spring...

Finally.... we got a sliver of sunshine today.
Ahhhh. It was so good!
It's amazing, I'm a true Oregonian through and through, but I tell you what, this year the non-stop rain is getting to me.
I am ready for some warmth on my skin, sunshine on my face, and dirt in between my fingers!



Today has given me a bit of inspiration to spruce things up around these parts. Time to get rid of the drab old winter stuff, and get ready to jump into Spring!

Love these two photos! (I don't know the source, sorry, googled some spring inspiration!)

Don't you want that chalk board???
I'm thinking a trip to the thrift stores or a few antique shops may be in my future to find a great frame to turn into a chalk board! I think this look would be awesome inside or out! What do you think? Are you ready for Spring???

inspiring...

I have two favorite magazines that make me giddy when I get them into my hot little hands. One is my favorite for it's ideas, and style, and decorating glorious-ness (yes, I know that's not a real word!)... and the other is a favorite for how beautifully inspirational it is. I thought I would share my two favorites with you, because as I was thinking of what I could blog about this evening, and my brand new copy of Flea Market Style sits beside me, I thought to myself, doesn't everyone know about this??? Then I thought, oh no, what if they don't. That's when I knew what to blog about! These two magazines are so worth sharing, especially if you don't know about them!



Meet Life Beautiful... she's a lovely magazine about well, life made beautiful.

{Life:Beautiful is a national, inter-denominational, Christian lifestyle magazine that celebrates an active, integrated faith. Built on a foundation of biblical teaching and encouragement for spiritual growth, Life:Beautiful offers relevant information and community for Christian women. The pages of Life:Beautiful showcase everyday experiences and activities, such as parenting, cooking, decorating, teaching, working, volunteering, resting, traveling and offering hospitality—all of which can be used to share the joy of the Lord.} taken from life beautiful website



Meet Flea Market Style, she's a magazine full of my favorite decorating style/ideals decorating with unexpected, vintage, finds found and re-purposed!

"Flea Market Style isn't only about creating a beautiful home. It's also a life attitude that's about looking forward to the day's adventures while honoring the past" Ki Nassauer - executive editor of Flea Market Style

So, if you haven't already met these two, you really need to drive yourself to the nearest local book store and find yourself a copy of each. Then sit in a quiet spot with your favorite drink, flip the pages, (back to front if you're like me) and ENJOY! Soak up all of the wonderful ideas and pictures and feel inspired!

Those are my favorites what are yours? I'd love to know if there is something really amazing out there that I've been missing!

every word matters...

Just ordered these two lovelies for our upstairs bathroom.
In our home, the upstairs bathroom is our girls bathroom.
I have loved this artists work for a long time, but hadn't had a good place, reason, or excuse to buy any...



...but, now that we're re-doing the girls bathroom, I thought that these two items would not only make a great decorative touch, but an awesome reminder, and blessing to the two sister's sharing the space!



I can hardly wait for these to come!
I am sooooo excited to see them in person.

The artist is: shelli dorfe - check her out! her etsy shop is called studio mela, it's truly LOVELY!

happy treasures...

So my dad was giving me a hard time tonight that my blog has been quite depressing to read lately... Which I couldn't even argue, because it has. Hopefully I haven't lost all my readers out there in this season of sadness in my life. Dad's critique got me thinking about what I have to share with you that is happy. I automatically thought of my favorite past time... thrifting. I love old junk! I love making it into something new, or re purposing it, or just giving it a new loving home.

When I was in high school I LOVED to thrift. I mean I did it ALL the time, most of my wardrobe came from thrift shops... and then I met Matt. He hated thrift stores. He found the whole idea of someone elses stuff totally disgusting. Slowing over time, I got him to appreciate antiquing (which lets face it is fancy thrifting), then I got him to garage sale/estate sale with me, and lately well he'll thrift if he has to, but it's my thing! My new found hobby, treasure hunting. It's fun to me. I love seeing what I can find and how cheap I can get it. I go through antique stores now and about choke at how much more things go for there.

Above pictured thrift or garage sale finds...
picnic basket - $4.99 (perfect for storing craft items and fabric)
old school desk - FREE! + a can of spray paint
pottery bowl with aqua interior - .50
raggedy Anne doll - .50 * vintage quilt $24
vintage canister with red handle - $10
yellow tea pot - .25
vintage books - .50 each at my fav thrift shop Vinnie's WE HAVE COLLECTED A LOT OF BOOKS!!!
old mixer $5 - vintage yellow measuring cups $3 set
Vintage 1950's Westinghouse double oven stove - TO DIE FOR! $250 (it totally cooks with love!)
Fairly large collection of glass canisters for pantry items, and crafting goods - .50-$3
Sweet little child's tin - .75

I could walk you around my entire house to tell you all of the stories about where most everything has come from and how inexpensively they have been purchased, but for now, I will leave you with these happy little thrifted finds! Do you like to thrift??? Where do you go? What's the best thing you've ever found? Does it make you happy? Do your children call it treasure hunting like mine do? Is it strange that my dream vacation would be going to the Midwest and doing nothing but to thrift, antique, and estate sale? I am pretty weird huh?!

places that inspire me...

There are places out there in this little internet world that I find inspiring...
I thought I'd share them with you.
Just in case you are in need of a little bit of Friday inspiration!

First I'll start with Fashion Love... Check out these fabulous sites!

Ruche {a new favorite!}
anthropologie {my all time favorite}
Lime Ricki {bathing suit love}
Etsy {fabulous handmade things!}


Blog love, these are the blogs I love to read...

Whatever
Just Us
Dreams of a Country Girl
Mt. Hope
Life in Grace
Heather Bullard
The Nesting Place
The Farm Chicks
High Heels in the Barn
imagine childhood

Friends...

Olivia's
Myya Says...
Your Street Photography
A day in the life of...
A love Story
Shana's Stories


Organic Love...

Simple Organic
shop imagine childhood
Food Renegade
Natural Kids
eat well guide
Organic Authority


Hope you enjoy!
Have a happy weekend.