~Pamela Susan~

At last, at last... we have a family picture!

Yesterday I found the perfect tree down by our city lake.  It was gorgeous.  Gigantic.  Downright beautiful.  The location couldn't have been more ideal for a photo shoot I had with Miss C (which I was be sharing with you shortly). 

And since I STILL don't have ONE picture of our family hanging on ANY of the walls in our home (how embarrassing is that?!) I decided it was going to happen today, no matter what.  The picture, that is.  And it just had to be in front of that tree.

So I called Aaron and asked if he could meet us at the tree right at 5 tonight.  A friend of ours was going to meet us there to snap the shot.  So there we were, waiting for him, the two older girls donning their new dress & skirt I recently made, hair done, blah blah blah, but the clouds began rolling in, and the wind began to pick up a tad.  Out of desperation and fear that the clouds would begin dumping rain on us before we got our picture, we asked a couple of joggers running by if they'd mind snapping the shot.  All they had to do was push the button on the camera since I already had it on a tripod with all the settings ready to go. 

Thankfully they agreed, and luckily photoshop helped lighten and brighten it up some!

I'll be having this printed tomorrow!  YAY!!  One of my walls will no longer hang its head in shame.  Finally.

And here's a bonus pic where we're getting all kissy-kissy.  What a hunk my hubby is.  And check out Miss J's hair... it's CURLY!  Something my sis-i-law discovered a couple months ago after applying mousse to her wet hair.  I've always wanted a baby with curly hair.  So cute.

xo,

Pamela, a gal whose very much in love with her lil' family

 

p.s. Sure enough, 3 minutes into the photo shoot the rain came a-tumblin' down!

 

 

Easter Fun

First off, I'm loving your suggestions for the earrings!  Great work everybody!  Keep 'em comin'!

Okay, so before I head to bed I wanted to quickly share with you pictures from our Easter.  After church my in-laws came up from Portland to spend the day with us, along with Miss Harriet.  It was a grand time.

The girls loved their new dresses.  I didn't think outside pictures were a possibility due to the constant rain but luckily we received a 15 minute break in between showers.  Hooray!

If you can't tell, Miss C is practicing being a mime.  Or something like that.

And nevermind the fact I couldn't get them to stand still.  What a futile attempt that was.

 

I am so grateful for Harriett... I couldn't have made the dresses without her!  She is such an angel.

The girls adore her.

Yes, Harriett and my in-laws spoiled the girls rotten that day.  Cards, candy, and toys filled our home.

 

So did lemon cake, guitar music, and family time.

Oh, and these little guys, too.  The Easter Bunny found some vintage My Little Ponies/dolls a while ago on eBay (actually, I bought an assortment of them before Christmas but didn't feel like giving all the toys to them all at once--I wanted to space them out thoughout the year.  Oh, how I prefer the vintage ponies over the modern ones!  But I'll save that topic for another day.

Yes, it was a fun-filled day spent with people we love.  And I'm grateful Harriet was so willing to help me reach my goal of making the girls' dresses for Sunday.  The things I learned:  how to place a zipper, buttons, how to gather, attach lace, place elastic in sleeves, make a collar, but most importantly, to never, ever make three dresses in one week again.  One dress?  Sure.  Three?  No.  But in the end, I'm glad I did it.  Seeing the girls' smiles while wearing them made the sleepless nights worth it.

I hope your Easter was filled with love and happiness!

 

xo,

Pamela

Makeup Paint

You know you've neglected cleaning a bathroom far too long when after finally scrubbing it, you're three year old notices the difference.  Seriously, my THREE year old.  And not only did she notice it, but she was excited about it.  I stayed up late last night scrubbing toilets, sinks, and floors (glamorous life, I know) and when Miss C woke up and saw it this morning, she said "Pretty!  The toilet's clean!".  Hmmmm...I think it's time for me to get on an actual cleaning system.

Don't worry, I'll spare you the picture of the bathroom.

BUT, I did just come across some pictures of this little missy from over the summer.  Susan, one of my blog readers, wrote to me and suggested a creative project for the girls--painting pictures with flowers!  (Thanks, Susan!)

The girls loved it, especially Miss C.

Yes, she had a grand old time.  And can you guess how much fun she had while I took her baby sister inside to put her down for a nap, which took maybe 2 minutes tops??

A whole lotta fun!

But of course she didn't stop at her lips...

That's my girl!

 

xo,

Pamela

 

p.s.  Thanks for all those who placed orders while the shop was open!  I'm getting some extra help this week with shipping and packaging so I'll be able to mail everything before the two week turn around time.  Hurray!  :)

My Birthday Getaway

This year's birthday was one to remember.  After Aaron whisked me away to Portland, I enjoyed a 1 1/2 massage at Dosha on NW 23rd.  Oh, what a much needed treat this was!  We then enjoyed a mouthwatering dinner at Typhoon, which was just up the street.  Now, this is when it got exciting.  I was sitting at our table enjoying my plate of Drunken Noodles, talking with Aaron, while gazing out the window watching people walk by.  I love to people watch.  I think humans are fascinating creatures.  And that is when it happened.  As a couple walked by I admired the woman's red coat and black little hat.  Then I narrowed in on her face.  But this was no ordinary face.  I recognized those features: the cute little nose and pouty red lips.  "There's Emily Martin!" I exclaimed to my hubby.  "I have to go get a picture with her!".  After all, it was my birthday and I was entitled to do something crazy like that, right?  You see, most Oregonians might get excited when they spot a Portland Trail Blazer, or perhaps Phil Knight, the owner of Nike.  But not me!  You show me an amazing crafter/artist and I'll be on a happy high for hours! (Okay, now all the Etsy people reading this will know her, but for those of you are not familiar with her work, she is the owner of The Black Apple, a shop full of unique and beautiful creations.  You may have seen her on the Martha Stewart show. She is the inspiration for the creation of the girls' favorite dolls.  Also, for a visual treat, do visit her amazingly creative blog.) Lucky for me I had my camera in my handy dandy bag and I rushed outside to meet her.  Fortunately, she walked into Urban Outfitters right next door, so I didn't have to run too far.  

And can I just say she was the sweetest lady ever?  Here's a picture of her holding her new book which is available at Urban Outfitters.

Of course I bought the book and had her sign it.  It will be a gift for the girls when they are just a wee bit older.  I love what she wrote to them.  

This book is amazing. AMAZING.  Her attention to detail is beyond impressive.  Her writing is just as enjoyable to read as her drawings are to look at.  If you're a paper doll lover, or you have young girls, this is a must have book.  And if you happen to live in the Portland, Oregon area visit Powell's bookstore December 13th for a book signing!  

And here we are.  What a wonderful birthday treat!

After I calmed down we headed to our hotel, The Nines.  What a beautiful place!  We couldn't resist a few shots.

(blurry elevator ride)

(this picture is for you, Summer!)

Yes, this place was swanky.

I fell in love with this chair.

Here is a cake Avey made for me.

The next day we traveled to Anthropologie.

Now, I know in a previous post I wasn't very positive about this store, and my opinion still stands about some of their low quality clothing.  BUT, this store is full of creativity!!  And for this reason alone I will always love it.  I love their clothes too, but I'll just have to be very careful about what I buy, because  big prices do not always equate high quality!

But look at these beautiful window displays.  LOVE them.  See the cakes made of yarn?  What about those stools?  EEEEEEEEEE!!

Here's the other window...

I love that door.  I want to make one.  How cute would this be in a playroom??

And their indoor display...

Tree Trimmings...

And another display...

Yes, it was a great little weekend getaway, but I couldn't wait to get back to my little girls.

 xo,

Pamela, a very thankful gal

p.s. Ketti--Emily commented on how she liked my camera bag! You truly do amazing work.  Thank you!  :)

Acorn Birthday Giveaway Winner!

Wow!!  What a weekend!  Thank you for your patience for waiting to hear who won the giveaway.  First, thanks to all who entered!  This giveaway received the most entries I've ever had (I must not be the only acorn-admirer out there!).  I had to wipe the drool off my keyboard after reading the many suggested cake flavors... YUMMY!  And thanks to my wonderful hubby for such a thoughtful gift!  So, so, sweet.  I've got a keeper, don't I?  :)

So who wants to know who won?  The giveaway winner who was randomly chosen was MARY B! Congratulations!!  I'm so excited to gift you with your acorn gifts.  Please email me your information and I will ship this in a jiffy.

And do you want to know what kind of cake I got?  Chocolate cupcakes!  My family did a great job making them.  They even sprinkled chunks of pomegranate and caramel candy on top of them.

Also, stay tuned to find out what we did over the weekend.  Something very exciting occurred!!!

And real quick--before I let you go, guess what's falling from the sky right now in our neck of the woods?  SNOW!  Copious amounts of white, beautiful snow.

Miss A even made her first snowman of the season.

xo,

Pamela, a very happy 31 year old gal

Evie's Birthday Party and a DIY Paper Party Hat!

Since this is my birthday week, over the next couple of days I thought it would be fun to highlight some birthdays I took pictures of for my friends' little girls.  The first party was for Evie, who has the prettiest brown eyes in the world.

(These first two pictures were actually taken during a photo shoot a week before her actual birthday.)

Told you she has gorgeous brown eyes!

Here's Evie with her pretty mama, Libby.  Didn't Libby do a great job on that banner?!

Now can I just tell you something about my friend Libby?  She is a details girl.  Take a look... maybe you can get a few ideas for your next birthday bash!

Impressive, wouldn't you say??

And instead of a traditional cake, Libby made raspberry cheesecake.  Yummy!

Yummy and pretty.

And of course there were presents.  Lots and lots of presents for this big one year old!

I think her friends were just as excited as she was.

Here's Mama helping Evie open a special handmade gift from our close friend Jennifer.

I made her a wall hanging.

And here's her proud Daddy.

Since Libby's birthday was a few days before Evie's, party hats were a must for both of these special gals.

To learn how I made them go here for a quick tutorial.

A basket of favors awaited each of the guests before they departed the party.

Thank you, Libby, for such a fun party and for letting me take pictures of your little angel!  

 

xo,

Pamela, a gal who is grateful for good friends

 

p.s.  Please head over to Dionne's blog and vote for her Lemongrass Vanilla Bean Pannacotta dessert!  If anyone deserves to win the contest it is definitely Dionne!!

 

A Home for Two Vintage Chairs

Okay, are you getting the hang of the furniture game yet?  Are you ready to give me another guess?  Alright, here we go.  Avey scored a pair of vintage chairs at a garage sale, and I was the lucky recipient of them.  As soon as I saw them I fell in love!  They were unique, fun, and just what I needed for my living room.  Unfortunately, the previous owner's dog had made the habit of sitting on them one too many times and dirtied them up, so I had them reupholstered.  No, I didn't want to tackle that project on my own so a nice local man did it.  (Thanks, Dan!)  

Here is a picture of one BEFORE its fabric treatment...

And AFTER...

I choose a timeless neutral color (though I loved the old one, too!).  If I want to switch up the look I'll just change the pillow(s).

I love the pillows on the red couch--I think they help tie in the rest of the colors in the room.

Okay, how much do you think Avey payed for the chairs??

Whoever guesses first will win either the "Birdsong" necklace (a $32 value) OR...

a set of Songbird magnets!  (a $24 value)  It's your choice!

The winner will be announced Friday, September 24th.  (I'm open to shipping international, too!)

 

Good luck!

xo,

Pamela, a gal who loves a good vintage find

Random Goodness

Hello everyone!  

Okay, so I have a lot of fun randomness to share with you but first I have to report on the Ray LaMontagne concert.  It was AMAZING!  I wish I had my camera to show you pictures (I did take a few with Aaron's iphone but they didn't turn out so great).  I love his music.  LOVE it.  It is definitely folk rock at its best.  Also, it was surprising how shy Ray was.  He kinda had a hard time looking at the audience and the only time he spoke to us was when he thanked everyone for their applause after his singing.  But you know what?  I was totally fine with that.  His shyness almost makes him more endearing.  He has definitely found his niche.  And luckily the weather was perfect because it was an outside concert at McMennamins in Troutdale, Oregon.  The setting was beautiful.  Absolutely beautiful.

The following day I had the extreme pleasure of taking a few pics of one of my best friend's family.  They are adorable.  Take a gander...

 

Told you they were cute.

Here's the lovely couple, Erica and Brad...

and their three adorable children...

(look at those eyes!)

These next two are twins...so cute!

Thank you, Erica, for letting me play "photographer" with your family!

 

We then visited my dad for the day.  Miss C enjoyed decorating him with flowers...

 

He didn't seem to mind.  :)
    
 

We then strolled through his garden to see if we could find a side-dish for dinner.  And look what we discovered... tomatoes!  This was the first harvest of this particular variety.  Beeeautiful.

 We also picked some delicious corn.  Yum, yum, yum.  Oh, how I love my dad's garden.

Here are a few shots I took of the girls...

Here's Miss A after she realized one of her flowers broke...

And here's Miss C sassin' it up...

 

 Okay--on to more randomness--yesterday I tried out a new cupcake recipe for a baby shower that Avey and I hosted for a friend last night.  If you are looking for a nice basic white cake recipe this is for you.  I also made this buttercream frosting.  I tried this new one out because it calls for butter only-no substitutes.  I don't like to consume hydrogenated oils if I don't have to--not good for the body at all. Let me know if you try out the recipes--I think you'll like them!  

 

(I purchased the pearlized pink balls at Michael's--you gotta love that store!  Here's a * printable 50% off coupon *that is good until 9/18--go use it!)

And have you ever made Martha Stewart's tissue "puff balls"?  Actually, I have no idea what she calls them but "puff balls" works for me.  Avey showed me how to make them a little while ago--I couldn't believe how simple they were to make!  And fast, too.  I made a few for the shower--I think they added a nice playful touch to the room.  Let me know if you want a tutorial on how to make them.

 

 

Ooh!  One more thing.  Look what I scored for the baby shower.  A stack of rectangular glass party plates!  Guess how much I got them for.  Nope, guess lower.  Lower.  Even lower.  You got it--I payed ten cents a plate.  TEN CENTS!  Yes, I love me a good bargain.

 

Have any of you found any great deals lately?  Do tell!  

Well, that's it for today... Happy Wednesday!!

 

xo,

Pamela

A Splendid Tea Party

I have a very cool friend named Carrie.  She is a cool cat, indeed.  She's the type of friend that if we lived closer to one another we'd get together all the time and have fun, fun, fun.  This morning I checked out her blog and just had to highlight her fun ideas/creations for her sister's baby shower.

Check out this cool doily garland she made...

and the beautiful assortment of sweets...I want a bite.

And don't miss out on the darling favors--tea bags with felt flower pins...

 

scrumptious.
  

I love the cheerful-sunny-yellow theme.  This kinda makes me want to host a "Sun Party" in hopes it'll make the rain and gray skies disappear here in the Pacific Northwest.  Or perhaps a Yellow Day will do the job.  I mean, come on weather...it's JUNE ALREADY!!  Get with the program already, will ya?!

Have a fabulous weekend!

xo,

Pamela

A Blue, Blue Day

A little while ago we had a blue day, but in good way...

we made blue play dough...

 

ate frozen blueberries...

 

made  blueberry corn muffins...

 

Miss J was decked out in blue...

 

Libby gave Miss J this wonderful blue book...

 

here are some angry blue eyes because Miss A wasn't sharing the blue play dough with Miss C.

 

I kinda liked having a blue day.  In fact, I think I want to start dedicating more "color" days for my little clan of girls.  Fun, fun, fun...

Have you had a blue day lately?  Green?  Pink?  Rainbow?!

xo,

Pamela

p.s.  As you can see, I've started watermarking my photos.  Someone has been stealing my photos.  Tsk, tsk, shame on you...you know who you are and I hope you stop!  

See...Pamela can get grumpy if she needs to.  So there.