Craftaholics Anonymous Handmade Gift Exchange

This year I decided to add a new little tradition to the holidays - participating in the Craftaholics Anonymous Handmade Gift Exchange. 

The idea is simple - I make a gift for someone I don't know, and they make a gift for me.  Kind of like a secret Santa, but oh so much more fun!

And today, my gift arrived from Abbey - and I love it!

Abbey sent me handmade mittens - perfect for me since my hands are always cold.  These are extra warm, made with sweater material on the outside and fleece on the inside.  I can't wait to wear these on a cold day.  I may even wear them in the house, they are that cozy!

I'm linking to the the party at Craftaholics Anonymous.

Thank you Abbey!

Thanksgiving 2010

Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends nearby.

Book Page Wreath

OK, I did it.  I went and made myself a book page wreath.  I've seen them everywhere, and well, it was just time for me to give it a try. 

I thought this would be quick.  I read it was a 2 hour project. 

It was not quick.  It was not 2 hours. 

I think it may have been closer to 20 hours.  Spread out over a couple weeks. I had to give the burns on my fingers from my glue gun time to heal!

But it's finished.  And I love it.  And you can bet when I host my book club next month, this wreath will be displayed prominently!

I'm sharing this project with Jones Design Company.

My Fall Wreath

Today I share with you my Fall wreath.  I like it.  It didn't look like this when I first bought it many many years ago.  But it had pieces and parts that really reflected the colors of Fall, so I decided to give it a facelift.

The grapevine wreath base was a standard brown.  Which, over time, had become more and more dull.  Since our house sits back a ways from the street, I wanted something that would be brighter overall.  So...out came the trusty Krylon spray paint, and voila!  Now I have a nice bright wreath base that stands out against the black door. 

Then I added the orange ribbon.  Again, a bright touch that will transition well from Fall, to Halloween, and then back to Fall.  Once that was in place, I started adding back all of the leaves and fruit that were part of the original wreath, as well as some other items I had collected over the years.  Things like that I just don't throw away!

I'm happy with how this looks.  I really like the contrast of the colors against the door, and other than my ribbon and spray paint purchase, it cost $0 to put together!

What's hanging on your front door? 

Kasiascrafts

Keepinthesunnyside

Martha Stewart

Centsational Girl

It's Almost Here!

I'm talking about Purdue football!

Two more days until the big opening game - Notre Dame in South Bend.

We're avid Purdue fans.  Even more so since my husband's son became part of the team.  Since this is his last season, this year is even more special. 

There's so much to enjoy - the tailgating, the pre-game traditions, the band (the drum!), the rivalries, SHOUT, and a brand new Purdue Pete!

The next 3 months will be football every weekend, cheering for the black and gold.  It's so much fun joining my parents (30 year season ticket holders!) for the games.  We've been talking about football all summer, getting psyched up for this season.  We have high hopes for our team - we want to go bowling in January!

And what better way to start the season than against Notre Dame.  

Two more days and the fun begins....

It's time to Boiler Up, Hammer Down!

I'm Back

After a 6 month hiatus, I'm back!  And what better time to start blogging again than the beginning of Fall.  Ok, I know, it's not really Fall, but it's the beginning of another school year, and the beginning of  September, and the start of another football season, and starting this weekend the beginning of cooler temperatures.  In my books, that means Fall.

I love Fall.  I love the changing colors.  I love going to Purdue football games.  I love making every apple recipe I can find.  And I love decorating with all the warm hues of the season.  From pumpkin orange to cinnamon brown, from spice rust to warm gold - these are all my favorites and they show up all over the house for the next several months.

Today, for almost the 30th day this summer, it was over 90 degrees.   It's been dry, with maybe the lowest rainfall on record for the month of August. 

I'm sorry to say goodbye to Summer, but happy to say, Welcome Back Fall!

I'm Overwhelmed

I'm overwhelmed by the amazing talent and creativity that I've discovered in the last year since I started following blogs.

It all started innocently enough. I followed several different blogs as research for work, so it was easy to get started. But over time, those blogs linked to more blogs, which linked to more blogs, and then the next thing I knew I was overwhelmed by blogs!

But overwhelmed in a good way.

Bloggers are everywhere, talking about everything! And I'm getting sucked into all of it. With bloggers in my own city, and bloggers half way around the world.  I want to see what they're talking about, and what they're creating, and be a part of it. Business blogs, marketing blogs, craft blogs, shopping blogs, decorating blogs, techno blogs, event blogs, personal growth blogs. They are all there, waiting for me to discover them.

And just when I think I start to narrow my topics of interest to minimize the blogs, I stumble across another new topic and blog, and I'm hooked!

I'm going to list some of my favorite blogs on a future blog posting. If I enjoy them maybe you will enjoy them too. But I warn you - it may be overwhelming.

And of course, send me a link so I can follow your blog.

Hostess (with the Mostess)

If you enjoy entertaining and you like to create fun festive party atmospheres, then you need to explore Hostess with the Mostess.

Jennifer Sbranti has created a fun to explore blog with all sorts of tips and ideas for festive parties.

These aren't just any parties.

These are events, coordinated down to the last jelly belly and m&m.

The site features fabulously coordinated tablescapes. Perfectly themed favors. Mouth watering recipes.

And sprinkled in among all the terrific inspiration are surprise product giveaways.

If that's not enough, you will find links to even more websites with even more entertaining ideas.

And if you're like me, you'll be sucked into looking at all these wonderful blogs and websites, wanting more and more and more.

It's definitely time to throw a party...

Fun Sweet Treats

Last year I discovered Bakerella. It's a delightful blog devoted to, what else, baking.

Miss Bakerella says she got the bug for baking after taking an introductory cake decorating class. Her signature treat? Cake pops. Very simple, but oh so cute and unique. She makes thems for just about every holiday and occasion. Bunny pops, chick pops, cupcake pops, pops with a cause. You name it, she turns it into a pop.

Slowly throughout last year, her pops started popping up everywhere. Entertaining blogs across the web started talking about the cake pops from Bakerella.

And people began to take notice.

Martha noticed.

And then next thing you know, Miss Bakerella was making her pops with Martha.

How's that for an internet blogging success story?

Julie and Julia

Last weekend my husband and I watched "Julie and Julia".

It was delightfully entertaining, funny, sad, and heartwarming. A great feel good movie.

If you've been under a rock the last year, this Oscar nominated film is "Julia Child's story of her start in the cooking profession ... intertwined with blogger Julie Powell's 2002 challenge to cook all the recipes in Child's first book."

And she did. Over 500 different recipes.

Tonight I Googled Julie Powell. I found her original blog entry, just like it was featured in the movie. I read some of the over 800 comments to her blog entries, many of which came from newspaper editors and publishers in 2003 after an article about Julie appeared in the New York Times.

And I Googled Julia Child. She was a tall lady, all 6 ft. 2 inches of her. I also learned that during WWII, prior to beginning her French cooking escapades, she was a spy with the Office of Strategic Services, a huge spy network created by FDR, and a forerunner to the CIA.

So back to Julie Powell. At her husband's suggestion, she decided to spend a year blogging about the recipes in Julia Child's cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking".

And it made me wonder if - I tackled a similar project - what or who would I write about??

I think it would be Martha. Martha Stewart.

Many people often call me Martha. Not that I look like her or talk like her. Or even live in a house like her. But maybe because I take the extra effort to make events special, just like Martha would.

So what do you think? 365 days of Martha? So many books - which would I choose? Maybe something from all the books?

I'm going to give this some more thought.

In the meantime, Martha - are you listening? What do you think??

Simplify

Simplify. That's my word for 2010.

It's an easy choice.

Especially after viewing all the photos from Haiti over the last couple of weeks. When people who live on $2 a day can sing in the streets after experiencing such a horrific event, I have no right to complain about what I do or do not have. In fact, I am very blessed.

So my word for 2010 is simplify.

What's Your Word for 2010?

One of the blogs I enjoy following belongs to author and designer Ali Edwards, who is known for her unique approach to scrapbooking about everyday life. "I started scrapbooking in 2002 as a way to organize all the stuff I collected after the birth of my son. It has become so much more than an organizational process for me - it has let me find my own personal passion and voice. It has become all about the process of capturing life and creating art."

In January 2007, Ali started a public tradition of selecting a single word to focus on for the coming year, with the idea that the word will have an impact on your entire life. As Ali writes, "Maybe you want to invite something or maybe you are hoping to subtract something. Maybe your word will be practical or hopeful or creative or fanciful. Maybe you need a big word, something in-your-face that will challenge you everyday. Maybe you need something smaller and quieter that will whisper gentle tidings as you make your way throughout the year. "

Ali's word for 2010 is story.

I've decided I'm going to pick a word for 2010 too. I have a few ideas, and hope to reveal my word later this month. Something that will challenge me, direct me, and provide hope for me as I begin this new year and decade.

If you had to choose a word for 2010, what would it be?

(Photo: AP Photo/Decatur Herald & Review)

I read this today on Terri Conrad's blog.

"A blank canvas, a clean slate, a fresh bloom . . .a new year... how does each make you feel? I love them, one and all, for each represents HOPE filled with possibility. The canvas can be what whatever I want it to be - I need only choose and let my imagination direct my hand."

As 2010 gets underway, I too am excited about the opportunity a new year brings. A chance for new beginnings. A chance to try new things, join new groups, explore new ways to volunteer, create new projects. And continue to learn.

I am hopeful that twenty ten will be leaps and bounds better than 2009. For everyone.

What are we waiting for? Let's get busy designing our canvas!!

How Well Did You Live in 2009?

(Image: EPA)

As I reflect back on 2009, a lot of different emotions come to mind. Sadness, anger, fear, frustration. And anticipation at new beginnings.

Take a minute to read this post on This is Your Life Blog.

It includes 10 questions to contemplate as you begin 2010. What is your life plan? Why not get started now?

Happy New Year!

Recovery - When?

Will the job search be easier when the economy shifts from recession to recovery? And maybe even more importantly, how will we know?

I recently came across a website, MarketingProfs.com, that summarizes a great article from Gene Marks in BusinessWeek on this topic. Here are some signs that could indicate a shift to a recovery:

1. An improving Consumer Confidence Measure, released on the last Tuesday of the month.

2. Rising Commodity prices, which reflect an increase in demand for raw materials like steel and copper.

3. "Recovery" vs. "Recession" on Google Trends. "When the number of times 'Recovery' is mentioned exceeds the number of times the word 'Recession' is mentioned," he notes, "that means the media has now become bored with the 'Recession' and instead wants to talk about the 'Recovery.'"

The economy recovered in 1982 following the recession of 1980 - 1981.

Can the recovery for this recession be near?

Check out the entire BusinessWeek article here.

Staying Motivated During the Job Search

Ninety two days into the job search.

While the three months have passed with lightening speed, one of the biggest issues that I find my fellow friends "in transition" and I struggle with is motivation.

Obviously there's a huge carrot hanging in front of us when we awake each day - that phone call that will lead us to the next job interview. That job interview that will lead us to the next job offer. And finally, that shiney new job, the biggest carrot of all.

But still the question remains - how to stay motivated, day after day after day after 92 days.

A recent article on Vault.com by Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio identifies several key tips to help. If you're not already practicing this approach, now is the time to get started. The article is worth the read, but here's a quick summary:

1. Keep all the business cards you receive organized. Remember that each card represents a person, so keep it personal. Communicate often with the people you've met, and if you've not yet asked them for additional contacts so you can continue to network, now is the time.

2. Challenge yourself with both small and large goals to keep the search moving. Small goals might include meeting 4-5 new contacts each week. Large goals could include 4-5 informational meetings each week. Supersize goals could include interview preparation, reading articles related to your field, volunteering.

3. Audit your progress and adapt as necessary. If the resume is not producing results, maybe the resume needs work. If the phone interview with HR doesn't lead to a phone interview with the hiring manager, maybe you need to brush up on your interviewing content and skills.

4. Take a break for yourself. Don't burn out before you reach the carrot. Take time every day to recharge your mind, your body, or your soul. You'll feel better, and more than likely you'll be more productive once you get back to the search.

Your carrot awaits.

It is Going to be OK

Ever have one of those days? One of the my favorite sites, All Things Lovely, featured this little pick me up from Etsy seller Studio Mela.

Seems easy right now for me to have a lot of "those days". But I'm doing my best to stay positive.

Earlier this week I attended a Rainmakers event, where I had the opportunity to hear one of my new favorite people, Lorraine Ball of Roundpeg, give her outgoing speech as president of the organization.

She focused on 3 key points for small businesses to keep in mind, especially in this challenging economy. They apply to those in the middle of a job search as well.

1. Attitude

2. Action

3. Accountability

Enough said. It is going to be ok.

Leadership

One of the greatest benefits of going through a focused job search is the opportunity to be exposed to new people, new ideas, and new ways of thinking.

Yesterday I took time to do just that, attending the Indianapolis Productivity Summit sponsored by Slaughter Development. Knowing my situation, Robby Slaughter was nice enough to provide me with a free ticket to the event.

Focusing on four relevant workplace topics, Robby guided us through the what, the why, and the how for improving productivity at various levels of the organization.

One of the most interesting discussions of the day was Scott Emmett's presentation on Servant Leadership. I've been reading a lot lately on the qualities of good leadership. But Scott's points regarding servant leadership struck a chord, and I think are applicable to everyone on both a professional and personal level.

1. Know your people and/or your staff.

2. Look out for others as well as yourself.

3. Be happy with those that are happy, and sad with those that are sad.

4. We are intended to serve one another.


Four simple concepts that can make a big difference in your life and the lives of those around you.

Are you a servant leader?

The Power of Networking

Networking.

Over the last 7 weeks it's amazing how this concept has taken over my life.

It's seems no matter what I read or what I attend, this simple little concept is repeated over and over.

Network, network, network.

If you want to find a job in this challenging market, networking is key. Because you never know when - through networking - you'll make a connection with an individual that will lead you right smack to your next new job opportunity.

So I'm networking.

- I've joined LinkedIn. See my profile here.
- I've joined Smaller Indiana. See my profile here.
- I've joined Indiana Business Network. See my profile here.
- I'm attending Chamber of Commerce events.
- I'm attending events for Smaller Indiana.
- I'm attending events for Network of Women in Business.
- I'm attending any relevant seminar, class, event that comes across my computer.

All so I can make that one priceless connection leading to my next new job opportunity.

It seems everyone is talking about networking. I read a post today from Erik Deckers related to both the personal and professional benefits of networking. Maybe I should network with Erik.

Are you the connection to the connection that can lead to my next new job opportunity? If so, let's network!

Today's the Day

Today is the 1st day of my blog and day 50 of my job search. I never thought it would happen to me (the job search, that is) but apparently managment thought differently and now here I am.

The world is a different place from this side. I've always worked, so I don't know quite how to accept the idea of getting up in the morning with no place to go.

But I can't look back, I need to look forward.

So I go to work everyday, looking for a job. Looking for a job is not how it sounds. If only it were around the corner, or behind the tree in the back yard.

No, looking for a job is a very different concept, one that's taken me 50 days to start to get my arms around.

Looking for a job is a job.

So that's what I'm doing. I'm quickly becoming connected through all forms of social media. I'm attending seminars, I'm hanging out with the Chamber of Commerce, I'm doing breakfast, lunch, and appetizing to meet the next contact that will introduce me to the next contact that will introduce me to my next job.

Hopefully soon.

In the meantime, I draw inspiration from things I read, or see, or hear about that put a positive spin on the entire situation.

Like the Indianapolis Colts. Take a look at the video on their website. The Colts may not know me by name, but I know they thought of me.

That's inspiring.

Now back to my job.