When I grow up

For the next installment of "When I Grow Up" I would like to introduce you to Heather D. White and list the reasons why I want to be her when I grow up.

I met Heather about a dozen years ago in a singles ward. Her dad was the Branch President at the time and played a big role in the direction I chose to go in my life and I will be forever grateful for his sincere counsel and love for me. But this is not about him - this is about his darling daughter Heather.

I didn't know Heather very well at the time. She was the girl I wish I was - very fun to be around - nice to everyone - from an outsider looking in she seemed like she was friends with everybody. My memories of the time I spent with her were always filled with fun and there was always laughter.

Flash forward to sometime this year - I was aimlessly surfing blogs and started looking at bloggers who liked to scrapbook and I came across {unwrapped} - I started reading and immediately knew I liked this girl so I bookmarked it and would check back in every now and then. At the time She didn't have her picture posted so I had no idea that it was Heather Dahlquist's blog that I was reading - and then she posted some pictures from a family party and there was her Dad and I finally put two and two together.

Heather is seriously one of the most creative people I have come across in this blog world. My favorite posts of hers are when she posts pictures of what she made for her visiting teachees. She is always making something for someone.

Heather is also a great photographer - She has started a business called White House Photography. She is very talented and I love to look at her photos and get ideas for my own amateur photo-shoots

Heather is a great friend - she is constantly expressing her gratitude for all of her friends. She identifies specifically what it is about her friends that she loves. She is genuinely appreciative for the love she receives from all of the people in her life.

Heather has a fabulous mother - I couldn't post this entry without mentioning her mom! I just love her. I haven't spent a great deal of time with her but the time I have spent with her truly left an impression.

I really could go on and on but I will let you click on over to her blog and find out for yourself why I want to be Heather when I grow up!!!

When I Grow Up

I sat down to post about the blog party I attended at the beginning of May and I realized that I had never formally spotlighted Jill – the blogger that is the reason I would voluntarily go to a party to meet people that had not a single clue who I was.

So, I have dusted off my, “When I Grow Up…” weekly/montly/semi-annual spotlight and am now going to explain why I want to be Jill when I grow up.

She changes her blog header semi-frequently and they are always so great!

Jill hails from Utah County and is seriously, one of my favorite people. I stumbled across Jill reading Kristi’s blog – Kristi had linked to an entry that Jill had made that talked about Visiting Teaching that really talked to me. I was curious about who it was who used her powers of blogging to talk about important topics (or who uses her blogging powers for good) so I started reading and then I discovered that she and her book club had traveled to Paris last year and Jill chronicled every day with the details of what they did and had dozens and dozens and dozens – OK, hundreds – of pictures documenting the trip. Anyone who knows me knows I love anything and everything French so after I finished reading all of her Paris entries I decided that we were best friends – and no, we had not met yet.

One thing I love about reading Jill’s entries is that she is real in every entry. If she is having a bad day, she writes about it. If she is having a fantastic day she shares it with us. Every Sunday she takes the time to post a Sunday Thoughts entry. She has some great insight and there are a handful of these Sunday Thoughts that I have book marked to re-read when I need a little spiritual pick-me-up.

Another one of my favorite entries she posts each week is when she documents Creative Friday. Every Friday she heads over to Michelle’s and they work on their crafts together. Michelle is an amazing cook and usually has some fabulous lunch prepared that involves her lovely damask dinner ware and a panini maker. I COVET Creative Fridays.

Jill’s blog has been a catalyst in creating a community of some amazing women from all over the world. For the past couple of years she has organized a blog party that brings together as many who can make it. The invitation is open to anyone who takes part whether by commenting or with their own blog or both.

I really enjoyed meeting Jill. I was a little bit uncomfortable at the party as I didn’t know a soul there and I am not the most frequent poster which makes it hard for people to get to know me. Jill was so nice and really made an effort to make sure I felt welcomed and I really appreciated that.
If you haven’t surfed over to Jill’s neck of the woods, please do – she truly represents the positive side of blogging and which is why

I want to be Jill when I grown up!

Blog of the week

This week's blog is brought to you by a Children's Book Illustrator. Jenny B Harris is multi-talented and an all around colorful gal and has a fantastic blog she calls allsorts.

• Of course I am always intrigued by other's work spaces/studios and Jenny's is no exception.
• This is one of the sewing projects that I found on her blog that I put away in my file of things I want to do too.
• And how cute is this crazy 9 patch quilt?!?! She has great instructions on how to create this quilt - it is much easier that it may appear.
• Who doesn't love a fabric-aholic?
• And finally, you have got to check out her website that show cases her fabulous illustrations.

I want to be Jenny B Harris when I grow up!!!

Blog of the week

The blog I have selected this week to add to my "when I grow up" list of links is 'HELLO my name is Heather'. She can be found here:

http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/heather_bailey/

• There are many reasons I make sure to check her blog daily. She is uber creative as illustrated here, here and here.


• The studio she has created within her home is on my list of things I will have someday.


• This post about the Grandmother's Flower garden quilt she is working on makes me excited to finish up the one my Mom started.


• And then there is the fabric line she designed.... a new world of quilting/crafting possibilities was opened up to me when I stumbled across her.

I want to be Heather Bailey when I grow up!!!

Blog of the Week

I have found so many fun new blogs over the past few months that I have been meaning to add to my list of links. Instead of adding them all at once I thought it would be kind of fun to introduce a new blog each week.

These blogs are created by individuals who motivate and inspire me in so many ways. They are so creative and accomplished and from what I can tell from their blogs, seem so nice too.

When I come across someone who is just amazing I usually tell them that I want to be them when I grow up (I promise this is meant as a compliment) so I will entitle my new link list

'WHEN I GROW UP...'

I will work on the logo at a later date

Yes, this really is me - I have been VERY 'into' sunglasses and bags from a very young age. Clearly my childcare skills were lacking.

The first blog that I am going to start my list with has been mentioned a couple of times before in various posts.

martawrites.blogspot.com

Marta is as witty as she is creative. Her writing is fun and insightful and her digital design is always very classy. Some of my favorite posts of hers are when she gives a recap of the various soirees that she has hosted like this one and this one. I also enjoy the posts exhibiting all of her creations. She has some very sassy hand writing and her collages are the reason I am constantly tearing pictures out of magazines.

To have some of Marta's creations of your very own, you can visit her Mini Mart and shop for whatever treasure inspires you.

I came across Marta's blog via a blog of a friend of Jen's and have found even more fun blogs from Marta's that will be spotlighted in coming weeks. So, for all 3 of my readers out there, click on over and take a peek, I promise you will not be disappointed.

I want to be Marta when I grow up....