@ home with The Sandbar Bungalow

Happy Birthday Dr. Suess!

2012-03-02T14:53:00.000-08:00

I LOVE Dr. Suess! I work with kindergarteners, so today was especially fun....listening to his stories, watching his movies, and making fun "Cat in the Hat" projects. His books were among the first that I started to collect for my kids, and I never seem to tire of reading them. I love them all, but my favorites are probably The Cat in the Hat,

and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

This morning, when I had no time at all to be getting on Pinterest, I decided I had to start a Dr. Suess board. I just love all the colors, the whimsy, the tongue twisters, and just plain silliness. Thought I'd share a little of the fun tonight. :)

Here's a portrait of the creative genius himself!

Is this a truffula tree cake?

Pinwheels

Thing 1 and Thing 2 cupcakes. I want to make these for my twin nephews, Lian & Kai.

I love this quote.

Some lucky kid has this in his/her room!

Another great quote.......They're actually endless!

One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.......clock.

I want to have a "Cat in the Hat" party!

Ooohh....I need this. The kids I work with would love it!

Oh man......Converse?!

I wish I would have done this. Can I fit my ten year old in that bucket?! :)

I think I could give my kids an inspirational quote every day for the rest of their school career!

Some of his greats........

Fun buttons

I want this bag for school.

Who doesn't love bunting anyway.

More greats!

I could go on and on........
Can't wait to grab some......

And go see......

Have a super weekend!! :)

You can do ANYTHING you set your mind to!

2012-02-28T16:47:00.000-08:00

Three years ago this May, my family, along with my husband's parents, and his two sisters and their families, were involved in a very horrible accident. Last week, my brother-in-law was featured in a news video for their local Fox t.v. station. It's difficult for me to watch, but he's so inspiring that I felt I should share. We're all VERY proud of him and his enduring strength!

(I do want to note, at the end, the reporter said there were no other life threatening injuries....only minor injuries. This couldn't have been further from the truth! My father-in-law, who lost his leg, not his arm, almost died, as did my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law, and my son. Their injuries were EXTREMELY serious, so her comment touches a nerve. All did survive and are doing well today.)

Boat-blast survivor: 'Life goes on': MyFoxTAMPABAY.com

TAMPA - If optimism were a drug, Mike Atherton would be addicted.

"It's not the end of the world. Life goes on. And you make the best of it," he explained as he recalled the moment that changed his life.

Atherton came perilously close to dying in a boat explosion back on May 9, 2009, in Tampa Bay near Beer Can Island.

Fourteen family members were on board his father-in-law's Sea Ray cabin cruiser. Paramedics rushed all of them to the hospital, but Mike's injuries were the worst. His mind blacked-out for a month before he woke up.

"For a long time, it was, 'Why did it happen, what happened, how did it happen?' Inconclusive. It's just been one of those things, well, I'll probably never know so you try to put it behind you," said Mike.

Mike is a triple-amputee as a result of the explosion. Modern prosthetics, marvels of engineering, replace his legs and left arm.

He's a dedicated husband and father whose life changed in an instant.

"Like my son started calling me Transformer Shark. That was my nickname, you know, right away. As soon as I got my prosthetics I became a Transformer to him."

How could something so life-altering happen? Investigators speculated perhaps a spark ignited fumes from the boat's generator but never found an answer.

Buoyed by desire and strength, Mike wants to remain the man he was before the accident -- in body and soul. With the help of a personal trainer, Mike puts himself through a twice-a-week grueling workout.

He'll walk, then squat, and spread himself on the gym floor and do one-arm push-ups. That's the last exercise he does during the one-hour workout session. He's determined to push on.

Mike worked as a lineman for Progress Energy near dangerous power lines, often in the worst of weather.

"I thought, if anything, I'd get electrocuted and shocked, hurt at work, climbing poles and digging holes."

Now he spends his days helping his kids Maddie and Quinn with homework, preparing family meals, and picking them up at the school where his wife works as a teacher.

Mike receives disability income, but don't dare call him disabled. A water fanatic since he was a boy, Mike's mission was to always get back on skis.

"I've got a set of water legs. My goal was to do it standing up again."

And he did. Done deal. Up and on the water after two years of building the physical strength.

"My goal for this next year, hopefully in the spring, is to try a pyramid standing up again."

Mike Atherton. Always the optimist.

scatterbrained day

2012-02-18T09:50:00.000-08:00

I'm having a very scatterbrained day today. I think it's because we have nothing planned this weekend, so I don't know what to do with myself first! Got my cleaning done yesterday, so my main level doesn't look too bad.

Hmmmm.........What are my other options?..............

I've got some signs that I need to finish up for etsy that I'd love to work on, but it's always hard doing projects like that when my kids are home.

My lower level is in desperate need of some TLC. Could start that.

My laundry/storage room is a wreck. We're debating on whether or not to put our house on the market, and the thought of anyone seeing that room panics me! That will definitely be an all day project, that I don't necessarily feel like tackling, but it needs to be done.

It's a gorgeous day, so I could take my dog for a long walk.

Our yard and garage need some tidying. Okay.....I could do that.

Could do some online house hunting. We've got the itch. We had debated on buying that lake property I had previously spoken about, but a really cute house popped up for sale not far from here. We're looking at it tomorrow, and I think it may be a little small, but it looks gorgeous, and is giving me all kinds of other ideas. Hmmm....possibly build?..........

Could work out.........yeah.......we'll see how that goes.

Could do some thrifting! Nah. I'd rather do that when my mom can come along. She's the only one who appreciates the "treasures" I find. :)

Pinterest?!!! Of course I'll sneak that in at some point.

I told you I was scatterbrained. I need to pick one thing and follow through.

It's a gorgeous day. I think I'll walk the dog.

:)
Have a great Saturday!

Courage

2012-02-09T15:27:00.001-08:00

Saw this sign and really loved it's message.

Have a great night!

I want a place on a lake to call my own.............................

2012-02-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

It's been such a mild Iowa winter, and I really shouldn't have reason to complain about the cold, but it's been a dreary, chilly day, and quite frankly, I'm tired of it. Instead of sulking, I'm thinking forward to summer, and my dream of owning some lake property. My husband and I have our eyes on a place. I hate to talk about it, because I'm afraid that it won't happen, but I can't stop thinking about it, and what it could be in the future. Right now it's just a lot, but it's got a little boat house, and some great lake side decks.

The inside of the boat house leaves a little bit to be desired,(You'd think they would have tidied up a bit before taking the pics!), but I totally see it's potential.

(Nice empty Captain Morgan bottle! Geesh!)

Oh, if I could only get my hands on this!

Yea.....I need a door.

(We're a water skiing family. That's water to drool over.)

Of course I've been turning to my dear friend Pinterest for ideas.
First of all, I'd gut the place and start completely over. I think I'd take everything out, and put up crisp white bead board from wall to ceiling.

I'd do lots of open shelving and fun lights.

Would be awesome to incorporate some bunks. It is after all just a boat house. The cabin on the lot would come later!

How fitting it would be to use an old washtub for the bathroom, or kitchen sink.

Plenty of space for a tent on the dock!

And this would be cute in there!

The ideas keep on coming! Now we'll just have to wait and see. And if we are fortunate enough to purchase it, I'm definitely going to blog about my little adventure. If however, we don't get it, I'm sure there will always be another to dream about!

I'm not dieting...................

2012-01-21T06:42:00.000-08:00

I hate dieting. And I hate talking about it. I love to cook, I love to bake, and I LOVE to eat. I try very hard to make healthy meals and snacks for my family, but I continue to be frustrated at that extra 10 lbs that I've been carrying around since my daughter was born. (She's six!) So, after careful consideration, I decided to join Weight Watchers online. I have to say, it's all thanks to Pinterest. (I know I mention that site a lot, but it's just so fun!) I have a board with pictures of yummy meal ideas, and I noticed a lot of the pins were Weight Watchers recipes. I decided to join to get the recipes, as they look like things I would love to try anyway, and maybe I can fool myself into believing it's not really a diet. If you're eating what you like, you don't feel deprived......right? We'll see. I signed up yesterday, and am starting today. I figure if I talk about it every now and then, it will keep me accountable. We'll see how that goes too. :)
On my way out, here are a few pics of some tasty looking treats from Weight Watchers!

Yum, right?!

Snow day =Pajama day!

2012-01-20T06:13:00.000-08:00

"School is cancelled due with weather." What a great text to wake up to this morning! I know we'll have to make it up at the end of the year, but there's something about getting to stay home, lounging in pajamas, on a beautiful snowy morning. I do have things I could be doing, but I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't get to them. My to-do list includes:cleaning out and organizing my closet; doing laundry; organizing kids rooms & closet; organizing laundry/craft room/storage room. Hmmmmmm...........that's WAY too much organizing for a lazy day like today. I'm thinking I may opt for cookie baking and movie watching with my kids. We have an incredible sledding hill out back that is calling our names, but with the temps barely above zero here, that might have to wait.
Before I head out, thought I'd share some cheery "likes" from my Pinterest page. Doing the calico floral print theme today. :) Enjoy your day!

My latest folk art snowman on etsy

2012-01-17T09:48:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was a bit of a bummer. Had lots of fun plans, and ended up home with a yucky case of strep throat. Was feeling much better this morning and went to work, only to have to leave after an hour with my daughter Abry, because she was complaining her throat hurt. :( As bad as I felt, I'm hoping I can get ahead of it with her. Can't stand to see my kids sick and hurting. She's tucked snugly in bed right now watching cartoons, while we wait to go back to town to pick up her medicine, so I'm sneaking in a few moments here. I finished my latest folk art snowman last week, so thought I'd share my etsy listing. Hoping to work on my shop a bit this afternoon while Abry rests. Here's wishing you a germ and sick free day!

BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE! January 2012 has been SO confusing in this small Iowa town, as is seen by the expression of my snowman's face. He got all dolled up and ready for winter, only to find Spring like temps! Well, the temps have finally dropped, a blanket of fresh sparkly snow has fallen, and my frosty guy is ready to make his grand appearance. :)

This snowman is probably one of my favorite folk art pieces. Lots of time and thought went into his making. His head is sculpted from paper clay, then painted and glittered. His body is a painted wooden window finial. He wears a felt hat with the addition of vintage sequins, a sparkly pom pom, and mini turquoise pom pom trim.
His collar shows off more vintage sequins, a band of pretty baker's twine, and is "fastened" with a vintage painted button. He rests in a bed of faux evergreen decorated with primitively painted bells, all settled in a vintage tin mold. From the base to the tip of his hat, he measures in at approx. 11". I love this little guy, and will have a hard time seeing him go, but know someone out there will love him, and give him a great home! :)

******Excited to say, a few days after my post, my little guy SOLD! :)******

Chalkboard Paint

2012-01-13T07:23:00.000-08:00

The new year is here, and with that, I've had great intentions of blogging more. I lay in bed each night, thinking I have a head full of ideas to share. Unfortunately, as usual, life just seems to get in the way of my blogging fun! This morning, I'm finally at it. We have a day off from school, and it's snowing outside, (YEAH!), so I feel like tackling a project. I'm thinking it may be my dining room table..........

There's a bit of a story to it. I have two of the same. My parents had bought my husband and I this farmhouse table as a wedding gift, then went back to the awesome store they bought it from,(The Calico Hen's House!), and bought one for themselves. My table, after three kids, had seen better days. It's soft pine, so anytime my kids decided to draw pictures, their designs were etched into the table top. One night at dinner, my husband decided he'd add to it.

Not sure if he was sweet, or crazy!

Last year, my parents did a complete remodel of their kitchen,including the purchase of a new dining table. Which, may I add, is gorgeous! Mom asked if I'd like her table, since it was in impeccable condition. I moved mine down to my work area, replaced it with hers, and had every intention of making sure it stayed the way we received it. I think that lasted about a month. My daughter is in kindergarten, and very much in to practicing the letters and words she's been learning. I had asked my kids to use a magazine under their papers when writing to save the table, but she "forgot". Now I have the abc's, 123's, and several other little princess drawings etched into this table.
So, what to do............
I've looked at pretty tablecloths. There are lots of nice options.
Like this one from Target.....

I've also considered having a top made, similar to this table from Ballard Designs.

Hmmmm......It's on sale...........

Last night another idea popped into my head.........What about painting the top with chalkboard paint?! When I mentioned the idea to my husband, he shook his head no. IF I decide to go for it, I'm just going to pretend I didn't see him. :) I love chalkboards. I have a great old one that I change out with the seasons.

I could see writing fun sayings on the table, like "EAT, DRINK, BE MERRY", or celebratory sayings for different family occasions. Wouldn't it be cute to draw a birthday cake with candles and balloons on the table for someone's special day?!

Before I dive in, and just do it, I thought I'd hit Pinterest and look for some "pinspiration". :)
Here are a few tables I found.

Cute ideas to ponder. I figure worst case scenario, if I don't like it, I'll repaint it and distress it, or just go to the first idea, and throw a pretty table cloth over it!

Before I sign out, I have to share some of the other chalk board paint fun!

If that's not enough for you, go to Pinterest and type in chalkboard paint. The possibilities are endless!

Enjoy your day! :)

Taking down the Christmas tree............

2012-01-02T13:33:00.000-08:00

It's the last day of Christmas break. Our company has gone, my husband and kids are at the gym, and I'm home alone putting away my Christmas decor. A little bittersweet. I always feel like the holidays fly by before I really get to sit and enjoy the little Christmas atmosphere I've created in my home. At the same time, I'm ready for a fresh start, and little order around here. Before I put things away until next year, I had to share my exciting thrift shop find. While shopping at a local Goodwill store for retirement party gag gifts, I decided to check out the clearance Christmas items. I'm always on the hunt for great vintage holiday finds, so I could barely contain myself when I saw these shiny gems on a top shelf!

And look how much I paid for them!!!

(That's $3.00, not $300.00! :) )
The cashier said she actually pulled them out of the dumpster that morning. Someone had tossed them out, and she knew she had to rescue them! I felt like I'd won a little piece of the lottery! I showed them to my parents a couple days later, and my dad said they reminded him of the ornaments on his grandparents' trees. I love that. I only wish I would have found them before Christmas instead of after, but they'll be something to squeal over next year when I unpack all my vintage pretties. :)

This is kind of a funny shot. You can see the reflection of my camera zooming in on my shiny baubles. I'm such an amateur! :)

Okay....enough chit chat. I need to get busy before my family gets home. I'm actually hoping to have a little time on Pinterest. I need some new decorating inspiration to start off the new year! :)

HaPpY NeW YeAr!!

2011-12-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

I've been on a bit of a hiatus from blogland. The holiday hustle and bustle has gotten the best of me. And it's been great! We're currently enjoying the company of my mother and father-in-law, along with my sister-in-law and niece and nephew. They're visiting from Florida and had hoped to be spending fun days sledding and riding on the snow mobile. Unfortunately we've had a brown Christmas, so we've had to make alternate plans. It's still been fun.
Tonight we're celebrating an early New Year's Eve party with great friends. Our pal Deano, who is hosting the party at his cool man-cave/garage, has to work New Year's Day, so we're celebrating tonight instead. He claims celebrating on New Year's Eve is for amateurs. Pretty sure he wants to "partake" in the festivities a bit, without feeling the next day damage! :)
I'm actually home alone for the first time all break, and shouldn't be on the computer, but wanted to take time to say hi, and wish you a Very Happy and Safe New Year! Cheers!! :)
~Angie

Somebody stop me....please! Okay.....really......don't.........

2011-12-18T05:36:00.000-08:00

It's officially official. I'm addicted to Pinterest.

I knew I would be. Yet, I joined anyway. I suppose if that's my worst addiction, life isn't so bad. My guilt lies in the piles of laundry I'm neglecting, the dust on my dresser that the kids can play tic tac toe in, the dishes in the sink that need to be put away, presents that need to be wrapped, & the MANY other household duties I should be doing. How quickly I put them out of my mind, as I click, click, click away! I have a lil' ole Associates of Arts degree in interior design, that as a teacher's associate, I'm not using. I think Pinterest gives me that "fix". No peer pressure here, but, if you haven't already, check it out for yourself! Then you can follow me. I've pinned some good stuff! :)

Vintage Christmas ornaments

2011-12-15T16:44:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure when or where it started for me, but I have a huge fascination with vintage Christmas ornaments. I really believe I was meant to live in another time period, because I love all things with a nostalgic whimsy. My favorite things are probably from the 40's-60's. Maybe it's the old family photographs I've seen from my parents or grandparents. Maybe it's classic movies, such as "It's a Wonderful Life", or "White Christmas". When I watch those movies, I want to be there. Tonight, (when I really should be doing laundry, or addressing Christmas card photos that just arrived today!), I thought I'd share some great vintage Christmas items, courtesy of the awesome sellers on etsy. Remember to shop there for wonderful and unique items for your friends and family. So many talented people!

I could do this all night, but I really need to get busy! Etsy is full of fun stuff! Just makes you happy looking at it all! :)

My Family

2011-12-12T18:32:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd share some pics tonight of my family that we had taken while on vacation in Florida. I sure love 'em! :)

Happy Monday! :)

2011-12-08T17:42:00.000-08:00

One quick note. I didn't get my pics on, but I did join Pinterest tonight! Have wanted to do it for a while. Hoping to get some great things saved there too! I have a feeling it could be an addiction once I really get going!

TTFN!

Holiday inspiration straight from facebook!

2011-12-08T15:43:00.000-08:00

I follow lots of fun decorating blogs on facebook. Most are either related to coastal decor, or vintage and primitive decor. Thought I'd share some photos from the various sites I follow, that were posted the past couple of days.

And last but not least.........I'm so making these for Christmas Eve!

I may be back later to share a few pics of my home. I think it's as decorated as it's going to get!

Elf on the Shelf

2011-12-01T14:13:00.000-08:00

I'm back from vacation! Actually, I got back on Tuesday, but have been too wiped out the past couple nights to do much of anything. What an awesome way to spend a Thanksgiving! Running around in tank tops and flips flops, sure beats the chilly weather we normally deal with here in Iowa. Although now that I'm home, I'm in Christmas mode, and wouldn't be sad to see that snow start flying.

Speaking of that, I've got my husband on a mission. He's going to bring home our very own Elf on the Shelf tonight.

I had wanted to start it last year, but didn't really know much about it until mid December. I figured at that point, it was kind of silly. Since today's the 1st of December, I thought it would be a great night to start it. My nieces and nephews in Florida have their own elf, and talked about it while we were there. I love the magic of Christmas, and with my kids reaching the age where they question whether or not Santa exists, I wanted to bring that magical feeling home to them. I didn't really know the whole story behind it though, so had to look it up before my husband gets home. How cool that there's a whole website devoted to it!

http://www.elfontheshelf.com/AboutUs/TheTradition.aspx

We're going to set it out tonight, and let the kids discover it. :) I'm super excited. Almost as excited to know that it's the beginning of the 25 days of Christmas on ABC Family channel. I love this time of year!

Now I'm off to work on my window boxes before I lose all day light. I lay pine branches in them, then deck them with silver and red glittered Christmas bulbs. I'm hoping for a very Pottery Barn-ish look.

Have a great night!

Happy Thanksgiving..........A few days early!

2011-11-21T16:36:00.000-08:00

Heading to Florida in the morning, so wanted to take to minute to wish you a very wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving! See you next week!

Sincerest Wishes,
Angie :)

Slipcover vs. Reupholster

2011-11-16T17:02:00.000-08:00

I have this chair in my living room.

It's hand-me-down, as is most of the furniture in my home. It had belonged to my parents, and matched a blue and white buffalo print sofa. You can see, it's very worn, but it's actually pretty comfortable. I've been debating whether to buy a slip cover for it, or have it reupholstered. I was at Target the other day and found this slipcover reasonably priced.

Not very exciting, but since I like to change up my decor often, thought it would be a nice choice. I'm just not sure if it will look as nice as it does in the picture. Will it stay in place with three active kids sprawled out on it?

The other more fun option, would be to have it professionally covered. There are so many awesome fabrics out there to choose from.
Here are a few that I really like from Ballard Designs..........

And here are a few fun ones from Pottery Barn...........

With a family vacation next week, and the Christmas holidays shortly after, I'm sure I won't even do anything with it until January. I wish I could have it done before I decorate for Christmas, but since that's not going to happen, I'll just take my time and figure it out. Opinions anyone?
This is what the rest of my living room looks like.

Oh, and I finally used my Cottage Coastal Store gift certificate tonight! I chose................................

The white washed whale! It's going to replace the galvanized watering cans above my kitchen window.

Can't wait to get it!! (Thanks again to House of Turquoise and Cottage Coastal Store!)

Enough dreaming. Time to make myself useful around here.
Hope you had a great Wednesday!
:)

Getting ready for Florida!

2011-11-13T17:09:00.000-08:00

I've been so busy lately, that I haven't had much time to sit down and write. Just spent a nice Thanksgiving dinner today with my family, as we'll be spending the actual holiday in Florida with my husband Brian's family. Since I'm still coming down from that yummy, but rather filling meal, I've decided to sit and relax with my blog for a while. I had been checking out my etsy shop, and looking through my "favorites". Thought it would be fun to share some that are very beachy to get ready for my little get away!

This Big White Weathered Wood Whale is from Castawayshall. Awesome shop!

Barn Owl Primitives has the BEST signs. I really want one. Actually, one of my choices from the Cottage Coastal Store giveaway is also featured on her shop.

Loving this souvenir from 3 Florida Girls

We usually go to Busch Gardens when we visit Florida, and one of the highlights of that trip for me are the pink flamingos. Aren't there some amazing creatures in this world?! This great folk art piece from Cart Before the Horse had me tickled pink. :)

Pop open your favorite beverage with this cute little crab bottle opener, courtesy of riri creations.

Flash Forward really captures a morning on a Florida beach!

Door stop from Next Door to Heaven. Fun way to prop your door open and let in those salty air breezes.

I don't normally carry a flask, but if I did, I would want this one from Liquid Courage.

We're camping at Ft. De Soto park for a few days. This camper sign from Slippin Southern just seems very fitting.

Mae Chevrette has some wonderful prints to choose from. I've often thought about buying them for my children's bedrooms.

Circle Creek Home has these adorable little footstools. The colors are very beachy to me!

Who doesn't love sippin' a cold drink through a pretty straw?! Check them out at Hey Yo Yo!

These napkins from Madderroot, remind me of the tasty seafood shacks we hit while we're in Florida. There's nothing like fresh seafood!

Oooh! I could really use this luggage tag from Reiter8.

From Modern Folk Shop. Too Cute!

Chicklet 500 chalkboard. I'm sure I'll eat a couple grouper sammies!

I love browsing through my favorite etsy shops, but I'm winding down now, so I think it's time for me to turn in.

One more note.........I STILL haven't decided what I'm going to get from Cottage Coastal Store. It's such a tough decision, and I think I need to wait until I get back from my vacation so it doesn't arrive while I'm gone. Right now it's between the wooden whale cut out, and the metal blue crab wall art.

Have a great week!

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

2011-11-06T05:30:00.000-08:00

Before I went to bed last night, I checked emails, and had one from Kim at Cottage Coastal Store, regarding the giveaway I won. Did I mention, I'm SUPER excited!!! Yes, I think I did many times. She said I should be receiving my certificate today. ( :)!!) I'm having a very hard time deciding what I want. I think I have it narrowed down to several choices.........

I've wanted a set of these frames for quite a while to hang in my hallway. If I choose them, I'll pay extra to have three of them. The round white one is my favorite.

I'm really into whale motifs. (Reminds me of the New England states, which I hope to visit someday soon!) If you've seen my etsy shop, my logo is a whale, designed by a great graphic designer, Mike Powers(My brother :)). (Check out his fun clip art at PowerChild Creative. Plug, Plug! :) ) If I choose this, I want the white one. It would be awesome hanging on my screened porch, where I could see if from my living room!

I'm a huge fan of driftwood accessories. I like decorating with natural, timeless elements. Of course I would order the letter 'M' for my last name.

I think these blocks are fun. It's neat that you can create several different sayings. I could see this propped on my fireplace mantle. I wonder if the blocks would stay in place if it's standing up?.?

This sign is the best. And very fitting for my household, as my three kids are learning to become 'Kids of Character' in school. Last week's focus was on responsibility. I love the color, and think it would also look amazing on my fireplace mantle!

Besides whale motifs, I'm also very fond of seafood signs, including those with lobster and blue crab. This blue crab caught my eye a while ago. It would look awesome hanging above my kitchen cabinets.

Cute signs. If I don't choose these now, I'm keeping them in mind for my summer decor.

These divers are so colorful and nostalgic. I could actually picture these in my master bathroom.

As I've said before, I really enjoy the location of our home, but I'm so drawn to coastal and lakeside decor. I love a life full of whimsy and fun, and think that's what this style does for me. Now to make the decision........This could take a day or two.....or three! :)

Cold therapy (a.k.a.......Hot cup of coffee, warm sweatshirt, and blogging)

2011-11-05T15:12:00.000-07:00

I've decided one of the biggest downfalls of being a teacher's associate, especially working in kindergarten, is germs! I've been stricken. My first cold of the year, and I'm not particularly enjoying it. In fact, I'm missing out on a UNI football game with my family tonight because of it. To take my mind off that yucky scratchy throat, I've decided to grab a nice hot cup of coffee with some pumpkin spice creamer, and browse some of my favorite design sites. If you're taking the time to stop by, you may want to grab your own cup of coffee. This could take a while! I started with HGTV, and saw a caption showing past Dream Homes. This brought back fun memories of our time, 7 years ago, when we were in the process of building our home. I sure would like to go back and tell myself all the things I wish I would have put into this home! At the time, I had great fun studying the 2004 dream home. All of my wall colors were the same Sherwin Williams colors they used. I think that was also the first time I saw a giant barn star, and HAD to have one! I was so excited when I found one in a gift shop in Prairie Du Chien, WI, called the Cannery. Now those things are everywhere. Anyway........ I thought it would be fun to feature some of my favorite pics from past dream homes, starting with my original inspiration.

I loved this entryway in the 2004 dream home. I have a great fascination with old homes, and drool over architectural pieces like they've used!

2004 HGTV dream home great room. I was hoping they'd have a shot from the loft featuring that barn star. I think I have a picture of it somewhere. I remember loving the fireplace mantle and it's decor.

2004 HGTV dream home kitchen. Pretty & classic.

I remember thinking this bedroom, and adjoining master bath were so heavenly. I still do!

On to some other dream homes.........

This bathroom was from the 2003 dream home. If I ever build a house again, I want this tub in my master bathroom!

Bunkhouse in the 2005 dream home

Could see my boys here.

Soft and pretty family room in the 2006 dream home.

I would love this breezeway, and the views, from the 2006 dream home.

My husband and I were SURE that we were going to win this 2007 Colorado dream home! I'm really torn on the style of home I would build, if I were to do it again. I love this strong, rustic, charm, but I'm also drawn to classic and coastal styles. I'm sure I'll have years to think about it.

On a cold, wintery day, this room just appears so cozy.

One of my favorite dining rooms....

If I had a two story home, with awesome views, this landing would be a must!

We have a similar wall in our lower level. Idea came from this room!

Another fun bunkroom....

Okay......I'm back to the 2004 dream home for a sec.....Just found that barn star I was talking about!

Yep.....I still like the mantle decor!

HGTV dream home yummy master bedroom!

Margaritas anyone?!

This 2009 HGTV dream home is a great example of the classic, traditional home style that I think about when building.

I really like the chair and the red buffalo checked rug in the 2009 guest bedroom.

I didn't really pick out any pics from the 2010. It was beautiful, but the contemporary Southwest look just isn't my taste.

And while I'm here, I want to show some of my favorite HGTV Green Home pics.

2008 was a super fave!

Love the lighting, love the walls, love the views!

The plant stand column and the lamp! Love! (I seem to say love a lot. I need a new word!)

Pretty and fresh kitchen!

"green" tablescape!

I REALLY wanted to recreate this buffet.

This kitchen from the 2010 HGTV Green Home is adorable.

I don't know if I could do the red island top, or the busy back splash, but I really like the bead board details.

A great farmhouse table with white wicker chairs!! Love!

Check out the basket chandelier, and the artwork on the wall. Just plain fun!

Okay. Time to quit, I just about lost everything before I published it! My computer is acting up on me. Besides that, my 6 year old, Abry, stayed home from the game with me, and would like some mommy time. Have a good one, and use that hand sanitizer to keep the yucky germs away!

I won!! I won!!!

2011-11-04T15:03:00.000-07:00

I'm SO excited tonight! I found out today that I won a $100 gift certificate to Cottage Coastal Store, via The House of Turquoise blog!

(Seahorse plaques from the Cottage Coastal Store)

(Featured room on House of Turquoise. Check it out! It's a beauty!)

I love that store, and I love Erin's blog. Obviously, you can tell by the photos I collect, that I'm a fellow lover of the color turquoise. It's just so pretty and peaceful. When I first moved into my home, I had painted one of my bathrooms, a pretty shade of turquoise, but since I live on a wooded lot, I decided it didn't really "go" with the rest of my decor, and repainted it. At the time, I had more greens and reds. The past few years, I've decided to get back to my love of sea glass colors and coastal decor, so have been slowly but surely incorporating it back in. I think it's because I know someday, I will have a home or cabin on the water! (Dreeeeeam, Dream, Dream, Dream!) How lucky I am then, to have won this great giveaway! Hope you find a fun surprise in your near future!

Halloween treats.......

2011-10-31T13:55:00.000-07:00

My husband took my kids to the dentist after school,(I know....the dentist on Halloween?!! Better the night of, then the night after!), so I have a few free moments to share some Halloween pictures. All of which I found while going through my facebook. Enjoy, and have a safe and Happy Halloween!

~HaPpY HaLlOwEeN!!!~

2011-10-31T05:24:00.000-07:00

Have a Vunderful Day!! Moo Ha Ha Ha!!

pretty blogs

2011-10-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to get back here later today. Through a friend's blog, I found a great site that will allow me to create a much more visually appealing blog, that really fits my style. I have no time now, as I need to pick my kiddos up from my parents. My mom and dad were awesome, and took my kids for the night, so we could throw an adult Halloween bash. Sometimes mommy's and daddy's need a fun party night too! It was a great night, with great costumes, and the huge bummer of it all, is I only remembered to take one picture! :( And you should have seen them! We've got some very creative friends. :) Until later................

Well........I'm back. I worked for quite awhile, trying to make my blog look prettier, and this is as far as I got. There were several things I tried to apply, but for some reason I couldn't figure it out. I'm blaming it on the fact that I didn't go to bed until 1:00 A.M., and my brain doesn't seem to be functioning at normal speed. I'm telling you, it was a fun party, but my bedtime is 9:00, and those late night hours don't agree with me!

It's actually my wedding anniversary today, and I had planned to post some pics from our wedding, but I don't have the energy to do that either. Time to pick the house up a bit, then I think to bed early with a good book sounds great.

Happy Halloween Eve!

Jersey Shore Beach House, courtesy Houzz.com

2011-10-26T05:05:00.000-07:00

I have no business being on here this morning. My kids have to be on the bus in 15 min.! I just happened to be checking emails quick, and really liked this Jersey Shore Beach house. I'll never have a 5,000 sq. ft. home, but it's fun to peak inside one!
Click on it to check it out. And, Have a great Wednesday!

Houzz Tour: Spacious Cottage on the Jersey Shore

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More»

Browse Kitchen Products on Houzz- For Example:

Food Containers And Storage · Kitchen Faucets · Kitchen Trash Cans · Cooktops · Gas Ranges And Electric Ranges · Pantry · Coffee Makers And Tea Kettles · Toasters ·

kind of random today.......

2011-10-22T06:14:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for a gorgeous day of football and tailgating. Was taking a moment to have my coffee and read up on some favorite blogs, and wanted to save some photos for future decorating ideas.

I seem to be drawn to reds lately. Maybe it's because it's starting to be chilly outside on a regular basis, and I'm craving some warm colors. I've been seriously debating on changing my living room colors to reds, oranges, yellows, and greens for the winter months. Hmmmmmm.........we'll have to see!

Off now to fix up my tailgaiting goodies. On our menu to share,(as we pretty much do potluck style with our great friends), are nachos, spicy pretzels, caramel fudge brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and apples with caramel dip. Nothing healthy for my crew today! I lost two pounds this week, which I worked very hard for, so my goal today is to not indulge too much.

Have a great Saturday!

(P.S. I promise to go back and give credit, where credit is due, to the photos I've shared! I got a little ahead of myself, and forgot to do that, but need to get busy! :))

wall art

2011-10-20T17:32:00.000-07:00

I really have no time to write, but wanted to feature a few pics from houzz.com. Love the baskets, and am on the hunt for my own.

eclectic bedroom design by atlanta interior designer Liz Williams Interiors

eclectic bedroom design by los angeles interior designer Katerina Tana Design

bedroom design by los angeles interior designer Katerina Tana Design

eclectic family room design by chicago kitchen and bath Rebekah Zaveloff

I also wanted to share this whisk broom idea from the Polished Pebble. I think this would look cute in my laundry room!

Alrighty.......That's all I've got tonight!

Pumpkin cookie verdict........and my messy home.

2011-10-19T15:40:00.000-07:00

First of all, this is all that's left of the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies I made last night........

They were different, but good. Not quite like a cookie though. They kind of had a cakey consistency. My son Brooks said they tasted like pumpkin bread.

I ended up using this recipe from allrecipes.com

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES III
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour (I used about 2 1/4 cups whole wheat)
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used Hershey's dark chocolate chips)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) (I didn't have the walnuts, but I'm sure they would have been yummy!)

DIRECTIONS
1.Combine pumpkin, sugar, oil, & egg. Stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, & salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk, and stir in. Add flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture & mix well.
2.Add vanilla, chocolate chips, & nuts.
3.Drop by spoonful on cookie sheet and bake 350 degrees F, for approximately 10 minutes, or until lightly brown & firm.

Since I still had half a can of pumpkin left over, and not very many cookies left, I decided to make another batch tonight. Only this time I used chopped pecans instead of chocolate chips. As much as I love dark chocolate, I actually like the pumpkin pecan cookies better. My kids are snapping them up as quickly as I can pull them out of the oven! I'll definitely keep this recipe around for a fun Fall treat!

After I took the photo of the cookies, I decided to take some pics of my kitchen, dining, and living room. I did not take the time to stage it and make it look pretty. I decided to instead show what it looks like on a normal basis, after school. I almost always have everything picked up and in it's proper place before bed, as I can't stand to wake up to clutter and mess, but for some reason right after school, until around 8:00 at night, it's a complete disaster. School papers, book bags, shoes, socks, BILLS :p, snacks,.....you name it. It's everywhere. I often wonder what the homes I drool over in my favorite blogs look like when they're not dressed up for a picture!

This is where I spend quite of bit of time. More than I really should. It's handy having it right in the kitchen, since most of the recipes I find are a result of Google. But it's not exactly pretty. Have I mentioned I HATE clutter! This area really does drive me nuts!

The view when you walk in my front door.

This is the reason I want a mudroom. I'm not a fan of walking in the house, and having to look at all the shoes, coats, hats, backpacks, sports equipment, ummm....leaves all over the floor......
Notice my dog peaking in the window at me. It's cold......He wants in. When he walks away, his nose print will be left on the window.

Where we eat, and talk about our day.

My itty bitty living room. I'm having a baby shower here for my neighbor next month. Not sure where I'm going to put everyone!

That's it! I'm wasting time, and even though my kids have just pile driven cookies, they're hungry for something a little more substantial. Off to figure out what that will be!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-10-18T15:47:00.000-07:00

You can always tell the nights that my husband Brian is gone, because I tend to get on here to blog more often! My boys start wrestling practice this week, and will be gone Tuesday and Thursdays. I may actually become more than a weekend blogger!

My daughter Abry is outside playing with our neighbor girl, Kate. I had mentioned that I was going to make chocolate chip cookies for my boys to have for a snack after practice tonight. She said her mom made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I've never even heard of that combo together, but I just happen to have a can of pumpkin in the cupboard, so we're going to try it out! I found a recipe on Food Network. Will have to post again later to let you know the verdict.

The Lettered Cottage

2011-10-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

(From The Lettered Cottage)

I just got done reading the latest post from the Lettered Cottage. It was so amazing, that I would love to re-post it here. Obviously I won't, as those are her special thoughts. So I highly recommend reading it for yourself. Click on their site on my blog list.
Happy Tuesday Night!

Nantucket

2011-10-16T10:52:00.000-07:00

On Sundays, one of the things I like to do is look at the real estate listings. I'm finding the more I look at homes for sale in my area, the more I'm happy right where I'm at. Today, after finding nothing impressive, I decided to look up Nantucket homes. I really want to visit Maine someday in the near future. I've never been, but from pictures I've seen, and articles I've read, it looks beautiful. And it seems like it fits my style to a "t". My brother-in-law's family lives in Maine part of the year, and Florida the other. He and my sister-in-law were married there, and I was supposed to be in the wedding, but shortly after they announced their engagement, I found I was pregnant with my daughter, and due the week before they were to be married. Of course she was worth missing the trip, but I was still sad that I didn't get to go. My husband and oldest son went, and loved it. Part of the attraction for me, are the homes. When I think of Maine, Nantucket pops to mind. Love the weathered shingled siding, and the classic historic look of the homes. My google search pulled up these great photos.............

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm................ Someday I will see them!

Kitchens

2011-10-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

I love to cook and bake. And, I love to study kitchens. My own is pretty small, but it's still nice,and serves it's purpose. I tried to find a good picture to share, but don't seem to have any, and it's too dark to take any tonight. I'll have to do that another time. Anyway, whenever I see a kitchen I love, I try to save it. In the event that we do ever decide to build again, I NEED to have some great ideas to refer too. Tonight I'm sharing the the ones I've saved recently. Of course, what better to start with than my own parents' kitchen! They had theirs redone last summer, and it's SO pretty now. I wish I had a before picture. It's hard to believe it's the same house I grew up in!

They did an AWESOME job picking out cabinets, stain colors, hardware, lighting, tile, and flooring. They live on the lake, and we love spending our summers there. We're pretty darn lucky!

This is the view when you come in from their garage. My mom makes the most of all that counter space when we have family get togethers there. Lots of great treats!

I want a new kitchen island someday exactly like hers! So much storage, but also great places to display vintage kitchen collections!

Prerequisite here was, 5 bar stools for their 5 grandchildren. My three, and my twin nephews!

Love it all. And you should see the views from the dining area on the other side of the long bar. Total lake view. It's the best.

Here are some other kitchens that fascinate me.........

This one was featured in the movie "Something's Gotta Give". I've never seen the movie, but I've seen it showcased on other blogs. I love white kitchens with dark counter tops. And, I love the transition to the family room.

I really like the grain bin island in this photo. I think this was from Country Sampler.

Another wonderful white kitchen. I forgot where I pulled this one.

This kitchen has a lot going on, but it's very interesting.

This one makes me want to stop in for a nice cup of coffee, and some pumpkin spiced coffee cake. :) In other words, it's very cozy looking.

The sink got me here. I wanted a farmhouse sink in my current kitchen, and my husband tried to tell me that our contractor said it couldn't be done. I think he just didn't want to pay for it!

Pretty dining room.

And I would love a mudroom like this off the kitchen. Oh how I wish I had a mudroom!

I would really like to search for more kitchens tonight, but I have a 6 year old daughter waiting for me to finish one of her "Junie B. Jones" books so she can go to sleep. Guess I'm going to call it good for tonight. Hope yours is good too!

~HaLoWe'En~

2011-10-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

Halloween is one of my favorite seasonal holidays. I'm not into the gory Halloween stuff, unlike my 10 year old son. I like the warm fuzzy kind of Halloween. That which takes you back to great childhood memories, drenched in whimsy and nostalgia. (I just sounded like a magazine add.) My Halloween folk art pieces on etsy are inspired by vintage Halloween pieces that I've studied.

I haven't had any time for new creations this year, which makes me sad. I've decided I need to work on them over the winter months when we're a little more cooped up.
Besides that, I love decorating for Halloween. I don't go crazy, but I like to add a few elements here and there. Thought I'd share some fun pics that I borrowed from Pottery Barn and Country Living this morning to help inspire you! BEWARE:I have a lot! Grab a cup of coffee with some pumpkin spiced creamer, and enjoy!

This is my husband. :)

My bedroom

2011-10-12T18:30:00.000-07:00

I'm back! Two posts in one night! Since I have the time, I thought I'd get some photos downloaded of my bedroom. Sorry for the poor picture quality.....Again. One of these days I really will take a photography class so people don't have to strain their eyes looking at my horrible photos!
Anyhoo.......I love Pottery Barn, (I think I've mentioned that before), and get lots of my decorating inspiration from them. My bedroom is still a work in progress. It's basically a room full of hand-me-down furniture that I've tried to make look presentable by tossing in a favorite Pottery Barn quilt.

This was my original inspiration room.......

And this is what I have so far.

The pillow shams were made (by my mom) from an old chenille bedspread. I stitched the letter "M" on the small pillow, and asked my mom to put it together with the small red pom pom trim. I don't sew. Any sewing project done in my home, is courtesy of my mother! The nightstand was an old microwave cabinet that was in my husband's apartment when we were dating. I'm sure it's probably from Walmart or Kmart. I took the ugly doors off, then painted it a more pleasing taupe color. Great place to hold my photo albums, and vintage quilts.

The red cabinet was given to me by some family friends. It had been in their garage and originally was cream colored with a blue top. The back sides of the doors are the original paint. I decided to paint it red after seeing the Pottery Barn pic. The vintage pastel quilt was also from them. I'm so lucky to have great friends who give me old things! :)

This dresser belonged to my grandparents. My mom refinished it years ago, and had given it to my brother. He liked it, but his design tastes are more modern, and it didn't quite fit their decor. I very happily took it when he offered it to me! The old mason jar was found at an antique fair. We're saving spare change in it for some future vacation!

This night stand was going to the trash after my husband's grandma sold all of her belongings to move from Iowa to Kansas City. I saw it's potential, gave it a fresh coat of paint, and have loved it ever since. I really could have pulled the dead leaves off the plant prior to taking the picture!

The old boat oars are some of my favorite items in my home. A friend of ours grandmother passed away, and since she lived on a farm full of great items, they had an auction. I was lucky enough to walk away with three boat oars! (The other one hangs above the window in my son's room.)

And, finally, I thought I'd throw in a couple pictures of my master bathroom. We recently reworked it adding tile flooring, which I didn't show, the vanity, medicine cabinets, and counter top. It's much better than it had been.

I had planned on showing some more items from Pottery Barn that I'd like to add to the room, but I've spent WAY too long here tonight, and still need to go over spelling words with my boys. We don't have school on Friday because of teacher in service, so the test is tomorrow! Over and out!

Houzz.com

2011-10-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

I recently started subscribing to Houzz.com and am pretty much addicted. Today's email was one I definitely want to save! Click to see the slide show.

Houzz Tour: Making 'Normal' Beautiful for Less

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More»

Browse Lighting on Houzz- For Example:

Bathroom Lighting And Vanity Lighting · Ceiling Fans · Chandeliers · Lamp Shades · Pendant Lighting · Recessed Lighting · Track Lighting · Wall Sconces ·

And, although I'm moving away from my beachy look to add Fall elements, I want to save this look for next spring and summer! If you'd like some fun inspiration, click here too!

Update That Beachy Style!

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More»

Browse Storage And Organization on Houzz- For Example:

Baskets · Bookcases Cabinets And Computer Armoires · Closet Organizers · Clothes Racks · Media Storage · Medicine Cabinets · Shoeracks · Storage Boxes ·

It's a rainy night and I have NOTHING going on tonight. It's very pleasant. I may be back!

seagrass wallpaper

2011-10-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

It's almost 9:30, and I still have a pile of laundry to put away. I was checking emails in between loads, and had one from Coastal Living, featuring their 2011 beach house. It seems strange........I live in the middle of Iowa, surrounded by trees, but I LOVE coastal decor. I used to be into reds and greens, but my tastes have changed over the years to the soothing watery blues and greens. Which brings me to the seagrass wall paper. As I've said before, I like my milk chocolate brown walls, but in my tiny entry way, it's just too dark. I've been trying to figure out what to do there to lighten it up. A lighter paint color is an obvious choice. I've talked to my husband about putting up wood planks, and painting them white. Wallpaper has crossed my mind, but as much as I love the great patterns available now, I'm afraid I would tire of one print. Then I saw it..........Light Turquoise Sea Grass Wallpaper! I think it would look perfect in the entryway, lightening it up with a soft color, but also adding texture.

This bedroom is where it first caught my eye...

Don't you wish you had a view like this from your master bedroom?!

And while I'm on their site, I just want to include a couple other rooms that I thought were pretty great. Love the blues and whites.

All inside this amazing beach home!

By the way, my husband's been in Kentucky for work the past few days, which is why I've had more blogging time. I'm not much of a t.v. watcher. This is way more relaxing!

fall window boxes

2011-10-06T14:41:00.000-07:00

I really need to clean my house tonight, but since it's so beautiful out, I think I'm going to do some outdoor decorating. I have two window boxes on the front of my house that are looking a little too summery. I need some Autumn inspiration!

I've been hunting for some white pumpkins. This display would be perfect for my home!

Oohh.....Would love this on my front porch!

Fun........

I like this, if I didn't have 60" window boxes.

Got a few ideas anyway. Now I need to get out there and see if I can come up with something without spending any money!

bungalow home in Iowa

2011-10-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

I was just in the middle of looking for a new shower curtain for my hall bathroom, and decided to check my bookmarks to see if I had anything fun saved, when I came across this bungalow remodel that had been featured in Country Home magazine. I'm so excited, because I had forgotten about it, and just love it! I'm a stickler for bungalows anyway, but the decor is amazing. I would move in in a heartbeat!

It's a beauty. Great design, and awesome colors! I could stare, and stare, and stare...........

new favorite online shop...........

2011-10-05T17:20:00.000-07:00

One day last week, I sold one of my signs on etsy to a GREAT buyer. I had written her this morning, to follow up and make sure she was happy with her purchase. She wrote me a very nice note back, and told me how well the sign went with a quilt they had gotten from Serena and Lily. I had heard of that site before, but had never checked it out until today. I think it's a new love. What great items, and home ideas. Can't wait to have the time sit down, browse, and be inspired!

My house

2011-10-03T15:58:00.000-07:00

I've wanted a beautiful day to take photos of the exterior of my home. Today was absolutely gorgeous, so I decided to go for it. Here it is..........

It's not a mansion. Just a little cottage in the woods.

This is our driveway "pontoon". We want to get a real pontoon, but can't really afford one yet, so we've named our front yard deck as such. It's a great place to sun yourself!

The view of our backyard, looking down from the garage.

The back side of our house. It needs some serious TLC. I've tried to put a little flower garden off the porch, but nothing ever grows for me there....except chives. Next year we've decided we're putting in a cute little patio.

The other side of my house. BORING! Our plan right now is to wrap the deck around to the garage, and put a patio with a hot tub underneath. Hoping to do that next Spring or Summer.

Looking down the driveway from the garage. It's a little scary in the winter!

We have great neighbors. Our kids use this bridge to go to their house. We have a trail on the other side to the other neighbors. No worries of kids traveling on the road.

That's it for tonight. I know it's not fancy, but for now, we're happy here. :)

Outdoor Rooms

2011-09-25T06:37:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I will have a hard time leaving my home, IF we ever do, is because of our outdoor space. With all the tall trees and the hills, I feel like we live in the middle of a park. It really is beautiful. And one of my favorite spots to enjoy my nature surroundings, is my screened porch.
French doors from my living room, open to this space. It's not a very big room, but when the doors are opened, those two rooms unite, and make if feel like much more.

View from my living room, on an overcast Fall morning.

It's a fun place to display my vintage finds. I found the Blue Bunny cooler for $4 at a garage sale. The round wooden box was on sale for $15 at a local antiques shop. The lantern was snatched from my parents' storage room, years ago. (That was my favorite place to "shop". :)

The "cabin" sign is an example of the signs I make and sell on my etsy site. They look great displayed on a porch!

The chalkboard and 7up crate were given to me by my in-laws. They sold most of the items in their home after retiring, and moving to a condo in Florida. I have lots of special treasures from them showcased throughout my home, inside & out. I got the cooler the same day as the round box. It was marked half off. I love it!

This bench is on the deck, off of the screened porch. I bought it at another local antiques store, thinking it would make a great pattern for my husband to make more. Still waiting for that. I got the wooden box at a garage sale for $1, the green crock on ebay for $8, and I made the sign from 30+ year old reclaimed, weathered wood.(You can find it on my etsy!) Oh, and the mums were $2.64 at Walmart.

That's my little neck of the woods. Here are some other great outdoor spaces I've found. Happy Fall!

(Images borrowed from Southern Living.)

Saturday morning kitchens........

2011-09-24T07:10:00.000-07:00

I don't have a ton of time to write this morning, as I'm getting ready for some University of Northern Iowa football tailgating. Woo Hoo! Go Purple and Gold!

I love to start my weekend mornings, with a great cup of coffee, while oohing and ahhing over design blogs. Today I'm on HGTV's site. With all the great ideas I get from the blogs I follow, I tend to not come here as often as I used too. Thought I'd check out all their goodies for a change. This morning I'm looking at country and cottage kitchens. Check these out!

Great lighting here, and a cute little pantry. I want a cute little pantry.

(Borrowed from HGTV)

I've never seen a turquoise farmhouse sink. Super cute. And, there's my white subway tile. (I want white subway tile on my backsplash!)

(Borrowed from HGTV)

Okay, that was short lived.....I couldn't find the "looks" I was looking for there, so now I'm switching to Coastal Living's site. With our dream of a lake home, I'm always inspired by coastal kitchens.

Great ceilings, and I'm a fan of the natural window shade.

(Borrowed from Coastal Living)

Gorgeous! (Uhh..I'm talking about the kitchen, not the guy....Not that he's not nice looking. I just only have eyes for my man.....okay, enough)

(Borrowed from Coastal Living)

And on to Country Living........

From one of my FAVORITE designers. Sarah Richardson.

(Borrowed from Country Living)

I love adding rustic worn wood to my decor. The beam and the legs on the island are awesome here.

(Borrowed from Country Living)

Rich!

(Borrowed from Country Living)

The collections above the cabinets caught my eye here. SO my style.

(Borrowed from Country Living)

More fun collections. I want those counter tops!

(Borrowed from Country Living)

All righty then. I gotta go. House is a mess, and I still have some food prep and packing to do. Not to mention a shower! I could do this all day, and have some fun ideas for future posts.

Have a great Fall weekend!

30 day workout challenge

2011-09-21T17:33:00.000-07:00

I need to lose 8-10 lbs. As my sister-in-law said, after I made the comment while eating pizza and drinking beer, "Where have I heard that before?". I know I've said it a lot the past couple of years. For some reason it's just been really hard. My big problem is my inconsistent workout, due to my inconsistent schedule! (Or maybe that I'm a year away from turning 40, and my metabolism isn't what it used to be!) So, I'm doing a 30-day workout challenge. I read in one of my diet books, that you don't need to workout like you're training for a marathon. Just 20 minutes of vigorous exercise a day, plus some stretching and weight training. I do pride myself in cooking healthy meals for my family, and for the most part eat well. So, I'm trying this 20 minute thing. I'm on day three, and need to get off the computer and get it done before my family gets home. For some reason, 20 minutes of my walk/run program just seems more bearable, and less boring. The past couple nights, I've ended up doing 30 minutes or more, just because it felt good. I really don't want to do it tonight, but I have no excuse not too. Sighhhhhhhhhhhh.............
Okay treadmill. I hear you calling...............

Dream home.......OR Dream cabin ideas!

2011-09-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

About seven years ago, my husband and I spent a beautiful autumn day riding around in the country on our motorcycle. Some how, (I'm not sure how we happened there), we found this beautiful neighborhood called Rustic Hills. We lived in a small, but very cute 1940's bungalow, in a city about 20 miles away. With two active boys, we were rapidly outgrowing our tiny home, and had talked of buying something bigger. On that day, in this pretty neighborhood, we found a lot for sale. We love the winding hills of Wisconsin, and this place totally reminded us of that. We called on the property, and within a week, we were the owners. Shortly after that, we decided to put our house on the market, and made plans to build. Now, as much as we enjoy our home in the woods, we have an itch to start over. Actually, if I could, I would build another home, right where we're at. It's not that I don't like my home, but there are things about it I wish I could change, that just aren't possible. We have an open floor plan, and I think I'm now leaning towards a more traditional floor plan. I don't need a mansion, but I'd like a little more space for entertaining. The thing is, this dream could take years. Since we are happy here, it's going to take something pretty amazing to make us leave. I would either like a house in the country, or a lake home. So, for now, I'm just collecting ideas. That way when the time comes, I'll know exactly what I want!

I'm not sure if I would want a galley style kitchen, but I love the way this room looks. I can just imagine making my family breakfast here, with the sun spilling through those windows!

(borrowed from Pinterest....colorandtexture)

The subway tile backsplash and the awesome pendant lights caught my attention here. I may have to borrow this idea for my current kitchen!

(borrowed from Pinterest.....pinmarklet)

I REALLY want a pretty laundry room, since that's where I spend most of my time at home! You should see mine. It's not pretty. I'll share sometime.

(borrowed from Pinterest....pinmarklet)

If I were to own a lakeside home, I would love to do a rope railing. I'm a huge fan of coastal accents.

(borrowed from Pinterest.....pinmarklet)

Amazing bunk beds! We have family stay with us often. I would love this option for them!

(borrowed from Pinterest.....pinmarklet)

And finally, for tonight, I just wanted to include this great bench. Oh, and I'm pretty much in love with the walls too. I've been debating on doing that in my dark entryway.

(borrowed from Pinterest......lovely bedrooms by Cori Henderson)

Signing off from dream land, and re-entering yucky laundry land!

I want to live here!

2011-09-18T06:12:00.000-07:00

I have many favorite blogs, but this one is right up at the top of the list. It's called Our Vintage Home Love, and I LOVE it! I can sit and stare at the wonderful pictures that she took for hours. Our rustic cottage home is only 6 years old, and as much as I try, it just doesn't completely have the character of an older home. My husband and I would love to build again, so I'm constantly pulling ideas for my next dream home. I don't want a cookie cutter home. That's just not my style. I want something new, that looks like it could be a century home. This home is a great model to hold on to!

You'll find her blog saved on my blog list. Check it out! You'll adore it!

By the way.........If you read my last post about the whole copy and paste rant.......Well, I obviously figured it out! On my own! I'm SO excited! :) I'm going to have all kinds of goodies here now! :)

My home in sepia

2011-09-17T07:45:00.000-07:00

There's a certain window of the day, that I can take photos of my living room/kitchen/dining room, and the colors turn out great. I'm never home during that period. It's Saturday morning, and I'm playing with my camera again. I decided since I can't get it right, I'm showing my home in sepia. My kids spent the night with my parents last night, and while they were gone, I decided to say good bye to my summer decor, and bring in my Fall elements. My sepia photos are my summer home. I want to try to capture my autumn home this weekend. It just feels so cozy!

one more note..........Why am I such a computer dumby?!

2011-09-16T06:36:00.000-07:00

I just spent, ~~wasted~~, thirty minutes trying to copy and paste a photo from the Junk Bonanza's site to my blog. Reason number one, why I should probably NOT have a blog. I've never taken any formal computer classes. Shows my age........ We just didn't use computers when I was going to school, the way they're used today. I mean, I actually sat in my dorm room and typed my papers on a TYPEWRITER! I don't think those things even exist. That does it. It's time to take a class. I can't stand not knowing how to do the simplest things any longer! I can usually figure it out on my own......... but copy and paste?! If I can't figure something out as simple as I KNOW that is, it's time to swallow my pride, and shell out a few dollars to have someone teach me.

Junk Bonanza

2011-09-16T06:22:00.000-07:00

I LOVE four day work weeks, which means I have a three day weekend! One of the perks of working as a teacher's associate! Why then did I not think to make plans to go to the JUNK BONANZA?! I'm missing out!

My brother and sister-in-law live just outside Minneapolis. Last year my daughter and I,and my parents, made the three hour trip, and we all went to the Junk Bonanza together. I LOVED it, but didn't feel like I really took my time to soak it all in. Mostly because of my 5-year old, who hasn't quite acquired my love of junk. Don't worry......I have faith in her.....she'll get it. I vowed that this year, we'd go without kids. Thought we could get a room at the Holiday Inn in Maple Grove, with the fun indoor water park. The guys could stay back and play with the kids, and the ADULT girls could walk through each booth at a sweet leisurely pace. There are SO many great vendors there. It's a great place to find new treasures, but also to see how to display the junk I already have! Boo Hoo. I wish I were there... :( Oh well...........I guess there's always next year!

9/11

2011-09-11T06:31:00.000-07:00

My heart goes out to the families and friends of those touched by the 9/11 tragedy. God Bless Them All, and Give Them Peace.

(Image from 9/11 Victims & First Responders)

Painting signs, and drinking wine.......

2011-09-09T15:50:00.000-07:00

It's Friday night, and right now I'm thoroughly enjoying myself. I'm sitting at my kitchen island, painting some primitive cabin signs for my etsy, and drinking a nice Cabernet Sauvignon. The kids are all outside playing on this gorgeous night, and with all the windows and my screened porch opened, I can hear them giggling and having fun, while I bask in my little moment.

I need to mention, it's my husband's birthday. Yes, my daughter's birthday was yesterday. She was born 30 minutes before midnight, so they came very close to sharing a birthday. She just wanted her own special day! I love them both tons, and am happy to have had another great year with them!

Gosh it's a beautiful night!

My baby girl is 6 today!

2011-09-08T18:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my sweet, but mostly sassy, baby girl! She told me she had a great day at school today, because it was all about her. We all need days like that sometimes!

The verdict is in..........I'm a terrible blogger.

2011-09-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

I so wish I had the time and effort to put into this blog, but the truth is, I'm just spent. I'm a classroom associate to a kindergarten student with Down's Syndrome. We just started school Monday, and I'm thoroughly exhausted. She's a darling, and has been amazing her first week, but as can be imagined, there's a lot of redirecting and keeping close watch. I want her to have a great experience, AND I want her to be safe. Don't get me wrong, it's a happy and rewarding kind of tired.
My days are non-stop from 5:45 A.M., when I have to get myself and the kids ready for school, through 10:00 at night, when after making dinner, cleaning up, helping kids with homework, doing laundry, getting everything packed for the next day, tucking my kids into bed with books and prayers, I can't stand to be up any longer and crash. I was a stay-at-home mom for nine years, and being constantly busy myself, I often wondered how working moms functioned day by day. Now that I am a working mom, I still haven't figured it out. I'm so fortunate to have a job in the school that allows me to be available to my kids. I admire those women who have to work longer hours than me, continue their educations, and still be mom, wife, and homemaker. Hopefully I'll get into a nice groove again, and have a little time to sit here, chill, and share.
Have a safe and relaxing Labor Day weekend!

***I traditionally take photos of my kids waiting for the bus on the first day of school. This is the first year we've had no tears. Just excitement. Makes this mommy happy that they're so well-adjusted and enthusiastic about their first day, but sad that they're growing up so quickly. Some days, I just wish life had a pause button so I could soak them all in!***

Photography..........

2011-08-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

I love to take pictures, but I'm SO not a photographer. This fact is really frustrating to me, as I feel I have a lot to share. I keep trying to snap shots of my home, but they always look so dark. Or, they just don't have the pro look that I feel warrants sharing. I need help!! If there's ever a kind soul that actually reads my ramblings, please offer up some advice. I guess the first would be.........read the manual! I have good intentions of doing that......someday!
Here's an example of my poor photography skills.......well worse than normal....I think I usually do better than that............I think.......

So you say, well of course it's dark.....the lights are off! I realize this. But when I'd take the shots with the lights on, they were blaring so much that I couldn't see the fixtures. And how do you take a photo of a bathroom, without seeing yourself in the mirror, while still getting a great view?! Do I need to own photoshop? Other design bloggers do it so beautifully. I think I have design blogger photo envy!

Waterskiing & Gardening...........

2011-08-22T06:04:00.000-07:00

So these topics have nothing to do with each other, but are a big part of my day. First of all, what a great weekend. We spent the entire time at my parents home on the lake, boating and skiing. My husband is a super talented skier, and my kids seem to be picking up his skills. We started the summer with lots of tears from them, mostly because they were scared of falling. Now they're fighting over who gets to go first! And not just two skiing! They're actually barefooting! I definitely think we have a future with the Waterhawks ski club.

I'm not sure why our big boy skiers always stick their tons out! :)

My boys are already dreaming of being pros. My younger son Brooks says he wants a "bling" that says "Skier". I asked him what a bling was, and he said it's a giant gold chain that you wear around your neck. I guess there's no modesty on his part.

Here are the views we had from our Friday night outing. It's a small town lake, but the views can really be out of this world!

We ended the weekend at the Waterhawk's Ski Show Memorial for Bodee Petersen. He only passed away on Wednesday, but his brother asked that they not cancel the show. They made it a sweet tribute to that little nine-year-old boy. Such a brave family for allowing that to go on. I think the team needed that show. It's so hard when you feel helpless during such horrible tragedies. This was their way of being a part of healing. Lots of kisses blown to the sky last night. I imagine he's probably blushing...........

And now on to this mess, we call a garden.

We plant a garden every year, and as you can see, we're not master gardeners! We've tried several spots throughout our property, and finally decided this spot is the best. My husband plants, by throwing piles of seeds in, or as many plants as he can. He wised up this year with the zucchini plants, and only planted one, after last years over abundance. We had crates full at the end of our driveway with a big sign that said "FREE". There are only so many zucchini recipes out there!
The part of our garden with the viny veggies looks great. I wish I could say the same for the side with the tomatoes! Holy Cow! We have them coming out of our eyeballs. My husband is so proud of his garden. He actually makes me take a walk out to look at it every night after dinner. But I think he needs to scale back on the tomatoes next year. I wish I had a picture of my dad's garden to compare to ours. His is complete perfection. Just the right amounts of everything, and all rows stand straight. It really deserves an award! I guess ours isn't the prettiest, but it does bear fruits of my husband's labor. LOTS OF IT! After the cleaning, and catching up from the weekend that I need to do, my next job is to dig through that jungle. This is my last week before school starts, and I think I'm going to be in the kitchen freezing tomatoes and making salsas or sauces. And so, I better get busy!

Life in an instant.........

2011-08-17T16:59:00.000-07:00

Tonight my heart it breaking. My husband and his family were long time members of a local ski team, called the Waterhawks. His family moved several years ago to Florida, and now ski for the Tampa Ski team, but we haven't been members since our oldest son was born. Life just got too busy. Our sons are getting older and learning to ski, and we recently decided it was time to join again. Today there was a tragedy at that great lake. A nine year old boy was hit and killed during what was just a fun day skiing over the noon hour. The boat driver didn't see him, and he was cut badly by the boat prop. His poor mother was on the boat when it happened. So tragic for the family, the boat driver, and all who were there to witness and help.

It freshens memories of a horrible accident my family, and my husband's family were involved in a little over two years ago. We were on a boat that exploded while anchored at a fun little island off of Tampa Bay. It was a day full of anyone's worst nightmares, that left several family members critically injured. Thankfully everyone survived, but I remember holding my son in arms, and not knowing when the helicopter landed and rushed him away, if that would be the last time I'd see him alive. Knowing that mom got to hold her son in her arms as he slipped away from her, just kills me. It makes me realize how very lucky I am. My son recovered, and is a normal, very active 10-year-old. He drives me crazy at times, but I'm so thankful that he's here to drive me crazy. I need to remember that.........

What's for dinner?!

2011-08-16T05:54:00.000-07:00

I love to cook. Probably because I love to eat. And I love collecting cookbooks. My favorites are by far my church cookbooks. I grew up going to a small country church in Nashua, IA. The dust would fly as we'd travel those gravel roads each Sunday morning. I have fond memories of Sunday morning sweets after church, Bible School meals, wedding showers, and chicken suppers. The ladies in that church knew how to cook for their farm families, and every so often, would incorporate what they loved into a little cookbook. When I need to take something for a social event, I often turn to that book.......which has seen better days. The pages are curling, they're crusted with dried flour,(The "Cookies and Bars" pages have gotten the most use!), and at some point, one of my kids decided to use it as a coloring book. Still, it's always close at hand!

Besides my church cookbooks, I also love books that exude that same old fashioned goodness. The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen, and Home Cooking With Trisha Yearwood, are two that I use often. Yesterday I was at our local library and was so excited to see they had The Pioneer Women Cooks. I've wanted to purchase it, but hadn't yet, so am thrilled that I can read it first. I STILL need to buy it. Such a neat woman, with down to earth values, and an exciting life. Hope to get my work done this morning, so I can sit on my screened porch this afternoon, with a glass of tea, and savor each page.

Sadly, my love of food has left me 10 pounds heavier,(for the last few years!), so I'm currently dieting! Blah! Back to my egg white in the whole wheat pita this morning. But as the saying goes, "Everything in Moderation".....I will allow myself an occasional indulgence from one of my favorite books!

This is my Grandma Vetter. Her recipe for Disappearing Marshmallow Brownies brings me back to my childhood on their wonderful family farm!

Back from Eagle Lake Lodge!

2011-08-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a good old fashioned family vacation. My family, along with my parents, spent all of last week at a wonderful fishing lodge in Fifty Lakes, MN, called Eagle Lake Lodge. The cabins aren't fancy, but they make you feel like you're back in time. The views are spectacular. There are no t.v.'s, no computers, and no video games. We fish, swim, paddle boat, kayak, sit around a campfire, watch the kids build sand castles on the beach, and in the evenings, the adults meet in the manager's garage to talk about their "catch" of the day, while the kids play hide-and-go-seek in the dark. It's so relaxing, and just plain fun. This was our second year, and we plan to make it a yearly tradition!

Now to the fun of catching up on my favorite blogs. I already see I missed out on some great posts last week from the Lettered Cottage! They featured Camp Wandawega. It was everything I love, and love to collect. I stayed up late last night drooling over each picture. My husband and I actually dream of running a lodge someday. In the meantime, I hope we can sneak a weekend away to Wisconsin and check out Wandawega!

For the love of etsy!

2011-08-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

I love etsy. My brother introduced me to it, and I knew instantly, it was right up my alley. A few years ago, I talked my mom into renting a space with me at a local antiques and gift shop. We had a tiny wall space that we paid $40 a month for. On top of that fee, the owner got 13% of our sales. We completely filled that space with handmade items, and lots of thrift shop finds.

It was fun, and we loved the girls we worked with there, but after all the fees, we didn't exactly make much of a profit. We also had to fill our spot, according to the seasons, which meant I wasn't always selling the things I had a passion for. I was making things that would sell in that market. I love designing folk art pieces, signs with lake, cabin, or beach themes, and collecting things to sell that are cottage or farmhouse related. With etsy, I'm able to sell what I love, which means my heart is always into it. The selling fees are low, so I'm actually making a little money. Although, I'm not really in it for the money. It's more of a great hobby. And, the other talented artists I've discovered there are amazing. My favorites grow by the day! :)
Some examples of other wonderful shops include:
BarnOwlPrimitives, OldNewAgain, OldTimePickers, Indigotwin, ChickdeePrimitives.....
Just to name a few. To see more of my favorite shops and favorite items, check out my etsy shop. Just click on my link on the top of my blog page. :)

I'm a design blog junkie!

2011-08-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

I have so much to do today, but instead, what am I doing?!? Oohing and ahhing over my favorite blog sites. One of my MOST FAVORITES is The Lettered Cottage. From the minute I found them, I couldn't believe how much my design tastes mirror theirs. Almost eerily. The designs through HGTV, Pottery Barn, etc... that I'd study and drool over, were featured on their blog. The items that I scour thrift shops for, are the same things they find and feature. There's so much plain yuck on t.v., or in the world for that matter. These wonderful design blogs are just good wholesome escape to simpler times. Just love 'em!

Not enough hours in the day...........

2011-07-27T18:14:00.000-07:00

I started this blog recently, and since, haven't had much time to sit down and enjoy it. I thought I had so much to share, but it's hard to find the moments to settle in and really do it. One of these days, it will happen. :)

Life..........

2011-07-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

"If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles." -Doug Larson American Columnist

I saw that saying in the July/August issue of Country Living magazine. It's so fitting for my family, as fishing is one of our favorite past times. In fact we're taking a weeks vacation in August and heading up to Northern MN to do just that........ and only that.

Etsy Shop

2011-07-15T13:43:00.001-07:00

Check out my etsy shop!
www.etsy.com/shop/TheSandbarBungalow

@ home with The Sandbar Bungalow

Happy Birthday Dr. Suess!

You can do ANYTHING you set your mind to!

scatterbrained day

Courage

I want a place on a lake to call my own.............................

I'm not dieting...................

Snow day =Pajama day!

My latest folk art snowman on etsy

Chalkboard Paint

Taking down the Christmas tree............

HaPpY NeW YeAr!!

Somebody stop me....please! Okay.....really......don't.........

Vintage Christmas ornaments

My Family

Pinterest

Holiday inspiration straight from facebook!

Elf on the Shelf

Happy Thanksgiving..........A few days early!

Slipcover vs. Reupholster

Getting ready for Florida!

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

Cold therapy (a.k.a.......Hot cup of coffee, warm sweatshirt, and blogging)

I won!! I won!!!

Halloween treats.......

~~~HaPpY HaLlOwEeN!!!~~~

pretty blogs

Jersey Shore Beach House, courtesy Houzz.com

kind of random today.......

wall art

Pumpkin cookie verdict........and my messy home.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Lettered Cottage

Nantucket

Kitchens

~HaLoWe'En~

My bedroom

Houzz.com

seagrass wallpaper

fall window boxes

bungalow home in Iowa

new favorite online shop...........

My house

Outdoor Rooms

Saturday morning kitchens........

30 day workout challenge

Dream home.......OR Dream cabin ideas!

I want to live here!

My home in sepia

one more note..........Why am I such a computer dumby?!

Junk Bonanza

9/11

Painting signs, and drinking wine.......

My baby girl is 6 today!

The verdict is in..........I'm a terrible blogger.

Photography..........

Waterskiing & Gardening...........

Life in an instant.........

What's for dinner?!

Back from Eagle Lake Lodge!

For the love of etsy!

I'm a design blog junkie!

Not enough hours in the day...........

Life..........

Etsy Shop

~HaPpY HaLlOwEeN!!!~