polkadots and puppies

{ spread some sunshine }

2012-01-27T06:35:00.000-05:00

All the sunshine spreading I've managed to do lately has been of the digital variety. See, I've been quite the busy bee helping fabulous mamas who are interested in planning parties like this one.

Ever since Pottery Barn Kids debuted their catalog featuring their Very Hungry Caterpillar party, I have been inundated with requests and questions about Grant's little party.

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I've made a bunch of these for several lovely mamas and their cute kiddos.

Oh, and a bazillion of these too.

You know what's awesome? Every single mommy that has contacted me has been genuinely wonderful and sincerely appreciative (even on the occasions when I take waaay too long to deliver their files). I feel truly blessed to have been able to contribute in a small way to the birthday celebrations of so many special little gals and guys.

I feel like the party fairy or something! ;)

Have you been spreading some sunshine of your own? I'd love to hear what you've been doing or are planning on doing. To be honest, I've been a bit uninspired lately.

{ i spy a diy - with bovagoods! }

2012-01-25T06:30:00.000-05:00

Today I am absolutely delighted to bring you a guest post, courtesy of my ridiculously creative and talented friend, Elisabeth. Take a peek at her tutorial for some easy-peasy and totally darling, fabric flowers. If you're anything like me, you'll be itchin' to grab your glue gun and fabric scraps like, lickety-split!
Take it away, E!

Hello, Polkadots and Puppies People!

I am thrilled to be guest posting here today on one of my all-time favorite blogs. This is such a happy place, isn't it?

Rachel and I go way back to college where we often spent the night in the studio draping, sketching, sewing, and pattern making. Now we are both bloggers and still stay up all night pinning, reading, posting, and creating. Ok, well, we probably don't pull as many all-nighters as we used to but we still share the love of all things creative, crafty and colorful.

My blog is called Bovagoods. I love to share with my readers my DIY projects, before and after projects, Pinterest love, thrifting finds and any other "goods" I am inspired by.

Rachel has asked me to share my fabric flower goods with you today, and I couldn't be more excited to do it!

If you have fabric scraps, felt, buttons, a hot glue gun and some hair clips or headbands then you are already prepared to make the project I am here to share with you today.

The tutorial that inspired me to make these can be found here.

Here's what you need:

Fabric Scraps

Clips, Pins or Headbands

Felt

Buttons (or other items for the center of the flower)

Hot Glue Gun

Cut out a bunch of fabric circles:

The bigger the circle, the bigger the flower.

If you cut out 5 inch circles, you will end up with a 5 inch flower.

(Note: 5 inch flowers are really big.)

Mine are made with two different size layers. You could do one layer, or three layers.

It takes six circles per layer.

The circles don't have to be exact.

I looked around the house and used bowls, cups, etc. for patterns.

Stack up the six layers of fabric, hold the card stock pattern on top and cut.

Cut some felt into a 2 inch circle. (You will need 1 felt circle per flower.)

Take a fabric circle, and fold in half:

Then, fold that like this:

Then, flip that over and fold over the other half.

Then, you have something that looks like this:

It sort of looks like a double cone thingy.

Take your glue gun and put a bit of glue between the layers of fabric at the bottom near the points to keep them closed/folded. Don't use too much glue and don't smoosh it out all flat or you'll have flat flowers.

You will have a bunch of these:

Now start gluing them to your 2 inch felt circle.

Glue the smaller petals on top.

It will look like this on the bottom:

Then glue the button to the center and when that dries, glue on your clip, pin, headband, etc. to the back.

I made my girls some flowers out of white linen to wear for Easter.

Dresses: Clearance rack at GAP Kids

Pink sandals: Wal-mart

White sandals: Target-fall clearance

Hand painted basket/purse: vintage family piece

This one started out as a huge 5 inch flower. it was way too big. (Maybe on a headband it would work) I had to trim it down a bit. It ended up being about 4.5 inches.

This one is the 4 inch size.

I needed to add some color to my dress for Easter so i pinned a couple of flowers to my waistband.

Dress: Land's End Canvas (clearance last year)

Shrug/sweater thing: tj maxx

Silver necklace: lisa leonard

Blue beaded necklace: vintage

Earrings: Target

Sunglasses: Coach (found at Tj Maxx)

Flowers: Made by me!

The flowers on my dress are 3 inch and 3.5 inch with safety pins glued to the back. I also played around with pinning the blue one to the side of my necklace. It was really cute. So many ways to use these.

Pin them to your belt, necklace, purse, top, hair, jacket, bathing suit, beach bag, throw pillow.....

So easy. So good. Thanks for having me Rachel!

xoxo,

Elisabeth

{ blowing kisses }

2012-01-23T06:38:00.000-05:00

I figure it's about time to start thinking about Valentine's Day, don't you? And who doesn't enjoy celebrating a day dedicated to all things sweetness and LOVE?!? Boy, there sure are a lot of fantastically creative DIY ideas out there these days! It certainly is a nice change from the lame, character-laden paper Valentines I remember giving and getting as a child. Jack had big ideas about giving "bubbles AND candy" to his friends, and so we came up with these little goodies to give out to our little group of friends, as well as his preschool class.

The boys helped me assemble the little treat bags full of bubbles and Hershey kisses, and only insisted on sampling one chocolate each.
I thought that was more than fair ;)

We bought our itsy-bitsy, red bubbles from Party City and the cello bags from Michael's.

And I thought, just in case you want to make some of these for your little friends too, I'd go ahead and share the printable toppers I made.
You can download them here.
(make sure to click 'Download Original' for the highest quality)
Can you tell I received Photoshop as a Christmas gift?!! Excited!!!

What kind of Valentine goodies are you planning on giving this year?

{ i spy a diy - shoe sugar }

2012-01-20T06:36:00.000-05:00

Shoe clips are making a crafty comeback like nobody's business. Have you noticed? I feel like I'm seeing them everywhere lately! That really had me wanting to make some shoe sugar of my own. I had a few spare minutes to make these last week, and they could not have been easier! Now I have two pretty options for dressing up my $5 clearance Target suede flats.
Um, yes please. ;)

My apologies about that terrible cell phone pic of those Jolee's boutique flowers. I picked those up at Michael's for 99 cents. They were screaming to be adorning some cute ballet flats, in my opinion. I picked up my shoe clip hardware from here. The sparkley clip-ons you see in #2 were fashioned from some cheapo Forever 21 earrings that I'd had for a while. I had to use epoxy for those guys because hot glue just wasn't going to cut it when trying to adhere metal-to-metal.

Need some more shoe clip DIY inspiration? There are so many lovely ideas out there!

(click on the image to go to the source)

Not a 'clip', but a darling shoe refashion, nonetheless

h a p p y w e e k e n d !

{ pillow talk }

2012-01-17T06:39:00.000-05:00

Have you been to Target in the last few weeks? They are really hitting it out of the park in the home decor aisle right now! I want pretty much every pillow they have.

one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight

And it's not just Target's pillows that have me all aflutter. Look at all the other goodies they've got!

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And I know this has been floating around Pinterest and blogs a lot, but I couldn't resist posting this as well. It really makes me giggle.

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Target - one of my absolute favorite places! Do you feel the same way?

{ story and a snack sunday - 3 pigs mania }

2012-01-16T06:31:00.000-05:00

Happy Jack has recently started to really dig fairy tales. Like a lot. A lot, A LOT. He's especially been loving the story of the Three Little Pigs lately. He's made it his mission to read virtually every version ever written. It's a fairy tale that's certainly not for the faint of heart, if you ask me. But he gets a kick out of the piggies getting gobbled up. Boys. Go figure. This past weekend we checked out as many versions as our little local library had on hand.

Then we set up our weekly book parade.

Ya'll do a book parade after trips to the library, right? That's when you set up all the library books you checked out into a happy, little parade, and everybody gets all giddy about all the fun about to be had while all snuggled up and reading!

It was such a nice day that when we were finished with our stack of stories, we went outside to huff and puff at the giant cardboard house that Santa brought us.

A little piggy in quite possibly the world's cutest hat.
Loved it so much that I bought both colorways!

He does the most adorable OINK sound. ;)

Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin!

Brothers!

Grateful for winter sunshine and warmish temps!

On Sundays, we like to make a little snack inspired by one of the stories that we read that day. We made Three Little Pigs snack mix this particular Sunday. I've had this one tucked away from way back in the day when I used to work at the most magical library-where I got paid to color, read picture books and present storytimes to cute and silly little munchkins. I still get paid, actually - just in hugs and kisses, instead of dollars ;)

adorable illustration from here

I used these fruit twist snacks from Target instead of sliced Twizzlers for our "bricks" in an effort to keep the sugar count on the lower side. Hey, I try ;) Little Brother ate almost his entire bowl!

Jack took quite a bit of time digging for "bricks" from his own bowl. No surprise there.

We do LOVE our Sundays!

Hope your weekend was tons of fun too!

{ friday focus - in love with lace }

2012-01-13T06:30:00.000-05:00

I just can't seem to get enough lace. There truly are endless ways to use this timeless and romantic textile.

Strips of lace + votive holders = instant PRETTY.

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Check out this genius, stenciled lace dresser project from blogger and Anthropologie visual stylist, Kara Paslay. She's completely brilliant.

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Love everything about this. Wedding day do over please! ;)

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Adding some lace elements to simple kraft paper wrapping results in some serious WOW factor.

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I. want. this. skirt.

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A cool DIY idea...

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I needed a lace fix of my own, so I snagged this little beauty on etsy recently. I am in love.

h a p p y w e e k e n d !!!

{ wednesday wrap session }

2012-01-11T06:56:00.000-05:00

I've mentioned before that I love wrapping gifts. Sometimes I surprise myself, and I think ahead enough to make something like this. But, for the most part, I am really not a planner. And so a lot of times, I end up wrapping a birthday gift a couple hours before the party like most of the world. I still want it to be pretty, but I'm also a big believer in "use-what-you-have crafting". So usually I just grab whatever I have laying around to pull together my gift wrapping. I had some maps that I used to decorate Jack's room, and so I used those to make this pleated flower fan. This seemed pretty appropriate because the four-year-old recipient of this present is quite the traveler, and even has an upcoming trip to Australia planned. Lucky little lady!

The circle in the center is just the scalloped inner portion of a paper doily with a dotty 'V' sticker glued into a felt circle. Pretty and easy - my favorite kind of crafty fun. ;)

{ bakery bliss }

2012-01-09T06:35:00.000-05:00

My very first job was working in a delightful, little family-owned bakery. Ever since then, I've had a love affair with the idea of some day owning a charming little bakery of my own. I definitely realize that the reality of running such a business is far from the little fantasy that I have in my head. But there sure are some amazing patisseries out there to provide lots of inspiration for my daydreams. ;)

Here are a few places I'd LOVE to visit....

Bobbette & Belle in Toronto

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Miette in San Fran is exceptionally lovely.

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They even sell these gorgeous cookies that match their wallpaper.

Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah

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Heaven in New York. What a fantastic name for a bakery!

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Laduree in Paris

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And a few that I've had the pleasure of visiting in the past.

Magnolia Bakery in Chicago. I remember those aqua Tolix chairs. SWOON.

Georgetown Cupcake in D.C. - home of the best cupcake I've ever eaten.

Hummingbird Bakery in London

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Bake-a-Boo in London

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Oh! What about a mini bakery right in your home? Check out this crazy-adorable play bakery any kiddo (or mama) would go bonkers for!

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Do you have a favorite bakery or maybe even dreams of owning your own? Oh, and I'm curious. Where have you sampled an AMAZING cupcake?

{ winter sunshine }

2012-01-06T11:52:00.000-05:00

The winters in my area of the country are long and GRAY. Honestly, the lack of sunshine is difficult to handle sometimes! It's barely January, and I already find myself looking for ways to make things a little brighter around here. I have been planning on painting my front door a lovely, sunny yellow, but I never got around to actually doing it while the weather was warm enough. Darn. In the meantime, I tried to add a few touches of yellow to make it a bit cheerier.

That's a dollar store wreath that I wrapped with strips of black and white striped ticking fabric. I had some fabric leftover from this project. I added some yellow and gray fabric flowers too.

And that will just have to do until spring time comes, and I can whip out my paint brush and tackle a major makeover :)

How do you deal with the winter blahs at your house?

h a p p y w e e k e n d !

{ hanging with katy }

2012-01-05T08:16:00.001-05:00

I'm guest posting over at Sweet Verbena today with my jewel jar cardigan DIY. If you aren't familiar with cute-as-a-button Katy and here adorable blog, get over there pronto to check out all of her fantastic projects and yummy recipes.

I hope you're having a great first week of 2012!

{ making me smile... }

2012-01-03T12:55:00.000-05:00

The serenity of snow.
Outside our window looks a lot like this at this very moment.
I just can't stop smiling about it :)

via

There is just something so peaceful about the first snow of the season. The way those big, puffy flakes whirl around and then gently fall to the ground is nothing short of magical.

{ creative spaces }

2012-01-02T06:30:00.001-05:00

This is the time of year when I always feel totally overwhelmed with the urge to organize the most chaotic areas in my home. This year, it's most definitely my ribbons, paper, craft and sewing supplies that are motivating me. Right now, all of my materials are scattered about in random bags here and there. It's definitely the opposite of organized. I certainly don't have an entire room to dedicate for use as a studio, but I'm working on carving out a little corner of a bedroom to use as my own happy, little spot for creating. I'd LOVE a tidy, organized and eye-pleasing space like one of these.

Do you have a dreamy spot like one of these, or are you working on one?

Happy New Year and Happy Monday!

{ happy new year! }

2011-12-30T06:30:00.000-05:00

I hope you had a wondrous Christmas spent making memories with family and friends. We sure did!

Wishing you a magical weekend full of fun as we welcome 2012!

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{ merry christmas from our family to yours }

2011-12-23T06:30:00.000-05:00

Wishing you all the most JOYOUS CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I plan on spending the next week or so offline, cherishing time spent with family and friends. My hope is that you are planning to do the same.
I'd love to see you back here soon! ;)

{ my christmas wish list }

2011-12-22T06:30:00.000-05:00

Yep, I know. Christmas lists are for children, not grown-ups, right? Sure. But it's fun to put together a list of goodies that you'd love to have under your tree - even if it's just for kicks! ;)

1. I- Dreemy flats by Steve Madden. I'm obsessed with metallic flats. I just can't stop thinking about these. LOOK how sparkly!

2. PhotoShop Elements 10 - MS Paint has been my go-to, free program for graphics and such for a long while. It definitely works in a pinch. But I used Photoshop all through design school, and, dang, I miss it! It's a fantastic product, and there really is no great substitute. I'd love to have Photoshop CS5 some day, but this version would be a huge upgrade for me.

3. Oh, Tolix chairs. Or knockoff Tolix chairs even- heck, I don't care.
Come and live with me....four of you. Please and thank you.

4. Kate Spade Tate Bag - I go through handbags like Kleenex, so I'd never pay this much moola for one. But this gray lady sure is pretty.

5. Smidgen Posts - I adore these Anthro gemstone earrings. They're both delicate and a bit tough. Love that.

6. Design* Sponge At Home - Can you ever have too many design books? I think not. This gem by blogger, Grace Bonney, is full of practical, yet inventive ideas.

7. Tocca Feu de Touch Candle - This candle is pure luxury. Makes the whole house smell amazing and lasts, and lasts, and lasts.

8. Lemongrass is Always Greener Jacket - Jackie O. would want me to have this, doncha think?

What are you hoping to find under your tree this year?

More importantly, what are you excited about GIVING?!?

{ a merry monday! }

2011-12-20T06:32:00.000-05:00

Right. I know it's Tuesday now, but I'm still reliving the magical day we had yesterday. We had the absolute merriest Monday at our house. Our little friends came over to celebrate, and we made some wonderful memories.

All the lucky kiddos exchanged secret Santa gifts.
Look at these beautifully wrapped presents!

But us mamas got to take home something even better: big bags of delicious COOKIES!

I had a ridiculous amount of fun putting together a merry and bright table for our guests.

There were, of course, goodies.

Lots

and

lots

of goodies.

The kids all took a break from snacking and ripped into those gifts!

These munchkins received some really great presents.

Here's the lucky recipient of some very cool spelling puzzles....

Oh, and a Disney Fairy. Yes,Tinkerbell was very popular indeed!

This little sweetie received the most perfect, handmade hat!

And this lil guy was really digging Mater.

Hey, I see you right there behind your own Christmas card, buddy!

My sister surprised us with a visit to join in on the merriment. Grant was so ecstatic to her!

Aunt Eesa is only his favorite person in the world besides mama.

Jack took some time out from play to sample a snowman sipper.

I managed to grab Grant and hold him still for the quickest of hugs ;)

A handsome boy hanging on the bench.

Joyful, smiley little friends are the best gift of all!

One of the wee cuties slept right through most of our 'rocking around the Christmas tree' ruckus.

But, not this darling girl. Nope, she was wide awake for all the fun!

A rare photo of all my gorgeous, cookie-baker, mommy friends!

When the party time came to an end, all our small guests went home with little bags full of sticker fun.

It's wondrous days like this one that make me adore the Christmas season.

It was truly a laughter and joy-filled day that I will not soon forget.

I hope you're enjoying some merriment of your own with some very special friends!

Vendor credits:

* the talented ladies at Anders Ruff are responsible for all the gorgeous printables

*Stripey straws - Hey YoYo

*Stripey cupcake holders/ Sofie's Big Day
*Styling by me (Rachel of polkadots and puppies)

{ a bit of hall decking }

2011-12-14T16:53:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd give you a little peek into our home that's dressed up a bit for Christmas.

I like to change the look of our tree from year to year. Does anyone else do this? Last year ours was green and silver with black and white silhouette ornaments. I went with a sweets-themed tree this year. Yum.

I borrowed most of these beautiful ornaments from my sis. They are so lovely. But they are also glass, and therefore NOT the least bit kid friendly. We've had one chocolate-dipped strawberry casualty.

I'm really digging my sweater sleeve trees. Jack had several suggestions for the mantel.

He insisted it needed presents.

Sparkly ones, he said ;)

Both kiddos helped with our felt wreath.

And I crafted up a few more pillows too.

With a fire going, warm cocoa in hand, and Frosty the Snowman on the TV, it feels like our own little cozy, colorful, and warm Christmas wonderland.

h a p p y w e e k e n d !

{ wednesday wrap session }

2011-12-14T06:17:00.000-05:00

Wrapping up all the gifts might be my absolute favorite holiday activity. I love thinking up new and creative ways to make them pretty and extra special. This wrapping idea is the perfect way to personalize the gift wrap itself, and bonus-no gift tag required!

Sure, you can buy personalized gift wrap, but why not make your own? It's WAY cheaper, and you can use whatever yummy fonts tickle your fancy. And, nope, you don't even need Photoshop to make this. I actually made mine in MS Paint, a free program. You could use any graphics program, really. Even Picnik would work. This will work best for wrapping smaller gifts, of course, because you're limited to whatever paper size your color printer will allow.

happy wrapping!

{ spread some sunshine - weeks 6&7 }

2011-12-12T06:30:00.000-05:00

WOW, December is whipping by at lightning speed, no?! We've squeezed in a few good things amidst the holiday hullabaloo:

Handed out 40% off coupons to five delighted ladies waiting in line behind me at Joann Fabrics.

Donated two toys to Toys for Tots. I couldn't believe how excited the boys were to hand these over!

Donated to help pay medical bills for sweet Morgan, who is now an angel looking down on us.

Donated to the efforts to find a forever home for the impossibly cute Xander. This little guy is being helped by Reece's Rainbow - a fantastic organization that works tirelessly to place orphaned children with special needs.

If you can, would you pretty please consider donating to these worthy causes too?

H A P P Y M O N D A Y !

{ real recipe - rudolph cinnamon scones }

2011-12-09T06:30:00.000-05:00

I made these delicious, little cuties last week for Jack's preschool class.

I hear from Jack that they were quite popular.

*recipe adapted from this one

What holiday goodies are you baking up?

{ wednesday wrap session }

2011-12-07T06:36:00.000-05:00

Giving any gift cards this year? This is a quick and easy way to wrap one.

Simply fold a paper doiley around the card and tie it with some baker's twine.

You know you can spray paint doilies, right? ;)

Done! Easy peasy!

How are you doing on your Christmas wrapping? Do you try to wrap a gift or two, here and there, like me, or do you have one marathon wrapping session, complete with music, snacks and wine?!

{ i spy a diy - sweater sleeve trees (& pillows too!) }

2011-12-05T06:12:00.000-05:00

I just love a cute, inexpensive Christmas decor idea, and this one is a snap to make.

All you need is some unwanted or thrift store sweaters with some interesting texture, cardstock (or foam cones), scissors, and hot glue. I scored these three sweaters for 99 cents each!

To make these:

1) Form a cone out of cardstock and glue seam securely.
2) Cut off a sleeve of the sweater and pull it over cardstock cone.
3) Cut away the excess fabric and glue into place.
Ta-da! These look really great on a mantle.

Then use what's leftover of the sweater to make some darling, festive pillows!

Have you started decking the halls with any crafty goodness?

H A P P Y M O N D A Y !

{ spread some sunshine - week 5 }

2011-12-02T06:38:00.000-05:00

December is here! Wow, that happened so fast! Well, like many of you, we are in full-on busy, BUSY Christmas mode. We've been shopping, wrapping, baking, and crafting. It's difficult to focus on anything other than my ever-growing 'to do' list, but we did manage to squeeze in a few bits of sunshine spreading for others this week.

Baked 15 (!) dozen of these babies for our church and preschool fundraiser. Whoa. Exhausted!

Chose names from the giving tree at our church. Then the boys and I shopped for gifts for those families, wrapped them and made special cards too.

Have you been making time for sunshine spreading? Please share what you've been up to! I've been so inspired by all of your ideas :)

Also, head over to hear about the wonderfully good thing my awesome friend, Elisabeth, is doing over at bova goods. Stay awhile, and check out all the cute projects on her blog too!

H A P P Y W E E K E N D !

{ adorable advent calendars }

2011-11-30T06:34:00.000-05:00

Do you have a holiday tradition that involves an advent or Christmas countdown calendar? We do. My Happy Jack loved counting down the days til the big day last year. I'm excited for little bro, Grant, to join in on the fun this year. We have a store-bought cardboard version that we've been reusing for a couple of years. It does the trick, but I love the idea of a lovely, handmade one. There are so many clever, beautiful ideas out there!

This one might be my favorite. It's just pretty, printable numbered strips of paper. And it's available for free download. Just roll up a trinket or a candy inside, and you're set!

I usually put in a combinations of small toys and treats such as these:

As well as some cards with ideas for special holiday traditions like these:

* via pinterest

I'm so excited for the countdown to Christmas! But, uh-oh. I've just realized that I'm several trinkets short to fill our calendar. December 1st really came quickly this year, didn't it?! ;)

{ we are family }

2011-11-28T06:02:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful time visiting, laughing and munching this Thanksgiving weekend. We had a splendid few days with family and friends, but it sure is nice to be back home!

One of my favorite things about this magical time of year is seeing all the beautiful family photos on the lovely Christmas cards that come our way. I use the cards to decorate the mantle or the staircase, and it's like celebrating the season with those very family and friends, when we see those faces smiling back at us every day. Of course, part of the fun leading up to the Christmas cards is family portaits!

We had our family photos taken this year in a local apple orchard.

I'm kinda ridiculously excited about how they turned out ;)

Every time I look at these pictures of my clan, I'm reminded how very blessed we are to have each other.
Thank you to my crazy-talented, photographer cousin for so beautifully capturing this time in our lives.
You're the best, Kimber!

H A P P Y M O N D A Y !

{ spread some sunshine - weeks 3&4 }

2011-11-25T05:30:00.000-05:00

The past couple of weeks have been so busy with visitors and preparations for Thanksgiving. I admit that we haven't made very much time for intentional sunshine spreading.

We did manage to sneak in a few things, however:

Put together and sent a care package to troops overseas through Operation Gratitude.

(lots of how-to info here, if you're interested)

Donated a heaping box of gentley used toys to Goodwill.

Left a coupon for a FREE frozen pizza taped to the product in the grocery store.

Are you making time to spread sunshine during this busy time of year? It seems more important than ever, given the meaning of the season. But, whew! We are finding it to be a bit of a challenge!

On another topic, are you braving the crowds and shopping today? I think I'll be doing a good deal of mine this coming cyber Monday. Also, don't forget to support local businesses and independent artists and crafters by shopping 'small' on "Small Business Saturday"!

{ give thanks.....for pie }

2011-11-24T05:16:00.000-05:00

I have a trillions things to be thankful for, as I'm sure you do too.

But, if I'm being honest.... there's one thing I look forward to most on this day. And that would be P I E.

See, my awesomely crazy family sees to it that our Thanksgiving dinner includes no less than 10 (!) different varieties of pie.

Pecan, coconut cream, pumpkin, apple, lemon meringue, chocolate silk, rhubarb, banana cream, cherry, and sweet potato.

Best. day. ever. ;)

* amanda catherine designs

H A P P Y T H A N K S G I V I N G T O Y O U!

{ designer crush - caitlin wilson }

2011-11-21T05:49:00.000-05:00

I have a HUGE crush on blogger and designer, Caitlin Wilson's design style.

She's a big fan of pattern, just like me.

She's so talented at created gorgeous little vignettes like this one.

And I love how she uses bright pops of color in her spaces.

Oh, my. That ottoman/table is oh so lovely.

She just launched her own line of textiles too.

The fabrics are all positively stunning.

Everything works together so beautifully.

I want every single one of these pillows!

* all via caitilin wilson design files

Nothing like starting the week with some eye candy ;)

Happy Monday!

{ making me smile... }

2011-11-15T16:43:00.001-05:00

There is nothing like spending time with your sister :)

I'm having a fantastic time with my awesome sister who is visiting us all week while my husband is out of town on business. I'm taking a wee break from bloggy land while we spend oodles of time crafting, baking, shopping, and chatting. Hooray for girl time!

I hope you're having a great week too!

{ spreading sunshine - week 2 }

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

I'm really pleased that I started this diddy on my little blog. It's been the perfect daily reminder to me and my kiddos to go the extra mile when it comes to kindness and doing things for others.

Here's the bit of sunshine we've been spreading this week:

Donated items and helped organize Happy Jack's preschool food drive. I am sore from bagging up so many big bags of canned goods and boxes of pasta. But it's a wonderful feeling knowing that we have helped to fill the tummies and hearts of some local families in need.

Turned a trip to the playground into a "beautify the park" mission. My boys and I raced around to see who could pick up the most pieces of litter. When we left, the playground was trash-free! Yay!

Paid for the car behind me in the Starbucks drive-thru. I have been the lucky recipient of this delightful surprise three times now! It was such an unexpected treat to be ready to hand over my cash, only to be told that my order was already paid for. It felt terrific to be able to do this for someone else.

There has been a kindness revolution happening in bloggy world lately! I have been so inspired by The Happy Day project happening over here. And there's so much good happening over here too.

Been spreading sunshine too? Please do share!

h a p p y w e e k e n d !

{ holiday haze }

2011-11-10T06:35:00.000-05:00

Halloween feels like a gazillion years ago already. My circus act has already moved on to all things Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Did you eat a pound of chocolate last week like I did? Are you ready for the holidays? I'm getting so excited for this wondrous time of year ;)

{ farewell to a furry friend }

2011-11-08T08:19:00.001-05:00

My sister lost her beloved Boston Terrier, Maximus, over the weekend. I'm positively heartbroken for her. He was such a sweet, irresistible, lovable fellow. My sis and I worked together to rescue sweet Max from a terrible situation almost exactly five years ago. On the day I arrived to pick him up from his previous owners (it's hard not to use the word captors here), he was sulking in a crate in the corner of a tiny, filthy laundry room. There were open paint cans all around his crate. His bedding was disgusting, and he had no food or water in sight. He was emaciated beyond belief, and he was suffering from several skin and nail infections. My sister and her fiance did a superb job nursing him back to good health, and he flourished in his new home. He spent his days playing, sleeping and tolerating the shenanigans of his constant playmate, and 'sister', Luci, the Boston Terrier. He was a kind, quiet soul - always there, wordless, faithful, ever-available with a slobbery lick and a warm, furry body to snuggle up to.
We love you and miss, sweet boy.

"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."

-Will Rogers

Give your pets an extra hug today :)

{ i spy a diy - jewel jar cardigan }

2011-11-07T06:46:00.000-05:00

Do you collect bits and bobs of sewing or crafty supplies? I definitely do. I have oodles and oodles of ribbons, laces, trims, fabric scraps, and about a bazillion buttons . Buttons are, by far, my favorite goodies to collect. I'm especially partial to the yummy, sparkly, vintage-y
variety of crystal buttons. I just love the way these beautiful buttons can be used in endless ways to add interesting details to so many things. I've been known to snatch up an otherwise ugly thrift store sweater for the sole purpose of salvaging its lovely buttons. I added a handful of colorful crystal buttons in different shapes and sizes to a plain, ol' black cardi, and I really like the fancified version.

Do you have a fascination/obsession/hoarding issue with buttons too? ;)

{ real recipe - thai chicken wraps }

2011-11-04T05:45:00.000-04:00

Are you a fan of peanut sauce? If so, then make these. Make these now ;)

We've made these several times, and while they certainly look prettier for pictures with the wrap contents layered like you see them here in the photo, we all agree that they taste better when the rice, chicken and veggies are mixed up a bit.

h a p p y w e e k e n d !

{ spreading sunshine - DOING more GOOD }

2011-11-01T08:28:00.001-04:00

I read a blog post about a month ago, and it was truly one of the most inspiring things I have read in a long time. It's a beautiful, tearjerking account of a woman who decided to celebrate her 38th birthday by committing to performing 38 "random acts of kindness" on one day. I started pondering the idea of kindness quite a lot. Here in our home, we talk A LOT about kindness. "Do the kind thing" and "please use kind words" are phrases that are often repeated by my husband and myself when talking with our children. That's all well and good, I suppose. But I got to thinking about how what we really need is less talk and more action when it comes to kindness. In other words, we need our acts of kindness to be less random. We need our kind acts, good deeds, or spreading sunshine, as we like to call it, to be more of a habit, a way of life. Blogging and spending time in 'blogland' is a lot of fun for me, and it's definitely enjoyable to make lists of pretty things to buy, to drool over images of lustworthy interiors and pretty parties, and to dwell on the gazillion of crafty projects I'd love to make. But all of that can feel much too frivolous and self-focused at times. I want my children to learn the importance of doing good for others, but I realize I'm not exactly setting the best example for them right now. So I'm beyond excited to start our journey as we actively strive to spread some more sunshine into the world. It makes other people happy, it makes us happy, and let's face it...it just makes the world a better place!
Won't you help us change the world by spreading some sunshine too?

I don't think you have to plan any sort of grand gesture to spread a little sunshine. Something as simple as a smile or some words of encouragement are enough to impact someone's day in a positive way.

Okay, so here's the bit of sunshine that we spread recently:

The man in front of us at the grocery store was $2.48 short to pay his bill. He was asking the cashier to deduct a box of cereal from his total, when Jack handed him $3. He smiled and said thank you. Jack smiled too and said, "You're welcome! Now you can buy your cereal!"

My neighbor knocked on our door the evening before Halloween. She asked if we had a black bowtie that she could borrow for her costume (she was dressing as Lady Gaga the next day). She told us about how she drove all over town looking in store after store for a black bow tie, but had no luck. My husband said she was welcome to borrow one of his straight ties, but that he didn't have a black bowtie for her to borrow. She looked bummed. I was in my pajamas on the couch, and feeling a bit sorry for myself after a rough week, when I realized I could pretty easily whip up a glue-gunned version of a black bowtie for her with some black ribbon I had. I just didn't want to be bothered with it though. But then I remembered our little vow to spread some more sunshine, and I thought about how I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want my children to believe that spreading sunshine is just about doing so when it's convenient for you. I told her I would make one for her and pop it into her mailbox for the next morning. I did just that, and she was really appreciative. I felt so happy to help her with her costume dilemma :)

I've gathered up a few places to find inspiration and ideas for sunshine spreading.

helpothers.org
giveveryday.com
nicethingsnow.com
randomactsofkindness.org

I can't wait to hear about your rays of sunshine! :)

{ happy halloween! }

2011-10-30T19:52:00.000-04:00

Whew! October has been a bumpy month for us, so I'm pretty happy to see it go! But I also LOVE Halloween and Halloween parties. I soooo wanted to host a fun little party this year, but with all the busyness going on, I had zero energy to do it. That makes me feel a bit sad, but I thought I'd do a little flashback of the little get-together we had with our friends last year.

These funny-faced, pumpkin lanterns still make me smile a year later.

There was no shortage of sweets.

We had some of the cutest, costumed guests around. I spy a witch, Boots, and a fairy.

And Tigger too.

How adorable is this itty-bitty ballerina?

I just love our attempts to get these kiddos all lined up for a photo! Too funny :)

Here's 7-month-old Grant as a wee banana.

Curious Georgia is 2 1/2 years old here.

Mama banana and The Man with the Yellow Hat couldn't resist joining in the fun too.

*photos via Tammy Dean Photography

Isn't Halloween the best?!!
I hope everyone has a wonderfully spooky, fright-filled Halloween day and evening!

Be safe everybody!

{ i spy a diy - easy felt garland }

2011-10-28T06:30:00.000-04:00

I finally got around to sprucing up our mantel a bit for the season. I was determined to do it for very little money. I shopped around our house for objects that would work, and also went the crafty route with some things too. I only spent 5 bucks total! Yay!

My favorite part is this orange, ruffled felt garland. Isn't it magical how something quite ordinary like felt can be used to make something so whimsical and fun? There's a great, simple tutorial on how to make this over at My Blessed Life.

I also just adore how Jack's burlap leaf art project looks up there. We made several of these during a crafty afternoon. It's just burlap wrapped around a cardboard square with a pressed leaf glued on.

And lastly, I made this wreath out of foldered and layered, tea-stained coffee filters. Couldn't be easier!

Have you made an effort to dress up your home for Autumn too?

h a p p y h a l l o w e e n w e e k e n d!

{ wednesday wish list - come true! }

2011-10-26T16:49:00.002-04:00

Sometimes you have a week so wretchedly bad that you just need some good ol' retail therapy. That was just the case for me recently.

I kinda have a thing for stalking vintage Anthropologie goodies on ebay. And I love browsing trimmings, embellishments, and such on etsy. I scored myself a few new goodies to help chase away the blues.

I'm obsessed with my new plaid shirtdress. OBSESSED.

*anthropologie reed shirtdress

I'm positively giddy waiting for the postman to bring me my lovely sampler of divine twine. Imagine the gift wrapping possibilities with all these colors!

* london tierny

This sweater coat has me daydreaming of freshly fallen snow, Christmas lights, ice-skating, and hot cocoa.

* anthropologie alice in autumn sweatercoat

I hope YOU are having a great week :)

{ i spy a diy - help for mr. cranky pants }

2011-10-24T06:38:00.000-04:00

I'm blessed to have a three-and-a-half year old who still voluntary takes a daily nap. Most days Happy Jack wakes up from naps, well, happy. But some days he wakes up an irritable mess. It's no fun. No fun at all. To help deal with this fussiness, and keep the tears to a minimum, I brainstormed and came up with a "quiet jar" full of special post-nap activities. It has really worked wonders! I've crafted up a couple of fun new favorites in the last few days.

My friend, Julie, in all of her children's librarian awesomeness, came up with this great "decorate an Autumn tree" flannel board idea.
So simple and cute.
Felt shapes + kiddo + imagination = FUN.

It was a real hit with Jack. I couldn't believe how his case of the grumpies faded away after just a few minutes of playing with it.

He loved this one too. I think I saw it on Pinterest originally. It's a super-easy-to-make color matching activity. All you need is paint chips (you'll need duplicates of the same cards), small clothespins, glue and scissors for this one.
The how-to is pretty self-explanatory, I think. This activity can be a bit tricky, so Jack is always completely elated with himself when he successfully matches all the pins to the appropriate shades of color.

Our quiet jar has been a real lifesaver for us. If you're interested in more ideas like these, you can find several more quiet activities here.

Happy Monday, everybody!

{ staircase style }

2011-10-19T14:29:00.001-04:00

I just love fun, quirky staircases.

This graphic chevron runner gives a modern touch to an otherwise traditional staircase.

Painted treads are so fun. I'm digging the shocking pink here.

Stenciling several different patterns in the same colors on the risers.

Very cool idea.

Kate Spade never shys away from color. These stunning, rainbow-striped stairs were featured in her London shop.

Ooooh, how about an ombre paint treatment to the spindles? This looks fantastic against all that crisp white.

I think I love this family. What a awesome sense of humor they must have to have made this happen. I'm betting this is a basement family/play space.

And the idea of painting numbers on risers is really nothing new, but this staircase by Sarah Richardson is a real favorite of mine lately. I love that she used three-dimensional house numbers in different materials and finishes, as opposed to painting on uniform numbers. LOVE this times a million.

*all via pinterest

I wonder if we're brave enough to do something like this in our home? Are you???

{ making me smile... }

2011-10-17T06:30:00.000-04:00

The look on this happy boy's face. That blissful grin is all because a very special preschool classmate has been sleeping over at our house this past weekend.

It seems Fluffy, the guinea pig, is in heaven too-and who wouldn't be with the endless amounts of carrots sticks and apple slices she's enjoyed the last few days :)

I hope you have lots to smile about today too!

{ i spy a diy - 5 flower necklace }

2011-10-12T06:30:00.000-04:00

My super stylish mama friend, Kristy, was wearing the most darling, yellow flower necklace one day a few weeks back. She's a crafty kinda gal, so I suspected she'd made it herself, and it turns out, I was right. Hers turned out so dang adorable, that I wanted to make my own- and pronto! Kristy turned me on to the cuteness that is Little Miss Momma, and her adorable flower necklace tutorial.

Kristy had the awesome idea to have a get together at her place with a bunch of us gals so that we could each whip up one of these beauties. Check out the beautiful, delicious spread that was waiting at her house when we all arrived. Those are pumpkin cannolis, people. Yowza. Delish!

We had a lovely evening chatting, sipping, petal-pinching, snacking, and gluing the night away. About a gazillion fabric circle cut-outs and a few burned fingers later, we all had these pretties to take home.
Impossible to pick a favorite!

And here we are modeling our projects {that's Kristy, the hostess with the mostess, in the middle}. It was such a fun time, and I can't wait until our next crafty girls' night!

Do you do gals have crafty get togethers like these? What kind of fun projects have you made?

{ way up high in the apple tree }

2011-10-10T06:19:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful time visiting a local apple orchard with friends this past week. I bet you're familiar with how these outings go. There's a whole lot of this:

and this:

And not enough of this:

That's just fine though, because we still managed to enjoy a splendid Autumn morning just taking in the lovely scenery.

catching up with our little friends,

and goofing around for the mommies with cameras ;)

Our crisp Autumn morning quickly became a very hot afternoon, however, and some of our pickers deemed this attire more appropriate for the change in weather.

Jack tells me this is what a REAL apple farmer wears. ;)

I love my silly blondies.

Hope your week is off to a happy start!

{ friday focus - indoor sweater weather }

2011-10-07T06:30:00.000-04:00

If you're anything like me, Autumn gets you in the mood to add a few cozy accessories to your home. Nothing says cozy, like a soft, chunky sweater- which is why I love the idea of adding some warmth to living spaces with these recycled sweater project ideas.

Not-so-stylish grandpa cardigans can be transformed into beautiful throw pillows.

* cococozy

Oh, and how swoonworthy are these ruffley ladies?!

* eisman design

Sweater sleeves are the perfect size and shape for easily whipping up some style for glass vases or candleholders.

* by stephanie lynn

I'd like to cozy up with a hot cup of apple cider and this
patchwork knit throw.

* craft gossip

Wouldn't these look perfect hung by the mantel with care?

* martha stewart

Anyone else itchin' to make a trip to the nearest thrift store? ;)

h a p p y w e e k e n d !

{ i am loving... }

2011-10-05T09:31:00.001-04:00

These clever, DIY painted lids for craft supplies.

They are just so playful and fun.

* house to home

{ designer crush - sarah jane studios }

2011-10-03T06:15:00.000-04:00

I've been a fan of illustrator and designer, Sarah Jane, since discovering her etsy shop, full of darling art prints, a few years ago. She's recently enjoyed phenomenal success, thanks to a new line of fabrics, and a children's book. I'm pretty sure that I could spend a gazillion dollars on her art and fabrics. Here are a few of my faves.

This quartet of postcard prints hangs in Happy Jack's room.

She's recently added these sweet paper doll kits to her shop.

And embroidery patterns too.

And then there are the ridiculously adorable fabrics.

There are endless possibilties for cute projects with this collection of whimsical prints.

Oh, my. A "just stay little" party inspired by her fabrics. LOVE!

If you're craving more Sarah Jane cuteness, check out her shop and blog.

{ friday focus - crazy for crochet }

2011-09-30T06:30:00.000-04:00

I've had a fascination with crochet details for as long as I can remember. Whenever I spy crochet of any kind, my heart fills with wonderful, warm and fuzzy memories of my grandmother. She was a talented seamstress, and the lady had the patience of a saint. And so when I was seven years old, I asked if she would teach me to sew, and she very kindly agreed. I can remember spending hours practicing straight stitching in her little sewing corner, that was tucked away in her tiny kitchen. On her wooden, ornate sewing machine table, there was a tremendous pile of mysterious and magical (at least, it seemed that way to me) sewing supplies. Scraps of pastel floral fabrics, spools of silky thread, but most intriguing to me was the gigantic stash of crochet trimmings, in every color of the rainbow. It was all so very beautiful! She also had a great number of intricately-made doilies, in every shape and size, that my sister and I enjoyed using at our many "tea parties". She told me she would teach me to crochet once I mastered sewing, but I never got around to learning (although I hear that it's a snap to pick up). I love crochet trimmings to this day, and I've been so excited to see so many crochet details popping up everywhere lately. It's fun to see all the different ways creative people are using this charming, needlecraft art.

I want a linen closet bursting with a pile of these pillows!

*rosehip pillowcases

Completely smitten with these beautiful DIY pendant lamps.

*via pinterest

I just love how simply sewing a doily onto a solid pillow can result in this much cuteness.

*brandeye linen pillow

Or onto a clutch maybe? Please and thank you :)

*toriska linen clutch

I've had a tearsheet of this DIY shower curtain (featured in Country Living) for years. Isn't it gorgeous?

*country living

Oh, and I finally, FINALLY tracked down this little crochet-trimmed cardi that I've been stalking on ebay for almost a year.

*anthropologie boyer cardigan

Do you crochet? Does it give you fond memories of time spent learning with someone special like your mother or grandmother?

{ real recipe - ooey gooey apple cake }

2011-09-28T06:45:00.001-04:00

Can you feel that crispness in the air? FALL is here! It's such a glorious time of year, and my absolute favorite season. So much to love about it: the colors, the clothes, the FOOD! My family took a recent trip to a beautifully picturesque apple orchard, and we came back with a ton of delicious fruit.

Needless to say, there have been a lot of apple recipes happening at our house. Here's a recipe that tastes like the true essence of the first days of Autumn, in my opinion. This dessert is very rich. It's also not all that pretty sliced and plated, so I like to serve it spooned into cute little mason jars.

Somehow, that makes it tastes even better. ;)

{ i spy a diy - fun flower bib }

2011-09-26T08:28:00.002-04:00

First of all, let me say that I really dislike modeling things that I make. Like a LOT. So please excuse my totally dorky awkwardness here. It's better than just photographing projects on a hanger, I suppose.

I LOOOVE fabric flowers. I have a list a mile long of projects to make with fabric flowers. I think I could make one a week and never get bored :) This little diddy is a 'bib' that can clip onto a tee's neckline.
So easy.

Here are the supplies I used.

fabric flowers, glue gun, jewelry craft clips, felt (that matches your flowers), sharp fabric scissors

Is anyone else's glue gun perpetually just kinda gross? I've tried to clean it, but without much luck. Any tips?

I cut a sort of amorphous crescent shape out of felt. I wanted the bib to be worn assymetrically on the tee's neckline, so I played around with the size and shape until it looked right. Then I glued on the flowers, a few at a time, until the entire piece of felt was covered.

Finally, I glued on the metal clips, which would allow me to attach it to my tee.

I decided to use these clips instead of just sewing on the blooms permanently because I'd like to be able to mix it up, and wear it with different tops. Like maybe this one...

* old navy chevron tee

And I think it'd be cute clipped onto this ($50!!!) striped dress that was a celeb fave this summer.

*express dress

Isn't it cool when an accessory can make a boring tee new and pretty?

(a pretty awkward out-stretched arm photo.... because I was too lazy to get the tripod out)

Hope your week is off to a great start!

{ real recipe - easy peasy crockpot chili }

2011-09-23T06:27:00.000-04:00

Some days are so busy that you just need to take a few shortcuts to get dinner on the table. This recipe is perfect for those kind of days. It's an absolute snap to make, thanks to canned veggies and prepackaged seasonings. Take ten minutes to prep this in the morning, and you'll be pleased as punch with yourself come dinner time. ;) All the men at my house like to munch this hearty chili with buttery cornbread.

h a p p y w e e k e n d !

{ i am loving }

2011-09-21T06:18:00.000-04:00

The adorable, feminine collection of frilly apron offerings at Anthropologie. No need to take it off after cooking for that dinner party. It's that pretty! ;)

I own a pretty darling, black and white Anthro apron that I received as a Christmas gift from awesome my sis-in-law. I adore it, but I definitely sometimes fear getting a giant glob of marina sauce on it!

* all via anthropologie

Do you wear something this lovely for whipping up dinners?

{ mirror, mirror, on the (gallery) wall }

2011-09-19T08:38:00.046-04:00

Who doesn't love a good gallery wall? I'm just loving these three examples, each adorned with an eclectic mix of mirrors.

* in my own style

*style files

* anthropologie

Hmmm, I think I need to get thrifting, so that I can recreate this fabulous look!

{ friday focus - french doors }

2011-09-16T06:27:00.002-04:00

What is it about french doors that makes them so universally appealing? My husband jokes that if you put the word French in front of any word, people automatically go bonkers for it. Maybe he's right. Nevertheless, there's no denying the elegance and charm these doors lend to almost any space.

No matter if you prefer WHITE....

BLACK...

Or BRIGHT...

*all via pinterest

You really can't go wrong, in my opinion.

{ wednesday wish list }

2011-09-14T07:41:00.000-04:00

Just a few swell things I'm eyeing right now....

I am pretty psyched to have scored these Anthropologie
twisted-neckline tees for $9.95 each!
I couldn't decide which colorway I preferred, so I bought both.
$9.95, people! ;)

*anthropologie a-bit-unruly top

I spied this sewing chair at Joann fabrics yesterday. It's so funky and fun.

*joann fabrics

These lovely, linen ruffley necklaces from etsy artist, pretty things by Meg, are so sweet and delicate.
I'll take one in every color please!

*pretty things by Meg

What pretty things are on your wish list this week?

{ real recipe - beef & veggie stir fry }

2011-09-13T07:40:00.000-04:00

We do love us some asian-inspired dishes around here ;)
This one was a real winner at our house over the weekend.

*recipe adapted from this one

{ remembering }

2011-09-11T14:20:00.000-04:00

Like so many others, I am spending today remembering and reflecting on the terrible events that happened ten years ago today. My heart is with those who experienced unspeakable loss and suffering on that day, and on so many days after. I am ever grateful to the 3000 plus heroic men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we may live on. Let's try to make the future better than the past,

and let's do it for them.

A few beautiful quotes that are inspiring me today:

“Wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows."

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall - think of it, always."

-Mahatma Ghandi

"People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.

Forgive them anyway

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.

Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.

Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.

Give your best anyway.

In the end, it is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway."

-Mother Teresa

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

-Mahatma Ghandi

{ first day! }

2011-09-08T13:11:00.001-04:00

I can't believe this day is actually here.
My Happy Jack's first day of preschool has arrived!
This boy was over-the-moon with excitement this morning.
He could barely sit still to eat his oatmeal and banana at breakfast.

Happy first day of preschool, little guy! I feel honored and humbled to be here to witness as you grow in knowledge and faith in the coming year. I'm one proud mama here. And just a little bit teary. *sniff, sniff*

Somebody thought it would be hilarious to close his eyes in every photo taken at school. Can you say class clown....already? ;)

{ school days! }

2011-09-07T06:15:00.004-04:00

Did you like school as a kid? I sure did. In fact, I absolutely LOVED it. I was one of those annoying kids that was always sad to see the school year come to an end, and I always felt positively giddy when it was time for a new school year to begin.

Can you imagine how fun it would be be to kick off September with a fantastic back-to-school shindig like one of these? I ran out of time this year, but maybe next year. ;)

just call me martha

This faux dessert table is made up entirely of actual school supplies.

So very clever!

one charming party

This vintage-inspired school party is my favorite.
All those pastel details are positively delicious!

Here's a bunch more school-themed

cleverness that has me psyched for this time of year!

all via pinterest

Are you thrilled about back to school time too?

{ story & snack sundays - winnie sammies }

2011-09-06T06:10:00.011-04:00

My boys are on a real Winnie-the-Pooh kick. We went to see the Pooh movie recently, and since then we've been gobbling up Pooh books by the dozen. Our library card is getting a real workout thanks to this silly, old bear ;)

This past weekend, for our story and snack Sunday, we made some fun, little Pooh Bear peanut butter sandwiches to go along with our latest reading obsessions. I told Jack that I was pretty sure that Pooh wore a red t-shirt, but he insisted that he wear a red bowtie instead on our "special sandwich", as he called it. Okey, dokey, kid.

I simply cut my bread into a Pooh Bear-shaped head with a knife. Then I made the bowtie with some sliced apple and strawberry, and I piped on the sweet face with good ol' Nutella in a plastic bag. And finally, I popped on a chocolate chip for a nose. These were easy peasy to make, and the boys absolutely LOVED them!

{ wednesday wish list }

2011-08-31T14:54:00.002-04:00

It's been ages since I've done one of these. Heaven knows why! There's certainly no shortage of pretty things I've been pining away for.

We're feeling slightly cooler temps around here which has me thinking Autumn thoughts. I'd love to wrap myself up in this cozy, cranberry, cable-knit cardigan (whoa, that's a lot of 'C's!) once the leaves start falling.

anthropologie golden gate cardigan

These dainty initial rings are simply too cute for words. Wouldn't these make wonderful bridesmaids' gifts?
Time for a wedding do-over! Ha!

catbird nyc alphabet rings

These beauties appear to be sold out everywhere-which, of course, only has me wanting them more. Does this happen to anyone else? Grrrr.

apeppazza tormalina ballet flats

What pretty things are on your current wish list?

P.S. Thanks to Pinterest, Sherry from YHL, and the DIY showoff, I've received an overwhelming number of sweet comments about my DIY lyrics rug. Thank you to everyone!
I've also got myself a few new followers.

Yippee skippy! Welcome, lovely new friends! I'm so glad you're here. :)

{ sick and sleepy }

2011-08-29T09:36:00.004-04:00

This pretty much sums up how I'm feeling today....sleepy, achy, and just plain blech. I did almost fall asleep in my breakfast too, just like this darling puppers.

animal space

Hopefully some hot tea and lots of rest will have me feeling better soon.

In happier news....I'm a total dork for even mentioning this, but Sherry of YHL fame pinned my lyrics rug after it was featured on the DIY Showoff. I can't help but be excited about that!
She's like bloggy famous and stuff ;)

{ superior supplies }

2011-08-24T06:40:00.029-04:00

A couple of months ago, my three-year-old, Jack, found his way into my stash of Prismacolor markers (that I've had since college). These suckers are top-of-the-line art materials, and they are also EXPENSIVE. Because of this, when I first discovered that he was playing with them, I freaked out a bit. But, as I watched him, I couldn't help but notice that he seemed to be completely enthralled in the process of what he was creating, much more than during our usual "art afternoons". He told me that my markers were "SO bright", and he that liked my markers better than his other ones. That's when I had a realization of sorts. Who could blame him for choosing my higher quality markers that create vibrant, richly saturated strokes over the muddy ugliness that he's accustomed to? It seems that even a three-year-old can tell the difference between a crappy marker and a good one! Normally, when we have our afternoon art time, he's interested in creating for around 15 minutes. But that particular day, he scribbled, doodled and drew for more than one hour! And he resisted the end of art time too. That experience taught me the importance of providing my children with better than average art materials. I now feel that by giving him superior supplies to create with, I'm telling him that what he creates is important. Now, that's not to say that I frame every single doodle that he casually jots down. But it does mean that I've learned the value of giving him better tools for better play, discovery, and learning. I've also found that superior quality supplies actually do save money in the end. They last longer, they look better, and my kiddos are much more invested in using them for longer periods of time. That being said, I've found that it's imperative to convey the message that art materials are to be handled with proper care and respect, to ensure that they're around for many more "art afternoons" to come ;) I've gone on a bit of an art materials buying-binge lately, and I wanted to share a few of our new favorites:

Stockmar crayons. The quality of these German made crayons is unparalled. They produce smooth, vivid colors with the lightest touch. Bonus: they're vegan. I'm slightly obsessed with these. They are on the pricey side, but worth it, in my opinion.

My good friend recommended these cool rock-shaped crayons by Clementine Art on my recent visit to Colorado. I loved that they were all-natural and created in Boulder. Bonus points for fantastic packaging. The colors are brilliant and they're easy to hold. These are a new favorite.

I picked these up recently from Anthropologie. I admit to falling for their rustic beauty at first glance, but I was pleasantly surprised by their high pigment. And, nope. They don't give you splinters ;)

It appears that it's also fun to build things with our new "log pencils". Neato :)

See? Clementine rock crayons are the exact right size for adorable, tiny hands.

Oh, and we really like all of these goodies too.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Do you have a favorite way to get creative with the kiddos?

{ fun with photos }

2011-08-22T06:15:00.008-04:00

I happened upon this clever idea on Pinterest (where else!), and I think it's such a neat way to document a bit of 'who your little ones are' at a particular age. As my mama says, "you think you'll remember, but you won't".

Anyway, here's who my guys are right now.

These are so fun and simple to make, I could see making one every few months as their "likes" change.

Pretty neat idea, right? :)

{ i spy a diy - the lyrics rug }

2011-08-19T06:13:00.019-04:00

Ever get tired of seeing millions of gorgeous but generic spaces? Yes, the perfectly-primped designer rooms that fill the glossy pages of House Beautiful are stunning. But, in my opinion, they often lack any sense of authenticity or lived-in character. My favorite kinds of rooms are filled with personal, meaningful details- not a bunch of shiny things from a Crate and Barrel catalog. Speaking of catalogs (and generic things) ....I've long admired this rug, called the Le Poeme rug from Ballard Designs. It's lovely, yes? I think it's such a neat idea to write a poem or a song on a rug. But this particular poem is a French poem about a cricket and an ant. Eh. I'm sure it's a fine poem, and maybe it resonates with some people, but it doesn't really mean anything to me, ya know?

Le Poeme rug by Ballard Designs

I've been trying to think of (budget -friendly!) ways to add more sentimental details to our home-things that sort of tell the story of who we are. I decided to try a relatively easy DIY version of the Le Poeme rug. I chose to pretty up a plain rug with the lyrics from our wedding song-the beloved classic, At Last, by the legendary, Etta James. This song holds a very special place in our hearts, and so it seemed like a perfect choice to help add a little more "us" to our bedroom decor.

So here's what I started with. My rug was a 5x7, natural colored chenille rug from Urban Outfitters, that had most certainly seen better days.

Blech. I only chose to keep this boring rag around for so long because A) it's softer and warmer underfoot than our bedroom's wood floors and B) it's machine washable. I'm a sucker for machine washable rugs! I knew I really had nothing to lose while trying to improve upon this old thing, so I raided the kiddos' art supplies, and got to work. Here's what the rug looked like once when I was finished.

I'm in the process of making over our bedroom, and I desperately needed to bring in some more yellow elements, which is why I chose this color. But I imagine you could use any number of colors for your writing and end up with fabulous results. I love the light green on the Ballard rug, but black, blue, and gray would also look fantastic. Oh, I just thought of something: you could use a duvet cover for this project as well. That would be so cool! Anyway, back to the rug....

Here are the supplies I used in this project:

plain rug (I used this one), washable marker, painter's tape, tape measure, fabric marker, lyrics of song choice, envelopes

I had to do a bit of math to figure out how many words would fit onto each line, and how many lines would fit onto the rug. I wanted to fit the entire song, and so this took a bit of trial and error with playing around with the spacing. I pasted the song lyrics into a 5x7 sized canvas in MS Paint, and then played around with font sizes before finding the right configuration. My words should fit onto my rug pretty much like this:

Once I knew how many lines (14) would fit onto the rug, I taped it off.

I used business envelopes (just because that's what I had in reach-obviously plain old paper would work just dandily here) as makeshift spacers to help me roughly plan how to write out each line. I folded them into various sizes, so that I knew about how much space to allow for each word (see below).
Then I grabbed a washable marker, said a little prayer, and just started writing. I started with the washable marker because I wanted to be able to just wash the rug if this project went terrible wrong.

Once I was finished with one line, I removed that line's tape, and started the next line, and so on.

When I was finished writing, I went over all the writing carefully with a yellow fabric marker, which is permanent and should survive washing and drying. And then I let my little Georgia check out my work.

She seemed thoroughly unimpressed. Hmph. Well, I like it ;)
Hope you enjoyed it too.

h a p p y w e e k e n d !

{ you gotta have (creative) friends - part 2 }

2011-08-17T06:05:00.011-04:00

I happen to be lucky enough to have several seriously creative friends. Because I am constantly inspired by them, I thought it would be fun to do a little bloggy series that focuses on getting to know a few of them. Second in the series is my insanely creative friend and former design school classmate, Mari'.

Mari' Vasel - owner/designer for all things bean, an infant and toddler handmade apparel company. Mother to Kaia, a headstrong, independent and wonderful little bean :) Wife to Matt, my equally headstrong, adventurous, hard-working husband.

*Matt and Kaia as a baby bean -- Kaia, the little bean

*just a sampling of the darling designs available in Mari's gorgeous, handmade line

Re-decorating around the house: refinishing furniture, making pillows and painting whatever strikes my fancy! (attempting) to play my guitar.

*How fantastic is this bench makeover (which has been in her family for years)?!!

I don't often consider myself a good person to give advice - I'd rather seek it out. As far as kid's style - stick to the sale racks or it gets really expensive quickly!!

Ahh - see above creative outlets. I am always looking for a way to re-invent or makeover existing things. Re-cover pillows in new fabrics (use a coupon at Jo Ann's & it's super cheap). Paint! Dye fabric! Scrapbook paper & frames! Honestly, our lovely blog host is my best inspiration :)

* a perfect, eclectic mix of framed objects and photographs, ready for her bedroom gallery wall
* the makings of a felt bloom-adorned, handstitched pillow

* finished pillows (this mix of fabrics is so dreamy, right?!! Mari' scored those beautiful wood buttons while we were shopping together at Denver's excellent fabric shop, Fancy Tiger)

I don't read magazines - when they arrive at my house, the pressure to read them stresses me out!

It changes depending on the season. in the fall/winter - sitting in front of our wood burning fireplace or up in the loft on our large leather chair. in the summer, out on the deck or down in my studio where it stays cool.

*a pile of perfectly stitched bibs stacked neatly in Mari's studio

*So many yummy fabrics! Oh, and I'll take one each of those tees, please!

*More fun fabric choices!

As with magazines, I don't read too many blogs either - too much stress to keep up, but I'm amazed at some of the ones I do stumble across. In addition to this one, I enjoy bovagoods and industrial to organic - another friend of mine who is striving to live an eco, sustainable life.

A victorian house! Does that count? I feel that the character that comes with those would give me the foundation for all of my decorating needs!

sweet home style

It's not old enough. I crave exposed brick, original moldings and subway tiling with a claw foot tub...
If I had HGTV that would be it - I'd never get anything done. As it is, watching the Bachelor/Bachelorette.

Morning - I'm energized and ready to roll!

I really don't like starbucks for a lot of reasons...but I do love a vanilla hazelnut coffee, lots of cream, no sugar from Einsteins!

Thanks again to Mari' for participating in my creative friends series.
When she first told me she was starting her own childrenswear business, I was so thrilled for her! On top of being an unbelievably innovative designer, she is also insanely driven. I'm convinced that all things bean will be an enormous success. I was lucky enough to receive one of her impeccably stitched onesies/ burpcloth combos as a gift when little Grant was born, and I can't think of a more perfect little something for a new mama. Pop on over to check out all the sweet designs she has to offer.

Please stay tuned in the coming months to get to know more of my creative friends. I know some awesome people :)

{ making me smile... }

2011-08-12T08:50:00.000-04:00

Camp-outs!! We're going to be doing a lot of this in the next few days. These delightful images are definitely getting me in the mood.

source unknown

Have you ever had a campfire banana? Holy moly. There are GOOD. Reminds me of being a kid :)

the educated camper

This is a pretty neat camping-inspired mood board.

slow noodle

a cleverly packaged little s'mores kit

twig and thistle

Do you enjoy a good camping trip or does this better sum up your feelings on the subject....?

ann taintor

h a p p y w e e k e n d !

{ color combo crush - navy and pink }

2011-08-08T06:11:00.016-04:00

Anyone else head over heels for this preppy combination of hues right now?
It feels so modern and clean when paired with big doses of white.

diary of a lovely

I, for one, can't get enough!

{ i am loving }

2011-08-04T08:11:00.013-04:00

This fantasy backyard movie night setting.

via pottery barn

Pass the popcorn please ;)

{ i spy a diy - the B tee! }

2011-08-02T06:03:00.034-04:00

You may know that I'm kinda head over heels in love with Boston Terriers (or BTs, as they're called around here). The whole rest of my family is just as smitten as me with this lovable breed. Georgia, the spunky, pint-sized BT, lives at our house, my sis has two Bostons, my cousin has two, her mama has one, my parents have two. Yep, that's a lot of black and white fur! You're kinda not allowed to have any other kind of dog in our family ;) Anyway, I wanted to show our love for our dog by whipping up some Boston sweetness for my boys. My inspiration was this cute tee from the Poppy Collection (ha, clever!) from Gymboree. So adorable, but pretty darn girly. I figured I could fix that by omitting the red flower and those fancy eyelashes ;)

I cropped in on the face, blew it up, and printed it to get my pattern.
I used the same size (about a 7x7 image) for both the 12-18 months tee as well as the 3T size.

I chose to use buttons for the nose and eyes to add a little interest.

These guys seem to dig them ;)

And, just because Jack asked very politely for me to "put a picture of me jumping on the computer. PLEASE!" .....

Wacky, silly kid!
By the way, the adorable, Rae, over ar Armommy, has a pretty great video tutorial about appliqueing, if you'd like to give applique a go. It's quick and easy, and the possibilities of fun designs are endless!

{ blissful birthday weekend }

2011-08-01T07:36:00.000-04:00

I had a fantastic birthday weekend. On my actual birthday, I woke up to a ceiling covered in balloons, thanks to Mr. P&P and my little guys.
It was such a beautiful surprise!

I ~~indulged~~ overindulged in a gorgeous and scrumptious birthday cake.

And had a blast during an afternoon of girly shopping with my sisters.

Thanks to all of you for the birthday wishes! I hope you had a lovely weekend as well.

Happy Monday!