Read any good books lately?

Next week we'll be here...

for our annual beach trip.

Anyone read any good books I can pick up before I leave. I don't really like cheesy, Shopaholic type books... but I'm no Kafka fan either. Last year my beach book was The History of Love, which I LOVED! I also loved her husband's book Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

I want something like these! I need help! What have you read? Give me some suggestions.

My departure date is quickly approaching!

Always a Bridesmaid

Just kidding...I've been a bride.

I'm off to Chattanooga today for Tiff and Taylor's wedding!

I love southern weddings. I think there will be 9 bridesmaids....and it's not the largest wedding I've been in...they get much, MUCH bigger down here.

For multiple reasons, I've been embracing all things southern this week. I love being from the south. I love my twangy accent. I love fried catfish, fried green tomatoes, fried chicken etc. etc. And I love THIS SONG by Marc Broussard. It makes me feel like I'm in the deeeeeep south, at a juke joint, and Ashley Judd's there, sweating {like in A Time to Kill} and some big man is using a ceramic jug as an instrument, and there is an old skinny man in the corner dancing like a crazy jig and everyone is clapping....I've never actually experienced a scene like this. But I want too.

And in the meantime I have THE SONG.

Hope you plan to dance a jig this weekend.

I do.

Kickin Up My Heels

photo

We've got a party to go to this weekend!

The night will include...

a poufy dress....

painful, but awesome, high heels...

a hot date....

our last chance, perhaps, at a prom-ish photo op

{Mr. Sabbe does theYESSSS arm pump move}....

future doctors acting way too crazy for the general public to witness and

still choose to go to those doctors for treatment....

and lots and lots of dancing!

Happy Weekend!

Feeling Feist

Listen to My Favorite Song of the Week

I'm no Rolling Stone Magazine....but when she breaks into i love, i love, i love....and the piano goes dum, dum, duuum.....my musical insides swoon. This, again, would be on the soundtrack of my life....which is my entire basis for whether a song is good or bad.

Mr. Sabbe went out Monday to have a celebratory drink with his man friends. I stayed home, sewed, and listened to Fiest....my insides just swooned again.

So You Think You Can Dance?!!

Are you kidding me?! How did no one tell me that they were holding So You Think You Can Dance auditions at the Holiday Inn today! And to think, I've been taking hip hop dance classes since January {by taking I mean furiously trying to do motions that half way resemble what my teacher did while standing as non-awkwardly close behind her so she can't see how off I am in the mirror}. Maybe next year!

In other hip hop news, have you heard of Lars and Marley? If I were 7 I would say I wanted to be her when I grew up, but unfortunately I'm 27.

If I were Benjamin Button..... I would want to be her when I grew young, then I definitely would be trying out for So You Think You Can Dance at the Holiday Inn today.

Lord Make Me a Bird

Sweet Jenny! Oh I loved this movie...cried my eyes out the first time I saw it. And although all of us have not experienced trials in our life equivalent to the story in Forrest Gump, we've all had moments where we're felt like asking...

"Dear Lord, make me a bird, so I can fly far, far, away..."

{photo}

This week at Downline I had the pleasure of being taught by Dr. Jim Allman of Dallas Seminary. Dr. Allman shared a little insight with us on how we truly are God's little baby birds

and His desire for our fleshy life is that while we're here we'll figure out our wings and fly.

{William Dalton}

And how does the mama bird teach her babies how to fly?

She pushes them out of the nest!

and they fall....

and fall......

and fall.....

And just when they think there is no hope, she swoops down and grabs them and returns them to their nest...

But as soon as they get comfortable....she does it again...and again....and again....
and who knows how many times it will take

Until one day they spread their wings...and fly!

Dr. Allman's point was, trails build character, and if we can pause in the middle of our fall we may be able to see God's hand training us to fly.

Hope you fly away this weekend!

Photoshop Actions

Am I the last one in the world to find out about this amazing tool? Find free Photoshop Actions here, brought to my attention here.

Thanks Parker for being my little model. I know your mama won't mind me putting you all over the internet:)

Diaper Bag

This was what I made my sweet friend from the shower I posted below. I was pretty pleased for my first diaper bag. I've made a ton of bags, but never a diaper bag. I usually loose patients once I get to the inside and never really make many pockets. On this one the interior was my focus. I tried to make it as momma-user-friendly as possible. I used one of my favorite Amy Butler fabrics. It's kind of feminine, but I thought she's having a boy...not becoming a boy. And if I have a baby boy in the future, I don't want to have to carry around a bag with airplanes or dinosaurs on it. Well, on second thought, if they were these airplanes I wouldn't complain.

Oh Boy! Baby Shower

celebrating the upcoming arrival of Baby Watson...

{I made the bunting out of some scrap fabric and ribbon, pretty simple. I used my new pinking shears, very fun! I cut the little letters out of contact paper. I love them. Need to have another boy baby shower soon so I can have a reason to leave them up}

We made cupcakes and got to use the icing gun I got for Christmas {thanks Jason and Gina!}


lots and lots of cupcakes


This is how you get a little boy to a co-ed baby shower.


This is how you get big boys. {don't they look like they're having fun!}


The most helpful man in the world maned the grill all night.
Tip to anyone planning a cookout-type shower...start grilling burgers before the
company arrives.


...the gifts were sweet ...


...the cupcakes kicked in ...


...our favorite 6 month old made a few appearances ...


....and the best gift of the night was revealed



What kind of friends would we be to not consider Baby Watson's future need for street cred?

Pretty Dish Towel Tutorial

For: Lili and who ever else wants to give the easiest craft in the world a shot. If you want to add ribbon or rick rack, make that step #ZERO, that way you get your rough ends tucked in.

Happy Weekend!

So Fresh and So Clean, Clean

I made some more towels yesterday for a friend who is tying the knot next weekend. I think wiping the counter is far more fun with a pretty towel. I made myself a couple for spring. When in a bind, I've been known to use the Christmas towels in July...shhhh.

Workin' Hard for the Money...

I think this has been my #1 most productive 4 days at work ever. Ever had those weeks? Feels good. No working late, just really productive while I'm here. To fill the craft void I bring you....

http://craftgossip.com/

Check it out. I don't know who runs it, but they post constantly and have millions and millions of craft tutorials! Come back and see me. I've got some crafting in my weekend forecast...and baby showering!