something old, and something new

Having fun running Sweet Home Boutique again, this time, I hope I will be much wiser and more balanced than before. My older girls are very supportive of it,  as well as my husband. The children are also having fun working in their modeling career again.

Oh, and I am doing custom work again. After making several sizes of the peacock tunic I realized that it is much more economical to cut my fabric once an order is placed. I have already sold my first piece to Canada  with a couple of other prospects in the works, including a bridesmaid dress.

Here is a a couple of new outfits that I have listed

That is all for now, I need to get back to work.

Happy Friday!!

A quick note to say there is a new listing in my shop!!

After some discussion with my husband, we decided together to open back up sweet Home Boutique..We are going to be making retail size garments, and not doing custom orders for lack of time. We are very excited to wipe the dust off of Sweet Home Boutique, and open her back up! Last night I listed our first item available in a size XS. I have already cut, and started constructing size small, and medium and will list the yellow peacock sizes in those when they are complete!

Have a happy Monday!!!

Here is the top!

gardens, coupons, and an organized husband...

sooo, if you were a faithful reader, I am sorry about not blogging for a bit, we had a HUGE event in our family with my husband coming from deployment. Because of all of his leave saved up he was able to take off about 40 days before returning to work this week. It is fun to play happy housewife again, and have a husband that comes home daily...Life is so much richer now...

Though I have not been blogging I have stayed super busy....

My gardens are going strong, and I am amazed...

Here is my super thirsty vegetable garden (plus blackberries). My husband built this garden box for me last night to frame it.

Here is a red bush I put in the ground. The master plan is it to grow and cover the air conditioning unit. This year
I have been planting roses, and perennials, but now our focus is on landscaping.  My husband is going to make a stone patio around all of this.

cucumber flowers, We love cucumbers at our house. This year it looks like we are going to have a large crop.

eggplant flowers, eggplant Parmesan??

I have also started to really love to coupon, I will post pictures of my coupon organizer in a later post.
Here is what I got at Walgreen's today for $12.00 with coupons!!

my proud $12.00 stash.

 I love showing all of these deals to my husband...

brand loyal to this sunblock that sells between $12-13 each...With the sale at CVS, and coupons, I got each one for $5.

and on a final note, I take a lot of pride of always staying on top of laundry with our family of six.  I don't usually put my husbands clothes away, but today I wanted to get it all put away...I came to his shirt drawer, with my stack of "loosely" folded shirts, and found this...with my folding I could only get about half of those shirts in there...I am certain this is a by-product of him living on a submarine for six months...

so, with all of that said, it feels  great to be blogging again!!
Happy Thursday!!

root down...

 Four months in to our new home and routine since our big move from Hawaii to South Carolina, and I am starting to get cozy (a.k.a--home rabbit). I am sure the neighbors are tired of seeing me hop around the yard watering flowers in work out shorts, knee socks, and a signature hat, but that is how it rolls here until after lunch. The morning is spent homemaking, and everything that in entails, and then nap time, school time, workout time for me, and dinner prep which usually involves the children unless I am a frizzled mess, and want to get it made ASAP. My goal is teach my children how to do and make everything to sustain a comfortable life, even if the world is turned upside down, at least to  be able to survive, and hopefully thrive.

So to get to the basics of survival let us go to flower arranging..(insert tounge in cheek here)

This my first flower arrangement made from flowers in our yard, roses, and lavender. I have read the rules for flower arranging are...If the vase is tall the flowers should be twice as long as the length of the vase, if it is short it should be the length of the vase plus the width. In this I did neither, but useful knowledge anyway...Another note when working with cut flowers is to change the water frequently, and then sprinkle the water with salt. The salt will help preserve the life and beauty of your cut flowers...

With the lavender I also took off all of the leaves

they smell wonderful, and I am going to dry them. Lavender is a calming and lovely sent. I have heard it is best to dry them in a paper sack, but since I did not have any, I wrapped them in a paper towel and put them in a plastic bag in my pantry...When they are complete I plan on making little sachets, to place in my pantry and bra drawers...I will probably also make one for my little girls as well. Never to early to teach them the loveliness of being a lady.

Here are some more of my backyard friends from the left, tomato, kale, pansy, basil, rosemary, mint, and lavender (I also have oregano in my front bed as a ground cover). The tomatoes are doing well after a little sickness from water. Apparently you should cover the dirt with rocks or mulch, so when it rains the water does not splash on the leaves and cause fungus (so, I better get on that).  Also with the mint, I love to make tea. You dry it the same way you do with lavender, and then boil it in hot water to make fresh mint tea. I like to use a metal strainer in the pot, so the leaves don't go in the tea, but there are more sophisticated ways of doing this. Mint also likes take over the world, so I am going to be planting it in the ground soon, also another excellent ground cover...

Happy Saturday!

clothing, details, and pretty backyards

Though I am no longer selling, I have still been working away on sewing...

Other than making our family matching daddy homecoming outfits (I know, sooo froilan Maria)
I have been making some pretty spring clothing for my family..

My girls absolutley love to wear tiered twirl skirts, and I adore them, so I am making them several...

Here is the latest one about half way done.



All I have to do is attach the ruffle, sew up the side, and make the elastic casing and Voilia



I am also in the process of making myself a dress with my favorite pattern by Collete. A wide belted wrap dress




I have also ordered these earings for my sailors homecoming from ETSY. I love supporting Etsians. I have also ordered a way hip anchor necklace from England, so I hope it makes it in time!




on the the pretty backyards, I love our backyard! This view right here was the deal breaker when we bought this house in 2006. Nothing like a lot of sunlight and a lush forrest to look upon..



more lush forrest

In about 2 days we are supposed to be getting our super huge backyard playground. They are also installing...It would be laughable if I thought I could put that thing together myself. With the wonderful rain we have been having, though the installation could be postponed...Nonetheless we are looking forward to it, and looking forward to our happy reunion with our sailor...I know that once he is here my burden is going to be lifted, and my children are going to be over the moon...

                                                         Happy Monday!

                                            

I am 30.

Today is my 30th birthday....it still feels funny to say...I have been dreading this day ever since I was about 26. I thought once I hit thirty that was it, I was old, and every trace of youth was out the window. Now it is here, I took a big gulp, and stood tall. I am actually now glad that I am 30. The 20's have been a fun and interesting ride full of ups and downs. There is so much to learn in your 20's, who you are, where you stand, and how to function and be successful in adult society. I am no longer naive. I am a lot less vulnerable, and I am no longer swayed by peoples opinions of me for the most part...I grew up in my 20's, learned how to be a wife, mother, and homemaker. I have learned to cook, clean, decorate, garden, sew, use "man" tools, and home school. I am stronger, more confident, happier, and more whole.

I feel grateful to live in a time and place where the life expectancy is long, and I can look forward to many years ahead, God willing. In my 30's my children are going to grow up, and I know that the love for my husband will continue to grow. It seems the 20's are a growing up period and the 30's is when you can really start to love living as an adult in this great nation, and at this great time.

So, to all the young people who like me, think that turning 30 is scary. I say don't be scared, it is wonderful, and refreshing...life keeps getting better :-)

                                                      Happy birthday to me, and blessings to you,

Oh, and one more thing, I am so happy that on my 30th birthday I got to try one of these things, another life experience I did not have in my 20's

                                                                Happy Wednesday!

I saw the light...the skinny

So I quit my work...I am not going to be doing Sweet Home Boutique anymore...I am going to close up shop for good....woo, and it feels good....

I thought I could do everything, but I was decieved...My life was drifting to a place I was not happy with...I forgot the love and happiness I found in being "simply a homemaker"

My children need me...I was burning my self out with all of the sewing (and God bless to all of my customers--thank you deeply for loving my work)..I was staying up late sewing, and getting up early cleaning feeding and homeschooling my children...

When my children got sick, I was not rested enough to properly care for them...so I quit....I need to retreat again to my place of rest....My bed with my face in prayer...Not only for my family, my husband, and my country...but for you...all of you...As I spend time in prayer the Lord brings people to my mind  people that need prayer support...This is the greatest way I can be a servant at this season in my life....

I will still blog, as I really love it...but it will be about my beautiful family, mothering, gardening, prayer, faith, being a wife, our life as a Navy family, and more....oh and sewing....I still love sewing :-)

God bless and happy Sunday...may you rest is his Peace this day