enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

YAYmay

IF IT SEEMS LIKE I AM SHOUTING, IT'S BECAUSE I AM.

May 1. We made it. May is a big month for me.

Here's what I've got work-wise:

The Queen Bee Market starts tomorrow! I'm selling a bunch of RANDOM items. Seriously. So RANDOM. And so RAD. When I quit the stamp making business, I still wanted to show at the QBM because I love the energy and I love the opportunity to do my job in real life. I decided to just sell a bunch of RANDOM items that were in limited quantities and hard to ship. Enter airplants. Enter marbled bowls. Enter stained wooden letters you can no longer find in stores (because I bought them all). Enter colorful fabric garlands. Enter jade succulent wreaths. Do you see what connects these five items? RANDOMNESS. AND RADNESS.

And then I had an idea for two fill-them-in greeting cards (black ink on white always wins) so I threw those into the pot. Of all this stuff, those cards are the only thing I will be selling online.

After we get through the market I am planning on being attached at the fingerpads to my computer to get the Blog Design Love 2.0 class in the can. It's (almost) back and it's BETTER THAN EVER. Like seriously. I cannot over-hype it enough. 😉 I am so excited to write and code and screenshot and then write and code and screenshot and finally, finally get her live. (Obviously I will let you know when that happens.)

And then when the dust settles, I am going to get MAKE29 squared away for June. I've got a plan to create MORE options (think different sizes of the same print in editions of 290) and am super excited about that. In this case, I really think more will equal more. The May edition is currently packed up, sitting on a wooden palette in my garage (go big or go home is the motto this time around) and waiting to launch. Is it May 22nd yet?

So that's business…here's the personal:

PAUL IS DONE WITH HIS EVENING ROTATIONS.

This means I have a partner who returns home in time to help with this baby who I love so dearly but OH MAN IS SHE MOBILE AND INTO EVERYTHING. The difference between Elise at 4pm when she knows she's have help in about 90 minutes and the Elise at 4pm who knows she's flying solo for the foreseeable future is quite remarkable. Even Ellerie was like "Geez, Mom, this is remarkable." And I was like, "I know, little bug" while launching myself across the room to pull her off the bookshelf she had just climbed.

(If you're the sort of person who prefers visual aids, this is me at 5pm yesterday and this is me at 5pm last week.)

It's crazy to eat dinner at a normal hour. It's crazy to see sunlight when Paul gets home. It's crazy to have a castmate in the bedtime ritual that has become at least a 65 minute production complete with character voices and diaper changes so fast they would make an Indy 500 pit crew member's head spin.

We have a few more weeks of lots of work and then it's full on leave time at the end of May. We're headed to Houston for a trip (traveling with kiddo(s) is NOT a vacation) to see some friends that will for sure be awesome and then Paul and I are sneaking away to our happy place, Palm Springs, to celebrate four years of marriage and congratulate ourselves on a really insane first four (five by then!) months of 2014.

I'm embracing May and everything she's got planned. I'm geared up. I'm excited. I AM READY TO ROLL.

Seriously, May, welcome to the party that is 2014.

(It's The Most organized party you've ever attended. And also, BYOB.)

Posted in , ,

40 responses to “WELCOME TO THE PARTY, MAY.”

  1. Leah Avatar

    Hehe, love the link of “you last week”! And all that you’ve got planned sounds wonderful for you and inspiring for the rest of us. Keep it up Elise! KEEP IT UP! 🙂

    Like

  2. fariha Avatar
    fariha

    your enthusiasm is contagious 🙂 woke up barely dragging myself out of bed, and after reading this i’m now ready to tackle my ridiculous to-do list and get cracking on them goals 🙂
    just wanted to let you know that you (and ellerie’s adorable smile) totally made my morning

    Like

  3. Kelsey Avatar

    Hooray for having Paul back! I’ve had some solo parent evenings lately with end of the semester craziness and it is tough. Your market set up sounds super fun!

    Like

  4. Jodi Avatar

    this post is so awesome and makes me super happy.

    Like

  5. Betsy Avatar
    Betsy

    I love your excitement! Happy May!

    Like

  6. Debra Avatar

    Wow… your May can’t be more different to mine. Mines all about keeping it quiet and getting my head down and yours is like ‘world here I come’… love it!! Sounds oh so very exciting and your trip at the end seems to come just at the right time. Wishing I was across the water just so I could come to The Queen Bee Market, your enthusiasm for it is pouring out this post 🙂

    Like

  7. Emily Avatar

    Died laughing over The Most Organized party you’ve ever attended. Welcome to May! It’s my favorite month of all.

    Like

  8. Brianna Avatar
    Brianna

    Love it! I can’t wait to see what May holds for you (and for me). I’ve got a week of school crazy left and then sweet freedom of working four hours a day and whipping my freelance life into some serious shape.

    Like

  9. Hannah B. Avatar
    Hannah B.

    Loving the enthusiasm this morning! HOORAY MAY! 🙂

    Like

  10. Emily Rooney Avatar

    I think this is my favorite blog post ever. So well written and funny!

    Like

  11. Hannah low Avatar
    Hannah low

    I so know how you were feeling in the last week 4pm bit. I could fill an album with shots like that. But thank goodness, just when you think you’re going to drown, the tide goes back out, the shift pattern changes, the cup song comes on and everything feels lighter again. Happy May!

    Like

  12. Katie Avatar

    Girl you are pulling out the funny and I LOVE IT!!! I burst out laughing at the people crying. Seriously so good. Yay for May and all the awesomeness it’s bringing you!

    Like

  13. Jenny Avatar

    We say the same thing all the time – trips with kids are trips or “adventures” but most definitely NOT “vacations.” happy spring ~

    Like

  14. Vanessa Avatar

    This post made me laugh out loud. Love it. Happy all things May!
    Just curious – will the Blog Design Love 2.0 course only be for Typepad users? Thanks!

    Like

  15. Hannah low Avatar
    Hannah low

    I can so identify with your last week 4pm feeling. I could fill a whole album with shots like that… But the good thing is, as you’ve just experienced, just as you think you’re going under, the ride turns, the shift block ends, and the cup song comes on the radio! Happy May! Hope it’s full of light and laughter. Xo

    Like

  16. Jessi Avatar

    How exciting. And oh man, I was at the QLN last weekend for a 12 hour crafting event, thinking the whole time, man I WISH I could be here next weekend for the QBM (I’m in Vegas- used to live in Oceanside)! Super duper hoping to be able to be there next year as a vendor. Have a wonderful time! And enjoy May!!

    Like

  17. elise blaha cripe Avatar

    typepad, blogger and wordpress.com. 🙂

    Like

  18. Ani Avatar

    My hubby and I are planning on heading to Carlsbad for the next two days to celebrate my birthday and have a little baby-moon while we can! I’m hoping to stop by the Queen Bee Market one of the days! Thanks for the reminder and maybe I’ll get to see you!
    -Ani

    Like

  19. Sarah Milligan Avatar
    Sarah Milligan

    This post made me smile so many times. I’m excited for the new blog course, and I can totally empathize with your 5pm feelings, this week and last week! It’s amazing what a difference it makes when you know help is on the way. 🙂

    Like

  20. Sarah Milligan Avatar
    Sarah Milligan

    PS, those cards are brilliant. I hope the market goes well for you!

    Like

  21. Casie Avatar

    Elise,
    Will you be sharing your inspiration board and the other One Little Word prompts?

    Like

  22. yours truly, melissa Avatar

    Love reading the excitement in this post! Hooray for a month of good and great things!

    Like

  23. Jennifer Avatar

    So excited for you and all that is going great right now, Elise! And so excited for the new blogging course you’re writing…can’t wait! 🙂

    Like

  24. Welcome Home Taylor Avatar

    YAY for May! I can’t wait to see everything that you have planned (plus, it’s my birthday month!)
    xoxo
    Taylor

    Like

  25. JC Avatar

    I love this post. Your energy is contagious!

    Like

  26. elise blaha cripe Avatar

    No. Reading through and listening to Ali’s lessons but my time this year is so crunched I am not able to make the projects. Just living with my olw instead. 🙂

    Like

  27. Johanna Avatar

    Bring your own baby? I’m in. This month better be a party, or I see myself drowning by the end of it. Cheers! And wow, such a random and rad happy post!

    Like

  28. Helemark Avatar

    Love this post, Elise! May is also my favorite month! Birthday month and 4 year anniversary this weekend! Congrats!! Love that pic of E ❤

    Like

  29. Danielle Avatar

    I love your blog so much! And I cannot WAIT for the Blog Design 2.0. Thanks for bringing me smiles each time I check in with this space. Good luck with a busy month + you definitely have a customer super excited for the new e-course. ❤

    Like

  30. Raquel Avatar
    Raquel

    You are HILARIOUS! I choked on the cracker I was eating because I clicked on the link of people crying! There was one lady flipping the bird and that’s what got me!! I feel you, mama!! My 11 month old is into everything!! She leaves a path of destruction throughout the house!

    Like

  31. Katie Avatar

    so needed this laugh today. Love it.

    Like

  32. Robyn :) Avatar
    Robyn :)

    May is a big one for me, too. It is the month I will become a Mom 🙂

    Like

  33. Ckah Avatar

    That was amazing ! I could feel the giddiness of that post the whole time. And I was reading it at a thousand words a minute. Like I’ve had too much caffeine !!! Thank you for brightening up my Thursday night off.

    Like

  34. liz Avatar

    this. post. is. awesome. i love that i can hear your laughter in these words. YES! xo

    Like

  35. Kirstie Avatar
    Kirstie

    Yay, congrats on an awesome first part of 2014 and long may it continue… 🙂

    Like

  36. Laura Avatar

    This is just what I needed!

    Like

  37. Lindsay Avatar

    Your excitement just gave me EXCITEMENT for MAY! I was already pretty excited as my folks are coming to visit Hawaii for the first time, but my main squeeze is headed out of the bedtime ritual and out to deployment:( boo. Time to look back into some of your “he’s gone” posts for inspiration!

    Like

  38. Giuseppina Avatar

    We are headed to Palm Springs near the end of the month too!

    Like

  39. Theresa Avatar
    Theresa

    Your excitement for summer is totally jumping off this post! It’s exciting and infectious!!

    Like

  40. Carrie Avatar

    Here’s hoping Houston is hospitable (i.e. not too hot yet!) Your enthusiasm is contagious!

    Like

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