Hey, What’s Goin’ On?

I find myself humming a little Marvin Gaye this morning as I write this post… but I wanted to fill you in on what’s going on around these parts as of late.

I’m working on an antique vanity and tall dresser set, and it’s taking me a lot longer than I had anticipated.  Trying to do two pieces and make sure they match is new for me!  Here’s a sneak peek, though, just for you, via Instagram…

I am sooooo close to finishing these pieces and can’t wait to show them to you!  Funny thing is, I originally started these with the intent to resale, but I’m changing my mind as I get closer to the final product.  I’m thinking this would be such a sweet set for a certain little girl who’s about to turn the big 5!

*sob*

Yes, my  baby girl’s growing up – we just registered her for kindergarten last week.

*sniffle*

So that’s the skinny around here… what’s going on with you?

{Saturday Spotlight} Dear Lillie’s Master Bedroom

Welcome friends to another edition of Saturday Spotlight!!  Today’s feature is a gorgeous master bedroom from Jennifer Holmes of Dear Lillie blog and shop.  While I could feature every inch of her home, I chose her Master Bedroom because it’s beautiful and unexpected.  Enjoy!

Jennifer did not shy away from using a bold wall color, and the result is an elegant backdrop for those crisp white linens.

She also adds dramatic color by accenting with black accessories: pillows, wall art, lampshades.

I’m also quite enamored with her mirrored nightstands, which add a perfect balance between light and dark.

Her latest décor addition were some painted striped curtains – click over for her tutorial.

It’s amazing, right?!  Such an inspiring space, especially as I contemplate the changes I want to make in our master bedroom.

If you’d like to see more of Jennifer’s beautiful home, go visit her at Dear Lillie.  You won’t be disappointed!

***  All photos courtesy of Jennifer Holmes ***

***PINNERS: Please use proper pinning etiquette and click over to pin directly from Dear Lillie***

Spring Fever

Awake, thou wintry earth -
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!
~Thomas Blackburn, "An Easter Hymn"

I love springtime, when Mother Nature provides such a bountiful reminder of new life sprung from the barren earth of winter.  With our warm temperatures, we’ve gotten a good head start…

A hybrid tea rose I found at Home Depot – the first of many rose bushes to come…

The hibiscus that survived last year’s drought…

Our bottle brush plant – I love how the red florets magically appear, like fireworks!

My new rosemary plant that I hope to season many meals with in the future…

Tell me, how does your garden grow?

{What’s Cookin’ Wednesday} Oven Fried Chicken

After my husband and I were married, I bought myself a Betty Crocker cookbook.  Nearly ten years later, I still have the cookbook (and the hubby *squee!*) and have quite a few dog-eared pages marking my favorite recipes.  This one is a recipe I turn to frequently because of its simplicity in prep and cooking and because it’s just good eats, ya’ll.  Enjoy!

Oven Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3- to 3 1/2-lb cut-up whole chicken  (I sometimes use all drumsticks, cause my kids love ‘em!)

Instructions:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Melt butter in 13x9-inch pan in oven.
• In shallow dish, mix flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Coat chicken with flour mixture. Place chicken, skin sides down, in pan.
• Bake uncovered 30 minutes. Turn chicken; bake about 30 minutes longer or until juice is clear when thickest part is cut to bone (170°F for breasts; 180°F for thighs and legs).

*** image and recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker

Alive

I am extremely blessed to get to sing the story of the resurrection this Easter weekend.  Wishing you a glorious Easter as we celebrate the risen Savior!

Look what mercy's overcome.  Death has lost... and Love has won!!!

Last-Minute Easter Ideas!

I can’t believe that it’s already Easter, can you?!

We’re having our family Easter dinner tonight because my husband works this weekend (boo!), and my girls are spending the weekend with their awesome auntie since this mama will be singing at FIVE –easter services!  Yeah.  It will be a little non-traditional around here, but you get used to that when you work in healthcare and have to work holidays.

Nevertheless… it’s almost EASTER!

And just in case your plate has been a little full lately and you’re not quite ready, here are some last-minute ideas to get your Easter on…

Egg Creatures from the fabulous Martha Stewart

Caramel Bird’s Nest Cupcakes from hotpolkadot

Easter Silhouettes from Hostess with the Mostess

Grocery bag Easter basket from elinee

Chalkboard Easter eggs from Dear Lillie

Are your Easter creative juices flowing yet?!

Hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend!

No Rest for the Weary

If it seems like progress around here has been a little slow lately, well, it has.

I had done a fair job of running myself into the ground by burning the candle at both ends for a few too many days and it caught up with me.  (It also didn’t help that the pollen counts were VERY HIGH for more days than I could count and my head was pounding furiously in response.  Attention oak pollen – you may now leave the premises.)  To say I was exhausted was an understatement.

You know how it goes though:

source

I’ll second that, sister.

Many days, my to-do list is sadly neglected, because by the end of all this:

Get up, get ready for work, get the kids up, breakfast, pack bags and lunches for school, sign paperwork, pay bills, drop the girls off at school, commute to work, put in an eight+ hour day, commute back home, pick up the girls, dinner, gymnastics, church, homework, laundry, housework, bath time, story time, bedtime…

I’m pooped.

And sometimes those to-dos need to be separated into have to-dos and want to-dos… lately, the latter have not seen a lot of action other than moving down the list. 

And that’s okay.  Cause my have to-dos also include:

loving, snuggling, smooches, hugs, giggles, growing, smiling, tickling, making memories.

And that’s awesome.

But now that I’ve recovered somewhat from the allergy attack from hell and the bit of a funk I fell into:

source

It’s time to get back to business… cause those want to-dos?  They refresh and re-energize me in a way that’s quite the opposite of rest.  As difficult as that is to explain, I’m sure you other creative folks know what I’m talking about.  There’s just something so stimulating about seeing a creative vision come to fruition, as if it were an extension of your very being.

There’ll be no resting on our laurels here…