Reentry

Reentry into life after a week of sunny vacation can be brutal, especially when it's 55 degrees and raining upon arrival in Seattle. As the work week begins, I'm thankful the sun has made an appearance is will be sticking around for several days.

Sunshiny days remind me that life is beautiful and I am so blessed!

Under a Big Top

While it may appear that I've been under a rock for the past 8 months, in all actuality, I've been "Under a Big Top" as co-chair of my boys' school's vintage circus themed auction. While this was by far the largest volunteer job I've ever undertaken, I am so happy I did it. The friendships I made with my amazing co-chair and team of volunteers will last forever!

Now on to the show. We started "auction season" with our logo and team expectations....

(Found on Pinterest)

Eight months and many hours of work later, 380+ guests filled the venue for the Greatest Show on Earth......

Our silent auction was split into three sections with different closing times :: the blue horse, the orange tiger, and the pink elephant. The animals were cut out of wood, painted then mounted on gold painted PVC. The centerpieces in the dining room were smaller versions of the same animal silhouettes covered in gold glitter. Two dads on the decor team were instrumental in cutting the 66 animals and our decor chair glittered 45 animals in her dining room. Needless to say, I'm sure her house has a "NO GLITTER" policy now. The photo of the big top was purchased on Etsy and projected onto the wall.

When seated for dinner, every parent had a ticket on their plate that read, "Your children are your ticket to the Greatest Show on Earth." And the faculty and staff had tickets that read, "Education is the not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. - William Butler Yeats" It was very important for us to honor the teachers who educate our children day in and day out.

 It was a successful night on all fronts and I'm thrilled to focus on my family and business again!

DIY Fabric Panels

Our foyer was feeling dull and drab without artwork so I set out to find an inexpensive pop of color.  Large artwork can break the bank and it takes time to find the perfect piece(s).  The inspiration for the fabric panels came from a friend who has two beautiful bird panels in her foyer.

I was looking for a bold yet simple fabric to add the pop of color I needed.  After searching through books and books of fabric at a local store, I settled on Duralee Thomas Paul Silhouette in turquoise.  And come to find out I had pinned a photo of the fabric on Pinterest the previous week.  Clearly, meant to be!

I bought one yard of fabric {$65/yard} and two sets of stretcher bars {purchased at Daniel Smith for $60} for a grand total of $125.  You can't beat that price for two 22" x 48" panels.  I'm definitely pleased with the results.  What do you think?

And that's our pooch, Tessie, modeling the "coziness" of our updated foyer!

DIY Necklace Holder

As I was confined to our basement with a sick dog who can't navigate stairs, I decided to work on my latest DIY project, a holder for my necklaces.  Thanks to the lovely, One Fabulous Mom, I love costume jewelry.  It all started when OFM hosted a giveaway of a Banana Republic gift card that was to be used on accessories only.  I'm a simple girl and up to that point, I hadn't even dreamed of wearing bright jewelry to accessorize.  All it took was one $10 purchase and I was officially hooked.

I spend very little on accessories.  Most of the necklaces on this board where purchased from Target, Old Navy, Forever 21 and Loft.  Stella and Dot also made the board but only because I hosted a party.

This board is made from a simple cork board purchased from Staples.  I planned to staple the white fabric I had on hand to the back of the frame but ended up gluing it because of a stapler malfunction.  It may not last with the glue but it'll work for now.  I also wanted to add a small decorative element to the board so I painted the pink strip on the bottom with acrylic paint.  Voilá!

Summer Reading Motivation

In an attempt to motivate my boys to read this summer, I created a game of "Summer Reading Bingo" complete with coupons and a golden tickets as rewards.  And with a new Menchies opening up in the neighborhood, the coupons are going to come in very handy for frozen yogurt treats.  Thanks to Pinterest for the inspiration.

Click here for a free printable of the Summer Reading Bingo!

And here for the coupons and golden ticket!

Happy Summer!

Queen of Halloween

Photo from Brooklyn Limestone blog

I'm convinced that Brooklyn Limestone is the "Queen of Halloween". Seriously, go to her blog and check out her decorations! It makes my measly Joanne's spider and webs look absurd. I'm in awe!

{wordless wednesday}