shutterfly

so christmas card season is coming up and i'm so excited! although i may dread actually taking our family photos, i thoroughly enjoy browsing cards and deciding which to choose from. these days, they have so many modern and fabulous choices! last year we went with shutterfly and i couldn't have been happier with the quality. here's a link to remind you what our card looked like.

christmas 2010

are you stressing about christmas cards yet?

what company are you using?

happy picture taking!

spring bulbs

i know i mentioned that my dadis one amazing gardener.

to say he has a green thumb would be an understatement.

he recently sent me some pictures of his indoor garden. he just planted his spring bulbs and the way he presents them in his gorgeous antique pots, moss, and twigs is just breathtaking to me. 

take a look:

isn't his taste impeccable? someday, i will have my own garden as beautiful as his.

but in the meantime, i'm trying. and he has helped big time.

look what he had delivered right to my door step!!

300+ bulbs. a variety of daffodils, paperwhites, and tulips.

although my yard will look nothing like his, this spring will be beautiful around here.

i put david hard at work to dig holes for my hearty daffodil bulbs. 

it was so gratifying digging in the soil with my fingers and "sowing these seeds."

although i am LOVING this fall season, i can't wait to see the first signs of spring peek through my yard.

thanks dad so much! not only for the bulbs, but for the desire that you've given me to enjoy all things nature.

ps. david and i are leaving for a overnight getaway in T minus 5 hours! so excited!

halloween quilt

i finally finished my halloween quilt that i started last year!

here are the pictures with my two lovely assistants:

the back is a fleece polka dot.

it was my first time quilting with fleece and it wasn't too bad.

i used the same quilting method as this one.

now if i could just figure out how to quilt something other than straight lines!

i finished it a couple days before halloween, so we only got to cuddle with it for a short time before it went in the deco bin, but the kids sure loved it!

halloweenie 2011

this halloween, we went super simple.

no coordinating outfits like this year,

no handmade costumes like this year,

BUT we still had 3 happy and cute kids!

kavi as a monkey (same as last year)

paisley as snow white

carter as spider girl?

i love how paisley is looking at kavi in this picture.

can you tell she idolizes him?

we did the usual.

trunk or treat at church on friday

and our neighborhood trick or treating tonight.

paisley was way into it this year and was so proud of herself every time she said thank you after receiving candy! carter stayed happy in the stroller as long as she had a sucker. and of course the boy was in candy heaven as well. hope your halloween was just as happy!

brown-eyed girl

carter has figured out my cell phone. she's thirteen months and pretty much knows how to use it as well as me. okay, maybe not quite as well, but she's getting it. this sweet baby makes me and the mister gush with love everyday. when she looks up at us with those big brown eyes of her, we both just melt. especially david. i can't say enough how grateful i am for these healthy, beautiful children of mine.

i know i take them for granted when i'm busy complaining about the whining or messes, but i'm trying to remind myself more and more that each day with my little family is a gift...

yellow s

I know it's cliche, but it was inevitable for me. I've started a small photography business. (If you can call it a business.) I'm mostly just taking pictures of my pretty friends trying to get some practice in. I kind of love it. Go peek at my tiny portfolio and follow my blog if you're interested. Thanks peeps!

www.shalynnpruettphotography.blogspot.com

home tour: living room

man, did (and do) i have a hard time with my living room.

it's huge, with an opening to the kitchen, and only one big wall really.

so it posed a huge challenge. 

this is the view from the front door.

as soon as you walk in the house, the living room is straight ahead.

to the right of this is the kitchen and dining area and to the left, 

is the guest bedroom, bathroom, and door to the garage.

some subtle halloween decorations on the mantle.

branches spray painted black with cobwebs and orange & black trim that i sewed together.

this is the only blank wall in the living room. the husband didn't want anything hung 

on his precious TV wall... so boring! so i just finished stenciling some

 "wallpaper". he'll eventually mount the TV on the wall.

i followed this tutorial and loved it!

mine came out completely different. it has so many flaws,

 but hopefully it's just me who notices them:)

it really wasn't a hard project, just took a steady hand. 

i would recommend it to anyone!

i had a hard time figuring out the placement of my couches. one was originally against the window, and the other was back up against the kitchen's low wall, but bringing them in, made the room feel so much comfier.  i really DON'T love my couches, but they are still in great condition and super comfy, so i can't complain. 

and there you have it. now that i look over these pictures, i feel like i need more color in there! i'm opposite of most people who shy away from color, i want it everywhere! we'll see if i can incorporate it more into this room without  overdoing it. maybe pillows?

....