For Karen ;)

Merry Christmas

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I think I got an eye roll from Santa!
Do you think he thinks my request is unrealistic?
(I wonder what I was asking for ;)

age 6 • Seward, Nebraska

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Hope you have a blessed Christmas Day.

done, done, done and done...

Since it was snowy and blowy all weekend long I stayed inside my warn cozy little house and accomplished a lot! It is such a good feeling.

• I finished two custom jewelry orders for a total of nine pieces.
(photo above: 7 necklaces for a January wedding)

• I finally put up the Christmas tree.
(I know I almost did not mess with it)

• Wrapped all the presents (for those of you who are or know designers this is not a fast process).

• Made 3 batches of required cookies to bring home for Christmas (the cookie tradition has been passed down to me now and I have to make them exactly how my mom made them). Also if you have ever made spritz cookies you know what a pain that is! Maybe someday they will make those easy to make.

Now all that is left is laundry and car packing and driving to Lincoln. All is well ;)

art girl cookie baking...

Sunday was the first annual art girl cookie baking day (we might need a shorter name for that ;)

I think we made about a million cookies at least that is what it felt like. Here is how it broke down...
• 4 batches of dough.
• A giant bag of cookie cutters (thanks mom!).
• Sprinkles of all colors.
• Sticky yummy frosting.
• Talking & Laughing.
• Hearing Bobbi say "what is this cookie cutter" (about 12 times ;).
• Oh and one really burnt snowman. He is just kind of funny.

Here are the resutls...




To see more photos click here.

catching up...

This has been a busy week. I am still recovering from our girl weekend and a cold. I think I am on the mend now ;)

The last two weeks have been busy at Paulsen (work). We have launched a new website, had a big party...the First Annual Paulsen County Fair and redesigned all our print materials. Katie and I have been working on this for months and it feels so good to be done. Everything is bright, shinny and new.

Tonight is our Paulsen Christmas party and Sunday is cookie baking with my art girls. I love this time of year. Oh, and I have completed almost all of my Christmas shopping without leaving the comfort of my house. Online shopping is the best!

girl weekend of fun...

Bobbi, Cassie and I got up early on Friday morning to head to Minneapolis. Cassie was selling all her cool creative stuff at the No Coast Craft-o-rama. We had a great girl weekend and of course I did a little shopping for myself! (how could I not)

On Friday night Cassie introduced us to garlic mashed potato pizza. YUM!


I also bought this super cute print. I can't tell you how happy it makes me.


Thanks girls for another fun weekend!

paulsen is sad today...

A really cool guy and a friend to all of us at Paulsen (work) rolled his car on Saturday and was killed on interstate i29. We are sad...

On Wednesday before I drove home for Thanksgiving I downloaded a new CD from Jeremy Camp. Little did I know that one of my favorite songs on the album kind of applies to how we all feel right now (lyrics below)...

"There Will Be A Day"

I try to hold on to this world with everything I have
But I feel the weight of what it brings, and the hurt that trys to grab
The many trials that seem to never end, His word declares this truth,
that we will enter in this rest with wonders anew

But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings
That there will be a place with no more suffering

There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face to face
But until that day, we’ll hold on to you always

I know the journey seems so long
You feel your walking on your own
But there has never been a step
[ Jeremy Camp Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
Where you’ve walked out all alone

Troubled soul don’t lose your heart
Cause joy and peace he brings
And the beauty that’s in store
Outweighs the hurt of life’s sting

I can’t wait until that day where the very one I’ve lived for always will wipe away the sorrow that I’ve faced
To touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame and misery this is why this is why I sing….

There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face to face

There will be a day, He’ll wipe away the stains, He’ll wipe away the tears, He’ll wipe away the tears…..there will be a day.

We are going to the celebration of life service tonight.
We will miss you Chaddles (Chad)!