GUESS WHAT???

The new blog is finally, finally here!!!!!!

Go check it out at www.emmylu.com/blog.

Belated

Hello... To those of you who still visit here and take the time to check my poor, sad blog, thank you. I'm sorry the new blog is so belated. All I can say is... "It's not my fault!!". Due to some personal complications that our web coder is having, everything got pushed back by a good two weeks. Of course we have to be understanding, but it's not easy! We had the blog design complete WEEKS ago.

Anyways, we're close now. Finally. And we haven't been sitting around on our hands doing nothing. Laura and I have been busy pulling together loads of great content and ideas for the new blog. Let me just say... it's going to be fantastic! Be prepared for lots of awesome features on everything from fashion, to cooking, to design.

Hang in there guys... the new one is just around the corner (if you still believe me anymore). I promise though.. it's not long now. ;)

An End and a Beginning

Within the past two days I have gotten more than a couple hints that my blog is slowly dying. I know, I know... but no news is good news, right? Silence is golden! Okay, maybe not.

The bad news is that this blog is nearly at it's official "end". I will not be posting to Something That Simple much more.

The GOOD news is that my new blog is right around the corner! It is nearly finished, and the goal start date of November 1st is close, so hold on for the big one! It's coming sooner than you think!!

My new blog will be similar and yet different. The main difference is that it will be a shared blog. You see.... well, boy, it's a long story. But since I have nothing but time (a complete exaggeration in case you were wondering), I will fill you in on the details.

Where to begin? Alright, here goes.

Back in June, my life changed dramatically. We bought our house, moved out of the city, I switched jobs, and began a new life. When taking this new job, I was quite sure that this would be the "bridge" to take me to the days when I will be a mom (yes, kids are on the horizon somewhere). However, it became clear within about three weeks of working the new job that this was NOT going to be a forever kind of place. After three weeks, I was having serious doubts about making it to even the three month mark. I have been challenged, stretched, discouraged, inspired, and frustrated (sometimes all within the same day!). I have learned so much in my time here. The lessons have been life lessons. Slowly, I began to realize that this job is a bridge, but not necessarily to the days of motherhood (farther down the road). The freelance dreams that I had put aside sprang to life again. I began day dreaming about my freelance business... My thoughts were consumed with ideas, plans and goals.

Back in late July, I began to develop a three tiered plan. I decided to build my own business based on 1) general freelance design work, 2) stationary/invitation design, and 3) a blog.

The general freelance design business was born as Bethany Hway Design. The growth has been exciting and overwhelming at the same time. My clients began to spring up out of the woodwork (via word of mouth mostly).

The next tier to my plan was the stationary and invitation design business. This is where the story starts to get interesting, so listen up...

In my moments of brainstorming, I thought that it would be incredibly fun to develop a brand or "line" of wedding invitations. These invitations would be sold through an online shop and they would be custom, fun and beautiful. The name that I came up with for the brand was "emmy lu". As I started thinking more about my venture, I remembered a girl that I worked worked with back at KPA. She had been an intern there one semester while I was an employee. I knew that she was very talented and fun, and my first thought was that I wanted to grab a hold of her talent and pull her in on this whole idea. We bumped into each other at a design alum picnic and couldn't stop talking. A week later we got together for coffee and chatted for over 3 hours. We began to learn about a whole host of similarities between us; in our situations, personalities, goals and dreams. I brought up my "emmy lu" idea and out of that meeting the beginnings of a wonderful partnership were born.

Shortly after our first meeting, Laura became my official partner in Emmy Lu. She has been a continual source of encouragement, motivation, and joy. It's been two months since we first sat down to meet, and in that time, HUGE things have happened. Emmy Lu officially became an LLC on September 26th. Laura and I have since created a detailed business plan, networking strategy, vendor relations, and a complete company identity. Our goal is to have the business totally up and running within the next few months. We are currently in the process of building our website, brainstorming marketing ideas, networking, and.... drumroll please..... creating our blog!

This is where the third tier of my business plan comes in. Emmy Lu's blog, dubbed "Pretty in the City, Lovely in the County" (after Laura, a city-dweller who lives in a downtown loft, and me, a "county"-dweller who lives in a vintage cape-cod) will be a place where Laura and I write about simple, beautiful, and inspiring things. We will write about our homes, our hobbies, our travels, our city, our work, and the little things that make each of us "us".

I know that I mentioned a new blog a few posts back, and it has always been my intention to create a new blog using better software and design, but now that Emmy Lu is on the horizon, the blog has become a bona fide pursuit. It is currently in the final stages of design. Next week it will be "coded" by a company that is doing all of our web work. After that we will build up the content, and then share it with the world!

So there you go.... that's where I've been these last few months! I'm really excited about all the possibilities that the future holds.

Stay tuned for the new blog launch!! I promise, it's right around the corner. :)

fits n' starts

Hello all! I seem to be having a difficult time getting into any routine form of blogging. But, alas, the weather is starting to turn, the leaves are beginning to drop, and the chill in the air (as of today!) has me spending much more time INSIDE than out. Which means... more time to blog! At least that's my current thought process.

My new blog is 99% complete!!! Unfortunately, the unveiling will have to wait awhile, as it's a little more complicated than expected.

For the meantime, I will say that I now have a STACK of fascinating blog topics that I am just itching to write about. So don't go away! More fun stuff to come soon...

be still my heart

I am a huge fan of faux botanicals... especially ones that make you look twice. They are even MORE appealing when you get a steal on them like I did with these exceptional-quality fake artichoke hearts.

A visit to my favorite gallery in the Canal Park area of Duluth turned up these treasures at $4 a pop. They look lovely nested in this antique bowl on my dining room table. The bowl was another great find... Four bucks at a local garage sale.

Total cost for this simple centerpiece? Sixteen dollars!

rock pickin'

One of my favorite North Shore traditions is to "pick rocks" at any of the pebble beaches along the coast between Duluth and Grand Marais. On our recent trip, we went to Iona's Beach and gathered a nice assortment of stones. Before you call me crazy for collecting rocks into my adulthood... let me note that a small galvanized bucket with a pleasing arrangement of smooth, round, monochromatic stones makes a lovely addition to any tabletop or shelf.

A full bucket of rocks with the sparkling waters of Lake Superior in the background.

Set next to a rustic wood basket on the built-in shelves in our living room, the bucket of rocks looks right at home.

how to make a cherry pie {the best way}

This summer on our trip to Door County, we picked 9 quarts of fresh, tart cherries. Baking a cherry pie soon became a subject of much thought. It couldn't be that hard, right?

STEP 1
Pick the freshest, reddest, ripest cherries possible. Preferably with the one you love.

STEP 2
Wash, stem, pit, and freeze cherries with sugar topping them.

STEP 3
Follow a standard cherry pie recipe. (After baking two cherry pies, I found that I prefer using tapioca to flour as a thickening agent.) For a simple way to dress up your pie, cut your top crust* into thin strips and create a lattice top.

STEP 4
Bake and serve warm with ice cream. Relish the sweet success of having baked the freshest, tastiest and BEST cherry pie around!


*QUICK TIP
A good friends' mom is the queen of pie baking. On a recent visit, she whispered to me her secret to perfect pie crusts... her quiet confession? Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust. Try it, but don't tell a soul. No one will ever guess that it's NOT HOME BAKED!

unless disaster strikes...

... I should be unveiling my new blog to the world in slightly less than two weeks, so hang on! It's in process now, along with a whole host of other exciting projects. I can't reveal too much, so you will just have to wait and see. But seriously.... it's gonna be cool, so I would stick around if I were you.

The weekend on the shore was wonderful. Highlights included: Lunch at Coho Cafe, an afternoon in Grand Marais (complete with a stop at World's Best Donuts), dinner at Rustic Inn, a moonlight evening of skipping rocks and watching the waves lap the shore, lunch at Grandma's Boxcar in Canal Park, dinner at Betty's Pies, rock picking at Iona's Beach, buying smoked fish at Lou's, and simple moments of fun with family. Can you tell that most of the activities with my parents tend to focus around really good food?? It's miraculous that they are some of the smallest, most petite people I know. I can only hope that I inherited those genes, because they surely passed on their love of a good meal!

This week is busy with freelance work, and hopefully some time spent working on projects around the house. I am pleased that the next several weekends will be at home. We've been out of town allot, and it's nice to think of having some extra time to tackle the big stuff that I can't possibly get to during the week.

I fully realize that these posts are nearly meaningless without pictures... but I don't have my camera cord with me at work, so you will just have to imagine a page full of brilliant, beautiful pictures of me having fun with Lake Superior in the background.

I promise the next post will have pictures...

golden summer

While the warm, sunny days are slipping away, and fall is fast approaching, I am caught up in reminiscing. In some ways, I realize this summer has lacked a certain richness that my summers of youth contained. No longer do I spend endless days cruising the lakes on the boat, swimming 'till my heart's content, wandering to mom's garden for a fresh pick, and frolicking barefoot in the backyard. Now, summer life is limited to short evenings on the patio and brief weekends playing in the sun. Summer 2008 was one of the first that I felt myself realizing that I am truly entering into adulthood. We own a house now, I am deep into my career, and my responsibilities are never few. The carefree days (and I mean that in the most complete sense) of past years seem far away. Those summer days of youth were golden days to me. I clearly remember laying on my parents' boat, face to the sky, with the best of friends next to me... laughing, talking, and relishing every moment of sunkissed joy.

Now that life has changed a bit... I find simple, summer pleasures in things like wearing flipflops, growing veggies in my own garden, waking up to sunlight streaming in the windows,
and taking every opportunity I can to spend a moment with those I love the most in simple summer bliss.

This weekend Zack and I are heading up to Minnesota's North Shore. We are meeting with my parents and staying at a lakeside resort in Two Harbors. We will be busy playing on the shores of Superior, shopping in Grand Marais, dining al fresco, and most importantly, relishing every moment of sunkissed joy.

hello world

Let's see here.... wow, it's been awhile since I wrote last. I've been busy, busy with the house, new job, gardening, and freelance work. The good news is that I am loving it all and have no complaints whatsoever. The bad news is that this blog has been temporarily abandoned. But have no fear..... I am coming back soon with a whole NEW BLOG, loads of pictures and details of trips we've taken, pies I've baked, and projects we've tackled. Stay tuned!

where she been?

In case you're wondering if I was abducted by aliens.......... packing, painting, moving, unpacking, organizing, and starting a new job have kept me well occupied for some time now. To top it ALL OFF, I was sicker than a dog for about a week after we moved (my first week on the new job). All due to an infected wisdom tooth. FUN times! Now that it's all taken care of, and I am feeling much better, I am just trying to catch back up with life. We don't have internet at the house yet, so I am writing during a quick break at work. I have lots to update you all on...... but the big "blog dump" will have to wait. For now, it's back to designing at A La Carte Design!

spice

The blog needed some *zing*, so I added the above header that I whipped up in photoshop, along with some new blog-title and link colors. What do ya think??

today...

...was my last Tuesday at KPA.
...is the day I WILL finish up my current freelance project.
...feels like summer.
...I ate a cupcake at the Cupcake Cafe. I highly recommend it.
...I had a Strawberry Goodness smoothie for dinner. MMMMmmm.
...is 6 days away from our closing date.
...is 8 days away from move in!
...is the revival of interesting blog topics, and (hopefully) the end of life-changing (house-buying, job-switching) posts.
...I had an amazing new idea for our new office at the house.
...I learned about magnetic paint.
...I gained a new appreciation for Martha Stewart.
...Emmy and I walked to the fields and back.
...is going to end well, I can feel it.
...I cannot post without a picture! So here is a lovely shot of the German Chocolate cupcake from the Cupcake Cafe website. It might not be beautiful, but it sure was very tasty.


And I hate to break away from my "today" theme, but I must say... I am quite intrigued by the whole cupcake idea. Today I came across the Cupcake Bakeshop blog, and with my visit to the Cupcake Cafe and all... it seemed like a sign. I might just have to try my hand at these little wonders!

newsflash

Well I can finally break the silence with some official news about what's been keeping me busy!

{I have resigned from my position at Koechel Peterson & Associates and accepted a new job with A La Carte Design!}

It's just that simple, yet so much more complicated. Here's the semi-abridged, yet still long version...

You all probably read my post about looking for a new job, needing a change, etc, etc. Well, after we bought the house in Mound, it was clear to me that a job change was necessary. Not only was I burned out with my current job, but the commute from the new place was going to be killer. 35 miles, 10 of which are on a single lane road winding around the lake (beautiful, but not conducive to quickly flowing traffic). I was looking at 1.5 to 2 hours in the car daily. Not to mention the WOW gas bill that would inevitably go hand in hand with the new commute. So... the job search began in earnest. I knew what I was looking for... sort of. But I also was open to some different possibilities.

While driving around our new neighborhood, I noticed a small design shop in a quaint, funky office. I could tell by their logo and signage that they had some style and class. I wrote down the name, and looked them up later online. Then, for the heck of it, I wrote up an email and sent them my resume. From there, I started searching other design, marketing, and PR firms in the area of the new house. I sent off a few more emails and resumes and kept on a lookin'. I knew that if I was going to get another job (as opposed to going freelance), it was going to have to be a special place that fit with my lifestyle and personality.

Enter A La Carte Design... the original design shop that I had driven by. A few days after I sent my resume, I heard back from the owner of the company. After a few emails back and forth, samples of my work sent, etc, etc, we finally connected over the phone and set up an interview. I drove out there on a Wednesday evening after work, and proceeded to spend two hours(!) talking with the owner, Alisa. The next week she invited me back for a second interview. We spent another two hours talking, she made me a job offer... and the rest is history! She offered me the job on a Wednesday evening, I officially accepted on Friday, and resigned on Monday. I finally had the go ahead to make the announcement to my coworkers yesterday, and now I am sharing the news with the masses. :)

A few crazy things about this whole process.... The timing was impeccable. I continue to be amazed at God's hand in all of this. The puzzle pieces fit together absolutely perfectly. From Alisa getting my resume at the right time and sensing a need for another designer, to the timing of the interviews and the job offer and my two week notice, etc, etc.... Everything lined up. I put my notice in Monday, and my last day will be in one week, on Friday the 27th. We close on the house on Monday the 30th, and I have one whole week to paint, move in, and settle into our new house before I start my new job on Monday the 7th. Crazy, crazy.

On top of all that, the job is a great fit for me. Here are my top ten reasons why. :)

::::::: t o p : t e n :::::::

• Flexibility. 100% flexible scheduling. Really. I can come in at 7 or 10 or noon. I can work four 10 hour days and take Fridays off. I can skip lunches or take an hour and go out. YES!
• Location, location, location. 3 miles away! I can ride my bike, take the scooter, or drive. The commute rocks and we will save lots of $$ on gas.
• Fast Pace. From the sounds of it, this place is hoppin'! The days will fly by with many projects and plenty to do.
• Fresh n' Edgy. The design style is happenin'. It's fresh and vibrant and will bring a whole new dimension to my portfolio.
• Atmosphere. The design shop is a remodeled Cape Cod that has a funky modern twist to it. It's bright and breezy and seems to be a great working environment.
• People. While I haven't met the whole team yet, my new boss is a zippy, fun, and energetic woman who shares my passion for change, new ideas, and flexibility.
• Opportunity Knocks. Okay, really this should be #1. Not only was I offered a design job at A La Carte, I was given the chance to start up a custom stationary and invitation division within the company. They pay for the marketing, website, etc, etc... we turn a room in the shop into a showroom and store, and the whole thing is "my baby". Oh, and I get commission on all sales. Uh huh, that's what I'm talkin' about!
• Winston. The office dog. Yup, the office has a dog. Winston is Alisa's 8 month old puppy. He pretty darn cute and irresistable and he brings a crazy, fun element to the work-a-day world.
• Vacation. Okay, so I get paid vacation already, but in small companies like A La Carte, it's not everyday that you get a decent vacation policy. They are matching my current amount of paid days off, PLUS giving me a flexible schedule. Uh HUh!
• Smaller&Better. With only 6 people (I make 7), the office has the right mix of "enough" and not "too much". It's cozy and intimate, yet not so small that you get tired of your one and only coworker.

So I think that about wraps up my "newsflash". I have more to write about (moving! packing! emmy! pancakes! more!), but it's time for lunch, so I'm heading out to enjoy the beautiful weather. Sorry for the lack of pictures today. More later.

playing catch up

I have been collecting things to post about for a little while now. And I would so much rather write nice, separate blog entries for each... but as it goes... here I am "dumping" a whole load of random and unrelated blog topics into one big, fat post. Oh well!!

I finally have a legit sewing project to write about again... I made Emmy a new cover for her bed! The old one was definitely in need of retirement, and with summer here and all the fresh changes coming to our lives, I thought Emmy could just a little pick-me-up as well. So I headed to the fabric store and got an amazing print. It's big and bold and not at all what I had imagined for the new bed, but it fits our home and Emmy. As soon as I put the fabric down to measure... she plopped right on the bed. Her sign of approval I think. :)

Over the weekend Zack and I took a great trip to Taylor's Falls for some grilling and hiking. Em came along and thoroughly enjoyed swimming, rolling in the mud, and dragging me along the trail. We can't help but love her.
It was a really beautiful day on the St. Croix... One of those early summer days that makes you breath deep with anticipation of the months ahead. In case you don't know this about me... I love summer. I am a "summer girl" to the core... granted, the other seasons have their charm. But, let's all be honest here folks.... nothing beats a warm day out on the lake.

Over the weekend we also enjoyed a "real fire" (Jamie will know what I mean ;) at Como Park with the Schussmans. We made some fantastic s'mores and played a good game of bocce. It was a delightful way to spend a beautiful evening with good friends!

Zack and I have gotten really into smoothies lately. They are just so refreshing and good! I made these smoothies for dinner a few days ago. My recipe is simple and made-up, but oh-so-good.

Strawberry-Goodness Smoothies
- 3 bananas
- 1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
- 1-2 cups strawberry yogurt (or strawberry banana)
- 1 1/2 cup plain granola
- large dollop peanut butter
- 5-6 large, fresh strawberries
- milk

1) Combine in blender: 2 bananas, about 1 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, 1 - 2 cups strawberry yogurt (I use the Danon light n'fit in the big container), 1 1/2 cup plain granola, large dollop peanut buttter (I use the a creamy, natural peanut butter), and milk. The milk is the last thing you add... I just pour it in until it is visually about 3/4 of the way up the blender. I know this is really winging it... basically add more if you like smoothies to be thinner, and less if you like them thick. :)
2) Blend on low. DO NOT over blend! The idea is to have these a little chunky. Which is why you see spoons in the photo.
3) Pour into two glasses.
4) Slice fresh strawberries and the last banana. Divide into cups.
5) Enjoy!! :D


Okay that is all folks! I have a few more things I want to write about... but I know I'll end up rambling, and I have to take off right now. It's 5 PM on a Thursday evening, and my weekend is about to begin!!

memorial day weekend

Somehow, even long weekends go too fast. Our Memorial Day weekend was spent down here instead of up north (as per the usual). With the wedding last weekend, and Zack going to Ely for business next weekend, it seemed like a good idea to take a week off and stick around home. So that's we did.
Friday night we grilled at Como with some friends, and played a good game of bocce. Saturday AM we helped the Thompsons move into their new place in St. Bonifacius (see photo above!). Then we came home and totally crashed for a couple hours. Ahhh.... naps are bliss. After we woke up, we headed to Grand Ave to shop for paint colors. A stop at Restoration Hardware, and another at Pottery Barn and we were good to go. Then we ate "dinner" at Jamba Juice.... mmmm... fresh smoothies. :) We made one more stop... at Menards to get a few more paint chips. Sunday was church, out to lunch at Cabina Italian Kitchen, shopping for new running shoes for Zack, and then home to.... take a nap! Later we went grocery shopping and suit shopping for Zack. Then was a lovely walk with Emmy out in the fields while the sun was setting. Emmy was one happy pup. :) Monday morning was perfect and sunny, and we woke up at 9 AM, which I have deemed the best mix of sleeping in and still having enough day left over. We folded and put away laundry, then packed up a picnic lunch and took off for Mound. One stop by the house (it looks GREAT!), and then we were at Lake Minnetonka Regional Park. We grilled and chilled there for awhile... walked Emmy on their "Pet Trail"... then headed back home (a stop at DQ on the way!). Back home... well, we were sort of sleepy, so we took a nap. :) Ha. Vacation! Monday afternoon was mostly filled with getting ready for the week ahead, relaxing, and enjoying the last bits of freedom.

So... it was a full, somewhat "normal" weekend for us. But, it was great to relax, catch our breath, and be together. This week is a short one.... and so far, we don't have plans for the upcoming weekend. Ooh one more interesting tid-bit.... I started packing today!!! :D

Oh yes, I almost forgot. Now that the pictures have been downloaded, I can share with you my last project. It's been awhile, but I sewed a collar for Gus (my parents chocolate lab). It was almost too simple to make and could possibly become addictive. I have supplies to make one for Emmy. Sigh... hopefully after we're in the new house I will have time for sewing again. Life is too crazy right now!
More later....

just for now

[The pictures in this post are all pieces of my work taken by the lovely and talented Erika McCauley. They are completely unrelated to my post.]

Today I don't have much to write about.... I am very in between.

By "in between" I mean that I am in the midst of change. And in this "midst" nothing particularly stands out that is of interest. The "house shopping" phase is over, so now we wait for our closing date. We are neither here nor there. The apartment is starting to feel temporary... but the house still feels far away. My crafting has come to a halt... mostly because of lack of time and energy. My poor Emmy has all but been abandoned... again, lack of time. Work is busy.... too busy. I am buried in a big project that I am both designing and directing. Freelance is like the waves of the ocean.... it comes in crashing torrents and then calmly recedes. Currently it is crashing with a deafening roar.

My lack of time to enjoy the simple, beautiful things in my life has me in a funk. I feel like I am walking in someone else's shoes... uncomfortable and unsettled. I go through the motions day after day, but I don't connect. Nothing resonates. All I want right now is a week of quiet. My cell phone turned off. My computer unplugged. Quiet. Time..... time to find my own skin again. Time to craft and sew and plant and play.

I hesitate to write about this..... but... here goes. Work. My job. I have been here for about 2.5 years. And it's been good. Really good in some ways. I have learned so much and I have been given opportunities that have pushed me farther than I think I ever would have gone in another job. The work I have done here is strong... it's a great foundation. But to be honest, I am ready for a change. The reasons are many, but I would rather not dive into them here, in this format (which is so raw and open to interpretation). So.... yes, ready for something new. Truth be told... I have been "ready" for awhile. A long time actually. Months, maybe even a year. And I have been looking. Half-heartedly mostly. But sometimes seriously. I have sent out some resumes. Filled out some applications. But, nothing has happened. I am still here. Sitting at my desk. Wishing for a change. Wondering why it is not coming. And struggling to know what kind of change I even want. I am filled with a mix of uncertainties. Not sure what direction to head in. Do I pursue full-time freelance? Do I jump into a new full-time job? Do I look for a part-time job and do freelance part-time? Do I look in the design industry? Am I burned out of just this job, or design in general? And the questions only keep coming. Meanwhile... I keep going with the daily grind. Bored, tired, discontent, and a little burned out. My attitude stinks right now, I know. Sorry 'bout that.

Without going too much farther down that road.... I would like to issue a shout out to whoever reads this blog. If YOU happened to know of a job that is a "fit" for me.... send the info my way. I could just use a boost.

Well... for not having anything to write about... I did pretty good today.

us. house. happy.

Soon to be.... Home, Sweet Home!

don't know what to say

We just got a call from our realtor. The first word out of her mouth was "congratulations". It's done.... finally, finally done. The proceedings, negotiations, inspections, and addendums are finally settled. The SOLD sign is officially up!
My feelings are a mix of total exhilaration, complete peace, and a slight sense of sadness. Through this "house thing" we have learned allot about life and about family and about ties that bind people together. Without getting into details, I'll just say that sometimes life doesn't go the way you think it will.... and sometimes, sometimes.... you have to follow your gut, and you have to go the way you feel that God is leading you. Sometimes, you have to turn away from the road that others say is the right one for you. Sometimes others won't be happy with your decisions, but in the end... they are your decisions and you are the one who has to live with the outcome, good or bad. The decision to move forward with this house was not an easy one. Not because we had any issues with the house, but because we were given strong "advice" not to move forward from certain family members. Their reasons were perhaps valid, or perhaps not. Ultimately, we really, really are certain that God led us to this house and that it is his will for us to have it. We prayed continually about our decisions, and we didn't take any one of them lightly. The concerns that were brought up about the house were ones that we either had checked out or decided that we could fix or live with. The age of th electricity was of particular concern to some family members. Thus, we had a Master Electrician come out and give a complete electrical inspection (separate from the full Home Inspection). The man was a god-send... not only a master of his trade, but also a specialist in turn of the century homes. He took a good look at the house and all the wiring and said that it is in excellent condition, and that is even meets todays standards and codes. He stated that it is no more of a hazard than wiring in a brand new home. We felt good about what he said, and we decided to move forward.
So here we... on the brink of being first time homeowners. It's very strange to me to think that our nearly 3 year search has ended. Almost every for the past few years I have looked at homes... sometimes seriously, sometimes just to check out if anything new was on the market. We have gone on too many showings to count, and we have pictured our lives in homes from Roseville to Buffalo. We've looked at two bedrooms and five bedrooms. Dumpy houses, fancy houses, new houses, old houses, acres, city lots, fixer-uppers, new construction, and everything in between. In the end...... we found a house that we can call home. When we walked in the doors, we "felt it". That overwhelming sense of "this could be home." We were bathed in a total peace throughout the process of making an offer and moving forward. Yes, there were moments of uncertainty and doubt. But in the end, Zack and I look at each other and know that we walked this road together and we continually looked to our heavenly father for direction. And He brought us here. Was this the house I pictured for us? Not really. But once we found it..... we just knew.
So now..... now we have a month and half to pack up our lives in the city and move out to Small Town America and into our cozy Cape Cod up on the hill. It will be an adjustment for sure... but we are ready and we are excited!

this is life

Today is a crisp, sunny, beautiful Thursday. And I am here at work, between a couple big projects, with the perfect little window of opportunity to update you on some "goings-on" in our life. The first order of business to share with you all is the current status of the house hunt.

Over the weekend, we looked at 7 houses. 5 on Saturday, 2 on Sunday. The short version of the long story goes like this: Saturday dawned bright and beautiful... we helped Jamie and Dave move into their charming new home and then headed out to the west side of the cities to look at houses. We liked the first house (bottom left corner) quite a bit, but it was listed high... too high. Second house (top left corner) was an absolute no-go due to the potent smell of cows wafting from the cow farm right across the street, third house (bottom right corner) smelled like a barn INSIDE and out. Fourth house (bottom middle) was decent, but it was an "earth shelter" home and it felt like a basement. Fifth house (top right) was nice enough... Zack actually liked it allot. But it lacked a certain "something" for me. Too... normal? Or blah, maybe. I'm not sure. We came home feeling... less than optimistic that any of those houses were "it". So, just for the heck of it, I went online and ran my normal search again. Two new houses had come up during the day and they were go definitely worth taking a look at. We were particularly excited about one of them.... a charming little cape cod on the west side of Lake Minnetonka (not actually on the lake). The price seemed right and the pictures of the inside showed an absolutely clean and cute place. We called out agent right away to set up a showing for Sunday. 4:45 p.m. Sunday and we arrived at the house. It was, in one word, adorable. A 1/2 acre with a view of the lake, big trees, gardens, and an awesome patio... 3 upstairs bedrooms, a fireplace, a nicely finished basement, big windows, hardwood floors.... We really liked it. Allot. The next showing (top middle) went fine, but it didn't come close to comparing. We drove back to the first house, parked in the neighborhood and walked around. We stopped in the quaint "variety store" down the street, explored the town, and left for home feeling good about that house. We spent allot of time praying about making an offer. On Tuesday evening, we sat down with our agent to officially write an offer. Yesterday was full of offers and counter offers and more counter offers. The house has seen an extraordinary amount of showings in the five days it's been on the market, and the sellers seem to be hesitant to jump at their first offer. So the way it stands now... we put our "final and best" offer in yesterday afternoon. The sellers are "sitting on it" and waiting to see if any of the FIVE showings from yesterday will produce another (better?) offer. So... we are waiting too. Zack and I are both very excited... and yet totally at peace. I really can't begin to explain the sense of calm that we have had in all of this. Yes, we love the house. Yes, we would like to get it. But not at any point have we felt panicky that we might "lose" it... Really, it's not "ours" to lose. God ultimately knows the plans He has for us, and we are very content in the position we are in. We feel like if this deal comes together and we get the house.... it will be from the hand of God. And if not, He has something else out there for us. So... we continue to wait.

In other news...... my craftiness has come to a halt. With all the freelance stuff, house hunting, and general business in life, I haven't done much sewing of late. I still have a bunch of projects that I am in the middle of. Hopefully those will be finished soon.

Also... on the freelance end of life.... I am making progress towards my upcoming website! Yesterday I had the absolute privilege to work with an amazing photographer, Erika McCauley. I have always been blown away by her work, and it was a definite treat to have her shooting for me. She took pictures of all of my portfolio pieces, and a few shots of me for the "about me" section of the my site. I am really excited to see the final pictures... and to work with Erika again in the future. She is an total pro and so fun! The image below was posted on her blog...

Well that's all for today... I will write more when I find out about the house... and I'll be sure to post pictures of my latest projects... as soon as they are finished.

hunting houses

Zack and I are house hunting again this weekend. Looong sigh. Our house search has been quite the journey. We have looked at too many houses to remember... put an offer in on one house, walked away from it, and kept looking. It's taken us months to even figure out exactly what we want. But we have "the list" of must-haves and we know the area we want to live in........ the only problem is that when I type it all into the house-finder search-engine-thingy, about 30 houses come up.... not one of which appeal to us.

#1. Split Levels. Gross. Who came up with the whole split level concept anyways? It was a horrible idea and it makes me think "1980's". There are allot of split level homes for sale. We're not interested.

#2. Developments. Why?? Why would I want to live in a house that looks like a clone of my neighbor's house? Where have creativity and individuality gone to? Why have character and originality vanished? I think that some builder somewhere was using a computer one day and discovered the "copy" and "paste" feature. No thanks.

#3. Wide Open Spaces. Okay... we are looking for some space. Actually we would like to have a few acres. BUT who on earth wants to buy a house that is out in a field? With no trees around it? Where the wind whips across the vast open spaces and every person for the surrounding ten miles can see your lonely little house on the prairie. Can we get a little privacy here??


What we ARE looking for is......

#1. A little bit of personality. Something unique, something with character, charm, and possibility. We are open to fixing up, remodeling... as long as what we are starting from has "the right ingredients."

#2. At least 3 bedrooms.... we're thinking ahead here folks. Don't start assuming anything ridiculous... Just planning for you future, you know?

#3. Location. We've got all that figured out... we are looking west of the city, south of 94, north of highway 7. Blah blah blah. This doesn't make sense unless you look at a map. See below:
It's a wonderful area. There are lots of lakes, woods, creeks, farms, and natural beauty. And there are no sky scrapers. And yet, a quick drive and we have theatres, malls, museums, restaurants... and all the culture and thrill of Minneapolis/St. Paul.

#4. Space. We want room.... outside. Land surrounding us to play on, plant in, romp over, explore, and enjoy. We really want to have at least an acre... preferably 3-5 acres. But, we would settle for less if we felt like we were in a quiet setting that didn't feel like it was in the middle of hustle and bustle.

Okay. Now that's all been settled. So I sit here on the computer, day after day, week after week... looking for new home listings. Here and there something comes up and my heart skips a beat and I think, "could this be it??". Only to take one look at the listing and find that it's another split level. Or it's right on a major highway. Or the property is connected to a incredibly unkempt horse farm (this actually happened).

On Saturday we will be venturing out to see four homes. Who knows what we'll find. Maybe nothing? Or maybe we will find our perfect little corner of the world. That would be nice, I think. I'll keep you all informed as to the results!

Also..... on the sewing front... I just picked up supplies for another project. I know, ridiculous. Out of hand, is more like it. Really. I have fabrics and supplies set aside for 6 projects right now. And percolating in my head are an additional 2. My brain is busy with ideas. Unfortunately, the "time thing" holds me back.

mostly unrelated

The contents of this post are mostly unrelated. I would have liked to have posted several, nice concise notes about each topic. But I am not that organized. Nor do I have that kind of time. Or rather, when I do have that kind of time....... I am usually doing the things that I end up posting about on Tuesday mornings at work. :-|

Yes, I do realize that it has been a long time since my last post. This past weekend was full of good things. My dad and his friend Brian came down on Friday - Saturday to go to the Horse Expo at the State Fair. Zack and I tagged along and admired many pairs of cowboys boots, fancy saddles, and shirts with horses allover them. Oh, and we watched a guy that I have dubbed "The Horse Whisperer" train a crazy horse. It was magical.

On Saturday night I went fabric shopping. Sigh. I always get that warm and fuzzy feeling when I go fabric shopping. Zack came along and he was surprisingly helpful and patient. We picked out a nice assortment of fabrics for an upcoming project. Later we watched a movie and I finally finished hand binding a quilt that I started a long time ago. It was actually my first sewing project this year. But it sat for a long time because I didn't think that I was going to enjoy hand sewing as much as I ended up loving it. After I finished up the binding I washed and dried the quilt, and it turned out all cool and antique looking (the directions didn't have you pre-wash the fabric, so it shrinks a tiny bit in the wash and ends up looking puckery and neat). The pattern was my variation of Amy Karol's "Easy Lap Quilt" from her amazing book, Bend the Rules Sewing.

On Sunday I was immersed in sewing like a madwoman. Details of that project to come. Also, we stopped at Goodwill again and I got this great book. It's an awesome resource and it only put me out $3.75. I heart thrift stores.

In other news (i.e. Emmy news), I am thrilled that spring seems to finally be on its way! I have been enjoying the budding that is happening all around me. Some bulbs that I had in a pot finally bloomed into two beautiful ameralis. If this isn't a sign of spring I don't know what is! Emmy also really liked the flowers. So much so that she decided to eat one. This was not a good moment in the Hway household. On Friday evening I took Emmy to a big ball field by our house and played some hardcore fetch with her. She thoroughly enjoyed it. She was less thrilled about the bath that she had to get afterwards.

So.... it's another week. And I find myself in an interesting place. Since this is a blog and I have no clue who reads this thing, I am not about to spill my guts on here... but let's just say that I am contemplating allot of things and getting ready for some changes in life. Hopefully sooner than later. More details to come.