Hi!! || + free printable

My husband told me I should poke in, even if it's just to say to hi.  He's such good husband.  I know some of you have seen my rug post that went live maybe a week or two ago.  I still have it in my draft folder ready to be published ... again.   You can probably even see it if you read this blog on Bloglovin'.   I loved that post.  It took me a year to gather my information for that post.  I feared that post was read totally wrong, and it began to make me feel guilty.  It made me feel that I was bashing, when in reality, I was not and simply stating the truth about a company I would purchase from again.   Blogging can be hard at times for that particular reason.  This space is a place for me to share.  Share my home, share my life, share my makes, share information I have gathered over time or through experience.  Would I seem fake if I didn't share true experiences with you?   I find myself in such a bind in this particular moment in my life, and I know that you have no clue as to what bind I am talking about.  I hope you don't mind that I'm just writing.  I rarely do that here.  I rarely babble on this blog.

The real reason I popped in is to let you know I am here.   I've got some really exciting news heading this way soon, so stay tuned.  That's why I am not here on the blog.  I wish I could be.  Bear with me.  I did make you a free printable though.  Enjoy that while the posting is infrequent.  I shall return!  Promise!

"She believed she could, so she did."

I'm believing and doing, and I cannot wait to share with you my good news.

Click here to download your free printable 8" x 8" copy.

xx nancy

P.S.!- Did you know I leave for the United Kingdom really soon?!?!  Probably not, but I am telling you now!  I have plans to visit Scotland, England, Ireland, and hopefully Sweden and Denmark.

P.S.S.! - I am waaaayyy more active on Instagram, so follow me there!  Plus you'll see loads of pictures from my trip on there too.  Not on IG but interested in my photos?  Let me know, and I might collage them here on the blog.

One year ago: Horse Stamp Tutorial
Two years ago: Lulu DK

Rose Bowl Flea Market

Wow.  This flea rocks.  Of course, there were some junky areas, but overall, I really wish I had a U-Haul to take back to North Carolina.  Raleigh, NC's flea market is pretty big too, but the Rose Bowl, which only happens once a month in Pasadena, CA, is at least 3 times the size of Raleigh's market.

I started out a little late getting there around 9:30 a.m.  There were lots of clothes, antiques, new items, home accessories, and of course, vintage items and collectibles.

I thought this art could be a fun DIY project.

I was drawn to this X for some reason.

I really, really wanted one of these signs, but they were so heavy and cost a little more than what I was willing to pay.

Old children's books turned into art.

For some reason I wanted this picture.  It was only $10 too, but I was afraid I was going to dislike it once I brought it home.

Lots of hardware.

Book page blocks.  I was going to buy a few these to go on a bookshelf, but I opted out.  I thought maybe the print was too small for guests to see, so it might come across as just a large black rectangle when looking at them across the room.

I should have taken a lot of up close photos of the items in this booth.  This was probably my favorite booth there.  Lots of fantastic vintage items.  I was particularly drawn to the Borden milk box and old metal canisters.

Um, how cool is that fan?

The funny thing about this post is I forgot to take photos of the things I bought.  I didn't buy much.  Okay, I only bought two items.  A sign that said "N St" and a small brass pig.  Yeah, I am shocked too.    I walked in there with the idea to spend some money on some items for our home back in NC but the nagging reality of having to make sure it fits in our car was in the back of my head the whole time.  So if you are ever in the Pasadena area during flea market time, go check it out!  But remember there is barely any shade, and this flea goes on and on and on.  There's lots to see!

Have a great weekend!  I am spending the weekend with Grandma from OR, and we are taking Owen to Sea World today.  Yippee!

25+ sharpie projects || roundup

 

1. Faux Malachite Knobs from Teal and Lime ||  2. Eggs from Dream Catcher
3. Wallpaper from Sharpie Blog ||  4. Mugs from A Beautiful Mess
5. Catchalls by Stephanie Lynn ||  6 .Lampshade from A Little Glass Box
7. TOMS from LDC Designs  ||  8. Chair Seat from Emily via Little Green Notebook
9. Rocks from Sweet Paul Magazine

1. Pumpkins from Paper and Stitch ||  2. Dress via Honey Kennedy
3. Ornament from Jazzy Chalks ||  4.  Garden Markers from Shine Your Light
5. Onesies from Delia Creates ||  6. Wall Frames from Better Homes and Gardens
7. iPhone Cover from Expect the Unexpected with Denise
8. Anthro Inspired Mugs from Home Heart Craft || 9.  Flooring from  Heike Weber

1. Santa Art from Bower Power ||  2. Lamp from Vintage Revivals
3. Pillow from dear Lillie  ||  4.  Clutch from P.S. I made this
5. Keychain from How About Orange ||  6.  Coasters from Sharpie Blog
7. Nails from the Beauty Department || 8.  Campaign Shelves from Our Fifth House


Here are two projects I did using Sharpie markers.

Sharpie Art

Sharpie Wall 


Are you going to jump on the Sharpie bandwagon?

My Buffet's Life Story

If my buffet area could talk, it would tell you that has lived through many different phases and styles.  It has also experienced claustrophobia and loneliness on many occasions.   If you are on Facebook, I shared with you this photo awhile back stating I was warming up the little spot.

And then there was the whole debate about my ampersand, and we went back and forth about it.  BUT I replaced the ampersand (still have it though) with a Kokka ladybug.  Kokka as in fabric manufacturer not as in type of species.  :)

So let's see how this space has evolved over the years.   You like before and afters, right?!

This is the photo I took when we were looking at our house to buy.  It had just been flipped, so everything looks really nice.  Pretty, huh?

This is what it looked like the first year we lived there.  (Furniture is placed so because I was using them as markers for a possible kitchen expansion. What?  You don't do that too?)

This photo was taken right after Owen was born 3 years ago.  (We've been in the house for five.)  I HAD to whiteout the person in the photo because that person would have KILLED me for sharing this, but it was the only photo I could find with this buffet.

Can you see that large square picture frame and tiny two door buffet behind that white mess?
Wrong scale of art?  Check.
Really small furniture?  Check.

So I switched those out with wider art from World Market and placed a longer dresser below it.  Recognize that dresser?

I eventually switched out the white dresser with this dark one I found at a flea market (<-- I still like that post).  I put my pear light on top.

And then I painted the walls gray.

Overtime, I decided all of that was looking a little too dark.  I moved the artwork into my craft room and moved the pear into hall bath.  I created some new artwork, and this is where I am at now.  (I finally replaced my card table with a tripod leg kitchen table.  You can read more about that here.)

The basket holds my vegetables and fruits.  I would like to quilt a runner for the buffet.

ART (left to right)

Skinny laMinx
Sharpie Art, made by me
Sugarloop
Picnic table paper from Target that I moved from my kitchen to this area
Kokka ladybug from Stamped

So far I am enjoying it.  I do like change, so it won't be a surprise to me if I mix it up again in the future.

Isn't interesting to see how tastes change and your style evolves over time?  This post was a little bit of an eye opener for me.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  I will be spending my weekend at High Point Market.  I've got my friend, Sarah, tagging along with me this time, so I'm super excited to have someone join me!

Because It's There || A little DIY art tutorial

$1.29 frame found at the thrift store + 2 Sharpie markers.

Nice art that's left open to interpretation.

"Because it's there." - George Mallory

Inspired by this Society6 print.

PLEASE WAIT. I'M BUSY BEING AWESOME

Designed and made by me.  Please do not copy or make this print for yourself.  Thank you!

I made this print the other week (a great scrap buster project!), and I thought today couldn't be any more appropriate to express this exact thought.  I have felt a little overwhelmed the last two weeks with my to-do list, most of which I unnecessarily brought on.  But don't we, as the creative type, usually do that?  I certainly have been busy.  All of last week, I watched the sweetest little girl, and Owen was happy to have someone to play with, even if she was two years younger than him.  Besides the normal life of being a homemaker, wife, and mother, I have found some time to do a little sewing.

  Man, there is so much I want to do with so little time on my side.   And I can't even think of all the quilts I want to make in the future.  One of them being an x + quilt, which Bijou Lovely has sparked this desire within me.   You must check out her x + quilt.  AMH's Field Study is showcased very well.  A collection that I didn't love entirely.  Oh my gosh . . .  was that blasphemy in the quilting world????  I do own a few of the prints in Field Study, but there were some, ahem cheetah, that I could care less for.  But Holly makes me want to copy her quilt to the T.  I don't think I can stop gushing or daydreaming about it.

But back to being awesome.  It's a nice reminder.  Something we should always think of ourselves but sometimes feel opposite of in a competitive, digital age.



Today I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced.