Oh! Baby Designs

Insta-life.

2012-02-15T10:44:00.001-08:00

I haven't done an "Insta" post for a while, so my pictures have accumulated.

My camera has been a rollin' away!

Last Saturday, a dear friend and I FINALLY made the time to go out.

She and I, when together, could talk night and day, so we decided to make brunch an all day event.

After having some yummy food, we headed North, to the shopping mall.

Because hubby and I are going on a cruise in a couple of weeks, I needed some summer attire, so here I am sporting a pretty hat.

After shopping, we needed to re-energize, and what better way to do it than with dippin' dots, right???

Yum.

While enjoying the ice cream, Isabelle started complaining that her ear hurt, so back home we went.

I've been on a fresh flower high lately, so that prompted some pretty purchases.

Like this Orchid.

And these mini, pink roses.

I just LOVE fresh flowers around the house.

I also love a healthy snack out of my pretty apothecary jars.

I used to keep candy in there for the kids, but swapped it out and I'm amazed at how much they LOVE any sort of nut.

I'm also lovin' my recent Ikea finds.

I love, love, LOVE polka dots and stripes... Especially together {Note: those are our old couches}.

In fact, I love them so much, I wore them on my legs, hee hee.

Here are some other fun things I randomly got after driving an hour South to look at couches, and not finding anything.

Instead of wasting the day, turning around and going back home, Charlie and I walked around downtown and I gotta say, it was gorgeous.

Old buildings, darling little shops full of character, and then a gelato cafe.

May I add that this is White chocolate raspberry gelato???

Yeah.

I'm guessing I was probably making some funny noises while eating this delicious {and I'm sure fattening} creamy goodness.

It was beyond heavenly.

Another little shop with the CUTEST leather wallets.

And up North, back at Bridgeport village, Charlie and I spent an afternoon at this beautiful place.

Can you guess where it's at?

Yes, it is Z Gallerie.

It is beyond beautiful in there.

Every little thing caught my eye.

And another little shop that caught my eye was this pretty place.

Which then led to this pretty purchase.

I'm not a big bracelet person, but I fell in love with this one considering it actually fit my bony little wrist.

Now, to some food.

This is how I started out my morning a couple of Saturdays ago.

I keep sayin' it, but I'll say it again... My hubby is amazing. Period.

This deep fried cod we had not long ago, is the best I've had ANYWHERE.

It is not comparable to any restaurant. No joke.

Another yummy and healthy food I've been obsessing over is this delicious salad.

I had it at a friends house and haven't been able to stop eating it.

It's got tomatoes, cucumbers, avocados, sunflower kernals, romaine lettuce and raspberry vinegrette to top it off. So good.

And this yummy drink I have not been able to put down, either!

I've been buying the huge cases at Costco, and honestly, they don't last me very long... I'm hooked!

Some other fun things I've been up to are...

Bowling with the worship team.

Movie night with some girlfriends...

Playdate with the kids...

And finding a cute pair of summer shoes is always a plus too...

And of course pretty nails...

In all sorts of fun colors.

And who can resist a fun pair of sun glasses on a sunny day?

I know I can't!

And this right here, folks, is how every morning is started.

So for those who ever thought I had perfect skin, think again.

Phew... Hope you enjoyed these!

Alright, I'm thinking I really need to get out of my pajama pants, so off I go!

Have a great the rest of the week :)

A big purchase.

2012-02-14T09:48:00.000-08:00

I know, I promised I would write more often and instead I got a little lazy and didn't post for a few weeks... Tis' life.

But you can't blame me, cause instead of sitting home all day in my pajamas, I was actually leaving the house almost everyday to go do things with my children, run errands, do some shopping and make a big purchase that I am excited about.

After 10yrs of owning our couches, they most definitely have seen their better days.

There have been juice spills, paint stains, poop and pee, and anything else you can think of with 4 kids, on those couches.

Not to mention the love seat is literally falling apart {no joke}.

So hubs and I decided it was time to purchase a new set.

I was excited... The hubs, not so much.

He's fallin' IN love with how comfortable our couches are and I've fallin' OUT of love with how ugly and outdated they are.

So after traveling to 4 different cities in our surrounding area, we found our couches none other than right where we live... 15 minutes from our house.

But before I show you our final purchase, here are a few that were possibilities.

I wanted something with modern and traditional qualities, and because I am SO picky, it took me about a month of traveling back and forth to find exactly what I wanted.

These couches were okay, but I wasn't crazy about them, and for a big purchase like this, I needed to be completely in love with them.

After driving to a couple of places, and not finding anything even close to what we wanted, I went searching online.

And I fell in love with these.

I was 99% sure this was gonna be our purchase, but decided that I would drive around to a few more place JUST in case I found something else.

And the idea of purchasing online and not being able to see them, sit on them, feel the fabric, kinda turned me off as well.

But still, nothing was catching my eye, and some of the horrible service I was getting was starting to really play it's part.

Not to mention, dragging along 3 kids wasn't making things easier either.

So coming home one day, being frustrated beyond means, I went back online and started the search all over.

And stumbled upon these...

I absolutely loved the nail heads, the non-traditional arms and the color was right up my alley.

I know I'm crazy {or so I've heard} for wanting cream couches with 4 little kids, but I decided I wasn't gonna spend a lot of money on something I wasn't COMPLETELY in love with, and have to live with them for another 10 yrs!!!

So after calling the store that carried them, that is 4 hrs away from my house, the kind lady tells me that that there were not one, but TWO stores in my area that carried them!!!

I immediately call the store and the next morning was on my way there.

I had butterflies in my stomach the entire time.

I was so excited.

I walk in the store, and there they were, sitting right there in their perfection.

I stood for about a minute, sat on them, snapped a picture of them on my phone to send to the hubby and then told the kind sales person I wanted them.

That's it. That's how it happened.

So mid March, right after we come back from this lovely place...

We will have our couches delivered right to our front door :)

I am beyond thrilled.

I will most definitely snap some pretty pictures when they arrive and share with all of you!!!

Hope everyone is having a special and romantic Valentines!!!

Insta-life.

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

Yep... It's time for an Insta life post!

I'm trying to do it more often than not so I don't accumulate hundreds of pictures, cause those who know me, know that I LOVE taking pictures.

But that's not the problem, the problem is I have trouble letting go, or erasing them.

So sharing them, kind of helps with that.

Last week, this was our forecast.

For the most part, living in Oregon, we don't really believe it until we see it.

Well, we saw it.

We had so much fun playing in it... Well, the kids did. I stayed inside and watched them from the window.

We also had sick kids last week {and today}, so that involved fun projects at home.

It also involved my first trip to this lovely place.

Yep, my first time.

I think I walked around for about an hour until I finally decided I needed to get what I originally came there for.

Another trip that's always fun, is the one that involves buying fun new colors for my nails.

That's what my nails look like when I'm trying to pick out a color.

And this is what they look like when they're all done.

Yes, I finally braved the pure, white polish.

And it is fun.

But I do love my classic, Nude.

I also love my new shades that I got in the mail.

And also my hubbys Zuppa Toscana.

He's perfected it to the point that last time I went to Olive Garden, I was disappointed.

It's true. He's talented.

I also recently fell in love with this piece of heaven.

Salted caramel squares from Starbucks.

These are the death of me. No joke.

Another fun thing I tried was adding sunflower seeds into my oreo mint ice cream.

Trust me, I know, it sounds disgusting, but surprisingly really good!

Gave it a really yummy crunch and distinctive taste.

Not something I usually go for, but I liked it.

Alright, not much exciting stuff goin' on around here, except pukey kids.

Poor Gabe is missing his 2nd guitar lesson.

I'm hoping this goes away fast.

Stay healthy and happy Tuesday!

Style Me Pretty

2012-01-24T12:20:00.001-08:00

I am SO excited!

Once again, I have been featured on Style Me Pretty.

Well, kinda.

I had made a head piece for this styled shoot a couple of months ago, and it's so much fun seeing it in action!

Here is some eye candy.

This cozy, rustic shoot was shot right here in good 'ol Oregon.

I just cannot get over this marshmellow curtain...

And ofcourse the gorgeous bride.

Stunning.

Not sure it gets any more romantic than this.

I'm more of a traditional girl, but I am falling in love with all these non-traditional weddings and ideas.

Here is the best view of the piece I made.

A pretty chiffon flower, vintage inspired crystal pin for the center and whispy ostrich feathers for some drama... It was beautiful.

The entire shoot was beautiful and one of a kind.

Happy that I got to be a part of it, even if it was in a non dramatic way.

New Years Resolution... Or not.

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

For most people the New year consists of making a list of resolutions.

I despise those lists.

I think for most of us it's just another dissapointment and let down.

Unless your fighting for your life, the motivation just wears off, and we will most likely give up on those resolutions about 3 weeks into January... Am I right???

This year, instead of trying to make a resolution {like losing a few pounds}, I told myself there are things I would like to do, and I will try my best to make those things happen, but I also told myself that I will NOT push myself to do them.

Besides losing weight, there was one more thing that has been nagging at me.

ORGANIZATION.

I'm pretty organized when it comes to certain things, but with 4 children, it's hard to keep it up when your always in a hurry to be somewhere or do something.

There is certainly a place for everything in our house, but that's about it... There's a place.

That place being organized is a whole 'nother story.

So I am on a mission... On a mission to organize as many areas of my home as possible.

The first place on my list is my hallway closet.

We use it to store our dirty laundry, and with 6 of us, there is LOTS of it!

The problem is, there is only one shelf up high that I can't reach, therefore making it useless.

I keep complaining that we have so much stuff but not enough space, but really, the problem is getting the right storage for things, therefore making it easier to organize.

So to solve the closet problem, this is what we are planning to do in the next couple of weeks.

That's right, we are making it into a closet office.

Because we don't really have any room for an actual office, or an empty corner where we can plop our computer, I figured this would be the wisest thing to do.

I am planning to put lot's of shelving units in there so I can store my craft supplies in there, mail, bills, little odds and ends, etc, therefore freeing the hallway cupboards making room for my linens.

Unless I think of something more clever, that is the route we're going and I am BEYOND ecstatic!!!

I've been wanting my "own" little space for a while.

And because it will be easily hidden with closet doors, I am really excited to do some fun painting in there.

I would LOVE to wallpaper it, but cost worth, it won't be worth it for such a small space.

My goal is to get it looking as girly as possible without my hubby freaking out.

Here are some other fun and easy ways to organize your office/ craft space.

What a great way to use an armoire...

And all those files.

I love being able to use antiques in a fun and innovative way...

I'm still on a mission to find one of these metal three tiered baskets.

And how fun is this!

And I love me some metal pales.

And that paper tower holder?

or the jewelry and what looks like a tie organizer...

And I have got to find one of these.

How about THIS linen closet... Isn't it wonderful?

Or in the laundry room...

Why have I never thought of that!

And what anyone needs is more kitchen organization.

This would make my life SO much easier.

And I'm loving these baskets!

Phew!

That is LOTS of organizing on my part, but boy am I motivated and I can't wait to get started!!!

And actually did just a little.

Here's the first step I took.

I was just shoving all my scarves in a random drawer sitting on the floor in our walk in closet, but no more.

I hung them all up on hangers just like that :)

It's the little things people.

Well, I've got my work cut out for me, so I better go so I can get started!

Happy organizing!!!

P.S.

Remember, you can find me, Vera-Vasily Boyechko, and follow all my pins on Pinterest.

Lets Party!

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

5 years ago, on January 1st, while visiting my mom, I went into labor with my one and only princess... Isabelle.

I cannot believe that she is growing up so fast and becoming a young girl whom I love watching take flight into the world.

She is smart, funny, witty, friendly, sensitive, beautiful, caring, but most of all... Loves Jesus with her little heart.

My life would be empty without her.

So to celebrate her birthday, this mama was on Pinterest gathering ideas into the wee hours of the night.

It was worth it. Every minute of it.

I initially started planning about 2 months in advance, but oh how fast the day came... And went!

Thankfully this time around, the only thing that was time consuming was making the tissue pom-poms.

They're beautiful, but a pain in the behind to make!

But I'll start with the main focus... The table.

When I first start planning any sort of party/ festivity, the first thing I try and figure out is the color combinations.

Last year, I decorated with pink & orange, but this year, I didn't wanna stick to just two or three colors.

I wanted a variety of pretty pales and brights that would go well together.

And I was SO happy with the result!

I bought this yellow/ white chevron fabric at my local fabric store and although it cost me a little more than I wanted to spend, I knew that I could easily re-use it for other things.

The mini Coca Cola glasses I snatched at the Dollar tree for $.50 a piece and I let the girls take them home at the end of the party, along with their cute straws.

This time around, I knew I would have a good amount of candy, but I didn't want to spend more on the candy than I did on the decor.

So the only thing I really splurged on was these pretty rock candies on a stick.

All I did was add some pretty ribbon to add a little more detail.

The rest of the candy was just your ordinary stuff you can buy at any grocery store.

I'm glad I didn't get anymore candy than I did, because left over candy at my house is a dangerous thing for me and my figure.

For the centerpiece, I just used one of my big, white platters and set the candy, and my pretty orchid, on it as the main display.

It wasn't overly fancy, but I love how the colors all tied in.

For the banner, I bought a book of pastel scrapbook paper, painted the edges and letters white and then accented the letters with a black sharpie, to make sure they stood out.

And there's those pretty pom-poms, that took me hours...

...And hours to make.

And that chalkboard is always put to good use as well.

Here's a picture of Isabelle and just a couple of her friends.

They had so much fun.

Not to mention, while I was setting up the table, Isabelle came up, stood there for a second, and said:

"Wow mama, the table looks beautiful!"

That's all I needed to hear to know that it was worth every stressful minute and sleepless night.

Knowing how appreciative she was made my heart extra happy.

That's all I have to share today, but I hope it was enough to make you wanna come back next time!!!

Valentines Day.

2012-01-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

Valentines day is fast approaching.

And although for most of us, it seems like an overrated holiday and an excuse to spend MORE money, I still like to go all out in light of it.

It's a great excuse to pretty up your house...

Or to make a fun craft...

{And I did }

It's a great excuse to spoil the ones you love...

It's a great excuse to dress yourself up...

To wear a pretty pair of shoes...

And a great excuse to fancy up your nails...

Or maybe even to dress up that pucker for the one you adore...

Whatever it may be that you do on that day, or whom you spend it with, remember to enjoy it to the fullest.

My favorite products.

2012-01-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to do a post about my favorite makeup products, but just haven't got around to it, and then when I did, my internet was acting up... So here I am.

Women everywhere are always looking for a specific product, that they can trust and keep on using forever and ever {until it's discontinued}.

But sometimes to find that PERFECT lipstick, or mascara, or concealer, we have to go to the ends of the world, so I think it's important that we share our everyday miracles with women everywhere so that maybe they to can find the same satisfaction in them.

This first product I've been using since I first started using makeup at about the age of 15.

Although I have really thick hair, my eyelashes {and brows} are very thin.

This mascara has just the right volume and I love that the brush is curved, so it gives a little curl as well.

This would be my next favorite {I'm using it at the moment}...

It still has pretty good volume and the tiny, little, rubber bristles are great separators.

Lately I've been obsessing over winged eyeliner...

It's just so classy.

But to find the perfect liquid liner to do it, is another story.

This Too Faced liner is really pretty and has a good consistency, but at almost $18 a bottle, I couldn't keep re-stocking it.

So the next best thing is this CoverGirl one.

It is a bit watery, but it's really nice if you mess up, cause it wipes right off.

Because my brows are SO light, I've learned that if I don't fill them in a little, I just look funny.

One of my friends once told me that when I'm singing on stage, you can't tell my facial expressions cause my brows are so light... I've never even thought about that.

So to fix that problem, another girlfriend recommended this Maybelline brow liner.

She says she's tried many, MANY different kinds, and this one is the exact same consistency as the MAC liner, and at only $5.50 it's something I can afford to keep buying.

This next product is what makes me look somewhat decent and put together.

With 4 kids, you can imagine that I don't get much sleep, and well, your right.

Between teething, potty breaks and bad dreams, I don't wake up looking like Cinderella and it doesn't help that I inherited both my moms and dads undereye lines/ wrinkles at a young age.

This Smashbox liquid concealer aint the cheapest, but of all the different kinds of tried, so far it's the best.

The search will continue for something less expensive.

When it comes to all over face coverage, I don't like to cake on the products, but do like something light that will even it out.

I've been using Bare Minerals for a few years now, and again, it's not the cheapest at $20 a container, it lasts me a while since I don't need much.

I've also got some of their shadows and blushes, but I'm just not crazy about 'em.

I prefer compact over loose... It's too messy.

For cheeks, I'm not picky.

It doesn't need to be a certain brand, as long as it's not loose powder.

This was my latest purchase, and it's not my favorite, but it's not the worst I've tried, and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg.

My lipstick collection has grown DRASTICALLY in the last several weeks.

I've learned that a fun colored lip is like an accessory you add on to any outfit.

Here are some that I've been using...

This one is L'oreal Infallible and the color is "Red Fatale".

It's what I wore for Christmas and I absolutely love it.

This is pretty much identical to what it looks like on my lips.

It's out there, but you gotta try it, and at $10 a tube, it lasts a LONG time!

This next one is L'oreal colour riche in "Mulberry" and it's a very rich, plum/ mauvy color.

It is a bit on the darker side, but for a special outing, it's appropriate.

This is very similar to what it looks like on me...

The next one is Maybelline color sensational in "Coral Lustre".

And this is what it looks like on...

It's even got the same shine/ glossiness to it... Quite pretty actually.

This next one, isn't really a full on lipstick, but more of a moisturizing tinted lipstick and again, it's by L'oreal, Colour Riche Balm in "Caring Coral".

This is great for everyday use because it's so sheer and it's not as harsh on your lips since it's got so much balm in it.

I would say $10 is a little pricey for an everyday tinted lipstick, but I do get great use out of it.

Browsing Pinterest the other day, I came across this picture.

And I quickly went to the source.

This girl has a great blog and because I'm STILL looking for the perfect nude, I thought I would try this NYX lipstick in "Thalia".

Because it's only $3 a tube, I decided to order 3 different colors.

First one is "Thalia", then "Paris" and lastly, "Gardenia".

I haven't received them yet, so I can't tell you if they're even worth the $3, but for that cheap, I'm hoping that at least the colors will be pretty.

A good gloss seems to be hard to find as well, surprisingly.

It's either too thick, too watery, too sticky, not sticky enough... You get the point.

This gloss is the bomb.

It's by Mally Cosmetics, sold on QVC.com, but you can also find it on eBay and Amazon.com.

It's definitely pricey at $20 a tube {$14-$18 on eBay}, but I'm telling you, it's worth every penny.

I first saw it on QVC, so I ordered that trio you see above, and everyone knows when it's on, they're usually having it at a good price.

I ended up paying $30 for all three, which is a REALLY good price.

All the colors are really pretty, but the one in the middle is THE BEST nude gloss in the world.

It's called "Peachy nude" and it's THE prettiest nude.

Not the best picture, but this is very similar to what it looks like.

I think I used my entire tube in like 2 or so months because it goes with EVERYTHING!

But with all these fun products, my go-to of all time is this piece of heaven...

That's right... Burt's Beeswax.

Before my makeup routine starts, this is the FIRST thing that goes on.

Before I wear ANY lipstick or gloss, I ALWAYS put this on first... I just love it and I like the tingly feeling it gives my lips from the mint.

Well, that's all I've got this time.

I will keep editing my product list as I keep finding THE perfect makeup and I will be sure to share my good finds with you.

Yay for almost Friday!!!

Happy Birthday...

2012-01-11T10:42:00.000-08:00

...To my loving, wonderul, hard working and good lookin' husband!!!

Today he celebrates his BIG 30!!!

He does not look one day older than 30.

I've got a few surpises up my sleeve for him and I can't wait to see his reaction.

Hope the rest of you have a fun and exciting day as well!!!

Insta-life.

2012-01-09T22:56:00.000-08:00

Is everyone else having a fantastic New Year???

So far, we have been blessed!

It's been a while since I've done a Insta-life post, so I thought I'd catch you up on little snipets of my life.

My super sweet aunt is always dropping off random stuff at my house.

Groceries, clothes and toys for the kids, and then this.

She's a big goodwill shopper, like me, so when she saw this, it reminded her of me.

And although its really cute, I wasn't all that crazy about the whole stitched idea, so instead of not being able to use it at all, I took the stitched picture out and replaced it with an updated picture of hubs and I, and added it to my ever growing gallery wall.

There it is on the top right side.

Can you guess where I'm from?

Represent!

We also had a fantastic Christmas and the kids, once again, were very spoiled by family.

Not only did we have an awesome service on Christmas eve, but I also celebrated my 28th birthday.

Here I am after church...

And the hubs...

If you didn't notice, I FINALLY braved bright, red, lipstick and I'll be honest... I kinda loved it!

Here's what my nails looked like...

I wanted to try something new, and it was fun.

After coming home that evening, my personal chef of a husband decided that we needed to make some pasta and have a yummy dinner.

Here he is at work...

Step 1.

Step 2.

Step 3.

Step 4.

Enjoy!

I'm tellin' ya, homemade pasta is not even close to comparable to store bought.

Here I am on Christmas day with my sweet Charlie.

That's what he does when hes shy.

I'm lovin' that his personality is starting to slowy come out... It's just too cute.

Does your moms house look like this when your invited for lunch?

I mean, there is so much food, I don't know what to do with myself!

And then she plops this in front of me...

Really?!

How you suppose to not eat that?

And the proud mommy that I am, I have to brag just a little about my Gabe.

He started guitar lessons about 3 months ago, and he picked it up really quick.

Here he is performing at the Christmas open mic a few weeks ago.

Boy, that kid has no fear and he really knows how to swoo the crowd with his charm!

He had me in tears!

I've got much more to share, but we'll have to save that for another day.

Hope everyone has a fantastic week :)

Vera

2011-12-31T01:42:00.000-08:00

"I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,

plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

Wishing each and everyone of you a blessed and happy New Year!!!

My dining room.

2011-12-27T13:53:00.000-08:00

For many weeks I've been saying that I'm going to share pictures of my dining room, but life kept getting in the way, and things I was ordering online kept taking longer to arrive and had to be tweaked.

But finally, here I am, ready to share!

We don't live in a big, new, fancy house, but what we have works for us and we are thankful for it each and everyday.

The dining room is used everyday for meals, so I wanted it to be a pleasant and pretty place to eat.

Before I share the "after" pics, here a few "before" shots.

They're not great cause I took them at night, right before I was painting the walls, but at least you get a visual of what it looked like.

The walls were an avocado green and I actually really liked them, but wanted to go for a more cleaner and sterile look.

I had brown, tafetta curtains, matching the ones in the living room, but like I said, I have so much brown in my house, it was time for a change.

So to get the look I wanted, I painted the walls a dark gray, which turned out WAY darker than I expected, but I figured with the wainscotting, it would look great against the stark white... And I was right.

I still would of preferred it a little lighter, but I really like the contrast.

For the curtains, I had originally ordered gray & white striped fabric, but when I got it, the color was way off and it didn't look good, so I went back to fabric.com and ordered this print instead.

I was ecstatic when it arrived.

The color matched perfectly and they weren't being swallowed up by the dark walls.

The antique doors a friend gave me when they were moving.

There was no painting or sanding required, because that weathered look came from the doors sitting outside for about 10 yrs.

At first I wasn't sure what I was gonna do with them, so I just set them against the wall.

They never moved, because I ended up loving them on either side of the entrance into the living room.

The chalkboard I made this last summer and I will keep it forever.

It was my very first one and I can assure you, it won't be my last.

I absolutely love it for seasonal quotes or the dinner menu when we have company.

I picked up the antique, gold frame at Goodwill for $1.50 and even almost painted it when I first brought it home, but I am SO glad that I kept it just the way it is.

Our table was an inexpensive set we bought about 5 years ago, and as you can tell, all the chairs it came with have been destroyed {literally} so for now we are using mis-matched ones.

With 4 kids, I'm waiting til they're a little older to buy nice chairs, that won't be stained, drawn on, have juice/ milk spilled on them {everyday, might I add}.

These will just have to do for now.

The table decor changes constantly in this house, seasonally and depending on my mood as well.

Right now, this is what it looks like...

My mom gave me a couple of orchid plants for my birthday and I wanted to display them beautifully, so I added them on my Christmas platter.

Maybe it doesn't match, but I still love it.

I did a little post about my gate that I hung to divide the spaces a little and it's still there.

I haven't taken any white paint to it, but I'm still thinking I should.

I want it to stand out.

One of my favorite parts about the room is the art work.

I originally got the idea from this lovely blog and I love, love, LOVE how it turned out.

To get the art I would of liked would of been almost impossible considering the size and how many I needed to fill up the wall.

So I went to amazon.com and purchased this book.

To my surprise, when I received it, this is how small it was!

I should of read the measurements, dang it, not to mention it was quite spendy.

But instead of not being able to just take the pictures straight out of the book and frame them, I had the pictures copied and enlarged to the size needed... Viola!

I then went to Michaels and purchased 3 sets of the plain white metal frames and my project was complete!

I'm still eyeing a pretty chandelier, but that will just have to wait for now.

I'm sure with time, little things will change here and there, but for now we are loving our little space!

Hope you enjoyed it as well!

Nails...

2011-12-26T19:40:00.000-08:00

My latest obsession.

Growing up, I was raised in a strict family, so I wasn't allowed to polish my nails.

I always marveled at my friends' colorful hands when I got to see them.

So once I got married, I kinda felt like a free bird {although I am very thankful I was sheltered and loved by my parents}.

Out came the fun make-up and pretty nail polish.

Manicured nails are an easy way to look put together.

No one wants to see a pretty girl all dolled up in a dress, a pair of heels, fun make-up, and... Chipped nails.

Nope, it just doesn't work.

I'm very particular about my nails looking polished... Short and colorful is how I like 'em.

Lately I have been drooling over some fun, new looks I keep finding on Pinterest.

Those metallics are just to die for!

And all the glitter...

I was NOT crazy about glitter polish about 3 weeks ago. I felt like it was for little girls...

until I stumbled upon these images.

I'm kinda digging the one nail in glitter and the rest a solid color.

It's interesting and catches your eye.

So much so, that I went ahead and got me some pretty glitter polish from the OPI Muppet collection.

It's called "Excuse moi!", and I can't wait to use it for the New Years celebration.

And there are lots of other fun colors from that collection as well.

This one is "Rainbow Connection".

And "Fresh frog of Bell Aire".

Wouldn't this one be fun for St. Patricks day on your toes?

I think so.

Any fun techniques you've been trying???

Step out of the box and try something new.

If you don't like it, just take some remover to it and start over!!!

Happy Birthday...

2011-12-24T12:08:00.000-08:00

To me!!!

Yes, today I celebrate my 28th birthday.

There's not much going on around the house today besides cleaning and slowly getting ready for Christmas eve service, but I did get to go out last week with some girlfriends.

Here I am ready to go.

I had a great time with people I adore...

One of my sisters.

And whats a party without a drink... Right?

{a virgin drink that is, hee, hee}

I was also VERY spoiled and got lots of fun stuff.

And no celebration is complete without a little dessert...

After we were all done, the night was still young, so I decided to go and do some shopping, solo that is.

It was relaxing and I love my hubby for being able to stay at home while I enjoyed myself.

But as soon as I got home, these babies came off...

And I caught some zzzzzzzz's.

Since I have a big group of girlfriends, I decided to split up the occasion... And who wouldn't want to be able to have two girl nights out in one week???

The morning of, my wonderful friend and an amazing make-up artist, Beth, treated me to a complete make over... Airbrushing me and the whole nine yards.

She did a beautiful job!

The night followed with some yummy food and then dessert with some of my gorgeous friends!

Not to mention, a couple of days later, my mama bought me these gorgeous Orchids.

I just LOVE the life they bring to my home.

This year has been full of laughs, tears, ups and downs, but if God brings you to it, He will bring you through it!!!

To another year... Cheers!

Insta-life.

2011-12-22T17:10:00.001-08:00

This week has been a little crazy with last minute Christmas shopping, treating my mom for her birthday, choir practice at church, my birthday tomorrow, but I admit, it still is the most wonderful time of the year!

Last week I got to celebrate a dear friend and her baby bump #3.

She is absolutely stunning and ALWAYS glowing.

I also finally whipped out my sewing machine {after about 3 months} and made her a baby blanky.

I actually love how it turned out.

I also decided to treat myself to some yummy smelling perfume.

But because I didn't feel like spending $70 on a bottle, that I would probably get sick of half way through the bottle, I decided to get one of these little rolley ones.

And you know what, I love it!

It's very convenient, lasts longer than the spray and is much cheaper!

I'm also trying to give my nails a little break from the shellac {it's still pretty harsh on the nail}, and so I picked up these fun colors to try.

I also finally found a cute pair of Nude shoes!

Well, they're more like khaki colored, but good enough for me.

I love the wedge and they're actually quite comfortable for a high heel.

Picked this up as well, in my mailbox that is...

Kinda love getting my magazines in the mail.

It's like an unexpected treat you forget about.

This I did NOT pick up, but saw at the store and I just had to snap a pic and send it to my friend.

We love The Bachelorette/ Bachelor, but really???

After like less than a year they can't even stay together???

So I've decided that the show is a waste of my time.

I've also decided that I would finally give this hat a whirl.

It's very different from what I normally wear, but I actually kinda like it... It's fun.

Gabes last day of school before Christmas break involved a little party in their class, so he insisted that I make goody bags for everyone.

So I did what any mom would do and stayed up til midnight, making goody bags.

And you can't make goody bags without giving the teacher a little something as well.

While working on those goody bags, I took little breaks to sneak in some bites of this delicious stuff.

It's dangerous, very dangerous.

And so is this stuff.

This sandwich bread from Costco is beyond delicious.

But not only for sandwiches. I toasted it, smothered it with butter and topped it off with some homemade nectarine jelly... Oh.My.Word.

It was good.

And the kids thought these were good... Cause they're empty.

I love using my apothecary jars for fun decor or candy in this case.

Alright, I've still got a million things to do, so I will go make myself useful!

Um, Christmas is in 2 days... Aaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

Giveaway!!!

2011-12-17T00:56:00.000-08:00

Looking for a fun giveaway to enter???

I know there are a tons of different blogs giving away a LOT of different things, but you have to go visit my dear friend Keshas blog and enter her fun giveaway!!!

Here's whats included:

Fun, right?

Go on over... Don't be shy!!!

Mens fashion.

2011-12-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

Just recently, I have become more interested in mens fashion.

My hubby... Not so much.

I mean what woman doesn't like her man to be well groomed and nicely dressed???

He doesn't get it.

He works all day getting dirty and what not, you would think he'd wanna put on something nice.

Like this...

Nope, he would rather go grocery shopping, or even to a holiday gathering in his carharts and boots!

Yes, that's my man... And I love him so much, I just have to chuckle when he even brings the idea up!

I saw an awesome quote on Pinterest the other day that said:

"A well tailored suit is to women what lingerie is to men."

Um, Can I get an Amen!!??

It's so true, I don't know why someone hasn't said so sooner!

Thankfully he loves ME so much that he lets me torture him into wearing things that he would of NEVER in his life picked out.

Like a lavendar, wool sweater for Easter or a sea foam green paisley design tie for Christmas last year...

And because we had our family shoot a few weeks ago, I went to Tarje and picked out a few things I knew he would hate, but told him I would return them if he didn't wear 'em.

Um, he kept all three pieces!!!

And I think he secretly liked them... He just didn't wanna admit it.

First was this awesome wool coat.

This one is gray, but his is a dark olive green... Super chic.

This sweater is my fav...

I never in a million years thought he would even consider trying it on, much less keeping it and actually wearing it!!!

And this last one...

I got him the striped one and he didn't mind it at all.

Now if only I can work my magic and get him to wear this...

Easter is 3 months away, so I've got some time :)

I just love the pop of green with all the khaki.

And you know, a few more cute sweaters...

If you couldn't tell, I LOVE a cable knit sweater.

Or this awesome tweed blazer...

Which actually he has!!!

Well, the same exact one, but the same color, just without the elbow patches.

That's what caught my eye in this pic.

I bought his last year on clearance at Old Navy for only $10.

You read that right.

I love fashion, but I'm not willing to pay the price for it.

I don't think you have to wear name brand to look put together and with 4 kids, it would be selfish.

I've never paid more than $50 for any of his jeans, which includes Gap, Old Navy, Lucky Brand, Levis and Sevens.

I'm a sucker for a good deal, what can I say.

Now I just need to convince him that a good pair of shoes kinda completes the outfit.

I'm thinking I might sneak out and get him these for Christmas...

Because that's how much he hates them.

But I think once he realizes how comfortable they are, he will be hooked... I know I was!

Not to mention, the awesome cause behind buying a pair of these.

Well, if I can't convince him, I do have 3 little boys that for the most part, don't say no to anything I put on them, so I will just have to torture them with the cutest, darnest looks.

What's a mom for, right???

Happy well dressing!

Insta-life.

2011-12-11T16:37:00.000-08:00

I'm back!

Still feelin' yucky with this cold, but braved my solo at church today... A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

I just wanted to share the rest of the Instagram photos since I had so many.

I have been using my regular camera way more recently with all the family gatherings and fun decorating that's going on in my house, but it's still fun to pull out my phone and be able to edit with a push of a button.

Remember, randomness at it's best.

This one seems to have a lot of food items... Which is totally fine with me :)

Whats Thanksgiving without some yummy cranberry sauce, right?

Or the pretty pears that I used to decorate the Thanksgiving table... They were pretty darn good as well.

Not sayin' that I'm fat, but I haven't lost any weight since I've had Charlie, and this is why.

When you have a chef for a husband {I am NOT complaining} you eat yummy food. But usually "yummy" means a LOT of butter... Which was the case here.

And because he loves me so much, he made some delicious chicken noodle soup for me... It totally hit the spot. Totally.

It's not even close to comparable to canned soup!

But with all the home cooked meals that we have, there are days where I just wanna run into Costco and have a chicken bake.

Admit it. You love it too.

Especially on a Sunday after church when half of your friends are there as well!

And then there's the fast lunch runs through the drive through with the kids at this place...

Especially when that morning they had a $5 groupon for $10 worth of food.

Sign me up.

Another good and healthy snack the kids and I love is Pineapple.

I normally cut up the entire thing and it's gone within' minutes.

Although it makes our tongues feel funny, we just can't stop eating it!

And lately {especially since I'm sick} I've been having LOTS of tea.

About 2-3 cups a day to be exact.

The hot, steaming, flavored water sorta soothes my achy throat.

Now, back to Christmas.

The kids are STILL finding lady bugs from our Christmas tree and they can keep themselves entertained for quite a bit with them.

And with that said, I think my house has officially been Christmas-fied.

There has been lots of gift wrapping {and still not done}...

Gift tag makin'...

The beginning to some Christmas card gettin'...

Figurin' out how to hang those Christmas cards {I'm pleased with this idea}...

A lot of yummy smellin' candle burnin'...

And you can't have any Christmas decoratin' without some music, now can ya?!

This is definitely on the top of my list.

You can never have too much Michael... You just can't.

And then some of this talented guy.

And having nothing to do with Christmas...

Some Country music.

I am NOT a fan of country music by any means, but this cd and some Carrie Underwood I could listen to all day.

I've been rotating between these 3 cd's for the past month and a half and no, I'm not sick of them yet.

If I do get sick of them, I'll just turn this station on.

Christmas music.

All day. Everyday. Period.

And not only has there been Christmas decorating, but other fun little things around the house.

I've had this poster hanging in the bathroom for a while {in light of my hubby being a plumber}...

But after the tiling was done, I needed to fancy it up a bit, so I framed it.

I like.

And some other fun stuff I've found for the home, at none other, than GW {goodwill}...

This fun mirror.

It's not an antique, but I love the shape and detail.

I actually found the same one on Etsy the other day for $30, but I picked mine up for only $8 :)

And this pretty picture...

I REALLY wanted to keep it as is and hang it in Isabelles room, but I also REALLY needed a pretty frame to make into a chalk board as a gift.

It turned out beautiful, no doubt about it, I just wish I had two of them!

And just one more...

Ha!

I love me a good cheesy joke on a popsicle stick... Makes my day.

Alright, the kids are bed, so this Mama is off to do some relaxin'!

Enjoy what's left of the weekend.

Insta-life.

2011-12-10T18:41:00.000-08:00

I have been sick as a dog for two days now.

And this is what I've been sportin'.

Fever, the most painful sore throat {most likely strep}, so I have been laying low.

I'm praying none of my kids get it, cause God forbid they be in this much pain!

But it has been a while since I did a Hipsta post, so I thought I would do one.

And actually I decided to rename it to Insta-life.

First Because: After I got Instagram on my phone, I use it way more often than Hipstamatic since its much easier and quicker.

Second is: It really is my life captured via Instagram.

Just randomness at it's best.

These "fairytale" pumpkins is what I used for my Thanksgiving decorating, except for the little spray paint that I added to them.

Remember I was saying we were gonna be re-doing the tile in our bathroom?

Well, after a very messy three days...

This is what it looks like.

I didn't get to get that white tile I really wanted, but this was in our budget considering it was free.

And I actually love how it turned out.

My little Isabelle is quite the helper.

Here she is helping me fold laundry.

She folded all the towels that day and then the other day, she called me into my room and this is what I walk into.

She had randomly cleaned my entire room without me even asking her!

Made my bed, picked everything up off the floor, made Charlies crib and then on top of that she proceeded to clean her room as well!!!

What can I say, I was a proud mama :)

And then when I ask her to play with Charlie, this is what she and Noah will do... They make a fort by putting the blanket over his stroller.

I love it.

Exactly a month ago, I got to go to our churchs' Womens Retreat.

This was my second year, and it is my priority to go every year.

There is just something special about 200 women praising and worshiping all together.

This was the topic.

And it was good. REALLY good. Convicting good.

We spent a lot of time searching through the word of God.

And then had our fun as well.

I don't care who you are, but those mustaches match us PERFECTLY!

I've also been reading some other fun stuff.

I love getting my Home & Gardens magazine.

And this.

Bought it on clearance somewhere and shows me just how little I know about the Bible.

Now for some Fashion.

I still can't get enough of my Shellac nails.

I just love them.

There is just something so addicting about having natural looking nails polished, completely dried right after your done and staying completely shiny until you decide to change the color.

Here's my newest color to the addition.

A really pretty, Peachy nude.

I'm still lovin' my short hair... And this is just one reason why.

You can actually see my earrings!

Earrings are ALWAYS my go to accessory.

Last weekend my cousin was over from out of town and she is quite the make up artist.

She has a passion for it and it shows in her work.

Here I am sportin' a peacock smokey eye.

It's not an everyday look, but was very pretty and quite dramatic.

I felt like I had just done a photo shoot for some fancy magazine.

And then the next day, for my hubbys and mine 10 yr. anniversary outing, I asked her to make me over again, but a little more subdued.

I love the winged eyeliner.

It's so 60's.

And really, I'm not that pale in real life. It was the filter I chose.

Check out these fun tights I picked up at Tarje.

I love me a pair of bright tights.

And here's one more for the road.

Noah and I chillaxin' on the couch.

I've still got a ton more to share, but don't wanna make this an hour long post!

Hope you have a good weekend and stay healthy!

Curtains.

2011-12-07T12:50:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know me, need to know one thing.

I LOVE curtains.

I think they bring any home a cozy and put together feeling.

Not to mention the privacy we all need sometimes.

I tend to {Just noticed} change mine out about every 3-4 yrs.

Not purposely, but I've noticed my taste has been changing a LOT over the years, so this results in some re-decorating in my house.

Nothing major, but little changes here and there.

Recently {two months ago actually} I ordered some fabric online for my newly remodeled dining room, and I was SO excited to get it.

Don't ask why it took me two months to get it.

But this is what I finally got at my doorstep last week.

It's a very pretty gray and cream striped suede fabric that I thought would look perfect in my dining room.

Boy was I wrong.

The fabric is gorgeous, but nothing about it looked good by ANY means in the space where it intended to be.

I did finally sit down last night {after not using my sewing machine for about 2 months} and sewed them.

I waited so long to get the fabric, I knew I would make it work somewhere, somehow.

This is where it actually ended up.

Yes, in my living room.

The last place I thought I would be hanging them.

But they just looked perfect with the wall color!

{sorry for the poor photos. I HATE using the flash, but the lighting in my house is horrible, even during the day}

They don't exactly go well with everything else in there, but we're planning on getting new couches in a couple of months and I'm hoping hubby will let me pick something light...er.

I know, I have 4 children, but I'm just CRAVING cream couches... Sigh.

So because I had some in-store credit from fabric.com, found a coupon online AND got free shipping, I decided to go ahead and order this pretty fabric for my dining room.

I only ended up paying $21 for 5 yards!!!

I'm thinking it'll look perfect considering the wall color.

I needed something that was darker and that would stand out on it's own.

I think this should do it.

I'm hoping to have these within a week and hopefully after I make them, I will be able to show you my new, completed dining room {the chandelier will have to wait}!

Have a great the rest of the week!

DIY Canvas prints

2011-12-02T15:09:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago, I was on Pinterest, browsing the topic
"Christmas".

And while doing so, I stumbled upon this picture...

And I totally loved the idea of making something similar as Christmas gifts this year.

So I went on a search to find a DIY way to make these canvas photos.

Then I found this picture...

The lovely writer of this blog, this is me inspired, posted an awesome and totally easy tuturial {even for you non-crafters} to make these.

So after printing our new family photos {I always go to Costco} and getting some thin canvas' at Michaels, I was able to check two more gifts off the "Present list".

Here's how mine turned out.

Michaels was out of the regular canvas' in the size I needed, so I opted for the thinner ones and they work just as well.

And then I hung them on a ribbon.

The only thing I don't suggest is stapling the ribbon on, which is what I did.

Although it was a regular stapler, it still went through the canvas.

Another cute little project I made the other day, was these fun ornaments.

I sing on the Worship team at church and we had annual Christmas party, with an ornament exchange.

If you know me at all, you know that I wasn't just gonna go out and buy one, I needed to make something unique.

I've been seeing these mustaches and lips EVERYWHERE and I wanted to use them somehow.

So I used a piece of an old hymn from a vintage piano book I had and cut out a mustache and lips and then used mod podge to make them stay and on top to harden them.

I love that the musical notes were SO appropriate.

What was even more fun was that the couple that got em, the Mr. had a mustache... Totally what I was hoping for!

If your looking for a way to save money, try some DIY projects.

They're fun and most are inexpensive.

Happy Monday!

Like sand through the hour glass...

2011-12-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

So are the days of our lives.

I know, cheezy, but come on... Where has the time gone!!!

It's December!!!

For most people it's just another 1st day of the month, but for me, it's a little more special than that.

Today the Mr. and I celebrate our 10 yr. anniversary {not to mention my birthday and Christmas is this month}... Eeeeeek!

I'm excited.

No, not because he got me some fancy present, or because we're going on a special trip, but because we have been together for a total of 15 yrs.

It has not been an easy road, there have been lots of bumps along the way, but with the Lords guidance we are still here today.

He is my everything...

And we plan on being together for a very, very long time.

I love you baby.

{photos courtesy of Bumble Alley Photography}

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2011-11-30T13:10:00.000-08:00

Yes it is... Especially around here!!!

Christmas time is probably my favorite time of year and decorating for it is no exception.

I was SO tempted to start putting sparkly things up before Thanksgiving, but my rule is no Christmas decorating til AFTER turkey day.

It was hard, but I managed to withhold.

So here I am, trying to get it out of my system by decorating literally every corner in my house.

I'll start with the main tree in our house and some of the pretties on it.

It's pretty much identical to last year, except I didn't add any colorful ornaments this year.

Just some silver, gold, white and pale hints of Tiffany blue.

If your wondering where my ornaments came from, most of them are from Wal-Mart {after Christmas sale} and a lot of them from Big lots that I bought when hubby and I first got married.

I can't get myself to spend $6 on just one, when there's about a 50% chance it will be broken by one of my sweet children.

I also used pillow stuffing to put on the edges of the branches for the fluffy "snow" effect.

This little guy {the top of a tree that was being thrown away so I rescued it} is sitting in our dining room.

I had the perfect spot for it, so I couldn't resist.

The size could not have been anymore perfect!

Then there's my chalkboard right above the tree that I love to write seasonal, bible or any other worthy reading, quotes on.

And the dining room table.

That's always the first place that gets decorated {besides the tree}.

I found these cute little Bambis at Goodwill for $2.50 a piece.

And then my 100 yr. old piano.

This was my first year EVER doing anything with it, but I just love how it turned out, so I am making it a priority to prettify it every year.

The frames are always up there, but they seem to stand out even more with all the green sequoia.

Especially the red one.

The twinkling of the lights are just magical when all the lights in the house are off.

And my wreath.

I'll be honest.

I was SO excited to try and make my own wreath this year and I had so many ideas, but after about 2 hours and my idea not turning out the way I thought it would, I kinda gave up.

I had absolutely no clue what to do with it.

So the only thing I could think of is just to hang it on a pretty, cream, satin ribbon and hang little crystals off the ends of it.

It's a little plain for my taste, but it ain't too bad, and still has a little sparkle.

Master bedroom.

It has been looking kinda drab lately, so I really needed to liven it up a little.

I always say this, but putting live flowers in ANY room automatically gives it life.

So I went into my front yard, cut the last of my autumn roses...

Used one of my mini milk vases to hold them...

And put them under this glass cloche... Well, sorta.

This glass cover was actually a vase.

I originally put the mini Christmas tree in it and after a couple of days, it couldn't hold the weight, so the bottom of it just broke off and the tree fell over.

At first I threw it away, but then decided I could re-use it for something.

I just love how it looks!

One of my friends said it looks like the rose from Beauty and the Beast and I told her "Yep, it's cause I'm living a fairytale."

Even my giant Eiffel tower got a little Christmas love!

It normally sits in the dining room where the tree is, but I had to move it and decided to put it up on my dresser.

Probably not the best spot for it, but it'll do for now.

With everything going on, I have to admit, I haven't done ANY Christmas shopping.

I'm trying to get myself to start buying them through out the year, but I just feel silly buying something and then having it sit in my closet for 6 months... Not to mention it drives me nuts!

So on Sunday I ran into Costco for some chicken bakes, and happened to find something super cute for my little niece.

One out of the way, about 50 more to go... Yikes!!!

Okay, back to my living room.

The tree is nice and all, but I still needed more.

I went outside, cut some branches and honeysuckle brush down and this is what I got.

Simple, but so pretty... So, so pretty.

It kinda reminds me of buck antlers, which is fitting considering my hubby is a hunter.

I'm also hoping that excuse will convince him to like it as well.

Hey, I gotta work my magic somehow :)

And last, but not least, my boys' room.

I was feeling like an extra nice mommy, so I decided to let them have one in their room since Gabe has been asking for one for a couple of years now.

I knew, getting into this, that there would be water all over the carpet, broken toys off the tree, and of course a tree on the floor, but thankfully NONE of those things have happened... Knock on wood.

For now, that's all I have to share, but I'm still itching to tackle a couple more areas in the house.

Once I do, I will snap away with my camera and share with all of you.

Happy Christmas decorating!!!

Thrift store treasures.

2011-11-29T09:11:00.000-08:00

All of ya'll know how much I love a good trip to Goodwill.

Haven't been looking for anything in particular, just whatever pops out, out of all the little trinkets stacked and stacked upon each other.

Just recently, I found these wall hanging candle holders.

They weren't bad to begin with, but because I have SO much brown in my house and I'm slowly trying to get rid of it, I knew it needed a fresh coat of spray paint.

I chose black.

It's a neutral and will match any decor I have in the future.

I know, I was bad and didn't use my regular camera, but hey, at least I got a before and after.

On this one, I also added the hanging crystals.

You know me, I like a little sparkle.

These two I paid $6 for and they went perfect in my living room on either side of my big window.

Sometimes I wonder why people give away such pretty stuff.

Any fun things you've found worth re-using???

Thanksgiving

2011-11-28T22:21:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone SO fast.

All thats left are some pictures, and unfortunetly because we were hosting this year at our house, with about 20+ people, I only had time to snap some shots of the table decor and a few of the kids {which most turned out blurry, sigh}.

I knew I wanted to go all out on decorating the tables, so for about 2 months, I would lay in bed {when I couldn't fall asleep} and find inspirations on Pinterest... My new favorite place to visit.

Here are some of the fun pictures I found.

I love how bright this room is.

But this one was my main inspiration.

I loved the bedazzled pumpkins.

It's tradition with some glam.

So here's my take on the inspirations.

I'm lucky I waited til the last week to buy the pumpkins, cause they were discounted, and considering I had no other use for them than to decorate, that made me happy.

These, big, dreamy pumpkins are called "Fairytale" pumpkins, and I can totally see why.

The remind me of Cinderella and the pumpkin turning into the carriage.

I decided to spray paint all of my pretty little pumpkins with gold and silver spray paint.

So easy but makes SUCH a difference!!!

I originally wasn't gonna have any green on the table, but when I was finished {or so I thought}, the table looked empty and had no life.

So I went in the back yard and cut some of these pretty vines and just laid them round about the candles and pumpkins.

And notice that my milk vases have served yet another purpose... as the pumpkin holders.

I also had hubby run to the store {since he needed other things} and pick up some pears to put on the plates.

It was a last minute decision that made a big difference.

There's just something so fitting about the idea.

For the second table, I wanted to carry the same theme, but because it was much smaller, the scale of the decor needed to be as well.

I had two extra pears left over, so I decided to cut them up and use them... I'm so glad I did.

And of course my birds.

I've decided that they will be part of my decorating for every season.

I just love them too much not to use them.

And this last picture I just had to share.

It's your cliche turkey carver that you see in old movies... Why I had to take the picture is because hubby was SO excited to use it, you have no idea.

Love that man.

Well, although the house was packed, we survived and all had more than plenty to eat.

It was a great time with family.

Family shoot {sneak peak}

2011-11-27T15:59:00.000-08:00

My childhood friend, Maria, from {Bumble Alley Photography} came down and took some gorgeous pictures of the fam.

It was long overdue considering last time we had them taken was two years ago.

Here's just one of hubs and I.

We will celebrate 10 yrs. of bliss, love and happiness {and you know, all the other stuff life throws at you} on Thursday, so she snapped some of just he and I in honor of that day special day.

As soon as I get more I will share.

Have a great week!!!

Vintage Flea Market

2011-11-26T19:04:00.001-08:00

I know it's been two months since my Vintage Flea Market, but my talented friend from {Bumble Alley Photography} just got the pictures to me...
She did a beautiful job of capturing my booth from this event.

It took place at the Deepwood Estate park and although it was gloomy and sprinkling on and off, the turn out was good.

Here I am freezing my buns off the morning of the second day.

It's still so weird seeing myself with such long hair.

And the rest are pretty things in my space.

The first thing you saw {at every booth} was the name of the little shops, if you may.

A vintage trunk...

Pretty plates and tea cups...

Milk vases...

My handmade sign...

My shoppers...

Some kitchen items...

Hubbys homemade pickles...

Some baby blankies...

Pretty throw pillows...

Baby shoes...

Pretty little hairclips...

And of course some pretty live flowers.

An over all view of my mini mart...

Hope you enjoyed looking at these as much as I enjoyed being there!!!

Vera

Hipsta Friday.

2011-11-18T13:28:00.000-08:00

I have not forgotten about you, my readers.

I take advantage of any computer when I get a chance, just not as often as I'd like to.

Just bear with me.

Just wanted to share some more of my randomness that happens in my life.

I FINALLY figured out how I like to style my fun, new hair. That top pictures is how I look most days and so far I am lovin' it.

I finally took some time to make some cute signs for some of my friends.
Super easy and fun. They make great gifts.

This one is definitely my favorite so far.

Plain and simple.

On a trip to Goodwill, I spotted this fun toy and it totally brought me back to childhood.
I loved playing with it, so I thought I would share that memory with my kids and I bought it for a whole $3... Gotta love second hand shopping.

This was a sight at my moms work a week ago. We went to have lunch with her and totally saw a beautiful hot air balloon.
I think I have a secret love for these big, blow up balls that float so carelessly in the sky.

And when I come home from that lunch date, this is what I have to tackle. Tis life.

Ah yes, my yummy goodness.

A couple of weeks ago, the kids and I hit up an apple orchard and picked a big box of apples.
They were so pretty.

But the drive through the country on that foggy morning was even prettier. So peaceful.

And something EVEN better is my yummy breakfast I'll have once in a while.
Grilled cheese sandwich with a latte. I'm hungry.

I know I keep promising pictures of the re-done dining room and the boys' room, but there are just minor details I'm waiting to finish before I wanna share the photos.
But here is a little sneak of what hangs on the boys' wall.

And a little sneak of what hangs in the dining room.
I was really excited about this project, and it did end up costing me a little more than I thought, but I just love how it turned out.

Oh my sweetness, he just loves this play thing and he is getting SO big. SO sad.

Meet my hubby.

Yes, he killed this bear about a month ago. Gross, I know.

And while he was doing that, I was at home, doing this... AFTER the kids were in bed of
course.

I think thats it for now.

I've got lots of things I need to share, just don't have the time right this second.

Promise I will be back soon!

P.S.
I know, I'm taking a little break from Facebook at the moment, so if your clicking on the little FB button and it's not working, that's why.
You can email me with questions/ orders at vbatsalem@hotmail.com.

Just another dresser...

2011-11-07T15:02:00.001-08:00

I had the privelage of re-finishing another dresser for a friend.

She has been trying to find an up-right dresser like this for a while and hasn't been able to, so when I showed her this piece, she was thrilled.

Mind I add that I found it on craigslist {with a matching nightstand} for only $30???

I know.

Here is a measly before picture that was taken with my phone.

And here she is all prettied up.

She wanted something neutral, so I used the same color palette I did on my dresser... An off white with light grey detail.

I decided to give it an extra something special by adding the little swirls.

Here are some of the grey details.

She hasn't seen it yet and I can't wait for her to come and pick it up.

Any great finds you've discovered???

I would love to hear about 'em.

Happy Monday!!!

Guts and glory.

2011-10-31T14:44:00.001-07:00

This post will require few little words.

That first picture is of me when I was only 4 years old.

See the hair? That was the last time I ever had it that short.

Until I came across this picture.

This was all I needed to see to have my mind changed in an instant.

And that led to this.

Yep.

The next morning I made an appt. and I just went and did it. Without even thinking about it.

Yes, I cried the next night when everyone was alseep, but I really do love it.

Not to mention it takes me like 7 minutes to style it versus an hour.

It's just hair and it'll grow back... That's the beauty of it.

So go ahead, take a risk.

Hipsta Monday.

2011-10-24T12:51:00.000-07:00

Ah, the sweet smell of Autumn is defiantly upon us, and there is no denying it by the beautiful sights all around us.

Like this gorgeous red bush.

And when it does get too cold or wet outside, well, what better way to spend it than to grab a paint brush and update some things in my house... Like this built-in in our hallway.

Doesn't it look fabulous?

I just love a fresh coat of white paint. Crisp and clean.

Another sort of paint I'm still obsessed with is my Gelac set.

These are a couple of new colors I got and they are very pretty... Very.

Some other projects we're working on in the house {Cause there's never a time when everything is completely done} is re-tiling our bathroom and this is the tile Im trying to convince my hubby that we need.

I just love it.

And this pretty little bird book will also be incorporated into our dining room make over.

Along with a chandelier that might look something like this.

And even with the weather getting cold, we still got some of these growing in our garden.

And of course it's now the season for these yummy things... Mushrooms.

We are obsessed.

Here's me trying out a different look.

I thought I liked it, but never had the guts to actually wear it out.

And of course here's some of my not so little, little Charlie.

This was his first time on a swing at the park... And he LOVED it.

And here he is sporting daddy's glasses.

And one of him sleeping in my arms.

I'm sure everyone knows what these pretty little dolls are... American dolls.

So cute, right?

After looking at the price of these things, not to mention they're outfits cost more than mine, I couldn't believe that people actually buy these things!

Isabelles been carrying around the catalog that we got in the mail and she absolutely loves them, but I explained to her that they are very expensive and she hasn't mentioned again that she wants one... Phew!

Anyway, I'm glad I FINALLY got to share some pics with you... I know it's kinda been a while since my last post.

The joys of not having a working laptop.

I promise it'll be sooner than later for my next post.

Happy Monday!!!

A wall, mirror and gate.

2011-10-09T18:17:00.000-07:00

Anyone remember me sharing this picture not long ago???

It's a picture of the main wall in my living room and I really needed to change out that outdated picture for something more modern.

Well, I finally got around to it and worked on that little project.

This is a beautiful mirror I bought at the Vintage flea market from the vendor that was next to me.

As soon as I saw them bringing it in, I told them I wanted it.

It was only $15... Yep.

I loved it but not the beige with Gold trimming.

So I gave it a new coat of black, shiny spray paint.

Here's what it looks like.

I know, it was a sad day.

Because this mirror originally came off a dresser, it had big, metal bars on the back, and while hubby was carefully trying to get them off with a crow bar, he accidently cracked the mirror in half... Sigh.

Oh well.

I do love the shape of the frame, so I knew I was gonna keep it regardless, I just don't know what I'm gonna do in the center of it.

Any ideas welcome :)

I also mentioned an awesome old gate door we had in the back yard when we moved in... I finally put it to good use.

We've got a half wall type thing between the piano room and dining room, and I wanted to do something special to kinda break them off.

I love this gate and all the swirlys it provides, it's right up my alley.

I purposely hung it upside down to give it a unique look and so far I like it.

It's an interesting focal point that the space has needed for a long time.

And actually now that I'm looking at it, I noticed it doesn't stand out as much as I really want it too, so I think I might take some cream paint to it.

Look for that post as well.

For those who have good eyes, probably noticed the little sliver of the dining room {hubby worked his remodeling magic}, and when it's completely done, I will share an entire post on it with before and after pictures.

That's all for now... Have a wonderful week!

Hipsta Sunday.

2011-10-09T15:51:00.001-07:00

Alright, it's time for another fun Hipsta post!!!

So that top picture, not the best of the both of us, but I like it.

Hubby and I FINALLY were able to have a date night.

These have been pretty rare with 4 kids, but a big thank you to my mom and sister in law who each took 2 kids so we can go out and have some alone time... And it was nice.

Sometimes I think that Gabe has an eye for photography. He loves taking my phone and just snapping away at whatever his eye catches.

Like this sweatshirt at the store while shopping for him.

Or our shopping trip for his first pair of Toms.

Let me tell you, I'm quite obsessed with these miniature size, canvas shoes.

I'll be honest, I HATED them when they first came out. I didn't get what the big deal was... Until I went and got myself the black glitter pair. I LIVE in them.

But I mostly love buying them for the cause. For every pair you buy, a pair is donated to needy children around the world... Just awesome.

Anyone else ready for fall {unless you live in like Hawaii}???

Well, stumbling upon this in the living room, I'm guessing Gabe is.

We don't celebrate Halloween, but everything else is pretty much spot on.

This, my friends, is a pair of shoes that I love but don't wear very often, and I'm sure you can figure out why... They hurt like no other.

And that scratch?

That was a result of the heel. Oooops.

This is what my last weekend looked like.

I know, I just painted my living room 6 months ago, but I'm so over the mustardy yellow. I just have way too much brown/ warm tones in my house and I was ready for a little change.

They are now a light gray and I love it.

Less than two months from now, hubby and I will celebrate our 10 year anniversary... Aaaaahhhh!!!

Just crazy how fast the time has gone by!!!

And I mentioned to him how awesome it would be to go back where we stayed on our honeymoon {which I know won't happen}.

This Hotel was beyond beautiful.

Aw, the joys of motherhood... Cleaning.

This heart shaped milk stain was left, I'm guessing by Charlies bottle or by Noah.

Either way, it's still there. I think it's kinda cool and a great excuse not to clean my floors :)

This right here is what I'm guessing my Fall will look like.

Baking random goodies and wearing my cozy slippers.

And if you have a child playing any sort of instrument, this is what you'll be ordering online.

This is serious stuff folks.

He's getting pretty good and it makes me proud.

Ah yes, onto more girly things... Like pretty hair.

This is what Isabelles looked like this morning, from sleeping in a bun all night.

I wish mine looked like this.

This cuteness {although looks exactly like Isabelle and Charlie} is actually my hubby.

Apparently he stayed cute, hee hee.

Back to girly stuff.

This is THE best lip gloss you will every try... No joke.

I first discovered this Mally brand on QVC.com and unfortunately thats the only place they carry her product, but it's worth the money.

This stuff is originally $20 a tube {which doesn't last me long since I use mine EVERY. SINGLE. DAY} but right now there is a special price of $26.40 for two. Totally worth it.

I'm actually tempted to try her other products as well, just have to wait, can't buy everything at once.

I do have the anniversary, birthday AND Christmas coming up, so I'll have a good excuse as to why I need to spend at LEAST $100 on new, innovative make up.

I'll let you know if that excuse works.

Hope everyone had a nice weekend!!!

Fall wreath.

2011-10-03T14:37:00.000-07:00

October 1st... The official start to Fall.

Okay, not really, but it was for me.

Something about this month says "autumn", including the weather.

Rain, sun breaks, gloomy, cloudy, not cold nor hot. I kinda like it. Just a little bit.

So to welcome this fall weather, hubby went on a hunting trip {thank goodness it was only for the day}, and I decided I would tackle that wreath I've been meaning to make.

Remember this inspiration picture I shared?

Pretty, right?

Well, here's my version of it.

As I was working on it, I realized that it was turning out way more pretty than I thought it would... I love it when that happens.

Instead of using silk flowers, I actually used all the left over hydrangea from my flea market, since they had dried perfectly.

And instead of the numbers, I knew I wanted to make it more "Thanksgivingy" {yes, I just made that word up.}

So to get the look I wanted, I had used some muslin fabric, soaked it in crushed coffee bean water for about an hour {to darken the fabric a bit}, put it in the dryer for about 30 minutes {cause I'm impatient}, used a pencil to write "Thankful", traced it with a black sharpie, used mod podge to harden the fabric, and finally scrolled it a little to give it the wavy look.

Phew!!!

It was easy, just took much longer since I was trying to monitor 3 unruly children in the process.

I've also been meaning to share some before pictures of this awesome, 150 year old rocking chair that I bought at a yard sale for $15.

The fabric is hideous, but I love that it's kinda miniature and is in tact after so many years!!!

I started working on it, but not quite done, so when I finish, I will be sure to share some pretty after pictures.

I'm off to the doctor with 4 children... Yikes!!!

Just an F.Y.I.

2011-09-29T23:23:00.000-07:00

While writing my last post, hubby mentioned to me something I hadn't really thought about.

Noticing the pictures I posted of the kids, he brought up a concern that's totally legit.

I named my blog Oh! Baby Designs because that is the name of my little home based business {if you may}, and really the reason for me to have it was to share all my creations with you.

But because the open person that I am, I like to share my life, accomplishments, struggles and with it, pictures.

But for the safety of our family and children, hubby and I decided it's best if I keep this blog what it was originally intended for... Business and maybe a little bit of life.

I will share a picture or two of the kidlets here and there, but mostly it will be for me to show off my product to you, my customer/ reader and fun projects I keep myself busy with around the house.

I know all of you will understand, especially those of you who have little ones.

It's plain and simple. Our families come before our blogs/ businesses.

With that said, I leave you with some beautiful fall decor!!!

Man, who wouldn't want a front entrance like this??

Or this...

I mean, come on.

And cool weather just SCREAMS candles, wouldn't you agree???

And of course pumpkins.

Like everywhere.

And you can't forget some pretty flowers.

I can't believe it's Friday already... Hope you enjoy your weekend!!!

Hipsta Thursday.

2011-09-29T21:05:00.001-07:00

Alright, it's time for another Hipsta post.

I like these. Just randomness at it's best.

But can I be honest just for a second???

SO many of my favorite blogs I read have had very good posts about being convicted of how they live their lives and how it's portrayed here in blog world.

I must agree, it's very different in pictures than in real life.

It's easy to sit behind a computer and fool the entire world about what goes on in your pretty, little, decorated house.

It's the truth. I live it everyday.

I strive to begin each and every morning with being in the Word and praying before I get on with my daily activities/ projects/ chores.

I say it helps, and it keeps you thinking all day about what you read and how you can apply it through out the day.

But boy is it hard.

Especially when it comes to patience.

With 4 kids, mine runs low... Very low.

I yell, I sigh, I lose it and I cry.

It's life, but it's not the way I want to LIVE my life.

It's so easy to post pretty pictures of your house, of yourself, of your children, etc, but what's going on while those pictures are being taken?

Let's use some of my Hipsta pictures for examples.

This is my boys' room. And this is what it looks like most days.

After I put Noah in time out and asked him to put away the legos, I come back 5 minutes later, and instead of cleaning up, he made a bigger mess.

What did I do? I yelled at him.

This is my front entrance, and while I was trying to put it together and take pictures, Noah was inside the house, half naked {okay, completely naked} running in and out of the back yard after I told him not to go out there.

What did I do? I very sturnly told him to get in the house, because we're a "normal" family and we don't yell in the back yard for all the neighbors to hear.

This is Isabelle and this was us sitting in the car for about 40 minutes while Gabe was in guitar lessons.

She looks so cute, right?

But while I was taking this picture, Noah was SCREAMING bloody murder and kicking like a mad man cause I wouldn't let him out of his car seat.

What did I do? This time, I ignored him cause I knew he would stop. And he did. He even fell asleep cause that's how tired he was.

But then, when we got home, and I let them play outside, he was so sweet, and even brought me a flower.

And then ofcourse he had a huge melt down when it was time to go inside the house.

Do you get where I'm going here???

This is life, people. And it ain't always peachy.

While my house may look pretty, I'm not always the prettiest inside.

I get mad, I yell, I stress, I cry, I procrastinate, I don't cook dinner every night, I don't always keep up with laundry or cleaning, I gossip, I might even mumble not a very nice word under my breath when someone cuts me off while driving, but I'm me, and that's that.

Only through him we can better ourselves and put our priorities in perspective.

Yes, I fail, daily, but I get back up and I try again.

Phew!!!

Okay, now that I've gotten that off my chest, I can move on with the rest of the pictures.

My toesies, I finally tried the glitter shellac, and I actually like it. It's fun.

Can you hear me groaning???

Well, I am.

I am NOT ready for fall by any means, but we have to welcome it whether we like it or not.

But Autumn does bring some yummy treats... Like these.

They're from my aunts garden and they're delicious.

Not even comparable to store bought ones.

This right here is our great carrot harvest.

Okay, not really.

But we tried and we got one little odd shaped carrot that was actually really delicious.

Super sweet.

Ah, the day I thought we'd have rain, but instead got 'in the high 70's' weather.

So I decided to brave my jumpsuit.

Bed time in this house is very precious time and is anticipated very much come 8pm.

Not by the children of course.

And the other night, after attending a fun "spa" birthday party, this is how I found Isabelle sleeping in her bed.

I love it.

And after the kids had gone to bed, hubby and I got to enjoy our own little dinner.

It was delicious.

Ah, pretty fabric... How I love thee.

This picture was taken AFTER I left the fabric store, thankfully was still in the parking lot, but turned around and went right back after I realized I had left my phone in the cart.

So for those who didn't know, now you know.

I'm not perfect. I'm human.

But I will do whatever it takes to live for God, for my husband, children, family and friends.

And THIS, my friends, is REAL life... Live it to the fullest.

Autumn.

2011-09-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

Alright, alright, I gave in.

Because it's been raining for about 3 or so days, I figured I needed to do some Fall decor in my home.

We had 5 mini pumpkins that accidently grew in our garden this year, so I figured that would be the perfect thing to use to decorate.

So with a little groan, I went and cut them.

The first thing I did, was take this cupcake holder and fill it with some fall fruit.

The delicious plums are from my aunts backyard... And boy are they yummy!!!

Because I didn't have enough to fill the entire thing, I used huge hydrangea from my friends garden to fill the middle part of it.

I love how it looks and I actually used it as a display at the Vintage Flea Market.

These beauties are from my aunts garden as well. She loves to share her produce and flowers and I will take it anytime, with open arms.

Again, these are from the Vintage Flea market.

Yep, that's how long they've lasted. Almost three weeks!!!

But I did replace them with something else.

Not sure if the proportions are right, but I still like it.

Here are some more pretty flowers.

And yes, I'm still lovin' my wooden crate in the center of the table.

It's SO convenient!!!

Unto that Fall decor.

Here's how I used those cute, little, orange vegetables.

I've had this lantern for about 8 years. I think I bought it at Ross and I really like it.

I wasn't crazy about the etched glass, so I thought I would try something else with it.

It's been sitting outside for a while, so it already had that perfect "weathered" look I absolutely love.

Here's what I came up with.

I love how it turned out!!!

I just took the glass out, used a little bit of Spanish moss and stuck a little pumpkin in there.

I just love using things I once liked and turning them into things I love now.

Here's what my front entrance looks like.

That awesome, heavy duty, steel pale is perfect for the look I was going for.

I'm not quite sure where we got it, but I've used it for numerous decoratings.

To hold the pumpkins in place, I just used little pieces of wood, that were a little taller than the pale itself and just added some more Spanish moss to fill the little gaps.

Another thing I LOVE, but haven't figured out where or how to use, is this amazing old, gate door that was in the back yard when we moved in.

Until now.

I have found THE perfect spot in the house for it, hubby has approved, so once it's in place, I will snap some pretty pictures and share them with you.

I'm also in the progress of working on my wreath for the front door.

I normally would of had it made, but there were SO many ideas I found on the internet, that I couldn't for the life of me decide which one I wanted to try.

But I have settled on one.

Isn't it pretty???

I probably won't add the numbers, but will add a personal touch that will be perfect for the "Autumn" theme I'm going for.

Once I have it done, I will share those pictures as well.

What are you using for your Fall decor???

Please do share and have a wonderful the rest of this week!!!

A chair and some pillows.

2011-09-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I picked up a couple of cute chairs that I thought would go perfect in some areas of my house.

One was for the piano and the other I was gonna use in the boys' room for the desk.

The one for the boys' room I painted, re-upholstered and ended up selling, the one for the piano, I kept... And I'm glad I did.

The chair was in awesome condition when I bought it and was only $8.

It sat for about a month or so until I FINALLY painted it and then I couldn't find the "perfect" fabric, so I just bought some that was on clearance.

It's not hideous, just not what I wanted.

And here she is with a little more work.

And up close.

I love that it kinda has a burlap feel/ look to it.

I stopped at Hancock fabric the other day and all their home decor fabric was half off.

I couldn't resist.

The best thing, instead of being $12.50 on sale, it only ended up being $5 a yard!!!

I also, finally {with two kids napping}, whipped out the sewing machine, and made some pillows for my living room.

I've been meaning to do this for a while now, considering the ones I had are over 6 years old, but ~~kept working on other projects~~ kept putting it off.

Here's an old one.

And the new ones.

They turned out so pretty.

That black, thick, home decor, damask print fabric was also on clearance for $7 a yard.

{I just love finding good deals}.

And out of just 1 yard, I was able to make three pillows!!!

I would say that's worth $7.

The black ones I sewed completely shut {since they're not feather down} but the red ones I left the bottom open and just added snaps so I can change 'em out when I get sick of them.

For those of you who have a good eye probably noticed that yes, once again, my walls are a different color.

I keep saying its an illness of some sort since I just painted them about 6 months ago.

But I think this is the one. The color is PERFECT, and I am MORE than happy with the results.

Not saying that'll stop me from painting again, but it might help :)

I've still got two more pillows to make, but for now, I'm happy with the way it looks.

Happy almost weekend!!!

A wall and other stuff.

2011-09-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

I am SO excited about this wall!!!

Can you tell why???

I mean, look at this picture...

How long you think I've had it?

Your right, a while.

I've had it for about 8+ years, it's totally out dated and quite frankly, I'm kinda tired of looking at it.

I knew I needed to do something about it, but wasn't in a hurry.

But while vending at the Vintage Flea market, I actually found something perfect for that spot and I can't WAIT to share it with you... Couple of days, I promise.

Along with that special little something I picked up, I FINALLY gave in and got myself a little wooden crate.

I love 'em, but wasn't sure what I could use 'em for in my house.

When I stumbled upon this one, for only $10, I couldn't pass it by.

No, it's not the cheapest price tag, but it was exactly what I was looking for.

Check it out...

Um, are you lovin' it as much as I am??!!

And on top of that, I found a perfect use for it!!!

In it, I've placed a couple of vases of flowers, napkins, forks and spoons.

It might not be the best solution for when your having company over or a big group of people, but with four kids, it's perfect for the everyday neccesities.

Now, for some other stuff.

I had a lot of knick knacks {not even close as to how much other people had though} available at the market, and I sold lots of it, but some of it ended up coming home with me.

But Because my beautiful, 100 yr. old piano, needed a major makeover, I was more than happy to put those little things to good use.

In the garage I went to dig them out.

Here's what the top of my piano looks like now {ooops, just realized I didn't take a before picture}.

The non-sold items in this picture are...

The little gold frame.

Pansies planted in the wire basket.

Silver plate.

Silver gravy cup.

Brass Candle holder.

I absolutely loved all those pieces and am kinda glad they didn't find new homes.

That big, gold frame {haven't figured out what I'm gonna do inside of it} I found at an estate sale for a whole $1.

As you can tell, the kids had already chipped it on the bottom, but I still like it.

This little, brass cup {I actually have two} is also in use now.

I put it on either side of this fireplace mantle and put some hydrangea in them.

I love how they stand out with the new color of my walls {a post on that soon}.

Alright, that's it for now, but I'll be back with more soon!!!

Fall "must haves".

2011-09-19T12:17:00.001-07:00

Are you ready for fall???

Is your WARDROBE ready for fall???

I wanted to make this post a little different than my other ones and share some of my fall favorites and wants.

I don't normally go out and buy a whole new wardrobe for whatever season we're in, with four kids, our budget doesn't allow it, but I do need some fall/ winter basics.

Here are some of the things I've been eyeing...

1. Jean Trousers.

LOVE them and everything about them.

The way they fit, the way they hang on your legs, making them look 2 miles long and I love the shape... So chic and so 70's.

I love that they are still casual, yet more dressy than your regular pair.

Dress them up or down.

2. Fedora hats.

I have ALWAYS loved them, but have never had the guts to buy one, much less wear one.

But this fall, I'm taking the plunge, and I'm quite excited.

3. Nude heels.

I was planning on getting a pair this summer, but never got around to it.

I just love that you can match them with literally ANYTHING.

Those are the kinds of pieces you want to have.

4. Scarves.

I love me a pretty, floral or dramatic scarf.

It can dress up any boring outfit.

Or just add a splash of color.

5. Plum and Nude lips.

I have always admired women who had the courage to wear such a dramatic and vibrant color, and this year, I will be one of those women.

With age comes a certain kind of confidence and I think I've finally gained the confidence to pull this beautiful and rich color off.

Not quite ready for such a bold color?

Try a muted, pale nude.

It's flattering on pretty much every skin tone and goes with any season or outfit.

I do admit, it's hard to find THE perfect nude, but I've found that CoverGirl always carries one that looks great on me.

6. Cardigans.

A perfect way to stay cozy and warm, but not too hot.

Wear them with pants or even a pretty skirt.

Want yours to stand out?

Try something like this.

Or try even adding your own touch by sewing on some handmade flowers.

I can't say I'm the best cook, the best maid or the best whatever, but I AM good at finding a good deal.

Out of all those things that are on my want/ need list, I have purchased half.

1. Jean Trousers

2. Fedora hat

3. Scarf

4. Plum AND Nude lipstick

For the four things that I HAVE bought, so far, I have only spent a total of $44.

I would say that is money well spent.

My budget doesn't allow me to go to Nordstroms or ANY high end store for that matter {unless it's the clearance rack} but to be honest, I find my best deals at Ross dress for less.

Sure it's not name brand product, but it still works just as well.

In fact, Ross, TJ Maxx and Marshalls all carry lots of name brand clothes/ accessories.

Just one more thing I am loving about the breezy weather... Pillows. And lots of 'em!!!

How fun is this couch??!

I would die to have this in my living room.

This could cheer up any ol' rainy day!!!

And as I'm writing this, the sun is shyly coming out, hee, hee.

What do you do when you live in Oregon?

You embrace whatever weather you're hit with!!!

Happy {almost} autumn!!!

Hipsta Monday.

2011-09-18T23:44:00.000-07:00

It's about time I did another Hipsta post!!!

With this weekend behind me, I can blog in peace without thinking in the back of my head about all the things that need to be done still... Although my house is a disaster right now.

For those who haven't caught up on my recent posts, I was a vendor at the Vintage Flea Market this weekend, and I gotta say although it was a LOT of work, a LOT of stress and a LOT of worrying, it was all worth it.

I had an amazing time and I can't wait to do it again.

I did have a friend come and take pictures of my booth {not to mention she beautified me by curling my super long hair}, but here is a little sneak peek that I took with my phone.

This is just one side, but you can get a feel for what the event was like... It was beautiful!

I pretty much slaved til 2 in the morning the last 3 days before, working on last minute details, including making some of these pretty flowers.

Here's another little item I had there.

Anyone else have an awesome last Tuesday? I did.

I finally put Gabe, my oldest, in guitar lessons.

It was long overdue considering he is so musically talented, so I think I might of been more excited than he was.

It was stressful being there with all four kids {yeah, I'm crazy like that}, but he had an awesome time!

Another thing I do every first Tuesday of the month is... Bunko!!!

Not sure how many of you are familiar with it or if you've ever played, but boy is it fun and a great excuse to get out of the house to hang out with some fun girls.

And eat lots of this delicious, gooey goodness... Brown butter rice krispies treats.

If the next picture you see of me I look 20 pounds heavier, you'll know why.

This stuff is amazing... UHmazing!

Another way I might gain some weight?

Mmhmm.

Red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting and chocolate shavings.

To die for.

And this is my friend, Kristen, whom we celebrated with those delicious treats.

She is one of my fellow bunkoers {I know, I totally just made up a word} :)

A couple of days after this fun evening, I got to take Gabe to his first day of 2nd grade... Where does the time go??!!

So far, he loves it.

While Gabe is in school, the kids and I try and occupy ourselves with things to do. Most of the time it includes staying home, but lately it's been including this...

A little too often actually.

My mom works right next to McDonalds, so she will treat us to lunch at least three times a week.

yeah, healthy, I know.

About a week ago, on the way home from lunch with Grandma, I decided to take the kids into a hay feild and take some fun pictures... This is where we landed.

And after hubby came home from running errands, he spoiled himself to this yumminess.

Steak with white morel mushroom sauce.

I'm not a fan of steak {I know, I'm probably the only one on the planet} but that sauce is to DIE for!!!

Have any of you tried rocking a high bun?

Here I am with Isabelle, with both of us wearing one.

She loved matching with me.

See these wonderful shoes?

Around Easter time, I was frantically trying to find a pair for Gabe.

I couldn't find a pair cheaper than $80, and I was not going to spend that much on kids shoes.

Then, about a week ago I had stopped at Goodwill and lo and behold, these were sitting on the shelf staring at me.

I think my eyes were so big I looked ridiculous.

I immediately grabbed them, looked at the price and after looking at it, I didn't even care what size they were, they went in my cart.

I ended up only paying $3.50 for them and they fit Gabe perfectly!!!

Not to mention they were from Europe, brand new and leather.

This is the weather we were promised about a week ago, but as you can tell...

The sun isn't here any longer.

I'm not quite ready for fall, but I'm getting there and when I am ready, I will pick these from our garden and use them as fall decor in my house.

I hope you are ready for the gloomy weather up ahead, I can't say I am, but at least my wardrobe will be!!!

Have a happy and cheerful week!

Suttle Lake.

2011-09-14T16:50:00.001-07:00

Every year, as a teenager, we spent one weekend out of the summer at the beautiful Suttle lake with my family.

Every year, until we all grew up, got married, had kids, and had our own lives to tend to.

But even with all of our "stuff" that we had going on, I never forgot the memories that were made at that green, clear lake.

After about 5 yrs. of not going back, we decided it was time to revisit that magical place.

Even with school in full swing, we are taking advantage of every bit of sun we get around here, so last weekend, we decided we would make the 2hr. drive down to Suttle lake and start making our own memories.

We weren't able to stay for the entire weekend, but we have made a promise that come next summer, that is one thing we are going to do as a family.

As always, the kids had a blast.

Even when freezing cold, they would not get out of the water.

Including me.

Unlike our previous visit to Detroit lake, the kids had gained some confidence and NO one was terrified of the water.

I'm guessing floaties helped as well.

I think this is the only one of Charlie and his scrumptious rolls.

I was even able to steal a shot of the guys.

What is it with guys and taking pictures?

It's like pulling teeth!!!

I mean, come on!!! At least crack a fake smile for me.

Nope. Nothing. Just a blank stare.

And as always, a poor little creature couldn't escape the torture of little boys.

This is another reason why I love this place.

Take a little walk and you'll run into this pretty river.

And whats a day of swimming without this yummy goodness???

Or these.

Man they're addicting.

Stay tuned for next years post of this lovely place.

Cause yes, there WILL be one.