late night craft date.

Our little "fam" usually gets together every weekend. One night a week that we use to just unwind, catch up, watch movies, eat food, drink coffee, or play games together.

Well more times than not lately, the uber nerdy boys in this family, decide to play some "boy" game or video game that us ladies are clearly not invited to join. This generally leads us to watch musicals, have girlie sister chats or just talk about how annoying it is that we have been excluded.

They reached new nerdy heights this week when they decided not only to play their silly card game, but watch Star Wars while they played it.

Lizzie and I simply could not handle it.

While we were sitting in my space looking around, I looked at her and said, "I have everything we could possibly need to make anything you want, what can we craft?"

Our impromptu craft night had begun, and I was oh so happy.

We decided to make little pocket journals and I cherished every moment of it.

I swear crafting with someone is always so healing for me. I love to sit in the quiet yet, both be using our imaginations to create something new. I also really love seeing how other people use my materials. Some of these things I have been saving (coughhoarding) forever and I love to see the unique ways other people see fit for them.

I loved having no agenda and nothing that needed to be done. It is really important for me, I think, to keep doing things for enjoyment and not always with a purpose intended.

I really could not have asked to spend my night a better way.

This weekend in entirety was exceptional and reminded me to be so thankful for the people to contribute to my life. I am influenced and inspired everyday.

xoxo j

Belated.

For having to be away from my boy this Valentines Day, I had the best one I could have possibly ever asked for.

My early morning started with the littles and we fully embraced all and overindulged in everything heart shaped and pink.

Then I went off to my Valentine breakfast with two of my very beloved ladies, Miss Lisa Baker and Miss Marisa Krol.

After good talks, lots of smiles, and delish food, Lisa and I made valentines for her kids at work.

That night Maria (whose boy is also far away) and I made dinner together, and watched a very excellent Glee Valentines Episode.

It was simple day filled with some of my favorite things, some of my favorite people, and tons of love and thankfulness for this excellent life I get to embrace each day.

xoxo j

DIY: Cake Pops

Happy Valentines Eve!

It wouldn't be Valentines Day without something sweet!

Where I nanny we have a special rule that on our birthdays and holidays, we can eat cake or some kind of sweet for breakfast. We love this tradition and I thought for Valentines Day this year I would make them something extra special that we can all enjoy together!

These little cake pops are delicious and easier than people think to make, and most of all they are truly FUN!

1. box cake mix 2. tub of frosting 3. lollipop sticks 4. candy wafers 5. sprinkles

1. Bake your cake and allow it to cool.

2. Break up your cake and add your icing, yup the entire tub. If you make homemade you would want 1.5- 2 cups.

3. Mix it up, I just used a rubber spatula, its melds together fairly easily.

4. (With washed hands) start taking your batter/icing combo and molding into small meatball sized pops. When you're done stick in the freezer for anywhere from 30 minutes- an hour.

5. Melt your wafers using a double boiler. Take your pops out of the freezer. I found it is easier to dip your sticks in the chocolate then let them set a few seconds before you dip the whole pop.

6. Make sure you set them on wax paper to harden because they will peel off much easier. Add your sprinkles and ENJOY!

Hope you have an excellent day tomorrow and I hope very much these little DIYs inspired you a bit or you at least enjoyed reading them.

Remember embrace the card company holiday and just remind people THEY ARE LOVED!

xoxo j

DIY:Date Book

Happy Valentines Day!

Well, it may not really be Valentines Day yet, but Greg and I are celebrating early seeing that we will not actually see each other on Tuesday.

We generally hand make all our gifts anyway but we have been fairly adamant about that this year seeing that we are planning a wedding.

And, you are in luck cause not only did I turn my gift into a DIY but seeing that we celebrated early, you still have time to make it for someone special in you life before the big day:)

Greg and I only see each other on the weekends. This means we have two days a week to cram in wedding plans, job hunting, apartment hunting, catching up with friends, catching up on sleep, helping out friends, homework, laundry, and anything else you can think of.

Thankfully, we are those people that honestly just love to be together. We are not usually bothered by our busy weekend schedule but I do think it is important that we set aside time for us. We are really bad making time for actual us dates, so I thought this would be a cute way to help us do it.

1.cardstock (any color) 2. hole punch 3. binder rings 4. tags

5. anything pretty you would like to use to embellish

1. Write out all your dates. This part is really special because it has to be totally you guys.

Do not write things you will hate doing because you will be miserable when the time comes. Write things you love doing together.

2. Cut your cardtstock in half.

3. Hole punch each page, if you're using a single punch like me, make sure they all line up.

4. Cut pockets and adhere to the back and front of each page. I made sure the tags would just fit enough that you would not be able to read each date, so when we pick it will be a surprise:)

5. Add your binder rings

6. Embellish! this is the fun part! start adding all the little details, this will really help it start coming together.

EEP! I love adding the little bits and pieces!

And there you have it! A super cute date book to enjoy together! I told Greg he cannot peak at dates, I think it will be more fun that way. Whenever we have a planned "date night" he can pick the page and we will do whatever the tag says, I cannot wait!

Hope all your projects are coming together, only two days left!

xoxo j

DIY: Rubber Stamp

Hello There! Hope your weekend is going swimmingly!

More love day DIYs coming up!

Want to make some home-made valentines this year? Here is an easy peasy way to make them look extra cute with your very own stamp.

1. rubber eraser 2. exacto knife 2. ink

1. Draw your design on your eraser.

2. Carefully start cutting out your design, take your time.

Make sure none of the leftover edges are higher than stamp or they will show up when you ink.

3. Stamp it!

Have fun making love notes for everyone who may need a little reminder:)

More tomorrow,

xo j