Outdoor Nights

I love plants and flowers.  I am sooooo itching to buy some pretty annuals to pot in the bazillion pots around our farm...but as my mother warned me even just today, it could still freeze.
Rule of thumb.  Don't plant anything (except for pansies) before Mother's Day.

I did, however, get a few herbs planted.  So far I've got sweet basil and lavender potted and I have some seeds for mint I need to get growing.  (Never done herbs from seeds before, so we'll see how it goes.)  I found some darling pots at Crate & Barrel on my last trip down south to Kansas City, and was second away from purchasing them when my mom reminded me that I could make them.  So I did.  I spray painted a couple terra-cotta pots white and then, as I do paint most everything with chalk board paint, I painted a little square on the front so I could chalk in what was grown.  Waalaa.  Eat that C&B.  

I also have chives growing and am going to put in a tomato plant.  I realllllly want a big ol' garden with lettuce and onions and strawberries and cucumbers and peppers...but I am afraid I won't tend to it and it'll turn in to a ginormous week patch.  I keep saying maybe next year.  So, maybe next year.

We spend a lot of time outside in the spring and summer.  And we finally got a new fire pit for our patio area!!!  Yay!  We took her for a test drive the night before last...and it was perfect.  It's made from recycled copper and it's about twice the size of the old pit.  (We burnt through the bottom of that thing.)

Two in two days.  Boooyeah.

Blog. Blog. Blog.

Oh my goodness.  It has been almost a month.  I do not know how to be a mom, a full-time teacher, a housekeeper, and a blogger.  I don't have enough time in the day.  : (  I must say...I have been on Spring Break this week, and each day I've been thinking I could maybe just stay home everyday.  Drink coffee.  Bake/make a breakfast pastry, (Blueberry Coffee Cake...  Delish.)  I'd be watching Rachel Ray, The Young and the Restless, The Chew (a new fave), and follow up with Ellen.  And then I could blog in between my day-time television watching and DIY projects.  No?  Well, on the plus side.  I do believe I only have 30 days of school left.  Hallelujah!

This is going to be some randomness up in here.  I suppose, I'll begin with this week.  As I mentioned it's Spring Break.  So, my goals and to-do lists consisted mostly of house work and DIY home projects.  I have been busy. The biggest, and most time-consuming project I've attempted is painting the "hallway", landing, and stair case that leads upstairs to our bedroom.  It looks one thousand times better than it did.  And I'm not even done with it yet...because I cannot complete a project without getting sidetracked 22 times in a time period.  My goal is to get 'er done tomorrow.  I had pinned a staircase on Pinterest with stenciling and patterns on the backs of the stairs and I am attempting that too.  I've brainstormed some designs...chevron, arrows, and polka dots to name a few.  Here are some "in-progress" photos.

I've also been working on some silhouette projects out of this book by Vana Chupp  This gem was a find at a great store on The Plaza in K.C.  It's from The Paper Source.  I matted the silhouettes on pretty paper and framed them.  Pleasantly pleased.

Since I am obsessed with paper products, I recently purchased some cute washi tape from Parcel and Paper and from Archivers.  I mad a chevron covered notebook to stick in my purse so I could jot down lists on the run.  I'm thinking these will improve with time...still working some kinks out.  I also purchased the most darling paper straws from this Etsy shop too.  Addie noticed them right away!

Hmmmm.  What else.  Ooooh.   Another big project will be going down on Sunday/Monday.  I am going to attempt another Pinterest project like this.  We got a beautiful new copper fire pit, since we spend most summer weekends sitting by the crackling fire, sipping on ice cold adult bevies, and hanging out with my sister-in-law (who just got engaged a few months ago and I am soooooo super excited to help with decor for this event!!!)  Be prepared for a post or two on this topic! 

wedding dress shopping

I'm back.  Hopefully.

two pretty birds

Since I turned...  Ugh.  The dreaded THIRTY.  (I literally had a panic attack the day before my birthday.  So weird, because I still act like I'm 17; and I really do feel like it's just a number, but...)  I decided I wanted to get a new tattoo.  Like.  A big one.  I have three already.  But they are teeeeeeeeny tinnnnnnny.

I got my first tat when it was a big to do in high school.  SIXTEEN YEARS OLD.  That one was a moon and a star on my back.  Then, the next one came one summer when I was in college.  I went with my friends, Kim and Linds, and we all got inked in the Old Market.  I got a darling little pink daisy on my ankle.  Kim hates her tat and currently wants it removed.  Lindsey has soooo many I can't recall which one she got that night!  (Lovvvvvve her, and all her tattoooooos.)  I remember the sirens  going off that night and we tried to take shelter in a restaurant down town, but no one would let us in.  We survived.  Then, around my 29th b-day, I headed to some guys basement and got "Believe" tattooed on my wrist.  Survived that too.

So now....the big one.  For Valentine's Day my husband "gave" me a tattoo and I got the two sweetest little sparrows tattooed on my chest/shoulder area.  I LOVE IT.  It's about five times the size of all three of my other tattoos put together, but I think it is beautiful.  There are two little lovebirds to represent my two children.  (And SEAN asked the tattooist if he could squeeze another little sparrow in IF we were to ever, BY SOME SMALLLLLL CHANCE, have another baby.  There's hope.  Right?)

It's still healing and I go back this week to get the flowers and some shading done.  So, I promise I will post finished results soon.

XOX

Oh...and Lindsey and I are already planning our next trip to the tattoo parlor.  Another wrist tattoo for me.

What's Cookin' Good Lookin'?

A little kitchen project this weekend!  I worked my arse off Friday and Saturday...and a little bit on Sunday painting, painting, and painting.  I hate painting.  A.  I suck at it.  B.  It sucks.  If I were a house painter for a living, I'd drink myself to death.  BUT...I think it turned out pretty great for this ol' house and I am super excited about the new look.

My kitchen was a burnt orangish color.  And, I liked it.  But with all my newly acquired (and very colorful) vintage pieces I felt like the orange was taking away from the decor.  I went with a creamy white and man did it brighten that room UP!

Thanks to Pinterest, I painted our whole backsplash area chalkboard, and it looks sharp.  If I don't say so myself.  I love chalkboard paint.  I paint pretty much anything I can get my hands on with that stuff!

I'd already painted our pantry door and the wall where our "emergency" phone hangs chalkboard for my loves to do artwork on.

And some finishing touches.

Scrabble lamp.  (they're magnets)

We are OPEN!

xo

where we sleep

Bedroom Sneak-Peak

Yesterday I cleaned our bedroom.  We finally put a bedspread on our new bed that is the legitimate size!  I ordered a duvet from Urban Outfitters and L.O.V.E it.  The colors are lovely.  There are some chevron sheets that I'm eyeing now.  I'll have to sneak that order in (with the already 5 items in my cart) ASAP.














I also did some rearranging/organizing.  I "thrifted" an oooooooooooldddddd antique chest from my grandparents garage last summer...and it fit perfectly in a little nook in our bedroom.  I'd previously used it to house all my jewelry, inside and on top of, but felt like it was such a neat piece and it was kind of hidden back in the nook.  However.  And that is a BIG however.  It is in dire shape.  There is no back to it.  Both sides are covered with PLYwood.

     

   This is how I tried to camouflage the plywood!

But it's has the potential to be a beaut!  So, long story short...I got it out in the visible open, and turned the little nook area into a cozy reading space.  

I also brought out into view my "jewelery box".  It is my grandma's old paint box and I keep pretty necklaces, some bracelets, and earrings in it.  I think it is lovely and so special.  One of my most favorite things!

                     

current obsessions

Hearts
Lace
Red.White.Blue
50s style skirts
POLKA DOTS
still obsessed with stripes
bowes
Ballet Flats in vivid colors

Any one of these can be seen in my wardrobe daily.

XOX

things i have that i love

With V-Day coming up right around the corner...I am alllll about hearts and lace and pretty pinks.  I love Valentine's Day.  And not for the reasons most do.  I can't explain it.  I just get this feeling in February.  Giddiness.  I think.  The husband and I don't get all mushy gushy...we don't celebrate with chocolates and flowers or anything typical like that.  I just feel happy about Valentine's Day.
So.  Here are some things I love.

              

1.  Addie+Grahm+Sean:  It finally snowed!

2.  new Instax camera (obsessed with) + a darling little cozy case I crafted this snowy afternoon.

3.  lovely personalized "Mama" necklace from Olivine.

4.  Kate Spade striped iPhone case + my iPhone (that I'm attached to)

5.  Gorgeous prints from Ashley G on Etsy

6.  DIY Poms...so pretty.

   7.  big buck earrings from Roots and Wings

8.  A + G gold pendents, and silver XOX pendent

9.  perfect large bloom belt

10.  Jason Wu for Target blouse (I really wanted to zip out to get it yesterday.)  

I exercised restraint though.

I loved spending the whole weekend at home with my family and enjoying the snow that finally fell!  We had a cozy time with lots of playing in the snow, drinking hot cocoa, making Pinterest meals, crafting, catching up on lots of great blogs, and  eating lots of yummy food at the ol' Super Bowl party at the 'rents.  Did the Bronco's win then?

XOX