Merry Christmas

I don't know about you, but it's not really feeling like Christmas to me this year.  There's a lot going on in my personal life, and the fact that it's been in the 60s and 70s the past month (NOT that I'm complaining!), has kind of put a damper on my Christmas spirit.  However, I'm blessed to have friends and family that love and care and I got to spend some time with.  Also, I get tomorrow off (meaning I get to sleep in, woot!), so hooray! Oh, and I got some awesome swag this year - a sewing machine and a Kindle Fire!  So excited to get to mess around with them both and discover their amazingness.  I'm hoping to get started with the sewing machine soon...maybe try to make 

this seat cover (are everyone elses dogs shedding like crazy now!?)

 

 these adorable baby booties 

and this adorable pillow.

I've never sewed before and I'm kind of clueless about how complex/easy these tutorials might be...we'll find out soon I guess!?  Any other recommendations for beginner sewing projects?

Hope you all have had a fun holiday weekend...I would say relaxing but if your Christmas is anything like mine it'll be far from it! :)

"Following" and Other Cool Blogger Features...and An Introduction

So I've been reading a ton of awesome design blogs for a long time and read them all through Google Reader! I decided blogging might be fun, so I started this one on a whim not too long ago. I finally started getting some viewership after linking up to some parties of the awesome blogs I read, and even some comments (squeeel! how exciting!) Well a really cool reader left a comment (Erin at Where Beauty Meets Function) saying she wanted to "Follow" me but there wasn't a way too (wasn't sure what follow is but it sounded cool and I wanted it to happen). So I researched it (thanks google) and got it up and running. So now I'm slowly but surly going through and "following" all the blogs that I've been reading and getting inspiration from. Yay! :D Feel free to follow me too if you want!

Oh, and since people are actually looking at my stuff (no clue that would happen!), then I thought maybe I could introduce myself a little. My name is Jessica Lauren and I've lived in North Carolina my whole life. I graduated from NC State with a degree in Communication Disorders and in Elementary Education, and now I spend my time working with kids with autism and loving it! I also dream of being a stay at home mom (no kids yet but coming soon hopefully) and full time crafter, but I'm going to have to keep practicing on that one! I'm married to a guy who doesn't get my crafting addiction but supports me just the same when I ask him to go with me to the craft store for the millionth time that week! :D
I am also the proud mommy to two fur babies...and like a proud mama have to show them off :D
Here's our oldest one - Ziggy (lab boxer mix) at 2 months old when we first got him
and at 2 1/2 years (and about 75 pounds heavier) in the snow last year
and our other dog Zoie (american bull dog, english springer spaniel mix from our best guess), who we adopted from the SPCA last year
Thanks for checking out my blog, and I'd love to hear from you all about any tips you have about blogging, increasing readership, or just about you! New project coming tomorrow if I can get it done in time!