Creative Friday--Christmas Edition

Landon and I went to Michelle's house for Creative Friday on December 27th. Landon hadn't been over there in months, so it was nice to go together again. We took this photo at a stoplight and the glare makes it look like I have blue teeth!

I splurged and got Los Hermanos take out for our lunch!

These lovely homemade candlesticks from Jessie's husband Timm were on Michelle's table instead of the green apples.

It was very exciting to be receiving lovely gifts from both Michelle and her mom! 

Michelle gave me this cute and comfy pajamas (which I'm wearning now as I type this) and an awesome kit with notebook paper gift bags, matching Washi tape, baker's twine and tags! I love it!! Michelle's mom Susan gave me some awesome notebook paper gift tags, Christmas napkins, alphabet masking tape (very cool) and a decorative bird nesting on shredded book pages. It was delightful! (Sadly I forgot my real camera so these are all photos from my phone and aren't great.)

These are the gifts I gave Michelle.

A gift certificate for a pedicure, some cloud socks and a bag of Cadbury Eggs.

And the world's cutest door mat! She had a similar one on her Amazon Wish List but it was no longer available and this was almost exactly like it. It's painfully cute really, especially with her turquoise door.

The boys played games in the family room and sound like men now, which is weird.

Michelle wrote thank you notes and I cut out a ton of tags I'd had printed...I will be prepared for next Christmas' tag needs for sure.

Pleasing no? These are all designs I downloaded from Pinterest for free.

The boys ended up coming over to the table to work on a puzzle Michelle had started the day before.

Max was home from BYU for Christmas Break!

Landon and Lucas exchanged presents...earbuds for Landon and a Cold Stone gift card for Lucas.

 Lando's card to Lucas.

I wrote 8 thank you notes.

Lucas ended up leaving to go out with friends because we thought we would be going home soon, but we ended up staying another 3 hours because we got sucked into the puzzle!

We finished it (mostly they did, but I did a bit at the end).

**Do you enjoy cute gift tags?

Do you have a cute Welcome mat?

Do you enjoy puzzles?**

Creative Friday--5th of July Edition

Our Creative Friday last week was actually on Friday, how about that?! I failed miserably in the photo department, which surprised me because it seemed like I was taking pictures.

Michelle and I often loan each other books (which is delightful) and I was very happy to pick up these two from her. I had just finished a book the night before and was Jones'n for something great. I ended up starting Tell The Wolves I'm Home on Friday night and finished it on Sunday night (4 stars). I brought her My Name is Mary Sutter (5 stars) and The Sugar Queen (4 stars). I've read 8 books since school got out!

I picked up sandwiches from Kneaders for our lunch, this is a close-up of my Ranch Roast Beef on Country White Bread. Michell had tuna on 12 grain bread.

The boys are ginormous and impossible to photograph in a pleasing manner..oh well, I guess that's just how they are.

We were super slow to get started since we spent a long time eating our lunch and talking, but eventually Michelle got out her sewing machine so she could work on the quilt she's making for Eva's room. We didn't see a whole of Eva (which is rare) because she spent some time in her room watching a dvd and then later was in the basement writing a script!

I only wrote two, long letterish type cards so it didn't feel like I got a lot done, but one of them was to be sent as a surprise to Landon for him to receive on day 4 of his 6-day, 50-miler this week with the scouts. It felt important, so taking my time to write it was meaningful.

Creative Friday--Hooray It's Summer Edition

Michelle, Lucas and Eva came to our house today for the first Creative Friday (on a Wednesday) of summer because their air conditioner at home went out and it's way too hot for us to be creative there. Fortunately we were comfortable at my house with the windows open and one fan going, I love it when it's not super hot outside yet!

Michelle brought Kneaders for our lunch and was kind enough to stop at McDonald's for our beverages since they have the best mix.

Landon, Whitney and I thoroughly cleaned the garage yesterday so it would be in working order today for the girls. I hired Whitney to play with Eva today (for $6.50) but I think she ended up having a good time.

We enjoyed some Christmas-colored Cadbury eggs today (I hoard these).

The boys walked to the elementary school to play basketball and then down to the Sno Shack to get snow cones (hence Lucas' Tiger's Blood colored teeth), then they "willingly" posed for this photo.

Michelle is making a rather ambitious quilt for Eva's bedroom redo and spent the entire day cutting pieces for it.

She also did some texting with her air conditioner repair man who gave her an estimate of over $3000 to replace her whole system...it may end up being a very sweaty summer at the Olivier's!

I started slowly (mainly because we had so much talking to do) but eventually found my groove and wrote 8 cards.

Michelle's stack of quilt fabrics made for a pleasing picture, but as I looked at it I felt the opposite of envy because I don't want to have anything to do with a project like that...I have no patience for it!

I found my stack of stationery pleasing though.

This is how curly Whitney's hair gets after being in the water. She fights it so hard, but I'm trying to help her embrace the curl. Michelle knows all the ins and outs of having curly hair so she gave Whitney some tips about her curls.

Landon and Lucas sidewalk chalk message to any drivers who may be looking at our driveway.

A parting shot.

Creative Friday--Spring Break Edition

My mom was kind enough to take Whitney out for the day, they went shopping, to lunch and to the movies.

Rather than me bringing lunch this time, Michelle and I went to La Dolce Vida for a super tasty Italian lunch. I have been craving it all week as I've been reading The Shoemaker's Wife.

My mom was so grateful for the hour and 22 minute phone call of computer help that I gave her the day before that she made caramel popcorn for us.

The screen shot I took upon hanging up with my mom after our tech-help phone call.

 I couldn't find my address list but then found 2 old ones from many Creative Friday's gone by.

Eva had a melt down because of the strange, flying beatle type bug flying too near her while she tried to do sidewalk chalk...it took awhile to bounce back but fortunately some neighbor kids invited her to play and all was well.

 I bought these super cute cards at T.J. Maxx while out with Lori last week. She doesn't understand my stationery addiction, Michelle understands it though (hooray) and had stationery envy.

Michelle wrote birthday thank yous on these cute, flocked cards from the dollar spot at Michael's.

She also used some of her adorable cards from Stefanie with Stationery With Style, I had some envy going on this time.

This self-portrait of Eva was hanging on the fridge and delighted me all day, I think it's one of the cutest things I've ever seen.

Lucas and Landon walked to Harmon's and bought 3 packages of Peeps for .85 cents each.

Our creative "mess".

I wrote 8 cards and put a small good mail package together.

As I was packing up my stuff Eva returned and needed some mothering, Michelle is always happy to oblige.

Creative Friday--MLK Day Edition

We had school off for Martin Luther King Day (woohoo) on Monday so Landon and I went to Michelle's house for Creative Friday, and Whitney got to have a sleepover and spend the day with the cousins.

I picked up some Cafe Rio and McDonald's drinks for lunch.

Michelle's first project was to finish a stuffed animal sleeping bag for Whitney.

I don't have these skills!

Project number two was to hot glue an African Mask (more like Mardi Gras mask) for one of Lucas' costumes for his upcoming performance in "Suessical."

Lucas and Landon played chess in-between video games.

I always like seeing the creative messes on the table.

I wrote a bunch of thank you notes.

I finished working on our 2012 photo ornaments.

At one point Michelle played Sudoku on her iPad.

She also worked on this hat.

Max spent some time on the computer doing homework and filling out some scholarship applications!