{yeow! my desk}

Gussy has a new computer desk! A new lovely desk! A new desk to be sassy on ;)

This is just soooo exciting. I've been using a side table prior to yesterday because we had nothing else. I needed my iMac out of the Sweat Shop {the office}! I needed that to be a "sewing only" room. So I set up shop on a side table in the living room. It has been good, but now that I have something eye-level... Ohhhh, baby! I'm having a great time typing right now :)

If you look really close in this photo below you can see my sewing machine. It's white and is in the upper left corner of the photo. Do you see it???




This desk is old. It has wear and tear {just a lil}. It is white; it's wooden; it's so adorable. Imagine all the new thoughts I'll have to type to you just because of this new desk... Speaking of new thoughts, yesterday Z and I were chatting. OK, so he was listening, I was chatting...



Away I chatted. This story, that story, oh a new story to tell. Tee he he.

Z told me after I was done talking {approximately 14 minutest later} that he had approximately 6 things he wanted to say but didn't want to interrupt Gussy {thank you, Z}. I can't even imagine what that was like to have to bite your tongue while I talked.

Gussy has a lot to say.

Helloooooo, that is the name of this blog ♥


So this is where I'll be sitting from now on at home. Any time you write me a comment I'll read it right there. See? Look up please. Right there :)

PS. If some of you would attach an email address to your blog account then I could write you back with my sassified thoughts. But I can't. Because when I click "reply" it says something like "no comment@blogger.com" Or something equally devastating.

ARGGGG. So devastating. Imagine allllll the fun things I have to say to you, yet you don't hear a single ounce of them because you don't have an email address linked.

However, some of you do have your email address linked and so we talk about Custom Orders, ruffles, asking for handmade item discounts, and all sorts of other fun things. We ever give each other nicknames like Dove and Goose ;)

If you go to your Edit Profile page and click the box "show my email address" then bloggers can reply via email to YOUR comments! How much fun would that be?!

Here's a how-to article! {Thanks, Lisa!}



OK, so a few ending thoughts:

• Check out my blog sponsors -- there are a few newbies and I am so excited for them!!! :)

• Friday is my last shipping day of the year. I am a little sad about this, but I know 2010 has many wonderful things in store for Gussy

• I have a new desk. Did you hear? ;)

• My Heather Bailey fabrics are in! Yippeeeeeeee

• I'm having a Lia Sophia jewelry party at our apartment tonight

I better stop now. Before I come up with anything else to type.

xo!

{we have GUSSY stockings}

Remember yesterday when I showed you these two photos?

Most of you guessed correctly! And some of you I wanted to squeeze. Just kidding. I TOTALLY laughed-out-loud at your comments. You guys are hilarious x 35. Yes, I made Hubbs and I matching stockings. See our matching green ruffles? And the matching plaid? And I'm done with the "M" word ;)

Thank goodness he let me put a ruffle on his stocking. It would have been sooo ocky/icky without it. Don't you agree? And on mine I put a 'lil bit of Heather Bailey fabric at the top. Sassin' it up, ya know?!

See my orange toes? They made it into the picture on accident but didn't feel like cropping them out because I am done editing -- cropping, color-correcting, re-sizing and all that jazz. Maybe another day? Maybe.

I totally love love looooove our stockings. I could let out a big YEOW {!!!} right now, they are that cute. Maybe if we were all friends IRL I could show you all? Sigh... Sew cute!

PS. I am getting a new computer desk soon. I think it's getting picked up tonight. It's not really a "computer" desk -- more like a sassy, rufflicious, Gussified desk. It's white, it's wood, it's adorable. It has a few drawers on each side so I can hide chocolate! yeow! I mean fabric scraps. Silly fingers typed the wrong word ;)

And you know pictures of THAT are to come, too.

OK. Time to unravel over a cup of coffee.

See ya, wonderful blogger friends...

{Christmas tour}

Well, it's done. Hubbs and I have decorated our Minneapolis apartment. As opposed to our condo in Seattle or our house in.... {Just kidding. We only have one home and it's in Minneapolis.} And it is decorated and it is sooooooo cute. We played Christmas music all day last Saturday while putting up our decor. Zack and some great ideas, too. I can't deny that. Although I won't share which ideas were his. I can keep a secret :)

One thing I love about Christmas decorations is that some of them were given to me by my parents. Others are ones we've gathered since being married. Some were even bought this season, like the c-u-t-e fabric Christmas trees shown at the end of this post.

No, do not scroll down. I am talking. Hah! Just kidding :) Do whatever you want :)

Zack's grandma gave us this glass snowman dish. For safety, I've put red ornaments inside. In place of candy. {I wonder how long that will last...?}

My mom made the candle rigamaroo. The tan/gold stones and glass vase are left over from our wedding reception. She added a piece of holiday glam {the red berries} and a candle. Mama Gus and I love candles. Slowly I am helping Mom Whitley to love candles, too ;)




Oh looky here. More candles. Candles = warmth and comfort. I can't imagine my home without them. I know for a fact my mom instilled this tradition in me. My mom has a candle closet. {I'm sew jealous.}

I have recently upgraded from a candle drawer to a cabinet.
SO PROUD! :)




I used tips from The Nester {use what you have Christmas decor} and added some festive color to this red vase. I love how it looks! Our coconut tree and spider plant love it, too. {The image above was also inspired by Nester's post.}

I bought this vase while in college at Meijer for like $3. I'm so glad I did, too. While I didn't need it at the time I just knew I would need it at some point. Because I'm good like that.




THIS IS MY RED COUCH. My lovely, rich red couch. The inside of the couch is from the Helak family. The outside is Whitley. A perfect mix of both sides of our families :) Oh look, three Christmas trees made out of fabric. This pillow is da bomb and sort of matches the other set of three Christmas trees in this post...




I also got this idea for a pretty fabric bow from The Nester. While we've ever only talked on the phone and via email, she is my go-to design gal.



Yes, you read that right, I TALKED ON THE PHONE TO THE NESTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For 53 minutes.

Below is a nutcracker man from my Aunt Judy. It is from Germany. Yeow! I love his soft, white hair. It feels real, but better.

Speaking of Christmas, the FRIENDS FOREVER picture frame {also shown below} has me and my big bro sitting under the Christmas tree. I'm like 2.5; Matt is like 4.5. Years-old, duh.

We are wearing matching pajamas. When I have kids they are so {sew} wearing matching pajamas. Maybe even a red bow tie for the boy, too ;)





Valerie, look at my Nativity Set. You have this, too, right? My parent's gave this set to me as a bridal shower gift. I wanted it so badly. Every year for Christmas they've given me and Zack another piece/set. Do you have a set that your family continues to bless you with each year?



See this red plaid ribbon? It was used to make the big bow on our lamp base, as well for the garland here. I love the little silver and red jingle bells mixed in...



Fabric trees!!! I love them! If they weren't glued to a wooden base I'm sleep with them, they are that cute! Want a set of your own? You can find them at Target.

Merry Christmas!

PS. I added an RSS feed to my blog, so if you'd like to subscribe via Google Reader (or another program) you most certainly can :)

{8 new items + holiday pics}

{coming soon!}

... 8 new Gussy items plus Christmas decor!

Cozy on the couch tonight; That will be us :)

{jibber, jabber}

If I had this telephone I'm afraid I'd never hang it up ;)




***

our Minneapolis apartment. i love it so much :)

PS. The big event, scheduled for Nov. 14, is coming along very nicely.
Thanks so much for asking ;)

{a post in photos}

{colorful kitchen}
do you see my awesome Collin & Jack calendar? I love my nephews so much.
It is no small thing, when Children who are so fresh from God, love us.

{these guys rock!}
Collin says, I'm growing to be a man!

{a trio of wonderful people}

{friendship palm tree}

{Gussy loves her house plants}

{and her red couch + measuring tape}
PS. Mom, this is yours. Hope you haven't been looking for it...

{The Sweat Shop}
well, part of it ;)

{Mandy, these two pics are for you!}

1.

2.

{he doesn't like my coasters}

I should be honest. I had another rearranging moment. Well, it was more like a redec moment.

I changed my Etsy shop. Again. {I have to link it this time because someone told me, I can't find your page because it isn't LINKED!}

Ugghhhhh ;)

Check it:



What do you think?!?!
------------------------

Last night I decided it was time to sew. No more putting it aside. I made this really, really cute table cloth for an end table in our living room. Actually, it's the only room in our house aside from the BEDroom, BATHroom, KITCHENroom, OFFICE/SEWINGroom. There is no Parlor {like at my parents}, Den, Family Room {although I could start calling it this...} :) So this table cloth... It's so adorable. It has a really cute linen/blue/green bird pattern on the front. The backside is lined with solid linen. I think I'm going to make something to cover our T.V. stand. We have a lot of brown in our living room, and not everything matches -- or is made out of the same -brown- material, ha ha.

Once the table cloth was made I decided to finish a project I had started over the weekend. I was making some coasters, but since it was my first time and I didn't have a pattern to work from, I ran into some issues. Things weren't cut and ironed right, so they were sewn on crooked. I decided to buy some new materials. Instead of using some fabric, I used fancy cloth ribbon. It is beautiful :) So last night I finished the coasters. I ended up with a tiny issue once all the sewing was done, but I figured a way to fix it. And make it look cool. However... I was the only one in our house that thought they looked cool! ;).

{I'm serious!}

That's alright though. I love them, and maybe the next set I make will get the thumbs up from Z.

Remember that?




Maybe next time...
------------------------

What do you guys think of this fabric? What should I make with it? Should I even buy some?

{time for a change}

I decided it was time to update the banner on my Etsy site.
{I figured this time I'll leave the hyperlink out... if you are a reader, you know how to get to my Etsy site! :)}

Here is a tiny preview:




PS. The banner is the page design at the TOP of my Etsy site.

Do you like it?

Maybe you're wondering why I updated the banner. Maybe you have no desire to know.
Maybe you are just about falling off your chair in curiosity.

If that last guess is RIGHT ON, sit back and get a hold of yourself. I'll tell you.

I LOVE TO CHANGE THINGS AROUND.

For my mom, this is noooooooooooo surprise ;)

I'm often told that as a young girl, and by young I think I mean age 2, I would rearrange my bedroom furniture. My mom would come into my bedroom to get me from my nap and my crib wouldn't be in the same place anymore. Nor was my dresser {I think that is a big, fat FIB! How can a two-year-old move a dresser?!?!}

If only I was born into the era of VIDEO baby monitors. Then maybe I'd have some hard proof of this stuff :) I think it's safe to say the main "childproofing" device used back in 1985 was a lovely, hard plastic door-knob thing. I think Safety 1st refers to it as a Grip 'n Twist Door Knob Cover. Also known as, Your daughter will rearrange her bedroom because she's little and you will think she's sleeping. And it comes in a four-pack.




Only the LORD knows whether I would have rearranged the entire house had my parents not used that thing. It's possible.

One question I do have is HOW could this all happen? Didn't I make some noise? Was I not small enough at age 2? I mean, I'm like 5'4" now... I'm a little wifey. You know at age two I was small with chubby legs. And blonde pig tails. And light pink and cream striped outfits. {I've seen pictures!}

Anyways. That is the long story on why I changed the banner. I like to keep people on their toes with the redecor. Speaking of that... I think I just thought of something very exciting.

It has to do with pretty, high-fashion candles.

I currently have a candle drawer, but I can see that in time {like the near future, possibly} that might NOT be enough room. My mom has a candle closet and that is what I keep referring my drawer as. But there is no mistaking the two. BUT! I think I can officially use the word closet because tonight when I get home I'm going to put my candles in this baby.


Do you see our OLD couch in the mirror??? :)
I must add, my decorating skills have improved greatly since I have become a wife. Which happened like 7.5 months ago.

The top of this cabinet is now decorated like this:





That's a closet, right?!?! ;)
Fine. A cabinet?
Whatever you choose to call it, it's a step in the right direction.

I better get home and take care of that. I have lots of candles to move.
See Z, we just upgraded to a new level of house coolness.

And this time, you didn't even have to do ANY of the following to make some space:

• put a nail in the wall
• move things to the attic
• build a workbench in the garage
• hang a collage of pictures {I usually do that when he's not home!}
• condense your closet/video game spot/cabinet shelf in the bathroom OR anything else for that matter

But most importantly, we didn't have to BUY anything. See, this is a wonderful thing.
Z, don't you just LOVE my candle collection?
:)





So, What kinds of things do YOU like to rearrange?

{she's ready}

For those of you who have been waiting SO patiently for our new couch to be seen, here you go: click here for new couch pics.