Thankful

It would be easy to find reasons not to be thankful, especially after losing our baby girl, but today I'm choosing to be thankful for the time he has given Sam, Charlotte, Calvin, & I, with each other and our family & friends.

Life isn't always simple, but thanking God for the little things is. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

Farewell 2013

When 2013 began, I wasn't sure what the year would hold. We had just suffered a major loss and living day to day (sometimes hour to hour) was all I could handle. And my blogging certainly reflected what I was feeling and how little words I had to share:

January - I started the year writing down a few of my 2013 goals {that I actually accomplished}; I shared the gift we were given through Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep; began posting Friday bullets; and talked about Charlotte - one month after meeting her, never forgetting her, and the reminders of her all around me.

February - I continued posting Friday bullets {an easy way to get my thoughts out}; I shared a story my husband posted on Facebook about Charlotte & having hope; on what would have been C's two month birthday, I talked about anniversaries have helped me heel & meeting with the genetic counselor; and posted the video we shared at Charlotte's memorial.

March - I received {& blogged about} my first Stitch Fix and fell in love the company's concept; the month was filled Friday bullets/thoughts; I joined the Influence Network & attended my first classes; and I shared about a series about life after Charlotte.

April - after sharing about the desire to talk about life after Charlotte in March, I posted about the holidays, being a mother without a child, and questions I've received; I updated my blog with a new design & address; and I ran walked a 5k with my sister-in-law.

May - 2012 was the year of the photo-a-day and in May I shared the book that I made to compile all of my photos in one place; I saw Sara Bareillis again, up close & personal; I celebrated my first Mother's Day without Charlotte, which was bittersweet; and I ended the month visiting Austin & the Heater family.

June - another Stitch Fix box arrived and yet again I was exctied to see what my stylist picked out for me; due to an Influence Network prompt, I shared what home means to me; I couldn't believe six months had already passed since meeting & saying goodbye to Charlotte; and we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary.

July - my Friday bullets transformed into '5 on Friday', where I shared five of my favorites from the week; I was offered a chance to review a Float Wrap from Printography; I featured five blogs that have helped me through the grieving process; and Sam & I got away for a peaceful weekend.

August - more & more 5 on Fridays {apparently that's the way I got myself to post throughout most of the year}; and Sam built me a headboard.

September - this is the month where my posting drastically slowed down... but not before I posted about my excitement about the Influence Conference & my 2013 scarfs swap.

October - I could barely find the words to describe my time at the Influence Conference {because it was amazing!}; and we finally announced our new addition coming in April.

November - after announcing my pregnancy, I reflected on how different this one feels in comparison to the one with Charlotte; and we found out we would be welcoming a baby boy {and announced it on Instagram}!

December - we honored Charlotte's first birthday; I reviewed Stitch Fix while being pregnant; and rounded out the year reflecting on one year after Charlotte.


As I reflect on the year behind us, I'm grateful God gave me hope, especially in the darker times.  And next year already holds a lot of hope, which I'm also thankful for, but what I am really hoping for in 2014 is that I find my online voice again. Between remembering our baby girl, preparing for our new little guy and continuing to be involved with the Influence Network, my mind is swirling with inspiration & posts; I just need to to take the time to write about it all, for you, my readers, and myself.

So until then... Happy New Year!

Pinterest Inspired: DIY Headboard

I'm going out on a limb here, but you've heard of Pinterest, right? 

If not, it's a lot like an online bulletin board in which you can "pin" your favorite finds from all across the internet in one, convenient location for future reference.  And I have been a fan since day one!  I can pin all day long if I had the time, but my biggest downfall... actually following through with trying some of my favorite pins.

Well, I can finally cross another pin off my {always-growing} Pinterest to-do list!

 

I can't remember when I first saw this DIY headboard, but I do recall thinking "this actually looks pretty easy!"  So when we bought a new {bigger} bed this Spring, I approached my husband with this pin in mind.  Honestly, I thought he'd shoot me down or steer me another direction, but to my surprise, he thought it was pretty cool and got to work right away planning what he'd need to get this done.

This is where my blogger fail comes in.

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of the actual process because it went a lot faster than I anticipated (seriously, by the time I thought to go get the camera, my husband had cut, sanded, and stained all four boards and they were just waiting to be put up).

But I am here to confirm that it was really as easy as 1-2-3!

Step 1: Pick up the supplies from your local home improvement store (wood, stain, Velcro strips)
Step 2: Cut boards down to size, sand, and stain.
Step 3: Once the boards are dry, adhere them to the walls using Velcro strips*.

*You might be wondering whether the Velcro strips would actually hold the boards up, but I'm here to tell you that our "headboard" has been up for over a month now and the boards haven't moved at all!  A plus?  We can remove them any time we want without damaging the walls!

So if you're looking for a headboard that is simple, customizable, and pretty cheap ($120 total), give this one a try!  I'd love it if you shared it with me after you do too :)

Farewell 2012...

Well, another year has come & gone again, but for some reason this one feels much different from the past.  Maybe it's because we experienced both the most exciting joy & deepest sorrow we have ever felt before.  Or maybe it's because the future we thought we were planning for in the early months, has been flipped upside down now and we are no longer sure what's ahead for us.  Regardless, I wanted to be sure to recap this year for my own benefit - to remember the good, the bad, and the ugly and more importantly, to hopefully one day see God's plan & reason behind what happened to us this year:

January - I started the year off with some hope & goals for the new, as well as a photo-a-day project that {I didn't know at the time} would continue throughout the rest of the year.  As with previous years, I also continued posting about some book reviews and shared more of my outfits through "What I Wore Wednesday".  I also shared my Leap List on the blog and completed my first item.

February - WIWW continued and I even started creating outfits from my Pinterest board.  I shared Sam + I's love story and a rare moment where we got to babysit my adorable niece for the day.  My photo-a-day's also continued with weekly posts.

March - More reviews, outfit posts, and photo-a-day posts this month, but I also completed another Leap List item {my first massage!} and we started on a big house project - installing laminate flooring throughout our house.  We also found out we were pregnant this month, although no one knew yet :)

April - This month didn't have a lot going on except trying to keep our baby news a secret, so I kept myself busy by seeing Wicked for the first time and hosting a Stella & Dot giveaway {which was a lot of fun & I'd love to host more in the future}.  I also continued my photo-a-day project.

May - Another relatively quiet month {mainly due to the unknown pregnancy - sensing a theme?} with the exception of my weekly photo-a-day recap posts, but we also had some fun this month.  Our niece turned one!  And we got away to Bend, OR for a little vacation between working on our floors some more.  Our families learned of our upcoming bundle of joy, although we continued to keep the blog world in the dark for another month.

June - The big baby news month!  Our niece helped share the news and in addition to sharing some pregnancy details, I also began my weekly posts about the pregnancy at 14 weeks.  I also posted a special shout-out to the fathers in our life because a new one {my husband!} would be becoming on in December.  Other notable posts from June - I updated my Leap List, continued photo-a-day recaps, and Sam & I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary!

July - We started out this month with a trip to Nova Scotia {at 16 weeks pregnant} to see my dad and ended it with multiple doctor visits when they discovered a problem at our gender ultrasound.  I filled the month with photo-a-day recaps, reviews, and a Pinterest project, but this month sort of seems like a blur when I think back on it.

August - I took a break posting about the pregnancy for weeks 19 & 20 of the pregnancy due to the news we received in July, but shared some medical details around 21 weeks when we decided to put our trust and baby girl in God's hands and her name around 22 weeks {Charlotte}.  Due to the state of our pregnancy, we became labeled as "high risk" and began seeing a specialist every couple weeks for monitoring, measurements, and tests.  Through all of this, I clung to whatever normalcy I could find and continued my photo-a-day project to find some appreciation of the little things in life.

September - If I was to describe my feelings this month in one word, I would probably say it was "hopeful".  We had met with a few different doctors concerning our little girl's condition and while we knew it was serious, we also hoped that God would fix her little body if that was His plan.  Notable happenings for this month include: sharing a little bit about what was going through my head at the moment; participating in a scarf swap; posting my photo-a-day recaps; and attending two baby showers out of town for Charlotte + I {posted about in December}.

October - Another somewhat quiet month on the blog, with the exception of photo-a-day posts, pregancy updates, and reviews.  One exception was where I felt more hopeful in September, the feeling of hopelessness surrounding the pregnancy overcame my thoughts in October, which I shared about around 32 weeks.  To take my mind off worrying, I started a weekly post called Friday Favorites {I featured Lisa Leonard & HelloBee this month}, which share some blogs & sites that have become must-reads for me throughout the years.

November - More pregnancy updates, reviews, Friday Favorites {iHeart Organizing, Influenster, I Love You More Than Carrots, Jonathan David Photography, and The Four Gift Rule}, and photo-a-day recaps this month.  We also shared Charlotte's scheduled birthday - 12.12.12 - around 36 weeks, after we were transferred up to Legacy Emanuel in Portland, OR for the remainder of our pregnancy.  And due to the nature of the month, I also shared why I was most thankful this year...

December - Also known as the month we've been waiting for!  I started out the month posting about the amazing baby showers that were thrown for us over the last couple months, as well as a Friday Favorite {The Dough Will Rise Again} and finishing out my year-long photo-a-day project.  Then before we knew it, we had made it to 39 weeks & the day finally came that we would finally be meeting our precious baby girl.  Charlotte René Grable was born on 12.12.12 at 2:35pm, but sadly, we had to say goodbye to her far too soon on 12.21.12 at around 11:30am, only 9 short days after we met her.  I tried to put our feelings into words and find meaning for why this all happened, but a lot of if is still in my heart, which is, honestly, where it might stay for the unforeseeable future...  However, I did want to document Charlotte's short, but love-filled life, so you can read about her here & here.

This year was tough.  As I mentioned above, we experienced such a range of emotions this year that I'm not sure how many I have left {except for indescribable sadness and desire to hold Charlotte in my arms again}.  As 2012 comes to an end, I pray that I never forget this year and what it brought us, but that I am also able to move forward and see Charlotte in everything beautiful ahead of us.

Pinterest Project: Wooden Doormat

Have you ever come across something on Pinterest and thought, "I can totally make this!", only to realize {weeks/months/a year later} that you haven't done it yet? Yeah, that is me on a regular basis.  At least until a couple months ago.

Back when we were working on our floors, the garage was our central location.  Usually a place left for more husband + his tools, I rarely took the time to see what was in there, until I was forced to spend a lot of time in there.  And that's when I saw them - a pile of discarded 2x2's that I knew would make the perfect doormat, thanks to the image I found on Pinterest months prior {below}.

Source: marthastewart.com via Meaghan on Pinterest

So with little convincing, my husband helped me create a own custom doormat for our back deck by simply reusing what we already had on hand.

We opted not to stain the 2x2's at the time of putting this together, but may end up doing that in the future.  The assembly of the doormat was actually much easier than I imagined and simply required stringing & knotting the rope in between the 2x2's that we had drilled through.  Easy right?

So with one Pinterest project under my belt and a baby nursery to put together, I forsee some more projects in my future.

Have you found something on Pinterest that you ended up making?  Or is it better to just dream about it instead?

Farewell 2011!

Well, it's that time again! Time to bid another year adieu and look forward to what the new year has in store for us. But before we do that, let's look back at how 2011 treated us:

January - What I Wore Wednesday, a.k.a. WIWW, continued into 2011 {a fun way to look back and see how my style has evolved}; all of the kids in Sam's family treated his parents to a Portland Trailblazer game for Christmas, which we attended in January; and we spent quality time with family & friends.

February - I bragged about my brother's accomplishments; some Valentine's baking occurred; and more WIWW posts.

March - You got to know me a little better; we celebrated our SIL & MIL's birthday and a baby shower for our niece; I fell in love with the cute town of Seaside, OR; neither of us get Spring Break off, but we still enjoyed the weather with friends + family; and, of course, Kristi kept us well fed.

April - Sam built us {+ the Weathers} raised beds for our garden, which turned into a complete backyard makeover; Lily got a new Molly Mutt bed; my SIL's church through her a beautiful baby shower; and we spent Easter down in Eugene so we could listen to our SIL sing one last time at her church down there.

May - Kristi & I went to see Something Borrowed after reading the book a couple years back; Sam turned 29 & we celebrated both his birthday + Mothers Day in Sandy; and Linnea Elizabeth finally made her appearance {a little over a week late} & we all fell in love instantly!

June - I hoped on a plane to see one of my best friends in TX; there was some quality time spent with my college roommate; my brother graduated from college; I continued to read more books thanks to the BlogHer Book Club; we moved my BIL & SIL up to Portland; and Sam & I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary!

July - 4th of July was spent with friends + sparklers; I saw Sara Bareilles in concert with friends; and Sam & I went to the east coast {his first time + I haven't been back in 5+ years} to visit my dad, attend my cousin's wedding, + celebrate my 26th birthday.

August - thanks to Kristi & Sherlai, I attended my second concert this year - Gabe Dixon {+ we got to meet him!}; Sam's family came down for a 'staycation' at our house; and Sam built himself a backdrop for my WIWW photos.

September - I shared how I was feeling lately; we remembered 9/11 - 10th anniversary; and I participated in a scarf swap.

October - Sam & I visited the Oregon Garden for the first time {and are already looking forward to using the membership we purchased}; I played catch up - hair color change, breakfast date with Sam, exploring Portland with Kelly, family photos, and a trip to Redmond to see Michelle + the kids; and we all got together for the 4th annual pumpkin carving party.

November - Sam created a moving picture of our adorable niece that I had to share; I bragged about my talented friends - Jon & Rachel; another 'about me' post; we took Lily to her first dog park; Thanksgiving was spent with Sam's family this year + I shared what I was most thankful for!

December - lots of highlights - more dog park visits, fun with friends, watching my BIL do what he loves, seeing family, & selling my car; I participated in another swap - this time gloves; went to the theatre for a holiday performance; Christmas cards were sent out + the house was decorated; and we managed to see both families this Christmas season.

Overall, I would say this year was a good one for us. We traveled, spent some good time with family + friends, and welcomed our first niece. Even with 2011 being so good, I'm still excited to welcome 2012 and see what it has in store for us. So until next year... :)

2011 Christmas Card

This year's Christmas card is one of my favorites ever! The picture was an easy choice thanks to Jonathan David Photography & our family photo session in October. And for the card, I turned to one of my favorite photo printing sites - Shutterfly.

And for a little surprise, we were sure to include our our favorite pup, Lily, on the back of each card!

My only regret is not ordering enough cards in time to mail them out. There were quite a few people who I wasn't able to send cards to this year and to those people I am really sorry, but hope to do better next year!

Do you send Christmas cards out? Do you enjoy receiving them?

Because it's Monday...

And apparently I haven't posted for almost two weeks {oops!}, so today I bring you some random thoughts to catch you up a bit.

• Last weekend, we hosted Sam's family at our house as a little staycation. In addition to his immediate family coming down, we also had his aunt & uncle+ their children. The main reason for the trip was to get a visit to the beach in this year, but we also had our share of relaxing around the house {read: taking turns holding my niece :)}.


• Speaking of my niece, it's so fun to see her smile & recognize you. I'm not lying when I say I could just stare at her for hours!


• Lately, I've been blessed with some quality time with friends and have become thankful for the relationships that are growing all around me. Now if only I could spend my days hanging out with these friends instead of working :)


• Other than time with family & friends, I have also reunited with my crafty side and spent some time with my sewing machine {mainly just alterations}, as well as trying some ideas I have bookmarked on Pinterest. Maybe if some of them turn out, they'll make an appearance on here soon...


• We recently purchased an iPad and are both really enjoying all that it has to offer. Especially when it comes to reading books {for me}. Over the last couple years, I've found that reading isn't as boring as I once thought, but that with the right story, I can really enjoy reading. Well enter the iPad + it's many book apps and I can pretty much read anything I want without the burden of carrying a ton of books around with me. I'm a fan!


• With the end of the summer approaching, Sam & I have begun to think about some of the projects/goals we want to complete by next summer, which ultimately means that we need to start saving as much as we can. Hold me!

So I apologize for the silence here at Grable Tales and hope that things get back to normal here soon.

Happy Monday!

Weekend Highlights

Finally, something worth while to post on the blog! :) This weekend was all kinds of fun, celebrating both birthdays for Krista & momma Donna {belated & early, respectively} as well as showering our unborn niece {she made out like a bandit when it came to gifts!}. The pictures pretty much speak for themselves, so enjoy!

{Gift-giving is one of my favorite things because I love to see their reactions
when I find something that just calls out their name.}

{Tissue paper pom poms - easy & adorable!}

{Since, my SIL is a big fan of birds, I saw these & thought they'd be perfect in the baby's room.}

{I'm envious of my other SIL (the one who's not pregnant :)) because of her skills
with baking & decorating - these were the cutest bird cookies she made for favors!}

{And finally, a must on any occasion - a picture of us three sisters!}

Love: BH&G Dog-Breed Pumpkin Stencils

{photo via here & here}

Better Homes & Gardens Dog-Breed Pumpkin Stencils had me at hello! With a couple specific pups with permanent residence in my heart, I instantly loved the idea and can’t wait to make my own. Plus, they have over 10 other dog-breeds to choose from!

Please come back & share if you decide to turn your favorite dog into pumpkin form!

Fall means...

PUMPKIN!

Another low-key weekend had me in the kitchen experimenting with a few recipes involving one of my favorite Fall foods.

On the left, the basic, but classic Pumpkin Pie. And on the right, a new-to-me recipe, Pumpkin Bread. {Both found in my favorite pink cookbook}

I'm already anticipating the next recipe involving this beautiful fruit and I think it might come from this post that I starred this week in Google Reader.

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday!

{via}

And an {unusally} good Monday it has turned out to be!

I was just informed that I won my first giveaway, which happens to be from hi, friend. designs, a site I frequently visit due to all the talent that is bursting from a couple of very creative girls. And I couldn't be more excited to spread their name to everyone who reads this little blog because trust me, you will find a reason (or five) to buy the clever printed items they currently have available!

So, please take a minute and pop over to their {beautiful} site and start adding items to your cart, either for a gift or yourself*! They are also on Facebook & Twitter too! Enjoy!

*hi, friend. designs did not compensate me for this post, I'm just rather thankful for winning their giveaway and a big fan of their business.

Recent Projects

I'm a list person.

I make lists about almost everything - home, work, etc. - and the feeling I get crossing off a finished item... amazing!

Of course, due to our busy schedule this summer, my list of (personal) projects is getting longer instead of shorter, but because some progress is better than none, here are a few of the items that I have been able to cross off my list (slowly, but surely) and a couple that should be completed real soon.

Knowing what I go through when I try to reach something on a high shelf, my MIL found me a little stool to use around the house. The only problem is that it really did go with my home decor, so after a little paint job it now fits right in!

Deep inside my closet I have a pile that consists of items that just need a little mending or slight altering and knew that if I didn't get to them soon, they have to wait to be worn until next spring/summer. Therefore, I crossed this one off last month!

These necklaces are two of my favorites, but unfortunately they hung too low around my neck. Using some pliars & scissors, I was able to undo the hardware, shorten the ribbon, & put it all back together in no time at all. Now I want to wear them every day!

{via}

Since recieving my first digital camera, it's been harder for me to actually print out pictures we take. I guess I figure since it's on my computer I don't need them in an album. Well, I've changed my mind and instead of scrapbooking, I've decided to make photo books of several large events in our life thus far. This one is still a work in progress as these books take time & money.

And lastly, since receiving the pictures from our lovely photoshoot a few months back, I've been craving a blog update and immediately contacted Krameymartin Designs once again. Stay tuned, as this one is also still in the design stages and I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Are you a list maker? What motivates you to get things done?

Summer of Weddings

It is complete wedding mode over on Sam’s side of the family right now. Between May & July, there has been/will be three bridal showers, bachelor & bachelorette parties, plus two weddings*. Neither of these upcoming nuptials are new to this blog (see here & here), but as a forewarning, please be prepared for a few more wedding-related posts in the next couple months since my life will be sort of be full of it all!

This weekend we crossed one of the above events off our list – Matt & Krista’s couples shower!

My SIL graciously opened her home for the party & (with a little help from me) organized food, games, & a devotional for the blissful pair. It wasn’t anything fancy, but more about the couple & those there to show their support for them. And I think I can say they were very blessed throughout the entire day!

{don't worry, there was more food, it just hadn't arrived yet}

{The game - shower gift BINGO}

{The happy couple!}

*My best friend/maid of honor is also getting married this summer (August), which adds another bridal shower, bachelorette weekend, & wedding to the calendar :)

Away...

(photo from here)

While I'm off celebrating my mom's 50th birthday in Napa this weekend, I thought I'd leave you with a few posts that have peaked my interest this week:

Love this post on living in the moment.

Some pretty purses to look at.

And a great DIY tutorial for a tank dress (which I'm trying immediately upon my return -- stay tuned!).

Have a great weekend!

OOTD 2.5.10 & A Giveaway!

In an attempt to not wear jeans every day of the week, today's OOTD is as far away as I can get!

Sweater: Ann Taylor Loft

Dress: DownEast Basics

Flats: Urban Outfitters

This dress was a great buy at under $10 and I love the polka dot print paired with the ruffled front. Sadly, it's been neglected at the back of my closet and I thought today should be the day to debut it, since we're heading up to Portland after work tonight for a dessert social. Hooray for dressing up & chocolate!

Also, please head over to the (lovely) Style Lush blog for a giveaway of one of my fabric iPhone sleeves!

Farewell 2009!

2009 was a pretty good year for us! Here is a breakdown of the past year’s posts:

January – we rang in the New Year down in Eugene at my best friend’s family farm; I started a new job; we dealt with a minor car accident; our friends, James & Michelle, came over from Bend for a visit; and we got a long awaited wedding present from Sam’s dad – a handmade dresser!

February – we used a gift card from the wedding to go out for an early Valentine’s date; Sam & I passed a cold back and forth; and more guests came over – this time in the form of Kelly & Brittany.

March – I found myself visiting my best friend up in Portland; I got a free gift card to Macy’s in the mail; Buster became a little more famous; and I went to Bend for Michelle’s baby shower!

April – we refinanced our year old home; I went back over to Bend for another baby shower and time with my mom; and Sam and I joined a gym.

May – Levi Heater was born (refer back to March, when I went to his baby shower); my mom & I threw a luncheon for one of my childhood friends; Sam turned 27 and we had both families over to our house for a joint birthday/Mother’s Day party; we worked on the curb appeal of our house; and another visit to see friends in Portland.

June – my BIL, Matt, graduated from the University of Oregon; and we celebrated our (1st!!!) anniversary!

July – we spent 4th of July in Sandy with Sam’s family; we went to Bend for a wedding & my birthday weekend; the Grables came down for a belated birthday party for me; and Sam & I took a trip to the coast as an anniversary trip!

August – I met a new friend from the Internet (and we actually went to the same small college and never met!); I completed my first project on my NEW sewing machine (a birthday present from Sam); and we went to the coast again, but this time with the whole Grable family.

September – I opened my own Etsy shop, featuring iPhone sleeves; I attended a women’s conference at George Fox with my MIL, SIL, and BIL’s girlfriend; and I got news that I would need thousands of dollars worth of dental work.

October – I wrote about my siblings; I reflected on my life-changing car accident that happened 5 years ago; I went to Bend again to help my mom with a fundraiser; the Grables got together for their second annual pumpkin carving day; and I had my first (of many) gum surgeries.

November – I went up to Washington for a baby shower; I got a little crafty with my clothing; went to Bend for the Thanksgiving weekend; and went through gum surgery #2.

December – we attended two beautiful concerts that Krista, my BIL’s girlfriend, was singing in; Christmas was celebrated with the in-laws; and I knocked out my third gum surgery.

I have enjoyed blogging this year and can’t wait to continue in 2010! There might be some minor changes, but everything should look about the same. See you next year!

Weekend Recap

•The weekend started out fearing I was on the verge of getting sick.
•So far so good.
•Friday night was a usual in the Grable house: eating pizza & catching up on Thursday night TV.
•Probably my favorite night of the week!
•Saturday brought rainy weather, but I went out anyways.
•Main reason being Old Navy's $1 scarf sale.
•Yes, I stocked up!
•When I came home, I got the urge to craft.
•All week on The Working Closet, we've been seeing some awesome embellished tees.
•I decided to try my hand at one and am so happy with how it turned out.

•We rounded out the day with a workout, homemade red beans & rice, and WALL-E.
•Sunday was pretty normal.
•Church, cleaning house, and a workout.
•And once again, the weekend is done & gone.
•Here's to another (short) week.

Weekend Recap

• Another great weekend (of nothing!) .
• These are becoming more frequent and we are definitely thankful for each of them!
• Friday brought dentist appointments for both Sam & I.
• Sam has almost perfect teeth; I, however, don't.
• Future post to come of the horror which involves my upcoming dentist appointments.
• Following the dentist, we got groceries and went to the mall to pick up our FREE $10 gift cards!
• If you're asking yourself how did we get lucky enough to both be given $10 gift cards for free, then the answer is following thrifty blogs pays off.
• We also signed back up for cable and Comcast threw in HBO until they can come add the channels.
• Therefore our weekend consisted of mainly laying on the couch watching lots of movies!
  

• And not a lot of anything else (i.e. cleaning) .
• I did sew a few iPhone Sleeves after church on Sunday.
• And put them up on my NEW Etsy shop!
• Shoutout: Thanks Kali for the header and if you need a custom blog design or Etsy header, she's your girl!

To open my own Etsy shop or not?

A few weeks ago, Sam & I made the switch to AT&T and bought ourselves iPhones. Since this isn't a cheap investment, we took the necessary procautions to protect our new cell phones with cases almost immediately. The cases we chose (iFrogz Luxe Case, here) are excellent, but I was still wanting a little more protection from some of the dangers within my purse (i.e. keys) . As my go-to site for crafts-galore, Etsy provided me with pages of possibilities and choices. But then I realized that I could, maybe, possibly make my own sleeve for my iPhone. Enter my crafty feeling yesterday.

I didn't have a pattern going into this, just faith & an idea. I cut the fabric carefully, played around with it for a few minutes, and in less than 30 minutes I had my first finished iPhone sleeve. I couldn't believe how easy it came together and how inexpensive it was for me to make my own! Definitely a great learning experience of trusting my own instincts and practice with my sewing machine.

As with every project I've completed (total: 3) with my sewing machine, I wanted to show anyone (& everyone) who would listen. So, I posted a picture on Twitter & Facebook and received a couple comments back mentioning how I should think about selling my own sleeves on Etsy. While I love that idea of making something for someone else, I'm torn on whether mine would actually sell. See, when I was searching Etsy, I found various iPhone/iPod sleeves that were all awesome in their own ways, but do I want to add one more shop that sells the same thing as several others out there?

And this is where you come in, readers. What do you think... Should I make a few more & open my own Etsy shop? Or should I just make them for people I know/who ask for one? I'd love for your honest opinion, so thanks in advance!