Creative High.

It seems since I've been back from my summer travels I have been on a creative high.  I'm pretty sure the time away {I didn't open my laptop once!} and fresh air got my brain clicking again.  Usually how it goes right?

I'm not sure what I am loving more...this saying or all these colors.  Either way, I am looking for a spot for it in my house.

Even better?  These are printed on pearl paper...and they are double sided.  Stay tuned for the flip side.


The single-sided versions are up in the shop now.  Double-sided versions will debut this fall in boutiques.  Can't wait.

What good have I done?

This past Sunday one of the speakers spoke about living a consecrated life.  In a general sense this means all our time, talents & efforts are used to bring others to Christ.  Now, does that mean dinner goes uncooked?   Or children go unbathed?  No.  But hopefully you get the idea.  It applies more so, in our thoughts, words & actions...are all those helping others come to know Christ?  Let me tell you something?  I could use some work...as I'm sure you've noticed.

Anyway, he shared some thoughts from one of President Monson's addresses in 2009 & they've stuck.  This little tidbit in particular:

"A few years ago I read an article written by Jack McConnell, MD. He grew up in the hills of southwest Virginia in the United States as one of seven children of a Methodist minister and a stay-at-home mother. Their circumstances were very humble. He recounted that during his childhood, every day as the family sat around the dinner table, his father would ask each one in turn, “And what did you do for someone today?” ¹ The children were determined to do a good turn every day so they could report to their father that they had helped someone. Dr. McConnell calls this exercise his father’s most valuable legacy, for that expectation and those words inspired him and his siblings to help others throughout their lives. As they grew and matured, their motivation for providing service changed to an inner desire to help others."  For the full talk, go here.

And so, remember my goal about actually having Family Night each Monday?  Well here is where we focused our thoughts this past Monday.  And while my 5 and almost 3 year-old can only grasp this concept in its very simplest form, I'm grateful for the opportunity to give it more focus.  And so, of course, this had to translate to paper.

 

I changed the wording around a little bit to coincide with one of my favorite primary songs, Have I Done Any Good in the World Today...but I can't quite decide which design I like better.  And while I already have it written on the chalkboard in my kitchen...I figure I need to have it printed on paper as well.  Again...can't decide.  Which one do you like best?

Obsessed.

 

Just got my copy of House Beautiful in the mail today & I'm obsessed with this house.  I am ready to move it tomorrow if they'll have me.  I tried finding the pictures online, but since I have a print subscription, no dice.  So my iphone pics will have to do...

 

The grass alone is enough to sell me.  You can never have too much lawn in my opinion.

  

 

This room.  To die for.  I don't like houses full of fluff where you don't feel like you can sit down -- that couch is begging for someone to nap on it.  

 

sigh.  These doors come off the room pictured above.

 

The french door leads right to the grass.  No pavers or patio, just lawn.

Nothing better.  And the blue wall?  Yes please.

 

I was sold before I got to the kitchen, but if you can see the floor well enough, it's beautiful.

All it needs is a tire swing hanging from a tree out front.

And I hope it already has a great side entry door that all your 'friends' come & go through...as opposed to the front door.  I like side door friends best.

Interior Design by Bunny Williams.

New Year...New?

What?  We all have something 'new' to add to our list for the upcoming year.  New goals, new things to focus on, the list goes on & on.

This year, I am having a baby, so my goal is to survive.  That's right, that is my top priority this year.

Okay, not really {yes, really!}, but I am keeping it simple this year so I don't feel overwhelmed.  Because feeling overwhelmed leads to stress, leads to goals not met & me feeling like a loser.

So while I am keeping it simple there is one thing I am adding to my week each year & I am hoping it stays simple!  That is Family Home Evening.  That is Mormon Talk for Monday night being Family Night.  Meaning we have a small lesson/thought, sing a song, open & close with prayer & cap it off with a treat.  Now, most nights at my house could be classified as 'Family Night.'  My kids are young & their activities don't take them from us in the evenings...so every night is Family Night!  But this year, I've decided they are old enough that we are going to get a bit more formal in our approach -- like by actually calling it Family Home Evening & having a set lesson each Monday.

And while this might not sound simple at all I have found my link to sanity in this endeavor...here.  This girl has a whole year of FHE {Mormon talk again...Family Home Evening} lessons!!!  Um, thank you.  That I can do.  And I might inform that I do not plan on every FHE going perfect or smooth & sometimes the treats will probably not be home made...but dang it, we will call it Family Home Evening!

Join me?

Friendship

 

Jake, my madre, me & my belly.

{note to self: do not put it on display next time! yeesh...still have 3 months to go!}

Meet Jake.  He is my brother's friend who just got baptized on Christmas Eve.  And while that is a great story in & of itself, the better story is the story of their friendship & childhood.  Jake met Kevin in 1st grade & proudly came home to his mom, Lisa, proclaiming, he met, 'Little Kev & he is smaller than me!'  I'm sure Lisa was glad Jake wasn't the smallest in school & we were glad Kevin had found Jake.  They were fast friends & I think played just about every.single.sport. possible together.  It started with soccer.  Lisa coached & my dad was the assistant coach & disciplinarian {there were a lot of neighborhood boys their age who my dad likes to say, 'were independent thinkers.' haha}. 

Funny note: I once went to pick Kevin up from Jake's house only to have his dad comment to Lisa, 'wow, I know those Mormons marry young, but isn't Kevin's mom really young?'  Haha.  We've had a good laugh at that for a long time.  Now Kevin gets that same reaction when he is out with my kids & I...and he loves it.  No.  Really, he hates it.

So the sports started with soccer, went to basketball & baseball, where they had their own batting coach for a while {I still think that is so funny...and probably will until I do the exact same thing for Scoobs!} & I think Lisa coached every single sport.  They even put together a YMCA basketball team their Senior year of high school & had her coaching them.  Needless to say, Lisa was the neighborhood mom & all the boys have loved her.

I've loved watching it all from the sidelines.  Remember how much I love ballgames?  I am pretty sure this is where it all started.  And now, it has transferred to Scoobs.  He is even called Little Scoobs around the neighborhood as their is another older boy with his same name.  I love seeing him start to develop these little friendships that seem so minor to begin with, but over the years turn into these life-long friendships.  Jake & Kevin started playing soccer in first grade when they were 6 years-old with all the boys in the neighborhood.  Fast forward 12 years...all those same boys are now going to college together, preparing to serve missions & yes, still playing sports together...in fact, today, I think, they were meeting up to play basketball.  It makes my heart all warm & fuzzy.

Ombre Inspiration

I guest posted for my friend {who is pregnant as well} last week...you may have heard of her: Natty By Design. In case you missed it there read on to see how her desk inspired some baby shower invites...

I am happy to be blogging for Natalie today.  We are actually friends in real life and live just down the street from each other.  Believe it or not, she is more lovely in person than on her blog.  I wish she lived next door instead of 2 blocks down.  Really.  It would be dreamy.

When I ran into her at Home Depot last week {I was actually the one buying paint!} & heard she was sick as a dog I could absolutely relate...we will have babies that are what...5 weeks apart?  Something like that.  I am happy to say I am out of the throw up all day, lay in bed all day phase.  phew.

So I love to read Nat's blog.  Love it.  And if you are anything like me when you saw her pink ombre desk you immediately rushed around your house looking to find the perfect spot for such a pretty little number.

The real problem was when I began debating if I could just put it in my entry way, because my son & daughter share a room & because why waste it on them.  Everyone should see it, right?

Soo, I naturally did what I usually do when I see something I love, but can't quite have it.

I translate it to paper.

I have this itty bitty blog where I do invites.  Invites & announcements of all sorts.  And just the day prior a client called needing a baby shower invite for a girl.  perfect.  I had just the idea.

So, Nat's pink ombre desk on paper.

{front} 

{back}

All invites & announcements are professionally printed & these were printed on a pearl paper, which it is safe to say I love.

Thanks Nat for making this invite design so very easy for me!

And to the woman in Atlanta with the pink ombre desk...we're all jealous.

Back to Business.

I am sure you were soaking up mothering 'do nots' in my previous posts, but now...back to business.  I have lots of things to show you!  I can't wait!

So...first up is a design you've already seen here...it is up in the shop as well.  Anyway, I've been asked before how to use some these & this is one way.  I will be posting a few other ways soon enough.  If you are like me, you will have an event {birthday, weddding, shower, etc} to go to & will have every intention of having a beautiful gift, wrapped just so to convey your warmth towards the person receiving.  But then life happens & you are scrambling to pick up the babysitter, get dressed, get dinner on the table & oh shoot!  You still need to wrap that beautiful gift.

Am I right?  Or just a loser?

Either way, I've found myself printing these off time & again & using them as the gift tag.  Because inevitably I always forget to grab a card...which is usually most important.  I find a message I love for the occasion & write my own thoughts & congratulations on the back & I will now never be without a card again.  This particular gift was for a wedding...a happy memory indeed!

Loving It.

My mom asked me to whip up some signs for her lesson on Sunday & this was one of them. I think she is teaching on Elder Lawrence's talk from General Conference, Courageous Parenting and this is a talking point, I suppose. I really have no idea. But what I do know is that I love that talk & that snippet comes from Joshua 1:9 -- and it is one of my favorites.

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the ^aLord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."

This was the theme last year for the youth {ages 12-18} for all of the church & what better words of wisdom? Be strong. Be courageous.

And with that...I decided I liked this bit of 'sign' work, if you will. And soo, the FIRST 5 people {that are followers} that leave a comment with their email -- I will send you a digital file of it. And what the heck, if you want one, leave your email {by the 9th @ midnight} & I will pull a winner from the other comments.

and if you shouldn't happen to get it free, no worries, it will be up in my etsy shop for a mere $5, along with my Come What May.