aquafrolic

Oh, hello there...

2011-04-06T20:42:00.000-05:00

i know i've been absent for a while, but i have news! my blog can now be found here. come follow me there!

-m

notice

2010-10-27T15:33:00.003-05:00

if you purchased something from my closet raid, i want you to know that your items are being shipped tomorrow. sorry for the delay...running a restaurant means you work crazy hours, and unfortunately, i've been working the same hours as the united states postal service and could never seem to get there before they close up shop! (and believe me...i drove out there a few times only to catch them locking up...bummer!)

for those of you who missed the chance to snag something, i'll be having another closet raid either later this week, or early next week, so stay tuned! :)

raid my closet

2010-10-14T19:59:00.028-05:00

for those of you who follow me on facebook or twitter, you are aware that i have recently done a huge purge of my wardrobe in an efforts to rid myself of things that i no longer get use from and to make room for some pretty new things. as i sat there, staring at a pile of clothes, shoes and various accessories, i started feeling that maybe i was jumping the gun a bit. i mean, it's not as if these things are out of style...or that they suffer severely from the wear and tear of being over loved. they are really quite nice. i'm just a sucker for shopping, and something about the fall season makes me want to shop shop shop. and i've vowed not to let anything else come into my house unless i get rid of something to make space. (no body likes a hoarder, right?) so i thought, "hey-i like clothes. i love shoes. and more than those things...i love a bargain. and i'm pretty sure other folks do too."

so i'm giving you all the opportunity to raid my closet :)

all prices are up for negotiation. if you are intersted in purchasing anything, or would like to negotiate a deal, email me at emjay0121(at)gmail(dot)com. happy shopping!

all measurements are taken flat

**for international readers, you are welcome to shop too, however there will be a flat shipping rate of $15 for all clothing and a shipping estimate can be given for shoes.

houndstooth fedora

urban outfitters

$12 + $5 shipping

chocolate suede calf boots

steve madden

these boots are so comfortable. they have a flat foot and come up right to the top of the calf.

size 8.5

SOLD

grey suede calf boots

steve madden

these are the same exact style as the chocolate pair above :)

size 8.5

SOLD

black suede platform pumps

steve madden

these shoes are hot. there is no other way to describe them. very comfortable pair of 4" heels! the toes look worn in the photo, but they are not. it's the way the light hits the suede. they've only been worn a handful of times.

size 8.5

$45 + $5 shipping

faux velvet ankle booties

anne michelle

these booties are so adorable. they have a pleating detail with a large bow on the ankle. so cute with a skirt/dress and tights

size 8.5

SOLD

green loafers

soda

these loafers have been loved very dearly. they are the prettiest green and have a cute buckle across the toe.

size 8.5

SOLD

purple moccasins

prettiest jewel tone with cream stitching and a little bow on each toe.

size 8.5

SOLD

teal, grey and navy strapless dress

ric rac (via anthropologie)

this dress is adorable. the colors are great, it's made from a heavy jersey type fabric, so it's breathable and very comfortable. it has the cutest navy and silver buttons down the bust, a button and zipper closure in the back, and my favorite feature...pockets! sweatheart neckline and a pencil skirt with grey band at the waste.

size medium

bust: 15 in

waste: 14.5 in

hips: 20 in

length: 27 in

$50 + $5 shipping

plaid button down house dress

BDG (via urban outfitters)

pretty bold colors in everyone's favorite pattern...plaid! the dress buttons all the way down. looks so great loosely belted with tights and flats or socks and riding boots.

size large

bust: 20 in

waste: 18 in

hips: 20 in

SOLD

TMD v-neck tee

truly madly deeply (via urban outfitters)

TMD v-necks are the epitomy of stylish comfort. the loose fitting tees hang just the right way and are so figure flattering. i have them in literally 10 different colors and wear them at least 3 times a week. for real. this one has a really cool bird/peacock motif.
size large

SOLD

green and cream striped button down

silence and noise (via urban outfitters)

loose fitting button down made of the softest cotton. muted green and cream vertical strips

size large

SOLD

wool and lace tunic

kimchi blue (via urban outfitters)

this bark colored tunic is great pair with dark skinny jeans and heels (or boots!). the body is made from wool, and the sleeves are a pretty intricate lace.

size medium (actual measurements will be posted tomorrow)

SOLD

cornflower blue racerback with eyelet lace

tiny (via anthropologie)

this tank is so interesting. it has a ruched racer back and an eyelet lace ruffle over the left shoulder. looks great paired with a cardigan!

size medium

bust: 17.5

waste: 15.5

length: 23 in

SOLD

blue cotton sundress

kimchi blue (via urban outfitters)

royal blue sundress with a v-neck adn cap sleeves. hits me right at the knee. it has a pretty embroidered detail down the front center and three buttons up the back. looks great with flat sandals

size large

bust: 18 in

waste: 16 in

hips: 20.5 in

length: 36 in

$20 + $5 shipping

cream trumpet skirt

viola (via anthropologie)

this cream trumpet skirt has pretty crocheted stripes all around the sides. hits right at the knee. looks great paired with the teal turtleneck listed below and brown flats

size medium

waste: 14 in

hips: 20 in

length: 33 in

$20 + $5 shipping

maroon sweater sheath dress

kimchi blue (via urban outfitters)

this is a loose fitting sheath dress. it has a v-neck line and 3/4 length sleeves that hit just below the elbow. comes down right at the knee and looks great paired with congnac colored knee boots and along lariat style necklace or vintage chains

size large

bust: 18 in

waste: 18.5

hips: 20 in

length: 33 in

$25 + $5 shipping

muted teal turtleneck shirt

ric rac (via anthropologie)

thin cotton turtleneck with cap sleeves in a pretty muted jewel tone. looks great with jeans and boots or with the cream wool skirt listed above

size large

$12 + $5 shipping

navy blue grecian dress

navy blue grecian style dress made from a synthetic fabric with cream stitching detail lining all hemlines. i've worn it with sandles in the summer and with the grey calf boots listed above in the winter

size medium

bust: 19 in

waste: 12.5 in (with elastic, so it stretches to fit a larger waste size)

hips: 20 in

length: 33 in

SOLD

once again, if you guys are intersted in purchasing anything, or would like to negotiate a deal, email me at emjay0121(at)gmail(dot)com

i am woman...hear me roar

2010-10-08T12:37:00.004-05:00

so today i'm building a fence.

sort of.

ok, really i'm repairing a fence. but it invovles shopping for lumber, cutting lumber, using a belt sander, drilling pickets to some 2x4s...in my book, this is building a fence. maybe not from scratch, but we'll go with it.

the folks at home depot gave me some pretty funny looks and a few "do you need some help young lady?" to which i reply, "no thank you. i've got this." i mean, come on...have they never seen a woman load up a cart with lumber? sheesh! (although i was thinking as i walked out "damn, i should have worn makeup or fixed my hair or something. i'm feeling pretty butch right about now")

there really is something to be said about the feeling one gets when they accomplish a daunting task. one of the biggest things that folks should know about me is that i consider nothing impossible. and if you think that i can't do something, you can bet your ass that i'm going to prove you wrong.

so with that said, i will finish cooking my lunch (pasta with a rich butter and herb sauce) and then i will strap on my big girl boots and go build my fence :)

-em

happy monday :)

2010-09-27T12:22:00.003-05:00

i woke up to a crisp 65 degree morning, and as of 12:30 in the afternoon, the temp hasn't risen above 70 :) i know that it's not going to last, and that in a few short days we'll be back to the 95 degrees before 11 am thing, but i can't help but soak it in and enjoy this little taste of fall for as long (or as short) as it lasts. now will someone let mother nature know that we don't want too many of these little teases before the real thing?

i hope you all are enjoying your monday...here is my verb list for the day:

spinning: "turn on the bright lights" by interpol

nomming: mushroom burger on honey wheat flat bread

doing: my hair. yay for multitasking

what's yours?

em

today i...

2010-09-23T23:19:00.007-05:00

wore:

white a-line sundress

gray knit cardigan

cowboy boots

various necklaces from my sister's jewlery box (teehehe)

ate:

beef stew (made from scratch by yours truly)

oh, and king's hawaiian bread and brownies :)

listened to:

jenny & johnny. all. day. long.

the vinyl is so pretty...its clear! not to mention, it comes with the entire album on cd as well, so i could listen while i ran errands too :)

watched:

the new big bang theory. i think sheldon's girlfriend was played by blossom. weird.

purchased:

bdg cigarette jeans and kimchi blue tstrap heels from urban...

and the aformentioned j&j vinyl

day dreamed about:

spending week (and a half!) with these two great folks...i love them so much

goodnight friends :)

emjay's super rad playlist

2010-09-10T16:16:00.007-05:00

everyone's doing fall playlists lately. well this is not one of those. these songs don't make me think of any particular season, person, or memory. they just sound good together and make me happy :) enjoy! (because of my blog layout, you'll need to use the pop out player option to see all 16 songs :)

and because playlist.com is lame and doesn't have all the good music out there, this song belongs on the play list...

Scissor Runner by Jenny And Johnny

and this song too...

ps, ms erin sunday...this is that playlist i started making for you like a million years ago.

pss, ashley and casee...this is for you guys too :)

so surreal

2010-08-23T23:50:00.009-05:00

on august 29, it's been five years.

five years since the lives of the residents of the mississippi and louisiana gulf coasts were changed forever.

i'd like to take a moment to reflect on those who lost their lives, those who gave their lives to save others, and those who made it through with the strength to rebuild. tornadoes, 25 foot storm surges and 125 mph winds, levee breaks, widespread flooding, an entire city under water...those who were not here and did not experience the phenomenon that was katrina will never truly know the effect it has had on all of us. but these photos tell a story...one that i hope the country will never forget.

five years later you can still see the watermarks on the sides of buildings. five years later, we've come so far, but there is still so much to rebuild, but the spirit of the people is even stronger than before. it is a day we will remember forever.

even though i have a real camera, i ALWAYS use my iphone

2010-08-10T18:19:00.009-05:00

greetings from watson, louisiana. (where my parents and sister live) i've been spending a lot of time out here lately :)

people think we're twins...i don't get it.

holy geeze...i remember as a child, time would go by sooooo slooooowwwww. a week felt like a thousand years.

as i've aged, with every year, i've become more and more aware of how time really does do it's own thing. it moves at it's own pace, regardless of how fast or slow you want it to go. it has a mind of it's own, and you're just along for the ride...i'm still not quite sure if i feel like that's a good or bad thing.

regardless, this last month has taught me a lot. i've enjoyed my time "unplugged" from the blogging world. don't get me wrong - i love reading blogs about people's lives and adventures, loves and passions, and i enjoy having a blog so that i can share mine with you! however, there comes a point when you have to realize that living your life is the most important piece...you can share it with others when you find the time, and unfortunately, spare time is something i don't come across often enough :)

with all that said, i want to say thank you to those of you who stick with me through my little (ok, big) blogging hiatuses (is that a word? it is now). i try and make my posts rich, meaningful and interesting, and since i can be so incredibly dull sometimes, i try and leave those parts out.

so what have i been up to this last month you ask? well, i'll tell you...

haven't actually gotten started on the summer goal of reading classic, however i DID find this GORGEOUS copy of pride and predjudice. what?!?

started a blanket :) hoping to finish by the time there's a chill in the air

scored some pretty BA thrifting goodness...

some blue glass ball jars to add to my ever growing collection

a cracker tin JUST LIKE the one my late grandmother had. even though this one did not belong to her, i will treasure it til the day i die. it reminds me so much of afternoons at her house.

my friend tiffany scored me this beautiful crocheted daisy blanket from an estate sale and i got some some new pyrex and vintage wooden thread spools to add to those collections as well

came across the coolest chandelier at z gallerie...it's a pirate ship! i really want it to hang in the corner of my bedroom. for real.

had lots and lots of kitty snuggles

bought this awesome dress. i can't help but to share...it's so comfortable and flattering. i can't wait to pair it with a sweater and tights/boots in the fall/winter...

(holy crap it's time for a hair cut. that crap's getting LONG)

here's a close up of the fabric and pattern

and these babies are now on the wall in my bedroom. i've been eyeballing them for months at UO, but at 40-50 bucks a pop, i just told myself "yeah right." well i had some store credit, and they went on sale for $10 this week. hells yeah.

let's see, what else has been going on? i celebrated a good friend's college graduation, found a new concert buddy (we ran into each other at the spoon concert back in march and have since decided to see all concerts together...i believe we have the black keys and mumford and sons coming up, plus voodoo fest :) )

oh! and i got a promotion :) i now have my very own restaurant and get to run the thing 100% on my own. i'm pretty stoked about it. however, it's going to be a lot of work on the front end to get it to perform at my (incredibly too high) standards, but it will be so rewarding!

lastly, i'll leave you with photos from the balloon festival this past weekend. hot air balloons are so pretty! apologies in advance for the limited amount of photos...i can't get a lot of them to import to my computer :(

have you ever seen a hot air balloon blow up? it starts with just a basket and a pile of nylon on the ground, then slowly but surely, it stands up...the entire process takes a good thirty minutes. here's a video of the last few seconds

cool, right? alrighty, i'll leave you with one last pretty one...this is called a "twinkle glow"

love you guys :)

2010-08-09T23:04:00.002-05:00

[credit]

holy smokes, i haven't posted in a month. a freaking month.

i really suck at this.

buttttt...i've actually been putting together a pretty big one about some things going on over here in emjay world, plus some gorgeous photos from the hot air balloon festival this weekend. i finally have a day off tomorrow (first one in three weeks) so look for it then! who knows, maybe even tonight (but don't get your hopes up) :)

word to your mother and all that jazz,

thunderstorms are for...

2010-07-05T17:40:00.001-05:00

snuggling with kitties...

fresh muffins (this one of the pumpkin variety)...

and crochet...

I hope all of my american readers had a wonderful independence day! I'll be back soon with a recap of my summer goals :)

xo
em

ahhh summer...

2010-06-26T12:39:00.001-05:00

daiquiri + pool + sunshine = great saturday

now that's a math equation i wouldn't have minded so much in school :)

happy weekend!
em

eight

2010-06-25T19:24:00.005-05:00

i've been tagged by the oh-so-lovely carol :) i have to answer the 8 questions she asked me, then make up a new set of 8 questions and tag 8 people to answer them :) here goes!

1. what song is stuck in your head right now? scissor runner stole my heart... well, those are the only words i know so far of jenny lewis' newest music. she's releasing an album with her boyfriend johnny and i've been playing the sneak peek track in itunes on repeat all day :)

2. what's the worst job you've had? honestly, i haven't had a job i hate. i've been with my current job for 7 years, since i was 17. and i lovelovelove what i do. the only other job i ever had was at the local skating rink...and who isn't going to love that???

3. what's your favorite summer activity? that would definitely have to be visits to the snowball stand and swimming at my parents' house :)

4. where would you go if you could go anywhere today? at this moment? springfield, mo. there's this friend i have there that i miss dearly. i wish we lived next door...we'd be great neighbors.

5. what is something that you would love to learn? silversmithing. i want to learn how to make things out of molten metal...it just seems so incredibly interesting and fufilling!

6. do you like thunderstorms or do you get nervous? i *love* thunderstorms. to me, there is nothing better than curling up with a cup of hot tea, a good book, and rolling thunder in the background. plus, thunderstorms create the best sleep. :)

7. do you collect anything? if so, what? i collect vintage pyrex, blue glass ball jars, things with owls on them, and vintage thread (only on wooden spools though).

8. what's your favorite childhood memory? trips to home depot with my grandpa. he is a woodworker among many other things (gardener, homemade wine maker, honey bee farmer - and he's 84!). when i was young, he would pick me up on friday nights and we'd go to home depot together to pick up whatever odds and ends he needed to complete his latest project. afterwards, we'd stop by zackk's yogurt and i'd get a plain frozen yogurt with tiny tarts on top :) i love my grandpa!

ok kiddos...here are my 8 questions for you!

1. what was the first cd you ever owned?

2. boxers or briefs?

3. what five things would you need to survive if stranded on a deserted island?

4. what's the riskiest thing you've ever done?

5. what's your favorite girl scout cookie?

6. what's your number 1 guilty pleasure?

7. where did you go on your very first date?

8. in the song, yankee doodle, is he calling the feather or the horse "macaroni"?

and the 8 people i'm tagging are...

1. erin

2. margot

3. katie

4. danielle

5. tiffany

6. lehua

7. vivs

8. ashley

i tried to pick folks who hadn't already been tagged by someone else. if your name isn't listed, please feel free to play along and leave a link in the comment section to your answers!

hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

it's time for another yard sale!

2010-06-25T17:59:00.005-05:00

round three brings some pretty big ticket items...

first item:

$28 plus $10 shipping (because of size and weight)

modular wire shelving. the two by two version shown sells retail for $44.99, but i am selling a two by 3, which has two more cubes than the one shown. some assembly will be required.

scrapbook paper organizer:

$30 plus $10 shipping (because of size and shape)

this bad boy retails online anywhere from $60-$75 dollars. this is in near perfect condition :) some assembly will be required.

i'm also selling some of my older paintings. these next few items have been adorning various walls in my home for a while, and it's time that they found a new home.

abstract landscape, 3 pieces:

$70 (see bottom of post for shipping info)

photos do not do this piece justice. each canvas measures 16x20 and are meant to be displayed together.

wes anderson inspired:

$40 (see bottom of post for shipping info)

this pieces was inspired by the wes anderson film, the darjeeling limited. my living room walsl are definitely going to miss this one! it measures 18x24

just blue:

$40 (see bottom of post for shipping info)

this piece measures 30x24. it fades from a light grey/blue at the top down to a rich deep blue at the bottom.

if you're interested in purchasing any of the items listed, follow their links to my etsy site. if you purchase a painting, use the code "emjay's yard sale" in the note to seller section and the shipping cost listed on etsy will be refunded to you.

for those of you who are local, a 5 dollar delivery fee will be charged instead of the shipping charge.

xo!

monday, monday

2010-06-14T15:23:00.003-05:00

in case you were wondering, usually:

but this monday, it's being downright mean. some time between going to bed last night and waking up this morning, my brain tricked my body into thinking it was 74 years old, when it is, in fact, only 24. i am seriously paying for all the deep cleaning, weed pulling, home renovating projects i did for 16 SOLID hours yesterday. i think this calls for a late afternoon nap, don't you?

i mean, i deserve a reward for yesterday's productivity

happy monday. promise to have something a little more fun later today or tomorrow :)

ps, ask me a question over at my formspring :) it's up to you guys to make my next Q/A post interesting. mix it up a little :)

pss, i have "monday monday" by the mamas and the papas stuck in my head. it seems to be on a never ending loop...

bibbity bobbity boo

2010-06-13T10:46:00.002-05:00

this is me today, sans the fairy godmother and prince charming. i'm clean clean cleaning the heck out of every room in the house today. complete home organization was one of my summer goals, and the prospect of some potential house guests throughout the next couple of weeks has kicked my procrastinating butt into overdrive.

hope everyone had a lovely weekend :) enjoy the last little bit before it's gone...

happy friday :)

2010-06-11T09:46:00.003-05:00

via weheartit

my sentiments exactly

happy friday :)

formspring questions answered! (finally...)

2010-06-11T00:02:00.004-05:00

via weheartit

ok, so i have to admit...i kind of forgot i had a formspring. and when i remembered, i felt really bad because there were quite a few questions in there and a lot of them were months old. but now that i have remembered, i'm planning to stay on top of it! from here on out, once a month, i will address all the questions here on my blog :)

so for this month, i'm playing a little catch up...but luckily, there were a LOT of duplicate questions, and oddly enough, all of the questions besides 1 were about my hair. haha, so here you go:

question #1: do you dye your hair? if so, what color/brand do you use? you're color is beautiful!

well thank you :) i'm sorry to disappoint you, but my hair color is au natural :/ but i do have one pointer...if you plan to do your hair red, and you want it to look natural, have a professional do it! red is the hardest color to do yourself :)

question #2: do you have a boyfriend?

haha, funny question. no, i currently do not have a boyfriend. i have been on my own for only a year, and only officially single for a month. not to say that i'm ruling out the idea of a relationship right now, i'm just not jumping at it either.

question #3: i saw your tattoo pic on elsie's site and tracked you down because i love your hair. how do you style your hair? and how do you keep your bangs out of your eyes? thanks for the tips in advance!

well first, i'm flattered that you cared enough to "track me down" :) hehe. to answer the first question, it's kind of both complicated and simple at the same time. first, i only wash my hair once a week. at most, twice. my hair is naturally curly, but because of the weight and length (it's also VERY thick), it ends up usually only with a tight wave, rather than the ringlets i had as a little girl. when i wear it straight, i wash it, but do not condition it. i then blow dry it and flat iron it. easy peasy! that's generally how i wear it in the winter. during the summer though, there's entirely too much humidity down here for me to try and fight the curl, so i let my inner carrie bradshaw shine and i embrace the curl, frizz and poof that come with it. this is even easier...i wash it, condition it, and that's it! either way i style it, i like it most on day's 2 and 3. :) the answer to your second question is...well, i have on idea. my bangs are pretty thick, so they kind of support themselves so to speak. also, when i get out of the shower, i immediately blow dry my bangs, no matter which way i plan on fixing the rest of my head. that way, the bangs are set in stone, and i don't have to worry about them drying all funky. for that, i just dry them to the side. :)

question #4: i love your hair! what are some of your favorite hair products/tools?

again, thank you for the sweet compliment! :) nine times out of ten, i let my hair go the way nature intended, and i don't use tools or products other than a blowdryer. however, when i do decide to spend more than 5 minutes on my mop, here are some of my go to items:

1. revlon flat iron...it's old and wonky, and only cost 20 bucks at walmart, but it works better than any expensive one. i promise. i also use a fat one...not one of those teeny skinny ones.

2. revlon curling irons...i have them in like, 4 sizes. i use them for when i feel like dressing up :) i tend to use the 1 inch the most. i curl my head all over, in layers, then run my fingers through them to loosen them into pretty, sexy waves

3. garnier fructis wonder waves...this is a curl/wave enhancing spray. i like to spray it very liberally as soon as i get out of the shower. it helps define waves and control frizz

4. redkin glass 01 smoothing serum...i use this on my hair, whether straight or curled, to smooth flyaways and such. great product.

5. john freida sheer blonde spun gold hair balm...this product, sadly, was discontinued a few years ago. i was lucky enough to have a backup. unfortunately, i'm almost out and i've yet to find a hair wax that works as well. :( but i've found some on ebay...it's just expensive! anywho, i use it in my bangs to flatten them after they're dried and to set them in place, and to give my hair some definition, depending on the style

phew! well, i know that was a wordy post, and for those of you who couldn't give a lick about hair it was probably a boring one too!

ok, i have another month to rack up new questions :) if there's something you'd like to know, ask me in the formspring box in the left sidebar...i'll do another formspring post at the start of july (that is, if i have any questions in there :) ) i encourage you to be open and as forward as you care to be! :)

ode to crepes

2010-06-10T12:53:00.003-05:00

image via weheartit

i've been playing around with a few crepe recipes, and i came up with two that i enjoyed immensely for lunch today, and i thought they were worth sharing.

first of all, if you think making crepes at home is difficult, i assure it is not! save some money by making them yourself...all of the ingredients should already be in your fridge or pantry!

ok, the basic crepe recipe is:

1 cup all purpose flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/2 milk

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp melted butter

nutmeg (optional)

in your very favorite pyrex, whisk the flour and eggs together. slowly add the water and milk until thoroughly mixed. add salt and butter and beat until smooth. at this point, i add a few sprinkles of nutmeg...it's my secret ingredient to a lot of recipes. it gives it just a hint of something mysterious...delicious!

in a medium to large, lightly greased, skillet, pour or ladle batter into the center. i recommend about 1/4 cup for each crepe. tilt the pan in a circular motion so that the batter thinly coats the entire bottom.

let the crepe cook for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and then flip to cook the other side. once cooked, fill with your choice of filling and serve warm :)

today i had two crepes, one savory and one sweet. i think that's the best way to enjoy them...they balance nicely. i kind of threw these together based on what i had in my house already, so that i wouldn't have to make a special trip to the grocer. because i kind of made these up on the spot, the measurements are flexible.

savory:

1 medium-large red potato, grated (but not peeled)

cheddar cheese

splash of milk

cured ham, cubed

two baby portobello mushrooms

salt and pepper, to taste

in a skillet, sprinkle a little olive oil and heat on medium-high heat. slice your mushrooms over the skillet and let them sizzle :) add grated potatoes, ham and a splash of milk (for consistency) and cook until potatoes are tender. season with salt and/or pepper. remove from heat and stir in cheese, until melted.

add this to one half of your crepe at the end of it's cook time, fold over and enjoy!

sweet:

2 large strawberries, sliced

1 tbsp of nutella or chocolate sauce

cool whip or whipped cream

powdered sugar

once crepe is finished cooking, remove from heat and spread nutella, covering the entire thing. spread sliced strawberries on one side of the crepe, fold over and sprinkle with powdered sugar. top with a swirl of whipped cream or a dollop of cool whip and dig in. :)

i think tomorrow i'm going to try a savory one with spinach and a sweet one with peaches. :)

if you try these, let me know how they go!

bon appetit! :)

emjay

a little sparkle

2010-06-09T21:33:00.005-05:00

"these crew schedules and meeting agendas will not write themselves"

this is what i should be telling myself, to kick my rear into gear. but alas, it seems as if i've been telling myself the opposite since i decided to head home from the restaurant and finish my work from home. that was at 6:30. it is now 9:30. so much for that "work from home" deal.

so as if i needed yet another distraction, i thought i'd share with you some of my recently hearted items on etsy. these will make your eyes sparkle...promise.

here

here

here

i told you...sparkle. :)

ok ok, it's time for me to go and get some work done. my 8am deadline will come sooner than it should. happy wednesday :)

i want...no, i NEED...

2010-06-06T12:55:00.002-05:00

these:

maybe if i wish really hard, the shoe fairy will leave some of these on my doorstep...you think?

here's to hoping...

(all shoes via modcloth)

on repeat...all day

2010-06-05T20:12:00.004-05:00

one of my favorite albums and favorite bands of all time. :)

happy saturday :)

One bad motha (nature, that is)

2010-06-03T22:24:00.001-05:00

It stormed today. It storms everyday. Around 2 pm like clockwork. All summer long. Blue, cloudless skies all morning, then out of nowhere...rain. Sometimes it puts a damper on your pool party, but other times, like today, its soothing. I welcomed it with open arms.

a few things...

2010-06-03T18:06:00.003-05:00

first up, there's an emjay original for sale :) this piece has lived on my kitchen wall for a while, and now it's looking for a new home :) it's an abstract landscape done on stretched canvas with acrylics. three pieces, each measuring 16"x20", and are meant to be displayed together. the detail is hard to see in this photo, but it's a gorgeous depiction of a storm rolling in over a tree lined horizon. it's edged out in brown and comes ready to hang. if you're interested, email me at emjay0121(at)gmail(dot)com. price is $80 (plus shipping if you don't live in the area)

click on the photo to see a larger version

also, there are still some items from the craft yard sale up for grabs, with some reduced prices over here. plus, you can grab a few other handmade items, including the pink framed cork board mentioned here. :)

love you guys!

do you live under a rock?

2010-05-31T15:16:00.003-05:00

meet my friend jamie.
if you don't know her, then you've been living under a rock! she's sweet, beautiful inside and out, and so totally inspiring :) what's even better is she's having a HUGE giveaway for her birthday. see what kind of amazing gal she is? instead of getting presents, she gives them! uh-may-zing. check out the giveaway here :)

ps...happy memorial day! remember those who have given their lives so that we may enjoy our freedoms :) i'm proud to be an american...are you? :)

Sunday dinner

2010-05-30T14:30:00.002-05:00

Every Sunday, after church, the whole family (aunts, uncles, cousins...the whole lot) trek over to my grandma and grandpa's for lunch. Family time is one of my favorite things. :)

What's your Sunday tradition?

photobooth friday - show and tell :)

2010-05-28T19:19:00.003-05:00

today i painted my fingernails girl scout green...

and i lovelovelove them!

happy friday folks...i think three posts in one day more than makes up for my absence these last couple of weeks, right? :)
have a great weekend!

summer goals :)

2010-05-28T17:55:00.003-05:00

we heart it

this summer i have decided to set some goals for myself. some are career related, some are personal, some pertain to my home and others my dreams. i'm posting them here so that i can share with you my triumphs and failures, for encouragement, and above all, accountability. i'm giving myself three months...from june 1 to august 31. here we go...

1. read a classic

2. finally complete my home's organization

3. bring Lilah to the vet

4. completely understand the P&L report and drilldowns at work

5. learn patience

6. finish painting all rooms in the house

7. plant something

8. finish amanda's baby blanket

9. refinish the cedar cabinet

10. buy 2 pieces of art

11. make 1 piece of art for myself, rather than someone else

12. donate items i no longer have a use for

13. go to my first estate sale

14. visit my best friend

15. be ready to announce my secret project :)

i think 15 goals is a good number. 5 per month.

we'll check back at the one month mark, k? :)

my home, from A to Z

2010-05-28T11:34:00.005-05:00

i saw this on Carrie's blog, and thought it'd be fun to play along :) if you want to play too, leave a link in the comment section!

if anyone knows the credit for this print, please let me know...i want one! :)

A- My AIR CONDITIONER is set on: 69 F

B- My BEDROOM theme is: right now, messy. but generally, peaceful

C- The CAR in the driveway is: in desperate need of a wash

D- My DESK looks: invisible. because i do not have one. :)

E- The EXACT time I wake up daily is: ever changing. today it was 9:36am

F- The FIRST thing I wash in the shower is: my body. i only wash my hair once a week

G- My GARAGE is filled with: more invisible things. (i don't have a garage)

H- My HOME is: oh-so-cute :) well, when it's clean...

I- If you peeked INSIDE my bathroom you'd see: a flat iron on the counter, a towel on the floor, some super cute art work on the shelves and a patch of 1970's wallpaper peeking through the paint up near the ceiling over the tub because i couldn't reach it with the roller :)

J- My favorite JUICE is: grape. but i like to mix juices too :)

K- The best part of my KITCHEN is: my pyrex collection and my anthro ceramic measuring spoons

L- The LAST person who visited my home was: probably lizzer (my sister)

M- The last piece of MAIL for me was: fun mail? craft swap :) lame mail? electric bill

N- My NEIGHBORS think I'm: probably lazy because sometimes i let my grass get too tall. if they only knew how little spare time i have!

O- If you OPENED my fridge you'd see: a bowl of eggs, multiple fruit juices, a head of cabbage, yellow squash, fresh parsley, fresh asparagus, fresh corn on the cob that needs to be shucked, portobello mushrooms, three pounds of ground beef, some fresh fish, a tub of butter, bananas, oranges, purple grapes, a bowl of yellow onions...you get the picture :)

P- My last house PARTY was: eeesh, game night with the boys and their ladies?

Q- A QUICK meal I like to fix is: rice-a-roni

R- My favorite ROOM of the house is: my bedroom

S- The SHAMPOO brand I use is: john freida

T- My largest TELEVISION is: actually my mom and dad's. they gave it to me because it wouldn't fit in their armoire.

U- UNDER my bed you will find: two rolly tshirt boxes full of cane's tshirts (i have over 75), balls of cat hair (gross i know), and an overnight bag

V- The last time I VACUUMED was: today. i can't wait to get rid of all the carpet in this house.

W- Looking out my WINDOW I see: kids playing in the street. ahhhh, summertime

X- I wish I had X-TRA: space in my master bath. it's 1/3 the size of the guest bathroom. wtf?

Y- My YARD is: a little bit marshy in the back. kind of wish i could afford some dirt to fill it in

Z- ZZZZZZZ My bedtime is: like my wake up time...ever changing. most nights it's between 1am and 3am

:) love y'all mucho!

organizing for the right brain

2010-05-19T16:57:00.009-05:00

i've come to the realization that my home will never look like this.

let's face it. creative people have messy homes. now before you start protesting, i didn't say dirty, i said messy. you know it's true. i love looking at photos of cabinets with neatly labeled boxes all in a row, and i think, "that's so lovely. i'm going to do that in my house".

hah.

hahahahahahahaha.

nice try.

the reality of it is, organizing for a right brainer isn't that simple. i mean, if you think about it, it makes sense...you can't be both a creative free spirit and anal retentive.

don't get me wrong...i yearn for those neatly labeled boxes. and files. and drawer organizers. i long for the day that someone will ask me where the fingernail clippers are, and i'll respond, "i know just the place!" many days it feels hopeless...like i will forever be doomed to spending half an hour every single morning looking for a clean pair of socks, or ending up with a dozen nail files because i buy one every time i can't find any of the 5 i know i already have.

but it's not hopeless. here are some solutions to sorting, storing and displaying your possessions that will work for you, my fellow right brainer :)

1. keepsakes/ephemera

everyone has them. to the untrained eye, it may look like trash, but to you, that tattered piece of paper so faded you can't read the ink anymore means something. ticket stubs, photos, wine bottle corks, and sea shells from your trip to the beach 5 years ago generally end up in a junk drawer somewhere, only to be seen once every few years. and only because you were digging around for that other flashlight battery that seems to have walked off. if they are so dear to your heart that you've kept them all these years, then why are they tucked away in a drawer? here are some simple ways of displaying these items that both free up some drawer space and create a remarkable showpiece for your home office, kitchen, or living area.

glass jars, hollowed out books and a cork board are beautiful ways of displaying pretty things. think of this display as being over your desk or a mid century modern side board.

these poloroid photo walls make my eyes so happy.

2. jewelry

if you're anything like me, when it comes to jewelry, you generally end up leaving the house without any because a) you can't untangle the giant mass of necklaces that have somehow magically intertwined themselves together b) you can't find the match to that damn earring or c) you have no idea what you even have in stock because you get an overwhelming sense of anxiety by just glancing at the hodge podge of costume jewelry overflowing from your jewelry box. this need not be anymore. here are some ideas that i find helpful and use in my own home when it comes to storing jewelry.

here's how to achieve this storage solution: 1. check out hobby lobby's damaged frames section way in the back by the frame counter. you can find some pretty rad frames that are marked 90% because they might have a dent or a chip. you can either choose to keep it as is, or paint it like i did mine. 2. cut a piece of foam board to the same dimensions as the inset of your frame. 3. either cover the foam board with cork or fabric. 4. wedge into the back inset and voila! use stick pins to fasten your items. :)

i also have a small bowl that i keep all of my rings in and i'm hoping to get my hands on a small pair of deer antlers to hang necklaces on :)

3. the kitchen

some folks are blessed with spacious kitchens and lots and lots of cabinetry. i, however, am not. my kitchen is the smallest of small. it makes cooking a breeze, because i can reach the fridge, the sink and the stove all by standing in the center of the kitchen, but when it comes to storage my kitchen gets a big ol' stamp of disapproval. this is where creative thinking needs to kick into gear - think outside the box. if you have limited cabinet space, try storing your prettier dishes on the counter top. baskets are a good way to organize recipe books and produce. decorative mixing bowls can serve has a holding area for things you grab regularly, and glass jars with a dymo label can store things like flour, sugar and pasta. here are a few (bad quality) photos of some of the things i do in my kitchen to alleviate the pains of minimal closed storage.

here i used a bamboo shelf that i bought at walmart for like, $5. on top is my anthro sugar bowl and tea cup, some of my late grandmothers dessert plates, and my most very favorite [aqua] pyrex bowl. below, i use another mixing bowl to store clothespins (used to secure bags of chips and frozen foods) and a basket that i regularly keep bread or produce in.

right now, it's being used to store some red potatoes :)

pretty mixing bowls are good for so many things other than mixing. i use this set of bowls to store things like eggs and onions and other regularly used food items in my fridge.

the basket on the left is perfect for storing the many food and recipe magazines i've collected, and the top of the microwave serves as a nice place to both store and display one of my sets of dishes.

4. lists, lists and more lists

lists are essential for any person, whether right brained or left. but for the right brained, i think they're even more so. those of us who fall into that category are generally a bit...scattered. but what good is a list if you don't look at it? if you're anything like me, once something is out of sight, it's completely out of mind. for years, i've loved making lists, but could never figure out why they didn't help me. it wasn't until recently that i realized, "duh. it's because it gets shoved in my purse or tucked away in a drawer and i forget about it!" make things visible. whether it be a list of goals, groceries or grateful dead albums you want to get on vinyl, never underestimate the wonder and practicality of chalkboard paint. it's affordable, oh-so-cool and comes in a ton of different colors other than the traditional green or black. for me, a giant (and by giant i mean 3 ft by 5ft) chalkboard wall calendar in my kitchen did the trick. (DIY coming later this month). it's a place that i see every single morning, and afternoon, and evening, and it's the perfect in-your-face way for me to keep up with deadlines, projects, work schedules and more. here are some other ways that chalkboard paint can be both a useful and funky addition to your home decor.

i love the look of the floor to ceiling green chalkboard walls in this rustic kitchen.

the inset of a pantry door is an ideal place to keep up with messages, phone numbers or your social calendar

whoever had the idea to paint a globe is a genius in my book. how creative!

betcha didn't know you could paint your appliances, did ya? you should definitely do a bit of research first, but with the right primer, you can paint your refrigerator like the homeowner in the photo above did. what a unique way to keep track of your grocery list!

along with chalkboard paint, similar companies also make white board paint (that you can write on with dry erase markers!) and magnetic primer (so that your chalkboard wall can be a magnet board as well!) i've never tried the dry erase paint, but as far as the magnetic paint goes, i suggest doubling the amount of coats the can recommends so your magnetic bond between wall and magnet will be strong enough. i learned from experience. :)

you see? just because you've spent the last 20 years living out of piles, doesn't mean that organizing your home has to be a daunting task. just know what works for you and go for it. i'd love to see what you guys come up with! send me a link so i can check out your awesome right brained organizational skills :)

emjay

(click on photos for credit. otherwise, photos were found via google or are my own)

my weekend

2010-05-14T00:28:00.009-05:00

last weekend that is...i know i know, i'm a little late with the sharing. but better late than never, right? ok so...

saturday, me, this sister, and my mom and dad drove down to Pierre Part to my aunt and uncle's house for our annual mother's day crawfish boil. my mom's family is HUGE and almost everybody got to be there this year! my aunt and uncle live on Belle River. like, literally. they're back yard is a few feet of grass, then a deck built over the water. it's pure cajun and looks like a scene out of a movie... i love it!

uncle duane, uncle don and my cousin steve did a great job working the crawfish pot.

my little cousins brought their fishing poles and were gracious enough to teach me how to bait a hook, cast a line, etc. believe it or not, in my 24 years, i'd never fished before that day! and i caught one on my first try!

it was a tiny little brim, but it's still a fish none the less :)

the crawfish were big and soooo good.

we spent the afternoon fishing off the dock. :)

and we even found a momma duck nesting with her eggs :) can you see her? she blended in really well.

sunday, i spent the evening with an old friend, and made this for another old friend :)

the photo quality is pretty poor because these were taken at dusk. but i still love the pieces. i was sort of tempted to keep them for myself :)

lastly, i finally learned how to do this...

and it quickly turned into this:

which finally ended up like this:

and then i made a fancier one :)

how was your weekend/week?

emjay

ps, really random, but i miss this face like whole lot :( can't wait to see her in august!

yard sale update

2010-05-07T16:47:00.003-05:00

all items have been updated for rounds 1 and 2 of the virtual yard sale :) all items purchased by monday evening will be mailed out on Tuesday, 05-11!

xo
em

crafty yard sale, round 2!

2010-05-07T14:11:00.009-05:00

wow, you guys are quick! a lot of stuff from the first round (PAPER) of the virtual yard sale went fast...but there are still a few things left so check them out before they're gone!

remember, all prices include shipping. if you want to purchase part of a set, email me and let me know what you're thinking and we might be able to work something out. leave a comment or send me an email at emjay0121@gmail.com and let me know what you'd like to purchase and i'll send you a paypal invoice shortly after. :) happy shopping!

now, for the second round of the crafty virtual yard sale...

first up, is a spare parts grab bag of sorts, from the paper studio. includes mini brads, rhinestone brads, marquee letters, colored paper clips, large colored brads, fancy brads, decorative brads, other letters and shapes, and those arrows and punctuation are also brads (for easy attachment :) ) each pack of spare parts range from $3-$8 at hobby lobby and your various scrapbooking boutiques.

$15

next up is a pack of gel stickers and rubber charms from KI memories. both have never been opened and all pieces are in tact and unused.

$5 (SOLD)

below you'll find a winter grab bag. it includes two sets of unused glittery snowflake rubons, two bags of white pompoms (to simulate snow), an unopened pack of heidi swapp ghost snowflakes, a jolee's boutique 3d sticker pack that include a skit jacket, skis, and various winter gear, 4 packages of glitter in gold, red, green and silver, and a jar of felt winter shapes (over 70 pieces)

$13

next is a journaling grab back. included in this set are many different journaling squares, prompts, tags and various tags/journal spots from elle's studio. other items not listed included as well.

$10 (SOLD)

this one is the mack daddy of floral embellishments. in this grab bag there are two rolls of orange felted floral trim (measures about 3 inches high), a pack of burgundy felted floral trim (unopened and unused) and what has to be over 100 paper, felt and fabric flowers. container can be included, just specify in comment/purchase. expect an extra dollar in shipping costs for container.

$15

this is a box full of used and unused rubons. there's a lot of typography, and also some patterns and various images. the second photo is just a peek and doesn't include all of the packs that will be sent. the box is included.

$18

this listing is for HAMBLY rubons only. there are frames in two colors, owls, wingdings, mod flowers, wood grain trees, mix tap, birds, banners, corners, housewares, etc. there are a LOT, and about half of them are unused.

$18 (SOLD)

last listing for today is for 4 unopened black framed cork boards. each board is approximately the size of a regular sheet of printer paper (8.5x11 ish). they would be a great alternative to clipboards for an inspiration wall! :)

yard sale!

2010-05-07T09:54:00.013-05:00

it's spring time, and that means it's garage sale season. but here's the thing...i have so many great things to share, and i didn't want you guys to miss out! i'm sad to see a lot of these things go, but i have to make room for some new and exciting things that are happening over here :) the virtual crafty yard sale will come in multiple posts over the next few weeks.

i will list all items in the body of the post, and you can either leave a comment or send me an email letting me know which purchases you'd like to make. i'll send you a paypal invoice as soon as possible :)

all prices include shipping

happy shopping!

first sale: PAPER :)

first listing is for a gigantic stack of colored cardstock. there are all shades of the color spectrum, from pink all the way to purple (and every color in between) :) and both flat and textured cardstock. the listing is for the entire collection, however, if you're interested in specific colors email me and we might be able to work something out :) there is a LOT of paper here!

SOLD

second listing is for a stack of cardstock in neutral colors...blacks, greys, browns, creams and an extra large stack of whites:

$5 (SOLD)

(only $3 if purchased with the colored cardstock)

next listing is for specialty papers..lace cardstock, textured cardstock and eyelet cardstock. 8 pieces total:

$4 (SOLD)

this listing is for a collection of discontinued love, elsie papers. the listing includes a random selection loose patterned papers, 4 sheets of textured cardstock and 4 sheets of adhesive backed fabric paper. it also includes the paper book of the entire first series' paper lines with only a few sheets having been used...it's almost completely full!

also included is a small love, elsie scrap pack :)

$18 (SOLD)

next up...HAMBLY :) i lovelovelove hambly paper products...the patterns, the textures, and the quality are amazing. this listing is for a selection of patterned papers and overlays. there are 16 patterned papers, 13 patterened overlays, and 1 clearly heavy overlay:

$12 (SOLD)

this listing is for a hambly scrap pack, including both patterned papers and overlays. it can be purchased seperately or in addition to the larger hambly pack for a discounted rate:

$4 (SOLD)

hambly overlay journaling spots. there are over 30 journaling spots in white ink on hambly overlays. can be purchased seperate, or with another hambly pack at a discounted rate:

$3 with hambly pack (SOLD)

this is a stack of seasonal patterned papers, including halloween, back to school, autumn, winter, and christmas. also including textured cardstock:

vintage inspired paper pack. this listing includes a decent sized collection of vintage inspired patterened papers, including some diecut pages. also included is a scrap pack that includes complimentary pages, vintage wallpaper, vintage graph paper and handmade paper:

$10 (SOLD)

here is a large selection of patterned papers and cardstock. included are designs from heidi swapp, SIS tv, american crafts, my mind's eye, creative imaginations, DCWV, the paper lady, KI memories, the paper studio, pop culture, anna griffin and many others. there's a huge selection of papers:

$18 (SOLD)

the next listing is for a patterned paper scrap pack. this pack is HUGE. it can be purchased separate or in addition the patterned paper pack or the colored cardstock pack for a discounted rate:

$7 (SOLD)

alright folks, there you have it! this is the first of many yard sale posts to come this month :) leave a comment letting me know what you'd like to purchase, with your name and email address, and i'll send you a paypal invoice :) if you'd prefer to keep your purchase private, you can email me at emjay0121@gmail.com

thanks guys, and i hope y'all have a wonderful friday!

emjay

i haven't been around...

2010-05-06T23:57:00.002-05:00

it's sad. and i know we don't really like to admit it to the blogging world, but lately, it's true. le sigh...

however, this is changing as we speak! ideas are forming and will soon be coming to life, and you know i will include you every step of the way! here are a few things to look forward to in the next few weeks:

1. [a long overdue] makeup application tutorial video (per request from these ladies)

2. 2 DIY projects for your home (maybe even 3! third one's still in the works)

3. plenty of inspiring photos :)

4. a virtual garage sale (lots and lots and LOTS of crafty goods - including studio furniture and scrapbooking organizational items. it's time to purge and simplify, and you get to reap the benefit!)

5. the return of photobooth friday :)

6. [possible] announcement of the secret i've been working on for the last month

7. posts of various other projects, fun times, and other doings going on around here

i hope to be around more often in the coming months, and in return i hope to see you guys around too! thanks for sticking with me during this boring stretch. i love you all!

em :)

beautiful blogger

2010-04-27T08:23:00.002-05:00

i was awarded the beautiful blogger award over at disco cheese. thank you so much! :) i feel honored :)

i'm trying to decide if i should be productive today, or be lazy by the pool...maybe i can convince myself to do both, but i'm sort of leaning towards the pool right now. the sun is beckoning me...

pretty pretty...

2010-04-25T12:08:00.003-05:00

thank you guys for all the sweet comments on the last post :) i wasn't expecting anything of the sort, so it took me by surprise...but thank you all the same :)

another thing i'm super into these days is lashes. light and feathery, thick and bold...i love long and luscious lashes...don't you?

i think they are so beautiful...

i'm a ginger and proud of it!

2010-04-21T20:08:00.007-05:00

i am a redhead. 100% natural, virgin, never touched by dyes or chemicals redhead. and darn proud of it!

however, this was not always the case. when i was a kid, i was picked on relentlessly about my red hair. there were pokes, jokes and rude and downright dirty names. friends would play connect the dots with my freckles. i was different, and the other kids at school made sure that i knew it. because of this, i hated my hair for a long time.

it wasn't until i was halfway through high school before i realized that being different didn't have to be bad thing. in fact, it was a good thing! as i grew older, the same people who picked on me in grade school for having "frizzy orange hair" were now jealous of my coppery curls. strangers would ask me to cut a lock for them to take to their stylist to match color (weird, i know). once i hit my twenties, i fully embraced my gingerness. i realized that this was actually something i had over other women now, as i had always been intimidated by my own gender. i felt...empowered.

i hope that someday i have a redheaded child so i can teach them at a very early age that their hair is beautiful, no matter what others say. that freckles are nothing to be ashamed of, they only give your skin more character than others. i hope to help them see that being different is what makes you interesting and that one day they will grow to appreciate their own little quirks, just as i did. :)

so in other words, redheads are beautiful :)

shhhh

2010-04-19T12:58:00.003-05:00

(image found via weheart)

i'm working on a secret :)

i think you'll love it.

i know i will.

but you'll have to wait :)

if i had a million dollars...

2010-04-19T00:02:00.003-05:00

or a free pass to grandma's attic, maybe i'd be able to score some cool things for my home. until then, here are some things, via etsy, that i'd lovelovelove to own :)

i've always wanted a card catalog for my studio

this gorgeous black desk lamp would be perfect for my bedside table

this amazing 1969's sofa would be perfect after some reupholstering

these chairs are in new orleans...i want!

this beautiful aqua fan would sure help beat these hot southern summers

everyone needs a pair of sweet little vintage brass deer

this royal typewriter would look great on my desk

who wouldn't want to wake up to this adorable spring green alarm clock ?

i hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing weekend! i had to work most of mine, but i'm off tomorrow and have so many things i plan to work on!

spring is for...

2010-04-17T10:43:00.004-05:00

spring is for cute rompers and jumpers...

and pretty dresses...

and for shoes...any one who knows me knows that it is no secret...i'm a sucker for shoes! heels, flats, sandals, boots...you name it. if it's cute, i want it! :)

what is your favorite go-to spring outfit?

(all items found via www.modcloth.com)

cajun vocabulary lesson

2010-04-12T11:47:00.005-05:00

gradoux

pronounced, grah-doo, the term describes the crusty, almost burnt, part of a jambalaya that is stuck to the bottom of the giant cast iron pot that the jambalaya is cooked in. i personally do not prefer to eat the gradoux, but i have many many family members that do :)

with that said, i'm going to go and enjoy a large bowl of jambalaya (the non burnt part of the pot) and a little bit of sun before i go out and run some errands.

what are you guys doing this gorgeous spring monday?

bon appetit ma chere!

xo
em

happy easter :]

2010-04-04T02:04:00.005-05:00

just wanted to pop in and wish y'all a happy easter :] here's some eye candy for you:

easter sushi :]

this just made me giggle. poor little pup!

i can has?

this is the coolest tree everrrr

so cool

i miss this part of easter as a kid. i loved dying easter eggs.

these eggs are flippin' sweet!

i am a not-so-secret peep lover...

they're coming to get you!!

i hope everyone has a super lovely easter!

emjay

the sunday collective

2010-03-29T18:00:00.006-05:00

hi. meet my friend erin.

she's pretty much the coolest cat around. and i don't just say that about anyone.

she's also had an etsy update recently...and is planning on adding more *new* items soooooon! you should really check it out. :]

she's a talented crafter and photographer. here are some of my favorites from the sunday collective :

i have this one in an 8x10 AND a 5x7

this one is just beautiful

i love the colors in this one :]

she also makes these most amazing headbands...

here are some of my favorite colors:

and coming soon, these really freakin sweet bracelets:

and some other pretty stuff as well. check her out at the sunday collective :]

is it friday already?

2010-03-26T16:24:00.004-05:00

oh wow...it is. here is this week's photobooth friday:

that is my pathetic face. and yes, those are my (still) unfinished bedroom walls behind me. don't judge.

happy friday everyone...i'm going to go see if i can keep a glass of water down...

fruit salad, yummy yummy

2010-03-23T23:38:00.006-05:00

ok, i do not watch the wiggles, but my (ex) nephew was obsessed with them during his terrible two's, and would run around singing that song at the top of his lungs. so now, any time i hear, say or read the words "fruit salad", the song inevitably starts playing in my head. yay for me.

however, i DO love me some fruit! where i live, spring is more of a state of mind. i mean, sure...we have the season here. but really it only lasts like, a week. then it goes straight to full fledged summer. so in anticipation of summer, or at least summer weather (give us til mid april), here's some delicious fruit eye candy for you. these are my favorites!

pomegranite

blood orange

blueberries

raspberries

peaches (and nectarines)

strawberries

did you know that louisiana grows the sweetest strawberries, and is one of the main strawberry suppliers for the US? oh yes! they mainly grow in tangipahoa parish (a parish is like a county)...only one parish over from where i live!

purple grapes :]

and green grapes

green apples (the red ones are to mealy...i don't like their texture)

tangerines and satsumas. they are sweeter than oranges, smaller, easier to eat and peel!

kiwi

bananas

my dad has plants in his yard that grow these baby bananas :]

watermelon...i seriously live off of this during the summer. breakfast lunch and dinner.

did you know that the country's best watermelon comes from washington parish, louisiana? mmhm, that's right! two of my favorite fruits are grown in masses (for distribution across the country) practically in my back yard! i'm so lucky!

ahhhh, and blackberries. my absolute favorite! my grandpa has 6 blackberry bushes in his garden. it's a race to see which grandkids get to the bushes first. it's usually my cousins jill and elise. me and my sister usually get to them once jill and elise have picked the big ones :] all four of us girls love blackberries so much! yummm.

i've always wanted to try a fruit fast. even if it's for a couple of weeks. maybe i'll start tomorrow? who's with me? who's willing to help hold me accountable? maybe i'll document the journey? post it here? what do you think? we'll see!

(all images found via weheartit.com)

tell me a story...

2010-03-23T08:51:00.002-05:00

image found via weheartit

xo, em

photobooth confession

2010-03-19T12:03:00.005-05:00

confession: i have a bad habit of chewing on my fingers. not my nails, my actual fingers. when i'm bored, nervous, scared, concentrating...i do it all the time! don't judge :]

the spoon concert was amazing last night. the first two opening acts were decent...the strange boys (opening act #1) were like a modern day beatles. very sixties beach party-esque. it was great for the first two songs, but got old really quick. i definitely couldn't listen to them for long...unfortunately. i wanted to like them because they were so darn cute! oh well... the second opening band, deerhunter, were good. not great, but pretty good. not necessarily the right "fit" for the night's line-up though. they were kind of all over the place...chill one minute and crazy upbeat the next. i felt like i was inside of a crazy person's head!

but i would have suffered through countless mediocre opening acts for what was next...SPOON! i've been a fan since highschool, but never the type that had all their albums and followed their every move. i've heard they were an amazing band to see live, so when i heard they were coming to new orleans, i snagged a ticket quick! i mean, come on, how could you pass up a great band for 20 bucks? exactly. well they lived up to all the hype and then some. although they didn't sing my very favorite song, they still played a ton of good ones :] plus, they are pretty much the cutest band ever! see?

i made eye contact with the lead singer for a split second at one point during the show and i felt my heart melt...ahhhh. dreamy... :]

here's a taste for those of you who aren't familiar with the group...some of my favorites :] (even though they don't show, there are 7 songs...and you should really give them all a listen! these span from their entire career and are different from each other)

ps, the tattoo is healing beautifully :] hope you have a lovely friday :]

tell me a story

2010-03-16T21:44:00.002-05:00

i'm adding this feature to my [loose] blogging schedule. on tuesdays (of course the goal is every tuesday, but let's get real...it'll probably every other week or so!) i'll post a photo and i want you to tell me a story. how does the photo speak to you? what's the story behind it? what's the background of the subject? where did he/she come from? where are they headed? etc... you can leave one line or 100 lines. get creative...

i want you to tell me a story...

ps...

2010-03-14T23:58:00.003-05:00

chatted with this face a little tonight. i'm so blessed to have become friends with her :]

miss you!

spring cleaning bug :]

2010-03-14T23:25:00.009-05:00

have you seen this???

my lovely friend, janel, sketched this in her journal (it's me!). she's so rad :]

in other news, how many of you have seen the a&e show, hoarders? my parents watch it and i've seen a few episodes while at there house and i have one word that sums up my reaction when i see it - GROSS. watching that show gives me such anxiety. i'm bad with clutter and i've been known to let a cup of hot tea sit on my bedside table for a couple of days. i mean, in reality, i know that i'm normal. that everyone does it. that i am no where near as messed up as the people who are on that show. but watching it, i can't help but freak out on the inside thinking "oh snap. i don't want to turn into that person!" here's a peek at what this show is about...

ick. it gives me the heebie jeebies. so i am off of work tomorrow. and i refuse - REFUSE - to let anything distract me from the task at hand - spring cleaning. so i thought, as a way to hold myself accountable and get things done, i'll post my list of to do's here, and update when items are complete :] you guys better help hold me to it! so...before i lay my head down to sleep tomorrow (monday) night, the following things *must* be completed:

orange text denotes completion! :]

-clean out car

-scour kitchen sink

-all laundry washed, dried, folded and put away

-vacuum bedroom

-sweep and scrub kitchen, living room and front bathroom floors

-organize front bathroom cabinets

-clean front bathroom tub and toilet

-paint bedroom table

-remove all cat hair from my living room furniture (eww gross)

-dishes

-clean out fridge (double gross)

-clean oven (holy geeze, i'll need 5 cans of oven cleaner!)

-dust all furniture in house

-dust blinds (kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom, spare room, studio)

-remove clutter from kitchen table and counters

-clean up craft supply explosion from living room floors and coffee table

ok, so that list is doable, right? please say yes!

and here's a list for the near future that i can start on tomorrow if i finish the first list :]

-finish painting bedroom

-cut grass (recent sunshine + rain make for LOTS of tall weeds :/ )

-pull up bedroom carpet and paint floors to match living room/hallway :]

-tackle studio space

-clean up aaron's man cave turned my new media room and make it more girly and less aaron-y

ok, i think that's a good list to start with. let the spring cleaning commence!

photobooth fun

2010-03-13T09:34:00.002-06:00

geeeeeze, did i miss another friday? yep, i think i did. in my defense, i was at work from 7am until 1am...so there. i have a good excuse :] well, here's one from the archives to fufill this week's photobooth post. i took this a couple of weeks ago, but i feel it's relevant seeing as rox is sitting in the exact same spot right this second. the only difference is i just stepped out of the shower and look like a curly drowned rat :] so you get this pretty one.

hmmm, and rox just moved to come sit next to me on the bed. :]

oh damn! he just bit me!

stupid cat.

more photos from springfield ;]

2010-03-10T16:25:00.008-06:00

sorry for any repeats! and they're sort of in random order :] this post will be more of a visual and won't have much text. at the bottom i'll link some of the other gals so you can see more of the fun we had and read some of the stories...they're crazy!

all photos snagged from the blogs of jamie, lindsay, amy and janel. i'm pretty sure appropriate photo credits are listed there :]

ps, i'm NOT seeing john mayer tonight. stupid DB who said he'd sell us the tickets and back stage passes decided to give them to his sister and didn't tell us until just an hour ago...when we were supposed to be leaving. what a jerkface. so now i want to go see alice instead...any takers?

lovelove

emjay

formspring questions

2010-03-09T23:31:00.003-06:00

me as the red queen for erin sunday's amazing birthday party! can't wait to get more photos from that night! ;]

in case you haven't noticed, in the bottom left hand side of my blog, there is a little box where you can anonymously type in any question you've ever wanted to ask me :] everytime i accumulate a few, i'll do a blog post :] so get to asking! here are a few i've received recently:

1. how old are you?

i am twenty four :] my birthday is december 10, so i will be twenty four for a while :]

2. what's on your itinerary for your winnipeg trip?

well unfortunately, due to some personal and financial issues, i had to postpone my trip to winnipeg. however, our itinerary will probably stay fairly close to the same. :] LA and i had plans for thrifting, LOTS of crafting, and just plain ol' good fun. the one thing, however, that we may not be able to do (based on what time of year i reschedule for) is go tobogganing. and i was so looking forward to it :[

3. when an emotional rainy day comes about, how do you make yourself feel better?

wow, this is a deep one :] well, i've always been an optimist. i see the glass half full; there's always a silver lining to every cloud. i firmly believe that god gives us obstacles for a reason, and that he will never give us something that we can't handle. i believe that he creates situations for us as a learning experience. i believe everything that happens, happens for a reason and that it is to better someone somewhere. that really helps get me through those times. that and gooooood music :]

4. why are you so freaking cute?

haha! this one made me blush and giggle. whoever asked this one is too sweet. entirely too sweet! ummm, everyone has their bad days, belive me...i am not always cute. take right now for example...i've been traveling by car and plan since 11 am...and i. am. gross. but i guess to answer your question, you'd have to ask god and/or my mom and dad...they made me!

5. what is your favorite holiday and why? who do you like to celebrate with?

most people find this silly, but my favorite holiday is halloween. i think the reason why doesn't really even have much to do with the holiday, really. i do love getting to dress up and go to costume parties and what not, but i think the main reason is the time of year it is. october is hands down my favorite month. it's right when the days are still warm and breezy, but the nights turn crisp. autumn is just beginning...the moon is haunting, and shadows play tricks on you. plus, i love to be creeped out...it's so fun! :] as for who i spend it with? it varies from year to year...sometimes friends, sometimes family, but most of the time both :]

6. what are you thankful for this week?

this was actually asked of me 5 weeks ago, so sorry i'm just now getting to it. i will answer as if you asked me today.

this week i am thankful for loving, caring, generous, gracious people. folks that barely knew me taking me into their home and sharing their life with me for a few days. girls who flew from all over the country to meet and spend time with me (and others too of course). friends who took time out of their busy week (and who leave for hawaii tomorrow) to drive me three hours to the airport, even thought they had a ton of stuff to do. people who i am so incredibly blessed to call friends. i love them all dearly. thank you!

well, that is all :] remember, if you have a question, submit it on formspring and i'll be sure to answer!

also, i want to ask those of you who pray to pray for a dear friend of mine and her family. i won't say who, and i won't say why, because it's a private matter. but god knows their need and i believe in the power of prayer so, if you would, please say a quick one...every prayer counts. thank you :]

well, i'm finally home and in bed after a LONG day of traveling. it's back to the grind tomorrow (boooo) but it turns out i WILL get to meet john mayer tomorrow night...so that makes the work day totally worth it.

goodnight y'all!

emjay

soooo...

2010-03-09T09:18:00.005-06:00

i might get to meet john mayer tomorrow night...what?!? yeah, a friend of mine texted me last night saying that she knows a guy trying to sell his front row tickets and meet and greet passes!!! holy cannoli, this is exciting :] then, i get to see spoon in new orleans on the 18th! add that to the laughs and good times shared with erin, will and the gals i posted about earlier, and this month becomes pretty much the coolest month everrrr. i can't wait to do a recap once april gets here...march is definitely one for the emjay history books :]

(photo credit: elsie)

today i have to leave springfield...and that makes me sad. i have spent time with some of the coolest friends and i'm not ready for it to be over! today is my last day before heading home. i'll be off to st louis with elsie soon to meet up with janel for some shopping, then hopping on a jet plane at 6 to fly home. this (extended) weekend has been one that i will remember forever.

i love this place

i love these people

-em

in case you were wondering...

2010-03-08T23:30:00.004-06:00

yes, i did get a new tattoo with everyone this weekend. and i love it :

(photo credit: jamie)

today was a wonderful day...errands, black tea, hair dye, cashew chicken, insults and compliments, foxes, wind, video blogs, etsy updates, rva shipments, pauly shore movies, sweet potato fries, girl scout cookies, frozen custard and LOTS of laughs :] i am going to miss this place and miss these people so very much :/ already planning my trip back!

lovelove

ps, happy anniversary erin and will :] thanks for letting me crash!

sneak peeks from this weekend :]

2010-03-08T09:39:00.009-06:00

since i didn't bring my camera (lame), i'm relying on other's for my photo-documentation of my trip to springfield :] which shouldn't be hard seeing as i am spending the majority of this trip with a bunch of photographers, both amateur and professional :] here's a peek at the trip so far...

st louis slumber party

finding out that my head and pdr's bear hat were meant to be together

enjoying the company of some of the coolest kids (and eating these owl cupcakes) at the rva mask party

late night hotel room dance parties...we're not just cool, we're siska nanny cool! :]

tattoos with friends. joey was the nicest guy ever and he was so accommodating. which must of been hard since his lobby was full with 12 chatty girls for like, 6 hours!

celebrating the birthday of one of my new most favorite friends :]

modeling pieces for the rva spring update :]

it's been a busy trip so far, but oh-so-much fun as well :] i was sad to see some of my new friends go, but i'm enjoying spending more one on one time with the few that are left :] today is my last day in springfield, and it promises to be a good one full of starbucks, post offices, photo shoots, hair dye, cajun cooking, celebrating the anniversary of friends, and i'm pretty sure a lot more. :]

love you guys ;]

emjay

photo credits:

1. jamie

2. jamie

3. elsie

4. amy

5. elsie

6. jamie

7. wess, via elsie's blog

best edition everrrr

2010-03-06T23:43:00.004-06:00

so yeah, it's been two weeks since i blogged. i'm not even going to apologize, because i feel that i always saying sorry...and i'm pretty sure you guys are used to my flaky blog schedule at this point (but really, i am sorry :] )

so this edition of photobooth friday (i know i know, it's a day late. but whatever...) is pretty much my favorite one everrrrr.

i have had *the most* fun spending the weekend with these amazing girls (and guy!) :]

the first half of my stay is wrapping up. i'm super sad to say goodbye to some of these wonderful folks, but i'm also super excited for the next few days i have here in springfield before heading home on tuesday. i can't wait to share with you guys some fun things i get to be a part of over the next few days :]

i also cannot wait until some of these gals start posting photos of this weekend so i can jack them and post them for you too :] (i can't find my camera! sad times)

ps, i love you mucho :]

emjay

photobooth friday

2010-02-27T01:32:00.003-06:00

this is how i feel...
yep. that about sums it up! i have worked 6 straight days, a total of 61 hours, 17 of which were today. my feet hurt, my head hurts, all of my joints hurt and i'm pretty sure my brain hurts too. even my hair hurts! (i hate when that happens!)

note: many of you have mentioned how nice my paycheck will be from OT...haha, i wish! as a member of upper management, i am a salaried employee. and while my salary is GREAT, the OT hours kinda suck.

so with that said, i want to apologize for not being around much this week.

and now i'm going to bed :] night.

xoxo

photoabooth friday fun :]

2010-02-19T13:43:00.004-06:00

i got a little carried away with this week's photobooth friday...hehe :]

ps, i'm part of a HUGE giveaway over at pixies and bears! there seven uh-may-zinggg crafters taking part in a blog scavenger hunt and giving away a slew of goods, so check it out! if you're visiting from one of the blogs involved in the hunt, welcome! :]

pss, after baking linds' king cake from the mardi gras giveaway (my favorite bakery closed so i made it myself!) i decide to make another one today for me :] even though mardi gras is over, i'm still in the spirit! will be posting pictures from fat tuesday in new orleans this weekend :]

hope you all have a fabulous friday!

taco time

2010-02-17T18:43:00.002-06:00

going to have a little girl fun with my sister, liz and our good friend amanda (aka gwen) we're planning a night of movies, tacos and brownies and lots of gossip. :]

ps, had a *blast* in new orleans yesterday for mardi gras :] i'll be back soon with some photos i snapped from my phone. i'm sad that i didn't get many :/

love youuuuu!

photbooth friday - sneaux edition!

2010-02-12T18:23:00.004-06:00

in leu of our typical photobooth friday festivities, i have decided to post pictures of our snow day down here in south louisiana :] while some of you folks might have jumped on that global warming bandwagon, these photos are proof otherwise :] three snows in 14 months...that has NEVER happened. like, no...for real. NEVER! so without further ado...our snow day :]

my little snowman...don't judge my clothes. i had to layer :]

we both look rough with day old smeared makeup and bags under our eyes...but in our defense, we were woken by our dad at 6am with shouts of "girls! girls! it's snowing! get up! get up!" and of course, we followed :]

hello snow!

we found that jingles mainly liked to lick the snow of of our faces.

such a pretty kitty. even though i love my rox (my cat at my house) i do miss snuggling with mr. jingles. he's a cuddler, that's for sure

is it tacky for me to want to yell "WHO DAT" every time i see a fleur de lis? hehe (go saints!)

the snow had just started at this point...we ended up having about 3 inches of accumulation, but it melted around noon. :/

it snowed from 6am until 10:30...and the flakes were so fat!

lizzer couldn't resist a reenactment of a christmas story :]

well there you have it guys...i know that a few snow flakes are small potatoes to a good bit of you who are reading this, but dude...down here, this is a miracle! fo sho.

hope everyone has a GREAT weekend! i'm off to the spanish town mardi gras parade tomorrow in downtown baton rouge :] i'll be sure to take lots of photos to share! :]

xoxo

ps...

2010-02-09T15:47:00.000-06:00

thank you danielle for my new banner! :] i love it! :]

i'm baaaaack!

2010-02-09T15:23:00.005-06:00

internet is fixed and i can't tell you how relieved i am! it feels nice to be connected to the online world again! i'd have just died if i didn't have my iphone to cope through this long dark week! :] i wanted to send a BIG thank you to ashley, anna and carrie for guest blogging in my absence! their posts were so great to read!

here are a few projects i've been working on this past week...

mini paintings for some friends :]

i am thinking about selling these in an 8x10 if you're interested. they're on canvas paper, not stretched canvas, so very affordable! :] send me an email...they were so much fun to make!

i've also been commissioned for another address book, after lindsay posted about hers :] here are a few shots of the first couple of stages...

it's been so much fun to work on! i'm working on handwriting all of the inside pages. once again, if you're interested in purchasing one, send me an email :]

well guys, it's off to work on my budget/pay bills. i'm desperately trying to finish rounding up the funds for this springfield trip! it's in less than a month!

love youuuu!

emjay

Recycle t-shirt bag

2010-02-09T08:00:00.002-06:00

Hey my name is Carrie I am honored to fill in for Ms. Emjay today. I want to share a very cute and easy project. Lets get started... :D

you need a child's t-shirt (this one is a 10-12) this is super cute if you have a t-shirt that maybe your kid has outgrown but it is still a fave or any cute shirt from a thrift store will do.

Cut the arms, neck, and about an inch off the bottom

turn inside out and hem the bottom (I forgot to get pics of this part) then flip right side out I tied the arm holes with some matching yarn.

and voile a cute little bag!

I hope ya'll enjoy this little project stop by my blog and say Hey!

Peace and Hugs

Carrie

Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve...Literally.

2010-02-08T07:40:00.000-06:00

Hi all! My name is Anna Joy and I am super excited to be guest blogging for Emjay today!

In honor of Valentine's, I decided to do a really quick, fun, easy, and super cheap DIY...Sweetheart Brooches!

Supplies
1. 2 different pieces of scrap fabric (one for front and one for back)
2. Xacto Knife
3. Fabric paint
4. Sponge brush
5. Needle and thread
6. Felt
7. Pin back
8. Scissors
9. Pencil
10. Freezer paper

1. Sketch out the name of your sweetie(s) (I did one for my honey and one for our son) in whatever size you want on your freezer paper on the side that has tooth (or isn't shiny). I faintly drew hearts around them to see how big they might be. After you are satisfied, cut them out with an xacto knife.

2. Iron your freezer paper shiny side down on your fabric that is right side up until it is adhered on well.

3. Dab the fabric paint with your sponge brush gently. Don't glob it on right away. Do many light coats until it you can't see anymore fabric underneath. Let it dry for 15 minutes or so.

4. Peel fabric paper away slowly. This is what it should look like.

5. Lightly draw hearts around the name and then cut it out. Then lay out your new cut out heart and trace it around your backing scrap fabric and then cut that out.

6. Take your backing fabric and sew your pin back on it. There are many tutorials online to show you how to do this if you don't know how. Here's one that is very helpful from Polka Dot Pineapple .

7. Take your front and back scrap fabrics and start stitching around the heart. I started at the top half. Stop after you get a little more than half way done.

8. Stuff your little heart and then finish sewing. It's okay if your stuffing is overflowing out of your heart.

9. You're done! Trim your heart and clean it up if you need to.

10. Wear it on your sweater or put it on your bag and let everyone see who your sweetheart(s) is/are! You can also embroider your name if you don't have freezer paper. I decided to embroider a little spool and needle because I sure do love sewing.

I hope everyone enjoyed my little DIY! Come check me out at Anna's Joy and be friends with me!

Thank again Emjay for letting me come hang out today! We can't wait to have you back!

Here's one more thing to perk up your Monday :)

Have a great week and happy Valentine's day everyone!

And Go Saints!

2010-02-06T12:00:00.001-06:00

Hi Emjay fans!
I'm Ashley from Almost Exactly - and I'm so excited that Emjay invited me to guest blog!

So I racked my brain for something to guest-blog about...and it was a little hard since my brain has been full of red, pink, white, and hearts lately!
That's it! We're totally going to have a Valentine's Day mini-party right here!

So here's some inspiration I found on weheartit.com
[click on photos to get to the weheartit.com link!]

Cute, right? If that doesn't tickle your fancy, then here is some cute Valentine's Day DIY:

[click on pictures to get to link!]

Alright, so that's all of me, now that I've shared my valentine's day inspiration! I hope you all have a great weekend...and Valentine's Day!

xoxo!

Sharin' the love

2010-02-05T10:02:00.003-06:00

Hey y'all! Soooo, my internet is down (drats!) and won't be back up until next week (double drats!). How lame is that?!? I know...but have no fear! Some good friends of mine have offered to fill the void and will be sharing some pretty sweet an pretty posts throughout the week :] so check back here periodically for some familiar and new faces and what is sure to be a slew of inspiring posts!

love youuuuu!
emjay

*this post was brought to you by my iphone. Blogger should reeeaaallly think about making an app to make posting from this thing easier!

it's carnival time!

2010-01-29T15:47:00.003-06:00

i'm pretty much the biggest nerd ever. hah!

xoxo

em :]

soooo...

2010-01-29T09:38:00.003-06:00

if i temporarily re-opened the etsy with a slew of new and fun items, would you guys...

spread the word?

tweet and/or blog about it?

actually buy any of it?

i'm thinking new paintings, handmade cards, fabric art (like the piece behind me in the photo above), pillows, a few other fun things...i'm in need for some serious fundraising and i figured maybe this might be a good thing...maybe? leave some feedback and let me know.

still coming back later with the promised post :]

xoxo

in honor of champagne thursday...

2010-01-28T10:23:00.003-06:00

found via weheartit

spending the day enjoying champagne thursday and wrapping up some paintings. :] good day? i think so!

i've been sick over the past week, which is why you haven't seen much of me lately :/ however, i think i've finally kicked this thing, and i plan to be back on schedule tomorrow! here's what to look forward to...

tomorrow: photobooth friday and the giveaway winner announcement :]

the weekend: a few fun posts here and there

monday: next edition of meet me on monday...kimi! :]

i hope everyone enjoys their thursday! :]

xoxo

winners...

2010-01-24T08:07:00.001-06:00

winners of the mardi gras giveaway coming sooooooon! if you haven't entered yet, i'll be generous and give you ONE LAST CHANCE :] click here!

xoxo

the best wednesday night everrrrrrr..

2010-01-20T23:05:00.003-06:00

best wednesday night ever...for reals :]

lovelove

emjay

meet me on...tuesday?

2010-01-19T23:01:00.010-06:00

so, as you can tell, meet me on monday is being posted on tuesday this week...i spent time with the guys from highschool last night, as one member of our group moved back to new york today...so without further ado, here's this week's featured blogger :]

erin sunday

tell us a little about yourself...

the name is erin sunday, and i'm 24 years young. my hometown is technically rockford, il (i moved around a lot), but i have currently found a home in springfield, mo

what is your favorite craft?

probably crocheting right now. it is a new craft i am learning so it's incredibly fun for me!

if you would only have one outfit to wear every day forever, what would it include?

oh geeze! i am really bad at this sort of thing! i LOVE to play dress up so i would probably wear something incredibly fun and maybe a bit out of the ordinary. let's see, let's see..out of the stuff i have? since i am currently growing out my hair, i hate it. haha. so, i would hide it, most likely, under a hat of some sort. very little makeup, but enough to accentuate my eyes (my favorite feature about a person). i would wear a tank top tucked under my favorite vintage red skirt (it's corduroy!). since it is soooo cold out right now, i would definitely wear a cardigan with it (grey). grey with white polka dot tights would cover my scrawny legs and i would warm my feet with black knee socks and my black cowgirl boots. crazy? why, of course! :] i wore something similar in this photo:

how did you get started in photography?

i feel like i really got started as a child, when i was more of a model than a photographer. i have four sisters and we are close enough in age that we all wore matching outfits most of the time. every chance we could get, mom would pack us into our van and drive to different parks and whatnot. once we got there, she pulled out the disposable camera (all we really could afford at the time) and snap away! i remember always wishing to have a camera of my own. i didn't really make the commitment to pursue photography until about 5 months ago. however, i feel as though photography has always been a part of me; something i have yearned to learn and play around with.

what and/or who inspires you?

oh gosh! this is a never ending list that literally grows everyday. i will keep my sharing to just 4 individuals.

first and foremost, will vastine. big surprise, huh? haha. this is not just because he is a talented (CUTE) photographer. he is the one person who has consistently encouraged me to be myself, whoever i decided that was. we've been dating just under 2 years and in that time, he has ridden one heck of a roller coater ride with me. i've lost my job, had some serious health issues, moved, experienced fear, grief, excitement, happiness, sadness and STRESS. will has been there for it all and, even cooler, has been excited to be there experiencing it with me. when i finally bit down and made the decision to pursue the possibility of making photography more than just a hobby, he was the first to offer encouragement and introduce me to a huge variety of different photographers and artists. this has helped as i have begun to find my unique style. most importantly, he's helped re-open my eyes, mind and my heart to the idea of making my life what it should be and going after my dreams, no matter the size.

second, zack arias. zack is an atlanta based editorial photographer who teaches workshops on a minimalist approach to lighting. he also has a great sense of humor and seems really down to earth. i have learned some great stuff from what he has taught, and i am sure that learning with never cease.

third, chase jarvis. not only is this guy a great photographer (understatement), but he has really inspired me wiht the concept that the best camera is the one that you have with you. he even has an iphone application and book to support this. enough said. consider me inspired :]

fourth, allister ann. this girl has such a beautiful eye, and her sight extends beyond the camera lens. she seems absolutely lovely and i hope to be spending some time with her soon.

my life in general serves as my greatest source of inspiration. i am so blessed with friends and family that give me the courage to rely on my creative side to help pursue my dreams. it is they who help shape the ideas behind every project i start and guide the steps toward each accomplishment.

what or who prompted you to open an etsy account?

it was a combined effort of will and myself, i believe. after sharing that i was thinking about it, many crafting friends encouraged it.

what was life like growing up with quadruplet sisters?

it was pretty much the same as growing up with any other siblings. i guess it was cooler. i don't know. i am only 20 months older than the sisters, so it was something that never really changed. i was used to having them around. it was my "normal". although, i am incredibly thankful for it. imagine picking your 4 favorite people in the whole world to live with. that was my childhood. i couldn't possibly imagine being an only child! i would be incredibly lonely. my sisters are amazingly pretty and creative and SO DIFFERENT! it makes my life incredibly beautiful and fufilled.

what album or playlist is on your ipod right now?

the XX. i love how simple their music is. it has such a good groove to it. right up my alley for sure!

describe your style

i don't know about fashion style, but...uh...ask me again in a couple of years. ha.

i guess the best way to describe my photography "style" is to describe my favorite way to take photos. i continue to dream. i strive to encourage dreaming and making dreams come to life. so, i love when people share a bit of themselves or dreams they have with me and it turns into a great photo shoot idea. i love to create a whole world in each photo i take, whether it be over the top, make believe, more traditional, whatever. i just want to go all out to make it something that draws you in. i also want for the concept or setting i use in photos to be an idea at least partly from the person/people in the photos. this allows them ot have an ida in their mind already and makes them more comfortable to get into what we are doing. my favorite shoot to date is a mother-daughter shoot i did with my friend, katie, and her daughter, hope. they turned out so great that hope squealed when she saw them! :] i am always up for shooting many types of photos, whether it be basic portraits, more fashion-esque, boudior, or conceptual photos. i love photography and am in the process of figuring out my style, so i would like to try a bit of everything to help me figure out what to tell you the next time you ask this question. :]

so you're a marine, huh?

yes, i am a former marine. i spent 2 years and 8 months in the marine corps, and it was one of the best decisions i have made in my adult life. unfortunately, i was injured and was discharged in june of 2006. i was incredibly disappointed at the time to find out that a career was not in the cards for me. however, i am thankful for the life that has erupted from the end of my time with the military.

what is your biggest goal for 2010?

since getting out of the marine corps, i have endured many "issues", as i will call them. while i do truly believe that everything i have gone through, and still go through daily, will make me a stronger, better person, i say that currently through gritted teeth. i won't lie, my life is not perfect and it won't be for quite a while. 2009 kicked my ass! 2010 is not starting out very promising either, but i refuse to be defeated!

i am working extremely hard to get to a point where photography and etsy are my main sources of income. will this happen in 2010? i have no clue. i will be happy if, in this year, i can continue to grow the shop and my photography presence to where i see a real improvement.

i want to continue working with elsie at red velvet art. i love her and i love working there. she has offered so much to me in the opportunity to work with her. i am not sure if i will ever want to stop helping encourage that wonderful business.

so i guess i have said all that to tell you that my biggest goal of 2010 is to be able to stand on my own feet and to gain balance again.

here's where you can find erin:

thank you so much, erin, for sharing with us this week! leave erin some comment love! :]

if your interested in being featured in a future meet me on monday post, email me at emjay0121(at)gmail(dot)com :] there are still 2 spots open for february.

xoxo

emjay

calling all home decor junkies...

2010-01-18T00:38:00.008-06:00

ok. here's the deal. i have been looking - nay, desperately searching- for the perfect shade of aqua for my bedroom for almost a year now. actually, it's not even aqua really. it's the most difficult color in the world to explain, but i'm going to try...

it's vintage aqua, antique blue, duck egg, blue-green-grey.

yeah, i wouldn't understand that either. maybe i should just let some photos do the talking...

(all photos via google image search or weheartit)

now do you get the picture? my question is this: why is it so hard to get the perfect color out of my head and into a bucket of paint? i have literally gone through ten sample cans of various shades of blue-green-grey from lowes this week alone...it's all i can do not to throw up my hands in defeat! sigh... after hours of research tonight, i have found a few colors from sherwin williams that i will try this week. we'll see how that goes.

on a brighter note, i hit a huge sale at target and got all new bedding for 50 bucks! i got two new pillows, two sets of sheets, three sets of pillow cases and a new comforter :] pair all those the white waffle and blue deerskin blankets i already own and voila! a new look already.

the lighting is horrible in this photo...my apologies.

so if any of you have painted something this color, or know someone else who has painted something this color, oh won't you pleasepleaseplease suggest some paint options? i'd love you forever...really i would!

i'm off to dream of pretty white linens enveloped in dark wood tones and stormy blue-green walls...goodnight loves

aquafrolic

Oh, hello there...

**notice**

raid my closet

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meet me on...tuesday?

calling all home decor junkies...

notice