inspiration workshop! :: yellow

Wow! It's been a LONG time since I last linked up with Gussy Sews for her Inspiration Workshop! series.

But, alas, here I am.

This month's prompt is YELLOW.

Honestly, I used to not like the color yellow. 

Yes, I know. Preposterous.

How can you not like the color yellow?

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I guess I used to think it wasn't very pretty.

Now the color makes me super happy.

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It, of course, reminds of sunshine.

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And light.

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And joy.

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It's so cheery!

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One day I'd like to have a yellow statement piece in my house.

Like a bright yellow door.

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Or yellow stairs.

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Or a yellow crib in a baby's room.

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Ooh! Or something like this yellow faux fireplace.

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SO pretty!!

Yellow makes the world seem right.

xoxo.
jen

inspiration workshop! - holiday tips & secrets

Hey there!! 

Happy 1st day of December!!

Long time no blog.

Honestly, there really is no specific reason that I haven't blogged in a while.

I guess I just needed a break.

But I'm back now and pumped to be posting a lot more (hopefully) this month.

And, of course, with it being Thursday and all, it's time for another Inspiration Workshop! post, brought to you by the lovely blog Gussy Sews.

Today's prompt is, Holiday Tips & Secrets.

 

Truth be told, I don't really have that many holiday tips or secrets, other than sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself.

It's WAY too easy to get completely caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

I feel like people (myself included) often forget to just ENJOY all of the wonderful things that this time has to offer.

Having two littles at home, I admit that I feel the pressure to make their Christmas "special".

To make it something they will look back on as adults and remember fondly.

And, given my "all or nothing" nature, a special holiday looks like perfection in my head.

And if I give my kiddos anything below "perfection", I can wind up feeling a big, fat failure.

How many other mamas out there understand this feeling?

Can I get an, "AMEN!"?

 

So this holiday season I am going to strive to relax and HAVE FUN!!

Sure, there are a lot of little projects I want to do with my little ones, but am I going to do them all?

Most likely, no.

And, this year I refuse to beat myself up over it.

What happens, will happen, and we'll have fun and create memories in the process.

As time goes on, I realize more and more that the memories my daughter holds onto are not the same as mine.

She relishes in the small moments.

The moments when she and I spend time together.

She won't remember that the Christmas cookies we make look funny because she just has to mix the frosting colors together.

She will remember that she got to help mommy bake and that we had fun getting everything messy.

 

She won't remember the glitter in the carpet that took a month to vacuum up.

She'll remember that I took the time to make a fun Christmas craft with her.

She won't remember the gingerbread house that was lopsided.

She'll remember making a piece of art and being proud of it.

all photos via pinterest
This year I am pledging to let go of my perfectionist tendencies and just have FUN!!

inspiration workshop! - dining room

This week's prompt for the Gussy Sews' Inspiration Workshop! is DINING ROOM.

When I think of dining rooms, I think of eating.

Yes, I know that's a given, but from there my  thoughts progress to family, friends, and fun.

It's amazing how many times a get together (be it in or out of the home, with family or friends) revolves around food.

I like the idea of just hanging out with loved ones and cooking a leisurely (and of course, wonderfully delicious) meal.

Sitting/standing around talking, while sipping a nice glass of wine (or whatever your poison is) while music is playing and the wonderful smells of whatever is cooking is my idea of a good time.

So, when I think of my dream dining area, it's not stuffy and formal, it's warm and comfortable and right smack dab in the middle of the kitchen, which is definitely the heart of the home.

 

 

 

{all photos via}

What does your dream dining room look like?

inspiration workshop! - flowers

So, I've already missed the deadline for this week's Gussy Sews Inspiration Workshop! linky party.

Oh well! I'll still put this post up.

The prompt was FLOWERS!

The first thought that came to mind along for this prompt was this cutie patootie here:

That's right, that's my little Kid A, better known as Sweet Pea.

When she was born my mom started calling her Itty Bitty Sweet Pea, due to her size (a whopping 3lbs 15oz).

And well, the Sweet Pea part stuck.

It is not only a super cute nickname, but the flower for the month of April (A's birth month) is, you guessed it. 

The sweet pea.

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In March of 2010 I got a tattoo of a sweet pea on my foot, a kind of dedication to this wonderful little girl who fulfilled my lifelong dream of becoming a mommy.

Funny story: a few months back I was talking and cooing at Baby LL and I accidentally called him Sweet Pea. 

Let me tell you, A jumped all over that with a, "He's not your Sweet Pea, I AM!!".

Oh, how I love her!

inspiration workshop! - favorite accessories

It's time again for another Inspiration Workshop! post, brought to you by Gussy Sews.

This week's prompt is Favorite Accessories and let me tell you, it took some thought.

I LOVE accessories!!

Handbags, headbands, scarves, nail polish, jewelery...I love it all.

I decided to go ahead and post pictures of some pretty jewelery that I found on Pinterest.

Something that I've been noticing in regards to my taste in jewelery, is that I love "natural" jewelery.

I love pretty rocks and turquoise.

Or things that are nature inspired, such as pieces with birds on them, or feathers, or trees, or other animals.

So pretty.

And as the years have passed, I'm finding myself more and more drawn to gold jewelery.

Enjoy the eye candy!!

inspiration workshop! - red

I'm a day late getting this out, but I guess it's better late than never, right?

This week's prompt for the Inspiration Workshop! put on by Gussy Sews is RED!

While thinking about this prompt the thing that kept popping in my head was, hair.

I distinctly remember when my fascination with red hair began.

The year was 1997. The movie was 'Titanic'.

Yes. I fell in love with red hair after seeing Kate Winslet with it in 'Titanic'.

After seeing the  movie in the theater multiple times, I tried (successfully) to emulate the color on my own head.

Over the years I've gotten red put in my hair multiple times.

So far, my favorite was a couple of years ago when my sister, who is a hairdresser, did my hair really dark all over and put streaks of bright red in on top.

I loved it!!

The picture doesn't really do it justice.

Trust me when I say that it was BRIGHT red and AWESOME!!

One day I WILL get the nerve to do an all over BOLD red.

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SO pretty!!!

If you could do any color in your hair, what would you do???