Sweet & Tangy Summer Pasta Salad

Happy Friday Ya'll!

I hope you've had a great week!!

If it's okay with all of you, I thought I'd share a recipe for a yummy summer pasta dish today on the blog! You know....just in case you wanted try something NEW this weekend....or perhaps you need a recipe for that July 4th PARTY that is just around the corner!! :)

 It might not look too impressive in the photo, but trust me when I say this pasta is DELICIOUS!! The dressing is what MAKES this recipe....it is SWEET, TANGY & bursting with flavor!! Truthfully, sometimes I just want put it in a glass & drink it!

DIY Moss Covered Monogram Tutorial....

Hey Friends!!

Hope you all are having a great week thus far!

Well, after a few days, I feel like I am finally starting to recover from the Haven Conference! However, spending time with all of my blog friends last weekend makes the realization of going back to work tomorrow even harder than usual! Words cannot express how much I'm dreading it! Maybe one day, this little blog will be my job & I can spend all my days chatting with you all!! More time off would mean more DIY projects & more posts....wouldn't that be FUN?!

Last week, I shared my Summer Mantel here on the blog & I had a few of you inquire about how to make the moss covered monogram I hung in the center of the display....

Luckily, I took pictures while I was making it, so I thought I would share a quick little tutorial with you today!! This was a super quick & easy project....I think I finished it in less than 10 minutes! I promise you, if you own a hot glue gun & have just an ounce of craftiness YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!

Haven 2012 Recap...

Happy Monday Ya'll!

Well, I'm back from Atlanta & trying to get back into a normal routine & schedule! The Haven Conference was SO MUCH FUN , but soaking up all the INCREDIBLE information that they give you over the course of two days & networking with 250+ bloggers is a bit exhausting!! I've been offline for the last couple days just trying to clear my head & organize my thoughts!! There are so many things I want to change & incorporate into my blog, but trying to figure out where to start is the HARD PART!! I've decided that I'm just gonna take it one day at a time & face the realization that I'm only ONE PERSON & I can only do so much!!!

Are ya'll ready for a little (or rather large) recap?!

Sherry & John from Young House Love kicked off the conference with a FANTASTIC & very ENTERTAINING opening keynote speech. They talked about their blogging journey & how they one by one quit their full-time jobs to blog full-time. Their blog has been a HUGE success & they have received tons of press!  If you haven't visited their blog before, you should totally take the time to check it out!

Photo Gift Idea For Dad...

Hey Everyone!!

I am so excited to be writing this post from the Haven Conference!!!

For those of you who don't know, Haven is a blog conference specializing in DIY & Home Decor! I purchased my ticket last fall (I think) and have been looking forward to it ever since!! So, far the sessions have been AMAZING & I have met so many of the women who have been inspiring me since starting this blog just a year & a half ago! In addition to them, I have also made new friends & discovered new blogs since being here....the whole experience has been so, so AWESOME!!

I will share some pictures from the conference & do a little recap for ya'll some time next week, but until then, I wanted to share with you a project I completed for my hubby for Father's Day last weekend!

 Didn't it turn out so cute?!

 Ideally, I would have like to share it with you prior to Father's Day to give you a gift idea, but because my hubby reads this blog, I knew that wasn't an option! So, I hope that you will bookmark it for next Father's Day or maybe even keep it in mind for another occasion (i.e. birthday, Christmas, etc.)

Back Deck/Patio Reveal....

Hey Everyone!!

I hope your Monday is treating you well!

 There are lots of fun parties going on in blogland today which has got my rear in gear! When was the last time you saw me make two posts in one day?!  Pretty impressive, eh?! In case you missed my Summer Mantel display that I posted earlier today, you can view it HERE.

Thrifty Decor Chick is having an outdoor spaces party tonight, so I thought it was about time that I get my back deck looking camera ready!! I spent most of my afternoon yesterday in the yard & prepping for this post. My poor hubby even mowed the grass & weed-eated for me on Father's Day! Isn't he the best?!

So, after working on this space for the past few weeks, I welcome you into backyard....

Summer Mantel 2012

Hey Friends!

I hope you all had a GREAT weekend!

Once again, we had another FULL weekend! Parker had a tee ball game on Saturday & we celebrated Father's day with my in-laws on that same evening! My father-in-law travels a lot with his job & had to work yesterday! My mom & dad came over last night to celebrate. We cooked hamburgers on the grill & just spent the evening relaxing on our back patio.

How did you spend your Father's Day?!

I knew there was a Summer Mantel party going on at The Lettered Cottage today, and while I had my mom at my beckon call last night, I thought I would recruit her to help me put together my mantel display. I had started to throw a few things together, but wasn't getting the look I was going for! However, with the help of my FABULOUS momma, we had things looking great in no time!!

This  is what we came up with.....

DIY Baseball Themed Birthday Party

Hey Everyone!!

If you read my post last Thursday, (or if you follow along on FB, Twitter, or Instagram) you know that my oldest, Parker, had his FIFTH birthday last week!

And if you read this post, you know that we were throwing a baseball themed bash!

 To keep things simple this year, we opted just to celebrate with family & not go overboard by having a "kid" party! It really was so much less stressful & I really don't think (at this age anyway),  that Parker cared one single bit! He was just happy that there was cake,  ice cream, and a table full of presents all for him!!

Typical Kid, No?!

We had one main decorative table at the party which served as our "Concessions" stand....

The table housed the cupcakes for the party as well as popcorn & cracker jacks for our guests to nimble on...

The blue paper bags were purchased at Walmart for just 33 cents a piece. We added a little pizazz by just re-purposing & gluing on one of the "napkin rings" that were a part of the printable party package I bought off of Etsy. I will leave the link to the shop at the bottom of this post. 

The cracker jacks were also purchased at Walmart. They came in packs of 3 for $1.00.

Clearly, I could have made the cupcakes myself, but for the sake of saving time & having one less thing to stress over, I purchased them at Walmart as well! Their bakery does a great job with cakes & cupcakes and will personalize the icing to match your party decor! And at just $6.00 a dozen, you can't go wrong!

I am going to have to make a cupcake stand for future parties, but when all else fails, just use a cardboard box & cutesy it up with some of your party printables! We re-purposed some of the water bottle labels that came with our party package & just added some 4" circles (also part of the package) to personalize it a bit more. We sat the cupcakes on top of the box & along the front.....it worked perfectly!!

This sign was also added to the top of the box to add some more height to the table & more dimension to the cupcake display...

Probably my most favorite part of the entire display?!

This DIY scoreboard that I whipped up the night before the party!!

It was the added touch that created the perfect backdrop for our table display! 

 

I will be sharing a tutorial very soon on how I made it!!

Here is one last look at the table as a whole....

I also heart that "concession" pennant banner (also part of the party package) hanging above the whole display! So cute!!

As far as the menu for the party?!

We served hot dogs, baked beans, chips, & a yummy summer pasta salad that I will be sharing the recipe for very soon on the blog! Here are a few shots of the food table....

The food labels & water bottle labels were also part of the party printables purchased through Etsy.

We had a separate table outside for gifts & hung his "Happy Birthday"  or "Happy Birthdhay" banner above it!

  Haha! Did you notice?!

My mom came over & helped me put all the decorations together the morning of the party! We were in such a hurry because Parker had a tee ball game prior to the party & were trying to get everything done as quickly as possible! Bless her heart, she was in such a hurry that she misspelled "birthday" and neither one of us noticed until about an hour into the party! LOL! Oh Well!!

Anyway....the party turned out great, I wasn't stress out out the entire time, & we were able to just enjoy each others' company as we celebrated our little boy!! He had such a great time & got tons of great gifts!

You know it was a good party if he was excited about new clothes!! :)

All the printables for this party purchased HERE.

Linking up here....
Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest
Weekend Wrap-Up Party at Tatertots & Jello

Sweet Shot Tuesday....Marcec Wedding Pt. 2

Hey Friends!

I mentioned a few weeks back that I had the pleasure of being able to shoot a wedding over Memorial Day weekend. I shared some photos of the the BEAUTIFUL bride HERE just in case you missed them! 

In honor of Sweet Shot Tuesday, I thought I would share some photos of the groom this time around....

Handsome fella....wouldn't you agree?!

Linking up here....

Giving Old Flower Pots New Life with Spray Paint

Hello all you LOVELY people!! :)

I hope you had a fantastic weekend! 

Our weekend was full of baseball games, birthday fun, & great times with family!! I took lots of pictures & I'm looking forward to sharing them with all of you, but first I wanted to share with you a quick & easy makeover I did for our ever evolving back deck/patio a couple weeks ago!

I have had these flower pots for AT LEAST 5 summers now.....

They are actually made of plastic, but have held up pretty well over the years! 

I painted them a couple years back to match our backyard shed & our previous outdoor furniture cushions...

Since we have gone a COMPLETELY different direction with our outdoor color scheme this year, I knew they were gonna need a little makeover! I'm also thinking about re-painting my shed....am I nuts?! I just kinda like everything to coordinate!! :)

I decided to use a spray paint that I already had on hand. It's Rust-Oleum's Metallic Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint & it's fabulous! It goes on smooth, dries quickly & leaves a beautiful finish! I used it on the hardware for my Craigslist Dresser Makeover.

Even though its called "metallic", it doesn't have a super shiny finish. In fact, I think the metallic finish is very subtle.....at least with this particular color!

So, I grabbed some scrap cardboard I had laying in the garage & got to work! I turned the pots upside down & gave them two quick coats of paint (allowing the recommended drying time in between coats)....

  

And then turned the pots right side up & gave the inner rim a couple coats of paint as well....

(p.s. there really is no reason to paint the entire inside of the pot since the majority will be filled with potting soil anyway.)

When I was finished painting & the pots were completely dry, I filled the them with potting soil & a few of my favorite annuals....

I fill these pots with vincas year after year because (in my opinion) they are some of the EASIEST flowers to grow! They are super low maintenance & after a few Miracle Grow treatments they thicken up & mature quickly! Their blooms a beautiful & vibrant with color....

I also added spikes to the center of the pots this year just give a little added height to the pots....

I just love the way they turned out! 

I also love the way I was able to give these pots NEW LIFE without having spend very much money! I don't know if ya'll have noticed, but flower pots are kinda crazy expensive these days!! Just another reason why I love me some spray paint! :)

Have you completed any spray paint projects lately?!

I would love to hear about them!!

As always, thanks so much for stopping by!!

I appreciate you all so much & I'm blessed by your sweet comments & emails!

Hope your Monday is FABULOUS!!

Linking up here....
Tuesday Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Tutorials & Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z 
Weekend Wrap-Up Party at Tatertots & Jello

Seriously?! He's FIVE?!

You guys...

My baby is five years old today!

F.I.V.E.

Like, how can this be happening?!

It doesn't seem like it was five years ago today that I went into the hospital to have him! I remember the nurse swaddling him & putting him in my arms after I delivered. His little nose was all smashed from being in the birth canal during labor, but he was PERFECT in my eyes! I remember saying "Hi Parker" and he looked up at me with the most beautiful eyes and I fell deeply & madly in LOVE!

Now my little BABY is turning into a little MAN! 

It just doesn't seem possible!

He is the sweetest & MOST LOVING child I have ever known! 

He has always been a snuggler....even when he was just an infant! I remember coming home from work every afternoon when he was a baby....my grandma kept him at that time & she would always be in the recliner with him and he would be fast asleep. She would transfer him into my arms and we would nap for hours together in that chair! It was something I looked forward to everyday! 

He would still just assume nap with me in the chair today if I'd let him! He's always wanting to be held & snuggled.  He's always wanting to give me (and everyone else he comes in contact with) hugs & kisses! He tells me...even on my less than perfect days, that he LOVES me. 

EVERY DAY he reminds me how TRULY BLESSED I am to be his mommy!

EVERY DAY he makes me smile & laugh!

EVERY DAY I fall in love with him all over again!

 I mean, can you blame me?!

Happy 5th Birthday Parker!! 

I can't put into words how much I love you!!! I wish you the happiest of days today as we celebrate you turning FIVE!

Love, Mommy

Easy & Inexpensive DIY Window Boxes...

Happy Wednesday Ya'll!

If you saw my post yesterday, you read about how we added shutters & window boxes to the back of our home in an attempt to bring make things pretty & bring in some more color!

Today, I wanted to show you how we made them! 

We found this tutorial online, bought our supplies & got to work! 

First, we purchased a total of five dog-eared fenced panels (around $2.00 a piece-you only need two per window box, but we bought one more just in case) to build the actual box & three 1x2's (99 cents a piece) for the trim.

Then we measured the width of our windows & cut the fence panels to the length we needed...

Once you determine the length you need (width of the window), you will need to cut three boards in that length....(front side, back side, & base.)

Then you will take the three boards & assemble your window box using some screws & a drill...

Take the scraps or leftover fence panels to use on the ends of your box....

When you are finished you should have a box that looks something like this.....

You can leave the boxes like this & hang them or to add a little more detail you can add some trim work like we did using 1x2's...

We just added the trim to the front and sides of the box since the back side would be up against the house....

Before you hang the box, it is important to make sure that you drill some holes in the bottom to allow for water drainage...

To hang the boxes, we just screwed them into the siding underneath the window frame...

Ideally, it would have been easier to paint the boxes prior to hanging them, but the hubby had other things to do & needed to go ahead & hang them, so I painted after they were hung! I used some spackling to fill in the screw holes & then gave them two coats of paint to match the shutters. 

After they were dry, I filled them with potting soil & flowers! 

I used pink wave petunias....

  

And white geraniums...

I also added in some greenery to fill things in a bit! 

I'm looking forward to seeing what it will look like when everything matures & the plants start to thicken up  a bit! Time to get out the Miracle Grow! :)

I hope you enjoyed this little tutorial & that maybe you'll be inspired to build some window boxes of your own!

Thanks for stopping by & have a great day! :)

Linking up here...
Delightfully Inspiring Thursdays at Delightful Order
20 Below Thursdays at Christina's Adventures
Hookin' Up with HOH at House of Hepworths
Weekend Wrap-Up Party at Tatertots & Jello
Overflowing with Creativity at It's Overflowing