I Love to Laugh

Authored By: ellie g Author/Writer
May 21, 2012 --6:00 AM

Hi LCMF readers! Did I mention I kinda dig each and every one of you? Well I do. And I SUPER appreciate your support through the last few months as I journey through some kinda tough issues.

Throughout any life journey….one of the things I “know for sure”…..a la Oprah Winfrey.
(wait….I miss you O. Moment of silence)

Anyway, one of the things I KNOW FOR SURE is that life is just no fun if you’re not able to laugh.

I learned that at a pretty young age.
My Mom would always say that the night of my Dad’s funeral was one of the times in her life when she laughed the very hardest.
I know! Right?
Well she has 7 siblings and they were all together having fun memories and laughing at dorky people, and dorky situations.

Seriously. There is no better feeling.

‘Member that part in Mary Poppins when they sing “I Love to Laugh” and everyone floats up to the ceiling? I adore that scene. I’m sorry, but Uncle Albert’s jokes are freakin’ hysterical. I particularly enjoy the one about the guy who works in a watch factory.

Laughing is the thing that keeps me sane, when I feel insane.
Like last night, when my sister was here, and we got to that moment when we were laughing…..
but no sound came out…..

Oh my gosh, that’s the best feeling.

Or when my friends come over, and one of them starts to tell a story, but can’t get through it…because we’re all laughing so hard. We can’t even get to the punch line.

My grandpa used to get that way.
Toward the end of his life, we’d heard ‘em all.
But to watch him not be able to finish the story and have tears dripping down his face. Just thinking about it makes me BEYOND happy.

An inside joke.
An old memory.
A fall.
A hilarious story.
An awkward moment.
The time your sister draws out “Richard Nixon” for a game of charades. Then acts out the Kennedy assassination. And is mad no one guessed it. (best time ever!)

Plus…let’s be honest.
When someone “flatuates”… I dare you not to laugh.
I know. You’re a grown-up. But it’s still funny.
If it’s not. You need to chill a titch.

As we’re dealing with a time that comes with lots of sad emotions at our house, I have fallen in LOVE with this quote…

“The only way to get through life,
is to laugh your way through it.
You either have to laugh or cry.
I prefer to laugh.
Crying gives me a headache.”
—Marjorie Pay Hinckley

I decided that having this quote in my home before my surgery was SUPER important to me. I’ve been on a mission. I even made my husband drive to Costco late last night to pick it up. (I know, he’s a saint)

Then my sister helped me take down all the Easter decor. (yes I said “Easter”. I admit it.)

And we put up super pretty, super clean, super inspiring decor that I can “recover” in. Lots of glass, and white, and light grey. With a tiny pop of light pink.

I just want to be reminded every single day that laughing is the way to go. Even though life hands you things that make you want to cry. Laughing is always a better option.

Click on the arrow with a line under it…in the above window. Just press it, and the image file should download right to your computer! Easy Peezy!

You can then print the file anywhere you’d like. This file is sized at 16×20. It will not print optimally at a bigger size. (But you can print it at a smaller size if you’d like.)

As usual PLEASE follow the following rules for Less Cake {more frosting} printables:

LCMF prinatables are for PERSONAL USE only. You may not re-sell, re-distribute, or claim them as your own.
Please do not remove the watermark.
If posting on the internet, you MUST post a link back to this website.
Personalization, color changes, and other customizations are not available on freebie printables. They are offered “as-is”.

In conclusion, laughter IS the best medicine. (that is, unless you have some percocet handy)
And farts are funny.
So, that is the end of that discussion.

Do you have anything to say? 27 Comments

Filed Under: frosting, print it

Be The Trend: Snap Trend Panel

Authored By: ellie g Author/Writer
April 26, 2012 --6:53 PM

Last weekend at the SNAP! Conference I was THRILLED to be a part of a panel discussing How to spot and incorporate trends into your DIY life. My AMAZING panelists?

Mandi from Vintage Revivals
Jen from Tatertots and Jello
Jeanee from TrendBoost

PLEASE tell me you totally “get” my feelings of overwhelming “what the heck?”

A totally intimidating group of awesomeness. I may have had a nightmare that no one would show up to our panel. But gratefully, people did.

I have to admit that we had some “technology” difficulties. Including that my slides from my Mac didn’t like the PC. And therefore all my awesome fonts looked like hud. (if you know me at all….you know this was very difficult for me to swallow)

Then we lost power to our computer….and the amazing Jen had to go running all over the property looking for her cord. That poor woman. You would DIE at how well she bounced back. I would have been out of breath for a week.

I was kinda proud of how we just rolled with it. Mandi jumped up and did her AMAZEBALLS presentation, and no harm, no foul. We even let out our panel on time. (mostly because we mutually decided to “play each other out” at the end of our presentations….like they do on the Academy Awards. I found it quite lovely.)

I know not everyone was able to attend. And I would love to share my part of the panel. (and yes, part of it is because I want people to see the fonts. Which are lovely!) I also know the fabulous Jeanee recapped her part on her blog TrendBoost as well.

(first….you get major bonus points if you are singing the old school Disney song right now….”color, color. The world is a carousel of color…” )

Aren’t we surrounded by amazing color? I am in LOVE with the site: Design Seeds Besides being amazingly beautiful, it has been a HUGE inspiration for me to stop and just look at the color in everyday items. My dinner. My home. The produce section. We don’t need to find trends so much…as just look for the color in our everyday world.
Main point? Slow down. Use your eyes.

If we slow down, and start “cataloging” the things we are drawn to, either mentally, in an inspiration file, or on a site like Pinterest, we will start to see trends in our own likes. Find things that appeal to you. Repeatedly. And figure out what it is about those combinations that you can incorporate into your life. Is it color combos? Patterns? Feelings? You’ll see a trend for YOU. Promise.

Inspiration is everywhere. Not just on Pinterest. This box (yes….it’s a feminine product) won a TON of awards last year for packaging. Isn’t it obvious why? Who knew you could think “super cool” about your lady garden products? Well, if we just look around….we’ll be surprised. I am totally diggin’ the black. The swirls. And that neon is ON TREND seriously.

The main way to remain “on trend” is to embrace the trends you love. Trying to “force” yourself into a trend that isn’t really you…is always going to feel forced. Always.

Remember to incorporate your “trend” into things that are timeless. The very nature of a trend is that it will change. If you’ve immersed your whole house into forrest green in 1996. By 2001…when you wish for a red wall…you might be sad. You might not have the money to change. You might end up keeping it and hoping that in 12-15 years it comes around again. (PS…not a good idea….just sayin’….I have gold faucets….eww….)

I love to find inspiration from tons of places. Like lots. (i.e. the previous female product box) When I see something that I LOVE I use it. Like this ad from Target. (or “God’s Country” as I like to refer to it) Something about it screams to me.

I used the ad to help me make this fun printable of my very favorite quote of all time.

“Wherever you go, there you are”

Why is that my favorite quote of all time?
Because it’s so simple.
But SOOOOOOOO deep.

I mean, right? I am here. Not there. So….might as well embrace it.

Which is EXACTLY why I wanted to end with this sentiment.

BE THE TREND

Don’t follow the trend. Don’t wish you were like “trendy so-and-so”. Their trend isn’t YOUR trend.

During the panel I shared (with tears….let’s be honest) one of the best pieces of advice I’ve EVER gotten. EVER. It came from my cute friend Shelley from the House of Smiths.

She told me that the first time she met me….I acted very “small”.
I didn’t walk tall. And that’s how she perceived me.
And she was right. I was intimidated. And felt “less than.”
Why? I shouldn’t have.

GUESS WHAT?

Whatever you have to offer? It’s enough.
It’s cool.
It’s trendy.
It’s original.
And as long as you’re proud of it. People will notice.

Be you’re own trend.
You are the original “YOU TREND”.
Walk tall. And people will treat you as such.

Click on the arrow with a line under it…in the above window. Just press it, and the image file should download right to your computer! Easy Peezy!

You can then print the file anywhere you’d like. This file is sized at 16×20. It will not print optimally at a bigger size. (But you can print it at a smaller size if you’d like.)

As usual PLEASE follow the following rules for Less Cake {more frosting} printables:

LCMF prinatables are for PERSONAL USE only. You may not re-sell, re-distribute, or claim them as your own.
Please do not remove the watermark.
If posting on the internet, you MUST post a link back to this website.
Personalization, color changes, and other customizations are not available on freebie printables. They are offered “as-is”.

Do you have anything to say? 12 Comments

Filed Under: Beauty Schmeauty, frosting, print it, SNAP! Conference

An Apple a Day: Gift for Teacher

Authored By: ellie g Author/Writer
April 11, 2012 --4:20 PM

So. I have to be honest. I’m not a fan of “teacher gifts”. I know! Don’t shoot me! Let me explain. See, I love giving gifts to people I love. But I hate the guilt I feel when someone gives me something that just ends up cluttering my basement….long enough that I no longer feel bad….and then I chuck it.
So sad.

I worry that thousands of teachers all over the country are getting wooden apples, and dollar store frames, that they just can’t use.

So with “teacher appreciation” weeks popping up all over…..why not give your kids’ teacher something she can actually use?

Don’t be afraid to ask your kid’s teacher what they actually COULD use. Lots of teachers spend their own money on classroom supplies. And what’s better than helping out with things that will benefit everyone?

Now, granted, paper plates, Anti-Bacterial wipes, and baggies are never gonna be as cute as that wooden apple that you spent all day making. But I have a secret….

It’s all in the presentation.

I always have a roll of cellophane wrapping on hand. I swear it could make a moldy banana look like a million bucks! So find a fun (and useful) type of basket for your items.

Displaying the items in a super cute way is important too. Put taller, and bigger things in back. Smaller things in front. And you can even use tape to keep things in a cute order!

Then attach a length of cute ribbon. I didn’t even tie a bow. So anyone can do this! And you’ll need a cute tag….

Don’t worry! I’ve got you covered.

Just click on the arrow with the line under it to download your own copy. I backed my tag with some bright cardstock. It took about 5 minutes to complete. Now, that’s my kind of gift!

So don’t worry if you missed the chance to give a gift to your child’s teacher on the first day of school. Keep your eyes and ears open….and I bet you can find a gift that the Teacher will REALLY appreciate.

(and PS…if you’re really into wooden apples…I still like those…and I still like you!)

**This printable was offered on the blog Brown Paper Packages in the fall of 2011. But is brand new to LCMF! See? I’m totally into reduce, re-use, recycle. {tee hee}**

Do you have anything to say? 4 Comments

Filed Under: Apple 4 Teacher, just 4 you, print it