PSA on DIY

 I get it.  You like making crafts and sharing them online.  I think crafts are fun, too!  But please, for the love of Pete, ENOUGH with the term DIY!  It is so overused.  I was reading a blog I really enjoy, and the couple who writes for this blog has been planning their daughter's first birthday party.  They talked about how they were so excited to DIY their daughter's party, and talked about the paper plates they saw at a party store they were going to buy.  What?!  It's not like you hand stamped your own design on paper plates you made yourself out of wood chips and recycled paper in your backyard...you're just planning a birthday party and buying things you like from different places.  Maybe painting something on a canvas.  People have been doing that for ages and no one needed to call it DIY.

Or take people who craft and post tutorials on blogs.  If your heading says "Tutorial" do you need to title the project "DIY"?  I'm pretty sure we understand it's something that we'll be doing ourselves, that's why we're reading the tutorial.  As for average crafty folk, it's nice that you make accessories and clothes and wall art, but does everything you make have to be referred to as DIY?  We get it, you made it.  You bought supplies from Michael's with Martha Stewart's name on it and you did something fun with your weekend.  I enjoy making things too, it's fun!  But I don't feel the need to tag it "DIY".  Let's be honest, it's usually pretty obvious.

Am I the only one who is totally over this term?  I haven't felt this passionately about the played out-ness of something since those "Keep Calm, Carry On" posters.  Don't get me started on those.  Maybe this is my pregnancy hormones talking, but I just had to get this off my chest. 

Whew.  Now back to my "Make Your Own Damn Stuff" blog reading.   :)

Emma Pillsbury

I'm not really that into Glee.  It's an entertaining show, but I would definitely not call myself a Gleek.  I have no desire to buy any of the songs on iTunes, in fact, sometimes I even fast forward through some of them.  Especially when Lea Michelle is singing.  However, one thing I do love about the show is the clothes Emma wears.  I am telling you, if I could dress like anyone in the world, it would be Emma Pillsbury.  Pencil skirts, collared shirts and cardigans, tons of Kate Spade, J Crew and Anthropologie...I love it all!!

Who is your fashion icon?

Garage Sale-ing

The sun was bright and warm at 9am last Saturday morning, a perfect day to hit up some garage sales with Mal and Lisa. I knew Portland would have some cool and interesting things to offer. I was right! Here are some of the things we saw:

I came home with a few good items: a picture frame, antique milk bottle, TWO seasons of LOST in excellent condition for only $15 each...but the best thing I walked away with that day was this:












A 1920's Remington Standard typewriter...for $5! I didn't even have to haggle for that price! It's a heavy machine, but it looks so cute on the desk in my kitchen. I don't know if I'll keep it or clean it up and sell it. We don't really have room for it right now, but someday I'll have an actual house, and it will fit right in.

We'll see. :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Portland

Living in married student housing, we see tons of kids playing outside every day. It's wonderful to hear them running around in groups laughing and riding their bikes, dressing up like princesses or monkeys. Right outside our window next to the couch we have a big bush/small tree perfect for little ones to climb in or hide behind. Usually they don't notice Glen or I sitting there on the couch, but every once in awhile we see a little face pressed up against the window staring at us, or a sweet face smiling giggling at us, like this one:







Sometimes they seem sort of surprised to find us sitting next to them, but usually they just giggle and run off.  I love when kids live life unabashedly.  It inspires me to live more like that in my own life. 


Minus the pressing my face up against the window of someone's house.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Six Years Ago Today...

Flight 815 crashed on the Island.  We were never the same again.

Happy First Day of School!

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. On the other hand, this not knowing has its charms"

~ You've Got Mail

I love that quote from You've Got Mail. Well, I just love that movie in general. But today reminded me of that quote as I walked through campus and felt a chill in the air this morning (then heat, then clouds and a chill, then heat...). I am ready for fall. I am ready for changing leaves and cozy sweaters. And...homework? Ready or not, I have some waiting for me already.

Whether you are in school or not, I hope you enjoy the beginning signs of fall as we turn another page in the calendar. Knowing Portland, we'll have a month of heat before the leaves begin to turn, but when they do...it will be breathtaking.

And now, off to that homework I was speaking of!

What the...?

Am I the only one who finds this blog weird/creepy? Being bored at home one afternoon and passing the afternoon during naptime would be kinda funny ("Look what I did while my kid was sleeping!"). But this blog, Mila's Daydreams, with the tagline: "I'd like to see into your dreams, my little girl" is too much! (That said, my faves are the space odyssey, the bookworm, and the clothesline. This lady is crazy)