Craft Show Bust

Well we hoped for the best... but alas.. we had terrible luck at the craft show we did Sunday afternoon. TERRIBLE.

My bestie posted a pic here. There are also some terrible pictures of me on there. HA!

Luckily a few friends noticed my pictures I posted on FB and I have brought my headbands to work with me so I have made almost $100 this week. That is awesome!

Look at this guy's dimples! Ha!

We are having a blast with our new FB page Homemade Housewives. IF you don't already like it, you need to like it ASAP!

You can take the girl out of the farm...

I have had a wonderful, relaxing spring break. I didn't accomplish 80% of my to do list... but oh well. That list will always be here.

I did however spend some quality time with my hubby, enjoy the spring weather, have fun pretending to run a bed and breakfast with my bestie and her fam, burn off my finger tips with hot glue while I made a ton of headbands, and most importantly reconnect with my roots and get centered on my dreams and the future. The quiet country can do that to you, if you let it.

Here are some pics of the week...

 Can you spot the tiny church in the back ground? Beautiful surroundings.

 Upcycled brief case. The picture says " Why I'd be delighted to put my needs last again." Good for lugging around your paper work, or even better your crafty supplies. I will be making more of these... happy with how this one turned out. I have several train cases that I am going to turn into sewing boxes. Everyone needs a sewing box.

 Springtime wonderfulness. So pleased with this batch of headbands.

 All four dogs trying to get on my lap at once.

 Agro-toursim at its finest. Early morning chore time with the sun barely up.

 Toasted peep cookiewhich. I think I should patten this master piece. We wanted to have a bon fire, but it was too windy, so thanks to the toaster oven we still had smores. mmmm.

 Paddleboat. Not for me. EEK.

New curtains, brightening up the tired old living room.

 April is Autism awareness month... its what I do peeps. Love my big A babies. Don't know what I would do without them... Support the cause.

 I don't know why coffee tastes better at other peoples houses, but it just does. I think the reason here is some kind of magical vanilla flavored spray whip cream. Hope my mom doesn't care that I pretty much have eaten the whole can.

 Besties.

 Brings back the memories.

 Oh to have a farm some day....

 Even Meadow wants to be a farm dog. She found some cows milk that was meant for the sheep dog, and went a little wild. Can you see her milk beard?

Pink sunrise.... Such a lovely way to start a day.

I'm sad the week is over, but it really has been great. I'm feeling renewed and refreshed....

Spring Break on a budget

I am lucky enough this year to be off work for a whole week! I have a giant list, which at the top of is getting ready for a craft show March 17th.

Not working, in part, (due to one of my jobs) means a smaller April paycheck. I am going to try really hard not to do any frivolous shopping or dining out. Lucky for me though, I have a groupon that I am going to use for a lunch date this afternoon! Woo hoo. I could also do some serious damage with my stash of target gift cards from the wedding, but I am going to wait for the Mr. to spend that. I think we decided the number one thing we want to get is silverware. We have like 3 spoons. I think I have eaten yogurt or oatmeal for breakfast on the go too many times and have lost them all.

Who knows, maybe with this extra time I will post two days in a row!

 I can't wait to get going with all these craft shows we are doing! We have a busy spring schedule!  So fun! This is Emily at Squidfoo last month. Love the look of our/her booth design!

Dino baby

There are so many fun looking baby friendly crafts on pinterest! It is enough to make my head spin!! I have been wanting to make this for quite some time, but was waiting for the perfect occasion. What could be more perfect than a 1st birthday???

I used this link from pinterest : http://diyingtobedomestic.wordpress.com/2011/09/23/dinosaur-hoodie/

I am in love with this blog name! So creative!! Anyway, I have been a blogging/ blog reading slacker lately. I just look at pinterest these days.

I thought her tutorial couldn't be easier.

 Success! Dino baby loves his sweatshirt!

 It was a really great birthday party! A lot went on in February! I'm grateful for a little rest... whew.

I have a ton of spring cleaning, rearranging, cleaning, painting, updating projects I want to do. Bring on the nice weather!

Thunder Sleet

I am happily enjoying a "snow day" today! It is actually thunder sleet though, kind of crazy scary weather. I wonder what tomorrow will be like. I haven't seen any road crews go by my windows. I have a big list of things to do today... but have yet to accomplish anything. Here is my plan:
Make chili
Make my nephew a birthday present (can't tell, sometimes my bro and sis in law read my blog)
Start putting away wedding decor
Do some sewing!

I should pay bills/do work paperwork, but I am just not sure I can handle that on a day like today.

Our wedding reception was really amazing and perfect. I need to do some posts of the crafts and decorations and what not that I used.

I'm really ready to get to "real life".  Its been a crazy few months...

On trend

Sometimes with all these social media outlets, its hard to remember what it was like when you couldn't reach one person in 10 different ways. I could do with out it all I think. All except for Pinterest. I really don't know what I did before it! I catch myself looking at it if I just have a few seconds while I'm waiting in line somewhere, or during the commercials, or if I can't sleep at night. Yikes.

I have being seeing all over the place these "green monster smoothies." I pinned a few, but I wasn't too sure. Seems to me like if half the ingredients are spinach, it might in fact, taste like spinach. Not so my friends! Lucky for me I had an ancient bag of frozen pineapple/mango bits hanging out in the depths of the freezer. There are a million links out there and a ton of recipes, but I'll just tell you how I threw it together because I am too lazy to go find one. You folks are privileged to be getting a blog post these days. I have a bit on my plate what with the reception coming up.

The first one I made, I just put a few leaves in. MAYBE a handful. I've progressed now, after the initial fear. The one I made pre-work out (that's right, I worked out today too) today I filled half my blender up with spinach, little stems and all. I also added maybe 1/2 to 3/4 cup frozen fruit, a little container of lime activa yogurt, and some water to blend it all up. Oh and don't forget a squirt or two of honey. mmmmm.

Very green. And oh so tasty!

In the back of the picture you can see a little peek of the glorious cake stands we have been making for the reception. Just hold on to your horses, the reception is going to be so beautiful!

Honeymoon!

We had a wonderful time at Big Cedar this weekend! We can't wait to go back. This has been such an amazing start to 2013... can't wait to see what other wonderful blessings are in store for us.

Throw it together Thursday

I don't know about you, but I am notorious for deciding to make dinner based off of one ingredient I have, then going to the store to get "the rest" of the ingredients and somehow spending $50. As our Newlywed resolution (one of them) we are really going to focus on our budget and getting some debts paid off. Tonight I was determined to make a tasty and healthy dinner with only things I had on hand.

The result? Chicken breasts wrapped in bacon topped with caramelized onions and melted peppered Gouda cheese, roasted potatoes, carrots and onions, and seasoned green beans. Did you think for a second I abandoned my plans and went out to eat? Not so!

Mmm. It was so tasty. I even made enough for left overs for the hubs lunch.

I am hoping I blog a little more this year. Maybe every Thursday I will throw together some tasty creation. Sounds fun to me.

We got hitched!

I am so happy to be starting 2013 as a Mrs!!!

At last, its almost done

I was looking for a good before picture of this table, but I couldn't find it. I think I bought it last summer at a yard sale for $20. Not too shabby. It however has taken be forever to work on it! I have had grand plans but never seem to find time to work on it.

The other day Emily and I had a crafting marathon (much needed) and just before quitting we decided to stencil the design onto the table. We didn't have a plan, we just went with it. As you can see in the middle, is a very nice deer head with some awesome swirly antlers. Chance called it a "fantasy buck" whatever that means.

It looks a little iffy here.. I know.

It gets worse before it gets better:

I know that is an awful picture, terrible lighting. I let Chance help me pick out the stain. He wanted one called black cherry. It looks a little purpley here, but that was before you wipe the extra off.

I will post a another, better picture of it this afternoon hopefully. This morning I added the first layer of sealer. I think in will be awesome when it is done. The stain did tint my white paint a little purple, but I think it looks cool.

Here is my dining room window, all decked out. I have more little bottle brush trees to blog about too, but you can see a couple in the window sill here.

Have a good Monday! 

Grinchy grinch

Doesn't Meadow look like Max from the Grinch. I think that is one of my all time favorite Christmas movies.

I need to get busy! I want to make Christmas cookies for school tomorrow and I need to get going on some Christmas cards!

I know this is short, but at least its something!

I can't wait to show off the secret projects I have been working on for Christmas.

Christmasy

I am the worst blogger ever! I want to! I do, I really do. It just seems like its always the last thing I have time for these days. I decided if I had someone to follow me around and take picutres of all the stuff that I do, then I could blog more. Ha!

You all know I am a pinteresting fool. By  the way I wish I had invented pinterest. I went a little glitter crazy last week.

 Don't pay attention to that little place on this poor deerys antler. I'll touch it up. I also made some glitter pine cones. So festive. The deer came from here. I started following her on pinterest after reading her blog a little. Fun!

 I love wrapping Christmas presents. I stock up the year before after Christmas, then its so fun to re find all the things I bought the previous year.

Well me dreams came true last Saturday and Emmy took some pictures for me. I'm spoiled, you could say.

Thanks for still reading my blog, even though its only once a month. Smooch.

You win some, you lose some

Emily and I had a busy weekend last week. We had a booth at a little flea market/craft show in Billings called Vintage Cottage. We had hoped that we would sell, you know, everything in our collective inventory, but alas... we brought home a lot! I haven't been investing as much time into my crafting as I wish that I was, so all in all I feel motivated to get to work and build up my inventory for craft shows this spring and fall. Emily and I have some lofty goals. Maybe I will make enough with my crafts that I won't have to work PRN anywhere. That would be awesome.

I mean look at all that cute stuff!! Who wouldn't want to buy that! Speaking of which Emily has posted a lot of new stuff on her Etsy shop, so go check that out!

We also hung out Saturday with my Momma at her open house for her pottery studio. It was very fun and I hope she does that again next year. She had a lot of customers come out!

We brought aprons and wreaths there and made a few sales, so that was oh so very nice. The best part of the weekend though, was introducing Huck and Gibbs to each other. It was precious!

 Gibbs likes to pull Aunt Ash's hair.

Is your heart melted yet? How could it not be with those cute baby faces!? OMG. These little boys are destined to be best friends. ESPECIALLY since my brother and sister in law are moving back to Springfield. I am so happy, words can't describe.

Hope you're ready for Thanksgiving. Maybe I will post something between now and then.

<3,
Ash

cathartic crafting

I love knitting in the fall. I can't do it in the summer, but as soon as the first crisp day comes, I'm ready to dig out some project I started the year before. I posted a picture a few days ago of the pumpkiny scarf I am working on. I like knitting for its brainless quality. I don't follow patterns and generally I don't switch stitches. There are far better knitters out there than me, but I like being able to knit without thinking and without looking. It makes me feel like less of a bum if I am knitting while watching the Voice and other generally brain melting type television. I would like to get a little better though, so I could knit something like this very cute hat:

So cute. Porkchop has generally been uninterested in Huck until now. I think he was mystified by him getting up on his hands and knees. He was talking to Huck and Huck was laughing so hard. It was very precious.

Like knitting, I find embroidery to be quite cathartic. I have to look while I do it, but it doesn't require much thought at all. I whipped this little number and a matching bib up for Huck while he was napping the other day.  I hope he likes it!

I like making onesies. It is too fun and so easy. I have some fun Christmas fabric I might have to do something with. Too bad I don't have anyone to make a Hello Kitty outfit for.

Sepia Saturday

I have had some of the laziest weekends over the past month. It was nice. Well deserved even. October means fall for me... and I certainly am ready for it. The fall is the most perfect season ever, and it makes me feel energized and excited.

I mentioned earlier that I am working on my craft room... getting it organized and turning it from a junk pile to an inspiring oasis. I have been yearning for the perfect working desk. One that is nice a sturdy that won't shake when my sewing machine works too hard, and one with plenty of drawers for all my junk.

What a steal for $15! If you figured it per pound, it would be basically free. It was quite the feat to get it loaded and unloaded, but oh so worth it.

I even tricked my bestie into a breakfast date! Huck loves breakfast dates.

I literally did nothing else on Saturday after that. It was delightful! I really am sad we didn't have a craft booth this year though... I am looking forward to it next fall. My crafts might be commonplace on pinterest and etsy, but here in the Ozarks they are still new and fresh and different.

The time has been flying... here is some of what I've been doing...

Starting a new job has been more stressful than I predicted it would be. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my new job, but it has came with challenges.

I know I am an awful photographer... but I will show you all some pics of what I have been up to lately anyway. I will get better, I promise. (someday)

 Babysitting this cute kid. Garage saleing, going to the park, drinking lots of pumpkin spice lattes.

 Family dinners.

 Trying, failing, and trying again on "easy" pinterst crafts.

Making tasty dinners for my honey like spinach, grilled onion, bacon, and Alfredo french bread pizza.

Going to baseball games.

Going bowling with my honey and my friends.

Oh and some more babysitting with this little fellow. So precious.

Last weekend Chance got to ride this really awesome bike designed for people with disabilities. It was pretty sweet.

See? This is why I am a terrible blogger.

But maybe I am getting better.