Well, it's been a while.

I'm one of those bloggers that is writing about the fact that I haven't written for a while.  

Typical.

It was hard rolling back into the transition of work and mommyhood.  I'm cashing in on nap time to catch up on the blogging world.   I was going back and forth in my mind whether or not I wanted to continue this venture in blogging, and to tell you the truth, I loved it this summer.

Creating and writing, posting, and networking.

Time management, spending time with my wild man Harrison, husband, and being in my very first Craft Fair, took all my time this fall.   As time went on the space got further and further from when I last posted so heres to a fresh year, and a fresh new start on my blog.


RECAP of September, October, November, and December...

- Had yet another birthday.... 26 years old.
- Started another school year, as the Crazy art teacher.
- Harrison transitioned wonderfully into being back at day care.
- Went to the fair with H, and he loved chasing all the animals around petting them.

- Also tried giving kisses to random little girls in the petting zoo.
- Went apple picking with daddy and mommy.  H was a blast, was able to pick his own apples and the whole experience got me excited for what we are able to do as a family now that he's getting a bit older.

 






October

-Trick or treating with my little Monkey.

- Had a crazy snowstorm where we took H-man out in his snowsuit to enjoy the fresh flakes

Note that since then it has not snowed again.

- Started panicking about the fact that I hadn't done enough for my first craft fair and set up shop in my basement creating away!

 November
- Participated in my first Alternative Craft Fair.  Deemed, Not your Grandma's Craft Fair.

Had a blast and met lots of new friends, and artisans.

December
- As a result of the Craft Fair made a couple more Etsy sales.  
-Involved lots of planning and shopping for gifts.  Created and dabbled in some homemade gifts including skittles vodka and homemade crayons.
-Sent out our Christmas card with this picture that I have fallen in love with, and since have overused all over my home.

- Celebrated my husbands Christmas Birthday turned 26.  Yes, I nabbed myself a younger man.
- Had a round of sickness on our Christmas break.  Started with H-man, moved on to me, back to H-man, then on to the husband. (and the cat and dog, gross).


So here's to a new year, with a fresh rejuvenation and commitment to writing this blog.

Make Yourself Monday

Good Morning Monday....   My last Monday off with my H bug for the summer, boo.

I've decided to take part in Make Yourself Monday with Jamie from For Love Of Cupcakes.

As an art teacher I'm always looking for unique and different ways to dress and adorn myself.

I've recently decided to take part in an Alternative Craft Fair to show my artwork and my goods off.   In hopes to sell something.

I've been really into these canvas bags as of late....

They are perfect to throw my keys into, my credit card, my blackberry, and a snack for my rambunctious toddler.  This is the perfect alternative to a full size purse, which has become bulky to me as of late while doing quick errands.  I need my hands empty to stop my hurricane toddler from destroying the store.

I also discovered this clutch at my new found love, Hobby Lobby.

It's simple, it's natural, and it has leopard print inside.  That was a surprise to me when opening it, I didn't read the description to well obviously.

So I've been taking these items and making them my own.  I've been using my first one day in day out, and am in LOVE.  I throw the small purse inside my big purse on days where I feel like using one of my many large bags. 

   

This is one of the smaller purses that I happen to use day to day.

This is the larger size one, about 6in x 9in.

A close up of one of my 'small' purses.

Yet another small purse.

Now I kind of fell in love with this one and am debating whether I should add some color in small spots.  I love that when you close the clutch all you can see are a couple of curls if you want to mellow the look down.

 

 

As an art teacher I do create work of my own as well.  So naturally I put some in my Etsy shop.

As well as a drawing in ink.

Now I do all the typical fabric flower headbands, flower bobby pins, and pins like many of us bloggers out there as well.

I also dabble in doing inappropriate onesies for babies.  I loved putting my son in these... my husband hated it.  Which made it that much more fun.

So I do a little here, do a little there, and you can find most of it over at my website on Etsy... 

Swims At Midnight

Or you can contact me through my Facebook page at

Swims At Midnight, on Facebook

I'm going to be participating in a couple of giveaways very soon including one of my own fabric flower headbands, and BasicH2 an organic cleaner from Andrea.

Ashley