she's a heart maker

Hope you haven't been worried about where I disappeared to. I forgot to tell you before I left that I was heading out on a little buying trip. I have so many wonderful things to show you! I can't wait.

Today, I'm so busy getting heart boxes ready and out to those who ordered them. I'm really too busy even to post this but I'm getting so many emails from folks wondering why I haven't posted in nearly a week.

I just got the new shipment of boxes in so this morning I'm filling them just as fast as I can. Thank you everyone for your patience. If you have a question about your order and when you should expect it, just send me an inquiry. I'm shooting to get all caught up today but, in order to do so, I really need to get back to work!*

*Edited to remove content that was deemed hurtful and mean. I'm lots of things, but never mean.

ribbon cake

Today at the cottage, totally inspired by Deb, I created this ribbon cake. Isn't it fun?



And here's a peek at what my room looks like at the cottage:



For a visual update of how fabulous and fresh the cottage is looking, click here.

a doll and then, what's for dinner

I really love this sweet peg doll. I bought her a couple of weeks ago at the DC Big Flea.

She has only her underclothes but I like her that way. The circles that you see by her arm were the part of her underpinnings that created the bustle of her dress.

I went back to our new Whole Foods today. It's really amazing. We've had Whole Foods in our area for as long as I've lived here. But this new store is simply amazing. It's more a restaurant than a grocery store. Here's an article about it

I mostly just wandered up and down the aisles. I didn't make a grocery list. My only real goal was to get dinner for tonight (chicken stuffed with chevre, couscous with parmesan and pine nuts, steamed vegetables) and something for tomorrow's lunch at the Cottage. (shrimp salad and fresh tortillas to make a little wrap).

I still do love Wegman's and I'll probably do my regular shopping there still. But I have to admit I am wooed by this grand new store. I mean, puhleeze. Do I need to show you that cupcake again?

Oh, and get this. There's a high-tech wine tasting room. You put money on a card which you scan into a wine-dispensing machine. Select your tasting size and it will pour it into the glass for you. The tastings started at $1 each and went all the way up to $27! The $27 tasting comes from a bottle costing $290. Wouldn't that be a fun thing to do with friends?

new new new

I just added a few new things...

This is a special birthday countdown set. It comes with a feather tree and a 14-day countdown cabinet, complete with decorations. What a fun birthday tradition this would make!


I love having toys like this barn around for when children visit. They'll love playing with this, for sure.


Just in time for Valentine's Day, this pudgie doll will make a sweet gift. So cute!


These two pieces are wonderful for displaying small collectibles...




Find all the new here.

unbroken

Do you remember when I was inspired by Brocade Home's jars of eye candy?

The other day I spotted this huge fishbowl and knew immediately that I had to have it.

Unfortunately, when I put it in the trunk and even cushioned it with the pillows I'd also just purchased, I forgot to account for the arm hinge of the trunk. As I shut the trunk, there was an extrardinarily loud glass-breaking sound. I re-opened the trunk slowly and took the bagged broken beautiful thing back into the store. I didn't want to put the glass in a public trashcan and thought they'd dispose of it safely.

Both ladies behind the counter insisted that I either exchange it for the other one of the shelves or get my money back. I just couldn't feel good about that. I mean, I was the dummy who broke it. It didn't make sense for them to replace it...as tempting as that idea was. I wished that I could just rewind time and remember that part of the trunk.

Trying to put it behind us, mumbling something about it not being meant to be, etc. we went to grab some lunch. All through lunch I kept thinking about it. It was just a perfect piece...and only $20!

On our way home, impulsively, I told Rich to swing back by the store. I went back in and quickly bought another one.

I'm so glad I did. It'll be fun to fill with all sorts of fun things.

weird amy

I've been tagged by Tracey for the weird game. I have to name 6 weird things about me (won't be a problem) and then tag 6 more people. It's a weird-fest!

6 Weird Things About Amy
1. I listen to 40's music almost exclusively. I love all the standards and I often sing along.

2. I love to eat uncooked oodles of noodles. I guess it's the carbs and the crunch? It's a problem, I know.

3. I usually call my nephew Seth (or he calls me) during the commercials on Sunday night while watching "America's Funniest Videos". We talk about which were our favorites. Hands down, our favorite thing to see is when someone loses their pants. If that happens, we call each other immediately and laugh.

4. I almost never make the same meal twice. There are some exceptions but I like trying new recipes (even for the same dish) much more than making the same thing over again.

5. I can't say the word "drawer" properly. I think my mouth is too big and the middle part gets lost in there somewhere. It ends up sounding something like "dra-a-a-a-er".

6. My email inbox currently has 28,801 emails in it. If you've ever emailed me, I probably still have it in my inbox. And I have a terrible problem responding to emails. After I read the message, if I don't reply immediately, I might forget completely. If this has happened to you, please don't take it personally. It's me. All me.

And now for my tags: Nina, Pam, Deb, Wendy, Ann & Linda. If you're tagged, you should identify 6 weird things about yourself and then tag 6 more bloggers. Be sure to let them know they're tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

flor

I've been cleaning and moving things around from one room to another and generally having a wonderful weekend. I can't show you what I've done because I accidently left my camera at my friend's house on Friday. I'm lost without it.

These photos are from the Flor website. It's a wonderful revolutionary idea in floorcovering. They offer square tiles of carpet backed with a repositionable adhesive. You purchase as many or as little as you'd like of any of the many choices of designs and colors.

I want to use them somewhere in the house. Maybe the best place would be to make two runners for either side of the island in the kitchen.

The real fun will come when I decide which tiles to get. I really like the look of mixing patterns and solids.

And I think each runner will cost less than $100. Fabulous!

shoeboxes & captain kangaroo

My biggest problem when I was four years old was that we never had enough shoeboxes. I was always so happy when anyone in the family got new shoes because it meant that I could finally make the thing that Captain Kangaroo made that day. Oh, but the day that he made a choo-choo and used 5 or 6 at once!

Enjoy this trip down memory lane. Especially the commercials.

I can see now why these sorts of commercials were so effective at giving me the gimmees!

this just in...

New things just added to the store...

including NeSts made especially for Valentine's Day


A collection of fairy gift tags


The sweetest set of reproduction Valentine's


A birthday girl on a scooter


A sweet Valentine couple


And a collection of wonderful little love-inspired signs


See all the new things here.

i love new things

I nearly fainted on the spot when I spied these fancy cupcakes! Last night, Rich and I ventured to the grand opening of the new grocery store in our neighborhood.

We first ate dinner in their little restaurant. I had a cheese plate and a salad (the salad was just $2!) It was a wonderful little dinner.

We weren't prepared for a full grocery shopping trip so after dinner we just poked around each section of the store. They had wonderful things at every turn. Exquisite and interesting flowers in the floral section. Fun and interesting selection in the produce section...including the tiniest lady apples (I bought a few to try!) There was a seafood station serving fresh seafood. Actually, there were stations set up in nearly every section, all set up to serve meals. It really could make grocery shopping more like an adventure. I'm loving it.

I can tell that they are taking quite a bit of inspiration from Wegman's. I think all of the grocery stores in the area are stepping up their game since they moved in the neighborhood. It's nice to see. Even the lousy Food Lion around the corner is completely renovating, reinventing, and even renaming itself.

After I finish penning this post, I am going to make a cup of tea, start a fire in the fireplace, and enjoy one of those wonderful cupcakes. And then I'll probably be buzzing around on a sugar high for the remainder of the afternoon. I have a few things to add to the site so maybe that's how I'll spend that burst of energy.

I can't wait to go back to the new grocery store to do some real grocery shopping. I think I'll go around lunchtime and treat myself to some delicious little treat. Maybe that Swedish potato and cheese creation that they will make for you at the cheese station. Or maybe a crabcake from the seafood station.

plug and play fun!

These fantastic bits of eye candy are all pages from scrapbooks that Wendy made and sells on her ebay shop. She's done all the work...all you have to do is plug in your adorable photos, sweet stories and notes. Isn't that the best?

I'm bidding on the Valentine one with the thought that I could fill it up with photos of me and Rich, stories of our 13 years together (10 years married this year!), and our dreams for what tomorrow will bring. For a guy who (no kidding!) has a folder in his filing cabinet named "Amy" with every single card I've ever given him, including a love note penned on a cocktail napki

holy moly!

As I put this together, I hoped that you would like it as much as I do. And since I sold all that I had supplies to make in less than a day, I can see that you do. You don't know how happy that makes me.

I just made some phone calls, arranged for some deliveries, and can happily say that I will be able to make 20 more of these boxes!

Click here to order yours.

paperdoll valentine

I made a mistake when I put this item in the store. I indicated incorrectly in the inventory that I had only one in stock. If you tried to order one without luck, try again. It's all fixed now.

About half of the charm bracelets have been spoken for...the other half is sure to be claimed in a hurry.

I have more handmade signs to add. And I'm working on a Valentine cardmaking kit. Hopefully I'll have that up by midweek. It's sure to be a busy week!

new for valentine's day...

Are you ready? I have a lot to show you. All new at my store Inspire Company.


New charm bracelets...


A sweet paper doll Valentine...


Wooden Valentine hearts made by a wonderful Amish family...


Wonderful little button collages...


And last, but not least...I've been working on this for a long while...

It's a Valentine treat box, chock-full of eyecandy! Can you imagine a better Valentine gift for you or a crafting friend?

Click here to see all of these new things.

he's tricky

For Christmas, I gave Rich a book of card tricks. It has turned out to be as much a present for me.

Each night as we're settling in for the night, Rich reads about a new trick in his book. While I'm brushing my teeth or washing my face or sorting laundry or one or two various other things I do before I actually get in bed, he's practicing the trick, rereading important points, preparing for me.

When I finally do get in bed, he tells me to take the top three cards, or to pick any card, or shuffle, or cut the deck. I solemnly obey, quietly taking note of that endearing twinkle in his eye.

After the trick is played, without really meaning for it to be a habit, I always say "Hey! How'd you do that?" And he just smiles, eyes a'twinklin. Oh, but do I love this man.

i'm a sucker

I was just minding my own business at the grocery store, collecting treats and necessities, veggies and lightbulbs, when a beautiful display of teas promising all sorts of fabulous things jumped into my path.

I'm a sucker for this kind of thing. I have to hide the phone during infomercials or else I'll be the proud new owner of everything they sell me. I'm gullible. I'm a sucker. So when a tea makes a range of promises from weight loss to regularity to clear skin, oh baby, I'm so there.

And the packaging! I think I did well by getting just 3, don't you?

Here's the link to see them all...Republic of Tea. And my grocery store is Wegmans Good golly, I love that place!

pink avalanche

I have a project in the works that will claim probably 100 of these pink pom poms. I can think of assorted other projects they'll come in handy for but I think it's safe to say that I'll have an abundance of 'em for a long while.

Is anyone else suddenly hungry for Frankenberry Cereal.