I’ve had a few projects on the brain lately that I finally completed this weekend.  Oh how I love three day weekends.

This pillow that I had seen in this book.  It is not a crafty/pattern book.  It’s more of a lifestyle book.  How to really live at home.  I have gotten several ideas for decorating and simplifying in this book.  I used some of my favorite fabric and linen.  My first time working with linen and I have to say that I love it.  I struggled forever trying to do an invisible stitch and just finally gave up.  I couldn’t quite ever make the knot big enough to not pull right through the linen.  And if you haven’t picked up a copy of this book yet, you really should.  It’s one of my favorites.

I also made some cafe curtains for my kitchen window.

Adds a spash of color to the kitchen and ties in the red from the rest of the house. I’ve been wanting to add some orangey-red (official name) to this space and it just feels right.

For my birthday I was given this sweet mixed media art piece by a wonderful friend.  She’s a scrap booking genius and has started making and will soon be selling her work.  I’ll keep you all posted on this.  She has an etsy shop in the works.  The quote above the owl says “The art of being wise is knowing what to over look.” Wise words.  Very wise indeed.  Sarah and I were talking about our knee jerk reaction to situations.  A constant work in progress for me.  This sweet picture will remind me of that everyday.

Did you know that the Gipsy Kings are real gypsys?  Well I didn’t either.  And that they are singing in their gypsy dialect, not spanish, not english, not french.  How cool is that?!?  We saw them live in concert last night with a few thousand of our closest friends and not a soul in the venue had one clue what they were saying.  Graciously, they spoke broken spanish between songs to help us along.  I have never seen a crowd more invigorated and alive.  It was an incredible concert by an unbelievable band.  Two thumbs way up!

In crafting news, I got out the mod podge yesterday and began working on a small suitcase.  I’ve seen this idea around a couple of places and decided to give it a go myself.  I used a Bambi book from the 1970’s.  I was able to do the front side yesterday, let it dry, and will finish the back today.  It’s a cute little vintage Samsonite case with a fabric handle.  I’m guessing they were used as weekend bags.

Speaking of the weekend!  Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

This morning I woke up to handmade paper chains draped across the dining room. Hand drawn cards from my babes. And pancakes with whip cream and sprinkles. Which means one thing, today is my birthday. Thirty three years ago today I came screaming into this world and haven’t stopped yet.

Since having my babes, we haven’t made a big fuss about my birthday. It’s just another year. But this year, Miles gathered the troops and had a crafting session last night with construction paper. I was sent to bed around 7 pm and told not go to come out. Well. If you insist.

Makena’s card depicted our entire family with a receding hairline. We all look like my grandpa. A chef’s hat was made. Masks were created and worn. A good old fashioned handmade birthday party. My favorite type.

And look what I got for my birthday! My own pair of chucks!!! I haven’t had a pair since seventh grade when I had off-white high tops that I would fold down and wear with alternating socks. Pink and green. Green and pink. With three swatches. White leggings. Big bangs. And braces. Fashion icon I tell ya.

Hope you all have a good one too!

My favorite little dress.

I made it this weekend for a custom Etsy order. If only the adult dresses were easier to come by I’d have a shop full of them.

We were able to spend the weekend in San Antonio with our family. There were lots of grandma and grandpa snuggles, playtime with the cousins and just good ‘ole family time. Picnics in the front yard. Family holiday road trips planned. Cooking. Fishing. Playing.

A while back I commissioned… (ahem) I asked a friend to help me make a new bag. Simply because I can’t sew at that level. Yet. Well, I haven’t actually tried, but it’s the following directions in a pattern that gets me every time. It’s the following directions period that I have a problem with, but that’s a whole other post all together.

The bag just arrived and I can’t get enough of it. Thank you, thank you, thank you Sarah. If you haven’t met Sarah, you are really missing out. Go ahead, go and say hello. She’s my friend, confidante, role model, nutritionist, therapist and life coach. She’s one rock star mama! I can only strive to be as cool as her when I grow up.

Another thing that I’m loving right now is this necklace I ordered on Etsy a while back. I first saw this type of necklace on Heidi Klum in an interview and immediately fell in love with it. I found an artist on Etsy and had her make a custom piece for me with the names of everyone in our little family on silver disks. I can’t begin to tell you how much I love this necklace. Adds a little bit of bling to my everyday wardrobe don’t you think?!?