Rosita Designs

love in the country (music)

2012-02-01T08:05:00.000-08:00

in early december, we went to nm for a wedding. their live band coupled with george strait on heavy rotation at the MIL's made me 'member how much i miss late 80s-early 90s country. and, since last february i did silly love songs, this year, i'm doin' country love songs.

back in the day, i was a total cowgirl...poser. yep, total poser. wore ropers and wranglers (no breathin' in those suckers!) and loved george and garth. i resisted joining FFA and didn't step foot on a ranch 'til 2000, but i was smitten with many a cowboy and loved "boot-scootin'" 'round the dance floor at honky-tonks, with appropriate names like midnight rodeo and diamond l'il's.

what a stroll down memory lane putting this list together was! i had a hard time keeping it to just 20, but these are most of my faves. now, don't go pretending you don't like country music. but, if you truly don't, we'll see ya back here for march's list.

love in the country by Raeann on Grooveshark

workin' on the workshop

2012-01-30T16:18:00.000-08:00

i've decided it's time rosita had a proper workshop. no more desk slash dining table and little square of space in the basement slash dungeon. i'm takin' over mr man's office, which really shoulda been done when rosita set up shop in the casita, but, have we met??? don't worry, i might save a little space for mr man.

mr man says once he's overcome his end-of-football depression, he's all mine (y'all, can i get a halle-friggin-lujah for the end of football??) and, i guarantee i'll be puttin' him to work. he's handy, that guy. thank goodness, cause the workshop needs work. don't believe me? see for yourself:

doth my eyes deceive me? or is there truly only one item hanging on these walls? seriously? when i make art for a living? that giant eyesore of a tv prolly hasn't been turned on in oh, like 3 years. why...is...it...still...there?? what the heck's that metal cabinet, you ask? i really shoulda taken a pic of it open. y'all...it's full of cds. like, so many we could open our own cd warehouse, full. y'all, we're a little old school, and are havin' a hard time partin' ways. can we get a moment of silence?

and, then the piles. piles on the desks. piles on the floor. piles under the futon. piles on the cabinet. piles in the closet. ewwww, i'm getting itchy thinkin' about all those piles.

holy hannah, this project can't start soon enough! so, let's talk about what i wanna do with the room. if you can't tell, the room ain't so big, so we're gonna hafta git creative. i reeeeally want floor to ceiling shelving, and a nice high, double-sided work table in the middle of the room for mr man and i to share. that means the futee's gotta go, which i'm stressin' over.

before i break out in hives, let's check out some purdy pictures of ideas brewin' in my cabeza (head, for you gringas).

all images from my pinterest boards

great, now that i've looked at all these amazing inspiration pics, i'm stressed out about how cool my room needs to be. i gotta get outta the box, peeps. do tell, have you done any makeovers lately? got any ideas for this little undertaking?!

i'll keep you posted every step of the way. next up, i'm thinking about changing the paint color!

cupid, draw back your bow

2012-01-27T07:57:00.000-08:00

i've been doin' a little updatin' to the ol' etsy shop just in time for that little chubby cherub to deliver.

say i love you with one of the basic LOVE cards.

hows about gettin' a little more graphic with you rock my world.

or, get super wovey-dovey with the beautiful scripture from solomon.

there is also the custom order (you know how i love those). if you have a special sweet nothing that you and your honey share, or if you want to order up a pack of cards for all the sweethearts in your life, give me a shout.

ah, love. ain't it grand?!

poppin' the question

2012-01-25T15:05:00.000-08:00

now that baby sister's "said yes", it's time for her to do some question poppin' of her own. to her little maids all in a row, of course. she's chompin' at the bit for me to create some kind of "will you be my bridesmaid?" thing, so i put together a leetle mood board for her to check out.

after lookin' around a little herself, she decided she likes top left corner's style. i personally love the cutey-cute paper dolls, but a friend of hers just did that.

what i can't figure out is why she didn't want to recreate the works of art i sent out 8+ years ago. i had to fancy up the peechure to make myself feel better. man, my design style has come a long way! that font! i maybe mighta gone thru a ma-hajor scrapbooking phase back in the day. if you're nice, maybe one day i'll show you my invites.

how did you pop the question? was it super cute-c (inside joke)? do tell! i promise i won't laugh (see image above).

scenes from a snow-filled week

2012-01-23T18:16:00.000-08:00

unless you were under a rock last week, chances are you're aware that mother nature gave good ol' seattle the smack down. and, since our fair city is quite ill-prepared for weather-related smack downs, mr man and i were stuck on our hill. it was pretty romantic. a blanket of white outside. me baking cookies and spiking hot chocolate inside.

i quite enjoy the occasional snow, and have no problem being cooped up for a few days, but mr man got the cabin fever. so, we set out with some cardboard for a little night sledding and a walk to the neighborhood bar.

we thawed out with a little pizza, vino and etta james. (RIP). and, capped off the weekend with a gal pal's birfday celebration.

what'd you do last week? this weekend?

i linked up to:

a few of my favorite things - january

2012-01-20T17:17:00.000-08:00

i've been thinking about doing this for a while, and what better time to start than the first month of the year!

i'm not biased because mr man works on the windows phone. i really love it. to me, it's friendlier than the iphone. (ducking) i do love a bracelet. and, the more i can fit on my wrist, the better. that cuff is to.die.for, and i've coveted the kate spade idiom bracelets for months now. this one has cute sayings about a new year, but really, i'd take any of them! downton abbey (say that with your best english accent!), how i love thee. if you haven't watched, you must! go, i say, go!

if we met on the street, chances are i'd have trixie on mah lips, and lincoln park on mah nails. buxom is a lip plumper with a little bit of sparkle and, that polish?! love with a capital l. in fact, i need a mani now! y'all...that candle! if only the screen were scratch 'n' sniff. it smells divine! it burns forever, is soy, and when the wick's gone, put it on a candle warmer, and enjoy the smell even longer. divine.

ok, what's on your list?

*images from the respective links

initially (a tutorial)

2012-01-19T12:47:00.000-08:00

wanna do the easiest tutorial ever? like seriously, easiest ever? that's the spirit! let's get started.

letters, initials, words, words, words are all the rage these days, and i've got my fair share adorning the casita. frankly, when i walk by the letter aisle at the joann's, michaels, hobby lobby persuasion, i'm hard pressed to resist dumping a few in the basket.

so, next time you're at one of the ol' crafter supply shops, don't resist the urge. pick up one or forty letters.

bring those bad boys home, and give them some color. if it isn't obv by now, black is my signature culuh. (my culuhs are blush and bashful).

then, find something around the casita with a sweet design you can use as a stencil. like, oh, i don't know, the mat from the front door. what? there's inspiration everywhere, i tell ya!

then, give those bad boys another shot of color. silver? my otha signature culuh.

and, they's done! let 'em dry, then hang 'em. or, prop 'em on a shelf or desk. or string 'em from twine over the beddy bye. you decide.

see how easy that was? hardest part is waitin' for 'em to dry. and, aren't they just the cutest things you ever done seen? mmhmm. thought so. of course, i could do it for ya, if you need me to.

and, i've since used that doormat on numerous other projects. poor thing's so confused as to its lot in life.

what y'all been workin' on? got any cool tutorials for moi?

you gotta know when to fold 'em

2012-01-17T18:27:00.000-08:00

it's no big secret around these parts that i do love a folded card. and, i try to convince everyone to order them. i've prolly tried to convince you. they're awesome - and they generate oohhs and aahhs aplenty whence received. (i've been watchin' downton abbey)

so, you can imagine my excitement when not one, but two of you lovely peepsies ordered folded holiday cards! woo to tha hoo! and, y'all, those cards were so dang cute. and, creative. now, before you say 'modest much?', i can say they're dang cute and creative, because the only thing i did was put idea to paper.

let's take a look...

see how they changed the lyrics to a favorite christmas carol to fit the haps in their lives? uh, cute! and, baby boy tucked into brightly colored christmas balls? uh, double cute! and, how instead of the 2-pg, front and back, 8 pt font christmas letter (yawn), they highlighted monthly events? cute! cute! cute!

let me just put this out there - when professional pictures are involved, it's hard to mess up the card. now, when you special order paper, then it's printed and cut wrong, that could maybe mess up the card. but, i wouldn't know anything about that. and, these pictures? awesome! they could be models! and, i seriously wanted to trade mama's boots for the cards, but alas... she had ideas, and i ran with them - in our shoes with tidbits from the year for each family member - love.it.to.death!

and, on the back, a take on the lululemon manifesto trend. i daresay (downton abbey, again) celebrate with vino is my fave! you're not surprised, are you?

the mother figure decided she wanted in on the folded action this year. at first i told her no, because i already had something in mind for her. but i started movin' the design around and realized i could make a folded card work. and, voila... (or, viola, if you're like me)

now, when it comes to middle sissy's cards, i like to push the envelope. it doesn't do wonders for the old pocket book, but my ulterior motive is that bunches of peeps will see my logo and come'a orderin' something of their own. (secret's out)

since i had some special paper left over, i decided on a funky fold. middle sissy wanted to focus on what i call 'the scripture of 2011' - glory to god in the highest. so, we did a take on that for the front, and featured the full scripture on the back. and, we filled it with pictures and pictures, because they went sans-letter this year.

in full disclosure, middle sissy's card, and my personal card were printed the 19th of december, scored and folded at 35,000 feet, and put in the mail on the 21st of december! you know what they say about the cobbler's children's shoes...

which leads me to the cobbler's card. to say that i run out of steam by the time i'm ready to design my own maybe might be the understatement of the century. i might whine so much, i resemble a 2-year old. but, once i get it together!, i can usually pull a rabbit out of the hat.

we were lucky ducks to have had perfeshunal pictures taken this year, and, man, they made designing the card easy! a little list of bright spots, and done. i even got a few compliments!

since i don't see my addiction to folded cards waning anytime soon, and, since our card has been folded 3 years in a row, i'm really gonna have to pump up the volume next year! sheesh - i better start brainstorming now!

the merry-go-round

2012-01-11T14:32:00.000-08:00

every new year, i think about writing a resolution/goals/life changes/whathaveyou post. and, every year...i don't. i mean, of course i have goals. duh. and, a ridick list of life changes. ahem. but lettin' the universe in on those goals means i maybe might hafta actually try to attain them. and, that reminds me of barftastic corporate annual reviews. and, that makes me wanna break out in hives. the thought alone makes me itchy. mo.ving.on.

sorry - i really wanted to work on my digressions and tangents, but alas - it seems they's here to stay. sheesh - what were we talking about?

oh, right. the merry-go-round. things is crazy, y'all. and, that is ~~sucka~~ (how could i delete that typo?!) such a good thing! after a two week holiday break full of snow, baby spoiling and cancelled flights, i'm back, with my runnin' shoes on.

this year promises to be a good one (good riddance, 2011), and here's a sneak peek at what's on tha horizon...

onesie cuteness

celebrating baby over a little bubbly

and, the most exciting news of all - baby sister GOT ENGAGED!!! so, get set for oodles and oodles of fun designs, and a healthy dish of sisterly advice. pshaw - goes in one ear and out tha other with that one - poor child was blessed with three mamas.

i'll also be back with a recap of some super creative holiday cards. i love custom - you guys make this job so fun!

let's finish off this post with a little look see at our new year's shenanigans. we tore middle sissy and the farmer away from the kiddies and had a large time in downtown dallas.

don't be jelly - they're taken. at least they have a sense of humor! and, we love 'em for it!

see ya soon!

tunes for twenty12

2012-01-06T09:33:00.000-08:00

a new year. again. these days, do you feel like you're on the merry-go-round, being spun and spun, so dizzy with how fast life is going, wishing it would stop so you could get off and clear your head? no? well, i do. every day. and, remember when years were divided into 'semesters' and how looooong the school year seemed? now? it's 20 friggin' 12. 20 friggin' 12. and, 2011 passed in about one second! and, i say good riddance - it was not my best year. so, resolution time! hmmm, looks like 2012 isn't gonna be the year i give up tangents - sorry.bout.that!

are you wondering why you had to go thru all that to get to the playlist? me too! on to the music - peeps, i'm shazaming like a mad woman and i think it's now an addiction. try it. you'll super like it! also, big thanks to the farmer, who is always on the cutting edge of musica, which in turn makes me look like i am too. (wink) you're on the cutting edge, too? do tell - who ya lisnin' to?

disclaimer: no comments about the jewel song. it doesn't totally sound like her. and, once upon a time, i maybe mighta worn out my copy of pieces of you. shoosh - you did too.

twenty12 by Raeann on Grooveshark

a dream come true

2011-12-23T12:20:00.000-08:00

heading back to NM/TX usually throws you a curve ball in the ol' weather dept. you may have sun, you may have snow, there's definitely gonna be wind. well, i hoped and hoped this year for a white christmas, and looky what i woke up to this mornin'!

SNOW! my dreams of a white christmas come true. now i don't have to feel guilty for sippin' hot chocky in front of the fire staring out at that beeyootiful white stuff.

merry christmas to you, my three readers. i hope all your holiday dreams come true, and santa brings you a blanket of the white stuff too!

see ya in the new year!

home for the holidays

2011-12-20T10:21:00.000-08:00

another whirlwind november/december is drawing to a close. i'm heading out to the post office to drop the last of the orders in the mail. i finished our card (!). and the elves are all getting ready for a much-deserved siesta!

and, the end of the holiday card madness means the beginning of holiday family madness - you better believe i packed my stretchy pants.

so, because we always say 'i wanna do this', 'i wanna do that', and never do, baby sister created a christmas to-do list pinterest board, and we've been fillin' it with all the fun stuff on the interwebs we think we could maybe accomplish.

here are the things i'm most excited about

Source: awoodennest.blogspot.com via Kannonon Pinterest

Source: jasonandshawnda.com via Kannon on Pinterest

Source: kevinandamanda.com via Diedra on Pinterest

Source: tinysparklythings.blogspot.com via Kannon on Pinterest

Source: anthropologie.com via Raeann on Pinterest

see why i need the stretchy pants? i have a feeling the next 2 weeks are going to be a big eat-fest. and me spoiling sweet p and baby brother rotten rotten rotten.

what are you excited for this holiday?

starting to see a pattern here

2011-12-15T09:28:00.000-08:00

as the last of the year's holiday cards fly out of the workshop, it always seems like i notice a theme, and this year is no different. last year everyone wanted snowflakes, year before that - bright, modern colors.

well, this year, the theme was...patterns.

i've had requests for plaid

argyle

chevron

and whimsy (read polka dots mixed with stripes!)

and, that's what makes custom so very fun. when someone has an idea, and you can make it come to life. stay tuned for more creative cards i was requested to whip up this year. man, you guys make my job fun!

if you're still wanting to order cards, you're not too late (yet). we can do a new year's card, or you can order a digital print over on the etsy workshop that you can print wherever you wanna.

k - gotta run! there are only 10 days til the fat man comes!

i'm a giver

2011-12-06T13:03:00.000-08:00

i got y'all a present! since it's the season of giving, and i'm in the christmas spirit, i'm takin' a break from the action around the workshop to give you a little prezzy.

look at that! 10% off orders placed by 12/11. that means new year's cards too. if you want 10% off, order by 12/11. so so simple! order up, y'all. there's not much time left before the holidays are here (why does december fly so fast?!)

if you needa take a look see at some cards to get the wheels'a turnin', check out this post, and the ol' website. or maybe you already have an idea whatcha want. i'm ready - throw it at me!

and, since we're talkin' gifts...you've bought all the gifts on your list already, haven't you? don't tell me - i'll just feel worse - haven't done one single speck of shopping (unless you count for mahself! whoopsie!). luckily, my famdamily decided no gifts this year! right, family? seriously - those people change their minds more often than... oh, nevermind.

hmmm - maybe those crazies who get their shopping done in july are onto something. who'm i kidding? never gonna happen.

there i go with my tangents again! what were we talking about? oh, right - gifts.

gifts under $25 (except the custom artwork)

custom photo desk calendars

the online workshop (aka etsy shop)

and, if you don't see something here, but you've got it in your mind, let's have a little chat about it.

happy holidays! merry christmas! happy new year! feliz navidad! happy hanukkah! whatever you celebrate!

just hear those sleigh bells jingling

2011-12-02T13:24:00.000-08:00

sheesh - december, you snuck in while no one was lookin', didncha? i'm givin' you a pass tho, cause i'm (shock of all shocks) just a smidge in front of the proverbial eight ball (eep! am i jinxin' mahself?).

k - enough with the tangent, and on to the music. christmas carols, christmas carols, lots of fun with chri...(name that tune!)

ahem. sorry.

this maybe might be a recyclin' of last year's playlist, with a sprinklin' of new tunes, too. a few of these ditties are kinda reachin' in the ol' 'carol' dept, but whatevs, they sound purty. and, it's chock full, peeps, cause ain't nobody likes a good christmas carol like moi. seriously.

what's your fave christmas song, cd, carol, etc, etc, etc?i have it on good authority the elf soundtrack is a must-hear, and i'm totally diggin' the sufjan stevens christmas cd(s).

joy to the ears! by Raeann on Grooveshark

it's beginning to look alot like...

2011-11-29T11:32:00.000-08:00

i'm gonna let you in on a little secret...nuthin' lights a fire under my patootie faster than house guests. it maybe might be the only time i clean, but i'm not tellin'. after our "family" of 12 thanksgiving dinner, some dear (cheesy word, but packs a punch) college friends paid us a visit.

so, that meant the decor had to go from this:

to this in less than 12 hours.

but, i thrive on a challenge, and that was the fastest decorated tree on the planet, i'm sure.

so, yes, it is beginning to look alot like christmas around here. tree's up. outside lights are up. and, designs are flying out of the workshop. and, this little elf is feeling so, so blessed. y'all bring a tear to my eye every time the email bell dings. the support is overwhelming - thank you will never be enough.

let's see what's brewin' this year, shall we? you've got your humorous

you've got your adorable pictures

moving announcements

party invites

and, the corporate persuasion

that enough to get your creative juices flowing? need more inspiration? order up - it's less than a month 'til christmas. i know. I KNOW!

so very grateful

2011-11-22T15:23:00.000-08:00

(the voices in my head just had an argument about the correct spelling of grateful. greatful. grateful. whatevs. you know what i mean.)

ok, maybe i sound like a broken record here, but i'm go'n (inside joke) say it again - custom is amayyyzing! (oprah voice). take this little ditty por ejemplo.

i may never be able to get over the awesomeness of this photo shoot. but, i digress. look - you pick a theme. you rent some costumes. you get your pictures taken. and, then you have rosita whip up the most creative moving announcement/ holiday card on the planet. (ok - the odds of you renting costumes are prolly slim, but you're catchin' my drift, right?)

i mean, seriously. we've settled? pure genius!

and, how perfect a segue are these cards to talk about things for which i'm grateful (greatful?)? it's always nice to write it out, in case i need a reminder later.

i'm thankful that the lord has provided me with a wonderful family, friends who are more like family, and a husband who puts up with my crazy, indecisive self. this year has rocked me, my hope and my faith to the core, and i'm not sure what i woulda done without mah peeps.

i'm thankful i get to use my creative juices on a daily basis to create fun things to brighten mailboxes, walls, or even someone's day.

and most importantly, i'm thankful for you, my three readers. without you, rosita couldn't design and she'd have to go back to the corporate world. i'll never, ever be able to accurately share my appreciation, so just know i really, really, really love y'all.

now it's your turn - what are y'all thankful for this year? it's been a doozie, right?

ok - i'm off - i'm hosting thanksgiving for 12 people, and my dining room table is this sad state of affairs (yikes!):

the beginning of the end

2011-11-18T14:38:00.000-08:00

so, today marks the beginning of the end. a day i've been (obnoxiously) excited about for many years, but which also has a melancholy feel, because there's not much time left. only about 4 hours of time, to be exact. i'm trying not to get too down about it.

of course i'm referring to the opening of breaking dawn, the final twilight book made into a (horribly wrong) movie. sheesh, what'd you guys think i meant?

i'm so friggin' excited! as much as i lurved eclipse, i've always wished we'd only had twilight and breaking dawn. i don't wanna see my edward be mean and leave. i don't wanna see bratty jacob try to compete with my edward. i knowwwww i'm upsetting you team jacob's out there (lookin' at you, carrie).

but, back to the inappropriate overwhelming excitement brimmin' under my skins! i know i've bombarded you with my feelings before, but a girl needs to share!

now seriously, it's imperative you avoid thinking about things like they're 17/18, edward's a creepy old dude, he's a vampire! suspend your disbelief people - embrace that horndog of a teenager you were. it's all in good fun, anyway. (ok, those cray-cray's out there campin' out for days need to get a life!)

this is it! the wedding! the honeymoon! the crazy-as-hell half-vamp bebe! her hideous name! bella as vampire! (such a bad ass) i.cant.wait!

ok, let's chat... here's what i'm sooo hoping they did justice to:
bowchikabowwow - let's just get that one outta the way up front - it's about time we get to throw off that veil of tension and get down to it!
the wedding - the dress, wedding decor, music, flowers, the denali coven
the honeymoon - refer to first point, feathers, broken beds, torn lingerie, ahem - is it getting hot in herr?
alpha jacob - as much as he bu-u-uuugs, i loved when he broke pack and blazed his own trail
the cars - these have been sadly misrepresented in past movies - step it up this time, why doncha?
jacob/rosalie relationship - the comic relief this brought to the book in the heaviest scenes could really lighten up parts of the movie. i doubt they'll stick with it, but we'll see
the birth - as gruesome as i've heard it is, i hope it more gruesome-r. that scene reads like a horror story, so bloody it up, man!
renees-barf-me - gawd, if there coulda been a worse name, i don't know what it'd be. good thing she's amazing, and makes up for it. i'm soooo excited about her "ability" and hope summit has brought it (cuz they ain't done crap from the special defects perspeck yet - what the hay?)

now, don't get me wrong - breaking dawn was not a perfect read - having re-read it for the (ahem) 5th time in the last few days, there are entire sections that are completely unnecessary. (woulda reduced the size of the door stop substantially too).

when i got to "book 2 - jacob", i thought i'd throw it across the room - i didn't want to know what was going on in his mind (if you haven't picked up yet, i'm not a jacob fan - let's not even get me started on the imprinting). but, it worked - i'm not sure how else we would've seen the reality of the haps during the gruesome pregnancy.

ok, enough about me and my opinions - let's start a chat! you goin' tonight? you already went at midnight, didn't you? brat! what do you love, hate, love to hate - let's get this convo goin'!

time to get presentable - my team edward shirt; my lion/lamb jewelry - i have a wedding to get to!

we rock the party

2011-11-15T11:55:00.000-08:00

soooo, apparently no-vember means no-blogging. whoopsie! y'all didn't even notice, didja? well, i can't promise i'm gonna stay on top of it, but i'm here today to show you the (little-too-much) fun, sorta-surprise partay i planned for mr man.

here's a little back story to set tha tone - after the fiasco that was nebraska, i knew i needed to pay mr man back big-time - he needed a party he wouldn't forget. and, in a light bulb over head moment, i thought...i should hire a band! well, long story short, i hired half of mr man's fave local band to play an acoustic set in our basement. wife of the year right here, peeps! heehee

with that outta the way, it was time to get down ta biz-niz. first task: invites. guess how old mr man turned?!

next step was to clean up that basement (oh, baby sister, if you'd only seen it - ya-ikes). cleaning up means shoving everything into corners, and covering it with black tarp, so that's what we did.

once we got a little breathing room (wheezing was more like it!), i got to setting up the partay space - food table, bar table, sink of never-ending beer, decor, mood lighting.

in an effort to be so creative (by surfing pinterest), i threw a '35' up on the wall and tacked up pictures of mr man thru the years (did you make the wall?). and, i adorned the party cups with more pics of the b-day boy. (no pic of that)

i sent mr man off so the band could set up for the surprise. i gave the ok for him to join the partay, and we serenaded him with happy birthday. i think he maybe mighta been surprised!

after a little minglin' and munchin', the music kicked in and those guys seriously rocked the party. (seriously - i was nervous the neighbors might wanna join us!)

after the band wrapped up, we weren't ready for the festivities to end. and, if you've been around here a while, you know it's not our party without a little karaoke and air guitar.

i set out to knock mr man's socks off, and i think i mighta. the band rocked. the party peeps rocked. mr man had an awesome time. and, we maybe mighta spent the entire next day on the couch. that, my friends, is my kinda party!

thanks to my best gal, carrie, for takin' pics so i could run around like a headless chicken.

instant gratification

2011-11-08T21:00:00.000-08:00

so, sometimes i hear: custom is too hard. i don't want to think that hard. i can't afford custom. well, i'm here to tell you custom is not that hard, it doesn't require you to think that much, and yes, you can afford it.

now, even though i've said all that, i know some of you are still skeptics. so, looky what i did! i created some ready-made designs, just for you! the only decision you have to make is what pictures to use.

merry stripes:

peace love joy:

warm wishes:

swirls:

you know all my designs are double sided, so you can use it to show more pics of your cutey-cute kiddos, tell all your peeps the goings-on of 2011, write a holiday rap, you name it.

to order yours, click on the image to head to the etsy (work)shop. of course, if you don't want to go through all that, we can chat. or, maybe you realized custom is the way you want to go? well then! let's chat about that!

november notes

2011-11-01T06:17:00.000-07:00

november, seriously? i can't believe the holiday season is upon us. truly. where.does.the.time.go??? well, a new month means a new playlist. now, if i'm being honest, i had a hard time with the list this month. i didn't love last month's and i worry this is becoming more of a chore than fun. anyone really listen to these? (cue the crickets!)

anyhoodle - i found some new songs i'm liking, but you'll notice this here list is chock full of oldies. like, holy crap, my 20 year reunion is in less than 2 years, old. but, here's why. it's mr man's birth month (he turns old tomorrow), and i decided i'd use songs from bands we've seen in concert. then, i realized that you, my three readers, would NOT thank me for pantera and slayer songs. (yes, i've seen them.) so, i picked a few tamer bands and laced in some faves from my mix tapes i found in the closet.

holiday gifts and goodies under $25*

2011-10-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

*with the exception of custom canvases, all gifts are $25 or less. how awesome is that?!

some people start shopping for holiday gifts in july, some people wait until dec 24th. whatever people you are, check out some of these goodies, that are sure to brighten anyone's (holi)day! the best part is, you get custom fun without breaking the bank!

i always say, let's bring back the written word! ok, i don't always say that, but maybe i'll start. because, everyone loves finding something fun amidst the junk mail, so why not stuff some stockings with some fun notecards? personalized. thank you. an assortment. your choice.

have kiddos? then, i'm sure grandma and grandpa would LOVE this personalized desk calendar full of pictures of the little ones. no kids? i'm betting the hubs would love gazing at you instead of staring at that spreadsheet!

if photos are too personal, but there's someone on your list who realllly needs a calendar, i've got ya covered.

how about a little art to fill some wall space? dream up an idea, and i'll put it to canvas. or, have a favorite saying framed for a wall. personally, the crosses are my favorite (prolly the NM roots talkin'). or, there's always the ever-popular hand cut name framed up to match a room or nursery. (rosita updated her site so you can see all the workshop's goods)

if you're looking for more stockin' stuffers, magnetic clothespins are super cute and perfect for hanging fun things in lockers, or on the fridge. (a picture of robert pattinson, por ejemplo...)

and, every girl's crazy for a little hair bling.

many of these items are sittin' on my shelf waiting for the perfect home, or we can do a custom order. to receive gifties in time for the holidays, you gotta place that order before december 15th.

gift wrapping (with gift tag) is available on all items for an additional $2.

in case you were wondering, there are less than 60 days until christmas! yikes!! oh, yeah - and order your holiday cards! (do i sound like your mother? eat your vegetables!)

outside the comfort zone

2011-10-25T09:41:00.000-07:00

y'all, is there smoke coming out of my ears? cause this brain's had to do a lot of thinkin' recently. you see, i've been challenged creatively lately, and while the end product always makes me proud, the getting there can sometimes be quite the process.

here's the sitch - baby sister toots my horn for me alot. like alot, alot. mentions me on twitter. re-links my facebook updates. sends her buddies my way. the like. (THANKS! baby sister) so, when i received an email from her beau (EZ), i thought nothing of it. you know, maybe he wants some biz cards. or he's hosting a party for a friend. (pshaw - like boys host parties!)

uh, no. no basic designing here. when i opened that email, my jaw dropped open. dude wanted me to design his triathlon gear. all of it. shorts. tops. jackets. other tops. other shorts. say what now?

well, i thought, let's just put that away. then, i started hyperventilating. seriously. i mean i'd dabbled a little in t-shirt design. like, oh, telling the t-shirt company to center a logo on various sized shirts, and deliver them by x date, dabble. and, now he wants to be outfitted in rosita designs gear? i repeat, say what now???

after a good few days to process, and avoid the subject, i decided it was time to hunker down and get to work. well, lo and behold, it was pretty fun, and seeing the design come to life was really fulfilling! and, then seeing it worn for a race? ah.maz.ing!

here's what we sent off to the printer folks:

EZ wanted his gear to match his bike, so that meant red and black, so i started brainstorming ideas, and decided on a rounded square. then, as i manipulated the design, it started to feel to me like fish scales. which was perfect, since he's a past swimmer, and swimming is part of a triathlon.

he had his first race in the gear this weekend (the austin ironman - you go!), so let's have a little look-see at the gear in motion!

phew! i'm tired just looking at the pictures! great job, EZ! i hope you got a good long nap after that!

i also designed EZ a jersey and some shorts for baby sister. if they take a pic of those, i'll post about them too. while i don't think nike will be calling any time soon, it was fun being a "fashion designer" for the day!

i tell ya - custom rocks - the sky really is the limit!

a new bird in the nest

2011-10-21T16:19:00.000-07:00

i guess it's baby shower week around here! this time it's all about middle sissy's shower my mama and i hosted while we were there. you know, most 2nd, 3rd, 4th children get the shaft when it comes to parties, pictures, clothes, time (especially if they are the same gender as the older sibbies.) so, we wanted to give baby brother a warm welcome, and give friends a chance to come snuggle with mr loveable. in the south, these are called 'sip and sees' and well, sitting around sipping mimosas while snuggling a newborn is my kinda shower!

as all parties must, we started with the invite. i wanted to mix it up and do something fun; not just a standard flat card. so i decided fabric bunting, and went to work finding cute fabric. man, cutting out little triangles is tedious work! but, they turned out so.dang.cute! can't forget matching labels for the envelope.

when i pick a theme, i see that sucker through to the end, so we whipped up fabric buntings for over the food table. thanks for sewing, middle sissy!

we welcomed guests with a glimpse at the guest of honor, and all his stats. (he's a big boy!)

to snack on, we served fruit with to-die-for dip (jar of marshmallow fluff and some cream cheese), quick breads, and yummy artichoke dip, which we labeled with silly names (and more fabric triangle cutting!)

to sip, we had a mimosa bar with a selection of juices, and we whipped up some baby shower punch (vanilla ice cream topped with sprite and oj)

after friends had their fill of the baby, we sent them off with snacks for later. they really were 'so tweet to fly by'!

i can't feature this shower without showing off this cute-as-can-be 'diaper-cycle' my mama put together. is it not sooo cute?? and, soccer bear (once baby sister's!) is ready to ride off into the sunset! i don't think i'll make a plain diaper cake again!

and, for good measure, a shot of the hostesses with mommy and baby of honor! he's doing what he did the entire party - snoozin' away!

i'm glad we were there to help out and host a fun party. and, middle sissy -- no excuses for not entertaining - i found all your party gear!

welcome to the world, baby brother - i miss you so much!

batter batter swing

2011-10-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

i know i've already said it, but i love, love, love when a client orders the grande platter. when they don't want to stop with invites, but want to keep the party going with thank yous, banners, cupcake fun, signs. the whole she-bang. so, when this order came through, i was super excited. especially since i don't have many sports theme items in the ol' portfolio. and, man, what a party this looks like it was!

the order of course started with invites (she's my fave, because she can never choose, so ends up sending various designs to her peeps! love it!)

and, then, we added thank you notes

a fun banner

some cupcake toppers

menu cards (how fantastic is this table set up?!)

and, some favor tags (about to pop! so clever!)

such a cute party theme!

thanks to shelby forchtner for the use of her awesome pictures!

midwest memory making

2011-10-12T15:51:00.000-07:00

so, you know murphy? and, his dang law? yea, we're very well-acquainted. he drops bombs on us regularly and this weekend was no exception! remember how i mentioned i was joining mr man in nebraska for the second half of this year's football trip? and, how we DIDN'T want baby brother to arrive in those two days? yea, well, he did.

an hour into my slumber (been in nebraska maybe 7 hours), middle sissy called to say she was off to the hospital. and, that some friends would come take care of sweet p. can you believe? that was supposed to be my job. so, i immediately worry what do i do? should i stay or should i go now? will mr man be ok if i leave? will my sis's fam make it work? of course, you know i had to go - i couldn't leave middle sissy stressin' about sweet p when she needed to focus on baby brother.

so, poor mr man had to attend the football festivities solo. i checked in with him repeatedly, so he'd feel like i was there with him, but i know it wasn't the same. the guilt i felt all day was almost stifling. i love that man, and to have to "choose" is one of my least fave things EVER. he's so supportive and awesome - i owe him something big, big, big.

well, after that fun story (it's all about the memories, right?!), let's see the fun stuth we've been doing while waiting for baby brother. can i say that for a 40-week pregger lady, my sister was a trooper! i'd be propped up in bed ordering people around, for sure! we've been to farmer's markets, the bridges of madison county, the sculpture park, and mr man got to finally see the farm. um, i've also been taking sweet p to gymnastics - not sure who's getting a better workout there - chasing a sassy 2-year-old around is hard, y'all!

the farmer's market was full of corn, pumpkins, and yummy veggies.

i was way in love (!) with these hearts. maybe i'll get one this weekend. they were sooo cool.

then, we joined the farmer as he sold his veggies at a smaller farmer's market. excited to see the new sign in full use! yay!

i have to say, the bridges of madison county were a little bit of a disappointment. wah-wah. oh well - made for good picture taking.

it was love at first sight when i saw this at the sculpture garden. never met typography i didn't love. frame-worthy, for sure.

i always like going to the farm and seeing all the yummy garden veggies the farmer grows. and, then i wonder why the heck i'm dragging my feet - i mean, you literally plant it, and it grows. novel concept, huh?!

okra flowers first and then turns to okra

how cool is this pic? no, i didn't take all the color out - the vines were dying away, so the only color was in the pumpkins.

and, no farm would be complete without abandoned farm equipment. my love of turquoise drew me over.

but the best parts of my days here have been spending time with and spoiling sweet p

and, snuggling with this new cute-as-can-be baby brother

that is actually what making memories is all about!

what have y'all been up to?

that time of year

2011-10-07T07:51:00.000-07:00

are you in denial that the holidays are about 2 months away? i know it's not even halloween, but once that rolls around, the holidays just keep comin' at us. so, i decided to put this together to get the idea juices flowing.

best part about custom? it can be whatever you want it to be. it can be small, large, do double duty to announce other exciting news, and the list goes on. here, see for yourself:

if you're lookin' for a flat card, all my designs are double-sided, which make them perfect for a short christmas letter.

or, maybe you want a folded card

but, maybe you have lots of pictures and want a TRI-fold

how about no pictures, and a save on postage with a postcard

you could announce your new baby's birth

or a sweet boy's birthday

and, when you're done with the family card, how 'bout one for the biz?

that enough to get those juices flowing? of course, the sky's the limit. whatever you can dream up, we can do it.

check out the site for more ideas later this week and have a super great weekend! i'm heading off for a 2-day trip with mr. man, and i know baby brother's going to arrive in that time, because that's just how murphy's law works in this family!

i wanna rock(tober)

2011-10-04T05:22:00.000-07:00

ok, 'rock' might be stretchin' it a little and mr. man is sure to mock me, but i was tryin' to be rill witty!! i'm coming to you from the midwest, and i have to say october isn't bothering me that bad. you know why? because i'm spending half the month here, and we've been enjoying weather in the 80s! hallelujah - i WAS NOT ready to let my summer go, and lookie there, i got a whole 'nother month of it!

so, you may laugh at a few of the songs here - total oldies, but super good. my mama did us right and raised us on music, and these bring back the mems. you're lucky i didn't throw sugar shack on there - many a saturday morning sleep-in was ruined by that dang song. anysuch...tell me your latest faves - i've started the new fall tv season, so you know tons of those will be makin' the list (there maybe might be some on this one!)

impatient in the midwest

2011-09-30T14:05:00.000-07:00

mr. man and i arrived in the midwest yesterday to enjoy sister time and (im)patiently await the arrival of baby brother. well, i'm awaiting the arrival. mr. man ditched us for wisconsin to enjoy him some live football.

sweet p's already given me a tour of the garden (while sampling parsley and dayel (basil)). and, as i type, the delicious smell of roasted garlic and tomatoes (from the garden) simmering on the stove is makin' me hun.gree.

and, making me wonder why the heck i never carved out a garden and planted anything. check out that pepper. hmmm...guess there's always next year!

while we're waiting, we'll visit the farmer's market, introduce mr. man to the farm, and who knew the bridges of madison county were around these parts? we're definitely goin' there!

via

we'll probably do some movie watchin' and i'm treating middle sissy to a pedicure - you think she can see her toes anymore? heck no!

y'all have a great weekend, and send good vibes to middle sissy to get baby brother outta there quick like. we're ready to meet that little stinker!

busy as a bee

2011-09-28T07:41:00.000-07:00

and, that's a VERY good thing! here's a glimpse of the goods that have been churning out of the workshop lately. i like posts like this; they're little pick-me-ups for me and proof to mr. man that i am actually working all day (my tan tends to raise questions around here. pshaw!)

i'd also like to take this time to thank all of you, my three readers, for all your support. when you tell me things like 'you're the best' and 'the world sucked when you weren't doing this', it is like a jolt for the self-esteem. i know i say it all the time, but you'll NEVER, never, ever know how much y'all coming back time and time again means to me. i love ya, man!

ok, enough mushy gushy. behold the latest and greatest.

we've had weddin's

babies being born (can we talk about how cute this is?! mama painted this hooty-cute owl art for baby's room, and i knew it had to be his announcement! LOVE it!)

babies being celebrated (oh, just you wait til you see all this stuff come together!)

babies being welcomed

people on the move

goods to be sold

and gifts to be given (i sure hope the farmer isn't readin' this, cause this is what i'm tuckin' in my suitcase for his birfday. maybe one day i'll tell ya all about their farm. or, you could just go to his blog and read first-hand. yea, do that. i'd get everything wrong anyway)

i'm on a boat, y'all!

2011-09-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

before the summer gets too far away from me, and, since it's supposed to be 79 today (!), i wanted to document our day on the boat. so that when it's cold and rainy, i can come reminisce about our coveted summers. and, bonus! you get to come along for the ride (bahahha). so excited, arentcha?!

we'd been throwin' around the idea of renting a boat for a few years, and this was the year we finally did it. and, it DID NOT disappoint. we rounded up some of the best pals and showed baby sister a great day!

captain mr. man gave us the tour of tours - space needle, gasworks, plenty of bridges, the soundgarden (yep, that's why they picked their name!), bill's house, paul's house (and his floating helipad - seriously! pardon me while i land my helicopter. in the middle of the lake.), seahawks training facility. phew - it was a packed day.

let's have a little look see:

man, we need to find some friends with a boat (or buy one ourselves), cause i could get used to that!

hope you all had a great summer, and are having an easier time easing into fall than i am. i guess it's time to break out the pumpkins and scarecrows!

cheers to the weekend!

picture this

2011-09-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

i was just havin' a look see at recent blog posts, and i realized that in september, i haven't posted once about my designs. well, don't think that means i haven't been busy! now, let's remedy that.

call me a turtle. heck, call me a sloth, but i promise i'm adding items to the etsy shop. and, i'm here to show you the newest addition. these generated a ton of buzz at the summerfest in july, and when baby sister visited, she promptly added it to her must-have list.

it's a little desk calendar. isn't it cute?! it's packaged in a cd-sized case that flips out (not that flip out!) into a nifty little easel to display on your desk, counter, bedside table. for the fair, i made the calendar with only one image per month, but look, you can fit up to three per month!

all you do is send me the images, and i do the rest. i'll set it all up for you, then get your approval before i print away. of course, if you have specifics, we're all about that around here!

they're the perfect size for a stocking stuffer! and, great gifts for ANYONE on your list...particularly grandparents. you know memaw and papaw can't wait for a calendar full of your little rascal(s). (i can guarantee my mamacita's gonna want one.) or, how about the kiddos away at college to remind them of the lovely fam at home? your husband? kid's teachers? pics of your girl's trip for your BFF?

see - the possibilities are endless! and, at $20, they're a steal!

want one? or, how 'bout one for everyone?

alrighty then!! go here to get yours. (it's never too early to start holiday shopping!)

it's alive

2011-09-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

y'all, rosita designs on etsy lives. ok, i know there are only four items in there right now, but it's a work-in-progress! and, if you think i feel like i just ran a marathon, you are right! setting up shops is hard work - who knew there were so many nitty gritty deets you have to cover? shipping policies, shop policies, five images, a snazzy description, pricing, a header, tags, details, details, details.

so, tell your friends, family, neighbors, everyone! then bookmark it, favorite it, add me to your circle, whatevs. i'm truckin' along, so check back frequently. (you know i'll add a handy dandy link over there to the right for you to clicky-click on.) big plans, peeps - invites, announcements, and gifts coming soon.

thanks for all the support and encouragement - i wouldn't be anywhere without you, my three readers! muah - love ya to the moon and back!

now, go shoppin'!

summer bookworm

2011-09-13T14:22:00.000-07:00

there's nothin' like a good book, and this summer, i tossed aside my magazines, and read, read, read. seriously - check out the pile of magazines i'm neglecting. whoa, looks like some are more neglected than others!

i'm sorry to say, some of the books i read weren't my favorites, but i'll tell ya about those later. if you're a bookworm like me, here are a few i read and loved.

THE HEART MENDER by andy andrews
it's non-fiction, a genre i'm not usually a fan of, but i was happily surprised. that maybe might be because of the love story wrapped up in all the historical info! 'a story of second chances', it was just what i needed to read when i read it. it's a very heartfelt story, with world war ii history that will most likely shock you (it did me!)

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by garth stein
told from the dog's perspective, this book may have you tearing up from the get go. it's set in seattle, so it was fun to read about local places. it's a tragic story sure to stir up tons of emotion (remember, crying from the get go). have to say, i coulda done without much of the formula 51 info. if you embarrass about crying in public, you'll wanna save this one for the bedside table!

HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET by jamie ford
set in seattle in the 1940s, it was interesting to read what seattle might've been like back then. another history lesson for me - the story weaves back and forth from past to present to tell the story of love and loss felt during the world war ii japanese internment camps. you might want to keep tissues handy for this one too.

you didn't think i was gonna keep it all heavy, did you? after those heart wrenchers, i had to have some light reading to balance it all out.

DEXTER SERIES by jeff lindsay
if you aren't addicted to dexter yet, get thee to netflix. now, it's not for the faint of heart, but you'll be surprised at just how loveable darkly dreaming dexter is. the series only pulled story lines from the first book, but the books do not disappoint. i'm (im)patiently waiting to finish reading the series. be prepared for graphic blood and gore, but also laugh-out-loud moments. and, go - get the first 5 seasons; season 6 starts soon!

SOOKIE STACKHOUSE SERIES by charlaine harris
ok, i'll admit, i was NOT going to read these. and, cheat on my beloved twilight? oh.no. but, then my best gal, carrie, read them and we started the first season of true blood, so i caved. no restraint - i do love a good (or bad) vampire story. and, HELLO! let's just say these are twilight's naughty older sister. (wink, wink) quick reads (i hope so, there are 11!) full of vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, fairies, the like.

EVERNIGHT SERIES by claudia gray
another vampire series? why yes, yes it is. ok, let me be honest here. i really liked the first two books in this series, but was sorely disappointed in the third and fourth (afterlife) books. it's a cutesy romance between vampire and human, with twists and turns galore, but i really wish the author had gone a different direction. if you read them, let's discuss!

ok, now for the not-so-favorites (i guess we could technically say that last one there could half be on this list!).

LITTLE BEE by Chris Cleave
this is the story of an african girl, little bee, and an english woman, and how they came to meet on an african beach. i loved this book until i got to about the middle. when i thought the author was going left, he went right, and then later, when i thought he'd go right, he went left. if you don't need your stories wrapped up in pretty little bows, you may like this book. personally, i relish happy endings. (supposedly being made into a nicole kidman movie, so we'll see.)

EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE by jonathan safran foer
i'm straddling the fence a little on this one. i REALLY wanted to like this book, and parts of it are very good, but in the end, i was left wanting more. this is a heart wrencher, for sure, but i didn't tear up much (way weird for me). the story of a boy whose family is touched by both the sadness of nazi germany and september 11th, it was grueling to see what losing a parent in the towers might've looked like. i wanted to read it since the 10 year anniversary was coming up. you may like it - i certainly wanted to. (also, being made into a movie - starring sandra bullock and tom hanks).

did y'all read this summer too? if so, what'd you read - i do love a good book (if you couldn't already tell)? baby sister put together her list a few weeks ago (there may be some overlapping going on!) check out my last reading list in case you haven't read these yet.

post edit: apparently middle sissy wasn't too happy i left her recommendations off the link list. sorry, sister! send some of your readers my way!

How Pinteresting

2011-09-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

ok, i'm sure you've all jumped on the pinterest bandwagon already. but, if you haven't, allow me to lure you to the darkside.

pinterest is your personal online bulletin board to 'pin' anything - ANYTHING - you see as you're trottin' around the interwebs. (or you can just click around pinterest and repin all the cute things there, whichever!) you can make as many boards as you want, and pin as much as you want, and it's the.most.ADDICTING.thing.ever. ever.

look, you can pin ideas for your house:

for your tummy:

and, for your biz:

my favorite part might be the searching. you can just type in, say, oh, i don't know, robert pattinson. what? and, look at all the lovely goodness you get.

so, come on. follow me. i'll follow you. all the cool kids are doing it. you just let me know, and i'll send you an invitation!

but, don't say i didn't warn ya!

I Do Love a Bargain

2011-09-06T21:18:00.000-07:00

i'm back to tell you all about the flea market we went to a few weeks ago, and show you all the loot we bought! i was sooo excited, because i've never been to a flea market. i mean, i've been to the fremont sunday market, but i don't think it's the same thing...

the market wasn't HUGE, but it was more than enough for us to sift through, and by the end, we were hot, thirsty and famished! from what i could tell from my flea market experience (none), the prices were pretty darn reasonable, too.

we loved all the textures, colors and vintage finds. there were loads and loads that i wish i could've taken home with me, too. from stacks and stacks of vintage fabric to baskets and baskets of mismatched buttons. and, then there were the boxes and boxes of costume jewelry. i wanted it all!

i had to restrain myself from bringing home all the letters we found. i maybe might have a sickness. look at them all. bah!!!

of course, we ran into zany too. anyone rockin' the dead animal decor vibe? this woulda been the place for you (it's a scaredy cat - quick, name that movie):

let's take a look at the ones that got away. (a moment of silence, please)

more letters, just of the framed variety. i want that EAT pic in my kitchen rill, rill bad. i'm thinking about DIY'ing somethin'.

can you just taste the delicious cornbread that these cast iron skillets would produce? and, in the shape of a corn cob? i die. why, oh why didn't i buy one? oh right, they were way more than $20 each! i like cornbread, but not that much.

i'm still kicking myself for not skipping home with this cute-as-can-be inbox. kick. kick. kick.

swoon. i let my mom give my pops's old typewriter away without snatching it up. not sure what i was thinking. seeing these was like a trip down memory lane - i used to press all the keys at once, and then have to pull them apart one by one.

i wanted everything in this booth. and, i woulda put everything in this picture together in the same room. the colors, the textures, the layering. the pear pic, the yummy pillows, the basket, and that to-die-for bowl. how cute would it be as a bird bath?!

now, wanna see the loot? are you even still with me? here 'tis. and, all of it came home with us for about $60!

to those of you who guessed the yellow cart from this post, how do you know me so well?? i walked past that thing twice, but i had to have it - even did some haggling for it! cause, i do love a bargain! check out that loot! jewelry, home decor, workshop decor. and, baby sister is a big fan of that bird trend.

i actually rocked one of my necklaces today:

i'm also thinkin' hard about what i want to do with these items for the workshop. shelves? drawers? wall displays? stay tuned.

now, for the cart. that little ray of sunshine. i bought her intending to paint her something boring like black or silver, but i'm lovin' old yeller. and, she matches some of the table tiles and crosses in the dining room.

y'all aren't surprised to find out that we'll be using her as a means to get our happy hour on, are ya? yea, no big surprise there! check her out all dolled up:

no, i did not stage her just to take this picture (i totally did). i just didn't want y'all to have to imagine what she'd look like as a bar cart. let's get a little closer:

she's so imperfectly perfect. i can't believe i even thought about painting her. heck, she'll bring me sunshine on all our cloudy (rainy) days.

as we can see, it's really a good thing flea market's aren't that frequent (or, at least that i don't know about them). i'm sure when baby sister helped us clear out the basement, she didn't mean for us to just fill it right back up!

so, what do y'all think? ever been to a flea market? scored an awesome deal on some sweet loot? do tell.

The Sounds of September

2011-09-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

it's my monthly post to lament how fast the year's going by, how summer is no longer here, how can it be september already? didn't summer just start, and now we're supposed to be ready for football, the changing leaves, and back-to-school? at least it's not 110 here - that'd make it WAY harder to digest september.

anyhoodle - on to the playlist. if it seems all broody and melancholy, see first paragraph. i'm sad y'all. baby sister left me. i'm not ready for cooler temps. and, i'm gonna have to put the addy's away and work from inside pretty soon. darn you september, and your autumn begins calendar date.

ok - what are y'all listenin' to? what should i check out? have any old favorites you can't seem to delete off the playlists? are you as broody as i am about the arrival of autumn (and that stinkin' pigskin)?

Eight is Great

2011-08-30T14:47:00.000-07:00

today, mr. man and i celebrate 8 years of wedded bliss. you better believe we made it through year 7 without one single itch! no big thang! since i'd been waiting 6(!) years already, our engagement was a whirlwind. luckily location was a non-issue because my parents had a park for a backyard, complete with pond, pool, and basketball court (the dance floor, of course).

oh man, that weekend was not without drama (big shocker, huh?!). the afternoon before our wedding, a huge summer thunderstorm (totally normal for NM/west TX) rolled through. awesome. it came and left in a hurry, but not before knocking down trees, fences, and blowing tons of leaves all over the yard and pool, ruining all the prep we'd already done. grrrrr.

so, naturally, i became a basket-case worrying whether we should move the wedding indoors, or just leave it as is. what if there's another storm? where would we put people if there is? what do we do? what do we do? that's when a dear friend grabbed me and ~~slapped me~~ made me focus on what the wedding of my dreams looked like. so, i climbed off my crazy train, kept with the original plan and hoped for the best.

after that weekend, i won't ever discount the power of prayer. an angel friend raked leaves during our rehearsal dinner (without us knowing). my family set up tables and chairs before getting ready for the wedding. some friends made sure the tables were decorated, while others scooped leaves out of the pool. and, we prayed and prayed and prayed. and that storm gave us a lovely day of low 70s, after days (and days) in the 90s. the bridesmaids in black dresses and all the boys in monkey suits breathed a sigh of relief!

that outpouring of love was only the beginning of the love we felt on our wedding day. we were surrounded by amazing friends and family who love us and knew us as a couple. and, the compliments we got throughout the day of how much love everyone felt were so humbling.

i couldn't wait for that man to ask me to be his wife (6 years, remember), and i wake up every day thanking God that i get to spend the rest of my life with him. in my sister's toast, she said she hoped that we'd look back on our wedding day as the day we loved each other least, and you know what? we do - i love him more today than yesterday, and i'll love him more tomorrow than today.

happy anniversary, mr. man. i love you. i love you. i love you.

Why Do Today What Can Be Put Off 'til Tomorrow?

2011-08-26T16:28:00.000-07:00

so, i'm in the process of creating an etsy site. well, it turns out i don't have tabitha's powers to wiggle my nose and have it poof, be done, so it's gonna take a little bit to get it up and running. so, in true procrastinator form, i've put my head in the sand, and am starting the weekend early! in fact, today, happy hour started at 4:01!

i don't feel too bad about closing up early. after all, i did declare august the month of relaxation. and, this has been a pretty relaxing week, other than a few designs and shipping our ebay sales (ya'll, that thing actually works!). my mamacita came to visit, so we did some shoppin' and eatin' and happy hourin'. and, she helped me attempt to tame my beast of a front yard. (thanks, mom!!)

you know i have pictures for you, my three readers:

a little late nite skee-ball

the weepies at zootunes

margaritas, mojitos and sangria on alki (conan visited the same resty the next night! sad we missed him.)

the must-do stroll thru the market when anyone's visiting

pretty proud of this pic!

vino and pizza alfresco for lunch

a good book and a sangria on the addy in the shade

we also found an AWESOME flea market, so stay tuned for an entire post on that and the goods we scored. (think you can guess what item went home with me from this picture?)

there are only two real weekends of summer left - get outside and do something fun, then come back and tell me all about it! if you need us tomorrow, we'll be having fun in the sun in a boat on lake washington!

Slumber Art-y Tutorial

2011-08-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

my mom found some small wooden plaques that she sent to me. every time i'd see them, i'd wonder what i could use them to make. then, it came to me - the guest room needed a cute little door sign, and since a guest was coming, i went to work. the fact that i'd just bought chalkboard spray paint was a total bonus!

here's whatcha need (plaque/canvas/cardboard, spray paint, stick on letters):

choose a fun word (i chose sleep), and stick the letters on your plaque/canvas where you want them

spray paint over the letters (while chatting on speaker phone with your sister)

wait a little bit, then peel off the letters

ok, now, to be honest, my paint seeped a little under the letters, so make sure to stick those suckers down. because of that, i filled in the letters with silver, and it turned out super cute!

we're done! so, hang it up wherever you like (foam tape on the back sticks it directly to the door)

since i used chalkboard spray paint, i can leave a cute-c (inside joke!) message for my guests! so, come visit!!

i'm linking up over at the lettered cottage!

Keepin' It Real

2011-08-19T16:35:00.000-07:00

ok, 'keepin' it real' might be a little misleading, cuz there's no sugar coatin' anything around here. but, 'hanging my head in shame' doesn't quite have the same ring to it. i've kept it real a few times - check it out here and here.

baby sister turned the tables on me and did some whip crackin' of her own this week. she put us to work cleaning out the basement, aka the workshop. i'm quite embarrassed to say it looked like this:

but now looks like this:

and, oh dear, looked like this (look if you dare):

which, thank the good Lord, now looks like this:

seriously, how was any work getting done? how the heck did i find anything? i guess there's always some method to the madness, but good grief! (looks like the figurine my paw-paw always had on his desk with the phrase 'a clean desk is the sign of a sick mind' really stuck with me!)

the efforts uncovered a pile of items we'd been meaning to sell. there mighta been hoarding comments thrown around. whatevs. i'm NOT a hoarder (even though some of it mighta been wedding gifts from 8 years ago). so, maybe i'm glad that girl packed her whip?? she took care of ebay and craigslist, and created a hefty goodwill pile. if you're interested in oh say, a breadmaker or a lava lamp, i'm your gal.

bah, all this organization talk is makin' me break out in hives. enough! let's look at fun pics of what we've been doin' instead! oh, and go visit baby sister. that girl's much better about breakin' down the deets.

fun sunday afternoon bbq with friends where we got to stare at this ah.maz.ing view (if we have to):

and, no question, there was some of this:

and this going on (add a little mountain dew to daiquiris for a kick):

ok, i'd really love to stay and chat more, but i really mustache. (tee hee)

Surf's Up

2011-08-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

one of my sisters from another mister added a bambino to her brood in june, and i thought and thought about what gift to give. checked the registry, added things to the cart, then promptly emptied the cart, deciding instead to gift them announcements made by moi. that's a good gift, right?

since mama's hawaiian, we had to bring some'a that flair to the cards. especially since this was big brudda's announcement three years ago:

i was thinking retro-ish, surfer sign-y, and luckily mama was on board, and even sent pictures of baby in a surfer shirt! so, this is what we came up with:

see the surfboard in the corner? and, the wooden "sign" feel? how it looks like the words are carved into the sign? i was so excited his shirt was turquoise and orange, because those were the exact colors i had in mind.

just another perfect example of how awesome custom is. ain't nobody else gonna have this announcement. insert the hawaiian phrase for too cute here!

I'm Lockin' Her in the Basement

2011-08-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

i can't believe baby sister's been here a week already. time flies entirely too fast!! we're havin' a ball, y'all. (i'm a poet and didn't even know it!) and that girl does whatever i ask of her. well, she kinda has to, cause i'm buyin' all the eats and drinks, ya know. i'm makin' sure she's doing enough for rosita designs so she can list 'intern' on her résumé. she's gettin' rill good at tying pretty lil bows, which is sure to help her immensely out in the world of biology.

havin' someone around to do stuff with is soooo much more exciting than doing stuff alone. especially happy hour. cause i've heard in some circles, drinking alone is frowned upon.

here are some pics of all the fun we've been havin'. don't have a pic of it, but i've also introduced her to the classy world of bunko, aka drunko. (middle sissy: don't be jeally. we'd'a invited you too, if you weren't cookin' up a bambino.)

trying new recipes is also more fun when there are more people around. these are broccoli chick pea burgers for meatless monday. (not nearly as good as i wanted them to be.

happy hour starts promptly at 5:01 around here. in a fancy glass. with a side of garnish. outside on the addys. (you wish you worked here, doncha?!)

i promise we've been workin' too. we set up shop at the seattle square yesterday, and we'll be back there the 18th and the 25th.

if you're out and about, stop by. there are other cool vendors, live music, dining al fresco (food trucks!), and all the people watching you can handle. (seriously)

still on the agenda: more live music, bbqs, kayaking, crafting, and a visit from the mamacita. (maybe some work, too, we'll see)

Tea for Two

2011-08-09T16:58:00.000-07:00

isn't a tea party the perfect way to celebrate a baby? the hostesses of this cute shower wanted to tie in the colors of the baby's room with the theme. so, i set to work designing options in blues and greens, tying in tea cups, tea bags, and swirling warmth.

the girls unanimously chose the teacups to set the mood (my personal fave, too). and, i whipped together their package of invitations

thank you notes

and favor tags (we did 4 different sayings, but i thought this was cutest!)

i hope they got mama a box of chamomile, since she'll be up all night pretty soon! i tell ya, it never ceases to amaze me the creativity of my clients - custom is SO cool!

Rosita Says...RELAX

2011-08-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

see what i did there with the title? see it? (eyebrow raising) see it? well, if you don't love 80s music as much as i do, then maybe you didn't see what i did there. anyhoodiddledeedee...

BABY SISTER COMES TOMARREE!! yippee!!! so exciting!!!! it'll be so much fun to have someone to boss around again. i.can't.wait. y'all, it gets lonely up in here sometimes. and, the workshop could use some help. she can be my intern, yea, that's it. bah - who'm i kidding? we'll prolly pretend to work in the mornin' and then head out to read books at the beach. (i told you august was for relaxin' - hence the post title)

if things are sparse around here the next few weeks, it's because we're doing a little of this:

Source: ashlynstallings.blogspot.com via Raeann on Pinterest

and, a little of this:

Source: everythingfab.com via Raeann on Pinterest

mixed with a little of this:

Source: google.com via {JennySue} on Pinterest

and, definitely some of this:

Source: thecherryblossomgirl.com via Britt on Pinterest

we'll prolly do some cookin':

Source: nytimes.com via Raeann on Pinterest

and some bakin' (mmmm...bacon):

Source: chocolateandcarrots.com via Raeann on Pinterest

and, i'm guessin' there'll be a whole lotta craftin' going on:

Source: honestlywtf.com via Raeann on Pinterest

it's gonna be great! i'll be sure and document it all so you can see what fun it was! oh, and we'll chat about my obsession with pinterest (where all these here images came from) soon.

Hot August Notes

2011-08-02T06:05:00.000-07:00

what was that i said about declaring july the month of relaxation? never happened. i mean, i got a few hours here and there, but thasabout it. so, here's to august. baby sister's comin' for the whole month, so maybe i can convince her to do my work while i sip margaritas. think she'll go for it? pshaw - YEA. RIGHT.

it's playlist time again. and, y'all, i was sooo tired of my music being hijacked by those dang ads, we're tryin' sumthin' new. lemme know whatcha think. groovin' tunes on the playlist make for booty shakin' in the workshop. and, you know no list's complete without a cover. (this one's a particular favorite.) what's on your hot august list?

Well . . . a Deep Subject

2011-07-29T10:11:00.000-07:00

do you ever have one of those days when you realize you're in control of nothin'? well, yesterday was one of those days for me. so, i gave in. i.gave.in. took a mental health day. a break. a deep, cleansing breath. i gave in.

i slept in til 9:30. i caught up on daily blog reads. i made a date with the latest real simple over brunch. (i found TDF [to die for]gravy, which is saying a whole helluva lot around here.)

i christened my toes the perfect shade of turquoise to match my blue mood, then admired them against the waters of elliott bay and the gorgeous skies overhead.

i cracked open a bottle of vino at the respectable hour of 3 pm and cheerzed (it's a word, people!) myself, with the space needle as my backdrop.

and, i thought. i realized how much i take this city and it's gorgeous water and cool breezes for granted. how much i take everything for granted. my mamma. my sweet sistys. my lovely, wonderful husband, and his UN.CON.DISH.ON.AL love. he loves me with no conditions. not even one. my God, who still saves me with his Grace, no matter how many times i sin or ignore Him.

so, i had one of those days and i'm sure i'll have another one. but, not so long ago, i decided to let go, and let God. so, that's what i'm doing. i don't know where tomorrow will take me, but i know this is just a fleeting moment.

and, i want to tell you, those of you with all your support, and your holding me up when my load is just.too.heavy, you will NEVER, EVER know how much the support is/was needed. thank you. for the unconditional. for the understanding. for the virtual kickstand.

i'm truly not sure how i got so lucky, but i'm done with the taking it for granted. now, go hug your loved ones, cause they just might not be here tomorrow.

for i know the plans i have for you, says the Lord.
plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you a hope and a future.
~jeremiah 29:11

Easiest Salsa...Ever

2011-07-26T06:18:00.000-07:00

when you're from new mexico, you always have 3 things in the house - green chile (from hatch, duh), jalapeños (the hotta, the betta), and salsa (no, pace is NOT salsa). so, as i was ~~whipping~~ blending up the latest batch of salsa, i thought you, my 3 readers, might want the recipe. yes, yes?

it's the easiest thing you'll ever make. promise.

first, grab the goods (diced toms, jalapeños, garlic salt)

dump it all in the blendy

give it a whirl (chunkalicious) or two (saucalicious)

QA time - give 'er a taste and tinker with the salt and jalapeño ratio, if you gotta (try not to eat the whole batch straight from the blendy)

i know you'll be keepin' it all to yourself, but here's an idea for ya! toss it into a mason jar, slap a cutesie tag on it and give it away to yer friends.

EL RECIPE-O:

EASIEST (and most deelish) SALSA EVER
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes (or 1 can diced toms and 1 can rotel)
1/4 - 1/2 cup jarred jalapeños or 1 fresh jalapeño
1 - 2 Tbsp garlic salt
toss it all in the blender and mix to your favorite consistency.

now, you may be thinking, where are the onions? (barf) or i need me some cilantro in my salsa. (double barf) well, i don't like either of those things, so they got no bizness in my salsa. but, hey, you like onions and cilantro, g'head, toss them in, too.

if you wanna make a mean salsa verde, just substitute the diced toms with a few tomatillos. (dehusk those bad boys before tossing them in tho; maybe give 'em a rough chop, too.)

after you make your batch, come tell me all about it. how'd it taste? what'd ya substitute? give me all the deets.

What's Been Goin' On...

2011-07-22T16:04:00.000-07:00

did you run, go turn on amos lee when you read that post title, too? sometimes the titles come easily, sometimes not so much. it was either this, or 'round here (which woulda had me groovin' to counting crows). more often than not, i scroll through song titles in the ol' brain card catalog to come up with the titles. anyhoodle...TANGENT. (my specialty!)

these days, the workshop's been open late, and these hands have been working overtime. and that, my friends, is a very good thing. here's a little glimpse into what's been flying off the press.

announcing babies (yep, another boy!)

parties for 5 year olds

parties for 40 year olds (amazing race/scavenger hunt, no less)

parties for the corporate folk

and, tons of folding

for parties for graduates

can i just say, i love me a tri-fold. and, if they weren't so dang time-consuming and cost-in-effective (just made it up), i'd pitch 'em to everyone. check out the real estate: 6 whole pages! i tried to talk baby sister into one, but she wanted nuthin' to do with all those pics. party pooper.

and, lastly, the goods went mobile again last night.

there wasn't a huge turn out, but i hear as the summer (what summer?) goes on, the crowds get bigger. so, i'll be out there again august 18th and 25th, if y'all are out and about. baby sister will be here and i'm putting her to work, but shhh, don't tell her!

p.s. it's middle sissy's birfday today, so head over to her blog or her facebook and give her some love. she's heavy and hot with bambino, so she'll be extra excited to hear from you!

p.s.s. i inhaled a leaf last night, and now i'm certain a tree's gonna sprout in my lung, ala grey's anatomy. (let the eye rolling commence.)

Flowers in Your Hair

2011-07-20T15:58:00.000-07:00

at summerfest, some girls stopped by early saturday and asked about my hair flowers. i told them if they didn't find what they liked, we could do something custom, so they chatted amongst themselves, and told me 'we'll be back'. of course, i never expected them to come back, cuz, ya know - they all say that.

but, know what? they did! and, they ordered 12 custom flowers! turns out they're running a relay in a few weeks and they're in charge of team 'flair'. they wanted something fun and sassy, and i'd say they came to the right place! in case you didn't know - sassy is my middle name. ;)

so, this is what i did all day yesterday:

they picked pink and turquoise, and had me make 6 of each color for their teammates to choose their favorite.

i finished and packaged them all up, and am off to deliver them.

they'll be so cute, won't they? and what a great idea for bridesmaid gifts, or to keep track of the kiddos at the amusement park! let's make some for you.

Fair Lady

2011-07-15T16:55:00.000-07:00

now, as shocked as most of you will be, i'm kinda shy. i'll wait while you pick up your jaw. no, really, i am. actually filling out the application for the west seattle summerfest was a huge (HUGE) step for me. so, when i heard back that they were saving me a table, i grabbed the nearest paper bag to breathe into.

O.M.G. that meant i actually had to show up. with goodies to sell. and talk to people. possibly toot my own horn. maybe ask friends for help. the horror.

well, i survived. i mighta had fun, too! and, it went really well. i even had to restock the goods once or twice! i almost got discouraged the first day, but decided the rest of the weekend would be better. (amazing what an attitude adjustment does for the situation! - stop laughing, mom)

i made new friends. met new clients. handed out hundreds of biz cards. got asked to other fairs. and, lost my voice from talking so much!

gargantuan thanks to all my pals who came out to support the biz, who helped behind the scenes, and at the table. you'll never know how much the moral support means to me.

things i learned:
do a dry run - i set up a mock table before the event, and it was a great way to make changes here and there without the stress of knowing you need to be 'open' in an hour. and, day-of set up goes so much quicker!
ask for help - i'm bad at this. but, i knew there was no way i'd get everything done without a little help from my friends. and, man, were they helpful. phew!
less is sometimes more - i put everything out the first day, and think it mighta been a weensy overwhelming. so i scaled back to give the table breathing room.
everything's negotiable - since friday started slow, i did a little price tinkering, and sales rolled in.
rice is nice (for wet phones) - i should be an expert at this by now (let's just say i have a history with water), but i went ahead and dropped my phone in a cup. nothing a tub of rice and 4 or 5 hours can't fix!
compliments feel good - duh, right? well, it felt reaaaally good to have the public compliment the goods. cause, your friends kinda have to do that already, right?

ok - enough words - how 'bout some pictures of the event?

Keepin' It Real

2011-07-05T09:23:00.000-07:00

i haven't done a keepin' it real post in a long while, and decided last night was the perfect backdrop for a new post. since i'm prepping for the west seattle summerfest this weekend, there's no time for sitting around idle, enjoying the latest juicy novel, or tossing the frisbee back and forth. not even on a national holiday like the fourth of july!

we headed down to the lake to watch the fireworks with all the necessary tools: chairs, blanket, grill, laptop, scoring board. what? scoring boards and laptops aren't necessary picnic tools?

here, see for yourself. i was a scoring fool while we waited out traffic, completely unfazed by the amateur firework display going on behind me. no rest for the weary, folks. but, don't worry, i took a break to eat my hot dog, and watch the amazing fireworks.

The Red, White & Tunes

2011-07-01T09:04:00.000-07:00

remember when we were kids and adults would say things like 'the older i get, the faster time flies'? well, it's true, peeps. seriously - june was here and gone, and i spent all my weekends besides my birthday either working, or digging up plants to expose my neighbor's yard (doh!).

i hereby declare july the month of relaxation. (well, except for the working weekends of this and next). and, this is just the playlist for the occasion. i mixed cheesy summer songs with memory-inducing tunes, and topped it all with a 'are-those-really-the-original-lyrics?' cover.

you like? whatcha lisnin' to? you know how last year was my summer of live music? i have no plans to see live music this summer. how sad. so, if you do, let me live vicariously thru you, wontcha? and, have a great fourth of july. i hope you'll get to enjoy a spectacularly expensive firework display, like we will!

West Seattle Summerfest

2011-06-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

so, next weekend, i'll be participating in my first street fair. i mighta mentioned it, maybe. so, if you're in the area, come by and say hi. i'd love to meetcha.

as it is, i'm a wee bit nervous. do i have enough goods? will i sell anything? i'm going out in public?! bah - noivous! here's a sneak peek of things around the workshop. it may not look like much now, but it'll work into something. (let's hope! hee hee!)

ok - gotta go make something of these piles. ;) i hope to see you next weekend!

A Little Site Updatin'

2011-06-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

DISCLAIMER: y'all! i've been without internet for 3 days. 3 DAYS! whoa. ok. breathe. i've had to surf the web on my phone (which is awesome, but...). can you imagine how horrible this was? ok, i'm being a little overly dramatic, but wanted you to know this was 'posta be a friday entry, but instead, it's a monday entry. carry on.
--------------------------------
sooooo, i've been kinda neglecting the old website. since i spend so much time over here telling you about all the workshop goodies, i tend to forget i need to update the site. whoopsie.

well, i'll neglect her no more. i promise. until i do neglect her again. but, anyhoodle...

when you check her out, here's what you'll see:

that's right! i'll be selling the goods in my first street fair in a few weeks. (kinda why i'm sprucin' up the site.)

and, i've updated the portfolio page. there's now a moving announcement link, since those were a bit lost before. and, there's now a gift section, because they've never been added to the site, and i know some people have been looking for them.

you'll also notice each section is broken out into sub-sections, because i know it was tedious to scroll through all the designs just to see save the dates, for example.

when you click on the sections, you'll see pages like this:

and this:

you'll know where you are, too, because whatever page you are on will be highlighted in red text. and, the image depicting each section will stay on the left side of each page.

so, let me know what you think - if there are any broken links, etc. i checked and checked and checked again, but my brain hurt, so it's quite possible something got lost in translation. especially since the webster went down in the middle of my updates. sheesh.

on that note, happy monday! mr man and i have elected to start having 'meatless mondays' where our dinner is of the vegetarian variety (sisty, you so proud?). last monday, i made this and these for dessert (and several brekkies after). tonight, it's mongolian bbq (no recipe for that - just throw veggies in a pan with sesame oil, red pepper flakes, garlic and soy sauce and serve over pasta).

ok - go. check out the site. order something. make a meatless monday meal.

Vegas, Baby

2011-06-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

i don't get too many orders for bachelorette party invites, but when i do, man, are they fun to design. especially when the party's in sin city, and you're told to make the design vegas-y and fun and bright.

since the party was also a lingerie shower, i was thinking maybe showgirl or vegas flyer style. (do you get bombarded with those things as you walk along the strip, too?) and, then i thought, what about the welcome sign? because nothing says vegas like the sign. and, how excited was i when i realized 'charity' has the same letters as 'welcome'... it's the little things, people, it really is!

we started the party in the mailbox, by carrying the design over to the printed envelopes!

the back of the invite (all my designs are double-sided, you know) was a fun design, listing the bride's unmentionables sizes, so we'll leave that off the blog.

i have it on good authority that they thoroughly embarrassed the bride. i guess they say 'what happens in vegas, stays in vegas'. so, might as well 'go big, or go home', huh?!

Graphic Wall Art {Tutorial}

2011-06-17T18:11:00.000-07:00

as promised, i'm back to show you how to make some fun graphic art for your walls. just in time for a weekend project!

for this project, you're gonna need:

a canvas or piece of wood cut to size
vinyl or cut-out letters
spray paint or paint
a straight edge/ruler

first, you'll want to decide what saying you want, and figure out how many packs of vinyl letters you'll need. i got my canvas at michael's and the letters at staples, where they have a ton of sizes.

i wanted my letters to be some color besides canvas white. if you want the same, spray or paint the canvas/wood the color you'd like.

now it's time to start placing the letters. unfortunately, with the stick on vinyl letters, you can't really place them first, move them around, and still have them stick. you pretty much have to commit. so, i measured an inch down from the top and started placing my letters.

i decided i wanted mine to be about an inch apart vertically, so i used my metal ruler to provide the gap.

all done. how cute is that heart in the 'o'? when i realized there were hearts in my pack, i resisted placing them all over the canvas ala my 6th grade trapper keeper, and just used one.

now, it's time to spray/paint the top.

i'm sure you're thinking 'why the heck did she pick black letters if she's going to spray black over them?' well, i don't know why. i was worried for a minute, but they were visible! don't be like me - get brown or grey or blue, whatever. (if you can name that song reference, i love you!)

now, it's reveal time. drum roll please - dadadadadadadadadada

dundadah! just peel those letters off. now, here's the deal. those stickers don't love stickin' to the sprayed canvas, and i saw that dang 'e' flutter while i was spraying. i was super nervous it was gonna look u-g-l-y-you-ain't-got-no-alibi, and i'd have to scrap it and start over, but i lurved it! i wanted a grunge feel, and even thought of sanding some of the edges.

but, once i pulled off all the letters, and saw some of the edges weren't so crisp, i decided against grunging it up anymore.

we're done! only thing left to do is pat yourself on the back, and hang that sucker.

of course, if you don't want to do it yourself, you know i'm here for ya. i'll do all the labor for you and wrap it up in a pretty little bow.

and, if you do decide to whip one up, remember to come back and show me. i wanna see what cute phrase you pick. (also, if you know where my saying hails from, i'll love you even more!)

i linked up this project to The Lettered Cottage

Bed Head

2011-06-15T17:43:00.000-07:00

we haven't had a headboard in many, many years, and i thought we needed one. so, one day, i decided that we (mr man) should build one, and be able to hang it in one day. well, let me give you a view into projects i dream up: they never happen as i see them in my head. but, i can't seem to learn my lesson.

anyway - i'd seen loads of cool DIY headboards made of salvaged pieces like shutters or old doors, and figured it couldn't be that difficult. (that's foreshadowing, btw).

so, i drug mr man out of bed and to the salvage yard to pick out a door. if you've never been to a salvage yard, they have rows (and rows) of doors. after digging for about an hour, we found a nice, decently priced 5 panel door (so when we cut it down, it'd look 'natural').

of course, we couldn't just slap it up on the wall. it needed to look all perfeshonal like, with molding and stuth. only problem: we have the wonkiest bedroom walls and ceiling. so, nothing pre-made was gonna work. (ooh, i do love custom) see where this is going? we set off for HD to find our pieces, and i'll spare you the drama, but after 2+ hours there, we kinda found something that'd work and i maybe mighta turned into a 2-year-old.

how 'bout some in progress pictures??

we cut the door down, added moulding, and filled in the door knob. then, we sanded like crazy and painted the whole thing black. then it was up 4 flights of stairs to the bedroom, only to have the paint scratch off when it grazed the banister. *#%##%*

back down 2 flights of stairs to re-sand and re-paint. y'all, that paint peeled off like cheap nail polish. i said a few curse words. if you're keeping track, this was not a one day project. more like 2 or 3, plus a few nights. talk about a labor of love!

after all that, you really want to see it in the room now, right?!

doesn't it look awesome?! mr man's such a stud. nothin' hotter than a man in a tool belt and safety goggles. of course, since we got a new headboard, we needed new bedside tables too. it's a whole new bedroom. all we have left to do are the floors! the room needed more art, too so i whipped up some.

you want one, dontcha? well, come back friday, and i'll show you how it's done.

Muy Caliente

2011-06-13T16:41:00.000-07:00

i'm back to show you all the wedding goods from this save the date. and, it's spicy. we kept the latin flavor of the save the dates, but used the wedding colors instead. red, black and turquoise were carried throughout all the pieces.

we chose to flood all the pieces of the invitation suite with a different color. the invitation got black on the back. and, the picture does not do it justice. we decided on delicious linen paper, and the black looked amazing on it.

the rsvp was turquoise. and, check out just how much info you can fit on that little card. rsvp, meal choice, favorite song, advice for the couple. we printed the return envelope with muted wedding colors.

then, the guest information card was red. i know i've said it before, but you can use these for whatever you like. the bride chose to use her card to feature local wine bars and tap houses, because there was a 3 hour gap between the wedding and reception.

this image may do nothing for you, but i love seeing everything all packed and ready to ship.

for the ceremony program, we again featured more muted wedding colors, but with the same flourish.

the final pieces were reception table numbers and placecards. the bride couldn't decide which color she liked best, so we did table numbers in each of the four colors, and then matched the placecards to the table number. how fun is that?!

to denote the food choice of each guest, we used cute little icons - a chicken, a cow, and a carrot for vegetarian. you can see a better close up here.

we also listed the food on the back of the card, just to make sure the caterers got it right! highlighted on the turquoise card below.

i had so much fun working on this wedding suite - the colors were fantastic, and it really warms my heart to be a part of helping the bride have the wedding of her dreams.

tina and antonio were married this past saturday. i've seen a few pictures, and it looked like a blast. i wish them all the happiness and love in the world! congratulations!

Scenes from a Birthday

2011-06-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

this is what's going on in my kitchen at the moment. my ears are a-ringin' - hammer, crash, drill, crash. i can't look again for fear i might have a heart attack.

i'm so excited we're putting hardwoods in our kitchen, i just wish i could 'bewitch' it done. prepwork is hard, y'all. so, since i'm having a hard time concentrating...huh? oh, right - here's a recap of the birthday haps. in hindsight, i'm glad i didn't skip my birthday - we had tons of fun.

we had a lovely date night of yummy cocktails (mona's) and italian deliciousness (salvatore). mr man wanted to hit places we'd never been before, and that little sneaker snooped into my list and found places i've been wanting to try! he's a keeper, that one.

we continued the festivities into the weekend (of course we did). we lucked out finding a table at alki (it was friday night AND sunny), then went for my favorite pizza (belltown pizza) before my droolfest over bradley cooper at the liquor theater (aka big picture).

could the dude be any hotter? i laughed a lot, so if you're thinking about seeing it, i say go. it is pretty similar to the first one, but did i mention bradley cooper's in it? he could read the dictionary and i'd watch. (sorry, honey) and, there's a monkey in it. note about me: i love monkeys. they're hilarious, and i would gladly accept one as a gift.

on saturday, we did a little day drinkin' with friends. we all met in woodinville and traveled around for a little of this:

i love me some wine tasting. and, the day was GORGEOUS. amazing. glorious. fantabulous. sunshine, 80, and wine - nuthin' better! i tried to pick wineries with outdoor seating so we could enjoy the sunshine, and that we did. friends came and went throughout the day, and i capped off the evening with a drink in a boot.

'cause nothing says 'happy birthday' like a drink served in footwear. albeit, sassy footwear. sassy footwear you know i'd totally rock.

and, then, the icing on the proverbial cake - as if the twilight whose-it-whats-its knew it was my birthday, they released the trailer to breaking dawn. you know you wanna watch.

June-y Tunes

2011-06-03T12:28:00.000-07:00

y'all, the PNW is bringin' in june right! i'm coming to you from my back patio soaking up some vitamin d - actual sunshine! there's a beautiful weekend full of sunnyshine ahead of us, and i'm so excited. and i just can't hide it. i'm about... oh, saw-ree. it's just that we call may a tease with all its glorious sunshine, because then we get june and all its rain.

so, see? it's a perfect day for a kicky new playlist. since it's my birth month, i threw in some of my faves from over the years. and, yes, that is rush, rush. i loved me some paula back in the day. and, keanu was in the vid. i loved keanu (don't hate). you know the drill - tell me what you're listenin' to these days. or, what you still have in rotation from over the years.

another year bites the dust

2011-06-02T13:36:00.000-07:00

today's mah birfday. and, if you thought i had a hard time jumping into thirty-f*cough*ive, all squinty-eyed, 'this-can't-really-be-how-old-i-am', boy howdy (we do too say that where i'm from) thirty-s*blech*ix is gonna be a da-hoo-za-ie. y'all, i'm trying to put the skids on. toepick. pie wedge. nine. alto. i want it to stop! seriously, THIS CAN'T REALLY BE HOW OLD I AM!

i really hoped i could go to beddy-bye last night, and wake up tomorrow. which, those of you who know me and my birthday celebratin' ways, is a bad sign.

so, i got mah hairs cut yesterdee, and had every intention of doing this:

Source: ukhairdressers.com via Raeann on Pinterest

but when i got there, there was no colorist. what tha? well, to be fair, when i want mah hairs cut, i want mah hairs cut, so i go to rudy's. anyhoo - it's prolly a good thing, cuz someone was all: what? huh? red? wait? what? huh? and then: you already did it, didn't you? heeheeha! can you imagine? going that drastic without getting an ok, sure? as if! i'm still reeeeeeeally tempted to do the color. so, stay tuned.

alrighty - i'm off to enjoy the rest of my day. i have a rare sun break luring me outside. i'm also thinking about a mani/pedi and maybe a little retail therapy. and, you know i'll cap it all off with a cocktail. mr man's in charge of the festivities this evenink, so i'll have a recap next week sometime. wonder who's surprising me this year!

In My Shoes

2011-05-31T21:04:00.000-07:00

i've been thinking lately that it might be fun to give the blog a more human feel. i know i've interrupted the design before to talk about obsessions, books i've read, and mr man, but i thought you might like a weekly, or monthly view into my ~~riveting~~ life. funnily enough, i get the most comments from you, my 3 readers, when i write personally. i'm not quite sure what that means, but i do know, i love me some comments.

i think it'll be pretty organic, changing or not, as i please. and if you know me, that's pretty much my personality (i am a truuuue gemini).

so, is this a good idea? is this the dumbest thing you've ever heard? hello? anyone there? drop me a comment here if there's anything you've been dying to know.

WHAM! BAM! POW!

2011-05-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

sometimes when i get an order, i'll get a few hours into the design, wipe my brow, and think 'what did i get myself into?' this design is one of those times. but, i wasn't going to let it be my kryptonite, and dare i say...it might be one of the cutest designs i've churned out of ~~headquarters~~ the workshop. (that's a little horn tootin' for those of you keeping track).

superhero birthdays demand comic book style invites, right down to the pictures. well, for that, i needed to do some learnin' ... to the ~~batcave~~ interwebs.

and, POW! the pictures went

and shazam, the final invite looked like this

it's got the comic book feel, right? zinger words, lightning bolts, stars, fun fonts. can you find their blaster cuffs in the invite?

could this possibly be one of THE most custom design you've ever seen? well, don't go calling me wonder woman just yet.

What a Hoot

2011-05-24T13:31:00.000-07:00

how is it that our little sweet p is 2, and i was tasked with designing all her 2nd birthday swag?! she's supposed to be a little peanut, but, now she leads us all around by the nose and chatters and sings constantly.

she also loves ALL animals, birds, bugs, etc. so, mom wanted a cute 'look whooo's 2' theme with an owl. you've seen the invites.

and, for the party, we did a banner

a party hat

and favor tags...

for the cutest favors my sister handmade (good thing there were only 5 guests!)

what did i tell ya about the mamas gettin' creative up in here? the guests also decorated owl masks to take home, and feasted on the cutest owl cupcakes. (i'm sure she'll blog about all the goods soon).

lucky girl got to celebrate her birthday twice, so the swag made two debuts (one for friends and one for family) - love that.

for good measure, i thought we needed a pic of the birthday girl modeling her birthday hat. she's just the cutest dang thing ever!

let's chat about your kiddos birthday.

Around the World

2011-05-16T14:46:00.000-07:00

lately i've been doing more kiddo birthday invites, and i tell ya - the 'rents are gettin' creative. this little munchkin has been quite the traveller, and mama wanted to use that as the focus for the invites and the party.

so, the invites were designed with an airmail slash train/air ticket slash travel feel, and was topped off with a pic of the birthday boy in paris.

for the party, they carried on the travel theme with a paper airplane making contest and these cute passports. mom asked me to design a little passport for the party guests to fill out. they went 'around the world', filling their passports with stamps from the birthday boy's travels. tout cute!

and, of course, no birthday would be complete without a birthday banner (made round, like the world!)

isn't that such a fun birthday party idea? and, what a lucky boy to be such a world traveller!

do you have a birthday to celebrate? let's whip up some goods for you!

Second Annual Open House

2011-05-06T15:20:00.000-07:00

last weekend, i hosted my 2nd rosita designs open house. under a glorious blue, sun-filled sky, we enjoyed mimosas, snacks and fun chit chat. i debuted a few new items - individual cards for every occasion, calendars, and mixed media crosses.

thank you to everyone who came! i so appreciate all my old and new friends for all their support of the workshop.

to place an order, let's chat. remember mama, too. if you're local, we can meet somewhere to do an exchange. (hmmm...that sounds kinda bad, huh?!) and, if you've procrastinated, order something up, too. she'll know it's the thought that counts!

I Can Sing Clearly Now

2011-05-03T10:26:00.000-07:00

seriously peeps, if we thought 2010 came and went in a flash, 2011 is on the speeding bullet to 2012. i need a pause button for life, for sure! it's a total shock that it's already may...that our little sweet p turned 2 yesterday...that my downward spiral birthday is a month away...that sunshine might be around the corner. (back in nm/tx, we'd have been sunnin' our buns in february!)

ok, enough chit chat - on to the music. whatchoo got pumpin' out your speakers these days? since it's almost summer, tell me about your fave toe-tappin', booty-shakin' tunes.

Gifts for Mom

2011-04-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

since mother's day is may 8, i thought i'd share some gifts from the workshop that are sure to brighten her day. there is plenty of time to get them in the mail to her before it's too late.

notecards

mom's love their own stationary. and, i have every letter of the alphabet! if you are looking for something more generic, i also have 'thank you' and 'hello' notecards. cards are wrapped up with coordinating ribbon in a cello bag.

$15 for 10 cards

canvases

how about a little artwork for mom? this was actually a birthday present for my mama to match her bedroom. just pick the color, and give me a general idea of style you're looking for, and we go from there. totally custom. i featured a few of my custom canvases before.

prices vary based on size and complexity of the project

a little bling

nothing like a little accessorizing to make yourself feel better. you pick the colors, and bling for the middle, and you have yourself a fancy hair adornment. if mom's not big on hair accessories, she can wear it clipped to a scarf, her handbag, or her coat lapel.

$12

calendars

no, it's not too early to be giving out calendars! these small desktop calendars are made to sit in a CD sized case. each month is a different design and color. i designed black and white calendars as well for the more modern mamas out there.

$20

order yours today.

The Good Earth

2011-04-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

how exciting is it that earth day and good friday are the same day??!! and, the sun is shining, which just might qualify as a miracle! i'm coming to you from my front yard on my beloved adirondack chair. sadly, not much in my yard is blooming, but i do have a bird's eye view of some daffys and tulips. oop, and a big dandelion. i'll have to get mr. man after that.

since we're already pretty earth friendly around here, not much of my day to day seems that above and beyond. but today, i composted my coffee grounds, used a reusable bag at the store; i'm drinking my water out of my klean kanteen and sportin' my recycle tee.

and, guess what? i think i've finally talked myself into planting some veggies. we'll see how that goes, since my thumb is actually black, not green. i'll let you know if progress goes well (and will avoid the topic if things don't pan out). if you have any tips, i'm all ears.

i'm sending you sunshine wishes for a wonderful weekend and a happy easter!

Having a Ball

2011-04-20T13:36:00.000-07:00

when a client comes to me and says "i want it all!", i start doing back flips and side herkies in my mind. i mean, few things are more exciting. and, that's just what this client did for her son's 1st birthday.

it started with the beach ball theme, and kept rolling (heehee) from there. we did invitations, with printed envelopes and seals.

then, we addressed party decor by creating festive birthday banners and tissue poms

we topped the cake with a festive banner, and decorated cupcakes with fun toppers (not pictured)

the birthday boy donned the perfect hat for the occasion

we sent the little guests home with goodie bags

and, after it was all over, thank you notes carried on the theme

see? the sky's the limit when it comes to party fun. they can be as simple, or as detailed as you like. let's chat about your next shindig.

Party Animals

2011-04-15T16:43:00.000-07:00

it's party time around these parts again, and i've been whipping up birthday invitations. then, as i was getting them all packaged up and photographed, i noticed a theme! they all have cute little animals on them! (thank goodness for easy blog post titles!)

we've got safari animals

jungle animals

and owls

and, i remembered this design. not really animals, but i think it fits into the theme loosely. mama drew these cute bugs and had me use them on the invite.

if you've got a party animal celebrating a birthday soon, give me a shout! and stay tuned next week, cause i'll show you some ideas to go along with invitations.

oh my!

Easter Greetings

2011-04-12T14:03:00.000-07:00

i got an email from a new client who wanted to do holiday cards, but wanted to save them for a different holiday...easter. isn't that a great idea? you still get your annual card out, but you're not competing for fridge space with all the christmas and new year's cards. genius!

so, if you missed out on christmas, new year's, valentine's, st. patty's day, here's your chance to send out a card to all your nearest and dearest. whether you celebrate easter, or just want to use it as a way to ring in spring, let's chat.

she wanted bright colors and a place to add a "what's been goin' on" letter. we added a scripture perfect for the occasion, and voila. it doesn't hurt that the little munchkin with her green tennies is so darn adorable!

so, you interested?? yes? come talk to me.

Just Because

2011-04-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

a few weeks ago, when mr. man met me at the airport after an impromptu family "vacation", he presented me with a bouquet of tulips. just because. just because he missed me. (cookin' his dindin, i'll bet) isn't that the sweetest thing you ever done heard?

my little tulips brightened my desk until monday. and, with the blustery, icky, why-do-i-live-here-again weather we've been having, i needed them. funny what 10 little flowers will do to the spirit, huh?

mr. man's off on an impromptu family vacation now, and i'm thinkin', thinkin' what to present him with when i pick him up. just because. cause flowers just don't work for the mens, am i right?

so, tell me, what's the latest thing you've gotten just because?

Spring is in the Air(waves)

2011-04-01T14:08:00.000-07:00

i was gonna make an april fool's playlist, but decided since y'all loooove listening to them all month, it woulda been a throw away playlist. you're welcome.

i'm getting better at this finding music stuff, but you know the drill - you got a song i need to know about? send it my way. i'm lookin' at you, baby sister. little stinker's been keepin' the goods to herself.

and, just for you (my 3 readers), i put all the playlists over there to the right, so you can clickety click to any month you choose. so, without further ado:

You Dig?

2011-03-29T17:32:00.000-07:00

for vali day, my sister ordered (me to make) cards to go with the trinkets she gave out at sweet p's play date that day. the bag of goodies was stuffed with healthy snacks and a shovel...hence i dig you. isn't that the cutest? i know love day was weeks (months!) ago, but i wanted to share the cuteness.

and, to tell you - i dig you!

Pomp & Circumstance

2011-03-23T16:19:00.000-07:00

as shocked as i am that we're steam-rolling through 2011, i'm here to tell you it's time to get those graduation invites ordered. for college, high school, heck even kindergarten.

the school invites are bo.ring, so order up something custom. We can slap a picture (or 5) on it, invite friends to a celebration after the big ceremony, tell your nearest and dearest what life after graduation holds. Whatever - it's custom, you know.

i just whipped up invites for baby sister's college gradjuration. see how cute they can be?

and, once all those awesome gifts ($$$) come rolling in, you'll have the perfect matching thank you note to send.

and, just so you know, yes, the waterworks flow every time i hear pomp and circumstance.

The Process

2011-03-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

in case you were wondering how one of my designs comes to life, here's a little photo montage of the process.

set up design based on rough pencil sketch

nope, not right. move design around.

better, but let's see what it looks like with the background.

m'kay, liking it better. how 'bout the whole design.

ok, we might be ready to assemble.

but, wait...maybe the background needs more umph.

ok...we're done...

of course we're not done...it needs more pizazz

ok, just right! NOW we're done.

so, there you go - i obviously forgot some of the process (when did the 'r' and 'g' change to zebra stripe?!), but you get the picture. ha! and, bonus - you get a little "keepin' it real" feel. yep, that's my dining room table, i like to design there and then cart everything back and forth from the basement a million times. whatever!