Sweet Words Giveaway!

Sometimes we need sweet words to get us through the day. Whether you work a 9-5, go to school or spend your days as a homemaker, occasionally you need encouragement in doing what you feel the Lord has led you to do. Its not always easy, but knowing that He's there, He has a plan and He loves you helps ... a whole lot. Recently a few friends of mine set out to encourage each other to recognize the progress we were making rather than focus on the things we were struggling with. The CD above was a bit of a soundtrack to remind us to "encourage ourselves." The cd is full of gospel songs that remind us of Who we serve and how He sees us -- and reminds us that we are precious in His sight.

Anyway, these "sweet words" have been a blessing to me and I would like to share it with you. Simply leave a comment telling me of a song that you listen to when you need encouragement. If you do not have an account select "anonymous" but leave your name and email address so I can contact you if you win. I will randomly select someone on Thursday October 28th to receive a copy of this cd. Also, in case you were wondering like me, from my understanding you can legally burn up to seven CD's of the same playlist according to the iTunes guidelines. So, no illegal stuff going on here!

Petunia Pickle Bottom Outlet Sale

Almost two years ago I grew sick of searching through my bottomless purse-turned-diaper bag looking for wipes or car keys only to find the bottom of my bag was wet from the leaking Sippy cup (gross). It was then that I decided I needed an actual diaper bag. The first diaper bag I carried was a Petunia Pickle Bottom. I found it on Ebay (NWT) for a fraction of the price. I wondered "How are these people selling these bags so much cheaper than the regular price?" Then, I saw one for sale with an upside down logo tag- aha! I cracked the case ... there must be an outlet store. Imagine my surprise when I learned the outlet wasn't a store that was completely out of reach (e.g. Pottery Barn Kids Outlet ). It was an online outlet that was available to all. The only catch was that its only available a couple of times a year. Well, its that time of year again and you should check it out!

Petunia Pickle Bottom is having one of their lovely outlet sales. You can get a great diaper bag for 30%- 60% off retail prices. The sale begins today at 9am PST. One of these bags would be a great baby shower gift or Christmas gift for a mom. I wonder if they will have any of the new Sashay Satchels available-- you never know!

Coming Soon...

What do pretty writing, personalization, and weddings have in common-- besides being things I'm in to? Well, they are all part of my current project. More details coming soon!

For fun and your viewing pleasure above is a picture of my church from my wedding day. It features one of my absolute favorite details from my wedding and inspiration for my current project.

Okay, I've already said too much. Stay tuned!

Aprons!

There are varying views on aprons: some see them as a garment used to protect clothes while others see them as some blast from the 1950's past that they would rather not relive. Personally, I believe aprons can be useful, chic and speak a thousand words.

An apron can say, "Yes this is my job ... and I love it! I am prepared to wipe my hands (or kids noses) with out missing a beat." It says I'm proud to be a keeper at home.

Actually, my apron -- the one I sewed a couple of years ago -- is hanging on the wall saying "I'm too pretty to be used." Its not that I don't need to wear it, I just can't bring myself to get anything on it! Anyway, I recently joined up with some blogging ladies for an "apron swap" and I hope I can bring myself to actually wear mine. I have an apron full of pastels, polka dots, and shabby chicness in mind for my partner. I just need to get my ideas through to my sewing machine!

In the meantime, if you're interested in sewing an apron, check out this book. It has lots of cool ideas, but be sure to check out the publisher's site for corrections -- it also has lots of mistakes! But once you get everything figured out, you will definitely have some cute results. The apron above is one I made using a pattern from that book.

Cardigan to Ruffle Shrug

I recently turned a cardigan, which was destined for the Salvation Army, into a ruffled shrug using this tutorial for inspiration. I decided to make the bottom a little more curved making it more like a shrug rather than a jacket. I also used the remaining fabric for the ruffles rather than buying additional fabric. You should give it a try, the tutorial is easy to follow and the results are great!

Before:

After:

Diaper Bag, for Mama not Baby

Photo by Petunia Pickle Bottom

Gone are the days of my cute little purses. And I don't carry a purse and a diaper bag. In my (modest) opinion the diaper bag is my purse. No, its not a small bag for money as defined by Merriam Webster. Its a huge bag full of necessities for my children and myself (and occasionally my husband). I do not let the gender of my child dictate the color since I am the one carrying it, not them. I used to like handbags but now the stakes are higher- the number of pockets, the material, the accessories. I've become a diaper bag connoisseur.

My current favorite is my brown Kate Spade (KS) Stevie Baby Bag, which was my Mother's Day gift last year. The year before that I received a Petunia Pickle Bottom (PPB) touring tote. We got great deals on both bags, thanks to the outlet mall and Ebay, as they can both be a little pricey. I like the versatility of the PPB and the classic style and size of the KS. Although I'm not angling for a new one, the PPB Sashay Satchel is really cute...and more affordable! (Hubby I hope you're reading this -- and just in case you are -- Mia Bossi makes nice diaper bags too.)

Mum's the Word

Shhh, don't say anything but I adore the wreath above! Well, I guess it's no secret-- I'm in to nice paper, uncommon flowers, and ribbon. So, imagine how excited I was when I came across this new fall Mums Wreath Kit from Paper Source. The paper, the ribbon, the flowers, and the fall color palette...

Ahh, fall-yet another thing I'm in to.