Projects around the house :)

**Don't forget to enter our giveaway here to Mapel Boutique! $50 gift certificate to an upscale boutique - use in store or online!**


As most of my current readers and friends know, I love home projects!! So, I thought I would share a few things I have done around my house in the past month or so:

Our first task at hand was right after the Christmas/Birthday madness/crazniess happiness was having an organization system for all the stuff they got. We have a bonus room, but honestly besides that fact was thats its loaded down with UT memorabilia, we just don't go in there much. So, most of our time is spent in the family room. I have been pinning things like crazy with ideas or how to organize toys. Land of Nod has a bin system, but I didn't really like it quite so much. Plus, I kind of fell in love with this system I found at Target. I wanted something that looks like furniture as well as kid storage. They have them at the Container Store as well, but I bought mine at Target. It is amazing!! You can fit most of their books in here, and each bin holds its own "theme" - doll stuff, electronic toys, cars/trucks, etc

My second project was a new TV cabinet. In case you haven't noticed I am a HUGE copycat. I see things I like and, if I can, recreate it :) So, the inspiration for this was this cabinet found at my obsession, Ballard Designs.

I got a new antique one for Christmas from my mommy, so I needed to re-purpose my lowboy. And, we needed a new TV cabinet, so voila! I sanded and painted it first. Then I sanded/distressed the edges and used a furniture stain pin to darken the edges. Then I glazed the whole thing using a brown glaze, and changed the hardware. I wish the pictures were better, because it really does look nice!

My new Buffet!



The Old one...BEFORE!

The inspiration from Ballard Designs

After...the pic to the right shows the staining and glaze

My third project was this wall art. I saw this in a home boutique in Columbia for $340. She had it displayed as an above mantel display as well, and I loved, LOVED it. So...my wheels started turning and off to Hobby Lobby I went. I bought two canvases and painted them. Then I did some distressed letters in photoshop and printed them out and cut them. Then I Mod Podged all the letters onto the canvases and let dry. I think it looks pretty good!

The Inspiration...

My Take on it!

Non-Zoo, Zoo Day

**Don't forget to enter our giveaway here to Mapel Boutique! $50 gift certificate to an upscale boutique - use in store or online!**

My Aunt Clara was in town recently and her, my mom, me and the babes spent the afternoon at the Nashville Zoo. It was a fantastic day to get outside and walk around. Allow me to tell you a little secret about my fabulously active Auntie Clara - she adores all things history, and adores all things gardening. So, imagine her delight when we ventured off the beaten path of the zoo to go explore the Historic Croft House at the zoo. To say it was like Christmas morning to her is an understatement. She was so excited. She explored the grounds and their gardens. She did a tour of the home with my mom (the babes were going to tour as well, but they lasted about 1.5 minutes). So, honestly it was kind of cool. We really went to the zoo, and didn't do much "zooing". We explored the house and the ground and the kids rode the carousel. It was fun!

It was such a wonderful day!! I love exploring with Aunt Clara. She is so very knowledgeable and fascinated with history and I love to learn from her.

Reading abour the house!

Walking the gardens

Riding the carousel!

As usual, if I want a pic of my and my kids, it's a self portrait, lol.

Could quite possibly be my favorite picture of Jules to date. Beautiful.

And, finally, a pic of Aunt Clara, mom, and the kiddos Sunday before Church

Steppin Out Saturday - fun weekend o' family-ness

**Don't forget to enter our giveaway here to Mapel Boutique! $50 gift certificate to an upscale boutique - use in store or online!**

What a tired/crazy/fun/ugly weekend! Thursday night I held a Stella and Dot/Thirty One party and some of my girls came over and ate/drank/shopped...you know, the usual!! It was fun. I normally don't do things like this, but it ended up being pretty fun.

Kim, writing some orders :)

Food....

Ashley, the thirty one hostess :)

Me and my sweet friend and former co-worker, Allison
On Moi: Dress & Belt: Target
Necklace: Stella and Dot :)

I mean....hmmmm..

My sister Leslie (who lives in Dallas) was in Nashville this weekend for some job interviews. So, my mom and other sister came in Friday night. We let the kiddos spend the night at the in-laws,and we all went out for a fun night. We went to teh Gulch and hung out at Sambuca and ate dinner and heard a super fun band. Nights like that are uber fun :) No pictures, so you just have to use your imagination, kay?

Saturday night was Jake's parents 40th wedding anniversary at Flyte restaurant. So, it worked out pretty good that we had babysitters all weekend, no? Flyte is an awesome restaurant, and the food was super yummy, and the champagne was flowing! It was awesome and was a great thing to celebrate.

The fam!!

Sara, Moi, Jennifer, and Susan
On me (again): Top, Sweater: H and M//Belt: Target//Necklace: Ann Taylor//(also wearing skirt from Ann Taylor and Boots from Nicole, which you can't see, hehe)

I am worn out. I am ready for Monday...my body needs a break :)




Linking up with Harpers Happenings and the Pleated Poppy

Firetruck!

**Don't forget to enter our giveaway here to Mapel Boutique! $50 gift certificate to an upscale boutique - use in store or online!**

Last week the babes and I and Jake had a super neat opportunity to visit the Brentwood Fire Station with teh Brentwood Moms Club. To say that they were excited was an understatement. To say that Josh was excited is to ask if bears shit in the woods. (they do)

Its a good thing Barbie made the trip!

Never got one of them actually LOOKING at the camera..even though I took 1,342

GIVEAWAY - $50 Gift Certificate to Mapel Boutique! (through Sharing Spree!)

***WINNER*** - Winner is V. Ramsey! I will contact you soon!

Giveaway TIME!!!

Who is ready for a Giveaway? Up for grabs is a $50 Gift Certificate to Mapel Boutique in Bridgeport Village, OR (you can also use it online at www.shopmapel.com)!!!

 Use your $50 voucher to shop in person at the boutique or online at www.shopmapel.com  (check out their daily specials). Either way, I know you'll find something you'll love with brand names like 7 For All Mankind, Citizens of Humanity, Joes Jeans, Michael Stars, Veronica M, Tulle, BB Dakota, Alternative Apparel and many more, including a wide assortment of local and independent designers.

Thanks to Sharing Spree I am able to offer this awesome giveaway! What is Sharing Spree? It's alot like Groupon, in that it offers an amazing deal per day! Sharing Spree supports the local community by sharing huge daily discounts on the best restaurants, bars, spas, comedy clubs, sporting events, theaters, classes, retailers, hotels, salons and more. But, its fabulously DIFFERENT than Groupon because each deal also partners with  numerous charities and non-profit organizations to further benefit the community. A portion of each sale goes directly to a local charity!

So, here's how you enter. 

For your First Entry: be a fan of one of their local Sharing Spree facebook pages (which ever one is local to you!). Comment below telling me which site you became a fan of!

www.facebook.com/sharingspreenashville - Nashville
https://www.facebook.com/SharingSpreeSeattle - Seattle
https://www.facebook.com/SharingSpreePortland - Portland
www.facebook.com/SharingSpreeBirmingham - Birmingham
https://www.facebook.com/SharingSpreeAustin - Austin
https://www.facebook.com/SharingSpreeDallas - Dallas

For your Second Entry:
Follow Me if you aren't already (because I'm awesome, duh)

For your Third Entry:
Follow Sharing Spree  https://twitter.com/#!/SharingSpree on Twitter

For your Fourth Entry:
Follow Me! on Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/apstribling

Sounds fun, no?

 

Good luck! Winner will be announced Monday, April 30th!

I am really worried about my girl

I am worried about Jules. I am so concerned with out shy she is. I am so afraid she will grow up to be this wallflower who won't stand up for herself. Don't you agree?