living greenlee

One Last Birthday Post

2011-04-19T08:35:00.000-07:00

I have one more for you all about our fun night with my fam! We had a fun night out to dinner for some awesome seafood and good times with our family!

Sister Time

Awesome bibs!

Ended the night with some more awesome cupcakes!

I'm so lucky to be able to celebrate our birthdays together every year!

New Town

2011-04-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

So last Saturday Zach had to work on my Bday so my Mom, my niece, and I hung out during the day and did a little exploring around a new area in St. Charles. It's a new community development that is based off of the idea of Seaside, FL called New Town! You may remember some of my posts from last August, but my family has gone to Seaside the last 2 summers and it is now one of our favorite beaches! So when I found out that there was a community in STL based on the idea of Seaside, I was dying to see it! Below are a couple of pics of the development.

The houses and condos are located around lakes since there is no ocean in Missouri! :)

If the community wasn't so far away from the city, I would no doubt want to move there, just for the sense of feeling like I was living in Florida!

Zach and Cristin's Day-of-Fun

2011-04-15T16:56:00.000-07:00

Some may know, but my and Zach's birthdays are a day apart so we end up doing something for the whole weekend whenever this time of year comes around. This year Zach had to work on my birthday but got the day off before so we spent some time in the city, doing some thrifting, going to the park and driving around looking at different neighborhoods. (We really love doing this) We started the day with free chick-fil-a biscuits and a free smoothie king smoothie! Gotta love coupons.

Zach enjoying his free breakfast.

We went thrifting and saw this awesome Schwinn bike in perfect condition and then went to a cute little book store in an old house.

After that we got some delicious cupcakes and spent some time hanging out at a park!

On our way back from the city we stopped by this old house with some neat antiques and a backyard filled with some amazing treasures!

Such a fun day with my hubs!

The Perfect Necklace - Spring/Summer 2011

2011-04-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

I'm so proud to introduce my newest item: The Posie Chain necklace. It's so delicatley perfect that I will just let the photos speak for themselves.

Headbands Galore - Spring/Summer 2011

2011-04-09T14:23:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday! In honor of the big 2-6 I'm sharing with you some of my favorite headbands from my Spring/Summer 2011 collection.

And as a bonus get free shipping off your purchase in my etsy shop with code LUCKYOU and I'll include a free gift! (Only in April!)

Skinny Posie Headband in Magenta

Skinny Bow Headband in Grey

Skinny Bow Headband in Black

Skinny Posie Headband in Teal

Spring Garden Box

2011-04-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Zach and I took on the project of building a garden box in my parent's side yard. We were kind of nervous at first and didn't really know where to go with it, but it ended up being a lot easier than expected!

We ended up making the box 3x5' and 12" deep.

We bought some cedar planks and hand them cut down and it was as simple as screwing the edges together, adding a second row and screwing them both into four 2" square spindles.

Now all we have to do is fill it with soil and starter veggie plants! We are going to wait a few weeks to make sure the temps don't get to low at night. But I can't wait to eat some fresh veggies from the garden this summer! And now we know how to build our own once we get our own place!

Scarves and Wraps - Spring/Summer 2011

2011-03-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

I've been working alot on keeping my items up year-round and I'm so excited to share with you some new scarves from my Spring/Summer 2011 collection!

Drop Stitch Infinity Scarf in Lavender

Chain Scarf in Denim

Spring Cowl in Periwinkle

Drop Stitch Infinity Scarf in Light Blue

Off to Australia!

2011-03-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

This last weekend I got to see my buddy for the last time until her wedding in October*! Next week she is headed to Aussie to be with her bf and I am super sad but really happy for her at the same time! I got to spend some quality girl time with her while we were gone and it was so great! I even got to help her pick out a beachy wedding dress and then hang out with friends and fam to say goodbye!
Below are a couple of the cute dresses she tried on, but I'm not showing the final for fear of who may see this! :)

So pretty!

I'm going to miss this girl so much!

*P.S. Did I mention that I get to go to Australia in October for this awesome event?!!

Love Day Crafting

2011-02-17T17:01:00.000-08:00

My niece and I spent lots of time crafting for Valentine's Day!

Lots and lots of hearts!

All dressed up for her party at pre-k!

Sweet Sweet Love

2011-02-16T16:54:00.000-08:00

In January we celebrated 3 years of sweet sweet marriage and together! I love this man so much and am so blessed for every day we have spent together! Because our anniversary is so close to Valentine's Day, every year we go out to dinner for our anniversary and then on Valentine's day Zach makes us an amazing dinner!

3 Years of Sweet Sweet Love

Our yummy dinner made by Zach on Valentine's Day.

Buddy Weekend

2011-02-07T17:06:00.000-08:00

My buddy Lucy came to St. Louis for a family event and got to spend a night with me! I miss this girl tons and won't get to have much time with her before she leaves for Australia to be with her boyfriend!

Me and the McKillip girls

Our onesies made for Lucy's soon-to-be niece!

Here We Go Again - December 2010

2011-01-18T13:10:00.000-08:00

December
December was a fun but SUPER busy month for my little business! During the whole month of December I had my items up at The Foundrie, an amazing pop-up shop at Chesterfield Mall in St. Louis run by Shelah McClymont the creator of Destroyed by Design. The shop was so beautiful and she did such a great job that people wanted the shop all year round - and starting THIS Saturday, April 9th, the people get what they want!

My items on the table right as you enter the shop!

My big show was at the beginning of December and I have a separate post dedicated to Chicago trip. Otherwise, December was filled with lots and lots of snow and family time!

Zach and Boston running in the snowy front yard.

My sis and I on Christmas morning in our matching PJ's and hoodies with earbud strings.

My Mom's beautiful tree.

Dreamy

2011-01-15T16:14:00.000-08:00

When you drive to Chicago from St. Louis on I-55 you go through a long stretch of windmill farms. It's so incredible to watch these things in person. I've seen dozens of photos of them, but seeing them in person is just mesmerizing.

Renegade Craft-Holiday 2010 Recap

2010-12-28T16:01:00.000-08:00

My other big event of December 2010 was the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago, IL. I really had no idea what to expect with this show. Besides the fact that it's one of the most well-known shows in the U.S. and so well publicized, I just knew that I had to prepare as many items as possible before the show.

I changed up my booth quite a bit for this show and had fun created mannequin heads for my headbands and hats. Zach and I tried our best to practice my booth setup before we got there. The night before Renegade it snowed quite a bit. Little did I know that this would help sell all of my cowls, scarves and hats, expect for 3 on day one of the fair!

My booth before all the items were picked over!

Birds eye view of the main level.

We had such a great time and were even able to stay for a few days longer to explore the city!

I'm super happy I got to be a part of the show and meet so many awesome people. I was told by several that I should apply for the September show as well. So I hope to see Chicago again several times this year!

Here We Go Again - October/November

2010-12-19T13:09:00.000-08:00

I really could have so many excuses right now as to why I haven't been blogging lately, but really the truth is I've just been more committed to my Etsy shop and twitter! But now I feel like my blogging friends have been missing out so here I go, a little update of the last few months. This may be more than one post but at least I'm filling people in, right? Let's go month by month, shall we?

October
October was filled with apple picking, pumpkin patches and lots of prep for shows. Besides all that it was my first year being able to see my 5 year old niece dressed up for Halloween. In fact, since we've moved back to St. Louis, there has been a lot of firsts I've been able to experience with her! It's really something watching this little girl grow!

Fun fact: In St. Louis kids are usually requested to tell jokes before they get candy on Halloween!

November

My first booth of 2010 (this has changed QUITE a bit)

November was the beginning of my crafting season in 2010. I started with a few local shows and then was happy to participate in the Rock N' Roll Craft Show 7. This was very different from my normal shows in that all the items were displayed department store style. Everyone's items were sectioned according to the catergory that it fits in. It was lots of fun and I'll definitley plan on applying for the show again next year. It was a great start to the holiday craft season!

Photo from 2005 from the RNR Flickr Site.

During November we were also able to make a quick trip to KC to visit some friends and their new little baby girl! They are such a sweet little family and we really miss being around them and all our friends on a weekly basis!

The Courtney's

A little update

2010-10-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

I feel like there is always some large gaps between when I do a group of posts. I continually apologize and really wish I was better at being consistent with blogging. I am trying, I promise. I'm looking into getting an iPhone which would help with this and so many other things in my crafting life!

Life has been filled with knitting. Lots and lots of knitting. And it won't be stopping anytime soon, thank goodness, as the holiday season is just beginning! I have been applying for as many craft shows as I can handle and I'm super excited about this as I got into a couple of craft shows that I wasn't sure if I would get into. So below is a list of some of my show for this season. The first few are smaller local shows and the last are the biggies!

November:

Nov. 6, 10am-3pm: Chesterfield Elementary Holiday Boutique in Chesterfield, Mo. (info here.)

Nov. 7, 11am-4pm: Hawken House Christmas Market in Webster Groves, Mo. (info here.)
Nov. 14, 10am-4pm: STL Boutique Moms Fall Show at The Columns in St. Charles, Mo. (info here.)
And my favorite show in STL:

Nov. 26-28: Rock n Roll Craft Show at Third Degree Glass Factory in St. Louis, Mo.

www.rocknrollcraftshow.com

And this is where I will be as a vendor the weekend of Dec. 4-5! Heck yeah. I'm pretty stinkin' excited!

http://www.renegadecraft.com/holiday-chicago

I have also created a new Facebook page. Stop by here and become a fan!

Apples and Pumpkins

2010-10-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we got a chance to go apple picking and pumpkin patching. It was lots of fun and the perfect start to fall!

My brother discovered he could tear an apple in half with his bare hands! :)

My beautiful niece is now 5. She is getting so big!

Better Late than Never!

2010-10-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

I promised to add a few pics from our August trip to Florida, and, althrough it may be October and time has flown by TOO quickly, I wanted to share these amazing photos with you.

Alys Beach is a small development a short ways down 30A Highway from Seaside. The white stucco building make you feel like you are in the Mediterranean. I am in love with this small oasis. Too bad my pocket book is also small and would not allow for this much of a splurge!

Every area of Alys Beach is stunning. Including the entrance to the beach! Also, the coffee is the best on 30A. :)

A New Look and Shope Update!

2010-09-02T15:09:00.000-07:00

I've been working on re-branding my etsy store and blog and other materials. I've created a new logo, taken new photos and updated the headers, ordered business cards and lots of other stuff. I'm pretty happy with the new look! How do you like it?

I've also been working on lots of new items for the shop! Below are a few that I've added over the past week. A new infinity cowl, a new color of the large posie headband, and some small knitted bows. I'm still working on quite a few more, but they will be added in the month to come.

Scenes from Seaside

2010-08-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

We finally made it to St. Louis in time to take a quick vacation to Seaside, Florida. We went last year and loved it so much we made last minute plans to go back. We had a great time, needless-to-say, we probably won't drive back as traffic turned the 13-hour car ride into a 17-hour.

Seaside is probably the cutest little beach town you've ever seen.

Another tid-bit of info: Seaside is where they filmed the movie "The Truman Show" because it looks so perfect it's surreal. More photos to come!

BIG news!

2010-07-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

After much thought and discussion over the past few months, Zach and I have made a pretty big decision...

We're Moving to St. Louis!

We are pretty pumped for what's in store and are trusting that God has some good things planned. We are being pretty brave, both quitting our jobs and moving in with my 'rents until Zach gets a new job, closer to the field that he is waning. And me, I'm going to try and pursue my knitting and design full time! We are being super brave, but are both really excited to be closer to my family and be able to do things we are passionate about.

I have already began to try and get a start on promoting myself through etsy and have applied for several craft shows this fall and am hoping to get more involved with the craft scene in St. Louis. So, if anyone has any tips, please share!

In the mean time, these next 3-4 weeks are going to be super busy! My last day of work is this Friday, next week I will be packing up our little house and preparing for our move the Monday of the last week of July, and then going to Florida for a week with my family! It's going to be super busy, but I'm very excited to know that God has great things in store for us. We are also planning on starting to attend the Journey in St. Louis, so if you have any info or connections about that church as well, please share or let me know! Sorry for the few and far between posts, life is a bit hectic right now, but eventually I will be able to focus more on this blog!

A Bill Has Been Signed.

2010-05-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

I know I have written briefly about invisible children and the amazing work that they are doing to try and help find homes and save the lives of the child soldiers fighting in Uganda. Well, history was made this week, and on Monday, Obama signed the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act bill, which will force our goverment to do something about the war in Uganda and take action! Invisible children, Resolve Uganda and so many other organizations and people around the world have been working on this happening for almost 5 years and this is the largest step made towards the recovery of that nation. Way to go anyone who has been a part of this and will continue to be. Thank you.

Introducing...

2010-05-26T11:25:00.000-07:00

The Living Greenlee Market Bag!
I am so excited about the newest item for my shop. I'm working on a variety of colors, but they will all be in this supersoft cotton yarn. This bag is perfect for the beach or the market and just great for the summer!

I hope you like it!

Bonfire

2010-05-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

A few of my favorite things right now.

1) Tuesday night dinners with friends.
I know I've mentioned how we've been doing this for the past 3 or 4 months, but every week I look forward to just hanging out with our good friends and eating and enjoying eachothers company.

2) Bonfires and Firepits.
Last week at our dinner we grilled hotdogs and then used Laura and Jeff's fire pit and had a bonfire with s'mores. It was great. I love this time of year.

3) Cirque du Soliel. We went with some friends last Thursday and saw Allegria. It was amazing. One of the coolest things I've seen. If you've never seen a Cirque du Soliel perfermance, it's totally worth the cost.

(M)orning

2010-04-26T06:42:00.000-07:00

Good Monday morning. I have sort of been unavailable in the blog world this month and I apologize for that. I still have a lot of photos I want to add, but never get a chance too. I still don't have a lot of time this morning, but I wanted to share a little personal note for the day (who knows, maybe the week or month at the rate I've been going with the blog lately).

For Zach's birthday I got him the latest 2 cd's that the band, Mae, has put out: (M)orning and (A)fternoon - soon they will have an (E)vening album as well. We had listened to the album a couple of times, but yesterday while we were in our car on the way back from visiting Zach's family, I pulled out the lyrics to one of the songs, and I just couldn't get over how amazing they were, just absolutely beautiful. Zach was having a hard time hearing them while they were singing, so after the song played, I read the lyrics to them. As I got towards the end of the song I began tearing up. It's been a while since I've really felt God's presence and it was just amazing to me that in that moment, while reading some lyrics to a song, that I really felt like this was how I wanted every morning to feel. Like every day is a choice. God gives me the choice to be here and to make everyday what I want to make of it and for that I am so grateful. We have a lot going on this year and it makes me joyful and loved to know that God wants me to decide every morning what to do.

Night/Day

by Mae

I've been dreaming such a long time

And I've been waiting for the sunshine

But all my friends they say I'm getting by with sleeping in

They say I'm sleeping in

You know whenever I try I want to get it right

But I distract my focus and blur my own sight

Cause I've convinced myself that my best can only come in the moonlight

And I keep sleeping in

I keep on sleeping in

And missing something

(Close your eyes before the daylight breaks)

There are things about me I just can't ignore

I know I want to change and I see that door

On the other side daylight decides there will be war with sleeping in

Oh, I know they'll be no more sleeping in

I wait, I wait, I wait only in jest

I wait, I wait, I wait with no need to rest I wait

The day, the day, the day will come again, I say

A ray of light can only get in if I say

I've been putting off this purification a rebirth

and a regeneration inside of me

And I've been saying for far too long

even though something brand new is coming out of me

I'm going to wake up, wake up every morning and then decide

I'm going to wake up, wake up every morning and make it mine

Rain or shine

I wake, I wake, I wake and greet the day

The light is on the change is made I can see my way

The day, the day, this day has come again

Each ray of light will make its way into the core of me

I always knew that I was missing something

I know this time that I will leave nothing up to chance

And in the wake of this brand new day I see the light

and I feel the sun and I'll do it all again tomorrow

Birthday Weekend!

2010-04-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

For the first time, probably since I was in high school, I was able to go back to St. Louis and spend the actual day of my birthday with my family. It was one of the best weekends in a very long time. As some of you may know, Zach's bday is the day after mine so we had a weekend of birthday celebrating!

We started the afternoon by going out to lunch with my mom in Clayton. Wood-fired pizza & flourless chocolate cake = AMAZING. It was a fun lunch with the girls only.

Later we went back home had some yummy DQ ice cream cake and then went to my younger sister's talent show. She pretty talented, that girl.

On Zach's actual bday (that saturday) we did a little shopping in the afternoon and then headed to the City Museum. I left my camera in the car while we were climbing around, but had to get a few pics while we chilled near the fire after everyone was worn out.

We ended the night going back to my rents and hanging out playing the guitar by the firepit. Great weekend.

Fisheye

2010-04-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

For my birthday Zach got me a fisheye/wide angel/micro lense for my camera. It is probably the best addition yet to the camera, it takes such fun photos and adds some humor to our personal photos. More posts about or birthdays soon, but enjoy some fun fisheye photos below from our Birthday weekend in STL!

Woolery Invite

2010-04-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share with you all the invite I designed for some friends that I mentioned a few weeks back. I really like how they turned out, you can't tell below, but they were printed on a pretty linen paper, which turned out so classy.

I really enjoy doing wedding invites, so if you or anyone you know is interested, send them my way! One day I plan on having my own stationary shop. :)

Happy Tuesday!

Where did the time go?

2010-04-05T09:25:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been almost 3 weeks since I've updated this thing! I guess the more time passes, the easier it is to forget to post! Alot has been going on, I'll list it below. I still have a ton of photos I need to get on flickr, and once I do, I'll post them up here.

A few events from the past few weeks:

Start of wedding season
Family visited
Copeland Farewell concert in Lawrence, KS.
Got in a car accident during a freak snow storm - everyone is ok - but I had a bruise the size of my fist on my butt. Pretty scary, but pretty funny when I would look at the bruise everyday. :) Word to the wise: Dont change lanes on a bridge, during the snow or cold weather.
Zach started his job - definitly not as good as expected, so he's still job searching.
Weather the past two weeks has been BEAUTIFUL! Lots of hanging out outside and grilling with friends.
Slacklining - Very fun. What is slacklining?
Easter with Zach's fam

AND my birthday is on Friday and Zach's is on Saturday! This is the birthday where I finally feel older (even though I realize how young I am still.) Quarter of a century down. We will be heading to St. Louis to celebrate late Thursday night.
....
Look how happy we are to be going to weddings! :)

More photo updates soon!

Slackline

2010-04-01T08:57:00.000-07:00

For Christmas I got Zach a slackline kit. If you haven't heard of slacklining, you can read more about it here. But basically it's a thick strap that connects two trees and you can balence on it and do fun trick eventually. We set it up in our front yard a few weeks back and had fun experimenting with it. One of our trees was to thick so we'll have to find a better place to set it up to get the full effect. But it was fun none-the-less!

The girls hanging out watching.. (Boston being held like a baby)

Good times had by all.

Family Visits KC!

2010-03-23T06:42:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a long post so watch out. In March, most of my family came and visited Kansas City and we spent the weekend doing fun stuff around the city. The main thing that encouraged the visit was the Copeland farewell concert in Lawrence. Which turned out to be a great way to get to know my younger sister's new boyfriend, Koji. He's been really great for Erin. He's from France originally and has lived in the states with his parents for the last 3 years. He's going to start college at Webster in the fall and i just a great kid all around.

Pics from the show.

Us with Ace Enders from I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business

We really enjoyed the show. My favorite as I knew it would be was Ace Enders. This guy is a genious. And looks a little like Michael Cera...

The next day my older sister and her bf and my niece, my cousin Carrie and her kids and all of us met out at the Plaza and had lunch and just goofed around like we typically do.

Later that night we headed to T-Rex Restaurant and had a yummy dinner. Their food is so greasy and delicious.

The next we visited the Nelson Atkins and had a FREAK snow storm. That night we played some fun games at my cousin's and then drove back to our house and ended the weekend with a car accident. Everyone is okay, and my mom now has a new car out of the whole situation, which she loves. But it definitly made me hate winters in Kansas City even more!

Green Day

2010-03-17T11:52:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patty's, I'm not Irish, but I have green in my last name... does that count?

So, it's been a while, but I have some good news to share! Zach finally got a real job!!! Yay! This is just great timing and it all happened so fast. He ran into a friend from High School last Friday while working at Panera and she said the school she works for was doing a group interview last Monday and that he should come in, so he joined in the interview not thinking much of it and got a call that afternoon for a one-on-one interview the next day (yesterday). So he went in in the morning and then went to work at Panera for the rest of the afternoon, he then got a call yesterday after picking me up at work on our way back home, that they wanted to offer the job to him!! We were beyond exicted. It just feels really good to not have to worry about that for a bit. It's not quite the job he was looking for, but definitley something to hold him over while looking for other things.

We also got our pics the other day for our friend Drew that did some photos of us last August. I also got to do their wedding invites for this May and they turned out really cute! I will share those eventually, but they haven't sent them out yet and I know some of our friends read this blog. :) Below are some of his awesome photos. He's quite the photographer.

More photos here.

Busy Busy Busy

2010-03-11T09:21:00.000-08:00

My posts have been a little distant. I have been so busy. Busy at home, busy at work... busy, busy busy. Life just needs to slow down a bit so I have time to finish the things I'm working on in my "spare" time and trying to get our taxes down. We'll see how that goes.

This weekend I have a birthday party to attend tomorrow night and then we have a wedding on Saturday.
But I am super excited about next week. My sisters and mom are coming to town to go to a concert in Lawrence... the great Copeland Farewell tour show... and then just hanging out in KC for the weekend! It will be so much fun and I'm super pumped to have them here. I go through times where I just miss my family a ton and wnat to be able to just drive down the street to hang out with them, or call up one of my sisters and see if they want to go shopping or to lunch or to the park... so you can see why I"m so excited for next week to come. So I'm sure I'll have photos in a few weeks from our weekend adventures in KC. But at least I have my love and some good friends, it definitley makes life easier!

(Zach has trouble looking normal in photos...)

I also got a new purse. I HAVE to have purses with a sholder strap. It's just always a must and I just had 3 purses break with in three months (they were all pretty old) and so it was finally time to get a new purse. I am so in love with my new yellow bag I got on sale from Urban. (you can see the strap in the photo above)

If I'm too busy to post tomorrow, have a great weekend! Catch ya next week.

Friday, finally!!

2010-03-05T13:27:00.000-08:00

The week is finally over and my Friday evening has almost arrived! I'm so happy for today because it's absolutely beautiful outside, and it seems like almost every Friday during this horrible winter has been snowy and cold, and today, then sun is out and the sky is blue and it's in the 50's! Which is great for Kansas City in March! So, yay for Spring, I'm ready for it to show it's effect full force!

This beautiful photo via Metallic on etsy. A very cute little photography shop, I might add!

Have a great weekend and don't forget to enter the give away at Lauren's blog!

So many giveaways, so little time!

2010-03-02T07:11:00.000-08:00

There are so many great giveaways out there in the blogger world right now, and one of them happens to feature one of my lovely cowls!

Head on over to Lauren's blog: the little things we do, and enter your name to win a light blue cowl! Perfect for the spring!

Also, below are a few other great giveaways...

Cakies poloroid camera giveaway - ends today!

Rockstar diaries jototes giveaway - ends friday!

One pearl button's 2 year anniversary giveaway - ends friday!

What a great start to March! Bring on the spring!

P.S. Like the new hair color? I'm still getting used to it...

Rainbow Cake and Some Photo Booth Shots

2010-02-25T12:48:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I was reading Emma's from scratch blog and thought this cake that she found was so amazing! I had to show Zach...and of course...he wanted to try and make it. So, last weekend, he experimented and this is what he came up with. Not quite the same, but still pretty cool!

We had so many fun photo booth pics from last weekend that I thought I'd share a few more.

My mom and sister, Erin.

I think Erin and Zach had the most fun...the other high school students were a little too cool for this...

More photos here.

Weekend recap.

2010-02-23T07:50:00.000-08:00

We had such a fun weekend. We drove to St. Louis to visit my fam and had such a good time. My parents are host parents for an exchange student this year and her birthday was on Friday, so we threw her an awesome luau surprise party on Saturday. I made these cute invites pretty quickly one day so her friend could hand them out at school.

It was a ton of fun and she was so excited and super surprised!

Her awesome cake my mom ordered from the Cakery in St. Louis

We also set up a photo booth in the basement for her to have some memories of the party.

This girl is the sweetest and I'm so glad she is able to spend a year with us! She is truly one special person and will always be a part of our family!

Also, on Sunday my sister did my hair and it's dark now! We're working on getting it closer to my natural color. :) I don't have a photo yet but soon!

Fill in the blank Friday and Friday Fav!

2010-02-19T11:11:00.000-08:00

I created a new treasury on etsy today, all things green! So pretty... I pretty much want everything, so I would consider them all my Friday Fav.

So, Lauren over at the the little things we do... does Fill in the Blank Friday every week. I thought I would join in this time!

Here are my answers... don't judge me! :)

1. If I could medal in an olympic event it would be speed skating short track, they are so freaking fast, it's awesome! I wouldnt be able to do anything with a big drop, because I'm kind of afraid of heights...

2. If I was stranded on a deserted island I'd take Zach, my knitting stuff (entertainment) & some sunscreen (I burn easily).

3. Birds are my most irrational fear. Alfred Hitchcock anyone?

4. I'd rather eat my boogers everyday, than have to work in a cubicle everyday. Yep I said it. Don't be grossed out, I just hate it that much.

5. I am praying everyday that God provides the right job, at the right time, in the right location for my husband. It's been a long bumpy road, and I'm very tired.

6. I should really be going to church on Sunday more often than I do. I have a really hard time getting out of bed before 10 on the weekends...

7. One of my favorite things in all the world is night-time drives in the summer with my hubby. Windows down, sunroof open, music playing, the moon out, cool breeze. Nothing beats it.

Happy Friday! It seems like it's becoming a trend in Kansas City that it snows every Friday. Not a good trend... but it does make a good day for chocolate chip cookies...yummm

(This cookie is smiling at you.) via

Freakin hilarious

2010-02-18T08:17:00.000-08:00

Has anyone else seen this commercial on during the olympics and freakin laughed your head off?

Love it.

P.S. Way to go U.S Team, I am thoroughly enjoying watching almost everything on during the winter olympics except figure skating...

P.P.S. People think Zach looks like this guy (Apolo Ohno - the speed skater).

Do you see it? I do, but Zach doesn't... :)
Speed Skating is awesome.

Shop Update!

2010-02-15T06:46:00.000-08:00

I have added quite a few more items to my shop! Go check it out here.

I am loving this new cowl I started making. It's super chunky and warm, and so cute!

New slouchy hat.

A few new colors in the earwarmer/headband.

And a new loose knit scarf.

Enjoy perusing, Happy Monday!

Friday Fav

2010-02-12T05:04:00.000-08:00

Today my favorite thing is

VALENTINE'S DAY!

yes, I admit, I love this holiday.

Before I used to think it was just a stupid corporate card holiday, but now that I am older and understand what an amazing thing LOVE is, I just think it's so great that there is a holiday to remind us how important it is to be thankful for the loved ones in your life and for the simpleness of understanding what we learned in sunday school that GOD is LOVE. :) So this post is dedicated to a few people in my life who I love and am so grateful for, there are so many more than are just in this post!

My cool friends

My buddy - yes, that's what we call each other. 

(This girls is an amazing person.)

My best friend from high school

My awesome bro.

My beautiful sisters

Cutest niece in the world.

My Amazing parents

And crazy family in general

And my hubby - the love of my life (besides Jesus).

Sorry for the long post. Happy early Valentines Day. Don't forget that LOVE really does make the world a better place....

living greenlee tip #2

2010-02-10T18:59:00.000-08:00

reduce, REUSE, recycle

Last fall Zach got inspired by this article in a old Readymade and wanted to try and make some bowls out of construction netting. I have to say they turned out pretty neat! We spray painted a few green after they were made but then decided that that probably wasn't the most environmentally friendly thing to do, so we left the rest orange. He sold quite a few at a craft show I had a booth at in December and the rest are now in the garage except for one on our dining table. So if you want one let me know :).

Remember before you throw something away, think of a way it can be reused first! (We got our construction netting for the workers that were finishing up a project on our street). If you want to learn how you can make these bowls go here.

Friday Fav

2010-02-05T12:25:00.000-08:00

Because it looks like this out today...

my favorite thing would be anything to do with spring.

You have to admit it's beautiful. But with the amount of snow we have had this year I need spring. And therefore my background has changed to this on my computer:

Via Free People's blog. Go here for a few more options to help make your winter feel a bit more springy.

Have a good weekend. Stay warm and see you next week!

The SLR Sloop

2010-02-04T06:45:00.000-08:00

This new SLR bag is so freakin' awesome! It's so bright, modern and fun and I would love to carry around my camera in this bag. AND one lucky winner will get one over at the Creature Comforts blog! Hurry, contest ends Monday!

Our Tuesday Nights...

2010-02-03T08:23:00.000-08:00

Recently we've started doing a dinner every Tuesday night with some of our married friends in kansas city. Since graduating college, it gets hard to arrage to see people because everyone gets so busy, so finally, Laura, decided we needed to pick a night of the week and start doing dinner with our friends. I am so glad she finally set her foot down! We've only been doing it for 2 weeks but its been loads of fun and I can't wait for Tuesday to come again!

I will be the first to admit that I was a little sad yesterday that the season premiere of the final season of the show that Zach and I have been watching for the last 5 years together, was premiering last night...but... I had to give that up so I could enjoy time with my friends.

Enjoying good food, good community and lots of laughter is something everyone needs a little of! Last night we had fondue and something called racclette at our friends place. If you dont know what it is, you should look into it, it's pretty freakin cool! We used the electric version and cooked sliders on the grill and cheesy potatoes on the bottom. Next week Zach and I are hosting, and we're planning to try out some homemade Chicago style pizza! Yummmm
A few pics Bree took last night.

Using the raclette for our burgers...

What do you do with your friends that has become a tradition or what would you like to start doing?

living greenlee tip #1

2010-02-01T06:48:00.000-08:00

When I first started this blog I thought I would be super clever and have the title be a pun on my new last name and the trendy "green" idea. Well, now that Zach and I have been married over two years now (smiley face) we have discovered that both of us have a pretty big passion for sustainability, you can probably tell that from some of the posts I've done in the past. So, I thought I would try to be a little more regular about it, and share some of the information that we've found and things that we've done around our house here on my blog!

I don't want this to be SO educational or anything, just a spot where I will share cool things with you. And if you'd like to share your tips with me, feel free! I'd love to hear them and then share them as well! I thought I'd start by telling you what SUSTAINABILITY is, so that we are all on the same page.

Sustainability (according to wiki and adjusted my me) is the potential for us humans to try and maintain a long term well-being for our planet, which is determined by the responsible use of our natural resources. So pretty much going green and trying to help the planet and not take away all of it's resources.

On to living greenlee tip #1 - Preserve products.

Have you gone to a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods and noticed these expensive (and very cool) toothbrushes in neat plastic cases? Chances are you have and below are a few reasons why you should use them and a few of the other Preserve products out there.

- These little babies are made up of 100 % completely recycled plastics. (Your number 5's to be exact-think yogurt cups) The bristles are not, so no worries there.
- They come in 6 different colors and 3 different strenghts (ultra soft, soft, and medium)
-When you are done with your toothbrush, you can send it back to them and they will grind it up and make it into a new one! Now that is sustainability.
- AND, they offer toothbrush subscriptions! So you can receive a new toothbrush every 3 months, just like the doctor ordered!

They also have a few new products that use the same idea. Like plastic tablewear and harder plastic containers and measuring cups for everyday use. And when you are done with them, you just stick them in your recycling bin! (If they take number 5s). This company is just great!

(all photos via the preserve website)

Let me know what you think of my new segment!!
Happy Monday everyone!

Friday Fav!

2010-01-29T12:56:00.000-08:00

So today my fav is this awesome grey LARGE POSIE headband that will be given away to one lucky person over at Jenni's blog! So go check it out and get your name in for the giveaway!

The flower on this headband is a bit larger than I normally make them, but I love it so much that I plan on adding a few more to my shop within the next few weeks! Can't wait that long or have a certain color in mind? Message me on etsy or shoot me an email and I can create a custom piece!

Job searching continues...

2010-01-28T20:09:00.000-08:00

But at least he is looking good doing it! Zach had an interview this week for a recruiting position at a university here in town and he should have another interview next week for another job. We are really hoping that one of these will finally be the one! For those of you that don't know, Zach graduated with his masters last May and has seriously gone on like 20 interviews for jobs- not even an exaggeration. The field is just too narrow and there are too many people applying for the same positions. Well hopefully these latest two will just see how handsome he is all freshly shaven and with a nice haircut and new tie (a Christmas gift from his wonderful wife) and that'll just put him over the top. :)

He stayed in his suit until I came home at lunch, just so I could see him!

Oxfords? Yes, please!

2010-01-27T11:13:00.001-08:00

I am super excited about my most recent etsy purchase. These amazing black oxford patent leather heals!

I am loving these and that they have come back in style and I think they will make a great addition to my wardrobe. I mean hello Anthro and Urban Thanks to 27ogle on etsy.

I love him.

2010-01-25T17:53:00.000-08:00

And am so grateful for every year more we've spent together.

Us at Zach's stepsister's wedding 2 weeks ago.

Our bowling date on our anniversary.

He love it, so does the kids behind him...

Yummy anniversary dinnner (blurry photo...)

Our little family!

We love eachother :)

Can you tell?

Friday Favs!

2010-01-22T11:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday everyone! I think today I'd like to share with you a few of my favorite things right now. Who knows, I may continue to do this in the future, some days may include favs from around my place, favs from around my city, and favs from around the web, but we'll take this one day at a time.

Here are a few of my favs from etsy. What are a few of your favorites right now?

GiGi Knitting Clutch by persnickityknits

Black Tie Moccasin by darlingtonia

Love is like a mustard seed - Earrings by Faeriedtreasures

Marie Linen Mini Dress by tortillagirl

Just a little bit of a yellow and black theme going on and one of my cowls would be a great addition! :)

Have a great weeked!

P.S. All of the Haiti donations will be sent to Heather and Gerson tomorrow! We raised $250 for them! Thanks again and I can't say it enough, continue to pray for Haiti. They have such a long road ahead.

A BIG thank you.

2010-01-18T07:34:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to say thank you so much to those of you who have already gone to my shop and purchased something for Haiti! You guys are awesome and it's just so amazing to see how the crafting community has come together for such a great cause. Not even 24 hours after deciding to donate my proceeds to Haiti relief work, my items were featured in almost 5 Treasuries on Etsy and quite a few blogs, which included other Estians doing the same thing! It's really quite amazing. In a time of disaster, after seeing the devistation, the first thing thing that comes to people's mind is, "Ok, how can I help?" It makes my heart so happy! I will be donating the money at the end of this week, so please hurry back to the Shop so that we can get Heather and Gerson the necessary funds to help out over there.

Now, on to other things, if you happen to be follower of Jenni's blog. Head over there soon! She is having an awesome giveaway, and you could win a super cute posie headband from ME along with some other great gifts! :)

Also, Zach and I will have been married for 2 years tomorrow! :) We had a fun day planned saturday and after being stuck inside for so long with the snow, it was so great to just get out of the house and enjoy the company of eachother! Two years of sweet sweet love...

Haiti Relief Fund

2010-01-15T11:38:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd mention this on my blog, even though I've had it on my etsy site for a few days.
As I said before, I've really been struggling with what has/is happening in Haiti, having been there before and meeting the beautiful people of that country. I've been listening to and reading so many new stories about individuals over there and what they have seen happening in their country that its almost unreal. It's hard to listen all the way through without shedding tears. I just don't get it. As one man mentioned at the end of his skype interview with NPR, "Please continue to pray for this country that has had so much happen to it already." I want to be there so bad to help the people and take care of them... My husband said yesterday. "Let's just go, we'll figure it out, take off work, find some supporters?"And I really thought about it seriously for a moment. But then we both came to the realization that now is not the right time. We would just be taking up valuable resources that could be used for those who really need it. We have no medical experience or fluidity in the Creole language. But we do know people who can help.

So that's why I have decided that 90% of the profits from my current inventory in my etsy shop will be donated to some friends of ours who will be heading to Haiti to aid in the relief efforts. Our friends Heather Nozea and her Hatian husband Gerson, started Growing Hope for Haiti, a non-for-profit, about a year ago and will be heading there with funds donated to them. Below is a recent letter she has sent to their supporters to let you all know their plan and a photo of her visiting a Haitian family that she has grown to love over the years.

Hi,

It has been quite an eventful night/morning. Gerson was able to get through to his sister's cell phone for the first time a few hours ago! He talked to his sister, his brother, and his mom, and they confirmed that everyone in his immediate family is accounted for!! Some minor injuries...a lot of fear and shock...but they are all ok! I can't tell you how happy we were to hear their voices.

The situation they described there is overwhelming and heart-breaking. They said that their yard has become like a refugee camp, with many people who have lost their homes and some who are injured, sleeping there because they are the only house in the neighborhood that has a yard. They said that food and water are becoming an increasing concern, as everything is running low. They said there is a dire need for medicine and medical care. They have seen people die there with them because there was no access to a clinic or hospital. They said Gerson's 5-year-old niece, who they think has a broken arm, stays within the yard because she is afraid of the dead bodies in the street. None of them have slept since the earthquake.

We have been up all night, talking to people and making plans. We have decided to get to Haiti as soon as possible, to do what we can to help. Gerson is going to take the semester off school, and I am going to take a leave of absence from work. Gerson will be flying into the Dominican Republic on Monday (there are no flights into Haiti right now), where he is going to meet up with a group of Haitian and Dominican doctors andmedical students. They are going to buy medical supplies in the DR and take them into Port-au-Prince to set up mobile medical clinics. This group has already had thousands of dollars worth of supplies donated by the med school and a local hospital in the DR, and we hope to raise thousands more. There are many injured and hurting people in Port-au-Prince, and not nearly enough resources to treat them all. This is one of the most immediate and desperate needs, so this is what we're going to focus on for now.

My plan is to go in shortly after Gerson-- probably next weekend-- with a small group of doctors and nurses from the U.S. We have talked to several medical professionals here who are looking for a way to get in and a place to serve. They have the medical skills, and we have the knowledge to coordinate the efforts, get them set up in Haiti, and translate for them while they're there....so we feel like it is a good match. Gerson and I are not able to meet the medical needs of the people ourselves, but we are in a position to enable those who can.

We will be raising money for this trip and for medical supplies. Many of you have been asking how to help-- here is a huge opportunity! We personally will be using this money to meet the needs of people in Haiti, and we can assure you that every dollar will be well spent. We are working on getting online donation capabilities set up, but for now, you can send donations to:

Growing Hope for Haiti
927 Wooden Drive
Florissant, MO 63033

Growing Hope for Haiti is a 501c3 organization, and all donations are tax-deductible. We are pleading with all of you to join with us in these efforts by praying and giving. Thank you for the compassion and love you have already shown in this crisis. We are grateful to be surrounded by so many people who genuinely care.

I am going to try to get some rest now, after being up all night. We are physically and emotionally exhausted, and I know we need to take care of ourselves so that we can be of use to the people in Haiti. Please continue to pray for us as we prepare to go.

Thank you,
Heather

Thanks again and I hope that whether or not you would like to help them or any other organization you will realize the dire need for your continued support and prayer. We are all God's children.

With Love,

Cristin

Please pray for Haiti

2010-01-13T07:05:00.000-08:00

It's so hard for me to understand why bad things keep happening to Haiti and it's people. They have it so hard as it is and now this. Please pray for everyone there and that God's hand will continue to protect them.

Haiti is special to me because I had the opportunity to go there for 2 weeks a few summers back and ever since the people there have held a special place in my heart. They have nothing but they are so happy. We went to Saint Louis de Nord up north and I've heard that they are mostly safe, but so many have family in and around Port au Prince, the countries capital, where the earthquake struck. And I'm sure everyone is devasted and trying to figure out why.

Below are a few of the humbling faces of some Haitians that we visited.

Photos by Drew Woolery of Woolery Photo.

Go to his website to see more.

Please continue to pray for safety and understanding.

Beat the January Blues

2010-01-08T11:14:00.000-08:00

With some beautiful blue items from this treasury I created!

Happy Shopping!

So sad... but so EXCITED!

2010-01-06T07:52:00.000-08:00

With much sadness one of my favorite band's will be saying goodbye..... (moment of silence).....but not without an awesome farewell concert!

Copeland will be performing some of their songs from almost every album and not only that, they will be joined by 2 other of my favorite bands! I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business (which is Ace Enders - the lead singer of The Early November's side project) and Deas Vail. They are also playing with Person L, who I've never heard of, but must be equally as good to be playing with all those fabulous people.

Read more about it here.

Yes, please be excited with me!!!

Even more, as promised!

2010-01-05T10:55:00.000-08:00

Even more headbands are in the shop! I am also working on some slouchy hats, those will be up in the next few weeks. Enjoy!

Check them out here.

New year shop update

2010-01-03T09:19:00.000-08:00

I had quite a bit of time over the holidays to create some new stuff for the shop. I haven't added everything yet, so keep checking back over the next few weeks for even more items and accessories!

Also, I got my gift from participating in free people's craft swap, my camera battery died so I'll have to show you later. But my parter, Sam, made me an awesome necklace and earings! I hope she enjoys her gift as well!

Merry Christmas to me! A few gifts to myself this holiday...

2009-12-29T12:03:00.000-08:00

I am always a little bit sad after Christmas has come and gone, I just wish it would last a LITTLE bit longer. I have lots of picutures for mine and Zach's visit back to St. Louis to be with my family over Christmas but those are yet to be sorted through... So here are a few things I am excited about at the moment!

...I got to shop at the Foundrie (an awesome pop-up shop at Chesterfield mall featuring indipendent artists and designers handmade goods) and found these amazing earings from Muggy Tuesday. Love them!

I was asked to be a part of their shop this year but didn't have time get get enough items ready for it, so next year I am totally in. And I got to talk with the super nice Shelah from Destroyed by Design who started the shop, she did a great job and I'm so impressed with her work. The shop closes on December 31st. So if you are in the area you must stop by!

...another after-Christmas gift. On the downside I ordered a few things off of etsy for my mom and my sister, but they didn't arrive before I left for St. Louis so I ended up buying/making a few last-minute things. On the upside, I now have a few new handmade items to add to my wardrobe! :) A gorgeous shirt from artlab

and another super comfy handmade shirt from replicca makes me a very happy lady!

....Also, as a gift to myself, I ordered this amazing hair clip from InkandButton

and it is just a gorgeous in person as it is in that photo. New Years Eve? I think so!

Marshmallows + Puppies = Merry Christmas!

2009-12-21T11:20:00.000-08:00

Towards the end of last week Zach had some fun in the kitchen and made homemade marshmallows and hot cocoa for us to give as gifts. I think he got his recipe from Alton Brown. Although, I can be too sure...

This is what the marshmallows looked like while they set over night in the pan. We tested out some toasted coconut toppings and red and green swirls.

From there we cut them up...

And them put them into little bags with the hotcocoa and some cute tags that I designed! ( I had to help somehow!)

These were passed out to our friends and family this weekend in Zach's hometown of Nevada, Mo. We are going to make a second batch to handout to my family in St. Louis this weekend.

Now just for fun are a few phots from this last weekend with Boston and Millie (Zach's Mom's dog: a pug-a-poo).

Pretty much sums up their friendship.

When we got home Boston got a haircut.

Such a handsome little fellow!

Hope you all are enjoying time spent with family this week! Remember the reason for the season, Merry Christmas!

Toast

2009-12-14T08:51:00.000-08:00

So Christmas is a little less than 2 weeks away and I have been a knitting fool! So many orders to fill, but I'm not complaining... business is a good thing!

On another subject, have you ever heard of the catologue TOAST? Oh my goodness. I want everything. And I want my house to be a small little cottage in the middle of nowhere that is decorated the same as the ones in the pictures. And then I can dress all cute in their outfits like I was picked right up out of the catalogue and dropped in my own little dream world. Some samples of their cuteness below. So casual and cute, I am in love.

This is my christmas dress (in my dreams) :). I don't really have the equivilant of 145 euros lying around although, it would be so perfect...

Some other cute outfits and home shots from their catalogue.

via

Christmas Packaging

2009-12-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

So Bumble and Bumble has done it again! Every year I absolutley love the ideas they come out with and the cute ways they package everything! Every year they try and sell some sort of hair accessory with their shampoo packages.

This year it was these awesome button headbands enclosed in an equally awesome box. You can watch the video on how to wear the headband here.

Last years were brightly colored rubber bands and bobby pins packaged quite neatly.

Nice job Bumble and Bumble.

via The Dieline

You need to see this movie!

2009-12-03T12:11:00.000-08:00

If you care at all about where your food comes from and the health of you and your loved ones, then you really need to see this movie. Trust me it's not graphic, it's just a good movie that gives you the facts. The movie features the author/food advocate Michael Pollan, you may have read my post way back when about some books he's written.

And then when your done, go eat Chipotle. You'll be glad you did.

Also, check out the Food, Inc. Website and sign the petition to help give students HEALTHY lunches!

Just a small cause to plug for the day! :)

Christmas for a Cure 2009

2009-12-01T08:56:00.001-08:00

Come out this Saturday and support a good cause!

Etsy Treasury!

2009-11-27T08:26:00.000-08:00

Woke up this morning with a very nice treasury feature! Happy black friday! Free shipping on GIFT TAGS Friday and Saturday only if you mention my blog when you check out (Refund on shipping will occur through PayPal)!

Have a great day!

CRAFT SWAP

2009-11-23T12:48:00.000-08:00

Ok, So this is only my second time doing this, but I am definitly going to be making it a tradition.

One of my favorite parts about the holidays is Free People's Craft Swap! Sign up here and you will be paired up with another creative person and you both send eachother gifts for the holiday season. Who knows if you get paired up with me you could get an awesome headband! :) The sign up ends this Friday, so hurry up and get your name in!

Happy Monday, or if you like me and off after Wednsday, then it's really a three day week, so happy Wednesday!

Headbands!!

2009-11-20T11:07:00.000-08:00

So, my new love right now are these awesome headbands I have been making for my etsy shop. They are perfect for the winter months, but are oh so cute and won't mess up your hair! I'm working on a few more colors and varieties, so keep your eye out for some new stuff in the shop. In the mean time, check out the new headbands and stationary added below!

If you are in the Kansas CIty area on Saturday...

2009-11-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

You should stop by the winter

Holiday Market

at the Holmeswood Baptist Church
9700 Holmes Kansas City, MO 64131

November 14 from
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Come and see my work in person!

Who made your bag?

2009-11-04T09:29:00.000-08:00

Introducing MEND - A new handbag line from Invisible Children handmade by Ugandan women who are trying to support their families and provide them with a better life. The website gives a brief video on each individual women who works for MEND. Who wouldn't want to support them?

Great job IC. I am continually impressed with the work you do in Uganda.

Want to learn more about Invisible children, check out their website. Zach and I have been TRI members for about a year now and have been involved in events they do to help stop the fighting in Uganda.

Yarn Face

2009-10-29T12:49:00.001-07:00

Via thedieline.com some hilarious wool yarn packaging from Ogilvy Frankfurt.

Love it.

Fall Weekend

2009-10-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we definitely celebrated all things fall.

We drove took a trip to St. Louis to visit my family and my brother who drove in from Arkansas. This is a typical photo of the two of us. See the family resemblance?

On saturday Zach and I watched my niece Gabrielle for the afternoon. We had SOO much fun playing in the leaves! Gabrielle could not wait to jump in!

She got some free stickers at Trader Joe's and we were all required to wear them on our noses.

We've both pretty much decided that our first child is almost guaranteed to look like my niece, I mean she already looks like our kid! :)

Sunday was filled with pumkin patches and apple picking. It started raining for a bit, but we didn't let that ruin our fun!

All in all, a great fall weekend!

New Items!

2009-10-21T06:35:00.000-07:00

I added a few new items to my Etsy last week! I hope you enjoy!

Also, in other news, I signed up for my first craft show/holiday market! I'm pretty excited to see how it goes. I'm also thinking about signing up for a month-long holiday market in St. Louis, called the Foundrie. It's a month-long shopping store/event and it's the first week they've decided to do this, so it may be sort of an experiment, but I have about a week to decide. Plus side, it's at Chesterfield Mall, which is like 5 min from my parents house, in a VERY wealthy area, downside: it cost's a hundred bucks...

What should I do?

I'll eat you up, I love you so...

2009-10-16T06:56:00.000-07:00

In honor of the premiere of Where The Wild Things Are

A few wild items from etsy and an awesome soundtrack from the
lead singer of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's.

Clockwise from top:

1. Where The Wild Things Are Tee Shirt Movie by teerare
2. Where The Wild Things Are Necklace by persimmonjewelry
3. Wild Things Wolf Pajamas Sizes Adult Sm - Lg by handpickednecklaces
4. Where The Wild Things Are movie poster - not for sale

"Inside all of us is a Wild Thing."

Another awesome video

2009-10-13T07:18:00.000-07:00

Our friend Drew, who did our wedding photos, has done another awesome video for a school project. So fun!

http://www.vimeo.com/7035151

Check out his photography at www.wooleryphoto.com.

It's fall and I really want to go...

2009-10-09T14:16:00.000-07:00

Apple Picking!

When we were younger we used to go

to a farm in eastern Illinois called Eckert's. I remember going there and picking apples, and sometimes pumpkins. And then we would go into the little shop and I would get a straw of honey and suck on it all afternoon.

OH man, I need to find a place on this side of Missouri that has the same atmosphere!

Rosatti's Pizza

2009-10-06T12:48:00.000-07:00

So in July, a group of us girls went to Chicago for a fun bachelorette weekend. One night we waited close to 3 hours for the famous Girodano's pizza. And it was totally worth the wait. I swear I have been craving it ever since.

Well, last night we discovered that Kansas City has a substitute for that amazing pizza. Rosati's. Absolutley delicious.

Chicago Deep Dish = Amazing in my mouth!

Try it, you will see!

Golden Delicious

2009-10-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

A beautiful set of items that represent the changing of seasons!
Check out the treasury I created on Etsy!

Hurry, it expires on Saturday!

Matt & Kim

2009-09-30T06:44:00.002-07:00

Awesome video, awesome band, awesome song.

Boston lost his manhood

2009-09-29T11:52:00.001-07:00

Our awesome little pup, Boston, was nuetered this weekend. About a month before he turned two. Why did we wait so long? Because in Kansas City it would have cost almost 3oo bucks. So we eventually decided that it needed to be done and made an appointment in Nevada, Mo. (Zach's hometown). It was about half the price and they took care of hime pretty well.

He has been so tired since his surgery. Sleeping all day and just sitting on the ground staring at us. I can almost hear him sometimes saying "Why did you do this to me?? I thought you loved me?!"

We do Boston, we do. Its for the benefit of us all.

I will leave you with his irresistable face.

Fall Etsy Shop!

2009-09-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

My etsy shop is back up and running! It had been down for a while as I was having fun for the summer and making quite a few scarves and other fun fall and winter projects!

I have had a lot of views, but not purchases yet! Hopefully soon...

photo shoot

2009-09-12T13:04:00.000-07:00

Sample photo from our shoot with our friend Drew, who also did our wedding photos. We haven't seen the rest yet, but if they are as good as this, we won't be dissapointed!

www.wooleryphoto.com

infinite possibilities

2009-07-29T10:57:00.000-07:00

This part of your life can be so confusing. Where to go, what to do. What is important to us right now. What is our focus in life. So many options. It can be so overwhelming and I just want something to happen to tell us: this is where you need be and this is what you need to do.

Zach continues to apply at different jobs here and in St. Louis. No word yet on any of them. Several interviews, several times calling back to check on the interviews, several times they haven't said a word.

I feel like this is the point where it is obvious to us that we have been going about this the wrong way. Back in April and May, we should have been praying and talking to God about where we should go and what we should be doing and seeking him in all of our options. But that hasn't been as consistent as it should have been. It's only now that we are starting to realize this. So we look to him and hope that wherever we go and whatever we do, we praise God and love people and seek his wisdom first.

summer=vacation=new swimsuit

2009-06-02T10:54:00.000-07:00

a less important topic.

i ordered a new swimsuit for my family vacation in july. summer is officially here!

www.delias.com

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

2009-05-27T10:21:00.000-07:00

Zach and I have become very interested lately in where our food comes from and how that affects what we eat. We haven't given up on chain restaurants or grocery stores at all yet, but our goal would probably to be there eventually. There is a newer book by Michael Pollan called "In Defense of Food - An Eaters Manifesto" and to tell you the truth, I haven't read it yet, nor I have I read his older book "The Omnivores Dilemma", but I have listened to quite a few podcasts, as well as a talk he gave in Kansas City last week and my way of thinking about food is beginning to change.

Food, such a weird thing. A necesity to survive, yet it can be a catylist to your health? Why is it so hard to eat well? And not just well by the standards of normal Americans, with diet foods, prepackaged lunches, sugerfree alternatives, but well as in REAL food. Food that grow from the ground. Food that grows from the ground without using chemicals to enhance growing rate and size. Whole wheat breads made from scratch without sugar. Meat from animals that are grass feed, and not corn fed then pumped with antibiotics which emit ghg's (green house gases). Why has our society embraced the selling of all of the crap that is on store shelves? There is no research for this, but how much do you want to bet that half of the crap on the shelves in the supermarkets end up in the trash? I would guess at least half.

Eating natural, WHOLE foods, has to be a better way to live. Eating meat that is from only grass fed animals has to be a better way to live. Composting your leftovers and eating foods that are compostable, has to be a better way to live. Reusing and recycling your containers has to be a better way to live. All of this is better for our world and our lives. This is just a small part of life, but a huge part at the same time. God has called us to live better lives, and our food effects our eath and our bodies! That is huge! This is just the beginning of what I want to learn/how Zach and I are learning about this, etc. More in the future....

If your interested heres the book/author:

http://www.michaelpollan.com/

Oh you know...

2009-04-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

just a few shots from our new CAMERA!

Boston being cute. I have learned that when you don't have kids but you have a dog, your dog becomes your kid. And this is evident in the amount of photos we have of Boston.

Zach being himself while I play with the awesome flash we also got.

This is the final product of the wedding invite I did for my friends. What do you think?

you say it's your birthday....

2009-04-09T06:28:00.000-07:00

It's my birthday too!

I can't think of a better way to start my day than with my two favorite things: Starbucks and Chick fil a!

***Coffee not actual size. Sandwich is actual size.

What a great day it will be! :)

invisible children

2009-03-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

THE RESCUE - APRIL 25, 2009 - KANSAS CITY, MO
Help rescue the child soldiers of the LRA.
More info.

Spring Weekend

2009-03-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

We had a very productive weekend! Zach did a lot of work but I definitely helped out as well. We spent almost 2 whole days out in our yard. Zach put together a compost in a corner of our yard and went through and cleared a ton of brush. I re-potted my tomatoes, green peppers, and basil into longer taller pots so that they can start bearing fruit. We also went through and cleaned out a bunch of leaves on the side of our house where some daffodils or some sort of flower have started to pop up. It felt great to just be outside of the house working on things. I also spent Saturday and Sunday evening working on our friends' save the date, invite and rsvp. (See below.) What a good weekend!

Save the Date

2009-03-22T18:39:00.001-07:00

A save the date I designed for my Friends' Wedding in June! Lovely.

Weekend in St. Louis

2009-03-16T09:52:00.000-07:00

Zach and I took a weekend trip to St. Louis to visit my fam. I REALLY needed it. I definately came back revived and ready to face the next 2 months. I have been making this trip for last 6 years, and it seems like over the last year it has been harder and harder to leave my family and come back to KC. But it is something that has helped me grow into a stronger person.

Thats all for now. There may be pics soon. Zach and Gabrielle were like 2 peas in a pod this weekend, it was precious, so I need to get those pics up soon.

It's Monday, but Friday will be here before we know it.

high five escalator

2009-02-27T19:18:00.000-08:00

I first heard of Improv Everywhere through "This American Life", a show on NPR ... yes I listen to NPR ... almost everyday, it makes work go by faster. They did a story on them and some of the skits that they do to make everyday life a little bit more interesting. This is a recent one that makes me laugh, because I know if I took a subway everyday and saw this, it would have made my day a little bit better. Check out the video.

crazy sexy wool

2009-02-26T17:58:00.000-08:00

I am in love with this yarn store that opened in New York City ... I wish it was here in the midwest and that I could afford to shop there. It is the perfect type of yarn for what I knit.

So great...look at how chunky that yarn is! I love it!

missed an important date!

2009-02-22T18:43:00.000-08:00

I forgot to add that we celebrated our 1 year anniversary as a married couple! We have now been together for 5 years! It's amazing how time flies. I was recently asked if I still love Zach as much as I did when we first got married. My response? "I think I love him more."

3 month wrap up

2009-02-22T18:25:00.000-08:00

This is the problem with blogs. I start them but have a hard time being consistent with them. Christmas was great. Zach and I got to spend the day with my family in St. Louis. It was such a great long week off for both of us to enjoy each side of our family. January and February flew by just as fast as usual. I have been knitting like crazy. I feel like in my evenings, it's the only thing I enjoy doing because I can relax at the same time. I have even sold one of my favorite scarves on etsy. I really hope she enjoyed it, she sent me a very nice note about how great the photos made it look!

I really need to catch up on my freelance work for the salon materials I am working on. I am very far behind. Each day seems to come and go and by the time I would actually start working on stuff, the evening/weekend is almost over (hence tonight). Zach is gone for a week. Which makes me really sad. I already miss him and is only been like 20 hrs. or something.... I truely hope I can take advantage of the time that I have this week and that my mind is not always on missing him.
On another note. He finishes grad school in 2 months!! We can't wait. Below are some tulips my love gave me for valentines day. Aren't they beautiful? I love happy tulips!

featured!

2008-11-23T14:29:00.000-08:00

I had my first item featured on the twitter of MyMom'sbasement.

It was for their handmade holiday hotlist! Very exciting.

Check out their etsy shop here. Lots of fun handmade jewelry and prints. It feels great to be connecting with the handmade community.

Out on a limb.

2008-11-21T21:33:00.000-08:00

I have officially opened my first etsy store. cristinrae.etsy.com! I am very excited to see where this will go. I am starting with some small creations and hopefully I will find my nitch in the handmade world eventually!

I also have decided to sign up for Free People's Winter Craft Shop! I am excited to create a gift for someone else, who I don't even know, just to make them smile.... This will be neat! What a great way to get my feet wet in the crafting world. woo-hoo, I am excited!

New Season New Home

2008-09-29T08:51:00.001-07:00

So, Zach and I have finally moved into our first home! :) Well not technically ours...we rent, but it's still great!

I will add some photos soon. But right now we are still in unpacking mode.

Let me tell you, we have a LOT of stuff! It doesn't help that I am an artist and have way too many supplies and then on top of that have a ton of my work from college and then all of our books. We have soo many books.

This is a great test for the future. Our future bought home, we will need at least 3 bedrooms! One that can be solely dedicated to my art and books.

Also we need much more closet space - 2 total closets (no coat closet, and no linen closet) is not enough.

But we are learning and it is so great that the inside is almost all brand new. The whole house was gutted and redone with new drywall, cabinets, bathroom fixtures, everything. It is great. And our little Boston has a fenced backyard, and we have a great big deck to entertain...all we need are some chairs. Above everything else, I have a 5 minute commute to work. Literally. This is a great change from the varying times of 30 mins. to 1 hr and 30 mins. that it took me in the past.

All in all, home sweet home.

six months and counting

2008-07-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

6 months down, 60 years to go! we have enjoyed our lives together so far and can't wait for what is to come. i am hoping that this can become a way to share what is going on in our lives and also sort of a creative side project for myself.

we are beginning to reveal the simple joys of life, discovering how we should be caring for God's earth and learning how to create a heaven on earth for others.

this may sound cheesy, but some of that comes in the creative minds and designs of others. little things like a small clay flower pot, an abstract painting, or a simple idea of how to recycle something creates inspiration and helps make life a little more enjoyable. what else can make those things better? experiencing these things with others...

living greenlee

One Last Birthday Post

New Town

Zach and Cristin's Day-of-Fun

The Perfect Necklace - Spring/Summer 2011

Headbands Galore - Spring/Summer 2011

Spring Garden Box

Scarves and Wraps - Spring/Summer 2011

Off to Australia!

Love Day Crafting

Sweet Sweet Love

Buddy Weekend

Here We Go Again - December 2010

Dreamy

Renegade Craft-Holiday 2010 Recap

Here We Go Again - October/November

A little update

Nov. 6, 10am-3pm: Chesterfield Elementary Holiday Boutique in Chesterfield, Mo. (info here.)

Nov. 7, 11am-4pm: Hawken House Christmas Market in Webster Groves, Mo. (info here.)Nov. 14, 10am-4pm: STL Boutique Moms Fall Show at The Columns in St. Charles, Mo. (info here.) And my favorite show in STL:

Nov. 26-28: Rock n Roll Craft Show at Third Degree Glass Factory in St. Louis, Mo.

Apples and Pumpkins

Better Late than Never!

A New Look and Shope Update!

Scenes from Seaside

BIG news!

A Bill Has Been Signed.

Introducing...

Bonfire

(M)orning

Birthday Weekend!

Fisheye

Woolery Invite

Where did the time go?

Slackline

Family Visits KC!

Green Day

Busy Busy Busy

Friday, finally!!

So many giveaways, so little time!

Rainbow Cake and Some Photo Booth Shots

Weekend recap.

Fill in the blank Friday and Friday Fav!

Freakin hilarious

Shop Update!

Friday Fav

living greenlee tip #2

Friday Fav

The SLR Sloop

Our Tuesday Nights...

living greenlee tip #1

Friday Fav!

Job searching continues...

Oxfords? Yes, please!

I love him.

Friday Favs!

GiGi Knitting Clutch by persnickityknits

Black Tie Moccasin by darlingtonia

Love is like a mustard seed - Earrings by Faeriedtreasures

Marie Linen Mini Dress by tortillagirl

A BIG thank you.

Haiti Relief Fund

Please pray for Haiti

Beat the January Blues

So sad... but so EXCITED!

Even more, as promised!

New year shop update

Merry Christmas to me! A few gifts to myself this holiday...

Marshmallows + Puppies = Merry Christmas!

Toast

Christmas Packaging

You need to see this movie!

Christmas for a Cure 2009

Etsy Treasury!

CRAFT SWAP

Headbands!!

If you are in the Kansas CIty area on Saturday...

Who made your bag?

Yarn Face

Fall Weekend

New Items!

Nov. 7, 11am-4pm: Hawken House Christmas Market in Webster Groves, Mo. (info here.)
Nov. 14, 10am-4pm: STL Boutique Moms Fall Show at The Columns in St. Charles, Mo. (info here.)
And my favorite show in STL: