Sew Crafty Saturday: Midcentury Coffee Table

My husband is not only handsome, but he is super handy. Meet our new library card catalogue drawer, turned coffee table. I got it from a teacher at my school who was storing tools in it in his garage. (Thanks, Wes!) I bought the midcentury legs at Lowe's. Dan stained them to match and restained the entire drawer. The top was unfinished because another cabinet was housed on top of it when it was in the school library. We decided to cover the top with cork, so it is one giant coaster that shouldn't be too painful when one of the kids bonks his or her head on it! Next step, labels for each drawer and stylizing the top. I can't wait.

Fab Find Friday: XOXO Photo Idea

I saw this idea on Pinterest and had to do it with my little man. The girls helped me kiss him all over. He loved it!! Dan says he is going to hide all these pics for Henry when he is 13. Ha Ha. Why, I wonder???

Fab Find Friday: Glow Sticks

The $$ bin at Target is full of amazing treasures, isn't it? Have you tried a glow in the dark bath yet? You should. It's really fun!

Wee-Ones Wednesday: Updated Blog Header for An Updated Family

I'm so excited to show off my new blog header. My good friend, Amy, over at themombot is about to have her second baby any day now, and in her spare time she designed this just for me. I absolutely love it! If you love it too, visit her Etsy shop and see all that she has for sale.
Good-bye garden of girls.
Hello little boy.
Thanks, Amy!

Fab Find Friday: Fancy Giveaway

My fabulous friend, Amy, over at The Mombot is giving away an awesome prize to celebrate her one year blogiversary. She actually designed my blog header, don't you love it?  Now that my garden has grown by one little boy, I'm hoping to win her latest giveaway. But I don't want to be greedy, so I figured I should share this awesome opportunity with you too.  Go check it out, and good luck!

Fab Find Friday: Christmas Style

Fabulous tiny powdered donut idea...

Perfect magic key poem for Santa for homes without a fireplace & for families who celebrate Jesus' birth on Christmas Eve (will be left on front door step)...

 Fabulous little friends...

Fab Find Friday: Alternative Door Wreath

I saw this door wreath on Pinterest and had to make my own. It didn't cost me a thing because I had all of the supplies laying around the house. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out and love that it is not a wreath at all. A well dressed door is really welcoming, especially at Christmas. Do you all make wreaths for your front door?

Fab Find Friday: Easy - Festive Garland

I saw this idea on Pinterest of course, and had to do it! I got the pom poms for $3 using a 50% off coupon at Michaels, and sewed the strand together while I was waiting an hour for my blood glucose test. It is a cute, fun, quick, little project that packs a cheery punch!

Free Fabulous Find Friday: 3D Ultrasound

I have the best find for any pregnant mom out there (if you live in Orange County, CA, that is)! Samsung Medison America trains techs on using their 3D ultra sound machines and always need mommies-to-be to volunteer. Just call 714.889.SONO and leave your name, phone number, & due date and they will call you back. I'm not getting anything for sharing this info; I just think it is one of the best free opportunties I've stumbled upon.
 I did it with both Lilly and new baby boy (sorry Iris). It is incredible. It takes awhile, but who doesn't want to watch their precious cargo in utero? You get to leave with a ton of pics, but the most amazing part is just watching the baby move in real time. Our little guy was sucking his thumb, stretching, kicking, smiling, flipping around, and playing with his boy parts. I could have stayed there all day... seriously!

Fab Find Friday: Five

I think I may start a collection of fives. I picked this one up at a vintage sale even before we took our 3+2=5 pictures, and I'm definitely in love! How many more can I get before it becomes obnoxious?

Fab Friday: It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Halloween...

Lilly would love this little cutie found at babalisme.

I can't decide between these bats...

or these bats!

I love the sophistication of this wreath for the front door.

I can't believe it's almost October. Everywhere I turn, I see super cute Halloween crafts and decoration ideas. We do not like the "spooky or scary" Halloween in our house. Both girls screamed at some skeleton/vampires displayed in Target last week, and Iris even started to cry. Some of the images out there are definitely nightmare inducing! There's a few front yard displays that I avoid driving by come October. Dead people coming out of your yard seems a bit extreme to me, but maybe that's because Lilly used to have really bad dreams. Anyway, here's a few sweeter things I'm thinking of putting up around our house. Just click on the links above and you can print all of this fun stuff!

Fab Finds Friday: My Fave

This printable bunting from Ruffled is one of my favorite finds in all of blogland. Every letter of the alphabet has a pretty background and a heart is used for any spaces. I have used it for birthday parties, and in the classroom. I kept it my little secret for ever a year now, but think it's time that I share it with you!

Fabulous Find Friday: Good Deeds, Please

Do you remember Lilly's marble jar? We loved it and it worked well, but like anything, over time it got put away and forgotten about. Recently, I stumbled across these good deed cards over at eighteen25. I love the simplicity of a punch card and consider these a very fabulous find. Lilly wrote her own name on her card and earned her first punch by letting her sister go first without any prompting, now that's a good deed!
I'm even planning on using these with my kindergartners in the fall, so head on over there and print some out for the little sweethearts in your life.

Fab Find Friday: Waffle Love

I don't usually blog about food, but I'm in love.
with a sandwich in a waffle.
 not a sweet, breakfast waffle, but a crispy , light waffle.
the pull pork, 4 cheese, green eggs and ham, pastrami are amazing.
i cannot leave without devouring the lemon cream and berries.
I ate there twice last week.
I've taken 8 people there and they are now in love.
Bruxie has changed my life.
I thought you should know.

Fabulous Finds Friday: To Make or To Buy?

I sometimes find it discouraging that it can be cheaper to just buy something, than to make it. This has been the summer of window coverings around here. I had the curtains in our bedroom from before I got married and they were long over due to get replaced. My plan all along was to make new ones, but after visiting some local fabric stores and shopping online, I was a bit bummed at the cost yardage was going to set me back. A few days later we were at Ikea, (so Lilly could have her favorite meatballs for lunch) and I walked by these beauties for $14.95 for two panels. That is a steal! I got two packages, replaced the ones over the sliding glass door (not pictured) and this little window too. I had to trim the curtains for the smaller window, and I now have some lace left over for crafting. How fun is that?
Since I was taking pics of  the window, I thought I would show you a few other recent fabulous finds in our bedroom. I reorganized all my jewelry (hoping I would accessorize more often) after purchasing the pretty bird cage at Cost Plus. It was on sale for $19.99 and I had the $10 off $30 coupon, so I couldn't resist! I think the folding ruler is the most charming addition though, and she was only $4 at house 8810. I also got the Moda hankies over the window there too... I just had to get them in order to get free shipping, but I'd say it was a great purchase since I had no use for them when I originally put them in my shopping cart.  Have you ever been to house 8810? It's another fabulous find. Everything in their store is so cute!!

Fabulous Find Friday: $6.48

Maybe it's because it's summer, or maybe it's because I'm crazy, but I decided to add one more day to my weekly blog schedule...so welcome to the first "Fabulous Finds Friday!"

 I also made the shell wreath using plaster of paris.

I stumbled across this table cloth at Target on clearance for $6.48 and decided it needed to be new curtains for the guest/girls bathroom. I was planning on redoing them already  because the old ones just weren't doing it for me anymore. At the same time, they totally match the little nooks I painted over spring break... and I got to make pillows and a table cloth for the front porch. All for $6.58 and in about an hour. Whoohoo!
P.S. I have no idea why Lilly's ballerina post from April showed up here, silly blogspot!

Misc. Monday: Flea Market Finds

Yesterday, we went to the flea market at Pasadena City College with some friends before the big game. I thought I'd share some of my treasures with you. The antique hand mixer found a home right away. Although, I have to say, the $0.50 hangers are my favorite, and how cool is it that the desk is already pink?

Sew Crafty Saturday: Snowflakes



Don't you just love the snow?




This little yarn ball snowman wreath is my favorite, and he was so easy to make. All you need is a little hot glue, some buttons, an embroidery hoop, pins for arms, and an old spool of thread, and you're done!




I found this little print online. Sorry, I can't remember where and I got the little trees on clearance at Anthropoligie.




My girlfriend at work, gave me this adorable owl mug, and I perfected my snowflake cutting in all my years teaching.




Lilly, "This is the only snow we're going to get in Fullerton."




Close-up of the wall over the console table. This is the same book and cards from the 1950's that I used at Christmas.
 I love estate sales!

 I wasn't necessarily planning on it, but I have now decorated for winter, and have no plans on stopping in the months ahead. There are just too many resources out there and fun things to collect! I searched for poems about snow, and found "Snowflakes" by Emily Dickenson. It's so fun! To sum it up, she says she's going to put down her pen to go dance in the snow. How amazing is that?