Happy Fourth of July!

I want to thank everyone for their sweet comments, words of encouragement and stories about my last post. We are in the trenches of this life together and we need to remember that. Our lives are not meant to be picture perfect Pinterest and Facebook posts. Whew! Thank goodness! All that perfection would be, well, boring! 

We survived Sweet Pea's birthday party last weekend and it was a blast. I cannot wait to share it with you! Bless her heart though, she woke up on Saturday, the day of the party with an earache. She is a trooper though and we loaded her up with Advil and pain-killing ear drops and the party went on! She took a little break in the afternoon, but kept on with the fun. That night was a different story and when we rolled into the doctor's office on Sunday morning, my baby had a middle ear and an outer/swimmer's ear infection. The doctor prescribed pain meds because of the agony she was in. Yes, I know, please don't call CPS. I have learned my lesson and I feel terrible enough. I was also up with her for two nights and have paid the price with no sleep.

I for one am ready for the fourth. Are you? I  love to celebrate our Nation's birthday; neighborhood parades and block parties, cook outs, friends, family and fireworks! I thought I would share a few snaps of our front porch and dining room table decked-out in red, white and blue. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Happy Fourth!

Krissy

All photos are my own.

Fun With Shells

Just in case you didn't get enough posts on shells last summer, I thought I would share yet another fun idea with you. I was in charge of Sweet Pea's class project for the school auction and decided that a shell mosaic cross would be a good project. I purchased the shells from Hobby Lobby, but this would be an excellent way to display your own treasures from the beach.

The kiddos came-up with the design, their creativity never ceases to amaze me. In most cases, the only thing that limited the design was gravity! I supervised the hot glue gun, but the kids did the rest! I did have to go and fill-in to make it look finished and I went over the entire cross with two coats of paint sealer to make it shine.

I finished the project by mounting the cross onto a cabinet door. I just happened to have one handy from the demo of our kitchen! I painted the door and glazed it. I mounted the cross with liquid nails. So far, so good. My friend that won the bidding hasn't called to say that it has fallen to pieces, so I'm calling it a success! Give this a try, it is fun. I am planning one for our home, as well.

Happy Shelling!

Krissy

She sells seashells

At Home with Chris Madden publication


Veranda publication


I have a soft-spot for sea shells. Each one is a little treasure from the sea. My family likes to joke about the fact that the only side they see of me at the beach is my backside, stuck in the air, as I am always bent over looking for my little sea treasures! My sweet sister-in-law is usually
with me, so my backside is not alone!


Country Home - November 2004



Country Home publication



antique wooden bread bowl with shells in my living room



decorative shell boxes in my entry - I label the bottoms with the year and the beach where the shells were found


Each summer, we haul numerous, plastic grocery bags full of shells home from the beach. We also make a stop by our favorite sea shell store - I sell seashells down by the seashore (that's the name of it)- and buy a few prized specimens for our collections. I have gotten the mini-pearls hooked on shells, too. The bags of shells were starting to pile-up and I hated to throw my little treasures away, so I have gotten creative with ways to make keepsakes out of our stash.

antique typesetter tray with shells - this is in my family room

vintage Italian stacking tables with shell covered spheres- my living room

Shells add a wonderful touch to any decor. I pile them in bowls and pretty glass jars. I even have a bunch piled in a birdcage! I place larger shells on top of a stack of books. I have made several decorative shell boxes and my latest is a three and a half foot cross covered in shells that is hanging above my bathtub. I hope this inspires you to get creative and use your own little treasures around your home.

shells in a birdcage!

mosaic shell cross, glass jar filled with starfish

close-up of shell boxes and cross

xoxo,

Krissy

*unless noted, pictures are of my own home*

Shadow Boxes

Ok, a photographer, I am not, but these are a grouping of shadow boxes in my home.

We all have little treasures hiding around our homes. You know the ones: the sorority pin tucked-in the back of your jewelry box, a baby spoon that has been outgrown, baby booties, special tokens from a date or vacation -ok, maybe I'm the only pack rat in the world that saves these things, but it's a shame to leave these little treasures hidden! Several years ago, I pulled-out some of my favorites and put them in shadow boxes. They are great conversation starters and make a sentimental piece of art to adorn your walls.

Box 1: my Brownie pin, Girl Scout pin and Kappa Key. Box 2: baby teethers belonging to my husband, oldest son and daughter.

Box 1: baby bracelets belonging to myself, my oldest son and daughter. Box 2: My favorite! Monogrammed, sterling diaper pins that were my husbands!

I Started-out with simple, black, shadow box frames from Pottery Barn. I covered the back with memo samples of wallpaper that I ordered. (fabric and scrapbook paper work well, too) I then arranged my little treasures and secured them with floral pins to reduce any damage to the items. This particular grouping, I hang together, but you can scatter them throughout your home with your current art groupings. Have fun and be creative!!!!

Box 1: spoon my mother ate her oatmeal with as a child. Box 2: my baby spoons.

Box 1: my mother's childhood cameo locket and small purse that belonged to my great-great grandmother. Box 2: booties knitted by a family friend that my daughter wore to her dedication and baby rings belonging to my three children.