{Friday, Friday}

 

Yes, this is how I like to start my day.

I'm not too happy without it.

If this was my coffee though, it would be waaaay blonder and full of that yucky artificial sweetner stuff.

So I've been busy, busy, busy today getting some more towels in my shop!

I even found some really pretty buntings that I had made awhile ago but had never put in the shop.

Those are photographed but I still need to get those listed. 

 

Here is one of them but hmmm...it looks awfully nice hanging in my living room now doesn't it?

Hope you all have a happy weekend!

We don't have much planned around here except work. 

Oh well, not fun but it produces good feelings in the end, right? 

Right?

Not hearing anything....

You there?

Just trust me on that one. 

Happy Friday!

{Random Tuesday}

 

I've finally listed a couple of new dish towels in my etsy shop! I worked on them this weekend and still have a handful to do the embroidery on...so more should be coming!

I get stuck on taking the photography and staging my stuff just so.

The competition on etsy is fierce!

I make it a really big deal in my head and then it never gets done.

A non-official new year's resolution....get it together with my etsy shop.

If this is going to be my only creative outlet I need to actually let it be my outlet.

Okay, enough about that.

 

Today I decided I needed a little painting therapy.

It had been awhile since I had gotten any paint brushes out and I was started to twitch a little. 

I have had this old rocking chair for a few years now. I got it at an antique store for a great price but it has been living in my basement, totally neglected. There was nothing wrong with it, it was even painted my favorite color of red and distressed really nicely. Well, I take that back. There was one tiny thing wrong with it. It had a little cabbage rose decoupage action going on at the top of it. 

Now, I'm not knocking decoupage. I've gone through my jars of mod podge let me tell you. 

This just wasn't singing my song. 

Plus, I just needed a change.

Oh, and it had recently made an appearance in my living room to provide extra seating for some friends and just stayed. We've been enjoying the extra seat too. 

So today I painted it. 

I used the all famous chalk paint in Provence.

If you haven't used that stuff yet, let me join in the chorus and do my part to tell you it is awesome!

It dries so fast and I really just did one coat over all that red. 

It distresses really easily, sanding off into a fine powder instead of a gummy wad of paint. 

The process is so fast. I painted, sanded, waxed and polished all before lunch people. 

I'm not loving how the distressing on the seat looks but usually there will be someone's seat there if you get my drift. So no big deal. 

I also spent a big part of my day sucking up doritos off my carpet with my vacuum's hose attachment and my daughter's hair, her tummy and my two year old's toes. 

They got a big kick out of the suction action of the vacuum.

It's been a stay home kind of day.

My dog is kind of ruining that part though. 

He ran away this morning to his cousin dog's house.

They are playing right now but at some point I'm going to have to leave the house to collect him. 

Dogs...

{Vintage Monday}

 

So it's been awhile since I've scored any fun vintage treasures.

It's been awhile since I've even looked in any places you can score vintage treasures.

With the holidays and the empty pocketbook, and you know, the frigid weather, it just isn't normally the time of year that I am out looking for that kind of stuff.

Well, last week I got a text message alerting me that my favorite ever estate sale company was holding a sale starting Thursday at 12:00. I don't know if most people just slow down in the estate sale business in the winter or if I'm just not looking hard enough (which is probably the case because I haven't been looking at all) but this got my insides all excited. I actually wasn't going to be able to go - remember, I was supposed to be driving to the Coast for a girl's weekend. 

But the weather happened. 

So anyway, I called my vintage loving cohort Becca to let her know that there would be a chance to score some vintage goodness in the next few days. She has been a vendor at Farm Chicks as well for the past few years and is gearing up for it again in just four short months. So she is always on the look out for vintage awesomeness. Let's see how many times I can use the word vintage with a fun adjective in this post, shall we?

So, long story short. 

I didn't go on my trip so Thursday Becca and I loaded up the four children between us and braved the worst weather our winter has seen yet to go to this estate sale. 

We said on the way, oh, not many people will be out in this weather. And we are getting there just a mere 1/2 hour after it starts! We'll practically have the place to ourselves!

Not so folks, not so. 

The street was lined in both directions with cars, LINED I say!

It was really annoying. 

I mean, why does everyone have to like what I like? 

{insert heavy sarcasm}

So I sent Becca in while I sat in the car with the kids.

Who really wants to bring four kids into that kind of crazy?

She came back with a few items but said it was basically a dud. 

A man's sale.

I decided I would go in just because I made the effort to get three kids in car seats and do my makeup.

Boy, after this long story you really deserve some photos. 

I only bought three things. I think I spent eleven dollars. 

But three things I really like!

I'm doing you a favor and reposting this photo from above some you don't have to scroll back over all of my unnecessary wordiness to see my first bit of wait for it...vintage amazingness.

It's the little black clock.

Isn't he cute?

He is of the wind up variety and has a bit of a green glow around the edge when it is low light so you can comfortably read the time at 2:00 a.m. 

He was only three dollars! 

I can totally do three dollars.

And I'm feeling the itch to add to his kind.

Can you say impending clock collection? 

Anything is better en masse isn't it?

 

My second find was this turquoise goblet. 

It was a little pricey at $6.00 but I was buying it just for myself. 

No need to think about making any money off of it. 

And my last bit of vintage goodness was a departure for me. I don't usually go for the clothes but this color caught me right away. I didn't try it on until this morning so I had no idea how it would go over. 

It fit. It has three quarter sleeves which in my opinion takes this Grandma sweater that I'm pretty sure was hand knit up a notch in the modern meter. 

And...it was two dollars!

It was different for me to be shopping an estate sale and not keeping my eye out for things to resell. I'm about 99% sure that I'm not going to be doing Farm Chicks again this year. 

For a lot of reasons. I just don't think it is right for my family right now.

It is a totally bittersweet decision and one that I will be feeling sadness about when I see my friend Becca gearing up for it and when I go and I'm not a part of it anymore. But there will also be a bit of relief that I won't have to carry that weight on my shoulders. I want to be able to enjoy that kind of stuff like I did before I started selling. I did love the selling part but it was just different. 

So, I'll keep you posted on that. We only have a week to make our decisions and turn in our contracts though and this is how I am still feeling. It's funny how things change though. A year ago I opened up my etsy shop and got my business license...had my first ever business cards created! I thought I was going to tie this all into selling at Farm Chicks and maybe do other shows. I wanted to grow whatever I had here and see where I could take it. I didn't think I would be backing out and going backwards in a sense so quickly.

God know though and He knows what is best for my family and I. 

He is giving me an opportunity to put my word of the year {trust}  to use in this area!

There's nothing wrong with that, is there?

So I may be adding more vintage to my etsy shop soon. I definitely need to liquidate and give my husband back our garage if I'm not going to continue to sell anywhere besides etsy. 

In the meantime, I've finally been making more vintage hankie towels....to be put in the shop soon!

{today}

 

Today: We are having a snow day. School was canceled and we aren't going anywhere.

Today: I am making chocolate chip cookies with the kids. I have been promising this for days and today I am coming through for them. This is how I got them to take a nap.

Today: I am feeling totally overwhelmed by the amount of housework I have. 

Totally. 

Like every room is messy!

Today: I am doing a custom etsy order and am about to do it for the third time...it's just not working out for some reason. Not very fun.

Today: I am thinking about making it a three cup of coffee kind of day. It is turning out to be that kind of day.

Today: I was supposed to be driving to the Coast for a girl's weekend. The crazy weather put a stop to that plan really quickly! Our entire state is pretty much shut down...schools are closed all over!

Today: I am making barbecue chicken pizza for dinner...and the regular old pepperoni variety too.

Today: I am thinking more and more about the bittersweet decision I am making in regards to Farm Chicks. 

 Today: I am happy to be cozy and warm in my little home with my three snuggly little babies.

Today: I have watched way too many episodes of 

American Pickers. 

 (and my seven year old just said I should write that I watch a lot of Man Woman Wild too - and don't worry, it's on the Discovery channel, totally seven year old friendly!)

 

What are you doing today?

Whatever it is, I hope it is lovely!

{trust}

 

 I don't do resolutions. Because who can keep them?

I know I can't.

There is an alternative to those guilt inducing resolutions though.

A word of the year.

It is a bit trendy now but I don't care.

I do lots of trendy things.

I love the idea of a word for the year because it isn't just a goal to cross off of a list once it's accomplished. Now I know there are a lot of great resolutions going on out there and I'm not trying to knock those at all.

They just aren't for me. They make me feel like an immediate failure when on day two I'm already stuffing brownies in my mouth while sitting on the couch watching reality television and jamming all of my junk in a drawer instead of dealing with it in a healthy and mature way.

But a word...I think I can do something with that. A word can inspire, guide, flavor, focus, motivate.

It can be the mood music to your year. 

Instead of thinking of the long list of to do's and to change and to be's I can think of just one word.

I think it is just right for me. 

My word is trust.

trust/trəst/

Noun:	Firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.
Verb:	Believe in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of.
Synonyms:	noun.  confidence - faith - credit - reliance - belief verb.  believe - confide - rely - credit - hope - entrust (Thanks Merriam Webster!) Specifically trust in Jesus Christ, my Savior. We had a message at church recently that really stuck with me. Such a simple thought but it keeps coming back. The idea that God wants more than belief from us. The Bible says in James that even the demons believed in God. And we certainly wouldn't say that is the kind of relationship we are striving for...to be equal with demons. In this reference they are addressing the fact that we have to have more to go along with our beliefs...in other words, deeds.  I can't do good work for God if I don't trust Him. I'm too scared. I'm too nervous. But believing that He is everything the Bible says He is..trusting in His character and love...that gives me something to stand upon. Trust. Isn't that what sets apart intimate relationships from relationships that are distant? You don't trust someone unless you know them. Unless they have proven themselves to you. These may seem like the basics here but to tell you the honest truth I don't always live my day to day life trusting my Maker. I let fear and worry get the best of me on an almost daily basis.  I have to learn to trust God in a tangible way every day. Every moment that I worry I have to immediately turn that over to God...because in my head I do trust Him. That message just doesn't always make it to my heart.  That is why trust is my word for the year.  I don't want to let the fear and anxiety and worry of this world get to me. I want to live in joy and complete trust. That doesn't mean that I won't have sadness or despair from time to time but in that sadness or despair I will know firmly that God is my strength.  That He is always good. That He always loves. The photo above is one my four year old daughter drew. She said it was her and I. She trusts me as only a child can. God wants us to be like little children as we come to Him too. Do you have a word for the year? If you do, I'd love to hear about it!  Layla from The Lettered Cottage is having a Word of the Year Link party. Go visit and link up...you'll be inspired!

{Ten on Ten, only one day late}

Today I'm just a day behind schedule.

Yesterday was the tenth of the month. I was so happy to remember to pick up my real camera (instead of my camera on my phone) and attempt to document my day for Rebekah's Ten on Ten photo project. If you have never heard of it you should grab a cup of something delish and head on over for a visit. Ten photos for ten hours on the tenth of every month. Such a simple and fun premise but always so hard to accomplish! I didn't do too badly but I don't think I succeeded with the whole one photo every hour thing. Minor details, right? You know...some photos just might have been from the same hour. 

Well, whatever. I tried. 

And it was fun.

I got sucked into the abyss that was my daughter's room in the late afternoon though and didn't have the energy to post the photos until now. Just twenty four hours later. That's all. And at this point I don't even know if they are in the right order.

At this moment thought, success is that I posted them. 

 

 

 

 

1. Our snack day at preschool.

2. Comfy quilts on the couch.

3. A verse I love...what better prayer could there be?

4. Peeking at Rebekah's blog.

5. Play time.

6. Winter sun.

7. Dinosaur land.

8. Third cup of coffee.

9. My crazy dog being crazy.

10. My girl who loves to draw.

{Night on the town}

 

{Anniversary Recap Instagram Style }

While we were out of town last week we took advantage of willing Grandparents and stole away for an overnight getaway in Seattle.

My sweet husband planned it all.

We took the ferry into downtown Seattle...it was raining pretty steadily and I am such a nervous nellie and hate driving in the rain.

 

We took a ferry in Seattle in our early courtship days and we remember feeling all lovey dovey.

This one wasn't quite as lovey dovey but still really fun and a peaceful way to get into downtown.

Well, we were a little lovey dovey I guess. We did sit on the same side of the booth.

The view coming into the city.

We went to the market right away. Because, come on - if you go to downtown Seattle you just have to go there. Even if it is pouring rain. You just go with it. And so apparently were the other throngs of people milling about. They were just going with it.

We ate our way pretty well through the market.

Jumbo breaded shrimp from this little Asian stand.

Chocolate filled croissants and a breve from Le Panier.

We tried to go to the original Starbucks but the crowd was in.sane.

I'm not going to wait for a cup of coffee I can get anywhere just because it is the original location!

We hit Anthropologie.

 

Took lots of crazy pictures in the pouring rain of pretty lights...

And then we checked into our sweet little boutique hotel up on the hill.

We had a late dinner reservation at the Space Needle!

I had never been before but Greg had been up to the Observation deck a few times as a kid.

 

This was the view right after we stepped out of the car.

Pretty amazing, isn't it?

We had an 8:30 reservation and it was bustling when we arrived. By the time we were finished though, it looked like this. 

Did you know the restaurant rotates?

It's so cool!

It spins around once in about forty minutes so you can see the entire Seattle skyline.

Considerate aren't they?

One of our many views.

The view from the Observation deck which we were on for approximately 5.5 seconds because it was extremely wind, extremely rainy and extremely cold!

Dinner was delish but so, so pricey! Definitely a special occasion restaurant...and you are really paying for the fabulous atmosphere and view!

We also got free dessert so we both got the molten lava cakes. 

So pretty.

I told Greg I kind of felt like I was in Sleepless in Seattle. 

One of my all time favorite movies. 

Even though it wasn't New York or the Empire State building....

it just felt so movieish...so magical and special.

Definitely comes out at the top of my best nights ever list!

This was taken after dinner when Greg was making me walk around late at night! In the city!

I was certain we were going to get mugged!

He assured me we were not.

Then we took a taxi - maybe my first taxi ride ever - back to our hotel where there was absolutely nothing decent on television so we watched old Seinfeld reruns. 

It's a little strange but one thing I love about staying in hotels is getting to order a movie to watch in bed. Our hotel was nice but the fact that there were no movies to order - big negative for me!

It was so fun but so short. We both agreed that 24 hours is just not enough time.

The next day we ventured out in the pouring rain again where I proceeded to torture Greg by forcing him to try on jean after jean looking for that elusive perfect fit.

We ended our time in the city with the best "nachos" ever...

house made chips with blue cheese, bacon and chives! 

So good!

It was memorable, magical, and wet from the downpour of rain we had the entire time.

A perfect Seattle experience!