tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49452070498829074852024-03-05T18:55:29.050-05:00dare to dream...-blogging my way through this journey called life.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.comBlogger162125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-73832122050252614552012-07-06T12:04:00.000-04:002012-07-06T12:04:23.426-04:00DIY fringed burlap table runneri wanted to make a burlap table runner to go with the farm table wedding gift and found a fantastic tutorial <a href="http://cottageandvine.blogspot.com/2010/11/fringed-table-runner-tutorial-giveaway.html">HERE</a>.<br />
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total cost - FOUR DOLLARS!!!! and that made TWO table runners!<br />
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i scored my burlap for two bucks a yard, already had the thread - so i was set. it was a breeze to make, the longest part being the pinning and the ironing.<br />
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i started with washing the burlap, and this part made me nervous. i have heard horror stories when washing burlap, but you just have to wash it - the stuff doesn't smell so great. i had a bundle of two yards with the edges sewn to prevent unraveling, and threw it in the wash with some laundry detergent and baking soda.<br />
i patiently waited.<br />
when the wash ended, i prayed for a good outcome before opening my door, and when i did, it was all still in one piece. there was LOTS of hair-like balls in my dryer and all over the fabric, but nothing a good outdoor shaking wouldn't take away! i let the fabric hang dry overnight then folded it up for the next day of sewing.<br />
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there is a trick to cutting a straight line in burlap, and this helped me tremendously! you take a string from the end and pull and ruffle, pulling the entire string out of the fabric. when this string is out, it creates a space, leaving you with the perfect cutting line!<br />
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see that line?! perfectly straight!<br />
i cut and ironed the fabric flat, then i double hemmed the edges and sewed to make the runner.<br />
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now onto making the fringe. there are lots of strings hanging off burlap, allowing it to unravel. i grabbed one string at a time and pulled it out, making the fringe. patience is virtue here, folks... there are lots of strings to pull. and however long you want your fringe to be, that's how many strings you will be pulling out!<br />
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and here is what you will be left with when your fringe is as long as you would like -<br />
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then i just separated the strings into groupings of five or six and tied them in double knots.<br />
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and then you have this!<br />
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it turned out great and looked amazing on the new farm table!<br />
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not bad for a two dollar table runner!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-40560106538372118172012-07-02T15:50:00.001-04:002012-07-02T15:50:22.916-04:00DIY farmhouse benchi wanted to post our building process of the bench that went with our farm table, so here it is -<br />
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<a href="http://tommyandellie.com/index.php/2012/03/17/farmhouse-bench-plans/">HERE</a> is the plans we used, again changing the measurements to fit our six foot table.<br />
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after building the table, the bench was a breeze. we notched the boards out in the beginning and used one as a guide for our stain color. we also cut all the other boards and sanded them all.<br />
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then we put the legs together and attached the frame and supports-<br />
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we drilled pocket holes on the inner side boards to anchor the bench top - and it was solid as a rock. and i also had a happy hubby - he pretty much did this entire bench in less than 3 hours (with a few breaks!).<br />
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<br />
easy as pie after building a six foot table the exact same way :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-60410805822860578132012-06-25T22:21:00.000-04:002012-06-26T10:26:28.285-04:00DIY farmhouse table and bench {FINISHED!!!!}after many hours of work (major work), i can finalllllllly show you all the finished table and bench - and i am <b><i>beyond</i></b> <b><i>excited</i></b>! <br />
<br />
i will start with a list of all the tools and products we used to build everything -<br />
miter saw<br />
circular saw<br />
belt sander<br />
palm sander<br />
dremel (used to sand notches and distress edges of wood) <br />
hand planer <br />
tape measure <br />
square<br />
pencil<br />
chisel<br />
hammer<br />
kreg jig mini pocket hole kit<br />
pocket screws<br />
LOTS of sandpaper (100 and 220 grit)<br />
minwax english chestnut stain<br />
minwax gloss polyurethane<br />
minwax satin poyurethane<br />
and lots of wood<br />
<br />
now i will tell you the most surprising part of this entire process - and why all of my reveal photos are taken with the table and bench still on my porch and not in my dining room....<br />
<br />
all those hours of work put into building this - all the sweat and bug spray and physical exhaustion...<br />
<br />
THIS TABLE IS NOT OURS TO KEEP!<br />
<br />
we decided that we would build this as a wedding gift to very dear friends! they have done so very much for us and have been wanting a dining room table - so they are getting just that! we have been sending them photos along the process and they are SO excited to finally have this table in their home!<br />
the bottom stretcher of the table has a very special message on the underside. using our dremel tool, we engraved their name and the year as a 'little something special' for them to always have.<br />
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we are currently in the process of building our own table, so when it is finished, i will share that one as well!<br />
<br />
and the finished table and bench -<br />
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i'm telling ya - this tabletop is so smooth! and after 4 coats of poly, it better have been!<br />
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the handmade burlap fringed table runner looks amazing on the new table, and this was also part of the gift! (blog post on that soon!)<br />
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<br />
so there you have it! the restoration farmhouse table built for less than 200 bucks! we are more than excited to have made this and can't wait to have our own. needless to say, our friends were beyond excited and it looks amazing in their dining room! <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-3259966915926933822012-06-16T16:30:00.000-04:002012-06-16T16:30:33.584-04:00DIY farmhouse table - part two{sorry that part two has taken me so long to post :( right now 95 percent of my time is being spent in west virginia with my family for certain reasons -but i will get the finished product up here as soon as possible. thanks for all the calls, texts and emails... means the world.}<br />
<br />
<br />
here is where the hard part began... the top and finishing.<br />
yes, cutting the wood to the exact measurements can be nerve racking, but staining the table is the final straw. we chose to use english chestnut by minwax and started with the base of the table.<br />
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then we put together the table top. we went with 2x10 and 2x12 planks, using two of each. we used the kreg jig to attach the boards together on the underside of the tabletop.<br />
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the table top wasn't perfectly even - and i wanted it to be smooth enough to slide a plate across! david went and bought a hand planer and used that to even out all the top boards. it did exactly the job we needed - and after completely wearing our arms out our table was perfectly smooth! we cut the breadboard ends and attached those to complete the tabletop.<br />
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table DONE! atleast the building part...<br />
<br />
here is what we did with EVERY SINGLE BOARD to prepare the stain.<br />
when the wood was cut to it's measurement we would sand with 100 grit sandpaper using a belt sander.<br />
then i would sand again with my palm sander using 220 grit sandpaper. this gives a super smooth finish.<br />
then you stain.<br />
then you sand again with 220. <br />
then you stain.<br />
EVERY. SINGLE. BOARD. (and there are a lot of boards!)<br />
<br />
we put the tabletop on saw horses to stain -<br />
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so the tabletop was sanded and stained and sanded and stained - and then it was finished! (even though we still have a boatload to do...)<br />
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and there she is sitting out in the sun to dry. the stain seriously soaked into the wood and ended up being much more on the mahogany side than we expected. we are doing two coats of gloss poly then finishing with two more coats of satin poly, so that will also make the color change a bit.<br />
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until next time :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-90387321469911141112012-06-03T09:36:00.000-04:002012-06-03T09:36:11.803-04:00DIY farmhouse table - part onei can't belive i am actually blogging this... a DIY FARMHOUSE TABLE!!!!<br />
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for mannnnny months i have been dying to get started on a farm table. we have bookmarked a billion blog postings showing the different steps of how people made their own, and finally it was time to make our own.<br />
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we went off these two plans to create our own version. all measurements had to be adjusted to create a six foot table. <br />
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<a href="http://tommyandellie.com/index.php/2012/01/13/new-and-improved-farmhouse-table-details/">tommy and ellie's farmhouse table</a><br />
<a href="http://ana-white.com/2009/12/plans-farmhouse-table-knock-off-of.html">ana white farmhouse table</a><br />
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we did not want to use two 2x4's put together for the table legs so we chose to go with 4x4's like tommy and ellie. plus we wanted to make our table as close as possible to the original restoration hardware farmhouse table. <br />
finding untreated 4x4's was quite the nightmare. we finally ended up choosing cedar which was muuuuuch more expensive than the regular untreated lumber, but this <i>was </i>going to be a long lasting piece of quality furniture, so well worth the extra money. after borrowing a friends truck and hauling all the lumber home, we started the building process!<br />
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first step - the notches.<br />
this. took. FOREVER.<br />
david cut the four legs and the side stretcher that connected them. there would be a total of ten notches. it was the most time consuming part but had to be done. with a circular saw he made about 20 small cuts where the notch would be. we used a chisel to remove the wood that had been cut then sanded the bottom of the notch smooth using a sanding bit on our dremel. <br />
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when the notches on the legs were finished we pieced them together to make sure everything was level.<br />
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so the legs and bottom of the frame were nearly finished - we just had to make one more notch on each center stretcher -<br />
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finally all the notches were finished. next we cut the 2x4's to frame the top of the table base. when everything was cut it was time to make the pocket holes. the point of pocket holes is so all the screws would be hidden. we purchased a kreg jig mini kit and it was by far the best investment we used for this project. again, making all the holes was a long task, but well worth the time.<br />
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once all the holes were drilled we had to sand everything. thankfully we own a belt sander and a palm sander so we each got to work on the boards and cut the sanding time in half.<br />
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doesn't he just look adorable in his mask :-)<br />
once all the boards were nice and smooth we screwed everything in place. we built the entire table base in one day and it fit perfectly together!!!! <br />
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and the finished table base - all put together and sturdy as can be! we are so proud!!!! <br />
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stay tuned for part two! we still have a TON of work to do - like putting together the table top, more sanding then staining and finishing the table. and also we are building the farmhouse bench to match.<br />
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until next time... <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-60341430871179215122012-05-21T14:24:00.001-04:002012-05-21T14:24:38.461-04:00Jamaica, mon!!!my three years of marriage have been so unbelievably amazing. our anniversary celebration took place in ocho rios, jamaica and it was waaaaaaay beyond our expectations! we booked this trip in march and had been on the countdown ever since. finally our time arrived so we drove to atlanta and spent a night, then flew to the beautiful island of jamaica. when we arrived to the airport in montego bay (a shack) we were escorted to a bus that would take us to our resort. we knew that we had an hour and a half ride ahead of us to ocho rios so we made friends with the luggage guy. he showed us to the 'best' seat on the bus which was conveniently next to his and were on our way...<br />
the drive was long even though it felt like we were traveling 100 mph on the wrong side of the road! the way people lived along the way was nothing even remotely imaginable. im talking houses made from sticks - plastic tarps for a roof - dirt floors. it was very heart wrenching knowing that we were headed for a billion dollar resort when the people of that same village lived this way.<br />
i was forewarned by many that jamaican sellers live off tourist dollars. when traveling to a resort in any country this is inevitable. jamaica is also widely known for drug dealing... and within one hour of being in their country, we were offered drugs. yes - on a bus full of tourists. we politely declined and that was that.<br />
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finally we arrived at our resort, the riu ocho rios.<br />
it. was. magnificent.<br />
we walked into an open air lobby that was ginormous and beautiful.<br />
we were given our bags and went to check in. while standing at the desk we were handed welcome drinks that they called baby makers! regardless the given name it was delish! <br />
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then we were informed that we had been upgraded to the delux wing!!!!!!!!!! it was already turning into a fantastic trip. so we found our room, admiring the breathtaking views as we walked, and started to realize we were truly in paradise. our room contained a fridge stocked with water, diet soda, and jamaican red stripe beer, liquor dispensers filled with anything you could possibly need, a california king bed, and a balcony that overlooked the ginormous pool and the heavenly crystal blue caribbean sea. yes, we had most definitely found our paradise.<br />
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we changed into our bathingsuits and coverups, ate lunch then headed straight for the beach. being on the deluxe wing most definitely had its advantages - it was a LOT less crowded and we had no problem finding a perfect spot. here are a few images of the breathtaking beach -<br />
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time flew by and that continued every single day. the heat was indescribable and davids feet got scorched the first day. if you had no access to the beach or a pool i really have no clue how you could deal with type of weather... but we did have access... and we soaked it alllllll up! thankfully my spf 70 did its job keeping me from burning as bad as i normally would. the ocean was surrounded by natural reef that anyone could snorkel over and also had TON of swimming room. it amazed me because i absolutely do NOT swim in the ocean - atlantic or pacific. if i can't see my feet, im not going in! in mexico, the ocean was literally ALL reef so swimming wasnt much of an option, but here we pretty much stayed in the ocean all day long. <br />
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jamaicans sat on jet skis in the water trying to sell to all the tourists. they gave rides to people and one man even came out of the water with armloads of jewelry. we literally fell over laughing! they definitely work hard for their money! one man would go snorkeling every morning faaaaaar out over the reef and collected conk shells bigger than ive ever seen. he would swim his way up to shore and sell them... it amazed me!<br />
and everyday for us was the same - get up around 730 and have breakfast - go to the beach - lay out and read for about 20 minutes - get in the ocean and swim - walk up to the pool and hit the swim up bar - lay out some more and dry off (which took a whole two minutes) - have lunch at the jerk hut which is amazing - then do it all over again until the sun was gone. we would clean up and go have dinner then enjoy the resorts nightly entertainment. my favorite was reggae night.<br />
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another view of the amazing beach and the most beautiful view while having our morning coffee -<br />
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here are some photos of the amazing swimming pool featuring beds, tables by the swim up bars and an infinity pool.<br />
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on thursday night street vendors were let inside the resort to sell their goods. david got a bamboo cup hand carved with his name and i got a beautiful handmade turquoise bracelet. both items we will cherish forever!<br />
friday morning david took a sailing lesson for 20 bucks which lasted about 20 minutes, then we got to sail on our own. it was the most amazing part of the trip for my man! he insisted on being called captain the rest of the trip, and even named his boat the black pearl. being that far out, just us on a sailboat in the middle of the sea, was scary but super awesome. And of course he did it like a pro!<br />
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that afternoon, after hours of convincing him he would enjoy it, we kayaked. that was my highlight! i used to love kayaking and doing this on the caribbean sea pretty much made my life :-)<br />
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saturday we had an excursion planned to go to dunns river falls. it's a 600 foot waterfall that you climb, and it was way more strenuous than i had planned, but was so great. you got to fall backwards into deeper areas - slide down rocks like a water slide - and best, literally stand under the falls. it took about two hours and was worth every second.<br />
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we enjoyed more of the beautiful caribbean sea and snorkeled when we got back to the resort.... we had to enjoy every bit of sunshine that was left. thankfully our water camera had a few more snaps left so we got these priceless photos -<br />
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that evening we cleaned up (quickly) and headed back to the beach to take some more photos. we were already getting super depressed that it was our last night - it had seriously flown by.<br />
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sunday was our last day and we had to catch our bus at 10:30. we woke at 6:30, grabbed a carafe of coffee and a few pastries smeared with hot nutella and headed to the beach. we soaked in every second of sunshine we could and the views this early in the morning were breathtaking.<br />
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we swam our last swim in the ocean. it was a sad day and we were not ready to leave but it had to end at some point and we were seriously missing our pups. we checked out, got on the bus and were gone. it went so fast but we felt so incredibly grateful to have the time we did.<br />
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we also vowed that would not be the last time jamaica saw our faces! that's a fact.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-38744875823114654282012-05-04T08:59:00.000-04:002012-05-20T15:34:12.926-04:00tomato seedlingsto me gardening is like finding gold. it fulfills something in me that i cannot put in words. you pick a plant and bury it in the earth then watch it grow. but it all takes <i>your</i> time and <i>your</i> care, and the way <i>you</i> care for the plant determines its growth... it just all amazes me. then the food you get from what you have grown... amazing!<br />
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i have always gardened with already grown plants - the ones you buy at nurserys that are ready to be transplanted in the ground. it's quick and easy and convenient. i do use seeds for peas and beans, but a tomato plant is different. they take time... lots of time.<br />
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this year i wanted to test my green thumb at starting tomato seeds (again). a few years back i did this and was very neglectful of my seeds. i let them sprout and gave them water and light, but never got around to the transplant part. this season would be different.<br />
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i started with getting the seeds i wanted - organic black krim tomatoes and yellow pear tomatoes. i used a burpee seed starting kit to house the seeds. these kits are self explanatory and very easy to use.<br />
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after depositing the seeds into the tray, i watered them, placed the lid on, and kept them on a shelf away from direct sunlight. within one week they were starting to sprout. once all the tiny seedlings were showing, i removed the lid and placed them in front of a window - and here is where the magic happened! they kept growing and growing! once the sprouts started producing leaves, i thinned them out leaving only one sprout per square.<br />
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i continued to let them grow for a few weeks. tomato plants will eventually get there first 'true' set of leaves, and when that happened, i trimmed the bottom set of leaves away so all the nutrient supply would go to the real leaves, allowing the plant the nutrition it needed to grow. <br />
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you know your plant is healthy when the stalk looks 'hairy.'<br />
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some of my sprouts ended up falling over and dying, but the majority thrived!!!<br />
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i picked the best plant i had and transplanted it (<b>extremely carefully</b>) into a small pot.<br />
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i take the plant outside during the day when it's very warm to get some 'real' sun, but always bring it back indoors. our weather here has been a bit up and down, so for now the plant is staying inside in front of a large window.<br />
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and after 5 weeks of being transplanted, here is what she looks like today -<br />
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next step is to plant her in the ground!!!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-38696510435185678262012-04-27T09:08:00.000-04:002012-05-20T16:40:42.205-04:00a very special skirt {tutorial}if you know how to turn a sewing machine on, thread the bobbin, and sew a straight line - then you can make an elastic waistband skirt in literally minutes. there is really nothing to it! search pinterest for an elastic waist skirt and your options will be endless!<br />
with that said, i have been making these skirts and LOVING them! last winter i found a skirt a jcrew that i REALLLLLLLY wanted, but didn't want to spend the money on. i found a wool fabric that was very similar and made my own! saved myself 60 bucks!<br />
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last year when david's grandmother passed, everyone went through her home to take things that were special to them. mrs. betty was a crafter! she had OOODLES of fabric stashes and my precious husband brought those home to me! i was beyond excited to sew something with fabric that she had once used. in one of the stashes was a very pale pink fabric with tiny white roses on it. it had been ripped up and cut on, but there was about a 1/2 yard left in one piece.<br />
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here is the fabric -<br />
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so pink and girly!<br />
i decided to make the first skirt for ellie because we went to raleigh last weekend, and i could try it on her to make sure it fit properly.<br />
i put together a picture tutorial so you can make your own! i promise, it is so simple. i made this one in 25 minutes tops.<br />
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take the waist measurement of whoever the skirt will be for. in this case, the waist measurement was 19. i doubled that measurement and cut a 38 inch wide piece of fabric. a standard 3-4 toddler skirt is 8-9 inches in length, and i added an inch for the hem. so my starting fabric measured 38 x 10. with right sides facing together sew the open ends together creating a tube and press your seams flat with your iron.<br />
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so now you have a tube of fabric. next you will do the hem on the bottom of the skirt. fold down and press 1/4 inch all the way around the bottom of the fabric. then fold over 1/2 inch and press, pin, and sew. the double folds will prevent the skirt's hem from fraying.<br />
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all that is left is to add your elastic. take your first waist measurement (mine was 19) and cut your elastic to that width.<br />
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on the top of your skirt where the elastic will go, press 1/4 inch again then 1 inch if you are using 3/4 inch elastic (use your elastic as a measurement). if you want a wider elastic like 1 inch, then just make your fold .25 inches larger. pin and sew near the edge of your hem, leaving a 3 inch opening near the seam. this opening is where you will put your elastic through.<br />
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this is how your skirt should look -<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMmbEsP-988lIA0dGu8CALJfL0PPb1a_LyVli3YxrVVad8kkavCu3h2oX9hZaD0oW5WMwDnqO0CfrKwHHltcvj5TEwX3CcvRoX6ZesuzSTq3zI6cd5ytGdpBck_5CpK_DRNcFPI1iDBe-/s1600/DSC_0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMmbEsP-988lIA0dGu8CALJfL0PPb1a_LyVli3YxrVVad8kkavCu3h2oX9hZaD0oW5WMwDnqO0CfrKwHHltcvj5TEwX3CcvRoX6ZesuzSTq3zI6cd5ytGdpBck_5CpK_DRNcFPI1iDBe-/s640/DSC_0026.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
take your elastic and attach a large safety pin to one end. insert that safety pin through the opening you created in the hem and push it through until it comes out the other side.<br />
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sew the two ends of the elastic together with a zig zag stitch. i do this back and forth about 6 times to ensure it will not come apart.<br />
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once that is sewn, let the elastic go into the skirt and pull your waistband to separate all the gathers. sew the hem where the opening was, and you are finished!!!!<br />
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i was completely happy with this and it has so much meaning! ellie now has a skirt made with her great grandmothers fabric. fabric that she actually used to make something with herself. it's special and it's adorable. i can't wait to make more for all the girls! <br />
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i was so excited to put this adorable skirt on ellie and when i did, it was the perfect fit! here are some modeling photos of the beautiful ellie showing off her new skirt!<br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-62824370910874288382012-04-13T19:00:00.002-04:002012-05-20T15:14:54.075-04:00like father like son {DIY bow tie}my boys can sure sport a bow tie.<br />
these photos melt my heart!<br />
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i have been making these bow ties for awhile now and they look completely adorable on any sweet pup! <a href="http://prudentbaby.com/2010/04/baby-kid/how-to-make-a-bow-tie-2/">HERE</a> is where i found a fantastic tutorial explaining in detail how to sew one up in no time at all. i made a few changes since mine would be used on a dog instead of a child - i used velcro to secure the ends together and it works like a charm and goes right on top of ollie's collar.<br />
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another easy and adorable sewing project!<br />
enjoy :-)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-75866563739617695012012-04-09T15:44:00.001-04:002012-05-20T15:21:53.026-04:00girl day.<div style="text-align: center;">
i love having nieces.</div>
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seven to be exact!</div>
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last weekend we got to spend some quality time with reagan, alyssa, and ellie! ellie only stayed for one short day, but reagan and aly spent the whole weekend! </div>
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i took a million pictures throughout the weekend of these beautiful and amazing girls...</div>
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these are a few of my favorites!<br />
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and my very favorite... sweet sweet sisters! </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-16765686108005971572012-03-25T15:03:00.000-04:002012-05-20T15:41:41.919-04:00weekend roundupevery year when spring rolls around, things get busy.<br />
i'm thankful for that because i like to be busy!<br />
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i will start with atlanta.<br />
my husband had the fortune of living in this great city for years, so he knows all the whereabouts when we get to go. it is incredibly nice living only 2 hours away.... though it would be super to live even closer!<br />
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we met up with a great friend, brian mcsweeney, and spent the day at the sweetwater brewery! this turned out to be a great treat for us all! for only TEN bucks, you get a glass and a bunch of tickets. each ticket gets you a half-pour (more like a full glass!) and you drink in the sunshine. and it's BLUEBERRY beer! (my second fave to fat tire!)<br />
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it was a quick trip filled with great times, great food and great friends.<br />
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next up, i will state how extremely happy i am to be graced with this GLORIOUS weather we are having. it has truly been fantastic and we are SO ready for summer. our evenings our spent on our screened porch. doors have been open. dinner is cooked and eaten outside. it's just been great.<br />
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the photo below is grilled greek chicken. <a href="http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/greek-chicken-kabobs/">HERE</a> is where you will find the recipe. we ended up using chicken tenderloins and marinating them for 24 hours, and serving them with veggie kabobs. <br />
they. were. INCREDIBLE! <br />
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and what goes better with greek food than hummus?!?!<br />
david has been making homemade hummus and with this dish - it put it over the top!<br />
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here you will see another lovely dinner on another beautiful day. this one was tuna steak served with a vegetable medley. we marinate our tuna steaks in crushed pineapple, soy sauce and garlic, then grill it. it's so scrumptious that i could eat it every single day. try it and you'll see for yourself! <br />
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this past weekend was spent with my best friend in the world! crystal and her husband, justin, drove down so we could celebrate her 31'st birthday together! it was also st. patty's day, so we had a great night at <a href="http://thevelofellow.com/">the vello fellow</a>, a restaurant i absolutely adore. it's filled with reclaimed wood - the walls, the family style dining room tables... it's amazing!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-51887437277736813272012-03-16T18:12:00.000-04:002012-05-20T16:46:18.038-04:00new pup????<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygvSHSOVWYK0wB4k9iG4l0pEP0-fS5h-dTkkt6UsY4iZ8Srh3hWMr-B_GLww9ilPhZ7nYJt9YLVzib2-e2i8gVETQ9DvTsVlLHXSmxXOK5kUVHO2a-V5fvTRebe0rTTZSJiUNYESwe38r/s1600/DSC_0013+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygvSHSOVWYK0wB4k9iG4l0pEP0-fS5h-dTkkt6UsY4iZ8Srh3hWMr-B_GLww9ilPhZ7nYJt9YLVzib2-e2i8gVETQ9DvTsVlLHXSmxXOK5kUVHO2a-V5fvTRebe0rTTZSJiUNYESwe38r/s400/DSC_0013+2.jpg" width="265" /></a> <br />
she may look like a new pup.... </div>
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but it's just my same ole' sweet emmylou.</div>
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every year when the weather starts turning warm, we have our little princess groomed. </div>
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this girl is one hairy beast by the time this happens. </div>
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so hairy that you can't even see the collar around her neck. </div>
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here are a few befores -</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemSIMiNJ9WTkYVo9D_9DF8QgRMYI-sdghv6rD6TMmu6OoOBNiSk2TO71IrdiKD8dq-WCCT6fHsUOj3EpbFLRBXfp6cy15CcTHR-OOp8ikRgvJSls2kad24fwHdcGflpA2cXQgOQUUDRr2/s1600/DSC_0011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemSIMiNJ9WTkYVo9D_9DF8QgRMYI-sdghv6rD6TMmu6OoOBNiSk2TO71IrdiKD8dq-WCCT6fHsUOj3EpbFLRBXfp6cy15CcTHR-OOp8ikRgvJSls2kad24fwHdcGflpA2cXQgOQUUDRr2/s400/DSC_0011.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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and after -</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhX-a6xDW9w2d1ZhydmeA7Rde4u-KJN5NUNnlrC0PuyxhTLyYoXHxhQIuSA2W9Iv_FyNCN3GclPqASTCBwrgYo9CSpZmnp4mJrR5W_pe1z3H4dGamY1ZfMPtsfsgwbmZFKqX99YnfKKib/s1600/DSC_0022+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhX-a6xDW9w2d1ZhydmeA7Rde4u-KJN5NUNnlrC0PuyxhTLyYoXHxhQIuSA2W9Iv_FyNCN3GclPqASTCBwrgYo9CSpZmnp4mJrR5W_pe1z3H4dGamY1ZfMPtsfsgwbmZFKqX99YnfKKib/s400/DSC_0022+2.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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and that's my sweet girl. </div>
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she is still acting EXTREMELY prissy! it's adorable.</div>
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and of course, we couldn't leave out oliver... he had a bath, brush, ears cleaned and nails clipped... he was not nearly as excited as emme. </div>
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she looks SO much smaller next to him now! </div>
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and here is oliver standing watch in the middle of the back yard... he's my protector... even though we had a snake crawling through our yard this week and he cried like a baby to get inside... yes, 120 lbs of pure baby.... that's my boy! (that's all i will say about the snake... i'm trying to erase the memory from my head.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6a86F85QyEkVHc4HJRToblYmQzsjvZ5t1nIeRwXHUUiR2cka-sdtETHUYPLKEFhfIOr5EwF4weAP8MoF8NY964cYL21QyRuVbneFcVhyphenhyphen0_3O2YPBeUJhU0CrhruIqssc2l991qp2HYlRb/s1600/bubba2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6a86F85QyEkVHc4HJRToblYmQzsjvZ5t1nIeRwXHUUiR2cka-sdtETHUYPLKEFhfIOr5EwF4weAP8MoF8NY964cYL21QyRuVbneFcVhyphenhyphen0_3O2YPBeUJhU0CrhruIqssc2l991qp2HYlRb/s400/bubba2.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-82499540469744290532012-03-12T13:45:00.000-04:002012-05-20T15:46:01.806-04:00vacation is decided!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFVFCcWqW0AhEvU5KadYb6AkAB5i-XIar_bSRCnHy0OaiTG9N6y8R_hESQGdPpCUP8dUAEOJYbBMMT3HBGw1iCHxXClxCBEkmM0s3mJfU9iy5rOEU7xLdyQ2EKsCDwCjOpd69Ap54ld8f/s1600/1279854_5_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFVFCcWqW0AhEvU5KadYb6AkAB5i-XIar_bSRCnHy0OaiTG9N6y8R_hESQGdPpCUP8dUAEOJYbBMMT3HBGw1iCHxXClxCBEkmM0s3mJfU9iy5rOEU7xLdyQ2EKsCDwCjOpd69Ap54ld8f/s320/1279854_5_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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does that look good to you?</div>
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because it sure looks great to me! </div>
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every year around our anniversary we try to go somewhere.</div>
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we spent our honeymoon at a fabulous spa resort in mexico's riveria maya. </div>
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it. was. amazing.</div>
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seriously, there are just no words to describe the greatness of that vacation.</div>
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for our one year anniversary we spent a long weekend in charleston, sc. </div>
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last year on our second anniversary, david took me to chicago for a weekend and we ate and shopped and had a fantastic time! </div>
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and that brings us to our third year. we do realize that there will come a day that we won't be able to travel for our anniversary every year... but while we can, we are taking advantage of it.</div>
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so this year...... </div>
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WE ARE GOING TO JAMAICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!</div>
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i have ALWAYS wanted to go to jamaica. </div>
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not only do i LOOOOOOOOVE bob marley, but it's situated in the middle of a jungle and rain forest. </div>
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so yes, please! take me there!</div>
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ONE WEEK OF JAMAICA!</div>
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one week of bliss.</div>
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one ENTIRE week of no alarms, no watches, no agenda... only pure relaxation. </div>
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i can hardly wait.</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-48551771266932937442012-02-28T10:29:00.000-05:002012-05-20T16:07:00.189-04:00DIY wooden trays<div style="text-align: center;">
while browsing pinterest, i ran across this blog posting about a gal that made her own '<a href="http://www.acharmingnest.com/2011/07/little-trays.html">little wooden trays</a>,' and made it look as easy as pie. </div>
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i have been in a search for a tray big enough to hold our coffee pot and grinder, and after seeing this, we decided to make our own. </div>
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(david actually did all the work here, i just stained them!) </div>
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all we used was 1x6 boards for the bottom and 1x2 boards for the sides. we decided the length and width that we needed the bottoms to be and then framed with the 1x2 boards. it was simple and he had them both built in less than 30 minutes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVCimbPXbYprXMr1lWKgGQa2hOEJbLKGLOJE4-gB-Mj55W44m4GhgpO_ewEvdElBjav2K6AE5UccV48X0MKcCfHjSqZ-BCKwYuj3S5aC23sW9n0tcLZKIrGc8V80E8_BW94IEg8gboSyo/s1600/DSC_0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVCimbPXbYprXMr1lWKgGQa2hOEJbLKGLOJE4-gB-Mj55W44m4GhgpO_ewEvdElBjav2K6AE5UccV48X0MKcCfHjSqZ-BCKwYuj3S5aC23sW9n0tcLZKIrGc8V80E8_BW94IEg8gboSyo/s640/DSC_0080.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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he used wood glue as well as nails to attach the sides.</div>
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here is one of the trays all put together- </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvaSO7oYBum071ZobcnDFe-SG9kHEKphpjwjFgW9WA8LohTG0fWGTeVVJXp2zuD8g64lds28j-h7-v29VSCJ5yRzxlhkGYcXCJLsdJSOkn6-KVnilknWRBgAvN8xRrmDBBzD3Eevfwjer/s1600/DSC_0086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvaSO7oYBum071ZobcnDFe-SG9kHEKphpjwjFgW9WA8LohTG0fWGTeVVJXp2zuD8g64lds28j-h7-v29VSCJ5yRzxlhkGYcXCJLsdJSOkn6-KVnilknWRBgAvN8xRrmDBBzD3Eevfwjer/s640/DSC_0086.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
i used the steel wool/vinegar method to stain the trays. i still can't get over how this stain works. i had a jar from a previous project that had been sitting in my basement for nearly a month... the longer it sits the more color changes you will see. this time around my color had a bit of a gray tone which was perfect for this since i have a gray kitchen.<br />
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and here is the finished product-</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6xY_bggwnu_1VtIjtfX9udabFi13e72aIrX0US6qz5WodUBqnVmPfAAmk_pID_w2_bQeCQIi_bXEjqWT_7Xn-pD47IfdGwhzJPZ6_XntUtzYHCptXipS-QKri_WCsd-YpGj-Pv7ppm_I/s1600/DSC_0092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6xY_bggwnu_1VtIjtfX9udabFi13e72aIrX0US6qz5WodUBqnVmPfAAmk_pID_w2_bQeCQIi_bXEjqWT_7Xn-pD47IfdGwhzJPZ6_XntUtzYHCptXipS-QKri_WCsd-YpGj-Pv7ppm_I/s640/DSC_0092.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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looks just like old barn wood!</div>
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here is how the trays look in our kitchen. i think they fit perfectly and we are really happy how they turned out. </div>
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another simple and inexpensive project.</div>
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happy building! </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-22643472606163781032012-02-19T19:45:00.000-05:002012-05-20T15:44:43.998-04:00happiness is...a saturday that is a spectacular 65 degrees. and a day that you get <u><b>multiple</b></u> dates with your hunny.<br />
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it all began with buttermilk pancakes. (sigh)<br />
saturday's are our 'cheat' day on the diet... although this week we did pretty bad.<br />
anyways, we enjoyed pancakes and delish maple syrup along with a pot of christmas blend coffee. making friends with the local bucks crew has paid off this year... one cold december day, david went in for his regular cup of christmas blend and the guy lets him in on the buy one get one day nearly approaching... so of course when that day came, we bought four bags and got four free! it was a heavenly day filled with pounds and pounds of tasty coffee bean! truly - if you haven't had christmas blend, you MUST try it next season! <br />
we are down to the last bag. actually half way through the last bag. it's depressing. so that pot of coffee was pretty special to us.<br />
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after breakfast and couch lounging with the pups while catching up on our shows, we decided to hit the town. we got ready and headed into greenville to walk the streets and window shop. we ended up stopping at the local cupcake shop for lunch. (yes, cupcakes for lunch!)<br />
chocolate bottom and salted caramel... i think so!<br />
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then we did some shopping and scouted out all the amazing sales. here is where i feel <b>SO</b> lucky to have the relationship that i have. while in a dressing room trying on amazing green silky blouses that i <b>SO</b> badly need (<i>not</i>)... i can text my husband knowing that he will give me his honest opinion. he also helps talk me out of un-necessary purchases, although those are far and few between.<br />
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we then went on our final date to the movies, and ended the evening back home with an adorable little bottle of wine we picked up at trader joe's for six bucks... cheap and delish!<br />
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i. love. saturdays!<br />
and today was just as amazing.<br />
totally different - there was no running around, but there was lots and lots of couch lounging and tv watching and pinterest surfing. oh, and blog writing!<br />
weekends are just good. period. <br />
<br />
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HOPE EVERYONE HAD A WONDERFUL WEEKEND FILLED WITH HAPPINESS! </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-20276987075822295002012-02-15T13:05:00.001-05:002012-05-20T16:56:15.755-04:00my funny valentine.i feel like i<i> <b>am</b></i> one of the girls who are just <i><b>not</b></i> that into valentines day. i don't dislike it... but i don't love it either.<br />
<br />
yes, it's a sweet day.<br />
it's fun. (can be)<br />
it's always nice to be recognized and feel loved and be showered with gifts.<br />
<br />
but to be honest, i feel that way everyday. i have a fantastic relationship and feel that we show our love and appreciation everyday, not just on v-day.<br />
<br />
with that said - i do get that it is one day of the year that is 'showy' and cute and playful... and whatever else you want to make it. david tells me that he believes i like it more than i let on...<br />
maybe he is right?!?! whatev ;-)<br />
a dozen roses on v-day would bring me as much excitement as watching the NFL highlights. plus, i married a man that would never bring me roses unless the occasion was a once in a lifetime... example - the night he proposed. it was magical and such a surprise. a candlelit path leading the way to our favorite picnic table at a nearby lake that we spent SO many nights becoming 'us.' a dozen red roses sat in the middle of the table and he handed them to me after i said YES! that is the definition of romantic!!!!!!! ahhhh.<br />
now when i get flowers, he brings me wildflowers, and mixes of all different beautiful blooms... all things that i love so much. and this happens any day of the year.<br />
<br />
so that leads to me to...<br />
reasons that i <b><i>did</i></b> love feb. 14th this year...<br />
i got an early v-day present... a beautiful and elegant white orchid that is absolutely lovely on my dining room table. <br />
i had to work 12 hours (dislike) and my gorgeous and sweet hunk of a man HAND-delivered this to me during my very long and BUSY BUSY workday - (along with my favorite chocolate bar!)<br />
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and after that crazy workday was over - we decided to cheat our diets (since we already blew it with the chocolate) and go out for dinner. well apparently, every couple in the united states goes to dinner on v-day (who woulda thought it)...<br />
but everyone wanted the same sweet little italian place that we LOVE...<br />
it. was. slammed.<br />
had we waited, we would have probably been served at midnight. then v-day would be over.<br />
so off we went to mexican... our go-to!<br />
<u><i><b>and here is where the story turns. </b></i></u><br />
david left his wallet in his work pants and realized it when we were 15 minutes away from home. i said, "no worries babe, i have mine." we're married... money is money... come on.<br />
so we are seated at the restaurant. we order our food and are waiting when i get into my purse to hunt for my phone. while digging through, i realize i don't see my wallet. it's huge and red and should be right in the middle of my extra large bag... but it's not. i continue to search, determined that the wallet is just buried. but it's not. it's on the kitchen counter at home. <br />
<br />
so back to the house david drove to get a wallet... once he returned, our waitress (so super sweet) warmed the food and we enjoyed a delish meal and had quite the laugh over the whole ordeal.<br />
i mean, we both forget our wallets. seriously. <br />
<br />
and then there was this - <br />
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in the mailbox was this envelope addressed to me. i opened it to find a box of russell stover coconut clusters. no card. no name.... but i knew!<br />
growing up, we would wake up on valentines day, and on the front table in the living room would sit 5 boxes of russell stover's chocolates. one for the four of us girls, and one for my mom... all from my dad. me and my sister, michelle, would have cocounut clusters. the rest would have assortments of different chocolates. we would have a few for breakfast, go to school, and come back to half the boxes being gone.... my dad's a smart man! never bought one for himself... just snacked on ours :)<br />
<br />
so maybe david is right... maybe i do like v-day. heck, maybe i love it?!?! who knows....<br />
it just seems that each year it gets better and better.<br />
and i can assure you, next year wherever we are and wherever we go, we WILL NOT FORGET THE WALLETS!<br />
<br />
since it was a fun day, here are a few of my favorite pics of my sweet valentine-<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJ9nuHqBogs705RdgIq_U1Mwt1aSF_IYcCYLEoM5MG-5wLzg68wgWMnksbAdQoCY9-vBuOYulq75sQL8IYHD4Bjy0FIMsaA24jvUVbX3Hc5swIEqPTODNe3saZariFKa5rx2p3PyOdV97/s1600/224022_1078753812082_1323364756_215894_3903_n-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJ9nuHqBogs705RdgIq_U1Mwt1aSF_IYcCYLEoM5MG-5wLzg68wgWMnksbAdQoCY9-vBuOYulq75sQL8IYHD4Bjy0FIMsaA24jvUVbX3Hc5swIEqPTODNe3saZariFKa5rx2p3PyOdV97/s640/224022_1078753812082_1323364756_215894_3903_n-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(photos taken by sarah beaty) <a href="http://www.eyerisphotography.com/">eyerisphotography.com </a></i></div>
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<b>i truly hope everyone had an amazing valentines day - and spent it with someone you dearly love! i feel like the luckiest gal in the entire world. </b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-69105853449915748432012-02-12T11:49:00.000-05:002012-05-20T17:00:54.847-04:00dreamin' of summertime.mother nature brought the most amazing february temperatures last week. we actually reached seventy one afternoon and that is reallllllllllllllllly making
me long for summer. especially considering this week we dropped in the 20's at night. not cool.<br />
<br />
it is so amazing having a screened in porch - when we are graced with a beautiful and warm day, we leave the doors open and oliver LOVES it... i swear that boy would just lay there all day long.<br />
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and sweet emme getting a good dose of sunshine from the window.<br />
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if you know me, then you know that i get the <b>MOST</b> joy from summer gardening. last year we produced
an abundance of vegetables and herbs, and every morning I would wake and immediately
run outside to see what was new... i really miss that! <br />
<br />
i'm ready to get
back to the seven pm sunshine instead of hustling at 5pm to walk the
pups in the last bit of lightness left.<br />
i'm ready to plant and grow and
eat freshness!<br />
i'm ready to get my hands dirty!<br />
<br />
currently, we have 8 jars of tomato sauce left and one container of pesto... then it's all gone.<br />
<br />
for the time being, my indoor basil plant by the kitchen window brings joy to my day -<br />
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and my beautiful orchid, an early valentines gift from my precious
hubby, brings me many smiles as I walk past her throughout the day -<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwcgu6HpnpRpGMEm87jRA_L_GbMrFdjm2HHm6hbZF4xFqTTKZOf4ObhdJe3OjbD8TsfHUAZ3-qBTEF3jHBBzRqfOfLSzsEVOJtKahgjFk1EwfLvFQHYYkFn0OGys1Iv3XJaoeSfx3qaNN/s1600/photo-210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwcgu6HpnpRpGMEm87jRA_L_GbMrFdjm2HHm6hbZF4xFqTTKZOf4ObhdJe3OjbD8TsfHUAZ3-qBTEF3jHBBzRqfOfLSzsEVOJtKahgjFk1EwfLvFQHYYkFn0OGys1Iv3XJaoeSfx3qaNN/s640/photo-210.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
and the camellia tree in the back yard is producing the most beautiful blooms - <br />
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so yes, i am desperately longing for spring and summer.<br />
i'm dreaming of tomatoes and
squash and boatloads of fresh basil.<br />
i'm longing to run outside without
the sting of cold running through my chest.<br />
i'm ready to swing in the
hammock and read a book.<br />
i'm ready for our third anniversary trip that
we plan to make the BEST yet!<br />
and i'm ready for our family vacations this summer - one to the amazing beach house in north carolina, and a cruise to the bahamas!!!!<br />
<br />
who could ever possibly think of a better time of year than summer?!?!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-69883481256254755642012-02-07T09:12:00.000-05:002012-05-20T17:28:15.548-04:00birthday party a huge successwe had been planning on a having a get-together since moving into our new house. so for david's birthday we had the perfect reason to do just that!<br />
with everything in the house cleaned and presentable, all that was left to do was the cooking/baking.<br />
<br />
on the day of the party, we woke and had our morning pot of coffee, then got to work in the kitchen. we had a list ready and a plan, but little did we know - we would be in the kitchen cooking and baking for EIGHT hours! seriously. ugh.<br />
it was all because of a cake. i found <a href="http://annies-eats.com/2011/09/16/dark-chocolate-salted-caramel-layer-cake/">THIS</a> on pinterest and thought it would be the perfect birthday cake for my man. it looked somewhat complicated but super tasty, and i figured i could do it. well, he ended up helping me because it was way more complicated than it appears, but we got it done. <br />
so - we will start with the cake.<br />
it is three dark chocolate layers with a salted caramel buttercream filling between those layers, and a dark chocolate frosting. this cake was the most expensive cake i've ever made - so i would NOT mess it up!<br />
i started with making the cake. that was the easiest part. just mix your dry and wet ingredients and fill up three round cake pans - bake and cool.<br />
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once the three cakes were finished we started on the buttercream caramel filling. this part made me nervous. you start by making caramel. once that is finished and cooling you make a meringue, then add those together and you have your filling. sounds easy, right?!? not so much.<br />
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making the caramel. lots of stirring and lots of close watching to make sure it doesn't burn.<br />
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the cooled salted caramel. thick and delicious! next you whisk egg whites and sugar in a double boiler until it reaches 160 degrees then add it to your mixer and whisk it until it forms peaks...<br />
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add your caramel to that and you have your buttercream caramel filling. and my lord, did it taste amazing!!!!! really really amazing.<br />
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theeeennnnnn... you make your frosting. (at this point we were wondering if baking this dang cake would ever end!) over your double boiler you melt dark chocolate... lots of dark chocolate.<br />
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mix up confectioners sugar and butter in your mixer and add your chocolate to that... and you have frosting. very rich and very good! only thing left was to assemble.<br />
we used a lazy susan as our cake stand because frosting a cake on a spinner is just the way to go! lay your bottom layer out and add half the buttercream caramel filling on that. then top with another layer, add the rest of the filling and top with the third layer of cake.<br />
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after i had all the layers put together i used a serrated knife to even out all the edges. then i iced the entire cake with the dark chocolate frosting.<br />
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and finally, after hours and hours of baking this thing... it was finished! here is what the inside looked like when cut...<br />
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nevermind the fact that this cake took all day to make. forget that it cost nearly 40 bucks to make... that wasn't even CLOSE to being my man's favorite gift... but this was - new dexter tshirt from his best friend!<br />
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so that was the cake. it was really heavenly, but it was truly a nightmare to make. if you adore being in the kitchen all day long and baking complicated recipes such as this, then this is most definitely the cake for you! i realize we were trying to accomplish baking and cooking an entire list of things, so that has a LOT to do with the time spent and all the frustration - yet, all was worth it! <br />
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our new chalkboard was on display for all to see what we were serving that night.<br />
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i really love our new chalkboard!<br />
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for the other things we served at the party...<br />
red velvet brownies with white chocolate buttercream frosting!!!!!! my favorite item of the night and easy to make! <a href="http://smells-like-home.com/2011/06/red-velvet-brownies-with-white-chocolate-buttercream-frosting/">HERE</a> is where you will find the recipe. <br />
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i had fun frosting these little bite sized brownies... just put my icing in a zip-lock and snipped one of the corners, then went to town!<br />
chicken puffs - <a href="http://tidymom.net/2009/garlic-chicken-puffs-christmas-party/">HERE</a> is the recipe for these. SUPER SUPER simple to make and seriously DELISH!<br />
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antipasto kabobs - recipe found <a href="http://www.thehungryhousewife.com/2011/02/antipasto-kabobs.html">HERE</a>. these were realllllllllllly good and really simple. and i realized that tortellini marinated in balsamic vinaigrette is pretty much the greatest thing i've ever tasted.<br />
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ham and cheese sliders - recipe <a href="http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/04/ham-and-cheese-sliders.html">HERE</a>.<br />
crock pot meatballs with homemade BBQ sauce. GOOOOOOOOOOOD! recipe <a href="http://www.justcookalready.com/2011/02/superbowl-crock-pot-meat-balls.html">HERE</a>. <br />
spinach artichoke dip served with pita crisps and tortilla chips - our go to recipe <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/02/spinach-and-artichoke-dip-recipe.html">HERE</a>.<br />
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pomegranate-champagne punch with lemon and mint. not only is this punch beautiful, it tastes amazing! i filled up a bundt cake pan with water and froze it to make a huge ice cube. recipe <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2007/12/pomegranate_champagne_punch">HERE</a>.<br />
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i added mint leaves right before serving. at the end of the night, i ate the pomegranate seeds. they were yummy when soaked up in champagne and rum! <br />
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very happy with how the party turned out and we had a really good time! it was a ton of work and i barely had enough time to get ready before people started showing up... but it was all worth it!<br />
happy birthday to my sweet husband! love him so freaking much! <br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-36604201626942918412012-01-31T10:15:00.000-05:002012-05-20T15:56:59.444-04:00DIY couch pillows = practically new couch!i have seriously been searching MONTHS (literally) for the perfect fabric to make couch pillow covers, and a few weeks ago, i FINALLY found it! it was perfect, exactly what i wanted, and i fell in love as soon as i saw it. even better, it was half off the regular price - and that's a good thing... upholstery fabric is pricey! my current couch pillows were in desperate need of updating. some of the corners were pulling apart... just bad.<br />
here is a photo of the lovely fabric - it's a suzani print which is my absolute favorite.<br />
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the fabric with the blue birds was what i used to make throw pillows for my sister. she made a headboard and covered it with this fabric and had a ton of leftover..... so she sent the fabric to me and now she has two lovely pillows to match her beautiful headboard.<br />
back to the couch pillows -<br />
i have 7 couch pillows. yes, seven! we have a huge couch and a chair and a half, so i had a lot of work ahead of me. plus i was adding zippers to all the covers because i needed them to be washable. zippers are simple to add in, but can be confusing at the same time.<br />
so here was my solution to that... once all three sides of my pillows were sewed up (right sides together, of course), it was time to sew in the zippers. my computer sat open right beside my sewing machine, and i followed step by step instructions so i wouldn't mess anything up! once you get the first one down pat, you've got it from there. the next six pillows were a breeze.<br />
to save me loads of time, i cut fabric for all the pillows, sewed up three sides together on all the pillows, leaving only the zippers to be sewn. when you are working with a zipper you have to switch the foot on your sewing machine. then once the zipper is in place, you have to switch back to the regular sewing foot and sew the edges closed. just lots of switching! but all worth it!<br />
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after i got all the zippers sewed in, i took the old pillows and stuffed them into the new covers, zipped them up, and fell in love with my new 'old' couch all over again!<br />
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it really makes it look like a brand new couch! i'm so happy and all those many months of searching has finally paid off.<br />
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i believe oliver is enjoying the new pillows more than we are...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-48215272545392720312012-01-27T21:04:00.000-05:002012-01-27T21:04:09.607-05:00PLEASE HELP MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!!Have you ever caught a glimpse of something in you that was a spark,
that needed the encouragement, support, and belief in others to help
bring it burning bright into the world? Sure you have! Are you a
parent? Found someone to share life with that makes life a little more
amazing? Maybe its your job... Maybe it was just the better part of who
you were... Life somehow works a little bit better with the support of
community. This is why <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brianmcsweeney/brian-mcsweeneys-first-solo-album">kickstarter</a> is such an important opportunity for
you as a supporter - and for those talented enough to create and
inspire us all. Something is ignited in you when you support another
person trying to share their spark with the world. <br />
<br />
this is a call to anyone reading this to <span style="font-size: large;"><b>PLEASE HELP!</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>brian mcweeney</i> </b><span style="font-size: small;">is a musician in nashville, tn, and has just launched his music project on kickstarter. </span></span><br />
in his own words... <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"If you are not familiar with Kickstarter, it is a platform that allows
you to financially support artists and creators of all kinds. You
are the modern day patron of art, and your contributions will literally produce this album - making you part of a
movement that says “we can do this … together, but on our own”.<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">"</span><b> </b></span></blockquote>
not only is <i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>brian mcsweeney</b></span></i> a wildly amazing musician - he is super fantastic, generous, kind, sweet, funny, a lifelong friend to my husband... and he sang at my wedding :)<br />
<br />
check out his kickstarter page and help get his project up and running + with any contribution over $5 that you KINDLY make, you will receive a treasure!<br />
<br />
every dollar counts...<br />
no contribution is too small! I know, I know - the economy is bad, blah blah - you got something to give... Even if all you have to give is spreading the word for others to find this amazing musician and to support him!<br />
<br />
click <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brianmcsweeney/brian-mcsweeneys-first-solo-album">HERE</a></span> to see brian's video and a hear a sample of his magnificent music that <b><i>YOUR</i></b> generous donation will help to make possible.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>a huge thanks to everyone!</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-26393350657972215592012-01-27T08:15:00.001-05:002012-05-20T16:12:32.876-04:00DIY chalkboard time<div style="text-align: center;">
everyone has the chalkboard craze on pinterest, including myself. </div>
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there are 85 billion pins on how to make your own chalkboard, and how to turn frames into a chalkboard, add labels to your jars with chalk paint - it's endless. and it's genius. </div>
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so finally i put use to a picture that was purchased when we first moved in together in huntington, wv. this picture has been sitting in a closet wrapped in paper since we moved to south carolina. </div>
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i unwrapped the brown packing paper and cleaned the glass. i used painters tape to wrap the entire frame and then went outdoors to spray the glass with chalkboard spray paint!<br />
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i did as the can said - multiple small thin coats.</div>
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i believe i ended up doing three coats and after all is said and done, i wish i would have done a few more. </div>
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after spraying i took the frame on the porch to dry overnight.<br />
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i also laughed at my silly hubby sporting his superman shirt.<br />
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isn't he just adorable :) </div>
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back to the chalkboard!</div>
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the next day i took my new chalkboard inside and 'primed' it up. i read multiple blogs stating to do this... you use the side of the chalk to rub all over the frame and this acts as a primer. leave it on for a few then wipe it off.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNT2KWNf4tY3ZU61r9whYFWFysaWaINK1ebDGs_PQVvZ3SVUjeta-DNI3l-gP0fGajIfI35RH7emLRSJXQ4Y8so-ccU16o7A_DKNJfwp1yudlhH2rBMKm826Zv33XTmdTwdlCIQ6YUUoUO/s1600/DSC_0020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNT2KWNf4tY3ZU61r9whYFWFysaWaINK1ebDGs_PQVvZ3SVUjeta-DNI3l-gP0fGajIfI35RH7emLRSJXQ4Y8so-ccU16o7A_DKNJfwp1yudlhH2rBMKm826Zv33XTmdTwdlCIQ6YUUoUO/s640/DSC_0020.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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after wiping all that dusty chalk off, we tested it out and it was exactly like a real chalkboard! all from a cheap can of spray paint that i purchased at hobby lobby!</div>
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this was my first go at it -</div>
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and this was david's</div>
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and what we settled on ~</div>
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i love my new chalkboard. it was fun and super easy to make! </div>
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so go make one! </div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-80042490088842358132012-01-22T12:28:00.000-05:002012-05-20T17:50:51.829-04:00{creating a home}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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we have the most lovely 'real' wood burning fireplace framed with a beautiful mantle and ginormous mirror. it is most definitely the highlight of our living room. </div>
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with that said, i needed my mantel to be decorated... really good. </div>
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i have always had a love for mercury glass. the way a light shines through and creates different effects by the discolored markings in the glass... it's just lovely. so i started with that idea - mercury glass. </div>
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pinterest has been overloaded with mercury glass DIY projects, but on a shopping trip one day i found a boatload of treasures! this was one project i would pass on and buy instead. </div>
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marshalls, home goods, and tj maxx - THANK YOU! </div>
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here's a few images of our mantel.</div>
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see how the light glows... i love it!<br />
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that white hand looks freakishly real in this photo... its only ceramic!<br />
and at night with a fire burning in the fireplace -<br />
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i'm obsessed with this lamp. mercury glass bottom and burlap/linen shade. doesn't get much better than that. it puts out minimal lighting which is perfect for our living room full of windows.<br />
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the buddha sits happily on our favorite piece of furniture in the house, the custom built console table!<br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-42396450621619844472012-01-16T14:49:00.000-05:002012-05-20T17:56:06.149-04:00DIY wood stain for a DIY wall shelfwhile shopping around savannah, georgia, a super fantastic town, i picked up three ADORABLE elephant wall hooks. i have been wanting <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/176484879117262317/">THIS</a> shelf from anthropologie - but the price tag was too much for me to pay when i have the means to make nearly the exact same thing myself.<br />
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the idea of making my own stain was also very appealing to me... so i did just that with a few simple and cheap ingredients - vinegar and steel wool.<br />
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i took a glass mason jar and put one piece of steel wool in the bottom, then poured vinegar over it until it was covered. i sealed the jar up and let it sit for 2 days.<br />
we had a scrap piece of lumber and cut it to the size we needed. here is what untreated lumber looks like... brand spankin' new wood. not pretty.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2GxcZGTJjDgL3hoUrearqqsfc49k51WhlMXbWw7mNtCBC2YlnfrHqgSd64GE8Dt7UbSG-u-x06ljGk7rZoCHpT5WILm_vELVK2DnsVD99fdzCE__tNaKrbXXBSslfHWC-aLw0HKeEgVT/s1600/DSC_0064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2GxcZGTJjDgL3hoUrearqqsfc49k51WhlMXbWw7mNtCBC2YlnfrHqgSd64GE8Dt7UbSG-u-x06ljGk7rZoCHpT5WILm_vELVK2DnsVD99fdzCE__tNaKrbXXBSslfHWC-aLw0HKeEgVT/s400/DSC_0064.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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we laid the board out on our workbench and with a sponge paintbrush we applied a coat of the steel wool/vinegar stain. it went on clear. i read that it needs drying time to allow the stain to soak, and as it dries the wood darkens. welllllll... IT DID JUST THAT! before it was completely dry i added a second coat of stain.<br />
after 24 hours, here is what our brand new piece of lumber looked like...<br />
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i couldn't believe my eyes. it was the aaaaaagggggeeeeed barnwood look that i dream about decorating my entire household with. and the more coats you apply, the darker the wood becomes. perfect.<br />
we finished the wood with minwax finishing paste (use that stuff on everything!)and then pre-drilled holes for our elephant hooks and screwed them in. <br />
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and there you have it... a wall shelf that cost less than a fraction of the anthro shelf, and its made with your own hands... much more special! we have our new shelf hanging next to the door that keeps our coats and the pups leashes. it is super convenient, super adorable, and i absolutely adore it!!!<br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-52736445496497318982012-01-09T10:47:00.000-05:002012-05-20T18:05:06.979-04:00{weekend in savannah}<div style="text-align: center;">
i. love. savannah.</div>
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and when you add the beaty's to a weekend spent in savannah... you have perfection! </div>
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here a few reasons that i <b>love</b> savannah -</div>
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you can walk around town with a drink in hand. and by drink - i mean alcoholic.</div>
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the shopping is fantastic.</div>
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the food is even better.</div>
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savannah moss is the prettiest thing i've ever seen.</div>
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it's a 'haunted' town, so you can rent a hearse and take a ghost tour!<br />
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this is sarah... she is completely fabulous, and she is pregnant with twins!!!!<br />
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shopping at the paris market. if i won the lottery, this is the first place i would go to decorate my home. it's a warehouse of fabulous home goods.</div>
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now to discuss the hearse tour. </div>
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<a href="http://www.hearseghosttours.com/">HERE</a> is the website with all the information you will need. </div>
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if you are ever in savannah and have the time to take this tour, ask for lunatic laura. </div>
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she MADE the tour! even made pit stops along the way to stop for drinks! </div>
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and here was our hearse...</div>
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{best. picture. ever.}</div>
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the ghost tour was definitely the highlight of our trip.</div>
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i wish every SINGLE weekend was a getaway with friends :) </div>
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silly, fuzzy hats</div>
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love her so much!</div>
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hope this inspires someone to go to the lovely savannah, and take a ride in a hearse!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4945207049882907485.post-6229656193271814542012-01-06T10:00:00.000-05:002012-05-20T18:17:44.802-04:00what christmas really means...christmas to me is all about family.<br />
seeing all my nieces and nephews light up with every gift handed their way is priceless. <br />
we have 9 nieces and nephews... nine! so there are loooooots of gifts!<br />
<br />
this christmas i was ready to be home! i miss my family so much and anytime we travel home i am just filled with excitement.<br />
here are some images of our family, and the joy we all share together during the holidays-<br />
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lauren getting cool-whipped in the mouth. my favorite thing about this photo is my moms face! hilarious :)<br />
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a christmas ornament that speaks volume. needless to say, there will never be a greater meaning to any decoration my momma displays!<br />
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the complete joy of my heart... ella, ava, lauren, ethan (holding amos), christian, and savannah.<br />
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my family. couldn't go a day without them. me, brooke, dad, mom, missi, and michelle.<br />
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brooke and derek, and their newest addition, amos.<br />
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amos sleeping on his momma's stocking... such a precious pup!<br />
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and my little christmas angel, emmylou. she thinks she is hot stuff when she gets to 'wear' anything... even if it is just a red velvet bow!<br />
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the sisters stockings... the same stockings since we were born. mine is the santa claus on the end and i love it so much! my mom does SO good filling our stockings, and always has. notice the philosophy boxes sitting in front of each one... see what i mean! there was also philosophy inside... doesn't get any better than that!<br />
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my love... on christmas, and every other day of the year!<br />
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nana jane and reagan baking gingerbread cupcakes... and oliver trying to help in any way possible.<br />
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beautiful reagan and her masterpiece.<br />
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aly, reagan, and ellie - all just the sweetest little girls!<br />
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SOOOOOOO ready to open gifts! <br />
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skyping mark and anita and all the california family!<br />
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hope everyone's holiday was as fun as ours!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311768232640485234noreply@blogger.com0