Design Inspiration

In our six plus years of marriage I have never really decorated our home. We have rented up until nine months ago and for the last nine months the money has gone towards the outdoors.

But now it is my chance to finally shine. I have literally four big projects going on in my head: the living room, the kitchen (complete remodel), our bedroom, Drew's room. And I'm working on things for all four of them and therefore will never finish.

I am always flipping through magazines or blogs to give me ideas and inspire me. It took another annual family Christmas party to remind me that the decor inspiration and talent lies in my own heritage. My dear grandma and her decorating was something very picture worthy.



Plastic tablecloths and arranged centerpieces on every table. And Happy Birthday napkins for who? Jesus of course.




There is definitely a sequin theme going on here.




Bringing in nature with the pinecones.




Grandma, I'm so loving purple right now. It's my favorite color.




The old birthday board to celebrate the special birthday boy or girl. On Christmas of course it is Jesus. How do I replicate this?




The woman of the hour.



Grandma, I think you're great. I will help you set up plastic tablecloths any day just to see your amazing centerpieces. And I am in need of a centerpiece for our new kitchen table... hint hint.

Family Photo

Chasing the Birds

Sand Castle Contest

Ocean View

Beach Blues

I was going to post a bunch of pictures from our week on the La Jolla beach, but I just couldn't do it. "Oh look... here was our fun trip... blah blah blah... now it's over with... blah blah blah... the end." No, it deserves better than that. It deserves a whole week of pictures. Just a picture a day is all, in hopes it will take me back to that blessed seagull-infested beach. If only in spirit.

I love this picture because it is Drew au naturale. Wind-blown salty hair and sand all over the place. After the sun would go down and we left the beach for the day, the bathtub would drain and an entire layer of sand would be left in her place. There's nothing like it.


And thanks for all the opinions on those pictures. I did always like the first one most, because I am a sucker for that little face. I still have a lot to learn about photography and how to get good lighting and things, but it helps to have that little mug to save the day.

Opinions Wanted

I thought I would take advantage that we were on a beach for an entire week and try to get some pictures of a new dress I've been working on. Same tuxedo dress but in a banana yellow for Easter and spring. Every time I see this dress I love it even more than the red original, although each is perfect for it's season.

Taking pictures on a beach is harder than I thought it would be. I could never get quite the right lighting. I dressed Drew up two different mornings and took probably a hundred pictures. Still I did not get one picture that tells me, "Hey, I'm the money shot."

So these are the two pictures that I am deciding on for the main photo for the dress in my Etsy shop. This has to be the picture that will grab somebody's attention even though it is one little item on a page of search results. I've asked three family members and they all like one picture best while I like the other. Will somebody agree with me? Which do you like best?

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