Friday, September 30, 2011

Darling Day!

Welcome to my version of a Friday Favorites!
Darling Day!
Of course this caught my eye...it's pink!! When I looked to see how it was made...so cool and amazing!


Hello scraps!! So simple, yet so genius in by books!


This was actually inspired by another one of my pins! {See next Darling!}
Both are so great!!



I absolutely adore this idea!! Pretty sure I'll try my hand at one!! What a great way to repurpose heirlooms! Did I say how much I love these?
All photos courtesy of their respective sites and Pinterest.

Weren't they all so Darling? And inspiring too!!

Happy Friday!!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Top 3 Tutorials!

Whoa!!  There's over 150 of you lovelies now!! I'm beside myself!  Hee!
Welcome and I thought I'd share my top 3 tutorials of my blogging career today! 
It's fun to reminisce right?


I was ecstatic how this turned out!! And this may be what some friends get for Christmas...of course accompanied with a treat!

I'm proud that this is #2 because I'm proud to be an OSU Alumni!! Go Pokes!! ☺

Thanks to the ruffles this gal was popular!!  You should she her now...poor thing is faded! Don't worry I know how to spruce her up next summer!

I'm not gonna lie...Tatertots & Jello helped 2 & 3 be 2 & 3...it does pay to do link parties!!
Also, not gonna lie, reaching 150 followers has caught me off guard!!  I've been having fun with the Show & Share party that it didn't dawn on me to prepare a giveaway!
So this is what I'm gonna do!  Ponder and ponder some more and then announce a giveaway on Monday!
Sound good?
Good!!

I appreciate each and every one of you!!
Happy Thursday!

See my Link Parties Page for where I'll be partying at!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Show & Share #7 & Features!


Wow!  Another great party!!  Aren't link parties fun?  You gals are amazingly crafty and tasty cooks!!
Here are my favs from last week...be sure and check the other hosts' sites for their features too!
As a Holiday baker, I found this to be very helpful!!
Hello yumminess!!
Supplies are all from the Dollar Tree...gotta love it!!
We were just reminiscing about these kind of  stools this past weekend! My grandma had one...how I wished I had it! ♥ this one for sure!!
Found this to be inspiring....been wanting to play around with some of my worn out stuff!

{Great work ladies!! Please grab a button located to the right!}

Party time!


Party Rules--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops
*Link something you've done in the last month
*Post the party button or my button on your blog (and follow me, the host Lindsay, & my co-hosts Marie & Whitney )
*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted
*Come back to see if you've been featured!

Have fun and Happy Wednesday!!




Southern Lovely















Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Soiree Day-Happy 25th Anniversary To My Pastors!!

Yep! Today is a milestone for my awesome Pastors!! This past Sunday we had a simple come and go reception directly after service.  We had a lovely time and everyone enjoyed the sweets my mom, sister and I made! And of course I wanted to show you, my lovelies!!  I want you to see that just a few simple things can make a difference in celebrating an milestone...sometimes you don't need to be elaborate...it's the thought and meaning of something.
Since my siblings and I gave a 40th Anniversary party to my parents back in May, I did some of the same things...we were on a budget again this time...simple can still be good!
Used a 8x8 scrapbook as a memory book, had people sign it.  Pastors can then use it to put their cruise pictures in.  ☺ I figured there'd be people besides myself who got them a card so I brought a silver bucket for that and then used this cute chalkboard sign from home for direction.  I used a set of silver bird ornaments to add a touch of sparkle....and so they also have some ornaments to remember their 25th year of marriage!
The birds were 2 for a $1 at the Dollar Tree! The book was $5.99 plus half off at Hobby Lobby!


This table! I tell you! I said it before....it's the weirdest shape ever!  I tried to make it look 'fuller' by using groupings of  tissue flowers. 

Instead of individual labels for each food, I simply made a menu and printed it off onto scrapbook paper and framed it in a frame I had!  The photos of the couple were taken from his office. The little faith/crown block I had in the closet at home!




The pretzel rods were the biggest hit and were the first to go!!


Drinks {not pictured} were on ice in the same silver bucket I used before by the memory book.
The only thing left over were some cupcakes and a couple of brownies!!  So just using stuff I already had and adding simple things like the tissue paper flowers, ornaments, and a memory book made the day special.  And that's all that matters!!

Happy Soiree Day!!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Taking the Sponsor Plunge!!


That's it!! I'm taking the sponsor plunge!!  I've been tossing the idea around for awhile and I think it's about time.  So here's what I'm going to do....for now...

Sponsorship will be on a trade only basis until I reach 250 GFC followers.  When I reach that amazing number {to me!} then I will make adjusts. 
If you're interested then please email me at jwheel75@gmail.com and we'll get going starting October 1st!
This does include a feature post by me and some Facebook and Twitter love!
Of course, if you have an Etsy Shop then I would be happy to host a giveaway as well. Or even if you don't have an Etsy shop, giveaways are always good!

Now then, I sure hope you've noticed the Pick Your Plum ad!! I'm so, so excited to be an affiliate!!  If you're not familiar with them, they offer a one time deal per day, Monday through Friday,  and the deals are amazing!!  They range from craft items to feathers for your hair!  They announce the "plum" of the day in the morning and when it's gone it's gone!! I've missed a few items that I really wanted, but when I do get to score I'll be showing ya what I get!!

You can sign up for their emails and not miss a thing!

Now, who wants to be my first sponsor? 
Happy Monday!!


Saturday, September 24, 2011

Vintage Gwen Chapel-Retreat Highlights

*This is a longer post than normal cause I want to share my awesome retreat weekend!*

Well I must say the past weekend was all God's!  Looking back I now realize that God had a purpose for my weekend and the proof is not only in how He used me on the retreat but more so in Lil Hunkie's behavior.  This was the first time both Hunkie and I were apart from our Handsome! {We call him that too!}  Hunkie had to work so off to Grandma & Grandpa's Lil Hunkie went.  Hunkie took him to his happy babysitters on Friday and then they brought him to my parents on Sunday, they watched him till I got home. 
The report of Lil Hunkie's 1st adventure:  not.a.tear.  Anytime he talked about momma or dada, he was told we were at work and that suited him fine.  When Sunday morning came, he did say "car" over and over, somehow knowing it was the day to come home! The only tears shed were from Grandma and Grandpa, who thoroughly enjoyed the time with their only grandchild. 
I really thought I wouldn't be able to not cry, I didn't....but anytime my mind rested on Lil' Hunkie I couldn't let it stay too long or else tears would for sure come!  But we stayed busy the whole weekend.  Leaving Friday morning we arrived at the famous Lambert's in time for lunch and I had a ridiculously large Chicken Cesar Salad which I had to carry the majority out the door in a baggie!  It was delicious though, having artichoke and sun dried tomato in it, which I had never heard of in a Cesar Salad before!! Twas yummy! Friday evening some of us went to the Tanger Outlet, yes me included! How refreshing to shop and not worry about a diaper, a wipes case, a snack, a sippy cup and oh hurry it up and get home!  I was excited to get Lil' Hunkie a stuffed Donald Duck....one of his favorites right now!  Then Saturday we went to Silver Dollar City despite it raining the whole time.  I had discovered the Culinary & Craft School which offers cooking classes! And 9 out of 17 got to enjoy a lesson in Homemade Cinnamon Roll making for an hour out of the rain!!  My sister and I definitely enjoyed this and the kitchen was phenomenal!! And we got to not only eat a Cinnamon Roll but we also learned about and ate some easy Quiche!!

This is the 'waiting area' of the school...decorated for fall already...beautiful!
 Blown Glass Chandelier!  Too Cool!

The Classroom!! Yah! Amazing!

The Instructor.
 Making Quiche!
 Yes this was so delish!! I can't wait to try and make some!!
I want this in my house.....someday perhaps.....

We also saw the Saloon Show, which was hilarious!  Then on Sunday we had lunch at the Branson Landing and gawked at all the Iron Man contestants and then came home! 
That was the extra curricular activities.  We had devotion/ministry times Friday evening, Saturday morning, Saturday night and then Sunday morning.  Topics were possessing our territory, territory that God has already made enemy free for us!  Providence...trusting God. A personal testimony.  And then what I talked about...redemption.  And even before I spoke we had a time of prayer and just listening to God, waiting on Him to direct us.  Really, we did this for the entire weekend and God honored our reverence to Him and showed up and moved and I tell you lives and circumstances were changed!  I saw relationships deepen. 
I felt complete.  Finally, all my titles worked together for my good.  And it's because I allowed the title that should be first, be first...Child of God.  I mean let me be just be real...the title of momma can take over sometimes.  As can other titles, they all compete to be first.  It's up to me as to which one is truly first.  When we allow God to be top priority, oh my the things that are accomplished!  My testimony to the ladies...God redeemed to me ministry.  Not ministry in the sense that I'm the next Joyce Meyer but ministry in the sense that if you need some personal ministry...then I'll be there for you....ministry in the sense of let me share the revelations God 's been showing me.  It's been redeemed! And I'm ever so thankful!
And that was the best retreat I've ever been on!!
Next Saturday I'll share my revelation on redemption. 

Have a great weekend!!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Darling Day-Blog Beauties!

I have thought about highlighting some 'darling' blogs on Darling Day before and well it's time!! And I'm sure I'll do it again!!  These beauties are fairly recent finds and are so worth checking out!
Besides being just plain cute, Lori inspires me! She is a recent fashion blogger and I admire her for doing so.  I think in fashion blogging there's more opportunity for people to be just plain mean.  Lori has great confidence and you can totally see that in her posts! Plus she has pretty eyes and does pretty makeup!! ☺


Today's post is actually a cue from April.  She recently started branching out to new to her bloggers and featuring them {yes I was one of them!}.  I agree with her that we don't need to stay in a box..there's so many great bloggers of all kinds to be connected to!!  And while April and I both craft and share that, she shares and showcases her love of vintage clothing....and it's awesome!



I got to know Aleisha during my August Bash week....we'd be in trouble having too much fun if we lived by each other!! Her blog is mostly a mom blog and if ever you need to be encouraged or need a great big belly laugh or need to know you're 'not the only one' then you need to hop, skip, and jump to her place!!
She never ceases to bless me with her words!!
 
Southern Lovely 


I also got to know Lindsay during my Bash week and she actually was the winner of the giveaway at the end of the week.  She is probably the kindest blogger there is! She sent me the cutest pink clay rose necklace and earrings for no reason.  That's something I'd do and I enjoy having that it common with her!  She was gracious to invite me to be cohost of her link party, Show & Share...a great opportunity!  And it has been awesome mingling with new creative people!!
 
And those, my lovlies, are some darling places to check out!
 
Happy Friday!!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

The Whatever Bag!

So I was digging in Lil' Hunkie's closet last week and I came upon this.......


.....and guess what fits perfectly inside? My netbook!!! Geez! I had a bag the whole time and didn't necessarily need to make the one from last week! Oh well...now I have a choice! This is the freebie bag from the hospital when I had Lil' Hunkie, it came with supplies/info on breastfeeding. 





It has a pocket inside and on the outside and is insulated.  So I thought I'd add a little something so it could be used as a netbook bag, lunch bag or a whatever bag!!

Supplies:
Fabric
Felt
Pin
Buttons
Lids
Hot glue gun
Basic sewing supplies



I thought I'd try and make a different kind of fabric flower since there's so many choices! 
I started off by tracing and cutting 4 circles of each lid size in the animal print.  And then traced and cut out 2 leaves in the swirl fabric.  These are the cutest choices of fabric our Walmart had that would match the taupe color on the bag!


Then I took one of the bigger circles and folded in half and then half again and glued.  You know the drill....I'm the last crafter to be making these I'm sure!! 


I then glued the 4 bigger folded circles onto a piece of felt...

.....I overlapped them a little.  Then I glued the smaller folded circles on top, overlapped them a little too.

Glued the buttons in the center and then glued the leaves and pin to the back...all done!

Pinned to the front of the bag!  How easy was that?!


Pretty snazzy huh?

See my Link Parties Page for where I'll be having fun at!!

Happy Thursday!!