BRB

{neice De'Anna & sister Laura}

Been off having crazy fun with my folks. 'Bout ready to hop out the door and take some new shelter dog pics. You should check out the new blog that we've set up for our adventures in fostering/rescue: SunnySpot Inn. 

So were you curious?

Inside of that fuzzy green album, I've tucked and stuffed a season's worth of catalog and magazine pages. It's an addictive habit, pulling pretty pictures...one that I started as a home ec project and one that has snowballed into a pile of papers five inches and two folders thick on my bookshelf/bedside table. When my sister gave me this photo album, I knew exactly what I was going to do with it! Finally set to organizing my loot. 

 
A lot of the images are ones that I couldn't afford (i.e. Anthropologie, anyone?) but are always inspiring - especially when it comes to finding modest ways to combine clothing.  Like straight denim skirts. What do you wear with them?? And which shoes with which skirts? Having an inspiration book around helps!

A few plain pretty pics tend to find their way in too - as well as home decorating projects that I've just GOT to make for myself one day. Garlands, wreaths...felted sheep teapot cozys?

So, that's my little inspiration book. I'd love to take you through page by page sometime....

P.S. Thanks to the Hungry Little Caterpillar Google logo today: www.ericcarle.com has some really cool tutorials under his video and picture gallery! Now I want to paint some tissue paper and cut out little creatures.

P.S.S. Since Q&A is going around, care to give me some fuel for the next post? Ask a question, any question! (Ok, well not any question...but do ask!)

Three Things:

One: if you're going to do a hanky wall quilt with good ol' Scotch tape, don't put it over an air vent.

Two: whatever I may have thought of crocuses yesterday as I was regretting the sad, dowdy purple ones from last fall...the white ones that bloomed today wiped the slate clean. There is a powerful pureness to them that just captures you!

Three: I have a $20 gift certificate for Boden. I think I'd like a top or sweater. What do you think I should get??

A Paper Miser Gathering Jewels

Do you know what this album is full of?

I do. :)

(...to be continued...)

Boots? Flats? Sweater??

Don't you hate it when, for once, you know exactly what you want to wear...and it's about a season off? Please tell me this happens to you too! Rainy springs always throw me for a loop. Speaking of what to wear, I've really enjoyed reading the Modest Fashion Week over at SAHMissionary. Go check out the nifty Polyvore outfits the ladies there have pieced together! 

Handkerchief Dreams

I don't feel so great today. Something about the change in seasons has left me stuffy and sniffly and still in flannel pjs late in the day. Yet this feverish state of mind somehow yields productivity... 

We have lots of vintage hankies stuffed in baskets around the craft room and in my closet. Most of them were inherited and one especially has captured my inspiration for years. It's clear lemon yellow with luscious pink and cream peonies that inspired the color palette for my old room (which has carried over into this one, with a more "grown-up" neutral base). Unlike a lot of its relatives, it doesn't have any stains or tiny holes.

It was just too pretty to be left in a basket, so I pulled and pressed it, along with eight others from a reproduction set Mama and Daddy gave to me several years ago. (Fun fact: one of the reproduction hankies is the exact same pattern as one of Grandma's!) Using regular Scotch tape, rolled to be 'double-sided' and stuck on each of the corners, I arranged them on the blank wall beside my bed. I hope it sticks!

So far I'm really liking the cheery, easy color and pattern that they've added to my room. (The old resident martins seem to like the company as well.) I'd love to see what a whole wall looks like!

Happy Purim!

You know, like in The Book of Esther, in the Bible...

Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, 

made the fourteenth day of the month Adar 

a day of gladness and feasting, 

and a good day, 

and of sending portions one to another.

Esther 9:19

We do it just for fun and to celebrate God's goodness and constancy to his children - even those adopted through Christ like us. The meal in our household ranks up there with Thanksgiving. I'm not sure what it is...something about the tapestry of flavors that blends together sweet and salty and spicy - MMM, it gets to you! 

We finally figured out how to get a swagged/canopy/tent effect from paper streamers - Woo hoo! It involved a lot of blue painters tape, but the dramatic and festive effect made my heart happy. I've been dreaming of tissue paper canopies since our very first Purim ages ago.

I wish that I had more excuses to wear this Purim outfit. It's a traditional Persian 2-piece costume: a long tunic, split on each side and the biggest pair of pants you've ever seen. Letting the drawstring out, the waistband is probably near 30" across! Ultimate in comfy, super slippery and the embroidered detail is to die for.  

Think that Queen Esther ever wore something like this? 

Things I Learned in Master Gardeners

North Carolina is one of the few states to still offer free soul soil tests. Check and see if your state has a similar program! It's so easy - and if you take your little box back to the office, you might not even have to pay postage. Nice, eh?

Spring before last, we took a new road though the mountains and were surrounded by clouds of pink, white and rose. They looked like azaleas to me. Could it have possibly been Pinkshell Azalea (Rhododendron vaseyi)? I learned today that these pink flame azaleas are found in only 5 counties - in the world. Can you believe that? (And I just used Latin - yes! How exciting...) I forget sometimes what a horticultural gem mine I'm lucky enough to live in. 

Will spring (and Pinkshell Azaleas) be here soon?

Amazon Kindle

As much as I adore books, I've been dreaming of something like this since I was seven years old! Except that I wanted it to be waterproof. By the time I'm able to splurge on such a gizmo, I bet there'll be a fancy shmancy cover for bubble baths. Shucks...I bet there already is! 

What's Your Style?

{Nantucket Style}

According to Sproost,  my style is...

50% Rustic Revival

25% Hollywood Couture

25% Nantucket Style

I was aiming for more of a vintage modern, but then as I consider exactly what a Rustic Revival with Hollywood and beachy accents would look like, it's not so bad! 

Anyway, because the StyleEngine kept messing up on me a little, I took it again. Now it's... 

67% Cottage Chic

17% Vintage Modern

16% French Eclectic! 

Well, that's more what I expected. But third time's a charm?

40% Cottage Chic

40% Nantucket Style

20% French Eclectic

There. Now we have some overlap anyway!

Have you Sproost?

(Have a happy weekend!)

Don't Shoot!

When I can't remember what else I needed to get at the library, I tend to grab anything and everything off the shelves. I don't know why...a futile attempt to make the trip worthwhile? Hoping that I'll subconsciously pick something really good? Well, whatever the reason, sometimes it turns out quite nice. Case in point:

How To Photograph Absolutely Everything by Tom Ang

I like this book. I can understand this book! The introduction compares taking pictures to cooking,and following the author's "recipe" for Garden Bird photography, I went on a bird hunt today. Prey? An ordinary robin - or even a starling. I didn't much care what. (Did however catch the silhouette of what looks like a cedar waxwing to me - Hmm!)  Catch? This:

It's still nowhere near great, but I got a picture of a bird - and you could tell it was a bird! And you can actually see that it has feathers. That makes me pretty happy. Now...which "recipe" should I try out next?

WARNING: there is a "recipe" for nudes, just so you know. Pretty easy to skip over, I think. 

Best Photos of the Week

It's rare that I get a good, clear photo during my attempt at Photo365. The light must have been really good or something this week!


Feb 26th - I adore daffodils. Particularly these first brave ones who come with snow.

Feb 27th - The tiny beagle puppy that we fostered for a day before her new 'parents' came to pick her up. Her name is now Mosely. Sweet, no?

Pretty Things

Anthropoli-fication Cardigan Giveaway!

Grosgrain made this gorgeous $6 rendition of an Anthropologie sweater. How sweet is that?? I want to make one! (And not only that, but she's giving it away!!)

LittleBlackKitty has my dream chicken coop. One day I want a little pink coop full of mix-matched hens with fluffy petticoat legs who follow me around like a puppy.  That's the life. :)

So, those are my two new favorite blogs. What are yours?