.a week of thanks.

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AREAS OF EXCITEMENT:

+ Black Friday ads

+ Black Friday shopping

+ My new boots:

+ Having a week off work!!!

+ Thanksgiving Day {AKA family time & PIE}

+ AR/LSU game on Friday

+ Christmas decorating on Friday

.my first craft booth.

This year my little town hosted their 1st Annual Fall Festival, where they offered local home-based vendors FREE booth space! I had never had my own booth before but couldn't resist this opportunity.

Since I don't have a fancy cutting machine like the Silhouette or Cricut, my friend helped me cut the letters with her Cricut for my Shabby Threads sign.

I had an array of bibs to choose from as well as coasters, pin cushions, quirky dolls, and a few other miscellaneous items.

It was pretty cold and super windy both days of the festival, so traffic was pretty light. Even though I didn't sell as much as I thought I might, I had an awesome first experience manning my own booth. I shared a table with my mom, and we had a lot of laughs sitting together.

I've signed up to do it again in the Spring, and I already can't wait. It's so fun to get out there and display my creations and meet the other vendors. I got some sweet compliments from strangers and even had a few people take my business card.

I learned a lot and can't wait to do it again!

.the impossible challenge.

Tonight I challenged myself to the Impossible Task...Also known as, going through my Pinterest boards and picking only ONE (that's right: ONE {Did I stutter?}) picture from each to summarize the whole category.

Have you ever done this to yourself? It's nuts, and I don't recommend doing it. I especially had trouble going through my Decor board. My taste ranges from anything vintage eclectic to rustic modern. Picking just ONE image from each album was complete torture, but also very revealing.

So even though I am now completely confused, frazzled and worried I picked the wrong pictures, here are my choices:

From Board: NURSERY LOVE

It's the wall art, the really light blue wall, the light/dark wood mix and the mix of vintage and modern. Will I be replicating this exact nursery when my time comes? No. But it leaves me very inspired, so I pick this to summarize my taste in baby rooms.

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From Board: DECOR

It's the rustic wood mixed with industrial metal, simple and clean decor. Old mixed with new. Neutrals with a pop of color. These are my favorite aspects of decor for any room in the house.

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From Board: FASHION

It's a hot nerd. Nerd chic, if you will. The vintage-looking lightweight dress with girlie details, the messy-but-cute hair. Effortlessly cute. Fashionable but comfortable.

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From Board: LOL

First World Problems. Because it's making fun of spoiled Americans and there is humor in the truth. And I relate to more of these than I want to admit. If I don't LOL each time I read it, I at least crack a smile.

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From Board: HOUZES

Old white frame farm house with big windows. Lots of trees. Big porch. Chimney. Feels like home to me!

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From Board: GIRL CRUSH

Nicole Richie wins because she looks so darn cute in every picture I see of her. I think her fashion sense is impeccable, and her hair always looks awesome (especially when she has bangs).

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Now, I'm curious. If you could only pick ONE image from your Pinterest boards to summarize the whole category, which ONE would YOU pick???

Browse my Pinterest boards to trace images back to their original sources. There's a link up top to the right. ;-)

.30 day photo challenge: gratitude.

I came across this awesome 30-Day Photo Challenge via Pinterest today.

It was created by Positively Present, and I just love the simplicity yet creativeness of the list. I'm only 3 days behind, and I already have pictures on my phone that go with the days I missed. I'll be taking this challenge using my phone camera and the very best FREE app, Instagram.

I haven't decided how I'll split my posts up or if I'll do one post to cover all the pictures once the 30 days are up, but I'll be sure to share my pictures on here.

I hope you'll join me on taking this fun photo challenge! :-)

.my fall mantel.

Mirror: Thrifted and spray-painted black
Candle Holders: Clearance Hobby Lobby
Green Plants & Pots: IKEA
Pumpkin by Pug Frame: Paper Mache' {from flea market}
Pumpkins sitting on Candles: Dollar General
Frames: Walmart
Leaf Garland: Dollar General
Ampersand: Clearance Hobby Lobby & painted
Book: Thrifted Readers Digest

.gripes and good news.

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Today it only sort-of felt like Fall. It rained some, so I got to wear my new gray rain boots, but the temps haven't really made it out of the high 70's, low 80's yet. Even though the foliage is starting to get pretty, it just doesn't feel like Fall until the highs are in the upper 50's/low 60's. I would at least like to wear a scarf and not break a sweat as soon as I put it on. It's almost mid-October; I mean, is that too much to ask?

Ok, enough ranting.

I have news. I will be participating in my very first local craft show in November!

Do I have inventory stocked up? NO!
Do I know what I'm doing? NO!
Am I going to sew my heart out for the next month? YES! (As soon as I'm done blogging, of course.)
Will the housework suffer due to the fact that I'm sewing all the time? YES!
Am I going to go all out and decorate my booth all cute? YES!


The best part about this event is that it is FREE to anyone who wants a booth space. I live in a very small town, and this craft fair will be a part of its first annual Fall Festival. It will be held in the city park, with 75 10x10 spots available. I've never done anything like this before, but I'm excited to try my hand at it with nothing on the line. I have a solid month to get enough inventory made to fill my space, but I work better under pressure any way, so I'm pumped!

Well, I'm off to sew!

.thanks to pinterest.

Thanks to Pinterest, I cooked a yummy main dish tonight for dinner and created some cute new decor for my kitchen counter! See, Pinterest can be so much more than just a fabulously fun way to waste time!

First of all, I came across this cute little idea from The Wright House:

I love the DIY pedestal with cute little soap dispensers and the towel thrown across. I knew I had a white plate I could use for the stand and a brass candlestick that just needed some gray spray paint. I super-glued the two together, sat my (not so cool) soaps on top with a towel and BAM! In hardly any time at all I had my own version of the above picture.

Thank you, Pinterest!


While meal planning last week, I perused through my Recipes album on Pinterest, looking for something new and exciting to make. I wrote down the ingredients for Salmon or Chicken Cakes from THIS blog and made the salmon cakes (minus the Aioli) for dinner tonight. MAJOR SCORE! Let's just say I held myself back from eating way more than my fair share.

Image via Maria's Nutritious and Delicious Journal

I thought it might be helpful to list the recipe's original ingredients and how I substituted to fit my elementary school taste buds.

2 TBS coconut flour...{Or unmeasured amount of crumbled Ritz crackers}
1/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms...{I nixed this ingredient. Sorry, hubs.}
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
16 oz boneless/skinless chicken breast...{I used 2 small cans of boneless salmon}
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tsp Cajun seasoning....{I sprinkled in some Tony Chachere's b/c it's what I had on hand}
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt...{I used regular salt because it's what I had}
1 egg
2 tsp coconut oil OR ghee...{I probably would have substituted with EVOO, but I accidentally left this step out}

All in all, I'm sure my version was not as healthy as the original, but it sure tasted good! Even with the left-out oil. I will be making these again!

And again, for good measure: Thank you, Pinterest!