thegoodlife

dust bunnies

 
(image via Google)

Today I have decided to finally clear out the dust bunnies from my blog- it will most likely be in total upheavel until I am finished, so if you are reading this and wondering why my blog looks like such a hot mess- now you know.

Good things are on the way friends. Motivation is a wonderful thing.

Hope the sun is shining in your neck of the woods...here's a little quote to contemplate today:

"The responsibility for both present and future is in our own hands. If we live right today, then tomorrow has to be right."

-- Eknath Easwaran

Wish me luck on fixing the blog, I will (hopefully) be back soon!

***MEGA hoop.dee.do SALE***

 

Hey Peeps!!

I wanted to quickly let you know that I am having a MEGA HUGE Mother's Day SALE on my hoop.dee.do bulletin boards- 9", 12" and 14" boards currently listed in my Etsy shop are marked down 25% OFF!!!   What a deal!! :)

If you have a Mom, know a Mom or you are a Mom, now's the time to grab a few for yourself and a few for a gift! After this sale, prices will change slightly from the original regular price as we update the shop to bring you more fabric options and easier ordering- so grab 'em while they're hot, because when they're gone, they are gone!!

XOXO
Pebbles

PS: Speaking of Moms- DUDE!! Send some big hugs, loves and congrats to Laura and Ken and Charmer- they are now the proud parents of a beautiful bouncing baby boy: Charlie!
LOVE YOU BUDDY!!
(pics on Laura's mom's blog)

Gone Fishin'

 

 

Well, after Drake's now notorious garbage adventure, we were ready for our little getaway. John has a client with a house on the canal that he has painted for him in various stages- so now we're back out on the beach finishing up a few additions and enjoying the random visit from Mr. Sunshine over the weekend. We are both a bit sun burnt, and Drake cut his foot on an oyster shell, but aside from that, things are peachy and we are enjoying the break from the regular routine.

I will be back soon with some crafty shares- I brought some goodies and thankfully the bug is biting, so I am managing to get at least a project or two done. I am feeling good about that (small steps) and yet frustrated at the same time. I still don't know what I should be doing. When I was a GG, that's all I did- it defined me creatively. Now that I am on my own, I am having a hard time finding my creative purpose.

I really miss those days when I always had something going on, something to offer besides my random blatherings. I feel like I am letting you down by not offering more- more posts, more projects, more kits, classes and shares, etc...   

Thanks for sticking by me through the boring times, blog friends.

I hope that over the next few days, I can soak up enough beautiful ocean views to calm my frustration long enough to develop some kind of idea of what to do next.

Until then, please keep your fingers crossed Drake doesn't eat any dead jellyfish or rotting crab off the beach. The olfactory assault from the garbage feast was enough for us for a while.

doggies

That is such a heartwarming story!! I had to post it...Elephants and Dogs! My favorite!!

What is not so heartwarming is this:

 

Drake locked himself in our garage today while we were out for about 6 hours running errands, and he proceeded to not only eat the garbage, but also about 12 Fiber One bars, Fiber One muffin mix, pasta-roni shells and cheese powder, some bread and some curry spice out of a ziplock bag...he also popped open a few bottles of water to wash it down. 

Before today, I didn't know John could use the F-word so many times in one sentence.

;P

KI Memories goes Digital + Etsy stuff + Garage Sale

 

Holla!

I am dying of excitement. KI Memories has just released a bunch of their best selling products as Digital Kits, including some from Love,Elsie! I remember a few years ago...when I was super heavy into Digital Scrapbooking... DREAMING about using KI Memories papers and embellishments on my pages...I even scanned one of their papers in to my computer one time to put on a layout I made....So this is super exciting news!! I have had a chance to play with the kits and am really inspired by what the other girls on the team have done! And...let's be honest here...the idea that I can all of a sudden print out KI papers on my Wide Format Printer...ooooooooh baby!!! This is the shot of creative crack I needed!!

You can get your hands on these awesome designs at KI Memories.com

and if that wasn't enough of a great way to end the week...

The hoop.dee.do was on the front page of Etsy this morning!! YAY!!

 

Now this means I get to add a fun little badge to my blog:) Wahoo!!

This is awesome, but last week was even awesomer, because we were featured in a Etsy Finds email and article treasury for Ladies and Gentleman, a local Etsy seller who has the cutest vintage stuff... and since that went out on a mailing list, we were fortunate to end up meeting a lot of new customers and fans of our hoop.dee.do boards! Etsy is really such a great thing, I can't express enough how delighted I am to live in a time where selling my little handmade items has become an experience that connects me with people I would never have had the chance to talk to otherwise. Just like this blog. Technology is the bomb.

So, I guess I am not so grumpy anymore. Good news for that :D

I guess I just get overwhelmed quite often, sometimes my head is so full of images, ideas, goals, projects, you name it, I feel like I am going to explode. I can't always find the best way to move forward... to turn all the static into something tangible... this is one of the greatest challenges I face as a person. I know I have burned a lot of bridges in the past because my ability to deliver doesn't always match my desire. I want to do so many things, and I think I can handle it...but sometimes I can't...and I am not good at admitting I have bitten off more than I can chew.

Lately though, I have been more aware of my limitations. Remember when I was talking about making my calendar to schedule activities on certain days?... That was when I realized I had more things I wanted to do than time to do them. I haven't used my system much, but I am thinking about reviewing it again to try to gain more focus. This is a typical ADD trait too...juggling too many balls in the air, and then having serious issues getting started on things. Lists are my best friend and worst enemy. I have to write things down so I get them done, but I get really mad at myself when I don't have a checklist next to everything. I need to get my prioritization in check too...sometimes I think everything is as important as everything else. Everything I need to do can't compete for first place, right? No wonder I feel like I am losing it sometimes!!

Ah, a blog ramble! Good times :D I miss these!!

GARAGE SALE: COMING SOON:
Before I forget, (if you are still reading this): I am planning to have another garage sale as soon as the weather starts to hold steady...as in less chance of rain. We rented a storage unit for a couple of months, so we can start really purging and sorting, so I will have not just a ton of crafty stuff like last time, but also a ton of the vintagey collectible stuff I have been hoarding...I will let you know as soon as we nail down a time frame, I know some of you wanted to come from out of town, and there wasn't enough notice last time...this time there will be. And we promise to have better snacks too:) 

Well, I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend planned. I don't know exactly what we're doing aside from gutting the garage and cleaning, but hopefully we can squeeze in some fun and some creativity...

Till next time! 
 

KI + self pity

Hey friends...

I know, can you believe I am actually blogging? It's like an April Fools joke or something.

I came out of hiding to tell you I am hosting the blog challenge over on the KI Memories Blog this week and our topic is "Scrap a Noise or Conversation..." as you can see from this page I made about Drake and his incessant barking issue. He is an earsplitter, that one.

Anyway, I would be super tickled if you wanted to come on over and join in!

I am so glad I took these pictures of John and Drake, because otherwise, I really don't know what the heck I would've scrapbooked. I am having a bit of a challenge lately with my creativity. It has died a slow and painful death. Life is poopy, lots of changes and stuff I am not used to, and it's sucked the life out of me. I am not feeling very "cheery" lately...and honestly...unless you like being a tortured artist, it's hard to be creative when you feel like a big pile of crap.

Ok, maybe it's not THAT bad, I'm just in a "transitional" place in my life right now, and it's full of ups and downs, annnnd...I'm on a diet (day 7...whee) so I can't eat my feelings anymore.

:D

So, that's why I am MIA. I am just grumpy these days, and no one likes a grumpy blogger. Unless that grumpy blogger has an entertaining life, which I do not. Unless you want to know my take on VH1 reality shows or how dirty my kitchen is...if you find that entertaining, then heck, I might have something to talk about!

I promise, as soon as I can pull my head out of my ass, I will get back to being a better blogger.

Until then, come make a page with me at KI.

Winners + Spinners

Thank you to everyone for the Birthday Wishes and for entering the hoop.dee.do contest!! I picked a winner... Check out the bottom of this post to find out who won! I loved reading all of the comments, you guys can butter me up anytime!! :)

It bums me out that I can't send a free board to everyone who entered, but here is a free idea instead...I did not invent this idea, I think that I saw this in a magazine or on another blog, maybe Elizabeth Dillow? I apologize if that isn't the right person...if you know who/where/how...let me know...

Anywhosy... The idea is to turn paper towel holders into embellishment spinners using binder rings and plastic page protectors (the 3 ring binder ones)...I made these a couple of months ago during one of my many frustrating days of having too much stuff to weed through and looking for a simple way to put things in front of my face, without it always being in front of my face.

 

This one here, weighs a freakin' ton. I recommend, when making one, not to put as many page protectors as you think you can on one holder. I think maybe 25 is the limit, otherwise when you try and stuff all those things full, it ends up being so heavy, it doesn't "spin" or lift off the table.

Here's another shot...it's kinda hard to see how it's all assembled due to all the stuff...

 

If you are like me, and you have a lot of embellishments that you buy and hoard and never use because you don't know you have them, I really think you should make one of these, or get a Clip-it-Up...it makes a huge difference for me in being able to find somewhat "unique" supplies in my stash.

and then of course, you could always pin your *new* embellishment packages to a hoop.dee.do...and all would be right in the world:) hehehe!

Okay, I am going to finish my tea, shower and hit the sack...busy week...I'm 32 now...lots of "responsibilities"....

31, not so much...32, definitely:)

((((hugs))))

Scrapbooking + Love Labels for Sale

Well, it's been a busy week around here at Le Chateau Pebbles... on Sunday, John and I headed out for a few days of rest and relaxation out at the beach...the weather was sunny...and freezing cold and snowing...from inside the house it looked just like a warm summer day...until you stepped outside. Brr.

We had a little birthday dinner with my parents, drank some wine and ate half a cake, and then we just worked on some projects around the house and soaked in the peaceful atmosphere. It wasn't long enough of a trip, even though we extended it for one additional night, I think we were both sad to leave without going for another winter paddle.

Then we were home and for the past two days have been playing cram and catch up to get ready for today- My Birthday!!! Weeeeeee.... :)

Tonight we are having a few of our friends over for some drinks and snacks and laughs. So, naturally I had to reorganize the house, clean things up a bit. John painted our bathroom gray- twice. It's still a little too blue, but it'll do for now. I am working on finishing up a small to-do list and then will start figuring out if I am going to make crock-pot meatballs or weenies. :)

As I think I may have mentioned in an earlier post...I did some scrapbooking over the past few weeks...after I got my hands on some of the new Cosmo Cricket papers!! So cute...love, love, love... Anyway, fitting to my birthday, I made a page all about my gray hair: 

   

(I sewed some loose strands of gray thread on this page to drive home the point.)

and after that little bit of catharsis, I made this page about working with John:

 

(in actuality, I am more like his new boss...but pretend I didn't tell you that, k?)

and then I made this ooey gooey page of babiliciousness about Baby G:

 

SUPER FUN!! I love Scrapbooking!

Also, I finally spent a few days at the canal working on uploading the Love Labels for you, so if you missed out on them in February, you can buy them here now. 

   

It's always a working goal to make and sell more digital stuff, but then that thing called "time management" comes into play, and that's why you only see, like, one thing from me in 6 months. I do have ideas, I want to make them happen, so I spent some time yesterday making a chart for the week- to designate which days I do what...like "Monday & Tuesday- work on Madrona Paintworks files and marketing...Thursday- make and post hoop.dee.do's...etc."  Also included in my plan is to try to set aside one day for blogging for the whole week...let's see how I do with that!! hahaha!!!

I am anything if not honest.

So, I hope you have a wonderful weekend, I will see you here again shortly...hopefully not too hungover and tired from my wild night of celebration. I am pretty sure I might have a Dorito hangover...John just brought home "Hot Wing and Blue Cheese" combo flavor Doritos...and DAMN!! They are gooooooooood...

(Don't Forget about the big 100th hoop.dee.do giveaway!! The drawing is open until Monday night...good luck!)

Cheers!

100th hoop.dee.do GIVEAWAY!!

In honor of my 32nd Birthday and in celebration of my 100th hoop.dee.do sale, I decided today was as good as any day to finally giveaway a nice big 14" hoop.dee.do to one of my fabulous blog readers!

You will get to pick the fabric you want on your board from the stock we have available: you can check out some of the options in our Etsy shop (current and sold items). If you leave your name and email address in the comments, I will draw a winner on Monday night! (please: US/Canada residents only for the drawing).

Sound good?
Good luck everyone!!!

ETA: Late Monday Night...

AND THE WINNER IS..........................................

 

The 77th comment on this post was from:

Debbi: woo hoo, happy birthday girl!  I love your blog but this year I missed that you didn't do the last 29 of 29, (was that it?) forgive me but I forgot your age!  You don't look a day over 20, thanks for sharing all the fun stuff you do with us on your blog!

CONGRATULATIONS DEBBI!!... the check is in the mail for the comment about me not looking a day over 20. ;) and I am glad you liked the "last 30 of 30"...I will have to do something like that again one of these days.

Thank you to everyone who entered the drawing and especially for all the Happy Birthday wishes!! You guys are all so sweet!
((((hugs))))

Stocking up the shop

Just loaded up the shop and wanted to share!