Just me My Soldier and our 4 little chicks

wordless(ish?!?) wednesday

at almost 2 1/2 years old..

They are clearly super boring. No personality, no facial expressions whatsoever.

They never make me laugh.

Okay, who am I kidding. I might be biased...but they are the cutest things on God's green earth.

True story.

In my house...things like this really happen on a regular basis. Randomly.

And this is why i never. Never ever ever ever x100 want people to say "they feel sorry for me".

It's AWESOME to have them in my life.

Exhausting...but thoroughly awesome.

Happy Wednesday, y'all!

xoxo

S

Sponsor/Small Business Spotlight and Giveaway (GIVEAWAY plus a DISCOUNT CODE)- Chic Tags

 

First-

Here is the winner from last week's Freckled Fawn giveaway:

100  stephanie said... I've been dying to buy some of their washi tape so I hope I win! : )

Reply April 30, 2013 at 02:42 PM

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And now for this week's spotlight! This one is near and dear to my heart. I've known Veronica for years and it's an absolute joy watching her business succeed.

Hello everyone! I'm Veronica...mama of 3 and wife of one! I'm the owner of Chic Tags-delightful paper tags.

I started this business with a couple of circle punches and a HUGE heart for this hobby. My husband Albert is not only my better half, he is the graphic guru behind the brand! Together we have made this once small etsy shop into a brand.

Chic Tags are perfect for all your crafty needs.  There are several styles and themes to choose from, I just know you will find something you love in our shop!


I would love to personally invite you to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and our craft loving blog.

Something fun we just started on the blog  is FREEBIE Fridays with Albert. These freebies are pretty rad! Each week Albert makes a free cut file or printable perfect for anything your heart dreams of! Here is an example of a recent freebie and a project to go along with it. (click on link to download file for personal use)

As a huge supporter of my dear friend Stephanie, I would love to offer her readers a 20% off coupon to our shop. Please use: Steph20

How awesome is this prize? If you'd like to be entered for a chance to win these four collections, just leave a comment here.

I will announce the winner next Tuesday.

Good Luck!!! And please make sure to stop by Chic Tags FB page and tell Veronica I sent y'all over. The inspiration is nonstop, you won't want to miss it.

xoxo

S

Harper's Mermaid Party

First, let me start of by saying I got almost all of these ideas from Pinterest.

Pinterest is pretty much the best party planning resource EVER. You can see my party board HERE.

I'll share sources for as many items as possible...and if you have any questions I'll answer them in the comments, as always!

shirt(custom):amy tangerine, skirt:borrowed from friend (handmade), hairclip:gap kids (i added a gold shell)

fans:oriental trading,paper lanterns:target(spritz),glass bubbles (added with gluegun): michaels, tulle and sequin trim: michaels

These were tied to the stairs right inside the front door. The balloons are all from oriental trading, but i will NEVER buy balloons there again.

I purchased these Mylar balloons (6 came in the set). And when Jimmy took them to be inflated they were ALL torn. Such a rip off.

More Oriental Trading fans.

This was my favorite decoration. Oriental Trading tissue pom poms, streamers, and glass bubbles from Michaels.

My awesome MIL figured out how to hang these just so. LOVED how it turned out.

For every birthday I scatter scrapbook layouts around the house. There were several on the mantel as well.

The glass pebbles are from Dollar Tree and the faux sea glass is from The Christmas Tree Shops.

Garlands: Target (Spritz)

Flowers: Chaves' Gardens (best florist in Newport)

Favors:

The favors that I made were "mermaid wands". I just bought dowel rods, painted them turquoise, and then glue gunned starfish to the end.

I added a gem to the center of each starfish and then tied a bunch of blue and gold ribbons to the dowel rod. Pretty easy.

dowel rods,paint,gems,ribbons:michaels, starfish:the christmas tree shops

Note: The gold ribbons are from the dollar spot at Michaels. They come 6 to a card and are just lovely.

Table:

sequins:michaels,starfish,coral,picture holders:the christmas tree shops,giant "H":hobby lobby(i painted it teal,rock candy:amazon,glass starfish:fresh market

silver and white shell platters:marshalls, blue mason jars:vintage, blue bottle with net/shells:the christmas tree shops; milkglass: vintage, cut glass bowls and cake pedestals:vintage

This was the chandelier above the table. I covered it with a net from Michaels and addes shell and rope garlands from The Christmas Tree Shops.

Invitations:

Custom invitations by YourInvites on Etsy. These were digital, I had them printed at Minuteman Press.

I scattered sequins (Michaels), sea glass (The Christmas Tree Shops), and glass pebbles (Dollar Spot) all over the place. Such a pretty, easy, festive accent.

Food

"Oyster Cookies":Nilla Wafers, pink icing, yogurt covered raisins. Frame from Michaels dollar spot, shell tray from Marshalls, Mermaid font.

Swedish fish and gummy sharks.

Under the Sea Jello: Blue Jello with Swedish Fish in the bottom. Frame:Michaels dollar spot,Coral:The Christmas Tree Shops.

Whale Crackers and Goldfish, Rock Candy

Mermaid Punch: 16 servings regular Country Time Lemonade+4 servings Blue Raspberry Koolaid

Lemonade dispenser:Home Goods,Frame:Michaels dollar spot,cake pedestal:Hobby Lobby,coral, sand dollar, sea glass:The Christmas Tree Shops,paper straws:Michaels(4th of July section)

Cake: Cravings Cafe and Cakery- Dartmouth, MA, Pedestal: Vintage, Starfish and Sand Dollars: The Christmas Tree Shops

Let me introduce you to the biggest labor of love for this party. The cake backdrop. It took me about four hours and 293840182308 cupcake wrappers. But so worth it.

Cupcake wrappers- Michaels, Gold glitter paper-Michaels.

I taped four 12x12 sheets of cardstock together. Then I started layering from top to bottom, using the glue gun. I also glue gunned each wrapper closed.

The seven is a template that I traced and cut from gold glitter paper.

Activities- I didn't get a photo but the girls decorated these Mermaid Clothespins.

We also rented a bouncie.

The best part is that everyone wore blue and green. And no, I didn't ask them to!!

Sadie's dress is from Marshalls.

And the best part, as always is seeing the look on her face when we sing to her. Just lovely.

So there you have it. Harper's Mermaid Party. It was a joy and a pleasure to create this day for her, she was so happy and appreciative.

seven.

this girl...

this sensitive

emotional

big-hearted

kind

beautiful

smart

compassionate

high strung

girl...

is SEVEN.

since the day she graced us with her arrival she has showered us with sunshine, love, tears, laughter, and beautiful moments.

one after the other.

she made me a mommy, she made my world brighter, better, and sweeter.

i love you, miss harper!

happy birthday.

xoxo

S

 

 

Planning Our Future Home- Shared Bedrooms

So I just realized that we will be in Italy in 10 weeks. And no. We don't have our orders yet. But don't even ask me about that b/c I don't want to talk about it. :)

It will work out. It always does. The question is how much hair (and sleep) will I lose before then?

Anyway...

I've been dreaming. And scheming. And planning. About our Italian home.

A few things I know. It will be smaller. MUCH smaller. And there probably will not be closets or storage space. It might be attached to another home.

So the overarching theme is this...less space.

I want to make the space count. Our girls have always shared rooms. And they will continue to do so.

I want to give them something happy. And warm. And cozy. And something that is theirs.

I'm thinking white walls with pops of bright color.

Let me share some ideas I've found.

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Jenny Lind beds for the bigs, little Ikea beds for the babies.

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These are pretty much my DREAM CABINETS for my girls. Too bad I married a soldier and not a carpenter. j/k. HAHA!

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I can't wait to get started. Three years? That's unheard of for us.

I'm totally going to make this house a home.

xo

S

 

wordless(ish?!?) wednesday

cate

+

one super juicy blue mr. sketch marker. blueberry scented.

+

watching her big sisters give each other makeovers with play makeup

=

this look.

eyelids,nose,cheeks, and toenails all colored.smurf blue. pedicure anyone?

=

this facial expression when i showed her her face in the mirror.

priceless.

happy wednesday y'all!

xo

s

p.s. excuse the dust around here, i'm slowly redesigning the blog. you will see it change in bits and pieces. :)

 

Sponsor/Small Business Spotlight and Giveaway- Freckled Fawn

Happy Tuesday, y'all! You know what Tuesday means around here...learning about a small business I love and (of course) a GIVEAWAY!

First things first, here is the Gossamer Blue subscription winner from last week:

96 Jessica said...

love this kit - would be so fun to play with it all summer!

Reply April 23, 2013 at 12:13 PM

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And now for this week's spotlight!

Today I am going to tell you about Freckled Fawn!

Hello lovelies! My name is AesaLina Compton, my customers call me "Doe". I am the owner of Freckled Fawn.

We opened the store in January 2012 and we were just a little shop, only 20 styles of washi and same paper doilies and such. But since then, all your little washi addictions have been a catalyst to our growth and manufacturing of Freckled Fawn products (e.g., Wood Chips, FF washi, Dew Drop Stickers).

We pretty much love, LOVE this industry. I have been reading Stephanie's blog for yearrrrrrrs. I got the chance to meet her at CHA in January and she is adorable. Stephanie was actually our first customer ever!! It is an honor to sponsor and support her blog.

I love Freckled Fawn. I love the products, the shipping is always timely and reliable, and the owner is just lovely.

I think their products are just perfect for Project Life...and that is my favorite way to use them!

Another reason to love FF?

They want to give one of you a $75 gift certificate!!!!

Leave a comment here if you are interested and I'll draw a winner next Tuesday.

A couple more things.. If you get a chance, make sure to check out FF on social media. I love showering my sponsors with love.

Like Freckled Fawn on FB. And tell them I sent you! And stop by the blog for endless inspiration and product sneaks!

And make sure to check the shop on this Friday (May 3)...these awesome wood veneer frames will be in stock then! How cute are they?

Good luck, y'all! One of you will be very lucky!

Have a beautiful and blessed day.

xo

S

 

Share My Space Sunday : Entryway

 

Good morning y'all! We are off to a Red Sox game, but I wanted to share a new series with all of you.

I realized that I need to get better at documenting the homes I live in, since I move so often. I remember the homes I've lived in...but over time the details escape my mind.

Each week I'll be sharing parts of this home that I love.

Today I'm sharing the entryway.

I smile every time I walk into this house. It's bright and happy and the natural light is amazing.That's something I'll really miss when we move.

Right inside the door is this table and what is probably my favorite "happy spot" in the house.

Last week (which is in the photo above, the little table had fresh daffodils in a milkglass vase.

Here's what it looks like this week:

Table: Pier 1//Print:Please Be Still (Jen Renninger)//Harney and Sons tea tin//Annie Liebovitz at Work//Domino:The Book of Decorating

This little table is my favorite place to put fresh flowers. Every time I walk in the door they are the first thing I see and so totally worth the price.

My favorite local spot is Chaves' Gardens. The flowers are fresh and absolutely gorgeous. I love building my own bouquets. And when I check out the ladies always say "Oh! Who is this for???" and I say "me!".

Happy, Happy, Happy.

Hope you all have a beautiful and blessed Sunday.

See you tomorrow!

xo

S

Confessions of a Bookworm.

I have been reading voraciously my entire life. Well, obviously not in my baby and toddler years...but you know what I mean.

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I started reading early. When I started crawling my mother would tell me to get a certain book and I'd crawl to the book basket and find it.

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When I was a baby, my favorite book was Splish Splash. I also loved Hand,Hand, Fingers, Thumb.

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My mom used to take me to the bookstore, and she'd leave me reading while she looked around. This would ensure that I'd read almost all the books I was interested in and she wouldn't have to buy them.

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When I was a little girl I loved the Ramona books. And Nancy Drew. And Little House on the Prairie. And Charlotte's Web. And the Mandie series.

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I read incredibly fast. Jimmy likes to watch my eyeballs. He swears I took a speed reading class and didn't tell him. I just read really fast.

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I don't read every word.

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If I don't love a book, I don't make myself finish it. Life's too short to read books I hate.

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Or depressing books.

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I check out as many books from the library as I want. I go by the synopsis and sometimes just because I like the author.I don't pressure myself to read them all when I get home. I read the ones I can. I abandon the ones I want to abandon.

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I'm a sucker for a good bookjacket.

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But I always take the jackets off if I buy a book. They will get destroyed and plus...they drive me nuts.

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I don't use bookmarks.

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I have a Goodreads account but never use it.

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I am a Luddite when it comes to reading. Don't tell me to get a Kindle. It will not revolutionize my life. It will break my heart. I will always love the feel, look, smell, of real books.

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I have a horrible memory when it comes to books. I've read SO many and I don't really ever remember anything except whether I loved or hated them. Hence the reason I should use Goodreads.

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I refuse to read books that everyone else is reading. I don't know why.

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There are two exceptions that I regret deeply.

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I hated the Twilight series.

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and 50 shades of Grey. Yuck. Horrible writing. I literally threw the book against the wall halfway through. Horrible.

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I won't judge you if you liked those books, seems I'm the only one who didnt.

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Believe it or not, despite what you just read, I am not a book snob. I love a good piece of chick lit.

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I love YA books.

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David Sedaris, Laurie Notaro,Jen Lancaster, Tina Fey, and Mindy Kaling make me laugh out loud when I'm reading their books. Repeatedly.

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I love Mary Kay Andrews. She's amazing. And she's the only author I've met in person. So I can say that and really mean it. :)

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Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and other concerns) was my favorite book this year. I read it on the plain to CA and laughed out loud so many times. My fellow travelers looked concerned. Now that is the mark of a good book.

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My favorite children's author is Mo Willems. He is a genius. And I'm not saying that in the Pinterest "GENIUS!" way. He is really a kid book genius.

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I have a hard time trusting someone who doesn't like reading.

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I make time for reading. Even if it's only 10 minutes right before I pass out from sheer exhaustion...I read. I read in the bath.I read in the carpool line and I read to show my girls what it looks like to love reading.

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I pray that at least one of my girls will be a bookworm like I am.

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I used to stay up all night and read books. Can't do that anymore. But I will again one day.

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Reading changed my life. It has been a passion and a free vacation and a gift and a and an obsession and a love and an addiction.

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Amen.

 

what i'm loving lately.

Here's a few things that have caught my eye around the web this week.

1.The Tragic Blessing of Combat Vets. PLEASE take a moment to read this. "The Boston bombing reminds us that these gentle, grieving citizens haunt America like guardian angles, uniquely equipped and willing to help."

Reason 123801284 I'm beyond proud to be married to a soldier.

 

2.

Great Gatsby sneak peek set tour. I am dying. I have been in love with this time period and this book since I was a little girl. Did you know the Robert Redford version of Gatsby was filmed here in Newport? Can't WAIT to see this. These sets are stunning.

 

3.44 images that perfectly capture the resilience of the human spirit Go read this. And you won't regret it. I promise. Warning: It will make you teary-eyed.

 

4.

I am obsesed with this blog and Flipboard App- Walks of Italy. I cannot even BELIEVE I will be living in this country in a matter of weeks!

 

 

5.

Modern Seinfeld on Twitter. I laugh out loud at at these tweets every single day.

The guys behind this are genius and dead on.

 

6.
DIY Batik Wall Hanging- I love this.In Italy we are going to have less space, but we are going to be there for 3 years. I am determined to really decorate this time.

 

7.
Kendi Everyday. By far my favorite fashion blog. I love Atlantic Pacific too...but Kendi's style is much more doable and attainable. I love everything she puts together. I've loved her outfits this week...think I've pinned all of them.

 

8.

Kate Spade. Always. Love this email I got from them this week. These watches are perfect for Spring.

 

9.

How to make a paper bow from All About Orange. For obvious reasons. :)

 

 

10.

DVF for Gap Kids. Are you KIDDING ME? I wish that I could dress my girls in this entire collection. Not gonna happen, but still. GORGEOUS.

 

So there you have it. What I loved this week. Talk to me. What did you love? What are you up to this weekend? I'm getting ready for Miss Harper's mermaid birthday party next weekend.

Love to you all!

xo

S