early birthday gifts!!

LOOK!

How lucky am I to get an adorable package of goodies from Yvonne??? 

A scarf, a handmade checked bag filled with candy, a fun Dutch book...(it's really quite the riot!!), BUT best of all a handmade pincushion by her!

Go here....and you will see the VERY HIP Ipod cases she is making and will soon be selling here!

THANKS Miss Yvonne!

xoxoxox

posted by: sweetpeas at January 28, 2006 20:09 | link | comments (4) |
bloggy presents

I LOVE it when it snows!

Hmmmm...you can't see the house across the street too well...but after all of these years it's been fixed up and for sale. Wow....we may have neighbors eventually. Got $370,000??

posted by: sweetpeas at January 28, 2006 12:58 | link | comments (5) |
nothing much

I have been working on items for a new web shop that I plan on opening. As some of you know, I have had a bit of a creative meltdown for the past year. I've done very little other than to knit and cook. I've had a little spurt here and there, but because everything is always so hectic, I don't seem to act upon the little bursts of creativity.

I've decided that everything else will have to get put aside, so I can start working again. I feel like nothing without my atrs and crafts, but I've noticed how easy it is to blow it off....the longer it gets...the easier it gets.

Sometimes I wish I could move to another country with beautiful surroundings. I picture myself in a villa style home...all very open, and it would be made from wood and stone. I see a stone patio with lush flowers and fruit surrounding it.

All I would need would be my art supplies, a journal, some comfy clothes and the simplest of food.

The neighbors & town folk are friendly and helpful, but do not speak english...so I don't have to communicate too much.

hmmmm...I bet I could get some work done in that place...where ever that may be.

I do have a sweet place in the country. I could shut the phones and the computer off I guess. I could pretend I didn't hear the mail man pull up. I could ask Jon to pick up takeout everynight, so I don't have to stop and prep us dinner.

I do know this, that I plan on taking my blog (along with my life) in a bit of a different direction, getting back to art and inspiration. I'd like to make my posts a little more thoughtful, as I would like to do the same in my work.

I will be sure to keep you all posted.

xoxoxox

posted by: sweetpeas at January 18, 2006 13:36 | link | comments (13) |
artsy fartsy

shopping in Bangor Maine

This weekend I embarked on a simple, yet fun "Girls Only" journey with Judy & my Mom.

After work on Friday, Judy and I packed my Jeep and headed north to the Bangor area where my Mom and Cub live. Mom had a festive Mexican style dinner prepared for us, along with sombreros and wine to round it all out. It was muy bueno! We chatted, gossiped and hopped into PJ's in front of the TV.....then, we knitted.

The next day we shopped....shopped and well yes, shopped. We all had new knitting projects to start, so we started off at the yarn store. I bought 14 skeins of fun yarn to knit myself a skirt. Judy is attemptimg frilly wrist warmers, and Mom is still in sock mode. From there it was all about the clothes. Is this not the best time of year to sale shop or what? Jeans, t-shirts...(my fave being a "Doors band" t-shirt from Target), dress clothes, sweaters and jackets were piled high in our shopping carts. At one point I had a pair of brown and pink Chuck Taylors in my cart, and I know you'll find this hard to believe, but I put them back. My collection is getting a little out of conrtol. We did take the time to have a TERRIFIC italian meal at Evo's....across from the Bangor mall. It was the first time I've ever had fried olives.....they were delish!

That night it didn't take us long to hop into our PJ's, plunk our butts onto the couch, and well of course....knit.

That next chilly morning, Judy and I strapped on our snow shoes and wandered into the woods behind their house. It was quite a workout seeing that we got turned around in the woods and ended up at the lake about a mile down the road from Mom and Cub's. We just snow shoed along the side of a new development road, that brought us back to the main road. In the woods we saw many an animal track. We also discovered some bright orange fungus growing on a tree...and speaking of trees there were a LOT down...making us climb over them at times.....but it was SO worth the workout! 

That early Sunday afternoon we loaded up the Jeep with shopping bags and suitcases, said our sad goodbyes to Mom and Cub and drove to downtown Bangor to Bangor Central. I have had bagels all over this country, and after all of these years, they are still my favorite! Though Bagel Central has new owners, they still obviously use the same recipe! (I think it was called the Bagel Shop when I was a teen). ANYHOO...I digress! From downtown we went BACK to the mall area where we shopped some more. I am in love with a brown leather backpack pocketbook that I found for $10.00 that afternoon! We had another wonderful lunch at Pepino's, (again at the mall area) which is a privately owned Mexican restaurant and has been in Bangor since I was a teen.

We didn't get home until Sunday night, and we should've stayed another day, but we were both running out of money! If your looking for bargains, but not the crazy traffic that you can find at the Portland Mall....consider a trip to Bangor, it's not only a great place to shop, but a beautiful place to visit!

If your looking for a little girl time....call up your best friend, your Mother or Sister, dig out some craft projects, the cookbooks, your walking shoes...(or the credit card)....and get to it! There's no better time then girl time!

xoxoxox

posted by: sweetpeas at January 10, 2006 12:42 | link | comments (7) |
family & friends, travelin in maine

LOVELY snowy day today....just went outside and played with the dogs, catching snowballs is a favorite past time for them. The chickadees were kicking the snow off of their feeders, and the red squirrel has taken to making house in my walls. Traffic is driving by on this old country road rather slow for once, you can actually wave to someone and they'll notice. Hubby is home sick with the flu. The wood stoves have been throwing off warmth all day, and there's a chicken on the stove simmering in water to make a broth. I've done all of my chores, and am about ready to sit and finish a soft wooly scarf for my nephew Connor.

I love snow days.

posted by: sweetpeas at January 05, 2006 21:56 | link | comments (9) |
nothing much