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I just wanted to say a quick Happy Anniversary to the love of my life.

Two years ago today we were married.

It was a private. little ceremony.

Just you and I and God.

You have taught me agape love.

You make me a better person.

I can't imagine life without you.

Thank you for choosing me.

I love you.

xo

janel

Sponsor Feature and Giveaway!!

Please welcome another amazing RWS sponsor!!

Again, I am so excited to have such wonderful, creative people be part of my blog each month.

I can officially say that I pretty much love everything about this one :)

Welcome belle hibou.

Name: 

Belle Hibou (Jennifer Campbell)

Tell us a bit about your blog/shop and what makes it unique!

My shop is filled with a mix of whimsical, bohemian, and nature inspired designs. I love woodland animals and I incorporate them into a lot of my jewelry.

Any fun plans or  for 2011?

My goal is to add some fun vintage pieces to my shop and also work on some new wall hanging designs.

Where can we find you online:

blog: http://bellehibou.blogspot.com/

shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/bellehibou?ref=si_shop

The lovely belle hibou has also offered up an amazing necklace for one lucky RWS reader!!

Here it is :

All you need to do is check out her BLOG or SHOP and leave her a sweet compliment right here on this post :) 
I will choose the winner on Wednesday night (3/2).
Have fun browsing and getting to know more about Jennifer!!!


xo
janel


**Run With Scissors is now accepting sponsor spots for the month of March!! If you are interested in an ad space to promote your cute blog or shop, please check out the information right here !!  I would love for you to be a part of my sweet blog :) **

week 8.

Here is my week 8 photo for my 52 week instax project.

I titled it "waiting".

pretty. pretty.

xo

janel

friday.

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So I knew this process wasn't going to be easy.

I also had no idea that it would be this hard either.

I'm kind of stressed.

I'm kind of overwhelmed.

We have A LOT on our plate right now.

I need something fun.

Something to take my mind off of everything for a day.

Any suggestions??

xo

janel

TOMS love (and the winner)

Man oh man!

New TOMS in the new spring collection, means new items added to my "wants" list :)

Here are three pairs that would be perfect sitting in my closet right now :)

First up are these awesome black fingerprint looking pair.  My black sparkle TOMS are wearing out big time so I definitely need a new black pair at some point.  

Ok, the reason for me needing this pair is obvious right?  This pair is covered with the faces and hands of Africa!!  I have a very special connection to Africa now so I just really feel like I need to "represent."

And these I love for no particular reason except they are pretty.  I love the washed out look of them. I think they are pretty rad :)

Size 9.

Seriously though, these are the most comfortable shoes on the face of the earth PLUS they are part of an amazing cause.  That is why I love them so much!

Have a great Wednesday night.

Oh and the winner of Charlie's giveaway is...

Yay Natasha!!  Send me an email with your address and I will pass it on to Charlie so that she can get your goodies in the mail!!!

BTW- there are still two more sponsor spots available for March :)

You can grab yours right here!

xo

janel

Pre-application

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Yesterday Adam and I submitted our pre-application for adoption.

This was just a pre-cursor to the real application that we will be submitting next.

This application is just as important because it determines if we qualify for the Ethiopia program.  I'm pretty sure I have checked my email and refreshed my inbox over 100 times since I sent it in yesterday evening.  

Each country has a million little tiny stipulations and I just pray that we are a great match for Ethiopia.

Any prayers and positive thoughts that you can send our way this week would be great!

xo

janel

Sponsor Feature and Giveaway!!

Hello friends!!  Today I am so excited to share a special sponsor spotlight with you!!

Meet Charlie, from Polka Dots are Love!!

Name: Charlie DeBoever

Tell us a bit about your blog/shop and what makes it unique!

Polka Dots are Love started in August as a way to motivate me to pursue my crafty adventures.  My blog follows me on my journey as I continue to create, collect, reinvent, and learn. :)

I have just recently opened my Etsy shop, and hope to use it as a way to share my humble creations with the world.  I haven't completely figured out where it is headed, but I am happy to have taken the first step!

Any fun plans or  for 2011?

In 2011 I am going to continue to find myself and follow my dreams.  I also hope to take some fun vacations.... even if we haven't figured out where to go yet!

Where can we find you online:

blog: polkadotsarelove.blogspot.com

shop:http://www.etsy.com/shop/polkadotsarelove

twitter:http://twitter.com/c_h_a_r_l_i_e_

etc.

Charlie has also generously created two adorable items for a giveaway!!
(I totally wish I could win these btw :D)

 I am giving away a felt floral head band in gray and a Felt coffee cozy with floral detailing and cute vintage button.  

All you need to do is check out her BLOG or SHOP and leave her a sweet compliment right here on this post :)
I will choose the winner on Wednesday night (2/23).
Have fun browsing and getting to know more about Charlie!!!


xo
janel


**Run With Scissors is now accepting sponsor spots for the month of March!! If you are interested in an ad space to promote your cute blog or shop, please check out the information right here !!  I would love for you to be a part of my sweet blog :) **

Sponsor RWS!

Run With Scissors is now accepting ad spaces for the month of March!!

You can grab your space right here!!!

Run With Scissors is a cute blog with a big readership that is growing daily!!

Advertising on this blog would be a great way to get your cute shop or blog out there for others to see!

Here are the details:

*  all ad spots will be featured on my blog for one whole month.  

*  The ad spot will go up on the first and taken down on the last day of the month.

*  Anyone who purchases a large ad space will also have a feature blog post written about them sometime during the month!!  This would be a great time to offer a giveaway or discount code:)

*  You will need to provide a blog widget and html code.

(If you don't have a button, Courtney is offering Run With Scissors' readers a discount on her button designs. She is incredibly talented and a wonderful person to work with for any type of design work)

You can grab your ad space spot right HERE!


I would love to showcase your shop/blog on RWS :)
Thanks!


xo
janel

all that glitters...

As of late, I have been really really digging gold.

Maybe it's my inner gangsta but I am so loving the blinged out gold look right now.

Here are some of my favorite gold inspired items right now :)

Ummm...seriously, I still really really want these glasses...

I love this woven look through the chain bracelet! I may have to try something like this out.

Heavenly.

In conclusion, I heart gold.

All image credits can be found here!

xo

janel

5000

(rob ryan)

On January 30th, I told Adam that we needed to raise $5,000 for our application fee.

(The following is a not exactly word for word but good enough version of our conversation that night)

Janel:  Adam, we need to have $5,000 just to turn in our application for adoption

Adam:  Well, if we have some fundraisers and if we save like crazy we will totally make that goal by July.

Janel: Ummm...I was thinking that we could make it by March 1.

Adam: (laughing) there is no way.

Janel:  Remember Adam, you always say that anything is possible with God on our side.

Adam: That's true. Let's do it.

I emailed all of my talented friends for donations.

Adam came up with the name "The Push for Pita"

We got busy.

I blogged and promoted the fundraiser like crazy (sorry :D)

and most importantly, we prayed.

We prayed specifically to reach our goal of $5,000 

by March 1 to send in with our application for a baby.

For our baby.

Today is February 18.

A little bit after I posted my blog post  last night announcing the fact that we were only $188.13 short of our goal, I received a phone call from one of my oldest, dearest friends.

She was calling because she had just stumbled onto my blog and read that post.

This amazing friend and her husband decided that they wanted to donate that final $188.13.

What an amazing blessing, a blessing that is beyond anything I can even say.

Our goal is met.

We are going to have a baby!!

Thank you to everyone for their support.

Thank you doesn't seem like enough

 but it's the most genuine thank you times a thousand that we can possibly say.

$5,000 in 18 days.

That's a miracle.

That's a blessing.

PTL!

xo

janel

$188.13

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That is how much money we have left to raise!!

Is God good or what?

Are my friends and family amazing or what?

Is this online community so incredibly kind and loving and generous or what?!

I am BLOWN AWAY.
There are 10 days left until we turn in our application and I just KNOW we can reach our $5,000 goal by then!

The shop still has some great items.
You can still grab a quilt square.
Or you can use the donate button on my left sidebar to make donation.
Every little bit counts and helps us get one step closer to our baby.
THANK YOU!!

xo
janel

The Pita Quilt!

The quilt top is sewn together and I am (slowly) hand embroidering names in each of the squares.  I wanted to make sure that each name was sewn with love <3 because I know what a special special memory quilt this will be for our little girl :)

Here are some close ups of some of the names so far:

I am spending tonight, during Parent Teacher conferences, embroidering more and more and more names :)

Have your purchased your square on Pita's quilt yet?  Don't you want your name embroidered as a lasting memory on this lovely quilt?

If not, grab your square here!

Also, while you are in the shop, check out everything because EVERYTHING is on sale!!

We are on the last lap of the fundraiser and we only have a little bit more to go!!

Let's reach the goal!!

xo

janel

a baby bum...

Can we just talk about the cutest thing I have ever received?

Look at these adorable cloth diapers that my dear friend Christen sent me!!

She uses cloth diapers with her daughter and is a whiz at making her own.

I love that she used vintage fabrics and the sweet ruffle details...

Can you even believe the cuteness!?  

Little tiny baby bums! 

Too cute.  

I actually have these hanging in my craft room right now because they are too cute to hide away :)

Thank you so much Christen! I am in love <3

xo

janel

planning.

Although our home is cute and wonderful just the way it is, it is teeny tiny. By teeny tiny, I mean that it's around 930-ish square feet tiny.

Don't get me wrong, I have lived here for 8 years and even with Adam and Catalina, and even a baby, it will be enough.

We would obviously LOVE a bigger home, with more storage space and a yard and a garage, but for right now, that is just not feasible. 

Our home has a bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom and a spare room.

That spare room is a jam packed, wall to wall, studio space for me.

What that room needs to be is the baby's nursery. We know that there won't be a baby occupying this room for quite awhile, maybe even a year (at the most hopefully) but still Im impulsive and I want to start getting the home baby ready.

I'm nesting... 

and I'm not even pregnant :)

So, how in the world am I going to turn all of this:

into something more like this:

Who wants craft supplies??  I have no clue where I am going to put everything that i have to pack up!  We are seriously going to have to rent a storage locker or something until we get a house.

Or maybe we can make a little studio nook in the living room near our table?  

Too much!

Any ideas how to make everything work in a small space?

xo

janel

Happy Valentine's Day.

Well hello there lovers!

I just wanted to pop into to wish all of you a very happy valentine's day.

Adam and I celebrated yesterday and it was wonderful.

He showered me with Trader Joe's chocolates and flowers...my favorite!!

I covered our living room wall with a Banner, instax photos, love letters, valentines, love inspired photos from weheartit, embroidery, doilies, and paper hearts.  

It was the biggest valentine ever and he loved it <3

 I took a photo of it for my Week 7 Instax pic too!

I think we will leave it up for awhile :)

Before, I head to work, I also wanted to post the giveaway winner!

sooooooo the winner of my 1000th post giveaway is:

After printing, cutting apart, and folding all of these comments, I realized my camera battery was dead, so I pulled the winner and just used a screen shot of the winner I pulled...so lame :)

Congratulations to lisA!!!

Email me Lisa, and tell me which item you would like from Belle Hibou!

Yay!

I hope all of you have a very blessed day full of love and happy things.

BTW- the tracker keeps creeping higher and higher...check it out on the side bar while you are here :)

xo

janel

1000!

* This post will stay at the the top of my blog until the giveaway is over so please scroll down for new posts :)*

Wow!  1,000 posts seem like a milestone right?

That is a lot of blogging :)

I remember when I had written 100 posts and I was so excited about that.

I love blogging.  I love every single thing that has come from blogging.

I love that someday I am going to be able to look back on this blog and see my life; post by post.

This virtual scrapbook of mine is a treasure :)

Because you have been part of my blogging journey, I though it would only be appropriate to have giveaway for you, lucky readers!!

Here is the deal:

The prize is this:

You can choose any one item of your choice from This shop! and it will be yours.

I am really lucky to have such talented sponsors this month.  Their blogs and shops are amazing and you should go and check out every single one :)

I love so of her items so I will purchase something special just for YOU!!

All you have to do is this :

*  Leave a comment here telling me a memorable post that sticks out from my 1000 posts on this blog !! ( 1 entry)

*  Be a follower of this blog (1 entry)

*  Tweet this giveaway (1 entry)

*  Blog this giveaway (1 entry)

*  Facebook this giveaway (1 entry)

*  Purchase something from "The Push for Pita" shop and you will get one entry per dollar that you spend starting NOW :) 

Please leave a comment for each entry!!

Thanks!!

** Giveaway ends February 14!!  Valentine's Day <3

xo

janel