Quickie…

I know I know…I’m supposed to blog every Sunday.

I’ll make up for it I promise.

In the meantime we’re just relaxing…

And enjoying life at the beach.

 

Expect a mega blog post in the near future.

 

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Getting crafty…

I don’t know what is going on with me…call it nesting…crafting…whatever…but our house has been getting quite a few face lifts over the past few weeks.

From what I can understand it all traces back to buying consignment clothes for Charley.  That led to finding two afghans at Goodwill…which led to my obsession with quilts…which led to finding places for the quilts…which led to fixing up the rooms where I put the quilts/blankets.

See for yourself…

My favorite room. It used to be waisted space, and now...well It's my favorite. Plus it houses my quilt...that I'm still in love with.

Found this bad boy on etsy for less than $25.

I look forward to going to Goodwill way too much…but I can’t help it.  There are so many treasures there waiting to be discovered, spray-painted, re-used…or used as something completely different than it’s supposed to be.

Like this table cloth.

I had no idea what it was when I found it.  All I knew was it was white and lacy and cost $2.00.  Come to find out it’s a drape panel.  Oh well…it’s a table cloth in this house.

And this ‘blanket’…which may or may not actually be a blanket.

It’s green and matches our living room…so it’s blanket here.

A lot of the decorating in our house requires out of the box thinking…where drapes become table cloths and dollar bin Target wire mesh baskets become great wall art pieces.

Last week I made a quick visit to Tennessee to do a photo shoot and while I was there my mom gave me a beautiful handmade terrarium.  So of course I had to make more.

Now our house is full of little ecosystems…thriving all by themselves.  Which is a good thing because I have a horrible track record with indoor plants.

My mom's creation is the big one in the back. Thanks, mom!

Apparently I have a thing for toy dinosaurs.

Andy can thank my Moremama for feeding my quilt habit.  She gave me two beautiful gorgeous exquisite quilts made by women in our family.

The top one was pieced by my great-great grandmother…the bottom one by sweet Nonnie.

Which matches perfectly in Charley’s room.

And the last project we tackled this weekend…

I bought the gorgeous window for $18 through a Facebook buy/sell/trade group…the woman even delivered it.  When I bought it I wasn’t even sure where I wanted to hang it…but once I started thinking about taking down Charley’s birthday banner (it just came down TODAY) I realized how bare that wall was.

***

I’m getting all warm and fuzzy just thinking about all the crafty things around our house.  I’m sure I’ll find more things to do, but for now I think my craftiness thirst has been quenched.

Beach countdown–10 days.

Do something crafty this week…it feels good.  Trust me.

 

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Independent strawberry girl…

Yesterday’s post was all infused with Easter goodness…our trip to the strawberry patch didn’t seem to fit in.

It’s hard to believe that it’s strawberry season already…it’s early this year.  But then again…we didn’t really have a Winter.  I kept waiting for us to get a cold blast…but Spring just couldn’t wait…and apparently wanted to prove that groundhog wrong.  Spring has been in South Carolina since the middle of February.

And we’re taking advantage of all it’s glory.

Charley is an independent little thing.  All she wanted to do was carry the cardboard container of strawberries…and the heavier it got the more she wanted to carry it.

And sister got it.  She was a pro at picking berries.

I remember seeing signs for pick your own strawberries last year…and I wanted to take Charley…but she was so little.  I told myself, “next year we’ll do it”.

Well it’s next year.

And we did it.  🙂

Have a great week!

 

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Easter best…

Today was great.

And we didn’t even plan anything.

Well I take that back.  A few weeks ago I was looking online for wooden baby carriages and came across this.

And I had to have it for Charley.

Fortunately for me I have a very crafty husband who loves to build things.  So I propositioned him…and since he loves a challenge it was game on.

I watched as he took pieces of wood and transformed them into a the most beautiful baby carriage I’ve ever seen.

It’s a little bigger than we had planned, but I don’t care.  She can use it until she’s five…longer if she wants to.

So for the past few weeks I’ve had baby carriage tunnel vision…baby carriage and waldorf baby tunnel vision.

I’ve imagined in my head how she’ll play with them…how she’ll pretend to be a little mama.

Sister didn’t let me down.

I adore this picture...she looks like a little mama.

Of course within 10 minutes she wanted nothing to do with them and started playing with the baby doll we got her for Christmas…which she wanted nothing to do with then.

I even brought the carriage outside.  It’s like she knew I wanted to take pictures because after a few photo ops…she was on her way to gather rocks and sticks.

She’ll appreciate it later.

We went to church this morning…finally.  I hate that it’s been so long and that it gives the illusion that we’re the type of people that only go to church on holidays.  I love our church so much and always feel renewed and refreshed after the service.  I think a big part of why we haven’t been in so long was because we were nervous about leaving Charley in the nursery.  Sister is very clingy to me, and I’m trying to get over being a slight germaphobe.  To my surprise Charley didn’t make a peep when I handed her off to the nursery worker.  I even stood there for a second…thinking, “that’s it?”  It was weird leaving her there…and I got a tiny glimpse of what it’s going to be like when I drop her off to kindergarten.

I don’t know what it is, but I probably tear up at least twice during church.  Every time.  Most of the time it’s during songs.  Today, however, was a little different.  At the end of the service Talbott asked if anyone who wanted to proclaim their new faith to stand up.  Within seconds a handful of people scattered throughout the crowd stood proudly…and everybody cheered.  I looked over to the man standing close to me.  He was probably in his 40s…and the look on his face.  He was at peace.  Tears welled in my eyes.  My faith has gotten me through some tough times, and I can’t imagine going through life and not believing in a greater power.  Whatever religion you choose to believe in.  It must be so lonely to live day to day and not know that you’re constantly being hugged by God…being pushed in the right direction.  I looked over at that man and was so thankful that I was brought up knowing God.  I can almost hear Charley’s sweet voice singing Jesus loves me…makes me warm and fuzzy.

So Easter church…check.

After Charley’s nap we didn’t have anything else planned for the day.  I felt bad for not having any kind of Easter activity for Charley to do.  Again, I blame the baby carriage.

After walking down the street I met up with my friend Cindy, where I basically invited my family over to her Easter egg hunt.  My reason, “I can take pictures”.  And Cindy, being the wonderful woman she is, got really excited and turned an egg hunt into a cookout.

Who needs planning?

These little girls crack me up.

It was a great day.

This conversation just happened:

Andy:  Charley was good this weekend…she’s turning into a little kid.

Me:  I know

Andy:  She’s not so scary anymore…now if she’d only learn to poop in the toilet.

 

And with that I’m heading to bed.

Surprise post tomorrow (although not a surprise now) along with phone dump.

Happy Easter!

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{i heart faces}–happiness

Someone’s gonna be a big sister…

…and she couldn’t be more happy.

Check out more happiness at i heart faces.

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Whoops…

I forgot to blog.

I was laying in bed last night and realized it was Sunday…my blogging day…and I completely forgot.

And there’s a reason for that.  I’m certain.

I didn’t know it at the time…but it was because this post was supposed to be about mail.

I don’t know about you, but I love getting packages in the mail.  It’s like Christmas.  I had ordered some things off Ebay and Etsy, but they were all at different times…but today I had a good feeling…a good mail day feeling.  So good that Charley and I waited in the yard for the mail to come.  Waited in the freakin’ yard like Ralphie waiting for his secret decoder ring on A Christmas Story.

I watched as the mail truck arrived.  I saw her scanning packages…and not just one…multiple packages.  Then she fumbled with them as she greeted me on my porch.  I wonder if she could tell just how excited I was…seriously I was giddy.

So Charley and I brought the packages inside and began tearing through them.

But not before the mail carrier CAME BACK WITH ANOTHER PACKAGE.

The contents of todays incredibly awesome mail day:

–Easter presents from Grandma…

–A $27 quilt I won off ebay.

It’s the most beautiful quilt I’ve ever seen.  It smells old and loved…you can tell there’s a beautiful story behind it.  Is it possible to fall in love with a quilt?  I think so…because I am.

–A couple of dresses I found on diaperswappers.com

Yes the consignment sickness continues…although Andy has put a halt on my purchases even though I fought hard saying, “but you wouldn’t believe the deals I’m finding…”.  His argument, “So if I found a motorcycle for a really good deal, I should get it then?”.  Nice try, babe…put point taken.

–And last but not least…this gorgeous doll…

The quilt might have to fight this doll for my love.  I’ve been wanting to get Charley a waldorf doll for months but haven’t because a) they’re ridiculously expensive and b) I figured Charley would just want to pull out their hair.  However, I found one on Etsy for over half the price at what others sold for, and I caved.  My rationale…it’s Easter this Sunday, and if she messes with the hair I’ll hide it, and sister will re-get it for Christmas.

And just so this post isn’t entirely about mail…check out the sweet puppy/baby bonding we’ve got going on at our house.

Charley's excited face

Have a happy week!

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