it's Monday people!!!

This is on my birthday list. a dalek cake. oh my! it even moves. be still my heart.

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And speaking of my birthday, I have debated long and hard about what I want to do to celebrate my birthday. Have a party? Have a couple of parties? Karaoke? Rent a hall? The whole nine yards? Or just go away.

I have decided to go away...to Portland!!

I am so excited! Russ, Lucas and I in Oregon...woo hoo!

And I knew giving the idea to "the Planner" was my best plan. Russ has checked for flights and rental cars, and what's the cheapest way to get there, and all that other stuff. He really wants to see Seattle, so he figured out it's more expensive just to fly to Portland than to fly to Seattle, rent a car there, tour the city for a bit, and then drive to Portland! So I get my trip to Portland plus a road trip! Yippee!!!

And since I like to plan all my vacations around food, I have already found 6+ Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives locations in Portland for us to try. Plus some other fun diners and coffee shops and a great farmers market. Also, I've read that you can take kids (and dogs) into pubs there!?!?

And we're staying in the Ace Hotel.

And it's going to be awesome!

Thirty here I come!!!

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The office saga continues. Today there is no furniture in my office, but there is a painter. Today I can't sit at my desk because it is pushed up against a wall in the hallway. Today I had to look in two different rooms to find something to work on, and even then, I don't have everything I need so I am wondering why I'm even here today.

Dianne isn't coming in. She's the smart one.

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I did some more sewing yesterday. I bought "dim-out" fabric to add to the curtains in Lucas' room. It is a giant pain in the butt to sew, but I completed most of one panel. And I am very proud of myself...so I have moved onto the pillows in the LR...it's about darn time!

And then I see this fabric on Etsy and think, my house should have a boat theme (oh gosh, it so shouldn't!!!)

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Anthropologie used to have a dress in a similar fabric (in navy) that I was in love with. Choreographer Mandy Moore wore it in an episode of SYTYCD. It was just as perfect as the picture.

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My class went so well on Saturday...it was like a play date with three lovely ladies!!

I didn't take any photos, but Electra did. I just checked her blog, and no photos yet, but I'll keep you posted.

I love how in these types of classes everyone's end product is so different from each others and from the demo. It makes me happy to see people just create, and play and have fun...no boundaries, no rules, no measuring!!

And I made another book, and my transfer technique finally worked...well, sort of. It worked better than it ever has before!

I need more paint play dates in my life...any takers?

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I am just beginning to realize that I have only a short time left to complete my 30 Before 30 List. I'm not worried about getting everything done-done, but it would be nice to have made a good dent. Heck, I don't even have 30 goals listed in there for gosh sakes!

any suggestions?

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don't you just love wooden things?

i sure do.

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but speaking of wooden things, I am going the way of Nadine via Whiteberry Reinvented and painting my bedroom furniture white. yay! instead of finding new pieces (annoying, pricey, have to convince Russel), I am going to repurpose the old ugly ones.

I'm hoping to use Mom's garage for most of the work, so I don't have to worry about things getting dusty and dirty in the yard. It's more moving of things than I would like, but I'm hoping it will be easier in the long run.

And if you have never checked out Lee Valley...do yourself a favour and browse through their hardware catalogue. Oh. My. Goodness. How do you even pick a favourite? I like page 52 letter G, page 48 letters O through U,  page 46 all of it, and page 10 with the key holes.

Decisions, decisions...

We were at Home Depot yesterday, ordering new blinds for Lucas' room, and so I wandered through all the fun aisles while Russ was doing the boring stuff. I found some fabulous wall paper that had a sea foam base with shiny silver damask-type print on it. Wow!

And I have begun to fall in love with laminate floor again. But I keep changing my mind on what I would like, so I just can't decide. Plus, I like to procrastinate the actual doing of work...I am more of an "ideas girl" so even if we bought flooring next week, it might not get done until 2012!! HA! Hence the installation option...duh Lisa.

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Have I mentioned that I am in love with mushrooms lately? No, not the hallucinogenic kind...c'mon people.

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I think I need to find a Mushrooms of Alberta book. They are just so proliferous this year, and so many more varieties than I have ever seen before. I love me a fun-guy!! HA!

All this talk of mushrooms reminds me of my Bio 107 Lab TA. He was into mushrooms. And he was quite a character.

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And for one last bit of inspiration before I clock out for the day (it's not even noon yet and I have officially given up)

Cartwheels in my Mind

scrapbooking, inspiration, crafts, life

i love blogs like this

plus, it's pretty!

later skater alligator