Vera Bradley Sale!!!

After an EXTREMELY long day of trying to craft (getting ready for Saturday's show) with small children under foot...I got a little surprise package! My dear, sweet, thoughtful sister had her big ol' box of Vera sent to my house. And in that big ol' box were two happies for ME. She knows that I have been drooling over that backpack for a long time, but with a price tag of $90, it was never to be mine. Well, she called me last week and told me to go to VB's site. In the sale section all the retiring colors are anywhere from 30 - 70% off. WHAT? So, to make a short story long...she ordered me a lovely Vera Bradley backpack in Peacock. And lovely it is! But, the real icing on the cake is that adorable clutch in the picture above. See it? Right there at the top? I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her! She goes perfectly with my giant aqua handbag. What could be more lovely than that?

The inside is almost as pretty as the outside.

Not one section, but 2! Look at all those pockets and card slots. I love my little clutch!

And last, but not least...there she is in all her glory. My backpack. I can't wait to load her up and take her out for a night on the town. Or maybe an afternoon at church. This will be a perfect church bag! Especially when I have my initials monogrammed in chocolate brown front and center!

I can't wait!!!

Thanks Beth...I love you!

Here's the link if anyone's interested in the sale. If you've ever pined away for an original Vera Bradley, now's your chance.

Click here for utter fabulousness!

A Whole Lot of Mis-treatin' Going On!

I've received many comments and questions about the lamps in my family room. Everyone seems to be drawn in by that very large and luxurious ribbon adorning the shades. To answer the question...yes, I did that myself. In fact, I usually change out the ribbon with the seasons or to match holiday decor. I think it is one of the easiest, most inexpensive changes you can make to a room. It takes zero effort, but makes a real statement.

A lot of bang for your buck!

This lamp started out as a plain jane paper shade from Ikea. I used leftover fabric from my daughter's crib bedding to cover them for a custom look. All it takes is a bit of folding, tucking, and a smidge of hot glue.

Easy!

Ok, here's another version of the ribbon tied lampshade. I bought these lamps ages ago. I grew tired of the trim that was on there, so I just ripped it off and hot glued leftover trim from the kitchen curtains.

Voila!

Now to be completely honest, this lamp is not my favorite. But it's just not in the budget right now to buy new lamp shades for no other reason than I'm tired of looking at them. So...what's a thrifty gal to do? I'll give you one hint...it involves hot glue and some leftover trim.

Mind blowing...I'm sure!

Another quick and easy fix for a boring lamp shade...ribbon and scrapbook supplies.

Ok, this is one of my new favorite things to do. Wrap your candles in strips of fabric, fray the edges, and tie it up with raffia or ribbon. Does it get any easier than that?

If you don't have any fabric scraps lying around, I bet you could find some scrapbook paper. This is such a low cost way to really spruce up your decor. Remember these from Christmas? Yep...one of my all time favorite arrangements!

Some of you might remember when I wrote about making this frame. I LOVE to copy high end things for little to no money. It is so much fun...and super addictive!

And yet another low cost mis-treatment. This bulletin board was made from a plain canvas wrapped in fabric. I'd been searching for a cute bulletin board for my girls' room with no luck. So I decided to make one myself. I love how this turned out. And I love that it has that custom, one of a kind look.

A post on mis-treating just wouldn't be complete without an actual WINDOW mistreatment, now would it? I made two panels from one twin size flat sheet cut in half. Then I hot glued some apple green ball fringe to the inner edge. There was absolutely NO sewing involved whatsoever! The trim is glued right on top of the raw edge. No one knows...or cares.

Another no sew project. The panels were made with stitch witchery. The topper that runs the length of the windows is tacked directly to the wall with upholstery tacks and the fringe is ...you guessed it...hot glued. Seriously people, you just can't get any easier than this.

A few years ago I NEVER would have done something like this. I could not allow myself to try new things because I thought it needed to be done perfectly. So, instead of trying it with the possibility of slight imperfection, I just didn't try it at all. So sad! I am so unbelievably glad that I realized what utter poppycock that was. And how silly. Ask yourself...would you rather try something with the possibility that you might LOVE it, or keep on being miserable with the same old same old? I can tell you from personal experience, it is so liberating to let go of those notions of perfection...and LIVE! Work with what you've got. Be creative. Think outside the box.

Try it.

I think you'll like it...and you'll never go back!

The Reveal

Hey gals! Sorry I've been MIA this week. It's been another one of those crazy busy, my plate is too full, kind of weeks. I just wanted to show ya'll real quick where the infamous birdcage ended up. I actually started to hate every single arrangement I came up with for the mantel the more I looked at the pictures. So for now the piano gets the privilege of holding "The Precious". You know by next week it will have a new home...that's just how I roll!

By the way, our cancelled craft show was rescheduled for next Sat, April 4th. So we're back on the crafting wagon and will be working our little fingers to the bone getting ready. We're so excited, but a little nervous. Why is it so personal? Why do I care if people like my stuff? Why am I stressing? I have no answers to these questions. I just needed to put it out there and get it out of my system.

I know...once again...I have issues.

Don't judge!

Spring = Yard Sales!!!

Spring has definitely sprung in south Mississippi, and the yard sales are in full bloom. As are the dogwoods, azaleas, and that yucky sneeze inducing pollen. This is just a sampling of my treasures from Saturday's sales. The metal wall pocket was $3, the footed bowl 50 cents, the vintagey little suitcase $1, and my favorite deal of the day...a bundle of 5 shelves with all of the brackets and hardware to hang them with, $2. SCORE! They are an ugly shade of dirty looking pink, but with a fresh coat of heirloom white and a bit of distressing I think they will be beautiful. I do love me a good rehab project.

I also found some really cute stuff for my girls that I could not pass up. They seriously don't need anymore clothes, but these outfits were just too good to leave behind. The blue and white seersucker outfit with flip flops smocked across the bodice was 50 cents.
HELLO...can I get a witness?
AMEN!
I can hardly wait for this Saturday to roll around so I can find some more treasures. The thrill of the hunt is such a high. I am definitely addicted. Do they make a 12 step program for yard sale divas?

By the way, I changed the mantel AGAIN. The birdhouse just wasn't working for me there. I took everything off and started from scratch. I'll show you it's new home sometime this week. I have a confession...I have self diagnosed D.A.D.D (decorator attention deficit disorder). Apparently I need several 12 step programs in my life. It's really so sad.

The Polls Are Open.

Ok, just for fun...let's take a vote on which arrangement you like best. In your comment let me know which set up you like and why. Choose from the following 3 pics labeled A, B, C.

A.

B.

C.

Isn't this lime green reindeer moss the prettiest thing you've ever seen? It just screams SPRING to me. I would really love to slather it all over every surface of my house, but it is a bit pricey. I splurged on 2 bags. I was feeling very generous and wanted a treat!

I think it is the perfect addition to my birdcage. And of course the cute little nest makes it even sweeter.

Thank you all for your lovely comments and suggestions about what to do with the birdcage. There are so many wonderful possibilities, and they are all beautiful. I am not going to paint it because I actually fell in love with the bright white color. This room is a deep chocolate brown with white trim. I am adding in more white accessories little by little. It needs some lighter tones. And it is spring, which means I feel the need to lighten and brighten things up. I LOVE this birdcage and want it to be a focal point in the room. What better place to put it than my big beautiful mantel that was custom made for me by my brilliant and talented Dad. Thanks Dad...you're the best and I LOVE you!

p.s.
Don't forget to vote! I love to hear what ya'll think.

My New Mission Statement

EDITED TO ADD:

Before ya'll start thinking I'm some kind of super freak who has nothing on her fridge...let me clarify. I use the SIDE now. Yes, I still have appointment reminders, featured kid's art of the week, note pad, magnetic pencil holder, and a fridge farm. Seriously people, I have four children. I would forget to feed them if I didn't have a running grocery list right in front of me. I would be lost without my post its and reminders. But at least it is contained to one small area, and it is not the first thing that greets people when they walk in the kitchen.

A few weeks ago I taught a class on organizing and decluttering to our women's group at church. In my preparations I found this quote that I instantly fell in love with.

"An uncluttered house looks cleaner than a clean house that's cluttered."

So true, so true. And definitely something I need to work on. I used to be such a neat freak, and completely ocd about every little thing. Yeah...not so much anymore. I have so many rooms and closets that need to be cleaned out. It can be a bit overwhelming at times. And I know you must be asking yourselves why they would ask ME to teach this class. Well, I'm asking myself the same thing. I've learned that sometimes the things we're asked to do are not always to benefit others, but more for ourselves. With that being said, I decided to let this quote be my constant reminder and my mantra.

Instead of doing all those things that really need to be done, I cleaned off the front of my fridge, except for this sign. The minute I did this, I felt a tiny weight lifted off. Such a small thing, but such a big impact. You gotta start somewhere, right?

Baby steps people...baby steps.

By the way, does anyone know of a special paint I could use for the handles on my fridge? They were yellow like that when we bought the house. What is up with that? So hideous.

Big Beautiful Birdcage

So, yesterday was one of those days where you feel like putting your children on e-bay. For cheap! Yes, it was day 1 of our Spring Break. We definitely did not start out on a good note. When my hubby called on his way home from work, he got an ear full. That sweet man came in the door, wrangled all the kids, handed me the check card, and told me to get lost. Never had I heard kinder words! And yes, ladies, I high tailed it out the door before he could change his mind. First stop...Sonic for some much needed caffeine. Second stop...Dollar Tree, where I found some fun new shapes of the wall plaques. Third stop...Hobby Lobby. I LOVE Hob Lob. I went in looking for plate hangers (which I totally forgot to buy). And do you know why I forgot? Because I stumbled upon this baby....

Hello, lover!

And then I saw the sign beneath it that said 50% off. YES, YES, YES (not the When Harry Met Sally Kind of yes, yes, yes...but close)! To top it all off, I had a birthday gift card from my sister burning a hole in my wallet. She knows me so well. Sisters are the greatest!

Now the problem is where to put it. I love it on the piano, but I also hate it. The scale is right, but the colors just don't jive. The stark white with all the browns...not so good. I don't know...maybe it's just me.

So I cleared off the mantle because I thought it would look better with all the white. Ummmm....nope, not so much.

Maybe on top of the armoire? Uh-uh, that's not it either. I'm getting desperate here. I'm starting to convince myself it would look good on the back of the potty, because the colors are perfect in there.

I WILL NOT TAKE IT BACK. I WILL MAKE IT WORK.

Any suggestions?

50% off Target Finds and Some Happies!

Just look at this cute, cute St. Patty's decor my friend Tausha sent me. I won her giveaway for the grand opening of her etsy shop. She has some really great stuff. Go check out her shop here.


I just love this little rag wreath. I think it's precious. And after tomorrow it will hang on my girls' bedroom door. I am stoked that they have some green in their room to coordinate. I would hate to put this little cutie away till next year!

So, I've been eyeing these melamine plates at Target for a while now. I am such a sucker for pink, polka dots, and damask. The big square plates were $1.48, and the small one was $1.24. Can't beat that...LOVE IT!

I want to hang this arrangement in my girls' room. Yes, I hang plastic plates on the wall. No one ever notices, or they are too nice to tell me. Either way, I don't care.

LOVE IT!

This arrangement will go in my living room. That beautiful aqua blue is my accent color. And I think the polka dots add just the right amount of fun and funk to the mix. I'm thinking I'll spray paint the small flowers white. They have a darling scallopped edge and a raised flower pattern. So sweet.The blue plate was $1.24 and the flowers were 98 cents.

I LOVE me some clearance.

Those little orange stickers make my heart sing!

Show Cancelled

So, I guess this is what my kitchen is going to look like for the next 3 weeks. AHHHHHHH...I'm going crazy with all this clutter. We worked like ding dang dogs the last two weeks getting ready for this stupid show and then they went and cancelled it due to bad weather. It did not rain until about 5:00 this afternoon. Better safe than sorry, I guess. I know I should be excited that we have more time to make more stuff...but I am seriously bummed. It's such a let down after having worked so hard to get everything ready. I'm having a little pity party right now, so bear with me. I'll be over it soon. The other problem I have is that I have zero space left to store this stuff. I do not live in a mcmansion. My family of 6 barely fits in our 1800 sq. foot home. We don't have many inches to spare for bulk craft items and crafting gear! I'll need to be creative. I'm thinking I might have to rework my mantel to house said crafts. The kitchen buffet over-floweth. Any brilliant ideas?

P.S.
I'm working on setting up my etsy shop, but I'm having issues. I think I might go ahead and list most of what I've made and if it sells I'll just remake it. What do ya'll think? See anything you'd like me to list? Let me know and give me your feedback.
LOVE YA'LL!!!

My Very First Custom Order!

A huge shout out and THANK YOU goes to my dear friend, Suz, for placing my first ever custom order. Thanks for giving me a great head start. I hope Greta loves her new wall art!!! This is a birthday present from her mom...how sweet!

P.S.
Are ya'll absolutely sick of these letters yet?

Too bad...the fun has just begun!

The Shark Steam Mop and The Swiffer Sweeper Vac...a Winning Combination!

Before I tell ya'll how wonderful my steam mop is, I first need to toot the horn of a long time companion of mine...the Swiffer Sweeper Vac. I cannot say it enough. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! I got this one almost 2 and a half years ago when we bought this house, and it is still going strong. After only a few days living here I could already tell the dust and dirt build-up would be a problem on a daily basis. Almost every square foot of space in my house is a flat surface...tile and pergo. There are only 2 rooms with carpet, which is nice, but also means I have to dust ALOT. I really didn't want to spend $25-$30 on something that may or may not be worth, but it was sooooooooooo worth every single penny. I drove my hubby crazy the first few weeks I had it. I literally used it 3-4 times a day. I was obsessed. I'm still obsessed with it, but I absolutely do not use it 3 or 4 times a day anymore. Thank goodness for that. I would recommend this product to anyone with flat surface floors. It is awesome. And you can find $5 coupons at swiffer.com

Ok....the moment you've all been waiting for. I finally took the Shark out of the box and used it. I know, I know...it only took me 2 weeks...I'm a slacker and I HATE to mop. It was very easy to put together and very easy to use. It made my mopping experience much less painful! And I can already tell you that I will be mopping more often now that I have the Shark (anything is better than twice a year, right?).

I really expected the pad to be much dirtier than this after using it in the kitchen, great room, 2 bathrooms, and ....

...this hallway.

Actually, this weird & very long hallway was one of the things we all loved about this house when we found it. It is the perfect space to have sleeping bag races, sock skating, the Indy 500 for hot wheels, and nerf gun target practice. When we first came to look at this house with our realtor I envisioned my children doing all of these things and more...in THIS hallway. It is perfect. And a little weird...and we love it! Now I can show it just how much I love it by keeping it just a bit cleaner. Thank you Shark Steam Mop...thank you!

3 Days Down...9 To Go!

Seriously, the last three days have felt more like 3 weeks. We're working like mad women from morning till night. Yesterday as Emily and I were working we started joking about what it would be like to live together (her family of 7 and my family of 6), run a home business, cook dinner, make brownies for pack meeting, entertain and contain 9 kids, and home school in our spare time. I think we laughed until we peed. How ridiculous would that be? We got quite a kick out of it. In fact, I think we pretty much laughed hysterically ALL DAY LONG. Who cares about being tired when you can hang out with one of your best friends and have a great time together? I am so grateful for my sisters. I love them with all that I am, and I am so glad that they are my best friends. We are blessed to have each other. I'd be lost without them.

Ok, enough with my sentimental rant. Bring on the crafts!

These actually look so much better in real life. My pictures are a bit washed out. The colors and patterns are beautiful and rich!

This is my favorite so far. I love these papers together. So what do you think...should we leave them as is or embellish them? I like to embellish, but I have two nay-sayers that disagree. Give me your honest feedback here. I'm tough. I can take it.

Maybe.

Hard Core Crafting!

Right now I am up to my eyeballs in paper and mod podge and spray adhesive and paint. I needed a break. And what better way to spend my time, but blogging! This past weekend, my sister and I decided on a whim to sign up for a craft fair. We are super excited and a teensy bit stressed and pressed for time. The fair is next weekend...10 days from now. Needless to say, we are doing the hard core press to get some good stuff cranked out in a hurry. The "Ella" above is our very first piece of inventory. Whoo-hoo!

Now we only need a couple of these...

And a couple of these...

A few of these...

And three or four or....

Five or ten...

Or 30 of these!

Not to mention the family name boards, wall plaques, block words, and chalkboards we need to make! No pressure. That being said, I am going to do my best to keep up with my blogging, but please don't leave me if I don't deliver. I will try to keep ya'll updated on our progress. We plan to work on this every day for the next ten days, except Sunday, of course! I am so excited I can hardly stand it. Also, this will be the jumping off point for my Etsy store. Look for that in the next few weeks. I have been wanting to start one for so long and just haven't been able to get the nerve up. I have this weird fear of failure I'm trying to get over. In fact, instead of a new year's resolution this year, I decided to make a goal for myself. And that goal was to start an Etsy store or start selling my crafts. I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am to finally see this dream come to life. It's a huge step for me. So wish us good luck and send us some good crafty karma!

I LOVE YA'LL ~ AMANDA