The Katie Brown Workshop

I am a big fan of PBS shows. I have been watching PBS since I was little. My favorites are the cooking and sewing shows. Sadly, our local station stopped showing Sewing with Nancy and Pepin. But I recently discovered the Katie Brown Workshop.

Katie is super talented. Every show includes some type of craft, recipe, and home decor project. The ideas are all super usable and user friendly. Because I have to admit, that is why I don't watch the Martha Stewart Show. I just don't have the time to make those meals or those crafts.

But Katie's approach is just so much more user friendly. Her staff is also quite entertaining. I really like that these people have great personalities. This is definitely one of my new favorite shows. I am just sad that it is only 30 minutes long, and only comes out once a week. But if you are looking for some budget friendly ideas, you might want to watch the Katie Brown Workshop. :)

Stunning

I was "googling" veils for a friend. She's getting married next year. And looking for something a little less "traditional." I found this gorgeous piece! I like the "retro" feel of it. It doesn't feel so "let's play dress up," but more elegant. Do you know what I mean?

I think sometimes, the "retro inspired" pieces feel more "let's go dress up, and play like we were 5 years old." But this piece, so adorable! I really like the touch of feathers too!

Pure Elegance

I went to Sally's this morning. I went to buy a new brush. I don't know what happened to mine. And the comb situation is quickly growing old. But I got lost in the wall of nail polish. I think nail polish is quickly becoming a favorite productive of mine! I looked and looked. Finally deciding on a China Glaze nail polish. The color is Pure Elegance. It is a pretty pink color. With my Sally's card, it cost under $4 for the bottle. I can see me wearing this color every single day! It is just the perfect color. Barely there, and so lady like! :)

Sally Beauty Supply

After way too long, I finally decided to buy a Sally Beauty Supply Card. I shop there pretty often. I buy some hair products there that I can't find at Target. I am also a fan of the Sally Girl eyeshadows. And the China Glaze nail polish. But I have never purchase a card.

I don't know why. It is only $5. And at the bottom of your receipt, you get a $5 coupon to use on your next visit. Every time that you buy something at Sally's and use your card, you get a discount. You can see, this is a good deal. Especially when you consider that the card is essentially free when you use your $5 coupon. :)

Angel Trumpet

I ordered 3 of these plants. They're "Angel Trumpets." The beautiful cousin to the "Trumpet Vine." I'm definitely in LOVE with these plants.

We planted them along the fence, outside of our bedroom. They're so beautiful, and have such a sweet scent. I can't wait until they grow big. And the trumpets dangle over our windows. What a great thing to wake up to in the morning. :)

New

This is the bathroom set that we've agreed on. For our main guest bathroom. It's the bathroom that is central to our main living area. You know, the one that everyone uses, when they come to visit.

My hubby and I went back and forth on the decor. He wasn't feeling any of the "girly stuff" that I liked. So when I found this one, and fell in love, it didn't hurt that it was not pink. That would have definitely broken our deal. But this minty/baby blue color, it's just perfect!

We ended up painting the walls a light grey color. And all of our fixtures are silver. The towels, curtains, and rugs are all this gorgeous color. And with a little help from Lola, it's perfect! I really do like the "vintage" feel of the room.

Amigurumi World

I just bought this book. And I'm so excited to start a few new projects. Everything is so cute in Amigurumi World. I wish I would have bought it sooner. But it's better late than never. Right? If you crochet, this is a book you need to buy. ASAP! Now I just need some more yarn. :)

Dreaming of Paradise

Today, I've been dreaming about a tropical paradise. Funny, huh? But there is absolutely nothing better than a day at the beach. Sand in your toes. Smelling the salty air. Feeling the cool breeze. Maybe my hubby and I will plan something big soon. I'd love to be on the beach. :)

Eyelash Curler

I'm pretty sure I hate my eyelash curler. Maybe I just don't use it the "right" way. I'm not sure. But it doesn't leave my eyelashes looking nice. It could be the eyelash curler itself. I should probably invest in a better one. Not the cheap-O one that I have.

But is there are "right" and "wrong" way to use an eyelash curler? I hear that you can slightly "warm" the eyelash curler with your blow dryer. It will help set the "curl." But if I'm not happy with the "curl" as is, then I should probably not do this.

Maybe I just need some help from an "expert." Because right now, I can only get my eyelashes to stand up straight. Not curl so beautifully...you know, like they do when you get your makeup done.

Pomegranate Tree

Around here, everyone, and I mean everyone, has a pomegranate tree. Except us! The crazy thing is, my hubby loves them! And we spend a small fortune buying them. Even when they're "in season."

So I was really excited when our neighbors gave us a "cutting" of their tree. Immediately, we begin to give our little tree lots of love. And now, it's a pretty decent size. But we're going to hold off planting it until the Fall. When we figure it won't die. :)

My hubby can't wait for it to grow. And start bearing fruit. I have a feeling, he's going to eat them all. We just have to wait a few years. But I think this is one of the best ideas we've had yet. We've finally planted something that we're going to find really useful!

Their Amazing Luck!

We have some friends who recently bought 6 bistro sets just like this! Their was a little shop/restaurant that was going out of business. And they happened to be in the right place, at the right time. The 6 sets, came in just under $300!

I just can't believe it! They entertain quite a bit. And they were looking for a good set of outdoor furniture. Again, we're all relatively young. And money is always on the brain. So this was a complete score for them!

If only I had luck like that. I would probably have convinced my hubby to buy all 6 sets too! My friends can't decide if they'd like to keep the furniture as is. Or give it a fresh coat of paint. Honestly, I'd keep it "as is." It gives it a lot of character. Which I LOVE!!!

Wedding Flowers

A good friend of mine is planning her wedding. And we got to talking about flowers. Because they are so expensive! When my hubby and I got married, we spent a FORTUNE on flowers! And that's to say that we got them at "wholesale." Still really expensive.

If I had to do it all over again, I'd probably still spend the money. It was that important to me. But, I think I'd do certain things differently. Like have a simple bouquet like this one. Just beautiful flowers. All on their own. Being beautiful.

My friend, well she's still on the fence. Because money is tight. And there are so many other things to spend the money on. I understand. I told her to stick to one kind of flower. Maybe add some candles. But keep it simple. Because Mother Nature is pretty incredible. She got it right on the first try.

Lean Cuisine Meals

I am determined to get into shape this summer. I lost a pretty remarkable amount of weight to be perfect for my wedding. Not that I was fat. But I had definitely allowed myself to gain some weight when I first started college. And I never lost the pesky Freshman 15.

But when we set a wedding date, I got real serious. I lost weight and really watched what I ate and how much I exercised. It payed off brilliantly. But after the wedding, I let all of that fall aside. We got married right before the holidays. Between the amazing food we had at the wedding, the holidays, and going on our honeymoon, my health plan flew out the window.

For New Year's I was determined to get back on track. But I was back to school. We were newlyweds. I was trying to be a good wife and cook lots of good food. And we were looking to buy a new house. I pretty much gained all my weight back.

Then I talked to Lola. She is a nutrition guru. She is studying nutrition and pre-med. So you can imagine, she had lots of great tips for me. We set up a plan and I started my whole get in shape routine. It has been going well. But I noticed that for lunch, I was eating a lot. Probably because I am home alone during the day. And our garden is giving tons of food.

Again, I talked to Lola. And she recommended the Lean Cuisine meals. These, I know for a fact, are meals that she eats. Because she is always on the go, Lola buys these for her lunch. She has a nice supply at work. I have to agree, they are quick and easy. The part that I like best is, they are already portioned out. That happens to be my issue. I like to eat bigger portions than I should.

But these meals come in a variety of flavors. There is something for everyone's taste. Real comfort foods, Oriental food, even Mexican inspired foods. They all cook up in under 5 minutes in the microwave. And honestly, the portions are very filling. I have been able to find them on sale at Albertson's for $2 a piece. I would recommend these for anyone who is trying to watch what they are eating, or for the busy people out there. They are tasty! :)

The Twins' Baby Blankets

The Sunshine Round Ripple Blanket

My childhood friend, Nina is having twins. She doesn't know if they are going to be boys or girls yet. I don't think her and her husband want to know. She is due at the end of October. But her baby shower is going to be at the end of September. I wanted to make her something special. Because she is a special person from my childhood. I just didn't know what to make. The few crochet books that I have, have very delicate patterns. Something you would use for a girl. And since we don't know if the babies are going to be girls, I had to scrap that idea.

Not that long ago, I had been doing a search for baby blankets and came across this one. It is the Sunshine Round Ripple Blanket, and I thought it would be perfect. After printing out the pattern, I had to decide on what colors to make the blankets. I went to the store this morning. And I fingered through all the baby yarn at JoAnn's. At ours, it really isn't a big selection. Before finally deciding on Bernat's Baby Softee yarn in the green, white, and yellow. I figured I would start with the green, change to white, then yellow, then white, and then green. Doing somewhere between 5-8 rows in each color. I just need to figure out this before I start!

I don't want to make the blankets too big. I figured big enough to use to cover the car seat or a small enough to travel with. Then later, they can use them for the babies to play on. I figure I will have to add a few rows to the patterns to make the blankets the size I want them. And I am thinking of a different edging. We will just have to wait and see what happens.

Nina loves things like this. So I figured I would make the 2 blankets. And out of the leftover yarn, I can make booties and hats. Hopefully by the time of the baby shower, I will have 2 blankets, 4 hats, and 4 pairs of booties! :)

A Crafter's Heaven

Have you ever shopped on this site? Mi Prima was telling me about it. And let me tell you, it's a little bit like a "Crafter's Heaven!"

After 3 hours of "browsing" my hubby told me that he might just be in trouble. Yes, it's that good. I could easily spend a small fortune on so many crochet patterns. But I'm holding back. Trying to narrow down my favorites. And hoping to make a purchase before I go to bed tonight.

Do you know of any other great craft websites like this? Please share! I'm always looking for new places to be inspired. And to find unique patterns. :)

An Outdoor Table

My hubby and I have been looking for a little table and chair set. Something small, and somewhat inexpensive. Just for us to have dinner on, when we BBQ. Or maybe have our coffee in the morning. Something small. Meant for outside. Preferably metal. I've found these so far.

I really like this white set. But my hubby insists that it's too "girly." But he said, he might learn to "deal" with it. I'm not sure thought...

This red set really caught my eye. But I'm not sure if it's a little too "retro" inspired. Do you know what I mean?

This is probably our favorite set. A color and style that my hubby and I have compromised on. Not too big. Not too "girly."

And for a good price. We found it as cheap as $75 on some websites. I think we're going to go with this set. We both seem to like it. And for now, it's a good value for money. In a few years, we want to invest in some really nice outdoor furniture. But for now, this is just perfect!