Spring Around The House // Bunnies, Plants and Eggs

Spring has sprung around our little place and with it comes new beauty, fresh greenness and plenty of song birds.

 

Oh, and a heavy dose of spring fever.

 

I've been itching the last several weeks for the colder days to pass; while I wait, I have been making tiny adjustments in our apartment. I think wiping the dust from our homes, airing out rooms and decorating in simple ways is an excellent way to usher in the joys of spring.

 

 

In the kitchen, two bunnies (Mr. Salt + Miss Pepper) have found their way on the bakers wrack. A little jar is filled with flowering weeds a little friend gave me a few days ago.

 

While I wash dishes the (deliciously yummy!) scent of eucalyptus wafts from the front window. I found a bunch for $2.99 at Trader Joes. :)

 

Tiny spring touches have come to the living room. Do you remember the spray-painted branches I made in February? They are now "blooming" with yellow and white tissue paper blossoms.

 

(Heeheehe, you may also see dirty laundry waiting to be watched. Ooops! :)

 

A little rocking chair was recently given to us by sweet friends ... I love my new seat as it is perfect for my height! (No more tippy-toe rocking for me! :) The chalkboards have phrases like "Alleluia" and "Abundant Mercy" scribbled over them in an effort to bring Resurrection Sunday to mind.

 

The rest of the living room is decorated with tiny pastel colored eggs from Hobby Lobby. Dalton enjoyed tucking them into different places around the house. He is such a cutie. :)

 

Out the door our flower bed is beginning to grow -- since this is our first spring here I am unsure as to what will be coming up but I think we have some roses, daffodils and tulips among the mix.

 

Last week I enjoyed laying new mulch over the dead leaves. Our neighbors (who are avid gardeners) were so kind in offering their bags of mulch and soil. Lord willing, D and I will try to grow some veggies in containers along the small driveway.

 

Does anyone know what this little beauty is?

 

Look closely and you will see our friends Miss Dove, Mr. Squirrel and three different feathered ones enjoying the bird feeder my daddy gave for Christmas.

 

I would *love* to see how you are ushering springtime into your homes and lives. Are you spring cleaning? Redecorating? Finishing finals? Trading in hot drinks for summer time treats like iced coffee?

 

Tell me what's going on -- I'd love to know!

 

With lots of love, blessings and hugs,

Gratitude + Flowers

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

The green beads were a clearance item I bought from a road side thrift store three years ago and the carnations ... well, they stole my heart last week while grocery shopping. I was thankful to see the flowers still in mint condition -- smelling fresh and creamy white. Since we were going out of town tomorrow (honeymooning!) I thought they would make the perfect thank-you for family  storing our car and sending us off at St. Louis' airport.

 

How do you like to show gratitude? Are you one who writes beautiful notes? Or maybe you find cookies to be an enchanting way of expressing gratitude. No matter what, I'd love to hear all about it!

 

Love, coffee, and tood-a-loo!

 

(As in, see you when I fly back to the Midwest!)

 

Chalkboard d.i.y.

I love the chalkboard craze and plan to keep enjoying these easy and fun diy's long after the fad has passed.

 

It took a long time before I finally took a leap of faith and bought my own chalk paint but, oh, am I ever glad I did! I have two chalkboards hanging in my living room and change the word with the season.

 

Here are a few pictures of the process. If you are timid and afraid of being creative making chalkboard prints will definitely aid you and "give you wings!" :)

 

 

After you have wiped your board clean, sharpened your chalk and drawn to your heart's content be sure to wipe away any extra smudges or smears.

 

Then hang your beautiful creation and drink a cup of coffee to it -- you're an artist! ;)

 

 

 

 



Nickleby, Cornstarch and Cookies || Or How I Spent My Weekend

Hello, sweet friends!

The sun is out, children are playing across the street, windows have been letting breezy, fresh air in, and things are happening here on Madeline Street.

Lately, I have been engaged in the Battle of the Blow-Nose, Head-Cold ... I tell ya ... it's been a rough two to three weeks mainly because I am typically in good health. Nevertheless, I press on (not really ... there were two days when nothing happened unless it involved napping, pjs all day or more napping). :) But I digress.

Yesterday, I caught craft-fever and after I dropped my beloved off at work I stopped by the library and picked out the week's entertainment.

 



I had never seen Nicholas Nickleby ... it is, by now, one of my most favorite of movies. I'm in the process of begging D to watch it with me. :)

I also managed to make my to-do list and cross off a few items.

 

 

A few weeks ago, my sweetest friends and family threw me a 25th bowling birthday-party. It was so much fun and I felt like I needed to get some cards off in the mail to say thank you.

 

 

 

 

I had also seen this easy, healthy cookie recipe floating around Facebook and decided to give it a try.

 

 

 

 

They turned out amazing! As a die-hard cookie-lover, I was afraid these would taste like hippies from a commune had made them. ;) The recipe made a small batch -- just perfect for two -- and my health-conscious husband loved them just as much as I.

 

Today, I spent some time listening to worship music and trying to decide what our house should look like come Valentine's Day. I know it's too early to decorate for February 14th but since my beloved and I are will be away during the earliest days of February (for a nice, surprise, honey-moon!) I thought it would be a good idea to start now so that when we return everything will be ready for the holiday.

 

 

I had thought this tutorial for cornstarch ornaments too adorable to not try ... the recipe was easy to follow and fun to do. I'm still not sure if I'm as crazy about them as I originally was but they are cute and I'll take the next few days to see if the hearts grow on me. :) 

 

What thinkest thou?

 

I'm off to peck-out a chalkboard tutorial for Monday, finish my new design and bake bread. I am *so* thankful for the opportunity to stay home ... it is such a joy to spend time crafting!

 

With lots and lots of love, banana-cookies, and smiles,

 

Frannie

Fall Decorating | On A Budget

 

Fall is rapidly approaching -- beautiful, cool evenings are closing warm, harvest-filled days, chestnuts are covering my favorite sitting spot, and leaves are changing into their very best. 

 

Happily, the fun doesn't stop outside the door! I love bringing Autumn's beauty into our home: creating a place full of comfort, peace, and refreshment simply by decorating. However, no matter how much I love browsing Hobby Lobby's aisles, we , as newly weds endeavoring to stay faithful to our budget, couldn't convince ourselves to spend $40 on one wreath (no matter how cute it was!).

 

What's a girl to do?

 

Hop over to Pinterest, browse DIY books, and put her creative genius glasses on, of course!

 

Join me as I share my joys of decorating on a newly wed's budget ... if anything, you'll have fun chuckling at my attempts!

 



My momma always decorated her front porch with the seasons ... a tradition I cannot break! Utilizing an old pair of mud-boots, pinecones collected on a neighborhood walk, a sprig of fabric leaves, and your own chalkboard greeting is a fun way to welcome guests in.

 

Oh, and then there is our very important friend, Owl. He was very delighted to be given the seat of honor (protecting the basil, of course). To add some spice and texture I used a few of the tree rings I asked Dalton to cut for me last year. :)  

 

Collected chestnuts are scattered gingerly along the living room windows and splashes of orange and red leaves (and the occasional flash of golden rod) help tie the room together. Of course the coffee table has a few books begging to be read but this time they are accompanied by the ever-available (and free!) chestnuts, leaves, and Dalton's beautiful black bean candle. We had collected wax from previous candles planning on reusing it for some craft. Earlier this week, my beloved had a blast drizzling wax over the dried beans --the way the wax melts round the beans creates a very beautiful and unusual candle. :) 

 

The hope chest in the dining room is covered with our beautiful table runner given as a wedding gift along with various jars tied with twine and filled with chestnuts and tealight candles. Beside the candles is the adorable harvest blessings pumpkin we found in our local Walmart. We also bought a white pumpkin from Aldis --this is Dalton's favorite purchase! He absolutely loves it!

 

(Pssst ... want to know how to drive your husband nuts? Buy into the idea that using tree branches as a floral arrangement is cute, ask him to gather said branches, then place the arrangement in a prominent place of the house. Say, the dining room table. (See above.) I promise you, if he is anything like my man, he will never run short of  hate-speech against your super cute, totally DIY, free, fall find! And, if you're anything like me, you'll be sure to get a good chuckle ... because you know its not going anywhere! ;)

 

Remember the fabric balls my mom and I made for Fourth of July? I recovered the balls with a different fabric and gave them a home on the bakers rack. It's a super easy, fun, and affordable way to bring splashes of color into your home.

 

I am so thankful for the many blessings Autumn brings and I cannot wait to see what the coming months surprise us with. In the mean time, I hope that our home and all my little, sometimes silly, touches create an atmosphere that speaks of love, peace, and most importantly,  a God who loves.

 

What are/were some ways you made your house a home when you were a newly wed? (Or a poor college student, or a single mom, or a stay-at-home daughter ... ;)

 

I'd love to hear about it!

 

Frannie

 

|| This week I linked up with A Blossoming's Life's Monday blog hop ... Wow! Big things are going on! ;) Head on over and see what other amazing, crafty things are happening around the world. I know I will be! ||

Summer To-Do's

After a week away from my beloved and our cozy, little home I am ~so~ thankful to be back in my recliner sipping water and munching on homemade goodies. Last week my family and I crowded into two cars and drove cross country twenty-one hours to Tucson, Arizona. Whew! What an adventure. :) We made the grand trek in order to celebrate my younger sister's wedding! Allie and Wade were soon engaged after Dalton and I and it was so special celebrating their union with them.

But now that I'm back home I've begun writing my to-do lists with fervor. After browsing through Angel's Summer Bucket List I've decided to scratch up my own wish list of summer activities.

Lately, I have been feeling lost; before marriage I was busy with two jobs (off and on), school full time, helping at home, and being a Sunday school teacher. Since our wedding day I've released many of those roles and have felt that because I wasn't "busy" I was being lazy or neglectful. Feeling this way has led to many ridiculous rendezvous; take yesterday for example--I spent two hours nervously chewing my finger nails to the bone because I had asked for an application at a crowded, small Thai restaurant which badly needed a cook. As soon as the scrawny, eager waiter requested for me to come back within two hours I knew I was making a mistake. I didn't want to fill my schedule for the sake of filling it; and for heaven's sake! I just quite a five year long job working as a cook and was rather enjoying not spending every moment chopping, dicing, and steaming my hair with boiling pasta water.

So I am going to calm down or as my dear husband says, "Wait. God will bring you something; just wait for it."

(Isn't he so smart?)

So, without further ado, here is my summer bucket list

 

 

Clean/wipe down the Sunroom

 

Start and Complete One Rag Garland

 

Develop and Hang Pictures Throughout the House

 

Make (and Take!) Cookies to Neighbors on both Sides of House

 

Complete and Send Out Thank-you Letters

 

Finish Application for College

 

Begin and Maintain Regular Bible Reading

 

Stick to Weekly/Monthly Cleaning Schedule

 

Visit a Zoo :)

 

Visit (two!) of Jeff City's Many Lakes

 

Take D out for Steak One of These Days :)

 

Mop Basement Floor

 

Create and Make "Emergency Basket"

 

Apply for Substitute Teacher Allowance

 

Finish Bringing Items from Mom and Dad's House ;)

 

 

And I do hope to blog about some of these endeavors; what do you have on your summer to-do list?

 

God bless you!!

Frannie

 

 

 

 



 

Friends and Flowers

 

One of my dearest friends and I worked and reworked our schedules so that we could have one last hoorah as single women. I am so glad we did. Besides staying up till 3 am, laughing over the chili which tasted of cinnamon because it was mistaken for chili powder, drinking late night tea, laughing with my hilarious mama, and discussing all manner of subjects (marriage, family, boys, and difficulties) we also put together the boutonnieres and corsages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful dear laughing over something … could it be Marmee dancing in her pjs in the background?

 

The bunches contain dried larkspur, thistles, tallow berries, and something which looks like a mix between foxtail and wheat. It was fun finding flowers which complemented our blue, gold, and white theme--though they may be considered weeds I love how they turned out!

 

 

  So thankful for these ladies in my life!

 

 

 

My New Red, White, & Blue

This past week I did something remarkable, something unusual. I bought fabric and finished my project by the end of the week. Yippee!  This is certainly an unusual feat! The best, most remarkable part?: I didn’t even cry!

Aha! Truly my not crying over a sewing machine is a miracle; for years my Momma (and a few good friends) have patiently taught me how to measure, cut, and sew all while putting up with my fits of frustration and tears. And finally, by God’s grace, all their work has paid off.  Thank you Mom for being so patient with me (and for snapping my pictures!). :)

 

 

 

 

What thinkest thou?

  Dear friends, if you are one of my kind (you know, the clumsy-fingered, yardstick challenged, get-your-bobbin-all-tangled-up kind of seamstresses) take heart! It will get easier although it may take time. Trust me.

Happy sewing to you all!

Frannie

My Valentines

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ! I hope this finds each of you very well and beginning your week full ohope and peace. I am doing well, enjoying a quiet night with my dear family. Growing up, Momma always blessed and spoilt us children by making every Christmas, Easter, and Valentines Day special. Some of the special and memorable things she (and Daddy!!) would do were: give us new pajamas on Christmas Eve, always (for my last 21 years!) decorate eggs and hide them on Easter morning, and bring us a special "foo-foo" coffee for our birthdays. For  Valentines Day I have fond memories of helping pick out my siblings balloons and candy from Fred Myers; and I can remember waking up to find Valentine themed trinkets and goodies hand-picked for each of us kids on the table . . . no wonder I love holidays--I have a wonderful mommy who made them extra special for me!! I learned so much from my momma and one of those things is this: it is worth the effort to bless others and make their day special. {I LOVE YOU Mommy and Daddy!} :) 

This year I am very excited because I was able to make a few valentines. In my yonger years I would try to give out valentines to various people ... but that was during schooling years which were full of insecurities and fears. So often I felt that I was on the bottom of the totem pole (and perhaps I was :), and so most of my efforts, thoughts, and actions were aimed at my some how climbing the social ladder and into popularity. :) Needless to say, some of the valentines I handed out were simply for selfish, vain reasons and thereforethey never meant much to me. But this year has been different; this year I was able to make just a few valentines and the dear people I want to give them to are people who I love and that makes a world of difference from my schooling years. For my twenty-first birthday Daddy and Mooma bought me a Cricut and I have been having a blast working with it!! :)

Aren't they cute? I am so excited to give them to my family members tomorrow . . . fun!! Lord willing, we will be having heart shaped biscuits and gravy too.

 I hope that you all have a blessed day tomorrow.

With much love from your sister in Christ,

Photo Credit: The lovely valentine seen above is from graphicsfairy.blogspot.com