kitchen redo

our kitchen might look nice from these pictures
but there are quite a few flaws.



first being that the previous owner hung these cabinets himself and well, they are not level. I really want shelves in place of upper cabinets but being that we will not be in this house much longer, I have to work with what I have.
SO. this is what I want to do. paint the cabinets. a sagey-gray-green.

then the walls. a vanilla cream.

then add crown to the cabinets

and trim to the bottom.

then undermount lightning.

and my cd/clock radio.

but FIRST, I must convince my husband!

BENIGN!

yahoo! our vet called and let us know the awesome news! santos's tumor was benign!!!! we are so excited, relieved, and thankful nothing is wrong with him.


thanks to all of you who have been so kind to write
and leave comments for us!

vintage find

while we were visiting my home town, we hit downtown newburgh. I love it there. they have little shops and a lot are antique stores. this is my purchase of the month. I had to have it. I saw this little bear sitting on the shelf. it reminded me of something my great-grandmother would have made. the owner said it was a newly constructed bear but with a 1940's quilt. SOLD, I said.


I walked out of the store and my husband was patiently waiting. he said, you bought the bear? I said, yes. he said, what are you going to do with it? I said, it is for our fake baby. you know, it's for the baby that has the full box of baby clothes at home that I have been collecting since 2000.

a tribute to my best friend

nothing is better than knowing you have a friend you can call whenever. for anything. anytime.
I am blessed by good friends in my life. especially my best friend brooke. we have known each other since our senior year of high school. we instantly became friends. we went to purdue together and 8 years since college, we still talk just about every day.


love you brookie!

nie nie day

today is nie nie day. READ ABOUT NIE NIE DAY HERE.
we love DESIGN MOM. she started this whole tradition so be sure to take part for this awesome family! all auction proceeds will go directly to this family. 165+ people/companies have joined together to help this great cause.

mimi green

it is so hard to find a cute dog collar at the pet store. if it is a girl one it is always bright pink or has rhinestones on it. until now. MIMI GREEN

isn't the name so cute? not only are the collars and
leashes but I LOVE her tag.

stewart's


sophie's


santos's

this is like cute cute

OMG. as though I already don't have baby on the brain,
this just made it even worse!

L.J ink

I love this one for a little girl's room


this one for a little boy's room


and because I always try to save the best for last, this for a baby room

being a mom

so I don't know what it is like to be a "real" mom yet. however, last night I got a good taste of a sleepless night. I thought I was dreaming but it ended up being santos crying. he must have been in pain. he won't drink anything but he will eat peanut butter and bread. so I gave him a dose of his pain medicine and made a bed on the floor with him. now I know why our dogs like to sleep in our bed! hardwood floors are REALLY hard! I know he is feeling a bit better though because he rowed his boat (this is when he lays on his side and pushes his legs out) and went in between bry's legs this morning (his other favorite thing to do). hopefully he will heal quickly!

favorite elsa pictures

these are my favorite pictures of elsa from our trip.

surgery day

santos had his surgery today. everything went well and his teeth are sparkly. our vet said had his tumor been any bigger he would not have been able to have surgery. he would have to have had radiation in order to shrink it.


it grew quite a bit while we were gone last week. hopefully the lab reports will come back clean. for now he is resting in the kitchen with the doors closed so the other dogs don't bother him. he is very drugged right now and had a hard time getting out of the car.

fall pillow

I normally don't like to show a finished product before it is professionally photographed but I had to for this


I am in love with the yarn and cover and SIZE. I love how long it is and how fallish. another thing I love about this pillow is the inside pillow forms are recycled. they are the inserts that I remove from the gift boxes. I have about 300 of these inserts and I couldn't throw them away. so this will be a good use for them.
COMING SOON!

fay is on her way

hopefully she'll make a sharp right turn!

new favorite picture

I love this picture of my niece


I can't believe she is almost three!

back and forth

the lab results are back and they came back suspicious and abnormal. I guess it wasn't an ingrown hair! santos will have his surgery on the 26th. hopefully everything will come back benign after the pathologist reports but the vet recommended it being removed in case it cancerous. he is also getting his teeth cleaned! I am really excited about that!

porch

we have the cutest little porch that overlooks a park with a huge lake.


(this is how the previous owners had it decorated)

I bought some wicker chairs a bit back but ONLY because they were inexpensive and I was staging our home since it was on the market. after I accepted that our house is not going to sell in this market, I sold them on ebay. so now that our porch is empty and fall is about to begin I am on a mission to decorate our porch. I want to work out there this fall, have a t.v. and feel the crisp breeze. I love the fall (even though it starts in november here). I really want to watch the golden girls out there and stitch. so this is what I am thinking of for the porch:



and I love this rug.
it would go great with the chairs without the paisley pillow

santos update

so the vet thinks it is an ingrown hair!!! she took a sample of it which santos did NOT like (that explains the "caution" sticker on his folder). she is calling to confirm tomorrow after the lab results are ready. we are going to mcdonalds to get him a cone to celebrate!

what's in your water?

maybe this story will change your view a bit if you are still one of those drinking out of everything plastic and making every excuse NOT to recycle it.
this is a water sample taken from the pacific ocean. the article says in the Pacific alone, heavily polluted plastic zones amount to the size of the continent of africa.
though this process can not be eliminated overnight, by making wiser choices, we CAN make a difference. you can read the rest of the story HERE.

here are easy and simple ways you can make a difference:
*quit buying bottled water. it is unneccesary. you can buy a SIGG and fill it with filtered water. you are drinking the same thing, if not better. plastic water bottles contain bisphenol A and have shown to disrupt hormones and is associated with obesity and diabetes.
*no more plastic bags! bring your own bag to the store. there really is no excuse any more for people using plastic bags. they sell reusable at about every store and they are usually $1!
*be conscious of the products you buy at stores. is it wrapped in plastic? is the bottle plastic?
*bring your own cup to get your morning coffee.

all these small changes add up and we can all make a difference!

pure sweetness

nothing is better than coming home to your house smelling like your favorite candle, beautiful flowers and a card from your husband after a hard day.

summer is ending

what better way to end the summer than with an all-american tradition



I almost won


I love that 80's screen

coming soon

we have already had free shipping since we started. next is our "what's new" button so you can click and see the fall goodies. and our soon-to-start free gift wrap. i love my tiny sprouts customers and thought this would be a special treat!
here is a cutie that will be a ts model for fall goodness


photo is property of MADISON AVE PHOTOGRAPHY

my santos

he was my first dog on my own. we lived in a little apartment that was underground and we had the best time.


I saw him at petsmart for an adoption day and bought him for $50. it is the best $50 I have ever spent. santos and I moved to florida in may of 2001. he sat in the front seat the whole way and learned to drink from a cup when he was thirsty. he is my baby.


I always think about how life wouldn't be the same without him, how I don't know what I'd do. then I try to remember he is young and healthy and active.


last night before bed I was having snuggle time with him and I noticed a huge lump on his foot. we saw this a few weeks back but it was very small. it has grown immensely in the past few weeks. of course this brought me back to thinking what I would do without him, what if he has cancer?


so tomorrow he is going to the vet. say a little prayer for our santos. he is very much a part of our family and we love him very much.

I hate to complain

but it is 91 degrees in our house. I guess the a/c guy is coming tomorrow. 18 hours to go. I will never
be more thankful tonight when the sun to goes down!

it's getting hot in here

I guess it wasn't a miracle. saturday evening the air quit working. it actually hasn't been too bad. except for last night. it was 89 degress in our house. we turned on all the fans we had in our house and placed them in front of our bed. I wish home depot was open 24 hours because I would have bought one of those industrial fans at 2 a.m. to make it through the night. for some reason all of the dogs wanted to be extra cuddly last night and lay on me. by 3 a.m. I was hot and went to the guest room. our a/c guy should be here shortly! hallelujah!


this picture is from 2005. we had moved in our rental beach house and we were worried about the dogs adjusting. this had been our 3rd move in 6 months. that night we found them well at home!

these are a few of my favorite things, home edition

welcome to our 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath home, circa 1935. 1351 square feet with an enclosed front porch. we love this little house and the history that is inside. my friend had written a post of a few of her favorite things: home edition. so I thought I'd copy! (thanks, jen!)

the original wood awnings on our house. when we first looked at the house I thought they were metal. yuck. but once I was upclose I realized that they are the original wood awnings. I wonder who built them? we love them because they are almost 70 years old AND provide great shade. we were happy we didn't have to add window treatments when we moved in. I love natural light!


the floor in the baby room/tiny sprouts office. at first I wasn't crazy about it. I am not a big fan of anything mosaic but when I learned the history of it, I loved it. this room used to be the back porch. they enclosed the porch and added a half bath. they then added this to the floor. I just imagine a cute old man creating this. that's history!


a few pieces I love in our half bath are the lights. they have an outlet in them. you can't find them ANYWHERE any more. and the medicine cabinet. it has a flower design etched in the mirror and it is a bit rusty.


the windows in our breakfast room. they are opened
by hand-cranking them with a long metal key.
(there is one by the white chair that is in the corner).


the built-in bookshelves. there used to be another set where the green dresser now sits but it was beyond repair.


when the previous owners took it they found
A LETTER FROM THE 2ND OWNER OF THE HOUSE!



(sorry this picture is so bad, I took it the day we were looking at
the house and I was shaking because
I was so excited and wanted the house so badly!)

the original built-in armoire type thing in our kitchen. this might very well by favorite thing in our house. when I saw this before we bought the house I was immediately in love. the inside of the doors are a butter yellow. I think at one point the kitchen was this color because there is a set of the original cabinet doors


and the inside of those are yellow, too.


original crystal door knobs on the french doors in our house.


concrete sink that was sitting in our backyard when we moved in. I am wondering if this was in the house at one point or maybe laundry room? I love it. I would love to have it as my kitchen sink one day. I just don't know who'd be able to pick it up! so for now it is our herb garden.


the built-in shelf in the half bath. this room is so cozy. it is tiny too. it is my tiny sprouts employee restroom.


the tile in our main bath. though I would never choose it if we had to replace the floor, I love it because it is the original. imagine someone on their hands and knees laying that tile. it is mint condition for being 70+ years old. also, the medicine cabinet/shelf piece. it is one big piece. so unique!


and last but not least, we are lucky enough to have all the original interior doors & knobs, windows & wood floors.

my beloved apron

usually when I decide to add something it is totally random. I was at joanns one day and I saw spring ticking fabric I thought it would be so cute for an apron. then I googled "50's apron" online and found the pattern. a few weeks later I had the apron and picture sitting in front of me. they were even cuter than I imagined. especially seeing it on my niece for the first time. then I got a call a few weeks after I added it that a major catalog wanted to pick it up for their holiday season. she said, we send out a million catalogs. the apron would be the feature for their holiday catalog. they were doing pink for their season color and all things kitchen. I was very excited but kind of stressed at the same time because these aprons are completely handmade. lots of time and love goes into each one. so I hired someone to make them for me and let her know that I needed to have 30 by october 1st. until today. I received an email that said to have 150 ready for season and the potential for more depending on the sales after the first few weeks the holiday catalog goes out. OH. MY. GOSH. so this evening I will be off to joanns to special order this fabric.


just hear those sleigh bells jingling....

favorite indianapolis homes

I love looking at older homes. these are my favorite indianapolis homes I have looked at in the past year or so. all from different homes and different features I love.

you just never know

how complimenting someone can change their whole day.

I received this email on monday.

"I got my birthday gift apron today! a) thank you for the "rush" and b) IT IS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS it is so cute! even the packaging makes me smile every time I receive something from you. you are so good at what you do! THANK YOU!"


thanks, paige, for making my day!

cuties

thanks to all who send their photos!

ezra


natalie & charlotte


maysie


piper

this will make you smile!

a golden retriever adopts tiger cubs at kansas zoo!


how sweet is this? the tiger cubs were abandoned by their mother and this golden took over! you can read the rest of the story HERE

if you have a boy

you'll need this spray. I LOVE this stuff from NATURAL SUNDAE. I bought 2 bottles a little over a year ago and we just now ran out. that is how long it lasts. you can use it in a number of places (on sheets, bathroom, trash cans, your face) and that is why I love it. there are no chemicals, just good stuff and you will never buy the nasty glade stuff again! they have so many great scents but the lemongrass is my favorite.


it reminds me of our honeymoon. we were in negril jamaica and they made this awesome tea with lemongrass. for some reason my husband thought it contained alcohol and would hurry to get me another. after about 5 glasses when I was completely sober he realized that it was just tea!
this site just launched and for the month of august you can receive 25% off your purchase by using coupon "Launch1"

cloth diapers

I love cloth diapers and plan to diaper our kid in them. I was reading an article this morning and it almost made me sick. do you know what is put in disposable diapers?!

"Disposable diapers contain traces of Dioxin, an extremely toxic by-product of the paper-bleaching process. It is a carcinogenic chemical, listed by the EPA as the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals. It is banned in most countries, but not the U.S..

Disposable diapers contain traces of Tributyl-tin (TBT). In May 2000 Greenpeace found TBT in Pampers Baby Dry in Germany. TBT is one of the most toxic substances ever made. It harms the immune system and impairs the hormonal system. There is speculation that it could cause boys to become sterile.

Disposable diapers contain sodium polyacrylate, a type of super absorbent polymer (SAP), which becomes a gel-like substance when wet. A similar substance had been used in super-absorbency tampons until the early 1980s when it was revealed that the material increased the risk of toxic shock syndrome. It is interesting to note that studies show employees in factories manufacturing sodium polyacrylate suffer from female organ problems, slow healing wounds, fatigue and weight loss."

the reason I had planned on diapering in cloth was because of the environmental impact. I am so glad I know all these facts now. lately, those to-go containers that restaurants pack your food up in to take home is giving me anxiety. not only do they just end up in a landfill but most of they are made with the #6 plastic. you aren't even supposed to use those! okay, I am off my soapbox!

3 things you should try

I urge you to try these products.

hansen's sodas.

they are 100% natural and do not contain any preservatives, caffeine, sodium, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors or colors. what is does contain is pure triple filtered carbonated water, cane sugar, citric acid, natural flavors with extracts of yucatan mandarin and colima lime

quorn products. one of our favorites is the naked chik'n cutlets


what it doesn't contain is tendons. what it does contain 80 calories and 11 grams of protein and the texture & taste of chicken.

smart-life bacon (or facon)


what it doesn't contain: miss piggy. what it does contain is the actual bacon taste.

vintage books

I haven't been book shopping in a while. my friend and I hit my favorite store last week and next to it is a book store. I had never been in before. there are books everywhere. vintage books, that is.
these were my finds for the day



we then had lunch at this super cute organic restaurant in downtown clearwater called the rabbit hole.


the food is so so good and you leave feeling really healthy!

cast away

this is one of my all time favorite movies. I LOVE tom hanks. tonight this movie was on. it has my favorite quote of all time too


"TOMORROW THE SUN WILL RISE
BUT NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THE TIDE WILL BRING"

and the way he says it in the movie. it gives me goosebumps. one day I am going to have it painted on a sign from the little brown house. I love the aged look of them!

i am dancing!

my new proof is in and the colors are PERFECT!!!!


yeah for friday!

funny sign

today while I was driving, I noticed EXXON's message on their sign. it said:

UNITED WE STAND


I thought it was funny because I heard on the news today that EXXON PROFITED 1.8 BILLION dollars in 3 months. they make $1500 every second of every day.

quilt-baby

I have been a big fan of quilt-baby for a while now. her stuff is so cool, modern and home-made.
she is having a SUPER, SUPER, SUPER sale so CHECK IT OUT.

I will be adding these to my baby collection




LOVE those fabrics!