Shop Grand-Re-opening and Freebie Prints!

Guess whose back!?

I am. Ta-da!

I never really went anywhere but I sure did take a huge break from the shop. I had a good excuse though. Pregnancy, new baby.. you know how it is. Everything to do with the shop and the blog took a back seat and I don't regret one bit of it either.

But the time has come to get back into the swing of things. Even though I still have a very -loves her Mama more then anyone- 2 month old, I felt like I needed to open the shop back up and start things back up with the blog.

I did create some prints while I was pregnant. Their by far my favorite and I was inspired by my little Peanut to create them {and they proudly hang in her Nursery as we speak}. They are completely finished and now listed in the shop.

I also tried my hand at some web graphics. Mainly Etsy Banner sets. I love creating graphics and have always wanted to create some for the shop but never got around to it. Now that I only have one arm available 99.8% of the time ;), it's easier for me to work on the Etsy Banner sets then it is to sketch out some designs {although my sketch books are in need of some major TLC!}. 

I think the biggest thing for me is working on promoting. I have a Twitter but that too has taken a back seat these past couple months. I know there are some good sources out there for promoting your business/blog but since I am a Mom first, I will just have to give it a go on my own and take it from there.

So with the 'Grand RE-opening' of the shop I decided to give away two free Autumn prints. I created these a couple years ago and have had them saved in my files for awhile now. One is digital and the other is ink-drawn and then digitally colored in.

Download the Autumn 8x10 print here

Download the Give Thanks Pumpkin 8x10 print here

You might have also noticed a new blog design {c/o myself}. I decided since I was starting everything else up, mine as well start with a new blog set up. 

New baby, new beginnings, new shop items, new blog... new everything :)

Thanksgiving post AFTER Thanksgiving

Wow, went and scanned through my reader this morning and I feel so behind the times. While most of you have posted up crafts for Christmas or Christmas gift guides, here I am with my slow lazy self posting my 'Thanksgiving tablescape' muahaha. Ya, that's how I roll!

I am a dummy though. After getting everything together, organized and set yesterday, I realized I took NO photos of the food {other then the super yummy dessert} and or the TURKEY!

But not to fret, because we will be having more turkey tomorrow when family arrives {im so full ...still... right now, I would almost pay to not have to eat anymore turkey}.

Yesterday overall was a success. Josh made a center 'leaf' for the table since it didn't come with one when we bought it {antique/used}. I sanded it a bit and used the dark stain we had but the color was still off so for the longest time I was trying to think of what to use exactly... to cover the table.

{im not one for tablecloths}

Then I remembered I had about 5-6yrds of fabric in my car that had been in there since August. I bought the fabric at Old Time Pottery with the intent to make some Autumn pillows {ya you saw how that went}... It matched perfectly and was large enough to cover the entire table. I didn't sew the edges or anything because I plan to use the fabric so I just trimmed along the edge to make it nice and neat and presto - instant tablecloth.

For the 'centerpiece' i just threw in a bunch of candle holders of different shapes and sizes and the larger ones I filled with acorns from the yard and stuck little glass candle holders in the tops of them.

My fancy chine isn't really all that fancy at all. We just used our 'daily' dishes and silverware. I had some cotton/cheesecloth fabric stashed away and created 'cloth napkins' out of them instead of the standard flower and butterfly printed napkin.

Over on the buffet table I created a 'menu' which I think was my fav. part of it all. And notice my vintage salt and pepper shakers? Yep. Scored those at the indoor fleamarket for $1.00!

The drink station {also known as the pantry}. That Jack bottle was empty by the end of the day thanks to Josh and friend. Jack is not my friend... we have bad history.

Since tomorrow is our '2nd' meal.. I might change things up a bit and or spruce things up a bit. Yesterday we only had another couple over with their 2yr old daughter, but tomorrow we are having 5 adults and 4 kids so I really need to be on top of my game!

And remember the 'Chocolate peanut butter torte' I posted the other day on my menu post?

{source}

Well it was fantastic! Like seriously. Melt in your mouth peanut buttery chocolate goodness kind of fantastic.

It was so good I probly could have just ate {that} as my entire meal and would have been perfectly content. 

AND

I curled my hair yesterday. I know. I can't believe it myself but I dug out the ol' curling iron, dusted it off, turned it on and got to curling. I loved it. 

I felt like one of those Pinterest girls with flowing curly hair. Ah. It was glorious.

Did you all have a great Thanksgiving?? Better yet did you get in on the Black Friday madness? I did not. I never do. I don't get many days off from work so my happy butt stayed in bed, curled  up, all nice and warm :0)

Happy weekend!

its that time again!

the Weeeeekend! w00t!

Yesterday Josh and I were both home from work. it was a nice day to just chill out and relax {is there such a thing when you have a 3yr old running around like a wild banshee?}. we didn't go anywhere except our backyard and it was nice not to do anything. Oh and the neighbor 2 houses down was playing an accordion. me being all stealthy and stalkerish {and nosy} I peeked through a hole thats in our fence and he was in his backyard looking up at the trees and the sunshine all the while jamming out some accordion tunes. it was actually kind of relaxing and he played very well. if I had closed my eyes I would have thought I was in Paris or Italy... or wherever it is they play accordions.

however today, we have to get out of the house, just to get out. SO we will be headed into town. I suggested some of the antique/thrift shops. see what kinds of loot they have and from there.... who knows.

the sky's the limit!

and now I will leave you with some photos from a weekend in September, when it was still warm and everything was still green :)

Remember!!!! Clocks get turned back tomorrow!

Fall nesting??

I have had this wild hair up my butt lately to clean, clean and do some more cleaning. Is this was nesting is all about? I only thought people nested when they were pregnant... {and no im not preggo}. I remember I was cleaning everyday it seemed like once I hit my third trimester with my son. So bad I was down on the floor, scrubbing the grout with a toothbrush at 36 weeks ha!

For reals though, I think it's the changing of the seasons. In the summer I don't like to spend so much time inside, therefor I don't clean as much where as when the weather gets colder, the days appear more dreary and the sunlight only lasts so long, I think that is what sparks my 'nesting' to go into over drive.

Yesterday I spent 3hrs cleaning the bathroom.

WHO does that?!

I do apparently.

I started with the bathroom closet first. I have a love hate relationship with this closet. for the most part it has lots of room for everything but because there is so much room it's hard to keep everything completely organized on each shelf.

You like our ghetto curtain? i.e- towel hanging over a tension rod. I seriously have to think of something to do with that window. I tried the frosted glass {the valspar spray} but after about 3 showers, the frost started to chip off from the water and humidity from the shower and since our master bathroom is still being worked on, this is the only shower we can use.

So I pulled all the little caddies out, cleaned them, sprayed them with lysol and then put each product into a specific caddy as shown.

I know the 'Mama and Daddy' one makes us look like we have some 'issues' but don't worry. I usually throw any prescribed medicine out after im all better but Josh never throws it out. Some of that medicine is almost 4yrs old and hasn't been used in about.... oh 4yrs. BUT since Josh wasn't home, I didn't want to throw any of it out, would much rather wait for him to go through it and discard of what he doesn't need.

So all of our 'medicine' caddies I put on the very top shelf so I know little hands wont have any chance of getting to it {the actual medicine is also pushed all the way to the back}.

The second shelf has the insanely big towels, like beach towels... towels that don't get used regularly.

And since we don't have a formal linen closet, the bottom shelf has fitted sheets, top sheets, pillow cases and a blanket.

I had attached a little shelf to the inside part of the door awhile back and this is mainly used for the daily essential items that you saw in the ghetto shower/window pic. {shampoo, body wash, toothpaste... etc}.

I didn't stop there folks. Oh no sir-y.

The handles on the shower faucet have been bugging me because of that nasty grime you see the arrow pointing at.

Yuck.

So I popped the little caps off and unscrewed the actual handles.

Yum.

best. scrubber. ever.

end of story.

while the handles were drying, I decided to take the 80's style plate things that were on the inside of the caps, out.

I used my little exacto knife, dug a hole into the middle of the silver plate thing and popped it out. Then I scrubbed the inside of the cap.

All clean now!

That sonic scrubber I have? I also used that to scrub the chrome pieces of the faucet. They had some stained on water spots that wouldn't come off with a regular scrub/sponge, so I sprayed my cleaner on, let it sit and then used my sonic scrubber and 98% of the water stains came right off.

BUT I didn't stop there.

The wall to the right. the toilet wall... this wall is oddly long and very bare. I wanted to warm it up a little so I added some artwork.

It doesn't make the bathroom seem so cold now. That one little frame I had above the toilet in the 'before' photo just wasn't cutting it. Now it has more character and when you sit on the toilet, you can look at the mirror in front of you and have all of these lovely things to look at ....to pass the time you know.

kidding!

But that is what happens when you spend 3hrs cleaning a bathroom.

{for real... who does that!?}

Have you been nesting lately?

Creamy House

I know, title sounds a little nasty but just keep reading. youll get it.

I decided to take today and tomorrow off from work, then it's back to normal {work} on Monday. yay.

I am currently sitting in bed with a large cup of coffee {2nd cup} and my laptop. Jayden is in the living room watching Winni the Pooh and playing with the dogs.

Oh yes I said dog{S} .... but I will update you on all of that at a later time, for now I want to talk about Thanksgiving.

I know it might be a bit early and all. heck who am I kidding. if Target is allowed to put out all of the Christmas decor before Halloween then I think its totally and socially acceptable to talk about Thanksgiving. in November no less.

This year will be extra special because we are hosting two Thanksgivings. Yes.. you read correctly. TWO. Of course the dinner on Thanksgiving day and the weekend before we will be hosting a dinner for some family. They don't get to come out this way that much but they really want to come this year. They had already made dinner plans for the actual Turkey day so we decided to have a dinner the weekend before so we can all spend some quality time and to get all the kids together.

So I have been painstakingly searching pinterest for ideas until my eyeballs dry out and my head is filled with nothing but all things brown, yellow, deep red, turkey and crannberry sauce.

I love the calm tones of this table setting and all of the randomly placed candles really make it more relaxing and laid back. I don't care for the deer antlers though. Bambi will not be gracing us with his presence this holiday season.

I love the different colors added into the traditional styles and colors that are normally used on Thanksgiving. like the green apples in the center of the table or the different colors in the pumpkins and gourds.

I also love the long box filled with pumpkins, candles and other Fall elements. I might do something like this but instead of using it as some sort of 'center piece', I will add them throughout our house to give it more warmth and coziness. I just want my house to scream FALL. Seriously.

I love this time of year. Its cold and the colors are rich and creamy and for crying out loud, I want my home to be creamy!

I also have a few other ideas that ive had my eye on for our creamy home.

im a weeee bit excited for this years Thanksgiving. Its extra special. some of the family has had a really tough year so im looking forward to them coming here and just hanging out, relaxing, putting their feet up and eating tons of yummy food.

Now to convince my Dad to fly down from Boston hehehe.

Picture sources - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Trick or Treaty

Hi!


I know my blog has really sucked as of late but I was moved to a different section @ work for a couple weeks to help support some high mission aircraft so ive been working, working, working and more working BUT things are starting to slow down a bit and everything is almost complete so I can go back to normal ...eventually...

So last night was Halloween {duh} and I will admit, I really didn't feel like going out door to door and I am a bad mom for trying to use the fact that Jayden would not eat his dinner as a ploy to not go t.o.t.

I am so glad we went out though. It was a lot of fun and Jayden had a blast.

I mean after all we had decepticons to track down and conquer.

at first we were thinking of driving to a subdivision where the houses are 2ft apart from each other and 5ft off the road but after trying to think of exactly which subdivision to go to, we decided to just walk out our front door and go door to door on our street and the next street. {saved on gas too}.

Jayden was a little shy at first and insisted we both walk with him right up to the door.

but then he slowly started to break out of his shell.

we had to remind him to only ring the 'button' ONE time

and to not walk all over peoples lawns {one of my pet peeves... i know, im weird}

all in all it was a fun night. Jayden kept on calling it 'Trick or Treaty' and when he saw all the other kids out there he would call them the 'Trick or Treaties'.

it was fun and my little optimous prime is already asking about trick or treaty for next year!

How was your Halloween-y?? {had to hehe}.