Eclipsed

Eclipsed is my new {temporary word for obsessed.  It's because I am.  I am overjoyed by the fact that I am going to see Eclipse tonight.  You have no idea.  Well -maybe you do.  *shrug*  Anyway.  Because I couldn't decide what to put on my shirt, I just made it simple.  The front says Eclipse, and the back says Hope (fleur de leis) Love centered.  It's somewhat crooked because I did it at 11 pm last night, but I was feeling good and wanted to be creative (I guess that's what I get...).

In other news, I'll hear about my really exciting "thing" by tomorrow at the latest, so please keep sending up your happy thoughts!  Needless to say I'm a jumble of feelings, and am praying my guts out that this has a positive resolution.  That's all we can hope for, right?

With Hope as my guiding star today, I leave you all with this:

Romans, 5: And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Have a beautiful day, everyone!

 

OMGoodness {Eclipse!}

{examiner.com}

Are any of you serious Twihards?  I will freely admit my {teeny *cough*} obsession with the Twilight Saga.  With it coming out this Wednesday (or Tuesday if that's how you want to look at it...), I was a little sad that I wasn't going.  Tickets were almost $13 to go see it in Indy at the I-max theatre, being out of town, and the fact that my husband REALLY wanted to go (we weren't originally going to be in town, but I got my dates confused, and -well, I'm just usually confused...) it just didn't seem like things were lining up for us.  Well, as luck should have it, a ticket came available FO FREEEEE!  *happy dance*  And with the gracious permission of my (somewhat sad-at-being-left-out husband) I will be GOING TO SEE IT!!!!!!

The whole point of this is 1. I'm OMGoodness excited, and can barely contain myself; but more importantly... 2. need help coming up with a saying to put on my shirt.  I want it to be from Eclipse, but I don't want it to be obvious.  If I'm gonna' spend money on a shirt to make, I want to be able to wear it in public without being ridiculed for being a teenybopper.  I'm sure that there ARE people out there who don't like the series, so I want to protect my little "image" from being harassed.  hehe (do I sound 13 or what?!?)


So -I'm Team Edward.  No Team Jacob quotes allowed!  Just kidding, but I'd prefer something short and sweet.  Ideas???

Also -which team are you???

iGoogle! {<3}

My girl over at Life in the Pitts (yeah -we're buddies now, but I promise I'll post something that's NOT about her! ) introduced me to the BEST thing ever yesterday. It's iGoogle! Want to be cool too? Here's how you do it.
1. go to Google
2. Look in the top right hand corner of the screen.
3. click on the part that says iGoogle
4. design your page of amazingness

I've got NPR, weather, post it's, a Sheep named shaun, hulu, hangman, and a bunch of other really great stuff!!!
The best news is....IT'S FO' FREE!!!!!!  Thought I'd share! :o) You should go do it -now!

Also, today I'm swapping with Kaysi from Keeping it Simple.  To see my cute, easy, and cheap craft, hop on over!  I'm excited to be on her blog!



HAPPY FRIDAY!
(My signature is missing....hmm.....)

I'm linking to: New Friend Friday @ TGC aaaaaand The Trendy Treehouse!

Blog Swap: Keeping it Simple!

 Hey Everyone!!!!  HAPPY FRIDAY!!!  Can I get a HECK YES???  hehehe.  I hope that you've had a great start to your day!


Today I've got a really great surprise!  Hope you enjoy her as much as I do, and if you still want to see me, you can hop over to her blog, Keeping it Simple.  So, now it's my pleasure to introduce you to....



Hello everyone!! I'm super excited to be with you today. Briana has such a fun and cute blog!!

Let me introduce myself, I'm Kaysi

from Keeping It Simple.

Here are a few things about me:

I am the mother of three boys, ages 5, 3 and 1

I have been married an amazing man for 6 years

I love chocolate!!

I love color, green is my favorite but brown and blue are up there

I like to keep things simple, not overdo them

When I get a spare moment, I love to craft or look at crafts

Each day of the week, I have something different.

Motivate me Monday, that's where I have link party and you get to show me all the cute things that you have done.

Tutorial Tuesday, I give a tutorial of a craft that I have done

Whatever Wednesday, this is my day that I put anything up.

Scrapbook Thursday, this is the day that I post a scrapbook idea or give a scrapbook tip

Fridays are the days that I do Blog swaps with other bloggers.

I thought I would share a little tutorial on how to make little bracelets. Like most everything I do, this is super easy and cheap! I made these for all my boys' girl friends. They love them because they don't fall off when they are playing!

I want to apologize for the ugly cranberry carpet, I do a lot of crafts on the floor and I happened to do this in my bedroom (I despise that carpet!)

This is what you will need:

glue gun

3 yards of ribbon

12 inches of second ribbon

shower curtain ring

This is how you do it:

1) Close the ring (I forget to that several times) and then put a dab on glue on the ring

2) Singe the edges of the ribbon and put it in the glue

3) Wrap the ribbon around the ring, pull it really tight to prevent bubbles. As you are doing it, hold the wrapped ribbon with your other hand so it doesn't come lose. You can also use a clip. I didn't because it seemed to get in the way.

4) Continue wrapping until you get to the end and glue the end down. You will leave the middle section.

5) With the other ribbon, tie a bow on the top. I glue the bow together.

Just like that you have a cute bracelet. Here are all the different ones that I made

**One thing I learned while doing this, the bracelet looks much cuter when you wrap the ribbon in the same spot each time. So when I was doing the brown and pink ribbon, each time I wrapped it, I put the ribbon right on the pink strip.

Thanks for doing this blog swap with my Briana!


Thanks for swapping Kaysi!!!  I love these little guys -I'll be adding this to my book of things to do when I have kids!  :)

Have a great Friday! 

Exhibit A...

 Why my friends are awesome:

*singing* Don't you wish that your friends were sweet like mine?  Don'tcha....don'tcha? 

hehe

Just in case you're wondering....I sent her one too.
    

Reasons Why...

I have the BEST bloggy friends!  :o)  "Why?" I hear you asking me.  Because they send me faxes just for fun!  Too bad HER fax number was on there too!  Mwaaaahhahahahaha.

xoxo

Raaaawrrrr

I'm having "one of those days" where my patience is at zero (the well is WAY past dried up anyway), and let me just tell you -Bloomington drivers are THE WORST. 

Exhibit A: Gas station.

I pulled in and all of the pumps were full.  I waited patiently for one to open so that I could maneuver myself in next to it.  As I'm maneuvering, this jerk almost backs into me -I'm a big whit Saturn Vue, people!  Hellooooo!  Then, because I've had to move out of jerk-face's way, this big old pick-up hauling a boat zooms in and takes my pump!  *steam steam steam*

I patiently waited for another to open and was late for work.  Reason 3,978,465.09 that home is better than Bloomington.

In other news, I'm posting a blog over at Win, Lose, or Blog!  Be there or be...somewhere else!

xoxo

Ohhhhh Where Oh Where Has Briana Gone...

Oh where oh where can she beeee?  She's been really busy but she reeeeeally misses you guysssss.  You'll find her here or here (on Thursday)!!!! 

This week has been NUTSO -and rightly so!  I was on an airplane on Monday (coming home from my sister's grad. party in VA!!!) and then yesterday was doing the whole "I can't tell you what I was doing" thing.  But really -prayers are appreciated.  Then today, I started my blog over at


  I think it'll be a tough competition because all of the fabulous women are doing this for the right reasons.  Honestly -I'm not in it to win it, I'm in it to a) feel better, b) be with other women who are working on making themselves better, and c) because I just can't take it any longer.  In that same thread, I've just gotten an e-mail from the owner of Jazzercise here in Bloomington, and will be starting my class leader training here in a couple of weeks!  Yippee!!!!  If you guys could head over and visit the other contestants (besides just meeee!) and leave us lots of supporting comments, we'd all appreciate it (at least I know I REALLY would!). 

So I'm thinking of changing things around here -but we'll see how far I'll get.  I'm feeling really tired (for like a week), and am hoping that I've just got a mild bug.  Maybe I'll fee inspired after jazzercise tonight!!!  In the effort of looking forward to tomorrow, and trying to make every day a great day, today I'm being blessed.  I'm blessed with a great family, marvelous husband, safe and beautiful home, and a blogisphere full of great women like you!

~xoxo~

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer."

~Romans 12:12

News!

Dear friends,

I'd really REALLY like to tell you some good news that I have, but you'll just have to wait until next week!  If, however, you could be sending prayers up in my honor on Monday and Tuesday, I'd greatly appreciate it.  Hopefully all will be revealed, if God thinks I can handle it.

xo.




P.S. -No...I'm not pregnant, if that's what you were thinking.  ;o)

Dreamland

I'd like to think that my dreams mean nothing, but what I have come to realize is that they truly do mean something.  If I fall asleep with something on my mind, I dream about it.  Long extensive dreams.  Sometimes exciting, sometimes terrifying, sometimes funny.  Just ask my husband; apparently I tell him all about it!

Time: 2 nights ago
Place: Soccer field
Setting: Bench warming and watching.

Okay -so my husband LOVES soccer.  He's a referee, so the World Cup is heaven for him.  He wears his referee jersey's, sits on the sofa, and leans forward to the point of my thinking he'll just flop right off.  What's he saying? -I ask myself.  Well, he's talking to the TV.  If you're wondering if he's crazy (like me), he's not.  He just REALLY LOVES SOCCER.  No.  Joke.

Dream:  I'm sitting on the bench at a world cup game.  It was like ---Uganda vs. Italy (they haven't even played each other, right?).  Well their uniforms are rockin'!  Uganda is wearing some sort of tribal loin cloth (NO JOKE) and their faces are painted.  Italy is wearing some super stylish pinstripe pants get up with a matching vest, pink button up, and a skinny black tie.  Now -I've been a soccer player, and you try to wear as little possible because it's so darn hot running around that field.  It's completely unrealistic.  As I'm watching the game unfold in front of me, I'm realizing all of these things -outfits, lights, colors, etc and am making cohesive observations and wouldn't you know it...my husband is playing on the field!  He's in a loincloth, of course (sorry if that's TMI...he IS my husband, lol) and looks awfully silly. 

At then end right before I wake up, he's in full battle over the soccer ball with some Gucci clad Italian.  There's lots of lights, lots of cheering, and me -sitting open mouthed as my husband battled to the end against the Italian.  I don't know who won, but it sure was an exciting game!  :o)

Have a great day!

Thanks!

Here's a HUGE thanks for all who were supportive and humored my rant yesterday.  I still feel the same (about what I said) but am physically feeling better today.  I got a 11.5 hours of sleep last night, which is proving to be a pretty standard method of helping me feel better.  Thankfully it worked again. Because of that, I have been productive this morning!  I have made the bed, AND put away half of the gigantic mountain of laundry.  I still have the other half to do, but at least I'm moving it instead of looking at it.  Tonight my plans are to finish that, and get the house de-crapped (meaning, I'm sick of junk being everywhere!).  We'll see...maybe I'm being too ambitious.  *shrug* 


In other news, I've been featured here!!!  Thanks, Helena, for submitting my swap post AND for making my day! Also, does everyone like my new buttons?  She made those too.  She's pretty much my best bloggy friend!!  :o)

Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

Limits (and a vent, too!)

Hi everyone!  I hope you had a great weekend!  Mine was great -good friends, family, and food.  It was marvelous.  Today isn't shaping up to be marvelous (all 30 minutes I've been awake...I've already cried twice), so this post is a vent.  Don't feel any obligation to read any further than this if you don't want to.  I'll still be your friend.  :)

 *Sigh*
Everyone has limits, right?  You can only take so much of something before you're reached your maximum limit, and then the dam breaks and everything spills free.  Well.  I have reached my limits.  I am sick of crying every morning when I wake up.  I am sick of only feeling better after I've eaten something.  I am sick of being spoken to like a child.  I am sick of feeling like my life means nothing.  I am sick of feeling like all of the choices I have worked SO hard to have, have been taken away.  I am sick of feeling lonely and friendless (despite my fabulous husband's attempts at female companionship, he just doesn't cut it...sorry babe!).  I am sick of feeling disgusting.  I am sick of...well, I'm sick of me.

I have studied enough psychology to know that I need to talk to someone.  I'm not afraid, I'm not crazy, but I DO think I'm depressed or was, or ...whatever.  I also think I need a life change, so I'm looking around trying to dig up choices that I DO have, instead of looking for the ones I don't.  I'm working on changing my mindset.  Bad to good, down to up, backward to forward, and then to now.  I have this article titled, "How to stay positive in a negative world."  My mom sent it to me when I was in college.  It's been on my dresser until a couple of months ago, when I swear the cat ate it (because she would do that...).  Last week it appeared on my bathroom mirror, and when I looked at my husband, he just smiled and gave me a hug.  Even he knows how hard I'm trying, God bless the poor guy!

So -with all of that pathetic, awful nonsense out of the way, here are just a FEW of the things I am blessed with: an everything imaginable husband, a safe home, 2 working cars, working appendages, my families, my friends (in Virginia and Cincinnati, no matter how far, they make the effort), and my cat (who always seems to need a cuddle just as bad as I do.  My sewing machine (which works no matter how upset I am), my Kitchen aid stand mixer (that always produces the BEST icing), and my creativity (because no matter how bad I think it is, I can always come up with something worse.  Thank you drama-mamma!).

Sure -my life isn't so bad.  But when you're sick of yourself and stuck inside the box, you need a little extra light to help you get out.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer."
~Romans 12:12~

Keep on...

The Day I Met a Psycho.

I started this post on Wednesday with the intentions of finishing it right away.  Of course I got distracted, and then two days passed, and now I'm on a deadline!  So, I'm finishing this up and then heading on to my next post!

So.....

I realize that posting twice in the same day doesn't make up for my lack of posting, however, I feel that this is important/exciting enough to share with you.  Please, at any time, feel free to LOL, ROTFLOL, or LMAO (as my 16 yr. old cousin would tell me, that initials for those words are the ONLY socially acceptable way you can tell someone it's okay to laugh at you!).  SO -here we go.


Today started off rough.  I meant to get up early, put myself together (due to a very important errand that will remain unnamed since this blog is public...), make my lunch, run some copies, and make sure that I had everything under control.  No go.  I slept in.  Like -by 20 minutes.  Then I cried because I was running behind and was then behind even more.  I FINALLY got to work, and then phones started ringing.  We have four lines, and it was rare when two of them weren't ringing at once.  That's how nuts it was.  Then I had to close out files, order all sorts of things, and basically run around for the rest of the day! 

I between all of this, I met a psycho.  I didn't meet her personally, but she was here...in our office.  I have studied these types of people, and they're scary.  They're the type that comes back later and beats everyone up and leaves very little evidence for the police.  The funny thing -I just think she's insecure.  It's not like she was a bully, it was just like she felt like she needed to prove something to make herself feel important.  *shrug*  She yelled at my other office workers for almost an hour and when we could get a word in edgewise, it only fueled her fire.  It made me sad for her, actually.


Okay -I'm got distracted again....  Lets' make this short and sweet.

Moral of the story: People come into our lives from ever different point of view.  But -don't let them ruin your day, or your point of view.  Best solution:  Agree to disagree.

Have a great day!!!

F.A.T

KEY:
F.A.T. = Flub Around Torso.

Dear F.A.T.,


This is a short, very brief, angry letter to let you know that you are no longer welcome on my stomach, back, arms, and thighs.  If you refuse to leave, I might have to punch you.  Also, please be forewarned that Jazzercise does not appreciate your difficulty in refusing to vacate the premesis. 

Yours truly (no really...),

Briana.


Do you ever feel like you're working to git rid of the bits and pieces that jiggle and they NEVER want to leave?  I swear to you -I've been bustin' my butt on Jazzercise and trying to monitor what I eat and I just feel like I'm trying to swim upstream without a paddle.  I mean -I have my DH who is really supportive, but I just ... *shrug* can't get it to leave.

So -to my F.A.T -go fly a kite!

POLL!

Hi Everyone! 

Before we get to the main reason for this post, I want to know....  Are you having a great, super-happy Friday???  If you're not, I'm so sorry!  I LOVE Friday's!  They're my favorite day of the week.  I get to have lunch with some girlfriends, and there's date night after work, AND THEN Sleep in Saturday before Jazzercise!  There's a lot of things that are good about Friday!  I also love to blog on Friday!  One of my other FAV blogs does a friday linkey party, so if you haven't linked up before, you should head over to The Girl Creative, post your blog, and make some new friends!  I LOVE new friends!  I'm linking up as soon as I'm done!  :)

Speaking of new friends.... A fabulously happy WELCOME to my new friends!  Thanks for coming to visit yesterday!  Helena and I had tons of fun with this one, and she's so great -she even made me some buttons!  You see them?  They're over on the right side bar!  I really like them, so they'll be staying. 

Okay -so here's the question of the day!  I'm wanting to start a linky party, and can't decide what to call it!  I need your help!  It will be a craft/post what you made party, and if it gets popular, I'll post everyone's favorites.  I have two ideas so far!

1: Peace of Mind (because it's Priester's Peace...)

2: Bits and Pieces by Priesters Peace

I can't decide which sounds better...any ideas??  I'm not attached to either idea, so if you have a better one, let me know!

I hope everyone has an awesome Friday!

Blog Swap with Life in the Pitts!

Today is a very special day!!!  Are you ready???

Today, I'm doing a blog swap with one of my all time favorite bloggers...  

~Lanie and her husband~

Lanie Ree with Life in the Pitts!  If you don't know her yet, you're WAY missing out!  :)  Today we're doing some Q and A and a tutorial.  If you like her (which I'm positive you will!) you can visit her here:




~Click it!  Click it good!~

Sooooo without further ado, I turn it over to you, Girl!



~How long have you been, and why do you blog?
I started blogging way back in September on 2009. Was that only a few months ago?  It feels like forever to me.

Back then I had just gotten married, and moved across the country so my husband could start dental school. I was lonely and depressed and I didn't shower very often.

One day I remembered something a friend had told me:

"All good wives blog."

And so I dragged myself out to my computer. And started living again.


~When you started crafting, what was your favorite type of craft?
Anything Mod Podge. The first craft blog I ever followed was Mod Podge Rocks. I am an addict to that stuff.


~What would your advice be to "new" crafters?
Take lots of pictures!! Also, don't worry if you mess up. It's frustrating, but it's also normal.


~Do you have any crafting necessities?
Mod Podge. Burlap. A hot glue gun. Um... Easy access to the Dollar Store. Seriously, that place is like heaven.


~I really enjoy reading all of your stories! Are they as funny in real life?
I'm blushing! Um, how do I answer this one? I don't really exaggerate on my blog.

I think the key to my style of writing is not to take yourself too seriously. If you can laugh at yourself, other people will like you more. They will relate to your stories. In fact, I have a whole label devoted to how awful I am.

By being honest about your faults as well as your good qualities, your readers will get to know you on a whole new level.


~Describe your super-awesome-fabulous blog in one sentence...GO!
"The Dramatic Thoughts of a Sometimes Crafty Newlywed."

Does that work?


~Since you obviously LOVE to craft, what else do you do for fun?
I read. Like, a lot. Right now, mostly Young Adult fiction.

And I dance. I was on a few dance teams in college, and I recently discovered the swing dance scene here in Pittsburgh. I am beyond excited about that. Also, pole dancing.

And I drive my husband crazy. That should probably be first on the list.


~What is your passion -as in, what are you meant to do with your life?
Blog.

Just kidding. My husband would be rolling his eyes right now. I feel like I'm meant to be a mom. We haven't started trying yet (so NO I'm not pregnant) and who knows if we will be able to have children. But one way or another, I plan on raising some kids. To me, that's the most important thing I could do.


~My husband is a student too. Any words of wisdom for others in our shoes?
Don't do it.Marry the guy who has already graduated.

Just kidding! I would say... Find some hobbies. Make some friends. Maybe take some classes yourself. Keep yourself busy, or you will you will drive yourself crazy, and make it impossible for him to focus!


~If you won a million bucks, what would you do with it?
I'd go crazy at the Dollar Store. I'm not even kidding.

....Alright, I'm kidding. I'd probably spend way too much of it on crafts and clothes. And then I'd travel.


Tell me about your tutorial:
Sure thing. I made a yellow version of this for a Giveaway I was hosting. I was bribing people to sign up for my Newsletter (which you should totally do). And I promised them a tutorial! So here it is:

Washer Flower Pendant and Earrings.





Here is what you need:

1 Washer (as big or small as you'd like)
Mod Podge
Satin (I used a 2" blue satin ribbon)
Coordinating Paper
Needle and Thread
1 Pearl Bead
1 Pair of Pearl Earrings (Mine are fake, and from Claire's)
Black ribbon, or a chain
Hot Glue Gun
1 Jump Ring
1 Candle

(Sorry guys, my good camera is in the shop)
Use your needle and thread to attach the Jump Ring to the Washer. I used a lot if thread, so it's really secure.

Now circle the thread multiple times between the Jump Ring and the Washer, gathering the threads together tightly. Tie a knot, and cut the thread.

Next, trace the washer onto the back of your coordinating paper. Cut out the circle. Do this twice.

Mod Podge the paper to both sides of the washer, right over the thread. This way, even if the necklace flips around while you are wearing it, it won't look ugly.

Add a coat of Mod Podge to the top of each side, to make the paper water-and-sweat resistant (also baby puke resistant, for all you mothers out there).

Now it's time to make the flowers.

There are a ton of good tutorials out there for how to do this. Like this one. And that one.

Cut out your flower circles (I did 6), and melt the edges on the candle (see those links for more detailed instructions). Try not to burn yourself. It hurts.

Place all your petals on the washer, and arrange them however you want them.

Then grab your needle and thread, and sew the petals together. I attached the pearl bead at this point, to cover the stitches.

Grab your hot glue gun, and put a huge dab in the middle of the pendant. Stick your finished flower into the glue, and hold it securely for a few seconds.

And there's your flower pendant.

And now on to the earrings!

Cut out some tiny, tiny circles. Burn the edges. And your fingers, because there is no way to avoid it (unless you use tweezers. But those are for wimps).

Once you have 3 little circles for each earring, take your needle without thread, and stick it through the center of one set of circles. This creates a nice hole for your earring to go through.

Next, carefully pierce the flower with your earring. Attach the earring back. Now do the other side.

Ta-Daa! Your necklace and earring set.

You can use a chain for the necklace. Or a ribbon. If you use a ribbon, be sure and tie a knot an inch or so above the pendant, so that it won't twist as much when you wear it.

And here's what they look like when you wear them:


Just, you know, pretend like those are blue....


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks, Lanie!!!  I'm so glad you stopped by today and shared with me (and my buddies!)! 

Make sure you make a Pitt stop (ha!  Did you like my joke...Pitt for Pittsburgh...*cough*) over at Life in the Pitts and say hey!  I'll be doing my window to headboard tutorial!

Lanie also said something about a give-away in a month or so, so make sure you check back in to find out!

Have an awesome Thursday, everyone!

*HUGS*

Briana

Hi everyone!

I realize that I've been gone ALL WEEKEND, and am finally now getting myself re-situated!  It's just in time because tomorrow I'll be doing a blog swap with one of my fave's,Life in the Pitts! 

With being in Cincinnati for a wedding, partying my little heart out (which means staying up past midnight...), and just getting home I'm WAY exhausted!

Tomorrow will be the beginning of my new blogging enthusiasm, starting it off with a blog swap!  After that, I'm going to share the Master Bedroom Make-over!!!  Be ready, and be excited!

*hugs*
Briana.