Jar of Vintage Buttons

holiday presents for YOU!

2011-12-13T14:56:00.000-05:00

I'm back! It's been WAY too long since my last blog post and I do apologize! I have so much to catch up on and I promise to do that soon, but I have more exciting stuff to tell you about now :) On to the fun stuff!

Sara of In Small Spectacles is hosting an AMAZING giveaway on her blog! Don't miss your opportunity to enter to win a beautiful pair of earrings! All you have to do is follow the link below to be directed to her blog to sign up to win. You have multiple ways to enter by following her blog, Facebook page and Twitter. She will draw a winner on Saturday so be sure to enter!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

I also have some super adorable FREE printables from Mirabelle Creations! Stop on over to Deanna's blog and see all of her insanely awesome party ideas!

We should have internet connection at our new house soon and I'll be back in business then! Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season!

a little glitch

2011-10-23T11:02:00.000-04:00

I read last week that a set back is only a set up for a comeback. Since the quote was from the back of my Weight Watchers magazine I assumed it was in reference to personal weight goals, food or something related to that. The quote stuck with me and I keep reminding myself of this. So, why the set backs and comebacks?

Well....a few weeks ago on another dreadful Monday morning I got to work, powered on the computer, checked my email and jumped on Facebook. I had a message from one of our old neighbors on Spruce Tree. The message simply said, "Call me regarding your tenants." Uh oh. My heart sank.

I called him right away and he told me that a moving truck was in our driveway over the weekend late at night. Our tenants had left. Vanished in the night. Seriously? My first thought was, how do you even do that with 2 kids? I can barely go to the grocery store with only 1 kid, let along move out of a house in the middle of the night. Unbelievable. Anyway, there I was 8:45 am on a Monday with an empty house and a new house that will be done. Like soon.

We spent the entire weekend that weekend cleaning, painting, cutting the grass and replacing the locks. I suppose we should be thanking our lucky stars that they didn't do a lot of damage. Although they were only there 4 months anyway. But, a Bengals' orange and pepto bismol pink room needed to be painting along with just a general good deep cleaning of the house. So, the house looks amazing now and its back on the market to hopefully *fingers crossed* find a buyer. We are also entertaining the thought of another lease purchase IF things get too rough with the double mortgage situation we are about to be in.

So, to all of my lovely readers, know anybody looking for an awesome house in Erlanger, KY? Totally move in ready! And, boy, are we ready to make a DEAL.

With all of that "excitement" going on we haven't been as focused and agonizing over our new house as much. I felt like we went from 5 weeks left when the renters moved out to now we only have 2 weeks left. Nothing like a good distraction right? The new house has been locked up recently now that the cabinets are installed and appliances going in soon. I did get to sneak in one afternoon and snap a few pics.

We've been slowly getting our things organized at my parents' house so our move-out will hopefully go smoother than our move-in! Monday we should have a better time frame for closing, but it still looks like we are on track and will have a little bit of time before Thanksgiving to get settled.

In other news....I've been blogging away over at http://www.birdsofafeatherfair.blogspot.com/ 6 DAYS a week! We had so many vendors send us bios that in order to have them all featured before the Fair, I've had to post 6 per week. Crazy! Things are coming together and the checklist is really dwindling down. I've been having crazy dreams about the Fair almost every night! I'm so excited and absolutely cannot wait to see everybody together in one place. I'm telling you the shopping is going to be amazing!

Actually, unless something super exciting comes up, this may be my last post until the Fair is over. I may be able to pop in with a super short update between now and then. Take care and I'll see ya'll REAL soon!

living the lulu life!

2011-10-07T14:31:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday everyone! If you aren't in Kentucky today, then I actually feel sorry for you. It is October 7, 2011 and it is 80 DEGREES!!! We don't get many days like this in the fall so we've been soaking it up at the park this morning.

I wanted to share a link with you all today. It's still so funny that through blogging I have a network of people who I feel like I've known forever, and really for the most part, have NEVER even met them in person!!! However, I'm sure that will certainly change in less than a month when I will officially be meeting some of these women that I feel like I've already shared so much with! The Birds of a Feather Fair is bringing some of these ladies together and I absolutely cannot wait to meet them in person!

One of them is Natalie. I first "met" Natalie from reading an old college sorority newsletter that had updates of all of our sisters. I always love to read them to see what everybody is up to and how they are doing. While I had never met Natalie in college because she was a few years older than me, we automatically shared a bond. I read that Natalie was designing jewelry for her own company, Lulubelles. I checked out her website and bestill my beating heart. Vintage pieces mixed with modern, classic flair. Uh...YES PLEASE! Anyway, I emailed her right away to see if her an her business partner, Gretchen, would have any interest in being a vendor at the Fair. They said YES! I'm so excited that they will be a part of our show and that they are the essence of what we started the Birds of a Feather Fair for!

Stop over at Lulubelle's blog today, The Lulu Life and check out a feature of yours truly, Jar of Vintage Buttons. Natalie and Gretchen, you both are amazingly talented and I can't wait to meet you at the Fair! And I want to buy everything you make. Thanks.

our house on the hill

2011-09-26T21:01:00.000-04:00

Things are really starting to take shape on Mt. Zion Road. I go to work in the morning and stop by in the evening and I cannot believe how much they get done in a day!

Here's how things are looking now. Our house could be on possibly the highest point of Mt. Zion Road because it looks HUGE sitting on top of our little mountain.

I met our construction manager today to go over a few things before they start insulating and hanging drywall later this week. Siding hopefully next week. Seriously amazing how this whole process works. As cool as it is, I thank the good Lord it's not me that has to coordinate all of these contractors.

We've also informed our construction team that we are slated to host Thanksgiving at our new house. Glutton for punishment? Perhaps. But, that's what I thrive off of, right? I've been pinning some EASY turkey day décor in case I have time to pull it together. You can check out my Holidays in Our New Home board here. And p.s., remember I don't cook, so our house is merely just the gathering place for our friends and family. So I am just in charge of decorating and drinks :)

Joey, Kate and I are counting down to about 6 weeks at this point. I'm sure my parents are counting down too :)

So in the meantime, I'm busy drawing all over our blueprints arranging furniture, picking out paint colors and creating budgets for all of the things we'll need. I can't wait to share more with you about our budget details and how I'm going to rock this house out. I'm really going to push myself to think creatively and out of the box to stay within budget, or at least close! I'm about to burst with excitement about a GIGANTIC deal I score yesterday, but that will have to wait for another day in another post :)

Until the next update, I'll be continuing to get all of our ducks in a row for the Birds of a Feather Fair coming up SOON! Of course, there is a potential that we could be ready for closing...well...pretty much the same weekend of the Fair. If you haven't already heard about the Fair, check out the blog or check us out on Facebook by searching Birds of a Feather Fair (if you can figure it out with the new update....I'm still trying to!) and if you are even remotely close to the Cincinnati area, PLEASE come and shop on November 6th!!!

http://www.birdsofafeatherfair.blogspot.com/ for all the deets.

little bits

2011-09-03T12:19:00.000-04:00

I have been a little negligent in blogging lately, but life sometimes just takes over. But, that just means that when I do have time to blog I have lots to tell you! So...here goes yet another random post about everything!

The countdown is on. As of Monday, 9 weeks until our house should be done!!! WOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!

Stop by and sit on our porch :)

We took Kate to the zoo on Friday. Probably the best day of her life even though she was having some allergy issues.

Started working on a little project for our new house. It involves a whole lot of tile cutting and will eventually look something like this. Have any guesses where its going? :)

Check and check some more fun stuff off of my Pinterest board.

Completed another book, My Sisters' Keeper. GAW! So sad!

And on to something a little more lighthearted, Something Borrowed.

Made these fun coasters for a friend for her birthday. Tutorial from my pinterest DIY board.

That's a quick recap for right now. Off to enjoy the rest of my long holiday weekend! Hope you are doing something fun and have a little time to relax!

i {heart} my ol' kentucky home

2011-08-21T18:23:00.000-04:00

It's been almost 4 years since Joey and I have taken any sort of "vacation" together..just the two of us. We thought it was high time we got the heck out of dodge and had a weekend getaway. My mom and dad so graciously offered to keep Kate for the weekend so Joey and I headed south toward Frankfort, Kentucky to begin our Bourbon Trail experience. For those not familiar with Kentucky bourbon or the Bourbon Trail, there are 6 historic distilleries between Lexington and Louisville that offer public tours. Only one tour costs $5 a guest, the rest of the tours are free and even offer free tastings :) The first distillery you visit you receive a Bourbon Trail passport to get stamped at every distillery you visit. Visit all six and you receive a free t-shirt. It's pretty much impossible to hit all six in 1 day between tour times available and the driving times between distilleries. It's much more enjoyable to take your time and try to hit about 3 a day. I'm not much of a bourbon drinker myself, but the history of the distilleries and the beautiful countryside of Kentucky are enough to get me in the car to tag along (and.....the derby pie and free chocolate bourbon balls at most distilleries). Joey, however, was in complete heaven. The tour guides are absolutely charming, the buildings and scenery are breathtaking and the stories that these historic landmarks have to tell are awesome. I've always loved living in Kentucky, but being on this tour and learning even more of Kentucky's rich heritage makes me love it even more! I HIGHLY recommend that if you're ever in Kentucky you make it a point to check out the Bourbon Trail! http://www.kybourbontrail.com/

Here's a photo recap of our amazing weekend!

Be sure to get your passport at the first distillery you visit and get it stamped at each stop!

First stop on our trip.

The master distiller, Jimmy, came out to take pictures.

The resident CEO (critter exterminating operator) Samuel Pepper.

A true Kentucky lunch, ham sandwiches, bourbon infused mustard, Ale 8 and derby pie for desert!

Distiller's beer, a product made during fermentation. This will get distilled into pure moonshine that will turn into bourbon after its stored in a new charred white oak barrel for at least 2 years. The charred oak is how bourbon gets is flavor and color.

A barrel that has been stored for almost 14 years that will become a very, very expensive bourbon for a single barrel limited anniversary edition batch

Notice the black "gunk" on the buildings. It's a type of black mold that grows on everything within a mile radius of the distillery. Totally harmless from the alcohol evaporating from the barrels. They call it angel's share.

The trees at Jim Beam were completely black from hundreds of years of angel's share.

A little nerve wracking to be in a warehouse that stores 10 million pounds of bourbon overhead while on the tour. 9 stories high and this "x" brace is supposed to be the best support available.

Happy vacation to us!

my new favorite thing

2011-08-08T19:19:00.037-04:00

Laughter.

Great food.

Great drinks.

Girls’ night with the Wives’ Club.

These are a few of MY favorite things!

Pair this with an actual Favorite Things Party and you have a recipe for a fun filled, laughing till you cry, evening with your gals that you’ll never forget!

The idea was found by my lovely friend, Heidi, on none other than Pinterest. The original idea came from Inchmark. Heidi pinned the idea for the party and after reading how it works, I couldn’t WAIT to have one! Unfortunately we are still a long time from our house being done. Boo :( Heidi graciously offered to host the first time around for our group at her home. So, on July 22nd, our little wives’ club got together for some serious fun!

Here’s how the favorite things party works:

Each guest coming to the party brings 5 of the same item of something that is their favorite item. It can be something they use everyday (favorite lotion, lip gloss, hand soap, etc.) or something they like to eat or really anything they like. The trick is all 5 items have to be the same AND each item can cost no more than $6 each.

When your guests arrive at the party, have each guest write their name down 5 times on 5 separate slips of paper.

The first guest will introduce their favorite item and then draw 5 names from the basket. Those lucky 5 friends are the recipients of your favorite thing! Once those 5 names have been drawn from the basket, leave them aside. Then continue on until all the names have been drawn and all of the favorite things have found new homes.

In the end, everyone will leave with 5 new goodies!

I can’t even tell you how much fun this was so see what everybody’s favorite things. I left that evening with an awesome goody bag filled with great products and lots of fun memories. We have made a pact to continue doing this a few times a year. Another in October and in lieu of present exchange for the holidays I’m going to host a holiday edition of the Favorite Things in our new house!!

Get your lady friends together and host a Favorite Things Party of your own! AND, I’d love to know....what would you bring as your favorite thing?

the winner is...

2011-08-04T10:32:00.000-04:00

The winner of the Jar's blogaversary giveaway is.....

#33 CATSKILL QUILTER!!!

"Happy blogaversary! This is my first time here, and I LOVE your large jar of buttons! I have a shelf of Mason jars with my buttons sorted by color...sigh...I do not tend to actually use them, but I love to look at them!"

Congratulations! Please email me at leslie_hartman82@hotmail.com so I can get your address to send your prizes!

Thank you to everyone who participated :) It's been an awesome year and I'm going to look forward to even bigger and better things for the Jar!

it's the Jar's blogaversary!!!

2011-07-29T08:00:00.007-04:00

It's been exactly 1 year since I finally got my act together and revamped my poor neglected blog. Time flies when you are having fun :) I've been so lucky to have some amazing giveaways, have some amazing friends guest blog, been featured on some unbelievable blogs, do some fun projects and begin this crazy journey of building a house. While I've steered a little off path from my initial destination of just having a house blog, I am definitely happier that I've let this little blog of mine take me in whatever direction the wind blows :)

Of course all of this wouldn't be nearly as fun if it weren't for you! In celebration of Jar of Vintage Button's first year back in the blogging saddle, I have an AWESOME giveaway package for 1 lucky reader!!!!

1 year subscription to Country Living

Pair of Swarovski crystal earrings from Jewelry by Misty

Handcrafted necklace from Heartfelt Helen

Dry erase board from yours truly (Jar of Vintage Buttons :)

Baby leg warmers AND a cutems change purse from Hazelnut Designs

Set of 3 beautiful stemmed paper flowers from The Sunday Flower

2 FREE PASSES to the Birds of a Feather Fair

And what's a party without cake? (1) s'more and (1) raspberry chocolate chip cupcake in a jar from Decadence. (She doesn't have her website up yet, but look for her at the Birds of a Feather Fair!)

How awesome sauce is that? Want to enter? You have 5 WAYS TO ENTER!!!!

For one entry, leave a comment on this post or on the Jar's FB page.

For an extra entry, like Heartfelt Helen's Facebook Fan Page and come back here and leave a comment on the Jar's blog saying "HH Follower"

For an extra entry, like Jewelry by Misty's Facebook Fan Page and come back here and leave a comment on the Jar's blog saying "JM Follower"

For an extra entry, like The Sunday Flower's Facebook Fan Page and come back here and leave a comment on the Jar's blog saying "SF Follower"

For an extra entry, follow Hazelnut Designs' blog and come back here and leave a comment on the Jar's blog saying "HD Follower"

Contest will begin July 29, 2011 and will close August 3, 2011 at 9am EST. Winner will be chosen using random.org. Winner will be announced August 4, 2011.

Also, I want to take this opportunity to give a HUGE shout out to the fine ladies who have volunteered their craftiness and beautiful art to donate to this giveaway! You'll find links to their website and they will be listed on the side bar as sponsors. Please, please, take time to visit their sites! Support local handmade!

Now, raise your glass and let's toast to a pretty awesome year No. 1 at Jar of Vintage Buttons! Here's to many more :) CHEERS!

1 month check up

2011-07-19T19:28:00.000-04:00

Don't think I haven't forgotten about you! It's been a crazy, busy, VERY STRESSFUL past couple of weeks. Ug! Just when you say "what else can happen?", guess what...it does!

Between working full time, training with Weight Watchers, working like crazy to get this craft show going, having some family health issues that have required Joey to be away from home for several days in a row each week, STILL working on getting that utility pole moved on our land on top of having a super duper busy toddler let's just say finding time to breath has been difficult!

I did, however, want to highlight some of the super awesome things that have been happening :)

Response to Kate's birthday party has been OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! Jessica from one of my favorite blogs, Pen n Paperflowers, was gracious enough to feature Kate's party on her blog and from there the word really spread! The Kentucky Derby Museum reposted the link on their Facebook page as did, Modern Frills Clothing, Modern Lola, and a gorgeous blog all the way from Quebec! I can't tell you what a giddy little girl I become when I see these features and the feedback that people leave! This has truly been the most FUN! I wish, oh I wish, I wish, I wish I could turn this into something bigger than just a little ol' birthday party and have my own store with fabulous party accessories, a place to host parties and showers, and sell fun handmade items. A girl can dream right...and I saw something on Pinterest that read "Never Give Up on Something You Think About EVERYDAY!" Sooooooo true! I won't give up on it...just need to find a way to make it happen!

I also want to keep everybody updated on a monthly basis with my 29th Year Bucket List. You are probably going to wonder how I've had time to even accomplish any of these things on my list, but remember, I take a fairly long bus ride in and out of downtown Cincinnati, Monday through Thursday, which
gives me some reading time!

So, let's cross off 3 books off that list! I wanted to read at least 5 awesome books, but I may double that.

My first three choices were:

I've breezed though these books so fast. It completely made me fall in love with reading yet again. Out of the 3, Water for Elephants, hands down, was my FAVORITE! I just can't get enough of anything vintage circus and I'm almost certain that I was a carnie in a previous life...

Also cross off 1 item from my Pinterest DIY board! A dear friend of mine from college just had her first baby so she received a cute little bowl of onesie goodness :) Just rolled 5 of those bad boys together, cute bowl, a baby spoon and VOILA!

My letter writing campaign is also going well. I've been writing notes to some long lost friends and been carefully saving all of the cards and invitations I've been getting in the mail to put together into a little book. I think I may try and do one for each year so they don't get too out of control. So easy though with some jump rings and a hole punch to keep them all together.

I'll be crossing some more things off that list in August as we've scheduled our Bourbon Trail tour, I'm going to try a yoga class at my new gym and get my butt to several farmer's markets!

Shew...I'm exhausted. Maybe the next thing I need to work on is finding some peace and quit being so busy! Nah...that sounds boring :)

P.S. You might recall that the first weekend in August is my MOST favorite time of the year. The 127 World's Longest Yard Sale!!!! I'm so excited I could burst!!!! And to top it off, my favorite annual flea market is that Saturday of the 127 sale. I will be in up to my neck in junk heaven! Can't wait to show you my finds!

kate 2 year pictures

2011-06-21T19:47:00.001-04:00

2 year old. Balloons. What more do you need in life? She had more fun running through Mainstraus Village in Covington with those balloons than anything else I can think of! Vonnie, yet again, did an amazing job at capturing my 2 year old little balloon loving lady!

my 29th year bucket list

2011-06-19T08:00:00.030-04:00

Birthdays. Aren't they funny? When you are younger you can't wait to be older and when you get to where you *think* you want to be, all you want to do is go back! I will say that I'm pretty comfortable in my skin these days and the number that comes along with it. Most of my friends have or are about to hit the big 3-OH, so I've had some time to do a little observing of life after your 20's. I will say that I'm blessed to have such amazing friends that have taken on 30 with so much grace! I had heard rumblings (not from my group of friends, but others) that they were really dreading turning 30 and were having a hard time coping with it. I wondered why? Is it because maybe they aren't doing what they thought they would be doing or hadn't achieved goals they thought they would by 30? When you put it that way, maybe it is hard to swallow. I will be the first to say that the job I have now is not ANYTHING like what I'd ever imagined doing, but you know what...it's not all bad. I had envisioned a life of NYC, tiny studio apartment, traveling like crazy for some cut-throat job hoping to build an empire of my own. That was my 20-something dream. Now it sounds like a nightmare.

Instead my 20's went something like this:

Had the BEST 21st birthday party ever. Seriously, I still look back and pictures and laugh...
Graduated from college at 21 with a degree in Apparel Design and Merchandising
Had already been working retail for several years and was completely burnt out and couldn't imagine a life like that
Landed my first "real" job at a law firm being a legal assistant working real 40 hour weeks and riding the bus to downtown, although I had/have no idea what I'm doing...just keep typing. I knew I could do that.
Was still dating my college sweetheart
By age 22 was engaged to said college sweetheart (December after graduation)
Got married to said college sweetheart (6 months later)
The next day I turned 23
We bought our first house
Had a TON of great parties and memories
Decorated, did yard work, did nothing and slept until noon on the weekends
At age 26 I found out I was going to be a mommy
At age 26 almost 27, I became a mommy
At age 28 we rented out our house and moved in with my parents while our dream house is being built
At age 28 (almost 29) I realize, you know what? It's been a pretty awesome decade.

I'm not mourning the last year of my 20's, I'm going to embrace it with everything I've got!

So, here comes the bucket list. I'm not going to look back on my 20's and think about what my life would have been like had I ever ended up in NYC instead of with the love of my life and then the other love of my life that came 4 years later. But, I do want to make the MOST out of this last year of my 20's and make it one I'll ALWAYS remember! Cheers to promising myself a totally legen....wait for it....dary year!

Leslie's 29th Year Bucket List

Walk/Run a 5K

Go to the Kentucky Derby...big hat, fancy dress, in the stands

Explore the Bourbon Trail (this may be on my husband's bucket list more than mine, but that's okay :)

Ride the Megabus to Chicago

**Learn how to just accept a compliment and not feel like I always have to explain myself or downplay it.**

Get my hands on a 8mm film camera

Complete 10 things that I pinned to my DIY board on Pinterest. And prove that I did it by blogging about it!

This may seem completely self-indulgent and a little vain of myself, but I want to have some portraits taken...of me...just me. One day I know I'll be thankful to look back on them. I'm in the best shape of my life, I've had a baby and on my way to 30. I'll think of this as my Senior pictures. Like 29 is my Senior Year of high school again and I'm about to graduate to the 30 somethings.

Read 5 new books. (I'll take suggestions too!)

Try a yoga class

Write more handwritten letters instead of emails. I mean who doesn't love getting mail?

Get out and hit up some local farmer's markets. Between the ones in town and the huge one at Findlay Market, I have NO excuses not to go!

Search for some peace

And to put the cherry on top of my 29th year (which I know is in another 364 days) I want all of my friends to celebrate my 30th with a super duper fun GLAMPING trip! Let's break out the real silverware, real plates, fancy glasses and get our glamorous camping on!

Don't worry, I already have a Pinterest board starting for the glamping trip :)

It's a start, and certainly not complete. I'm also going to make a promise to myself to keep up with my blogging and hopefully blog about all of the items on my bucket list!

thanks for playing!

2011-06-17T09:20:00.001-04:00

6 new Pinterest members!

Kamryn R.
Clare Contemplates Madeleine's Musings
Tracey1217
Amy (Amy Crane Designs)
Julie W.
Tina R.

Please email me at leslie_hartman82@hotmail.com with your email address so I can send your Pinterest invites right over! Happy pinning :)

if you need me, i'll be pinning

2011-06-14T20:00:00.000-04:00

Have you heard about Pinterest? Oh, LORD, how I love Pinterest!!! It has quickly become my absolute go-to place to find inspiration for pretty much anything at all. I'll try to quickly explain the awesomeness that is Pinterest.

Pinterest is a website.
You sign up and become a member of the Pinterest community.
Once you are a member (you have to have been invited or you request an invite) you create "boards".
Your boards can be named whatever you want them to be. (i.e. For the Home, Party Ideas, DIY, Style Board, Recipes to Try, etc.)
If you are surfing the internet and come across something you like and want to remember for later, you "pin" the item to whatever board you want it to go to.

For example....I'm shopping online at Kate Spade (I wish, but this is just an example) and I see a handbag I can't live without, or at least I want to just remember that I can't live without it. Maybe I have to wait until payday or to win the lottery, but I want to remember EXACTLY where it was. The OLD way, I would add it to my Favorites list in your internet. My favorites were getting out of control and there was no way to organize them. NOW, I use my little button that I downloaded from Pinterest and all I have to do is click that button and then the nice people at Pinterest ask what board I would like to assign that item to. I chose to put it on my Style pinboard. The picture of the handbag is now pinned to my Style pinboard along with the exact link to take me back to the website once I've fallen into a pile of cash and can afford the bag. Now that I've pinned that to my Style pinboard other Pinterest users who follow my boards can also see what I'm pining over. Maybe one of my Pinterest friends feels like they will need a matching bag. Easy enough, all they have to do is re-pin my pin to their boards and now they have a way of remembering the awesomeness that is that bag.

Here is a screen shot of my boards!

Pinterest is seriously the greatest invention since the internet. The wealth of ideas and inspiration is almost overwhelming. It has been SO much fun to gather ideas for our new house, things to make and things to dream about. Like I said previously, people who belong can follow your boards if they like what you pin and want to keep getting updates on things you pin. Well you could have knocked me over with a feather when I got the notification that COUNTRY LIVING was following ME!!!!! Not that it means they are going to ask me to quit my job and come and work for them (although I think they should) but how cool is it that they are also seeing the things I pin and can take a little inspiration from me!

Now, here's the fun part! It's been awhile since I've done a giveaway, and this is a quick easy one :) I have 6 INVITATIONS to join Pinterest that I would love to give to you! (You do have to be invited to join Pinterest by a member or request and invitation which can take awhile.) All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on the blog or on FB and tell me your plans for the summer. I will pick at random (using Random.org) 6 lucky folks to send Pinterest invites to. As soon as you receive the invite, you can start pinning away! I will accept entries beginning now and will close at 9:00 am on June 17, 2011. Happy Pinning!

shopping resources

2011-06-13T20:44:00.000-04:00

These insanely talented vendors helped me put together quite possibly the best derby party ever!

A few links to DIYs:
http://jarofvintagebuttons.blogspot.com/2011/03/diy-equestrian-ribbon-invites.html
http://jarofvintagebuttons.blogspot.com/2011/03/diy-cupcake-stands.html
http://jarofvintagebuttons.blogspot.com/2011/04/diy-treat-buckets.html

Shopping Resources:
Styling: lil ol' me http://www.jarofvintagebuttons.blogspot.com/ <----- you are HERE!
Photography: Sophia Blue Photography - http://lalaphotospot.shutterfly.com (Photo journal)
Flowers: The Secret Garden http://secretgardenky.com/
Tie Napkins: http://www.modernlola.com/
Cupcakes on stands: Abby Girl Sweets http://www.abbygirlsweets.com/
Kate's tutu: http://www.dearlillie.com/
Horse and horseshoe tags: http://www.etsy.com/shop/modernSCRAPYARD

Inspiration for cake, homemade lollipops and repurposing Starbucks glasses into milk glasses: Jess from Pen n Paperflowers http://penandpaperflowers.blogspot.com/.

Lots of random inspiration from Pinterest! http://pinterest.com/leslielm/

oh......WOW!

2011-06-12T11:18:00.000-04:00

I'm beyond humbled that Apartment Therapy's ohdeedoh.com featured Kate's birthday party yesterday on their website! Go check it out! Click on the picture below for the story!

kate's 2nd derby birthday party

2011-06-07T07:50:00.014-04:00

They are finally here!!! The pictures from Kate's birthday party FAR exceeded my expectations! They are beautiful if I will say so myself :) Vonnie did an outstanding job once again!!! I still have pictures to post of our attempt to have Kate sit in a homemade hot air balloon from her 2 year photo shoot we did a few weeks after this party :)

Warning: This post is going to be long...and super picturery. In the next few posts I'll post some more details on party prep, vendors and shopping resources. Enjoy!!!

Birds of a Feather Fair Update!

2011-05-26T08:02:00.002-04:00

Just a reminder that for those who have been invited as vendors that applications and table fees are due by JUNE 1st!!!! All juried applications are still being reviewed and selections will begin in July. Make sure you send in your applications as spots are filling up FAST! We are so excited to see the amazing talent that we've secured so far! Questions? Email us at birdsofafeatherfair@gmail.com

just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

2011-05-21T13:36:00.004-04:00

That's what I keep telling myself! And boy what a few LONG weeks it has been trying to keep my head above water. I'm thinking at this juncture a bulleted list might be better to keep this post organized and from getting too out of control :)

So in the past 3 weeks...

* We've officially MOVED! Wow, what a nightmare that was. We sorely underestimated how much junk we had accumulated over the past 6 years. We were fairly confident that 1 - 16 ft. POD would do the trick. Uh...definitely not. The POD was completely filled top to bottom, front to back. You couldn't even see a crack of light we had it so packed. Once that was completely filled and we turned to the garage to see it still mostly filled, off to U-haul we went to rent a truck to take the rest of our stuff to my parents' basement and barn. Unfortunately I also underestimated the number of people that move at the end of the month, therefore leaving every U-Haul facility from here to Timbucktwo barren of a moving truck. Our best, and pretty much only option was to rent a pick up truck. We ended up making 4 TRIPS from Erlanger to Walton, with my car following also packed every single time. Like I said before, it was an absolute nightmare! We didn't exactly ask for help either, which was a huge mistake. Moving into our new house hopefully will go much more smoothly and we will be asking for some able bodied friends, so get ready :)

* Kate had a heck of a time adjusting to our new living situation which I never thought in a million years would be an issue. But, her new temporary room proved to be a little scary for her. We had a solid 2 weeks of lots of tears and just general unpleasantness. Things are definitely improving and we are getting adjusted.

* We still haven't broken ground on our house because of that utility pole that is being relocated, but today the engineer is finalizing paper work and we should get moving soon. Our house builder is 100% ready to roll as soon as that is done, so hopefully the momentum will pick up and in about 3 months we'll be living pretty :)

* The CDC should have probably come and quarantined my parents' house because the sickness bomb blew up in there. Everyone started with allergy symptoms (which I guess is what you get for living on a tree farm). Kate seemed to perk up, but man, Joey and I both got knocked out with sinus infections and bronchitis for Joey. It's day 9 of my antibiotic and I'm finally starting to feel like myself again!

* Finally, Kate's party. Holy cow. I was exhausted from not only moving 6 days prior, I was sick as all get out, but trying to work through it to throw this darling little 2 year old of mine the best derby birthday party ever! The weather was less than perfect, but certainly an improvement from her 1st birthday party! It did rain a little bit, but it was in the upper 60s. By the time the Derby was over, the sun was shining and we got to do cake outside and the kids got to play with their bubbles from their treat buckets. Kate had an absolute blast! Her hair was SO super curly from the moisture in the air from the rain :) I will also say that everything came together just beautifully! I absolutely can't wait to share pictures with you! Vonnie is still editing the millions of photos, but she did share a sneak peek with me and oh WOW! They really look awesome!

Because I hate posts with NO pictures, here is just a teaser from the party:) More to follow soon!

I did it!

2011-04-20T07:54:00.004-04:00

Yesterday marked the beginning of my maintenance on WW. I did it. I can't even believe it myself. Not only did I hit my goal weight, I exceeded that for a total loss of 20 pounds!!!!

Shopping for new clothes will be in order soon!

keeping it real...

2011-04-18T13:32:00.003-04:00

I sit here in the food court at Tower Place Mall on my lunch break on what could be the eve of meeting my goal weight. With my diet coke, Chick fil a nuggets and fruit cup I wonder what the scale will hold for me tomorrow. With so much stress going on in my life right now, it would be such an honor (for myself of course) to be able to hold the title of Weight Watcher winner.

But.....let's keep it real. This weekend I ate:

2 cupcakes

2 cookies

some of Kate's Easter candy

Do I feel bad? Not really. I probably should, but you know what? Life goes on. I'm not going to deprive myself for the rest of my life from the occasional cookie or cupcake. This weekend just happen to have my "occasional" cupcakes and cookies all in the same weekend! Between Easter celebrations and a super fun baby shower, I splurged a little. I still worked my butt off at Zumba and had plenty of my weekly expenditure points to use. So, keep your fingers crossed that the scale is good to me tomorrow :)

In other news...

I've been worried about actually posting this on the blog or on Facebook, but I might need the extra support if God-forbid something go wrong. On April 9th we met the folks that have decided to rent (and then buy after 2 years) our house. You'd think I'd be jumping for joy, which I am in my brain, but I'm so worried about something going wrong that I've tried to be a little subdued about it. We are scheduled to meet with them this coming Saturday to sign the lease and if all goes well our last day in our house will be April 29th.

You know, it's weird. I've been dreaming of this day for almost 2 years now. We've been praying that someone would love our house as much as we do and now it's actually happening! I've really had little time to sit and think about the magnitude of this new chapter in our life between working, being a mom, getting ready for Easter, birthday and packing up an entire house in 2 weeks time. When I sit down on the couch after a long day of being insanely busy I find myself looking around at the empty walls and piles of boxes and getting a little sad. I know it will be an adjustment to live with my parents again (as it will be an adjustment on them too!) and I also know there are many, MANY more exciting things to come soon. I've got to keep looking to the future but keep all of the memories we've made in our house close to my heart. I worry about Kate and the adjustment and wonder how many times she'll tell me she's ready to go home. I know though that some day she probably won't even remember this house. It will be fun to tell her all about it and reminisce with her on the day we brought her home from the hospital, the memories of her crawling and walking in this house and many other fun times we've had.

So, I'm going to stop now before I lose it at the food court! Our new house is temporarily on hold because we have to have a utility pole moved, which apparently is going to be quite the headache of extra money spent and more time, but it's necessary, so we'll march on. For now, we are headed to my parents' house on the farm to enjoy a few months of relief from a mortgage and enjoy the country fresh air.

I'm sorry I've been so remiss in posting tutorials for K's b-day. That's sort of been put on the back burner as we finish packing up our house. I promise you that Miss Vonnie of Sophia Blue Photography will be doing an AMAZING job photographing the whole party so you won't miss a thing!

Just a little quick pic of Kate. I can't believe my little baby is going to be 2!

Stay tuned.....did I make my goal weight this week? We'll find out tomorrow!

losing it...

2011-04-07T08:00:00.005-04:00

I've hesitated writing this post, and started and stopped several times. But, obviously I decided to share my story with you. Although this is my blog, and quite frankly I can write about whatever I want to, I've generally strayed from writing about things that are too terribly personal. While my story I'm about to share with you is more on the personal side, I feel like I need to share it with anyone who wants to read it because it has changed my life!

It started about 10 weeks ago. Another work email about a new session of Weight Watchers (hereinafter referred to as WW) was about to start up. I generally ignore those emails because up until about 9 weeks ago I really can say I didn't care too much about my weight. I felt *sort of* comfortable in my own skin. I was married, had a toddler, so what did I really care what my weight was. I never really looked in the mirror and was completely disgusted, so I just left it at that. I knew my mom had recently joined WW (again) and had told me once or twice how much she enjoyed the new Points Plus program. I had seen Jennifer Hudson strutting her new fabulous self on WW television commercials, but still didn't give it much thought.

The Sunday before the first meeting of the new work session of WW I had told my mom on a whim that my work was having a WW session beginning that very Tuesday. She immediately offered to pay for the session if I join and almost jumped through the phone she was so excited. Because of her enthusiasm for the new program, I decided right then and there in my kitchen that I would go to the meeting to check it out. So. Glad. I. Did.

After sitting through my first meeting and then an informational session I knew this would be something that I could probably do. I weighed in the following Tuesday and received my books, food tracker, and calculator. So.....really....I weighed that much? Wow. First week of tracking was HARD. I was hungry, grumpy, I spent like 2.5 hours at the grocery store calculating EVERY nutritional value label I put into my cart and on top of that spent about $250. I was nervous about not doing it right, or forgetting to track or just not being able to stay within my allotted points.

Weigh in #1: So stupid, but I totally had butterflies in my stomach! I thought, there is NO way this is actually working. Well, guess what, it did! I lost 2.6 pounds the FIRST week! I was on cloud nine :)

Each week has been different, some BIG losses, and other just a tiny bit. Tracking is definitely easier, I am starting to remember point values for my favorite food (Chick fil a chicken sandwich with 1 tbsp of light mayo = 12points. Booyah.) and I can really feel a difference in my energy level and general attitude. I've also been doing Zumba two times a week and have also really enjoyed doing that. I've reconnected with some old friends from high school that make just going to the class fun!

I won't list my week to week progress, but as of Tuesday's weigh in, I have lost.....14.6 POUNDS!!! If I can shed that last .4 pounds, I will have met another huge milestone in my weight loss journey and then I will be only about 3 pounds away from my goal weight!

As a side note, let me just tell you that I GET IT. Not everybody will be or has been as successful with weight loss. It's a personal battle and one that you have to BE READY to take on. Nobody can tell you when you are ready for it, it just has to feel right. For me, I knew I didn't need to lose a ton of weight, but I just wanted to be able to feel good in my clothes and quite frankly, have my underpants fit again. I've never said I wanted to do this for anybody. Not even Kate. Everything else in my life I do for her and for my Joey, and for once, I knew I needed to do something for MYSELF. I know in a way this will only help me live a healthier and longer life with Kate and my family, but when it comes right down to it, it's all about me. Selfish, perhaps, but you know what, it works for me.

We've talked in meetings about the importance of having somebody in your life to support you and help you in your journey. I can not even begin to express the overwhelming support I've gotten from my family and friends. But, the single most important person along on this weight loss journey is my momma. Sure it helps that she is also totally rocking weight watchers and is within a second of her goal weight, but her unconditional love, support, and encouraging words have been the best motivation. We talk almost every day anyway, but when it comes to Tuesday mornings for my weigh in and Thursday mornings for her weigh in, we are immediately on the phone either ecstatic about our loss or lamenting our gains. She and I are there to pick each other up if things didn't go as "planned" and the first ones to cheer loudly for each other if they do. I'm so proud of my mom. She's awesome.

Our first 12-week program at work is about to end and as of right now it is still up in the air if we will have enough people to continue on. I will be so sad if we don't because I truly value our work group and our Leader, who is the BEST, by the way. If we don't have enough, then I will be finding a meeting close to me so I can continue to work toward my lifetime membership. I really think that this is something that I will always have to do to keep myself in check. Maybe I won't always have to track every single thing I eat, but I do think that points will always be a part of my life and so will meetings. I love the support and motivation you received from attending meetings.

To end this long, long-winded post, I wanted to also fill you in on something that I want to do. I've always felt that in some way I have really missed out on taking ahold of teaching. Maybe it's because I'm Type A and bossy, or maybe because it really is in my blood since my dad, mom, brother and sister in law are all teachers, but I've always carried that regret. I never could quite put my finger on what I felt I was missing because honestly I didn't care for kids the way "normal" teachers do. Starting with WW it finally dawned on me. It's not that I'm missing out on being a classroom teacher, it's that I am missing out on being an EDUCATOR. I know I've always had that desire to educate people about things, especially topics that interest me. So, herein lies a possible solution. At this point in my weight loss with WW, I can begin to train as a Receptionist and when I meet my goal and maintain for 6 weeks to receive my lifetime membership, I can jump in with both feet and apply to be a WW LEADER! I am so excited about the possibilities of working for WW and cannot wait to start working on this journey. I hope that I will be able to inspire others to get excited about changing their lives and attitudes. So, to all of you thinking that it's too late, or it doesn't matter or it won't work, LISTEN UP! Do something for YOURSELF (or somebody else if that's what motivates you) and go to a WW meeting! I hope someday I'll be leading a meeting to support you through your weight loss journey!

www.weightwatchers.com

DIY: treat buckets!

2011-04-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

We are moving right along with Kate's birthday party details! Only about 5 weeks left! Yikes! Here is a quick DIY for some cute treat buckets that Kate will give to her friends as a thank you for coming to her party.

There's not too many step by step directions to provide here because it is mostly just assembling some fun treats into silver buckets. But, I can share my resources :)

Silver buckets - Hobby Lobby

Horsey stickers - Walgreens

Carrott shaped bubbles - Wal-Mart

Small compisition book - book from Wal-Mart that I covered with leftover scraps of paper

Treat box - large matchbox from the Dollar Tree, empty the matches out and fill with crayons or other treats. I covered the matchbox with scrapbooking paper, book page, doiley and horse stickers from the Modern Scrapyard.

Brown paper shred - Dollar Tree

Fabulous necklaces, rings and bracelets for the girls - Wal-Mart Horse tags - Modern Scrapyard I assembled all of the treats into the bucket and added the best horse treat, some apple slices :) Giddy up! Next birthday DIY: Cupcake toppers and K's birthday cake bunting banner!

Vendor Applications for the Birds of a Feather Fair

2011-04-04T08:00:00.004-04:00

Click on the link below to find the vendor applications for the first ever Birds of a Feather Fair!!!!

We are looking for 50 of the BEST modern handmade artists for the first annual Birds of a Feather Fair at the Florence Hilton on November 6th!

CLICK HERE FOR THE 2011 BIRDS OF A FEATHER FAIR VENDOR APPLICATION!

DIY: cupcake stands!

2011-03-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't love a good cupcake? I mean SERIOUSLY, I love cupcakes. Unfortunately, cupcakes do not play a big part in my Weight Watchers lifestyle change :) (More on my WW journey in another post!)

But, for a birthday party, cupcakes have become my favorite way for everyone to have their own little mini birthday cake. On a trip to my favorite Dollar Tree I started brainstorming ways to copy my Pottery Barn cupcake stand that I picked up several years ago. I only had one because I'm pretty sure they were rather expensive. For K's upcoming birthday there will be 4 kiddos so I could easily afford to make a cupcake stand for each kid. With supplies and the glass, I make all 4 of these cupcake stands for about $15! WAYYYY less than what I paid for 1 of the PB cupcake stands.

Supplies:

glass candlestick, round candle plate and glass vase ($1 for each piece from the Dollar Tree)

E6000 glue

spraypaint

hot glue

ribbon

scrapbooking paper

Step 1: Glue the round candle plate to the candlestick with a generous amount of E600 glue. Let dry overnight.

Step 2: Spray paint your glued piece in your choice of color. I did 2 pink and 2 gray for the 2 girls and 2 boys that will be at the party.

Step 3: Hot glue a piece of ribbon around the vase that will become the dome on the stand. This helps distract from the fact that it is actually a vase :)

Step 4: Cut circles from scrapbooking paper. I chose to cut two different sizes of circles and stack them to incorporate the book pages that I'm using throughout the party decor.

Step 5: Place the circles on the top of the stand. As a note of caution, do NOT put food directly on the cupcake stand if you spray paint it. The scrapbooking paper serves as a barrier, and the cupcakes will be in a cupcake wrapper. Just being extra cautious!

Step 6: Place your treat on the stand and put the dome on top. (I didn't have any cupcakes handy, but you get the idea with Kate's wooden petit fours!)

And that's it! A delightfully simple and adorable way to make your cupcakes look extra special! A new friend I met through my blog sent me a link to the most delicious looking mint julep cupcakes that will be making an appearance at the party. For the kiddos though, I'm going to splurge on a few Abby Girl Sweets cupcakes....and maybe sneak one for myself. (1 cupcake = bazillion Weight Watchers points, but who's counting?)

Next DIY post: Treat buckets! I'm starting to feel the pressure on getting stuff done for the party. Only about 6 weeks left and SO much to do. Besides all of the party planning going on, we are still looking for a renter and starting to pack up some things in our house. We've been having quite a few showings so between packing, constantly cleaning and having house showings I've been slacking on the party planning. In other exciting news, our blueprints for our new house will be done next week!!!!! YIKES!!!! Somebody rent our house!!!

DIY: equestrian ribbon invites

2011-03-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

This first tutorial for Kate's birthday preparations is focusing on invitations. Invitations most certainly set the scene and mood and are your guests first impression of how awesome your party will be! When you send or hand deliver an invitation that is worth hanging on to or even worthy of refrigerator real estate then you've set the stage for a great party! I racked my brain for a long, long time to try and think of something that would be worthy for a vintage derby party. I haven't been super impressed with a lot of horsey type derby images so I continued to search for the perfect way to invite our guests to a lovely afternoon of horse racing. Through a google image search I found this blog that caught my eye. Although this project was originally intended for a halloween project I knew I could take it and make it perfect for Kate's invite. So, here I give you the tutorial for making equestrian ribbon invites :) Enjoy!

Supplies:

page from a book

scalloped punch

2 inch circle punch

hot glue

ribbon (I used 2 different widths)

fabric scissors

paper trimmer

black cardstock

print out of number (Click here to download the numbers from domesticfluff.com

Step 1:

I trimmed 2 strips from the book page on my paper trimmer that were the same width

Step 2:

Stack your 2 strips on top of each other and begin your accordian fold making small pleats. Crease them so the edges are crisp.

Step 3:

Seperate the two strips and put them end to end. With a dab of hot glue make 1 long strand of accordian folds.

Step 4:

At this point, punch a 2 inch circle from your black cardstock and layer with a scalloped punch number.

Step 5:

Connect the 2 ends of your accordian folded book page together. Push the circle flat and gather the points in the middle.

Step 6:

Glue your number circle into the middle of your accordian and hold until the glue sets.

Step 7:

Cut 2 of the same lenghts of each color of your ribbon. Stack and glue them to the back of your rosette.

Step 8:

Cut points into your ribbons

Step 9:
Hot glue your rosette to the ribbons

Step 10:

I covered the back of the invitation with another black cardstock circle to cover the ribbon. I will add a smaller white cardstock cirlce to the back of the invite with the information for the party at a later date.

So that's it! Easy peasy right! I plan on using these cute equestrian ribbon rosettes on other things for the party. Next party prep project is individual cupcake stands! See you next time :)

a last ditch effort

2011-03-06T18:10:00.003-05:00

I had told you that we were going to meet with a few realtors to put our house back on the market in an effort to take advantage of what is supposed to be "the busy season" of real estate. So. last week almost every night we met with one realtor after another.

Nice? Sure. Competent? Sure. Expensive? Uh...yeah.

After each one left, we sat with the calculator running every scenario that we could think of. Basically what it boils down to folks is we just can't part with this house for what could be a HUGE hit to our equity. So, what next? We were stumped.

In the past we'd had more interest in renting our house than we ever had in buyers. Which was strange, because we never had said that was an option because we didn't think it would be. We started tossing the idea around of leasing our house for a few years with the hope that the market would improve at some point and then we could relist our house for sale. Or if the market doesn't improve...well then, I guess we'll have ourselves a fine rental house. Of course our biggest concerns were: (1) are we {financially} able to do this; and (2) what if we get horrendous renters that trash our house. Both scary, scary things to think about.

We first contacted our mortgage folks to see if it was even something we could consider. 2 days later we got the word that it would not be a problem. We've also been in contact with property management companies so that Joey and I would not be bothered with phone calls at 2am because a toilet is overflowing. They will also take care of the contract, background checks, maintenance, inspection checks on the house, and well, pretty much everything. So long as we can procure renter(s) then we are on our way to breaking ground!

It's so exciting, but also nerve wracking! We've already had more interest in the few days that our house has been available for lease than when it was for sale. So, a good sign right? Let's hope!

Here's a pick of our house to be! This is the model home, so ours will be different, but you get the idea :)

a very vintage derby birthday

2011-03-03T13:50:00.000-05:00

In less than 3 short months I will be the mother to a 2 year old little lady. Wow. How on EARTH did that happen? I swear it seems like just a few minutes ago I was planning her first birthday party extravaganza and it seems like only a few weeks ago that I was headed to the hospital to endure what surely can go down in the record books as the world's longest labor and delivery. (4 days. That's right I said 4 days!)

I've always loved planning parties and these little celebrations of birthdays for Kate have been by far my favorite :) You'll remember for Kate's first birthday party I planned a candy themed party. We had tons of yumm-o candy, cupcakes, and other sweet treats. The weather was less than desirable, cold and SO WINDY, but of course, we had no back up plan, so we just sucked it up and dealt with the hurricane force winds at the park! At least the sun was shining and the kids had a blast playing on the playground equipment. Since the weather is SO unpredictable in Kentucky during the spring months, I'm going to play it a little on safe side and plan for an indoor celebration this May 7th. If the weather cooperates I'll just scoot everything outside. The next dilemma is where to have this soiree? Of course, at this point, it's looking like having the party at our NEW house is out of the picture. That narrows it down to having the party at our current house (if we are still there) or maybe at my mom and dad's? They obviously have plenty of room (see my previous post) and I've been lucky enough to host a party or two under the trees at the farm.

So, on to the fun stuff. Themes! Decorations! What to wear?! By way of background, let me share with you a cute, little endearing story.

Scene: driving to the hospital on May 4, 2009 to be induced

Act 1: May 4, 2009

Husband: This is AWESOME! Kate is going to be such a lucky girl to have a birthday on Cinco de Mayo AND Derby at some point.

Me: I know, right? It will be awesome!

Act 2: May 5, 2009 (late in the day)

Husband: Well, okay, so Kate didn't make it on Cinco de Mayo, but that's okay, she'll still have a birthday that will eventually fall on derby. AWESOME!

Me: Yay. (Obviously disappointed that the induction medicine was not working and that I was still large and preggers and quite uncomfortable)

Act 3: May 6, 2009 (late in the day)

Huband: I mean, I'm starting to get nervous. If Kate doesn't get here soon she will NEVER have a birthday that falls on derby! So, you've got like 1 more day to have her, even if her birthday is on the 7th at least there will be a derby day on the 7th day of the week.

Me: I'm not real sure if I even said anything or was looking for a sharp object in the hospital room to stab him with. I could have cared less what day this child's birthday was going to fall on as long as it was coming SOON.

Act 4: May 7, 2011 (3:51 am) She's FINALLY here!

Husband telling everybody: It will be so great that Kate's 2nd birthday will be on Derby. I can't wait!

Me: No words, just rolling my eyes.

So, there you have it folks. TWO years in the making and our little Joey, I mean Kate, gets to have her Kentucky Derby party. Of course, we can't just have our families over to watch the Run for the Roses, we have to have a proper Kentucky Derby/Birthday party soiree! Since my mom hails from outside of Louisville and had a pretty good stash of vintage Kentucky derby paraphernalia, I've decided that a lovely pink, gray and sepia colored palette will serve as the background for the party. In an effort not to make this post so incredibly long and painfully boring, I'll share pictures of things I've been collecting in a few more posts along with fun DIY projects. Then make sure you check back sometime after May 7th for the full report! Giddy up!

(Where it all began...2 years ago 5/7/9)

country girl

2011-02-21T07:48:00.008-05:00

Some of you may already know this, but, I grew up on a farm. Not a working farm, per say, but rather a lovely tree farm. You may be asking, what's a tree farm? Well, that's even kind of hard to explain. We didn't grow trees for sale, like Christmas trees. We didn't harvest lumber or really have any cash crops. I grew up on a 135 acre piece of land with rolling hills, a small garden to feed our family, a huge red barn, a pond and a creek that ran on 2 sides of the property. If you would have asked me about 10 years ago what I thought about growing up on a farm I would have said (and I quote) "Psshhh. I would rather live in New York City. It takes so long to get anywhere from the farm and it's SO quiet!". Now that I am creeping ever so close to the three-oh mark I may have changed my tune a little bit. It's the small things about farm life that I know I took for granted growing up in Walton, KY. I'm hoping that Kate will always enjoy visiting her grandparents on the farm.

(My lil farm girl driving granddaddy's tractor at my parent's farm)

Although our little piece of land that we are planning to build on can't be considered "farm land" by any stretch of the imagination (it's like a 1/4 of an acre) but the parcel is technically located on a farm and still considered rural according to our Farm Credit Services loan. But, just the thought of being away from the bustle and hustle, even if just a little bit, warms my heart. We will still benefit from the interstate being only about 2 miles away, but out there in Union things seem to move a tiny bit slower and the stars are a little bit brighter than they are the closer you get to the city. While this is sort of a random post, I am drawing inspiration from the new Country Living (which I am an AVID fan of and have been for years). I love the caption on the front cover "What's Country Now?".

It made me think about the country house that I grew up in and my parents love for antiques and "country" things. Back then it was the mauve and country blue, my mom's enormous collection of Longaberger, the roosters, the ducks, the strawberry motifs. Since having the chance to decorate my own house now, my interpretation of "What's Country Now" is quite different, but it all has the same message. COMFORT! I love the way an old quilt wraps you in warmth, I love the way an old piece of furniture looks so worn, but yet so comfortable, I love the way my grandmothers aprons tell a thousand tales of messy kitchens and hours of cooking. I also love incorporating country pieces with more modern textiles and colors. I absolutely can't wait to get into our new house and start working on the hundreds of projects I have in mind making it a modern country haven!

And don't you think I need an old farm truck to go tooling around to antique shows and farmer's markets? (Seriously, when the need for car seats is gone, I'm getting one!)

So, to me, being a farm girl wasn't always the most glamorous of titles to have, but I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity to grow up in such a beautiful place. I am ready to don my country girl sash once again...bring it on Union, bring it on!

P.S. Update on our current "city" house. We have contacted a few realtors to schedule interviews. We are giving up on the FSBO and going to give the realtor route another go. This time around we are going with completely different real estate firms than before. Please say a little prayer that our house sell quickly!

Update! Birds of a Feather Fair!

2011-02-09T07:52:00.004-05:00

I'm blaming my lack of blogging on the fact that it has been so COLD in Kentucky! But, the show must go on, so I'm very excited to announce some updates for the first ever Birds of a Feather Fair!

Misty and I have been working hard to nail down the best location for this modern handmade show. We had to think of a place that would best fit our type of show, so not any place would do. We took into consideration the ease of the location, the amount of space we could use to bring the most vendors to you and most importantly FREE PARKING! So, without further ado, we are pleased to announce that the location for the first annual Birds of a Feather Fair is.....

The Hilton at Turfway Road!!!!

The show will be on Sunday, November 6, 2011 from 11 am to 4 pm!

We fell in love as soon as we met our rep. Could she have been any more helpful? She almost made it too easy! We have rented the ENTIRE ballroom which can accommodate up to 57 vendors!

We have also created a Facebook fan page, twitter account and blog. I will post the links to all of these pages as soon as our logo is created. This will be the best and easiest way to keep in touch with updates regarding the show. We will have applications ready to go on our blog and facebook page within the next several weeks. Start spreading the word because we are hoping for epicness!!!!

Peace. Love. Craft.

DIY valentine treats for your sweetie

2011-02-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Now that the secret is out that I adore the Dollar Tree, I thought I would entertain you all with a few quick projects that would be perfect for Valentine's Day. The best part? They all come from the Dollar Tree so don't be afraid to try a few of them out!

I know that I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but I'm going to challenge myself (and my sis in law, which doesn't know yet, so SURPRISE Susan!) to create an entire Easter party for our girls using a little creativity and stuff from the Dollar Tree. But, until the air gets a little warmer, enjoy these fun and easy Valentine's DIYs.

Matchbox Treat Boxes:

Supplies:

these matchboxes come in packs of 10 at the Tree or you could use 1 large matchbox

scrapbooking paper

double sided tape

ribbon

embellishment

Step 1: Empty matches from box

Step 2: Cut strip of scrapbooking paper (or even wrapping paper) and wrap around box with double stick tape

Step 3: Add ribbon and any embellishments on top

Small boxes will fit 2 Tootsie Rolls, a small handful of plain M&Ms or a few conversation hearts. A large matchbox could hold a few larger treats for your sweetie :)

Doily bunting banner

I'm having a small obsession with bunting banners right now. I love the way they evoke happiness and fun with or without a party! I've seen this banner done several times but I love the varying sizes of the doilies. So pretty it may make another apperance at Kate's 2nd birthday party!

Supplies:

various sizes of paper doilies

ribbon

glue dots

Step 1: fold doily in half

Step 2: Place doily over your length of ribbon and secure with a glue dot

Step 3: Hang up and enjoy! Could it get any easier?

Flower Corsage Brooch

Supplies:

pretty headband from the Tree

pin back

hot glue

There really aren't steps to this, I just ripped the flowers off of the headband and hot glued them onto the pin backs (which I found at Hobby Lobby). A set of two are just lovely on a cardigan or maybe on a tote bag?

Heart Doily Kitchen Towels

Similar to Ashley Ann's tutorial on the canvas doily tote, I'm using the same technique only with a heart shaped doily and a kitchen towel instead of a bag.

Supplies:

heart shaped doilies

plain kitchen towels

fabric paint

foam brush

spray adhesive

Step 1: Make sure that your doily doesn't have any "hanging chads" otherwise your paint will not soak through

Step 2: Spray the back of your doily with a touch of adhesive and place on to towel

Step 3: Carefully dab your foam brush with the fabric paint onto the kitchen towel

Step 4: Remove the paper doily

Step 5: Gift these cute towels with a fun spatula for your favorite cook!

On another note...I have updates for the first Birds of a Feather Fair that I will post soon! Hope you all are staying warm!

sit and stay a while at sew this is my life

2011-01-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

One of my goals for 2011 was to introduce you all to some of my favorite bloggers. My hope is that you will visit (and visit often) these spectacular blogs that I love reading everyday.

So, here we go!

My first blog that I would love for you all to sit and stay a while is the lovely Cristin of

Sew This is My Life

I had the great fortune of meeting her at the craft show that Misty and I did in early December and let me tell you, she is so talented and even better yet, so sweet! Make sure you also visit her etsy site, Hazelnut Designs and snag some of her ADORABLE mug rugs, quilts, hand towels and baby items. We are SO looking forward to having Cristin join us at the first annual Birds of a Feather Fair as one of our top picks! Add Cristin's blog to your daily blog reads, I'm sure you'll enjoy her adventures in quilting, crafting and raising her adorable little boy! So, cheers to Cristin, one crafty little lady!

a little crush...

2011-01-21T14:37:00.010-05:00

I have to admit...I have a little crush. You know that feeling you get when you meet someone new and you can't wait to see them, spend time with them and you get all giddy talking about them? That's right Dollar Tree, I'm talking about YOU! In the past 6 months or so I've really fallen head over heels with the Tree. I'm surprised the clerks at the store don't know me by name because I am there AT LEAST once a week. If you are a crafter or just a bargain hunter, the Tree is such an awesome resource! The good ol' Dollar Tree can almost always help feed my crafting addiction by offering supplies so I can try (and sometimes epically fail) lots of projects. So, today, I'm posting this tribute to my dear friend, the Dollar Tree.

10 reasons why I heart the Dollar Tree:

1. Supplies. You can't beat the essentials that you can find here. Tape, glue, wreath forms, it's a crafter's paradise.

2. Frames. I don't think it's any secret, but now it's really not, but the Tree is where I get my cute little 7x7 frames and easels and turn them into chalkboards.

3. Trays. As previously mentioned in this DIY post, these nickel plated trays after being spray painted in bright, fun colors have been a huge hit.

4. Candy! Where in the world was I last May when I needed about 15 big lollipops for Kate's birthday party? I am shuttering to remember how much I spent at some gourmet candy store on the lollis.

5. Favors. Again for Kate's birthday party! Why didn't I think to check here???!!! These ADORABLE little gum ball machines would have made insanely cute party favors. Tied with a little ribbon and a tag with each kids' name, so cute!

6. Swiss cake rolls. Okay, so it's a guilty, VERY guilty pleasure. There may have been one occasion on a major supply shopping trip to the Tree that several off the swiss cake rolls were missing by the time I got home. I have NO idea how this happened.

7. Glassware. I'm crushing on these sturdy beer steins, just waiting for a little glass etching cream and a mustache stencil.

8. Random. Yet another reason why I love the Tree, you can always count on finding different fun little trinkets every time you go!

9. Repurposing. You could use these three objects as they are intended, a candlestick, a candle plate and a glass vase, OR....with a little glue you could have an adorable cupcake or treat stand!

10. Party! No matter if you are planning a birthday party, any holiday celebration or even a wedding I challenge you to get to your local Dollar Tree and see what you can create! I found these cute little trophies that might need a spraypaint makeover for Kate's vintage derby birthday party!

Cheers to you Dollar Tree! You are awesome!

DIY: part 2 of project book

2011-01-13T19:47:00.012-05:00

This week has been a little crazy with snow here in the NKY, so sorry that I'm just getting around to posting this. I'm bringing you two more ideas of how to repurpose books! Enjoy :)

DIY Project #3 - book pages wreath

I experienced some serious heart palpitations the first time I saw this wreath on this incredibly fun blog and couldn't wait to try one myself. You'll find the best tutorial here, but I'll give it a whirl too. Livingwithlindsay also has a short YouTube video on how to fold the pages.

Step 1: Grab a Styrofoam wreath and some hot and steamy romance novels from the good ol' Dollar Tree

Step 2: You can either paint the edges of the book to give it a more vintage feel, or do as I did and get out your ink pad and ink up the sides. (You can take the girl out of her scrapbooking phase, but you can't take techniques out of the girl)

Step 3: Remove the inked pages from the book

Step 4: For the first layer of pages, make and "s" shape with your page and scrunch the bottom of the page

Step 5: Get your trusty glue gun and begin gluing your pages closely together to the wreath. Complete one side and turn over. This will be the back of your wreath

Step 6: Continue to fold pages into an "s" shape but for the front side of your wreath you'll want to fold a tab.

Step 7: After completing one row all the way around, start a new row of pages with tabs.

Step 8: Once you've glued enough to reach the middle of the wreath do one more row to finish the inside similar to how you folded your pages for the backside of the wreath.

Step 9: Fill in any holes to fill out the wreath

Step 10: Use some pretty ribbon to hang your wreath up!

Once I finished this one my mind was racing on other variations of this wreath. What about tea stained sheets of music, what about scraps of beautiful scrapbooking paper???? I had to make another one because I couldn't sleep at night for the ideas running wild in my head. So, I finally broke into my gorgeous stash of Amy Butler paper that I've been saving for.....well I really don't know what Iwas saving it for, but I was being stingy and didn't want to use it. I cut each 12x12 page into 6x6 squares and got to work. I L-O-V-E the way it turned out! I'm going to go a little Amy Butler wild in Kate's big girl room, but we are going to wait to do that transition when we move. But, I just couldn't resist hanging it on her door.

DIY Book Project #4 Book Mobile

I saw this online somewhere are some point and time and now I can't find it and have no idea where I saw it. I've had a picture cut out in my idea scrapbook for several years now. Sorry I can't give props where props are due, but hope I can do the originating artist justice!

Step 1: While at the Dollar Tree buying all kinds of other goodies, grab a hardback book.

Step 2: {Optional step} paint or ink the edges if you want.

Step 3: Rip out ALL of the pages from the spine of the book.

Step 4: Begin folding pages in half without creasing the fold and use hot glue or double sided tape to hold the page together

Step 5: Using hot glue, start in the middle of the spine and start laying your folded pages. Work down as well to give the mobile some length.

Step 6: Fill in pages so that the book flaps will stay open

Step 7: Once the mobile is to your desired width and length take a piece of fishing line to hang the mobile. I ran my line from front to back and tied at the top.

Step 8: Hang your mobile and pat yourself on the back for being so crafty :)

I want to make several of these in different sizes for our library/craft room in our new house. But, in an effort to not have so much stuff to store I'll just make more later. But think how lovely 3 or 4 of these would be hanging at different heights. Awesome.

DIY: part 1 of project book

2011-01-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

I vowed to put down the hot glue gun for a few weeks after all of my craft show madness was over and to focus on spending time with the family for the holidays. Now that the holidays are over I've been itching to plug that sucker back in and get crafting! This DIY is a compilation of a few quick projects all using one common material: books. I have several projects and in an effort to not make this post insanely long, I'll split them up into 2 posts.

Now, I know, I know, I'm sure some of you out there are cringing to think that I'm about to tear apart a book. Well, sometimes in the name of crafting, you have to deface a dollar store romance novel or two!

DIY Project #1 - romantic book flowers

You may remember these flowers from my own rendition of Tasha's ornament bud vase from Day 8 of the 12 Days of Christmas. I'm using a technique that is easy as pie for making rolled flowers.

Step 1: Using 2-3 pages out of a book, cut into a square. Obviously the larger your square the larger your flowers will be.

Step 2: Once you have your stacked square of pages, take a pencil and beginning from the middle of your page, start drawing a spiral shape outward.

Step 3: Using a pair of scissors, start cutting along the spiral from the outside point in toward the middle. You will end up with a little tab in the middle.

Step 4: Begin rolling the flower inward and secure with a glue dot every once and awhile. That tab at the end will be good for covering the back of the flower.

Step 5: Paint your flower with a bit of glue and dip into glitter

Step 6: Cut some leaves from any scraps and voila!

DIY Project #2 - pottery barn inspired book stack

Browsing through my Pottery Barn catalog I saw a bowl full of lovely stacked books that caught my eye. They were bound together 4 at a time and classically simple...and a little overpriced! Around $40 for the set!!! For reals???? So I broke out my stack of $1 store book finds and got to work! The whole project cost me a whopping $4.

Step 1: Remove the front and back covers from your paperback books along with as much of you can of the spine.

Step 2: You could tea stain the sides of each book, but I used a brown ink pad to rub over the sides of the books and covers. Much quicker and less messy. To ink the cover of each book I took a paper towel and blotted it onto the ink pad and lightly rubbed onto the book.

Step 3: Stack your books together

Step 4: Tie with a piece of twine and any embellishments

Thanks PB! Love the idea, but I'll hang on to my $36 for something else in your store:)

Next week I'll post Part 2 of Project Book because I have 2 more awesome projects to show you! Have a great weekend!

2011 - a fresh start

2011-01-04T07:55:00.003-05:00

The new year always brings a promise of a fresh start, a clean slate and a blank calendar. I love sitting down at the beginning of each new year with a fresh, clean, blank agenda. Doesn't everything seem possible? No to-do lists yet, no obligations, just an empty canvas to create your own year.

I sat down on New Year's Day with a cup of peppermint hot cocoa, my new 2011 Kate Spade planner with my mug rug from a new crafty friend. I filled in birthdays to remember, possible dates for the Birds of a Feather Fair and even best yet, my paid time off for the year :)

So this year I hope that you will sit down with your new agenda for 2011 and look forward to the opportunity to make your year the best one yet!

Hope you all have a great day today and be on the look out for a new DIY project coming soon!

2011 - take more risks!

2011-01-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! I hope that this year brings happiness to your heart and good health to you and your family. Every year, the same thing, I make resolutions and usually end up abandoning them along the side of the road by about....oh....January 11th or so. Well this year my resolution is to:


"TAKE MORE RISKS!"

In the spirit of that, 2011 is going to be a very BUSY and exciting year for me and my dear friend Misty of Jewelry by Misty. I have just been bursting at the seams to shout our announcement from the roof tops but figured today of all days would be a very poignant time to finally announce the creation of the first annual

 Birds of a Feather Fair!!!!!!!!

 So, what does this mean you ask?


Well.....coming early November 2011 to a Northern Kentucky location near you Misty and I are producing quite possibly the biggest and BEST modern handmade show in Northern Kentucky area! We are just so excited to begin working on all the details. We will reveal more about the date, location and vendors in the coming weeks as we still need to nail down some of the details. I will be posting updates to the Jar's blog and Facebook page and we will eventually get the Birds of a Feather Fair website up and running along with Facebook and Twitter accounts.

So, why Birds of a Feather?

Another great question! You've heard the saying "birds of a feather stick together" and as veteran craft show participants, Misty and I have decided that there needs to be an outlet and forum for those MODERN handcrafters out there like us! We've done the church and school craft show circuit and while they are very nice, we've only been impressed with a handful of vendors at each show. So, we are cutting out the crocheted toilet paper covers and bringing you only the most hip and fresh crafters.

Some vendors have already been handpicked by us and will be on our fresh pick list, but no worries if you are interested in being a vendor, we will have applications ready soon. The show will be a juried event, which means a review committee will process each application and look at submitted pictures and/or websites. We want to ensure that we have plenty of variety too! For our first year we are looking for 50 vendors and will hopefully continue to grow and include more artists every year.

In the meantime, start spreading the news and if you know anybody who would be interested in being a vendor or if you are really a dear friend and want to become a volunteer give us a shout!

Birds of a Feather Fair

Peace. Love. Craft.

clip art for glass etching!

2010-12-29T07:56:00.004-05:00

A reader asked if I had any templates for mustaches. Ask and you shall receive! I would love to see your finished projects! You can add pictures to Fan Photos on the Jar's Facebook page! Load 'em up! Hope you all are having a lovely week and I'll see you back here New Year's Day for a HUGE announcement!

winner of lala photospot photo session!!!!!

2010-12-24T09:17:00.002-05:00

The winner of the photo shoot with Vonnie is......{drum roll please}

Julie W!

She wrote:

"I would love a free photo session to get my maternity pictures taken!"

Congratulations to Julie on both winning the photo session and on your baby boy coming in March!

Thank you to everybody who lent their INCREDIBLE talent to the Jar for the 12 Days of Christmas. I hope everybody had fun! Now, I'm off to finish putting together toys that came in a million pieces. I wish that every single one of you have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy new year. Start counting down the days because on January 1, 2011 I have a VERY exciting announcement to share!

day 12 - peppermint bark and a paper bow by help me ronda!

2010-12-21T08:00:00.008-05:00

I can't believe our 12 days of Christmas are already over at the Jar! It has really been fun for me and I hope you've found lots of holiday inspiration and had a lot of fun too! Don't forget to comment on yesterday's post for a chance to win a free photography session with Vonnie!

Today's guest post is brought to you by the most fabulous Help Me Ronda. Make sure you cozy up and sit and stay awhile at her blog! She's one of those people that everything she touches turns into something jaw dropping. A MacGyver...of crafting! Enjoy!

I love the holidays & gift giving. I made some peppermint bark to give out to friends. It was simple & easy to make. There are directions on my blog here on how to make the bark. I was trying to decide how to package it up when I found this cute little cans in my craftroom that used to hold paper flowers. After washing it out, I decorated the can with pattern paper and added a cute little bow on top. My friend emily showed me how to make that paper bow and now I am going to show you.

First cut 6 strips of pattern paper 6” x 5/8” and one strip 3” x 5/8”. Mark the 6” pieces in the center of the side you want to show. I like the green side so you will see an “X” on the 3” mark.

Add a drop of liquid glue to the center of the strip

Wrap the pattern paper end towards the center making a pointy loop. Repeat this with other end. It should look like a figure 8.

Once you have all 6 pieces complete you can start layering the pieces. I used a dab of glue in the center, then press & hold until dried.

First create a cross, then add in the next few layers changing the direction of the points.

Make a loop with the 3” strip and glue into the center of the bow. It is so simple & so cute to make. You can use pattern paper, Christmas magazines, brown paper bags. So completely adorable.

XoXo,
Ronda

day 11 - lala photospot GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-12-20T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hello!

My name is Vonnie and I am the lucky shutter bug that has been fortunate enough to work with Leslie over the past year. I have always loved the art behind creative photography and the idea that a single moment can be frozen in time. However, most people do not think of photography in this way and often opt for the traditional studio type portraits to document their family’s growth.

Traditional studio portraits can produce beautiful well-crafted photos but they can often lack the simple nuances that make your family uniquely wonderful. So, what is a busy gal to do you ask? Well the answer is simple-pick your camera and start clicking away! Step out of the box and away from the idea the pictures are suppose to be perfect. Start thinking about the simple moments that make of your family’s day and document them. Don’t be afraid to zoom in tight, not get everyone’s head in the frame, or to just take a picture of your child’s wacky socks. What you will find is that your pictures are filled with:

JOY

LOVE

LAUGHTER

...LIFE AS AN ART

Just try it! You won’t be disappointed and you may even get a good laugh or two.

So, in the spirit of, “The Jar’s” 12 days of Christmas and my passion for documenting families through the art of photography-I am giving away a free mini-session for the spring! As you have most likely guessed my photo style is non-traditional, which is not for everyone and that is okay! But make sure you visit my site, you never know you might be surprised by what you like.

For one entry visit Vonnie's share site at http://lalaphotospot.shutterfly.com/ and leave a comment on your favorite picture.

For an additional entry leave a comment about your favorite family moment that you have captured through your own lens either here on the blog or on the Jar's Facebook page.

For an additional entry, follow Jar of Vintage Buttons by clicking the "Follow" button to the left on the blog.

The giveaway is open to residents of the Greater Cincinnati area (or if you are willing to drive to a local spot here in the Greater Cincy area!) The contest begins now and comments will close at 9PM on Thursday, December 23rd. I will announce the winner shortly thereafter!

Good Luck!

day 10 - diy pom poms by susan!

2010-12-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

As a kid I LOVED crafting. My poor parents' fridge fell victim to many, somewhat tacky, creations. After graduating I was lucky to work nights at a small scrapbook store where my love of paper, fabric and card making developed. Today, between work, potty training, and play dates, I still love having the opportunity to create and design party invitations or simple decorations.

Pom poms are a "warm and fuzzy" memory from my childhood. I can remember my mom creating yarn pom poms for Halloween costumes and projects. Last year,while trying to create a flower for my daughter's birthday invitation, a fabric version of the pom pom seemed to be a perfect fit! Enjoy and have a Happy Christmas!

Fabric Pom Poms Supplies:

Two Cardboard "Donuts" (mini lesson ahead...you will need two circular objects to trace, thin cardboard and a pencil)

Sharp Scissors

String

¼ inch Fabric Strips

"Donut" Directions

Trace two circular objects to create a set of "donuts" out of thin cardboard.
I used a measuring cup (approximately 3 inches) and a paint bottle (1 ¼inch).

Pom Pom Directions

Cut or tear multiple ¼ inch strips of fabric.

Place both "donuts" together.

Hold the end of the fabric on the outer edgeof the donut.

Wrap the fabric around the donut through the hole in the center.

When ending a strip of fabric, trim at the outer edge.

Wrap fabric around the donut until the inside circle is half its original diameter.

Using the sharp point of your scissors, burrow and snip between the two pieces of cardboard.

Cut half way around the circle.

Insert a piece of string between the two donuts.

Continue to trim around the circle.

Gently separate the donuts, pull string as tight as possible, and tie a double knot (I recommend leaving the string long if you want to hang the pompom. If not, trim away).

Over a trash can, fluff pom pom and trim any pieces that seem a bit too long.

Add your fabulous pom poms to a party hat, headband or make a festive garland.

winner - personalized plaque by wildcatgal!

2010-12-16T21:17:00.003-05:00

I have a winner for the personalized plaque by wildcatgal!!! And the winner is...

RoseMamie!!!!

She said:

"So cute!! I'd gift this to a soon to be mother and dear baby boy, it would look adorable over his crib! Thanks for the chance to win!"

Congrats! I hope you enjoy your personalized plaque :) Give me a shout so I can forward you Jessica's email address!

day 9 - diy - glass etching 101 from yours truly...Jar of Vintage Buttons

2010-12-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's just me, so don't get too excited :) I had a day to fill and thought I could entertain you with a great tutorial on glass etching. It's so easy to do and makes wonderful personalized gifts on any flat glass or mirrored surface.

Supplies:

your glass item - I'm using a beer glass

glass etching cream (found at any craft store)

paint brush

glass cleaner and paper towel

printed image

printable sticker sheet

x-acto knife

Step 1: clean your glass item well with glass cleaner ensuring there are no fingerprints

Step 2: print your image on the sticker sheet and cut around the image leaving plenty of room around the image

Step 3: Carefully stick your image on the glass making sure there aren't any air bubbles

Step 4: Using your x-acto knife VERY carefully cut out the outline of your image

Step 5: Peel the inside of your outlined image off the glass and wipe again with glass cleaner

Step 6: Paint a generous amount of the etching cream onto your stencil. Remember that whatever the etching cream touches it will frost that area so be careful that the cream does not drip.

Step 7: Let sit for 5 minutes

Step 8: Wash the etching cream off and remove the remaining sticker sheet from the glass.

Step 9: Wash the glass thoroughly and you are now ready to enjoy a funny frosty beverage :)

The etching is permanent and dishwasher safe! I've used this same technique to make monogrammed sets of glasses for gifts and even monogrammed small mirrors and glued ribbon on the back as an ornament. The possibilities are really endless and one small jar of etching cream will last through many projects. Have fun!

day 8 - diy ornament bud vase

2010-12-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

Such a cute and quick fun DIY project from a crafty little momma, Tasha!

Supplies:

larger size glass or plastic ball ornament
tea cup size plate (any color that coordinates with your ornament)
hot glue gun
fresh or artificial flowers

Step one: remove the top from the ornament Step two: hot glue the ornament to the plate Step three: if you are using fresh flowers, fill the ornament with water and then add and arrange your flowers. If you are using artificial flowers, just add them and arrange and you're done!

Now you have a very unique and very cute flower vase and what a great way to reuse old ornaments!

I couldn't resist trying one of these myself! I changed it up a bit and instead of a flower I opted for a small branch I found in my backyard. I already had this large clear bulb ornament with our monogram etched on it. (Tutorial on glass etching TOMORROW!) Fun paper flowers are fashioned from and old book and a little pink glittery bird finish it off. It looks so cute in Kate's room :)

day 7 - holiday entertaining inspiration and recipes!

2010-12-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for the personalized plaque by wildcatgal! Giveaway entries close at 9PM EST on Thursday!

And now for a little holiday inspiration and recipes from my friend, Heather!

Hi! My name is Heather Walton and I just love to cook. I love all food (except beets & chicken liver!) and I enjoy trying different types of cuisines. I also have fun entertaining. I get a lot of satisfaction when I see others enjoying my creations. As for the food, I lean very strongly towards the healthier side of things, seeing as I’m always weight conscious and I try to stick with mostly whole foods. I just feel better when I eat balanced and whole and stay away from all the processed and packaged junk that has become "the norm" in our industrialized diets of today. So, my goal here is to give you some healthy appetizer options for entertaining this holiday season. They’re all fairly easy and have been road tested by me and my friends…and they’re good to go! Even if you have friends that are known "junkies", I guarantee most of them will still appreciate the taste of good, quality, clean food and will like these recipes. And they’ll be getting a health boost at the same time. Gosh, you’re such a good friend!!! ;)

As for the entertaining part, my motto is KISS – Keep It Simple Sweetie. Bright serving dishes will automatically make it a party! Prepare anything in advance that you can. Always use the freshest and best ingredients that you can afford. Your guests will give thanks with their compliments. So, I hope that you’re able to enjoy some of the following recipes with your friends and family this holiday season. A very happy and healthy one to you and yours!

Veggie Tray with dips

You can never go wrong with a veggie tray. It’s always good to have one for those who may want a healthier option. However, there is usually only one "dip"…Ranch. Although Ranch is tasty, it doesn’t have a lot of health benefits so you’re kind of wiping out the healthfulness of the veggies w/the saturated fat laden Ranch. So, try these other dipping options for your guests. Not only will they like them, they’ll likely appreciate your effort to provide the ‘not so average’ veggie tray. I did this recently and even my friend, who is a known "food junkie" (mozzarella sticks & french fries are her staple foods), loved the labneh! As for veggies, it’s totally up to you!

Labneh

24 oz Plain Greek Yogurt (I use Greek God’s…easy to find at Kroger)

½ tsp salt

½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, pressed or very finely chopped

Strain yogurt through cheese cloth overnight.

It will leave you with almost exactly 2 cups of yogurt once the excess water has drained from it.

Mix in salt, olive oil and garlic. Refrigerate at least an hour before serving to let the flavors marry.

Hummus – I’ve tried several homemade hummus recipes and this is my favorite, by far

15oz can chickpeas – keep the liquid

2 cloves of garlic

½ lemon, juice

½ Tbsp salt

2 Tbsp tahini

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Drain chickpeas and set the liquid aside. Put all ingredients in food processor and blend well. It is never the consistency that I prefer at this point so I add a few tablespoons of the chickpea liquid and continue to blend. Keep adding liquid until you get your desired consistency.

Butternut, Goat Cheese & Walnut Spread

This spread is unusual and not for everyone as some people don’t care for goat cheese. But those that love goat cheese, love this dish! And for as heavy as it is, it’s very refreshing and it’s rather healthy.

1 medium butternut squash (about 1.5 lbs)

1 whole garlic head

1 Tbsp lemon juice

½ tsp salt

3oz goat cheese

¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

36 – ½ inch thick slices French bread/baguette

Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Place squash halves, cut side down on a foil-lined jelly roll pan coated w/cooking spray. Remove papery skin from the garlic head (don’t peel or separate cloves). Wrap garlic in foil. Place garlic on pan w/squash and bake @ 400° for 30 – 35 minutes (squash should be tender). Cool slightly and scoop out the pulp from the squash into your food processor. Cut off the bottom of the garlic and squeeze the roasted pulp it into the food processor. Add lemon juice, salt and cheese and process until smooth. Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle with walnuts. Serve with baguette slices.

Spicy Roasted Edamame

When you roast edamame, they get crisp and almost hard, like a nut. But, these are healthier than nuts to have sitting out for guests. And well, it’s something different to keep your guests on their toes.

14oz pkg frozen blanched shelled edamame, thawed (Private Selection @ Kroger)

1 Tbsp chili powder (I used Mexene. It’s a blend that tastes great. It’s inexpensive and you can find it at Kroger)

1 tsp onion powder

¾ tsp sea salt

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a jelly roll pan w/cooking spray and spread the edamame out in a single layer. Combine all powders in a bowl and sprinkle over edamame. Toss to coat. Bake for 1.5 hours, stirring beans every 30 minutes.

Are you hungry yet? Try one of these delicious recipes out at your holiday party!

day 6 - giveaway from wildcatgal!

2010-12-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome back to the second week of the 12 Days of Christmas. We are staring off with a fabulous giveaway from another talented crafter, Jessica, of wildcatgal. Enjoy!

I am thrilled to be a part of the "12 days of Christmas"! My name is Jessica Salyers and I will openly admit that I am no crafting queen and not even close to the talents of our "Jar of Vintage Buttons" blogger! I do however, love trying my best and seeing what the end result is. One of my favorite things to do is to read the blogs of all these talented women. In doing that last year, I saw a post on http://southernhospitalityblog.com/ focusing on how to make these adorable personalized wooden letter signs. I tried my hand at it and ended up LOVING it! I now sell them, give them away as gifts, make them for my own house...you name it! I do not have an etsy site (I will get one eventually), but I would love for you to follow my blog and I would love to follow yours in return http://www.wildcatgal.blogspot.com/.

Jessica has generously offered to give the winner of this giveaway a personalized wooden letter sign in the colors and letter of your choice! What an AHHHH-DORABLE gift or a new addition to your decor.

The contest begins now and will end Thursday night at 9:oo PM EST. You can enter up to 3 times!!!

For one entry, leave a comment on this post or on Facebook and tell me what you would do with the sign if you win.

For an additional entry, visit Jessica's blog and click "follow"

For one more additional entry click to "follow" Jar of Vintage Buttons. As always leave me a comment to let me know you did that!

Have fun and good luck!

day 5 - adventures in making marmalade by the hungry bee

2010-12-10T08:00:00.004-05:00

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you have enjoyed the first week of the 12 Days of Christmas at the Jar! Stay tuned next week for more DIYs, inspiration and giveaways! Enjoy this scrumptious DIY from the Hungry Bee!

As soon as the temperature slightly dropped in Miami, I had the sudden urge to make jam. I had never made jam before, but I thought it might make for a fun holiday project. My original plan was to make strawberry jam with hand-picked fruit from a farm in Homestead known for its delicious strawberry shakes and fresh produce. Once the season opened, I hurried down to the farm on my day off, but as it turned out, the berry field would not be ready until January.

Determined to make my jam dreams come true, my experiment began with a test run of store-bought strawberries which I used to make a small batch of jam with my newly purchased canning equipment. I have to admit it took me several days to research canning history, safe procedures (yes, you do not want to give anyone botulism), and the necessary tools involved. I could go on for pages discussing all the details of jar and lid sterilization, preserving temperatures, etc, but instead, here is the link to a lengthy but very useful USDA document covering every aspect of this culinary process: Complete Guide to Home Canning (http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/usda/2_USDAcanningGuide1_06.pdf).

The strawberry jam turned out delicious, but I still continued with the idea to use a local seasonal fruit for a larger batch.

I proceeded to try my luck with citrus. Due to the lack of local berries this time of year, I decided to try orange marmalade instead. I guess you can’t get more Florida than that! I followed a recipe from a charming cookbook called Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry by Liana Krissoff. My grandma, who is visiting from Lima, helped me digest the directions and made a wonderful sous-chef. She actually remembered every single step and measurement better than I did!

This is how we did it (makes exactly 6 half-pint jelly jars):

4 pounds of navel oranges (about 7 to 10)
2 lemons
1/3 cup strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cups of sugar

The very first thing to consider when you enter the kitchen is to get the canning pot filled with water (1-2 inches of water over the jars) and on the stove, as it will take about 30 minutes to boil. This water will be used for both sterilizing the jars/lids and processing the preserves. I recently purchased a 21.5 quart granite ware canner with a rack. It is that extremely large but light-weight pot you sometimes see at hardware stores which is black with white specks. The rack helps to keep the jars from touching the bottom of the pan or other jars which can weaken the glass jars.

While the canning water heats up, peel the well-scrubbed oranges and finely julienne the zest to make 1½ cups. Segment the oranges with a sharp knife over a bowl to catch the juice, seeds, and membranes. Put the membrane-free orange segments into a wide, 6 to 8 quart pan (I used an enameled cast-iron pan which weighs a ton) along with the zest. Strain the juice from the bowl into a measuring cup and complete a total of 3 cups with water. Pour into pan.

Next, segment 2 unpeeled lemons and cut into small pieces and put in the pan, leaving behind the membranes and seeds. Also squeeze the other 2 lemons to make 1/3 of a cup of strained juice and pour into pan. Turn the heat of the pan to high. Use 4 layers of cheesecloth to make a tied bag containing the orange and lemon membranes and seeds. Drop the bag into the pan.

Boil all components for a couple of minutes, then drop the heat to simmer for about 30 minutes until the zest is tender. Let cool until the bag can be handled and squeeze as much juice as you can from the bag and into the pan. Throw the bag away.

Add the sugar to the pan and boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 40 minutes until the mixture reaches 220 °F.

Place your sterilized jars and lids on a towel to dry for a minute (a jar lifter is useful for easy and safe removal of jars out of the boiling water). Ladle the hot marmalade into the jars, leaving about a ¼ inch headspace at the top. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars and place the flat lid and ring on each jar (rings do not require sterilization). Screw on rings just to the point where you feel resistance. It is important not to over-tighten the lid rings since air bubbles must escape out of the jars during processing.

Return the closed, filled jars into the boiling water of the canning pot. Process for 5 minutes. Remove the jars out of the pot and place them on a towel to be undisturbed for at least 12 hours. You will hear a ‘pop’ sound made by the center of the lids pulling downwards. This means they sealed properly. If this does not occur, the jar should be refrigerated immediately for preserving.

Your preserves should last for a year, especially if kept in a cool, dark place. In Miami, I wouldn’t go for more than 6 months and refrigerate after opening due to our warm and humid climate.

I hope you enjoyed reading my entry. Thanks Leslie for the guest spot!

Feel free to comment with any questions you might have. You can also check out my brand new blog at http://thehungrybee11.blogspot.com/

Happy Holidays and Happy Crafting!

~Melissa

winner - from jewelry by misty!

2010-12-09T22:28:00.003-05:00

I have a winner for the first giveaway from the 12 days of Christmas at the Jar! And the winner is:

Sheri Wiles

She said:

"I love the festival of beads bracelet. I like colorful jewelry! Very pretty!"

Congratulations Sheri! I hope you enjoy your bracelet and earrings! Be on the look out for 2 more fabulous giveaways from the Jar!

day 4 - snowman onesie by heartfelt helen

2010-12-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

I love all of the holiday baby clothes out there, and even own several of them that remark "Baby's 1st Christmas". They are adorable, but I wanted to show that my son, Finn, will look good for his first Christmas without having to be so literal about it. Hence, the creation of his snowman onesie!
Materials:
orange, black, and white felt ($0.30 a piece at just about any craft store)
scissors
fabric glue
pencil
permanent marker (or pen)
quarter and dime (why use a template when these are so easy to trace!)
onesie or t-shirt
Step 1: For the "coal" on the mouth, trace a dime 5 times on black felt using a pencil. It will be a tiny bit hard to see, so don't be shy about going around a few times for good measure.

Step 2: For the eyes, trace a quarter 2 times on the black felt.

Step 3: For the whites of the eyes, trace the bottom of the permanent marker 2 times.

Step 4: This is the step that involves the most creative ad libbing... make a carrot-shaped nose on the orange felt. Even a simple, crooked triangle will do!

Step 5: Cut out all of the shapes (you should have 10 total).

Step 6: Place the "face" of the snowman on the onesie to make sure you like the layout, then cover the entire back of each cutout with fabric glue and attach it (if you get really generous with your glue application, you may want to slip a sheet of paper between the layers of fabric so they don't stick). You can attach the whites of the eyes either before or after you attach the black parts. Follow the glue's directions for drying and you have yourself a snowman onesie for your little one over the holidays!

This would also be fun for totes, aprons, etc.

Check out my other creations for Finn (and of course a few for mommy!) at heartfelthelen.blogspot.com

day 3 - christmas card holder by my friend julie

2010-12-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm pleased to bring you another fun DIY for all of your holiday greetings by my friend Julie!

Enjoy!!!

Items you need:

Craft glue
Glitter or craft paper
Ribbon
Clothes pins
Cross stitch ring or wooden letter
Scissors
Paint
Glue Gun

1. Paint your cross stitch ring or letter the color of your choosing and let dry completely.

2. Cut craft paper to fit on the clothes pins.

3. Using craft glue affix your craft paper to the clothes pin. If you are using glitter in place of craft paper painting the glue on with a brush and then dipping in the glitter works best.
4. Glue fancy clothes pins to the letter/ring in a lovely arrangement. Remember that these will be holding your Christmas cards so be sure to space accordingly.
5. If you made a wreath out of a ring thicker ribbon looks nice and can be looped around and tied in a bow. If you did a letter affix ribbon for hanging to the back with your glue gun.

6. Yippy! A easily made way to display your Christmas cards

day 2 - christmas memorabilia holder from just be me!

2010-12-07T08:00:00.001-05:00

After falling in love with the Christmas Card Holder in my current Pottery Barn catalogue, I was hoping to recreate it for a fraction of the price. Although I wasn't sure if it would work at first, I LOVE how easy it was, and the final result turned out great. I can't wait to fill it with memorabilia from this month of celebrating and fun. I'm also planning to use it year round, to showcase favorite photos or other little things that bring me joy.

Step 1: Find a frame and "gut" it. You will only need the frame and any materials to hang it up. (I reused that too.) I found this frame at the local antique mall for only $9.00!

Step 2: Grab some supplies and head outside to spray paint. Notice I also brought candy, as no crafting project is complete without it!

Step 3: Spray frame until covered, or until your likeness. I left a small bit of gold showing on the inside for added texture and color. Let it dry, as you enjoy your treat of choice.

Step 4: Once dry, it's time to gather more supplies. (Of course you could do that while it dries, but I prefer to eat candy instead!) You'll need a level, sharpie (my other must have when creating), strong tape, scissors, metal clips and your string of choice. I used very thin twine by American Crafts, and Tim Holtz clips. Using the level, mark every 3.5 inches, or any size depending what you want it to look like.

Step 5: Once your lines are measured and marked, cut the twine and tape on each marking. Make sure to make them extra long, so you have room to pull them tight, and to staple. Continue until all are added. Press the tape firmly into the wood, and check that they are level and lined up to your liking.

Step 6: Now the fun with "tools" begins. Grab a staple gun, staples, more candy if needed, and if your husband is willing to help, grab him too. Mine offered, so of course I took him up on it. The goal is to pull the twine as tight as you can, then add the final staples. Don't worry about taking the tape off, it will just help the staples and twine stay in place.

Step 7: Once all staples are in place, trim the excess off.

Step 8: Add your favorite photos or holiday items using the metal clips. This would also be a fun advent calendar, taking off a card each day, etc. So many possibilities for just a small amount of work! And now, the final product!

Thanks so much for allowing me to share in the fun! Feel free to check out more about me at
http://www.erinwells.typepad.com/, and email me if you have questions or suggestions! I'd love to hear from you and see your creations!

Happy Holidays and Merry Crafting!

day 1 - jewelry by misty giveaway!

2010-12-06T07:23:00.001-05:00

Hello there! Let me start by saying THANK YOU to Jar of Vintage Buttons for this wonderful opportunity! It’s an honor to be apart of “The 12 Days of Christmas.” My name is Misty Porter and I’m the sole jewelry designer for JewelrybyMisty.Etsy.com.

I’m a lover of jewelry, especially Swarovski crystals, pearls, gemstones and all things that sparkle and shine! You’ll see this translated into my pieces. My passion for jewelry started at a young age. I was fortunate enough to have a family full of women who loved jewelry and taught me early on to adorn myself in eclectic, meaningful pieces. Throughout the years I’ve collected brooches, rings, and necklaces...pieces that stand apart from the rest. My philosophy is: wear accessories that make a statement or tell a story in it of itself. It's very rare that you will find me wearing something that wasn't gifted to me from a loved one (my lovely husband), passed down from my great-grandmother or that isn’t a "one-of-a-kind" handmade craft. Through this philosophy, I have been inspired to create my own collection. My jewels help to satisfy my craving for unique jewelry and also act as tokens of love and appreciation for my family and friends.

I started creating my first designs as Christmas gifts just two years ago. I am fascinated by the endless array of mediums that can be used to create jewelry. I continue to be inspired by the unique perspectives or “flavor” that each individual has for their own jewelry. And after two years, I have only scratched the surface.

I’m so excited to reveal the jewelry pieces that will be given away to the lucky winner! The items pictured are an earring and bracelet set called Stairway to Heaven in Cloud Blue & Gold. The bracelet is an interwoven bracelet made out of Swarovski crystals in light colorado topaz & faceted-glass rondelles in sky blue. The bracelet also includes a beautiful silver-plated flower toggle and clasp also adorned with Swarovski crystals. The earrings are made with Swarovski crystals, faceted-glass rondelles (colors listed above) and sterling silver fishhooks. ENJOY!!!!

Set value: $50

The contest begins now and will end on Thursday, December 9, 2010 at 9:00 pm EST. You will have up to 3 chances to enter!

For one entry - check out Misty's etsy site and come back and leave a comment either on facebook or on the blog on your favorite item in her store

For another entry become a fan of jewelry by misty or jar of vintage buttons on facebook. Leave a comment and let me know you did that. If you already are, let me know that too!

For another entry click the FOLLOW button on Jar of Vintage Buttons the blog by using Google Connect. If you already do follow the blog, let me know and I will count your extra entry!

Good luck!

12 days of christmas at the jar!

2010-11-29T07:49:00.002-05:00

Hey ya'll! I've been cooking up some fun things for everybody to kick off the holiday season! Well, don't get too excited. I didn't really cook up anything, but I know some people who have!

Beginning December 6th, Jar of Vintage Buttons is pleased to present the 12 Days of Christmas! I have assembled some of most fabulous, talented, wonderful people that I know to bring to you 12 days filled with giveaways, inspiration, DIYs, and yes, you are reading this right, recipes!!! Each day (Monday-Friday) beginning on December 6th the Jar will feature a guest post from one fabulous lady who will be sure to brighten your day. My hope is that by December 21 you will be bursting at the seams with holiday awesomeness. To date I have 3 insanely awesome giveaways lined up so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for details on how to enter.

After all of our holiday fun has worn off and we've settled in for the long winter ahead, I'm going to begin a new series called Sit and Stay Awhile. I will feature some of my most favorite blogs in hopes that you will grab a cup of coffee, get your new snuggie you got for Christmas (don't lie, I know it's on your list!) and settle on in for awhile and get acquainted with some new friends.

In the meantime before the 12 Days of Christmas madness begins I'm keeping busier than ever getting ready for the Fine Art and Craft Bazaar happening at the Christ United Methodist Church on Rt. 18 in Burlington, KY on December 4th from 9am to 3pm. If you are in the area, please be sure to stop by and see me! Cheers!

thankful...and a giveaway!

2010-11-22T07:47:00.004-05:00

This week as we approach Thanksgiving, let's all take a minute out of our busy crazy lives just be thankful. Since I am your typical Type A personality, I prefer to make a list, but by all means you can be thankful in your own way.

Because I am so thankful to have you all as readers and friends of Jar of Vintage Buttons I am going to offer a giveaway today! The lucky winner will receive a $15 credit to my store on www.jarofvintagebuttons.etsy.com. Or if you are in the area and will be attending the Fine Arts and Craft Bazaar, I can hook you up with your credit there.

To enter all you have to do is leave a comment here on the blog or leave a comment on Facebook and tell me why you are thankful this Thanksgiving (or anytime!). The contest begins now and will end on Wednesday, November 24th at 9:00 am EST. I will use random.org to pick a winner and announce the winner on Wednesday by 12:00 pm EST.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families! Much love from the Jar!!!

a lime green bed and pink chucks

2010-11-16T07:54:00.012-05:00

A few Sundays ago my dear friend Vonnie of Lala Photo Spot spent the afternoon with our little family to take some pictures of Kate for her 18 month photo shoot. After seeing the idea for the bed on Joy's Hope, I could not even wait to get my hands on a similar bed (from Craig's List) and get some spray paint on it. I found the bedding on super super clearance at Belk all the way in Richmond, KY, the banner was a Target Shabby Chic find, and the Joy banner was also a Target Shabby Chic find from several Christmases ago.

Kate's big cousin, Lyndsay, stopped by for a little bed jumping fun :) Aren't those dresses (etsy) ADORABLE?! My necklace was borrowed from the fabulous Jewelry by Misty. So, without further ado, enjoy!

hittin' the road

2010-11-11T07:52:00.005-05:00

I am SO EXCITED to announce that Jar of Vintage Buttons and Jewelry by Misty are hitting the road together on December 4th! We will be live and in person at the Fine Arts and Craft Bazaar in Burlington at the Christ United Methodist Church. Look for our white canopy tent, we'll be selling our freshest and hippest wares under the glitter chandelier. We hope that you will stop in and say hello! We'll have even way more than on etsy so make sure you shop early for the best selection! See the attached flyer for the rest of the details. Can't wait to see you there!

jar of vintage buttons on etsy!

2010-11-08T07:52:00.002-05:00

Jar of Vintage Buttons on etsy is up and running!!!! I hope you'll find lots of items that make you smile or maybe something that you know will make the perfect holiday gift for someone you love. I'm always willing to do custom orders, so if you don't see something listed in a certain color, let me know and I'll be sure to set you up with a custom listing. Happy Shopping!!!!!

Click here to start shopping!

DIY: magnetic tray

2010-11-03T07:52:00.009-04:00

Happy Wednesday everybody! Here's a quick and fun DIY project for you to get you through the rest of the week. With the holidays coming up right around the corner and everybody pinching pennies a little more these days, this project would make the perfect gift! (Think teacher gifts too!) And as always, I'll have these darling little gifts available in my etsy store opening on MONDAY!

Supplies:

Silver tray from Dollar Tree
White primer spraypaint
Spraypaint color of your choice
Plate stand
Button magnets (or any other magnets you might have)

Step 1:
Prime the plate with white primer, let dry

Step 2:
Make sure you do the other side so it looks pretty :)

Step 3:
Once primer is dry, spray tray with your color spraypaint

Step 4:
Glue buttons to magnets or use any other magnets you may already have

Step 5:
Place tray on plate rack and use your magnets to attach grocery lists, honey-do lists, a nice thank you (if it's a gift) or a picture of your favorite little gals

Hope you enjoyed this project, because believe me they are addicting! Happy crafting :)

and the winner is...

2010-10-28T07:54:00.004-04:00

I'm pleased to announce the winner of the first giveaway from Jar of Vintage Buttons is...

HEATHER W.!!!

She said:

I would love to have one of your chalkboards for my kitchen. I love to cook and entertain. When having friends over, I would write the menu selections for the evening. On a daily basis, I would likely write inspirational quotes to myself. I find a lot of power in quotes! Your chalkboard would be perfect for that!!!

Congratulations Heather! I hope you enjoy your new chalkboard!

No worries if you didn't win this giveaway because the Jar of Vintage Buttons Holiday Shop will be open November 8th on etsy.com so you can snag your very own chalkboard and some other super fun stuff.

There are more giveaways lined up and some fun DIY projects coming your way!

giveaway {framed chalkboard}

2010-10-23T21:55:00.008-04:00

We finally made it to 150 friends on Facebook so let the fun begin!!!! Here are all the details for entering the giveaway for a 16x20 framed chalkboard of your very own in one of the following colors: white, red, orange or pink!) It's easy to enter, so here's how you do it:

For one (1) entry, leave me a comment on this post and tell me what you'll do with the chalkboard if you win it. MAKE SURE I have an email address so I can get ahold of the winner for shipping details!
For an additional entry, sign up to follow Jar of Vintage Buttons (the button is on the left hand side of this blog). If you already do follow this blog, make sure you tell me that in your comment and I'll be sure to count it!

The contest begins NOW and will end at 9:00 pm EST on Wednesday, October 27, 2010. Every entry will be numbered and the number will be chosen using random.org. A maximum of 2 entries PER person. The winner will be announced on Thursday, October 28, 2010!

Good luck!!!!

strike a pose

2010-10-21T11:56:00.004-04:00

Last Sunday I had the honor of styling a little photo shoot for an incredibly talented BFF of mine. She has been hard at work creating the most fabulous jewels for the relaunch of her etsy site. Kate's photographer and another dear friend of mine, Vonnie of Lala Photo Spot worked her camera magic and really captured the jewels in all of their delicious glory. I wanted to share the preview of the photo shoot from Vonnie's blog. She was also kind enough to take a few shots of some chalkboards that I've been working on for my own etsy site. Stay tuned for the launch of Jar of Vintage Buttons holiday shop and the relaunch of Misty's etsy site!

Check out the photo shoot here and leave Vonnie and Misty some comment love!

Also we are only 7 LIKES away on Facebook from the first giveaway on Jar of Vintage Buttons! As soon as we hit the 150 friends mark, I'll post instructions on how to enter the giveaway for your very own framed chalkboard! I have some other insanely awesome giveaways lined up so make sure you check us out of Facebook!

CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK!

decisions, decisions

2010-10-16T18:15:00.004-04:00

We finally made it to the design center today to pick out colors for the siding, countertops, flooring and carpet for our new house. Since we are planning on doing a lot of "vintaging" up our brand new house, we went with a lot of stock options since we are going to replace a lot of things soon. There were still a lot of overwhelming choices, thank goodness Joey and I are on the same page on a lot of things. Here's a quick peek of our trip!

The Design Center

Siding colors (yellow over most of the house, with gray accents on the shake style shingles on the top of our house)

Master bath tile with countertop

Cabinet choice with kitchen countertop (not at all what I had in mind, but a little bit of paint will take care of that ;)

even more new and improved

2010-10-08T22:27:00.002-04:00

I've decided to take the big leap! Jar of Vintage Buttons is moving on up and moving on over to Facebook! I'll still post here and link up to Facebook, so no worries, I'm not leaving! I've got some big plans for both my blog and my Facebook page.

Some things to be on the look out for:

GIVEAWAYS!!!!! Yea!!!! Who doesn't love free stuff :) Keep checking for details and directions on how to enter
The Jar of Vintage Buttons Christmas Gift Store will be open soon!!!! I'm always willing to share my DIYs with you, but for those friends who don't have the time to be crafty, I'll be offering up some of my DIY projects for purchase for very unique gifts this holiday season
Be sure to check back for guest posts and inspirations from some of my favorite artists and crafters

I'm so excited to get started! And for those of you who are already following along with my house journey, hopefully we'll be moving forward with the house building soon. Our contract with our realtors expires soon and we are going to give the ol' For Sale by Owner a whirl in a few weeks.

Come on over to visit on Facebook and sit and stay awhile!

DIY: framed chalkboard

2010-09-28T07:54:00.011-04:00

I finally found a spare minute this past weekend to get into the garage and start working on all of my projects that have been piling up this summer. So with my spray paint gun in hand I got to work. My first project from my pile of goodies that I picked up this summer at the 127 sale is a framed chalkboard. It's another quick and easy project and coming in under $7 a steal! I saw some other framed chalkboards at the Country Living Fair for upwards of $60 and $70! Do a little scouring at your local Goodwill or thrift store and search for good wooden ornate frames in any shape.

Supplies:

frame

plywood or mdf board

primer

chalkboard spray paint

spray paint for the frame

staple gun

Step 1: Remove any ugly, misfortunate print that your frame may contain (I wish I had a picture of the print that was in this frame but it got pitched in a garage cleaning frenzy...it was epicly ugly)

Step 2: Clean the frame and make sure it's dry

Step 3: Spray the frame and let dry

Step 4: Cut your plywood or mdf board to fit inside the frame

Step 5: Prime the wood with white paint

Step 6: Spray several coats of the chalkboard spray paint onto the wood

Step 7: Let wood dry for 24 hours (per instructions on the back of the can)

Step 8: After the wood has dried for 24 hours, use your staple gun to hold your blackboard in place

Step 9: Rub the side of a piece of chalk over the whole chalkboard and wipe clean

Step 10: Your chalkboard is ready to go! Enjoy!

Country Living Fair

2010-09-26T16:49:00.016-04:00

As a very devout Country Living reader I am surprised that it took me as long as it did to get to the Country Living Fair that is held in Columbus. But, this year my dear friend and fellow follower of Country Living extended the invite to me and so we began our journey. Off we headed up I-71 to Columbus and my little pregnant friend made the 2 hour trip with only one restroom break!

What's a road trip without total junk food for fuel?

We anxiously waited in line for the gates to open...

And off we went to explore!

How much fun to see some of the same exact people I read about in Country Living were live and in person manning their booths!!!! Truly awesome.

We mostly just admired the talents of the crafters and jotted down notes of ideas to try on our own. I came home with a few finds: an official Country Living Fair t-shirt, a delightful purple mason jar (diy project!) and these funny little seeds from India called putka pods that look like little pumpkins that had been scented. The best deal of the day at 3 scoops for $1!

Of course we ended our day with with lunch and the B-E-S-T ham sandwich wrap I've ever eaten. Country Living wouldn't have it any other way other than all together in a cute little boxed lunch.

The day was perfect! The weather was beautiful and even a little chilly. We have made a pact to make this an annual girl's day out. I can't wait to make the trek back to Columbus next year ready to do a little more shopping and soak up some more inspiration.

DIY jar of vintage buttons

2010-09-04T22:21:00.009-04:00

Obviously, I love buttons, and that might be an understatement. I have since I was a little girl. My grandmother was quite the seamstress in her day and always had a mass of buttons. Some vintage, some new, but always beautiful little baubles in my mind. I have several jars of vintage buttons that I sometimes like to spread out on the floor and just spend some time looking through them. I like to think about my grandmother sewing all of my mom's clothes when she was little and even her wedding dress. She was so good at recycling buttons from old worn out clothes and saving them. Some of my vintage buttons still have bits of fabric attached. How cool is that? So in this post, I'm going to show you a few DIY projects and some other button inspiration that anyone can do with buttons. They certainly don't have to be vintage, but if they are, take a second to spread them out just imagine the stories they could tell...

Put your favorite buttons on display in a lovely jar or something like this.

I found this gorgeous pink compote bowl for just $1 at a thrift store. The little pink birdie perched on top is a Michael's craft store find that I accessorized with some pink glitter. I'm still thinking of the perfect spot for my little friend in our new house.

Button Magnets:

Supplies:

Magnets on an adhesive strip
Buttons
Super glue

Step 1: Pick out a few of your favorite buttons

Step 2: Cut a square from the adhesive strip of magnet

Step 3: Place adhesive side on the back of the magnet

Step 4: If you wanted, you could stack your magnets for an extra touch

Step 5: Hang up your favorite cutie on your fridge and leave the rest of the magnets in a cluster

Also think what a cute, easy, CHEAP gift a set of these would be. Arrange them on a piece of cardstock with a beautiful ribbon. A tiny dab of hot glue will keep them secure to the cardstock but can be easily removed from the back of the magnet when they are ready for use.

Monogram Frame

* this is one I had already made so you get the idea*

Supplies:
Picture Frame

Piece of cardstock to fit inside frame

Monogram letter of your choice

Buttons

Glue dots

Step 1: Print out your monogram letter of choice being mindful of what size frame you are using. My frame is a 5x7 so my letter is about 4x6

Step 2: Carefully cut out your letter

Step 3: With a pencil, lightly trace the outline of your letter onto the cardstock

Step 4: Begin arranging your buttons to fill in the monogram letter and secure each button with a glue dot

Step 5: Once you have filled all of the voids with buttons gently erase what did not get covered up of your pencil marks and place your masterpiece in the frame. Enjoy!

Button Ring

Supplies:

Ring base (I've had these for several years, I purchased them from a jeweler wholesale company called Rings & Things and I had to order about 144 of them, but I'm sure a quick Google search will help you find something more reasonable)

Buttons

2-part epoxy or other super strong glue

Step 1: Find a combination of 2 or 3 buttons to stack on top of each other

Step 2: Mix your two part epoxy and glue the buttons together

Step 3: Glue your button combo to the ring base

Step 4: Let dry overnight

Step 5: Rock your awesome new button bauble!

Decorate a gift

Why not use your buttons to add a little fun to a gift? Pretty ribbon, buttons, and a few glue dots are all you need.

For more button inspiration visit:

www.buttonfloozies.blogspot.com

DIY:strawberry lemonade

2010-08-14T11:19:00.010-04:00

So, I know. It's not really a DIY if it's a recipe, right? Or maybe all recipes are DIYs? Ponder on that for a minute. Nevertheless, I'm REALLY stepping out of my comfort zone here with even the slightest hint at any kind of recipe. I don't cook. Ever. Thank GOD I married somebody that can put a decent meal on the table. It's not that I couldn't cook if I had to, I just really don't enjoy it. Give me a scour pad and a broom any day over a sauté pan and a whisk...or whatever those things are called.

It's been hotter than the devil here in Kentucky and we're all moving slow as molasses, so I thought you all would enjoy a little cool refreshment. While this is definitely "cheating" on the lemonade, it's really the presentation of the strawberry lemonade that makes this a fun little project. As always, feel free to add vodka...

Supplies:

Your favorite pre-made lemonade, and if you're really good, make your own

Strawberries

Blueberries (optional)

2 lemons

Sugar

Rimming sugar (optional)

Ice

Paper Straws - mine are leftover from Kate's birthday party, I found them here at Modern Lola

A pretty pitcher

A pretty serving tray

Step 1: Pour your lemonade into a pitcher

Step 2: Cut several strawberries in half

Step 3: Cut both lemons into slices

Step 4: Mix some of your cut strawberries and lemons into the lemonade

Step 5: Pierce 1 or 2 whole strawberries with your paper straws (some of the strawberry will inevitably get stuck inside the straw, but no worries, it's a fun surprise when you take the first sip of your lemonade!)

Step 6 (Optional): Freeze the strawberries on the straw overnight

Step 7: (Optional) Sometimes the strawberries will slip down the straw, so try placing a blueberry under the strawberry to keep it steady

Step 8: Coat a slice of lemon in sugar before placing it on each glass

Step 9: (Optional) For an extra sweet touch, rim your glass with pink sugar

Step 10: Place your strawberry straws on your pretty serving tray with your pretty pitcher

Step 11: Pour the lemonade into the glasses making sure some of the fruit gets in each glass

Step 12: Place your strawberry straw into the glass and sit back and enjoy with good company!

inspiration - contain yourself...

2010-08-10T21:11:00.006-04:00

A sugar bowl, no thanks. A sugar bowl to hold my q-tips? Yes, please!

Over the years I've inherited some cast-off crystal pieces, acquired some new silver and found some new uses for apothecary jars. I'm going to take you on a quick tour of some re-purposed items in our home that are now used for something quite different than its original purpose.

So, the next time you are at a yard sale or antique show, or even Target, and you see that pretty little container, just buy it! Don't stress yourself out at the time trying to figure out something to do with it. Take it home and fill it with something that makes you happy. Or leave me a comment and I'll be happy to help you think of something!

As mentioned above, I've used an otherwise boring sugar bowl inherited from my grandmother to now store q-tips in the bathroom. I found this pretty silver piece (it's actually a sugar bowl too!) at the 127 sale last year for $3. I loved it because it looked like a trophy. Now it keeps my makeup brushes upright.

These apothecary jars came from an old employer who was going to sell them to the employees and destroy what was left because we had gotten new displays. I bought as many as I could carry and am now the proud owner of about 10 apothecary jars :) I love these 2 jars sitting on my counter top in the kitchen. One holds flour and the other, sugar. I found 2 teacups who had lost their saucers to use as a scoop. When we get our new house we will have a pretty good size laundry room and I fully intend on having another apothecary jar with laundry detergent.

We are developing a theme in our house around games. Joey is obsessed with these crazy wooden puzzles. Here's how it usually goes in our house: Kate climbs up on the end table and knocks over the dish with these puzzles. Joey has to put them together again because he's the only one that knows how. They hurt my brain to be honest. Nonetheless, they look cute in this crystal candy dish.

I found this tea pot at the Newport Village Discount Outlet for a whole$1.50. It might have even been half off of that if I hit the store on the right day. Now it holds a pretty pink feather in Kate's room.

I love the shape of this soap pump and the color reminds me of some of my mason jars. Definitely a good buy from Target. I keep it in Kate's room next to her diaper changing supplies and keep hand sanitizer in it instead of soap. Although Kate never entertained the idea of a pacifier for more than a second or two, we still keep them stored in this cute tea cup on her dresser.

If you took the time to read my 100 things about me (please don't feel obligated...it's a lot of reading) but you would know that I love birds. Not real ones...they terrify me, but bird-themed things as décor. Anyway, one summer I got on a kick with bird cages. Joey actually gave this one to me as a birthday present. He snagged it from Newport's Mansion Hill Community Sale. I love the peaks and that it resembles the peaks of the old houses in Mansion Hill. It sat empty for a long time until I had a pile of these old books and one perfectly weathered ivory bird to perch on top. Here's another shot of the bird cage from this past Christmas.

Start scouring your cupboards for some interesting containers and have fun filling them up with interesting little items. Tell me what you come up with!

the kate update

2010-08-08T18:38:00.009-04:00

As promised, here's a quick update on what Kate has been up to since the last time I posted pictures of her!

From this...

To this!!!!

Can you even believe those curls? It is unbelievable! She looks so much like Joey's dad its almost scary. She has truly been the most fun (and exhausting) thing that has ever happened to either one of us. She is FULL of energy, curiosity and a barrel of laughs. She started walking around 10 months and hasn't stopped for a second since then. She amazes me everyday with something new she does or says. I can't even believe that she is already 15 months old. I haven't even blinked and her newborn and infant stages are already a memory. Good thing we've had a dear friend take lots of great pictures of her so we will always remember. You can visit her site at http://lalaphotospot.shutterfly.com/ Here's a quick look back at Kate's 1st year...

3 months

6 months9 months12 monthsHer 1st Birthday Party!

So, don't even ask if I'm ready to have 100 more. Definitely not! I want to soak up every second of her for a few more years. Plus, we certainly couldn't afford a darling wardrobe for two children...and hair accessories, shoes, purses to match. So until Kate gets a brother or sister we are going to enjoy her to the fullest!

treasure hunting

2010-08-07T21:32:00.022-04:00

Wow. What a day! Joey and I had quite the successful treasure hunting excursion down Route 127. We started our day at 7am with a little of this...Then onward to our first (and favorite) stop of the day. The Diocese Children's Home Annual Flea Market. They have such ridiculously awesome deals on furniture that people start lining up at 6:30 am to get a ticket to be admitted into the small booth. We arrived at 7:22 am and were 19 and 20 in line. By 7:38 am there were probably 100 people in line. Our dear friend, Morgan, was passing out tickets and keeping us entertained while we waited. When they finally opened the doors on the furniture booth, they let in ticket numbers 1 through 20! Our lucky day!

Walked right in and spotted this beauty and stood with my hand on it until a worker could come and write our ticket up. It has a white enameled top, we think it will be perfection in our new house!We kept shopping and scored:
3 pretty cool yard sticks (50 cents each)

4 espresso cups with pocket watches printed on them (25 cents each)
a huge rectangular frame ($3) with a really ugly print, but we just want the frame
another smaller pretty frame to be painted at a later date ($1)
a sturdy wooden chair ($8)
2 boxes of outdoor party lights ($1 each)

After making a pit stop at home to unload our treasures from the flea market, we headed south on good ol' Route 127

We stopped anywhere there was a good concentration of sales.
We ended our day with one more wooden chair and 4 chalkboard tablets for Kate.
At about 1:30 and we headed to my mom and dad's house to pick up Kate and eat some delicious BLTs.

I can barely keep my eyes open to type this. We are exhausted! My feet were so dirty it looked like I hadn't worn shoes at all! But, we can't complain for one second about the weather. It was sunny and warm, okay...hot, but at least we got a break from the humidity.

I'm looking forward to at least 2 DIYs with my flea market purchases! Get the spray paint ready!

Until then, good night friends. If you have never braved to venture out during the first weekend in August on Route 127, I suggest you get your bag, the sunscreen and your money ready for next year!

to the flea market

2010-08-06T07:36:00.004-04:00

Most of y'all who know me know that I live and die for flea markets, yard sales and antique shows. Joey and I have spent many of summer mornings BK (before Kate) rummaging through other people's junk looking for a little treasure of our own. This weekend marks the holy grail for junk rummagers like us, the world's longest yard sale, the 127 Sale as well as the Catholic Diocese Children's Home Flea Market (the BEST flea of the year). We've had our sitter booked for weeks (thanks, mom), I have my special yard sale bag ready (a large straw bag I picked up at the burlington antique show several years ago), the sunscreen and measuring tape are packed.

This year we are on the hunt for:

a 1951 Derby Glass to complete Joey's collection
3 mismatched wooden chairs under $5 each
mason jars (for a little diy project I'll post later)
ornate wooden picture frames (also for another diy project)

The best thing about treasure hunting is you never can be sure of what you will come across. I can't wait to show you what I find!

Happy Shopping!

5 minute DIY

2010-08-04T13:29:00.012-04:00

Hooray for the first of many DIYs on Jar of Vintage Buttons! This one comes from inspiration from designspongeonline.com. I modified the original idea a bit and made it work for me. With just a few supplies you can make this garland in just 5 minutes.

Supplies:

-vintage postcards - I like the ones with writing, something about the penmanship of the day makes me very happy

-baker's twine or ribbon

-brads

-scissors

-small scrapbooking hole punch

Step 1:

punch holes in upper corners of each postcard

Step 2:

connect the postcards together with your brads

Step 3:

tie baker's twine or ribbon to each end so you can hang your cute new banner

Step 4:

enjoy your reversible postcard banner!

leaving spruce tree...

2010-08-03T07:58:00.009-04:00

In order for just about any of this crazy dream of mine to happen, we have to sell our house. I can't believe how much difficulty we've had trying to sell our house. I know the economy is less than desirable, but for a 3 (we call it 4) bedroom house for $138,000, I can't believe we've had such trouble. Here are pictures our home for sale.

It will be a little sad to leave. It was not only our first house, but our first home. We spent our first week of marriage furiously organizing and moving the rest of Joey's stuff in. When darkness would fall, we would take our kitchen chairs out to the back deck (since we didn't own patio furniture!) and gaze at the stars and talk about the future. Just over a year ago we brought teeny tiny Kate into this house and now it IS her home. We've had more fun in this home than allowed by law (really, the cops were called to our Halloween party :) We've been lucky enough to entertain many good friends and family here. The backyard has hosted countless croquet games. We've shared a lot of laughs around the fire pit. We just hope that whoever buys our house enjoys it to its fullest, as we have, shares lots of good laughs, does a little grilling on the deck and makes it their HOME.

So, onward to our next nest that we can make into our humble home. On any given night as I am falling asleep I think about our new house and how exciting it will be to be in the process of building and decorating. But,writing this post has made me remember that we've been lucky enough to have these 4 walls around us that have provided much more than shelter, but a home for our family :)

If you feel so inclined, leave a comment below with your favorite memories of our house.

2010-07-31T11:53:00.003-04:00

a whole lot of dirt...

Step 1 of our house building process is officially underway. Our offer was accepted on the land on Mt. Zion Road! Not a huge lot, but enough room to play a friendly game of croquet, which is about my only requirement for a yard. We will be on our way to closing at the end of August :)

it's good to see you again...

2010-07-29T13:01:00.008-04:00

Hi there! I'm almost embarrassed to say it's been an entire YEAR since I last blogged. As much as I enjoyed it, keeping up with the blog took a backseat to keeping up with an active infant, crawler, and now toddler! I've stayed in touch via Facebook, but have always wanted to get back to my Jar of Vintage Buttons. So, here I am. New motivation, new focus, new look! I'm going to switch my focus from me (how boring anyway, right?) to some really exciting things happening right now. Jar of Vintage Buttons will now be dedicated to a dream of mine that I've had since I was a wee one. Most little girls dream of their wedding days, and don't get me wrong, I did too, and had a binder with divided tabs for ideas. But, along with that, I have always dreamed of the day that I walked up the aisle of a different kind. More of a driveway aisle...to the house of my dreams. Even at a young age I would tear up my mother's Country Living, Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Living magazines to save pages and ideas of things I loved for my future house. I have a binder chocked full of inspiration and I'm not afraid to use it!

For the past 5 years Joey and I (and now Kate) have been living in a split level house. At the time we were looking for a house we were only a few months away from our wedding date and had no place to live. The alluring smell of new construction sucked us in and although I said I NEVER wanted a bi-level, here we were moving into a brand new one. We have taken careful consideration in making our house stand out from every other bi-level on our street. We've given it all we could transforming it from a house to our home, but the time has come to say good-bye. We've had our house on the market for quite some time now and we are hoping that somebody will fall in love with it the way we did 5 years ago. We are ready to move on to bigger and better things. So, with that, we are buying some land in Union, and we are going to build!!!!

I'm inviting you to be a part of our journey. My new Jar of Vintage Buttons will be dedicated to the building and decorating process. I'll throw in some fun DIYs for all my crafty friends along the way, and some pictures of Kate sprinkled in :) There may be good days, exciting days, disappointing days,and definitely some where I want to pull out my hair. Nonetheless, we couldn't be more excited to begin this journey. It may be slow going in the beginning as we are just now in the process of purchasing the land. We have to wait for our house to sell before we break ground. Bear with us if there are long pauses in blogging due to a lack of activity on our house, but I'll try to entertain you with some projects, decorating inspiration or some good antiquing finds. Until then my friends, sit and stay awhile....it's good to see you again.

Happy BEEEE Birthday Lyndsay!

2009-08-11T21:27:00.007-04:00

We celebrated with Lyndsay this past weekend for her 2nd birthday (which is actually today!). Lyndsay has hit a "BEE" phase. So in honor of her favorite bug we spent the afternoon amoung some friendly BEEEEES! (That's how Lyndsay says it...in all caps!) It was a fabulous party and would you expect anything less from her super talented and crafty mom? Enjoy the pics :)

Cute invitations

Tuckered out from too much partying
Yum!

She blew out the candles before we were done singing :)

Curious George sticker book!

Too cute

Even the clothespins are adorable

The classiest fried chicken I've ever seen

What can you buy for $18?

2009-08-11T21:08:00.003-04:00

Ohhhhh lots of goodies! How 'bout 4 pretty amethyst bottles, C.O. Bigelow Apothecary jar, bingo wheel and wooden scorecard, and a sugar and creamer set that looks like a trophy!

That's why I LOVE yard and antique sales. We hit up the Redwood Children's Home sale and the 127 World's Longest Yard Sale last weekend. As promised, here are some pictures of my awesome treasures!

$4 bingo wheel and scorecard

$4 sugar and creamer set

$6 C.O. Bigelow Apothecary jar

$4 Amethyst bottles $1 each

So sorry....

2009-08-07T21:28:00.008-04:00

I'm so sorry for my lack of blogging. I will take full responsibility for my absence. I will say that I've been way more diligent in updated my Facebook.

So, what's new with everyone? Hope the summer treated everyone well. Since my last post, Miss Kate was 3 weeks old. I can't believe it, now she's 3 months old. She is growing like a weed, and growing out of all of her clothes too soon. This past week was my first week back to work. Monday was definately the hardest day. By lunch time that had been the longest I had ever been away from my baby. But, I'm so proud of myself for not being a complete mess! It also makes coming home to my family just that much better. And having Fridays off doesn't hurt either.

We are celebrating Lyndsay's 2nd birthday this weekend. I was looking back to last year at pictures from her birthday party and just paused to think how much has changed in a year. Lyndsay is turning into such an independant, strong, lovely little lady. It has been so much fun to watch her change so much from when she was as small as Kate is. I absolutely look foward to the many fun times that Lyndsay and Kate will share. I know they will be best buds.

It's also that time again. The 127 Yard Sale is this weekend. I'll post some of my treasures :) Kate attended her first yard sale last weekend at Redwood in Ft. Mitchell. She helped me pick out a vintage bingo wheel and wooden scorecard for $4.

That's all for now. I am going to make the effort to update my blog more frequently! Enjoy the pictures of Kate :)

3 weeks...

2009-05-28T16:26:00.006-04:00

I can't believe it has already been three weeks since Kate came into our lives! It seems like just only moments ago we were headed to the hospital in great anticipation to meet our girl. In the past three weeks I have learned some of the greatest lessons...patience first and foremost, that sometimes you have to let her cry it out (even though it kills me!), how to function on little or no sleep, how to do most things one handed, and most importantly, that something so tiny can take up so much space in your heart. Here are a few pictures from the past few weeks. I'm not doing the best job of keeping up with my blogging and facebook, but, granny took Kate for the afternoon which left me with a little mommy alone time! Enjoy the pics :)

(Duck butt)
(Watching Ellen)
(Sweet sleeping baby :)
(Holding onto daddy's finger)
(Play time!)
(Headed to Ayden's b-day party)
(I love this pic! Damsel in distress!!)

Katelynn Gayle Marshall

2009-05-12T10:26:00.003-04:00

Joey and I are tickled pink to welcome our sweet baby girl, Katelynn Gayle! She was born on May 7, 2009 at 3:51 am. Kate weighed in at 6 lbs 9 oz and was 19.75 inches.

On Monday, May 4th, Joey and I headed to the hospital at 7pm so that I could be induced. We thought for sure that she would arrive on her actual due date on the 5th. Well, the 5th came and went, and so did the 6th and she still was not ready to make her debut! After two rounds of "induction" medicine, the doctor breaking my water, a ton of patience, the encouragement of the midwife that I did NOT need a c-section, 3 hours of pushing, Katelynn arrived!!!

We were released to come home on the 8th and I celebrated my first Mother's Day on Sunday. It was an insanely emotional day but I enjoyed spending it with my baby and family. It is almost overwhelming the rollercoaster of emotions you feel the first few days, the joy, the nervousness, the frustration, and the exhaustion. But, it is all worth it when she looks right into my eyes and gives me a goofy smile that melts my heart.

the short list...

2009-04-15T10:54:00.012-04:00

I am a regular "stalker" on thebump.com to see what other soon-to-be moms have on their minds and most of the third trimester moms are marking their profiles with their short list of first indulgences after baby is born. I thought it was a delightful thing to focus on to get me through these last few weeks! (At last check I am 1cm, so while she's not quite ready to make her debut, it sure is a start!)

1.) Sleeping on my stomach. Oh how I miss that...

2.) A giant fat ham sandwich from the Sandwich Block. White toast, lettuce, tomato, colby jack cheese, mayo and mustard. Top that off with the LARGEST fountain coke available. And maybe throw in a blue raspberry ICEE.

3.) A delightfully icy cold New Castle Ale.

4.) Top that off with a frozen strawberry margarita from Julio's Camino Real.

5.) The last on my list is being able to paint my toenails again without wallowing around on the floor! I can't wait to try out my new polish colors from e.l.f. for only $1!!!