Every day for the past 2 1/2 months have felt like Friday for me... or maybe more like Saturday... yes, I would say I was pretty lucky. Well, Jesse got laid off just as December was starting...so sad for him, but happy [i love the companionship] for me. Well, he started a new job this past Monday [it had to happen] and so now my days are spent [emotionally] trying to be okay again at being alone and sooo looking forward to Fridays!

So, to that I say...hip hip hurray... soo glad it's Friday!

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I stole Jesse's socks, and don't feel bad about it at all! 

These things bring the ultimate coziness and plush party surprise to your feet! 

this morning when I was getting dressed I noticed two sleeves of shirts I re-worked were hanging next to one another.... it reminded me that I NEED to get back to making/designing my own clothes again. :) You know that creative tug i'm talking about...the kind that lingers... :/

a sweet little find at the thrift store a couple weeks ago.... so many uses

and having a bright sunny kitchen to display it in is something i'm truly grateful for!

 I'd take sunshine over tangible items ANY DAY!!!  The picture looks like it's two [just noticing this] put together...but it's not...this is how it actually looks... w/out doors on purpose.

finally FINALLY re-potted all our plants. This Jade in particular was going downhill quick, I should have re-potted it 2+ years ago! But I kept putting it off until I got its warning signal last week. :/ Anyone get depressed over not being as good of a plant owner as you would like? What is up with that? They're plants....yet, they really do have some kind of little spirit ... mums the word on whether or not I actually sing to them. :-p 

Love this quote, whomever it's by.... a good reminder to look at every day. :)

I painted that on top of the glass, not on the picture itself. 

Lastly, how can I not end the week with a glimpse into Harley's life....this dog = JOY! 

Have a good weekend, see you back here on Monday. :)

Last week I did a quick impromptu giveaway on Instagram for one of my artworks [a basket face] it lasted less than 30 min I think [I am purposely making them  f a s t ! ] and this particular giveaway way a guessing game. The first person to guess right on what I was going to do/make with that basket would win it. Because there wasn't an exact "right" answer but 3 very close answers, I decided to make 3. I am mailing these guys out today and will definitely miss them. WRITE ME LETTERS you lil basket faces! :-[) The top two are made to look like sisters since the winners of those are actually sisters, and the bottom one a sun...because UTAH NEEDS MORE SUNSHINE!

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and while working on those faces: 

more Pandora...and a lil U2...love U2... and you too! :)

So many things to share and talk about... :) Love those kinds of days... 

A month ago I made a head band out of some black wool yarn and black pom poms. I spread the pom poms open and put a teeny tiny dot of hot glue in the center, then placed my yarn in there and pushed the sides of the pom pom together. I purposely made the space between the pom poms uneven for more character, and I made sure the yarn was long enough so it could wrap around my head twice. I love this little delicate number and where it at least a couple times a week....

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I have an AWESOME recipe for you! 

This is not my recipe [I wish it was] I found it online [I forget where] if you like chocolate

and mint and chewy cookies.... you will die and go to heaven with these AND eat your weight

in them, ready? :) OH! And they are super easy to make = FOOL PROOF!

follow directions exactly!

mix together in a separate bowl: 2 1/2 sticks of BARELY soft Butter [I take the butter out of the fridge, cut it into 1/4" slices and let it sit on the wrapper for 1/2 hr.] 2 cups Sugar - mix for 3+ min.  THEN add 2 Eggs and 1 Tblspn Vanilla 

mix together in another bowl:   3/4 cup Cocoa [DUTCH Cocoa is best] 2 cups Flour, 1 Tspn. Baking Soda and 1/2 Tspn. Salt  - Really just whisk it and then add these dry ingredients in with the wet little by little.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 8 min. NO MORE! As soon as you take them out, place cookie sheet on cooling rack and place unwrapped Andes Mints on top of cookies. Each cookie gets one chocolate mint. 2 min later take a spoon or knife and spread the melted chocolate over the rest of the cookie. Wait for them to dry, VOILA ....you can thank me later or send some of your own to me in the mail! :)

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Earlier today I was sitting on our couch next to Harley and having one on one time. As I sat there petting him and playing with his little paws, I noticed how his newly short haircut feels a lot like our  Oriental rug in the living room....then I started imagining myself finding a brightly colored shaggy haired dog and taking him to the groomers to get a haircut. I pick him up from the groomers, and come to find out...there was a beautiful pattern underneath that shaggy hair of his...one that looked like a Turkish rug... I loved this thought so much that I had to illustrate it. :)

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while I was painting this "Kilim" dog we'll call him, I was listening to my O.M.D station on Pandora and this song came on... :) Love this band, love 80's music [STILL] and love synthesizers.

Been M.I.A lately because I am working on a very special project. I am redesigning/branding psiadoreyou.com Have you been to this site before? It's a flash sale site...but not just ANY flash sale site. The ladies behind P.S. I ADORE YOU [Chelsea, Whitney, & Ashley] donate some of the proceeds to childhood cancer. I couldn't be working on a better freelance project...and with some really special ladies!  On top of redesigning P.S.'s whole look...I will be doing some custom designs for them as well that you can only get on their site. There's so much I want to share...but that all is obviously saved for their day of unveiling. Till then...get to know a little more about P.S. I  ADORE YOU's cause: 

This is Chelsea's daughter Cami who has been fighting Leukemia 

and here is sweet little Cami's story.... you might want to have some tissues nearby...

Cami's End of Treatment Video from Pat Carver on Vimeo.

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Because most of my time is going towards this project, I have decided that to maintain my sanity 

and my commitment to other bloggers that have blogged or instagramed any Roxy Marj products, I will have to make my "Thank You's" a wee bit shorter .... i'll have those up tonight, as well as an AWESOME chewy chocolate mint cookie recipe that you're gonna die over. :) Till then.... 

More FREE Valentine printables! [8.5"x11" sheet]

Feel free to put them on your blog, pin, whatever...

and thank you in advance for giving credit. :) 

Yesterday evening we had a drug bust right across the street from us. It was pretty scary. The S.W.A.T Team was there, along with their dog and then cops standing by outside with rifles. The most heartbreaking thing of all was that there is a little 6 year old girl who lives inside. :[ I was trying to hold back the tears when I saw one of the officers grab a teddy bear from the back of his vehicle and walk back towards the house... My heart goes out to that little girl and the fear she must have been experiencing...I can't even begin to imagine. I really thought that our neighborhood was pretty safe especially since kids are out and about all the time. This was a huge selling factor when deciding on the neighborhood and our little house. But apparently from what I've gathered from other neighbors...this kind of stuff is everywhere now, and it's best to keep your eyes peeled.

Because I work in our office everyday and it has corner two corner windows, I see a lot that goes on! Well, I had noticed that a couple cars every day would always drive down our street and then stop right in front of the hedges across from our house for a couple min.... I thought this was soo weird, but even weirder, random cars would pull up to our 3 little mailbox stand and wait for a min. or two and then drive off. This past summer I mentioned it to Jesse and told him to start watching, and then when he started to take notice he was just as alarmed. We didn't ever say anything, and now I regret not calling the cops about it. :/ But Jesse thinks that this house across the street has been watched by the cops for awhile now...hence the S.W.A.T. Team... gosh!

Well, on a lighter muuuch happier note [I apologize for those who already read about this on my fb page & instagram] I received a book in the mail that I had been searching for for the last couple of years now. The sweetest lady emailed me last month letting me know that she saw on my pinterest this book I pinned and the message that I wrote next to it. Well, she had found a bookseller who was selling it for a very affordable price! I had only found it a couple times in the past 3 years and both prices were waaaay over my budget. So today I want to share the entirety of this book with you. Thank you Hamsa for such a sweet act of kindness you showered on me, I plan on paying it forward! :) xo

The Old Man's Mitten also known as "The Mitten" 

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Lastly, my homage to two bloggers. Yesterday's blogger thank you goes to:

Line Sander Johansen of Little Universes

I just looove Line's blog. I've mentioned her on my blog before .... She shows her readers things that I personally haven't seen before. It's funny being on Pinterest...because I tend to feel like i've seen everything... which I know it isn't true. Line's blog  is definitely a peak into her universe. I like where her mind goes and I love seeing what she finds to be interesting and inspiring.... Line shared on her blog a picture of my clutches all wrapped up. Thank you Line for sharing my work with your readers, I really appreciate it!!! :) 

This picture is of her "paper blanket" that was in her exhibition [?] titled: Scrap work Constellation 2012 which was shown at Anaise in California. 

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And today's thank you thank you goes to: 

Joy Deangdeelert Cho of Oh Joy 

If you don't know of Oh Joy....well i'm definitely not the one to reprimand you....I mean, I just FINALLY got a smartphone a couple weeks ago and they have been around for YEARRRS now...so obviously I am not someone who is always on the hip bandwagon...and if I ever am on that bandwagon, well it's most likely because I bought the ticket at the thrift store and am shining people's shoes or something....anyways. ha! lol Back to Joy and her wonderful blog. If you like bright, happy, uplifting popular contemporary design...well then you will or already do love Oh Joy. She has a huge following, a following that I wasn't made aware of until I saw my Etsy stats go from 50 views this past summer to over 800 in one day. I was so confused and even more confused why I was getting so many orders for my spotted clutch all of a sudden. Well, I noticed they were coming from Joy's blog. It really just takes one or two people to talk about something you've done...then all of a sudden it spreads like wild fire. :) Thank you again Joy for taking the time to share my little clutch with your readers, and truly help a small designer like myself! 

this pictures is of Joy's living room. The wallpaper she designed herself and sells at Hygge & West I am definitely envious [but in a positive non-insecure way] of this lady's talent! Go Joy! :)

& a little book trailer [?] of Joy for her book Blog, Inc. which you can purchase HERE.

Some glimpse's around our home - Harley being my favorite, I could take a glimpse of him 24/7 :) and as I sit here and type he is sitting calmly on my lap. Love this dog!  The "Harley" plaid bowl is something that I painted last week on one of our Anniversary dates...i'm in love with how it turned out and can't wait to add more to make it a little set. The gold foil plus signs are something I did to one of our kitchen walls...I've been meaning to do some super easy & inexpensive tutorials with the stuff for my blog....next week perhaps? Anyone would get addicted to that stuff....your mind starts to think of all the things it can gold foil. pretty funny 

I took down our Christmas light garland in the living room and replaced it with this one, that drapes over our mantel...I love how the strand of wooden beads looks wrapped around the lights. I'm thinking of adding two more strands...would look cute in a kid's room too. In my studio I have a mood board...these are some of my favorite pictures that i've been looking at over and over again for awhile...some for 5+ years...this has helped a lot in creating my brand. I love flower holders "frogs" and I rarely even use them for their purpose. The picture below is the underside which is just as pretty as the top.

I printed my Spotted & Harley Plaid note cards on French Paper Company's Speckled tone true white... LOVE how it looks and love the mix of the organic feel with modern prints & the bright red.. will be making the switch over in my shop here soon. In December, the money I earned from my pop:up shop went to purchase my very first industrial sewing machine [Juki] the same kind we sewed on at school... still pinching myself. The "sleepy time" rug painting that I did back in 2009 is still unfinished....wishing I had more time to really paint and get back into oils as well. I don't know what it is about painting & drawing rugs but it's definitely a favorite past time.

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I kinda fell off the blog bandwagon a couple days ago....but I just got back on. :)

Continuing with the thank you thank yous! Thursday Feb 7th was supposed to be: 

Merrilee Lillard of Mer Mag

Merrilee is obviously very crafty. There is no question when you read her blog. She has a plethora of craft ideas and cute little helpers [her boys] that you see in her craft photo shoots. I love all the things she makes with duct tape, as i'm sure her boys are always stoked to see what she has designed up next for them. Merrilee is also a very talented illustrator, and has a shop called Tuesday Morning, you can purchase her work HERE.   Jesse and I have her Emily Dickinson print that hangs in our living room...we love it. :) A couple of times Merrilee has posted about my items on her blog...thank you so much Merrilee for doing that and sharing my brand with your readers! :)

Photo taken by Merrilee

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Friday Feb 8th was supposed to be:

Jaclyn of The Bishop's Wife

I mentioned Jaclyn last month in one of my posts. She had asked me to come speak to her group of girls at her church about self worth and developing your own personal style... before that we were introduced "online" by our mutual friend and for the past year or so have emailed each other back and forth... and then finally meeting one another last month. She has a rockin personality that's upbeat and positive. Right off the bat after meeting Jaclyn I felt very comfortable with this girl...because I sensed a real authenticity from her towards me.

 I'll be honest, I get suuuuper anxious about meeting other people in person after "knowing" them online. I won't get into here, but it's always so refreshing to meet someone who is kind and genuine and treats me a "designer" the same as his or her friend who works at a doctor's office for example. It's more about what's going on inside than out... I appreciate that insight about Jaclyn and could see why her Young Women's group love and connect with her so much! 

Back in the fall I did a giveaway of one of my clutch's on Jaclyn's blog. Thanks so much for sharing my work with your readers Jaclyn, I appreciate it so much! 

Jaclyn pictured here with her husband and adorable son. 

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and lastly, today's Thank You goes to Denise Holmes of Nisee Made

Denise is also an illustrator, living in Chicago and a new mother to a cute little girl named Hazel. I met Denise through blogging a couple years [?] ago and she has definitely been an inspiration to me and my work. I have no doubt that she will have many children's books under her name some day [or already? :/ ] and I look forward to when that happens. Denise also has a shop called Little Happy Drawings where you can purchase her very sweet clip art illustrations HERE. 

This past summer, Denise bought my "Home Cozy Home" mini painting and shared it on her blog with her readers...Thank you so much Denise, it's such a  huge compliment to have an illustrator I admire so much to buy something from me. Maybe one of the highest compliments? :] xo

a picture of Denise drawing with her neice. LOVE this! Best Aunt award right there! 

This past week i've been itching to make a bouquet of icicles before they all melted away... today I finally did so and ironically right after I finished collecting them and taking pictures, the sun came out and they are now slowing dripping away as I type. At first I put them in my milk glass vase but because it was tapered they really didn't stand well, so I swapped it for a clear tube one. Next winter if we have icicles like this again, I want to have a night time snowman party under our walnut tree with the twinkle lights turned on and these as decorations, considering they're free!

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Yesterday Jesse and finally designed the kitchen light fixture we had been brainstorming about. After designing it, Jesse went out into his garage and built it! So cool...I really love this fixture. The cost was next to nothing [however, you do kinda need a welder to make something like this] and the shade is from an old colander [used for canning?] that was Jesse's moms. We're pretty stoked with how it turned out...Now we're dreaming up a more hearty fixture to go above our table. 

To see more pictures and the process, go to Jesse's blog HERE 

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Lastly, more blogger loving : 

a writer for a magazine [online] that mentioned my work. 

Back in August I was asked by Leticia Katz who writes for the online magazine Salt Lake  [which is in print too] if she could interview me. I originally emailed her asking if they would be interested in featuring one of my products in their magazine and instead she asked about doing the interview instead....not a sit down type a thing. She just emailed me questions. :) You can read it HERE if you like, and as usual...take my grammar with a grain of salt. Thank you again Leticia. :) 

Today is a special day for Jesse and I. Two years ago we got married, and so far so good. The saying "time flies when you're having fun" is very true, and I'm grateful to have found someone to have a blast with for the rest of my life. Now, I don't want to lead you to believe that our marriage is sooo perfect [I think i've talked about this before?] because it's not. Plain & Simple. We both have our strengths and weaknesses and we are pretty good about owning those, acknowledging them when the time is right [in "heated" discussions] and helping each be better and learning from our mistakes. I've said it many times and I'll say it again....but Jesse has the most patience out of anyone i've ever met. And I know 100% without a doubt that God sent me to him for just that trait a lone! Because of my upbringing and the un-glamorous habits/baggage? it left me with and that i'm constantly trying to overcome...with Jesse's help, in already 2 short years i've seen major improvements within myself. This is what marriage is all about, and thankfully this time around I am with someone who is on the same team as me and I on his! Jesse Man ohhh Jesse Man...I love you so much! Happy 2 years! xo

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Continuing my love for bloggers:

L E N A   C O R W I N

Lena, is definitely hands down one of my very favorite designers. Those who know me pretty well know that I reference her a lot and love to tell you about my short summer I spent as her intern. I really looked up to Lena then, and still do to this day... obviously I can't say enough good things about Lena but one of my favorite things about her is the attention to detail and the exquisite craftsmanship she exudes....and on top of that she is so very gracious, witty, and calming. A handful of times she has blogged about my items w/out me knowing and I appreciate that so much, thank you Lena! :) xo

Lena, has two very beautifully curated blogs: Lena Corwin & Wee Textile. Both favorites and the kind that doesn't leave you feeling worse about yourself?  I mention this because the past year i've had multiple conversations with different friends about how there seems to be this influx of blogs that are all about conspicuous consumption in fashion, decor, accessories, "perfect" families etc. and some of these friends [sometimes myself included] avoid most blogs all together... they're obviously not going away, but to that I say: seek out the blogs that don't leave you with that feeling. Only read the ones that inspire & encourage you to be creative, to be better than your yesterday self, that spark curiosity in positive ways. Lena's blogs do that for me...she really has helped me become a better curator of my life. 

These photographs she took of her home are on Wee Textile

A couple months ago I won a free 2-night stay at the Radisson Hotel in dowtown Salt Lake, so Jesse and I used that to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary which is tomorrow...which is why I was "away" from my computer, and not able to blog over the weekend.

Continuing with my Love For Bloggers month:

Today is devoted to Shoko Wagner of  sho and tell blog

If you like reading well written blogs... then Shoko's is one worth following. Her's is the kind that

makes me want to meet her in person and if that ever happened, I feel like we could talk for hours

about so many fascinating, culturally rich, and super funny things! I also get the feeling from reading her blog, that how she portrays herself online perfectly matches what she would be in real life...you know those kinds of blogs...where the blogger is so "fun and fabulous and oh so nice online [perhaps trying to gain a large readership] but then in person...they just don't match up...unless of course you're ultra fabulous yourself. Never had an experience like that before? ah! lol well...they're becoming more common these days...just wait.  Annnnyways, LOVE SHOKO! 

This book that just came out, is one that Shoko helped write...

you can purchase it HERE.

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Yesterday [Sunday] I was supposed to thank Rebecca Cohenour of Young Sophisticates. She blogged about one of my clutch's this past July. Rebecca has a blog that is dedicated to showing you chic & stylish clothing, accessories, interiors etc....her blog is very polished and full of great photography. This image below [ from France's Elle Magazine] is a favorite...love the color palate and pattern on pattern.

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And Saturday's shout out was supposed to go out to Jeff Hamada of BOOOOOOOM

This guy is just too cool and truly supportive of artists and designers! When I opened up shop again in July, I emailed a couple dozen prominent art/design/fashion/MOMMY bloggers out there to see if anyone would be interested in doing a giveaway with some of my products. Only two people responded back. One of them was Jeff, and he said he would be happy to do a giveaway...the other person said no, and that I needed to advertise with her in order to be part of her giveaways... Well, one YES was all that I needed to help build my spirits! Jeff's site is really sweet [i.e. RAD] diverse and very inspiring. Another person that I hope to meet someday! Thanks again Jeff for being the first person do a giveaway with me and support itty bitty teenie weenie designers like myself!

Jeff, pictured below...seems like such a cool/funny dude huh! :-[)

I've been really excited for February to come. A couple weeks ago I posted my thanks to all the customers who have supported me and bought something from my little etsy shop. :) It's been so overwhelming, but in a good way! Well, maybe some of you who read that thought to yourself "Hey! What about all the people who have blogged about you to help your business?" and to that I answer: OF COURSE! But I didn't mention the bloggers in that post because I had planned specifically to save it for all the month of February. That quote above, is exactly how I feel! As of right now, I have hardly put in any money towards marketing. And that's because financially i'm not at a position yet where I can do so...most of you reading my blog, most likely have heard of me or my shop through another blogger, and for this I am so so grateful! I am so grateful for the bloggers out there who support me so much that they blog about my stuff w/out even me asking them to. And then the one's where I have, thank you so much for that! I would love someday to write/create a coffee table book that is all about the importance of showing appreciation when growing and maintaining a business. It is my goal [and hope] that when people think of my name, my company, my brand....that they instantly think of someone or something that is really thankful to those around them and the help they've had along the way! 

So, with that said. Every day this month I am going to touch on a blogger that has helped with growing little Roxy Marj day by day. 

Today that blogger & a designer as well is:  Jennifer Hagler of A Merry Mishap

Jennifer approached me early fall and asked if I would be interested in doing a trade for some of my products in exchange for a button on her blog as well as pics of my items she would post. A trade that I have been very happy with. She has not only brought me a lot of consistent traffic to my shop, but has taken waaay more prettier pictures of my items than I myself do! Working on that.... anyways, I love Jennifer, she's a doll online and in person! Thank you so much lady for your all support!! xo

A photo from one of the many creative projects she's done. This one being a fav.

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And to officially kick off this "LOVE OF BLOGGERS" month, I made some hearts for the taking.

Just drag them to your desktop [image is larger than it appears] and print/cut/paste till your hearts desire. If you do share it on your blog or site...acknowledgement of where they came from is highly appreciated! And if you happen to actually make something out of them... hashtagging me: #roxymarj is even MORE appreciated! Oh yes, this does mean i'm on Instagram now. finally :)