Back to School!!! and decorating idea #1

We made it through the first week of " back to school". A bit rough getting the littlest of the littles in a new preschool (unplanned) but we are off and running. Everyone is thrilled with the classroom arrangements. KatieGrace "Miss Middle Schooler"...trying to keep her focus off mascara and lip gloss and back into studying (rough!!). Allie "Little Miss 3rd Grader" ..runs to the bus, who cares what she has on, as long as she gets there, she is thrilled! Then we have Delaney...well, she started her week in school with a black eye...from falling out of bed - NO JOKE, a Pre K class with NO TEACHER!!!! , again NO JOKE and croup! Well, we got through it all and I am happy to say she is in a good school with a fab teacher. Everyone is settled in and ready for a great year.

Vintage tool box with garden flowers

I have spent wayyyy tooooo much time on the blogger. Love it and am completely inspired in several areas. Photography ( too bad our beautiful camera was stolen at my reunion), cooking and decorating. I did mention that I would start blogging some before and after photos and throw out some fun and simple decorating tips so here I go....... tonights basic decorating idea #1

1. grab an old vintage tool box (flea market or grandparents garage)

2. fill the sections with silver julep cups or sippy cups, whatever is handy

3. grab your scissors and cuts some of your favorite , homegrown flowers to fill the cups

4. you can put cups of flowers in each section OR....for a entertaining...silverware looks great in the empty sections, gorgeous way to display.

Have fun....use it as a centerpiece, for entertaining or just out on the ole coffee table.

My Design World!!

..........and this would be a re post...as I decided to go a little bit "LIVE" with my blog world.  Im a little nervous and excited too.  Forgive my novice efforts to be a professional blogger.  I am a work in progress...having a blast as I get aquainted with my new Blog Friends.

Welcome to my world

If you do not know this about me, I enjoy pretending to be a decorater. I love to "GATHER" antiques, I love comfort and warmth and I really enjoy the look on my husbands face when he see's our house being messed with. My love is a graphic designer.. he is an amazing fine artist as well. I can create but am not artistic. Big difference folks. One is born an artist ( I have 2 in the family and I know this, their brains are COMPLETELY different than the rest. Anyway, to get back on track. I nail things up here and there, I paint with no direction and well... I do not like things straight. I like a lot of curves and swirls. Did I mention my favorite color is pink? Well, being married to a graphic designer, means I am married to a perfectionist. :) So, just imagine the look on his face when he see's me nailing things into the wall.

I have no idea why I wrote that, other than the fact that I just figured out why I do all my rearranging and decorating when he is working. Im SLY!

So, my next few blogs will give you a glimpse of my style, some ideas, some simple tricks..I can hardly wait to show you what I can "Gather with Love" ....stay tuned

Our Summer Vacation and a little Fourth of July celebration

We have had an amazing summer. I can't say much for our weather....very, unusually, cold and grey summer for 2010. So... the "Littles" and I decided to take a road trip and find the sun, turn off the tube and escape the world of Internet. We headed up the ole mountains to a little slice of Heaven or as the rest of the family seems to all it, "The Cabin". Yep, just my littles and myself waaaay up in the mountains with the bears and mt. lions. We hunkered down with games, great food, mommy cocktails and Little's cocktails. We swam for hours in the lake and fished until dark. NO!! I do not fish but I do hang by the lake and pool and order out from the country club a giant cadillac margarita!!!! ~YUM~

Well, that all lasted about a day and a half until the troops found us. Up came Dad, Up came Big Littles Friend (another pretween) Up came "TT", Out went "TT", In came In laws, Up came In Laws friend to have a HUGE 4th of July celebration at the lake. 12 days later OUT went me and the Littles. We had a blast!!! It took me 2 weeks to get back into reality.