I Need S’more Time

There are usually two things that have starring roles in our summer. 1 – S’mores. 2- Grilling. I really, really love summer…I wish it was longer. Yes, Kristen, I know it would be longer if we lived in North Carolina. So, last fall I was not ready to give up s’mores or the grill. I found this uber cute mini grill made from an Altoids tin and showed it to the hubs.

He loves an engineering challenge so when I couldn’t find an Altoids tin, he hijacked the cats’ bowls and according to him they were willing to give them up because “it was for their mommy’s birthday present.” He also did a few other things different…like add a lid and not put holes in the bottom. But I thought I needed to share this

The grates are covers for computer fans and the “ash catcher” is the bottom of a soda can. It’s more for aesthetics and cuteness because there are no holes in the bottom of the grill. That means I can use it inside (fully attended) and it’s easier to get the charcoal to stop burning with the lid also.

Look how fabulously golden brown these are

And I got to have Birthday/Thanksgiving s’mores (my birthday was on Thanksgiving). See, I’m one lucky lady!

Gettin’ Zinc-y

I love wreaths. I said it. It’s out there. Do I always get wreaths switched out? Nope…as in no way on God’s green earth. We currently have a gorg wreath on our front door and it’s not a Christmas one. Some people might see this as an accomplishment. Not this girl…it’s my Halloween wreath. Boo. So I love wreaths in theory. My favorite wreathy lady is Ms. Sweet Georgia Sweet. Have y’all seen her stuff?

Sweet Georgia Sweet on Etsy

What talent! Me? I don’t have the patience and I believe that Bethany must have the patience of a saint…so does anyone who makes jewelry. Seriously, I don’t know how y’all do it. I think the next wreath that dons my door will be ordered not made.

My niece’s birthday party was in February and I decided way too late to make her a wreath. In fact, you may have seen this on Instagram

Then it took me about half of forever to write a post. Since I got an iPad I rarely use my laptop anymore and I haven’t figured out how to post from the iPad (forgive me if this turns out bad!)

The whole process started with a wreath form from Michaels like I used for my coffee filter wreath. This time I painted it so if I didn’t cover all of the form with fabric it wouldn’t look as bad.

Then I cut strips of fabric about 2×7 1/2 inches and started tying them. I used eight different fabrics in smokey purple, grey and one was a bright pink. I didn’t exactly make them random, but I didn’t make it a specific pattern either. I just made sure they were scrunched together.

I also had some inspiration when I was shopping one day. I was at Laurel (if you live in Cedar Rapids, you have to check this place out) and saw zinc letters. They are just a few inches tall and I wanted a giant E for the middle of the wreath…since her name starts with E. First I painted the letter with a light blue green color then with silver. And when I say I painted it, I mean I told my mom how I wanted it painted and she did it (thanks Mom). Then I took some sandpaper and made it look a little distressed to go along with the whole shabby chic feel of the party.

I also found this giant silver flower thing one day and picked it up thinking “I’m going to use this for E’s party somehow.” So I made a hole in the top of the E and clipped the flower onto it.

Next step was to attach the E to the wreath. I just hot glued the corners of the E and centered it on the wreath and it was fab

The next morning I took it to my brother and SIL’s house and hung it on their front door for the party. That’s right, I decorated inside and outside of their house. Then I proceeded to forget to take a picture of it hanging on the door. Oops! And since I gave Miss E the choice of whether she got to keep it or it came home with me and I rarely say no to my nieces and nephews because I’m that aunt Evalee got to keep the wreath and I had to ask my brother to send me a picture of it.

Now I’m making one for my craft room. Since it will just be for me to see it’s taking me a long time due to the aforementioned lack of patience on my part. My letter is copper too so it will go with the copper in our house. Eventually between work, school and family I’ll get it done and show you the pictures. For right now, I occasionally look at E’s wreath and smile because it’s cute…and it reminds me that I have patience…even if it is only with my nieces and nephews.

The Chair Seat Thief

Saturday morning I got a text from my SIL (sister-in-law) Lindsee. She’s pretty good at flattery…she must know it will get her everywhere with me.

She sent me a picture that looked something like this one that I took when I got to her house

Good thing she sent me the picture. We didn’t need the foam, just the fabric

*If you don’t have the JoAnn app on your smart phone, you are missing out! Back to chair cushions. I met Lindsee at Hancock Fabrics on Sunday and we scouted out their remnant table. We found some that we thought matched the paint in their kitchen perfect so we snagged it. BTW, we were right on the color!

Six dollars a yard! We got 2 1/2 yards plus an extra fifteen inches they gave her at half price because it was the end. Total for the fabric was less than $18. I’m going to use the extra fifteen inches to make some placemats and probably napkin rings. I’m thinking of giving them to my brother for his birthday. He’ll be thrilled…maybe not. Back to chairs.

We got to Lindsee’s house and got to work. I started taking seats off chairs with some help from my niece Reygan. It was also lunch time and when Auntie Amy takes all the cushions off your dining room chairs, you have lunch on the floor.

I’m not mean. I promise. To compensate I brought them cookies. Plus they got to help! Poor Adicyn just wanted to sit in a chair

To get the existing chair pads off, I took a screwdriver and unscrewed them from the bottom

Then we were left with this

…and this

I numbered all the cushions and the chairs so we would know which one went where. It might not seem necessary, but it turned out to be good. Nothing is perfect so I knew not all the holes were going to be lined up the same on all the chairs. We could have recovered them one at a time, but then we wouldn’t have a dramatic picture like this one

Or this one

See? Totally necessary.

Due to the fact that the fabric had stripes, we needed to line it up. My CDO (OCD, but the letters are in alphabetical order like they should be) wouldn’t allow it to be any other way. So I had Lindsee (and Reygan) measure the middle of the seat.

She also got to measure a couple kids in the process

So I cut around the seats allowing an extra 3-4 inches around each side just to be safe and started lining up

Then stapling

 Hunter and Adi wouldn’t let Rey play with them. She was pouting (what a cheese)

Until I asked her to help me

Stretching and stapling and stretching and stapling and folding corners until I was all the way around it

When I would get one done, Lindsee would put it back on after Adi would find the chair that matched the seat

We also had to take a picture of a bunch of law breakers. That’s right, no tags on these chairs

Hunter pointed out that only I would go to jail since I removed all the tags and handed them to them.

But the chairs all got finished and they look fab!

Who doesn’t love a before and after side by side?

Total cost was $17 (I already had staples for the staple gun). I think that’s pretty good. Thank you Lindsee for letting me invade your house and do this with you. What’s next?!?!?

The Santa Chronicles

I took Bella and Bristol to see Santa today. Pretty brave if you ask me. Considering the performance Bristol gave last year. Every year PetSmart has Santa available for pictures. We’ve taken our kids every year. First just Bella, then Beau & Bella, then Beau, Bella & Brady (that was an interesting year), then Bella and Bristol. Bella is totally used to this mess. A portion of the money goes to help various animal charities. Last year I think we went on Cedar Valley Humane Society day. This year we helped support Last Hope Animal Rescue. I love that we are able to help organizations that love animals as much as we do through PetSmart Charities.

Anyway, this year Bristol did much better. He didn’t want to sit still, but that’s Bristol. He never wants to sit still. We named him Bristol before we knew he would use our house like Bristol Motor Speedway, but it totally fit. Here’s my Instagrammed version of the photo.

I entered their picture from last year in PetSmart Charities Awkward Family Pet Photo Contest. You can go here to see the picture and “like” it. Maybe they’ll win a book! Anyone else take their pets to go see Santa? Please tell me I’m not the only crazy one.

My Blogging Bestie

Finally!!!! My friend Kristen is finally blogging! If you love my blog (it’s okay, you can admit it, we’re all friends here) then you’ll love hers too. When we were getting ready to go visit Kristen and her fam last September Michael was concerned that he would have nothing to talk about with Kristen’s husband. My response: You’ll be fine. You’re married to the same woman! So again, if you love my blog, you’ll love hers.

She kicked off her blog by offering a FREE printable. See? Isn’t she wonderful?

Free printable from The Monogrammed Home

Head over to her site and show her some love. While you’re there, pick up a printable! Welcome to blogland Kristen!!!

(Not So) Boring School Stuff

Remember me telling you I decided to go back to college? I’m studying interior design and since this blog is about design (when I’m not sharing random happenings in our life) I figure I can share some of my homework with you. Two birds, one stone kind of thing maybe?

A couple weeks ago I had to do a design concept board in a style from the 20th century. When we bought our house, there was a way cool table in a room in the basement that I’ve claimed as the future gameroom/soda shop and it’s definitely mid-century-modern, so I decided I might as well do a moodboard/design concept board for my own house right? Then I share it with you and m able to cross three things off my to do list with one project. Working smarter not harder here (most of the time it’s the other way around). So here’s the room as it was when we moved in (see the whole house beginning tour here)

See, cool table right? Right now that room is a workshop, but when we don’t need a workshop anymore, it’s a total game room space! Since that’s probably at least 5 years down the road, this moodboard might will more than likely change, but right now I’m loving it….and I don’t even like Coca-Cola, but I’m a huge Marilyn fan

Created with Olioboard

Whatcha think? I love! Have y’all tried Olioboard yet? Also love! You should totally try it if you haven’t yet! That’s a lot of exclamation points, so I’m hoping you can see how much I love this! I might just be a little melodramatic…or a lot…but that’s why ya love me right? Here’s me on Olioboard if you want to check out what else I’ve been designing. Hint: There might be a board called Mudroom Dreams. I also may have asked for things to complete my mudroom for Christmas. And by “might” and “may have” I mean that there is and I did.

Guess who got a new phone and can tweet, instagram,pin and post from her phone again?!?! It’s me! Guessed that one, didn’t ya? New phone=more engaged Amy! Woohoo! Or are you worried now? I promise, it’ll be fun! I hope y’all are having a wonderful start to your December. I know I am!!!

Cupcakes + Rollercoasters = Love

In one of the first posts I did on this little blog you met my friend Ashley and I shared with you our somewhat stalker tendencies when it comes to John & Sherry from Young House Love. Did ya go back and read the post? It’s a short one, but it will probably make you wonder about my stability so I’m not sure why I’m reminding you it’s there. Anywho…Ashley and I knew that wherever the YHL book tour went, we were going to go to one of the stops. We both have a love for Chicago so that’s what we were planning. Then our trip to Chi-town was squashed when my SIL decided to get married that day. After a little debate I decided to go to her wedding (just kidding Meagan) and we decided on Minneapolis for our chance to party like rockstars. After we’d decided I spent a month looking for a keychain that was a rhinestone $ for $herdog. Couldn’t find one [sad face]. I also decided at the last minute (aka too late) that I wanted to get us t-shirts that said “I’m With the Band”. Good thing their book deal was a two shot thing. Next time…next time.
I also decided (seriously, I’m not usually this good with decisions) that this trip was going to be my birthday party. Cause when your birthday is on a holiday it sometimes gets missed. I admittedly whine about this way too much, but I’m also celebrating an anniversary of my 29th birthday so in all that time I’ve learned to take matters into my own hands and plan my own birthday parties. Plus, how awesome to have John & Sherry at my birthday party?!?! Dream. Come. True. (please don’t be scared). Unfortunately Ashley couldn’t go at the last minute, buuuut my friend Amanda stepped in! So I picked up Amanda on that amazing Wednesday morning and we took off to Minnesota. After a stop at Starbucks of course

We stopped at a gas station to get gas (of course) and take a picture with this bear?

We were watching the time tick down on the GPS trying to figure out how long we would have at Ikea (hallelujah)

We finally got to Minneapolis and headed straight to Ikea (hallelujah) and had lunch there and of course shopped. Then we went to the Mall of America. I’d never been there and Amanda used to go there a lot when they lived in Minnesota so she helped keep me on task instead of letting me wander around with my mouth open and eyes wide like a kid on Christmas. The tasks were to ride a roller coaster and pick up cupcakes. We rode the roller coaster and then stumbled our way to Cupcake. When did I get so old that I couldn’t walk straight after a 30 second roller coaster ride? We went to Cupcake so we could officially call this our birthday party (Amanda’s birthday was last weekend)! Ya see, I posted on YHL facebook page that this was my party and I was bringing cupcakes so they could sing happy birthday to me. The kicker was that they agreed! So we were in search of cupcakes. We just needed any cupcakes, but the s’more variety was preferred so when we found these I was completely and totally jazzed!

Aaaaaand they were a winner from Cupcake Wars? Holla! This added to the whole rockstar experience!

Post roller coaster and post cupcakes we made our way back to the car with me muttering to Amanda “I can’t believe this is actually happening. I can’t believe this is actually happening.” We got to West Elm around 4:30 and joined in the line.

Around 6pm we started filing in and made it close to inside. We were standing right outside the window where they sat for signing. I may have gone a little paparazzi and just started snapping pictures. Later when I showed them to Ashley she said “It’s like watching a movie”.

We had a couple hours to look around the store while we were in there waiting in line

I decided that I may want to do something like this above the sink in our kitchen (as in I definitely do).

The closer we got to the table the more and more freaked out I started to get. At one point I looked at Amanda and said “I hope I don’t faint or cry.” Then we came upon these cookies that took my mind off it for a little while.

Not long after we passed the cookie table, Amanda started counting people ahead of us. That’s when I really started faaa-reaking out.

So, the absolutely terrible part? My phone died. Amanda’s phone died. Fortunately, there were some fab ladies behind us in line and we knew they were as big of fans as us when we heard them talking about feeling like stalkers and like they were meeting Justin Bieber. That’s how I felt. I commented on a facebook post Ashley made the day before. Honestly, only two of those three things didn’t happen.

I felt totally comfortable asking them to video the happy birthday serenade and then emailing it to me. And one of them agreed!!!! I feel like I owe her my first born child or something. There. Are. No. Words. Video time? Please note, I was so excited I forgot to mention to them it was Amanda’s birthday too (Sorry Amanda) and I was completely flustered. I cried. I actually cried. Amanda said that she kept looking at me waiting for me to faint. I didn’t. I held it together (for the most part). Sherry was signing Ashley’s book when she was singing and started to say Ashley’s name (so she was there in spirit) But here’s the video

UPdate: Today I read an email from the super kind lady who took that video. Know why she’s awesome? She’s a blogger (shoulda known). Here’s her post about the meet and greet. Go on, check it out. Give her some love. Thankfully, she’s pg so she may not make me give her our firstborn. Whew. Bullet=dodged.

Of course we had to get a picture with them and our cupcakes

Then I took a picture of my new prized possession

And on Saturday Amanda’s husband posted this picture and caption on facebook

Amanda’s fortune from last nights dinner. If she would have received this Tuesday night or Wednesday lunch I would have been sold on these fortune cookies for life!

All in all it was an AMAZING day! Can’t wait for round two!!! Anyone else go to get a book signed?

 

 

A (free) Halloween Printable!!!

I’m totally a crazy cat lady. I admit it, it’s okay. Bella and Bristol are the lights of my life. When Audrey from Sweet Cheeks Tasty Treats asked me to create some tags for a cat treat she was working on, I was totally on board. I was skeptical when she told me they were going to be kitty litter clumps. We clean a lot of litter in this house and I’ve never thought of it as food. But, looking at Audrey’s tutorial, I might end up trying these!

How would you like a free printable of the tags I designed for these? Similar to the other free printables I’ve given you follow this linkto take you to Picasa Web Albums where you can download the file. Enjoy!

I designed these to help promote my event planning and styling business. I’d love it if you checked out my facebook page for Amy Lynn Events!

The Little Chef

I’ve told you that I’ve gone back to college to study interior design. Have I told you what I want to do with my interior design degree? Event planning and styling. That’s my dream. I’ve started my own event planning business (here’s my facebook page) and between that and sixteen credit hours this semester in school, I’m so uber busy! Two weeks ago, we also went to see my in-laws and my friend Kristen. When we were visiting the in-laws, while Michael was setting up computers he had built for his parents, I spent some quality time with my MIL and SIL working on stuff for my SIL’s wedding in November! Visiting Kristen was awesome! I haven’t seen her since we were in college…fourteen years ago. So I got to meet her husband and her boys and we went thrifting and made a trip to Home Goods and we went to some neat restaurants in their cute little town. It was amazing. We were gone a little over week and it was so refreshing, but now I’m having to play catch up.

Yesterday was my niece’s first birthday party and my sister let me plan it! As I was deciding what pictures to share with you, I realized I never shared with you my feature on Spaceships and Laserbeams! A few months ago, I showed you the vintage airplane dessert table that my friend Kristen designed as part of their Boy Bash on a Budget. She encouraged me to contact them about doing one too. I ended up doing a dessert table for their brand new collection called “Little Chef“.

Here are a couple pictures from that feature

You should check out all the pictures on Spaceships & Laserbeams. On my facebook business page, I posted a few more pictures, so you can check out that album here.

I’m working on posting the pictures from my niece’s party on there, but here’s a couple of those pictures too

Cutie Patootie Miss E

Well, friends, I’m not ashamed that I’m here to beg. See this angel right here?

I think she’s pretty awesome. She is, after all, my niece so she didn’t really have a choice to be anything but awesome. Her mama (my SIL) entered this picture in a contest. Pretty please go vote for her on Livie & Luca. You only vote once so I won’t bug you every day to go vote over and over. But once? Just once for the little girl who looked at her mom this week and said “I haven’t seen Auntie Amy in awhile,” complete with a pouty face.
Once I’m safely past a presentation for school tomorrow, I can’t wait to show you the project that the hubs painted last week. It seriously makes my heart skip a beat every time I look at it. Check out my Instagram feed to get a small sneak peek (username: thisDIYlife).