Knock knock...

...whose there? Spring!!!

I am finally beginning to feel like spring time has arrived. It is still chilly and gray out, but it is still just an iota warmer so I am calling whatever this weather is spring weather!

The next few weeks will be a really busy time for me and matt. His birthday is the 23rd of April, I graduate May 1st, and in between now and then I have a million and one things to wrap up and do. I am not fond of finals and final papers. But after that I have to figure out what to do for works for the summer (I have a fall start date for my full-time job).

Part of me wants to hang out and relax because i never will have another summer or a lot of time off until i retire... but taking time off is not my nature. I also have a huge professional exam to study for...sigh.

Well, I am off to drink my tea! We need to go shopping today to buy Matt new pants (He only has 1 pair that don't have a rip now :) )

Hope your having nice Saturdays!!!!

-Meghan

For the Love of Tea

Matt and I gave up drinking coffee daily over a year ago. I LOVED coffee....a little to much. I had to stop because I was drinking so much a day it was making me feel manic. My throat would feel like it was restricted, and my heart was beating so fast, like a little humming bird in my chest, and then after I drank it my energy would crash and I would need more and more...it really was a vicious cycle!

Matt had to stop because he has a heart murmur, and too much caffeine makes his chest feel tight. So now we drink coffee once a week on average. We use it as a treat for ourselves when we are running errands, out for breakfast etc.

So, now all you caffeine lovers are asking the same thing we asked when we quit, "what are they going to drink??!!" The answer to that question was easy....TEA!

I LOVE TEA NOW! I always have liked it, but now we love it. I have gotten addicted to that now! I drink at least 2 cups a day, and usually want it more! The picture above was a good find from when we were Gnome Home jar sleuthing at the thrift store.

Matt and I love crappy tea. We get the cheap Lipton Tea that is 100 bags for about $3. We have tried others, but realize we like the cheap stuff! (isn't it always great when it works out like that!) We used to store it on top of my recipe box in the Lipton 16 bag box...which was driving me nuts. We would put the bags from the 100 bag box into the little box...and it was getting all worn and ripped. When we first got our tea jar Matt was skeptical, but now he is as much a fan as I am!

On a non-tea note, I have been making terrariums. I have made 8 in the past 2 days, which is rare for me. Matt normally makes them, and I take the photos and make the clay stuff and list them and pack them and all the other stuff. However, Matt works from 11:00 am until 7:00pm, so the last thing he wants to do at night is make terrariums! So, instead of studying I have been procrastinating doing my work by making terrariums. I have been really proud of myself! I think they have been coming out nicely. This one is one of my favorites, and I made it 100%, from the terrarium to the house!

I also have changed some of the photos, put some new snazzy backgrounds up. I really think they make the terrariums pop!

Well I hope you all had a nice day!

~Meghan

Tiny Tea Cup Terrariums!

Hello All!

This week is my spring break week. Since we could not afford to go away I have been engaging in some good ole' TLC today. I slept in late, drank my tea, watched The Biggest Loser, made these little tea cup terrariums, ate a sandwich while listening to the Virtual Labs Critiques, watched Jon and Kate Plus 8, started dinner (veggie cacciatore)... and now i am waiting for the boy to get out of the bathroom so I have some company!

Tomorrow I am going to visit my family. My mom is taking Friday off from work to hang out with me, which is super exciting! I want to go to Joann fabrics and Christmas Tree Shop and just hang out with her. My mom is my best friend (excluding the boy, naturally) so I am glad to have the one-on-one time with her. I have an awesome nephew, and a precocious niece who my mom watches 3-5 times a week, and when they are over it is hard to have quality time with my mom.

The boy took Monday and Tuesday off work to be with me... keep my company on my spring break at home. We went into the city to have lunch (he tried Indian Food for me!) and shopped around for the multiple Birthdays coming up (Brothers on the 8th, Moms on the 24th, Nephews on the 30th). While looking for the brother/mom we came across these awesome tiny cups, and a few other jars we have yet to post!

I hope you all had good Wednesdays! Thanks for reading!

Easter Eggs for Everyone!!!

In anticipation of the upcoming Easter Holiday we have decided that every customer from now until April 8th will receive a FREE Easter egg figurine for their terrarium!

My mom has always made Holidays special, and I mean every Holiday, by decorating and giving thoughtful little treats. I have been really nostalgic lately seeing the Easter egg dye kits from PAAS in the grocery store, and remembering how much i used to love dying eggs with my mom, so this is our way of spreading that love and joy with all our awesome supporters.

The eggs are so fun to make, I love mixing the colors to get a nice pastel marbled look... I think they look like dyed eggs do after you dip them. (at least i hope they do!)

A Farewell to my Little Friend :(

Today Holly moved to her new home. She was adopted on Tuesday by an awesome couple who live close by. I know they will give her a great home, but it is still really sad and bittersweet...the apartment feels kind of empty without the little pitter patter of her little paws.

I am looking forward to being able to sleep in and not walk a dog in the rain and the snow, but I got so used to having a little buddy lay in bed and read with me, and snuggle. It will take a little while to get re-adjusted to a life sans doggie.

Holly was with us for a month, and will always be in my heart. She was such a special girl, and I am glad we can still e-mail her new family and visit her from time to time. The picture is from when we have her a bath :) I think she looks like a little yoda!

Well, from now on the posts will be about Me and Matt and Gnome Homes again! Hope your all having a great Saturday!

Holly, my little cutie frajooty!

Holly has totally won over my heart. She is such a sweet little dog, and is so well behaved.

As you can see, she has totally bonded to her bed and her fishie. This is her while i work on the computer! She is either sleeping in her bed if i move it in the office, laying in the crate I keep in here for her, or laying on the floor at my feet. She loves to be with people.

She is so funny with her fishie. She carries it from room to room and only puts him down in her beds. She puts him in her bed, her crate, and the bathroom and kitchen mats. I think she thinks they are little beds for her too. When i wash dishes she lays at my feet on the kitchen rug, and when I get ready and do my makeup she sits/lays at my feet on the bathroom rug.

Matt and I decided she can't sleep in the bedroom at night with us anymore because she kept us up all night the night before because she snores so loudly. She is louder than my father, which if you have ever heard his snoring is pretty loud. So last night we kept her in the kitchen, which went really well. She slept and hung out, and didn't cry or seem to be upset, which was my number one concern. It broke my heart to keep her out there, but she definitely is not a good person to invite for a sleepover.

Thats about it for now! Hopefully i will be back soon with more Holly stories and hopefully we gets Gnome Homes restocked again!

~Meghan

Day 1 with Holly

So, i just had to update with what has happened with Holly on her first day with us!

We left to get her some things (more food, new leash, fleece blanket etc) and go to the grocery store. Between everything we were probably gone for 4-5 hours. We put a huge box across our kitchen doorway and a chair behind it as a temporary gate. When we got back she had managed to move the box and was free willy! I was worried she may have gone to the bathroom in the house, but she was a perfect little pooch and there were no accidents.

Once we got home I set up her crate. I don't plan to use it as a way to pen her in, just as an option. So right now her bed is in the living room and her crate is in my office. She follows me around and settles into whichever bed is closest. She is snoring in her crate as i type.

Well, after both of our dinners, and a walk outside in the freezing cold I sat in my beanbag to play some video games. She decided to keep me warm!

And then when i got up she decided that maybe two beds wasn't enough and she decided three was better! She is too funny! Thats it for now, stay tuned for more updates :)