White Pumpkins

Be still my heart. I am in LOVE with white pumpkins. Clean, classy, and glamorous, they are a beautiful fall touch.

Business Trip for Mommy

I'm preparing for a business trip tomorrow. Sigh.

Nothing is harder than saying goodbye to this sweet little face.

I know my husband will "hold down the fort" and I cannot wait to return to my little family.

Organize Coupons

How many expired coupons have you thrown away recently? Honestly?

I've thrown away so many coupons lately it's sad. And I don't mean the "coupon for that random bagel place I'll never try," but coupons for products I actually use. That's bad.

With all of the "coupon mania" craze, I started to save some coupons pretty regularly. I think maybe last month I used one at Michael's....

My trash can is full of them.

I tried the binder full of baseball-card-sized organizers that the "experts" use, but I just had really organized trash. Enough is enough, so I came up with this idea for the "Occasional Couponer."

I used painter's tape to mark a large area on a storage bin. I painted the area with chalkboard paint.

Every time I put a coupon in, I write the name of the store or product it's used for in chalk. I put it in my kitchen (the place where I am most commonly found in my home) and I wind up noticing what coupons I have almost every day. As an added bonus, the chalkboard space isn't big enough to hold endless names, so I actually toss or give away the ones I know I won't use.

This is so much more realistic for me. I hope you find it useful as well. :)

Joann Fabric Coupon

I came across this printable coupon for Joann Fabric and Craft Stores and thought I would share it will you all.

15% off total purchase

This is my official excuse to go shopping tomorrow. I must have these Martha Stewart treat bags. :)

via joann.com

Pumpkin Wreath DIY

So, remember that wreath I was salivating over last week? Well, every time I walked through my front door I thought about how delicious a pumpkin wreath would look hanging on our entryway mirror. So, I made one!

I went to Michaels and found some adorable mini pumpkins and fall ribbon. I also got a grapevine wreath and moss (same materials I used for my monogrammed wreath.)

I hung the wreath by tacking the ribbon to the back of the mirror. I now have that festive touch I was looking for at a fraction of the price of the Williams-Sonoma version.

After a day of crafting-while-the-baby-was-napping and cleaning the house, we had a playdate! These two little guys had a great time playing together!

Linking up at Dittle Dattle, Southern Hospitality Blog

Little Pumpkins

I saw the first shipment of pumpkins at the grocery store last weekend and that means it's official....FALL!!!!!!!! That's generally my cue that it's ok to start decorating for fall. I have to restrain myself or I might have started in August.

I came home with these three little cuties and decided to put a monogram on each pumpkin. I cut an initial for each member of the family from black and white polka dot wallpaper I had on hand. (And yes, I tend to have those kinds of things on hand.) Then I simply hot glued it on! Easy!

I put them on top of white-washed clay pots in my kitchen. Of course, the little guy got the tiniest pumpkin. :)



Happy FALL!!!!!

Linking up at

Tip Junkie

Pumpkin Wreath

Because we had our first "fall-like" day here in the Carolinas, I had to post this eye candy from Williams-Sonoma. :)

Halloween Party: DIY Place Card

Hosting a Halloween party? Well, I have just the thing for you.

I found small wooden pumpkin cutouts and painted them in chalkboard paint.

I can use chalk to identify an appetizer, wipe it clean after the party, and use it again as a place card at a fall dinner party. I also added a cute little bow for a whimsical touch (thanks for the suggestion, Mom!)

Keep it plain for a sophisticated look:

I love fall....inspiration is everywhere!

Linking up at:

Tip Junkie

Never Forget

We will never forget.

Remembering the 2,752 who died on 9/11/01 – including 343 Firefighters and 60 Police Officers of the City of New York and for the countless others who have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice to bring those responsible to justice.

via coldspringfd.org

Cleaning Wood Floors

My floors have never been so clean. I am serious.

When we built our house, we chose deep "espresso" colored wood flooring. We loved the way it turned out, but realized they were difficult to keep clean. Two years later, throw another dog and a toddler into the mix...and forget it. You can imagine my stress level with trying to keep this floor looking even decent.

Yesterday, it ocurred to me that mopping might just not be enough. It seemed like no matter what I did (I have a steam mop, a microfiber mop, you NAME it) my floors just never seemed truly clean. So, I got down on my hands and knees (yes, I did) with a cloth and my new cleaning obsession, CitraSolv. I stepped back to look at it and was amazed...it finally looked clean. That's when I realized mops just don't get into the dirt well enough.

Now, let's get real here. There is no way I plan to get down on my hands and knees and clean my floor all the time. But if I try to "deep clean" at least once a month and regularly clean with a microfiber mop and Pledge Floor Cleaner (love this stuff) then I think I'll finally get them where I want them.

Now, about the CitraSolv. If you haven't heard of or tried CitraSolv, try it! It's an all natural cleaner that comes as a concentrate. I dilute it with water (as the company recommends) and put it in a spray bottle. I use it as an all-purpose cleaner, and now I will be using it when I "deep-clean" my floors. I bought this stuff on a whim and have been so happy with it.

Everytime I use it, my house smells like oranges (that's what it's made from) and it cuts through everything! Plus, with my little guy running around, I hate to use chemicals around him, and this is all natural. I was browsing their website and found a form for a $1.00 coupon for the CitraSolv and figured I share it with you all.

Citrasolv Coupon

Of course, moments after I finished my floors, this happened....

A sweet little footprint. :)

A "Cute" Tailgate

our Alma mater...ECU!

It's football season....officially. Tonight, I lost my husband to the man cave. Who knows HOW long he'll be there? :) But along with distracted husbands, football season does bring lots of fun things...like parties and tailgates!

I was planning for our "tailgates" this year (aka sitting in our living room with our friends who also have a toddler) and was playing with my purple and gold party supplies (Go Pirates!)

I came up with this little treat!


I used purple gumballs and yellow candy (Lemonheads....all left over from Candyland) and put them in a vase. I added a little "Pirate" ribbon (which is everywhere now with Halloween) and voila! The perfect "Purple and Gold" addition to a tailgate. Just because it's based around football doesn't mean it can't be at least a little cute.... :)

A Candyland Birthday Party

A sweet first birthday party for our little boy! It was a day filled with family, friends, bubbles, candy, and fun!

I wrapped giant whirly pops and placed them everywhere.

Briggs gasped when he saw the tents and balloons going up:

A lollipop garland:
Entry to the party: "Lollipop Row."

He ran up and down the path!

I made these giant whirly pops:

Centerpieces:

A Candy Buffet: fun for the kids and the adults!










Best ever cake pops! Delicious and a decoration! Made by my mother...contact me via email on my "Contact Me" page if you want some for yourself!

The "Smash" Cake:

He was hesitant at first......

But an expert by the end!!!!!!

Happy birthday, little monkey!