Just me My Soldier and our 4 little chicks

exporing newport- our favorites.

hey y'all! so i know i've been pretty absent lately...

life's just really full and crazy right now. in a great way. :)

lots of company and getting ready for italy. i cannot BELIEVE that june is our last month in this house. i'm equal parts terrified and exhilarated.

i was sitting here drinking my coffee and thinking about how i really wanted to blog. but I couldn't figure out what to blog about.

looking back through my photos from the past few months, i realized i haven't talked much about our favorite places in newport.

so that's what i'm talking about today. is anyone interested in reading this? i have no idea. HA! but i thought it might be fun.

here are some of our favorite places to visit in and around newport.

 

1. The Cliff Walk - we almost always take visitors here. the ocean, 40 steps, walking by the most gorgeous houses in newport...you just can't beat it.

2. Ocean Drive.- breathtakingly beautiful. the beaches are lovely, the homes are amazing. it never gets old.

3.Easton's Beach- ride the carousel, drink some del's.

4. Anthony's- best seafood in town. hands down. i have had their lobster rolls 2918302840238 and i NEVER get tired of them. so so SO good.

 

 

5. Bowen's Wharf- sit and watch the boats, shop in the super cute boutiques, and eat at 22 bowen's

 

6. Purgatory Chasm- the best place to have a picnic.

 

7.Newport Creamery- i don't even want to begin to try to count the number of Awful Awfuls we've consumed this past year.

 

8.Fort Wetherill- can't even put this place into words. creepy, beautiful, decayed, amazing.

 

9. Sachuest Point Wildlife Refuge- peaceful and beautiful.

 

10. Favorite Restaurants

Best Seafood/Best Chowder- Anthony's (see above)

Best Bakery- The French Confection

Best Pad Thai- Siam Square

 

Best Date Night/Best Tacos- Tallulah on Thames . hint- you can find the food truck at the Farmer's Market!

 

Best New Restaurant- Muse by Jonathan Cartwright

Best Creme Brulee/Steak Frites: White Horse Tavern

 

Best Margarita (Blood Orange)- Diego's

 

Best Nachos- Brick Alley Pub

Best Burger- Boss Man

Whew!! There you have it. All of our favorites. We have LOVED living here. It was like a year long vacation and it has been an absolute New England dream!

Happy  Monday, y'all!

xo

wordless(ish?!?) wednesday

cate left, lucy right.

and in case you are wondering what they are doing...click here to see them in action.

ayiyiyiyiyi.

xxo

s

Sponsor/Small Business Spotlight (GIVEAWAY+DISCOUNT CODE) -Sandy Burns for South Hill Designs

The Chic Tags winner is:

47 Amelia said...

So cute. Thanks for the giveaway!

Reply May 07, 2013 at 10:03 PM

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Today's spotlight: Sandy Burns for South Hill Designs

Create your own story to wear with a locket from South Hill Designs. This locket is all about you. Displaying what you love.

What story will your locket tell?  Pick out a locket, a coin and a few charms to create a unique piece of jewelry to tell your story.  Top it off with a droplet to make your story complete.

Visit South Hill Designs to create your story to wear.  Visit Facebook for locket ideas.  Follow on Twitter, too!

South Hill Designs provides the best kit options on the market. We have three levels of demonstration kits to choose from: basic ($29) intermediate ($199) and Advanced ($399). As a South Hill Designs Artist, you’ll receive fabulous commissions. Multiply your income by inviting others to do the same. If you’re a natural leader, you can grow teams that generate unlimited financial rewards, month after month.  You can email Sandy at sandy.southhill@yahoo.com for more details.

Through May 19th, Sandy is offering 20% off your order.  Email Sandy sandy.southhill@yahoo.com with your order and mention the code STEPH20 for 20% off.  Orders placed directly through her website will not receive the discount.

Two people will win a $25 gift certificate from South Hill Designs by Sandy Burns. 

**us only please

If you are interested, leave a comment here. A winner will be drawn (and announced) next Tuesday.

Good Luck!

xo

S

signs of spring

Spring is beautiful here and we are enjoying every sneezy moment of it.

I am loving experiencing New England seasons to me. Everything is so new and so beautiful!

Have a beautiful Monday, y'all! Now excuse me while I sneeze my face off.

SO worth it.

xo

S

scrappy saturday- cbh

Happy Saturday sweet friends!

I wanted to quickly share a new layout with y'all today.

Supplies: Patterned Papers-My Minds Eye Kate&Co-Cambridge Court;Feathers- JBS;Brads-MME;Gold Thickers-American Crafts;Veneer Heart- Freckled Fawn;Enamel Dots-MME;Washi Tape(exclusive for SC)-Freckled Fawn-similar here;Star Sequins-Michaels;Doilies-Freckled Fawn;Journaling Card:MAMBI;Stickers-October Afternoon (You are My Sunshine),Dear Lizzy (This is My Happy Place,heart border sticker,butterfly), MME (You Light up the Room, The Sweetest Face)

You know I can't resist some good clustering and this layout is no exception. :) Had fun on this one.

Hope your weekend is fabulous!

xoxo

S

Loving Lately

TGIF Y'all! Today I'm sharing what I loved around the web (and in my life) this week.

1.This tank top. I seriously thought that quote was the stupidest thing EVER back when Kate Moss said it. As my friend Gabby said...you are going to take body image advice from a anorexic coke head?

2. The Walking Dead Bad Lip Read. Y'all. My face hurt after I watched this. I laughed SO hard. I can't even handle it.

 

3. 37 Signs You Might be Buster Bluth. HAHAHAHAH

 

4.MAMBI pocket pages. These are seriously ADORABLE. Now...if I can just get back to doing PL!

 

5. This Freebie Printable Art Collage via Smitten on Paper

 

6.Barre Class at the YMCA. Just took my first one yesterday and I'm HOOKED. But OUCH man...I can barely walk today.

 

7. Mother's Day brunch ideas via the tomkat studio. GORGEOUS tablescape. I wanted to make everything in this blog post immediately!

 

8.DIY Neon Party Fans via rock scissor paper

 

9. Paper Punch Flowers via Damask Love. If you aren't reading this blog, you are missing out. Amber is the hardest working, most prolific blogger out there. I pin her posts at least twice a week.

 

10. This video. I thought I couldn't possibly love Jimmy Fallon and John Krasinski more than I already do. WRONG. I laughed so hard at this...Jimmy could hear me upstairs. The end is the best part.

Okay, that's it for this week! As always, please say hi! What caught your eye this week? What are your weekend plans?

TGIF!!

xoxo

The Phone Photography Project.

I have something really exciting (and fun!!) to announce. I'm a contributor to Elizabeth Dillow's new BPC class...The Phone Photography Project.

I honestly, truly, really think this class is going to be so much FUN. The list of contributors is out-of-this-world AMAZING.

Here's a sweet little video Elizabeth put together:

How fun is that??

Here's the official blurb.

The Phone Photography Project
32 days of Android + iPhone photo challenges, daily inspiration, and app reviews

Need summer photo ideas or help improving your iPhone photography? Spend this July taking amazing photos with your iPhone or Android camera in The Phone Photography Project.

In this month-long workshop, you'll learn to take better photos with the camera you always have with you as you document your summer adventures—with help from 32 incredible instructors. On top of daily smartphone photography challenges, you'll also enjoy:

• dozens of tips and tricks from the pros for taking better photos with your mobile-phone camera
  
• a handbook of 60+ photography app reviews for iPhone and Android, so you know which are worth your time and money*
  
• dozens of project ideas for getting photos off your device and into your world
  
• interaction with 32 experienced iPhoneographers and Androidographers, and hundreds of fellow students in a private classroom and on Instagram
  
• giveaways, contests, discounts, bonus downloads, and fun fun fun!
  
  
  
  
  *Note: Many of the reviewed apps are available free in the App Store and Google Play, while the rest average about $1.99 each. App purchases are not required for participation in the class.

And here's why *I* am excited about this class. It's the most thorough phone photography class I've seen. Like I said, the contributors are just wonderful. And Elizabeth is a phenomenal teacher. I'm so excited to see how this turned out.

You can follow this link to sign up for the class.

Note: The class is being offered at an introductory price of $39 right now. The price will go up to $49 after the introductory period.

Thanks to Miss Elizabeth for allowing me to be a part of this stellar lineup. I still can't believe it!

Have a beautiful Thursday, y'all!

xoxo

S

wordless(ish?!?) wednesday

at almost 2 1/2 years old..

They are clearly super boring. No personality, no facial expressions whatsoever.

They never make me laugh.

Okay, who am I kidding. I might be biased...but they are the cutest things on God's green earth.

True story.

In my house...things like this really happen on a regular basis. Randomly.

And this is why i never. Never ever ever ever x100 want people to say "they feel sorry for me".

It's AWESOME to have them in my life.

Exhausting...but thoroughly awesome.

Happy Wednesday, y'all!

xoxo

S

Sponsor/Small Business Spotlight and Giveaway (GIVEAWAY plus a DISCOUNT CODE)- Chic Tags

 

First-

Here is the winner from last week's Freckled Fawn giveaway:

100  stephanie said... I've been dying to buy some of their washi tape so I hope I win! : )

Reply April 30, 2013 at 02:42 PM

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And now for this week's spotlight! This one is near and dear to my heart. I've known Veronica for years and it's an absolute joy watching her business succeed.

Hello everyone! I'm Veronica...mama of 3 and wife of one! I'm the owner of Chic Tags-delightful paper tags.

I started this business with a couple of circle punches and a HUGE heart for this hobby. My husband Albert is not only my better half, he is the graphic guru behind the brand! Together we have made this once small etsy shop into a brand.

Chic Tags are perfect for all your crafty needs.  There are several styles and themes to choose from, I just know you will find something you love in our shop!


I would love to personally invite you to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and our craft loving blog.

Something fun we just started on the blog  is FREEBIE Fridays with Albert. These freebies are pretty rad! Each week Albert makes a free cut file or printable perfect for anything your heart dreams of! Here is an example of a recent freebie and a project to go along with it. (click on link to download file for personal use)

As a huge supporter of my dear friend Stephanie, I would love to offer her readers a 20% off coupon to our shop. Please use: Steph20

How awesome is this prize? If you'd like to be entered for a chance to win these four collections, just leave a comment here.

I will announce the winner next Tuesday.

Good Luck!!! And please make sure to stop by Chic Tags FB page and tell Veronica I sent y'all over. The inspiration is nonstop, you won't want to miss it.

xoxo

S

Harper's Mermaid Party

First, let me start of by saying I got almost all of these ideas from Pinterest.

Pinterest is pretty much the best party planning resource EVER. You can see my party board HERE.

I'll share sources for as many items as possible...and if you have any questions I'll answer them in the comments, as always!

shirt(custom):amy tangerine, skirt:borrowed from friend (handmade), hairclip:gap kids (i added a gold shell)

fans:oriental trading,paper lanterns:target(spritz),glass bubbles (added with gluegun): michaels, tulle and sequin trim: michaels

These were tied to the stairs right inside the front door. The balloons are all from oriental trading, but i will NEVER buy balloons there again.

I purchased these Mylar balloons (6 came in the set). And when Jimmy took them to be inflated they were ALL torn. Such a rip off.

More Oriental Trading fans.

This was my favorite decoration. Oriental Trading tissue pom poms, streamers, and glass bubbles from Michaels.

My awesome MIL figured out how to hang these just so. LOVED how it turned out.

For every birthday I scatter scrapbook layouts around the house. There were several on the mantel as well.

The glass pebbles are from Dollar Tree and the faux sea glass is from The Christmas Tree Shops.

Garlands: Target (Spritz)

Flowers: Chaves' Gardens (best florist in Newport)

Favors:

The favors that I made were "mermaid wands". I just bought dowel rods, painted them turquoise, and then glue gunned starfish to the end.

I added a gem to the center of each starfish and then tied a bunch of blue and gold ribbons to the dowel rod. Pretty easy.

dowel rods,paint,gems,ribbons:michaels, starfish:the christmas tree shops

Note: The gold ribbons are from the dollar spot at Michaels. They come 6 to a card and are just lovely.

Table:

sequins:michaels,starfish,coral,picture holders:the christmas tree shops,giant "H":hobby lobby(i painted it teal,rock candy:amazon,glass starfish:fresh market

silver and white shell platters:marshalls, blue mason jars:vintage, blue bottle with net/shells:the christmas tree shops; milkglass: vintage, cut glass bowls and cake pedestals:vintage

This was the chandelier above the table. I covered it with a net from Michaels and addes shell and rope garlands from The Christmas Tree Shops.

Invitations:

Custom invitations by YourInvites on Etsy. These were digital, I had them printed at Minuteman Press.

I scattered sequins (Michaels), sea glass (The Christmas Tree Shops), and glass pebbles (Dollar Spot) all over the place. Such a pretty, easy, festive accent.

Food

"Oyster Cookies":Nilla Wafers, pink icing, yogurt covered raisins. Frame from Michaels dollar spot, shell tray from Marshalls, Mermaid font.

Swedish fish and gummy sharks.

Under the Sea Jello: Blue Jello with Swedish Fish in the bottom. Frame:Michaels dollar spot,Coral:The Christmas Tree Shops.

Whale Crackers and Goldfish, Rock Candy

Mermaid Punch: 16 servings regular Country Time Lemonade+4 servings Blue Raspberry Koolaid

Lemonade dispenser:Home Goods,Frame:Michaels dollar spot,cake pedestal:Hobby Lobby,coral, sand dollar, sea glass:The Christmas Tree Shops,paper straws:Michaels(4th of July section)

Cake: Cravings Cafe and Cakery- Dartmouth, MA, Pedestal: Vintage, Starfish and Sand Dollars: The Christmas Tree Shops

Let me introduce you to the biggest labor of love for this party. The cake backdrop. It took me about four hours and 293840182308 cupcake wrappers. But so worth it.

Cupcake wrappers- Michaels, Gold glitter paper-Michaels.

I taped four 12x12 sheets of cardstock together. Then I started layering from top to bottom, using the glue gun. I also glue gunned each wrapper closed.

The seven is a template that I traced and cut from gold glitter paper.

Activities- I didn't get a photo but the girls decorated these Mermaid Clothespins.

We also rented a bouncie.

The best part is that everyone wore blue and green. And no, I didn't ask them to!!

Sadie's dress is from Marshalls.

And the best part, as always is seeing the look on her face when we sing to her. Just lovely.

So there you have it. Harper's Mermaid Party. It was a joy and a pleasure to create this day for her, she was so happy and appreciative.