doing it myself: arrows, flowers & fire extinguisher[?]

Arrows: I needed things to clearly direct my clients to the cash register & "coffee embellishing" station...so with help from my sister's Cricut machine, some fancy scrapbooking paper, cardboard & garden twine, I made these two lil' arrows. Not too shabby, eh?

Flowers: I used to have a clock hanging over the door to the patio, but after moving it to the front of the store, the back looked sad & empty. I decided that a little hanging "patio" or "jardín" sign was a necessity.

I found this tutorial by searching "wire and yarn sign" on Google.

Twisting the wire was actually way more of a hassle then I thought it was gonna be...

but it was all worth it in the end & I'm loving my new artsy sign!

I can't decide if it needs more flowers or if less truely is more.

What do you think?

Fire Extinquisher: We needed one. We bought one. We hung it up.

Now it's just...there.

I'm thinking about playing around a little so it becomes a little piece of quirky art instead of strictly serious...any ideas?

I have some of my own...but want to know what you guys would think is appropriate.

I have to have a sign saying "HERE'S THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER!!!"

(basically.)

So I could either make my own...or hang up the one provided...or hang up the normal one but dazzle it up a little?

Ryan & Katy's Wedding

Remember this?

November 2009...making this patio into something beautiful was a long way away.

This isn't even the worst picture we have...it's just the only one I can find. :]

When I first saw the building, Café Sed is a young idea & I was dizzy from all the work that had to be done before it became anything presentable.

November 2010...I had just opened the shop. The year had passed and I learned many many lessons about patience and the things that really mattered.

Even though the grass still hadn't really grown and flowers were almost nonexistent, my brother & his fiancé loved it when they came to visit.

So much so, that they decided to have their February "destination wedding" here!

February 5th was their special day & the patio has never looked better.

Many of the details were handmade by my new sister-in-law, Katy & her maid of honor, Tara.

Pictures were done by Katy's cousin, Kristi of Imagine Artists.

I cannot wait to see the rest of the ceremony & reception pictures!

xo, Katie May.

3 fluffy friends.

Woodland friend #3 ended up being a deer.

I'm considering doing a bunch of baby creatures...raccoons, foxes...that sort of thing.

But for now...this will just have to do.

Now I'm getting off the computer to straighten Señorita Squirrel.

Looks like she's a little crooked.

half chipmunk...half squirrel.

I got so excited about my idea of a scone loving squirrel...

that I got right to it.

All afternoon, between customers...

I was half on Facebook (don't judge) and half painting this little guy...

Actually...I decided that this is a Señorita.

A little lady squirrel.

...that looks like a chipmunk.

What do you guys think? Squirrel or chipmunk?

Also! I need another woodland creature doing something around Café Sed.

I'm kinda out of ideas...or rather, I have too many ideas.

So. You guys have until tomorrow to give me ideas.

What animal should it be?

And what should it be doing?

What would you do if you were a friendly woodland creature that just discovered the coolest coffee shop in Magdalena?

new menu & a wise guy.

When we first opened back in November, a lot of things were hurried up & I didn't get much of a chance to make things exactly how I wanted them to be.

I knew that the tweaking would come later.

So. It's later & a few slow days have given me a chance to get creative!

I've re-worked our menu...taken things out, put things in & added a smaller size drink for those who just have a little sed.

With our trusty Cricut machine, a logo sticker, a laminater, hole punch & garden twine...we have the first of our new menus!

WOOT! WOOT!

What 'ka think? Classy, no?

NEXT! = The Menu Board

With all the changes to the menu, I had to redo the menu board...which isn't very fun...but you gotta' do what 'ka gotta do.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Yeah, it was probably cuter before...I might have gotten a little apathetic & maybe a tad lazy...

I just wanted to get on to project #3.

My FaVoRiTe!

Allow me to introduce you to...the Wise Guy.

Señor Owl.

Señor Owl likes black coffee, free refills & expanding his knowledge of art & culture by spending long, lazy afternoons at Café Sed.

Anyway...onward & upward with our making Café Sed perfect.

I'm thinking about doing a whole bunch of random animals enjoying different parts of Sed.

Maybe a scone loving squirrel?

Making things look nicer.

Once upon an early winter afternoon...

two señoritas decided to take matters into their own hands and get things done.

The first señorita, Katie May, got to work making a table.

[I use the word "making" VERY loosely. IKEA makes "making" very easy.]

She was told to wait and have a man help her.

But she got tired of waiting & after taking a quick look at the instructions...

She was finished in 20 minutes and is pleased with how it turned out...

The second señorita, Isela, took on the tedious job of organizing the mess of games here at Sed.

Her job took skill, patience, and creativity.

...and she proved that she's got all three. :]

THE END.

(P.S.-Sorry about the bad quality/flipped around pictures! I haven't gotten around to downloading pictures from my camera & my SD card is full...PhotoBooth will just have to do for today. -kt.)

Update: December 29th

This is what I like to see.

Smiles & people enjoying themselves.

The shop is going good...we've been open for more then two months now & God is still so good!

I'm blown away by how He brings people into the shop who have questions.

I'm more then happy to chat & tell them about my relationship with my Abba.

I have learned more about Mexico's religious culture in the past 2 months then I have in the whole 8 years I've lived in Mexico.

I've learned that if people aren't convinced that what they believe is truth...then they aren't willing to hear what others beliefs are.

They get defensive & their arguments (err...discussions) go around and around in circles like balloons without a point to pop it.

I've learned that I am here to shine Christ's light.

To be His hands & feet.

wait. you might be thinking you've already said that!

I knowww. But I've learned it on a whole new level.

So. The café.

Book sales have soared in the past month.

I love selling books.

I love selling books way more then I love selling anything else.

There is something really special about selling food for the soul.

Food (or drinks...) for the body is great too...

but that's just something that will stick to your hips...not your heart.

I love it when a guy buys a book about being a better dad...

or a women buys a book about purity...

or a parent buys a bible story book to read to their kids...

or a teenager asks for Ted Dekker for Christmas.

I love love love my bookstore.

Café Sed is constantly changing with the seasons...

Hopefully, one day, it will be full of all the best books written.

Right now...I'm planning for the new year.

We're changing our schedule.

We're getting more smoothie flavors (hello, Green Apple & Wildberry!)

I'm hoping to purchase a huge rug for the bookstore.

I'm hoping to purchase some other things to make this all seem just that much cozier.

Like I said before...I'm buying books & books & music & movies & books.

Ever since that dream about the giant bookstore...I've been dreaming of having dozens & hundreds of titles & temas.

So. 2011 will be a blessed year.

I have no idea what changes it will bring to Sed...

but I'm excited to see what God has up His sleeve!