{ Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas! }

If you are in need of a few last minute Teacher Appreciation gifts you have got to check out this BLOG.
She has the Cutest stuff I've seen in a while & all of these gifts are her ideas.
We ♥LOVE♥ our kids teachers, and I honestly don't think that most teachers get the recognition they deserve. So hurry & run to the store and whip up something super cute & simple to boot, I'll bet your teachers will love them!
ps. teacher appreciation week runs from May 3rd-7th.
all pictures borrowed from her blog ~ eighteen25

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{ Happy Birthday To Me! }

That's right I'm smack in the middle of the Ol' Thirties today!
It's all good though, I'll be spending my day with 2 sick boys and most likely cleaning the bathroom or something glamorous like that. I'm secretly hoping my day is filled with more than cleaning the royal thrown, but we'll see!

I learned whilst surfing tonight that I share my birthday with the following celebrity's. William Shakespeare, Valerie Bertinelli, Sandra Dee, George Lopez, Lee Majors, & Shirley Temple just to name a few.
How's that for a little mindless trivia first thing in the morning? :)
Have a FABULOUS FRIDAY!

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{ Crafts }

I'm back!! My retreat was SO MUCH FUN!
There is nothing like hanging with your girls and laughing so hard your cheeks hurt. We had a weekend filled with Olive Garden, scrapbooking, crafts, sugar & many MANY episodes of Glee & Friends.
Here is a sneak peek of what I did while I was gone. Now I need to find some time to put it all in my Etsy shop. Hopefully I'll have time to blog more later but for now I have to get back to my kiddos. :)
Have a FABULOUS Wednesday!

Forgive me for my dark pictures, it's sooooo gloomy and rainy/windy here.

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{ Retreat & A Scripture Bag }

I totally forgot to post about this cute scripture bag that I made for Brinley, so here it is. It's not perfect I didn't really use much of a pattern just some measurements. I think it turned out okay for my first try.

I got the idea from my awesome bloggy friend Shauna.
Yes, her bags are what mine is supposed to look like, but what are you gonna do. :) Check out her blog she comes up with the cutest stuff and her kids are all so dang cute,

Today I will be driving through this beautiful City (Spokane) on my way to Idaho to have a Retreat with my girlfriends!

 My mom is staying here with my kids THANKS MOM and I won't be home until Monday night LATE! 
I'm sooooooo looking forward to spending time as Rachel and not Mom for a while. I have the most awesome group of girlfriends, we laugh, scrap & eat (not in that order) till the wee hours in the morning.

And this is my destination.

Don't you just feel sorry for me now?

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{ Paint Colors }

I have been asked & emailed about the colors of paint I use in my home, so here ya go! My living room below is Tavern Taupe from Kwal Paint.


Don't mind my decor,
I have my wild slipcovers on & all my decor is on the sparse side at the moment.

My dining room is also by Kwal and it's called Fenland. I love this green as the color changes throughout the day. I found this segment on Studio 5 and she used Fenland, here is the LINK.

Fenland is also in my bedroom, although I'm tossing around the idea of Painting my room with the famous color - Tobacco Road.

This is my Brothers house in Spanish Fork, UT and yes these pictures are from 2 different seasons, years apart but I love LOVE this home. My SIL is an amazing decorator and her home is just as amazing. I'll have to take some updated pictures when we go this summer.

I got my paint colors from her.

Oh and they have been nice enough to give us their house plans when we decide to build. The way they have utilized all the dead space in their home is in one word awesome..... This home has 3 floors and a full basement. I so love it's cozy feel, it's one of those houses you walk into and it just feels like home. LOVE THAT!
Here is Tavern Taupe in her family room. Sorry about the flash.

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{ Farmhouse Bed Part 2 ~ Knock Off Wood }

I promised I would post about the famous -Knock Off Wood- Farmhouse bed after she was all painted and here I am ready to deliver!
We love how this bed turned out so stinking much. We altered the plan a little and used Crown Molding on the headboard instead of a 2x6.
I do love me some crown molding....

Have I mentioned how much I love Ana's Blog and all the plans she has available? Seriously this gal has some mad wood skills. If you haven't checked out her site you really should, she has so many fabulous furniture plans available & all of them come with shopping lists. She takes the guess work out of woodworking!

I think some new bunk beds will be in our kids future, well that and more furniture for the Homestead!

Thank you Ana!!

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{ Almost Done!! }

That's right only 1 more coat of this and I'll post pictures of our Farmhouse Bed!
See you soon!

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{ Getting Organized & A ? }

Yes I'm "trying" to get organized with all my craft/scrapbook stuff. We out grew this house about 2 kids ago which means I no longer have a craft room, and having my crafts in 3+ different areas is driving me to drink, or at least making me want to drink unhealthy amounts of caffeinated Dr. Pepper.
So I have bit the bullet and have designated one end of my bedroom (yes my bedroom) to all things crafty. I hope that being organized will help me get more things done. My husband isn't thrilled with the idea of having my crafts in our bedroom but in the words of Tim Gunn who says "Make it work" that is what I am doing.

Here is a sneak peek of what I have done so far, it's not much..... The red shelf will be painted white (thanks for the tip Tausha) on Saturday and sanded to death so she's more shabby chic.
Hopefully she turns out how I see her in my head, things are always prettier in there.

And while I try to get my life in order I am stitching like a mad woman trying to get all my Stitchery orders out the door. Man these babies are time consuming......
Don't worry ladies they are coming.

One bloggy ? for all of you out there.... 
How do some of you blog everyday?? 
Do you have actual magical powers that I don't? 
I can't seem to find the time to blog twice a week let along daily. 
Sometimes it feels like blogging is a chore and trying to come up with something to blog about that is super cute & cheap, yet completely awesome seems so daunting.
 How do you get it all done?

Maybe I'm the only one who feels this way, but I don't think I am alone here. Do any of you ever feel this way? Anyone.... Anyone......

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{ New Couches - Ikea Ektorp Style }

After donating these well loved couches to Deseret Industries

We went & got new furniture from here!

(this is my new favorite store if only it were a little closer to home)

Yes I fit ----- 1 Couch, 1 Love seat, 1 Ottoman & 4 pillows in my truck.
I love my truck!
That's right Cherry I sprung for the ottoman thanks for the tip! :)

We decided that the kids are still young enough that FINE FURNITURE will have to wait until they are older.
So enter Slip Cover Heaven!!

I love Ikea's details on their slipcovers, which I think are WELL BUILT!

My Mom bought me 4 pillows as an early Birthday present! I love that I can take the feather pillows out and make covers to match my other slip covers.

They are even Addison approved...

Don't mind her inside out clothing.
She dresses herself about 7 times a day.. Bless her.....

I have 3 slipcover sets. Don't get me wrong I love the solid beige covers but my WHOLE LIVING ROOM IS BEIGE, walls, couches........

And at this point it's just soooooooo darn BEIGE!
So here is my latest purchase.......
These were discontinued a couple years ago but thanks to eBay I now have a set for my new couches. I know that white slipcovers are all the rage right now but with 5 kids and 2 daycare kids roaming around,
White covers scare me a little...
Okay, they scare me alot...

As I put on my new slipcovers (after I iron them) I'll have to post pictures!
PS. The couches are holding up beautifully, much better then our last new set!
I love our new furniture!

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{ Farmhouse Bed Part 1 }

Long time no post!!! Sorry about that we have been B.U.S.Y. for the past week. Here is a sneak peek at just one of our many projects that we have going on. This is the Farmhouse Bed that I loved from the Knock Off Wood Blog. We are building it for our bedroom. I still have to paint her but oh she is oh so pretty.... I think I'm in love! The kids have already placed their orders for new bunk beds.

Here is a small list of all the other things that have been going on:

*Putting in a new laundry room window
*Dr. Appointments
*X-Rays
*Brinley badly sprained her ankle & is currently on crutches
*I had a dentist appointment thanks to loose filling.
*I also had a hair cut, & I'm talking a completely new look!
*Parker has basketball games
*Spaghetti feed at the church
*Scouts, scouts and more scouts
*Daycare kids
*Etsy orders being stitched like mad
*School Rock & Roll Concert
*Sick kids, gotta love this cold season

I could go on but I think I'll stop here. I'm getting tired just thinking about it all. Okay my Etsy stuff calls, I better get back to work & I hear the bus so that means the kids are home. Have a great Tuesday!

Oh and YES I did get new couches I will post soon.

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