goodbye May... hello summer!

(source)

It's definitely summer in Maryland.

Yesterday we reached 99 degrees. 99! The next few days aren't supposed to spare us much heat, but we'll push through..

This week will bring quite a bit of joy to me as I prepare to wrap up the school year and watch students who are very special to me walk across the stage at graduation. This year, being my 4th year teaching, I will watch the students I taught as freshmen walk across the stage. It's a really touching experience to watch young people grow up and see who they become throughout four extremely influential years. It's one of the reasons why I know I will always have some job in education.

This weekend begins summer break, and it's also the Frederick Art Festival downtown on Caroll Creek. I had been accepted as a vendor, but with the condo closing coming up, and my trip to San Fran (that I have yet to blog about... yikes!) I couldn't afford to pay the fee. It's okay, though. I have a show in Annapolis in two weeks, so like everything else in life, it balances out in the end!

This week I'm turning most of my attention to finishing up some inventory (bloom brooches, new necklaces, new product w/t-yarn, etc., etc.). I'm excited about the extra time to get into new designs and creations! I have a few vintage crochet books that are practically jumping in my face for attention. Their time will come.... soon.

What is on your plate this week?

P.S. Don't forget... 15% your COMPLETE order right now @ Donna's Decembers! Use SUMMER15 at checkout!

ETA: I will have a table set up outside The Muse this SUNDAY in downtown Frederick, Maryland. I'll be previewing new items (t-yarn!), but will also have some of the classic necklaces and accessories, too!

summer sale!

He may act like he wants a secretary...

I'm not sure if anyone has noticed, but Mad Men won't be on the air this summer. It sort of breaks my heart a little, but I'm finding small ways to cope.

I own the first three seasons on DVD and because we're just shy of the time when Mad Men would be appearing on our televsion again, I've started from scratch with Season 1. I used to be a big "TV on DVD" or "anything on DVD" kind of person, but Netflix completely cured me of the frivolous spending. I find that the only media I may ever buy on DVD again are shows like Mad Men or vintage classics that Netflix doesn't carry, like That Girl and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. I find that Mad Men is a reliable source of inspiration for me, plus, I never feel like I'm throwing away too many brain power when watching since it is so incredibly written and produced.

I was doing a little snooping around the Mad Men website and found some really fun features. The Fashion Flip Book for season 4 has me drooling to no end. Janie Bryant is such a talented stylist. She walks through multiple slides explaining the pieces each character is wearing in a specific scene. She explains the structure of the piece, as well as why it was chosen for that specific character and episode! Yum!

You can take a short quiz to see which Mad Men Character You Are.  I was surprised to find out that I am Roger Sterling! I don't know what to say about this, but I do know that he is one silver fox in my eyes. I have always thought he was a sexy man. ha!

As you can tell, I'm just passing the time over here. I am ready and so excited for season 5. I just want to know if they had to rid of 2 characters (that was a contractual debate that kept filming postponed) and what happens with Don & Megan! Goodness!

Are you yearning for some Mad Men?

Do you have a show that's helping you bide the time?

So much MCM furniture!

If you live relatively close to Frederick, Maryland, I encourage you to make a day-trip today or tomorrow... but I wouldn't wait long...

As you know, I had to go pick up the MCM credenza I purchased yesterday. I walked into the thrift shop and was shocked when I saw this beauty sitting on the sale floor. It wasn't there yesterday when I was browsing, or I probably would've tried to snatch it up. It's only $25! Amazing!

So someone needs to come and purchase it, and love it, so I can stop thinking about it!

I'm off to crochet like a mad woman and play with yarn all day! Cory and I are heading up to visit some friends for dinner and take a look at the fish farm they live on! That's right... we have friends whom live on a fish farm.

How are you enjoying your Sunday?

xo,
Liz

P.S. If you're serious about the couch, get in touch w/me and I'll send you the address of the thrift shop!

Twitter: @donnasdecembers

Email: donnasdecembers(at)gmail(dot)com

The Power of a Yard Sale

Could you imagine going to a yard sale, findinga box of old negatives, coming home, printing them, and realizing you just developed pictures of Marilyn Monroe? Goodness... talk about a heart attack.

To me, this story is incredible. Read it here.

The deal of the year.

Greetings! I hope you're enjoying this Memorial Day weekend if you're in the states; if you aren't in the states, I still hope you're enjoying the weekend!

This morning I had a pretty solid to-do-list infront of me comprised of typical Saturday errands (bank, post office, grocery store, etc.). I promised myself a little yardsale shopping or thrifting once the errands were finished up. After all, it's Memorial Day, and I thought the yardsales would be in excess.

Once I finished my errands, I was feeling a little sheepish about stopping at random yardsales and sifting through stuff infront of the owners, so I decided to head to the thrift shop closest to my house.

I am so glad I did! The thrift shop was selling this mid-century modern credenza for a grand total of.... $40! I couldn't believe it. Just the other day I mentioned that I noticed a crendza at the Vintage store in town, but it was a bit out of my price range. Looks like it is no longer an issue! I was only able to snap a quick photo on my cell phone before we had to leave, but here's a little peak!

oh. em. gee.

I can't believe it's coming home to me tomorrow!

So, in order to have it in top shape before we move into the condo, we're going to have Cory's uncle (who builds furniture) look at it. I'm pretty sure the top is going to need to be sanded and refnished, but it will be SO perfect once it reaches our front door!

I did a little research online and here is a very fair comparison to what it looks like in top shape, post-cleaning, non-flourecent lighting.

And hey... it was only $40!

Liz

I need to be fed

There is no doubt about it, this school year is one for the books. It has been the most emotionally challenging year of my career. I have learned a lot throughout the last nine months, but I also am feeling pretty burned out and exhausted. In the early part of this semester, my coworker told me about a conversation she observed while at church. Here's a mini version:

A woman who had regularly taught adult classes at the church decided to take a semester off. Instead of teaching classes, she decided to take classes. When a church member asked her why she wasn't teaching, her response was so simple and poignant, "I need to be fed."

This is exactly how I feel.

Right now, I don't feel like I have the spark I normally do in regards to teaching or education in general. What is bothering me the most, is that I'm sad over not being even a little bit sad about this school year ending. This time last year I was so sad to leave my students as we had grown such an awesome bond with one another. I felt respected by them, and I respected how much they had grown up and became young adults in the short time that I knew them.

 I know I have some great students, but for some reason I can't seem to remove this haze of negativity that is blinding me. I walk into my school every day with an optimistic frame of mind and am constantly trying to urge myself to "stay positive", but I'm frustrated because, by the end of the day, I'm miserable. The drama of colleagues and the disrespect from students is overwhelming to me.

Will summer break help? Definitely. We had a very short summer last year and I did not feel rested at all when it was time to return to work.

I think, bottom line, I just need to be fed right now. I need some good. I need optimisim and positivity to really melt into my bones and daily atmosphere. I need to feel some rich, quality time with friends. I need to enjoy the company of my husband. I need to be able to go at my own pace.

In effort of "feeding" myself, I picked up a book while in the airport in Baltimore waiting for my plane to San Francisco.

I really enjoyed Rubin's concept of realizing that in an average, day-to-day life, you don't have to be "un-happy" in order to want to be "happier." I admire her boldness in reaching out and trying to make the most of life by focusing on just a few traits a month, ultimately leading up to one heck of a December.

I think this theory is something I would like to incorporate into my own life at the beginning of sumer. I also think that her experience with meditation is something I deeply crave. I want to feel more serenity and calmness in my every day emotions; the only way to do this is to begin mediating on a regular basis.

So, as I came to the completion of the book, I felt like I had fed myself a little, but I am still needing more. I am open to anything. Books, movies, activities, etc. to try to enrich my state of mind.

Since I'm feeling so empty right now, I think I'm just going to look at it as starting from scratch. Therefore, I am open to any/all recommendations.

Do you have any suggestions for me?

The unofficial start to summer..

Hey all..

I am really looking forward to this weekend. With Memorial Day comes yard saling, picnics, the opening of swimming pools, and a lot of lemonade!

Check out these adorable vintage Memorial Day photos from 1942!

What are your plans for the weekend?

A little taste of San Fran

I'm back in Maryland safe and sound! I'll be back tomorrow with a recap of San Francisco!

I'll be seeing you...

See you Sunday!

I'm in love with this photo...

Johnny Cash with his custom guitar.

The Book that Changed Me...

When it comes to food, I've always had a pretty distinct outlook. I like fresh, colorful foods that don't make me feel like an oil pit afterward.

Fortunately, my mother was always extremely conscious of making sure my family ate a balanced diet (according to the food triangle at least) of loads of fruit and veggies. In fact, I can remember times where we would just have fruit and veggies for dinner. It made me a pretty good eater, and as a result, I have never had to stick to any trend diet.

As I got older, I realized that a lot of my health revovles around what I eat, but also how much. I truly believe that the best diet is portion control. Recently, I've been having to come to terms with how my body is finally "growing into itself" and my metabolism just isn't what it used to be. So I started to talk to some friends and family members about it, and then a few weeks ago, while in the book store, I picked up this:

I thought that some of my food choices were obvious... limited soda/caffiene, whole wheat pasta... but this book is so chulk full of good tips whether you're grocery shopping, eating out at your name brand locations, or picking out meals for the little ones.

For me, it was nice to see some of our every day choices pop up.... pesto, 100% whole wheat bread, but I was surprised when it came to what I should be eating at Chik-fil-a. It was such a small difference on the menu, but a HUGE difference calorie wise. Pretty interesting stuff...

Anyway... if you're in the market for a little help when it comes to balancing your diet, I strongly recommend this book (and the rest of the series)! It's small enough to fit in your purse so you can use it whenever you're out and about... or even stick it in the glove compartment. It has been the help I've been needing to make sure I'm putting the right things in my body and not over doing it.

Plus, I've lost 5 pounds since I started following their guidelines!

Score!

xo,

Liz

Vintage Crochet Inspiration

I've been collecting a pretty massive set of old-school crochet books from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. There are so many cool stitches and patterns, that I just can't seem to get enough. In June, I'll be giving a few of these special collections away ;) (stay tuned).

I've also been trolling the internet for some vintage crochet inspiration and I defintely want to share that with you right now! Enjoy :)

Kickin' it Old School... & a bonus

Hey ya'll!

As you know, I'm getting ready to embark on a little mother/daughter weekend. I had to run a few after-school errands and pick up some things I'll need before and during my trip. While I was roaming the aisles at Target, I decided to pick up something special from the past.

What is it?

Is it icecream wrapped up for astronauts?

No... it's a disposable camera!

What's a disposable camera you ask?

haha I know... it's been that long.

If you don't read Busy Bee Lauren's blog, you gotta. She's a hilarious girl from Arizona who has a natural voice and speaks her opinion. I enjoy her blog because she's not afraid to put herself out there and seems to find herself in similar situations as most early to mid 20s gals that I know (even me!). I also feel like whatever she is sharing, I can either personally relate, or I want to send that particular post to a dear friend of mine to know they aren't alone or that someone out there might share their brain! Crazy!

A few weeks ago, Lauren posted about a cool project where she distroyed a disposable camera to see what kind of affect the photos would get. Lesson learned... the photos were pretty rad.

Here's a taste:

So, I immediately was drawn to this idea of destroying something as simple as a disposable camera (I mean.. less than $4. Come on!), and getting such beautiful results!

So this is why the two pack is great. I'm going to use one FOR REAL in San Francisco to see what kind of photos I get. It's been SO long since I have been without my dslr, I'm pretty spoiled. I'm no pro, but to think of where I was before my dslr came along... it's scary. The other camera will be added to throughout the days. I already have plans of coloring the flash and lense yellow/orange (whichever Sharpie I can find first) and adding some clear plastic wrap around it so the lense isn't clear. Maybe I'll go crazy like Lauren, but I definitely want to make it my own! This will be a fun experiement.

And on that note... here is a picture of me where I have no neck. lol

BONUS:

All Donna's readers/followers/friends can claim 15% off their entire purchase now-Sunday by using the discount code 'Summer15'.

Why?

Because I am SO ready for summer! Yes indeed :)

Vintage Ads

I've been looking up vintage ads/posters for a place in our new condo, and I stumbled across a few that particularly caught my eye. Although the last one is a little provocative, it made me giggle. People can be so clever ;).

A few photos from my phone

I have been really bad about taking my dslr out and about recently. I think that I have been carrying so much yarn and so many books with me wherever I go, one more heavy thing just isn't on my priority list. That will allllllllll change once summer rolls around (hopefully).

Here's a look at life from my cell phone:

Breakfast outside on Saturday morning.

While thrifting, I saw this sign yesterday (which was also Saturday May 14th).

I am developing an obsession with all things brass and chandelier crystals.

 Greek Festival!

Mother's Day dinner at the German restaurant, Speisekarte

Sloane wearing my blinged aviators... it's blurry because she was about (this close) to take them off.

My spring/summer wallet above the heap of white... that also seems to be a new obsession.

my FAVORITE. yum. Made in Maryland and sold at Sephora! Perfect!

Me wearing my aviators and rosebud salve!

My friend's chucks that happen to be Oriole themed :)

Oriole Park @ Camden Yards!

Good night!

Liz

New Items in the Shop!

It's been a while since I've posted new items in the shop. Since it's craft show season, I haven't had the opportunity to keep much inventory in stock, but because of a show being canceled this past weekend, I happen to have LOADS of inventory right now!

Here's a taste of what I've added:

Note: These beret hats are made with organic cotton and are the PERFECT cover up for your no-good hair days in the summer. They are so light weight and really just perfect. I love them and wear them nearly every day over the weekend!

DIY Sunday

Good morning! I'm up and at 'em today. Already tackled cleaning out the closet and beginning the laundry for the day.

I'm planning on crocheting quite a bit of flower appliques today for various projects but am definitely in the mood to get my craft on in many different ways. I've noticed a lot of great DIYs floating around the web, so I wanted to share them with you!

Modern Friendship Bracelets via A Beautiful Mess:

Green Circle Crocheted Necklace via Craftzine via Happy Together

Cereal Box turned Pencil Case via Craftzine

Wedding Clutch via The Purl Bee

Lotus Mandala Prayer Flags via Crochet w/Raymond

Trophy Coat Rack via Design Sponge

What are you working on today?

xo,

Liz