***yellow butterfly finds***

 i hadn't been to an estate sale in quite a while so when julian and i found one last week i was really excited.  i think i enjoy the hunt almost as much as finding something that i really love.  we didn't find anything really great, but overall i like the items we walked away with.

 this book had a ripped up cover and i almost didn't even look in it, but luckily i did.  i love the illustrations.  this kept julian occupied for a while when we got home.  

 i love the colors of these match books.  this color combo would be great in the kid's room.

 i was kind of on the fence about bringing this camera home with me, but when i discovered that it worked and that it still had roll of film inside, i was easily swayed.  i'm so excited about developing the film.

i almost forgot i got this cute little coin purse.  

ella had already claimed it for herself.  julian also found a homemade tomahawk but i couldn't find it to take a picture of it.  he always complains about going to an estate sale, but it never fails...he always finds something really cool.

the thing i love the most is the yellow butterfly hankies.

they are so pretty and look brand new.

ah, i sure do love estate sales!

3 years in a row!!

 for my little animal lover's birthday last week, she requested another trip to zoomar's petting zoo.  two years ago we went on her birthday.  last year we had her birthday party there, so this is the third year in a row that we have gone to zoomar's for ella's birthday.

 oh how she just loves those guinea pigs.  they are kind of cute i guess, but they really don't do much... other than occasionally poop on you while you are trying to get a cute picture of your kid.  yea, i had to shake a couple of brown mike and ike's off of my shirt after julian pointed them out to me. 

 now that little guy is cute.

 nope, she just wanted to stick with the guinea pigs.

 this animal is new to zoomar's.  anyone know what it is?

 c'mon take a guess. 

 that's right, it's a zedonk...half zebra, half donkey.  i had no idea this animal even existed.  they are quite beautiful. 

 we couldn't keep her away from the guineas for too long.  okay, that one is kind of cute. 

thanks friends for joining us.

macrame plant hanger

 sometimes just doing one teeny tiny little project can make my day.  this summer we were busy busy and i had to put a lot of my creative energy on hold.  today i was able to squeeze a 2 minute project in and i plan on squeezing in a few more.  i bought this macrame plant hanger at an estate sale about 6 months ago.  i wasn't exactly sure what i was going to do with it but it kind of just made me smile when i saw it hanging in a living room with two huge plastic ferns covered in dust sitting inside.  it was pretty ugly to say the least.  i remember my mom and my aunts having a few of these when we were young...maybe this is what drew me in.  my friend thought i was crazy as dragged the beast out of the house.  it had a really long tail on the bottom that had frayed and collected dust.  i cut the long 2 foot tail off right away and hosed it down in the backyard and that is where i had left it until today.  i found an empty pot and a plant in need of a home and put it all together.  there wasn't a whole lot of creativity that went into this hanging, but i like how it turned out. 

happy ending...for the day

 all set and ready for her first day of 1st grade.  

geez, that makes me feel old.  she was really excited about wearing her new breathable shoes and the headband she had picked out for her birthday. 

 

as we drove to school the excitement dimmed and i could hear in her voice a little bit of nervousness.  ah, just looking at this picture above breaks my heart.  as all the other kids excitedly chatted, ella would not even take off her backpack.  there were a couple of tears. 

it was definitely a little easier for me this year, but i did need a little distraction...

 wondering around this did the job. 

 next we went to the library where we found some of the cutest decorations.  i'm not even sure why all of the knitted coverings were there but i liked it!!

hmm, this gives me ideas...

so the first day of school for ella ended a little better than it started.  when i picked her up she said she liked her class and that her teacher is funny.  this morning dropping her off was a lot easier.  she put her backpack and lunch bag on the rack and shelf and got in line without clinging to me.  she gave me a kiss and as i walked away there was still a smile on her face. 

whew!!

craft hope :: project 14

sometimes thinking about and seeing so much devastation, poverty, injustices, sicknesses...(the list goes on) in this world is so overwhelming and heartbreaking.  it's paralyzing.  most of the time i feel like there is nothing i can do to change the world, and the fact is there really isn't anything i can do to change the whole world... but i can do something to touch one persons life.  will i be satisfied if i can make a difference in just one life...one person's world?...no, not satisfied...five, ten? probably not satisfied, but it is much more doable and it is more than not doing anything at all.

 (image from craft hope site)

so the next project from craft hope is for the families who survived the tornadoes. here is a little except about the project from craft hope site:

 For Project 14 :: Christmas in Dixie we have partnered with Christmas in Dixie for Tornado Survivors to provide handmade stockings for the 12,000 families that lost everything to the tornadoes. Yes, 12,000 families that will not be pulling the Christmas ornaments and decorations out of their attic. 12,000 families that have to build their lives again. We know we cannot do everything, but we can do little things. And these little things make a BIG difference.

Stocking requirements:

• handmade
• loop on the top to hang the stocking
• a blank space to be able to monogram a name (if possible)
• a standard stocking size
• can be sewn/knitted/crocheted

(image from craft hope site)

i was thinking about these families and all that they have lost.  a christmas stocking is not much but it can make a huge impact in these families lives.  i obviously love handmade goods and i think these families will really appreciate the fact that someone did hand make a stocking for their family.

if you want to participate and send some love the deadline is September 23rd, 2011.

go here for more info and details.

barefoot days are over...

 the barefoot days of summer are over.  this girl does not like wearing shoes...at all.  flip flops are tolerable but starting tomorrow closed toe shoes are the requirement for school.  ugh!  it was such a battle some days last year.

'my feet can't breath!'

'my feet are too hot'

 today we are off to find comfy breathable shoes....i'm hoping these will do the trick.

all of her favorites

ella's party was full of all of her favorite things.  she is really into photo booths, going to the movies, and bonfires, so that is exactly what we did.  we kept it on the small side because, well, it's just a little easier and last year we went kind of big.  i do love planning parties for the kids even though it can kind of be a bit overwhelming because i love seeing their excitement.

 our photo booth props were mainly things from around the house and then i made a couple of quick and easy props.

 i had my mom stand in and take a couple of pics for me and this is what i got.  ah, i love you mom.

 i had to take over so everyone could have their heads in the picture.  ha!  she knows.  she was even surprised i asked her to take pictures.

  little wyatt was the best stand in doll for the kids to dress up...ok, i had fun trying props on him also.

 'no cupcakes' ella insisted, so we made brownie popsicles, chocolate dipped marshmallows and...  

 ice cream cones...double scoops!!!

we had a pinata, a bon fire and the kids watched a movie complete with pop corn and candy...lots and lots of candy.  i didn't even realize i didn't even get any pictures of half of the party.  thank you, sara, for taking some pics for me.  it really is so hard to take pictures and host a party.  

we finished off the night with our first slumber party with a couple of cousins.  i'm pretty sure ella felt special, celebrated and most of all...loved.

oh, she even lost her first tooth on her birthday.  i knew it was coming out.

we love you mim!