This is my scariest post yet! 

On December 25, 2010 

this picture statement became true, about me! 

This and the new year approaching 

are giving me so many idea's on goals 

for the upcoming year! 

Stay tuned for my list! 

Count me in on Project ReStyle!

I love being part of other peps great ideas... 

and A Beautiful Mess always has the best things to be part of! 

Project ReStyle Guidelines

1. You must use unwanted, damaged or unusable vintage or used items to ReStyle. One of the big purposes of the group is that it encourages green living and is budget friendly. You can use items from your own closet/attic that you no longer love, thrifted finds or hand-me-downs. 

2. Take a Before & After photo of your ReStyled project. It's that simple!

3. Share your creative work on your blogs and in our Flickr Group. If you don't have a Flickr account, it's free to join. We'll be choosing favorites each week to share on our blogs, so you'll want to be sure to join the fun. 

4. You can create fashion, home decor or gift items. There are no limits on what types of items you can ReStyle! Be creative and make items you know you can really use! 

I'm off work until Jan. 3rd, so hopefully I can get a thing or two done for this before then! :-) 

IHF -Pets!

I have been waiting so long for I Heart Faces to do another pet themed photo contest. 

As anyone who knows me knows, I wanted a puppy of my own for a long time... and just last December I finally got my wish! 

My husband and I took a trip to the Delaware County Humane Society, to just "look.." 

Well, I knew better! 

I knew if I found the cutest puppy ever, it would be coming home with me! 

We took a stroll around all of the kennels, dogs shouting "pick me, pick me!"

Most of them were fairly full grown. 

I really wanted a younger dog that I could bring up all my own... 

so we kept on looking... 

Down the 2nd row we slowly checked... "oh, puppies!" 

One was already being looked at by an elderly woman who came in before us. 

Then another was just chilling on his little cot, watching people walk by. 

My husband says "look at him!"

I say, "Let's take one more trip around..."

Only to come back to the quiet one chilling on his cot... 

Better known now as STEVIE! 

He's a great dog, and an awesome cuddle buddy!

Look at his amazing cute face! 

He wants to give you a nice big doggy kiss really bad! 

Check out all of the other pets at 

I Heart Faces - Self Portrait

I'm so bad at making decisions on what pictures to use... so here goes!

I thought the frame made it even more of a self portrait! 

Let me know what you think! 

Then head over to I Heart Faces to see more self portraits! 

IHF - Scenic B&W

is having another great theme this week... 

Scenic B&W's! 

This photo I chose, may not seem scenic to non-sports fans, but for anyone who loves this beautiful fall game like I do, this picture is awesome! 

Go Buckeyes! 

Check out more scenic b&w shots at I Heart Faces! 

IHF - Paper

This is a way fun theme this week on I Heart Faces. PAPER! 

I love paper... making things out of it, creating things with it, decorating in unique ways...

Well, for my wedding instead of traditional flowers as centerpieces and isle decoration, 

I (along with some great friends and family) created paper flowers. 

After the wedding a few friends were so thrilled with my centerpieces they wanted me to teach them how I created it all. We ended up having a little tutorial session that day and I got this great shot! 

Let me know what you think! 

(To bad you can't see her whole beautiful face!)

Go check out other Paper photos at 

IHF - Silhouette

I love this photo!

It takes me back to camp... the weather has moved on since bonfire days!

It combines silhouettes with the faces of people enjoying the night. 

Go to I Heart Faces to see other silhouettes! 

IHF - Orange

I Heart Faces chose the theme "Orange" this week... I can only imagine this is because of the wonderful season of Autumn upon us! I love fall! 

I saw a few pictures with orange and a face, so I'll choose the one I found to be most fun! 

Not the most amazing photography, but I love how it's underwater. 

He sure is a character!

Enjoy! 

See all the other 'Orange' photo's at I Heart Faces! 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Well, in light of being festive on my favorite holiday,

I thought I'd share some of my past few years costumes.

I started going to a wonderful Halloween Party 5 years ago.

A friend of mine from youth group stuff in high school worked with a girl who went to this great party, so my friend was invited and also invited me.

The first year I dressed as a gypsie, because I could throw it together relativily fast!

The second year, the same friend and I cordinated our costumes.

I was toothpaste and she was a tooth brush!

(This is the year of the party when I met my husband!)

 

The next year, we cordinated again. We were Dr. Bunson and Beeker from the Muppets. 

The following year, I went as Ugly Betty,

while my husband (fiance at the time) went as a character from The Big Lebowski

and my sister and her best friend went, for the first time, as old ladies.

Then, last year, the them was Zombies,

so my husband and I (only 15 days after our actual wedding) went as the corpse bride & groom!

And my sisters friend went as Cleopatra Zombie, while my sister went as Lady Gaga Zombie.

Tomorrow night is the exciting 5th year of my attendance at this

15 year long running Halloween Party.

I'm very excited!

My sister, her friend and I will be going as "Snap, Crackle & Pop" from Rice Crispies!

I'll be sure to show you pictures soon!

Have a wonderful Halloween everyone!



IHF - Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness

Can I just say, I really don't want to be the blogger that only posts to enter contests! 

I love to blog about other things, but my life has been nuts!

 I just got back from vacation/honeymoon/1st year anniversary trip to Las Vegas. 

I wanted to post about it on here, but that would have ruined the surprise I planned... 

I will explain more about that later!

On to the Pink Picture... 

I was lucky enough to spend a few hours with a great friend of mine, who let me snap just a few (okay, really almost 200) shots of her gorgeous 1 month old daughter, Mya. I figured if I really want to start taking more pics of people, friends are a great place to start! :-) 

Let me know what you think! 

And please check out the other pink pictures on I Heart Faces

for Breast Cancer Awareness Month! 

Craftin Outlaws & Tag

Have you missed me?

I sure have missed all of you!

I also have let life get between me and the blogosphere!

SORRY! Please forgive me!

I wanted to let everyone know of a great event going on this weekend, here in Columbus!

Please check it out!

And if you want to go, let me know, cause I'm hoping to get down there!

Also, Julie, I greatly appologize for making you wait soo long for your prize.

It's going in the mail tomorrow! So keep an eye out!

I was recently tagged in a friendly game of cyber tag by Angela at Unexpected Elegance to answer 8 questions about myself, then pass it on... so here goes!

1. How did you start blogging?

Actually, it started by just following craft, photography and wedding blogs before my wedding. Then my cousin started her own, and my husband did his, so I thought, if I'm going to do this, I better jump on the train soon! I figured if I could find the time (which is where I struggle the most) I could pull this off like the other blogs I've been following... so here I am!

2. What was the last book you read?
Wow, good question, and I assume this does not mean all of the childrens books I flip through, making animal noises with my nephew. I've started a lot of books over the past couple of years but can only think of a few that I actually finished.

3. Are you a country or city girl?
Is it possible to be both? I was raised in the country, had pigs that I took to the fair, a big yard (that had a barn that my dad torn down when i was 7), people from my town talk with a "country accent" even though it's in mid Ohio.
I now live in Columbus, love driving on express/high ways (none near hometown), use to work with homeless families in different areas of down town, love visiting NYC and dream of living there.
I'd say I'm a good mix... I love going back home to the slow paced life and beautiful nature, but I get antsy for the fast pace and streets of the city.

4. If you had a day completely to yourself, what would you do?
I would do crafts, and take pictures of what I'm doing... fit a nap or two in... and eat my favorite foods along the way! ahhhhh, lets do that!

5. If you had a choice between going out to dinner or cooking a HUGE meal for your family, what would you choose? What would you cook or where would you dine?
Today, because I'm not feeling well, I'd pick going out to eat...
But normally, I'd love to cook a nice big meal. I enjoy cooking when I have time and my husband lets me get whatever I want at the store! :-)
I'd have to cook up my favorite "Frito Flip" and throw in some corn bread and some sort of light dessert. I'll have to share the frito flip recipe with everyone sometime! It's the best!
6.What is your favorite Bible verse and why?
To be honest, although I read the Bible a lot, I don't know that I have a favorite verse that sticks out to me, more stories. I grew up Catholic, so although the Bible is important we didn't study the verse's as much as the stories and messages in the Bible.

7. If you had a choice between a sunny or snowy vacation, which would you choose?
Um, for sure SUNNY! Bring it on sun! I see snow for too many months in the year at home, I wouldn't want to travel to see it! (No, Alaska Dave!)
8. What’s your favorite holiday and why?
Halloween for sure! Not only did I love halloween growing up, because of the creativeness of it, but I met my husband at a Halloween Party!

Okay, so now I pick some people to pass this on to as well as some questions for them to answer!
1. What is your favorite blog post of your own, and why?
2. What is your favorite hobby, and why?
3. How does your family feel about your blogging?
4. Where do you work, or is blogging your full time?
5. What is your favorite quote of all time?
6. What was your favorite subject in high school, and why?
7. Where did you come up with the name of your blog?
8. What and where is your dream home?

These are the wonderful ladies I'm challenging to this tag game! Good luck! Hope you can play!
ANKH at Henthorne Handmade
Laurie at Scene of the Grime
Rachel at Life of rar
Roxy at Grr feisty
Christine at The Domestic Princess

IHF - Smirk

Boo, it's the beginning of a new week... 

but YAY that means it's time for I Heart Faces picture time!

This week, the theme is "Smirk". 

I immediately thought of some pictures I took of my nephew...looking cute as always, but being very hesitant to smile for pictures! 

To check out more 'Smirks' or enter your own go here:

Photo Friday - Ant that Beautiful?

Hey everyone, it's my second ever... 

I was going through some recent pictures and had a hard time deciding.. 

but found one I will for sure use closer to halloween! 

Several weeks ago, there was a nice humid rain right after our neighbors flowers had bloomed, so I decided to practice some up close shots and came to find this little guy taking a rest on the flower.

My goal for upcoming shots is to use a picture taken that week! 

(Helps me to get recent pictures taken on to my computer!)

Do you have any pictures you'd like to share on Photo Friday?

Email me: callie.callender (at) gmail (dot) com

Wonderful Works Wednesday!

I am working on getting days set up with specific things I will do for that day... like this past Friday was Photo Friday and today is now going to be Wonderful Works Wednesday.

I will share with everyone great things I find on other blogs or etsy!

Let me know if there is any 'works' you'd like me to look up for you!

I'm going with the Wine theme today!



Watermellon Happy face Wine stopper!



Vampire Wine Glasses



Costers/That's My Glass!



Flattend Wine Bottle/Cheese platter

Great Wine Print!

Wine Bottle Pouch

And last but not least!

The wine we made for our wedding!

Tell me what you think of the above wonderful works...or share your wine love products!

IHF - Vroom, Vroom

Here is my entry for I Heart Faces, 'Vroom, Vroom' challenge this week! 

Nothing too fancy, but my husband doing what he does well, concentrating on the road.... 

he loves to drive... 

(could be because I get speeding tickets... 

okay, well not all the time, but my first one TODAY in 5 years!)

Yay, a winner! and Photo Friday

Congrats to Julie for winning the Paper Wreath I was giving away through

Unexpected Elegance. 

Thank you to Angela for hosting this giveaway! 

Too much fun! Hopefully I can do something like this again soon!

I decided recently (like 2 minutes ago when I was thinking of what all to write about) 

that I am going to start a weekly special post on Fridays...

Photo Fridays 

(get it, ph and f make the same sound so they go together well!)

Well, here is my first photo for my new Photo Friday!

This is my baby, Stevie... He posses so well for pictures! 

I can't wait until I Heart Faces does another pet faces category! 

Once I learn how to do a linky party I will ask you all to share a photo with me on Friday's too!

Paper Flower Tutorial

Want to learn a great new way to make paper flowers?! 
Read the post below! 

Here are some photos of the flowers I created for my wedding.

They were (as you can see below) the center pieces, 

the aisle/pew decoration and the flowers on our cake. 

       Flower #1 (Directions below)  Flower #2  (Direction in later post)  

This is then the original wreath I made from the flowers that were my center pieces.

So, after completing this, I knew I'd want to make more... and this is how I've made them all! 

Supplies:

Fun paper of your choice (1 sheet for 2-4 flowers)

Floral Wire

Scissors/Paper cutter

Mini hole punch

Needle nose pliers/wire cutters

1st- Choose a paper you would like your flower to embrace (for the wedding I choose sheets of music, for the giveaway I choose a $1 book from the library, for the tutorial below my friends chose bright fun paper)

2nd- For flower #1 use regular scissors or a straight edge paper cutter and cut 1/4 to 3/4 inch strips of your paper (depending on the size you'd like your flowers to be, 1/4 would be great for thin petals and a smaller flower while 3/4 would be good for a large bold flower)

3rd- Once you have your strips cut, take one strip, put one end to the other end, with loop in the middle, to test the size of your petals. If the loop is to big just snip off a couple inches of the strip to make smaller petals. Use the size you find while testing to size the other strips. 

4th- After deciding the size of your strips/petals, punch a mini hole in both ends of the strip of paper in the center of the end. 

5th- String one end of each strip on to the end of floral wire (8-11 strips - depending on how full you want your flower)

6th- Once you have placed all strips on the wire at one end, take the bottom strip of your pile and string the other end on top of the pile/the last strip to make your first loop/petal. Continue that sequence, by taking the most bottom strip available and stringing the remaining end on top until all flowers are placed on top. 

7th- After completing each petal, take your needle nose pliers, grab the top end of the wire and curl the wire around the tip of the pliers. Once it's curled around at least one, bend the curl flat on the base of the center of the flower. 

8th- Be sure to press all layers of the center of the flower tight to the curl on top then add a curl under the flower with the stem coming out straight from the bottom. Use your wire cutters to trim the stem to your desired length. 

**Add a button on the center of the flower for added cuteness!**

Your flower is finished!

Thanks to Kelsey and Hilaneh for your help with this tutorial!