tiny sprouts

must have

2012-01-30T12:15:00.000-06:00

i think these are a must have for noah's nursery {click on image for link}

new tags for 2012

2012-01-27T05:19:00.000-06:00

i had a mini site redesign and added animal illustrations to my site. i wanted a more baby feel and something whimisical for 2012. also redone are my hang tags and thank you cards. here they are!

this is the hangtag & sticker

this is the front side of the thank you card. i had it made a size 4x4 for something different!

and this is the back side to write the gift note or thank you card.

also new is the gift wrap. pictures coming soon!

craigslist deal of the year

2012-01-24T14:38:00.001-06:00

we sold our table while in indiana because it was going to be too large for our new place. i searched online and on craigslist and came across this table & 4 chairs. i wanted something simple, affordable and great quality. this table and 4 chairs just happen to be from pottery barn. and the best part? she was selling the entire set for $135! it is a perfect fit!

nursery dreaming

2012-01-23T21:03:00.001-06:00

on feb 1 we will finally be getting our much needed garage. our 2nd bedroom now is storing all of our box and holiday decorations & that 2nd bedroom is going to be noah's.

i am in decoration mode and ready to get his room ready! although only 27 weeks, i feel as though i am just as big with noah as i was with cole at around 32-34 weeks. i guess those stomach muscles really aren't they same, are they?

here are some goods i found on etsy! (click on the picture to be linked to the shop!):

super sweet art work

a handmade mobile & pennant banner from a vintage quilt. melt my heart!

handmade frames (& just so happens my talented hubby makes these & just opened his shop on etsy!)

another diaper pail! (do you know how much i love cloth diapering??)

and a super sweet cozy welcome home outfit for him to come home in!

pictures of the completed nursery coming soon!

fun day with cole

2012-01-20T18:17:00.001-06:00

before we moved from IN to FL we decided to sell my car. bry works a lot at nights and i thought it would be an okay thing. so far so good. today was my first day without a car since we moved so i wanted to be sure we kept busy. we ended up having a photo session a few steps from our front door. cole & i went the store beforehand and bought this giant sucker. i have been wanting to do a photosession like this forever!

beach!

2012-01-18T07:22:00.002-06:00

today we are headed to the beach! the high is to be 78 and the breeze from the ocean will be awesome! cole is 20 months old today. i was dreaming all last night of the pictures i wanted to capture of him on the beach. pictures of him with his pure pastey white skin. if only you could feel how soft it is. oh how i love that little boy. his personality has emerged in the past few months and he is seriously funny. stayed tuned later for my 20 month pictures of him. hopefully they will be the same as in my dreams!

these are pictures i took of him a few days after we arrived in florida. we couldn't wait to visit the ocean!

my favorite room

2012-01-17T19:41:00.001-06:00

we moved into our new home almost two weeks ago. immediately the solarium (aka cole's playroom) is my favorite room. in the mornings we open the windows and let the fresh air in. i love all of the natural light and that i can see palm trees from the couch!

i love how perfectly cole's armoire from his nursery fit here. it houses all of his books. once we moved and no longer had three levels to keep his toys on, i realized just how many toys we have! so i made 7 bins for each day of the week and divided up his toys. this keeps everything out of site because each bin is put away every night!

welcome to florida!

26 weeks & 20 months

2012-01-16T14:55:00.001-06:00

i'm dreaming of noah

2012-01-13T17:33:00.001-06:00

this pregnancy is flying by. i will already be 26 weeks on sunday!

on feb 1 we will get our much need garage and i will be able to begin noah's nursery. all of the boxes that are currently occupying that room will move to the garage.

these are a couple of items that i am really wanting for him. i wanted them both for cole but i never bought them & i always regretted it.

i found this on craigslist for $200 for the entire set (minus those bows)

and i am picking this up tomorrow for $65! it retails for almost $200. it looks pink but it is red with orange and will be great for walks in the spring as it attaches to our stroller!

happy friday!

my new laundry room

2012-01-13T06:33:00.001-06:00

one of the things i love most about our new home is that it is mostly one level. our bedroom is in the loft but that is the only area that is on a different level. i am in love with our laundry closet. i love having the w&d so close to the bedrooms, i can easily do laundry and not have to leave cole on one level to run down and grab the clean clothes.
so with our move i decided that i was going to attempt cloth diapering with cole again. i cloth diapered 100% for 6 months and then my diapers were leaking. we figured out it was our hard water in indiana. even after a water softener, the diapers were never the same so i switched to earth's best diapers. i really loved them but the expense of them and the waste really started getting to me.
noah's arrival will be here in 3 months and i plan to cloth diaper him anyway, so i figured if i am already washing dirty diapers, i might as well add to it.
now that cole is a bit older, it is a bit messier, but it has not been bad at all so far. i do wash the diapers every night but it is so easy! bry installed a new drying line in our closet so i could dry the diapers overnight. i read the diapers last longer if you line dry.
here's my new laundry area and diapers!

newborn photo session

2012-01-13T06:26:00.001-06:00

check out this sweet boy i got to photo the other day! so sweet, isn't he?

saying goodbye to IN

2012-01-12T17:25:00.001-06:00

it has been a long time since i have been here. the last few months seem to be a bit blurred. between packing, the holidays, being pregnant and moving, time has quickly passed. we are now living in FL once again and said goodbye to indiana on january 1st!

bry working hard

our home for almost 3 years

cole observing

cole the furry lion cub 2011

2011-10-31T19:54:00.001-05:00

big move 2012

2011-10-29T18:15:00.000-05:00

so it is official, january 1, 2012 we will be making our move back to florida. i am excited and a little scared. i am not sure life will be like without my family so near or close {again}, especially with baby #2 due in april. however, we feel this is the best decision for our family & because of that, i am really excited for our new venture.

here is a sneak of our new place!

theater!

fun picnic areas!

one of two pools!

the other pool

the crazy thing about where we decided to live is the first place bry & i looked at when we decided to move in together 10 years ago. at the time they only accepted one dog, size 35 pounds or under. they have since changed that rule & both of our pups should do well here!

katie brown

2011-10-29T18:05:00.001-05:00

have you heard of katie brown? i discovered her about 6 months ago at meijer. you have got to see her collection! her stuff is so so cute and i want it all!

move over martha, katie brown is in town!

feeling very blessed

2011-10-10T12:17:00.000-05:00

today i had my 12 week appointment for our second baby. there is nothing like hearing the heartbeat of the baby inside you. i always worry at this stage of pregnancy because the baby doesn't kick or move much (at least for me) and i only look like i've gained weight. so when i heard the heartbeat my eyes filled with tears. this baby is a such a huge blessing to me for so many reasons. here is our first blessing 5 days new.

growing up

2011-10-04T20:21:00.004-05:00

one year ago cole looked like this

and this year he looks like this

time sure has flown :(

always remember

2011-09-25T19:09:00.002-05:00

tiny sprouts #2

2011-09-16T09:56:00.000-05:00

baby #2 due in april 2012!!!!!

florida vacation

2011-09-14T09:50:00.001-05:00

we took a trip to florida this past week and had a great time. the weather was great (except for a little rain and an extra hot day) but we had a blast. we visited the beach a lot, ate at lots of great places & spent time with great friends! it was hard to come back but now we get to enjoy fall! yahoo!

button up gown

2011-08-30T18:14:00.001-05:00

i am beginning updating my pictures to add text to all that will describe features of each product and the color of the garment as well as the threads used.

it takes a while to complete all the steps but i think it will be well worth it once it is done!

bry & cole having fun!

2011-08-23T22:15:00.000-05:00

one day

2011-08-20T18:13:00.002-05:00

when i become organized i want jars that look like this!

chairs

2011-08-18T10:27:00.000-05:00

i am crazy for these chairs from world market

new toy

2011-08-08T10:28:00.001-05:00

in the past week cole has become very interested in shapes & putting them through their proper holes. i found this on amazon & ordered it.

it is amazing to me his developments in the past few weeks. here are a few:
1. recognizing people in pictures. especially uncle chad. he was pointing and walking towards his pictures saying, chad. chad.
2. repeating words shortly after we say them.
3. associating bath with bed, light with bed, and certain books with night night
4. putting objects into another
5. putting items back where he got them from
6. doing things when asked. examples, kissing the dogs, putting his food on his tray, signing when he wants more food, when he is all done or when he is ready for bed or nap.

this age is by far my favorite yet. i have loved all of the stages but each one keeps getting better & better!!

bathroom finds

2011-08-06T21:21:00.002-05:00

one of the things i am so excited about for our move is cole having his own bathroom. not because we won't share anymore but because i'll get to decorate another space!

i think he will love this shower curtain

with this super cute rug

and this super cute towel with fun bath words (if only they can make it all lowercase)

and hopefully in the next few days i will be forever finished with redoing my bathroom cabinet!

finally stripped after three or four layers of paint!

my toddler

2011-08-04T22:37:00.001-05:00

see this sweet boy of mine?

he is getting big. AND HE IS WALKING!!!! EVERYWHERE. it is awesome!

i am already dreaming of his toddler room with his toddler bed.

cole loves trucks. loves might be a complete understatement. i don't know what he would do without his trucks. really. so for his toddler room i want to get him this set, but...... IT IS SOLD OUT. help me find it, will you? i would love you forever

this rug is SO cole!

the toddler bed i have my eye on minus the bedding set

and ever!

a lifetime friend

2011-07-13T17:51:00.002-05:00

this week my friend marla came to visit. last time I saw her we were both pregnant. we began that journey together after reconnecting when time was lost the past few years. it was so great being with someone who {knows} you. someone who has grown up with you and seen you with braces, acne and all the like. so this time we got together it was extra special because we both had our children. it was a great few days! and it had me itching for a baby girl!

clare, marla & me. cole decided he'd rather nap than get a picture!

I am in love with this picture. it looks like she is skipping!

no words for this picture other than l.o.v.e.

she's just precious in that bonnet!

that face. heart be still

first newborn session!

2011-07-11T12:43:00.001-05:00

last week I was lucky enough to meet this beautiful baby girl. she weighed 5 pounds too! it was such a fun experience. I have always loved photography and as of late, it is my favorite thing to do! I just love simplicity in photos and I hope these feature just that.

you are my inspiration

2011-07-10T10:55:00.001-05:00

this tank top. it is my inspiration to lose the last of my baby weight. 10 flipping pounds. they won't just come off as they should.

I can do it, I can do it. I just hope it isn't fall by the time I get there because then this tank top will have to wait until our big move back to florida!

10 minute craft day

2011-07-09T18:37:00.003-05:00

I love to make things but I don't have a lot of time. so it has to be quick and this is. come along with me to make a personalized hookboard.

this is what you will need:
1. shims
2. hot glue gun & glue stick
3. paint & brush
4. sand paper
5. vintage letter blocks
6. picture hanger
7. clear polyurethane

step one: grab your shims

step two: hot glue 4 of them together, horizontally. don't worry if excess glue comes out. you can sand it off

step three: lightly paint the shims with your favorite color

step four: let dry & lightly sand (shims are rough)
step five: grab your vintage letter blocks

step six: grab your hot glue gun & put glue on the opposite side of the letter & press on your shim board

step seven: apply a coat of clear polyurethane all around the letters if you plan on hanging wet items from. this will protect the wood.

step eight: add your hanger to the back

step nine: smile at your finished 10 minute project.

I made two boards. one using the bright sides of the letters that are raised &

the other board I used the muted letters that are not raised. I love both

I plan on putting this in cole's bathroom one day. I think it will be super cute for him to hang his swim trunks, towel & wash cloth from!

one of my favorite families

2011-07-07T11:59:00.001-05:00

i LOVE this family.

happy 4th!

2011-07-04T17:30:00.001-05:00

gramma love

2011-07-04T10:45:00.001-05:00

bry's mama was here over the weekend so I decided to get some of her & cole together. we have a big picture wall that I am updating with all of our family. I think these will make some great photos!

first maternity!

2011-06-28T20:26:00.001-05:00

on sunday, I had the pleasure of a session with this gorgeous mama-to-be. okay, she is seriously 39 weeks pregnant and is she not stunning? she walked in & I only wished I had looked that great pregnant!
so this is the sweetest couple. her husband was extra cute, getting emotional thinking about his soon-to-be-born-son. already a good dad in my opinion!

and you can never not get the family dog!

my heart aches

2011-06-27T16:47:00.008-05:00

it has been only two days without bear. I feel like it has been forever. I miss him. we miss him. we wish he could come home to be with us.

photo by lilly bella photography. thanks, kristen!

I wish all those little things that used to annoy me would come back. like him licking the floor repeatedly when nothing was on it, licking my pants, carrying around cole's favorite toys when we were about to go on a walk, peeing on every tree we pass, begging in the kitchen.

but I know in my heart we did the right thing. I know he was in pain. you can see it in his face. his eyes. we just miss him terribly & would give anything to have one more day with him when he was young & healthy. we'd throw the ball really far to him on the beach & he'd run so fast the sand would cover his face.

my heart will heal. just not today

saying goodbye to bear

2011-06-25T17:09:00.033-05:00

today we had to make the very painful decision to put our beloved lab, stewart, to rest. he had been sick for the past week & yesterday we were told he probably had some sort of cancer. instead of doing further testing, we knew he had had a great life & did not want him to suffer or endure anything uncomfortable.

we adopted stewart in march of 2003 from lab rescue of florida. on his listing it said, "can jump 8 foot fences but is a snuggle bug." he was just that. every night he would lay on the couch in bry's lap & before we moved to indiana, he would sleep inbetween us each night & would snore all night long.

we believe stewart was probably around 12-13 years old. over the past year he has slowly had a harder time getting up. over the past few weeks he quit eating & became sick quite often. my fear was his pain. I did not want him to suffer for a second. last night, we carried him up the stairs to sleep with us one last time. he had a hard time getting comfortable and a few hours later I carried him down to the couch.

things we loved about stewart that we will never forget:
his affection, his appetite, his icky kisses, his long sighs, his snuggling, his grey face, his love for walks, his doggy dreams, his protective nature, his crooked toenails, his one white eyelash, his funny teeth, his love for carrying anything & everything in his mouth. I could go on and on....

below are pictures of his life with us.

first car ride! we adopted him from lab rescue of florida in 2003.

first snuggle time

going to the park for the first time

playing ball at the beach!

one of my favorite pictures

he used to put a tennis ball in his mouth and bite all the way down. he had one strong jaw!

young stew bear, 2003

family photo

recovery from surgery, bear was always near my side to snuggle

still recovering & bear was still there

yesterday. you can see in his face he just did not feel well.

my snuggle bug

bear, we love you with all our hearts & will miss you terribly. may you be at peace now, pain-free, running through the ocean & eating an entire bag of dog food like you always wanted.

happy father's day!

2011-06-20T16:05:00.001-05:00

I was so excited this year about father's day. I wanted a day to show bry how special I think he is. I think he is a wonderful father. he loves cole to death, is so good with him & couldn't be a better father! so on this day, we did all things for bry!

we started off by making this banner so it was hanging when he got home from work at 2:30 a.m.

the next morning he had homemade french toast in bed.

this was one of his gifts. a hand-stamped picture with words from cole describing his dada!

the next cole stamped his foot & hand and we framed a picture of them.

here they are looking at a year's worth of pictures of the two of them together.

and lastly, one of my all time favorite ever pictures. the two of them! we treated bry yesterday to a shopping spree to get some new clothing. he looks very handsome in his new gear.

thanks, bry, for all you do for us. we sure do love you!!!

my handsome brother & his family

2011-06-16T17:46:00.003-05:00

there is just something about my niece and the way she photographs. to say she is cute just doesn't feel like the right word. gorgeous maybe? she is just the sweetest little baby girl, also known as "velcro baby" because she is attached to my brother like no other. she loves her mama who lovingly refers to her as "peapod". I just love baby nicknames & my brother's family. I think he is quite handsome, if I do say so myself!

does this look similar?

2011-06-16T17:26:00.002-05:00

with thousands of names you could choose for your business, logo, fonts, etc, this company decided they really liked my logo, business name & font. originality anyone?

the little red chair

2011-06-16T17:18:00.001-05:00

I picked up this perfect little red chair while my friend and I were antiquing the other day with our kiddos. it was a great summer day and we walked to the antique store. who knew we'd find this chair & have to take turns hauling it home while pushing our strollers! as soon as we got home I placed the chair in the foyer and ran to heat cole's bottle as it was past his bedtime and he was a crabapple. apparently he was so excited to sit in the chair that he tried to stand and the chair tumbled over. he was wailing while I was rushing to him. the next day he had forgotten all about the incident and jumped back in!

sweet baby clyde

2011-06-16T17:10:00.002-05:00

I was so lucky to get to photo this sweet baby boy! oh, it feels like forever since cole was that age and it was only 9 months ago. time sure goes by quickly & my mind is having trouble remembering the days when cole would lie on his back and that was it! now he is a mover and a shaker. anyway, here is clyde!

another special family

2011-06-13T10:22:00.001-05:00

sunday I was able to capture this beautiful family. this family is near and dear to my heart. wynn's mama, erin, is one of my closest friends in this entire world. we share a lot of same interests, our children are near the same age & we just love being together. thank you erin, for allowing me to capture you! I love you to pieces! near & far!

{the willis family}

2011-06-11T19:09:00.002-05:00

today I was able to capture the willis family. here are some of my favorites.

delight

2011-06-10T16:34:00.001-05:00

I LOVE the expression on cole's face in this picture.

happy friday!

horizontal beadboard

2011-06-03T19:15:00.001-05:00

I am a sucker for beadboard. when I was 23 & didn't have a great concept of time, I thought I could remodel our bathroom while my, then, boyfriend was at a meeting. I called my friend, she came over to help me demo my bathroom. I really thought I could lay tile, install beadboard, a pedastal sink, mirror and paint in a matter of hours. really, I did. when bry pulled up the vanity was sitting in the front yard. he came in and just shook his head. he called the professionals in. my bathroom was beautiful afterall:

doesn't do it justice. terrible, out of focus, picture

so my next house, or townhome, I want to have horizontal beadboard throughout the downstairs. here are some inspiration pictures!

eclectic bedroom design by birmingham interior designer Tracery Interiors

Source: decorpad.com via Dory on Pinterest

I love, love, love to dream about decorating our next home

reading time before "nigh nigh"

2011-06-03T18:33:00.002-05:00

these are some of my favorite moments, dada & cole reading time

p.s. do you like the quilt I use for a blackout shade/curtain?

my all time favorite picture

2011-05-30T09:03:00.002-05:00

brennan did not want to have his picture taken for some of the photos on saturday. as shown below, he was giving me this face

I said, brennan, please don't smile. I DO NOT want you to smile at me. then he began strutting his stuff:

this is my favorite picture from saturday. classic.

capturing real life {the nor family}

2011-05-28T20:59:00.001-05:00

today I had the pleasure of capturing the nor family. real life style. this was my first family to capture. warning: there are a lot of pictures!

don't they have the most beautiful family?

p.s. this is my sister's family!

photoshop fun

2011-05-24T14:25:00.000-05:00

I recently downloaded the cs5 photoshop. oh my gosh, what fun. here are some examples of photos I have added actions to.
before:

after:

before:

after:

before:

after:

SO FUN!

ainsley

2011-05-21T18:59:00.004-05:00

today I photo'd my niece. is she not to die for? love those cheeks!

new hand-stamped growth chart

2011-05-20T09:32:00.002-05:00

I am loving the new hand-stamped growth charts. I feel like they give a bit more modern look and something for an older child. coming to the shop soon!

my two loves

2011-05-19T22:49:00.003-05:00

my favorite picture. ever.

new tiny sprouts product

2011-05-19T18:35:00.001-05:00

I have been waiting for spring to add this bubble romper to my line. is it not perfect for spring & summer? I am just in love with maddie too. I wish I could kiss those cheeks!

new product

2011-05-19T18:12:00.002-05:00

cole and I ventured outside shortly before bedtime this evening. I just got in a new product for five 18 & was too excited to wait until morning. I am loving my new camera & lens.
one thing I learned after having cole was how much I loved one piece outfits. they are the best. when I found this outfit I had to add it. it will be added to my etsy shop & my tiny sprouts hand-stamped category.

i LOVE this face

smiling at the dog walking by

classic kitchens

2011-05-19T08:50:00.002-05:00

I love house hunting and I love dreaming about what my next kitchen will look like. recently I parted with my 10 year collection of fiestaware. for years I have wanted simple dishes. one color. I decided to list them to see if I'd sell them. I listed them on craigslist and sold them. all 20 place settings and several side pieces. my cupboards are now filled with white dishes with a pearled edge. beautiful and simple. I think they would be perfect in any of these kitchens.

I am loving the mint green.

I love open shelving

cole is one!

2011-05-18T20:53:00.002-05:00

welcome to cole's first ever birthday party! I was so excited to plan his party. there was a 60% chance of rain but it held off until an hour after the party!

here are pictures {a lot} from his big day!

check out the super cute banner from good gravy designs this is now hanging in cole's room! SO CUTE!

hang tags from good gravy!

cupcake toppers & hang tags again {from good gravy}

birthday card from my dad {I love his writing}

cups from a party store with added stickers of cole & birthday wishes. guess from who?

I hung all of my canvases from our trees in our backyard. seating was complete with vintage gliders

our old stew bear. is this pictures not to die for?

a close up of his banner. the party seriously would not have been complete without this!

I am in love with this gift we received from my sister. a vintagy frame with cole's name with a burlap backdrop!

elsa & brennan, ages 5 1/2 & 3 1/2. sniff sniff

cole & his bff wynn playing with "bubbles in the air"

my other love bugs, e&b

opening gifts!

cutest pitchers!

my niece, ainsey harper. is she not to.die.for?

the birthday boy!

mama helping cole blow out his first candle!

digging in!

he loved it

love this shot

dada getting all the crumbs.

sugar high

cole in his new wagon! in lieu of gifts we asked for donations to newborns in need instead. he still received some gifts but his wagon was filled with items for newborns!

bry's homemade guac!

mama got a new camera

2011-05-17T08:01:00.003-05:00

I decided to take the plunge and sell my old nikon d40 camera and purchase a canon. I loved my bil's camera but it was a bit out of my price range. after using my friend's camera I decided to purchase a canon eos 20d. I ended up selling my camera on ebay in 5 minutes, purchasing the canon, lens, memory card & media reader for $40 more. yesterday I received it in the mail. this was the first picture out of my new camera.

cole matthew. just two days shy of his first birthday.

my goal for this second year of life with cole is to learn my camera. I really, really want to purchase photoshop but because of the price, I think I will have to settle for photoshop elements. I want to learn how to make my pictures great, add textures & love what I am shooting!

drawing the line

2011-05-16T20:45:00.001-05:00

I am one of those moms that is not a germaphobe. if cole drops something I give it the 5 second rule {or maybe 10}. I let him put other kids toys in his mouth. I let him play in the dogs water bowl. I let him chew on just about anything but this is where I draw the line.

see his face? he knows he is not supposed to be near here.

he's thinking about it.

there he goes! good thing it is bath time!

first birthday

2011-05-15T21:02:00.002-05:00

pictures of this spectacular day coming soon

my baby is one

unique finds

2011-05-12T09:02:00.000-05:00

there are days I wake and I dream of living in a small bungalow near the beach. I would have my windows open and hear the sounds of the ocean while baking fresh bread in my small kitchen. then I'd later walk to the local antique store and pick up finds like these:

all while cole is riding quite stylish in this vintage wagon

bungalows

2011-05-11T11:21:00.001-05:00

I just love bungalows and could look at them all day.

tdf collars

2011-05-10T12:29:00.002-05:00

I am a sucker for a cute dog collar and these are so so cute

and these feeders are SO CUTE!

super cute collars & feeders found here

bear

2011-05-07T12:09:00.000-05:00

when we went to florida for vacation, my good friend erin graciously watched stewart for us. every time she would come over she would comment how much she loved him and his face & she'd watch him anytime. we took her up on this in a heartbeat!

check out these awesome photos she took of him and her son!

wynn's saddle

one of my all time favorite pictures. my favorite part? wynn's sock hanging off!

very first birthday

2011-05-06T21:32:00.000-05:00

a week from tomorrow we will be celebrating cole's very first birthday party. I cannot believe an entire year of his life has passed. those very first months seem like such a blur. thankfully, I have over 6,000 pictures from his first year of life. how overwhelming to search through them. my heart aches at times I see his very first days of life

one of my very very very favorite pictures

education hour in a size "up to 7 pounds" outfit

and others, my heart smiles because I am fortunate enough to capture these moments in real life.

learning to hold his head up. september 2010

valentine's day picture 2011

present day. may 2011

his party will be filled with pictures throughout the year, the perfect balloons & party plates and a wagon filled with a bunch of gifts honoring our sweet cole.
what a fabulous year, I can't say it enough, how blessed I am and this year, I am a mother.

new pillows

2011-05-05T10:45:00.004-05:00

check out this new cuteness! two new pillows

I love the way these pictures are "real life"

this is 100% linen pillow hand-stamped with your child's name in all lowercase

so fun!

find them HERE

changes

2011-05-04T10:40:00.006-05:00

stay tuned! lots of changes coming here. a new blog template {yah!!!}, lots of new products, new pictures, new additions to tiny sprouts site and lots of fun diy projects for spring!

I've been gone too long but have been enjoying almost a YEAR with my little boy.

this boy is the best thing ever!

the cutest earrings, like ever

2011-04-21T19:38:00.009-05:00

back in 2001 when bry and I celebrated our first christmas together he surprised me with the most beautiful earrings. they are the only pair I wear. I just love what they represent. I remember him saying, one day, I will buy you bigger diamonds. I don't want bigger diamonds, bry, I want these:

now learn how to purchase something on the internet and get these for me from K.SLADEMADE

STAT

the power of etsy

2011-04-19T08:34:00.005-05:00

etsy. it has been a love of mine since it first began. I started tiny sprouts shortly before the etsy era. I recently added my new hand-stamped line, five18 designs, to etsy.

{photo collage design courtesy of good gravy}

when I started tiny sprouts I submitted my site to online stores to try to do wholesale. wholesale was not something I wanted to do because you have to mark your items up enough to salvage enough to make a slight profit. I then placed ads in print magazines. this is very expensive and I am still paying it off!

this is why etsy is SO great. I placed my five18 designs on there 30 days ago. in 30 days I have had 19 sales. though this is not a lot, it is a lot considering how long it took me to gain 19 sales from tiny sprouts. seriously, it took a long, long, long time to make people aware of my hand-embroidered clothing & a lot of money.

for very little money you can add your items to etsy and begin selling today. thank you etsy, for allowing people to pursue their passion easily.

love + 6

2011-04-18T09:31:00.008-05:00

yesterday was our 6 year anniversary.

bry and I went on our first night date in over a year. my sister watched cole for the night. it was so strange coming home to an empty house. no baby in the crib. I laid in bed a little after 11 and woke up the next morning fully refreshed.

I made coffee and felt the spring breeze on my face as I sat at our dining room table.

this last year has been different than the previous five. I never knew or could understand just how different it would be having a baby. how you can no longer run out with your husband on a whim or stay out late. everything is scheduled. so this particular evening was the best gift we could have been given for our anniversary. we needed it for us. to reconnect.

as we celebrated our six years last night, we sat hand-in-hand, talking, sharing every detail of what we have felt the past year. how lucky and blessed we are to have our son.

just look at this face

now I am about to go and pickup my sweet baby cole. I miss his face, his breath, his whispy hair, his pale skin.

how lucky I am to be his mama

the vineyards

2011-04-17T13:44:00.015-05:00

I think this house is so so cute

again, I would put beadboard up throughout this area & get rid of the khaki paint

love the all-in-one living space and ALL OF THE WINDOWS. our house now is so dark

I thought this would be a cute play area for cole.

this kitchen is a great size. I still want open shelving. no upper cabinets.

vaulted ceilings make the space feel so much larger.

and this bath would be killer with pedastals!

cole and me

2011-04-16T20:24:00.000-05:00

key west beauty

2011-04-16T20:17:00.012-05:00

this house makes me want to pack my suitcase and head south
love the little windows! and that floor! what a great color.

my dogs would be in doggy heaven. they would live out here. permanently. these blue shutters make me smile. beautiful

one day I will have a white couch.
l.o.v.e. you can own this home for 1.3 million!

ahhhh, twins

2011-04-13T09:14:00.002-05:00

how breathtaking is this photo by
my4hensphotography

glencairn cottage

2011-04-12T18:36:00.003-05:00

if money were no object and this place had a nice space for our dogs, I would move in in a heartbeat

this would be the one I'd chose

now that says FLORIDA

a block from the water

2011-04-08T19:19:00.009-05:00

I go back and forth. new or old. new or old. doesn't florida say cottage? it makes me miss our little yellow house but not the ridiculous mortgage. I found this house tonight.

o.m.g.

ONE BLOCK FROM THE WATER!

the street is fantastic.

I am thinking old.

the little beach cottage

2011-04-02T17:34:00.006-05:00

we've been talking. wouldn't it be amazing to do something completely fun & spontanous for a year of your life? it is a bit hard for us having three dogs & now a child but really, why should that stop us?

we've been talking about living on the beach for a year. can you imagine? we did live on the beach before for 6 months. however, circumstances were different then. we still had three dogs but bry also had a demanding & stressful job. it seemed all his days were work. we rarely walked on the beach. we never rode bikes to the cute breakfast places there. we really didn't take advantage of it as we should.

so I've been looking. of course, right? and this was my find.

this is ONE BLOCK OVER FROM THE BEACH. ONE! and the rent is extremely reasonable for living ON the beach.

the best part about this? it is small. quaint. I want to downsize. I want to live a simple life without a lot of stuff {even though I change my mind on this when I visit homegoods}. 2 bedrooms, 2 bath. 950 square feet. cute, huh?

imagine how cute this could be if I could put our stuff in it and decorate it better. white towels, big rugs, clear glass. simple, simple. simple.

new dinnerware

2011-03-24T13:35:00.000-05:00

I am on the search for new dinnerware. ivory or sea blue. something classic that I'll love for years. these are my finds so far:

new townhome

2011-03-22T20:08:00.001-05:00

we are considering moving back to the sunshine state. this winter has been beyond hard on bry. and that means hard on me. because I hate to see him so down. I think he had seasonal depression time 10,000. is that possible?

so while we were on our florida vacation we began looking around. we wanted to find the area we'd like to move to.

we found it in a day. it is an area called westchese and it is very family friendly. walking to the store, starbucks, the library, school, shops, restaurant. it is awesome.

we looked at this townhome the day before we left. I, of course, loved it. mind you it is not how I'd like it but this is what I'd do:

put beadboard in this entire room, 3/4 of the way up the wall with a picture ledge. remove carpet and add hand-scraped hardwood floors

gut this entire bathroom. add a pedastal, wooden mirror, new light and penny tile.

same here. plus removing the tub.

this is off of the master bedroom. I LOVE that about this place. so peaceful.

master bedroom, looks small in this picture but was a great size.

upstairs hallway

guest room/office. love these french doors.

cole testing the carpet

and the BEST part. this room under the stairs. it would so be cole's playroom. chalkboard paint is a must!

cole's room.

I love love love to decorate a home!

9 months!

2011-03-14T09:24:00.002-05:00

I can't believe cole is almost 10 months! we had 9 month photos taken last month. here is a sneak!

florida!

2011-03-14T09:22:00.000-05:00

we returned late last week from a vacation in florida!

the weather was beautiful & cole loved the beach!

favorite family photo

2011-03-01T10:42:00.000-06:00

I am just loving this family photo that kristen from lilly bella photography captured of us! I love that cole has his feet crossed!

incredibly blessed

2011-02-28T21:11:00.000-06:00

these two melt my heart

my baby in professional tiny sprouts photos

2011-02-22T18:41:00.020-06:00

I am SO thrilled to be able to have my baby on my site!

thank you kristen from lilly bella photography!

these new products will be added to the site soon!!

purging

2011-02-20T18:14:00.004-06:00

I don't know if it is just the long winter but I am wanting to get rid of any and everything I do not use. I opened my cupboard to find 16 coffee mugs I never use, 8 juice glasses and 6 wine glasses. these are the things that need to go. how nice it would be to have extra storage!

even though I am simplifying I found this print and think it is a must have!

I love dazeychic

next to that I am starting a new little side business that I am so super excited about! here is a sneak!

stay tuned!

stroller ride

2011-02-17T07:38:00.000-06:00

yesterday was 65 here! cole and I ventured out on the beautiful day. he loved it!

cozy welcome home

2011-02-17T07:33:00.000-06:00

this is by far my favorite addition in a very long time.

super soft pima cotton with grey trim. also available in white with grey trim! (and matching booties!)

happy valentine's day!

2011-02-14T16:32:00.000-06:00

bathroom love

2011-02-12T18:21:00.003-06:00

eye candy while I eat my heart out in belly flops by jelly belly (jelly bellies that don't make the cut to be sold in stores so they sell them at their factory.)

i love this boy

2011-02-10T08:53:00.000-06:00

house with charm

2011-02-10T08:34:00.015-06:00

this home is absolutely charming!

beadboard love

2011-02-06T18:15:00.011-06:00

I was telling bry today for our next home I want beadboard everywhere. I love it. I always have. here are some great examples:

and this is what I mean about everywhere

I would love to display pictures on a ledge like this

I love this love this love this love this LOVE THIS!

this laundry room is so happy!

this is absolutely me

this could be cole's bigger boy room

and this kitchen is breathtaking

another beautiful ledge

I could look all day at pictures like this!

stairwell

2011-02-06T14:10:00.000-06:00

I love love love this stairwell.

coastal kitchens

2011-02-05T19:10:00.006-06:00

image sources

cole is getting ready for florida!

2011-02-02T21:07:00.000-06:00

two giveaways!

2011-02-02T17:16:00.004-06:00

hop on over to two fabulous blogs for your chance to win a tiny sprouts gift certificate!

the first is at the very popular CLOVER LANE. be sure you have time to stay awhile because her blog is addictive.

the second is at anna and blue paperie. she has some super cute stationery! check it out!

my love

2011-02-02T15:02:00.003-06:00

this boy of mine is a heart-breaker.

his expressions are the best

his smile melts my heart

his laugh is infectious

i love him so

snowfall

2011-01-31T17:59:00.001-06:00

though I am dreaming of the beach, I will say that I LOVE the snow. I love watching it fall, when the skies are bright blue & I can be inside with a fire and hot chocolate. these pictures are beautiful to me!

dreaming of the beach

2011-01-31T09:14:00.000-06:00

vacation in one month

I can't WAIT!

total cuteness

2011-01-30T13:16:00.003-06:00

these mobiles are the cutest things I have ever seen

my FAVORITE

and these are so sweet too