Well hello, sweet friends. Have you forgotten what it feels like to see a new blog post from me? Several weeks ago, I decided to momentarily close the etsy shop and take a little break. I never intended to take such a break from the blog as well, but life spun out of control for a little while, and I simply had to tend to the chaos that had become our daily lives. It had gotten to be too much for me to handle.
I’m still trying to find the perfect balance between work and life. I’m not there yet, but I’m working on it.
I’ve finished all of my major writing projects and I’ve gone to youth camp. I’ve washed about 511 loads of laundry and changed as many diapers. I’ve gone running and rocked with Micah and read countless books. I feel like life is finally back under control (for the moment, anyway), and I’m ready to slowly add a few things back.
I quietly reopened the etsy shop at the end of last week, and a couple of orders have already rolled in. I’ve also got a smaller writing assignment to complete in the next couple of days. Life right now is good.
I know that there is much to share with you, and I’ve been promising you updates and backstories for a while now. I’m planning on handling some of that over the next few weeks. I promise I won’t be gone for nearly as long next time. You’ll be hearing from me soon!
Until next time, grace and peace.
I am blessed to have amazingly talented friends, and today, I’d like to introduce you to Caytee Belle’s Classics, the etsy shop of one of my favorite people in the entire world, Carly Carman. Carly is one of my best friends, and she’s also an incredibly talented and creative lady. She’s a good friend to have.
Remember that owl dress that Micah wore at her birthday party? It was a Carly Carman original. She’s also appliqued countless shirts and onesies, crafted a really special teddy bear, and even made some flannel sleep sacks for Micah. Did I mention that she’s a good friend to have?
A few of my favorites from her shop:
{1} Monogrammed Teddy Bear, {2} Tinkle Tents, {3} Travel Tissue Holder, {4} Cuddly Stuffed Owl
Her etsy shop is filled with all sorts of sweet little things for kids – and she has some things for mommies too. You should definitely stop by and visit if you’re looking for a unique gift for a special little someone in your life. Next time you have a few minutes to browse through etsy, head on over to Caytee Belle’s Classics on etsy and send Carly some love!
Until next time, grace and peace.
Saw this little cutie on How About Orange earlier today and had to share it with you. I wish I had found these little owls before Micah’s birthday party! How cute would they be as table decorations?
Click on over to 3EyedBear to download a free printable template for this owl, which is available in several different color choices.
Until next time, grace and peace.
Well, it’s been a while since I regaled you with a list of my favorite things, so I thought it would be appropriate to share my latest obsession: dangly earrings.
My sister gave me this jewelry tree for Christmas a couple of years ago, and for two years, it sat empty on my dresser. Every time I looked at it, I knew I needed to dress it with my baubles, but I never got around to it.
Until now.
I’ve recently acquired several pairs of fabulous earrings, and they just don’t fit neatly into the slots in my jewelry box. So finally, the tree is dressed.
What do you think??
I don’t really wear necklaces very often these days, since tiny toddler fingers like to grab and pull them, but Micah doesn’t seem that interested in my earrings. Which is good, since I would hate to give them up. As soon as I slip a pair into my ears, I feel pretty and grown up, even if my hair is in a ponytail and I don’t have any makeup on, which, let’s be honest, is most of the time these days.
So, without further ado, I introduce you to a few of my favorites.
I acquired the first pair at Francesca’s Collections in New Orleans. They are, hands down, my absolute favorite pair of earrings. They match everything, and they’re dressy without being overly fussy. I actually thought I lost one of them the very first time I wore the earrings, and it was devastating. I was relieved to find the earring in the floor of the car later on. Crisis averted.
The middle pair is another Christmas gift from my sister. They’re delicately beautiful, and I love their simple elegance. Since they’re silver, they go with everything, and they’ve quickly become one of my top picks each morning. They came from Apple Champagne, a fabulous little etsy shop that I can’t recommend them highly enough.
The bright red pair was a pleasant surprise. Back in November, I submitted Senojal Designs to the oh, hello friend holiday trade guide. Sadly, Senojal Designs wasn’t chosen, but the comments section was an open forum for anyone who was interested in trading wares. I left a comment, and I was delighted to receive an etsy convo from the lovely RJ of Designed by RJ. She wanted some stationery. I wanted some jewelry. It was a perfect match. I’m sorry to tell you that she’s on maternity leave at the moment, so you’ll have to wait a while if you go looking for her wares, but believe me when I tell you that it’s worth the wait.
So there you have it: a few of my favorite dangly earrings.
What’s your favorite piece of jewelry?
Until next time, grace and peace.
I’m slightly addicted to Google Reader. I may or may not check it a little more frequently than I should. As in multiple times a day. I can’t help it. There’s so much good stuff out there in the blogosphere. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no better way to organize all the blogs that I love to read, and today, I’m sharing my top 10 with you {in alphabetical order, of course}.
Baby Cheapskate is my absolute favorite place for scoping out the best diaper deals of the week. Angie does a great job of matching up all the coupons with the sales, and I’ve saved hundreds of dollars by using her blog. Diapers are expensive, you know.
I’m new to Bloom, so let me begin by saying that I fell in love immediately. Bloom is written by Anne & Emily, two moms who have paired up to create an inspiring space for mothers everywhere. I love the tutorials, the discussions, and the tips and tricks they post.
I came across Kelle Hampton’s Enjoying the Small Things haphazardly. Several months ago, I was reading another blog that mentioned Kelle’s story, and I tucked it away to read later. It took me a long time to get around to reading Kelle’s blog, but when I did, my jaw dropped, tears streamed down my face, and I immediately vowed to start living each moment of this precious life as fully as possible. If you’re new to Kelle’s blog, you’ll want to start by reading Nella’s story. Trust me. You need to read it. You must. I insist.
I met Kelly at a “Mommy Marketplace” at Spruce in Brentwood, Tennessee. She came to share her best money-saving tips and tricks with the mommies-to-be, and as soon as I returned home, I looked up her blog and added it to my reader. I love reading Faithful Provisions because Kelly’s faith motivates her to make the most of all of her family’s resources. Faithful Provisions challenges me to be a better steward of the resources that God has given us.
I love How About Orange. I go there to find design inspiration, DIY projects, and fun little freebies. Jessica’s a graphic designer who shares her favorite internet finds with her readers on a daily basis. I’ve never been disappointed to see what she has to offer.
I randomly stumbled across kevin & amanda last year when I was looking for some new handwriting fonts. When I found Amanda, I found one of the best sources of FREE fonts on the internet. Amanda frequently blogs about fun little DIY projects. She recently posted a tutorial on making a ruffled camera strap that I would be all over if I had a sewing machine. I also enjoy reading Amanda’s blog because she’s in North Alabama, which is just a hop over the state line from me. What can I say? I’m loyal to Southern bloggers :)
I’m new to oh my! handmade goodness. Completely new. I just started reading it last week. But when I found it, it became an instant favorite. oh my! is a blog dedicated to “independent children’s retailers and the hip parents that support them,” and it’s filled with all sorts of good stuff. I love reading the stories of other working-from-home-crafters, and I’ve found a treasure trove with oh my! handmade goodness. If you, like me, love all things handmade, stop on by and poke around a bit. You won’t be disappointed.
I’m only one of about 3 million people who enjoy reading Ree Drummond’s blog every day, but y’all, I just can’t help but love The Pioneer Woman. For one thing, we both married country boys. For another thing, we both love photography. And the clincher? She posts amazing recipes and photos every. single. day. It also doesn’t hurt that her running commentary about life on a cattle ranch keeps me laughing out loud, which is always a good thing. Who doesn’t like to laugh??
Southern Savers is another couponing/money-saving blog that I read every day. Like Angie at Baby Cheapskate, Jenny at Southern Savers has saved me oodles of money over the past year. She makes shopping for groceries at Kroger super simple, and I especially like the running list Walgreen’s deals that she posts every week. Southern Savers is my one-stop shop for making a grocery list, and it’s a must-read for anyone looking to save a little cash on their grocery bills.
And finally, Cyd over at The Sweetest Occasion continually offers up design inspiration for me. She features ridiculously beautiful and perfectly polished weddings, parties, and special events on her blog, and I could spend hours sifting through all of the lovely photos she posts. Love the tablescapes. Love the party ideas. Love it in general. You will too.
Well, there you have it. My favorite blogs. This list is continually evolving and shifting, and I’m sure I’ll find more fabulous must-reads soon, but for now, these are at the top of my list. What are your favorite blogs??
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