Friday, February 29, 2008

I heart Collaging!!!


I have to say, for those of you that do not already know, that I am what I believe to be as the #1 FAN of collaging! I LOVE COLLAGES!! It is my favorite artsy & creative thing to do with pics of family & friends as well as random odds & ends, fabric and found objects. I get so excited when I am working on one and then see it finished in all of it's creative cut & paste glory! Well, I don't really cut with scissors or paste with glue much these days as most of my pieces are all digital done in Photoshop, but it excites me just the same. I have a journal that I have done tons of collages in over the years and then I have a bunch of random photograph ones, too. I think it's almost like a therapy thing for me sometimes... I can just get lost in collage land and go to town focusing on little images and things that make me feel filled with joy inside! I just threw this one here together the other day of mostly recent family and friend pics and while it is not so "collage-y" looking, it puts a BIG SMILE on my face when I look at it and feel all of the people that mean so much to me smiling back! Do tell- what's your favorite crafty thing to do that makes you smile?! XOXO

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

HAIR- The long & short of it...

Okay, so I am a HUGE fan of any makeover show- I mean, who doesn't LOVE a good makeoever- or a bad one at that, right??!! I adore them all equally and watch them all regularly!
The part I just don't get though, is when someone gets all re-done and is lookin' all FAB in their new clothing, shoes & accessories and then it comes time for the hair part and SSKKKRRREEETTTTCCCHHHHH- they SLAM on the brakes and say, "OH MY GOD, NOT MY PRECIOUS HAIR!!!" Are you SERIOUS??!! I just don't get when someone is so attached to their hair, like it's a limb that they will no longer be able to function without once it's cut off or something!! I do have feelings, don't get me wrong, and I can respect someone that has special love for their hair, I just don't understand how one can be so cut off (no pun intended!) to the idea of change in the form of a haircut! It's really not that serious, people!!

In fact, a haircut, especially a drastic one, is one of the best experiences and feelings ever! And so many women seem to be stuck on the fact that they think only long hair is sexy- What's up with that?! I sooo do NOT agree at all! I personally have had long and short hair both and pretty much every length, style and color in between and I am here to tell you- it's all going to be okay!! In fact, it won't only be okay, but probably even better if you are willing to give it a chance!! Hair is so much fun and can be anything you want it to be... think about it... that's the way I have always felt about hair because I feel it's one of the only things we can regularly and drastically change on ourselves and we have so many options as to what we can do to it. And the best part- if you don't like it or get sick of it- IT GROWS BACK!!!

So, I actually find it fun to use hair as an extension of one's personal style, almost like an accessory! I think short funky hair can be sassy and fun and long hair can be sleek and sophisticated. But I also think that all hair lengths can be anything you want them to be... sexy, funky, preppy, alternative, sophisticated, etc and you just have to work with what you've got to figure out all of the wonderful things you can do to it!

I have long-ish hair right now, about 5" below my shoulders at the moment, but I have to say I miss my short hair a LOT!! I think I will cut it after I get married, only because I picture myself with long, silky blonde hair in my wedding and in a year or so when we get married, my hair will be even longer and more pretty for pictures! I feel more edgy and stylish with short hair, though, if that makes sense. I think there's a lot more you can do with it and have fun with products and different styles with a short cut.

What's your current hair obsession or hair length opinions?
Do tell, dolls! XOXO

Friday, February 15, 2008

OH WHAT A NIGHT!!!

Best Valentine's Day EVER- hands down! We had the most amazing night! I love being in LOVE & ENGAGED!! *Swoon* I am such a lucky gal! ; )

Oh, and btw, I decided that a T.J.I.F. post every single Friday is sooo not my style! It's a little too structured, boring and predictable for my taste! So, I will be doing whatever I want on Fridays from now on as well as the rest of the days of the week! This journal is for me to have fun and write about and show pics of whatever is joyful in my life at the moment, so that's what I am gonna do! XOXO

Thursday, February 14, 2008

LOVE is in the air...


Hope all of my family, friends and readers have a fantastic day celebrating the wonderful thing called LOVE!!! I will be out tonight with my sweetheart having a a nice, romantic Italian dinner- How special that we are celebrating our first Valentine's Day as an engaged couple!! Awwww, I am soooooo in LOVE!!! XOXO

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

VALENTINE'S DAY SHOPPING GALORE!!!


RUN, DON'T WALK to your local Forever 21 store tonight or tomorrow and stock up on GORGEOUS Valentine's Day attire!! This is why... I was doing my daily browsing on a few of my fave online stores and realized that Forever 21 has all kinds of awesome stuff from jewelry and lingerie to dresses and shoes that would be perfect to wear while celebrating the big day of LOVE!! Whether you are attached like me and going out for a nice romantic dinner with your honey, or planning a girl's night out and hitting the club with a group of your besties- they have you and your style covered!

I picked some of my favorite items and grabbed a bunch of photos off of http://www.forever21.com/ and broke them down into the following categories; sexy, sweet, romantic and funky as I saw fit and had a blast imagining what girls all over the place will be looking like tomorrow night in similar attire! And best of all, nothing shown here is over $30.00- how could you not just buy it all??!!

Well whatever you have planned, dolls, just enjoy yourself!! Don't forget to be in the moment and make sure romance is in the air!! Happy (early) Valentine's Day, and of course, Happy shopping!!! XOXO

Friday, February 1, 2008

T.J.I.F.!!! Here's to another joyful week...


Howdy partners! I have been a little busy doing all sorts of random things that have taken up my time as of late so I have not written in here as much as I had hoped/planned, but sometimes life happens and things don't go exactly as expected... ya know?! So I like to say, and constantly remind myself, ACCEPT- DON'T EXPECT!! It's a lot easier to be happy and never feel let down under that way of thinking.


Anyhoo, it's that time again... yet another fabulous Friday is upon us, so here's this week's T.J.I.F. post of all the things that brought joy to my life throughout the week!


1- A joyful website link
http://www.ebay.com/
Now I know what you're thinking... ebay? Couldn't she come up with anything better? But I have to say, I am pretty much addicted and it's not just this week, it's always! I have been selling on there for a few years under the name devildollbaby but more importantly I have been shopping on there since 2001 and have found some amazing stuff at really fantastic deals! The thrill of the hunt and the rush of winning auctions is quite a good time in my book! And who doesn't love shopping from the comfort of their own office or home at any time of the day or night?! Well, I do and I am a huge ebay fan!


2- An inspirational quote
"There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will." -Epictetus

Just a note on that... I think that most people I run into take everything waaaay too seriously and for the most art I feel like everything doesn't have to be that way... we can all relax a little bit and let the things that we cannot change be things that we truly do not worry about, and that is most things to me... I am working on letting go of the feeling that I need to be in control all of the time and just try to go with the flow more often... it's quite nice because you really do realize that you can live a more peaceful and joyful life!


3- An item I am currently obsessing over
I don't have a specific link to an item on this go around here because what I am obsessing over this week is a new phone with some type of flip out keyboard for easier texting!! I know there are a million different models and styles as these are all the rage right now, but I am definitely on a mission to find just the right one and get it! I am sick of my current phone that I am always getting dropped calls on in Nextel-hell, so it's absolutely time to upgrade and I figure I must get a more text-friendly phone if I am going to make the investment... so I am thinking a sidekick or blackberry of sorts, not sure yet... will keep you posted.


4- A tidbit of life advice
Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions. I couldn't have said it better myself!


5- A random person/place/thing I am into at the moment
Gotta go with the Desert Pear Margaritas from Longhorn Steakhouse http://www.longhornsteakhouse.com/splash.asp for this week! My honey and I just had about 4 each of them last night and I just LOVE them! If you have never tried them, it's a MUST! They are delicious... a little fruity, a little sour and a LOT yummy!! Cheers!!!

That's gonna do it for me on this lovely Friday... have a great weekend, dolls! Only 8 more days till my b-day... YEA!! XOXO

Photo credits; www.deviantart.com/deviation/52187384/, http://www.ebay.com/, http://www.sonicanime.net/, www.longhornsteakhouse.com/splash.asp