Return Addresses Can Be Your Friend

Sorry it's been WAY too long since I've posted something...We've been busy with the dog, work, our 1 year anniversary cruise (!), etc.

So I've mentioned before that I work at a stationery/gift shop called PlainJane Designs, and I just got an order in for something that is changing the way I send mail!

We have a vendor called PSA Essentials and they specialize in stamps. I decided to jump on their bandwagon and I ordered a return address stamp from our store. I love it!! Here is a picture of the design I got (it's not my address, but it's an example of what mine looks like):

 Let me know if you're interested in ordering one! It makes personal notes and even bills that much more pleasant. Thank you PlainJane!

Rescue

Some of our friends from church, Bryson and Emily, had the amazing experience and blessing of adoption this past January. Their new little girl, Evyn, came from Ethiopia and she has clearly been a light in their life (based on her smile alone, I can see why).

They just put together an incredible video that shares their journey, and it's definitely worth watching. Just being a part of their story has blown me away, and they do such a great job reminding us that adoption is a rescue, just as Christ rescued us.


Evyn's Gotcha Day + Adoption story from emily Vogeltanz on Vimeo.

May Merriment

Sorry it's been so long since I've said anything! I blame it on this new little guy:

Yes, we got a puppy. His name is Duncan and he's a lab-mix. He certainly is a rascal, but he's precious and has quite the personality. We've been pretty preoccupied as of late, but in a good way :)

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On another note, I want to be sure you all know about some Stella & Dot deals that I'm offering this month! If you order a piece of jewelry at www.stelladot.com/annaarmstrong under the hostess name "May Jewelry", you'll get a flat shipping rate of only $5.95! Believe me, some of the jewelry can be heavy and this pays off!

Also, if you order by May 31st, I'll put you in the running for a free pair of earrings. It will be worth it! If you are interested in hosting a trunk show to get some amazing jewelry credits, e-mail be at annaarmstrong01@gmail.com.

Not only that, but there is some great jewelry on sale right now!

Bloom Flower Necklace $62

Berry Cocktail Ring $19!

If you want to order, but are not sure what you are looking for, e-mail me at annaarmstrong01@gmail.com.

Hair Lop

So I got a major haircut this week! I had been thinking about cutting my hair short some, but sometimes I get a little impulsive :) It feels so different, but I'm liking it!! I've never had my hair this short before...

Before:

After:

It's still taking a little getting used to, but I think it's going to grow on me!

Plain Jane Designs

So tomorrow I'm starting to train in a new job at an invitation & gifts boutique called Plain Jane Designs. I'm really excited about this new chapter of my life!

I have a friend who needs to step out of her position, so I'm going to step in as their new invitation printer. I love the idea of doing something fun and lighthearted at this stage of my life, not to mention I'll be working in a great part of town.

If you need any invitations made, this is the place to do it! Showers, birthdays, weddings, you name it!

They don't really have a website, but take a look at their Facebook page!

Kitchen Island in the Making

Daniel and I LOVE projects, and we've been busy lately with some fun ones! Our project this evening is making a kitchen island.

We currently don't have one, but would really enjoy the extra storage and counter space. We have a good amount of space for one, so I think it will be a great addition.

We went to a thrift store in Athens and found the storage piece below that we will restore:

Daniel is going to take out the back, so it's open, then I'll paint it a shade of tan and antique it.

Next Day:
Daniel finished repairing and solidifying our island, so then I painted it! I just used leftover paint from the walls in our house (efficient, right?). I only did one coat so it looked antiqued and old.

It turned out so well! Better than I thought it would! We're using baskets from Target instead of building a drawer, and we sealed the surface with a table top resin so it's protected from any spills. All in all, we're really happy about it! Very cost efficient.

Goodreads

One of my favorite Web sites is called Goodreads. Basically, you have a profile where you can make a list of all the books you've read, give them reviews, etc. On mine, I've made a separate 2010 Reading List (that I need to get cranking on), and other people can see what I intend to read this year!

It IS a protected site, though, so you can approve certain users to be your "friend" on Goodreads.

I have definitely found it easy to get lost in this site simply because it gave me a chance to reminisce on all of the great classics and comedies that I've read over the years. You find yourself searching for every book you can think of to add to your list. I love it!

Anyone have any books on their list they would recommend?