coffe cup sleeves

Hello All-
Most of you know that I am obsessed with sewing! I have been making wallets and coffee cup sleeves. For Christmas, I made quite a few for friends and family.  Here are a few of the ones I've made.

I learned how to make a buttonhole over Christmas break so I have been working like crazy making all of the sleeves with buttonholes! These were made for Nichole, Meghan, Deb, and Molli-who sent me hers in use! {I love the Christmas tree in the background}

Stay tuned for a better tutorial on how to make the coffee cup sleeves!

-M

Bachelorette Party

For those of you who know me well, know that I LOVE to host parties.  Recently, my best friend, Bailey got married.  I held her Bachelorette Party at my parents house.  Planning, decorating, and cleaning were all on my to-do list.  We planned the party for a Friday night in November.  I knew that I would be busy with finals during that time, so I planned quite a bit of it during the summer.  I'm very glad I did this.  I didn't have to worry about last minute games and decorations.

Together, Bailey and I made the plans and the guest list.  We decided to stick around home and go bar hopping to the local bars.  I found it was easiest to make an excel spreadsheet for EVERYTHING.  From the guest list to the items I needed to get.  Everything was color coded and strategically placed.  (I love excel).

After we made the guest list and the plans I started on the theme and invites.  With help from my friend, Kailee we decided on the theme, "Get out your Boots & Pearls."  Which fits Bailey so well.  I had another friend help with the invites, she's an AMAZING graphic designer.  See her work {here}.  She made two per page, therefore I could print out both on one piece of off white 8.5 x 11 paper. {purchased at Walmart}

LOVE her work!!

While Allie was working on the invites, I made a board that I wanted to have by the doorway.  I found this on pinterest {of course} 

I loved this, so I decided to make my own!

In the process....

 Bailey & I next to her sign!

After buying all of the supplies {bachelorette decorations, food, napkins, plates, table cloths etc} I needed to make a MILLION jello and pudding shots.  If you need the recipe for jello shots check out this {website}.  I found it extremely helpful, considering I don't like jello-shots.  Once those were made, it was time to start the decorating... here are a few pics of the decor and the party!

Since the house was decorated nice, I decided the bus would be full of condoms, balloons, streamers, and undies!  I wish I would have gotten a picture of it all, but the night FLEW by and I had no time to take a picture.

All of us girls who helped Bailey celebrate her last night as a single woman.  {I love the undies behind us!}

This was taken at Kegger's, singing Karaoke.  {I HATE KARAOKE}

I could not have gotten through any of this without the help of my dear friends Kailee & Meghan.  I'm so thankful that Kailee was there for me through it all, the phone calls, planning, games and decorating.  Meghan was an amazing helper with all the last minute decisions (choosing which underwear to buy for the games) and for helping me clean, make jell-o shots, and decorate!! I couldn't imagine what this party would have consisted of if it weren't for them!  Thanks girls!!

 ooh...sorry Meg finger slipped ;)

You two are sooo AMAZING!

Overall, it was a great night and I couldn't have asked for a better night and group of girls to spend it with.  Bailey has an amazing support system.  She is one lucky lady! I'm soooo happy for her and her new married life! Stay tuned for pics from her BIG day and my first time being a Maid of Honor!

I also need to thank my WONDERFUL parents.  They were there to help with all of the planning, cooking, and cleaning.  Thank-you for opening up your house to us girls for the night.  We all appreciate it.  You both are so amazing and I can not thank-you enough for everything that you do for me.  Love you!!!

-M

Mankato River Ramble

Hello all!! Once again school has gotten the best of me and have busy studying. I finally have a little time to myself.. (ok, so what if I'm procrastinating again??) Last weekend was CRAZY busy for this girl!  I went down to Rochester to study and take my GRE, I also order another maid of honor dress! Sunday, I participated in the Mankato River Ramble-a community bike ride.  Jessica and I biked the 12 mile route.  Due to all the biking I did this summer I was able to finish in just under 2 hours.  I wasn't hurting {too bad} at the finish line.  After the race I ran off to participate in WalkDo {a walk in Mankato for Autism}  It was a busy and active Sunday!  Here are a few photos of the River Ramble.

Jess and I right before our ride...

 At Minneopa State Park - 3.5 miles down

The trail led us out to Mount Kato--this is what it looks like without snow!!

We did it!! {love the porta potties in the background...}

 This guy was there to cheer me on :)

Me and my sweet shirt...

Well that is all for now! Hope everyone has a great week! Next weekend I'm off to Bismarck to visit family!!

P.S.--I've been decorating for fall--just haven't had time to update you all so stay tuned for those hopefully soon!! :)

more pillows

WOW!! I have not been good at blogging lately.  I have been busy studying and preparing for grad school.  Next weekend I will be taking my GRE (fingers crossed).  Two weekends ago I went antiquing and wine tasting with my mankato girls.  Wine tasting was awesome, I can't wait to go again sometime.  Antiquing was fun, but I had no luck finding anything.

As I mentioned before I made pillows for Geoff.  He had told me that he wanted some pillows for his room, so I let him pick out the fabric he wanted.. {btw Geoff does not know how to match} He chose striped pillows thinking that that would match his bedroom.

 He loves them so even though they don't match, that doesn't matter.

 The small blue one was one of the first pillows I made

 Geoff's early birthday gift...I believe he was more excited about this than the pillows I made him.

At Indian Creek Winery in Jainsville.  It was such a gorgeous night to relax on the patio and sip wine with these amazing girls.

Hope everyone has a great week!! I will hopefully have time this week {in between study sessions} to upload my recent photos over the last couple weeks.  Wish me luck on my GRE!! 

Iphone photos

I realized that I have not updated any of you with my recent photos.  I haven't been too busy with crafts lately.  My newest addiction is Netflix....which is not helping me get homework done.  {I'm waiting for it to do itself.}  Anyways...heres a few photos of the end of my summer.. :(

Meghan Ava and I hanging out at the pool after swimming lessons.

The jar filled with swedish fish and octopus that Ava made me for teaching her how to "swim like a fish." She also chose Little Mermaid stickers remembering how much I love those movies!

The notecards that I had made over the last two semesters of school...I'm hoping that I do not make nearly as many this school year.

My newest sewing project is pillows!!...more to come on that later!

Hope everyone has a great week...I know I'm already for my weekend.  I will be busy antiquing and wine tasting!!! :)

my summer at a glance

Boy has the summer flown by!!..I've been so busy with school, work, going to the lake, baseball games, and spending time with friends and family that I haven't had time to do any new crafts :( ..hopefully I will be able to work on some soon!  I have been taken tons of pictures on my iphone so here are a few of my summer so far!...

of course its wedding season...so far I've had two weddings, I have 3 more before the summer is over!! Here are a few pictures of friends and I at Zach and Danielle Thissen's wedding!

a. Matt & Geoff celebrating

b. Bailey & I {the future bride!}

c. Matt, Geoff, & Travis

d. Steph & I

e.  Geoffrey & I

 The recent street dances I've gone to!  

 Kailee, Meghan, & I before the Maynard Street dance

Jessica, Kailee, & Lydia during the Granite Falls Western Fest Street dance

Summer is about spending time with family and friends which I have been doing a lot of!

a. Jerry fishing {his first bullhead}

b. Jacob & I at his graduation

c. Jerry during his hoopshoot

d. Kayla & I celebrating the 4th of July

e. Date nights with Geoffrey

f. Under the fireworks with Geoff on the 4th

 Baseball games have been a large part of my last couple summers.. I'm starting the love the game more and more.  Geoff recently switched teams and is now playing for the Raymond Rockets.  Although, red isn't my favorite color I believe its his new color and he also looks pretty good in it ;)

Thats my summer at a glance so far...hopefully the rest of it doesn't fly by too fast.  I hope you are all having a wonderful summer as well.

Iphone photos

I've decided to post once a week the photos I've taken over the week on my phone.  So here are a few pics from last week...                                                                                                                                

                                       

         1. Geoff and I had a wedding this past weekend--just the beginning of many many more to come this summer.  2. Missing my best friend Nichole this week since she's been off in croatia having a blast without me. 3. I babysat the cutest 1 yr old in the world the other day!-Arianna