Changing things up

I'm redoing the big girls room.

Inspired by this fabric.




Their soon to be former room was pink and black and white and I wasn't loving it anymore.

I went to the fabric store and asked a woman's opinion.

I was debating on going one of two ways.

Elegant with grey and pink striped walls with lots of silver and shiny and white.

Or crafty,cheerful, colorful.

She said something that made me decide on the spot.

"they have their whole lives to be elegant"

So TRUE!

So...grey walls, pops of turquoise,pink, and green, bunting, and poofy pom poms hanging from the ceiling...here we come.

Sneaky peeky at what I'm working on this week:






Inspiration from my pinboard:

Old door headboard

Source: bluevelvetchair.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I love how special the framed collage above the bed is. Everything has sentimental value...grandparents, maternity shoot, newspaper article, her brothers.

Source: re-nest.com via Michelle on Pinterest

A yarn wrapped letter A.

Source: etsy.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Going to be their nightstand. (as seen above)

Source: allthingsthrifty.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I'm a spray paintin' mama this week but, I can't wait to see it all done.

This and that Thursday

We moved into our sweet little house 2 years ago (it wasn't so sweet then). I took the before picture the week we moved in to document it's uhhh ummm "flaws" knowing good and well I was going to spit shine her all "peety". I saw the potential through the bushes...was up for the challenge, but I'd be lying if I said I never thought about just setting the whole thing on fire.

After a little blood, a little sweat, a lot of tears, and dirty fingernails we are finally at the after. It's still is a work in progress and I can't wait for all the bushes and vines to grow in, but I can honestly say it's a little diamond in the rough.



New homes are nice and shiny and I may live in one someday (only if I get to build from scratch on my own piece of land on the lake) but i prefer character. I love the mature trees, and chatty neighbors who talk about "what the neighborhood was like decades ago." I love the mixture of old and new...new families, elderly widows, wise forty-something women, and single dads. Our sidewalks that join each house are faded and cracked from scooters and tricycles and years and years of use. (like side walks should be) We cook out in our front yards at least 3 times a week. We pull out the tables and lawn chairs and light citronella candles...let the kids run around in diapers and swimsuits and smear sidewalk chalk on Popsicle stained driveways.

I like it here.



Frogs like us...
A neighbor has a pond and we have a leaky faucet in the backyard that they must mistake for a pond because they dig our house. At night we hear them singin' their little hearts out, and occasionally we'll kiss one just in case there is a prince hiding in there. (she's only allowed to marry a prince...we've had the talk. So kissing frogs are the only kissing that will be acceptable in this house)





A great summer picture eh?





I found the coolest blog with a tutorial for 30 hairstyles in 30 days. This one looked awesome on Alyssa. I wore the "three banded bun" today...gorgeousness.

She drinks milk from her bowl like a big girl.

Our living room camp out was a success. We can scratch it off the list. They must of felt claustrophobic because when I woke up the next morning the tent I painstakingly built was demolished, and only a sea of hodge podge blankets remained.



wishing you a fabulous weekend! Have fun. Stay cool. Don't forget your sunblock!

Back to school and a fashion show

I can't believe I'm going to have a kindergartner and a second grader this year! The fleeting time inspires me even more to stop and drink in every minute of their childhoods, to remember every tiny detail of their littleness, and to slow down. This week has been filled with lots of shopping, and carefully sizing miniature feet for brown Mary Jane's and black sparkly ballet flats while scouring racks upon racks of clothes for the most stylish outfits(and best deals).







When they say kids are expensive they should specify..."school aged children", because babies are a piece of cake. I nursed mine so no formula. I wasn't a diaper snob so whatever was on sale worked for me. Chances are someone had hand me downs they were happy to pass on to us, and I had a shower to stock up on baby necessities.

There should be back to school showers decked out with apple bunting and pencil centerpieces. (maybe something like this or this) I'll serve school bus cake and little protractor sandwiches and you bring school supplies and clothes and shoes and backpacks and lunch boxes and...you get the picture.

Thank goodness "I've trained up my girls in the way they should go" and they love to shop. (even if it means taking a much needed break in the middle of Gap to lay on the floor )






But, I can proudly say we are officially done.(minus a rockin' backpack I'm coveting from pottery barn) I'm not going to be the Mom this year scrounging for pocket folders with brads, or glue sticks.







And, while we are on the subject of school supplies let me just say that I'm not a big fan of the "community" thing. If I spend forty bucks on supplies for my kiddo I expect my kiddo to use them. I was not thrilled the first day of first grade when Alyssa came home with an old red folder with another child's name scratched out with a black sharpie to be used as her take home folder for the year. Or, that at the end of the year when she was allowed to take "her" school supplies home her teacher dug in her closet for (according to Alyssa) old markers. She ended up with every brand imaginable and 4 blues, a couple browns and... seriously? I'm all for sharing and donating, and I'm the first one to rip a sticky off the teacher wish list, but if we spend the time picking out colors, buying "the good stuff", and using pretty name labels...gosh darn it we should be able to use our own stuff!

***Just sayin'***

I'll leave you with a fashion show. They begged me to try stuff on and strut down the hallway while I snapped "sassy pictures".(mind you the hallway has no natural light source so boo to the darkness)
We did awesome this year. Got some great deals and some cute stuff (thanks Mom for the loot).

Enjoy!

Homemade Loveliness

Say hello to my lil' friend....



I LOVE giving handmade gifts. It started about 4 or 5 years ago when I learned to crochet just so I could make all the girls in my family hat sets for Christmas. I studied YouTube like mad perfecting my chain stitch and single crochet, and felt all fancy when I could do a double. It took me hours to finish a hat and flower but, the hand cramps were worth it when I saw the finished product I lovingly made with my own two hands.

Learning to sew...same thing. YOUTUBE baby! A little of my instruction manual that came with my machine and, a lot of trial and error. I'm by no means a master seamstress and, my seam ripper and I have a wonderful partnership but, the immediate gratification that comes from turning fabric into "something" is fabulous!

I am a Jack of all trades master at none but, I enjoy teaching myself new things. Learning is limitless and the ability to diy is priceless. I covet boutiquey loveliness but, not the price tag that comes along with it. So, I find inspiration and learn how to do it myself. Now...I'm hooked. I feel like I've cheated a recipient if I just buy something off a shelf. Don't get me wrong. In the mad dash of...It's 20 minutes till the party and I haven't bought a present. Don't you know I'm screeching into Walgreen's looking for whatever "kiddy" litter I can find to suffice for an acceptable gift...pairing it with a pretty bag and, stuffing in some tissue paper knowing good and well I've just wasted $15 cause that play-doh set is going in the trash in a month. So when time is there...I create.

A nieces birthday this weekend was the perfect opportunity to hone in on my handmade giftin' skills. She's entering kindergarten and I knew pretties for her hair were just what she needed.



This one is my favorite



Followed by a close second



and, my new obsession with pinterest has me all in love with cute wrapping. There is something special about getting a pretty wrapped gift. It has the ability to somehow increase the contents value ten fold...not to mention the excitement one gets from ripping paper and tape and bows off a box in anticipation of what's inside.



(who knew cupcake liners and headbands had so many possibilities?)

My neighbor's daughter is turning 14 today so I made her these flower hair pins and matching rings.

I love them!

(I'm making some for myself later this week) and, MAYBE if I can scrounge some more time I will attempt to put some in my sad, lonely, neglected, shop.

I hope she likes them.



I also tried out some new recipes for a fish fry we had this weekend and I have to share.

Bacon Coleslaw (this is seriously yummy):



Recipe:
Stir together...
1/2 c of mayonnaise ( use a little less or more to suit your taste...i prefer less)
1 tbs. apple cider vinegar
1 tbs. sugar ( again, adjust to your taste...i like mine a little sweeter)
salt and pepper to taste
add to a bag of coleslaw mix ( i found this Manns rainbow salad)

add in 6 slices of bacon, crisply cooked, drained and crumbled.

Enjoy.

But, do so quickly or it will be gone :)

Strawberry Limeade Cupcakes

I've become and icing snob. Ever since I've started making my own the canned stuff tastes so yuck and, it's so cheap and easy to make it yourself.

Cake from scratch? No time. Maybe someday. Or, maybe we'll leave it to the dough boy...he knows what he's doing.

I love this moist supreme strawberry cake from Pillsbury.



Lime cream cheese butter cream frosting:



1 stick of softened butter (warning: keep out of baby's reach...if you look closely she snuck a bite)
1 8oz cream cheese softened
juice from two small limes(add more if you want more "limeade")
1 lb of powdered sugar
1 tsp. of vanilla(i was out...no bueno)

cream together and swirl on top of cooled cupcakes.



Enjoy!

This and that Thursday

The best $5 I've spent all summer




We LOVE sidewalk chalk...especially the chalk crayons in bright colors. It's a summer staple in this house.



A teaser sky (cause rain is non existent in these parts)



Distorting pictures is really, really humorous!



She is OBSESSED with putting buckets on her head. Says they are hats and doesn't care if they are too big or too small.



And, every time we are at Marshall's or Ross...she INSISTS on smelling the fancy soaps.



I can't believe we only have a month of summer break left :(...so much to do so little time. I've finally gotten back into the swing of being a stay at home momma. Clothes are washed (ish), dinner is prepared and ready to go way before 5, and my house is actually pretty darn clean.

Come September it will be back to juggling.

Good thing I love the circus.

Hope you are enjoying your summer as much as we are enjoying ours.

My ode to Chick Fil A

Oh Chick fil A how I love thee...

The only way to eat a sandwich...cut it triangles perfect for dipping in a savory chick fil a sauce. SCRUMPTIOUS!




Fine dining among fresh flowers at the head of every table.





You can trade your toy (book in this case) for ice cream.





If you ask (or sometimes they give them to you even when you don't) they give you a lovely plastic table topper for your itty bitty's. If you are a smart momma you get one for each of your children and stock pile them in your diaper bag for other restaurants.




There is a charming picture of "my dream house" largely displayed on the wall as a constant reminder of the type of home I hope to live in one day. So when we are looking for a place to sit the girls say, "Hey Mom, wanna sit by your dream house?" ....why yes I would love to. So I can pull out a phone and take a snapshot of it and watch as the people sit around us wonder what the heck I'm doing.





And, last but not least they provide free boarding for all children... with an observation window.





Thank you Chick Fil A for all you do.



(he was running around outside our window?)

The perfect picnic

We are a picnic-ing type of family. I love carrying the old fashioned-ish basket (i got at target last year for 14.00), the lovingly making sandwiches and wrapping them all pretty with parchment paper and scrap ribbon. Laying out our blanket in the "perfect" spot scouted out by the 4 of us and lifting off the lid to reveal what goodies Momma packed this time. We laugh and talk about clouds, and birds, and enjoy the sights and sounds of everything going on around us all while savouring our delicious lunch.




So now, lets disclose how this really goes..."I don't want to sit in the grass, there are bugs that will crawl on me!" "it's Hot!".




Sand from the baby's shoes spilled all over our lunch and cracking your teeth on grainy bits while trying to enjoy your sandwich. Some may of fallen in the potato salad and I assured the girls it was just pepper.

The littlest deciding the strawberry container would be much cuter as a hat and dumping the best red juicy ones all over the ground.



Then flinging potato salad at the birds because she saw Mommy feeding them our cast off crust left from our pb&J's.

Trying to balance a picnic basket, a push car, and a toddler and,giving myself a huge hickey like bruise from first attempting to carry the basket in the crook of my arm. Comical I tell ya!




But,all in all...I still call it a success. When it's all said and done, they have a blast. It's worth the humorous mishaps to create memories for my girls. To see their excited faces and know that Mom is not "to cool" to turn on the cheese whiz.



I was inspired to picnic from this post I read last year. Although we had done it zillions of times before, her words really spoke to me. Her blog is my absolute favorite to read. I get her mothering. I relate to her desire to make memories for her girls, and her glass half full personality inspires me everyday.

oh and ps. This is the only acceptable way to eat Gogurt...with a straw. No mess! Amen to that!

This and that Thursday

Sleeping beauty....yes this was 11:17 AM and the middle little wasn't up until 30 minutes after that. The funny thing is they never fail to ask at "breakfast"-ish is this breakfast or lunch? Cause according to them....3 meals a day. No matter what. Even if that is breakfast at 12 lunch at 4 and dinner at 9. Some sleep training is going to be necessary come August.






I'm loving this eyeshadow combo right now. I think it's called "candy eye". Very summer.



I was in a spray painting mood today.



Remember those thrifted paper plate holders I wanted to paint pretty colors?

Whaaa laaa! I heart them!



And, while I was at it I painted some frames I thrifted for a grand total of 1.50...I'm trying out a new color combo in my living room and, the green one is going to be the new home for my favorite pic of my mom and pop. The aqua one...my kitchen. I'm thinking a cute quote or fun saying.



I scored tap shoes for Alyssa pretty new for 3.99. Regularly $65 from capezio! I prefer the $4 (gonna grow out of them in a dance season anyway) ones anyday. Jackson likes em' too.



This keeps her busy while I'm cooking dinner. I gave up trying to stop her. So now she has her own two pockets to fill and dump. Why do we buy toys again? Oh yeah, that is why I don't.




Snow cones at the sprinkler park...a two-fer. Scratched them off the summer list :)