Cherry Red Studio

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-11-20T14:53:00.000-08:00

Recently, because of a long bout with health problems, I have been trying to to cut back on white flour, and gluten containing foods. I looked for recipes that would be delicious but minimally processed and white flour and/or gluten free. I came across many recipes that required special ingredients that need to be special ordered, or are too difficult to locate. Then, I came across this super delicious and EASY recipe, requiring no unusual ingredients and minimal prep time. You only need 3 ingredients:
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.
Combine all ingredients and drop by spoonfulls on greased baking sheet. Flatten with a fork, and cook for 8 minutes.
Enjoy with a tall glass of (soy?)milk!
Happy Eating!

Perfect Fall Meal-Easy Peasy Crock Pot Roast

2011-11-20T14:34:00.000-08:00

Today I made the perfect fall meal-an easy beef roast in the crock pot. It's super easy and super delicious, and the perfect end to a chilly fall day. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 lb beef stew meat
1 medium/large onion
1or 2 stalks celery
1/2 package baby carrots, rinsed
4 or 4 small red potatoes
2 cans cream of celery condensed soup
1/2 soup can of water
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Chop up whole onion, celery stalks, and quarter potatoes.

Add chopped vegetables, baby carrots and meat to crock pot, along with soup and water, and stir.

Turn crock pot on high, and cover. Cook on High for 6-8 hours, (depending on size of crock pot). Replenish with water if all liquid evaporates before meat is done. Season to taste and enjoy!

Halloween Candy Bark

2011-10-30T20:50:00.000-07:00

I recently tried out a super duper easy recipe I found on Love from the Oven. It's called Candy Corn Pretzel Cookie Bark-or as I like to call it-Halloween Bark. Much easier, huh?
Its totally delicious! Im giving it out as halloween treats :)

Here's the Recipe:
You need
- third of a package of Oreos
-half cup of candy corn
-half cup of pretzels, broken into pieces
-about a half cup of caramel corn (or more if you prefer, I do!)
-1 package white chocolate candy melts

Break up Oreos into small pieces, and mix all ingredients together, excluding white chocolate. Pour into a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl until creamy. Pour over the other ingredients, and work in with a fork.
Put in the fridge until hardened.
This is what it will look like:

Break into pieces, and Voila! A super delicious Halloween treat!
'

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Birthday to me, Happy October to you!

2011-10-30T17:48:00.000-07:00

Happy October! See the pumpkin in my pumpkin spice latte? :)

My birthday was this past week, and it was a good one. I turned the big two five. I feel old :( Everyone says its downhill from here, but i feel like it's going to just get better and better! ( At least i surely HOPE so!)
For the festivities, Had some friends over and made smores on the firepit and had hot dogs and cupcakes on a perfect fall night. Here are some pictures of what I've been up to this month:

Birthday Cupcakes:

I am trying lots of new restaurants and cafes that have opened up close to my house, and a Jenni's opened up, so I HAD to try it! They have an amazing selection of ice creams, and a charming atmosphere. Here are some pics from my 2 excursions (so far!).
The first time, i tried the lavender wildberry, brambleberry crisp, and cherry lambic ice creams:
Delicious!!!!!!

Next, I tried a Pumpkin Tiramisu Parfait-it was the most delicious dessert I have ever tasted. For REAL. It is layers of Amaretti Cookie and Buttercup Pumpkin ice creams, espresso syrup soaked lady fingers, caramel, and mascarpone cheese. DELICIOUS!! and adorable to boot, right?

They always have fresh flowers on the tables, and they even have a little place for kids to sit and draw with chalk while they enjoy their ice cream!

So anyways, here is the most current me, in case you're curious :) not the best picture, but a picture none the less.

How is everyone?

A long overdue update!

2011-10-19T19:10:00.000-07:00

Hello, All!
I have been away for quite some time now, busy starting a new job, moving into and redoing a house, and dealing with health issues (yuck) among many other things. My poor blog has been feeling neglected :( and I have lost the cord to my new camera(in the move)-so I can't upload any photos. I have been super busy with my new house (yay!) and giving it some MUCH needed TLC. I will share some pics once my cord comes out of hiding. I am super excited about fall-today was chilly and perfect sweater and coffee weather. I might be a bit partial to fall, since my birthday happens to be Tuesday :) I am having a little get together this weekend-fire pit, hot dogs, smores, cupcakes, etc. Tons of fall fun. Hopefully Ill have pictures to share.
WHat has everyone else been up to? Missing you all!

2011-06-11T18:30:00.001-07:00

so today was my dads birthday. we had a tiki themed party and barbeque from this awesome restaurant run out of a trailer. i love those kinds of restaurants! i would love to run a little bakery out of one of those! anyways, had a cheesecake made with splenda.it was actualy quite delicious! my moms on a low carb diet and uses splenda instead of sugar for everything including baking. i will try to post pics and the recipe soon. its especially delicious and pretty with strawberry preserves on top!

2011-06-08T03:05:00.000-07:00

so just another quick update.this time from my cell phone.how neat! i just figured out how to do this lol. anywho... just started an awesome new job doing in home d evelopmental therapy for children with special needs and im so excited! im getting over mono and feeling a lot better. also looking for a new place to live! so lots going on and hopefully lots of fun to come soon to my blog.stay tuned!

Surrounding myself with beauty...

2011-04-09T17:12:00.000-07:00

Lately, surrounding myself with beautiful colors and pictures has been very therapeutic. Ive been working in my art journal more, even though its hard to motivate myself to start, I feel so good after! Reading books with great pictures and learning new techniques has been nice. I think I like blogs so much because of the awesome photography and yummy recipes . I wish that life was as organized as blogging-happy stories, pretty pictures, and great food(without the mess). I m working on making my life what I want it to be and fill it with amazing things, instead of sadness.

just an update...

2011-04-03T18:11:00.000-07:00

Sorry I havent been posting for a few months! So much has been going on that other things just took priority. More deaths in the family, new job, the end and beginning of relationships, another move, the list goes on and on. I have missed all my blog friends and hope to be able to post more now! How is everyone doing?

Hoppin' Holiday Etsy Party Finds!

2010-11-07T15:05:00.000-08:00

I know I've been away for a bit!

But I'm back with some awesome Etsy finds that will make your next holiday party awesome! (and ill be back soon with lots of updates on my crazy life and pics of how the new place is coming along!)

Now I'm off to catch up on my blog reading! Happy Holiday Season everybody :)

SOOO....where have I been?

2010-10-24T16:08:00.000-07:00

I worked on my grandparent's old place for about two days before I got sick AGAIN. This time I lost my voice :( but it is back now. I am so tired of being sick! I get my bloodwork done again soon, but they never find anything. It's frustrating but I'm trying to be positive. I just keep getting sick over and over! And it zaps my energy :( (Which is one reason I've been so absent!)but...
Tomorrow is my birthday! So hopefully it will be a nice day..

I have pictures to share of how the work is going on the house, but I just haven't uploaded them yet. I'm really excited about how it's going to look. It is really dreary and gross right now, but I cantell it's going to look awesome!
Hopefully I'll get some pretty birthday pics to share tomorrow! I can't decide what kind of cake I want..any ideas?

And the winner is....

2010-10-15T21:00:00.000-07:00

Sonya Zombie!

Congrats girlie!

I will contact you for your mailing address, or if you see this first, email it to cherryredstudio@yahoo.com and I will get your goodies out soon.
And the extra surprise-you get to pick out 20$ worth of jewelry from my Etsy shop! I will send it with the giveaway goodies :) Just put your selections in the e-mail with your address.

*Night night* everyone. More of an update and pics tomorrow!

Im back!!

2010-10-15T20:38:00.001-07:00

*sigh* It's been a crazy week around here! Sorry for the long absence!After my friend's wedding, I got sick (again) and then my trusty computer went Kaput. I don't think I can resurrect it this time :( Alas!
But now I am back and I have a new little tiny computer :) and an internet connection again. Yay! So now, I'm off to pick a winner for my giveaway-its long overdue! And, theres an extra surprise for the winner :)
See you soon!!!

Giveaway!!!!

2010-10-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

SOO...It's giveaway time!!!! Here are the things up for grabs!

The giveaway includes: A rainbow brite notepad and pen with charm, a yellow anchor pen, lisa frank stickers and sticker books, a sew on rose applique, a bag of crafty goodies like buttons and cabochons and charms, a Japanese Iwako hamster eraser, and a super cute mirrored owl ring!

Also, there may be an extra special surprise added on later!

Here's how to enter:

Each is worth one entry-please leave a separate comment on this post for each entry and let me know what you did :)

1. Be a follower

2. Post about this giveaway on your blog
3.Tweet the giveaway

4. Visit my shop at http://cherryredstudio.etsy.com and let me know what your favorite item is and why.

5.And if you would like to double your entries, post about your favorite item in the shop on your blog!

The giveaway winner will be announced a week from today on Tuesday October 12.

Good luck lovelies!

Here I am

2010-10-02T03:12:00.001-07:00

So here I am one bachelorette party and one outpatient procedure later (the two are completely unrelated) and I'm feeling much better. Lots has been going on in my life and I am trying to stay busy and keep my mind occupied. I've been working on some new jewelry designs and doing some fall shopping. Oh-and my birthday's this month! I can't believe it's fall already! I am ready for making roasted pumpkin seeds, warming apple cider, and making homemade chai :) Also,
my friend is getting married this coming weekend. The weather is supposed to be a perfect 72 degrees and sunny-the perfect fall weather. We went to to do her final fitting yesterday and I learned how to pin up her train for the wedding. Did I mention that I'm a bridesmaid? Our dresses are a pretty green strapless A line cut. I just have to find shoes I can wear that I won't fall down in!

Oh and I wanted to thank all of you for your kind comments on my last post-life has thrown me a few curveballs lately and your encouragement means so much! Thank you!

So anywhoo, things are busy and I have missed being around! I'm off to catch up on my favorite blogs! oh-and did I mention there would be a GIVEAWAY later today? Yep! So stay tuned :)
~Kat

All I can say..

2010-09-24T17:18:00.000-07:00

today is that I am incredibly sad.
I slept all day.
But tonight is my friend's bachelorette party so maybe I will feel better after that? I sure hope so.
Sorry for the complaining -I just needed to get it out.

Making me Smile Today..

2010-09-18T04:42:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling under the weather with a cold that keeps getting worse :( But it has given me time to catch up on some blog reading, and to my surprise, I received a blog award from Deer Little Fawn, and it just made my day! So I have decided to share some things that have been making me smile :)

The Sprinkle Bakes Blog:

West Coast Crafty:

This cute plush would definitely cure my cold!:

This book looks hilarious

How cute!

This would make the perfect party:

Adorable play food:

Hope you all are having a great weekend!

My next tattoo?

2010-09-12T21:16:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about getting a tattoo on my upper left arm for a while. I think eventually I want a sleeve, but I don't know what all I want to include. I couldn't decide on a large design, so I decided I wanted to start small and add on gradually (or maybe not?). I've recently thought about starting with a small tattoo on my upper arm, that starts on my upper shoulder blade and curves around onto my arm. I wanted something that wouldn't look lonely by itself on my arm,and couldn't think of anything for a while. Then it hit me-cherry blossoms! The branches are very poetic and flow very well so it seems perfect. Plus there is a lot of symbolism in the cherry blossom for the Japanese people, so it is a fitting tribute to family and ancestry. I love the colors of this tattoo:

Link

I just love the look of cherry blossoms period. They are so beautiful against a blue sky

link

So what do you think of my idea? I'm going to be in a wedding in less than a month, so I'm hoping to get it done before then :)

link

My Love Affair with Macaroni and Cheese..

2010-09-11T15:49:00.001-07:00

began long ago. As I grew up, my love only grew stronger. Throughout college i would sustain myself with boxes of macaroni and cheese. I would often eat a whole box for dinner!

The kind with powdered cheese, liquid cheese, baked macaroni and cheese, mac n cheese bites, mac n cheese pizza..the list goes on and on! And, I'm happy to announce that the Kraft company has read my mind and decided to make EXTREME CHEESE macaroni! It is amazingly thick and cheesy and I highly suggest you go buy a box. Now. Seriously it's amazing! Here are some awesome mac and cheese pictures that will surely make you hungry!

What is your favorite food?

Shop Update: Everything Half Price!

2010-09-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

I desperately need to clear up some studio space so I can work on new designs, so I am offering everything in my shop for half price!

http://cherryredstudio.etsy.com

This also means a big destash giveaway very soon! so stay tuned and happy shopping :)

Swimming with the Dolphins!

2010-09-05T21:34:00.000-07:00

Like I mentioned before, I am really trying to live life and have more fun. I have a huge list of things I want to do before I die, and I have decided to do some of the things on my list-we only live once!
One thing on my list is swimming with dolphins. I've heard so much about these amazing animals and I've always wanted to go swim with dolphins. On my trip to Florida, I got to! The dolphins at Gulf World are amazing. They are all highly trained and so smart! I got to hug a dolphin:

and get a dolphin kiss:

They shake hands

and I even got to take a ride through the water while holding onto his fin!

They are so powerful but so graceful! They will sing and laugh for you, wave, and do tricks. It was amazing!

2010-09-03T20:05:00.001-07:00

I'm sure most of you lovelies have known about the awesomeness of ModCloth for a while now. I however, had heard of it, but never made it over to Modcloth.com until the other day, and boy was I impressed! I love the clothes and the apartment section, too. Just in case you haven't been by in a while, or have never visited, here are some of my favorite things for sale

It's probably pretty obvious that I love vintage pin up style! There are so many different styles that I love, but these are especially inspiring me tonight :) What styles do you gravitate to?

More Florida loveliness!

2010-09-01T16:41:00.000-07:00

Here are some more photos from my trip. Taking photos was one of the most enjoyable parts of my trip!

I also got to go to Gulf World! That's where I swam with dolphins, and afterward, I browsed the animal exhibits. They were amazing! you could get right up next to most of the animals! The birds were free to fly around the area and some of them even talked :) Here are some of my pictures -sorry some are blurry- These were some active animals!

(these are giant sea turtles. they are as long as a full grown human!)

Hope you enjoy these photos!

Ahhh. Florida Adventures!(Photo Heavy)

2010-08-31T08:03:00.000-07:00

I'm back from my adventures in Florida! I had a lot of time to do whatever I wanted :) I got to do something I've always wanted-swim with dolphins! I haven't uploaded the pictures yet, but tomorrow I will share them. It was amazing!!

I also had lots of time to take photos of beautiful things. I've been trying to see the beauty in the ordinary, everyday. I think everyone wondered who the crazy lady with the camera was! Here is my trip in photos:

Rides rescued from the demolition of Miracle Strip Amusement Park:

I also found this cute antique store:

I have tons more to share, too but I don't want to overload one post :) So I will share more later. It's good to be back!

2010-08-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

So a few days ago, much in need of inspiration and a chance to relax, I took off on a little adventure. I have been doing a whole lot of nothing! I've been able to take lots of pretty photos, enjoy the sunshine, sand, and water, and just rest. I've had a lot of time to process things in my head, and try to deal with issues I've been having, as well as come up with new ideas. Here are a few photos of some of the pretty candy colored surroundings I love so much:

Sorry I've been a bit absent, but i haven't had internet access for a few days. I'll update soon, with more pictures :) I miss you !

Trade Goodies and an Update

2010-08-22T20:56:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody. I feel like I've been gone for so long! I just haven't had much time to blog lately. I have been meaning to post pics of my trade goodies for days! I did a little trade with Thera Joyce from Crafty Pirate and she made the cutest apron! It's just perfect. And she also included some other adorable goodies. Thank you Thera!

Isn't it just too adorable?!

I have just been so busy! I'm working on lots of new ideas for jewelry and accessories, and really brainstorming about ways to grow my business. I also need to find a job! There is just so much going on in my life right now, and hopefully soon there will be lots of pretty pictures and adventures to share. The thing that has been impressed on me most in the last bit of my life is that we never know how much time we have here! I want to live my life fully and try new things. Hopefully I am going to be doing some things that I have always wanted to do in the near future. and I plan to share it all with you!

Blog Home Tour Catch Up

2010-08-18T20:45:00.001-07:00

Today I' m attempting to catch up on:

First is the livingroom:

I just got my couches! They're courduroy and so comfy :)

A little bookcase you can't see in the last pic-

In front of my fireplace:

And the kitchen:

(pretty please excuse the mess!)

A detail of one of my countertops:

Hope you liked it!

If you feel like it, please read my last post and give me your thoughts :) im trying to decide about some new jewelry designs and need a bit of input. Thank you!!!!

Please help me decide!

2010-08-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

I am thinking of taking my jewelry and accessories shop in a bit of a new direction. Still kitschy and unique, but a bit more of the ethereal whimsical pieces and bright resin...do you think that's a good idea? i still love things that are very unique and hard to find, but im very inspired by mixed metals and chunky bright resin lately...if you want, could you pretty please look at the shop and tell me what your favorite pieces or types of pieces are? There are tons of ideas floating through my head!

Im going to do the Blog Home Tour!

2010-08-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else want to participate? I'm going to join in a bit late in the Great Blog Home Tour that Janel started over at Run With Scissors .

Each day, you share pics of different rooms in your home. I cant wait to start, but I need to do some serious cleaning haha. I will catch up tomorrow and post mondays and tuesdays together with wednesdays pics. Better late than never!

My new Banner! and a HUGE sale!

2010-08-16T16:50:00.000-07:00

Isn't it pretty? it is awesome i think! And it's courtesy of Michele from Stories at my Fingertips. thanks girlie-youre so awesome!
Everyone go check out her blog-its awesome too!

Also, I am having a huge sale in my Etsy shop! Everything is Buy One Get One Free! (of equal or lesser value) PLUS, if you're a blog reader, just remind me and you'll get an extra 30% off! Ill refund the diff through Paypal. Go take a look if you're so inclined. I'll be adding lots of new items soon too.
Here are a few things in the shop

Anyways, today i was going to do some shopping, but i had to stay home while my air conditioner got worked on. for forever. so, its evening, and im just enjoying my newly cool house :) what are you doing?

I need a new banner! Help?

2010-08-16T14:04:00.000-07:00

So,I have been thinking that i would really like to have a nice new banner up top for my blog. Sadly, I have no idea how to make one! I see all these really cool ones and I want one too! Does anyone know how to make them? Or could you suggest someone good? I think I would like something retro-feeling with awesome pics in the background and my blog name-cherry red studio-in front. i love photos with a vintage feel-lomo, polaroids, dreamy pics :) ....so, can anyone help me out?

Yay!

2010-08-15T17:25:00.000-07:00

So much has happened this last week! For starters, yesterday I graduated from college! I graduated with honors with my bachelors in Child Development and Family Studies/Services. Yesterday was SO hot here! I only got one good picture before I had to take my cap and gown off. It was around 100 degrees and the heat index was well over 100. Here's the only decent picture of me from yesterday with my little sister and little brother.

We had some family and friends over for food and ice cream cake after. I got "oh, the places you'll go" by Dr Seuss (one of my favorite childrens authors) and an awesome vampire history book!! Heres what my cake looked like-it was mint chocolate chip-yum!

and our cute little tub of ice and drinks

Also this week, the pediatrics department of the hospital and college my grandfather worked for (before he passed away a few months ago)named a lecture series after him. They had a reception for our family, and spoke about him and hung a portrait. Here are some pics from the reception:

His portrait:

My mom:

Some yummy food from the reception:

Here's what I looked like that day:

me and my brother afterwards:

Also this week we found out that my aunt has a very fast spreading lung cancer. She started her chemo treatments immediately, and now we're waiting for the pet scan to tell us if it has spread from her lung. (This is the same aunt that was in the hospital a few weeks ago if you remember from a previous post). So much has been going on in life lately! Sorry I've been a bit absent!I have really missed my friends on here :) I've just been a bit overwhelmed with everything and pressed for time, but hopefully this week I will have tons of yummy recipes to share :) and lots more. Maybe even a giveaway coming soon, so stay tuned.

Just a Quick Update

2010-08-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

Just updating! I've been super busy and feeling not so great and on an emotional roller coaster, but I'm still here! I'll hopefully be back tomorrow night with lots of new pics of me in a dorky cap and gown since I graduate tomorrow :)
Till then, let me know what you're up to!

Another Interesting Bug, An Easy Summer Cocktail,& a Doll Collection

2010-08-10T13:36:00.000-07:00

Today I found another neato bug on my door: do you see the tiny spots of green on his wings?

This is what I wore today: it was too hot to wear my hair down! (please excuse the weird angle!)

I came up with a super easy summer cocktail recipe today-I'm drinking one right now! It super refreshing on days like today.

Here it is:

raspberry lemonade (I highly recommend Simply Lemonade with Raspberry)
Clear rum

Club Soda/ Sparkling Water

Just fill your glass with the lemonade, add rum to taste, and then a splash of club soda. Voila! You have a sparkling, refreshing summer cocktail :)

I also thought Id share some pictures of my doll collection and maybe some pics of my place-let me know if you want to see more-i dont wanna bore you!

The Past Few Days

2010-08-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

the past few days have been kind of strange. i slept for most of the weekend and im still so tired. im having a hard time getting motivated/inspired. i have so many thoughts going through my head and so many decisions to make.... and i keep finding these stick bugs on my doors

anyways, i saw my family for a bit yesterday, and we had homemade waffles. yum!

they found a new doggie in their driveway when they got home- a teeny tiny yorkie! their other dogs had her pinned down, but they rescued her and gave her a bath and took her inside. She is so cute! Now they have so many animals! its funny how many dogs we have rescued over the years.

Today I went to pick up my cap and gown and stole. im afraid im going to look kinda dumb in it haha but i guess youll have to wait till sunday to see the complete ensemble :)
I rewarded myself with a small purchase(before i ran out of money) the other day-this super cute owl! he was such a deal and makes me happy.

isn't he cute!

maybe soon Ill share some pics of my doll collection?

Now im off to eat some microwave potatoes :)

Whew! Im so tired, but....

2010-08-06T22:08:00.000-07:00

so excited! I finished my last internship hours today, which means.....dadadada(that sounds like a trumpet btw) I will graduate from college next week!!!!!!

I am SO excited. I never planned on going long enough to actually graduate because i hated it so much and went through so much the past few years i honestly never thought I would make it.
Right now I am happily laying in bed eating cheese and crackers and enjoying feeling happy. and getting ready to do some serious nesting. im planning on crafting, cleaning, shopping, blogging, and starting to paint again lots in the next little bit. it will be so nice to have a break! i also would like to travel a bit but im just not sure yet....
Here are a few beauty items id like to reward myself with from a few of my favorite lines:
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P266502&categoryId=C10339

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P268042&categoryId=C10461

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P183701&shouldPaginate=true&categoryId=3806

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?paginate=true&categoryId=C22310&id=P261120

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P231428&shouldPaginate=true&categoryId=5937

ps dont forget to check out my special offer and thank you below!

What are you up to?

Special Offer for my Awesome Readers

2010-08-04T19:29:00.000-07:00

Several of you have expressed interest in purchasing something from my shop. As a special thank you to my lovely readers, I am offering 30% off any order for the next month -Just let me know you're a reader of my blog :)

http://cherryredstudio.etsy.com/

I can't say thank you enough to everyone who reads and comments on here! I never thought anyone would be interested in my blog, and each day I am so excited to read your comments-they make my day! I have met some awesome people and I hope I continue to meet more. So- in other words-THANK YOU! You are awesome and it means so much to me to have come into such an awesome community.

http://weheartit.com/entry/2926423

A Busy Bee Update

2010-08-02T16:26:00.000-07:00

Im finally back with an update! The shower was yesterday and it went really well. Here are some pics I took.
Before I put the food out:

Once all the food and flowers were set up:

Mini BLT stuffed tomatoes:

What do you think?

Also this weekend was my first craft show. It went well also, but I ended up getting overheated and got sick and I had to leave early. I did sell some things, though. It was kind of silly because I made most of my money after I decided to leave :)

Here are some pics from the shower: my table

I sold this necklace:

A few of the other booths:

It was a busy weekend! And this is my last week at my internship-I graduate from college next week! It feels so good to have some things off my plate and finally have some "me" time.

I think soon I want to organize a "surprise box" swap. Sound interesting?

Anyways, i missed you all!!! let me know what youve been up to

I'm a Busy BUSY Bee!! Craft show tomorrow!

2010-07-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my first craft show!! And Sunday is the Bridal Shower. I have been running around like a crazy lady all day! I ordered cookies, got my nails done, bought a table and umbrella, cleaned my bathroom, bought food for the shower, went to the bank, packed up some stuff for the show, and organized. I still have to wash glasses, fill favor boxes and finish packing for the show! This last week Ive made 2 tiered cake plates (tutorial later?) and been trying to get in my hours for my internship-which is over next week! One week later I graduate :)

Ive been looking for a little bit of extra inspiration over at Hostess With the Mostess Blog. Here are some lovely inspiring shower pics i fou

If anyone is in the Nashville area-stop by the fair tomorrow and say hi! It's going to be next to Bongo Java East in 5 Points. Ill be sure to post lots of pics!

Fabulous Finds: Lovelee Soaps!!!

2010-07-27T19:44:00.000-07:00

I thought I would start sharing some of my favorite finds from the internet. My first fabulous find is the wonderful Lovelee Soaps on Etsy. I LOVE all these products! Aren't they just the cutest things you've ever seen? There is something for everyone.

Awesome !!!

I got a new tattoo!!!

2010-07-26T17:58:00.000-07:00

Im so excited! i got a new tattoo on my wrist today, and added to the one on my back:) My wrist says "hapa" Hapa is a word that people used to use as a derogatory term for mixed Asians.now its a proud term :)

There is a really great book called, "Part Asian, 100% Hapa" if you're interested!

i lost a follower today :( i was sad! it made me feel really bad. its weird i know!

Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted

2010-07-25T19:47:00.000-07:00

There are many people I have drifted away from, but one in particular comes to mind. This particular one, though, i drifted away from purposely. i still miss her and wish we were still best friends, but she got married a few years ago and seemed to completely change. I was in the wedding, and after, we only talked once more. i was very hurt by the way she acted in the time aruond the wedding. i was going through some very difficult things, and she actually had the nerve to get her sister in law to sit down with me and discuss the fact that "they didn't feel that their wedding was the most important thing on my mind". Seriously? My parents had just split up and i had a little brother, sister, and mother calling me telling me they missed our daddy. No-your wedding is NOT the most important thing on my mind.

I do miss her, but i felt that it would be best to end things. i need people around me who care about me!

So im throwing a bridal shower...

2010-07-23T19:58:00.000-07:00

and im so busy and stressed ! the showers going to be the day after the craft fair! and i have other bridesmaids who are making me feel like my shower isnt going to be any good-from my choice of food to decorations, i dont seem to be able to please anyone, but i think it will be nice, so i am just kind of sad.

so far, we're having mini blt stuffed tomatoes, mini quiche, pasta salad, mini sandwiches, pita bites and spreads, veggies and fruit and cake. to drink we're having mojitos, sangria and white wine. Im also making little almond white chocolate lollipops and giving tiny boxes of candy as favors. I have candles and ribbon and a few paper lanterns in shades of blue and green (her colors), and prize bags with blue, green, pink and yellow on them. I found some awesome disposeable plastic square plates that look like real china! and napkins in blue and green.

Ive been looking for inspiration on the Hostess with the Mostess blog. Ive found so many pretty pics! here are some I'm using for inspiration:

All pics from the Hostess with the Mostess blog. Its awesome!!

Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.

2010-07-23T03:54:00.000-07:00

I dont really think about one person in particular, just a group of them. i really hated a lot of kids in my elementary school-and i went to high school at the same place so i also hated them when we got older too lol. lots of people said some mean things and made me very self conscious. im so glad to be away from that environment! i really dont spend any time thinking about it anymore, and its not worth my time. it was just the result of being around people who feel they were entitled to everything and thought they were better than everyone else. It really doesnt matter to me anymore and i dont put myself in those situations anymore :)

Some things from my week

2010-07-21T20:33:00.000-07:00

I have so many pics to share from the last week!
Ive never done an outfit post, but here's an attempt I made before I lost my internet for a few days :

Dress-TJ Maxx 19.99

Belt-Vintage

and here are the shoes- Rue 21

Here's a pic I took on break from work..

some pics from my day at Sam and Zoes coffee shop when I got my only day of internet access in :)

My pesto pasta salad:

A cherry bomb latte:

I went to Gigi's and got a Peach Cobbler cupcake-YUM! It was sooooo delicious!

Here is some completed jewelry I've been working on:

Hope you are all having a great week. im so glad to be back!!!

Im back!!!!!!!

2010-07-21T10:52:00.000-07:00

I am back! "where have you been?" you say. If you haven't yet, please read my previous post on the funness of forgetting to pay your phone bill. It is in fact, not fun, and very ridiculous.

Anyways, Im back now and I will have tons of photos to post soon, plus I need to catch up on my 30 days of truths. I'm also getting ready for the bridal shower im hosting, so hopefull ill be posting inspiration photos soon too. So much to do!

Let me know what youre up to-i miss you!!!

Im going to leave you with some awesome pics.

I so want to eat this cupcake!
Also, I would like to be asleep :)

No internet access=Blog Withdrawals

2010-07-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

So. i forgot to pay my phone bill and it got disconnected. hence-no internet access! i did just get a new computer, though, so right now im at my fave coffee shop using their wifi and trying to figure this new thing out. i havent had access for like 3 days now and im seriously having blog withdrawals! i miss reading all your blogs!
soon, hopefully by tomorrow, i can do a real update and catch back up!

My Day in Pictures

2010-07-14T18:48:00.000-07:00

Today i had a yummy sandwich and smoothie from Panera bread co. for lunch

I worked a long day and now I am working on new jewelry and accessories like a madwoman. here are some pictures of my messiness. i have to lay out all of my supplies at once and see everything together to get ideas for what i want to make. Here are some things i have laid out on my new blanket.

Im working on some bottlecap jewelry and magnets, vintage marble and glass tile magnets, earrings, necklaces, hairbows and headbands. Lots of new stuff !!

Exciting News For Me!

2010-07-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

I applied to this new craft fair in Nashville-the Nashvegas Craft Fair-and got accepted! I have never done a craft show before and im so excited! im having a banner made, and i need to get a little tent because it is outside and it will be sooooooo hot! Does anyone have any suggestions for things to bring, things you think would sell best, anything? any help/tips would be so awesome! It will be on July 31 so I have a bit to get all set.

Here are a couple neat little set ups i found on flickr-you can find them at this page

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=craft+fair

Day 7:Someone Who Has Made Your Life Worth Living For

2010-07-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

For a long time, I thought my (now ex) boyfriend made my life worth living. We were together for 8-9 years and i totally lived for him. Having been out of the relationship for a while, i now realize that i cannot live my life for someone else, or let someone else be the reason for living. I have to make my own life worth living. I am in the process of learning to love myself, including my faults, and realize life is not perfect-i am not perfect-but still a person worthy of love. I try to remember to have fun and do things i like on my own-not always with the same person, because when that person is gone, then those things you did together no longer seem worth doing. I have to be ok with just me :)

Day 6-something you hope you never have to do again

2010-07-13T18:48:00.000-07:00

(photo via weheartit)

Nurse another truly broken heart. being truly brokenhearted is one of the most devastating feelings in the world. i am terrified of being hurt again, and i have tried to put a wall up, but somehow i still sometimes have feelings for someone again. its getting easier to distance myself, but i still get so emotionally involved and invested in relationships. especially ones that i know will end badly. its very weird. i do not ever want to feel a broken heart again.

Day 5-Something You Hope to Do in Your Life

2010-07-11T18:56:00.001-07:00

I have ALWAYS wanted to own my own business-Check! Now, I would LOVE to make my living from my business. I love designing my jewelry and accessories and I would also love to be able to design a cosmetics line or a body care line. I have thought of selling my handmade body scrubs, bath tea and such, but the liability insurance is soooo expensive! Maybe eventually!

I would love to see my jewelry in other online shops and in stores and magazines. It makes me feel so awesome to know that people love the things i make! Right now, I have an online shop and will be in two brick and mortar shops very soon, but I would love to expand.I am working so hard towards this goal, and am always trying to improve my designs and learn new things to include in my work. Hopefully one day I will make my living creating!

Day 4-Someone you Have to Forgive

2010-07-11T18:51:00.001-07:00

(Im a little behind on my list, so im going to do two of these today)

i think i need to forgive a lot of people. i try to forgive, and i think i have, but then so many bad feelings come up when i think of them. i guess that means i really havent forgiven them. i have been hurt by a lot of people and i still think about it a lot. im dont really feel the hurt much anymore, really just more anger. i know i need to move past this! ...these posts are really helping me think about a lot of things i need to think about!

So Frustrated

2010-07-10T18:50:00.000-07:00

I am so frustrated with my family. i am sometimes around someone they dont like and they feel might get me in trouble. i cannot mention this persons name without being screamed at and told i am stupid.i know that this person is someone they dont like and feel is bad for me. but they are my friend and it is my decision. it has gotten to the point where i feel like i need to distance myself from my family, but i have a younger brother and sister i like to see sometimes, and i really like talking with my mom sometimes. but it has just gotten to the point where i feel like theyre opinions are ruling my life even though i am an adult. i hate feeling this way....
sorry i just needed to vent, im just so upset.
Do any of you no longer see/talk to your family?

Day 3: Something you Have to Forgive Yourself For

2010-07-10T04:44:00.000-07:00

Pretty recently i keep getting myself into the same situation that i know is not good for me. i let my emotions rule and end up feeling terrible. i just have to remember that life is a constant learning experience and that it is not perfect. i am a huge perfectionist and i feel terribly guilty a lot. just need to remember that everyone makes mistakes and its ok!

Day 2-Something you Love About Yourself

2010-07-08T21:34:00.000-07:00

i love the fact that i am not "like" the status quo. i have a different mind set, i dont have to follow trends to feel good about myself., and i have a unique sense of style. i love that i stand out for certain reasons (sometimes i dont like to stand out) and that i see the world differently. this has probably always been the thing i loved most about myself!

Day 1- Something You Hate About Yourself

2010-07-07T21:37:00.000-07:00

I hate the fact that i constantly have to fight off very serious depression. it is debilitating. i am terrified that one day it will set in and i will never leave my bed again.

i hate that people think i can just tell myself "be happy" and it will go away. it isnt just sadness -it is so much more. and i struggle so much with it. i try so hard to fight it off but somehow it sneaks in anyway. i have had problems with it for years and been to many doctors and still struggle to manage it. it is comforting, though, to know i am not alone and that others know what i am going through

30 Days of Truths

2010-07-07T21:20:00.000-07:00

(this is what i looked like when i had pink hair-i had it for 2 years but it made my skin look weird so i changed it...)

I found this little 30 day "challenge" over at the Town Mouse in The Country blog http://countrymouseem.blogspot.com/ and decided to join in. Anyone else want to do it with me?
Heres what you post each day:
Day 01 → Something you hate about yourself.
Day 02 → Something you love about yourself.
Day 03 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 04 → Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10 → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 → Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 → A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 → A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 → Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 → (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 → What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 → A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself.

im excited to get started :)
let me know if u wanna join in

Home Decor Inspiration

2010-07-06T20:11:00.000-07:00

I am going to be moving soon ( i know ive mentioned this like a million times) and im going to be doing some redecorating. i dont actually have much in the way of furniture-mostly just a mattress, some little bookcases, and a futon. I am reall excited, and have been looking everywhere for inspiration. i want my place to reflect my personality, and be fun and relaxing at the same time. Here are some inspiring spaces:

Here is some furniture Im liking. Im not sure exactly what i want yet, but i like the way these pieces make me feel :)

(furniture via target.com)

(other pics via weheartit)

I've also been doing a lot of adding to my vintage collections. Im really excited about finding cool ways to display them. I hope to find some cool textiles to work with soon, and maybe some awesome vintage furniture. What do you think?

My Trip

2010-07-05T19:23:00.000-07:00

My trip to Florida was oil free :) I am SO glad! The ocean breeze helps me relax, and for a little while all my worries go away-its sort of amazing.
Here I am on the beach-please ignore the shiny-ness lol.

Here are some more beach pics that I took

I found this awesome little shop that sells various vintage and handmade goods, plus lots of home decor. Its divided up into booths like an antique mall, and they are opening some small ones soon-I might get one :) Look at all this awesome stuff!

I love mermaids!

I also love old theme parks. A while back, the Miracle Strip themepark was torn down to make room for new condos. Before everything was destroyed, the ferris wheel, carousel, and little balloon rides were rescued. They are now in Pier Park. I took some pics of the rides at night-i just love the lights and the charm!

I wish the amusement park was still there, but this will do :) plus, the waterpark is still there, maybe I will go there next time.

Here are a few more pics of my family

the little bro:

the sis, mom,me,and my sis's friend

Sorry the post is so long-just had so much to share! Hope you all had a great weekend!

Guess where ive been

2010-07-04T22:22:00.000-07:00

....Florida! i got to go on a little mini vacation to florida :) a family member just got a super great deal on a little bungalow a block from the beach-so i got to go check it out and stay for free! the water was oil free and the weather was great, and ill have tons of stuff to share tomorrow, but now im too tired-i just got back and i drove the whole way!
oh-and i keep finding suuuper cute stuff that i wanna give away, so im starting a stash for a big giveaway after a while :)
im pretty pooped, so g'night for now.
*sweet dreams* everyone.

And the Winner is..........

2010-06-29T22:08:00.000-07:00

I picked a name out of my new little vintage cup and the winner is:

Mary Sew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations! I'll be contacting you soon for your info so I can mail you your goodies!!

Thanks so much to everyone who entered, and to all my new followers. It makes me so happy to know people actually read my blog :) and i love reading yours too!

stay tuned because i might just have something else up my sleeve in the not-too-distant-future!

Nighty night all.

My First Blog Award!!!!

2010-06-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

Today I got my first blog award!!! i am SO excited! Thank you Thera Joyce!!

4 Rules go along with this award:
Rule 1: Thank the person that gave you the award.
Thank you TheraJoyce!! soooooooo much :)

Rule 2: Share 7 things about yourself.

1. I am part Japanese-a happy hapa :) many people think Im Mexican or Middle eastern, I guess because of the way I look
2.I was in a relationship until about a year ago that lasted 9 years.
3. I love hello kitty and cant resist her little face-even on the silliest of things
4. i recently got my first tattoo and i want TONS more!
5. its always been hard for me to make friends. im a very nice person,but i think i scare people away with my quirkiness...or something?
6. i love helping people. it makes me very happy and in about a month i will graduate with a degree in child development and family studies/services and hopefully be able to get paid to do something that makes me happy
7. I want to make a living from my jewelry/accessories business and i am working so hard on it!

Rule 3: Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic.
1. Under Those Neon Lights http://underthoseneonlights.blogspot.com/
2. Kim Anh Nguyen Art http://kimanhnguyenart.blogspot.com/
3. Cupkay http://cupkay.blogspot.com/
4. Hello, http://helloworld-meggs.blogspot.com/
5.Crafty Pirate http://therajoyce.blogspot.com/
6. The Cookie Button http://thecookiebutton.blogspot.com/
7. susannahbean http://susannahbean.blogspot.com/
8. Of all the Nonsense http://ofallthenonsense.blogspot.com/
9.Life Through a Polaroid Picture http://lifethroughapolaroidpicture.blogspot.com/
10. Little Chief Honeybee http://honeybeeinthecity.blogspot.com/
11.LalaLovely http://lalalovely-lmb.blogspot.com/
12. Bitchcakes http://bavonia.blogspot.com/
13. BlargleFargle http://blarglefargle.blogspot.com/
14.Wolfie Lovehart http://wolfielovehart.blogspot.com/
15.Clockwork Lemon http://seddy5.typepad.com/blog/

Rule 4: Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award.

By the way-if you get one of these awards from someone else too, i SOOO dont expect you to do more than one list with all the rules, etc :)

Giveaway ends at midnight!

2010-06-29T19:12:00.000-07:00

Any last minute entries? I cant wait to pick a winner!

What should I get from Urban Outfitters for my new place?

2010-06-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

Im going to be buying some decor from urban outfitters probably..i think ive looked through it all, but i cant remember everything i wanted and the little wish list doesn't always work on my slow computer :(
So-what are some of your favorite decor items? any suggestions? Thanks!!!

Feeling pretty down today-not sure why. it was a tough day at work, but now i can relax. i think im going to watch the office and drink some tea-i so badly need some "me" time.maybe ill catch up on some blog reading, too!

Ive been a busy girl!

2010-06-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

Between working, an online class, trying to keep my shop updated, and all my family craziness,

I'm so tired! Ive made lots of new stuff that ive been putting up in the shop...

Do you like?

I have also been feeling so tired lately, and run a fever the last 4/5 times ive been to the doctor, but no one knows whats wrong...im supposed to go back soon, but its just getting so frustrating! i cant wait until graduation at the beginning of august. i am almost there...i also think ill be moving at some point in the next few months, and ive been gathering inspiration from everywhere. i think soon ill do a decor inspiration post. till then, what inspires your decor? what colors are your walls?

Pre to Post Modern

2010-06-26T20:35:00.001-07:00

This is another great place to shop in Nashville. It's called Pre to Post Modern and its located on 8th avenue near several antique shops. The store carries a constantly changing array of retro and vintage furniture, lamps, kitchen and barware, as well as decor and clothing and jewelry. I'm going to be moving sometime soon, and I go every week to score new things for my place. It always has an awesome selection of goodies-in all price ranges! I just got a dice clock for 10$, a pink retro hair dryer for $10, and a vintage bowling boy figurine for $3!!! Here are some pics of the shop-its super cute!

I love this store!!! I'm really hoping to make the next place I move super awesome, so I'm stocking up on decor :) Does anyone have any suggestions for online shops with awesome stuff? I'd love any ideas!

Oh-don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY! It ends Tuesday!

GIVEAWAY!!!

2010-06-24T19:19:00.000-07:00

So I've decided to do a BIG giveaway! It includes lots of super awesomeness-a hello kitty plushie keychain, a pack of glitter, plastic bracelets, candy hair barettes, scrapbooking stickers, rubber stamps, a tiny pack of incense, frankenstein and frida kahlo playing cards for your collaging pleasures, a retro glass tile necklace pendant(made by me), two marble magnets(made by me), a cute greeting card from Mau Studios, and an I-candy pendant that you can fill with tiny treasures. Plus, a super awesome Pink Ice Cream Cone drinking cup complete with crazy straw!

All you have to do to enter is post a comment on this post with your name and email address. And, yes, you can get extra entries :)

by:

1. Following me on twitter

2. Tweeting about my giveaway

3. Blogging about my giveaway

4.Adding my button to your blog

Each of these will be an extra entry for you!

Please post a separate comment for each entry (let me know what you did for the entry)

Giveaway winner will be announced Thuesday July 1st.

Good luck!!!

I'm going to have a giveaway but..

2010-06-23T17:49:00.001-07:00

I am just too exhausted to get all of it together and take pics tonight.It will be a BIG assortment of awesomeness-handmade items, craft supplies and extra cuteness. I was going to get it all together today, because I thought today would be a relaxing day. Not. I was on my way back to work when i found out my aunt was in the ER and my cousin got HIT by a CAR. He is 9 years old. miraculously(seriously) there is no permanent damage-he just is hurting and bruised and cant walk on one foot. He was hit so hard that he was pushed up under another car...my aunt, on the other hand, is in ICU and they found masses in both lungs that they think might be cancer. Her father died from lung cancer...so needless to say ive been at the hospital all afternoon and just now got home. I will post the giveaway soon. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get a chance. I think i need a cup of tea.yep. a cup of tea it is...

Crafty Pirate Giveaway!

2010-06-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

Over at the Crafty Pirate blog, http://therajoyce.blogspot.com/ the lovely Thera Joyce is having an awesome giveaway. If you haven't checked out her blog, you should! She has lots of great craft tutorials and cute pics. Go enter her giveaway before its too late-its awesome!

Picture Survey

2010-06-22T17:20:00.001-07:00

So I finally found time to do the survey from Ashley's blog.

1. What is your middle name?
Hara. It is Japanese and I am now the last Hara from our bloodline. I used to get teased a lot about it.

2. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

I'm not sure...maybe Chicago..

3.What is one thing people are surprised to find out about you?

I have a really bad temper! Seriously..

4.What is your biggest fear?

Being alone forever.

5.What is one of your favorite yet strange food combinations?

A lot of people think sushi is weird...seawweed-yum!

6.What did you look like as a kid?

7.What do you wish you could do better?

everything ...but especially draw...

8.Where would you love to travel?

The Bahamas or Figi

9.What was the last book you read?

well, i havent finished it yet, but im reading Waking up the in the Land of Glitter by Kathy Cano Murillo

(from Amazon.com)

(pics from weheartit except for my baby pics :) )

Maneki Neko and My Journal

2010-06-19T20:30:00.001-07:00

As promised, here are some pics of my new Maneki Neko lights. I loooove them!!!

I have been a busy girl lately working on tons of stuff. I'm throwing a bridal shower for a friend in about a month and a half, and here are some of the little decorations ive been working on..

I also got the urge to work in my art journal today. and i thought maybe i'd share some pages from it..i have worked through a lot in this journal. its very therapeutic, and if you havent tried it, i highly recommend it!

So-here goes...

My Friday

2010-06-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

So, today i received my order from Panna Dolce. i ordered 3 kinds of macarons. i had never tried any before, and i've never tasted anything like them! They are slightly crunchy and chewy at the same time. I ordered almond butter, key lime, and raspberry chocolate ones. The packaging was very cute too!

dont they look yummy?

I slept a lot today also, and I didnt feel very good most of the day. i made myself get out of the house, and I went and i got some twinkle lights with Maneki Neko-the Japanese lucky cat on them. i havent taken any pics of them yet, because they are still in the box :) i will take some when i put them up, though...i also decided today to share some photos of myself. ive sort of avoided that so far, but Kayla from the CupKay blog inspired me to share the pics :)

this is me. no makeup and in my super comfy new slouchy tank...

you can actually see the blue in my hair!

so...i hope everyone is having a great weekend. i think tomorrow i will post inspiration pics of home decor. im going to be moving in a few months and redecorating/remodeling the new place...

hard truths

2010-06-15T19:18:00.000-07:00

It seems that Ashley from under those neon lights has started a trend. And i am going to follow this trend and post my very own "hard truths". this isn't easy for me so i am going to try to make it short and sweet (sort of?).

so....1. i have terrible self esteem. i constantly compare myself to others and wonder why i am not as pretty/talented/creative as they are. every once in a while i acknowledge that i am a very pretty very talented girl....

2. i have suffered from pretty severe depression for years. some days i cannot get out of bed. it is too much effort to make a bowl of cereal. i worry what this will do when i get a job.

3. i do not have a girl that is my best friend and this makes me sad. i wish that there was someone that i could talk with, shop with and share my obsessive love of vintage thermoses with.

4. ok this one is silly but i hate my hair :)

What I've Been Up To

2010-06-13T18:37:00.000-07:00

So I promised pics of my new octopus from Ashley at Under Those Neon Lights. Isn't he cute? And the packaging was awesome too!

Last night I decided to take some time for myself and had a chai latte and a piece of white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. YUM!

I've also been doing some thrifting and found some AWESOME stuff for really cheap. I got this fondue pot-which means now I must have a fondue party of course...

I also got this awesome vintage train case and its in great condition.

I also found a retro sleeping bag with a cool pattern for just 4 bucks!

and this cool vase

And I found these cool retro cups too.

I've been so busy! My new internship is wearing me out plus I've really been putting a lot of extra time into my shop. I hope at some point that can be my fulltime job. Does anyone else hope to make their living from their art/craft?

Sam and Zoe's=Yummy!

2010-06-11T20:23:00.000-07:00

It's time for me to show you another of my favorite spots in Nashville! Today I went to Sam and Zoe's coffee shop. It has been my favorite place to get a yummy cup of coffee and equally yummy food for a long time. They are located in the Berry Hill area, across the street from 100 Oaks mall.

They offer so many yummy coffee options-frozen blended, iced, lattes and cappuccinos. Today their special was "the honeybee" with vanilla and honey! In the summer they have great salads and in the winter they have different soups each day.

I always order the bagel sandwich called an "early bird" and it is always delicious.

Their fling tea is something else I love. It is iced tea with pineapple, orange, and lemon juice-and you get free refills!

They have the cutest little porch to eat on, too!

In other news, I received my package from Ashley over at Under Those Neon Lights today. I LOVE my octopus. I think he is feeling very at home in my new craft room with his new friends the giant bunny candles and tiny buddha. I will share pics of him in his new home soon :)

Oh-I'm also having a twitter giveaway-300th RT wins a 20$ item from my shop-please help spread the word http://twitter.com/cherryredstudio . Hope everyone's having a great weekend!

Gigi's Cupcakes

2010-06-10T18:50:00.000-07:00

Another great place to go in downtown Nashville is Gigi's cupcakes. Today I had one of their midnight magic cupcakes and it was probably the BEST cupcake I have ever eaten! The cake was moist, the icing was delicious, and the dark chocolate chips added just the right amount of crunch.

aren't they yummy looking? i'm really having fun going to my favorite Nashville places and taking pictures for my blog! It helps me to see things in a new light. I hope you enjoy seeing the pics and hearing about these places as much as I enjoy telling you about them.

In other "news" I started a new internship. I am conflicted about whether I like it or not. I've also been doing some thrift shopping and I have found some suuuper cool stuff. I think I will share pics of my finds later.

Hope everyone is having a good night!

A Favorite Local Spot: Pangaea

2010-06-07T18:00:00.000-07:00

I've decided to spotlight some of my favorite Nashville locales. If you visit, these are definitely places you should go!
1st up is Pangaea, a gift shop located in the Hillsboro Village area. Pangaea has lots of unique gifts and novelty items. Many items are bought in Mexico and brought to the store, so there's tons of Mexican folk art. They have lots of jewelry, clothes, candles and home decor. Here are a few pics of the store-I love the colors!

And here are a few cuties I got today. The little birdie is a bud vase, and the Frida Kahlo box slides open. The sandalwood soap is only a dollar!

Also, some 20 cent chile pepper light covers!

I love this store!

For my next big giveaway, I may just include some goodies from this shop. I'm thinking about having a giveaway when I reach 50 followers. What do you think?

Summer Inspiration

2010-06-06T19:37:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share some pretty Summer pics that I've taken at various places throughout Tennessee. Hope you enjoy them :)

Also,

I thought I might share some of the cuter parts of my home decor. I have a huge obsession with vintage anything, and the colors turqiouse and fuscia. I love things with a history, and there are just so many cute things to be found!

This is a jewelry tray I made from dollar tree plates!

This teapot is my favorite color! It was new and super cheap, too!

This cookie jar came from my grammas basement (it was saved from the flood). Its still awaiting a good cleaning lol.

I love this retro sign. Its so cool. I put it up in my kitchen.

Time to eat some mini quiche. Yum!

My shop is being featured...

2010-06-05T16:18:00.000-07:00

on BedBuggs Boutique Blog! Go take a look and grab the special discount for the blog readers :) There are lots of other cool shops on there to check out, too.

http://www.bedbuggs.blogspot.com/

Thanks, Krista, for the feature!!

Look What I Got! (Recipes to follow)

2010-06-05T10:51:00.000-07:00

I got some super cool stuff this week! This little notebook has separate pads for things to do, to buy, and people to call!

I LOVE this little thermos! They have all different kinds at TJ Maxx. It's perfect for a picnic!

I also got this book. It has so many yummy recipes! I will share some of my favorite recipes later on today!

Support

2010-06-03T17:35:00.000-07:00

When it rains it pours. This has never been truer than in the last year of my life. I have gone through and am still going through a lot of painful things. I wasn't planning on writing about this on here, but I feel like I can trust my readers and you all have been so supportive already I thought it would help to get this all out on (digital) "paper". I don't know what else to say other than that I am in so much pain and it just doesn't feel like it ever will end. I don't deal well with things like this well.
I hope this doesn't sound like whining. I just needed to get it out.
Maybe I can focus all this negative energy into making my shop the best it can be and really getting it going. I hope I hope I hope.
Thanks for reading this. I so much appreciate it! I hope everyone wil feel free to share with me if they ever need encouragement or support also!

I wish this was my life...

2010-06-02T20:01:00.001-07:00

all photos from this and the previous post via weheartit.

2010-06-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

Following in the footsteps of Under Those Neon Lights and The Cookie Button, I decided to do a love/hate post.

I love Hello Kitty!

I Hate My stomach-because it ALWAYS hurts!

I love stickers!

I hate depression, and how it can affect every part of my life

I love picnics!

I hate Friends (the tv show)

I love The Munsters and the Office

What are some things you love/hate?

The Weekend So Far

2010-05-30T19:33:00.000-07:00

My weekend has been pretty full so far. Yesterday I got a mint chocolate shake

and went to the family farm and played with the doggies and the new puppy . He was apparently abandoned on the side of the road in the country :( but my family loves animals so they took him in. He has doubled in size already and is super clumsy and silly :)

We ate some yummy grilled steaks and veggies and talked with some friends for a while.

Then today I relaxed and went thrifting for a bit. Here are a couple of my finds

Later I will be posting some decorating finds. I am going to be moving again soon(probably) and the place needs a LOT of work.

Happy Weekend!

Peep Sushi on Craft Zine

2010-05-29T16:51:00.000-07:00

Here is a recipe for super cute Peep (candy) Sushi from the Craft Zine website.
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/food/?p=5
Yummy!!

Homemade Air Freshener

2010-05-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

I found a quick easy recipe for homemade room spray/air freshener on the re-nest blog. Check it out!

http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/an-easy-homemade-3ingredient-spray-airfreshener-117953

Homemade Chai

2010-05-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

Its a dreary night in Tennessee, and I was thinking how good a cup of homemade chai would be, and I decided to share this recipe for homemade Chai that I found in Bust magazine

Put 12 cups of water in a large pot. throw in half a cup of loose black tea leaves or 5 or 6 tea bags. add 3 or 4 whole cinnamon sticks, 15 cardomom seeds, 10 whole cloves, 20 black peppercorns, half a tsp. of freshly grated nutmeg, and an inch of fresh ginger, sliced thinly. Top off with a couple of bay leaves. Let simmer for half an hour, then strain. To serve, fill mug 3/4 full of tea, and add milk to taste. Sweeten with sugar or honey.

Favorite Things Friday

2010-05-28T13:49:00.001-07:00

I just thought I'd share some of my favorites from etsy. These are all vintage or vintage style finds.

so pretty!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/staircasetotheattic

These are SO cute! This shop has so many cute handmade owl pieces

http://www.etsy.com/shop/fruitflypie

http://www.etsy.com/shop/violet64

From Japan!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/amye123

oh I love these dishes!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/collectshop

Hope you like this as much as I do! Happy Friday!

Just one more reason to love the Golden Girls...

2010-05-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

What can I say? They are amazing!
i love this show! I think i'm a little obsessed, i even own the "stay golden" t shirt.( I got it on bust.com).

The winner is... plus a special offer!

2010-05-27T19:33:00.000-07:00

Valerie (discerningchichi). Congratulations! I have contacted you with the details :)

I'm feeling happy so I have decided that anyone can get FREE shipping on their next order before the end of the month if you mention this post :)

This week has been hectic and action packed! Pics tomorrow :)

1st Tattoo

2010-05-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

I got my first tattoo yesterday. I had been thinking about it for years, and finally decided to go through with it. I started out small-a small bright red broken heart on my shoulder blade-but I will definitely be getting more! I looove it! You can barely see the broken line down the middle in the pics..better pics to come later!

Cherry Red Studio Shop Update

2010-05-25T19:40:00.000-07:00

I'm in the process of adding lots of new stuff to the shop! Here are just a few of the new things you will find at Cherry Red Studio: http://cherryredstudio.etsy.com/

Don't forget-tomorrow's the LAST day to enter the giveaway! I'll announce the winner on Thursday night...

Now off to eat some ice cream and have some tea...

Giveaway Reminder

2010-05-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

Just reminding you that you can enter the giveaway until Wednesday! Just follow or comment on my blog and you will be entered into a drawing to win FREE jewelry from my shop :) here are a few things in my shop now:

GOOD LUCK!

2010-05-23T19:27:00.000-07:00

Today my aunts came from Japan to visit my family. My grandfather (their brother) passed away recently and they weren't able to be here for the funeral, so they came to visit our family. They brought me lots of yuuuummmy Japanese snacks and candies-even strawberry filled Hello Kitty Marshmallows!

Everything is wrapped up so pretty-my favorite crackers come in light green and pink wrappers printed with vines and leaves

More pics to come later!

I miss you papa

What I wish for today..

2010-05-22T20:46:00.000-07:00

peace of mind
a funny movie
sleep
a clean house
finish new jewelry
a partner to love me
new blankets
a cupcake plushie

2010-05-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

I thought id share some pics of the delicious treats I got yesterday

White petit four (I just love the words petit four lol)

Shortbread cookie with yummy icing

this is the BEST CUPCAKE EVER!! chocolate raspberry ganache. it was extra delicious.

Also, look at the cuuute glasses holder I got at Pre to Post Modern on 8th avenue!

Those are my ugly glasses lol. I lost my cute ones in the move to my new place. I've been so busy but I'm finally moved in and working on my little studio/craft room. Pics soon!

Post a comment or follow me for a chance to win free jewelry.I'll be updating the shop today too so stop by and take a look!

Just a lil update

2010-05-22T05:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got some yummies from Julias Bakery in Murfreesboro. So cute! I ate the most delicious cupcake-chocolate raspberry ganache! I'll be posting pics later. Don't forget to comment or follow for a chance to win FREE jewelry!

Apple Noggin-super cute shop!

2010-05-20T19:21:00.000-07:00

I found some super cute happy things at this shop. Take a peek! http://www.etsy.com/shop/applenoggin

Fighting off the sadness

2010-05-20T18:48:00.000-07:00

Everything in my life seems so complicated at the moment. I think I feel everything too deeply. I am trying to fight off the sadness with all that I have but sometimes all is not enough...Off to search for cuteness to cheer myself up. Maybe I will post some pics of what I find.