Very Special Little People

Taking a photo break today with some "portraits" of 2 special little people in my life...

You know how hard it is to get a 4 year old to sit still, smile, and not mess his hair up again?!!

Is this the sweetest face ever????? He's 5 and already loves his picture taken!

Linking up at Tracy's Trinkets & Treasures  for a Portrait Party!

                                                   

I have been wanting to springify my front porch and found these pics I think all have elements I can copy

and this is my backyard.....I wish

cute plant stand

You realize it seems great now but in a couple months front porches with their nice chairs and benches will only be occupied by lizards...

                                                          
                                                         
                                                              

                                                                                

Easy Spring Cuteness

I think 86 degrees = SPRING don't you?  I always feel so much better when the weather warms up so I've been out pruning all the frost damage from the plants and getting things pretty again. 

                  I saw this so cute idea in the PB catalog for spring branches....

                              and these adorable eggs......

        
  I was also inspired by these adorable and do-able eggs and branches by tizzilish.....** So I gathered some of the branches I had just cut and sprayed them white.  Then while watching American Idol I took my hydrangeas and pulled off the flowers and hot glued them on the branches where it looked like a bud would be.  Some of the flowers I glued shut like a bud then glued on the branch.   Since my white pitcher is small I didn't use as many branches..........they are just right I think! 

                                                        

On the front porch....ooh need to clip those stragglers!

                         Looks kinda real huh?!

The eggs are my version of PB's - I found them at Michaels already in soft colors and speckled...all I did was find rub on transfer letters and it took 3 minutes, really!

                                    

                                     

                         Very cute and so quick and easy!

                                    Thanks for stopping by!

                                                    

                                   Linking to:

                                    Strut Your Stuff Thursday

                                    Frugalicious Friday

                                  

                                

        

                                                             
                                                           
                                               
                         

When Rustic turns White it changes to SHABBY!**!

In my quest to paint every rustic wood item of furniture I have WHiTe I have proven once again that our tastes and homes do change all the time.  It's good!  IT's fun and keeps the creative instinct alive and moving!  I started out with this solid wood bookshelf/cabinet from Mexico given to me several years ago and it looked like this:>

   
    Notice the gaps and the uneven places...all perfectly ok with me!

      A coat or two of soft white and a bit of sanding on a beautiful day...

                                    Now you can really see the gaps but that's what makes it Shabbylicious.........

     I have to show you a close up of those drawer pulls, they have no screws, just attached with rusty wire which I had to pull out (not easy so hubs did it) and not easy to push back thru again but I managed it !

    I like this pic with the light streaming thru the gap...should I leave it on the back porch?

                   I'm not sure where it's going or what room but I really like it now!

I don't understand it but hubs is NOT sold on the shabby look...because of that I compromise and let him have his way sometimes...
                                                                  
                            Linking to these party girls:::::>
                                                        
                  Finding Fabulous--Frugalicious Friday                              
                                                     
                    At the Picket Fence

             French Country Cottage                                   

*My pretty little outdoor table*

  Remember when I started this, no? I'll remind you...it was a bird bath, the top fell and broke, the base is very heavy, ya that one! Well here it was::::

       Did I mention it's heavy?  So hubs made the table top with some old wood planks we had laying around which did make it even heavier-we decided to finish outside where it will stay ...

And now here it is so pretty!  I use my back patio to paint almost everything and if you look close you can actually see the ring of white spray paint from the base, nice.

                              Thanks for stopping by! I'm linking to:
                                          
                                                French Country Cottage
                                                           and
                                                   The Shabby Nest
                                                             
                                                            
                                                                                                                   

Try this with your *getting*old*black*bananas { not your moms banana bread}

Black Bottom Banana Bars courtesy of Becky Higgins.com

These are yummy kids, but I don't know why they're called "black bottom" mine were'nt...here's what you do>>>

                                                     
        
          1/2 Cup butter, softened
          1 cup sugar
          1 egg
          1 tsp vanilla
          1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
          1 1/2 cups flour
          1 tsp. baking powder
          1 tsp. baking soda
          1/2  tsp. salt
          1/4 cup cocoa
                         Cream butter and sugar in mixing bowl.  Add egg and vanilla, beat thoroughly.  Blend in bananas-combine flour, bak. powder, bak. soda and salt in separate bowl-add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Divide batter in half, only add cocoa to one of those halves(got it?)  Spread the half with the cocoa in greased 9x13 pan,  spoon the rest of batter on top and swirl with a knife.
     350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, test before that cuz you don't want them too done, they dry out and they are better kinda fudgy like (you know what I'm sayin')  Enjoy!!                                                  

I'm Not so much into VDay but I really like these tags.....

I saw these so awesome tags made by Vicki at Rusty Rooster Vintage --she takes vintage recipe cards and "alters" them by embellishing them with old lace, beads, trinkets, photo graphics, buttons you name it and she somehow puts it together and it works!  She embellishes all kinds of things you should really check her out, a sweetheart too!!  Disclaimer:  she is not paying me to say this...

I did not take any pics of how I made my tags.  I bought big shipping tags from Staples and I had everything else and just went for it...I had stamps and distress ink and a box of vintage buttons from my grandma and other stuff...
                                              

I wanted to give some friends a small gift so I found some relaxation CD's and wrapped them in brown paper & tied with jute twine...

I rubbed on some transfers and put a rose sticker in the middle...

And since I like things not perfect and to give a more vintagey feel I didn't rub it off completely {Ha} it's just cuz I forgot those places....
                                                               

Attach the tags and maybe a rhinestone or two and a simple cute gift!

I love these!  Go check out Vicki's site and get inspired too!