This is in the Bag!

Chance and I were lucky enough to be able to go to the Congressional Baseball Game. It is a game in which Democrat Congressmen play Republican Congressmen in a charity baseball game. 

When we walked in all kinds of companies started handing us free merchandise (SWAG!)

C-SPAN (the channel on which you can watch what is happening on the floor of the House) gave us these messenger bags. 

We're going on a vacation soon and I think the messenger bag is the fanny packs cooler, younger brother. So I really think these could come in handy. Sorry, C-SPAN, I don't really want to advertise for you! So I placed thick cardboard under the logo and used plain ol' masking tape around the edge. 

I painted two coats of white acrylic paint over the logo to get a nice base. I mixed the white with a Textile Medium, which is just a liquid you can mix with acrylic paint to help it bond to fabric and become washable.Then I went crazy with aqua paint. I painted one whole box aqua and then part of the second box.

I decided to go with monograms. I just eyeballed it because I'm kinda lazy and I like immediate results. :)
I made mine a black cursive and Chance's a blue Arial type font.

When I took the tape off I saw that I had a little leakage. Not surprising really since I used masking tape...*hangs head in shame*

Anywho, I just touched up the edges with black.

Here's our end result! Maybe not show room perfect, but it was FREE! And it allowed us to carry stuff on our vacation without a purse or a heavy backpack or heaven forbid an actual fanny pack.

Great Big Thank You

You might remember that I won a giveaway at eighteen25. Well, last week my beautiful purse arrived, and I absolutely LOVE it!! I wanted to get a picture with it, but I also wanted to look cute. Strangely, that took a while to happen! At any rate, we went at saw a 9/11 Memorial performance of the Mormon Choir of Washington D.C. As usual the Chanceman was taking loads of pictures. I went ahead and jumped into one since I had my hair done. I'm pretty happy with the result. 

Thanks to Jamie, Jen, and Jodie for an amazing purse and the little rush of winning something! Check out their blog. It is one of the absolute BEST!

I remember...

Ten years ago I was a senior in high school.

It was six days before my 18th birthday.

As I stopped at my locker to begin my day I peeked in my History teacher's classroom. I saw a fire in the World Trade Center.

I sat in my first period English class and watched the reporters fumble for information as the second tower was hit. I remember holding my classmate, Lindsey, as she cried.

Then she returned the favor as I burst into tears as the first tower fell.

Over the course of the next few hours, days, and years we learned what happened. We've worked to make sense of it. We got the people responsible.

And President Bush's words have come true, "This country will define our times, not be defined by them."

Here is a picture of my journal from that day. I started keeping it on the 9th. I have never been good a journaling. But I'll never forget the importance of my journaling from that day. I was at work on the 20th when President Bush gave a speech. I was so touched by the above quote that I wrote it on a napkin to insert in my journal later on.

I am so grateful for all the men and women who serve our country in the military, fire, police, and EMT departments. These people, and their families, are truly heroes.

Here are a few pictures of the mementos I have saved from that day.

I crack myself up

So Chance worked as an assistant photographer at a wedding today. He had me go with him mostly because he wouldn't get there in time without using the HOV lane. :P

Anyway, I was sitting at a table chatting with guests when Chance came up and asked how I was and then gave me a kiss. After he walked away, I looked around at the other people at the table and said, "I don't know him..."

I got the best laugh from the whole group! Then one guy says, "You should pursue it. Looks like there could be potential."

I think I'll take his advice. :)

I've been Pinspired

I saw this fun DIY menu board on Pinterest. It is from A Creative Momma.

She gives great, step-by-step instructions on how to create this for yourself. I was set on making one when I stumbled upon these on clearance ($4.00) at Target. Seriously, it might be the happiest place on Earth!

At any rate, I was able to buy a dry erase calendar and blank note board. They are both adhesive but re-positionable. The set also came with a marker and holder.

I couldn't decide which picture was less crappy. So you get with and without flash. :)

So thanks Creative Momma for opening my eyes even though I didn't use your tutorial.