Recent All- Mine Finds and a Sneak Peak

We went to the Flea Market last weekend and then took a little road trip back to Bell Buckle this weekend.  So, I thought I would show you my All- Mine Finds.  I found a little chair for baby hughes so I can put a #3 on it and put it on our front porch with the mommy and the daddy chair... it is going to get a coat of black paint first though.  That quilt you see looks like it has H's all over it. It is most definitely an antique and was $15.  It is in poor shape... it got a nice long bath today and it is stained and torn... but it will make a bright fun beach/ picnic blanket.  I thought I might be able to use it in the babaroo's room, but it is too far gone.  And, do you see that big canvas bin?  Well, it is something that I have wanted for awhile now.  I saw a stack of 3 on metal stands for $30 a piece...not so bad unless you spent all your flea market money before you got halfway through the flea market.  Oh I pouted over it... then I went to the end of that row and saw this one, unpriced.  I got it for $5!!  So glad I waited.

I have picked up a few of these crown jars and this really cool Atlas one that reminds me of sea glass.  They will be perfect to use as vases for my hydrangeas. So, that is all that I found lately.  

We have been working on projects for the booth.  But, we have been having a good time doing it... I guess it is true what *they* say... If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life... (Mr. Hughes doesn't like this quote because it is overused... He says for me to take my optimism down to the bank and see if they will cash it...) Pooey on him!!  Well, anyhow, I thought I would show you a small sneak peak of the booth stuff

An awesome violin case painted white that I am going to use for a display

and this is a whole mess of stuff that we have been working on.  Well, the rain as stopped, so I need to go see if it ruined all the stuff that I have been painting... bye for now!

Just Keep Swimming

The title seemed fitting...we are busy, busy, busy! Plus, we have been watching quite a bit of Finding Nemo lately, and Cars, of course.  We got a goldfish recently... I wish I could spell his name.  baby hughes named him.... it kind of sounds like the noise of some taking a bite out of an apple.  I call him Chomp. 

 I am keeping swimming while my head is flooded with *stuff* Booth stuff, etsy stuff, house stuff, 2nd birthday party stuff.  I have so many ideas and plans and not enough time to accomplish them all.  So, I took a break to take some pretty photos of what is happening outside my front door.  The bugs didn't take down my gardenia topiaries... and it is starting to smell like heaven outside my front door (my heaven smells like gardenias and waffle cones and baby with sunscreen with a splash of grapefruit... what does yours smell like?) 

We have been busy this week painting and screenprinting and stenciling stuff for the booth.  I still have to get my big piece painted.... that will have to wait to tomorrow.  Thank goodness for the long weekend!  And, I need to find time to update the etsy shop with some of the new stuff that we have started making. But, that will have to wait until after next Friday.  Plus, I have all the sudden wanted to start working on birthday party stuff for my little guy, we are having a "Whooo's Twooo?" party complete with all kinds of owl stuff... I am wanting to get a the rescue society to come out with some owls, but that might just be too much for the little guy.... not baby hughes.  The owl.  He would probably want to love it to death like Lenny.

Aren't they pretty?  Usually they are pink, but one day I watered them with the same can that I fertilized the gardenias with... and it turned them kind of blue.  It was a nice surprise.  I am glad that it blew up with flowers this year so I don't feel bad for taking a few and putting them in the house.

This is seriously the only pretty part of the house.  Every surface is covered with something.  Toys, projects, the floor is crunching from all the little *accents* that baby hughes has been throwing about.  And, we have a playdate tomorrow, so I need to clean on top of it all.  But, taking a short break just seemed more fun.

Hope you all have a fantabulous weekend!  We will be here, dealing with all the *stuff* and probably have a few beers and margaritas.

Cheers!

How Can I Justify? + Winner of Terrarium

hello ladies!  Hope your week is great!  Mine has been busy trying to get some stuff ready for the booth.  I went to buy my paint for the chest that I am putting in there.  I knew I wanted to go with grey so I started looking for a grey that wasn't too blue or green or brown.  Then I saw grey owl and I figured it was kismet :)

So, this will be the main color to work around.  Mr. Hughes is cutting my logo out of wood for a sign.  I still have a lot to get ready before I open.  I am going to the flea market this weekend (fingers crossed on the weather) to find a few more pieces.  But, all of this and company coming doesn't stop my mind from wandering.  I have been stalking this dress from Anthro for a while... just waiting for it to go on sale as sizes are slowly disappearing...

So cute!  Must have it.  But, that is not what I am trying to justify.  It is this that I am craving....

Remember this imaginary room?  Or what about this one?  Well, this pretty paper would be so, so perfect.  Then, I started scheming...  I really want it to be real.  I WANT this paper.  I was thinking it would be perfect framed (it is a mural) or even better... how about on a ceiling?  I showed it to Mr. Hughes... and he saw the price.  Let's just say my booth better do very well for me to justify buying this... did I mention that it covers a 9x 6 area for the bargin price of $298?  Yep, don't see that happening!  I guess I could sweetly ask Mr. Hughes to paint it for me (he is very talented) a la Sistine Chapel Style, but I don't foresee that happening either.  So, I will totally keep lusting over it for now

Also, I wanted to let you know the winner of this (baby hughes has managed to keep his chubby little hands off it)

The winner is Deborah at The Fairfield House!!  If you haven't been over there, you should go check her out.  Her home has such a sweet story behind it!  Well, hope you all have a great rest of the week!  Bye for now!

First Peony and Some Random Goodness

Hello Lovelies!  I hope you are having a great weekend.  We have been busy coming up with stuff for the booth.  We visited the booth this weekend and took measurements and photos to help me plan it out. I am planning on being in the booth the 1st Friday in June. Mr. Hughes took the picture of our 1st peony this season on Friday and I decided to go out and take some photos of our front porch and other little things that I have accomplished in the past couple of weeks.  I planted these peonies 3 years ago and this is the first year that this bright pink one came up.  I don't like where they are anymore, so I would love to move them... anyone have any tips for doing this?  We planted a peony bed in the back and I want these to go up there.  And, naturally, since it was so pretty, I clipped a few today and brought them in.

Nothing like them!  I clipped the lighter pink one too and added it to a tiny vintage mercury glass vase.

I really like this little vignette... I made a little burlap "est. 2006" and framed it and hung it above our wedding cake topper.  I had this kind of peony in my bouquet, so it is *perfect*

And, speaking of perfect, look what I found in a store that I hardly ever go in...

That's right... a wool hooked owl pillow for my owl crazy baby hughes!  I love it!  Now, I probably would have passed this up a few years ago, but I think it adds the perfect bit of quirk to our entry.

Moving on to other flowers... Mr. Hughes brought me home a gardenia to kill!  He actually suggested that I start a new blog called "The Dead Plant Diaries."  I actually just registered it...  It really isn't that bad... gardenias are suicidal. I will enjoy the heavenly scent and then move it outside where we will all be much happier.

I have heard that this is a blogger no-no, but here is our front door.  (Bad guys, we have an alarm system, guns, sharp knives and we are a little unstable, so don't bother.)  Do you see that hydrangea to the left?  Take that, Mr. Hughes... I haven't killed it!  In fact, it is thriving and is going to explode in a week.

This is one of my gardenia topiaries... the non-sick one... the other one has mealy bugs... I am open to suggestions to get rid of them!  I can't wait for it to bloom... it will smell so good every time we open the door.

Here is a little rusty mailbox that we found a few years ago.  These flowers seem to be doing well... but I think they are confused... they are supposed to grow down...

Now, this is a before of some chairs that I decided to ruin last year... they used to be medium oak.  I decided to paint them and just leave them outside.  Well, they are shabby now.  I wanted to give them a little pick me up.

So the pair got painted black... they are still quite worn.  I almost wish I would have painted them black originally and left them inside. 

Then, I added these great numbers that I had specially made.  I have listed them in my etsy shop along with some really neat write on labels.  I saved back a 1 and 2 for these chairs and a 3 for a small baby hughes size chair.

Some of you may remember me talking about buying a table at the Bloomin' Garden Show...  and how that table almost didn't fit in our car and how we had to take the carseat out of the middle and move it to the side...well, here it is.  It was perfect for our front porch and totally worth the trouble.

Well, that is all the trouble I got into this weekend.  There is still time to enter my *giveaway*

Bye for now!

Moss Terrariums: A How To + a giveaway

First of all, thanks to all the advice and encouraging comments on my last post.  I am getting really excited and want to be ready ASAP!  We are going out of town this weekend and we have guests the next, so you better believe that every spare moment I am going to be working on getting stuff ready for the booth.  I want to be in by the beginning of June.  I got a larger piece last night that is waiting for paint.

Well, back to the matter at hand... terrariums.  I bought these really cool vintage canning jars at the Bloomin Garden Show and I was inspired to change things up in the living room... I was thinking a little beachy, a little green... so I decided to get some moss and try some moss terrariums. I have made a terrarium before with plants and it was a success.  So much of a success that I was afraid the plant was going to lift the lid and strangle me in my sleep... it was that big!  With that in mind, I decided to do these... they are pretty simple.

First, you will need a clean container with a lid... I like glass, but you can use plastic.

Then you will need (right to left) potting soil, activated charcoal (keeps your terrarium fresh) and small pebbles... if you use small pebbles you will not need cover moss (the cover moss keeps the soil from washing into the stones.)  I used pea gravel which is small, so I didn't use a cover moss.

Of course you will need moss... I bought mine here and she sent me some assorted varieties.

And, the important stuff... fun little decorations!

First, add a layer of pebbles

Then, a layer of activated charcoal

Then, your potting soil.  Arrange your moss on top of the potting soil.  Moss doesn't have roots so you don't have to dig it down... just press it gently on the soil.

Then, arrange your terrarium with your little shells, figures, what ever you like....

I have a thing for vintage clock faces and baby hughes has a *small* obsession with owls.  We found a tiny one in Bell Buckle, so I had to add him.

Then, mist  (don't water or soak) your terrarium and put the lid on the container.  You will need to mist it every 4 weeks.  The condensation that accumulates will "rain" back down on the moss to keep it moist. Place your terrarium in an area that gets plenty of indirect sunlight, artificial light is okay too.

So , after I made my terrariums, I went to work collecting stuff from around the house that went with the beachy terrarium vibe I was looking for.  And, here is what I came up with...

I added my giant crown crock with a fern on the hearth.

I left my mirror up and added some starfish and some coral and seashells

I won Faded Plains giveaway and I got a couple of these numbers.  I tied them around a jar full of sand from St. Martin where we went on our honeymoon.  I bought the coral from a shop on Tybee Island.  

I used some "faux" terrariums that I made last year... they have dried branches and dried moss in some little vintage baby bottles.

You can see the condensation forming and my clock faces.

I had so much fun making them... I am thinking about making some for my booth and maybe for my etsy shop too.

And, I decided to make one for one of you!  

This small vintage jar has all the essentials and I added some clock faces and a piece of coral.  Then, I tied it all up with some vintage ribbon and an enamel broach.

So, here is what you have to do to win... just leave me a comment.  That's all... you don't have to be a blogger, just be sure to leave your email if you aren't.  If you want extra credit points, tweet it or post about it and let me know and I will give you an extra entry.

 I will draw the winner next Tuesday evening.  

Good luck! 

Wish ME luck keeping little fingers away!

oh, and speaking of giveaways...scoot on over to see Anne at Fiona and Twig!

The BEST Mother's Day Present

I hope you Mommies had a great Mother's Day.  I did!  I got a few great presents... the necklace that I loved from the Bloomin' Garden show and... (no, I am not pregnant!)  this....

Mr. Hughes went to The Roost in Nolensville to get my present for Mother's Day, a necklace that he remembered that I had liked.  Well, while he was there, he also got me my first booth space!!!!!  Can you tell how excited I am?!?  I was seriously surprised, and it takes alot to surprise me... I have a knack for guessing presents.  Some of you may remember this post when I took a little leap and opened my etsy shop.  Well, this is the next leap... again, a small one.  This booth is small, with room for a piece of furniture and some small stuff.  But, I am kind of glad that it is small, so I can make an impact in a small area rather than be all spread out... it will be manageable.  This means that I can get some larger pieces that I would love to offer in my etsy shop, but can't due to shipping.  And, more importantly, it means I get to decorate... it is like having an extra room in the house!  Plus, I really like the ladies that own The Roost and Three French Hens...it is always nice to work with people you like!

I haven't been there since he gave me the video, but it is all I can do not to call in sick to my real job so I can go over there and take measurements and make plans for the space.  So, all of you booth owners out there, I am open to any wisdom you would like to bestow upon me.  And, I am hoping that if you are local you will come out to see it once it is open... hopefully by the first week in June.

Thanks all of you... without your encouragement and friendship I know I would not have made it this far.  And, a special thanks to Monica and Rachel who gave me an award this past week.  And, of course,  an extra special thanks to Mr. Hughes and baby hughes who put up with my crazy ideas and feed them instead of squashing them... Mr. Hughes at least... I think baby hughes just enjoys being along for the ride...and getting some ice cream!

Rainy Day Shopping

Ladies and Gentleman!  It is WET here.  In case I have never mentioned it or you may have missed it, we live in Tennessee, just outside of Franklin.  And, it is flooding.  Thank goodness the only thing we are suffering from is boredom and a kid that is more hyper than usual due to some steroids to get rid of a crazy, awful rash.  But, it is bad out here... I have never seen anything like it.  We couldn't leave without a boat...no joke.... and it is still raining.  Anyho, to take my mind off the rain, I am now sitting around, waiting for my toes to dry (Mr. Hughes can paint toes very well... don't tell him I told you *wink*) and doing a little online shopping. So, I have to ask your honest opinion on this top that I saw in Chattanooga....

I had seen the little girl dresses before and they are precious, but I saw a top like this layered over a long sleeve white tee and paired with some jeans...

I think it is cute, but is it TOO cute?   I love Amy Butler fabric.... I guess I am wondering if it will make me look pregnant.  Any of you ladies have a top like this.... do you like it or do you get constantly get told how cute you look and whether it is a boy or a girl. Oh, and the top was found here.

On a serious note again, please pray for all of these people  here in Tennessee that aren't enjoying a pedicure and online shopping.  It is nasty stuff and people are losing homes... and worse yet, loved ones.  If you live in this area and you are reading this, please let me know that you are okay.