close enough

I came across this fabric that I've had for a couple years and wahla - framed it (in my DI find)!
Kind of has the same feel as the photo below.

LOVE

I'm loving this sign....could someone please be kind and paint one up for me?

By the way, I took your advice Heather and made a RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS jar. It's already pretty full. Mostly from one child but it's been good for him to focus on positive behavior so I don't care!

Now if I could get this sign up it would be a great reminder to be sweet all the time!

xoxo

decorating ideas

I found a couple of cute ideas I want to try somewhere in my house but this first one is for Andrea. She was wanting to put these in her boys bedroom somehow. We used these big round vinyl dots in Young women a few weeks ago to put this years theme on them with vinyl lettering. They sell them at Home Depot and they have lots of different shapes and colors. The best part is that they are movable, so if you don't like where you put them you can take them off and put them somewhere else. This is the one Riley made for her room.I thought this would be a really cute way to incorporate them into a kids bedroom.
I saw some of these big letters at Hobby Lobby last night too.

I LOVE this sign and if I lived in Seattle I would probably put this in my house! Although, it's pretty gray here the last couple weeks and I think it would work.

But this sign below is the one I'm going to put in my house.
I think I'll go buy some stencils tonight and some paint.
I have some big vintage cabinet doors I've been hanging on to for about
5 years now just waiting for the perfect project and i think this is it.

I FINALLY put up this vinyl SHARK I got on Etsy for Reece's room. I've only had it for about 6 months now.
His walls are the coolest light gray blue and I love how the blue shark looks on the orange wall.


I'm constantly trying to find the right thing for my mantel. I have the hardest time with it.
I think I finally found something I will keep up for a while. I have been really trying to simplify and remember less is more. Most of the time my motto is MORE is MORE and then everything gets to cluttery looking.
I snagged these retro plates from my mom years ago- I had a feeling someday they would be in style again :)

FINALLY I found a pillow that I could get for my rocking chair. I have seen this kicking around Target for a while and my friend Mary has it too. Finally last night I just decided that this would be the trick to liven up the place! It's making things feel bright and cheerful....now if the sun could just shine and warm up the place I could get on my bikini and lay out in the back yard!

PS - Please don't throw up in your mouth! I don't really own a bikini!

challenge day 9 - accomplishments

It's only day 9 yet I feel like this challenge has been good for me to accomplish more around the house and balance my life a little better. The second week has been LOTS easier with the no sugar/soda. I've also been trying to get my house a little more organized and projects finished. WHY am I such a pack rat and pile maker. I drive myself nuts.

I had a little helper today in the basement, well, a couple little helpers. It's definitely more fun to have a buddy to paint with. Thanks Miranda for coming to my rescue today!! She's not the only one. I've also had others come to my rescue lately and I TOTALLY appreciate it. You know who you are!!

It's getting there, slowly but surely. We are working on the trim/doors/closets now and then the paint will be done. Next CARPET!!  Can I hear a wooot woooooot!?

things I dream about - day 3 of challenge

It's been frustrating to me lately living at my house!

I'm so disorganized. I have TOOOO much darn stuff and no place to put it!

This base construction is really getting to me. I SO thought it would be done by now.

I tried to plant a money tree last year but it failed to produce any dollars :(

 

I've been trying to make some new fall goodies but I could crank so much fast if I had an office to go to when all the kids are playing or asleep. A place where I could leave a project and then return to it unharmed. A place where little hands can't get it and destroy all my hard work!

Here are some beautiful rooms that I found that I've been dreaming about.

They are kind of my inspiration for my new basement that may or may not EVER get finished!

We are close but yet SO far!

I feel bad not giving credit to the blogs to which I've stolen these beautiful photos.

I did not keep track of where I found them.

This is what I've been dreaming about making my new office/studio to look like.When I get discouraged I just take a quick gander at this and know that SOMEDAY I will make this happen :)

I would LOVE for my entryway to look more like this with a big chunky round mirror and cute hutch to fit all my goodies into!

These colors are my INSPIRATION for my basement. I WILL absolutely paint something this

FANTASTIC bright blue/green!  I've also painted all the wall this gray color to which I've had many sleepless night over and almost repainted twice. I've decided to stay COMMITTED to it!

I LOVE the other little touches of color also. I have a hard time keeping things simple and subtle - I'm all about TOO much color usually. I'll really have to restrain myself.

I will be mixing lots of masculine BROWNS with our gray basement.

I don't think Kyle wants it all frilly.

I love the POP of color this red chair adds! Is it red or orange? I'm not sure but I like it!

What I wouldn't give for a mirror and chair like that!! I LOVE old vintagy items like this to really add some FUNK to a space. I also wish I could get my hands on that HUGE frame. If it was mine I would add some mesh to the back and use it to display earrings......*sigh* .... a girl can always dream...right?

the end

Bday Bash Time!

SO Riley's BIG 13th birthday is in just a couple days and she is so excited. Myself - on the other hand am not! This is why:  My baby is getting too grown up!! She is such a sweet girl and I love how she is growing up to be such a kind and loving person (but just stop it!). She is to tender hearted to her brothers, a little mother to baby Crew, my right hand gal! She is really growing up learning how to cook, sew, babysit, and EMAIL. OH my she is wanting to email all the time these days. She wanted to sign up for Facebook but thank goodness they wouldn't let her until she is 13. Now she will be able to - hopefully she will forget about it! Too much competition for the computer! She is starting to ask for a cell phone....no begging yet..just slight hints and hopefulness on her part.

I have not planned one thing for her party. I kept forgetting to make invites for her until now and it's after 1 am (I haven't went to bed before 1 am in a while now). PLUS, it's on Friday and we are barely getting them out in the first place. SAD!! I've been a terrible mom this past week!

Any ideas for fun things for them to do for 4 hours?? I think I will just leave them out a bunch of food and ROCK BAND, lock myself in my room and let them go at it!

Well I just thought since I'm up this late anyways what's 15 more minutes to post this quick idea for an invite.
It's called GOOGLE birthday invitations, find a funky one and cut and paste. Bada-bing--bada-boom!

I just hope when she sees them in the morning she approves!
night night!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Food Family FUN!

Thanksgiving was at our house this year so we started the week by making some Thanksgiving decor. The kids gathered some leaves and helped make some cute little place cards and candles. Reece was in heaven of course. Anything crafty going on and this kid is all over it!

Kim and Ty were in town all the way from Louisiana. It had been over 3 years since we got to see them so we had the best time hanging out and pulling out all the old inside family jokes.

Kyle made a super yummy turkey and of course I just make things look pretty and make a few side items. Grandma of course brought a ton of yummy pies and food. The kiddos were excited to have fancy glasses to clink together. Cheers all around :)Now that it's over it on to the LEFTOVERS and as we speak Kyle is making me

the BEST turkey/roll sandwich ever and I told him I would make him the best Diet Coke ever!

True love I tell ya.....true LOVE!

Out of the Closet!

I'm coming "OuT" of the SLOB closet!
I've been trying to get organized and get
my HuGesT list of home repairs done!!
I haven't had this much time on my hands
since we first moved here. You know
with my 5 jobs and all. OK only 4.
I've been putting the jewelry on the back burner and
playing catch up.

We're trying to get our new doors all put up.
Only 3 more to go!!
I LOVE THEM so much!!
I could look at them all day!
Thanx Trish for letting us copy U!

I never knew my countertops could look this good!!
Who knew there was such a thing called Grout cleaner!
Sad I know! But now they look Fan-TAS-tick!

Other items that are getting fixed are
holes in the walls, cleaning out closets and
paint, paint and more paint!

stepping stone addiction

Has anyone heard of
a place called SSA??
(Stepping Stone Anonymous)






I can't stop!!

There is something about
putting little colorful stones
in cement and watching it
dry that entertains me all day!!




little bits of joy!









Works of art!!







My garden looks
so inviting now!!

step to it

It was stepping stone day!
We created masterpieces for our gardens
that we DON'T have here in Arizona.
Oh well- a good excuse to get together and create something
special!!

A little cement mix, some muscles, some cute
toppings & of course a lot of LOVE can bring hours of fun!!
We put our heart and time into each pebble!!