Chandelier DIY

Yes, of course I'm loving this budget friendly chandelier DIY! I certainly hope you will too!

Valentines Day

If you're like me, you start planning holiday gift and decor ideas months in advance. Please keep in mind that this does not necessarily mean that I act upon the planning and start "doing" months in advance. But the ideas are definitely up there in my brain... just waiting for a spare minute to start a project.

For each holiday, it seems as though I plan out ideas like I'm crafting for Martha Stewart or arranging a party for the White House, even if I'm only handing out a small card and a homemade cookie or two. Details details details... I love them!!!

Valentines Day is coming up and I think its the perfect opportunity to show you some of my favorite projects and gift ideas. So stop by L.Alden in the next few days and let the creativity begin!

I Mean Seriously...

Could this little guy get any cuter? He's Max from "Where the Wild Things Are." Props to the Mom who put this costume together! She did a great job. Aren't you inspired to make a creative Halloween costume?

Happy Halloween Weekend!

Party Planning?

Planning a party anytime soon? Check out The Party Dress. Its a website full of cute party ideas! Totally scrumptious ideas that are perfect for the girly girl in you!

Glass Bead Magnets

This is not a new idea. I know. But they're really cute and no matter how many times I do this little project, I'm always amazed at how different the magnets turn out. Endless fun, and its easy enough to do while watching tv. These seem to have that John Derian look, don't they? I used Caspari wrapping paper. What a fun excuse to browse through that store!

{The photos above were some of my last before my camera died. Its a bit fuzzy and the camera refused to focus. I should have taken the hint then... my camera has gone to glory}

Farewell camera

My digital camera is officially broken. Like not working at all. Good. as. Gone. The screen shows a white light. It wasn't saving all of my recent photos to the memory card, but I thought maybe my memory card was dying. Easy fix, right? Wrong. Now the white light is all that is on the screen and I'm convinced that its really the camera. I already paid $100 for it to be repaired once (2006), and I don't think I have it in me to pay that much or more again... especially for something that is so technologically outdated. Yes, it was prehistoric (ie circa 2005), and yes, I was hoping to get a new one, but this wasn't supposed to happen right now. In my grand plan, my camera was going to last another year or so. Long enough that I would have time to use it for everyday photography. I'm really not trying to complain, its just a big fat bummer!

And of course this happens when I have tons to photograph and show you all! I made pillows. And they're adorable! Little puppy dog silhouettes made of plaid and houndstooth on uncut corduroy of various colors. And my Caspari wrapping paper magnets that I made were cute too and very John Derian. (Actually, I do have a few pixelated photos of the magnets. I'll post them!) Oh, and I made ghosts in the graveyard for dessert last night. I would have loved to show you that photo too. I didn't bring my camera to the apple orchard on Saturday. If I had, I would be able to show you the huge bag of fuji and jonagold apples I picked. You've missed a lot, and I've missed showing you all this creativity.

For now, you must use your imagination. I'll try and solve this little problemo. Oh, and I do realize that this is not a real crisis. There are far bigger problems in this world. I know.

My Mama Made It

Take a look at what Alexis of My Mama Made It threw together recently. This woman can sew! I am impressed with the creative use to hide a stain on a perfectly good tee shirt. I'm inspired to create a few of these for myself. A few new Old Navy tees and some cute fabric in my stash from Les Fabriques, and a few hours and voila! I see a few extra sassy tees in my new chest of drawers. They'll be perfect in the fall with jeans, a cardigan and my faux Frye's.

Deck the Halls

Please turn on your favorite Christmas songs for the duration of this post and get ready for some holiday craftiness...

Not to skip past Fall, but here's a little project for you crafty friends, perfect for the upcoming holiday season. I saw this kit in the KnitPicks catalog that randomly came to my house a few weeks ago. I think these would make adorable ornaments for you tree or gifts for friends. Oh my, the little sweaters are darling! And the string of holiday lights... amazingly detailed! Sugar plums and popcorn chains were not forgotten in this kit either. These remind me of the cute ornaments that Anthropologie always sells during the holiday season. As long as your knitting skills are up to the level of this project, I think its a more affordable option than buying them at Anthropologie. And imagine the color variations you could do once you get the hang of the patterns! C-U-T-E!




I think I might buy the kit and attempt the project. I know how to knit, but I don't know that I'm capable of this. We'll see though. Worst case scenario - I'll pass the project along to my Mom and her sister. They have many years of knitting experience and could probably complete these in no time. Mom and Allie, if you all are reading this, I hope you know whats in your knitting future...

Okay, now no more talk about Christmas until December. I PROMISE!