Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Thursday Night Lights

Okay, so that's misleading, unless by "lights" I mean awesome cocktails and company, which I clearly do. The Beautycounter event is THIS Thursday, ladies!  Who's in?

You Know You Want to Go
RSVP right here.  Oh and by the way, I am so in love with these products!  Look, if it's good enough for Gwyneth, its good enough for me!  And nothing will part me from my Lustro #3, no way, no how!

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Monday, April 28, 2014

Summer Travelin' Made Easier with Scorebig

Every summer for the last few years my husband and I have dropped our kids off at the "Farm," (their grandparents' house), and taken off for a week or so to attend his annual work conference.  Work for him, vacation for me, awesome.  We've been to D.C., Chicago, Philadelphia and this year we're heading to Denver.

And everywhere we go, we hit the ballpark for a game.

Chicago Highlight: when our friend Dave bit into his brat and juice squirted all over the back of the meat-head in front of us.  Fortunately, he was a friendly meat-head.
The hubs is a huge sports fan and I'm a huge chillin'-on-a-pretty-day-with-a-beer-and-no-kids fan.  It's a win-win.  So as we plan for this year's trip I was so excited to learn about Scorebig, have you heard about it?  They offered me a gift certificate to try out their website.  Man, am I glad!  The website was super easy to use and has a huge selection of tickets.

So how it works is Scorebig allows you to bid on tickets to major sporting events, concerts and other events.  You name your price and then your offer is immediately accepted or declined.  Our first offer was declined, but with a counter-offer for just a few bucks more.  In every case the tickets are cheaper than buying through the traditional box office.  Y'all know I love to save money.



Even better, we were able to score club-level tickets to the Rockies game, which are no longer available through the Rockies website.  To summarize, we bought tickets that aren't available anywhere else, and we saved money doing it!
Can't wait to enjoy this game!

Interested?  You can check out all the events in your area (or wherever your travelin' feet may roam this summer) by clicking right here.

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P.S. This post is sponsored by Scorebig, however the opinions are mine, all mine.

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Thursday, April 24, 2014

An Update from the Couch

Hey friends!  I've missed y'all.  I have been here on my couch, pretty much for a week and a half (okay, there was that one day I had to drive my boy to preschool).  Just sitting.  Remember how I said, He gives us rest?  Yes He does, when you've got a bunch of stitches and it can't be helped!

I've been reading more blogs and had a fun surprise when my Kitchen "Mud Room" was featured over at Green Willow Pond on Wednesday!
http://www.greenwillowpond.com/2014/04/what-we-accomplished-wednesday-51.html


What has been interesting to me is what bubbles up when you must be still.  When email, Facebook, and Pinterest are all checked and double-checked, then what?  I have been hearing from Him about where He wants me to go, creatively speaking.  Usually I am too busy to listen, ya feel me?

So, I am pondering these things in my heart and hopefully you will be seeing some new stuff, sooner or later. In the meantime, I'll be around more in the coming weeks sharing my crafts and Pinspiration and DIY. See ya soon!

Love,
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Tuesday, April 15, 2014

When You Don't Have a Choice

Hello friends!

(By the way, if you are here, we are friends.  Even if we've never met in person!)


We have a robin sitting in a nest outside our garage pretty much constantly.  She is waiting for her four beautiful eggs to hatch.  And she seems to be waiting pretty patiently, as far as I can tell.  If you're anything like me, it can be hard for you to just sit.  If there is something that needs doing, I want to be getting it done! Even if I just sat down. Even if I need a break. Do you ever sit down with your husband or significant other, start watching a  little TV, and then suddenly get up because you just remembered where you put your seam ripper, or that a blog post needed editing, or paperwork needed filling out, or because you meant to put the next load in the dryer?

Usually, being this way is a good thing because it makes me productive.  On the flip side, it can make me scattered, over-worked and not pleasant company.

Well, starting today I don't really have a choice.  I am having minor surgery this afternoon to remove some atypical cells from the skin on my stomach.  (Oh!  Haven't been to the dermatologist lately?  Probably want to get on that, friends!)  Anyway, even though the surgery is minor I am expecting to be waylaid. Sitting flat on my behind for a good week and a half, because that's how long I will have stitches and have been told to take it easy.

There will be no bopping about nesting.  There will be no suddenly getting up to go do all thousand random things that need doing. Also, there will be no blogging for a little while.  I will have to rest.

Surgery is a bummer, but having to rest?  That is frightening.

Or so my thinking has gone.  But it is occurring to me, as the surgery has gotten closer, that I need to take advantage of this forced respite from my own craziness.  I need to sit and be still.  I need to read good books and maybe a trashy magazine or two.  I need to organize pictures on my laptop and ignore all domestic duties.  Not as a lifestyle, but for a little while.

And I need to draw near, and listen to that still small voice.  Sometimes we only do that when we don't have a choice.  Hopefully you are not having surgery today.  But hopefully, you will join me in some much-needed rest.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
Matt 11:28

Love and Blessings this Holy Week!
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Monday, April 14, 2014

Amazing Deal Alert!

This one is fabulous, y'all!  Check it out:


If we didn't just get our pictures done, I would be tempted!  Wondering what an "Organic Bloom" frame looks like? Here's mine, although they come in many different styles and colors:


I chose the weathered edge for some character and contrast:


They work really well into gallery walls or as a focal point in your vignettes:


Of course, the one you get with this session is smaller, but equally beautiful!  And with a 20% discount on all products, you can go wild! Email Lindsey right this second and reserve your spot, ladies!

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Thursday, April 10, 2014

Pinspiration Thursday No. 12: Ingenious Spice Storage? And a No Cost Pantry Clean Up

Happy Thursday!

It's one of my favorite days of the week.  First favorite is Sunday.  Then Saturday, Friday and Thursday. So, yeah, it's actually smack-dab in the middle.  Moving on.

Here's my pinspiration this week, straight outta my Organizing and Keeping Home board:

Frugal-Freebies.com: Frugal Tip: Pantry Organization - Hang a shoe bag on the back of your pantry door! So much more storage, especially for the little things that get buried or lost and forgotten. Photo Credit: joyfulhomemaking.com
Photo: Joyful Homemaking
And here is how it's lookin' in my own pantry:




So, here's the scoop.  We own every spice.  And it was so frustrating trying to find the right one, especially since I had not even taken them out of the boxes we moved in.  So, when I saw this idea on Pinterest, I knew I had to try it with the empty shoe rack I had hanging around.  I will report back on whether it is an actual improvement!

While I was at it, I also organized and straightened up my pantry.  I have already shown you a cheap pantry clean-up once before, but apparently I enjoy repeatedly humiliating myself.  In fact, this post is really good for me because over the weekend someone told me that coming into my home is like walking into a Pinterest board.  Ha!  When I retrieved my inflated head from the ceiling, I just had to laugh.  She never saw the pantry!!!

So, fair warning: the following is not gorgeous.  I do not have tons of beautiful matching containers, or even pretty labels.  Or anything.  But I wanted to show you what a difference you can make if you just go ahead and clean it up, zero dollars required!


It might appear like not a lot changed, but there is a ton more empty space which makes me happy.  And everything is in a spot which makes more sense, too.


I have all these awful boxes for the security system in there, so I decided to make the most of them and use the fact that they are magnetic to my advantage.  Cute kid artwork in the pantry cheers me up!  I used Command hooks to hang aprons in this little tiny corner, since they were previously on the door where the "spice rack" is now.  Also, I had to hang my hubby's meat brand.  What?  You don't have a meat brand with your initials in your pantry?

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Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Can We Go On a Date?

Hey friends,

So as you may recall, I have a new sponsor: Beautycounter by Emily Anne.  Well guess what?  She is inviting us all to a super swanky evening of cocktails and conversation!


It is at a super nice restaurant, Vivace, here in Charlotte and I would love to not go alone! So, wanna come? To RSVP just click here, and of course let me know!  We can ride together:)

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Monday, April 7, 2014

Before and After: Our New (Old) Couch

Hi there!

I just love a good "Before and After" and this one will not disappoint!  Remember that old nasty couch I bought at a yard sale last summer?  It was gross and it looked like this:


Well, she's had a maekover!!!  My ugly duckling of a couch was recently reupholstered, due to the kindness of a generous benefactor who shall remain unnamed.  Okay, she won't: it's my mom.  Thanks Mom!  But before she got her new clothes on, I had to do somethin' about all that wood.  This room already has enough of it!

So, I painted it with Annie Sloan chalk paint in French Linen and Old Ochre.  I got mine from Artisan by Design at the Sleepy Poet Antique Mall in Charlotte.  I just want to give Jere a shout-out on this one--without him I would have been lost on which colors to choose.  He was SO helpful!


And I painted...and painted...and distressed...and then I waxed with S.C. Johnson paste wax (which I know not everyone uses over chalk paint, but the end result is durable and lovely, so I recommend it).  And then she looked like this:


Well, after two weeks out with Design Services of Charlotte, she came home and she is perfect!!!



If you need to reupholster your own ugly duckling, I highly recommend Design Services, they were awesome.  Once again, the Before and After:



And, for curious eyes out there, here is how the Family Room is looking these days.  You will notice I have extra back cushion covers, so I can mix and match those pillows:

We have new paint and a new couch.  Next up: armchairs and a larger rug.
Oh!  And no, I didn't get a dog.  That's my mom's dog who is just visiting but insisted on being in the picture.

Remember the "Before" on that one?

This photo from when we first looked at the house, that is not my stuff but it is my family:)
So...making progress!

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Sources:
Paint: Muslin by Sherwin Williams
Couch: Yard Sale:)
Fabric: Tony's Fabric
Sconces: Hobby Lobby

P.S. I'm lovin' the Linky's at:

http://missmustardseed.com/2014/04/furniture-feature-friday-14/
The Style Sisters

Friday, April 4, 2014

Please welcome Emily Anne with Beautycounter! (and a Special Offer, too!)

Ladies (and Gents!),

I am so super excited to introduce you to this gal.  Her name is Emily Anne and she is a rep for Beautycounter:
Meet Emily Anne, isn't she adorable!?!
What is Beautycounter?  It is an amazing line of skin care products and cosmetics which are completely safe for your body.  They're 100% free of the questionable chemicals you will find in most beauty products.  They have the most rigorous requirements of any company in the U.S., and in fact they never use any of these ingredients:
 Did you know that 80% of the ingredients in beauty products have never been tested for safety?  It is crazy to think about how many of us worry about buying BPA-free sippy cups but never think about the chemicals we are slathering all over our skin every day.  These products don't have anything in them that is even questionable.

That is just the first reason I love these products.

The second reason?  They are amazing.

Emily Anne sent me a complete line of skin care products to test, and I was really amazed at how much I liked them.  I didn't want to send them back!  I will be honest: historically, "natural" products leave me wanting more.  These truly did not.  I loved the cleanser, moisturizers, eye cream, and uplifting spray.  All amazing.

Photo: Beautycounter
My favorite product was the Lustro Face Oil--I started mixing just one drop into my moisturizer every morning and my skin is dramatically more radiant, smoother and healthier feeling.  {Love.}


Photo: Beautycounter
Beautycounter also offers a new anti-aging line of products (Countertime), as well as cosmetics and safe, lovely products for cleaning your kids (Kidscounter)!




Big bonus: the products look great on your bathroom counter!


Needless to say, I am thrilled to welcome Emily Anne and Beautycounter as a new sponsor of this blog. Try these products--you will not be disappointed!

To help you get started, Emily Anne is offering a free super-chic Beautycounter branded pouch (worth $30) when you order a Face Collection or the Anti-aging set!  Just order here (look for the That Mommy Blog link), and like Emily Anne on Facebook here.  Easy peasy!!!  

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P.S. This is obviously a sponsored post, as I received a complimentary trial and discounted products.  As always, all opinions are 100% mine, all mine!