Skirts

Hmmm..so I have a new fetish - and no it's not crafty at all. It's skirts. Cute little comfortable just below the kneeish length skirts. These are my recent purchases - and of course I was a huge bargain shopper:

$29.99:


$11.96


$23.96:

Digital Scrapbooking

Ok so I tried a digital layout. Very plain - easy layout - but this kit is so pretty you don't have to do much to make it look good. Free digital kit by Rhonna Farrer at Two Peas in a Bucket. Now you know how I made my blog banner - isn't it pretty?

This movie..............

Pride & Prejudice
AAhhhhhh...what a fantastic movie - why did I not watch it sooner??? It was on HBO last night so I watched it and fell in love.

Oh that Mr. Darcy is truly dreamy!!!!

Now since I am on a book kick I should read some of her books. I think so.....

Oh yeah - I altered a clock....

and a formica chip:


and a long time ago I altered these wooden blocks:

Isn't this pretty?

Slacking.....sorry

So if you this (above) what would you do with it???
OH pick me pick me I know I know....
Thank goodness you picked me to tell you what I think I should do with it....so......
as soon as my hubby can help then this will be on the wall. It's an old window/door frame that my dad gave me (thanks Jodi for the discovery). I am going to put a layout in each of the "panes" - and hang it the long way above my couch in the "studio". I made the layouts 9 x 12 - haven't really figured out how I will attach the layouts thinking I might put little hooks in each of the spaces and then attach ribbon or fishing line to each layout and hang them on the loop - not sure. But I love how most of the layouts turned out. And I can change them out throughout the year. So super cool if I do say so myself!
These are the layouts that will go in first (There are only 8 - I need to make one more).

Wedding Invites

So this was my first shot at wedding invitations. I made them for my sister and soon to be brother in law. Their colors will be brown and green - so pretty. They turned out nice - and I did little inserts with all the details - the back is shown with the map and the other side included the weekends events, times, places, etc....

Bad Weather!

So last night we had some icky weather in Omaha. We were pretty lucky in West Omaha but it did cause a bunch of damage closer to downtown.
It just was getting darker and darker outside and we heard there were tornado warnings. So we stepped outside to take a listen and heard the sirens - kind of spookey! The kids were freaked out - especially Connor - he's our worrier.
Check out the sounds and their thoughts - Xander thinks were in a tornado and that we might just die and you can hear. (Reminder before you hit play on the video clip click the pause button on the music player.) It looks like it is really late becuase it is so dark but what's so wierd as the storm passed it was day light again! WIERD!
This tornado activity/possibility is something new to us!

Me Race?

So it's official. I ran an official timed event. A 10K. I have to say I was happy with how I did - my goal was to finish in 75 minutes or less (yes I am a slower runner but I am ok with that). You'll notice I came in 8th place - that sounds so much better than last. :) But my time was great (I know maybe not for you but for me) - 4 minutes and 36 seconds under my goal.

Team Nebraska Summer Series Race #1
Aug. 19, 2007
Lake Zorinsky, Omaha
8:00 a.m.
75 degrees

1. Ron Lampe 40:19
2. Steve Curry 44:09
3. Ron Perry 49:05
4. John Lukes 49:59
5. Charisse Konz 52:48 (1st female)
6. Ed Scanlan 52:51
7. Shery Noar 1:06:52
8. Stacey Curry 1:10:24

Steve did very well! He did this run to achieve a seeded pass for the upcoming Corporate Cup. He had to finish in 50 minutes (I think). He did so he gets "special placement" at the start of that race.
I however will not get "special placement" which is ok I wasn't aiming for it. I would have had to run in under 55 minutes. The fastest mile in my log was just over 11 minutes. I think I would like to be at the very back of the pack - in case I fall or something - I wouldn't want to be trampled. There are like 10,000 plus runners!!! Crazy wild - it will be a whole new experience for us! But I have to admit I am excited.
Anyways....this run was a small turn out but a great bunch of people. So way to go to all of those who put on the race and for those who ran it!!! Congrats on a job well done!!! :)

Anybody reading???

Hello are you there??? Oh - hello!!! Are you a paper crafter??? Please say yes. I am doing an "Inspired By Martha" weekly challenge. If you will scroll down a ways there are pictures of some great treat bags from the Martha Stewart website - then scroll down a little more and you will see my version (the BOO bag).
So that is this weeks challenge - email me your versions and I will post them on my blog!!!! Won't that be fun????? It will be interesting to see what others come up with!!! I think I will do a couple more in the next week and post them. I will probably have to - since I don't think too many people actually read my blog! :) Oh yeah my email - stacey@starhitchedwagon.com

Moving and Making Friends

OK - so I am desperately seeking normal fun friends. I had such great friends back in Wyoming. Given for the first year I only had 3 friends, then I joined MOPS and met some people who lead me to buncos.....after 7 years I can look back and say I had some wonderfully fun times with a lot of great friends. I'd have to say Wyoming is where I have made my best friends. Girlies you know who you are. I miss you!
Of course my bestest bestest friends are my two sisters, my mom, my mother in law, and my husbands step mother.
Anyways...I have been in Nebraska for 4 months - and I am all but begging those few people that I have met online and in my neighborhood to be my friend. Sound lame? Yeah - I feel lame. Invitations for coffee, scrapbooking at my house, lets meet for a run, lets meet for a walk. I don't know - maybe I am scary. Or weird. I think I am normal and fun. But maybe not......
Oh well eventually. I start volunteering at the boys school at the end of the month - hoping I will meet some people there. And I really want to start scrapbooking at the local Archiver's - maybe I will meet some people there.

Fun Stuff

I am excited to say I recently joined a stamping club with a local Stampin Up! Consultant. This past Friday she had an open house and we made two cards. I think she called them slider cards (the pieces that stands up moves along the "track" that you can see behind it). I love love love the way they turned out - such a fun idea that you could use on cards, scrapbook pages, tags, bag toppers etc. etc.
Check it out.




So my little sister is getting married in October. Very exciting. I did the invitations for the wedding - think they turned out nice. I think she likes them, right Jamie??? I like a moron didn't save one or take a picture to show you. But I am also working on favors - they will be small bath salts. Check them out - this is such a rough run through - the ribbon doesn't match etc. I just wanted to see how they would turn out at this size and with the monogram card. I really like how they are turning out. I used My Mind's Eye Bohemia paper - it matches her green and brown colors wonderfully.


So while my little sister was showing me some wedding programs ideas on the Martha Stewart website I discovered such a fun idea.

So I was inspired I made my own:


What do you think??? I love this idea. I think I will do these for the kids Halloween parties. They are great for little gifts too. I made Xanders teacher a jewelry set and put them in a bag like this just different colors/theme.

If you haven't checked out Marthas website you have got to - it is a wealth of information for all things wonderful. The ideas her and her team come up with are just awesome.
HMMMMMMM....it's got me thinking - maybe I should pick a Martha idea a day and then post her version and my version or maybe weekly (something I could commit too). That might be fun. Then if you are inspired you could send me your versions and I could post them here! WHAT A FUN IDEA!!!!! I 'm so smart. So tune in next week to see what I find inspiring and then send me your goods.

Well hopefully you liked what I posted. Wish I could take the credit for the wonderful ideas. But I can't!!!! So thanks Martha and Jennifer (my Stampin Up! lady) Have a wonderfully peachy kind of day!!!

So I have been making new jewelry in the past couple of weeks. I really like the things I have come up with. As usual my pictures just don't do the pieces justice. These are my favorite of the 30 plus pieces I have done.

I have discovered these wonderful vintage style brass findings! How fun the pieces have turned out. I have made about 10 pieces so far. I kept one set for myself and sold the rest.

And then all of the rest of these pieces have all these wonderful hammered sterling silver pieces. I just love it all. I have more pieces so be sure to check all of them out on the website.


My favorite:

Sad.......

So I am officially a say at home mom to three children who are in school full time. I no longer babysit so it's just me all day by myself. I don't even know what to do with myself. I think I am sort of blue 'cause I don't even feel like scrapbooking or making any jewelry. I just want to go take a nap.
I don' think I am ready to totally be out of the baby/toddler/preschooler phase. I am just not ready - I know that.
Anyways.......just had to throw that out into the universe.

Really.....Oh

Oh - the concert - let me just tell you about our once in a life time experience. So we left the house with thunderstorm warnings in effect but were hopeful that they would pass around us. So we get to the concert spread out our blanket put up our chairs and the mayor comes on stage to make an announcement. "Severe thunderstorm warnings - 75 mph winds, lightening, rains and possible pea size hails expected to hit in the next 10 - 20 minutes. If you can go to your cars we are advising that - but the concert is not canceled just delayed for about 60 minutes." So we think well lets see if it passes around us but move under the trees to be safe. Then the wind picks up - big time - and it is black black black so we think about heading to the car but our car is like a mile away and it starts getting worse and we are afraid of getting stuck in the middle of a wide open space, etc. etc. etc - so we all huddle up under our 1 umbrella and pray for the best. Its POURING POURING rain. Connors crying - maceys friend Lexie is about crying - then her mom calls and says the worst of the storm hasn't even hit. So then we decide to make a mad dash for the car. It was pouring and thundering and lightening. People were splashing us with their cars as we walked down the sidewalk. When we crossed the street the water was ankle deep and rushing so fast I thought I might get washed away. The temp dropped from like 95 to 69 in a half hour. Connor still crying. Xander's a trooper. Me I am resembling a drowned rat - couldn't stop giggling cause it was just so unbelievable. I am sure the people driving by thought - "look at those idiots" "what are those parents doing to those poor babies". Honestly I have never been so wet - not even when I shower!!!! Our cars spells like dead yuck cause it got so wet from us sitting in it. Think Steve's blackberry died. OMG - what an experience. Needless to say we didn't see the Plain White T's and they did take stage after the storm passed but then we were all home in warm baths.
So no......... hey there delilah..........no love love love love love love.........

OK so I miss Wyoming but Nebraska is a fun place to be....

So guess who we are getting ready to go see....give up??? Plain White T's are here for a free concert in the park. How cool is that???? Yep - they play at 5. Now that would not have happened in Sheridan. Connor and Macey just love them and of course Xander is just exctied to go to his "first concert" (that is what he told me this morning). I am excited as well - they are so good!!! This is one band that all 5 of us enjoy. Sort of rare! What a great way to wrap up the summer (kids start school tomarrow).
So I will try to take some pictures - but since it is free I am sure we will be all the way at the back a mile from the stage! :) Still cool!!! Anyways....if I do get any good ones - I will be sure to share!
Hope you all are staying some what cool in this extremely hot hot spell!!!

Some of my Favorites

Some of my favorite creations of the years. Nothing really current but they still are my all time fav's!!! Hopefully you enjoy!

My beautiful Macey - she has this hanging in her bathroom.


Fun sledding pictures of Connor!


Great photos of Xander!


Loved these pictures of Xanderman's eyes! Thought the layout really showed off the pictures.


Love this layout of Connor's first hunt with Steve. He was so proud of himself and I just liked the layout!!!

What I am Missing

So we are about a week away from the first day of school - now living in Nebraska. So what am I missing?
This:




For the past 7 years while living in Wyoming we would head up to the mountain for, at least a day trip, before school started. We would picnic and play in the creek. Check out the wildlife. Just enjoy the beauty of it all. Fishing, hiking, playing, exploring.
No mountains in Nebraska............

Blogs

So I have been reading other people blogs - and I am truly amazed at all the wonderful talent there is out there! WOW!!! If anybody actually reads this blog be sure to check out the blogs I read. If you are a scrapbooker or paper fanatic - you will be inspired I promise. I am inspired - lots of cool cool stuff.

Today's favorite discovery:
http://abiteast.typepad.com/

All I can say is wow - her cards are so beautiful! And that studio - I am catching glimpses of that studio - I need her to come "realign" my home!!! Especially my studio!! :)

Anyways....just wanted to point out some good things.

Eventually I will post some of my work....after all this great inspiration.........

Great Short Read

So my grandma gave me a stack of books and one that just really struck me was:
A Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna Quindlen
Just a very straight forward, Yes! That's It!!! sort of book. I will be keeping it on my desk to read daily for reminders on how to be happy! And yes I can always be happy, it's my choice how to see life.
A couple of great blips from the book:

her father said....if you win the rat race your still a rat..........

and she quoted what a friend of senator Paul Tsangos said to huim as he decided not to run for senator again.....No man ever said on his deathbed I wish I had spent more time at the office..............

....love the journey, not the destination.....

.......life is not a dress rehearsal...........today is the only guarantee you get.....

......realize that life is glorious, and that you have no business taking it for granted....... (wow is this ever true!!!!)

Anyways pick it up - found it on Amazon for a very reasonable price, you won't be disappointed!!!

http://www.amazon.com/Short-Guide-Happy-Life/dp/0375504613/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-4383250-1367954?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186417352&sr=8-2

Now I want to read her novels - cause she's just got it.