This one is for you Maxine...

With the sun shining bright today I can't help but hope that Spring is close by. And like always, once I get excited about something I tend to jump the gun... have I mentioned that my Easter decorations are out already. Ha Ha Ha

But really in all actuality as fast as time seems to pass by it won't be long until we're cutting the grass (by we I mean you hunny) and planting our pansies. Therefore I couldn't help with the sun rays beating down on me this morning to start researching how I want to do my hanging baskets this year. Yes, I know just call me CRAZY LADY, it's really ok... I'm aware of my prognosis. However, I hope you will enjoy these as much as I did.

All images provided by Better Homes and Gardens.

 

  

  

 

  

The last one is my personal favorite. I love it because of how soft, full and whimsical it is. If we have a house this summer (which I've come to the realization that we probably will being as this market just plum stinks) I will be trying these out this year. 

Well, I hope everyone has a GREAT weekend!

Love always,

Elizabeth

Some Shiny For Brynley

So because I've decorated and redecorated and then decorated some more over at our house and are running out of things to paint, hot glue, etc. I've been feeling a little sad. Don't get me wrong... we've worked really hard on our home and I am really proud of how she has come along but part of me strangely wishes we had one of those gosh ugly rooms that I could rip into and occupy myself with diy projects. So because of this I have decided to feed off of some of my friends who are lucky enough to be re-doing one of their own rooms.

Lately, I've been trying to help my good friend Jenny prepare for her upcoming arrival... Ms. Brynley. As I posted before we finally found a website that would let us design exactly what Jenny was thinking of in reference to fabric. This weekend we are going shopping with my mom to pick out all of the notions and  finishing details for the bedding and curtains that my mom will be sewing. I am soooo excited to see the patterns we worked so hard on come to life. On Saturday Jenny (and I) will be painting the room three shades of pink that Jenny fell in love with. They match the fabric PERFECTLY! When I was talking to Jenny last night she mentioned that she had purchased a door knob for the room. I guessed that it was from Anthropologie and she was totally blown away that I had total telepathic skills when it came to all things related to home design. I haven't seen it yet but I'm guessing it looks a little something like one of these (which are both to die for!) I just love love love Anthropologie!!!

Anyways, so back on subject as to what I was originally going to post about... lighting. Jenny said that  she hadn't found the perfect chandelier yet for Ms. Brynley and so of course that meant that Aunt Elizabeth had to get on the ball to complete this mission. I knew exactly where I would go to look for the perfect light... Overstock.com.

They really have some GREAT prices on their Chandeliers and shipping is always $2.95 no matter what you purchase. Who can top that!!!!? (I'm sure !!!!? is not grammatically correct but you fellow design on a dime lovers understand it I'm sure.) Just check out some of the great deals I found.

 

  

  

And if you were only a little boy Bryn look what I found for your little reading corner. Your daddy would be so proud. Maybe next time Jenn.

Isn't that the cutest thing! Well, I hope that this helped a little Jenny and that you like at least one of these. If not... it at least fed my soul today looking at all these pretty's. Wish I had room in my house for at least 3 of them. In my next house I have promised myself that we WILL have a chandelier in our master bedroom. Casey insists on having a ceiling fan but I've made him a great compromise that he can have one of these next to his bed...

 

There is no reason one can not be fashionable, sexy and practical all at the same time.

Love always,

Elizabeth

Ms. Macy

Although I don't have time to write a long post today I just had to introduce my second cousin that I met for the first time this weekend. Ladies and Gentlemen meet Ms. Macy.

She has completely captured my heart. I love you Ms. Macy and can't wait until the next time I can hold you. Valentine will have so much fun playing with you once you become larger than some of the bones he has eaten.

Love,
Elizabeth

Yeah... Yeah.... I Know!

So, I know it's been like FOREVER since my last post... no one has to remind me. I just had no idea that life could get so crazy!!! Plus, it would be a whole lot easier and more fun to blog with the dreams of my new little one here. Isn't she beautiful.

Oh Val, Mommy would take so many great pictures of you with my new Canon DSLR _____ Camera. I left the model blank hunny (you know who you are) so that you could get me whichever one your little heart desires. This isn't a hint or anything but did you know that my birthday is almost a month away. Whew... time flies. I hope that somehow through cyberspace you are feeling just how much I love you right now!

But in reality I don't think I'll be getting one as soon as I would have liked being as we just welcomed a new member into our family. Meet Ms. 47" LG LCD. I guess we could call her Lucy GaGa for short. Yes, sadly at the beginning of this month Casey and I were greeted with the blue line of death.  I'm not sure that that is the technical term for what exactly happened to our TV but long story short Casey finally fulfilled the manly dream of BIG TV!  

And surprisingly (Although Ginormous) she makes our living room look so much bigger due to the re-arrangement of furniture. So he's happy, I'm happy, we're all happy. I must admit, watching movies is so much more fun now.

Oh Josh Lucas you are so drop dead gorgeous!) OOps did I blog that out loud. Ha Ha Ha

OK, so here's some projects I've been working on since we last talked.

Brynley's Room

So some of our very best friends (Jenny and Brian) are expecting there first child (Brynley) this upcoming May. Jenny knew that she wanted to do pink and brown in the nursery but was having a really hard time finding something that just made her heart go pitter patter. We looked everywhere for pink and brown geometric modern fabrics and NOTHING!!! So I had this crazy idea that "Hey, do you think that I could send off some designs and we could make the fabric?" These are the crazy kind of ideas that run through my head all day. As if life isn't hard and complicated enough. Ha Ha Ha

So right away I googled (what did we do before google) print your own fabric... and there it was. The greatest sight ever. Ladies and Gentlemen I introduce you to Spoonflower.com.  Who comes up with all of this? And the search was over. Here are a few of the patterns we will be using in little Brnley's totally custom room.

The three patterns to the left are the ones that will be used for bedding. The top two for the bumper pad and the bottom one for the skirt. And the patterns to the right are just a few examples of some sheets little Brynley will be snuggled all up to durring the night. I designed the Camo one for Brian who is a hunter. I knew his heart would crumble when he read the sayings around the border "My daddy is a hunter." And Jenny absolutely loved that we could personalize Brynley's sheets with her own name on them. Valentine is really jealous of this but I assured him that one day he too will have his own personalized sheet. This project was just so much fun and I was just delighted to ease Jenny's mind with the whole ordeal of finding the perfect fabric. I can't wait to see the completed room once my mom works her little needle and thread magic.

Other than that I've been working on a couple of baby shower invitations and a wedding invitation for a Bride and Groom I was introduced to over the last couple of months. Rachel and Matt wanted something simple, and with cherry blossoms somewhere in the mix. Here is the final version we decided on. It's really unlike anything I've ever done before but I really am happy with how it came out.

Here is the invitation I did for my friend Rebecca. She will be delivering Jacob sometime in early March. She loved them and that's really all I wanted.

Well, I guess that sums up what I've been doing these past couple of weeks. I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day. Obviously Casey and I got each other Lucy GaGa but my husband also surprised me with a dozen red roses and a card. And not one of those great value cards either so he did good.

Love always,
Elizabeth