not your usual "Welcome Spring" post

Hi Girls!
I know this isn't what you would expect to find here and especially as it relates to Spring. Spring is not here yet, (although I am patiently watching the skys) but MLB Spring Training has officially begun! (Go RedSox!)

Now, I want you to know that I am not the fan (really the fan), but my husband is. I married my husband, and entered into the world of major league baseball in a way that I had never experienced it before. (hee hee)

Really, I didn't know a thing about professional sports, nor cared, honestly. But I must say, it has been fun helping my husband "decorate" his man cave with all things baseball!

I just love the Red Sox vintage sign I found. Since taking the picture, I've been wondering how I can create that same exposed brick look on the one wall of our family room, ie man cave. Hmmmmmm....that might be my next project! (are you reading this honey?)

playing in the snow

I am lying in my bed with a couple layers of clothes on and several more blankets. Alas, I have come down with whatever sickness is going around, and it has me cocooning in my bed.

Thank goodness for my husband. For two nights he has taken our girls outside as soon as he walks in the door from work and plays with them in the fresh snow we just got. Even though I'm down under the covers and feeling shivery and achy, the delight in my girl's voices as they squeal outside is wonderful medicine.

take time to smell the flowers

I have been enjoying table-scapes lately. Maybe because of my little discovery that I can come up with a cute little table-top design and actually execute it. I'm starting out small. My four and five year olds have an antique table that someone was getting rid of, and my mother bought it for them for a song.

What a blessing! My valentine's post was the first time I tried a table-scape. Prior to that, it seemed like a daunting task. NOT ANY MORE!

Now I am ready to experiment with new ideas.

Flowers make a great statement on any table. I especially love peonies and roses.

One thing I wish I had was a long farmer's table. We have a round one to accommodate our small eat-in kitchen.

What are you discovering? Are you taking time to smell the flowers?

photos courtesy of elizabeth anne design

Table Set for Spring!

For two days, my girls and I have been enjoying temps in the high 50's. It certainly is a luxury to feel the warm sun on your skin and be outside without a big, burly coat! I LOVE IT! All this wonderful weather has me dreaming of being outside 24/7.

Just smelling the warm breeze is enough to pick me up off my feet and carry me through the rest of winter. I have all my windows open, hoping to bring the outside in; even if for only a few blissful hours! I hear it is supposed to get cold again.

I'm thinking it would be great to get a sisal rug for my back patio and lots of beautiful flowers. I just love smelling the wafting fragrance of flowers on a Spring breeze. Maybe I can even find one of these fabulous bird houses for the many birds that greet us warmly each day.
Come on Spring! You are welcome here!!

Image two courtesy of Style Me Pretty. Image three from Crate & Barrel. The rest belong to Pottery Barn.

Valentines Tablescape

We had a full day on February 14. We met 15 other kiddos and their homeschooling moms at our local amusement park, Hershey Park. We rode the ride in Hershey Chocolate World many times just to get the free hershey bar at the end of the ride. (smile)Talk about yummy chocolate! I found some really darling vintage valentines for my girls to hand out to their friends. Then I surprised my girls with a little party at home. My oldest was so impressed with the way I set their little table. It was so heartwarming to see how much she appreciated it!

I learned something new on Valentine's Day too! I have always been a little overwhelmed with the thought of trying to set a really, pretty table scape on my dining room table. Why? Because it is big, and the task seemed too large. However, when I set my girl's table-for-two I realized (aha moment!)that it could be done!

So that night for dinner I made some heart-shaped brownies, lasagna and garlic bread, and then set about taking the miniature version of the girl's table and doing it again on the dining room table. What fun! Now I know I can do it if I just start small : )

I hope your valentines day was special!

Prelude to Valentine's Day

My girls are so eager for Valentine's Day. They know I have a little somethin'-somethin' hidden away for them. They are trying to guess each day. I am excited too. I have come up with a cute little tablescape for them. I can hardly wait to show you. I'll give you a little sneak peak into a few things I've done.

I made these little hanging hearts as a "chandelier" above the girl's table. Then I got out four just-their-size little vases for pink carnations. I just love how the pink looks with the blue chippy shutter behind it.

Check back after Valentine's Day and see what else I've done with their little table. In the meantime, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to YOU and YOUR SWEETIES!!!

GIRLS DAY OUT!! PART 2

Not only did we visit Luckett's Store, we also drove a quarter of a mile down the road and shopped at Out On A Whim. Isn't the pink polka-dotted silo a blast? I love it! When you walk in they have a giant three-tiered basket full of lovely packaged soaps like lavender and sage and lemongrass. Next visit I plan to buy a couple of these cuties.

Wouldn't this be a cute rest-of-the-winter project? PINK BIKES!!

One of my favorite finds were these strips of burlap. How cool is that?!

Of course there was plenty of space to hang chandeliers!!

I hope these pictures have inspired you today!! That little trip is what is getting me through the rest of these cold days ahead! COME ON SPRING!!!

GIRLS DAY OUT!! PART I

OH WHAT FUN!! Have you been out with your GIRLFRIENDS lately? I mean, taken a trip, gone somewhere special, just layed your head back and whooped it up?? YOU NEED TO! Everyone needs that little break from the norm.

I was privileged recently to spend THE WHOLE DAY with my mom and sis in Leesburg, VA. No kids, no husbands, just a good, ole' fashioned girls day out. It was a rainy, two hour drive. We talked about songs my mom played for us when we were little from the 1950's. I'll tell you, it's a real hoot when you have three women belting out the lyrics to old songs at the top of their lungs. If we didn't remember the words, we made them up!! (I'm just glad nobody was taping us!!! SMILE)
We finally reached our destination. Luckett's General Store. Girls, I don't know if you have a place like Lucketts around you, but it is well worth the drive and the inches of mud we found ourselves stuck in!!(Another story all together. All I've got to say is, I am sure glad these big, burly men came from out of nowhere to rescue us or we would still be spinning our tires! LOL My car was COVERED in mud!)

We saw treasure upon treasure upon treasure! It was beyond FABULOUS!!

Pieces upholstered in burlap, burlap curtains and pillows galore!

I had a little list of some things I was hoping to find. I found those and plenty more!

I'll have to bring my husband's truck the next time!! LOL

I'm reading this CUTE book to my girls. It's called, "The Very Fairy Princess" by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton. I have always been a fan of Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music. (In fact on this cold, icy day we are having here in north eastern PA, my youngest is begging me to watch Mary Poppins!) I was surprised to find that Julie Andrews was an author.

I'm always learning something new everyday (I guess that's a GOOD THING since I am the teacher! hee hee) The little girl in the story is all about being a fairy princess, regardless of who believes in her and who does not (most do not).

"My best friend, Delilah, doesn't believe that I'm a fairy princess. I say you can be whatever you want to be." she says. I admire her spunk and confidence (smile) Then she goes on to explain HOW to be what you want to be. This is the part I love most in the book.

"I say you can be whatever you want to be. YOU JUST HAVE TO LET YOUR SPARKLE OUT!"

I love how she jubilantly swings her arms from side to side as she walks. It's like she is spreading her sparkle dust on everyone around her. DID YOU CATCH SOME? I think you did!
The fairy princess goes on to say, "For instance," I tell her, "YOU sparkle when you play the trombone."

As the "newbie" on the blog block, I dedicate this post to each of you. I've been to various sites and you girls SPARKLE!!!! You really do. I am so impressed with your creativity and beautiful blogs. And if you are one of my dear friends without a blog, YOU SPARKLE TOO!!! (I really mean all this from the bottom of my heart). It's so much fun being a part of all this "sparkling" that I am hoping it rubs off on me too! hee hee Actually I have been learning so much from visiting your sites, and for that I am thankful.
KEEP ON SPARKLING!!
xo