Friday, August 31, 2012

fff vol 30


Favorite finds from the last week: 

1. Etsy find of the week: Squirrel Spoon

I just love this print from Sandra Dieckmann Illustration. Fall is my favorite time of year and the cooler nights are making me so excited and are making me crave falling leaves, hoodie sweatshirts and camp fires.


2. Blog of the week: Outliving the Bastards





"We left conventional living for something a bit more adventurous. This is our journey out of SF to life on the road with no finalized destination. "So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space." - Edward Abbey"

This couple is amazing. I am in awe and envy over their life of adventure and unconvention. 

3. Please can I move in?



All that's missing is a garden..


4. Get in my belly... 




the mister was saying last night that every house should have a minimum of four boxes of brownie mix on hand at any given time. ever since he said that I have been craving brownies. ..yum... brownies....


5. Tee shirt of the week from Threadless



Threadless is having another $9.99 sale. Always the best time to stock up on lots of great shirts!



Soooo glad it's friday! We already had Monday off for the holiday, but I have the entire week off! Woo hoo. (Yes another vacation haha) Last of my soaps will be made and then work on my lip balms and finishing up packaging and crocheting scrubbies. 

This long weekend I am mainly looking forward to finally getting back to the Farmer's Market. We haven't been able to go for the last three Saturdays (hence the reason why I haven't had a market post in a while) due to either one of us having to work or having projects to do out of town. It will be nice to see all the vendors again and get some fresh goodness. We are totally out of our yummy butter and I'm also out of my jams that I get there. Other than that. I believe the mister will be working on last minute finishes on the truck. Hopefully he can get it all set so that we can take it for an adventure on Sunday! 

What are your plans for the weekend?

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

anniversary...


I never dreamed of the "perfect wedding" The big white dress and all that. It was never my style. I actually didn't even think we'd ever get married. But I figured..eh, what the heck..



Three years ago today, the mister and I finally tied the knot after being together for 11 years. We are definitely not a "traditional" couple. We never celebrate anniversaries or special dates. Like I told my mom, "We've been together now 14 years. Three years of marriage means nothing. The only thing that changed was the way I do my taxes and my last name". I actually had to go back and look to figure out what the actual date was, some reason I always think it's the 26th but I know I would have never picked an "even" day to get married on..so then I remember it's the 29th haha. What a system I have huh?!

Our wedding was very fitting for us. Very informal at my sister's house (who owns a fall festival/ corn maze). My aunt (who I spoke about recently that has passed away) married us in front of about 100+ family and friends. I had originally wanted it to be a pizza party but my mom didn't like that idea so she rented us a food truck to go along with the carnival type theme we had going. There was a cotton candy machine, popcorn machine, and sno-cone machine. And no cake - instead there was an ice cream truck that played it's music and drove around giving out "free" treats to any and all that wanted them.

The attractions: corn maze, bouncy pillow, corn cannons, industrial sling shots, pedal carts, my sister even did a pig race! (I was like seriously?!? pig racing at my wedding! hahah) But everyone loved it. Lastly..a dunking booth. And yes, I got dunked. 

The afternoon turned into a complete torrential down pour. Everyone was covered in mud and was drenched. I actually apologized to everyone that it had rained. I felt so horrible about it that it ruined the day.



I had a lot of fun creating the invitations, RSVP cards and Direction cards. My parents said they had a few friends that thought a carnival was coming to town and almost threw away the cards because they didn't realize it was our wedding!

A few of the highlights...
top row: Brian, Kevin's older brother. Us, well..you know..kissing..
bottom row: Kevin's oldest brother Jason (they could be twins except Jason had crazy long hair), Brian..being well..Brian and Townes, my best friends super awesome kid. 


(dress was from Anthropology)
(mister's clothes - van sneakers, element pants and shirt)

Here's to three years of having the same last name..and 14 years with the same mister...love you mister!! 

and ps. i love the bunny - you just have to learn how to give a present a little better! hahah

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

what the??

Huh?!?!

I checked my email today and received a bunch of comments on the past two posts and for some reason they are not on the blog. Has anyone ever had this happen?

I use intense debate. The comments that are showing up, somehow people posted through blogger. Where are all my comments that people posted with internse debate? I want to reply back to y'all!?!


UPDATE

ok- i think I have it fixed after much searching. what i found is that if someone comments on your blog with their phone that it actually overrides and uses the blogger system and will delete out all your comments if you are using the intense debate platform.

it stated that the fix was to change your mobile setting template to "custom" and that this should force the comments to go through the intense debate platform. it also stated to change your setting so that you have to approve any comments left through blogger. so i changed both and we shall see.

so i wanted to apologize to everyone that left comments and well wishes for my new business. they meant a lot and i really appreciate all the hopes for my new business to succeed. i am hopeful that i have fixed this problem and that no comments will get deleted in the future.

thank you all again! and i hope i may have helped anyone out there that may have experienced this for themselves on their blogs!!


drum roll please......


Introducing... THE HIVE botanicals. The labor of love I've been working on for months and months is almost ready to be launched. While I'm not going to open my shop until the beginning of October, I figured I would give everyone a sneak peak.



If you are wondering why the delay in opening my shops doors, it's because I am going to be taking part in a craft show the first weekend in October. So I have been crazy busy trying to get product ready for the show. Seeing that soap takes 4-6 weeks to cure, I have to have everything made by the beginning of September. I want to be able to take as much as possible with me to the show..hence..the doors will stay closed at this time. I'll continuing producing all through September so that I will be fully stocked come October.

I will be selling 15 different "flavors" of soaps, 8 different "flavors" of lip balms, a salve (that can be used on fresh tattoos to pesky burns), and scrubbie wash clothes that I have been crocheting up.

Here is a mock up of the lip balm logo/package. They will come in 1/2 oz tins, which is way more than you usually get in those little plastic push-ups. Plus it's earth friendly packaging!
It's a quick mock up. Anything can still change! Up until this past weekend the fonts, design and layout were all completely different! You all know me enough by now that you know I would never be able to not change my mind on this sort of thing at least once, twice, three times...

I can't even explain how exciting this has all been to me and how gratifying it is to see everything finally come together after months and months of research and development. The soaps are amazing, as are the lip balms. The mister and I have been using the soaps every day and they are super sudsy and moisturizing. I'm just finalizing scents and different soaps I'm going to be offering. Lots of work but hopefully it pays off!!

Just wanted to give y'all a sneak peak into what I have been so feverishly working on these past few months!!



Sunday, August 26, 2012

dear creatures dress take two?


I wanted to offer up my Dear Creatures dress again in the hopes someone may want it for this fall. It's a gorgeous dress (it's the red plaid one). The money will go toward getting a few more much needed things to launch my new shop...

I bought the red and gold Blossom dress from Dear Creatures when they had it on sale to get ready for their new Spring line. While I love Dear Creatures clothing, their return policy is less than desirable. No returns, only exchanges for a different size. When I bought it they were already sold out of size small, so I bought a medium and it doesn't fit.



It is excellent quality and is fully lined. Obviously the tags are still attached. I even put it directly back into the bag they had it packaged in when they sent it to me and it's been sitting in the box for weeks. I hate to just see this dress sit at my house, in the bag and never be worn.

Is anyone interested?

I would like to get $70 for it, which is what I paid. I'll even throw in free shipping. Make me an offer!

Buy Handmade vol 19

This week I travel North to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada


Name: Kate McCurrach
Age: 28 (as of Aug 25th!)
Occupation: crafter/blogger/science enthusiast and weekday morning barista

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a crafty gal born and raised in beautiful British Columbia (Canada) and currently residing in our province’s capital! I love creating, designing, illustrating, painting, and packaging all sorts of cute and colourful (mostly science themed) goods and peddle my wares online, in shops, and at craft markets.

When did you start creating and how long have you been on Etsy?

I've always loved making things with my hands and after graduating with a degree in cellular, molecular, microbial biology, I ran into a few health problems. My plans to change the world of science were put on the back burner and with three months of modified bed rest I started crafting. Internet selling was the next step. After all, I am overly enthused about everything science and figured the best way to spread my excitement was by selling cute science crafts! My creating has since spread into all sorts of geekery and I continue to explore new media and techniques (although I do have a soft spot for illustration, felt embroidery, and crochet). I am a strong believer that science + cute (generally in the form of anthropomorphized wide set eye smiles) = awesome!  It has been almost four years since I started creating handmade goods for resale and am as passionate about crafting and science as ever!



How did you come up with your business name, is there any special meaning behind it?

When I decided to start selling on Etsy in 2008 I knew I wanted to find a name that helped identify myself as a science geekery shop.  I also really wanted something to be quirky and catchy and although I came up with a ton of fun names when I went to open my store online, I found that many of the names I was aiming for were already taken! I ended up choosing “scientific culture” since “scientific” mentioned my underlying theme and the “culture” half could reference both manifestations of civilization or cell growths (like a bacterial culture)! Hooray!

How would you describe your creative process?

I have always been an enthused and excitable person and find that my creative process is sort of like a huge burst of crafty passion! I will have a light bulb moment of inspiration and immediately get my thoughts onto paper in list (and often doodle) form.   After eagerly spilling the details of my potential project to my loving (and ever supportive) partner Fraser, I will rush out to pick up supplies (if they aren’t already available in my craft room) and get creating!  Of course, just like with most outburst of creativity, some projects are more successful than others but regardless of the results it is almost always enormously fun and if nothing else, highly entertaining. 

Where do you get your inspiration from?

My inspiration varies depending on what type of craft project I’m working on.  The majority of my illustrated designs come from conversations I have with friends where I constantly anthropomorphize objects and decide how much cuter the world would be with little smiling objects (ex. happy glassware).  Fraser always seems to fuel my creativity by filling my imagination with a positive happy spin on life (or as we call it “sunshine and kittens”). 
 Most of the inspiration for non-drawn craft projects stem from the internet.  I am admittedly very addicted to blog reading, pinterest, and sites like craftzine and love seeing what other people come up with! I do seem to go through phases where I’m obsessed with a certain crafty trend (i.e. dollies, pom poms, chevron stripes, and geometric shapes) and try to come up with ways to incorporate them into something I can sell at a market. Throw in some muted jewel tones or a ton of wool felt and you’ve got one potentially amazing craft project waiting to happen.



Do you also sell your work at craft shows? What shows have you taken part of, and do you have a favorite? 

I have been doing craft shows and markets for three years now and totally love coming up with display ideas and being able to meet customers in person. I actually took the plunge into markets based on an email my bestie Lindsay gave me advertising a small (conveniently free) market in Kelowna.  Since then I’ve participated in the biannual “Fabulous Finds” markets in Kelowna, the Artisan’s Square Market in Kamloops, and am currently participating in the Bastion Square Sunday Market since I’ve moved to Victoria.   

·         How long does it take you to prepare for a show? Do you have any special methods of getting ready?

Much like most elements of my life, my organization is entirely list based. I brainstorm what I’d like to have prepared (or in my case – over prepared) for a show and write a prioritized list of what I need to do in order to make that happen. When I started doing markets a few years ago I would craft up a storm and have many sleepless nights as I excitedly and frantically tried to prepare enough stock.  Now that I’m a bit more experienced I find I have enough product in my craft room to fill the majority of my booth and can just casually craft up a few new items for a month or two before I am ready to set up.




·         Describe an experience from a show (good or bad) and why that pushes you to continue with your work       
   
The first big craft show I did was Fabulous Finds.  I had been preparing for months and once the weekend finally rolled around Fraser and I loaded up the car and headed to Kelowna (a good 2 hour drive from our home base in Kamloops) to participate. Once arriving to set up the atmosphere was buzzing with positive crafty energy and full of amazingly talented and interesting artisans! I loved being able to network and discuss craft selling with my peers and once the doors opened and cusomters started piling in it just got better! I had an overwhelming response to my booth and couldn’t help but gleam from the first four hours of super ego boosting compliments! It was such a nice change from the summer bazaars I had been doing in Kamloops where 1) it was painfully slow and 2) most of the potential customers would just tell me my items were overpriced.   I even met some lovely shop owners who wanted to sell my goods on consignment and by the end of the weekend I was ready to quit my day job and take on crafting full time! Of course, once the excitement settled, I realized with all the chronic health problems I suffer from I am not ready to leave my cushy health benefits package…but it did make for one heck of a weekend.

What is your most cherished handmade item?

After my sister bought me a “learn to crochet” kit in high school fell in love with hooking with cotton yarn.  I used to make up my own patterns and projects I shared on Crochetville (well before diving into blogging) and this past winter I had a week of renewed crochet love when I made myself a granny square lampshade.  It took an awful lot of trial and error and after battling the picky “how the heck do I attach this thing to this makeshift lampshade” dilemma – it was finished. My labor of love granny chic lamp was complete and it still warms my heart with kitteny softness each time I glance at it.


Apart from creating things, what do you like to do?

Much like many of the crafters out there, I have a soft spot for blogging. I really like being able to share my crafty adventures online and although I mostly ramble off about a million different projects I never find time for, it is certainly an enjoyable past time.  When I’m not crafting, or writing about crafting, you can find me shopping at locally owned quirky shops, accessorizing budget fashion outfits, socializing over a pot of tea, bird watching, nature loving, bargain hunting, concert going, or Murder She Wrote watching! Okay, so the Murder She Wrote thing is totally just a phase I’m sure I will get over once I’ve made my way through the 265 episodes on Netflix, but you get the idea…

If you weren’t an artist, what would you be and why?

When I was a kid I was determined that science based jobs were where it’s at!  Even though I kept up with my artistic endeavors, I love the challenge of academia and as I mentioned earlier finished a Bachelors degree in Science.  I worked a few lab jobs during my education (at a water microbiology lab and a genetics lab) and if I hadn’t suffered from some serious health problems would probably still be working as a scientist.  Becoming ill was actually the turning point in my life since the three months of modified bed rest gave me ample time to craft up a storm and lead to the opening of my Etsy shop! Sure I still love science, but being happy and healthy is my main priority in life and lab jobs just don’t fit the bill anymore. 




Five years from now you will be…

In five years I hope to be fulfilling my dreams of being a highly educated crafty housewife.  I’ve already got a BSc and a ring so I figure it is a very plausible goal to aim for.

Describe yourself in five words:

creative, interesting, happy, thrifty, and enthusiastically passionate




Carrying on with the five theme, if I were to turn on your <insert whatever type of music player you use here>, what five artists/songs would I see on your recently played list?

Much like most areas of my life, I go through phases but right now my most played artists include: Mother Mother, Metric, Dan Mangan, Rufus Wainwright, and The Beatles

Lastly, do you have any advice for anyone thinking about opening their own shop or participating in craft shows?

Enjoy what you do. If you are passionate about making something it shows and being able to share (or even perhaps sell) something you’ve put some loving energy into is an amazing feeling! Focus on the details and treat each purchase like it’s your first.  Think about what you look for in an etsy shop or craft booth and try your best to exceed expectations! If success isn’t thrown at your right away, don’t fret – keep plugging away with your work and don’t get discouraged.  Try to get feedback from customers and peers and roll with what works! If a certain item is a really hot seller than consider experimenting more in that direction. Keep positive!



Yesterday was Kate's birthday, so go on over to her blog and wish her a Happy 28th!! Love ya, Kate!!

Friday, August 24, 2012

fff vol 29


Favorite finds from the last week: 

1. Etsy find of the week: Cherry Dog Bed




This dog bed is simply gorgeous! Unfortunately it's a bit out of my price range but one can dream of having beautiful things, right?


2. Blog of the week: 



If you don't know Nina, you should. We actually "met" through Etsy and formed an amazing friendship. She's from Norway and is simply the coolest. I dream of one day saving up my pennies to go visit her because it sounds breathtaking where she lives. Check out her blog though. It's filled with Etsy interviews and vintage treasures. She always picks out the most amazing finds.


3. Please can I move in?



This room is so fascinating to me. I just keep staring at it and exploring the shelves. I would love to have a room full of shelves with random objects. 


4. Get in my belly... Red Currant and Poppy Seed Bread




After making two batches of poppy seed soap - both failing to keep the scent (we won't talk about my frustration here!) I've been craving some poppy seed bread..and boy does this one look so tasty!


5. Tee shirt of the week from Alberto Cerriteno



This tee shirt is perfect. I love the colors and design. It is a shirt that definitely looks as though it should be part of my collection.


I'm so happy for it to finally be the weekend. It was a very long week at work and I've super excited for this weekend because (fingers crossed) K's truck should be completed!! This means an adventure is in store! Now everyone PLEASE, fingers crossed..it's been far, far too long to get this thing on the road!

Anyone have any exciting adventures planned? 

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

funk master t..


Summer is almost coming to an end and per usual I didn't get nearly as many projects done as I would like. Actually hardly any at all. Most of the time it feels like I am always waiting for something to happen, instead of just taking it by the horns and saying, "You're coming with me" I've also been in this semi funk the past couple weeks. I think that the "interview" hit me harder than I would like to admit. Every time I have it set aside and in the back of my mind, someone else seems to bring it up and it's like tearing off the band aid all over again. 

Normally people being stupid doesn't bother me. I usually shrugged it off and say, "their loss". Two things bother me in this situation. 1. Their blatant rudeness and disrespect for me, especially the tone in their voices and them being condescending.  2. (and maybe the worst part that I'm having trouble getting over) I am extremely competitive in nature. I do not like to fail and do not take second place lightly. I push myself in everything I do to perfect it and be the best I possibly can. So the thought of someone else "beating" me out of this position when it has nothing to do with my background and/ or qualifications is tearing me up inside. I really am trying not to dwell on it. But I happened to talk to my mom this morning about it and it brought all my frustrations right back to the surface. I actually wasn't planning on telling her. I love my mom, but my parents do not agree with my choices in appearance and never have. I knew that telling her, she wouldn't be able to fully understand and I would get the "I told you so" sort of speech.

I am very open minded am really good at seeing both sides of every story. Like I explained to my mom, "I understand that it may not be something normal that they see every day and I can appreciate that they may be taken back by it. However, I will not tolerate someone disrespecting me and talking down to me because of it. My appearance does not make me any less intelligent." She actually was really cool about the subject. She explained her side, I explained mine. 

Where I stand now...this situation made me realize how much I do not belong in corporate America inside a cubical. This situation is what is pushing me even harder with my new business. This situation and how I respond is what will define me. This situation has only made me stronger and them more ignorant. 

This situation opened my eyes, took me out of my comfort zone that I had fallen into and is the catalyst for me to say, "Screw you cubical! I can't live in a box anymore"


you know where to put that leaf blower..

(an old picture where Mr Enzo my kitty who has since passed away decided he wanted to help decorate the dog cookies for an upcoming show - a definite smile was had while shaking my head)

We all have those days..those days in which any little thing sets off. No real reason, just lots of little things that add up over the course of a day, week or month that lead us wanting to tell someone exactly what they can do with their leaf blower that they have been using for HOURS on end because they are too lazy to sweep a small parking lot. God forbid a few leaves in a doctors office parking lot. How unnatural to have leaves on the ground! Ahhhhh see.. now I feel better! Just kidding (though that guy is completely annoying especially when he's been doing it for the past two hours I've been working)

Anyway, when I get annoyed about things that would normally not make me upset. I take a deep breath, shake my head and then try to focus on the small stuff. The small stuff that happens every day that puts a smile on my face. The small stuff that I look forward to on a daily or weekly basis. This is something I have done for quite some time and find it helps me relax when I feel myself extremely anxious. When I saw my buddy Nicole put up a daily highlights post yesterday it was perfect timing. It's something I sit back and think about quite often, so why not share with all my lovely readers out there?!

So here it is..a few of my favorite moments of the day:

  • Checking my email on my iphone at 4am and seeing I have a new email, while I let all the dogs outside to pee
  • Climbing back into bed and getting to sleep another hour after said peeing and checking email
  • The days in which I get to start my day by working out and then signing on to my computer to work from home 
  • Lola sleeping at my feet
  • Ella coming and wanting to give me hugs after her first morning nap
  • Both Ella and Lola (even if they are in a dead sleep will wake up) following me into the bathroom while I take my morning shower, both sharing the bath mat relaxing until I'm done
  • Work from home days = lunch with the mister
  • Hearing the mister opening the front door and the girls go crazy in anticipation of him coming in and rough housing with them
  • 3:30, enough said!
  • Brainstorming and making lists upon lists for my upcoming business venture
  • Updating my blog and getting awesome comments
  • Crocheting in bed while watching random Netflix shows with the mister
  • Laughing until tears while K and I make up stories about the girls. (the most recent one was after watching Rocky 3 - K said that Ella was going to produce a remake. she was going to be Rocky and Lola was going to play both Mr T and Apollo Creed. Ella was fixing to give Lola a Mr T hair cut and then also was going to give her a perm to transform into Apollo. It was going to be a tough two rolls but she had faith in Lola to be able to pull it off. We always put them in human elements of walking on two legs and having these larger than life personalities. Just like Ella's secret identity - Luigi. We could probably make millions turning these into childrens movies or books!)
Sometimes it takes just a moment for you to sit back and think about all the little things that put a smile on your face through out the day. Forget about all the crappy stuff going on and just be thankful for what you have.

What puts a smile on your face through out the day?


Sunday, August 19, 2012

Buy Handmade vol 18

This week we are headed to Donetsk, Ukraine.





Name: Taranukha Nataliya
Occupation: economist
Age: 37


Tell us about yourself:

Greetings to all! 

live and work in DonetskUkraineIan economistMoreoverIvery inquisitive and creative personJust because of it my hobby appeared….

When did you start creating and how long have you been on Etsy?

Everything began two years ago. I wanted a new dress and somehow miraculously I found myself on some Russian website “Master’s fair”, and just there, later on the same day I stumble upon a “needle felted toy”. Firstsuch collocation puzzled meThen I pasted the phrase into Google and found a lot of photos and information… And I’ve understood – I’ve fallen in love, it’s mine 

My first toys I just presented to my friends, then my first customers appeared. When I saw that adult, imposing, and self-confident men are laughing having received a cat as a gift, I opened my first small shop on the Russian website of handmade articles. And only this year in April  my Etsy shop was opened. Now little by little, I get into the nuts and bolts of the website and find my customers, but sometimes I have problems with the language barrier 

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I draw inspiration from my life – my mother and my friends. Sometimes my toys have their names. I adore people with a great sense of humor, I get a lot of positive emotions while communicating with them and they inspire me to create lively and cheerful characters. But the most important thing is that all my toys have a soul. And I should thank my loving and beloved people for this.

Moreover, I like cartoons – kind, cheerful, insightful, sad, but surly with a happy end. I know that practically in every adult person there is a child eager to play. My creative work is exactly for these people.


How would you describe your creative process?

I always compare the felting process with plasticine modeling. All people did it in their childhood and didn’t think how to make a favorite character from the picture. I think that it just happens out of intuition. 

Of course, ideally, I try to find the picture or the action figure of the character (or the photo – if people order the copy of their pet) from different angles and in different positions to clearly imagine all the sizes, curves, scopes of the toy, but sometimes I can just see some funny animal in the picture and want just “take it out” of the plane and make it alive. And in this situation I have to come from what I have – that is only the picture, and to think up myself what is missing 
  
Apart from creating things, what do you like to do?

I don’t know…Maybe as for the rest of things my life is similar to the lives of thousands of people. As well as other people I like relaxing, travelling, visiting new cities and meeting new people. In addition, I like knitting a bit. I hope to open one more small shop of knitted, felted clothes and accessories by this fall.



What is your most cherished handmade item?

I like making cats – it seems to me they have come to us from some other planet – they are too intelligent, attractive and affectionate. And some people say that cats are the gods’ eyes.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

It's going to be all right!

I’ll try to improve myself as a master and surprise you with my new characters. Perhaps my hobby will turn into work which will give me joy. I hope that we all will be come much happier



Do you have any advice for anyone thinking about starting their own shop?


Better be sure than sorry...... You will definitely find people who will help and support you. You will have grateful customers who will keep coming back to your shop and buy something new.




Friday, August 17, 2012

fff vol 28

Favorite finds from the last week: 

1. Etsy find of the week: Personalized business card stamp





Everything I am thinking of lately revolves around getting my business up and running. When I saw these stamps I thought they were really cool. They have a lot of different designs and can even do custom images.


2. Blog of the week: Thompson Family Life




I have been reading Danielle's blog for quite some time. Currently she is on an amazing overseas adventure that has me drooling at all her beautiful pictures. 


3. Please can I move in?



I love this house. The mister and I had looked at an A frame house when we were still living out in Massachusetts and every once in a while I think about that house. 

Check out the before and after photos through the link in the transformation. The views from inside are stunning from every angle. So green and lush.



4. Get in my belly... 



This looks delicious. Usually during the summer months I never eat pasta. But for some reason the past few days I've been craving some. This looks like a very simple recipe that can take away that craving!


5. Tee shirt of the week from Gama-Go



I love Gama-Go tee shirts. Their designs are so cute and the quality of the shirts are super comfy and soft. I may just have to splurge and nab this one before the sell out.

This weekend is the huge antique fest. I can not believe it's already mid August. How did that happen?! None the less, I am so excited to go on our adventure this weekend and hopefully find some good bargains. What are your plans?