~a new sign~

 I LOVE painting signs.

It is truly one of my most favorite things to do.

I made this one yesterday using Annie Sloan Graphite paint~love this color.

It is available in my etsy shop today,

 and I will also be updating my shop with more goodies as the day goes on.

I am having email troubles. 

If anyone has emailed me only to have it bounce back, please send me a convo. through etsy.

{link at the top of this page}

I hope to have the problem fixed shortly.

If you are someone that knows my number, please just text me!

Sorry about that!

Hope you all are having a fantastic day!

xoxo

~a new job, sort of~

Whoa, that's a real close up! 

Anyway, that's the picture of me you will see over at this website.........

No, I'm not leaving you, I have just signed up to be a contributor over at app smitten. 

I really love my i-phone, yes I do.

Probably a little too much, I have to force myself to put it down sometimes.

But, who doesn't love a good app? 

Find out my favorites and check out others, there are so many I had never heard of! 

You can sign up here.

It is FREE!

Hope you are having a great day! 

xoxo

~sponsor giveaway~

 I was so excited when I found Maison De Stencils 

because they had just  what I was looking for.

They carry a wide selection of stencils, including my favorite ones, their feed sack stencils.

 I ordered several and was very happy with the quality. 

I have used the same stencils over and over and over again and they still have years of life in them.

 Here are a few projects I have made with my stencils from Maison De Stencils.

 These stencils can be used on furniture, pillows, signs, walls, etc. 

Check out their customer gallery to see other projects people

 have done using their stencils~you'll be amazed!

The 2 signs above are available in my etsy shop.

{link at the top of this page}

And a reminder for you....

save 15% on everything in my etsy shop through the end of February with discount code:

DISCOUNT

So, would you like the chance to win your choice of stencils from Maison De Stencils?

I thought you might!

They are giving away, not one, but 2 stencils to one of my readers!

Visit their shop and let me know which stencils you would pick if you won.

Be sure to leave your email address, and remember,  you do not need a blog to enter any of my giveaways.

You can win your choice of any 12x12 stencil 

AND

your choice of any 5 1/2 x 11 1/2 stencil!

I will pick a winner on Friday!

xoxo

~Cody's room~

 We are in the SLOW process of changing over Cody's room, as I think I have mentioned before.

I say slow, because things have to be ordered, 

things have to be sold, and things have to be agreed upon.

Two things I am loving and think I have the little guy sold on, are this 1900's mechanist sconce from Restoration Hardware and this fabric from Serena and Lily.

It may be a while, but I promise to show it to you when it is all finished!

xoxo

~PVE designs winner~

Popping in real quick to let you know the winner of the PVE Designs giveaway!

You can find the winner here!

Savannah had some teeth pulled this morning and is under the weather still, meaning I just got done mopping up throw up.........aren't you envious of me right now? :)

Happy Friday friends!

xoxo

~a great idea for those outdated bathroom mirrors~

I saw this on Pinterest this morning and thought it was such a great simple solution!

If you have one of those gigantic builder mirrors over your bathroom vanity, don't rip it out!

 Simply trim it out with inexpensive wood painted to match your decor.

I have seen this done "framing" the mirror, but never down the center.

 Just be careful how you attach it, you will see any glue spills or other mistakes in the mirror.
UPDATE: YOU CAN FIND THE ARTICLE FOR THIS MIRROR MAKEOVER HERE.

xoxo

~15% off in my etsy shop~

I am having an end of the month sale in my etsy shop! 

15% off everything! 

Just enter the code

DISCOUNT 

at checkout!

This is only good through the end of the month, so hurry on over!

Remember to enter the discount code:

DISCOUNT

at checkout! 

Happy shopping!

xoxo

~the bigger picture~

 The kids mid winter break started yesterday.

We have no major plans, maybe hit the mall, go up skiing, bake cookies daily :)

Yesterday we settled in on the couch to watch movies, it was a rainy stormy day.

I took the picture above~the light was coming in and everything looked so cozy.

I even posted it on my facebook page.

The Nester is doing a little link up party about celebrating the imperfections, because really, our house is not clean ALL the time.

So, here you have it.

The bigger picture........

 Behind the couch, and what didn't make it into the photo.

Dogs chewing on their toys which are strewn all over the floor.

On the bench I have packages to ship, drop cloths waiting to be made into something, a bucket with cake plates I need to return to my sister in law, and a shopping bag with supplies that need to go out to my studio.

Under the table and behind the little green stool we have a dog crate that Harley out grew a few months ago, needing to go on craigslist.

 And the other side of the couch. 

Cody made a cozy little bed with his panda pillow pet and plenty of blankets.

Trying to squeeze the life out of my one last hydrangea.......

And, while we are keeping it real, here's the kitchen.

Point of this is, this is real life. 

 In no way is our house perfectly clean and styled all the time.

I have no intentions of cleaning this week.

Happy vacation to me!

Linking up to the Nester.

xoxo

~PVE design giveaway~

 I am so excited today to be bringing to you a giveaway by Patricia, 

the designer and artist at PVE design.

I have admired her work for so long, she is such a talent.

 Patricia will take your photo and turn it into a work of art.

I think these are priceless. 

I have just commissioned her to draw a picture of our home for my husband's birthday.

I can't wait to share it with you.

 I love it that she does it all,

Animals, people, interiors, exteriors, you name it.

  She has a wonderful blog here, and a etsy page as well. 

Be sure to check them both out.

 Today she is offering one of you a set of 6 notecards shown below!

All you have to do is visit her links above and let me know 

what you would have drawn if you could pick anything.

I will pick a random winner on Friday.

Be sure to leave me your email address.

Have a happy Monday friends.

My kids are on mid winter break starting today, super excited!

I love having the kiddos home all to myself!

xoxo

~new frames for my etsy shop~

These picture frames, plus more, going in my etsy shop shortly!

{link at the top of this page}

xoxo

~sneaking in the veggies~

I am always looking for ways to sneak veggies into my family's meals.

We, 

{including myself}

 are not big vegetable lovers.

One of my favorite recipes you can find here.

It's genius really.

I made these turkey and veggie meatloaf minis the other night, and the family devoured them.

The secret ingredient?

Broccoli coleslaw........ no one knew!

The recipe is from here

however, I found mine in people magazine.

Turkey and veggie meatloaf minis:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small onion
• 1 1/4 pounds raw lean ground turkey
• 3 cups bagged dry broccoli cole slaw, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
• 1/4 cup, plus 3 tablespoons ketchup

DIRECTIONS

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Using a box grater, grate the onion into a large bowl. Add turkey, broccoli cole slaw, oats, garlic powder, salt, egg substitute, and 1/4 cup ketchup. Stir until thoroughly mixed. 

Line 9 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with baking cups and/or spray with nonstick spray. Evenly distribute turkey-veggie mixture among the muffin cups, and top each with 1 teaspoon ketchup. 

Bake in the oven until firm with lightly browned edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy! 

PER SERVING (1 mini meatloaf): 142 calories, 5.25g fat, 494mg sodium, 9g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 4g sugars, 14g protein

Do you have any great sneaky recipes?

I'd love to hear!

xoxo

~spell it out~

 I have always loved the look of vintage typography on walls.

Especially when you mix and match the styles, colors, and sizes.

You can mix new in with old too for an eclectic look.

 I love how the M is a different color here.

 Sticking with a color scheme, these random letters make a great wall grouping, and is something more unexpected than the regular prints on the wall.

 This look works well in a traditional space, as well as a modern space.

 And here is something new to me.

Mix letters on your chalkboard wall to spell things out!

I LOVE this idea!

 Love, love love this idea!

I have just updated my etsy shop with a few vintage letters.

These would also be fun to mix in with my scrabble tiles found here.

Have a happy Friday friends!

xoxo

~steal this idea~

Throughout the year, write down memories that make you smile. On New Year's Eve, open it up and reread all of the good stuff that made the year wonderful! Love this idea!

Found here via pinterest

xoxo

~for sale~

 Email me if you are interested in this chair.

I hate to see it go, but the time has come.

You can see it on craigslist here.

 And, this is a horrible picture, but I am also selling a twin size log bed.

Email me on both if you are at all interested!

lakeliving4@msn.com

 These items are for local pickup only, near Seattle Washington.

xoxo