I Got Brushed By Fame!

You guys. I just had the most surreal moment of my blogging life. Tonight I met John and Sherry. You know...the ones who write the "little" blog called Young House Love. You know you've heard about it. These two are renovating mavens. I was so excited I had to share it with you. Seriously I was SO nervous to talk to them because we all know I tend to have word vomit when I'm feeling awkward. No idea what I actually said, but I do know that we talked about Bella's days as a Bachelorette. Yes, it's true...we let our dog compete with other ladies for another man's love. Don't call us crazy...we just love our dog. Seriously though they are exactly what I expected them to be like...humble, hilarious, and down to earth. Awesome people. 

Oh and you want to know what else? I totally met some bloggers that I had connected with awhile back. I happened to see them pass by and totally had one of those, "I'm almost positive I know them, but I don't want to make a fool of myself and say hi to them and then have them look at me like I was super crazy" moments. This happens to me a lot. Anyway, they did remember me! They are Portland home bloggers and are HILARIOUS. Loved their fun personalities. I'm glad they didn't run screaming and actually stuck around to talk. Thanks guys, you flatter me. I didn't take a photo with them (I think I would have scared me), but they do blog over at Tell'er All About It and you should check them out. 

Anyway, I am totally on a blogging high right now. I mean, these are big league bloggers, and I am just a humble nobody blogger so this just made my day. Makes me realize why I love blogging so much...you can connect with people you never would have otherwise. I love that. Plus I am beyond shy, like never leaving my house shy, so blogging makes it just a bit easier to pretend like I am outgoing. Totally had you fooled right ;)

Well, there was my brush with fame for the day! 

A Walk On The Red Carpet

Somebody pinch me (no honey, this is not literal so please don't)....I am feeling more famous than all those stars at the Oscars right now. My girl Ashley (she doesn't know she is my girl so hopefully I don't creep her out too much) mentioned ME in her blog today.

I. KNOW.

Exciting right?

So, I have actually mentioned her before in this post where I mentioned how she inspired me quite a lot. Well, after a few days of thinking that I should probably tell her how inspiring her "A Day in the Life" posts are to me I decided to get my big girl panties on and just do it. I have this semi nervous breakdown whenever I am going to be social, and when approaching a blogger who is up there with the other big named blogs, well let's just say there may be a bit of sweating involved. I did it though. Wow, look at me all big and courageous. Anyway, if you need further proof that she is UH-MAZING just look at her daughter's nursery. 

I wouldn't mind living here. I am sure I could get used to sleeping in a crib. Oh also, she used the same fabric for her crib skirt that we have in Eden's crib. This girl's got style ;) 

So, if you are bored during the Oscar's why don't you take a few minutes hours and look at all the fun pictures of her house and her super cute baby girl. I am now going to treat myself to a chocolate chip cookie just because I feel deserving. 

Also, if you are visiting from The Domestic Wannabe, welcome! Make yourself at home and look around, we don't bite...promise! 

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If you are reading from another outlet like an RSS feed, be sure to stop by and check out some of the changes I have made over the past couple of days to the blog. I even updated our header! It's still not perfect, and I still have plenty of work to do on the rest of the blog, but I am going to use my same old excuse...

I HAVE A 5 MONTH OLD BABY WHO DOES NOT NAP AND I AM TRYING TO KEEP MY HOUSE CLEAN AND COOK AND BE A REAL ESTATE ASSISTANT AND CONTROL THE LARGE ANT POPULATION THAT HAS TAKEN OVER MY HOME. I CANNOT DO IT ALL. 

I really need to come up with a new excuse....

Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows

I am craving spring and the beautiful colors that come along with it. However, as I type this, we have been watching snow fall periodically through out the day. Every time we see those beautiful white flakes Eden and I run to the window (okay, I run to the window carrying Eden) and watch them fall. I think snow is magical. Here's the thing though, I always want it to accumulate, but only for a day or two and only a few times a year. I much prefer sunshine, but the quiet that comes alongside freshly fallen snow makes me crave those moments.


For any of you that may have a snow day tomorrow I thought I would share a few new (to me) blogs that I have found over the past week. I thought you might enjoy the extra reading and inspiration these lovelies give.

Mollie Wetta Photography

I just found Mollie Wetta photography when I joined Real Mom*Togs. She is amazing and has the cutest children! I just love to look at her work for some serious inspiration.

Besotted Brand

Um, hello eye candy! This is just full of more photography inspiration and more. Lovely work this lady has. 

Sugar and Charm

I now have a million and one ideas for Eden's 1st birthday. In fact, I have so many ideas that I may just have to have a half birthday party for her. Only teasing. Kind of. 

Lilies & Dandelions

This blog is brand spanking new. I found this blog off of Dreamy Whites (if you love white then you will fall in love with this blog. If you don't love white you will quickly learn to love it). Anyway, I have the feeling this is going to be one of my favorites. I am excited to see where this blog goes over the next year...

Crossing my fingers for a snow day tomorrow so we can take Eden out to play! 

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The Crain's Nest is going through some ch-ch-ch-changes. I haven't gotten too far, but I am working on it in between feedings, diaper changes, and the like. The biggest change so far is that we have moved our most favorite blog links to its own page! Things were feeling a bit cluttered and if you have learned one thing from me it is that I enjoy minimalism. Our link love was getting a bit out of hand. I know that some of you appreciated them being on the side, but too make up for it, I added quite a few more blogs chock full of inspiration. I know, I know, I am too kind. Seriously, pick up your coffee, take a few sips, and enjoy a few new reads. I am also working on an updated header, but the daughter didn't want a nap today so it will have to wait. 

Change can be a good thing and I am learning to embrace it. 

Stylish Pearls

In my hurry to put my post up last night I forgot one of the most stylish bloggers of all in my list. I cannot believe I did not include this blog, although in my defense I was so tired that I could hardly even stand. So, please check out my amazingly talented friend Megan, and her blog, Red Pearl Designs. Seriously people, she dresses well, knows how to decorate her cute house, and is such a talented graphic designer. In fact, she designed our baby announcements and let me tell you, they are fantastic! I promise to share them once I actually get them all sent out. Oh the evils of working full time and trying to get ready for the holidays and trying to complete my giant list of to do's. Sigh. 

Alright, well, enjoy the eye candy on Megan's blog and have a great Tuesday!

Oh So Stylish

My girl Jamie awarded me my first ever blog award and you want to know how I thanked her? That's right...I didn't. Well, not properly anyway. See, the thing with blog awards is that there are rules involved and although most people think I am quite the rule follower...well, um I have a news flash for you, I am a R.E.B.E.L. Growing up I was good at giving the "good girl" persona, but secretly I was a naughty bird. Wow, glad to have that off my chest.

Alright, back to the subject at hand. Jamie. Blog award. Okay, I am back to where I left off. Jamie is amazing and I love her and I pretty much always wished she would be my best friend. I met her beautiful face in 6th grade and guess what? We are still friends. She may be extremely creeped out by me, but I am comfortable with that. So, award time!

Here are the official rules:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this.

2. Share 8 things about yourself.

3. Pay it forward to 8 bloggers that you have recently discovered

4. Contact those bloggers and tell them about their award.

Alright, since I am in a rebel type of mood, I probably won't actually list 8 things about myself or remember how many bloggers I have recently discovered, but here is my best shot.

• I am not stylish. I love to look at fashion magazines, but I fear fashion itself. Ironic that I received an award with the word stylish ain't it?

• I am completely afraid of phones. Phobic. Sickened at the thought of answering it. Guess what I do the majority of my day at work? Answer phones. Yeah, it's a real problem.

• I think. A lot. Too much really. I absolutely cannot do something without thinking. If you are talking to me, I am thinking about 500 other things. End of story.

• I made spaghetti squash last night. Not at all what I was expecting, but Josh ate it all up and that's all I can ask for. That boy and his veggies...they just hate each other.

• I could listen to Christmas music 24/7/365. I heart it.

Alright, I cannot write anymore about myself. It exhausts me.

Now, if you are so inclined...here are a few blogs that make me giggle, make me feel inspired, or just make me pause to think. Take a look at them, they are fantastic.

The Canning Wife

 

Hook and Ring

The Browns

Okay, sorry, but that's all I have energy for. I still have some gift wrapping, dish washing, bottle sterilizing, and clean upping to do and it is 11:15 p.m. and I have to get up at 5 a.m. for work. All this to say, I need to get my batooty up off this couch and shake it shake it to get some work done. 

Goodnight moon. 

Blog Fun

While I sit here starving (I'm prepping for the colonoscopy) and waiting for the dreaded 3:00 appointment with a big jug of nasty (another part of the prep) I got to thinking about a few things that I find helpful as a blogger. I think most people have heard of them, but just let me have this moment...it keeps my mind off of all the yummy goodness I can't eat. Oh and by the way...this is totally just me raving about these websites/programs. Although, if any of them wanted to be a sponsor to my blog one day I wouldn't say no.

#1 Google Reader
Wow, could you have asked for a handier way to get all of your blogs read in one easy place?! When I first started reading blogs, I would go to a friends blog who had already added them to their sidebar (coughSarahandKaricough) and just go crazy reading them all. I then realized that doing this was silly when I could just add them to my favorites. Soon I realized that having to scroll through my favorites was ridiculously time consuming and annoying. That's when I finally found Google Reader. If you are an avid blog reader and haven't discovered it...please do now! It saves me so much time AND I can easily read the blogs on my iPhone. Loving it!

#2 Picasa
Picasa is the greatest free invention for photographers. I heart it! Let me give an example (and show you one at that). Last night Josh and I went out to my old stomping grounds (think the boonies of Salem) and wanted to capture some of the beautiful fall foliage before it was all gone. Unfortunately, the light was pretty poor because he had to go in to work unexpectedly so we did not get out as early as hoped. This bummed me out BIG TIME. Let me show you a photo so you can understand that lighting is EVERYTHING when it comes to photography.

Picture BEFORE Picasa

 

Picture AFTER Picasa

See? Not a HUGE difference, but enough to fake a little extra light. Who can complain when it's free?!

#3 Polyvore

Oh my mood board loving goodness! While Photoshop gives you the greatest opportunities for creating interior design fabulousness, many don't have the moolah for it (or at least I don't). Enter Polyvore. I have been making inspiration boards non-stop. I may not have my house yet, but I could tell you what each room is going to look like. I also used it to give Ruby (remember the dining room?) a good idea of my color inspiration for her kitchen/living room. Polyvore is geared more for people who want to play paper dolls in a sense (you'll see what I mean if you check it out) you can also use it for your home. The greatest thing is the ability to go out and "clip" pictures from your favorite stores websites and add them into Polyvore. It's quick and simple and oh so fun!

Well, now that I have kept you busy finding new ways to enjoy blogging, I will leave you with a few fall photos...

 

 

Our dog is a model. Sometimes we wish Bella could have puppies, but we took care of that problem a long while ago. See, we thought ahead and knew that one day we would wish she could have puppies and then when she had 11 puppies we knew we would not be able to get rid of any of them. We would then become 101 Dachshunds. Oh, a career with Disney? Maybe we shouldn't have taken away her ability to have puppies...then again I still have the option of becoming Tinkerbell so maybe I will pursue that dream instead.

Have a great Monday!