I love September...

I love September...it's raining outside, I have a crock pot full of vegetable beef stew on for dinner, a cup of hot chocolate in hand and I need to focus on getting some work done! my hot chocolate didn't look this good.... Soups, stews, chili.....love fall! Wall plaques I am working on for fall and holidays...will be for sale on website, more info coming soon!

Random photo of a pair of Frye boots that I LOVE, but they are totally out of my budget...a girl can dream!!! Happy Wednesday!

Fall is in the air...

It has been a great weekend! Spent the day with my parents down in Athens on Saturday, Church picnic yesterday, and now a crisp, cool morning of doing nothing(well maybe organizing my closet)! I feel like I am starting to get over the "hump" (no pun intended) with this pregnancy...I have felt better the last few days and it is a welcome change! Busy week ahead - here is the TO DO LIST:

• Have a little girl turning 5 this week (gulp, tears) so we are sitting down to plan a small party with her girly friends!
• New Bible study group starting Wednesday as well as Awana's at church.
• Need to get a few things finished up at the workroom for a design job.
• Liv and I will be heading down to Athens this next weekend to watch my nephew play football...while my boys are going CAMPING for the first time - yes, in a tent, up in the Smokey Mountains!!! I am a bit nervous about it but they are going with Mr. Alvin who is a pro at that sort of thing....50/50 chance my boys end up sleeping in the back of the Explorer :)
• Trying to get some planning done for the BACKYARD BAZAAR I am going to be having soon....got lots of stuff in my storage unit that I need to get rid of - lots of fabrics, accessories, mirrors, baskets, etc....blah, blah, blah...It accumulates quickly over 14 years of design work! If you are interested in attending, let me know and I will put you on the email list!

Hope you have a wonderful Labor Day! Gonna go enjoy this Fall weather while it last because I have a feeling the heat might be returning soon....

Unexpected blessings!

Sorry for my absence! I truly do have a good excuse...you see come next March we will have a new little blessing...an unexpected blessing! I'm thinking we will need some of these! Yes, we are expecting a new addition to our family! I am 11 weeks along and still feeling very sick and very tired! Hopefully that will be passing in the next few weeks! I could certainly use your prayers...have a happy Friday!!!

Invest in the unseen!

I just love Ann Voskamp...she is an inspiration to me! I especially love her post today because I struggle with the things "seen" ...please go read her post here! HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Be back soon!

I will be back soon...in the meantime...I'm dreaming of this Hurry up Fall!!!

Inspiration for today....

one of my favorite songs, Happy Sunday!

Things I'm loving today...

I'm back and feeling much better this morning....got a busy day ahead but wanted to share some of the things I'm loving today!

This new line of frames by Kiwi Wood Werks...love them!

This apron that Liv and I need to finish - she loves ruffles!

Stacks of library books for the kids!

Julie's (from Milk & Honey) cabinet hardware - I could transplant her whole kitchen to my house!

This haircut....I am thinking seriously about chopping mine off!

This shade (from Shades of Light)- would look great in my breakfast nook...bc the one I have is seriously ugly!

Hope you have a wonderful Tuesday!

Needing a "sick day"...

Feeling under the weather today...well, since yesterday really! Gonna take a SICK DAY...I'm hoping my Liv will cooperate and join me in bed - maybe a movie marathon today? Hope your Monday is a happy and healthy one!

I have a 3rd grader????

Yes, I officially have a 3rd grader today...I don't know where the time has gone! He was up and ready to roll this morning as he and dad took off for school! I will be honest and say 2nd grade was a struggle...not academically - he is a wiz - but in other ways...I cannot say that I felt he got all he should have last year (I'm sure every parent feels that way at times...) Now before any of you teachers out there get your feathers ruffled, let me preface this by saying I went to public school, loved public school, my husband is a teacher in the public school - but when that same husband mentions the word "home school"...you know it is for good reason! Braxton is an "active" learner...likes to be moving, constantly going and challenged - which is not always so great in a large classroom environment. Twenty kids, with different learning styles, different levels academically - well, that would be a challenge for even the best of teachers - I don't know how they do it most days! At the same time, I think every child, not just my child, but EVERY child deserves to be educated in a way that bests suits their learning style - I realize that is not always possible in a class of 20+ students! We did debate other options this year, including home schooling...we truly wrestled with what would be best...it is no easy decision! But in the end we sent him back to public school - for this year at least, mainly because David's mom will be teaching some of B's classes - this is reassuring - she's been teaching for YEARS and it will be her last year before retirement - we are so very thankful she choose to stay one more year and of course B is even more thrilled! Our public schools are changing...my view of public school is changing...I am still processing and praying for God's wisdom as we go into this school year! My prayers have been something like this:

• Pray for B's teachers - give them patience, understanding, and a love for their children that can be felt throughout the classroom!
• Pray for B to grow in self control - emotionally, physically, mentally
• Praying for Godly friends that B can connect with
• Praying that 3rd grade will be a positive year for all the children in B's classroom

Happy Friday!

Just a little peak...

Just a little peak into a client project...working on finishing up design boards!

Hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday...

Random thoughts...

Happy Monday...here are a few random thoughts for the day: Trying to find a vintage map of the US for a client job...hoping to use it as ART! Really need to do something with all the shells we brought back from vacation... Would like to try out this sewing pattern...just my style - loose and comfy! Dreaming of having a pantry like this someday... Loving this little "zig zag" dress for little girls... Hope you have a wonderful day...gotta go finish up a design job and catch up on house work!!! Photos: stock map photo, shell - my own, McCalls, Emersonmade, dress-unknown

Rainy Mondays!

It's raining!!! Yeah, we really are in need of it too...our grass is dead and my plants aren't too far behind! The boys are out of the house today so Liv and I are just hanging out - maybe we'll get a few projects done! Happy Monday!

Tile love!

This is a random post today...but I felt necessary to share it because my husband and father-n-law worked so hard yesterday that I had to give them props! Long story short, we've been trying to put in a new bathroom floor in our master bath for MONTHS!!! We've been walking around on a bare concrete floor (very cold) for what seems like forever after we ripped up the hideous sheet vinyl...so here it is today:

It is a travertine stone laid in a "brick layer" pattern! All it needs now is the grout so that's what I will be doing Friday morning! Happy Thursday!

Home sweet home...

Well, we are back! My family and I spent a week at the beach and it really was wonderful! It was the first time since high school that all my siblings were able to be there! Here are a few pics...more to come! Happy 4th! talent show...Liv wearing my nephew's cowboy hat to sing "Shake Your Groove Thang" with backup from cousin Emma! On the beach to snap family pics... This photo was taken by my eight year old...pretty good I think...I never have pics of David and I!

Searching for peace...

Yeah, it's Friday!!! The last few weeks have been a bit crazy for me and my family! It's almost the end of June,halfway through Summer break, and I am ready for our vacation! We (my family and I) are going through lots of changes...some big decisions need to made and I wont lie to you - I am in need of some major PEACE right now! God has been working on me for over a year now in several areas of my life...work, family, children, school - I could go on, but I know that each area is connected! So I am looking forward to a week of PEACE and a time of seeking God for his wisdom and direction! Speaking of peace, I am praying for just that between these two: For the most part my kids are great pals...they get along well....BUT there are those moments when all they do is pick and fuss at each other!!! So I was so glad to read about this over here at A Holy Experience. I think I might need to change our "timeout" corner to a "peace retreat"...especially since our timeout corner has turned into a graffiti wall for taking out their frustrations on! Oh yeah, I can show you some great artwork up on those walls! Praying for peace this week - Happy Weekend!!!