What Do You Think?

I need your opinion. Would these children/baby hair clips and headbands be even CUTER if I added silver glitter to the edge of the petals or should I leave them alone?

I saw this done to some flowers on THIS beautiful blog. Instead of the sparatic placing of glitter like she has done, I planned on rimming the edge of the petals.

So, whatta ya think? Yay or Nay? (Why would be helpful also!) Perhaps you have an even better idea. Thanks for your help...I feel like my mind is going to blow right now. So much to do...

{Busy Bee}

I have been hard at work to create mass FABULOUSNESS for the upcoming Bohemian Bliss Soiree & Vagabond Vintage Market. I couldn't me more thrilled to be a part of this event. (Many thanks to Mimi!)


Don't live in Arizona? Not to fear...you can buy my handmade creations at the Laurel Lane Etsy store. (Items will be posted closer to the market date.) For now, a little taste of the good stuff...

Little Terror...(putting it nicely)

Well, it's finally happened. Grace's curiosity has claimed it's first real casualty. Somehow the child cracked the screen of my Macbook. I am totally bummed. Thank goodness we have a PC or I might have lost my mind. I've been pricing out screens and we have a really good computer guy, so hopefully it will be up and running pretty soon. I am just grateful the laptop wasn't seriously injured. I really need to be more proactive about keeping important stuff out of reach. Grace is quite determined I'll give her that. Even when I have things on high surfaces she will drag a chair over and...TADA! What a little smartie! The other day she found her way onto my desk and used a pair of scissors to ventilate her pajamas. Thank goodness they were kid scissors.

I am awaiting the day when she decides to "trim" her hair. Doesn't EVERY kid do that? I know I have done it on a few occasions. I would come to the conclusion that my bangs were too long to properly feather or flip (remember those days?) and instead of telling my mom to take me in for a trim...out come the scissors. It took only one time for me to learn that it is not the BEST idea to wet and pull down on your bangs while you cut them. Wow, they must've been an inch long! (One of the only times I have felt blessed to have a short forehead.)

My most memorable attempt at being a hair stylist was when I was in 5th grade. You'd think by that age I would know better...you'd think. I was with my friend as she had a professional put layers around her face. What on earth made me think I could pull off the same thing? (Now you see the down side of confidence.) I went home, got the scissors and went to the mirror. I grabbed a huge chunk of hair that hung beside my face...and lopped it off...straight across...at ear level. Holy Crap, I panicked! Instead of stopping there, what did I do? I lopped off the other side for balance of course. So here I am with huge, ear level chunks cut out of the sides of my hair and it nice and long everywhere else. I had given myself a MULLET! My mom cried when she saw me. The hair stylist she took me to had a nice chuckle. And thus was born my "Dorthy Hamel do"...

Me Likey Live Music...

A little over a week ago Jeff's band had a jam packed day of gigs. They started out playing at the Scottsdale Food Festival. It was a lot of fun to relax on a blanket and let Grace run around while grooving to awesome live music. (That's right...I said grooving. It's coming back.) His band is SOOO dang good! (Yeah, I could be a little biased. ) Seriously though, they are INCREDIBLE and that is a fact...biased or not.







That evening they played again at the Tempe Marketplace. Once again, a great gig. After 5 hours of playing and 2 hours of loading and set up, Jeff was pretty beat. Watching my man sing and play guitar NEVER gets old. Another thing that never gets old...reaping the benefits of the saying, "I'm with the band."

Grandma/Fun Room

Is it wrong to be in love with a room? I find myself opening the door and flicking on the lights to this seldom used guest room just to step inside and look. It gives me such a giddy feeling to be surrounded by all of these "treasures." I am instantly transported back to my Mamaw's home in Kentucky...it has the same feel. Each of the found objects of this room has a story. I would guess that 95% of everything is from a yard sale or thrift store.

It's not the most perfectly "designed" room. Be that as it may, I once read a sound piece of advice from a famous designer: "If it is something you love and it speaks to you, find a way to make it work."

Since there is so much going on in here, I have to constantly evaluate each purchase. There's not a lot of room and each item I bring in is loved. This room has life. It is everchanging. I affectionately refer to it as my "fun room." Enjoy...

A. The widest angle.
B. The entry wall.
C. Close-up of my vintage button wreath.
D. I used a vintage, silk scarf to tie back the silk curtains I made.
E. Funky hand stitched pillows. (I have an obsession with hand stitching, owls, and mushrooms...each of which I collect.)

F. Focal wall above the bed.
G. Nightstand view.
H. I even love the garbage can.
I. A few birds from my collection.
J. Better view of the nightstand I painted.

K. Opposite wall from the bed. (I also painted and added glass knobs to this antique armoire.)
L. On top of the aroire.
(These two pictures are actually framed French hand towels...LOVELY.)

The room is home to many of my hand stitched pieces. The Bottom 2 on the right are a few more from around the house.

A HUGE Shout Out Goes to...

You might have notice the new look of my blog along with the development of my creative blog, Laurel Lane. It is still a work in progress, but I am just tickled pink with the way they have turned out. I absolutely couldn't have done it without the help of my BFF Charmaine. This chica is a Photoshop DIVA and altogether creative genius. I always turn to her for input and inspiration. Seriously there is NOTHING this girl can't do!

Not only is she incredibly talented, but she will drop anything (and everything) to help a sista out. I cannot count the times she has rescued me. She stayed up with me all night as we painted, sewed, and cleaned to be ready for my baby shower...that SHE threw! Who does that? She is also my personal graphic designer. She has a way of knowing exactly what I am going for...even if I don't.

Oh, and I must mention that we are the undisputed, undefeated Catch Phrase champions against our husbands. Our brains are completely in sync with one another. (Moo goo gai pan...that's all I have to say!)

I can count on one hand the number of people who KNOW me...I mean truly know the real me. (The scary bits and all.) She is one of them. Lucky her. I trust her implicitly. I can cry, complain, vent, gossip, worry and all...she bares with me. She also has the gift of uplifting and inspiring people to be their best selves.

Although she has moved far away I'll take what I can get. We can spend 5 plus hours on Skype...a good deal of which we aren't talking or are off taking minimal care of the kiddos. That's just how we roll. One day, when Randy stops being lame and going to school, I'll get her back. Until then, blogs, Skype, and copious amounts of phone tag will have to do.

To sum her up...SHE ROCKS!

Easter

We decorated.
Grace was excited.
The Easter Bunny came.

'Nough said.

{Thanks Mom}

A while back I mentioned that my mom bought an AMAZING chandelier for Grace's room at the antique mall. We were kind of worried that it might not work because it had been marked down from $250 to just $50. I had been lusting after this thing for over a year, but couldn't justify buying it. The price kept going down and the temptation grew stronger. One of the fan lights in her room had something electrical happen and quit working, but I still didn't have the guts. Each time I returned to my "sanctuary" the chandelier would call to me.

I hatched a sneaky plan: First, get my mom to see it. Second, point out what an INCREADIBLE deal it was. Third, sigh and say, "It's perfect, but we just can't get it right now." Then let nature take it's course. What could my poor, unsuspecting mother be expected to do? She couldn't very well let her "grandbaby" go without this beautiful chandelier!

(Mom, you know I am only teasing! But seriously, I LOVE that you spoil Grace...it is the right of every grandparent. I say that now...)

Anyway, enough suspense! Here she is...

Credits:
Mom - for the WONDERFUL chandelier (Thank you SO much! I love you!)
Jace - for attempting to hang it
Jeff - for helping me hang it

Gotta Love a Man Who...

Does his OWN laundry and puts it away. ( I love how he organizes his graphic tees so he can easily see them.)

Under Construction

I am Spring Cleaning and this place needs some sprucing up!

Spring Break

Although my days of taking a vacation from school to cut loose and have some fun have long since expired, it doesn't mean I can't help others do the same. (I know...I know...how generous of me to take time out of my busy schedule!)

Alexis took a road trip down here with her long lost best friend from Kentucky, Ally. (She wasn't really "lost"... just tucked into some hills back home.) Determined to show them a good time, and to entice them into moving here, I lined up some fun activities. Here are the highlights:

We caught some rays as the Cubs caught a butt whoopin'...

Noshed on some yummy food...


Posed for some pics...

Looked AWESOME in our shades...

Played in a "tent"...

and painted our tootsies!

This was all in the course of a few hours. Most of our time was spent shopping and experiencing the great cuisine that AZ has to offer. (Does Fillie B's count?) Alexis and Ally ("The A Team") went on some HOT dates, thanks to Jace and his buds.

We also crashed a VIP party where Jeff's band played a gig.

The girls went on 2 motorcycle rides with Jeff and Pop, one of which was to ghost town. Finally, to put the finishing touches on a fun filled week, we hung with the family and had a BBQ.

I think my evil plot may have worked. MWAHH HA HA HA!!! I WILL get you my pretties... Just you wait and see...