Looking Back...

I was going through some of my old images and came across these from two years ago. The shoot was for a Home Depot design challenge. It's amazing to me how much the kiddos have aged in such a sort amount of time. Well for that matter I can't believe how much I've aged either. Ha. Oh, how I miss my garden and am grateful to our renters who have kept it going. Some funny tidbits on behind the scenes of a styled shoot... It was so HOT that day, like miserably hot. You have to shoot a few months in advance so we were still in the midst of a Alabama heat wave. The sweater I am wearing was on a friend a few hours before. I liked how it was fallish, but I wouldn't die in it so she took it off and handed it over. My friends all thought it was hilarious that I was carrying a baguette for they know my gluten allergy would mean in no way it would make it to my table in real life. It does make for a pretty picture though. The soup was served cold. Who really wants soup in 100 degree weather? That pretty curl I'm sporting was actually a rat nest from wearing my hair in a bun so much. All in all though the "party" was a hit with the kiddos and we all had a blast doing it.

To see more of the shoot go HERE

For the table DIY you can go HERE

Where the Wild Things Are

Yes, we are that family in the neighborhood that just may have a huge tent hanging out in their front yard. It adds character right? Growing up I have the most fond memories of all our family camping and hiking trips to Maine and Vermont. We weren't well off and camping was and still isway more economical than say Disney World especially when you lived all the way in Massachusetts. My dad being a forestry engineer would take us on hunts to find every kind of leaf and bug imaginable. My mom would make me wear an awful orange beanie so I wouldn't be shot by hunters. I remember hating it at the time, but now having kiddos of my own I would probably make them wear a bright orange jumpsuit so the hat technically wasn't that bad. Sorry mom. The Mr camped too and the kiddos always love hearing stories about all his wild bear encounters he had while camping in the Colorado mountains. They are riveting I tell you and the kiddos never grow tired of hearing them. With so many camping stories told the kiddos asked why we didn't camp too. Good question. So now we are the proud owners of a huge tent and hammocks. We have only actually stayed it in one night in the yard simply because Alabama is still a million degrees too hot and my hot flashes can't handle it. So now we wait for the cool fall air to move in and we will be off making memories and adventures of our own. Hopefully ours remain without any bear encounters.

Source: hammocks | hammock straps | tent

going modern

I am dreaming big time about getting outside, soaking in the sun and getting my hands dirty. Maybe it's all this dreary cold weather that has me wanting warmer days. In our last house we had a sort of wild English garden with hydrangeas, climbing roses, and lambs ear taking center stage. This old home I am thinking of going a bit more modern. The back has a large concrete patio, and even larger concrete parking pad, and a strip that I only assume had grass at one time. I can't go overboard since this is only a rental house, but knowing we will be for quite a few years makes me not mind going out and putting in the work. This space and this one have me inspired! First thing on my list is a firepit. We miss our old one. Some of my favorite nights have been around the firepit roasting marshmallows and telling old stories. Oh, and the last one is only a pipe dream due to the pricing, but isn't it a beauty! I am even contemplating a DIY version.

ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR