new year, new resolutions

Happy New Year's Eve!

Typically, I am not one to make resolutions on new year's eve, but this year, I think I'll make an exception.  Overall, 2009 was a pretty crappy year for me, so I think I might change things up a bit and try to commit to a few 'life changing' goals.  I am hopeful that 2010 will be a good year. So here it is,

My List of Resolutions/Accomplishments for 2010:

1.  get an awesome new regularly paying architecture or design job that doesn't require a uniform, taking drink orders, or bleaching toilets

2.  travel to Peru and hike Machu Picchu (dependant on resolution #1)

machu picchu...who wouldn't want to see this?

3.  start running again to lose the weight of all of those Christmas cookies I ate and possibly sign up for another marathon...Susanna, NYC?

4.  move back to the east coast...maybe to Maine, or somewhere else that is cheaper than Chicago, closer to family, and has lobster boats.

yup, i could live here

5.  continue to list more items on my Etsy website and potentially make more sales (maybe that will satisfy resolution no.1 also).

I think that should do it for now.  I don't want to get carried away with a long 'to-do' list for 2010.  I'm feeling pretty good about these goals.  I think that at least 2 or 3 can be accomplished by December 31, 2010.  As for the last resolution, I am already a step ahead.  I created a bunch of new designs over the holidays and have started to update my listings on Etsy.  Take a look!  Here is a peak at what you'll find.

I will wait to upload the rest after midnight so I can at least cross that off of my resolutions list...or do I have to keep going throughout the entire year?  Oh, this is exhausting already...

Have a happy New Year, and thanks for reading!

christmas shopping...done!

What a great feeling to be finished with Christmas shopping!  I absolutely hate hate hate going out during the holiday season.  Most of my shopping is done right here, at my computer, with a big ol' glass of wine.  No traffic, no annoying shoppers, and no horrible Christmas music playing the same songs over and over again.  Awesome!

My husband however, is a last minute shopper.  It is easy for him to buy gifts for his dad and brother online because they are usually things that he'd been scoping out for himself also.  He is forced to buy the online gifts early since they require time for delivery by the 25th (unless, as he told me this morning, you have Amazon's Super Saver Shipping which can deliver in 2 days).  However, every year without fail, he struggles with buying any female family member's presents and typically ends up buying these things last minute on Christmas Eve.  Since I have known him, I make every attempt to help him with this problem, but I think at this point, it is a tradition that may not be broken.  So, for my husband (if he reads this) and other last minute shoppers, here are some ideas for your lady friend, wife (psst...Jon), sister, mother, etc.

Ideas for the creative person:

• Sketchbook:

personally, I prefer a smaller sketchbook (8-1/2"x 11" or smaller) so it fits in my pocket or bag.  You can find them at any art supply store.  $8+

or make your own by recycling a classic novel, favorite children's book, or cookbook into a sketchbook. You could also just buy one of these vintage books that someone else has already recycled.  $20

• Portfolio Case:

An alternative to making your own or buying the typical zipper black portfolio case, these are kinda cool (especially for the artist/architect who is looking for work right now).  $27

• Painting Supplies:

If you know a painter, they probably already own brushes and paints, but you always run out of paint.  You could get a giftcard or just buy a set of paints.  Generally, you always want to have blue, red, yellow, white, and black.  Most starter kits will include these if you are skeptical about which color blue/red/yellow to buy.  $35

For the chef (or food lover):

• Cookbooks:

On my sister's wishlist this year is Jamie Oliver's new book called, 'jamie's dinners'.  It's a good book for the cook who likes cooking with fresh, healthy foods, but doesn't enjoy spending hours in the kitchen to enjoy it.  $35

• Apron:

In the winter, your hands are dry enough.  You don't want to make them worse by having to keep washing them while cooking, so why not ask for an apron to wipe those flour covered hands on? $18

• Gadgets:

Who wouldn't want an Ice Cream maker? Well, maybe a lot of people, but if you know someone into making things in the kitchen, this is easy to use (or so I've heard).  It's on my own list of things to get for the kitchen!  $46

Other gadgets are also fun to use:  immersion blender, mandoline slicer, pasta maker, etc.

For the gardener type:

• Planters/Pots

Since winter is here (if you live in a colder climate with snow and what not) you can't plant much outside these days. These little concrete planters are cute for growing herbs or other small plants in your window sill.

Other cool things I've seen around/found on Etsy:

Pendants (and other cool ceramics) by Circa Ceramics

Unique, Handmade jewelry, like this stained glass necklace by Color Shoppe Studio at Etsy. 

Screenprinted wallets, messenger bags, etc.  Like this one by joom.

I could go on forever with this list, but I have to stop or I'll end up buying stuff for myself.  If you are looking for something affordable and unique chances are good that you can find it online, through sales in stores (if you have the guts to go), or through awesome websites like Etsy.  If you find out what your friends and family's hobbies are (if you don't know them already), you should be able to do a little research and find them a gift you know they will enjoy. Now I just have to work on helping out my husband with his purchases.  Have a great holiday!

Thanks for reading!

puppies OR babies?

Have you ever played the game…crap. I don’t know what it is called, but you choose one thing over another. It’s usually played while drinking, so maybe that is why I can’t seem to remember the name of it. For example, you say “sweet or salty” and then go around discussing the benefits of your choice. Of course, with drinking involved the choices are a bit more raunchy than that, but I am going to keep it classy for my blog. I pose the question, “puppies or babies”. Discuss…


Or I will.

I just turned a big age where you are supposed to be all grown up and people start asking about babies coming and what not. However, I have no job. We rent our apartment. Yes, I am married, but that was a big step and took a while. So, I ask, why would I feel ready to have a baby? I am not. My husband is hoping he is sterile…or at least that is what he claims. I do want to have kids some day, but how do you know if you are ready? I don’t. On the other hand, we decided last January that we were ready for a puppy. He might be the cutest thing ever.

Sometimes I wonder if anything could be cuter…then I think of babies (friend’s and family’s babies in particular). The only problem is that they start to talk, grow, get into trouble.  More than likely my husband and I will produce offspring with all of our worst traits.  They will have horrible teeth, bad eyesight, poor posture, and be allergic to everything….oh and probably not be the sharpest tool in the shed.  We'd be solely responsible for bringing those genes into the world.  Well, us and the rest of our family lineage. However, with puppies, their bad behavior and misfortunes can be blamed on their breed, previous owner, or inbreeding (purebreds). I wouldn't have to take the blame for it. Also, I can give them back (puppies that is, babies, not so much).  So right now, I pick puppies. Long term, I probably would pick babies. After all, puppies can’t mow the lawn, do the dishes, or take care of you when you get old. Right? Right.

What do you chose? Let me know if I am being irrational.

Also, I promised something creative last post. In fitting with this post (sort of), I recently designed a baby announcement for my cousin’s adorable little daughter a couple of weeks ago that I can post. It is sort of related…except if I knew our baby could be this cute, I might have to change my answer.

Thanks for reading!

most annoying...

Ok, so I realize I haven't been writing for a really long time.  Almost 3 weeks...so much for joining the blogging world.  In my defense, I started this whole thing to stay busy while on a working hiatus, but lately I have been busy with other things.  I have been diligently studying for my Architecture Registration Exams (also known as 'the dreaded ARE' - there are 7 total exams), making holiday cards, eating turkey and pumpkin pie (while trying to quietly pass over the fact that another birthday-a big one-has passed), winning Iron Chef (the Chicago version), revising my portfolio yet again in hopes that something will work out on the east coast, and oh yeah, now Christmas is coming.

While I have been creating enough to blog about, it's going to have to wait...I have to share about this blog I discovered the other night called "My Husband Is Annoying."  I didn't know it existed, but maybe others do because she said that she was on Good Morning America at some point. Anyway, I discovered it one night after my husband was being particularly annoying and it made me laugh.  I read one blog entry about her husband's to-do lists.  Instead of relating to her, I related to her 'annoying' husband.  She laughs at the fact that he makes a to-do list every night before going to bed for things to do the next day.  His lists are approximately 20-30 items long and are impossible to tackle in one day.  I do the same thing.  I make to-do lists quite frequently in my sketchbook (probably about 1/3 to 1/2 of the pages are lists for various things).  Instead of to-do lists, they become lists of every thing I need to do...ever. They are typically quite long and impossible to complete in one day, so I keep transferring the uncompleted items to new lists.  I have tried making weekly to-do lists instead of daily tasks, but the list just gets longer.  I might have to take the advice of keeping it simple:

1. get up

2. do ONE productive thing (maybe 2)

3. go to bed

Thanks for reading!