A harvest time, of sorts.

Posted on May 30, 2012 by carrie

We had our first salad from our garden tonight.

Addie was quite insistent on planting lettuce this year , so although I thought we had missed the cool season window of opportunity, I let her throw some little plants and seeds in. Much to my surprise, we have lettuce! Lots o’ lettuce.

The butter lettuce is still working its way up, but the romaine lettuce we harvested tonight, along with some tomatoes…

…and our salad was delicious. Even Emma who we are sloooowly converting to the dark side as a salad lover, had a nice big bowl of it and didn’t complain. (Too much.)

Addie also chose golden zucchini to plant and is anxiously awaiting zucchini bread and muffins.

I’m waiting on the beets to be ready.

And Bob here is just keeping an eye on everything for us.

Addie pleaded her case for a garden gnome when we were in JoAnns one day. She ended up spending her allowance on him, and just tonight while we were picking our veggies she exclaimed, “I think Bob really likes it in our garden.” (Bob?! Ahhh..ok.)

Blueberries are having a little bit harder time, we seem to have some sort of animal that likes berries and has found our bushes this year.

But the lavender we planted last year is taking over our trash area and making all of the bees in the yard very happy.

And although Daddy doesn’t like hydrangeas, it is one of Addie and my fave flowers and our bush that we’ve been coddling for a few years has finally, finally taken off!

Crafty Tuesday…er, Wednesday, I guess.

Posted on May 29, 2012 by carrie

That extra couple of days over the weekend has kinda thrown us for a loop around here. I am still thinking it is Monday, or maybe Sunday, but alas…it is almost nearly Wednesday already!

I finished up the last little bit of our mason jar lanterns from last week. J. helped me wire up the the handles this weekend. I found this much more pliable wire at Lowes…

And, voila! Now we have handles so we can hang our little candle holders…or just carry them around, I guess.

Hmmm…I guess I didn’t take a close up of them?

I’ve been a little bit preoccupied. The only other craftiness that has been going on is a full-on scramble for props & costumes for the church musical the girls are in this weekend.

Our little Eva (Silhouette machine) has been working overtime this week. Besides a bunch of stuff that I still need to photograph…it is already on set, so I’ll have to shoot some pics at the dress rehearsal, I cut the logo out of the flocked heat transfer vinyl and I just finished 40 tees for the cast & crew. So, that is my excuse for my extremely late post! (And crummy camera phone pics!)

Both ladies are in class plays at school this week and next, both are in the musical on Saturday, and Em’s dance recital is this weekend. So we are frantically trying to get all of the costumes for all of these activities in order. So I’m feeling that CT next week is just going to be more of the same. But please leave your crafty goodness so while I’m waiting at dress rehearsals and such, I can get some inspiration!

And I’ll be back soon.

(Ah, who am I kidding – I probably won’t be back til school is finally out and the last-two-week crush is all over.)

Sunday Snapshot ~ Addikins

Posted on May 26, 2012 by carrie

Every day I’m not-so-subtly reminded that my baby is growing up. She is the sweetest, sassiest, most sensitive, and funniest girl all rolled into one beautiful little 47″ package. She makes us laugh, she makes us cry, but most of all she makes us love her more and more each and every day.

Crafty Tuesday ~ Outdoor Edition

Posted on May 21, 2012 by carrie

Hello, Crafty Peeps!

Once again I feel like the only time I get a second to pop into my poor neglected blog is it to put up a Snapshot or post a CT. Last week was no exception. We are hitting the end-of-school-year crunch, T-12 days and counting around here before it is SUMMER time! We have seemed to skip the chilly May days, and there doesn’t appear to be any June gloom on the horizon either. It has been hot, and summer-y already, so we have been spending lots o’ time out-the-doors! I’m desperate to get our outside looking live-able, especially since I’m still stuck in a holding pattern on a lot of INside decisions.

Addie and I have been weeding, planting and gardening away – we even harvested a few tomatoes that the critters didn’t get to yet for our Sunday dinner. I’ve sort of become obsessed with vintage-looking outdoor stuff. I got this pot last summer to keep our hose in – I love the green rustic patina finish on it.

Many, many years ago – I found this old wire potting holder at a flea market. It really hasn’t been given the proper love or attention all this time, so we brought it back out and are putting her to good use, too.

(Looks like our herbs could use a little drink, Addikins!)

When Birdie #2 and I were shopping a few weeks ago I found this planter that I LOVE, and it fit in with the sort of vintage-y vibe – in that lovely green color – so I snapped it up. (Thank you, HomeGoods!)

And when I was shopping for something totally unrelated at Orchard Supply last week, I spotted this old box-turned-planter.

Now there is NO love lost between me and petunias – especially pink petunias – but the box…oh, I loved this box. So I used my birthday money to make a bit of a snap purchase. I figure sooner or later those pink petunias will be history and I can plant something I really love in that awesome box. (It also fits in our outdoor fireplace perfectly!)

One thing I have been seeing everywhere and dying to create are these mason jar lanterns. You can see the PotteryBarn ones run almost $8 a pop…I’ve found them elsewhere for a little cheaper, but I want a whole bunch of them…and I don’t want to spend a whole bunch of money! AND…I just happen to have a lot of old jars (I knew I was keeping them for something!) lying around. So to make them look like the old vintage jars, I used this tutorial and got to work.

I love the blue she used for her jars, and I’m truly a sucker for those old blue jars, but I wanted a little more green feel to mine. So I used her recipe, 1 tsp. glue, 1 1/2 tsp. water and two drops of blue coloring and added one drop of green. Brush it on and let dry…

Perfect color. I did get a few streaks, but I figure once the sand and candles get in there, we are going to be just fine. I did try to fashion some wire “hangers” out of…wait for it….old wire hangers. But they are not flexible enough and I can’t get a close enough fit. So I’m on the hunt for some different wire.

To be continued…

Happy Birthday Nena!

Posted on May 20, 2012 by carrie

Ok, first of all – we so need to be better about taking photos of you, Nena. I might have found someone who is in less shots than I am. At any rate, we are sending you lots of birthday love today. Hope it is a great day – and the best year yet!

We love you! Happy Birthday!!
xo,
J, C, E & A

Sunday Snapshot ~ Team VicStrong

Posted on May 19, 2012 by carrie

Most of you know that one of my best friends from high school has been battling
(and is going to win against!) breast cancer.
Since we couldn’t make it to Michigan to walk in her Relay For Life Walk on Friday, the girls and I wore our t-shirts all weekend and sent good thoughts to all of our friends who were able to turn out for her.
You can still donate to her team and help find a cure for cancer.
Way to go TeamVic!

Crafty Tuesday

Posted on May 15, 2012 by carrie

I didn’t do too terribly much crafting around here last week, but I managed to get one little project for me, off of the list.

I have wanted to vinyl-up some of these jars for a long time. Birdie #2 and I made the monthly pilgrimage to the mecca (Hobby Lobby) last week and all of the glassware was 50% off, so perfect time to stock up on jars.

And then we just cut some tags out with outdoor vinyl (so we can wash the jars!) and one project done!

I hadn’t washed them yet, so that is why they are still hanging out on my table, but they look cool, huh?

Now the girls were plenty crafty for Mother’s Day. This is what Addie gave me on Sunday (well, Saturday night because they couldn’t wait!) –

And inside the bag was a silhouette her teacher did –

I put it in a frame so I can hang it, and I also took a photo of Em yesterday so I can do one of her. I love these! And the silhouette really does look like Ad’s profile.

And Em brought home a handmade gift, too – my most favorite gifts in the world.

And a close-up of the letter than accompanied the coupons –

“A multi-tasker and classy.” That is what I am to my girl. Eh. I’ll take it.

And the other present they brought out, although it isn’t handmade or crafty –

It does make rockin’ ice cream. I think we are going to have some fun coming up with our own homemade treats!

Any Mother’s Day craft goodness that you can share today?

Lucky Ducky.

Posted on May 13, 2012 by carrie

Lucky ducky me. My birthday and Mother’s Day are always within the same week, so I end up getting treated pretty much like Queen Carrie around here for a good week or so.

I thought that the week couldn’t get any better after my birthday weekend, but then my birthday present from my sister came, as in…literally came via airplane from Michigan, on Friday. My sister flew out for a mere 24 hours – but we made the very best of our very short time together.

Massages, a picnic lunch on the beach filled with lots of girlfriend talking time, and then margaritas and dinner at Mijares with J. and the girls. It was a much needed reality check and special time with my girl. Thank you Meesh and DJ, thank you so very much!

A few other birthday treats that I’ve been using this week and LOVE –

Ceramic lovelies that I have been drooling over at Anthropologie for many months. They make my kitchen just a little cheerier.

And these are also looking to help me out in the kitchen, hopefully!

And when I am ready to pop out of the kitchen, I have these to inspire some creativity around here.

Plus I have $$ to spend at Sew Mama Sew on some fabric! I feel some summer skirt making coming on very soon.

And all of this? It was just in celebration of my birthday. Today I got in the car to run to church and my car was full of gas and squeaky clean courtesy of my sweet husband. That right there is just pure heaven. After church, we hit Disneyland. It really was the perfect way to end MY week.

Watching these two together…

…I’m yet again in awe of the fact that they are mine. I’m so thankful God blessed us with these two beautiful girls. I adore them. And I think I fully appreciate the awesomeness of my job. It truly is the best job in the world.

I’m a lucky, lucky ducky.

Sunday Snapshot ~ Happy Mother’s Day!

Posted on May 13, 2012 by carrie

To my Mom, who taught me all I know (and loves me no matter what shenanigans I’ve thrown her way over the years), to my sister who is the best friend to have in this world, and all of the moms in my life who have supported me in the path of motherhood and inspired me to be a better mom…I can’t say thank you to you all enough. I think the girls probably say (sing) it best today.

Happy Mother’s Day!
Love,
Care

Friday Love.

Posted on May 10, 2012 by carrie

Pretty much all I have been able to fit in around this here blog…little lists with some snapshots thrown in. It is crazy busy around here, but I really am loving every minute of it. And so, me thinks this is a good day to do a Friday Love…

Things I’m loving today:

Top of the list…my sister is coming to see me. To my house. Here in California. T-O-N-I-G-H-T! Woot! I have no idea what I’m going to do with her for the 24 hours (she is literally here for just only 24 hours!), but I’m hoping she is not planning on sleeping because I am going to soak up every minute I can with her.

Right behind my visitor excitement is the fact that we have a handyman who is pretty much tearing through my project list. Tomorrow he is coming to install all of the baseboards in our bedroom that he cut yesterday. After a year and a half (?) – we will finally have a finished bedroom. I can’t tell you how excited that makes me.

The baseboards needing to be painted today, also forced me to finally find a color for our trim. We had a little paint Goldilocks going on around here…”That one is too white! That one is not creamy enough. That one is too yellow.”

And I think…we have finally found one that is juuuust right! Benjamin Moore’s Chatsworth Cream. It’s pretty. Not that you can see it in my horrible florescent lighting in my garage, but trust me…I’ll take photos once it is up in our much better lit bedroom.

Other things my handyman completed…hooking up my new fridge and range! We are now cooking with gas – look out! And even though these beauties were really all I wanted for my birthday, I was treated to some other lovely gifts, too.

Sometimes I just wander into the kitchen and stroke my lovely double ovens, or give the fridge a loving pat and whisper kind words into it. There is nothing like making you feel truly like a grownup than buying new appliances. Even though we have bought 2 houses, these are the first REAL appliances we have had to purchase. So you can imagine my angst and the months of research and shopping. The dishwasher (the appliance that started the whole waterfall effect!) is on the list…J. just found it on a super sale! Then the appliance trifecta will be complete!

Our house has become a lego minefield. But I’m really loving it! Em is obsessed with the Harry Potter legos. (All you who sent her gift cards…this is what she combined them for!) I thought we were going to bypass the whole lego stage, but it is here and in full force! And it keeps them occupied for hours.

I have been putting away all of my awesome birthday gifts and snapping photos all week to share with you, but I almost think that deserves a post of all its own. So, maybe I can squeeze that together later this weekend after my sister leaves…oh, I did tell you, right? My sister is coming todaaaaay! 😉

And last but definitely not least, it is Friday. If that isn’t reason enough to be filled with love, I don’t know what else is.

Happy weekend, everyone. And to my most excellent mom, my mother-in-law, my sister and all of the lovely moms in my life – I wish you a day filled with love and peace. Happy Mother’s Day!

BarelyControlledChaos

Chaos Controlled.Barely.

Author Archives: carrie