My First Giveaway!

And I could not be more excited! The lovely ladies from Shabby Apple have offered to giveaway the Pink Panther dress from their little girl's line (0 to 5t)...


Isn't it just too sweet. Wish my little Ellie could win, but I suppose it's good to share too.

I just adore their woman's line too. I could picture myself wearing this or even maybe this on a hot date with the hubby. They also have a great maternity line, shoes that make me want to swoon, and they are about to start carrying a preteen line. Really they have us covered in the looking good category.

What I love most is that 5% of their net dress sales go to support work in India as a partner with Unitus. Please read more about it here. You know me and my heart for good causes. Women helping women, what could be better.

Oh, and did I happen to mention they are offering Two Ellie readers a 10% off discount: just enter "twoellie10off" at checkout in the "coupon" box. The coupon expires August 15th.

Anyway back to the giveaway...

If you would like to be entered to win this sweet little dress just leave me a comment. If you would like to be entered twice: blog about this giveaway and be sure to let me know! I will be choosing a winner at random.

**I will be announcing the winner on July 28th (Ellie's 4th birthday)**

To follow Shabby Apple on Twitter, go here.

To check out their facebook, go here.

Oh yes, and they have a blog, go here.

*giveaway has ended*

Taking the Day

{Kate Spade ad via here}

I am taking a day for myself. My mother gifted me a facial this past Mother's Day and I am finally going to have one done. I am excited and a bit nervous though. Also I am going to pick up the last few odds and ends for Ellie's birthday party this weekend. We are keeping it small this year, but I am not going to skimp on making it extra special. Oh, and be sure to check back tomorrow... I have a fabulous giveaway from Shabby Apple!

Mexico

As if you all haven't heard about it enough, but my hubby was away a couple a weeks ago to take a team of 63 people to Victoria, Mexico. He got to go a few times to one of our favorite places to visit and sometimes stay, the orphanage of El Rancho de Louisiana. My husband has been able to go numerous times the past 12 years and I only three, but it holds many dear memories for us both. On our last trip together, almost 5 years ago, I found out I was pregnant with our first. I haven't been back since, but hope to do so again when our kiddos are a few years older. These are some of the images my husband caught on his visit...






Seeing these sweet little faces and remembering some of their horrid stories, but all the while still having contagious laughs, made me have to recheck my priorities. I am trying not blog while my children are up just so they know they are number one and I am making sure my husband is top priority and that he feels it. I never want to take for granted where God has put me in life. I am thankful I can cloth my children, eat well, have a home that I love, and a family that I can love on. Oh, and because of Mexican laws these sweet little children can not be adopted.

A few of these are doubled, but if you like to see more you can go here and scroll down a bit.

Feeling Plain

While browsing my daily read, Simple Lovely, last week I came across this stunning image...


In my mind I feel as if I could be this power house of a women. Strutting along in fabulous heels and looking ever so chic, but when I stop a moment and realize I must sweep the floors for the 3rd time in one day and clean up the inevitable spilled milk all while having a two year old on my hip, I come to the quick realization that I am more this (add a few stains here and there)...

Oh, and I am okay with that.

Inglenook Decor

I have slowly, but surely been befriending Maureen of the inspiring blog Ingle Talk through e.mail and, of course, blogging. She is stunning, has a stunning daughter, and fabulous taste. Well, she just revamped her e.shop of wonderful goods and I just had to share. I just adore seeing someone following their dreams and seeing her's come to reality just thrills me. Here are some of my favorites...

{green needlepoint pillow}

A pillow like this would look great on a simple chair.
{scale wall hooks}

The wall hooks I could see hanging in the kitchen just for an added somewhat quirky touch.

{cast iron glass basket}

How fun would it be to serve drinks in this?

{glass owl bank}

This glass owl, well, I think he speaks for himself.

You can find so many more goodies here along with decorating and design tips. A very fun site to explore!

Lovely Surprises



Last week hubby and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary apart. He was leading a missions team in Mexico while I stayed here with the kiddos. I really was not expecting anything at all, but to my surprise hubby had other plans. This is how the story goes... Hubby called somewhat frantic saying someone drove by our house and saw our rocking chairs on the porch all knocked over, I was just waking from a much needed nap and went running out thinking someone may have tried to break in, then sitting on our little table was this gorgeous flower arrangement and a box of goodies from one of our favorite bakeries. I cried like a baby as hubby proceeded to explain that he just wanted to make sure I know how special I am to him. I just love surprises!

I hope over the weekend you have a chance to make someone feel special!

Sale


Dace is having a sale up to 80% off! I am in love with the dress above, size small please.

The Holiday

Since I have been sharing what I did while hubby was away all week I thought I mine as well continue till the end. On the nights I did not want to sew I would pop in one of my favorite "girly" movies and sit back and relax. One of my all time faves is The Holiday. What I love more is the decor in Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz) home. I love the simplicity of it all. The textures and color palette have me swooning.











I was so very excited when the lovely ladies of Fiddlesticks and Funny Girls posted photos of this amazing home. They also posted photos of Iris's (Kate Winslet's) home in case you want to take a gander.

{images via fiddlesticks and funny girls, via James Radin, via Cote de Texas}

Shopping Hiatus {2}

I have been shopping a lot, too much if you ask me, but it hasn't been for me at all. It has been mostly for the home I have been decorating. It is coming along and I hope to have it wrapped up soon and I will be sure to share. While, hubby was away I did get to do a bit of yard saling. My intention was to find a few lovely deals for the home I am decorating, which I did find an old trunk that I am going to attach casters to and make a coffee table. I also happened to find a wonderful old wooden chair that needs just a bit of painting. I really have no where to put it, but I fell in love, it reminds me of an old chair that my grandfather once owned. It cost me a whooping $5.00.


Okay, okay, since you dragged it out of me, I also bought a new pair of sandals. It is all a blur really. Hubby was away and I was trying to prolong my having to go to bed alone so I was searching all my favorite sites then I came across these lovely shoes and I had another 20% off code and before I knew it I was getting an email saying thank you for my recent purchase. I don't think of it as a complete failure though, my pair that I currently own are slowly but surely falling apart bit by bit, they are a few years old and I wear them all summer long. I shall think of my new sandals more as an investment, surely my feet will thank me...

DIY: A Basket Light Pendant

Kellen is finally home, but has a full days work ahead of him. I can't wait till tonight so we can just spend some much needed time together. While he was away I had quite a to do list that I wanted to accomplish, but much of it did not happen. Instead I took the kiddos to a free movie, played, watched movies here at home with popcorn (okay, really we just watched The Bee Movie almost every night), and went to the park. I did finish making 6 little girl dresses with 5 to go for my future etsy shoppe, continued with the process of decorating a home, helped a friend make an upholstered head board, and finally making the light fixture out of a basket.



I could not be more thrilled with the way the pendant turned out. I have been wanting to do it for quite some time, but had the hardest time finding a basket the right size and without handles. Where did I happen to find this one? Well, I walked into a friends home and she just purchased this one from T.J Maxx for $10.00 dollars. She wasn't attached to it so I bought it from her. I then had a friend cut a hole in the top. I then wired it with a $20.00 dollar pendant light fixture that I found at Lowe's. It came with a glass shade, but I just left that part off and used the rest. I then had another dear friend who offered to hang it before hubby came home. My favorite part is the way the light dances off he walls at night, just gorgeous.

Learning to Cook

You may or may not know that my husband does most of the cooking here at home. Yes, I am that horrible and he just is that picky. For example, I made spaghetti one night, used the wrong brand/kind of sauce, and he grimaced with every bite until he just couldn't eat it anymore. Well, while he was away all week I decided to make my kiddos things daddy definitely would never eat. Most of this weeks meals were based on the use of tomatoes, one of my all time favorites, but one I rarely get to enjoy. Here is a smattering of a few goodies made by yours truly...

{pizza with mozzarella, tomatoes, sauce, and dried basil although I am sure fresh is better I had none on hand}

{angel hair pasta with herbs and tomatoes}

{whole wheat bread with olive oil, pepper and salt, tomatoes, and mozzarella grilled}

{lemon something muffins}

Oh, and no none of the meals were made by scratch, but I did my very best and enjoyed every minute of it. What I learned is to always check to make sure you have all the ingredients before starting anything, kiddos are a huge fan of tomatoes in "fancy" pizza and sandwiches, but they find it quite "gross" on pasta, and Ellie much rather have a handmade breakfast than cereal any day hence I made breakfast every morning.

Today the hubby finally gets home, yeah!

Outfit to Room...

Built by Wendy is having a sale. How I would love to own one of their pieces. I thought this one would make a lovely outfit to room...


Outfit to dining area in this kitchen...

{via Better Homes and Gardens}

I would love to see a dining area right in the middle of this gorgeous kitchen...

{via pottery barn}

This stunning farm house table would work as a place to eat or extra cooking space.

{via Wisteria}

Four of these chairs would make me quite happy.


A couple of pretty candles.

{via Jamie Oliver}

Real napkins are always a must.

{via Stonewall Kitchen}

I am still in awe of these glasses since using then here.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend, my hubby gets back late Monday, woohoo!

5 years in Wedded Bliss


Hubby and I dated and were married all within 6 months, five years later I still feel like the most blessed girl in town. We fit perfectly together. Thank you for taking this adventure called life with me dear husband. I am still smitten with you. I can't wait to see you next week!






Here are few snap shots of our day. They are pictures of pictures, maybe a scanner may be a good investment one day. My uncle a fabulous photographer in Boston flew down to capture our day. I did the bouquets myself. The bridesmaids dresses were off the rack (pre J.Crew wedding). I couldn't order from a pretty bridesmaid shoppe and have them in on time, that's what I get for planning a wedding in a couple of months. For the local girls, we were married at the Donnelly House on Highland Ave. The reception was dessert galore. Friends and family really helped put this wedding together on a tightish budget and I could not have been happier.

Ellie's Bedroom Makeover

For the last 6 months my 3 year old little lady has been asking for a green room. It's her 4th birthday this July so we decided to make her "dreams" come true. Of course if we were going to paint then I mine as well re.do the whole room, right? Before and after...







Now if only we didn't have carpet in the bedrooms. I do suppose it's more comfy though.

Just in case you were wondering:

paint: Sherwin Williams Parakeet Green
lamp, bedding, and rug: Home Goods
side table: estate sale, then painted a basic white enamel from Benjamin Moore
curtains: wal-mart (not a fan of the super store, but the price was right), green trim added by me
starburst clock: original 70's from my parent's home
bean bag insert: pottery barn teen on clearance
bean bag cover: ebay (I believe in budgets, especially when brother has a matching one)

Hello

We had a wonderful fourth of July weekend, I hope you all did too. I felt very American, kiddos swam in the kiddie pool, a couple of friends over, ate some great BBQ, homemade ice cream, fried green tomatoes, fireworks in the back, all while the dog ran around in excitement. Hubby leaves for Mexico missions for a week today. Super excited for him, but this is his first long trip since we have had two kiddos, yikes. I do have big plans though. I am going to sew up a storm, work on a home I am decorating, make a light fixture out of a basket, and hopefully post photos of Ellie's room makeover. There are a few more odds and ends that I want to complete, but we will just have to see how far I really get. Here's to hoping. Sorry for another short post. Hope to visit you all soon too, I have been slacking.

Any local ladies that have husbands working at night or if you need a girls night you are more than welcome to come on over! Just e.mail me.

Shopping Hiatus {2}

Yes, I have been shopping. I had the baby shower this past weekend and wanted to do it up, so I did. Now I will be able to host a party of 30 at any given moment. Not so bad since we enjoy entertaining. I have done very well with not shopping for myself though. I owe that all to you, because these weekly updates sure do make it harder. I will be honest though I am really wanting to shop for clothes, shoes, purses, etc! Woo, now that's off my chest let's focus on some water fun we have been having. Being in the 90's every day definitely limits what fun you can have outdoors. Lucky for me I have a couple of water babies.






Okay so this last image has nothing to do with water, but the kiddos had a friend over and I bought a few animal hats at Micheal's for a few dollars, they had fun for hours. I highly recommend this!

A Baby Shower

This past weekend I hosted a baby shower at my home for a very dear friend. She is one of those friends that when I feel insane she seems to always have the words to make me sane once again. She is pregnant for the second time, this time with a sweet boy named Caleb who happens to be due very close to my birthday in August. Here is her day...


The beautiful guest of honor being swallowed by all her gifts.


Flowers were in great abundance thanks to a friend who has amazing hydrangea bushes galore.


The invite is by Announcing You on Etsy. She was kind enough to set it up so I could print my own on 110 lb. cardstock.


I made the onsie designs to hang as you entered my home and again with the amazing flowers.


The banner is from Tomorrow's October on Etsy.


Plates, forks and real napkins ready and waiting.


Just in case you wanted a closer look.


Brooke from Blueprint Bliss was so sweet and allowed me to borrow her stunning tumblers by Roost, they are the ones in the tray. I think I need to buy a few sets for myself. Thank you so much Brooke, they were a hit!


The yummy food table. I wanted to incorporate the rich blues and hydrangeas ever since seeing this post by Jennifer.


A close up of the almond danish swirls made by the wonderful friend with the hydrangeas. They are quite easy and make for a delicious treat.


The mother to be {again} and all her hostesses. I am the one in white just in case you were wondering.