Kindness is spreading my friends, won't you join me? 
Last year I found the blog "kind over matter" where they spread kindness like you'd spread germs...I wish there was something more "kind" I could compare it to, but "germs" was the first thing that popped into my head when I was wondering what spread fast and a lot! This blog is very inspiring. I posted this sign on my door when I worked in an office and my co-workers loved it!
Recently I was reading Kelly Rae's blog and she mentioned this sign and was inspired to make her own sign to start spreading kindness everywhere she went. I took her lead and made my own version of the "take what you need" sign and started spreading some FREE love around! Feel free to make your own sign or print out my sign, or any of the signs that I've linked you to here, and start spreading kindness in your community! Link back to me and post photos, I'd love to see what you do!

Does the Switch Witch visit your house? 
Well, for the first time ever it will be visiting ours! 
We have a magic Elf named Rarry at Christmas, the Easter Bunny comes and takes all the plastic eggs if you leave them sitting outside in your Easter basket after Easter is over, and NOW we have a friend at Halloween that will come and steal all of your candy but leave you a toy! How awesome is that? 
A friend of mine on facebook posted a question last night, "What are your candy rules after Halloween is over?" and one of her friends told about the Switch Witch, and I was immediately sold! She said her kids get to pick out 10 pieces of candy and then the the rest gets stolen! She said the witch leaves a toy in it's place. It would have been better for us if we'd known about this witch when the girls were little, because then we wouldn't have to do so much to "invite" the witch to our home, she doesn't know we want our candy stolen afterall! 

So, here are our steps to inviting the Switch Witch to our home...let's hope it works:)

1. Tell the kids you heard about this crazy witch that comes after Halloween and steals candy but leaves a toy.
2. Let the kids process this information...not so sure they like the idea of anyone STEALING their candy...but it's processing...
3. Tell the kids that they can hide a few pieces of candy from the witch so she doesn't take ALL of it...
4. OH, okay, they are now thinking this is a great idea! " I hope the witch comes and brings me a monster high doll!"
5. Hmmm, girls, how do you think we will be able to tell the witch we want her to come and steal our candy?
6 . Maybe we could make a potion, leave it outside so she can smell it while she's flying around stealing other kids candy. 
7. Perfect! Let's sort our candy...pick ten...what 15? okay...20? okay, let me see..."mommy, we need to have some in there for you and daddy too." oh, okay, 20 pieces - no more! They put it in sandwich bags - yay!
8. We now have about 4lbs of candy for the Switch Witch to take...I wonder if she'll take any to the local orthodontist and trade it for cash? probably.
9. Potion is outside and stinking up the neighborhood.
I hope she comes tonight!

Potion Recipe: Key lime yogurt, 4 pepperonis, pickle juice, cinnamon, spinach, lemon slices, agave, old bay seasoning, leaves, flowers and mulch...Yummy!

What are your Halloween traditions and most importantly, what do you do with all the candy?!!

I don't think I could BE any fuzzier right now (with a Chandler Bing inflection in my voice;)
I just read through some posts on my friend Sarah's new blog, The Salad Days, and this one in particular made me ALL SORTS of warm and fuzzy by the end! I'm guessing that I first started feeling fuzzy with the hilarious picture of her daughter sleeping on her head - butt in face action. Then she proceeded to discuss the beauty of her "not so ideal" new bed...and all the FuZzY LoVe that happens daily there. And, to tip my scales of fuzziness this morning, are her photos, her breathtaking photos documenting a day in the life of "her bed". This girl, has unleashed the beast of her photography skills and I'm SO proud of her...more fuzziness. Are you kidding me, how can I get through my day feeling so fuzzy?!!! I need someone to hug, STAT. 
Please, check out her blog (and all of her other posts:) if you need a dose. 

Here is one of her amazing photos. Her husband (one of my husbands besties - ha, he would die to know I said that, THEY would never say that word;) and her daughter reading in said bed. beautiful.)© 2011 SarahScott, The Salad Days

A few months ago I was asked to create some illustrations for dishtowels...and now they are available to purchase! This was a super fun project, and SO easy to work with this company (I can't wait for our next project!)! It is fun to see my illustrations come to life on a product that is for sale "out there"! 

Some of you are probably wondering, "What do you mean, illustrated?" Well, I took my big sketch pad, and drew and drew lots of ideas for the themes given to me (client: "please create a design with teacups balancing..."please create cute salt/peppers all lined in rows"..."please create a design with nesting dolls"..."please create a design with kitchen goodies".) Then I transferred my drawings to the computer by way of the scanner, and fancy computer software. I then showed the drawings laid out like a dishtowel and showing the different swatches of fabric behind my drawing lines - which would become the stitching/embroidery lines. The fabric choices and the way it is cut are really the only difference in the way I sent it to the client and what came out on the actual towels, but, I knew that from the beginning and I think each towel will probably differ in the use of the fabrics on each one when you purchase them. It definitely was hard to just let go of my drawings and not have any say in how the end result would look - but, I'd say that they turned out pretty good! This company (It's A Wrap Ideas) uses lots of cute fabrics, so you really can't go wrong:) If you would like to purchase one (or all) of these, you can head over to their website here (and tell them I sent you!;)

In my house growing up, if there was dessert leftover, then we knew what we were eating for breakfast! And my mama taught me the best way to eat dessert is with coffee...and you KNOW how I like my coffee - with cream and a friend! Since I didn't have any leftover dessert waiting for me, I decided to order up some cake (with whipped cream on top:) So, go pour your coffee and ENJOY!

All Images ©2011 Heather Ivy Designs

CAPTION CONTEST: leave a comment for this post and let me know what you think the caption should be for this illustration! The winner will receive a goody from me!

As I poured my coffee this morning...I was missing my friends! Yes, you know who you are!

©2011 Heather Ivy Designs. 
Comment to let me know if this illustration would be something you'd like as a card to send or as a print to frame? Or any other idea, let me know! I love my friends:)

It's October, there is a chill in the air, and I LOVE the anticipation of the crisp leaves and cool air on my cheeks....and I LOVE the fall colors...BUT, all of a sudden, OCTOBER pops up and all I can think about is the color PINK! For the past 3 years I've spent every October raising money and sprinkling PINK love around town, and I wouldn't trade it for all the pumpkins and crunchy fall leaves in the Appalachian Mountains! Breast Cancer is a killer that I want to say good bye to, I want my kids to find a new cause to fight for when they are my age! Breast Cancer took my grandmother from my life when I was only 2 years old. Breast Cancer lurks in the closet of every woman I know, who will face it next? My mother-in-law is a survivor, my aunt is a survivor, my friend is surviving. I love that word! As women the only way we can deal with this evil lurking is to have hope, strength, courage...we breathe, we pray, we believe in today - this day - right now! I'm blessed to be here, with you, and inspired by you. I got to have coffee with my mom and her friends this morning... survivors among them. Thank you Lord for my day today. 

Today I will be posting new original paintings to my etsy shop. 25% of all proceeds will be donated support my fundraising. I'm also running in the Race for the Cure on October 22, if you would like to make a direct donation to my team, you can click the link here. Thank you for helping me spread PINK love in October!

YAY! All 4 new items are in the etsy shop and available now! Subscribe to my blog via the RSS feed above or follow me on facebook to stay in the know about ALL my new listings - there will be more soon - oh yes, there will!  Oh yeah!, if you are local - you may purchase on etsy and use the code LOCAL1 and pick up your piece instead of having it shipped! (message me if you are unsure:)

Thanks for the visit! See you soon:)

I love the sound of Legos...especially bins of these teeny tiny pieces!