new etsy shop - mac & moo

Hey there Peeps!  I should probably have waited until everything was set up but I just can't help myself...it's so cute and I love it so much!  Check out my new Etsy shop.  It will be filled with whatever I'm in the mood to create, all kinds of random goodness!  I'll no longer be stuck making just jewelry or wreaths and I'll finally have a place to sell the fabulous "stuff" I find at thrift stores and upcycle.  My dog "Maddie Moo" is part of the title because I will inevitably create all kinds of dog related things.
Well, that and the fact that I just love saying "Moo".  :)

Do you love it as much as I do?  I hope so!
And if you do and you need a new look?  Please check out Sweet Mod on Etsy.  She kinda rocks!

random thoughts - eyebrow maintenance

I had a dream the other night that I was out in a bar (hint #1 that it was a dream) dressed up in a really cute outfit (hint #2 that it was a dream, that actually trumps hint #1) talking to a group of people, when all of  a sudden I became overwhelmingly aware of my unruly and unkept eyebrows.  It was terrifying.  I didn't remember this dream until around 11:00 Friday night but I immediately took out my beloved and forgotten tweezers and "eyebrow mirror" and went to town.  When I was done I felt like a new woman!

And then I thought, I bet no other 33 year old single woman in this entire world was sitting at home on a Friday night at 11:00 tweezing her eyebrows.

And then I thought, that would be a pretty cool superpower!  What if I could know how many women out there were tweezing their eyebrows at that same moment?  Or know how many other people are washing their dog at the same moment I am?  Not that I ever wash my dog.  I mean, it would be a pretty useless superpower but neat nonetheless.  :)

Hope you all are having a great weekend!

xoxo

hello there...

For the stinky Carolina fans in Columbia.  ;)

I'm not sure where to start.  I'm still around.  I've now been off my foot for 6 weeks.  I'm staying in my dad's room, staring at his clothes in the closet and his boxes of golfballs on his dresser, which makes me miss him so much.  I'm being taken care of by my mom which I appreciate, but you never know what you are going to get with her.  And in 6 weeks she's had plenty of ups and downs which is so hard to watch.  I was fired from my job by a certified letter with no warning.  My cat in Charleston must have thought I was never coming back so he ran away about a month ago.  I haven't gotten a short term disability check or an unemployment check yet, which means I haven't had any money since the last week in July.  And I had my first physical therapy appointment today and found out that my foot isn't healed up enough to walk yet and I will be in this air cast for another 5 weeks.

With all of this said, I totally get that it's not the end of the world.  Everything will work itself out.  But I'm still in a bad mood.  And as for blogging, I figured I would spare you and not bitch and moan on here!  I'm not one to sugar coat it.  At all.  ;)

In order to make some money to pay medical bills, etc AND in an effort to do something crafty and lift my spirits, I've been making Fall and Halloween wreaths.  Thankfully, mom has fronted the cash for this project.  They aren't anything too original as I've gotten the ideas from Pinterest and Etsy but they're fun to make and I'm just selling them at my brother's store.  More pics to come soon.

**One other thing, I want to open another Etsy store where I can sell anything I make.  I can't commit to any one thing because I get bored easily.  I want to be able to sell my jewelry, maybe some wreaths and then whatever I'm in the mood for next....mason jar snow globes perhaps??  I would rather not open a million different shops.  Do you think this would work?  I am HORRIBLE at coming up with names.  For example - my jewelry shop is "It's Simply You" and my blog used to be "Simply Collins".  Anyone have any ideas to send my way??

Will catch up on your blogs soon!!  xoxo

moving along

Hello folks!  Well, it's been a little over 3 weeks since my foot surgery.  I now have 3 to 5 more weeks off my foot to go...sigh.  Something about being stuck on the couch and on crutches REALLY makes me want to move.  These photos below are a representation of exactly what I want to be doing right now.  Aren't they beautiful?  It is (or was) a photo contest called a Ballerina Project.  AMAZING.

Um, my legs used to look like that.  But my feet were better.  :)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and that Irene doesn't do much harm.  I get my stitches out next week on the 31st and then I think I get a boot instead of a cast.  I also think my roomie is setting up the downstairs bedroom for me so that I can come back to Charleston.  Woohoo!  Here's to the weekend speeding through for me!  :)

Also....still working on tweaking the blog layout.  So don't judge!  ;)

my blog love should be your blog love

I can't believe I am going to share her with you all.  If I didn't, then I could start using all her skin care tips n' tricks and you would all wonder how I quickly became so much more beautiful over night.  I could benefit from her healthy and delicious recipes that would make me fit and super hot.  I would also be known in Charleston for my mad cooking skills.  I could make all the DIY jewelry she shares on her blog and be the queen of accessories.  And you all?  You would all be left in the cold.  But nope, I'm a nice person so I will share her with you.  Sigh.  It's not easy being nice.

Now on to introducing my new favorite blog and the inspiration behind it...
Lindsay from Delighted Momma.

Lindsay and hubs

Some of her yummy recipes

She shares a ton of DIY projects, here are just a couple

And facial tips galore!

Health tips...in fact, I have already started drinking this at night.  Yuck!

Delighted Momma already has a ton of followers, so chances are you have already visited her blog.  If not...run, don't walk...on over and check it out.  It's one of those blogs that when you find it, you want to go all the way back to the beginning to make sure you don't miss anything!  It's the perfect mix of just about everything and I highly recommend it.

Well, my days are going slow.  I watch tv and stalk your blogs.  But I am enjoying my bright red cast! Hope you have a wonderful Thursday!

cool colors

I'm on my mom's laptop so I finally get to post pictures!!  It's a Mac laptop, which I know nothing about, but I am quickly falling in love with it. Maybe she won't notice if I take it back to Charleston with me??  That is if I ever get to go home!  Actually, I am incredibly thankful to be here and appreciate all help I am getting from my family.  They are being quite good to me.  :)
Anyway, if you need color inspiration for outfits, your home or even your blog...check out all the "cool colors" at Photo Card Boutique.  I have been staring at these colors for days and just didn't know how to share them with you from my iPad.

Is it obvious what kinda of colors I fancy?
Happy Sunday to all!

under construction - my blog and myself

So, I'm laid out in the backseat of the car on the way to Charleston to see my doctor about my foot. Mom's listening to Ronny Milsap and eating some kind of hot cheese something chips that smell horrendous. I'm playing with my blog layout on my iPad and it's obviously not going so well. And surprisingly none of this is annoying me, for some reason it makes me giggle. Maybe I'm starting to go a little crazy?? Fun stuff.

Well, I give up on the blog for now. Just going to stalk you all instead.
Happy Friday!

problem solved and plea for guest posts

DSLR camera bags are so big and bulky that I seriously think twice about taking it out with me. Discovered this nifty little thing in my Etsy Finds email. This way you can throw it in your bag and not worry about it.
Do you use the big bulky camera bags or have you discovered something better?
http://www.etsy.com/listing/76682045/pixbag-dslr-camera-bag-case-made-to

Sorry about the fugly link thrown in there. Stupid iPad.

So, would any of you be interested in doing a guest post for me? This not-so-pretty look that iPad is leaving me with these days is making me crazy!
Email me and let me know! It can be about anything, I'm not picky!

animal shelter love

We have some amazing volunteers that come in and take pictures for us at the shelter.  

Aren't they so damn cute?!!

how to - wrap bracelet

Saw a bracelet similar to this one on Pinterest and had to make it.  It's super easy to make.  Here goes...

• Buy the leather cord, medium sized ring and findings listed later at a Michaels or other craft store.
• Cut the leather cord about 45" for each side and wrap about the ring like shown below.

•  Wrap each side around your wrist twice.

•  These are the other findings you will need from the craft store.  Have an employee help you, they are usually super helpful if you just ask.  Don't cut the cord right in the middle of the wrist, cut it a little shorter to allow for the clasp.  Otherwise, it will be too big.  :)

•  You can then place the end of the cord into the piece listed below and use pliers to close it up tight.  I have all kinds of jewelry tools but I am sure you can find something around the house that will do the trick.

•  That's it folks!

•  I only wrapped the second one I made around once and I think I like it better.

•  This one was my favorite.  LOVE the color and it will be perfect for the fall!

Does that seem easy enough?  If not, I will be happy to make one for you and list it in my Etsy shop. Just message me and let me know what color and I will let you know the cost.  Hope you liked!