not a bad place to be: home

for me, decorating is a never-ending project. being one of four siblings i can always pass along my college desk or my yard sale make-do side table. having the privilege to hand down or trade with my family adds excitement to the process especially since i am at home quite a bit. i never want decorating to feel like a job. one day if i am in the right place i would love to start my own decorating business BUT i want to be prepared. to do the job i desire it takes a lot of time and organization-both precious things i do not have at this point. for now, i will continue to decorate in the privacy of my own home. i wanted to share a few photos of places that i presently feel confident with. that doesn't mean i will never want to change anything...i might move furniture around tomorrow! my decorating advice is this: choose things you absolutely love (not just think you need to have because society tells you that) and everything will fall into place. OR don't listen to me because like my wise friend once said, "i love your decorating style, laura. it's so unique. nothing matches."

sewing sister

i don't feel creative. i haven't blogged in 4 months, haven't painted in a year, and frankly have been to busy with a 2 month old and a 2 year old :

to even think about the possibility of being creative. Lord willing i will eventually tap into that creativity but for now i am completely content being mommy. however, some of us are still carrying on with our talents like my sister anne (i blogged about her sock animals previously). she was given a sewing machine for Christmas and will spontaneously get an idea to sew something, run home sew it, and deliver something like this (below) and an hour (MAX!) later...



mollie's strawberry dress



yes, she made it. and she made this adorable piece of nursery art:

she also made this sweetie pie dress (her first of many i believe) and the precious gold shirt...perfect for 9 holes with daddy:

 

it makes me feel better to blog about someone being creative since i'm obviously not the one getting the juices lately. just happens to be my sister, best friend, and occasional babysitter. hopefully one day these sisters will share creative styles like we do:-)

feeling crafty?

hello blogging buddies,

it has been a while and i will tell you why.  this is not why: we have moved states, which entails things that you would never imagine once you get settled somewhere.  we have renovated a beautiful 1950's home.  i am 7 months pregnant.  yadda yadda.  this is why: as stated in my mission for starting this blog, sweet mollie is my inspiration.  she has become such an amazing and interesting person that it is difficult for me to focus on anything other than her. so in a nut shell: blogging and painting have been low on my list.

moving on...my talented sister has moved to town for the time being.  she has learned to sew.  score!  below are the cutest and softest nursery accessory she made out of fabric and buttons. also, an adorable puppy dog she gave mollie made from my brothers old socks (via none other than martha stewart's sewing book i gave her for christmas).  you will be very disappointed if you don't stay tuned for the post on the dress she made for mollie.  it is quite simply, amazing.  she only received the sewing machine for christmas, mind you, AND she is also now hemming my living room curtains.  side note: i took sewing classes for 3 weeks and gave up leaving with nothing, absolutely nothing. 

on another crafty, but not so creative note, included are also some shots of the hydrangea pressed flowers i made for our dining room.  friends have asked, so i am answering.  so easy...simply cut your favorite flower or leaf just before the end of it's life.  for ex. i cut these hydrangeas in august.  then, use newspaper and encyclopedias (or other heavy books) to press them.  be patient....i left mine pressing for a month! the key is after mounting them- i used PVA glue http://www.dickblick.com/products/polyvinyl-acetate-pva/ on the paper of your choice- i used somerset velvet http://www.dickblick.com/products/somerset-velvet-printmaking-paper/ -then you will need a little bit of acrylic paint to touch up the pressed plant giving it more "life."

baaahhh, mollie's favorite

if you look closely you can see i added some shades of teal and periwinkle paint to the flower