more.

Some of my latest items listed on whimsidoodle

Jess made a huge batch of onesie cards which is awesome! oh.. I left Josh's birdhouse out of the collage. I am so excited to have all of these new items by such talented people in my shop! One thing I love about etsy is the trading aspect! It's a fabulous way to get things you're hoping to have if the other person has interest in trading with you. I am currently doing trades with my cousin, Mary Morra and the Lemon Drop Studio.

So tomorrow Kelsey and I head out to Massachusetts for a crazy busy, but really fun and exciting four days! Tomorrow we'll be in Marbleshead (one of my favorite places!) with KT and Emily. Then Saturday we head to Danvers for Reece's baby shower. Then back to KT's and hopefully a trip to the Peabody Essex Musuem. Then Sunday I head down to Boston.. JP to stay with Ash.. so excited to see her and meet Temple! Then Monday Shea took the day off and we're heading to Downtown Crossing.. YAY H&M and hopefully Kendall Square to the Garment District.. can't believe I have never been there!

It may be a whirlwind few days, but I am looking forward to it!

i just love a good GTG

And what a great one it was! We had an awesome turn out. GTG.. or Get Together in Nest speak (www.thenest.com, a truly fabulous site, which I don't look at enough and am guilty of only chatting with my Maine friends) is when a bunch of ladies who have become friends through the local positing sites, in our case Maine, gather together for a shindig. and wow.. I think I can actually name everyone in the picture without having even looked at the post about it on the board! From left to right: Katie and Ben, Jess, Denise, Nicole, Carly, Shannon, Sara, Kristen, Jill, Darcie, Megan, Me, Erika, oh grrr HikinandClimbing, Jess, Kristen, Summer and Jake.

We had an awesome lunch at Buck's Naked BBQ in Freeport. Mmmm I got the catfish sandwich, with collared greens and corn bread as my sides oh and a pumpkin head beer. Good stuff.

Oh and did I mention I was kidless? Yup.. first girl outing out since I had the kiddo... Jeff had both girls and I ate lunch and shopped sans baby. It was really fun. Bless her heart I love her with all of mine, but it was nice!

I love getting together.. it just makes my day!

my beloved brother

It's taken me a little time to be ready to blog about my brother, but I need to do it. He's been in many dreams and I miss him so much already. My brother, James Christopher Molloy, was the greatest guy. He always had a huge smile on his face and was such a pleasure to be around. Our relationship was always a bit complicated when I was growing up and I never really knew what to make of him. I was 6 when I first realized I had any siblings. I always knew of them, but thought they were just teenagers who came around to play with me. When I was 6 my sister moved in with us and my brothers soon followed. I think that in reality how it started is that Jim never really knew what to make of me. I was 12 years younger than him and I lived in a home with a mom and a dad that was functional and stable and I also had lots of quality time with my dad. Jim had come off of many years of not knowing what to think of my dad, because of a messy divorce and living with him mom. As early as 7 he gave me a hard time... he'd hide my stuffed animals (eh hem.. Fluffy) and really I think he kind of steered clear of me for a while. And then it was forced upon him. My parents worked long hours and traveled a lot. When I was 10 or so I spent a week or two with him, but I don't really remember interacting with him much beyond having him drop me off at summer camp. Then when I was in 7th grade, my parents basically were living split lives. They had to get a condo further south ,closer to Mass, so they could have a place to stay for all of the business meetings. I lived with Jim for several months M-F and then for the whole week when they were traveling. My parents had a wonderful empty condo stocked with food and lots of heat, but for some reason he always wanted to stay in his (COLD) condo, which meant that I had to stay there too (away from my wonderful 12 year old bedroom). Every 3 weeks or so we stayed at my house for a night I think, but it was rough. We never talked, he'd ask me once a day if I'd eaten dinner and I was usually afraid to tell him no, because I knew he'd then get flustered trying to figure out what I could eat. He was only 24 and taking care of a kid wasn't something he'd done all that much. For a couple of months I slept on the couch, but I guess I got in the way (he had roommates).. I'm sure it was hard for them to have to be quiet all of the time.. so I got moved up to the attic. This is a place I will NEVER forget. I literally had mice crawling through my covers and the light switch was connected to the outlet, so I had to sleep with the light on, so my alarm clock could stay plugged in and I could wake up for school. I told this story once and someone laughed and said... "uhm hello.. Jim was an electrician he could have rewired it", but it just never even dawned on me to tell him. One very fond memory from that time (and a cold memory) was one night when there was no heat. I can't remember why.. maybe it was the first night I ever stayed with him and he wasn't sure where to put me yet. But I remember sleeping in his bed with him and it was FREEZING. Jim always loved a cold room though regardless. I remember falling asleep to REM.. Automatic for the People I think.

As the years passed we started to get a bit closer. That began just a year later when my parents got called away for a meeting at the last minute. I went out one night and had a 9:30 curfew and when I got home around 8:30 my parents were gone and Jim and my sister were there. I was all bent out of shape over a boy making me sad and Jim came in the bathroom with me to comfort me. He did most.. no all.. of the talking and I just remember him saying how we hadn't gotten to know each other that well and he was sorry that he hadn't made more of an effort and that he was going to try harder going forward. I most remember him calling it "a round about conversation". And he did keep his word. He did make more of an effort.. slowly, but he did in fact. That summer he took me to see Phish, which was my first show without my parents. When I'd go to visit after he got married and once I was driving we'd laugh together and talk about tv.. Food network, Six Feet Under.. he always loved to discuss the shows he was watching. When I was a senior in high school and literally forbidden to go back home, because I'd had parties and my parents sent me to stay with Jim, he was awesome and honestly I think he felt bad for me and thought it was a bit funny, because my 3 other siblings had had so many more parties than I had and never got busted... but they had 3 of them to clean up and 2 of them were guys, so what happened to my house would not have happened had they been there (12 years before :)

It really wasn't until Jim was going through his divorce that we started talking. I mean really talking and our 1.5 hour phone conversations didn't start to happen until my dad passed away. I once said to Jim "thank you for getting divorced" and I didn't mean it the way it sounded, but truly I felt like we were getting him back. Part of the reason I didn't talk to him much prior was because when he was married he spent very little time with us. He and his family would come up for dinner and then leave. He wouldn't venture out without them, so it felt very separate. So, when he got divorced he was with us for holidays, and he stayed over and we spent so much more time together and created so many more memories. After my dad passed away he would call me weekly and check in. I loved my conversations with Jim.. he was very rational and so diplomatic. I always felt like I could go to him and he'd help neutralize my emotion and help me get some perspective. I love his laugh. Just a week or so before he died I deleted a voice mail he had left me last fall... "Yeah, Yeah.. tell Jeff I know the JETS suck". They'd just lost a game and it was too funny. Jim was a die hard JETS fan. I am hoping to get his JETS license plate, but already have a hat and a shirt of his.

It was not his time to pass. It was extremely unexpected and my mom found him in his bed. It gives me some peace to know that he looked peaceful in his bed and he didn't suffer at all in his death. He was suffering greatly in life since the divorce and I wish that I could have done more to help him, but none of us could do more than talk to him often and we didn't realize how turmoiled he was. In the end we know his heart was enlarged and he was trying to create himself a happy life again.

With the Halloween season quickly approaching it forces me to continue to think of one of my best times with him. On Halloween of 2005, my brother called me and asked if I'd meet him in New Market, NH and see a show at the Old Stone Church. He had been getting into this new singer Grace Potter and wanted me to go with him. It was awesome. Grace Potter (who is now getting big!) was fantastic and mostly everyone was dressed up. Even though he was in so much emotional pain (it was just months after his separation) he was trying to so hard to move forward and evolve. We stayed in a hotel and had so much fun together. The next day he left super early and said he hadn't slept at all, but he still smiled when he left and went to work.

My brother Mike called me the other day and said he had been thinking of Jim and I together, because the CD Jim last had in his car had Grace Potter on it. It made him think of that concert we went to.

My brother Jim was and always will be one hell of a guy. He loved his kids and was such a good dad. He went to all of Lukey's games and practices for hockey and Jim loved hockey. It made his so proud that Lucas is so good at it and loves it. He was an awesome best friend and such a pleasure to be around. He was a hard worker and had such an amazing spirit. Everyone was in shock when he passed, but we all still managed to celebrate his life. Another memory that I will NEVER forget is the day before his burial. We had a day in between the wake and the burial, so all of the CT friends decided to take a cooler full of beer, grateful dead on a boom box and some food down to the the river beach near my parents house. We built a fire and just hung out for hours. Keith, Jim's best friend in the whole world and also a landscaper went around and got all of these little pine trees "Jimmy Trees" and housed them in cut beer cans, so we could take them home and plant them. As sad as this is, my tree is still living in his can. I don't know where to plant him and I've wondered where. I think Jeff and I did find a place and I will plant him this week.

I love you Jim and your memory will live on FOREVER.

Are You Up For a Fall Challenge?

I become more and more impressed by my fellow MaineTeam members. They are such marketers at heart! We received an email last month giving us a challenge and everyone has been having fun with it. Here's a treasury that Adroit Jewelers put together with some of the items including my orange and yellow origami lights.

Maine Team Fall Challenge--

Maine in the Fall-- what does it mean to you?

Our team challenge is to make at least 1 new Fall inspired item by October 15th! We will blog about it along the way and also post threads in the promo section here on Etsy. We can post pictures & links of the items and statements from each artist describing their product and how it's related to the project while promoting the entire team. We may even have a volunteer to interview each seller for our blog! Keep an eye in the live weekly forum thread to keep up with our developing ideas!

Let's start creating some items and post them as you finish them! Tag them with the usual "Maineteam" tag and also add "mainefall" so that we can find each other for treasuries and promos. Team challenges are very successful within Etsy for promoting items and shops and I can't wait to see how this boosts our sales!!

Endless...

I just love the MaineTeam. We have some serious marketers hiding in crafters bodies. Backwoods Creations had the fabulous idea for everyone to blog about someone whose shop is the opposite letter of the alphabet than your own. I got pretty close with the letter E and I just love this shop.. we both like words beginning with whim and I gave her a shout out yesterday and she has the same birthday as my step-daughter... so I want to share some of Endless Whimsy's work.

Endless (aka Ronovia), is a music teacher to junior high students, as well as a chorus and boy's choir teacher to middle school aged kids. And she is the assistant director (training choir) of the Southern Maine Children's Chorus. And she teaches piano at nights in her spare time.. uh wow she's busy..

Is it totally obvious that I am getting all of this from her bio?! (clearly well written!) But I thoroughly inspired as I keep reading. Piano which I mentioned she teaches as night is her "main" instrument (uhm yeah.. hi... I sadly don't have any) "to a small studio of students (you may hear of three of them once they're famous!)"

Endless began sculpting polymer clay kitties becuase she was looking for something to do that was non music related. (Good Choice Endless!) "Endless Whimsy stands for the never ending creative part of me that needs to explode after a day at the workplace. I've spent my entire life being creative – through art, unconventional ideas and music. I'm a closet artist who dreams of specific artwork, and after the idea is formed in my head – I go for it. I have a multitude of Eiffel Tower paintings at home, along with many portraits of my two cats, who inspire my work: Stoli, a Russian Blue, and Luxor, an Egyptian Mau."

Each scultupe beings as a ball of polymer clay and is then hand sculpted to form a one of a kind kitty.

Aside from being a MaineTeam member, Endless is also a member of Etsy for Animals. She so kindly contributes 10% of revenues from her cat themed items to a local rescue shelter (HART) in Cumberland. That's so nice Endless.. such a nice gesture. I thank you for that.

Favorite Materials: clay, acrylic, watercolor, stamps, ink, screenprinting

The summer is quickly feeling like a distant memory. It's hard to believe it was 84 degrees outside literally one week ago today and today the temperature never got above 62. Quite the shock to the system.

This summer was filled with fabulous memories and lots of family time. The first part of the summer felt like lazy hazy days at home. Filling the baby pool in the morning so by the time afternoon nap was over the water was warm enough to splash.

By mid July it was one thing after the other. Our fabulous trip to Lake Placid (stay tuned for pics) for Scott and Julie's wedding. Then Kelsey's birthday and a week down in S. Thomaston. Then my brother Jim passed away and I was gone for two weeks. Before I knew it, it was August and ta da... everyone is apple picking and putting pumpkins on their porches.

Our week in South Thomaston was fabulous and I can't wait to do it again next year. My mom rented a cottage owned by our friends the Shepler's. She and my Gram came to Maine on Thursday and stayed at my house until Saturday. We were supposed to head down to the cottage on Sunday, but my mom had the key and decided to head down. I had a weird feeling with them going down there on my Gram's last night and us staying home. So we literally packed up the kids and a night's worth of clothes in less than 10 minutes. We left the house in disarray after Kelsey's party and went. It was tight quarters and none of us really slept, but I am so glad we did it. Can you believe that moon on the first night? At first it was so low in the sky and we couldn't figure out what it was.. it was so cool.

Isn't it funny how the days seem so much longer and fulfilling when they aren't filled up with a) driving... I realized that everytime we drive 20 minutes to the store or an hour here and an hour there it just lessens the day and when you spend an entire day 14 or whatever hours just hanging out and walking the beach and cooking and looking for crabs the day just feels so fulfilling... b) no tv and barely any cell service it was nice! very slow dial up just to keep up with email and work stuff, but it was great. I loved it and could easily live like that.. but hey.. if I have Bravo I am going to DVR my shows. Julia had an absolute blast looking for crabs everyday and hanging out with the kids on the beach. The most amazing part of this is that it was 15 minutes from our house!

Actually.. a pretty funny story. So one of the days Mom, Paul (her fiance), Kelsey and I went to Augusta to go shopping. When we were at Target Paul bought Jeff and I an anniversary gift. Our 2nd anniversary was July 22nd, so we celebrated while we were there. To us it was like celebrating for the first time though, because we brought Kelsey home from the hospital on our anniversary the year before. So walking through Target I was complaining about Jeff's dedication to video games when they are in his presence (ladies is that a nice way of putting it?). Paul decided that we needed something we could play together, so he bought us Rock Band (Guitar hero.. with drums and a signer.. lalalala.. naturally that's me). So the next day Mom and Paul were babysitting and we were leaving around 4:30 to go on a date that Jeff had planned. Paul joked that he didn't buy it for us to put any tension in the marriage and that Jeff wasn't allowed to go home and play during our date. We went to Cafe Miranda's for the best dinner. Then we walked to Dairy Queen for ice cream. After that we had a "now what?" moment... so (I'm sure you guessed it) we decided to drive the 15 minutes home and play Rock Band. It was so cool... we had an empty house with no kids. We knew they were peacefully sleeping down at the beach and we sang and played our hearts out. It was so much fun. Then we got in the car. Closed up our house and drove back to the beach. It was awesome!

Family pic down at Pleasant Beach - summer 2008

Birthdays and Tightwads

Miss Kelsey turned a year on July 19th. It was a great day. My mom and my gram came to visit. We had the perfect sized group of little girls here and friends and family. Kelsey received a water table for her birthday and proceeded to get soaked!

I made the froggy cupcakes. The theme was a froggy in a pink tutu.

I cannot believe a year has gone by. Each day she makes me smile and laugh more and more.

My mom took this picture of us. The dress/shirt Kelsey is wearing was mine! We were opposite seasons as babies, so my mom had to shorten the straps for it to fit her. She looked so cute in it!
Currently she is in that not sure if she's going to have one nap or two stage, but today we are on the 2nd one and mama is getting stuff done. check, check, check of the to do list. I love that!
Is it just me or is everyone else with a near empty wallet thinking about Christmas and starting to cringe while turning blue? I decided to be proavtive and went through the trendy, cool and of course expensive toy store around here yesterday and wrote down all of the things I know the girls would like and will then proceed to find them less expensive.

So Julia is on a must have an American Girl kick. I personally wanted one so so so badly when I was 10 and never got one. NOTE: to any mom in this same predicament... don't assume ebay has the best price and know the retail price. The american girl dolls are priced better on the american girl site than on ebay!

So on that note.. I have been reading the Tightwad Gazette for several months and truly have learned so much from it. I was already starting to think differently, but I've learned to apply a lot of it. I have been finding more resourceful ways to package things I sell on my site on etsy. I made a big batch of pumpkin, raisin and walnut muffins and froze them. I then take one out and wrap it and put it in Julia's lunch box so it's thawed enough to eat by lunch time.

I highly reccomend it for anyone pinching pennies and even if you're not just making what you have stretch.

Stay tuned... I want to share pics of our awesome week down at the beach just 15 minutes away.