New etsy banner!

Hello little beauties! I made a new Etsy banner today, and I must say, I'm really proud of myself!


After lamenting about my lack of Photoshop know-how the other day I decided to try it out. It didn't even take me that long to come up with the idea! I think it suits my shop more than my last banner did. Next move- redesigning the packaging! The color scheme is the same still, but I'll have to do some figuring out about where to go next! Also- my biggest I WANT THAT thing of the moment? Real business cards! I've been printing mine at home, but I've seen some great ones that aren't too expensive!

Have you ordered business cards off the internet before?

PS: I'm working on a few new fall/winter designs for my shop, I'll definitely be sharing them once I'm done! Almost finished with a prototype, so excited!!

thrifted treasures!

Chris and I made a run to Hobby Lobby today and on the way back we decided to stop at Goodwill. We haven't been to this one yet, and weren't expecting much because the other Goodwill close by isn't very great. This one, though, was pretty awesome! We walked in and Chris (who isn't very into thrifting) made a bee-line for this goody...


He picked it up, looked at me, and said "I need this!". It was adorable. He's been looking for an organ for a while. A few of our friends have full size electric organs that they found for wayyyy cheap at church rummage sales. We found one at the rummage sale where I got my suitcases, but it was $50, way too much for us.


My favorite part is the stars on the front, they're sooo retro!


Speaking of retro...


Meet my new sewing chair! I'm absolutely in love. I was trying on some skirts and left Chris to browse, and when I found him he was guarding this chair for me! She was only $3, can you believe it?!


It looks like someone must have used her as a stand to spraypaint something silver, there's a few spots with silver paint streaks, but I don't mind too much. I think it's the perfect chair for my craft room! Plus, look at how awesome the label is:


I was trying to find a date on it, but there wasn't one. I did find that it's from a company based in Chicago, which is pretty awesome!

I got a few other things that I'll try to photograph soon... <3

Mr. Littlejeans is Weird Wednesday

I know it's a little late, but here it is...

This is Jeansy's blankie. He gets a little weird about it... He kneads on it sort of dazily for about fifteen minutes before he'll lay down. When I took this picture he'd actually gotten it off the couch and onto the floor and made a little nest...

Next week I plan on having a little Jeansy fashion show, I know Ashley's been looking forward to that!

minty fresh + HomeEc update

Remember that outfit I bought on super clearance at Target? Well, it's pretty much the cutest thing ever. I love the dress because it's a little bit longer than most of my others, so I don't have to worry about my booty showing!

Dress: Target ($13)
Cardigan: Target ($10)
Flats: Target ($12)

I still can't believe the dress and the sweater are both extra smalls! I haven't worn anything with that label in... maybe forever? Just goes to show how different sizing is depending on the company. Both these pieces were made by Merona, which (in my opinion) is targeted for women in their late 20s-40s. I usually don't like their pieces because they're a little formal for me, but these two are perfect!

(I really like this picture, but I had to crop out some MAJOR boobie action. Oh well!)

Since I had the day off today, I made a trip to Hobby Lobby for some crafty goods. I bought a bunch of clearance yarn (for my Etsy fall line!), some fabric, and the notions I needed to make the latest HomeEc project that sparked my interest! I've never successfully installed a zipper. Once I tried to put one into a handknit sweater, but it was just bad news. This time, though, things turned out pretty well!

I used fabric scraps that my mom sent me.
They both look vintage, but I'm not sure about that.

I'm really proud of myself with this one! It took some figuring out on my part, some of the instructions weren't as clear (to me) as they could have been, so I had to logically work through it. Normally I would have tried following the directions even if it didn't seem right, and then would have gotten mad when it didn't work.

I'm going to keep it in my craft box that I have next to the couch to keep all my crochet hooks and knitting needles in. Most nights you can find me crafting on the couch until the wee hours of the morning, but the second I set my hook or needle down it's gone. Well now those babies are staying put because they're going straight into their case!

Something else awesome happened today: Chris got a job! If you've been reading for a while, you know that he's had a really hard time finding employment since we moved home. He's asked me not to share where he'll be working, but I can tell you that while it isn't exactly perfect, it'll definitely help our situation, which means, overall, a more happy Susannah!

It looks like it's going to storm soon, which doesn't jive well with our grilling-out dinner plans. So we better hurry up!

<3

Music Monday- Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

I know a lot of bloggers do a music feature on Mondays, and I guess I'm jumping on the bandwagon. I've seen two awesome things today that have inspired me to do my own Music Monday post: #1- Danielle posted about one of my all time favorite bands, Lucero, in her Music Monday post. #2: I saw this first video on TheDailyWh.at and it made me laugh.

Music is a huge part of my life. Chris is a musician, and has been a music nut for his whole life. We spend a lot of time looking for new music, talking about old stuff, and listening to our faves together. You may or may not have heard of most of the bands I'll feature, and that's what's awesome about it. I get excited when people I know know the music I like because it's an instant bond. Anyway- here goes.

Today I'm sharing a band Chris and I both love, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. We both have some pretty funny stories about this band...

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists via FunnyorDie

When Chris and I were on our two year "I hate you" break, we went to the same Ted Leo show at the Logan Square Auditorium, unbeknownst to either of us. I was with my sister, brother-in-law, and one of her good friends Tim who had met Chris the year before. They all knew how Chris had broken my heart, so when we ran into him and his best friend when we were trying to squeeze through the exit door, I freaked out a little and Tim got mad! Being the pseudo-big brother he his, he started to chase after him. He didn't get very far, but it was certainly awkward and stirred up a lot of feelings...

"Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone"

Chris's story about Ted Leo has to do with Pitchfork Festival a few years back. During their set, Ted Leo (the frontman) went a little nuts and smashed to microphone into his forehead. He was wearing all white, and the blood started to drip down his shirt. Pretty hardcore, but awesome in it's own right.

"Little Dawn"

"Me and Mia

And just for fun, here's Ted Leo performing for little kids on Pancake Mountain! I love it...

I hope you enjoyed my first Music Monday! Check back for more, I have so much music to share with you!

Recipe Recap

I don't cook all that often, but when I do I think I do a pretty good job! I'm going to try to update recipes or recipe reviews as often as I can. I know a lot of you are vegans/vegetarians, so this part of the post might not suit your fancy! I don't eat and red meat or pork, so you'll see a lot of chicken recipes in these parts. I also plan to start baking a lot more, and a lot more adventurously, so stay tuned!

Yesterday was a day for me to relax and recharge. I had a bit of a tough week- my good friend Jessica (who I work with) moved back to school, so I'll only see her every other weekend, if that. It was such a bummer because we'd just started to get close, and since we worked together we spent a lot of time together, and she made work tolerable. So yesterday I was in the mood for some comfort. Chris loves when I cook this meal, so I made my version of chicken and dumplings! Not the healthiest thing in the world, but so satisfying it makes it worth it!

I started off with this recipe, but over time I've altered it to make it a little better. Here's how I do it:

Chicken and Dumplings over Mashed Potatoes

1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup frozen broccoli (you can substitute whatever veggies you want!)
2 cut up cooked chicken breasts
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (or any cream soup on hand,
I've used mushroom/celery/potato)
1 cup Bisquick mix
1/2 cup milk
paprika


(For cooked chicken: Chris usually does this part, but I know he adds
rosemary, thyme, onion, and garlic to cook with the chicken.)

1. Heat the 1 1/2 cups milk, broccoli, chicken, and soup to
boiling in a large pot, stirring frequently.

2. In a separate bow, stir Bisquick and 1/2 cup milk until a soft dough forms.
(The original recipe calls for 1/3 cup milk, but I think that
makes the dumplings too biscuit-y, not doughy enough. I up the
milk to at least 1/2 cup, if not a little more.) Drop by the tablespoon on top
of the mixture in your pot. Sprinkle paprika on top.

3. Cook uncovered over low heat for 8 minutes. Cover and cook 8 more minutes.


I typically start my mashed potatoes fifteen minutes earlier than the chicken and
dumplings. Once everything's done, serve the chicken and dumplings
over mashed potatoes, and you're all set!

In other news, Chris gave himself a haircut yesterday, and it's wayyy shorter than normal. I'm getting used to it though, he's looking a lot more clean-cut lately (because of the job hunt). I kinda like it!

We went to Target for groceries and I treated myself to some clothes that were heavily marked down. You'll never believe it- both the dress and the cardigan are size XS! I'm definitely wearing this combo the next time I have time to get dressed up!


Last night I finished some crafty gifts that I've been working on for a few weeks, and I'm suuuuper excited about sending them off to the recipient! Once she gets them I'll share pics with you guys! Finishing that round of gifts means that I am now able to focus solely on my Etsy shop, which is perfect timing because we're heading into fall soon! I need to get crackin' on all the cowls, scarves, hats, and mittens I have swirling around in my head!

Iffy.

I tried to make this outfit work, but it wasn't happening. I've been itching to wear my biker boots that I got last winter, and I thought I could pull this off but... not so much.

Dress: Old Navy ($15)
Belt: Calvin Klein (came with a dress)
Boots: Rocketdog, ($50ish on sale)

As soon as we took these pics I ran inside and changed into jeans and a tee. I'm in for a comfort kinda day...

I'm even making chicken and dumplings for dinner tonight! I'm super excited about that.

Formspring Friday!

 It's time for Formspring Friday again! I wasn't planning on sharing this week because I haven't gotten any new questions in a while, but then I got two this morning, and they're my FIRST EVER rude questions! Is it weird I'm a little proud?! I've been waiting for it to happen. Anyway, here we go!

 You seem like you just want to be Kaelah, you're always creeping around her blog and being up her ass. It's sad. Your blog has got BORING. You only bother with big bloggers so you can get yourself noticed.

This is exciting, my first rude FS question!

Kaelah and I have developed a friendship through our blogs. I'm the first one to admit I get a lot of inspiration from her, as do a lot of her readers. I don't "want to be her", I am happy in my own skin, but her blog has helped me find some extra confidence in myself that I personally really like. I think she's a wonderful girl and I would be flattered if someone compared me to her (in a nice way). Since you've done it rudely, we'll address it. I'm not "creeping around her blog", I leave her comments when I feel like I have something to say, which is exactly what every other person who reads a blog does. If you think my blog has gotten boring, then feel free to stop reading it. I hope you know that I don't blog for you (or anyone like you). I blog for myself, and the people I've met through it are just a bonus. And as far as "bothering with other bloggers to get noticed", yes I do that. It's called promotion. I've had ad spaces on bigger blogs to promote traffic to my site, just the same as the hundreds of other smaller bloggers who've done it too.

There's nothing wrong with being inspired by someone, there's nothing wrong with promoting my blog, and there's definitely nothing wrong with me writing what I want to write, regardless if some rude anon throws a hissy fit over it.

 What happened to the giveaway you were supposedly going to have if you got 100 followers? Shouldn't make promises if you can't keep them should you really

I've explained a few times that the giveaway is still happening, I'm just taking my time to gather gifts that I'm excited about. I'd rather have awesome, quality things in the giveaway and piss off a few people because it's taking so long than throw together some random crap just to get it over with. I care about my readers, and I want to give away stuff that I feel suits them and is a reflection of me.

And PS: I really hope you don't win. But even if you do, I bet you'll think the gifts are awesome and were worth the wait.

 What do you do for a living?

Ugh, I hate this question. I work for my dad, he owns an ice cream store. It was an easy (and immediate) thing for me to walk into right after Chris and I moved up here, plus he's paying me pretty well. I'm going to start looking around for better jobs soon, but I haven't narrowed down what I want to do yet.

 I just saw the post of your house. Did you buy it or are you renting for now?

We're renting. We probably won't be able to buy a house for four or five years.

Are you still in college? What is or was your major?

I am done with college (for now). I finished classes in December 2008, but I didn't officially graduate until December 2009. I was a History major. I started out as an Art Education major, then switched to History Ed, and then gave up on the education program and did plain ol' History.

 What is one item from your wardrobe that you could not live without?

Gosh this is tough! I honestly can't pin one thing down, I'm kind of in an 'I hate all my clothes' moment lately... Does jewelry count? I could never live without my Tiffany's bean necklace that my sister Lauren gave me for my high school graduation. I wear it every day!

Oops.

I had to change around some stuff with my blog buttons, so if you've added my button to your blog please check that it's still there and that the links work. I'm not the most internet-savvy person, so I may not need to tell you guys about this at all, but it's better to be safe than sorry, right?!

Let me know if there's any trouble along the way. And if you haven't added my button yet, feel free! They're over there on the left, just copy the code under the picture you like and add it as an html gadget on your blog! Thanks lovelies!

Also, you should follow me on bloglovin'! Click here: Follow my blog with bloglovin

Mr. Littlejeans is Weird Wednesday

He really loves his feet. He'll clean them for a really long time, and then fall asleep holding onto them.

HomeEc.

Some of you may have heard of the awesomeness that is HomeEc, taught by Leigh-Ann, Rachel, and Courtney. If you aren't sure what it is, basically those three lovely ladies decided to teach an sewing course online in blog format. You can enroll in the class and pay a small(ish) fee, and gain access to tons of project tutorials, help videos, discussions with other students, and even live chats with your teachers! I was super excited about this class because I've been wanting to learn how to sew. I've known how to sew for a while, but I wanted it to become something I was more excited about, and something that I was more confident in. I'd love to become one of those instinctive sewers, where I can do anything without any trepidation. I signed up for the class the day it opened, and I've been so excited! Due to some financial restraints I've gone a little slower with the projects than some of my classmates, but it's ok because these posts will be up for a whole year!

The first project I did through the class was double sided napkins. I used a crazy mod floral print and a regular black and white houndstooth pattern. I really liked the way they looked together, and it was one of those things where at 2am I decided I needed to start sewing these because I was so excited! Unfortunately, I didn't realize how important good cutting equipment was at that point. I cute these squares on the carpet, with fairly dull scissors, using a measuring tape as my guide! Let me just tell you, that was not a good idea! They were really uneven, and it made it really hard to sew nice lines. Well, the next day I called my grandma and borrowed her self-healing mat and bought myself a rotary cutter, and it is so much easier!

One of the projects I was most excited about when I signed up was the ironing board cover. I didn't even have an ironing board until three days ago, but I knew that I would buy one eventually and that I'd HAVE to cover it with the lemon print fabric I've been obsessing over for the last few months! I've seriously been saving it and cherishing it since March or April, and everything I've thought of using it for hasn't been good enough, until now!

I had originally only bought a yard of it, but luckily JoAnn's still has it in stock so I bought two more yards to make the cover. I still need to find ironing board clips for the underside to make it nice and taut.

My little sewing corner. I got the spool holder on sale at JoAnn's for half off (so I spent $7.49), plus I got 40% off of the lemon print fabric, so I ended up saving a whole bunch of money! I really can't wait until I fill up the spool holder with all the colors of the rainbow!

My little stash is growing, but it's nothing compared to my yarn stash!

Remember how my mom sends me boxes of vintage goodies every once in a while? She always throws in a few little fabric scraps, some of which are pretty vintage patterns. It's always a little bit of a bummer though, because some of the fabric is amazing, but the pieces I have are too tiny to use! Now they have a nice home in my little suitcase though, so I can look at them whenever I want!

I tried to do a video tour of my craft room today, and ohmygosh it was embarrassing! I said things wrong, held the camera and unattractive angles, and awkwardly talked about things. I don't know if I'll post it, or maybe I'll shooting it again if it's something you guys are interested in...?

oh crayola.

A few weeks ago I got a box of goodies from my mom. She sent me a bunch of random stuff- fabric scraps, glittery letters, vintage scarves, some beads- but the best part was this vintage dress. Originally she thought it was handmade, but once I got a look at it I saw it does have a tag, even though the hems look totally hand sewn. The size on the tag is 14.5, isn't that weird?

I tried the dress on when I first got it, and while I loved it's character I didn't really feel like it was something I could pull off on a regular day. Well, I went for it today and I have to say I really liked being the brightest person in the room!

(I wish the collar wasn't so huge, a peter-pan one would be cuter!)






(Isn't he cute? We went for sushi today, but we got there a
little early and had to wait for them to open!)

So I dyed my hair today, no big deal, it was the same brand as always. Only this time, when I took off the gloves I realized the one I had on my left hand must have had a hole in it. The space between my thumb and first finger is completely dyed! It's a lot darker in person.

I had to put this clip together to show you how many outtakes we get when we take WIWT pictures. I'm so bad at posing, so Chris just clicks away and we hope that four or five out for forty or fifty turn out. There are so many awkward pictures of me!

I finished my FAVORITE HomeEc project tonight, but I'm waiting to photograph it until it's daytime... Stay tuned!

Love you billions, little dears.