millie turning 4

We celebrated Millie g's fourth birthday yesterday. I like birthday parties a lot.

I made a cake from Bob's Red Mill gluten free chocolate cake mix... so good. And my homemade buttercream icing (with a tiny bit of pink food coloring). I made some little tissue paper flowers and stuck a ballerina on top. The cake was scrumptious and the birthday girl was very happy.

Hope your weekend was great. Enjoy the rain.

girl room

The girls' room is my third favorite place in our new house. It's very pink and ruffly and dainty and precise... just like Millie g. and baby Stella Belle.

I got this chandelier at a garage sale for $15... a little spray paint and handy re-wiring made it fab enough for this room...

I also heart the closet door knobs. I found them at an antique store back in Baton Rouge...

Hopefully the girls will get bunk beds soon... and some glamorous curtains. Then the room will feel more "finished." O.K. rearrange some furniture today! Happy Tuesday!

birthday birthday

Our Millie g. is four years old today. I cannot believe it. She loves hearing the story about how she was born just as the sun was coming up... two of the most warm and beautiful things arriving at the exact same time. We started the day with swimming, grilled cheese for lunch, watched Cinderella and made necklaces...

Then we needed a snack. She wanted to go to our favorite coffee shop, but it was not on the way to Target, so we went to Starbucks instead.

Then on to Target to buy Hello Kitty lip gloss, sparkle fingernail polish, and a few things for her party on Saturday. Happy Birthday Millie g! You have the best hair, the best laugh and the best heart of anybody in the whole wide world. You are a marvel.

quick hello

Good morning! Busy, busy at our house lately. We're getting ready for Millie g's 4th birthday and packing Charlie to go out of town for a few days and cleaning and sewing and... o yes... and going to this place every morning. I think I'm gonna like it here...

We live 20 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean. We go there about twice a week. All the other days are spent at this swimming hole that is one mile from our home. Since Charlie grew up here he calls it the "redneck beach." The kids adore this place... so do I. We swim for a few hours, eat lunch on the back of the car, change clothes, go home and sleep. It's pretty awesome.

Hope your weekend is filled with adventure!

new home

The fish painting found a new home above our bed. I want our bedroom to look like Morocco. The fish help with that.

This old window from my grandparent's barn found a new home on this old dresser which is now a bookshelf.

These awesome vintage outdoor lights found a new home above our bar. (more pictures of the bar when our kitchen is clean :)

And here's our new bathroom... still in progress but very chic (if you like bathrooms without faucets and mirrors).

design crush

We've been finishing the unfinished bathroom in our new home. Interior design is probably my most beloved hobby. I am always beyond inspired by the photos at Apartment Therapy. Here are a few of my favorites...

Pics of the bathroom soon. Promise. Good Sunday afternoon wishes to everybody!

super tacky

If it rains outside and you are stuck inside with your three kids, don't get all stressed. Make them super hero capes for instant entertainment. It's also a great way to use your scrap fabric. It took me 30 minutes to make all 3. They wore them all day yesterday, slept in them last night, and wore them to the beach this morning. Kids are cute when they run around in super hero capes.

my sister graduated

Got home late last night. We took our time at an adorable Mexican restaurant in Tallahassee, and stopped at a few rest areas so the kids could get out and run around in circles for a few seconds. They are spectacular little travelers. Unpacking, washing, restocking the empty pantry today. Here are a few pictures from Amanda's graduation. I have a good family.

O.K. enjoy the sunshine today! Open a window and eat an apple.

are we there yet

We loaded up several belongings, buckled the kiddies down and took off for an action-packed 8 hour trip to the beautiful state of Mississippi. It's good to be home for a few days. I needed to hug my Mama on Mother's Day. I also needed to watch my littlest sister graduate from college this morning. She is pretty and kind and super funny. We are very proud of her...

Have a nice weekend! Hug your mama!

30 minute dress

I'm practicing to make Millie G. a dress for her birthday in a few weeks. I had the idea of this dress in my head, so I figured I should try it a few times with some not so important fabric before I use really fancy fabric. The practice dresses turned out very fantastic. Especially since my daughters have completely sworn off pants or anything resembling pants for the 2010 spring season. Once you get going, you can whip one of these little babies out in no time. Tutorial coming soon! Have a nice day. Happy fifth of may!

something new

Happy May! It's a glorious, hot, blooming, delicious day. I finished lots and lots of projects last week while little Dean was away. My favorite accomplishment from last week would have to be this enormous painting...

I had another sort of enormous fish painting in our living room, but the wall is SUPER enormous so the fish painting didn't look so enormous once we got it up. I made the new one out of a white shower curtain that was junking up my sewing room and some scrap wood that was junking up our garage. It is five feet tall and four feet wide... the biggest painting I've ever done. I love it.

O.K. Have a nice Monday! Pick a flower today.