Valentine Party & Road Trip { Part Two }

Since most of you are new to my blog, you probably were not around last year when I showed the pics from Felicity's V-Day party, so I thought I would share some of the photos, including some I didn't show last year.

Felicity had her cousins over and they had a fabulous time being all fancy, having a brunch that included french toast, chocolate fondue and a punch fountain.

For easy clean-up we used disposable plates but fancied them up by putting them on chargers with paper doilies in between.  For the seating assignments we put each girl's initial on top of the plate.

That's a tutu on the bottom of the cake stand.

You can get this punch fountain from Sam's Club for around $25.  If you have any little girl parties in your future I would highly recommend getting one.  The little girls all LOVED it!

I cannot believe it's been almost a year since we had this party.  It feels like it was just a couple months ago.... time is flying by and my baby girl is growing up way too fast!

Felicity and I are still traveling around visiting children's stores.  

Right now we're in Alabama and we're loving this state.  Everyone we have met has been so friendly and the area we are in is really pretty.

On our road trip before we crossed over into Alabama we stopped in Gulfport, Mississippi so Felicity could see the ocean for the first time......

She loved it, but was really more interested in the sand than the water.  It was so cold and her little nose was red, but she didn't care.  She ran all over the beach and threw the biggest fit when we had to leave.

We will be visiting several stores around here over the next few days in hopes of bringing on even more new retailers of our "Inspired By Felicity" line!

P.S.

I've added a few new Valentine hair accessories to the shop.

www.InspiredByFelicity.com

P.S.S.

We have a big "Share it to Win it" GIVEAWAY coming up this week so if you are not already a fan of our facebook page, you need to go "Like" it to be sure you don't miss out.

I'm linking up to several great blog parties - Click the "Blog Parties" tab at the top to see who they are!

http://betweennapsontheporch.net

Road Trip & Valentine Cards

Hello from Alabama!

Felicity and I have been road tripping across the South the last few days and have spent close to 20 hours in the car.

 We started in Oklahoma and then went through Texas, where we hit some unexpected terrible sleet and icy roads, then made it to Louisiana, where we visited a fabulous children's store called "Life's Little Treasure's", which is now one of our newest retailers!

Felicity insisted on pulling in our bag of products to show them. 

When we were in the back laying out show pieces to take their order, Felicity had to help lay everything out on the counter.  She would lay things out perfectly and say, "Like this, Momma".

Of course she had to pull the bag back out too.  She's such a good little sales assistant.

Although in her eyes, I'm pretty sure she is the boss and I am her sales assistant, or actually I may not even be her assistant, I may just be her mode of transportation.

Have you seen the show "Cajun Pawn Stars"?  Well, the store is in Alexandria, Louisiana not far from our new retailer, so we had to drive down and check it out.

..... the ladies at the store recommended we eat at "Swamp Daddy's" so we tried it out.  I didn't think Felicity would like it, but she loved it!

I'll share more photos from our trip as we go, but today I wanted to give you some Valentine's Day card inspiration!

Last year we made these cards using free printables from AFancifulTwist.com, by embellishing them with glitter and putting them on paper medallions (tutorial here) and little paper doilies. 

  

You can still get these cards off her blog if you look through the archives or you can use her new printables she just put up today.  I LOVE them!

Click Here to go to these new printable cards.

Felicity and I love these and will definitely be making something cute with them this year!

-Pamela

P.S
We have a big "Share it to Win it" GIVEAWAY coming up soon on our Facebook Page - so if you are not already a fan you need to go "Like" it so you don't miss out!

Winter Decor & A Cat Burglar

Each year when I start taking down Christmas decorations I have little debates over what has to go because it's obviously Christmas and what gets to stay out a little longer as "winter" decor.

I have to find ways to feel the empty spots during the transition time between Christmas and Spring or things start to seem boring.

This year I'm leaving out my silver snowflakes on the pitcher of twigs.

... as well as a little bit of the winter greenery and my nuts.

Since the candle holder has snowflakes and nothing actually Christmasy is gets to stay out a bit longer too.

If you are looking for some other simple winter ideas, here are a few of my favs...

Sticks and pinecones spray painted white.

(found via Pitnerest - no source listed)

Pinecone Topiary by Knockoff Decor

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Twig Wreath by Thistlewood Farms

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On another note I have to share the silliest story about what happened to me a few nights ago.

A couple nights ago I was awaken around 2:00 in the morning by the sounds of my jewelry being shuffled through in my jewelry box. 

Felicity was lying in bed next to me so I knew it wasn't her and my husband was gone on a business trip, so I instantly came to the conclusion someone had broken into our house and was going through my jewelry box (due to the location of it I couldn't actually see it from my position), I considered going for my gun which was just barely out of reach, but since they were already in my room I decided to stay still and pretend to still be asleep, hoping they would just leave.

 The longer I listened to the sounds of my jewelry be pilfered through the more panicked I became and the heavier my breathing got (I think I was actually pretty close to hyperventilating) I started praying to God to hurry up and get them out of my house peacefully before Felicity woke up.... 

Then I heard a "MEOW" and discovered Felicity's kitten was inside my jewelry box playing with my hanging necklaces!  I was so relieved and felt so silly at the same time.  

Have you ever had anything similiar happen.... I so hope I'm not the only one.

-Pamela


Click Here to see what blog parties I'm linking up at!
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Old Frame to Cute Display Piece

You may have noticed this turquoise frame display piece I used at my craft show to display some hair pieces.......

We also used it at my Niece's Mad Tea Party to display photos of her....

I came across pictures I took of the process to make this and thought I would share them today.

I am in love with this simple little piece and even more in love with the fact that it only cost $2 - below is what the frame looked like when I bought it at a yard sale.

I went over the whole thing with a couple coats of craft paint I had on hand.

Then to distress it a little I sanded some edges here and there and rubbed some Valspar Antiquing Glaze in a few spots and let it sit for a few seconds then rubbed it back off, leaving just a little behind.  You can find the glaze at Lowes.

My husband stapled chicken wire onto the back of the frame and then I stapled some fabric behind the wire.

I just love it and when I am not using it at craft shows or parties  I have it hanging in my studio and clip random this and that type things on it (magazine clippings, etc).

I have acquired a really large ornate gold frame that I'm thinking about doing something similar with, but haven't decided for sure.

I also wanted to share some pics of a few things I've added to the shop

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Grey & Pink Shabby Brooch with a vintage button & swarovski crystals

Pink & Leopard Couture Hair Clip

Shades of Purple T-Shirt Headband

I hope you have a great week!

My One Little Word

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My one little word for 2013 is "Now"  

This word is significant to me right now for several reasons, and is an integral part of all of my personal and professional goals at the moment

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{ Reason One } 

I am terrible about wanting to do something, like call a new children's store about carrying my line, but then putting it off because I start to doubt myself or worry the store will hate my stuff  

For 2013 I don't want to let myself make excuses to put off things concerning my business that could be done immediately.  If I hear of a new store that I want to be in, I am going to make myself contact them immediately!

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{ Reason Two }

I'm also terrible about just procrastinating in both my personal life and with my business when it comes to doing things I don't enjoy.

I can wake up with the goal of getting the floors all steamed, but then I keep putting it off or I get distracted and venture off to other things and before I know it, the day is over and I haven't even touched the floors.  In 2013 I don't want to let this happen. 

If I notice the ceiling fans need to be cleaned, instead of saying, "I need to clean the fan soon", I am going to stop and do it "Now".

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{ Reason Three } 

The other reason "Now" is my little word for 2013 is because I'm so guilty of not enjoying the moment and "the now" because I'm waiting for something that's about to happen or I'm anxious to get to the next stage.

When Felicity was a newborn baby, I couldn't wait for her to sit up, then once she could sit up I couldn't wait until she could crawl, and then once she began to crawl I immediately began working with her on walking.  When I look back,  I miss all those earlier stages she's passed and wish I would have enjoyed each stage more and taken in "the now" at that time instead of being so anxious for the next stage to come.

                

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I'm going to keep my "word" in the back of my head in 2013 and reflect on it throughout the year and use it to remind myself to be the person I want to be in 2013!

Do you have a word or personal goal for 2013?  If so I would love to know what it is!

-Pamela

{ Store } www.InspiredByFelicity.com

My Top Post of 2012 & Some Christmas Photos

As 2012 comes to an end I thought it would be fun to look back at my blog posts that got the most hits this year.  Most of the hits came from Pinterest - thanks to everyone that Pinned my blog posts or shared them on Facebook!

The post with the most hits was.............

1) Salt & Vinegar Roasted Chick Peas - This is one of my favorite simple snacks and when I shared it I was shocked at how popular it was, within a couple months it was pinned over 1,000 times.  For my little blog that is a big deal!

2) How to Make 4 Easy Pom Balls from Coffee Filters

3) Roasted Chick Peas - I posted this before the Salt & Vinegar version and although it got a lot of hits, it was beat out by the salt & vnegar version.

4)  Out of Alabaster Home Tour - Fellow blogger, Lindsey, let me share a tour of her beautiful home and it turns out everyone else loved it as much as I did.

5) My Shabby Dresser Makeover - Anytime I share something I've painted it makes me a bit nervous, wondering if people will hate it.  But when people actually like what you've done, it feels great!

6) My Coffee Filter Experience - What I've Learned!

7) The Story of My Mantle - This is hands down my post favorite large piece in my house and I was thrilled to find out that you loved it too!

8) My Dinning Room Before & After - I've actually changed so much just since this post, I should update it.

9) A Visit From the Mad Hatter - just a little fun & whimsy!

10)  Felicity's Easter Tea Party - I can't wait for what fun parties 2013 will bring around our house!

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Just a few pics from our Christmas!

 Felicity was big enough this year to really get all into it and it made it so much fun...

We had our first Christmas at my mom's  house and took this picture together - Felicity had the cutest little skirt to wear over her leggings but the little stinker refused to wear it.  (I love my mom, but as you can see, Christmas tree decorating isn't really her thing)

On the other hand, she can put together a really cute Christmas village.....

When I showed my Christmas Home Tour I forgot to include a pic of the front door with the wreath I made, so here it is - it's nothing fancy but I like it.

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a fantastic year!