{ the vintage wren }

:: skeletal

2012-01-27T19:25:00.000-05:00

The simple beauty of a skeletal hydrangea

Happy Weekend : )

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: silky soft hair

2012-01-26T09:38:00.002-05:00

Good morning friends. I just have to share this new to me product with you this morning. When I took my kids for haircuts the other night, I asked my niece if she would recommend anything for my dry & brittle winter hair. Of course she did, and I purchased Joico's K-Pak reconstruct wondering if anything could help my dry yucky looking hair. Well, I'm pleased to say that my hair is so silky soft and amazing right now that I'm completely sold on this product and I just had to share it with you.

In fact I just got my Ulta sales circular this morning and they have it in their circular by one get one %50 off. I think that's a great deal, and if I hadn't already bought a big bottle I would definitely take advantage. I checked Ulta online, but they didn't offer it, so it may just be at select Ulta stores.

Amazon also sells it, and you can buy a smaller size there in case you want to give it a try before you commit to a full sized bottle. Anyway, that's my two cents on the subject, I really like this product.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: random chatter

2012-01-25T17:00:00.000-05:00

Hello friends, you may want to grab yourself a cup of coffee or tea and settle in, because today I feel like sharing. Please bear with me, I try not to go type heavy too often, and I've even edited this down.

First of all, I'm a little disappointed with myself, as I've really been trying to get here to blog on a more regular basis and I've already missed a day this week. I suppose I need to figure out a way to be more methodical about my posting and use the scheduler tool in blogger a little more efficiently. Can you believe I just used that tool for the first time last week. I never even noticed it there before, I can be a little slow sometimes {lol} I should probably be ashamed to admit this after two years of blogging.

Anyhoo, I knew I wasn't going to be at my computer for a few days last week so I stayed up late and wrote 3 posts the night before I went out of town. Then I scheduled them for the next two days, and let me just say that scheduler rocks. I loved being able to sit back and enjoy a few days off knowing that my blog was still rolling along. What a great tool, I'm so glad I finally figured that out, even if it did take me two years. { rolls her eyes & shakes her head }

Secondly, I have a little writing project going on right now & I'm really starting to stress about it. I in no way consider myself a writer, and the thought of submitting an article for publication is more than a little overwhelming to me. I really want to be charming & insightful, and sounding really intelligent would just be icing on the cake. Ultimately I'll just be me, and hopefully that will get me going in the right direction. I am however open to any suggestions or encouragement in this area.

Thirdly, I've been asked by a good friend to help her decorate her lovely home. Of course this immediately has my wheels going in all kinds of directions. I just love the feelings of inspiration & vision that comes after walking into a space. I've already started working on it in my mind, even though I haven't committed to the job or been officially hired as of yet. Still, it's exciting, and I'm honored that she would ask me.

So, there you have it, this is what happens when the sun shines and I finally get out of the house for the day. It really was quite lovely here today, and what a nice change from dreary, gloomy & cold. Hope you've had a great day as well.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: macro monday

2012-01-23T10:26:00.000-05:00

{ r e a d }

The stack of books currently on my nightstand waiting to be read.

Happy Monday!

{ peace, love & hugs }

Carrie

Currently reading Winter Garden & so far it's very good.

Living Your Strengths

Having a Mary Spirit

The Measure of a Lady

All But My Life

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

The Art of Living

:: knit & crochet flowers

2012-01-22T16:53:00.000-05:00

Working on some knit & crochet flowers for a project.

Hope you've had a wonderful weekend.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: indoor garden revisited

2012-01-21T10:30:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd share a picture of my little window garden as it looks today. It's come a long way since I first posted about it. All of my little herb cuttings have taken off and grown into full fledged herb plants. My oregano has done especially well. My basil is doing so so, but for some reason it wants to go straight into flowering. I have to keep pinching off the flowers to encourage more leaf growth...it's getting there though. I'm so excited that come spring I'll be able to take these plants and put them in my tiered herb container....no having to go out and buy all new plants. I'll then begin the process all over again with cuttings and keep these same plants going for as long as possible.

I very much enjoy gardening and this little kitchen window garden has been just the thing to get me through these long winter months. I adore having this little island of green in my kitchen....it makes me sooooo happy.

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend : )

{peace, love & hugs}

:: get the look part two

2012-01-20T15:00:00.000-05:00

This is the other side of Miss Punky's sleeping area which lies behind the two bookcases & gate that divides her room into a private sleeping & work space, and her public entertainment area with her sofa and television.

I chose this dining table from Ikea as a desk because it fit the full width of the space giving her plenty of space for two people to work & spread out { per her request }. This table was super easy to put together, and makes a perfect work surface { I would love one for my studio }.

The paper roll & holder are the perfect thing for larger art projects, and also make it easy to pull out a large piece of paper to cover her work surface & protect her table. I also love these little galvanized pails, they are just perfect for holding all of her drawing supplies within reach. The curtain wire including clips is the perfect thing for hanging up her ever changing collection of drawings and artwork.

I used the curtain rod on the left for the windows, and the cafe rod {in bronze} on the right for hanging my vintage curtains {sheet} over the bookcases. An attempt to hide the toys and art supplies to try & keep her sleeping space feeling organized & calm.

Her two modern style chairs are sold in pairs for 63.99 at Target and are still available....they come in lots of other fun colors too. I really like these chairs....they are perfect for a kids space since they are lightweight and easy to wipe down.

The lamps on her desk I already had on hand, when I searched something similar I couldn't find anything I liked. If I were getting lamps today I might pick one of these below.

{ peace, love & hugs }

Carrie

:: get the look

2012-01-19T23:02:00.001-05:00

I've spent some time putting together a little compilation of what I think are the most important things in Punky's Apartment....beginning with the room color, and then moving on to the bedding which I believe gives the room it's vintagey sweet feel. I tried to include as much of what I purchased as possible, however it's been awhile so some things are no longer available...in this case I shopped the internet and substituted items that I would pick if I were trying to re-create the look today.

So here goes.... I found a vintage chenille bedspread exactly like the one I used in Punky's room here.

The curtains are the Matilda from Ikea, I love their soft cotton & raised striped detail they have a very vintagey look & feel and let in just the right amount of soft light without having to open and close them.

I was so excited about all of the great pillows that I found at Pier one, they were all quite perfect for her space and had exactly the look I was going for. As stock changes quite often the only pillow still available is this smoke blue ruffled pillow. I found the pretty hummingbird floral pillow here, and the round woven pillow here. These pillows are a little more mature, but I still think they could work in a transitional girl's room, or guest room.

My daughter adores her faux fur throw she takes it with her all over the house and likes it to be closest to her when tucked in at night. I love the one I found here with it's addition of the fur ball detail at the corners...how fun.

In my original post we had a hand painted by me lamp on her night stand but since then I've switched it out with a vintage milk glass hobnail lamp very similar to the one pictured above and found here.

The mirrored Laugh & Love signs are a big part of the look of Miss Punky's sleeping area, and though I can't find the perfect vintage frames for you, you can find the words at Hobby Lobby and take it from there. The mirror above her bed was also found at Hobby Lobby many years ago.

I'll be heading out of town tomorrow with our oldest daughter for a soccer tournament....her first one since blowing out her knee this is such a big day for her she's worked very hard to recover & get back at it. Not only that but 5 college coaches are coming to see her play, and she just got accepted to UNC Chapel Hill today...this is a very exciting time for her & we are so very proud.

That said, my weekend consists of several 2 hour drives so I may not be able to get here as I would like. I will however continue on with links for other items I used in Punky's apartment reveal when I return just in case you are interested.

Thanks so much for visiting & reading along. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: color revealed

2012-01-17T10:10:00.000-05:00

I've received lots of emails recently wondering what color I painted my daughter Phoebe's room. I've tried to respond directly to most of them, but if I missed answering you I'm sorry. So for those of you I've missed, and those of you have found this image via Pinterest, here it is.

Wait for it..........

waaaiiit.....

Okay.....

the color is....

Tradewind by Sherwin Williams. It took me many samples of paint to decide on this exact shade of blue, but it was completely worth the money to find the perfect shade. I actually matched it to a color in the rug, and it ended up matching my vintage floral fabric which came later perfectly.

I really do love this color, it's the perfect shade of pale aqua blue.

So there you have it, Phoebe's {Punky's} perfect blue.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

Tomorrow...more details of Phoebe's room re-do including lots of links.

:: macro monday

2012-01-16T16:23:00.001-05:00

{ g e r a n i u m }

:: recycled fire starters

2012-01-15T18:32:00.000-05:00

The days are getting colder and colder here, giving us more opportunities to have a nice cozy fire. For my family that means pressing a button on a remote, but for some { the lucky ones in my opinion } it means starting a fire from scratch. Oh there is nothing more wonderful than the smells and sounds of a warm crackling fire. I really miss having a real fireplace, even if it is a little more work. It would be nice to have a reason to keep all the fire starting goodies & tools by the fireplace...for gas logs it just seems silly. The basket above however is for my fire pit outside, everything needed to start a nice blazing fire.

I saw an image on pinterest that uses your dryer lint and empty toilet paper tubes to make recycled fire starters. Which in my opinion is a brilliant use for all of the dryer lint and unused toilet paper tubes. I was so excited to give it a try. The image on pinterest looked like this one below, though try as I might I cannot find it now.

Though functional enough, this just didn't appeal to my aesthetic sensibilities so I decided to take it just a step further by wrapping mine in newspaper. I grabbed my scissors and cut a sheet of newspaper in half, and with the tube at the bottom I rolled it up.

First I just twisted the newspaper on the ends which worked fine, but after a few using that method I decided instead that it would be much easier and quicker to just pinch & push the newspaper ends into the tube. This is the method I stuck to to make the rest of my tubes. You could always go a step further even and tie them with some twine, I thought about it but found it a little unnecessary since mine were purely functional & I like to use my twine for other things.

In the past I've used mostly pinecones to start my outdoor fires, but I think these are going to work great. I'll put one underneath a little pile of pinecones with some kindling on top & I'll have a blazing fire in no time. I'm also really excited to find a great use for all of the toilet paper tubes & dryer lint....just one less thing to have to throw in the recycle bin or the trash. I think they look pretty cute to boot, and that's always a plus in my book.

{ peace, love & hugs }

Carrie

:: closet overflowing?

2012-01-13T09:28:00.000-05:00

Is your closet overflowing like mine?

Do you still have things you can't or won't ever wear again?

Well join me as I....

Turn Em' & Burn Em'

to clear the excess from my overflowing closet.

{that's texas hold em' lingo... you gotta know when to hold em' and when to fold em'

& honestly, between you and me I'm really sick of folding em'}

All you have to do is turn your hangers backwards in your closet,

come back in six months time & donate the items you haven't turned back around.

{this means you didn't wear it, and you probably won't so why hold onto it}

Isn't this a fabulous idea?

I wish I could take credit, but I found it on Pinterest.

{oops thought I pinned it but didn't}

I couldn't wait to get started so I've already begun to do my closet,

but I need to finish up this weekend & tackle everyone elses.

Let me rephrase that....get everyone else on board to tackle theirs.

Also on the agenda for the weekend....carpet cleaning.

I like to save the really fun cleaning projects for the hubs & I.

{ sounds glorious huh.....you know you're jealous of our exciting weekend plans }

TGIF

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: embracing a new year

2012-01-12T11:11:00.000-05:00

This morning as I relaxed with my cup of coffee I began to think about what my word for this year should be. A challenge posed by Layla over at The Lettered Cottage. What do I aspire to do with this year ahead of me? What will my word be? In times past I've struggled with being a Stay at Home Mom. I've always felt like I should have a career and without it I didn't have a real WORTH. I wasn't bringing anything {ie: income} to the table so to speak. I've spent my years at home busying myself with hobbies, small businesses {etsy}, and blogging. I haven't ever really embraced the calling that God has set out in front of me. The REAL job of being a full time mother & homemaker. It truly is a blessing that he's given my family. We are so fortunate that I've always been able to stay at home with my children. In the beginning things were tighter financially, {but we never went without} and over the years things have gotten better and better...which has me thinking of how our family can be the best stewards of his gracious gifts.

For many years I had many negative feelings that came along with being a homemaker. When I was growing up most mothers worked, including my own. She & my father took great care of our home and were great parents, but I still didn't have a real example of what being a full time stay at home mom looked like. No guidelines...if there really are any. Even I started working at 15 {I really wanted a car}, I had had a job outside of my home for 10 years before children. Don't get me wrong, I truly enjoyed every second of being a mother and being with my children I still do {I'm so blessed}, but I still had the thought nagging at me "you don't have a real job" mother's everywhere are cringing at that statement because we all know that we don't have one real job we have fifty, or so it seems. I understand all this now as time has gone by and I've matured. Now I can finally accept God's plan for my life.

So this year I've decided that my word should be EMBRACE, as I truly want to embrace the life & responsibilities the Lord has set out before me. I want to be as good at it as I possibly can. I want to think about it, I want to set goals for myself and accomplish them, I want to explore what being a MOM means to my family & I. I want to create the home of my dreams, and live purposefully & healthily, and share those gifts with my children. I want to clean, organize, simplify & prioritize. I want to prepare healthy meals, and show my children how to do the same. I want to rid my home of all the extra stuff, the stuff that isn't truly necessary {and learn how to use & need less}. I want to be a good steward of the time the Lord has given me, and use it to his Glory. I've never been one to make New Year's resolutions, but this year I think I will resolve to EMBRACE the wonderful gifts God has so graciously bestowed upon me and with an ever grateful heart.

What will be your word for this year? Feel like sharing your inspiration with everyone else? Layla is hosting This Little Word of Mine....I'm gonna let it shine linky part on January 16th I'm going to link up, will you?

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: rainy day randomness

2012-01-11T12:48:00.001-05:00

Hello friends, just a little randomness to share with you today.

This is the view outside of my door, is it raining where you are?

I just had this for lunch

because I'm too lazy to get dressed and go out in the rain.

My only real excuse for going out would be to wear this jacket,

but I'm toooooooooo

L A Z Y

I could also be cleaning off my desk,

then I thought NAH, because my mug says it all...

who am I to argue with that logic.

Maybe I'll just hunker down and work on my latest knitting project...

I have a long way to go before this is a real blanket.

What are you up to today?

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: 4 my boy

2012-01-10T17:38:00.002-05:00

I am absolutely dying over these two spaces I found today at

I love everything about both of these bedroom vignettes.

The Beds...

The Lights...

The Blankets...

The Pillows...

Well, you get the picture....E V E R Y T H I N G.

So, now I have plenty of great inspiration for decorating my sons bedroom this summer.

As soon as our oldest goes off to college he'll take her space {with her approval, naturally}.

I don't let the grass grow under my feet when it comes to decorating, and I really can't wait.

The timing is actually perfect since he's kind of out grown the look of his current bedroom.

His room is the largest upstairs so I don't understand why he's so willing to give it up.

I think it has something to do with easier & faster cleaning & his own private bathroom.

No more sharing a Jack & Jill with his younger sister.

His old bedroom will then become the bonus/game/lounge/

guest/daughter's bedroom when she's home from college.

I really think it's going to work out perfectly.

We may even add a ping pong or pool table.

{ ~~Papa & I~~, I mean they would really enjoy that }

My only problem is that most of these items aren't exactly in my price range.

Therefore, I will have to put on my thrifty cap and come up with my own diy version.

I will have to run these ideas by him of course, and ask for some of his ideas as well....maybe ; )

I'll be brainstorming until the time comes for the big room exchange,

but these items and images won't be far from my mind while I do.

I'm pretty sure I can create something equally fabulous on my budget.

Only time will tell....and you know you'll be the first to know.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: macro monday

2012-01-09T08:01:00.001-05:00

{ p a t i n a }

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

P.S. Thanks sis for the idea...love you

:: red barn

2012-01-08T20:17:00.000-05:00

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: window shopping

2012-01-06T14:27:00.000-05:00

Just a few things I wouldn't mind bringing home from TarJay.

Well, I did come home with the clock for the "MAN CAVE"anyway,

and a few more goodies that I'll try to share with you later.

Now I have to go get my house presentable for the dog trainer

and the crazy spotted dog who's coming home from doggie boot camp today.

We've missed her spots and her sweet kisses, now let's hope we can be trained to keep her on track.

I'm heading off to the coast tomorrow to visit my Granparents,

they're renewing they're vows after 60 years of marriage...isn't that sweet.

I'll check back in with you guys on Monday....Hope you have a great weekend.

Oh yeah, all the photos are from my iphone and you can

follow along with me on INSTAGRAM to see what other nonsense I shoot.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: coffee bar update

2012-01-05T15:25:00.001-05:00

Hello, how are you today?

I thought I would share some updates to my Coffee Bar with you.

I'm so excited about my new Cuisinart coffee maker & hot water dispenser.

Trust me when I say it's Da Bomb.....for reals.

This new addition required me to make a few changes to my setup as you can see.

Our new appliance allows us to make other favorite hot beverages such as tea & hot cocoa,

so I added them to the bar so that everyone in the family can enjoy their cold weather favorites.

Not only that, but it's perfect for instant oatmeal & cup o' soups....it's so awesome.

No more tea kettle on the stove just waiting & taking forever,

now we have instant hot water woo hoo.

Since I've added several new beverage options,

I decided to label each canister to alleviate any confusion.

I made my tags out of Shrinky Dinks and tied them on with my trusty twine.

I love how they turned out...

what do you think?

Well, my nose & toes are a little chilly from sitting in my very cold studio...

I think I'll go warm up with a cup of Russian Tea....mmmmmm.

BEVERAGE TAGS free download

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: a year in photos

2012-01-04T22:18:00.000-05:00

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

Happy New Year !

2011 was a fantastic year for my family & I,

and so far 2012 is shaping up to be just as great.

I've enjoyed a little break from blogging over the holidays....miss me?

Today was the first day back to school for the kids, work for the hubs, and blogging for me.

It's good to be back in TWENTY-TWELVE

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: more christmas decor

2011-12-22T13:16:00.000-05:00

Simplicity has been the theme of our Christmas this year.

I pulled out very few of my Christmas decorations,

and instead looked to nature for my inspiration.

Lots of evergreens & pinecones for a simple natural Christmas.

GOD has created the most beautiful decorations to be found,

what better way to honor HIM for this joyous season.

JESUS IS THE REASON

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: christmas house

2011-12-20T15:21:00.000-05:00

The Santa's are out....

the table is set...

the stockings & wreaths are hung,

and letters to Santa written....

We're getting there....

but I have a little more to share

so stay tuned for more Christmas decor.

{peace, love & hugs}

Mary {Grams} this post is for you : )

Carrie

:: pet tags

2011-12-19T09:43:00.000-05:00

Since finding the idea for Shrinky Dink pet tags on Pinterest,

via Martha {of course } this has been on my list of things to make.

Being the owner of 7 {yes that's right} 7 pets, 3 canines & 4 felines...

buying tags can be quite expensive & we needed new ones.

{it's okay, we've accepted that we have a little animal hoarder problem}

In our defense, we only purchased two of our pets, the rest are rescues : ).

Armed with a 50% off coupon to Michael's

{gotta love a good coupon}

I went off in search of inkjet printable Shrinky Dink plastic.

Take my word for it and ask someone to take you directly to it,

you'll save yourself lots of time looking, and looking, and looking for it.

Michael's is a madhouse right now with all of the sales & coupons going on.

When I got home I downloaded the free PDF here,

made my changes, printed them, cut them out, and baked them.

Here's how they turned out for me.

They were cute, but I didn't l.o.v.e them. {sorry Martha}

Honestly they were a little big & the numbers too small.

{ the phone numbers are only missing in the images because I don't want the world to have it }

So, back to the drawing board {my computer}.

I went into Adobe Illustrator to create my own tags.

I chose the smallest of the Martha tags as a guideline for size,

and went even smaller, approx. 2.5 inches for my largest pet tag...

then I just scaled the others down according to the size of my pets.

I didn't want them to look like Flava Flav wearing their tags.

Anyhoo, as you can also see, I chose lighter softer colors,

and I had fun picking different fonts for each of the fur babies.

I also added a couple of monogrammed tags for myself & my daughters

in order to take full advantage & not waste any of the plastic sheet.

I got 9 tags on one 8.5 x 11 sheet, compared to the 8 on two sheets per Martha.

Here are the tags side by side, though I'm missing a few in this shot

because they are already on my pets { I couldn't wait to see how they looked }.

So, let's do the math {as much as I hate it....math's hard....lol...my bestie gets this}

That's 9 tags on a sheet of Shrinky Dink paper that cost me about $1 with my coupon.

The average cost of 1 pet tag at the local pet mart would be about $10.00 for the smallest.

For me that would be about $70 plus the extra monogrammed tags I made would be $90.

Hmmm, that's about 11 cents per tag for a savings of 89 buckaroonies....not bad.

So, Thank you, Thank you, Martha { and crew } for always coming up with great ideas.

This material is so much fun to work with, I couldn't help but think of other ways to use it.

think it will make great luggage tags, gift tags, jewelry....the possibilities are endless.

TIP : using a standard hole punch will not be big enough for a tag, I simply punched around the edges to make my hole larger { the hole shrinks too }

Happy Monday!

Only 6 more days until my KINGS birthday,

and the big man in the red suit visits to spread HIS message of giving.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: new curtains

2011-12-17T13:15:00.000-05:00

Finally my new curtains arrived and I put them up yesterday morning.

Sorry these pics aren't the greatest but I wanted to share.

You can have a peek at my sidebar to see what it looked like without them.

They definitely add some much needed height & warmth.

What do you think?

I've also been spending some time crocheting and hope to share soon.

We are going to visit our dog Libby at training camp this afternoon,

we are so excited to see her and her progress.

It's been harder than I thought not having her around, and we have 3 more weeks.

I can't wait to have a sweet little dalmatian who listens to us though.

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend too.

I can't believe how close Christmas is now can you?

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: our bored jar

2011-12-15T16:03:00.000-05:00

So here is my version of the BORED JAR,

I found & pinned this idea on pinterest {you can follow my boards}.

The original idea is by Shayna at Shaydes of Life....

here's her version.

I simply found a jar I had lying around,

grabbed some twine and went to my computer to create my tag & ideas.

Below are my ideas for our bored jar.

I'll try to make this a pdf file for downloading soon...

I'm learning how now, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Our bored jar has been dipped into only a handful of times,

but it's really fun to see what the kids pull out....so far it's been only fun things.

This is a really fun tool for Moms & Dads, I'm so glad people like Shayna share these ideas.

You can follow my boards on PINTEREST for more great DIY ideas.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: congratulations to.....

2011-12-14T07:13:00.001-05:00

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

Congratulations to LAURA who has won a beautiful natural Christmas wreath.

Your front door is going to be very pretty donning this little lovely.

Laura, please e-mail me your address so we can get your wreath to you ASAP.

Thank you all so much for participating in my little giveaway.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: natural wreath giveaway

2011-12-10T16:48:00.001-05:00

Happy Weekend!

I'm so excited to have the opportunity to give one of you

a beautiful 20-22" natural Fraser Fir Wreath

from Green Valley Christmas Trees {America's Most Popular Christmas Wreath}.

How fun to win this beautiful natural wreath and decorate it to suit your own decor.

TO ENTER:

1. Become a friend & follower of {the vintage wren}

2. Leave a comment telling me where you would place your lovely natural wreath

3. Share this post on Twitter or Facebook for another chance to win {let me know in comments}

That's it...super simple

I will draw a winner on Tuesday December 12

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

Good Luck : )

:: kitchen typography

2011-12-07T10:28:00.001-05:00

Good Morning sweet friends.

As you may notice from the window above,

it's a little wet and drizzly here today.....

but that's okay, because it gives me time to be crafty.

Since painting my kitchen & removing my window treatments

I've been needing to add something to the space above this window.

I decided a while back that I would like to see some type of typography here,

maybe an old vintage sign or some vintage metal letters...you know, something interesting.

How plain does this look?

Well, I'm impatient as you well know by now,

and I wanted something right now and I want it to be very inexpensive.

Sooo, yesterday I went to Hobby Lobby with coupon in hand looking for some letters.

I already had an E on my coffee bar and I thought I might just add an A & T of the same type.

Well, upon looking around, I found these paper mache' letters for really cheap $2.47 each....

and they were 50% off to boot....they were the perfect inexpensive quick fix.

At first I thought I would paint them and do something cool to them.

However, when I got them in the room I really liked the look of the brown paper.

I simply mounted them with some tacky putty as is.

So, what do you think?

{ BEFORE }

{ AFTER }

I also edited down some of the items from the tops of my cabinets

and countertops to make a more cohesive clean look.

So there you have it, a simple inexpensive $6.00 kitchen update.

I'm very happy with it...I know it's nothing new in the world of decorating,

you can find it all over the web, but this is a look I absolutely adore and now I have it too.

Isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery anyway?

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: popcorn & cranberries

2011-12-06T17:03:00.001-05:00

Happy Tuesday,

I was just stringing up some popcorn & cranberries,

so I thought I would share the fun with you.

WHAT YOU NEED:

1. day old popcorn {popped with no oils or butter}

2. fresh cranberries

3. needle

4. thread

5. thimble {optional}

DIRECTIONS:

1. Thread a needle with approx. 3 feet of thread & tie a big knot in the end

2. Decide on your popcorn cranberry pattern {or just go willie nillie}

3. Push your popcorn onto your needle & pull to end...repeat with cranberries.

4. Leave about a 3" tail of thread in order to connect the finished sections together

5. Hang your lovely crafty handiwork on your favorite tree.

When the holidays are over you can do a good deed for nature &

hang your popcorn & cranberry garland on your outdoor trees & shrubs

for the birds to snack on through the long cold winter.

Hope your day was Merry & Bright : )

{peace, love & hugs}

:: capture the sunrise

2011-12-01T09:25:00.001-05:00

Oh what a beautiful morning.

As I sat here by the fire this morning sipping my coffee,

I realized what a beautiful sight the sun is coming up in this window...

I just had to share it with you...though this picture hardly does it justice.

I've been caught up with all involved in planning and executing holiday festivities

so I've bee unable to make it here for several days, but hopefully I'll be able to

squeeze in a few visits here and there over the next few weeks.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving,

my family sure did...what a fabulous day.

I do sooo LOVE my family.

Now I'm off to wrap some Christmas gifts...ta ta.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: porcelain nature

2011-11-20T18:17:00.001-05:00

My porcelain twigs {L O V E}

Many years ago, way before pinterest...

I found an image of these porcelain pinecones & fell in love.

Thinking today of how much I love my twigs

I began a search of porcelain nature...

here's some of what I found.

a c o r n s

f a u x b o i s

m u s h r o o m s

and this beautiful & useful porcelain branch pitcher { l...o...v...e }

I also came across an amazing porcelain artist.

{ Kate MacDowall }

One word describes her work AMAZING.

Wouldn't you agree?

If you want to see more of my porcelain finds,

you can check out my pinterest board

p o r c e l a i n

all links to the images can be found there.

Hope you have had a lovely weekend.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: recycled newspaper birds

2011-11-17T21:20:00.000-05:00

Here it is as promised,

my newest little holiday craft.

RECYCLED NEWSPAPER BIRDS

I thought these would be cute either on the tree....

or used as gift tags for presents...

they are really super easy & fun to make.

SUPPLIES:

pen or pencil

newspaper

scissors

embroidery floss

embroidery needle

hole punch

jute twine

cereal box

bird silhouettes

DIRECTIONS:

1. Find or draw a bird silhouette that you can use as a template & determine the size you want

TIP: my birds are 6" & 8" wide 2 up on and 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper

2. Cut out paper silhouette & trace onto cereal box & cut out {this will be your template}

3. Take a sheet of newspaper fold it in half and trace your bird template then cut out your bird

4. Thread your embroidery needle with 3 strands of floss about 22" long tie a good size knot in the end

5. Begin sewing the two pieces of newspaper together using a simple running stitch

TIP: begin stitches on the bottom of the bird leaving a 2" opening for stuffing

6. Shred up some more newspaper & scrunch up to make stuffing

7. Stuff your bird using the shredded newspaper & pen or scissors to push into smaller openings

8. Once stuffed to desired puffiness, finish sewing closed & finish with a knot

9. Take your hole punch...find a good center point for hanging and punch a hole for your twine hanger.

EASY PEASY....

Now that you've got your first one done,

you can go into production mode as my mother calls it.

You can make more folds in your newspaper to cut out more silhouettes at a time.

If you really want to get speedy, you could sew your birds on a sewing machine...

but I much prefer the hand sewing, I think it lends to a simple rustic look.

So what do you think?

Do you like my little birdies?

Sorry my pictures are a little lackluster,

it was another rainy gloomy day here...not great for photos.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

Joining the Party @

At the Picket Fence

:: rain rain go away

2011-11-16T15:02:00.001-05:00

As you can see by my post title, it's raining here today.

Not a spring sunshine & rain day,

but a rain & gloom day.

I don't really mind,

because as you can see by the photo above

this is what we do when it rains.

Well sort of....

I'm working away on my computer,

and when I turn around this is what I see.

I grab the camera and capture two of my sweet fur babies

enjoying a rainy day nap together.

I'm still in my jammies which I should be ashamed to admit...

but I love days like this just for that reason,

and I don't even feel guilty.

Just one of the perks of being a SAM.

Yesterday was really quite fun & productive.

I used some of this.....

some of these....

and this....

to make a crafty project.

But thanks to the rain & lack of natural light

I'm unable to take any photos of said craft to share.

Soooo, stay tuned to see what I made.

Hopefully the sun will shine tomorrow.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

Oh yeah, what do you think of my new header?

Better or Worse?

Your opinion matters : ).

:: finding fabric

2011-11-12T09:27:00.001-05:00

Have you ever been on the search for the perfect fabric with no luck?

Checked all of your fabric stores in person & online...

Nothing....nada....zilch.

Well, I find that sometimes in order to find the perfect fabric

you have to keep your eyes open and look in unexpected places.

These are the new window treatments in my clients kitchen.

I knew she wanted yellow, but the challenge came in finding just the right shade & pattern.

We checked our local fabric stores and shopped online with no luck.

We just couldn't find what we were looking for.

Then one day while shopping at TJ Maxx I spotted it.

It was the perfect yellow, and the pattern was just what we had in mind.

Nevermind that it was a duvet cover, I knew it was the perfect choice.

I purchased it & took it home for her approval,

and well as you can see she loved it....and we used it.

We decided on a style & then had her mother sew them up for us.

The rope knobs {LOVE} were found at Hobby Lobby,

I simply drilled a hole into the wall for each knob & screwed them in.

The curtains are a simple rectangle with little loops sewn in and evenly spaced to allow for the drops.

I used jute twine to tie the little loops onto the knobs...easy peasy.

Voila'....custom window treatments.

I think they turned out great....how about you?

Here are the window treatments in her Master Bath.

For these we appropriately used shower curtains.

I found these shower curtains at Target,

the colors & design were perfect for the space.

Again, we had her mother sew them up for us.

These are also simple rectangles, very simple if you sew.

I purchased inexpensive rods also from Target to hang them.

:: MISS WREN'S HANGING TIP ::

to avoid seeing the brackets at the ends of the treatment

I simply cut a slit in the back side of the fabric lined up with the bracket

to allow it to slip inside of the seam...hiding the bracket.

{I think this is a much cleaner look, I hate seeing the ugly brackets at the ends of pretty treatments.}

I used my ever trusty jute twine to make the ties.

I looped two lengths around, this also allowed me to easily adjust the length by pulling the twine.

I just gathered the fabric up until I had the look I wanted and repeated.

I especially love these treatments and the fabric with the branches, birds and butterflies.

Well, What do you think?

Did they turn out okay?

Are you thinking of new places to search for fabrics?

I also love to look for fabrics at thrift stores,

Old curtains, sheets, whatever is pretty.

Hope you are having a great Saturday.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

LINKING UP TO

Savvy Southern Style

:: Many, Many Thanks

2011-11-11T18:50:00.001-05:00

Many Thanks to the many brave men & women who have gladly & unselfishly fought for this country.

Our freedoms are not free, and they & their families willingly pay the price for us all.

Thank You, Thank you, Thank You...

a million Thank You's.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: little chairs & a bookcase update

2011-11-09T16:36:00.000-05:00

Okay, Okay,

so if I had to tell you what my favorite find from the Country Living Fair 2011 is....

I think it would be my collection of vintage children's chairs.

I think they are especially adorable.

My original plan was to mount them above my table in the keeping room

and use them as 3D artwork & little shelves.

Well, with the addition of some other items in my spaces

I decided it would be too much 3D stuff.

Honestly I also didn't want to have to put any holes in the chairs in order to hang them.

SOOOOOooooo,

I decided to display them on top of the bookcase instead.

This is the built in desk in our Keeping Room off of the kitchen.

My collection of butterflies I cross stitched used to reside up top,

but I did a little switcheroo and put them on the desktop to hide cords &

ridiculously placed power outlets....seriously....

don't even get me started on that subject.

Okay....who puts a power outlet and a phone jack at the very top of a desk?,

shouldn't they be down low where you can hide them with your things more easily.

Okay, sorry rant over...but this is a serious pet peeve of mine....builders need to consult women.

My goal has been to really simplify things in my house,

I could possibly be a closet hoarder....I seriously can see the usefulness in too many things.

I simply turned all of my vintage books around to show their paper patina and vintagey goodness.

I really wanted to pull in some of the aqua color I'm loving,

so I pulled out some vintage aqua ball jars,

and some old electric insulators as well.

Okay, so I'm not going to tell you about every little thing up there,

but I will say this....there are only two things up there that didn't come from a thrift store or yard sale.

Here's a shot of pretty much what it looked like before.

Lot's of color huh and a little busy too.

I tell ya, bookshelves aren't easy.

I've messed & messed with this thing over the years,

but finally I'm pretty happy with it.

I think it's the simplicity that I love.

Another shot at some point in time.

See the mess, this spot is nearly impossible to keep clean.

It is the dumping ground for everyone's everything.....UGGH.

Do you have a catch all space like this?

Or do you have a bookcase that gives you a fit?

Well thank goodness I've finally gotten this one under control.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

P.S. I just want to say a big HELLO to any new friends and followers.

I try to find time to respond to all comments, but I'm really not very good at it.

I really do appreciate the time you take to leave them for me,

and know that I'm trying to get better ; ).

LINKED UP TO

:: indoor window garden

2011-11-08T10:53:00.000-05:00

Here it is....

my indoor window garden.

This happens to be the only window in my home

that receives direct sunlight throughout most of the day....

therefore, this is where I decided to put my herbs and a few house plants.

I finally rounded up some pots and a few vintage saucers

and got my little windowsill starters planted yesterday.

Here is my little thyme starter....isn't it dainty & cute.

My little window garden is appropriately in my kitchen, right behind my kitchen table.

I brought in this vintage bench from my hallway as a place to keep and display my plants.

I love the bit of the outdoors that it brings in.....green always makes me happy.

Hopefully with a little water & love

my little herbs will continue to grow &

eventually be large enough to harvest from.

Closer to spring I will use the bench to start some seeds

which I keep in my little SEED HOUSE COLLECTION tin.

I love my cute little seed tin & water spritzer both thrift store finds.

Do you have a sunny spot for an indoor garden?

{peace, love & hugs}

Linking up to

Homemaker on a Dime

:: my vintage birdcage & twigs

2011-11-07T11:11:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday friends.

I'm happy because as you can see by the photo above, the sun is a shinin' here.

Last week was a little rough, because of the rain and gloom,

but this Monday is the perfect day to get caught up around here.

I just realized that I told you I was going to share some of my goodies from the Country Living Fair,

but that I never did, so here's a peek at a few of my new favorite decor pieces.

I found these amazing porcelain twigs, *swoon* I really am in love with them.

I simply tied them with a ribbon that came on another purchase and I think they are so lovely.

Of course I love my birdcage too,

I found so many great things that it's hard to say which is my true favorite....

these are just a few of my new things.

Here they are together on my trunk in the keeping room.

My favorite thing about this little birdcage besides her lovely curves,

is the rusty turquoise bottom, and the mustard yellow bird trapeze inside.

She's missing a few doors so she can no longer house a birdie,

but she's a great place to display some of my herb clippings.

I finally got around to planting some of my clippings yesterday,

so maybe tomorrow I'll share with you where I've put them for the winter.

Hope you are having a wonderful Monday where you are.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: it's curtains for me

2011-11-03T19:22:00.000-04:00

Wow, what a difference curtains can make.

I spent some time yesterday hanging curtains in my bedroom...

never mind that it's taken me nearly eight years to get to this point.

So, what'ya think?

Papa Wren loves them, says they make him feel like he's in a luxury hotel.

I think they're pretty too, but......they do make the room feel smaller,

or shall we just say a little more cozy and intimate.

It always takes me a little longer to warm up to change.

Are you that way?....or does change just roll off of you like water off a duck?

{ BEFORE }

However, I definitely think they make the room feel more finished,

and I like that they make it feel more cozy too.

Oh, and I picked up a few new rugs as well,

just in time for the cooler weather....no cold tootsies 'round here.

I also simplified the bowling alley of pillows on my bed.

I'm loving how much easier it is to make the bed now.

I can sometimes get a little carried away with pillows {I do love em'}

{BEFORE }

I still have some things to do, but I'm getting there.

My mission right now is simplification....

and I really need to purge more stuff.

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

Linking up to...

Between Naps on the Porch

:: happy halloween

2011-10-31T23:20:00.003-04:00

Happy Halloween dear friends.

Hope your night was as spooktacular as ours.

Here I am cooking & taking care of my baby Jacob.

While my other children are forced to work for candy because they lost their allowances.

What has the world come too when children have to work for their kandy?

When I was a kid we had a thing called Halloween.

All we had to do was say Trick or Treat,

& the candy would be ours.

My poor poor children.

The End....

of another fantastic halloween.

{peace, love & hugs}

p.s. my family in no way thinks homelessness or joblessness is funny,

this is simply our modern day attempt at hobo costumes.

:: she's a brick

2011-10-26T10:20:00.000-04:00

She's a brick----house
Mighty might just lettin' it all hang out
She's a brick----house
The lady's stacked and that's a fact,
ain't holding nothing back.

-THE COMMODORES

Okay guys, I have brick on my mind this morning.

While I was gone away this weekend our refrigerator decided to pop a leak.

Our pretty wood floors that were entirely refinished only years ago due to extensive water damage,

are once again ruined....me thinks we aren't meant to have an entire house of wood floors.

Back then we had to completely move out to have floors replaced & refinished,

as our entire main level has hardwood floors & nowhere to stop or end.

Not really sure I'm ready to go through all of that again,

so this time we are thinking of replacing the floors in the kitchen & keeping room.

Still a huge job, but our insurance will pay for the replacement,

and we are thinking of something that can stand up to water this time.

Wood kitchen floors as lovely as they are, are not practical...too many water appliances.

Soooo, the first thing that popped into my mind was brick.

I love the look of old brick floors in a kitchen area.

I had a friend who lived in an old farmhouse & the floors were brick,

way back then I fell in love with them and said I would one day have them in my kitchen.

Well, looks like now's the time...and I'm ready for a nice change.

A little looking around on Pinterest has me stoked about my options.

I'm really loving the herringbone pattern of the floors in the first photo above.

Not sure about the color though, as this is very similar to the brick on our house.

I want a really rustic, maybe a little more brownish brick.

Definitely herringbone patterned though...love it.

Nice to see the brick in a kitchen that has painted cabinets...love the gray.

This is more like our kitchen with the wood finish cabinets.

I really like the look and think the floors will really make the room.

I like that these bricks are really big, again in a herringbone pattern.

I would also love to get the farmstyle sink & fixtures,

and add old planks to the inside of my pantry....how cool.

I love to dream.

This floor is really nice too, and I love the contrast of the white walls with the brick.

That black dutch door is awesome too, I just love everything about this entry.

So, what do you think?

Should we go for it?

What's your favorite flooring option in a kitchen?

I'm really excited to finally after 8 years get to add some unique touches to this house.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

IMAGES 1...2...3...4

:: back to life...

2011-10-25T11:39:00.000-04:00

Back to life.....back to reality.....

{lyrics by En Vogue}

can you hear me singing it.

Well, not only am I singing it...I'm living it.

I had a super awesome time this weekend

at the Country Living Fair in Atlanta.
So much to see & so many creative women,
I wish I could have a place like that to go everyday.

Of course coming home sends me crashing into reality,
laundry, cleaning & the like...you know what it's like ladies.
My family did pretty well and several things were done,
but you know they just don't have the Mama touch.
Needless to say, I spent all of yesterday cleaning...
and playing around with some of my great finds.

Here are some pics of my Country Living Fair experience.

You may want to grab a coffee or tea,
I have lots to share.

First....a few pics of me and my girls.

My sweet & talented Mama aka Nana

{from whom I get all of my artistic talent & creativity}

Love you Mama, you're the best.

Then we have my beautiful & equally talented younger sister Tiffany.

Isn't she adorable.....Love you sweet sis ; ).

We had another member too....

I'm not quite sure how she escaped my lens

but I cannot leave her out she's my mother's lifelong best friend

& my surrogate mother, aunt & friend Debbie....love you too lady.

Now that you have the players...

I'm gonna share some of the goods...

First stop was the Earth Angels tent.

Oh My goodness, what an amazing amount of creative goodness.

This led us to the first purchase of the day,

these beautiful hand sewn corsages/fascinators.

This is the one my sister picked which I absolutely adored,

that's the only thing about shopping with people who love

the same things you do....they can beat you to the good stuff {ha ha}

I love mine also, it was just a little more subtle & soft.

Too funny, I just realized that they also match our personalities.

She is way more bold than I am...and that's what I love & admire about her.

Okay...can you say sidetracked...

back to the show...

I loved this sheep print, sorry don't remember which booth.

I thought this manni updo was just fabulous.

I love the chicken wire skirt stuffed with book pages.

My Lola is so getting a facelift soon...she WILL be covered in book pages.

We loved these upcycled tin flowers at SASSYTRASH.

She used old mini bunt pans & pie tins...genious.

I managed to pick up a couple of goodies from this booth,

you'll have to stay tuned to see what I do with them.

I know I've told you how much I love snowmen & women...

well these two take the cake, aren't they just amazing.

I love them so much, I wish I could have brought them home with me.

Of course in true creative style...I'm thinking of making my own.

Probably won't ever happen, but a girl can dream.

Well, that's it for me,

I spent way more time looking & touching than taking photos,

so believe it or not this is all I have to share from the Country Living Fair 2011.

I cannot wait to go back next year, hopefully to Ohio this time.

How amazing is this chair.

LOVE <3

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

P.S. come back to see what goodies I purchased & how I'm using them : )

:: my breakfast nook

2011-10-17T12:16:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my new breakfast nook.

Well, I'm not quite sure if it really qualifies as a nook,

but that's what I'm calling it anyway.

This is my eat in kitchen which as you can see,

is directly beside of my keeping room.

Anyhoo, I've been nursing a nasty sore throat

all morning with Lemon Ginger tea & lots of honey.

Needless to say, cleaning and getting my house back together

isn't really what I want to be doing today {snuggling in bed would be more like it}.

Instead I'm forcing myself to get this house back together for my family.

I'm leaving Thursday for the Country Living Fair in Atlanta,

and I hate to leave them with a horrible house...no matter how bad I feel.

So anyway, I thought I would snap a photo of the rooms that are actually together.

Hope you are having a wonderful day where you are.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: keeping room do-over

2011-10-16T00:21:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited to share a sneak peek of my new keeping room with you.

Were you even wondering a little bit about what it might look like?

The changes around here are even bigger than I planned.

Who am I kidding, God made this happen for me...

I never could have made this happen so quickly on my own.

He knew exactly what I needed to lift me up.

It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.

Eph1:11-12 The Message test

The painters finished up around 5:30pm yesterday,

and since then I've been a busy bird getting my nest back together.

Things moved from this room to that to allow the painters to do their thing.

Which also meant a lot of moving back and replacing of said things...I still have piles.

The great thing though is that it gave me a chance to look at my rooms free of any decor,

and this really helped my ideas flow & got my creaky ol' decorating wheels turning

I am so loving my new spaces...so light & bright...my mood has been instantly transformed.

I really never realized how much my home & color choices could affect my moods.

This new change is going to help me so much this winter, when I usually feel

the rough affects of SAD {seasonal affective disorder} and depression.

I could just be high from all of the paint fumes, but I really believe

this change is just what I needed to give myself a little boost.

So much purging and organization going on around here.

I am super motivated to get things back in order.

I feel like I'm living in a brand new home.

I can't wait to share more with you later.

I took the photo above very late this afternoon when the sun

was on the southern side of our house...I never could have done that before.

So a big WOO HOO for Moderate White walls....I love them.

I'll share more details later of how my room came together,

and share more pictures of the newly painted spaces.

Hope you've had a wonderful Saturday too.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: flowers & painters

2011-10-14T12:21:00.000-04:00

Woo Hoo, it's Friday.

Another quick week has gone by, I can't believe it.

I picked up the flowers above at my farmer's market last Saturday,

and they are still holding up all except the white dahlia's.

I love the green milkweed pods, I think they look so interesting.

I have painters here again today,

so lots of changes happening around the wren's nest.

The kitchen has been painted...

the keeping room...

the laundry room...

the dining room,

and they are working on the foyer & the kids loft as I type.

That's a lot of painting that would have taken me days...

possibly weeks....thank goodness for professionals.

They finished up the kitchen & the keeping room yesterday,

and everything else they have done & are doing today.

It's so nice to have a freshly painted & cleaned space.

All of this moving things out of the way has gotten me excited

about ridding myself of a lot of clutter & things I no longer love.

My how we accumulate stuff we don't really need.

So, the rest of my day & weekend will be spent getting things

back in order around here. I so needed a fresh start,

and this has been the perfect catalyst.

I'm so excited about my new light & bright spaces.

I can't wait to share them with you.

Happy Weekend!

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: countertop vignettes

2011-10-10T11:18:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday my sweets. Wow, how quickly and busily last week passed.

I was too busy to get back here to post a thing.

I spent my one free day {Thursday} cleaning my house, well at least my kitchen.

I pulled everything off of my counters and piled it on the table & gave everything a good scrubbing.

That's alot of stuff huh.

I really don't like my kitchen's backsplash, so I always try to hide as much of it as I can.

Someday we'll invest in a new one I suppose, but there are always more important things to be done.

I think I'll wait until I decide to do a whole kitchen renovation,

like painting out the cabinets and I would love to have butcher block countertops.

It just seems so wasteful when you already have granite....I should be happy with it I suppose.

We always seem to want what we don't have.

I'm in the process of choosing a paint color for the kitchen and adjoining keeping room.

I've gotten the painting estimates and all I have left to do is decide on my color and give them a call.

Why is it so much easier to make these decisions for someone else's home?

I have been mulling this over for months now.

I really want to keep my custom curtains,

so I'm trying to find a color that will work well with them.

I have my color choice narrowed down to Sherwin Williams Macadamia shown above,

and it's lighter counterpart Softer Tan {which I recently used in my clients home & love}.

I'm so ready for a change, but I'm also scared it will look all wrong when it's done.

I'm kind of afraid that I'll miss my warm bold red walls.

On the other hand....

I'm really looking forward to a lighter brighter space,

and the illusion of more of it.

Anyhoo, that's what's going on around here, and here's what my countertops look like now.

I just love baskets, and you'll find them all over my kitchen....

anything natural and woven is good in my book.

I also love vintage goodies too, so you'll see plenty of that as well.

Most everything in this vignette was found at a Thrift store, minus the lampshade {Target},

and the vintage cookbook & wooden mortal & pestle which were both inexpensive antique store finds.

I just adore my vintage brass lamp with it's cute candlestick look & pull chain switch.

On the left side of my sink & directly behind my island cooktop I have my vintage tool caddy.

This was a local antique store find which I have had fun filling with vintage wooden utensils.
Will you just look at how clean and shiny my countertops are, wow,

that's a perfect reflection of my vintage look coffee grinder lamp.

So, what do you think about my red walls and new paint choice?

Do you redecorate your countertops very often?

What is your favorite kitchen accessory?

Hope you are having a wonderful Monday : )

{peace, love & hugs}
Carrie

:: master inspiration

2011-10-03T11:29:00.001-04:00

I stumbled across this image on pinterest today,

and this is exactly the wall color I want for my master bedroom.

I'm absolutely dying over those walls and that color.

I love that the headboard is brown which mine is also,

and I've been thinking of painting our nightstands/chests

a pretty gray color to match the marble tops.

I never wanted my nightstand to match my bed,

but our bed is so high, and I was playing it so safe back then,

that I just ordered the same one my husband did.

The color of these pieces is perfect....and those lamps.

I adore EVERYTHING about this room,

and now I just need to find out the source for this image

so I can figure out what color that is on the walls.

Unfortunately this was pinned directly from Google,

and I can't find it through any of my searches.

I 've asked the original pinner if she knows,

but if you've seen this room, or know who it belongs to do tell.

I hate to use it without a credit, as this is poor web etiquette,

but I just had to share it today.

Oooh, and I will most certainly paint my vaulted/trey ceilings a lighter shade,

and find a beautiful chandelier to top it all off.

I'm so ready to finish our Master Bedroom.

So many projects, so little time & extra cash ; ).

What rooms are you daydreaming about making over?

Happy Monday!

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: new life, new beginnings

2011-09-29T22:44:00.000-04:00

This is the first bloom on my fall blooming Camellia's,

I chose this variety because I love the beauty of white blooms.

White to me symbolizes peace, innocence & new beginnings

Therefore, this image is quite appropriate to me

for the first day of 40 DAYS FOR LIFE 2011.

My first time standing across the street from an abortion clinic....

I have to admit I was a little scared & intimidated...I had no idea what to expect.

I was afraid of any negative reactions I might get, and what if someone angry approached me.

However, the outpouring of support by passers by was so positive that it gave me the courage to

come back and do it as often as I could. I could feel the holy spirit,

& I knew I was doing something good.

I was so happy to be able to stand up

and pray for those innocent little ones in the womb,

and for the parents who are making life altering decisions.

I knew that somewhere somehow my prayers and presence would make a difference.

If we don't stand for something we'll fall for anything...right?

Today was no different than my first time....

we received peace signs, thumbs ups, smiles and waves.

We held up our signs and prayed. I know in my heart that somewhere

those prayers changed a mind today...whether it made someone think...Hey,

I could or should do that, or maybe gave them pause before making a huge decision.

I don't have to know what the change is, I believe in the power of prayer and the right to life.

I know that there are many views on this issue for and against,

I'm not trying to make you share mine....I just want you to know that

if you are like me that there is something you can do. I'm sure that right now there

is a 40 DAYS FOR LIFE prayer vigil going on in your city, and I'm sure they would love to have you.

I never thought this would be something I could do, &

now I only think how could I not.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: like me

2011-09-27T09:06:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone, how are you?

No comments on my pictures yesterday,

so I'll assume you don't have much to say about spiders ; ).

Just thought I'd let you all know that I now have a facebook page.

I would love to have you like me, {please, please, say you will} or be my friend...

if you are at all interested in keeping up with my nonsensical randomness.

Just another way for me to connect with you all.

I really would like to get to know you...my readers.

My stats tell me you are there, but I seldom hear from you....

are you really there????

Anyway, I know I'm silly....

I spent yesterday working on my little facebook avatar,

and I think he's such a cute little fella that I thought I would share him.

I have a giveaway coming up very soon,

but first I get an opportunity to preview the product I will be sharing with you...

so stay tuned for that.

Thanks for popping in : )

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: creepy crawly - neoscana crucifera

2011-09-26T09:05:00.001-04:00

It seems as though my home is going to decorate itself

for the upcoming Spooky Holiday.

How would you like to walk out your door into this???

Ummm yeah,

it wasn't very fun this morning,

talk about the heebie jeebies.

I screamed...danced around,

then had the hubs check me for the webs inhabitants.

OOOh yuck.

Granted my home is quite spider friendly,

we usually gently help them find their way back outside,

or we just leave them be...especially the cute little jumping spiders...

Did you know that they will hunt for other insects {roaches...ick}

and eat them and their larvae, they are good to have around.

So we just leave them be.

I just couldn't resist getting up close and personal

with this gal this morning.

Enter stool, and macro lens.

I obviously didn't destroy her web with my head...lol.

Isn't she cute...{just kidding}

really creepy.

I'll give it some love though,

after all it is one of God's creations.

Neoscona crucifera

A little research discovered that my little friend is indeed a female,

as during the fall season the females become diurnal,

which would explain why her web was waiting for me this morning.

Ordinarily they would have packed up shop by daylight.

Pretty cool huh.

Are you spending any time decorating for the season?

Or are you like me and letting nature do it's thing?

For now anyways.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: best of Etsy...knits

2011-09-24T11:38:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again for my favorite winter sport....K N I T T I N G.

Time to start breaking out the crochet hooks & knitting needles.

So here's a little knitty inspiration to motivate {me} and hopefully you.

For those of you who aren't into the yarn arts, but love them all the same

this goodness is for you too....minus the tired hands & carpal tunnel.

First up....

is the lovely long cable cardigan with buttons by Jessie.

Jessie has been creating and selling her own knitwear designs since 2007.

Jessie lives in Redmond, Washington with her husband Tom & her kitty Fallon.

Go have a look at more great knits in her etsy shop, isn't her banner so cute { love owls }

Second up...

is the wonderfully colored and textured Medusa Infinity Scarf

made by the lovely Dana Valente at Nina Ramone {named after her fur baby}.

Dana is a self taught knitter who cannot read knit or crochet patterns.

{I'd say she's doing pretty darn good on her own wouldn't you}

She's a knitter/crocheter by day and a roller derby diva by night...

her moniker.....Dresta Kill.....don't you just love it.

To take a peek at more of her great work, just click on her banner below.

Third up...

is the beautiful basket weave Painted Desert Wrap by Leah

of Hey Freddie on Etsy. Leah hails from Columbus Ohio.

Her favorite knitting materials are wool, alpaca & mohair.

I love Leah's work, and I'm sure you will too.

Visit her at her etsy shop below.

Fourth up...

The stunning Linen and Lace Halter Top by Efia

of Efia Fair. Efia is a very talented girl, she loves to draw, sew, paint,

dance, photograph, knit and crochet, and she is also an actress.

I love Efia's romantic style, and I'm sure you will too.

Go have a peek at more of her fabulous knits below...

Fifth up...

Is this adorable Lollipop Prom Dress by Nihan

at Nihan Altuntas. Nihan lives in Istanbul and her work is a mix of modern and

Anatolian culture. Nihan has been crafting since she was old enough to pick up a crayon.

All of Nihan's pieces are available for customization according to client taste,

{ that just makes her lovely work even better} so go have a peek below.

Last but not least by any means...

Is the Giant Pouf by Cara of Mary Marie Knits,

her shop is named for her Grandmother who passed on to her a tradition

of being creative and thrifty {love that}. Cara is a writer by trade,

but she has a passion for knitting and creating goods for the home.

I don't know about you, but I need one of these knit poufs, they are just too fun.

So go on have a peek at more of her creative & useful knits...just click below.

So, what do you think of my Best of Etsy...Knits roundup?

What's your favorite?

Aren't these ladies super talented?

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend where you are,

it's rainy and gloomy here again....perfect weather for knitting.

Off I Go.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: newspaper logs

2011-09-23T12:02:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday Everyone...

I can't believe the weekend is already here...

but I'm oh so glad.

It's another rainy & gloomy day here today,

I guess I should start getting used to this...it is that time of year after all.

The rain just makes it a perfect day to catch up on chores, and just laze around a little.

I've been spending this morning searching the web for some interesting things,

and I'm excited to share them with you very soon.

Today though I thought I would share with you what I do with my newspapers.

Formerly my newspapers {which we receive every day for Papa Wren},

would accumulate in a chair in our kitchen until recycling day rolled around.

I became very tired of looking at this messy stack of newspapers all week,

and decided to come up with a solution for this ever growing stack of paper.

Now mind you, I didn't cancel the paper on Papa {which would be ideal}

Instead I decided on a different way to organize them and reuse them.

I decided to start rolling them up & tying them with twine to make newspaper logs.

This creates a neater look for the papers while they are in a holding pattern,

and I actually spare them from recycling by sharing them with my parents

who will be using them to start their wood burning stove very soon.

I also keep a few for myself for starting fires in our fire pit outdoors.

I found a basket I had sitting around and decided to use this to coral the paper logs.

I keep the twine and a little pair of scissors inside the basket, and each day

when Papa leaves for work, I roll up the paper, tie it with a piece of twine and add it to the rest.

No more pile of papers sliding out of the chair, and I actually don't mind looking at this.

As simple as it is, I think it looks kinda cool...I guess I could also hide it away,

but somehow this has become the newspaper chair...isn't it funny how those things happen.

If I ever do get tired of it I can simply move it into the pantry or out into the garage...easy peasy.

So, what do you think?

Is it still an eyesore?

Would you hide it or try it?

Hope you have a wonderful DRY weekend ; )

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

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:: healthy snack

2011-09-22T14:58:00.001-04:00

Well hello there, I haven't seen you in a while.

Hello....h.e.l.l.OOO...Are you still there?

I have been so super busy running around all over the place

that I haven't been able to touch my computer the past few days.
I've really missed visiting with you guys.

I was however able to clean out my pantry so that it looks like this again.

I also cleaned out my fridge & my freezer, it's so good to have these things done...

what a huge difference it makes to open a cleaned out fridge, freezer and pantry.

It sure makes shopping and meal planning is so much easier.

Yesterday was my first semi break,

and I spent it cooking & baking for my family.

First I started a big ol' pot of homemade vegetable soup.

It was the perfect day for it really....all rainy and kinda gloomy.
Today is the same way, and I can't wait to have a warm steamy bowl later.

I also decided to try a new recipe for a healthy cookie for the little wrens....

I found the recipe below on my Calorie Counter by FatSecret app. for my I pod.

I really love this app. it is a great tool for keeping a healthy weight, or

trying to lose weight as is my case right now.

This is the photo of my finished cookies...

not too pretty huh.

Funny thing...

as I was typing up the recipe for you,

I realized that I left a key ingredient out when I made them...

OOOps....I forgot to add the margarine...

no wonder they look so ugly.

Even without the margarine the family approved,

so I will be making this recipe again...

with all of the ingredients this time { how funny is that }.

Next time I may add some almonds & chocolate chips to up the Yum.

Keep in mind if you make these that they are very low in sugar,

so these aren't your go to high calorie make your knees weak cookie.

That said, they are quite tasty, and even more so knowing that they are somewhat healthy.

Sorry for the not so great photos, it was gloooomy here....not great for photo taking.

Hope you are having a wonderful week : )

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

:: kitty kozi

2011-09-15T21:11:00.000-04:00

Look at this cute & comfy kitty....looks just like my Cheeto.

I've been scouring the web, looking for free patterns to knit or crochet a bed for my cats.

This one is by far my favorite of the ones I found, so I thought I would share it with you also.

This pattern was created by Wendy of wendy knits...adventures with sticks & string.

These photos are of her readers kitties enjoying the beds their owners knit using Wendy's pattern.

Aren't they all just precious. I think my kitties will love these beds too, so I'm adding this to my knit list.

One of the main reasons I need a bed like this is to give my cat Fifi

a place to lounge besides all over every piece of my front porch furniture.

It's so covered with Fifi fur that I can't even go out and enjoy it.

I hope it will work, because now that the weather is starting to cool

I'm really looking forward to doing more relaxing there.

Anyhoo, now you know why I need to make one of these beds.

Maybe you too need a cute and comfy bed for your little furry friend.

What if you don't knit, or crochet, but still want one of these adorable beds.

Well, for you there is a shop on etsy called Modern Cat

and they sell this lovely crocheted cat bed below....just click on the image

and you are ready to provide your sweet furkin a new sleep experience.

So there you have it....this is what is on my mind today.

Now I just have to find the time to sit down and get started.

Hopefully soon, since knitting weather is definitely on it's way

Are you a knitter or crocheter?

Are you making a list for your winter knitting?

I just love this time of year.

Wish me luck.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie