Pardon Me

but we are MOVING.....
I may not post anything in the next week or two as we are packing up and heading out.  Currently, I am dying to craft something for Valentine's day and some past and upcoming birthdays. I need to take a break from the blogging world and so many cute ideas!!! I desperately can't wait to get it all unpacked and be creative!
I can't believe the time has come to move again.......



But, before I go, I'll leave you with some fun finds I've been spying on:

1. Cute DIY labels perfect for Starbucks frapp bottles (get them here for FREE)

2. Mini-quilted bunting 

3. I love Doodle

4. oh, hello friend (went to Universal Studios on her honeymoon!-check it out)

5. Fabric Heart Garland

6. Love the wall color and bedding

7. What a fresh & bright kitchen

8. Inspiration for my Yo-Yo (tutorial found here)

9. Another reason why I'd love a Silhouette machine 

10. I am in love with the lighting and this kitchen

1st Christmas {with the B's}

I know it's after the New Year, but it's the last Christmas post ;)
Around 2pm on Christmas Day, we headed over to my parents house. (They are the Burkhardts, but we'll call them The B's) We are very grateful that my parents live less than 15 minutes away!! Once we got there, we snacked on Chex mix and Christmas wreaths (that K,Matt, and I made Christmas Eve afternoon).

THE BEST THING EVER!

 

Matt's 1st Christmas Wreath making

We took pictures before opening presents.

Mom, Dad, & K

Sweet Grandma Milligan

 My brother and his girlfriend

I always enjoy the decorations around the house because my mom always does a wonderful job (I don't know how she does it!). The dining room is usually my favorite.

A middle school craft- can you guess what it's made from?

When everyone gathered in the living room, my mom and I handed out all the gifts. We usually order our little sister to start opening gifts first because she usually has the most :) Everyone takes a turn around the room opening one gift at a time. We're able to reminisce and tell stories or why we thought of the person we bought the gift for. Although, this takes a few hours, it is what I've always done my whole life. I get teased from Matt each year that we take 5-7 hours to open our gifts. It's probably almost 3 hours.

The wreath & ornament I made for my grandma

The "B's" mayhem

                              

The Aftermath

After opening our gifts, we ate dinner. Then, we finished with opening stockings. 

K and I saw Narnia:Voyage of the Dawn Treader 3D

My brother & Matt playing the Wii beforehand

The Day after Christmas

I love being able to visit with my brother and sister. My brother lives in NC and we only get to see him around major holidays. This Christmas was fun and relaxing with many reasons to celebrate. We are so thankful for all we received and were blessed to be able to give. I love it. The Lord made it possible with providing everything for us. He is the reason for the season!!

Just Because

My take on Yo-Yos

A stocking stuffer that made for a fun little craft.
(Please excuse my deteriorating red nail polish from the holidays)!
I hope to make different sizes of these.
Won't they be cute on the side of a frame, chalkboard, or on a headband?

Take your Yo-Yo maker and a scrap piece of fabric. Lay it in between and snap in place (making sure that it lines up correctly.

Tie a knot and start at the "top"with your needle and thread down. Following the grid on the bottom, go completely around the circle until you come back to the knot. Thread once more along the first one.

Pop out the disc. Take off the fabric from the disc.

Turn the fabric inside out. Pull the seam of the thread that was sewn to make the fabric come together in the center. Sew a couple of knots to make sure it  holds tight.

Ta-Da! Now you have some little Yo-Yo do-dads.

I know there shouldn't be much excess fabric, but I like it that way. Gives it some character.

I'm sure that I'll get better at it. Eventually.

Another reason I HEART Shutterfly

Snowflake Sprinkles Christmas Card

Personalized Christmas cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

I just found out that if you post your Christmas Card before Jan 31st,  2011---- you can receive a $25 gift certificate to Shutterfly!! The code, however, ends February 15, 2011. (thanks to Bethany for sharing this sweet offer) How awesome is that?! I am finishing up a wedding album......hmm

1. Sign-in to your account
2. Click on the "My Shutterfly" tab and all your Recent Albums, Projects, etc. will appear
3. Under "My Projects" there is a little tab labeled "View all projects". Click on it.
4. Select ANY of your cards from Christmas (I used the same free code to make 3 different ones) to use. Click on it.
3. To the right, on the same page as your projects, you will then click on "Share Project".
4. A new screen pops up where you give your post a title and description. Do that and then click "Next".
5. As soon as you click Next, you SHOULD see a box on the right where it gives you the deal!!
6. Click on Blogger (if you have it) and if not, you can click on "Get embed widget code" and you can copy that and paste it into your blog post (using HTML).
7. After you post your project, make sure you email your active link post (they won't take screenshots) to the given address. They will confirm placement and reply to your email with a discount code.

I am SO pumped and I hope I receive a certificate!! With moving to a new state at the end of this month, it will give me a way to change out pictures in the frames I have :) Or help to purchase the album I am making!
ENJOY!!

Weird

I absolutely loved this one painting I did in college.
As our last project for Elementary Art Ed class, we were given a canvas and told to do whatever we wanted. The only rule was we had to use a photo. I scoured the internet and my own pictures for something to replicate and eventually found "Gold Swirls" by Lisa Kowalski to use. I think it's beautiful.

Here is my version (sorry I don't really have a close up shot of the whole thing)

And there is a wonderful glare from the glass.....

I had it hung in my bedroom for about 3 years. I was proud of this painting.

But, somehow I lost it!! I can't figure out how though :(

When I moved from Nashville to SC last February, I swore I packed it separately and even checked on it. One day I went out to the garage to get something, lifted up the frame it had been in, and it was empty!! What?! Weird.
I guess I'll have to paint another one.
Sigh.

1st Christmas {as a Pepin}

After the Christmas Eve Service at church, our family & friends get together. This has traditionally become Chinese take-out night. Everyone, right after the service, can be found looking at different menus (top choices are Panda or Jin's) and ordering their choices over the phone. Whatever you get is placed on the table for everyone to 'have a taste' :) While we eat, we watch "A Christmas Story" or "It's a Wonderful Life"!

Mom P and I

My sister and I

We spent this year's Christmas Eve night at Matt's parents house because they do their Christmas earlier than my family does. MUCH earlier than mine. I was probably the last person to get up, but I was awake around 8 am. And that is early to me!!! We ate a nice breakfast and then everyone gathered in the living room to open their stocking. These are not "normal" stockings. These stockings are about 2-3 feet in length (grandma says she gets them at the Dollar Store for $1)!! Also, each gift is individually wrapped and placed inside!!!

See what I mean?! 

Once stockings are finished and everyone has admired the fun trinkets, all the boys start distributing gifts. The youngest in the family starts first with one gift and so on. After one gift each is opened, then it is mayhem. Everyone is opening their gifts while oohing and aahing and thanking the gift-giver for what they just received. It's not too crazy, but it was fun to just take a break and look around at what people are opening. The middle of the room starts to pile up with the destroyed wrapping paper, bows, tags, and boxes (and is burned later on). It was pure fun!

Matt had the camera set up on self-timer 

Cute "brown paper package tied up with string" done by my sister-in-law

WHOO!!!! I've got some learning to do :)

The leftovers

It was a wonderful experience and one that I thoroughly enjoyed!! Hooray for new families and new traditions!