Lets Hear it for the Boys

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This time of year there are gift guides popping up all over the place. I love them, they are always full of wonderful ideas, but as the sister to four brothers I've noticed that they tend to be a little on the light side when it come for gifts for guys. So this week I thought I'd put together my own little guide for giving gifts to guys, because I have four brothers I have spent years looking for the perfect gifts for boys. For the next four days I'll have a round up a gifts inspired by each of my brothers, ranging from my Tech-y brother to my Sport-y Camping loving brother.

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Lately it seem that every time I turn around I'm being told or reading a sad, devastating or heart ache inducing story. They are stories about the unexpected happening, about things falling apart, about the things that make you wonder if your life is going anywhere. At time like these I fall back on this verse over and over. Knowing that even when I can't see it, understand it or really want it, God has a plan is the best comfort I can have.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

Flowers in Her Hair

If you remember in September I slipped away for the weekend with a few of my closest gal pals. Craft Cabin wasn't just a chance to spend some quality time with my nearest and dearest it was the kick off to four years worth of 30th birthdays. That's right our little quartet will all be thirty by the end (well really middle) of 2014 and the next birthday is coming up fast. My beautiful cousin Hannah will be thirty on the 1st day of 2012. With her birthday being smack dab in the middle of all the holiday frenzy there will not be any January trips to lakes or long walks on the beach with best friends, but that doesn't mean that a low key little bit o' birthday love can't have some festive touches. So I knew when I saw these amazing flower "party hats" over on Oh Happy Day that they would be the perfect addition to a little Thai dinner party. Don't you agree. I'll be sure and post a few pictures of my creations in action when the big day comes. Do you have any fun celebrations coming up? Any plans to force your friends to eat dinner with huge blooms flopping a top their brow?

P.S. I have been working away on a bunch of Christmas crafts, my dining room table has turned into Santa's little workshop!

I smile because it's worth it

Marcel is back and cute as ever - "all he cares about is treats and snoozing, snoozing and treats".

What a Pair

The other day I stopped by Homegoods to pick up a little Christmas surprise when I spotted these cuties. It might be a little hard to tell from the picture, but they are covered in the most lovely velvety stripes and while not exactly the colors that I'm going for in my living room, they have given me a great idea for how I can recover my beloved, but very shabby looking, pink plaid chairs. There just might be a set of stripy chairs in my decorating future.

Shiny Happy Music

Yeah, I'll love any song that has hand claps!

For Today

Things around here have been a little quite the last few weeks, but that is all about to change. I have a few fun posts coming up, some gift guides, my favorite Thanksgiving sides, my very pinterest Christmas and oh so much more!

In "Stitches"

Ooooh bonus post because I forgot about up dating you on my Pinterest Challenge. Well I've finished and I'm 95% happy with the out come of my little interpretation.
In case you forgot here is my inspiration image. This cute "cross stitched" bedroom wall.
And here is my finished project. I'm not ready to commit to painting hundreds of little Xs all over my wall (yet), so on a canvas was the way to go. To begin, after much trial and error I ended up drawing a 1/2 inch grid out in pencil (I wanted to use a while colored pencil, but (perhaps as a sign that I am getting older) I could not see the lines well enough (or at all) so I gave up on that idea and just went with the regular pencil (warning if you do this, you will end up with a hand, wrist and arm covered in pencil). I then just painted bunches of little Xs by following half of this cross stitch pattern. I went with a wild rose because I knew that for now I was going to hang the painting in my living room and my new rug (I should show you a picture of my new rug, shouldn't I?) has a more traditional rose print on it.
And and action shot. I need to hang it a little higher and I think I might go back and "erase" the grid with white paint and maybe add a little gold around the edge.

So have you ever made anything from pinterest? Let me know I'd love to check it out!

Read Something Good: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

I'm sure this is no surprise after I squealed about Mindy's return to blogging. This month I'll be reading Mindy Kaling's newly released book and you should too!

P. S. can you believe there is only one more book selection for 2011? It is crazy town, next month in addition to introducing my last pick, I will also give you the low down on what I thought of the monthly books and confess to the one I didn't finish reading.