Twig

Pinup Competition Photo Shoot

2011-06-23T13:59:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of shooting the winners of our town's pinup contest during Rods & Rails - a very fun vintage car show.  

I had NO idea they would go all out like they did.  Just LOOK at how beautiful the winner was!!! And the pompadour wasn't even going to enter the contest -- but we convinced him and he won! Apparently he dresses like that every single day.  I love it. 

Simply the Sweet Life Magazine Launch PARTY!

2011-05-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the late notice -- but if you're not doing anything at 7 PM TONIGHT (And if you are, well, drop what you're doing hehe)  join us on TWITTER for the Spring issue LAUNCH PARTY!  There will be lots of great giveaways, tips, tricks, and more! You won't regret it! 

@sweetlifeinthe

@sweetlifemag

#sweetlifemag

Yay!

A Day in the Park...

2011-04-22T19:40:00.000-07:00

Hello!  It's really ME!  Life has changed so much since I last blogged.  Lets see here:

....I MOVED TO WYOMING.

I'm doing my event styling here (and Rae is continuing in Montana) and some photography!

Wyoming is WINDY. Not liking that so much.

Tanner is working as a pressure tester on natural gas rigs. Beyond that, not really sure what it means. I know he comes home with muddy boots and smells like exhuast. :)

The town I am in (Rock Springs) has an AWESOME historic downtown with lots of vacant buildings and architectural salvage!

We're considering a Vintage Whites Market here next year! eee!

I'm so glad to be back..blogging that is. I missed it. I'm freaking out a little as I realize how many posts I have to catch up on. THREE months worth. Yikes! I've missed you ALL!

Rae, my lovely friend and business partner, is going to be blogging here as well -- showing off design inspiration and posts for the kiddos.  Her daughter Luisa (or as we affectionately call her, LuLu) is just beautiful.  

And speaking of kids, I did my first photo shoot last weekend with two adorable kids and three adorable chicks!!  I'll leave you with pictures of that for now.  I can't wait to get connected again.

 LOVE LOVE LOVE!

 ||  S e e           G R E G         s m i l e  ||

SEE G R E G B R E A K H E A R T S

L O V E.

His sister is no different. Beautiful and radiant in the sunshine!

The baby chicks were so adorable and cuddly!

BEAUTY.

Have a HAPPY EASTER. XO!

New Years Party

2011-01-03T10:52:00.000-08:00

We spent New Years decorating a fabulous wine bar in Whitefish, Montana for their biggest party every year. Our palette was white, grey, & silver. There was a ton of glitz, a ton of glam, and even disco balls. We had a blast!

The main event of the night was a fantastic DJ and band named Firefly. With all the dancing, we had to make sure most of our decor was up high and out of the way.

For one of our main focal pieces, we created a multi dimensional bubble chandelier to accent the Champagne Room -- a favorite spot tucked away with comfy seating and romantic lighting.

During the night, the track lighting was focused on this piece - making it a beautiful source of light.

For the main room, we implemented a few simple elements to make the room pop without taking away from the dance floor.

A curtain of crystals, silver, clear, and glittered ornaments hung from tulle and grey fabric to catch light from the disco balls.

We also hand dyed fabric using the ombre technique to achieve a gradation of dark grey to white to hang as panels above the seating area.

To carry the fun, sparkling essence of champagne throughout the venue, we created a piece of art on an 8' sheet of plywood that held quotes from Winston Churchill, Mark Twain, and other great figures in history. We wanted this to be a very fun piece, and something people would actually read while mingling and enjoying the last of 2010.

"Come quickly, I am tasting the stars." is our favorite.

To finish the look, we added tinsel, silver trees, and to top it all off -- 2 disco balls that made everything sparkle.

We hope your New Years eve was full of fun, looking ahead, and resolution for 2011. Cheers!

Christmas Portraits

2010-12-14T11:07:00.000-08:00

I had the awesome privelege to take pictures of some good friends of ours. I really wanted to show them to you -- such a cute family!!!

Winner of the Bon Bon Charms "Etched on my Heart" necklace

2010-12-13T08:29:00.000-08:00

I just learned what the button "print screen" does, so forgive me if you recieve a barrage of random posts titled "what I'm looking at RIGHT NOW." hehe. Just kidding. Maybe.

Anyway, here's what I was looking at while I chose the winner of the giveaway that Erica from Bon Bon Charms so awesomely and graciously hosted!

The comment that was picked by Random.org is

#56: Jenn from Lipstick & Laundry

Jenn has some really cute tutorials on her blog...I love her primitive candy canes!

Congratulations! Contact me and we'll get your gift all set up :)

Vintage Sheet Music Christmas Tree Tutorial

2010-12-09T14:21:00.000-08:00

As a new Twig creation, we couldn't resist showing you step-by-step instructions on how to create your own tree! It's very simple, and can be done for less than $5.00.

Supplies:

- Tree rounds (If you don't have anyone to cut them from fallen trees, contact your local lumber mill and ask if they have any -- usually they'll have some laying around you can have).

- Styrofoam cones. Rae found them at the dollar store.

- Scissors

- Hot Glue Gun

- Sheet music (you can also use old book or dictionary pages if you'd like)

***

Tear out 10-15 pages of sheet music..

..Fold them in half, cut on the fold..set aside a half sheet for the top of the tree..

..Cut out a triangle from the half page. This will leave you with three pieces (only 2 pictured here..)..

...Cut the big triangle in half from top to bottom...

..Use your scissors to curl each piece like ribbon on the ends..

..Put a strip of hot glue on your styrofoam base, and start staggering sheet music curls around the base..

Continue in layers all the way up...don't make them too even!

..Cut off the pointed edge about 1/2'' down..

..Take your reserved half sheet of paper, and cut it in half again..

..You'll be making a cone to fit on the top of the tree, so run a line of hot glue along an edge of the 1/4 sheet of music..

..Roll one corner to the opposite corner, making a cone..

..Cut the open bottom of the cone to make it even..

..Line the inside of the cone with hot glue..

..Put the cone on the tree, and gently press on all sides to make it stay put..

..Add a few more curled pieces to the top to blend it, and all that's left is the base!

Add some hot glue to the base, plenty so that it sticks..

..Put the tree on top, and let it dry. You're done!

"Etched on My Heart" Necklace Giveaway!

2010-12-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

Erica from Bon Bon Charms has been kind enough to give away one of her amazing charm necklaces to someone who comments today....

Take a look at some of her work...

...These are 12.00! TWELVE. Such good prices!

I really love these silhouette charms....

But my favorite are her silver stamped pieces, which she is giving away! Here's the one up for grabs:

How UNBELIEVEABLY cute is that?! Aptly named the Etched On My Heart necklace....love it!

All you have to do to enter is:

1. Be a Twig follower (google reader, email subscription, etc...let me know in your comment!)

2. Leave a second comment telling me what your favorite item in her store is! You can find her at http://www.bonboncharms.com/

Also, for today only through midnight, Erica is offering a 15% discount for all Twig readers! Make sure to enter 'TWIG' (all caps) at checkout to get your discount!

Today is also the last day for all Christmas orders, so hurry over!

Giveaway ends Friday at midnight!

Christmas Market!

2010-12-06T11:40:00.000-08:00

Saturday was our last market of the year. A special Christmas market with so many wonderful things! I only put in about 20 small items....I didn't stress over it. It was more fun to take pictures and sit back and enjoy the day. Here are some pictures!

Look for a giveaway tomorrow!

Jerome, Arizona:: City On a Hill

2010-12-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

This was easily the most interesting place we visited on our trip. Jerome, AZ is an old ghost town that was totally deserted and shut down for 44 years before it slowly began coming alive again in the late 90s. It's a really eclectic town with a European feel to it. I've never been to Europe, but I imagine that it would be somewhat the same haha.

We tried to have lunch in the Jerome Grand Hotel, which was an old mental hospital converted into a hotel and restaurant (aptly named The Asylum) that had so much character and creepiness. The moment you walked in, the peppermints were displayed in a porcelain bedpan, and the picture of the head surgeon was framed beside it. Funny thing is, it's the most elegant, expensive, and popular place in town! The elevators had couches and a grated gate that you pulled shut, it was an experience.

The wait was close to an hour, so we hiked back down the hill and had burgers at the Mile High Grill. I would absolutely love to spend an entire day there with endless camera cards and battery life. Do you have any interesting information on Jerome? Share it in the comments!

I just have to point out that the last image is SOOC. I was so happy with those colors!! Have a wonderful weekend!

Thanskgiving break in 7 states

2010-12-02T12:42:00.000-08:00

Yes, it took us going through 7 states to get from Arizona and back. This is partially due to terrible weather and closed roads, and partially due to my "Lucy, you've got some splainin' to do" tendencies. Yes, we made it. Yes, we stayed in Vegas on the strip, and yes, we came back with a puppy. Ahem. Cue Ricky anytime now.

I have a major tendency to get myself into situations that I'm CONVINCED are great ideas....for instance, deciding we needed to adopt a cockatiel so it wouldn't go to the pound. Not only did we adopt it, we drove 8 hours with it screaming the entire. ride. home.

With each scream I told myself "this was a good idea."

SQUAWK

"I love this bird.."

SQUAWK

"He's just nervous"

SQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAK

"I hope he doesn't do this forever.."

SQUAWWWWK poop

"Um....maybe I should throw a towel over the cage...."

SQAL;SKJ;LASKJDFLAKJBANGBANGBANGBANGFLAPFLAPSQUAAAAAAAAKHISSHISSHISS

"Someone CALL A PRIEST!"

Meanwhile, Tanner is looking at me with that "I told you so" look...

Needless to say, we had it for about a week before finding it a good home with a guy who trained cockatiels and had 10 of them in his house. Crazy man.

ANYWAY.

So yes, I was searching Craigslist one fine day before we left for the trip...I was looking for antiques to get along the way. I don't know *HOW* I ended up in the pet section. People classify things wrong all the time?? ......

I saw an ad for a small puppy. A terrier-poodle mix that looked EXACTLY like the dog that had stolen my heart 2 years ago, and prompted my constant search for one just like him.

I was in love...just from the small, blurry picture. I knew we HAD to have her!

Small problem #1: Tanner doesn't like poodles.

Jana's "Lucy-it-up" solution: Tell him it's a terrier mix.

Small problem #2: We have to pick it up in Vegas

Solution: We were planning on staying there anyway!

Small problem #3: We have a 23+ hour car ride home

Solution: WHO CARES?!

Eventually the poodle problem surfaced again when I was telling my mother-in-law about him. Tanner was awesome about it after giving me a hard time about lying hehe, and then we settled on getting her.

Picking her up in Vegas was a little intimidating....Montana isn't exactly bright lights, big city. We had to meet the guy (Whom I'd never spoken to on the phone, just texts) who had her at a gas station (which was very seedy and near the strip), after dark (hmm, little creepy?) Tanner is always after me about my Craigslist findings and not knowing who I'm going to get them from...rightfully so, I'm probably way too trustworthy.

If I ever blog about going to pick something up that I found on Craigslist and never blog again, please alert the authorities....

Anyway, the guy was really really nice, and Daisy (this was a painstaking process of naming her, we thought of names from Flagstaff to Vegas...) is perfect! She didn't make one peep the entire car ride home, she slept comfortably, and now rules the roost over my boxer, Gus. It always works out in the end, right Lucy?

Now to backtrack....here are pictures from the rest of the trip!

Fire in Arizona...little nervous...but the yard looks amazing now!

We got treated to a blueberry pancake breakfast that was REALLY good. No, I do not have any pictures of Thanksgiving dinner because I was too busy trying to find my elastic waistband pants alright?!

We went to Montezuma's castle.....it was pretty incredible to see something built that high up on a cliff...

My awesome brother in law, Cody..he's a musician. And he's quiet, but hilarious when he talks. Love him!

My father in law and Cody, watching football. I'm sure we just got done eating pie. We had about 9 or 10 to consume over a 3 day period. Gotta do what you gotta do, right? :)

Happy family...

This is Earl (Earl Grey is his sophisticated name). He's part of the family too, a dog with SO much character and the best underbite ever. It only comes out when food is around. They call it his "smile." He really smiles for cheese...

We went to Sedona for the day, and my mom got to meet Sam Elliott...he's much taller and more two-dimensional than I pictured...

And, cue Vegas!

It was FREEZING in Vegas. Record cold temperatures. We didn't get to see the fountains, the lions, or the conservatory. The three things I wanted to see!

Doesn't the strip look dead? One car?!

The Christmas decor was beautiful!

It was such a fun trip. I have so much more to share with you about a town we visited on a cliffside in Arizona, but it really deserves a post all to itself, so watch for that tomorrow!

Have you visited my sponsors' websites? http://www.bonboncharms.com/ has amazingly cute stamped necklaces and jewelry, and make sure to keep up with Rachel at http://www.number17cherrytreelane.com/ , she's got a baby on the way ANY DAY NOW!

A Special Announcement...

2010-11-11T15:10:00.000-08:00

Those of you who wanted a Vintage Whites Market Christmas.....you got it! We have decided to host a 3 hour Christmas Bazaar on December 4th from 3-6 PM. Visit our website at www.thevintagewhitesmarket.com for more information!!! Can't wait to see you there!!

Station 8 Antiques Christmas Open House!

2010-11-08T12:16:00.000-08:00

This Saturday I went to Station 8 in Columbia Falls, Montana for some Christmas fun! You might recognize the name from The Farm Chicks show this year -- they had a beautiful booth! Certainly my favorite antique store in the area!

See that luscious chair? I bought that. I love it. LOVE.

Christmas Inspiration: Outdoors

2010-11-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

After doing some special Christmas images for our market, I got inspired to do something fun outdoors. This is not the finished product, I am just not patient enough to wait to show you!! Tanner built the mantle with some trees we had laying around the property, and I think he did a great job!

Christmas is such a fun time of year, and usually I'm in no rush to see it come. This year is SO different. I'm already envisioning roasted chestnuts, warm wool socks, lots of good Christmas music from Sufjan, and all the other fun things that come with making it such a special time of year.

Enjoy!

Gifted:: A holiday Ezine to inspire

2010-11-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

If you aren't familiar with Creature Comforts, please go visit! An amazing blog full of wonderful photography, crafts, design & inspiration.

Ez recently released a beautiful free holiday Ezine which you can visit here!

Perhaps the most exciting news out of this, was that my new friend (& photographer extraordinaire) Kelli has a feature! Her winter wonderland photography is enthralling. The styling was done by Vanessa with ButterflySPARKS & it is to die for!

Enjoy!!

Cardio Workout Playlist

2010-11-02T12:28:00.000-07:00

I need your help. I have not worked out consistently since...oh.....high school sports. Yeah, that long ago. Working out and I usually don't get along very well. I tend to have bad things happen like knee injuries, intentionally NOT going because I have better things to do (like anything other than physical exercise), montlhy womanly things falling out onto the treadmill...no joke. That happened during a basketball game in high school too...no one could figure out what was laying on the floor, or who it belonged to (THANK GOODNESS). Poor janitor.....

Anywho, I've decided to jump in. I started last night, and it was great to have Tanner there to motivate me. We may be going to different gyms and I know that once we start that, I'm going to need some music to keep going. I've started a playlist but would love ANY input from you guys. Normally, I love music like I have on my blog playlist, but my workout music should be VERY upbeat. I'll post what I have so far so you can get an idea. I can't WAIT to hear your suggestions!

1. Like a G6 - Far East Movement

2. Sexy Chick - David Guetta Ft. Akon

3. She Wolf - Shakira (I know, I know...but it's catchy!)

4. Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas

(Note: Do not play this twice at a cowboy bar in Montana. You may be forceably removed.)

5. Club Can't Handle Me - Flo Rida ft. David Guetta

6. Summer Love - Justin Timberlake

7. California Girls - Katy Perry

8. Tik Tok - Ke$ha

(Here's to hoping this workout will help me wake up in the morning feel like P. Diddy...)

9. Just Dance - Lady Gaga

10. In My Arms (Bimbo Jones Radio Edit) - Plumb

11. Call on Me - Eric Prydz

(It doesn't even matter that its the same three words the entire song. The beat makes it amazing.)

12. Superstition - Stevie Wonder

Writing's on the wall...

13. Are you Gonna be my Girl - JET

14. Magic Carpet Ride - Steppenwolf

15. Swing - Savage

(DISCLAIMER: naughty words alert in this one... haha)

Ok, thats all I have right now. So start digging through those cds... looking through your Ipod list... and give me some suggestions! I'm counting on you for motivation... ;)

Rust & Ruffles - a beautiful vintage market

2010-10-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

Friday, we drove 8 hours to Monroe, WA where a very fun early shopping experience was held. Come Junk With Us put on a wonderful event, and it was so good to see and meet so many bloggers.

I didn't buy anything, but I had a great reason! I found a pair of shoes at Nordstrom that I just had to have.....but they were preeeetty expensive. Tanner and I struck a deal that if I didn't buy anything at the market, I could have the shoes. I agreed. They are magical. You can sort of see them in the picture below...but I'll have to take a new one to give them justice. They are magical. Oh, I already said that? Sorry.... But they are MAGICAL!

Here are a few pictures from the night:

So dapper...

There are the shoes....and my silly grin. ugh. :)

Fall Craft Ideas: Halloween Countdown Calendar from LittleBeachDesigns

2010-10-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

This project is SO. MUCH. FUN. I love the paper she used and all the details! Head over to her blog for the full scoop!

Halloween Party Idea: The Nest - Spooky Decor

2010-10-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

Samantha is one of my favorite bloggers. She's hilarious and has a ton of talent! Here are some of her pictures from previous Halloween parties. Enjoy!

{Love this one!}

Head over to her blog to see what else she did...as well as some ideas on fun Halloween party games!

Fall Inspiration: Little Prairie Baby - Honeyed Fields

2010-10-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

Cheyenne of Little Prairie Baby sent the most beautifully worded post in. She lives in Alberta, and loves the glow of the sun on the fields. The pictures are beautiful! Here is her post:

" A tiny answered prayer, snuggled in purple pajamas with feet, is fast asleep in her cozy nest for the night. Echoes of an Irish Lullaby danced in the shadows of our home as I took steps around the creaks in the floor of the only room she's known....

"...Sitting down after The Little Poky Puppy and The Little Red Hen have been put to bed, my body starts to relax, my heart is full, and all is still. I close my eyes and can feel the dust of harvest on my skin and can see the fields of gold that surrounded us tonight. I wonder if it's what Heaven will look like. Does Jesus let the sunshine down on the honeyed fields to give us a little hope for Tomorrow? Tonight, little chubby cheeks full of applesauce sitting on her Daddy's lap for supper in the outdoors, gave me hope. Hope that whispered prayers don't fall on deaf ears...."

"...In the hush of that big ol' prairie sky, I'll crawl into my own nest, waiting for my husband to come in from the field, I'll say a prayer and drift off. I'm choosing to remember Hope. Those moments, even when they are day after day, and you feel like the skin on your hand is peeled right off from hanging onto that last knot on your rope, remember Hope. Hang onto that golden rope instead and remember there will be another day, take a breath in the knowledge of that fact."

Fall Craft Ideas: Vintage Halloween Mantel

2010-10-23T09:12:00.000-07:00

Abby's Paperie Garden submitted a beautifully decorated vintage mantel display! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

Abby's blog is full of beautiful paper products and ideas....check her out if you get a chance!

Fall Craft Ideas: {Primp} - Altered Book Pumpkin

2010-10-22T09:06:00.000-07:00

After my fall link party, I had so much fun going through the crafty ideas, and appreciate everyone who participated! Here is my first feature from {Primp}. I love how she used a book to make this cute craft! It's a thrifted book, some glue, and a twig for the stem.

Head over to Michele's blog for a step by step tutorial!

Winter Collection from Jeanne Oliver: The French Brocante

2010-10-21T08:47:00.000-07:00

What a treat this morning to wake up to these amazingly gorgeous things! Check out a few of the new wares from Jeanne Oliver's winter collection...

I'll take three please :)

Now for the really exciting news...She's giving away a $200.00 credit to her shop! Head over to her blog here and leave a comment....facebook, twitter, blog for extra chances...and it ends Monday the 25th. Good luck!

October Market & Another Show!

2010-10-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

Hello! Well we wrapped up our last market of the season on Saturday. It was a cold day, but it turned out to be beautiful! Here are a few pictures from the day...

I also wanted to let you Flathead Valley shoppers know that this coming weekend, there will be another really fun show put on by some of our vendors! Here are the details:

Sat., October 23, 2010 at the Stillwater Grange hall at 1810 W. Reserve.

The hours are from 8am to 4 pm.

Some of the vendors are Born in a Barn, Renew, Vintage Cabin, Corrina Bella. There are many more vendors and wonderful items there!

The building is heated (This would have been wonderful Saturday!) and should be a great place for a sale.

Sue from Renew sent me a few pictures....I wish we were going to be here for this one! Try and make it down if you can! These girls are so much fun!

Aren't those the cutest dog feeders?!

My New Kitchen Table

2010-10-13T10:20:00.000-07:00

I never thought I would retire my farm table to the breakfast nook in the kitchen. Ever. I have loved that thing (And still do) since I found it at the Vintage Barn Show.

Last night changed all that for me though. About 2 months ago, I was going to a garage sale and on the way there, I noticed a table and chairs just sitting outside in someone's yard. The chairs were laying on the ground and it looked like it hadn't moved for a long time. I tried to forget about it since no one was home, but last weekend, I stopped and put a note in the mailbox. Last night, the owner called me and said I could have the table and chairs for $35.00.

I tried to act cool but as soon as we pulled out of the driveway I went crazy with "YAHOO's" and "WOW WOW WOW's" and I think I even punched Tanner in the arm a couple of times! He's totally used to my craziness. Without further ado, my new kitchen table. I love love love love love it!

I'm now on the hunt for some vintage French grain sacks......anyone have some for cheap????

We have 2 chairs with cane, 2 chairs without. 2 chairs with both finials, 2 chairs without. I think I'll replace the ones without cane with some thin wood covered in tufted fabric. It's already distressed so perfectly!

We also scored a free vintage camper yesterday....baby blue and silver...but I'm saving that for another post. Make sure to follow on Facebook and Twitter for picture updates!

Fall around the house....

2010-10-11T09:45:00.000-07:00

Took a few pictures inside today.....I just love Fall.

Don't forget to link up any of your Fall projects, decor, pictures, etc. on my post HERE! I'm choosing 5 people to feature after it's done! Open until Friday.

Enjoy your Monday!!

Fall Fun Link-Up!

2010-10-07T13:48:00.000-07:00

Twig wants to see your best Fall or Halloween photos! It can be something simple and small and crafty... it can be a spread you did for a Harvest Party, it can just be a fun Fall picture you took! It's up to you and your creativity. I will keep the link up open for a week, and at the end, will choose 5 people to feature on Twig! I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Oh, and make sure to grab a button for your post or page to say you're participating to help spread the word! Also, just link to your specific post and not your main blog page. Otherwise, people won't be able to find the fun stuff you did!

Have fun and start linking!

Easy Autumn Decor Idea

2010-10-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

Or should I say...CHEEP. haaa. While further investigating the old chicken coop out on our property, mom and I found about 9 old chicken feeders of various sizes. We had already been painting, so we decided to try out a little idea...here's how it turned out!

I will be selling these at our next market, and hopefully I can find some tiny white pumpkins as well as the orange! C'mon Montana!

I think I'll leave the next one galvanized instead of the black and see what it looks like. This cost me a can of spray paint! Woohoo!

From the Farm...

2010-09-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

Just a few early morning pictures I took. Love that fog!

Simply Bungalow

2010-09-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! Just wanted to take a minute and say thank you to Heidi of Simply Bungalow for ordering my products and stocking them in her wonderful store! Just thought I'd share a few pictures from her shop, and invite you all to check out her wares! See you Thursday!

Rust & Ruffles Ball

2010-09-24T16:11:00.000-07:00

So I thought I'd check in with everyone before the day was done, and show you what Vanessa and I are working on for the Bloggers Ball in October, put on by Come Junk With Us. It's going to be a blast, and I hope you check out their website for all the details! Tickets are limited, so make sure and purchase them quick!

Vanessa is going to wear the Vintage Whites dress, and I in the Twig dress. We've just started cutting up old fabrics and lace, so they're still pretty rough but I couldn't resist showing you some pictures!

Let me know if you're planning on going to the ball! See you Monday.

Things Bloggers Do #10

2010-09-23T10:57:00.000-07:00

10. Chippy Paint.

WE LOVE IT. Well, I do anyway. It makes me so happy to get a piece of furniture that is totally chipped up and flaking off everywhere, and put it in my house. Nothing looks better!

I realized this as I was searching for a mantle that I loved.

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but Tanner is a little bit of a stud, and he can build things. He needs his own show, like Bob the Builder. Or Tim the Toolman, sans creepy grunting and accidents. (Am I the only one who couldn’t stand the theme song to Home Improvement?) Just to refresh your memory,

I had the biggest crush on JTT...

Anyway, back to the mantle. I realized that every single one I loved was chipped up and old looking. Here’s my favorite so far:

Chippy paint = happiness.

Chippy EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE = Overkill? Maybe. Possibly…

Chippy paint = old paint = lead.

Is it bad that I love it too much to care? Don’t tell me I’m alone here, I can guarantee each of you have at least one chippy piece that you love!

Perhaps a cabinet, perhaps a hutch……or perhaps a headboard like I had. A HEADBOARD. It was a thing of beauty, I tell ya. A chippy old door in all it’s glory, tucking us in every night….gently snowing flakes of lead poisoning on us while we were dreaming….

(That headboard is now a bench, after waking up several mornings with white paint in our hair, on our pillow……)

WebMD is the devil. Fellow ladies and gents, do not look up the symptoms of lead poisoning. They are basically the vaguest symptoms EVER. They’re pretty much the same symptoms as…things that happen in everyday life anyway….!!! I decided to look them up after sleeping under White Beauty for awhile, and my reaction went a little something like this…

So don’t look up WebMD. Maybe just remove the lead filled thing you’re sleeping under.

They should make a lead poisoning test similar to a pregnancy test. Same method….slightly less desirable result. Maybe they could sell them at the Dollar Store….

Anthropologie Giveaway Winner

2010-09-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

Drum Roll??

DDDDDDDDDD.....Not the same without sound. So no drum roll.

The winner is:

Poor Pitiful Pearl!

She said:

"Poor Pitiful Pearl said...

Yay... im a NEW FOLLOWER of your blog.

I will also blog about it:

www.poorpitifulpearlclothing.blogspot.com

& I will still facebook about it too.

Name on facebook: Poor Pitiful Pearl

what a fun giveaway...

so glad I found your blog.

PIck me Pick me!!! eeeeeek

September 13, 2010 8:53 AM "

She makes amazing clothing...make sure to visit and check her out!

Email me to claim your prizes! :) Thanks everyone for participating. See you Thursday for Things Bloggers Do!

September Market

2010-09-20T12:42:00.000-07:00

I will be posting the giveaway winner tomorrow! I know I said today, but I had a hold up in the comment moderation department so it will be one more day :) Thanks for hanging in there!

I wanted to take a minute though and post some pictures from our market on Saturday. It was cloudy all day but it didn't deter customers one bit! We had a steady flow of traffic all day and amazing vendors. Enjoy!

Next Piece of The Birthday Puzzle

2010-09-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

Today's piece of the puzzle...

Click here to see the rest....

I'm really afraid of horses.

2010-09-17T14:20:00.000-07:00

Horses make my skin crawl. They are beautiful, but they're devil creatures I'm convinced. Those black eyes have it out for me. This isn't without reason. I have tried to have a civil relationship with them. You know, an 'I ride them...they don't try to kill me' relationship....but that doesn't work.

When I was 8 or 9, I ~~rode~~ climbed atop my first horse. My cousin was at the reigns, I was just along for the ride. We did fine for about 5 minutes, and then the horse realized that I was the oil to it's water, the humidity to it's hair. It bucked me off faster than you can say "holycowthishorseishugeandi'mgoingtodie."

Experience #1. NOT so good.

The second time I rode a horse, it was supposed to be the calm one. The easiest one to ride. The one ALL THE KIDS RIDE. Alright, I thought. I can DO this.

Well, the horse stepped in a hole about 2 miles down the trail, and I screamed. Loud. The horse didn't like that, so he decided I didn't belong on his back. Off I went, and after picking my dignity up off the ground, I tried again.

This horse was pissed. We're going to call him George. There have been many George's in my life who have caused me frustration.

George thought it would be funny to bump into tree trunks while I was on him. George thought it would be funny to smack me in the face with tree limbs. George liked to bite me. George ultimately won, and I walked all the way back to the lodge.

As crazy as this may sound, it wasn't the last experience I had with a maniacal devil horse.

I dated a guy in high school who was very engulfed in the horse lifestyle. I, being an IDIOT, decided to impress him and offered to feed his horses while he and his family were gone. It was on a Sunday, and I left early for church so that I could do this.

I got to the corral, and assured myself that it would be fine. After all, it was only a colt and a mama horse, right?

I carefully measured out the hay, put it on the sled, and dragged it over to the pen. Little baby horses are so cute, I thought. How was I ever afraid of them?

I stepped over the fence in my skirt and heels, and began to put the hay in the correct spots around the pen. The mama horse was hanging out on the other side, and I felt safe. This was my mistake. I got too comfortable.

As soon as the colt realized that I came bearing food, he started trotting over to me. My brain sent out signals that told me I was in trouble. My heart started racing, I was sweating, and I FROZE. Apparently, in the question of 'fight or flight,' I pick Freeze. Not effective.

I stood there as the colt started eating the hay in my hands. I threw it on the ground and started backing away slowly. All of a sudden, the colt reared up and jumped at me. I FREAKED out. I tried to run, but one of my heels got stuck in the mud and poop. Frantically trying to grab my shoe, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that mama was curious about the dangerous terrorist near her baby, so I did what any normal person would do. I left the shoe, screamed, and I ran into their pen and closed the door.

Can I just say that stepping in horse poop while wearing pantyhose is not fun?!

Their stall only had a bottom door, so I was exposed from the top, and both mom and baby were hanging out near the door, sniffing madly and plotting my murder. In my mind, I was picturing all the horrible rodeo deaths I had seen on TV, and contemplating if horses knew how to open stall doors...SURE THEY DID. I was as good as dead.

I tried to threaten them with a trip to the glue factory, but unbeknownst to me, horses can't comprehend such things. MR. ED WAS A DIRTY LIAR!

I was in that stall for nearly 45 minutes before they got hungry and went over to their food. With Ocean's 11-like precision, I snuck out of the stall and began my 6 day journey across the pen. How fast could I jump that fence with a skirt on? I was pretty good at the hurdles in track, albeit never with a skirt on....

I ran for it. I don't really remember the trip between the pen and freedom, but what I do remember is the sound of my skirt ripping as I elected to dive underneath the fence. My skirt and my underwear, mind you. I DID NOT CARE at this point. I was alive, and away from the horses. Pinching my skirt together, I walked away with a slight limp caused by only wearing one heel, and my hatred of horses was born. I threw up my surrender flag, and headed home.

I. HATE. SURPRISES.

2010-09-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

But I love them. My dear husband has been exploiting my impatience this week....Just take a look at these messages I've been getting. One every day! My birthday is MONDAY. How am I supposed to make it that long?!

So then I got this message from him...

so... I really hooope you dont get your hopes up to much. I just thought it would be fun to make you wonder for a little bit. But Im worried thats its not going so well for you haha. its not that amazing, but you are amazing, and I love you very much! So tell you what; if you can guess the exact ending of the sentence you can get a small surprise early. Hint: There are 4 words left. its not as complicated as you might think.

So....since I'm patience-challenged and terrible at surprises, I need your help! Help me think of those last four words! :)

I've thought of a few...

"That you were born"

"That you came out"

"To celebrate your birthday"

"To get you naked" (haaa)

None of those were right, although I'm sure one could be....

Things Bloggers Do #9

2010-09-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

9. We keep the Dollar Store in business.

No seriously, we do. Ask any good DIY blogger and they will tell you that the Dollar Store is where they get 95% of their crafts.

We can just go ahead and loop Hobby Lobby, Dollar Tree, and Home Goods into that category as well. I don't even have a HomeGoods near me and I still love the place!

Our Dollar Store has like a bazillion things I can buy for just one dollar that I use all the time.

Have you ever bought food from the Dollar Store? I have. It's the same!!! Some candy is slightly less crunchy, but hey... it keeps me out of it.

How about a pregnancy test from the Dollar Store? I haven't done that, and I don't think I will. Especially when they're up at the front register as an impulse item...

I often wonder about the random porcelain figurines at the front. Who makes them? How much must they be wholesale?! I saw one that was a turtle on a lilypad with a...skyscraper backdrop. I mean really? Who does this?

Whats that surprised look for? I'm thinking someone just went to the bathroom.

I bought a spatula there the other day. I used it and it melted before I even got it close to the egg I was cooking. No joke. Apparently it was supposed to be used as a disciplinary tool and not a culinary helper. I contemplated still eating the egg that I had carefully seasoned and cracked, but I didn't like the idea of being a mutated superhero with a third arm.

I have a major beef with their feather boas as well. I have purchased a few boas in my lifetime (for props, guys...for PROPS.) and all of them shed like CRAZY! PETA would be after me for sure if they saw the aftermath that looks like carnage in the car once I get home. No, I did NOT slaughter Big Bird.

Who's excited for Thanksgiving?

Me too.

In fact, speaking of holidays. Have you seen the collection of holiday decor at the Dollar Store? Oh yes. The fall leaves are in bloom, and just a little off hue. I'm almost positive I've never seen any fall leaves the shade of robin's egg blue anywhere other than the Dollar Store. And nothing says Christmas like Santa in leather. NO BUENO.

Merry Christmas kids, sorry Santa burned out your retinas this year.

And that compels me to show you the picture of the Chrismas cookie I made last year that turned out looking more like Steve Buscemi.

Retro Folding Chair Redo, Part 1

2010-09-14T16:01:00.000-07:00

Just a quick hello to show you some awesome retro chairs I picked up at the thrift store last night. They are all shades of 1970, and feature the liberty bell, some eagles, and a flag or two. I call them the Freedom Chairs. I redid one already, but I only have a phone picture, so you'll have to wait to see the actual final product tomorrow. Behold, the Freedom Chair in all it's glory:

You still have 3 days to enter my Anthropologie giveaway...so hurry over and make it happen! {Click Here!}

Bench From a Repurposed Door Headboard

2010-09-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

Last year, Tanner made me an amazing bed out of an old chicken coop door, and made some cubbies for an endboard. We recently replaced that with my great grandmother's iron bed, so we decided to repurpose the bed into a great outdoor bench. For the seat, we used slats from an old bed we found a while back. Originally, we were going to paint the boards all one color, but once he got them on, we thought they were just way too much fun to change. Enjoy!

Oh, and don't forget to enter my giveaway for a $50.00 Anthropologie gift certificate, a $20.00 credit to my Etsy store, a copy of The Holiday, and a Brooke Waggoner CD! CLICK HERE to enter by Friday, September 17th!

Tanner took some pictures when he went out to the pond Sunday morning...I have to post these too. He's a great photographer!

Anthropologie Giveaway

2010-09-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

I must apologize by my lack of a Things Bloggers Do post this week. I have way too much going on, and I have it half finished, but no pictures. To me, the pictures are the most fun part, so you'll just have to wait until next week! Its about the Dollar Store this time. Yes.

I know this says Anthropologie Giveaway...but I'm changing the name from Giveaway to, Give-a-little,get-a-little. We all know I absolutely love to see more people come to my blog, and I know you love to get good things! So let the

Anthropologie give-a-little,get-a-little commence!

This time, you will receive a $50.00 Anthropologie gift card (that goes a long way toward their new boots...)

a $20.00 credit toward anything in my Etsy shop

a copy of The Holiday (just because I love it)

and a Brooke Waggoner CD!

All I ask for in return (the give-a-little part) is to leave a comment saying that you:

- Follow my blog

- Blog about the giveaway

(and if you DON'T have a blog, just facebook it or tweet it).

Thats it! I'll keep it open until next Friday and announce the winner on Monday Sept. 20th (my birthday! woohoo!)

Good luck everybody!

Glacier National Park

2010-09-07T12:54:00.000-07:00

I live in Montana, and have only been to Glacier Park a handful of times. It's sad really, because its such a beautiful place, and I'm literally 30 minutes away. We went the last couple weekends and I just had to share the photos with you guys. Hope you had an awesome Labor Day!

haaaa. I loved this guy. This is a hoary marmot.

Umm...this guy was a total ham. He posed.

"MAAAAASEWAYAAAAAAH....THE CIRCLE OF LIIIIIFE" am I right?

Many Glacier Lodge. SO beautiful.

Oops...this is outside our house haha. I just love these wheat pictures.

Things Bloggers Do #8

2010-09-02T13:32:00.000-07:00

8. We are not afraid of throwin' 'bows at a yard sale.

You better believe that if I see some ironstone at a yard sale, and you see that same ironstone, I will win. I lift weights in the off-season just to make sure I’m in the best shape possible for yard sailing.

Well, I don’t really “sail” from place to place…I take the “white knuckles” approach.

If you blog, I know you’re like that too. I know you don’t have to be a blogger to be a bow throwin’ kind of shopper, but bloggers have the added mission of writing about what they find.

Countless photo-worthy treasures + an interesting story = a GREAT blog post.

If you’re not a seasoned yard sale pioneer, this post is for you. If you have an addiction to yard sales, this post is for you. If you’ve already scoured Craigslist for the weekend sales, this post is for you.

WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE YOU START

- Cash (can not stress the importance of this one enough)

- Checkbook

- Sustenance like granola bars and water. No stopping.

- Phone handy, as well as your husband. He must be able to be reached at all times for measurements, approval, and to talk you out of buying the 4th disc of the 3rd season of LOST.

- Taser for the unruly ladies.

- Leave the babies at home, or bring someone who can watch them in the car. I have a friend who plays Veggie Tales for her kids while she shops. This is SO smart…perfectly entertaining and a great way to make sure your kids never see what kind of animal shopper you are, Amy ;)

THE ARRIVAL

You need to drive by before you commit to parking. You need to find out if this is a “baby clothes and boxes full of VHS tapes” sale, or if it is a hidden treasure type sale. Sometimes the line between them is very thin. That is why the drive by is so important. You can NOT feel bad for the drive by. They would do it at your sale in heartbeat.

This isn’t rainbows and unicorns and new found friendships. This is BATTLE.

I can not describe in words the animosity I feel toward drawing cars. WHAT IS THAT?!

GETTING OUT

If the drive by doesn’t tell you all you need to know, this is the time to park. Pick a spot closest to the sale that doesn’t leave you blocked in by the lady in the Buick. You know her. I know you do.

Take your cash with you, and start eyeballing EVERYTHING before you even get the door shut. Look through boxes, peek in the garage and see if they have any great cabinets they might part with. If not, look on table tops, and if you see something you just have to buy…buy it quick before a line longer than the one at the DMV forms.

There are a number of sales where you will not find anything. The thing sticking out of the box that you thought was an old flour sack was actually some whitey-tighties a little worse for the wear. This is ok. This is when you leave. I’m not saying you have to be completely heartless…I usually use this excuse: “Well I was looking for (insert whatever you DON’T see at their sale here) so I better keep moving on!” This has always worked for me, but I dread the day when someone says “Oh! I actually have one of those in the house!” ……REALLY?!

BARTERING

Here is my advice on the matter. Plain and simple. Always. ALWAYS ask politely for a lower price. If they say no, you can still buy it if you really want it! There’s no evil sale police telling you to put the item down once sticker dickering does not work. YOU CAN STILL BUY IT.

NEVER, in that smart Alec tone, talk about the item in front of the seller. There should be no “well I don’t know…it IS kind of dirty, and not really what I’m looking for…can you go less?” as you’re turning the item over in your hands scrunching your nose at it. Doing this not only makes you look like a giant IDIOT, but also makes that seller shut down. That’s like a guy telling you, “I don’t know, your face is kind of gross and disfigured but I guess I could date you….I guess. Only if YOU buy dinner…”

DEALING WITH OTHER SHOPPERS

I’m a really nice person. Ask around. When it comes to garage sales though…..watch it. It’s really nothing personal. I shop sales like I play basketball….I throw ‘bows. I give you permission. In the real world, I hate confrontation. I can’t even ask for a day off at work without shaking…literally shaking.

Let me tell you a little story. 3 or so weeks ago, I arrived at a yard sale at the same time as the lady in the Buick. (You DO know her) Apparently en route to the sale, I had done something to upset her. Never mind that I had NO idea who she was or had even talked to her! Anyway, I got out and she was shaking her head and me and then that big heavy ‘HHHHHHHHH’ sigh came out. Not once, not twice, but the entire walk up to the sale. Shifty-eyed glance, head shake, sigh, repeat. Since this is garage sale land and not real life, I finally turned and said “is there something you want to tell me?” in a tone that would make Wanda Sykes proud.

BAM. There it was. I threw a verbal jab and it felt good. Real life Jana would have cowered and walked faster, arms folded, to the sale.

Lesson is, garage sales aren’t real life. You get to be ruthless. Don’t tell your husband I said that. Or your mother. Or mine.

You’ll encounter the “I saw it first” women, the grabby ones who will try to take things from your pile, and the people who must be numb from the neck down to not feel that they are totally rubbing up on you. Now you know what to do.

HAULING YOUR GOODS TO THE TRUCK

If it is going to take you more than 15 minutes to load the big items you bought in your truck, ask to leave it there until the end of the day. My reasoning for this is that while you’re busy loading up that dresser, someone at the next sale is buying up all the treasures. That person is usually me. So you’re welcome for that tip. Do you want one dresser, or the dresser plus 10 awesome cool things you found while not spending time loading it? That’s what I thought.

BRINGING PEOPLE WITH YOU WHILE GARAGE SALING

Pick these people selectively. They will control how well you do that day. Do they take an extra 5 minutes putting on lip gloss in the mirror? Do they ask to stop for the bathroom more than twice? Do they linger over the 1.00 items table too long? Are they looking for things like porcelain trinkets and baby clothes?

DO NOT TAKE THEM WITH YOU. DO NOT TAKE THEM WITH YOU. Here’s a hint: you will resent them for the entire trip. Guaranteed. You need a marathon sale partner. Someone in for the long haul. I have a few of them, and they’re great. In, out, no questions asked. ‘Nuff said? Yes. I think so.

Now that we’ve talked about the various aspects of the sale itself, lets talk about things that are potentially threatening to your mission.

THINGS THAT THROW YOU OFF YOUR MISSION

THE UNRELENTING CONVERSATIONALIST

This is the equivalent of shopping in quicksand. Social obligation and real life tell you that you should listen to the guy, give a few head nods and attempt to further the conversation. He wants to tell you the history of the item you’re looking at, and out of the corner of your eye you see someone paying for some flower frogs, and your mission is being compromised. What do you do? Since this is garage sale land, you have limitless options. You could say “Oh that’s great,” and continue walking. You could use that cell phone of yours to fake a call. You could point up to the sky and say something like “is that a hot air balloon?” while you make your escape. You could even act mentally unstable and start banging on things. Maybe add a helmet to your list of things to bring.

THE HUSBAND WHO KEEPS CALLING AND WONDERING WHERE YOU ARE

This is a tough one. Unlike the conversationalist, we have to deal with husbands on a daily basis, so real life definitely applies. You can not claim mental instability on this one. He may suggest that…but you can’t. Do not ignore the call. Do not say “I’m only going to one more.” Do not try to buy him something thinking he will be ok with you being gone all day. You have to prepare him for the worst a day ahead of time. You have to say “hey honey, I am going to go garage sailing Saturday, probably until dark. I might not even come home and I’ll most likely buy a UHAUL full of stuff. I promise to spend less than 100.00 and I promise to buy you something you might like if I see it.” This way, he can be happy that you’re back around 3 with only a truckload and only spending 60 dollars. Maybe that will work….

BATHROOM BREAKS

Don’t have coffee before you start, don’t drink a ton of water. Moderation is key. Pace yourself so you don’t have to “go real bad” 10 minutes into an amazing sale. For people like me, this is hard. I have a bladder the size of a small bead, I’m convinced. I keep a coffee can in the car with me while I garage sale….just kidding. I am just really really good at holding it.

RUNNING INTO SOMEONE YOU KNOW

Are you obligated to shop with them now that you’re both there? NO! You are probably going to be stuck with an awkward conversation, especially if it’s someone you haven’t seen in awhile. Make it quick. Make it as not weird as you can. “The sky sure is blue!” “Yep!” “Well…see you…..sometime….later.” Never mind that you’ll run into them multiple times at the sale. This is the most awkward, since you’ve already severed the conversation a first time. You can either ignore them at this point, or make a comment like “oh that’s a good find” before you jet out of there.

These are obviously just a few, but you’ll be that much more prepared next time. Do you feel equipped? Are you ready to get out there and throw some bows? (That’s elbows for you gangster-challenged individuals) I hope so. I hope I have taught you well, and that you get the finds of a lifetime. I want to know your funny garage sale stories, your mission-compromising things, and your tips. Comment away!

Click here for more Things Bloggers Do!

Rag & Stone

2010-08-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

Just sharing a post from a friend that I read yesterday and LOVED. She makes the most amazing jewelry and has so much heart behind each piece. She has her jewelry at our markets and everyone just LOVES it. I had to share this with you...see you Monday!

If you look up a town in southeast Iowa, Muscatine, you might not really think much of it. Muscatine is a sleepy little river town stuck right up into rolling hills right off the Mississippi river, and is actually a very pretty part of the midwest. I remember visiting as a little kid all my extended family here, its where my parents grew up.

I remember humidity like you wouldn't believe, cicadas the size of softballs singing into the night, and the blackest dirt I've ever seen. And in that melon-growing dirt you could find the coolest clamshell buttons, all broken up into fragmented white bits.

If the sun was shining at just the right angle and if you were lucky, a whole button would surface its little self, all shiny like the inside of a clamshell, with two funny holes smack dab in the middle. Or even better, a whole clamshell with button holes stamped out of it.

I can remember these little buttons everywhere down by the rivers, in flower pots, in backyards, in green jungle alleys behind my Aunt Pete's house, even in the cement downtown. Buttons Everywhere! Apparently, the Mississippi harbored enough fat little clamshells that the town of Muscatine became the pearl button capital of the midwest, coined the term "pearling the mississipi", and the commodity led a booming economy in the early 1900s.

This is a clamshell antique button that came with a thousand others, some resin, some colored shell, some clam, in an old barnum-and-baileys cookie tin i stole from my mom (which I am sure came from my grandma). I took these buttons a few years ago, thinking...well, I could someday make some jewelry out of them...not knowing then that I would actually know how to make them into jewelry. Funny how that all just plays itself out.

On the back of this piece is stamped " Life's Simple Pleasures". If there is anything simple and beautiful to me, it is definitely a pearl button from my grandma's collection.

To see more of Erin's amazing work, visit her Etsy shop, Rag & Stone, HERE.

Things Bloggers Do #7

2010-08-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

7. CAPTCHA. hhhhhh.

This one should be titled, "Things WEBSITES ALL OVER THE ENTIRE INTERNET DO...."

There are few things more disheartening in blogland than reading through an amazing post, getting to the end…smiling, wanting to leave a comment, and coming across the elephant in the room that is CAPTCHA. It turns this:

I actually get nervous when I have to do them…like if I fail, I fail at life and not just some box where you type letters into. You can’t study for it; you just have to hope you can read the jumbled mess…

Who writes them? Do they ever make funny ones? Lets google it.

Oh my. Ok, honestly, if I ran across that, I wouldn’t be so upset. But no, usually I get these!!!

or...

Awesome. Just....awesome. All I wanted was to post this old decor on craigslist...JUST GREAT.

I really feel bad for robots though, they suffer the most…who says they don’t want to blog and read about arts and crafts? I mean I know they have claws for hands but come on…let’s not discriminate!

“Honey! I was just reading about a good recipe for stew and that devil box popped up again! I just can’t take it anymore!”

I actually just found out my blog, until now, has supported robot segregation. I am truly sorry and apologize to the human and robot population alike. All are welcome on this blog. ;)

Of course there are bad spam robots, and if you’ve been repeatedly harassed, moderation of comments is acceptable, and I highly recommend that you purchase Old Glory Robot Insurance immediately.

Things Bloggers Do #6

2010-08-19T12:07:00.000-07:00

6. Burlap

If you search for burlap on Google, do you find articles about how it’s used to carry coffee beans and was often worn by people on Ash Wednesday to rip up their flesh for religious purposes? No?

Yeah…I totally find entire 2 or 3 pages of blogs featuring amazingly cute crafty things made from burlap!! We have completely reinvented something once used as camouflage in WW2. Actually we’ve done that with a lot of things stemming from that time period….but today is BURLAP!!

Do you actually sit on burlap cushions? I did. I made one. I tried it, and believe me; it feels like sitting on a porcupine. It feels even worse on a hot day when it makes your booty itch. Bootyitis, if you will. And you have to try and NOT scratch it. Good luck with that.

(On a side note, if your booty itches when not sitting on burlap, you should probably see a doctor. Or use some Preparation H. Yes, I just linked to their website. You’re welcome.)

I had to add this in, the fact that it sheds like crazy and it makes you itch your nose when using it. You have to be really careful in public, people might think you're a crackhead if you keep itching your nose all the time...

I think I sneeze a minimum of 10 times whenever I use burlap to do anything.

Don't show your kids this picture, it may give them nightmares....

It also smells like the wrong end of a dog. I’m just being honest here. Since you can’t wash it without destroying it, you must deal with the smell. How can I describe it…it smells like compromise....?!

Do I want the cute curtains bad enough to endure the smell???? YES. I will not be buying any Eau De Burlap anytime soon.

I can’t get enough burlap actually….seriously; I think chairs made out of it are amazingly cool. So what if people can’t sit in them? I’ll just leave them in the living room as decoration.

“Actually Sally, we don’t sit on the furniture! Here, use this hideous non-burlap pillow to sit on.”

Why is Sally dressed up so fancy coming over to my house anyway? Her and her blond curls...

Can you imagine if our entire society caught onto this burlap craze we’re in? What other uses would we find for it?

- Burlap toilet paper?

- Burlap flavored toothpaste? (Don’t know why I’m on a toiletry kick here…)

- Burlap seat covers!

- Burlap Jelly Bellies!

- Burlap evening gowns! Oh wait…wasn’t there a Project Runway episode?

- Burlap Skivvies!

"Guaranteed to drive up Butt Paste sales."

Well so much for my original ideas. Maybe the toothpaste one will catch on.....

DIY Photo Wall

2010-08-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've seen these all over blogland, but we decided to make our own for our booth at the fair. We spent about $40.00 on the supplies, and it took Tanner about 5 hours to build. We had to stop in between to find our dog who decided to run away...but that's beside the point. He's back safe at home.

For those of you familiar with my Things Bloggers Do series, my first post was on DIY tutorials. As you know, I like to draw on things that I do to write them. Well, congratulations....you get to read one of my DIY tutorials. I'm apologizing in advance ;)

We still need to add the chairrail trim to the top, by the way.

Some things you might need:

- 10 1'' PVC poles (depending on what size you're going for, you may want to make it a completely different size..)

- Corresponding 1'' PVC connectors (You'll know which ones and how many you need once you draw out your plans)

- 2 8' sheets of plywood or other type of wood. We used MDF, it was a little less expensive. Plywood would definitely be more sturdy, however.

- About 6 yards of fabric of your choice

- 2 large dropcloths, white sheets, or fabric of your choice for the backdrop

- Paint (We used leftover stuff we had from our cabinets)

- Frames. Vintage, thrifted, painted, whichever you like

- A drill & screws

- A jigsaw, skill saw, or other choice cutting device. (I don't recommend using a plastic knife).

- 1 8' piece of trim of your choice

Alrighty...so first you're going to put together your PVC frame. You can really do whatever you want here, but I'm going to post pictures of how we did ours. We used PVC because it needed to be portable and break down.

Step 1: Cut a hole in the box (just kidding...sorry for those of you who don't get that...)

Just showing you the back side...

Once you get your frame done, stand back and marvel for a bit, and then go get your frames...

Lay the big wall down and mark out your layout for the frames. My advice is to not place too many holes above each other...so that you don't get your body in the frame below if you're trying to be in the top one. Does that make sense? "I HAVE NO WIRE!?"

You can kind of see the fabric we used...just seeing how it would lay on the wood. Trace the inner part of the frame onto the wood, and then start cutting.

Stare.........make yourself look back at the project.

What? How did that get there again...........

Anyway...next, lay your fabric out. We measured down 5' and thats where our fabric stopped and paint began. Staple it around the entire area, pulling tight to reduce wrinkles.

Trim the excess, and warm up your iron. Iron everything and really press those wrinkles out. You don't want them showing up in your pictures!

Now stir up your paint and paint the bottom..

Don't worry too much about making sure the paint line is straight, because you'll be putting a piece of trim where the paint and fabric meet.

While the paint was drying, I just had to play around with the wall..

Now its time to cut out the fabric where the holes are. Easy peezy. We used a rotary cutter..

Now put a couple screws where your picture frames will go, and hang them!

We ran into our first problem here, as we realized that we needed a solid backdrop. Stat. We hung some dropcloths and tied them to the top and bottom of the PVC frame in the back and sides. You could use sheets, different patterned fabric, whatever you wanted to use...

Tomorrow night, we will be putting the chair rail trim on, and hanging a few misc. photos on the wall to make it look more realistic. I'll make sure and post a final photo before we take it to the fair for our free photo booth! Have a super Monday. Email me if any of this is confusing..... :)