A Lovely Place to Land

No-Slip Jammies & An Update

2012-01-05T23:26:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year, Friends!

I know I've been pretty quiet over here since Bitsy was born but 2012 is going to bring a lot of changes to this little blog. I hope you'll be patient with me as I work through some details because I promise, come February, there will be a lot of exciting things happening here at A Lovely Place to Land! Intrigued? You should be!

Over the next few weeks, I will do my very best to post once a week as I work to finish my book, Kentucky A to Z, which is due at the end of the month. If you're new to the blog, you can read about my adventures for the "Kentucky A to Z" series here.

Now, this project is about as basic as they come but if you've got little bitties running around, you'll appreciate it's simplicity. Ada started walking a few weeks ago, which has been a wonderful adventure for us all. She's so fun to watch and though we get a big kick out of it, she gets really mad wearing footed pajamas because she slips across the kitchen floor. I was watching her, slipping as she tried to play with her letter magnets on the refrigerator door, when the solution hit me...

You'll need:
-Puffy Paint
-Baby Shoes
-Footed-Pajamas

1. Put the baby shoes inside the feet of the pajamas. This gives you a nice surface to paint on.
2. Paint, paint, paint. I did hearts but something as simple as polka dots would work.
3. Allow the paint to dry.

And then you'll have sweet little feet that won't slip on the kitchen floor!

Tatertots and Jello Giveaway & New Monogrammed Napkin Holders

2011-11-29T13:58:00.000-05:00

Hey Friends!

Today, the lovely and talented Jennifer Hatfield of Tatertots and Jello is hosting her last giveaway day of the season and A Lovely Place to Land will be featured this afternoon. If you've never wandered to her site before, today is the day. There will be opportunities to win great prizes all day today (including a set of custom silhouette and monogram ornaments from my Etsy shop) plus there are tons of creative ideas for the holiday season. Before you leave, make sure you follow Jennifer so you can stay connected!

Click here:

The prize package:

I'm so excited to finally share the newest product to be added to my Etsy shop! In classic, Southern tradition, I'm a sucker for a monogram and these custom monogrammed napkin holders are gorgeous, if I do say so myself. You can choose up to three letters to feature in the circle, which folds down to keep napkins in place. Shop here.

Etsy Shop Grand Opening!

2011-11-16T21:48:00.001-05:00

I've got new goodies at "The Nest" so please hop over and browse my selection! Just a few things I've posted today:

Custom Metal Silhouette Ornaments

Hand-painted Ornaments

Metal Spinning Monogram Ornaments

Oh-So-Lovely Custom Metal Silhouettes

Custom Family Silhouette Signs

And vintage-inspired signs!

Adventures in Novel-Writing and Motherhood

2011-11-01T14:56:00.000-04:00

My goodness. It's been so long since I've updated my blog, I had to brush off cobwebs when I logged on. Okay, not really but you get the point.

Life has certainly been crazy since last we met. The truth is I've spent the last month or so doing a lot of soul-searching and writing. The last six months (okay, lets be honest...year) I've been trying to get my footing. I've become a mother, quit my job, started working freelance while trying to balance the full-time care of our daughter and have started writing my novel, Mother Muse. I tried selling cosmetics to make ends meet and decided that just wasn't a good fit for me. But alas, it gave me the courage to leave my full-time job to be home with Ada and focus my energies on the things I'm most passionate about and for that, I'm grateful to MK. While I'm still sort of floundering, I'm really happy (despite the occasional break-down moment that sends my husband into fits of laughter because apparently, I'm a riot when I'm coming undone.) I saw a sign the other day that read "Find the thing you'd die for and live for it" and that pretty much sums up where I am in life right now. Living for the thing I love (writing) and trying not to let it kill me.

Finishing my novel has become the biggest priority but I've finally decided to open an Etsy shop (after much encouragement from you all) so I'm splitting what little free time I have on writing and crafting. The shop will feature some vintage pieces and handmade decor and gifts. I'm most excited about Southern-Say-I, my line of hand-painted signs inspired by the culture of the South. I've always loved repurposing and finishing furniture but with the baby, I just don't have time for that. The signs give me the opportunity to combine my love of painting and faux finishes with words so they are certainly going to be the pride and joy of my shop.

My ultimate goal for the shop is to fund my novel-writing process through the winter and spring so that hopefully (HOPEFULLY) I will have a completed draft by May. The grand opening of the shop is November 18 but you check out the preview sale going on until November 11. I am featuring my hand-painted Thanksgiving plates, which are on the cover of Kentucky Monthly magazine this month.

On the novel front, I've made some great progress over the last few weeks. I'm writing the letter portion of the book first, which means I'm totally immersed in Hazel Greene's story. I have decided to blog about my experiences at my writing website, so stop in from time to time to read all about the process. I could go on and on about the ways this book is writing itself and the things I'm learning about myself through these women. Is it weird that I can't wait to read my own book?! I know once all is said and done, you will fall in love with these characters just as I have.

So I apologize for being so quiet over here. Just know that the longer I go without updating here, the closer I am to having a book to show for it!

Adopt my Flock!

2011-09-09T17:27:00.000-04:00

If you were to ask my husband what it's like living with a woman who is writing a novel, he'd probably say he isn't living with just one woman. These days, he shares his home with lots of females: a wife, a daughter, a Shih Tzu, and two roommates, Cora Rae Jones and Hazel Green. Though the last two are fictional, he comes home to them anyway. They surprise us at church, interrupt dinner and keep me out late.

As I mentioned in a previous post, the idea for this book has been simmering in my mind for about five years. When I left my full-time job to start my career as a freelance writer and stay-at-home mama, it was like my creativity just exploded. Suddenly, I was just consumed with this story. Dig through my purse and you'll find entire passages written on grocery receipts and dialogue scratched out on napkins. I've mastered the art of typing one-handed while nursing, too. What has surprised me most in telling this story is that I don't feel as if I am making it up. Suddenly these moments in my characters lives come rushing over me and its as if I'm walking in some one else's skin for a little bit, remembering what they've seen. Last Sunday, I was just singing and minding my own business, not thinking about the novel at all, when the whole last chapter washed over me. I stood there weeping and scribbling on the back of a church bulletin in the dark. I'm sure the people behind us were praying, "Lord, help this crazy sister in front of us. Her cheese has done slipped off the cracker."

So far the biggest challenge by far has been finding time to write. We decided to set Saturdays aside as my writing day and while that seemed great, it hasn't worked out for me yet. The first Saturday was a disaster that ended with me slinking off to Chick-fil-A for an ice cream, which I ate while pouting in the parking lot, cursing my husband because he had spent most of the day napping instead of helping with the baby like he promised. Saturday number two, Ada was teething on my notes. After a particularly great day of creativity, I rushed upstairs to jot notes once Travis came home on Tuesday and ended up stopping because he was standing at the doorway saying over and over again, "Puppy, poop or baby?" I wasn't ignoring him, I was just in the zone, but that ended quickly. Believe me, my husband supports me 100% in this, so if I've made him sound like an insensitive brute, that isn't the case. Really, life is just crazy and as the wife and mama, I'm usually the ring leader of this goat rodeo. And if I've learned anything the last few weeks, it's that rodeos are never quiet. Never.

Basically, this book isn't going to get written if I don't escape my very lovely, but very noisy nest a few times a week. I've sold just about everything in our house that will hold still long enough, taken on a few odd jobs and searched for pennies in the cushions of the couch to replace my broken laptop. I'm still a little short so I thought I'd reach out to you, my bloggy-friends. I have a flock of 17 birds, all beautifully decoupaged with vintage book pages. Each bird was lovingly handmade and has a special detail and if I can find a home for all of them, I should have enough to replace my laptop and slink off to a quiet corner of the world to write, write, write.

I feel guilty asking you to help me with a project that you know nothing about so here is a brief synopsis of Mother Muse:

Cora Rae Jones has come undone. Just three weeks after the birth of her daughter, Hurricane Gert sweeps up the coast of South Carolina, destroying her late father's fleet of shrimping boats. Though they've spent three years trying to keep the shrimping company and her father's memory alive, Cora's flighty and superstitious mother takes the hurricane as a sign from God that she needs to head North and take care of her own mother, Gertrude. Left with no job, no childcare and only her mother as a reference, Cora answers an ad posted by a woman in Midway, Kentucky who is looking for someone to care for her estranged mother in Bluffton, South Carolina. Though the pay isn't great, Cora is able to take her daughter along as she cooks, cleans and helps Hazel in the garden. But bad luck strikes again when Hazel suddenly dies, leaving Cora with the daunting task of finding another job as soon as she's finished cleaning out the house so the family can begin turning it into a bed and breakfast. As she is cleaning out a closet, Cora comes across a box of notebooks in which Hazel has written to her daughter since the late 1950s. Through these old letters, written by a woman she barely knew, Cora finds herself and the courage she needs to move forward.

So, if you want to find out how the story ends, please hop on over to my Etsy shop and adopt a word bird. Hopefully, it will be exactly what I need to set this story free!

Labor Day Picking...

2011-09-05T21:24:00.000-04:00

I think my friends on American Pickers would be proud of my garage sale pick...

It is a "New Our Big Book" published in 1951. It has some water damage which is disappointing but just wait until you see what is inside. I've placed a book beside it so you can get an idea of how large it is.

Oh, sweet simplicity! Eeek!

Don't you just love picking?!

Well, here goes...

2011-09-02T11:25:00.000-04:00

I have a confession:

I have not been so sick, worried or consumed over something since I was pregnant with Ada. What has caused this? Well, after five years of thinking and planning, I've started writing my novel.

Let me take you back. I wish I could say the first months of marriage were sheer bliss but that would be a lie. It wasn't anything to do with my husband. That part of my life was bliss. It was other, darker things, going on behind the scenes that had left me in a very deep depression. I have not spoken of this time publicly before but to be honest, I would drop Travis off (we only had one car) at his job at Toyota before 6 AM and spend the entire day in our tiny apartment, crying. It was a very dark period in my life. I ended up leaving school (I was a senior in college) for a semester and as silly as it sounds, getting a job at Starbucks really pulled me out of that place. I have described this phase of my life to my mom before as that scene in Forest Gump when Lt. Dan rides out the hurricane, challenging God, on the Jenny. My problem was not that I didn't believe in God; I had gone through too much and KNEW that God was present in my life. The fact that God wasn't fixing things I needed Him to fix made me furious. Really important things, things I thought He should worry about too. Basically, I decided to ignore God if He was going to ignore me.

I remember one day being at a particularly low place. I had tried to pray but nothing came out and I just sat in the floor, crying. All of a sudden the words Mother Muse started running through my head. I literally said, out loud, "What the Hell is a Mother Muse?" I didn't know for sure until I sat on the beach, five years later, staring out into the ocean. It's this story. This story that has played in my mind like tattered memories of another life. This story that makes me stop at red lights to call my husband's phone and leave a voicemail with entire passages that just flood my heart and mind as suddenly as rushing water.

Why am I sick? Because I have fallen so in love with these characters, I feel overwhelmed by the task of setting them free on paper. What if you don't love them like I love them? What if I don't do them justice? What if I can't do this? What if no one wants to publish this book? The truth is, I sort of feel like a sham. I'm not writing this novel. This novel is just flowing through me. It's as if it is being dictated to me.

I'm sick because how on Earth will I finish this when I spend most of my day blowing raspberries, watching "Yo Gabba Gabba" and singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" over and over again to Ada's delight? What about the laundry? The dishes? Dinner? When am I ever by myself long enough to actually write a book?

This morning, I put Ada down in her crib for a nap. She's been crying ever since. I feel like my heart and head are going split open and spill all over the floor. I hate letting her cry but I know we both need the rest. I opened my Bible and found these words, these words I so desperately needed to read today:

"I will cry to God Most High who performs on my behalf and rewards me- who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them." Psalm 57:2

How am I going to do this? I guess I'll just give Him my hands. It's always been His story, anyway.

Garden Fresh Spaghetti Sauce

2011-08-31T11:42:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite things to do with my grandparents when I was a kid was helping in the garden. Travis and I wanted to do a garden in our backyard last year but with the wicked morning (all-day) sickness I was experiencing, we decided to skip it so I was excited to get my hands in the ground this summer. We built a small, 4X4 garden box in our backyard and planted crookneck squash, cucumbers, peppers, cabbage and tomatoes. The total cost of our little box was about $100 (which included materials for the box, soil and plants.)

Some of our late-summer harvest

The squash started coming in just as Ada was starting solids so I've been able to save a bundle on making her food, which is all-natural and still warm from the sun when I start steaming it! Of course, we've saved a lot of money skipping the produce aisle and shopping in our own backyard. Here is one of my favorite, garden-fresh recipes I've come up with. You'll need:

1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup red wine
4 cups chopped, peeled tomatoes (6 large or 8 medium)
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar (I add a little extra to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
1-2 teaspoons of Pampered Chef Crush Peppercorn and Garlic Rub (optional)
Oregano (to taste)
1 pound hamburger
8 ounces spaghetti

1. In a dutch oven or large pot, cook onion and garlic in oil until tender. I like to add a little oregano at this point. It makes the house smell AMAZING.

2. Stir in the red wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. I watch the sauce at this point and add additional herbs if needed. We really like pepper so I go by appearance and taste. Basically, if it doesn't look peppery, it's not peppery enough!

3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta and hamburger. I like to add the Pampered Chef Crushed Peppercorn and Garlic rub to the meat to give it a good flavor. That is hands-down my favorite PC product and I use it in just about everything.

4. Let the sauce simmer and continue to nurse to flavor. Once you have it to your liking (I sometimes throw in a little more red wine just to get it there) I drain and toss the spaghetti and meat into the pot with the sauce and serve.

5. Enjoy!

Being Still

2011-08-30T11:18:00.000-04:00

As I sit down here to write this, I can't help but breathe a sigh of relief like I'm putting on my skinny jeans or something. From the bottom of my heart, I've missed you, Blog-Friends.

Life has been crazy lately. When I left my full-time job in May, I knew I'd go through a "finding my footing" phase but Lord, have mercy, it's been more of a "pick myself up off the floor and wipe the dirt off my face" phase. Everyone has crazy so instead of talking about mine, I thought I'd just keep quiet. That and I haven't had a moment to myself to actually sit and write outside of my assignments. But I've started working on a Bible study called Victoriously Frazzled with some women from my church and today's scripture was about finding our secret place ("He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty" Psalm 91:1) and believe it or not, this very public blog is so often my "secret place." Life seems clearer when I'm writing about it, I guess. So here goes...

In the beginning of July, Ada stopped sleeping through the night suddenly. She had been a perfect sleeper since she started sleeping through the night at 5 weeks without any effort on my part. I woke up one morning and realizing I slept all night, rushed to the Pack N' Play to check on her. There she was, making happy noises and smiling. But then July...no more sleep. I was on deadline for a book so we did what we could to survive and ended up bringing her to bed with us. She has been in bed with us ever since and though she sleeps through the night perfectly as long as she is beside me, we're trying to transition her to her own bed. Since she naps after feedings, the only time she has slept is if I am holding her. As much as I love that child, spending 24 hours with her attached to me in one way or another while trying to balance both my freelance writing/editing, Mary Kay and day to day crazy, has left me more than a little haggard. Travis has taken to calling her my little lamprey because she is ALWAYS on me.

To deal with this, I've read everything I can get my hands on about baby sleep, from crying it out to co-sleeping. I didn't know it before but I guess my natural parenting style leans towards Attachment Parenting (with a heavy focus on nurturing and reading the baby's ques) so the structure of the Baby Wise philosophy has been difficult for me to implement because I'm just not that structured myself (I think it is a great philosophy but I'm just too scattered!) We tried letting her cry it out on Sunday night (again) and we ended up huddled together outside of her room, a big hot crockpot of a mess. I started reading The No-Cry Solution as I sat outside of her door and decided to start slow on Monday with naps. "Maybe," I thought, "If I make her bed a safe place for her during the day, the night will come easier for all of us."

She typically falls asleep nursing around 10 AM so I took her upstairs about 15 minutes before that and we sat together to read. She nursed for a few moments and when she was starting to doze, I moved her to her bed. She was shocked and unhappy to leave my lap but I turned on some peaceful music, pulled the door closed and busied myself with laundry. She cried for 15 minutes and every now and then, I'd sneak a peak. She fought sleep so hard and it just broke my heart to watch. Through the crack in the door, I watched her scream and rub her little eyes thinking, "Just sleep, Baby. Just sleep."

As I read my Bible study this morning, it dawned on me that God must feel that way about me so often. I struggle and struggle through the day, trying to go about things my own way as He watches thinking, "Just be still and you'll get what you need."

When it eventually became quiet, I peaked in on her once more and she had finally drifted to sleep. She napped for 2 1/2 hours (I almost did a jig!) then napped for another 2 hours that afternoon and again yesterday evening. She's napping now and I feel like God has used that sweet baby to teach me yet another lesson: that if I am just still, He will give me the peace and rest I need.

My Un-Pregnancy: Weeks 15 and 16

2011-07-28T09:43:00.000-04:00

I'm embarrassed to admit how terrified I was throughout the first trimester of my pregnancy. I had a doctor tell me once that the closer I got to my 30th birthday, the less likely I'd be able to "get pregnant, stay pregnant or survive pregnancy." At 25-years-old, I had struggled to get pregnant and once I was, those words hung over my head. I remember one time in particular, when I was just starting to feel what I know now was my uterus growing and stretching, how scared I was to move from the couch. I just knew that if I stood, I'd do some type of damage to the baby. It was irrational but I was so afraid of losing the baby.

Once the second trimester came around, I felt more secure. I realized then that things could still go wrong but my outlook changed quite a bit. Rather than trying to fight off every bad possibility in my head, I just enjoyed the moment. I lightened up. I appreciated the experience of feeling that baby grow.

I'm going through that again. Ada is almost 6 months now and when I think back over her months here with us, I am amazed by how scared I was in the first weeks of her life. It wasn't motherhood that scared me. I felt like that came naturally to me; it is the most comfortable I've ever been in a life role. It was other things like money, childcare and people texting on the highway that suddenly put me on edge. Looking back, I lived my day white-knuckled, bracing for all of my bliss to come crashing down around me because in the back of my head there was this little voice that said this is too wonderful to be true.

So here I stand on the other side of Ada's first months and I've endured the stress of leaving my full-time job to start two home businesses, the fear of losing a steady paycheck and all of the other new-momma stresses, from blow-out diapers to unsolicited advice, and I'm finally starting to realize that I need to just slow down some and enjoy this time for what it is.

I can thank Little Bit for that.

She's been sitting up on her own for the last few weeks. This morning she was sitting on the floor and we were playing. She started to topple over and of course, I rushed to steady her but before I could catch her, she caught herself. She put one confident, little arm down and found her balance. It made me think that if this fragile baby girl can be filled with wonder about her world and eagerly approach each new challenge knowing that she is limited and can fall over, then so can I.

White Chocolate Peach Dessert Pizza

2011-07-25T23:56:00.000-04:00

This simple and delicious recipe is made perfect with locally grown peaches and a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

You'll need:

1 refrigerated pie crust (or pizza crust)
2 peaches, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup white chocolate morsels
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oats
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. As the oven is preheating, roll out the pie crust onto a round pizza stone or pan. (I like to let the dough come to room temperature before doing this so it doesn't rip.)

Bake the dough for 8-10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, sugar, ginger and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. If you haven't already done so, this is a great time to core, peel and cut the peaches.

Remove the crust from the oven and top with half the white chocolate chip morsels. Spread the diced peaches over the white chocolate then sprinkle the streusel topping over both layers. Add the remaining white chocolate chips and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Want another treat? This week only, I'm offering followers of A Lovely Place to Land a 10% discount and free shipping at my Mary Kay online store. Order $50 or more in product by Friday and you'll be entered to win a free pedicure kit! Winner will be announced here next Monday.

My Un-Pregnancy: Week 13 and 14

2011-07-13T11:37:00.000-04:00

Do you ever feel like you are spinning your wheels and not going anywhere?

Yeah, me too.

I spent most of last week trying to nap between 9 PM and midnight so I could get up, fix a pot of coffee and write until Ada's 7 AM feeding because the first draft of Sacred Places of Kentucky was due on Friday. That is usually my best time to write because the party of three (hubby, baby and dog) are all sleeping. That didn't work out for me last week though. Ada woke up and stayed up most of the night. Travis did too because he got some new video game. And Scout, well, she sat at my feet barking so I'd throw her toy. I was hopeful that Ada's sleeping routine would go back to normal but it hasn't and like clock work, she has woken me up every night (or morning, I should say) at 4 AM to nurse and play. So with our out-of-whack nighttime schedule, our morning is out-of-whack too which throws the whole day into a frenzy. I feed her at 4 AM then again at 7 AM, at which point we crash until 9 AM then wake up in a hurry to get writing, Mary Kay and household tasks finished (or at least started) by her 10 AM feeding. I swear, you don't realize how short 3 hours are until you are feeding a baby.

Even on days when I manage to get us started on the right foot, I have this feeling that I'm carrying everything in brown paper bags that are ripping at the seams. And I am my worst enemy right now. "Yes, Amanda," I find myself saying, "You managed to write a book last week but you still haven't sent thank you cards out for Ada's last shower." Or "Congrats on having a record-setting day with your Mary Kay business. Now if only you could find time to do a craft for your craft blog (it has been months since you've touched a hot glue gun) I would let you off the hook!" And don't get me started on unanswered emails, Facebook wall posts and phone calls I have failed to return. I feel like I am playing Frogger and trying not to be run over by the day.

Luckily, I'm not alone in this feeling. I ran into a good friend at the Dollar Tree who looked as frazzled as I know I did. She said that she was there to buy some Comet so she could clean her sink. "I've been reading the Fly Lady's tips on getting your life together," she said. "It all starts with the kitchen sink."

So I went home and logged on to the Fly Lady's website to see if I could find peace in the bottom of a shiny kitchen sink. And while Ada was napping, I scrubbed and scrubbed my kitchen sink. You know what? It did make me feel better. It forced me to stay in one place and focus on one thing, something I really struggle with. It gave me a little control in the midst of a lot of chaos. It gave me results. And it gave me motivation to slowly conquer other things. Life still feels pretty nuts but every evening, I've tried to return to my kitchen sink to give her a good shine. I know it sounds small and trivial but when everything else is a wreck, it feels good to have one place that is under control.

If you're feeling frazzled, I do recommend hopping over to the Fly Lady's site. It's pretty amazing!

My Un-Pregnancy: Week 12

2011-07-01T04:09:00.000-04:00

It is almost 4 a.m. and I'm sitting here with a cup of coffee. This has become my writing time. The only period of the day when the phone isn't ringing, the dog isn't barking and my little family is sleeping with full bellies and no immediate needs. This time of the day has sort of become a sanctuary for me, my sacred writing time, but for the last week I've not had the pleasure of seeing this time of the day. Weird things have gone wrong all week, keeping me from dragging myself out of bed to write. But just as I sat down to write, feeling triumphant that I was able to meet my date with 3 a.m., Little Bit woke up crying. I rocked her and rocked her, sang, nursed and wooed on sleep. Nope. No sleep, just giggles. Finally, she fell asleep and I put her gently in her bed but she was like a doll with confused little eyes. Instead of them closing when I laid her down, they popped open, big and eager. So here we sit, a pile of things I need to write next to me, deadlines creeping up on me and the realization that writing is becoming more difficult with each passing day.

But oh, how glorious this baby girl is, all wide-eyed and hopeful. So excited to see what her mommy is working on, so eager to be in my lap. These are the moments I'll miss most when she is 16 and wants nothing to do with me.

I've thought about Proverbs 31 a lot lately. I keep hoping something new will jump out at me and teach me how to be everything I'm being called to be right now. I keep hoping I'll learn how to make my arms strong for this task. Today, something finally jumped off the page:

"...She is clothed in strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." Proverbs 31:25

The other day, I was trying to get ready for a big Mary Kay show. I had a 700 word quota I had set for myself to finish the first draft of the coffee table book I'm working on that I hadn't met for the day. The dog was barking, the baby was screaming and my husband couldn't find the toilet paper. I had mascara rubbed all the way to my temples, my hair hadn't been washed, there was spit up down my left shoulder and since I still haven't found time to go shopping, I was wearing maternity shorts. You know what I did? I sat down on the kitchen floor with a tub of chocolate icing and a spoon. She can laugh at the days to come.

I'm not complaining but life is crazy right now. REALLY crazy. But at the end of the day, or beginning of the day, I am so overjoyed to have all of this crazy.

My sweet girl has finally fallen asleep and though I need to get some writing done, I'm finding it hard to take my eyes off of her. It takes longer for me to write and I can't remember the last time I touched my glue gun but I wouldn't trade this time for anything, even when it is so crazy I have to eat icing to survive. So, hang in there with me. Eventually I'll have time to craft but for now, I'm just enjoying the most beautiful and fulfilling thing I've ever had the pleasure of creating...

My Un-Pregnancy: Week 11

2011-06-22T04:05:00.002-04:00

By the 11th week of pregnancy, the baby's ears have almost assumed their place on the head. The baby won't begin to hear until the 18th week but even this early, the equipment is there.

This is sort of how I'm feeling 11 weeks into my un-pregnancy: the equipment is there but I'm not fully functioning. I've yet to hear.

Since I decided to become a work-at-home mom, I've struggled with how to structure my day. Should I spend the day cleaning? Writing? Working my Mary Kay business? Giving that sweet, little belly of Ada's raspberries? It isn't like I'm waking up and leisurely thinking "Hmmm...what to do today?" It's more like a game of Frogger. I'm trying not to be run over. I'm like a deer caught in the headlights. This lifestyle that I thought would be so freeing is often times heavier than I anticipated. The guilt I had over going to work and leaving Ada with someone else has been replaced with guilt over spending too much time with her and not enough on other things that will bring home extra income to take some of the financial burden off my husband. When I get too focused on work, I feel guilty that Ada has spent too many hours looking at the back of my head, getting a pacifier shoved in her mouth, while I work on writing projects or orders. It reminds me of a feeling I started having around this time in pregnancy: the ache of my uterus growing and stretching to accommodate another life.

Every week of my pregnancy, I compared that little life to a fruit or vegetable so I could picture her size. At 11 weeks, she was the size of a lime. That sweet, little baby sleeping so soundly in her Pack N' Play right now was the size of a lime. And you know what? At the time, I remember thinking how will I ever have enough room for her? The truth is, I'm still wondering. How will I ever have enough time to read the Bible daily when I barely make time to eat more than what I can grab with one hand as I pass through the kitchen? How will I manage writing and running a business from home? How will I find time to read bedtime stories, kiss boo-boos and teach lessons? How will I cut coupons, fold towels and wash out spit-up without leaving my husband with nothing but scraps of myself? How will I savor these moments that are passing me so quickly?

As I sit here in a silent house at 3:30 a.m., the answer seems so clear. I am trying too hard to be too much. I am still not depending entirely on God. I have ears but they aren't working yet. I don't feel like I can fit everything I need to be into this skin I've been given.

Aren't we all in this boat? Trying too hard to be everything, to wear all of the hats?

I just stumbled across 1 Corinthians 3:7 which says, "So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." I so desperately need Him to make me grow right now so why I am still trying to do it on my own? In pregnancy, I didn't force my belly to grow each week. I did not mark off on my to-do list "make Ada the size of an apple today." I didn't expect her to hear until her ears were right where they needed to be. And when I really think about it, has God demanded that I am all of those things or am I the one demanding myself to be all of those things?

It is me. I am the demanding one. I am the hat maker.

So, I'm going to try to be still and remember that even though I have a long way to go, I've come a long way by the grace of a God who is elbow-deep in my crazy. The biggest change I need to make this week is going to God's word. I don't know why I put this off so much. I don't know why I don't start my day reading the Bible when I know that it is the water I need. I've decided to do this during Ada's 10 a.m. feeding for a few reasons. First, I am awake enough during that feeding to function. Second, I have to sit still. Third, I want meal times to become a time of thanksgiving for her so what better way to start that lesson? That is my goal for the week. How will you drink to grow this week?

My Un-Pregnancy: Week 10

2011-06-15T09:33:00.002-04:00

Perhaps I should have called this series my un-doing instead of my un-pregnancy because I certainly feel undone. It's funny but by the 10th week of pregnancy, you have a baby and not a fetus. The skeleton has started to form and the bones are becoming stronger so they'll eventually be able to carry weight (the key word here being eventually.) 10 weeks into my un-pregnancy and I feel like I'm seeing slow and steady growth but I'm not as strong as I'd like to be. I've always thought that if I work harder, put every ounce of myself into whatever is before me, I'd overcome. I'd strengthen myself. This is what I will always consider to be my greatest failure and it has taken infertility, pregnancy, delivering a baby and raising that baby to realize this truth:

I am trying to tie my life together into a neat package with the clumsy fingers of a newborn and God, in His infinite patience and love, is stooping to undo my messy bow.

Last week I told you that I am joyful. That wasn't a lie but I want to draw you a better picture of the state of life at the Hervey house. It's like we've both been kicked in the teeth but we're smiling a raw, toothless grin anyway. It has been hard. It has been frustrating. At times I am overwhelmed with joy and other times I am spinning out of control. There have been moments that I will regret the rest of my life because through these cracks that have formed in me from the stress we've been under, hard words and meanness have slipped out of me. I have said hurtful things, shouted words I don't use, doubted. I have been stretched so much that I can't help but see the light through my thin and weary places.

A few weeks ago, one of my readers suggested that I read One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I rushed out that afternoon to buy the book because, as the book's tag line promises, I needed someone to challenge me to live fully right where I am. It has been the hardest thing I have ever read. Her writing is brilliant but her words are not to be approached lightly; they are sharp and painful. It is like taking a knife to all of that scar tissue in your soul. But she wrote something that has changed me. She said that maybe God lets life tear holes in us because we're able to see Him through those hurt places. Where we are bare, ragged and exposed, He is more visible. The only thing is, we have to let Him be visible and more often than not, we are driving ourselves into the ground to patch up the holes and tie ourselves back together.

I have more soul holes than fingers now and I'm tired of trying to fix it all on my own.

I don't want to give too much of One Thousand Gifts away because I think you should stop reading right now and go pick up your copy, but what if the key to a full life is being thankful? As women, don't we always say we're thankful but really hide the fact that we're not? On Sunday, I sat with my husband, mother, grandmother and daughter on the back porch, in the sunshine with full bellies and laughter in the air, thinking not about my blessings but lamenting the fact that my neighbor's deck looks so much nicer than my own. What is wrong with me that in a moment overflowing with blessing, I see lack? Why have I spent so much time wishing I was thin like that girl, wealthy like another, adored publicly like that girl is by her husband and so easy to get along with like her when God has given me more than I deserve? How many times have I asked God to empty me of me and fill me with Him only to secretly hope He chooses someone else so I can just go on with my day, unchallenged? I am just like a child, kicking and crying because the much-too-generous gift I've received isn't what I wanted or thought I needed.

I think of God's love like water and I've realized that I spend a lot of time letting Him fill my bucket, only to dump it out into too many cups, leaving myself empty and stressed because there is never enough when I'm trying to portion it myself. Instead, I need to let His love flow through me and out of those holes I've been trying too hard to fix myself. The answer is so simple I'm embarrassed that I missed it: All I have to do is be vulnerable and stay connected to Him. That is all He is asking of me. It's all He is asking of any of us. He just wants us to be more of a hose and less of a bucket.

I thank God for your holes today and pray that, despite the pain associated with those ragged places, you find peace in knowing that the rest of us are able to see Him through your hurts. To see the light shining through where life has left you too thin and weary. May we all be undone together.

My Un-Pregnancy: Week 9 (A Few Days Late)

2011-06-08T10:59:00.000-04:00

I hope you don't think I'm bragging but I AM JOYFUL!

Do you remember what you felt like as a five-year-old? I remember waking up with the sunlight instead of an alarm clock, watching cartoons with a bowl of cereal in my lap, soaking in a baby pool in the backyard and having so many adventures that I fell asleep wherever I landed at the end of the day. That is sort of how life feels right now. I am blissful.

Before you think I'm being obnoxious, let me say that not everyone would find as much joy in my day as I do. I think like most moms, I've learned that there is no clock-out time. With several writing projects in the works, a new business to run and a 4-month old, I feel like I have replaced my one full time job with three others. I go non-stop all day, which is why this post is so late. I'm creating to-do lists for my to-do lists. And I'm finding that doing all of this with a baby in tow just adds to the chaos. For instance, I went to change Ada yesterday before running to the bank and this fountain of urine went straight up, soaking us both. I didn't even know girls could pee that way! So I rushed to clean us both up and get to the bank so I could get back, make dinner and make it to my Mary Kay unit meeting on time. Some people would call my day tedious but I'm loving every minute.

There is a quote I keep on my washing machine that expresses what I'm failing to say:

"We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or sorting the laundry."

E.B. White

My life is still messy. It's still crazy, over-scheduled and sometimes frustrating. But in trusting my heart, I've found peace in the storm. For me, waking up with the sunlight and happy baby noises makes all of the messy details of life fall into place. Doing the dishes while the Today show is on in the background, rushing to write a paragraph during nap time, ha, even cleaning up pee makes me feel more myself than anything else has. I feel like I'm finally home in this skin.

If you get time, hop over to my new creative beauty blog, Mary and Martha Everyday! If you have beauty questions, contact me at amandaherveymk@gmail.com. If your question is chosen, you'll receive a gift!

My Un-Pregnancy: Week 8

2011-05-30T11:24:00.000-04:00

I have this memory from high school that changed the way I think about time. It was a Friday night and I was at an away football game with my dance team. I was wearing red and black plaid from head to toe (we were the Highlanders) and it was the first crisp night of fall. The band was playing, the crowd was cheering and my friends were laughing. It all sounds romantic now but at the time, it was just a Friday night. As I looked around though, taking it all in, I had the strangest feeling come over me. I knew standing there that all of it, the music, the air, the crunch of the uniforms as the football players tackled each other, all of it was temporary. Glorious and fleeting. So I began to savor moments.

I had one of those moments this morning when I woke up, the sun shining on what sort of feels like the first day of the rest of my life.

My last day at my full time job was Friday. I cried like a baby the whole way home because I feel like I'm going through some sort of breakup. But when I woke up this morning to Ada's happy noises coming from her crib beside me, I remembered why I've turned our lives upside down. Because these moments are temporary. Eventually, she'll stop scanning the room to find me. She won't light up just because I speak to her. She will lose those dimples on the backs of her hands and in her elbows. Eventually, she will stand at a football game or prom or graduation and realize for herself that time moves too quickly. And when she does, I want her to be able to look back on her childhood and know that even if I couldn't stop time, I taught her to savor it.

So, I'm off to fill up her baby pool and sit on the deck with some Jack Johnson tunes in the background and the love of my life beside me. Today is a day worth savoring.

My Un-Pregnancy: Week 7

2011-05-23T20:20:00.001-04:00

Do any of you feel like you're weird?

Yesterday I went to an event for moms at my church and I spent half of it kicking myself for being so awkward. I feel like I get around other people sometimes and I don't know what to say. Then I get so caught up in not knowing what to say that I find myself tripping over my words. And oh, the dreaded word vomit. Ugh, I'm sick just thinking about it. So as I sat there on the couch listening to the guest speaker share her testimony, wringing my hands because not only do I suffer from social speech impediments but my hands suddenly start sweating and grow 5 times larger and more clumsy, inside I was screaming why on Earth did you leave the house?!?!

But then the guest speaker (one of those women who look like they have it ALL together) said something that broke through my anxiety. She said that her pre-teen daughter felt like she didn't fit in with the girls in her class. She felt weird. Awkward. And her response was so beautiful: she told her daughter that when she felt weird or like she didn't fit in, that was when her light was shining. A special light that God gave her and only her. It occurred to me then that this woman was speaking from experience. She must feel weird sometimes too.

I've thought about that all day today. I believe with my whole heart that God gives us each a light like that so I wonder, do we all feel weird and awkward? And if we do, why aren't we talking about it? Why are we as women so afraid to be vulnerable with each other? So, if you're weird and awkward, tell me about it. Let your light shine! And if you've ever met shy, awkward Amanda, I want you to know that this is what I am really like and I am going to try my best to be more transparent and vulnerable. I can't carry a tune in a bucket but who am I to deny the world a "Pocket Full of Sunshine" right?!

My Unpregnancy: Week 6

2011-05-16T12:25:00.002-04:00

By the sixth week of pregnancy, the heart has started beating. The eyes and ears are forming and so begins the period of most rapid growth. In the sixth week of my un-pregnancy, I feel like I am listening to my heart for the first time in a long time and as a result, I am seeing and hearing things so differently.

It occurred to me Saturday while I sat pumping in a bathroom at the Galt House in Louisville, that my life has become unrecognizable. A modest girl by nature (I used to change for gym class in the bathroom instead of the locker room) there I sat with my bra undone as women passed in a storm to the restrooms. I even had a few conversations. Yes, one boob exposed, talking to strangers. Old Amanda would have DIED. And then there is the reason why I was at the Galt House in the first place. Amanda from a week ago had no plan to be there but the week had gone rather differently than planned. Let me explain:

I have always wanted to have a child. I always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. Last year, it looked like I wouldn't be either. I remember sitting at Chick-fil-A a few days after I was diagnosed with infertility, watching the other women play with their children and unwrap lunches. There was one woman in particular that broke my heart. She was loving on a little, dark-haired girl who was wearing a tutu with rain boots. I was so sick with envy, I threw my lunch away and sat crying in my car.

Last June, I took a positive pregnancy test and my life has never been the same. I don't know if I have the words to describe my joy. I had gone through that infertility struggle hating myself for knowing and feeling that child that I didn't have in my heart. Then suddenly, that child I longed for was there. She came to me so softly and quietly that I didn't even notice her presence. Well, until the morning sickness began and I was very aware of her presence.

With pregnancy came the battle over whether to work or stay home. I never felt like this was a decision I had to make; I felt like it was made for me. We couldn't afford for me to stay home. Black and white. Not an option. The struggle was over my guilt and disappointment for not being able to be home with this baby I so desperately wanted to bring into this world. I know wonderful women who work and raise children and I admire them more than I can say. It wasn't that I thought I'd be a bad mom if I worked. I just didn't want to miss a single moment of this child that I thought I'd never have.

In the last three weeks, my daycare plans have fallen through and I've struggled to piece together child care. I have had wonderful family members and friends step up to help me but even when I've found someone I trust to be with Ada, I've felt like my heart is going to break because I am not with her. I just kept praying, "God, give me a way to make this work. You've put it on my heart to be home with her. Why aren't you giving me a solution?!"

After a bad day at work, I spent hours trying to apply for part time work on Craigslist. I was desperate. I answered an ad for a part time position as someone's personal assistant who had the option of working from home. "I could stay home with Ada if I did that," I thought. I knew it was a long shot and probably even spam but like I said, I was desperate.

Within minutes, I got a reply. It was a name I recognized. It was the woman I buy Mary Kay from! I sent a message back and from there, things have been moving at a break-neck speed. We met at 10:00pm one night, after I got Ada to sleep, and she told me all about her experience. Three years ago she was in danger of losing her job due to the economy, so she bought her kit and got started. Within 6 months, she had her first car. Now she is a director on her third car and on her way to earning her pink Cadillac with a team of more than 30 women.

Travis and I prayed about it and after another really rough day at work, I decided to buy the starter kit and quit my job. It was $100. $100 that we don't have because without my income and benefits, what is leftover from Travis' paycheck isn't enough to afford dinner at Chick-fil-A let alone groceries. By Saturday, I was sitting at a Mary Kay seminar with hundreds of women who have taken the same leap of faith and succeeded. But still, even with evidence that I could do this, waves of panic and hysteria kept washing over me. So I sat there pumping, on the verge of tears, praying for a sign that I was doing the right thing.

The next morning at church, I felt this overwhelming need to go forward and ask for prayer. I've never done anything like that before. Remember, I'm the girl who changed clothes in the bathroom instead of the locker room. I went to the person closest to me, a woman I didn't know and have never seen, and it was like a dam broke letting all of the fear and uncertainty I had about my decision to stay home despite our very bleak financial situation come rushing out. She prayed with me and I went back to my seat, calm for the first time in weeks.

At the end of the service, the woman stopped me. "My husband and I talked and we want to give you this," she said, handing me a folded check. "I don't know your name so I left that part blank." I didn't know what to say. I was stunned. I didn't open the check until I got to the lobby. I was just being pushed through the crowd, in sort of a dreamlike state. When I did open the check, it was for $100. The EXACT amount of the Mary Kay kit. The kit we couldn't afford but bought anyway, hoping that God would provide a solution.

I would be lying if I said that I am not scared but with a sign like that, how could I not believe that I am doing the right thing. I had three problems last week: I wanted to be home with Ada, I couldn't afford being home with Ada, and my car is about to kick the bucket any time now. I feel like God has given me a solution to all of those problems and with flexibility so I can continue to write freelance. At church yesterday, our pastor preached about Jonah. He said that God provided a fish to swallow Jonah. That has gone through my mind a thousand times since yesterday. Though the last three weeks have been more stressful than I can describe, I feel like they were the fish God provided for us. A blessing in disguise. Old Amanda wouldn't recognize me today but I think she'd be proud. Maybe even envious.

So, if you want to host a party or know someone who does, I know someone who would be very grateful...

Today's Inspiration:

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7

What I Am Most Thankful For This Week:
For very big, scary fishes.

Keep Swimming

2011-05-11T21:34:00.000-04:00

Words have failed me today so I thought I'd just show you how I'm feeling:

Tomorrow will be better. Tomorrow will be better. Tomorrow WILL be better.

My Un-Pregnancy: Week 5

2011-05-08T17:27:00.006-04:00

One of the drawbacks to documenting your life in blog form is that you become prey for the critics. From time to time you'll open your email to find harsh words and if you're strong, you'll ignore them and go on about your day. But sometimes the words hit that crack in your armor and you fall apart. Last week one such critic (who so bravely remained anonymous) accused me of having a "perfect, little life" and though I've been accused of worse, the words hurt.

My life is not perfect, I wanted to scream at this person.
For hours, I walked around stewing over the comment and listing everything that was wrong in my life.

I have no childcare for next week.

I live 90 minutes away from family.

I want to stay home and can't afford to stay home. I feel like my heart is breaking.

I live at least an hour away from my closest friends. I feel so alone here in Lexington sometimes.

I lost a hubcap! Could my car BE any more ghetto?!

Ada has a double ear infection. She won't let me put her down.

Money is tight. Money is always tight.

I have nothing to wear.

I want to start a business. I don't know how to start a business. Do I really want to start a business?

The dog is eating her poop again.

I went over $160 on my phone bill.

Ada had a blow out. There is poop in her hair. There is poop everywhere.

The dog won't stop barking at me. What the heck does she want?!

Did I mention I have no childcare for next week? And even if I find it, I'm still sad. I want to be her childcare.

I don't have any chocolate.

I ate too much chocolate.

I'm on deadline. I can't think to write!

The truth is, my life is not perfect. I am awkward. I always have paint on my clothes or in my hair. I have nothing to talk about when I sit at the lunch table with the other girls. When I try, the words come out all wrong. I can NEVER open those produce baggies at the grocery store and I sometimes get so mad that I spaz out and look like a crazy woman, cussing out a little green baggie in front of the tomatoes. I am impatient. I am scatter-brained. I struggle to finish what I start. I hide clothes that I buy in the car until my husband isn't home so I can sneak them into the closet. I let people walk all over me and then take it out on the people I love most. I never return library books. I sneak in another Diet Coke even though I'm breastfeeding and know Ada shouldn't have too much caffeine. I never forward chain letters. I eat chocolate for breakfast. I have more hurts than I care to count.

So, to the person who accused me of having a perfect, little life: you were half right.

My life may not be perfect but it is poetic with rainbows and butterflies (I believe that is how you phrased it.) Because despite everything about me that makes me a walking disaster some days, I come home to a husband who loves me anyway. If I'm patient, he even opens the produce bags for me when we go grocery shopping. And I have a beautiful baby girl to remind me that God works through my weakness. I have friends and family who have helped me when the bottom fell out of my plans. Though your words hurt me, they did help me realize I've been feeling too sorry for myself to see all of the beauty in my life. And how will I ever teach my daughter to be confident and see beauty in her life if I'm constantly dissatisfied with my own? So thank you, anonymous critic. You've taught me a valuable lesson. I hope your week is filled with butterflies and rainbows too.

Today's Inspiration:
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.'" 2 Cor. 12:9

Treat of the Week:
A pedicure!

What I'm Thankful For This Week:
Grace

Fitness Goal:
Go to Zumba one day this week

What Motherhood is Teaching Me

2011-05-07T13:03:00.000-04:00

Stretch marks are not blemishes.

Think like a five-year-old. Poop is funny.

Be proactive. The one time you don't have a new diaper ready, she'll pee all over you.

Change happens sooner rather than later. Embrace today because tomorrow may be completely different.

All mothers are working mothers. There is no reason to draw a line in the sand.

Sometimes the only thing you can do is laugh.

Treat your baby the way you hope she'll treat you when you're 80.

Motherhood doesn't begin in a delivery room. For some, it begins long before conception.

Other people will "know" what is best for your child. You will feel what is best with your whole body.

Grandmothers will look at your baby and see their baby. Accept this. You will do it too.

If God is love, you will never feel His presence more than the first time you hold your baby.

Massage gift certificates are the best shower gift. New moms have stiff necks from looking down at their baby all day long.

Motherhood will make you tougher and more gentle at the same time.

Babies bring out the crazy in people. Be prepared to be stopped about breastfeeding or Butt Paste by strangers in the frozen food section.

Learn to look for changing tables in bathrooms. You'll be surprised by how many public places don't have one.

You will change. Some people may see this as a bad thing but I promise, it will be for the better.

You will sleep again.

Modesty, to some degree, will go out the window.

Breastfeeding is like a secret language only you and your baby can speak. If you can do it, you're lucky.

If you can't breastfeed, don't feel guilty. You are that baby's mama. You speak the same language no matter what.

Like nausea in the first trimester, guilt is to be expected.

Embrace bath time as you did when you were a child. It is the most fun part of the day.

If you're not a morning person, learn to be. Babies are happiest in the morning. It is part of their innocent optimism.

Your mom isn't lying when she says something you make or time together is all she wants for Mother's Day.

Speaking of your mom, you will appreciate her now more than ever.

Every mother has the best baby. There is no use in arguing.

Even if you watch all day, you will miss your baby growing. Accept this. It is a good sign that you are doing the right things.

Babies are like women; when they are upset, they love comfort food, dancing to slow music and a long, hot bath.

Watch your baby cry sometimes. It will break your heart and make you feel more whole than you've ever felt, all at once.

Your baby loves you at your greatest and at your worst. Learn to love like that.

Don't wish these days away. You will spend the rest of your life wishing them back.

You will do bizarre things, sometimes in public, to get your baby to smile. And it will be worth it.

Be kind to the ones who want babies but haven't had them yet. You may not see their children but I promise, they feel them.

Dads have instincts too. They will be different from yours but you have to trust and appreciate them.

Your marriage will change. Expect this and do your best to make it a positive change.

There is a difference between wasting time and wasted time. It is okay to spend a day forgetting your chores and wasting time, snuggling on the couch. If you don't, you may look back and realize your time was spent wasted on unimportant things.

Learn to stand your ground even if it doesn't come naturally to you. You have to speak for both of you.

Never underestimate the power of a hot shower and a cup of coffee.

When nothing else is working, love never fails.

Happy Mother's Day to the ones with babies, the ones with grown-up babies, the ones who want babies and the ones who help us raise them.

Flaunt Your Feathers Friday!

2011-05-05T23:12:00.079-04:00

Alright, girls. It's time to flaunt those feathers!

I've been working on several projects for a canning party story I wrote for the June/July issue of Kentucky Monthly. I created these vintage-inspired bottles for serving lemonade.

Photo courtesy of Wales Hunter

To create your own lemonade jars, upload this graphic from The Graphics Fariy on to Picnic, a free and simple photo editing site.

Under the "edit" tab, choose the resizing tool. Size to the dimensions of your bottle or jar.

Under the "create" tab, choose "effects." Scroll down until you see the "tint" option. Choose the color of your choice and click "apply."

Still under the "create" tab, choose the "text" option. I used Wenceslas and All Used Up.

Print, cut out and adhere to the glass using Outdoor Mod Podge so the label will be waterproof.

Photo courtesy of Wales Hunter

Now it's your turn! What have you been up to?

The rules are simple:
1. Post a permalink (not a link to your blog) below.
2. All creative endeavors welcome! If you made it, we want to see it!
3. Please add the "Flaunt Your Feathers" button found in the right sidebar to your blog to let your friends know you're partying with us!

Remember, I'll be giving away a $20 Michael's gift card to the creator of my favorite project and featuring that project next week in my sidebar. Which reminds me...

Congrats, Aubrey Laine! You're the winner of the $10 gift card!

I'm also partying with:

Michael's Gift Card Giveaway!

2011-05-04T09:15:00.001-04:00

You know what I love?
Guilt-free shopping.
You know what I love more than guilt-free shopping?
Guilt-free shopping at Michael's.

Come join the "Flaunt Your Feathers" party here at A Lovely Place to Land this Friday and you could win a $20 gift card to Michael's. The creator of my favorite project will win the gift card and a spot on my sidebar for the week. All creative endeavors are welcome, from home decor projects to original recipes.

I'll also give a $10 gift card away this Friday. To enter just:
-Be or become a follower and leave a comment below to to tell me.
-Blog about the link party and giveaway for 1 entry. Leave a comment below.
-Tweet about the link party and giveaway for 1 entry. Leave a comment below.
-Tell friends on Facebook for 1 entry. Leave a comment below.

Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry. You can enter daily until Friday.

My Un-Pregnancy: Week 4 and a Giveaway Winner

2011-05-01T10:45:00.011-04:00

First, the Michael's gift card giveaway winner...

Deanna, email me with your address and I'll get the card in the mail this week!

I'll be giving another $20 gift card away this Friday at the first "Flaunt Your Feathers" party. To enter, just come link up a project or recipe! The winner will be announced next Monday.

***

Last week was rough. Really rough. Eat cake for breakfast, a handful of M&Ms for lunch and reconsider my lifelong no-smoking policy rough.

As if knowing that it would be my last week at home with Ada were not stressful enough (I've been working part-time from home for 6 weeks), our daycare plans fell through. I won't get into all the details, mostly because I'm talked and cried out about the whole situation, but I'll tell you that motherhood has somehow made me tougher and more gentle at the same time. So in the midst of pulling together two major photo shoots for Kentucky Monthly's home and garden issue, trying to take care of a sick baby and ducking in the bathroom during tornado warnings, I was trying to arrange childcare for my first week back to the office. I've never doubted my decision to not move back to Cincinnati after college until last week. Being 90 minutes from family suddenly hit me really hard.

My sorority sister and friend Suzie graciously offered to watch Ada while she's on break this summer from teaching high school Spanish. She is going to be driving from Louisville to Lexington three days a week, which is about an hour each way. In the month before she's out of school, the moms (my mom and mother-in-law) are going to take turns watching Ada. It will be more than an hour drive each way for both of them. I wish I had the words to say how truly grateful I am for this help but there are no words. My cup is overflowing. I just have to remember that instead of feeling like everything is spilling all over the floor!

I start back full-time today but I get to be with Ada until Wednesday. I have a photo shoot at this BEAUTIFUL bed and breakfast this afternoon and I'm taking Itty Bitty with me and staying overnight. Travis is taking Wednesday off to be with her, my mother-in-law is watching her Thursday while I'm in the office and my mom will watch her Friday. And even though I know I'll have to be away from her, and I'm completely heartbroken over it, I feel so much more at peace knowing she'll be at home with people who love her.

Country Girl at Heart B&B

As far as my un-pregnancy goes, I think this week will be all about survival. If I can do better than leftover cake from a photo shoot for breakfast, I'm going to call it a success. Sometimes you have to celebrate the small victories, right?!

Today's Inspiration:
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7-8

Treat of the Week:
Elk Creek Gewurztraminer. I think I'll need a glass and a bubble bath by the end of this week.

What I'm Thankful For This Week:
My husband for trusting my instincts when I need him to the most.

"What a Great Idea" Wednesday and Giveaway

2011-04-27T19:46:00.012-04:00

I know I haven't posted much in the way of crafts or DIY projects but believe me, I've been busy creating lots of new things. I'm just not allowed to show you what I'm working on because it will be featured in the home and garden issue of Kentucky Monthly magazine this June. I guess a peek won't hurt, right?! This is for my "trash to treasure" story...

I've got the photo shoot tomorrow at a garden center in Frankfort, Ky. Hopefully it won't rain and storm all day! And since I'm taking Ada Potato, I'm hoping she'll cooperate more than she did today while I was trying to finish this project.

Okay, on with this week's great idea, online estate sales! Or as my mom likes to call it, "going to yard sales in your pajamas." She is the one who got me addicted to Everything But The House, a company based in Ohio that holds online sales with lots and lots of FABULOUS stuff. My mom said my cousin knows the owner but I can't keep up. I'm from one of those Southern families that tells a story starting with "You know so and so? No, well, their aunt's brother's cousin's dog..."

You can shop the site by simply going to the link above and clicking on "sale calendar" at the top. You have to create an account before you start bidding but that is simple. For a small fee, you can have items shipped to you if you are unable to pick them up. If you want something more local to your area, search online for estate sales. There are companies popping up like this all over the country. Believe me. I've been stalking the web to find them.

Wanna see some of my wins? You know you do...
A set of 5 pewter cups that just happen to have an "H" monogram. Sweet. I think they'll pass as julep cups for Derby. How much, you ask? $2!

And have you seen this at Pottery Barn? Come on, I know I'm not the only PB stalker. It is priced at $129.

Well, check out this beauty I scored for just $16!

If I haven't lost you to the Everything But The House link yet, don't forget about the Michael's gift card giveaway! Just tweet, blog or update your Facebook status to invite friends to the "Flaunt Your Feather's Friday" party. You can also enter by becoming a follower of A Lovely Place to Land. Once you've done that, leave me a comment below and let me know. The winner will be revealed on Monday. Enter every day!

Closet Sale, Link Party and a Giveaway!

2011-04-26T09:31:00.004-04:00

It's a season of change here at A Lovely Place to Land. After taking a hiatus to welcome my first child, I'm getting back into the swing of things. We've got a new look, new projects and a new link party that will give you an opportunity to show off your creativity.

Please stop by Friday, May 6 and link up your projects and recipes at my "Flaunt Your Feathers Friday" party!

To kick-off the party, I'll be giving away two $20 Michael's gift cards. There are a few ways to enter:

Become a follower of A Lovely Place to Land and leave a comment below to let me know for one entry.

Tweet about the link party and let me know in the comments below for one entry.

Update your Facebook status to tell friends about "Flaunt Your Feathers Friday" and tell me about it below in the comments for another entry.

The winner of the first gift card will be announced next Tuesday!

While I'm cleaning up here, I'm also cleaning up at home and have a few items for sale. The items below are priced to include shipping. If you're interested in them, email me!

Medium Whimsical Anthropologie Top, $15

Medium Eyelet Lilly Pulitzer Top, $20

Size 10 Milly Dress, $50

New/Never Worn Anthropologie Gold Hoops, $10

Handmade Earrings (by me), $5 SOLD

Vintage Post Earrings (missing a few pearls), $5 SOLD

My Un-Pregnancy: Week 3

2011-04-25T19:38:00.001-04:00

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? Right?!?! Please tell me I'm right.

This is my last week home with Ada and I'm heartbroken. I cry when I'm holding her, when someone else holds her, when she is cute, when she is crying, when I see a stupid Mother's day commercial on TV. I cried because the expiration date on the milk was after the date she starts daycare. I got on the scale today and realized I'd lost 10 pounds since starting Weight Watchers 6 weeks ago but I'm sure I'll gain that back this week since I'm self-medicating with chocolate bunnies.

PLEASE, for the love of chocolate bunnies, tell me this will make me stronger!

I'm not making any fitness goals this week. Instead, my goal is to savor every moment without worrying that I'm still 10 pounds away from my pre-baby weight or that I have to wear a bathing suit in another month or so. The only chubby legs and round belly I'm going to worry about belongs to my baby girl.

Today's Inspiration:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Treat of the Week:
Kroger Private Selection Mango Sorbetto (it's fat free so I can down the whole pint through sobs without feeling too bad) and a lottery ticket. I can still hope, right?!

What I'm Thankful For This Week:
For this lovely post by Barbie at Treasure & Tranquility. Barbie, thank you so much! You are better than chocolate bunnies!

"What a Great Idea" Wednesday!

2011-04-20T11:09:00.000-04:00

I'm sort of a junkie for cleverness. I love those features in Real Simple magazine that show unique uses for ordinary items and I could spend hours lurking around blogs, basking in the creativity of women all over the country. That is why I've decided to highlight such creative thinking here at A Lovely Place to Land on Wednesdays.

This week, I want to introduce you to one of my favorite bloggers, Kayla. Not only is she one of the kindest and most genuine people I know (you can read about how she saved the day and made my Hope Hill Children's Home renovation a reality here) but she is super creative. Kayla and I ended up having babies just a few weeks apart. Her latest project is to document Baby E's growth from week to week. Each week she takes a photo of him with some prop representing a letter of the alphabet.

Once she makes her way through the alphabet, she plans on making him a keepsake alphabet book that shows his growth from birth to 26 weeks. Isn't that clever?

Look how much he's grown!

My Un-Pregnancy: Week 2

2011-04-18T13:36:00.000-04:00

40 weeks. It takes 40 weeks, give or take, to create a person. It only makes sense that it would take 40 weeks to re-create one too.

Since giving birth to my daughter two months ago, I've learned so much. Right now she depends on me to change her diapers, feed her and comfort her when she's scared. But eventually, she'll look to me to guide her into becoming a woman. That level of responsibility has made me really consider what kind of woman I am. I find myself thinking things like how can I expect Ada to make her bed when I never make my own? Eat her veggies and she'll get dessert...who's going to teach her that?! Or how do I teach her to feel good about herself when I walk around complaining that nothing fits? When you realize someone is watching you and will do as you do, it makes you really considerate of what you are doing. I guess that is why I've started this "un-pregnancy" series. It's not just about losing the baby weight. It's about growing into my own life.

There are so many ways I'd like to evolve.
I want to be a better writer.
I want to be more organized.
I want to know when its best to put Ada down and work and when I need to forget the
dishes/deadlines/details and hold her.
I want to be a better wife, friend, sister, daughter, co-worker,
person who smiles at you at the grocery store, etc.
I want to mean it when I pray God, use me.
I want to be healthy, not just thinner.
I want my daughter to look back and say, "Mom loved like crazy."
I want to feel like making the sacrifice to work instead of being home was made worth it because she got the insurance she needed, the socialization from being in daycare and most of all, an example of a mother who followed her dream.
I want to be real, no matter how shabby I get in the process.

What do you want? Who do you want to be? As a travel writer, I've learned that the story isn't about the destination but the journey to get there.

Last week, I started off strong. I ran on the elliptical, counted my points, followed a schedule, wrote in between feedings and remembered to give Ada belly time. By the end of the week, I felt like I was treading water again. And stupid me, it was because someone posted a "fat" picture of me on Facebook and in the same day, my husband told me our plans to replace my car had to be shelved again until the end of summer. Seriously. I'm ashamed to admit that something so trivial could throw me off my game. But it did. It opened a flood gate of all sorts of second-guessing, cut-me-down thoughts, from the size of my jeans to the heartache I'm feeling over putting the baby in daycare. Through sobs, I told my husband that everyone warns you about postpartum depression but no one says a word about end of maternity leave depression. So what did he do? He watched the baby while I got my hair done and let me go to Victoria Secret for a 5 for $25 (my favorite splurge) shopping spree. It's simple but it did make me feel better.

My new highlights and cut!

So, looking back on my first week of my un-pregnancy, I had some rough spots but some celebrations too. Yesterday, while cleaning out the garage (a huge success, I may add) I had to pull my pants up because they kept falling down. Woo-hoo! I came up with a pretty clever trash-to-treasure project that is going to be featured in the June/July issue of Kentucky Monthly and I got the ball rolling on turning my crafting into a small business. Not too bad. Not too bad at all.

If you're following along, how did last week go for you? If you're new and hoping to follow along, tell us what changes you want to make in the next 40 weeks!

Today's Inspiration:
Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Psalm 34:10

Weekly Goal:
Track my progress using the exercise log from Shape Magazine.

Treat of the Week:
Great Value 100 Calorie Ice Cream Sandwiches

What I'm Thankful For This Week:
That my mom took care of Ada yesterday while we cleaned the garage. We needed that!

DIY Easter Shoes

2011-04-16T11:36:00.001-04:00

While cleaning out my closet, I came across these white, peep-toe flats that I never wear. They are just a cheapy pair from Payless that have gotten pretty scuffed up since I bought them like 100 years ago to wear to my college graduation. They sat in the Goodwill pile for awhile but I kept thinking about how comfortable they are and how cute they look with a sundress.

So I broke out some Outdoor Mod Podge, fabric and brushes...

At first, I had every intention of covering them in fabric but let's be honest, I have a newborn so who has time for covering a shoe with fabric? I decided to attempt painting them.

First, I ripped the insoles out and recovered them with pretty fabric. This was easy. I just slathered Mod Podge all over the insole, pressed it down on to the fabric then cut around it for a clean line.

Then I painted the shoe. Honestly, I would recommend doing a layer of Kilz first to prep the surface. But again, newborn. No time. After the paint dried, I covered the shoe with a thin layer of Outdoor Mod Podge so they would be waterproof. To finish the shoe, I cut up a hankie and rolled it into a rose.

Now, if only I could find a matching dress in my closet...

Vintage Greeting Card Pacifier Clip

2011-04-14T18:13:00.001-04:00

Turn vintage greeting cards into unique art for your baby's pacifier clip! You'll need:

-Vintage greeting cards or scrapbooking paper
-Outdoor Mod Podge (makes the clip waterproof)
-Small sponge brush
-Pacifier clip with large plastic base
-Scissors

Choose a image or place in the pattern to use as the focal point. Place the clip on the paper and trace around the edges.

Brush a thin layer of Mod Podge over the plastic. The Outdoor Mod Podge is a little thicker so try to keep the layer as thin as possible.

Place the image over the plastic and hold down until it is secure. Use small scissors to clean up the edges if needed. Paint a thin layer of Mod Podge over the image to seal. TIP: Try to use as few brush strokes as possible to avoid streaks. I find that the Outdoor Mod Podge streaks if you get it too thick. If your baby isn't a spitter like mine, you could probably use the original formula instead of the outdoor.

Ta-da! You have a fun, vintage pacifier clip!

My Un-Pregnancy: Week 1

2011-04-11T22:27:00.001-04:00

There is an old wives tale that baby girls steal their mother's beauty. While shopping this weekend, I caught a glimpse of myself in a store window and realized that there must be some truth to it, at least in my case. I looked so frumpy and frazzled, it made me want to lay down on the sidewalk and have a temper-tantrum the likes of which no toddler has thrown.

After quite a bit of pouting, I reminded myself of a few things: First, I need to cut myself some slack. I just delivered the baby two months ago and I had started out with a few extra pounds on my frame due to the hormones I had been taking to get pregnant. It took me 40 weeks to put on the weight so I shouldn't expect to take it off overnight. Second, I have a daughter and a responsibility to raise her to be a confident woman. Rather than being negative and getting into the habit of teaching her bad habits, I've got to be positive and productive!

2 months postpartum with my Sweet Potato

So today starts my un-pregnancy, 40 weeks of becoming a newer, stronger and better version of myself. Why am I blogging about this? Well, honestly, I need the accountability but I'm also hoping some of you will join me. Even if you haven't had a baby, I hope you'll stop by every Monday for recipes, tips, great product reviews and inspiration. If you'd like to join me to reach one of your goals in 40 weeks, tell me about it in the comment section below and I'll be your cheerleader too!

Today's Inspiration:
You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.
Psalm 63:5

Weekly Fitness Goal:
Run on the elliptical for 15 minutes or walk the neighborhood with Ada in the stroller 5 days this week

Low-Fat Treat of the Week:
I'm in love with Krusteaz Fat Free Wild Blueberry Muffins! I used to be a big fan of the boxed Weight Watchers muffins but they recently changed the recipe and the muffins went from 3 points to 5 points. I can't justify spending more than $3 on 3 muffins that are so high in points. This mix makes a dozen muffins and costs less than $3. Best part, the muffins are only 3 points each!

Source

What I'm Most Thankful For This Week:
Ada's little pot-belly
I'm so proud of the fact that I was able to conceive, carry and now sustain this little person. Even if I'm not thrilled about the size of my jeans, I'm amazed by what my body is capable of and that little pot-belly of hers is a great reminder that I'm the one who is feeding her and making her grow.

The Rocking Horse Rocks Again

2011-04-08T15:25:00.000-04:00

Life has changed so much since my last update! I only have 3 more weeks left at home with our Ada Potato and I'm working on several articles and a coffee table book while she naps so there hasn't been much time for crafting. When I'm not writing, I spend an obscene amount of time just looking at her. Can you blame me?!

I didn't get a chance to post this project a few months ago so I thought I'd share it now. Living in horse country, I felt it only appropriate to have a great rocking horse in the nursery. I found this poor guy at Goodwill for only a few dollars.

Poor, poor pony...

After a coat of Kilz and a few coats of paint, I decoupaged some of the surfaces using scrapbooking paper and Mod Podge.I found that getting the paper damp made it easier to work with.

For the mane, I used inexpensive yarn that I cut up into 4-5 inch strands. I tied several strands together with a knot on one end then hot glued the knots into the crease in the wood that was at the top of the horse's head. I replaced the original eyes with antique buttons and added a pretty fabric flower for a little whimsy.

I don't think Ada will be big enough to ride him for the Derby this year but maybe next year!

Under Construction!

2011-04-06T22:48:00.001-04:00

Please don't mind my mess as I make a few adjustments. New content coming soon!

Family Gallery Wall

2010-11-18T13:31:00.001-05:00

Well, folks. I'm officially in the third trimester!

And as my friend Kayla, who is also expecting said when she reached this milestone,
there are no more trimesters after this!

We've been super busy trying to work on the nursery and finish some of the last minute house projects

we had put off for one reason or another before Ada gets here.

One of the big projects was our foyer, which was bland, bland, bland.

We had it painted a few weeks ago in Sherwin Williams' "Tree Branch" and loved the end results but the next big project I had in mind for the space was a family gallery wall that went up the wall on the steps.

I started off by collecting picture frames from thrift stores. I wasn't picky about sizes or shapes but I did refuse to pay over $4 for any frame. The frames were pretty shabby but we spray painted

them all black and they looked great.

If you do this, be sure to buy spray paint for plastic

(I recommend Krylon Fushion...it's the best.)

We found out the hard way that it sticks to the frames better than regular spray paint. I had to touch up several frames with acrylic paint because the regular spray paint didn't cooperate.

Luckily, one of my best friends, Rachel, is a former gallery director so I didn't have to put a lot of thought into spacing, which is a good thing because I'm mathematically challenged. She was so amazing! I basically stood at the bottom of the steps and watched her work her magic.

There are still a few frames that need a photo but this is what the gallery wall looks like right now.

In the name of saving money, I had to get creative with some of my frames. This one has letters written by my grandfather to his parents when he was in the Navy.
This particular letter was written while he was in the Philippines.

A simple black bow makes this one a little fancy...
The frame cost 50 cents and the ribbon was like $1 at Walmart.
I saw a similar frame at Michael's for $7.99 after I made this.
$7.99?!?!

This frame was only $3.50 at Goodwill. Similar frames at Michael's were $19.99!
I'm telling you people, spray paint will fix anything!

Instead of spending a lot of money on matting, I made photo collages on top of burlap.
It looks great against the wall color and adds texture.

We couldn't leave out Ada Potato. This was a simple frame that I bought for less than $1 at Goodwill. I stapled the black ribbon to the back. It is hanging from a fleur-de-lis photo hook that I bought at Michael's.

I find myself sitting on the steps a lot now, just looking at the pictures.
I can't wait to bring Ada home and walk her upstairs to her room so she can pass her whole family.

Maternity Pictures

2010-11-01T18:27:00.005-04:00

Hello Friends!

I thought I'd give you a little sneak peek at our maternity pictures.

My friend Stacey and her husband, Wes, shot these for us.

Stacey and I go way back to our dance days
in junior high and high school.

They just started a company called Sprout Squared and we were lucky enough to be their first maternity photo shoot! We did the shoot at Vinery, a horse farm down the road from our house, and it was breathtaking. I'll stop boring you with the details and let you see the images...

This dress was mine when I was little...

The shoes in the picture below were mine and the rattle was Travis' when he was little.
The horse was made by a local artist. I bought it at the World Equestrian Games.

Ada's crib came today so we'll be busy putting it up this evening. I'll post pictures later in the week!

DIY Pregnancy Halloween Costume

2010-10-30T10:01:00.001-04:00

I love Halloween.

It is one of my favorite holidays and I am very hopeful that little, Miss Ada

will have as much fun dressing up with her mommy as her mommy will have dressing up with her.

I am a little over six months pregnant so I wanted something cute for Halloween.

I didn't want to do the quintessential pregnancy pumpkin and I didn't really have time to pull something elaborate together like this amazing mermaid costume which I would have been all about recreating.

Source

One of my co-workers, Kelli, sent me a link to this shirt the other day and I started wondering if I could create my own skeleton baby shirt. I'm not a very talented drawer/painter so I was hesitant but the original cost $30 plus shipping and handling and if I wanted it to get here before Halloween,

I'd end up spending close to $50.

So I bought a $5 long-sleeve shirt from Walmart, a bottle of white puffy paint and pink ribbon.

Before I got to work, I tried the top on and made a dot with chalk between my breast bone and at my belly button so I could get the proportions right. Then I free-handed the design on the shirt with chalk. This was nice because if I messed up, I could erase it with a paper towel and redo the lines.

Once I had the image on the shirt, I very carefully outlined it with the puffy paint.

I let that dry a little then painted the inside of the bones with a brush and puffy paint.

Scout likes to watch me craft...

A felt heart and pink bow finished the shirt.

I added some polka dots with red acrylic paint to the bow to tie the two colors together.

And I even managed to find a puppy-sized skeleton shirt for Scout!

Happy Halloween!

Book Page Topiary

2010-10-27T09:36:00.002-04:00

I'm not big on themes but I guess you could say my house has a consistent "writing" motif.

There are a few reasons for this, the first being that I'm a writer and my husband is a book worm so the look

compliments our nerdy style. I also love the color and character of aging pages. Combine those things with the fact that decorating with old books is stylish but also inexpensive, and I'm sold.

A simple book wreath made with a clothes hanger...

The book shelf in our reading nook, without the books...

My downstairs guest bathroom was where that motif began. Last year was our first Christmas in this house and we were hosting a large shower for my brother and sister-in-law so I wanted to decorate the guest bathroom but the budget was tight. The winter Anthropologie catalog inspired me to create a vintage, whimsical winter look with touches of silver, gold and old book pages.

I loved the look so much, I kept parts of it the rest of the year.

(Please forgive the lighting in there...it is terrible)

One of my favorite details is the book page topiary. The base is a unique, black milk glass vase I found at a local antique store. I've covered the topiary with a mixture of antique and modern buttons and topped it off with an inexpensive finial I found at Lowes in the lighting section. The topiary would be perfect for a Halloween decoration so I thought I'd share a quick tutorial so you can make your own.

You'll need:

-An old, paperback book

-Straight pins or hot glue

-Scalloped circle punch

-Styrofoam ball

-Dowel rod

-Brown or black acrylic paint

-Vase or container of your choice

-Foam to fill container

-Moss

-Decorative accessories like buttons or scrapbooking supplies

-Lamp finial

1. If necessary, use a dremel or small saw to cut the dowel rod to the appropriate size before painting. As the paint is drying, tear pages from the book. Using the scalloped punch,

cut out enough pieces to cover the ball you have chosen.

2. Cover the tip of the dowel rod with hot glue and insert into the styrofoam ball. This secures the weight of the ball a little better in my opinion. Fill the container you have chosen with foam. Cover the opposite tip of the dowel rod with hot glue and insert into the foam in the container.

Use hot glue to secure the finial to the top of the ball and to cover the base with moss.

3. Begin covering the ball with the scalloped book pieces, securing each piece in the middle with a straight pin. If you want to save time (and your thumb,) you can also dab a little hot glue to the ball

and stick the paper to the surface.

4. Once the ball is covered, use hot glue to adhere buttons randomly over the surface.

5. Finish with a pretty, black bow tied around the dowel rod if you so wish.

Foyer Makeover

2010-10-25T22:22:00.001-04:00

After months of begging and pleading, my other half gave in and let me paint the foyer. We've been in our house for a little over a year now and we've painted most of the rooms. The foyer was still that blah-boring-construction-paint-off-white color. We often joke that our house is like Best Western because our guest bedroom is always occupied so you can imagine what the walls were starting to look like after dozens of suitcases had been carried up and down the stairs. Needless to say, we needed to paint. Bad.

The foyer is very high so we decided to hire a painter instead of messing with scaffolding. Honestly, I love DIY as much as the next gal but I have to say, it was nice to sit back with a cup of
coffee and let the pros do the dirty work. We chose Sherwin William's "Tree Branch."
It was the same color we used for a photo shoot for a makeover in Kentucky Monthly's
home decor issue last summer.

Photo by Matt Wooley

As you can see, the color totally transformed that room so I trusted it would do the same at our house.

Photo by Matt Wooley

I'm in love with the finished product...

I had a green desk that I wanted to use in the foyer instead of the white table that had been sitting there.

It was cute and would provide storage for keys and such but unfortunately, it was a little too big for the space.

Travis, that genius man of mine, said "Why don't we get the jigsaw and cut the sides off?"

"What the heck," I thought. "We either make it work or it goes to Goodwill."

So we cut the sides off, painted it a pretty bluish-gray and then I covered the drawers and top with vintage sheet music I found at a local antique store. The hardware was a steal I found in the clearance section at Marshall's for about $1.60 a knob.

Not too shabby, huh?!

Baby Brain

2010-10-18T16:18:00.001-04:00

I'm ashamed that it has taken me three weeksto update my little, old blog!

For those of you who come by often, I apologize for my silence but I promise,

I have PLENTY of excuses. First, after three years of planning editorial, the World Equestrian Games

finally came to Lexington! For those of you who are not familiar with the horsey world, WEG is basically the Olympics for equestrians and it all happened about five miles from my house. It was really interesting to meet folks from all over the world as I worked the Kentucky Monthly booth

to pass out the guidebooks we worked on all summer.

A sculpture in the "Kentucky Experience" at WEG

Sunset at WEG

As we worked on WEG, we were also busy trying to get to press with the November issue, which is our literary issue. I had an amazing opportunity to interview New York Times bestselling author Beth Hoffman, author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. Beth is a fellow Kentuckian and has a love for thrifty decor so we had lots to talk about. I was so humbled and fuzzy-headed when I received an email from her last week saying that she had written about me on her own, personal blog! You can read it here!

And if you haven't picked up Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, I highly recommend it.

Source

In the middle of all of that hullabaloo, we found out that we are having a baby girl! Ada Grace is expected to be here in early February and we can't wait to meet her.

So, as you can imagine, this mama's brain has been swimming with nursery ideas.

I want the room to have that "grandma's attic" feel to it.

Photo from Country Living

Lots of vintage finds. Lots of mismatched fabric. Lots of pretty, girly baubles.

Photo from Country Living

Travis and his dad painted her room Sherwin Williams' "Euphoric Lilac" last week

and installed a shabby chic chandelier.

And my mom surprised me with this crib that I had fallen in love with...

I ordered this bedding (okay, before we even knew for sure it was girl) from Target.

And I snagged this glider and ottoman for just $60 off of Craigslist.

I'm hoping to get a pretty slipcover made like this one...

So now you know where I've been for so long.

Strolling around flea markets with my head in the clouds,

so anxious to meet my baby girl :)

My Closet Office

2010-09-21T18:40:00.003-04:00

My closet office is finally finished and just in time for me to start working on the November issue of

Kentucky Monthly magazine which is (my favorite) the literary issue. Today I put my office to good use.

I interviewed some AMAZING writers from Kentucky who are taking the publishing world by storm and I also did some of my own writing, focusing mostly on my "A to Z" story for this month. But talking to these incredible writers has reminded me that I need to make some time to work on my fiction, my first love. That is exactly why hubby turned the closet into my office in the first place: he wanted to give me a place to write.

If you remember, this is what the space looked like when we started.

It was just a plain closet in his "man cave."

We hired an electrician to install an outlet and light. I made a hanging light out of a vintage

Mason jar, which was super easy and inexpensive.

Travis built a desk into the space and added some homemade shelving.

That all cost less than $100 to do.

I bought some very shabby Goodwill items and

worked a little magic to turn them into

lovely desk accessories.

Before

After

Before

After

Don't look too close or you'll notice that I lost my #5 tile...

My chair was a $10 thrift store find that I painted and reupholstered.

I couldn't be more pleased with the way it turned out!

I did buy a new bulletin board at Home Goods

and this lovely "Keep Calm" poster was an Etsy find.

Everything else came from Goodwill...

Or I found it on clearance at Hobby Lobby...

Or I made it myself using odds and ends from all over the house...

My little word bird is now nesting on my shelf and the shadow box is something I remade from

an awful Easter decoration I bought for less than $1 at Goodwill.

It all came together for about $250!

I still need a new keyboard and I've been stalking Ebay to catch a great

deal on vintage locker baskets for the top shelf but all in all, I'm very happy with my

cozy, little writer's office. Now I just need to tell some stories :)

For more great ideas using a blue and brown color scheme, hop on over to
The Great Blue and Brown Blog Bonanza at Cottage Instincts!

DIY Play Kitchen

2010-09-11T18:49:00.003-04:00

I've been dying to make a play kitchen and this weekend I had just the excuse!

My co-worker, Kelli and her husband Phillip hosted their daughter's first birthday party.

I have seen other bloggers make kitchens out of old end tables, nightstands and entertainment systems and

I always see those things at Goodwill for next to nothing.

"It will be a piece of cake," I told my husband.

Good thing he never believes me.

I couldn't find any of those things despite multiple trips to multiple Goodwills and thrift stores.

I even found an old play kitchen once to re-do but when I got to the counter to pay,

I realized that I had left my bank card at home in the pocket of my jeans.

(I'm really baby-brained, if you can't tell.)

I was all but ready to give up and go to Toys-R-Us when I had a moment of inspiration.

I had this end table with shelves, a Craigslist bargain, that the puppy had turned into a chew toy.

I couldn't bring myself to throw it away despite the damage so it was hanging out in

our reading nook until I found a new use for it.

And what do you know, one of the shelves made a perfect oven door.

The old base made a great wall and shelf once we cut off the parts the puppy chewed.

After a coat of blue paint and some accessories, it all came together.

I used Mod Podge and scrapbooking paper to make a pizza box...

It held the cute little pizza that my mother-in-law made.

And I think Miss Carly loved it!

I'm sharing this project at:

Desk Chair on a Dime

2010-08-26T11:57:00.004-04:00

As I mentioned earlier in the week, my husband and I have been busy turning the closet in his man cave into my home office. We've got about a thousand projects to do before this Little Bit comes in February so we were on a very strict budget. I set out last weekend to find a chair that would provide good support (a good chair is as valuable to a writer as a good story) but could be dressed up a bit to match the space.

This is what I came home with, much to Travis' dismay...

A $10 1950s era hunk-a-hunk-a-rolling-ugly.

In fact, our neighbor saw it on the front porch and asked Travis what on Earth I was up to now.

That's bad. I'm getting a reputation for my crazy.

This is where I have to go on and on about how wonderful Travis has been through this pregnancy. Because I can't spray paint (and I REALLY hate not being allowed to spray paint) Travis helped me with that and even endured my "you need some more here, here and here" commands to transform the chair.

Is there anything that spray paint can't fix?!

I bought this fabric on clearance at Walmart and was able to reupholster the entire chair for about $5.

This was a time consuming process but fairly simple once I got the hang of it.

Another little secret...

I ended up using the reverse side of the fabric because the blue matched my office better.

And once we got her put back together, we stepped back and admired her beauty!

I love how my little office is coming together!

Okay, let's talk numbers.

Total cost of this makeover:

$20.00 which includes chair and materials

Total cost of a similar chair from Ballard Designs:

$611.00

Not too shabby.

I'm sharing this project at:

The Shabby Chic Cottage

Mustard Seed Creations

Getting Back on the Horse

2010-08-24T11:24:00.001-04:00

I think I may have watched The Little Mermaid too many times as a child

because I love whozits and whatzits galore. There is something in the hunt that thrills me,

something in the problem solving that makes my blood rush and the feeling I get when I've taken

a seemingly useless item and turned it into a treasure for my home

is much more rewarding than buying it at Pottery Barn.

I love that our home has my fingerprints all over.

It's like our own little art gallery.

And I have to say, I feel like I am sticking it to the man that I've decorated this house

on less than a shoestring budget.

Our not-so-pricey Pottery Barn-inspired bedroom

Since we found out in June that we're expecting, my creativity has been focused on creating two little hands and two little feet so I've sort of let my ambitions for thrifting fall by the wayside. Now that I'm in my second trimester and feeling better and stronger every day, my husband and I decided to tackle the home office project we had been putting off for the summer. We are sort of a strange couple. We don't like to be in separate rooms when we're home so we decided to transform the closet in Travis' man cave into my "Manda-Cave," a cute little office where I can write everything from my blog to the next Great American novel

(if only, right?!)

The Man Cave...the only room I'm not allowed to decorate

While Travis worked on the shelving and built-in desk, I went to Goodwill for the first time all summer.

Seriously, the angels sang when I walked in the door.

I was on the hunt for aqua Mason jars, a chair and any other little baubles that may work in the office.

I didn't find any of that but I was rewarded with a Lilly Pulitzer eyelet top that was just $1!

It will be a great motivator when I'm trying to lose the baby weight next spring...

I ended up finding the Mason jars at the Peddler's Mall which worked out because I was next to Lowe's and could buy the lighting kit I needed. Travis drilled a hole in the lid for me and we installed the wiring.

This is super simple so don't be intimidated to try it out.

And now I have a lovely Mason jar light for my new closet office.

I did a little research and found that these lights sell at Pottery Barn and Napa Style for $199 and up!

Photo from Pottery Barn

Photo from Napa Style

I'll post more pictures of the finished office once we get a few more things wrapped up.

Hope you have a great week!

Craving Fall

2010-08-16T22:26:00.003-04:00

I hate to rush summer off but I can't deny that I'm ready for fall.

Photo from Country Living

I love everything about fall.

The way the air smells.

Cozy sweaters.
A house that smells like homemade pumpkin bread.

Apple-picking.

The fall Pottery Barn catalog.
(It's a sickness, really.)

Photo from Pottery Barn

I have this silly tradition...

I like to roll my window down on those first, crisp days and yell

"Happy Autumn" to pedestrians.

I won't deny that I'm weird :)

This is down the road from my house. Such a beautiful drive to work in the fall...

So, just in case you're craving fall as much as I am,

here is a great recipe for an apple pastry that I adapted from a Pampered Chef

recipe featured in the "Celebrate" cookbook.

You'll need:

1 package refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts)

1 cup chopped pecans

5 tablespoons sugar, divided

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 medium red baking apples (1 1/4 pound)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup apple butter (I highly recommend Apple Barn's apple butter)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Let pie crusts stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. In a small bowl,

mix pecans, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, cinnamon and flour. Set aside.

2. Lightly dust a round baking stone with flour. Unfold one pie crust and place in center of the stone.

Spritz with a little water and press the second crust on top, matching the edges and pressing down to seal. Use your fingers to make a decorative edge around the crust.

3. Put apple butter in a microwave-safe cup and heat for 30 seconds.

Spread the apple butter on top of the pie crust then top with the pecan/sugar mixture.

Be sure to reserve some of the mixture for the topping.

4. Core and slice apples. Cut the slices in half and arrange them,

starting at the outside edge and overlapping in a circular pattern.

5. I sometimes brush a little more apple butter on top of the apples. This gives them a pretty shimmer and a little extra something. Just be careful not to mess up your arrangement. Finish it off with the remaining pecan/sugar mixture and if you have a cinnamon grinder on hand, some freshly ground cinnamon. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Tip: I ask our local pizzeria for a empty 12" pizza box.

This makes taking the pastry to a gathering super simple.

Back to School Dreamin'

2010-08-12T14:49:00.002-04:00

Call me crazy, but I love "back to school" season.

Every year, my husband indulges my inner-elementary school student

and buys me a new pack of crayons, colored pencils and markers (the thin ones are my favorite.)

I also get one old-school composition book that gets filled with doodles.

Seriously, I'm never getting older than five.

Though I love summer, I'm really excited about the little kiddos in our neighborhood

starting school because it means fall is just around the corner.

Fall means an end to this miserable heat and humidity, cozy sweaters,

crisp nights, a new start to get me back in full blogging mode, and of course,

my second trimester!

So to celebrate everything that this "back to school" season brings,

I thought I'd do a little online shopping for some grown up things

that still have that academic flair.

First Day Fabulous

Though I'd look more like a pumpkin than a school yard belle

in this dress from the Shabby Apple right now, I can't deny how

much I love the vintage lines and crisp, fall hue.

It makes me want to grab a book and find a bench under a tree.

Studious Style

These printer blocks from Anthropologie

get an "A" in my book.

Book It

I love, love, love this purse made from a vintage book.

So smart.

No. 2s

How fun are these pencil socks?

Go to the Board

This classy take on the school room staple is a welcome addition

to any school-inspired house.

Next week, hubby and I are transforming the closet in his man cave

into my pretty, personal office. I hope you'll stop by for pictures.

Also, check out our baby blog, Baby Makes Three.

The Second Most Creative Thing I Did This Week...

2010-07-23T11:30:00.000-04:00

Alright, I'm the worst blogger in the whole blogging world.

I've updated like once this summer.

For those of you who aren't in Kentucky, I'm writing a travel series for Kentucky Monthly magazine called

"Kentucky A to Z." Every month, I get 24 hours to travel to a Kentucky town

(chosen at random, based on the alphabet)

and find an interesting story. I've been all over the state at this point, to towns with no more than 9 houses and

no stop signs. I've sat at the kitchen tables of strangers, eaten the best food you can imagine in the most run-down places and even came home with flea bites once.

But now I'm on a mad race to get through the alphabet before I start waddling through it.

I've been doing two trips a week for the last three weeks which has sort of zapped what little energy I do have so now my glue gun has cob webs. Not to mention, my creativity has been focused somewhere between writing theses stories and you know, creating life.

Speaking of creating life, here is a peak at my little-but-growing bump...

I did manage to finish a super-cute project for my friend and co-worker, Ashley.

Last week, Ashley had a baby boy named Knox.

And I thought Knox needed some blocks.

Actually, I usually give my co-workers hand-painted letters for their nurseries but Ashley had painted some

letters on her own and wanted blocks instead.

I made this one for my editor's daughter, Molly

This was a pretty simple process. I bought the blocks at Micheal's, picked out coordinating scrapbook paper and set about decoupaging the paper to the wood using Mod Podge.

Once everything was dry, I painted the letters with simple acrylic paint.

I also rubbed some brown paint into the edges to distress them a bit.

If all goes according to plan, I'll have some of my hand-painted letters, blocks, ornaments and wine glasses

on Etsy this fall. Just got to get through the last few weeks of this first trimester

and maybe I'll have the energy to make it happen!

Writing My Name on the Ceiling

2010-07-12T19:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday at church, our pastor preached about having faith that God hears and answers our prayers.

He said that nothing is impossible for God and that we should go before Him and present our requests,

with a child-like faith that He will answer according to His will.

As I stood there, on this side of so many answered prayers, I couldn't help but feel like I wanted to

stand up and say, "Yeah! That's right! He does listen!"

When I asked God for a place to serve, He lead me to Hope Hill.

When I asked God to show me how I could help there, He sent me Katy and her dream for a

new boutique where the girls could get a real shopping experience.

When I asked how I could possibly make that happen,

He sent me hands to help carry the load.

When I didn't know where I'd get the paint, the lighting or the money to finish a floor,

He put the right people in my path to make those things happen too.

And when I asked that He remember me, just like He remembered Hannah (1 Samuel 1:19-20)

when she cried out for a child,

He did that too.

Here is my new little project.

Little Bit at 6 weeks

Little Bit at 9 weeks

Today, Travis and I sat in that same office, next to that same machine and

watched as our baby came up on the screen.

And the sound of that little heart beat,

that was the most precious moment of my life.

As I was changing the sheets on our bed last night,

I saw something on the mattress that I had forgotten about.

On the right side where I sleep, just under the seam, I wrote

"Luke 1:37" with a permanent marker.

"For nothing is impossible with God."

So, thank you for your love and support.

And for not forgetting all about me since I haven't put up any fun projects in weeks.

I don't keep secrets well and I haven't been awake past 8pm in weeks so

now you know why I've been so quiet over here.

But believe me, I suddenly have a lot to talk about.

The Hope Chest: Before and After

2010-06-14T13:43:00.002-04:00

Well, it's all finished!

I'm too tired for words so I'm going to let the pictures do

the talking. Thank you from the bottom of my heart

for all of your prayers and support!

I promise a better account of the weekend's activities

at some point this week!

April 4, 2010

June 13, 2010

And now I have a new little project I'm working on!

Details coming soon :)

Take That Fancy Pottery Barn Dress Form!

2010-06-10T16:24:00.001-04:00

When I was first asked by the staff at Hope Hill to transform their

clothing storage room into "something like a boutique"

I envisioned one of those pretty places downtown with the gorgeous dress forms (like the ones pictured below from Pottery Barn),

bright colors and rows of clothing just waiting to be enjoyed.

Source

But this boutique would be inviting. It would be a place where the girls could come to get

a little pampering minus the snobbery. It would be a place where they could enjoy the shopping

experience they've never had.

I realize that sounds pretty shallow but let's be honest...

there is some truth to "retail therapy."

It makes you feel good and those girls deserve to feel good.

And pretty...every girl should feel pretty.

My friend Kelli and her mom, Sabrenia, donated a dress form for the room.

It was old, stained and had a pretty uninspiring metal stand...

But after a little (okay, a lot) of decoupaging with vintage sewing patterns and a new custom stand
made by my hubby, she looks like this...

9 1/2 Feet Over My Head

2010-06-06T09:18:00.000-04:00

Oh, girls.

The room at Hope Hill is SO much worse than I thought.

Yesterday, my dad and my in-laws went with me to prep the room for our work weekend,

which is in one week. We were going to sand and prime the walls, fix and paint the ceiling and build a cabinet

around the meters on the wall. We thought that was a full work load!

When we arrived, they had cleaned out the room and for the first time, I saw the floor.

We noticed two huge crates under shelving units and decided to investigate.

When we lifted the first crate, we found a 9 1/2 ft. deep hole.

Of all the things in the word I expected to be under that crate...dead squirrels, a snake, dirty socks...

a man hole was not what I had envisioned.

When we lifted the second crate, we found another hole but this one was about 6 1/2 ft. wide.

The holes were covered with about 1/2 an inch of plywood so this was a major, MAJOR safety issue.

We had to think fast.

Luckily, my dad is one of the best carpenters I know

so he quickly laid out a plan to build a new floor.

We worked non-stop for 15 hours yesterday on the new floor but it was important.

I get chills every time I think about standing over those holes without knowing only a half an inch

of plywood was keeping me from crashing to the ground.

The wood platform above is all that was keeping us from falling.

We had to use most of our budget on the floor but it was worth it to make it safe.

Even the staff at Hope Hill was unaware of the holes. It's a wonder no one fell through over the years.

We had to tear down all of the shelving units to put the floor in so now we're trying to figure out how to store the clothes. We also have to rethink the floor because we can't paint that type of wood easily.

I'm praying I find someone on Craigslist who is selling laminate flooring that I can put down.

Kayla, seriously... I don't know what I would have done without your donation.

YOU put this floor down. You could have saved a life.

If you are at all interested in donating to this project, we could use the help.

Our greatest need is gift cards to Lowes. We need those badly.

Our next greatest need is socks, underwear and sports bras of all sizes for the girls.

And of course prayer. We need lots and lots of prayer.

For safety. For good deals. For strength. For creativity. For donations. For energy.

For loving hearts.

Shabby Chic on the Cheap

2010-06-04T07:49:00.001-04:00

My friend Brittany visited this week and she brought a pile of clothes she

had recently bought at a thrift store. For extra money,

Brittany resells name brand clothing on Ebay.

In her pile of clothes, I noticed this itty, bitty skirt with ruffles...

and like lighting striking, I thought,

"That would make an awesome lamp shade!"

Seriously.

I think I have a problem.

So as to indulge my "problem," I went sorting through the garage to find a drum lamp shade.

It was sitting there, with a lamp, lonely and unused.

I slipped the skirt over the shade and we stepped back and gasped.

Gorgeous!

So of course, I had to paint the lamp to match the new shade.

A lovely "butter cream" color did wonders.

And I added a big, pink flower for extra pizazz.

And now I have an adorable, shabby chic lamp for the room at Hope Hill

that cost next to nothing!

Saturday's Finds

2010-05-30T10:54:00.000-04:00

Whew! I've been one busy girl this weekend!

My goal this weekend was to get a lot of the decorative stuff I'm making for Hope Hill

finished so I can focus on prepping the room next weekend.

The walls have a glossy lacquer over them so I have to sand and prime them before the

actual work weekend. I have a feeling that is going to be a crazy and time consuming endeavor so

I thought it best to get started this weekend.

Yesterday, my mama and I hit 3 different Goodwills
and the Peddler's Mall in search of items for the room.

We lucked out all around with great deals, unique pieces and beautiful weather.

One of the things I was hoping to find was flowers for this mirror...

It was donated by a woman in Mt. Sterling, which is just a few minutes from Hope.

It is going to be the mirror in the new dressing room so I wanted it to be girly.

I ended up finding two different picture frames (at two different Goodwills) that had metal flowers so I took the metal flowers off the frames and attached them to the decorative metal scroll thingy.

The pictures do not do it justice! I need to do another coat on the mirror so I'll put pics up as soon
as it all comes together.

This brass lamp was just $1 with the shade.

It now looks like this...

I painted the shade with regular interior paint!

But my FAVORITE find was this dresser...
10 glorious drawers for storage and it is on casters which makes it easy to move!

This is the storage cabinet that is currently at Hope Hill...

And after some sanding, paint and Modge Podge, it will be replaced with this...

Oh, there is so much more to show you but there is still work to be done!
Check in with me all this week for more fun projects :)

42 Daughters

2010-05-27T22:30:00.001-04:00

Do you ever hear God's voice clearly?

Or have a moment that stops you in your tracks because it is so evident

that God is right there, listening?

I had a moment like that a few weeks ago as I was driving to work.

The 30 minute commute to my office in Frankfort is often the most peaceful part of my day.

I get the privilege of driving past some of the most beautiful farms in Lexington and as the season is turning

towards summer, I find myself driving slower to take it all in.

My drive is also a time of prayer. I get a half an hour to tell God everything that is on my mind.

Sometimes all I can think of is knock-knock jokes

(talk about a child-like faith)

and other times, I have deep conversations with Him about everything going on in my life.

A few weeks ago, I was praying about the fertility problems we've been facing.

Through my tears, I kept telling God all of the wonderful things I'd do if I were a mother.

I told Him how much love I have in me and how I need someone to share it with.

And as clear as if it came over the radio, I felt like God was saying to me,

"Amanda, I've given you 42 girls who need your love. You have 42 daughters right now. Love on them."

Up until that point, the work I've been doing for Hope Hill has come from a separate part of my heart but I can't help but feel like maybe those girls are my girls for now.

42 daughters.

Will I ever learn to be grateful for what I have instead of worrying about what I don't have?

When I was in middle school, I came home to find that my mom had redecorated my room. Posters of all of my favorite bands and movie stars were hanging on the wall, there was new bedding that was much more grown-up than the old quilt I had and best of all, she had folded all of my clothes and organized everything.

I've never told her how thankful I was for that little makeover but looking back on it, I will never forget how grown up I felt. I'll never forget how loved I felt.

In some small way, I hope this room at Hope Hill makes those girls feel the way I did when my mama made my room my own little piece of the world.

So, do you want a sneak peak?

The chandelier Brecher's Lighting donated...

Pretty baskets...

A sweet little tree for jewelry...

Scout liked the matching hooks...

Flowers for an arrangement...

3 wire baskets (just $2 at Hobby Lobby) and some art prints...

And a lovely new rug

(as you can see, Scout approved.)

And I'm PRAYING that I hear back from the department

in charge of donations at Urban Outfitters because this shower curtain would be PERFECT

for the dressing room we're making! Cross your fingers that they call me tomorrow :)

Hello Dear Friends, I've Missed You!

2010-05-26T22:17:00.002-04:00

It is true...

I have MISSED you all!

I'm sorry I've fallen off the face of the Earth but I have a good excuse.

Last week, we took a much needed vacation to Edisto Island, South Carolina.

We went with my mother and father-in-law and our best buddies John and Melissa.

We rode bikes, ate ice cream, played late-night games, and soaked up as much sun as possible.

Sometimes your soul just needs sun, salt water and sand...

Then this week I've been crazy busy trying to pull everything together for the Hope Hill trip, which is in just 2 weeks! I can't believe how quickly it is approaching and I'm feeling so many things...

Nervous.

Excited.

Inspired.

Creative.

Humbled.

Loved.

Awe.

So many people (and many of you) have invested time, effort and their hearts into the girls at Hope Hill and for that I am so grateful. God is doing some amazing things! I found out on Monday that the Shewin Williams in Versailles, Kentucky is going to donate paint and supplies.

Brecher's Lighting in Lexington is going to donate a chandelier!

Carissa at Kids Corner, an absolutely adorable Etsy shop,

donated a custom-made vinyl sign for the front door!

Artist Amy Trimble donated a painting!

And of course, Kayla from Kayla Danelle...her donation of $500 has made so much happen!

I've also received numerous donations of plastic clothing hangers, which I need more than you could ever know. It has been amazing to see everything come together and I can't WAIT to see the looks on those sweet, little faces when they see The Hope Chest for the first time! So if my posts are a bit spotty in the next two weeks, you know why. Hopefully, I'll be able to get some shots up of projects I'm working on along the way. Thanks for being patient and sticking around with me and please continue to keep this project in your thoughts and prayers :)

Help! I need some design advice!

2010-05-11T16:32:00.001-04:00

Today is May 11.

Exactly one month from today, I will be leading a group of women on a mission trip

to Hope Hill Children's Home in Hope, Kentucky. Founded in 1960 as an orphanage for boys and girls, Hope Hill has evolved over the years into a residential treatment facility that provides a safe, therapeutic environment for young girls with histories of sexual abuse, neglect and chronic runaway issues. Of the 42 girls between the ages of 12 and 18 that live there, nearly half of them are undergoing

therapy for alcohol and drug abuse.

A few months ago, I had one of those step-off-the-boat moments.

I felt like God was trying to tell me that all of this creative energy I have is something

He created in me on purpose. I've always loved DIY projects but this would need to be something different; something bigger. It hit me as I was driving to work...

a "do-it-for-you" project.

I think about this in different ways.

Sometimes I think the "you" is God and I'm doing my very best to give Him all the glory.

Sometimes I'm doing it for you, which in this case describes those people in my life who need encouragement.

Whoever the "you" is, it is someone outside of myself.

The DI4Y Project is all about using our talents to serve others so that at the end of this life, we've used up everything He has given us.

When I approached Hope Hill about a mission trip, they told me that they had been searching for just the right group to work on a very special project for the girls.

This dilapidated storage room houses clothing donations...

Many of the girls who come to Hope Hill carry everything they own in a garbage bag. When they need clothing, they come to this room and sort through boxes and bags until they find something they think will fit. A lot of the clothing that is donated is unwearable. One of the things we wil be doing is mending the clothes.

We'll also be repurposing those old suitcases

so the girls have something beautiful to carry when they leave Hope Hill for a new life.

And after a fresh coat of paint, some new curtains and LOTS of creativity, we're going to transform this old storage room into
The Hope Chest...

a boutique just for those sweet girls who so desperately need to be loved on.

Source

So, I need some design ideas!

Any tips?

Suggestions?

DIY Rosette Flats

2010-05-07T11:01:00.006-04:00

When we bought our first house last summer, I couldn't get the

Matine Toile Drapes from Pottery Barn out of my mind.

They were perfect. They were gorgeous.

They were...out of my budget.

So my gracious mother-in-law offered to
make me some PB knock-offs...

They came together beautifully but once they were all finished, we had TONS of fabric leftover.

Guess our math was a little fuzzy. In fact, I had so much leftover

that I'm still finding projects for this pretty fabric...

When I saw these blue-grey flats on clearance for $4.98 at Target, I decided they would be

ADORABLE with pretty, toile rosettes on top.

To make the rosettes, I cut two 10 inch strips of fabric

and twisted it to make a long spiral.

I folded the end and hot glued it to make a tube so it wouldn't unravel.

Once the tube was secure, I started rolling it to form a flower.

I hot glued the fabric as I went to keep it from unraveling.

Once I had my flowers, I hot glued them to the top of the shoe.

Adorable!

If you want a pair, let me know!

I could probably spare some fabric :)

I'm joining the party at

Diary of an Infertile Myrtle...

2010-05-01T16:06:00.001-04:00

Warning:
This post contains some pretty personal information. I have fought with myself over whether or not I should discuss this but in my heart, I feel like sharing our story will give someone out there comfort that they are not alone as they struggle with infertility.

When I was in elementary school, we had to take a physical fitness test every spring. I did okay for the most part but when it came to climbing the rope that was hanging like a braided-horse tail from the ceiling, I never could quite succeed. I can remember how badly I wanted to make it to the top and every year as I stood in line behind my classmates, watching as some scrawny girl with scraped knees made it to the top to write her name on a beam by the rope, I would long to add my name to that beam with a decades-worth of gym-time graffiti. I can remember taking the rope into my hands when my turn came, the rush of breath as I jumped up and wrapped my legs around it, and the weight of my body being pulled back to the earth by some invisible and bothersome force. I fought with everything in me to make it up that rope.
And eventually I'd fall to the ground, red-faced and defeated.

That is how infertility feels.

I'm fighting and fighting to make my body do something that my heart wants
but I just keep falling back down, red-faced and defeated.

On Thursday, we had our first trip to a fertility and endocrinology specialist. After a few months of Clomid treatments (we started back in December,) my gynecologist called me and said that he wasn't optimistic that the treatments would "deliver the desired results." My progesterone levels had only increased to 2.5, which though still low, was a good jump from the big, fat zero I had when we first started treatments. But still, at 2.5, I can't even menstruate without the help of a progestin (hormone replacement.) The morning of our appointment, we both got ready quietly. We were not sure of what to expect. This entire thing has been difficult, even heartbreaking at times, but it has brought us so much closer together. We've really had to cling on to each other to get through some of the tougher moments and this appointment was among the toughest. It wasn't tough in the sense that we got bad news or anything like that. On the contrary, the doctor seems confident that a few more months of agressive Clomid treatments will kick-start ovulation and I'll have to do a laparoscopy later in the summer to remove scar tissue from endometriosis, which could double our chances.
It was hard sitting in a room with a ultra-sound machine plugged up and turned on next to me.
The whole time we sat there alone, waiting for the doctor, it sat there like a big elephant in the room.
I would have given anything in that moment to be there with my other half, my best friend, finding out what our baby was instead of waiting for a doctor to tell me why I wasn't having one.
Being told that I am now diagnosed with "infertility" and that my insurance will not cover anything,
not even labs, was another low point.
But the worse moment was sitting in the waiting room in the lab next to a mom with a newborn baby. She was so close, I could smell the baby powder and the moment the baby started crying, I felt like my bones were breaking from the weight of the disappointment we both are feeling right now.
I had to go to the bathroom. It was just too much to endure without sobbing right there.

Before we went to the doctor, I had a cup of coffee while watching the Today show. Author Kelly Corrigan was on the show talking about her new book Lift, which is a "love letter" about motherhood. She came up with the title after talking to a hang-glider who described the sport as "flying from thermal to thermal, looking for lift." Apparently, inside turbulence there is a column of hot air that pulls you up and allows you to fly at a different altitude. While this whole thing has been painful for us, it feels a lot like that:
flying through a storm but finding lift to fly higher than we were before.

I know our families and friends are worried about us right now. I know no one knows what to say and sometimes it is easiest to say "everything will be okay" or "it will happen eventually." I think I've almost come off as pessimistic when I've responded with "no, it may not." It isn't about being pessimistic, and if you've thought that, I'm sorry. It's just that this experience is teaching us that we have to be grateful for what we have instead of feeling like God owes us something. Yes, we have a strong marriage. Yes, we try our best to be good people. Yes, we've been together, talking about having a "Gracie" since high school. But when it comes down to it, we have to respect what God has planned, and maybe what He hasn't planned, for our lives. It's really about trying to be grateful and take each day to savor rather than get so caught up in what may
or may not happen.
We're trying (desperately) to be still and know that He is God.

I've had several people tell me that if this doesn't work out, I can always adopt. Truth be told, I want nothing more than to be the old lady in the shoe with tons and tons of kids running around. Adoption is something I'd want to do even if I could have 100 kids on my own. What I guess I'm mourning (and maybe that is too strong of a word) is that I may miss out on the creative process of motherhood.
I know I'll be a mother, one way or another.
It's just that I want to experience all of that...well, creation.
And there have been other hurts.
I'll be 25 in one month and this has sort of made me rethink my life. If I can't have children, do we wait to adopt? Do we travel the world? Do I go back to school? Who am I if I can't be a mother? And then of course, there are other things. As if not being able to naturally have a period doesn't strip away all traces of your femininity, try growing a beard (one of the side effects of the hormones.) This has all come together to make me stop and take a long, hard look at my life (and the men's razor section, haha.)

Last night, I had a dream that has made me feel hopeful.
I dreamed that I was a block of wood and an old man was carving me.
It was like I was outside of this, watching, and experiencing it all at once.
He was shaping me, cutting away pieces, sculpting me into a pregnant woman with a big, smooth belly.
Travis thinks that is God's way of telling us that it just isn't our time yet. That God isn't finished sculpting me into whoever He wants me to be before I become a mother.
With everything in me, I hope he is right.

Derby Hat Place Card Holders

2010-04-26T21:42:00.006-04:00

Derby is all about the spectacle.

The hats.

The mint juleps.

The dresses.

The suits that would make Jay Gatsby swoon.

The chorus of "My Old Kentucky Home" raising from a sea of people.

And of course, the hoopla of the infield.

It all comes together to create one buzzing, electric day that makes you feel like a Kentuckian

even if you live in California.

And if you're celebrating the first Saturday of May from home,

this simple and inexpensive way to make place cards will capture some of the magic of Derby.

Credit

You'll need:

A few styrofoam cups

A baking sheet

Acrylic paint

Brushes

Ribbon

Vintage buttons or embellishments of your choice

Paperclips

Hot glue

To make the hat forms:

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees and arrange

the cups on a baking sheet, open part down.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the cups for two-three minutes.

After about a minute, the cups will start to shrink up and make fun "hat" shapes.

Allow the cups to cool completely before you begin decorating.

The cups will look like this after they are baked for 3 minutes

Once the hats have cooled, paint them with acrylic paint...

When the paint is dry, hot glue a paperclip to the hat and have fun decorating...

These work great as place card holders or even on a buffet to identify dishes.

Happy Derby, Everyone!

I'm joining the party at:

Derby Day Truffles

2010-04-25T20:52:00.002-04:00

It's Derby week here in Kentucky!

Time for good food, good friends and if we're lucky,

some good racing.

Hubby and I are hosting our first Derby party next Saturday so

I've been busy planning the menu, decorations
and of course, my outfit :)

So I hope you'll stop by from time to time this week for
some great tips

on hosting your own Kentucky-style soiree.

Let's start with dessert, shall we?

Photo from A Taste of Kentucky

For those of you outside of the Bluegrass, Derby Pie is the

traditional Derby day dessert and it is DELICIOUS.

This chocolate and nut pie was first created in 1950 at the Melrose Inn in

Prospect, Kentucky by the Kern family. The Kern family closed the Melrose Inn but continues to

make the pie, which is trademarked and very closely protected. You'll find versions of the pie

all over Kentucky with names like "May Day Pie" or "Pegasus Pie" and even though I love the original,

my favorite version is made by Missy's Pies in Lexington, Kentucky.

The pie is so popular here, you'll even find creative "mash-ups" like May Day ice cream or Derby cupcakes.

These glorious mash-up recipes made me wonder...

Can I make a Derby Pie truffle?

I've made Oreo truffles.

I've made cheesecake truffles.

I've even adapted Bakerella's recipe for cupcake pops

to make "Melting Snowmen" cake truffles and little wedding cakes.

There had to be a way to combine Derby pie and melted chocolate to make

oh-so-yummy bites of Derby goodness.

I started off with a store-bought pecan pie (cheaper than buying an actual Derby Pie which costs upward $12.) I crushed the pie in a large bowl using a wooden spoon...

In a separate small bowl, I poured Kentucky bourbon over some pecan halves

and let them soak for about 30 minutes.

Once I had the pie good and crushed, I poured half a bag of mini chocolate chips into the mixture and put the bowl in the freezer so the mixture would get firm...

After 30 minutes in the freezer, I rolled the dough into 1 inch balls and arranged them on wax paper.

To make sure the mixture was firm, I put the balls in the freezer for another 10 minutes...

Finally, I dipped each ball in melted chocolate and topped it with a bourbon-soaked pecan!

Delicious!

Please stop by later this week for more Derby party ideas!

Not-So-Millionaire's Row Derby Hats

2010-04-23T13:50:00.005-04:00

I love Derby hats.

LOVE THEM.

Hat by Anne Sawyer's Fabulous Hats

And I've accepted my fate that I'll become that crazy, old woman

who wears big, fabulous hats to Walmart.

In fact, I secretly look forward to growing into an eccentric old woman

with pink lipstick, blue eyeshadow and an off-the-wall hat.

I think it would be liberating.

You see, I heard once that women spend their

whole lives trying to feel as pretty as they did when they were five.

When I was five, all I wanted to do was play dress-up

(and become Ariel from The Little Mermaid.)

Derby, like Halloween, is an excuse to let that little girl out!

When I started working as the assistant editor for Kentucky Monthly magazine,

I had the opportunity to work with some of the most amazing milliners in the industry to put together our annual Derby fashion preview. While I can't afford any of the hats I have chosen for shoots,

I do get to try them on

(you can't see this but I am wearing a VERY mischievous grin right now.)

I'd sell my car for this one by Polly Singer

that was featured on our April 2010 cover...

A hat I wore for Derby from Anne Sawyer's collection of vintage hats

We even play dress up at the office

This year, I thought I'd try my hand at embellishing a hat for the

first of many Derby parties we'll host at our new home in Lexington.

I started out with two $10 hats from Hobby Lobby...

And after some hot glue, ribbon, feathers and flowers, I had this:

My friend, Alison, has had a rough week so I thought she needed one too...

Total cost of each hat:

$15!

And before I say goodbye, I thought I'd show you

the little project a birdie is working on in my wreath...

Please stop by next week for LOTS of Derby party ideas!

I'm joining the party at:

My Cup is Overflowing

2010-04-19T21:58:00.003-04:00

Today was a rough day.

You know the kind...

one of those days that make you stop

and think about who you are and where you're going.

I've had a lot of these lately.

Bad news from the doctor last week...

the Clomid treatments didn't do anything so we've been referred to a specialist.

Work is crazy. My house is a disaster. My summer clothes don't fit.

I feel small.

Today started off all wrong.

I'm in the middle of the biggest photo shoot I've ever directed

and this morning it looked like four months of work was about to come crashing down around me.

Thankfully, it didn't. The help I needed (and prayed for) came and everything was okay.

But I spent the better half of today beating myself up for not being a more forceful person.

I'm a lover, not a fighter.

And when I do try to fight, it comes out all wrong.

I usually don't figure out what to say until I'm driving and

making angry faces while people in other cars slow down to catch a glimpse of my too-late rant.

Yeah, I beat myself up all day.

"Why can't you stand up for yourself more, Amanda?"

"If you just drove a better car, that client wouldn't look at you like that..."

"If you had nicer clothes, you wouldn't get mistaken for the intern!"

Small.

When I got home, I noticed this...

A bird has built a nest in the wreath I made for our front door.

(I guess my house really is a lovely place to land!)

As I admired this little treasure, my other half greeted me at the door with a kiss.

And Miss Puppy followed...

We ate the steak I got on sale for $4 for dinner...

And when I walked to the mail box, I found a package

of cards that Laura from Along for the Ride sent me to

pack in the suitcases for the girls at Hope Hill.

Photo from Along for the Ride

And she added a special gift for me...

A lovely handmade necklace!

Then I found a small envelope postmarked from Oregon.

Inside was a lovely card from Kayla at Kayla Danelle

and a check for $500 to buy supplies for the storage room at Hope Hill.

Hubby and I took turns looking at it.

And I cried.

And cried. And cried.

I thank God for days like this that remind me that I'm nothing without Him.

That I'm strongest when I'm weak.

That when I start thinking I have nothing,

I need to stop and count my blessings.

That having a tender heart isn't something I should beat myself up over,

but praise Him for because it means I'm soft enough to be molded into something new.

I'm thankful that you have soft hearts too.

May we all be soft-hearted together,

and love on a world that is altogether too hard.

My cup is overflowing.

Everything's Coming Up Roses: Derby Time!

2010-04-14T16:21:00.004-04:00

Friends, I've been about as busy as a stump-tailed cow at fly time!

With the DI4Y stuff, the Hope Hill project and the BIGGEST photo shoot I've ever done for the magazine,

I haven't had much time to think about the fast-approaching holiday...

Derby Day, that is!

Source

Since I started working for Kentucky Monthly almost 3 years ago, I've been dying to have my own Derby party but our apartment was way too small for such a soiree. This year, we're rolling out the carpet at our new house to celebrate the Run for the Roses in our own backyard.

There will be

homemade ham and biscuits,

baby hot browns and of course, Derby pie and bourbon balls.
MMMMM...I'm hungry just thinking about it.

We're even going to have our own stick-horse race around the backyard!

And if you're interested in hosting your Derby party, stop by and visit me here

in the weeks to come for ideas on centerpieces, favors, games and FOOD!

Today, let's talk Derby attire.

I've seen it all when it comes to Derby fashion.

A few years ago I spent the day of Oaks shadowing a hat designer at the Galt House

(the celebrity hub in Louisville the weekend of Derby.)

I literally saw women dropping hundreds, even thousands, of dollars on hats!

And I'm talking famous women.

The whole time, my mind was racing...

"I could totally fake one of these designer hats!"

And that, my friends, is what I intend to do this year.

My style inspiration is this AMAZING Derby ensemble worn by LeAnn Rimes...

Love this outfit. LOVE it. So classic Derby.

Source

This floppy sun hat costs just $16 on Ebay...

With a red bow, it would be perfect!

And check out this oh-so-adorable dress for only $49.99 at Mod Cloth!

And I'm loving these red, peep-toe pumps, which will only set you back $19.99, from Payless!

See, the secret to a good Derby outfit is looking like a million bucks without spending it!

Here are a few other dresses I found at Mod Cloth that would be great for Derby...

Polka dots always make me think of Derby...

This one is called "Blush and Bashful."

It gets my vote for the Steel Magnolias reference.

This one is just stinkin' cute

even if it does break my red theme!

So much to do before the first Saturday in May!

I'm linking up to:

Diamond in the VERY Rough

2010-04-11T22:39:00.001-04:00

I love how do-it-yourselfers can look at something horrible, ugly,

torn apart and broken and see none of those things.

Instead, we see

possibilities.

I believe that is a trait we get from our Creator...

an ability to see past what something IS to what it can BECOME.

That is how I feel about this room:

This is a storage room at Hope Hill Children's Home in Hope, Kentucky.

Clothing donations get dropped off here and when the girls need clothing, they sort through this mess to find things they think will fit. They have no where to try the clothing on so they have to guess. And a lot of the clothing is worn out and in desperate need of mending.

It isn't a place that makes you feel very hopeful.

But we're going to change that!

This tapestry from Pottery Barn Teen is my design inspiration!

Hoping it's still on sale when I get paid this week because it would be PERFECT...

June 11-13 I'll be taking a group of women to Hope Hill to transform the room into a "boutique" where the girls can shop for clothing and try it on before leaving.

Source Here

It will be bright.

Cheerful.

Colorful.

Hopeful.

Full of love.

How can you help?

I need inspiration!

I need solutions for storage issues!

I need your creativity!

I'm really loving the colors in this design by Wake Up Frankie...

You can read more about the trip here.

We're looking for donations

(particularly gift cards from craft and home improvement stores)

so we can make this happen.