I promise it's a happy color..

So, my pictures from the last post made the baby's nursery look a bit more austere/dreary/amish than the happy color I really chose. So here is a pic of the actual color in the paint bucket. I promise it is happy!!


Here's another room with the same color as an accent (wall paper from Ferm Living). I love it with yellow, as well as the reddish orange I am using. In the end I decided that the red and aqua felt more gender neutral than the yellow and aqua. I love the look of the wallpaper, but at $100/roll it is more of an inspiration room.

Hopefully these new pics set the grandma's at ease!

$5 Thrift Store Find!

Before we headed north on our big move, I of course tried to make a few quick stops at my favorite stores. Most of you probably know that my favorite store of all time is Hudson's Treasure Hunt, a salvage store in Mississippi and Alabama only (sad!). There I found my beautiful Anthropologie crewel work pillows for a steal, a plethora of Macy's bedding, down pillows, trendy Target items, and a $350 BCBG dress for a mere $35!

I also had some other fav's including Goodwill, Mr. Bill's Antiques and Junk, and Mission of Hope thrift store. All are good for finding fun vintage items, such as the antique pink depression glass tea cups I picked up as a Christmas gift last year. And Mission of Hope in particular has great furniture! I have a friend who got a gorgeous green velvet tufted sofa for $40. Of course, they all need work and you have to check back every week to see what's new. Not only do I love that you can negotiate, but all the proceeds go to Mission of Hope's drug and alcohol recovery program. Last time I was there I got this cradle for $5! It was missing a piece, but my genius dad was able to fix it with a 2x4. I've been painting it this week.

Here's the before:

And the after:

I love the dove gray color! We will use the cradle in our room, but I wanted to show my aqua wall. I love the color! It's a more happy, cheerful color than the photo gives it credit for. The lighting wasn't good and I couldn't get it to adjust just right in photo shop. I ordered this organic cotton bumper and sheet on ebay for the crib (just wanted to show it in the pic), but i'm still not sold on it. Thinking about doing white to brighten things up. Planning on painting a Jenny Lind style crib the burnt orange/rust red color and making a cribskirt as shown here. I ordered samples of 2 different fox prints and plan on making the cribskirt from one of these.

I'm excited to see how it all comes together eventually!

Tis the Season

Deck the halls with boughs of holly

Falalalalalalalala

Tis the season to start thinking about Christmas cards

Falalalalalalalala

Hmmmm......what doesn't belong here?! If you are anything like my husband, the very fact that I even had the nerve to sing a Christmas song/modify a Christmas song before Thanksgiving is driving you nuts. With nearly 10 inches of snow a couple of weekends ago and multiple painting projects in the works, I couldn't resist pulling up the Christmas playlist....happy husband or not.

And we all know that Christmas music gets you thinking about Christmas cards of course! I love getting Christmas cards in the mail. Maybe it's seeing how friend's children have grown through the years, a newlywed couples wedding photo, or all the new little miracles that were born. Maybe it's reading the letter and finding out about the trials and joys that have comprised the past year. Maybe it's the way I feel connected to friends and family far and near and a call to celebrate the goodness of God in all of our lives. I do know that I love to paste them all over my fridge!

In my pre-Engl days I always said "When I get married I am going to send out Christmas cards every year!" The first year was going to be one of our wedding photos. The second year, I had this idea stuck in my head of an "Alabama White Christmas" with an artsy picture of Brian and I in a cotton field. Needless to say, the first year I got busy with work and never even bothered. The second year, I waited too long and all the cotton was harvested before I got the chance. Then, I get the Christmas card from the family with 6 kids, one of which is a newborn (hello to the amazing Ann S!)..... and I feel really lazy. So this year, I want our smiling faces to finally make it to your fridge, or at least your mailbox!

Shutterfly has a great promotion this year......50 free cards for bloggers! Yay! No excuses! They have so many options from holiday cards to photo Christmas cards to calendars to holiday invites. If you're an over achiever like myself, you may get stuck in the "idea" mode which never quite makes it to the card. Shutterfly makes it easy with their pre-designed cards. All you have to do is add the photo, pay, and they are shipped right to you. Easy!

My current favorite:

I think this one is really cute too!

Oh, and did I mention they have photo books?

For easy access to the site, click here.

October's Guests

With all of October's beautiful weather came beloved friends and family from Alabama. My parents came for 5 whole days! And the next weekend my friend Lydia of 16 years flew in for a short, but delightful weekend.

At the historic Hill House

I love them so much!

Mom and Dad were able to come to our ultrasound appointment!

My Bud at the Walker Art Museum

I miss her!

So thankful for all of our guests. I felt so loved!!!

Ina Garten's Mac & Cheese

In an earlier post I talked about new beginnings. Well, here's another first for me: homemade macaroni & cheese! To be honest, it's truly another first to break out the pots and pans and cook dinner at least a few times a week. Brian's the one who has "broken in" all of our lovely red calphalon cookware. There was something enticing about the ceramic baking dish and rich, creamy, old fashioned mac & cheese that I couldn't resist! And with some lingering second trimester nausea and food aversions, I have to eat whatever sounds good at the moment!

I enjoy Ina Garten's show on the foodnetwork and found her recipe here. I first heard of her in early issues of Victoria magazine. They interviewed inspirational women entrepeneurs and her shop Barefoot Contessa was featured. Ina also has a lovely home.Back to the mac & cheese, it surprisingly came out delicious even though made by yours truly!

Fall Music

Sitting at my desk today sending out resumes. All my paperwork for my Minnesota physical therapist license finally went through! With a new area code, new drivers license, new tags, and now my MN PT license I am an official resident of the great state of Minnesota. Don't worry my Southern friends, I still say y'all. So, if you hear of anyone who is looking to hire a prn physical therapist in the western Minneapolis suburbs let me know!

On another note, I just bought Brooke Fraser's new album Flags. Have you heard it? It is my favorite fall album, besides of course my sister Abby's new EP which is amazing! But since she doesn't have a video or an itunes link (yet!), thought I'd mention Brooke. She is an amazing songwriter and worship leader. Some of my favorite worship songs by her include: "You'll Come," "Lord of Lords," and "Hosanna"- all recorded with Hillsong. (Click on the song titles for song/video). This new album is her newest mainstream album. Isn't this video fun?

Autumn

"I'm ready for the cold winds to blow and make the leaves blush at their touch".......my sister Libby
My Sister wrote this line the other day and I thought it was so poetic and beautiful! I am enjoying the scenic drive around the lake with the oranges, yellows, and crimsons speckled about with God's paintbrush. Autumn here really is lovely!

Here are a few lovely quotes on the season...

~"October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter"- Nova Blair

~"Don't you just love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."
-You've Got Mail

~"No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one autumnal face" - John Donne

~"October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came-
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band."
-George Cooper


Above is a vintage metal tulip chair that I picked up at an antique store around 3 years ago and finally got around to painting. I still need to spray the glossy top coat on it, but I think it looks bright and fresh. I love it with the orange mums!!

Off to an outdoor movie and bonfire at the church tonight. Hopefully someone is bringing the hot apple cider!

Nursery Musings.....

"This Fox is a tricky fox. He'll try to get your tongue in trouble"......excerpt from Dr. Seuss' tongue twister of a book Fox in Socks.

So I have been browsing different blogs, websites, magazines, etc looking at nursery ideas. While I saw lots of rooms that were both cute and creative, I wasn't finding much that really stood out. Especially ones that were gender neutral (we are waiting to be surprised!) Really like a vintage, modern, eclectic look. I like color, but don't want to be overwhelmed with neon green or crossing-guard orange. Last week I came across this "design trend" on Apartmenttherapy.com. I especially love the little fox pillow.... the colors are perfect! I thought the red fox fabric would be really cute as an accent. Check out the article and sources here.

Oh, and I found this on etsy:

Wouldn't this be adorable with other handmade woodland animals thrown in the mix? I have seen some adorable owls, squirrels, and raccoons made in similar styles on etsy. And I have a pattern for a bird and branch mobile as shown below.

What do you think? Do you like it?

New Beginnings

beginning: noun/ start of an event or action, alpha, basis, birth, blastoff, creation, dawn, dawning, day one, genesis, inauguration, inception, induction, infancy, initiation, installation, introduction, kickoff, onset, opener, opening, origin, origination, outset, point of departure, preface, prelude, presentation, rise, root, rudiment, source, spring,square one, starting point, takeoff, threshold.

It's a season of new beginnings for us! Nearly 2 months ago we said goodbye to dear friends and family in Alabama, loaded up the Penske truck, and headed to Minnesota. Among those things new: new church, new city, new condo, new friends, new job, anda new baby on the way!! With all this change, I thought it fitting to begin fresh with my blog. I am going to do my best to keep all those far away updated on our lives. We are excited for this new season and the journey the Lord is taking us on!

Here are a few photos from a local apple orchard, fall on Lake Minnetonka, and a twins game with Hannah and Josh......

Enjoy the fall weather!! More to come!

The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy! Psalms 126:3

Brian and I just celebrated 2 wonderful years of marriage on January 5th. As I reflect on the past two years, I can honestly say that I am married to my best friend. I am more in love with him today than on our wedding day! Marriage is wonderful!!