Mini Pick-Me-Up #2 Part 2. Husband gets in on the action.

Well, now it rains again. This was scheduled for tomorrow, but with the impending rain it got pushed up to today. It was clear for a bit and now it rains.. but a lot was accomplished. As you can see my husband Eric got in on the action and you can tell by his sagging swoop that it is raining and has been for a bit. What a love he is. My daughter wanted to hang out and watch, so she made herself a lovely little nest.

 And.. I just found out that to make this area level we need to remove 24" of dirt from the area at the bottom of the photo which is the "top" of this area and move it elsewhere or create 2 terraces and remove only 12" of dirt from said area. Oye... Oye.. Oye... Either way that is a lot of dirt to move.

 Check out that saggy do! 

Avery in her outdoor nest.

Wow. What are we doing.

Alyssa

To go to the next post for this project click here.

Mini Pick-Me-Up #2. The Backyard Edition.

Well. I have for a long time wanted a deck or at a minimum a flat area to have our dining area on. This summer I have added a fabulous new sofa from the Chesapeake collection at Pottery Barn. So... now I also wanted the fire pit are to be flat as well. I know. High maintenance. In the midst of all this we are trying to decided whether to add on to this house or move to another. We are currently leaning towards adding onto this house. Which makes us have to think about each project we do over the next year and how it will be affected in whatever our final decision is.

Needless to say we are going with the cheaper approach as I mentioned on my house page.  Well, since those photo's were taken, oh, about an hour ago. We have now committed as you can see below.

 Ready. 

 Set. 

 Committed. 

 The furniture waiting for it's new home. 

Wow. Hope this looks good when it's done. We are committed now... ..... .... ...heart palpitations.. ..oye..

Alyssa 

To go to the next post for this project click here.

Things that make me happy on a rainy day.

I am sorry to say I don't know where I got this image.. But I love it. If you know let me know so I can give credit where credit is due.. In the meantime does this not look heavenly. 

It's a warm, sunny, bugless day. Kids playing in the water on this fabulous linoleum covered dock. (What a fabulous color scheme to. Don't you think?) Mom & Dad sitting on land in a chaise lounge made for 2 with lots of pillows for extra comfort. A couple of margarita's nearby and some good books and magazines on hand for when they are not dozing. Ah yes, I have now entered my happy place once again.

And now I say good-bye and hope you are in your happy place too. 

Alyssa

Exciting New Farmer's Market!

   Exciting news for  Fulton Neighborhood in Minneapolis and those who live near by. Their new farmers market opens this Saturday! That is tomorrow for you slow pokes..  I am so excited as this is so close to me and now I won't have to run downtown and deal with all the crowds. This farmers market is just a few shorts blacks away. The following is an excerpt from their website with the pertinent information. You can also access their website here. I will be uploading some photo's to share my new found joy on Saturday. Here's to no rain in the AM on Saturday. Though if the rain must come you will see me out there welly and raincoat clad still enjoying the day! The weekly neighborhood farmer's market is what make urban living so easy, fun and of course cozy. I also am excited to see the craft vendors..  :)

The excitement centered around the opening day of market has been tremendous. The organization has been busy completing the many tasks for a successful season. We want to thank again all the folks who have volunteered their time to assist with the market.
We have over 20 vendors committed to the market. Vendors include – general and specialty vegetables:  Weed Patch, Waxwing Farm, Uproot Farm, Peter’s Pumpkins, Garden of Egan, Pine Acres Farm, Yer Yang and Savanna Vue.  Fruits and berries:  Mary Dirty Face Farm, Sweetland. Meats and eggs: Alaska Organics, Brauchers and Singing Hills for cheese.  Bakery and prepared foods:  Sunstreet, Patisserie 46, Big River Pizza, Gai Gai Thai, Chef Shack and Public House Coffee.  Jerry Stanton for pickles and canned goods. We will have a variety of plant vendors for the early weeks of the season and craft vendors for your enjoyment.
We expect that the market will develop into the local gathering spot for  neighbors to get to know each other and have a cup of coffee or prepared foods while buying their locally produced vegetables, fruits, cheeses, breads and pastries.
The Fulton Market values your input and thoughts. Please follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@fultonmarketmn) and our website for additional information.  To volunteer at the Market or to help staff the FNA table, e-mail fultonfarmersmarket@gmail.com.

When:   Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. from May 21 through end of October

Where:  Lake Harriet Methodist Church Parking lot, 4901 Chowen Ave. S.

See you there... Alyssa 

Weekly Addictions!

Every week I will share a blog with you that I really love. Today's blog is called This & That and I know you will love it. Especially if you love home blogs as much as I do. This blog features a young couple, in a modest home, doing great things on a budget. We could all learn from them!

You will find out how to turn this:

Into this:

You will also see how they made their kitchen look like this on a budget:

 

And if you have the most recent issue of Better Homes and Gardens you may recognize her from this:

This blog is lots of fun. I love that they have a modest home, like mine, and they do big things with it. Happy blog reading, and I'll see you next week with a new link!

Stacy

Pinterest - Baby Style!

    I must have baby on the mind. I keep finding the cutest baby images, furniture and graphics. Either that or maybe I am just attracted to the people on Pinterest with cool baby boards. At any rate today I have for you a cool cradle, rocker combo. Maybe not the coziest thing for mommy or daddy to nap in while rocking baby to sleep but definitely a cool piece for baby's room. The next item on the docket is a very cool tree book case painted green to boot. Love green, love nature, love books. Perfect for my babies room. If I had another, that is. :) The last photo is a surprise. Wait, you scrolled didn't you? Oh, well. This is the cutest, black and white babies room with a huge graphic of a deer on the bedding. I love it! Makes me want to have another, just to have the room.

Enjoy the show!

So cool. Made by Ontwerduo.

(The logo, I could not recreate. You'll see what I mean when you go to the site. Check out the d.)

 What is not to love?  Especially the photo with the cute little boots at the base of the tree. Adorable. Unfortunately, I cannot give credit to this as the link takes me to nowheresville. boo. :(

 Yummy. I need another one just to have this room. How can one not be attracted to such a cool large graphic! This room is so rockin' it gets 3 clicks. 

A Cup of Jo - Where I found this first.

The Boo and The Boy - Where A Cup of Jo found it.

And finally the photographer. Kjerstis Lykke.. Thank you for such a great photo.

 Ok. I added a photo I know. Is this thing not a hoot! Ok, a cluck. Since it is a chicken after all.

I love the whimsy and color of it. As long as it doesn't scare the kids. :)

Found at the Modern House.

Made by: Hayon Studio.

Have a great day!  I am off to shower, shave and head to work. Pottery Barn for today. On another note. Sad news, my sewing machine died mid-burp cloth yesterday. Thankfully it sounds like it only needs a tune-up... and won't be going to the sewing machine pasture. 

Ciao for now! 

Alyssa

Pinterest. Statements to live by.

 Be strong. Be Yourself.

 

Yep. Who doesn't think this every day. Houses are meant to be lived in.

 Karma wins in the end. Every time. Grumpy people beware!

 So true. So true.

We all are and should be making the most of it! Enjoy yourself and the life you create!

Have a great day folks! 

Alyssa

You look fancy...some great finds to wear to all of your summer events!

Summer is coming and it's time to get your party dress on. Here's a great summer outfit that will get you through all of your fun summer outings. It's pretty classic so you can wear it next summer too.

The classic shift dress is great on all figures. You can find this one at

Anthropologie.

Now head over to Macy's and get these sexy summer shoes. Buy them in nude so you are understated, yet elegant. Your legs will look a mile long!

Etsy is the perfect place to find great jewelry that is original and handmade. These earrings are perfect since you won't need to wear a necklace with the dress.

If you want to add a bracelet, I think this one is divine! I found it on

Etsy just like the earrings. It's the perfect mix of bling and vintage!

I hope summer is coming to a town near you, now go get dressed up!

Stacy

Snowmingos.

I fear it is not going to get warm and stay warm this summer. So.  I am going to go with the flow and try and find these cute snowmingo's for my front yard. I live in a 50's rambler which make them quite appropriate. Now to find a bush for them to peek out from....

Meet Laverne & Shirley.

With that I must go garage saling.. as it is Saturaday and the Linden Hills garage sales are on! 

Wish me luck!

Alyssa

Last night's storm.

As you know if you live in Minnesota we had a storm last night the produced the most amazing clouds. Here are the 3 best of the ones I took. I tried to get the lightening but was only that lucky in once shot. I missed the amazing ones by mere seconds. boo. :( 

 The little rambler on the left is my cozy urban home. 

Hopefully next  year it will be my spacious cozy urban home. 

That is another story for another day however.

What fun! A let down though in the rain department. 

Alyssa

Pinterest find of the day. Shoes. Fabulous Shoes.

    Every urban, suburban and country woman out there needs some fabulous shoes. Their own dream outfit. Today these are mine. Yummy. I don't know when or where I would where them but I love the bold graphic. Could you imagine these with with the perfect little black dress and emerald jewelry? I will admit to drooling right now. As I sit here in my pajamas.

        

The shoes. By Prada.

(The link is the link provided by Pinterest.. 

but alas I could not find the shoes on their blog. :( boo.)

 The dress.

The jewels. Thank you Angelina for modeling them for me.

My dream outfit of the day. Now to decide on real life issues. To shower today or not to shower. 

Alyssa

Hi, my name is Stacy and I'm addicted to home decor blogs....can I be saved???

Tonight as I sit here with a gas leak down the street and a tornado watch until midnight, I have to come clean. It's my dirty little secret. It takes up hours of my time and leaves my husband feeling neglected. I'm seriously trying to "fix" my need to seek out SUPER fabulous decorating blogs and read them non-stop. Once a week or so I hope to post some of my favorites on here so that you will also become addicted. I'm sorry, but I must be selfish. I need others who share this compulsion so that we can form a support group. So, my friends, I will share with you a current favorite! It is called 33 Shades of Green. The link I have just given you is for my absolute favorite room in this very stylish young woman's home. Please look through her whole blog and see for yourself.



You will see things like this:

And this:

And this:

Oh, and THIS!

I really love her sense of style! Now go see the rest of her stuff for yourself!

P.S. She also has some really wonderful and easy recipes!

Happy surfing....see you in therapy!

Stacy

Rocking Chair Heaven

    Well, I have a new pastime to add to my collection of blog reading, crafting, blogging, reading and sewing. Pinterest. (I first discovered this on Young House Love.. and am now seeing so many people I know in the Pinterest world that I am surprised it took me so long to hear about it.) This website allows you to "pin" images to boards. Similar to a cork board only with this, later when you click the image it will take you to the site where the image came from. Ahha! So, if it is a product you love, but cannot buy yet or a room you want to emulate but won't start construction for a few months you now have a place to save it and come back later. Genius. 

  Well, that leads me into my actual post.. because while scrolling through all the amazing images on Pinterest... I found this rocking chair. Amazing. I need to figure out if this chair is indeed in production as I truly must own this. This rocking chair is absolutely scrumptious. Imagine sitting in this on a day with a thunderstorm, reading a book and snuggling with your honey. Let's add a big cozy blanket, perhaps something cable knit to this. I am starting to doze off in my happy place just thinking about this. :)

    The designer is Markus Krauss based in Hamburg, Germany. The name of the chair is Sway

Well, I am going to go back to my dreamland for the day. 

Alyssa

RUN don't walk to buy this...

If you know me, you know that I like to clean. Don't mistake this with liking to pick up the house...in no way do I like "picking up." I like the actual process of getting things clean. Since Alyssa and I both house a small zoo at each of our homes, I am concerned about keeping things pretty sanitary. I have 3 cats and a dog and if I could get them to wear shoes while outside or in the litter box, believe me...I would! About 5 years ago I became pretty obsessed with using environmentally friendly cleaning products. I worry about my husband and I...but I also worried about our critters. I have never liked PineSol or other harsh chemical cleaners. Mostly because I cannot stand the smell. I have switched over to all environmentally friendly products and they clean just as well as regular cleaners. I won't lie...there are times when using environmentally friendly products require using more elbow grease but I am okay with that. The only thing I cannot give up is bleach, and I only use it once a week or so to bleach my sink. Otherwise I have switched over to peroxide. You do know that it's the miracle cleaner, don't you? Swish it in your mouth while you are in the shower a few times a week and it bleaches your teeth for CHEAP. However, my favorite thing about it is that you can use it on your carpets or rugs and it does not take the color out...only the stain!

My new find (within the last few months) is this:

I cannot tell a lie, I am addicted. It is what you must run to buy! I use the Grassy Mint on my body (yes, it is for body and home!) and the Pomegranate Acai for my home. Clean your floors, bathroom, kitchen and everything that needs cleaning with this. Your house will smell amazing and when you buy it they will donate 10% of the profits to support Seeds of Peace. You clean while teenagers from opposite sides of conflicting countries learn how to come together and talk instead of being enemies. It's a win-win situation! You can buy this at your local co-op. If you don't have access to a co-op, I know that Whole Foods also carries it. It may seem pricey at $13 for 34 ounces, but you must remember that it is super concentrated! If you are unable to find this soap, another product I like is this:

I may be partial to this brand because it was created by a Minnesota woman. I have oodles of respect and admiration for her because she was one of the pioneers of yummy smelling cleaning products. You can even find these products at Target these days and they are reasonable. About $7.99 for a 32 ounce super concentrated bottle of it. You won't regret buying this.

I will leave you with another eco-friendly cleaning tip: Go buy a cheap spray bottle. Fill it with two cups of alcohol and one cup of warm water. Be sure to mark the bottle "window cleaner" and go clean every window in your house. Just don't do it when the sun is beating on the window...you WILL get streaks. Been there done that. This stuff is cheap and works great! Beats Windex.

Happy Washing!

Stacy

You can buy this on Etsy. If you'd like to get one for me, I prefer mine in grass green :)

Mother's Day Margarita. Yum.

Need I say more?

Happy Mother's Day! A quick and easy place card project

Well, this year we had the Mother's Day festivities at our house in the form of a brunch. I did not have a ton of time to do a lot of the cute little things I normally would have wanted to do, but I did get in this one little project. The idea came from the Creature Comforts blog... and the following is my take on this little cutie.

My version are used place cards holders...

 I started with white paper and a giant punch. I clicked off fourteen of the shapes..  Then added the names... and a little water color to the edges for some life... Just call me color happy today!

 Next I used double stick foam tape on the back of the blank tag added a tooth pick and adhered the front name tag to the front...

 

 The finished little cuties... now for their home.

A place to sit with a healthy little treat for everyone...

Ps.. the little dish is from Pottery Barn. Clearance.Yay. 

Happy Mother Day to all the fabulous mom's out there. 

Alyssa