Trippin' Tuesday....tomorrow!!!

Hey, y'all! I'm still here...at least in spirit! Crazy week...and I need to catch up! I have a super fun trip to post...but my real computer is having technical difficulties. So sad! I don't want to talk about the trip without the pics...it will be so much better with pics! Hopefully tomorrow.....

That's Pinteresting Thursday, Part 2 {My Teachers Pay Teachers Store}

Obviously, my being on vacation and crazy head cold has me a little crazy!!!  I posted my Tuesday post on Monday, Wednesday post on Tuesday, and Thursday post on Wednesday!!  I'm getting to work on all that Halloween stuff, so I should have pictures very soon! 

In the mean time, I've launched my Teachers Pay Teachers store!  (***My non-teacher friends---keep reading!  I have some ideas for you as well!) We all love the big names in Teacher stuff---but they are sooooo expensive!  I posted 3 themes of classroom decor in my TpT store!   You will see the Mouse Inspired Theme in action as I get my classroom together!!!

I have a Lime and Aqua Beach theme: 

and a lime and aqua jungle theme:

 and a "Primary Mouse Inspired" theme to go with my Disney Classroom!!!!!

 

For each theme, I have calendar toppers, alphabet, numbers, Happy Bday postcards, Welcome postcards, name plates, and subjects and passes!  Head on over to my TpT store---there are several FREEBIES files!!!  For my non-teacher friends!  You can go visit too!  You can download the numbers for free to work with your own children--or to create a calendar for your babies!  Purchase the alphas to make signs and banners!!! Also, the mouse inspired numbers would be great for a DISNEY COUNTDOWN!!!!  It is almost Back to School time (tear!)---grab something for your child's teacher--or maybe even a gift certificate!

Click HERE to visit my TpT store! 

Have an idea for me?  Post a comment below!  I would love to know what else you would like to see to coordinate with the themes--or other themes you might like!  I've got several more I will be posting in the next week!!!

 

That's Pinteresting Thursday: Fall Prep

Did she really say FALL??  Yep, I did!!  Because of the crazy job that I have, somehow I lose August and September every year. During my best years, I start planning for fall and Halloween in the summer.  Kinda crazy, I know!  Plus, NOW is when the craft stores have the best selection of fall fabrics, ribbons, and craft items!

I've been pinning like crazy--and, I must not be the only one who is thinking about fall because I've noticed lots of Halloween stuff popping up in the last couple of weeks!  All of these are from my "Boo" board---none of these are mine...but they will be!!!

I pinned the mercury glass pumpkin last night---and I think that this is going to be my inspiration for Halloween this year.  And--the best part---I can continue to use some of the elements through the ENTIRE holiday season!  I'm talking maybe even through Easter, y'all!!!  How awesome and efficient would that be!!!

                               

I LOVE mercury glass!  I've been collecting it since I was a little girl and fell in love with my Nana's mercury glass Christmas ornaments.  When I was a little girl, I remember picking some of the ornaments up and them crumbling in my hands.  She lived in Pensacola, and she kept them in a detached garage.  The Florida heat and humidity are brutal on mercury glass!!  I cried for weeks!!

I have several mercury glass dishes and candle holders--those are the pieces that could take me through the season!  I love the pumpkins above because with a change of a ribbon and a garland, they could totally go from Halloween to Thanksgiving!!!  And, I found this fun product last year at Christmas to further help me achieve my mercury glass inspired Holiday season!

                                             

How about THIS for inspiration!  Enough to make me swoon!!!


                                                         

This porch is  AMAZING---and again, by adding some ribbon, tulle, and a spider web, this could totally work for Halloween!



                                                          

What a fun wreath this is?!?!  By adding some silver balls---or even substituting the silver for the orange, this would be perfect with my mercury glass theme!  (And, if I planned this right, I could attach the ornaments to the wreath form, then add the black boa.  I could replace the black boa with a white one for a Christmas wreath WAL-LAH!  HHMMMM!)

Now for the inside:  I'm a sucker for sunflowers!  LOVE these---and love that they are suspended from a piece of old wood!

                                                           

This is Sarah's (Thrifty Decor Chick) Halloween Display from last year.  John Pierson saw it and immediately said that we "Have to have the bats!".   I think I have a stack of black card stock, so I guess I will be purchasing the bat file from Silhouette!  Love the Boo letters too--think we already have some of those!!!

                                                            

This is right up my alley!!  I know I have an enamel bucket just like that--and a smaller version of the galvanized tub!!  Will need to make an "Autumn" sign, though!)


                                                             

These are super easy!  Already have the candle holders to use as a base...might even use some mercury glass candle holders!

                                                             

 Definitely want to do these!

                                                           

Yes, I'm that sentimental Mom!!!
 Will need to make these, too!  So cute!!!

                                    

And these, too...LOVE these buckets for the boys'!

                                                         

Definitely will be making these for the boys' and my classes!!!!   Mrs. Bobbie will love these treats in the middle for the babies!  So easy for her!!!
    
                                        
                                                             

Love these, too, for teachers' gifts and special friends' treats!!!

                                      

I'm a planner...can't you tell???!!!  This helps give me time to gather what I REALLY want instead of settling for something I don't want!

Shopping radar list:  basic decor in silver/black,  mercury glass anything, buckets for the boys' candy, wood for the "countdown", frames and scrapbook paper for "eek", jars for the jack o lantern treat jars, white and black boas, silver ornaments, wreath form, canvases for the spider web and ghost prints, sign for "Autumn", sunflowers and Styrofoam spheres, jars for teachers' snack mix

Things to make:  black bats, countdown sign, Autumn sign, EEK sign. candy buckets, jack-o-lantern jars, wreath, tags for Boo lollipop stickers & ghost poop, sunflower kissing balls

WOW!!  I feel better already!!!  Happy Haunting!!!

What's Trendy Wednesday: Summer Party

Welcome to my first edition of What's Trendy Wednesday!  It's kind of funny that I'm picking "Trendy" to write about each week because, for the most part, I am a traditionally classic kind of girl and am always a little cautious in the trends that I try.  I believe that every woman should have a classic trench, a LBD, a pair of classic black trousers and/or classic black skirt, a white blouse, a pair of black heels, and of course a strand of pearls in her wardrobe.  I have the same philosophy about "dressing" your home---purchase great quality neutrals in those big ticket pieces (couch, dining furniture, bedroom furniture, etc. ).  Accessorize with the trends!  I am not bold enough to purchase a zebra chaise (although often, I wish I could be a little crazy like that!) , but a zebra pillow.  Why not?  Through this series, I hope to run down the trends and become a little more adventurous in my own home!

I'm getting ready for a PartyLite Candle Party for my friend Sarah.  I can't wait!  It will be a great time to reconnect with college friends!  When I'm planning a party, I like to start with a color scheme.  LOVE LOVE LOVE that color is such a focus right now!  Often, I find a piece of fabric or ribbon that I build my party around.  This time, I find my inspiration in the oh-so-trendy feathers!  Feathers are everywhere---even in hair (which I have not been bold enough to try)!  But party and tablescapes...let's do it! Some of my favorites I've spotted were at my local HobLob.                                                           

                                                           

                                                           

How much fun to build a summer party around these colors?  Turquoise and lime green---those colors scream summer and fun!!!

Invitation Duck offers these super cute invites!  Love both of these!!!!



                         

Ombre fabrics are totally hot right now.  I saw this fabric from Mood fabrics.  Ties for chairs?

                                     

Love the utensils wrapped in the turquoise napkin with raffia wrapped around and the shell attached.  Too cute!!!  I also love the melamine plates!     

                                                     

I think an arrangement in a tall clear vase with sand and shells in the bottom and little green mums would be so cute!!  The peacock feather might be a bit much...but the colors picked up in a ribbon around the vase would be presh!
                                        

Menu:  maybe this shrimp and feta cobb salad and some pimento cheese???

                                   

Or these BLT wraps???  A dear friend makes these and they are soooooooo good!!  Steph---who stole your recipe???  It's all over Pinterest?!?!


                                                


This Peach Tea Punch looks delish....

                                                

as does this Pineapple Sangria!

                                                

I can't wait to see how it all turns out!   Have you thrown a party with turquoise and lime?  I'd love any ideas you have to share!!!

Trippin' Tuesday: Montgomery, AL

"Enter to grow in wisdom; go forth to apply wisdom in service."  Those words are forever a part of me, and I was introduced to that philosophy a little over 20 years ago at a most wonderful place!

Last week, I shared my fun little visit to Prattville Pickers!  Adjacent to Prattville is Montgomery.  I had to visit my old stomping grounds!  I spent four incredible years in college in Montgomery. 

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This is a magical place!  It was here that I learned so much about myself and my faith as I prepared for my future---and it was also here that I really fell in love with vintage.  The school was built in the 1800s, and the architecture is magnificent!  I will never forget driving down College Street for the first time and seeing this.

This picture does not do this beautiful building justice.  This is Flowers Hall, home to classrooms, administration offices, and the beloved Chapel.  Huntingdon students have many memories of sitting through Western Civ and Old & New Testament Religion classes here as well as Convocations, Mr. & Miss Huntingdon pageants, and maybe even a Mafia Wedding!  The structure was built in the early 1900's in the Collegiate Gothic style and was designed by a former architecture professor at Harvard.  The steeple, gables, arches, and gargoyles are indicative of this style.  Ligon Chapel, at the rear of the building, was modeled after a chapel on the campus of Cambridge.  The college's ties to England don't end there.  The college had previously been named the Tuskegee Female College and the Alabama Conference Female College; the school re-named in 1935 after Selina, the Countess of Huntingdon.  Selina had been influential in the spread of the Wesleyan movement in England.

Ligon Hall was my first home on the Huntingdon Campus.  (My room was the first room on the far left on the second floor. :) )  This is traditionally the home of most of the freshman women on campus.  I loved living here--and some of my dearest friends shared this dorm with me our freshman year!  Oh, it has an EXCELLENT view of the soccer field and was very close to the baseball field and tennis courts, too!  I remember spending lots of time drooling rooting on the various Huntingdon Hawks' athletic teams!!!

 

This was the other female residence hall when I was on campus.  It was a joint residence hall, Pratt-Hanson.  Pratt-Hanson now houses classrooms and some offices, but the Red Lady still maintains her residence in the top far right room.  The Red Lady is one of several reported Huntingdon ghosts.  She is probably the most infamous.  Her story is reported in Huntingdon 's beloved alum, Kathryn Tucker Windham's 13 Alabama Ghosts.    (Several ghosts have been sited in Houghton Memorial Library!)  

The stone work is amazing!

Although the building is no longer a dorm, the sorority chapter rooms have maintained residence on the top floor!  AOII is where my heart is!

This is Wilson Center, where most of my classes were.   I spent many, many, many hours here---and shed a few tears as well, especially in my Econ classes!   As I write on my laptop and check my Ipad for emails, I crack up thinking about the computers we had then.   The server that was housed there was in a room bigger than my bedroom!   We did have an intra email system where we could send emails to each other---but it was very moody and unreliable at best.  It was a BIG DEAL at the time!! 

 

My visit was a great trip down memory lane, and it gave me a chance to plant seeds for a future Hawk.  Robert was with me and said something that was music to my ears!  "Momma, maybe I will go to college here!"  I hope so, sweet boy!  Nothing would make this Momma any prouder than to return to this campus in about 9 years to move in my first born!

I have to give a shout out to some of my favorite places that I may have visited once or twice....  ;)  I can hear a little "Muddy Waters" now....

These 2 were strategically placed to be within walking distance of campus!

 

I hope you enjoyed this walk through the Old Cloverdale area of Montgomery and my beloved Huntingdon College!  If you are interested in the college and need more information, click here and you will be forwarded to Huntingdon's website.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the first installment of WTW (What's Trendy Wednesday) and next Tuesday when we go "Trippin' " in another fun southern city!

A Little Bling for my Chair {Pillow Tutorial}

Remember that cute chair that I posted the other day with the fun Green Apple Rustoleum?  It needed a little bling---and a little cushioning!  I found some super cute fabric at JoAnn's that was perfect, and  I have tons of pillows that I could use as an insert. 

For the sewing:  and, yes, this is something EVERYONE can do.  I was fortunate enough to learn to sew in high school--and have loved it ever since!  I think this is a great skill for everyone to learn--and there are tons of great tutorials all over the internet, plus fabric stores all over offering beginner classes!  The best part and secret:   you can make this pillow without even sewing if you are absolutely opposed :) !!!

For most pillows, you can get away with a third to a half yard of fabric.  I wanted a larger pillow, so I used a half yard--and my fabric was on sale!!!!  I "measured" the pillow---placed the pillow that I wanted to use on top of the fabric and made sure I could use that pillow.  (If you can fold the fabric over twice and have some left over, it should work!)  This is just a basic envelope style pillow cover!

 

I folded both of the short edges over(wrong sides together), pinned, and sewed.  (This is the secret:  if you don't sew, you could use fabric glue or an iron-on hem adhesive strip.) 

 

 

I wanted to show you this little tip because I love these little circles! These show the colors that were used in the pattern---makes it so easy to match fabrics!!!

 

 

Once both of those edges are sewn together, I brought one end towards the middle (right sides together) --about 5 inches from the middle.  Then I folded the other edge towards the middle, also 5 inches from the middle.  These edges should overlap in the middle.  Pin and sew each of the edges.  You're done!  FOUR seams!!!  (If you are gluing or ironing, make sure you attach all three layers.  And I would ONLY recommend gluing or ironing if the pillow will not be used!)

 

Take the cover and turn right sides out and stuff the pillow inside!!!  EASY!! This is a great beginner's project--and great for our young friends who are learning to sew!! 

 

I love the way it turned out!  It brought so much fun color to my very beige, brown, and blah front porch!!

 

 

Thank you for my friends and my faithful followers!  I have several things I will be announcing very soon--something for my teacher friends and something for all my friends!  As school is rapidly approaching (so not ready!), I wanted to let you know what to expect as I transition into the school year!   I started my Trippin' Tuesday posts this past week.  Those will continue.   We are a travel loving family, and some of the posts will be actual trips that we take while others will be "if I could get away, this is where we would go." Starting this week, I will introduce my WTW (What's Trendy Wednesday) and That's Pinteresting Thursday.  Coming soon will be my Crafty Kids posts---easy craft projects to do with your little ones as well as your not so little ones!  I will continue to post the crazy things I come up with to do in my home.  Until then....