Oh Blog... how I have missed you so!

After a crazy semester, and a brief hiatus from blogging... I am going to kick it back into gear. I have missed so many crafty parties, so many posting opportunities, and just so much plain randomness! I am going to try not to play catch up in one post. Just a few highlights!Family life changes...Ginger hair addition... And my semester before my last year of undergrad work has finally come to a close!

me and my new ginger color... and a little editing magic for my photography class!

Two weeks ago I got the opportunity to travel with some friends and other classmates to Grand Rapids, MI to a writer's convention {lil man got to go too!!}. I think this is a great way to jump back in. I will share this amazing trip!

Jonathan's signing!

The convention was called 'Festival of Faith & Writing' and was held at the beautiful Calvin College {seriously, a beautiful school}.  There were a ton of workshops featuring some great SPEAKERS. Our first night there we went to hear Jonathan Safran Foer, author of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I made sure that i read his beautifully written novel and watched the movie {which he had a hand in, actively} before we went there. He was great! We were told that he would be doing a signing afterwards, but that due to the amount of people that we would not be given any personalized requests in our books {he would simply sign his name... bummer}. Ah well. We got in line, snapped a few shots of the guys climbing the rock wall {yes, yes we did} and waited to meet this amazing author! My lil man... he is my lucky charm. We got up there and Jonathan started talking to him. Of course my little guy mentions the pretty blonde, Rachel, in our group {his crush}. So then Jonathan asked who should he make the book out to?! ME!!! I blurted my name in a very grateful manner. LOVE!!! :)

yeah, that is my name... and he didn't have to ask how to spell it- BOOYA!

Moving along. I bunked in a 2 story suite with my little guy and I in our private room downstairs and two wonderful friends Jess & Jesse upstairs. Lil man's luck got us the BEST room out of the group. Kachow! We walked around, exploring the area, eating dinner with the majority of the group of girls that went...had some laughs and other fun. And froze a little. It is COLD up there! 

for Hannah

Anyways, the next day we went to a few lectures and readings. I am SO very glad we chose to go see Daniel Nayeri. EXCELLENT speaker, even if I was not in the state of mind for a lecture. I was so excited about his 4 in 1 novella I ran out and bought it right after! Now that classes are over, I am going to be picking up that bad boy and reading it. Also wanted to mention.... this author's coolness factor is seriously off the charts. Not only did he make out my copy of his book to my son {complete with a train drawing}, he also talked to him for about 20 minutes! Seriously, on that alone I will promote this man and his work to no end! Who does that, and with a 5 year old?! GREAT experience for my little guy! 

coolest author EVER!

And then there was the most unforgettably funny poetry reading I have ever been to. EVER. Aaron Belz had the entire room on the edge of their seats, roaring in laughter! Seriously- funny stuff! Afterwards I also bought one of his books, ' Lovely, Raspberry' and he signed it for me. Even if you are not a poetry lover, this small book will have you excited for poetry! Seriously. Read some...NOW! 

crazy, funny poet

Anyways, the trip was a blast. It was a LONG drive. But well worth the experience for both me and the little guy. 

me and the lil man

Well that will wrap up this RANDOM post... as I jump back into the wonderful world of 'Just Call Me T'. 

one more... look what we found in a vintage postcard book?! Yeah... the 'Hustler' kid looks JUST LIKE MY LIL MAN!!! Including the shirt and hat. Too funny! 

Old Sweater, New Life... Leg Warmers

Well it is no secret that my blog came to a halt a few months ago. Family CHANGES, schooling, and lil man's health all had roles. Thanksgiving was the day that things came to a turn and I found myself a week later moving out into a new apt with just me and my lil man. So it was only natural that I refocus my energy on making sure he would adjust the best he could, and that I wouldn't lose my head. Well, I am still here- just with some changes in my life. One other big change was me deciding that I no longer wanted to pursue a degree in teaching. 

I LOVE to create and in my opinion that is very limited in the classroom {at least at the schools I have observed and worked in}. So for now I sit in an Arts & Humanities degree with a minor in Literature as I decide what is the best route to pursue my career desires {changing schools or wrapping up my undergrad and jumping right into my MA}. 

But enough about all that! 

I wanna talk winter loves. Winter time usually means snow around here. Snow, hot cocoa, scarves, hats, boots, and leg warmers! Well the snow has been few and far between this winter... but it started snowing last night, so I decided today me and lil man would chill out at home. Then I stumbled upon a cute blog, and after pinning a few of her creations I decided to make a couple pairs of leg warmers, b/c she rocked the ones she made!
{HERE is her post}. 

I am not a hoarder, in fact when we moved I made sure to trash and donate as much as I could.  BUT my one weakness is old clothes of mine. So I went through and found a few sweaters, and then pulled out some ribbon I had in my scraps chest. I put on a stupid and sappy movie, while lil man played with his Legos, and threw these together.

I am in LOVE with these, especially the pink ones! 

It's good to be back, and while I may not be posting as much, I am going to get back to this love of mine!

<3 T

Monsters That Say Boo!

me and my littlest of men :)

I am so glad it's fall now... and I was sooooo hoping school would slow down but no, I have a dozen projects, BIG PROJECTS, all due within the month. SHOOT.ME.NOW. 

just some flowers lil man and I spotted on our way home

So yeah, I was so happy when we decided to go check out our little town's fall festival {aka Funtober Fest}. Lil man was got himself a few balloons and goodies, got to pain a pumpkin, and then got to march in the children's costume parade. He had a blast! And while I was still on meds from Friday's oral surgery, I managed to enjoy myself and not drool down my chin.

{hehe}

very colorful and very very wet, lol 

I was also excited that I was able to sit down for a bit and work on patching lil man's ripped jeans. Now I don't know about you but if they still fit and can be saved, I'd rather figure out how to than spend the $$ on more jeans. On labor day {while we were on our way to a ball game} I was online and I spotted this cute tutorial on MONSTER MENDING. 

So that is what I did! 

rockin the jeans

Lil man loves his remixed monster jeans and yeah... RAWR -n- stuff!

my watercolor painting 'Leaves of Fall' and my drawing version (which I did first)

Then today I had to work on a few school projects. I worked on the 2nd & 3rd part of my book mobile for my Children's Lit class {Where The Wild Things Are}... and then on my first real project/ assignment for my watercolor class.

free to make... not bad for my first one

After that I took lil man out to play and began working on a simple project, a SIGN to hang up for HALLOWEEN. I used cardboard from a box, black fabric scraps, orange t-shirt scraps, spider rings, and hot glue. I still think it needs more or SOMETHING, but its cute enough for now and it cost me nothing to make! 

  

He is not really a clone trooper... so he says.
He is really Luke disguised as a clone trooper...
and yet with all of that he has time to stop and smell the roses. ;)

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