ivyPINK

2011 Recap and Highlights

WOWZERS this year REALLY went by SUPER fast!

 Where do I even begin?

January

I started the Calendar series which was super fun

thinking of new themes each month &

using up oldies but goodies supplies

February

Besides the Chicago SNOWMAGEDON

I really hope we do NOT have another one of these this year

or if we do, crossing my fingers that I wont be in IL to see it LOL

Made these cute V-day treats & I'm regretting I didn't

stock up & buy more plastic hearts they were so cute!

March

Besides my new "trendy" haircut

(the bangs didn't last too long)

I was just busy creating samples for the shop

April

2 girls weekends what could be better?

Here we are @ PDH

and this was in Madison

 May

Ahhh, May :) Start of my Mission Vacation lol

But before that my one HUGE May highlight was getting to go

to the FINAL taping of the Oprah show

definitely one of the MOST memorable things I've ever done!

Then I got to end the month by heading off to Ft. Lauderdale

for a couple days before sailing away on the Oasis of the Seas

to Nassau, St. Maarten & St. Thomas

June

Well.....this might be the only creative project I made the whole

month of June

Cuz I was pretty much in CA the whole month

CA is really one of my favorite places to be

I cant wait to go there again this year :)

July

HOLY MOLY in prep for Creative Escape

I made all my SWAP stuff in a matter of a week

crazyness

Because I was leaving for Canada

Here's 1 of my adventure highlights in Muskoka

August

I went on the BEST CREATIVE trip ever

with my cousin Rosa :)

Here's a link to the album with all my CE pics

September

Phew FINALLY the 1st full month I was home

kinda glad...& sad mission vacation is over :)

This was also the official start of my full pledge

obsession with NAILShahahaha

Also this month was like "reading month"

I read like 10 books I was @ the Library multiple times a week :)

& this was my FAVE project of the month

October

MY FAVORITE month :)

I turned 29 (bleh)

I also made my 1st Youtube videoI guess that's a highlight lol

November

wow...looking back I posted a lot of "HAULS"

I guess I went shopping a lot in Nov. heehee

my project highlight would have to be learning

how to make a paper turkey & "miniaturizing" it for Abbey

December

So this is 4sure a highlight

& attempting this December Daily challenge

is also another

WHICH BTW I just have to add some pics & I have a few pages left

& I only went up to Day 25 instead of the 31

I know this is def one of those albums I'll always treasure :)

 

& that folks sums up my 2011

This is one of my FAVORITE years by far

I feel so blessed & I'm so thankful for the support that

my Family & Friends has given me

CHEERS to 2012

I hope you all have a happy & SAFE New Years

xoxoxoxooxoxoxooxoxox

ivyPINK

Currently and SMASHbooking

I haven't posted a "Currently" since June

So,this week I decided to create a "Currently" page on

my smashbook

I have a massive amount of Making Memories Rub-ons

(circa 2003 *good to know they still work!)

So, here's a Fall edition of my CURRENTLYs :)

Listening: Boyce Ave. Covers on YouTube (SOOO GOOD)

Eating: These ensaymadas from Red Ribbon my dad brought home from Cali

Drinking: My new FAVE Tea!

Yogi Organic Tea's :)

Wearing: Oh geez, my outfits are so boring these days!

I live in Yoga clothes ALL day!

I recently bought a cute a cute workout/yoga tank @ Target

looks like this but in purple

(cuz it was on sale & they didn't have PINK one @ the store)

I'm starting Zumba classes next week (excited for that!)

Feeling: Uninspired lately :( Sad!

Weather: Definitely starting to feel the chicago FALL start to creep in again

we've had a warm FALL for Chicago recently but this week we got some rain

Wanting: One of these floor armoires

I told my parents it's what I wanted for Christmas :)

My jewelry is all over the place! I figured this should fit all my stuff!

& all my bedroom furniture is black.

Needing: To get my car fixed! I don't know what's wrong with it :( Tear!

Car problems always leave me poor!

Thinking: About the holidays, I want to give & make handmade presents this year!

What should I make though? Oy vey! I feel overwhelmed already.

Obsessing: You mean besides NAIL crap right?!

cuz you guys already know all about that!

Gah! Seriously been crazy over make up! I don't even use that much make up

But I've been watching some YouTube Videos of  Make Up Guru's

& let me tell you...they are very good enablers! LOL

So I organized my SMALL stash yesterday

Enjoying: READING!!!!!! The Library is my new fave place :)

 I've been reading A LOT lately

I'm just finishing up the 1st 3 books in the Vampire Academy series

by Richelle Mead

It's VERY exciting! Which I like in books I hate slow dragging books

That's about it for now.

PLEASE Share your thoughts and ideas

for handmade x-mas presents with me!

xoxo ivyPINK
 

I luv stickers

I hope u guys had a wonderful labor day weekend ;)

I did a Lil "decorating" in the scrap room lol
Here's a before & after!
I love what a lil bit of stickers can do! Heehee

Happy Monday!
xo
IvyPINK ;)

Happy Mail

I LOVE "happy mail" ;)
& best part about coming home from vaca

is all the happy mail awaiting to be opened! ;)

Thanks to my friend Amy for the cutie hedgie stamp!!!!
I totally don't have this one ;)

& your card is ADORBS!

Lovin my new yoga bag from Sakroots!
 I love this print from Joshua Davis ;) & I'm glad it fits my extra thick mat!

I'm signing up for Bikram again

since I'm planing to be home for the whole month of Sept!

Bikram St. Charles has another $30 for unlimited classes special this month

Look @ all these fun twistband colors! I'm obssesed

I want to collect them all ;)

Took advantage of my Zoya offer for 2 free polishes with any order ;)
I'm looking forward to trying their
Remove + polish remover ;) I heard it's the BEST ever!

I got Freja which is a metallic dark grey color (hard to tell fr. this pic)

& Richelle metallic gold which I needed desperately ;)

Happy Monday!
xoxo ivyPINK

DIY Faux Minx Flower Nails

So lately I've been a little Nail Crazy!

Watching tutorials & all ------> I'm a NERD...I know :)

I've been LOVIN this MINX flower Nails print

SEE all the celebrities sited with Minx nails HERE

 
BUT I'm really not about to spend $55 for a mani or $65 for a pedi

(average minx service charge) even though it lasts up to 10 days!

So then I saw these

Sally Hansen Nail Effects in Girl Flower ($9.99) SCORE!!!!!

 
ALL the prints looks SUPER cute!

BUT in real life the girl flower color is actually not as vibrant as pictured in the add

View All Lacquered up's review here & take a look at her picture of girl flower

*I just want to note that putting on the SH Nail Effects is really SUPER easy!!! :)*

**I'm getting to the DIY part I promise**

I bought cut it out set instead

  

(ENABLING ALERT: the nail effects are on sale @ Ulta buy1 get 1 50% off this week)

 
and I had the BEST idea EVER to put my COPIC Markers to use....

& color in the flower images!!! :)

Now let me just tell you that I'm NOT the MOST patient person

BUT I do LIKE to color & doodle

so this was FUN for me but it did take me a couple hours

(cuz I watching recorded shows while coloring)

SO, if you have the time & the patience its a FUN DIY :)

I chose happy vibrant colors think hawaiian :) lol

Ta-Da!!! :) I even shaded in some of the flowers for depth :)

They are BRIGHT & Vibrant & COLORFUL :)

{Left Hand} 

{Right Hand} 

I must say I had a little bit of trouble coloring in the right hand

BUT it really wasnt too bad

I want to say it took me maybe 25 min. more than the left hand did :)

 

When i finished I made sure to generously cover it with top coat **apply a thick coat**

 SECHE VITE is my all time fave top coat cuz it dries FAST!!! 

I hope you enjoyed the DIY 

*If any of you attempt this send me some pics cuz I want to see! ;)

 

If you guys have any questions just let me know!

Happy HUMP day!

xoxo ivyPINK

 

2011 DIY Wall Calendar

I really needed a WALL Calendar for work

Last year I got a FREE shutterfly calendar & that was nice

BUT I really wanted something FUN & different this year

So, I decided to make my own & create this fun magnet kind

I spent the whole day yesterday crafting

 
I pulled out all my "winter" themed everything

and created this:

 
I bought the Frame, Metal & Acetate calendar base from Hannahs Home Accents

I'm still not set on the frame color

I wanted something neutral BUT not Black, White or Brown

  I ended up with this Tim Holtz Crackle paint in tattered rose

Heres a close up:

 
what do you guys think? should I change the color?

Here's a closer look of the details

 
 January was REALLY fun to CREATE the snowflake theme was really cute 

BUT February was filled with PINKS & hearts so you know I enjoyed that wayyyy more

LOL

Heres a sneak of next months calendar

 
I have a LOOONNNGGGG week ahead of me

I have to work from 8:30am to 8:30pm  Oy Vey!

On the other hand I hope you guys have a great week :)

xoxo

ivyPINK

2010 Recap

Happy New Year!!!!  

How did you ring in the New Year of 2010? Movie, food & drinks @ Goldclass  

Did you stick to your resolutions? I don't even remember what my resolution was ;(  

Are you better looking this year than last year? Explain. Possibly....I lost weight...I gained weight story of my life lol BUT new goals put in place already ;) Bikram Yoga starts soon!  

Describe your "style" in 2009 vs. 2010, using only 2 words: 2009: eh! Same ole same ole black everything 2010: I had to buy a lot of new clothes cuz none of my old ones fit it was a wardrobe roller coaster! Seriously though I'm afraid to see how many anthro purchases I made this year!  

How did you spend your birthday in 2010? birthday party for my dad & I @ the house. Then we went to a haunted house.  Then another scrappy bday party a couple weeks later that I'm still crafted out & recovering fr lol  

Did you dress up for Halloween, and, if so, what was your costume? I was a little witchie witch @ work but we really didn't do anything BUT for next year I have the CUTEST plan for a homemade costume ;) I can't wait!!!!!  

Did you move? Nope  

Did you meet anyone new? Yes, I met lots of new peeps @ work lol new students New bloggie friends Love it!  

What was your favorite piece of art (this includes music, writing, etc.) that you made? Hmmm I'm always working on pieces of art ;) BUT I could still make more My favorite was my 2010 planner even though it was a PITA. This year I was to make a dream/idea/inspiration book ;)

Did you learn any life lessons/experience any epiphanies? I learned that it's better to have a small group of friends...real friends than a whole crap load of acquaintances cuz when it comes down to it and you REALLY need someone those acquaintances are not the ones that's going to be by your side.  

Describe your best day in 2010: Took my cousins to a resort in the PI & spent the whole day with them :)  

Describe a day you'd like to strike from your record: It didn't happen in 2010 but it's the day I'd pick over & over if I had choice to strike The day Sam went missing    

What was your biggest accomplishment of 2010? Losing some weight  

Was there something you did that you never thought you would? I'll get back to you on this ;)  

TOP 5's of 2010

Top 5 Obsessions:  

1. Oh lord! EASY...Hedgehogs sooo out of control!

2. Food more than ever

3. My Etsy shop for a while there I was on that thing daily non stop I'd call that an obsession

4. Baking! I was whipping up something every week for a while ;)

5. About where I'd like to go on vaca when my new benefits start lol  

 

5 Happiest/most meaningful events of 2010:

1. Our 1st "official" anniversary

2. New fam portraits

3. Got to see my grandfather

4. Hong Kong experience

5.Seeing my BFF with her 1st baby izzy warms my heart ;)

 

5 People you hope to hang out with more in 2011:  

-E V E R Y O N E- I just need to hang out more often!  

 

5 Places where you'd like to go/hang out more in 2011:

1. Anywhere outside of IL

2. New food places to try

3. Different cities

4. National Parks (but NOT camping)

5. The Beach  

 

5 Words/principles/goals you hope will define your year in 2011:

1. Personal improvement

2. Be kind to others lol

3. Create MORE

4. INSPIRE & be Inspired

5. Namaste: "The gesture Namaste represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us"I want to find my Spark within ;)

Cheers to 2010 Hello 2011!

Last Post of the Year

Currently:

 listening: Bruno Mars I love him cuz his voice is amazing & also cuz he's Filirican lol (Filipino & puerto rican)
eating: this is a good one...I've had this stomach bug thing happening so all week I've had saltines, bananas & rice & I'm sooooooooo over it!

 

drinking:Tea & ginger ale & lots of water
wearing:leggings, cardis & tunics

....although I'd much rather be wearing these:

I used my Groupon  @ Nordstroms Rack & got a super steal on these pretty Kate Spade sandals that I would LOVE to wear right now!

and those LOVELY layers of ruffles are from a skirt I found @ Anthro :)

 
feeling: less queasy than earlier during the week thank goodness!

My friend took me & the BF to Martinis on Main a new fave restaurant she found last sunday & i was puking my guts out & I hardly got to touch/taste my food & I missed out on this deliciousness :(

 

*Stuffed Goat cheese & Artichoke Fillet with Garlic Mashed potatoes & creamed spinach with parm

 
wahhh! That just means I most definitely have to go back :)

 

weather: dark and gloomy BUT 40 degrees & tomorrow its suppose to be in the 50's what the?!?
wanting:to make a new 2011 planner but I don't want to go through the printing debacle I endoured last year
needing:to craft more, to find a 2011 wall calendar & I REALLY need to find me some camel/brown ish bootsSO to start resolving this "need" issue....I used my GC @ Archivers (thanks Jen & Krista) today & found some FABBIE goods

LIKE....these super cute doodle bug boutique buttons!

and these KI Memories Calendar stickers, pockets & Sew cute calendar papers

 
 and these Maya Road mini pennant chipboards LOVE LOVE LOVE!

 
thinking:that I still didn't make the thank you cards for my birthday ;) those pennant chipboards reminded me :) lol
enjoying:coming with Vday stuff for the ivyPINK shop ;)
wondering: when I'll win the lotto so I can quit my job & just travel
noticing: that I accomplish so much more when my TV shows are on winter hiatus ;)
reflecting:on how packed my closet is & how it needs a revamp sooooo bad! I'm so glad that the ELFA sale is here ;) 30% off

I also need a resolution for my sock drawer cuz I SWEAR my current drawer eats my socks at night lol....speaking of socks I FOUND the BEST of the BEST SOCKS ever ever ever

are you ready for this? YUP Hedgehog socks! found them at urban Outfitters :) I'm in LOVE & I bought how ever many they had...which was only 3 but if they had more I probably would of bought them too..I know I'm a maniac :)

Thats all I've got for now

going to sleep

Nighty night

I have to take my car in to the dealership @ 8:15am sheesh!

M bought me a really FAT hedgie pillow/stuffed animal it's my new cuddle buddy heehee

xoxo ivyPINK 
 

Random iPhone pics

 It's time to share to some of the random pics on my phone :)

First off was Saturday morning,

I had to get up early to go to work & this was how it looked like outside

 
Our first Chicago snowfall :(

Yes, although quite pretty I still despise it

specially if I have to drive in it!

Then today was our cookie exchange day

I made Sinful Red Velvet cookies got the recipe from food.com

They are VERY yummy not too sweet not too hard, not too chewy :)

 
There was 16 of us in the swap this year and my friend Chrissy made

the MOST adorable recipe books :)

 
I love how festive these cookies looked

 
This is my cookie haul

 
Ohhhh boyyy!!! nom nom nom in my tum tum tum lol

Oh Man, after X-mas I'm most definitely planning to get back

to my regular diet & my Bikram yoga classes start

I've already bought a mat...well 2 cuz I couldn't decide..

any suggetsion if one is better over the other?

Or if there's one better?

I found these @ TJ Maxx for 12.99

 
speaking of TJ Maxx.....they have so much PINK holiday stuff

I was gonna go cukoo crazy!

Like how adorable is this PINK glittered deer?

or these super cute  flush cupcake ornaments ??!!??

I want to have a "dessert" themed tree...if only I even had a TREE lol

 We're taking family pics tomorrow for X-mas cards

I'm excited :) I even painted my nails RED for the occasion :)

Happy FALL Y'all

I've been LOVIN our FALL weather here in CHICAGO so much :)

FALL is my favorite time of the year for many reasons

and I have some pics to share why :)

Like this tree in front of my house

I snapped a quick pic before all the leaves fell

I just LOVE all the colors the leaves turn

 
and my cat Earl enjoying the weather outside

soon he wont be able to go out to play any more :(

 
I also wanted to carve pumpkins since I've never done it before

BUT I wanted to pick a "practice pumpkin" first

before I pick out the most perfect pumpkin @ the patch :)

{I've never gone pumpkin picking ever either}

gosh I sure do sound deprived huh?

These we're the perfect practice pumpkins for $1.99 @ Aldis

 
It was really hard (& slimey) gutting out the pumpkin ewwww...

Although I look quite happy in that pic...

I think I was happy about all the seeds lol

Are you ready to see my masterpiece?

 
 TA-DA!!!!

what do you think :)

M made one too, we had a pumpkin carving battle lol

 

Mines better LOL :)

The next day I baked my pumpkin seeds before work 

 & It made the house smell super yummy!

quick recipe

1 1/2 tablespoons margarine, melted

1/2 teaspoon salt (I used Rock Salt)

1/8 teaspoon garlic salt

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

a dash of chilli powder

& Bake for 30 min mix in between

& ENJOY!!!

I hope you guys have a GREAT week

I want to go to a haunted house Sat.

 so if you have any suggestions of a good one to go to let me know :)

yahoooooooooo!!!!

 
xoxo

ivyPINK