Monday, June 30, 2014

Lavender
I hope you all had a great weekend.
It's a four day week for most which makes this Monday a little easier to go into!
.....
We had the chance to do some wine (water for me) tasting and 
see a lot of lavender this weekend.
I can't get enough of lavender.
So when I heard the Sonoma Lavender Festival was this weekend...
just right down the road...
I thought it would be fun to go.
.....
Of course I didn't account for the fact that it would be over 90 degrees 
with limited shady areas!!!
I managed to snap a few photos in-between searching for 
water and trying to stay cool.
.....
Do you remember when I talked about Matanzas Creek Winery?
They have fields of lavender, but when I went with my parents in March, 
the lavender wasn't in bloom.
Well, we decided to carry on the lavender theme and headed to that winery yesterday.
Beautiful rows of lavender all with buzzing bees!
Such a beautiful sight...and smell!
Have a great week!

Friday, June 27, 2014

Outdoor Kitchen Inspiration
I hope you all have had a productive week.
It's the last weekend in June already!
Now it officially feels like summer.
Bring on the BBQ's!
.....
On days when it is so warm out, it seems like the most viable dinner option is to BBQ.
It always lends for a quicker clean up...not to mention you get to be outside.
I don't know about you but I have always thought outdoor kitchens were amazing.
A lot of them seem to be covered so rain or shine you can be outside, cooking and eating.
.....
I thought I would share some fun inspiration for outdoor kitchens.
Some are elaborate and some have just the right amount of chicness and functionality. 
Enjoy!

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Prep Work!
Summer is officially here...as of last weekend!
The sun is out...and my flowers are still thriving and alive..woo hoo!
....
Like most summers, the next couple months are going to fly by!
It seems like every weekend is filled now through September...
all with fun trips and activities planned!
{I am definitely not complaining!}
This means my week days need to be meticulously planned out.
Maybe it's just me but I always tend to fall back on...
"well if I don't get it done during the week, there is always the weekend"
I'm tossing that motto in the trash...for now anyway!
.....
Thankfully, for the past few months I have had constant orders going out every week.
This week I am focusing on getting prep work done which I often overlook.
Typically when I have a moment to spare, I jump right into trying to get new clients and more business.
But I am ever so thankful when orders come in and the prep work has already been completed...
Cards are ready to be printed and fabric is all cut and ready to be sewn.
What are some tasks that you tend to overlook but could make life so much easier for you?
Have a wonderful week!

Friday, June 20, 2014

New Recipe New Card!
I thought I would share a simple simple meal idea.
It is not all that innovative but perfect for days when you don't feel like being in the kitchen, cooking a big meal.
{The day we had these was one of those days!}
I basically pulled out random things we had in the refrigerator to create...
Personal Pita Pizzas
You will need...
Pitas
Tomato sauce or Pizza Sauce
Chicken Apple Sausage
Spinach
Tomatoes
Onion
String Cheese (or any other cheese you have)
Dried Oregano
Dried Basil
{I sautéed the onion and chicken apple sausage first then layered everything on}
Bake 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes
.....
A new classic card for 4th of July
 {And every other day for that matter!}
Don't forget there are only a couple more weeks left of donations going toward 
Support this wonderful organization!
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Enjoy your weekend!

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Maximizing your Space
I've been trying to think of ways to maximize our small space.
I don't know what the future holds for us.. 
If we will still be living here when baby comes or not.
It's a constant thing I think about and to be completely honest, 
I have to remind myself multiple times a day to trust god with this. 
He has and knows the perfect plan for us and I need to rest in that.
Nonetheless, I decided that instead of feeling anxious about our space and where things will go, I would take action now. 
Finding ways to have more room and be better organized...
Here are just a few ideas!
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Shelving ideas
We tend to refrain from putting a nail in the wall, forgetting that it can be pretty simple to fill in if need be. 
 Baskets

A simple basket that can add a rustic and clean look to any room

 Storage Bed

Thinking about purchasing the brines ikea storage bed frame. 
Reviews seem to be pretty good not to mention the huge drawers it has.

 Re-arrange

Look at your space. Is there anything, anything you can switch around to better maximize your space?

Organizing your "I don't need this right now pile"
Do you ever move things to the garage that you want to keep for now and then months or years later why you even kept it in the first place. I think going through those piles every so often will help to keep things a little more neat.
Happy Organizing!

Monday, June 16, 2014

Father's Day and a New Card!
I hope your weekend was great, celebrating all of the wonderful dads out there.
I am so thankful for my dad and all that he does for our family. 
He works so so hard without ever complaining and always being positive.
He is a pretty amazing person!
.....
I have added another card to the website...
The Cupcake Card!
 A couple months ago, my aunt requested a cupcake card for my cousin who loves to bake.
So I am finally getting around to sharing it with all of you!
Every time I look at this card it I get a little hungry...
I think it would be a good idea to eat a cupcake while writing in this card :)
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Have a wonderful week!

Friday, June 13, 2014

New card and Fun News
I wanted to share a new sweet baby card with you all!
The perfect card for all of those Spring/Summer babies or new moms to be.
Speaking of moms to be...
I thought it would be the perfect time to also announce...
 that we are having a baby!
{I think Brandi is excited...but also in for a rude awakening!} 
We have so many emotions right now...excitement, nervousness, anxiousness, but mostly, we are beyond thrilled.
The sweet little baby is due in December and I am just beginning my 2nd trimester.
I was blessed to have only a week or so of queasiness and have been feeling rather "normal" otherwise.
I'm sure these next months are going to fly by...
I really want to enjoy each and every moment.
Working on not getting stressed as easily has (and continues to be!) a goal of mine
and something I am constantly reminding myself of.
It is a new stage in life and we are excited to embark on it.
God is entrusting us with this sweet little life.
  What an amazing journey this will be!

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Father's Day Gift Ideas
How is the middle of June already approaching!
Father's day is this weekend and I thought I would share some gift ideas.
.....
-tickets to a game
-favorite team t-shirt or hat
-guide books for fishing, hunting, or hiking
-clothing or items needed for specific activity 
.....
I think some of the best gifts though, may be some of the most simple.
A sweet card or letter
or a picture frame with the two of you.
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Have a wonderful week!

Monday, June 9, 2014

Bridal Shower
It was a wonderful weekend up in Washington,
 celebrating my beautiful cousin and her upcoming wedding!
My sisters, mom and I put on the shower for her which was so much fun.
We went with a simple elegance theme with touches of vintage.
I thought I would just share some of the details of the shower this morning.
As our favors, we had a table set up for people to make a sugar scrub.
Orange-mint
Vanilla-Brown Sugar
Lemon-Lavender
 Another activity included the Date Night Jar.
People placed date ideas in the apothecary jar for the bride to take home at the end.
For the menu we went with a cheese platter, crostini spreads, and a few simple salads.
One of our favorite spreads included Balsamic Roasted Strawberries spread over Mascarpone cheese on a cracker or baguette. 
Simply delicious!
One of my favorite tables...the cake table!
Three delicious cakes my mom made...
Champagne Cake
Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Rosettes
Lemon Cake
I hope you all had a lovely weekend and enjoy your week!

Monday, June 2, 2014

 Happy JUNE!!
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.
Where did the month of May go?!
It was a busy and productive weekend, getting multiple orders together.
But I was still able to get out and enjoy the sunshine...
that's the whole purpose of the weekend right??
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With June already here, I wanted to remind you that this is the last month 
10% of the profit from all sales will go toward the 
National Alopecia Areata Foundation...
A foundation supporting those who have been diagnosed with Alopecia and 
supports research to find a cure or treatment.
.....
Father's Day is just a few weeks away!
Think about getting your dad, grandpa, brother, or husband a card he may just want to frame!
 Have a great week!