Country Living Blue Ribbon Blogger Magazine Feature~

A couple of weeks ago, I told you all about winning Best Decorating Blog in the Country Living Blue Ribbon Blogger Awards and my trip to New York City for the awards ceremony.

Well....I was so excited when my mother called me last week to tell me she got her copy of Country Living Magazine in the mail last week, and I was on page 12!

I was on pins and needles because I hadn't received my copy yet.  So I drove my family crazy while I waited patiently for her to bring her copy over when she visited on Saturday.

It was so exciting to open the magazine and see little old me featured in the pages of Country Living!  I couldn't be more thrilled!

The magazine hits newstands on November 22.  You bet I'll be there bright and early to pick up a copy (or 10). 

Thanks again Country Living for this honor.  And thanks to my readers for making my blog such a happy place for me to be.

xoxo
Wendy

Country Living Blue Ribbon Blogger Awards: My Trip to The Big Apple~

What an exciting week I had last week!!

Back in September I announced that The Shabby Nest had been chosen as a finalist in Country Living's 1st Annual Blue Ribbon Blogger Awards. 

Well, you can imagine my elation when I found out that my blog had been chosen as the Judge's Choice for best Decorating Blog!! I was giddy (and humbled because the other finalists are such talented bloggers themselves)!!   I spent the next few weeks eagerly anticipating my trip to New York City for the awards luncheon.


I took off for the big city bright and early Wednesday morning.  

After checking into the fabulous Dream hotel,

Amazing fish tank inside the Dream Hotel

Photo courtesy of Always a Project

 and being greeted with some scrumptious cupcakes from the Magnolia Bakery - courtesy of Country Living -

Photo courtesy of Tillysnest.com

I met up with the Hubby's parents who came up from Massachusetts to spend some time with me since he couldn't make it. (I love my in-laws so much...it was so fun to see them!)  We took in Times Square, Broadway and Central Park, and enjoyed eating some great New York cuisine. 



My cute father-in-law checking out the crowd waiting for Broadway tickets


Friday morning, after my in-laws had headed home, I made my way over to Rockerfeller Center to see the morning taping of The Today Show.  Turns out they were interviewing Justin Bieber. Wow.  Tween girl central.  But, thanks to a nice (tall) couple standing near me,  I did get a great photo of him for The Princess. And then took some photos of the Today Show cast for myself once all those girls cleared out after the interview. LOL!

Now to the really fun stuff...



 Thursday was the day of the Awards Banquet on the 44th Floor of the Hearst Tower!

photo courtesy of Tillysnest.com

Photo courtesy of Tillysnest.com

It was amazing!! The views were spectacular!!

And the other winners were such a wonderful, talented group of women.  I was so honored to be a part of this amazing group. 

We got to know one another, and took a ton of photos. 




All of the Winners (from Left, Rachel Garza, me, Sydney Kramer, Linda Ly, Beth Styles, Aimee Carpenter and Melissa Caughey) Photo courtesy of Tillysnest.com



All of the Winners (from Left, me, Beth Styles, Linda Ly, Sydney Kramer, Melissa Caughey, Aimee Carpenter and Rachel Garza) Photo courtesy of Tillysnest.com

Photo courtesy of Tillysnest.com

Honorees with the Judges  Photo courtesy of Tillysnest.com

Then we enjoyed a fabulous meal and were each presented with our beautiful awards. 

We had a chance to meet three of the amazing judges Cooper Boone (and his guest, the lovely Emme), Jodi Kahn and Sarah McColl , as well as the gracious staff of Country Living Magazine including Sarah Gray Miller!

Me with Sarah Gray Miller (not the greatest photo of me...but that's Sarah Gray Miller!!!!!) 
Photo courtesy of Tillysnest.com

Make sure you check out the blogs of the other amazing honorees...you're in for a treat...

• Aimee Carpenter, Crafty Farm Girl
•  Melissa Caughey,  Tilly's Nest
• Rachel  Garza,  Always a Project
• Sydney Kramer, Crepes of Wrath
•  Linda Ly, Garden Betty
• Beth Styles, Parsimonia: Second Hand with Style

I just want to take a minute to thank the wonderful folks at Country Living yet again for this fabulous award and the wonderful opportunity to attend the awards ceremony in New York.  I am so honored.  It was such an amazing experience!

And I want to thank you, my lovely readers, for coming here and visiting.  I love writing The Shabby Nest.  I love sharing my ideas with you.  It is one of my great joys!

Unless otherwise noted all photos are mine.

Have a great day~

Around the Web and the Winner of the Apartment Guide Gift Card~

Hi Everyone! 

Been busy getting the kiddos back in school, and starting to finalize plans on how we want to decorate this place (while driving past the hardware store with the Hubby 3 times before we realized where it was- ahhh life in a new town!)

So today I thought I'd share with you a couple of places that I can be found around the web...

Check out my post on how to Brighten Up Your Summer Space (before good old autumn arrives) at Fifthroom Living.

You can also find me at Little Black Dress/Little Red Wagon talking about my addiction to love for Pinterest.

And now for the winner of the Apartment Guide $50 gift card giveaway.

Congratulations Nikol Spencer!!

Please drop me an email and let me know whether you'd like a Home Depot card or a Target Card! 

Have a great day~

Crafting With the Stars~

Happy Monday Mornin'!!

Today is the official last day of summer for my crew.  Tomorrow morning it's back to the books!  I have to tell you...I'm excited.  Not so much because I want to get my kids out of my hair - but since we moved to a new house during the summer, my poor kiddos have been a little lacking in the friend department.  I'm so excited for them to meet some more kids!  Hopefully, they will make a whole group of new amigos.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Anyhoo, I'm sure as you can guess from the title of my post, I'm not here to write about the kiddos friends (or lack thereof.)  Nope.  Today I'm here to tell you that I have been asked to be a potential "star" on the 3rd season of Crafting with the Stars! (That's a super fun crafting competition here in the blogosphere hosted by Sew Dang Cute.)  And what that means, is that I have the chance to "mentor" one of the competitors in the competition.

But, right now, all I have is a chance to be a "star" and "mentor".  In order to actually be chosen for this honor, I have to get YOUR votes!  That's right kids!  There are 19 potential "stars" and only 12 slots.  So PLEASE hop on over to Sew Dang Cute, and vote for me!  She did the list in alphabetical order, so I'm at the very bottom.  So don't miss me! LOL!  You can only vote once, but you can vote for five candidates, and they are all impressive...so even with 5 votes, it'll be a tough decision!  (I'd sure love it if you include me in your choices though!)

So please hop on over and vote! 

xoxo
Wendy

A Little Bit at a Time~

We've been in this house for over a month now, and to be honest, not much has gotten done decorating wise.  (At least most of the boxes are empty though.) And if I'm going to be completely honest, it's driving me a bit crazy.  I'm kind of one of those "get it done yesterday" types.  But we've had family in town, and next week is the kids' last week of summer vacation.  So I've been trying to take it easy.  That's also why I've been a bit scarce on the old blog.  Trying to help my littles enjoy summer in a new neighborhood.  It can be a bit challenging without all their old friends to hang out with.

So next week we're going to play and play hard!  I'm going to make sure the kiddos live it up for their last week of vacation.  And then, when they're all back at school...I'll be able to get to all my million-and-one projects.  My to-do list is quite literally pages long.  But I'm so excited! And  hope you'll all tune in to see what I have up my sleeve for this place.

I actually did get the bookshelf arranged and one of our art pieces on the wall, however.  (Pats herself on the back.)  Don't you find bookshelf arranging to be a bit challenging?  I've written about beautifying your bookshelves before...and there are lots of "rules" to follow to make your bookshelves look more appealing.  But this time around I decided to try loosely arranging the books by color.  I kind of like it.  We'll see how long it lasts. ;-)

Frugal Friday goes live tonight at 8 MST.  See y'all then!

I Promised I'd Be Back Today~

When I signed off from the last post jauntily saying "Be Back Tomorrow"  little did I know what "tomorrow" would bring.

After a lovely BBQ with our extended family, and what were quite possibly some of the most fabulous fireworks we've ever seen (booms so loud the kiddos had to cover their ears most of the time, but couldn't take their eyes off them)  the Hubby woke up in the middle of the night with an especially nasty tummy bug. 
So having had very little sleep last night, I woke bleary eyed this morning, to let the Satellite guy in at 8 am to set up the TV, and the Internet guy in at 10 am so that I could be online with y'all!  Between all the busy, the kiddos' getting-used-to-a-new-house shenanigans, and having to nurse the poor Hubby, I have no energy  left to post anything besides an apology.

And because Boy 1 turns 11 tomorrow, I might be a bit scarce then too...kiddos and parties come first, you know. ;-)  But I promise to return to full blog mode in the very near future. (let's all keep our fingers crossed that neither kiddos nor I end up with that nasty bug, shall we?)

In the meantime, here's a little bit of pretty to brighten your day.

via Citified

xoxo
Wendy

Happy Independence Day...and Settling In~

Happy 4th of July to all my American Friends! 

We're getting settled into our new digs and then off to enjoy a BBQ and fireworks tonight! (Beat emptying boxes, that's for sure!)

I'll be back tomorrow!

Have a great day~

Why I Used to Think They Fly the Flag for Me~

Today is Flag Day.  A day where we, in the USA honor our flag.  Drive down any street in the country and you'll likely see a number of residents celebrating the flag today.  But when I was younger, I used to think that they were flying the flag for me.  Because Flag Day also happens to be my birthday.  Yep, today I celebrate another year under my belt.  Today I turn 39.  My last year as a 30-something.

I'd like to think that in those 39 years, I've gained a bit of wisdom here and there. 

So here are 39 bits of wisdom.  My gift to you on my 39th birthday...

1. Breathe.
2. Smile.
3. Believe that you have something great to offer.
4. Chase your dreams.
5. Tell your family you love them.
6. Treat your family like you love them.
7. Exercise makes you feel good.
8. Making your bed helps your whole house seem cleaner.
9. Don't dwell on the negative.
10. This too shall pass.
11. Be kind. 
12. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
13. Give compliments freely.
14. You only get to live each day once, do it right the first time.
15. Dressing up is good for you.
16. So is icecream.
17. Stop and smell the roses.
18. Listen to your children...even when you're busy.
19. Give credit where credit is due.
20. Stop at a lemonade stand.
21. Give anonymous service.
22. Always say thank you.
23. Work hard.
24. Play hard.
25. Dream big.
26. Never stifle a good instinct.
27. When you go out of the house without makeup, you will always run into someone.
28. Go barefoot whenever you can.
29. Hot baths are good for what ails you.
30. So is hot chocolate.
31. Dance to the music.
32. Sing.
33. Don't be afraid to try something new.
34. Failure often leads to later success.
35. You really are only as old as you feel.
36. You can do just about anything you set your mind to.
37. Be your best you, because someone is always looking to you as an example.
38. Nurture your creativity.
39. Celebrate the little things.

Thanks for visiting me here at The Shabby Nest!  You make my life a lot of fun!  Here's looking forward to another great year!

Keeping Up With the In-Laws~

Thank you to Yahoo! Mail for sponsoring this post about staying connected. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

When the Hubby and I were first married, we moved across the country from Utah to Massachusetts so that he could attend college.  When we arrived, we moved in with his parents.  What was a supposed to be a temporary arrangement ending up lasting almost 2 years.  For some, I realize, an arrangement like this would be a nightmare.  But I consider it a fabulous blessing.  Because, you see, in that two years I  became closer to my in-laws than I ever would have dreamed possible.

Of course, it wasn't always a bed of roses, but for the most part, it was fabulous!  The Hubby's parents were our best friends.  We did everything together!  Went out to dinner, to movies, on trips to Cape Cod, Washington DC, Maine, New York, Newport, RI....the list could go on and on. 

I loved to learn things about cooking and housekeeping from my amazingly talented mother-in-law, and to debate with and learn about art from my professor father-in-law.  So despite the fact that I was wary of moving to Massachusetts in the first place, I was heartbroken to leave. 

We have lived in Massachusetts since then, but are now "permanently" back in my home state.  (Yeah, I used quotes because life has a way of making you eat your words.  But this move is supposed to be permanent.)  And I miss those two like crazy.

Email has been a great way for me to keep in contact with my father-in-law.  We've had many a lengthy debate via email.  And his patient responses to my sometimes-naive arguments have kept me typing and sending back and forth sometimes for days.  I love this form of communication because of the fact that I can think and edit before hitting send...and that with 4 kiddos running around, I can actually have a conversation without interruption.

But my mother-in-law doesn't email.  Or she didn't, until recently.  I was so excited the first day we received an email from my mother-in-law's newly set-up account!  Hurray!! Now we can swap recipes, and photos with the click of a button!!  It's like a whole new chapter in our relationship (hee hee!)

I can't tell you how important it is for me to keep in touch with these two wonderful people that I love beyond words!  Thanks heavens for technology!  Thanks heavens for email!

Thought I'd share this cute little video with you because it shows how email can keep a family close...

Around The Web~

Here are a few places you can find me around the web right now...

Over at Jennifer's fabulous blog, Style Your Life, I shared some Tween Room Inspiration.



Okay so this little guy isn't a Tween, but this room would work well for one...
and it's one of my favorite boy's rooms ever!  Photo via Houzz.com

 At Fifth Room Living, I shared 5 tips for Making Your Guests Feel at Home.

Finally, over at Little Black Dress/ Little Red Wagon, I shared my Subway Art Tutorial.

Have a great day~

Longing for a Normal Day~

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return."  

                                                                                                     -Mary Jean Iron

I ran across this quote the other day, and rarely has a quote struck me with such intensity.  I feel like I  haven't seen a "normal" day in ages.  A day that is just a day.  A day without worry, or fear, or crisis, or craziness.  I wonder if they even exist.  Of course, wonderful things happen too...and those sorts of "not normal" days I can handle.  But right now, the stress is a little much.

And I apologize to you,  my dear readers, for the lack of fun projects and DIYs on the old blog of late,  but since we are getting ready to move, home projects are obviously on haitus. 

Also, and more importantly, Mr. Two, my 5-year-old has surgery scheduled for tomorrow.  It's outpatient surgery, and fairly typical procedures, but still, when it's your baby that's having surgery, it's nerve-wracking.  I haven't had a good night's sleep in days.  Since we have such a wonderful corner of the blogosphere,  may I ask you to please remember my little guy in your prayers.  I would really appreciate it! 

Thanks and much love!

Wendy

The Blog Notebook: Organizing my Bloggy Stuff~

Do you blog?  If so, is blogging a casual past time?  a serious hobby?  your job?  

For me, blogging is serious business.  It started out as a casual hobby...but then the obsession set in.  You know about that, don't you?   Oh, I think you do.  When you are sitting at the park watching your kiddos play and blog posts are floating on the periphery of your thoughts.  When you are walking through a store, and project ideas keep popping into your head...and you are composing blog posts in your mind to go with each.  Oh yes.  It's true.  It wasn't long before I was head over heels in love with blogging.

And before I go on, I have to say, that although I love my computer...and use it for soooo many things, I also love paper.  Yep, good old fashioned paper.  I'm a list maker.  An idea jotter-downer (yes, that is a technical term.)  I have notebooks...lots of them...where I keep track of just about everything.  And the notebook thing worked well for blogging -  for a while.  Until I started to not be able to find the idea or list or what-have-you that I needed, when I needed it.  So I knew I had to come up with a better plan.   And it still  had to be on paper.  (Couldn't give that part up.)

So I came up with the Blog Binder.  Okay, so some of you are probably way ahead of me on this one.  "Welcome to the club, Wendy!"  you're thinking.  "Slow, much, Wendy?" you're saying to yourself.  Well, maybe.  But now I have this great binder to keep my blog in order, so I wanted to share it with you...

First up,  I wanted to make it fun and happy so I chose a pink one. Why not use a happy color?  Then I had to think up the categories that would work best for me...

Here's what I came up with...

1. A Blog Calendar.  Once I started blogging in a serious way, I found it essential to plan out my  posts in advance.  So, I needed to use a calendar.  I used to  list them in my planner (yes, I use a planner...paper-using list-maker, remember?) but I wanted a place just dedicated to blogging, so a calendar in my binder worked well.  In the calendar I list not only posts, but linky-parties I'm going to participate in, when I need to remove ads from my blog, when I need to send invoices, etc.  In short, anything and everything solely devoted to the blog.

Here are some links to some great FREE blog calendar printables.  This one from Living Locurto (which I used in my binder) and this one from Evelyn Kate Designs are weekly.  A weekly calendar works well for me because I have lots of stuff I need to keep track of.  This one from Blogging BookShelf is monthly.  If you just want to track posts, something like this would work well.

2. Brainstorming.  Let's face it. Coming up with fresh subject matter isn't always easy.  Brainstorming for your blog is important.  So I have a section just dedicated to that.  When a random idea comes to me, I start a page for it.  Then when I have some time (ha ha), I brainstorm the topic to come up with ideas.  I also keep lists of projects I'd like to do that could be blogworthy, or single post ideas that don't need to be fleshed out, so that I can refer to them when I'm not feeling very creative.

3. To Do's.  I have a section in my binder for to-do's.  This is where I can keep notes on any projects that I am working on that I will want to blog, so that I can have all of my "stuff" in one place.  I like to list sources, ideas, fabric swatches, paint colors, you name it. 

4. Business.  Now, I must preface this by saying that my blog is my job.  So I have a lot of stuff on the business end of blogging that I need to track, including the dates for ads to go up and come down (that I can then transfer to my calendar), information for product reviews or posts of that nature, and other miscellaneous stuff.  Having all of the nitty-gritty in one place sure is helpful.

5. Inspiration.  This is one of my favorite parts of my binder.  In this section, I put magazine tear-sheets or photos or other things that inspire me that I might want to incorporate into the blog.  Some I choose just for the color, or a word, or the feeling.  Inspiration can come from just about anything.  But organizing inspiration (at least for me) is important. 

6. Finally, I have a folder (pink again!) where I can keep loose odds and ends that I need on hand...like these paint chip cards. 

So there you have it...my blog brain in hard copy.  A portable version that doesn't require wi-fi.  The Blog Notebook.  Hope it gave you a little inspiration... 

Have a great day~

Mothering~

Having children was a hard won victory for me.  The hubby and I tried for 4 years to have our first baby.  But finally, after what seemed like a million trips to the fertility specialist and at least that many different procedures, crying every month when I discovered I wasn't pregnant, finally conceiving and miscarrying, the first of our four perfect babies was placed in my arms at the hospital. 

My  OB had a tradition of singing a Swedish birthday song to every baby he delivered.  He had a beautiful voice.  But my eyes were only for my baby.  How I had longed for him.

And yet, even though I had dreamt of that moment everyday for all those years, I had no idea how quickly and how intensely I would fall in love with that beautiful little creature.  How my entire identity would change the instant he was born.  How I would forever be his mother.

And now, almost 11 years later, I have four beautiful children.  And I am insanely in love with all of them.  And I thank my Heavenly Father daily for the gift he has given me in them.  And I pray that I will be worthy of that gift.

And how grateful I am for my mother who gave me the gift of life, and who is, unquestioningly, one of the strongest women I have ever known.  And to my sweet mother-in-law who is as  much my mother as she is the hubby's.  I am so blessed to have these two wonderful women in my life to mother me, to give me advice, and to listen when all I want to do is complain. 

Happy Mother's Day.

Ch..Ch..Ch..Changes~

I don't know about you, but it feels like every time my world starts to fall into any sort of comfortable pattern, life kicks me in the stomach. 

For example...

The Hubby and I bought our first home in Massachusetts at the height of the market.  We were so excited!  We bought in a great neighborhood.  The kids went to a great school.  The hubby's contracting business was doing well.  And then...we all know what happened...the housing market crashed.  Hard!  And that wasn't a good thing for contractors either.  The work slowed down.  Our house decreased in value.  We got to a point where we had to sell it.  Thankfully, we sold it quickly, and we only lost our down payment. 

So we moved to Utah -  in January of last year.  We planned on renting a house for a couple of years while we saved up a new down payment for another house.  Things went well for while.  Then, as many of  you know, in August of last year, the Hubby was in a near fatal car accident.  Thankfully, he survived...but he basically crushed his right leg, broke 8 ribs and punctured a lung.  Needless to say, his recovery has been slow.  Now, unless you're really paying attention, it's hard to see him limping, but he does.  And if he's on his leg for any length of time it swells terribly.  So working is still difficult for him.  He hasn't really been able to work since the accident, and that has been hard on both of us.  But, with retirement money, and the money I make from the blog, we've gotten by.  Our neighborhood is FANTASTIC, the kids school is amazing, they have a great group of friends.  In short,  we're really happy here.

You can see it coming, can't you?

About three weeks ago, we found out that our landlords are selling the house.  Yep.  Selling it.  They offered us first dibs if we'd like to buy it.  But, of course, we can't.  So now we have to move.  Yuck.  I really hoped to stay in the house we're in  until we could buy another one.  No such luck.

We have an opportunity to rent a place that is really a blessing considering the situation we find ourself in.  Thing is, it's about 40 minutes south of where we are now.  A great town, and family close by.  We feel blessed that it has come up.  It will mean downsizing (not that we live in such a palatial house now).  But that's good.  There are boxes down in our basement that we've carried with us from move to move for probably 10 years...it's time they went.  It will also mean a new school for the kiddos, new friends, new experiences.  (Not to mention a new place to decorate!) 

And so, despite the fact that I cried when I first found out we have to move again, I've come to embrace it as a new opportunity.  A reinvention if you will.  I hope you'll join me on this little journey.  It should be an adventure!

And another fun change is on the way (well, fun for me at least).  The blog is in the middle of a redesign!  I'm loving what's going to be the new look and can't wait to share it with you all in the very near future.  So if you pop over one day, and everything looks different...don't worry...it's just a change for the better! 

And on an entirely unrelated note,  it's about time I announce the winner of the Lisa Leonard Gift Certificate....KIM WEBB!! Congratulations Kim.  Please email me, ane we'll get you set up with your prize!!

Have a great day!  Frugal Friday goes live tonight at10:00 pm EST.

House of Fifty (and a little Easter What-We-Wore)~

Today is the day! The official launch of House of Fifty e-zine! Created by the very talented Janell of Isabella and Max rooms!

I am so honored to have been one of the contributors to the premier issue of this beautiful

e-zine. As a contributor, I was lucky enough to see a sneak peak of the magazine last week...and I must tell you...it is simply stunning. A must read, if I do say so myself.

Click here (or on the photo above) to read House of Fifty!

Now for a little Easter What-We-Wore.

I just love Easter! It is seriously one of my favorite holidays. And one of the things that I love the most is dressing my children up for church in their new Easter finery! Our family tradition of getting new Easter clothes is one that dates back to my childhood...and one that I've loved continuing with my own kids.

Here are the kiddos hunting for Easter eggs on Easter morning. They found them all in no time flat. I wish I had timed them... but seriously, it could not have taken them more than about 5 or 6 minutes. You should have seem them go!

And here they are with the goods! Too cute for words, those kiddos.


On the Princess: Lady Jane Dress and Mini Frosted Flowers cardigan from DownEast Basics.
On the little boys: Shirts and sweater vests from Target, khakis from Children's Place
On Mr. One: Shirt from Target, tie - Chaps by Ralph Lauren from Kohl's, khakis from Children's Place


The hubby snapped this photo of my Easter look...

Le Petit Linen Dress and Frosted Flowers Cardigan from DownEast Basics

Tulle Underskirt from Vintage Hem

Necklace from Target

Fashionable footwear courtesy of our local Urgent Care

Bet you're jealous of my awesome footwear, huh? Last Wednesday I was just minding my own business walking down our stairs when "POP!" something popped in my ankle...and boy did it hurt. But the pain went away and I soon forgot about it. Until I was trying to reach something on a shelf and stood on my tip toes. Then "POP!" it happened again. And then again later...and then again...and then on Thursday the frequency increased until I told the hubby I thought maybe I should go get it checked.

Turns out I have a small fracture on my right ankle bone most likely a stress fracture that finally "popped" on my way down the stairs last Wednesday. Seeing as it was Thursday night at Urgent Care, however, they just immobilized it for me. I'm going to have to see a specialist this week to find out the details. Let's keep our fingers crossed no surgery is involved. Shall we?

But aside from my little escapade with my ankle, it was a perfectly lovely weekend.

How about you?

Checking In~

Got in late last night from our spring break road trip to Southern California. Had a great time simply lounging around, spending time with my beautiful sister and her family. Note to self: Never take photos facing in the sun...note the squinty eyes and irritated facial expression.

Sometimes a little time with family is all you need to recharge your batteries.

I'll tell you what, though. These were the prices at one of the gas stations we had to stop at on the way home.

Yikes. Highway robbery, I tell ya!

Okay, crazy gas prices aside, I have a lot of projects coming up to share with you all now that those batteries of mine are back up to full!

Off to start on them...have a great day~

Southern Cali and 2 Giveaway Winners~

This gal comin' to you from Sunny Southern California this beautiful morning (well, it's still morning here, anyway!) Yesterday was spent on the road with the hubby and the 4 fabulous offspring on the way to visit my sister in Southern Cali for spring break.

Now we're just chillin' and enjoying having absolutely nothing to do for a few days except enjoy the warm temperatures while it snows back home in Utah (ha!)

So I just popped in to let you all the winners of this week's two giveaways.

The winner of the darling Polka Dot Bungalow camera strap is Jen from Andy & Jen. Congrats Jen!!

And the winner of the design consultation is Jociegal from Wingin' It. Congrats!!

Please email me ladies and we'll get you all set up with your prizes.

And never fear. I may be on vacay, but Frugal Friday is still heading your way. Live tonight at 10:00 EST as usual! And next week...real projects and fun stuff to post. Pinky Promise.

Have a great day~

Behind the Scenes with Matthew Mead and Nie Nie~

Last week I had the amazing opportunity of working with Matthew Mead, the incomparable creative powerhouse behind Holiday with Matthew Mead magazine.

Along with his wife Jenny and Linda of Restyled Home, we created a beautiful photo shoot for Matthew's new Summer magazine featuring Stephanie Nielson of the Nie Nie Dialogues.

Alice Lane, one of my favorite home decor stores, was the setting for the photo shoot...and it could not have been more perfect. Stephanie, along with her lovely sisters, sisters-in-law, and close friends were the stylish models...and of course Matthew's incredible food stylings were featured as well.

I can't begin to tell you how much fun it was to meet and work alongside these fabulous people! So I'll show you instead...

Look at all those beautiful roses...and that's not even half of them. They were gorgeous!!

I spent quite a while prepping those babies...luckily I got to bring home some of the extras. (Ah, the perks of magazine life...)

Like I said...a lot of flower prepping. And even more food prepping...but I don't have a photo of that.

Matthew and Jenny snapping away.

Some of the lovely ladies...in their fabulous spring finery. (Those gals were dressed to the nines...let me tell you!)

A little glimpse of the pretty, pretty table setting.

Matthew snaps some photos of Stephanie.

Me and Nie Nie. Such a charming and gracious lady. So glad I was able to meet her. (I felt a bit like a groupie, I've been a fan of hers for.ev.ah.)

Here I am with Courtney (AKA C.Jane) Stephanie's sister and an amazing author and blogger! Don't ask me what that crazy grin on my face was for...apparently something was quite funny when this photo was snapped...yikes!

Not only did I get to see this beautiful photo shoot, but I got a sneaky peak of the photos for some of the other articles that will be appearing in Matthew Mead's Summer Magazine and I can tell you that you are definitely going to want to get a copy. But they are only available online. You can order yours here. And believe me, I would!

Thanks again to Matthew Mead and the gang for the chance to work alongside their awesome talent...and to have so much fun in the process!