..happy spring!..

LOVE this time of year! The weather has been great, even a little unseasonable warm (it has hit 81 degrees several times in the last couple of weeks). My first little tulip bloomed, and it was so pretty to see.

Onto to something that needs just a LITTLE bit of attention... I turned the big 3-0. I was really dreading it before it happened. I didn't think I was going to be ok with it, but now that it has come and gone, I really am good with it. There are some changes I want to make, and some I'm in the process of making (goodbye baby weight) and so I'm really looking forward to this year.

Another big change that has happened recently involves the hubs. He got a new job.. or should I say a new career. I never in my life thought I would see the day when he didn't fly for a living, but it's here. He decided to leave the airlines. Unfortunately flying for the airlines isn't nearly what it used to be. The pay and the benefits have gotten to be, well honestly, a little pathetic. Airlines have gotten to where they are trying to find any way possible to take from their pilots instead of giving. In the last year he has had one pay cut and another larger one was looming. He has been trying for the last 2 years to get on at TVA and luckily he was accepted into their latest class. This is going to help us out so much, both in a monetary sense and also just as being a family. Instead of being gone for days at a time he will be home every single day. We're very excited! :) It will also mean that I can scale back my time at the bakery too. I love my shop, but even on an easy week I am there at least 50 hours a week. On a tough week it is upwards of 60 hours. I am seriously considering having the shop open only on Thursdays and Fridays. I know that will upset some of my customers, and I may even lose some, but my family comes first. I get to spend very little time with my girls, and I can't stand that. I also miss my blog and my crafting time. My sewing machine has just about forgotten my name, lol. Although I did get to spend some time yesterday making the girls a bandanna dress each.

So I hope you all are having a beautiful Spring day so far. And here's to new and exciting changes.

Peace, love and koala fuzz y'all!

..my day has been made..

A wonderful lady named Linda at All Stitched Up hosted a Spring Swap. Well, today I got my package from my partner. I pulled out the card first and saw that my secret pal was Peg from Australia! You know me, just knowing she was from Australia automatically made me love her :) Then I pulled out the lovely wrapped goodies and I loved her even more.. (click on the pics to make them bigger)

Do you see what is clinging to those two packages? Yes, koalas.. clippy little koalas!

I went running and squealing to my husband. I was so excited. Little did I know that I was going to be squealing a lot more. Here is what was wrapped up in that green paper..

Look at all that wonderfulness! Look at all of the koalas, they were attached to everything! Now I have my own little koala colony! How gorgeous is that table runner and that bag? I'm in awe of her stitching skills. Here's some close up shots so you can see the stitches in all their glory.

And then for a sweet touch, she sent me some chocolate... koala shaped chocolate.. with caramel inside. I think Peg may be my new best friend :D

She also sent some other Cadbury chocolate, and some Vegemite Cracker Snackabouts. Now, I know lots of people who love Vegemite, and I've always wanted to try it. Now I can!

So Peg, thank you so much for all of the wonderful things you sent me. I am truly grateful that you put so much time and love into my package! :) And Peg has a blog where you can see even more of her awesome work too, it's called Happy in Quilting. Go check it out, I've spent most of the morning going through her posts, lol.

So here's hoping that every one of you have a happy day too!

Peace, love and koala fuzz y'all!

..no hiding these eggs!..

I put two more new Limited Edition Egg Stick Pins in my Etsy shop today!

Here's the Bow Tie one..

And here is the Butterfly one..

And then here's a 1/12 miniature Easter Egg Basket I made too :)

I'm definitely in the mood for Spring!

..awesome swap mail..

I looove to swap! Swap-Bot, Craftster, Swap Dex, Flickr.. I don't care, I'll swap anywhere :) I recently received some fabulous packages that need to be shown! :)

First up is a package from Lethargic on Craftster. It was for the March Birthday Swap. She sent me gummi bears (yay for gummis!), some Shrinky Dink sheets (I was seriously 12 the last time I played with these, I can't wait to play again!) and some super cute blue flower bobby pins and a ring to match.

Next is a package from sopieangele on Craftster. It was for the March Birthday Swap also. She knew I love Alice, and she just happens to live in Oxford, England (which is where Alice is from!) so I got this great Alice tote, and some really beautiful Alice notecards. I told her I think I'm going to frame them. They're just too pretty to use! She also sent me some cool pin-up girl fabric, some really neat beads, and some awesome bobby pins. She made the beaded ones herself!

And then the last (but definitely not least!) package was from Julie for the Vintage Spring Sweetness Swap. She went way above and beyond. She sent me so much stuff I had to break it down into two pictures, lol. Check out all this awesomeness... tons of scrapbooking stuff, sparkly, beaded and soft felt eggs, beautiful hand embroidered linens, Easter bunny napkins, a bunny frame, cupcake toppers, jellybeans, a cute notepad, and a really cool songbook from the 1920's!

Thanks so much to all three of these girls.. you made Spring my favorite season!! :D

..this is what happens..

..when the weather gets pretty around here. I disappear from my blog for days at a time, lol. I'm getting ready for Spring. We tilled our garden up yesterday, now we just have to decide exactly what we want to plant this year.

I managed to send off my Coraline Mystery Box and my Vintage Spring Sweetness Box without taking any pics of them first... *dink* So hopefully the recipients will take pics and let me have a couple ;)

I received my Coraline Mystery Box from my partner and it is so cool! Hubby has been using the camera all day, so as soon as he's done I will post pictures of it.

Today is a spring cleaning day for me, trying to get as much done as I can so that maybe I can craft a little tonight. With me taking on more subbing days, I haven't had time to do much, and I'm going through withdrawals! I can't leave this post without a picture of something, and since I haven't created anything (other than the aforementioned boxes that I didn't photograph *dink*) then I will leave you with my favorite fillers.. the LOLcats!

Peace, love and koala fuzz y'all!