It’s Friiiiiiiidaaaay! Whoo hoo! Let’s link arms and side-step across the dance floor, k? On Collecting So…I’m a bit of a collector. Buttons. Ticket stubs. Pins. Anyone else with me? Well, just this week, my concept of collecting “links” was blasted into outer-space when I discovered the free online software known as Evernote. And I fully recognize that I’m unfashionably late to the Evernote party, but I may or may not have caught up on {read more…}
If Michael Scott can declare bankruptcy, then I can declare that The Thinking Closet readers are the best readers in blogland. And yes, I mean you! Let me take a moment to share just a few of the reasons why: Time is precious, and the fact that so many of you who aren’t even blood-relatives take the time to click over from your email or social media or bloglovin’ to read about my latest onesie {read more…}
In case you missed it, here’s my fabric organization solution that I shared at Made with Hugs & Kisses a few weeks ago…plus 15 other ideas to suit your fancy. Also, for those interested in winning a Silhouette Portrait machine that cuts fabric, vinyl, paper, and more, click here to enter the giveaway now through Sunday, June 9th, 11:59p. When Hannah generously invited me to be a part of her “Spring Clean Your Sewing Space” series, {read more…}
Three of my major fears in life include shark attack, shipwreck, and being out on open water, not knowing what lurks beneath the surface. But if there’s anything I’ve learned in my 30 years on this planet, it’s that a life ruled by fear is no life at all. And you can quote me on that. So, last weekend, I confronted my fears head on and boarded a cruise ship: Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the {read more…}
Wow, folks. We topped 557 entries with this Silhouette Portrait Giveaway, which I consider a raging success. It delights me to know that so many people got to join in on the giveaway goodness. My favorite part, though, had to be reading your comments and learning what you would choose to have playing in the background of your happy dance if you won a Silhouette. I’ve had my head bopping to your song suggestions all {read more…}
Here’s reason #459 why my M.I.L. is awesome: Last summer, the night before we moved into our new home in Orlando, she gave us one of the most precious gifts a Floridian could ask for. A gift some deem more precious than gold…. That’s right: RAID! She is a Floridian herself and knows how very pesky critters down here in tropical climes can be (even in the cleanest of households). Roaches or “palmetto bugs” are resilient little big {read more…}
I had the opportunity to try my hand at a project using Silhouette’s frosted vinyl, which allows you to create the impression of etched glass on mirrors and glass, but without the scary chemicals or the permanence; if you don’t like it, you can just remove it! That’s my kinda project. On the roll, the frosted vinyl almost looks silvery… …but you’ll see when you peel the vinyl from the backing that it’s transparent with {read more…}
Fact. My “About” page hadn’t been edited since I first started blogging in September 2012. Fact. My “About” page was written in the third person, like an author bio on the inside back cover of a book. All of my posts are written in the first person. The disparity was killing me. Fact. My “About” page said very little about me and my blog at all. How much can be said in one paragraph of six sentences? {read more…}
I asked, you delivered, and today, I am thrilled to share with you all the… I received a whopping total of 162 movie suggestions from y’all, enough to require an Excel spreadsheet! (That’s serious bidness.) So, thanks to each and every one of you who contributed a movie…or ten…to the pot! Through this process, I quickly realized that there are a lot of fantastic romantic films out there. Oh, the struggle to keep this list to TEN! {read more…}
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been romanced by bookstores…especially used bookstores. They lure me in with their old, stale-book smells and promise of inscribed inside covers. They win my heart with their cozy aisles and reading nooks. And if I find a treasure – – oh, stop the presses – – if I find a treasure, I’m forever theirs. And I think I’ve discovered my new favorite bookstore in Orlando. It’s called {read more…}
My husband Mark is pretty much one of the best gift-givers on the planet, but this year, he really outdid himself. I think my jaw dropped to the floor when I ripped open the wrapping paper to reveal this beauty: My very own Silhouette Cameo! In case you’re wondering, a Silhouette is an electronic cutting tool that connects to your computer, allowing you to cut fonts and images on a variety of materials from paper {read more…}
Do you ever see a film or a commercial that just strikes you somewhere deep, and you never forget it? That’s what happened to me when I first saw “The Christmas Conspiracy” video a few years back when our friend Denice P. posted it on her Facebook wall. If you have two-and-a-half minutes to spare, here it is: It’s a simple concept, but one that I think we all need to be reminded of. I {read more…}
If there’s ever a month for heart-warming, it’s December. So, to kick things off, I thought I’d compile a list of some of my favorite YouTube videos that are guaranteed to make you smile. After all, they involve kids. The soul is healed by being with children. ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky These videos will restore your faith in humanity and your hope in the next generation…if you ever lost it. 1. PS 22 Chorus “Viva La {read more…}
It has been over a month since I last tackled Raechel Myers’s Sewing 101 course…but it felt good to dust off the ole new machine and get back into the trenches today. I never knew what the term “tuck” meant in the sewing world…until now. And I’m proud to say that I have conquered three different types! Spaced tucks, blind tucks, and pin tucks: Apparently, tucks are well above Sewing 101 level, but once they’re {read more…}
This is what happens when you wait to create your Halloween costume until the last minute: Get it?! We’re the black-eyed peas! Just a bit of black eyeshadow and Ps cut out of duct tape paper (yes, they sell duct tape in 8.25″ x 10″ sheets!)…easy peazy. I actually find punny Halloween costumes quite funny; I love that they require a wee bit of brain power to understand. (Step aside, “sexy nurse.”) I also think {read more…}
5 Pearls of Wisdom from 5 Different Bloggers
I love reading other blogs. I just gain so much inspiration and insight from the words of my fellow bloggers. Here’s my routine at the end of the day: I hop onto bloglovin’ and scroll through the list of new posts from the 75 blogs I follow (yes, 75). I click over to the articles that catch my eye. Sometimes it’s the title, sometimes it’s the photo, and other times, it’s the first few sentences that pull me {read more…}