M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Wish You Were Here

Well, it's actually business travel again. Oh and I've got a red-eye flight (yuck)...don't get too jealous!

I'll be in my princess tower awaiting Prince Charming. Take care dahhhlings, until next week...

Cream Colored Ponies And Crisp Apple Streudels...

These are a few of my favorite things:

1. Chocolate Malts: growing up, it was always a special treat when Dadder broke out the blender and whipped up shakes and malts for the family. Malts are the reason I bought the blender =)

2. Re-learning Old Tricks: while I'm re-learning how to sew, I bought fabric for my kitchen curtains almost 1 year ago. These fresh and simple tab valances (Southern Living image) would be a great fit for my kitchen.

3. Army Wives: yep, I got hooked on this Lifetime show.

4. Meeting New Good-People: I like meeting new people in general, but it's always a special treat to meet new, Good People...you know the kind of people that warm your soul when you get a chance to really sit down and talk with them.

5. Cool Whip: or a few strawberries to season my Cool Whip...yeah, I could eat that stuff straight. Oh and this is out of the container if you couldn't tell.

6. Girl's Night Out: it's a requisite event that seems to occur less and less as I grow older. This weekend it's time for a couple of nights on the town...in Hotlanta!

www.shesheme.com

7. Pretty bohemian fabrics: Amy Butler Design's Full Bloom & Heather Bailey's Freshcut

Easily Amused

I love it!
http://www.yearbookyourself.com/

1950 1956
1960 1962
1964 1966
1968 1976
1978 1986
1992 1994
1996 1998
2000

Birthdays Galore

It's Birthday week for our Family!

Dadder's birthday was Monday!

Sorry Dadder that I didn't post anything earlier...but since you don't read my Blog, I guess you'd never know. Here we are 4 years ago at the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure. Are you seriously 55 now?

Ashton's birthday is today!

And then the youngest of the 5 kids is now 22. I just love this picture! He's always been funny about taking pictures and refuses to smile...so all of our family pictures have him making a face scowling, or in this case being grouchy and shutting his eyes. He was the 1 out of the 7...haha!

Care Package

A friend of mine who was recently diagnosed with a chronic illness has an already-weakened immune system which makes everyday sicknesses become monstrously icky. Last week I learned she came down sick again and although I didn't get this out to her when I meant to, I figured better late than never.

I wrapped up her box in simple brown craft paper even though it could have shipped as-is; there's something fun about being able to tear open a wrapped package before having to cut through the tape.

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String...

I dropped in some happy goodies (stationery & thumbtacks), and then of course the requisite chicken noodle soup (dry mix...much safer to ship and also weighs less than a Campbell's Soup can).

Tied a pink ribbon to the soup package, and then stapled this label to the top.

GET WELL!

What's Cookin'

Before it was mine...
An Empty Room (if you don't count my cleaning junk)...

After...

The biggest change was the light fixture. I replaced the tacky chandelier (circa early 80s) with a foyer light (inspiration: Pottery Barn) and relocated this to the end of the L-shaped room and the kitchen table fit perfectly in this nook.

My antique buffet (which will officially be an antique in about a decade) is showcased in the adjacent space and this opens up a traffic area that's great for entertaining. The stools were a great shape and size as I can fit 2 at the island; the previous owners were only able to fit 1. Another cool find was my kitchen desk chair from the 1800s and I simply plopped a cushion on the bottom to try and preserve the woven rattan bottom.

The Chantal Yellow was perfect for the walls. It's a pretty neutral rather than school-bus-yellow, big-bird-yellow, or banana-yellow. Plus, isn't that sage green getting old by now? I like a cheery yellow kitchen with white and blue willow-ish accents. The fondness for Blue Willow I get from my mom.

To Dos:

1. Eventually, I'd like to replace the stove, burner, and microwave, original to the home. Crosssing my fingers that they go out on their own as they're 30-yrs old and all covered by my home warranty =)
2. I haven't yet decided on a backsplash, but I'm thinking tin tiles. Although the white subway tiles have really caught my eye lately.
3. And while the pickled maple cabinets may fit some people's taste, I'd preferred either a faux finish or darker wood cabinets. This will come at a later time though when I have the $ and patience.

So Crafty...

I finally completed this particular project (with another one in the works).

These are covered-button thumbtacks inserted into little corkboards for gift presentation...pictures don't really do them justice as they're much cuter in person. I'd filed the blog as a "future craft" a while ago and then had recently seen this resurface on blogs I've visited so it prompted me to actually try this out myself. Here's instructions for the covered-button thumbtacks.

And as an added word of advice for the "local gals", I paid $2.59 per button pkg at Hobby Lobby and then later found out they're only $1.30 per button pkg at WalMart. Lesson learned. And while you're there, check out the Martha Stewart craft collection. It almost rivals the Michael's selection.

__________________________________

This first one was designed for a friend who is the biggest Obama supporter I know. I found this preppy pink and green logo Online and designed correspondence notecards and envelopes (she will get the biggest kick out of this). To coordinate, her tacks and board are in bright pink and green fabrics.

First, I have to insert a ROLL TIDE first before I explain that the blue and orange board is for Dear Friend; she bleeds these colors. She's Auburn's #1 fan! She'll be staying at my house tonight and is just such a great friend, I thought this would be an unexpected Happy Happy.
These 2 are also pink and green, covered in my vintage Lilly Pulitzer fabrics. I'm a huge Lilly fan, and although I'm tempted to keep these for myself, they'd make great gifts to give. They were my first attempts at button-covering; I learned that the 3/4" buttons are probably the best size to go with. The Lilly fabrics show the greatest detail as her prints are pink, pretty, and intricate. Anyone know where to find some cheap vintage Liberty print remnants? The tiny detailing would make for great tacks!

Frontpage Article

...on MSN yesterday was the feature "Lifestyle Hair Handbook" with a link on "How to Style Asian Hair."

SCORE!

I found this cute layered 'do {although she doesn't exactly look Asian to me, but I'm not throwin' stones...} I've decided that I will no longer be Lady Godiva for Halloween {totally facetious} so it's going to be quite okay for me to chop at least a good chunk of these long locks off.

THURSDAY TO DO LIST:

□ schedule long overdue hair appointment
□ complete craft project
□ remember to eat lunch before 3pm today

She Means Business

I think that's what these pieces scream...She Means Business!

Banana Republic does a great job of interpreting menswear in a beautifully tailored and strongly effeminate way.

For example, these suede oxfords have the spectator stitching and wing-tip detail but the heel height and tassels on the laces are decidedly sweet touches.

Banana Republic High-heel Oxford @ 150

And then this blazer and skirt is breathtaking to me. Initially I thought this was a vest with a portrait collar bolero layered, but when you learn that it's one piece...it's absolutely brilliant

Banana Republic Blazer @ $275 & Skirt @ $115

I've Caught The Craft Bug

It started with fun, pretty ribbons like this:
And then I recalled I had vintage Lilly Pulitzer fabrics (my FAVORITIST designer) that had been collecting dust:
And while I didn't break out the sewing machine this weekend, I'm hoping that by the end of the week I'll have completed projects to share!