My house - Part 1

I have realized that, for the most part, my favorite blogs to read are the ones where everyday people post pics of how they've decorated their houses. I love getting ideas for my own home and seeing the little crafty projects they have done. My house isn't anything like some of the ones I've seen but I thought I'd share it anyway. I think I'll do it in three parts so this doesn't become the world's longest post. Hope somebody gets an idea or two!

I'll start with the porch:

First of all, I have a slight houndstooth obsession. You will see it all around my house. I also have a Ballard Designs obsession. So when I saw this houndstooth doormat on clearance in Ballard's catalog it was a no brainer. The little bench and chalkboard easel came from an antique store. The bench was red but the perfect size so I painted it with leftover paint from my living room and glazed it afterward.

My favorite hobby is painting. Not walls, but objects or furniture. This year one of my favorite things to paint is flower pots. Right now this one is leopard print but who knows if it will stay that way the whole summer!

Next, my entryway. I love this secretary cabinet. My grandparents just moved into assisted living and they have passed down some furniture to me. This belonged to my grandfather's grandfather. I'm still in the process of decorating it but I thought I'd show it because I think it's beautiful.This cream can came out of their shed. I about had a heart attack when I saw it! I think my Papa thinks I'm crazy for wanting to display a "dirty" cream can in my home. It has the numbers on it and everything!This is on the wall opposite the secretary. I heart Uppercase Living. In fact, I think I might have an addiction. The "Home" is in a metallic silver.Ok, the living room: One of my favorite projects was making this coffee table/ottoman. It's soooo easy to do. Note the houndstooth pillow on the right. This wall color is Weekend Getaway from Benjamin Moore. It took me forever to find the right color. I wanted a soothing spa-ish blue-green color with the right amount of gray in it to keep it muted. Gee, I can't imagine why that was hard to find. The tray on the table is actually just a mirror. I painted it silver and glazed it to look a bit old.

This desk belonged to my grandmother on my other side. It was her great aunts. It is so neat to see something in my home and remember exactly where it always stood in my grandma's house when I was growing up. My grandpa found the little chair in his attic and I recovered the seat with leftover fabric from one of my couch pillows. The quilt was in their house too.

I am finally happy with my mantle. The topiaries are from Ballard Designs. The letter you can find at Hobby Lobby. It used to be gold but I just painted it silver and hung it from some cute polka-dot ribbon.

Lastly, my kitchen: Once again with the houndstooth. I'm not sure I will ever finish painting this table. On projects that take awhile, like this one, I get bored and move on to something else. Maybe someday..... Note the Uppercase Living above the mirror. Man, I love that stuff.

This silverware cabinet and sterling tea set also came from my grandparents. I grew up with her telling me that set would be mine one day so it means alot. Above it are a couple of canvases I painted to look like ones I saw in Ballard. On the other side of the window there are two more to balance it out. The edge of the chair you see will soon have a cream slipcover on it with a chocolate brown "S" painted on the back. Just waiting for my birthday money :)

Um, can you say easiest project ever? Think fabric scraps and lots of hot glue. Your done.

Another easy project: I taped off a rectangle on the wall and painted it with chalkboard paint. I then went and painted a silver border around it and hot glued on some rhinestones.

This little area is right next to my kitchen sink. I really need some cute dishtowels! If anyone reading this makes cute ones feel free to send me one!

This little corner is by my stove. The little birdie is holding my silver measuring spoons.

Here is my last pic: This area isn't finished because I have such cute plans for that silver tray. I saw this idea here. Just as soon as I can find what I did with my chalkboard paint I will be painting the flat part of the tray. I will then add a cute bow to the top and write different scriptures on it. Won't that be cute! I would just go buy more paint but since we are in Financial Peace University, as I have mentioned before, I don't feel Dave Ramsey would approve at this time. Bummer.

Hope you got some ideas! Tomorrow I will do our bedrooms!

Now Open for Business...

Introducing "Makeup by Hayden". Call now to book your appointment for your prom, wedding or special event.

Now that is artistry.

Cute finds at Walmart

A friend of mine had a great idea to do a post on cute finds at Walmart or Target. Since I was already in the store this past weekend to buy groceries, I decided to start with Walmart. Can I just say that people look at you strangely when you walk around taking pictures of clothing and shoes without ever putting anything in your basket. I somehow felt I was doing something illegal by sneaking my phone out my purse, snapping a quick shot, and immediately putting it back. Anyway, I did find some cute things.
First off, how cute is this tank? Pretty sure I want it in all the colors seen here. I would wear this with a pair of jeans and flipflops all summer long. Yes, I said jeans. If you could see the white-ness of my legs you would understand. Now, don't go buying the version of this tank with little peace signs or starts all over it, ladies. Not unless you are thirteen. The ruffle with the addition of a print like that makes it too juvenile. I think this was only $5.00. Woohoo!

Last year at Walmart I bought a couple of these sundresses that are gathered at the top and I wore them a ton. They are comfy and all you have to do is throw it on with some cute sandals and you are supercute in no time at all. I see this looking awesome with a gladiator sandal. I believe the price was $10.00. It also came in a purple color but I love me some chocolate brown with turquoise.

Ok, this picture is pathetic. I looked on their website for a better one but couldn't find it. I somehow didn't catch that it came out this bad or I would have retaken it. Just try to envision a cutey plaid top with a tie belt and ruffles in the front. Now there's a lot going on with this top so go simple on bottom. I love the idea of a white jean or capri and a metallic leather (or pleather, I have my fair share of pleather) sandal.

I have friends that look so stinkin' good in these knee length, bermuda-type denim shorts. I don't know if I'm too tall or what, but I always want to love them on me and I never do. For those of you out there that look cute in this type of short, check these out. They are only $15 and they have little patches of a vintage floral material showing through. I know that sounds a little young but I see it looking really cute with a plain white tank top and some flat sandals. Summer is the time of year where we can get away with things like this so go for it.

I am so firing myself from taking pictures. Ok, the thing I love about this sandal that you totally cannot see from this pic is that the straps are a satin material. That combined with the cork sole makes this perfect for summer. I also heart the silver version that is peeking into the right side of the picture. I think these were $10.00.

Since I have a little girl I can't go without mentioning some of the cute stuff I found in Hayden's section. If you have boys...sorry. I have no idea what is cute for boys and I couldn't even locate the older boys area in the store to take pictures. As soon as I feel Dave Ramsey would approve, Hayden will be owning this top in both the white and the plaid. Love!This tank too. It is $3.50 people!!!!! That ruffle is so stinkin' cute and it comes in a million different colors.Over in the older girls section I spied this cute tank. You can't really tell from the picture but the top layer has a sheer leopard print pattern to it. It is also a bubble tank so the bottom gathers up underneath. Too cute!
Lastly, still in the big girl area, I found these shirts. The remind me of shirts Old Navy has with random saying printed on the front. The great thing here is that it also has a supercute braiding detail around the neck and a flutter sleeve. I think these were around $4.50 and they also come in a lot of solid colors if you like the braid but don't want the extra stuff.
Well, that's it for this shopping trip. I would have spent more time but I needed to actually buy groceries, since that's what I went for, and get home to make dinner. Next time...Target. Until next time...

Hayden's Heroes 2009

Well, the next Great Strides walk for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is three weeks away and I am scrambling to get last minute donations and take shirt orders. My friend April is a graphic design artist and she did our Hayden's Heroes logo again this year. I luuuuuuuuvvvv it!

I thought I would post the link our HH homepage so that anyone reading this could join our walk team or make a donation online should they feel moved to do so. You can find it here.

Also, here is the link to the video of Hayden I created this year. I make one for the walk every year to let people know about her disease and to hopefully inspire people. If you watch it make sure you have your sound on. Otherwise you will miss Mark Schultz wailing on a song that makes me cry every time I hear it.

Thanks, friends!

Just to make you smile...

While I was at my parents' house on Easter I found some more fabulous pictures from my past and thought I'd share. I'm pretty sure that if you looked this amazing you would share too.

This is me on my first day of 5th grade...I showed this pic to my hairdresser, Brenton, and he said I looked like I was trying to be Debbie Gibson. This look does kinda scream "Electric Youth". I love the highwaisted, tapered pink pant. It's always a good idea to tuck your shirt into your stretch pants, I think. My Fantastic Sams nightmare hair (no offense to Fantastic Sams. I'm the girl who butchered my hair in 1991 doesn't work there anymore) looks just adorable with my Blossom hat, doesn't it? That's about all I can say about this one.

Next up, my 8th grade Valentine's dance...Ok, I know I'm pasty white now but SERIOUSLY! I have to say, no updo is complete without a pair of matching tendrils in front, and to show up at the dance without dyed to match shoes?....well, that would just be embarrasing.

I saved the best for last...Aint nothing like a thirteen-year-old trying to look forty. Now that I'm in my late twenties I can't really see the appeal in that. I was so in love with the picture at the time. I'm fairly certain that, had they let me leave Glamour Shots with it, I would have worn that extremely stylish sequin jacket to school because that's how cool I was. Except that I totally wasn't. Looking at these pictures I'm starting to understand why.

I would like to challenge all of my friends with blogs to locate their Glamour Shot pictures and post them. You know you have one.

Easter '09 - Pics Galore...

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter yesterday. My little family sure did. After a great church service we went home where Hayden and Ryan took naps and I did some cooking. For dinner we went to my parent's house where, along with Ryan's parents, we had a wonderful dinner. My mom set a beautiful table complete with china and we stuffed ourselves on ham, green beans, sinful potatoes, fruit salad, homemade bread and carrot cake. I made the cake from scratch for the first time off a recipe I found on All Recipes. It was soooooo yummy and, if you don't mind chopping a bag of carrots, it was easy. I'll post the recipe at the end of this post. Now for the pics...

We had Hayden's Easter egg hunt on Saturday since we knew it was going to rain on Easter. She loved it so much that we had to re-hid them so she could play all over again.

We wanted to take a cute posed family picture where all of us were smiling at the camera and this is what we got...

The Easter outfit! The pics we had taken at Portrait Innovations in her Easter attire turned out much cuter but posting those is kinda illegal so here is my handiwork....I love this picture of Hayden and her friend from church, Ellie. This is exactly what Hayden looks like when Wow Wow Wubbzy is on the tv....

Here she is with Ryan's parents aka "Chippy & Mimi"...

Unfortunately, my dad had already gone to get the car by the time I'd taken pictures so I had to snap the "Pa-Pa & Mommo" pic at lunch. Gotta love an Easter picture taken in Taco Mayo...

Here is the carrot cake recipe:

4 eggs

1 1/4 c. oil

2 c. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 c. grated carrots

1 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour either a 9x13 baking pan or two round cake pans. Beat together eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder salt & cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Bake 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

FROSTING: 1/2 c. butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

4 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. chopped pecans

Combine all frosting ingredients but pecans and beat until smooth and creamy. Stir in pecans. Frost cake once cooled.

Product...

People have been telling me that they are looking forward to my universally flattering cosmetic colors post. Ok, so maybe just two people have said that but it's enough to make me excited to write about it. So Molly and Jamie...this one's for you.
The most famous universally flattering blush out there is by Nars. The color is Orgasm. Yes, I know. I blushed just now (no pun intended) even typing the name but there you go. It can be found at Sephora and is on the more expensive side but it really is pretty amazing. Somehow it's pinky-peach golden shimmery color works on everyone. The blush became so hugely popular that Nars expanded upon it and created a lipgloss of the same color and name. Yes, I have owned it and yes, it is equally as fabulous. You can look here at their website to see all of their Orgasm products. That just sounds so wrong. I will say that if you have dark hair and olive colored skin (think Salma Hayek), then I wouldn't go with this color. It's too peachy for you but hey, if you look like Salma Hayek you don't need any makeup anyway. This is great for redheads, blondes, and brunettes if they have fair to medium skin.
For lips there are a few colors out there that I personally think look great on everyone. MAC makes a lipcolor, "O", that I love for the fact that it adapts to the person wearing it. Even on me it seems to look different depending on what I'm wearing that day. In the tube it looks dark, red-ish, purple-ish, gold-ish. When on, it takes on whichever of those colors is the most flattering on that person. I don't know how it does it but on some people the red tones stand out more and on others the purpley-plum color comes through. If you are a blonde, this is going to be more of a Fall/Winter or "going out for a night on the town" color for you. Brunettes, you can get away with it anytime, just make sure your eye makeup is toned down.
Another lipstick that I used to have and love a long time ago is Clinique's Black Honey Almost Lipstick. I can't tell you how many times I've read magazine articles talking about the flattering factor of this color. In the tube it looks scary - almost black. But when you put it on, it is a very sheer berry color that is soooo pretty.
Drugstore brand alert! Ok, here is another really weird makeup name: Wet 'N Wild lipliner number 666. Why would you even give it that number!?! On their website it has the number and a color name, Brandy Wine, but when you look at the actual pencil it just has the number. This is another one that looks different to me on everyone. I loooooove to put LipSmackers Lip Sparkler lipgloss in Vanilla Frosting over this pencil. It is sheer with a bit of shimmer and it moisturizes your lips while letting the color of the pencil show through. It is a bolder color. I like to wear it for photo shoots because it always shows up in the picture.
Here's one for all my blonde friends and brunettes with fair skin. Loreal Infallible lipgloss in Sunset. This is my latest obsession. Just go get it. You'll see. If you are a fair-skinned redhead this color will work well for you too. If you have darker red hair and are on the tanner side, go for the Barely Nude color.
Lastly, for the eyes, I love Clinique's Quick Eyes Cream Shadow in Sunlit Palm. It is a muted moss green with a bit of gold shimmer in it. I can't think of a friend I have that wouldn't look good in this color. Just apply the cream on your lid evenly all the way up to the crease. Pat it with your finger to smooth it out and voila! Just put on some mascara and your eyes are finished. I'm sure a color similar to this can be found at the drugstore too I just haven't found it yet.
Once again, I love getting your product questions so be sure to leave them for me. Until tomorrow...

Random Thoughts...

My friend Gena over at Harmonious House started something called Random Thoughts Thursday. Since I can't come up with any one topic to talk about and since it happens to be Thursday, I am going to steal her idea. Thanks, Gena!

First of all, here's my daughter's Spring school picture. I think she looks soooo cute and not just because I am her mother. I am fairly certain that I could be a complete stranger looking at picture and still think "That child is so extremely cute!" The OCD in me wants so badly to reach up and fix the random piece of pigtail hair, but her sweet little face is enough for me.

I found a new blog that I am obsessed with. This lady is the most amazing and creative decorator I have ever seen and I am so inspired by her. I was telling my friend Molly that I couldn't tell at first if the pictures were of her house or a gift shop she owned. Yeah, it's her house. You should check it out.

Lastly, I will bless all of you with this image of me from my 5th grade talent show that I recently found...

Special isn't it? So many things are wrong about this. I guess the leotard and bike shorts didn't already have enough pattern so I went on ahead and added matching ruffle socks and a scrunchie. And can we please talk about the fact that I am ten wearing an 80-year-old woman's glasses. Apparently the apples of my cheeks were also having vision problems at the time. I can't think of any other explanation for why the lenses would be so enormous that they cover half my face. And an outfit is never complete without the addition of a pair of my mom's earrings. The only thing I envy about this pic is the circumference of my thighs. I mean, I was working that spandex.
That's all from me. Until next time, my friends.

My husband needs a man blog...

I don't know about any of you other blog writers out there but my husband reads mine faithfully. He asks me every night if I have written a new one for him to read. He even read the one about mascara top to bottom. He says that it gives him even more insight into what is going on in my head. Sweet, isn't it? The other night, however, he started giving me topic ideas that he would like to see in my blog. I'm pretty sure one of them was about Michael Phelps. Still not getting where he was going with that one. I told him that none of what he was mentioning would be anything I would write about and that he should just start his own blog. Eventually one of the topics he threw out there was that I could write about him. As nonchalantly as he said it I knew he acutally meant it so I probed deeper. "Well, people can read all about you, Hayden and your friends but you don't ever mention me," He said. My initial reaction was "Hello! Your picture is right there on the side! And it is MY blog so it is kinda the thing that I have that is all about ME!" I'm not sure if I actually said any of that outloud which is good because it's really stinkin' selfish. I have come to the conclusion that he is right. He is, afterall, my husband, the father of my child, and my best friend. So babe, this post is for you.

Let me show you a current pic of my man:

I know, ladies, I know. But he's mine :) Now let me show you a picture of what Ryan looked like when we met:

Yes, my friends. He is wearing a dog collar. Ok, so here's the story...

My friend Jamie (now my sister-in-law) asked me one day what I wanted in a man. Eyeing her suspiciously, I rattled off a few key things on my man list. Her reply was, "That sounds just like Nathan's brother, Ryan". (Jamie married Nathan eventually, hence the sis-in-law title). Now I know what you are thinking, "Your requirements were that he'd have dyed blonde hair and a nice selection of fishnet shirts???". The funny thing about that picture is that it is nothing like Ryan AT ALL. His brother had asked him to play electric guitar for a show "Hedwig and the Angry Inch". His character was supposed to look like this - hair and all. This is how Jamie came to know him and how she came to decide that we were perfect for each other. His personality, not the hair. We arranged to meet after one of the shows. He swears that, even though we hadn't met yet, he instantly knew which one I was sitting out in the audience - that he was drawn to me. I was, at that moment, drawn to the fact that he looked totally hot rocking out on the guitar. We talked after the show and arranged to meet again. We decided with Nathan and Jamie that we would paint her kitchen that weekend. This was a good way to talk while staying busy and not having to sit and stare at one another. He still did some staring, however. He told me much later on in the relationship that my rear looked really nice in the stretch pants I was wearing. The funny thing is...I was kinda counting on that when I put them on. ;) From that evening on we were just...together. We were an instant couple and even though we were still learning each other, we both knew we were supposed to be together. Well, I knew. It took him a while longer to get there but that's beside the point. Within only six months we were engaged. I walked down the aisle to marry my best friend only a year and a week from the day we met. Six years later I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. God has blessed my life by bringing you into it, Ryan. With every year that passes I learn more and more about you, about us and about what an awesome team we are. There is no one else I would rather spend the rest of my life with - no one else I would rather raise Hayden with, share my heart with, share my hopes and fears with, share Mexican food and American Idol with...the list goes on and on. You are my man, and no matter your hair color... I love you immensly.

The reason my laundry isn't folded...

my new header. I love designing stuff on my computer. It is fun for me to design invitations and stationery orders for friends but mostly I find myself designing for no reason - designing things I will never use. It's theraputic for me somehow to create a bunch of little polka-dots or cut out the image of a flower with my mouse. It's the same with painting. So a couple of days ago I decided I would "pimp my blog", as my friend Molly says, and the blogs of my friends (see Ordinary Days, Diapers and Dishes. Others in progress) because apparently I had nothing else I needed to be doing. It is fun for me and I love being able to do things for my friends. But here's the problem with my artistic side......I can't shut it off. There can be a million things I need to do around the house and I am instead painting a flower pot in leopard print. It's like I have artistic ADD. Today I was walking to the laundry room with a pile of dirty clothes when I noticed that my brown leather magazine holder would look supercute with a cream fleur de lis painted on the front of it. I put down the laundry right there and went for my paint brush. By the grace of God, (I mean that literally because I have been praying for help in the housework department. Me actually doing it, I mean, not that angels would swoop down and do it for me.) I stopped, realized I was having a weak moment of screwed up priorites, and put the brush back. So I have laundry that is clean and no fleur de lis. It's a step in the right direction I would say. Now I just need to go and fold it....

Product!

My blogs have been on the deeper side as of late, which I love, because I have said what has been on my heart. Those who know me best, however, also know that I have quite the shallow, superficial, product-loving side to me as well. I am oddly proud of this side and my knowledge of all things makeup, haircare, etc. I am a marketers dream. As soon as I spot something new on the shelves of Walmart, in shiny new packaging, promising me fluffy hair or fringier lashes, I must, must try it. I'm pretty sure this obsession of mine is one of the reasons we are now enrolled in Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. So here's the deal....I have decided that from now on, whenever I am having trouble finding something deep or meaningful to write about, I will have a product post. I can just envision all three of my regular readers waiting on pins and needles to find out what bit of product wisdom I will impart next. Without any further delay... Let's talk mascara. I really don't know a woman who doesn't wear mascara. Even the most granola-ish person I know still wears mascara. If you have time for nothing else in your morning makeup routine, put on some mascara and try to tell me you don't look better. I have two favorites, one from the drugstore and one from the department store. I will talk about them both. I can say that Dave Ramsey would want you to buy the drugstore brand. I am currently obsessed with CoverGirl's Lash Blast. It's big ole honkin' brush grabs every lash and makes them super thick. Combine it with the greatest eyelash curler on the planet, Shu Uemera's (found at Balliets or Sephora), and your lashes will darn near reach your eyebrows. Ok, that may be an exaggeration. Still, it's the best combo I've found for the "as close as I can get to false lashes without wearing false eyelashes" look.
My favorite department store brand is Trish McEvoy's High-Volume Mascara. If you have a problem with your mascara smudging and you have 25 bucks that you just can't figure out how to spend I highly recommend this stuff. It actually creates little tubes on your lashes that will not come off until you pull/wipe them off in the shower the next morning. (That part is really fun, I must admit). It also does a great job of volumizing, hence the name, and the teeny tiny brush makes it easy to grab all those lower and corner lashes.
Well, that's all for now. Next time we'll talk about universally flattering colors! It is really sad how excited I am already!
Feel free to leave product questions for me, by the way! I'd love an exuse to do "research"!

My dearest Hayden,

I wanted to write down for you some of the reasons I love you and the ways you make me proud. This isn't a complete list - just some of the things that come immediately to mind.
I love your strength. I am so proud of the fact that you are willing to sit through hours and hours of treatments each day when I know you would rather be playing. I am so proud of you when you let doctors swab you, feel around on you, stick devices on you and even stick you with needles without crying. I am so proud of you when you fall down or bonk your head and get right back up again without missing a beat. I love that the strong mind you possess will take you far in life and far beyond any limitations that your disease may present. Your strength amazes me.
I love your compassion. I am so proud when your teachers tell me that you are the comforter in the class. I am so proud when another child's mommy tells me thank you for what you have done to help her son in class. I love that you are so concerned when you can tell that I am sad. I love that in those times, I find you rubbing my shoulder and giving me pats. Your compassion fills me with joy.
I love that you have your daddy's athleticism. I am so proud that you were moved up to the three-year-old class at gymnastics at the age of 2 1/2. I love that you can already climb the rope wall by yourself and that you are brave enough to try out the zipline all alone when no one is there to help. (Ok, I'm not gonna lie. That last one also freaked me out a bit! Freaked but proud.) I love that you can outrun me in our games of "I'm gonna get you" and that you can already send a soccerball sailing across the backyard.
I love that you like busting a move to Britney Spears with me and I love that you taught yourself to break dance. I love that when we were in Baby Gap you pointed out a dress and said "Oh, momma, that is just darling". I love that you are already starting to sing harmonies. I love that you love queso and chocolate as much as I do. I love that you will sit perfectly still and let me braid your hair five different ways only to end up wearing it down. I love that you have figured out how to bargain with me ("Just one more Capri Sun, Momma, and that's enough"). I love that you are as obsessed with lipgloss as I am (you just need to stop using my Bobbi Brown, child!) I love that, when I take you to the grocery store, you wave and say "Hi" to everyone in the parking lot. I love that you painted an entire "mountain series" with watercolors. I love that you are observant enough to point out the days I'm not wearing earrings. I love that your own form of dance is so special and unique that you were bored to tears in ballet class. I love that when I walk into the living room on Sunday mornings (the one day of the week I'm fully made up) you always tell me I look beautiful. I love that, at the age of two, you already can work my IPhone as well as I can. I love that you feel the need to point out every stop sign and every redbud tree that you see when we're out and about. I love that when you "read" yourself a book the words are always "I love Jesus and Jesus loves me and Jesus told me....and I told Jesus...". I love that you and I can quietly look into each others eyes and, without words, convey our feelings to one another.
I love that God found me worthy to be your momma.
Most of all, I love you.