Pink Flowers Pretty

I Like Leelou

2010-01-09T11:37:00.004-05:00

Leelou Swag has another great giveaway. I'm blogging about it here so I can get another shot at winning her prize of a complimentary design. I don't have the time to make a more attractive header for this here bloggity blog, but it sure does need one!

Leelou Swag

2010-01-04T12:08:00.002-05:00

If you aren't already familiar with Leelou, you are missing out. Not only can you pick up great digital designs at Leelou Blogs, but she's now added a great new site called Leelou Swag! Right now you can enter for a chance to win free Send Out Cards, a handy new concept. Go here to check it out... Leelou Swag: Send Out Cards.

Holiday Wish List Meme

2009-12-04T07:58:00.003-05:00

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme
TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?

new Cricut cutting mats
a year's supply of adhesive (I use a lot of adhesive!)
three extra hours per day
a clean house, that stays clean
a complete thought

2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?

a scarf from my sister-in-law last year. I'm wearing right now.
3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?

I tried to make an apron for a dear friend last year. It was a disaster. I tried to fix it all year for this Christmas. No dice. Just so you know, it was not just a simple apron. Don't want you thinking I'm completely incapable, just mildly incapable. I gave up and bought one.
4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?

a bike, of course.

5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?

Legos
fact books
music
Wii Mario Bros
golf clubs
Mr. Men stuff

6. What is your favorite holiday food?

Aunt Delora's fruit salad

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?

cards, tags, a book for my brother
8. What is your favorite holiday movie?

Elf & Christmas Vacation

9. Favorite holiday song?

I can't sing the Friendly Beasts without crying. I don't know why, probably because I am a complete dork.
10. Favorite holiday pastime?

hot chocolate and talking with my boys before bedtime.

Pumpkin Cake Balls

2009-10-29T12:32:00.003-04:00

I hate to be misleading. I should point out that these cake balls merely look like pumpkins. Inside they are totally devil's food, because that's what the family asked for. Actually, they only asked for chocolate cake balls. They didn't much care what was on the outside so long as it was candy coated. In a house full of boys, I was the only one who felt the need to turn them into pumpkins. In fact, my husband wondered who I was giving them to. When I replied, "uh, you!", he was a bit surprised.

My boys were patient with me, though, while I hunted down the sold out orange candy melts. I finally found some at JoAnn's and bought their last two bags. I found a squeeze bottle that allows you to do details like the stem, leaves, and vine. The squeeze bottle was much trickier than I thought. At first it squeezed out way to freely, then suddenly the candy cooled and hardened in the nozzle. Anyway, they looked enough like pumpkins to make me happy, and they tasted enough like cake coated in candy to make my family happy. It was a win win situation. Except that this photo is too dark. I used my homemade light box, but one of the bulbs burned out. Bummer.

Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-10-14T12:32:00.002-04:00

Oh. My. Goodness! She's at it again!

Just look at this gorgeous costume. I can't believe someone has the patience and skill to complete something like this and then give it away! Mainly because all of my sewing projects involve throwing things and saying words I don't want my children to hear. If you have a little girl, or know a little girl, you need to skedaddle on over to Grosgrain and get in on this giveaway!

Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!

Wow! Do You Need One of These?

2009-09-30T16:37:00.003-04:00

I came across this giveaway at Splitcoast Stampers. If you are looking for a way to manage all your bits of this and that, you ought to enter. Who knows, you might WIN!

This is the fabulous little bit of storage heaven that is up for grabs...

The Original Scrapbox

Isn't she a beauty? Almost makes me wish I hadn't finished my girly room. GO HERE TO ENTER! Hurry, giveaway ends October 9th. Since I'm not entering, I really, really hope one of you wins! If you do, please let me hear your excitement!

Balloon Shoes

2009-09-22T20:32:00.002-04:00

These feet belong to one of the sweetest girls in the universe, Carmen. She graciously agreed to model her balloon flip-flops for me. Of course, when I saw them I immediately loved them and I may have been just a teensy bit pushy about getting a photo.

I'm never going to wrestle a pair of these on the feet of my boys, but then, that's a good thing. I will get the chance to make four pair for my nieces in the upcoming years, so it's all good. Just grab a pair of inexpensive flip-flops and tie little balloons along the straps. What a cinch! Super easy, but looks like a party, you just can't beat that for summer time fun!

The Do-It-All Woman Does It Again

2009-07-15T00:26:00.007-04:00

Who doesn't love The Pioneer Woman? If you don't you obviously haven't spent any time stalking her blog, which is a great big mix of kids, cooking, picture-taking, looking at pretty things, and education, with enough chit-chat and romance thrown in to make you feel like you're just hanging out with your favorite friend and neighbor.

I came across her blog a while back when I somehow landed on her post about Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies. I stuck around a while to see what other great recipes there were. Then I happened onto her serialized tale of romance. It kept me busy getting up to date on that one. Toss in her Smartypants Quizzes and fabulous giveaways and what's not to love?

I know I'm not alone, though. Each post generates reader comments in the thousands. Sometimes ten thousand. Whew, that is big!

Anyway, to make this long story short, PW has started a new site called Tasty Kitchen. I like it. It's a great spot for recipes and food ideas. I like goodreads.com and it's a bit like a goodreads for cooks. If you have an interest, go have a peek at her Tasty Kitchen now.

My Girly Room Revision

2009-07-03T22:59:00.003-04:00

I love my girly room. In a house full of boys it is a necessity. Almost a year ago I posted about My Girly Room. Today is just a little update. I got rid of the enormous desk that I was using. It was so big and bulky and not at all pretty. I replaced it with a very attractive, white writing desk, which I love. It came with a bronze drawer pull that I didn't love, so I ran over to Target and picked up a blue glass pull. Perfect.

Then I stumbled onto this rolling... thing at the Christmas Tree Shop. I don't know exactly what you would call it, but I call it nine perfect square places to put things.

With these two changes I am loving my girly room more than ever. It definitely pays to wait until you find exactly what you are looking for. It also pays to find them in places that are pretty cheap.

Marseilles Dress SHABBY APPLE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-06-05T08:26:00.001-04:00

Marseilles Dress SHABBY APPLE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

I was really thrilled to see this fantastic dress and immediately headed over to the Shabby Apple website. I love these dresses! I am tired of having to adjust and safety pin and worry about whether it's all holding in place. The point of these great dresses is that everything that is supposed to be covered up stays that way. Without any extra effort from me. Hallelujah!

My Amanda Purse

2009-05-14T13:36:00.003-04:00

I have a good friend who has a lovely daughter by the name of Amanda. Amanda is one of those creative types, you know, the type I LOVE! Anyway, she puts together these great looking purses and totes. She makes them with...... placemats! A couple handles, some beading, and there it is. I love mine and use it all the time. She makes all types of sizes and styles. When she decides to go internet I will let you know and you can get one for yourself. If you can't wait that long, I will see about putting you in touch.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2009-05-14T12:46:00.007-04:00

I really hate winter. There is some beauty in a sunny winter day with snow brightening up the landscape, but we don't get that much. We mostly have dark, cloudy, gray, depressing days all winter. I don't do well with cloudy days, I really don't do well with dark mornings, and I really, really hate the cold. So it is with great anticipation that I watch for the signs of spring. I was so happy when they came that I immediately began anticipating the signs of summer. It's almost here. The backyard is green and the grass is soft and cool on the feet. The flowers are blooming and the trees have filled in.

Following are a few of the stars of my backyard right now.

I have always been crazy about foxglove. I have envy issues with the northwest where it grows like weeds in ditches. But if I can accept that it's mainly an annual here, I can be happy. Isn't it lovely?

waiting for the foxglove to quit showing off are some tiger lillies, and further back is Solomon Seal. Understated, but very pretty.

I put two of these dahlias in a big container with a mix of other flowers and foliage. Right now, though, it's the dahlia that is taking the stage.

The unsung heroes of my garden. I tend to think of them as space fillers, but when I get in close I love, love them just for who they are.

I love a bright green tree against a bright blue sky.

peonies are getting ready, it won't be long...

I don't remember what this is! I just planted it a few weeks ago, but mislaid the tag. It loves shade to partial sun, I do remember that.

the wisteria has made it well over the top of the pergola this year. I am hoping to get it trained across to the opposite side by the end of the summer. It should be blooming in a few weeks.

This is the view that greets anyone lucky enough to lounge in our hammock.

Keeping Up with Craft Gossip Isn't Easy

2009-05-02T14:18:00.004-04:00

I came across a great website called Craft Gossip. It's filled with links and snippets of ideas, techniques, and projects in endless categories of crafts and arts. Sewing, beading, painting, stamping, glass, knitting, felting, and much more. There are many new postings every day, so I subscribed to the RSS feed. I was not disappointed. The only problem is that there is so much! I have been deleting the ones that don't interest me and saving the rest to look at in depth later. I now have a bunch to go through later. When 'later' may be is still uncertain.

Letting You Know About A Pretty Nice Creative Blog

2009-03-13T19:01:00.003-04:00

My friend Hollie has a mother-in-law that cooks and creates. You can check out some of her work at Carmela's Creative Options. She has posted a great recipe for some pretty delectable looking cinnamon rolls as well as some great looking patterns and projects. I am adding just a little teensy snippet of pics so you can see why you should click over and see the big picture, so to speak.

The Conservatory Overcoat GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-02-15T19:36:00.001-05:00

The Conservatory Overcoat GIVEAWAY!!!!

This overcoat is absolutely lovely. I know I won't win it, but I have to at least try, right? If for no other reason, you should head over there now to see the fantastic photos of Kathleen and her husband on Valentine's Day. Beautiful.

Pretty Botanical Prints

2009-02-10T13:30:00.001-05:00

Wow! Apparently, it's been a long time since I have found something pretty. Actually, that's not true. I've just been busy. To make up for it, I am putting up four new posts today.

First up are these fantastic botanical prints!

Every year Target has this import shop they set up for a month or so. I usually see one or two things I like. This year, however, I found one fabulous thing after another. When I saw this pair of prints I knew they would have to be mine. I really wanted to get them for 1/2 price on clearance, but that can be a big risk. I was counting on the fact that very few people seem to go for the earthy colors that drew me to it in the first place. Also in my favor is the fact that people go with what they know, and these are unfamiliar fruits. They are the Kamiling and the Mangustin. These prints are recolored engravings that were originally published in 1811 in a book about the history of Sumatra. Sure enough, I stopped in to Target last week and the shelves were nearly empty. Except for my prints! They still had several pairs.

Pretty Book Basket

2009-02-10T13:27:00.003-05:00

I have been accumulating books to read. The stack on my table was getting out of hand and taking away from the soothing nature of my girl corner. A fateful trip to Target brought me to this basket on clearance for $6.00. The perfect solution. Holds all the books and looks good doing it.

Seascape Painting

2009-02-10T13:23:00.001-05:00

This painting hangs in my room and I love it.

Fruit & Veggie Sculpture

2009-02-10T13:14:00.002-05:00

I am crazy about these fruits and vegetables. I found them at a local art fair a couple of years ago and picked up the artichoke and the leeks (that insist on being blurry, for some reason). The following year brought the peppers and the lemon. They are ceramic mounted on old barnwood. The artist is named Cline and is from Missouri. Thank heaven she comes here every summer. She has a huge variety of fruit and vegetables to choose from and also a beautiful bunch of hollyhocks. I wish I could point you toward her work, but she is not online. You will just have to hit the Talbot Street Art Fair.

Quilled Valentine Card

2009-01-05T15:14:00.003-05:00

I had to post a picture of this beautiful, quilled card for Valentine's Day. My friend, Brenda of If Looks Could Quill (is that not the greatest name?), created it. She is super gifted when it comes to paper strips and I was very excited to pick up this particular item from her new etsy shop. I love blogstalking Brenda and feel like I should share. Don't blame me if you miss out on some fabulous find, I told you to check her out...

My sweet husband is not getting this card. He knows. He's fine with that. I am sending it to my good friend, Karen. I know she will treasure it for what it is. Lovely, handmade, and lots and lots of work. Don't worry, it will still be a surprise. She doesn't do computer much.

Beautiful Raku Pottery

2009-01-03T12:51:00.005-05:00

My brother Greg is an artist. He creates beautiful raku pottery which I am aggressively collecting. Raku is a japanese type of pottery that has been around for centuries. The process involves two firings, at different temperatures, and removing the piece directly from the firing to a bed of combustible material, such as sawdust or newspapers. The combustion that occurs causes cracks and colors in the pottery. I probably have some of that wrong but, hey, I'm not making the pottery, just enjoying it.

Take a peek at the bowls in my collection that Greg has made. I think you will see why I am working on getting as many as I can.

This is my latest acquisition. I love the shape, the color, the variation in the colors.

I can even bake in it. I love it!

This one has a great random texture on the outside of it. It reminds me of slubs in raw silk. Beautiful.

The inside of the bowl is smooth.

This bowl is one of my favorites. I love the slight metallic sheen in the glaze and

if this picture were better you could see the mottled finish on the outsides of it.

Again, if I had a better photo you could see the crackle finish on this pretty gray bowl.

I think if gives it a little bit of a glassy look on the outside. So pretty.

This bowl is so fabulous. Love the way the the glazes move along the outside, and the inside has this progression from the red/brown to the blackening at the bottom. Crazy about this one.

My oldest boy was lucky enough to get this square, flat dish for Christmas.

I told him I was going to steal it from him, so he is keeping a close eye on it.

I had a thought that I would buy some of his work to give as gifts. But I realized I might not be able to give it away! I am working on that one, because it really would be a great gift. I hope you enjoyed seeing these great pieces as much as I enjoy seeing them. If you have any interest in starting your own collection, be sure to let me know. I am working on convincing my dear brother he would have a following. Well, a following besides me.

Someone Thought These Were Pretty

2008-12-16T16:07:00.003-05:00

Yes, someone did think the following footwear disasters were pretty. I am guessing it was the designer and the one other person it took to get them made. Of course that doesn't explain the nitwit at DSW who decided to buy them for their customers.

I was online today perusing boots. I would love to have a nice pair of boots to get me through winter church but, having sasquatch feet, I can't find a single pair of attractive boots anywhere. I thought I might have some luck at DSW.com. I was so distracted by the following boots brought up in my search that I forgot what I was doing and switched to writing this post.

I really want to wear pants, but I need to wear a skirt, but pants would be so nice, but this skirt goes great with my sweater... No problem. Put these boots on and your pants will always be with you. I picture these with a skirt and I think how strange they would look, then I picture them with some jeans or pants and I think how strange that would look. I don't get it.

This shoe is just bizarre. Who would want to put their poor foot in that thing? Unless, of course, it's in need of some punishment. Does the strap hanging down imply that the heel might come loose and need a backup? That's the message I'm getting.

If your leg is cold enough to be covered in leather, wouldn't it stand to reason that your foot and (my heavens) your toes would be cold, too? I suppose there are people with hot toes and cold ankles. Maybe this is a simpler way to get that leg warmer look from the eighties.

Pretty Funny Can Get Weird Pretty Fast

2008-12-03T15:26:00.004-05:00

I still think the Normal Mormon Husband's posts on Twilight are hilarious, but after his latest post about the Twilight movie I find that I have to agree with my friend, Tina. She finds it a little strange that a guy would know this much about Twilight. Sure, there are men out there who have read the books, but how much do they want to talk about it? She even went so far as to suggest that maybe NMH is not even a guy, but a NMW (that would be for 'wife') in disguise.

I decided to use a foolproof method of getting to the bottom of this mystery. I went straight to the Gender Analyzer and typed in good old NMH's url. Guess what it said! Go on, guess! Yes! It said WOMAN by 75%! Okay, I know, my own experience has shown that the G.A. is not entirely reliable. But I was a man by only 58%, not 75%.

Note to NMH: Don't worry, I believe you are the real deal. But you might want to consider cutting back on the Twilight references. Tina, who really luuuuuvs Twilight, thinks you are overdoing it. And, my husband was looking over your blog and commented that it was a little creepy that a guy would go on and on about Twilight. I'm just sayin', maybe you should talk about a boy book. Hatchet was good.

For the rest of us, maybe we just need to appreciate a renaissance man when we see one, I mean, read one.

New Giveaway - I Just Keep Pluggin' Away At It

2008-12-02T13:52:00.002-05:00

Up for one more try? Seems like I always am. Give it a shot and link up to this next giveaway through Grosgrain. It's for the so new and so now vinyl decals for walls, etc... by Scribble It.

Scribble It GIVEAWAY!!!!

Pretty Hilarious Stuff

2008-12-01T14:25:00.002-05:00

For those of you who are Twilight fans, and didn't win the Bleeding Heart Bookmark, I have a great consolation prize for you. I came across a blog that had me laughing so hard it hurt. There is nothing girly about it, so I guess it doesn't make much sense to link to it on this blog, but here it is. You will enjoy it and so will the man in your life. Something to bring you together.

Check out the following links in order, for best effect.

Twilight Series for Dummies (and Totally Desperate Mormon Guys)

The Truth About Edward from Twilight

Breaking Dawn Pre-Release Party, NMH Style

Breaking Dawn: The Spoof - Part I

Breaking Dawn: The Spoof - Part II

Breaking Dawn: The Spoof - Part III

Breaking Down My Breaking Dawn Predictions

Twilight Rap Video

After looking over these posts I know you will want to further explore this awesome blog, Normal Mormon Husbands. This man is hilarious. Uh oh, maybe this means I do have the literary voice of a man.

Giveaway Results!!

2008-11-29T09:00:00.002-05:00

I loved doing a giveaway! I think I will do another one, but I will have to find something cool to offer up first. Thanks to all of you (all seven of you) who participated. I wish all of you could have won! Remember to check out Geek Mom Mashup where you can link up to all her crack-a-lackin' creations (sorry, just saw Madagascar 2 and it's still knocking around in my head). Thanks a big bunch, Geek Mom, for providing the prize in my giveaway. Without any further ado, check out the following video to get your results, and thanks for playing!

Okay winner, I'll get this right out to you. I should probably tell you I have a genetic disorder which manifests itself by having difficulty getting things put in the mail. Don't worry, though. I will fight the forces of postal procrastination and get it mailed out this week. For sure.

I'm a Pretty Girly Man

2008-11-25T10:15:00.006-05:00

If you've just come from my latest post on little planet janet you are already aware that this blog, which I thought was girly in the extreme, is apparently written by a man. A man with sensitivity and feeling, though. I do find it funny. Here's the proof...

click the picture to see the details

I'm Having a Giveaway! Pretty Cool!

2008-11-16T12:58:00.001-05:00

This is the very bookmark that is up for grabs. To see another style go here or directly to the source here.

After seeing so many great giveaways on blogs, it has made me want to do a giveaway, too. I didn't have anything that anyone would want to win until my dear and talented friend, Geek Mom, changed all that. She makes the coolest things, if you have read any of this blog you have seen some of her stuff already. One of her newest creations is the Bleeding Heart Bookmark. I have one of my own and I love it. It makes whatever book I am reading look like something special, and it sits so perfectly in the pages. While I'm reading I can quickly slide it into another part of the book until I need to mark my page again or, if I'm feeling fancy, I can hang it over my ear.

So, for my very first--and possibly only--giveaway, I am offering a Bleeding Heart Bookmark, handmade by Geek Mom and available at her Twilight Store. If you ever try to win a giveaway, this should be the one. Your odds are outstanding because my readers are few. My husband is my most loyal follower and I am certain he doesn't want to win, even if he did that would be a total conflict of interest, so he's disqualified.

I am only sending the prize to a mailing address within the US, so if that's not you... sorry! (I know, talking big, but there actually have been some international visitors) To try your luck just leave your comment on this post and check back on Saturday, November 29th to see who won and how you will collect your prize.

I Want to Win

2008-11-14T20:50:00.001-05:00

I got burned on the handbagplanet.com giveaway. Did I learn my lesson? No. I just keep coming back for more punishment. Because what if this time is different? What if this time they pull out my name out of a billion others? What if silvertreats.com holds my free jewelry destiny in it's hands with it's 12 Days of Christmas Silver Jewelry Giveaway? I'm going for these little beauties on day six.

Tropical Tree Frog Costume GIVEAWAY!!!!

2008-11-07T13:25:00.001-05:00

Tropical Tree Frog Costume GIVEAWAY!!!! The amazing force behind Grosgrain is at it again. This absolutely spectacular tree frog costume is up for grabs. Winning this would be like getting two prizes, the fabulous costume and Halloween '09 already done.

Only Mom Can Draw on the Wall

2008-11-06T12:57:00.004-05:00

My wonderful son is so very happy to have Super Mario Brothers on his bedroom wall. I am not so awfully happy. Sure, it looks great to a little boy who is a big fan of the plumber brothers and their turtle nemeses, but all I see are big stickers. Yes, they are stickers. Something I swore would never touch the walls of my house.

I miss the murals. The first batch I did for son #1's room almost ten years ago. They were still there the last time we saw our old house. Yes, we did try to peek in the windows. Once I've owned a house it kind of remains my house in my mind. This can be a problem when you return to your old house and the new owners have done stupid and ugly things to it. Okay, I do have some letting go issues, but that's because I put so much of myself into my home that it's like cutting off a limb to leave it. Anyway, that was too long a digression. Back to the murals.

We were big into animals at the time, so animals is the way we went. My boy's favorite peg puzzle at the time was made up of these odd animals, so I modeled them after those. Except the monkey and the tree frog, those were strictly my invention.

The monkey is my favorite. He's hanging on one wall of a dormer window (the house is a cape cod with these great dormer windows in the bedrooms). I just wish I had given him a banana.

The giraffe is not your typical colors, but who typically has a giraffe on their bedroom wall? The wonky star was drawn by #1 son himself a year or so later.

Another favorite of mine is the tree frog. He came a couple of years later after a love of frogs was uncovered one day.

The elephant cracks me up. His expression is clearly trying to say something, but what?

I think this might be the most un-ferocious lion I have ever seen. Of course, that was the point in the room of an 18 month old.

The tree has these very strange fat branches, but that's because I was lazy when I originally painted it. Hanging 'in' the tree were some really sweet little framed pictures and I painted the branches to look good with those, not to line up properly. When it came time to sell the house I figured I ought to finish the tree, but I was forced to make these really weird swollen branches. Oh well, we were leaving anyway.

The second mural went up shortly after our move into the new house. By this time we were heavy into sea creatures. I took orders on which sea creatures needed to be included and found a wall to hold it. I didn't want to have a big, blue, watery background, so I just did some waves on top.

I was just finishing up when I realized that all the creatures were headed for the same sad and lonely patch of seaweed like it was a seaweed feeding frenzy.

Oh, and there's also the fact that they are completely out of proportion to each other. The nice thing is that my little boys didn't seem to notice any of that and were just thrilled with their new wall.

I don't know what the next wall project will be, but I do know I will take the time to sketch it out first. Maybe something in the toy room, it's kind of dull.

Jane Austen is Pretty Girly

2008-10-30T12:04:00.001-04:00

I came across this Jane Austen quiz in a convoluted and accidental way. It tells you which of her heroines you are most like. Of course I took the quiz. After answering a number of questions the quiz determined that I am most like...

Take the Quiz here!

So that is a great result, right? I like Elizabeth Bennet. What self-respecting Jane Austen fan wouldn't be happy with Elizabeth Bennet? I was happy. But. I also took the quiz again until it coughed up...

Take the Quiz here!

It's just that I have watched the movie version of Mansfield Park at least 12 times. I know that Fanny is a terribly unfortunate name for a heroine, but Frances O'Connor played her so well. For me, she is right up there at the top of Jane's characters.

Of course, this film also had a great Edmund in Jonny Lee Miller (yes, I also really like Jonny Lee Miller. Thank goodness Eli Stone turned out to be a pretty good show, 'cause I was so going to watch it either way). I love Billie Piper, she was fantastic in Doctor Who, but her Masterpiece Theater version of Fanny Price didn't make me want to stop recording O'Connor's Mansfield Park.

If you are a Jane fan, admitted or not, you might want to see which of her heroines best fits you. I don't think it matters if you are a Jonny Lee Miller fan. Or a Colin Firth fan. It's all about the girls, anyway.

Some Pretty Good News

2008-10-28T09:57:00.002-04:00

Grosgrain is opening a mini store and offering a BIG giveaway to celebrate!

This cute as a button skirt is reversible, and it has five friends! There are also six reversible tops to go with. See, this is a big giveaway! Twelve outfits! If you haven't checked out this site yet, I encourage you to do it. She is an inspiration. When I sew it tends to involve throwing fabric across the room and a few mild four letter words, but now I want to go get a pattern and make something. I won't... I will just admire her work and leave it to the experts.

Fall is Pretty

2008-10-27T10:26:00.004-04:00

I love fall, but it always is such a bummer when my garden starts to die off and turn brown. I love being in my backyard all summer and I just really am never ready to let it go. But, this weekend I looked out the kitchen window and saw this lone, little daisy that was a real late bloomer. I think of it as a kindred spirit, stubbornly hanging on to a little more summer, a little more life.

I went out to get a picture of it. After getting my nose in the fall garden I realized that it is pretty in its own way. I am ready to appreciate it a little bit more.

The neighbor's basketball goal is really bugging me in this picture! It looks like I'm growing goals, not pretty!

There were more holdouts than just that daisy, these gerbera daisies are hanging on, too. Maybe the entire daisy family is stubborn.

The hydrangea is as pretty in its fading as it was in its prime

Summer may be over outside, but it's time to cut my lavender and bring all that fabulous fragrance in. I can enjoy it while I start planning next year's garden.

I was aiming at the sun settling over the trees. I should have noticed that I was framing up a lovely portrait of Seth's playset. If we ever move, I am going to include this shot so we can get on Lovely Listing.

The Epitome of Pretty

2008-10-23T10:52:00.002-04:00

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

I posted this link as I was getting three boys ready for lunch downtown with dad and had no time for anything but the link. I had to come back to it, now that the busy-ness of the day is over, and add a photo. You just won't believe it without seeing it.

The dress is amazing. The attention to detail in the way she photographs the model (her adorable daughter) in just the right setting is amazing. Most amazing of all is that she creates these masterpieces and then gives them away!

You may notice that I have listed a link to her site in the 'Places of Pretty' to the right. As incredible as this gown is, it is just one of many incredible creations. Definitely worth your visit.

Pretty Darn Cute Tricky Cupcakes

2008-10-22T14:39:00.003-04:00

I made these for our last YW activity. They are chocolate cupcakes made in a mini-muffin tin. Pop them out, chill them, then dip them in melted-wafer-candy-coating-stuff-for-putting-in-molds. No, I really don't know what you call that stuff but you know what I mean, right?

In my mind, where everything turns out perfectly, these would look just like a little cupcake and you would be surprised when you took a bite and realized, "Oh My! It's not frosting! It's candy coating!" Well, they just aren't that deceptive. But, on the plus side, they are so doggone tasty! I had to beat my kids off with a stick when I was making them. Lucky for them there were leftovers.

They didn't turn out exactly as I had envisioned, but they are totally pretty enough for me.

It's Out There and It Feels Pretty -- Pretty Awesome!

2008-10-21T13:21:00.006-04:00

This is a topic that could only go on my girly blog. It's for all of you women out there who have ever searched for a comfortable bra. Yes, that means it's for all of you. We find one we can live with, maybe even happily, but it never stops us from looking for The One. Of course, it is a fruitless search. There is no such thing as The One, after all, or we would have found it, right? Well, that was true. For such a long time it was true. But no more. I have found it. The One.

You can have support you need without the discomfort that has always come with it and you will find it all in the Bra-lellujah! by Spanx. There are no little bits of hardware on the straps because the straps never need adjusting, no more bra lines on your back to make you feel bad about yourself in a t-shirt, and you will find full support and complete coverage without feeling like you're in a granny bra. It's sleek, it's stylish, it feels so good you will forget it's there.

I know, that's an awful lot to ask any experienced bra wearer to swallow, but it's true. Every word. I thought it was just so much hype until I walked into Nordstrom's one day to try one on. They didn't have it in the store, but they could order one. I could even return it to the store if I didn't like it. That was good enough for me. The price was steep. Outrageous, in fact. I decided that I would definitely be returning the bra. If I put it on and a chorus of angels didn't sing it would go right back and I would soldier on with my perfectly-good-enough -$12 bra from Target.

The angels sang. They sang out loud and I basked in the glory of comfort I hadn't known since the 6th grade. Well, there's also those days in jammies that are pretty nice... Anyway, I decided that I would keep the Bra-lellujah and that it's inventor deserved every single cent of my outrageous purchase price and that I also wanted another one for my birthday.

I just can't keep it to myself any longer. It's a duty to share it with all my sisters out there in an ill-fitting bra. Bra-lellujah is spectacular and I highly recommend it.

For a little more info, check out the Bra-lellujah for yourself. There are three styles. You may be tempted to go with the $36 version and that's great if your girls can stand on their own two feet. Personally, I tried that route and my $36 model is strictly for at-home wear. Use your own judgement.

*I'm okay with it if you want to assume that it's me modeling in the accompanying photo. Okay, it's not. But I might walk around the house smiling and snapping my own bra strap. Okay, I don't do that either. But I do like my bra.

Reading Can Now Be Pretty

2008-10-09T15:05:00.004-04:00

I am now the proud owner of the most lovely bookmark currently available anywhere. My dear and creative friend, Heather, nails it again with this creation. If you are a fan of the Twilight series you will love the drops of red above the heart as it reminds you of all that pent up angst you went through in books 1 - 3, whew! If you are not a fan of the Twilight series you can toss all that out the window and just love the bookmark because it is so darn pretty! For you readaholics out there who need a spark of pretty in your life, click here.

Closing the Door

2008-10-06T15:52:00.002-04:00

I am finally ready to face the fact that I now have the last baby room I will have. Ugh. I love baby rooms. But there are lots more rooms to look forward to. Preschooler rooms, little boy rooms, tweener rooms, teenager rooms. I know what you're thinking, a teenager won't let me near his room. If he wants to drive he will.

So this post is in honor of the baby rooms. Unfortunately, I only have two on digital. The first one was super cute, but you will just have to take my word for it.

This was #2's baby room. It wasn't the brightest room in the house, so I wanted to keep it light. Jack helped me stamp the sun, moon and stars on the blue with a subtle silver paint. He felt very big that day. It must have been the right way to go because Will was the easiest baby to put to bed ever.

This is my last baby room. The crib is already gone, but that's okay because I love this toddler bed. My plan was for the striped wall to carry Seth through preschool and I think that will work out just fine. I am going to keep the Dick & Jane pictures up as long as possible. I love this room. I am really going to miss it when he outgrows it. Until then I will make a point of appreciating it every day. Pretend the bed is made. It's way cuter that way.

Free is Pretty

2008-10-03T16:32:00.005-04:00

I wouldn't call myself lucky. Well, I am lucky because I have a great family and lots of reasons to be happy but in the world of contests I am not lucky. I just don't win them. But when I heard about the contest to win a free handbag I had to try my luck. Handbags are pretty after all, and a pretty handbag that is free is even prettier.

To celebrate their launch on October 15th, HandbagPlanet.com is giving away a free handbag every hour for 24 hours. I may not have a history of winning contests but, by golly, I am going to give this one a go. You can never have too many handbags. If you want to try your luck, go ahead and click on the link. You know you want to.

Beautiful Baptism Frame

2008-09-29T12:17:00.002-04:00

This frame, and the lovely poem inside, was created by my friend Brenda. She gave it to Will for his baptism and I thought it was not just a wonderful gesture, but a wonderful gift. I was delighted with Will's response as well, "This is so cool!!" Not exactly what I expected from an eight year old boy!

Brenda makes some awesome quilled designs and now you can see some of them on her brand spankin' new blog If Looks Could Quill (isn't that the greatest name?). Go check it out!

Yes, Digital Has Its Place

2008-09-27T12:19:00.005-04:00

This is the title page for our YW leadership training manual we are putting together. We found some fabulous binders ($.25 each!) in bright pink, green, and blue to put them in. I have been resistant to digital things every step of the way. I only resorted to a digital camera after my faithful Yashika crashed and burned on the ferry at Lake Eerie. The sound of a camera dropping is a terrible thing. Of course, I now love my digital camera, but I am still one of those people who like the tangible. That's one reason I stick with paper scrapbooking. Digital just feels wrong, somehow. But, I am not above using to my advantage in certain instances such as this cover page. Scrapbook sixteen pages? The same? That's crazy! So anyway, I found these great digital scrapbooking sites that have loads of FREE downloads to use. I will work on getting the links listed on my page.

This is my first attempt at manual word art. It's really not too complicated. Just a little nudging and kerning and there you are. I think I will try some others. This one will go in our leadership manual somewhere.

Sometimes It Pays To Ask

2008-09-25T13:54:00.004-04:00

I stopped at the Flower Factory today and, among other things, came across this fabulous craft tote... bag... portfolio... call it what you want because I'm calling it my new church bag. I can fit all the family junk in here and still have room for mine!

I found it on it's own, clearly not where it belonged, with no tags. I took it up front with me and waited while a couple of Factory workers hunted, questioned, and checked. Apparently it was a complete mystery. One of a kind. They offered it to me for seven dollars. $7! SOLD!

This side features five stealth pockets. Handy!

The side zips all the way open to reveal a plethora of pockets and marker slots.

Yes, You Can Have Too Much Pink!

2008-09-18T11:22:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite blogs in the whole, whole world posted this collection of unfortunate decisions in home decor. Now, a pink bedroom is nothing to be ashamed of. After all, lots and lots of little girls live lovely lives in pink rooms. As well they should. But let's be perfectly honest, a pink kitchen? living room? Nooooooo.

Check them out....Pink!

Dollar Spot Treasures at Target

2008-09-16T10:36:00.003-04:00

If you have not yet begun to shop the Target Dollar Spot, now is the time. They always have at least one great deal in those bins by the front door. Among the goodies I have picked up at the dollar spot are wooden clothes hangers, lovely little metal pails, organza boxes, small journals that fit just right in your purse (think grocery lists, phone #s, calendar items, meeting notes, etc...), note cards, and gift bags. Sure, there is also a whole bunch of junk, but if you scope Target's clearance shelves you are probably already willing to sift through the junk to find the treasures.

Occasionally you will also find hobby items. Right now Target is tempting me with scrapbook paper packs. They are 12 sheets per $1 pack. I picked up a couple to check out at home and now I have to go right back before they are gone and stock up. The paper is a bit thinner than you may be used to, but the patterns are very pretty and would be great for scrapbooks or card making.

So, my advice to you is to rush over to Target and see what you can find for yourself. But I should warn you, if you shop at my Super Target you will have a bit of competition.

Why Have a Stamping Party?

2008-09-16T10:12:00.005-04:00

Because we had such a great time! It was a lot of fun hanging out with friends and we made some fabulous things. Megan, my friend and Stampin'Up demonstrator, had a card and a scrapbook page for us to make. She is more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

I typically stay away from home sales parties, but I like to do these because they are so much fun, you leave with something great whether or not you bought a thing, and it's no pressure. I don't want people to think that I invite them for their sales potential. In fact, I was so glad that one friend, who has zero interest in crafting with paper, came just to hang out with us.

This is the card we made. I love the fall colors, I guess I am more ready for summer to go than I thought I was.

This scrapbook page was speaking to me. I tend to go for straight lines, ducks-in-a-row layouts and the blue/green/brown color combo only made it better.

This is the lovely hostess gift of monogrammed note cards that Megan gave me, crafted by her own two hands. Love the box -- a very nice touch.

Very Pretty Jewelry

2008-09-10T20:55:00.009-04:00

My friend Heather, a creative mind if ever there was one, makes the greatest jewelry. I am lucky enough to be the proud owner of two of her creations.

This nest necklace is so intricate, delicate, and organic. I am crazy about it. And the three little eggs... guess what they represent. Uh-huh. Perfect for a mom. This example has colored eggs, mine are all white. Both are lovely.

This Twilight Bracelet always draws attention when I wear it. There is a crystal heart (diamond) to represent Edward and a hand-carved stone wolf to represent Jacob. You can pretend to be Bella if you want to, but that's maybe a sign you are taking the whole thing a wee bit too seriously.

This bracelet was created for the Young Women in our church program. Heather included the colors that represent the seven values in their theme: Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, and Integrity. Each one of our YW gets a bracelet on her birthday this year. They love them and so do I!

I have had people ask me about Heather's work so, for those of you who want to know more, check her out at Geek Mom Mashup and/or Small and Simple Gifts.

Quilling

2008-09-05T10:31:00.003-04:00

I have a friend, Brenda, who does quilling. That's quilling, not quilting. I don't know, she may quilt, but what I'm talking about is using thin strips of paper to make coiled shapes that are then glued down to make pictures, designs, etc... It is a very pretty thing.

Brenda recently volunteered to teach the young women how to make a card with quilling, the card is pictured above. This is a fairly simple quilling project. I recently saw a complex project that she is working on as a gift. It is amazing! I love it. Just what I needed, another interest to not have time for.

I Guess I Really Do Like Pink

2008-08-31T16:04:00.001-04:00

What a great group of young women!

It's a good thing I have a place for girly pink things. We recently had an activity to help your young women re-focus on the Personal Progress program and the theme was pink. Yes, just because it starts with 'P'. No such thing as overboard on this one. We had pink flowers, pink balloons, pink refreshments, pink feather boas, and everyone wore at least one pink thing. We all had such a great time that we have decided to do it again several times a year.

These strawberry cupcakes with pink frosting and pink sugar sprinkles were so gooood!

But the pretzel sticks in pink candy coating were even better.

We had such a great time planning this together.

It helps to work with people who are so much fun! They are the best!

l. to r. are Becca, Heather, Me, Vickie, and Laurie.

My Girly Room

2008-08-28T10:35:00.003-04:00

I love my girly corner. But I have to admit that it could be improved upon. How? Simple, by adding a door and making it a whole room and filling it with paper and gadgets and adhesive and ribbon and stamps and --- you get the picture.

It's the only room in the house with a childproof lock on it. This is because Seth discovered the joy of expression with a Sharpie. He expressed himself all over the carpet, the walls, the furniture and the John's big screen TV. Fortunately, we were able to repair the damage (though the bleach pen I used on the carpet left some interesting clean spots), but now all writing implements with ink -- especially the permanent variety -- are locked up in my room. My lovely, girly, quiet room. Where else can I hang up a little heart made of tiny pink roses? It surprises me that it hangs in here, to be honest. I am not typically a fan of hearts, let alone the kind made up of tiny pink roses. But it was 75% off at Joanns, so why not?

A scrapbook store went out of business and sold off all of their stuff, including fixtures. What a wonderful day for me! I picked up these two paper racks for dirt.

I like to buy calendars on clearance for a dollar or two. I use the illustrations for cheap wall art. These are watercolors of birds by Marjolein Bastien.

This room already had cabinetry in it when we moved in. It was just ugly. So we took them off the wall and rearranged them and painted them white (when I say 'we' I mean 'John'). It was such a huge improvement that I didn't mind having the double guest bed in there. But as time went by I began to really resent that bed. It took awhile, but I finally convinced John we could part with it. Now It's a room with a purpose. I surprised John (pleasantly) when I painted it all myself in a day. I suppose I shouldn't have let him know this would be a possibility, but I just really wanted it done in the worst way.

I lucked out completely when I went out to find the perfect toile fabric in the right shade of blue. It's image was nestled in my mind and felt certain I would never find it, and if I did it would cost a fortune. I must have been deserving because I found it at my first stop on sale for $5 a yard. Now I can hide my stuff in style. The real challenge is in finding the time to produce something when I'm in there.

Pretty Paper -- Pretty Cheap!

2008-08-05T11:27:00.003-04:00

I found this paper at the Flower Factory (a very dangerous place, enter with caution) for $1.49. It's small, about 5x5, but packed with pretty. The sheets are reversible, adding up to 12 patterns, 2 sheets each. I bought all they had, of course.

My Girly Corner

2008-08-05T10:25:00.002-04:00

I am often reminded by my middle son that I am the only girl in the family and the only girl in the house. He has pronounced that pink is my favorite color and that I love flowers and butterflies. These are the things girls like. Well, I have to confess that I do quite like flowers and butterflies. Pink, however, while a lovely color, is not my favorite. That distinction goes to bright, limey green.

I don't really mind having all these "girl" things assigned to me, though. In fact, it has brought me to the realization that I actually like them. Having grown up in a house full of brothers with no tolerance for anything girly, I have always kept the girly to a minimum. With a house full of sons, I guess I was in the same pattern. But now I see that I do them no favors by keeping the girly away. They will have girls in their lives -- friends, wives, daughters. They need to appreciate the girly. They need to see that there is value in it and that they don't have to embrace it, but that it does have it's place and will have a place in their lives at some point. So, there are more girly things in the house. Just enough to let someone know that a girl lives here and other girls are warmly welcomed.

My girl corner (pictured above) is the one place in the house where everything is pretty. It's my favorite place to go and enjoy a quiet girl moment.