Do It!

I love, love To Do lists. I make one everyday, seriously. And often on Sunday nights I will make one for the week of things that don't need to be accomplished on a specific day but just need to be done. My desk is cluttered with old lists that never quite make it to the trash. I love the feeling of crossing things off my list, and I admit that I have been known to write things on the list that are already finished just to be able to cross them off. I know, I'm sick. So I've found this great pre-made To Do list from Knock Knock( www.knockknock.biz ) It helps me categorize even further into errands, correspondents, etc...and feeds into my sick world of extreme organization. Knock Knock has been around for a while. I love all their witty products...check 'em out.





Tuesday is not too late to start...let's see some productivity folks. At least make a list of the peeps that you should send snail mail to. Here's a real life tale of how snail mail can affect someone's day, read Sarah's blog about her mailbox...she's wonderful.





Cheers!

Just a quick Simple Spiel update! We are attempting full domination of all businesses worth shopping at in the great northwest. Items will always be available online through www.simplespiel.etsy.com but for those of you who have to touch, and smell your paper goods you can now find them in three shops that I think are amazing.

Sister to Sister in Prosser, Washington has been selling Simple Spiel from the beginning. I am so thankful for M'Liss and her enthusiasm about the new "She" line. Her shop is great, her staff amazing and it's just a fun place to be (and they sell Gelato) seriously, you can't go wrong.

Just because I'm not currently doing interior design does not mean I have forgotten my roots! I love furniture and decor! If you love it as much as I do, the best place to check out in the valley is Marchant Home Furnishings. They have great stuff, wonderful service (thanks to my bro-in-law) and now Simple Spiel cards! And yes, the ads are correct, located in Grandview, Washington they really are just minutes from anywhere! P.S. They deliver all over!

All Fired Up in McMinnville, Oregon is a great paint-your-own pottery studio that is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to be. They host pottery painting parties, kid's art camps and walk-in painters! It's a great way to spend an afternoon, and set in old downtown McMinville there is plenty of places to eat, grab a cup of coffee and people watch. Liz, the studios owner is an amazing artist. I love her laugh, hospitality and willingness to take a chance on Simple Spiel.

I've got my eye on other boutiques, shops, etc. to market to....we need others to join the revolution and send snail mail! Please let me know if you have ideas of perfect places for Simple Spiel. A huge thank you to all of you "word of mouth advertisers" for joining the revolution and talking up Simple Spiel, you are my favorite, and I'm thankful for all the words of encouragement!

Cheers!

Oregon Driving 101

I haven't been pulled over in forever, I think not since my soph. year at NNU. I'm darn proud of the fact that I have never gotten a speeding ticket and have only been pulled over for a handful of semi-dumb reasons. You know, tail light out, swerving while completely sober, etc. Well this weekend's run in with the law was more than just semi-dumb. It was pure dumb.

My friend Tiffany and I were at a friends house in Amity, Oregon, population, -5. They have one cop who looks like he's about 12 and has to make up for his age by knowing and enforcing anything that may slightly resemble a law. So it was about 12:30 a.m., Saturday morning after a crazy night of fondue and fun. I was driving Tiff's car and we got pulled over because the light on her license plate is out. Ok, so maybe he didn't have much to do and I can understand that, but did he have to call me Melis? Come on, he does not have the right to nickname just because he's the law! So, no ticket and we went on our merry way.

But it does not end there...on Sunday after church we were driving back through the same small town & we were pulled over by the same copper (and also a state trooper)! This time Tiff was driving and he said that she failed to stop for pedestrians on the side of the road who may be attempting to cross the street (their was no cross walk mind you). The problem was that we saw the pedestrians, they were standing on the side walk talking, not attempting to cross. Still no ticket, boy he is generous, ha. My favorite part of it all was that he thought they were waiting to get across the street to attend the Amity Tractor Pull!

So driving tip of the day...courtesy of Melissa, Tiffany and the Amity Oregon police dept.:

If someone is standing on the opposite side of the road as an annual tractor pull and they may attempt to cross at some point, who knows when....but sometime, you better stop. They have the right away folks, cross walk or not! Keep your eyes on the road!

Maybe in all my gyspyness and travel I will never be able to avoid the small town life. What is a tractor pull anyway? HA!

Thankful...

Thankful actually doesn't begin to express all that I feel. The last few months have been crazy and it has been all of you (friends, family & such) that have made me remember what it's all about. I'm a starving artist...it's a good thing we can't take material things with us! All these relationships mean more to me than anything I could ever own. Thank you for the support, love, words of encouragement, prayers and laughs. Ya'll have made my circumstances irrelevant.


This weekend was a quick trip to the Grandview....Fun times!

Sarah's working on an arranged marriage...

My favorite guy!

They just can't get enough of each other!

New Stuff & Things!!!

Check out what's new @ my etsy shop.....http://www.simplespiel.etsy.com

This time last year....

Man, this year has flown by! The 4th is tomorrow and I can't help but think back to last year & "the crew does PC's wedding extravaganza".

It doesn't get much better than that.

Ok, well there have been other memorable 4ths....

...the lake with the Froslands & all the rednecks in Oregon....

...any year spent at the beach with my fam...even if Jenna was crabby...etc.

Basically I love the 4th of July, the BBQs, the friends and/or family but most of all the fireworks...I can't get enough.

And to my most patriotic friend of all, Liz...HOLLA!

Happy July!

What a weekend it has been! I spent most of my time split between Salem and the coast. One thing I've decided about living in Oregon is that I really want to spend more time at the ocean. I would call it a beach but, I'm still a So Cal girl and the Oregon coast is like, so not the beach! I had great days with my good friend Tiffany who really inspired me this weekend with her whit. I felt good all weekend and I'm back in Beaverton ready to start a busy week. The "She" line will soon be offering a plethora of pronoun cards for all sorts of folks. Also, in the works are two new lines involving song lyrics and my new favorite "Straight Up". Stay tuned for more info.! It seems now that I have too many ideas and not enough time to create them. Sand always does this to me. Happy July ya'll!