Friday Five

Happy Friday! How has your week been? Our week has had it's usual ups and downs and somehow it felt like a hard week, so we are glad it's Friday :)

I was inspired by this picture I found on Pinterest...

Plates (Matthew Mead)

Source

... to capture a few blue and white images around our home ('cause you know I just can't get enough blue and white!).

1. These books often find their way onto our mantel...

August Blues - Books

...because they belong to my husband and they are small, vintage, blue, and add just the right touch of "boy" to our decor (Note to self: see if I can find some more!). The glass mosaic candle holder came from Big Lots a few years ago.

2. This is in our youngest's room...

AUgust Blues - Boy Room

Two-tone blue paint job with molding in between. The picture was a happy find in the As Is section of our local IKEA - $0.25 for not one but two of these fun vehicle pictures (frames I had already)! You just never know what you will find...

3. This pitcher came from Target a long time ago...

August Blues - Pitcher

... back when we still lived in Canada and every trip to the U.S. included a stop at Target :)

4. This is in our ensuite bathroom.

August Blues - Frame and Plate

The plate is from my collection. The frame lost its glass years ago, so it got a coat of white spray paint. Note to self: don't use satin finish paint on a textured wall (and don't get me started on the issue of textured walls)!

5. Just keeping it real...

August Blues - Laundry Room

Yes, there is even blue and white in the laundry room - nope, this was not staged, these happen to be the shirts that are waiting to be ironed. The walls are striped - just waiting for some beadboard for the bottom half of the walls and then I can show you the rest of it :)

And I got through that whole post without any pictures of blue-and-white slipcovers or pillows :)

Do you have a favorite color combination? Do you use it in your home, or is it more likely to be found in your closet?

Have a great weekend!

Sherri

For This Mother's Day

A Holy Experience Mother's Day 2013

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Ann tells it like it is - make sure you read all the way through :)

Why Mother's Day is for the Birds

For all you mothers, in whatever stage of life you find yourselves, I pray that you will have at least a few moments to have your soul fed in its deepest places.

Happy Mother's Day!

Sherri

Friday Five

Friday

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How has your week been? I think we had a little bit of everything this week, and now we have Friday :)

Here are some good reads from this week...

1. A Whole Lotta Happy - from my new blog friend Camille. I've got to try this :) And check out the rest of her blog - great stuff!

2.Are you on Pinterest? The Nester has some thoughts about how we think about what we pin.

3. Another inspiring slipcover from Shelley. There are a lot of great slipcover creators out there - Shelley is one of them and she nails it every time!

4. Ok, this is not a read, but have you seen these? I used some for teacher appreciation gifts this week, but I may need to get some more for me:)

5. And if this Friday finds you like me, a little (or a lot!) weary and overwhelmed, please just read this...

May this weekend be everything you need it to be :)

Sherri

It's a Saturday Six (?)

Well, this was supposed to be a Friday Five, but yesterday was kind of a full day, so I'll do it today :) Here is how the week went... 1. Monday we spent the morning visiting the neurodevelopmental optometrist with our oldest and found out how much vision therapy could cost :( I guess we have some decisions to make. But we also learned that his prism lenses have done their job and he is no longer required to wear them.

2. Tuesday, my Mom and I got to deliver and install six dining room chair slipcovers. Here is a sneak peak...

August Blues - Dining Chair

The client was happy :)  And we got to take home another chair and fabric for the next project.

3. Wednesday was a catch-up day - laundry, errands, prep the sewing room for the next project, etc. Ever need days like that?

4.Thursday I made 20 yards of white piping and brainstormed ideas for these next chairs. And, since all work and no play is no fun, Mom and I visited The DIME Store - I found the cutest mushroom pincushion...

August Blues - Mushroom Pincushion

... and Mom got a feather print like mine. Then we went to Scrap Denton and I was able to donate a large bag of my fabric and batting scraps - woohoo!

5. Friday was kindergarten field trip day - we spent an enjoyable few hours at the Frank Buck Zoo in Gainsville. If you are in the area and have littles, it is really worth the trip! The best part (besides hanging out with my youngest) was the blue-tongue skink that they showed off during the program - those were my Mom's nemesis during our time in Australia all those years ago, so it was fun to see one again (picture here)!

Then, the evening was date night! The best part about that (besides hanging out with the Professor, without the boys in tow) was discovering that our local Fuddruckers now carries the Napa Valley Salad :)  Have you had it? I first tried it 4 or 5 years ago in Great Falls, MT and have been WAITING for it to be available here.

6. And now we come to Saturday... Our youngest was supposed to have soccer pictures, practice and a game this morning, but he has come down with something "coldish", so we stayed home. And truthfully, I don't think anyone minded. We love to watch him play...

August Blues - Soccer

... but our last few Saturdays have been very busy, so it has been great to have a more relaxed day to get caught up (and write blog posts!).

We have really been enjoying having my parents here from Canada for a visit  - the boys like to share their stories with them and we love the company and extra hands :) How has your week been?

Happy Saturday evening!

Sherri

Birthday Friday Five

August Blues - birthday boy

Our oldest is 9 today and, as parents are prone to asking on days like this - when did this happen? How did this bundle of sweetness get to be this big boy? So, in honor of this day, I present a Birthday Friday Five (kleenex alert!)...

1. The day you were born was a lovely spring day in Saskatoon, SK (that's in Canada, for those who wondered). You took your time getting ready to come, but once you decided, it all happened much more quickly than we anticipated. Grandma and Grandpa who were three hours away almost didn't make it in time for your arrival! And not much has changed - once you decide something is going to be a certain way or happen at a particular time, that's what it needs to be :)  And, even though it took longer for you to be able to tell us with words, you are now able to tell us so clearly, and we are thankful (mostly ;) ).

2. You have always had the most amazing smile - pure joy all over your face! Your smiling face was what I kept thinking of when your brother made his arrival a few years later. And your beautiful blue eyes behind those cute "Harry Potter" glasses - when we have those moments of connection, looking right at each other - just awesome :)

3. I love that books have always been your closest companions. Even before you could read, we always had to have your current favorite book along wherever we went. There are several books we have had to replace more than once when they literally fell apart because they had so many "miles" on them. Remarkably we have lost very few, mostly because there would be dire consequences if we did! And now you read and read well. I know it's hard for you to express what you understand from your reading - to me it feels like a key that's missing that would help us unlock all that goes on in  your head. But you know what you know, and someday you'll be able to help us know, too.

4. Yes, you have autism. I pray that, as difficult as it makes life some days, that it does not define you. You love to read, travel in the car, play on the Wii with your brother, run hard and long, scramble on the climbers at the playground, hang out with your friends at school and Sunday School, play and learn with your friends and therapists at therapy, listen to music  and love on Maggie (the beagle). And you are specially created by a God who loves  you more than we ever can - that is who you are.

5. We love you and are so proud of you! God is taking us on an incredible journey together - I am so thankful that God is taking us and we are going together as a family. But I can wait to see where He takes us - these days are going too fast!

Whew, sorry for the intensity. It's just important to say these things sometimes. And now on to the cupcakes and candles!

Have a wonderful Friday and many happy wanderings this weekend!

Sherri

P.S. For more information about autism, check out Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew: Updated and Expanded Edition - it's a great summary. I also like  The Autism Mom's Survival Guide (for Dads, too!) and The Sensory -Sensitive Child: Practical Solutions for Out-of-Bouonds Behavior.

Just popping in...

August Blues - Sewing Room IRL

...to say hi! And wow, what a week - I am continuing to pray for Boston, and now for West, TX.

And I am not forgetting about this little blog, I'm just in the middle of a large slipcover project and I'm "in the zone" (does anyone say that anymore?) and these days are relatively free from other distractions (well, besides laundry, meal-making, shuttling kids, etc.) so I am just going to go with it. See you on the other side :)

Sherri

P.S. If you are struggling with your craft today, just. read. this... (and bookmark it so you can come back to it whenever you need to). You are welcome :)

Friday Five

Where did this week go?!? Yikes! I didn't intend to be away from the blog all week, but the Professor was out of town, so that meant single-parenting. And, how does that saying go? When the cat's away the mice will play?  Well, this mouse likes to tackle an extra project or two...

Here we go (and please forgive the phone photos; the "good" camera went to LA with the Professor)...

I finally got a chance to stop by The Dime Store (after I got a haircut here).  Very cool stuff - I will definitely be back! I snapped a quick pic of this beauty (I'm not biased)...

August Blues - Vintage Settee at The Dime Store

And picked up these lovelies...

August Blues - Dime Store goodies

Anna Tovar is a local watercolorist and the yardstick business card holder just makes me smile :)

August Blues - yardstick business card holder, the Dime Store

Speaking of business cards, I get mine here. Pam is great to work with and I've gotten lots of compliments on the cards. (Oh, the bottle? From TJ Maxx awhile back)

Back to projects, if you are prone to move furniture around on a whim, these furniture sliders are a life (and back) saver (and maybe relationship-saver, too, since you now don't have to bother your husband or significant other to help in your craziness)...

August Blues - furniture sliders

Also, on the subject of projects, this is one of my favorite things about the space I worked on...

August Blues - ticking handle

No superior wood-working skills here (those went to my brother), but I am loving the braided ticking!

I did get some sewing done;  a whole lot of this...

August Blues - pleats

And when the cat came home, we celebrated with a little treat :)

August Blues - treat

Oh, was that six things? I guess it was a pretty good week after all!

Have a great weekend!

Sherri

Friday Five

It's Friday! I thought I would try something new; maybe I'll even make it a regular thing ;) Here are five random things from this week...

August Blues - the beagle

1. The sun is shining today - can I get an amen!?!

2. April is Autism Awareness Month. With the grey, rainy weather outside much of the week and a mixed up schedule at school, we have been very aware this week. And health insurance issues? Don't get me started. But, I appreciated this article about moving past awareness to action - what do we want awareness to accomplish?

3. I just started a slipcover project I am really excited about (ok, I love almost any slipcover project). If you follow me on Pinterest (hint!) you have already seen the inspiration picture ;)

4. I generally don't wade into hot-button issues (probably that introvert, conflict-avoidance side of my personality), but this was a thoughtful, sensible article about an issue that has had a lot of press recently.

5. Spontaneous lunch with a friend is awesome - thanks, Kristen (you can find her here - very cool stuff)!

Happy Friday!

Sherri

P.S. Since it is Autism Awareness Month, and we have personal experience, I would like to write a post or two related to that (I shared a little here). Is there anything you would like to know about autism, anything that would help your understanding, anything you are curious about? Let me know in the comments and I'll see what I can put together!