January 18, 2011
Be still my rapidly beating heart! My 2011 Owl Calendar is still going strong, especially after an appearance on Etsy’s front page this morning!
Thank you all for your continued support of my blog and art!
Stacie
(photo of my pregnant sister and I, and the only full body shot of my dress)
I love pretty dresses. But I really don’t like trying them on (who’s with me, ladies?). I have 3 favorite dresses (2 of which are pictured here) that I wear practically every time I see someone and want to look dynamite. All 3 are cut very similarly with an empire waist and a skirt that falls just to my knees.
So it hit me that perhaps I should try to use one of these dresses as a pattern and simply make my own! Wouldn’t that be lovely? I am no professional seamstress, but I think I will give it a shot, just to say that I tried (and possibly add to my wardrobe). Plus I could use pretty fabrics and feel uber posh. You know, because French Posh Chic is very in this season, no? (kidding)
Have you ever thought about starting from scratch and making a garment?
January 16, 2011
For my birthday I was given a gift card to ANTHROPOLOGIE! I am a little bit excited, and cannot wait to drive up to Tulsa and peruse the pretty store! Here are some of my favorite items right now (although I highly doubt that I can afford any of them, gulp!):
Pond Reflection Dress and Soft Structure Dress
January 15, 2011
This is a picture of Nathan and I on the day we bought our first home. We were newlyweds, excited to enter home ownership. It was a small house, not even 800 square feet. 2 bedrooms, one bath, adorable dining nook, and a quaint back porch under a canopy of mature shade trees. I was quite happy to have place to call home.
Yet, often with home ownership, there were some unexpected hiccups along the way. Like on the morning of our 6 month wedding anniversary, the ceiling in our guest bedroom literally collapsed! The house had plaster walls and ceilings, so you can imagine our horror when 200+ lbs of ceiling came falling from the sky. As it turns out, the previous owners had tried to do some shady repairs on the old home (built in 1946) and we got to witness the fallout. Nathan and I were in college at the time, and of course the ceiling fiasco was the same week as our finals. And the same week Nathan was a groomsman in his best friend’s wedding. And the week before Christmas. Oh, good memories….
The next year, Nathan and I decided to have Central Air and Heat installed in the little home. We called around, got our quotes, saved our money, and were so excited when our HVAC specialist showed up to our home in late September to begin installation. Let’s just say that our HVAC guy started work, ripped a big dirty hole in our floor, and then never showed up again to finish the job! We called and called to get the job done, but it was not until we had a November snow storm (and a mighty cold house) that someone from the HVAC company came and finished the job.
Today, living in an entirely different home in Arkansas, we began to smell a strange odor coming out from our heating unit. What could it be? Mold or Mildew? A Leak? Is this why Violet has been coughing so much? I am wondering if the trials of home ownership are going to rear their ugly head, once again.
First thing in the morning an HVAC specialist is going to examine the home. They’ve never heard of a sweet smell coming from a heating vent. I hope we get this resolved soon! We’ve turned the heat off for the night (the smell only occurs when the heat comes on).
Tonight we will snuggle under blankets (Violet loves to cuddle on the couch). We will watch way too much Netflix. And we will quietly remember that sometimes home ownership is not all it is cracked up to be.
January 12, 2011
If you were browsing Apartment Therapy today, you probably saw this AMAZING handmade doily lamp by the talented Shannon South.
Be sure to check out her blog, Remade USA, for more inspiration!
Stacie
January 11, 2011
What did you do over the weekend? Well I was so lucky as to spend a day with my sweet friend, Laura. She showed up with the loveliest flowers to brighten my house.
We spent a few hours wondering the few good antique stores in Tontitown. I was so excited to see that they had lots of adorable milk glass bud vases.
I’ve been wanting a small collection of them for a while (they photograph so pretty) so I bought 5 and happily brought them home!
Do you have any small collections?
Stacie
January 10, 2011
Today I turned 25 years old. The day has been thus far AMAZING! My husband made me the most delicious Chocolate Nutella Cake from scratch last night, then treated me to breakfast in bed this morning. He even drove me to work and bought me a coffee (swoon!). What a man, I tell you.
I feel as though this monumental birthday (heck, I can rent a car and find better rates on car insurance now) deserves to be commemorated with a list of goals for the year.
Throughout my life, I have been a list maker. However, I hardly ever stick to them. I tend to change directions easily (have you seen my ever changing blog layout, for example?) so sticking to a plan is tough for this indecisive mama. Some of my goals will be serious, but some are just things that I never make time for. So without further adieu, here is my list of goals for the year.
1. Launch a developing (but still secret) business venture
2. Dye my hair blonde (much more blonde than the subdle highlights I have been sporting as of late)
3. Save more money
4. Read a great book (I have not picked up a book in AGES)
5. Invest in friendships (time = money stronger friendships)
6. Sell our Springfield, MO home (that one may be out of my hands, but still it is a goal)
7. Plan a 5 year anniversary trip with Nathan
8. Eat more veggies (cheese is not a vegetable, apparently)
9. Expand the Gingiber Product Line
10. Play a round of golf (I used to play on my men’s golf team in high school)
11. Start a great skin care regiment (I never EVER wash my face before going to bed)
12. Make more time for dates with Nathan
13. Organize and donate items in my garage (I want to de-clutter my life)
14. Volunteer for some community organization
15. Have a more positive outlook on life (Hi, my name is Debbie Downer, blargh)
16. Find some new TV shows to watch (I’ve watch every episode of Gilmore Girls at least 10 times)
17. Get the windshield replaced in my Honda (There has been a crack in the windshield for 4 years)
18. Spend more time with my sister and her soon to be born daughter, Charis
19. Spend more time with ALL family, for that matter. Yes, I am talking to you, Texas family!
20. Invest in some properly fitting clothing, and finally throw out those size 8 jeans
21. Sketch more for me, not just for my business (it is quite therapeutic)
22. Help Nathan search for jobs as we approach graduation
23. Begin *thinking* about expanding our little family (this cannot happen until Nathan graduates)
24. Get a family photo taken (we have never had one made)
25. Start taking Violet to the park
26. Grow my wholesale and consignment business
So there you have it! Wish me luck as I embark on these exiting goals!
Stacie
This week I focused on painting the bead board, cabinets, and trim in the bathroom.
Last week I said I would go into more detail about installing the bead board. I don’t have a ton of pictures of the process, but we simply bought some board from the hardware store and had them make the major cuts to size. We brought the boards home and my husband made the more detailed cuts (like where the light switch is and corners of the counter top). We then applied liquid nails to the back of the boards and affixed them to the walls. We actually used shower curtain rods to create tension and help hold the boards in place while the glue dried. I painted the bead board with white paint made especially for bathrooms (to prevent mold and mildew) and that was it! All that is left with the bead board is to seal the edges with waterproof silicone caulk to prevent moisture from getting behind the boards and topping it off with some trim.
January 9, 2011
January 7, 2011
Stacie
